Craig Heathcote | Author | Minka Guides

Mental wellbeing during lockdown - banner CREDIT Craig Heathcote

Enhancing your mental wellbeing during winter lockdown (guest blog)

As someone who’s worked from home for the past few years and encountered many mental health bumps along the way,... Read More

It's all good now 👯‍♀️ Having a dance to

It's all good now 👯‍♀️ Having a dance to @jungle4eva as I made it through a really tough week ❤️ Who else is ready for the Bank Holiday Weekend? 🌞

I promise this isn't an advert 🍫 Every month,

I promise this isn't an advert 🍫 Every month, when I was pre-menstrual, I used to create a 'snack pack' 🎒 I'd take my backpack to a the supermarket and buy enough chocolate, candy and crisps to fill it. I'd then binge on all of this for the next 48 hours as I rode the emotional rollercoaster 🎢 To me, it was impossible to get through this part of my cycle without a whole load of refined sugar 🍬 So much so, I would have laughed if you'd told me I would manage to stop eating it. But the more I read up about my hormones, the more I realised that all this junk food I ate to help soothe my menstrual woes was probably making it worse. So, a year ago, I decided to see if a) it was possible to cut refined sugar out of my diet and b) if it had a positive impact on my hormones. The result: a massive YES to both of these ☺️ Not only do I feel a lot more in control of my moods each month now, I also have found some really delicious treats that are still sweet but don't give me an addictive sugar rush that leaves me with endless cravings. **If you're interested to know more, click the link in my bio to have a read** I've had a go at baking cookies 🍪 and even making my own ice cream 🍧 But the treat I love most is @ombarchocolate 😋 Their caco-rich bars and blocks not only contain zero refined sugar, but they are probably the best chocolate I've ever tried. Delish 🍫

Oh, HELLO there spring! 🌞🦋🌺 Sweet Jesus,

Oh, HELLO there spring! 🌞🦋🌺 Sweet Jesus, wasn't that the longest winter of our lives? 🙃 And now, a sense of hope is finally sprouting up around us! 🌈 I spent the last week writing my London spring guide, full of all the fabulous things we can legitimately see and do this season 🌷 **Click the link in my bio to have a read** I became so excited writing this guide that in the past couple of days I've booked not only brunch at @costadeltottenham and a Sunday afternoon boogie at @ecstaticdance.uk but also a trip to Kew Gardens! Yes, I'm finally going there to check out their Naturally Brilliant Colours display, which opens in May! 💛🧡❤️💜💚💙 What plans are you excited about this spring?

Happy International Women's Day! 💪 Hello lovel

Happy International Women's Day! 💪 Hello lovely people 👋 How have you all been this past month? I've been... 🙃 A couple of days after my 40th birthday, I discovered I might have to move house 🚚 This was completely unexpected, to say the least. I'd been intending to stay in my lovely house for some time to come 🏡 The surprising thing was that as soon as I found out, my first reaction wasn't one of stress. My inner voice said: yes. This is what you're meant to do now. It's time to be a bit more free 🐦 I suppose after having been grounded at home for the past year, having given up all my travel plans, the universe wanted to give me a BIG push forward ✨ Suddenly, I had to do a lot of big thinking about what I wanted to do with my life and a lot of work making it happen. All in a matter of weeks 😬 So this photo is a picture of me putting 90% of my belongings into storage for the foreseeable future. The amazing women at @the.female.advantage helped me sort EVERYTHING out so seamlessly that they are a huge part of the reason I've been in quite a calm place about making this decision 🧘‍♀️ **If you're moving house in London or the South East of England, I cannot recommend this women-powered removalist company enough** 💪 I also have been overwhelmed by the incredible amount of love and support I've received from my amazing friends. So many people came through for me in such amazing ways ❤️ I've really begun to understand the true power of friendship and community in this past month! As for me, I've packed a massive suitcase and gone to live in a BIG QUEER MANSION in South London with @myrear_callus and @pplantz for the next few months, while I wait to get vaccinated 😷 After that, who knows 🤷‍♀️ I'm not making a plan for now but waiting to see what adventures are possible in these crazy times ✈️

Hello 40 🥳 For this milestone birthday, I boug

Hello 40 🥳 For this milestone birthday, I bought myself a copy of my favourite children's book, The Paper Bag Princess by @munschrobert 👑 Over the years, I've often thought about the impact this alternative feminist fairy tale had on little me. Turns out, this book and I are the same age! @annick_press printed a beautiful hardcover 40th anniversary edition for International Women's Day last year, so it felt like the perfect gift 🎁 Click the link in my bio to discover what lessons I have now taken from it 👆

That great philosopher Carrie Bradshaw once said..

That great philosopher Carrie Bradshaw once said... “Enjoy yourself… that’s what your 20s are for. Your 30s are to learn the lessons. Your 40s are to pay for the drinks.” Click the link in my bio to discover everything my 30s taught me ☝️ Now, pass me that cocktail list 🍸 📷: me aged 34 at the @sixtyhotels Lower East Side, Manhattan. Autumn, 2015.