Same Goal, New You

 Did you decide to make New Year’s resolutions? It’s not too late to reconsider your choice. Ultimately, 2020 has made it hard to keep up with all the things you wanted to achieve. The pandemic situation has forced many of us to give up on our goals. We’ve hit the pause button until the end of the pandemic. Unfortunately, COVID-19 remains as present and active as ever in this new year. A lot of countries are considering implementing national lockdown measures, while some have already embraced shelter-in regulations. But does it mean that you should give up on your New year’s resolutions? 

Now is the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself and tackle all the things you couldn’t do last year. But the pandemic is stopping me, you say. Not necessarily. You could seize the opportunity to recalibrate your goals to match your current life. It is likely that the objectives you had at the start of 2020 are not relevant anymore. Ultimately, the coronavirus is encouraging people to change their approaches to life. As such, it’s time to consider how you can adjust the old goal to the new you and make it fit.

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Seek professional help

Why do you think you should achieve your goals alone? The things you wanted for yourself in 2020 could still be relevant in 2021. But the journey to obtain them needs to evolve. For instance, pandemic weight gain is a common issue as people have turned to comfort food as a coping mechanism. If you wanted to boost your fitness levels, you can still do that. But rather than approach your post-pandemic energy and fitness challenges alone, why not reach out to a specialist online trainer? It’s a great way of staying motivated and focused. 

Pandemic-related stress can also affect your reproductive health. If you’ve been trying to conceive without success, you could find guidance at a professional fertility clinic. Fertility advisors are familiar with the impact of stress on ovulation and overall conception problems.  

Create a SMART goal strategy

This year, I will be a better person. 

While it is a nice thought, it’s not a simple goal to achieve. What does it mean to be better? You can use the SMART methodology to define your resolutions and turn them into actionable plans. When you create a SMART goal, you make it: 

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-Bound

Once you make it clear what you want to do and what success looks like, you are in a better position to turn your resolution into reality. 

Create a positive network

Not every resolution is unique. Therefore, you don’t have to work alone to achieve your goal. It could be a team effort. 

If you want to become a mother, for instance, chances are your partner also wants to start a family. You could make the necessary changes to your lifestyle together, from changing your diet to focusing on relaxation. 

Are you going to become more active? You could ask a friend if they want to exercise with you. Finding a fitness partner makes you accountable and keeps you motivated.

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Don’t let the pandemic cancel your self-improvement journey. There’s still room for New Year’s resolutions as long as you give yourself the tools to make them fit your post-pandemic lifestyle.

Travel During The Age Of Covid

 Although covid has obviously changed the world in some profound ways, it is important to remember that there are still a lot of things you can do if you want to. Travel is one example of something that seems impossible to do at this time, but which you might actually be able to do if you think carefully about how to approach it. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the best ways that you might be able to travel during the covid pandemic. You might find that any of these options could work for you in the coming months.

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Road Trip

One of the ways to travel is to simply take a long drive around your local area or in your home country. This way, you avoid having to cross any borders - which is not a good idea right now, and even impossible in many countries with closed borders - and you also avoid any public transportation, keeping only to your own car with your support bubble or family. Make sure to plan the trip well, ensure your child's safety in the car, and pack plenty of supplies if you are going to travel in this way.

Minimize Flying

Probably the most important thing of all is to make sure that you are keeping your amount of time flying to a minimum. It might be tempting to go jet-setting while nobody else is really doing so, but actually, this is not going to be the best idea, either for your own health or that of other people. It’s best to simply travel domestically wherever you can, and even then to only get to the domestic location by car or similar transportation. That way, you can enjoy a holiday but without putting anyone in unnecessary risk.

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Travel Insurance

If you normally wonder whether or not it is worth getting travel insurance, it is certainly worth doing so these days, as there are so many ways in which your travel plans can be disturbed or interrupted. When that happens, you want to have a decent chance to get some of that money back, and the best way to ensure that is to have the best travel insurance you can afford. It is not that expensive to get, and yet it can save you a lot of money in the long run, so it’s something to think about.

