Tuesday, December 5, 2017

12 Steps To Starting Fresh In 2018


Photo by Dexter Fernandes from Pexels


It’s December and it means that another year nearly bites the dust. Doesn’t it feel as if the years just keep getting shorter and shorter? Maybe it’s just because we are getting older and older. Anyway, what we are going to discuss today is perhaps the first ‘New Years resolution’ style post. It might be a little bit premature, but consider how quickly time passes, it will probably come at the perfect moment for many of you out there.


Changing our lifestyle is something which can be incredibly stressful and it forces us to shift our perspective onto something new. If you’ve had a pretty rubbish year, don’t worry about it. It happens to everyone at some point in their lives and you can take steps to make sure that the next year is better for you and everyone else you surround yourself with in life.
1. Accept Change

the first step to moving on in your life to accept that you are no longer the person you used to be. At the beginning of the year you may have been excited to start your job and driven by the idea of going up in that career, but by the end of the year you might ate waking up early every morning to travel to a job you can’t progress with. Things change and over time your perspective will too. The biggest step is to be able to say that you have changed and you can no longer live the way you have been doing. As humans we like routine and safety, and pulling ourselves away from what we know can be incredibly scary. If you get to a point in your life where the things that used to make you happy no longer do: don’t feel like you need to resist. It could be your career, a relationship or another aspect of your life. If you're not totally happy there’s no point in forcing it.

2. Get Out

The moment you feel as if you are staying in the same life at the expense of your happiness, you need to think about leaving. It is not right that you should feel as if you have to stay where you are for the rest of time if you hate waking up every morning. Your happiness is the most important thing in the world and if you aren’t happy; there’s no point in anything else. If you don’t leave you will stay unhappy for your whole life, and we do not live long enough on this earth to live unsatisfactory lives.

3. Be Open

When we look at our lives and the way we live: it might be the case that we only ever socialise with a small handful of people. However, there are billions of amazing, unique people on this earth that you could find you get on with well. We often keep ourselves very guarded while out and about but the truth is we need to open ourselves up to people and let them talk to us. We may make new friends, find business opportunities or even fall in love. People are an essential part of life, so take the steps today to open yourself up to new people and let in some conversation.Today might be the day you meet your new best friend!

4.Know that things won’t always go your way

The hardest thing to admit is defeat. It will happen many times in your life and it can be really hard to stay motivated when you have faced a rejection. It may happen in a relationship or a job, and it will hurt, but if you want to get on with your life and make new memories you need to make sure you accept the decision and move on. Remember that everything happens for a reason, and the bad luck you receive today may be paving the way for the good luck you’ll have in the future. Stay as strong as you can and let your family and friends support you through it and bring you out of the other side.

5. Talk

If life has gotten to a stressful point in the last year, you may need to let your troubles out and talk to someone about it. It is understandable that you may not want to talk to a family member or friend because you feel as if it makes you weak, so instead go and see a doctor or a therapist and voice your problems out loud. A lot of the time simply saying what we feel can help lift the weight off our shoulders and help us see the problem for what it really is. To may even see that the issues you had were just notions in your head which spiralled out of control.

6. Escape your bubble

Do something which scares you in 2018. Go skydiving, swimming with sharks, sing in front of a crowd… whatever it is that you have never done because you think you can’t: do it. It is only by pulling ourselves away from the comfort zone we have lived in for so long that we will find who we really are. It can take something extreme to really see what it is we can do and how brave we are. It can put life into perspective and show you what really matters.

7.Be part of the crowd

One way to help you see your life and troubles from a new perspective is to take yourself into a crowded place. Go somewhere like a concert where there are thousands of other people and it will help you see that your problems aren’t the only ones in the world. It can give you that final kick of confidence you need to finally break away and start your life elsewhere.


8.Write a plan

Sometimes the best way to hold yourself accountable for your actions and choices is to write them down. Write down what it is that you wish to achieve from your life and how you want to do it. Having a written record of your plans and aspirations will make it easier for you to clearly see what you need to do and take action in your life for the better. Use a template like this: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/life-plan-template/?lp=true to get your started.

9.Stick to your plan

Once you've made your plan you need to make sure you stick to it. Give yourself small tasks and milestones, and every time you pass a milestone give yourself a small reward. This way you will feel productive and be able to do everything you have always wanted to do.

