Turn Off the News: 5 Reasons Life in the UK Is Actually Pretty Good

It’s easy to get dragged into it all isn’t it?

The doom and gloom!

All you have to do is put the news on for five minutes or scroll through social media and you’ll be believing that everyone in Britain hates each other, everything is broken, the good old days are behind us and we’re all going to blow up.

I don’t believe it’s all true, not fully… Yeah, I suppose on the international stage there are far too many looneys dropping bombs on each other for my liking but it’s not the first time and it certainly won’t be the last… I can’t solve this problem so I just hope common sense will prevail!

So, in the amidst of all this divide I thought I’d focus on home and share a few things that we can be happy about, because I do believe that there are some things to still be grateful for about living on this little wet rock!

1. You’re Never Far From Somewhere That Clears Your Head.

One of the best things about living in the UK is how quickly you can escape it all, yeah it seems overcrowded but only 6-8 % of the UK is built on, so it doesn’t take much to go somewhere where there is only nature.

It’s easy to finish work, chuck you’re boots in the truck and within an hour you can be somewhere that feels a world away. A ridge, a woodland trail, a canal path, a quiet field with nothing but birds and a breeze.

You don’t need to Queue at an airport or pay over the odds for a train ride, no mucking about, it’s all on your terms!

Just you, your thoughts and space to think! Sometimes, that’s all we need!

2. The Great British Pub.

Yeah, they are closing at a rate of 1 per day, and I am hard pushed to find a positive in this, but I guess that the ones left have upped their game and are serving incredible drink and food, hosting awesome events like music gigs and quiz nights.

So, the pub…. The ones still around are still doing what they do best, serving that wonderful substance called beer!

We are lucky as we are pretty much the only country in the world that serves amazing cask ale! A living natural unbelievably tasty liquid! If one of these doesn’t put a smile on your face after a tough day, nothing won’t

You can walk into a pub on your own and leave having had 3 conversations, or you can sit and think, take a moment to unwind, the choice is yours!

There’s something reassuring about that.

In a world that feels more divided than ever, the pub still brings people together, just a shared space serving some beautiful conversation juice.

3. We’re Starting to Push Back Against the Rat Race.

Things are changing, and attitudes with it.

People are getting a bit fed up with the constant rat race and hustle culture, the noise, the pressure to always be “on”.

People are choosing a different approach to life…. They’re choosing LIFE!

Cold water swimming, Fire pits in the garden, wild camping, van life, big hikes and even BBQs in the winter! (One of my personal favourites)

We’re all realising that this modern world isn’t great for our mental health, but being outside in nature and slowing down is!

4. We Have Seasons

We moan about the weather an awful lot, I’m guilty of it. I’ll admit I need plenty of vitamin D to keep me half normal….

Moaning about the weather is a British tradition, it’s too cold, it’s too wet blah blah blah… Then 22 degrees hits and everyone loses their mind!!

But the thing is, you feel the year in this country.

The different holidays would be nothing without the seasons… Christmas would be rubbish in the Summer, Autumn is MADE for Bonfire Night!! And how good does Spring make Easter feel??

Summer always feels so much better after a long winter, like we’ve earned it… I do often think about leaving, but I just know I’d miss the seasons!

5. History is Everywhere

It’s a cultural little rock isn’t it really? We’ve been going for thousands of years!

You don’t even need to go looking for it, you can trip over it! We’ve got pubs older than the USA for crying out loud!

For example, in The Lake District, over Hard Knott Pass, which by the way is a car killer! There is a Roman Fort, ruins obviously, but a fort none the less, just a little sign that says, “Hard Knott Fort” Just a thousand-year-old structure next to the road! You don’t have to pay, it’s there to just look at!

Hard Knott isn’t the only example, there’s castles here there and everywhere, stately homes, bath houses, walled cities and towns, just history EVERYWHERE!!

And the best thing about it, a lot of it is FREE to see!

Final Thought

Look, I’m not saying everything’s perfect. It’s not.

But it never was.

And if you base your view of the world purely on headlines and social media posts you’re doomed for a lifetime of misery.

Because to quote Gandalf the Grey: “I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.” So get out there into nature, go to the pub, and experience those everyday moments and you’ll see there’s still plenty to be grateful for.

You’ve just got to go and find it.

Have a beer and cheer up!

TM

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