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Everyone can build a castle

~ Creating goals, habits and being empowered aiming for success

Everyone can build a castle

Category Archives: Goal setting

Experiencing Rejection

10 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Celebrating, Everyday living, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Personal Development, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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chasing your dreams, life lessons, part of life, rejection, summer project 2026

I have gone for jobs where I it has been a disaster. I remember going to one and I said I’d looked at the website and it was obvious I hadn’t and yet I was so close in getting the job and they didn’t like the fact that I had turned up early, which now I am somewhat glad I didn’t get it. For me if I was running a company punctuality would be top of the list.

Photo by Valeriia Miller on Pexels.com

I tried to apply to be a red coat a Butlins and I don’t even think my application had reached the time or day.

My first time I applied to work at Butlins I was rejected and applied again the year after and finally got a role and it was persistence that finally got me the chance to fulfil a childhood dream. My first holidays were staying on a holiday camp that we’d go to with our grandparents and I loved it.

Rejection is a good thing because it helps to see if this is what you want can happen, but if you really want it and what can you work on that will make you successful next time. I was desperate to get a role and auditioned for Haven, applied for Pontins and when I first left school I was rejected by gyms I had applied for as at school I did Leisure and Tourism and got the roll sending my C.V to football clubs as a Steward at Fulham Football club.

Never allow it to get you down. The famous writer Jojo Moyes first books she wrote were rejected. Kevin Keegan was told he was too small to play professional football when he trained at Liverpool as a kid until years later he was one of their top scorers. Only Fools and Horses was going to be scraped, the double act Cannon and Ball came last when they went on Opportunity Knocks and Les Dawson also did that show too and didn’t win.

Rejection can still lead you to opportunities. Mariah Carey trained for many years as a backing vocalist until she became an artist and was waitressing when she finally got noticed. Paula Abdul was chorographer before she had hits and was a dancer, before a singer.

Listening to Jojo Moyes speak on Davina McCall podcast, begin again proved that you should never give up and get to know your trade and enjoy the process. I like that I get to spend most of my days with my son, building my blog sites, working on books and Youtube videos when he is at school and just learning.

So never feel if you have been rejected that your dreams aren’t going to come true.

Be consistent and persistent.

Please check subscribe if you’d like to read more and if you’d like to check out my Youtube channel and subscribe there too. There is not cost then please do: https://www.youtube.com/@Carriechalloner

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Shaping Your Life

03 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Celebrating, Dreams and ambitions, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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celebrate you, follow your dreams, live, live for today, shaping your life

I have never felt good in all of my life as I do now. I feel so good because I am not allowing the inner critic get to me, that talks me out of things but now I am Shaping My life because I’m following my dreams to get closer and have experiences. I look forward in achieving my goals, by not putting hurdles in the way. So take that trip around the world, go to see the World cup, go on a cruise and see a family member who’ve you’ve been meaning to see but never got round to it. Make the time and you’ll feel better for it.

Me at the Hampton Court Music Festival. I did do a vlog about it, see link at the bottom of this blog.

I am doing things that I never thought I would do. No I am not a millionaire. No offence to those who are but I am living. I am going to be going away with my son for the first time. Just him and me. Part of me is nervous but looking forward to it at the same time. A friend of mine travelled solo for the first time, just her and you have to live. Take the chance. I have been full of excuses in why I shouldn’t do something putting hurdles in the way and my mum said it once “If you want to do something you’ll always find a way if it is something you really want to do”. I have had opportunities. I could have trained every week in a local football team but I just couldn’t push myself but it was seeing the players who were built like bricks and put me off rather than using that to work towards learning football, but then I did some Courses later on and coached a team and so I achieved that goal, With dancing I went every week. With football I feel that I wanted the glitz and the glamour be the female version of Gazza and run rings around the other players rather than just enjoying the moment.

That is okay but I wanted to be Wonder Woman not seeing it as a learning experience. Back then women’s football was still being overshadowed by men’s football and I ended up running a team but fell pregnant and the team was taken our of my hands and even though that was disappointing I am grateful for it now as I could just enjoy my pregnancy and glad I had the experience.

I did dancing because I was good at that. I played football because I began playing at school but one of the girls made a remark and once again stopped going. It would matter to me when I was called a name by someone. Now I have gotten older got a lot stronger and why I got into running, now do a radio show and write. I published another book this year When Mothers are Real.

I took Henry to music festival in Hampton Court and got another this year and then with my mum going to see Bon Jovi. I am taking my son on a Ferry for the first time and he now plays tennis, which he has done well at. He finally got a school placement and so my aim now is to publish a new book I am working on, continue with my radio show I do for a local hospital, continue with my yearly Life Coaching programmes I’ve created and there is still a long way to go but I am no longer allow fear to follow my dreams and doing what I said I will do.

