In episode 6 of Words & Wine, I share 3 books that I've found to be uplifting and a great source of comfort in times of sadness:

- The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

- The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton

- Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

Feeling sad from time-to-time is ok - it is a necessary and important part of life. This is one of the things I love about Pixar's "Inside Out". This story so clearly shows the role sadness plays in our lives.

If we can get curious about our feelings, this can also lead us to better understand ourselves and the world around us.

This is something I think that our culture has shied away from, urging us to cover up and hide our pain and hurt. You know to "put on a brave face".

I think reading books is a gentle, soothing way to help us to sit with our pain, sadness and discomfort rather than try to escape it.

As I say in this video - I am not a healthcare professional and I encourage anyone who feels depressed (as I have in various times throughout my life) to seek help with their doctor, psychologist or relevant healthcare professional.

For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention across Australia contact lifeline:

Phone: 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

For international support, the IASP provides a number of resources as well as a directory for crisis centres across the globe:

https://www.iasp.info/

https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/