It happens to all of us at one time or another. Everything around us seems to be going wrong. The weather is terrible; the water supply is erratic; your child has a toothache that is keeping him up all night; your demanding boss insists that you come in to work even when the city roads are flooded after a thunderstorm.

In addition to all these domestic travails, the world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket. There is no sign that the war in Ukraine will end anytime soon; the Israel-Gaza conflict goes from bad to worse; the next President of the United States — and leader of the free world — will be a doddering old man not in complete charge of his faculties, no matter which of the two candidates is elected.

Who would not feel depressed and despondent at a moment in time like this? Well, I certainly do. And my only recourse in this situation is to try and take solace in small pleasures, looking for teeny-tiny things that will bring me cheer, no matter how momentary. Here is just a small sample of things that help me get through the day.

*A comfort read. This is not the time to start a complicated or demanding book that requires all my powers of concentration. So I fall back on the books that have brought me joy over the years. Jane Austen always does the trick as does Georgette Heyer. And Agatha Christie is another trusty standby that I take recourse to on days that leave me drained.

*Pottering around in the kitchen. I find that after a long day there is nothing quite as de-stressing as putting a simple meal together. Just cutting the vegetables for a stir fry or stirring the rice for a risotto can be a meditative exercise that exerts a calming influence on my mind. (Word of caution: don’t mess around with too ambitious a recipe; it will leave you more stressed than ever!)

*Spending time with toddlers. I am fortunate enough to have a couple in my immediate family and there is nothing more relaxing that watching them laugh, play and interact with one another, forging bonds that will hopefully last them a lifetime.

*The weather is Delhi is so vicious these days that there is no question of spending time in parks (which is one of my favourite things to do). So I do the next best thing. Instead of watching such series as Bridgerton and Heeramandi, I spend my evening watching travel shows. I have traipsed across the Mediterranean with Jamie Oliver; wandered down the Silk Route with Joanna Lumley; and marvelled at the beauty of south India with Rick Stein. There is nothing quite like losing yourself in another world when your own seems to be in a state of collapse.

*And finally, the biggest stress-buster of all before I end my day is the 10 minutes or so I spent on doing my nightly Wordle. The rush I get when I can guess the word in three tries or less is enough to get me in the right mood for a good night’s sleep. And tomorrow, as they say, is another day!

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