DON'T SAVE YOUR BEST FOR LATER!
Psychologies UK|August 2023
Tomorrow never comes, or so the saying goes, so isn't it time we all started to celebrate today, instead, with small acts of self-care and life's little luxuries, asks Yasmina Floyer
Yasmina Floyer
DON'T SAVE YOUR BEST FOR LATER!

The other week, a friend commended my 'courage' for wearing nice summer dresses on the school run. I was a little confused; I wasn't exactly dressed for the Met Gala. She confided, she would never be brave enough to wear pretty frocks to school - it was too mundane an event for bright colours, she told me. I was dumbfounded. For one, I told her, they are just my clothes; two, it's the summer, and who knows how many days of sunshine we'll get; and three, who cares what you're wearing anyway?

But, on reflection, I started to understand. I completely get that feeling of something being 'too nice' or 'too special' to have for every day - like birthday cake, or afternoon tea. And I know that having something good to look forward to can be a great motivator when we are trying to reach a particular goal, or complete a task we may not be too keen on. But when it comes to almost everything else, I must admit, I no longer see much point in holding back on the good things in life. So, here I am, making a case for why we should embrace more of the good things now, rather than waiting to enjoy them at some distant time in the future that - let's face it - may never come.

I think the change in my perspective is mainly down to the pandemic. Weddings, holidays, and other plans both big and small that we had been saving up for and looking forward to for months, even years, suddenly evaporated in the face of multiple lockdowns. The drastic disruption to our lives had many of us re-evaluating things, and it got me to thinking: what is the point of denying ourselves joy when something out of our control may take the decision away from us?

Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Psychologies UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Psychologies UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA PSYCHOLOGIES UKSe alt
Why Are We So Sensitive About Being Sensitive? - Feeling empathy, energy and emotion keenly is not a failing - it can be your strength and your superpower, discovers Yasmina Floyer
Psychologies UK

Why Are We So Sensitive About Being Sensitive? - Feeling empathy, energy and emotion keenly is not a failing - it can be your strength and your superpower, discovers Yasmina Floyer

All of us are sensitive - it is the very nature of being human. However, as with most behavioural characteristics, it exists on a scale. Jenn Granneman, founder of the world's largest community for introverts and co-author, along with Andre Sólo, of Sensitive (Penguin, £10.99), tells me about the characteristics of someone who is highly sensitive: 'Simply put, if you're a highly sensitive person, your body and mind respond more to the world around you. You respond more to heartbreak, pain, and loss - but you also respond more to beauty, new ideas, and joy. You're more affected by everything around you, but you also draw more from these experiences.

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024
Try a Little Kindfulness - Make kindness a conscious practice and infuse your life with everyday abundance, writes Dr David Hamilton
Psychologies UK

Try a Little Kindfulness - Make kindness a conscious practice and infuse your life with everyday abundance, writes Dr David Hamilton

The more we care about others, the more we realise that most people are just like us - trying to figure things out and hoping for a good day. It's easier to fear what you don't know, but once you get to know people, the world seems a lot smaller and cosier. So next time you're tempted to scroll past someone's problem, dismiss someone's feelings, or just be in your own little bubble, remember: the world's a better place when we all give a little f*ck. Let's sprinkle that stuff everywhere like it's magical kindness glitter!

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024
There's No Excuse to Slow Down! - Presenter, podcaster and author Gabby Logan talks to Psychologies about health, happiness, and overcoming hurdles in midlife...
Psychologies UK

There's No Excuse to Slow Down! - Presenter, podcaster and author Gabby Logan talks to Psychologies about health, happiness, and overcoming hurdles in midlife...

Presenter, podcaster and author Gabby Logan talks to Psychologies about health, happiness, and overcoming hurdles in midlife...When TV presenter Gabby Logan started to experience brain fog in her late 40s, struggling to recall the correct word or name on live TV, she initially put it down to tiredness. 'I couldn't quite get that name or articulate in the way I had previously been able to, so I was concerned, but it coincided with lockdown and not doing any telly for a while. I remember feeling quite nervous going back to live TV.' But the former international gymnast soon realised that it was a symptom of perimenopause and promptly went onto HRT, which she says has balanced her hormones.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
Kindle your creativity
Psychologies UK

Kindle your creativity

Increase your sense of connection and support your self-expression, urges Caroline Butterwick

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
Fast and filling!
Psychologies UK

Fast and filling!

Join the high-protein revolution and eat better everyday, with these full-of-flavour recipes from nutritionist Scott Baptie's new cookbook

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
What's your optimum?
Psychologies UK

What's your optimum?

Eating well can cure what ails us, so why is it so hard? Anna Blewett discovers the secrets to a more resolved relationship with food...

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
"FRIENDSHIP DELIVERED SO MUCH OF WHAT ROMANTIC LOVE HAD PROMISED"
Psychologies UK

"FRIENDSHIP DELIVERED SO MUCH OF WHAT ROMANTIC LOVE HAD PROMISED"

Author Marianne Power talks to Psychologies about self-love and the sisterhood...

time-read
9 mins  |
September 2024
Summer break or make!
Psychologies UK

Summer break or make!

Hello, lovers! September is here, and the lazy holiday season is behind us. And for many-me included - now feels like the perfect opportunity for a personal kick up the backside, and to embark on a relationship reset. In my work, it's typically women who take the first steps accessing couples' help, but recently (and encouragingly) I've noticed an uptick in men reaching out to get relationship advice and wanting to put the work in.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2024
Time to spread their wings
Psychologies UK

Time to spread their wings

As the seasons shift and shudder, threatening rhythm and routine, Heidi Scrimgeour embraces September in all its bittersweetness...

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
Big wild world
Psychologies UK

Big wild world

Caro Giles fills up her cup with summer colour and awaits autumn wonder...

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024