Tag Archives: UK Blogger

The Meaning of Christmas

December 22, 2016 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , , , 15 Comments

You can feel the excitement in the air as Christmas draws nearer. Christmas trees are set up, your reindeer is likely out, everywhere is beautifully decorated with lights and there is a wreath on almost every door. There are excited shoppers buying gifts for their friends and family, and kids going off to see Santa.

 

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When you take a step back from the beauty and joy of Christmas, there’s a question that lingers, “What is it about Christmas that has such a great effect on so many people?” The Christmas season is a magical season, but hidden within the cheer of Christmas is an amazing and inspiring meaning:

  1. Christmas is a season of love

Although Valentine’s Day is associated with love, Christmas takes the meaning of love a little further. Christmas is a time when people show love to everyone around them, not only to their partners or spouses, but also to family, friends and neighbours.

The spirit of love is shown from the gifts they share. Those gifts are tokens of care, affection and oneness. Christmas is the time when you can reach out to others who are alone, sad or in need of some company. It is the time when people share the cheer of Christmas.

  1. Christmas is a season to take time off to reflect and plan for the New Year

In the midst of the cheer and excitement, exchange of gifts and delicious food, Christmas is a time when we reflect on our lives. It’s a time to reflect and meditate on the essence of life. Life is all about sharing, helping one another, and making people smile. It’s about giving meaning to those who feel that there’s nothing left in life for them.

Christmas is also a time to reflect on what true happiness is all about. Happiness is not hidden in material things but it’s hidden in the heart that shares and gives happiness.

All this will helps plan for the New Year so that we can make a good start of the year with renewed enthusiasm, confidence and meaning. This is the time to set out your new year’s resolution (if you are into resolutions) and set up an action plan to make sure the new year is a success.

  1. Christmas is about appreciating the special gift of Christ

Christ is the reason for the season, and we should not forget that. Through Jesus Christ we were given salvation and a renewed hope.

Sometimes we are weighed down by problems, temptations, and challenges. There are times when we feel alone and lost. But once there is life, there is hope.

  1. Christmas is about enjoying family time

The beauty of Christmas is the fact that you get to enjoy the season with your loved ones. Those precious moments with your family seated around the table enjoying a yummy Christmas meal, with Christmas carols playing in the background, and opening presents under the Christmas tree. I think is one of the best times ever.

I will be taking a break starting today to enjoy the season. I am off on holiday {whoop whoop} and I am really looking forward to it. I will be sharing shots on Instagram and Twitter, so keep up with me on those platforms. And I shall return with a new post in the next few days.

Have a very merry Christmas xo

 

6 Habits Every Creative Should Have

December 17, 2016 By in Blogging Tips Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 59 Comments

Creatives are a special set of people. They do things in ways that the world sees as different. But in the “difference” they make sure that their creative works are unique.

As a creative, you need to constantly be on create-mode, coming up with brand new ideas, perspectives and insights everyday. But just like every creative thing we do have our down times, that’s why it’s important to cultivate habits that will keep creative spark up.

 

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Here are 6 habits you should have as a creative:

 

  1. Get enough sleep

One of the common habits of creatives is that they can work for long hours without stopping. Time passes by without you knowing because you’re so engrossed with creating. For some creatives this could go on until the next morning.

Although there’s nothing wrong with working long and hard, not getting enough sleep will make you lose focus and sometimes leave you feeling uninspired. So the late nights can prove to be counter intuitive for creatives.

Fatigue can hamper your clarity of thought and that can stop you from efficiently brainstorming and reduce the rate at which you create unique pieces.

Try taking at least 5-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. A good night’s sleep can get you feeling lively, alert and reinvigorated.

 

  1. Enrich your mind through reading

When you’re on create-mode, it’s natural for you to get carried away and forget to fill your mind with new ideas, concepts and creative works of others. One of the most effective ways to enrich and improve your knowledge on creative works and techniques is through reading.

Don’t stick to reading materials relating to your niche alone. Diversify your reading material by reading novels, books on psychology or any field other than the one you’re engaged in. This will help enhance your creative genius.

