#WhatILovewithz- "4 super Easy ways to Love Yourself"

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”- Lucille Ball

So true, self-love is one of the most important elements of our happiness and overall well-being. Though traditionally self –love is often considered as an act of selfishness. It has been taught to us that if we are not working hard for our duties and taking care of others, we are being selfish, we are being narcissist. But it is not the complete truth; actually self-love is the act of “love of self” or “regard of one’s own happiness or advantage” that helps in releasing negative thoughts and criticism towards you and embracing more loving thoughts.

Research has shown that practising self-love has so many advantages such as better mental health, increase happiness and productivity.

Personally, I have found that whenever I feel depressed or overwhelmed by pressurising responsibilities, the only thing that pulled me up and out is drenching myself in self-love.  But during practical life when we had tons of duties and responsibilities, practising self-love can be challenging for so many of us.

Here I am sharing some of my favourite “self-love strategies “that helps me a lot to feel happier and positive during everyday life.

 Create a self-love ritual

Like all other important things, it is equally important to plan your self-love or self-care ritual. Pre-planning and organising a scheduled time will help a lot to get de-stressed and relieving routine tensions. Self-care ritual activity could be different for different people. For me, it is always about spending some quite moments of prayer with god and practising yoga and meditation. These few moments of self-care provide me an instant energy and I had better ability to perform my duties and responsibilities.

Go for a nature walk

Nature is the creation of god. Scientific studies suggested that nature has a sort of healing properties, it relieves tension, anxiety and reduces blood pressure, ease the muscle tension. Taking in the sights and sounds of nature improve mood and relive the anxiety. As a mom, we have to deal with repeatedly tasks and we often need a break. A short break as a nature walk even in your backyard had a significant psychological benefit. Nature is a positive distraction, which makes us calm and happier.

Be creative and focus on your hobby

One of my favourite ways for stress relief and get involve in self-love, is the being creative and spends some quality time alone for my hobby. I believed when we engaged in any form of creative activities, we had a state of complete mental involvement in something and that works like a meditation. It has a great potential to reduce stress and can alleviate the burden of various psychosomatic disorders. It is best creative way to involved “Self-love” in our otherwise hectic life.

Eat healthy and exercise regularly

  During every day hectic life, we often get more focused on our jobs and responsibilities and involuntarily ignored our health. And this ignorance causes a wreaking havoc on our physical and mental fitness. It may cause nutritional deficiencies, muscle pain, weakness of the immune system, even a state of chronic stress that is very harmful and make our body to vulnerable to other systemic infections. So pre-plan your daily routine and schedule some time for proper healthy eating and exercise is the best thing that helps in the journey of “self-love”.

Scientific studies suggested that exercise produces endorphins (good neurochemical) that help in building stamina and mood lifting. Even 5 minutes of aerobic exercise provide excellent health benefits. And nutritious healthy diet helps in strengthening of our immune system and makes our body strong enough to deal with stress.

Last but not the least tries to enjoy each and every moment of life. Sometimes, when we had too much to do and feel piled up with tasks, we often forget to enjoy tiny sweet moments of joy and happiness; everything seems like a burden for us. So forget those unnecessary negative circles of thoughts and try to enjoy each tiny moment of life. We cannot take care of our families unless we take time and care for ourselves, so try these simple de-stressing strategies and enjoy a Happy and healthy life.

Moms, these were the ideas to follow a “self-love” routine. What are yours? Which strategies you liked most? Please share with us.

the post is a link with Zainab for ##WhatIlove

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#ThrusdayTreeLove- The beauty Of Fall

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the Autumn tree""

So true, Autumn is my favourite season and the beauty of fall trees can not be described in the world, it is just amazing and so beautiful, sharing some pictures of fall tress for a wonderful tree series #ThursdayTreeLove.

so excited it is my first participation, and hoping to make it in upcoming series too.

The post is a part of #ThrusdayTreeLove series hosted by Dear parul

5 Super Easy ways to Celebrate Republic day with your kids!

Happy republic day to all. It is really a matter of pride that we are celebrating our 69th republic day. Republic day honours the date on which the constitution of India came into effect on 26 January replacing the Government of India act as the governing document of India. It was the day when India became a Republic country. It is one of the most important landmarks in Indian history.

