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Adulting Family Activities Health Healthy Living How To Learning Meal Plan Our Family Parenting

4 Easy Ways For Parents To Lose Weight and Set a Healthy Example

Ways For Parents To Lose Weight

If you’re a parent, you likely don’t have much extra time in your day. Between work, family, and social life, your schedule is packed. Being so busy make exercising and losing weight almost impossible, but luckily, there are easy ways for parents to lose weight.

Consider signing up for classes and lessons like Body Transformations for Parents. These online classes can be easier to add to your daily or weekly life than you’d think. If that’s not possible for you, there are other things you can do to lose weight.

While dieting might be an option, finding the right one can take time. Adding some simple tips and tricks to your life will kick off that weight loss, though, and you don’t even have to go to the gym.

Ways For Parents To Lose Weight

4 Ways For Parents To Lose Weight

1. Work Out When The Kids Are Up

Many parents try to work out when their kids are asleep. That can be incredibly restrictive because not only can your children be up at the crack of dawn, but you could be exhausted at night. With constantly changing schedules, it’s hard to plan around sleep routines. Try working out when they’re up.

This approach can be easier than you’d think, especially if you let them join in on the fun. While this depends on what exercises you’re doing, basic yoga and other easy exercises are kid-friendly. You can also go on long walks with a baby in a stroller.

Finding exercises that your kids can be involved in can save you a lot of time and effort, too.

2. Don’t Eat Off Your Kids Plates

You could often see yourself eating some food off of your child’s plate. That’s especially true if they’re finished, and there are a few leftovers. Depending on the food, you could find taking a few bites irresistible. I struggle with this, especially when they have Wendy’s chicken nuggets leftover LOL.

As harmless as this might seem, the calories add up much faster than you’d think. If you’re on a diet, these small bites throw off your planning and tracking. Skip these unhealthy choices and make sure that you have healthy snacks when you’re hungry.

3. Deconstruct Your Dinners

If you’re a picky eater, it can be challenging to find healthy food that you like. You could take a different approach. Try deconstructing the dinners that you like. That will let you remove some of the unhealthy parts and replace them with healthier alternatives.

The number of meals you can deconstruct can be surprising, so it’s worth trying with some of your favorite dishes. You can break down the ingredients of pizzas, burgers, and even tacos to make them healthier.

4. Play With Your Kids

Your kids love playing with you, and you love spending time with them. Plus, kids are always on the move. Take advantage of this and spend more time playing with your kids. You’ll get so much exercise as you chase them around that you burn tons of calories.

Ways For Parents To Lose Weight

Parents don’t always have the time or energy to go to the gym. Thankfully, that’s not the only place you can exercise to help with weight loss. Use these tips for parents to lose weight and see how much of a difference it makes for you.

Losing weight can help make you more of a role model for your children. If they see you exercising and eating healthy, they’re more likely to do the same. Help them start on a healthy path for life by showing them what a healthy lifestyle looks like.

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Adulting Finances How To Learning Life

7 Things to Do When You Suddenly Realize Your Career Is Going Nowhere

Getting locked into a career that’s going nowhere is never a positive experience. You feel like you’ve traveled a long way, but there’s no room left to run. You have a choice of sticking it out or starting all over again, making things look bleak. It’s never a good feeling when you realize your career is going nowhere, but there are some things you can do.

Fortunately, you’re not the only person to have ever encountered this situation. Every year, millions of people find themselves in careers that prevent them from getting the lives that they want. 

It’s not just the money that’s the problem either. Some people see themselves in dead-end careers if the work is uninspiring and turning their entire lives into a chore. 

Being stuck in a job you hate can cause mental distress and even panic. One day, you suddenly wake up and realize “this is it; this is my life.” And that can be a depressing experience. 

So how should you respond in situations like this? Let’s take a look. 

Your Career Is Going Nowhere
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1. Go Deep and Look Outside Your Job

Before you start making life-changing decisions, try going back to what made you start your career in the first place. Try to work out whether the idea came from inside you or from external forces. 

Usually, people fall into work that they think they should take, not what they want to take. They get an idea from an authority figure and then pursue it as though it were their authentic choice. More often than not, this ends in disaster. You wind up in a career that doesn’t inspire you. 

If your job was your choice, think about what changed. How did it differ from what you were expecting? Have your priorities changed over the years? 

The more of these questions you can answer, the better position you put yourself in to choose a better path in the future. You may find that the problem is not with the work but your approach. Perhaps no job will ever be what you are looking for. 

