Cath's Bubble

Do you ever empathise with the hamster in his wheel, running and running and getting nowhere fast?  I know that feeling too well.  

If you find yourself repeating similar (unpleasant) situations over and over, chances are life will keep on setting them up for you, until you learn whatever lesson you’re supposed to from the experience. Only then can you grow a little as a person (or a lot depending on the lesson!) and move on to bigger, better things.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed history repeating itself in my life and I made a real effort to analyse why (typical Aquarian, I over analyse everything). One method I stumbled upon to help break negative cycles was the ‘Letter To Your Younger Self / Inner Child’. OK, it sounds a bit weird at first, but when you get your head around the concept and start writing, it really is therapeutic.

The beauty of writing to your younger self/inner child, or whatever you resonate best with, is you have the chance to re-write your beliefs and start over from now – in whatever areas of life you want to improve.  Treat it as an exercise to tell yourself anything and everything you would want to know about life as if you were your own parent.  Offer yourself guidance in the areas of your life you feel you’ve been struggling with, and be kind to yourself.  

If you fancy giving it a go and want an example, here’s my letter to my younger self:

Dear Little Me,

How are things going? As your future self, I know you better than anyone. I’ve shared all of your joy, your pain, your successes and your failures along the way, so, I thought it couldn’t hurt to offer you some advice for your journey (seeing as I’ve learnt the lessons for you!).

As a little girl, your imagination is your greatest tool and you love using it to create – be it imaginary worlds for your toys to live in, or attempting to write your ‘Magic Tree’ book!  It’s easy as you grow older to lose touch with your sense of imagination and easy to forget how to take pleasure in the simplest of things.  Try to remember you are always creating, through your thoughts and your actions, so never stop daring to dream.

Your parents are devoted to caring for, supporting and protecting you, and all they want is for you to grow up with good morals, feeling happy and safe. That’s wonderful, and you will realise how lucky you are to have such a stable, secure upbringing (once you’re out of your ‘teenager knows best’ phase!).

The lessons that you learn from your parents, your school teachers and society in general are what shape your inner belief system, so you move into adulthood with a hard-wired subconscious set of standards by which to live your life. Some of these will serve you well (treat people respectfully, don’t break the law and so on), while others have the potential to hold you back at times.

For example, you come from a decent, hard-working family, where the pattern has always been that as long as there’s enough money to pay the bills and put food on the table that’s all you need.  Yes, it’s important to appreciate everything you have (even when you’re working in that soul destroying call centre job) but don’t let yourself be held back by self-imposed limitations.  

The only limits to what you can achieve are the ones lodged in your subconscious – so when you find yourself feeling stuck, frustrated or unhappy - take time to get to the root of why you feel that way.  Then make it your mission to ‘re-programme’ your beliefs, let yourself believe you can change career path, attract the right people into your life etc and the more you start to believe it – the sooner it will happen.

Relationships are all about balance.  You’ll have your ‘not my finest hour’ moments of not treating others how you expect to be treated, and you’ll experience the pain of being lied to and betrayed (call that karma).  Ever the optimist, you continue the search for the fairytale ‘Happy Ever After’.

Enjoy the dizzying high points of grand romantic gestures, promises of commitment and declarations of unconditional love and learn from the tough times, and remember love is ALWAYS a work in progress.  There is no ‘finish line’ where the prince sweeps the princess off her feet, they still have to work at it and like anything else in life – you get back what you put into it.

Think of life as a mirror – it reflects back what you focus on as real life experiences.  So don’t take life too seriously all the time, or you’ll find yourself in serious situations – now where’s the joy in that?! When things get overwhelming, don’t wallow in the moment, have a word with yourself and go do something that cheers you up – you’ll be amazed how life responds and good things start to come your way.

The key to happiness lies in the power of your own mind.  When something bad happens, ditch the habit of reacting in auto-pilot mode – getting angry or upset because you feel that’s the justified response is never going to make you feel better about it in the end.

