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The great “spring clean” we all think of has been shifting in many ways, adjusting to the new ways in which we live our lives and what we now need to shed our winter habits and prepare us for a more active spring. Many of us don’t even consider these habits as preparing or refreshing our lives because they no longer look like the typical spring clean. So, why do we feel the need to clean out our lives for spring?

In many cultures, including the United Kingdom, spring cleaning has its roots in wiping away the soot and stuffiness that were kept in homes by the fires and boarding up habits that were necessary for surviving winter. With time, technology has transformed and allowed us to change how our homes feel, from the temperature to how and when we clean them, without completely transforming the spaces in which we live for each specific season.

Our busy lifestyles have also changed how our homes look and feel. Where there were once heavily regarded schedules for weekly cleaning duties, we now outsource or clean based on when we have the time. We often overlook the potential benefits of aligning our homes and our habits with the changing of seasons.

If we take time to understand our needs and spring clean in the ways that fit each of our lives, the potential for spring cleaning (in our own ways,) is much greater than merely cleaning out the refrigerator. If done tailored to us, spring cleaning can increase our productivity, boost our energy levels, help to keep us healthier, improve our mood, reduce stress, and improve our focus. There are incredible benefits to figuring out the best ways to spring clean for you this year.

So, how can we take advantage of this year’s new and improved spring clean?  

1. Being mindful of our habits. Is there anything in our lives we wish we didn’t do or did more of? We can take this opportunity to structure our homes to promote these goals! If we want to drink more water, we can place more fun and interesting water bottles around the house and in the places we spend the most time.

2. Take inventory. Being honest with ourselves is best here, asking ourselves what is taking up space, what is wasting our time, and what is stressing us out in our homes and our lives? The answers might be uncomfortable and hard to come to, but listening to ourselves is key. We know what we need, now we just need to make decisions accordingly.

3. Baby steps. If we start by going through one room at a time, we are far less likely to get overwhelmed and quit. Rejuvenating our lives and our habits can feel painful at first, so we must remember to be patient with ourselves.  

4. Bring in more nature! We can all use more plants and less chemicals in our lives. Whether it is replacing our cleaning supplies with natural alternatives, eating more fresh veggies, or having more plants in the house, our minds and our bodies will definitely thank us.

5. The art of letting go. When we detach ourselves and let go of what no longer benefits us, we make space for the new things, people, habits, and spaces that are trying to come into our lives. Letting go can be painful and difficult, but focusing on what we can now be gaining can help us to shift our perspective.

6. Try not to toss! When we let go of something, it is important that we think of where it will go after us. There are many incredible outlets and resources for donating, sharing, or selling things we no longer want. This spring clean, we should all give them a try!

Let us know how you’ll be spring cleaning your life and your space and share any tips or tricks you find to be helpful! We can’t wait to declutter with you!

Happy sharing,

Sam

Spring is the season celebrated for the natural growth that surrounds us, both in nature and within ourselves. This is our time to declutter, clarify, and make changes in our lives that will align us with the lives we want to be living.

May is National Share A Story Month, allowing us the perfect opportunity to share all that we have learned, are learning, and all that we hope to achieve.

Why should we share our stories? “Simple: nothing else works.”

An incredibly impactful way of moving forward in our understanding of ourselves and the world around us is to share our stories with others. In order to tell our stories, we must first take a step back and reflect. When we shift our attention and give space to understanding where we have been, we heal even more.

When we share with others, we’re not only sharing the knowledge, we’re sharing parts of ourselves. These moments of sharing are invaluable and have the potential to impact others in ways we could never imagine. Not only is there this two-way healing in sharing, there is also a ripple-effect when we share our stories. When we open ourselves to others, they are more likely to share their own stories with others in the future.

Stories constantly surround us and help to dictate the decisions we make, what and who we trust, and how we view ourselves and others. This month, we can all make an effort to understand our own stories more fully. What is it we want more clarity on? How are we telling our stories now? Are they the stories we want to be telling in the future?

