Category Archives: journal

Change your winter routine by making one change

10 Wednesday Dec 2025

Posted by in having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, Personal Development, Planning for 2025, Positive Habits, Weekly posts, Winter Wellness

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I have felt good this year. I am enjoying journaling whilst my son is having is lesson and it has been a great resource and I do it as my first thing in my journal and I would recommend using the Journal APP I have, not sure if it is available to all phones as it was an APP that was already on my phone. By making this change has helped me to plan content, write about my life, moving on and growing from the past. I dwell a lot on the past from things I did wrong but has helped have shape in my life and “Grow”. My word for 2026. This year 2025 was “Lifestyle” and I have changed my lifestyle.

Was a bit Skeptical about the Elf on the Shelf but my son loves it and I have stopped being a Humbug.

My reading has been an amazing and walked a lot and now as it is Winter I have taken a step back for the Winter and just slowing down, but still being somewhat productive without overwhelm.

Just making one change to your routine can make such a difference. Like having more reading time. I read every morning and evening and it has been one of the greatest habits that has really been a boost and set a challenge of reading 20 books. I am on 17 and have a book on Audible that I am listen to and so is 18 so will have two books left. I have done this on Good Reads. Check out my site: https://mybooksandstories.wordpress.com/

The other change is cleaning. I do it as I go and will make sure that before each meal that I have cleared away the items used. Cleaning does not give me joy but like the results do. Learning. I have done some really good courses and been using Youtube for free training to, to build my platforms and content.

Winter yes it can be a drag, because of the shorter days getting up in the dark and going to bed in the dark but I like it because of chilling and love putting a blanket over me and my son, check out this blog: https://thestylishmamma.blogspot.com/2025/12/love-comfort-blanket-at-age-of-47.html

It is good to see the stars and do like a clear sky, but at the same time it is time to slow down and watch some good TV, with a nice hot meal and it is the simple pleasures that makes it different for me now. I did get depressed as I reached adult age, in the winter, but now I embrace it, by not rushing and focus on little pleasures. https://mystylewayofliving.blogspot.com/2025/11/things-that-gives-me-pleasure.html

It is good time to declutter. I do a bit a day and once I start which is the key. Less thinking, more doing and going through my things and today I wrote a list of what I want done by the end of the year and love planning for the next year, around about this time of year and embrace the new year which back at one point would get emotional and felt I wasted a year and so I make the most of the days whilst I am alive and it just simple changes, can make such a difference.

It all counts.

So I hope you are finding these blogs helpful and comforting and that it does not have to be doom and gloom.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

STOP Shaming Yourself Because Of Your Past/Last Blog for this years Summer Project 2025

31 Sunday Aug 2025

Posted by in Celebrating, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Summer Project

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This follows my the blog before this one: let go of the past.

Does your past making you feel ashamed? In my life I have not always been kind and had dark thoughts, but I know that this has made me put them to bed as thoughts are what they are and didn’t carry out anything that would have been harmful and often it just I quick thought, in the moment because if I didn’t say anything and been able to see the lighter side of life.

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My brother and I never got on as kids. We would argue and fight a lot, but now we are fine. If you constantly feel shameful then what specifically is making you feel that way?

I thought I was being unkind to a girl I work with and apologised and she didn’t have any ideas as to what I was talking about. So, I know longer felt shame and so talk. Let people know how you feel and speak to a psychologist, therapist or a Social Worker, if your thoughts of the past are haunting you and was as bad as what you thought?

Stop giving yourself such a hard time. Everyone has a past. Done the wrong thing or said something that was taken out of context. I remember when working in a Call Centre, one of the new people I spoke to I couldn’t see there face. I thought it was a man. I was chatting about it in the Staff Canteen and she comes over and says “Apparently I sound like a man” and she thought one of us (chatting to some of colleagues) called her a Cow, which we did not and she wanted to hit me, in particular. I felt dreadful and she spoke to one of the managers and I told it was an innocent conversation, and said I am sorry and I did feel ashamed, but it didn’t stop me from talking it made me be more self aware and next time I should have introduced myself and asked who the person was as I not met them and I not into gossiping.

