Quick note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links; if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
Today I am introducing you to a fabulous Mummy blogger. Jess’s blog, The Prosecco Mum, is worth a read. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy.
You will remember my advertiser’s post, where I said I could relate to the parenting struggles.
I wanted to pick out two of the blog posts which resonated with me and explain why you should go and read them today!
This post is packed full of nostalgia. Where do I start? I relate to every single point on the list.
You will be chuckling throughout. Head over for a read and step back in time for a few minutes.
Another hilarious post. As a mum with our first nursery birthday party invite and trying to find employment to suit childcare, this is a must-read for me.
Parents, you will be giggling throughout reading this one. And anyone else can feel a little bit smug.
If you missed the advertiser’s post, all the details you need to connect with Jess are below.
Why I loved checking out Jess’ blog
I love this blog! When you land on the homepage, you feel at home and in a safe parenting space. The pictures remind me of my parenting journey, and I love how honest Jess is about the ups and downs of parenting whilst being a working mum. You will also find a range of lifestyle topics and reviews of the local area.
A little bit about Jess
Not your ordinary mummy blogger. Established 2014, still no clue about parenting. Totally owned by her kids.
Taking motherhood one sip of fizz at a time.
Blog posts you should definitely also check out
Ways to connect with Jess
You can connect with Jess on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Final thoughts
Have you already checked out this amazing blog?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
Now we are coming to the end of my hypnotherapy journey, it’s fascinating to look back at the process and how the mechanics of the Perma Hypnotherapy model work. And how my life has drastically improved. I completed the journey without having the roadmap to hand. But I have naturally improved each of these areas of my life. And it’s only at the end of the journey, that the full picture of the work we completed is revealed.
I finally feel ready to take on this role. Like I am recovered from my mental breakdown fully, and it’s time to grab these opportunities with both hands. And it’s exactly what I recently did. Why not finally use my experiences to do some good in the world and help other people? It doesn’t feel like work!It feels like I am finally thriving.
Sam – Mummy Conqering Anxiety
Stay tuned for a final, collaborative blog post from Kevin and me – to follow within the next month
The areas of my life which have drastically improved…
Finance
Career
Development
Home
Relationships
Health
PLEASE NOTE: This post contains some affiliate links.If you go through affiliate links to make a purchase, I will earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be helpful for other people
“The optimists believe defeat is just a temporary setback.”
There were many techniques and processes we used throughout our hypnotherapy sessions. But one, in particular, stuck with me. The way Kevin explained this process during our sessions, was by giving a certain part of the brain an instruction to improve or change things. Then the worker or factory makes it happen, behind the scenes. This is the reason that people who complete hypnotherapy courses often see drastic changes, seemingly out of nowhere. Changes are happening on a sunconcious level and this is definitely something I experienced.
Let’s take a look at how each of the areas of my life has dramatically improved as a result of completing this Perma Hypnotherapy course
Finance
My finances before hypnotherapy
I didn’t always have a good relationship with my finances. Back in the anxiety filled days, I would impulse buy things to make myself feel better. Unsurprisingly it never worked and usually made me feel worse. Lately, we’ve had a tough time financially as a family, due to the life-changing circumstances we’ve experienced.
My finances right now and looking to the future
It’s only now I am taking more control of my life and the direction I want to go in, that I am prioritising financial health. Because of this, I feel less fearful about my financial future and a lot more optimistic. As a family, we have financial goals and we have actually started to tackle some of them.
I think the main feeling I have is EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY – I no longer live in fear that we might have a lack of money or one of us will be made redundant. I am safe in the knowledge that if that happens, we are resilient enough to get through it.
“Optimists recover from their momentary helplessness immediately. Very soon after failing, they pick themselves up, shrug, and start trying again.”
I spent years in a high-paid career that I kind of fell into. Don’t get me wrong, at times I enjoyed it, but ultimately it wasn’t in line with my values, or what I wanted to do with my life.
It is unsurprising that when I did the character strength test, helping other people came top of the list. It seems I wasn’t going to find my calling until I was fulfilling this need. Not only did my mental breakdown allow me to help other people via a blog, (a communication channel I love – writing and getting great feedback, from an amazing online community – who helped me during my darkest days) but it also allowed me to make career changes.
The significant changes I recently made
It was time to finally use the skills and confidence I had gained from the hypnotherapy course to change my situation. I spent a lot of time putting together a fresh CV, using my transferable skills and essentially selling myself. The old me would have come up with an excuse not to apply for the job. The new me just went for it and threw myself into the challenge. Despite still feeling anxiety.
