What do we need to enhance our life and make this world a better place, in a way which will not cause any financial pressure? The world is in flux at the moment: wars, climate issues, religious conflicts and a stark rise in mental health problems are just a few of the major challenges. There are so many issues, on an individual, national and global level, which you have to navigate through your day-to-day life. Politicians have a huge responsibility to address these significant issues, however we can also influence and work towards solutions ourselves.
I believe there are simple day-to-day changes we can make that will not only equip us with a stress-free and resilient life but will also considerably help address the bigger issues that we are facing. The good news is that this does not involve enormous amounts of effort or time or money. As individuals, we do not have much control over the wars going on in parts of the world and we may feel that we have no control over the rising mental health issues or the climate crisis. The truth is that we do have a degree of control and there are many things we can do to influence and resolve these issues.
Problems we are facing
When I reflect on my childhood and life as a young adult (more in my memoir ‘Best of Three Worlds’), I do not recall having to juggle so many conflicting issues. Over the course of my life, things have exacerbated to a point where we are constantly having to cope with more and more in our lives. The last 50 years have seen an increase in capitalism, excessive consumerism, the launch of social media, a significant breakdown in family values, as well as the changing climate.
As a society, we are struggling with multiple challenges every single day. The result is that stress and mental health are rapidly rising for adults as well as children and some of the statistics are alarming:
Cost of mental illness in England
According to Mental Health Statistics UK 2024 from Forth (forthwithlife.co.uk), mental illness costs England a staggering £300 billion annually, which is nearly double the NHS budget. This cost includes human, economic, and health-related implications. It is sad to know that the financial burden falls on individuals with mental health difficulties, their families, the public sector, and businesses. Staff turnover due to mental illness accounts for £43.1 billion, and lost tax revenues add up to £5.7 billion.
The stress triggers in the UK (2024): Work-related stress affects 23% of UK adults. The most significant stress triggers include money (39%), lack of sleep (39%), health concerns (35%), family issues (31%) and news-related stress (24%).
Approximately one in seven people in the UK report bad or the worst-ever mental health. Mental Health UK warns of a potential “burnt-out nation” due to poor mental health.
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The Climate Crisis
In addition to the above, the other issue that is causing anxiety for all of us is the ongoing climate crisis.
Did you know that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world? New findings from ‘The Big Plastic Count’ estimate that the UK throws away 1.7 billion pieces of plastic each week – which equals around 90 billion items every year.
This issue is not just out there in distant countries. It is right here on your doorstep, and we see this daily in the changing and unpredictable weather conditions. More of us are having to cope with the risk of flooding, plastic pollution, food shortages and a rise in energy bills. It is a situation that we can no longer ignore, and we all must embark on a path towards more sustainable living.
Simple steps
I have carefully chosen the above topics and written about them at length in my books. The aim is to help people live a more resourceful and resilient life. All the solutions that I present in my books are aimed at addressing the current and forthcoming difficulties that we are facing on an individual, national, and global level.
As for children, we need to start as early as we can to help them learn minor natural coping strategies that will become a way of life for them as they become adults. This is to help ensure they fall back on natural coping strategies, rather than develop a reliance on external stimulants, such as alcohol and drugs. The regular use of these basic interventions will help them manage change and challenges for the rest of their lives.
These are presented in my series of picture books for primary aged children: ‘Chakraji Relaxation Series’, which teaches natural breathing and visualisation techniques that assist children with day-to-day worries and anxieties. These books also help children build emotional strength from an early age. They can then use this as a foundation for a resilient life.
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Overview
I passionately believe that the solutions to our individual, national and global issues are not as complex as we think. We need to go back to basics and live simple minimalistic lives that foster care and compassion for all living beings.
The absence of all the above is contributing to the rise in stress and anxiety for all of us, our children and their future generations.
Taking small steps will help stop you from worrying and being anxious about what is currently going on in the world. It will also help you feel more in control and give you a sense of achievement and fulfilment that you are part of the solution.
In summary, adopting a few natural techniques for stress relief in your day and taking a couple of small steps to work towards living an eco-friendly life does wonders for your own health and happiness as well as securing a thriving planet for your children and their future generations. Embarking on this path to a sustainable, joyful and meaningful life today means we are all working together and part of the solution!
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Hansa Pankhania is an acclaimed author and renowned coach and speaker on wellbeing, stress prevention and resilience. In this exclusive column, she will be presenting cost-free, simple, natural coping tips that can be integrated in a busy routine at home and at work to sustain a stress-free, joyful and successful life.