curiosity

Cat comfort

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

I often write on my blog about pet bereavement but today I would like to promote the value of owning and loving a pet. Cats and dogs provide great friendship, unconditional love and often bring a sense of calm into a family unit. I know my own feline friends always sense when I am either upset or unwell. It is proven statistically that owning and stroking a pet helps lower blood pressure and they are great companions for the elderly especially those that live on their own.

There have been many books written about the magical relationships cats have brought to residential home residents. Indeed when inspecting and viewing a series of homes for the elderly recently, I was very taken with one small unit which had its own resident moggy.

Additionally, those people that have dogs and walk them not only keep their pets healthy, get regular exercise themselves but also maintain contact with their local community which increases their wellbeing.

Cat and dog homes are often full to bursting and giving a home to an unwanted animal can bring great joy into their new owner’s life. Let’s not forget the great work all the working dogs do in helping those with disabilities often giving back independence.

 

Changing times

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Today I discussed with a colleague how times had changed within education. We spoke about how previously teachers could hit children with a cane, throw black board rubbers at their heads and even wash their mouths out with soap for swearing.The latter I witnessed myself… I kid you not!

Thankfully we have come a long way and teachers are better behaved and hopefully so are the children. My colleague was in her 80’s and interested to learn about safeguarding and how staff are not meant to be ‘touching’ children -and those of us who have had safeguarding training know that even when administering first aid one has to be mindful and only act appropriately.

Equally teachers are now coping with far more stress factors than in our day at school aside of  league tables; drugs, self-harming and of course cyber-bullying not all changes are for the better and life is not easy for our teenagers. The opportunities are vast but the pressures are too.

The main advice is to keep an open communication line and take an active interest in one’s children not just their friendship groups but their well-being too. Parenting the most rewarding yet difficult assignment you will ever be given.

The Little Book of Kisses

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My kindle book about kissing…yes that’s right kissing will be available from Amazon by the 15th of January..a month before Valentine’s  and an ideal gift to make a loved one smile and who know’s maybe encourage a bit more kissing. Contents include: revealing the many secrets and advantages of kissing, butterfly kisses and  burning off calories.

Published by Credo Publishing written by Dolly Christmas a little taster follows:-

‘Maybe I am just an incurable romantic but there’s nothing more exciting than those first tender and/or passionate kisses in a new relationship. Coupled with the idea that he/she may ‘be the one’ there is often a fear of the unknown; can they kiss you the way you like to be kissed, want to be kissed or even let’s face it more importantly how you deserve to be kissed.’

‘The Little Book of Kisses’…coming soon.

Making the most of opportunities

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January is often a time for reflecting the past year and re-examining what has worked and what appears to have been a struggle both in work and personal life. For those fellow self-employed followers, this month often is used for focused marketing activities and getting to grips with new projects and meeting new clients.

How ever, you have spent the first week of 2017 ensure you make the best of any networking opportunities and spend time with positive colleagues that inspire rather than hold you back.

Having focused my time and attention to being a mature student the past couple of years I am now spending time on some of my neglected writing projects. I am gently reminding my writing colleagues that sometimes the timing isn’t right..but now perhaps it is. So dust off those manuscripts (word docs) and either start chasing publishers or have a stab at self-publishing.

 

 

Where is your heaven?

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I remain sitting on the fence as to whether or not there is a heaven. I know my mother believed there was such a place but reminded us to make our own heaven here on earth…sound advice.

After a long day of paperwork and ruthlessly clearing out lots of home office ‘stuff’. paperless society?? Not in my home.  I treated myself to a relax and came across a beautiful film on Netflix. ‘Heaven is for real’. Based on a true story of a young boy who not only had a near death experience but felt he had visited heaven.

Fot those of my followers who are fighting their chocolate addiction..that is not Thorntons or Hotel Chocoate either!

When working through a spiritual healing course I read many an emotive book on similar subjects and if your faith leads you to the conclusion that heaven does exist all well and good.

For today I am concentrating on organising my life here on earth and living it as positively and lovingly as I can.

OUR PERSONAL DREAMS

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The dreams we have are so important to us even if at times we shelve them as life gets in the way of our personal ambitions..but they will come back to haunt us and remind us not to give up on them.

A few quotes to treasure:-

‘But I, being poor, have only my dreams, I have spread my dreams under your feet, tread softly because you tread on my dreams.’

W B Yeats.

‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’

Eleanor Roosevelt

It’s never too late to follow your dreams…

 

 

A tidier start to 2017

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I always have a bit of a tidy up and de-clutter at the end of the year/beginning a new one but have to confess boy am I in need of it this time round!

Whilst spending my time gaining various qualifications as a mature student and researching and writing my various projects I have allowed the home office to become a sea of files and oh so useful papers.

A family member, an estate agent, stayed over xmas and suggested a de-clutter was called for. He advised me that my ‘homely’ look was in fact just untidy! So in readiness of filling all the storage boxes I have ordered I started a bit of rationalising it all today and found a book on de-cluttering under a pile of stuff! Now that one could not make up..but it certainly made my best buddy and life coach pal laugh.

Magazines are always full of tips to de-clutter and organise our lives at the strat of a new year and we all start off with good intentions..this year I am going to apply the NLP techniques I know on myself and streamline.

It doesn’t come easy to me with an approach of ‘handy if you never use it’ and I know I am not alone as a child of parents from the second world war and the time of rationing that we have a tendancy to hoard things.

It seems many of us have far too many things and not enough storage so something has to give. But I just can’t part with books, even with my own books published on Kindle one can’t beat a real book…the older the better.

True reflection of society

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I know that many of the writers for soaps will feel justified in their story lines as being a true reflection of today’s society…if this is the case for last night’s Eastenders then things have become very dark. In just one episode we saw attempted suicide, self-harming and drug abuse. Sadly these are all things which many people  are struggling to control.

I often write about suicide on my blog especially in young men which is where the large proportion of stats lay. I am not therefore criticising the soap writers but all credit to them for being brave enough to tackle these issues albeit it sad viewing.

I am a great advocate in awareness of any type rather than for the troubles facing the young remaining taboo.We ignore them at our own peril.

However, I would like to see our young feeling happier about their life and  focusing on the opportunities that present themselves rather than being dragged down by what they may feel are their failings..more often than not people in depression just need to talk and feel heard.

My blog message today is cherish those around you and if a family member needs help then encourage them to get it, don’t leave them struggling. Life is good but sometimes in the rush of life we just get lost along the way and simply forget.

I wish all my fellow bloggers and followers a very healthy and happy new year and if financial rewards come too all well and good.

For those who have had a difficult 2016 I say go all out in 2017, follow your dreams and kick some butt! Have fun and remember laughing is as good as a tonic and for those that like the occasional Gin add in a measure of that too!

 

 

Collateral Beauty

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Yesterday I went to see ‘Collateral Beauty’ what a beautiful film and Will Smith’s portrayal of a grieving father was amazing and so emotive.

For anybody that has lost somebody dear, especially a child, will resonate with this movie. For those who are really struggling in coming to terms with the loss of a loved one the film’s message to remember the ‘collateral beauty’ is sound advice. We are all much more than we appear, we touch people’s lives in so many ways and that love and our memories continue to keep our loved ones alive in our hearts and minds.

It is never a case of getting over a loss more attempting to come to terms and accept and that takes as long as it takes and everybody’s journey is different.

If you know anybody that has lost somebody this year remember them at this time of the year as they face various anniversaries and days where pressure to be happy is nearon impossible.Behind the painted smile…

Love and appreciate those you hold dear now whilst they are around and most of all forgive and be grateful.