Tags
everyone can build a castle, happiness and wellbeing, health and wellbeing, Personal Development, self help blog
Hi and welcome to my blog! I am posting every Monday a cheat sheets to help you manage your day and manage your life and my one for today is about Making life Simple and stop betting overwhelmed in getting your life together.
I will be posting this on my Parenting blog site: https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.com
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
Tags
happiness and wellbeing, printable, self care and development, taking a break, taking time out for yourself
Thank you for you viewing on this blog site. I am now creating weekly Cheat Sheets to help you have a better wellbeing and this one is tips on how to Take time out for yourself.
You can share with others who may not know about my blogsite and find these cheat sheets helpful.
Many thank for reading,
Carrie X
11 Thursday Jan 2024
Tags
everyone can build a castle, happiness and wellbeing, health and wellbeing, Personal Development, self help blog
You have to make the right choices for you. It means saying no, but finding what is right, and if it doesn’t then that is fine. Saying yes because you feel obliged to, is not making the right choice, because you are not doing it for you and if it is going to stress you out and fill you with dread, then means you have to change it and go down a different path. This doesn’t mean you won’t succeed it just there can be many roads to take to reach the things you want to do in your life.
If it is not for you, then it is not for you. Not everything is going to workout, and if someone says no to you, then that is okay too. Trust yourself in making the right decision, journal or talk to someone who can help you, and reflect on why on this occasion something has not worked out, or doesn’t feel right.
Dip your toe in. Test it out. Research and try it out. There is no harm in giving things a go, before you make your mind up. I remember when I was first looking for work, just leaving school and was interested in working in fitness, and was offered work experience for the day, to see how it felt and it wasn’t for me at that time and wanted to work in a football club, and was successful, and worked at a local football club as a steward and did work experience too helping the Groundsman and then found my office job whilst doing that in London.
I did some football training, with the Fulham ladies and it was only a few sessions, and made me decide that I wanted to coach, and gain experience. I was a little regretful as my confidence really affected me in going, but I am glad I still gave it a try. Twenty or so years later I did an FA qualification whilst working in a call center and got to manage my own team, and learned from it, so it still taught me a lot and now we are in 2024 going to “Grow” which is my word for this year. It was progression but grow fits better and get another book published, do more training and looking for work outside and continue to grow as a writer, and have a lot of great things planned and it is planning that can help decide on where you want to go next in your life that will boost your feelings and raise your happiness, to not allow times when it didn’t workout, affect you, in following your dreams.
I always wanted to write a book, and as a kid I liked writing, but stopped and now found my love again, in writing and now written 5 books, which are on amazon my most recent being a comedy called Mum&Me. I now am writing three books, a book called When Mothers Are Real and Behind the eyes of the other woman, and Mum&Me book 2, and it was by watching TV that I discovered self publishing, and I really enjoy it, and now looking to work outside, and finish my courses I have enrolled on, to help build my knowledge and understanding of the human mind, and children and young people by educating myself, to help grow my blogs and books, to help you my audience, to find happiness and live a life they love.
Listening to the right people, who can give you the right support you need can make all the difference, and there are many ways to train and learn, without it being too much and if it is affordable. Last year via a careers service received some free training and I want to learn more interventions, to help people and getting to know the mind.
Our minds are constant running machines and it can either work for you or against and want to learn about how to, being a mum for example communicate more affecting to my son who had ADHD and is on the Autism Spectrum. Why we can be positive one minute and down the next.
Reading books about topics you want to learn more about, can be really helpful. I am currently on Audible listening to Atomic Habits and want the physical book, I have read to help me with my writing, Save the Cats Write a Novel and again want the physical book because I felt it helped and continue to learn as a writer, and want to do more writing courses.
