Vex king instagram

Vexking can demand $ 3K USD per influencer post on Instagram.

ockdown has been different for everyone.

Depending on your health and financial situation, it could have been a time of hibernation and relaxation but it could have also been a time of stress and worry. For some, it’s the uncertainty of what’s coming next that poses the most apprehension.

As we ease out of lockdown, the world looks different and we need to adapt to the ‘new normal’. But what can you do if you’re nervous about re-entry to this strange new world?

Vex King, author of bestselling self-help book Good Vibes, Good Life, says lockdown has taught him just how much we take for granted, from shelter to jobs, theatre and education, and will make a conscious effort to appreciate these things more in the future.

“I have already made changes to my diet and health, and hygiene, which are contributing positively to my overall wellbeing – and getting me ready to re-enter the world with confidence,” King tells the Standard.

“I have already reconsidered the way I spend, where I shop and how I can do better for the environment and our planet. I think these things will make a considerable difference not just to me, but to the world as a whole.”

As we ease out of lockdown, it can be natural to feel anxious about, say, going to the pub again or hanging out with people not in your household. King says not to let fear paralyse you.

“Control what you can, let go of what you can’t. Remember, that’s all you can do.”

His book, a manifesto about how positive thinking can lead to lasting happiness, was released in December 2018 and shot to the top of the Sunday Times Bestsellers list where it remained for the better half of a year.

“I don’t just write words, I pen emotions - and I think that helps me establish a connection with my readers,” the 33-year-old explains.

“I feel like my vulnerability when sharing my experiences, encounters and feelings on my platform has provided a voice for a lot of silent souls who couldn’t be heard before, or couldn’t express how they felt.”

It was his 526,000-strong Instagram following (including followers like Nigella Lawson and comedian John Bishop), that convinced the Northamptonshire native to write his manifesto.

“My wife gave me a big push,” he adds. “But it was because of my social media followers that I actually even considered forming this book. I’d regularly get the same questions time and time again, like, ‘How can I become more positive?’ and ‘Is there a way to discover my purpose?’

“That’s when it clicked: I should deliver a book and address all these questions. I wanted to connect all my ideas together, by offering a simple manual that most people could implement to transform their life and gain a spiritual understanding in the process.”

The premise of the book is quite simple: how self-love can unlock your greatness, and King offers a chronological guide to ridding yourself of your woes - from getting rid of toxic friends, living in a quick-fix society and how procrastination can ‘delay your dreams’.

“As simple as it sounds, a positive mind gives you a positive life. Thinking about this rationally, we can all agree that if you view the life in front of you in a positive way, you’re going to determine your life to be positive,” King says.

“What’s even more powerful is that when you change the way you think, feel, speak and act, you begin to transform your whole life. And that’s what has happened to me. As my energetic state has become positive, more often, so have my experiences and encounters with other people. Once you begin to exude positive energy, you also become a magnet to more desirable experiences.”

But can we really train our brains to be happy? King says it’s all to do with the habits that we cultivate.

“Having a daily routine in place with rituals that nourish your mind, body and spirit is vital. Reframing negative thoughts to something more empowering, each time, will make it your natural way of being. Constantly remaining grateful for what you have, or what you have avoided, will make it impossible for you to be sad – because you can’t be in despair while being in a state of genuine appreciation. The more you respond to life like this, the stronger the connections will be in your brain.”

King hasn’t always been a beam of positivity. He lost his father when he was six months old and his family subsequently became homeless.

“My life was painful and miserable... and all I wanted to do was seek a way out and heal the emotional wounds because they were keeping me from experiencing joy,” King continues.

Reflecting on his past has helped King keep an ‘attitude of gratitude’ during lockdown. “While the thought of being stuck inside can be upsetting, we forget how much of a blessing it is. There was a point in my life I had no home, food was scarce… and then when we did have a home, paying for water, electricity and the bare necessities was a struggle. It’s important to remember that we take a lot for granted.”

Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness (£10.99, Hay House UK), buy it here.