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It’s easy to forget to nurture ourselves in the current lockdown situation. Many of our thoughts are turned towards loved ones who may be struggling in isolation, financial issues and the great uncertainty that we face at the moment in all walks of society.

It is human to worry and to speculate. To read the news in the expectation of finding some chink of light that can give us hope. To fret and feel lost. Things will get better, but what ‘better’ actually looks like is anyone’s guess at the moment.

What we can do is to find ways of taking care of ourselves. It is easy to overwork. Given the time we have at hand we might decide that the shed needs to be tidied and the loft is ripe for a Spring clean. We can worry about our jobs and stay at our desk for an extra hour to make it clear to our bosses that we are one of the good guys.

All of these things are a perfectly natural response to a tricky situation. However, we also need to ensure that we pace ourselves.

If we overwork and underplay then our energy will be sapped and our mood may darken. There is only so much ‘being a responsible adult’ we can cope with before we need to let off steam.

The little us that lives inside us also needs to be attended to. We were once children and even though we have adult bodies and attitudes, we still need to make contact with the little us that we still have.

Little us likes to play, be creative and try out new things. For sure he, or she, can sulk and be moody too, be frightened and need reassurance and physical contact. A hug can go a long way to help and even if we ask for one, that is still a hug! It is okay to ask for what we need.

I was shopping last week. Now that I have the hang of queuing and not worrying if a few things can’t be found on the shelves, shopping has become a calm and peaceful experience. There is no scrum at the till, people are respectful and there’s enough food for everyone.

During my tour round the shelves I spotted a freezer cabinet and little me said ‘a-ha, there might be fun things in there.’ Big me went and had a look and little me instantly spotted the tubs of ice cream. Little ones. With interesting fruity flavours. We bought a few.

Ice cream in little tubs reminds me of happy times in the cinema, having fun and relaxing. So I decided to deploy the sun lounger, find a good book to read and begin with a tiny tub of pleasure. What heaven!

Little me felt calm and happy and liked having space and time to be indulgent.

Indulgence doesn’t have to be expensive, or involve mixing complicated cocktails. Little things can have value too. I now make time for reading in the sun and always start with an ice cream treat. How lovely!

This week my invitation to you is to take a moment and think what ‘little you’ would like? What can big you do to support little you?

Maybe it’s quiet hour with a book, dusting off that old jigsaw, or taking time for yoga, or painting. Something that feels a little bit indulgent.

What would make little you smile this week?

We all need a tub of ice cream sometimes, or whatever your equivalent is!

Keep well!

Next week: The Phone Story

I love giving my time to charity. I’ve given two hours a week, every week, for the last nine years.

I’m proud of that and although I didn’t used to think I was a particularly giving person, I have found that I am, when I find the right cause.

My cause is community radio.

I’m not a cyclist, or a cook, so I’m not going to cycle round the world, or bake amazing cakes. I do what I love and give my time freely.

It’s okay to do what we love and what we like doing. If that ties in with a good cause then even better.

Community radio, despite the detractors who think it’s all amateurish, is amazing. It gives people a voice, shares information and entertains in a hearty way. I host the Business Life show every Thursday from 12.00 to 2.00pm and we celebrate local business people (from any part of any sector), play music, share tips and generally have fun.

I think business ought to be fun. If something is a grind, then why are we wasting our precious life on it?

It’s so lovely to interview local people and celebrate their work and celebrate them too. Business is part of the community and many of our guests do a lot for local charities and it’s heart warming to talk about that work too.

The current crisis means that guests have to phone in and I’m alone in the studio, pushing buttons and keeping the radio wheels turning. We are deemed an essential service and we are a charity too, so our income is down even though our listener interaction is up.

We carry on anyway. The other volunteers have adjusted to recording at home, or have changed their show times. I now do three hours every Thursday, starting with a community session at 11.00am …playing music, sharing important information and telling some awful dad jokes. Luckily, I’m a dad, so have a licence for that kind of thing.

So then, what’s the point of this piece?

Well, firstly it’s to say thank you to all the business people out there who are also volunteering and giving their time to society right now.

It doesn’t matter what we do, as long as we do something.

And it’s also an invitation to you. If you’d like to be a guest on the show and talk about your business then please get in touch and we can set that up. Our style is friendly and informative. We like making new friends and if you’re stuck at home then take advantage of some free marketing and come on the show!

I won’t spoil your day here with a gaggle of bad dad jokes. That’s bad jokes, not me as a bad dad.

There is one though, that has stuck in my head. It makes me smile just thinking about it and, even better, it’s a business joke!

The radio station is www.futureradio.co.uk and you can find us in Norwich (UK) on 107.8FM or from anywhere in the world online.

And the joke is this….

‘Apparently it’s been reported that Meatloaf is now dating his accountant. She says she’ll do anything for love, but she won’t do VAT’

Oh, makes me laugh every time.

Whatever you do, do something. It’s good for society and ultimately good for business. Good things are always repaid.

Keep well.

Next week: The Icecream Story