It has taken a long time to learn about myself, and who wanted to be. There are days that I still ask myself this question, when things get challenging. For me it is the girl who loves to save, being a mum that sets a good example and play my part in helping others, and looking after those I love and inspire others to become who they want to be.
I want my life to continue to grow, and want my life to be spending time with my son, watching him grow and support him, so he becomes who he wants to be. When I feel I am being negative, I remind myself that my life is good, and it is up to me to make a difference to my life and like those people have done that for me, and lead me to helping others. My community.
You have to get to grips with of what is really important to you and who. Who makes you feel good about yourself and will give you full support in living the life you want and let your happiness grow.
I like others dreamed of being rich, but now I want to continue to build a writing community and write more books, that touch on real issues, and entertain people through writing and filming videos. I have three Youtube channels, which you can check out via these links:
I want to continue to teach my son and what he has taught me, and go on more walks and explore different places. You don’t have to be rich to do that, but be happy with life for all the wonderful things life gives, not allow setbacks bring you down, and others who may be against you.
Not everyone will like you, and think what you are doing is wrong, but you have to continue on regardless, and allow the critters to make you even more driven to be who you want.
So, it is coming to the end of 2023, and so lets get ready to say goodbye Saying Goodbye to 2023 and kick start 2024. Check out this printable:
Happy new year everyone. I have no plans for New years, so not sure if I will be posting or not, so getting ahead, and it has been a good year for me. Still a few days left, so a few things I want to do before the end of the year, but pleased with how I have been building my life, and that was my word for this year, “Building” and my Youtube channels have grown, by blogs have more followers and got likes, and the same with my social media.
My son changed schools, and has settled in well and making improvements in his learning. Check out my parenting blogs:
I enjoyed doing my Autumn Reset, my Life Coaching programme, “Summer Project 2023”, and this will continue on in 2024, dates TBC. I need to decide on videos, for my Life Coaching videos for it, and where I will publish them. I loved the walks me and my son went on and visiting Shepperton. It was so nice and would like to next time walk along the Canal.
Image I took when travelling on Uber Boat, from North Greenwich to Putney.
It was sad about Terry Venables, Kirstie Alley and Len Goodman, and many stars died, like Olivia Newton John, and Matthew Perry. So, so sad.
It reminds me that no one is invisible and you have to live your life where you can smile and enjoy.
We went, my family and I went to more shows, that I wanted to do, like saw Hamilton in the Apollo Theatre in London Victoria, for my birthday and was really good, went to Pub in the park, in Wimbledon Park, and saw Gabrielle, went to see Blippi, a children’s character who was at The Rose in Kingston, and Zog and got more shows to come. I love the London for its shows and going to see more in 2024 and took Henry to the Cinema for the first time, to see Dungeons and Dragons, and was good to see and would recommend it.
I am creating a printable and have more ideas for my content to come, so if you want to be the first to know when I put this up, then follow me and everytime I blog you will be notified.
I started to plan my goals for 2024 this week, and getting ready to kick start the new year, and see what I can accomplish. I have already set my financial goals, and now starting my Personal/Home goals, and then set work goals and then play.
However set your goals that suit you, as everyone has different things going on in their lives so it isn’t one size fits all. I find some goals over lap, with other goals like Financial goals, example, Pay off debt could be in Financial and Personal/Home goals, along with fitness goals.
So, first of all I like to reflect on the previous year, before getting myself ready for the new year and putting a printable together to help you, and then start planning for the new year.
I use a notepad and OneNote, and set yearly goals and Quarterly goals, and separate them, and also do a vision board on Pinterest, and want to do one using Canva. I have already started on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/vision-board-2024/
I like to set goals for my son and things I’d like for him to do, like for example he has a bike for Christmas and want to take him to a cycle park, and get confident in riding his bike, and he wants to use a Tennis court to play tennis, and so, this I would like to put into home. Then there Play where I want to take him to different places on the train, and he actually wants to be a train. Yes we have had many discussions, about this and not sure, it is being heard as my son is very determined, and not getting that he does have wheels or several doors, but I am sure that he will grow out of thinking that he and ride on the train tracks, and can work on the trains.
Then there is work. So it could be, getting a pay rise and work more hours, or less, and have a side hustle, and want to build your career and profession. If you like me, write blogs and books, then it could be write a new book, or complete a book, or do some writing everyday and create it, into a book and get it published. I love creating stories and have many books that I have started, but not continued, and once one ideas comes into my head, so does another, and then it could, doing Voluntary work, or changing careers. It is all about how it makes you feel. If it excites you, then do it, and yes, you can get self doubt, but if it gives you a buzz, I say go for it.
