CI Magazine - August 2020

A UG UST 2 0 2 0 I S S UE N O . 0 7 £2.25

GOING WITH T HE

FLOW with Jonelle Lewis HE ULTIMATE GUIDE T TO A STAYCATION Tu r n yo u r 'o u t o f o f f i c e' o n a n d embrace the summer vibes

f r o m t h e c o m fo r t o f yo u r h o m e .

FOREWORD

PR ESS

PAUSE This year has been, at the very least, one of change. A bit change that I have seen coming up has been one that has affected the way we pace ourselves, especially when it comes to the way we work. This month we are looking at different ways to press pause and recharge (whilst still satisfying your need for wanderlust with 8 gorgeous accounts on the Gram).

Our cover star Jonelle Lewis left me with some powerful words of wisdom that reminded me why, as creatives, we need to be serious about the idea of taking time off: “to be productive you don’t always have to be producing.”

In this issue, we wanted to provide you with the inspiration needed to indulge in some time for yourself. May that be a staycation, a home retreat, or simply putting your emails on “out of office” for a

long weekend. We talk about the magic of solo travelling, how to bring the world to your table with delicious recipes and great ways to enjoy some me-time.

As a society, we can often fall into the trap of wanting to be 'always on', especially as the online world is renowned to be a 24/7 window into our life. Have you ever asked yourself "what would happen if I stopped?

What would I discover by taking a step back and listen to what my intuition has to say?"

We answer this question any many more in this month's issue of the magazine.

I encourage you to see pressing pause as a way to get clear on how you want to end this crazy year that is 2020. What have you achieved? What have you learned? How can you make more space for stillness?

Onwards and upwards...

Fab Giovanetti Editor in Chief

FAB’S FAVES MASTERCHEF I am going to admit it. I have been borderline obsessed with Masterchef replays on Netflix. I believe it's truly good for my soul.

AFTERNOON TEA We received a lovely Devon afternoon tea box, full of British goodies such as jam, cream and scones. Cream or jam first? The jury is out.

RIVERSIDE WALKS It may not be the Italian riviera, yet I am loving sun-kissed riverside walks after a long day. Soothing!

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 03

CREATIVE IMPACT

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Fab Giovanetti Contribution Editor Amy Lanza

CONTRIBUTORS Columnist Charlotte Willis; Hannah Wallace Special thanks to Jonelle Lewis, Aubrey Daquinag, Mira Manek, Sarah Snape, Jo Hodson, Donna Hay, Nina Olsson, Gemma Ogston, Rebecca Kimberley

SUBSCRIPTIONS Creative Impact is the ultimate tool and resource for creatives and conscious entrepreneurs. We offer a single issue purchase as well as a yearly subscription with access to our back catalogue Website http://bit.ly/creativeimpactmag Current members of the Creative Impact Collective will be able to download each issue directly for free via the member section on the online platform.

VISUALS & MORE Lead Designer Michael Cavalli Stock photography Pexels; Rawpixel; Unsplash Affiliate links Amazon Associates

Creative Impact Mag

is part of Creative Impact group For inquiries or suggestions, contact us at: Website creativeimpact.group Email info@creativeimpact.group Advertising brands@creativeimpact.group

FOLLOW US Facebook Facebook.com/creativeimpactc Instagram Instagram.com/creativeimpactco TikTok Tiktok.com/@creativeimpactco Twitter Twitter.com/creativeimpactc

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CONTENTS

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I N TH I S I SSU E P R E S S I N G PA U S E

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AU GUST 2 02 0

28

ISSUE NO. 07

39

ESSENTIALS 03

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58

FEATURES

WELLBEING

16

Cover feature

56

06 Good news

24

Solo travelling

58 The perfect weekend

09

Calendar

30

Wanderlust accounts

61

On the bookshelf

11

Mission statement

62

Hannah Wallace column

12

Charlotte's column

64

Handling holiday blues

13

Podcasts

40

14

Expert profile

44 Slowing down

28

Founder series

48

Setting boundaries

70

Top world food products

36

Behind the content

50

Tech detox

72

World recipes

Editor's notes

PRO SECTION

Top travel picks

Planning a staycation FOODIE

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 05

Good

IN THE NEWS

NEWS As we are consuming news more than ever, we thought we’d bring you our very own special roundup of happy news from across the globe.

Into the wild ENVIRONMENT | UK

The steppe bison roamed free in Britain around 10,000 years ago, and its close relative is set to mark the return of the bison to Britain thanks to the innovative team at People’s Postcode Lottery Dream fund. “We can now take an important step towards reversing the terrifying rate of species loss in the UK. A wilder, nature-based solution is the right one for tackling the climate and nature crisis we now face,” says Paul Hadaway, of Kent Wildlife Trust. This will allow people to experience nature in a way they haven’t before, connecting them back to the natural world around them in a deeper and more meaningful way.

YOU CAN HELP We have decided to dedicate each month’s lead image to a different animal that is facing difficulty during these times. This month we’ve gone with bison, due to the great news above. Search online to find information from WWF, and many zoos around the world that need your help.

ADOPT A BISON FROM WWF

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IN THE NEWS

Virtual Summer camps EDUCATION | UK

Microsoft is launching free Virtual Summer Camps for UK children through the summer, with a range of innovative topics covered, such as creativity, coding, community and more. The Virtual Summer Camps programme will run from 6 July to 30 August and is freely available for kids aged between 8 – 15 years old.

Headspace in a snap HEALTH | GLOBAL

Banana bread in the Oxford dictionary LITERATURE | UK

The word banana bread has just been added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)The flurry of home baking prompted by widespread stay-at-home measures imposed in the face of the coronavirus epidemic ensured that one of our new additions became almost inescapable on Twitter earlier this year. The banana bread being shown off alongside sourdough loaves by those with time on their hands and an uninterrupted flour supply is, of course, sweet cake flavoured with mashed ripe bananas.

The latest Snapchat update allows you to access Headspace Minis, where there are six different (and totally free) topics to choose from, including “Just Breathe, “Get Out of a Funk,” and “Kick the Panic.”

Basically, there’s a way to wind down no matter how you’re feeling. While you can do these meditations by yourself, you can do a guided meditation with a friend—a completely new feature that doesn’t exist in the Headspace app. And there’s a reason behind connecting friends in this way.

New Insta fundraising FUND RAISING | GLOBAL

According to Instagram, more than $65 million has been raised for causes related to COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement this year: from raising money for medical equipment to funding educational resources. There’s a new way to fundraise on Instagram and it’s perfect for creators and small businesses. This feature takes fundraising on Instagram to another level, allowing causes to be supported and funded.

Backing black in the UK SHOPPING | UK

This 1 August marks Black Pound Day, an initiative aimed at encouraging shoppers to support the growth of the black economy in the UK. The idea has been inspired by Black Lives Matter, and one UK business owner championing the idea is Nohelia Rambal, who founded the Do-Gooders platform in 2019.

Nohelia has personally seen more than 70 black and mixed-raced UK business owners get involved via her hugely successful Do-Gooders, which is a directory of sustainable brands. Make a difference today!

Cycle all around Paris SPORT | FRANCE

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has been re-elected having promised to put a cycle lane on every street in the city during her campaign. Hidalgo is the first female mayor of Paris and in her first term she introduced a series of car-taming policies designed to reclaim road space from vehicles to boost walking and cycling. She promised more of the same if she was voted in for another six years.

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 07

Try Canva Pro for Free

08 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG

COMING UP

AUGUST08 CALENDAR

August | MEMBERS CHALLENGE Join our collective members and learn how to build your list and grow your audience.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Q&A WITH AUSTEN TOSONE Mon 3rd August | 4 pm Join Fab and Austen for an inspiring chat about streamlining and repurposing content to make it relevant for several platforms! Austen Tosone is the beauty content director at Jumprope, an app for creating and sharing how-to videos.

FIND OUT MORE HERE

7 8

Sat 8th | INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY

9 10

Mon 10th | WORLD LION DAY

Mon 10th | AFTERNOON TEA WEEK

11 12 13 Sat 15th | WORLD HONEY BEE DAY

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Wed 19th | WORLD PHOTO DAY CREATIVE IMPACT MEMBERS: CRAFTING THE PERFECT LEAD MAGNETS AND LANDING PAGES Wed 19th August | 4pm In this masterclass, you will learn about the simple framework we use to create lead magnets and landing pages that entice and attract the right audience to you.

FIND OUT MORE HERE

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

GROUP MASTERMIND AND ACCOUNTABILITY Thur 27th August | 1pm The group mastermind call is all about finding creative ways to build your list and grow your audience online. We’ll discuss goals for the month, lessons and achievements.

FIND OUT MORE HERE

Thu 13th | INT LEFT-HANDERS DAY Did you know that studies suggest that 10% of the world population is left-handed? This is a very important day for our founder, editor and fellow left hander Fab.

27 28 29 30 31

GROUP MASTERMIND AND ACCOUNTABILITY Tue 25th August | 5 pm The group mastermind call is all about finding creative ways to build your list and grow your audience online. We’ll discuss goals for the month, lessons and achievements.

FIND OUT MORE HERE CREATIVE IMPACT MEMBERS: HOW TO CREATE A WELCOME SERIES THAT WOWS YOUR AUDIENCE Wed 26th August | 1pm Getting your business online involves building an ecosystem of tools to help you manage and measure your growth. In this masterclass, we’ll look at email welcome series and onboarding journeys as a key tool to build your list. FIND OUT MORE HERE Mon 31st | SUMMER BANK HOLIDAY

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 09

COVER FEATURE

START MONETISING YOUR EXPERTISE

Teachable Create and sell online courses and coaching services with the best online business platform

Used by the entrepreneurs to sell $500m+ to over 18 million students

FIND OUT MORE

MISSION STATEMENTS

WHAT’S YOUR MISSION? We asked our collective members what’s their mission and how they are looking to make a positive impact on other people and the planet, and here’s what Sarah had to say.

