7 ways to find blogging motivation

Hey readers,

I think after a while of blogging you may stumble and find yourself struggling with ideas to write about and have no motivation. 

One of the reasons in my personal experience as a blogger when I struggle is with finding my mojo, which made me feel so demotivated. Every now again I just lose motivation and all interest to simply just write.

So, in this post, I am going to explore ways to overcome the feeling of demotivation and how to motivate yourself to get that sparkle back to continue to write. I hope then this will be useful for when you need to co

Routine.

This may not be for everyone but having a routine can be helpful for some. I find having time set aside each day to do all blogging stuff really helpful. 

If I do it every day have that time set aside then it can create a positive habit to get into the mood and know that at that time is when I am going to do blogging.

 I like order and structure, I find forcing myself sometimes can trigger a response to get sh*t done.

Go out in public.

Sometimes, there are just too many distractions at home when you are trying to find time to do some content writing. 

I find that staying at home can lead me to not do a lot and spend far too much looking at memes rather than blogging. 

That is why my next suggestion is to go outdoors in public, whether it be in the park on a sunny day or a coffee somewhere.

 You can take your electronics, pen, and pad and do the work away from home. Being in public there are fewer distractions.

 If your in a popular place where there are others working then that can motivate you to take action and do some work.

Take a blogging break.

I have written previously a blog post about the importance to have a break and not quit. 

I do think blogging breaks can be really beneficial if you are struggling to get motivated. It allows you to have that break and reconnect with creativity.

Read other blogs/articles etc. 

I find the idea of reading blogs, articles, newspapers etc a great way to explore topics that you find interesting and can really inspire or make you come with other ideas to write about. Knowledge is power and it is a brilliant technique to come up with new ideas.

Mindmaps. 

I love mindmapping where you use colour and visuals to create ideas that connect to the main theme in the centre of the map.

 I find colouring and doing something therapeutic with my hands instead of hitting the laptop first can inspire me greatly. 

Just focusing on a theme such as relationships and exploring the subgroups that are associated with relationships such as sexual/personal/ work/ business/school. 

Then exploring deeper into the sub-categories to come up with further related issues can pull together ideas that can be brilliant content for your blog.

Just go out and live.

Most of the best ideas come from the experience of my life and what I have personally done, seen or heard. 

There are many different angles you can write a blog post on from your own experience whether that be a rant, a letter to someone who has touched you or even a review that you want to tell the world about what product or service that has been beneficial in your life.

I hope this has been useful to learn how to be better at getting that motivation back when you lose that get up and go.

How do you get motivated when you're uninspired?

What is your blog writing tips?

Cheers for reading X

Theme Planet is the perfect place for website designs. **AD**

Hey readers, 

One fun element of setting up your own website is the design element and there are so many sites where you can get a variety of different themes to use.

 One such site is www.themeplanet.com which provides customers with affordable website themes with a variety of designs. 

Tech Apple has a brilliant clear review of why you should check out Theme Planet and the great offers that the site has to offer. 

Whilst browsing on Theme Planet looking at themes it is so easy to navigate around which makes the job so much easier in finding the perfect design. 

I looked at a variety of different themes that took my fancy so you could see the quality and variety that is available to you on Theme Planet. 

I have selected three of each in different categories - Wordpress, Shopify, html5 and Woocommernce so you get an idea of the varsity of services the Theme Planet can offer someone.  

WordPress themes.  

The website has a variety of different Wordpress themes from business to feminine to meet the taste of your needs. 

Each Wordpress theme package covers everything that you will need to set up the design of your webpage. 

The packages include such items like making your site SEO optimised, stylish widgets too customizable navigation menu with optional drop-downs to name a few.

 Therefore everything is all sorted so all you need to do is download and set up on your site making it pain-free and enjoyable experience getting the right design for your blog. 

Stylist blog Wordpress theme.

