Can You Turn A Blog Into A Business?

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Blogging has become one of the most popular projects online with millions of people writing about the things that interest them. However, over the last decade or so, there has been a serious rise in the number of people using blogging in order to earn a living and that's pretty understandable. After all, who wouldn't want to make a career out of talking about their passions and connecting with people? However, actually earning a living from a blog can often be a whole lot harder than a lot of people realize. With that in mind, here are some of the things that you can do to weather the challenges and turn a blog into a business.

Know your niche

One of the most important things to remember about blogging is that there are thousands upon thousands of other people out there doing exactly the same thing. Because of that, if you really want your blog to succeed you have to know exactly what your niche is. Once you know exactly what you want your blog to be then you're going to find it a whole lot easier to connect with an audience rather than trying to reach out to everyone and wasting a great deal of your time and energy.

Be consistent

Consistency is the key to really building an audience that is going to keep coming back to your blog time and time again. People like things that are familiar and if you're constantly changing up your blog's visual style or the kinds of content you're creating then people will find it offputting. The same goes for your upload schedule. You need to make sure that you've got an upload schedule that your audience can be sure of. If you decide to randomly go a couple of weeks without posting anything then there's a good chance that your audience is just going to forget about you.

Use the right resources

There are so many great resources out there to help you connect with audience members and really push your blog into being a bonafide business. However, you have to be sure that you're using the right resources. Otherwise, you could end up wasting time and money. From marketing resources like this: https://www.templafy.com/blog/how-many-of-these-outbound-sales-email-fundamentals-do-you-use/ to things like different social media accounts to connect with different kinds of people. If you're not willing to adjust your blog based on your audience then it's never going to succeed.

Of course, it's important to remember that, even if you follow this advice, running a blog can be a genuine challenge. You simply can't make a career out of blogging if you're only really willing to do it when you feel like it. There will be days when you just don't want to bother with your blog but whether or not you still keep at it is the real difference between doing it as a hobby and doing it as a career.

An Age-Old Problem: Helping Our Children Understand Their Grandparents’ Failing Health

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While there is a lot of focus on children and their mental health these days, it can be a very difficult situation when we've got to have a heart to heart conversation with our children about their grandparents. Whether their grandparents aren’t doing very well or they have to go into care because they're too old, these issues can eat away at us until we decide to sit down with our children and have that conversation. But when it comes to this sort of thing, how can we help our children understand what's going on, but also help them to cope?

Prepare For The Conversation

You could chew away at every word permutation in your mind, but the best thing to do is to sit down and just plan how you intend on saying it. It's important that you don't sugarcoat the language so much that it becomes almost unreal what you're saying. It at the same time, the reality of the situation needs to present itself, and it's something that your children need to know. Ultimately, it can be a very difficult thing if you have difficulties in trying to speak to your children in the first place. On www.HuffPost.com, there are some handy hints for being a parent that your child actually wants to talk to. This is something that could tip the balance firmly in your favor. Ultimately, you need to break the news, but if you're someone that they don't really take seriously, or they just ignore, it can prove to be more of a shock when you do deliver bad news.

Be Open And Receptive

They may have a million questions or they may have none. Whatever their response, it's important to be open and honest, but also be receptive to any questions they have, no matter how grizzly the details they want. This can be a very difficult thing for us to go through as parents, but it's important that our children understand exactly what's going on. If they have only half the information, they're going to walk away feeling more confused. What's happening to the grandparents? Are they been taken away? Are they not coming back ever again? It's these sorts of things that need answering in the most straightforward manner. This requires openness and honesty.

Offering Them Ways To Help

Your children will want to see them, or they may want to help. Ultimately, if it's something like your parents going into a home, if your child is old enough to have some of the responsibility, you can give them things to help with so they can contribute. Something as simple as visiting www.PegasusSeniorLiving.com  can be a great way for you to give your child the time they need to adjust. This can mean that they may be able to process the news easier. If they feel they are far away from the situation, and you're not letting them get involved, this could very easily compound their anxiety.

It's never easy, and it's an age-old problem, but by discussing with your children these difficult situations, it's going to have a more positive outcome than you realize, no matter how long you have been putting it off.

How to Help Someone Struggling With Their Mental Health

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Mental health struggles affect most families across the world. If you aren’t struggling with issues yourself, you’re likely to know someone who is. It’s important that we educate ourselves on how to help someone struggling with mental health problems. If you aren’t quite sure what to do, here are some suggestions on how you can help.

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Listen

Listening to someone doesn’t mean you are charged with having to find solutions to their problems. Sometimes, people don’t want solutions- they just want someone to listen. If you can sit and listen to someone’s problems without passing judgment, you can be a really good friend to someone suffering from mental health issues. By truly listening, you’ll be able to gauge what a person’s needs are in that moment. It could be helping to find a solution, or it could just be recognition of the difficulties they’re facing.