If your job makes you feel depressed about your future, start exploring things outside work. Your life doesn’t have to revolve entirely around your primary occupation. For example, exploring new interests, like taking up violin lessons for adults, could be a transformative and fulfilling way to broaden your horizons beyond the confines of your current career.

Engaging in things you love outside your job gives your life a new focus. Suddenly, your work is just a tool you’re using to enjoy the rest of your life more. It’s a necessary evil.

However, when you look outside your job, you also increase your options. Suddenly, you have opportunities to pursue things that you never imagined that you could before. You might be able to turn a hobby into paid work if you get good enough at it.

2. Switch Up Your Role

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Sometimes you don’t have to stick with the exact same role for years on end. Managers often look to promote people – or just give them something different to do. If your problem is boring work, then ask whether you can try something else. Prove that you can do a great job and you may find that new roles open up to you in the future. 

Switching up your role also makes you more attractive to other employers. Broadening your skills base can be a great way to find companies that offer better career prospects. Remember, the problem may not be your industry but rather the organization you work for. 

3. Invest In Yourself

Investing in yourself is a great idea, regardless of whether you’re happy with your career. As you improve your skills, you become more valuable, which is always a bonus.

How you invest in yourself is entirely up to you. Generally, there are two paths that you can take. Either you can: 

  • Train in something that will improve how you perform in your current role
  • Build a new skill

What you choose depends on your circumstances. If you are in a low-skill job, then training likely won’t help much. However, if you are in a high-skill field, then training can be a great way to enhance your overall career prospects.

In many cases, you’ll want to build an entirely new skill. That’s because some careers offer substantially more opportunities than others. 

Take https://www.abcksmo.org/training/plumbing-program/, for instance. This program allows you to train to become a plumber, which is a great occupation for anyone who likes to work with their hands. It’s also higher paid than low-skill service sector jobs, making it a great option for anyone who wants to progress financially. 

You can also invest in yourself by taking online courses that prepare you for high-value roles. Things like nutrition or sports therapy are great options because they are in high demand. 

You can also try investing in personal growth. You might think you are in a dead-end job, but there are almost certainly better, higher-paying positions in your organization that you could potentially occupy. Often, the problem isn’t the firm itself, it’s your self-limiting beliefs. If you can overcome these, you are much more likely to get the roles you want.

4. Network With People Who Do Work You Love

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Try networking with people who do work that you love – things that really excite you. This way you can get your foot in the door and register your interest. Many people will see that you have a passion for the work, even if you don’t have a history with it. And that can be sufficient to make them want to explore working with you further. 

You never know the career opportunities available to you before you start exploring. Roles come up all the time that allow entry-level people currently working in other careers to get their foot in the door. 

When you speak to people already in the industry, you also find out whether the work is a good option for you. Building out your network allows you to get important insider information about what it’s like to work for particular firms and how they might be able to provide you with a more fulfilling professional life. 

5. Look At Why You Feel Stuck

Before you start making life-changing decisions about which career path to pursue, take some time to think about why your career is going nowhere. Is it because of the way you are approaching it, or is it rigged against you in some way? 

When you feel angry, frustrated, or bored, it is tempting to give up and let it all go. You can’t see any positives from your work and you imagine that things will be better somewhere else. 

But when you dig deeper, you often discover the real reasons for your feelings. Having a boss that you don’t like, for instance, can make you feel like the whole job is grinding you down, even if it isn’t. You may also feel like your work is no longer challenging, and that’s becoming a problem. Or, you might be angry because somebody else got a promotion and you didn’t. 

Take some time to think about what you need to do to get unstuck in your career. Be honest about whether other aspects of your life are affecting how you feel. Are you doing everything you can to be the best human being that you can be? Are you eating the right foods, spending time with the right people, and getting enough sleep? 

If you’re not, it could have profoundly negative consequences for your psychology. You may actually be in a role that suits you well, but your behaviors elsewhere are harming your enjoyment of it. For example, staying up late drinking on nights before work makes your job far less enjoyable. 

6. Don’t Panic If Your Career Is Going Nowhere

Many people panic when they realize that their careers are going nowhere. They feel like it is robbing them of their dreams and they don’t know what to do. 

If you can, try to stay calm. As you have seen in this post, there are plenty of options for people in your position. Just because your career sucks right now doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with it forever. Transitioning to a new career may take several years, but making it happen is easier than you think and something that people do all the time. Sort out the rest of your life and just focus on making the changes that you need to make. 

