Love❤️Letter 2020 (Eng)

Intention

I have been sharing these newsletters for at least a decade now, so I thought to myself “Why do I make these?” And the answer was clear; I make these newsletters to spark joy and to share some things I have loved in the hope they will help you too.

With love,

Bunny Raquel Coelho

What would you like to hear on the podcast? Email: unicornsinballoonfactories@gmail.com I reply to emails every Friday.

Put on your own oxygen mask first

That is what we are told every time we get into a plane, isn’t it? There is a reason for it; we can only take care of others if we take good care of ourselves! It’s trickier to do in everyday life because no one has prepared an oxygen mask for you and placed it under your seat. You need to figure out what your oxygen mask looks like and where it is.

For some, it might be doing Adriene Mischler’s wonderful yoga classes. For others, it might be doing Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s 3 daily health snacks. You can get his book here, and you can listen to my episode about it here. So the next time someone makes a request or asks for a favour, check in with yourself and see if you can say yes, if you need to negotiate some of the terms of the favour, or if you need to say no.

Breathe to a better life

If you are looking for a free way to improve your life, breathe! In his latest book, ‘Breath - the new science of a lost art’, James Nestor shares the many nuggets of wisdom, with lots of practical hacks and routines that will help you improve your general health and wellbeing, from blood pressure to athletic performance, depression and the nervous system. The book is a gem because this journalist interviewed experts around the world and self-experimented along the way too. My favourite hack is s-l-o-w breathing. According to his studies, the ideal inhale and exhale should take 5.5 seconds each. Dr Weil demonstrates how to do the 4-7-8 breath. In Portuguese, here.

Discuss death while you’re alive

Death has been sadly present in my life recently and we seem to ignore an unavoidable fact: we all die. Discuss death with those you love. It is painful, but it is best to be practical and stand a better chance of going the way you want to go, as well as sending away those you love in a way that would honour them. 3 things I think are essential to discuss are:

1. Worst case health scenarios, when do you pull the plug?

2. Finances and expectations about who gets what. This alone would save a lot of unnecessary pain and conflict in families.

3. Ceremonies, I do not want an anonymous priest! I want a celebration and a moving on ceremony with music!

3 podcast recommendations

‘Anxiety, My Friend’ wants to shift the way we look at anxiety… from enemy to ally! Each month I publish 2 episodes; 1 in English and another in Portuguese. ‘Small things often’ is The Gottman Institute’s podcast which provides simple and proven tips to help us deepen and enhance our relationships. ‘Financial Independence Europe Podcast’ helps us take control of our financial life. Financial independence is a beautiful concept and whether you are taking your first steps towards more financial freedom, or have aimed for and reached FIRE, this podcast is a gem.

Eat at least 30 plant species per week This is one of the many recommendations that Tim Spector makes in his latest book, ‘Spoon fed’ . One of the key messages shared by this epidemiologist is that each one of us is unique and that therefore we need to take more responsibility for our health. We can do this by reading books like his and others, such as Michael Mosley’s, ‘The clever guts diet’. Our microbiome is fascinating, and if you’re curious about it, read Giulia Enders’ book ‘Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ.’

Hop Along with Us

A quote I have needed many times this year. A quote that has helped me when I feel I might succumb to the stickiness of despair: “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” Barack Obama

Thanks for accompanying me on this crazy ride of life!

Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, love up 2021!

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