Simple Self Improvement

                                                             Image: Alexas Fotos from Pixabay Sometimes we come across instructions for hosting the perfect party, being the perfect parent, choosing the perfect present and so on. Trying to be perfect isn't going to make you happy but it will stress you. By the way, no one is perfect. The happiness tip for today is don't be a perfectionist. Instead make 'near enough is good enough' your mantra, except in situations where it really is important to get something spot on. There are times where it is important a person gets something right. I don't want a doctor who operates on me to have a 'near enough' attitude. However, there ...

  Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Everyone gets stressed from time to time. Some people get stressed more often than others and some people experience a greater degree of stress. Stress can occur when 'bad' things happen to us, when we have too much on our plate and even when we are experiencing a change or event we have chosen. What are some ways to help us relax? Relaxing activities to relieve stress in the short term Have some time alone, especially if you haven't had a moment to yourself for some time Work on a hobby such as sketching, pottery, gardening, quilting, oil painting, woodwork etc Do some knitting http://healthyhints.com.au/four-health-benefits-of-knitting/ Read a book or magazine, it can be fiction or factual Listen to an audio book/novel Sing with a group or sing alone in the shower Cook something you enjoy making, be creative Listen to music you enjoy If you can play a musical instrument, do it now ...

Blackbirds hang out in the palm   Image:Marie Vonow Life is full of things to do, people to catch up with and appointments to attend. It seems there is always so much to do and life can be overwhelming if you don't schedule time to just breathe. I am fortunate at this point in my life I don't have to rush off to work in the morning. I am able to take some time for myself most mornings and watch the birds in my garden as I slowly drink my coffee. I wrote this short poem about relaxing in the garden and observing the local birds.         Birds And Nature Friendly birds sitting in the tree Joyfully singing songs for me, I love to sip my coffee while I sit, Watch them and relax for a bit. Nature can calm my active mind I look around, focus on what I find, Stop and take a break from stress Breathe deep, don’t think about life's mess. You may already know, from ...

Dolls House                   Image by Marie Vonow I moved house earlier this year. As I have moved house several times over the years, had made plenty of lists and thought I was pretty organised I didn't expect this to cause me too much stress. However, even though nothing major went wrong it has been more stressful than I expected. I have come to the conclusion, no matter how organised I think I am, moving house is a stressful life event. That's a fact I have to accept. I think when moving house, the degree of stress an individual experiences depends on various factors including - personality attitude to the move whether it is your decision to move length of time spent in the place one is moving from how attached you are to the place you are moving from how you feel about the dwelling you are moving to how you feel about the location you are moving to distance moving whether ...

Father Christmas display at Gawler South Australia                Image:Marie Vonow Over the years the way one feels about the Christmas season may change. Perhaps as a child it was a time of great excitement and lots of fun but as an adult one may feel under a lot of pressure. People speak of Christmas as a time to celebrate with family and friends but for some it is just exhausting, expensive and stressful. Sometimes there are things we can do to take more control of the Christmas season.