THE KEY TO F EEL I NG About Sarah

aka sarahjsnape

Life-Coach for Midlife Women

Worcestershire England Coaching transformed my life, confidence, selfbelief, self-esteem and relationship with myself. I spent 30 plus years on the diet roller coaster, yo-yoing my way through life, spending time on the sidelines – taking the photos and holding the bags. Lacking confidence and low self-esteem meant I was limited and played small.

CO NF I DENT ENO UG H

TO F UL L Y PA R TI CI PA TE

AND NOT B E A S PECTA TO R I N L I F E IS S EL F-AC CEPTA NCE, S EL F - L OVE AND BEING KI ND TO YO URS EL F .”

Sarah Snape www.sarahjsnape.com

C lic k h er e to se e m o re a b o u t Sa ra h o n In st a

My role at home was changing, I started to think about what I really wanted to do. I had started a blog and decided to research coaching – choosing to train with the Beautiful You Life Coaching Academy. I had a burning desire to help other women find the freedom and transformation I had.

I help midlife women find the confidence and self-belief to live life to the full. To build their self-esteem and embrace this next stage, to understand it is not too late to change.

I love to help women transform their mindsets and relationship with their whole self, so they fall back in love with life and themselves. So that they could stop spending energy on self-criticism and missing opportunities, they could reach a place of fully taking part in life – be a participant, not a spectator.

I discovered the key to feeling confident and living life more fully is self-acceptance and self-love.

Being kind to yourself.

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 11

COLUMNIST

CONTEMPLATING WITH CHARLOTTE

Rest & Restore Embracing daily practices to find balance and cultivate mindfulness when taking a break from our daily routines

A

nyone who’s taken biochemistry or basic human physiology will likely be flashed right on back to human anatomy class when presented with the term rest and restore. If not, here’s a crash course in nervous physiology. There are two main branches of interest within the autonomic nervous system, which regulates unconscious functions: the Sympathetic and the Parasympathetic.

We can visualise these branches as having opposing functions (like a gas and a break pedal). The sympathetic branch triggers the fight or flight response via surges of energy helping us deal with stressful, potentially life-threatening, situations (the gas pedal).

Contrastingly, the parasympathetic branch is the calmer system which enables us to conserve energy, increase digestion and slows the heart rate (the brake pedal) enabling digestion, rest and restoration.

Staycations come readily equipped with a sense of simplistic ease which help us activate bespoke rest and restoration mechanisms. Staycations in your local area mean zero stress at the airport, no change of currency, minimal planning and no need to hire a car.

To maximise the benefits from your staycation, it is important that you immerse yourself in activities which will be curative, and most importantly, offer a sense of escapism from the daily grind. I’m talking journaling, Yin yoga, creative making projects, walking, time away from your phone and technology, meeting “Invest time in yourself, up with loved ones force you to take your foot you seldom have time off the gas, and deepen for, and trying new your sense of connectivity hobbies without pressure to succeed. within yourself.”

In evolutionary terms, having your foot on the gas pedal used to protect us from impending death by giant beasts. Although we may no longer spend our days dodging carnivorous jaws, our sympathetic nervous system hasn’t quite caught up with our new lifestyles al-desko. Threatening events have been replaced with daily stressors such as commuting, the ping of emails, increasing deadlines and working non-stop. These stressors trigger the sympathetic nervous system to activate, and whilst your foot is pressing continually on the gas pedal, the brake gets overpowered. To prevent us from crashing, we sometimes have to force our feet to release the gas pedal. A staycation presents an ideal set of circumstances to press your emergency break.

Staycations also free you up to explore the hidden gems and open countryside areas around where you live. Find some local hiking spots, forests, woodland areas and trail paths, all of which will plunge you into a so-called nature bath. The restorative power of being surrounded by nature is truly unshakeable, and will help you re-centre and ground yourself. Notice the sound of the leaves rustling, the birds calling and the smallest changes in direction of the wind. Staycations present an ideal opportunity to cultivate mindfulness, which is an essential tool for preventing your sympathetic nervous branch from going into overdrive when you return to working life. Invest in a staycation, and reap the benefits for your soul and mind forever.

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@charlottesophiewrites

WHAT WE’RE FOLLOWING

DID YOU KNOW i WEIGH

We have a podcast of our own! The Make an Impact show has just finished it’s second season and is gearing up for the third, you can listen to all the previous 37 episodes right now.

Including the special ‘Asking for a friend’ segments deep diving into marketing topics CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE

15+ EPISODES

The podcast sprung from a social media post and is now a large-scale movement.

Jameela Jamil challenges society’s definition of worth through weight by chatting to diverse voices; activists, creatives, thought-leaders and friends about their relationship with weight and where their true value lies.

Cli ck on an y po dc as t ar tw ork to ge t the lin k

PODCASTS CHOSEN FROM OUR COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

THE LIMITLESS LIFE EXPERIENCE 55+ EPISODES

Suzy Ashworth helps female entrepreneurs go from confusion to clarity when it comes to creating messaging that converts browsers into buyers. This podcast teaches you how to build a business that makes a real difference in the world. Learn lessons to help you live a life without limitations at your own terms..

WHAT WORKS 280+ EPISODES

Transcend the hype and hear from small business owners about what’s REALLY working when it comes to running their businesses. Tara McMullin hosts candid conversations about marketing, management, mindset, operations and more. an inside look at how they make it all work for their brand..

THREE SIXTY CONVERSATIONS 90+ EPISODES

Three Sixty Conversations is a podcast featuring heart-centred conversations with women that choose alignment over busy. It encourages you to create space for everyday joy and challenge your beliefs. Tamu explores topics such as grief, race, self-awareness and relationships with talented guests.

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 13

IN PROFILE

EXPERT PROFILE

Rebecca Kimberley I’m an Award-Winning Psychological Life Coach & Therapist with a passion for taking Clinical Psychology beyond the therapy room and making mental health part of everyday conversation. I use a unique blend of Coaching, Therapy, Psychological Theories and my lived experience of suicidal depression, social anxiety and trauma to provide Psychology informed Coaching. I am dedicated to supporting my clients in giving themselves permission to let go of the emotional baggage they’ve been holding onto from their past and helping them to rediscover who they really are, so they can reclaim their lives and start their journey back to themselves.

What is the biggest mistake people make when it comes to your field?

Mistaking self-care as an act of selfishness.

Self-care is far from selfish – in fact, it benefits others by helping you perform at your best. Self-care is a powerful, transformational and healing act of

KNOW YOURSELF You are the most valuable thing/person/ tool you have. Keep taking the time to get to know yourself and invest in your self-discovery.

You can never know yourself ‘too much’.

CV

Job title:

Psychological Life Coach & Therapist Skills that help you:

BSc, PGCert, MSc, PGDip, Certified Coach INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

kindness we can do for ourselves in many different ways. Taking time to prioritise your needs isn’t a luxury, it’s a sign of self-love and the very minimum we deserve. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

How can people feel more confident about improving in your field of expertise?

Continue getting to know yourself. Knowing

COMPASSION Compassion is about responding with care and kindness when you’re under stress or suffering. It’s also about choosing to be the best version of yourself that you can be.

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FIND VALUES Values can tell you a lot about yourself, the life you want to live and your expectations. Clarifying your values can help you review if you’re living authentically in line with them.

yourself is a deep-dive journey about discovering who you are (and who you aren’t) as a human being – about getting to know the real you. I love journaling as a method of self-discovery. It’s a great way to get to know yourself and explore and reflect on the areas of ourselves that we have never really taken time to think about before.

Don’t underestimate the importance of knowing yourself!

What is your favourite thing about being part of Creative Impact?

My favourite part of being part of Creative Impact is their focus on positively impacting not only yourself as an individual, but also cultivating a supportive community of like-minded souls with a passion for using their talents to benefit the wider community. I’m really excited about getting to know more about the members and supporting all of the amazing things they’re doing!

INSPIRATION

"Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you’ve travelled."

MOHAMMED

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 15

COVER FEATURE

EMBRACING STILLNESS Interview by Fab Giovanetti Photography Zoë Savitz

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COVER FEATURE

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 17

COVER FEATURE

“We're all creative beings.

We're all creators, we all have our talents, and our gifts, everyone does.”

J

onelle Lewis is on a mission to make yoga and wellness accessible - and her infectious smile is one that instantly brightens up a room (even in a virtual Zoom room). Throughout our interview, I could feel her energy, passion, and compassion for others, and it’s something that can also be clearly seen through her content and how she relentlessly shows up online.

At the time of the interview, Jonelle is back in London after a long time away from her family.

As we reflect on that, she acknowledges how lockdown has been a time to really reassess priorities; “I know a lot of people needed space to rest, to let their nervous systems calm down and to restore themselves from this frantic pace of living”.

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Naturally, the conversation leads to talking about creatives and what being a creative means, especially how she supports her community: “I think we're all creative beings; we're all creators, we all have our talents, and our gifts.

Everyone does. There's not one person in this world that isn't creative. There’s this message that goes out that some people are the creators and other people aren't and that's bullshit.”

She stops and thinks about it a bit more “We're all creators and at a certain point in that process, you need to embrace the dead space. This is the space in between and I feel like the whole pandemic put us in a collective dead space.”

As creatives, we are constantly creating and innovating, yet as Jonelle eloquently put it during our chat “to be productive you don’t always have to be producing.”

