Your Wellbeing
This section will look at the following topics:
Moving Your Body
Looking after your physical wellbeing means looking after yourself as a whole. One of the ways to do this is through exercise.
Regular exercise supports not only a stronger body but also a calmer, more focused mind.
It reduces stress hormones, boosts energy levels, and increases self-esteem.
Exercise does not have to mean signing up for a gym or training for a marathon. It just means moving your body more, more often.
More gentle ways of exercising include:
- Walking
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Stretching and yoga
Remember: consistency is far more important than intensity! Don’t let exercise overwhelm you – why not try starting off with a small walk in an area you know well each day, even just for 5 minutes.
You’ll be surprised how much better you feel after getting outside and moving your body.
Physical activity can also help create new friendships and support networks if you choose to participate by joining group activities, classes or any event in your local community.
Mental Health
Mental health is about how we think, feel, and manage life. It includes our emotions, thoughts, and ability to cope with stress, connect with others, and make decisions.
Good mental health doesn’t mean feeling happy all the time. It means knowing the tools to handle challenges and enjoy meaningful moments. Everyone’s mental health is different, and it can change over time.
Almost everyone experiences a ‘low mood’ at some point of their life – this can be normal.
But, when low mood persists, gets worse, or begins to affect daily living, it may be a sign of depression or another mental health condition that needs professional attention.
If you are experiencing low mood for more than 2 weeks, it is important you reach out to your GP for support.
They will talk to you about your options and what support is available to you.
Anxiety is another bodily and mental response – it is normal to feel from time to time as it is the body’s automatic reaction to perceived danger.
You may have heard of the ‘fight, flight or freeze system’. This is normal and what we call adrenaline.
This becomes problematic when that alarm response stays switched on even when there’s no real threat.
Typical signs of anxiety:
- Racing heart, rapid breathing, dizziness, or sweating
- Restlessness, irritability, muscle tension
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
- Repetitive worry or overthinking
- Avoiding certain places, tasks, or people
So, how do we manage feeling anxiety? See our top tips below and hover over to see why they help.
Talking to Others
Movement & Physical Health
Sleep
Mindful Breathing
When you are feeling anxious, there are some techniques you can use to help yourself feel better. Here are some of our preferred methods to try:
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Tool
This tool uses your sense to calm the body and the mind by grounding you in the present moment. Repeat slowly, breathing deeply between steps.
See the video below for more advice on how to use this tool.
Box Breathing
‘Box Breathing’ is a breathing exercise which aims to regulate heart rate, reduce stress hormones, and restore focus, bringing you back to the present.
- Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds
- Exhale gently through the mouth for 4 counts
- Hold again for 4 counts before the next inhale
- Repeat 4-5 times
- You can imagine tracing the sides of a square as you breathe – one side for each phase
Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindfulness means paying attention on purpose to what is happening right now.
It helps calm racing thoughts, reduce stress, and create space between emotion and reaction.
Meditation is the structured practice of developing this skill, usually by sitting quietly for a few minutes each day
There are loads of benefits to mindfulness, including:
- Helps to balance emotions
- Aids focus & productivity
- Improves your relationship with yourself and others
- Gives resilience and perspective
You don’t have to meditate to practice mindfulness. You don’t even need a quiet room or hours of free time.
It can be easily brought into your daily routine, for example noticing the warmth, smell and flavour of your cup of tea and coffee and allowing this to ground you in the present moment.
Balance & Moderation
Balance and moderation are key principles of wellbeing – both physically and mentally.
Balance doesn’t mean perfection – it means being flexible, finding the middle ground between too much and too little, so that we can function at our best without guilt or extremes.
Moderation gives structure without restriction.
To start creating a more balanced daily routine:
- List areas in your life that feel unbalanced (eg sleep; food & hydration; physical movement; daily routine; social life; time alone)
- Prioritise
- Choose one area to focus on first
- Set gentle boundaries
- Find daily anchors
- Check in weekly
Watch the above video for useful tips to bring in healthy habits into your daily life.
Top tips!
Set routines that are flexible but also reliable.
Avoid ‘all or nothing’ thinking.
Celebrate consistency over intensity.
Socialising & Reducing Loneliness
Loneliness is more than being alone – it’s a feeling of disconnection or lack of meaningful contact with others. It can affect anyone.
Long-term loneliness can impact both mental and physical health.
Socialising and interacting with others is therefore very important for our wellbeing. It supports:
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Cognitive Health
- Physical Health
- Resilience & Confidence
Activity:
Sit with your keyworker and, using the link below, create a connection map of current connections in your life.
Click here for the community mapping activity.
Spirituality & Faith
Watch this video to see what religion, faith and spirituality mean respectively.
As it shows, there can be overlap between these but there are also big differences.
The most important thing to remember is that defining your religion, faith or spirituality is for you to decide – it is a personal choice.
How spirituality, faith & belief help wellbeing:
- Offers hope and perspective
- Community support
- Moral and ethical guidance
- Comfort in uncertainty
Do you want to explore your spiritual wellbeing and what this could look like for you?
Remember, this is an individual decision, however the prompts below help to start thinking:
- When do I feel most peaceful or connected?
- What do I consider my core values in life?
- What are three values I try to live by?
- Who or what inspires me to be my best self?
- How could I bring a little more meaning or gratitude into my daily routine?
Self-Acceptance & Looking After Yourself
Looking after yourself means treating yourself with the same kindness, patience, and understanding that you’d offer to someone you care about – it doesn’t mean arrogance, selfishness or ignoring others’ needs.
It is a foundation for wellbeing. It allows us to make healthy decisions, set boundaries, and believe we are worthy of happiness and success.
There are 3 layers to looking after yourself:
Self Acceptance
Acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses without harsh judgement
Self-Compassion
Responding kindly to yourself when things go wrong instead of overly criticising
Self-Respect
Setting healthy boundaries and making choices that support your wellbeing
So, why does looking after yourself matter so much?
It helps to:
- Develop resilience and self-confidence
- Make choices aligned with your values
- Recover faster from setbacks
- Reduce self-criticism and negative self-talk
- Improve relationships with others
- Creates a sense of stability from within, meaning external challenges feel less overwhelming
Why not trying these activities in your daily life to start practicing looking after yourself:
- Notice your inner voice (Are you talking to yourself with kindness or criticism?)
- Challenge negative thoughts
- Acknowledge your achievements, no matter how small
- Set healthy boundaries
- Nurture your body
- Practice gratitude
- Allow yourself to feel