08 Monday Dec 2025
Posted in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, having bad days, Living, Printables, Weekly posts
Hello! I hope you had a good weekend. It is Monday once again and this weeks Cheat Sheet is all about What To Do On a Rainy day. Inspired by getting wet on Friday when the Radio Station I work on, hosted an event and was cold too.
These are free to download and print.
Have a good week.
Many thanks for reading
Carrie X
06 Saturday Dec 2025
Tags
celebrating Christmas, Christmas 2025, good and bad times, what Christmas is all about, yearly wellness programme
In the year the Two Thousand for the first time I dreaded Christmas. My family life had changed, my Nan passed away and I was in a job I hated. It was a fail. I had to re-address my life and where it was going.
For some, there are people, like that year who dread Christmas. When a change happens, all those good times feel like they have stopped and can make you feel like you want the world to swallow you up, to never be seen again. It took me a while to adjust and I made the decision to leave my life in Richmond behind to move to work in the South Coast.
When I moved Christmases were a work day. I moved to work at a holiday camp and where I met my husband and so I had the Christmas my boyfriend, then at one of our friends house and it was fun working at Christmas. Within in one year, I stayed with then my boyfriend and worked with a hangover but I do not regret as it, it was so much fun.
I lost my spark for the festive cheer. I was sad. My nan was the center of my universe and my Grandad and my Nan, made the Festive season the best ones and it struck me that those times were gone and I asked, “Would Christmas be good again?”
I see the Christmas as a day a of rest and recuperation now. I love that my son loves it and he has helped bring back my Christmas spirit, to feeling happy again, we hosted Christmas once with my in-laws. Now though it is just the three of us and celebrate for him now and he has helped me bring back my joy for #Christmas.
I am not a fan of the busyness of the Christmas so tend to buy online but do like to have a traditional drinks, decor an like a Mulled Wine or a Winter Cider and may have a glass of wine. I love a festive coffee. This year 2025 its the nutcracker latte, iced or hot. What is your festive drink this year? For a while it was the Blackforest Gateaux Hot Chocolate.
If you’ve not had a good year then it can be hard to enjoy Christmas but do something different and if you want to eat out as many restaurants or pubs can be open. The year before Henry was born we, my husband I went to Florida which was good fun and next year I plan to go to Scotland and today we are off to Kingston if the weather is okay and see the lights and see if we can get any decor or my sons bedroom.
The other thing is family break ups. Alternate visits. One year let your kids be with their dad and the next with you. It was hard when my parent divorced but my dad would go to my brothers and so it can work out and just say “Your not gonna choose” but will see them what day works for you and if they are persistent then say “No this is what is going to work with me” and if they make it hard for you then you have to be honest with them and be stern with the decision you have made.
It is not the time for arguments. It is the time to end family feuds and just enjoy it.
So going to pop out as I need something for my teeth they’ve been hurting me a lot and have a Christmas coffee and a pastry of some kind. Sometimes you just need that lift and it helps me think and feel lucky to have experience Christmases with those gone and that Christmas is now worth celebrating.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
17 Monday Nov 2025
This idea came from watching a Youtube Video by Kate Kaden and each month I give to the local foodbanks in London and work for a Charity. I present a show for my local hospital and it gives me such a buzz. The Winter can be tough and so if you can cook a hot meal for someone that you know is on their own, can do a world of good. Or even buying them a coffee and give them your time to chat.
In the winter I find it hard to see those doing all they can to earn money from selling the Big Issue and people walking passed, knowing that they can really make a difference. We do have families who are struggling to put food on the table. Why in this day in age have people needing to go to a foodbank?
I’ve watched Call the Midwife and feel from the times that the programme is based on learnt nothing.
The high street is suffering, the prices on utilities are going up and I have been to a supermarket and had to cancel items having absolutely nothing and it is the worst feeling in the world.
This is not to make you feel guilty in anyway. It doesn’t have to be materialistic but just your time. One of my sons schools friends parent who’s child was in his class would use her to listen to children read and I love volunteering. So rewarding. At many of the staff at the local garden centres are volunteers.
When I do my shopping and I am asked if I’d like to give a donation and I say yes. It can be lending books to your neighbours if they are alone or if they’d like to go for a walk. Have a joint Christmas with neighbours. I remember when I was kid and we moved from one block of flats to another the lady opposite us looked after me and we often go to other’s homes when living on a housing estate.
There’d be Christmas parties on the Estate and I loved them or Christmas Bingo nights.
