tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14741858666985359402024-03-14T02:33:38.233+08:00365 Days of KindnessFrom 2011 to 2016 I was pleased to be able to have done 365days where I did a kind deed every day(& 366days in the leap year)!
In 2017 I am doing it again...my aim is to inspire others into action by showing them how simple it is to do kind acts for others. I do this by doing a kind act a day. I do this by sharing my story and some ideas for living a kinder life. Kinder for others, kinder for ourselves, kinder for the planet. Welcome to 365days of kindness!365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.comBlogger363125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-2446177407263525352019-09-02T03:28:00.001+08:002019-09-02T03:28:12.925+08:00Sustainable September 2019Well it’s that time of year again... this is where I am usually pushing environmental kindnesses and sustainability. However, this year I am taking a break. If you all miss it I can bring it back next year! So let me know!!! <div><br></div><div>I have loved doing sustainable September for the last several years and if you want to go again there are plenty of ideas to keep you going with blog posts from the last few years. You can work your way through those ideas for more ways to live a more eco-friendly life. </div><div><br></div><div>It does seem funny that I’m not going to be doing Sustainable September. Particularly today when I was out as Reading, Berkshires, England’s first ever Green Market. </div><img id="id_2b52_6342_27e_7608" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/aD-vP0ayakh5gft3-y0drs7vagRspBpk3SIEgZhOJbqk3XVBT8fKjEW1_EY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><div>Whilst still relatively small the market has such amazing potential to grow into a wonderful sustainability experience for Reading. We haven’t got much here so more is just what we need! </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_bb64_c208_2c41_4df3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/myLU11UVoNA0fe0saBwzTO8Cm5ERivs_2iTJNYd2xvQZZWcXEyQPZlml5I8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div><img id="id_fe4b_3abf_1258_2589" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rHUQNk7l7lKsTe0foHZcVcoV_7AfjYlvuFdXOpefizuL2Y853s1EHycZRmY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_efba_ae5c_46a5_129f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wLokQXixTVi35oswYyQE3B8VgHFXWvZHWIAqGKbb8NDuqgqYkzJLJdnK_O4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>It was a lovely day out. And taking my reusable cup, cutlery, water bottle & carry bags I loved to see other Reading people get into the spirit of sustainability too. </div><div><br></div><div>Even though, this year, I’m not doubt sustainable September. I will continue to do my own sustainable environmental kindnesses. After all, there is no planet B. </div><div><br></div><div>Much love to you all, </div><div>Daena x</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-2192540246121412852019-08-29T05:24:00.001+08:002019-08-29T05:24:43.387+08:00A new kindness idea... for books! <p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I have been reading prolifically. I’ve been purchasing about 10 books a fortnight from charity shops. I must admit that most of them are Romance. I like to think part of it is research. I love writing and have for years and have been reading and writing romance for years. None of it is publishable yet, but I love to read them to see what types of stories I want to write. What I enjoy and how different people tell their stories. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am blessed to have a few family friends who are prolific and published Romance authors and Life lit writers. They are very successful at it too.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So I read Romance stories a lot. Which leads me to think about what to do with these books once I’ve finished with them. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the past I’ve been giving those books to a friend for her to read. My friend just got herself a new job and is moving to London in a few days! 😭😭😭 I’m going to miss that girl. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But it leaves me with a question as what to do now with my large collection of romance novels. Not many other people have the same taste in books as I do. So finding someone else to read them has been harder. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I no longer feel the need to keep all the ones I’ve read however I have kept a couple that I really enjoyed as inspiration. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I decided to do something with a lot of the books I’ve been getting. I’m leaving them for people on public transport. Like this one.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_4b1f_b762_5eb0_ac45" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/K62IaUSQ2QDi7UEjKBBH1LdRrlUYEZjZS1E97X9IM_7Z20kGSsypPiDefVw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I’m in no mood for love” by Rachel Gibson was a sweet story of a woman getting over the heat break of discovering her fiancé in bed with another person, the washing machine repair man. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_6398_f405_7e24_db37" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/fTXkAeqIMj1NHKH_iY3-CR0fVgDEhTz0X3ScyBRuR_bSYDyi56HvN9EE7OA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I liked this book because it was set over a longer period of time. Not a couple days like a lot of the other books I have read recently. It is still a fast paced story with the two protagonists being writers in different genres. And it’s a lot of fun. It’s kind of a sweet romance rather than hot an steamy. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_3e42_17a4_6638_8be5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/6EhOMPb2bV3g9aPRFho9BUVOjKhzo7FqvPfsyXDr01lIWjLflH4WbP_L9IQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I left a little note for someone to find. I was visiting a friend in London. For me to get from Reading to London it takes a 30 minute train ride to get there ( I don’t know why I don’t go to Reading more often). </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So fun to leave the book on the train on my way to London. :) </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_572e_1526_344_d08a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/qgTt8WCw5IPEj3EaWS70YoI7Akc4qLs55g18cKkulnD_mE7VJz3qXK5VQwc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I must admit I did wait till almost everyone else was off the train to leave it there. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Here is a great kindness idea for you to enjoy! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena x </span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-57043967141008984892019-04-15T06:09:00.001+08:002019-04-15T06:09:07.478+08:00The cookie...Today on Facebook I shared the story of a woman who helped another younger woman with epilepsy. What does this have to do with a cookie you might ask? Well hang in there and I’ll tell you. <div><br><div>Let me sum up the story of those two women (for those who didn’t see the post). Read <a href="http://www.boredpanda.com/girl-stranger-train-seisure-twitter-thread-erynn-brook/" id="id_d4f3_f4f4_825e_ed7b">here</a> is you want to see the story in full! </div><div><div><br></div><div>Erynn was travelling home on the train when she was approached by a young woman. The young woman was holding out a piece of paper that said “seizure plan”. The younger woman knew she was about to have a seizure and was needing a little support and asked Erynn to stay with her until Erynn was going to get off for her stop. The young girl had moved her purse and folded her scarf to catch her own head when the seizure started. Erynn (chose to miss her train stop because she wanted to make sure the girl was okay) read the seizure plan and followed it. It became her anchor. Erynn times the seizure as directed. After 3 minutes the young woman comes around and they chat briefly before having a second seizure. The seizure plan becomes an anchor again as it explains the young woman has these seizure one to four times a day and means that sometimes they can last up to an hour. “<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Just think about that for a second. Think about being randomly completely vulnerable multiple times a day, and this is just... every day.” </i></span></div></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When the young woman comes around again she is so tired she just wants to go home. So that’s what Erynn helps her to do. She doesn’t call the ambulance or leave her in the hands or someone else, because that isn’t what she needed. In fact it could have made it worse as loud noises and flashing lights are triggers for her seizures, and both are common with ambulances. Plus, it would undoubtedly cost</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> money and get her further away from her home. This is a daily occurrence for the young woman. She seizes a few more times under Erynns watchful gaze. Each time the young woman carefully tucks her scarf under her head. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Erynn could have so easily made it someone else problem. But that’s not what the young woman needed. She needed to be supported. All the young woman asked of Erynn was</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> to be accommodated until Erynn needed to get off the train. But Erynn went beyond that. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The young woman needed a lot more kindness than she asked for. Erynns post calls us to be a kinder community to everyone and not just be ‘accommodating’ because that is how as a community we thrive. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>“Accommodation is the bare minimum. If I sat with her until my stop and then left, that’s what accommodation looks like. </i></span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><i>It’s not good enough. Not for me, not for her, not for community and not for our world. <br><br>Build something better, folks. Build a better world.”</i></span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We are a community. We are not separate from other living beings ( I’m no hermit even if somedays I feel like one). </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This post has me think about how we accommodate others and how we can take that next step to kindness. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It’s not easy. But everyone needs kindness. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It doesn’t matter if they are rich, poor or somewhere in between. It doesn’t matter if they are socialy inept or socially proficient or if they avoid society all together, like a hermit. It doesn’t matter if they are black, white, pink, yellow, grey, rainbow coloured or are covered in tattoos. It doesn’t matter what ability level they have or challenges they face. It doesn’t matter if they have differing religious or political beliefs to us. It doesn’t matter what circumstances... EVERYONE needs gentle kindness. Everyone has the need to be seen and heard. Everyone has the need to be loved.* and it reminded me of a cartoon I saw recently... about a cookie. </span></div><br><div><img id="id_d589_e35f_fa95_42d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/NuM6R0dPk4RRg29V_qfnAA57BVSKZORFZO4HkSc6gx9hQcpXqD9oJG2YAtg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Kindness helps build community and connects us to each other. It is both profoundly powerful and fairly simple. If it is safe to do so, always be kind. When it’s hard to do it, be kind. When it is easy to do it, be kind. But challenge yourself, as I will challenge myself to go beyond accommodating others and work towards gentle kindness. </div><div><br></div><div>Be brave and be kind! </div><div>Love Daena x<br><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">*Everyone wants love and kindness. I also know not everyone you meet will be kind to you. Love bravely and act kindly but use both your intuition and your head to make cleverly kind choices. You can be safe and still challenge your own social predispositions towards other peoples, cultures, religions, sexes, creeds,</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> abilities and genders so you can make wise and kind choices! Good luck! 😘❤️</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div></div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-8051339948962827732019-03-31T22:39:00.001+08:002019-03-31T22:44:06.416+08:00 That little voice...<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’ve been away for the last two weeks for work. It’s been busy and crazy and messy. But I’ve met some great people and gotten to know others better. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_c1_995d_fcbe_f5b7" src="https://alexdenk.eu/blogtouch?id=1WUUSWqgn5sTuxVhp-h1NL0hKu29mcoKm" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’ve been able to stay in some amazing houses and go to new places. Work is never boring for me. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However it has meant that I’ve been a bit off my game when it came to posting anything for two weeks. I decided to give myself a little break instead of pushing myself. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">How could I profess kindness and not look after myself? It would be silly.