The Art of Abundant Living: Rules for a Fulfilling Life

The Art of Abundant Living: Rules for a Fulfilling Life

Thursday 28 December 2023

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Living an abundant life goes beyond material wealth; it encompasses a holistic approach to well-being, fulfillment, and joy. In this blog post, we will explore the rules for abundant living that extend beyond the conventional and dive into the essence of a truly rich and rewarding existence.

1. Cultivate a Gratitude Mindset:

Abundance starts with gratitude. Make a conscious effort to appreciate the small joys, the people around you, and the experiences that shape your life. A gratitude mindset shifts your focus from what you lack to what you have, creating a positive and abundant outlook.

2. Embrace the Power of Positivity:

Positivity is a powerful force that attracts abundance. Choose optimism in the face of challenges, surround yourself with positive influences, and cultivate a mindset that sees opportunities in every situation. Positive thinking is not just a mindset; it's a magnet for abundance.

3. Live with Purpose:

Abundant living is intrinsically tied to a sense of purpose. Identify your passions, set meaningful goals, and align your actions with your values. Living with purpose not only adds depth and fulfillment to your life but also attracts opportunities that resonate with your aspirations.

4. Nurture Healthy Relationships:

The richness of life is often measured by the quality of relationships we cultivate. Surround yourself with people who uplift, support, and inspire you. Invest time and energy in nurturing meaningful connections that contribute to your personal growth and well-being.

5. Practice Mindfulness and Presence:

Abundant living is rooted in the present moment. Practice mindfulness to fully engage with and appreciate the experiences unfolding in the now. Be present in your interactions, savor the beauty around you, and let go of distractions that pull you away from the richness of the present.

6. Seek Continuous Learning:

An abundant life is one that values growth and learning. Stay curious, seek knowledge, and embrace new experiences. The journey of continuous learning not only expands your horizons but also opens doors to opportunities you may not have imagined.

7. Give Generously:

Generosity is a cornerstone of abundant living. Whether it's through acts of kindness, sharing your time, or contributing to causes you believe in, giving generously creates a positive cycle of abundance. The more you give, the more you receive in unexpected and fulfilling ways.

8. Prioritize Self-Care:

True abundance includes taking care of yourself holistically. Prioritize self-care in terms of physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Make time for activities that rejuvenate your spirit, whether it's exercising, reading, or simply enjoying moments of solitude.

9. Celebrate Achievements, Big and Small:

Acknowledge and celebrate your victories, no matter how small. Recognizing your achievements, both personally and professionally, reinforces a sense of accomplishment and abundance. It's a reminder of your capabilities and the potential for even greater successes.

10. Live Authentically:

Abundant living is synonymous with authenticity. Be true to yourself, follow your heart, and align your actions with your core values. Living authentically brings a deep sense of fulfillment and attracts experiences that resonate with your genuine self.

Abundant living is a journey guided by these rules that transcend material wealth. By embracing gratitude, positivity, purpose, and meaningful connections, you pave the way for a life rich in experiences, personal growth, and fulfillment. As you incorporate these rules into your daily life, watch how the universe responds with an abundance that goes beyond what you may have envisioned.

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Spring Essential Vitamins - the 5 must haves to improve overall health this season

Spring Essential Vitamins - the 5 must haves to improve overall health this season

Tuesday 2 May 2023

London, UK

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Spring is a season of renewal and rejuvenation, and it's a great time to focus on your health and well-being. One way to do this is by ensuring that you're getting the essential vitamins that your body needs to function properly. Here are some of the spring essential vitamins that you should consider taking to improve your overall health this season:

1. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect your cells from damage and improve your immune system function. It's also essential for collagen production, which is important for healthy skin, hair, and nails. You can get vitamin C from citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, and broccoli, or by taking a vitamin C supplement.

2. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for bone health, as it helps your body to absorb calcium. It's also been shown to improve immune function and reduce inflammation. While you can get vitamin D from sunlight, it's often difficult to get enough, especially in the spring when the sun is still weak. Consider taking a vitamin D supplement to ensure that you're getting enough.