  Being a proud Indian, I wish my kids would get a chance to celebrate this National festival with same spirit and enthusiasm as I had celebrated in my childhood.

Unfortunately living on a foreign land is not as easy as sound and like all other Indian festival celebration, we also missed the patriotic sprit of celebrating all National festivals (Independence Day, republic day etc.) too. Sometimes it feels really hard to teach the things that they are not seeing practically. But no issues, I want to keep the celebration spirit on and sharing my few ideas to celebrate the Republic day celebration with your kids (especially when you are far away from your country)

Teach them Importance of celebration with proper explanation

Kids are innocent learner; they always had a curiosity to know the reason behind any traditions we follow. Same thing get applied here. If we want that our kids learn about the Importance of Republic celebration and history behind it, it is must they that they learn its history and Importance.

It is our duty to teach them its importance, history with proper and interesting explanation.  What is the meaning of Indian constitution? The importance facts, why we celebrate this day as an important National festival? Are some of the points that kids would love to learn. And this thing will be the first step to teach them about the significance of republic day celebration. Nowadays, we had lots of educational videos, books available online which we can used to teach them.

 Plan activities on republic theme

Though there could be various activities options are available that we can used to celebrate the Republic day celebration. But here in USA, when we are struggling with extreme bad weather conditions, crafting is easiest and creative activity that we can used to teach our kids about the importance of Republic day celebration.

 Crafting, chart making, decorating your room with the same theme are some easiest creative way to get involved your kids in celebration spirit. My girls loved crafting and we are planning to select “a republic day theme” for upcoming crafting activity. I am sure they will learn a lot with this and at the same time they will have loads of fun and excitement too.

Watch Republic day Parade on TV

 I believed this could be another exciting way to teach my girls about Republic day celebration. It would be a fascinating as well as learning experience for them; I am planning to tell them some interesting facts about our constitution while watching parade.

Plan kid’s competition or get together on republic day theme celebration

It is our good fortune that here in Dublin there are lots of Indian family and most of the parents want their kids to know about our country and Indian traditions and culture. And of course, this thing give them a sense of belonging to the country where they born. I think planning a fancy dress competition or talent show based on patriotic theme is an exciting way to teach our kids our country and celebration.

Make a special colourful food to enjoy the spirit of celebration

All kids love food and when we add a creative touch to our routine food, they always get excited. Preparing a special lunch or dinner based on tricolour theme is another exciting option to celebrate this festival with creativity and fun.

I am planning to involve my girls while cooking and garnishing process too, to teach them about the importance of tri-coloured flag. Kids learn so fast, when we had “fun while learn” approach.

So these are some of my ideas to get involved my girls, in celibate the Republic day. What are yours? Please share!

 this post is also a part of #supemomcontest and #Momdaymommymoments  hosted by http://

healthwealthbridge.com/ and http://kreativemommy.com/5-things-motherhood-no-one-told/

Fighting in Front of kids, and How to Stop it?

Being a parent life is not easy. We always had tons of duties and responsibilities. And these constant responsibilities sometimes put a negative pressure on our relationship. Parental conflicts or parental fight is one of the most common consequences of the frantic pressure that we as a parent faced in our day to day life.

Yes! It is true that conflicts are part of a human relationship and as a parent and as a couple, it is not uncommon to have disagreements and conflicts on various issue. This week in “Monday mommy moments”, we are discussing the same important issue as “Is it ok to fight in front of kids?” and what should be an ideal way to handle these parental conflicts to keep our kids safe and secure from the negative effects of parental conflicts?

Before moving on next stage, it is important to understand the types of parental conflicts.

Type of parental conflicts

There are mainly 2 types of parental conflicts.

• ·         Constructive parental conflict
• ·         Destructive parental conflict

As the name suggested the constructive conflicts have a positive effect on kid’s overall development. According to psychologist  “when parents have mild to moderate conflicts that involves support, compromise and positive emotions, is not bad for children development. It will help in developing better social skill and positive self-esteem. It also helps in developing a better relationship with parents, improved academic performance and better problem-solving skill.”

