Hi and welcome to my blog! I am posting every Monday a cheat sheets to help you manage your day and manage your life and my one for today is about Making life Simple and stop betting overwhelmed in getting your life together.
It has taken a long time to learn about myself, and who wanted to be. There are days that I still ask myself this question, when things get challenging. For me it is the girl who loves to save, being a mum that sets a good example and play my part in helping others, and looking after those I love and inspire others to become who they want to be.
I want my life to continue to grow, and want my life to be spending time with my son, watching him grow and support him, so he becomes who he wants to be. When I feel I am being negative, I remind myself that my life is good, and it is up to me to make a difference to my life and like those people have done that for me, and lead me to helping others. My community.
You have to get to grips with of what is really important to you and who. Who makes you feel good about yourself and will give you full support in living the life you want and let your happiness grow.
I like others dreamed of being rich, but now I want to continue to build a writing community and write more books, that touch on real issues, and entertain people through writing and filming videos. I have three Youtube channels, which you can check out via these links:
I want to continue to teach my son and what he has taught me, and go on more walks and explore different places. You don’t have to be rich to do that, but be happy with life for all the wonderful things life gives, not allow setbacks bring you down, and others who may be against you.
Not everyone will like you, and think what you are doing is wrong, but you have to continue on regardless, and allow the critters to make you even more driven to be who you want.
So, it is coming to the end of 2023, and so lets get ready to say goodbye Saying Goodbye to 2023 and kick start 2024. Check out this printable:
My mental state was bad and it has taken me a lot to get my life back on track, but planning is always the one thing that gets me through it. I like planning my days and focusing on having a good day, whatever has tried not knock me off the path I have been going through, to be fully recovered. I did a video talking about a couple of days ago, when I went to pick up my prescription and bought a cold coffee, only to drop it as I was running for the bus back, check out my video here: https://youtu.be/L_bU-FKqtOQ and so not everything goes to plan, but I still got my prescription and I still made it back indoors to record the video above, talking about Using what you’ve got .
When unplanned events happen, it can take a while to get over and I believe in, allowing yourself to grieve and take time in coming to terms that sometimes you have to start again, to continue to grow as a human being, and that is exactly what I have had to do.
I started to get back on my feet by spending time away from my friends and family, and was helped with getting my life together, by having an income again and being reunited with, family and my son, and able to see him off to school and back. Getting in contact with friends via social media, and now looking to be connected to others again, as I do miss going out with friends and family again.
Never plan too big at first, and focus on one or two things, at a time. I began to Understand the condition I had and learned about the triggers, should I feel like I am having relapse, and learning about different mental health conditions. I did this by doing some free courses, and they have helped me, with these blogs, because I love to learn and educate myself. It is a great way to rebuild your life. I did some painting which I haven’t done in years and started walking again. Walking small distances, and exploring new places, getting back into writing books, and exercise is good for recovery as it does give you, good energy and it helps me to listen to my body that can help with my mind, by retuning positive feelings.
Healing relationships by forgiving and forgetting, and addressing the causes. Make a plan to see your friends again and spend time with family, and have them help you in recovery, You don’t have to go through recovery on your own.
Having a good sort out on things that you want to let go off and make plan to do this. Again get help. My mum helped me when I came out of hospital, and recently done a declutter, and doing this regularly can help the feelings of being overcrowded with stuff.
I am in a good place now and feel like my life is taking shape. There are still so much I wish to do, but taking it one step at a time.
Remember I do have books available on happiness and wellnesses, along with fictional books. You can find these on amazon, under the names, Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Holmes.
As I write this it is a Saturday night and today I have been booking more things for the UK School Summer holidays as they continue and making the most of the time me and my son have together. Being a parent you begin to change habits. At the beginning of being a parent you are finding your feet and getting to know your child you just gave birth too (I do have two parenting blogs sites: See below).
You get in the habit of sleeping when the baby sleeps or see if you can get any housework done whilst your new baby is sleeping and going to bed early, finding time to shower and get dressed, but you spend the first month in pyjamas and wearing breast pads and expressing milk and sterilising bottles and feeding and finding time to eat.
When you start a job you have to be in a certain time and make sure your personal hygiene is good and make an impression by following habits that helps you to start the job, like turning getting there early to set up ready to begin so you can get your computer ready or other equipment, following a dress code and checking information and showing the employer of what you can do and they will look at how you dress, your attitude and body language.
The one habit I have always possessed is time management. I believe you have to show your time keeping because of reliability.
Can they trust you?
What do you do that makes the job a lot more easier to get tasks done in plenty of time?
do you work well under pressure? This is something that when looking at a lot of jobs adverts, employers will want to know, as like in a hospital, working in restaurants and in a call centre, which I have worked in along with catering, can be stressful.