This Stylist theme is a clean and sleek look. It is e-commerce ready, easy to install and would be perfect for any fashion, beauty, travel, home decor or any other lifestyle themed blog.

Gabriela - crafted blog Wordpress theme.



This modern theme is brilliant for any blogger to share thoughts with the world.

It is easy to navigate with a variety of features such as widgets, header theme and all the other elements in creating the perfect Wordpress theme for you. 

Shopify themes.

Not only can you get Wordpress designs from Theme Planet but also from Shopify so check out of a couple of examples down below. 

Luxembourg Shopify theme.

This example is brilliant sophisticated designs for a shoewear site which is ideal to get people attracted to their online shoewear store. 

The stylish city design and catches your eye. The beauty fo this theme is that it will be easy to navigate with the menus and on the home page. 

Along with the option of added a blog making a more interesting connection with the customer. 

Istanbul Shopify Theme.

This design called Istanbul and it is a minimalistic feel to the theme. The large icons capture you instantly with easy sidebars to find what you are looking for. 

Perfect for any age to enjoy browsing. There is also a customise tool making it easier to find the right product for the searcher. 

HTML5 themes.

If you're looking for HTML5 themes then Theme Planet have a mix of choices to meet your needs.

Interiorvale - Interior Design HTML5 Template.

 

This HTML5 design is perfect for interior and furniture factory template. It has many pages you can add about different team members, services, projects and even blog posts.

 Not only that it is suitable for a variety of different platforms such as desktop and mobile. It is also easy to customise on your request should you need it. 

Albert - UX Designer Portfolio HTML5 Template.

Albert template is ideal for a personal website to showcase you around the world. The design allows others you, your portfolio and projects that you are doing. 

It is built in HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap framework, and Jquery with well-structured code and clean design. 

Woocommerce themes.

WS Tech Store WooCommerce Wordpress theme. 

WS Tech is a Tech Store WordPress theme based on WooCommerce plugin that intended to Hi-tech Store websites. 

This modern theme is a great way to showcase the products that you offer with detailed information regarding them making it easier for the consumer to make the right decision for them.

 The theme is easy to set up and navigate around for the consumer. 

WS Sobafa Responsive Shoes Store WooCommerce Wordpress theme.

WS Sobafa is a  Responsive Shoes WordPress themes which are based on the WooCommerce plugin for Online shoe store to promote their best products/ service in this industry.

 This site helps the consumer to find products that are suited for them and making it time and cost-friendly, 

As you can see I only have a few selections. However, there are many more designs so do checkout Theme Planet if you're looking for templates for your website, you won't be sorry. 

Cheers for reading. 

This is an ad for Theme Planet. All opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. 

My Sunday Photo 12/04/2020

What Mindfulness Can Do For You

Hey readers, 

You may very well have heard of mindfulness before. The word alone might make it sound like just another wellness fad that sounds good but has no real effects. 

That couldn’t be further from the truth, however. It’s more a tool than anything else, one that can be used in a variety of different ways. 

It helps you become much more aware of what’s happening at the moment, including what’s going on around you but also your own immediate reaction to it and the kind of actions that certain situations encourage you to take.

 Here, we’re going to look at how this can really help you.

How do you use it?

As a state of being or a cognitive tool, mindfulness isn’t easy to simply “switch on” whenever you need to. At least, not a first.

 There are different ways to help yourself achieve. Taking part in a repetitive activity that focuses on concentration, whether it be yoga or colouring, can help you get to a mental state where you’re much more aware of the body and the world around you.

 Meditation can help you become much more mindful of your thoughts and your past responses to certain situations.

 Even physically, breathing exercises and focusing on the part of your body causing you pain can help you control your mental response to that pain, making it feel much less unbearable.

Reduce your distractions.

We all have distractions that get in the way when we’re trying to be productive. Whether we’re at work, trying to relax, or focusing on a hobby at home, our mind can be pretty cluttered. 