Such a massive community and wonder if that still happens now on Housing Estates. I see many in the library where my son gets tutored until he gets a place in a school, are people who visit it and are alone.
There are often events in libraries and run my volunteers. If you are struggling joining the library can be a good way to save money on books or visit charity shops. I buy most of my books from Charity shops and our library does free coffee and drinks, like juice and so can be a good way to meet people.
So if you can make a difference and have some time spare, it can be good for you and the reciprocate. M
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
10 Monday Nov 2025
Hello it is the morning in November 2025! What Things are Worth Buying or Subscribing to?
I have chosen mine for this weeks Cheat Sheet, as an example and it helps me see that things are growing and good to have a good resource to plan my life, organise my life and be the best person I can be. I love using Canva, Notion and my notebooks and Journals.
Audible is great for books. I read books aswell as listening and love that I have choice in listening or reading.
Please check out my Resource Library on this site: Resource Library
I post my Cheat Sheet each week and are free to download and print and on different topics to live more and do less.
It all about building and growing.
Do what you enjoy and use what you enjoy.
If you’d like to read more content then check out my Vlog Channel, my Pinterest and my Social Media Platforms. If you subscribe you will be alerted when I post on these site. See the links below:
Vlog Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/
Social media:
https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal/
https://www.facebook.com/typicallondongal/
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
07 Friday Nov 2025
Tags
building memories, celebrating milestones, enjoying the Winter, from a child to an adult, Winter Wellness Post
The Winter can be a great way to create a Bag Full of Memories. They can go to the park. Retake a photo from when you were a kid to when you became an adult. Celebrate milestones, like for example, someone turning 40 or 18 and take photos in the park on each milestone.
I love a photo and seeing pictures of the different Christmases I have had since a kid. I remember those that are no longer with us. I include their traditions and new ones. Check out this post below, of my printable where I have created: Winter Wellness Programme 2025 | Everyone can build a castle
In the winter I like to try a festive coffee and document it. It just a little guilty pleasure along with having a Mulled Wine or a Winter Cider.
Yes I have a Christmas mug and want to get a new one. I like to take picture of my son and his cousins. We do set dates of when we can get together. It is great to have family time. I loved spending time with family, as a kid. I cherish those times and want my son to feel the same.
I have had a hard time during the winter. Because of this, I created the Programme Winter Wellness. Then, I started to realize that change is good. You have to move on.
People come and go. Memories will last a lifetime. If you allow it, you can create more memories. Life is full of surprises. Change can mean new experiences that makes you look back and smile. I loved my childhood and now I love my adulthood. It has not always been like that. Life is full of challenges. As you live, you will learn that they are a test to see how resilient you are. You have more strength than before. You can speak for yourself and create memories that others will cherish. Laughing and having fun is contagious. Winter time can have a bag full of memories just as much as the others, throughout the year.
Let out your feelings on my Printable, please see link in the blog above and is free to download.
If you’d like to see more content I have a Youtube Vlog where I share parts of my life and have created a Pinterest board for this years Winter Wellness and so check these out in the links below:
Vlog Channel https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal
My Pinterest board:
Many thanks for reading
Carrie X
05 Wednesday Nov 2025
There isn’t a day in my life where I have not played music. It was my first love. I would dream about living a different life. I would imagine that I am in concert singing songs like the Greatest Love of All. I wished I had written songs I have loved and still love today.
Music is great for building relationships. This happens if you share similar tastes and have a song that makes you smile whenever you hear it. The song by Eurythmics, There must be an Angel playing in my heart, reminds me of our trips to Menorca. We used to go there for our Summer holiday and were such good fun. We traveled with other families. These trips gave me so much joy. I was allowed to stay up all night and would watch the sun go down and love watching the sunset.
In the Winter I normally listen to Enya, of course Christmas songs and mainly soft music.
If you find that Winter is gloomy, put on some music to lift your mood. Create a playlist of songs that make you feel good.
I have created a Printable and I talk about Habits. One of them is listening to a playlist of songs in the mornings. For me, I always play music around 3:50 pm until dinner time. This includes nice, slow, easy music, and joyful tunes too.
I work for my local hospital radio on Sundays from 4 to 6 Sunday afternoon. If you are in the UK, you can go to the Epsom Hospital website. Listen to it if you have internet. I back doing my show on Sunday the 30th November 2025: https://www.epsomhospitalradio.org.uk/on-air/presenters/carrie-challoner
I like to have a bath and listen to music some times and especially when cooking.
