First Psychology blog

Now we’re on the twelth day of Christmas, you will hopefully have a better idea of what’s important to you, what you enjoy and where you’d like to be in the future. So it’s time to start setting your new rhythm for the year!  Read how to review your year and plan for the year ahead here >

Music has been shown to have a huge impact on our mood. Music doesn’t have to be conventional music, it could be melodious birdsong, the sound of waves on a beach, classical, pop or anything in between. Put your favourite sounds on today, close your eyes and really listen. Read more about the power of music here >

How is your life at present? Are you happy, or is there somewhere you’d rather be? Perhaps you have your eye on a promotion, new career direction, university course, new hobby or skill, or want to move home or country. Work out where you want to be and what steps you need to get there. Then start leaping like a lord!  Read more about goalsetting here >

The human body has been designed to move. Research has shown that we can improve our mental and physical health by doing regular exercise. Dancing is a great choice because it often involves social communication and coordination as well as movement, but if dancing isn’t for you, try lots of different types of exercise until you find something that you enjoy. You are more likely to exercise often if you enjoy it, so find your dancing shoes, swimwear, wetsuit or whatever and get moving! For more about the benefits of exercise on our wellbeing read this article >

As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. Bounce some ideas off of a trusted friend or speak to a family member about how you feel, and don’t be worried about ‘burdening’ people. Often people want to help. Open up and give them a chance. Read these tips on talking to friends and family about mental health problems. Find out more about talking to friends and family in this article >

What do you see when you see a swan swimming? You see a serene bird effortlessly gliding along. What you don’t see is the effort going on below the water. Swans are working hard, but we often only see the graceful appearance above the water. Whenever you see someone who appears to achieve a goal effortlessly, remember swans. It takes a whole lot of hard work to achieve that graceful exterior. Try not to judge yourself too harshly against others because we don't know how much paddling is taking place below the surface when others glide by.  If you feel you tend to jump to conclusions and punish yourself accordingly, cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) can help you challenge your unhelpful thoughts. Download our free booklet to find out more about CBT.

When things are going well, take time to lay down reserves for future leaner times. We can do this by taking five to ten minutes a day to practise some deep breathing or mindfulness/relaxation exercises. These practices have been shown to make us feel less stressed, which allows us to respond better to stressful situations. When we are faced with a stressful situation, our bodies change rapidly and significantly to help us deal with it head on or run away (known as the ‘fight or flight’ response). If these events are constant and our bodies don’t reset in between, it can lead to long-term physical and mental health issues. Mindfulness and deep breathing are some of the ways to manage our stress response.  For more on managing stress, download our free booklet 'The Stress Factor - Your Guide To Stress'>  

What do you hold precious in your life? It’s not always the things that you give priority to. Note down the five most important things in your life and spend today prioritising those things in some way. For example, if your grandparents are important to you, give them a call. If your job is important, think of some ways you could improve your performance going forwards. If your health is important, make an exercise and nutrition plan. When there's a lot going on, it can be easy to do the things that come up and never have time for your important things. Prioritise your important things and you will feel happier and more fulfilled.

Communication isn’t always vocal, we communicate a lot about ourselves and our feelings through our body language, actions and behaviours. Do you say that you want to spend time with your partner, but sit staring at your laptop when you’re together? Do you suggest meeting a friend but always turn up late? There may be an underlying message in these behaviours. Perhaps you feel tired and don’t really want to interact with your partner or perhaps you feel ambivalent about meeting your friend and struggle to motivate yourself to get ready and out of the door on time. On the other hand, you may simply be struggling to cope and feel overloaded. It’s important to consider all non-verbal cues when reading a situation. These include not only actions, but also facial expressions and body language. What is your face and body saying about you? Did you know that research has found that we even judge the intelligence of others by their facial expressions? If you want to find out more about non-verb...

Like partners, friends are vital to our mental health. They provide us with a different perspective on things and are often kinder to us than we are ourselves. We may not see our friends often, but having social connections is important for our mental and physical wellbeing. Make the effort to give a friend a call today and find out how they are. You can even meet them on platforms such as House Party and do quizzes together. Shared experiences boost the feeling of connectedness. Give it a go!  Read more about why friendships are important for health and happiness >

None of us can survive alone in the world. We all need someone to love and cherish us. Take some time today to nurture your relationship with a partner or to work on supporting future relationships. According to Dr Arthur Aron, psychology professor at the University of New York’s Interpersonal Relationships Laboratory, the way to rekindle some of the sparks from the earlier stages of your relationship is to do something new and different together. Dr Aron says that couples who share new experiences report greater happiness in their marriage than those who simply share familiar experiences. So if you’re at a loose end today, think of something new to do together and start rekindling those sparks! And if you’re single at the moment, plan to take up a new hobby – join a club or society or take some lessons. Shared interests are vital in new relationships! Download our FREE relationships booklet (pdf) > Read more about improving your relationship in this New York Times article >

Just like the partridge, it’s important to have a happy place where we feel safe and happy. But you may be surprised to learn that your happy place is a place you can create within yourself – no pear tree required! And the best bit is that once you have a happy place, you can visit whenever you need a top up of happiness. To find your happy place, think of somewhere where you've felt safe, relaxed, carefree and happy. It may be your childhood bedroom, somewhere you’ve been on holiday, on board a ship or whatever works for you. Imagine being there, remember how you felt when you were there (the sun on your skin, the softness of your bed beneath you, the gentle movement of the waves beneath you, etc). What did you see (imagine the beautiful scenary, your familiar things around you, etc). What did you hear? (your favourite music, the waves lapping on the shore, seagulls, etc). And finally, what did you smell and taste? Practise transporting yourself there today and feel the tension me...