People only have as much influence over you and your state of mind as you allow them to have. Dishing out negative energy will always find its way back to you somehow (remember the mirror!).  Practice the art of forgiveness and I guarantee it will set you on the path to peace and tranquillity. Be present in the moment and you will learn how to use the power of your thoughts and feelings to create what you want in life.

Remember I’m always here if you need someone to talk to or advice, that little voice inside your head you often ignore!

Love Always,

Pay day is finally in sight and I don’t know about you but I will be welcoming it like a long lost friend this month!

There’s something about the weeks following Christmas and all its’ extravagance that makes me actually enjoy getting back to basics and saving some money in the process.

One of my favourite ways to feel like I’m getting value for money is to find a product with a multitude of uses, so I thought I’d share with you my current recommendations:

#1 Aloe Propolis Creme

A unique combination of stabilised aloe vera inner leaf gel and bee propolis, this creme also contains camomile plus vitamins A and E.

Together these ingredients are a powerhouse in helping to calm skin irritations, deeply moisturise and to soothe and protect the skin. Top uses include:

* soothes very dry skin & can help ease symptoms of eczema * leaves a protective barrier on the skin, so great as a hand cream * I use this on the ends of my hair when they’re feeling frazzled too

Extra tip: a little too rich to use under makeup as a day face moisturiser but good to use a thin layer overnight as a deeply moisturising treat 😉

#2 Aloe Heat Lotion

A blend of aloe vera gel and warming herbs, this multi purpose lotion can be used:

* before exercise, to warm up your muscles * after exercise, to soothe muscle soreness * as an ideal massage lotion * rubbed on the soles of your feet or chest before bed, to help ease congestion

#3 Aloe Vera Gelly

This pure 100% stabilised aloe Vera inner leaf clear gel is a special one, and it demonstrates why aloe Vera always crops up in mainstream after sun products. To name a few of its’ helpful uses:

* super quick healing ability when applied to skin abrasions, cuts, grazes, itchy and dry skin patches * ideal for use after electrolysis * proven anti fungal properties make it useful in treating athletes foot and fungal nail infections * a highly effective after sun - so unless you’re lucky enough to be visiting a sunny climate this is one for a few months down the line 😉

#4 Aloe Hand & Face Soap

As the name suggests, this paraben free non-drying formula liquid soap also has several uses:

* hand washing * face washing * use as a shower gel, ideal for use when shaving as it’s so mild * use as a shampoo for children (gentle enough as a no tears formula)

Our household have used Aloe Hand & Face soap (473ml) for all of the above since November and only needed to replace it last week!

I’d love to hear which multi use products you’ve found and love too, so please comment and share your best finds 😊

And if you’d like to try any of the products mentioned, you can purchase them online here:

I'm a big believer in everything in moderation when it comes to food and drink, so rather than force myself into a hardcore detox this January I've made an effort to eat clean(er) and add in some products to help promote wellbeing.

I start the day off with a 30ml shot of Forever Living Aloe Berry Nectar* on an empty stomach. This contains 100% stabilised aloe vera gel, which can help cleanse and soothe the digestive tract, plus extracts of cranberry and apple - for an extra hit of vitamins A and C plus antioxidants.

That's followed by a glass of water before breakfast, which varies depending on how much time I have spare. If I'm giving Logan cereal, I've found a good way to monitor my own portion control is to eat mine out of one of his spare bowls - works a treat!

Lunch and dinner have included meals such as a Hovis Good Inside thin, which is my attempt at lowering my carb intake. I love these as they contain added omega 3 and seeds - an easy way of upping your intake of nutrients. I top mine with a little cream cheese, sliced avocado and tomato, tasty 😉

As I'm veggie, I also love a plain quorn chicken style fillet, sliced up with some Uncle Ben’s 5 Whole Grains, broccoli and a splash of reduced salt soy sauce. Before lunch and dinner I take a Forever Lean* capsule, containing 2 unique fibres (white kidney bean extract and Indian fig (aka prickly pear) extract) plus chromium. The combined ingredients have been shown to limit absorption of calories from fat and carbs while helping the body properly metabolise fats and proteins - so you fully absorb the nutrients from food.

