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Category: Lifestyle (page 2 of 3)

Reader Question: I Want a Serious Relationship. Now What?

Dating is such a beautiful thing. You have met someone with a different background, and you are caught up with all the romance. However, many people want more than just dating; they want to forge a long-lasting relationship. It is only natural for people to desire a serious relationship, as they want to spend the rest of their lives with that person they so much love.

Are you tired of the single life and now ready to date? You may be wondering how to go about answering the question, “I want a serious relationship, but how do I get it.”

We have got you covered as we have given you a rundown of techniques to follow below to achieve this sole aim.

Lay Your Cards on the Table

When from the onset, your desire is to build a long-lasting relationship, it is essential that you share your thoughts with your partner. Ensure that you do not hold back any of your thoughts as this is one of the ways to build trust and happiness between your partner and you.

Use a Warm Tone to Converse with Your Partner

Using a soft and warm tone to converse with your partner reflects how dearly you hold them in your heart. It depicts respect, love, understanding, and tolerance that is vital to building a strong relationship.

Work as a Team

Relationships are more about “We” than “I.” When a problem rears up its head focus on how to get through them with your partner. Let them contribute their ideas on how to arrest the problem. Consequentially, this shows them how much you respect and value their opinion.

Maintain Communication

For every strong relationship, communication is pivotal. You should ensure to initiate and maintain communication with your other half at all times. The moment that there is a breakdown in communication, the relationship begins to wither. Make sure that communication is done effectively.

Have Patience

Patience is a recipe you must-have if you want to forge a long-term relationship. Do you remember the saying that love is patience? Yea, it is true. Your partner is likely to have flaws, and you should be patient enough to tolerate them if you want a strong relationship.

There you have it! Above are some useful tips to help you answer the question, “I want a serious relationship, but how do I get it?.” The journey into a relationship is exciting. However, it should be done the right way to achieve the desired results. By following the tips above, you can put yourself in a position for a serious relationship.

Where to Find Help When Feeling Alone While Pregnant

January 15, 2020 / Mallory Robertson / 0 Comments

As an expecting mother, the processes of pregnancy is beautiful and challenging. You can be happy one minute, and the next, depressed. Things get more complicated when you don’t have a partner to support you. Whether it is keeping you company at night or driving you for a prenatal visit, having someone else around can make pregnancy less challenging.

If you are feeling alone while pregnant, then this article is for you. Below are seven tips to help you feel less lonely and enjoy your pregnancy as much as you can.

Sign up for a Support Group

One of the things that pregnant women living alone should know is that there are support groups with women in a similar situation. Speak with your therapist or OBGYN for a recommendation of a support group in your area.

Go to a Doctor’s Appointment with a Friend

If pregnant women don’t want to go through the stages of pregnancy alone, finding someone to partner with to go with you to appointments can make them feel less lonely and more comfortable. However, when a partner is not available, going for a doctor’s appointment keeps that lonely feeling at bay.

Be With Friends and Family

The fact that your partner is not available to offer you emotional support does not mean you cannot get it from people who are close to you. Surrounding yourself with friends and family during pregnancy is a great way to find the support you need.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques are one of the ways that pregnant women can relieve stress and stay busy. This exercise is pivotal for the enhancement of their wellbeing and to avoid health complications. Another relaxing activity that they can engage in is reading.

Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Help

An important step towards seeking support during pregnancy is acknowledging that you are lonely and need help. Asking for support is the first step to overcoming the challenges that facing pregnancy alone can cause

There you have it! Above are some ideas for how to get help when feeling alone while pregnant. Pregnancy is stressful and overwhelming. It is important to get as much support as possible.
After they are born, take a look at these picture books that children are sure to love!

Where Did The Enneagram Come From?

January 15, 2020 / Mallory Robertson / 0 Comments

The Enneagram is a symbol that is associated with the human personality. Also known as the Enneagram of Personality, it is a categorization tool that places a person’s personality into one of the interrelated nine classes of personalities. The Enneagram is comprised of three parts: An inner triangle, a circle, and an irregular hexagonal figure. It is coined from the Greek words “Ennea” and “gram,” which means “nine” and “point,” respectively. This tool is intended to provide insight into modern psychology and wisdom. It has been connected to early mathematicians, philosophers, and Christians.

