Every two weeks, the Network of Wellbeing (NOW) offers a summary highlighting beacons of hope and inspiration as we navigate these times together.
Here in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, the Government has begun to relax the restrictions that were put in place in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Yet life feels very different to what it was before lockdown.
This new situation is not the ‘normal’ we lived in before Covid-19 and presents its own new mental health challenges – not least due to the uncertainty about what is going to happen next. The good news is we can continue to connect with and support each other – and we can continue to work towards building back better.
Supporting Your Mental Health and Wellbeing:
READ:
- Feeling isolated? Try these simple practices to connect with nature from our friends at The Heart Movement.
- Care for your Coronavirus Anxiety – from the makers of the Shine app.
- Five lessons to remember when lockdown ends by Jill Suttie for the Greater Good Science Center in Berkeley, California.
WATCH / LISTEN:
- The Mental Health Foundation’s series Podcasts for your Wellbeing
- Free Mindfulness Audio for Challenging Times from Shamash Alidina
JOIN:
- The Mindful Art Club. This Plymouth-based group meets twice a week using mindfulness and art to help you feel happier, calmer and more social.
- Re-frame your now – Ruth Davey’s next four-week online mindful photography course starts on 6th June.
- Reggae harmonica and the growth mindset – a free webinar on 11th June with Chris Johnstone of the College of Wellbeing.
- A four-week ‘pay as you feel’ course in mindfulness-based stress reduction by Breathing Space London, starting on 15th June.
Innovative Community Responses:
READ:
- Community responses to the Covid-19 crisis – the first in a four part series from the Young Foundation
- Local radio stations are thriving in lockdown from Positive News
WATCH / LISTEN:
- What’s love got to do with it? – a webinar from Buurtzorg (Britain and Ireland) as part of it’s Caring Places and Healthy Communities series.
- The Response: Transitioning to thriving resilient communities – a podcast from our friends at Shareable.
JOIN:
- Compassion in Action: Caring for Others, Caring for Yourself – our next free webinar on Tuesday 9th June, with Ruby Read from Advaya, Kareem Ghansour from The Heart Movement, and Alex Nunn from Action for Happiness.
- A Day of Nothing on 20th June – The world’s first festival of nothing – where there’s nothing to do and nowhere to go – from the Happy Start-up School. You get a free online book simply for signing up.
Finding New Perspectives:
READ: Has lockdown created the path to a wellbeing economy? by Liz Zeidler of the Centre for Thriving Places.
WATCH / LISTEN:
- The Sharing economy and wellbeing – our webinar with Benita Matofska from People who Share and Tom Llewellyn from Shareable.
- Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission, discusses economic policy in a post-Covid world with Matthew Taylor of the Royal Society of Arts.
JOIN: Humanity Rising? A global solutions summit – with daily discussions and presentations. Organised by Ubiquity.
Regular / Ongoing Wellbeing Events:
- One-day online mindfulness retreats on a donation basis, courtesy of Sharpham College.
- Happy Startup School’s Ideas Cafe – every two weeks on a Thursday morning for entrepreneurs with a purpose.
Looking further ahead:
- The Beyond Here Fellowship, led by Stir to Action, is launching a six-week webinar programme to connect UK communities with inspiring initiatives and approaches from other parts of the world. They start on Monday, 22nd June.
Thanks and Share Your News
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about some of the good news out there right now. We’d love this blog to be part of a wider conversation and sharing on beacons of hope and positivity in these challenging times. Please share your good news with us using the hashtag #TheGoodNewsIs and tagging us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.