I also stumbled across a range called We Squeeze juices in Morrisons, and tried out The Green One. Consisting of Apple, cucumber, kale and spirulina it smells a bit odd, but tastes good! And it doesn't hurt that the range has around 20% less sugars than standard juices.

So that's my effort so far of a healthy January, alongside utilising my free gym pass at the local leisure centre (boy had I forgotten how much pain weight training leaves you in when you're not going regularly!)

*Forever Aloe Berry Nectar and Forever Lean can be purchased here: 

You know it’s January when it’s rained pretty much daily for months, the commute to and from work is in the dark and pay-day is a distant memory. But all is not lost, as I’ve been seeking solace in a variety of health and beauty products to brighten up the dreary days!

Here are some of my favourite’s so far:

SKINCARE, MAKE-UP & HAIR

I must have been officially a good girl last year, as Santa brought me a very welcome array of new skincare and make-up goodies!  

My daily beauty routine now includes using the gorgeous Sonya Aloe Nourishing Serum in the morning pre make-up.  This is a lovely silky feeling, divine smelling serum that contains nourishing aloe vera and white tea extracts (available from the link at the end of this post). As my skin can get quite oily throughout the day, I don’t add a moisturiser, I then use my Rimmel Radiance BB cream, followed by my lovely new Mac Mineralize blush in Petal Power and YSL Touche Eclat to brighten my under-eye area. 

I’m also loving my new YSL Luxurious mascara, and for evenings my MAC Pro Longwear paint pot in Chilled On Ice with a slick of MAC Viva Glam Miley Cirus lipstick.

My nails are keeping some festive sparkle going with MAC Studio Nail Lacquer in Fabulous Fete too.

At the end of the day, I use Garnier Micellar cleansing water to remove it all, then massage in some YSL Forever Youth Liberator serum.  You can feel this getting straight to work too, as I notice a slight tightening effect soon after application. For good measure, I let that settle in for a couple of minutes then apply a little Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Creme. 

My hair is feeling the love too, in the form of the new Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Winter Remedy.  For anyone like myself, blessed (or is that cursed) with naturally curly frizz-prone hair, this is one of those ‘got-to-try’ products with its’ claims of reducing frizz and increasing shine.  While I did need to use more than recommended to get the effects, my hair does feel softer and there is more of a shine than usual so all in all a thumbs up for this one.

And here’s a snap of the products in use!

What are your go-to winter survival skincare & beauty products? 

#1 The Last Minute Shopping Dash

Try as I might, regardless of how organised I try to be in advance, it’s just not Christmas for me unless I’m running around on a last minute shopping trip, laden with bags on December 23rd. And I love it.

#2 Seasonal Drinks

Just give me a Starbucks Gingerbread Latte (with cream), a Baileys, Mulled Wine or even a Snowball and Christmas has well and truly arrived :)

# 3 Catching Up with The Girls

Whilst we may not live as close to each other as we used to, without fail we have a girlie get-together at some point over the festive season, and although not all of us can make it, I love the chance to catch up with my girls.  

When life seems so hectic for most of the year, spending time putting the world to rights with the girls is just priceless.

#4 Doing the Family Rounds

When I was a singleton, Christmas meant lots of parties.  Fast forward to having my own little family, and now it’s about how we manage to fit in visiting my side of the family (pretty easily as they live so close!) and Mr H’s family in Devon.

Granted, I might stress out a tad beforehand, over how Logan will handle it without his highchair/favourite ride on car etc, but watching him play with all his Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents makes the travelling all worthwhile.

Plus, I don’t have to cook – result ;)

#5 Christmas Food

Chocolate, clementines and bucks fizz for breakfast - name me one other time of year this would be acceptable, your birthday? Ok, go on then.

This year I’m even more excited for Christmas food, as we’re staying with Mr H’s family who are amazing cooks.  We’re talking pancakes for breakfast, an amazing roast where EVERYTHING will be home made, and, bless them, it’s an added task for them as I’m the only vegetarian at the table! Then there will be a Tropical Trifle and Black Forest Gateau, I need to ramp up my pre Christmas exercise routine in anticipation of it all now!

