Happiful Online Magazine
Dear Happiful reader,
I spend most of the year looking forward to March. It’s the start of the growing season, and with that comes the promise of hours upon hours of simple pleasures. Hands-on activities like gardening are cornerstones of my wellbeing. Throughout the winter months, I make mental notes of all the jobs I have planned for when this season begins again: ‘Rein back rambling shrubs, move out tender plants, plot the summer beds…’
When you take it into your own hands, gardening is as much about what you can see, touch, taste, and smell as it is about what it makes you feel. On windowsills, balconies, patios, gardens, and shared allotments, growing and nurturing plants teaches us about patience and care. It reminds us of the ancient connection that each of us has to the natural world, and our ability to make choices that positively affect our health – and the health of our planet. When you’re sinking your fingers into the soil, or even just taking a stroll through a forest, the noise and the pressures of modern life quieten for just a moment.
So, imagine a world where humans and nature live side by side. Not just in occasional crossovers for the lucky few, but in every home and every workplace, in hospitals, care homes, retail and recreational spaces. Visualise wildflower patches on each street corner; climbing living walls on high-rise buildings; gentle, natural materials; public parks and community gardens.
It sounds like a futuristic utopia, or a whimsical, optimistic dream of what could be, someday. But it might not be so far out of reach. On p20 we’re exploring what the trend of ‘biophilic design’ in architecture and city planning promises for our wellbeing in the future.
Back in the present, we’re confronting less talked about topics like postpartum rage (p37) and the hair-pulling disorder trichotillomania (p53). We also find out more about prolonged grief disorder (p26) – a newly registered condition that recognises the experience of grief that doesn’t follow a regular timeline. Plus, we’ve packed this issue with 100 suggestions for ways to relax – with the Happiful team chipping in to share what works for us – to give you ample inspiration for ways to rest.
So, this month, look towards the future, and plan a route for how to make it a better place. All the while, keep an eye on the present. Prioritise rest and savour moments of peace. You deserve it.
Happy reading,
Kathryn Wheeler
Guest Editor
Enjoy the new edition!
Happiful is an online and print magazine with the mission to create a healthier, happier, more sustainable society. Their aim is to provide informative, inspiring and topical stories about mental health and wellbeing. They want to break the stigma of mental health in our society, and to shine a light on the positivity and support that should be available for everyone, no matter their situation.
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