From a podcast that will get you stomping outdoors to a photography technique that will light up the sky, try something new with our enriching suggestions

1. Page-turners

Letter To My Younger Self: The Big Issue Presents... 100 Inspiring People on the Moments That Shaped Their Lives by Jane Graham and The Big Issue

What one piece of advice would you give to your younger self? Interviewer Jane Graham conversed with well-known figures, from Paul McCartney to Olivia Colman, to ask them exactly that. The result? Letter To My Younger Self – a collection of reflections and words of wisdom for when you need it most.

(Out now, £9.99)

2. Out and about

Paint a light picture

Try your hand at long-exposure photography, and be mesmerised by the illuminated masterpiece that is captured through light painting. Simply place your camera on a tripod, set your camera to a long shutter speed, and use your torch to paint the sky with light. What are you waiting for? Grab your camera and watch the magic unfold.

(Visit canon-europe.com to find out more)

3. Act of kindness

Volunteer at a Repair Cafe

Are you skilful at sewing, or handy at mending things, and want to put your skills to good use? Volunteer for a local repair cafe to help fix everyday items, such as electricals, bikes, clothes, furniture, and more. You’ll be helping people save money during a time of economic uncertainty and, in turn, contributing towards protecting the planet.

(Visit repaircafe.org to find out more information)

4. Lend us your ears

‘Stompcast with Dr Alex’

Go on a stomping journey with Dr Alex, as he takes you on a wander through the great outdoors and into the lives of each of his podcast guests. In each episode, Dr Alex meets a renowned podcast guest in an outdoor location of their choice and embarks on a walk, all while engaging in thought-provoking conversations about wellbeing and mental health.

(Available on all podcast platforms)

5. Plugged-In

Tamara Michael

Do you ever just feel instantly soothed from a racing mind after doodling? From a scribble to help you to self-regulate, to one designed to provide relief from phone anxiety, artist Tamara Michael has a doodling tutorial for every occasion. There’s a reason art therapy is so popular, so grab your pen and put it to the test.

(Follow @tamaramichael_)

With almost half of Brits experiencing gut health problems, we take a look at the latest research by HSIS to understand how pre and probiotics can support a healthy gut and all-around better health

Gut health is proving to be one of the most exciting and important areas of science in today’s society. A new study by the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS) has revealed that 47% of people in Britain have experienced gut health problems. The study, undertaken by HSIS nutritionist Dr Pamela Mason and GP, Dr Gill Jenkins, looks at the effects that probiotics and prebiotics can have on our gut health, as well as several other key health problems.

Dr Mason explains, “By conducting our systematic review of the scientific literature, we have found clinical evidence that probiotics – ‘friendly’ strains of bacteria – and prebiotics – dietary substances that promote certain gut bacteria types – can support people with a range of health problems…”

What benefits do pre and probiotics bring to our physical (and mental) health?

1. Gastrointestinal conditions - Prebiotics and probiotics can support conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.
2. They can help manage atopic eczema in children and allergies across all ages.
3. They can aid in reducing the incidence and duration of respiratory tract infections.
4. Pre and probiotics can help manage weight, obesity, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including reducing inflammation.
5. Cognitive health - Pre and probiotics are good at improving mild cognitive impairment.
6. Mental health - they are effective in supporting the management of depression and anxiety.
7. Pre and probiotics improve calcium absorption, leading to better bone health.
8. Dental health - they support the treatment of periodontal disease.

Despite the numerous benefits that looking after our gut health can bring, the HSIS survey reveals that few Brits are up to speed with this area of nutrition. A fifth don’t take prebiotic or probiotic supplements as they don’t understand why they should, or the health benefits they bring, while 21% are unaware that probiotic and prebiotic supplements exist.

Why is it so important to look after our gut?

Our gut contains trillions of microorganisms - including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Collectively, they are known as the 'gut microbiome'. People are unclear about what the gut microbiome actually is, according to the survey results. Dr Mason states, “The gut microbiome – which is unique to each individual – contains over three million genes, making it 130 times more genetically varied than the human genome itself, which consists of about 23,000 genes.”

There are a number of ways in which the gut microbiome affects bodily functions, like going for a ‘number two’, and, therefore, it can play a very important part in how we monitor our overall h

Finance expert Davinia Tomlinson shares easy steps to help you manage your money‌‌

Anyone else counting the days until payday? The first payday after the holidays usually feels a long way off (especially if you got paid early in December), but some of us may be noticing it more than ever this year. As we head into the New Year, many of us like to take the chance to reset and embrace a fresh start, but worries about money and the cost of living can hold us back.

If you’re keen to get a handle on your finances in 2023, a great first step is to learn more about managing money so you can approach it in a simple and strategic way. To help us get started, finance expert Davinia Tomlinson, founder of Rainchq and author of Cash is Queen: A Girl’s Guide to Securing, Spending and Stashing Cash, shares five tips to help you take control of your financial future and live your best, most financially abundant life.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your financial habits, understanding the basics of positive money management can help you feel reassured and put you back in the driving seat.‌‌

Learn to control your money mindset‌‌

Remember: you control your money, your money doesn’t control you. This is the key to transforming your relationship with money and establishing solid financial foundations that form the basis for how you live your life. Cultivating a healthy money mindset means that, in time, you will be making powerful financial decisions on autopilot. Start by keeping a daily money planner for a month and write down what you spend, when, why and with whom.

