1. Go a long walk on your own (without your mobile phone). Choose a beautiful place like a beach, lakeshore or forest park. Dip your feet into the water or kick the leaves. Scoop the sand up into your hands or crunch some leaves. Find a quiet spot to rest and just look around you and listen to nature’s orchestra. Smell the herbs or the seaweed. Don’t rush away. Take it all in.

2. Meet a good friend for a cuppa. Treat them and tell them how much their friendship means to you. Listen to them and quietly converse with yourself about how blessed you are to have such a good friend. Cultivating gratitude lifts mood and little private conversations about the good things removes you from the grip of stress.

3. If you have a young child (or grandchild) -take them to the playground and push them on the swings. Lie on the ground with them and their toys and play with them. Quietly say to yourself – I am truly blessed to have you in my life. Children grow up quickly but today stop and see them properly. Being with a child connects you to the child within yourself and to a time when there was little or no worry in your life. It’s powerful distraction too.

4. Visit an art gallery, read a poem or short story. Listen to some really good music. The artists, writers and musicians are often spiritual advisors in disguise. They connect much more deeply with our world than psychologists or scientists. They touch the soul.

5. If you have faith steal some moments from today to pray. Seeking some silence will make this easier. If you have no faith take some deep breaths and become aware of the gift of life within you. Many people are gasping their last breaths today and you are ALIVE. You can shape the remainder of this day brilliantly yet.

(c) Shane Martin