You want to know the main thing I did during my two career change interviews? I was honest. About my mental health, and my reasons for wanting to help people. It’s as if I connected on a human level and feedback from the first job role, after my redundancy, was that my lived experience was taken into consideration. And valued. It was amazing to hear this.
Where am I now?
Because of funding, it was unlikely I could stay in my current role past the new year. Therefore I made a recent decision to apply for another job in the charity sector, doing something I absolutely love. This role involves slightly more hours as well, which will help our financial family goals.
I finally feel ready to take on this role. Like I am recovered from my mental breakdown fully, and it’s time to grab these opportunities with both hands. And it’s exactly what I recently did.
Why not finally use my experiences to do some good in the world and help other people? It doesn’t feel like work!It feels like I am finally thriving.
“Here is the exercise: find one wholly unexpected kind thing to do tomorrow and just do it. Notice what happens to your mood.”
Human beings are constantly changing and we should always want to update and improve ourselves. This is exactly what the Perma model does. It asks you to reevaluate your character strengths and values based on your current life situation. In giving your brain new instructions, related to the life goals you have, you naturally ditch old behaviours that don’t serve you anymore.
How life circumstances can and will change your values
We’ve all heard people talk about ‘life-changing events’ and until you’ve gone through this process yourself, it doesn’t make much sense. Over the last four years, here are some of the life changing events I have experienced: Pregnancy, antenatal depression during pregnancy, started taking anti-depressents when pregnant, severe anxiety about the pregnancy process, a traumatic birth, mental health problems for two years following pregnancy. Returning to work following maternity leave, for the pandemic to hit less than one month later. Adjustment to working from home. Financial impact on our family. Change of routine (partner off work for 12 weeks as vulnerable and nursery closing). Followed by a mental breakdown due to work pressure (literally being afraid to return to my own home and open my laptop). Returning to work, reluctantly. Redundancy a few months later. A further five months off work, which I had to use to recover and financially funded myself. Changing careers and slowly putting my life back together using self improvement techniques.
Motherhood
Motherhood is a great example of how my values completely changed. Subconsciously, my full-time, demanding job was no longer fit for purpose. But I didn’t realise this until things went horribly wrong. The day I sat down to do the character strengths test, it was apparent that some of my values had changed. Motherhood was now my priority and I needed a career to fit around this, to create a work-life balance. Working with my current life situation, instead of against it.
Home life
Home life during my demanding career
Based on everything I’ve described above, you can imagine our home life wasn’t previously very happy. In my most demanding career days, working 12 hours (not including travel time), I was completely exhausted. I would ask my now-hubby not to talk to me all evening. I was beyond tired, pretty much all the time and this was no life for each of us. Yes, I earned a lot of money, but I never had the time or energy to spend it. When I did, we would splash out to “reduce the stress”.
We are not always conscious of our decisions
However, at the point of giving birth to my little one, I didn’t consciously realise this job wouldn’t fit my circumstances anymore. Let alone decide it wasn’t even something I wanted to do. As human beings, we plod along on autopilot, and it’s completely okay if you’re doing this. The key factor is that you need to be happy, not stressed out and mostly content with your actions.
If there is something missing, as there was with me, it might be time to look into a Perma Hypnotherapy course.
Relationships
Our family life
My hubby and I are both strong-minded. We have some communication problems, due to our brains being rewired completely differently. It’s taken us time, patience and hard work to understand each other. As you can imagine, during my mental breakdown and the aftermath, I wasn’t a very happy or easy person to be around,
When I started this hypnotherapy course, I felt like I could make some changes on my own. But I had an overwhelming feeling that something was still missing. I knew I needed help or guidance of some sort, and I am so glad Kevin arrived and posed the opportunity for working together.
Because it’s been so vastly life-changing – it is truly one of the best experiences of my life.
Our relationship communication following my hypnotherapy course
I am not going to tell you our communication is perfect. We will always face the same barriers as before. The significant difference is now, I am more open, honest and in control. By in control, I mean I often walk away when communication isn’t going well. I understand that the brain reacts automatically to stressful situations. A bit like when there is no point talking to a toddler mid-meltdown. Well, the same applies to us as adults. Our primitive automatic response kicks in and it’s best to calmy compose yourself before entering into the discussion, if you can.
