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.
Have you ever wondered what to write on your family Christmas card? If so, you’re not alone. Every year, millions of people struggle with what to say in their holiday greetings. Whether you want to be funny, sentimental, or somewhere in between, coming up with the perfect Christmas message can be challenging.
Via Pixabay
But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. This blog post will share some of our favourite ideas for what to write on your family Christmas card. So grab a cup of eggnog and settle in—it’s time to get inspired!
A Funny Family Story
One great way to make your Christmas card stand out is to include a funny story about your family. Whether it’s a tale about last year’s holiday shenanigans or a hilarious memory from your childhood, a good story will surely get a laugh (and maybe even a few tears). Keep it appropriate for all audiences—you don’t want to offend your relatives!
A Sentimental Quote
If you’re looking for something a little more heartwarming, try including a sentimental quote in your family Christmas card. There are many great options, from classic poems to modern songs. Just choose something that resonates with you and your loved ones and add it to your holiday greeting.
A Holiday Joke
Another great way to spread cheer is by adding a festive joke to your family Christmas card. Everyone loves a good laugh, especially during the holiday season, whether it’s a silly pun or an off-colour joke. Just make sure you keep it clean!
A Meaningful Scripture Verse
For many families, faith is an integral part of the holiday season. If that’s true for you, consider adding a meaningful scripture verse to your family Christmas card. There are plenty of great options, so take some time to find one that perfectly captures the season’s spirit for you and your loved ones.
An Update on Your Year
One final idea is to use your family Christmas card as an opportunity to update your loved ones on what’s been going on in your life over the past year. Whether you’ve had a baby, gotten married, or bought a new house, this is a great way to let everyone know what’s been going on with you—and maybe even include some photos!
Fun Christmas Portrait
If you want to make your family Christmas card stand out, try adding a fun and festive portrait. You can either have a professional photographer take your picture or get creative and do it yourself! Make sure everyone is smiling and having a good time—that’s what the holidays are all about. Ensure all the kids are dressed in a fun and festive Christmas outfit. You can even get a Baby Christmas outfit for your little one.
We hope these ideas inspire you as you start working on your family Christmas cards! No matter what you decide to write, remember that the most important thing is that your holiday greetings come from the heart. Merry Christmas! And all the best for the new year.
AD / PR – please note – the sessions have been gifted in exchange for my honest thoughts about the process
At this point in my hypnotherapy course, I feel like I will always work on myself. The fact that our stress buckets constantly fill up with life’s challenges, means it’s ingrained in me that I have to empty it regularly. I simply cannot forget the techniques I am learning.
I will be honest and say that finding meditation time, as a busy mum, is difficult. It’s lovely to take part in the planned hypnotherapy sessions. This is time just for me. And I look forward to it.
So what’s changed since I last updated you?
The only way I can explain the confidence changes I am experiencing is by explaining the feeling that something is happening in the background. I know I’m different. A better version of me. I’ve progressed. But because I haven’t actively taken part in the change process, I sometimes wonder what is happening behind the scenes. This is the curious, controlling part of me. And I also need to work on that!
Processes working behind the scenes
Subconsciously certain things are happening. At work, we got the opportunity to apply for additional responsibilities for a role I would love to do. Without really thinking, I just sat and typed my application. I was present and open throughout the whole process and viewed it as a learning experience.
My previous reaction to stressful situations
I mean nobody likes job interviews, do they?
If you follow my blog, you will know that in the past I have completely crumbled in situations like this. Even having my interview for this current job, I took Kalms just beforehand and I was nervous. This time it’s different.
Broadening my horizons… finally
Because we are on a fixed-term contract at work, I am also taking the same attitude about other opportunities. And instead of not believing in myself, I am thinking about whether the company and the terms are right for me. I have literally never thought like that before in my life. All I can remember is suffering from low self-confidence. And believing I should attend all interviews, and take any opportunity offered because there wouldn’t be another one.
The work must continue
Because these recent changes are so positive, I know I must continue setting aside time for myself. And during these periods of time, I must look after myself. Whether that be something I love doing, or meditation to achieve these great results. I am happier for working on myself.
Final thoughts
I have another session coming up tomorrow and after a break of three weeks, I am so looking forward to it.
May the personal development continue, long after these wonderful sessions with Kevin have ended.
I’ve talked about my love for The Body Shop on the blog before, and I’m here to tell you about it again.
