What Have You Achieved in the Last 6 Months?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary to 'achieve' means to succeed in doing something by effort, skill, or courage.

What a lovely mantra for our daily lives.

What have YOU achieved in the last 6 months?  The reason I ask this question is because it's exactly 6 months since I began My Resolution Challenge.  Yes, it's a frightening thought but we are half way through the year!

So when I began this challenge 6 months ago, my initial aim was to complete at least one or two of the items on my New Year resolution list.  I would be happy to lose 8lb, I would be over the moon to run without the aid of an oxygen tank and I would be ecstatic to have one of my stories published. 

Can a Carnivore Survive a Meat Free Zone?

It's the final week of my 'Adopt Better Habits' challenge and I thought I would test myself to the limits - yet again - by going veggie for a week.

When I was in my thirties - many years ago - I appeared in the Spirit & Destiny magazine's Health MOT feature.  I was interviewed by a Naturopath, Personal Trainer and Nutritionist.  I discovered that as my blood type is A my body struggles to break down red meat and chicken, which can cause bowel toxicity.  I was advised to cut out all red meat and cut down on chicken as well as having fish at least three times a week and drink eight glasses of water daily.

How to Juggle Your Spuds and other Home Grown Vegetables

Last week's 'How to De Clutter in 4 Easy Steps' certainly struck a chord with my readers judging by the emails I received.  A clutter free home makes for a clutter free mind and I'm glad I was able to motivate so many people to feel better about their environments and themselves - this is my day job after all!

Still concentrating on my 'Adopt Better Habits' challenge I decided to venture outdoors.  Not such a good choice with the torrential rain we've seen here in the Midlands, however it did help with the spade work for this week's resolution, to grow my own food.

Clear Your Clutter in 4 Easy Steps

June is here and the sun is shining which helps to make everything look and feel so much brighter.  As I am still slightly traumatised by my encounter with the zip wire last week I am very pleased to note that June's resolution is so much calmer.

Adopt Better Habits.

Boring!

I came up with this challenge when I realised how I'd let my recycling slip, so this goal was a way to get back on track.  As I gave it some extra thought I came to the conclusion that recycling my rubbish was a pretty lame topic to cover and all my readers would be nodding off before I'd managed to soak the
label off an old baked bean tin.

May Challenge ends on a Very High Note.

June has arrived and so has the sunshine, before I tackle June's goal on my Resolution Challenge I have to report on the Grand Finale for May's challenge, 'Do Something I've Never Done Before'.

When I decided to do this year's challenge on New Year's Eve, I had the basic idea in place.  It has evolved over the months but I knew there were certain goals I had put off over the years and this challenge would be the motivation I needed to see them through.

Writing, creative pursuits, weight loss...all respectable goals, but I wanted to show my clients and my children that it doesn't hurt to think outside the box. 

Never at any point did it cross my mind that screaming my lungs out as I plummeted through the trees, lassoed to a strip of wire would appear on my To Do list!

From Flat Pack Furniture to Luscious Lashes in Five Days

My 'Do Something I've Never Done Before' month is going very well, however, I seem to have the knack of fitting extra curricular activities in to the schedule. 

During the first week of May I pottered in the garden and created a gorgeous fairy garden (which is blooming nicely!)  Last week I tackled the sewing machine and embarked on a quilting 101 quest. 

This week I had decided to calm my antics slightly and enjoy a girlie pamper session  - definitely something I've never done before as I am such a tomboy - but prior to my lash-tastic hour of bliss I was faced with the daunting task of putting together a mountain of flat-pack furniture. 

Beginners Quilt Making One Stitch at a Time

This week's post is a 'Cushion Cover 101'.  This is as simple and basic as it gets because I'm NOT a sewing guru, in fact I am most definitely a virgin when it comes to all things needle and thread, but sewing does come under my 'Do Something I've Never Done Before' banner, perfect for my resolution challenge.

First of all I must say a huge thank you to Nicki from Sunshine Reflections who was my 'Yoda' for this challenge.  She patiently talked me through the process, offering her expert advice and a calming word when the sewing machine freaked me out!  Take a look on Nicki's blog at some of the amazing projects she has done.