10. Move on from a win

Facing defeat and coming to terms with it is not the only way you can work towards changing your lifestyle. You can also use a big victory to change your perspective and move in with life. For example, you may have just lost a huge amount of weight and took part in a marathon or a different sporting event. The sense of achievement will make you feel strong and allow you to realise that you are capable of much more than you ever thought. It can give you the motivation you need to chase your dreams and change the way you live your life for good.

11.Clear out your life

Once you have decided to make major changes to the way you live your life, you need to make changes to your home too. If you have just come out of a relationship you need to get rid of any possessions which remind you of that person in order to move on with your life. You can get rid of clutter to clear your space and redecorate to let go of the past for good. Possessions are hard to get rid of, but they are only things. We need to learn to let go of possessions and remove them from our lives if they become toxic. Clear out everything you don’t need at home and get it removed at www.samedayrubbishremoval.com.au. Your home will be cleansed and so will you. You could also check out Rubbish Taxi for friendly and affordable waste removal services.


12.Prepare for the worst

One of the main factors which always stops us from pursuing a new way of life is fear that we will fail. The thing is, many of us never take that risk and therefore we never know if we would have succeeded. To convince yourself to at least try; think of the worst case scenario. If you go for a different job you might get rejected. If you do it's fine, and you can just try somewhere else or take a few courses to widen your knowledge. Unless the worst case scenario is that your whole life will fall apart or you will be eaten by lions; you don’t need to worry too much. Learn to take that risk and see what awaits you on the other side. You may find that it is the best decision you have made in your entire life.

On a personal note, here's my walking story for National Walking Day a couple of years ago with an update.

Advantages of Peer to Peer Lending


Peer to peer lending is an extensive category that covers different investments. All P2P lending situations are similar at a basic level. You can give your extra money on a particular interest to needy people. It will help you to earn some profit. Types of peer to peer lending may vary significantly; hence, it is essential to understand the type of investment and its function. You can spread money across many individuals and businesses. You can also choose specific parties to lend your money.

Account-Based Benefits of Peer to Peer Lending

The good reputation of account-based products makes it the first preference of lenders. Some bigger platforms may genuinely claim that their investors can’t lose money, in case of an investment failure. Considering the reputation, good track record and credibility of P2P lending, the investments may get a good return. You can get 4 to 7% interest on your money.

Select-select Benefits of Lending

Unlike a traditional account-based loan, you can invest directly in your favorite business. You can choose a potential business after comparing all available options. If you are confident about the selection of a good investment with a good return and less risk, you can earn a good amount of money.

High Returns

Peer to peer lending offers a high return, such as you can get almost 20% interest. These lending situations are short term and last only for 12 months. You can receive the initial loan amount quickly, unless the business faces failure.

Application Procedure is Simple

It is really easy to apply for peer to peer lending. You have to fill out an online application form and carefully provide your personal information. It will take only a few minutes to get the approval of your loan. With the help of your computer, you can apply anywhere to get extra funds for your business or personal needs. 

Interest Rates

Peer to peer lending is beneficial for everyone as compared to traditional bank loans. You can get this loan at a lower interest rate as compared to other types of loans. You can get quotes of different lenders and compare their terms to get the best rate. After loan approval, borrowers will get a timeline to repay this loan. Lenders may get 3 to 5 years to repay this loan. The interest rate can be selected as per the repayment terms.

Funding Speed

The speed of funding is another reason to choose peer to peer lending. Funding may take 1 – 3 weeks based on the size of the loan. A small loan can be less than $5,000 or you can get this loan within a few days. Maximum funding may take more or less than a week.

Great Funding Rates

The borrowers of peer to peer lending can get the advantage of high funding amount. This amount may increase with time and can be substantial ranging between $1,000 and $35,000. You can get a higher amount for your business expansion or buy new equipment for your office.


If you want to earn extra money, peer to peer lending can be a good choice for you. Start slowly and make wise decisions to increase your return.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Worlds of Fun's First Annual Winterfest #WOFWinterfest

I am so excited about this post that I don't know where to start. I guess I should start with gratitude. Thank you to Worlds of Fun for four tickets to see what Winterfest was all about, and for the goodies that came along with it. Thank you to Kansas City Parent for being the most amazing magazine to work with and for hooking me up with Worlds of Fun on this post. Thank you to readers of this blog, who come here to check out what Kansas City has to offer! Buckle up for this one!

*Quick shout-out to my parents for taking me to WOF for my first time as a wee tot back in the 1970s. I was under the weather that day so I didn't make it long, but as a teen I went OFTEN.

