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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: Planning 2026

Getting Away From Screens

31 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Everyday living, Friendships and relationships, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Positive Habits, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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being more present, enjoying the school summer holidays, health and wellbeing., taking time off screens

I have been having less screen time. A few weeks ago I had a migraine and I just needed to take a break. So now I am having less time on my phone, laptop and TV.

Yes I do watch Youtube but the holidays have helped me get off my phone, get off my laptop and not watching TV all day and just read and been doing my Wordsearch. I found a good one that has 365 wordsearch book and still with Youtube but to listen to and go for walks, play sports and just having some good holiday fun and it is only been the first week. I like how we explore and focus on just having days out and try different places to eat, would like to have a picnic whilst we are away. Having Mother and Son days and including his father.

Visiting London it seemed that we have become an unsociable city with people on their phones and laptops. Except a few people who knew each other and must have met up were chatting, but people not chatting with strangers. I like a coffee shop and there are a good place to socialise. So we will go to a coffee shop, go swimming and tomorrow we are going to the cinema which is a big screen but we have had a full on couple of days and been a while so is an end of the week treat.

I just wrote a blog about how being a parent has kept me fit: https://getfitgetactivewithme.blogspot.com/2026/07/how-being-parent-has-kept-me-fit.html We are off out next week and be our first mother and son holiday and been a summer of firsts. We did the Guilfest. I like going to see bands play. I love a theatre show and each year we see at least one show per holiday. Not planned one this time, but is on the list of things I still would like to do before the Summer Holidays are over.

My son will be travelling on a Ferry and first time visiting the Isle of Wight and its good to take a break from being online all of the time. I love seeing live events and just make the most of the time I have on this earth to forget my phone, but have in case of an emergency, but not be looking down, paying attention to pings and have good quality time with my son.

When I am on the laptop and my son is on his tablet, when we are at home I will journal and do my wordsearch. We don’t take our devices out unless away and won’t have the TV on. We will play out in the garden and I love to hand write. Why I love journaling and love a notebook to plan. I like to listen to music but sometimes now I realise that it is good on some days to write with silence.

Enjoying the outdoors always does me a world of good. I do get a bit annoyed. Today in the Café after playing tennis this woman kept moving her chair and so was squashed in. Yesterday it was Cyclists and just daily annoyances but do try to stay happy and not allow people who aren’t nice, stop me from having a good day.

It beats being online all the time and meeting friends. I find it rude when your having a meal and they’re on their phone constantly. I want conversation and full attention and scroll but not to the point they’re not engaging. I like a good natter and just a good old fashioned catch up and keeping my phone in my bag, paying full attention with friends because we don’t see each other a lot now.

Yes phones keep in contact. I use Facebook to wish someone a happy birthday and what they’ve been up to but not all the time and was at one point checking my phone every 5 minutes and being on my phone all day. I would watch Youtube when I should be getting my son ready for school and so I spend less time and it has made a difference and just be with the world. Travel on he bus or train, looking out of the window or chatting and we will see what number buses we can see, if we see planes flying over or helicopters and I love it. I’d rather be having a coffee watching the world go by, rather being on my phone or laptop. Its amazing what you see and so when not on devices.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Saving Money always my favourite topic

27 Monday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts

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free printables, life as a mum, summer holidays 2026, weekly cheat sheet

I watch a lot of Youtube videos about saving money. Particularly when it comes to the school holidays and save for when it is the School Summer holidays and still having a lots of fun.

So in this weeks Cheat Sheet there are tips on how to save and can print for free once downloaded for free and to help you don’t become out of pocket and that you enjoy the time rather than feeling stressed about them. I hope you find the tips helpful.

Saving Money Tips for the Summer HolidaysDownload

You can subscribe if you want to notified on when I post a blog on this site. It is free to do so and soon it will be my Autumn Reset programme starting in September so check out that and is coming to the end of my Life Coaching Programme, Summer Project 2026 and so if you subscribe then you don’t miss out and please check out my Resource Library: Resource Library

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Cheat Sheet: Full Packing Guide For the Summer Holidays

20 Monday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Living, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts

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family holidays, free printable, packing guide, summer holidays 2026, weekly cheat sheet

Happy Summer Holidays! They have begun. We are planning the first Monday of the Holidays and in planning for the holiday it means knowing what to pack. We are doing days out and short holidays. I have been known to pack the world, but I have been reducing what I take and enjoy the surroundings rather than what I am going to wear.

So this Cheat Sheet is a guide what to packing depending on what your doing and where.

What to Pack for a Summer Holiday as a FamilyDownload

These are free to download and print and post every Monday except bank holiday Mondays and so please share if you wish and subscribe if you’d like to be kept informed of when I post on this site.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Re-Direct Your Life

15 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Everyday living, Goal setting, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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changing your life, dealing wit regrets, Following your dreams, learning from life, redirecting

There are times where we have all gone down the wrong path. We have done things that we think “I shouldn’t have done that” but at the end of the day you did, but I can’t fix the past. We can learn, but you have to move on and redirection doesn’t have to be hard because it is good to try things out and we only learn by experience.

