Stories Behind Things

03/01/2023

JANUARY HOROSCOPES 🔮🔮 New year new me—Can astrology help you save the planet?

Happy new year! 2023 is a year of community, leadership and innovation. Think about how you can integrate these key phrases into your daily commitments. On January 6th, the sky is graced with a Full Moon in Cancer. This is a chance to prioritise radical self care and regular check-ins with your body wisdom. This transit is an invitation to delve into what it means to merge the wisdom of the heart and mind. If you’ve been feeling tension lately, this is a good time to see where you feel it in your body, as the body keeps the score. On January 12th, Mars goes direct, which can catapult you into a whole new direction. Feel free to take a breath of relief, as the communication hotlines are clear without cosmic interference on January 18th as Mercury retrograde comes to an end. Fast forward to January 20th, we wish the radical Aquarius clan a happy solar return. Last but not least, we can celebrate a new lease of life on January 21st with the New Moon in Aquarius. This is an incredible time to set new intentions where you can fully commit to change. 

Head to to read January’s intentions, all individual horoscopes and journal questions—via the link in our bio 🔗⁠

This series is brought to you by Skydiamond Made From The Sky To Protect The Earth. Words by the Stories Behind Things resident astrologist Sade

03/11/2020

Sending love and thoughts to our community, brands, shop owners and friends as we head into the second national lockdown here in the UK. This week marks the eighth month of being under some form of lockdown measures, and as we head into the winter months many of us are feeling the strain on our mental health. ⁣
⁣
How are you prioritising your mental health? Here are 10 reminders ♥️
⁣
1. Cut yourself some slack / Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Some days you will do the bare minimum – and that is okay.⁣
⁣
2. Routine / Having some sort of structure to our days helps us feel more in control of things, and helps reduce stress levels.⁣
⁣
3. Mindfulness / This doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as easy as taking a few deep breaths.⁣
⁣
4. Talking / The simple act of talking about what’s worrying you can do wonders for your mental health. See below for a support line if you don’t feel like you can talk to loved ones. ⁣
⁣
5. Helpful distractions / Things like cooking, painting, puzzles, reading, watching a film, or even colouring in can provide welcome distraction in times like these. ⁣
⁣
6. Exercise / As we know, physical exercise has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing. Even 10 minutes of brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood.⁣
⁣
7. Gratitude / Finding things you are grateful for each day can boost your mood, and change the way you perceive situations.⁣
⁣
8. Celebrate small wins / Any activity you complete will make you feel good, if you allow yourself to address your victory. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by a long to-do-list, so break it down and work through it stage by stage.
⁣
9. Take a break from social media / Consider taking a break or limiting how you use social media. Taking a break from devices before bedtime can also boost the quality of the sleep we get.⁣
⁣
10. BREATHE. Breathing can relax our nervous system and help keep calm during moments of panic or stress.

If your mental or emotional state quickly dips, or you’re worried about someone you know – help is available. Talk to your GP, or call the Samaritans on 0800 58 58 58.

03/11/2020

New story online • ‘Climate Change And Colonialism — The Fight For Social and Climate Justice’

“When talking about climate change, one has to acknowledge colonialism; the overlap between the start of ecocide and the UK's imperialist past cannot be overlooked. With land exploited and destroyed, and inhabitants subjugated and oppressed, the two come hand in hand to begin the journey into planetary and societal destruction. Ella Le’tang states that “True environmental advocacy must involve amplifying black, brown and indigenous voices. Globally, and in the UK, People of Colour contribute least to causing climate change but are most likely to be affected by it. Yet environmental activism still lacks representation and diversity. People in the global south often get the blame for climate change when it’s main cause is overconsumption by big businesses and the wealthy. Of course, the impacts of British imperialism and the industrial revolution are key when considering this. BIPOC voices often go unheard within climate movements and until that changes, climate justice cannot be achieved. What is happening is a direct result of the ‘engineers’; from colonialism to capitalism, the people and the planet are exploited. The need for profit overriding the need for change, and with a mere 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions. Unfortunately, whilst the rich exploit, the vulnerable suffer, a repeated narrative that needs to change.”

Read the full story at www.storiesbehindthings.com/stories & for further learning on this subject:

1. Watch – YouTube: Black Community Rising, Climate Justice
2. Read – Wretched of the Earth  
3. Listen – Climate 2020 (Episode 42): Making The Climate Movement Anti-Racist w/ Dr. Robert Bullard
4. Follow – Air Collective UK (Against Institutional Racism)

Words by / Scarlett Buckley
Guest words / Ella L’etang Co-Founder of AIR (Against Institutional Racism) a Black and POC led campaign group, supported by a network of allies who work to breathe a new life into anti-racist activism in the UK.

29/10/2020

Introducing The Seasonal Shop — a new narrative led shopping experience. ⁣
⁣
Each season we’ll be sharing the stories of new innovative products, brands and experiences for you to explore. Sustainability will be at the forefront of each listing, in a bid to reconnect to what we are consuming and why. We hope The Seasonal Shop can be a space to discover new narratives and inspire you to live in line with your values every day, as well as learning more about sustainability. We have exciting plans for The Seasonal Shop in the future, so keep your eyes peeled for new announcements along the way!⁣
⁣
For our launch, we have sourced a selection of brands who we admire, that we wanted to celebrate the first season of our new venture alongside. To amplify, share and celebrate their sustainability stories with the world. So, without further ado... Head to our stories to meet this seasons collection and explore The Seasonal Shop! ⁣
⁣

09/02/2019

Have you got your ticket to The Big Clothes Switch? One week today!

THE BIG CLOTHES SWITCH // JEWELLERY MARKET. Brought to you by Stories Behind Things. We invite you to a clothes switching expereience filled with curated pre-loved items for both Men & Women. Accompanied by a jewellery market place, filled with sustainable London-based makers. What is a Clothes Swit...

25/01/2019

Tickets for The Big Clothes Switch // Wellness Market - March 23rd

THE BIG CLOTHES SWITCH // WELLNESS MARKET. Brought to you by Stories Behind Things. We invite you to a clothes switching expereience filled with curated pre-loved items for both Men & Women. Accompanied by a wellness market place, filled with sustainable London-based makers. What is a Clothes Switch...

25/01/2019

Tickets for The Big Clothes Switch // Jewellery Market - Feb 16th

THE BIG CLOTHES SWITCH // JEWELLERY MARKET. Brought to you by Stories Behind Things. We invite you to a clothes switching expereience filled with curated pre-loved items for both Men & Women. Accompanied by a jewellery market place, filled with sustainable London-based makers. What is a Clothes Swit...