According to https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-to-do-when-you-realize-youre-in-the-wrong-career, many people immediately jump to the worst-case scenario when they realize they are in the wrong career. They imagine that they will still be working in it up until retirement and beyond. But, of course, that’s rarely the case. Shifting to a different occupation takes five years at the very most, and usually much less than that. 

7. Consider A New Career

If you end up feeling as though your current career isn’t right for you, then it might be the time to consider a new one. That could be relatively minor, such as choosing to work for reputation management companies rather than a more traditional marketing firm. 

It could also be a major change, like turning from teaching to becoming a virtual assistant or blogger. Regardless of how large of a change this is, there’ll be more than a few things to keep in mind. Changing careers could be relatively tricky, after all.

The most notable aspect is to have a look at what your current skills and passions are. You can use these to determine what the most appropriate new career is. If you can’t think of one right away, don’t worry.

Instead, it’s worth spending time considering what the most rewarding path forward will be for you. Once you’ve decided on that, it’ll be time to get moving. You should keep a few steps and tips in mind when you’re doing so.

The largest of these are:

  • Have an action plan.
  • Use your professional network.
  • Consider educational resources and opportunities.
  • Stay motivated.
  • Rebrand yourself.

While changing careers can still be relatively complicated, you can simplify it significantly with each of the above. It should be seen as a last resort if you realize that your career is going nowhere. If there’s no other way to rectify the issue appropriately, then it may be worth considering.

Recap: When You Feel Like Your Career Is Going Nowhere

Don’t sit around hating your life when you feel like your career is going nowhere. Remember that you are in control of your life, and you can make any changes that you desire. Use these tips to help figure out why you feel like your career is going nowhere, and then make the necessary changes.

Have you ever changed careers because you felt like yours wasn’t going anywhere? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

Do you want to make money blogging like I do? Check out this post —-> How to Start a Blog in 3 Easy Steps (and what to do next!!)

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Adulting Finances For the Home Home How To

4 Super Easy Hacks for Lowering Your Energy Bills

Lowering Your Energy Bills

Utility bills can be a pretty big expense in the household. In fact, estimates reveal that the average household spends between $800 and $2,900 every year on utility bills. Luckily, there are a few easy hacks for lowering your energy bills, helping you save quite a bit of money.

Of course, this largely depends on the location (Hawaii seems to have the highest energy bills) and the kind of energy plans that are available to the consumers. If you’re looking to cut down on your energy bills, the first place you need to look at is your home. 

Making the necessary changes can easily translate to hundreds in savings annually. The tips we’ll share with you here have been proven to help people like you cut down on their utility bills without necessarily giving up the comforts that you’re used to.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Hacks for Lowering Your Energy Bills
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Easy Hacks for Lowering Your Energy Bills

Unplug Devices You’re Not Using

We’re all guilty of this. We leave devices plugged into the sockets even when they’re not in use. If you have the appliance connected to the socket and is on standby mode, it’s consuming some power. 

While the power won’t be as high as when you’re using it, it still counts towards your energy usage. Make sure that you unplug all devices and appliances that you aren’t using. Turn off lights and sockets in rooms that people are not occupying, as well.

laundry, laundry basket, laundry room, washing machine
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Avoid Using Hot Water in Your Washer

Hot water tends to damage, shrink and shorten the lifespan of your clothes, but that’s not the biggest problem. Using hot water in your washer consumes a lot of energy. Instead, use the regular cold water and allow the dryer to handle the rest. 

Your clothes will last longer, thus eliminating the need for new clothes (which can contribute to your savings), and you won’t use so much energy. 

If you live in a city with a lot of sunshine and have some space at the back, consider skipping the dryer and just drying the clothes on a clothesline. Speaking of doing laundry, only do full loads every time instead of wasting water and energy on small loads. 

Take Care of All Possible Air Leaks

The biggest cause of HVAC inefficiency is air leaks caused by poor insulation, drafts, or cracks on doors and windows. If your windows are cracked, you can think about repairing them or just replacing them with vinyl windows that provide better insulation, are soundproof, and last long. Look for other air leak sources, and apply some caulk to seal them. 

Use Fans More During the Summer

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Your HVAC units are the biggest hog of electricity during the summer and winter because they run all day. In addition to ensuring that your unit is in good shape, you need to use them more efficiently. 

For starters, keep your curtains shut when direct sunlight hits them. Keeping them shut will keep cool air in and prevent the sun from heating up the room.

Then, use fans a lot more. Fans help circulate the cool air during the summer or warm air during the winter, helping you cool off or get warm faster. 