Photo by Ann H on Pexels.com

Dealing with regrets. Instead of thinking about changing what we didn’t do or did do, what about if we looked at it, “No I didn’t do that but I did this instead”. I didn’t continue working with the Groundsman at Fulham FC and become the first professional Female Coach in the football leagues, but I did find a good job to build my experience even more and working with the groundsman got me ready to have a paid job. It taught me attention to detail, not having a sneaky cup of tea with the maintenance workers, being on time, completing jobs, following instructions, getting out of my comfort zone and having a routine.

Its not never too late. My mum went back into education and did a degree in her later years and now retired, but she went to night school and Lee Child didn’t start writing books until he was 40. Madonna singing career didn’t take off until she was in the 30s and Olivier Newton John, was Sandy playing a high school kid in her 30s. Is there anything more to say?

Write down what you are happy with. So I am happy that I now do morning walks, read in the morning and evening, workout through out the day and having my morning coffee. I get to play football with my son, I get to cook nice meals and I like to journal each day. So do I want to change that? Is your life best ever? Would you give your life a 10 or you feel miserable a 1? What would make a difference? Change can start anytime but you’ve got to do it for you.

Turn the noise off. If your finding constantly hard to function mentally turn it down. I like to listen to the rain and wrote a blog about it: https://mystylewayofliving.blogspot.com/2026/05/listening-to-rain-can-be-peaceful.html it can be just what you need to switch off from social media, emails and to gain sense and what will make you move forward not backwards.

Make plans. I love to plan. It is one of the things that lifts me and feel that I can make logical decisions and I always make sure I have something to do each day. It helps to redirect if the bus is late, that I planned to get and how else can I get where I want to be and if it will be a good thing or perhaps I should think of other options?

Go analogue. Yes I have a the Journal APP but love writing in a physical journal. I do use Notion, but sometimes I love to write it down because I find it goes in and tried planning my whole life on Notion, but it hasn’t really worked for me and my laptop died and so I had to sign in again and not able to view it on my phone because it used up the storage, so now I use a physical system, with Notion and it has helped with my memory and using google docs and so mainly use Notion for planning my yearly programmes. The Summer Project, Autumn and last year started Winter Wellness.

It is all about not feeling bad because something didn’t work out and that looking back is a trigger you need to re-direct and decide today to think about now to move forward. Forgive those that have hurt you. No longer holding on to possessions that trigger your negative emotions and just live a a life that suits you using the tips above. Not all may work but it is worth dipping your toe in to see and figure things out.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Use Up What You’ve got

06 Monday Jul 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, Financial Living, Living, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts

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free weekly Post, looking after the home, recycling, Redesigning your clothing, use up what you've got

Hello! I am recovering from taking my son to the Guilfest and then watched the football so am slowly waking up.

I am conscious of what I have to use up and I do a list each week of what has be used from food and check my skincare and toiletries to make sure I use them up before buying more or running low on like Hand washes as we use them daily, I have sanitary products, shower gels and just keeping stock of what I have in my home and it helps be inventive like I have sow on badges to put on my rucksack I often use and a pair of jeans to give them a bit more character and with cooking what I can use it for and what I have in my fridge.

So this Cheat Sheet is tips on using on Using Up What You’ve got.

Use Up What You’ve Got (1)Download

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

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

Its Good to Start over

26 Friday Jun 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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being human, Celebrating, Life changes, Living, started again

My dad used to say “When one door closes another one will open” and it has stayed with me. My dad was severely hurt in around the 90’s and he lost part of his memory and doesn’t remember what happened to him. He kept leaving the hospital because he thinking he had to go to work and it was a tough time. He couldn’t work for a while and it was so hard when your life gets swept under your feet.

One of my Uncle’s who worked on ships, sailing around the world had a nasty stroke and it was heart breaking.

Photo by Jorge Urosa on Pexels.com

They had to start over. It taught me a valuable lesson to not sit around waiting and do the things you want, even if you have to start over and my dad had a good life, but it took a while for him to recover. He had a lot of friends and the became like a second family and eventually his memory returned, but still unaware of what happened, and I am going to keep the rest private but he had to get used to not working for a bit, because he was a window cleaner and would be high up sometimes to clean windows and with a head injury you can get after effects from the trauma and my uncle had to learn how to use a wheelchair, live in a Care Home and so you have to keep going however hard it is to live. It taught me to not sit on your arse all day and go out.

I ended up in a Mental Health hospital and it was the best thing because I got my life together. I now made up with friends and family and now I work voluntary work for my hospital’s local radio, been to concerts and festivals and my son does sports clubs which has helped me to meet people and doing more now than I have ever done. That doesn’t mean that’s it. I want to build my income, take my son to different places and live life like it could end tomorrow and go for a walks, play a certain song in the morning, have a good breakfast and just live.

