9 - Chill out

Struggling to think of things you can do to relax? Why not try the latest craze here in France - colouring in for relaxation! Here you can buy books in every supermarket full of pages to colour in - and many french people swear by it! Not sure? Here's what the Telegraph thought of it … But you don't have to buy the specific books to take advantage of the idea. Why not try out some craft activities, or take up another related pass-time like embroidery or even knitting - hey, its cool these days! You can even join a group just to chill out, knit and chat NB the name puts this slightly more bluntly. Apologies if anyone is offended :)

If you are interested in relaxation exercises, there are plenty around you can try. Various apps take you through mindfulness and/or relaxation exercises. The most popular is ‘Headspace’ - one that first launched in the uk and has been really popular (this app does cost something but the first 10 sessions are free so you can try before you buy). In particular it helps that Andy - who narrates the app - sounds nice and normal ;-) But it still takes time to learn how to do this stuff, so take it slowly and don’t lose heart if at first you don’t succeed!

If you specifically want to improve your breathing, there is a free app called ‘breathe to relax’ available which takes you through a program to learn how to breathe better - and to counteract the impact stress can have on your breathing. Worth a look but won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

If you don’t have a smartphone, there are relaxation exercises you can try out on youtube. Headspace has a youtube site - see https://www.youtube.com/user/Getsomeheadspace for their explanation about that free 10 day program. They also have lots of other videos explaining how mindfulness works, and helping you in particular situations. 

Refuel: How to balance work, life, faith and church - without burning out by Kate Middleton is available in paperback, priced £9.99.