we know that most days the small things feel just that: small & insignificant. but actually, the small things are the big things; a warming cup of tea, a message from a mate, a moment of calm after a busy day. the small things matter is all about your wellbeing and giving you the tools you need to look after yourself. as well as this journal, we run activities, creative workshops and online support, all of which you can get involved in. stay in touch by following our insta: @aubsu_matter
aubsu.co.uk/smallthings
Welcome to your journal of small things! This is your space to get to know yourself better and organise your thoughts. Self-care starts with understanding and requires you to spend time on yourself. Invest in this journal and you should benefit from it! Each month has a planner and themed pages for you to explore. We’ve made this year’s journal more interactive with space for you to express yourself, but it’s completely up to you how, and if, you complete the tasks. Everyone works differently so keep this journal neat or scribble wherever you can fit your doodles! It’s your journal.
break in your journal by writing or doodling here
managing your habits It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and everyone adapts at a different pace. Keeping track of your habits can help you recognise where you want to make changes and help motivate you to turn good behaviours into an automatic habit. Plan out your targets below, then print out this weekly habit tracker from our website.
Caffeine:
cups per day
To minimise your caffeine intake, try switching to herbal teas in the afternoons and evenings.
Screen time:
hours per day
Try an app like Screen Time that monitors how much time you spend on social media to help you cut down.
Play time:
try the plant nanny app to keep hydrated throughout the day
hours per day
When making plans, book in time for rest and things you enjoy, then stick to it!
now download a printable pdf habit tracker from our website: aubsu.co.uk/smallthings
Water:
glasses per day
Drinking a glass as soon as you wake up helps rehydrate you & infusing your water with fruit can make it taste delicious!
Exercise:
hours per week
CMO guidelines recommend 75mins of vigorous activity a week, or 150mins moderate.
Sleep:
hours per night
Switch out your phone for a book or podcast before you go to sleep to help yourself wind down.
mining your day for gems...
Practising gratitude Taking time to reflect on the things that we’re grateful for helps create a positive outlook and can improve our mental health. Think of all the things you’re grateful for in your life, including the small day-to-day things like a good cup of tea, your favourite song coming on the radio or waking up to a message from a friend. These things are your gems! After a bad (or even ordinary) day they might be hard to see so dedicate time at the end of each day to think back and identify 3 gems.
fill the rest of this page with your gems!
In my own hands I hold a bowl of tea; I see all of nature represented in its green colour. Closing my eyes, I find green mountains and pure water within my own heart. Silently sitting alone and drinking tea, I feel these become a part of me. - Soshitsu Sen
TASK
What refreshes you and fills you with good energy? On the page opposite, write, doodle or draw those things in the tea cups. Then revisit this page when you’re feeling low to get ideas for what will help recharge and try to avoid those things that drain you.
doodle here
show your true colours Starting uni encompasses a whole bunch of transitions: moving away from home, starting a new course, making different friends and encountering new ways of thought. It can be hard to juggle all these changes at once. Take a moment to create some boundaries between your different worlds.
wher
e i am
now
Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours. - Terry Pratchett
ore
s bef a w i e
wher
TASK
Draw or write the key things you associate with each different place in the relevant suitcases. These could be people, emotions, locations or objects. When you feel lost, return this page to recentre yourself around where you want to be.
oing
where i’m g
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
Choose up to 3 habits to track...
My Habits
Fill the boxes when you do them!
Write them here:
Colour in a leaf everyday to track your mood
Events
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show your true colours A number of psychologists have used colour theory to inform some key personality profiles. These profiles can help us understand more about ourselves and how we interact with others. It’s not about being boxed in, but understanding yourself better so that you can connect well in the world.
TASK
Circle the words that best describe you:
confident
optimistic
self-disciplined
quiet kind independent loyal unpredictable proactive sensitive enthusiastic determined accepting precise task-focused self-critical self-indulgent fun-loving worrier organised How many words have you circled from each colour group? Do you have a dominant colour or a mix?
What do the colour groups mean?
‘SUNSHINE YELLOW’
fun-loving and spontaneous, always on to the next thing, sometimes struggles to focus
‘COOL BLUE’
commited and hard working, precision is key. Prone to worrying and perfectionism
Improve your social relationships using colour types Sunshine yellows Yellows are imaginative, social and expressive. They thrive on enthusiasm for new ideas so talk big pictures and be tactful when bringing things back to the smaller details.