Plan Ahead

Finally, remember that this is not going to be here forever, and there will come a time when you can travel again as you please. In order to do that, however, it is going to help if you make as many plans as you can, and don’t try to simply wing it. If you can plan it out, you are much more likely to travel at some point in the near future, and you should find that planning also helps you to get more excited about the whole prospect too. Before you know it, you could be traveling the world again.

Amazing Ideas to Embrace the New You This Year

 

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2021 is the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself and come up with new ideas to become a brand new you. There are so many factors that you need to keep in mind when you are looking to make the right choices, and you need to be doing as much as you can to work on embracing your new life. The past year has been tricky for a lot of people, and you can take positive steps to make the most of this right now.

There are a lot of ideas that play a part in helping you improve your life, and making the best possible changes to help you with this is so important. You are going to need to come up with some of the key ideas that are going to help you reinvent your life and become a new you, and these are some of the key ideas that will allow you to do this. 

Recalibrate Your Goals

You have a lot to keep in mind when you are trying to enhance your life, and there are so many things that you need to make the best of. Being able to recalibrate and refocus your goals is really important, and there are plenty of ways to achieve the big things you want in life. Of course, since the global pandemic, there has been a lot of soul searching. Many people are changing their approaches to life, as well as the goals they set for themselves. Come up with ideas that will help you to set definitive goals for the future, and this is something you need to be clear about as much as possible. 

Change Your Style

Changing and altering your style is definitely a great way of becoming a new you, and this is something that plays a massive part in this process. You have to work on doing what you can to make the right choices in terms of style and fashion statements, and there are plenty of different ways of being able to achieve this. For instance, you should check out a pre-owned luxury watch retailer to get some awesome accessories.  

Look After Your Mind

Being able to improve your mental well-being is one of the most important parts of reinventing yourself and embracing the new you. There are so many factors that you need to think about when you’re trying to improve your health and wellness. You are going to need to work on the best ways of achieving this, and you should make sure you work on being a happier and more positive person as much as possible. 

There are so many ideas that you’re going to need to work on in order to make the best of this right now. The new you is a person you’re going to be able to get to know well over the next year, and these are some of the key changes that will help you to adapt to this change. Make the most of these ideas and use them to help you become a newer and happier person as much as you possibly can.

Five Reasons A Dog Is Great For Your Wellbeing

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The past twelve months have been some of the challenging ones that most of us have gone through. They have left us all feeling a bit out of sorts, anxious, and worried a lot of the time. This is why it has been more important than ever to take a look at our mental wellbeing and ensure that we are keeping our mindfulness in check. There are many activities you can do to help aid in your wellbeing and one of those is to get a dog. If you have one already, you are probably reaping the benefits they bring, but if you don’t, they could be a great addition to your family. 

It is important to remember that a dog is a lifelong commitment and not something that you should get on a whim. They are something you will have in your family for many years to come and will need to ensure that they will be well cared for and looked after. In the same way that you will show them love and affection, they will do the same back to you and quickly become an integrated member of your family. You could either buy a puppy from a breeder (ensuring it is trusted and legitimate) or rescue one from a rescue center. It is up to you to do the research and find the type of dog that is best for you. If you are a young professional working from home, you will be better with a more active dog that needs lots of exercise, attention, and training (like a puppy) for example, whereas if you are not at home the whole day or aren’t as active, an older or smaller dog is better for you.

One type of dog which is great for families includes silver lab dogs as they are both intelligent and calm in temperament. As mentioned above, just be sure to do thorough research into a type of dog before you get one. Once you add a furry friend to your family you will find that the benefits are endless. Here are five reasons that a dog is great for your wellbeing.