What a way to start December! On Friday night, December 1, my family and I (seven of us total) headed to Worlds of Fun to see what Winterfest was like. I had not been there since probably about 1996 with Aron for a work event. That was also his last time. Our four youngest kids (ages 14, 12, 10 and 8) had never been, and I wasn't sure when the right time was (answer: I wish we had been going for YEARS, and now we will be going a lot more, even considering season passes; I dub it "The Disneyland of Kansas City"). Our 16-year-old son Joel went about three times this past summer and LOVES it.

So I was surprised to hear it was going to be open in the WINTERTIME. Thankfully it was a mild evening. Even if it's cold, though, WOF has you covered with their refillable hot chocolate cups, places to warm up, hats for sale, warm funnel cakes and other goodies, and places to duck in for warm experiences (more on that later).

Heading inside. I'm a sucker for blue and white lights.

My family inside the entrance.

Oh my. It all started coming back to me when I used to go to WOF as a teen all the time. Anyone remember the teen dance club there called Exit 54? I have fond memories of it, and that's back when glo-sticks were new!!!

EVERYTHING had lights. It was a visual feast and I could not stop smiling. 







On the train, which was also decorated. Everything was so Christmasy and wintery. It was heaven.


The side of Eva's new glasses she just got that day.

The refillable hot chocolate mug. Super easy to find a vendor and a great deal. Good hot chocolate and a mug that wouldn't spill.


Again with the decorating. I felt like a kid again.







Waiting in line taking bad selfies.

Oh yeah, Le Taxi Tour was still there. I was excited to see the old classics of WOF and a lot of new stuff as well. This old mom was impressed.


Callie took pictures while I drove.





My 14-year-old driving the taxi.

I'm a sucker for a family photo.

Mrs. Claus! Starstruck! She was in the cookie decorating experience!


cookies


tons of sprinkle choices!


The kids had a blast with the cookie decorating!




I ducked out to get more visual stimulation and heard Elvis singing Blue Christmas with the blue tree lit up.











Callie won the best cookie award from our family!


the finished product

I didn't want to risk my camera flying out of my hand on a bump, so I took a pre-bumper car photo. Most of my kids had never been on bumper cars!



time for the carousel





It was almost closing time for the night, so we headed to the cake factory for a funnel cake ...

one.

two.

THREE! This is the specialty holiday funnel cake!

It went too fast! I want to go back!

YES! I really was there. Here I am! Time to leave with cookies, funnel cakes and a huge smile and some TIRED KIDS!



In case you couldn't tell from this post (my face hurts from smiling while writing it), we LOVED THIS and can't wait to go back. One of my favorite holiday songs is "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" but I never actually experienced what that felt like until I took my family to World of Fun Winterfest!

In October we experienced Disneyworld and Universal Studios for the first time and my kids were not impressed with the cost or lines. However, they FELL IN LOVE with Worlds of Fun, which is only about half an hour from our house. The cost of a season pass for one kid is the same as the cost for a one-day ticket to Disney or Universal. If you live in Kansas City, you must take advantage of WOF. I am ashamed to say I had forgotten how much I loved this place as a kid/teen.

Here's the deal: we did not do even HALF of what WOF had to offer. We didn't ride any wild rides (although a few of us love them; we wanted to stick together this time and check it out), and we didn't even get to Camp Snoopy. We didn't check out the ICE SKATING (yes, ice skating at WOF!). We barely caught some of the GORGEOUS live shows (with SNOW!), which 10-year-old Eva won't let me live down. We just walked around in awe and did the train, carousel, taxis, bumper cars (they did them THREE times). We still got the experience of a lifetime. Check out the map and what's open during Winterfest and what's extra special:



Have you been? Tell me about your experience in the comments and/or link me to your post! If you have not been, you have to go!

Almost a year later, my daughter Eva wrote a poem in our homeschool co-op Creative Writing class, taught by me:

A poem in our co-op Creative Writing class by my Eva:
Worlds of Fun
Winterfest
Fun Exciting
Walking Shivering Riding
Bumping on Bumper Cars

Friday, December 1, 2017

Fertility Tips for Your Husband


There are various reasons why you are having difficulty getting pregnant, and one of them could be your man having a low sperm count. Scottish Researchers discovered that the average sperm count of men has fallen below in recent years, but relating this situation to low birth rates is not clear. Low sperm count in men is caused by various factors such as environmental pollutants, effects of medication, tendency for couples to be older when starting a family, and so on.