COVER FEATURE

CATCH JONELLE ONLINE

Jonelle works with the team at Movement for Modern Life to help communities lead a healthier, happier and more sustainable life, promoting inclusivity and yoga as an empowering experience. movementformodernlife

She points out that if you're always producing and you never stop, there can't be space for gratitude in your life: “It just can't be right, because you're never taking time to acknowledge what's already there, you're already onto the next thing. Having space to slow down can help us be more grateful for what we have.”

PICTURES: WWW.ZOESAVITZ.COM

Yet she highlights the difference between being thankful and performative gratitude; something that brings up a wider conversation around the role of wellness in our everyday life. “Yoga, wellness and some coaching can become very performative.

When something is performed, it's not necessarily done or embodied.”

In a world where we have a clear visual idea of what wellness and wellbeing are meant to be, moving away from that to embrace a more relatable and empowering meaning of wellness has become one of

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 19

COVER FEATURE

Jonelle’s greatest missions: “this whole system of yoga and wellness is really really capitalistic and consumeristic. It is about consuming the whole time, whereas gratitude is the space of being, it's a space that is felt and that is in the moment.”

mountaintop or buy a fancy infinity pool.

Fuck that, we don't need that to participate in these practices” she points out “We can do it in a council flat in Hackney, because to me, that's your life. That's where you are, that's your point of reference.”

We discuss people selling a narrative that connects to what we expect something to look like, using the clear example of meditation: “When you hear meditation, you imagine a picture of somebody on a

Speaking of accessibility to wellness, Jonelle adds “wellness isn't something that's like up there, over there or this thing that some people get to do, while I don't get to do because I don't look a

certain way, or I don't have this certain money, or I don't live in a certain postcode. It is just that wellness is everyone's birthright.”

There are fundamental things that will resonate with you that are very tangible, things you can bring into your life. You don't need to go to Thailand or Bali to be able to do that. The true core idea is to be able to bring these things with you wherever you go.

“To be productive you don’t always have to be producing” 20 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG

As someone who constantly shows up to support and educate her community, we naturally progressed to talk about how she makes time to restore and nourish herself when showing up online; especially when championing for a more equal space for marginalised communities and Black people in the space.

“How do we find something that's equitable when you have a more marginalised identity? In order to be able to participate in society and community, you really have to be able to care for yourself in a really deep way. We look at self-care and to me, it figures into wellness. Is having support, and

PICTURES: WWW.ZOESAVITZ.COM

As a highly passionate and incredibly bright human (almost in a palpable glowing way), what attracts you to Jonelle is her energy.

the support that you need to be able to show up to be able to live your life.”

“Am I getting enough rest? Am I around supportive people? Do I have a supportive community?” She points out these powerful

questions to prioritise her wellbeing, especially during challenging times.

“Self-care really feeds into the collective and collective care. That's why you have to look after yourself. Especially as a black woman walking around in this body, so

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 21

COVER FEATURE

When talking rest, she introduces me to the idea that you can only give from overflow, especially during her time actively supporting for more equality and accessibility in the space: “Most recently, the work that I've been doing has all been overflow work. I can put my hand on my heart and hold my head up high and say that, at this moment, in this stage in my life right now, I can give back. I also understand that to show up I have to give from the overflow so I have to feel full.”

PICTURES: WWW.ZOESAVITZ.COM

many people expect me to take care of them.”

As our final question, I ask her to share with me some words of wisdom. I set the scene: we are in Piccadilly Circus, London, the big square is buzzing with people, buses passing by. I tell Jonelle she can use one billboard and write anything on it. Her answer makes me smile.

“You are whole,” she says with little to no hesitation: “We have an issue in our society where we think that what we

22 | CREATIVE IMPACT MAG

“Wellness is everyone's birthright.” need is not in us already. There's a bit of us that is broken and not good enough, not worthy, undeserving, unaccepted or undesirable, all of that stuff. If we really lean into that we can realise that, truly, we are whole.”

As our chat draws to a close, I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I let the words sink in, and in that moment, I realise that I am, in fact, whole. With her energy,

her smile and her light, Jonelle Lewis has the power to truly encapsulate what we all need to hear the most right now: in order to show up for ourselves and others.

ABOUT JONELLE

You can stay up to date with Jonelle on her Instagram here and find out more about her upcoming classes on her website.

GOING SOLO

Bali n immigratio

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AIR M ME

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mazing imagery, dreamy destinations and inspiring content. Aubrey Daquinag’s Instagram account looks like the actual dream.

Aubrey is a globe-wandering photographer, wellness travel and lifestyle blogger and content creator behind the love assembly, and best-selling published author of Wander Love, where she shared her lessons, tips and inspiration from a solo traveler: “I believe in making friends with the feeling of fear, and doing your thing — whatever your ‘thing’ is — anyway. I believe in progress over perfection and I believe we all have the power to design a lifestyle that we love.”

To Aubrey, the ideal lifestyle encompasses a good cup of coffee, an almond croissant, meaningful conversation and bossa nova/ French cafe tunes “.. along with books, kindness, emotional intelligence, manners, living presence, feeling feelings, deep selflove, an open mind.”

In her book, Wander Love, she shares 278+ photos, 12 life lessons from solo adventures, 6 destination guides. All sprinkled with a few

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personal travel stories, hand-picked markets to visit around the world, a lesson in how to barter like a boss: “I explore what it means to travel creatively, curiously and mindfully, and share life lessons from solo adventures by using this act as a form of self-development and personal growth — achieving the ultimate feeling of empowerment and liberation. This is something I stand strong in believing that every woman should do, at least once in life.”

Top Tip

Download Maps offline By downloading offline you will be able to have access to the map and your location even without a wifi connection.

So if you love to have a bit of a wander (which I highly suggest) you know that having maps downloaded offline will be there - and gives you peace of mind even if you don’t use it just in case you can’t quite remember the way to get back.

Au

Interview by Amy Lanza

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as a form of self-love with Aubrey Daquinag

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She attributes her love for travel to a generational interest: “I’m curious about how people live their lives in other parts of the world, the different cultures, and of course otherworldly locations and beautiful scenery that just leave you in awe.”

The current situation also allowed her to spend time with them and work on my exciting digital venture — WANDER LOVE CLUB: an online destination for heart-centred digital creators and creative entrepreneurs who want the freedom to make the world their office creating something that they love.

“Even if that office is just at home, for now” she admits. “It’s been so great to connect and share this knowledge with people who also value freedom and want to design a lifestyle they love.” Her first course, Heart of the Creative Hustle will take you through a creative journey all about creating content that stands out and makes an impact online.

According to Aubrey, her generation is one wanting to lean into and explore the fact that the internet allows us to design a life filled with creativity, connection and being able to be location independent: “I believe

“I follow a lot of travel accounts online. Seeing photos from far-flung places has been keeping my heart and eyes open and alive for travel” CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 25

“If you really want something you’ll find a way, if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse”

it’s come from my strong sense of freedom; knowing and appreciating that we’re in a really unique time now to be alive and we have the power to create our dream life.”

would start with the sense of taste for me.

A beautiful meal reflecting a destination’s cuisine can really do the trick in transporting me back there.”

Her approach to solo travel has been using the act as a form of self-love and she believes that we all have the power to design a lifestyle that we truly love.

As a keen traveller, she already has a bucket list once lockdown restrictions have eased, including Bali, one of her all-time favourites. Until then, she is approaching a new local way of travelling and exploring her surroundings: “I have had companies approach me here in Australia, I’m just waiting until things feel a bit more stable and safe to go ahead with making plans I’d love to do more trips locally!”

As now more than ever we are creating pockets of time to recreate wanderlusts in our own homes, we are all finding ways to bring our favourite destinations under our roof: “I feel like the perfect weekend home

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Top Tip

Take time to explore the world and yourself I’m a big advocate for using solo travel as a form of self love; whether that’s a whirlwind multiple months long trip, a week-long retreat, or a weekend staycation, it’s such a rewarding thing to be able to take time to heighten your sense self awareness and learn more about yourself. These are elements that you’ll be able to take back to your everyday life, relationships, general wellbeing and outlook on life.

GOING SOLO

Top Tip

Plan, but always wander I’m a planner and do believe in planning before a trip but it’s so important to be open and flexible to change. Allow the true magic of travel to happen and be open and adaptable to change. It makes it so much more fun and exciting.

approv

e

Londond

As a travel blogger and an author, a big part of her content and work has been tied to travelling. Lockdown has been heavility affecting the industry as a whole, yet it has taught her something new about herself and opened new horizons. When everything fails, we are still only one scroll away from some gorgeous travel inspiration: “I follow a lot of travel accounts online.

Seeing photos from far-flung places has been keeping my heart and eyes open and alive for travel.”

“I am honestly loving this stillness" she admits "Although I thought I had an epic

European summer planned during this time, other things were planned of course but I haven’t seen my family in close to 2 years since living in London so it’s been nice to be back in Australia.”

Find out more

Make sure you follow Aubrey on Instagram @theloveassembly

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 27

ARJUN SOFAT

FOUNDER SERIES

Food for your soul with Arjun Sofat

A

rjun is the CEO & Founder of Free Soul – which is a female-focused nutrition brand, specialising in nutritionally advanced protein powders and meal blends. For too long the market has lacked innovation towards female health – that’s what Free Soul is here to change. All of their blends have been mixed with vitamins, minerals, and adaptogens in the perfect proportions for the female body. The products support hormonal balance, bone density, energy, and hair, skin and nails. It’s paired with an empowering and positive brand stance that supports and uplifts all women.

My eureka moment My Dad suffered a serious health-scare while I was in my previous role in Investment Banking, this is when my Mother turned to exercise to deal with the stress of the situation and naturally started paying more attention to what she fueled her body with. It was at this moment I realized that the market lacked true nutritional innovation that the women in the market truly deserved. That’s when I quit my job in the city and started the Free Soul journey.