1. Re-evaluate. First, we can give ourselves the space and time to actually think about the stories we’re already telling. We then need to determine if they ring true for who we see ourselves to be and where we see ourselves going.  

2. Simplify. We often get stuck in the magnitude of our lives. While we are incredibly complex creatures, we also have the ability to boil our experiences down, to condense our message to others and to ourselves.

3. Pay attention your audience. When share, it’s important that we learn from those we are sharing with. Each person brings different perspectives, questions, and lessons to us, we just need to listen.

4. Embrace the vulnerability. Telling others about our lives and sharing true parts of ourselves is incredibly difficult because we are vulnerable. This can feel very scary, but we have to remember that this is where the greatest growth can come from. “You will either step forward into growth or backward into safety.”  

5. Listening to ourselves and others is key here. Storytelling requires that we be bold, to bravely share and give of ourselves, but it also requires us to dive deeper into ourselves and learn more about who we are. We are never perfect and we never will be, but we can commit to our growth through sharing with others and ourselves.

Take this opportunity to share with those around you, be it friends, family, coworkers, in person, or anonymously! Use Viewsbank as a platform to share your stories, big or small! We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

Happy sharing,

-Sam

After nearly 10 years since what we have called the “share economy, sharing economy, or collaborative consumption,” has come into the public eye, many of us are now closely familiar with these tools, but there continue to be fears and mishaps surrounding how these platforms and services work exactly.

Collaborative consumption has always existed. People have always borrowed and shared their goods and services, but it has never been so widespread or so accessible. We can now lend our cars, homes, and time to complete strangers, bringing many of our collective trust issues to light. These platforms were founded during the recent financial crisis, so people can own less, yet continue to use the things we might need.

We now have the opportunity to take a step back and think about whether or not we should purchase something or whether we could trade, borrow, or share with others. This opportunity has allowed us to buy less and share more. We have realised that we do not need to own everything in our lives, that in many instances it would be more effective to use something that another person owns. We have also been able to see that when we do own something, it can be well worth it to lend it to someone else when we are not using it.

We’re buying less and becoming more sustainable. In many instances, we are now putting more thought into the ‘things’ that exist in our lives and shifting our lifestyles accordingly.

What do our members think? Over 75% of people think the sharing economy is either positive or potentially positive, however, there are quite a few concerns that remain. Trust appears to be one of the biggest hurdles to being a part of this new structure of trading goods and services.  

Trusting strangers has and will likely always be an incredible barrier for most of us. The sharing economy has many wonderful benefits, but without trust and a shared respect for one another, the system cannot truly work. While there are those who have broken this trust, it appears that “it’s actually surprising how little it goes wrong.”

When thinking of sharing some of the most important spaces in our lives with strangers, such as our homes or our cars, it can seem incredibly risky and daunting. However, it seem to be that the first time is always the most nerve-wracking. We have created many safety nets within the sharing economy that helps to create a safe environment for this sharing to take place. Because we use our technology for these trades, our transactions are safer than ever before, both in our money and in the people we are trusting. The platforms for sharing carry out background checks on each party involved and you can even do your own research on who you might be sharing with!

All of these things come together and allow us to build trust. It is likely be that the sharing economy will continue to be part of the mix, simultaneously fitting into and shifting other parts of our economy. With these shifts, we are being pushed to become more aware of what we are using, what we are purchasing, and how we can reach an end goal collectively. To do this, we must have trust. We can all do more to build trust in our communities and it all starts with the seemingly small actions that each of us takes every day.

How can we build more trust on a daily basis?

1. Be mindful of what your word means. When we become more thoughtful of what we say to others, our word becomes more powerful and truthful. “Keeping our word” carries a different meaning when we continuously strive for trust and honesty with ourselves and others.

2. Listen to others. When we take the time to listen to what others are saying, what they need, and how they view others, we can move forward with them accordingly, doing our best to build trust instead of misunderstanding.

3. Take time making decisions. Being more thoughtful in what we say yes to

4. Show gratitude. Treating others’ actions with respect shows those around us that we see what they do for us. When we acknowledge the

5. Help others whenever you can. Doing something for someone else with no benefit to yourself instills trust within others. Kindness goes much further than we think. Try helping just one person each day, however you can!