My husband does the same. I love to listen to music when it’s cold and wet outside. It helps me write and work on a book. I have created a playlist on Youtube to go with the book I am writing. I enjoy it with an Earl Grey tea and a nice sweet treat.
I hate the worry of people not being happy. It can affect my mood. I hope that this Winter Wellness Programme helps you. If you want to join, just subscribe. You will be alerted when I post a blog. I also do other programmes throughout the year.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
22 Wednesday Oct 2025
What is a form of self care. I remember watching one of Mel Robbins Podcasts, which are very good, I do get a lot of inspiration, but there was one guest that talked about how having a bubble bath is not a form of selfcare. Well may be not?. I love the whole process of having a bath whilst listening to an audiobook. So why can’t it be seen as a way of giving myself, self care? It is what helps you when you have had a busy day and Oprah for example reads in the bath and so I feel that was, when listening to the podcast a bit of a misconception. Zoe Sugg for example loves to be in the bath scrolling on her phone, and I bet there are people saying, that that’s a bad thing. Why? If it is relaxing. Selfcare is not the same for everybody.
Budgeting is the same as dieting. I love to budget it helps me from buying another pair of boots and another collection of notebooks. It is not depriving me from anything. Not in my case anyway, but helps me make sure I put money into my son’s account, I pay my phone bill and if I need to buy an emergency item, having budget ensures me that I will have the money should that happen. Its covering anything that may breakdown, like my laptop, a household appliance we use like our Airfryer and so for me it does not feel like a diet.
Going to bed early and you will wake up early. Not for me. I have suffered with Insomnia since a child and would wake up between 3am and 4am and when I tried to go back to sleep I would feel more tired or have a nightmare. When I’ve gone to bed early, to see if helped, I just wake up at midnight and find I have over slept, so for me I now go to bed later. I read my book so as soon I feel the most tired, I drift off nicely and wake up at 5am. Going to bed later has helped me sleep all the way through the night and lowered my Insomnia. It all depends on each person and so if going to bed early helps you, fine, its not one way fits all, but what suits you and your lifestyle.
Eating three meals day. Now I am not saying this is wrong or right. For me I not always a lunch girl and love dinner but not able to do large amount of food, whether it is healthy or not. I find I get indigestion if I eat too much. I have listened to those experts on the TV and on Social media of you can eat large amount of food, as long as it is healthy and there are people who can eat larger amounts, of food and I am working on my food consumption by trying different foods, but eating when I know will fill me up and reduce waste.
I have the mentality to know when I am full. My son is starting to. My husband will skip a meal to have a big meal in the evening, if we have for example Fish n Chips. Chatting with my diabetic nurse she told me not to eat too much fruit, as it is still sugar and that you eat more vegetables and that has worked, but again I not able to eat to much even if it is vegetables. I do think home cooking is good and like cooking. So feel that people should do what works for their body and the recommended portion for their body type by getting help from a dietician, diabetic nurse or your GP.
Scheduling and Planning. I like to now use post it notes. Check out this blog on one of other blog sites: https://organize4thebetter.blogspot.com/2025/10/new-way-of-planning-and-staying-on.html I now have a pinboard that I claimed as my mum and step dad was getting rid of it and it really making a huge difference. I have used Google Calendar but just kept filling up my Inbox and so I now use Notion, Post its and my phone. It is what suits you best. Some like doing Block Scheduling. I tried this method but I found it to restricting. On my phone I use the Notes APP on my phone but it can use up storage. Again depends on your lifestyle.
It is good to listen to others about Selfcare, Finance, getting a good nights sleep, eating nice foods and scheduling and planning, but not to the word because it is what helps you, to manage your life, that fits around your lifestyle.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
20 Monday Oct 2025
Hello Happy Monday! It is a new week and means it is time for a new Cheat Sheet, which I post each week and are free to download and print.
This is tips on Having A Seasonal Reset:
It is so good to have a reset especially when you have a lot happening. We have been trying to sort out Henry, my sons, learning and get a school placement, do homeschooling until he gets a school or tutoring and then sort out his and my bedrooms and just life things like laundry, cleaning the home and at the moment I do voluntary work.
So have a great week and if you’d like to be notified when I post on this site them please subscribe.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
15 Wednesday Oct 2025
When I ran a football team and felt “Oh I can do this by myself” I soon realised that I needed a bit of help. It doesn’t have to be One Man Band and asked a parent to help. I was hesitant in asking and running a football team, there was a lot to do. It was up to me to choose the training I wanted my players to do, pick the team for matches and collecting subs.