If you’d like to check out my current books, then go to amazon, and look under my names, Carrie Challoner and Carrie Holmes.
So, lets enjoy the rest of 2023, and be ready for 2024.
It is less than a month away until we reach a 2024, but I am not finished with 2023, and making sure I end the year being thankful and reflect on it, and go over the wins and the non wins and let go of the year, by setting new goals, implement new habits that will help me to grow, and make some more Life Changes, that will build my life up more, and setting myself challenges.
This picture was from when my son, step dad and mum travelled on UberBoat from Canary Wharf to Putney. We’d been to North Greenwich and would love to do this again, and enjoyed exploring my city London and these highlights made my year for me, along with shows I went to and making the most of the things I have around me, and being thankful for 2023, for these wonderful memories that I will look back on with a smile.
I remember my dad used to hate New Years eve, and I even after all these years, and my dad no longer alive, not sure why, but speaking of myself I often felt emotional about it. I felt fear, and all that I hoped for didn’t happen and let myself down. Yet now I feel excited and thankful for the years I have lived.
Looking at 2023, I created another book, that I hope will be published in the New year, and my Youtube channels have been building, please check them out.
I received more subscribers and followers on my blog sites, along with my Instagram, and on Facebook, and got my energy back and not spending too long on my computer and moving. I love going for walks with my son and spending time going to shows and exploring, by going for walks in the morning and indoor workouts in the afternoon and sleeping well, which I have always had trouble with.
It is making simple changes. I know longer have my phone by my bedside when it is bed time, not spending too much time on my laptop, and will use my laptop, when my son has gone to school, and gone for a walk in the morning, and put my phone on silent and get dressed as soon as I get up. Only drinking alcohol at weekends, but even the weekends I won’t have a drink, it depends on what I feel like having and love a cup of tea, and still want to work on my diet and continue getting fit, but reflectoing and going through of what I want to do next, and what I want to let go of.
I want to close this year off as it started on a good note, and got things to look forward too. Like my next book finished, and started to continue writing another book, and going to a birthday party in Bognor and off to see Bruch Springsteen, and the next will be choosing what fundraising walks I want to do, as I really miss doing these, so gonna get back to walking and use it to make a difference to other peoples lives and going to donate cash or products to my local foodbanks. Gonna continue writing to work on content for the new year, and get ready for my Life Coaching programme, “Summer Project 2024”. This is what I created a few years ago, and was very well received, and help you to have a better life and better year.
If you like a comical book, then check out my book Mum&Me and going to be working book 2, and so many writing projects to come, and have a good year, no matter what challenges arise and have plenty to enjoy.
It is coming to the end of 2023 and soon it will be 2024 and it is time to celebrate another year, whether it was good or bad, and there we can’t change whats gone but can start a fresh and let go of regrets and live for each day that you are alive.
I will be setting goals and thinking of the habits I want to continue with, and what I need to change to have more shape in my life and not be so far ahead but enjoy each day the best I can and not thinking all about the future but now. Today I went for a walk and was getting anxious about going and had was having second thoughts, but went and felt so good, and take in my surroundings and check out the shops and managed to buy more gifts and got one more to get, and then I am done, but forget that I need a few things still for my son to buy, but for others, are done for 2023.
I do like planning and making lists, but as I grow each day and making sure I am present with my son and other friends and family and let go of the passed, and the wins I have had. I would like to take this opportunity in saying thanks to those subscribng to my blogs on this site and others, and on my Youtube and Instagram and my other sociall media platforms.
I wrote a blog post a while back called Letting it go, Autumn Reset Day 11: Letting things go if there are things that serve no purpose in your life anymore, then let it go, to pass it to someone else, who may want it instead.
Your commitement to your life, is about you before helping someone else and thats not being selfish. I need to make sure I am fully rested to spend time with my son and meet his needs and making sure I wake up to see him off to school and when he comes back, and develop my own knowledge of life, to help support his.
I need to manage my personal hygiene, so my son knows how important it is, and help to stay healthy and helps with my confidence to help his, and that I wake up to start the day on a good knote, so my others around me can feel the same. This world is not for one person but for everyone on it, and that I look after stuff to look after my sons stuff. Helping one another through life challenges and that I get back on my feet to set an example for others to follow.