3. B Vitamins

The B vitamins, including B12, B6, and folate, are important for energy production, brain function, and red blood cell formation. They're found in a variety of foods, including meat, fish, eggs, and leafy greens. If you're not getting enough B vitamins from your diet, consider taking a B-complex supplement.

4. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect your cells from damage and reduce inflammation. It's also important for healthy skin and hair. You can get vitamin E from nuts, seeds, and leafy greens, or by taking a vitamin E supplement.

5. Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for healthy vision, immune function, and skin health. It's found in animal products like liver and eggs, as well as in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. You can also take a vitamin A supplement if you're not getting enough from your diet.

In conclusion, taking these spring essential vitamins can help you improve your overall health this season. Remember to get plenty of vitamins and minerals from a balanced diet, but also consider taking supplements to fill any gaps in your nutrition. As always, consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.

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How to lose weight with 6 easy rules in a healthy and sustainable way: no need of personal trainers or expensive gym memberships

How to lose weight with 6 easy rules in a healthy and sustainable way: no need of personal trainers or expensive gym memberships

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Losing weight is a common goal for many people, but it can be challenging to achieve. There are so many conflicting diet and exercise programs out there that it's hard to know what really works. The good news is that you don't need to spend a fortune on personal trainers or gym memberships to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Focus on your diet

The most important aspect of weight loss is your diet. You need to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn. This can be achieved by reducing your portion sizes, choosing healthier foods, and cutting back on sugary and processed foods. A diet high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats can also help you feel fuller for longer, reducing the temptation to overeat.

2. Move more

While exercise isn't essential for weight loss, it can help you burn more calories and improve your overall health. You don't need a gym membership or fancy equipment to get moving. Simply going for a walk or jog, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or doing bodyweight exercises at home can all contribute to your calorie burn.

3. Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is crucial for weight loss. When you're sleep-deprived, your body produces more hunger hormones, making it harder to resist unhealthy foods. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night to give your body the rest it needs to function at its best.

4. Practice mindful eating

Mindful eating involves paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues, and eating slowly and without distractions. This can help you avoid overeating and make healthier food choices. Try to eat without your phone, TV, or other distractions, and focus on enjoying your food and listening to your body.

5. Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water can help you feel fuller for longer and reduce your appetite. Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day, and try to limit sugary drinks and alcohol.

6. Be patient

Remember that sustainable weight loss takes time and patience. Don't expect to see results overnight, and don't get discouraged if you hit a plateau. Celebrate your progress along the way, and focus on creating healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

In conclusion, losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. By focusing on your diet, moving more, getting enough sleep, practicing mindful eating, staying hydrated, and being patient, you can achieve your weight loss goals without breaking the bank. Start small, make gradual changes, and watch as your body transforms over time.

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Investing vs Saving - How I chose to Invest in Stocks

Investing vs Saving - How I chose to Invest in Stocks

Friday 5 February 2021

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I think we live in very exciting times despite the countless obstacles and hurdles that present themselves. 

One particularly exciting area is the stock market and how it completely changed with recent years.

When I say - change, I mean the perspective of it from the younger generations. I believe the whole phenomenon started with the bum of life coaches and all sort of finance, independence, and stability books that basically made us evermore hungry for wealth and the idea that we must live now before we are too old.

The result- more younger people are discovering the benefits of investing in stocks and learning about the stock market.

There is a question that is circulating among a few on the matter of which is better: saving your money in a bank account with the minimum interest fees banks are offering or investing them in stocks and seeing results in a months time, which would usually take your bank saving account years to accumulate.

I only wished we learned this earlier in High school as it is such a life changer and can turn our lives around.

There really should be a class called: Smart Investing and Saving!

Unfortunately, this knowledge is only available to a few, a few that are interested or are specialising their degree around finance.

I personally heard of the potential benefits of investing from my partner and in no time found the results.

And as a complete beginner that is still earning and walking through my first baby steps in investing I will do my very best to show you through my eyes one of the basics of it all.

What is a stock? And what happens when you buy stocks?

The stock of a corporation is all of the shares into which ownership of the corporation is divided. In American English, the shares are collectively known as 'stock'. A single share of the stock represents fractional ownership of the corporation in proportion to the total number of shares.