What hypnotherapy has helped me do is be more in control of this response. I’ve spent time, meditating, and working on myself, and I am now able to realise when a situation will become heated, or when I am about to react badly myself. Something I never mastered in my life before now.
A little mention for the parents
It’s important to mention the role of parents. Our communication was poor before we had children. Any parent out there will be aware children bring with them new challenges. We are lucky these days if we can fit in any adult conversation, with a loud toddler running around. It’s therefore important to make time to discuss adult matters or reconnect with one another. We now make time. Yes, every day is far from perfect and it’s sometimes a while until our next reconnecting time. But I am confident and assured it will happen. More importantly, I now realise that spending time doing reconnecting has huge benefits for our family. And it’s, therefore, a must!
Health
Because of the significant link between physical and mental health, I have struggled physically for a number of years. Mainly with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. My health is still not perfect, but I do now understand when my anxiety symptoms are causing a physical reaction in my body. And I can tell the difference between a food related or mind related reaction.
In moments where I am suffering physically, I try my best to overcome whatever is causing me stress or anxiety, in order to alleviate the symptoms.
Final thoughts
I now have a toolbox I can use to maintain a great standard of wellbeing. Mastering trance sessions has helped me access a place of calm within myself and talk to myself on a sunconsious level. To reevaluate where I am in life and make any nessecery changes.
Kevin provides practical guidance and support – as well as a vast amount of accessible resources which you have for life! I am thankful for this journey and looking forward to the bright future I have ahead of me.
If you’re ready to start your self improvement journey, get in contact with Kevin. You wont be disappointed.
“The takeaway lesson from positive psychology is that positive mental health is not just the absence of mental illness.”
I will soon be coming to the end of my Hypnotherapy course. What a journey it’s been.
I feel totally transformed as a person, and I wanted to provide a further update on where I am. Both with my self hypnosis skills and my current life situation. Read on for more details about Perma Hypnotherapy and how to book your therapist!
I don’t recognise the person I am now. But I am so happy to meet this new version of myself. And my only intention now is to keep progressing in life. Dealing with stress when it arises and becoming resilient to the challenges life throws our way.
Hard work pays off
To clarify, this journey has been long, enjoyable, difficult at times and emotionally exhausting. You can’t expect to change your subconscious brain, or master self hypnosis, without an impact on your emotional energy. This is the nature of inner work. It takes time and effort to make significant changes.
However, regular breaks in between sessions and a whole heap of self-care have helped.
Booking a therapist
Should you decide now is the time to improve your life, I recommend having a therapist to guide you. It enables boundaries to be set, a slow, methodical approach to the work you are doing. Agreed sessions help me to remain focused and accountable.
Also, the wealth of knowledge I’ve been given by Kevin just isn’t something I could have picked up from Google or textbooks. I wouldn’t know where to look. I think it’s important to have a qualified guide who can adapt the work you do, to your individual needs.
Following this great course, I now have the tools I need to move forward with self-hypnosis.
Self hypnosis
Practice makes perfect, in any area of life. Now I’m at the end of the process, I’ve cut down my meditation time, from 40 minutes to just six. Which means I can still fit it in around a busy lifestyle. More importantly, I’ve taught myself a technique for reducing the stress life causes.
Recent past VS future self
The Perma model is all about looking to the future and creating the version of ourselves which serves us best. One of the exercises we completed was looking at a recent past image and also a happy one I could envision for the future. During my sessions, I had the recent past image of too many things going around in my head and being overwhelmed. Then a really happy memory had been playing with a balloon with my little one at soft play.
I wanted to create a visual – and you can see the difference…
I am actively creating a happy image whenever I can fit in family time and memory-making. But I am under no illusions about the reality of anxiety. It will always be here. It’s a mechanism that can help people, with me it just needs a bit of control. Something I am now equipped to do moving forward.
Life update
From an anxious, nervous wreck, to a more confident person. I’ve applied for another job position I’ve wanted to do for a while. Really, it’s my dream job and means the career change I made back in May was the correct decision and has led me to this point.
From where I was mentally and career-wise, this is huge progress. I am proud of myself. Something I’ve probably never said before! Ever.
Final thoughts
Finally, my wants and desires are lined up with my priorities and goals. All because I am being open and honest, putting the work into myself and finally standing up and taking the opportunities I want.
I don’t recognise the person I am now. But I am so happy to meet this new version of myself. And my only intention now is to keep progressing in life. Dealing with stress when it arises and becoming resilient to the challenges life throws our way.
