Simple Self Improvement

                                                                    Image:Marie Vonow Recently I have been enjoying watching a stack of YouTube videos about current fashions, how to dress if you are a woman over sixty, making more use of the clothes you already own, minimalist wardrobes and all sorts of random videos about clothes and accessories. This is inspiring me to wear some of my clothes differently and try a few new ideas. Individual approach to clothes Each individual has different ideas about clothes. Some want to keep up with trends and others have their own style which they are confident in wearing. There are those who view clothing simply ...

  Plenty of trees to look at and not a shop for kilometres               Image:Marie Vonow I recently went on holiday and stayed with a cousin and her husband on Kangaroo Island. I had booked my travel arrangements early in the year and was looking forward to the catch up. Then COVID 19 hit and it looked like the trip wouldn't happen. When social distancing restrictions were eased the trip was once again possible. I spent five days away from home and had a wonderful break from my usual routine. Occasionally I am away from home for one or two nights but for me, five nights away is quite a long break. Some people often go on holidays of this length and much longer. When I returned home I was refreshed and found myself thinking about a variety of things in a different way. I think one of the great benefits of going on a holiday is that you break your usual routine, see different things and think some new thoughts . It is not necess...

Image:Marie Vonow Have you ever had a job interview over the phone? Did you find it less or more intimidating than a face-to-face interview? What did you do to get yourself in the right emotional place to prepare for the interview? Many years ago I had a phone interview for a job. I must have managed okay as I got the position. It was strange not to have someone (or more than one person) to talk to face to face. Although interviews make me nervous I would rather have the face to face contact. I like being able to see the person I am talking to so I can judge from their facial expressions and body language if they understand what I am saying. In general, with people I have communicated with over the phone I feel happier if I get the opportunity to meet that person. The next time we converse on the phone I am more relaxed. Recently a friend had a phone interview for a position. She told me she was feeling a bit uptight beforehand. She knew the interviewer would not be a...

                                                                                                     Image:Marie Vonow There are many things I feel gratitude for but recently I have become very aware of how changes in the world around me influences what I feel gratitude for. It's May 2020 and COVID19 has caused many changes in our lives. There are things I now feel gratitude for which three months or more ago I didn't think about. There are other things I will feel gratitude for when life returns to some form of normal. Things I feel gratitude for I walked into my usual supermarket just before ...

Image:Jill Wellington from Pixabay My tip for the final day of March is do what makes you happy (as long as it doesn't cause harm to someone else or infringe on their rights.) Get to know yourself and what makes you happy. Make time for those activities. Activities such as tai chi meditation you tube videos for relaxation CDs for meditation and such music dance being creative may contribute to your happiness. Many studies claim meditation is particularly good for increasing happiness. If you can't work out what makes you happy, I have read technology can give you a helping hand. http://simpleselfimprovement.blogspot.com/2018/08/identifying-your-happiness-triggers.html#more Many ordinary things can make a person happier but this varies from person to person. For more ideas check out   http://selfavenue.com/8-tips-to-boost-happiness/ http://selfavenue.com/what-makes-people-happy-i-already-knew-that/   http://selfavenu...

Image:Marie Vonow Studies claim reading makes people happier, less stressed and less depressed. This tip won't work for everyone because not everyone has learnt to read and some who are able to just don't enjoy it. However, many people love reading, once they find the right book, and will agree it increases their level of happiness. A couple of years ago I went with a neighbour to a book sale held by a library. I was right into decluttering at the time and didn’t know whether to buy any books or resist. I decided to buy a box of books, they were so affordable and I like to support libraries because I borrow from them. After reading them I could donate the books and avoid accumulating clutter I told myself. One of the books I picked up was called The Happiness Factor. Imagine my surprise when I opened the book and saw what the author had written in it. Look at the image below. I had to buy that book!         ...

Image;Tumisu from Pixabay Today's happiness tip is don't over-think everything. I have to admit I don't like to 'wing it' and have a tendency to over- think and over- plan. A degree of thinking ahead and planning is a good thing, I reckon, but over-thinking can drive you crazy and get in the way of happiness. Over-thinkers can be indecisive because they always feel they need to think some more before taking action. Their head is full of 'what if?' and 'What if I make the wrong decision?' They also tend to be very hard on themselves for making mistakes and keep thinking, 'I should have known better,' or 'I should have done better.' How can you handle over-thinking? Firstly, recognise that planning and being prepared is a helpful trait. Then accept the fact no one can be prepared for everything and that sometimes things won't turn out as you expected and planned, but that's okay because you will get throu...