While another side destructive conflict has exact opposite and negative effect on kid’s development. Have a look at what does science says about it.

What does science say

According to scientific research,  “those families that have the higher level of conflicts and animosity between parents, has a negative effect on childhood development.

• ·         These kids are at a higher risk of developing emotional, social and behavioural problems as well as difficulties with concentration and educational achievements.
• ·         It also has a negative effect on children’s sense of safety and security which affects their relationship with their parents and with others.

Though children of all ages are affected by destructive inter-parental conflicts but did you know, infants (as young as 6 months) had symptoms of distress in response to parental conflicts. Research shows,

“Babies as young as six months show higher psychological symptoms of distress such as an elevated heart rate, in response to parental conflicts”

What can we do as a parent?

Personally, like all other parents, I always tried to avoid any unhealthy or negative discussion in front of kids. And whenever, we had some disagreements mostly we tried to do it somewhere private and deal with each other closely and personally. It makes it so easier to communicate and resolve the problem.

Despite these efforts, unfortunately sometimes it happened that we had some minor conflicts in front of our kids (mostly following a different parenting style is a reason, I am a firm believer of positive parenting principles and he has more traditional approach to deal with kids) and whenever these kinds of situations arises, here are the things that I like to do.

• §  I always try to keep discussion as much as positive
• §  Sometimes one of us is walking away to avoid further negativity

And lastly and most effectively “I usually laughed in between the discussion to keep the atmosphere light and positive. Having a silly laugh works great to resolve different parental issues and conflicts. I will highly recommend to you try this one while dealing with any problem. It works like a magic to resolve difficult problems”

What the expert says?

Here are few things that experts recommended to handle parental conflicts in front of kids.

• §  Replace anger with your true feeling is the first and positive step that is essential to deal with parental conflicts with positivity. Try to find out the rule cause of your anger (such as fear or frustration) always help to avoid the unhealthy discussions and helps in resolving any difficult parental issue.
• §  Always had a “Problem-solving attitude”, instead of having “I want to win this discussion”, experts suggested that “when you respond respectfully to each other’s point of view, kids see that there is more than one solution to a problem and that compromise is not a bad thing”, this thing helps them to develop better problem-solving skills and they learn an important life lesson that we should respect each other’s point of view and thought process.
• §  Write down your feeling or takes notes of the points you want to make. This thing will help to organize your thoughts and brings clarity to an issue. You would have a positive mindset and more understanding about the issue while re-open the discussion.
• §  Always end the discussion with affection, last but not the least always end your discussion with a positive emotion and affection. Share a moment of peace re-affirm your love, trust and care for each other.

So these are some pointers from my side. I would love to know, how you deal with inter-parental conflicts, especially in front of kids. What are your strategies that have worked for you? Please share with us!

this post is also a part of #supemomcontest and #Momdaymommymoments  hosted by http://healthwealthbridge.com/ and http://kreativemommy.com/5-things-motherhood-no-one-told/

also, the post is a part of #Mondaymusings hosted by everydaygyaan.com

Here is Why Being a Mother could not be a Job or a Profession?

Being a mom is a gift that is unimaginably precious. It is a love that never ends; it is a relationship that never dies. Nothing else can produce the true joy and satisfaction that motherhood allows. It is a journey that made us happy every day. Being a mom and enjoying the sweet tiny moments of motherhood is a dream of every woman.

Of course, it is a life-altering experience. It is more than having given birth to a child.  It is a connection that is unmatched and insurmountable in any form or other relationship.  It is true that,

“When you are a mother you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice. One for herself and one for her child”- Sophia Loren

In fact, it has been an age-old saying that “being a mother is a thankless job”

And, “Mother is a person who does the work of twenty for free”

And the same thing and same emotions Miss Manushi Chiller has expressed recently in her question-answer round of Miss World Contest 2017.

When she has been asked a question during the question-answer round, as “which profession deserves the highest salary and why?”

She answered, “I think, a mother deserves the highest respect and when you talk about the salary, it’s not always about cash, but I feel it’s the love and respect that you give someone. My mother has always been the biggest inspiration in my life. All mothers sacrifices so much for their kids. So I think it is the job of a mother that deserves the highest salary”.

