Helpful Hints

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My First Blog Post

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.

Hi, everyone. This is my first time doing anything like this, so I hope you enjoy it.

I have to say i’m really bad, when it comes to gift giving. Everyone always gets super cute ones, but I just don’t know how they do it. I’ve become better at it with girls, as stationary, makeup, sprays and basically anything that has something to do with your body, or smells nice, is good. However, guys? Yea. That’s a whole different situation. Usually I resort to money in a card. Here, i’m going to tell you some ideas for presents, if you have the same trouble as me.

Photo Album

A photo album is a really cute, idea for any friend, especially someone you’ve created many memories with. There are many different ways you can do this. A few years ago, one of my friends bought me a photo album, which she made online, with freeprints photobooks. This is a really good way to make one, however you could also make your own. For my best friends birthday this year, i’m going to do this, but i’m going to make my own scrapbook. This way i can make it more personal and write little messages and dates on each page.

Inside Jokes

If you prefer gifts that make others laugh. Then this is a really good idea. I bet you have loads of inside jokes with your friends, so imagine them opening something related to one of them for their birthday. The look on their face. The laugh you share. A few years ago my friend got me a present like this. It was a conversation starer book. You can be sure we laughed. Alot.

Envelope Messages

These are one of the cutest presents you can give. This idea costs basically nothing, all you need is some pens and paper. On the envelope you write open when… followed by a feeling or an event. For example, open when… your feeling sad. These are adorable and personal, and mean you can share something sweet or meaning full with your friend or significant other.

Something Handmade

Making something handmade, is a great gift. It shows how you’ve thought about that person, and what they’re like. This gift has a personal connection, but can also be quite cheap. Perfect for someone who wants to show they care, without spending tons of money. It could be as simple as a bracelet or a painting or a picture frame.

Personalised Items

This ones an obvious one and I’m sure you’ll have used this one at some point, but it should still have an honourable mention. Having something personalised, is a great gift to give. It includes a whole range of different things, like photo frames, necklaces, bracelets, t-shirts and key chains. It also can range from a name to a little message for the person who your giving it to. I, personally, love this as it can put a little twist on something quite simple, into something of meaning.

Helpful Hints: How to Ease Your Period

Periods can be an awful thing. They cause discomfort, cause pain, and are just something we all wish we could get rid off. Unfortunately, we can’t do this. Periods can have a big impact on our lives, making us change or avoid plans. I , personally, can have really bad period pains, but I have found a few things that can really help, not only with pains, but also with my everyday life.

Hot Water Bottle

Using a hot water bottle helps me a lot. Pressing a hot water bottle onto your stomach, or wherever it hurts, help relaxes your muscles. This will sooth your pains, allowing them to decrease until they have gone. I use this on my stomach, but this method could be use anywhere that you feel pain/aches. It is also beneficial when your not on your period, but may not solve everything.

Drink Lots of Water

Drinking a lot of water, makes sure we don’t become dehydrated. Yes. i’m aware this is obvious, and your probably wondering why i’m telling you this. To answer you, its because becoming dehydrated, can make you uncomfortable and cause things such as headaches to occur. Due to your hormones changing, these things may be made worse by your period. So dealing with this issue, before it can harm you is beneficial for you have a good day.

Rest Well

This ones probably obvious. If you get a good night sleep, or sleep enough, then your health will increase. A poor night sleep, can cause health problems such as heat disease as it weakens your immune system. It can also increase the probability of having a mental health illness, such as depression and anxiety. When your on your period, you may start to feel drained or tired all the time, so getting a good nights sleep can ensure that you get through the day, while enjoying it.

Wear Comfy Clothes

Try avoiding tight clothes, as this can apply unnecessary pressure to your body. Wearing loose clothing is better as it frees your body, you won’t feel trapped or uncomfortable throughout the day. They also help to stop your pad or tampon from moving about. You don’t have to go out in your pyjamas, just something that is comfortable for you, perhaps joggers.

Exercise

Exercising while on your period helps to relieve pains. You may feel like you don’t want to do this but it releases mood boosting hormones, which will make your day a whole lot better. Doing light exercises can help your symptoms such as minimising bloating, however don’t force yourself to exercise, as you may not help yourself at all.

Helpful Hints: What To Read Next…

So I LOVE READING. I don’t know about you, but reading is one of my favourite things to do in my free time. You are transported to a different place, a different era, a different world, or just a different life. You can escape the world you live in now, forgetting about anything that is causing stress or unwanted emotions.

There are many different books and novels out there in the world. Even if you sort them into different genres such as fantasy and romance, there are still many to choose from. It can be hard deciding what to choose next so I am going to recommend some books I enjoy that you could try reading next, when you can’t decide.

Fantasy

Fantasy is a fictional world, which normally consists of magic, elves and other mythical characters. One of my favourite fantasy books (okay more like series) is Harry Potter. Yes I know what your thinking, Harry Potter? Everyone knows that, but I think it should still have an honourable mention. If you haven’t read this then you really should, it delves into an eleven year old boys life, who finds out he’s a wizard on his birthday. The books show the experiences he and his friends go through with school and an evil wizard who is set on destroying them.

Young adult

Young adult books are aimed at teenagers. They are normally baised on experinces 12-18 year olds may have had. All The Bright Places is a book about two people who aren’t in the greatest places with themselves, who find each other and start to care for one another. SPOILER ALERT!!! Kinda…. It does have a sad ending, which I was surprised but it just makes the book more emotional. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.

Romance

I’ve only just started reading romances, as my friends have got me started on them recently. I haven’t read loads yet, but one I love is Me Before You. I have only recently read this but it’s amazing. It’s about a women who gets let go from her job, due to it closing down and then goes on to become a carer for a man who has been injured in a car accident. You see the two’s relationship and perspective of each other progressively change throughout the book.

If you aren’t sure of any, a good choice to start with is the Twilight Saga. This combines all three genres I have discussed already. It is definitely in my top books I’ve read. It includes vampires, werewolves, a love triangle and focuses on teenagers lives.

A Friends Recommendation

A book series I would definitely recommend to anyone is The Chaos Walking series. It follows the story of Todd Hewitt, a boy who grows up in a dystopian world where everyone can hear and see each other’s thoughts as Noise. It’s a amazing trilogy with a rush of adventurer, a taste of war and a dash of romance, following Todd as he turns from a boy to a man.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
What topics do you think you’ll write about?
Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.