From the nostalgia of buying animal shaped soaps and lip balms as a teenager. To now needing anti ageing remedies and high-quality make-up. Whatever your need, The Body Shop has something for you. They are a brand I’ve trusted throughout my life. I have never bought a product that I didn’t consider completely high quality. Not to mention their great company ethos!
Needless to say, I’m already smelling the raspberry body scrub and I’m getting my wishlist together. I am also currently on the website shopping for my wonderful mum, because she deserves something special.
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.
I am proud to be an affiliate for The Body Shop, because the reality is, I recommend them to everyone I know already. Therefore, I’m going to tell you about some of the special offers they have on at the moment.
Why I love Mother’s Day
I’m all for celebrating the mummies. We do a very difficult job, never moan and just get on with it. Women are the ultimate superheroes and therefore, Mother’s Day is one of my favourite occasions.
This post is dedicated to all the amazing mamas out there. Whatever your situation, I hope you have a brilliant mothers day. Let me know in the comments below what you have planned.
Self-care
If you follow my blog, you will also know I am all about self-care. These moments of indulgence and restoration helped me recover from a tough time last year. Therefore, I make it a priority to look after myself whenever I can. Self-care purchases are part of my routine now.
Let’s dive into the wonderful products on offer
The Body shop is currently offering the following:
FREE MOTHER’S DAY GIFT WHEN YOU SPEND £30*
Spend £30 and receive a free Mascara Gift Set (worth £15) featuring our Happy Go Lash Mascara and our Camomile Cleansing Butter – so you can nourish and love your lashes!
Use code 13025
Who doesn’t love a gift?? Or a cupboard full of products for self-care.
I’ve always wanted a decorative reusable Advent calendar. Something which looks epic on a fireplace and takes centre stage amongst your Christmas decorations. But I think my little one is still a bit too young.
As such, I’m on the hunt for an affordable but special chocolate-free advent calendar for each of us this year. Something to add a little cheer to each day, after the rubbish last few years we’ve all had.
December in our house is also a manic and stressful month, due to our jobs. Therefore any small touch we can add at the end of a busy day, to alleviate some stress is welcome.
A treat a day for a whole month definitely fits in with my new self-care regime.
It was lovely to light a different scented tea light each day throughout December. We love candles in our house. They add to the magic of this season and give my mental health a little, much-needed lift.
Quick note: Mummy Conquering Anxiety is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. 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 think would be useful for other people.
Check out my list of quirky but affordable calendars
For the Toddler in your life
My little one loves her cars and would have so much fun playing with any of the below items.
I don’t want the little one eating chocolate every day in December and therefore it has to be something creative or fun.
Any parent will know, this also means we can’t have chocolate. Because all toddlers seek out and steal your food. Hehe!
Perfect for gin lovers, this set includes 12 flavour mixers, two edible pearls, 6 glass rim sugars, and 4 cocktail shimmers. Just add the gin and make the perfect cocktail.
Candle advent calendars
I’ve purchased a Yankee candle advent calendar before and it was lovely to light a different scented tea light each day throughout December. We love candles in our house. They add to the magic of this season and give my mental health a little, much-needed lift.
Make up advent calendar
Who doesn’t love a make-up calendar? I talk all about the Boots No7 calendar in my recent Christmas gift guide. Here are some of the best alternatives I’ve found.
Tea advent calendar
I’ve ordered the Clipper advent calendar and I can’t wait to open it.
For the man in your life
My hubby is a coffee lover and therefore any of these would be the perfect fit. Given the opportunity, he would always want chocolate, but I am sticking to my guns on chocolate-free advent calendars for 2021.
Cheese advent calendar
Who doesn’t love a bit of cheese? Especially in the run-up to Christmas when the cheese board is on the menu.
Pringles advent calendar
How amazing. You can have your favourite snack in an advent calendar. I love the sound of this one.
Alcohol advent calendar
For the man in your life. Get in the festive spirit with a little tipple each day.
Self-care advent calendars for men
A great before Christmas treat, for those much-needed self-care moments.
Menkind advent calendars
Menkind has a range of fantastic calendars. Including these self-care beard oil and a male grooming one.
Final thoughts
I hope this list of chocolate-free advent calendars has provided some inspiration for a calendar for you or a loved one.
Let me know which advent calendars you will be buying this year.
Picture a British seaside town, with the seagulls making noise and the fresh sea air. The charm of the seaside!