Validating the idea Research panels were incredibly important in the early days – we conducted surveys and group panel studies to figure out exactly where the gap in the market was, and paired this with commercial market research. After this, I spoke to experts in the industry as well as manufacturers to decipher market consumption patterns to see if this matched the market research and our hypotheses – it did, and the gap/idea was validated.

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CV ARJUN SOFAT Free Soul Founded: 2018 Job title: CEO INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

The failure I am glad I experienced Not a failure as such – but I’m glad I started my career in Investment Banking – although hugely interesting, it was not where my passions were. Through working in an industry I was not incredibly passionate about, I learned the value of working on what you believe in – a lesson I am grateful for in my current pursuits as I am more conscious that I am working with purpose.

Going against the tide “Follow your passion” – although in an ideal situation your passion should match both your strengths & the gap in the market. The market doesn’t necessarily

3 TOP TIPS FOR...

ANYONE STARTING A BUSINESS SOLVE A PROBLEM The market needs solutions and you need to be fixing something that isn’t correctly addressed by the market, that will be your gap

care about what we are passionate about, it cares about what it cares about – focus on the market first.

This is not to say that passion is not important. If the gap in the market matches your passion, you are more likely to succeed as you will continue to push hard during those moments where others may quit.

The role of social media Social media has been incredibly important for us – it has helped us build an international community of Free Soul Sistas, and also to spread the word of Free Soul. However it’s important to not be overreliant on any one channel, including social media.

There are now over 40 thousand women following our social media accounts – they are the heart and soul of everything we do.

Plans for the future Growth. We’re in the midst of the most rapid growth period we’ve seen since our launch and this translates into us being able to positively impact more lives across the planet through the power of innovative nutrition & empowering messaging.

It’s not just the numbers! We have growth in our team, product range, and markets in the pipeline – keep your eyes peeled for more!

STRENGTH Follow your strengths, not just your passions – you need to find where your passion and strength aligns to give yourself the best competitive edge possible COMPANY

Surround yourself with growth – you become most similar to those around you, so it’s incredibly important to choose your circle wisely when starting and growing a business

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 29

DREAM BIG

[Travel accounts to satisfy]

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DREAM BIG

With varying degrees of lockdown worldwide, it’s not surprising that many of us are choosing to travel more locally this year. Now is the time to embrace the staycation! (and to get your wanderlust hit through the screen). So sit back, grab a cup of something tropical and enjoy the world through the eyes of these incredible travel bloggers from the comfort of your own home (or tent if that’s your thing!)

DREAM BIG

soultravelblog

the dia ryofanomad

139k followers

12.1k followers

couple wandering Ellie and Ravi are the British-Indian e difference along the world and trying to make a positiv re stories of mindful the way on @soultravelblog. They sha guides to help travellers transformative journeys and create ponsible travel options discover the best eco-friendly and res really can be a win-win. in a destination, showing that travel

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

Lao Tzu

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Jiayi Wang is the Chinese-Italian pho tographer, writer and travel blogger behind @thediary ofanomad uncovering less-visited destinations in the world.

From small mining towns in Slovakia, Iranian castles and the sunset dunes of Oman, she shares in-depth travel guides, her favourite places from the 60 countries she’s visi ted so far. Her work and photographs have been featured in Lonely Planet and Condé Nast.

DREAM BIG

tavernatravels

Click on any post to find out more about our lovely creatives

63.3k followers

Taylor Taverna is the NYC-based travel entrepreneur.

She has explored over 60 countries and countless cities around the globe and seeks to make travelling a reality for everyone on any budget by offering travel advice, itineraries and full booking services. “Travelling can be one of life’s most rewarding experiences.”

doyoutravel

2.7m followers

Jack Morris started out cleaning car pets for a living before living out of a backpack for fou r years and meeting his picture-perfect IG partner, Lauren @gypsea_lust in 2016 whilst on a job in Fiji. They trav el the world together, posting on their respective accounts, sharing their favourite places and the pros and cons of bei ng an influencer.

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 33

DREAM BIG

65k

char lies_wa nder ings

selfies are roughly

taken around the world every single minute.

the gingerwa

nderlust

142k followers

Charlotte Lint is origina lly from Belgium and ha s always loved to travel, share ph otos and has spent the pa st two years exploring the world . It is her mission to shar e the truth behind photos, sh are locations and give a peek behind the scenes - being a responsible travel blog ger in the most stunning locat ions!

s

90.4k follower

avel grapher and tr to o h p ce n la e e a fr lf French, Ellie Green is land, she is ha g n E , th a B m o ally fr g blogger. Origin o years travellin tw st la e th t n has spe s top half Welsh and Her blog share . a li ra st u A d n ng East Asia a s well as offeri around South a d rl o w e th r d see all ove things to do an . tography skills advice on pho

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DREAM BIG

Click on any post to find out more about our lovely creatives

travelsofali

heyashleyrenne

21.4k followers

87.3k followers

Ashely Renne is a vegan & environ mental activist sharing her mission for a sustainable lifesty le. Her blog and social shows us all how to live an adventuro usly green life! From electric road-tripping to eco-flying ove r the ocean, she shares daily adventures, cruelty-fre e beauty and fashion tips, delicious recipes, and vegan-frie ndly restaurant reviews from around the world!

Dr. Ali is a Saudi doctor, content creator and luxury traveller based in London. The award-winning photographer aims to convey the emotions of beautiful places all around the globe through the lens of his camera - work that has been featured in numerous magazines.

From hidden Tenerife pools to Bali spas and sunsets in the Seychelles, his work is breathtaking.

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 35

INTERVIEW

BEHIND THE CONTENT

@ johodson AKA JO HODSON

I have always been a multi-passionate creative.

I’ve found my sweet spot in combining my skills in coaching and writing with my skills in graphic and website design, fused with a deep personal passion for celebrating all things health and wellness. It’s my greatest joy to support you in telling your unique and authentic story to really make a difference in the world through your work. On this note, I also love blogging about ‘being human’ and developing plant-based recipes over at includingcake.com Behind the content In all honesty, it’s a messy blend of curated and spontaneous (more the latter!) Since my work is multifaceted and about authenticity I try to share the various sides of me. Since the handles for my main Instagram and Pinterest accounts are my name it feels natural to share this diversity. I also founded a health food

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(Clockwise) Jo with a selection of her work, including products from ‘Boost Your Bowl’ business.

business ‘Boost Your Bowl’ which has its own separate accounts, so being mindful of where the overlaps are and how best to cross-share content is also key.

On making a bigger impact I began blogging and sharing my voice in 2011.

It was purely a plant-based recipe blog back at a time when veganism was not at all mainstream. Whilst recipes are no longer my sole focus, the notion of ‘questioning society’s expectations’ and ‘giving ourselves permission to live life on our own terms’ has been a powerful message that stemmed from those early days. I aim to share content on my blog and social channels that reflects this philosophy to invite others to question for themselves, and it continues to be an ongoing process of personal discovery and growth for me too!

INTERVIEW

Lessons and achievements My biggest mistake is trusting others opinions over trusting my gut. I paid a few thousand to a coach in the early days that I soon regretted, and I have said ‘yes’ to opportunities because I felt I ‘should’ when I knew deep down my heart was saying no. I’m still a work in progress. It may sound cliche, but my biggest achievement was actually taking the leap in the first place. I had a solid career working as an architect and left it all behind in January 2013 to create a life on my own terms. It was a huge personal statement.

Nuggets of gratitude There are a few people that spring to mind, but I will share two. The person whose work on ‘vulnerability’ created the biggest ‘aha’ moment for me that opened

my mind and changed the trajectory of my life and business was Brene Brown. On a ‘real world’ level I’d like to acknowledge my first business coach, Erica, who I worked with for three years from 2013. Having her support and belief when I felt like I was floundering in the wilderness of uncertainty in those early days was invaluable.

FUN FACT I am a qualified fire walking instructor, I’ve walked over approximately 150 fire beds

About being a Creative Impact member I love the diverse nature of the community overall.

I feel at home amongst so many other multipassionate people, ha ha! I also love the ‘no fluff’ vibe. I typically spend a lot of time in health and wellness circles and it can often get too ‘woo’ and ‘love and light’ filled for me. I really appreciate the way that Creative Impact brings me down to earth with a tangible and practical focus.

at 900ºF and I love leading others in facing their fears and doing the same!

CLICK HERE...

You can find out more about ash and his work, on his Website here

Join the family

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STAYC 3 WAYS TO PLAN YOUR

Written by Fab Giovanetti

I

t’s Summer, and even England has reached a scorching 30 degrees Celsius — as an Italian, I am used to worse, yet the only tiny fan we have in the house did not withstand the heat.

I was looking at our plants, desperately requiring water daily. It reminded me that, just like flowers and plants, we need to make a conscious effort to nourish ourselves and recharge.

We are in a very peculiar situation where we spent 12 weeks working non-stop to pivot, adapt, and thrive, yet Summer has landed officially and almost everyone — including

members of Creative Impact collective — are unsure whether to take the time off and “indulge” in some holiday time.

As the latest issue of the magazine drops in a few days— I am already looking at what July and August may look like.

After a long discussion, I am consciously planning a vacation of sorts — away from the laptop, away from a routine that has become an endless cycle ‘when to stop’.

Is it only me craving some time to decompress and step back, yet finding it hard to actually plan it?

01 CELEBRATE SMALL WINS I truly feel like the past 10 weeks have been more like an interval fartlek run than a marathon.

We were asked to pivot — and we certainly did. Most smaller and bigger businesses alike have been constantly evolving and changing the goalpost in order to, very bluntly, survive.

Some people needed to

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pause their businesses, do cuts and streamline, and that is okay. However, I have witnessed some incredible adaptation from some amazing businesses (and we have done the same).

