Doing Things to Make a difference to others

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This idea came from watching a Youtube Video by Kate Kaden and each month I give to the local foodbanks in London and work for a Charity. I present a show for my local hospital and it gives me such a buzz. The Winter can be tough and so if you can cook a hot meal for someone that you know is on their own, can do a world of good. Or even buying them a coffee and give them your time to chat.

In the winter I find it hard to see those doing all they can to earn money from selling the Big Issue and people walking passed, knowing that they can really make a difference. We do have families who are struggling to put food on the table. Why in this day in age have people needing to go to a foodbank?

I’ve watched Call the Midwife and feel from the times that the programme is based on learnt nothing.

The high street is suffering, the prices on utilities are going up and I have been to a supermarket and had to cancel items having absolutely nothing and it is the worst feeling in the world.

This is not to make you feel guilty in anyway. It doesn’t have to be materialistic but just your time. One of my sons schools friends parent who’s child was in his class would use her to listen to children read and I love volunteering. So rewarding. At many of the staff at the local garden centres are volunteers.

When I do my shopping and I am asked if I’d like to give a donation and I say yes. It can be lending books to your neighbours if they are alone or if they’d like to go for a walk. Have a joint Christmas with neighbours. I remember when I was kid and we moved from one block of flats to another the lady opposite us looked after me and we often go to other’s homes when living on a housing estate.

There’d be Christmas parties on the Estate and I loved them or Christmas Bingo nights.

Such a massive community and wonder if that still happens now on Housing Estates. I see many in the library where my son gets tutored until he gets a place in a school, are people who visit it and are alone.

There are often events in libraries and run my volunteers. If you are struggling joining the library can be a good way to save money on books or visit charity shops. I buy most of my books from Charity shops and our library does free coffee and drinks, like juice and so can be a good way to meet people.

So if you can make a difference and have some time spare, it can be good for you and the reciprocate. M

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

When The Day Is a Success No Matter The Season

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At the weekend. (I have filmed a Vlog. It will be up on my Vlog Youtube Channel). It won’t be available this Wednesday but next Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

My son at Sixes Club London Bridge. A birthday gift and a place I’d recommend.

It was such good fun. We went to a place called Sixes in London Bridge. It is a Club with Virtue Cricket. They have a bar with screens to watch sports. The food looked good, and the drinks were really nice.

I was worried in case it wasn’t the right place, we struggled to find it at first but it is right by London Bridge Train Station and played cricket. In the end we all thoroughly enjoyed it and just because it gets dark early in the winter, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

It was perfect for all seasons. We are planning to go before Christmas too and have something to eat there and if your kids likes sport, I would recommend to check it out. I booked it for my sons birthday and was recommended by one of my husband’s work colleagues.

We went out for breakfast and had picky bits for dinner. Something we do at any time and then chilled for the rest of evening. It is good to get out still. It is good to, in the winter to have family time, going for a festive coffee somewhere. Then returning home and chill in front of the TV and Watch a good wintery film. My favourite since a kid was, Christmas Carole by Charles Dickens and my son it is Polar Express or The Grinch. On my own it is You Got Mail and Christmas specials like, Call the Midwife.

We had on the Sunday toad in the hole and my husband cooks on Sundays as usually Henry as normally my son has rugby club in the morning and I go to work, as I work for local hospital and do a radio show for the local hospital: https://www.epsomhospitalradio.org.uk/on-air/listen-live but to celebrate my sons birthday we are had a family weekend, so he didn’t go rugby and I didn’t do my radio show. It is good to do less in the Winter and still have a great time, at home and out.

This is where in my printable for this years Winter Wellness comes into play Winter Wellness Programme 2025 and write down your old traditions and things you want to change to feel good in the Winter instead of causing stress and anxiety but can relax, slow down and do something fun that you all like.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

My Weekly Cheat Sheet: Things That are Worth Buying and Subscribing to

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Hello it is the morning in November 2025! What Things are Worth Buying or Subscribing to?

I have chosen mine for this weeks Cheat Sheet, as an example and it helps me see that things are growing and good to have a good resource to plan my life, organise my life and be the best person I can be. I love using Canva, Notion and my notebooks and Journals.

Audible is great for books. I read books aswell as listening and love that I have choice in listening or reading.

Please check out my Resource Library on this site: Resource Library

I post my Cheat Sheet each week and are free to download and print and on different topics to live more and do less.

It all about building and growing.

Do what you enjoy and use what you enjoy.

If you’d like to read more content then check out my Vlog Channel, my Pinterest and my Social Media Platforms. If you subscribe you will be alerted when I post on these site. See the links below:

Vlog Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/

Social media:

https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal/

https://www.facebook.com/typicallondongal/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

A Bag Full Of Memories

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The Winter can be a great way to create a Bag Full of Memories. They can go to the park. Retake a photo from when you were a kid to when you became an adult. Celebrate milestones, like for example, someone turning 40 or 18 and take photos in the park on each milestone.

