A could-do list for June

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

• Take a siesta in the sunshine Have a car-free weekend
• Look at things from above (climb a tree, ride a zip wire)
• Lend your favourite book to a friend
• Walk barefoot through a meadow
• Tell somebody what a great job they’re doing
• Who do you most admire? Write down the qualities you respect in them

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time

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Dream | June cover reveal

Dare to dream and who knows where it could lead you. Midsummer garden nights are alive with magical possibilities. Lights twinkling in trees, maybe a glass of something, old friends for sure, and a golden hour at hand. But, though we can create a space for for magic, only you can make it happen. And it comes in many forms; helping nature to return after a long absence, breathing life into an old cinema; weaving words to tell the shortest of stories. It’s there in your imagination, just waiting to be set free.

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Face the sun and shadows will fall behind you

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A could-do list for May

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

• Make bank holidays play days
• Hang fairy lights in the garden
• Put your winter clothes away (at last)
• Find a peaceful place to spend pockets of time
• Throw an impromptu gathering
• Combine fruit and veg in colourful salads
• Enjoy a mindful morning swim
• Write down your earliest childhood passions. Should any of them be rekindled?

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Bloom | May cover reveal

You’ve got to love a long weekend. That extra (sunny) day is alive with possibility. Will you gather friends and family around a table, cycle on country lanes between spring hedgerows in bloom, or escape for a few days in a woodland retreat? Let your projects blossom and grow – making plans is part of the fun. But don’t forget to leave time for the little things, too; there’s pleasure to be had from watching washing flap in the breeze or noticing a caterpillar wiggle up a stem. Being outdoors isn’t always about being active.

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The secret to getting ahead is getting started

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Things to note and notice in April

From lifting your head up to making time for tea, there are lots of little ways to brighten up April

If still too chilly to pitch the tent, check out Canopy & Stars’ latest spring-friendly additions (think hot showers, duck-down duvets and four-poster beds). 
canopyandstars.co.uk

‘The best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain’
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet

Dust off your trainers – 6 April is Walk to Work Day. Why not aim to walk every Friday this month (to the shops/ school/pub)?

Create a meal using food that could have been binned, take a photo and post the recipe on social media, #RecipeforDisaster, with a donation of £5 to combat food waste.
insight.wfp.org

Note the time the sun rises and sets on the same day each week and watch the days lengthening.

More on pages 16-17 of April's The Simple Things.

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A could-do list for April

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

• Open the window and breathe deeply
• Express gratitude, don’t just feel it
• Read a book of poetry and copy out your favourite poem(s)
• Start a new collection of things you love
• Keep a dream journal
• Walk with a little more pace and purpose today
• Write down five things you’re proud of

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Think | April cover reveal

There’s no better time than spring for fresh thinking. But often good ideas arrive when you least expect them – usually when you stop trying so hard. Being absorbed in doing a jigsaw or going for a run makes space for clearer thoughts. And who knows what a chance encounter could spark when you’re taking a wander in the woods. Whether you’re trying to make the pieces fit together or to plant a clever thought, there’s inspiration out there if you take time to note and notice. Then feel those new shoots flourish.

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How to be happy

The theme for our March issue of The Simple Things is HAPPY. Free with every issue - one of four Happiness patches (find out how to get yours). Meanwhile, here are a few everyday actions that can enrich your life

Be active
Climb a hill. Or go for a walk or run. Simply stepping outside will have a positive impact. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good, so discover which physical activity you most enjoy and that works for your level of fitness.

Connect
Gather friends. Spend time and share good food with those around you. Think of home, work and your local community as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing relationships there. These connections will support and enrich you every day.

Keep learning
Make a campfire. Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things is a confidence booster – and is fun.

Take notice
Watch clouds. Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

What makes you happy? Come over and tell us on Facebook or Twitter. 

Plus - enter our competition! Design our fifth patch and you could win a VIP experience to The Good Life Festival 2018.

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A reading list for March

Books to make you literally (and literarily) LOL. As loved by The Simple Things team

How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson
An about-to-be-50 mother juggles her return to work with teenagers, ageing parents and hormonal hell.

Nomad by Alan Partridge
Steve Coogan’s creation travels in the footsteps of his father to Dungeness power station while trying to secure a TV series.

Love, Nina by Nina Stibbes
The (real) letters written by a nanny to her sister as she’s plunged into the midst of the London literati in the 1980s. Even more hilarious for being true.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
A series of essays following Sedaris’ attempt to learn French after moving from New York to Paris.

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How do I like my eggs? In a cake

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A could-do list for March

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

• Spend time with people who make you feel happy
• Note the seasonal changes in your garden
• Walk off a blue mood in the fresh air
• Hang a nest box
• When spontaneity strikes, go with it
• Treat yourself (a haircut, new trainers, candle – whatever)
• Write down three new skills you'd like to learn 

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Happy | March cover reveal

Spring is the happiest of seasons. Lighter, brighter and full of new beginnings. Happiness comes in many forms; cheery daffodils nodding in the sunshine, fresh eggs still warm in the hand, returning to settle where you grew up, even the satisfaction of spring cleaning and a job well done. But finding contentment does not come to those who wait, it rewards us when we seek it out by gathering friends, being outdoors, noticing the little things, keeping learning and giving what we can. Happy Easter!

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe. There are two covers to choose from - which will you pick? Plus, each copy comes with a free Happiness patch.

Our four woven, sew-on patches are made in the UK, and designed to reflect the simple things that make us happy and remind us of everyday actions that can enrich our lives. Be an advocate for happiness and sew yours on to a jacket, bag or blanket to encourage others to take time to enjoy the simple things too. 

Buy one, two, three or the whole set to keep or give – spread the joy and share the fun!

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Stars can't shine without darkness

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A could-do list for February

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

• A could-do list for February
• Eat syrupy pancakes for breakfast
• Read a short story in one go
• Wander around your local park
• Stop every two hours and focus on your breath
• Go out with friends (even when you don’t feel like it)
• Do your food shopping somewhere different
• Write down five things that recently made you smile

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Breathe | February cover reveal

Peek out from under the duvet. Yes, it’s still winter but there are signs of season’s end. It’s time to wrap up, get out there and blow off some cobwebs. A beach walk could work, a potter in the garden or a wander through the woods, all bare branches and new views. Dusk is still early, leaving a lamplit evening for a mindful project or making a meal of dinner for one. And when the dark night settles, come full circle back to your duvet. Sometimes love is nothing more than a warm bed, a hot drink and a good book. 

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She believed she could so she did

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How to embrace change

Change happens to us all, it’s how we deal with it that matters

• Set reasonable expectations and you’ll be better able to manage change and cope with disappointment.
• Instead of resisting, allow change to unfold and try to understand what’s transforming and why.
• Notice the change in nature and how it can be a wonderful thing.
• Learn to live with uncertainty. It’s necessary sometimes, if you want to move forward.
• Remember that when you accept and learn from change, you inevitably grow stronger. 

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