Return of the Light Episode 1 - TENDER

If you’re not yet ready to come out of hibernation then this episode is for you.

Editor, Lisa Sykes, and wellbeing editor, Rebecca Frank are being kind to themselves, enjoying animal love stories, hugs and other tender gestures, learning how to seek out glimmers, make amends and discovering the importance of saying sorry.

Editing and music by Arthur Cosslett. Season 5: Return of the light is supported by Blackdown Shepherd Huts

Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live.

You can try an immediate start subscription at www.thesimplethings.com/subscribe and receive the current issue straight away, or buy current and back issues at https://picsandink.com/collections/the-simple-things. If you can’t find the issue you’re looking for send us an email [email protected]

Editing & music by Arthur Cosslett

To read:

Self-Care For Winter: Seven Steps To Thriving In The Colder Months by Suzy Reading (Aster)

Talk: The Science of Conversation and The Art of Being Ourselves by Alison Wood Brooks (Penguin Life)

How To Have Extraordinary Relationships by Lucy Cavendish (Hardie Grant)

Why Buy Roses in February? Campaign from SSAW Collective about ethical ways of working with seasonal produce.

To listen:

Vardrypp – from a Norwegian reader, it's about the moment when the snow starts to melt / drip and you know winter is ending and spring is coming (March in Norway)

Sunshine and Moonbeams by reader Louise Ashcroft

Team TST’s mixtape playlist – all about the songs we remembered from mix tapes past

To buy:

Valentine’s Day alternative ideas:

Scented narcissi www.scillyflowers.co.uk

Devil’s ivy (Golden Pothos)

String of hearts (Ceropegia Woodii)

From The Simple Things:

In the February GLIMMER issue:

Kitchen therapy: feeding your senses

Glimmers: small moments of joy

Animal love matches

Coming up in the March MEND issue (order via picsandink.com from 20 February)

Making amends: how to say sorry

Clementine Curd recipe

Flourish – volume 3 of our wellbeing bookazine

You can try an immediate start subscription at www.thesimplethings.com/subscribe and receive the current issue straight away, or buy current and back issues at https://picsandink.com/collections/the-simple-things. If you can’t find the issue you’re looking for send us an email hello@picsandink.

Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live. 

Hosted by the Editor, Lisa Sykes, in Season 5: Return of the light, she’ll be seeking out glimpses of spring, shrugging off winter and embracing some self-care, alongside wellbeing editor Becs Frank and regular contributor Jo Tinsley. 

 

The beginning of February marks the half-way point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, from here on in there are increasing glimpses of spring right through to the clocks going forward in late March when hopefully the proverbial lion turns into a lamb. This is an optimistic, forward-looking time, when we’re more than ready to come out of hibernation to take on new projects. And there are festivals and feasts to brighten the still grey days. February is the chilliest month but it’s all about cold hands and warm hearts.

Let our podcast be your soothing companion to see out winter and welcome in spring.  Six episodes released weekly from 9 February. Plus don’t miss our Easter Special on Good Friday. Season 5: Return of the Light is supported by Blackdown Shepherd Huts

 

To subscribe or order a copy of The Simple Things visit thesimplethings.com

• No. of episodes: 31
• Latest episode: 2025-04-18
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