Take chances. I was listening to a Podcast hosted by Davina Called Begin Again with Jojo Moyes and it was so interesting. Here’s a link if you’d like to watch it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpTd0zOyg8Y&t=2894s and how you should never give up and enjoy the process. Jojo talks about how much she’s done now since she spoke to someone about her life and her failures. We all fail that is how we long and it makes you stronger. I feel that we can feel bad in taking some time wanting something for ourselves.

I like doing my yearly reading challenges. I love reading everyday. That’s helped with shaping my life because it has helped me with my books. It has helped me with writing and seeing the different styles. Going on my morning walks and watching a concert. I have been enjoying watching the world cup and listening about music. I love creating my show, even though the inner fear makes me resistant and get nervous but at the same time feel like “Wow I can’t believe I am doing this” and I did write a blog about Its Okay to Be Selfish as we need to help our world shape to help others we care about have shape. I want my son to have experiences, friends and a life that he is happy with. I love it when we play table tennis, go to the cinema, take trips on buses and trains and he is looking forward to seeing the Proclaimers and now I am being more intentional and it feels good.

So Shape you life and own your goals.

For more content why not check out my Youtube channel. I could do with some support and share parts of my life as a mum and a writer. Please check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/@Carriechalloner

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Start Planning Your Goals Today for 2026

29 Monday Jun 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts

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goal setting 2026, my free printable for mondays, start of a new week, weekly post

So I was going through my google docs as there are some that I created and never used and came across this one. It is a goals template I had created for 2020 so used it and thought I’d share it with you too.

goals printable for 2026Download

These are free to download and print. I post them every Monday except on bank holidays.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Life Coaching Blog: Own the Stage

22 Friday May 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Celebrating, Creating a vision, Goal setting, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Summer Project

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change habits, life coaching blog, making changes, own the stage, Setting goals

Watching Live Aid, Queen the band, for the 100th time. They owned the stage and Freddy was out there and one of the best performers and every time I watch it, it still feels like it is the first time watching it and it was 40 years ago and if you want to change, own the stage. You are part of this world so you deserve to have the things you want, unless it is hurting people.

OWN THE STAGE!

Photo by A. S. on Pexels.com

It is good to say “You want to be the best” OWN THE STAGE in whatever field or area you are interested in. Watching Robbie Williams film Robbie was treated like a pain in the arse but once he started to see that he was good enough to be a star and create fantastic music he shone and he OWNED THE STAGE and made people see, by getting help and facing his demons, a superstar and he is a up there with the best.

Your going to have setbacks, but it is how you manage them is the key. I wanted to win the trophy for the highest marks when I did dance and I got it and it was because I OWNED THE STAGE and athletes OWN THE STAGE. They do the work, they eat what their body needs and many have had struggles leading up to success but they see they are part of this world and so they have taken over the world by their determination and working on your strengths and their weaknesses.

So set some goals. Change a habit and write down what has worked out for you in your life and why and making the things that haven’t worked out smaller. I want to make you see your part of this world. You are important and you can achieve goals and change. I never felt good than I do now because I write thar blog, I write that book, I go for a morning walk, I worked in a coffee shop and I have made a good dinner. So OWN THE STAGE and yes their are hurdles but it can work out and when it does it feels fantastic.

Please check out my Pinterest where I post my blogs and on X too.

Tweets by typical86285

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Managing Your Finances

11 Monday May 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, Financial Living, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, Living, Planning 2026, Positive Habits, Printables, Weekly posts

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check you bank account each week, financial tips to spend less, free printable, having no spend days, managing your money

Hi I am a bit distracted today. It was a busy weekend and in recovery mode you know when you’ve exerted yourself so much that I need an extra day rest but want to crack on and get things planned and the one thing I do everyday is monitor and check my bank account.

I like to save each week and has inspired me with this weeks Cheat Sheet. It is tips on managing your money and use the tools I have and learned and if you are new here then I post these Cheat Sheets each week and they are free. So please check this weeks and I am posting on here for my Yearly Life Coaching Programme Summer Project 2026.

I am posting blogs every Friday, but cheat sheet every Monday except Bank Holidays.

Monitoring your finance and spend lessDownload

I have added a blank sheet should you wish to write or take notes on what you feel my tips are helpful and you’d like to do first and I work by making gradual changes. Each Monday I put money into my savings and I will see what has come out. You’ll see I put down that I have no spend days. I wasn’t going to buy clothes but I want to change my wardrobe a bit and I am into dresses and being a bit more feminine and I like to changing my style.