In the end this was resolved she didn’t hit me, I didn’t keep on and the issue was solved, ,so I moved on.

Thinking of the past can drain you and be full of regret and not able to move on, but time has a different idea. Do you want to be happy with who you are? Take it one day at a time and address your feelings. I was so sad when my Nan died. She was my last grandparent and kept forgetting and would have dreams about her still being alive and it really changed a lot. I had a friend who lived by her and so whenever I could would pop in, I did. Suddenly I couldn’t do that anymore.

She would not want me, to not get on my my life. She lived to old age and it was her time.

My parents was getting divorced, I was in a very demanding job, but loved the social life. I then changed jobs but I hated it and it was the wrong move. I then decided I would follow my gut and had to be selfish and do what I felt would lead me to following my dreams. It lead me to a job where, it was a culture shock and what I needed and no longer regret the decisions I made and did what I was hopefully lead me to building a life of my own and it happened.

You never know what path to choose sometimes. It makes me think of a game of chess. What is the right move? Will I need to move my Queen or not? Reflect, write and leave it there. Take a step forward and trust your gut.

When I look back on events now, I loved the people met, good and bad. I like the journeys I have taken and will keep living and not feel ashamed. It happened, noone died so it is time to let the shame go and create more abundance and self belief.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Creating Long-lasting Habits

02 Saturday Aug 2025

Posted by in health and wellbeing, journal, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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I have not always been happy with life. I would put myself down and it became a habit.

This was along with being bad with money. As a kid I was very good with saving and then I started earning and working in Camden I would splurge and would be reckless. I ended up in debt by spending money that wasn’t mine and what I didn’t have, avoiding my bank account and now thankfully being 46 saving again and be cautious.

Living badly can have long lasting effects and falling further down a hole and not sure what to do. I would be so self critical. it got on my nerves and wanted to feel good. I felt I was fat, got easily upset and alone. I never felt part of anything as a child and really wanted to fit in but it seemed impossible.

I never made my bed, I was untidy and was addicted to crisps. When I first lived away from home, I would wait until I had no clothes left to wash my clothes, never ate breakfast and just wasn’t respecting myself and my life.

It is hard to be happy all the time but I know how to manage my feelings and emotions now and I got help. I was in a mental health hospital and this helped me get back on my feet. I make sure I sleep well, I have things to look forward to and becoming a mum I didn’t want my son to be affected by my thoughts and feelings and he has his moments of not dong the right thing, but to me that is part of the process of being a child. I want my son to know what is right and what is wrong. Also express himself. I will say now if I am unhappy but not getting angry, but by chatting rather than it be an heated argument.

I will be honest if I don’t know something and feel comfortable in doing so. I will ask myself questions to challenge the critical mind such as “No” when I get anxious about going out and What My focus is. This has really helped. It has slowed me down. I remember a colleague called me “Mrs. Rush Rush” because I would speed around the call floor and a colleague when working at a holiday camp asked me, why I was always rushing and it was a habit. I think part of it was living in the city and following others.

So I take my time now and give myself plenty of time to get ready for the day, have a cup of tea and read. I will make my bed now and make sure my son and I have breakfast and plan ahead.

I look after my body. My nutrition needs a bit of work but doing this a bit at a time, by eating different things, like I will have a yogurt, cereal or toast and not deprive myself, but insuring I do eat some fruit and vegetables and that I take care of my skin and journaling a lot, addressing issues and challenges but keeping a good open mind, allowing myself to think things through and having days away from my laptop and cleaning, tidying. I love taking my son out and playing sports and just living a good happier life. I set myself goals, I do workout and active. I walk a lot and do weights and other exercises and just listen to my mind and body.

Habits are not just a one time thing but something that grows into being good and get rid as you grow, the bad.

