Tag: happiness

Mental Health Matters

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MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS. I’m feeling passionate on this. We’re all affected. So here goes…
 
On social media, on blogs, on all our channels, ALL us have a ‘seat at this table’. We all have an opportunity to help. Through our businesses, our voice, our influence.
 
Sometimes it’s okay to put aside text book marketing and being told what you should create on social media. “Tell us about this and tell us about that.” Of course, marketing is marketing and certain processes do work. BUT…
 
I champion, thrive, and (literally) live off outside-the-box ideas, creating change, attention, excitement and purpose. Marketing is about making things happen, not about ticking a box because that is what a social media planner/person/textbook told you…

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12 MONTHS POSTPARTUM AND HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY HENRY

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Now, I know this sounds cliché, but I literally feel as though 2017 went by in a blink. 2017 for me has been one of those years that doesn’t quite feel like it really happened.

Did I really grow a human and experience childbirth? Did I really (and successfully) reproduce! Did I endure many interrupted and sleepless nights? I’m too tired to recall. 😉 Did I really find enough inner bravery to take an almost 5 month old on a transatlantic holiday to New York?! Did I really move back to my home roots, by the seaside in Leigh-on-Sea? YOU BET I DID! Did I unnecessarily obsess over every single aspect on the things that didn’t matter? Yes. Did I obsess enough over things that did matter? Nope. Did I lose that last stone of baby weight which I’ve been holding on to ever since I gave birth? Nope.

Henry is 1. One! Uno! The big ONE! How did that happen? Here’s the final instalment of my postpartum updates…

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It’s time for you to bloom and to flourish

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Mental Health. A taboo that is finally being spoken of more. Words such as depression and anxiety either get used either far too cautiously due to the feeling of being unnecessarily embarrassed or as to not offend, or far too flippantly which can take away from the meaning and genuine insecurities surrounding the circumstances involved. As someone who understands and appreciates such descriptive words (through my own experiences as well learning from other people’s journeys) it’s important to ensure you’re following the right bloggers/influencers and using appropriate tools when it comes to all things mental health. Here on Flamingo Monroe I don’t try to be any kind of know it all or hardcore “influencer”, I justly try to be myself.

Via Instagram, I recently became friendly with Anna of Mama’s Scrapbook. Her frequent and highly amusing Instastories keep me rather entertained when I’m forcing myself to have 5 minutes of downtime to drink my morning coffee. I hope I don’t sound stalker-ish – I follow lots of bloggers and personalities and enjoy watching all their instastories! Anna is an accredited and experienced BACP Psychotherapist, a mother to two young boys, has a great eye for interior design, uploads Instagram posts providing confidence, guidance and reassurance to all and she also writes her blog – which has a strong focus on mental health and lifestyle.

She’s recently started a business venture with a close friend – bringing together her psychotherapy knowledge and her friend’s graphic design credentials, they’ve created Blöm Cards. Blöm [Bl – Om] is derived from the Scandinavian Word ‘Blomstre’, meaning to bloom, to flourish….

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My recent love for organic #FeedYourHappy

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Food makes us happy, right? Well it makes me VERY happy! I turn to food when I want a treat or a dose of happiness, as do so many of you I’m sure. But in recent years, part with thanks to various medical blips and hurdles I’ve jumped (or fallen!) through, I’ve become more aware and savvy about what I’m consuming.

This isn’t a healthy eating blog post by any means – I say, currently dunking a digestive in my cup of tea whilst I’m proof reading this post. Becoming a parent has made my eyes open to the food choices I make for me and my family, especially now I have a baby son eating solid foods. I’m responsible for his wellbeing and what he eats, and I have learned so much about how important it is to ensure I provide him with a nutritional yet safe diet.

This is featured post, working with the Organic Trade Board, to help their celebrity campaigner DJ Sara Cox spread the organic love this September with their “Feed Your Happy” campaign, designed to promote the awareness of organic food throughout Organic September and why it makes us happy. I’m joining in, as I want to share my views on organic food, and why it makes me happy – albeit only recently. #FeedYourHappy…

Celebrity campaigner, Sara Cox

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Weaning weaning weaning!

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Henry is nearly 8 months old and I think we are finally getting the hang of weaning. *KLAXON* He’s now on three meals a day and sometimes can’t get the food in to his gob quick enough!

I was really excited about weaning initially and then I found it stressful, like the feeling of needing a “one way” rule book to guide me through. Almost as stressful as the whole “breast is best” vs “fed is best” debate out there whereby I felt a lot of pressure to stick with the boob for as long as possible… (I’m still not going to cover the breastfeeding subject on my blog – it’s not worth the aggravation with such strong and potentially offensive opinion masters out there!)

Referencing to my initial feeling of excitement, by the time Henry was 5 months old I had bought a variety of weaning options – baby rice, baby porridge, pouches of fruit and I had already peeled and steamed pears, sweet potato and carrots and portioned them in to ice cube trays for the freezer. I was ready!! But was Henry…???

The purpose of this post is to share mine and Henry’s weaning experience so far but also to reach out to any fellow mummy out there in the hope some of you might have some inspiration and ideas to share with me…

Peeling, steaming, blending, portioning, freezing! My evidence of the never ending messy logistics of the early stages of weaning!

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A holiday abroad with a baby – what to pack

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Following from my “flying for the first time with a baby” (historically one of my all time most commented, clicked and shared posts – THANK YOU!), it taught me that perhaps more of those kind of informative posts could be of help and interest to fellow newish mothers like me, especially when it come to travel.

For that reason I want to share with you my baby packing check list when going on a (summer) overseas holiday with a baby. I’ve shared this list already with a few friends (who know I have a spreadsheet for everything in life!) and I also received DMs on Instagram from those replying to my Instastories with questions during our recent (and first family summer) holiday to Menorca.

I hope you or a friend/relative find this useful and please let me know if you have any suggestions to add. I’ve linked to some of the products (not sponsored!) for ease for you to click/browse/purchase.

So here goes, my checklist for going on a summer holiday with a baby…

Me and Henry on our first summer holiday recently to Menorca

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