Archives for 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 562

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Shooting For Success Through Sports: 10 Reasons Why It’s More Than Just A Game

Sports play a big part in the lives of millions. However, if you’ve resisted the appeal or fallen out of love with sporting activities over the last few years, now is the time to rediscover that joy.

The fact of the matter is that sports are more than just a game. Here are 10 ways that they will promise to enhance your life.

  1. Improve Your Fitness

First and foremost, playing sports is the best way to boost your fitness as a non-athlete. The fact is that most people will grow bored with gym sessions and solo training. However, finding fun team sports is a great way to get fit without the process becoming a chore. Even if the road to success is a little longer, staying on the track is a lot easier.

Anyone that decides to take their sport a little more seriously may need to incorporate gym sessions too. Still, the mixture of routines will prevent boredom.

  1. Enhance Your Sleep Patterns

Getting fitter brings a variety of extra health rewards, ranging from postural improvements to a better body image. Perhaps most tellingly, though, it can supplement your efforts to sleep better. In turn, this will improve your health on a physical and emotional level with almost immediate results. 

Better still, the direct impacts of improved sleep habits will extend to increased energy. So, you should find that your sporting achievements continue to grow too.

  1. Boost Friendships

Whether talking to loved ones, relatives, old friends, or colleagues doesn’t matter. Sports are stitched into the fabric of modern culture. Therefore, discussion points like the Lakers NBA playoff games are a key topic of conversation. And they will enable you to bond in a far stronger way than almost any other form of entertainment.

It should also be noted that disagreements and debates can be enjoyed in a productive manner. This skill can be very beneficial in business and other life situations.

Image Source: Pixabay CC0 License

  1. Grow Your Knowledge Base

Knowledge is power in many aspects of life. Given that sport is omnipresent in society, a love of physical activities can make you smarter. Following the Olympics can teach you a lot about geography as well as different cultures. Meanwhile, sports have an integral role to play in economics, the history of cities, and much more.

Whether you visit the places yourself or learn about them from afar is up to you. When you love sports, though, your wealth of knowledge is sure to grow. Embrace it.

  1. Maintain Mental Sharpness

An active mind is one of the most powerful weapons in the war against cognitive decline. While it certainly won’t make you immune to Alzheimer’s, it can reduce the risks and rate of regression. An active interest in following your favorite sport is a great way to keep the mind active. You’ll read articles, catch up on new signings, and follow developments.

This can be combined with the passion for understanding how tactics evolve or appreciating the players from your youth. Your mindset will notice the rewards.

  1. Avoid Mental Depression

Similarly, a love of sports can help fight depression. For starters, playing a sport creates an opportunity for regular human interaction. As 2020 has shown, this is one of the most vital features needed to fight off depression. Even if you follow a team as a fan, it allows you to join supporter groups for USWNT or the team you love. It can be a part of your identity.

On a separate note, physical exercise releases endorphins that will actively put you in a brighter frame of mind. Do not underestimate its influence.

  1. Support Long-Term Health

An active lifestyle that is heavily focused on sports will support your body in many ways. Aside from the aforementioned postural benefits, you’ll gain denser bones. This might not be too noticeable in your early adult years. When you reach retirement age, though, it could be the key to avoiding trips to the ER. Frankly, it’s one of the best perks by far.

Moreover, benefits will include reduced blood pressure as well as better overall health of all major organs. The results can last a lifetime.

 

How To Repair A Concrete Wall In Your Garden

If your concrete block wall is in need of a repair then don’t panic. This is something that can occur after time due to the differing weather conditions and the mere wear and tear associated with all structures. If you notice a concrete block or several have begun to crack, make sure the gaps get filled in as soon as possible. 

This is one of the easier DIY tasks, yet if you do not feel confident, why not enlist a pro or even ask someone for a hand? 

You don’t need to spend a large sum of money on getting your block wall repaired, instead, why not consider doing the job yourself? Read on to discover exactly how to do so…

Before you start the process of repairing the garden well, you need to make sure the area itself is prepared. You will need to get all of the equipment needed for the task too. A lack of planning is where a lot of people go wrong with any sort of DIY task. You should make sure you use a reel mower to clear the area so that you have a working place that enables you to complete the task efficiently.