They encourage you to do exercise

There isn't a set limit to how long you should walk your dog in a day, but the average amount to benefit them is between half an hour and two hours per day. Some people tend to split this up into different short walks (in the evening and morning for example), while others like to do one big walk in the middle of the day. There is no perfect formula, as long as they are getting enough exercise. When you are taking them on this walk, it is also giving you exercise. Considering us humans should be doing an hour of exercise a day to benefit both our mental and physical health, this is the perfect way to get this in. With a real motivation to exercise, you will find you don’t skip out on it as you might the gym.

They provide companionship

Being in lockdown, or living alone, can be detrimental to your mental health and you can find yourself feeling very lonely. It gives you another living thing to interact with, do activities with, play with, and look after. This sense of purpose and the fact that you are wanted and needed is very beneficial for your wellbeing. You will have something to tell little stories to at the end of the day (even if they don’t understand what you are saying!) and a lot of dogs have been found to be able to read human emotions. They can sit with you if you are sad or lonely and act as a guard dog if you are home alone, giving a sense of security. There is also nothing more heartwarming than walking into your home after being out and having a happy, tail-wagging dog there to greet you. It can instantly lift your mood even if you have had a bad day and really be beneficial for your wellbeing.

They can add structure and routine to your day 

Without a routine in your day, which is something a lot of us have suffered with this year, you can feel a bit useless and like there’s no purpose to your day. Having to care for a dog ensures that you have a routine, have to get up at a certain time of day, feed them and take them on walks. It means that you can’t just stay in bed and mope all day as you have something there that relies on you and you need to take charge of. As said above, in this routine they will also get you out and in the fresh air - even when you don’t feel like it in the slightest. By having this routine to focus on, it will also give you a sense of security; humans are creatures of habit. Having a consistent routine for your dog will also strengthen the bond between you. It will help to build trust and love between you and you will find it doesn't take long for them to be waking you up at the right time in the morning and let you know it is time for them to be fed!

They can reduce your anxiety

One of the best things about dogs is that they can help to reduce your anxiety. A lot of anxiety can be stemmed from worry about things that happened in the past, or that are due to happen in the future (such as a job interview). Dogs, however, live in the present moment and don't worry about these things. This can help you to become more mindful of living in the present and appreciate what you have or are doing at that exact moment in time. Also, they have the power of touch. It has been found that simply by sitting with, stroking, or playing with your dog you can feel much calmer and alleviate your feelings of anxiety. 

They can help you to meet new people

As you become an adult, meeting new people and making new friends is a lot harder than it used to be. You aren’t placed into situations such as school or college where you are forced to make a group of friends and meet like-minded people. Particularly true in a time where we work from home and don’t even get to meet all our colleagues, making friends has never been more difficult. Having a dog is a great conversation starter - particularly as dogs will just go up to each other in a park or on a walk, making you see and often talk to their owners. Dog owners also tend to all get into a routine so if you see someone on a walk, you will probably see them every day around the same time. A friendly wave of recognition could soon lead to a conversation and even a friendship.

These are just a few reasons that a dog is great for your mental and physical wellbeing. Just remember to do the above and really research how a dog will fit into your life. Think of the type of dog that is best for you and your lifestyle and ensure you will have the time and resources to take care of it properly. If you aren’t going to be in for long periods of time in the day, assess if it is good for you and think about getting a dog sitter.

How to Stay Calm After Your Child Is Hurt

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Any parent knows how stressful it can be when their child hurts themselves. Whether this happens at home or when spending time outdoors, it is never something you are prepared for, even if you have a feeling that something will go wrong soon. When something does go wrong, many parents' immediate response is to panic. But, this isn’t the best approach. If your child sees you panic, they will panic, too. Instead, it’s essential to stay calm, and here is how you can do that. 

Don’t Just Stand There 

After seeing your child hurt themselves, you can easily go into a state of minor shock. You don’t know what to do, and you may just stand there. However, this can cause several problems. For one, your child won’t get the immediate help that they need. Furthermore, you might find that you shut down, and this will make you feel worse than you already do. So, even if you only go over to check on them, make sure you do something to help put yourself and your child at ease. 

