The words below are from my blog post, "in gratitude" written in 2018 after a march I participated in for nurses, but SO relevant for our world today...a HUGE thank you to all of the nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers on the front lines... you are seen & your dedication leaves us speechless with gratitude... If you would like to read the entire post you can do so HERE.

"How do you say thank you to those whom meet you in the worst season of your life? The seasons when you are at your weakest and sickest? The seasons of life where you are to feeble to stand, and sometimes even whispering costs you all of the energy you have for the day? The season that someone shows up to champion the way through a maze that seems to have no end with their words and their consistent actions?

While some may never know the names of those I have mentioned and those unnamed ones, I believe that is for a simple reason. A great MA or Nurse or clinic staff member may have little external history to record. This is for the simple reason that their lives have spilled over into others. They are the pillars of the hospital and are more essential than any drug or treatment that could be given. Their sacrifices will help us live beyond what we thought we could. For it is in this clinic that they have created a world beyond sickness.

A world where we keep trying past what we believe is humanly possible. A world that encourages us to hold onto what is true and important in life. A world where we are inspired to grab onto courage no matter what the day or future may hold. A world where the fighting happens deep within and most of all a world where we believe the impossible can happen.

And most of all my heroes have helped me create a world where daylight will always follow the dark."

Thank you to all of the healthcare providers...our gratitude is unspeakable and our prayers are with you and your families at this time.

PS- Check out the December Caravan shop's instagram page (click HERE) for a special (and FREE) way to bless those in the healthcare profession you love!

Happy Friday friends! I hope that this finds you doing well! Today I am so excited to share about an article that has now gone live on Elite Daily (click HERE) about planning a trip with your partner to Prince Edward Island! 

I was so honored to be contacted to consult and offer tips and advice on this article and to see it go live is so very exciting! 

The road trip that I did in 2017 with a friend through New England, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia was one of my all time favorite trips that I have taken and I love seeing the posts from that trip (click HERE) remain some of my all time read posts. It is hard to believe that it is almost three years since that trip was taken! 

This article from Elite Daily is full of great ideas! During this time of traveling being on halt it is a perfect time to dream and plan for a future trip! This article has tons of great ideas from myself and a few other travel influencers and it was an honor to be part of it! So many great ideas has me dreaming of another trip back to the island! And if you are looking for things to do on the island in addition to the typical Anne of Green Gables things this article is perfect! To be honest that was one of my favorite things about the trip that I did- I felt that I really saw the island, not just the "Anne things". 

You can find the article HERE! Let me know what you think! 

Happy Friday! I hope that despite everything going on that you have a wonderful weekend with loved ones!

We never really know what is around the corner when it comes to life, do we? We can do our best to prepare as best we can, but sometimes things happen beyond our control. When things do happen, be that an accident that isn’t your fault, financial difficulty, losing your job or a relationship breaking down, for example, it can feel like you are wading into a sticky situation that can leave you with very little option to move forward. But you can do it. With that in mind, here are some of the ways that you can move on with your life.    

Image source - Pixabay - CC0 License 

Accepting the situation

One of the first things that you need to do is consider the situation you find yourself and look at why it has happened. Whether you are injured because of an accident you are involved in, lost your job, your relationship is over, look at the situation you find yourself in and begin to accept that this is your new reality. We can’t change the past, as much as many of us would like that opportunity. But we can accept it, and by doing that we give ourselves a chance to make changes for the future, and at least allow ourselves to move forward. 

Taking action to seek justice

Sometimes taking action is the one thing we can do to seek some clarity on the situation. If you find that the situation you are in was not your fault, such as an accident or incident that caused you to be injured or result in a loss of income. By doing this, you are taking physical action to come to terms with the situation. It might be a trip and fall accident that you need advice on, or a car accident that wasn’t your fault. Speaking to a law professional can help. Often having some form of justice served, be that compensation or whatever it might be, it can help you emotionally on your way to recovery and give you the tools you need to move forward. 

Figuring out what you want from the future

Once you start to accept and have taken action to resolve some of the ongoing emotions and disruptions in your mind, you now need to take a moment to think about the future. What do you want from the future? What’s your next step? Could you do anything differently to avoid this situation in the future? Knowing what you want can help you with the final step you need to take. 