I hope you enjoy my blogs and what habits have you changed? Please leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Life Coaching Blog..Summer Project 2025: Joining Things Together

11 Wednesday Jun 2025

Posted by in career building, Creating a vision, Everyday living, Goal setting, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning for 2025, Positive Habits, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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Did you ever do the puzzle where you had to connect the dots that would form a picture? Well you can do that with life.

I have filmed my first video for this years Life Coaching Programme and so please check it out: https://youtu.be/bcHG7Dx_3ck?si=W4nzQka-oHxQ_yLr That is about Habits and with changing your habits it can help to join things together. Once that starts you will see changes in your life. In the printable I created check this blog which had the link to my printable I have created for this programme The Beginning of My Summer Project 2025 I am a Radio DJ/Presenter and connected another dot to having the life I want.

In my free printable I do each week, my cheat sheet I talk creating a Map Do Ten Things it helps me with writing my books. So the first ones I did were parenting books and wrote and published my first novel, A Lonely Walk to Happiness and now creating a series, and drawing out a map of ok so first book this year is to republish book 1 of the series, then continue to work on another book which is a stand alone and then work book 2 of my series.

Create a chart to see your progress or journal.

With WordPress it shows you how engaged your readers are and how much traffic you are getting.

With that it helps to see what blogs they are particularly interested in and why I continued with this programme because of the positive response to them.

So spend time mapping out what you want to work on and with that set goals, develop new positive habits. Example: I know when I brush my teeth how better I feel and there was a time I would miss days but lead me to not feeling good and having bad dreams about it. I like to be active and do a bit of walking each day, even if it is for 10 minutes and this leads me having better energy to write which I enjoy and clears the brain and when I don’t feel clogged up, feel good.

Concentrate on one area at a time, brainstorming is affective too and researching. I read books on writing, watch youtube videos of other self published authors and watching other peoples routine. Add Mind mapping to your routine as I do this a lot as I see my blogs grow and the writing of my books.

I hope you find these blogs helpful and if you want to be notified when I post then please subscribe and my Educational Youtube channel and then you will not miss a blog or a video.

Please check out my Pinterest where I post too: https://uk.pinterest.com/thetypicalLondongal/summer-project-2025/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

I love Working on a blank page

07 Friday Mar 2025

Posted by in Everyday living, Goal setting, health and wellbeing, journal, Living, Personal Development, Planning for 2025, Positive Habits, Reflecting, Weekly posts

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I love to use a journal for different purposes and having a blank or journal for me to do that. The first thing I like to do is think about each day. I set goals and decide what I want to focus on. I am designing a journal at the moment. I am using it to junk journal. I also use it to store photos and special memories. I have designed one for my son. I have been meaning to print off photos and write down what we did. He can keep it forever. Journaling helps me think about the good times I have had, not just about the bad days.

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I love to journal and try to do it each day. Even just a paragraph can be enough. Sometimes I list things I want to do and places I’d like to go. This includes where my son would like to do and have one for my fitness too. Some want to stick to one. There are no real rules just write what’s in your head.

Anything you’re excited about or things you are looking forward to. Some may want to put in a vision board or mood board. Jamie Oliver does a journal about his garden and did a show about it. There are so many things you can put down and keep track of where you are in life.

There is bullet journaling and some make handmade journals. Its just about how is it going to serve you.

I like to see a blank page and write what is in my heart and mind.

I have always kept a diary/journal since a kid and not kept them all as it helps me to forget about the things that were in my mind in the passed, what I didn’t want to hold on to. I journal to make sense of things that I am finding hard to consume and things I have learned from books, TV and online training videos. I do have a educational Channel please check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/@CarrieEducationalYoutube-ws4xp

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Self Development: Making Life Changes

13 Thursday Feb 2025

Posted by in Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, Living, Planning for 2025, Positive Habits, Self Development training, Weekly posts

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This is something I ask in my printable. Check out the first blog I wrote sharing the printable for this Self Development training I am doing for the Month of February. https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2025/02/03/self-development-training-begins/

Here is my first Video for this training and talk about Self Neglect. Not getting dressed, not brushing your teeth and it is not saying that your doing anything wrong, I am writing about myself when I would become depressed, I didn’t do those things, knowing that if I did I would feel better and so I had to get out of bed and live.