Now that you have ensured the area is prepared, here are the steps to follow:

Firstly you will need to ensure your concrete mixture is ready. Don’t forget how important it is to try and work fast. You don’t want the concrete to become hard too soon. 

Once the mix is ready, you should now pick up your trowel and put the mix whereby the missing mortar has occurred. Make sure you fill every gap necessary with your fresh concrete. Don’t forget the importance of a smooth edge. 

Once this has cured, you then need to repair any deep cracks through the use of adhesive caulk. This process needs to be done when the mixture and trowel are not substantial enough. Put the adhesive caulk into your caulking gun and ensure you squeeze until the substance fills up the cracks. 

And last but not least, another method works by combining concrete caulk and mortar. These again both need to go into the caulking gun. Once you have taken the tip of the tube off, it is advised that you start from the bottom and move up. You should do this in a sideways motion.

Hopefully one of the three methods mentioned in this article will help you. Just don’t forget to be quick whilst you work but also careful too. And, make sure you smooth out the edges no matter what substance you use! 

If you don’t feel confident repairing the wall yourself or you think that the damage is too extensive, it certainly makes sense to go down the professional route instead. After all, you can end up spending a lot more money in the long-run if you attempt to carry out the task yourself and you don’t really know what you are doing. It is never worth the risk.

Friday Favorites Linky Party – Week 561

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet HomeTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Lisa at Condo BluesTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small ThingsPin

Penny at Penny’s PassionTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jennifer at Busy Being JenniferTwitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home chose

Holly Jolly Snowman and Snow Globe Frenzy from The Little Yellow Corner Store

Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer chose

Canal Houses Cushions from Howling Liz

Penny at Penny’s Passion chose
Old-Fashioned Classic Toffee from The Short Order Cook
Lisa from Condo Blues and Amy at A Day of Small Things chose
Mocha Eggnog from The Kitchen is My Playground

 



How to Emotionally Survive the Winter?

Many people experience an emotional downturn during the cold weather months. Some theorize this is due to shorter days and longer nights, which leads to a lack of vitamin D. The problem may also stem from an increase in illness during winter, for which homeopathic flu prevention is crucial.

Regardless of the underlying cause, coping with the sadness and depression that often accompany winter is a must for your emotional health and wellness. Here are a few proven methods you can use to boost your mood and enjoy the winter season as much as possible.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Did you know your diet can affect your mental health? When you eat foods that are full of artificial ingredients and lacking nutrition, your health is bound to suffer. And when your physical health suffers, your mental health is likely to degrade right along with it. Make sure your diet is replete with healthy, wholesome items, including whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. Also, skip sodas in favor of water. Water refreshes and rejuvenates you, while also enhancing mental alertness and reducing fatigue.

Look Into Alternate Methods of Medicating

Along with a good diet, you should also look for all-natural methods of enhancing your mood. In this case, homeopathic medicine for stress anxiety and depression is a great option, since it’s not associated with the side effects of prescription medication. Homeopathic remedies contain ingredients that are proven to have an emotional effect, including reducing worry and anxiety.

Increase Physical Activity

While it can be more difficult to exercise during winter due to the cold temperatures outside, you should still seek out fitness activities every chance you get. Gym memberships are great for working out during winter, but you can also view fitness videos at home for greater convenience. In fact, there are a number of beginner’s videos available for free, including yoga lessons. Yoga is a good option for staying shape during winter, as it also soothes you mentally while you’re working out.

Make Sure Kids Are Cared for As Well

Winter doesn’t only have an impact on adults. Kids can also fall victim to its effects, especially when they experience worry and stress elsewhere in their lives. Parents must talk to their kids about their worries and fears on a regular basis to ensure they have good coping skills at their disposal. When problems become too severe, you may also

look into anti anxiety medication for children. There are holistic alternatives for kids as well that naturally boost mood and decrease worry. While other methods can also be used, natural medications provide assistance to kids regularly struggling with stress and worry.