So, never stop believing in yourself and trust your gut instinct. If you say no that is fine. It is all about what makes us happy, and lowering the expectation we set for ourselves.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
07 Thursday Sep 2023
Tags
get my life together, happiness and wellbeing, life coaching, Personal Development, productivity
Yes so this is all about how make deals with myself, and I just did this now by promising myself if I do a home workout (exercise) then I can have another coffee. I am going to have my next coffee and watch another video on Youtube, and really enjoyed my workout. I do have a couple of fitness blog sites if you didn’t know, on WordPress and on google blogspot, please see these links:
https://sportsandfitnesspassion.wordpress.com
https://getfitgetactivewithme.blogspot.com/
I didn’t feel like walking this morning, but I did it by promising myself a Pain Eu chocolate with a cup of coffee that I had indoors and so now on my second and I am going to bloody enjoy it. Some may think this is counterproductive, but for me it is how I get stuff done and get focused.
I made a deal if I got what I needed, as I had shopping to pick up, that when I walked I could get the bus back and got one straight away which is unusual and tomorrow I am thinking a nice iced coffee whilst I walk and love it at the moment getting out in the morning, once my son has gone off to school, and feeling the cool air as it has been so hot in the day.
I have been on walks with my son too when he has come home from school, and to build my steps and completed another ring on my fitness app I have on my phone, and will have my dinner and by the time dinner time has come I have earned it. Tonight it is a home favourite Spaghetti Bolognese, and then often will play some more out in the garden with my son.
It helps me to be productive, and get my Life Coaching programme finished to then start my Autumn reset which will end by end of October 2023, and then it is getting ready for birthdays I have in my family and then getting ready for the festive season.
If you have read my blogs then you know I am that kind of person that likes to take her time, and if I can do something without rushing, I find I get may daily goals/to-do’s done and making the days as good as the next one.
So make promises to yourself and I can assure you, you will see positive results.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
21 Monday Aug 2023
When we feel low it often feels like we are falling down a hole and that there is nothing to enjoy and feel like hiding away. Start by going through your home that gives you comfort. For me right now I love sitting in front of my desk, listening to a video and writing this blog. I love sharing and helping you, and since I began this blog so much of my life has changed.
I am not going to force you to be thankful, because I have no knowledge of your life, but give tips, and so when I began to change my life, was when I had put on loads of weight and took up running. It was tough and I could have easily given up. I kept going, and went running along he seafront early in the morning so noone would see me, and with each run, my feelings towards my life, got better.
Now I enjoy walking, and I discovered my love from walking through running and so began to be thankful I had legs that can run or walk. You may be different, but finding a skill you didn’t know you had, can change that, and will help you to be thankful and there is a reason you are still here, and developing new relationships and visiting new places.
Moving away from home and following dreams to work in a holiday camp, I started to question my decision on deciding to do this, and was home sick for the first 3 weeks, but as I kept on getting used to living and working there, I began to enjoy being away and was grateful for this experience and met my husband and for while I was happy, this was before I began to feel low that I wrote about at the beginning of this blog.
There will always be bumps in the road in our life, but you can change it to be able to practice gratitude and has to begin right now, because if you are unhappy, with your life currently, it is time to make changes and enjoy life, to then be grateful.
When I became a parent I felt overwhelmed, and love my son, but felt like I had no idea of what to do, and kept feeling I was doing something wrong,, but watching him grow and becoming his own person, it has made me thankful that I am his mum and he is, my child and never thought I’d feel love like it. When he comes to have cuddles, it destroys my negative thoughts, as a parent and thankful for being able to grow this human being that I helped to create. I love at the moment playing football, with him and with his balloon. The other day we created a game with his balloon and so grateful for being able to play and create games to have fun and play.
I had really bad mental health illness, psychosis and it took me a lot to get back on my feet and recover, but with the help of my parents and mental health teams in Surrey and Merton, I am now recovered and can stand on my own two feet again, and thankful to my family and to my keyworkers, and the hospitals I stayed in, that helped me in this dark time I experienced.
So, as you build your life you will, hand on heart, start to see your life differently and who are thankful for you too.
