What Iona Did Next...

Just a quick blog to promote my lovely daughter's new blog! please have a peek!
http://iona-frances.blogspot.com/

walking back to happiness

I love going for walks on these lovely warm sultry summer evenings. Here is a link to a little video I made last night – thought I’d share it with you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kAZ16Yby0E

- It tickled me a little bit when I did a quick Google search for ‘walking’ – a definition on Wikipedia is:
‘Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. ... For humans, walking is the main form of transportation without a vehicle or riding animal.’
As well as being very pleasurable, there are many health benefits of walking regularly:
‘Sustained walking sessions for a minimum period of thirty to sixty minutes a day, five days a week, with the correct walking posture, reduces health risks and has various overall health benefits, such as reducing the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety and depression. Life expectancy is also increased even for individuals suffering from obesity or high blood pressure. Walking also increases bone health, especially strengthening the hip bone, and lowering the more harmful bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and raises the more useful good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking)
What’s more, walking is free, and environmentally friendly! So, there’s no excuse to not start walking on a regular basis – starting now! Why not join my facebook walking page, and share your experiences with others! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Newcastle-Upon-Tyne-United-Kingdom/Walking-more-in-2010/238949016854?ref=ts&__a=15

School’s Out for Summer!

Many children and teachers will be breathing a big sigh of relief now that it’s the end of the school year, and the start of the summer holidays – although many, my daughter included, will already have had a few weeks off, after finishing the GCSE exams!
Now is a good time to take some time to reflect on this ‘ending’. Life is made up of a series of endings and new beginnings. We look forward to new beginnings with excitement, anticipation and maybe a little fear, yet we don’t always take time to connect with the emotions involved in endings.
The end of the school year is so hectic, what with parties, proms, sports days, school trips, and so on, that the last few days often go past in a bit of a blur. My daughter had so carefully prepared for the last few days of ‘Year 11’ beforehand, but she still didn’t manage to speak to everyone she’d hoped to speak to, to say her final ‘Goodbyes’, or hugged everyone she wanted to hug, and it almost seemed like a bit of an anti-climax...
Perhaps we sometimes overlook the importance of the end of a school year – which is particularly significant when it means that it is the end of being in that particular school, with that particular teacher, or with that particular group of friends. I remember that my life was turned upside down when I left Middle School and had to start High School in a completely different class to any of my friends...
I’ve put together some questions that it might be worth thinking about if you have just finished school for the summer (or for ever!) – Or if you’re a parent, it might be worth reflecting on these with your children (taking their age into account – younger children would benefit from a more informal chat, I think).
Comments and feedback would be welcome!

End of the School Year

· How do you feel about the end of the year?

· How have you changed over this school year?

· What one word would you use to describe this last year?

· What’s been good about it?

· What’s been ‘not so good’ about it?

· How are you feeling about next year?

· What are your hopes for next year?

· What are you looking forward to?

· What are you worried about?

· What kind of help and support you will you need next year?

· How can you make sure you get this?

· What goals do you want to set yourself for next year?

· Now think of a positive phrase you can repeat to yourself throughout the year. Write it down:

· Tip: As a little project over the summer, you could create a book of memories, or a collage, of the last year – including memories of friends, funny moments, embarrassing moments, teachers who have inspired you, etc...

Finally, have a great summer!

Responsibility

There is no other person who is smart enough, or experienced enough, or informed enough or insightful enough to tell you how to live. That's up to you. Certainly the advice and guidance of others can be extremely valuable. Yet when it comes to expressing and fulfilling the best of who you are, you are the world's foremost expert. It feels good to be praised and it hurts to be criticized. Always keep in mind, though, that those who offer their opinions of you cannot possibly see the whole picture.
Your life is your responsibility. That is simultaneously a sobering obligation and a fantastic opportunity.
Successful living is difficult work and yet you are absolutely qualified to do it. You are worthy and capable of creating and enjoying whatever it is that truly fulfills you.
Make the commitment, do the work, accept the responsibility that is necessary for that fulfillment. Live the outstanding life that is yours to experience.
Ralph Marston