When done right, distractions can help us regulate our emotions – and, with the perfect activity, you could be introducing another layer of joy into your life

1. Go for a mindful walk

Going for a walk is a recommendation we’ve all heard before, right? Being mindful on your walk, however, can take things up a notch. Allow yourself to be fully present during your walk; what are you seeing? What are you hearing? What are you smelling? Engaging with your senses has a grounding effect, and can distract you from swirling thoughts, all while reaping the benefits of being out in nature.

2. Write a letter to a loved one

Connecting with others has a host of benefits, and, thanks to technology, there are more ways to connect than ever before. When you need a distraction though, why not slow things down and write a letter? Taking time to hand-write your conversation can help to slow our thinking and take a beat. And, let’s be honest – who doesn’t love receiving post?

3. Organise something

We’re all different, but for some of us, a cluttered space can make our minds feel cluttered, too. Having a moment to tidy and organise a space gives us something physical to do (grounding us in the here and now) while taking our mind off of whatever we’re worried about. Pick a shelf, cupboard, or even a room, pop on a playlist, and get organising.

4. Read a couple of pages

Sometimes we need beautiful words as a palate cleanser for difficult times. Pick up a poetry book, a book of essays, or a short story, and read a few pages when you need it. Focusing on short-form writing can take away the overwhelm that can come with longer reads, and makes it easier to dip in and out.

5. Create something

Tapping into our creativity has a wonderful way of reducing stress and lifting our mood. Next time you need a distraction, create something. Try out a new recipe, play an instrument, work on a puzzle, or write a story. This reminds us of our capabilities, and gives us a great confidence boost.

6. Learn something new

Learning something new engages our minds and shifts our perspective, giving us permission to be messy beginners. Why not learn a language, and distract yourself with Duolingo lessons? Or sign up to a learning platform like Skillshare and work through a class? You’ll not only be distracted, but you’ll also be working on your personal development, and, hopefully, finding a whole heap of fulfilment along the way.

7. Play a game

Whether you prefer board games or video games, all forms of gaming offer a sense of escapism and accomplishment that can be positive. Bring out your favourite when you need a break, and allow yourself to be immersed in a new world, even if only for a while.

Spring is almost here, and with it comes daylight savings time change. Sure, we get more sunlight, but losing an hour of sleep can really throw off our internal clocks, leaving us feeling tired and sluggish for days. But fear not, because I’ve got some tips to help you avoid daylight savings burnout and keep your energy levels up during this transition.

Start preparing early

The key to avoiding feeling sluggish when daylight savings hits is to start preparing a few days before the change. Gradually shift your sleep schedule by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night for a few days leading up to the time change.

This will help your body adjust to the new schedule and make the transition smoother. Annnnnd if you need a little help, the naturally calming ingredients in Slumber Party will have you snoozing in no time. 

Stick to a routine

Maintaining a consistent routine is essential for keeping your energy levels up. Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends. This will help regulate your body’s internal clock and prevent you from feeling tired and groggy.

Get moving

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Hi hi! Happy Friday! How was the week? I hope you’ve had a great one. I’m so so happy ya’ll enjoyed this week’s podcast episode, too. Thank you so much to those who took a listen!

A huge highlight of my week: watching Liv’s first dance competition of the season. A fun bonus: Madre and Nani came with us to Phoenix! It was their first time watching a competition and it was so amazing having them there to support Liv. It was a quick 24 hour trip and officially started the competition season into Disney parade into recital.. here we go!

While we were in Phoenix, P was here in Tucson living her best life with the Pilot. They had a family day at work, with bounce castles, corn hole, face painting, a video game truck, and lots of delicious food, and then two of her friends came over for a playdate. The only sad news of the weekend is that our beloved Cookie, the hairless guinea pig, has crossed the rainbow bridge. We’re not sure how it happened – it was sudden and he had no signs of health issues. He happily took his Vitamin C from me before we left to Phoenix and was squeaking happily. 🙁 We had a little farewell ceremony in the backyard complete with Josh Groban’s rendition of “Ave Maria.” Rest in peace, Cooker.

Guinea pigs don’t typically like to be alone, so we might explore getting another one from a rescue as a companion to Donut, but the truth is I’m not sure how much longer I want to be on the guinea pig wagon. I do 99% of their care and they’re a LOT of work (they’re messy lil guys!), so we’ll see what we decide to do. If you have any tips, please let me know!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Favs party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your favorites, so please shout out anything you’re loving in the comments section below!

