Tuesday, 2 October 2018

Stepping Out - Ultimate Blogging Challenge - October Day 1 and 2


Listen to the podcast



The challenge season has come round again or did it ever go away!  I am taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge where I challenge myself to write 31 blog posts for the month of October.  There are many different blog challenges that take place throughout the year that helps get you kick started to new routines, regimes and lifestyles, so it is worth taking a look and seeing which one fits with you.  

You can choose what you want to blog on or the hosts might give you a prompt for the day for you to post on.  There are so many things that you could post about; it could be something that interest you, hobbies and pastimes, interesting facts, it can be anything, but you have to show up each and every day.

I took quite a long time in finding the thing that I wanted to share, and I am also running a day late, and then October came upon me so quickly, that is no excuse really, at the end of the day you are doing it to challenge yourself and hopefully along the way others are blessed.

I have taken part in many of these challenges over the years my very first one was with Blogging from A to Z challenge, this currently happens in April.  I have also created a series of different challenges for myself over the years that have ranged from a 7 day, 26, 31 day challenges, 52 week challenge, 365 day challenge and one that took me over a year and a half writing about the things that I was grateful for.

It is always a sigh of relief when you complete the challenge and speak about what you learnt about yourself over the challenge. 

For my challenge this October I will be reviewing and reflecting on some of the challenges I did over the past few years and the nuggets of learning that came out of it for me and what I might decide to take forward and create from them.   I feel that it is vital that you learn something about yourself from taking part in a challenge and when you share your insights you are able to help someone else. 

I will also be sharing a snippet about myself and by the end of the month you can get to know me and my work a bit better.

The challenges are a time for growth and enable you to see things from a different perspective.  I will be sharing 15 challenges that I have done over time, how they impacted my work, my favorites of the challenges and what I might do as a follow on with the information that comes from the challenge.

Day 1 and 2 Insights





  • I like creating and taking part in challenges for myself. I find a work better if I have a schedule and know what things that I need to be doing. This also works well for me with the challenge, it is almost like breaking things down into manageable chunks and then you keep working away until you finish, I find that the challenge help me get specific things created or help me process information - like being able to create Tips for Carers I was able to see the things that I did in my role as a carer for my mother.
  • Whilst challenges need to be planned to get the best out of them, sometimes you need to just begin, stop making excuses and jump in! I have been known just to start a challenge, and half way I begin to flag because I have become overwhelmed.  Where possible plan ahead and get all the information or tools that you need ahead of time and this will make it easier to stick with it and not start stressing about what you need to do for that day.  You also need to take things at your own pace if you start to flag - but that is where the planning ahead comes in, it is better to keep going rather than stop because you are a few days behind.  That said on some of the days I will do two posts so that I stay on schedule.


Why not join me each day for the rest of October as we dive into to some exciting challenges and look at ways in which they can impact on your own life and possibly challenges that you might decide to do. 

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, let me know if you decide to take on a challenge, it can be for as long or short as you want, if you have never done one before start with a 3, 5 or 7 day and see how you get on.  The main thing is to start and do something that you find interesting.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Wednesday, 26 September 2018

Podcasting - Just Start



So I decided to start a podcast in the last few months on a platform called Anchor, and have been sharing insights and revelations, about art and creativity, my time as a carer for a mother living with Dementia and things that generally inspire me.  It has been great, I am learning so many new skills, and juggling everything is becoming a fine art!

The great thing about creating the podcasts on Anchor is that it is shared on a variety of other podcast platforms and so if you have a favorite one you will be able to listen on that specific platform.

Podcasts have always been a great way of listening to your favorite content, and Anchor have made it easy for you to create and upload and then take the hard work out of it for you by uploading to additional podcast platforms.

Here are a list of the platforms that my podcasts can be found on:













Did you see your favorite one, check them out, and while your there check out my current podcast on your platform of choice - It's easy!