I don’t know why, but it’s such a British thing to buy gifts for other people whilst we are on holiday. I’ve purchased some of the best birthday and Christmas presents for people whilst on my holidays. Maybe I am more relaxed or have spending money. I really don’t know the reason behind it.
Now picture a small boutique with handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts. Then imagine the shop is labelled as an art collective. It’s the type of place I could spend hours in. Therefore, I HAD to transport all my lovely readers to this shop for a little while.
Come along and see what they have on offer
Bring together handmade pieces from several different creators, it’s the kind of place we would visit whilst on holiday. Mainly because my hubby would stop just outside and say “this is your type of place, let’s go in”.
If you follow this blog, you all know I love a unique and quirky gift for someone. I am so excited to share with you some of the unique and quirky pieces sent to me by Zebadiah’s. You can view a list of the artists featured on the website.
Handmade earrings
I love handmade earrings. Simply because you would be hard pushed to find someone else wearing the same pair.
Hat
How cute is this handmade hat? My little one looks cool in hats and she has a collection at home already. I just know this one will come to be one of her favourites. And we are heading for cooler weather in the UK, so she will get so much use out of it.
Brooch
Transport me back to the days of looking through my Grandma’s jewellery drawer. She had a lovely white dresser with a wide drawer. All the pieces were laid out on tissue paper, all sparkly and amazing. Since this moment, I’ve loved brooches and I try my best to pin them to going out jackets whenever I can. This one will be coming on my next outing with me! My little one has also shown an interest in it.
Dress
The dress is fantastic. You can tell it’s such good quality material and the colours are amazing.
I honestly can’t wait to wear it. My little one commented that it looked like a rainbow. And we are kind of matching with the dress and the hat.
Other items which stood out to me
I’ve had a browse on the website and the ceramic bowls and bracelets really stood out to me. Everyone has a different preference for what they like and the reason why. You will find something amongst the collections for yourself. Or a great gift for someone else.
The post is full of honesty. I feel like it’s time to be brutally honest about my mental health struggles…
Just imagine for a second, years of being ruled by fear. The reality is most of the people close to me are unaware of the extent to which fear previously ruled my life. I hid it well.
Then my mental breakdown happened. A final meltdown, shutdown. I was in hysterics talking gibberish to my hubby on the phone. It felt like someone had switched me off to reboot the system. However, they couldn’t get me up and running again.
It would be months before I was anything like the former person I was. Throughout the recovery process, I realised I didn’t want to be the same person ever again. I needed a new improved version of myself. Someone who wanted to prioritise mental health, above all other things in life.
And so it began. My brain turning everyday life situations into the worst thing in the world.
To clarify, I believe this family arguing was the beginning of me having an abnormal reaction to a normal situation. I believe to this day, my anxiety issues are related to brain chemistry and my personality. Not outside factors or the behaviour of others.
Years of being ruled by fear meant I was a shell of my former self. I was the organiser in the family, now I couldn’t stand to hear about the holidays we had planned. I previously managed money in the house. I was now ignoring letters and phone calls about our financial difficulties. I’d succeeded in my current career for 10 years and worked since I was 15 years old. I was shaking at the thought of opening my work laptop.
My breakdown was literally an adverse reaction to everything I’d ever known in the past.
I’m on the road to recovery now, but in order to understand what catastrophe took place on this average workday, we need to first go back in time to where I believe the decline in my mental health began.
Triggers
Being ruled by fear began when I was 18 years old. arguing with my dad. The feelings of anxiety related to this incident triggered something in me. A knot in my stomach, a dislike of arguing. Feeling like I wasn’t good enough. I actually asked my mum at the time whether my dad hated me. That’s how I felt. Why would this person so close to me be shouting at me otherwise? And so it began. My brain turning everyday life situations into the worst thing in the world.
I have a constant ‘it’s the end of the world’ complex. This makes it incredibly difficult to look at the positives aspects of life. I have to work so hard each day and force myself to think positively. My default setting is the worst-case scenario. There is no in-between.
Therapy
Throughout the years, I’ve tried numerous different forms of therapy and I must say, all have worked for that period in time. At this point in my life, I need an overall reset. To look at the bigger picture and put tools in place to avoid depression moving forward.
It was an EFT therapist who discovered this argument between my dad & me. It seemed to be the beginning of my decline in mental health. This was only discovered after several sessions and money spent on private therapy. It came as a shock to me this was a catalyst for the grim future I had in front of me. Living under the grip of toxic anxiety.