So, make a commitment to manage your life and that you learn to love yourself to love others.
I have created a new video for my Youtube channel My way of living, about Committing to using up what you already have: https://youtu.be/8fj0u2RHyGY
Since a kid I have loved donating to others and when we had a fete on the housing estate I lived in Hammersmith, I would donate clothes for the jumble sale they had, and loved giving to good causes.
I would watch and donate to Children in Need and Comic Relief and now I want t help out in food banks and donate food and would like to do a monthly haul to give away to a local food bank, to feed families in the UK and the other countries and make a real difference.
Or donate money to them to help feed families and homes, that can’t afford groceries in supermarkets as the prices increase. How is somebody able to live when everything is going up and increasing.? More should be done.
Next year I am going to do walks again for Charity and raise money for good causes. I loved doing this and helps me get fit and grow myself, so why not join me. If you have tips on fundrsaising then please comment below, I love sharing knowledge to help give support and build a community that gives us all a boost to live our lives the best we can and make a difference.
I am gong to begin by buying food that someone can have for at Christmas and be able to buy a contribute in having a Christmas meal or things like Mince Pies and tinned vegetables and something that have long shelf life, and still celebrate, rather than just having whatever meal they have, to feed their family and donate things like Crackers and Puddings, and just making sure they can still enjoy the seasion, and buy a gift to donate for chilidren that may not have one, because of their parents not able to buy them a gift, and often the Supermarkets will have a Christmas appeal to help feed families, So check them out.
So, lets give and change the world and its poverty.
When you see that you no longer fearing life, and that you feel good each day and able to shake off the anxiousness, you have turned a corner and that your life is taking shape, perhaps with surprises but I feel that I am enjoying the days and feel positive no matter the challenges that come my way.
Getting out and exploring has helped and having time with my son and family, along with making the most of the weekends, rather than doing nothing, has helped me be more present that has helped me get some shape in my life.
Really dig deep into what you want out of life and who you want to spend it with. Have new experiences. I want to do some more courses via Adult Community colleges to help, aswell as doing some online, and really learn about the mind and body more, to help build awareness, when it comes to happiness and wellbeing, and how our minds operate.
Yes it helps us to think and feel, but look into why we feel up and down a lot. Perhaps you feel like you are like a Yoyo. It could be food, and that leads you to feel sluggish a lot and that you want to change but your urges get the better of you, and feeling that you will always be punishing yourself over your diet, and will never change. Yet we all know deep down that we can, its often fear that other foods don’t give you the same joy.
Take each step to improve at having a better diet and allow yourself chocolate but work for it. I will if I have done all I needed to do in the morning for example will then make a coffee, or a treat and not talking just food, but like you would when you child does something good. I stop with the guilt, and as long as I get some exercise will have a treat or two, along with saving myself for my dinner and having a mixture of meals.
I have realised that I enjoy buying food and love mouching around the big stores but also budget, and making different meals. I do like cooking whilst listening to music or an audio book and found my real joys and using it to be happy each day. I also like it when I don’t need to cook, and help with the washing up. like as I write this blog had a lovely roast dinner, made by my husband and today took Henry up London as it was his birthday on Saturday and doing different things and experiences can help.
So make each day count and when you are no longer feel stressed, feel good and that days aren’t hard, and you enjoy life more, means your life is taking shape.
Life is terbulent and you made the wrong decision. How do you make it right, and can I get back on my feet? I had terrible anxiety at one time over an event that I thought was happening, when it wasn’t and then thought I was being followed and kept having fears that others were being hurt and I was frightened, and that other things were going on, and I hit rock bottom.
I was scared about my son going to school, and went into hospital and it really helped me. Life was getting too much, and going into hospital finally helped get over it. I am now back on my feet, Making sense of my life and concentrated on looking after my son, writing and getting an income again and get back out in the world and put it all behind me.
You have to move on. It takes time, and just making changes just one change, can really help you to move on and be happy and content, and become resillient and aware of triggers that an cause the anxiety and not feeling in fear and thinking terrible things were going on.
I was very depressed. I felt like the world was against me and was thinking things that wasn’t true and with help of my family, I found myself again and now I am in full recovery, I am no longer having home help, which I received by the Surrey Crissis Intervention team and then Merton Mental Health Intervention team and I am still on medication, but I no longer have to visit every two weeks or so and am back in reality and been doing courses, published another book, Mum&Me on amazon, and been looking for outside work, in healthcare and Childcare and exercising too.