Identify The Problem 

It’s easy to fear the worst when your child gets hurt. You worry about broken bones and large cuts with plenty of blood. However, this is not always certain, and the sooner you identify the problem, the calmer you will be. After your child gets hurt, get to them as soon as possible to see what is wrong. This will give you a chance to analyze the problem and determine if it is just a small cut or if you need to seek medical attention. 

Have a Plan 

All parents should have a plan for when their child gets hurt. Hopefully, you never need to use this plan, but it’s still useful to have. You should know how to administer First Aid if required, and also how to get to the closest doctor. Parents might also want to get in touch with a team of expert personal injury attorneys who can offer advice, especially if the injury occurred at the playground or somewhere that you deem unsafe for kids so that it doesn’t happen to others. 

Find Ways to Distract Them 

Your child is likely to cry after getting injured, and this can increase your stress levels, making it impossible to stay calm. To avoid this, you must find ways to distract them while you take care of them. You can do this by playing a game with them, such as I Spy, or you can ask them questions to take their mind off the pain. Getting them talking about something completely different should distract them enough that you can clean the wound and apply bandages. When you’re finished, you can go home, or you can let them get back to playing with their friends. 

Staying Calm 

Everyone knows how difficult it can be to stay calm in an emergency, but staying calm is crucial if you want to get through the initial shock and make progress to help your child. While you may be freaking out on the inside, you must still present an aura of calm to help them feel better.

4 Tips to Throw Your Child a Birthday Party They Won't Forget

 

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When you’re a child, your birthday is a monumental occasion. It’s a chance to receive all the presents you could want and get all your friends together for fun games and delicious food. And birthdays only come round once a year, so it’s an extra special occasion worth pushing the boat out for.

Birthday parties come in all shapes and sizes. You could have one at home, in a fast-food restaurant, soft play area, or an entertainment venue. They could be large or small, themed, or casual. Nevertheless, there are a few key ingredients that are essential to throwing the perfect party.

If you want to throw your child a birthday party they won’t forget this year, here are four key steps you need to think about.

The guest list

Who will be coming to your child’s party? You might not think the guest list is hugely important, but it could make or break your child’s enjoyment. Children’s loyalties and friendships change all the time, and you don’t want to inadvertently invite their worst enemy or forget their new best friend. Even if your party is a surprise, you should talk to your child and find out who their close friends are and get an idea who to invite along. If you’re really unsure, you could play it safe by inviting everyone in their class at school.

The theme

Not every party needs a theme, but for young children, it will make the event a lot more exciting and memorable. You can theme a party on anything you choose, so it makes sense to pick the one thing your child is more passionate about than anything else. It might be superheroes, unicorns, Disney princesses, or Fortnite. Whatever it is, this should manifest itself in all aspects of the party from the fancy dress outfits to the food to the games they play. As a word of warning, if it is a mixed-gender party you should be careful not to exclude people and have something for everyone. A nine-year-old boy might not be too excited about attending a princess party, but if you opt for a general Disney theme, they could come dressed as Aladdin, Mufasa, or Buzz Lightyear.

The entertainment

Kids are notorious for getting bored easily, so you will need to plan some entertainment to keep them occupied. Games are an essential part of any birthday party so make sure you have something planned. If your party revolves around an activity like bowling or ice skating you have your bases covered, but you might still wish to come up with a few quick and easy games like Pass the Parcel to fill those gaps in the party. If you’re throwing your party in your backyard it’s a good idea to invest in some outdoor games such as Cornhole Worldwide or Giant Jenga.

The food

With a herd of excited children running around, food is essential to keep their energy levels up. Many children are very picky, so make sure you have a wide variety of options available. You could even plan ahead by getting them to pick their food from a menu in advance. Make sure you cater to specific dietary requirements and prepare something for the adults too.