6. Don’t hide feelings! Trust requires openness and this includes our own feelings, both the good and the bad. Hiding how we feel creates boundaries between us and others, while sharing how we feel opens new doors we never thought possible. Everyone feels the ways we do. When we hide this, we do a disservice to ourselves and others.

7. Be patient. It takes time to build trust, especially when we’re looking at entire communities. Do your best, others will follow.

8. Get involved in the sharing! Try swapping, loaning, and sharing! See how it feels to provide a service to someone and to use something from someone else. Take a leap, trust in a stranger.

Let us know what you think about sharing in the comments below! We can’t wait to hear your voice.

Happy sharing,

Sam

The general feelings of springtime are typically along the lines of growth, re-birth, longer days of sunshine, and being outdoors. However, for many of us, this season carries a very different meaning with sneezes, itchiness, and being locked indoors.

It is estimated that around 10 million people suffer with hay fever in England alone. Our members at viewsbank echo the reach of this issue, with Nearly 40% of our members suffer from hayfever regularly. For those of us who do not feel the negative impacts of pollen, it can be difficult for us to understand how plans and feelings about being outdoors in this season may be different from our own. This spring, we can all do our best to understand if and how we can support those around us more effectively.

There are many theories about why hay fever is on the rise, including the fact that our climate patterns are shifting, causing there to be more pollen present, which is further intensified by air pollution and potentially even our recent habits of disinfecting our environments, weakening our immune systems. Whatever the cause, more and more of us are being negatively impacted by the plants around us.

So, how can we treat it? If you are feeling the impacts of hay fever for the first time this season, there are many ways to begin treating your symptoms, but many of these treatments do not focus on the long-term solution of lessening the actual allergic reaction. Quite a few people have found methods of not only treating, but ridding themselves of hay fever altogether. There is no single-pill solution for this, however, gradual and consistent changes and practices seem to have great potential.

Whichever methods we find work best for our lifestyles, it is important that each of us can still find a way to enjoy the outdoors! There are many helpful tips and tricks that may require more work in the short-term, but allow us to enjoy the fresh spring air we need!

How to enjoy the outdoors if you (or those you love) have hay fever this season!

1. Do some research: first, know exactly what you’re allergic to. When you know what affects you, then you can move forward with a plan of action and still enjoy the rest of the outdoors!

2. Be able to identify these allergens by sight. Knowing what you’re allergic to and when it is present allows you to understand the kinds of places you can venture to without all of the sneezes!

3. Pay attention to the pollen count: this will help you to understand how best to plan your days as well as how to plan your protection! You can take a look at the forecast here!

4. Plan your outdoor time accordingly: “Peak pollination times for grasses are in the afternoon to early evening, so outdoor exercisers and gardeners who are sensitive to them may want to avoid these times. Dawn and dusk are the worst times for people with tree pollen allergies.”

5. Be patient. For many suffering with hay fever, quite a few remedies or treatments have been tried. This can be very frustrating, especially if you are still suffering. Doing your best to remain open to alternative solutions could help you to find what works effectively for you!

Let us know your tips and tricks for this hayfever season in the comments below!

Happy sharing!

-Sam

In our day to day lives, we often forget to take a step back and actually see the world around us. Nature is accessible to each of us in our daily lives, most often when we do not realise it. No matter how seemingly small those few seconds under a tree, feeling the breeze on our skin, feeling the rain or sunshine, if we begin bringing our attention to them, these moments impact us deeply. These instances have the power to change our mood, impact our health, and shift the ways we interact with one another. Bringing our attention to how nature interacts with us each and every day allows us to appreciate all that the earth does for us.

At the most basic level, the earth is our home, it is the reason we are alive and the reason we are able to enjoy each and every tiny moments, as well as the more grand experiences we have in nature. Whether or not you consider yourself to be a nature-lover, we can all benefit from more time outdoors, more time appreciating our surroundings, and more time caring for the natural spaces around us.

