1. Find yourself some space to smell the roses…

It is all too easy in today’s busy world to miss the small things that make being human important to us, especially where we have many roles to play, family member, employee, lover, and more and more ways to keep in constant communication with people. Great athletes don’t stay great however, if they do not rest, and in the same way, creating some time to relax and take some time for yourself can give you more focus and in turn make you more productive as a result. Consider where in your life you can make some time to get out there and smell the roses. It may be that these are different chunks of time, such as lunchtimes, the journey home, before or after work, or at the weekends. What work’s best for you? What do you need to have happen to protect that time?

2. Find somewhere to smell them…

There are so many beautiful places in the UK, make the most of the area around you by getting to know the places around you that you can go to be in nature. There are many parks, forests, walks, and your local tourist information or council may be able to give you some ideas on where to go. Thinking about what you love will help you make the most out of the precious time that you have, and help reflect the mood that you are in - what do you feel like today? Water? Trees? A historic building with formal grounds? Wherever you go today, enjoy it?

3. Share the feeling with someone important to you…

It may be that you enjoy the time on your own, and this is what makes it special. If you do, make sure that you give yourself permission to enjoy that time - it’s yours and you have earned it! Sometimes though, spending time with someone close to you, or even just sharing how great a time you had, and what it meant to you, makes the experience even more important. Who would you like to share this with? What is stopping you calling them?

4. Bring beauty into your home…

You can continue to enjoy the summer at home, in whatever way feels right for you. Maybe there are some summer colours you can bring into your home, or some fresh flowers to remind you of the walk that you took, or even spending some time in your garden to revitalise that space. Your home is your sanctuary - does yours feel like that? What actions do you need to take for this to happen? Sitting in the garden, with a glass of something refreshing and a good book…whatever works for you!

5. Celebrate with gratitude…

It’s important to take some time to balance in our lives. Take some time each day to celebrate the things in your life, and your surroundings. What have you done and seen today that you are grateful for? Who has made a difference to your life today? Have you told them? Here are some of my favourites…the bluebells in the woods, the sun shining as I am driving, the smell of newly cut grass, and the time spent out walking with a friend…