Mindfulness can help you grow more aware of what issues are plaguing your mind. Deep breathing exercises can help you remove mental chatter by taking a short break to become much more focused on one thing and ignoring the background noise.

Improves cognition.

Mindfulness can even potentially make you smarter. As you become more used to meditation and achieving mindfulness at the moment, it can have much stronger long-term effects.

 This includes the ability to use that sense of distance from a problem in real-time. 

Rather than stress in response to a difficult question or situation, you’re more likely to take a mental step back, look at it from afar, and try to gain a new perspective on it in order to find a solution. 

In scientific terms, mindfulness meditation has been known to show serious growth in grey matter, particularly in the hippocampus region which plays an important role in learning and memory. 

You’re more likely to be able to focus at the moment, think creatively, learn new skills, and recall information much more easily.

Changing your most destructive habits.

One of the reasons mindfulness is most often used in therapy is that it can help you become much more aware of what causes you to engage in self-destructive habits. 

From self-harm to dependency on substances such as alcohol or drugs, you can become more aware of the mental processes that lead you to engage in such dangerous behaviours. 

 Beyond helping to separate you from the temptation of those habits, you might want to ensure that is cognitive or mindfulness therapy that can help you identify the steps leading to them.

Learning why you do what you do.

Whether it’s engaging in the destructive coping mechanisms mentioned above or simply learning why you might have an emotional overreaction as a response where it isn’t warranted, mindfulness can help you become much more aware of why you do what you do.

These are becoming much more widely known as emotional triggers. By practising meditation, therapy, breathing exercises, or other mindfulness methods, you are likely to become more mindful in real-time. 

This can help you work backwards, whenever you feel a craving for a certain habit or a strong emotional response, you can identify and start to recognise the triggers.

 This can help you avoid said triggers as well as learning to anticipate them and to have much more control over your immediate response.

Taking yourself out of your emotions.

When you’re looking to quickly relax, having practised mindfulness in the past can help you get out of your own emotions and take a much calmer look at a situation.

 One of the reasons that deep breathing is so effective in helping you calm down isn’t just that it slows your heart rate and physically relaxes the body. 

It encourages you to take a mental step back. You can gain some perspective on the feelings of stress or anxiety you’re having, including what triggered them in the first place. 

Instead of being in a “doing” mode where you are focusing on your immediate response to stress, you are in a “being” state of mind, where the inactivity can help you better manage your emotions.

Look back with a new perspective.

As mentioned, mindfulness isn’t just good for managing your emotional responses at the moment. 

It encourages you to take a relaxed step back in time to better study your own behaviour and responses. Often, dwelling on the past can come with a sense of regret of unease, because we have the urge to “correct” the mistake.

 Using mindfulness, whether through meditation or through apps, allows you to take a more objective look with the aim of simply better understanding yourself rather than trying to actively do something about it. This helps you respond a little better the next time you face a similar situation.

Mindfulness encourages you not only to become more in control of yourself but also to recognise why sometimes you might engage in behaviour that you know isn’t healthy.

It’s become much more widely used in the world of medicine and therapy, but you can take steps to make your own personal life more mindful, too.

Cheers for reading X 

Ways to find axiety relief.

Hey readers.

If you are a regular you will know that I suffer from anxiety and depression for a number of years. 

I have explored many ways to help reduce the mental distress that these conditions cause me. I thought I would share some of the successful ways that have helped reduce my anxiety.

Laugh - such a fun and easy way to make you feel good. I love a good stand up DVD or someone funny that you can get off  Youtube really put me in good spirits.

Have a bath - it can help you relax and soothe your pains away. If you are like me then with my anxiety I tense my body, so much so at the end of the day, my muscles are aching.

 I love a hot bath and something soothing in it to help relax me. It is perfect to help with getting a good night sleep.

Sleep - sometimes life can get too much with all the worry that anxiety brings. I just take myself to bed early, close the curtains and just put some relaxing music on to help make me drift away. I feel so much better in the morning because I have allowed myself to switch off and just relax.

