Why doing nothing is good.

 Hey readers,

It can be hard to do absolutely nothing without feeling the guilt that you need to be doing something. 

However, I feel that during the lockdown is a perfect opportunity to embrace doing nothing. I have written below the reasons why I support doing nothing. 

1.  Boost creativity.

When we do nothing it is a chance to release our imagination and then that entails unconscious thought ideas which can lead to new ideas. 

 Research has shown that whilst we stop and relax our brain produces the hormone dopamine which again helps improve our creativity. 

2. Mental strength.

When you are doing nothing it allows you time to think about situations and makes you reflect on what has happened. 

It could be a chance to accept certain problems that you may normally find hard to let go. Also doing nothing means that it allows you to be challenged especially when you feel the need to get up and go.

 Challenging yourself can give you the mental strength especially if you do regularly can make you feel that you have done something positive for yourself. 

3. Makes you happier.

When you are doing nothing you let go of the expectations that you need to be doing something to make you happy. 

That, therefore, means you learn to appreciate doing nothing and that can bring happiness because you appreciate the small things such as enjoying the moment. 

4. Increases activity.

By doing nothing and not putting pressure on yourself you're allowing your mind and body to relax. 

Therefore you have more energy because you're not using all your resources and then that gives you energy at a later date to more because of the rest. 

5. Improves concentration. 

If you allow yourself to do nothing it gives your brain time to heal or recover. This then makes you overall perform better and concentrate because you let go of things whilst doing nothing.

What do you think about doing nothing? Is it something that you participate in and enjoy? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

Why I love sleep.

Hey readers,

I won't lie but since becoming a parent I love to sleep and appreciate sleep more than ever. Here is why I heart sleep so much.

1. I love you sleep because you stop me from thinking about food and diet, therefore saving calorie intake.

2. Sleep gives me time to relax and gives my achy muscles time to heal.

3. Sleep is a place where I feel safe. Sleep is a lovely way to get lost in a dream which can take you away from reality.

4. Sleep gives me time to stop me listening and focus on attentively what needs to be done.

5. Sleep I appreciate you because I can stop cleaning after the kiddos for a while.

6. Sleep stops me dealing with emotions which quite frankly are up and down and around the corner.

7. I love you sleep and are my biggest fantasy.

8. Sleep you are free and that is all I need to say.

9. Sleep is a place where I can be myself.

10. Sleep helps clear my head and help me think clearer.

Do you love sleep? Have a missed a good reason to love sleep? Love to hear your comments down below. 

Cheers for reading X

10 of the best adult jigsaw puzzles.

Hey readers, 

As you may have more time on your hands with being inside more why not take up a fun entertainment in the form of jigsaw puzzles.

 Below I have picked my top 10 adult jigsaw puzzles that look fun to do if you're bored at home during the lockdown. 

 

1. The world of Sherlock Holmes. 

This 1000 piece cost £14.00 from Amazon. It features Holme's London spots (221B Baker Street) and famous characters (Dr Watson). It is a fun puzzle if you're into Sherlock Holmes and like to spot clues then this is a good choice.

2. Times Square.

This next puzzle is a stunning image of Times Square in New York (America). The Neon effect really brings the nightlife alive in the image. You can buy the jigsaw puzzle from Menkind for £10.00. 

 3. TFL London Underground Map. 

This a fun way to learn about the different London underground stations. It covers 270 underground stations and has 1000 pieces for you to enjoy to put together. You can purchase this London underground jigsaw from Gibsons Games for £14.00.

4.  St Pancras.

This St Pancras is a beautiful vintage train station done by the artist Trevor Mitchell and comes with original oil painting on a canvas jigsaw puzzle. You can buy this from The Works for £7.00.

5. Cosmic Lights. 

Now for something completely different with this cosmic lights puzzle. If your looking for a challenge with your jigsaw puzzle then this one is the one! You can buy this jigsaw puzzle on Amazon for £9.83. 

6.  Harry Potter. 

A fun Harry Potter jigsaw puzzle with the image of the main characters. You can buy it from Amazon for £15.94. 

7. VHS Jaws.

Looking for a quirky jigsaw puzzle, well I think I have it covered with this VHS Jaws jigsaw puzzle. It is a celebration of the video era with the classic Jaws film cover for you to enjoy. This is available at Smyths Toys for £5.99.