Four Simple Steps to create your Perfect Fairy Garden.

My resolution for May is to do something I've never done before.  Last week I had the privilege of teaching year 6 at my local junior school on how to survive anxiety caused by exams.  Could I top that?  Well, no probably not but then unique opportunities should never be overlooked. 

This got me thinking about my lovely clients who patiently pour over my blog posts and listen to me waffle on during their holistic sessions and so I thought that this week I'd have a go at something new that was accessible for my readers to try.

How to Make Your Own Fairy Garden...

We have always had fairies at the bottom of our garden so it was fairly apt that on a sunny bank holiday weekend, my daughter and I set about making a fairy garden.

Stress Busting Workshop - How One Hour Helped with Exam Stress in a Junior School

As tempted as I was to break open the bubbly and celebrate the end of my alcohol free month, I refrained so I had a clear head for the start of my May resolution challenge.

'Do Something I've Never Done Before.'

On paper this challenge was going to be fairly straight forward.  I have a VERY long bucket list and all I needed to do was to choose my favourite four, but the Universe had other ideas and suddenly my well laid plans were up in the air.

I can't complain though as the challenge which presented itself to me was:-

1. Definitely something I've never done before
2. An opportunity I couldn't pass up

No Alcohol fuels Chocolate Cravings - Am I alone in this?

I'm on the last leg of my April challenge - it's just a matter of days before I can taste the sweet nectar of a crisp Australian Chardonnay.  I may even break all the rules and have a glass on a school night to celebrate my month off the demon drink.

It's been a very busy couple of weeks at work and I've been asked by every one of my clients 'how are you coping without alcohol?'  I obviously have a reputation!

World Circus Day - 3 ways to Celebrate including Book Giveaway

Clutching a bag of popcorn in her small hand she gazed up at the expanse of painted stars; vibrant shades of yellow, blue, green and pink covered the ceiling.
The sweet scent of toffee apples mingled with the woody aroma of the sawdust under her feet and as the lights dimmed her eyes grew wide with wonder...

Can you remember your first trip to the Circus?

On Saturday 20th April it's the 4th World Circus Day.  What are you doing to celebrate?

• Join In or Hold Your Own Event

Log on to World Circus Day website to find out about Circus events in your part of the world, take the kids to a show or hold your own event at home with your pet as the star!  There are so many events planned across the globe so you are sure to find something. 

Alcohol Free Holidays

Greetings from Somerset!  I have found a lovely cafe with Internet access and wanted to send a quick post from our wet and windy holidays. 

Heading down the M5 to spend our Easter break at the Haven Holiday Village, Burnham-on-Sea would normally be a cause for celebration.  On this occasion I had a sense of trepidation; could I enjoy my holiday without alcohol? 

Yet again I appear to be giving you all the impression that I am some half-soaked mother who is permanently attached to a bottle of gin.   I assure you this is not the case - I prefer vodka!

Holidays go hand in hand with relaxing by the pool (okay so maybe not the ‘outdoor’ pool in the UK), watching a good turn at the club house and enjoying a meal out at a local restaurant.  Staying on a site with everything you could possibly need on your doorstep means you can leave the car and let your hair down - or enjoy a latte in the coffee lounge if you are off the demon drink!

Cheers!

So my mission for week 15 - surrounded by clinking glasses and merry holidaymakers – was to work my way through the soft drink menu; lemonade, diet coke and a hideous slushy which left my tongue blue! 

Alcohol Free Zone Ahead

Most people enjoy a tipple or two, you may enjoy catching up with colleagues in the pub after work on Thursday; your Friday night curry just wouldn't be the same without a couple of beers.  The pub lunch with the girls on Saturday is crying out for a glass or two of Chardonnay and no Sunday roast would be complete without a nice Rioja!

It is far too easy to include alcohol into our lives and before we know it we are drinking above the Government recommendations.

I do enjoy a drink or three and not wanting to come across as a raving alcoholic I decided to do a spot of research for my Alcohol Free resolution.  The results were shocking......