They say wellbeing is the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. But when it comes to personal wellbeing there are so many factors at play – work, home, health, money, relationships, hobbies and sleep, are just a few. As many of us attempt to navigate busy, switched-on lives, it’s becoming more important to stop occasionally, reconnect with yourself and think about what makes you tick. What makes you the happiest and most fulfilled version of you? What choices can you make every day to ensure you’re relaxed, calm and wearing a smile when you open your eyes in the morning? At CommonCents we care about wellbeing, and while quality sleep, more movement and good food are a given, here are a few wellbeing wonders that work for us…

1. Make your minutes count
   Stop counting your pay cheques and the hours at work, and start counting the minutes you spend with your loved ones. Some of you will remember Bonnie Ware, the Aussie nurse who spent years working in palliative care. Bonnie wrote the book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying which featured simple gems like ‘I wish I hadn’t worked so hard’. Set some healthy boundaries and choose more time with the ones that matter.
2. Feed your brain with beauty
   Whether you’re an avid reader, TED Talk connoisseur or audiobook buff, it pays to fill your mind with things that inspire you or simply, make you feel good. A little bit of self-love, self-compassion and kindfulness can go a long way. Here’s what’s lining our bookshelves, and headphones, at the moment:
   • Kindfulness (How to be kinder to yourself and find true happiness), by Caroline Millington
     Mix mindfulness with being a little kinder to yourself and you’ll quickly discover a whole world of magic. Millington maps out practical tools and encourages readers to take 10-minutes a day to cut through the psycho-babble many of us have become accustomed to. Overcome guilt and build your confidence. What’s not to love?
   • The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success, by Dr. Emma Seppala
     As science director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, Seppala offers practical tips on managing wellbeing at work. If you’re living in the fast lane and you’re ready to change gears, this one’s for you.
   • Why we all need to practise emotional first aid, TED Talk, Guy Winch
     Winch gives great insight into how invested we are to our physical health, compared to our emotional health. The sad truth is we spend more time learning how to take care of our teeth, especially as children, than we do our mind. How will you treat yourself the next time you feel emotional pain? And imagine what the world would be like if we practised emotional hygiene? This is 16 minutes you won’t regret.
3. Take the CC Walk’n’Talk ChallengeWe spend a lot of time ‘talking’ these days, through a screen. Chatting to ‘friends’ and ‘liking’ acquaintances without any real face-to-face connection. So, this week, we’re arming you with the CommonCents Walk’n’talk Challenge. Find a buddy, friend, brother, sister, son, daughter or other human you love, and set out on foot. Go for a walk, talk to each other and connect in all the ways you used to. We’d like to say, ‘Leave your phone at home’, but we know you’ll feel inspired to take photos. When you do, find us on social media and #commoncents #walkntalk #challenge
4. Write a to-do list you actually want to do
   Close your eyes and make a list of the last three moments you were really, utterly content. Take your time, then ask yourself these questions; How long ago were these moments? Do they have anything in common? How could I have more moments like this? This is a fun exercise that will give you insight to how you’re filling your days. Are you finding time to do things you really want to do? Are you so consumed by work, you’re not spending enough time with the kids or your hubby or wife? Have you let go of hobbies and things that inspire you because you’re too ‘busy’? Let’s face it, the to-do list never ends, so start filling it with things you actually want to do.
5. Join the Action for Happiness movement
   If you’re after super-practical tips to increase your happiness check out the Action for Happiness website. We love it because it’s full of fun tools, courses and tips you can start implementing today. Action for Happiness is a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society, all backed by leading experts from fields including psychology, education, economics and innovation. Jump in and check it out.That’s it for our wellbeing wonders. Got a few of your own? Share them with us below.