With this statement, she has won 2017 Miss World pageant and won million people’s heart, but at the same time, this was the statement that has reignited a dormant debate about the economic worth of a mother or a stay at home mom. So many people have found her answer inappropriate and derogatory remark on motherhood.

Personally, I had a huge amount of respect for her sentiments and emotions; I think she deserves a big round of applause for making not only India proud but at the same time sharing her respect, love and care for mothers. She has not only praised her parents or mom their dedication but she has acknowledged the sacrifice of each and every mom. And that’s why she considered that being a mom should be the highest paid job in the world”.

So true, being a mom is not an easy thing, I agreed. But unfortunately, if I do a word by word analysis of her statement, I do not completely agree with the choice of last word “considering being a mom as a job...”?

No, not at all. Maybe this terminology would work for someone else…but for me, it is not.

Being a mommy of two cute daughters, I believed motherhood is such an amazing experience of my life. It is an experience that completes a meaning of being a woman. It is a journey that cannot describe in the words. It is a love that grows continually, a love that always wants more and better. Since the time, you hold your baby first time in your arms, your whole life gets changed with a wide spectrum of emotions. And after that spending, each and every moment with your little one feel like the most precious gift of the god.  It is like a second birth for every woman.

Another side, it is not only about getting joy or enjoying each moment. Sometimes it feels too hard; always putting someone else above your needs and desires is not an easy task. It requires lots of dedication.  Sometimes it is just about the sleepless nights, changing the diapers and doing the same sequence of task s again and again.

During my 8 years of motherhood journey, I had seen lots of up-down. I had learnt a lot not only as a mom but as an individual too. Like all other moms, I had seen some bad parenting days too, I had felt sometimes that being a mom is the hardest thing ever.  So many times, I had felt a tremendous amount of pressure of completing my motherhood responsibilities. Sometimes I had a feeling to just run away from these endless responsibilities. So many times I had felt myself as a tired and short-tempered person, who are struggling so much with her own identity and a responsibility as a mom.

And no doubt, with these mixed emotions and experiences, I become a more patient person after being a mom.

And I am proud of myself that I had done my all responsibilities with complete dedication, I had a deep sense of satisfaction that I had done so many sacrifices with my personal and professional life, to just take care of my kids properly.

But if I have to conclude my motherhood journey and experience in few words, I would never say that “I am doing the highest paid job in the world since 8 years"

In fact, I would never allow saying someone else the same thing as a sum up that “I or any other mother is doing a highest paid job in the world”.

As per definition, “job is a duty or a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one’s occupation or for an agreed price. And of course, it includes vacation, bonus, promotions etc. it is completely an essential part of life that has almost everything fixed...”

While another side,

“Motherhood is an emotional journey that involves so many physical, mental, emotional changes. It is a life-altering experience in any women’s life. Being a mom and raising your kids is

• A life-lasting relationship
• An experience of complete unselfishness
• A roller coaster ride that is most of the time is
• Amazing
• Most beautiful
• Cannot describe in the world
• Most magical

And sometimes it could be

Most difficult, challenging and incredibly hard too.

So, as a conclusion, I would say, "mothers, are pioneers of the society. They create next generation with their dedication, hard work and passion. Yes! They are the highest respectable person in society, being a daughter and after being a mom, I know what and how it takes to being a good mom. So, I completely agree with your emotions and sentiments with Manushi…but please say it is a journey, it is an experience, it is a relationship, it is a responsibility…but considering it as the job? Not a yes for me! The uttermost joy and satisfaction will be lost if we make the motherhood is a give and take process. No materialistic reward can replace the joy and feeling a mom get while caring her kids and family."

What are your thoughts on the statement she has expressed? Have you considered yourself as the highest salary paid the member of our society or like me; you are against of using the word “Job”? Please share your thoughts!

this post is also a part of #supemomcontest and #Momdaymommymoments  hosted by http://healthwealthbridge.com/ and http://kreativemommy.com/5-things-motherhood-no-one-told/

also, the post is a part of #Mondaymusings hosted by everydaygyaan.com