August is upon us and as the cooler weather creeps in often our moods and temperaments shift alongside the shorter days and greyer skies.

This change is normal and a way for our bodies to let us know it's time to slow down, reflect on the past weeks and rejuvenate ourselves for the changing season.

Here in England the weather has taken a turn for the greyer and wetter and so I've surrendered to moments of reflection and restoration. In this time I've heard the calling for more movement and creativity. This is where I've found yoga practices, journalling and a change of my surroundings to be rich sources of fuel. I'd like to share with you my resources for inspiration today.

Yoga

Yoga has been an unwavering source of healing, pain relief, emotional support and body confidence for many years. My practices are always ended with a sense of achievement, a better understanding of my body and a deeper connection with myself. They fill me with fire and a sense of direction. It's always my first go-to when I'm in need of inspiration and a little internal cobweb-clearing. I recently discovered Silke Dewulf on YouTube and have been returning to her yoga videos ever since to guide me through my practices. Here is her yoga playlist for any of you in need of more movement in your lives (if you do check out her channel, and I highly recommend you do, please leave her a comment saying I sent you to give her a little kick-back of acknowledgement, too).

YouTubers

A large part of feeling inspired is surrounding yourself with others who uplift you. I fully believe that watching motivational content online can give you that inspiration as well as physical interaction. Hannah McNeely has become a favourite YouTuber of mine, inspiring me through her videos every time. She posts candid content that fuels me not only to produce more of my own but lets me peek into her life that truly aligns with my own values. She's big into yoga, self-love and has recently become a convert to the zero-waste lifestyle. Please pop over to her channel and give her a hello from me!

I have also been returning a lot to Brittany Taylor's channel. Brittany lives an alternative lifestyle where she eats mostly raw fruit, practices acrobatics and lives a minimalistic lifestyle. She also posts videos about her polyamorous relationship. Not only does Brittany let me discover and explore new ways of living, but she inspires me to remain body-positive and push myself to my limits.

Shir Levi's content has been another source of inspiration for me. Her calming presence and warm attitude have me feeling grounded by the end of each video. She posts about authenticity, self-love, and spirituality through yoga, veganism and self-healing. She has become a go-to for when I'm feeling lack-lustre and in need of some TLC. Please head over to her channel and give her some love from me!

Foods

Now that the skies are a little darker when I wake, to give me an extra boost in the mornings I have been enjoying adding ashwagandha, spirulina and camu camu to my breakfast smoothies. Ashwaganda elevates the mood, reducing the "stress hormone" cortisol and helps regulate the nervous system. This is particularly beneficial if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and your mood dips during the changing of the seasons. Spirulina provides a boost of energy as well as giving an injection of essential vitamins and minerals, detoxing your body of heavy metals. Camu camu, like ashwagandha, balances hormone levels and also has an incredibly high amount of vitamin c, strengthening the immune system and providing great anti-viral powers. Perfect for the colder seasons where we are more likely to get sick.

I hope these links provide you with the same motivation and upliftment they do for me. If you visit Silke, Hannah, Brittany or Shir's channels, do let them know I sent you and say a warm hello.

Here's my YouTube channel where I post every Sunday and Wednesday about veganism, minimalism, zero waste living and wellness.

Have a wonderfully inspired week.

Blue