“Yes, your transformation will be hard. Yes, you will feel frightened, messed up and knocked down. Yes, you’ll want to stop. Yes, it’s the best work you’ll ever do.”
Robin Sharma
AD / PR – please note – the sessions have been gifted in exchange for my honest thoughts about the process
My recent struggles
I haven’t had a great time over the last few weeks. We’ve had yet another sickness bug in the house. On top of this, I’ve felt burnout, stress and depression. Whilst I am now starting to look back on the situation with hindsight, a few weeks back I was in the midst of serious brain fog. And I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Negative thoughts started creeping back in and I was in self-destruct mode for a short time. I am currently in the midst of transformation and didn’t expect a setback.
Self-care requires constant maintenance
It’s a great reminder that I will never really be free of anxiety or stress. None of us will. And the vital part is self-maintenance. Like physical self-care, mental well-being is something we must stay on top of.
Transformation isn’t sweet and bright. It’s a dark and murky, painful pushing. An unravelling of the untruths you’ve carried in your body. A practice in facing your own created demons. A complete uprooting, before becoming.
Victoria Erickson
The techniques I am learning
The techniques I am learning in my solution-focused hypnotherapy course, centre around emptying your stress bucket regularly. I’ve experienced the catastrophic implications of not doing this. And I intend to never return to that place again.
Recognising the self-destruct feeling
Lately, I was feeling, reckless, and rebellious and was starting to pay attention to the negative thoughts inside my head. Now this phase has mostly passed, I am able to look back with logic and say my relationships weren’t the greatest. In our house, there was no priority on genuine communication, which eventually has consequences. This, coupled with stress, burnout and physical illness, isn’t a good combination.
I felt like you might just before something great happens. Ever felt totally anxious or flat before an exam, driving test, or a change of some kind? I feel like these growing pains are a sign, that change is happening. And I have to ride it out and continue.
How is my hypnotherapy course going?
I am now halfway through my hypnotherapy sessions. During the trance parts we are initiating change directly with my subconscious mind, therefore I don’t consciously know some of these changes are happening. As quite a controlling person, it’s an adjustment period for me.
Transformation is difficult for a reason
If the transformation was easy, we would all just say one positive sentence to ourselves and that would be the end of it. How dangerous would this be for anyone susceptible to negative thinking though? it could easily go the other way. We have to work hard to implement lasting change.
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
These blog posts, following my sessions are literally me providing a snippet of what I’ve learnt each week. It’s a slow process and I don’t have the complete picture yet. But I’m getting there. Building on my existing character strengths is helping.
The top nine character strengths on my list were no surprise to me. I am completing my homework, which delves deeper into your character strengths and what they mean. The learning parts of these sessions are so interesting, and then we put them into practice, with homework and pre-recorded trance sessions.
A few things occurred to me whilst completing this exercise on character strengths:
I was sad because, during the period of burnout from work and my subsequent mental breakdown, I showed none of these character strengths at all.
I’ve said the words before “I was a shadow of myself” but reading about these traits in depth made me feel it. Doing this work reaches your subconscious and allows you to access parts of your brain which were unreachable before. Naturally, this can be revealing and also quite emotional.
For a long time, I’ve questioned why my mental health turned for the worse and whether it was my fault. I think it’s human nature to assign blame, but that’s also a pretty narrow-minded view. And I realise that – I always have.
Why I started these sessions
When I started these sessions, I said I was searching for answers because a piece was missing, and I wasn’t able to be fully happy. There was still a part of me that was stuck, even though I have dramatically changed my life recently.
Let’s rewind for a second to one month after my mental breakdown – this is what I wrote on that day:
I never want to return to this place, and the key is building mental strength and resilience.
Character strengths
The character assessment I was asked to complete is the VA institute on character test. However, I did it before when I was younger, because I remember all the questions. That said, it’s been over 15 years since I’ve been able to provide any real meaning to it.
What if we could learn how to see and appreciate our and others’ strengths rather than being debilitated by a weakness focus? How would that positively impact resilience, well-being, achievement, and life satisfaction? How might that help us rise to the challenges we face? Truly wise people—individuals, parents, teachers, coaches, and leaders—create the conditions for themselves and others to genuinely flourish. Developing an awareness of these strengths helps us to focus on “what’s strong” instead of on “what’s wrong.”
I honestly can’t wait to jump back on the laptop and go through the rest of my character traits. This journey is exhilarating and exciting. I look forward to embracing the new version of myself at the end of it.