Where Did The Enneagram Come From?

Several researchers of the Enneagram have linked its origin to some ancient groups such as the Pythagoreans, Desert Fathers, Sufi, Kabbalists, and many others. However, this claim has not been substantiated with proof.

The origin of the Enneagram can be traced to the Greek American occultist called Georges I. Gurdjieff. Georges considered the Enneagram as the symbol of the cosmos and linked no other meaning to it. As years went by, personality type connotation was attached to the Enneagram by another occultist, Oscar Ichazo. Ichazo was a great development figure for the Enneagram.

Oscar claimed to have discovered the personality types linked with the Enneagram after the Archangel Metraton disclosed it to him. The Bolivian-born later founded the Arica school in 1968, where personality types and related theories associated with the Enneagram were taught. These teachings formed a large body termed the Protoanalysis.

Oscar Ichazo exposed a Chilean psychiatrist, Claudio Naranjo, to the Enneagram. Claudio was the first person to connect the nine different personality types to the Enneagram. The students of Claudio spread knowledge of the Enneagram to the Christian communities in 1970.

Since then, the symbol has been promoted by several persons, including the Franciscan friar Richard Rohr, Ormer Jesuit, Don Riso, late Benedictine nun, Jerry Wagner, and Suzanne Zuercher. Others include Don Riso and Russ Hudson, Mark Bodnarczuk, Beatrice Chestnut, Sandra Maitri Ginger Lapid-Bogda, David Daniels, and more. There is also the Enneagram Institute that brings the Enneagram knowledge to the public.

The Enneagram has many uses. From business to relationships, knowing your personality type and how that influences your interactions can be incredibly important. This is especially true if you are spending time with someone new, or even thinking about travel.
You can take the test here, then check out books and other resources to learn more about your Enneagram type!

Use a Hobby App to Keep Track of Activities

December 3, 2019 / Mallory Robertson / 0 Comments

Every day our lives are governed by routines. Some hobbies and habits such as cooking, playing music, singing, working out, and so forth determine how our day goes. Fortunately, many hobby apps help you stay tuned to your hobbies so you can find even more time for relationships and the activities you love. Below is a list of top hobby apps you can download today to know how you spend your day.

Artfonica

If you are aspiring to be an artist, the Artfonica app will come in handy. It is an easy to use app that is designed to help amateur artists learn the art of drawing. Artfonica offers 70 step-by-step tutorials that teach beginners how to draw anime, animals, and cartoons.

Duolingo

Do you want to learn more languages? Duolingo is an app that offers free online language training. With this app, you can learn up to 20 languages on the go. A chatbot and social club let users meet to get motivated and to learn more languages.

Habitica

Habitica is an app that is extremely useful in creating, tracking, and maintaining daily habits. It comes with a video game designed to inspire users to keep track of their daily activities and have fun. With this app, you can join a social club where you will meet friends and complete tasks.

SticKK

SticKK, developed by Yale University, is tailored to inspire users to accomplish their daily goals. You can bet money on yourself to reach certain goals. It is easy to use and highly compatible with many computer devices.

Habitshare

Habitshare integrates a social network where you can meet friends and grow habits with them. With the real-time messaging feature, you can interact with other users to keep yourselves motivated. You can disable the social feature if you want to keep your activities private.

Coach.me

The benefit of Coach.me is that you will meet and hire a personal coach that comes at an extra cost. You can hire either a leadership coach or a habit coach, depending on your needs. It is highly effective to get you to stay in line with your daily set goals.

Looking to get more done? Then the above hobby apps that you can use to track daily activities. Our day is usually filled with a lot of activities. By making use of the mobile apps mentioned above, you can easily stay tuned to your hobbies daily.