Making actionable goals to get to where you want to be

Finally, taking the time to make some actionable goals to get you to where you want to be is a great way to help you move forward. Often the situation you may find yourself in will have left some emotional scars, and perhaps you may be a bit dubious about what lies ahead. So small goals that you can achieve can help you stay motivated. 

Let’s hope that these tips and suggestions help you to move on with your life if you find yourself in a sticky situation. 

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Preparing for a camping trip is key because if you don’t do that vital preparation, you’ll struggle to get the most out of the experience once it begins. It’s one of the best forms of travel and really allows you to connect with the natural world, which is obviously important. To help ensure you get the most out of the whole experience, here are some of the things you should do to prepare for it properly.

Go Big with Your Choice of Tent

First of all, you need to think about the place where you’re all going to be sleeping on this camping trip. You want to make sure that your choice of tent falls on the larger side. If your tent is too small for you all to fit in, you’re going to have problems. It’s always better to end up with a tent that’s too spacious than one that’s too small.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Preparing your vehicle is a good way to ensure your camping trip gets off to the right start. The last thing you need is for your vehicle to let you down and prevent you from getting to the place where you’re planning on camping. Take it for a service and ensure it’s up to the task at end before embarking on this trip. That way, you’ll get to where you need to be in one piece. If you’re planning on going Off Road Camping, you can also look into the pros and cons of perhaps getting a camper trailer. A camper trailer can be a great way to ensure you have enough space for everything you want to take along so you won’t have to feel like you need to sacrifice anything. However, your car is still the top priority, so make sure it’s as ready as you are for the camping expedition and you’ll be just fine.

Make an Effort to Understand the Place Where You’ll be Camping

You should also do some research and find out as much as you can about the place where you’re going to be camping. If you fail to do this, you’re going to put yourself at a disadvantage. You won’t be properly prepared for the terrain or understand the best things to explore while you’re there. The more knowledge you gain, the better time you’ll have.

Image Source - CC0 License

Find Good Camping Furniture to Take with You

You should take some good furniture with you if you want to make your trip as comfortable as it can be. A folding camping table is essential for you when you want to eat together or spend an evening playing games and chatting and drinking. You’ll also need comfortable chairs to sit on.

Take Some Games with You

It’s always a good idea to take some games with you when you go camping with other people. The last thing you want is for boredom to set in because those kinds of camping trips are the worst. A few board games will help pass the time and give you something to have fun with in the evenings.

If you get all of the things we’ve discussed above right, you should really be able to get the most out of the whole camping trip. Camping is a great way to spend quality time with the people you love and a fantastic way to get away from the day to day grind that you’re probably all used to. So, make the most of it.

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the parasympathetic nervous system.  Essentially, this means that your body is going into a

relaxing, restorative state, allowing it to improve its immune system and giving you better protection

against illness.

(3) Better self-esteem. If you frequently take time to focus on being nice to yourself and fulfilling

your own needs, you send a powerful message to your mind. Specifically, you recognize that

you matter and have an intrinsic value. It will go a long way towards avoiding negative self-talk. 

(4) Improved self-awareness. Practicing self-care means thinking about what you really want to do.

The process of figuring out what makes you feel excited and driven will help you understand

yourself a lot better. Sometimes this may also lead to a career change or a rediscovery of

previously neglected hobbies.

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Hearing loss doesn’t have to be debilitating. If you’ve noticed that you’re losing your sense of hearing, there are many steps that you can take to cope more easily. Here are just a few ways to make hearing loss simpler to live with.

Get the right hearing aid
Getting a hearing aid fitted is often essential for being able to hear normally again. You’ll need to first take a hearing test with an audiologist. You can then be prescribed a hearing aid with the correct amplification to meet your level of hearing.

On top of the level of amplification, you may want to consider where the hearing aid is fitted. Some hearing aids can be fitted inside the ear and others can be fitted behind the ear. If you don’t want it to be too visible, you may want one of these BTE (behind-the-ear) models, although they’re not available to everyone.

The type of battery could also be worth looking into as certain batteries can be more expensive or more long-lasting. You can learn more about types of batteries online. Maintaining your battery can often help it to last longer.