One of my Sons and I favourite places and yes we even have Ice Cream in the Winter

I love a photo and seeing pictures of the different Christmases I have had since a kid. I remember those that are no longer with us. I include their traditions and new ones. Check out this post below, of my printable where I have created: Winter Wellness Programme 2025 | Everyone can build a castle

In the winter I like to try a festive coffee and document it. It just a little guilty pleasure along with having a Mulled Wine or a Winter Cider.

Yes I have a Christmas mug and want to get a new one. I like to take picture of my son and his cousins. We do set dates of when we can get together. It is great to have family time. I loved spending time with family, as a kid. I cherish those times and want my son to feel the same.

I have had a hard time during the winter. Because of this, I created the Programme Winter Wellness. Then, I started to realize that change is good. You have to move on.

People come and go. Memories will last a lifetime. If you allow it, you can create more memories. Life is full of surprises. Change can mean new experiences that makes you look back and smile. I loved my childhood and now I love my adulthood. It has not always been like that. Life is full of challenges. As you live, you will learn that they are a test to see how resilient you are. You have more strength than before. You can speak for yourself and create memories that others will cherish. Laughing and having fun is contagious. Winter time can have a bag full of memories just as much as the others, throughout the year.

Let out your feelings on my Printable, please see link in the blog above and is free to download.

If you’d like to see more content I have a Youtube Vlog where I share parts of my life and have created a Pinterest board for this years Winter Wellness and so check these out in the links below:

Vlog Channel https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

My Pinterest board:

Many thanks for reading

Carrie X

What Songs Do you Relate to that makes you feel good ?

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There isn’t a day in my life where I have not played music. It was my first love. I would dream about living a different life. I would imagine that I am in concert singing songs like the Greatest Love of All. I wished I had written songs I have loved and still love today.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Music is great for building relationships. This happens if you share similar tastes and have a song that makes you smile whenever you hear it. The song by Eurythmics, There must be an Angel playing in my heart, reminds me of our trips to Menorca. We used to go there for our Summer holiday and were such good fun. We traveled with other families. These trips gave me so much joy. I was allowed to stay up all night and would watch the sun go down and love watching the sunset.

In the Winter I normally listen to Enya, of course Christmas songs and mainly soft music.

If you find that Winter is gloomy, put on some music to lift your mood. Create a playlist of songs that make you feel good.

I have created a Printable and I talk about Habits. One of them is listening to a playlist of songs in the mornings. For me, I always play music around 3:50 pm until dinner time. This includes nice, slow, easy music, and joyful tunes too.

I work for my local hospital radio on Sundays from 4 to 6 Sunday afternoon. If you are in the UK, you can go to the Epsom Hospital website. Listen to it if you have internet. I back doing my show on Sunday the 30th November 2025: https://www.epsomhospitalradio.org.uk/on-air/presenters/carrie-challoner

I like to have a bath and listen to music some times and especially when cooking.

My husband does the same. I love to listen to music when it’s cold and wet outside. It helps me write and work on a book. I have created a playlist on Youtube to go with the book I am writing. I enjoy it with an Earl Grey tea and a nice sweet treat.

I hate the worry of people not being happy. It can affect my mood. I hope that this Winter Wellness Programme helps you. If you want to join, just subscribe. You will be alerted when I post a blog. I also do other programmes throughout the year.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Winter Wellness Programme 2025

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Hello and Welcome to my New Seasonal Programme, My Winter Wellness that I do each Winter to not allow the dark days or the weather to effect my mood and enjoy all the season’s and focus on what gives me joy this time of year.

I just wrote a post on my blog Style Way of Living, about my Home Comforts and I love getting Cozy in the Winter and take a step back from the Everyday Errands and I am loving my time with my son in the Evenings especially in the Winter and watching a Christmas movie. I like to drink Earl Grey tea and a festive drink.

Check out this blog here: https://mystylewayofliving.blogspot.com/2025/11/my-home-comforts.html

I have done a printable and it is about getting the most out of your Winter and that you don’t have to get the latest trends and having a ton of decor and gifts to enjoy your Winter. I like to invest in a good set of jumpers and do a declutter, Christmas Food, but not too much as it is what helps you to enjoy Winter without spending money and spending time with family.

I have a section in this printable about New Traditions and Personal Dilemmas, that has affected my feelings to enjoy the winter season.

So in this Printable I want you to go through as I post to help you enjoy Winter rather than dreading it:

This is free printable to download and print and keep.

I have set up a Pinterest board:

I will be sharing blogs from my other blogsite, aswell as this one and so if you want to feel better about Winter then join me and lets help each other enjoy this time of year.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Managing Your Money

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Hello and thank you for visiting if you are new, to this blog site. I have a Youtube Channel called Financial Living, where I share How I spend and look after my money and did this because I have been reckless and in debt, but now thankfully it has all been paid off.

I no longer dread looking at my bank accounts and got rid of having a Credit card and Overdraft and use the money I have and monitoring my money has made a huge difference.