We are all a work in progress and therefore we should shout from the rooftops about our progression. I hope this series emphasises that.
Final thoughts
I believe we are all on a journey. Relationships, learning experiences and growth come to us at the right time. Maybe when we are willing to acknowledge the areas we need to grow in.
If you’re ready to start your journey to well-being, book a free discovery call with Kevin today.
AD / PR – please note – the sessions have been gifted in exchange for my honest thoughts about the process
Earlier in the week, I posted on social media about an exciting zoom meeting I had. I promised further details. Well, here they are. Welcome to Perma hypnotherapy.
If you follow my blog, and my second blog, you’ll know I’m on a journey of transformation. When you go through life-changing events, it’s inevitable you will change in some way. I’ve tried to use my challenging circumstances to my advantage. I’m on my way to achieving personal development.
Whilst I’m proud of the progress I’ve made, there is still work to be done and I’ve been looking for a solution for a while.
Now I’ve found one.
Introducing Kevin Whitelaw
Kevin is an accredited Solution Focused Hypnotherapist from Edinburgh, Scotland and a member of the Association for Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy.
You may be experiencing issues such as anxiety, poor sleep, imposter syndrome, depression, or rebuilding after a significant life change or you’re ready to invest in yourself: developing new skills to sustain your well-being. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy supports you in moving forward to live your best life.
Having managed these issues himself, Kevin is well-placed to understand the challenges of turning that vicious cycle into a virtuous cycle and going on to build a new – better – life.
His services include Solution Focused Hypnotherapy sessions online at affordable prices. He even offers a free, no obligation, discovery call to understand your situation and establish how he can best help you.
So, if you’re experiencing these issues, or are ready to invest in yourself, a session with Kevin will help you find your answers and feel more confident with the path in front of you.
As the name would suggest, solution-focused hypnotherapy looks to help people achieve positive change. Rather than focusing on the ‘problem’, this approach centres around the solution. Using practical strategies, solution-focused hypnotherapy looks to inspire change in a relatively short period of time.
Why I am excited about this new approach to achieving personal development
Some of the points we discussed which particularly resonated with me, were the solution-focused sessions. I no longer want to fixate on the past, but I do want some tools to become a better person for myself and my family. Toddlers are impressionable and this is a key time in my little one’s life. Naturally, I want to set a great example for her.
I’m taking you on this journey with me. From now on you will see regular blog posts and updates about my sessions. I don’t know where this journey will lead me. But I am certain it will help me improve.
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By offering a guest post slot on my blog for other people, I felt like I was giving something back. I honestly felt emotional and proud to host some of the amazing writing I will talk about in this post.
And best of all, I got feedback like this:
Just wanted to extend my sincerest thanks to you for posting my content on your blog. I feel like it’s been very well received, and I so appreciate your help with getting the conversation and message out there. Please don’t hesitate to reach out in the future if there’s ever another project I can help with. Thanks for the great work that you do.
Guest posting is a way for us to strengthen our relationships in the blogging world. To support one another and share in our talents. For this reason, guest posts are still open on my blog and you can send your ideas using this form.
But I also wanted to dedicate a blog post to talking about the benefits of guest posting
Your writing can be seen by a wider audience, especially if you’re new to blogging
The reality is, not many people will see your writing when you start publishing. But don’t be disheartened! Google ranking takes time. Social media promotion can be tedious, but it also pays off. After three months I saw the results of my hard work.
Think of it like this. If you don’t tell anyone you’re writing is there, how will they know? Imagine the millions of Google searches each day and how hard it is to find one specific piece of writing. You have to trust the process.
You will make lasting connections with other bloggers
Some of the relationships I’ve formed by communicating with other bloggers via email are valued to this day. It’s refreshing to make contact via another communication method, other than Twitter. It’s also lovely to chat with other creative minds about your writing and get feedback.
Improving your domain authority (DA) score
For anyone who doesn’t know (I didn’t when I first started blogging) I am going to trust another source with explaining. I am not the most technical person, hehe!
Definition: Domain Authority (DA) is a metric created by the SEO consulting and research company Moz which measures a website’s likelihood to rank on search engines. “Authority” is often used outside of Moz’s metric to describe a domain’s relative “strength,” determined in large part by their backlink portfolio.