Why is it important for all of us to celebrate earth day? There are so many wonderful reasons to celebrate this day that we feel deeply in our gut. Each of us resides here, it is at the essence of our being, the connector between all of us. We all have a stake in protecting, caring for, and taking part in celebrating the earth around us.

So, without pushing the (great) but age-old tip of planting a tree on Earth Day, how can we take part tomorrow?

1. Take a look at your method of transport for the day! We can all do our best to re-evaluate how we get around and whether or not this is the most energy-efficient option. Try this travel calculator to see how you’re doing and what your options are!

2. Take a look at your e-waste: we all know about (and most of us are hopefully involved in,) recycling our household materials, but there are not many pathways to recycling e-waste, though we now dispose of more waste than ever before! Check out this page for more information

3. Plant some food! This is a great activity that will have some great long-term (and yummy) impacts. Even if you’re working with small spaces, there are many ways to go about doing this!

4. Share something: instead of buying something new or tossing something extra, find ways to share and collaborate with people around you. Check out the Olio app to find people, things, food, and treasures to share near you!

5. Go Solar: or find other alternative forms of energy that work for your tech, your home, your lifestyle, and your budget. Your home isn’t the only space for solar panels, there are many smaller and very useful ones, including chargers for your phone or panels in your backpack. Check out these ways to get involved in your community too!

6. Go outside! Give yourself the chance to be reminded of why you love the earth. Allow yourself the space to re-charge, re-center, and remember in the incredible National Parks in the UK, the smaller parks in your community, or even your own garden! Just get outside and take a breath. You’ll thank yourself later.

While it is wonderful to celebrate and bring our attention to the earth on this day, it is also important that we remember these issues far past April 22nd. The decisions we make each and every day matter and we can all strive to do better, together. By sharing information, we can all learn and grow, together!

Let us know if you’ll be celebrating Earth Day, in any ways that fit for you!

We can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Happy sharing,

-Sam

Today, many of us here in the UK celebrate Easter. Some of us celebrate for religious purposes, some for cultural purposes, and some of us just appreciate the extra day off from work. While there are many reasons we may or may not celebrate this holiday, we can all use today as an observance and a marker for ourselves and where we are in our lives.

The Easter holiday and the season of Spring bring in aspects of rebirth and rejuvenation. These themes tend to be overlooked in our lives and could use a little more thought and introspection every once in awhile. This is the perfect moment to look back at our past selves, where we are now, and where we see ourselves growing and changing.

Here are some short and sweet ways to go about doing this on today’s bank holiday and every other day!

1. Asking ourselves the tougher questions. Re-evaluating our daily life is difficult and rarely done. Taking a moment to sit down and actually think about if our day-to-day life makes us and others happy is important.

2. Find a space for others. Thinking about how can we help others in our daily lives not only brings us closer to others, but to ourselves as well.  

3. Being more patient and kind with ourselves. Remembering that each and every one of us is always growing and always learning. We don’t have all of the answers right now and that okay.

4. Paying attention to our bodies- not how we look, but how we feel. Do you feel strong, healthy, and prepared for life? Do you need to move a little more? Do you need to be a little more gentle? Do you need to fill it with cleaner foods? Take a breath and listen. If you need a little post-Easter detox, here’s a few tips.

5. Setting a few intentions. Asking ourselves where we want to be and how would we would like to feel by the end of this month, in the next few months, and by the end of the year can change everything. What would we like to accomplish? Would we like to see anything in particular change? Just finding a word or phrase in our minds can help us to achieve these goals.

6. Share! Our joy, progress, difficulties, and lives can be supported and strengthened by sharing them with others. We learn from ourselves and others by sharing. When we open ourselves up, true change can happen. Don’t be afraid to share more of your genuine self with others.

Share your thoughts and advice for this rejuvenating long-weekend in the comments below!

We can’t wait to hear your voice.

Happy sharing!
 

-Sam

April is National Poetry Month, helping us to bring our awareness to how we are expressing ourselves. This month allows us the opportunity to dive deeper into understanding ourselves and how we interact with our inner world as well as our outer world. Are we expressing ourselves enough? Are we using the words, energy, or values we aim for? Could we be living a little more poetically?