Many thanks for reading
Carrie X
13 Sunday Aug 2023
Tags
coffee, happiness and wellbeing, make the most of the days, Powerful living, what I like to have in my life
I listen to experts about coffee, is it good or bad for you? I say if you like your daily coffee then have one. I enjoy my coffee each day and helps me through the day, I don’t always buy coffee from the coffee shop and have instant, because I enjoy having my coffee and will not sacrifice this, in anyway.
Researching coffee, it was said that it can cause anxiety, but someone who never for a long time drunk coffee, it was in my adulthood, had anxiety before I got into drinking coffee and It doesn’t trigger it at all. In fact I am a lot calmer now and yes I am on medication for my anxiety, but having a coffee helps my energy levels and I like to make the most of each sip, so if you like coffee then have one, and enjoy.
When I have appointments I like to have a coffee before or after, and use it to help me write and just good to be out of four walls. I like walking with a coffee and be out in the fresh air, and if you like this too, then enjoy.
When going out with my son Henry along with his dad, we’ll have a coffee and a chat. I couldn’t drink coffee all day, but like to have 2 cups early in the day, and is a ritual to me. Cold coffees never appealed to me, but now I actually love treating myself with a cold one, and sitting in the park and reading a good book.
I know with the weather it has been cold for a cold brew, but when it has been hot, I have made the most of it.
I wrote a blog like this one one of my google blogspot blogs:
https://mystylewayofliving.blogspot.com/2023/02/nothings-better-than-brew.html
I remember watching Vearn Cotton in one of her podcasts called Happy Place said that she loves her coffee in the morning , and not going to give it up. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw0wGD–N6e1y5BO15NXAVg
It helps with my concentration and with being productive, and waking me up as it can take a while for me in the mornings to wake up, and helps kick start my day.
So if you want a coffee then have one., and why not check out my book, Mum&Me, great to read whilst relaxing in sun with a coffee: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mum-Me-Gucci-Tits-Virtue-ebook/dp/B0BGSS7H9K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mum+%26+me+carrie+holmes&qid=1691956634&s=books&sprefix=Mum%26Me+%2Cstripbooks%2C82&sr=1-1
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
11 Friday Aug 2023
Tags
good books I have read, happiness and wellbeing, living the best life, Powerful living, self help
Life is worth living! Life doesn’t have to be boring, which can be the feeling you get when you feel your life isn’t going nowhere and that this it is how it’s going to be and nothing will change.
Check out this EBook I wrote about Creating a new Journey to your life. It is available in Kindle and Paperback.
Set up a plan for yourself, of making your life better. For me a reading or listening to a book a great way to get out of a rut. Learning from others who have experienced how you have felt, is a great way to get a hold on your feelings to change your life.
I found Mel Robbins 5 Second Rule really helpful and reading a book by Paul McKenna and Tony Robbins to be good. Also doing free courses on the areas I want to learn more about. I want to help support people who have mental health difficulties, from child to adulthood and going to be doing Voluntary work soon, helping Children to read and would like to do online teaching on other topics, to help others like those who feel stuck, and that they not sure how to get over the low feelings and have a better life.
Managing my finances better has made a difference for me. There is still a long way and stop spending on things I do not need and focus on what is more important to help my wellbeing, and the way I feel about my life and you can do the same, just set aside 2mins to 10mins, can really help stop the worry that money can cause and get help.
I like watching Youtube channels like, Sugar mamma TV on money, because they have really helped with managing my money. I have listened to Canna Campbell, the 1000 Project and listened to the Audio book by Grant Cardone book, Sell or to be Sold.
I also watch Jordan Page, and Kate Kaden, and really inspirational and I have a Youtube channel, dedicated to finance and how I manage my money too: https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602
It’s all about changing your mindset and not have limited beliefs. Anyone in my opinion can be successful in building happiness and a better wellbeing, but you have to change your habits and have a hold on your life and where it is going.
I do have time off Social Media, which really helps and today I spent like I try to do on other days, away from my phone and enjoying the time with my son, not worrying about checking Instagram or Facebook.