Life is full of a challenges and I have learned to take in the feelings, then think what can I do that will help me through those thoughts and listen to the positive side of the brain. Life is full of influences, like when we watch the news and hear of another stabbing and it has made me more determined to not allow it stop me from embracing my city, which is London and thinking of he good things. There is always going to be good and bad, but having a good breakfast, reading and listening to podcast can help me not to be affected but enjoy life as you don’t know when its going to end, and so I watch things that bring me joy not sadness and why I started fundraising for good causes.

I share my challenges I faced and not being happy about myself and my life. I felt like my life was boring when actually that is not true. I had a good childhood I just struggled because of not feeling good enough at school. Now see that I had a good holidays and did dancing. I had proper grandparents, relatives and friendships that have lasted so long.

I began to make Life Changes, getting fit and active and not dwelling on things that have gone wrong, but what I learned from those mistakes and not allow anxiety to control my life.

I will be making another video next week. These videos will be on this site forever and if you want to be notified when post on this site to subscribe.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: 6 Weekly Wellness Tips

01 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, Living, Personal Development, planning 2024, Printables, Weekly posts

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Yes a new week and time to start a fresh. It means getting up ready for work, taking your kids to school and planning so you are organised for the week. So in that, I have created this Cheat Sheet of things you can do that will lower the stress and make yourself priority of once and you follow these tips, that I have shared in this week Cheat Sheet.

Weekly WellnessDownload

I hope this helps you, I post these Cheat Sheets every Monday and share on this blog site and on my other blog site The Parenting Adventures tips and tricks site. They are completely free.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

life Coaching programme: The Bad and the Good sides of life

25 Tuesday Jun 2024

Posted by in Creating a vision, Dreams and ambitions, Everyday living, Friendships and relationships, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, planning 2024, Sumer Project 2024, Weekly posts

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Life will often hit you like a sudden death of someone, job loss or a holiday that has been cancelled that you were really looking forward to and so what can you do? How can you change the feelings of sadness and shock?

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It takes time and grief is a personal thing and it dependant on the person but just take each day as it comes and allow it to build your strength and I miss my dad, and everyday I think about “What could I have done?” “What would he say if he was still alive?” and I wish he was here still but I know that dwelling on that is like hitting a dead end, so the importance for me was to move on for my own sanity.

You can’t fix everything and life is challenging at times and it can affect us in what we do each day. Its change. When my parents divorced I tried to block it out and was going out a lot to avoid what was going on and I was working up London and then it hit me and it really sent me down a downward spiral.

Yet I pictured it along time before it happened, but I had to take time to face it and the first Christmas of that year in 2000 was tough, and my spark of the festive season went and dreaded it.

Then in 2002 I went to the Southcoast to work at a holiday camp (Butlins Bognor Regis) and met my now husband and for a while I didn’t realise we were going out but we were, so in 2006 got married and moved back to London and then 2013 my son was born.

I am sad that my dad never got to meet him but he did know about it, as my brother saw him and so I had to come to turns with it as my mind can analyse everything and it drives me mad, so to help me to grow and going on my dads mistakes made sure I didn’t follow suit and remembering the good times and not worry about the bad.

Life will stop you in your tracks and this is good and bad, so I spend a lot of time in focusing on today and not rushing into things. I have had the intensity to think about the Autumn when we are still in Summer and being thankful of what I have in my life today. I was struggling with this blog because I felt I was rambling on and talking all about my passed and that I have had a good day so far today. I got the shopping I needed, worked on completing my Counselling course and watching a bit of Youtube and did a bit of tidy up.