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So I’m doing my best to be kind to myself. But it’s hard not to feel guilty. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Do you ever feel guilty when you don’t do something you said you would do? Even if you had to so you could care for yourself? I do. Often. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I think that it comes to some old beliefs about myself that no longer serve me. I often struggle with those deep seated beliefs that say “I’m not good enough” or that “I’m not worthy” of anything. It’s hard to confront that part of me. It comes to a head any time I don’t do what I say I’m going to do. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I don’t always know how to combat it. I intellectually know that I’m worthy of friendship and love. However, that little voice can be insidious. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sometimes I really struggle with being good enough to share anything, let alone share kindness. What does this little white girl originally from Perth, Australia really know about kindness? Nothing. I’ve not done anything so great. Some of the things I’ve done no body remembers (including me) so what makes me think I’m the person to share these things? I don’t know. So I struggle. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then I ask myself... how can I be kinder to me? If I’m putting myself down all the time, how can I be Kinder? How can I do what I do for others, but for me?</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">First I have to change my thinking.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Every time I hear my internal voice telling me I’m not good enough. I quietly listen and then tell it, “thank you for adding in your 2 cents worth but you, YOU are amazing.” I have to be brave. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I must admit this isn’t always successful. Those negative words are something I’ve told myself on the inside for years. So dealing with them is hard. Rebelling is hard. So I don’t. That little voice that tells me I’m not good enough also tells me it’s too hard to be kind to others let alone yourself. So I do what I can to change my thinking. I can be braver. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I listen to meditations that encourage a positive mindset and encourage kindness to the self. They work. But not all the time. When that voice is really loud I need more than affirmations. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I listen to Podcasts like “The Mindful Kind” which gives helpful tips and tricks about how to deal with that voice inside you. It helps me have a healthy outlook. The podcast offers strategies to be kind to yourself too. But you have to put those strategies in action and when I have little energy, it can be hard. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I watch inspiring movies that motivate me to be kinder like “Pay It Forward”. I watch “Hallmark” movies because they make me feel good so I can be nicer to myself because I feel better on the inside. Whilst some might find them a bit too mushie, I really enjoy them. I know comedy is also a great source of changing your mood (just a reminder to myself to stay away from dark humour or otherwise it feeds into my negativity). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I think these little tricks are like giving my inside self a little mental cuddle. Like you would to a friend who is struggling. Embracing the darkness to reveal the light.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When it comes to mindset with me it really comes down to providing myself with strategies that can subtly fool my inside voice into believing differently. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’m not perfect. I need to forgive myself for that. There are ways I’m working on me being a little bit better. A little bit kinder to myself. A little bit kinder to the world. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nobody is perfect. And the expectation that you need to be the exception to the rule is dangerous. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It’s a struggle to embrace that part of you that always criticises you and judges your choices and actions. It needs love and kindness too! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">All you need to do is be Kind and Brave and you can do anything. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sending love to you all, </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena </span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-41418259219878474972019-03-17T22:55:00.000+08:002019-03-31T22:38:40.172+08:00A Note after New Zealand’s Massacre<img id="id_f1c4_dcf2_790e_e962" src="https://alexdenk.eu/blogtouch?id=1Mi-qs1uPTsO6t73OctGQsbTuJGN2PTTM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On this blog we promote Kindness and love. Sometimes it is hard to love those different from ourselves. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sometimes it’s hard to even understand those differences. But we need to do our best to embrace them because kindness in the face of difference is where the greatest capacity for healthy change occurs. In ourselves and in others. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My heart breaks for New Zealand. It hurts even more because I know someone from my home country perpetrated the crime, as though he speaks for me. He does not. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’m asking everyone this week to do a Random Act of Kindness and fill the world with Love. If you want to please share your act of kindness with your friends and family. Kindness breeds kindness. So the more who share the kindness the more kindness is shared. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This week we need more because love eradicates fear. And we have enough fear in our world so let’s turn the tables and bring another person light and love.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope this finds you all well. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena XX </span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-73001536613198860262019-03-11T07:23:00.001+08:002019-03-11T07:28:04.027+08:0040 days of Kindness -Lent Kindness I’m still healing after a week of being really unwell. I thought I would keep it simple and share my kind deeds for lent.<div><br><div>Day 1: </div><div><br><img id="id_6788_e2cf_a5b0_53c1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qBPl1tLires/XIWccmmtpgI/AAAAAAAADAE/pIOvqITYYUUMsqlXTi2I1EjeG54i0avxwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>Day 2: </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_dc02_a852_ca41_c393" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vvKNDpES0BQ/XIWcdKMeIOI/AAAAAAAADAI/Wga5ziCfG0MsjYUQxfDQMTMBagy5-25hwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Day 3: </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_7d3b_410c_a41_4cdd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f6S814gBFTM/XIWcd6xcL0I/AAAAAAAADAM/ZYewzmJ1vTQtzDxlh_OX2opK-mBjZfgZACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>Day 4:<br><br><img id="id_f2e3_3b68_5b4c_58fc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k99tNGKd9HU/XIWceE4WshI/AAAAAAAADAQ/Tc13TNxdg0Yigrmqc91MC0puqdpLja5-QCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>Day 5: </div><div><br><img id="id_8236_e01b_5a21_b476" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LEdZQmUXrwA/XIWce_diCHI/AAAAAAAADAU/06iEiBxGVjY-rZKLNwHgkaJ5914ygF5awCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Well that’s all for now. </div><div>I hope this finds you all well! </div><div>Sending love, </div><div>Daena XX <br><br> </div></div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-63850947665442018752019-03-07T06:46:00.001+08:002019-03-07T06:54:43.466+08:00Kindness for self and Lent For the last week or so I’ve been quite unwell. Just a cold but it’s been enough for me to have a few days off work and I’m still not completely recovered. <div><img id="id_7c64_fe56_c8d6_c37e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uI2NB1DQyyw/XIBNzrRI4QI/AAAAAAAAC_w/Qz6S_ckoGlwGQYdXg1wlAfHGHe3hSb5ggCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>So I’ve been taking time to rest, heal and recoup. Needless to say, I’ve been able to achieve very little apart from the bare minimum of my own life. To be kind to myself I haven’t pushed myself to get the blog out or do too much else. <div><br></div><div>Lent starts today around the world. Traditionally a Christian period of fasting, to represent the 40 days that Jesus wandered the desert and was tested before he made the ultimate sacrifice. </div><div><br></div><div>Lent has evolved into a time when you don’t simply have to give up foods. It is often still a test of willpower. For those who are brave, they bravely give up something they think they cannot live without. It can be anything from giving up meat, to chocolate, fizzy drinks or even social media (which a brave friend is doing this year). Lent ends on Easter Sunday, and people can enjoy their repast again. </div><div><br></div><div>As I grew up in the Anglican Church I’ve used lent in the past to see if I really did need certain things in my life. I’ve given up chocolate, coffee (before the days of insomnia as I’ve now given it up for good), sugar, Diet Coke or soft drinks in general, cakes and sweets, and so much more. </div></div><div><br></div><div>But another idea for observing Lent is instead of giving something up, you take up something. Like a new habit or service to others. So I thought this year I would play a little game with myself. I might not post every day but I will record and share my 40 days of kindnesses. I want people to see how simple it is to take up acts of kindness. Even if it’s just for lent. This little exercise I am hoping will be motivating for me too. </div><div><br></div><div>So here is day one... </div><img id="id_e5a1_6ee8_1c41_ad98" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J03-Evrpyhc/XIBN0L_TecI/AAAAAAAAC_0/h-dKwzsJFcknMGNQH-4MNLnhvnILVYQdwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><div>It might not seem like a bit deal but some days I struggle to go on social media or even take photos. So i know it will be a challenge to me. Which is perfect for observing Lent. </div><div><br></div><div>Anyways, I hope you are well! </div><div>May kindness follow wherever you go! </div><div>Love Daena x</div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-90276385496479689262019-02-26T06:06:00.001+08:002019-02-26T06:06:21.425+08:00Questions to ponder<div><b>And the winner goes too.... </b></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>The Copy of the book: <img id="id_c58a_b66c_fe8a_afb3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QhUAuQjbss0/XHRm217iuKI/AAAAAAAAC_U/0HpY1P46lV4NKpXjFq4lQZOnxgeeNlcRgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;">goes too... Eva D! I have your address so I will send it off in the next few days. Thanks for liking the FB page. Thanks to those who liked and shared the link. It was greatly appreciated. <div><br></div><div>There were very few people who participated in the give away. Which is sad because I think it is not only an awesome giveaway but a great kindness workbook. </div><div><br></div><div><div>To be honest, it has me really pondering what should become of 365days of Kindness. I would be keen for some input from those who actually read this blog (if there are any of you out there?) </div><div><br></div><div>What should this blog look like? </div><div><br></div><div>What would you like to see here? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like more created content? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like more interviews with people? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like more experiences of kindness from others? Or me? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like to see more of a particular type of kindness? </div><div><br></div><div>Where should we go from here? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like more videos? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like more YouTube clips from other Kindness groups?</div><div><br></div><div>Would you like a podcast? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like to see an Instagram account? </div><div><br></div><div>Would you like less? </div><div><br></div><div>These aren’t easy questions for me. For a girl who has been doing a kind deed a day for years now I really want to inspire people to be kinder. </div><div><br></div><div>But honestly, I don’t know how to do that. So...Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. </div><div><br></div><div>Please let me know what you think. </div><div><br></div><div>Love Daena x</div><div><div><br></div></div></div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-80262919999665583542019-02-19T06:08:00.001+08:002019-02-19T06:08:25.701+08:00Give away... 100 Days of Kindness<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kindness week has just passed us by and so did the international day of Random Acts of Kindness (it was yesterday).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> I wanted to mark the occasion some how and seeing as I somehow let the day slip by completely unnoticed I thought I would do my Random Act of Kindness today instead. I thought a give away would be wonderful. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I decided that my Random Act of Kindness would be to give a book to a random follower of this blog and the Facebook page. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The book I chose is actually a kindness workbook. It’s called “100 Days of Kindness” and I bought it from Paperchase (a stationary company here in the UK for those who don’t know it). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br><img id="id_a55_2654_da42_d12" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N6W3NAYmgro/XGssynr7H2I/AAAAAAAAC-c/DCd-2CGWFO0yQE9JhA8QjK7_wir-tBTzgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It’s beautiful. There are two ways to use it too. One you can work through the work book in chronological order 1-100. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_dce4_f0f1_cb10_debc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yXxl6QMeNSc/XGsszFG9TcI/AAAAAAAAC-g/f3umV5HmBjc40YGLgGo5fsn3LraCa9N0ACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Or you can do a kindness a day that you choose randomly from the book and when you fill in the pages you include the date you did it. Kind of like a random act of kindness lucky dip! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_2f02_8503_90a0_d226" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WYKdbffQKk0/XGssz6dOYJI/AAAAAAAAC-k/t4IT4aohB-kcNM4RL_973NKhCacMj9WJACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I will happily send this book to someone at the end of next week. I’ll contact you here or Facebook for your postal address if you are the one who will receive this Random Act of Kindness*. I’ll draw a name out of a hat on Sunday. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_6ec5_48c0_1333_f753" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UILrEe2DgAQ/XGss09_blYI/AAAAAAAAC-o/pjgDcLdCHT8aXZ2z3UI5s1CW5JU8FT0cwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The only request I ask is you like the Facebook Page and/or leave a comment below for your chance to be the lucky recipient</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><img id="id_6679_8216_fce6_a3aa" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QHw1DLTdNZc/XGss1iajjaI/AAAAAAAAC-s/Fj497giZ9GodSAho515qK_uU9X1M5xwLwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not sure what to say? How about letting me know what kindness you have done for someone else? I always love to hear that! </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_ffe8_3477_2fc1_eae9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aeSQlb6ScX0/XGss2NNmAfI/AAAAAAAAC-w/NGwwlprXxqc4ra_6xiXMyZNTFAPHh7JwQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope you had a great kind week! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Much love to you all, </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Daena </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">*I will not use your address for any other purpose than sending the package to you. I don’t sell or pass on any personal information. I just want you to know I will treat your information kindly. 👍☺️👍</span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-86840379099441656532019-02-14T06:58:00.001+08:002019-02-14T06:58:00.791+08:00Valentine’s Day - not a good day for everyone.<p style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font size="4">Happy Valentine’s Day! </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_a981_c216_96ad_f0cc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w01mNUfQLTQ/XGSg7Jf3-gI/AAAAAAAAC9s/1rL4W3W3gPcHZYMM_gFw4vOY2GbzGPUjACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Today will be a great day for so many who love Valentines Day. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But it will also be a really hard day for others. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whilst some are being showered with gifts and love, and others will be happy to avoid it all the fuss</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">, there are some who will see the love and gifts given to others and be sad. They will be sad they aren’t getting the love and attention like that themselves. Whether it’s because their partner doesn’t believe in Valentine’s Day, or has left or passed away or they are partner-less and would like a special someone to shower with love and gifts or be showered with love and gifts. And I’m sure a few other scenarios in between. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So if you know someone who feels like they are missing out, be kind to them today. Send them a picture or a note (or a little gift if you are inclined to do so) and let them know you appreciate their friendship and love them for that.*</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It could be something simple Like this: </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_5e6c_6dde_d66f_4519" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-krLLwt3QBj0/XGSg7mhb7JI/AAAAAAAAC9w/FOicMiIEvCEWV3I054caInQLI_jkecw0gCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Valentine’s Day is not just a day about romantic love, but all the kinds of love there is.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_2f86_d314_6595_8783" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uLK2-vKtVHI/XGSg8fZR6FI/AAAAAAAAC90/qg_Op7Q5fscPe9chXfkPbDxxjDSxSDFJwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> So cherish your friendships, siblings, parents, extended family, neighbours, work mates and acquaintances. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A small gesture could make someone’s day brighter. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><img id="id_1d3f_26c5_c05c_395d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lUyDie4rhPM/XGSg82InOEI/AAAAAAAAC94/r9E5utRmGz0Suzods6knMgLWIPsqRYpywCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also, if today is a struggle for you, don’t forget to be kind to yourself too! </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_59d1_13cb_bc34_970d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7aDrv-_t7yU/XGSg9POu1lI/AAAAAAAAC98/oeobp5IbKZADxRm94rRJ6hFEr-ZBvIKXgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope this finds you well. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena x</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;">Ps. </p><img id="id_91b2_5aae_f03b_915d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nlCleFZixz0/XGSg9oHjzsI/AAAAAAAAC-A/ywqPlhrpM5UWad-2AjwX2D0FFqCLqse6gCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;">My game needed to be shared too. So cute to make a heart today of all days! ☺️ much love. Xx<br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>PPS. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Note: for those who don’t want anything to do with the Valentine’s Day, please respect the space of those who need it. Not everyone loves the occasion. Be kind to them too. </span></div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-71880011008731801472019-02-12T02:48:00.000+08:002019-02-12T02:50:42.770+08:00Most memorable kindness - a single roseI was listening to The Kindness Podcast with a friend at work today. One of the questions regularly posed at the end of each episode is “what is your favourite kindness story”? KC and I were discussing what the biggest kindness we ever received was.<br />
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I didn’t know what mine was. I have been been thinking about it all day.<br />
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I have a few very memorable moments but I finally realised that the kindness that moves me even now is one from one of the hardest days of my life.<br />
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The day my father died.<br />
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My father, Vic, had been struggling with a rare brain disease for almost a decade when he finally passed away. He had been in a high care facility that we visited almost every day.<br />
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Over the course of the 7 years* that dad had been in the facility he had been close to death on several occasions. Including the times we were told that he wouldn’t live until Christmas… on more than one occasion. We had even sat vigil over him when they told us he wouldn’t live through the night (2 years before his actual death). But my father made a recovery, surprising us all. He had made a miraculous recovery on each and every occasion. Never quite returning to his previous state of health, the way he has been before the most recent brain bleed or stroke he had. He deteriorated a lot and recovered slightly. But he always seemed to recover to a certain extent.<br />
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Needless to say the day he actual died we couldn’t believe it. My sister even made a 45 minute drive to come and see him. Because she just expected him to wake up. It’s almost funny now to look back on our reactions but shock at the time was in full force.<br />
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When we first went in to see him, within an hour or two of his death, we noticed one of the beautiful staff members had made a tiny gesture because he knew how hard it would be for us. His kindness was simple. But it left a strong memory with me. This kind carer had placed a shroud over my dad with a single white rose on his chest. That tiny detail is what I remember. The white rose. That someone had thought to soften the blow of my fathers death by leaving a single solitary rose on his chest. It was beautiful.<br />
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I sat with my fathers body for 2 hours whilst we waited for the funeral home to come and get him. I kept expecting him to breathe again. I didn’t take my eyes off my dads chest for almost the whole time. For that time I almost stared exclusively at a single white rose. I held a cold hand and cried staring at the chest of a man who had been breathing when I had seen him only a few hours earlier.<br />
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I don’t think the Carer who left the rose would ever know how much that small gesture meant to me and my family. It meant the world.<br />
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I sometimes wonder what little moments of beauty my dad caused in his life to make others lives better. He always made other people feel seen and heard. He didn’t care if someone was a politician or a homeless person, a policeman or a priest, a farmer or a city slicker, and indigenous person or a non-Australian, he made friends with people from all walks of life, from a variety of countries around the globe. He spoke with kindness to so many and of so many. I hope that I can continue to grow into a woman he would be proud to call his daughter.<br />
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I hope that you continue to do small kind deeds because you never know what impact they will have on those around you. After all who would expect a white rose to have been so powerful.<br />
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Sending love to you all,<br />
Love Daena x<br />
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*note: For 3 years after his diagnosis, dad was cared for at home before he needed more support that my mum and the rest of our little family could provide on our own. It was a very hard decision for my mum but Dad thrived in that environment. He was loved by all the nurses because he would be kind (& cheeky) and loved a cuppa and a chat which he could coax out of everyone! Even when he couldn’t talk towards the end he loved to sit and hold hands with whom ever was there. My dad is missed by us all.<br />
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365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-3298931908107608672019-02-04T00:43:00.001+08:002019-02-04T00:43:14.910+08:00FrustrationI have spent a lot of this week dealing with frustration.<br />
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Firstly, I had to get a new screen for my phone. Id smashed it when I fell over on a pebble beach last week and it was in my back pocket. On Tuesday my new screen arrived however I managed to drop the broken phone in the toilet at work before I had a chance to replace the screen. Due to the problem with the screen the insides haven’t been able to dry out as quickly as I would have liked.<br />
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I still don’t know if I will ever get back all the photos, memories, cherished videos, blog post ideas, story ideas and half completed chapters of books I am currently writing.<br />
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When this happened on Tuesday at work we had already had to deal with a work car breaking down, being snowed off after driving almost 2 hours to get to our archaeological site. Because there was so much snow around a lot of other people were in the office when we got back and it was jam packed. I often don’t deal well with tight spaces and lots of people. Tuesday was no exception. I was so emotionally and mentally drained that night I had early dinner and shower and was in bed by 8.30pm.<br />