Domain Authority is used as a predictive measure for PageRank, Google’s proprietary algorithm that plays a major role in determining search engine results. Due to the shroud of secrecy around PageRank, Moz’s DA metric is widely considered to be one of the best third party tools for evaluating domain strength.
MY DA score started off low, but jumped to 15 after three months of immense hard work, day and night. And now it’s at 22. Backlinks from higher authority websites will improve your DA score. Who wouldn’t want to do that? Whilst also building lasting relationships.
A summary of the guest posts I wrote for other people
Head over and check them out. It’s great to have my writing on other people’s sites. Follow me on Twitter for updates on my guest posts.
A summary of my recent writing on other platforms
In recent months I’ve also expanded where I publish my writing. Some of what I want to say doesn’t fit with the topics on this blog and it’s refreshing to publish on another platform.
Gratitude day is the perfect time to talk about something I love – writing! In this post, you will hear all about why I’m grateful to be a writer.
Today, I will be sharing my thoughts on The Writer’s Job Newsletter. Firstly, I want to share with you why this newsletter had such an impact on me, and in order to explain this to you, we need to step back in time, just a few years.
When my love affair with writing began
Every day I’m grateful to be a writer. It’s in my blood.
I still have a nursery rhyme book I wrote lists in when I was tiny. From the age of 12, I was writing folders full of poetry. I wrote for our local newspaper and still have the clippings. I have a portfolio folder full of the pieces I wrote for work experience and throughout my university days and I one day dreamed about writing a book. I also toyed with the idea of becoming an English teacher.
I still have boxes full of diaries I wrote in during my younger days and sometimes go through them. It makes me feel nostalgic about those days. I really should read them again soon and get some inspiration for the blog. When we moved in together, I told my now hubby I was keeping these to one day contribute towards my book. It’s vital information I needed to keep, justifying the reason for taking up so much space in our storage cupboard.
It’s the reason newsletters like this are invaluable. It’s a quick and easy way for budding and established writers to gain access to people and organisations seeking their services. Everyone benefits.
During the worst times of my life, living through anxiety and depression, I’ve used journaling as the main technique to help me get through it. There is something about releasing the words onto the physical piece of paper. Therapists have taught me to rip them up afterward and complete a breathing exercise. Literally releasing the negative energy from my body and it really does make you feel better when you complete this exercise. If this is something you feel like trying, Zoella talks more about journaling here. The benefits of journaling and how to get started are also discussed in this article.
More on the therapeutic benefits of writing creatively
This Independent article, along with this article discusses the benefits of writing creatively and how it can improve your mental health. Whilst writing in a diary is a form of creative writing because your personal thoughts are recorded on paper, like a story, there are other creative ways you can process your emotions. On the flip side, some believe feeling strong emotions actually fuels creativity. You can read more on this here.
Personality type and how this impacts the way you express yourself creatively
Although I’m grateful to be a writer, it has some downsides. You sometimes become consumed by the creative process and it’s hard to step away when you literally have thoughts spilling out of your head. It can be exhausting at times.
I’ve asked myself this question in the past… Can personality type really impact how we interact with the world and possibly make us communicate in a different way to others? You can read all about my personality type here.
I write about it in this blog post, because interestingly my personality type indicates I am creative and a possible job includes ‘writer’. Is it therefore coincidence that I started a blog?
I remember taking this Myers-Briggs personality test as part of a training course at work and it honestly makes you realise a lot about yourself. If testing your personality to discover more about yourself is something you’re interested in, you can read more in this Hubspot blog.
You can also read more about the Advocatepersonality type here. For anyone who has read my previous blogs, I think we can all agree this is true – “Advocates may feel that they aren’t allowed to rest until they’ve achieved their unique vision of success, but this mindset can lead to stress and burnout.”
Why are writers so important – using our voice to affect change
Writers are vital, for not only sharing stories or reporting news events but also giving a voice to a cause or a topic we need to discuss in society. For this reason, newsletters like this are invaluable. It’s a quick and easy way for budding and established writers to gain access to people and organisations seeking their services. Everyone benefits.
With the Internet allowing us to make connections all over the world, hitting rock bottom this year meant I relied on the one trusted method I had to express myself – writing. And I felt compelled to start a blog. To use the one thing I was good at to help others. To tell my story and hopefully make a difference in changing the stigma surrounding mental health. You can read more on why I started blogging here.
I am grateful we have writers in the world and respect everyone who is bravely speaking out on the topic of mental health at the moment. Changes in society don’t happen overnight, but collectively we can make an impact.