Spend Time With Loved Ones

Togetherness is more important than ever these days. If you can’t see your loved ones in person, be sure to stay in contact electronically. Schedule a weekly video call with older relatives to increase togetherness during the winter months. Group texting is also beneficial for families, as it allows you to all converse together even if you’re spread out all over the country. Also be sure to spend ample quality time with people in your household.

The winter blues aren’t going away any time soon, but that doesn’t mean you must feel down and depressed. By eating right, exercising, and looking for homeopathic methods of improving mood, you’ll have a happy and joyful season.

How to prepare for a renovation

Taking on a renovation project at any time is both challenging and rewarding. But, unlike building a home from scratch, renovating can uncover all kinds of things. It can be a complex process filled with ups and downs, so being prepared is the key to a successful project. Here are some top tips on what you can do to make sure your renovation is a success.

Planning and budgeting

This is probably one of the key stages of the renovation process. You’ll need to set out what budget you have to work with, as well as whether you need planning permission, listed building consent, building regulations approval and what workmen you need onboard.

To avoid delays, you’ll be able to schedule works in that don’t requite any planning consent. Remember, even if you’re doing work that requires building regulations approval, you can start this following 24 hours’ notice if made an application.

Where budgeting is concerned, it’s important to get a number of quotes from different companies and if possible, go and view some of their previous work. This will give you a good idea of their finishes and also how they work as a business.

Get the tools you need

Whether you’re taking on some of the renovations yourself or you’re getting equipment and tools ready for the workmen, get an industrial equipment supplier onboard to help you with everything you need.

Connect with reputable tradesmen

Having reliable and experienced tradespeople onboard for your renovations is crucial. You may have to spend a little more money than you’d have hoped, but having the experience and knowledge in your corner will mean that they’ll be prepared for every eventuality.

There are a number of problems that can arise when you start pulling walls and ceilings down. From damp and mould to uneven foundations and more, good workmen can effortless overcome these problems.

Be prepared for the length of time it will take

Renovations, both big and small, will take more time than you think. If you are planning for it to take around a month, add on a few weeks just to be safe. This is in case you come up against any of the previously mentioned issues or you’re the tradespeople’s suppliers take longer than anticipated to get materials.

No matter if you’re planning a kitchen renovation, single or multi-story extension or are adding an orangery, preparing and planning your renovation in advance is the key to a successful project.

5 Signs Your Loved One Has an Opioid Addiction

Although opioid medications are prescribed to provide pain relief and alleviate discomfort, many people can start to abuse the medication and develop an addiction. For example, someone can develop a cold and cough, and that one prescription they receive at the doctor may lead to Codeine Cough Syrup Abuse. There are a few important signs to look for to determine if your loved one may be suffering from an opioid addiction.

They Take Non-prescribed Opioids

You may notice your loved one has obtained non-prescribed opioids even though they haven’t visited a doctor recently. Opioids should only be used when they’re prescribed by a medical professional and for a limited period of time to avoid abuse. They may also start to borrow medications from other people or steal them in an attempt to continue their drug use. They can even “lose” their own medications as a way of getting more medication from their doctor, or they may have an accumulation of empty bottles in their room.

Mood Changes

Opioids can cause severe mood swings and can make some individuals go from highs to lows in minutes. One of the most common opioid addiction symptoms fluctuations with their moods even if their circumstances don’t change. You may notice they’re happy and elated but can quickly become hostile and aggressive. If their behavior is out of the norm, the drug use is likely causing a change in their personality. They may also lack a desire to spend time with other people and start to isolate themselves while avoiding social gatherings or situations.

Changes in Sleep Patterns

Many people who develop a dependency on prescription medication can have a change in their sleep patterns because of the drug’s effect on the brain. They may start to stay up later and sleep more during the day. They may seem to have a lot of fatigue at certain times of the day or get boosts of energy where they’re overly stimulated.

Poor Decision Making

Due to the effect opioids have on the mind, it can be difficult to think clearly when you begin to abuse the medication. Your loved one can start to make poor decisions when it comes to how they handle their money or how they spend their time. They may stop showing up for work or quit their job due to a lack of interest. Other people may develop reckless behavior where they don’t seem to consider the consequences of their actions.

