Give yourself Grace: Things to do for free this summer to up your mood

Good morning, and welcome to another day in my life as a wellness influencer! As usual, I wake up at 6:15 to my sunrise alarm clock, which is also programmed to announce my daily mantra and puff out a blend of premium essential oils (for invigoration). Next, I check my body tracking bangle – the newest edition that describes  my dreams as well as my sleep patterns, mood, cortisol levels, daily horoscope, and stock of ceremonial-grade matcha at the local organic store. It looks like I’ll need to stop off there on the way back from Reformer Pilates at 8. After phoning my wellness coach for my two minute meditative breathing session, I head downstairs for breakfast, where the chef has prepared freshly baked seeded sourdough bread, avocado, the finest Scottish smoked salmon, and two perfectly jammy organic eggs. I can already feel my day off to a great start thanks to all the investments I’ve made in my health and happiness! Once breakfast has gone down, I open the packages sitting on my marble kitchen island. A new activewear set with built-in temperature regulation technology, leggings that fix my form for the perfect three-legged dog, and – oh, what’s this? – the itinerary for that spa retreat I booked months ago!

Social media positions investment in health and wellbeing as almost strictly financial

If I asked you to picture the daily routine of someone who invests in their wellness, you might have pictured something like this. Social media positions investment in health and wellbeing as almost strictly financial: the best products, gear, and features. After all, this is the job of influencers who want you to buy what they’re promoting for ultimate wellness optimisation. But this simply isn’t realistic; wellness doesn’t have to be expensive. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s great to treat ourselves to something we believe will improve our lives. If you wanted to get into running to improve your mental health and fitness, you might genuinely need some new clothes. Or if you wanted to switch your cheap bottle of wine in the evenings for kombucha to make you feel better in the mornings, you might need to spend a few extra pounds in your weekly shop. But most of the time, wellness is a time investment, not a financial one.

You’ll find that even though putting in the extra time here can feel difficult at first, over time it will become a daily habit

Most things we think of as bread-and-butter wellness investments, we can actually go without. Consider this: instead of joining a reformer Pilates studio, create your own routine by experimenting with online videos and finding what moves and stretches feel best for your body. Instead of getting a wellness coach, make a list of 10 activities that boost your mood that you can practice within a regular routine. Extra points if you make this a creative activity – take a few magazines you already own, and collage together images/words that represent the things on your list, so you can put the full collage somewhere you look often to remind you of what makes you happy. On my collage, you’d see some natural landscapes, a bath, friends, a fun drink, home baking, dogs… this also makes it easy to continue once summer is over because you can take the collage to wherever you’re studying or working next.

Instead of booking a spa retreat, just look after yourself a little extra in the shower or bath (if you have one). Set your alarm ten minutes earlier to take your time in the mornings, and slow down your routine to appreciate making yourself feel cared for. You’ll find that even though putting in the extra time here can feel difficult at first, over time it will become a daily habit, and won’t feel like an investment at all! There’s no better time to start investing in your mood and wellbeing than now, especially if you’re going to continue further study after the break. And here’s your healthy reminder to do your own reality-checks on what you see online. If you’re being encouraged to buy something, consider whether you could do a similar thing from home, for free.