Doing something different on some days. On Wednesday I took Henry to a football match and it was great. It helped that the team we went to support won, but made a difference on our feelings that my son couldn’t wait to share with his my mum and step dad and with his dad. He was buzzing and just made a great change.
Making time to see friends and having a night out or a girls night in. With the prices increasing on things it is affording things, so just meeting up one evening a week can really help ease the stress of life and taking time out for you.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
04 Tuesday Jul 2023
I have written about this before Summer Project 2021/Build your expectations on your terms we all have expectations of ourselves and other people, because we fear disappointment. Yet it is good to have a level of expectation because it means we care about the things we have in our life.
Your expectations of ourselves can be tough, because we put so much on our shoulders that we can’t handle and leads us wanting to run rather than finishing tasks and get on with living our lives.
Lower the expectation, by taking your time and breathe and take in what is around you and keep planning your life and setting goals.
I would like to wish those who read my blogs in America a Happy 4th July and I bet you guys have a expectation for that, celebrating yearly events and special days. I have an expectation on my life coaching programme, because it is important that my audience, you guys, are getting something from them and writing my books, please check them out there are EBooks, about happiness and wellness, and have parenting books and fiction books.
You can find my books on amazon.co.uk under the names, Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Holmes.
Having expectations sets us up but not to over do it. It also helps us to set boundaries and doing 1-5 tasks a day and set a time for each one. I love doing sprints when it comes to writing my books and at the moment I am editing my new book as my expectation is for it be better than my previous books and increase my skills and ambitions.
That is the good part of expectations and it is good to set challenges for yourself but ones that you know is going to help build your life but not stress and anxiety.
So set the bar each time to take action to complete goals but a height that you can reach and not make you give up.
Many thanks for liking my blogs so far, of my Summer Project 2023 and followed me it really means a lot and would suggest to do so if you want to be kept up to date with my blogs. I do write a newsletter each month, which I publish on this blog so check out June’s 2023: My Monthly Newsletter June 2023
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
15 Thursday Jun 2023
Tags
getting your life together, happiness and wellbeing, life coaching tips and advice, life full of happiness, personal growth
I wanted to write this because to have life full of happiness, you got to make changes that will help you grow into the person you want to be and the life you want to live. Check out my blogspot blog about Getting all done, as this is linked to this blog post.
You have to create a plan, one that gives you excitement as soon as you start to write it down, and build a mind map. I use this technique a lot, along with brainstorming. Create a vision board. I use Pinterest like many, but you can do this on a white board, or on a piece of paper even. It’s about building and improving how you feel about yourself, and the life you have.
Perhaps you need to change your job, because you are bored or feel overworked and resenting it each day. Boy have I been there. Researching though it is believed that 74% of people are very satisfied with working in the UK, according to google. It all depends what the employer offers you in return to the work you do, for their company. Travel can be an issue and pay.
Whatever area in your life you are not happy about, it is time to make a change.
Set yourself a challenge or challenges. The one area I have been trying to sort out is my finances and rebuilding a positive relationship with it. So I have been doing a weekly check on my money and write down everyday of any money spent and having no spend days, and go through what I have paid out at the end of the week and what has gone in.
I have been doing a lot more walking again to cut down on my travel costs, on a daily and weekly basis and because I want to take part in Charitable and fundraising walks again. I want to build more income to save, and invest in having a big holiday again. I am going through where I can save money wherever possible. Example: not buying coffees from the coffee shop, and use my instant coffee, that takes me ages to use up, and not buying snacks all of the time.
I did no spend January challenge this year and will do again, because I have been able to put money into my savings again, and cut down on where my money goes.
By setting challenges, it helps to make quick changes, and complete unfinished task.
Set yourself an Itinerary. I did this whilst sitting in the garden and what are my main goals for 2023 and 2024. I find it hard to concentrate on one thing at a time, and so doing things like this helps me stay focused, of what I really want to complete and accomplished by the end of these two years. I suppose it is a bit like doing forecast.