To clarify, I believe this family arguing was the beginning of me having an abnormal reaction to a normal situation. I believe to this day, my anxiety issues are related to brain chemistry and my personality. Not outside factors or the behaviour of others.
Parents argue with children, especially teenagers, but my brain filters a normal, everyday situation and transforms it into something different.
If I had one wish it would be to let the people closest to me have a glimpse inside my head for two minutes. I don’t expect anyone to understand fully what living in fear for so long does to you, but understanding the severity of my anxiety issues, to some extent has already helped our family relationships.
Delving deeper into the trigger
When looking back over my years of living in constant fear, despite what the EFT therapist discovered, I genuinely don’t think this was the factor that exasperated my condition.
Arguing with anyone was an uncomfortable situation that led to other uncomfortable situations in life, because of the way I reacted to those scenarios. And the destructive activities I was partaking in to quiet the negative voice in my head didn’t help things.
Self-medicating
Fast forward to my early 20’s. I was out clubbing, with people I didn’t really class as friends, taking recreational drugs for the first time. Obviously, I had a blast (or thought I did!) and clearly switched off the doubting, self-critical, toxic voice in my head for a while – what wasn’t to love?
I spent those partying days, outwardly having the best time of my life, but inside I was always accountable to my instincts. They told me this was wrong, unethical, not what I should be doing. I am a homely person who prefers a glass of wine on the sofa, with a blanket, reading a book. Partying and lack of sleep just wasn’t me at all. I was living a lie!
You can see how I ended up in a dead-end relationship with a narcissist for 7 years of my life, who was also the one who facilitated the partying, encouraged this destructive behaviour and I think was incapable of valuing anyone, even himself. Deep down, I knew I was in the wrong situation in life, but kept plodding along, mainly due to fear and lack of confidence. Who else would want me? What if I was walking away from the wrong person? In hindsight, I was so dependent on this person for adding value to my life, it would take a lot of energy I just didn’t have to walk away.
For years I’ve believed my family disliked me, disapproved of me, people were talking about me, spying on me, there is a conspiracy. For no other reason than a voice in my head told me this over again, until it became my reality. My family is the complete opposite of the picture I’ve described above. They are loving, supportive and I see them several times a week. How ironic, you have the most loving supportive family, but you believe otherwise!
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Why did it take so long to walk away from the destruction?
Due to years spent living in constant fear, it meant this became a way of life. You cannot change your behaviour overnight. Several pretty shocking events happened as a result of my destructive behaviour and one day I may talk about them. There are rebellious youngsters who make mistakes, but I would say some of the situations I put myself in were crossing a line. I learned my lesson and I am lucky to have the life I lead today. However, I probably would take back some of the things I did whilst my mind was altered.
But we live and learn. As human beings, we make mistakes and some people believe this makes you stronger.
Did I hide it well?
My anxiety issues were obvious to me at, living in my own head. But my mum’s own recent admission, that she including everyone else would “never have known” it was this bad, made me think I need an Oscar. But did I hide it well?
I did many abnormal things over the years, but they were clearly normal reactions to my circumstances and the situations I was putting myself in. I once broke down in front of a manager at work and was unable to talk for ages, after a fallout with the toxic boyfriend. This was just one of the out-of-control situations I put myself in.
To this day, I think people just conclude I’m a difficult person to be around. If I had one wish it would be to let the people closest to me have a glimpse inside my head for two minutes. I don’t expect anyone to understand fully what living in fear for so long does to you, but understanding the severity of my anxiety issues, to some extent has already helped our family relationships.
The person I was in the past shortchanged herself, undervalued her worth and it’s time for that to stop.
Isn’t this how everyone feels?
When you suffer from severe anxiety for so long, it becomes the norm. For years I genuinely believed everyone felt like this and it was a shock to me when I discovered everyone didn’t.
For years I’ve believed my family disliked me, disapproved of me, people were talking about me, spying on me, there is a conspiracy. For no other reason than a voice in my head told me this over again, until it became my reality. My family is the complete opposite of the picture I’ve described above. They are loving, supportive and I see them several times a week. How ironic, you have the most loving supportive family, but you believe otherwise!
When you are being ruled by fear, your thoughts tell you something completely different from reality. You can see why it can eventually result in a complete mental breakdown.