Talk to someone - it doesn't have to be someone you know could be a helpline or talking anonymously to someone on a forum. It is a massive relief just getting things off your chest even if you find no solution.

If in doubt at all go to your doctors and seek professional help. Don't be ashamed as you are not alone, many people suffer from mental health issues.

Sometimes, I don't always have the vocal skills to express what is on my mind so a good way that has helped me is to write down how I am feeling. 

I feel that once it is down it stops getting messy in my mind. With my thoughts been written down on it feels more concrete and a lot easier to understand.

A brilliant anxiety technique to do is try deep breathes. At first, it feels funny but the more you practice the more it will feel natural to you.

 It is brilliant for getting more air into your lungs and using them to your full compacity rather than just doing quick and fast rapid breathing.

 Breathing more oxygen exchange meaning release of the hormone cortisol which helps with destresses. There are plenty of videos of guided how-to videos o it on youtube.

Sometimes we can feel that whatever we are thinking must be true, but reminding ourselves that actually, not all feelings are facts. 

They can be illogical and biased. We chose what we want to believe in, there are so many thoughts that we produce but we get stuck on all the negatives one that we let slide the other side of the argument.

Finally, one that I do regularly as I find it so beneficial but it is the most difficult and that is a change of scenery. It can be so easy to just stay indoors when it feels safe.

Cheers for reading X

6 ways to keep sane during a lockdown.

Hey readers,

We are in the mists of the Corona Virus outbreak impacting on everyone's life resulting in having to spend more time at home. 

But it can be tough especially when the boredom kicks in so here are my top 6 tips on how to keep sane during the lockdown.

1. Walk.

As the government have stated it is ok to go out once a day for a walk or bike ride. 

Fresh air can do the world of good (just make sure that you keep your 2 metres distance from people and avoid busy areas). 

Not only does this help with physical health but mental health too which is equally as important. When going outside it can help to break up the scenery of the day so you're not stuck 24 hours inside the four walls.

2. Exercise.

Exercise is so good for you, it can relief frustration and increase the number of positive hormones being secreted such as serotonin (associated with happiness) and reduce negative ones like cortisol (which relates to stress).

There are so many choices online via Youtube and virtual gyms that you don’t have to feel stuck in what you do. 

You don’t even have to do gym type exercise there are kitchen discos you can join in via Tic Tok or take part in Yoga.

Of course, if you have children you can join in with PE with Joe Wicks. 

Therefore as you can still load of positive ways to incorporate exercise in the home.

3. Organisation.

Now is a great opportunity with the spare time on your hands to sort out your home and put some organisation whether it is cleaning out your make draw or sorting out the kitchen this time is fantastic to get stuff done.

4. Reach out.

Just because we are self-isolating doesn't mean you have to stop all forms of communication.

 We are blessed with technology with the likes of House Party, Face Time and What's App to name a few where you can still speak to people at a distance.

Some people set up groups where you can hold a virtual book group for instance with friends. Where you can get time to read and connect with others with what you have read. 

This can make you feel less isolated and get social contact all within your home.

5. Escapism.

Dig into a boxset whether it is a comedy or a thriller say take that time out. 

This is the time to enjoy something on the box that takes your mind of the current situation we are living in at the moment for a while.

It is good to have a rest and watch something that gives you enjoyment.

6. News.

Don’t focus on the news 24/7 because that will send you quackers. Setting a certain amount of time watching the news such as the 6pm news headlines or the daily conference the government holds. Putting up barriers on how much news coverage will help keep you sane.

I know these times are scary and there is a lot of uncertainty in the world at the moment. However, like always the press love to scaremonger and with how big Corona Virus is they are going to use that a lot in the media.

 Yes, it is serious but you can’t just sit in the corner scared, use common sense and protect both your physical and mental health.

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday Photo 05/04/2020

If you get tired learn to rest, not to quit.

