Hello! Here at Zeo, we have decided to start a blog about the issues surrounding wellbeing. We hope it will become, for all of us, a place we can share useful information, inspiring ideas and personal stories to help us in all the different stages and circumstances of our lives. The concept has been brewing in our minds and hearts for a while, but with life having taken such a challenging turn during the pandemic lock-down, we thought we would crack on!
Our first post is a list of helpful resources for wellbeing during this period of social distancing and isolation which we are all having to cope with during the corona virus outbreak. Suddenly finding normal life disrupted so quickly, and being at home almost all the time can be a challenge to our feelings of wellbeing and health, so here are some great resources to support you and your family during the pandemic. We hope you find some really practical help, entertainment or inspiration amongst these links. Take a browse:
List of helpful resources for your wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic
Zeo Church has an increasing number of online groups and services dedicated to supporting, connecting and inspiring you through this period, so keep checking the website here.
However, there are many other free offerings online that might be of real interest and help, so every week we will be sending out an email with some new links for you to explore. We have put them in categories, but of course in reality our mind, body and spirit are all linked and affect each other, so do have a look at each section?
Tech support
Suddenly, we are finding that we are needing to get to grips with all sorts of new tech, am I right?! In order to speak to people we love, or conduct business meetings or join in church services, we may need to find our way around apps and online platforms that are brand new to us. Mark Pougatch (of TV and radio sport presenting fame) and the folk at Bold New World have put together a great free package of detailed and user-friendly advice and ‘how-tos’ to help you or someone you know get on board the tech communications train. Perfect for anyone who has avoided social media and communication tools up til now, but would like to get on board quickly. It is all here.
Financial advice
The well-known financial guru, Martin Lewis, provides a really informative list of links and advice to help guide us through the sudden and unexpected financial instability that the lock down has brought many of us. Check it out here.
Spiritual resources:
The Practise Podcast is offering 3 per day, 5 minute devotions (mainly led prayer and reflection), based on a line or two from Scripture. The first few are fantastic, and it can give your day a little bit of structure too. They create little pools of peaceful prayer 3 times a day.
The Renovare podcast has a huge archive of inspiring conversations and bible based teachings about spiritual growth and flourishing, the tone is always gentle and supportive.
If you are on Spotify or something similar (including Youtube) now might be a wonderful time to enjoy the incredible worship songs and music that is available? Zeo Church Worship is available on Youtube and Spotify if you would like to listen to some of your favourite and familiar worship songs but you could try listening to Hillsong or Lauren Daigle or for something totally different but also beautiful the Christian chanting of psalms and other Christian music by the French Taize community? A song that is really helping me is one by Dolly Parton and Zach Williams reminding us that even if we don’t feel it always or see Him clearly, Jesus is always with us, right here and right now, dwelling with us.
Mental and emotional health resources
The Mind and Soul Foundation has a massive archive of articles about mental and emotional wellbeing, and some excellent recent resources about how to stay well emotionally through this difficult season we currently find ourselves. Check his one out by our own Kate Middleton!
Josie George, who has lived with chronic ill-health for most of her life, has written on her blog, Bimblings, the most beautiful and wise article about things we can do to help ourselves and those we live with manage our emotional wellbeing through this time of isolation.
The Soultime app offers some really good Christian meditation and mindfulness resources, as well as a mood tracker and online journal space if those might be helpful.
There are some key local support organisations if you are worried about your mental health or that of a family member or friend – this document lists some of them as well as lots of really useful links to support the mental health of children and young people.
Physical Health
Joe Wicks offers free online workouts you can do at home – Joe is doing brilliant, fun online PE classes for kids, check them out here!
Fitness Blender also has a huge range of free fitness classes – just make sure you choose one appropriate for your level of fitness as this is not the time for an injury!!
Cooking on a Bootstrap is an amazing resource from a cook who has had to survive on a very very low income at times and has put together a website of fantastic recipes for those on a tight budget or simply trying to make available supplies go further.
For Kids
Here is a great resource for ideas of things to do with younger kids at home.
Here are some lovely nature-based activities suggested by The Woodland Trust that you could try with your children.
We hope you find these resources are a source of fun, practical help and comfort during the new circumstances we find ourselves living in at the moment. There will be some more coming next week.