I save everyday and check my bank account everyday and today I spent no money debit as paid some bits I need such as Chewing gum, because I keep getting a dry mouth, Vitamin D, a supplement I take this time of the year, bathroom cleaner and washing up liquid.

So here is my weeks Cheat of Managing Your Money:

I post these each week and are free to download and print and I hope you find them useful.

I hope you have a good week and soon it will Christmas. Oh boy, am I ready? Not sure but no longer bitter about it.

I will be doing my programme, Winter Wellness to help you have a better Winter as the days get dark early and can feel very bleak and I often would find I would be extra tired, but now have learned to handle it by making changes and so this will begin on this site and my other blogs: 3rd November 2025.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Do It Your Way In Managing Your Lifestyle

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What is a form of self care. I remember watching one of Mel Robbins Podcasts, which are very good, I do get a lot of inspiration, but there was one guest that talked about how having a bubble bath is not a form of selfcare. Well may be not?. I love the whole process of having a bath whilst listening to an audiobook. So why can’t it be seen as a way of giving myself, self care? It is what helps you when you have had a busy day and Oprah for example reads in the bath and so I feel that was, when listening to the podcast a bit of a misconception. Zoe Sugg for example loves to be in the bath scrolling on her phone, and I bet there are people saying, that that’s a bad thing. Why? If it is relaxing. Selfcare is not the same for everybody.

Budgeting is the same as dieting. I love to budget it helps me from buying another pair of boots and another collection of notebooks. It is not depriving me from anything. Not in my case anyway, but helps me make sure I put money into my son’s account, I pay my phone bill and if I need to buy an emergency item, having budget ensures me that I will have the money should that happen. Its covering anything that may breakdown, like my laptop, a household appliance we use like our Airfryer and so for me it does not feel like a diet.

Going to bed early and you will wake up early. Not for me. I have suffered with Insomnia since a child and would wake up between 3am and 4am and when I tried to go back to sleep I would feel more tired or have a nightmare. When I’ve gone to bed early, to see if helped, I just wake up at midnight and find I have over slept, so for me I now go to bed later. I read my book so as soon I feel the most tired, I drift off nicely and wake up at 5am. Going to bed later has helped me sleep all the way through the night and lowered my Insomnia. It all depends on each person and so if going to bed early helps you, fine, its not one way fits all, but what suits you and your lifestyle.

Eating three meals day. Now I am not saying this is wrong or right. For me I not always a lunch girl and love dinner but not able to do large amount of food, whether it is healthy or not. I find I get indigestion if I eat too much. I have listened to those experts on the TV and on Social media of you can eat large amount of food, as long as it is healthy and there are people who can eat larger amounts, of food and I am working on my food consumption by trying different foods, but eating when I know will fill me up and reduce waste.

I have the mentality to know when I am full. My son is starting to. My husband will skip a meal to have a big meal in the evening, if we have for example Fish n Chips. Chatting with my diabetic nurse she told me not to eat too much fruit, as it is still sugar and that you eat more vegetables and that has worked, but again I not able to eat to much even if it is vegetables. I do think home cooking is good and like cooking. So feel that people should do what works for their body and the recommended portion for their body type by getting help from a dietician, diabetic nurse or your GP.

Scheduling and Planning. I like to now use post it notes. Check out this blog on one of other blog sites: https://organize4thebetter.blogspot.com/2025/10/new-way-of-planning-and-staying-on.html I now have a pinboard that I claimed as my mum and step dad was getting rid of it and it really making a huge difference. I have used Google Calendar but just kept filling up my Inbox and so I now use Notion, Post its and my phone. It is what suits you best. Some like doing Block Scheduling. I tried this method but I found it to restricting. On my phone I use the Notes APP on my phone but it can use up storage. Again depends on your lifestyle.

It is good to listen to others about Selfcare, Finance, getting a good nights sleep, eating nice foods and scheduling and planning, but not to the word because it is what helps you, to manage your life, that fits around your lifestyle.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Monthly Newsletter: October 2025

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Hi Everyone! Not that far away now for Christmas and sorry if you aren’t ready but it is moving towards it and where I have to think of good gifts. I have a few birthdays coming up before hand so a busy time of year, It is also time for my Monthly Newsletter. Check it out below:

They are completely free to download and print. I love creating them and posting.

If you’d like to be kept in the know of my blogs on this site and printables then you can do so. Just subscribe.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Having A Seasonal Reset

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Hello Happy Monday! It is a new week and means it is time for a new Cheat Sheet, which I post each week and are free to download and print.

This is tips on Having A Seasonal Reset:

It is so good to have a reset especially when you have a lot happening. We have been trying to sort out Henry, my sons, learning and get a school placement, do homeschooling until he gets a school or tutoring and then sort out his and my bedrooms and just life things like laundry, cleaning the home and at the moment I do voluntary work.

So have a great week and if you’d like to be notified when I post on this site them please subscribe.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X