Month: June 2017

Know your worth and then add tax 

~ Fridgesays ~ 40 Comments

Okay, so this quote from Anon is going straight into my top twenty of self love quotes! (Yes, that’s right people I used an exclaimation mark) 

I recently posted a YouTube post on my facebook wall from Kristina Kuzmic (link here because it’s well worth a look), I love her feisty vibe and so once you’ve taken a peep imagine I too am sitting in a bubble bath of joy with a glass in my hands as tall as the Eifle Tower. (* reality disclaimer: no drink, sat at the top of the stairs hiding from my family so I can write in peace) 

This YouTube clip combined with this quote makes me feel like Beyoncé on stage in her element. It’s absolutely crucial that as role models of the human race we all make ourselves number one. Why? Because this in turn allows us to serve others (loved ones and the odd  stranger who may need a helping hand) way better. When I’ve had some ‘me time’ I literally can take on the world. It allows me to gain a better perspective on the state of the universe and at the same time prevents me from starting arguments / world wars over how towels are folded, toilet seats left up and all those other household triggers. This in turn makes me easier and way more accommodating to live with. 

But there is a second bonus: my health is better as a result of indulging in myself. I’m emotionally stable (*kind of) and physically healthier. So how do I make time…I ask others to help me out. Whether that be an evenings child care / grandparent indulgence, or I ask Mr F to take over while I sit on the stairs and get this written. 

I also don’t priorities housework and chores over myself. I sometimes wake up earlier to do yoga, read or listen to a podcast when helping hands aren’t available, sometimes when I’m not too exhausted from work I stay up a little later. At other times I seize opportunities to walk the dog and leave the house… I promise whatever your situation if you prioritise you can always find five minutes, you could even start with three.

So, I have a few questions… 

  • Do you make time for yourself?
  • How do you make the time?
  • What do you do with the time?

I swear I’m 95 years old and I seem to choose a hot bubbly bath, time to read, time to write, to sit and drink a HOT cup of tea, some yoga or a sneaky GnT… so if my worth is time to write then surely the tax is a gin and tonic 🙂 stay happy and make yourself number one. 

Muscle up buttercup

~ Fridgesays ~ 19 Comments

Quote from Disney’s Moana – by Maui

Welcome to another Disney inspired rambling. Every now and then I seek a top up of Disney vibes, it allows me to be distracted from the adult world and into the enchanting world of make believe.

However, this quote is my new favourite for the very opposite of that reason – it grounds me, affirms me and is in my opinion much like the quote ‘Man up’ but without the need to be gender specific. When I read this quote I don’t feel the need to lift weights or hit the gym (although I have used it with an impressed tone to praise the other half when he has returned from the gym #bonuspoints) in fact me and weights are about as distant as the UK is from Disney World…

To me this quote says ‘Stop. Dig deep, breathe and you are limitless’ and all in three little words. Often when life feels like a struggle we get absorbed by the mundane, the negative and create walls that stop us from being successful. Yesterday I encountered two events that I’d like to share where I used the ‘Muscle up buttercup’ vibes to defeat the negativity of the universe. The first step to being able to do this is staying aware of your current emotion and being aware of others around you.

With this in mind it will be no shock that my first negative encounter was in the supermarket check out queue. Im standing alone in the line when a woman who was unloading her trolley of items on to the conveyer belt on the opposite till to mine made small talk with me.

*Danger zone warning: small talk is usually pointless but nobody wants to be rude (except Mr F, who for this very reason was sat in the car whilst I went into the supermarket)

The lady makes a remark about the warm weather and I rebound her negative comment about it being ‘too warm’ with my love for a hot climate. However round two was seconds away with her comment about how ‘food shopping seems like hard work’, it was at this point that I deployed the ‘Muscle up buttercup ‘ vibes. I asked her if she needed help, she thanked me and declined. I then said I really enjoy buying fresh fruit and vegetables for my family and thought we were lucky to have such an awesome selection available. She smiled and said she hadn’t thought of that…

Without being consumed by her negative attitude, I turned and focused on the nice things I was about to purchase. It would of been easier for me to agree with her, to not offer help and to moan about the weather but that would have impacted my emotions and in turn my day. 

The next encounter with negativity came from my four year old riding his bike – he screamed, yelled, hollered and wailed from the moment his bottom hit the saddle. It made a twenty minute cycle to the village food festival a painful and slow process of mental torture. I chose not to listen and used my teacher skills to block him out, but for him it made a joyful activity hard. Riding his bike felt like work as he reinforced to himself that he ‘couldn’t do it’ and that much like the lady in the supermarket ‘it was too hard’ and the physical application to a fun cycle became a stop start action of distress.

It was at the point where his tears merged with a river of snot that his Daddy reminded him that he ‘could do it’ and reinforced why he was a ‘champion’ on his bike

*Bradley wiggins need not feel threatened

For the last two minutes of the journey he smiled, beamed and rode beautifully. Somewhere between the pep talk and his actions he had 100% applied ‘Muscled up buttercup’. At home he couldn’t stop talking about how he loved riding his bike and whilst my external body language praised him with a smile, I didn’t share the parental frustration of the misery he had caused for the previous hours during his non stop crying. Perhaps that was my ‘muscle up’ moment?