I am having my first coffee for the day and journaled to help get this blog written for my Life Coaching programme Summer Project 2024 and filming a vlog and just enjoying each day, letting myself think about the now and not tomorrow and next week unless it is important and can help to not have too much to do and what I am looking forward to, to stop thinking of the bad feelings and what I don’t have right now.

I just as I write this blog, started journaling to figure out what to do about my restlessness and what I want next in my life, visioning my growth, building my life but focus on what I can do today to get to doing those things and listening to a self help video, listening to music or a podcast.

So today I am filming a vlog, going to make an apple crumble and then see what I can do today to complete my tasks planned for today.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Believe in your own mind by making changes to your lifestyle

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Posted by in Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, Living, New Beginnings, Personal care, Personal Development, Positive Habits, productivity, Reflecting, Weekly posts

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I am a typical Libra as I can be super decisive and weigh things up, a lot.

I often will let someone else decide and it drives me insane, and often the person.

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I have learned to trust myself which is helping me believe in my own mind, and journaling and learning from others. Following good habits like seeing I can be organized, tidy and letting things go, and trying to change my hoarding and be ruthless and prioritizing.

Yes still a long way to go, when it comes to not hoarding, yet I have reined myself in and realising that I can save and not buy anything else, until I go through clothes that I still not worn or toiletries and beauty and stationary. I write a blog called Carries Versatile Fashion, and have Youtube channel where I talk about managing my money, and using what I have got, before buying anything else (https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602) . I enjoy building my wardrobe, having plenty of shower gels and make up, but if they are taking up too much space then, I know I need to use or let go. I know in my mind I can do that.

I believe that I can write a book and publish it. I can look after my body and mind, by exercising, but doing less to achieve more. Being kind to myself, by not criticizing myself all the time. Not giving myself a hard time If I make a mistake or when there are daily challenges, like yesterday I got caught out in the rain, still enjoyed the walk I like to do and achieved my tasks for the day.

It can be an event that can influence your thoughts, like when Princess Diana died it made me get off my arse and do something useful and made me see that you can’t waste life. Life changes come with changes to your own thoughts with yourself and others. I know if I just sit in front of my laptop for too long, loose concentration and get restless, and taking a break can influence your mind, and noticing your thoughts to rest and do something else. The mind likes variety not doing the same thing all of the time, and mixing it up so you feel good each day and now I write in my journal on my phone everyday on my thoughts and feelings and in my notebook journal, where I write about what has made me happy each day.

This helps believe my own mind and trust my instincts. I was working on my Life Coaching course and some of what the course covers is self doubt, and how you need self doubt to overcome it, like when I write a blog I often think “Should I post it or not?” but this stirs me on to get it done and part of building a blog is to write it and learn from each post, what type of audience do I want to get in touch with on my blog and how they respond to it, making sure it isn’t offensive, but real life.

I believe in my mind in a way that I reduce worrying. At one point I would live by my worrying and it can be so draining. I know for my mind to function well to eliminate feelings of worry, by taking action. Like I feel anxious about getting my son ready for school, so I will get up early now, to do a bit of work on the computer as at the moment he will sleep on passed 5am now, but after 6am and do his breakfast or his dad will, and not rushing around, but give myself enough time to look after myself in the morning to help get my son ready for school, and plan each day, so things get done and not playing catch up that can cause me to worry.

In the evenings I will make sure that I not on my laptop too late and listen to my mind when it gets tired and being on my laptop in the evenings would make my mind active again and would struggle in getting to sleep that would affect my mind the next day and so will read, get myself and my son ready for bed and will do stories and I sleep better than I have ever done. I do take medication to help too, but lowering my mental activity on my phone and laptop in the evenings, has helped too.

I do write a daily blog so if you’d like to check it out then please do, here is a link: My Daily Thoughts and feelings (mydailythougthsandfeelings.blogspot.com)

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Turning my feelings around and being happy with your life and yourself

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My life has not been pain sailing, like us all, there has been ups and downs and when my mum or dad told me off I would be like, it was the end of the world and that I am right and they’re wrong, and so unfair, and would envy my brother, because he is super confident, and girls running after him, whilst I sat on a bench at school by myself.

