Wellbeing Wednesday #20
Bitesized options for brightening up your hump day
Inspire
“When we are no longer able to change a situation—just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer—we are challenged to change ourselves.”
- Viktor E. Frankl
Hi, I’m Holly - coach, mindfulness facilitator and writer of the Zestful Zen Wellbeing Wednesday newsletter. 💖 I hope you’ll find these resource round-ups a helpful self-care support and an opportunity to pause as we hit “hump day” each week. 🐪
Disclosure: To support my solopreneurship dreams, posts may contain affiliate links, where I get a commission at no cost to you. I only share items I genuinely believe you’ll enjoy.
Look
Happy New Year readers! With the start of another year comes a blank slate and the opportunity to start afresh with new hopes and dreams. Wherever you are, I encourage you to pause and gaze at the sky as you reset for 2025. As the clouds drift by and the shades of blue, grey, or pink tint the sky, it’s a great reminder of the impermanence of nature and life. Take a mindful moment to just enjoy the view.
P.S. I drafted this post well in advance - I’m taking a writing break over the holidays to rest and recharge my batteries. I hope you have a rejuvenating festive season too. 💖
Listen
In When ‘No’ Leads to Growth, Radio Headspace host Rosie Acosta explains how getting a 'no' can be an opportunity to learn and grow. Rosie sets out how we can use self-compassion to respond to rejection, learning lessons along the way and embracing new, unexpected possibilities.
Watch
In her TEDx talk, One Fear Per Year: A Personal Growth Hack that Changes Everything, Janice Burt sets out how to face your fears and uncover more confidence, empathy, peace, and freedom in your life. Janice shares her personal story with humour and explains her ACA formula: Awareness (of your fears), Choice (intention to walk through your fears with trust; pick one fear per year) and Action (mark the activity on your calendar; preparation without perfection; find your people).
Why not embrace the New Year by taking the leap and tackling your fears in 2025?
Read
If you find the cacophony of modern life too much, why not turn over a new page for New Year and discover calm for creatives, with
’s 7-part series, Finding Focus in the Chaos. Sarah shares concrete steps you can take to reduce overwhelm.
Ask
I’d expected to have all my posts pre-scheduled by mid-December, but my latest personal essay was off-schedule, published yesterday. I wrote about time: making the most of it, being fully present with family, and dealing with bereavement and grief, following my Mum’s passing before Christmas. You can read the full post here:
Some questions you could reflect on:
What does quality time mean to you?
What (or who) do you want to devote more time to?
When did you last take the time to be alone with your thoughts?
What time do you need most now? Time to rest, play, learn, or just be?
Do
Spend time alone with your thoughts and feelings. Really tune into bodily sensations - what is your body trying to tell you? Are there any areas of tension? What is your soul saying? Try some different ways of listening - does your heart give you answers when you’re walking? Or is a pen and blank piece of paper your best route to mindful insights? Acknowledge and accept your thoughts and feelings, without judgement.
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Wishing you all a wonderful Wellbeing Wednesday! 💖 And a Happy New Year! 🥳
For more self-care resources, dip into the Wellbeing Wednesday back catalogue, or check out my essays on self-care.
P.S. I’d love your feedback on this post: What would make it better? 🌸
Ways to connect or work with me 💬
DM me, jump in the subscriber chat, or connect via my website, LinkedIn or Instagram 😁 I offer coaching sessions and mindfulness courses.
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