I'm a Writer...Get Me Out Of Here

The UK is currently gripped in the comedic clutches of 'I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here' mania.  Launched in 2002, the reality show makes for cringe worthy yet compelling viewing.

For those of you who don't know (where have you been?) our national treasures, Ant and Dec, send twelve celebrities deep into the Australian jungle, set them a series of hideous challenges and allow us, the viewers, to vote on their fate - simples!

We can send supermodels over a hundred foot ravine on a tightrope or make a sports hero eat kangaroo testicles - who wouldn't want to watch that?!

As my November challenge is all about my participation in NaNoWriMo I began to look at the similarities between the popular reality show and NaNo.  You may be surprised...

How to Silence Your Inner Critic - For NaNo and Beyond

As we approach week three of NaNoWriMo, thousands of people are frantically hammering out a novel at kitchen tables across the globe.

With my children watching over my shoulder and providing an audible countdown, I hit 50,296 on the Nano-a-thon on the 9th November.  It was the most incredible feeling and having my kids jumping around singing, 'mum did it' was, as MasterCard would say, Priceless!

My characters had become part of the family and although I was ecstatic to have accomplished the challenge, I was a little bit sad when I typed that last word.

Fortunately my NaNo draft is only book one of a trilogy so I shall be dusting them all off again for book number two.

To NaNo or Not to NaNo - That is the Question

NaNoWriMo (which stands for National Novel Writing Month) is now in its 14th year.  I have dreamt of taking part for the past 4 years but as each November drew closer, I allowed that minx of an inner demon to tell me I couldn't possible do that - 'pah, who are you kidding, write 50,000 words, not a chance!'

Me at my NaNo Desk

So on the 1st November this year, I looked that evil minx straight in the eye and said...'back off sister, you can't achieve if you never take part.'

Once I had signed up and began writing, I very quickly came to the conclusion that I was either uber organised or had absolutely no life whatsoever - I am leaning toward the latter!

Be Afraid...Be VERY Afraid - It's NaNo Eve.

Happy Halloween everyone, I hope you are all getting in the spirit of All Hallows Eve.  My pumpkin is ready to scare any visitors, my broomstick has been polished and the black cat has been groomed.

After last week's post, I received some wonderful pumpkin carving photographs from my readers.  Here is one of my favourites made by Ann Sherlock, UK.
 


As well as the promise of copious amounts of candy, today is also the day you can get another treat - a copy of Forever Together for FREE.  This is the supernatural romance from Douglas McPherson and you can grab your free copy here.

How to Embrace Your Inner Child

So far this month I have looked at how to be grateful, happy, confident and complimentary.  To finish off my October challenge; this week I decided to look at how to be silly!

Picture courtesy of
 http://belldorafashions.com  

Yes, you read it correctly, I said - silly.  Why should the kids have all the fun at this time of year?  Autumn has so many opportunities to be silly and my children have had years to get used to how daft I can be at times.

Let's take Halloween for example, for me this is a magical time and I thoroughly enjoy getting into the spirit (no pun intended) of it.  My house is decorated with cobwebs, giant spiders and skeletons and I am suitably dressed up as a witch to greet any little gremlins who call at my door.

Compliments and Confidence

Paying someone a compliment is such a natural thing to do, you have the ability to make somebody's day.  Why then do we squirm when we are on the receiving end of a compliment?



Image courtesy of emergencycompliment.com

Picture the scene - you have just bumped into an old friend who you haven't seen for a few months and they've lost four stone in weight.  It is an automatic reaction to say...

'Oh Doris, you look amazing!'

Your initial reaction is to pay them a compliment because you are genuinely happy for them and they DO look amazing.

Now let's look at the flip side - you are wearing a new coat that took five months to save for and you bump into a friend, they say...

10 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy

Back in March my blog featured in our local paper.  The reporter asked me which challenge I thought would be the toughest - interesting question.  At the time I said October's challenge, to be grateful and happy.