Poetry is a reflection of the dance we are all a part of. It has been said that a poem is “a thing made,” and a poet is the “ the maker of things.” Poetry is about creation, delving into ourselves and bringing what we find out into the world. In this, we are allowed to express our utter individuality while simultaneously showing us our intense connection to all of humanity. We are able to see the most personal parts of ourselves while also connecting with others. In many of our lives, this is a rare are crucial experience. By moving closer to ourselves, we move closer to one another.   

What if I don’t like poetry?

We can look at poetry as merely a form of storytelling. As humans, it is deeply embedded within our nature to tell our stories and to share our experiences with one another. We learn as we share, helping us to grow individually and together. If the “traditional” sort of poetry is not for you, be aware that there are different forms of poetry, including many types of music.

The rhythmic structure woven into poetry breaks many of the barriers usually contained in language. While the words carry meaning, those who do not know the language of the poem, including very young children, are still able to participate, experiencing the rhythm and tones. Poetry opens doors, helping us to share our stories across borders, even those of language.

The value of any artistic expression, such a poetry, within our lives can be indescribable. Exploring through art has been proven to be incredibly effective in healing trauma, strengthening our sense of self, our connection to who we are, how we understand ourselves and how we understand the world around us. Poetry builds resilience in children and adults, fostering social and emotional learning. Utilising poetry, we can further express ourselves and accept the true expressions of others. We become more aware, more empathetic, and more connected to ourselves and one another.

So, how can we do more of this in our daily lives?

1. Start reading more poetry- try looking at Poetry Daily for a new poem every day!

2. Begin or increase your own writing! If you’re looking for a little inspiration, take a look at these 12 Ways To Write a Poem

3. Purchase power- support more local poets by donating to poetry-related organisations, buying poetry books, and supporting local book stores

4. If you’re around children- introducing and supporting them in valuing poetry, both of their own creation and from others. Studying poetry from different aspects in a fun and interactive way is key!

5. Being more mindful of poetry in our lives- listen to the words, feel the rhythms, notice the stories that are being told around you, and be particularly mindful of those you are telling.

So, what does it mean to live more poetically? The answers are completely up to each of us. We all decide how we want our dance to look and feel, just as we choose the stories we tell.

We can’t wait to hear more of yours. Share some forms of poetry in the comments below!

Happy sharing!

-Sam

Many of us recognise that learning does not end in the classroom and does not stop at any age. We are constantly learning, each and every moment of our lives, regardless of whether or not we fully acknowledge these lessons. Today, on National Education and Sharing Day, we can all take a step back and reflect on how we have learned, how we are learning, and how we would like to learn in the future. This is a wonderful chance to evaluate our world and whether or not we are truly taking advantage of the opportunities around us.

This holiday was founded in the United states to honour Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, but this day can be observed and utilised all around the world to honour a commitment to education, sharing, and growing collectively.

Traditional forms of education, including degrees, certificates, and many other qualifications, continue to carry weight. These pathways to education are widely accepted and can help to open many doors that might otherwise be closed to us, but, it is important that we don’t narrow our understanding of what education is to these institutions.

With our world expanding with technology and globalisation, there are so many outlets and methods to connect with one another. We now have more opportunities to learn from and share with one another than ever before. In many ways, our limitations on how to share information and experience have been erased, leaving incredible space for opportunity and growth.

In many aspects, we are largely changing our perspective on what “education” really means in our world. We are realising the value of “non-traditional” skills that exist outside of the core maths and english courses taught in our schools.

By just living our lives, each of us learns something new about ourselves and the world around us every single day, however, in many instances, we need to develop our awareness of what we’re learning and what we can do with that newfound knowledge and experience.

So, within our constantly changing educational landscape, how can we start sharing and learning with one another today? We can take a look at How to learn something new everyday (and actually do something with it!)

1. Find your preferred way of learning- take note of what you like best, whether it is within a classroom, outdoors, listening, working with your hands, or reading. Whatever feels the best to you is going to work the best for you in the long-run! Learning is and should be fun, so allow yourself to enjoy it! Don’t force yourself into something you don’t enjoy.