The habits I have picked up since becoming a parent and working for many companies can last forever like how to talk, so working on your communicate to make it better that will help you, because when working in a call centre customers wanted compassion, and people want that too outside work, life friends and family, and has taught me how to be organized, by being clean and tidy, and looking after my workplace. I like making a good impression. That is important to me. Not everyone is going to like you, well that’s what I have come to realise but you can change their minds, its spending the time so they get to know you better and you getting to know them. An example when I worked at a holiday camp and working in the residential catering department there was a woman there called Natalie and she didn’t like me at first, at all and didn’t really understand me, and she split up from one of the team leaders, who she was going out with and they split up, and when we went out for the evening off camp, she thought I would laugh at her being that she was really upset. My friend I shared a chalet with, said to her, “She’s not like that” and she began to like me, and then we became friends.
I have learned to listen better, because I was guilty of talking over, someone talking when having a conversation and being interrupting is rude. I hate when having a conversation someone interrupts when you haven’t finished, but for it to change you need to do it before you expect someone else to do the same. I like to listen and take in conversation and pay more attention to what someone is saying as I can get the wrong end of the stick and I get annoyed when having to repeat myself, or when someone is not truly listening to me, so with working in different places it has helped me to have better conversation where I will listen and then when I know when they have finished I will then talk.
Pulling your weight and not waiting for someone else to do it. Yes delegation can help but not when they are doing all the work. To build a good workforce it is important that everyone does their bit. I always worked for my wage when others would be doing all they can to do less. It is not a competition, but a good work place is where everyone knows what they need and gets it done and if someone is finding some tricky, that you help them and when working in a holiday camp once I had finished my bay when I was front of house, I would go over to help someone else’s bay.
I do this now when it comes to tasks at home I will clean and tidy my room, I will help clean the landing and when having dinner I will help to wash the dishes and keep the kitchen clean.
When it comes to look after my son, I will make his breakfast, take him to do different activities and give him a bath and ready for school and making him his dinner. Being a parent it is important, where me and his dad work together to help with his development and learning. I make sure that I expand my learning as a parent along with my husband.
Planning and preparation. As said organisation is the key to getting stuff done and completed, but its finding a plan that works to prepare for each day, and being a mum I have to make sure that I keep an inventory of food for Henrys to eat each day, has clothes out ready so he can get dressed and has his bag packed and that I do his packed lunch or I plan his meas for school, as he has school dinners and that I make sure there is food for dinner.
Each day I will have my list of the tasks I want to get done on that day and week, and make the beds and got my clothes ready for the day, and at what blogs I want to post and videos I want to film and when I want to check and make time to go through my emails and plan my writing of my next book.
Before having a baby you have to pack a bag ready as it is getting nearer to the due date and if you want to do anti-natal classes and have items for after the baby is born and find a routine so you get enough rest and recover, and when to feed your new born baby and spending time to adjust to this massive change to our life.
So use the skills you already possess along with the habits that has taught you so much, and live for each day and spend time going the skills parenting and working can help you now and to help teach others too, to expand and that work around your life.
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.
Yes, finding things that have a huge impact on you. This can be that you want more love from people because you feel a lone at the moment, so it is time to go out and find like minded people and this could be going to church or just on a date with yourself, keeping safe of course, but listening to @RealTalkKim she says that you aren’t likely to meet anybody if you are with a group of girls, and I met my husband working at a Holiday camp and it for once felt comfortable and didn’t feel nervous at all, and you can meet people in many different places like that. I was quite late in my life in the dating game
If you want more friends in your life then go out with your existing friends and rather than saying no to meeting up, say yes, and set a date of when you can and go out. I have met a lot of people through other friends. Example I made friendships through a friend when going to watch a Rugby League team and met others along the way, when I kept going, and was a fun and with a fantastic group of people.
You may want more structure in your life and for me I want to be a minimalist and not be surrounded by stuff and not be bogged down, so slowly I am making that happen by having a sort out each day and looking at pictures on Pinterest of how I would like my work station to look like, and still have all I need around me, its just overcrowded and so want to have less space to do more.
Then there are physical changes. I have lost weight and a lot of my clothes are now too big, so been going through my clothes and shoes and items that no longer make me happy in wearing and put them in recyclable bin where my son goes swimming at the weekend, and also invest more in looking after my skin.
I have been really enjoying my weekend walks with my son in the mornings in the day time, and makes me feel that my physical health as got a lot better and no longer feeling fatigued all day and do take Iron tablets to help with that and feels good to have my energy back.
It is simple things like that, that can really matter to you, and either gives you joy, or not. Fitting things in your life that makes you excited rather then dread, help you grow and find the pieces to your jigsaw that brings you endless amounts of love and compassion.
