30 Day Challenge- Declutter Your Life

I wanted to share with you something I'm taking part in at the moment that I think will be beneficial to my mental health. I'm currently on Day 5 of the Thirty Days To Simplify Your Life Challenge that has been set by Youtuber and blogger MuchelleB.

The aim is to spend the first day setting your goals for what you would like to achieve from the challenge. My personal goal is: 

"To simplify my life and possessions to make everyday easier. I like to feel organised and in control of my space. It will mean that my home is filled with only the things that I either need or love and bring me joy."

You then spend the next 14 days decluttering your possessions by category. You are set one challenge per day but can self pace if you need to. MuchelleB guides you through simple ways of deciding what you should and shouldn't keep. If you find some of the categories aren't suited to yourself you can either miss them out or choose another area that you need to declutter such as your D.I.Y/craft supplies, DVDs/CDs, your car, anything that you want to downsize or that you know needs a good sort through.

The next stage includes 14 days of decluttering your mental space and the last day is for you to reflect on your decluttering journey. To me this challenge helps in a few ways to benefit your mental health...

1. a home that contains the things you love will bring back happy memories, bring you joy or make you feel at home
2. everything else left will be practical things that you need, stored in easily accessible places, making your home function well and your days run more smoothly
3. the mental challenges allow you to reflect and identify aspects of yourself and your life- it's always good to self-study and find who you are and what makes you tick
4. this way of thinking will hopefully stay with you after the challenge and help you to keep your space clutter free and save money by not purchasing things you don't love or need- money worries can cause a lot of stress and upset
5. celebrating your achievements and feeling proud of what you have done are a great mood booster

I know you're thinking that you've already missed the start of the challenge but don't worry you can start whenever you like. All the links you need are down below and whether you decide to take part in the challenge or use the MuchelleB blog to pick and choose a few tasks that you think would be the most beneficial it's a great way to start the year.

Good luck!

Much Love,
Becky xx

Links for MuchelleB...
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/muchelleb
Blog: http://muchelleb.com.au/
Hashtag: #thirtydaystosimplify

8 Top Tips to Avoid Negativity

We all need that bit of positivity in our lives and when negativity sneaks in it can throw us completely off our path to happiness. There will always be negative situations that crop up and we will need to face them. But if we can avoid negativity we minimise the stress it can induce. Here's my 8 Top Tips to Avoid Negativity...

1. Unfollow- this could be people on your social media, groups online, newsletters, emails, something you have subscribed to. If you are seeing negative images or words that bring down your mood think whether you need to be seeing them
2. Read Reviews- when booking an event, buying a product or visiting a place check it out first for the reviews and decide whether it is for you
3. Selective Television- a film or TV series described as "chilling and a real tear jerker" or full of people shouting and arguing may not be the best thing to brighten your mood. Use your TV guide to decide whether you should watch programmes you know will be upsetting or focus on negative situations/events
4. A Good Book- pick your choice of book carefully. Just like television you can choose to steer away from books based on a negative event or that speak about subjects you may find unsettling
5. Avoid Conflict- sometimes conflict is necessary but if it is turning into a heated argument or a battle of the keyboard warriors then it's not healthy for anyone involved
6. Nip It In The Bud- if someone starts to gossip or tell you something negative it's ok to say you'd rather not speak about it or excuse yourself from the group. If you feel yourself thinking negative thoughts redirect your focus where possible- keep busy, doodle, play a game, anything that distracts you
7. Be Kind- be kind to yourself and speak of yourself in a positive manner. Compliment yourself and do the things that you know make you happy. Be kind to others too and avoid being negative yourself
8. Focus- if you focus on the negatives they become greater. Focus on the positives in your life and on things that make you feel happy. Count your blessings and look for the silver lining- this really is the art of the positive thinker!

I hope these tips help you get rid of some of the negativities in your life and lead to a calmer and happier day.

Much love,

Becky xx