Yes, there is such a thing as World Laughter Day. It is celebrated worldwide on the first Sunday of May every year. It was created by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1998 in Mumbai, India.
Dr.Madam Kataria founded the Yoga Laughter Movement. The idea to bring positivity, peace and unity across the globe, to connect with each other through laughter. Did you realise there are thousands of laughter clubs across 105 countries?
How awesome is this guy? Creating such an awesome day and spreading the love of laughter to so many people.
There’s so much sadness in the world, so to focus on laughter can bring so much joy to us. Laughing your way through problems can be the easiest way to overcome them. Joining others on their laughter mission could be just what you need. Yes, this can be easier said than done, but Dr. Madan Kataria has created tools you can use that will help.
In my research, of this awesome day, I found his online laughter university … I encourage you to take a look.
Imagine being surrounded by people who are happy. I understand that laughter or a smile doesn’t always mean happiness, but even faking it can make you feel better. Faking it until you feel it within. You will eventually feel that happiness and joy.
You can read my previous post on Laughter, participate in the therapeutic writing exercise and task. Find something to laugh about and spread this love to everyone.
This month I’ve added 10 downloadable funny and quirky quotes to my online shop. You can spread the joy throughout your home or workplace; a little reminder that laughter is so important.
The following prints come in a package for £9.99, which is less than £1 per print. You can print, frame for your home or as gifts for friends.
So it’s spring and that seems to come along with a term called ‘cleaning’ …
Yes, the time of year for, apparently, de-cluttering …
Here’s the thing with cleaning at any time of the year, I know it’s good for the soul, I know it feels amazing AFTER, but I’m one of those women who doesn’t actually enjoy the ‘actual cleaning’.
I love this quote by Nancy Mitford:
“I think housework is far more tiring and frightening than hunting is, no comparison, and yet after hunting, we had eggs for tea and were made to rest for hours, but after housework people expect one to go on just as if nothing special had happened.”
Housework is one of those things I want the whole family to notice. I have friends who get such joy from cleaning … I wish I was like them … but I don’t think anything could ever make me LOVE cleaning! It’s something that HAS to be done.
Plus, when you have children it’s one of those things that never seems to end! I like to work on projects and tick them off my list knowing I’ve met a deadline. Cleaning doesn’t work like that when you have children …
You can spend a full day cleaning and the next day the house looks as if it’s been burgled. I’m a believer that life is precious and time is of the essence. However, all that aside, cleaning is kind of a must, unless you’re happy to wallow around in dust and dirt …
On a serious note though, research shows that cleaning can make us happy! I’m going with the after-effect of cleaning can make us happy, because I do not clean my toilets and feel happiness.
But having a complete clear-out can be very soothing for the soul. That’s why spring cleaning has become a tradition. It’s a chance to clear out the winter clothes etc. It’s a time to get ready for brighter weather, clearer nights and longer days … it’s thought we become a lot more active when the sunnier weather arrives.
So, I’ve admitted defeat and I have spring cleaned … I know … I was hoping the fairies would do it, but it didn’t happen, I got stuck in … lots of things went to the tip, lots of things went to charity and lots of things went in cupboards (because you just don’t know when they’ll be needed).
For those like me, who don’t find joy in the actual cleaning process, but LOVE the feeling after, I’ve put together a few tips for you …
THINK LONG-TERM
Think of cleaning as a job, a project … it will come to an end and you will feel empowered after. You will experience a kind of peace with yourself. Focus on this calming and peaceful feeling. Even if it lasts for a day!
PUT MUSIC OR AN AUDIOBOOK ON
This is a must for me; headphones in and listening to my latest book. I use audible from Amazon, which is fab. But if you’re a music lover, stick on your favourite tunes and dance your way around the dust.
ONE ROOM AT A TIME
I always think if you start from the top first and work your way down through the house. By eliminating rooms as you go, you’ll feel like you’re achieving something rather than flitting between different rooms and feeling like you’re not getting anywhere. Once you can close the door to one room, it will encourage you to keep going.
TAKE YOUR TIME
I love deadlines. I like things to be complete within a certain timeframe so I can move onto the next thing. That’s just the way I work, it helps me achieve important tasks. However, if you rush the cleaning process, you may not feel at peace when you finished. To do a thorough spring-clean could take a few days, a week or longer, (Try not to make the process too long, because you’ll be a full year in and back to spring cleaning again, plus the aim is to feel fresh and finished). However, life can’t stop because we are de-cluttering, so there will still be work commitments, school-runs, family duties etc. But don’t give up. Set yourself a realistic target and aim towards that.