Yes here we are and I am so glad for the feedback from my previous yearly life coaching programme blogs and videos, I want to begin today and was going to put it on hold because my son was unwell and had time off school, but he is a lot better so lets begin.
I have a printable that I am creating, and so this will be up by end of the week and it is all about what is coming up and what I will sharing in this years life Coaching programme.
So first of all I am not a medical professional, I am a mum and have worked in Customer Service, worked in Childcare and worked at a holiday resort but recently did some courses in Mental Health and how it affects adults and children as I want to work in Childcare and Healthcare.
I wanted to create this is programme from sharing my own story who has had a mental health illness and struggled in life and feel I know about life now being in my 40’s and had to work on myself to be a good mum, daughter, sister and overall a good human being.
I want to help people be happy and not feel that they are alone. I want you to be able to create dreams and ambitions and build a life that makes you smile and a reason to get up in the mornings. There were times where I’d dread each day and that is not a good way to feel. It can be draining and I have suffered with stress and anxiety.
My life has changed a lot and had to make serious choices like looking at my own actions that has caused people to be upset and angry, I have had to work on my principals and focus on what is important and take it easy as I kept getting burn out.
Life isn’t about doing 100 things a day or running 5 miles a day everyday when you have kids and pets, but setting time to just be with yourself and looking after yourself and doing what makes you happy. I like to exercise and glad it is part of my life, but I also like to rest and relax.
I like to have my first cup of tea in he morning and then a coffee and doing my son’s breakfast and getting ready for the day. That is an area I still want to work on, as I want to make more of an effort in terms of appearance as I do go into autopilot and go straight on to my laptop. I am not saying I have it all sussed but have a good understanding of life and want people to feel good. I want people to not deprive themselves and help get rid of the bad parts of their lives and how they feel about their lives.
There is always room for growth and getting to know yourself and being true to yourself. I love writing and I do want it to be one day my income, and be a professional writer and do have books already on Amazon. You can check them out under the names, Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Holmes. I want to continue to be help my son and help him grow, by setting an example and help him follow his dreams and ambitions. At the moment he wants to be a train, which I have had to explain is not a living thing, but can work on the trains. Who knows what ambitions our kids have, and we can learn a lot from our children.
Just as a I write this first blog I am in my pyjamas bottoms on because it is bank holiday Monday and feel that I will get items done by being more relaxed and go with the flow. It is good to have a schedule but adding relaxation time is a must, and I like being snug.
So I hope you enjoy my Summer Project 2023 and all feedback is welcomed.
It talking about the being the underdog and in writing this I feel I have been a underdog when taking my dancing because I made a few mistakes and always passed but there were other pupils at my dancing school that were better and it took me ages to have 100% all high scores and when I played football, when I was picked to play at my Primary school was the underdog but I still played and to be the best you have to play against the best. Andy Murray was against Federer but then went on to win Wimbledon and other tournaments.
England football team against teams like Argentina, Netherlands and Germany we have been underdogs yet we still won and countries like Brazil, but we still qualify and still got to the final stages and from defeat you learn, and Gareth Southgate still turns up and picks players who could possibly be winners and stand a chance against teams that are seen as top rated international teams.
It doesn’t mean we have a chance, in fact it means we have more and seeing others succeed can be really a boost to be good at what we want to be good at or be better at. I was already naturally bodied to dance and play sports. That is down to coordination, but so did many of the other dancers I would dance with and made me improve and put in the effort in to be just as good.
This means competing against yourself and be better than what you originally was and challenging yourself, turning up to every lesson and visualising me doing the routines and steps, to practicing at home and watching professional dancing.
I want to pay a tribute to one of the judges that was on Strictly Come Dancing, Len Goodman,who whilst writing this blog I found that he has passed away as I went to see it and is one of my favourite TV shows and was his last series. He was such a brilliant judge and had watched him for years when you had the show before strictly, called Come Dancing and never got to see him dance but was such a lovely guy and wished I had as he was always cheering for those who were underdogs that never danced before and are the ones that I find most inspiring because it takes guts to want to perform in front of millions of people all over Britain and not danced before. Not saying I dislike the ones that are good and already contenders to win it, but it’s difficult and many like Ore Aduba who I did meet, have gone on to win it, and not danced ever. He didn’t even dance at his wedding.
It is a lot about trial and error, picking simple little tips and learning as you grow to be the best from being the underdog.developing your skills. We all have things to learn and I am the underdog being a self published author but this makes me want to write more books and continue to work towards having a best seller. It does take time but with persistence and determination it can happen, what you put into your dreams and ambitions is everything, so stand up if you have been underdog and gone on to be successful in areas in your life. You can leave a comment below, and love being inspired by other people its what helps me to grow within myself and out, and good luck with achieving the things in your life I have your back all the way,.