Companies sell shares in their business to raise money. They then use that money for various initiatives: to fund new products, invest in growth, expand their operations or to pay off debt.

Investing in shares means buying and keeping them for a while in order to make money. If the company grows and becomes more valuable, the share is worth more - so your investment is worth more too. Some shares pay you part of the company's profits each year, called a dividend.

In summary, when you buy a stock, you're buying a fraction of a company, and that fraction may pay dividends and gain you voting rights ( only when you buy a significant amount of the company's shares)The patient investor will be rewarded, as the money is made by investing in good companies and holding on to them for a long period of time.

With all that said, you also need to know that some dividends only pay a few pennies depending on the amount you have invested. And the same goes for your profit from an investment. It all depends and varies considered the amount you have invested.

Suitable Platform

Next step after you have covered your research ( You can go as deeper as you would like as I have chosen only to cover a brief basic of the matter in this article- I will include helpful reading at the end of my post)

is to find a suitable platform that you are going to use for trading. I am currently using 212 TRADING INVEST as I find it easy and user friendly even for beginners like myself. A huge benefit to the platform is their TRAINER MODE OPTION. Meaning that you can log in the app and you have a virtual amount of money ( all fake for the sake of training) to practise on and use for investments in companies.

Research/choose the companies 

When you log into any of your chosen platforms ( I will talk about 212 Trading here as it is the only one I have used so far)  you will automatically see a list with companies. When you click on any of them it gives you a brief description of what they do, who runs the company, how many employees they have, their revenue and how much dividend they will pay.  You will also see their financial history and full income statement in a very user-friendly format.

Of course, you will be able to also track how their stocks are doing - if they are currently going up or down, and the same information back in tie to 1+ years, so you can make a good decision on whether or not this company is worth your investment and if there is a potential.

It is also important to acknowledge that more or less this an' I have a hunch thing' based on the provided info. Sometimes companies you never heard of before and are not doing really well can become extremely popular and their stock can jump super high, depending on the circumstances.

So really do your research and consider the news around you.

What is happening around the world at the minute?

Which companies are more spoken of? 

What is trending?

Technology that has the potential to boom in the feature?

Clean energy?

Healthy food?

And many more.... factors you can possibly think of.

It is a community

You can also join a forum or Twitter where there is a community that discusses stocks on a daily basis. This is a good way to get insights on different stocks and movements or trends or foresee events that are to come.

Make a list

Make a list of companies you think will perform well in the long run and gather as much information about them as you can. Then find if they actually have stocks and google the abbreviation of the company's name in the stock market. For example, Apple is under AAPL.

Price Alert & Watchlist

If you are not ready still and would like to monitor some of the companies you have chosen without buying stocks, you can simply add them to your watchlist on 212 Trading and set price alerts to keep track of them.

Look for cheaper stocks

As a beginner, you do not want to spend all of your money on something you do not quite yet understand. So while you are learning to start small and look for stocks that are cheaper. For example, to buy one share form Apple at the minute it costs £99.87 and this is only for one. This changes all the time and this price is taken from its current position on the stock market.

One stock from let's say Healthier Choices Management is £0.0016 which gives you, of course, the option to buy more shares from this company for less. And if for whatever reason this company's stocks hit and go up you can earn a lot of money!  With Apple as you already guessed it is a bit different, their stocks grow all the time steadily and this means the price to buy one is higher too.

It all depends on how the company is doing at the moment. 

Ideally, the best time to buy your stocks is when they are at their lowest so you can buy more shares for less money but in the same time, you want the company to have a potential to grow and so you can make a profit.

It is all very relative because it depends on the current positions and circumstances of the market.

For example, I have bought 8,000.00+ shares from Healthier Choices Management ( HCMC) for only £10 and if the company does really well this has the potential to bring me more than £10,000 in profit.

Calculate your profit 

Which brings me to the next important thing. Calculate how much you want to invest ( and you can do this every month) and then calculate how much your POTENTIAL profit could be. 

Fast or slow

There are at least two ways you can earn money trading. The first is to leave your investment and let it earn you dividends that grow every year and watch your money grow as the company grows. I call this slow trading ( I came up with this term, it is not an official terminology) 

The there way is as you guessed fast trading. What does this mean? 