Hacks for Lowering Your Energy Bills

These hacks for lowering your energy bills allow you to stay comfortable while saving money. You don’t have to change your lifestyle if you implement these tips.

Leave a comment and let me know if you have any other tips!

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Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Health Healthy Living How To Parenting

3 Ways to Support Your Child’s Sports Hobbies and Encourage Physical Activity

Support Your Child's Sports Hobbies

It’s normal for children to fall in love with sports at a young age. While many children find themselves stuck indoors playing video games, there are plenty out playing sports and joining teams. If you want to encourage healthy habits like sports, you’ll need to support them throughout the entire journey. So, here are a couple of tips to help support your child’s sports hobbies.

Support Your Child's Sports Hobbies, Support Your Childs Sports Hobbies, Support Your Child
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How to Support Your Child’s Sports Hobbies

Accept The Type of Sport That Your Child Wants to Try

Your child is going to want to try a variety of sports. Whenever they see something cool on the internet or TV they’re going to want to try it. Or, when they see their friends playing something, they’ll want to check it out. Even if it’s something like boxing, swimming, or even car racing, there are going to be sports that you might be concerned about because it could put them at risk of an injury.

Whatever your child wants to do, support them and ensure they get the help they need to safely try it. Don’t force your child into a particular sport, either. If they suddenly don’t enjoy something, don’t question them too much because they can always return to it later.

Understand That it’s a Commitment on Your Side Too

When the sports season starts for our children, it’s important that you’re there to support them at all times. You must commit as much as your child is, and this often means attending all of their games.

You may have to choose between attending a work-related event and showing up at your child’s next match. In a situation like this, you should almost always choose your child over your work.

Prepare For Your Child to Get Hurt, Because Eventually They Will

Sports are physical activities, and that means your child will eventually get hurt. Many parents will do everything they can to prevent this from happening, but sooner or later, it’ll happen. Your child might get tackled, sprain an ankle, or they might even damage a muscle.

Whatever the situation is, prepare to support your children as they recover. Plus, we need to educate our children about safety in sports. You might want to look for specialists such as a podiatrist that understands sports injuries, and you might want to learn a few first aid skills yourself so that you can quickly deal with any potential injuries during practice.

Support Your Child’s Sports Hobbies

Supporting your child’s sports hobbies can be time-consuming, but these tips can give you do it confidently.

Leave a comment and share some other ways to support your child’s sports hobbies! 🙂

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For the Home Home Organization

6 Smart Uses For Your Pool House

Uses For Your Pool House

After spending money on a swimming pool, the idea of ​​spending more money to buy a Pool House seems daring. However, what most people don’t realize is that the pool house is not part of the pool. Instead, it is an additional function of your home that can bring you many benefits. In terms of cost, a pool house can be a complex structure with various facilities and spaces, or it can be a simple cabin where you can change clothes. Either way, there are many smart uses for your pool house that make it functional year-round.

Uses For Your Pool House
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Before we discuss the benefits of the pool house, it is important to understand its basic function: convenience. Owning a pool also means having extra items such as poolside chairs, goggles, umbrellas, snorkels, pool toys, and so on. Not only can the pool house be a great place to store these items, but it can also be a convenient place for friends and family to put on bathing suits before enjoying the pool.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Uses For Your Pool House

1. Winter Storage

What will happen to your patio and pool furniture in winter? If you invest in a pool house, you can use it as an off-season storage room to store all outdoor patio furniture and accessories. Since you will not use the swimming pool at the end of winter, you can store everything in the pool room until you need it again. 

2. Home Gym

If space permits, you can install a home gym in the pool house. Not only can you save space in your home, but you will not disturb your family when you exercise in the morning. If you choose this route, you can also enjoy the pool house all year round, which is a huge benefit if you are worried about a lack of space in the cold winter. 

3. Guest Room

If your budget and space allow it, why not build a guest room that turns into a pool house? Add a bedroom and bathroom, and you have the option to let guests stay the night. Your visitors can live in a beautiful and luxurious environment by the pool, and you can protect your privacy. 

4. Store Hazardous Goods

You can use chemicals to clean the pool and balance the composition of the water. These chemicals can be toxic and dangerous, and it is best to store them safely in the pool room to prevent accidental ingestion or misuse. This is a benefit for families with young children who climb up the counter and rummage through the cabinets. 

5. Party Venue

If you own a swimming pool, you might entertain people there at some point. The pool house allows you to hold a party in the backyard instead of inside the house. As the poolside facilities are fully equipped, guests won’t need to enter your home to use the bathroom or get food and drinks.