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Wednesday was almost the most frustrating day of my life. We got to site and for the first hour it was okay because there was frozen puddles to crack and sheets of ice to throw and smash through to continue with the work. However, by the time morning tea came around, the whole place had started to defrost. Which you would think would be a great thing, except because it was clay it became sticky and miserable. Usually when a job is this annoying I put on some cheerful music or an inspirational podcast and get to work. But having broken my phone the day before it was just me and my thoughts. Me and my frustration.<br />
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It was so frustrating when every step I took meant I was either stuck to the ground so I couldn’t walk easily, or had enough clay stick to my feet it was like wearing weighted platform shoes that could have rivaled the height of the kind my sister wore in the 90s. #SpiceGirlsForeva. I even fell into the mud on more than on occasion. Pushing a wheelbarrow in that clay will now haunt my dreams… forever.<br />
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The whole day of work continued to be like this for me. Jobs that would normally took 30mins to do took 4 hours.<br />
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It was the first time I have ever been so frustrated I have wanted to weep. (Or at least it is the most recent so it sticks in my mind to the exclusion of all else). I still feel myself getting frustrated now just thinking about it. It was also completely physically exhausting. I came home absolutely knackered.<br />
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When I finally got home I managed to message my boyfriend from my tablet. My family back home in Australia would have been well and truly asleep by the time I got in from work, so I couldn’t call my mum. It actually made me more upset because I couldn’t call anyone as my phone was dead. No phone calls at all.<br />
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I have my tablet but it wasn’t then set up with anything and every app wanted me to use my phone to verify it. Talk about frustrating!<br />
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I had to figure out what to do that evening to get me out of the funk. I used a few little tips and tricks to help. This wont work for everyone. I think taking some time to get to know what helps you when you are emotionally and physically exhausted will help you.<br />
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Firstly, I cried. A good solid sob-fest. Everything I had been holding in for the last 36-48 hours came tumbling out. I must admit I was not very positive. My boyfriend G got really worried about me because I don’t usually sound so defeated or so distraught. What he did was remind me that this is not normal and therefore temporary.<br />
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When I had dried my eyes and felt a little lighter I decided I needed to change the way things were going for me. I needed to laugh, too feel clean (get rid of the mud and clay), I needed a win and I needed some comfort food.<br />
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I decided to make myself some pizza. Hangry is a new word for a reason. Dealing with the most important part first was going to help me immensely. For someone like me, who is on the Auto-Immune Protocol, making pizza is a lot more time intensive and complicated than nipping to the local Pizza place. Thankfully I had the ingredients on hands. I didn’t even feel guilty when I ate a whole pizza to myself. So, yummy comfort food. Check.<br />
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I needed to wash of the mud of the day. So I had a nice hot shower. I washed my hair and braided it when it was almost dry so that I would feel better in the morning as I wouldn’t have to do anything with it. Feeling Clean. Check.<br />
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I did some jobs I had been putting off. Like putting away the clothes drying in my room. This feels like a constant job because in winter everything takes so long to dry. I also changed my sheets and did another load of washing (yes, ruining my empty drying rack – but yay! Clean clothes). Having a win. Check.<br />
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Lastly I needed a laugh. One thing I find I watch to do this is QI. A British show hosted primarily by Stephen Fry but also by Sandi Thompson. For those not familiar with it, it is a great game show that you can watch one or two episodes of and learn something but usually laugh at too. It often hosts a great range of comedians including some great Aussie comedic icons. It has a habit of making me laugh a lot, whilst learning a heap too. Change my mood. Check.<br />
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By that time, It was bed time. So I did what I usually do, I wrote 10 things I was grateful for. This is a nightly ritual for me that helps me reframe my day. You might wonder how I could be grateful for a range of things as my day had been so…. Yes… frustrating. But it is amazing what you can be grateful for when you think about the good. Here is what I wrote in my journal…<br />
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WEDNESDAY 30TH JANUARY 2019:<br />
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1. I am truly grateful that I had my tablet alarm to wake me up this morning because I was able to get up, dressed and to work on time.<br />
2. I am truly blessed that KC & I got to play with the frozen puddles because we laughed a lot. <br />3. I am happy and blessed I finally got my Section Photo taken because It took me all day to clean up my ditch slot and get it ready for photographing.<br />
4. With all my heart thank you that I was helped my the Polish crew from the other office because their small acts of kindness made my day so much more bearable.<br />
5. Thank you that we stopped at the services on the way home because I hot a hot cup of tea and that was enough to warm my frozen fingers.<br />
6. I am truly happy that I was able to help the office staff by printing off some extra paperwork for the file when I got back to the office, because it meant they had more time for more important things.<br />
7. I am truly blessed that I got prawns on discount at the supermarket because It meant could add them to my pizza tonight.<br />
8. I am happy and blessed G and I could message on my tablet because I feel so disconnected from my family and friends right now.<br />
9. With all my heart thank you for QI, Pizza and hot showers because they really help me improve my mood.<br />
10. Thank you that I got lots of jobs done because I feel like a successful adult.<br />
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I always add a reason why I am grateful for a certain thing. Just saying ‘I am grateful for life’ is nice, but what about it makes you feel it in your bones? Or at least in your heart? Actually feeling the gratitude helps me get out of my funk.<br />
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As you can see there were good things about my day too. It wasn’t all frustration. It was also… ice cracking, hot tea, pizza, kindness from colleagues, hot showers, having a win, discount prawns, having a back up alarm clock, laughter, getting the job done, connectedness and bringing kindness to others. Does that mean I wont experience frustration again?? I wish.<br />
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Thursday could have been just as frustrating, but this time I was more prepared. Pizza for lunch( (leftovers for the win). A messenger phone call with G from my tablet. Having small wins. Making someone else’s day by bringing them a gift.<br />
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I also had several people be really kind to me which was really beautiful and unexpected. Some simply shared in my frustration, whilst others offered me use of old phones. I also got hugs from a few friends and colleagues.<br />
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Plus, I finally got a cuddle from G when I finally made it to Wales that evening under the threat of snow. And snow it did! But thankfully I got there safe!<br />
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Sometimes knowing how to get yourself out of a funk is the best skill there is. I think I am still learning to deal with frustration but at least now I have some strategies to deal with it myself.<br />
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Be kind to one another.<br />
<br />
Love Daena365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-41257416323766791252019-01-28T02:06:00.001+08:002019-01-28T02:06:31.488+08:00Why I didn’t celebrate Australia Day<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I want to talk about Australia Day. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sure, it’s the type of day that people want to celebrate all the achievements and successes attributed to the Australian nation and its individuals alike. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When you are far away from home, like I am at the moment, it’s so important to feel like you are connected to what’s going on back home. Or at least that is my experience. But I didn’t celebrate Australia Day here, yesterday... not yet anyways. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The big problem with Australia Day, as it is, is what it stands for for those peoples whose families were in Australia before colonisation. Right now Australia Day is January 26, and is also known as Invasion Day by many Indigenous Australians. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Here is some history behind it... </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Before January 26, 1788, “<i>Aboriginal peoples had been living for more than 60 000 years on the continent we now know as Australia. At least 1600 generations of these peoples had lived and died here</i>.” (Kwan, 2019).</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">January 26 marks the day in 1788 that the British claimed the eastern seaboard of Australia and claimed sovereignty over it. It was known as New Holland at the time. On January 1, 1901, Australias states and territories came together and became a Federation, marking it the Australia that we know it as today. It started out being a day of celebration and unity for white Australians. It wasn’t until 1935 that all states and territories even adopted the term ‘Australia Day’. On top of that it wasn’t until 1994 that it became a consistent date marked by a public holiday by all states and territories (Wikipedia, 2019). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The date is so contentious because it marks the start date of atrocities against Indigenous Australians, including enslavement, destruction and genocide. It is referred to as ‘Invasion Day’ or ‘Survivors Day’ acknowledging the generations of those who have and continue to live through racism and hate. Many issues for indigenous issues are ongoing including excessive incarceration rates and short life expectancy compared to other non-indigenous people (Russel, 2018; Australian Government, 2018). Sadly, Racism and Xenophobia exist in Australia toward many peoples, including Indigenous Australians. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I, personally, struggle with anything that actively hurts people. After all, this is a blog about kindness.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_d6b5_4065_d032_e6d0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OdNXl1xizPg/XE3zJeoD6JI/AAAAAAAAC8w/50d9zPw2s_4n3jslD5FbKwBcUPp_gdVOwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This year I decided not to Celebrate... yet. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, I think another date would be kinder and more logical. </span></p><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A different date would NOT be a day marking the death and destruction of Indigenous people’s and culture. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It could help everyone celebrate the unity and celebration of what is modern Australia in a more responsible and all together kinder way to ALL those who call Australia home. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It would prioritise inclusiveness, community and kindness for all. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Like many, I advocate for the new date to be May 8 (or Maaate). After all Australia does pride itself on mateship. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> I saw this amazing video from Jordin, an awesome Indigenous Australian comedian, about why we should change the date to May 8. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tV57_pRGToU" width="500" height="281" id="y_id_6863_f9fe_406c_eb9f" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It’s clever, funny and gives <u>this</u> privileged white woman a tiny little glimpse into why it would be kinder to all to change the date. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I’m going to be celebrating my Australia Day on May 8! Hopefully the weather is warmer here in England by then, so I can crack open the BBQ and throw some ‘prawns’ on, and some lamb and even some decent sized mushrooms for my vegan friends. I want to celebrate the memories I have of my home back in Australia as a kinder, and more inclusive, multicultural place to be. On a day that doesn’t make others suffer. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I know that Australia Day is not a simple topic to write about. It’s not simple by any stretch of the imagination. But perhaps a new date will be a small step in the right direction. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope you are all well,</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena x</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">References</span> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Australian Government, 2018, <i>Deaths in Australia,</i> accessed from: </span><a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths/contents/life-expectancy">https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths/contents/life-expectancy</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">IndigenousX Pty,Ltd, <span style="font-style: italic;">Twitter post: Tweets</span>, <a href="https://indigenousx.com.au">https://indigenousx.com.au</a></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jordin, 2017, Change Australia Day to May 8, Maaaaate, accessed from: <a href="https://youtu.be/tV57_pRGToU" id="id_a461_6800_fa27_2d8">https://youtu.be/tV57_pRGToU</a></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kwan, E. 2019, <span style="font-style: italic;">History of Australia Day,</span> accessed from:<a href="https://www.australiaday.org.au/about-australia-day/history/">https://www.australiaday.org.au/about-australia-day/history/</a></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><font color="#000000"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://www.australiaday.org.au/about-australia-day/history/"></a><br></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Russell, S. 2018, <span style="font-style: italic;">As Indigenous incarceration rates keep rising, justice reinvestment offers a solution,</span> The Conversation, accessed from</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://theconversation.com/as-indigenous-incarceration-rates-keep-rising-justice-reinvestment-offers-a-solution-107610" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" id="id_8ed0_dae9_7a48_35a3">http://theconversation.com/as-indigenous-incarceration-rates-keep-rising-justice-reinvestment-offers-a-solution-107610</a> </font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wikipedia, 2019, <span style="font-style: italic;">Australia Day</span>, accessed from:<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day</a> </span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-23027549751624502712019-01-23T05:26:00.001+08:002019-01-23T05:26:11.939+08:00A crazy Week - podcasts to inspire kindness & growth <p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’ve had one of the craziest weeks. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><img id="id_1185_9068_d84d_5d02" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1OUspC4XKsY/XEeKcu2LwpI/AAAAAAAAC8U/AhD7-gNQOm4VRSi5zuSH7ak2OkrUs1NrgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><div style="text-align: center;">(I’ve been everywhere Man! The view from the work van this morning as the sun rose through the trees) </div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Last Monday morning I left for a work stay away in Dorset. I was up at 4.30am on Monday and got to work at 9.30 by train. I worked on a quarry site for 5 days and then when it was time to leave work, I left at 2pm on Friday to get my train, to only walk in the door at 8pm at my boyfriends house in Wales (this did NOT include a stop at home in Reading). 4 trains, a few delays and some time for me to avoid getting rained on. Then I had one full day (Saturday) with my boyfriend before getting 2 trains (& a replacement bus) to get back to Reading by 6pm Sunday night only to be up at 5am Monday morning to get back to the office and I got to site at 9.30am yesterday, because we drove instead of train-ing it. I worked hard yesterday and today. My mum had some surgery early hours (for me) this morning and I had a few other commitments to juggle too. But all in all, I am happy and healthy, and so is mum back in Aus, so that’s what’s really important. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope you’ll forgive me for getting the post done a few days late. I’ve been aiming to post a blog once a week. So far so good! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There has been plenty of opportunities for kindness this past week including paying for a taxi, helping a mate out with money for a few unnecessary but nice little luxuries, smiling at strangers, talking to people at train stations and helping those who are lost (after I had gotten lost - using that knowledge to help others), doing washing up for others, cleaning up mud (a constant issue with Archaeologists) in the work share house, paying for parking, sharing food and so many more opportunities for kindness. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I see so many opportunities for it yet I can always see opportunities for more. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What is something close to your heart that you would love to share that is kind? </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Do you support a charity? </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Do you work with a community group? And online network that helps to be kind? </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What are the things that sustain you and your interest in being kind? </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I ask because I have a few things I consume that help me be the best me and help me to be kinder. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My work (as an archaeologist) often means that I have long and boring hours on the opposite side of a site from other people. It’s the not-so-glamorous side to archaeology that people often forget to mention when you are watching Indiana Jones and imagining that will be your life! Just kidding. But they should mention the occasional boring nature of the work when you go to Uni. I don’t mind it really, but I know it’s not for everyone! </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What I do have though is, time! Time to listen. So I Listen to lots of music and podcasts. I do my best to find ones that inspire me and make me think about the world more generously. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One such podcast is simply called “The Kindness Podcast”. I’ve been following this from day one. It’s an American based podcast but there is an opportunity to call in and share your own stories of kindness, which I appreciate. Plus the host interviews some awesome and interesting people going about living kinder lives in a range of ways. Each episode is about 20-25 minutes long </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then when I want to focus on my mental health and being kinder to myself I listen to “The Mindful Kind” by Rachel Kable. This is a really sweet and short podcast about how to be more mindful and ... yes, Kind. It provides practical tools and tricks to help you get started to living a more mindful life. It is between 8-12minutes long and Is just a really nice show.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When I realise I’m acting like a chicken with its head cut off I know it’s time to SLOW-DOWN and so I listen to the “SlowHome” podcast with Brooke McAlary. I really appreciate this podcast because it helps me get grounded in what is really important to me and when I’m grounded I can be a better advocate for Kindness. Episodes can range from 35-70 minutes. But usually I’m so hooked on the episode that I forget the length of the episodes. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Optimal Living Daily” with Justin Mulik is a really great way to listen to blog posts kind of like a daily audiobook. I’ve heard essays and blogs from people I’ve meant to follow up on on a range of subjects. I haven’t had the chance to read the blogs myself so I feel like he gives me a great and varied look at self development. For me I want to keep learning how to be the best human I can be, in a range of ways from a range of different perspectives. Including how to be kinder. The best thing is the diversity because what works for some may not work for others and it’s like that with this podcast. I’ve found episodes that resonate and hit my souls to the core, some than make me think about life more deliberately and some I could happily ignore and be better for it. I enjoy the range of perspectives from a range of authors as you can try ideas on like shoes, if you like it and it fits in your life - keep it. If not, leave it behind. These episodes can range from 6-12 minutes. They do have advertising at the beginning and end but I skip through that. But if that puts you off, I understand - know you can become a Patrion supporter and get the podcast advertising free. It’s on my “to do” list when I’ve finished paying off some debts. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Others that deserve a passing mention here because I listen to them when I’ve run out episodes from the above list are </span></p>
<ul>
<li style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Lavendaire Lifestyle - which is a great one for figuring out how to live your best life and sculpt the life you want. (Episodes are about 20 mins)</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Oprah’s Supersoul Conversations - Some of these are a great conversation into Kindness. I enjoy listening to the diverse collection of people interviewed and the range of topics. (Episodes are approx 30mins)</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The 10% Happier Podcast - is all about meditation and how meditation has helped the host, Dan Harris, become just 10% Happier on the whole. It’s both facinating and challenging as he talks to people of a range of backgrounds and experiences who all meditate and why. It can be a little academic at times but when you listen for a while you get better at understanding what they are talking about when it gets into some of the extreme Yogis etc. (Episodes are approx 60mins long. </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For those looking for a wildcard - this is for those interested in archaeology </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Women in Archaeology” is a great and interesting podcast looking at a range of issues that female (& male) archaeologists deal with in both academic and commercial arenas. It’s been fun learning whilst work. This helps me be a better Archaeologist on the whole because I have learned a lot about the experiences of my peers in the field. It’s based in America but often they discuss the international consequences and influences which is great. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">These are not the only things I do to get me inspired but I feel like maybe I can put some other resources together for next week. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let me know of any good podcasts that can help me and any others reading this to live kinder. Or give us ideas and keep us inspired. Some days are harder than others to be kind so having a resource to help remind us why it is important is crucial to me completing another 365days of Kindness. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I hope this finds you all well. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Much love to you all, </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena xx</span></p><div><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></div> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-52342210361361868022019-01-14T07:31:00.001+08:002019-01-14T07:32:31.561+08:00Looking after yourself: how to fill and empty cup<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I wanted to start a new year positively with a kindness post a week. So here is to week 2! How fast has this last few weeks gone? Seriously?! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This last week has been interesting work wise and exciting in my private life. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’ve been working on a couple of different archaeological sites this week. Plus I’ve helping another “new to the company” woman learn the ropes. Which has been both fulfilling and encouraging because I’m still relatively new myself so I find myself learning right along side this lovely lady. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">for my personal life... well my boyfriend and I today celebrated the fact we survived 6 months together as a couple. Miracles happen. Lol. Whilst I make jokes, he has really looked after me and welcomed me into his family. I spent all of my time with him and his family over Christmas. They all welcomed me in with open arms which is nice because I was so far away from my own family. He has had to learn the hard way how to care for me when I’m not well and how to deal with me when I’m tired, grumpy and inevitably emotional. He’s also had to deal with my quirks and weird sense of humour. I really appreciate this man and his support and encouragement! Thanks G!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kindness wise I’ve been doing all kinds of things. For instance I brought cheap (reduced to £0.05 per pack of 6) Fruit mince pies to work. I can’t eat them (they are neither Celiac friendly OR AIP friendly) but I thought they would bring a smile to the faces of my colleagues. It did. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’ve also smiled at people, complimented some, expressed gratitude for people and things that came my way, baked goodies to share, did a couple odd jobs for people, even made some much needed hot beverages for those I’ve spent time with. I even bought a mate a drink at the pub on Friday night. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I also did some things to look after myself. Or alternatively put...Be Kind to myself!!!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I had a bath, Meditated (I love the Insight Timer App), Read a book (one of many I got for Christmas), Made a yummy meal and Baked yummy food even I can enjoy. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I have a list now of things I like to do to help me improve my mood and be kind to myself. After all they do say you cannot give from an empty cup. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_9d71_1991_7a92_3187" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZSVqUctbFTw/XDvKQ--Qn3I/AAAAAAAAC7w/iYiQHR-gIqwkU3px5SM_LvGqZhDlwuZPgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Maybe you can take some “Sunday Ideas” from this list above. Or you could make your own! I keep this list in my journal which I have with me all the time.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you like doing that fills your cup up? </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What thing do you do that helps you to be kind to others? </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wishing you all a great weekend. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love Daena x</span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-7080583399651813112019-01-05T20:34:00.001+08:002019-01-05T20:34:32.491+08:00The first post of 2019 - A Call to Kindness<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><img id="id_7ec9_f0e9_9c38_a85b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JOoI3s7R9n0/XDCkV_tBz9I/AAAAAAAAC7g/jU6Oo29h0CYPs4S_X5eXvzV5wWfy51zsACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 355px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I bet you have been wondering what has taken me so long? Or if I’ve forgotten what kindness is? No! Absolutely Not! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The truth is that would be <span style="font-weight: bold;">impossible</span>. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This past year I’ve been working full time and I decided to be thoughtful about what I wanted to share on my blog.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are a few things that I’ve stuck to in recent years that may continue this year like Sustainable September (but also may not depending on what this year actually brings). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am acknowledging my inconsistency with blogging too. I’m not perfect but I’m constantly improving. Kindness is still so important to me that I keep coming back to it again and again. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2018 brought with it some HUGE changes for me. I moved between 3 countries, from Australia to Wales to England. I got 2</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> jobs (one which I had to leave in order to pursue the other). I moved to 2 new houses in two different counties. I also got myself a new boyfriend (well he’s not so new now... but the first I’ve had in a long time). It brought with it a change in my life circumstances all of which has made my life both easier and harder to bring kindness to peoples lives.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It’s easier now as I am exposed to a diverse range of people on a daily basis, not many of whom know much about my kindness mission. This makes it quite fun to surprise people with thoughtfulness. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It can be harder because Archaeology as a career is more often than not back-breaking manual labour. Even though I love it, it wears me out a lot and I come home exhausted regularly. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However that hasn’t stopped me being kind... </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2019 had already brought with it kindness and encouragement from others for me. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I’ve continued to joyfully worked to bring a smile to the faces of people I work with, live with and know. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I wanted to start this year by reminding you that kindness is easy! AND you can start a year of kindness at any time (even 5 days after New Year like today). If you want to do it don’t let anything stop you, least of all the date. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So this is a <b>call to kindness </b>if you want to join me. It doesn’t have to be hard. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For example: </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you break it down to a weekly kindness schedule : </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday’s</span>: smile at a stranger/compliment someone. A compliment could be about their outfit, their adorable pet, their lovely smile, or their ability to keep coming to work everyday when you know they have stuff going on at home or when they are dealing with chronic pain/illness (I have a few friends whose lives are crazy and yet they still show up for me when I need them). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday’s</span>: make or buy a hot/cold beverage for someone. it can be offering to get someone a glass of water or remembering and buying them that Double Dirty Chai latte with Coconut Milk they drink on a regular basis. The price or effort is up to you. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday’s</span>: take a treat into work to share... it’s hump day on Wednesday and everyone will appreciate a mid-week pick me up (I have been doing this at work - and mostly involved me baking yummy treated on a Tuesday night but this week I took some fruit mince pies in to work (I can’t eat them but they had a packet of 6 fruit mince pies on reduction for £0.05 per back so I grabbed two to make the day more enjoyable for everyone. I got to be kind they got to eat yummy things). If you don’t work regular days etc, make or do something special for your family or friends on a Wednesday if you want to stick to this plan. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday’s</span>: write a thank you to someone for something good they have done for you. This can be as public as a Facebook post acknowledging their gifts and why you love them so. Or as private as writing them an anonymous hand written note to thank them for generally being a good person. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday’s</span>: do a job or chore for someone else. This can be offering to empty the bin at work or emptying the dishwasher when it’s your housemates/partners turn. It could be raking the leaves for your neighbour, helping them move snow in winter, watering gardens/plants in summer or just checking on an elderly family member/friend/neighbour. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday’s: </span>Connect with someone you’ve been meaning to contact but keep forgetting to/putting it off. Simply sending a message to a friend or family member that says “I’ve been thinking of you recently, how are things? Hope you are well!” Or writing a letter or email to catch a friend or family member up on all they have been missing in your life. It could be calling someone for a coffee date or organising to go to the movies together. Or it could be sending a care package to a friend in another country (this has made a huge and amazing kindness for me when family and friends have sent stuff my way! 😊). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday’s:</span> do something to be kind to yourself! This can be having a bath, Reading a book you’ve been wanting to read or even making your favourite tea/coffee/ chocolate/hot Carob drink and taking 5 minutes to sit and enjoy it in silence (yes parents - I know that’s a lot to ask but I hope for your sake you kids sleep sometime!). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Other things you can do to spice up your kindnesses: </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When it’s someone birthday just send them a message to let them know you know they were born on this day and how special that is to you. If it’s YOUR birthday send a message to your mother (after all she did all the work of growing you inside her for up to 9 months) or a person who has been a mum/parent figure to you to thank them for helping you and keeping you alive this long! Or for teaching you the resilience you needed to stay alive on your own! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Anytime it’s a special holiday (E.g. Christmas just gone, Valentine’s, Easter, Hanukkah, Diwali, any festive card giving holiday etc) when you are sending a card, write one thing you are grateful for about that person. It can be hard sometimes but if you think about it, there is a reason you are going to the effort of sending/giving them a card why not make it extra special. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Do you love books? Do you have a couple extra dollars to make someone’s day? Put some cash (I recommend notes as coins can cause damage to a book) with a post-it note in your favourite book/s at a book shop to contribute to the next person, who opens the book, to purchase it! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Appreciate the work of those around you like Posties (postmen and women), ambulance workers, Firey’s (fire department workers), nurses, doctors, managers, street cleaners, cleaners in general, garbage men/women, service men and women, retail staff, regular delivery drivers etc. you could always thank them for their work by writing to their work places/ managers to compliment their work or contact these people directly by giving them a thank you note/card. Gratitude is by far one of the nicest and simplest kindnesses around and you can do it verbally or in written form. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One idea for office workers: </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I like leaving one of our staff little compliments and encouragements at random places in her Post-It Note pad. She knows who does it, but if you were less obvious than I am... You could make it anonymous! Note: I do try to be sneaky but she’s very clever! </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Extra info: </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are so many ideas if the weekly kindness plan doesn’t work for you! You can check out FB, Instagram, Pinterest, Google and so many places for kindness ideas. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am not the first and I won’t be the last to choose to do a kind deed a day. I REALLY WANT people to take this on... it really has changed MY life for the better. And I hope it works for you too! :) </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Here is to another year of kindness. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Much love to you all, </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Daena x</span></p> 365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-36828344567808735322018-09-30T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-30T08:00:09.362+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 30<img id="id_6cf2_c009_6611_4826" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j8RJaJZtG3M/W7AEK9CZWRI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/2KLBuXl44kkVCnirKUbWp_pZI78fws3jgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>I cant believe its over! 30 days of September have flown past! I have been celebrating and exploring Reading,UK today on foot with my boyfriend G. <div><img id="id_4be9_fd12_eda7_6798" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w1Dt_qCsF54/W7AEKyb3jmI/AAAAAAAAC5c/wxgh-TRWyUkE_vyIy9ot4ZBhTroV2KvdQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>(Watching the swans being fed by the locals whom the swans and ducks love). <br><img id="id_913f_c8ce_da58_8d08" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OBc1RuQu1q0/W7AELGwVW4I/AAAAAAAAC5g/TwKEzfdsqTkq8T-wByMEewnM9bBlkL-eACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>(We found this amazing old steam board that had been converted into a function room on the shade of an amazing pub!) <br><br></div><div>We have been having a great day exploring new places and seeing what this city has to offer.<br>
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As today is the last day of Sustainable September I am going to leave you with the best advice I can.<br>
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<b>Day 30.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Be kind to yourself.</b><br>
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I have had to learn this one myself. We are often our own harshest critic. I have personally had to learn not to be afraid of making mistakes. <br>
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Failure is going to happen, but don’t beat yourself up about it too much. Everyone is at different stages of this Sustainable journey. As much as I love the idea of a Zero Waste lifestyle, I know it is not 100% possible.<br>
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If we all aim for a low impact life, there is not so much pressure with that label. It gives you permission to make mistakes. Because realistically we all make mistakes.<br>