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I have had to really work on my self. I could get jealous, bitter and self centered, like “How have they earned that?”, “Oh they are showing off and trying to be super popular”, or like when I was a primary school, a girl named Sherie, was so popular and all the boys fancied her, and everyone wanted her company and be friends with her. I felt ugly and envious, that I will never be her, like I wished to be.

My mental health took a turned for the worst, and battled with my feelings for a long time. There were times when I didn’t get out of bed, and would stay in, and now I have been discharged from the Mental Health hospital, so proud of myself that I got through my fight with my mental health and not allowing my inner critic to hold me back and stop feeling that I haven’t had a exciting life compared to others, and that the world is against me.

Here are some questions to ask,

Who do you want to be?

Do you feel unworthy and that you’ll never be as good as someone in your life?

Do you feel that noone understands you?

Writing a journal, can really help address your feelings and what is it that is really bothering you?

For me it was, well if I look like that, like Sherie, then I will be as popular and the kids would want to hang with me, but that wasn’t the case and started to form friends as I gradually went through school, but it took a long time, and would have fights and arguments and was bullied. In the end I was well respected at Primary school. It took the last year to experience that, but that I had come so far, and then wanted to start a fresh beginning, at secondary school.

The feelings didn’t disappear, and got stronger. I now look back it was once again that I wasn’t fitting in, and was told by a girl that I was boring, because I was a fan of a TV show The Bill, and would talk about it a lot, and took it, and glad for her honesty and yes it hurt my feelings, but then she wasn’t perfect and would get on people’s nerves, yet we did have fun together, so I let it go.

With those group of friends, they would be into wrestling and one of my friends did canoeing, and shared our love of music. They were the ones who got me into following a rugby team and when I felt like I couldn’t buy chips in McDonalds they got them for me, and introduced me to rock music and went to concerts together, and made friends at my dancing school, and my confidence began to increase.

I have been unkind, and blocked people, because I was feeling excluded and it really was affecting me, because felt it was a personal attack. Now though I glad that they have done well in their life and now in jobs that are high powered, and looking after themselves.

Our negative feelings can rub off on others. I have been with people who would constantly be complaining. I am lucky for having the people around me that keep the roof over my head and support me in looking after my son, and at the weekend I met up with friends who I met when I was working at a holiday camp, and felt so privileged to be in their company as we had a good catch up, and that we all, trying to build our lives and be happy. I can be awkward and shy still but when you meet people, and makes you feel that you’ve never been apart, the fear instantly goes, your inner critic gets pushed away making you feel that you are worthy and people love you, and stop putting your guard up, and not allow your fears get the better of you, but make you grow and be the person you wished to be, and telling people that you love them, can help you and them. There are a lot of people I love, because they have been a huge importance to my life, and been a great influence. I am kind, I will be on time, and I will make the effort.

When you have been through trauma, it can make you angry, and “Why me?”, “What have I done to deserve it?” and often its nothing, its life, it can be unpredictable. Noone knows what is around the corner for us, and so, talking about growing our happiness, ask yourself, do you want to be unhappy all through your life? I have had to rebuild, and make sense of situations, but often there isn’t an answer. I no longer want my inner critic stop me from going swimming and going for walks, from spending time with my son, and go for opportunities, that can open many doors for me. I no longer want to be counting calories, and worrying about my weight. If biscuits are going to make me feel guilty, then I am not going to eat them, if someone doesn’t say thank you when you open the door for them, because what’s the point, they don’t care and not allow me to have a bad day, but continue to be kind and not allow their ignorance to rub off.

So lets all work together in building and growing our lives, its never too late to be happy and grow your feelings, to feel better about yourself. I do write a blog where I talk about building confidence. Check it out via this link: https://buildingselfconfidencetud.blogspot.com/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X