8. Succulent spectrum. 

For the plant, lover gets your green fingers on this succulent plant-based jigsaw puzzle. The picture showcases a variety of different types of succulents.  This jigsaw puzzle is available on Kew shop for £11.99.

9. Mona Lisa.

For something funny then I have found the one with this modern take of the classic Mona Lisa.  You can obtain this puzzle from Zazzle for a whopping £61.70.

10. The sweet shop. 

If your looking for a really difficult jigsaw puzzle that will keep you on your toes then this sweet shop themed jigsaw is the perfect match. You can buy this jigsaw from Jigsaw Puzzles Direct for £11.99.

Cheers for reading X

32 cool winter Instagram captions

Hey readers, 

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with relevant captions for your Instagram photos. So, I have picked a range of winter-themed quotes to use only our wintery Instagram photos. 

Best overall winter captions.

 1. I smell snow. - Gilmore Girls.

2. Children of winter never grow old.

3. Snowflakes are kisses from heaven.

4. Paradise doesn’t have to be tropical.

5. You don’t have to hibernate this winter.

6. No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.

7. Every snowflake is a kiss on your sweet, cold nose.

8. Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.

9. If you listen carefully, the winter silence is beautiful.

10. We’re all like snowflakes — unique and one of a kind.

Funny Winter Instagram captions. 

11. Chill out man.

12. We Are Winter.

13. Up to snow good…

14. Sleighed the night

15. The snuggle is real.

16. Love me, I am cold.

17. I love you snow much.

18. Every day I’m shovelling.

19. Break out the sweaters.

20. Winter Safety Is COOL.

Quotes to use for winter Instagram captions. 

21. For people who had warm memories, winter is never cold to them. - Unknown

22. Winter is not a season, it's a celebration. -Anamika Mishra

23. Well, I know now. I know a little more how much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean to a person. -Sylvia Plath

24. When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels. - Unknown

25. To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold. -Aristotle

26. Winter is coming. - Ned Stark, Game of Thrones

27. There's just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you're special. -Carol Rifka Brunt.

28. In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away from the cold. - Ben Aaronovitch, Broken Homes

29. Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers. - Kahlil Gibran

30. Summer friends will melt away like summer snows, but winter friends are friends forever.- George R. R. Martin

31. What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.- John Steinbeck

32. The first snow is like the first love. - Lara Biyuts

Hope this of some help for inspiration for you. 

Cheers for reading X

You know your skint when...

Hey readers,

Sometimes now and again we all worry about money. I have been totally skint but I am so lucky to not have to be in this situation. I am truly grateful for being in a more comfortable position.

 Here is what I experienced when I was totally skint for months due to poor health.

1. You raid the 1p money jar.

2. You watch more TV than normal because you can't afford to do fun things. 

3. You dread it when someone wants to go for a coffee and become anti-social.

4. You live of value food.

5. Choosing between food and electricity.

6. Sleeping the day away because of your cold and hungry.

7. Not sleeping because you're scared of how to survive off your income.

8. Nicking the toilet roll from local college because you can't afford it.

9. You were your coat at home because it is freezing. 

10. So thankful for Freecycle or else I wouldn't have been able to afford a bed.

11. You use brown tape to cover the hole on your shoe because you can't afford a new pair of shoes. 

12. You water down milk and hope no one notices. 

13. You hate the middle of the month as you worry about how you will survive till the end of the month. 

14. You live of pasta. 

15. If you are totally skint then eating toilet paper is the alternative. 

16. You use washing up liquid as a substitute for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. 

17. You youtube how to sort out holes in your clothes.

18. You go to your local library because it is free and warm during wintertime.

19. You heart sinks when it is Christmas around the corner or any other time which involves having to find extra funds. 

Cheers for reading X

How to save time when moving house.

Moving house can be stressful, as there are a lot of things to think about, however, there are some tips to be able to save time.

How to save time when moving house.

It’s always a source of stress and anxiety for people to make a big move. In this case, the move is litteral.

There are a lot of things to think about when moving. Listing those things in a to-do list can be helpful and has actually been proven to help relieve stress for movers.

It is advised to list things in the correct order.