Hey readers,

Sometimes life can be hard right?! Sometimes trying to keep up with the momentum is challenging and you just not getting that buzz to continue. In actual fact, it is damn right hard to keep motivated and it can be quite draining.

It can be so easy to quit because then you don't have to deal with it or need to continue thinking of how you can overcome the obstacle that is so challenging. 

I think back to many a time that I have been in this situation but there is one vital lesson I have learned and that it is ok to have a break, you don't need to quit. 

The most important thing is to have a rest and not think about the situation.

It can help to have that break as it allows you time to rest and give a chance for creativity to come back to the issue at a later time with a  clearer head.

An example of times where I have struggled to overcome obstacles is when I am faced with having the confidence to keep writing or trying to find something new to write for my blog. 

This is because  I have found during these periods having a break has been really beneficial. I have also found it effective because I can stop trying to think of ideas, therefore, giving my mind a rest. 

Sometimes, I have learned that just taking the time to live can give me the inspiration needed to come up with new content for my blog.

So, as you can see having a break can give you a chance to reconnect with that spark of why you wanted to do the thing before you got demotivated.

 It can help give you back that focus, so the best thing to do if you want to quit is to have a break first and come back later to see if things change.

What do you think? Do breaks help you?

Cheers for reading X

How to cope with sleep depreviation

Hey readers,

When I was pregnant with my first child I was often told about the struggle I will face of lack of sleep when you become a parent. 

But boy they weren't sh*tting me, I didn't take any notice at the time because I was more bothered about finding a place to puke.

 The first couple of months is a killer but you can get through it as so many parents have before. Below I share with some of the things that have helped me when I have experienced sleep deprivation.

It is ok to ask for help, let your partner take care of some duties well you have a rest.

Sleep when the baby sleeps, everything else can wait and get sorted out at a later stage.

Make sure that you are eating correctly as food provides energy that you so desperately will need.

Be aware that your environment has changed, you can't do everything and you need to be kind to yourself.

Learn the art of delegation - priorities that are important and need to be done urgently and learn to burn things off. At the end of the day, you can always come back to them at the end of the day.

Sometimes a walk outside can do wonders with getting some fresh air. It is amazing how just a walk around the block can be really beneficial.

 It helped me a lot in the early days when I felt like I was going insane looking at the four walls.

I know it is hard to believe but remember there is light at the end of the tunnel and it does get better. 

Soon, the baby will grow in the amount of time it sleeps through and before you know it you will experience a night where they sleep a solid seven hours straight and it is bloody amazing. I still remember that first time.

Is there anything that has helped you with sleep deprivation? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers for reading X

Break

Hey readers,

my word of the week is:

because it is the last week of term and I am knackered. I always am but have to say I am a wingy cow, haha!

My eldest did me proud, we have always struggled with homework. He protests every time he hates homework. I encouraged him to do a bit and remind him that once it is done that he then has the rest of the night to play.

Well, he did his homework and then decided he wanted to do all of it. I told him he could do it tomorrow but he was having none of it and wanted to complete it there and then.

Another big achievement for him is he made up all the sentences by himself with no prompt. Now, this may seem like nothing but this child struggles with abstract and thinking ideas without prompts. So, when he did do sentences I was pretty proud of him as I know this is a big challenge for him.

hope you have a lovely Easter.

Cheers for reading X

10 best life tips

Hey readers,

As we get older hopefully we learn and grow insight to improve as a person. 

I myself have learnt some things along the way on my journey through life and I thought I would share some of my best life tips.

1. This lesson IS difficult but if you learn to not be angry and put blame on people you will lead a more fruitful life. Life is a b*tch and there are some God awful people out there. 

I have experienced a fair few. But, once I learn to let go of that anger and just accept it, life is much more pleasant. I don't forget the hurt by any stretch of the imagination. 