#6 Elf

Best. Christmas. Film. EVER. That is all.

#7 The Christmas Day Eastenders Episode

Sad? Well maybe a little, but I do love watching the drama unfold on Albert Square over Christmas. #DuffDuff

#8 Creating New Christmas Traditions

Milk and cookies left out for Santa, check! Or is it a mince pie and a sherry, plus a carrot for Rudolph?

Whatever traditions you remember from your childhood at Christmas, once you have your own family, you get to reinvent them (or keep them!) and create traditions for you and your children to enjoy each year.

Logan is at the age where he can participate a bit this year, so we’ve been trying to teach him why he only gets 1 chocolate a day in the advent calendar. I’ll be taking him to Winter Wonderland and Santa’s Grotto this month, then tracking Father Christmas’s journey online with him on Christmas Eve, love it!

#9 Happy (or maybe Drunk) People

Is it me, or when you wander through your town or city at Christmas do people seem more smiley, friendly and generally more pleasant?

Christmas spirit or an excess of alcoholic spirits? What the hell, if it makes last minute shopping a happier experience I’m not judging…

#10 Time Off

Having worked in the leisure industry for most of my career, time off over Christmas was usually a couple of days either side of Christmas, as the club only closed on Christmas Day.

Now I have 10 whole days off starting on Christmas Eve, so I’m looking forward to chilling out, checking out the post-Christmas sales, burning off some of the festive excesses and spending time with the family – bliss.

I've always had a passion for all things deemed 'the next best thing' in the world of health & fitness - well, it’s hard not to when that's the industry in which you've spent most of your career ☺️ 

I’ve embraced coconut water along with spirulina and raspberry ketones and whether or not they actually do anything beneficial, it makes me feel better because the media tells me it does! 

I’d only heard of Aloe Vera used in moisturisers and after-sun products, until a colleague who suffered from severe Chron’s disease told me her consultant had recommended she start drinking the liquid form, as it had been known to help alleviate the symptoms of numerous digestive related illnesses.

So when I was introduced to the Forever Living Aloe Drinking Gel through a friend, my first question was, ‘what's the point of drinking Aloe Gel if you're lucky enough to be in general good health already?’

After consulting my good friend Google, I discovered some surprising facts about it, including:

·         It contains 200 health promoting compounds, including vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, Choline, E, Folic Acid & Niacin

·         19 of the 20 amino acids required by the body to function at optimal levels, plus minerals calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, chromium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc are present in Forever Aloe Gel

·         Aloe acts as a natural ‘balancer’ within the body, it cleanses and soothes the digestive tract and balances good & bad bacteria. It can also help to counteract yeast overgrowth

·         It provides the essential nutrients to repair your skin from the inside out and helps the body produce collagen and elastin - which is what skin needs to keep it looking plump and firm (gotta love a wrinkle fighter ;))

·         It has a natural anti-inflammatory effect and can help maintain healthy joints

·         Aloe Gel can help give your immune system a boost (it contains a long chain sugar (polysaccharide) known to have a positive effect on the chemical messengers to the immune system)

I started taking a 30ml shot first thing in the morning, as apparently it is most effective taken on an empty stomach (around 30 minutes before eating).

My initial thoughts were there is an undeniably strange after-taste to the non-flavoured variety – which turned my thoughts to ‘anything that tastes this bad, HAS to do you some good!’.

A little tip: add a splash of fruit juice and you don’t even notice the taste ;)

It’s one month since I began taking a daily shot and I have just finished the bottle - here's my review:

Week 1

I definitely noticed a lack of the bloated feeling I sometimes get after eating, as though my stomach just felt calmer in general.

Week 2

I'm over the taste issue now (either having it with a splash of juice or drinking water straight after) and I've noticed a marked increase in my energy levels. To the point where my 16 month old Son was looking at me wondering what’s up while chasing him round at soft play!

I had more energy for exercise, cleaning, work – I guess this could be down the vitamin boost.

