L is for . . .

"Find what makes you happy and do that as often as you can"

Here we're taking a bit of time to ask ourselves some questions . . .

• Which 3 words best describe your lifestyle?
• What helps you create a 'happy' lifestyle?
• What would you like to change about your lifestyle?
• What would be your top tips for relaxing?
  
• Do you have any hobbies that affect your lifestyle choices? If so please describe them

We asked a few Libraries Unlimited staff to answer some questions, and we are sharing their answers with you below. We talked about diet and exercise is in D is for Diabetes and thought about how making a few small, simple changes can help improve our lifestyle. Maybe adapting a favourite recipe, or popping out for a 5-10 minute walk each day in the fresh air, can make a difference and help us feel good.

Here we explore another side of wellbeing and look into what makes us happy and keeps us grounded and relaxed. Life can be full on and sometimes we need a breather - so never be afraid to do something for yourself and make some changes to your lifestyle.

QUESTION ONE - Which 3 words best describe your lifestyle?

Over half our responses had the word FAMILY in their top 3 words. Family makes up a huge part of our lifestyle choices so is unsurprisingly the top choice. BUSY was also a very common word - I think this needs to be closely followed by balance, as it is great to be busy, but can lead to becoming overtired and stressed fairly quickly. So keeping a check on those things, and remembering the balance our bodies and minds need is important. Finally and lovely, the third most popular word was HAPPY - how lovely that happiness featured in our top 3!

QUESTION TWO - What helps you create a 'happy' lifestyle?

• "Making decisions to protect the time I need"
• "Allocating some time each day to curl up with a mug of tea/ glass of wine and a library book"
• "Opportunities to escape the daily routines"
  
• "Enjoying your senses. Ideally in the company of others, but love your own company too."
• "Baking when I am stressed"
• "Realising that although I love my job, I work to live, not live to work!"

Here are a few great answers which we can all learn from. Allowing ourselves time to do things. We are often occupied by doing things for others, and it's important to give time to ourselves. We all seem to be in agreement on this helping us move toward a 'happy' lifestyle.

QUESTION THREE - What would you like to change about your lifestyle?

I've split the answers into a few themes which came through clearly in the answers -

Activity - More time - Unhealthy choices! - Dreamer & travel - Perfection!

• "Sometimes I finish work so tired that I can't then make the effort to run or do other physical activities that I want to - which then makes me cross at myself and so it circles."
• "I would love to get out and do more exercise after work, which is hard especially in January with the dark evenings! This will help me to refresh after work and keep as active as I like to be."
• "I would like to have a more active lifestyle, but the pandemic changed that quite dramatically"

More time . . . .

• "Having/making a bit more time for myself. Sometimes feel under pressure to get everything done on my day off, rather than just having some "me time" and relaxing."
• "More hours in the day would be nice! Also, more time to put my feet up. Having some headspace is so important."

Unhealthy choices!

• "I would like to have the drive to be more active. I enjoy physical activity when I am doing it, but the delights of the couch and the telly/PS5 are usually too enticing!"
• "My love for crisps and chocolate"

Dreamer

• "I'd love to have my own land, so I could build my own place and get stuck into more creative things, like having a pottery wheel & kiln, and having my own garden."

Perfection!

• "Nothing - I love it just the way it is"
  

What a lovely answer and so happy to see it here.

QUESTION FOUR - What would be your top tips for relaxing?

Well, there's a question! The most of popular answers by far were (unsurprisingly for library staff - look what came out top!):

Books, Books, Books! - In all forms: audio books, browsing bookshelves, reading in a quiet corner, relaxing in the bath with a book (and preferred drink!), you name it; when it came to reading, our answers had it!

Also high to feature on the list for relaxation was Arts and Crafts. Painting, macrame, knitting, sewing, embroidery to name a few. Also baking can be relaxing and has the advantage of delicious edible rewards which is a bonus!

This quote was a lovely exploration of hobbies - developing them and letting them lead onto new and exciting avenues. . . . "Keep making off-shoots of the things you love doing, i.e. I like painting, so I'll try different kinds of paints, techniques, or non-traditional materials. That then leads into something else like foraging for natural materials, which can lead to hiking in new places."

Another common feature here for our staff has been exercise and the great outdoors, so no wonder running was in the top 4 for relaxation tips. Some quotes below from our answers:

"I sort out so much in my head when I run"

"I love pounding the streets with my headphones in, it's a great chance to shut off mentally for a bit."

"Wind in your face to blow the cobwebs away"

G is for Gardening recommends lots of ideas , places and support for getting out in the garden to help our wellbeing, and here again our staff clearly share the value in doing this to help us relax:

• "Garden / grow things – and if you can’t, watch Gardeners’ World. It’s very relaxing!"
• "Blue sky and sunshine, admiring gardens - big and small"
  

And finally, my favourite - keep it simple and relax in the way you know best:

"Find what makes you happy and do that as often as you can."

QUESTION FIVE - Do you have any hobbies that affect your lifestyle choices? If so please describe them.

A nice new one to come up here was food!

"Eating is a bit of a hobby? I really do enjoy rustling up a nice meal, then tucking in! It's the social aspect that's just as important - nothing nicer than eating and chatting with loved ones"

Cooking, baking, eating together is a great hobby to share and enjoy and yes of course it can have a huge impact on our lifestyle "my continuous quest to eat the world’s best burgers" Haha! But can be really relaxing, nourishing and social too.

A lot here so far about reading BUT don't forget writing - J is for Journaling links many benefits to keeping a diary or expressive writing, both being great hobbies for our wellbeing.

And again a common theme for our library staff is exercise, so great hobbies like playing hockey and hiking are fantastic options for getting out and about. Devon has many, many walking options and exceptional scenery. Do look out for W is for Walking which will be discussed later in the month. Often a key part of exercise is the social aspect of enjoying a game, a walk and a talk or even just some company when out jogging too. It all helps us to feel connected to our bodies, minds, and to others too.