Don’t Assume

Some people make the mistake of assuming they know what someone with mental health problems needs. Perhaps they’ll attempt to cheer them up or bring them a glass of wine. There are times when all the effort in the world won’t get the desired result because they’ve made an assumption. Ask the person you’re supporting what they need. More often than not, someone suffering from a mental health disorder will be able to tell you what kind of support they require.

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Get Help

Supporting someone with mental health issues can be tiring work. The last thing you want to do is burn yourself out, so you’re forced to stop providing support when they need you most. It’s okay to reach out and ask for help. For example, teen bipolar disorder treatment is a great way to help a teenager suffering from bipolar without taking on too much yourself. You can also approach medical practitioners, with the sufferer’s permission, to see what help is available in your area. Whether it’s medication, therapy sessions or intermittent support, it all helps.

Avoid Arguments

When you’re supporting someone who's struggling with mental health, there will be times when things can get tense. Either one of you is likely to get frustrated at any point and it’s easy for arguments or confrontation to start. Try not to engage in arguments in order to keep a strong relationship. If you find it difficult to avoid an argument, make sure to leave the room and the other person’s presence and take some time to cool down.

If You Don’t Know the Person

If you’re in a situation where you’re trying to support someone you’ve never met before, try and stay calm. Offer as much information as you can and try to direct the person to any information or resources that could be of help. Ask the person if there’s anyone you can contact to help them further. If the person seems too distressed and you’re worried about his/her safety, always call the authorities to be on the safe side.

There are no tricks to looking after someone with mental health issues, so just do the best you can.

Could You Spot These Warning Signs In Your Teen?

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There comes a time as a parent that you realize that your little ones are no longer babies, and they are developing their own minds at an alarming rate. The things that you start to witness them going through reminds you of your adolescence, and all you want for them to do is be able to work their way through their education, there hormones raging and their new found confidence for their lives. But there can be another issue that you might not necessarily want to face? Your teen will be going through so many changes, and often they can affect them mentally. Could you spot the signs that your teen is struggling? Here are some of the things that you might want to look out for.

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Is there a change in their mood?

One of the easiest things to spot will probably be their mood. Of course, all teenagers will have their hormones raging, and this can also mean that their mood is changing. But there will be more evident things to look out for. Naturally, you may find that they are grumpy, agitated, and frustrated, which can be normal, but they could also be down, sad, emotional, teary and even recluse. Look for changes that you wouldn’t feel is normal for your child, and take it from there. Often just monitoring it to see whether there is a pattern or any other changes.

Have you noticed a change in their behavior?

A big indicator that something isn’t right is a sudden change in behavior. Are they more secretive? Are they less talkative? Do they do things differently? Are they dressing differently? Sometimes these changes are noticeable, but other times they happen gradually so being more aware can help you to spot the signs if something isn’t right. This is when things like teen depression treatment could help your child get back on track with their thoughts, feelings, and behavior towards things.

Do they respond to things differently?

Often the response from a child is a big indicator that things aren’t what they seem. So listen out for their responses to normal questions. Is there doubt? Is there use of a lot of negative language? Do they still find fun and happiness in things they used to? Such as their favorite foods or the things they used to like doing like hobbies or sports. Do they respond to family or friends in a different way? Often asking yourself these questions may help you to spot any signs that things are not as they seem.

Have there been any changes to their routine?

Finally, has there been any changes to their normal routine? Things like exercising more frequently and rigorously? Not eating as much as they would normally do or a loss of appetite? Are they quieter more recluse? Are they getting up later or sleeping for much longer? Again these things can be big warning signs that things are not right, so try and work things out. Again teenagers can sleep more, or change their routines, but it is looking out for the unhealthy habits that might be developing.

Let’s hope these questions help you to spot the signs that your teen is struggling.

Why You Should Be Open To Foreign Home Buyers

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Selling your home isn’t easy at the best of times, but it's a task that we have to go through. Moving properties is a big change in your life. it's a chapter which you won’t forget and for good reason. When you’re selling you’re also buying, but that also means you’re making a huge transaction financially speaking. Maybe it's not actually about the money for you. Perhaps you’ve got a new job in another city or country, maybe you have just had a divorce and you need to sell quickly. Regardless of what the reason is, ask yourself would you really mind if someone from abroad bought your home? For the seller, money is money right, so why does this not occur more often? Yes, it might mean higher fees from real estate agents, but even then that’s not always the case.



One on one

Property buyers from abroad are often not your average home buyer. They are usually wealthy and are represented by their agent or manager. However, you can enter into a one on one relationship with the buyer. This can mean you have a better line of communication with them. In turn, you can negotiate a better price after having struck a relationship with them. The other benefit of having a one on one relationship is that you cut through legal jargon and middlemen. There are no funny games with smoke and mirrors, what you see is what you get. Because the bond is stronger, you can ask for more flexible terms such as moving out at a later date if you don’t want to be rushed.



