I’m a very happy person almost all of the time, but there’s the odd day when I want to feel even more fulfilled. My technique is to give myself a bit of life coaching, thinking of the things that make me feel good and how I can do them more. So I’ve made a list of the tips, to try and encourage everyone to have a bit of ‘me’ time. I promise it will brighten up your day!

Grow Your Own

Spring is the perfect time of year to get out in the garden (or whatever outdoor space you have) and start planting and growing fresh produce for you to use in the kitchen. Growing your own vegetables can be incredibly easy and so satisfying — there’s really no excuse not to! This is a relatively new experience for me, but watching pea shoots climb out of the ground, day by day, just makes you feel warm inside.

If you’ve only got a pot on a windowsill, pea shoots are perfect (it needs to be a sunny spot, though). You’ll need some compost, some seeds and plenty of water. Fill the pot with compost, sow the seeds, push them just under the surface and add water generously. Water once every two days and you should see shoots appearing within 10 days. They can grow pretty quickly, so just cut them for salads and watch them grow again.

Other easy-to-grow plants are radishes (which can take as little as 20 days), spinach, chives, spring onions, sunflowers and nasturtiums. Give it a go — I bet you surprise yourself.

Sunshine

Yes, I know, what an obvious choice. Sunshine makes everyone feel warm happy and positive inside. But more than that, vitamin D, which we mostly gain from sunlight, is good for bones and muscles. Don’t forget your suncream, though; we’re trying to be healthy, not harmful.

If you can’t get out in the sun as much as you like, or when it gets cold and wintery, there are vitamin D tablets. Claimed by many to keep you full of sunshine and happiness, I don’t take them myself, but I know people who swear by them!

Detox

Now it’s time to get serious: detoxing. As you know, I’ve given up refined sugar and I feel so fantastic for it. What do you think you could detox? Alcohol, or cigarettes? Maybe dairy products? Or red meat?

While there isn’t really a replacement for alcohol, cigarettes now have a new and incredible alternative. If you haven’t heard about the electronic cigarette, then you’ve had your head in the sand for a while now. The NHS even recommends electronic cigarettes as an aid to stop people smoking (you should definitely stop smoking…). Here’s a list of the best e-liquids of 2017 to get you started.

Of course, detoxing will only make you feel good for a while, but it’s easy to leave the unhealthy things behind once you realise how fulfilling life is without them.

 Endorphins

We love a good endorphin in our house. That sense of being more alert, full of energy, positively glowing — it’s hard to beat. How you get yours is totally up to you; be it in the gym, or running in the park, playing sports, or even growing vegetables.

My favourite one of all is the simplest: just smile. Laughing and smiling moves muscles in your face that release endorphins, which in turn reduces stress. So all you need to do is make an effort to smile more and you’re on your way to a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life!

*commissioned post