The complete list of all life-guiding messages for young people – click the titles for further information
Connect with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours, at home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Research by the New Economics Foundation has shown that people who introduce the following five steps into their lifestyle can improve their mental wellbeing: Connect, Be active, Take notice, Keep learning, Give.
Use by date is about safety and the most important date to remember. Foods can be eaten (and most can be frozen) up until the use by date, but not after. You will see use by dates on food that goes off quickly, such as meat products or ready-prepared salads.
Best before date is about quality and not safety. The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best. Its flavour and texture might not be as good. The best before dates appear on a wide range of frozen, dried, tinned and other foods.
People who choose the way they think about things, are at peace with the past, live in the present, and are optimistic about the future; and as a result are generally happier.
While you’re learning to identify and challenge your thinking patterns, it’s a good idea to write down the changes that occur in a diary or notebook to help you to develop your skills. This helps you see the advantages of working on your thoughts, and motivates you to keep at it.
To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: “Here’s the thought that I might fail that exam”. Or, “This is anxiety”.
Mindfulness isn’t about making bad thoughts go away, but about seeing them as mental events. Imagine standing at a bus station and seeing ‘thought buses’ coming and going without having to get on them and be taken away. With gentle persistence this is possible.
Notice how much your fears affect your life. Are they keeping you from moving forward with what you want in your life?
If your fears feel overwhelming, the distress from the fear can interfere with your ability to function and you may experience intense anxiety or nervousness.