My son and I spend time travelling on trains and walking. I back doing Youtube weekly vlogs, and sit down videos talking about managing my money, and have an educational channel too.
Anyway to get back your feet, live for the now and each day. I don’t want you think that I am boasting, about getting over my Mental Health problems, just showing how I got back on my feet, and this was by making sure I went to my regular hospital appointments and taking their advice, and concerntrating on the things that give me joy and understanding mental health, and using techniques given to me, to help me manage my mind and look after my wellbeing, so I don’t feel scared and that it happened, but now is over, and using what happened, to help me feel stronger than ever, and focusing on the good things I have in my life.
I want to learn about the mind, that I don’t already know and help others to rebuild their life and helping other parents, with understanding a childs mind and new interventions, and trying methods to continue to build my own wellbeing and learn using the free tools given to me, to help stop me from going back down that road. One was traffic light system, so green where it is steady and your in control of your thoughts and feelings, amber that you are in between feeling good or bad and red that you are back to having dark thoughts, following a pattern of negative behaviour and feeling low and scared again.
This is just an example. When it comes to Mental Health, it is unique for each person, but it is following good habits and educating yourself on how to manage your thoughts and feelings, It can really help you get back on your feet. Also learning not to panic and be calm if for example, my fear of losing stuff and just concentrate on finding it and having people help you and not allowing it to affect your wellbeing to take action to find what you have lost and not have sleepness nights.
I am no longer dreading each day, but look forward to what the day will bring, and keeping myself busy and enjoying my days going out and to different environments. Last weekend it was my mums birthday lunch which was a surprise and got to see my cousins again, and friends. It didn’t go smoothly, due to traffic problems and good to have a meal and catchup and would like to do that again, and was good to see those that I don’t always see because my family live in various places and so it is hard to get my whole family together, but seeing those not seen for a long time, reminded me how I have missed those times and enjoyed it, and seeing different faces and visiting new places can help, when it comes to your wellbeing and plan your days so you can have a good day without living in fear of life.
So, first of all:
Get help
Take action by making step by step changes and habits
Learning the triggers that can make you relapse and get support
Change your habits and get back into doing things you enjoy and make you feel happy about life
Get outdoors and meet up with friends and family
Ecucate and learn about your mind and share your story if you feel comfortable to help others and build a community to support each other and get back on your feet
So, three days left of my Autumn Reset, and I have happy with the progress I have made to get my next book completed, almost got the areas of my room done and tomorrow going to do my Sunday reset, to help me in these last days and I like what I have done so far, by sorting out my top shelf above my desk, sorted out my wardrobe and closet/cupboard I decluttered and just got my shoes to do.
I have filmed these areas and I hope they help you, and motivate you to have a reset, and if not Autumn then Winter and before Christmas, so you can celebrate without having so much to do, and have more time to celebrate.
Writing books can take a while, and make sure I some spend time with my son, so have to manage my time so I don’t stress, but take time away from the computer, to stop with burnout and moving from my desk helps the process and why I wanted to sort out room too, to have more time to write and not having so much stuff, but what I need and know I am gong to use.
This is my desk and I love how it looks, I do need to clean it which I am going to do tomorrow and still like to make changes to it, but I like that I don’t have too much on it and helps me write, having a nice clear space.
I was also trying to finish a course I enrolled in, and glad to be getting this done, as there are others I want to do, as there is still so much I want to learn and grow my writing and knowledge in helping people through my blogs, books and videos, along with face to face. As I want others lives to be happy and use the tools I have learned and learning so I can do that.
It still feels surreal that it is coming to the end of October and have to get my Christmas planned, along with birthdays, including my sons and so using my evenings like now at the weekend to catch up on tasks, being it has been half term, and spending time with family, and enjoying the week with my son and not sat in front of the computer all day long, and like going outdoors. This helps to clear my mind and boosts my energy.
I have realised I love food shopping and in big supermarkets, mainly Sainsbury’s, ASDA and M&S, because of what is on offer, and like planning my dinners, with some treats and when I need clothing essentials. This morning we took a trip to ASDA and bought some socks, and went to Sainsbury’s on Friday and bought cake mix as we made some cupcakes which I have filmed for my main Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal Along with items for dinner and I enjoy it.
So what have you discovered since you did a RESET? How has it made you feel if you have completed your tasks for it. You can leave a comment below.
I do have another video where I talk about how I manage my money and post every week, and hope they help you too, to manage your money: https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602
Everyone can build a castle 