Making connections and grabbing opportunities
I’ve made connections with some amazing people since creating my social media accounts and starting the blog. One of them being Della and I need to introduce you to the amazing newsletter she runs.
Just knowing there is a newsletter out there containing paid freelance writing jobs makes me excited. It’s something I hadn’t seen previously and I thought it was handy to have this vital information in one place. It also brought me a sense of confidence. I felt worthy of such jobs and also wondered whether it would be something I would consider in the future.
I am now actively looking for freelance writing opportunities and starting off small, but still taking action to reach my goals.
At the moment, my blog is there to help others, but it’s no secret I would be overjoyed if I could make a living from writing. The newsletter email also contains non-paid work, but great opportunities to gain experience and exposure for someone new to blogging, like me.
My review
I’ve now received two Newsletters via email and found the links posted include varied subjects, from gaming to engineering, so there really is something for everyone. I love the fact the newsletter is set out into easy-to-read sections and includes paid jobs, calls to pitch, details of competitions, and other useful information.
The Newsletter website can be found here. Pay them a visit and sign up – you won’t be disappointed!
Final thoughts
The newsletter will be my go-to when seeking out paid jobs or other opportunities which could help me achieve my future goals. I still get excited when I receive the email on a Sunday and I hope you will too.
As I am actively on the hunt for opportunities, I will keep you posted on any progress I make.
On gratitude day I thought it was apt to share why I’m grateful to be a writer and why I’ve always relied on this communication method to express myself…I hope you enjoyed reading this post!
Let me know in the comments below whether you’ve subscribed to the Newsletter and how useful you found it.
Please also remember to let Della know about your experience. I am sure she would appreciate the feedback.
Unfortunately, when it comes to gift buying, men sometimes get left behind. And I don’t think it’s because they always choose to be.
I find it difficult buying for the men in my life. The only joy I seem to have in finding a unique gift, is either asking them what they want or scouring the internet to find something suitable.
If you encounter the same problem when buying for the special man in your life, don’t worry! In this post, I have some suggestions, following my endless hours spent on the internet looking for the right gift.
It isn’t just mummies and the girls who need a spa day or a pamper session now and again. I’ve taken my hubby on many couples spa days in the past and we had a wonderful time. Running around after an energetic toddler in your 30’s isn’t much fun and the aches and pains are real.
Sign up for my freebie library. Each week there will be a new freebie added to help organise your life and take away some stress!
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and thinkwould be useful for you.
Let’s unwrap some of these special items
Menkind
I’ve written about MenKind before. Simply because I love their quirky gifts and the fact you can buy something nobody else thinks to purchase. When you log onto the website, the gift sections are broken down into categories, which makes searching easier.
When searching for the perfect gift, I was instantly drawn to the Three Wise Stormtroopers. What an amazing, unique item. I can picture it on a display shelf in our house, along with the other quirky items we each have.
For a bit of luxury, why not check out the Deluxe Diamond Decanter Set? We’ve just had a lovely date night, a whole 24 hours away from the little one. A special item like this would be perfect for those moments. When you need to kick back, relax and enjoy some adult-only time together. This item is going on my wish list!
Next on the list had to be a gadget organiser. Surely EVERYONE loses the remote control? Try having a toddler in the house, especially one who loves hiding things. We lost the TV Control for about three months recently and then she went and pulled it out of a cupboard. A nifty Remote Control Caddy would solve some of my hubby’s first-world problems!
Want to gain access to exclusive offers, updates and a monthly newsletter? Sign up for my mailing list below…
A relaxing break
It isn’t just mummies and the girls who need a spa day or a pamper session now and again. Why not treat the special man in your life? I’ve taken my hubby on many couples spa days in the past and we had a wonderful time. Running around after an energetic toddler in your 30’s isn’t much fun and the aches and pains are real.
Why not check out the amazing spa packages at Village Hotels? Click on the link below to book yourself a much-needed day out. Or if you’re feeling romantic, maybe a whole night away.
Weird Fish
Whenever we need a present for my Dad, this is the first brand we seek out. I love the design and quality of the T-shirts and so does he.
With his birthday coming up soon, I need to check out the current collection. Click on the link below to have a browse yourself.
ManoMano
I’ve just had a browse on this website and if the special man in your life requires some tools, look no further.
One of the ‘house goals’ my hubby has is to restore furniture in the garage, which we don’t yet currently have. I am bookmarking the relevant page for when we do have the space and funds to make his dream a reality. Hehe!