6. Home Office

Work-from-home has new meaning nowadays, so a workstation in your pool house might be the answer. In addition, this feature will add to the value of your property in the future.

Beneficial Uses For Your Pool House

Your pool house doesn’t have to be an unutilized space. With many uses for your pool house, you can use it all year as a guest house or entertaining space. Which of these uses sounds best to you? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Adulting Health Healthy Living How To Life Recipe

Why You Should Consider Natural Ingredients To Treat Your Problematic Skin

problematic skin

Skin problems may come in a variety of sizes and forms. Some people’s issues are caused by changes in their bodies as a result of childbearing, while others have problematic skin as a result of a skin disease or acne. There are numerous ways to treat the skin, and one of the most common is to use medicine prescribed by your doctor. While medication may help, the benefits are frequently transient, leaving you back where you started.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Problematic Skin
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All-Natural Solutions to Problematic Skin

There’s been a lot of buzz recently in the media about natural approaches to treat troublesome skin. This method is commonly referred to as homeopathic medicines, and there is a strong stigma attached to this type of treatment. The stigma is due to a “lack of testing” on the substances in use. However, natural components, rather than man-made ones, can be healthier for your skin.

Problematic Skin Due to a Skin Condition

Psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, and acne are all skin diseases that originate from within the body. What you put into your body has a big impact on how your skin looks, so if you’re suffering from a skin issue, it’s time to start thinking about lifestyle adjustments.

Many individuals are turning to CBD oil (Cannabidiol) to treat their skin problems. CBD oil can assist patients with diseases like psoriasis by resetting their immune systems, which is where the disease begins. Many individuals are also hesitant to try CBD rich hemp oil for sale because it comes from the cannabis plant. It’s important to remember that CBD oil does not produce the same euphoria as smoking cannabis, but it can have a powerful healing effect on your skin.

Damaged Skin Due to Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Surgery, or Pregnancy

Our skin goes through a lot over the course of a lifetime. We age, gain or lose weight, have surgery, and, for many women, go through pregnancy and delivery. All of this causes many changes to the skin, which may make anyone feel self-conscious. You’ve undoubtedly seen a lot of treatments to help with loose or unattractive skin, but these products aren’t all-natural.

Natural ingredients such as coconut oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E do wonders for the skin, so keep an eye out for these ingredients when you’re buying your skincare products. It might cost a little more, but the benefits greatly outweigh the cost. One all-natural product that I use is Matcha Green Tea Body Scrub, which is exfoliating and moisturizing.

Stay Healthy to Alleviate Problematic Skin

It’s also important to remember that maintaining good skin necessitates an examination of your lifestyle. It’s not only the items you use on your body that have an impact on how it appears. Here are a few pointers on how to treat your body the same way you treat it on the outside:

  • Drink plenty of water
  • Eat more nutritious foods
  • Quit smoking and cut back on alcohol

Learn How to Make All-Natural Skin Products at Home

I recently purchased The Big Book of Homemade Products for Your Skin and am obsessed with it! My daughter and I have been making different products and trying them all out. It includes recipes for all skin types and issues.

Solutions to Problematic Skin

Using all-natural products can help improve problematic skin, so cut out the bad ingredients and swap to eu natural! Leave a comment and tell me about all-natural products you use! I’d love to try some new ones.

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Adulting Health Healthy Living How To Mental Health

Top 5 Long-term Approaches to Healthy Living

Approaches to Healthy Living

Long-term approaches to healthy living are the best way for you to maintain your health over time, and it’s not just about what you eat. You need a holistic approach to your lifestyle if you want to have success in this endeavor. That means taking care of all aspects of your life, such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and spirituality, to optimize health.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Approaches to Healthy Living
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Long-Term Approaches to Healthy Living

1. Frequent Exercise

Generally, when you exercise, your heart rate increases to provide more oxygen and glucose to the muscles. This helps them repair faster so they can perform better during exercise. It also causes an increase in serotonin levels which are responsible for mood stabilization and feelings of happiness. Exercise is a great way to feel good about yourself while tuning up your body!

2. Macrobiotic Diet

A macrobiotic diet is a lifelong, whole-foods based diet that includes mainly grains and vegetables with little beans and fruit. If you are new to this way of eating, you may want to consider SHI macrobiotics to help you stick to this diet. 

Start by reducing meat intake or eliminating it for several weeks before adding in other foods like legumes and root vegetables. The main goal of the macrobiotic diet is to eat foods in their natural state and balance yin (cooling) with yang (heating). You want more vegetables, beans, grains, and cold-pressed oils than animal products.

