5 Things You Need To Consider Before Starting A Family

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Thinking about starting a family is an incredibly exciting time, but it’s incredibly important you make sure you have considered absolutely everything before you try for a baby. Getting pregnant isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly, so if you’re starting to think about this exciting change, you may want to consider the following 5 things:

1. Have You Done Your Research?

Before you consider trying for a baby it’s important you do your research. There are lots of different things you need to find out and researching them will give you a better idea as to whether or not this is the right decision for you. Try looking into preparing your health, the full pregnancy experience, potential costs and what it’s like to raise a baby once they arrive. You’ll feel much better if you prepare yourself for what’s to come.

2. Are You Ready?

This is a difficult question to ask, as you’ll never really know when you’re ready to raise a family. Make sure you consider absolutely everything there is to consider when making the decision, seeking advice from those that mean the most to you if needed.

3. Can You Afford It?

Raising a child can be an incredibly expensive process and if you’re in a position where you don’t think you’ll be able to bring a baby into the equation, perhaps it isn’t the right time to try for a baby. Try doing some research into each and every cost, setting a budget that will allow you to save for when you are ready.

4. Do You You Have A Big Enough House?

Although they’re small, babies can take up a lot of room when they arrive! They’ll need their own room, a place to play downstairs and a cupboard that’s well stocked with lots of supplies and baby food. If you’re living in a place that’s too small, you may want to consider looking at a bigger house before you start trying.

5. Are You In A Strong Relationship?

If you’re going to be having a baby you need to ensure you’re in a strong relationship with the father. Whilst it’s not vital to have a partner with you as you raise a child, a strong relationship will mean your child will be growing up in a family that has a good support system. If you’re unsure about the relationship you’re in as you’re discussing starting a family, it may be worth considering whether or not they’re the person you want to be with, especially if you want to avoid fighting for custody at a later date.

For more information on custody law and family law attorneys in Colorado Springs, you can visit this link here.

Are you thinking of starting a family? What do you need to consider beforehand? Let me know in the comment section below.

Help, Life Is Too Much To Manage

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Don't be trapped in your own life

Everyone has good and bad days. But when your bad and emotionally overwhelming days are taking over, it’s time to look for a solution that can help you to take back control. The truth is you’re not a prisoner of your own life. But the feeling you are unable to influence events can be devastating. Can you free yourself from those stressful shackles? There is no denying that you are never in charge of what happens around you. But you can control how it affects you and how you react to it. You can turn those bad days into better ones!

Getting Fit and Healthy after an Eating Disorder

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While most people associate healthy living plans with losing weight, they are just as vital for people that have been guilty of under eating. If you’ve been anorexic or suffered malnutrition, getting back to health and fitness can feel like an impossible challenge. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The key, as with many aspects in life, is to start with baby steps. Here are five things you can do to make the journey ahead feel a whole lot smoother.

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Find A Diet Plan You Can Stick Too

 You wouldn’t expect an obese person to suddenly start eating 1200 calories per day as it is far better to embrace a gradual transformation. The same sentiments ring true when trying to put weight back on. This site will offer help forming a meal plan for your individual needs and circumstances. Ultimately, though, the goal is to establish a positive relationship with food. This allows you to gain weight and the right nutrients without running the risk of becoming an overeater.

 Exercise At Home

 The harsh reality is that society has a horrible way of making people feel ashamed of their bodies and past mistakes. This is never more palpable than when you’ve had the realization that you need to change. The thought of working out in public is probably enough to make your body shudder. So, finding a home workout plan is probably the smartest route to success. Even if you can only manage a few minutes at the start, any exercise is better than doing nothing.

 

Feed Your Mind

 While the negative impacts of anorexia are visible, it’s pivotal to remember that underlying mental issues are often involved too. Therefore, you need to go the extra mile to keep your mental health in a good frame of mind. Educating yourself on the subject is key to your ongoing recovery. Meanwhile, providing support to others can bring many personal rewards. A good night’s sleep and reduced stress levels are likely to have a very positive impact. The mind is your greatest tool.

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Change Your Clothes

 Having size zero clothes in the wardrobe will discourage you from losing weight. Sell them or donate them to charity before treating yourself to bigger clothes. They will feel bigger at the start, but this forces you to put a little weight on to stop them looking bad. Of course, you may want to keep an outfit or two for occasions where you need to look professional. Nonetheless, this very simple mind trick will give you the incentive to put some weight on and avoid relapsing.

 

Take Your Time

 While you have your eyes cast towards a future of enjoying life as you did before anorexia, you must not rush the process. Aside from the gym, eating out at restaurants may be a little too daunting right now. The thought of having people watch you can be scary, so start the transition with family meals at home. Once this feels comfortable, you have the perfect excuse for hosting a small party where food is there but isn’t the main focus. Worry about public eating later on.

 

The Importance Of Saying "No"

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Refusing to partake in an activity, or declining an invitation to a social event, is - societally at least - viewed as rather… regressive. We live in a world where everyone is encouraged to do what they want, live life as they see fit, and find their path; but for some reason, these philosophies fly out of the window when someone refuses to do something that others think is a good idea.

