Would you like to know a secret? Did you know that if you’re self-employed and work in the United Kingdom, you could be eligible to claim Universal Credit? I’ve been claiming Universal Credit (UC) for just under a year, and it’s been an absolute godsend, especially in the early days of starting my business. With…
My 2022 Goals in Review – Q1
As we somehow find ourselves a quarter of the way through 2022, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with the goals I set myself at the beginning of the year. As in previous years, I find that blogging about my goals helps me to: Keep accountable; Check on my progress;…
A Look Back At March
March has been a complete whirlwind. I’m not sure where the time has gone. But yet, here we are in April. Spring’s being its typically British self here in the UK with everyone out in shorts and t-shirts the week before last, and this week we’ve been back in coats and jumpers with a sprinkling…
A Look Back At February
At the end of each month (or the beginning of the next!) I like to look back on the highs and lows of the month. February was a challenging month for so many people. When countries are at war, it can be challenging to know how to help. Yet we feel this overwhelming sense that…
5 Reasons Why I’ve Stopped Watching The News
I’ve spent the last few days debating whether to write this post or not. The news coming out of Ukraine this week has been beyond heartbreaking. It’s been impossible to ignore. Yet, here I am, about to tell you why I’ve stopped watching the news. The devastating events unravelling in Eastern Europe have re-emphasised the…
Painshill Park
I’ve lost count over the number of times I’ve driven past the brown tourist signs for Painshill Park since I moved to London 6 years ago. I always felt intrigued by what it was, but it never seemed to be cross my mind when I was looking for something to do. That was until earlier…
Adjusting to Life with Anxiety
Last month I found myself leaving my Doctor’s surgery with a referral to the physio and a referral to speak to a psychotherapist. I had been suffering from pains in my middle back/side for a year, and I’d finally had enough. So I booked myself an appointment with my GP. When I made the appointment,…
A Look Back At January
How lovely January could have been if she’d allowed us to enter slowly, easing into the new year quietly, with no drama. But alas, the universe had other ideas. New Years Day started with a trip to the hospital for my brother, who had a high temperate and what turned out to be a nasty…
Hello Anxiety My Dear Friend
“I hope it really does help you to write it all down Bex.” read the message I received on Whatsapp from my Mum two weeks ago. “It certainly helps a great deal.” was my response. Whilst there was a great deal of truth in my reply, as writing has long been a source of therapy…
A Visit To The Sculpture Park in Surrey
I’ve decided to try something new this year with my working week. I’m attempting a four-day working week instead of the ‘normal’ five day week. I have no idea how practical this will be, but one of the beauties of being a freelancer is having the flexibility to set my own hours. I’d say that…
Coping With Grief During a Pandemic
Last year was another troubled year for many people, and I feel like it hit our family particularly hard. Whilst there were positives to be found in the nooks and crannies of 2021, we found ourselves saying goodbye to far too many loved ones. Covid had stopped us from getting the extended family together for…
New Year New Goals
Happy New Year! The end of 2021 flew by, and I found myself taking my lengthiest break from writing so far! I wanted to write, but time kept disappearing. In the past, I would’ve beaten myself up about this. This time, however, I decided to be kind to myself and accept that something had to…
What is Active Relaxation?
This post was originally published on 19th January 2019 and updated on 14th November 2021. We all know what relaxation is, even if we’re not very good at it, but how about active relaxation? The words alone seem to contradict themselves, yet active relaxation can be as good for us as any other form of…
The Power of Daily Affirmations
(Ad/Gifted Product) Have you ever considered using daily affirmations as part of your morning routine? Sometimes we get so caught up in the doom and gloom that we forget to be positive and let the negative overwhelm us. Negative thoughts can lead us to lose perspective on our purpose and lower our vibrations. Setting a…
A Look Back At October
As I sit here on Hallows Eve, it’s time to have a look back at October. I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on my blog as well as my business. I’ll be making some changes to The Mindful Gingernut over the coming months, but I’m pleased to say that my monthly reviews will be one…
Everything You Need To Know About Brean Down
There were two places I wanted to visit during our family trip to Somerset back in September – Cheddar Gorge (tick) and Brean Down. Whilst I ticked off Cheddar Gorge on my way to Somerset, Brean Down waited patiently until the last day of our trip. To give you a little bit of information about…
Burnham-On-Sea, Brean and Weston-super-Mare
In September, we went on a family holiday to the West Country and spent five days exploring Somerset. On my journey there, I’d been lucky enough to stop off at the incredible Cheddar Gorge. From there, I headed to Brean, where I met up with the rest of my family outside the holiday park that…
A Look Back At September
Every month throughout this year, I’ve written a blog post looking back on the month just gone. It’s been a helpful little reminder during some difficult times that amongst the shit, there have been plenty of good times and lot’s of new memories made. I have to admit, September feels like a bit of a…
2021 Goals Review – September
By the time you’ll be reading this post, we’ll be in October and heading towards some of my favourite events of the year. There’s something so magical about Autumn. I almost get as excited for Halloween and Bonfire Night as I do Christmas! With the New Year less than 13 weeks away, it’s time to…
The Best Way To See Cheddar Gorge
Last week I finally took a week off work. After nine months of freelancing and with limited breaks, I was bordering on burnout. Thankfully, my family had booked four nights in a caravan for mid-September, which would give us all a much-needed break. Somerset, which is in South West England, is one of the largest…
How Do You Know When It’s Time To Take A Break?
If you’re reading this blog post hoping to find the answer to this question, you might want to look away now. Unfortunately, it’s a question I don’t have the answer to yet. I haven’t had a week off work since Christmas, and the last couple of weeks have been a struggle as a result. Perhaps…
A Look Back At August
As Summer turns to Autumn and the woolly jumpers and endless mugs of hot chocolate slowly start to reappear, it’s time to look back at the highs and lows of August. I’m not sure I mentioned it in my look back at July, but July ended on a sad note as two of our family…
Review: Thirteen Moons More by Andi Webb
I’ve surpassed myself this year. In a reading sense, that is! Whilst it wasn’t one of my goals at the beginning of the year, I silently gave myself the challenge of reading a different book each month. I’ve always been a big reader. However, in recent years, it’s become easier to scroll than to pick…
Have You Signed Up To Olio Yet?
I have a confession to make. I’m obsessed with Olio! If you haven’t heard of Olio before, it’s a mobile app that aims to reduce waste. It’s super easy to use and, you get to do your bit for the environment whilst you’re at it. It’s a great way to discover food and non-food items…
The Downside To Being Freelance
Earlier this month, I wrote a blog post called ‘The Highs of Being a Freelancer‘. As promised, I’m back with another blog post, and this time, I’m aiming to balance out the highs with the things that are slightly less enjoyable about freelance life. I mulled over the title of this post for ages. Should…
The Mindful Gingernut 