Picture Books That My Kids Love That You Haven’t Heard Of

November 15, 2019 / Cliff Robertson / 0 Comments

Picture books make reading fun for children and parents alike. I love to read out books to my children, but I prefer them to read it themselves to enhance their reading abilities and literacy level.

Most kids that love reading started out with picture books. It captivates them and picture books present to them the message in the book. Children read books when they feel that they have something in them that will help them connect to the story.

In case you are in search of some interesting picture books for kids, this post is for you. Below are books that my kids love and that your kids will find interesting too.

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

This is a children’s picture and comical book that every kid loves to read. Even my children cackle as they go through each page. The hilarity and the description of the images are excellent. Though the title sounds like there are no pictures, actually, there are pictures to make reading fun and enjoyable.

We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen

We Found a Hat is a children’s picture book written by Canadian author and illustrator Jon Klassen. The book follows the story of two turtles that come across a hat, and the events that happens when they leave it. It is a very immersive and nice book to read.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett

Extra Yarn By Barnett tells a tale about a generous girl that knits for her community using a magical yarn box. A guy in town asks a question about how her magical yarn box works. The art is colorful, comical and immersive.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Duncan is a kid that wants to color. When he opens his box of crayons he finds no crayon but letters depicting His crayons have had enough. Orange and Yellow are not on speaking terms with each believing it is the true color of the sun; Black wants more purpose other than being used for outlining; Beige Crayon is tired of Brown crayon being chosen ahead of it; and Blue needs a breather from coloring the color of the water. This is one interesting book for kids.

There you have it! Above are some interesting picture books for kids. These picture books can be a perfect gift for your little ones, niece, or nephew this holiday season. Give the book to them as a gift and they will always appreciate it.

How to Save a Relationship With These 10 Tips

November 14, 2019 / Mallory Robertson / 0 Comments

With every relationship, there will always be disagreements. There will be a point when the differences seem to be driving the relationship into the ground. This often leads to breakups, and if not resolved immediately, it can cause the relationship to fall apart. To save a relationship from hitting rock bottom, consider the 10 tips below.

Admit Your Mistake

This is the hardest and yet the most essential in salvaging a relationship. Being willing to admit when you are the cause of the problem will help to ease negative feelings between you and your partner, as well as build trust.

Remember the Things that Made You Love Your Partner

Remembering memories of what made you so attached to your significant other is a catalyst to get back in good terms with them.

Spend Time Together

Breakdowns in communication are a recipe for relationship failure. Take a break from your daily routine and spend quality time with your partner.

Learn to Talk Issues Over and Negotiate

One of the reasons relationships end is because the parties involved are unable to sit down and figure out a remedy. If you want to fix a strained relationship, you need to sit down and discuss the problem and potential solutions. Each person needs to give 50% to ensure balance in the relationship.

Be Honest

If there is something about your partner that is bothering you, talk to them about it in an honest way. This way, you will know what went wrong and how you can fix it.

Don’t Try to Change Them

A mistake that is recurrently made and that breaks relationships is trying to change the other person. We all have flaws that we need to work on, and there is a time and place to do just that. However, part of being in a relationship means accepting the other person for who they are.

Now, leaving behind dirty dishes or not communicating well enough are good things to work on. Talking about these things is a great idea! But other things, like core interests, some mannerisms and behaviors, or even who they hang out with are often non-negotiable.

Some things are best left untouched, and this may be a case where making a clean break is best.

Don’t Hurt Each Other

Deceit can harm your partner, leading to broken trust, and more problems down the line. Talk to each other kindly, be honest, appreciate the other’s efforts, and control your emotions during arguments.

Forgive

Keep perspective on what the other person has done. Is it better to pick a battle over it, or offer a clean slate. This can be the hardest part of how to save a relationship, but it can save you from heartbreak.

Let Them Know You Love Them

Always let them know that you still love them as you did at the beginning of the relationship. Take them out for dinner, buy gifts, and shower them with words of affirmation.