Week 3

More of the same, more energy, less bloating and just generally ‘feeling good’. 

Week 4

I forgot my shot one morning, felt normal all day, but did feel really bloated after dinner – coincidental or maybe it does act that quickly?!

I’ve also noticed I’m not feeling as irritable as I typically would at this time of month! Maybe that’s down to the vitamins and minerals, and how they can effect hormone balancing.

Summary

I would give the Forever Living Aloe Drinking Gel 4/5 (great effects, loses a point due to the taste!).  

There are 4 varieties to choose from, all of which contain the purest, stabilised Aloe Vera Gel on the market:

Yellow Bottle

The most potent. Non-flavoured but you can add it to juice, or just have water handy for afterwards. Great all round tonic.

Berry Nectar

Contains added Apple and Cranberry juice extracts, sweeter tasting and good for helping prevent Urinary Tract Infections and an added dose of vitamin C.

Forever Freedom

This is aimed at helping people maintain healthy joints, with a pleasant orange flavour this one is popular amongst people with very active lifestyles and those with joint and mobility complaints.

Bits’n’Peaches

Great option for children due to the sweeter taste.

If you would like more info please contact me on [email protected]

You can purchase any of the range via secure payment at the online retail store here: https://shop.foreverliving.com/retail/entry/Shop.do?store=GBR&language=en&distribID=440500082761

After running around like a headless chicken this morning, time to breathe... and remember everything I have to be grateful for - life’s too short to spend it stressing out!

If you’re seeking abundance in your life, please like my new Facebook page for lots of tips on manifesting abundance in all aspects of life! 

Hope you like it: https://www.facebook.com/The-Abundance-Effect-889165607846620/likes?ref=page_internal 

#1- MY HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN

#2 - A GREAT READ FOR SELF DEVELOPMENT!

#3 - SUPER EXCITED WITH MY NEW #FOREVERLIVING HEALTH & WELLNESS PRODUCTS DELIVERY!

#4 - A VIRTUAL GROUP HUG FROM MY BFF’S :) 

#5 - ALWAYS TIME TO PLAY

#6 - LUSCIOUS CHRISTMAS GIFT SET - KICKING OFF MY XMAS WISHLIST ;)

#7 - THE RED CUPS ARE BACK, YAY!

Hope everyone’s having a fabulous week :) It’s been a busy and fun one for me, I’ve caught up with some fabulous friends, launched my new health & wellbeing business (check out the products in the below link & message me for a 10% intro discount!) & fitted in some self development work in the form of a good book :) 

Here’s the link to my online shop for lots of health & wellness goodies: 

https://shop.foreverliving.com/retail/entry/Shop.do?store=GBR&language=en&distribID=440500082761 

image: www.enthusiasticbuddhist.com

I'm a sucker for an Inspirational Quote. When I log on to Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I happily scroll through the endless stream of uplifting messages, and yes, it makes me feel like anything is possible.

The trouble is, once I've logged off and carry on with day to day life, I'm struggling to 'live in the now' lately, and fall right back into the trap of stressing about what's happening tomorrow or next week - talk about counter productive!

Why do we put so much energy into worrying about possible events or situations, when it would be way more productive (and easier) to focus on enjoying the moment we're actually in right now? Beats me...

So, I've been working out how to keep myself grounded, and how to stop my over-active mind running away with itself:

#1 KEEP IT SIMPLE

For some unknown reason, I can't help over-complicating things lately. I can wind myself up a treat over, um, anything and everything and it's tiring work!

I'm making a conscious effort now to stop myself in my tracks when the stress gremlin pipes up over my shoulder, then I turn it into a Dr Pepper moment - what's the worst that can happen? If I'm running a bit late? I'll take that as a sign from the universe I need to slow down ;) Our oven is broken too - I'll use that one as an excuse not to slave away, and make a quick chilli on the hob instead.

#2 LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, AND ENJOY IT!

