The Essential Guide To Getting Your Kids Into Reading

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How many times do you venture into your kids’ bedrooms with your fingers crossed hoping to find them with their head in a good book, only to find them with headphones on playing some online RPG with pals? If you have read my blog previously, you know I LOVE reading. You can check my many book suggestions by clicking here for all of my posts reviewing various and sundry books.

What Is Enough? How Do You Know When You Have "It"?

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Over a month ago was my birthday and I wrote a post On the Verge of 40. In it, I describe my feelings of insecurity, doubt, worry, and generally being unsure.  My vow was to focus on feeling that I am enough as I am.  I have actually, to my surprise, thought of this every day and tried to squash out those feelings of inadequacy whenever they pop up.  Or I've tried to figure what the root cause of what that feeling is and attempted to rectify it.  

Journey to Finding Life's Purpose - Part 4

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MEDITATION CAN UNLOCK THE SUBCONSCIOUS

Meditation isn’t just for the Yogis and Buddhist monks of the world anymore. Meditation has been around for thousands of years. Meditation and mindfulness have never been more popular than they are today. It’s now a tool used by medical professionals in a variety of fields and in the business world. Prisons are even teaching meditation to inmates.

Making Sure Your Kids are Getting Sufficient Exercise

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When we think of exercise, many of us automatically think of our own exercise regimes. We think of heading to the gym, meeting up with a personal trainer, and attending different classes, but adults aren’t the only ones who need to exercise - kids need to exercise too!

Self-Sabotaging Thoughts That Hinder Happiness

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Most people go through times when they have trouble getting their thoughts to align with their intentions. When that happens, it will hinder your happiness. Your thoughts can get in the way of your happiness because these types of thoughts are focusing on what’s wrong, what’s missing, or the negativity of the situation instead of the positives. 

Prioritize Your Life: Make More Time for Achieving Your Goals and Enjoying Life

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For many people, it seems like life has two options: achieving goals and enjoying life. Neither one of them seems as if they are one hundred percent fulfilled. There seems to be a broad spectrum on the scale of go-getters and over-achievers versus those who slack in all departments.

New Parent? Here Is Some Advice For You

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So you finally home, and it’s just you, and your little one. Maybe you have a partner, perhaps you don’t. Either way, it’s a wild ride. The first few days, you’re being asked if the baby is 'good,' are they sleeping through the night, where do they sleep? You look tired. It’s an endless stream of well-meaning questions and advice. But in reality, a newborn baby sleeps, eats, and poops. They cry when they aren’t on you, and you’ve never been needed as much as this. You aren’t even 100% sure when to call your pediatric doctor!

It is hard but so, so wonderful too. The pressure we put on parents to have everything together from the moment the baby arrives is incredible. It’s hard to feel like you are failing, even when really you’re flying.

Here are some little pieces of advice, you can take it or leave it - just like everything, you know what is best for you and your baby.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Silence

Your baby has gone from living in your loud womb out into the world. And suddenly, we all start shushing. Tiptoeing around. And, actually, eventually, you might need to. But right now, they can take the noise of the hoover, you laughing with a friend, the washing machine and so on. Of course, if you want the peace too then indulge in it.

The Other Parent

Families come in many different forms now. But typically the person who gave birth will be the one that is parents A, but the bonding with parent B needs to be nurtured as early on as possible. If you happen to be breastfeeding, there are still many opportunities for the other parent to bond. Parent B will smell, sound, and feel differently than you do. So it is wise to start giving them time to get used to each other too.

Prep

Preparation will help you no end. Before the little one arrives, everything seems under control. However, when they appear, it can be whirlwind of diapers and babygrows. Help yourself out a little and have an ‘action’ bag. Pop it in the car - with two diapers, a thin pack of wipes, and a change of outfit. When you can predict the feeding times, get your partner to help make sure everything is ready for the next feed, or diaper change. If you don’t have a partner, then you will be your own best friend here and take care of the next feed prep as soon as you’ve finished the one you are currently on.

It will be busy, it will be emotional, and no one can prepare you for what is to come. You can devour book after book of fantastic information, but when it comes down to it, 3am can be exhausting and beautiful all at the same time. Try to take it a day at a time and remember you are recovering from bringing a human into this world. Be kind to you too.

“A new baby marks the beginnings of all things – wonder, hope, and a beautiful dream of possibilities.”

Is True Happiness Possible?

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Many people who have struggles in life often pooh-pooh happiness and like to claim that true happiness is not even possible.  The truth is there are different levels of happiness that you can experience in your life. It’s not a straight line. There are ups and downs that you will experience all throughout life but whether you are happy or not is all about your feelings.

You Have It in You

Just by virtue of the fact that you’re a human being and you can experience feelings, happiness being one of them, you know that true happiness does exist. You can probably write down many days and things that have brought happiness to your life over the years since you were born up until today.  If you are having trouble remembering these, start writing down one thing a day that makes you happy.  Even one word or one sentence can helpf boost your mood.  You can read more about journaling to find happy thoughts here.  

Look Around You

It’s amazing but while it’s easy to say that people cannot be happy unless they have their basic needs met. You’ll find that there are people all around you who do not have their needs met but who are very happy. Evidence suggests that lottery winners, those that inherit wealth, and the wealthiest Americans are, in fact, not happier than your average Joe.  More can be read about this on Marketwatch.com.  

It’s Not About Stuff

If you look at a list of the happiest countries in the world, you will realize that being happy isn’t about the stuff you have. The happiest people right now happen to live in Denmark. Most people who live there pay high taxes, live in small homes and tend to not be as consumer-driven as people in the USA, for example. But the USA is 17 on the list. That shows that happiness is not about stuff.

It’s Not Even About Goals

You may think that happiness is about reaching your goals too. But, it’s not. If you often say things like “I’ll be happy when…” then it’s not likely you will be happy. You can be happy today, before you reach your goals, while you’re on the path to reach those goals. It’s honestly more about the day to day living and not moments.

It’s Not About Your Circumstances

Now, of course, there are events or situations that are devastating.  However, for happy people, even the worst events will not make them unhappy at least not permanently. A happy person usually has the skills to navigate things about their circumstances. Dr. Gillian Mandich, a happiness expert, states that our circumstances account for only 10 percent of our happiness.

True happiness is about accepting that you can experience it, plus understanding what it really means. A happy person isn’t going to be the same level of happy 24/7, 365 days a year. When you observe that people who are sick with cancer are happy, that children who aren’t getting enough to eat are happy, and people living in huts in Africa are also happy it makes you realize that you can be happy too.

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.

28 Day Reading Challenge - Day 3

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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!

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.

https://unsplash.com/photos/lRKM2STBj14

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.

https://unsplash.com/photos/-kl_XvEOqMU

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.

The Weather And Your Mental Health

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We’re all aware that the weather can affect our physical health, some people get more aches and pains in the cold; the flu and viruses are rife as winter hits and sunstroke, sunburn or heat rash are common in the summer. However, did you know that the weather can also affect your mental health? It’s not just about the time of year which people find difficult, Christmas and New Year aren’t necessarily happy for a lot of people, and if you’re suffering from depression, then you probably feel the pressure to be happy as well as general anxiety around the festive period. It’s also the weather and the weather won’t be getting any warmer or brighter for a few months yet, so after Christmas and New Year is often really tough as well.

You may have heard about Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. It is sometimes known as "winter depression" because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter although a few people with SAD may have symptoms during the summer and feel better during the winter.

According to the NHS, the exact cause of SAD isn't fully understood, but it's often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days.

The leading theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working correctly, which may affect the: production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher than normal levels.  A lack of sunlight may also lead to lower serotonin levels, a hormone that affects your mood, appetite, and sleep. Feelings of depression can also be linked to your body's internal clock (circadian rhythm) as your body uses sunlight to time various vital functions, such as when you wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD.

It’s not just SAD and not just people who suffer from depression that suffer depending on the weather, according to John Grohol, PsyD, founder and CEO of Psych Central, “the overall preponderance of evidence suggests that weather can have more than just ‘a little effect’ on your mood.” In a 1974 study with 16,000 students in Basel City, Switzerland, 18 percent of the boys and 29 percent of the girls responded negatively to certain weather conditions, exhibiting symptoms of fatigue, dysphoric moods, irritability, and headaches.

During the winter months, everyone should try and get as much natural sunlight as possible, exercise regularly, and manage your stress levels. There are Depression Treatments available such as light therapy – where a particular lamp called a lightbox is used to simulate exposure to sunlight or talking treatments – such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or counseling can help too.

Looking After Your Mental Health As A Parent

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From Pixabay

The role of a parent is one of the most rewarding in the world, but it can also be quite difficult. You spend most, if not all of your energy looking after your children, and, as amazing as that is, it can leave you with very little for yourself. Everyone deals with stress now and then, parents more than most, but, when you ignore this stress, it can have harmful and potentially permanent consequences. To help prevent this, here are five ways to look after your mental health.