Low fertility rate affects 1 in 20 men (5%). But it has been discovered that 20% of men have low sperm count, and about 2-3% produce no sperm at all. Low sperm count has also been discovered to be the cause for 20% of couples experiencing infertility. So how can your man increase his sperm count and fertility? This article will discuss some natural tips that will help improve your man’s fertility and sperm production to enable you to get pregnant faster.

Beware Of Mobile Hot Spots
Does your man keep his phone all day long in his pocket? Does he work late at night with his laptop placed on his lap? Your man’s sperm can be damaged in scary ways such as the creation of abnormal sperm shapes and the alteration of the DNA in sperm. Various research studies are confirming such findings, so do yourself a favor and ask your man to stop carrying his phone in his pocket and keep his laptop off his laps.

Cut down on plastics
Ensure that your man avoids using products containing phthalates or BPA. It has been discovered that these chemicals are disruptors of hormones and can negatively affect the quality of sperm produced by your man. Also, a researcher showed findings that related men with high BPA exposure to lower sperm motility. And some men who had higher concentration of phthalate traces in their urine took longer to impregnate their partners.Although it is difficult to avoid plastics these days entirely, you should avoid plastics with these toxic chemicals completely from your man’s life.

Ensure your man eats nuts
When a man consumes nuts, his sperm quality will be increased. Researchers from UCLA investigated the effect of eating walnuts on over 100 men.  After three months, the semen quality of the men was analyzed and discovered that those who ate at least 2.5 ounces of walnut each day had considerably increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids. It means that they had better sperm mobility, vitality, and less chromosomal abnormalities. Also, it has been discovered that eating any nut ensures the body experience reduced oxidative stress, which in turns increase the production of sperm.

Pop a Few Vitamins
While a man does not have an equivalent of a prenatal vitamin, you should ensure your man makes it a daily habit of taking multivitamins. Researchers from New Zealand discovered that women have increased chances of getting pregnant faster when their partner takes oral supplements. Make sure your man takes supplements containing Folic acid (1 mg), vitamin C (500 mg), vitamin D (1000 IU) and vitamin E (400 IU) daily. These vitamins are essentials because they reduce the production of free radicals and aids the stability and functionality of the sperm-cell membrane.

Ensure your man hits the gym
Not only is hitting the gym a few times a week great for overall health, it can also improve the sperm count of your man. Findings from researchers of the Harvard School of Public Health study showed that men who participated in moderate-to-physical activity for at least 15 hours weekly had about 73 percent higher sperm concentration than men who moved less than five hours in a week. Also, men who watch more than 20 hours of TV per week sitting on a couch had about 44 percent lower sperm concentration than men who didn’t watch anything at all. Ensuring that your man partake in any exercise that breaks sweat is great, adding additional training is even better. Your man’s testosterone level can be increased when he lifts weight, and it can even aid in higher sperm concentration.

Ensure he undergoes a 90-Day Body Cleanse
I’m sure most people don’t know that it takes between 75 and 90 days for the male sperm to form and mature before shooting out. That means your man needs to start detoxifying his body for at least three months before both of you start thinking of making babies. Health and reproductive experts advises that you ensure he reflects on his lifestyle habits. He should be free of anything that could hinder the production of his sperm.The goal is to have a healthy environment from the start. If your man avoids alcohol, smoking or junk food when you are ovulating, it won’t make a lot of difference. But ensuring that he embraces an anti-inflammatory diet and an exercise routine daily leading up to when both of you are prepared to get pregnant will make a huge difference.

Ensure he avoids overheating his Testicles
Another common cause of infertility among men is the exposure of the testicles to high temperature. This can kill the sperm and reduce the amount of sperm produced during ejaculation. Ensure your man wears loose-fitting underwear such as boxers, and he should avoid higher heat in the groin area, for instance, using his laptop on his lap can greatly increase the temperature in the groin area. You should also advise your man to avoid working in a hot environment or being exposed to a lot of heat, make sure he takes a tepid bath for about 30 minutes every night. This will help lower the temperature and increase the production of sperm during ejaculation.

These tips above are things your man can do to increase the sperm count and improve fertility. Using the completely safe, holistic and natural tips found above will ensure that you and your partner will not only overcome infertility but get pregnant faster. It also increases your chances of having a healthy baby.