Aya

My mindful moment is when i am in my bedroom playing a game on my xbox after a day at school. Often these games are calming. I also listen to music when playing the games.

Chloe 

My mindful moment is taking my dog on a walk and having my headphones on while taking her out i also enjoy cleaning the house when i need a distraction from my emotions my family is amazing support system for me when I'm feeling low and need someone to talk to.

Connor 

In my mindful moment... well its hard to says exactly how I get calm and relaxed.  I do various activities such as read manga or normal books, play online with my friends and talk with my cat Jack.

Charlotte

One of my mindful moments would be reading a good book. I love reading all types of books, especially horror, sci-fi and fantasy (which is maybe not that relaxing!). I also love to write my own stories and poetry as it allows me to be creative and is quite fun to do!

Dominika

One of my favourite mindful moments is when I engage in sports, either with my family or on my own. Whether it's a game of tennis , table tennis or badminton, the thrill of movement and competition always excites me. After a hectic week, there's nothing like a family badminton session to unwind and reconnect. Even when I'm alone, hitting a tennis ball against a wall becomes a fascinating dance of anticipation and skill. It's in these moments of play that I find relaxation and joy, even in the midst of failure!

Emilia

My Mindful Moment would be when I spend quality time with my friends and family in Poland. I love practicing gratitude and listening to music. I find these activities really calming. When I am feeling down, I start playing violin. It is really calming and peaceful. It helps me to stay in the moment and cope with any emotions I have :)

Emily

My Mindful Moments are when I get myself a cup of tea and start a new book. I am a massive bookworm, therefore reading is a time where I disconnect from the world and indulge myself in a new one. I love spooking myself at night when reading thriller books, and living out my dystopian dreams when reading a fantasy book!

Habiba

My Mindful Moments are when I pray, being a Muslim that worships the one god Allah, because I believe that he is understanding and can help me with any difficult situation I have in life. Praying salah, which is the 2nd pillar of Islam and is compulsory for all Muslims once they reach the age of puberty, relieves all the stress that I have of worldly things like school, work, home, family, social media etc. and helps me focus on talking to Allah facing the Qiblah and no one else. I believe that because this worldly life is short, I should not be worried and stress myself out and that I should enjoy the most out of it and be prepared for the afterlife. I also have tranquility with reading the Quran in both Arabic and English too because they give me messages of life involving the livelihoods of the 25 prophets, the companions, the angels and Allah's commandments himself. Out of any ordinary books that I have read in the past, the Quran is always read within my heart.

Holly

My mindful moment is listening to music and playing my guitar which helps me calm down and also makes time pass a lot faster.

Isabella

My Mindful Moment: for me it can be many different things such as when I’m able to listen to music, when I’m trying out different styles and media for art, and when i’m reading (rom-com and horror)! 

Lizzie

My mindful moment would have to be playing my Ukulele. When I'm stressed or emotional in general, playing my ukulele helps me cope with all of the emotions I may have. At the moment, I'm learning 'Playing in the Sand' by Tally Hall and 'Save Your Tears' by The Weeknd.

Millie - Mae 

My mindful moment is that I enjoy spending time with my Nana and to sit in my room and watch the TV. Often if I listen to music it makes me calm.

Nina 

My Mindful Moments are when I'm listening to my music, when I listen to music it drowns out all my thoughts and calms me down and I feel better.

Yacub 

My Mindful Moment is when I binge-watch my favourite Netflix shows! Whenever I'm feeling stressed about schoolwork or any group projects I'm doing, I switch on the TV and watch one episode of my favourite shows - most namely, How To Get Away With Murder or Doctor Who - and then I go back to finish my work or project. I feel much more relaxed after taking a break, it allows me to work more efficiently and productively!

Aimee Bingham - Apprentice Public Health Practitioner

My Mindful Moment is taking time on an evening to hop in the shower or bath and use all my favorite body care products before changing into some cosy pyjamas and settling in for the evening with a fiction thriller. 

Chrissy Hardy - Senior Public Health Practitioner

My Mindful Moments are when I am doing exercise. It took me ages to find the right kind of exercise for me. My favourite is training in groups with machines and lots of heavy weights. I love that you can either totally focus if you have something to think about or equally completely switch off from the world! I also love the achievement feeling when you get better, faster or stronger.

Diane Walker - Public Health and A Better U Alliance Co-ordinator

There is no place I’d rather be! My mindful place is being out and about on horseback, this is Smokey my trusty steed.

Out in the fresh air galloping along the beach or just a steady stroll in the woods has to be my all-time happy place. I love to connect to nature it really helps to ground me, I always feel so relaxed when I’m out and about.

Karen Armstrong - Public Health Practitioner and STYHA lead

My Mindful Moments are found by sweating it out at the gym, concentrating on pushing myself with fast tempo music blasting really quietens my brain and empties it of thought.  I also love to lose myself in a book, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is a beautiful tale that really influenced how I view life. 

Meg Logan - Research Operations 

My Mindful Moment is being with my friend.  I know when I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed out that I can talk things through without judgement and always feel much better for getting all my frustrations and worries out.

Phillippa Chippendale - ICT in Schools

My Mindful Moments are when I’m playing Merge Games like Merge Elves or Merge Dragons, I play my games whenever I'm feeling nervous or upset and it calms me down and I forget all about it.

Rachael Mienie - Ambassador Support and Social Media bod

My Mindful Moment is spending time with friends and family, taking time to talk and play games always makes me feel better. I also enjoy spending time with my cat, who is always happy to see me.

Tom Hall - Director of Public Health - South Tyneside Council

My Mindful Moments are when I’m riding my bike. I have very early memories of pedalling my bike along country lanes or bridleways – the rhythmic movement, the increased thump of your heart, the fresh air on your face, the rustle of trees and bushes around you. Every time I go out on my bike, I am taken to a calm, but joyful, place.

Tori Hunt - Public Health Support Officer 

My Mindful Moment is walking my dog, Ruby, early in the morning. This time of year is my favourite when the mornings are bright and sunny. We often walk along the beach and through the parks. It makes me really appreciate what a beautiful place we live in and how lucky I am to have it on my doorstep. I feel like I can tackle anything the day has to throw at me after one of these walks!