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Written by: Louise Ingham  Life has inevitably slowed down for most of us during Lockdown and it has given us a chance to reflect. For the final week of our Well-Being and Positivity campaign we are focusing on ‘Gratitude, Appreciation and a Silver Lining’.
The pandemic is unprecedented and has caused an upheaval in our normal way of life. For some of us we are getting used to the ‘new normal’ and finding the positives within it. Whilst there has been loss and sadness, there have also been positive things to come out of the pandemic. The pandemic has a silver lining - it has given us the possibility of shifting our mindset and behaviour. We have seen how our planet can thrive in our absence and therefore it might encourage us all to live more consciously and take better care of the planet. It might also encourage us to take better care of ourselves. Without the regularities of normal life there has been time and space to reflect and find gratitude and appreciation in life. We have had time to reflect on who we are, and society, life and the people around us. There has been more time to think. With our normal way of life we had taken away due to Lockdown, we can reflect on what we used to enjoy and will one day enjoy again – perhaps a coffee in a café with a friend, going to the gym or round to a friend’s house for a catch up. You may realise what you appreciate about Lockdown. This might be being with family or video calling friends, spending more time with your children, or finishing the books you never got around to reading. It might be time spent in the garden, or mediating and doing yoga. Whatever it is, for many there has been time to appreciate and find gratitude in these acts. Some suggestions of ways to find gratitude and appreciation are to be proactive and look for small moments of happiness each day. You might take a photo of things that make you happy, or take some time to reflect on everything you appreciated at the end of the day. You might look for the good in others - and there has been plenty of this during Lockdown. Communities have come together to help one another and charities are still fighting for their causes. We are coming to the end of our Well-Being and Positivity campaign and we hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have. It is a difficult time for us all but we hope this campaign has brought you joy and positivity. As J.K. Rowling says, ‘Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light’. This week, take time to find gratitude, appreciation and a silver lining. We would love to hear about the silver linings you have found during the pandemic. Leave a comment on our Facebook page or tweet us at @peacepartners_ and use the hashtags #PeacePositivityWellBeing #LetsFocusThePositive #PeacePartnersSilverLining
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Written by: Louise Ingham  Life moves fast - it can be too easy to rush through only seeing a never ending cycle of to do
lists and worries. Finding a moment of stillness to reflect can seem difficult but it is so rewarding. This week we are focusing on how we can all stay centred and calm with the theme of Feeling Peaceful During Lockdown. Lockdown has brought many additional strains upon us. We are bombarded with constant news updates which can be stressful and scary. We have been confined indoors with no normal freedom of movement or socialisation. Many parents have been trying to balance full time jobs with schooling children from home. It has been a stressful time for everyone, especially key workers and their loved ones. Therefore, this week Peace Partners wants to look at ways we can all stay centred, calm and peaceful during lockdown. It is important that we look after ourselves both physically and mentally. One suggestion of how to do this is to practice mindfulness and mediation. Mindfulness can help you pay more attention to the present moment and your feelings and so improve your mental wellbeing and help you find peace. Mediation has been proven to increase blood flow and energy and to reduce stress and feelings of anxiety, depression, anxiety, anger and confusion. If this is something you might be interested in trying there are plenty of YouTube videos that provide guided meditations as well as apps such as Calm and Headspace. Yoga is a wonderful way to help you achieve a peaceful body and mind. It connects you to your body and breathing and often combines mediation and practices of self-love and gratitude. Since we cannot attend yoga classes at the moment if you would like to try yoga there are lots of free phone apps with yoga classes or videos on yoga. The 30 day challenge Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube is very popular. Written by: Louise Ingham  How Covid-19 Has Had a Positive Impact on the Environment
The environment is getting a much needed break at the moment, and our theme of this week’s Wellbeing and Positivity campaign is ‘Our Environment Is Thriving Right Now’. While everyone around the world is working together in the fight against the coronavirus, the planet is recuperating. The Climate Crisis is a huge challenge to our future and it seems the world is finally taking notice. We have seen rallies across the world urging more to be done to protect our planet, including Extinction Rebellion and the inspirational Greta Thunberg, speaking on behalf of the next generation. The corona virus has seen a dramatic drop in travel and activity and as a result the environment is improving. With less traffic on the roads and airplanes in the skies, air pollution levels have dropped in the UK, China, Italy and all across the world. For the first time in decades, people in Indian can see the Himalayas in the distance. It is not just the skies – the water is cleaner too. Venice’s canals have begun to run clear for the first time in many years due to the reduction in tourists and travel on the water ways. More fish and birds have returned to the canals, enjoying the space for themselves. |
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Peace Partners is a UK Registered Charity No. 1166456 Institute of Fundraising Organisational Membership No: Z1038713 Website last updated - 21st April 2021 |