As I ask myself what a “break” may look like this year, I am looking forward to taking some conscious time to celebrate what I have

achieved in the past 10 weeks. Before even starting a staycation, I encourage you to look back at the past 8 weeks and ask yourself what you have been achieving.

Spend some time outlining all the wins, big or small, worth celebrating from the past 10 weeks. Use small daily goals to help you feel excited about a fresh win.

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ATION CATION

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02 SET THE RIGHT EXPECTATIONS Make sure you set some boundaries in place with clients, co-workers or managers. I personally like to let my clients know about any potential change or adaptation in my schedule.

Let people know how or if they should contact you, who’s the best point of contact during your time away and anything they

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may need to know during your absence.

Yet, our worst enemy is our email inbox. Ask yourself what boundaries have you set in place and which boundaries you wish to create when it comes to your inbox and dealing with whatever comes your way.

Can you do better ahead of your time away?

Recruitment firm Glassdoor shared that 23% of employees who took annual leave in 2018 regularly checked their emails, while 15% continued working throughout their holiday because of fear of falling behind and the consequences of not hitting their targets.

Set up a clear autoresponder, including anything that can help people who interact with you to find the answers they need without your help.

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03 TAKE A TECH BREAK One of my favourite things about holidays is the fact that I am forced not to look at my phone or laptop — something remarkably hard for a business owner like myself.

According to the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom, 15m UK internet users (around 34% of all internet users) have tried a “digital

detox”. After being offline, 33% of participants reported feeling an increase in productivity, 27% felt a sense of liberation, and 25% enjoyed life more.

But the report also highlighted that 16% of participants experienced the fear of missing out, 15% felt lost and 14% “cut-off”. These figures suggest that people want to

spend less time online, but they may need help to do so. Devote time to yourself, get to know your emotions without the assistance and cue of your phone's notifications.

unpleasant emotions? What can you do to encourage a better relationship with technology during this time off?

Write down three things you can do to encourage you to step Why do you need it? away from emails, laptop and Is it to fill spare phone during your time off. time, or to You may find yourself HOW TO D ETOX heal a void needing to go on a Still checkin g your caused by tech spring clean. phone notifi cations first thing in the morning?

Turn to p50

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Written by Fab Giovanetti

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I

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n a time where most people like me, selfdevelopment geeks, productivity lovers, and all the likes, clearly long to share our top productivity hacks, I am going against the tide slightly.

Whilst most of the people around me are bored and very vocal about being bored, I have never been busier. It’s a good problem to have, and part of me feels like I should be grateful — don’t get me wrong, in a way I truly am.

However, I am also painfully aware that working until 8 pm every night when I wake up at 6 am can take a toll on your mental health and overall wellbeing. I think the realisation something had to change was when I looked at yet another article about how to be more productive when working from home. As someone who is incredibly productive and very much type-A, I feel like my real challenge these days is slowing down.

“Embrace a balanced approach to work, by much doing less, and thinking more” I have 1001 ideas flying through my head and little plans outside of choosing the next Netflix binge (anyone else finding cooking shows extremely soothing?) or moving from the desk to the sofa to the dinner table for the fifteenth time.

So here are three things you can do to embrace a more balanced approach to work, which means doing less, and thinking more.

Take it from someone who called herself a selfdevelopment guinea pig. There is an anecdote I think is very fitting when it comes to this topic. Six wise blind men are trying to describe an elephant.

The first man touches the elephant’s ear and says that an elephant is like a thick blanket. The second touches a tusk and decides that the animal is sharp and pointy. The third touches the leg and

TIP Set up an EOD time

DID YOU KNOW? The Guinness World Record for the fastest tortoise ever recorded is called Bernie, and clocked in at an average 0.63mph

EOD stands for the end of day, something cool kids say a lot.

Working from home can be a blessing and a curse more than I’d like to admit. Yes, it allows you to adjust your working hours, and even find the best time for yourself to work on your most important project.

Still, it can be hard for some freelancers, employers and

especially business owners to create a firm boundary when it comes to ending our workday.

There is always “one more thing” that can be done on top of your to-do list. That little pesky task you kinda forgot about and it will only take “five minutes”.

Spoiler alert, it never takes only five minutes.

I am a big believer in time dysmorphia and the idea that we have no idea of where our time is going these days.

Set an EOD time and stick to it for the next week or so.

Create a mini-ritual to end your workday and see how that impacts your overall productivity.

CREATIVE IMPACT MAG | 45

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concludes that an elephant is like a tree trunk. The fourth touches the side and believes it’s like a wall.

The fifth feels the tail and imagines a rope. And the sixth man puts his hands on the elephant’s head, which reminds him of a rock.

They all have different perspectives, and though none of them is exactly wrong, each misses the full picture by focusing only on particular parts.

When it comes to productivity and being better at the WFH life, we must be able to shift our perceptive and our priorities. Being more productive is not about being more efficient, it’s about creating a better balance.

We must broaden our own perspectives if we wish to avoid the same fate.

TIP Don’t mistake goals for tasks I had this incredibly naive idea that launching a digital magazine was going to be one task to tick off my to-do list. Oh boy, I wish I hadn’t been that wrong about that.

Launching a digital magazine is a combination of goals, objectives, strategies, priorities and overall tasks.

We all know what a goal is, yes each goal can be broken down into a series of objectives, which will be the core building blocks The strategies are the collection of tasks that you’ll need to prioritise in order to complete your objectives (yet, it’s much more complex than you may have thought at first).

Identify the most effective tasks that will make your strategy a success in order to achieve a particular goal, then highlight the top one task you

can focus on every day to get closer to that goal.

In his book Get Smart!, author Brian Tracy introduces the Law of Three. The Law of Three is one great method. The Law of Three argues that just three of your tasks will represent 90 percent of your results. The key, therefore, is to identify and focus all your work on these three things Which strategies do I need to set in place to achieve this goal? What tasks does each strategy require?

TIP Create a brain dump for yourself Do less, think more. Easier said than done, I know it, kids. Yet, I’m so guilty of this it’s almost painful. I know that being aware of my relationship towards the next oh-so-genius-idea-it-isgoing-to-change-the-world needed to change.

According to Nobel Prizewinning psychologist Daniel

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Kahneman, there are two types of thought processes.

There is the impulsive type of thinking that we just described, and then there is the slower, more rational process of thinking where we weigh all the options and make considered decisions.

When working from home and managing your time, utilising

this slower method of thinking will lead to better decisions.

One great hack is to take 72 hours before making any critical decision. This will give you ample time to carefully mull over the various options.

Create a bran dump document or even “section” in your to-do

list (or a note, whatever is easier). Let the ideas simmer and come back to them when you are ready.

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TIME TO SET BETTER

Written by Fab Giovanetti

BOUNDARIES P

sychologist and philosopher Svend Brinkmann wrote an amazing book, The Joy of Missing Out, as a passionate and well-reasoned argument for cultivating a profoundly counter-cultural ideal: the art of deliberately missing out on things.

In the book, he argues that we’ve created a society dominated by endless choices, offers, and invitations to read more, consume more, enjoy more, and even become more.

In order to put our wellbeing (and overall sanity) first, we have to learn to say no.

What are some of the reasons why we may struggle to set up boundaries for ourselves?

LANGUAGE | ˈlaŋɡwɪdʒ | Using the word I don’t compared to I can’t can make a real difference to not only your own mental health, but also with your professional life. The word "can't" brings negative connotations and a sense of not be able to achive something.

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Though standing up for yourself doesn’t need to be scary or something to psych yourself up to do, many of us grow fearful that they’ll be perceived as rude or aggressive if they take the necessary steps to do it.

“In personal life, I would say prioritise your time based on what you get out of it.” admits business and sales consultant Chelsea Cox “Is it a friend that makes you feel real good? or is it a friend that uses you to offload? is it a workout class that makes you feel great or does it make you feel rubbish after? Protect yourself and your time.”

Truth is, saying NO is not always easy.

In fact, it can function as essentially the most powerful word of all time when you’re looking to manage your anxiety and stress.

Your time is precious, and you should set boundaries from the get-go when talking to people and liaising with potential clients.

Business coach for wellness entrepreneurs Vicky Shilling set up a very simple booking system that helps her keeping track of her commitments: “I set boundaries around my time by having a calendar available for my clients to book into. This means I can keep empty times that I want for myself to do content creation, forward planning or go to the gym. With a calendar that people can book into I don’t have to

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explain why I’m not available - I’m just not!”

Comparison is a dear old friend. Being able to say no easily means accepting you won’t be able to be everything for everyone, and this means not saying yes to every opportunity.

“You have to remove the mindset of busy = success it’s simply not true.”

Chelsea Cox, Business and sales consultant

“You have to remove the mindset of busy = success, it’s simply not true.” shares Chelsea Cox “Every opportunity, client, project, PR piece that comes your way, take a moment before firing a response, think about how that opportunity is truly going to serve you, is it of financial benefit? If you break this down and you are struggling to see the return for yourself either personally or professionally then say no. There is nothing wrong with saying no to something that doesn’t serve you.”

Strive not to compare yourself to others in regard to anything — and this includes the number of social events you attend, the amount of time you can commit, or the nature of your contribution to an event.

One way to respectfully stand up for your needs is to take a time out to consider what’s best. In cases such as this, you can simply say, “I’d love to think about this.

I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

Your words help to frame your sense of empowerment and control. Furthermore, the words that you use create a feedback loop in your brain that impacts future behaviours.

For example, every time you tell yourself “I can’t”, you’re creating a feedback loop that is a reminder of your limitations.

This terminology indicates that you’re forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do.

In comparison, when you tell yourself “I don’t”, you’re creating a feedback loop that reminds you of your control and power over the situation. It’s a phrase that can propel you towards breaking your bad habits and following your good ones.