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I live by the motto: <b>When I know better, I will do better and until then I will do my best. </b><br>
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Thank you to everyone who joined me for sustainable September this year. It has meant a lot to me to have your encouragement and support. </div><div><br></div><div>Thank you all so much. </div><div>Love Daena <br>
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</div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-66244260147379393832018-09-29T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-29T08:00:04.085+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 29<img id="id_e45e_ae19_4443_5948" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qJDnPiO9csI/W66ynXFI23I/AAAAAAAAC4w/IMhpWHzMS2AM_kM5LzdLGOom7qLJFGq5gCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>Today is my mums birthday. A day that I, sadly, won’t be with her to celebrate. <div><img id="id_6071_71e6_4400_b424" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o9mPk70rY58/W66ynRnl6cI/AAAAAAAAC40/nIpmqU6BcoEazGKnsxEZxjEKQjxWsZvRwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br></div><div>However it is also somewhat of a milestone for me. I celebrated the end of the fourth week of work at my job as an archaeologist, a job that mum has always supported me in pursuing. <div><br></div><div>My mum has been an amazing influence throughout my life, encouraging me and supporting me to do and be the best I could be. All despite some of the harder things we’ve been through. Which brings me to the Sustainable September idea for...</div><div><br><b>Day 29.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Educate yourself </b></div><div>
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This seems silly to almost finish off with but as we are coming to the end of Sustainable September, it seems important to include it.<br>
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Learning skills you haven’t learned before, that can help you reduce, reuse, recycle, rot or even refuse things coming into your house, can make a huge difference.<br>
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If it is learning how to make fruit jam from left over cheap fruits from the local supermarket that would otherwise end up in landfill, or learning how to make a worm farm, from learning how to sew a button, or learning how to reupholster a chair (that project is still in Australia for me to finish another time), it may cost a small amount upfront but the skills you learn in the long-term will make up for it.<br>
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The saying goes… “If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day. But if you teach a man to fish… you can get rid of him for the whole weekend!” wait… no… that’s not it! Hehehe. “If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day. But if you teach a man to fish he can feed himself for a lifetime.”</div></div><div><br></div><div>This also means learning and watching through TV, media, documentaries, podcasts etc. </div><div><br></div><div>I’ve learned so much from podcasts and documentaries over the last few years. It’s been really educational. </div><div><br></div><div>I hope you are enjoying the last few days of Sustainable September! </div><div><br></div><div>Much love to you all, </div><div>Daena x</div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-3097573861218845192018-09-28T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-28T08:00:00.874+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 28<img id="id_6d18_d74d_2785_cf28" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u8LJLUDrmK8/W61cLCe5-6I/AAAAAAAAC38/WdflmEhgaGIvdsY_Sa24984isZEHkXTHwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>I can’t believe how fast this month has flown by! It’s unbelievable! After today there are only two more days! Two until the end of Sustainable September! I thought I would talk about something that I’ve been making every morning before work and consuming on my walk to work. And that’s ... Tea!!!. But I make it simple and take it in a travel mug which is what today’s idea is all about! <div><br><div>
<b>Day 28.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Use a reusable Coffee/Tea Cup </b><br>
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This is great when it comes to going to coffee shops as you can save yourself a few cents/pence anytime you buy a cup of tea or coffee take away.<br>
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Using reusables is also much better for the environment.<br>
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I have also been using mine everyday as I walk from my house to the office in the mornings</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_fce_1e3f_340b_9556" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SAQSr_0wq5c/W61cLvBKCbI/AAAAAAAAC4I/vg4FglH_VeUQPnawCMbNdXwi08KEAdvoQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br></div><div><br></div><div>As the mornings get colder and I need a cup of something to keep me warm. </div><div><br></div><img id="id_1b69_ff20_f30_450" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_4pFYyT5_8I/W61cLhM3X2I/AAAAAAAAC4E/YQmNSDJMQ_Qkx86elhpLcFl0X50zA-S_wCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
It turns out that a warm/hot cup to take with me as I leave home is also a great hand-warmer as I walk to work every morning.</span></div><div><img id="id_e19a_420b_6fb4_e67c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cw-imIkoz0Y/W61cjVJ_IeI/AAAAAAAAC4g/jRkGsxrRUGEGLRvl0XpvfQoRgi1UZ6sYgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>
I know the first few time going to a coffee shop you might forget but its an opportunity to take that time to sit in and enjoy a ceramic mug instead.</div><div><br>
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If you are a cafe owner and are looking for ideas, you can always do like this little cafe in Australia has done ... ban single use coffee cups, and provide an option for those who forget.</div><div><br>
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I hope this helps, enjoy the clips from both UK and Australian War on Waste.</div>
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As it comes to colder weather, you could do simple kindnesses, like Suspended coffees or even giving homeless a couple dollars for a hot drink, a coffee card for a local cafe, or even inviting someone to join you for a cup or tea or coffee.</div>
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Enjoy, </div>
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Love Daena x</div>
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Ive been suffering with a bad headache for the last day or so and have been drinking a lot of water... which had me thinking about the importance of water to us and the environment. So todays, Sustainable September idea is...<br />
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Day 27.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Save water</b><br />
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There are several ways you can do this.<br />
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One is by not leaving the tap running whilst you are brushing your teeth.<br />
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Another is by installing a low flow shower head. This can change the pressure but saves you a packet in water bills.<br />
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You can also take shorter showers, use a brick in older toilet cisterns so that it doesn’t use as much water to flush, and install two button flush systems.<br />
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Saving water can save you a lot of money, but also give the environment a helping hand. This is because in places like Australia water is a precious resource, and we wouldn’t want to waste it. Or end up like parts of south Africa who earlier this year were on water rations.<br />
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And just to folow up from that, here is a quick timeline of events for the Capetown water crisis.<br />
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Anyway, I thought this was particularly interesting.<br />
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I Hope you have a great day.<br />
Be kind to one another.<br />
Love Daena<br />
<br />365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-52395393672740642442018-09-26T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-26T08:00:06.477+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 26<img id="id_f285_43d0_703_b27d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-85rZjHrWKa8/W6qpp4akySI/AAAAAAAAC3I/2DjnRdGkMoMR5GsN1Tp84h0dgEj1ENeXgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>It’s been really cold the last few mornings here in Reading, England! Getting down as cold as 2*C. I know that it will get much colder in weeks and months to come but this little Aussie is already struggling with the temperature changes. That’s the problem with having two summers in a row (Australian then Welsh/English)! <img id="id_6e2b_1d6c_9e98_b0fe" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EI4LBF5aaVo/W6qpp7u3CJI/AAAAAAAAC3M/Ne24l23S9gUIN23rF_mq8atkyEtqpSbRgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>This next Sustainable September idea is completely unrelated to anything... but is one of the best changes I made to living a more sustainable life. Gents, you can sit this one out... or read through for a great kindness idea you can do...<br>
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<b>Day 26.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Use Reusable Feminine hygiene </b><br>
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This can be reusable pads, a diva cup or even reusable period panties.<br>
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I have to admit I was a little reluctant, a few years ago, about how this would be so successful for me. I decided to give the Diva Cup (a menstrual cup) a go, supplemented by the reusable pads from two amazing Australian suppliers Scarlet Eve & Little Aussie Monster.<br>
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My menstrual cup is THE BEST thing I have ever had gifted to me (it was a Christmas gift from my sister). I love the fact that it only needs to be changed every 12 hours (instead of every 6 hours with a tampon) and that I can change the cup either in the bathroom (preferable with a sink right next to the toilet) or in the shower (which is my preferred method). This means I shower twice a day on my period, which is probably not a bad habit to not feel as icky anyways. When I take out my menstrual I can see how heavy my period is, as the side of the Diva cup has measurements. It is a great thing to take note of for your own records because knowing this can help your gynaecologists know how much blood you’ve lost and if its more or less than usual.<br>
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The other great thing about the Menstrual cup, is that because it holds so much blood I don’t need to wear my reusable pad for more than the first 3 days. I am one of the many who have seven day periods, so not having to wear pads for 4 of those days is bloody awesome! And I wouldn’t have to wear the pads at all if I changed the Diva cup more regularly during the first three days, but I’m too lazy to do that. Lol. So I am happy with my combination of reusable pads and diva cup.<br>
<br>I won’t comment here on Period Panties but I know that there are several available that are a reusable period alternative to pads, tampons or even a diva cup. I’ll leave this review for another time. In the meantime I am really happy with the system I have for managing my periods! <br><br>
I also know that this has saved me a fortune already. I have had my diva cup for almost 2 years now (Christmas is its birthday) and even though I didn’t purchase it, I know it cost about $50AUD (£25) and it can last for up to 10 years. The pads I bought cost about $50 in total too and whilst this might seem like a lot of money, it has totally been worth it. I would easily spend $10(£5) a month (pre-reusables) and I would buy a combination of Tampons and Pads each month. Sometimes I would even buy more than one pack depending on how heavy my bleeding was.<br>
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After 10 months these reusables have paid for themselves. When Christmas comes around I would have saved $140 ‘above and beyond’ the cost that I was paying for my feminine hygiene. Best investment ever. <div><br></div><div><br><div>
Lads, I know some of you are thinkin that this is not something that YOU can do much about... and you are probably right, however being open to sharing some ideas with the ladies in your life, would make a massive difference to them. And if you partner, sister, mother, aunt, cousin, friend or coworker is struggling at that time of the month, do something nice for them. Its the best kindness a girl can ask for, havng the support of someone they know and care about. I wish you all the best with this idea.<br>
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I hope this finds you all well!<br>
