Hello and a happy Friday to you,
I’m writing this to you from sunny Brighton, where I am looking after yet another 20-year-old cat on yet another house sit. Since Bath last week, I have spent a few days visiting friends in Bristol and I have relished all the face-to-face conversations and hugs, with plenty of PCR Covid tests in between.
I had a lovely day yesterday pottering around B-town with an old friend Tamara who I met in Bali more than 10 years ago. I used to live here and spent a lot of my 20s visiting, so every street, alley and lane brought up memories of many a night out.
One of the joys of freelance life is being able to wander around on a weekday before the rush of a Bank Holiday weekend.
And my goodness, the sun is so welcome this week. Doesn’t it make all the difference to how we feel? Long may it continue.
I hope you have some nice plans to look forward to and are managing to see loved ones and enjoy the sunshine. Or you’re able to get some rest if that’s what’s needed.
Becky x
My Podcast This Week
The third episode of Life, Oh Life, available on podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify features NHS GP, TV doctor, author, speaker and wellbeing campaigner Dr Radha Modgil. Radha is a self-care queen, whose advice and guidance through her appearances, writing and generous social media offerings have provided so much hope for people, especially through a global pandemic.
In this episode we talk about Radha's five Cs, the exhaustion of coming out of lockdown, self-compassion and kindness, what we've learnt about ourselves in the past year, resilience and hope.
Radha also guides us through how to see the joy in small moments, taking small steps to make change and how to be our own best friend. I hope you find it as calming as I did.
Uplifting News Stories
Why A Long Bath Is Almost As Good For You As A Long Run | Guardian
Simone Biles Landed a Yurchenko Double Pike, Which Is an Incredibly Big Deal | Jezebel
Tasmanian Devils Born On Australian Mainland After 3,000 Years | BBC News
Features Worth Sharing
Drawing Helps Me Process My Mental Health Struggles | The i
7 Things We Learned From Dr Jen Gunter’s Brilliant Menopause Manifesto | HuffPost UK
I Met My Best Friend On An App | Refinery 29
Daisy Haggard: ‘I Love Getting Older. I Care Less About What People Think’ | Guardian
This is The Uplift, a weekly newsletter by me, journalist Becky Barnes. If you enjoyed it, or my podcast, feel free to buy me a coffee.
The Uplift will arrive in your inbox every Friday, featuring good news, self-care and life advice.
A bit about me: I’m a journalist living in London. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram.