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

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.

Taking Active Steps to Make 2019 As Positive As Possible

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2019 is literally around the corner and this can mean many things to many different people.

Home Buying Tips For Moms Trying To Save

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Buying a family home, especially your first one, is an incredibly exciting process. However, amongst all of this excitement is also a whole load of stress, especially where your finances are concerned. With children to feed and clothe, bills to pay, and so much more to buy, the one thing that holds most back from investing in property is the cost. Thankfully, you can cut this down a little. With that in mind, here are six ways you can save money buying a home for your family.

Save A Larger Deposit

Unbeknownst to many first-time buyers, the value of your house isn’t the only cost to consider throughout the buying process. Among other things, you need to pay a deposit on your mortgage, which usually comes to between five and twenty percent of the loan. To cut down the cost of repayments, you should offer a larger sum. This will reduce the interest you need to pay.

Improve Your Credit Score

A poor credit score makes it highly unlikely that you’ll be accepted for a loan, but, even if you are, the interest rates and lender’s fees are going to be much higher. This will mean you have to spend much more to pay off your mortgage. To prevent this, you should look for ways to improve your credit score, such as paying your bills on time and working to reduce your debts.

Look For Different Quotes

Mortgages are rarely as simple as they first appear. You’ll quickly find that different lenders have different rates and others fees and that they all have various mortgage products, all with different costs too. To ensure you get the best deal, you should shop around and find the best mortgage rates. Ensure you get at least three quotes and negotiate with lenders for better deals.

Use An Estate Agent

Many inexperienced buyers view an estate agent as an unnecessary cost, and, as such, opt to house hunt on their own. However, realtors fees and payments aren’t actually your responsibility. It’s the seller that pays them, not you. For this reason, you should do your research and find a professional to help you. They can offer a lot of support, saving you money, as well as time.

Find A Fixer -Upper

We all want to buy a house that is clean, newly decorated, and ready to go. Because of this, most of these houses will cost you a lot more. For this reason, you should consider hunting for a fixer-upper property. These do require a lot of work but are usually much cheaper for this reason. Just be sure that the cost of repairs won’t outweigh the money you save on the house.

Buy Throughout The Winter

Moving house is a stressful process at the best of times, but, when the weather is less than kind, it can make the ordeal that much more tricky. Because of this, most people choose to move throughout spring and summer. If you want to save, however, you should hunt for properties throughout the colder months of the year. During this time, houses tend to be a lot cheaper.

Buying a house is a costly experience, but, with the advice above, you can cut costs and save some money.

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