What to think about when moving house

It is a stressful process. Which is why at Switch Plan they have advised on ways to save time when moving house.

Here is a list of useful tips:

• make a list of task in order of priority

• take them a day at a time

• take enough time to get everything settles

• think about leaving the house you live in now in terms of tasks, and then when those are done, think about the tasks required to move somewhere new

What about energy suppliers?

That’s a great question.

Setting up gas and electricity in your new home is not something to take lightly. And it should absolutely be on top of your priorities in your list.

There are two main cases:

You want to keep your energy supplier, or you want to switch.

If you decide to switch, it is advised to ask the help of a team of experts. At Switch Plan, they can guide you through the process of switching suppliers, even starting with helping you figure out if it is the right option for you.

They can:

• reevaluate your bills and your offer

• compare it to other offers you could subscribe to

• help you save money if need be

• guide you through the process of switching

You can learn some more about switching energy suppliers in this article.

How to save time

It is by using a platform who is filled with trained professionals that you will save the most time. 

They guide you through the process of changing suppliers should you choose to, or they guide you in keeping the same but notifying them of your move.

Spending time talking to customer services can be annoying and stressful.

The same way it is wise to use a moving truck to take care from start to finish of your move, you can use some help to take care of the rest.

Switch Plan will help you notify your energy supplier of the end of your contract on the day of your moving. They also guide you through notifying a new energy supplier or the same one of the start of your new contract and where and when it should start.

This way you can move in being rested and assured you will have all of your boxes and all the energy access you need as soon as you walk in the door.

Why New Year resolutions are bad!

Hey readers,

Well, it's finally 2021 if you hadn't noticed. All across social media and on the telly there is the whole idea of 'New Year, New Me' message. I personally think New Year's resolutions are a waste of time. 

Here are some reasons why New Year's resolutions are pointless. 

1. High expectations. 

I think a lot of people aim high with their goal setting which in turn means most of the time it is unachievable. Therefore makes you more like to want to quit within a couple of weeks.

This can be damaging to your mental health and could potentially cause destructive behaviour eg to want to lose 2/3 lbs a week. Then you don't achieve that goal for whatever reason because let's face it the average a person can lose is about a pound per week is much more achievable.

You set the high goals then means when you don't achieve the goal can cause you to feel negative and hopeless. Therefore resulting in the risk of wanting to cause damage by binge eating to comfort yourself.

I know I have done this in the past and then what happened was I actually but more weight on.

Obviously now I am not into dieting to lose weight for me it is more about my relationship with food. But it was a simple example to use. 

2. Pressure. 

There is too much pressure with New Year's resolutions - we aim high and want to get to goal so fast that we forget to remember that sometimes changing behaviour takes time, you make mistakes you learn and move forward.

The moment we fail we think that is it but you know what life is not linear and sometimes mistakes and that is the best way to learn.

This is because we set the bar so high and expect behaviour at a certain time. If we don't get what we aim for then it causes us to feel demotivated as a direct response in the all or nothing attitude. 

3. Restriction. 

This is because we restrict ourselves to the extreme that it means you constantly trying to tell your self you can't have anything which is more harmful.

Teaching yourself moderation is much more important and learn to reduce things in small steps rather than one great big no.

What do you think about New Year's resolutions? Do you like them or dislike? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

How to celebrate New Year's at home.

Hey readers,

We all know it is Corona time which sadly has affected us all during the festive period.

It is New Year's Eve on Friday and though you can't celebrate it like normal party style or go to the pub. That doesn't mean you need to stop any kind of New Year's celebration. 

This year is all about making the best out of a situation at home so below I have some ideas on how to celebrate the New Year at home.

 

1. Decorations. 

Why not decorate your home with New Year decorations to create a feel-good atmosphere. There is plenty of fun with things like 2021 ballons and banners.  

2. Dress up.

Just because you are at home doesn't mean you can't still make the effort and get dressed up in nice clothing to make you feel better to celebrate the New Year. 

3. Host a virtual party online.

Thank goodness for the internet during corona times. There are so many choices from zoom to google meet up where you can come together with family and friends to celebrate the New Year. You could be even brave and do a quiz :)

4. Games.

Get some games out for some family fun and way to kill some of the time until 12 pm. Monopoly or bingo is a popular choice. 