In parent land and also working with teenagers there are many moments of digging deeper and smiling harder. However, there is one secret to being able to activate the ‘muscle up buttercup’ joy – make the choice. Similar to deciding what you’re having for lunch, it often boils down to a decision to choose to smile, the conscious resolution to not talk to yourself negatively and making the choice again and again to be happy. Some moments are harder than others and it can feel at times like there are no buttercups for you to grasp, but that’s when you need a little more ‘muscle up’. Sounds easy enough? Like most things it takes practise but I promise there is nothing as essential to your wellbeing as a sprinkle of happiness. 

You are the sunshine that makes my day

~ Fridgesays ~ 24 Comments

This quote, like many seems to be the work of the very busy Anon.

Regular readers will know I live in the UK; the biggest give aways are how I spell ‘Mum’ and my British need to write about the weather, use weather related similes and metaphors (when Disney is out of stock) and generally to cloud my writing with lightening bolts of weather related vocabulary…see what I did there 🙂

Its therefore no shock that this quote caught my eye and caused a sunbeam to shine within me. I have written as have most other bloggers about my love for my blog and also how sometimes social media doesn’t always give you the entire truth. I have to say that it isn’t exactly truthful in my corner of the internet, as I choose not to share everything. The downside is this doesn’t give a 360 degree perspective. The fabulous side is I keep some privacy and don’t chose to share the negative. As a person who believes that you manifest what you are in alignment with and is 97% positive I don’t wish to ramble about the negatives of life on a regular basis.

When it comes to Instagram (please join me @fridgesays) I post a photo most days and recently have been posting things that make me happy. Sometimes its an object I’ve owned for years; like a glass snail I picked from my Grandads house after he past away. It now sits on our bedroom window sill and we actually coordinated the entire rooms colour scheme around it.

The recent political election was heavily influenced by young voters and social media. It’s a new way of expressing ourselves. I don’t believe everything I see, hear or read and I apply the same in the virtual world. I choose to follow yummy mummies who are ultra glam and who’s photos reflect things that make my Instagram feed light up like a rainbow, I use it to make myself laugh, feel good and often take inspiration from people’s feeds. Recently my friend @hilaryhobanphillips (seriously follow her, her feed and work is beautiful) introduced me to a crazy colourful feed from @1000wave – when I grow old I want to look as bright and bouncy as this diva! Just looking at her feed allows me to smile and causes sun beams to flow.

People around us can heavily impact our emotions, both sun beams and thunder storms are frequent in my house, but a quick swipe through Instagram often makes me feel better. I also often record little things my son has done, seen or said, this makes for a fabulous visual memory box of joy. Showing gratitude to those around me also makes me feel awesome and let’s not forget the mighty joy of Pinterest as we create boards of wonder. I don’t bake a cake without double tapping and there’s a board for any home improvement or crazy creative task! Yay 🙂

Social media often gets a bad reputation and although I realise there is a dangerous, unconnected and sinister side to the internet, it’s also pretty amazing. So how do you use social media to enhance your sunny days? More importantly who’s IG feeds are your favourite?

*written sitting in the sun in my garden sipping a strawberry cider – win!

#4yrs collect moments

~ Fridgesays ~ 33 Comments

Last year I asked my son twenty questions, this year I’m doing the same. It’s a wonderful way to archive a few of his favourite things and already I can see his voice forming and getting more opinionated.

If you do something similar, please let me know as I’d love to read them.

To look back, here’s the link to # 3 years old

1. What’s your favourite colour? Green

2. What’s your favourite toy?    ummm…a slimer with a policeman ( He doesn’t have anything like this? I’m thinking the Ghostbusters toy advertised on tv?)

3. What’s your favourite fruit?   Banana

4. What do you like to watch on TV? Ninja Turtles, Donatello is my favourite (DVD)

5. What do you like to eat at lunch? picky bits *a selection of whatever Mummy can find and arrange on a plate

6. Who’s in your family? Mummy, Daddy and Moët (the name of our dog, not the bottles lying around)

7. What item of clothing do you most like to wear? The one I’m wearing now (shark t-shirt)

8. What game do you like to play? Fighting and Monsters (…thanks Daddy)

9. What’s your favourite animal? A crocodile and sharks, oh and I do like hippopotamus’s

10.  What song do you most like? Silly songs and Hangman Jury (Daddies Aerosmith influence)

11. What’s your favourite snack? Dunkers

12. Favourite story book? Sea creatures under the water.

13. Who’s your best friend? Henry James, who lives across our street.

14. What’s your favourite sport? Crazy golf… (not sure this counts)

15. Which holiday do you like the best? Birthdays and Christmas why? because it’s lovely.

16. What do you sleep with? Muzzy (Muslin) and sea creatures, mainly crocodiles and sharks.

17. What do you like best for breakfast? Banana, crossiant and Jam  

18. What do you like to do outside? Play

19. What’s your favourite drink? Bubbles (lemonade) and Pineapple juice

20. What’s your favourite dinner? Cheesy pizza.

Until next year, thanks for reading. Please share any that you do, as I genuinely would love to read them.