Happy New Year

Happy new year! Although it doesn't feel like it does it. Cases of coronavirus at record highs, record number of deaths and now a third national lockdown. January has not started in the best way.

However in amongst all the negativity it's hard to remember that there is actually hope in amongst the chaos. There are now three vaccines which have been approved for use* and everyday people are getting vaccinated and the more people that get vaccinated, the less power covid -19 has.

It's also important not to focus too much on the negatives. That can be really difficult, especially as whenever you turn on the T.V. there's a depressing new statistic or something bad has happened.

It's important to limit your news intake. We all need to stay informed but too much news, especially at the moment is not a good thing. It's understandable why people want to watch the news constantly, they want to stay on top of things and be abreast of the latest developments. I'm the same. Sometimes I watch more news than I should and all it does is leave me feeling sad about the current state of affairs.

It's important to switch off, focus on something you enjoy, something that makes you feel good, whether it be a good movie, a good book or a hobby of some sort. I start my day by watching "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Frasier" in the mornings. It makes me laugh and helps put me in a positive mood for the rest of the day. For a list of mood boosting activities click here.

I also have a look at a website called Good News Network. A website dedicated to just publishing good news and inspiring, positive stories and one which reminds us that not everything is all doom and gloom. It's a great website and if you want to have a look at it click here.

I also came across a lovely quote today 'hope shines brightest in the darkest moments'. I think that's really nice and very apt. Although things may not look so good right now, there is hope and things will return to what we were used to before. This too shall pass.

*correct at time of writing.