Happiful – Issue 109 2026
Summary
Happiful Issue 109 (2026, £5.99) — Fur, Pearls of Wisdom — explores rewilding your garden, life after therapy, going analogue to disconnect from online culture, ageing well with shibu (Japanese wisdom), singing for calm, and the tool for envisioning your best possible self. The cover theme asks readers to redefine their perspective on the passage of time and find freedom in nature-led living.
Content Guide
▸ Everyday Wellbeing
p.12: Going analogue — Disconnect from online culture and find peace in tactile hobbies like journaling, gardening and hand crafts.
p.14: Ageing well with shibu — An alternative Japanese perspective on the beauty and wisdom of a life well-lived, embracing the patina of age rather than fighting it.
p.25: Rewild your garden — Weed out perfectionism and find freedom in meadowscaping instead of manicured lawns.
p.54: Let me overthink this — How careful reflection can become a strength rather than a stressor.
▸ Relationships
p.35: Parent trap — Break free from difficult interactions with the people who raised you, using boundary-setting frameworks.
p.38: Cultural connections — How to find a therapist who understands where you are coming from culturally.
p.47: Teachers under pressure — The emotional load carried by school staff.
▸ Try This at Home
p.22: Find your advantage — How to alchemise rejection into something more positive using reframing techniques.
p.52: Pressure points — Acupressure tips for a gentle practice you can do from anywhere.
p.62: Start swishing — Try this NLP hack to banish unwanted habits and start afresh.
▸ Wellbeing
p.24: Allow yourself to grieve — Processing loss looks different for everyone; there is no correct timeline.
p.41: Lessons learned — How to carry the insights from therapy into your next chapter after sessions end.
p.66: Write this way — Five creative writing approaches for effective emotional release.
p.67: Unpacking anxiety — Guided prompts to explore anxious thoughts.
▸ Food & Health
p.18: Budget-friendly bites — Replace your regular meal deal with this nutritious homemade alternative.
p.63: Meal planning 101 — Master your weekly menu with guidance from a nutritionist.
Editor's Take
Issue 109's strongest feature is the going-analogue article (p.12), which identifies the digital-exhaustion trend and offers specific tactile alternatives rather than just describing the problem. The rewild-your-garden piece (p.25) is the second standout, converting a gardening trend into a mental health intervention with clear steps. The weakest element is the NLP swishing technique (p.62), which presents a controversial modality without the evidence caveats that responsible mental health journalism requires. This issue suits readers feeling overwhelmed by digital culture who want permission to slow down and reconnect with analogue life.
Strengths
• Going-analogue feature offers specific digital-detox alternatives with real-world application steps
• Rewild-your-garden piece translates a gardening trend into a structured mental health practice
• Life-after-therapy article addresses a genuine gap in mental health support content
Weaknesses
• NLP swishing technique is presented without evidence-base caveats
• Shibu feature romanticises Japanese culture without critical depth
Verdict: Recommended — The analogue-living and rewilding features give this issue a coherent anti-digital thesis, though the alternative-therapy content is unevenly scrutinised.