I'm the type of person who's always trying to doing 5 things at once, e.g feed my Son, clean him up, then clean up the carnage that comes with feeding a toddler, and so on - and he literally made me stop in my tracks earlier. While cleaning up his dishes after lunch, he came up and grabbed my leg - and refused to let go until I took his hand and went to play with him. 

That was it for me, I thought about how lucky I am to have the time to enjoy watching him grow and have fun while we played together. And that's what counts, what really matters in life. 

Image source:www.comnetwork.org 

‘A change is as good as a rest’ so the saying goes.  That depends on the nature of the change, and who instigated it if you ask me.  As we have just moved house again, I’ve been pondering how I handle change and its effects.

Life is full of changes, from changing schools and moving house to starting/ending relationships and career changes, it’s an unavoidable part of life. I believe the difference in how change affects you depends on:

A.      Whether you are the instigator

B.      Your personality type

If you choose to take a course of action, it generally means you have weighed up the pros and cons and are satisfied the outcome of said action will benefit you in some way.  Therefore, you are in control.  If you’re a self-confessed control freak, dealing with change that is forced upon you is bound to make you feel edgy and unsure.

For some unknown reason, I always used to thrive when everything got thrown up in the air and change was inevitable.  And I’m not even sure why – I was thrilled the time I was made redundant even though I had no job lined up - and it took me 3 months to find a new one. I put my attitude down to the fact I get bored easily.  But since having my Son, I’m no longer as quick to embrace change, as my first consideration now is how the outcome will affect him.

So, faced with moving to a new area that I know little about, I wanted to remind myself of a few facts about change:

#1 EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

We all say it, but you have to genuinely believe everything does happen for a reason. Even if you can’t for the life of you work out what that reason at the time, sometimes you just need to have faith that it’s all part of the bigger picture in your life plan.

#2 CHANGE BRINGS OPPORTUNITIES

It may take time to see it, but change brings with it new opportunities – new people, new experiences and chances to advance in life.  You just have to open to spotting them, and take action when you do!

#3 CHANGE STOPS YOU PROCRASTINATING

I admit I’m sometimes guilty of procrastinating, mainly when I start overthinking a situation which then stresses me out – so I ignore it rather than take action. The problem with that, is I end up wasting time in situations that ultimately need to change because they’re just not working.

In these instances, change is the only way forward and this is when I believe life conspires to take things out of your hands – and presents you with the opportunity to change paths – which usually leads to something positive in my past experiences.

To help keep me on the right side of sane during the latest change, I found a few things helpful:

#1 LOOK FOR THE POSITIVES

The new move will lead to us saving money, which I’ve had great fun mentally spending already (que that Keratin hair smoothing treatment, manicure and new clothes I’ve had my eye on). We’re also close to a beach now, which I’ve always said I wanted (ok, Miami beach it’s not, but it’s a start!).

#2 KEEP SOME LEVEL OF NORMALITY

Lucky enough to be working on the day, I escaped the chaos of the physical move which Mr H & his brother took care of.  Instead, I was glad to get home to the new house, play with my Son and even managed to get him bathed and to bed at his usual time (apparently routine is key for babies adapting to change).

#3 BE REALISTIC

Even when I’m in the middle of one thing, I’m thinking or talking about what needs doing next – just one of my annoying little habits. This time, I’ve put less pressure on myself, done one task at a time and had regular breathers from it all.  

All in all, I think resisting change is linked to our natural fear of failure, we sometimes feel it’s safer to stay on the path we’re walking (even if it’s not bringing you what you want) rather than risk failing at something new.  

After the Summer that never was, Autumn is making its’ entrance, and to be honest, I’m fine with that. I am definitely more of a Summer person at heart, but with hardly 2 consecutive dry days of late, at least you know what to expect during Autumn - and not to risk wearing your sandals only to get soaked on your journey! To embrace the new season, I thought I’d set myself some early resolutions, as I’ve never been one to conform to the customary New Year tradition: #1 Healthier Eating As boring as it sounds, I genuinely love eating healthily. As a vegetarian, my diet isn’t too bad overall, but I’ve definitely let it slide over the past few months and am noticing the effects now! To help quash the ‘I haven’t got time to make that’ excuse, I’m going to take my friend’s advice and invest in a slow cooker – just bung all the ingredients in and press a button, and have a yummy healthy meal ready a few hours later – I’m sold ;)

And after seeing the effects embarking on a juice diet has had on my boss, I’m going to pick up a juicer too.  I think this might also be a good way to encourage Logan to try new tastes out, especially if he can sip them from his new cup we got him at the Zoo!