Next, reflect on how money makes you feel. Which words or thoughts come up consistently when you think about money and most importantly why? Do you feel excited? In control? Anxious? Whatever it is, write it down.‌‌‌‌

Lastly, look for patterns or clues in your behaviour. What do you notice about your money behaviour that makes you proud? Do certain people impact you positively or negatively? Is there a spike in spending after bad news? ‌‌‌‌

The only way to make a positive lasting change is to know your starting point, identify where you’d like to get to and take micro steps that you build on incrementally to achieve your target.

Understand the difference between what you make and what you keep

Being financially free is about understanding the difference between what you earn and what you keep. Keep track of your expenses and make sure you're spending less than you're earning. This will help you make informed decisions about what to do with any disposable income, including how much you can afford to save and invest for the future. Most people who achieve financial success aren’t simply those who ‘earn lots of money’. The most financially savvy are focused as much on what they earn as what they keep.

Deferred gratification ‌‌

It's easy to get caught up in the here and now and spend money on things we want but don't need. While there’s nothing wrong with the occasional burst of spontaneity when it comes to our spending, if this becomes

Are you always putting others’ needs before your own, to the point where you have no time for yourself? You could be a ‘super-helper’, and it might be doing you more harm than good…

Some of us are better at helping others than we are at looking after ourselves. Maybe this sounds familiar to you personally, or perhaps it conjures up an image of someone you know. These are the ones who are susceptible to the ‘super-helper syndrome’ – where people feel compelled to help others, but don’t look after their own needs.

And super-helpers are all around us. Most obviously you will find them in the caring professions, giving strength to our schools, clinics, care homes, and hospitals. But they are also in offices, gyms, community groups, and charities. Helping whenever and wherever they can, either at work or in their own time. They are the problem-solvers, the mediators, and the fixers, who can’t resist any opportunity to help.

But, as kind as it is to want to support others, the old adage ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ is well-known for a good reason. It’s important to spot the signs of being a super-helper early, so you can take action before you reach a state of collapse. Here, we’re sharing the four most common adverse consequences.

Exhaustion

Many helpers run on empty and take this for granted. Are you tired all the time? Do you have no time for yourself? Is your sleep disturbed? Do you suffer from muscle tension or headaches? Do you feel irritable, tetchy or just weighed down?

Resentment

Are you stretched out like an elastic band that’s eventually going to snap? It’s easy to say you don’t want anything in return for helping, but the reality is it’s hard to keep going indefinitely if you get little reward. At the very least, you deserve thanks and recognition. Do you find yourself ruminating on how much you do for others?

Exploitation

If you never express any needs, then it’s easy (and convenient, too) for other people to act as if you don’t have any, to take advantage of your help. If you give the impression you want nothing in return, you’ll often get nothing in return. That’s why it’s important to take a hard look at whether some of the people you are helping are exploiting you. Do they really need help at all? Do they need your help?

Self-criticism

It’s ironic that those who are so good at looking after others are often less kind to themselves. Helpers’ self-criticism typically operates on two levels. Do you criticise yourself for not helping enough (helper’s guilt)? Do you criticise yourself for experiencing the other three adverse impacts of the ‘super-helper syndrome’ – for feeling exhausted, resentful, or exploited?

If you are at the point where you are finding it difficult to look after your own needs, take a step back. Like everyone else, there are times when you need comfort, rest, reassurance, sustenance, or time to yourself. And if you don’t express your needs, how can anyone else know how to take

We all get that Monday feeling. Here are nine ways you can start your week with a more positive spin, and kick your productivity into high gear

That first day back at work after your weekend. Urg. Is there anything worse? Even if you love your job (and you’re a morning person), there’s something about dragging yourself out of bed and trying to get back into the work mindset that makes a surprising percentage of us feel anxious, lethargic, and reluctant to get started.

According to one survey, nearly 62% of us dread Mondays more than any other day of the week. We feel more tired, and even spend longer complaining on a Monday, thanks to making the most of late nights, no alarm clocks and weekend lie-ins (which can throw your body clock off), not to mention over-indulging in takeaways, meals out, and alcohol (which can leave our bodies struggling to keep up).

But what if we didn’t need to start our week off with a reluctant sigh and an excessively large coffee to get through the day? What if there was a way to kickstart your week with a boost of positivity and productivity, to help you actually look forward to your week ahead?

1. Set yourself up for success

Getting your week off to the right start can take a little bit of planning – but it’s more than worth it. Take time out at the end of your last working day to create a quick-start to-do list for your first morning back. This could just be a few bullet points of urgent tasks to take a look at, a couple of notes on any outstanding emails or comms you are waiting on ready to chase up, or an outline ready to prep yourself for a morning full of meetings.

The afternoon and evening before you head back to work are just as important. Sunday night anxiety can feel like it steals precious weekend hours from us, as we lose time to doom-scrolling, give in to the temptation to get a head start on emails, or lay awake late into the night, dreading the week ahead. To avoid the negative night-before cycle, try and do something physical. Go for a long walk, cycle, or swim. Exercise can boost our mood and improve our physical health, as well helping you to physically feel ready to fall asleep that little bit earlier.

If there’s an underlying feeling of anxiety, worry or dread, don’t ignore it. Take some time to think and ask yourself: What is it that is worrying me? Is this something I can fix now? Writing things down can be a big help, and can also be handy in tracking any unhelpful patterns or habits that you may way to address.

2. Take things slowly

Just because you’ve had a couple of days off, doesn’t mean you have to come back feeling 110% and ready to go. Be kind to yourself. Take time to catch up on emails or chat with colleagues to find out more about new tasks and priorities. Work through your to-do list. If you can, schedule in some planning