Physical Side Effects

Physical side effects often accompany opioid addiction and are noticeable to other individuals in the addict’s life. They may suffer from nausea, constipation, or difficulty breathing throughout

the day. Other times, they can develop increased cravings for other types of substances like drugs or alcohol. You may even notice a significant change in their weight, whether they become malnourished or gain more than 10 pounds.

There are many signs that will reveal if your loved one is suffering from opioid addiction. Closely monitoring their behavior can allow you to offer your assistance and support to help them recover and obtain sobriety with the help of professionals.

Five Ways To Start Taking Your at-Home Business More Seriously

Starting up your own business with the help of https://www.yourcompanyformations.co.uk/ has many different benefits. By doing this, you’re able to get guidance and help on certain tasks that come with starting your own business that may not be obvious at the beginning, which are vital to having a legal and successful company.  However, running a business from home can be more challenging than you might think. It’s not because it’s hard to start a business or sell products. In fact, the roadblock is usually yourself. To find out if you’d be good at working for yourself, help you to build positive relationships with potential employees and customers, and discover what kind of business you would be good at running, you may consider looking at disc profiles, a leading personal assessment tool, to assess your personality.

It’s fairly difficult to start taking your own business seriously because there are lots of different distractions that might hold you back. In this post, we’re going to take a look at a few ways how you can change your mentality towards your at-home business so you take it more seriously.

Starting tracking data and statistics to gain a deeper insight into your business

A great way to start taking your business more seriously is to start delving into the data that your business generates so you can look for deep insights. Creating daily and weekly sales reports to help visualize your sales performance is a great place to get started. You can also look at the analytics tools provided to you by your web host or the service you’re using to manage your website. This will show things such as where your visitors are coming from, what pages they’re visiting, how long they stay on your website, and also the most popular products. By looking at this data, you can get a better picture of what your customers think of your brand. You can then take advantage of those statistics to patch areas that you’re not performing well in. If you’re unfamiliar with all this, you can hire an expert in IT consulting to set up the infrastructure and data collection tools for you.

Create achievable goals and start recording your progress

It’s a good idea to start creating achievable goals that you strive for. Recording your progress with a workload management tool is also important because it shows the progression that you’ve made. Make sure you define these goals early on and find ways to reach them. You don’t have to take the shortest path to complete those goals, but it can help push your business in the right direction if you aim to complete each goal as quickly as possible. It should also help you see the potential that your business has in the long run.

Get on social media and start working with influencers and engaging your audience

Social media is a place full of potential when it comes to growing your business. However, most people just use social media as a way to let off steam, interact with their friends and engage in conversations. However, from a business perspective, it’s a place full of opportunities. When you start getting involved with social media as a company and not as an individual, you’ll find that every post you make counts towards your marketing efforts. It’s also a great place to look for influencers that can help you grow your brand, and you’ll also find it easy to engage your audience on a more personal level.

Start paying yourself a salary instead of working for free

It’s important to pay yourself a fair salary when you start up an at-home business. Instead of simply investing all of your money into your business, make sure you reserve a bit for yourself so you can spend it on important expenses or even luxuries. After all, you should be rewarded for your hard work, so don’t neglect this. When you start hiring employees or paying freelancers for their services, you might feel that it’s getting a little too expensive to pay yourself a salary. However, that’s still no reason to work for free and you should find ways to increase your budget or optimize your spending.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help from professional services and businesses

When it comes to running a business, one of the easiest ways to grow your company is to look for professional help from a variety of different sources like The Tier Group. In most cases, working with professional services and businesses is a fantastic way to improve your company because you’re getting advice from people that understand how businesses work. Don’t hesitate to seek help from consultants and other professional sources if you want to make your business stand out. From working with a fractional CFO for business startups to a digital marketing manager for companies who need an online presence, there’s no shame in asking for assistance and it’s vital as part of your long-term growth plans.

Hopefully, this article has shown you a couple of ways to start taking your business more seriously. We understand that it can be hard to motivate yourself to put more effort into your business, but it all starts with making small consistent changes.