Time alone can boost your happiness     Image:Dana Tentis Today's happiness tip is to spend some time alone. At the moment, with the COVID 19 situation, you will either find this very easy (even if you don't enjoy time on your own and wouldn't normally choose it) or very difficult if you share a house with several other people who are now home all the time. Some people enjoy and actually need to spend a fair amount of time on their own. These people are often called introverts and are sometimes divided into four categories - social thinking anxious restrained Others, generally labelled extroverts, get energised by being with people and they may avoid being alone if possible. Then there are ambiverts or omniverts who have some extrovert traits and some of an introvert. I fit in this category. There, we've got the label thing done. Researchers suggest everyone benefits from some alone time. I'm no expert on the subject, I...

                                 Image: Pexels from Pixabay My happiness tip for day 27 is take photos. We tend to take photos of the good times, things that brighten our day, something beautiful or quirky. Having a camera or your mobile phone in your hand encourages you to look for something interesting to snap so you are focussing on the positive. It doesn't need to be a complicated or sophisticated piece of equipment, just something that will take a snap. What should you take photos of? Photojournalist David Allio gives the following advice, ‘ Photograph what makes you happy. It may not have value to anyone else, but it will have value to you.’ In order for taking photos to boost your happiness you need to concentrate on the things that interest and are important to you. Some of these things may...

                                                            Image : Free-Photos from Pixabay Today's happiness tip is smile. You may think you need to be happy first in order to smile. However, just smiling, even if you are faking it, can make you happier, decrease stress levels and give your immune system a boost.  For an article about smiling and happiness go to http://selfavenue.com/smiling-can-make-you-happy/

Today's happiness tip is Talk to someone. Sometimes talking about your problems boosts your mood. Other times talking about something other than what was upsetting you may be helpful because it distracts you from your worries. Just the fact you are interacting with someone else can make you feel less alone. When things are going well sharing your positive news can also make you happier. Some people love to talk and will try to engage anyone near them in conversation. Others are quieter and prefer to know someone before they get into conversation, but you need to talk to someone first in order to get to know them. Then there are those who suffer social anxiety and are often uncomfortable talking to people. With all this in mind it is not surprising not everyone feels happier after talking to someone. However, many people do, as long as the chat is congenial.                 ...

                         Image:Gerd Altmann My tip for today is don't read/watch/listen to the news too much. Research has found 'the news' can make people depressed and anxious. I think we already knew that but there can be a temptation to be constantly checking the latest news, especially in the middle of a crisis, such as this current coronavirus pandemic. Even under non-crisis conditions we are bombarded with information about what is happening in the world around us. There is news on the radio, television, internet and in newspapers and magazines. Different sources of news have varying levels of credibility. Some sources favour sensationalism in an attempt to attract more attention. There are those that give the barest details while others choose to go into more depth and hopefully provide a more informed picture. When there isn't much ...

Flowers growing in the garden can brighten your day                 Image:Marie Vonow Today's happiness tip is get some flowers into your life. Studies have shown what many people have noticed for themselves, flowers make people happy. You may get a boost of happiness from growing your own flowers, taking the time to enjoy blooms in your garden, buying yourself a bunch or receiving a gift of flowers. If you want to make someone else happy give them some.                                                                           ...

                                                                                                           Image:Marie Vonow Today's happiness tip is be willing to adapt. This is particularly relevant as I write this post because the coronavirus is forcing us to change how we carry out our daily lives. We don't ever know what the future will bring but sometimes unexpected events can turn our lives upside down. Being willing to adapt is more likely to m...

                                                                 Image: MorningbirdPhoto from Pixabay Today's happiness tip is read poetry. At first you might think this tip couldn't make you happy because poetry isn't your thing. However, there are all sorts of poetry ranging from long poems with a carefully thought out rhyming scheme to short poems of a few words with no rhyme. Some are hilarious, for example limericks. Others are thought provoking or beautiful. There should be something to appeal to just about everyone. Why would a poem make you happy? Poetry can be a great way to express lovely thoughts which will put you in a positive mood. It c...