Naturally, a stock will have its up and down movements ( even when in general the stock is going on an up direction) and when it is down it will show on your balance as minus and you will be on a loss when it goes up it shows as a plus and you are profiting. So what some people choose to do ( and for this you need to be on it from the time it opens till it closes) is to cash out their investment when they are on a plus- profiting and store the profit in their account, then buy it again when the stock of that company is down - on a minus which means buy it cheaper.

And some companies stock history and movements makes them perfect for this. A spiky up and down movement as shown in the photo below.

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How to easily do 10,000 steps a day

How to easily do 10,000 steps a day

Tuesday 2 February 2021

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I would like to help a few people at least do their 10,000 steps a day. I know it has been a very hot topic and scientists been debating on the actual benefits of walking 10k a day or rather just investing your energy in a short brisk walk in the park. 

Their argument is that it is extremely hard to hit that 10k mark.

Not only that but Michael Mosley stated in an article for the BBC called " Forget walking 10,000 steps a day" 

Read the article HERE 

Well, I have to say that I could not disagree more! It is true that you will get the benefits of brisk walking in the park for 10 min. But the benefits of walking longer and reaching 10,000 or at least aiming for this number are greater.

In another BBC article, yet was stated that as per research conducted on a few thousand woman, the longer you walk helps with longevity. And when I say the longer you walk I mean more than 5,000 steps- at least 7,500, but ideally really 10,000.

Read the article HERE 

This number doesn't not only helps your longevity but is essentially vital cardio that your heart needs.

So let's talk about the other benefits.

Below I have listed some of them for your reference.

The Benefits of walking 10,000 steps a day

boost your energy

aid relaxation and clear your mind

provide a sense of achievement and satisfaction

improve confidence and mood

help manage weight

promote healthier blood cholesterol and blood pressure

built stronger bones and muscles

reduce your risk of heart attack

All these sound good and worth enough for you to give it the effort?

I know the number by itself is scary enough and trust me I was intimidated too.

How I overcame my fear and just cracked at it for the sake of my health and mental wellbeing?

My main reason, I am not going to lie to you, was because I wanted to lose a few kilograms I gained over the lockdown. With less activity on a daily basis and eating out of boredom, I needed a goal, and my sister helped by giving me some of her workout secrets.

They were not so many secrets but a few helpful youtube tutorials, an app that tracks my calories and exercise so I stay motivated.  

Let's start with the app.

It is called LOSE IT! 

And I love it. I do not obsess about my calories but simply use it as a piece of general information.

I am not starving myself and have set up an achievable easy target to hit.

I suggest you consult your doctor and ask for a dietitian first if you have any underlying issues!

Again,  with any weight loss app out there, please do not obsess and use it as a piece of general information. Consider that any app on the market would not go into detail about your body type and would not be as precise as a personal dietitian.

Moving forward to the actual walking.

I started with getting myself a stepper ( eBay, Amazon, Argos- perfect places to get one).

It is a very good idea if you do not like walking or running in the rain.

So I use the stepper and do a 30 min aerobic stepper routine with the help of Youtube of course. 

I started with a beginner tutorial and I suggest you do too. I have never tried a stepper before and even if you are quite fit and exercise daily I would still recommend you go for a beginner to get the basic movements and tempo of the workout step routine.

Some days I would do 2 x 30 min stepper routines witch is 10,000 steps.

Other days I mix it with 30 min stepper routine + 30 min normal marching at-home tutorial for 30 min which is again 10,000 steps

And today for example I went for a walk in the nearest park for an hour ( time flew by though) which was 5,000 steps + 30 mins of the stepper routine and bam 10,000 steps

So with this in mind, you should not feel intimidated or scared. It is achievable and easily too. You only need to believe and have the persistence to stick with it.

We all brush our teeth every day and do other routine things, so I see no reason why you cannot incorporate this healthy routine should you want to of course. Nobody is forcing you.

I generally feel great after each workout, physically and mentally.

I hope you found this helpful and let me know in the comments below if you wish me to share some of my other workouts routines.