3. Quality Sleep

When you sleep, your body has time to repair and regenerate the cells in your organs and clean out toxins. Sleep also reduces anxiety by lowering stress hormones like cortisol.

The general recommendation is that adults between 18-64 years of age should get an average of seven hours of sleep per night, but this amount can vary depending on age.

Sleep is a crucial part of health and well-being, so make sure you get enough! If you have trouble sleeping at night, try to limit the amount of light in your bedroom using blackout curtains or an eye mask before bedtime. Also, make sure there aren’t any TVs or computers on as these can cause stress and make it more difficult to sleep.

4. Improve Your Mental Health

Mental illness can affect anyone, but it is most common in the 18-25-year-old age group. Your mental health includes your mood, energy level, and ability to function on a daily basis.

The key factors that contribute to mental health are genes and lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and sleep patterns. Stress management can also make a big difference in how well your mental health is doing.

The most important thing to remember for maintaining good mental health is that it can be easy to do! Try practicing mindfulness, reducing stress, and finding ways to have fun every day, so you feel happier with life overall.

5. Steer Clear of Tobacco

The best ways to steer clear of tobacco are avoiding secondhand smoke, stopping smoking, and staying away from anyone who smokes.

If you want help quitting, talk with your doctor about a proper plan. They may even have different options like nicotine replacement therapy or medication-assisted treatment, which work for other people.

Approaches to Healthy Living

Using these approaches to healthy living can change your life for the better. The positive changes won’t be short-term, either, as these benefits will follow you throughout your entire life.

Leave a comment and let me know if there’s anything you would add to this list!

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Adulting Health Healthy Living

7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Health

improve your health

Most people want to be healthy but can’t find the motivation to do what it takes to improve your health. Oftentimes, the lack of motivation comes from not knowing what you must do. These tips are things you can do right now to start improving your health immediately.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Improve Your Health
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How to Improve Your Health

1. Make That Appointment

You know, the one you’ve been putting off? Whether it’s to have that weird-looking mole checked out, a gynecological exam you’ve been sticking your head in the sand about, or a root canal appointment with Dr. Brian over at http://www.drbrianvalle.com/, get in touch and get it booked. The longer you leave health issues unchecked, the worse they are likely to get, so take this one small step and start really looking after your health. 

2. Close Your Eyes and Meditate

Meditation, which you can learn about at www.calm.com,  is one of the best things you can do for your health. You can do it anywhere and any time in as little as five minutes. Simply close your eyes and focus on your breath as it comes in and goes out. Pretty soon, your stress will melt away, you’ll feel less anxious, and you’ll experience more clarity.

Improve Your Health
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3. Lift Something Heavy

Building muscle by lifting something heavy is a great way to increase your strength, helping you burn more calories and stay in shape as you get older. If you can, leave something heavy, like a kettlebell, in a high-traffic area of your home, and lift it a couple of times every time you pass. Your functional strength will improve vastly, and your body will thank you for it.

4. Eat a Healthy Snack

Whether you eat a handful of grapes, a few carrot sticks, or half an avocado, eating something healthy will give you a much-needed boost of vitamins and minerals. Plus, it will stop you from feeling the need to binge on something less healthy later.

5. Go Outside

Nature is so good for your health. Studies have shown that time spent in nature can lower blood pressure, help us lose weight, manage stress, depression, and anxiety, and much more. So, put your walking shoes on and head out for a health-improving walk.

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6. Stretch to Improve Your Health

Stretching feels good and helps us stay supple, which is really important as we get older. You should stretch anytime you get the chance if you want to maintain functional movement for as long as possible. Plus, you can stretch anywhere although a formal yoga or pilates class is always good, too.

7. Put the Phone Down

Digital detoxes may sound like a fad, but they are actually great for boosting concentration and self-confidence and lowering instances of eye strain, head and neck aches, and insomnia. Read a book instead!

Improve Your Health

Being healthy is easier than you think. By implementing some of these tips, you will quickly improve your health. You will feel better and age well, and you can have fun while doing it.

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Life

6 Easy Ways To Keep Your Home Secure and Safe

keep your home secure

Your home should be a safe retreat where you feel secure and happy. Keeping your home safe doesn’t have to be difficult. With a few simple steps, you can make a big difference to your peace of mind when you want to keep your home secure.

keep your home secure
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***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

How to Keep Your Home Secure

1. Keep An Eye On Your Home

With security cameras as part of your security system from https://www.watchmenkc.com/residential-home-security-systems-kansas-city/, you can see and hear what is happening around your home. If you choose a modern camera, you can view the feed from your phone. For the best cameras, look for features like motion-triggered recording, infrared night vision, and two-way audio communication capability. 

