The Hangout: Here comes the sun

I’ve been thinking about getting summer-body ready, but this time it’s more for my mind. Imagine if your heart and brain could hop on a treadmill and knock out a few kilometres every day. It’s been a long year, and most of us feel like that December holiday can’t come soon enough. It got me thinking about the truckloads of stress we’re all carrying and how on earth we’re going to make it through another three whole months.

The thing is, while many of us are counting down to the end of the year, there is also this strange feeling of wanting to hit pause more than ever. It feels like time is flying by far too quickly, and isn’t that only supposed to happen when we’re having fun? Anyway, let’s get our heads in the game and our metaphorical brain bikinis ready for a fresh season. It’s beginning to look a lot like… spring has sprung. It’s been a beautiful, warm and sunny week, and if I could, I’d send little boxes of sunshine, vitamins and cuddles to every single person on the planet. I’d need a flying car like the one in The Jetsons and all of Father Christmas’s elves to pull that off, but I reckon it’s totally doable.

Until your box arrives, I’ve been having a look at which vitamins are great for keeping those smiles on our dials.

Vitamins and minerals that help support a good mood are often nicknamed the “happy vitamins”, and for good reason. Key players include the B vitamins, especially B6, B12 and folate, as well as vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc. These micronutrients are essential for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, the brain chemicals that help regulate mood, boost mental performance and support overall feelings of well-being. A lack of any of these can leave you feeling low, tired or a bit off balance. Vitamin D is especially important for brain function and can affect how we respond to stress, while vitamin C contributes to normal psychological function and helps reduce fatigue. Calcium, magnesium and zinc also play a key role, particularly in supporting the nervous system and contributing to emotional stability.

So how do they actually work? These nutrients help the body produce the neurotransmitters that keep our mood steady and positive. They also help regulate energy levels and ensure the nervous system functions as it should, which has a direct effect on how we feel day to day. You can find these mood-boosting nutrients in a wide variety of foods. B vitamins are found in bananas, avocados, chickpeas and turkey, while vitamin D comes from sunlight and fortified foods. Citrus fruits and colourful vegetables are packed with vitamin C, and magnesium is abundant in nuts, seeds and whole grains. Zinc, on the other hand, is found in meats, nuts and seeds. Eating a balanced diet rich in these nutrients can be a simple but powerful way to support your mood and overall mental wellbeing. I’m basically going to eat fruit in the sun every day and twice on Sundays!

There are also great apps you can get on your smartphone that you can listen to before going to bed if you need to wind down or in the traffic if you need a sense of calm while everyone is driving around you as if their first name is Vin and their second name is… Yip, you know where I’m going with that. So, apps, get one or two or a few. I think they are a good go-to for a quick reset or even daily affirmations depending on what you’re going through. Check out Calm, Breethe, BetterSleep and Headspace if you like. Also, just sharing thoughts and tips here, I’m not a doctor of any kind, just a happy little insomniac trying to share what works for me and my friends. Side note: I hate gym workouts so I say dance yourself fit and happy. And don’t be too hard on yourself. Life is doing that all by itself. Laugh as much as you can. And upsell yourself like you do your besties. 

I chatted to some very inspirational friends and asked them to pop some thoughts my way so that I can share them with you.

Cindy Alter - CLOUT

(Singer/Songwriter/Author/producer) 

I am constantly reminded that life is what you choose to make it. You happen to life, life doesn’t happen to you. I have had horrible things happen along my life’s journey, and they have hit me hard, but I chose to hit back, with love, with dignity, with grace – and I found that I could deal with these trauma’s and not allow them to disfigure me. Yes, they hurt like hell, but, damn, I won’t let them make me leave the path that I have chosen to take. Again, these are choices. Not easy, but, I made them in integrity, to honour myself and my journey at all times. I know we are all going to die someday, but it is how we live until we die. That is all that matters.

Katie Mohamed 

(Author/CEO/Change Catalyst/Entrepreneur)

This season I choose to prepare my mind as much as my body. The year has been relentless. We have carried the weight of uncertainty in our country, turmoil in the world, and battles within our own hearts. I have faced my own storms ; personally ,mentally and emotionally and learnt that strength is built through gratitude, through prayer, through the courage to ask for help. I try talking to a therapist, it doesn’t give me the answers all the time. I protect my spirit. I remind myself daily to live with intent, to move with purpose, and to embody the principles of the Influence Equation. My message is I always want to be someone of integrity, intention, and inspiration. And so can you. No matter how heavy the year has felt, you have already survived every hard day. That is proof of your strength. Step into this new season with faith in yourself, courage in your heart, and the knowing that you are capable of more than you realise. Rise with resilience, grace, and unshakable hope and just try and be brave for today, and tomorrow you get up and do it all over again.