 

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How to keep your body and mind healthy during lockdown

How to keep your body and mind healthy during lockdown

Monday 25 January 2021

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While there is not a magical recipe or an elixir we can drink to achieve inner peace and get rid of all our worries and anxiety, there certainly is a way we can improve our state of mind and relax our senses.

You know what people say: 'The Little Things Matter'

And it is true!

You don't need to start with huge overwhelming efforts and pretend it is okay, then fail and blame yourself by making it even worse. 

The best thing to do is to start small but try your best to be consistent.

And if you have no idea what the heck this means and where should you start from..

Well, read below and I hope you get inspired and less scared in your abilities to do and create some good habits or just enjoy a bit better days.

1. Start your day on the healthy side.

A good promising day should start with some good fuel in your body. And what better energy than some vitamins and nutrients.

Even if it is an 8am or 9am r a 10am start ( listen to your body if you are not currently working)

you are going for, wait for a little for your body to wake up before having some breakfast.  

This way your metabolism will have the chance to flush out any remaining toxins from the night before, while you have your morning hot water with lemon, tea, or coffee ( preferably not the last one)

Breakfast wise, keep it light but nutritious, ideally something that will keep you full until lunch time.

Toast with some fruit or veg or a bowl of cereal are the easiest simple choice and you can play around with the options here a lot. Whether you go for the avocado and a fruit combo or the classic egg on toast, you just simply can not go wrong.

2. Finding a hobby you enjoy

We are all so different as characters and so are our interests. With that in mind, my suggestions below are merely scraping the top of a vast deep sea of possibilities you can dwell in, to keep your mind occupied and relaxed.

For example, I like blogging in my spare time and really enjoy writing about topics that interest me or I have had experience in, and think I can help people benefit from my articles. 

So, I like to write down ideas for blogs I can later explore, research, and expand into a beautiful creation here. The scented candles is always a plus as we humans react, even subconsciously, to scents. They tend to relax us and make us feel cozy.

Some people enjoy writing things in their diary and planning possible business adventures, or just sketching ideas and dreams for the future.

Or simply plan a bit the day ahead: like what groceries you would like to get, or maybe you want to cook something specific and you need ingredients.

Or perhaps you have bought an online course and you are broadening your horizons and knowledge.

I add a cup of tea to go with that activity as well. I recently gave up the habit of drinking coffee and switched to tea which I found was the best thing I could have done.

After the week of massive headache withdrawal symptoms and being moody at almost everything, I have discovered I do not need coffee! At all! My body found ( I do not know from where) the energy to wake up and get me through the day and that energy was better balanced and even throughout the day. 

Now, I know it is a trivial thing to say and you have read this everywhere, BUT I am confirming it is true.

Do not get me wrong, I love coffee and will still treat myself one or two cups a month, but the will power to stop cold turkey is amazing and definitely something to celebrate as an achievement.

So, this can be something you can do as well. Get rid of one unhealthy habit. 

And trust me when I say this: do it cold turkey style. Nothing else helps as for me it is just teasing and slow torture. 

Another piece of advice to help you with the transition: 

Whatever you choose to get rid of, find a replacement for it, preferably on the healthy side of the spectrum.

And when you do get creative. What I mean is this: I knew how much I love coffee and I had to make myself excited about tea, so I got a fancy tea mug and went to the shops on the search for special decaf teas.

To my surprise, these babies come in all different colours and cute packaging and as I am such a sucker for a good design, it wasn't long before I got a few kinds of goodies.

( Let me know in the comments if you would like me to write a post about a few tea brands and types really good for you)

Also, the walk to the shops provided e with some much-needed exercise and fresh air.

This brings me to the next little help:

3. Go for walks outside

Even the short walkies will be good for you. Why? Because they will get you out of the state of mind you are and refresh it with some new ideas or simply relax you a bit. You can go to the nearest shop or just put on your favorite sneakers and walk around the blocks of your neighborhood.

Or go get those ingredients for the recipe you were looking to cook for lunch or dinner. Remember? The one you wrote in the morning in your journal. This is an easy trick to make your day flow as naturally as possible and all the things you do touch/connect to each other somehow.

