A Photo a Day for a Brighter Today: Finding Mindfulness and Meaning in Everyday Moments
As the nights draw in and the days feel shorter, many of us struggle with energy, focus, and mood. Winter can be a difficult season to navigate – particularly for those living with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). But while we can’t change the weather, we can change how we notice and respond to the world around us.
That’s the simple idea behind My Years in Photos. For two years now, I’ve committed to taking one photo every single day, this photo was taken on January 15th 2025. Not of grand landscapes or exotic travels – but of the ordinary, everyday places close to home. On weekends, I’m often at Clumber Park. During the week, it might be in a customer’s garden somewhere in Nottinghamshire or Lincolnshire. Other days, it’s just a moment captured while walking the dog near my house. All taken on my phone – no special equipment, no elaborate planning – just whatever caught my eye that day.
What might surprise you is how much joy and perspective can be found in these ordinary moments. A bee visiting a flower, a burst of colour in the hedgerow, frost on a leaf, or the soft light of a winter morning. Each photo is paired with a few words – sometimes a reflection, sometimes a little fact, and often a bad dad joke!
The result is more than just a set of pictures. It’s a daily practice in mindfulness. Each photo is a reminder to slow down, notice the details, and take pleasure in what might otherwise go unseen. And as many readers have kindly told me, these photos have a ripple effect: they inspire others to get outside, to look more closely, and to take comfort in the small things – even in the darker months.
This project became the foundation for my books, My Years in Photos. Each volume gathers together a year’s worth of daily snapshots, creating a collection that is at once a nature diary, a wellbeing resource, and a light-hearted companion for the coffee table.
And there’s another layer of meaning too. Every single penny from sales of the books goes directly to two charities that do incredible work: Bassetlaw Hospice and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. So when someone picks up one of these books, they’re not just buying a collection of photos – they’re supporting two organisations that provide care, compassion, and conservation in our communities.
So if you’re looking for a way to bring a little more light into your days this winter, I invite you to explore My Years in Photos. Whether you want a daily spark of nature, a gentle prompt for mindfulness, or a meaningful gift for a friend, I hope these books can provide a lift.
👉 Find out more here: https://www.greencatbooks.com/product-page/photo-diary-set