A better expertise

Selling your home to abroad buyers first means you need to list your home around the world. To open up a realm of possibilities speak to William Pitt as they have a worldwide presence. Using their international network and platform, they can get your property the exposure to various markets around the world. You also get better expertise of the kind of client you should look for and speak to, as well as pricing your home accurate in accordance with the markets not just in your city or country, but worldwide. In comparison to other homes around your neighborhood you might get a competitive price but comparing to worldwide options you might get a spectacular price from buyers who are abroad.

You have more bargaining power

Since the buyer is abroad and they themselves know that you are offering them a chance to buy the property in front of perhaps local buyers, you have more options to bargain with. Buyers from abroad are often looking for specific properties, so since there are fewer options for their tastes, you have the ability to negotiate a higher price. You also have the fallback options of selling nationally or by region, so they cannot pressure you into believing you are their only hope.


Buyers from abroad are usually going to be wealthier than the average domestic property buyer. However, you have much more power to up the ante and increase the price.

Top Tips to Help Reluctant Readers

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Reading is an essential skill used in every aspect of life, from taking exams through to reading warning signs. Therefore, learning to read is one of the most important things that we can teach our children. While some kids love books, others are more reluctant which represents a real challenge, especially when they start bringing home reading books from school.

If your child is a reluctant reader, why not try some of the top tips below to see if you can bring out their inner bookworm?

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Play to their Interests

If your child is seriously unenthusiastic about reading, take some time to think about their hobbies and interests. Nowadays there is such a wide variety of kids books available on almost every subject, including novelizations of favourite kids films, along with books written by celebrities, so you’re sure to find a book that piques their interest that they will be keen to engage with.

Try Audio Books

While they may not be physically holding a book and reading a story, audio books for kids have many benefits. When listening to an audio book, your child will still be following a story, using their imagination and expanding their vocabulary, which are significant first steps towards developing an interest in reading. Engaging your child in a conversation about the story that you are listening to will help to build their reading comprehension skills. Talking about the book together will encourage your child to think more about the story and to begin identifying different plot features and personalities of the main characters.

Audio books are perfect for entertainment on long car journeys and are ideal for bedtimes too. Getting the whole family to listen to an audio book is an ideal way to spend some screen-free time together.

Take it in Turns

If the thought of reading a whole book leaves your child feeling overwhelmed, why not try taking it in turns. Take it in turns to each read a page so that your child can take a break and listen to the story before continuing to read. Taking it in turns to read alternate pages should help them to find reading less off-putting and more of a fun activity that you can do together.

Try not to Turn it into an Issue

Encouraging a reluctant reader to pick up a book and read it can be one of those genuinely stressful parenting moments! Keeping your cool when your child won’t cooperate is incredibly frustrating. However, trying not to turn their reluctance to read into an issue is most likely to be for the best.

Keep on encouraging your child with their reading as best as you can despite their reluctance. You could try compromising and getting them to read for a shorter amount of time than you would like, to make sure that they are still reading albeit for less time. The most important thing to do is to keep showing reading as a fun and positive activity and not as a chore.

How To Curb Driving Stress

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Do you constantly find yourself getting stressed behind the wheel? Stress whilst driving is surprisingly common and has many forms. There are those that get anxiety over the fear of being in an accident and there are those that get road rage as the result of being inconvenienced by traffic jams and other people’s driving. Overcoming driving stress is important, as it can make you a more dangerous driver and it can affect your general health. Here are just several ways in which you can help beat driving stress.

Give yourself enough time

One of the most common times when drivers get stressed is whilst commuting to work. Traffic jams and unforeseen diversions often get us agitated because we know that we’re then going to be late. A simple way to beat this stress is to leave home earlier. By having more time to get to work, you’ll be less likely to get in a panic about being late. This applies to any road journey in which you may need to be somewhere for a certain time.  

Plan your routes

Planning your route out could also help to eliminate driving stress. If you’re travelling somewhere new, planning your route can prevent you getting lost, which is known for making many drivers panicky and frustrated. It can also allow you to avoid roads that could be heavily congested or potentially dangerous in certain weather conditions, helping to make it a smoother and happier drive.

Listen to music

Listening to music can be a great way of relieving stress whilst driving. Obviously, it needs to be music that you enjoy and preferably nothing that’s too distracting. Something that’s tranquil and calm could be what you need to help calm you down on the road. In fact, why not try this song featured at Inc – science suggests it may be the most stress-reducing song.

Learn to deal with others’ bad driving

Other people’s bad driving can be a huge source of both driving anxiety and road rage. Learning to deal calmly with bad drivers is essential – treat them with caution, but don’t fixate on them. Some drivers feel that having a dashcam gives them a sense of security by helping to record any bad driving – sites like BlackBoxMyCar offer information on the best dashcams to buy. Meanwhile, there are also therapists that deal exclusively with road rage, helping you to act calmly during an incident on the road.

Bring some coffee and snacks

Having some coffee and snacks in the car with you could also help you to relieve stress. Tasty foods and drinks can trigger our feelgood receptors, flooding our bodies with endorphins that can help to flush out stress-causing cortisol. The likes of BODUM do great travel cups for drinking coffee on the road.