With the Easter break falling in April this year perhaps April was a little less stressed than usual. Having left behind the build up to the anti-climax of the initial Brexit deadline on 29 March, April felt so much more relaxing.

Stress is an unavoidable part of city living. What do you do to consciously de-stress? Or have you been ‘practicing’ for so long that it just happens naturally? If so, well done. If not, it may be slipping down your to do list.

Taking the time to do something we enjoy is essential to help stay resilient. We all have our own coping mechanisms and they don’t need to include expensive spa treats to be effective (although that would be nice from time to time). Mindfulness ‘on the go’ is free of charge and readily available at all times. Play a game of ‘What do I spy … that makes me smile?’ if only for a brief moment.

The other day I was sitting in a café waiting for my appointment to turn up. I then realised she had cancelled the meeting. I could have been really annoyed with myself and/or her but instead I chose to relax and felt inspired to use some time to consciously notice things around me that made me smile for a fleeting moment. There were beautiful flower arrangements, my tonic water had just the right temperature, the sun was shining, and people were more friendly and smiley than usual. The environment was very pleasant. On top of that I now had a couple of hours to touch up on a presentation I needed to perfect for the coming week, so I could take my time. What a privilege it was to just be able to sit there and enjoying a peaceful moment.

If you feel life is a little overwhelming, or you want to explore coping mechanisms and positive thinking around life in general then perhaps try life coaching. Contact Lykke on Hello@LykkeCoaching.co.uk to arrange an informal discussion.

Enjoy the sun shine.