2. Light Up The Front Drive And Garden

Intruders often take advantage of darkness, so light up the garden to put them off. Light is also safer for you coming home at night. Motion-activated security lights are a good choice to install in the back and front of your home. 

3. Install A Visual Security Alarm

Having a security alarm outside of your house can help deter would-be intruders. An alarm can also get you a discount from your home insurer, so ask your provider. 

4. Increase Gate And Fence Security

Don’t give an intruder an easy way to get in. Your garden gate should be the same height as the fence or wall and constructed securely. Metal gates are harder to climb than wooden ones. A gate with an open structure doesn’t give someone a place to hide. Check that the hinges, bolt, and padlock are secured on the garden side. Two locks on the gate are a good idea, too, just be sure to use a good locks supplier for trustworthy products.

Keep fences in good condition because damaged panels can give access to an intruder or a place to scope out the property. Fix trellis panels to the top of your fence or wall. Trellis panels will be strong enough for plants, but not for people to climb on. 

5. Safely Store Spare Keys

Don’t leave a spare key under the doormat. A wall-mounted key safe is much more secure, especially if it’s in a discreet location. These have a reinforced body that can stand up to sawing and hammering. If you have friends staying, they can access the keys without you needing to cut spare sets. 

6. See Who’s At The Door

A video doorbell will let you see and speak to visitors, even if you’re out. You can tell delivery drivers where to put packages. Plus, you can check who is at the door before answering it or while out of the house. Even if the bell doesn’t ring, motion can trigger notifications, so you know if someone has approached the house. 

If you can’t fit a video doorbell, you can fit a door chain to your front door instead, so you can see and speak to whoever is outside without opening the door all the way. You could also install a door viewer to see who’s at the door if there’s no window for you to check through. 


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Keep Your Home Secure

These tips will get you started with keeping your home secure and safe. When you feel safe in your home, you will relax easier and enjoy your time better. You will also feel better knowing that your family is safe.

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Are These 5 Surprising Things Decreasing the Value of Your Home?

Decreasing the Value of Your Home

When it comes to selling your home, several factors determine how much it is worth. The location, size, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms are the top things considered. Many other aspects factor into the worth of your home, however, and typically, it’s surprising things decreasing the value of your home.

While most of these factors are hard to change, there are some things that you can do to make sure you get the best offer. But how many things about your home are actively decreasing its value?

A few DIY projects left incomplete may have some impact but is unlikely to pay too high a cost when it comes to you getting your asking price. However, letting your home fall into a state of disrepair will certainly decrease its potential value. 

While most people looking for a new home will have varying tastes, a home that offers flexibility to suit a versatile population will be more in demand than a home designed only for one particular lifestyle.

So what are some of the most commonly overlooked things that may be devaluing your home? Keep reading to find out. 

Decreasing the Value of Your Home

Surprising Things Decreasing the Value of Your Home

The Condition of The Neighborhood 

Many aspects in a neighborhood can result in lower or fewer offers. Living close by to an airport, a major road, or train tracks can result in noise pollution, which could set to devalue your home. 

Additionally, power plants and landfills both negatively affect the value of a home. It could be that since you moved in, features such as unsightly cell phone towers have been erected in the area. Or, a new business with less than desirable clientele has opened nearby. The same if your street is renowned for criminal activity. While times change along with neighborhoods, the value of your property is likely to suffer if your area has a bad reputation.

Unfortunately, there is little that you can do. After all, a bad neighborhood is likely to be the reason you wanted to move in the first place. It is up to your realtor to point out the positives of your area to ensure you get a high offer for your home. You should still document any neighborhood complaints and bring law enforcement into the picture when trying to deal with them, though.

Being the Best Looking House On The Worst Looking Street 

You’ve taken time and pride in making sure your home has the best curb appeal, and it can make photos of your home seem appealing to potential buyers. However, when it comes to potential buyers viewing the house, they have to drive down your street. This drive might not be good news if your neighbors don’t care about how their homes look. Some issues could be excessive trash on the front lawn, loud pets, or broken windows or fences.

Your neighbor’s colorblindness when it comes to the appearance of their homes will do more than be an eyesore for you as you see it every day. That same eyesore can put off potential buyers and pose a risk of decreasing the value of your home.

