Resources
One thing that the Sloth King has realised in her search for peace is that help comes in many different forms, and sometimes from unexpected places.
What works for one may not work for another and that is fine; it just involves a little digging. This is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg - there are a lot more resources out there for you. If you find something helpful from the below, try searching out more like it.
If you have any suggestions for resources that you have found helpful, please do feel free to let us know. We feature something every Sunday over on The Official Sloth King Twitter.
Websites
- Mindful.org - A great website with articles on how mindfulness can help you and how to incoporate it into daily life. Also tackles a lot of the struggles people face in the myriad aspects of their life.
- Brain Pickings - In the words of author and reader Maria Popova, Brain Pickings is "a subjective lens on what matters in the world and why." Sloth King calls it good soul food.
- ZenHabits.net - Articles on minimalism, letting go, and being at peace. In the author's words the site is about "clearing the clutter so we can focus on what's important".
- Child Line UK - Help and support of all sorts for kids in the U.K., with great sections on dealing with mental health issues available to all.
- Postive Psychology Program on CBT - A brilliant article that breaks down what CBT is, how it can help, and points you to some great resources to get started.
Apps
For iPhone/Android
- MindShift - MindShift is an app designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety, but is just as good for adults.
- SAM App - An anxiety management tool to help you understand and manage your anxious thoughts.
- Smiling Mind - A great app for children, starting at 7 years old, to help them cope with their emotions.
- HeadSpace - The first ten sessions are free, and there is a great deal more content when you purchase a subscription. This app at a basic level helps teach you how to meditate with visual and audio guidance.
- Better Than Before - From the author of the book, a free support app that brings together people who want to be - you guessed it - better than before. The greatest focus is on understanding how to form habits that fit your particular tendency.
- Pocket Mindfulness - Bite sized pieces. Great for those who want to learn a little more, but are overwhelmed on where to start.
- DBT Diary Card and Skills Coach - Designed by a licensed clinical psychologst, this app is best used in conjunction with a therapist or to refresh yourself on DBT methods. There's even a user manual on how to use it.
- Insight Timer - Your one stop app for meditations. Over 3,000,000 meditations varying in length and purpose, and over 7000 of those are free. A great place to start with mindfulness, meditation, relaxation, or visualisation.
Podcasts
- The Minimalists - Talks on minimalism, on paring down to find what matters, on living your life in line with your values. Josh & Ryan talk all this and also give advice in response to listeners' questions.
- Happier - From the author of Better than Before and The Happiness Project, two sisters talk happiness and how to make your life a little bit happier.
- Design Matters - Allow Debbie Millman's soothing voice lull you as she interviews various artists, poets, and other "luminaries of contemporary thought."
- Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert - Each episode Elizabeth Gilbert helps someone discover their calling. Hopeful, helpful, and wonderful.
- The Simple Life - More practical guidance on making your life a little more simple and a lot more happy.
- Tim Ferris Show - This podcaster interviews world class performers from all walks of life, collating their tips & tricks for sucess and for dealing with life's trials and tribulations.
Books
- The Happiness Project & Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin - Two books that offer guidance, resources, and practical tips for identifying who you are and what you want, to make better habits and become happier.
- The Anxiety Toolkit : Strategies for Fine-Tuning Your Mind and Moving Past Your Stuck Points by Alice Boyes - By former clinical psychologist Dr Alice Boyes, this book uses a combination of CBT, self-compassion, mindfulness, and other approaches to help you manage your mind.
- A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton - An introduction to the art of thinking, a collective introduction to the words of the wise.
- Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth - A children's book featuring small, bite size stories on zen philosophy, rendered in breath taking watercolours.
- The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer - The art of asking, the art of giving, and the art of taking, lie within these pages. The audiobook, narrated by the author and adorned with her music, is particularly delightful.
- The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday - Daily meditations on the wisdom of the stoics. Whether you take away all the teachings, or just a few, peace can be found in challenging your assumptions.