There are weeks where we don’t have enough food as it helps use up what we have and stop having too much waste. I wasn’t junk journaling but now I enjoy it and want to junk journal and love scrapbooking and invest in a nice journal and I making my own. Not sure when they will be available, but will let you know.

I have a planner dedicated to my finances. I did have a spreadsheet but my laptop stopped working and so lost all the files I had created and so write them down and prefer that actually as they won’t get lost.

There was a time where I was in debt and now I have paid it off I am glad I have money to save and more financially stable.

You can subscribe to this site and it is helpful to me and like if you like these posts and will help build and grow this site. It helps me to know what content you find will be helpful and share what you do to manage your money. See the comment box below. Have a great week and now I have a new X Account where I post my content as I have other blogs. See link here: https://x.com/typical86285

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Life Coaching blog: Setting Your Goals Too High

08 Friday May 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in career building, Creating a vision, Goal setting, having bad days, life coaching blog, Living, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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focus on now, high expectations, making goals realistic, Setting goals, taking it step by step

How high are you setting your goals?

How often are you changing your goals because they seem impossible to achieve?

What one thing do you want to focus on?

Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels.com

Life is full of decisions and paths. It is full of challenges and when we set goals we are told to manifest and visualise. This can help but what is the outcome you want and write a list of goals and then ask yourself, what are realistic, what is important to you right now and what is giving you the strongest feeling that is you don’t do it, because you jumped in with both feet.

Been so guilty about doing that too and so to avoid what one step can you do today.

I write books so the first thing I focus on is putting the first draft together and how many pages can a right that I know I can do to begin with. Once I have completed the first draft, then next edit ready for the second draft and so it is about gradual steps and taking your time.

Changing my diet and be more healthy and I say I am going to have salad all this week, I know that that is impossible for me as often I don’t want the same meal each day and focus on what do I want now, do I have the food I want? How much money will it cost me and will it satisfy me? I am not one to prep meals for the week but set ideas and do it day by day now. I would write down meals for the month and I’d change my mind. I like to decide more or less on the day.

I do plan but this year I wanted what I wanted last year. Right now my goal is to grow and continue with my blogs, write and create books, my sons first year of his new school and educating myself on writing and growing my content.

So what one thing can you do today that will help you to your ultimate goal. So my books the outcome is to get it published to the work on the next book and let them “Grow”. My word for this year.

Check out my blog I did that I attached my Worksheet for this programme Introduction to My Yearly Programme Summer Project 2026 I as I write this blog looking for something to listen to whilst I write this blog and came across this short by Jennifer Lopez about skincare https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Q7MdZPUBFu4 It is being consistent and doing daily rituals and how we organise our lives.

So take it each step and in the worksheet it asks about the outcome and so workout what you want to happen in your life by focus on one thing as it comes and planning as you go.

I hope you find these blogs are helpful and if you want to be notified when I post on this site then please subscribe.

Please check out my Pinterest that has more content: https://uk.pinterest.com/carriechallonerholmes

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Creating A Mind Map

21 Saturday Feb 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Goal setting, having bad days, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Printables

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building your life, Creating a mindmap, Focus, free printable

If you have plans but you are not sure where to start I’d recommend doing a Mind Map. I do this a lot. It helps with overwhelm and lay out what you want to focus on and building by creating steps to allow it to grow and build whatever that is that you want to see “GROW” my word for this year (2026) and so I have created a printable for you use and I hope you find it helpful.

Mind Map PrintableDownload

This is free to download and print and will be creating more. You can find my printables on my Resource Library and on my Pinterest which has all my blogs and printables, such as my Weekly Cheat Sheets and Monthly Newsletter, as I have many and I create each week and printables for my yearly programmes.

I’d recommend for you to subscribe on here and on my Pinterest to be notified of when I post and I post each week.

I love to spread my blogs, books and videos. You can share them too. I have a Vlog channel and share more of my life and would be great for you to subscribe there too.

https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

Its a bit like doing a family tree. So you can do from yourself. So Carrie, I write blogs, Books and youtube. I want to publish another book, I am a mum, and need to get Henry ready and settled in his new school, I want to grow my blogs and do some new training on my Educational Youtube channel.

So I hope you enjoy this tool and there will be more coming.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

New Cheat Sheet 2026: Ten Things to Write down in a journal

12 Monday Jan 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, Living, Personal Development, Planning for 2025, Printables, Weekly posts

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free printable, goals for 2026, places you'd like to go, things you'd like to do, weekly reset

Hello! How are you getting on this year so far. It is weird knowing that a couple weeks ago was now last year. It is hard to keep up but just live and I hope you are okay?

So if you are new then I share a cheat sheet to help you feel good about yourself and on how to make life better. I from experience have found life a struggle but let me tell you it can change its just doing one change day which is a course I am developing and why I break it up and so just one thing is still getting jobs done and not draining your energy so you burn out.