Final thoughts
I hope you enjoy reading my rundown of quirky, unique gifts for the special man in your life.
Let me know in the comments whether you will be purchasing any of these gifts?
Do you also find buying for the man in your life difficult?
Pin this for later to save these amazing gift ideas…
I think I’ve previously mentioned, I don’t do anything by halves. It’s all or nothing with me. That’s why I’m participating in Blogtober.
I started the blog on 15 August 2021 and decided I would absolutely be doing Blogtober as soon as I heard about it on Twitter. I love a challenge, so why not? There is also the small issue of trying to get my blog out there, rank, spread a message, become more popular – surely posting throughout October will help with this.
If you don’t know what Blogtober is, you can read more about it here.
Mental Health Awareness Day
As the main topic of my blog is mental health, the lead-up to Mental Health Awareness day is a perfect time for me to share mental health-related posts during the week Monday 4th – Sunday 10th October.
You can read more about why I started a mental health blog in this post.
Will you be writing about mental health during October 2021? Let me know in the comments below.
When you’re passionate about something, you excel at it. It doesn’t feel like hard work!
#Blogtober – LET’s GO!!!
I am so excited to be participating in Blogtober, on the first day of October I needed to share my excitement.
Halloween is my favourite occasion and we do something to celebrate each year. You can read more about my DIY Halloween costumes below. This year I am super excited for autumn and I am focusing on the lead-up to Halloween, celebrating the small things. You can read more in my blog posts below:
In true celebratory style, these are the reasons I am participating...
Making connections
Out of all my social media platforms, I’ve had the most success on Twitter and I genuinely look forward to opening the app each morning, simply because the blogging community is so supportive and kind to one another. Check out my about me page, for the low down on my story leading up to starting a blog.
I have LOADS of content
Like other bloggers, I have so many half-written blog posts. I usually get inspiration in the early hours of the morning and have to record my thoughts. This then turns into a blog post, but I like to get the writing bit done first.
Before I bought hosting or started my research on blogging, I was writing and recording titles for blog posts on a spreadsheet. I knew what I wanted to write, but I just didn’t have the time to write the posts in full yet.
Blogtober is the perfect opportunity to force me to organise these posts and it’s exactly what I’ve done. Why not spend a full month posting blogs, when they are pretty much ready to share with the world??
I love a challenge
I’ve mentioned this above, but I need to open up to you a little more about the reality of my personality. I am driven, determined, and stubborn. I was born this way. It’s usually what causes my high anxiety levels, but it also has its benefits. I am a hard worker and given my recent circumstances (mental breakdown, impending redundancy), I am determined to carve out the life I want to live. Hard work, determination, manifesting the future I want. What better opportunity to totally make this happen than Blogtober. You can read more about how I motivate myself in this post, 8 questions I’m asking myself in preparation for gratitude day.
Let’s do this!!
It’s what I love
When you’re passionate about something, you excel at it. It doesn’t feel like hard work!
I’ve always loved writing, it’s how I communicate best and I use this medium to express myself. Why not do a whole crazy month of expressing myself. It’s like a dream come true.
Yes, I will be busy! But I will also be doing something I absolutely love each day and this makes me smile.
Final thoughts
I want to wish my fellow bloggers who are participating in #blogtober a successful month.
Here are a few affirmations to spur us on…
I am succesful
I am worthy
Today will be amazing
I am at peace
I accept myself
I have the tools I need to succeed in life
I am calm & collected
I am grateful for everything I have In my life
My life is full of abundance and happiness
I’m proud of myself for my acomplishments
I am confident
I will listen to my instincts
Others’ thoughts or judgements won’t impact me
I have love, happiness, & prosperity
I will remain positive during tough times
My own self care is a priority to me
I can, I will, I am
I have the tools to create the future I want
I respect myself and others
I will live with an open mind & an open heart
My past experiences do not define me
I do not need to control the future
What is destined for me will arrive in due course
I choose happiness, resilience, and gratitude
I have the power to control what I think
Spreading kindness is my main goal
My life is overflowing with joy
I have a grateful heart & a happy mind
Today will be filled with beauty
I am grateful for all the blessings in my life
My past experiences have made me stronger
I will leave yesterday’s mistakes are behind me
My life is exactly where it should be right now
I am brave, and I am willing to face my fears
I am willing to step outside my comfort zone
Are you participating in Blogtober? Let me know in the comments below…
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