‘FIERY RED’
confident and determined go-getters,
tasks tend to trump people
Cool blues Blues are steady, ordered and enduring. They take a while to establish trust and lean towards evidencebased decision making. Give them reassurance often.
Earth greens Greens are relaxed, steady and diplomatic. They value relationships above all and will often want to know how you’re feeling and if you’re content. Be open and authentic with Greens.
‘EARTH GREEN’
peacemaker, comfort lover, avoider of conflict as much as possible
Fiery reds Reds use logic, vision and determination. When talking to Reds, try and be action-orientated and steer away from emotion. Get straight to the point with Reds and show confidence in your opinions.
Choose some key people in your life - what colour types do you think they are?
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits
Events
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Many of us will experience periods of low mood in our lifetime, often triggered by difficult events or experiences. Lingering low mood has a nasty habit of leaving us feeling anxious, self-critical, and even physically tired. These symptoms can be soothed when we have a safe space to let our feelings flow, without judgement. Use this space to do just that, express yourself. Use your non-dominant hand to draw, doodle or write. Don’t over think it, just go with the flow!
How would you describe your creation? What do the shapes and colours mean to you? If you were in your picture how would you feel? Is there anything you can learn about how you are feeling? Try naming your feelings.
How to make your own candle As the days draw in and the cold weather comes, practice self-kindness by creating a cosy space for the senses with soft lighting, calming scents and tactile furnishings. Try making these simple candles, which also make great gifts!
you will need: • Soy wax flakes (double the container amount) • Pre-assembled soy wax wicks • Recycled glass or ceramic jar (heatproof for the candle!) • Glue gun or glue dots • Wick holder (or tape/pen) • Essential oil (1.5 tsp per 500g wax) • Dried flowers or herbs
how to: 1) Attach your wick to the jar. The wicks have a metal base, which you can glue gun or add a glue dot to and to attach to the centre of the base of your jar. 2) Melt the wax in a heat-proof glass jug in the microwave or place the jug in a pan of boiling water. (Use a jug not saucepan, as it will be hard to clean all the wax out!) The wax melts very quickly so make sure you keep a close eye on it.
Keep stirring it until the wax has become a clear liquid. Be careful! Never leave it unattended, even when it’s starting to cooling down. 4) Add your essential oils. 5) Straighten your wicks using 2 lengths of tape to hold the wick in the middle by taping from the top of the container. 6) Carefully pour the wax into your jars. As it’s setting, add the dried flowers/herbs. (This is optional.) 7) Leave somewhere cool, safe and untouched overnight. When the candle is solid you can trim the wicks 2cm above the candle line.
review your mood colours for this month: how has your mood been on balance? can you identify any habit changes that could lift your mood?
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits
Events
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choose where you belong... The holidays aren’t always about presents and food. Not everyone gets to or wants to go ‘home’. Feeling isolated or disconnected is common, especially if you’ve made AUB your new home.
TASK
TASK
Evaluate your new space to avoid over-thinking the things you aren’t responsible for:
Write in the windows the places or people that make you feel like you belong. You can choose your communities so explore where makes you feel most at home.
Things I can’t Things I can control: control:
While you’re away, try and stay connected with the places and people that make you feel like you belong... • keep in regular communication • take keepsakes and photos that will prompt positive memories • make future plans to look forward to
TASK
The holidays can be an especially lonely time for some people, made all the more isolating by the comparisons to other people’s festive gatherings.
No one has ever become poor by giving - anne frank
We’ve made a postcard that you can cut out and post to someone to show them that you’re thinking of them, no matter how far away. Draw your own design on the front and write your message on the back.
cut here
This term’s gems
My Habits
put stamp here
doodle here
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits
Events
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find your focus
New year, new me? Not necessarily! You don’t leave all the good stuff of 2020 behind. Take a look at your gems from the last few months and use them to plan what you want to have more of this year. It could be that you want to spend more time with family, dedicate Sundays to discovering new places, or even do more of the little things, like making more homemade soups.
TASK
Write down the things that you want to try or to do more of this year:
TASK
Start the year off by learning something new! Try some lettering techniques to get you started with setting your typography apart.
lettering exercises
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits
Events
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Increasing productivity Deadlines looming? Think about the ways you work most effectively to make the most of your time: What time of the day? Where do you feel most productive? What distractions do you need to avoid most?