Heidi Grant Halvorson, director of the Motivation Science Center at Columbia University, explains the difference between saying “I don’t” compared to “I can’t”.

“I don’t” is experienced as a choice, so it feels empowering. It’s an affirmation of your determination and willpower. “I can’t” isn’t a choice. It’s a restriction, it’s being imposed upon you. So thinking “I can’t” undermines your sense of power and personal agency.

Overall boundaries are a form of self-care and respect towards yourself. Being able to evaluate your priorities, creating systems, and ask yourself the right questions can truly change the way you make time for yourself.

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TECH DETOX Disconnecting from the connected world, and the devices that enable us Written by Fab Giovanetti

S

martphones. What precious things they have become to us as individuals, right? We all have them, or are aware of the next upcoming, sparkly new toy, soon to be entering our lives — when we get a new one, it feels like being a child at Christmas time.

The ever-developing world of technology is an aspect of life that has essentially become the norm for us.

Whilst for the vast majority of the time this may be deemed a positive thing, we tend to ignore the damage that our smartphones create for a multitude of aspects in our lives, most importantly, our health.

As the old saying goes, our bodies are temples: they are a reflection of our individual selves.

Everything we do in our lives affects our overall wellbeing, energy, and health - which

in turn becomes reflected in our presence.

However, a common thought that is often forgotten, is that our health is not solely determined by what we eat, but also by what we read and pay attention to in the media.

How do we absorb this information? Through the small device that has become inseparable to our mind and body, keeping us all connected via an interactive screen.

Technology can be addictive - it essentially acts as a drug for our human minds on a daily basis. I was fascinated to read about the research on the matter, for starters.

Researchers have created assessments to gauge the different domains of technology addiction. Such efforts include, but are not limited to, the Compulsive Internet Use Scale, the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale,

“Behavioural addictions are harder to treat; normally we’d advise

and the Multidimensional Facebook Intensity Scale. As human beings, one of our great abilities is knowing that we are capable of understanding each and every emotion that crosses our paths.

When these occur, why don’t we dedicate precious time to focus on self-reflection and self-understanding? With our “always-on” state of being and devotion to hustle culture, we tend to feel bad when we have a little time to dedicate to ourselves, and this guilt spans generations.

abstinence, but technology is

We have become completely accustomed to the presence of social media, which is deemed normal.

for work, everyone has a screen”

As individuals who have grown up in the prime of its presence, it is destroying our sense of self, our ability to interact: it is withdrawing basic human needs.

inescapable today — y ou need it Rebecca Sparkes, psychotherapist

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When you are reading through this article, I want you to think about your relationship with technology, how frequently it occurs in your life on a daily basis, and why you turn to it during those times of unpleasant emotion. You are human, and to feel uncomfortable feelings is normal.

Embrace them, understand them, but most importantly, understand yourself. You will always be the best version of yourself when you are surrounded by positive energy, positive people, and self-positivity; you are

not defined by the number of likes you get on your latest Instagram photo.

Whilst this may seem utterly abnormal, we are actually the abnormal ones, completely engrossed in the most recent trending topics on Twitter, rather than the special, unique moments in life.

Scientific studies show just how much social media affects our mental health, with a direct correlation between social media use and depression. It’s making us more anxious, too.

Anecdotally, you’ve probably felt social media anxiety at some point and, with this, you may have revalued your relationship with technology altogether.

Think back to when you were younger, your way of interacting, your way of communicating with your friends and family and your way of having fun.

Why does that have to disappear since the evolution of smartphones? See your phone for what it is — a device for making telephone calls and replying to messages. That is the original purpose of them and when they

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become more than that, we lose ourselves in the realm of it all.

We get absorbed into a vicious cycle where we lose our individual identity, doubt ourselves, compare ourselves to others forget about what is important in life.

It is the simplest of things that make huge changes. When you wake up in the morning, do not resort to grabbing your phone, checking your emails, scrolling through endless feeds on social media, checking your TikTok or putting up a good morning tweet.

Get a big glass of water in your system, eat a nutrient-filled breakfast, go for a walk or a run and start your day immediately on a positive note.

Your mind will feel truely alert, your body will feel energised, your energy will be positivity fuelled.

Wake up in the morning and understand your body, engage and grasp what it needs when it wakes up. It needs its fuel to help you function properly for the twelve hours ahead, not repetitive, dull information.

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us up to date with loved ones, lets us understand their emotions and life events alongside our own, and it unites people, strengthening already prominent bonds.

Don’t let the focus on smartphones and social media over-ride important relationships and life events, that should be shared together.

The main thing is to understand the place in your life for your smartphone.

According to the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom, 15m UK internet users (around 34% of all internet users) have tried a “digital detox”. After being offline, 33% of participants reported feeling an increase in productivity, 27% felt a sense of liberation, and 25% enjoyed life more.

If you start your day on the right note, the rest of the day will undoubtedly follow in the same positive way. Smartphones not only create a barrier between understanding ourselves and our self-reflection, but they also create a barrier between relationships.

It is so vital that your smartphone does not become the only way of communicating in your relationships, whether it is with your family, friends or partner.

Personal and face to face interaction are extremely rewarding and fulfilling — it keeps

25% of 15m internet users enjoyed life more

after a digital detox Communications Regulator Ofcom

But the report also highlighted that 16% of participants experienced the fear of missing out, 15% felt lost and 14% “cut-off”. This suggests that people want to spend less time online, but they may need help to do so.

Why do you need to use it? Is it just to fill spare time, or does it heal a void caused by unpleasant emotions? Learn to devote time to yourself, get to know you, your emotions and thoughts without the assistance and cue of your phone waiting for its appearance.

Leave your surroundings without your phone.

Enjoy time with loved ones, enjoy the great outdoors and enjoy time with you.

Do not let your phone win!

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WELLBEING

DID YOU KNOW?

The word “staycation” was originally coined by Canadian comedian Brent Butt in 2005

THIS ISSUE

Staycation

WELLBEING

TOP PRODUCTS FOR STAYING IN

Feeling in desperate need to unplug? In a time where most of us are resorting to bringing the spa experience to our homes, there are a wealth of products that can help us unwinding and bringing that retreat vibe to our homes. Put your phone in airplane mode, grab your favourite book, choose your playlist and immerse yourself in a magical home retreat.

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YUGENIAL CBD MASSAGE OIL CANDLE This sensual massage oil candle can be used directly on skin. A shea butter and essential oil base, infused with CBD. When heated and melted it produces a wonderful, rich, warm massage oil that can be absorbed topically.

100% natural, containing Peach Kernal and Pomegranate for an aromatic aroma.

TROPIC SKINCARE Inspired by her childhood in Cairns, Australia, founder Susie Ma has a passion for creating plant-based skincare recipes that feed the skin. Freshly made in the UK using the most innovative, effective ingredients that nature has to offer, they are proudly cruelty free PETA approved and transport you to the Tropics with each product!

COCONUT BOWLS CANDLES

Click on the images to get sales websites

More than just coconut bowls, the team specialise in creating beautiful coconut soy candles. These ecofriendly candles are handcrafted using a coconut-soy wax, natural aroma fragrance oils and feature a wooden wick that crackles when it burns. With fragrances like Toasted Coconut and Coconut and Lime, be transported to the sweet scents of beach holidays from your own home.

CALM ATMOSPHERE MIST A calming blend of five essential oils designed to relax the mind and body including lavender, bergamot, Ylang Ylang, rosemary and frankincense. Generously mist throughout the air and onto linens to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the essential oils before hiding under the covers.

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How to create the perfect weekend retreat while staying at home Written by Wildwoman (Aka Donna Hay)

SAT U RDAY

Morning

Start your weekend off the right way by giving yourself some sacred ‘Miracle Morning’ time.

As inspired by Hal Elrod’s book, create a space for Silence, Affirmation, Visualisation, Exercise, Reading and Scribing.

The perfect way to start the day, any day.

Noon

Saturday Brunch. Nothing better. Plan ahead and prepare yourself something

nourishing and wholesome that will make you feel good. One of my go-to brunches is poached egg and smoked salmon. A little indulgent but very delicious!

Afternoon

Create something.

Introduce creativity into your weekend and make, paint, craft or sew. Follow a medium that makes you feel good and get creative for no other reason than just because.

Evening

Get outside at sunset. Feel the sun on your skin as it sets on the horizon and listen out for the birds

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roosting for the night. The perfect way to end the day.

Night

Eat outside by candlelight (or 1million solar lights!) is something I love to do on warm evenings. Put a ban on mobile phones and enjoy conversation with your nearest and dearest.

S UNDAY

Morning

Get up and get back in.

Sunday mornings are for lazy lay-ins in bed, with a coffee and a good fiction book to get lost in.

Or even better - a stack of fresh magazines and Sunday papers.

Noon

If you can’t have a bath at midday on a Sunday…when can you? I LOVE a midday bath and with nothing planned for the rest of the day, allow yourself to soak in the tub for at least an hour alongside your favourite bubble bath.

Evening

Self Care Sunday and the pampering continues.

I’m talking about full face mask, foot scrub, fresh manicure and some lavender body oil. Fresh sheets on the bed and I’m ready for an early night to top off the weekend.

WANT MO RE? Donna has ta ken over our bookshe lf column, to help you with some great readin g ideas Turn to p61

Night

In bed for some rest before 9 pm and a chance to connect with thoughts and write in my journal. Before lights out, why not share your weekend gratitude with a friend or loved one and treat yourself to a camomile tea.

PICTURES: EMMA CROMAN

Afternoon

Create a ritual roast. I love cooking roast dinner on a Sunday. Making as much as I can from scratch and enjoying the whole process that can often take hours.

In between cooking I delve into a book or let myself have a Netflix moment.

