A brilliant little box...

What’s your go-to action when you’re feeling a bit down? Common coping strategies include making a cup of tea, ringing a friend or having a bath. But what if it’s the middle of the night? What if you’re friend isn’t available?

Introducing…

The Staying Well Box*

*Name copyright: Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust ‘Staying Well’ booklet

A box filled with edible, comforting, distracting and confidence-boosting objects to keep those negative thoughts at bay.

OK, so I’m not claiming it’s going to change your life. However, if you can gain a moment of happiness, or, at the very least, a distraction the goal will have been accomplished.

Plus… it’s fun to make!

What you’ll need:

A Box or Bag 

It can be as large or small as you like, although in order to fit everything in I’d recommend a box at least 30 cm wide and 15cm deep. A shoebox would be ideal. If you’re willing to spend a little money, Wilkinsons have some nice patterned boxes from about £2/3. See: http://www.wilko.com/fable-stationery/wilko-fable-gift-box/invt/0404781 Alternatively, you could decorate  a shoebox with wrapping paper.   

Something to make you smile 

The first item in your box should be something that makes you smile. This could be a funny Birthday card or a photo of you and your mate pulling a weird face. It could even be a book of jokes or a quote from your favourite comedian. 

Something sentimental 

You might choose to place in your box something that reminds you of a happy event, or a time when you were enjoying yourself. It might be a plane ticket from your last holiday, or a picture from when you went out with your friends. If you have children, why not put in something they’ve drawn at school? It’s fine to put in a picture of a grandparent or parent you’ve lost, but it’s probably best to avoid anything that would trigger extremes of emotion. 

Something to wipe away the tears 

If, like me, the sight of your sentimental item gets you crying even harder than you were in the first place, it’s a good idea to have some tissues or a hankie at hand! 

Something to smell 

Once you’ve had a good old nose-blow, it’s time to turn to your nicely scented object. It could be a candle, some perfume (sample sticks are ideal) or even pot pourri. Personally, I have some whole coffee beans (definitely not stolen from my last café job…) in a sandwich bag, because I really like the scent. 

Something to play with 

If you tend to get anxious and fidgety then you might consider giving your hands a distraction whilst you’re feeling this way. Try a stress ball or if you can’t get one, a soft children’s ball would be fine. If you’re into crafts you could try putting a square of knitting in your box or some beads to fiddle with. 

Something to distract your mind 

This is really important. You should have something in your box that gives you focus and takes your mind, however fleetingly, away from negative thoughts. In the world of wellbeing, there is a new craze for adult colouring in books. You can get these and some crayons cheaply from the Works or WHSmiths. Or, even more easily and cheaply, you could print some patterns off from the internet. Try this excellent website: http://www.coloring-pages-adults.com/ .Another great resource for keeping you occupied is a book of sudokus, crosswords or wordsearches. You can print them off various websites or get booklets cheaply from a newsagent.

Something to cuddle

I have a strong belief that we all need to get in touch with our inner child from time to time. With this in mind, I’d recommend that you put a small cuddly toy in your box. 

Something to help you relax

If you’re feeling angry, stressed or wound up, why not put something in your box to help reduce tension? A relaxation CD would be ideal. Or a picture of a beautiful landscape. Or your favourite painting. If you’re familiar with relaxation techniques, you might choose to print out a breathing meditation or a visualisation. Try http://www.innerhealthstudio.com/visualization-scripts.html for scripts to print off. 

Something to write in

It often helps to write our feelings down. It’s cheap and easy to put a notebook or piece of paper in your box so you can jot down anything that’s bothering you. 

Something to motivate and inspire you

You may be the sort of person who has really high self-esteem and never doubts themselves. Lucky you. I suspect that actually the majority of us have times when we don’t feel very confident in our selves or our abilities. Why not include some ‘confidence cards’ in your box. Simply write some quotes about yourself on a piece of card and paper, or, if you’re struggling, get a friend or family member to help you identify positives about yourself. It might be “I am a fun person, who people enjoy being around”, or “I look after my mum/dad/son/daughter when she/he is not feeling well”. 

Something to eat

Last, but not least, you might like to put in your box something you enjoy eating. It could be a small chocolate bar or a bag of your favourite sweets. If you prefer a healthier snack, try a bag of dried fruit or nuts.

If you’ve got this far… well done! Of course, there are so many other things you could include in your box. Thanks for reading and do let me know your thoughts or suggestions in the comments box below.