I think I was a bit naive too. I had this picture of it but the reality hits and realised it is totally different to what I imagines and underestimated it too.
If I was to run a team again I’d make sure I had someone helping me and have an assistant.
“It is okay to ask for help”.
If someone offers to help then say yes or have a chat and decide what their role will be and that they have the same mindset as you. When I working at Butlins I struggled with working Front of house and so asked if I could go back of house and felt good that I had the guts to talk to the manager of the restaurant. One of my friends said to try back of house and we were put together and we had a brilliant relationship. She got me and I got her and so glad I asked instead for help and I still did a bit of front of house work but not all the time and I felt pleased that I took the initiative to share how I felt and thankful to the Manager for listening to me and I felt better.
If you are stuck
I worked for a company that sold tickets for some attractions in the UK and I was finding one attraction booking difficult. I asked if I could have a bit more training. You should be supported by your manager or Team Leader because it shows them that you want to do well and it is the employer duty to help you if you are finding some things tricky.
Write things down. I am now working on Radio for a local hospital and if there is an issue I will flag it up and it helps me and my colleagues to inform one another and I make sure if there is something I am not sure about, I ask. I write in my journal of how I felt about my show and if they have told me how to do something, I go through each step in my mind and journaling is a great tool and do it everyday and write down what you are not sure of and who is the best person to ask. Or ask someone if they know of anyone that can help and worked in an area.
It is better to ask then not.
If you make a mistake
We all make mistakes. It is part of our learning as human beings. It is also shows you what you want to do and talking to others, that if they have made the same mistake and what they did to fix it. Don’t hide behind a mistake, but apologies, move on and learn so you know for next time.
I have made mistakes and it would cause me stress but then it can be down to the fact that they hadn’t communicated properly. I found in some companies, especially when I did temporary work that they assumed that you should already know. I worked for a holiday company, processing data but struggled to understand what I had to enter and the manager spoke to me as if I was dumb said “Oh it is easy” and telling a friend she said “Yes because he had probably done it for 20 years and so of course it is obvious to him” and so if they assume you know, say “I need to be shown again so I don’t make the same mistake”. Ask if there is someone you can sit with to go over it and them give you written instructions too.
Do they want to do a good job or a bad one
It is all about what works best for you, but never be afraid to ask someone to help you and feel you have to go it alone.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
14 Tuesday Oct 2025
“Why say it?”
Have you said that?
I have. When having an argument said something you shouldn’t have.
Take a moment to breath and go somewhere you can cool off and reflect.
People clash, its human nature and its a form of protection. It can affect the environment and escalate so do you want to put the fire out or keep it burning?
I have hit out and I am not proud of that. I find anger overwhelming, to the point I am not able to calm down, so I will leave the room or take two or so minutes, but then come back apologised and all has been right again.
It is good to have your say and give your point of view, but calling someone a nob head is not the way. Yes we want to vent and glad I have a journal and this has made a huge difference and use it for my books and looking back, realising that I lost control and I have learned from arguments and to put the smoke out, before its turned into fire.
I have looking back, laughed at myself. I remember when I was with my husband, when he was trying to give up smoking and we argued over a plate of chips and a draw. I remember saying “Have a bloody cigarette”. That wasn’t the best form of advice and should have been a lot more supportive as it can be hard to give up a habit and a lot of people smoke because it to them is calming and a break.
I felt like it was a personal attack, but no it just was that I wanted to share a plate of chips but not draw and now writing this, makes me laugh as actually I get his point.
He did when people were band from smoking in a pub, gave up smoking and he has never gone back. So often it can be that someone is fighting against a addiction or a habit. He just wasn’t in the right mindset to give up smoking. I am very good at weighing up my emotions, by thinking, “Is this going to lead to an argument and is worth venting about?” This helps me think before I speak and defuse the smoke before it turns into a fire.
No human being is perfect. Some may think they are, but noone is. Not that is some excuse to be verbally abusive. I have through habits controlled my feelings. This is journaling, walking and writing. As said weighing up. I will ask myself “How would you feel if someone said that to me?”
I dislike people who are hypocritical and have double standards. It should be one rule for all not specific people and being fair.
There have been times that I know I am right and finding myself wanting to say “Oh shut you shit bag and listen” but stopped myself and asked, “Do I want a good day or not?” and kept my thoughts to myself.
So try to stay calm and write it down. Turn it into a story, write a letter to yourself and if you can take yourself out of the situation, to defuse it before you say anything you will regret later. Try to remain in a good mindset and not lash out.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
Everyone can build a castle 