Every now and again just take five minutes out.

Go into a protective balloon.

Get out into a nature place.

    Throughout the day we are bombarded with noise and information from radio, television, phone, computer etc. This information is often negative and disturbing and causes us to think that the world is always a dangerous and nasty place. This is not so. During this five minutes allow yourself to find your own peaceful place whither through prayer or a quiet contemplation on what you are doing, like a simple task of washing up or cleaning

    This was a tip given to me by a therapist. If you feel in danger or sense that people are being hostile imagine that you are surrounded by a coloured balloon. Choose your own colour and shape but it might be a nice purple or green or yellow, any colour that you fancy. Imagine that negative feelings or harmful thoughts aimed at you are blocked off and imbedded in the skin of this wonderful balloon. You only allow good and positive influences to come through the membrane of this special balloon. You are safe, yet able to function in the real world. It might sound a bit wacky, but do you know something? It works.

   Try and find a local park or canal and allow yourself to drift back to roots. Nature in all its many beautiful forms is soothing and sympathetic to our moods and feeling. Green is an exceedingly healing colour and the myriad of colours in nature?s palette can fill our vacuum of want. Try Regent?s Park. Kensington Gardens, Hampstead Heath, the lovely local park, Paddington Recreation Ground, or the many local little parks and squares in our great city of London. Water sends out vibes of peace and easy movement and shares it?s tranquillity. Walk along the canal to Camden Town or the other way towards Willesden. I walked past a standing crane within a distance of a few feet on a recent walk to Camden, and it never batted an eye. It was a real pleasure.

Go into a shopping centre or area.

Do something even slightly creative.

  You don?t have to spend any or very little money yet feel in the thick of things and enjoy the sociability of others. Whiteleys shopping centre in Bayswater is awash with things to see and do like Book Etc.?s. which is a fantastic book store with the facilities to have a drink or a cup of tea and the book of your choice to browse through. Upstairs in the top gallery there is nearly always an exhibition of very interesting art and you can at least pretend that you can purchase - you will one day. There are bands and festivals and local radio and events of all sorts. Its really cool. Get down there. How about Camden market for the trendy. It has everything you can think of and lots more and you pick up the energy and feel good.

  There are lots of ways of being creative besides painting the Cistine Chapel or the Mona Lisa. Even a letter to your friend (or at a stretch to your bank manager) or maybe to your local paper to campaign for a local improvement. Prepare yourself a tasty, healthy meal, and savour its goodness with a quiet thankfulness. Give something to nature like a bird box and keep it filled with seeds during the harsh winter months. Give and you will receive is not jusy a silly quote from the Bible - it works.