I just let go, untie it from my emotions. The more you hold on to the negative feels they will only fester and bring you down. The more that you don't allow it to influence you means you can enjoy life better.

2. I know people go on about enjoying every second and you should be enjoying it. However, let's face it life is not like that.

 Don't put these expectations on, just focus on not taking life too seriously, have a laugh and make happy memories.

3. I know it is cheesy with the whole idea of the power of positivity. I suffer depression but looking at one small thing a day no matter what it is can really help you. 

Even for example it is just getting out of bed or leaving the house, that is one step closer to helping yourself move forward.

4. Enjoy the outdoors and surround yourself with nature - it can really help physically and mentally. Plus it is free, so even if you have no money you can still go out and look at the trees.

5. If you can help people, karma and all that. Plus it is nice to just do something for someone.

6. Don't compare yourself to other people, remember that we are all on our own journey.

 You don't know what people are going through, you only see a section of that person especially if it is on social networks like Instagram. 

Never forget that comparison is the thieve of joy so instead of worrying about missing out, just focus on your self and what you are doing.

7. Write down goals - small or big get them down physically on the paper and see where you can make improvements. Small steps lead to better destinations. 

It can help if you are in a negative frame of mind to work on something that you can focus but also check in each month to see how far you have progressed. 

This can help make it feel more real and concrete giving you that well-earned boast that you deserve.

8. Make sure you get some sleep because it really does help give a clear mind to think.

9. If in doubt or you don't want to do something, do micro-tasks that lead to the bigger goal. This can help you feel less overwhelmed and in the long run, be more productive.

10. Make sure you are on top of your emails. Go through them each day and delete the unnecessary ones.

What life lessons have you learnt along the way of your journey?

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 29/03/2020

Easter Cornflake cakes Recipe.

Hey readers,

Looking to do something with a young child over the Easter holidays then you need to check out this simple recipe.

Ingredients.

* 50g of butter.

* 100g of milk or dark chocolate.

* 100g cornflakes.

* 3tbsp of golden syrup.

* Mini eggs (for decoration).

*Cupcake cases (my Easter themed ones come from Poundland and they have decorative pictures on a stick that can stick in the cake).

Method.

1. Measure out the ingredients.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate, one at a time in the microwave.

3. In a bowl place the corn flakes, add the golden syrup, chocolate and butter. Mix all together so the cornflakes get all covered in the chocolate mix.

4. Pour the mix into cupcake holders (o got my Easter themed ones from Poundland). Stick the decorative sticks in if you have some.

5. Place a couple of mini eggs in the middle.

6. Place the cakes on a tray and put them in the fridge for a good couple of hours or until set.

7. Voila there you easter cakes.

Enjoy.

Cheers for reading X

11 reasons to like Twitter.

Hey readers,

If you haven't heard of the social media platform Twitter then where have you been?

Twitter has got a lot of bad press recently what with the likes of Trump using it as a medium to communicate to everyone. 

Of course, we can not dismiss the trolls but let's face it there is bad in everything. So, let's have a look at some positives about the popular social media site.

1. It is a great way to connect with like-minded people.

2. I love it when you are watching a live programme on the telly (I know right shocking in this day and age) and jump on Twitter and there is that community of other people watching the same programme. It is a great way to watch something and discuss the programme with others.

3. Hashtags are a great tool to grow your audience, get more people to notice your tweets.

4. You can find out information via news reports or blog posts with specific content via reshared tweets.

5. It is a great way to get your frustrations out with a ranty tweet.

6. You can do all sorts of forms of communication, whether that be a tweet, gif, poll, video.

7. You can find some cracking memes and a good way to kill some time.

8. You can find up to date news coverage.

9. You can follow famous people that you enjoy reading about and their thoughts. 

10. It can be fun with hashtag games and play on words.

11. You don't have to be serious and can just write random tweets if you so wish to.

So let's all praise Twitter and get on tweeting.

Cheers for reading X

my Sunday photo 22/03/2020