Thoughts are just thoughts
Part of me knows my thoughts are just that, thoughts. But it doesn’t help to tell myself this when I’m in the midst of a panic attack or bout of depression. Something which isn’t me takes over, another, darker side. I become the opposite of my personality. A shadow of the person I am. A weakened, frightened person.
During my recovery, the most ridiculous thing I’ve dealt with is openly not regretting a single second of my anxious past. It sounds silly to say you would torture yourself in your own head for 15 years until you literally break into a million pieces and have to put yourself back together again. Camber out of the dark, dingy pit you were in and slowly learn to function again. Why would someone want to do that to themselves? The answer – because I wouldn’t be where I am today, hopefully helping other people.
I figure it’s pointless going over the past, regretting the opportunities I didn’t take, and better spending time focusing on the future and being thankful for the lessons I’ve learned.
The person I am today is a great mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, work colleague, writer, blogger, content creator, and mental health advocate. My failures struggles and regrets made me the person I am today. Including the anxiety voice, I still carry around with me.
Because of my struggles over the last few years, I am confident in using all the labels above to describe myself. I am seeking opportunities that align with my personality and purpose in life. I am determined to carve out a path to a great work-life balance. I am me again. Whoever I was supposed to be before my brain started turning on me all those years ago.
During my recovery process, I’ve had a hard time deciding where my personality ends and anxiety starts. But maybe the anxiety is a symptom of my personality. My personality traits involve being driven and determined. I guess this can easily lead to me putting pressure on myself to get things done. I’m highly creative, so I face burnout trying to record all the thoughts whizzing round in my head.
The person I was in the past shortchanged herself, undervalued her worth and it’s time for that to stop.
I have a new tool…
If you’ve been following my blog, you know I am in the process of putting tools in place for managing my anxiety.
You can find details below of another tool I will be using. I am recommending it because I think it can also help other people.
World Mental Health Day offer
#AD #GIFTED
I am excited to share with you a free 21-day membership offer for The Anti-Burnout Club app.
The offer is valid for 24 hours from today. Please visit this dedicated page to sign up.
The Anti-Burnout Club is giving everyone free access until the end of October, to help make self-care more accessible.
Final thoughts
I hope you liked my post. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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.
Where do you look when you want to check out a product? Or find a quirky and unusual gift? Google of course. I don’t know about you, but I trust what I read online, mainly when it comes from bloggers I know and love.
Do you want to know why? We do our research! In order to write a blog post, you need to know what you’re talking about. Check out the products for yourself and do a lot of scouring the internet. That makes what we write an amazing resource. We put the hard work in so you don’t have to.
I mainly write about the products I buy as a customer. Some of them, like No7, I have bought for years and therefore know all about the range. It is about sharing this knowledge with others to make their online purchases easy.
Here are some of the gift guides I have written previously
Feel free to check out any of these gift guides for inspiration and ideas. When shopping for a loved one, we often think about a gift that suits their preference and personality. I personally love a unique and quirky gift, with a special touch.
Some of the unique and quirky small brands I have worked with
I love supporting small businesses and discovering products people may not know about. Especially hand-crafted products. The kind you would find at a small craft market, or the little gift shops on holiday. When a purchase resonates with me, or I feel like I would gift it to someone, I feel obliged to share my knowledge with other people.
I have two exciting gift guides coming up on Thursday 28 July 2022 and I am also in the process of organising one for August 2022. I genuinely love working with these brands and putting the information together.
You will also get to see more video content. keep an eye on Instagram and TikTok for details.
If you’re struggling with gifting ideas
We all have that one person who is really difficult to buy for, don’t we? In our family, it’s my dad.
If after reading these gift guides, you’re still looking for the perfect gift or something extra special, check out these ideas below:
Why not give the amazing gift of a special book, journal, diary or any of the other amazing products from Waterstones?
An English Heritage membership is the perfect gift for anyone who loves exploring. Maybe you have a loved one who enjoys reading about history? The great news is, that you can also take six children with you when purchasing an adult membership!
CAN I INCLUDE MY CHILDREN IN MY MEMBERSHIP?
English Heritage membership allows every Member to take up to six children under 18 within the family group into any of our properties at no extra charge.
Silly Sentiments is an independent UK-based greeting and gifting company that specialises in personalisation. We’re located in the Midlands and control all elements of production, from design to print, passing savings to our customers.
Some other quirky mentions before we wrap up (hehe)
Our service is about making it easy to deliver happiness direct to someone’s door
The Gift of Cake is a family business based in the South West of England.
