As we move through the longest, darkest days of the year, Ali Roff Farrar encourages us to put things into perspective, practise non-judgment and choose a slate that’s free of labels

TIMES LIKE THESE

We often judge these back-to-work days negatively, allowing them to hang over us like a dark January cloud, seeming all the bleaker in contrast with the twinkling lights of December. But what if we could meet these days afresh, without judgment or comparison against brighter days? What if we could allow them to greet us every morning, and notice them for all that they are, without labelling them with a downcast view?

We need a couple of mindful ingredients to do this - kindness and non-judgment. The result? Freedom to see what else is evident after the labels have been removed…

Psychologies Wellness Director, mindfulness expert and yoga teacher

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• A Toolkit For Modern Life by Emma Hepburn (Quercus, £12.99)

Contemporary thinking

From Instagram’s @thepsychologymum, clinical psychologist Emma Hepburn, comes this brilliant book, illustrated with her entertaining cartoons on fear of failure, impostor syndrome and mental health myths. Everyone will relate to at least one of the thoughtfully observed modern-day problems.

QUOTES TO LIVE BY

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness”
JOHN STEINBECK

• Forea Bear, £279,foreo.com

Facial fitness

Our faces consist of 43 muscles and, like any muscles, they can lose tone and definition with age. Creams can help the texture and hydration of the skin, but I also love non-invasive, at-home devices such as Foreo Bear. Pulsating microcurrents stimulate the muscles, a little like a workout for your face! It lifts and tones to help contour the skin, while relaxing facial muscle tension points.