Here are Ten Things to Write in your journal to get more out of your life.

Ten Things to Write down in a journalDownload

So there will be more to come. These weekly Printables are free to download and print and if you’d like to read more of my content then you can subscribe and I also have Youtube Channels and Blog sites so check out these links below:

Link for my Pinterest:

Social media:

https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal/

Tweets by Carrie82434764

https://www.facebook.com/typicallondongal/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

You Don’t Have to Have it All Figured out

02 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Celebrating, Everyday living, Goal setting, health and wellbeing, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Weekly posts, Winter Wellness

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Goal setting, new year, not planning ahead, planning for the new year, Winter Wellness

Yes set goals, manifest, create a Vision board and get a new diary or planner, but what is around you right now? I have gotten in a place where I am okay by how it is now. I have clothes, my son, my homes and my writing and at this moment, I love all these things.

Photo by Ann H on Pexels.com

So I am open to what 2026 brings and just let life be more present and leave part of my life to fate and yes I believe in God. There are changes and transitions, as I am moving, as I live partly with my mum and step dad but with my husband and son too, and they are the things I am focused on now.

There is still a lot to learn and going to do more courses as I love doing that. I loved my reading and completed 20 books this year and my challenge for 2026 is 21 books. I will be updating site, My Books and Stories.

I am watching a Video by Carter Sullivan on Youtube and is on the same mindset as me and that is to see what happens in 2026. Its a relief to me and letting go off the girl who feels I have to map it out all the time and mind maps are good, but you don’t have to set up your whole year but where your are now.

So January it is getting back in to learning mode, for me working on my book called When Mothers Are Real and setting up my watch for measuring my steps and sorting out the home.

I have begun No Spend January and set up my planner which I plan to film and it doesn’t mean I can’t spend anything. Its only essentials and stock up on them so I don’t need to go and buy. It means doing a spending plan and what is not a priority.

It is about self control and be intentional.

If you’d like more about me then I do have a Vlog Channel if you’d like to visit: https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

Happy New Year

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

What is Holding You Back?

31 Wednesday Dec 2025

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Celebrating, Dreams and ambitions, empowerment, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, Living, new year, Personal care, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Weekly posts, Winter Wellness

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holding back, Inner critic, Obstacles, Self Doubt, Winter Wellness

Obstacles (jumping hurdles)

See above a blog I wrote in 2018 and still relevant because as there is always obstacles but I have learned to deal with them and not allow them to stop me in achieving my goals and dreams. I do a radio show and we have a new system to play music. I have found it challenging but rather than avoid, faced it head on and I know if I keep using it, the less of a hurdle it will become and challenges are there to help you.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Life has a way of keeping you on your toes and so allow the hurdles or doubts that come into your mind, and life and what you want to do. Do you want the voice of doubt bug you? Are you going to quit?

Quitting is fine, but if it ends up as a regret then take some time to reflect and does it excite you? Mel Robbins says that anxiety and excitement is the same thing. I love my show, I just finding the nerves overwhelming but I know this is what I was meant to do along with writing blogs, books and creating videos. I care so much and want to create my blogs, videos and show to help those. The Radio show is for my local hospital as it is a hospital radio station and I get so much joy.

What does a new year mean to you?

Is there something that gives you a burst of excitement?

I am going to see Bon Jovi once again. Yes it could end up being cancelled, I may become ill, but what ifs are just that. What if it all turns out alright? My son is going to a potential school option and finally get a placement. I have chosen to have less commitments for myself in 2026 to spend my time visiting different places I’d like to take my son to and want to explore more and continue what we did the year we are leaving and yes trains can have disruptions and the buses haven’t been reliable but we have got to where we wanted to be and plan less to do more.

Twenty twenty five has been a good year. Okay my son got sick at the beginning but we still had the meal we wanted afterwards, because he was taken to hospital and Henry was fine, he didn’t have a meltdown and just chilled until we could go home and just a bump in the road. Life will have bumps and as much as we don’t want our kids to be sick, their intolerances and immune system need to develop and so, he wasn’t fazed by it and so I am not.

When we went to the Polka theatre a lot and one of the shows we ended up getting drenched. The Radio event I did for the first time, leading to Christmas in 2025 finished early because of the weather and had issues with music and the choir shows, but we carried on and I enjoyed it and was a good experience and didn’t allow my nerves to talk me out of it.

So face the obstacle but don’t allow them to continue to grow, my word for 2026 and if you fall, get back up again and carry on.

I have written another blog about the Inner Critic on one of my other sites: https://buildingselfconfidencetud.blogspot.com/2020/07/learning-to-love-yourself-instead-of.html

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

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