You have to get out there. My habit that I have that I have had to stop is to to jump in with both feet to stop being overwhelmed and not commit to too many things and so manage my time better and be realistic in my decisions, but not wait around but do the things I want to do. I am learning a lot like never before. I journaling everyday, read, write books and take my son to different places and I still get annoyed at things. I am human but I am learning to stop being bothered by past events, someone not saying thank you when I have done a good deed and just feel good. I can still be pessimistic, like England’s football matches and the world cup 2026, but do that out of hopefully being surprised and hoping, but not expecting too much and just be more present. I could day dream all day and would switch off as I found reality hard. Now I enjoy living each day as it comes with planning and creating projects, writing and spending time with my son.

When my mind wonders to the past I now will try to change what I think about. I can’t mend the past but celebrate it. I can’t fix arguments but I can forgive and as you get old your mindset changes anyway, you do get wiser when your older and not care of what people think, not trying to please everyone and be real.

Please check out my Youtube channel where I share parts of my life: https://www.youtube.com/@Carriechalloner

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Ten Ways to Organise your day

15 Monday Jun 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts

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free printable, looking after the home, organising your week, weekly cheat sheet

Hello! So its the start of another week. Kids going to school, got housework to do and then checking emails and catching up errands and for some, a reset.

This weeks Cheat Sheet is Ten Ways to Organise your day. On Sunday I spent some time writing down my plans for the week, going through my calendar on Notion and already I have filmed for my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Carriechalloner

It means getting up early. I got up to watch some of the World cup, in plenty of time but I know I will feel the affects later and so whilst having the energy going to continue with my Morning routine of posting my cheat sheet. My son is now at school and I cleared out a storage bin, cleaned dining table, read my book and going to clear some laundry, then work on more content and on my next book.

Ten Ways to Organize Your DayDownload

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Do Your Own Thing

01 Monday Jun 2026

Posted by Carries Blog Network in Everyday living, Financial Living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Positive Habits, Printables, Summer Project, Weekly posts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

being influenced, consuming, do your own thing, following trends, life as a writer

I like to be inspired about books, different fashion styles and planning etc but often enough it can have a negative effect.

Photo by Valeria Ushakova on Pexels.com

Watching Hauls when we are in debt. Feeling paranoid about our health and that we don’t have the perfect lifestyle so we stress over not having the next best pillow for the bed or people moving house and it can be a vicious circle.

You don’t have to follow, do your own thing.

I am no longer interested in Hauls, seeing kids with so many gifts given to them or people moving house.

It is nice to have the house you dreamed of. That is fine but it can often make us feel inadequate because of someone on Youtube for example has a big house, with a gym and don’t get me wrong I like to splurge but not to the point I have no money left and so I will make sure I have the money and have learned to switch off from impulse shopping because sponsored videos and just go into a store buying exactly what I had gone in there for.

It can be make up. I rarely do a full face. I sometimes just use face cream and face spray, others days may use a bit of concealer, eye liner and eye shadow it all depends on what I feel like on the day and what my plans are. My mum wears make up everyday and she has done this her whole life, so she will pay for make up regularly because that suits her lifestyle. It not about being trendy but what makes you happy.

I have friends who like a boy band still, a friend that loves rock music and I like all kinds. I am someone who loves many different things and I go through phases and again it all depends on my mood. I don’t read books because its new but is interesting to me and not because its a bestseller and a top read. I like books that take me into the past, crime, non fiction and chick flicks. Again it depends on what I fancy and why I leave the door open to my plans as I will often change my mind and seeing that that is okay. I take notice of my gut, mind and what I want to focus on and I now like to switch off from the noise of having to consume so much and scrolling all the time.

I rarely check Instagram all the time or Facebook. I will send a birthday message and like some posts but not all the time anymore and go for walks in the morning. For some people it can be the worst thing ever for some people and that is okay. Do what suits you and is safe of course but do what you want and not listening to others to decide for you.

Be honest with yourself and go through Youtube of what you are no longer interesting in, unsubscribe and go analogue. I like to write things down, rather than use Notion all the time. I like to use what I have already got. I find it stays in my mind better when I write things down. It helps to have good hand writing skills as they can be affected typing all the time and just listen to nature. I wrote a blog about how listening to the rain or the birds can be so nice and peaceful: https://mystylewayofliving.blogspot.com/2026/05/listening-to-rain-can-be-peaceful.html

I am not saying that you should shut yourself away but not being influenced so much we forgotten about what truly makes us happy. I don’t want the latest trainers. I not interested in upgrading my phone and think about what I truly want to watch, listen to buy and be who I am and what is important.

I like watching writing vlogs. I like to listen to those about finance and like to use Youtube for training my mind but not to see what the latest gadget is. So it up to you and just live. Be happy if not then it is time to change.

Check out this weeks Cheat Sheet:

Managing Your MoneyDownload

I also write book which you can on Amazon in Kindle and paperback under Carrie Challoner and Carrie Holmes.

My new one is called When Mothers Are Real: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Mothers-Real-Carrie-Challoner-ebook/dp/B0GTYJS3S1

My Cheat Sheets are are full of tips and information and post every Monday and free to download and print.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

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