Superhero Day

 

Image from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-problem-with-female-superheroes/

You might not know this, but since 1995 the date 28th of April has been named as being Superhero Day.

It is clear that growing up almost every kid has a favourite superhero or fictional character as a role model - someone they look up to maybe even later in their adult years still. It doesn't matter whether you're a fan of Wonder Woman, Hulk or Spiderman,  watching and reading about these characters with special powers fighting crime and protecting others inspires and teaches us the importance of kindness, justice and bravery.

On this Superhero Day in 2021 we at Madia & Matilda encourage you to look past the fictional to find and honor the everyday superheroes around you. This year has no doubt been difficult for everyone, but especially for the doctors, nurses and other essential workers who have been on the job and fighting for us tirelessly. We ask you to celebrate them and show our gratitude for all that they have so selflessly done.

And remember, you can always become a superhero yourself! Whether that is through being an advocate for the environment, doing volunteer work or by donating to your local charities - not only will you do good deeds but also inspire others to be better as well! Be the person the younger version of you would aspire to be.

Wishing you a super day!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda 

Self Care Yoga Tips

 

With the current lockdown and strict tier system in place, this is the perfect time to focus on the mind and body. With our quick yoga tips you can begin to practice self-care at home. 

Yoga can be accessible and adaptable to the individual. The practice of yoga is not just physical, it is 90% mindful. Once you begin to align both of these together you will see the true benefits. If you are a beginner you can start off with some easy breathing techniques for your mind, and some beneficial stretches for your body.

Yoga is scientifically known to boost your immune system, improving your health, which it is essential to stay fit and healthy during the current pandemic. 

Lets begin with breathing, if you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed or stressed with exterior problems such as work, take two minutes to deep breathe. Take a long inhalation, following your breathing as it circulates the body and becomes a deep exhalation. Keep following those inhales and exhales, letting the shoulders release on the exhalation and your ribs lift on the inhalation. 

You can also try counting the breath, this is a great technique if you suffer from anxiety, lets try it now. Deep breath in for the count of 1, 2, 3 seconds. Deep breath out for the count of 3, 2, 1 seconds. Continue this and concentrate on the breath, this allows you to divert your focus on your body rather than your thoughts and overworked mind. 

Now some self-care yoga stretches, if you are sat at a desk or working from home, try this.. 

Begin with a supine twist for 8 breaths on your right side, followed by 8 breaths on your left side. This should release any tension built up in the lower back. 

Stretch your arms over the chair and lift your chest tilting the head back, from here we can take a shoulder squeeze pose. 

If you can take 10 minutes out of your day in the morning or evening, it is great for the mind and body to take a childs pose followed by a cobra pose on a yoga matt. These are simple yet effective. 

Most importantly, for self-care, celebrate yourself and trust yourself. Slow down and give yourself a few minutes a day to breathe, stretch, focus on your mind, body, and health. By doing this, we can heal ourselves through yoga. Allow yourself to let go each day at a time. 

Images from: https://pixabay.com/photos/sunset-panorama-dusk-nature-3084651/

Sincerely Madia & Matilda 

Mind Week - Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week starts every year on the second Monday in May, Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 will be taking place 13 -19 May.  We all know what it’s like to feel stressed - being under pressure is a normal part of life. But becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental health problems or make existing problems worse.

Taking steps to look after your wellbeing can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the impact that stress has on your life.

There are still lots of practical things you can do to manage the amount of pressure you're under day to day.

We have complied a list of services that can support and advise on practical steps to help you 

Mind

Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.

Everything we say and do is rooted in the experiences of people who know what it’s like to live with a mental health problem. That includes the thousands of people who rely on our local and national services, our incredible supporters and campaigners, our fundraisers, volunteers, staff and trustees. Their experiences bring our work to life.

Mind provide life-saving information when people need it most. Mind bang on doors and call for change; they demand that people get the support they need and the respect they deserve. And we show that there are actions we can all take to challenge stigma and transform experiences of mental health for the better. 

Rethink Metal Illness

Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that believes a better life is possible for the millions of people affected by mental Illness. For 40 years we have brought people together to support each other through our services, groups and campaign

CALM

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK. Join the campaign to take a stand against male suicide and get the tools you need for action.

Child line 

Childline is a support service to help with whatever's on your mind to guide you & help you make decisions that are right for you.

Their tips and techniques, ideas and inspiration, can help you feel more in control and you can access them in your own time, at your own pace!

Beyond Blue

The Beyond Blue programme is aimed at mothers who develop mental health issues during or after pregnancy. It has recently been launched at the Bright Beginnings Children's Centre.

