Hello and a happy Friday to you,
I hope you are getting what you need out of the first week of 2022. I know this time of year can present new opportunities but for some can feel overwhelming, so as ever, this is a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself.
After a bit of a dip over the festive period, which I’ve realised is not my favourite time of year, I am now feeling grounded and hopeful for a number of reasons.
Firstly, I’ve started to move my body more after being really sluggish over Christmas. I went on a cat sit, which was great for full-on feline cuddles, but I didn’t take my mini trampoline with me for daily bounces and I missed it. Since a big walk to blow out the cobwebs with friends on New Year’s Day, I’ve gone on quite a few walks, which has been easier in the ‘nicer’ weather. I’ve also bought a year’s yoga membership, at a studio about four minutes walk from my flat so getting there feels achievable. And I had my first session in a while with my amazing personal trainer and friend Marios. Lifting weights in my living room felt so good. I am aware I am incredibly privileged to have these luxuries in my life.
Secondly, I’ve restarted Donna Lancaster’s ‘online gym for the soul’ - Deepening Into Life. This launched last year and I took part but I feel like I had one foot in and one foot out. January feels like a great time to do it again and I’m embracing it fully right now. It involves non-religious praying, personal inquiry and ‘dates with wonder’. Yes it might sound a bit woo woo, but it’s working for me. Donna, who co-founded The Bridge Retreat, which was a transformational experience for me in 2020, generously gave her time to be a guest on my podcast last year and spoke about redefining prayer and faith if you want to listen back here.
Still with me? Thirdly, I am looking forward to starting a new job on January 17. So that’s why I have extra free time for an abundance of exercise, walks with friends and connecting with nature right now. I’m really excited to take on an audience role at the Independent. I will miss being freelance but I am looking forward to being part of a team and to a new challenge for 2022.
If you want to design a life you love, or set some intentions for 2022 rather than resolutions that are hard to stick to, I can also recommend the Goodbye, Hello journal. It’s created by Selina Barker and Vicki Pavitt, the co-founders of Project Love and I’ve been doing it for about six years. Cannot recommend it enough to be honest.
So, that’s my news, in a (big) nutshell. And I plan to continue writing The Uplift to you as I enter full-time employment so please continue to send me good news.
Uplifting News Stories
Mother gives birth to one twin in 2021 and one in 2022 | The Independent
Betty White Privately Paid To Fly Animals Out Of Aquarium After Hurricane Katrina | HuffPost
Elderly woman saves swan stranded on a bridge with her bare hands | Indy100
Dogs can differentiate between languages, say scientists | Jezebel
American toddler dresses up as the Queen and gets royal mail | CNN (this one is worth it for the photo 😂 )
Gay Penguin Couple Adopts Second Egg After Successfully Hatching Their First One | Femalista
Artist turns discarded chewing gum into works of art | Smiley News
Features Worth Sharing
I cheered when I heard that the ‘Colston Four’ had been acquitted | The Independent
100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying | The Guardian (I’ve seen this shared by about 5,000 people but it’s so worth the read if you haven’t already)
‘I swapped WFH in a London flat for pet-sitting in strangers’ houses’ | Evening Standard (OK this one’s by yours truly)
What I’m Reading
Oh my goodness, the to-read pile is getting bigger and bigger. It’s not a new one but The Other Mother by Jen Brister was my favourite read over the festive period. Devoured it in days.
Right now, I am reading a preview copy of You Can Have A Better Period by the incredible Le’Nise Brothers and it’s already changing my life.
At the top of my to-read pile is Emma Gannon’s (Dis)connected, Dr Radha Modgil’s Know Your Own Power, Hannah Jane Parkinson’s The Joy Of Small Things and colour expert Momtaz Begum-Hossain’s Hello Rainbow: Finding Happiness in Colour. I wish I had a concurrent life where I could just read at all times.
What I’m Watching
I’m not ashamed to say that the TV that has brought me the most joy is The Voice Kids. I’m also very much enjoying the new version of The Weakest Link presented by Romesh Ranganathan.
OK, that’s probably enough from me. I’m off to spend my last few days of freedom in an Airbnb with a hot tub and two of my closest pals.
Hope your weekend is full of laughter, adventure, rest or whatever you need,
BB x
This is The Uplift, a weekly newsletter by me, journalist Becky Barnes. If you enjoyed it, feel free to buy me a coffee.
The Uplift will arrive in your inbox every Friday, featuring good news and self care. I also have a podcast about life advice.
A bit about me: I’m a journalist living in London. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram.