Today after being away at the weekend did a tidy of my bedroom, took Henry on a bus ride and on the train and then came back and sorted out my clothes that I had been meaning to do and tomorrow going to continue.
>It does mean having a good amount of sleep and relaxing properly so you can start each day fresh faced.
>It means taking time to have some self care so I had a shower and washed my face, hair and body.
>It means taking time out from being on my phone and being present and having a good daily routine
>This weekend away I journaled which I hadn’t done for a while and drafting for videos I want to film and blogs I want to write
>Making time to visit and meet with friends, having a night out doing something different that you don’t always get to do, and went to social club this weekend away where they were playing Bingo
>We walked along the seaside and had fish ‘n’ Chips and went to a pub we hadn’t never been to before and had a climbing frame for kids
>I caught up on my steps I like to do each week and went swimming with my son and my husband. something we rarely do together, it was such a shame that on that it was windy and rainy
>I did some laundry and unpacked from being away this weekend
>I did some reading and had a cooked breakfast which is very rare these days
>Now I am catching up on posting my blogs, whilst I watch a live video
>Started to go through my finances that I like to do each week
>Tomorrow I will be getting my son ready as he is going to a holiday club and getting myself ready for the day and got to have a blood test and catch up on editing my book I am writing and dusting my bedroom.
I like having things to do because it helps to manage my mind and not wasting my days and getting as much out of them as possible.
Here is my monthly newsletter and this newsletter is all about the Summer Holidays and giving tips on what to do during the six weeks to have plenty of fun on a budget and for those rainy days.
Tomorrow I am off to the seaside to meet up with some friends, and for them to meet our son, who they haven’t met him yet and so no matter what the weather I am still going to make sure it is enjoyable and good to catch up with friends we don’t always get to see and being near the sea always helps to balance my mood and feel calm.
So yes Effective living is creating time that helps you to have peace and tranquility and putting yourself first for once and for me that is reading a book. watching some Youtube or TV or some music and be completely relaxed.
Even exercise can be a great way to unwind, I take time doing an indoor workout, and in Epsom there is a Treadmill and I do 10 minutes of walking on there, and exercising whilst dinner is cooking, that is what I did yesterday whilst putting dinner together, thanks to my step dad who gave us leftover Bolognaise sauce and even gave me some spaghetti and was a lovely meal to have on a busy day. And having a meal with family can be relaxing and a good way to look after yourself. I love a proper home cooked meal and was a real treat.
Having a time to have a bath can be tricky when it comes to life, but yesterday my son was in the bath and decided as he was finishing I’d jump in the bath and made a nice change and was relaxing and it can really help with getting a good nights sleep which is so important.
I do eliminate the amount of time I spend with my phone and each night I will put it on silent and away from my bedside, and I stop myself in using it first thing in the morning and only thing I will put on in the week, is the alarm but have the sound turned off.
Then it is the mornings. With my son it is all systems go and my son has so much energy I find that I have to be wide awake which I struggle with. He gets me out of bed and I do what I did as a kid when my mum would wake me up , and that is sink down into my bed as further down as possible and hopefully be left alone and forgotten about.
The one thing I do enjoy is going for morning walks. Check out my Week in a life videos on Youtube as I have filmed doing the walks that me and my son do and on my Instagram, (check out links below) and so good to just me and him in the sunshine when there is any, and we did this today, and it is so nice to be outdoors first thing in the summer time and I feel so good during and afterwards and sets my weekend mornings up and later in the day too.
Hearing the birds singing and being near water helps me feel peaceful. Next weekend we are off to the seaside and see some friends we don’t get to always see and they haven’t our son yet so will be nice to finally meet up so they can. and so just being in a different environment seeing different people can be a good way to look after yourself.
It just about what gives you a good peace of mind and properly relax and be free for a bit of time.
We try to do so many things, that we find it hard to keep up. I have been guilty in doing that and remembering I was not put on this earth to do a trillion things at once, but to live a life full of happiness and cheer. It is so important to focus on one thing and this week has been to spend time having fun with my son, as he is on holiday now from school and want to make the most of it.
A lot gets put on hold, but it is prioritising and being realistic with my time, and when my son is sitting quietly watching his tablet, which he does not do all the time, as I don’t want him on his tablet all the time, I will tidy and make sure the beds are made and I get dressed and my mornings is getting up at a reasonable time to do my son’s breakfast. I will make sure I have spend time drinking my tea and my son and I have breakfast and take our time getting ready for the day.
I am not one who jumps out of bed as I find it hard to get up and usually my son will false me out of bed. but that is another thing I focus on at night, is getting a good nights sleep. Since a kid I was not good sleeper and it takes me ages to go to sleep, but I am sleeping a lot longer by making sure I shower, I put my phone away from my bed and on silent until the next day. The only thing I set is the alarm and make sure I am fully hydrated and I have emptied my mind of the things I need to get done, and leave them until the next day.
I will spend the time planning for the next day, top prep for each day and this means not rushing and focusing on the most important tasks, bit by bit, like tomorrow I am taking my son Swimming like we have done at the beginning of the week and we have his rucksack packed and we are fuelled and ready to go and have a good time swimming. Then it is lunch and my son has time playing with other children so have been taking him to softplay and focus on using our time and energy to help having a good nights sleep.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and if you believe in God, it took God seven days to create the world and so take your time with tasks, and focus on that one thing. I like being productive when it involves breaking up what there is to be done and spreading them across the week, and when my son is being looked after by someone else I take some time focusing on chilling, writing and having some self care.
Time goes so fast, so it is important to invest time and living for the moment and noticing the day before it has gone and we can’t go back, so focus on one thing helps us to recognise the day and feel good from the beginning to the end.
I write about this a lot on this blog but that it is so important to spend time giving yourself some self care that helps you develop and feel better about your life and we all need that time.
1>. Watching a movie after having a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine or a cup of tea.
2>. Going for a coffee by a river or lake when the weather is good and a picnic with a bottle of Rose’ wine and meet up with a friend to join you
3>. Going for a long walk and write in your journal with a take away coffee or one you made at home and meeting up with a friend you have not seen for a while
4>. Do some exercise if you are not into walking but like to workout indoors. Check our Youtube as there are loads of different workouts on there and completely free or there is Davina McCall Own your goals and the body coach, Joe Wicks: https://www.thebodycoach.com/ and why not invite a friend to join you as sometimes working with a friend can make it more fun and more likely to stick to it.
5>. Read a book with a blanket over you, and put your mobile on silent and create a do not disturb sign.
It is about making the time for you and not what you always get to do, and we all need that down time.
So lets make the most of being free when we have the chance and now the schools break up for the School Summer Holidays, the more self care we can get, the better.
I have always wanted to make the most of my life and build it step by step to have a good life. This has never changed and never thought that I would be doing what I do now, and that is writing and creating books, making videos on Youtube and writing blogs.
There was no such thing as a kid born in the late 70’s and so seeing the opportunities we have now I am now getting excited about life. I have a son that has shaped my life. Life hasn’t been a piece of cake, there have been some difficult times like my dad getting badly hurt when I was secondary school and sustained a very bad head injury and then being there when my grandparents died. These things that have happened has made me see how life is so precious and you have to make the most of everyday.
First of all make a list, set some goals you know you can achieve and start changing your life. I always new I wanted to be a mum one day and it happened unexpectantly, and didn’t always get it right and still don’t but seeing this little human grow has been one of the best dreams I have ever had that has come true and it has changed my perspective of life even further, by seeing the world through his eyes, and life doesn’t have to be difficult it is changing the way you look at things. I no longer multi task and do one thing at a time, and not having any sense of fear but life is about trial and error.
When achieving the dreams, accept challenges along the way, that is how we grown and when we do achieve our dreams it is so fulfilling.
Please check out books on amazon.co.uk as I have written many EBooks, on parenting, wellness and changing your life. I write under the names of Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Holmes.
I have added more to my Life Coaching board on my Pinterest see below:
Hello it is July and spent this morning sorting out my OneNote. If you don’t what that is, it is free programme where you can plan and create different tabs and add pictures and has so many different purposes.
No not sponsored, but if they’d like to one day then my door is open.
This blog is about giving things up. I know this can cause anxiety, so try one item a day to lower it and doesn’t have to be hobbies or food and drink but things like I was subscribed to, like Notion, because it is a good planning platform but already had a set up on my OneNote so unsubscribed, to save myself money and given things up has helped me to save and be more frugal. I am no longer buying too many snacks, and choose healthier options. I still eat chocolate but starting to monitor how much chocolate I have and not going to deprive myself but I don’t need so much. and concentrate on things that help me to function, like exercising, writing and spending time with my son, and help him improve his eating habits.
It can take a lot, but can really make you feel better when you start seeing that you have more space in your life and no longer paying for things that bring you down, and having things you do want, and add more happiness to your life. I gave up listening to music before bed, as it did effect my sleep and so listen to it when travelling and not having my phone by my bed, my sleep has been so much better. It still takes a while to get to sleep still on some nights but by winding down and reading before bed has helped to make it easier and sleep is so important to your wellbeing.
There are other things I wish to give up. One is to stop buying notebooks because they are pretty, but if I really need them. I have plenty to use and want to go more digital when it comes to planning, like using one note but my phone too, and for writing things down going to use my Filofax next month and follow Terri Savelle Foy method and have everything in one place, when it comes to notes and to do lists.
It doesn’t have to be materialistic things, but if there is someone who winds you down, then talk to them and explain to them that if they don’t stop can cause friction between you, and find it hard to be around them. This is hard to do, but if they don’t make you feel good then there is something that needs to stop and help them to give something up, like their issue they have with you and stop being so down and help them to be happy, by being positive and set boundaries and rules.
The one thing I don’t like is people being two-faced, or like to be center of attention all of the time. The world wasn’t made just for that one person and this is something I have been teaching my son when he gets obsessive and being clingy with his stuff. I made friends by sharing. When I was at school and I was seated with other children I would if I had a packet of crisps for example, offer them one and when I would play out with my friends and wanted an apple my nan or parents would cut up slices so my friends could have some too, or use my toilet in the flat I lived.
Not saying I am perfect but give up being selfish and share. I feel my role as a mum is to set a good example and that is not gossiping about someone behind their back and allow others to take center stage.
Give up what you know you no longer want in your life and allow yourself to grow and be happy.
Hello and welcome to a new blog. There has been times where I have felt I have let myself down, like when I had a chance to join the Fulham Ladies football team back in 1998, via my brother as he knew the Manager of the ladies soccer team, and I went twice and met a friend of mine from when I used to go to a dancing school, but getting myself there would take a lot and I would play images of not being good enough, not having natural skill and was way out of my comfort zone. I did play at Primary school and at Secondary, but because of hearing from one girl I played football with at school, said “Couldn’t even kick the ball” stopped playing at school. I feel that effected me when I should have ignored her and used it to show actually, I can kick a ball.
I felt bad, because my brother had gone to that effort and he bought me my own football boots, but I just couldn’t get myself there due to the movies I would play in head of feeling out numbered, and not being good enough.
This has helped me to make sure I take on opportunities as I did my Level 1 Football coaching qualification and did run a children’s football team for a while, and then I was going to do my level 2 coaching badge but once again my confidence got me and so decided not to continue.
Yet I did Manage a Football team The football team in that I was coaching was taken over my some of the boys dads, and was disappointed about that, and was going to suggest it, but when the Charmain of the club said that I can coach the next under 8’s team, and then coach a girls team they wanted to coach, I felt like, “What so because I am a woman I should be coaching women?” and left.
Anyway I found out I was pregnant and didn’t feel wise to continue, and so stopped and was good experience and did feel let down a little, because I was running the team by myself and should have had one of the parents to help manage the team, to help me. However I felt I did okay and would like to continue one day and do sports coaching again, and my aim was to coach a team from kids to teenage years, and further. This is still something I’d like to do, but it is a massive commitment and so see what the future holds.
When I worked in Contact Centre often felt like I let myself down by not getting good feedback on the telephones and I wasn’t rude, but found real tough when people would ring and complain and not knowing what to say and felt I could have done better. That’s life though we won’t always get it right but you have to get it wrong to make sure you get it right, whatever you do and life is about learning and growing.
Football teams for example like Manchester United were Champions of the Premiership, yet it took Alex Ferguson 4 years when he began managing the team that they started to win trophies and was put under enormous pressure and became unbeatable.
You know when you feel you have let yourself down, because you go through what if’s and play scenes of if I had taken up that opportunity where would I have been right now? Would I have gone on and become a professional Football coach by now? and really life is about choice and often we do choose the wrong path or it goes into a different direction, Again that is life.
Doesn’t mean that it won’t ever happen, and I didn’t always get it right being a football coach but they did win games and did improve their ability, and their skills, and did get messages from parents when I left thanking me, so it wasn’t all bad and I did enjoy it, just didn’t like how it ended.
I have written about this before Summer Project 2021/Build your expectations on your terms we all have expectations of ourselves and other people, because we fear disappointment. Yet it is good to have a level of expectation because it means we care about the things we have in our life.
Your expectations of ourselves can be tough, because we put so much on our shoulders that we can’t handle and leads us wanting to run rather than finishing tasks and get on with living our lives.
Lower the expectation, by taking your time and breathe and take in what is around you and keep planning your life and setting goals.
I would like to wish those who read my blogs in America a Happy 4th July and I bet you guys have a expectation for that, celebrating yearly events and special days. I have an expectation on my life coaching programme, because it is important that my audience, you guys, are getting something from them and writing my books, please check them out there are EBooks, about happiness and wellness, and have parenting books and fiction books.
You can find my books on amazon.co.uk under the names, Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Holmes.
Having expectations sets us up but not to over do it. It also helps us to set boundaries and doing 1-5 tasks a day and set a time for each one. I love doing sprints when it comes to writing my books and at the moment I am editing my new book as my expectation is for it be better than my previous books and increase my skills and ambitions.
That is the good part of expectations and it is good to set challenges for yourself but ones that you know is going to help build your life but not stress and anxiety.
So set the bar each time to take action to complete goals but a height that you can reach and not make you give up.
Many thanks for liking my blogs so far, of my Summer Project 2023 and followed me it really means a lot and would suggest to do so if you want to be kept up to date with my blogs. I do write a newsletter each month, which I publish on this blog so check out June’s 2023: My Monthly Newsletter June 2023
Everyone can build a castle 