REWARD YOURSELF
Ooohhhh …. my favourite tip! I’m a believer in rewarding my children for good behaviour, but I also believe this should extend to adults. If we’ve achieved a goal we should reward ourselves. It makes life lots more interesting. Your reward could be a glass of fizz or a new outfit (to fill up the space you’ve emptied in your clear-out!) Whatever you decide, indulge yourself … remember this reward as you work through each room.
Hopefully, the above tips will help. Admittedly it does feel lovely after the cleaning process is complete … until my girls decide to start on a creative project and the mess starts AGAIN!
This is the month to celebrate spring-time … so going with our printables theme this year, I’ve created some prints that will hopefully give you a spring in your step, or bring fun to your home.
You can see both sets of print packages below and as always purchase, download and print for your own home from my online shop.
We celebrate International Women’s Day on the 8th March.
This historical day began in the early 1900s when it was a great time for radical changes. It all began when 15,000 women came together and marched through the streets of New York demanding better hours, better pay and voting rights
You’ll have read about the suffragette movement, and how founder Emmeline Pankhurst was jailed at least ten times for speaking out about women’s rights. This movement caused women to not only be jailed but killed.
Some will say we still have a way to go, and I haven’t written this post to get into any political debate. I have written it though to express gratitude to all women. Yes, all women.
I love this quote by Angela Anagnost-Repke (Writer)
Dear Daughter, I hope that you are happy for other women’s victories and not jealous, are never afraid to be alone, don’t care about the size of the ring on your finger, can inhale a cheeseburger on the first date and always pull another woman up when she’s down.’
There have been some amazing women who have given everything to push for equality. They have overcome dire challenges, they have fought, they have continued to pursue their dream and goals. Women who strive forward with such passion, conviction and belief in themselves. Such women have paved the way for other women.
It’s our duty as women, to encourage, support and celebrate other women.
On this note, this month’s downloadable printables include quotes from many amazing women.
There’s an overview below of the prints that are available from the above women. See if any of these packages would inspire you if they were in your home or office. Or even print and frame for a loved one, who may need support and encouragement.
Personally, I think every single day should be about love!
Every single day should start with gratitude, appreciation and knowing that if you come from a place of love, not much negativity can touch you.
This isn’t about having ‘the love of your life’, this about love for yourself and for others.
I may now be going into a slight loving rant about ‘love is the only way to look at the world and how your perspective will change when you come from a place of love …’ but I’m sure if you read my posts, you’ll already know this.
In this month’s blog post, I thought it only fair to share the love with your loved ones. On the 14th February, people go all out to show their other half how much they mean to them, but sometimes the simplest, but most thoughtful, gifts can be the gem that catches their heart.
You can see the following designs on my online shop; purchase, download, print and frame.
10 PRINTS FOR ONLY £4.99 IN 2 DIFFERENT SIZES; 8X10 & 4X6 … YOU CAN USE THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN
Show your other half how much they set your soul on fire.
It’s January, the beginning of a New Year, we’re all fired up to achieve our resolutions, we know we’re going to make this ‘THE BEST YEAR EVER!’
We usually get New Year’s Day out of the way …
Day 2: We are on it!
Day 3 – We did well yesterday, we’ve got this!
Day 4 – This could be harder than we thought!
Day 5 – We give-up maybe next year …
The above may seem extreme, but most of us have been there. Many of us have had good intentions and not even reached day 2, let alone day 5.
I’m of the opinion that it doesn’t matter what day it is, you’ll know when you are ready to make a change. Even when you’re ready, the first few days can feel empowering … and we can start to lose our motivation, or belief, because things are not happening as fast as we would like them too.
If you read my blog or my writings, you’ll know one of my mantras is:
‘small steps count’
There’s a saying: ‘If this was your last day, what would you do today?’
Well, my answer to that is: ‘Take my daughters out of school, drive to hills, drink champagne and have a picnic!’
Now let’s be honest, if I lived every day like it was my last, I’d be an alcoholic and the social services would be making enquiries …
So, on a serious note, I get the meaning behind this quote … but it’s more realistic to ask yourself this question:
‘If I was to die tomorrow, what would I regret NOT doing?’
They’ll be things you want to achieve in your life, and today is the day to think about these things and start putting some plans in place.