Allow Them to Lead Their Lives

Don’t try to be controlling. Let your partner live the life they desire. That doesn’t mean you still can’t help to guide them in the right direction. But know when to leave the reigns and let them walk alone. Not everyone wants to do everything together, and there will be times where doing your own thing will be best for the both of you.

There you have it! Above are some insightful tips how to save a relationship on the verge of collapse. The tips above will help save your relationship and build a stronger bond between partners.

A Few Thoughts for Planning Your Next Getaway

November 13, 2019 / Cliff Robertson / 0 Comments

You need a vacation. If you’re like me, you’re bad at actually taking vacations. Do you really, truly unplug? I know I don’t… the struggle to disconnect from work and social media is real. It’s hard to do. Follow these suggestions to plan a getaway and make it memorable.

Lower the pressure of the trip. Seriously.

Tons of pressure to make that vacation perfect can wind up backfiring on you. The best memories you make on vacation are often impromptu — the unexpected conversations and laughter is more meaningful than the fancy dinner itself (even if the food is great).

Keep a loose itinerary.

Unexpected events will happen that can stress you out. A delayed flight or traffic on the way to the dinner reservation can throw your whole itinerary off. Have a loose itinerary for some days, but also leave a few days completely open. Whenever your schedule is flexible, you won’t be hurrying to complete everything on your travel wish list. Also, keep the itinerary with you. Print it out, use a custom padfolio like this one, or create a list on your phone so it’s always with you.

Actually take some down time.

At this point in my life, I think that enjoying downtime without feeling guilty or needed elsewhere is a learned skill. You have to actually learn to enjoy the down time, which is somewhat ironic since it’s the whole reason you went on vacation in the first place. Traveling with others can become extremely stressful at times, because everybody has a different set of preferences. So, if downtime means alone time, set that expectation clearly with whoever you’re traveling with. Maybe it’s them, maybe it’s you, but if you need space then speak up. Whatever is life-giving and rejuvenating for you, do it. For some that means being around people, for others it means solitude. You do you, but be clear about it for everyone’s sake so nobody has hurt feelings or misgivings.

Should You Buy a Repo Yacht to Impress Friends and Family?

October 30, 2019 / Cliff Robertson / 0 Comments

Yachts come with a price tag that is not within reach of man, but you can have one if you go for a repo yacht. You must be wondering if you should buy a repo yacht to impress your friends and family. In this post, we will walk you through why it may be a good idea.

Affordable

One of the benefits of buying a repo yacht is its low selling price. When someone buys a repo yacht from a bank auction, they are typically getting the product or service at a discount to help the bank to recoup some of the cost. Repo yachts are not often auctioned to be sold for profit. The high price tag is suddenly much lower, but be wary because you may not be allowed to inspect the yacht before purchase. So what you buy may be in need of costly repairs.

Large Selection

When you are buying a repo yacht you will have access to a large inventory to suit your tastes. There are many makes and models, so plan on doing a little research to understand what you are buying. Once you have made the purchase, there are no returns and you may be stuck with it until you can find another buyer.

Easy Transaction Process

The main purpose behind the sale of the repo yacht by an entity is to generate funds as soon as possible. They are tempted to sell the yacht at a decent price enough to lure a buyer to get it out of inventory. The reduced paperwork makes the transaction quick and attractive to many buyers.

For people that are looking for a change in scenery, the ease of purchase is ideal to make the choice easy.

Excellent Condition

While buying a repo yacht may seem like a risky proposition, boats in general are designed and built to withstand a lot of abuse. Many boats can sail for decades with minimal maintenance. Again, just make sure you brush up on your boating knowledge. It may even help if you are a DIY’er and can handle some of the repairs yourself.

There you have it! These are just a few of the reasons why you should buy a repo yacht. Now that you know what you stand to gain from buying a repo yacht you can go right ahead and acquire one to show it off to your friends and family.

Why People Are Leaving Cities to Take Up in Rural Farmland

October 23, 2019 / Mallory Robertson / 0 Comments

It is a known fact that people typically move from rural to urban areas, but the reverse is the case nowadays. There are many reasons for the movement of people from cities to live in rural farmland. We will look at some of the reasons in this post.

