Miranda meanders

Hello everyone, I hope you are well. I’ve chosen to write about the power of habits as I believe they are significant to our daily lives. I personally, am trying to cultivate good habits for example eating healthily and exercising more. It is not easy as I do tend to have bad habits. So firstly, I am going to define what a habit is.

According to the Cambridge dictionary , habit means ‘something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it’.

What’s refreshing about having good habits like drinking a fruit smoothie every morning is that you feel good about yourself for sticking to something good that benefits you in the long term i.e losing weight. It is an achievement. However it’s not easy to break bad habits like snacking between meals or overspending on a shopping spree. (I know what it’s like haha)

According to an article from Jamesclear.com, he mentions how most of our bad habits are caused by stress and boredom. He then goes on to say how important it is to recognise the causes of the bad habit in order to overcome them.

The process of building a habit can be divided into four simple steps: cue, craving, response, and reward, (James Clear).

Cue: “triggers your brain to initiate a behaviour. It is a bit of information that predicts a reward (James Clear)”

Cravings: “cravings are the motivational force behind every habit. The thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the observer are what transform a cue into a craving (James Clear)”

Response : “The response is the actual habit you perform, which can take the form of a thought or an action. Whether a response occurs depends on how motivated you are and how much friction is associated with the behaviour (James Clear)”.

Reward : “Finally, the response delivers a reward. Rewards are the end goal of every habit. (James Clear)

All in all, we are all human and we have bad habits. I guess one needs to be aware of how they want to improve on making good habits. If we plan ahead of time of what we will do instead of a bad habit, then a feeling of accomplishment can be achieved. But let’s not be too hard on ourselves when we slip and fall into our bad habits. Life is hard. I am speaking to myself as I write this blog post. I’m trying my best to lose the lockdown weight, (so tough!)I’m trying my best to not go on my phone too much, I’m trying my best to not procrastinate and be more productive with my time. If I condition myself to replace my bad habits with good ones then I will feel more happier with myself and a sense of fulfilment will be felt, and I am sure you will too. Thank you, God bless.

Today is Easter. Where it is a time of eating chocolate eggs and decorating chocolate eggs, it is also a religious holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. I am going to offer you a poem I have written about Mother Mary and Jesus Christ. I hope you enjoy it.

Mother and Son

She bestowed upon him a love, sacred

Drawn through his crystal clear spirit

He spreads the divine word of His truth

Yet

Burdensome trials weigh upon his

Shoulders – so frail

Crucified to the cross he hangs

Her limitless love pours from her soul

Helpless she looks upon

The melancholic sight

What did he do wrong?

Her son so holy

His belief in God so strong

Mother Mary and Jesus Christ

Mother and son

There is light of hope when he resurrects

His love for mankind shines

To radiate his humility of pure goodness

Eternally

Through His vine.

To all the mothers out there , I want to wish you a happy Mother’s Day. Today is the day where we celebrate Motherhood in all it’s glories. Today is a special day to recognise our mothers and express our gratitude for all they have done. A mother’s love is truly precious and so unconditional, it’s hard to imagine how we can go without it. Here is a poem I have written for my own mother (and to all mothers out there). I hope you enjoy it. Big love x

Mother, there are a string of words I want to say to you

Endlessly from the corner of my heart to the corner of yours

You lift my spirits up when the world around me is crumbling down

My tears are dried from the palm of your hand

And the warmth of your love goes beyond the walls that surround me

Surging strength fills me up to the rim of my being

It’s because of you, I am standing on solid ground

Love is unconditionally given through the smiles you freely give

And the weight of your love deepens like the ocean runs deep

As your heart shines through the memories we share together

Mother, I love you forever and ever.

Happy New Year 2021 to each and everyone of you. Despite the cloudy circumstances surrounding Coronavirus, we have each other’s backs to lean on. It is easy to feel down during these times, especially for those experiencing lockdown, we are subjected to experiencing a wide variety of feelings and emotions. How do we cope during these times? How do we sustain emotional wellbeing as well as take care of our mental health? Of course, I am not going to tell you what you should do, it’s all down to the individual at the end of the day. But what I will suggest is setting New goals, new resolutions.

I believe however small these goals are or however big, this will help motivate us to achieve them. These goals will bring structure to my day, to your day. For instance going out for a walk at least once a day can require a lot of will power and trust me I’ve been there, but once I go out, my mood is lifted and I feel a lot better.

Willpower. According to an online definition ‘Willpower is the ability to resist short-term gratification in pursuit of long-term goals or objectives. Willpower is correlated with positive life outcomes such as better grades, higher self-esteem, greater financial security, and improved physical and mental health.’

I’d like to think of willpower as a force from within. It has to come from you. To fulfil a goal you have set for the day, week,month or year, I realise I have to muster the willpower to do what I set out to do whether it be doing a 5km jog or reading a book or tidying my room! It’s hard, I know but if we make it a habit to wheel around the force of willpower within us then this may help alleviate our mood, short-term or long term.

I write goals down in my diary and I try my best to achieve them. I recommend you do that. It’s okay to feel crappy and down. I have those days. But let’s do our best to brighten our days with positivity. Be kind to yourself and don’t be too hard on yourself. Life is there to be lived. Bring on 2021. God Bless.

An early expression of this sentiment using the phrase of “the true meaning” is found in The American magazine, vol. 28 (1889): “to give up one’s very self – to think only of others – how to bring the greatest happiness to others – that is the true meaning of Christmas.”

When I went shopping today in my local town, i was overwhelmed by the immensity of consumerism flooding through the streets and within the shopping centre. Bags and bags of presents soon to be wrapped carried by people filled with determination to get their Christmas shopping done. And it made me reflect on the meaning of Christmas and whether we forget the significance behind it.

According to sources, “Christmas is a time of spiritual reflection on the important foundations of the Christian faith. It’s also a celebration. It’s when Christians celebrate God’s love for the world through the birth of the Christ child: Jesus.”

It is during this time where by we think of one another, through self less acts of giving and spreading joy and happiness. It is a sentimental time of year we all look forward to. However big or small the presents are, or no presents, ultimately it falls down upon the love you have for your family and friends that is celebrated during this time.

It’s been a difficult year for us all with COVID 19 and many of you, including myself may have had other difficulties in addition to this. It is hard to be happy, it is hard to celebrate this time of year when there is adversity, but with a collective spirit can we support one another. Let us be there for those who are lonely at Christmas. Let us spare a thought for those who are dealing with grief of losing a loved one. Let us be mindful of those who are going through tough times. Through love and the self less act of giving can we make the world a brighter place, for we could all do with a bit of light during these times.

Finally, this time of year is a time of appreciation and gratitude for each other. Think of the key workers and frontline workers battling the pandemic. Think of the people who have inspired you and gave you a spring in your step. Think of the smiles exchanged with family, friends or colleagues, or neighbours, the shop assistant or your bus driver. Think of the tears you have shed and the ones who have caught them with compassion and empathy. You are not alone. You are so loved. And you are worthy of love. I am grateful for my family and friends and all of you who have been following my blog. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone, keep safe, God Bless,

Big love, Miranda xx

P.S There may be one last blog post before 2020 ends, keep your eyes peeled open 🙂