Happiness Workshop Kikki K

What a great idea. Happiness Workshop! Recently I went into a Kikki K store which sells gorgeous stationery, and they were running workshops on Happiness. I thought this would be a great way for me to start the New Year. Not really knowing what to expect I signed up, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Body Language Decoder

Body language is intriguing and confusing...

....don't spend hours wondering what a particular action meant. I found these great body language decoders to share with you!

Whether you've just met your man or are in a long term relationship, this Cosmopolitan body language of men guide deciphers the meanings behind his actions.

And for the guys, check out the AskMen Decoding Women's body language.

Valentine's Day - Marketing Hype or Something Special?

It is getting to be that day of the year again. Most couples love it and singles hate it. The pink and red. The chocolates. The flowers. The restaurants.

The multitude of advertisements and posters appealing you to buy an item for your beloved. If you are in a relationship and you do not celebrate it, then you are just not romantic enough. If you are single, you basically try and overlook the sappiness of the entire situation and pretend that this is really just a day like any other while you battle your way through hordes of bouquet wielding couples and stay home for dinner because you do not want to be dining out with forty other couples in one place.

We have heard it all before. Valentine’s Day is just marketing hype, a way for Hallmark, chocolate makers, florists and restaurateurs to cash in. We have heard it from the couple that claims to not celebrate it because everyday should be Valentine’s Day. We heard it from single friends and even ourselves about how annoying the mills of couples are with their flowers tightly grasped in hand like a shield, declaring - “I’m in a RELATIONSHIP! I’m LOVED!”

Now there has to be some sense to it all for the practice to have come along so far and evolve to such prominence that it has become that second largest cardsending holiday of the year, after Christmas. There must be some sense to it all for perfectly discerning individuals to spend a tiny fortune to make this one day a special, momentous occasion for their sweetheart. A perfectly reasonable explanation as to why so many choose for this one specific day over three hundred and sixty four others to declare their undying love and affection to their beau.

In a time where technology pervades almost every aspect of our lives, where emails, Facebook, text messaging and other forms of electronic, second-hand experiences and communication are the norm, perhaps it is not such a surprise that there are more than a few individuals who would like to hang on to the ageold tradition of a handwritten card carrying words of affection and a planned night out together.

Perhaps it is the simple act of scheduling time together, planning something special and making the effort to ensure that your significant other has a good time on a day where everyone else seems to be making that extra effort to do the same.

However, Valentine’s Day does not have to be a day set aside for just couples. Many times, it can also be a celebration of friendship or even admiration for someone. Take the traditional colors of Valentine’s Day for example, pink is a sign of admiration while red expresses beauty and love although red roses are traditionally exchanged by couples or individuals who wish to express their feelings to one another.

While it can be easy to relegate the day to just couples and dismiss it altogether when you’re single, it would in reality, be a lot more wonderful if people started viewing Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate all kinds of relationship and not just the romantic sort. While it might not be quite so masculine for guys to gift one another a box of chocolates, a written note or card of appreciation for all the times they were each other’s “wingman” would be nice. Everyone likes to be appreciated, and isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is about?

A day to show your love and appreciation to the ones you care most? On that note, how about showing some appreciation to yourself? Love yourself first, and you would be surprised at how that translates into loving and appreciating the people around you better. Make it a day of appreciation and spend it well with friends and even yourself.

Instead of spending every holiday feeling stressed and loaded with plans to please others, take some time out for yourself before you embark on making the day a special one for the people you love. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New Year or any other holiday, once you have gotten into the habit of appreciating yourself first, it sets you in a great position to appreciate others.

So remember, however way you wish to spend the coming February 14, or any other holiday throughout the year, be your own best Valentine!

Valentine's Day - Share the Love

Did you know?

Valentine's Day is actually known as Saint Valentine's Day, a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine; Valentine of Rome & Valentine of Terni. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD and first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. (Wikipedia).

I think Valentine's day has come along way from its original beginnings... what other day can invoke such emotions in people - a day that makes singles around the world gasp and want to disappear, and a day when couples have no shame in displaying their affections and how in love they are.

Dateless on Valentine's Day? There's no reason to gag yourself with a box of chocolates. Here are some reminders Cosmo offers of why being unattached totally rocks. Check it out - 18 Reasons to Love Being Single. My favourite is number 14:

"With more time to work out and less temptation to chow down on guy-friendly junk food, you're more likely to squeeze into the skinniest of skinny jeans."

Another Year, another age, another number, another tear, another joy..

Lessons I've learnt about myself this year. Coming to the close of 2011, it is often a time for one to reflect on the past year - the good and bad, and draw on the lessons we have learnt in order to step into 2012 as a stronger person. Let me share mine with you...

1. Appreciate your loved ones - make them number 1
In our busy lives, sometimes family and friends take second place unfortunately. We are all so caught up in our "to do" lists and the pressure of society.... Got to finish this work assignment, send this email, check facebook account, make money, that we forget to treasure those close to us. 

Be appreciative of life and those around you. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you. Don't leave it to late, or until something happens for you to see the love and support these people have given to you over the years. The love and support that only family can, without asking anything of you in return.

Stop for a moment this New Years Eve and breathe.

Appreciate life. Make your loved ones number 1 in your life.


2. Learn to Prioritise
There will always be that work to finish off, that email to send, that thing you had to do for a friend. Do you find yourself saying "If only I had X (insert - say more money) I can be happy.

Learn to prioritise your life and you will feel less stressed. Declutter your life, get rid of things off your list that are not that important to you. One less thing to do, means you can focus on whats really important to achieving your goals in 2012, like for example - running a marathon or writing a book.  


3. Look after yourself & have some "me" time
A stressed and unhappy self does NOT make a good friend, boy/girlfriend, brother/sister, wife/husband. Look after yourself, eat well, exercise and de-stress. Having some time to yourself away from the pressures and expectations of society helps.

Try it for yourself. Allow yourself an hour every week "me time" with yourself, to do what it is you enjoy doing. You will feel more refreshed, and ready to take on the world!


What have you learnt about yourself this year? Email me or make a comment!

Happy New Year! Cheers to a rocking 2012!!

Tick Tocky, Are you ready to go pawning?

Nice advertorial, What message does it exhibit in promoting does one renounce everything from your ex-lover, drop excess baggage at the check-in counter at the airport. Time is love which are your fondest moments in a capsule and cannot be stopped or by hitting the rewind button. The hand will continue to raise forward as your relationship deepens but how does
time is love
time heals
or simply a clinging memory of watch
or an obssesed guy keeping things

Time is suppose to heal all wounds but raises how much time? All i probably understand is time will heal with maybe the purchase of this watch either way this will allow one to ponder and review solvil titus.