TASK
Overcome that daunting blank screen...
The Pomodoro Technique Invented in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, this method uses short bursts of concentration to maximise productivity. It’s simple: break down long tasks into timed 25 minute chunks of pure, no-distraction work, separated by 5 minute breaks. After two hours, take a 20 minute break and repeat!
bring me to life!
Making a mark can help set momentum. Use the two shapes here as the starting point to draw an imaginary creature. It’s much easier to start from something - and it’s the same for the first sentence of an essay, even if you rewrite it after you’ve got going!
Sweet treats Rewarding yourself for hard work keeps you motivated, giving you something to look forward to and acknowledging the effort you’ve put in. Here’s a quick recipe for some delicious peanut butter cookies that you can use as a tasty reward! You’ll need: • 75g soft vegetable margarine • 50g peanut butter • 100g soft brown sugar • 100g plain flour or gluten-free alternative
1) Give all the ingredients a good mix together in a large bowl. 2) Shape the dough mixture into about 18 balls and space them out on a baking tray 3) Bake for about 15 minutes at 180c until light brown. Then enjoy!
Bonus: You could add in some chocolate chips to make them extra yummy!
Recipe: bbcgoodfood.com
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits
Events
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Why do the small things matter so much? Because they grow! The small things become the big things. Take a single seed. It seems small and insignificant, but it’s full of potential! That seed becomes a plant, a tree, and can even produce its own fruit. Likewise, when we plant good things into our lives, we don’t usually see the results straight away. It takes time and effort to change habits and learn new skills.
Growth takes time, care and something special that we can’t see. It takes some courage to sow a seed, to surrender it deep into the soil, out of sight, in the hope that it becomes what it is meant to be!
But with time and self-care, the small things pay off! They can grow to be things that we benefit from the most.
think of 3 things you’d like to grow: (it could be a value, skill, habit or trait)
think of 3 things you can do to help these grow in you:
you’ll need: • Seeds to sow. Try chives, basil, parsley, mint, rosemary or thyme • Light, well-draining potting soil (not outdoor soil) • Pots with draining holes Start with any small container, even egg or yoghurt cartons work well. Make plenty of drainage holes at the bottom and pop a saucer underneath. Fill each container with dampened potting mix, to about 1 inch from the rim.
Sprinkle 3 - 5 seeds on top of the soil. Cover the seeds with a dusting of potting mix and pat down gently. Cover with a plastic bag, to retain moisture. Keep the soil moist. When you see the seedlings poking through remove the plastic. Continue watering whenever the soil feels dry. Re-pot when they outgrow their containers. Rotate often so your herbs grow straight. Once you start seeing new growth, you can start using your herbs. Just use sparingly so they have a chance to regrow!
did you know that growing and caring for plants can ease stress and anxiety?
tips: • water sparingly when soil is dry • drain the saucer after watering • feed every other month with fertiliser for edibles
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits My Habits
Events
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Spell stressed backwards...
(it spells desserts) often when we’re feeling stressed we focus on productivity and stop making time for fun and relaxation. take some time out and try this summery peach cobbler recipe to recharge your body and mind.
Ingredients: • 6 large or 7 medium peaches, thinly sliced (tinned is fine!) • 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • 30g all purpose (or GF) flour • 50g granulated sugar • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• • •
¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 55g cup melted coconut oil or unsalted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Method: 1) Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a 20x30cm (or near enough!) baking dish with coconut oil. 2) Layer the peaches into the bottom of the baking dish
and drizzle the lemon juice over the peaches. 3) In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Then add the coconut oil and vanilla and combine until the mixture forms a crumbly dough. 4) Sprinkle over the peaches and bake for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is just lightly browned on top and the peaches are juicy. 5) Then serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
try swapping peaches for berries! recipe: loveandlemons.com
understanding stress
the cycle of stress
Stress is our psychological, emotional and physical response to pressure. It’s when we feel overwhelmed with demands and lack the resources to cope with them. Everyone deals with stress differently so get to know your own needs.
thoughts
thinking that it’s all too much and struggling to cope
feelings
finding it hard to concentrate, feeling tense, and even sick
behaviours
putting things off, always trying to work, not managing to finish things
When you’re feeling stress then this is the cycle you need to break out of! Interventions like making time for yourself, seeking help or lightening your load will help reduce how stressed you’re feeling. The first step is understanding the cause of your stress so take time to reflect before making changes.