Friday Faves

Fitness, health, good eats:

I fell in love with Rebbl this past week. Where has it been all of my life?! I went to Whole Foods to get snacks and drinks for us to have at the competition and wasn’t something different than water that was still satisfying. I usually hate bottled protein drinks, but liked the ingredients in this one and decided to give it a try. It was SO good. Like rich chocolate milk but not too sweet. I went back to Whole Foods and got 5 more bottles, including the dark chocolate. Obsessed.

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This is not your average Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, this isn’t Oreo dust or a few crumbles of cookies, this is nearly an entire package of chocolate sandwich cookies stuffed into a batch of ice cream.

If you love Oreos, you are certain to love this homemade cookies and cream ice cream.

This is creamy, rich, homemade vanilla ice cream absolutely loaded with chunks of Oreos. Oh, Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, how I love you. Is it the fact that handfuls of my favorite sandwich cookies are crammed into each bowl of creamy ice cream?

Or is it simply that I can never have too many ways to eat Oreos? or is it that I can never have enough recipes for homemade ice cream? Whatever the reason, this is our house’s newest favorite ice cream.

To really take this ice cream over the top, I recommend stirring together a batch of this Homemade Chocolate Sauce while the ice cream is churning.

Chocolate Magic Shell is another favorite topping for ice cream in our house as well. However you serve it, this ice cream is always a treat.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

A great many of our favorite ice cream recipes begin with a batch of smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream.

To make the best-ever cookies n cream ice cream, chop up a whole pile of chocolate sandwich cookies while the ice cream is churning. When the ice cream is ready, layer those cookie pieces into a container with the soft ice cream.

All that’s left is to stash the ice cream cookie mixture in the freezer until it’s semi-firm and scoopable. Easy as can be to make and you likely won’t be buying another carton of cookie and cream ice cream from the store anytime soon.

Yes, homemade cookies and cream ice cream really IS that good.

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Break up the day and say goodbye to aches and pains, with this exclusive yoga routine designed especially for desk workers

Backache, shoulder ache, neck ache, wrist ache – sometimes, working at a desk can be, well, a bit of a headache.

A survey conducted by Censuswide found that 81% of UK office workers spend between four and nine hours each day sitting at their desks, which adds up to an average of 67 sedentary days per person each year – a lifestyle that can land you with a range of health issues. And while workplace health and safety guidelines will encourage staff to regularly get up and move, deadlines, workload, and workplace culture can make that difficult, in practice.

“Despite being a yoga teacher, I’m also very guilty of being a desk dweller when I’m not teaching, so I know the feeling all too well,” Iain Ross says. “I have chronically tight shoulders and upper back issues, niggles in the lower back and hips, knee pain… The list could go on.”

According to the Labour Force Survey, 477,000 workers suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders, so you’re not alone. And while support from your workplace in the form of ergonomic equipment can go a long way, yoga makes for an effective way to manage aches, pains, soreness, and your mood.

“When it comes to the upper back and shoulders, much of the issue comes from overstretched back muscles and over-contracted chest muscles, usually caused by long periods of time spent hunched over,” Iain explains. “Moving downward through the body, a hunched spine (too much spinal flexion) is a recipe for all kinds of back issues, while underactive and overstretched glutes, plus constant flexion in the hip flexors (the front of the hip and thigh) will definitely cause discomfort and injuries over time.

“So, the key is to open the chest and heart space while strengthening the back, and to activate the glutes while lengthening the hip flexors,” Iain says. “This is somewhat oversimplifying things of course, but stick to this as a guideline and you won’t go far wrong.”

Over to you

When working at a desk, try this five-minute sequence, created for you by Iain Ross:

1. Seated breathing (pranayama)

One super effective yet extremely simple way to open up space around the chest and the ribs is through deep breathing. There’s more to this than simply taking a couple of breaths, though! Breathe consciously and with awareness for at least one minute.

Start by sitting up straight in your chair, without leaning back or hunching over. Imagine trying to align your head at the very top of your spine while someone pulls a long thread out through the crown of your head. Ever so slightly tuck your chin towards your chest to lengthen the back of the neck. From here focus solely on your breath, allowing each inhale to become deeper. Imagine you’re trying to fill the lungs from the bottom to the top, front to back, and side to side.

It can help to place one hand on the heart space and one on the belly, so you can physically feel your hands move away from you as your breath deepens.

2. Heart chakra kriya

Kriya roughly translates as ‘cleansing’, and this is a gorgeous, traditional