 

  1. Go for walks

Sometimes the most creative inspiration comes from engaging in therapeutic activities. Going on quiet contemplative walks inspires you with great ideas. In addition to this you also get a change to engage in physical activity which not only benefits your mind but also your body.

A 30-minute walk around the park or anywhere you’re surrounded by nature will do plenty of good for your creativity. This is because as you spend time walking you’ll see, hear and think about things that will inspire you.

 

  1. Start your day with a healthy breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Sadly so many people including creatives miss breakfast because they have to rush to work after a very long night or sleep through the morning such that they miss breakfast.

Eating healthy food as the first meal of the day will keep you happy and alert. A healthy diet can greatly affect your mood which can affect your creativity. I get very grumpy when I am hungry.

Commit yourself to eating a healthy breakfast every morning. Even if you had a late night, make it a point of duty to wake up early enough to grab some breakfast. This simple act will change your life for good.

 

  1. Think positively

It’s so difficult to be creative in a negative environment especially when you are depressed or weighed down by problems. Constantly reciting words of encouragement and affirmation to yourself can lift your spirits. When you’re in a good mood, you’re more in the flow. Thinking positively will make you feel more at ease with what you’re creating. You’ll also feel more confident with your abilities to develop your skills and think outside the box.

 

  1. Take time off to relax

This is the ultimate habit that creatives need to cultivate. As creatives we can get lost in our work that most times we forget to take a break.

You need to take time off to rest so that you can generate more creative ideas. Your mind works better when it is at ease and not overworked. Interestingly, the best ideas come when I am relaxing, about to snooze off, reading, in the shower or just lazing around.

 

Do you have a habit that helps your creativity? Please share in the comments section below.

How to Write Faster

December 15, 2016 By in Blogging Tips Tags: , , , , , , , , 43 Comments

As freelance writers and bloggers our business revolves around how many articles we put up either for ourselves or for our clients. And the more you write, the more money you make.

If you want to stay on top of your game as a freelance writer or blogger, then you need to learn how to write fast. The faster you’re able to write, the more articles or blog posts you’ll be able to churn out and of course, increase your income.

 

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Writing fast is tricky. But with a lot of practice you’ll be able to train yourself to increase your speed. So if you have been wondering how you can get more work done fast, then these tips will help you.

  1. Do your research first

It’s so much easier writing about something you know very well than writing about something you’re not familiar with. That’s why before you start writing anything at all, the smartest thing to do is to research and grasp all the major concepts relating to the topic you’re about to work on. This will help get the creative juices flowing such that you won’t have to struggle writing on the topic.

Here’s a note of caution: you don’t have to go overboard with your research. Restrict yourself only to the relevant things relating to the article. Don’t get carried away with all the information out there. Stick to the topic as much as you can.

  1. Draw up a very detailed outline

Outlines are like maps. They will help guide you in which direction the article will go. The reason why outlines help you to write faster is because you won’t have to stop and think about what the next paragraph or section of the article will be about.

With an outline, you know exactly where you are going and the main points the article will touch. With a detailed outline your work is half done.

 

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  1. Quit editing as you write

As important as editing your writing projects is, editing is one of the reasons why you don’t write fast. There’s no problem with editing. The main problem is editing as you write.

If you want to write faster, you need to train yourself to write without editing. Leave all the editing later after you have finished writing the article. This way, you will focus more on getting the project done and less time fussing over whether it is constructed well or not.

  1. Time yourself while you write

When you know that the clock’s ticking and that you’re running out of time, it creates a sense of urgency which will naturally push you to increase your writing speed. Get a stop watch and challenge yourself to write a 500-700 word article in 45 minutes, then start reducing the time week after week until you achieve your desired speed.

Don’t get discouraged if you fail to meet the time limit. It’s all part of the practice. With time you’ll be able to get more work done within a short period of time. The idea is to take it one step at a time.

 

What do you think of these tips? Do you have any writing tips to share?

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