24 Monday Aug 2026
Posted in Cheat sheet, Living, Printables, Weekly posts
Please check out my new Cheat Sheet that I post every Monday apart from Bank Holidays and this weeks is, Getting Ready for Autumn.
This was created with the help of AI but I have also included my own tips.
I love the Autumn and looking forward to it. These Cheat Sheets are free to download and print.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
21 Friday Aug 2026
Tags
being a good friend, changing your ways, life coaching blog, Self development, summer project 2026
Watching Madonna’s Confessions concert it made me ask myself. What makes a Superstar?
I feel they have a recipe to success that is indescribable and that not just pop stars but nurses, doctors, cleaners because without these people we wouldn’t have nobody who could make us feel better, have dirty spaces everywhere and just make a difference no matter what they do.
I call my son a superstar when he does something good. It doesn’t mean you have to be wealthy but what actions you take for others and what impact that person has on you and others.
When I think of the word Superstar I think is someone’s else’s view of someone and not something you feel yourself. I feel it can be disused and that it should be saved for the right purpose. I like it when people have said to me and it makes you feel good but not something I take for granted; It is a terminology that is abused because there’s been those so-called Superstars and they’ve hurt others and turns out they’re the not the person you thought they were. Example a guy I met before my husband who left the holiday camp, where I was living as I worked there, was not a nice person and was glad to have been free from him.
When you get excited about seeing a friend then you know that person is to you a Superstar they give you a buzz and can chat about everything and anything. They’re not going to judge and you can really be your true self. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable then chat with them, no matter how hard it is and often people don’t realise how they’ve made you feel. I have not always been a good friend and so had to spend time away to see that noone is out to hurt me and it’s not a competition and that I have been selfish. I have been self centred and drove people away.
I would shy away from people. I went to a birthday party then waited for her to talk to me at a school open day and that mum didn’t and we became strangers and I knew that it should have been me who had to make the effort not them all the time. I was still that girl who would sit on a bench waiting for someone to come over. With dancing class though I was totally different, because I went with a friend and it still took a while for me to come out of my shell but then a friend from secondary school asked if I wanted to go and watch rugby.
It was so different and I really let my hair down and it changed my life in many ways. The supporters I met spoke to me as if I had been going for years and I fell in love with it. I see my friend who took me as a superstar and other friends from Secondary and felt that it shaped the rest of my life until I then went to work at a holiday camp. There were people there who I saw as superstars and who helped me survive it, as many who I had started when I did at the Holiday camp had left soon after but it suited me and with rugby meeting who I think were Superstars and my mum, step dad and family too and that you have to wake up to your own behaviour and of others and who truly have your best interests at heart and that you and them are Superstars because of the experiences you’ve had with them and how they make you feel on inside and outside.
Soon my Summer Project 2027 will be over. I will be doing my Autumn Reset. This will be begin in September 1st September and will be completing another book, sorting my sons and mine bedroom and cleaning part of my home such as my Food Cupboard and finally clearing my baking cupboard. I have been doing a Squat Challenge in August, doing 100 squats a day raising money for Cancer Research check out fundraising page and my Vlog Channel:https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/carries-giving-page-23102806, https://www.instagram.com/carriechalloner/ and https://youtu.be/j9odgBsvQlY
To let you know My Autumn Reset will be Subscriber only to help grow my challenge but content I share will still be for free.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
17 Monday Aug 2026
Please see this weeks Cheat Sheet. It will be last one done using AI to help me as I feel like I am cheating you and I don’t want that and will be back to me write them completely and this one I felt helpful with the help of AI. Let me know how you feel about them. Use the comment section below.
They are free to download and print.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
14 Friday Aug 2026
So if you’ve joined me in this years Summer Project then that is great and tell me what you changed and how it is going, how do you feel?
Here is my printable:
This printable is free to download and you can use it anytime really. Please let me know if you found this useful and what you would like to write next time? Just to warn you that next year it will be subscribe only next to grow this site and if you’d like more free resources, like worksheets and EBooks. The Worksheets and blogs I write will still be free.
It is time to reflect. There will be a few more blogs and then it will be my Autumn Reset beginning in September until end of October. It will be subscriber only to grow my channel, but still be free to join me in having good reset, finishing projects, admin tasks and what you want to start to do.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
10 Monday Aug 2026
Yesterday in the coffee shop with my Husband and son I, saw this lady who wasn’t on her phone or reading or anything but enjoying her coffee. She looked a bit like Celine Dion and it made me realise that sometimes just having time just taking in the moment is much better than looking at a phone or not watching what is around you.
This made me think of a challenge. I am doing a challenge for August. Doing 100 squats a day for the month to raise money for Cancer Research: https://youtu.be/oaImghC1on0
So in September doing my Autumn Reset going to challenge myself to write my blogs, sort out my sons and my bedroom, complete the editing of my next book as the Reset will continue into October, is to do all those thing in silence taking the moment. Not have music on, tv or Youtube and enjoy my coffee. Not on my laptop or phone drinking but sit in the garden as we go into Autumn and just enjoy the moment.