TASK
Creating an effective to-do list can help clear your head and get yourself organised. Make one now, splitting tasks into categories and ensuring all goals are broken down into achievable tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
My Goals
To-Dos
Notes My Gems
My Habits
Events
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understanding growth When choosing goals people tend to only consider their career or stereotypical markers of success. Doing this means that other important aspects of life get over-looked. Pick some achievable goals that you’d like to focus on in the following areas:
Health what I need to do to achieve this goal:
Creativity what I need to do to achieve this goal:
Experiences what I need to do to achieve this goal:
who can support you in your growth?
what needs to be put in place before you can begin? what do you need to do to help yourself grow?
Recognising your priorities
TASK
When we plan out our future, it’s helpful to take a step back and evaluate what is most important to us. It’s likely you won’t be able to tick all your boxes in your chosen career (although great if you do!) so having an idea of what you want to prioritise will help you when making decisions. Rate how important the following areas are to you out of 10: (1 being not very, 10 being a must)
Location: /10
Do you want to be close to loved ones? Somewhere familiar or somewhere new?
Salary: /10
Do you mind how much you earn?
Creativity:
notes
/10
What sort of role do you want?
Independence /10
Do you want to work for yourself? Or in a smaller team?
Challenge /10
Do you want an adventure? Or something to keep you on your toes?
Your other needs: your priorities will change over time so keep checking back in with yourself at regular intervals!
paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people
finding motivation TASK
Create a pin board!
- michelle obama
Putting your goals and focuses into a physical, visual board can help to keep you on track. You can easily make your own pin board for your workspace. Here’s how: 1. Get a base for your pin board - anything from cardboard to cork works fine.
2. Fill it with inspiration like cuttings, artwork, photos. Bold visuals help transform a space and trigger creativity. 3. Make it productive with goals, lists & post-its.
Experiment with textures, fabrics, and anything else you want!
Keeping at it! It can be tricky keeping the momentum going when all you see are other people reaching their finish line and celebrating the end to the year. Remember that everyone is on a different journey and to try and focus on yours. To keep focused, try to set yourself goals to break up your workload and celebrate all your achievements, however small! Freshen up your approach by surrounding yourself with inspiration and a changing workspace.
the library of wellbeing Apps
Headspace: for visualisation techniques, mindfulness and meditation Happy Not Perfect: takes you through 7 science-backed steps to refresh your mind Calm: helps you to recentre & improve your sleep My Possible Self: recognised by the NHS as a productive goal setting app, that can reduce stress
@ Accounts to follow • the_happy_broadcast • theburntoutbrain • journey_to_wellness_ • idontwanttogoinsane • theblurtfoundation • anxiety_wellbeing • morganharpernichols • makedaisychains • gemmacorrell • thelatestkate
& don’t forget us @aubsu_matter!
Positive distractions Podcasts: Happy Place Say Your Mind Happier With Gretchen Rubin How To Fail With Elizabeth Day Destinations: Compton Acres The Russell-Cotes Walford Mill Crafts The Isle of Purbeck Walks: Hengistbury Head The Upper Gardens Branksome Beach Throop Mill
Further support • AUB Student Support provide wellbeing and counselling support just for AUB students. You can book a wellbeing or counselling appointment by emailing them. studentadvice@aub.ac.uk aub.ac.uk/support • AUB Students’ Union organise events for The Small Things Matter campaign, as well as a whole range of activities to help you meet people and enhance your time here at AUB. aubsu.co.uk/smallthings • Steps 2 Wellbeing is a free, confidential, NHS service. They offer a range treatments for people experiencing problems with low mood/depression, anxiety, stress or other common mental health problems. steps2wellbeing.co.uk • Connection is a 24/7 phone helpline for people of all ages in Dorset who are experiencing mental health issues and need support. 0300 123 5440 • Samaritans is a free listening service, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can also email them if you’d rather not call. samaritans.org | 116 123 • Dorset Mind provide a variety of support for coping with, and information about, the signs and symptoms of mental ill health. dorsetmind.uk
@aubsu_matter follow us on instagram for a little bit of positivity on your feed, plus more wellbeing advice, the latest event updates & giveaways!
the n of this productio pported by as su journal w & reflection the faith hank you centre! t bfaith! u @ buanda
aubsu.co.uk/smallthings This journal was created for you by AUBSU, featuring illustrations by Beatrix Hatcher