Love Daena</div></div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-71663884805890467202018-09-25T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-25T08:00:02.445+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 25<img id="id_3c48_1224_635b_f644" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XClwNilgh9w/W6lir1ZQyCI/AAAAAAAAC2w/X4lD0LESIC0wptSG6-2Qwumn7kHh8j5-QCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>I dont know if you would have had a chance to use yesterdays Sustainable September idea because it is something that will need some preplanning. When you organise a party or dinner there are so many great things you can do to reduce your budget AND reduce you environmental impact. Everything from not purchasing disposables, to using reusable straws in metal, glass, bamboo or alternatively single use paper straws (but these barely last ONE drink), or skip straws altogether. <br>
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This next idea builds on the yesterdays but it also doesnt need to be a party/gathering-only idea. This one you can bring into every day meals...<br>
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<b>Day 25.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Use Cloth napkins </b><br>
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Another thing that can save money is buying/making/using cloth napkins instead of buying paper ones. Sure paper ones are mostly compostable, but some of them have a few other not so good things in them. And cloth napkins can be compostable at the end of their lives too. However, you can spend a little bit of cash up front and be able to wash and reuse them over and over again. So, they can make their money back.<br>
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You can even purchase ex-hotel/restaurant ones for a cheaper price but still be good quality, plus they are second hand. Meaning that it will have saved you money, and saved the environment too!<br>
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"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tiempostext regular"; font-size: 17.6px;">Not only are they [cloth napkins] more durable (one cloth napkin will make it through a lot more BBQ sauce than a paper one!) but ditching disposable napkins will also </span><a href="http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2012/08/31/five-reasons-to-use-cloth-napkins-over-paper/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: initial; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "TiemposText Regular"; font-size: 17.6px;" target="_blank">save plenty of money</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tiempostext regular"; font-size: 17.6px;"> over the years. It’ll also </span><a href="http://greatist.com/health/how-to-ways-reduce-food-waste" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: initial; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "TiemposText Regular"; font-size: 17.6px;" target="_blank" id="id_b055_6e9d_af2c_63e2">reduce your trash output</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tiempostext regular"; font-size: 17.6px;">, </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/teens/pdf/school.pdf" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: initial; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "TiemposText Regular"; font-size: 17.6px;" target="_blank">which means</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tiempostext regular"; font-size: 17.6px;"> less energy is used transporting and processing your waste. Using recyclable paper napkins is </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: initial; font-family: "TiemposText Regular"; font-size: 17.6px;">good</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tiempostext regular"; font-size: 17.6px;"> for the planet, but it’s even </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: initial; font-family: "TiemposText Regular"; font-size: 17.6px;">better</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tiempostext regular"; font-size: 17.6px;"> to not have anything to recycle in the first place. Plus, cloth napkins make dinner feel oh-so-fancy." <a href="https://greatist.com/happiness/eco-friendly-tips-save-cash">(Greatist.com)</a></span><br>
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You could gift some cloth napkins to a friend or family member, or even use cloth napkins to wrap gifts in as a way to make someone else feel special. Kindness doesnt have to be hard work, it can be much simpler than that. Sharing what you are learning about with people can be a nice way to share and spread kindness. <br>
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I hope this finds you all well.<br>
Love Daena x365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-75965200498900066652018-09-24T07:04:00.000+08:002018-09-25T05:35:00.340+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 24<img id="id_d009_d8bd_4b39_beec" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yjjCIcnwx2w/W6lYgdPOihI/AAAAAAAAC2k/diM9RsAJB-Uiu_sSdaXq76QrfJVp2SYFgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>Back to work today. I really love my job. Sure its only week 4 of my employment in the UK but I am thoroughly enjoying learning so much.<br>
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Sustainable September idea for ...<br>
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<b>Day 24 - Ditch disposable Party supplies</b><br>
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Yes it may be easier to buy a whole bunch of single use plastic plates because, heaven forbid, you need to do some actual washing up. But here are some quick tips.<br>
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If you absolutely HAVE to buy disposables, make them compostable ones, and then take them home and compost them (don’t just ditch them in the closest bin because they wont break down in landfill).<br>
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Or if you are having a big party at home, either ask everyone to bring their own plates and knives and forks. Or plan bigger parties to be catered with bite size goddies so no one needs to have their own dishes. Then You and your guests only need to clean fingers!<br>
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It might take a few times to get used to it, but it can be so simple. Canapes can be super healthy, or as naughty as you like. But making bite size food saves washing up a thousand plates and saves you from washing a lot of cutlery too.<br>
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Kindness idea could be to include someone you don't know very well to ypur gathering. welcome them with warm hospitality. it will hopefully make their day.<br>
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much love,<br>
Daena x365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-46992324265999892018-09-23T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-23T08:00:00.340+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 23<img id="id_6574_2eb_edf4_d236" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IsbVmR8CaWk/W6bMHlecLnI/AAAAAAAAC18/AVcWc0K1PUsT_tdUY3uFu1wVjqVlVlKagCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>Welcome back. I cant believe that we have had three weeks of Sustainable September already! Where has the time gone?<br>
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This weekend has been pretty wild weather in the UK with a massive storm going over and causing flooding and issues all over. So if you are somewhere here, be careful and stay safe.<br>
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Todays idea is a bit of a DIY project. Sustainable September idea for...<br>
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Day 23.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make your own bin liners</b>.<br>
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I was so impressed to see my sister and the ladies from my CWA of WA (Country Woman’s Association of Western Australia) branch make bin liners out of newspaper recently. They did this because there has been a backlash in Australia about how people will cope without plastic bin liners, when they don’t have free plastic bags from the supermarkets, to use for this purpose.<br>
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Here is the thing, if you compost your wet things, like veggie & fruit scraps, and only put dry things in your rubbish bins, then you don’t NEED plastic bin liners. Paper ones should work out fine.<br>
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Plus there is a now a saving. If you are now going to have to BUY bin liners you will be saving money by making them from your local Community Newspaper (once you have finished reading it) or even by raiding your neighbours recycling bin for their weekend West. In the UK there are free newspapers everywhere, so it isn’t hard to find a replacement for this either.<br>
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You can use this great clip from Boomerang Bags for one possible way to make these bin liners:<br>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5B0GDC8Ln84/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5B0GDC8Ln84?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" id="id_d0de_5d17_df47_ae8f"></iframe></div>
There are a lot of other simple or much more complicated ideas for bin liners but i like how this video shows you a fast version of what you will be making and then a "how to" section. So, if you miss the first time through don't worry... it is explained in detail in the second half of the video.<br>
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A cute kindness idea is, you could make some of these and gift them to a friend, family member or aquaintence.<br>
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I hope this finds you all well.<br>
Love Daena365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1474185866698535940.post-27505993227878596302018-09-22T08:00:00.000+08:002018-09-23T04:58:54.353+08:00Sustainable September 2018 Day 22<img id="id_414a_c7c6_b93_36f6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AGND2tqzNBE/W6Ux3idHJ6I/AAAAAAAAC1M/lG53sAY3e-0zVq_fEjugAfPlKnRMBszNQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>Hi everyone, the weekend is here! And i am out today to explore my new city!<div><img id="id_bb3d_7260_dac_1b0d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c35f53tWrsM/W6atDDWjOQI/AAAAAAAAC1w/YIOVs3lJsdsvuaTsQi_heowkMucPu7eEQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br>
And I am doing most of it on foot!<br>
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Todays idea follows that theme...<br>
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Day 21.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stop driving everywhere –<br>
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For most places in the world this is not a hard switch to make. For some remote communities in Australia, and other remote places getting on public transport is impossible. However, here in the UK, and even back home in Perth, Australia, public transport is a viable option, and is often a much cheaper option than driving.<br>
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For example, whilst I was living in the little town of Llanharan, Wales I would pay £24.50 for a weekly pass to travel by train as many times as I needed to in a week and I would make good use of it.<br>
<img id="id_d49e_9ff7_eace_5a4a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DoOsAz9LPhA/W6Ux4mU7S8I/AAAAAAAAC1Q/BQUu4cS7XP8UhBkblAuYzdQmbcffljplQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br>(The view from the bridge of my closest Welsh train station from my old home!)</div><div><br>
To own a car here is much more expensive. £24.50 would probably only cover the fuel cost, not to mention that the additional expenses for owning a car – insurance, maintenance, washing, registration, parking permits, MOTS (its like a health audit for a car that happens yearly in the UK), etc. – costs a lot more than public transport does.<br>
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However, there are times when I have needed to use a car to get things home from a shop, or get places at weird times when trains or busses aren’t running. I have often been able to carpool with someone in most cases. I think I have used Uber/taxi 4 times since being in the UK and that is because i was moving bulky suitcases! Everything else has simply been about managing times for public transport.<br>
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There is also the added bonus of it helping the environment. Nice little bonuses. I must admit there is a certain freedom about having your own car, however, using public transport in city areas is much better financially and environmentally.</div><div><br>
Did you know that in London (& here in Reading to a certain extent), it is rare for people under the age of 25 to have their drivers licence? This is because getting public transport is sooooo much better to use and a much cheaper alternative than owning and driving your own car. In Australia it i almost weird if you DONT have your drivers licence before 25 years!<br>
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Hope you are well,<br>
Love Daena x<br>
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ps. I had a great night out last night celebrating a new friend/collegues birthday. I helped celebrate it by making her a cake at work! :)<br>
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</div>365 Days of Kindnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695935517607356023noreply@blogger.com0