2. Pick a source of knowledge and figure out a channel that delivers on your topic of choice- whether that is online or in your “real life,” find a reliable source you can look to for providing knowledge on what you’re most interested in learning about!

3. Build your own curriculum- whether that is in an excel spreadsheet, on a calendar, or on your phone, figure out a way that works best to schedule and encourage you to do the learning. Set yourself a specific time, space, and method. These building blocks are important to bringing this into reality.

4. Stick to the schedule that works for you- whether you’re doing the same time and place every single day, be sure you’re doing your best to be present each and every day with this task. The point is for you to be learning, if you feel you’ve accomplished that- even if it is not in the ways you expected, you’re achieving your goal.

5. Share what you’ve learned! Once you feel you’ve had a breakthrough, figured something new out, or just want to share something you’ve learned, be sure you do it! Viewsbank is a great tool for you to learn and share, and it’s not the only space for it! Share with your friends and family, post online, ask questions, create surveys, share your comments.

We all have the incredible gifts of knowledge and our ability to learn from the world around us. These are even more incredible when we share with others. Be sure you’re utilising these gifts to the fullest potential, today on National Education and Sharing Day, and every other day.

We can’t wait to experience what you’re learning!

Happy sharing!

-Sam

As warmer weather is fast approaching, many of us are beginning to move our bodies, become more active, and get outdoors much more than we have over the past few months! Our bodies and minds are beginning to feel renewed, breathing in the comfort and exciting energy of the joy that comes from being warm and in nature. As this season and these feelings come into our lives, we feel different, but we may not fully recognise why, what makes us feel so good? And alternatively, what makes us feel badly?

In western medicine, we’re becoming more and more aware of the impacts our mental and emotional bodies have upon our physical health. We are beginning to acknowledge that there are forces outside of the physical body and its mechanics that impact us, both negatively and positively.

We can all feel our physical bodies change as our mental or emotional states change, but do we know why these changes occur? Even better still, do we know what to do to make them better? Do we know how to balance ourselves, to help ourselves feel better?

Our understanding of health is widening, while our use and capability of the technology around us increases, which has given us a vast space for the two to intertwine and potentially change the ways we interact and understand our own health. There are thousands of “health apps” now, but finding the ones that fit our needs, understanding that our health is much greater than how many steps we took today, is an ongoing process.

How can we bring this into our own daily lives? First, we need to do a little digging and have a greater understanding of ourselves. We need to know what we need in order to know what to look for in a resource that might help us. By taking our entire world into consideration when making decisions about our health, we give ourselves the greatest platform from which to move, grow, and thrive.

So, how can we begin to take some steps?

1. Take stock of what is important to you and your health- each and every one of us is different. What helps us or harms us the most might be different from the next person, and that’s okay! We just need to find out what works (and what doesn’t) on our own terms.

2. Begin with mindfulness- Once you begin to understand what feels good and what doesn’t in your life, beginning to notice when these feelings, thoughts, or physical symptoms show up in your life.

3. Find (or create) a tracking method! There are many resources for tracking that involve taking note of many processes impacting our health, you just have to find the right one for you, and if you can’t find it, you can always create it!

4. Begin to find the patterns- After a while, you might begin to see where activities, behaviours, feelings, thoughts, and physical symptoms overlap. This is important information to notice and begin to bring into your life.

5. Start to make changes based on what you find! Once you recognise what patterns are occurring, try to make shifts in where these patterns overlap. Do what feels best to you and track how it goes!

6. Share- This kind of personalised knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others, especially those close to you. We tend to share habits with those we love, so when something feels good to you, it might feel good for them too!

What are you going to take a deeper look at this Spring and Summer? Will you be changing anything in your life? Do you think your physical health needs a little support or could use a few tweaks? Let’s help ourselves move into warmer weather feeling recharged, renewed, and ready to be a healthy part of the world! Let’s help ourselves do this in the best ways possible.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy Sharing!

-Sam