We wanted to provide a service for ordering a cake online, including a personalised message and sending it by post as a lovely gift for the lucky recipient. But it’s not that easy to send a cake through the post. So we’ve invested time, money and hard work to provide a great solution.
Celebrate Gifts Ltd is the UK’s leading manufacturer of Chocolate Bouquets, Yankee Candle Bouquets, Alcohol Bouquets and Hat Box gifts.
All Celebrate Gifts are handmade by our team of qualified florists and come with the option to add a complimentary gift message. Our gifts also arrived fully assembled so they can be taken straight out of the box and enjoyed!
Inspiring lessons, workshops and experiences that make brilliant days out and unusual gifts for any occasion.
From Hula to Harmonica classes, Gin Tours to Paddleboarding the Indytute offers unusual gift experiences in London.
Founded by Calypso Rose in 2013, the site has grown in popularity ever since and now offers over 160 unique and unusual experiences.
Final thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading my gift guides and why I think they are important when shopping for special occasions. An amazing resource we can tap into to make our busy lives much easier!
Have you purchased from any of these brands before? What’s your favourite? or do you have someone who is difficult to buy for?
I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
PR Products – these gel wax melts were kindly gifted in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own and I would never recommend something I wouldn’t purchase myself
I was thrilled when Village Wax Melts agreed to send me their new gel wax melts to try. I hadn’t heard of this latest trend, but I am always hunting for melts packed full of fragrance.
I frequently talk on the blog about using self-care purchases to improve my mental health. Going through a mental breakdown highlighted how much I need this daily self-care. Buying a candle or wax melt and burner, is now on my weekly shopping list. Whilst I am working from home, it brightens my day. And depending on the fragrance, it can also calm stressful moments. What a revelation to try out a gel wax melt. I was also kindly gifted some other products, which I will discuss throughout this post.
I was so excited to try these and they did not disappoint. Before trying out this new product, I previously had to put my used burners in the freezer to remove the leftover wax. You don’t have to do this with the gel. It just peels out after use.
They are also more highly scented and you can smell the fragrance as soon as you open the tub. I wanted to take some great photos and videos for the blog, but I was genuinely mesmerised by how it melts. And I found myself sitting there are ages watching the process. Doing this is calming in itself. Definitely, something I would purchase in future, instead of the usual wax melts.
Wax melt selection
Village Wax Melts also kindly sent me a range of normal wax melts to try. I loved the shape and the fragrances. I will be honest and say I was previously put off buying scents which mimic perfumes and aftershave. But I have to say that the savage (wax melt and gel wax melt) was so refreshing. I am sure we all wear perfume for a night out. But having that same smell burning in your home makes you feel fresh. Like you’re on holiday, in a busy bar, living life. The scent isn’t as overpowering as someone wearing it, but it’s lovely to brush past as you walk to the kitchen. I am now sold on perfume and aftershave-related scents and love also loved the Aliens scent they included for me. Scents which transport you to another familiar situation, are excellent.
The scent I loved the most
Out of the wax melts I was sent, my favourite one has to be Aperol Nights. Because I love them so much, I have nearly used them all. I suppose we all have different tastes, but this one is my go-to and I will be ordering it again.
I took part in the blogtober challenge last year. It was an extremely busy month, but I also managed to release a lot of blog posts, which massively helped my engagement.
In October 2021, my blog was only three months old and therefore I was still in the growing phase.
The post will outline how the challenge can help you engage more with other bloggers. Therefore increasing page views and how many people view your writing.
Halloween is my favourite time of year and I secretly spend the summer waiting for a scary Halloween party and some spooky fun!
What is blogtober challenge?
Blogtober is an annual event held every October. It involves posting one blog per day, every day of the month. Because I was brand new to blogging when the blogtober challenge came up last year, I only made it part way through. However, I was proud of the progress I made.
As you can see from the archive on my website –
October 2021 is still the month in which I released the most blog posts. And I managed to release some pretty important content:
it is completely up to you whether to have a Halloween-related theme or use this month to talk about a range of subjects on your blog. You will see from the posts above, I did a bit of both. It was also Mental Health Awareness Week, which I believe is a great time to raise awareness of the issues I discuss on my blog.
How to get involved
You can get involved by searching the blogtober hashtag on Twitter. If you are part of the blogging community, get involved with fellow bloggers. You could participate in a blogging tag, and nominate other bloggers to join in. It really is a fun month and I cannot wait for it to come around again.
