Category: Uncategorized

Many of you (of course!) have been eagerly anticipating World Bicycle Day!

There are 2 billion bicycles in the world; that averages out to about one per family for the whole planet! This contrasts spectacularly with only 92 million cars. So, clearly bicycles are the world’s favourite mode of transport.

Here in the UK there are around 3m new bikes bought each year (that compares to 2.5 million new cars). Since lockdown, bicycle sales have boomed by 500%. And that can only be a good thing: it’s a cleaner, healthier, more fun way to commute or enjoy your leisure time. It you haven’t been out peddling by now, get your rusty bike out of the shed and make it road-ready… or maybe buy yourself a new one? It’s a good excuse!

Send one of these invitations your cycle chums and do yourself and the planet some good.

Image courtesy of Xavi Cabrera

When this is all over, I’ll visit my Mum.
We’ll sit in her garden drinking Pimm’s in the sun.

When this is all over, I’ll throw a huge BBQ.
I’ll hug all my friends and really stick to them like glue.

When this is all over, I’ll jump in my car.
I’ll drive just for the sake of it, to spaces wide and far.

When this is all over, I’ll visit the sea.
I’ll eat chips by the shore, dipped in mushy peas.

When this is all over, I’ll think about what we’ve lost.
Livelihoods and loved ones were too high a cost.

When this is all over, I’ll be still for a while.
I’ll think about the future and then raise a brave smile.

I’ll find the right Moments, to write and to send
For when this is all over…. we will all be best friends

… I need help.

Sometimes life throws lemons at us; but perhaps making lemonade isn’t exactly your thing. So, what do we do about it? Did we think to ask one of our best friends or family to help? Or did we just awkwardly say nothing and let it pass?

For some reason, many of us feel we have to single-handedly tackle the Krackens in our lives without asking for help. Whether it’s a little leg-up with the tiny things, or a catapult for the huge stuff: being honest about when we need help seems really bloomin’ hard. And modern-day pressure doesn’t help either. We are, after all, expected to have a career, an instagrammable social life, an enviable family life, a few cool hobbies and now; we are also expected to know the latest Tik-Tok dance for some stupid song about Carole-sodding-Baskin (who??)!

Whatever the reasons for our self-imposed struggle to say ‘yes, please – I need help’; it is not cool and it’s definitely not good for us. All it does is set us up for more struggle, more feelings of inadequacy and thus, the circle continues.

If you find yourself in this kind of swamp or know someone who is, remember that there are many ways to reach out and say ‘I need help’ or ‘do you need a hand?’ Whether it’s a visual cue for that emotion or just a conversation starter: there are lots of Moments that can raise a hand to let someone know that help is needed or is at hand.

All we have to do is take that one small step – and that’s the hardest bit done. So why not start now? Now is always better than tomorrow.

Image courtesy of Noah Buscher

The Beatles once sang: “I get by with a little help from my friends…” and that has never been more true than today. But what about our hairy little chums at home? How are they coping with lockdown without their furry friends to help them get by?

Now, if your dog or cat had opposable thumbs and access to your mobile phone what missives might they be sending their wee chums? We’ve put our creative team to good use and asked them to imagine what Moments our pets might want to send to their chums if they could. And they came up with some butt-sniffing, post scratching and other pet-to-pet-related themes to test the idea out. See what delightful messages they came up with:

“Long time no pee on your lamp post. Ah… missing good times! xx”
“OK, I love you, but it’s my turf. Don’t forget……… xx”
“What’s this ‘lockdown’ thing?? Fancy running away together… Dreaming of it xx”
“My master bought me a new bed. Wish you could snuggle-up in it with me. Luv ya! xx”

So there you have it, if your pet could use your Be Momentful app, they’d be running riot through your credits. And providing a lesson to us all: keep the butt-sniffing up! Try these Moments to keep in touch with your friends AND THEIR PETS!

Many of us have family and loved ones who are overseas – working, emigrated or part of a global, multi-national family. I guess we’re starting to wonder when we might see them again. Some experts are saying that it maybe 12-28 months before many borders are re-opened and safe for overseas travel. Maybe it just simply won’t be the same again; no more just hopping on a plane and jetting off at the drop of a hat.

It’s hard to think that many wonderful occasions like big birthday’s, weddings, engagements and Christenings will have to have a few absent friends missing from the table. All of a sudden, the world has become a much bigger and more dangerous place. It feels almost like we’re about to take a step back 50-60 years when foreign travel was less common, more expensive and not so easy to do. Now that’s real social distance! Perhaps it’s something we’ll all have to get used to?

Absence does make the heart grow fonder and we should all think about our loved ones overseas and hope they stay safe and well. Reunions can wait. Until then, why not keep in touch daily… there’s a Moment for every moment. So, there’s no need to feel apart, even if you are.

Be Momentful’s own in-house psychologist, Louise, helps bring some perspective to what we might be experiencing during lockdown.

“The idea of taking an extended ‘stay at home’ break might have sounded a pretty easy touch to some: a bit of a break from the normal hectic routine; going to work in your pyjamas! But in reality, we are now scrambling to make sense of this unparalleled interruption to our ideas about work / home / productivity / leisure / socialising.

Living with the absence of social interaction is the main and unexpected feature of our new Covid-19 lockdown. Why’s that a big deal? Because we humans are social beings. We require social interactions, both positive and negative, to find our way through our social and work environments. These interactions boost our mental health and provide feelings of worth and belonging. Without these, we risk falling into depression, anxiety and paranoia.

