Creating Sparks That Last & All Things Relationships

Relationship Habits for Greater Happiness I am so excited to introduce our guest blogger to you today! Cheri Timko is a Couples Relationship Expert who helps individuals strengthen their relationship with their current partner. Quoted from Cheri’s blog: Cheri Timko: A relationship habit is something built into our lives that we do automatically. That doesn't mean thoughtlessly. We still have to show up for that event.  The benefit of making these things habits is that we don't have to work so hard to come up with new ideas in order to connect with our partner - the opportunities to connect are already built into the relationship. You still need to show up with intention and emotion, but the opportunity is already there. Read the full article on her blog at the link below: 3 Relationship Habits for Greater Happiness Instagram Live with Cheri Timko I'm even more excited to tell you that we will get a chance to chat with Cheri on Instagram next week.  I have set a reminder on

How are our insecurities reflected in a relationship? I wrote the following article after I had an unexpected melt-down at work. So I know that the tiny steps I have outlined WORK. They will significantly impact your mental state positively and your outlook for the day ahead: The Art of Restorative Self-Love As a recovering Meltdown Survivor, this is what I’ve learnt.  No-one can love another, male or female, until you love yourself entirely. Not with the vanity of feeling that you're better than anyone else and not by exerting power over another. Self-love involves being gentle with yourself in all interactions, even when you are gently letting go of a person who no longer embraces your desire to live calmly. No human being has the capacity to love other beings wholly until self-love is mastered. You cannot express yourself fully to empathise with others if you aren’t aware of your own understandings of your inner workings. Love yourself well. Not in the adjective sense, but in th

Do you have a self-empowerment strategy in place? https://unsplash.com/@adityaries By self-empowerment, I mean that feeling that you know without doubt you can succeed in anything that comes your way.  That confidence, knowing you can hold your head high and say ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got this.” What strategies do you use to lift yourself out of a slump? Because, let’s face it, life is hard and we all feel deflated at times. I found THIS ARTICLE to be super helpful. 7 Tips for Achieving Self-Empowerment https://unsplash.com/@kalvisuals Would you be willing to share your methods of self-empowerment below? (Anonymously or by name are both fine). Self-Empowerment (Google Forms)  See below if you'd prefer not to use Google Forms. ICYMI 7 Tips for Achieving Self-Empowerment Here's to a very Hoppy Happy Easter, may you and yours celebrate, enjoy and stay safe 🐰 😀 Feel free to let me know your self-empowerment strategies in the comments if you prefer, rather than the Google Forms above. A

How Do You Portray Yourself to the World? Your body is your home. Have you ever wondered what compels you to return home at the end of each day? What draws you into that space? What magnetism attracts you to the energy there? Whilst I can’t answer on your behalf, here’s what I know from someone who has lived in 2 countries, semi-permanently lived in a third and travelled for a year without a place to call home yet feeling ‘at home’ in each accommodation. Self-awareness in your space: You are with yourself constantly. How do you perceive yourself? Does that align with how the world sees you? How you wish the world to see you? I’ve noticed that the things that bring me peace are the very things that define me. They denote that eternal question of ‘Who am I?’ Not in a career or relationship perspective, just me, in my own space and not what the world sees from the outside. So what are these things that bring me peace, and how do they relate to who I am and how I portray myself to the wor

Yours Choices Reflect Your Personality Happy by Turia Pitt My favourite book has recently changed, as in this week kind of recently. Reason being, it created the tiniest of pivot’s in my thinking that has turned my outlook upside down and right way up with such an improved view on life! Available here  (I am in no way affiliated) I used to always name, ‘Expecting Adam’ as my favourite book because it too, turned my viewpoint right around, so it kind of scaffolded me to my current favourite. ‘Expecting Adam’ had been my fave for decades and I’ve read a lot more of Martha Beck’s books which I also loved. Available here  (Not affiliated) Pay it Forward movie The takeaway message for me has always been that “people are too scared to try.” This has catapulted me forwards on so many occasions! But beware, if you do watch it, it is a tearjerker. Separate Bathrooms Podcast I only discovered this podcast late last year. It covers all aspects of relationships in a real and relatable way. Intimat

 Let's Dig In https://unsplash.com/@eliomendes My cat is a very typical one and does things that are typically, well, cat-like. Her most annoying cat-like characteristic is to wake up at 4am, most days, on other days it's more like 2am! This particular morning I considered myself lucky, I got an extra 20 minutes of sleep in, as the meowy alarm only went off at 4.20am! Success, kind of.  Wednesday's are walking group days for me, but on the Wednesday in question, I was without a car at home for various reasons of family travel or work or whatever. Since I'd had  hours of pre-dawn reading time (which is my very favourite thing to do, so kitty is all forgiven anyway), I got particularly comfortable in bed with my book, my steaming mug of coffee and no-one in the house to disturb me. Bliss! Even kitty had gone back to sleep since her tummy was now full. By 6.30am I remembered my resolve to go to my walking group regardless of not having a car. It's only 2.5km away to th

Healthier and Happier Together 3 Best Tips for a Healthy Relationship https://unsplash.com/@jeremybanks You wake up in the same bed every morning (or the spare bed if the snoring is unbearable, am I right?), eat the same cereal for breakfast every morning and drag yourself to work either home-office or workplace and wonder to yourself, "Is this It?" No, I can attest that ' this is not it '. This is how I know: If we want things to change, we have to BE the change Now this doesn't mean that all the relationship work is up to you, it simply means that if you are the one who wants things to be different, you have to be the one to do things differently.   - Shake routines up a little, maybe cook a tasty     breakfast to have together on a weekday               - Bring your partner a fruit and dip snack for morning tea if you both work from home               - Pack them a home baked (or store bought) muffin to take to work if they're in the office   Notice the sur