5 Ways To Well with Zoë Cousens

Garden Designer Zoë, founder of Botanica Garden Design, shares her 5 wellbeing essentials with us.

 

 

1.  Gardening. 

As a garden designer, it's no surprise that I achieve my wellness goals on a daily basis through gardening and being in nature, hopefully catching a few rays of sunshine. We know that spending time outside boosts our mood, and digging, planting and stretching all help to improve strength, flexibility and circulation so I'm lucky that my favourite way to unwind is also how I earn a living.

 

2.  Family Time.

Moving back to Guernsey to be close to my son, daughter-in-law and their growing family has been one of my best decisions. Spending time with my three grandsons brings me enormous joy, watching them learn and grow so fast. Being with them is a great way of prioritising what's important in life and keeping perspective on life's everyday challenges.

 

3.  Padel Tennis.

I love to play padel tennis, usually twice a week in a social group. It's great fun and non-stop exercise for an hour and a half, when I push myself far more than I ever would in a gym session, so even on days when I haven't played so well, it's very rewarding and I feel a real sense of achievement (although I probably ache all over!). 

 

4.  Learning.

I dislike wasting time and it's more noticeable as I grow older! Since starting my business last year, I’ve loved learning more about gardening and a variety of other subjects. Keeping our brains active is especially important as we age, so I regularly sign up for online courses. I've just discovered the Open University has nearly 1,000 free short courses so I'm about to start learning about all sorts of random topics!

 

5.  Freedom.

Leaving the formal workplace over a decade ago gave me the freedom to take risks, explore new ideas, travel widely and learn from other cultures. Not everything worked out as planned, but every experience enriched my life. Now, back on my home island with a fresh mindset, my feeling of wellbeing comes from being focused on my family and developing my new business, and I feel happy, settled and optimistic for the future.