Due to my mental health struggles during and following the birth of my baby, we needed to form a consistent care plan for my little one. It was imperative we built a great parenting team. My hubby was fantastic throughout and we also have the support of my parents. For this, I am incredibly thankful.
Following this experience, I wanted to share my tips on looking after your mental health during and after pregnancy.And also the things to remember when creating a great parenting team.
Quick note: Mummy Conquering Anxiety is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. 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.
I am no expert on parenting, but I hope my experiences help you with the mental health side of things. Your feelings are completely normal. If you’re struggling mentally, I want you to know I felt the same for at least a year post-pregnancy.
In this post I will discuss my top tips for ensuring you parent well as a team
1. Consciously work as a team
Since having a baby, we thrive when we parent as a team, support one another, and both muck in (reality check – it isn’t always like this. We sometimes get annoyed with each other but we try our best!). Creating a great parenting team can be difficult.
During the worst times of my birth story, my hubby was the only one who could understand me fully. Having this one person there you can rely on showed me sticking together was the best option.
My instincts have always been strong and sometimes it’s difficult to tell the people around you something must take place. I came across like an unhinged, irrational expectant mother when trying to make everyone see a c section was the only option for delivering our little one safely. And guess what, the surgeon confirmed I was correct to choose this option. I just knew. I dread to think what might have happened if my hubby wasn’t there, on my side. We use this bond in our parenting now.
These days, we openly remind each other mid-argument that we work better when we are getting along and most of the time, it diffuses the situation.
2. Take time for yourself
If you follow my blog, you will be aware this is pretty much my ethos! I now understand we must take time to look after ourselves, or it will be chosen for us. Creating a great parenting team allows me to take the time I need to recharge my batteries.
I get it, self care is way down the priority list. Before my mental breakdown, this is what I told myself. Taking time for myself was something I neglected to do, especially when I returned to work following maternity leave. This resulted in almost five months off work. Now I realise I can’t care for my child unless I look after myself.
These are some of the things we both try and do to practice self-care:
Get out of the house
Enlist the help of grandparents, a nursery, friends
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3. Ask for help
For those who don’t have much support, there are some amazing support groups out there and classes you can attend. I recently wrote about an amazing support hashtag I discovered on Twitter. Social media can be a great resource for people who may be feeling lonely and want to speak to like-minded people.
It’s healthy for you and your child to spend time apart and come back to each other refreshed, or both get involved in a social setting where the pressure is taken off your shoulders for an hour. As difficult as the first drop-off at nursery is, it’s beneficial for your little one in the long run. Get over parent guilt and start carving out some child-free time.
Boots have an amazing section on self-care resources if you’re looking for some tips and tools to occupy your child-free time. In addition, it never hurts to get some professional help as well. Whether it be a lawyer for birth injury claims or a lactation consultant, help in any form is also a good idea. At the end of the day, it really does take a village to raise a child, and the more help you have, the more help your little one has as well. There’s no shame in admitting you need an extra hand, so give yourself a little credit and surround yourself with helpful and genuine people.
4. Be kind to EVERYONE
It’s a difficult job and it’s likely everyone is in the same position as you (I hid my anxiety condition for 15 years, it’s possible someone may be too embarrassed to share their reality with you). Show another parent at nursery drop-off you understand, and don’t be too harsh with family members on parenting issues, such as discipline.
Be kind to yourself, your spouse, family members, and every person you meet. You never know the internal struggle someone else may be facing.
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5. Be realistic and give yourself a break
Creating a great parenting team means you have to relax your own standards slightly and learn the art of compromise.
As a confessed perfectionist, reality was sometimes a difficult concept for me. I still have to try hard each day to avoid burning myself out in the name of getting everything done right here and now. But why did I set such an unachievable target for myself?
One of my lovely friends and I have an agreement to cancel plans if you need to. As a busy parent, I forget to text people back, attend appointments and you know what? The consequences aren’t so severe and tasks get done eventually.
Give yourself a break and stop setting silly, unrealistic expectations for yourself. It’s about lowering your standards and not trying to fight against the fact there will be a mess with a feisty toddler running around. Go and play with the toys, join in the fun, and have a laugh instead. It’s a much better way to spend your time.
Final thoughts
Have you experienced any parenting issues? What did you do to solve them? Have you managed to create a great parenting team?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
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