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Thursday, 20 September 2018

Podcasting Week - 2018 & Creative Live Free on Air Classes


It is Podcasting Week 2018. 

I had always wanted to get into Podcasting over the years but never followed it through. I got into radio and did a 3 year stint on local community radio. It was great, and I found doing the research for the show interesting and knowing the power of radio in taking the message out to potentially the world! 


I have always recording my thoughts on my phone using the voice recorder or video and found I had a lot of content that I could use. I jumped in feet first this year and signed up onto a platform called Anchor. It is very easy to use and you get a good quality sound just from using your phone. It also shares your recording on a selection of 9 other podcasting platforms.

If you have been considering making your own podcasts I encourage you to take the step. I started out making one recording a week, and now I am better familiar with editing and uploading I have started releasing two episodes a week. You can obviously do as little or as much as you like.

The advances of technology now means that you can create your own radio talk show, you decide the hours, and collaboration, location. Think about the topics that you can talk about, or who you want to talk with. It is a great opportunity to share your voice with the world.

Weekly Podcasts - This weeks - Letting go of negative words


Most of all don't hide your ideas away, take the leap, be bold, make that step, and you will have amazing memories to look back on.

There are some courses that you can do to give you a good start and you can take a look at some of the courses offered by Creative Live. You can start learning for free with the selection of live and on air classes. You will learn creative skills from top experts, and with over 1,500 curated classes in Photography & Video, Money & Life, Craft & Maker, Art & Design, and Music & Audio, and more!  There is something for everyone.

Creative Live is has a selection of on-air broadcasts for free or you can purchase a class and own the content for life.

Additionally, you can get your daily creative fix on the iOS app with 1 free lesson of your choice, each and every day. I have included some upcoming classes below for you to check out.


Free On-Air Classes - Week of 9/23

Class Name: Automate and Outsource Your Work
Start Date: 09/23/2018
End Date: 09/24/2018
RSVP Date: 09/23/2018

Class Name: Podcasting for Crafters and Makers
Start Date: 09/24/2018
End Date: 09/25/2018
RSVP Date: 09/24/2018

Class Name: Grow Your Business with YouTube
Start Date: 09/25/2018
End Date: 09/26/2018
RSVP Date: 09/25/2018

Class Name: Foundations in Metalsmithing: Bracelets
Start Date: 09/27/2018
End Date: 09/28/2018
RSVP Date: 09/27/2018

Class Name: Getting Started with Pen, Ink & Markers
Start Date: 09/28/2018
End Date: 09/29/2018
RSVP Date: 09/28/2018


Try and check out some of the courses, I will definitely be checking them out and will share at some point on the blog.

Check out my podcast, and let me know if you would like to be join me on one of the episodes.

Why not do something new, you never know where it will lead, or add to the work that you are currently doing. Let me know how you get on, or which ones you might try.  Stay blessed and be a blessing.



Monday, 17 September 2018

Letting go of words - The Negative ones!!

Letting go of the Negative Words



After listening to a snippet of a Ted Talk, I stumbled on it and thought that I had book marked it, but when I went back to listen to the rest I couldn't find it.

The short of it was a question which asked you to think of a negative word that you commonly use, and think about removing it from your vocabulary.

What word would you remove and why?

When you remove the word you have to give more thought to your situation.  My word was Insecure, and rather than use that word I had to dive deeper into the situation I was trying to explain away under the banner of 'insecurities'.

It then began to be clear that there were many things that I didn't do because I explained it away as me being insecure.

But when I let go of the word I found that I got to the root of how I was feeling and why, instead of fobbing myself off.

What negative words are you using to describe how you are feeling that you could omit from your vocabulary that only makes you feel stuck and doesn't really describe how you might be feeling.

Let me know what word you will stop hiding behind.  Create a journal page, play with your supplies, or write about how it feels.

If you want to listen to the podcast you can do so HERE

Stay blessed, pass it on and be a blessing!


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