If you read my blog, you’ll know I’m obsessed with therapeutic writing. Brainstorming is somewhat the same, you are releasing your thoughts onto paper. Once you do this, think about a plan and a strategy that will help you achieve your goal.
Now here’s the hardest part: putting that plan in place and sticking to it. Every day is important, every day is a new day. Every day is a chance to start again and stay focused. Don’t worry if you have a wobbly day, don’t continue down that spiral, pick yourself up and start again the next day.
One of my favourite quotes is from Zig Ziglar:
‘People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily’
It’s important to keep yourself motivated daily to ensure your goals will be achieved.
Another of my own mantras is:
‘Positive messages throughout the day, help to keep the negative thoughts away’
Surrounding yourself with positive quotes, messages and affirmations are a wonderful way to keep motivated.
They will help you believe in yourself, focus and work hard towards your dream.
How often do you stop to take in your wonderful life? How often do you make a conscious effort to stop what you are doing and take stock of your life? Do you feel too busy and too tired? Can you see the beauty or only the barriers?
In life, there is only one guarantee … it will eventually end! As morbid as that sounds, as much as I believe in past-lives and our souls journeying through many lifetimes, this particular lifetime will come to an end at some point. Hopefully, it’s a long way off, however, what are doing to cherish the moments in this lifetime? Are you on the treadmill of life? Just letting the days pass you by?
Here are 5 signs you are zooming through life …
1.You don’t have time for family or friends– you make excuses not to see people because you feel as if your schedule is already hectic.
2. You feel as if your free-time doesn’t exist – you don’t feel as if you have a minute to yourself and when you do, you’re far too tired to do anything.
3. You don’t seem to have the motivation to do things – if you’re overtired or overwhelmed by your to-do list it can be hard to motivate yourself to do other things.
4. Every day is a blur and you can’t wait for Friday – if you’re going through the motions of a 9-5 job, hanging onto your weekends, this is a sure sign that you’re simply existing rather than living.
5. You have nothing to look forward too – this doesn’t have to be a holiday or time away, it could be an evening with friends, a night at the cinema … if you have nothing to look forward to, get something booked in your diary.
All the above link in together, you are wading through each day, waiting for it to end. But you’re too busy to stop doing what needs to be done, you’re lacking the energy to make the changes. Now, if you’re on, what I call, ‘the treadmill of life’, it’s time to make some changes.
You may need some drastic changes; such as a change of lifestyle. This could be a change of job or a healthy change to your routine. Joining a gym or a club. If you feel you need a complete change, think about the things that would make you happy.
I love this question: What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
If you want big changes in your life sometimes we have to put small steps in place to make this happen. We often don’t make those changes because we can’t see the woods for the trees. Start writing a plan and brainstorm some ideas.
Ask yourself: What can I do today to start making changes?
However, you may not need the changes to be so drastic. You may just feel the mundane routine of life is passing you by. You may feel the excitement is just not there. You can put small things into place such as meeting with friends. Organise a night at the cinema or at the local quiz night. Do something with people who make you laugh. This will soon give you something to look forward to. Start filling your diary up with events. Not so much that you stress yourself out, but even if it’s once a month, even better if you can commit to once a week, but even arranging the first event is a step forward. Once you surround yourself with people whose company you enjoy, you will want to make more time to be with them.
Life is too short to be getting up every morning, getting on life’s treadmill and not getting off until it’s time for bed.
Make the changes, make something happen … push yourself to slow down and enjoy the ride.
Often we let our heads rule over our hearts. We analysis situations, we judge, we criticise … we overthink.
Once you become more aligned with your spiritual being you will find it easier to follow your heart. Imagine your heart is coming from a place of love, passion & purpose and then imagine your head is coming from a place of fear.
This is a dramatic way to look at life and I understand that it really isn’t that simple, however, if you can simplify it then you’ll see how your life is meant to be full of love. Imagine coming from a place of love and light. Imagine following your heart and knowing that everything will fall into place. By listening to your fear, you are listening to what is known as the ego.
Once you learn to listen to your heart, come from only a place of love, you will feel so fulfilled that your ego won’t be able to push you away from the things you love.
Remember to surround yourself with positivity to keep the negative thoughts away.
Often we think with our heads, we over-analyse, we judge, we criticise and we don’t come from a place of love. So to remind yourself to come from a place of love, surround yourself with positivity. There are plenty of other quotes on my shop to help keep these loving thoughts at the forefront of your mind.
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radical changes. It all began when 15,000 women came together and marched through the streets of New York demanding better hours, better pay and voting rights