#2 Wardrobe Overhaul

A change in seasons is an ideal opportunity to de-clutter and my wardrobe is crying out for some  attention.  So I shall be arming myself with boxes and bags, getting my ruthless head on and ditching anything I haven’t worn in the past 12 months.

As a reward, I’ll then be taking part in some much needed retail therapy, starting with my ongoing quest for the perfect black ankle boots…

#3 Hone my Organisational Skills

As any working Mum will appreciate, it’s so easy to get caught up in the juggling act of day to day life that you start to lose a bit of yourself.

It’s a catch 22 – you love spending time with your children and you love your time at work - but getting that all important work-life balance can require military operation style planning!

Organisation is the key to achieving this balance for me, so, in order to claim back some precious ‘me time’ and once again enjoy some of the activities I took for granted pre Motherhood, I’ve decided to sharpen up my organisational skills - by making a plan and sticking to it.  I’m not talking time for extravagant spa days here either, just the odd hour to read a magazine or 30 minutes peace to meditate is what I’m aiming for - plus the sense of achievement you get when you finish your To Do List.

Sunday evening already, and I’m not sure where the week went - no - hang on, mine was largely spent tending to Logan who was feeling very sorry for himself with a bout of croup (a nasty viral cough). Thankfully he’s feeling much more himself today :)

How was last week for you, good? could’ve been better maybe? Sunday evening always has that air about it doesn’t it, like the night before a new school week - even when you’re no longer in school and you don’t even work Monday to Friday!

So now my little one’s finally tucked up in bed, my mind has turned to making the coming week a super productive positive one, and this is how I plan to do it:

#1 PLAY THE GRATITUDE GAME

Every night, last thing before going to sleep I am going to mentally think of 3 things I’m grateful for.  

Once you start thinking, you will (hopefully!) find a lot more than 3 things in life you’re truly grateful for, and I find this really helps me focus on the good things around me, and not how tired I am or what’s annoyed me that day!

Practising gratitude is one of the key factors in successfully using cosmic ordering or the Law of Attraction - which you’ll have seen if you’ve read any material on the subject. Gratitude always features in the stories I’ve read of successful people that I admire too, along with dedication and sheer hard work!

#2 REFUSE TO LET CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE MY MOOD!

Lately I’ve been getting seriously fed up of the UK ‘Summer’ and I’ll admit it does dampen my mood (pardon the pun) when we have one glorious day of sunshine followed by a week of rain and gloomy grey skies.

Add to that the usual pressures of busy general life and it’s easy to let it all put you on a downer.

So, this week, I’ve decided - the weather can do what it wants (well,doesn’t it anyway?) - and whatever stresses appear - I have made up my mind I’m going to have an awesome week and nothing is going to stop me!

#3 EXERCISE AT LEAST 3 TIMES

This has been a challenge lately, and I hate that! 

I just feel so much better all round when I get a good work out in - it clears my mind and helps me focus - but trying to find the time has been pretty difficult of late. So, I’ve given myself a talking to, and even if it means running pre 6.30am (in the rain probably!) before Mr H and Logan wake up that’s what I’ll be doing this week.

#4 FIND SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT DAILY

This one should be a given of course, but just in case, I’m putting it here to remind myself!

Every day there should be something to help lighten the load and just have a laugh over, whether it’s banter with your partner, friends or work buddies or something you read or watch. 

I always find the more lighthearted I am, the easier life just flows and everything is just - better! My partner always seems to master this, no matter how stressed at work he is or whatever’s stressing him out, he just shrugs it off and finds a way of improving his mood (this quite often involves watching countless funny YouTube videos!).