Every two weeks, the Network of Wellbeing (NOW) offers a summary of good news to highlight beacons of hope and inspiration as we navigate these times together.
In the UK and around the world people are debating and deliberating on the safest ways to emerge from lockdown. As lockdown restrictions shift, we are also faced with another important question: Do we wish to return to the world as it was, or do we want to create a new way forward?
Some people are saying we can build back better, to create a world where everyone’s needs are met in ways that protect the Earth’s vital life support systems. In this edition of The Good News Is we highlight ways to engage in discussions about what our ‘new normal’ should be, alongside our regular diet of resources and events to support your mental health and wellbeing.
Finding New Perspectives:
READ:
- Wellbeing Economy for the Covid-19 recovery – 10 principles to build back better – from We-All – the Wellbeing Economy Alliance.
- Jacinda Ardern Flags Four Day Working Week as way to rebuild after Covid-19 – reported via The Guardian.
WATCH / LISTEN:
- Humankind: A Hopeful History – Rutger Bregman talks about his new book, Humankind. You can also read his Guardian interview here.
- The Sharing Economy and Wellbeing: How Can We Rebuild in a Collaborative and Sustainable Way? – a NOW #WellbeingTogether webinar on 26th May with Benita Matofska, the founder of The People Who Share, and Tom Llewellyn from Shareable.
- Degrowth Vienna 2020 – this major international conference will now be available online from 29th May – 1st June.
Supporting Your Mental Health and Wellbeing:
READ:
- This week has been Mental Health Awareness Week, and this year’s theme has been kindness. We recommend checking out this article on Kindness in a Crisis by Ben Thurman at Carnegie UK Trust (Ben was also a recent guest on one of our #WellbeingTogether webinars).
WATCH / LISTEN:
- Mindfulness for Challenging Times: Shamash Alidina (mindfulness teacher and one of our previous #WellbeingTogether webinar guests) has launched a new book, with a rich range of contributions from the Teach Mindfulness Community. This book was launched with a brilliant online event, and you can now watch the replay here.
- The Love Revolution: love is the answer – what is your question? – an online talk on 27th May by NOW Trustee and the Editor Emeritus of Resurgence, Satish Kumar.
- Radical Rest: finding the stillness within – This three session online course of yoga nidra and meditation, from 22nd-24th May, invites you to explore how to find inner stillness during this time of great outer change.
- Resilience Skills in a Time of Coronavirus Crisis – Chris Johnstone’s four week online course starts again on 1st June.
Innovative Community Responses:
READ:
- Rebecca Solnit discusses how mutual aid is bringing people in the US and around the world together to get through the crisis in the Guardian’s Long Read. Try to make it to the end as the last few paragraphs are really beautiful.
WATCH / LISTEN:
- Learning from Lockdown: Community Responses to Covid-19 was the topic of our most recent #WellbeingTogether webinar, in which we heard from a brilliant range of guests: Karen Creavin (Active Wellbeing Society), Ben Thurman (Carnegie UK Trust) and Tracey Robbins (Eden Project Communities). Check out the replay and highlights here.
JOIN:
- Re-imagining Creative Wellbeing Practice in the time of Covid-19 on 4th June – for artists who want to discuss how they do creative wellbeing practice under lockdown, courtesy of Arts and Health South West.
Regular / Ongoing Wellbeing Events:
- Online Mindfulness & Meditation for difficult times to connect & stay well – 45 minutes every Friday with Karen Liebenguth of Green Space Life Coaching.
- Frazzled Cafe Online – join Ruby Wax and others for “confidential and non-judgmental peer support, where people who are feeling overwhelmed by the stresses of life can talk openly, connect and feel heard”.
- The Science of Happiness – podcasts from the Greater Good Science Center in Berkeley, California
- 10 Days of Happiness – Action for Happiness’ free online coaching programme.
Looking further ahead:
We’re also looking forward to:
- The Schumacher Institute’s ‘Schumacher lectures’ – five online talks from the 6th-10th July including Jennifer Hinton, Nafiz Ahmed and Katherine Trebeck.
Thanks and Share Your Good News
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about some of the good news out there right now. We’d love this blog to be part of a wider conversation and sharing on beacons of hope and positivity in these challenging times. Please share your good news with us using the hashtag #TheGoodNewsIs and tagging us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.