Another thing you can do is go for a walk, with a mission in mind. Maybe you want to get some flowers or fallen branches of trees you can re-plant. Or you perhaps would like to go to that park nearby you always wanted and explore a bit your area and discover new cute streets.

4. Cook something new

Introducing a new flavor and tastes to your diet is very beneficial for your brain and body.

Our Brain easily gets bored if we only eat one type of food for a prolonged period of time and this is one of the main reasons people reach out for unhealthy snacks or lose appetite.

Introducing a new taste is a way of intriguing ourself=ves and in particular, our taste buds and brain, which in return will make the satisfaction of the cooking process even bigger.

I mean who hasn't felt that pride after finishing a recipe and eating the tasty result of our own efforts?!

And the good thing here is that they are so many cooking books to provide you with some really healthy and tasty meals for the whole family.

Also, Nothing like the thought that you have just learned a new recipe and provided your body with much-needed nutrients and protein.

This of course includes sweets. What a better way to treat yourself but with home-baked muffins or a cake.

Another added benefit is: You will spend more time in the heart of your home- The kitchen.

Socialize with your family and discuss more delicious things you can all cook together.

You can even start a little ritual, like every Saturday one of you bakes something. Or perhaps a cooking competition as a game with a prize.

5. Keep it light

I am talking about food here and why is it so important not to overeat.

What happens to our body when we overeat? We get sleepy because all of our blood is taken to our tummies to help digest that massive meal we have just hoovered. In return, we might simply go to one of those dead naps from which you wake up and you have no idea what day, year, or century you are in currently. 

So how do we prevent this? I mean even if we have our good-sized healthy meals, we might still feel a bit more hungry in between meals. 

Well, the answer is the power snack- pack full of goodness! 

Fruit, toast with a little protein or protein homemade balls.

Or a selection platter of a few good bits you like. You can always turn it into a healthier version of a cheese platter and call it a snack platter. 

And when I say keep it light, I mean to keep it light. It is a snack and not a full meal replacement.

Especially if you are not moving around much ( which you should ) it is not a good idea to stuff yourself without providing an outer for all that energy. 

This is another reason why our sleep suffers and certain health conditions worsens- overating and lack of exercise.

6. Make it cozy

Creating a cozy little corner where you can unwind can be really fulfilling and look very different for each of us.

Some of us like to create a burrito like a cacoon where they can snuggle and read a book or drink their tea,  others prefer the comfort of a sofa or a lounge chair, gazing through their favorite window at that burning sunset, while simply not thinking about anything in particular. Or maybe you enjoy going through some Interior design magazines, reading a motivational book while having a bath, writing that blog you have been planning, and lighting that favorite scented candle. 

Creating a little before bed ritual or an afternoon ritual helps massively your mind relaxation process and reduces anxiety and stress.

Another idea to relax is a good light book and a warm light. Go easy on your eyes before bed and get mentally ready that sleep is coming. Our brain is extremely sensitive and most people do not even realize how bright screen light can affect the quality of our sleep, not to mention our dreams. If possible avoid watching violent action movies before bed and pick something relaxing like a book or a podcast. Or a simple conversation with your partner.

Nothing like a good hot bath to relax your muscles and prep you for bedtime.

If you have a pet you can use them to unwind and vent a little about the things on your mind. I mean they will probably keep your secrets forever, which makes them the perfect listener. Or just simply play with them, snuggle them as they are one of the best destress methods out there.

You can end the day by writing some ideas and reflections you had throughout the day or simply prepping your to-do list for the week, month, or next day. Or just sketching something funny instead.

Lastly, try not to make it a late one and go to bed before 23;30 ideally. saying that I know it is not always possible and some late nights are bound to happen here and there but as long as you aim for the early night most of the time you will be able to get at least 8 hours of good sleep.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and please let me know your thoughts in the comments. How are you doing during the lockdown and how are you tackling your emotions?

Remember, it is absolutely normal and perfectly human for us all to have days where we are not okay , or are being moody and can not contain our emotions. Let them out and do not buckle them inside.

Your emotions no matter what they might be are important and you should own them.

Stay safe, well and enjoy the journey!

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