Samaritans

Samaritains make sure there’s someone there for anyone who needs someone.

Every year, they answer more than 5 million calls for help via their unique 24-hour listening service, email, SMS, letter, face to face and through our Welsh language service.

Samaritans give people ways to cope and the skills to be there for others.

From us at Madia & Matilda, We hope this list of available services, can be of some support or comfort for you, as mental health is so important to take care of and discuss how you are feeling. 

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Who's Number One?!

Looking After Number One 

Lots of people brush it off as silly, weird or irrelevant, but self care is actually really important for your physical and mental health! It could also affect the people around you, probably more than you realise.

We're all about keeping that feeling of being a child about to run into the sea!

It can be hard to justify a bit of "me time" these days, am I right? You're supposed to be rushing around the racetrack of life at the same speed as everyone else— and you sure as heck don't want to fall behind. Self care is about noticing this kind of frantic energy and the effect it has on you, and gently teaching yourself some new thought patterns. 

We're aware that this is an alien concept for a lot of people. Everyone's aware of the national British stereotype: "stiff upper lip, old pal! Just keep going! Have another cuppa!" However, quite aside from the Brits' tea philosophy, the mind is amazingly versatile and can be used as a powerful tool for change. There are around 100 billion neurons in the human brain (cats have around 300 million). 

Positive Affirmations

Ever heard of Louise Hay? She's the mastermind behind the idea of positive affirmations, a handy little way of injecting a positive mental boost into your life. She said “I have come to this planet to learn to love myself more, and to share that love with all those around me”. The woman was am-HAY-zing, truly. 

Louise has a lot to say about self love and the effect it has not just on you, but on those around you. Here are some affirmations to try out:

• I forgive myself for not being perfect.
• I honour who I am.
• I release all negative thoughts of the past and all worries about the future.
• Loving others is easy when I love and accept myself.
• I love and approve of myself.

There are lots of ways you can practice affirmations. You could think them, write them down or speak them. You could even try saying them to yourself in the mirror ("ooh, who's this lovely sexy person?"). The point is to rewire you brain slowly with positive thoughts. This creates new neural pathways which are kind of like new guitar strings: the more you use them, the easier they are to play.

A lot of us tend to recognise issues in our personal lives and choose to ignore them. Some of us don't recognise our issues at all. Obviously it's hard to begin looking at resolving these issues if you don't know they're there, but we've listed a couple of common areas where things can go boobies-up if you're careful. 

Sleep

Sleep is really important. REALLY important! You just can't argue: it's been scientifically proven again and again. According to the NHS, getting enough sleep can:

• Boost your immune system. When you're really tired, your body tends to decide that it's going to spend more energy on keeping you upright than fighting the flu.
• Have a positive impact on your mental health. Lack of sleep has been known to increase the risk of anxiety and depression.
• Raise your game (and potentially other things as well) in the bedroom. Sleep debt can result in an unhelpful apathetic attitude when you just want to have some fun. Not very cool. 

Has that convinced you yet?! Click here for more on sleep and health. 

Talking About How You're Feeling

It isn't soppy, it isn't over-emotional, it isn't stupid. Talking about your feelings important and could help your overall mental health, plus improving your relationships with people you trust.

You don't have to do the sit-down-and-have-a-serious-chat thing. You could write how you're feeling in a journal; pick up your instrument (or learn a new one) and howl your heart out; talk to your dog (cats, despite bad rep, can be sympathetic); splash some paint about; get some exercise; or sew, like we do (not if you're really frustrated-- can end in tears). 

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how pent-up emotion comes out, it's just important that it does. Sometimes we're not aware of just how much something is eating away at our happiness until we suddenly start crying. Usually, unsurprisingly, it's because we've been too busy to stop, reflect and listen to ourselves if something's not right. Or even worse, we just don't want to. THIS ENDS NOW, PEOPLE!

'Orange Is the New Black' star Dascha Polanco on Self Love

Dascha Polanco from Orange is the New Black is an inspirational Instagrammer. She likes to write about self love, self acceptance and self esteem, often using the tags #selflovery and #ismellgood. Speaking to Girl Talk HQ (but everyone should hear this), Polanco talked about how "there’s a time where you have the decision to make yourself happy". She understands the importance of recognising a situation where you need to put yourself first. This is relevant to everybody, not just celebrities! In turn, Polanco says Angelina Jolie is someone she looks up to "as a philanthropist", and someone who owns her own life. Read the rest of the article here.

So you see, lovely reader... 

Self care isn't a stupid. It's looking after yourself so you can be the best possible version of you.

Sincerely Madia & Matilda