On the train coming back from London, see Vlog: https://youtu.be/eZ3sHtml_8k on train I decided to not be on my phone and enjoy the journey. On the train to London looking around every one was engrossed on their laptops and phones that I realised have we lost the will to use travel to chat with people~? I think we just so concerned on what is on social media to look and chat. I feel we want to be liked on Instagram to feel adequate. So it will be a realisation for me. I am going to use my laptop to write but not with music on or a video on. Be on my phone too much and enjoy a coffee like that lady without a book or notebook and enjoy the moment better and see what happens.
This weeks Cheat Sheet which with the help of AI I have created on challenging yourself. My Autumn Reset will be the first subscriber only content, but will still be free to read and will be from the start of September to the end of October.
There are many challenges you can do and I really feel I am ready to take on more. Just to say my blogs are not written by AI and are from me, I just needed a little help with my Cheat sheets and that I have been learning from them too.
Do walking challenges. I challenge myself to walk, 4000 steps a day instead of 10,000 too much so be realistic and there are writing challenges too. I often do sprints from 10 to 30 minutes not consecutively as that is not realistic to me and there are loads you can do on Youtube but only using this to help make sure I don’t go over time.
So take sometime to just enjoy your coffee and take in the world and not have headphones in or on the phone and just be free to chat with someone. It is good to look around you and sit and not have any noise.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
07 Friday Aug 2026
The more you do something the more it continues. I now have implemented habits that set up my day. This is due to repetition.
My son knows how to put his shoes on. Repetition. I learned to dance. Repetition.
When my son learned to walk he had little falls, nothing serious, but the more he repeated the motion the more he finally conquered and walked without needing use his walker and like eating it becomes natural. My son knows the words to the Proclaimers songs. Repetition. Putting in to practice is by repeating.
I remember in an interview I said that my work was repetitive and I wanted to move up and they were like “Well this job is repetitive” and felt like an idiot. Employers want someone who will come in and be able to repeat the work because that is the heart of learning. If you want to impress be willing for repetition. Its like Barista’s they make coffee everyday, clear tables and learn how to heat up food and the only way they learn is by repetition. The more you do a job you can then move onto the job that is your dream but still means that you will have to do repetitive work. That is how you get better.
Weight Lifters learn by repetition, jockeys, Tennis players, singers and businessmen and women. When working in a call centre it would be repetitive. You learned codes, how to be great over the telephone, processing problems and my step sister is a Air Hostess/cabin crew and has to go through safety checks, make sure passengers are okay and what to do when the plane takes off and land.
So yes it is important part of life and if you want to be successful in your field it is by repetition. It is a positive word not negative and dart players are good because they repeat and how they count down and know what score to get that beats their opponent and crickets would have boiled over a 100 times to be able to aim for the stumps, jockeys have to learn by repetition to help the horse know when it is time to jump, sprint and be fast. The practice is repetition. Doing the the same consistent throw or bowling. My uncle plays bowls. He plays every year and he has learnt and learnt but repetition. So never fear it but embrace it.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
07 Friday Aug 2026
Since a child who didn’t speak at the beginning of my life until I was 4 years old had ambition. I loved music and dance. I dreamed of being on radio and when I left school looked into doing hospital radio but had no idea how to go about it. Now at 48 I am now a presenter for Epsom Hospital radio and yes I get nervous and have self doubt but keep going and now been doing the radio for two years.
I like working hard and the things I love to do. I have had jobs that didn’t lead anywhere but helped me with my life to figure out what I wanted to do next. I look at Madonna she didn’t become successful until she was in her 30’s but kept going and still going. She has been making music for 40 years. She had bad press, fallen on stage and sang out of tune but keeps going.
So go through your achievements. What got you there?
I look after my son and my focus was getting a school. Myself and my mum dug deep and he is now in a school and loves it after not getting a place but was consistent and yes it was stressful but, would I do it again if it meant getting my son a good education? Yes.
The point is keep going. You do have to fight battles and you will find that people change towards you when you have your life together but that is their problem and ignore the critters and keep going.
I discovered blog writing after reading a book and it was a book taking the micky out of WAGS and I thought I give it a try ad write a blog and now on WordPress have managed to reach 10,000 all time views on many of these sites and received good amount of views on my Google blogs and I enjoy it. I have always wanted to write a book and when my son was born in 2013 I did just that and published my first book about parenting and this year published my 5th book. I enjoy it so much.
There is more I want to do and love seeing my life grow. I am not earning millions but that no longer matters. I am in a nice home, which I share with my husband and son and in a good place and that is what matters and so What Matters to you?
#Spend time to reflect on your life. My goal as I share this been focusing on not being on screens for too long. This was because I had a migraine, twice as I edit this blog that I had forgotten about. Been focusing on my son enjoying the school summer holidays. Feeling good is the key and not feeling hard done by, because something hasn’t worked out or seen it is harder than what we think.
If you like his blog put in the comments, keep going.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
03 Monday Aug 2026
Posted in Cheat sheet, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts
I love a schedule it just helps me set things up so I know and my son knows what we are doing and I love surprised unplanned days so, I have a flexible schedule but make sure we have summer essentials, but go to places I never get sick of and know is available to go in the holidays.
This Cheat Sheet was created with the power of AI which includes my own ideas and are free to download and print. If you have any feedback of ideas for me to share. You can use the comment section below.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
31 Friday Jul 2026
Tags
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
27 Monday Jul 2026
Posted in Cheat sheet, Planning 2026, Printables, Weekly posts
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.
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
Everyone can build a castle 