Find out more

Make sure you follow Wildwoman starlet Donna Hay and her work at the Website iamawildwoman.com

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UNTAMED

Glennon Doyle

I am OBSESSED with this book. I’ve read it twice since it came out earlier this year and I dip in and out of it, reading my favourite lines and quotes when I need a little moment to reconnect to myself.

Click on the books to get sales link

BOOKS H E LF

4 A M A Z I NG BO O KS TO SW I TC H O F F W I T H , BY

THE ART OF BREATHING Dr Danny Penman

You breathe 22,000 times every day. How many are you really aware of? This pocketbook that has really helped me during lockdown. Full of incredible breathing exercises that prepare you for some serious self care switching off and a great nights sleep. With each moment of mindfulness, discover a calmer you.

CITY OF GIRLS

Elizabeth Gilbert

A fiction book that transports you back to a 1940s New York. City of Girls is about daring to break conventions: a celebration of glamour, resilience, growing up, and the joys of female friendship. Bright lights, big city loving for fans of any of Elizabeth Gilberts work, or those pick-me-up chick lits you can inhale in a day!

I MUST BE A MERMAID Charlene Hickey

The latest memoir that I’ve devoured in a couple of days. Adventure and grief have broken down her boundaries, but it is her intuition and magical guidance which save her. I find reading about someone else’s life really relaxing because we switch off from our own goings-on. Charlene’s story is empowering, one I’m really recommending.

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FINDING GRACE WITH HANNAH

Change your space with crystals Learn about the power of crystals and allow yourself to select some crystals to place around your house to boost the space.

W

ith many of us choosing to have a staycation at home this year, it has never been more important to create a sacred positive space. The reason we love to go away is to give ourselves a change of space so we come back feeling refreshed, but when this isn’t possible we have to get creative about how to up level the energy of the space.

This where the magic of crystals can be really helpful in changing the energy of the space that you’re living in and uplifting it.

Crystals are stones grown in various layers of the earth, some are mined and some retrieved naturally from all over the world. Depending on where they are grown on the earth depends on how hard they are.

They gain their colour when spectrums of light pass through the stone. We then often polish them and shape them into various shapes.

Crystals to uplift your space

Smokey Quartz This crystal is perfect for bringing grounding energy into your space.

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Tourmaline I use black tourmaline at nighttime for protection and amethyst for sleep.

Rose Quartz I have raw rose quartz on my bedside table to invite the energy of unconditional love and health.

It’s believed different crystals have different properties so we use them for different things: from attracting love, protection, abundance or helping to create calm.

It’s said that the crystal you’re attracted to will be the one that you need, but you also may be drawn to seek a certain one to help with a certain situation.

What’s important is to “Select some crystals to use your intuition with place around your house crystals and to listen to what they are saying to to boost the space.” you. Allow yourself to be guided when choosing crystals and experiment with placing the crystals around your space and see what works for you. There will be times when you feel guided to change this too… it’s key to listen to your intuition with this.

When you get your crystals I suggest using some sage, palo santo or aura spray to cleanse them, sound bowls also work too. Then set an intention with the crystals about how you want them to interact in the space with you.

I find an aura spray is a great way to regularly uplift and clear the space so I suggest doing this on a regular basis. If you’re choosing a staycation this year, I hope these suggestions are helpful to bring some positive, uplifting, fresh and calm energy into your space.

Remember in life it’s the small changes that count just as much as the big ones, they can really make a difference to us. @thehannahwallace

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AFFIRMATION

“I use the magic of crystals to elevate, clear and uplift my space” HANNAH WALLACE

Author bio

Find out more about Hannah, writer, blogger, and podcaster at @thehannahwallace or head to Hannah’s website to download her free meditation.

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How to survive the post holiday blues blue With advice from our lovely collective members

Written by Fab Giovanetti

T

here was a time when seasons were linear, and people knew what to expect: Summer was for holidays, Winter is all about Christmas (and being hopelessly broke).

However, times change. No, I am not going to talk about climate change. Not on this article anyway. We are talking about the holiday blues. Sadness and anxiety begin to creep up on you because during your holidays you have a temporary departure from your responsibilities and obligations.

As this year we are also adding a new

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WELLBEING

WAYS TO GET BACK ON TRACK FROM OUR COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

KIRAN SINGH Life coach

“Plan an activity, coffee, lunch, dinner or drink date with a friend, go to the movies, art gallery — whatever makes your heart sing and happy. Make sure you’ve already done this before you’re off for your holiday or even better, while you are there.

38% of people surveyed

said their stress level increased during the holiday season

I’ll give you an example from my life. My daughter and I went to Norway to visit family during the Summer holidays, although we had a lovely time, there was stress lingering in my mind about all those things I had to do once back, so I planned in ‘Redecorating my Home for Autumn’ on Sunday the 1st of September.

I bought some Autumnal decorations (ceramic pumpkins, scented candles, cushion covers in burnt orange and more. This gave me that little something to look forward to once back home in London.”

American Psychological Association

normal, that shook and truly impacted our lives, holiday blues are real.

When you get back to work, you’re putting more strain on your brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex that controls the emotional responses to stress by regulating the amygdala.

If you’re suddenly faced with an onset of anxiety and sadness at work and you want to find some quick remedies to help at the moment, Dr. Bryan Bruno shares a few tips that can assist you in relieving pressure and releasing feel-good

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hormones: “Take some time to play with your pet, or a friend’s pet, to distract you and soothe your mind. There’s a reason people turn to their pets when they’re feeling bad.

Playing with animals is relaxing and provides relief from anxiety because they encourage touch and affection, which can release hormones like serotonin and dopamine which make your body feel good.”

On holiday you manage to put much more fun activities into the day than you would in ‘normal’ routine days, so when you stop doing these things, you stop and start noticing the difference.

“If you crave more adventure in your life, how can you add this to your weeks now rather than waiting for a holiday? If you are miserable in your job, why is this and what needs to change?” shares Deeba from

WAYS TO GET BACK ON TRACK

FROM OUR COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

MAYS AL-ALI HealthyMays.com

“Think about doing exercise with someone else a couple of times during the week — not only does this give you company and something to look forward too but it also acts as a lifeline to ensure you stick to your programs. And don’t worry if you can’t make it to a class every day — just pop in your headphones and walk around the block on your lunch break.” A 30-minute brisk walk will get your heart rate up and release those mood-boosting endorphins your body has got used to on its holidays.

Editors note: Please follow the latest guidelines when planning to go outside during the outbreak of COVID-19, and stay safe.

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Deeba Anandan, a transformational coach: “I’m a massive believer that we need to take the reigns for shaping a life that we love living and that is what I work with my clients to do. Life is too short only to be happy when you’re on holiday.”

‘Normal’ routine days are usually filled with activities that are necessary such as cooking, cleaning, paying the bills, go to work, school runs and so on, and while all of these activities can give you a sense of achievement, the amount of pleasure

WELLBEING

you get from them are nothing in comparison to the pleasure and enjoyment you got from your holiday.

Especially when you are busy building your empire, holidays feel like a treat more than a right — if you have had a wonderfully restful time on holiday, going back to a busy work schedule; waking up early every day; looking after the kids, add onto that a huge pile of work to get through looming in the background; it can suddenly all seem very overwhelming.

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Authentic vegan-friendly family recipe

100% natural & certified organic

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o

w d the

o

Ar

un

THIS ISSUE

rld

FUN FACT India produces, consumes, and exports the most chili peppers in the world.

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TOP BRANDS

FROM AROUND THE WORLD Food plays an important part in our travels, reflecting the culture and history of different destinations, and helps to shape memories that can last a lifetime. Are you looking to let your imagination wonder on the plate? Time to keep your appetite for travel alive!

ODYSEA

Tap here for sales links

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Odysea are the Greek and Mediterranean food suppliers to turn to when you are looking for top quality products.

From gigantic beans and olives to rich sticky molasses and cheese, olive oil and grains, Odysea gives you a taste of the Mediterranean and mostly in environmentallyfriendly glass jars!

THE TEASPOON CLUB The Teaspoon Club specialises in fresh spices, that are full of flavour and ethically sourced, as well as delicious spice recipe kits.

They sell spices in the quantities you need to transport your spice cupboard anywhere around the world. From curries to tagines, paella to frijoles, prepare your tastebuds!

FOODIE

CLEARSPRING A family-owned and run business specialising in authentic Japanese products and organic fine foods. For 25 years their range has continued to expand while supporting organic farmers, artisan food producers and making a valuable contribution to sustainable agriculture. From miso to pastes, noodles, crackers and kitchen essentials, they have it all.

Tap on any product images to get sales links

CAPISCANA Capiscana is the award-winning Latin American retail brand specialising in flavoured sauces, seasoning mixes and meal kits, transporting you to warmer climates! Based on traditional meals such as Puerco al Horno con Salsa de Chile Ancho y Miel, the brand focuses on Mexican-grown ingredients like chipotle & ancho poblano chillies, without any unnecessary extras.

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Around

the world

Travel around the world without leaving your kitchen with these international recipes. If you have a stockedup kitchen, why not put it to good us by rustling up one of these flavourful recipes from all over the world? In this section, you can bring the flavour of your favourite destinations to your kitchen.

SPAIN B Y G E M M A O G S T O N SWEDEN B Y N I N A O L S S O N RUSSIA B Y N I N A O L S S O N INDIA B Y M I R A M A N E K

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Spain

BY G E M M A O GSTO N

Gemma is food writer and consultant and plant-based cook with a passion not just for delicious, nourishing food, but for drawing the connection between a healthy mind with a healthy body. She runs Gem’s Wholesome Kitchen with her husband Peter in Brighton, providing beautiful and delicious food for events as well as bespoke monthly 5 day Nourish packages for individuals.