How Do You Choose an Artificial Christmas Tree?

Do you love a beautifully decorated tree at Christmas time? Do you think the more lights the better? Do you want easy setup and takedown at the end of the Christmas season? If you can answer yes to these questions, chances are you don’t want the mess of cleaning up after a real Christmas tree in your home or place of business.

There are many companies producing artificial Christmas trees today. But if you are going to invest your hard-earned money on a tree that is intended for use year after year, it makes sense to purchase one that will retain its beauty year after year.

Reading reviews on various artificial Christmas tree manufacturers is important. Consider reading Balsam Hill reviews and see what the New York Times has to say about these beautiful trees.

When looking to purchase an artificial tree, you want the most realistic artificial Christmas trees, Christmas garlands, Christmas wreaths on the market. One that provides true-to-life coloring, texture, and silhouette.

You want a gorgeous tree that becomes the perfect backdrop for your favorite Christmas heirloom ornaments and decorations. Purchase a tree that will make your home stand out beautifully and enjoyed by everyone going by when placed in the front window of your home or business.

To ensure that the trees are convenient for the owner or the individual setting it up, many manufacturers provide the option of remote-control lighting.

You want to consider purchasing an artificial Christmas Tree that has a hinged branch design that sits on a lightweight, collapsible stand. This makes setup and takedown amazingly simple. There are many styles of pre-lit Christmas trees, Christmas garlands, and Christmas wreaths to choose from. Many are high-quality products made to satisfy any holiday style. Please read Balsam Hill professional reviews for customer thoughts on these beautiful trees.

How can you achieve homeownership?

Homeownership doesn’t only boost your financial standing in this world; it also fills you with a sense of pride, purpose and achievement.  But reaching that goal can prove difficult, especially if you have very little money saved and your credit rating is bad. But bad credit doesn’t stop you getting a bridging loan.  These loans offer flexibility, enabling borrowers to secure immediate financing without the lengthy approval process associated with traditional loans, facilitating timely investments, and |opportunities, and ultimately getting you on the ladder to homeownership. Thankfully, institutions like Altrua Financial have been helping Canadians achieve homeownership for decades.Please let us know once this is done!

Inheritance

The fortunate among us may inherit wealth that they can use to purchase a home or property that can be converted into a home. Unfortunately, that isn’t the reality for most people, which is why many people must rely on mortgage providing institutions to achieve their home ownership goals.

Savings

Savings can go a long way in helping you to attain the goal of home ownership. Young professionals are always advised to start saving towards home ownership early. Even with a mortgage in the bag, prospective homeowners typically have to cover other costs related to property acquisition. These costs include but are not limited to closing costs, appraisal fees, legal fees, and insurance premium fees. This means that a potential buyer must have some money available to spend. Buyers who are going the route of traditional mortgage loans for instance, typically need a down payment of 20% of the overall cost. If at the time that you are ready to buy, you find yourself with a down payment that is lower than 20% of the total cost, your mortgage will be considered a high ratio mortgage, and will of course mean you’ll have to get mortgage default insurance.

Mortgage

A mortgage is by far the most common method used to reach home ownership goals. A mortgage is a loan that is provided specifically for the purpose of acquiring property. Mortgages come from a variety of lenders including credit unions, banks, and private lenders. Mortgage loans themselves are also quite varied, which means that you can take several routes towards home ownership depending on your situation. For example, if you want to build your own home, a broker like mortgage broker bentleigh is designed to facilitate construction too.

Rent to Own/ Lease to Own Plans

Some financial entities offer plans that help people to gradually acquire the property they are leasing or renting. With a rent or lease to own agreement, you’ll get to skip the traditional mortgage requirements like the 20% deposit. In a nutshell, this arrangement allows you to move into a property and start making payments towards If you’re like most people in this world, one of your life goals is to own your own home. Home ownership ownership. The first payments typically go towards the deposits and once the deposit has been paid in full, the monthly payments are credited towards the mortgage.

The Canadian mortgage industry is designed to facilitate home ownership through varying routes. Designed to facilitate the varying needs and desires of prospective homeowners.