Individuals who now find themselves in social isolation, particularly those who are living alone, are in danger of developing anxiety, paranoia and a reduced tolerance to small stress factors i.e. inability to cope. Early signs such as disrupted sleep patterns, increased napping and lack of motivation or goals may appear. So, as we face a prolonged period of social isolation ahead of us – we should all introduce as many tactics into our daily routine to stave off these effects. For example:

– Make the most of your daily exercise, and make sure you try and spend that time outdoors whenever possible (whilst following social distancing guidelines). Breathe the fresh air. See the Spring appearing around us bringing new life.

– Take time to appreciate what you do have; sit and unwind from the small stresses that build-up with the increased uncertainty that we are currently facing. Remember. We’re all in the same boat. We will be fine if we stick together.

– Finally, whilst social media isn’t always your best friend, in times like this it is an ideal outlet to give you a dose of social interaction needed to keep you going. Just don’t believe half of what you hear! But most of all: connect everyday with your family, friends, and loved ones. One small message will make a world of difference and stop us feeling as if we are alone.”

Stay safe, stay positive and keep sending folks

A very good question once posed by electro-funksters, Basement Jaxx. Thanks guys.

Just as spring edges its way over the murky winter horizon, and our brains, bodies and souls are waking from hibernation, we find ourselves into an extended, enforced isolation. New territory for us all. Some of us might be bouncing of all for walls with vigour and get-go; some of us will feel like we’ve got a hangover. Many of us will be nursing the effects, partially or totally, of a bout of Covid-19.

Spring is supposed to be the starting pistol for all things fresh, new and vibrant. The air smells different, the sun bursts into our days earlier and lingers longer on our skin. There’s an outbreak of new life excitement all around us – births, colour, growth! Yikes!

There will be some of us who feel the energy, but others who aren’t so lucky. For those of you positively bounding into Spring and keeping it all together, keep an eye out for the folks who might have less bounce in their step. They might need a transfusion of your energy to help get their heads in the right place.

No-one asked for this pandemic; no-one wants to be in this position – but we are where we are, and we all have to help each other get through it.

Why not send a Spring inspired Moment to keep things on track.

“’In these uncertain times, I am taken back to my time during World War Two, when we all pulled together and looked after each other. It is this spirit that we all need to find again to weather the storm of the coronavirus (COVID-19).”

These are the words from wartime singer, Dame Vera Lynn, now 102, who rose to fame in 1939 singing “We’ll Meet Again” to the British troops stationed abroad during World War II.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, and wholeheartedly recommend giving the track a good listen during these difficult and worrying times…

“Keep smiling through,
Just like you always do,
‘Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away”

Here are a selection of Moments to send to anyone you feel might need a bit of sparkle bringing to their day.

It’s Employee Appreciation Day and our very own Steve at Be Momentful helps companies to improve employee wellbeing in the workplace through using the app. Here’s his take on the importance of appreciation and recognition at work.

“Saying ‘thank you’. It’s such a simple gesture. Often forgotten. Sometimes neglected. Always appreciated. Always important. Great that there is now an official day for Employee Appreciation- BUT JUST THE ONE!?

We’ve all been there at one time or another. We’ve taken one for the team. We’ve gone above and beyond. We’ve cancelled plans and worked until late. We’ve swapped shifts at no-notice and we’ve offered our emotional support…for free! That’s because we’re caring, sharing people: a credit to our managers and our companies. Ideally, we would expect a bone of gratitude thrown back our way, right? Erm…sadly that’s not always the case. Come on, admit it – we’ve all been guilty of occasionally forgetting to show our appreciation as well as not receiving it.

So, when did saying ‘thank you’ get so damned challenging? Did we run out of new ways to say it, so assumed it was best just to give up entirely? Are we that busy we don’t have the time these days? Better things to do? Or maybe we’re worried that an email or instant message saying ‘thanks’ (emoji thumbs-up) just isn’t enough anymore? Seems like saying the right thing; in the right way; at the right time: a is becoming a dying art.

That’s a shame. Because we really can’t place a monetary value on that warm, fuzzy feeling that we get whenever someone reaches out with a personal touch and extends their gratitude. It’s a beautiful, human emotion that from a work perspective, can make all the difference between an ‘ok’ day, and a great day. Or turn a stressful one, to a worthwhile one.

Can’t argue, right? So, let’s all try harder to spread some smiles around our workplaces.”

If you’d like to know how Be Momentful can boost employee wellbeing in your workplace contact Steve (ask@1616.media) or just send a deserving colleague one of these Moments.

All this month, with the transition from dark winter to lighter spring on the way, we’re going to celebrate the irresistible power of flowers 
Smells, colours, symbols, decorations, gifts interior design, fashion – the power of flowers is versatile and inspiring. No more so than the healing power of flowers.

Some of us may already embrace complimentary therapies which use flower remedies to treat chronic illness and conditions but most of us are blissfully aware that many common-or-garden flowers have proven healing properties. Jasmin, Cornflower, Yarrow, Chamomile, Lavender, Hibiscus and even the humble Marigold: all have traditional healing properties for a wide-ranging set of ailments such as high blood pressure, burns, digestion, immunity, gout, headaches, constipation and menstrual pain. 

Flowers are nature’s gift to us. They brighten our lives, shift and change our moods, envelope us with every kind of scent, turn our houses into homes and even heal our wounds.

Use our flower Moments to send someone a tonic for their mind and health.