5. Film.

For a low key feel why not put a film and set the vibe with candles to settle down for a relaxing New Years Eve. 

6. Bubbly.

Get a bottle of bubbly to pop when the clock strikes midnight is a fun way to see the New Year. 

7. Takeaway. 

You can't really go to a restaurant as most people are now in tier three or tier four so why not treat yo self with a takeaway. Plus if you a new member to Deliveroo you can get free delivery. 

8. Sparklers/fireworks.

Why not go out with a bang with a firework display at home. If you're not feeling that confident with fireworks a simpler solution is good old sparklers. It is a nice way to do something different on New Year's Eve at home. 

Are you celebrating New Year's Eve at home and if so how? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

How to deal with Twixmas

 Hey readers,

Christmas day is finished and there is that air of waiting for somerthing... the NEW YEAR but them few days after Christmas and before new year are called Twixmas. 

It can be a funny time as you don't really have anything structured during the festive period. It feels like limbo so here are a few things you can do inbetween waiting for the new year to arrive.

1. Have a clear out. 

With having sosme presents now would be a good idea to have a clean out and declutter of unwanted items. 

You can then donate them if they srill have life or if you want to earn a few quid sell them on ebay. 

2. Go for a walk. 

It is hard of things to do during Covid times but you can also rely on an old faithful walk, even if it is to see the lights in your local neibourhood. You are getting out of the home and fresh air is not just good for you physically but mentally as well. 

3. Clean your home.

Now is a  good time to crack on down and clean the home out and give it a fresh feel after all the fedtive fun.

4. Go shopping in the sales.

If your feeling adventerous and got some spare money now would be good time to check out the sales and grab a bargain (if you need it). 

5. Read a book. 

Nothing beats curling up with a book espeically when it is so bleak outside, perfect escapism. 

6. Try out a new recipe.

Got some spare time? why not try out a new recipe that you like.

7. Catch up on some christmas specials. 

There is something for everyone on the telly so why not catch up on any chrsitmas specials that you enjoy, wehich reminds me I need to catch up on Motherland ;)

8. Homework.

If you have chuldren catch up on any homework that needs to be completed. 

With spare time means you can crack on getting any unwatnted homework done at a leaisurely pace without leaving the homework to last minute dot com. 

9. Routine.

As an autisitc perosn I love rountine ans so do a lot of other people. 

It can be helpgul to just simply get up ge dressed and have some order in your life to feel produvtive, it can make you feel less slugglish and more motivsated.

10. Set some goals. 

If your feeling brave and motivbsted why not set some goals that you might want to work towards and achieve. 

Hope this helps and tell me what are you doing during this funny old twixmas time?

 Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

Reasons to love YouTube

Hey readers,

We are now in the internet age and where better place to explore than good old YouTube. 

I love YouTube and it has saved the day from boredom to dealing with the awkward questions my eldest asks me. Not to mention tutorials and reviews on products. 

I would otherwise be clueless and less knowledgeable so let's celebrate all things YouTube!

1. It's free (apart from some of the popular films).

2. It is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

3. The variety of information is amazing. There is so much out there from tutorials to free films. You can even get 30-minute type shows.

4. YouTube is a knowledgeable resource with a wealth of information perfect for the visual learner. Not to forget the stacks of videos on how to use WordPress.  

It has helped me tremendously as a blogger to help me feel more confident in working around the WordPress website. 

Also, you can take your time,  stop and pause. You can even come back and do little bits making it more manageable to fit around you and your needs.

5. Anyone regardless of background or experience cam upload a video and there are little restrictions on what can post (apart from the obvious). Giving people the free rains over the material.

6. It can be unedited and what you see is what you get. I will be honest I love really dodgy amateur videos just for the comedy purposes alone.

7. You can learn about someone's life and get to know the bloggers better on a social level. Because the individual is doing the recording and you get a sense of authenticity.

8. You can create your own playlist.  Remember in the 90s making mixtapes and the effort with stop and starting again with the tape recorder. 

Well, using personalised YouTube playlists is the modern way to tailor your needs. You can also pick the videos without the ads so playing right through without skipping even so often, win!

What are your thoughts on Youtube? Are you a fan? would you love to hear your thoughts in the comments section down below. 

Cheers for reading X