Mindful Monday - January 24th

Hello and happy Mindful Monday!

“One simple way to unlock your best self is to shape your environment so that your desired behaviour is the path of least resistance.”
- FS

Wise and useful words right there.

We are, in many respects, the total sum of our habits. If our habits are supportive of health, usefulness and generally point us towards a life we love to live then we’re usually on a pretty good path. So how can we nurture such habits?

Plenty of research shows that our environment plays a major role in our ability to foster positive change in our habits and daily routine. Atomic Habits and The Power of Habit are two great books to dive a little deeper…

We can start small by doing things like having our gym kit ready to put on in the morning, having a glass of water by the bed to drink first thing, and getting up a little earlier so we don’t have to rush a “junk food” breakfast.

How many more can you think of to get your morning off to a better start? (How is your Monday morning by the way?)

Two suggestions to slightly improve your life from the The Guardian’s top 100 list:

• Go for a walk without your phone.

• Call an old friend out of the blue.

New music find
Maple Glider’s album To Enjoy is the Only Thing isn’t only beautiful but very aptly titled indeed, as it’s an absolute joy to listen to. Sultry tones to ease into the new week… and perhaps the weekend, too. (Track 6, Good Thing, was my entry point.)

And breathe…

Winning Wiggles
The Australian alt-rock radio station Triple J recently ran its “Hottest 100” competition, in which Aussies vote for their favourite song for the year. This year’s winner was the king of children’s entertainment, The Wiggles, with their version of Tame Impala’s Elephant mixed with their own classic, Fruit Salad. Clearly a winning combo.

Listen here.
Full list here.

Smile 😊

Positive housing for £300
Changing climate conditions provide countless opportunities for positive change. Displaced communities need new shelter and sometimes need it fast… and cheap. Marina Tabassum has won her first Soane Medal for her work in designing these £300 bamboo shelters that may change the lives of countless people.

What have you spent £300 on recently? 🤔

It’s going to be ok.

Have a fun week, you’re worth it.

Big love,
Luke