In times of stress and worry, happiness can often be the first emotion we switch off and I see this all too often with my clients.  You may ask yourself, 'how can I be happy when I've got too many bills to pay?'  You may wonder how it's possible to smile when there isn't anything left to smile about.

Watching The Pride of Britain awards the other evening made me smile (and cry).  These amazing people are just the same as you or I and yet despite what 's going on in their own lives they still have a smile and a kind word for everyone.  Inspirational people indeed.

Being Grateful

Happy October! 

Another month has drawn to a close and we continue to inch ever nearer to snow covered roads and the jolly fat man in the red suit squeezing his way down the chimney stack.

So far I have completed nine month's worth of challenges with a different kind of 'baby' emerging at the end - a blog baby.  My blog has become like a fourth child for me, it needs nurturing , feeding, cleaning and encouraged to grow.  I am Grateful that this has been possible with the help of my readers.

My October challenge is to be 'Happy & Grateful'.  A seemingly easy challenge - or is it?  Can you be happy if you've just been made redundant or were involved in an accident.  Can you be grateful if your outgoings are more than your incomings and you struggle to pay bills?

15 Top Tips for a Balanced Life

Working as a holistic health practitioner means I am privileged to be a part of someone's life journey - that could be a road to better health, much needed relaxation or an understanding ear and support.

I am very vocal about my own life and don't hide the highs and lows I have experienced, in fact I use these experiences to help me be a better practitioner.  I left a physically and emotionally abusive marriage with three children under the age of 5, to say I had hit rock bottom would be an understatement, but I did it, I dragged myself kicking and screaming back into reality.

As I recovered and tried to find myself I learnt how to laugh and smile again, I learnt from others how to interact, trust and love again.  It's quite incredible how much we do learn from those people that surround us on a daily basis.

How Learning to Knit Reduces Stress

I have a long list of things I would like to learn, my very own bucket list if you like.  I would love to learn how to take wonderful photographs, to be able to speak Italian, to paint a picture...the list goes on.

Thanks to my resolution challenge I can now tick one thing off my list - knitting!  Yes, at the sprightly age of 41 I have finally picked up a pair of needles and clickety clacked away to my hearts content. 

Don't ask me why I wanted to learn to knit. 

Learn from your Mistakes in Five Simple Steps

We all make mistakes during our lives, some are tiny and others monumental but the key to recovering is to learn from the lessons these mistakes provide.

Now we all know I have a flawless reputation...no, sorry - I just couldn't finish that without laughing.  I've made plenty of mistakes over the years - disastrous marriage aside - but I never thought that one simple indiscretion could inspire a blog post - but here we are.

I hold my hands up...'it's a fair cop' as they say.  This week I attended a Speed Awareness Course.  Not because my jogging career is taking off in a big way but because

New Beginnings - Learn a new skill from home with E-Learning

I love September.  Not only because the air is crisp and the leaves turn a beautiful colour, not because I can dig out my big jumpers and hide the excess flesh which has been on show all summer, but because the air is full of new beginnings.

Kid's return or start school, college or university and the shops are full of gorgeous stationery to accommodate their needs - my idea of heaven.

My challenge for this month is 'To Learn Something New' and there really is no better month to start this in.  I have a bucket list the length of my arm of what I would love to learn; photography, Italian, painting, knitting...the list if endless.

Holiday Blog Tour #5 - A Girl's Getaway

What a busy month August has been, I am never happy when my children go back to school as they are such wonderful company, but after our hectic month's challenge I think sitting with my feet up sounds fabulous!

For the final week of August and the last Blog Tour I was able to sneak away for a couple of nights with just my daughter.  I love all my kids and we have had an amazing summer but to have some mummy-daughter time is quite precious.  I left the destination up to her and thankfully she chose the walled city of York in North Yorkshire (and not Milan or Paris as my budget may not have stretched that far!)

A girlie trip is very different to a family holiday