1. Exercise As A Family

Everyone knows that exercise is essential in weight control and physical fitness, but, what many don’t realize is that it’s key in mental health too. For this reason, you need to make sure that you find time to work out several times a week, if not every day. Instead of giving up time with your children for this, you should try exercising as a family. There are plenty of things that you could do together, including walking in the park, bike rides, and active games, like football.

2. Plan A Balanced Diet

Like physical activity, the food you eat affects your mind as much as it does your body. To ensure that you feel your best, you should eat a nutritious and balanced diet containing plenty of fruits and vegetables. Of course, with work, household chores, and the children, preparing these meals each night can be tricky. Because of this, you should write a meal plan and cook what you can at the weekend. This way, you can freeze your meals and simply reheat them on the right night.

3. Get Plenty Of Rest

Lack of sleep, for which parents are known for, can have incredibly damaging effects on your mental health. Because of this, it’s vital that you combat anything keeping you up and ensure that you get enough rest each night. You should create a night routine for you and your children so that everyone is starting to feel tired and prepared for bed when they should be. You should also make sure that the house is kept cool, quiet, and dark, and that everyone feels safe and secure.

4. Do What You Love

When you do something that you enjoy, you instantly feel happier. With that in mind, you should make sure that you do something that you love every day. If you want to work, but have children at home, then consider the many stay at home mom jobs out there. With so many to choose from, it’s likely that you’ll find something you’ll be happy with. You should also make time to catch up with friends and pursue any hobbies you’re interested in.

5. Know When To Accept Help

Far too many parents try to struggle through life and never ask for help when they need it. If and when this starts to affect your mental health, you need to take a step back and know to accept support. This could be from a friend or family member offering to watch your children for the afternoon or a doctor or mental health professional suggesting ways to manage your stress. There’s no shame in getting support, so don’t go through hard times alone.

Looking after your mental health can and will make you a better parent, so take care of yourself and follow the advice above.

Turning Your Life To The Next Chapter

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When most people think about it, there is something in their life that is holding them back. They might not know the cause of the setback which they are facing, but they will certainly see the results, and this can be incredibly frustrating to live with.

Bullet Journaling 101: The Fundamentals of a #Bujo

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Bullet Journals 101

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past several months, you have probably heard of bullet journaling. However, understand exactly what it is and what is involved is a little trickier.

August Reading List

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Instead of waiting until the end of the month to do a reading list, I thought I should start posting earlier instead of after the fact. So this month, I've been obsessed with The Maze Runner series.

In the first book, The Maze Runner, Thomas arrives in the Glade without his memory in a box that deposits him in the midst of a group of boys. Think Lord of the Flies meets the future that is in total upheaval. There is definitely a pecking order and each boy is assigned a job. The Glade is surrounded by walls on each side that close up every night. Runners have the job of trying to map the maze that encircles The Glade to try and find a way of escape. It's very much a young adult read but it's a good story of what trust is, is the individual or group more important, and what determines friendship.

The Scorch Trials continues the Maze Runner saga. They've escaped the maze but what follows is anything but better. The Gladers learn the Sun Flare has ruined the world as they knew and has infected most of the population with "the flare". WCKED is the group that put them in maze to try to find a cure and now they are testing them even further in this next set of trials set in The Scorch where humans don't quite act like humans but more like crazed, rabid animals.

The Death Cure is the third installment of the saga. I'm still in the middle of getting through this one, but it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. Thomas continues to fight for his life, his friends, and to try and take down WCKED. More to come as I finish.

The Maze Runner movie franchise starts out very much in line with the first book. However, then it dramatically departs from the storyline in the books. That being said, although different, I think they are still very good. Some of the things depicted in the books would just be too difficult to try and convey on the big screen.

The Tea Girl from Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See is by far one of the most moving books I've read in a long while. I have loved Lisa See's books since I first read Shanghai Girls which was the first encounter I had with her work. I've since read most of her books, heard her speak, and been a loyal fan for years. The Tea Girl follows an Akha through her life in Yunnan province.

The Akha people are one of the 55 minority groups that exist within China's borders. Yes, China definitely has more than just Han majority. I actually spent 3 weeks in Yunnan province in 2001 and went to some of the places mentioned in The Tea Girl. It is a beautiful province that was extremely poor both in the novel and my personal experience.

Times have changed over the past 20 years and with the growth of the tea industry, Yunnan has become famous for their Pu'er tea. Tea is at the center of this story and how it shapes the life of Liyan. It is how her peasant family made a meager living prior to the opening of China and how Liyan ultimately triumphs. It the story of loss, love, struggle, enduring and overcoming.

It is also the story of mothers and daughters - a unique bond that defines who we are as girls and women the world over no matter race, creed, religion, or background. Read this book!

What have you been reading?