Fresher Air

In the rural farmland, there is less automobile traffic and more trees, which translates to fresher and cleaner air. This is not the case in cities where there are fewer trees and more automobiles that pollute the air. The fresher air of rural farmlands makes it possible for the dwellers to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and more relaxation while spending time outdoors.

Calmness

Another reason why people are leaving cities to take up in rural farmland is because of the calmness. Urban areas are characterized by the sounds of cars, people, emergency vehicles, public transportation, and more. It just never stops. On the other hand, rural farmlands are quiet and calm. The quietness of the rural farmland makes it possible for dwellers to enjoy the satisfaction of life.

Social Interaction

The rural farmland is made of a tight-knit group of people. These regions are smaller in population, which in some ways can make it easier to form stronger social bonds simply because fewer people are likely to come and go like they do in urban areas. Locals are more likely to participate in social events knowing that their voice and opinion counts.

Food Options

If you are big into eating out, rural areas may not be for you. Rural areas are going to have fewer food choices, chain restaurants, and similar eating options. As such, you may be more reliant on growing your own food, visiting farmers markets, and grocery stores. Foods prepared in rural areas are more likely to be natural and even affordable as they are more likely to be farm to table. Being more natural, they are effective in making the consumers live a healthier lifestyle than those in the city.

Low Crime Rate

Given that rural communities are often very close and there are fewer unknown people, there is a lower chance for crime.

Less Stress

There is no need to beat the traffic jam or putting up with work demands in the rural farmland. Things are done at a slower pace, which makes life easier and less stressful.

There you have it! Above are some reasons why people are leaving cities to take up in rural farmland. Rural life is desir able to some people because of the calmness, less pollution, fresh foods, cheap cost of living, social interaction and more. You can choose any of these reasons to move to rural farmland.

Use These Essential Oils for Dark Circles Under the Eyes

October 8, 2019 / Mallory Robertson / 0 Comments

Do you have dark circles around your eyes and don’t like them? The fact is that anybody can have dark circles under the eyes. Dark circles can be caused by aging, allergies, dry skin, lack of sleep, or genetics.

Imagine trying to get famous with big dark circles! Let’s get rid of them.

With essential oils for dark circles under the eyes, you can help to support the skin around the face, including dark circles. Essential oils are liquid plant extracts that when mixed with a carrier oil and applied topically help to address whatever currently ails you!

We have put together essential oils that will aid you to get rid of dark circles under your eyes. Just remember that essential oils are strong and if you get them into your eye, they may burn or cause serious injury to your vision.

Clove Essential Oils

Clove essential oils help to support the appearance of skin under the eyes. Eugenol, the primary component of clove, has properties to guard your skin against oxidative stress and inflammation. Clove oil is also known to contain antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense essential oil has rejuvenating properties that help get rid of pimples, prevent premature aging and supports circulation through the skin. Apply gently to the skin and massage. Frankincense oil is highly against dark circles.

Aubrey Organics

This brand sells a number of organic products made with quality natural ingredients to help combat dark circles under the eyes. Free of additives, it contains highly active ingredients that revitalize the skin to make them appear more attractive. Aubrey Organics provides long-term skincare solutions to its users.

Now Foods

When you are looking for supplements that will rejuvenate your skin, making them appear more glowing and beautiful, then check out what Now Foods has to offer. Made with organic ingredients, these supplements contain natural compounds that may aid and help to remove wrinkles and other signs of aging of the skin.

Desert Essence

Keep your skin healthy-looking with the Desert Essence brand. These essential oils provide your skin an extra bit of the love and care it deserves. Constituted of 100% organic and natural ingredients, it may be ideal for use to help remove dark circles under the eyes..

Give some of these essential oils for dark circles under the eyes. Essential oils are a great way to eliminate skin blemishes and dark circles. By using the essential oils mentioned above, you can rejuvenate your skin and provide a more youthful look.