Check out this free printable, to see what I mean:
I was watching an event that Tony Robbins was hosting on Youtube last night and so glad I manage to catch it as it was really good to map out a plan of building areas in my life I not happy with. I will link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPchhI_fPQk
He talked about do a like a wheel of life to measure where you life is at, here’s an example:
With Tony’s he separated them into seven different segments, Physical/body, Emotions and meaning, Relationships/conspire, Time, career and mission and finances. and contribution and spirituality. Then mark between 0 being nothing, you are not in a relationship to 10, you are in a relationship and are completely happy with it.
So, next tips, take part or join in live events. They are such an insight into how to manage your life and getting a lot out of it. Rather sitting doing nothing, hoping that someone will come an rescue you. You have to do it and last nights was completely free.
You want to get life together then it is time to do it.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
12 Monday Jun 2023
Tags
daily stresses, happiness and wellbeing, personal growth, tips on how to be happy, travelling tips
You get up and you feel “Oh no another day” and “I’ve got so much to do” and it is like “Where should I start?”
Yes I have heard this before, but honestly it does make a difference and go through what is top priority. I will do a list in my diary of what will be happening each day like Friday I bring my son to Wimbledon and a list of on OneNote of what I want to get done in the day. I then go through it on the day and go through what I need to do first and have something in your life that helps to kick start your day on a good note. I now tidy and make my bed, get dressed and then make a cup of tea, breakfast and then when it is warm weather open up my bedroom window and do something different, like I woke up super early which I don’t always do and having that time just putting clothes away that is out and at the moment I gradually changing my desk where my laptop is and it just helps give me kick start. I often return to bed which many may say no, but for me if I need extra rest and get the chance to then I will.
2. Use travel time to wind down and do the things you enjoy.
So I use travel time as I travel from Wimbledon to Epsom daily and back, will listen to music, listen to a podcast or listen to an audiobook. It helps me to remove any fears I have when riding on a bus like what if it crashes and other stresses and is my time to just sit down and reflect on things.
3. Still sleep when your kids still sleeps some nights
I will like tonight as I continue to write this blog is listen to a live video, but will often go to bed at the same time as my son, because he wakes up so early, and he doesn’t got to bed early as such and stays up like tonight around 9pm but he still awake but he will still will wake up early and so I need to make sure I get a good number of hours sleep to function for the next day.
4. Do a daily walk solo, with family or with friends
Each weekend my son and I will go for a walk or if he uses his scooter I will often run but I have a bit of injury so going to walk, but whatever we will still get outdoors and enjoy spending that time together.
5. Journal and reflect on each day or weekly or whenever you feel stressed and not feeling so good.
I like to keep tabs on my feelings and what I can do to help them and make sense of them. It may be that you feel stuck and you are bored with life. Journaling can help with that and what action can you take that will solve this issue, perhaps you need a different job, or you are not eating well. That is a battle for me at the moment and trying to control my eating by keeping tabs of what I am consuming because I crave a biscuit rather than a piece of fruit so next week I am going to make a plan to sort this out. I use my blogs to journal too, to show that yes I am happy but feel that my eating habits can contribute towards my feelings so need to take control and sort this out.
What I have began is do a meal plan, the thing is I often will change my mind though and not fancy what I initially wanted but will plan and what I don’t eat on that day, as long as it is in date I will eat it another day when I do fancy it. Evening meals and breakfasts are fine I just get super hungry in the afternoon and often binge eat, which I know is no good for me.
6. Spend time reading.
I love a good book and read in the evening and I look forward to it. I like a genre of books from Fiction to non-fiction and going to start reading my book in the park too. I love doing this in the summer.
I also love to read a magazine and recently got back into this. I often will change how I spend my time and I love sitting in the sun reading a mag, I find it so relaxing.
Please check out my Pinterest board which has support and tools for this Life coaching programme: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/life-coaching2023-project/
I have been filming to for it. Here is my current video I did talking about Solutions: https://youtu.be/4bV9x3_wW6g
Remember to stay safe in the heat and hydrate, and thank you for the likes on my blogs and for following me.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
Everyone can build a castle 