Gem grew up in a large family, and as the youngest child of five and is used to being surrounded by lots of noise and happy chaos! She learned to cook from her mum who is not only a fantastic cook, but also taught her how to cook on a budget. Batch cooking and being smart with ingredients are ideas Gem follows daily. Gem would often cook for the whole family from as young as eight years old, and this is where her passion for cooking started.

During her teenage years, she suffered from anorexia, but luckily recovered thanks to the love and support of her family. Most of her twenties were spent partying, and in her early thirties, Gem experienced a number of miscarriages. Through these experiences, she worked out the link between eating well and feeling better, both physically and mentally. She started eating more plant-based foods and focused on eating for physical health, as well as continuing to experiment with mood foods. And it worked! Her first book The Self Care Cookbook was published in Dec 2019 by Penguin.

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Did you know...

Paella means "frying pan" in Valencian, Valencia's regional language.

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SERVES 3/4

Fiery Bean Stew PREP TIME 25 mins | EQUIPMENT Saucepan

A lovely mediterranean stew with a kick. It really reminds me of being in Spain, so this year when I am not going abroad I am doing lots of cooking that makes me feel like I am on holiday.

This is also great if you’re feeling a bit under the weather. The ginger and cayenne in this dish can help nip coughs or colds in the bud before they take hold. The spinach adds extra iron, but swap it for kale or chard if you fancy a change. A big bowl of this is really all you need to leave you feeling nourished and restored from the inside out!

INGREDIENTS • a glug of olive oil • 1 onion, sliced • 1 leek, sliced • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped • 2.5cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped • a pinch of cayenne • 3 carrots, sliced • 400g tin chopped tomatoes • 1 tsp honey • 300ml veggie stock

• 1 tbsp tamari • 150g spinach • 2 x 400g tins butterbeans, drained and rinsed • freshly chopped parsley • chopped basil • sea salt and freshly ground • black pepper • bread, to serve • cooked quinoa

DIRECTIONS 1 | Heat a glug of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and leek and fry for 2–3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, cayenne and carrots. Fry for 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes, honey, stock and tamari. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 5 minutes.

2 | Stir through the spinach and beans, then simmer for 10 minutes until hot. Stir through the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls with cooked quinoa and a hunk of yummy bread.

3 | Swap the butterbeans for any type of beans you like, such as kidney beans or cannellini beans, or replace with chickpeas or red lentils.

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Sweden

BY N I NA O LSSO N

Nina is a Swedish recipe maker, photographer and author of the vegetarian food blog NourishAtelier.com. She has worked creatively with food for magazines for 13 years and is an award-winning art director, stylist and designer. The art director of Buffé, Sweden's most read monthly magazine, she is also the author of Bowls of Goodness, Veggie Burger Atelier and Feasts of Veg. Nina lives on the coast near Amsterdam with her love Natal and her children.

SERVES 122

Swedish Dream Cake PREP TIME 80 mins | EQUIPMENT Oven and bowls

To enjoy a Scandinavian style vacation, make an extra luscious vacation “fika”, the famous Swedish way of gathering around a table between meals! Bake something sweet with summer berries, brew coffee and enjoy with your loved ones. This cake is easily veganized and tastes like a Swedish summer. Swedish sponge cakes are often made extra juicy by the addition of fruit juice, and in this case I’ve chosen to use mango and orange juice, along with a touch of cardamom for extra aromatic interest. To decorate, use a few common edible wild flowers if you have the opportunity to pick them – after all, Summer is all about celebrating the great outdoors in full bloom!

INGREDIENTS SPONGE CAKE • 250g spelt flour • 75g raw cacao powder or cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder • 2⁄3 teaspoon fine salt • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom • 125g coconut oil or vegan butter (suitable for baking), plus for greasing: • 1 banana, mashed to a smooth purée • 160ml plant-based or dairy milk grated • 50ml mango or fresh orange juice • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 125g maple or agave syrup • zest of 1⁄2 orange

RASPBERRY FILLING: • 200g vegan mascarpone (see below) • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 75g raspberries, fresh or frozen • 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup “VEGAN MASCARPONE” FROSTING • 200g vegan ricotta or natural vegan cream cheese • 3 tablespoons honey or agave syrup • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract • pinch of salt • ground cinnamon, for dusting DECORATION • 300g strawberries, halved wild flowers

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Berry good skills

The scientific study of blackberries is called ‘batology’.

A batologist is someone who has an interest in blackberries, not bats.

Still hungry for more recipes?

Get inspired with our plant-based Stroganoff burger, Nina's vegan take on the famous Russian dish. Turn over to Page 78

DIRECTIONS 1 | Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

Grease a 20cm springform cake tin with coconut oil or butter.

2 | For the sponge cake, mix together all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Melt the coconut oil or butter in a saucepan and pour into a separate bowl. Add the mashed banana, milk, orange zest, mango or orange juice, vanilla extract and syrup and whisk together until well combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix well.

Pour the cake mixture into the greased tin and bake for 1 hour or until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 30 minutes.

3 | Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the raspberry filling in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the vegan mascarpone frosting and set aside.

4 | To assemble, carefully cut the cooled cake horizontally in half. Lift off the top cake layer and set it aside. Spread the raspberry filling over the top of the base cake layer. Gently

replace the top cake layer and spread the top with the mascarpone frosting. Arrange the halved strawberries on the frosting, then decorate the base with edible wild flowers if you like.

5 | Make the raspberry filling: Mix raspberries with the vegan mascarpone. Set aside in the fridge until montage.

6 | Make the vegan mascarpone icing: Mix the topping ingredients together by whipping it briskly and set aside.

7 | Layer the cake: When the cake is cool, gently half it with a knife and lift off the top and set aside carefully. Add a generous layer of raspberry filling on the cake base.

Gently place the top cake half on top of the raspberry filling. Carefully add a thick even layer of the vegan mascarpone mix to the top of the cake.

8 | Decorate placing the halved strawberries on top of it all. It’s beautiful and festive to add flowers and berries of different sorts around the base of the cake or with the berries.

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Russia

BY N I NA O LSSO N

SERVES 4

Stroganoff Burger PREP TIME 80 mins | EQUIPMENT Oven and bowls

This burger is inspired by the famous Russian dish, stroganoff. It’s not for nothing that this peppery stew is loved far outside the Russian borders, full of warm, smoky paprika flavor. Combining savoury mushrooms and tangy lemon juice yields a robust yet tantalising flavor. Serve with sour cream or yogurt and pickles for a delicious stroganoff experience. This burger is a feast for your taste buds!

INGREDIENTS • 400g mushrooms, chopped • 300g cooked le puy lentils, or other green lentils • 110g canned black beans, mashed with a fork • 1 onion, quartered • 1 roasted red bell pepper • 3⁄4 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves • 2 tablespoons tahini • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika) • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 50g cooked brown rice • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped • 2 1⁄4 teaspoons Sriracha, or other hot sauce, to taste • salt, ground black pepper, Vegetable oil or ghee • 4 buns, halved and toasted

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DIRECTIONS 1 | To make the patties: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread the mushrooms, black beans, and onion on a rimmed baking sheet. Salt lightly and sprinkle with thyme. Roast for 35 minutes, flipping everything after 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and let cool. Reduce the temperature to140°F(60 ).

2 | In a food processor, combine the cooled toasted vegetables and roasted red bell pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and add the remaining patty ingredients (through salt). Taste and adjust the seasoning with pepper and more salt if needed. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

3 | Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into a patty.

Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of vegetable oil. Fry each patty for 2 to 4 minutes per side.

• 4 | Assemble the burgers between the buns with the toppings.

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Did you know...

The original beef Stroganoff recipe derived from a basic French mustard for seasoning beef, combined with a dollop of Russian sour cream.

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The Chai legend

The origin of chai dates back more than 5,000 years, when a king ordered a healing spiced beverage be created for use in Ayurveda.

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India

BY M I R A M A N E K

Mira has her own chai brand as well as a café in Kingly Court Soho called Chai by Mira, she has held supper clubs all over London from Soho House to Dalloway Terrace, and is author of bestselling cookbook Saffron Soul as well as Prajna. Mira runs her own retreats, teaches classes and workshops, has created menus for restaurants in London and Mumbai, and spoken at London’s top wellness festivals.

You can find her on www.miramanek.com and socials @miramanek Buy her chai on www.chaibymira.com or @chaibymira SERVES 1

CHAI ( BY MIRA ) PREP TIME 10mins | EQUIPMENT Kettle

Chai is synonymous with India. If you’re Indian, it’s usually the first thing you drink when you wake up and what you have after your afternoon siesta to give you that burst of life and energy. I have my own chai spice mix, containing seven spices and coconut sugar, that I serve at my café, Chai by Mira, and now online. Different parts of India make chai in very different ways, from boiling it with lots of grated ginger to simply crushing cardamom pods to using a masala spice mix, the way I do. However, the dominant spices are always ginger and cardamom, so you could start working with those. Here’s a few simple ways to make a quick cuppa chai at home.

If you have Mira’s chai spice mix, a blend of 7 spices and coconut sugar, you simply boil a tablespoon with milk. If not, boil together the following for 5–10 minutes on a low to medium heat, then strain into a mug and enjoy – the true Indian way.

INGREDIENTS • 1 mug any milk you like • 1 English breakfast teabag or 1-2 tsp loose tea leaves • 1⁄4–1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1cm piece of grated ginger • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional) • pinch of black pepper and cinnamon DIRECTIONS 1 | Place a teabag in your mug as normal, add 1⁄4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and sugar if you like (or 1 tbsp of Mira’ spice mix).

2 | Pour over some boiling water from the kettle slowly, stirring as you pour, leaving enough space for milk. Pour in any milk you like (I use almond or oat milk) but again pour slowly and stir as you pour.

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• STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD •

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