As a result, most people reading this will have found themselves, at some point in the past, saying “yes” when they really want to say “no”. Perhaps you agreed to go out for the night when you really wanted to curl up in bed; found yourself on the back of a friend’s motorcycle when you’d initially refused out of fear of an accident; or just accepted a work project that you didn’t have time for - whatever the scenario, you agreed somewhat against your will, for fear of the repercussions of saying “no”.

Building your confidence

The ability to refuse to do something you don’t want to do is strongly related to confidence. If your self-confidence is low, you’re all the more likely to find yourself persuaded by the force of someone else’s will - you’re likely to agree that, okay, you’re comfortable with riding a motorcycle, and fine, you might as well take on that extra work project, because your diminished self-confidence convinces you that your gut instinct is one to be overruled.

As a result, working on building your confidence is the first step to finding the ability to say “no”. There are a variety of different ways to build your confidence, ranging from daily affirmations to visiting a therapist, so it’s worth exploring your options in this regard. In addition, you may find it helpful to read through https://www.bustle.com/9-ways-to-stop-second-guessing-yourself-trust-your-own-decisions in order to bolster your ability to trust your decision-making, so you can feel more confident that your instinctive “no” reaction is actually the correct one.

Finding the confidence to say “no” in the moment

Working on your self-confidence is an important step, but learning to say “no” in the moment is inherently challenging. Someone is making an offer that you want to refuse; go for a motorcycle ride, spend a night out on the town - whatever it is, they want you to say yes. This means you will inevitably experience a greater sense of pressure, even if the person making the offer doesn’t intend you to feel that way at all.

So, how can you address this? The best way is usually to use facts; simply explain why you are saying no. If you’re scared of riding a motorcycle as you fear you’ll inevitably need assistance from Salinastriallaw.com/san-antonio/motorcycle-accident-attorney/, then say so; if you have to be up early the next morning, explain this; if you’re concerned another work project will impact your stress levels, then quickly explain this concern. By relying on factual, reasoned arguments, the person making the offer should understand your point of view and back down. If they don’t, then stand by those facts; they’re valid, and if someone takes issue with them, that reflects on them, not you.

In conclusion

By improving your self-confidence and using factual, reasonable justifications when refusing, you should feel all the more empowered to resist activities you’d rather not be involved in.

5 Activities That Encourage A Calm Mind

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In this day and age, it’s natural for you to feel overwhelmed. Very much so. And when this is the case, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re able to can manage yourself well. Because if you’re disorganized in life, and you’re not all that intentional, chaos can occur. Our minds are strange places. Naturally, they’re programmed to cause problems. They worry, they fear, they’re negative. And they’re exhausting too! So, you have to go the extra mile to keep your mind calm. To quieten your thoughts and to promote peace and positivity.

In a busy world, that’s tough. So it’s always good to know ways to deal with anxiety and stress. But when you’re dealing with both, it’s the hardest thing to do. To help you, let’s consider five activities that can encourage a calm mind.

Writing

To start with, there’s writing. You don’t have to want to pen the great American novel or even have anything to say to write. You could just start by journaling and emptying your thoughts onto a page. Or you could make up stories - anything. The process of writing is like therapy. It’s calming and allows you to escape your mind for a while.

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Running

Exercise is so good for us. And not just for your body - mainly for your mind. Running, in particular, is one of the forms of exercise that gives you immense mental clarity. If you find that your thoughts consume you and you cannot escape them, hit the road. Just start running. It weirdly clears your mind and allows you to focus. It’s a great way to force yourself to breathe and to be present, whether you’re listening to music while you’re doing it or not.

Meditation

And then, of course, there’s always meditation to think about here too. Meditation is one of those things that you can easily think is hard work or not for you, but most of the time you may not even know what it involves. The idea is that you’re calming the mind. And anyone can do that. So much so, that there are different meditation apps that you can try to see what works for you. By making your mind still and controlling your thoughts, you’ll always be able to encourage a calmer mind.

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Reading

Next up, there’s reading too. Because it’s escapism. Whether you’re an avid reader or not, there’s always going to be a kind of book for you. And it allows you to take your mind off of whatever it’s thinking about and diving into a new world that allows you to feel calm.

Drawing

And finally, there’s also drawing too. You may not realize it, but drawing is a great stress reliever. Even if you don’t think you’re all that creative. Or you don’t you think can draw, it’s pretty calming. Here, you could even look to get one of the adult coloring books. Because spending your time coloring things in is just as therapeutic as drawing something from scratch.

How to Become More Organized With a Bullet Journal

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How to Become More Organized With a Bullet Journal

You already know that a bullet journal can help you make lists for the future, build your business, manage your finances, and relieve your stress. But perhaps one of the greatest benefits to this type of journal is that it can help organize your entire life.

Create a Bucket List With Your Bullet Journal

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One of the excellent things you can do with a bullet journal is create a bucket list. This isn’t just a simple list of the short-term and long-term goals you want to achieve, but really includes things you would like to accomplish in your lifetime. Don’t be afraid to include things that might seem almost impossible, but still within our reach at some point. It gives you something amazing to strive for.

Leading By Example: Overcoming Devastating Events As A Parent

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Picture by Josh Willink

If you want your children to be well-rounded individuals, confident, good-natured, generous, and kind, it takes hard work, dedication, and commitment.