Sadly, there’s not much that you can do about these issues. Aside from giving your neighbor some information about where they can find some new aluminum windows or doing dome DIY fence repairs, it’s best to make the most of what you can when it comes to your home. As much as you’d like to control your neighbors, it just isn’t possible. 

You’re Overlooking Some Key Things Inside 

Like your neighbors can become blinded by the chaos outside their homes, there may be a few things that you’re overlooking inside your own. When potential buyers take a look inside your home, they’ll quickly judge what they see. You can take care of clutter, overflowing garbage, large amounts of personal photographs, dim lighting, dirty bathrooms, and dust. If you don’t, then you may have problems getting your asking price.

It’s also a great idea to address things such as paintwork. Consider giving your home a refresh. Neutral colors are preferred, as this will help buyers see themselves in the house and determine how they can make their mark on the space. Avoid overly odd colors or wallpaper that seems like hard work to remove. Address anything that seems like a headache to potential buyers instead of selling points.


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Try to look at your home from an outsider’s perspective. What would you think of the space if you were looking at it for the first time? Are you drawn towards the loose flooring or clutter showing a lack of storage? Those issues are likely to be something that potential buyers will notice, too.

You want to create a space that looks warm and inviting but not overly lived in and personal looking. Before you let people in to look around, clean up and store things away. Make sure the house is light and airy. Change any bulbs that are starting to dim, and use odor neutralizers to eliminate any weird smells, too. Create a space for potential buyers to envision themselves in their new space without adding up the costs of all of the work that will need doing before they’d even be ready to move in.

Your Kitchen Has Seen Better Days 

The kitchen holds the most value per square foot, so this is one of the most carefully examined rooms during a viewing. Lots of people looking to sell their homes may consider remodeling their entire kitchen. However, unless your kitchen is in an awful state of disrepair, then it might not be worth it- especially if you don’t end up getting the return on your investment that you’d hoped for. 

Instead, focus on the specific areas that need attention. Common areas include the sink, countertops, and cabinet doors that surround your current appliances. New modern cabinets and shiny sinks are what draw people in and bring offers.

On the contrary, outdated cabinetry and stained, old countertops can detract from the value of your kitchen. When people buy a new home, they don’t want a reminder of a time you accidentally left a hot pan on your countertop or spilled red wine on the carpets. If you have left any significant marks, then it’s time to erase them ASAP.

Making high-quality improvements in the kitchen can add value to your home. Use highly recommended professionals to get a perfect finish and avoid paying twice to cover mistakes of a former job. Or worse, avoid being offered a significantly lower price for your home.

If you are into DIY, you can paint your cabinets and countertops. Check out my post on how to paint your countertops for a quick, easy, and inexpensive transformation.


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Your Bathroom Has Been Overlooked 

Finally, taking care of the bathrooms will ensure you get as much money for your house as possible. Buyers pay close attention to bathrooms to make sure they can get the best deal for their money.

While renovations can help increase the value of your home, going overboard is unlikely to get you a good return. Instead, try sticking to more traditional, neutral designs that will serve you better if you decide to sell.

Avoid using wood for counters and cabinetry as this can rot in areas with a lot of moisture. Stick to neutral colors such as whites, greys, and pale blues. Avoid gimmicky decor such as fish and anchors that can look tacky and make a bathroom look cluttered and dirty. 

Pay attention to the bathroom floor, too. Consider installing flooring that is easy to clean and won’t turn into an ice rink when wet feet touch them. Good flooring options for bathrooms are non-slip tiles and waterproof wood panels. Avoid linoleum flooring, which becomes dangerous if it starts to peel off from water exposure. Carpet in bathrooms is another no-go because it poses serious hygiene issues that will put buyers off.  

Things That Could Be Decreasing the Value of Your Home

There are certain things about your home that you cannot control, such as the location and your neighbors. However, within your control, there are some surprising things that could be decreasing the value of your home.

Address any issues that you find right away. The sooner you take care of them, the less damage they will do. Plus, when you decide to sell your home, it will be ready to go without requiring major updating.

Other Tips Include:

  • Before a viewing, make sure that your home smells inviting and not overwhelming with strong-smelling perfumes and air fresheners. The cliche is having freshly baked bread or brewed coffee going as people enter. These aromas are inviting and help potential buyers imagine themselves in the home.
  • Hire professional cleaners to give your home a deep clean when you put your house on the market. You’ll be surprised at how much better a deep clean can make your house look and feel. That way, you’ll only have to keep on top of basic chores before people come to look around.