Specific hearing aids may be required for those with conditions like tinnitus.

Turn on the captions
Many movies and TV programs are able to have captions enabled, which could allow you to more easily follow on if you’re struggling to hear properly. DVDs, TV providers and streaming services all often have closed caption options.

As for watching movies in the cinema, there are a growing number of cinemas that show screenings of films with captions.

Reduce background noise
A lot of people with hearing loss find it easier to hear what people are saying when background noise is reduced. This could include turning down the TV when people are round or asking to sit in a quiet area of a restaurant when dining out with friends or family. Try not to hold conversations in noisy environments when you know it will be a struggle to hear.

Help others to communicate with you
Conversations can be frustrating when you can’t hear what others are saying properly. While it’s up to other people to make an effort with you, it’s important that you also guide them on how to communicate with you more effectively.

For instance, you could encourage others to call your name before talking to you so that you’re more likely to recognize that they’re speaking to you. Facing people as you speak them is likely to also make things easier as you can pick up facial expressions and lip read, which can help you to interpret what people are saying more easily. Don’t be afraid to also ask people to repeat things if necessary – it may feel like you’re annoying people, but it’s better than pretending to follow what people are saying.

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Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay 

If you're thinking of starting a musical instrument but you're unsure whether or not it is the right decision for you then don't worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether this is your first time playing a musical instrument or you've learnt something in the past, you need to ensure you're as prepared as you can be. Luckily, there are lots of ways in which you can ensure exactly that. From deciding on the instrument you want to learn to booking yourself some lessons, the more you're planning in advance the better. With that in mind, here are 5 things to consider before starting an instrument: 

- What Instrument Do You Want To Learn?

One of the first things you need to decide is what instrument it is you want to learn. With hundreds of options, you need to be sure you’re choosing the right one for you and whilst it may take time, it will be worth it in the end. One of the best things you can do is visit a music store, trying out a variety of different instruments to see which one feels right. Chances are you’ll find that some are easier to play than others. If you’re still unsure, it might be worth speaking to someone in the store that can help. For tips and tricks when it comes to choosing the right musical instrument for you, you can visit this site here. 

- Will You Be Having Lessons?

Once you have chosen the musical instrument you want to learn, you need to decide whether or not you’re going to be paying for lessons. Although they can be expensive, it’s one of the best ways to ensure you’re doing the best you can to master playing the instrument you have chosen. If you don’t want lessons, you may be able to find tutorials online instead. 

- Do You Want To Take Part In Any Musical Groups Or Bands?

Another important thing to consider when it comes to learning a musical instrument is whether or not you want to take part in any musical groups and or bands. Whether you’re learning the guitar or clarinet, being part of a band is a great way to encourage you to do the best you can. For more benefits to joining a band, you can visit this site here. 

- How Will You Protect Your Ears?

Although it may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to learning a musical instrument, you need to think about how you’re going to protect your ears, especially if you’re joining a band that requires a lot of loud equipment. If you want to learn more about hearing protection for musicians, you can visit this site here. 

- Do You Have A Budget?

Finally, you need to set yourself a budget for buying and learning your musical instrument, as this will ensure you’re not spending more than you can afford. 

Are you thinking of starting an instrument soon? What do you need to consider to ensure it is the right hobby for you? Did we miss anything? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. 

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One reason I have always loved reading is the telling of true stories of courage and hope in the midst of impossible and horrific situations. I loved sharing stories when I taught history of ordinary human beings who went against the "normal" and chose to act courageously when their worlds seemed out of control...and in the middle of all that is going on...these are the stories that I choose to focus on, to dwell on, and to be inspired by...I am so challenged by those in this community who are finding creative ways to uniquely answer the call to love and continue to change your worlds in the midst of everything. Thank you dear community for showing up again and again with hope over fear.

We choose hope over fear. We see the future not as something out of our control, but as something we can shape for the better through concerted and collective effort. We reject fatalism or cynicism when it comes to human affairs; we choose to work for the world as it should be, as our children deserve it to be. 

// President Obama //

Picture taken in the summer of 2019- please love people well right now by observing the quarantine