One and Co

One and Co

Archives for April 2023

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3 Tips For Encouraging Your Kids’ Big Dreams

It’s extremely common for children and youth to have big dreams for their lives. And while some of these dreams might seem bigger than something that the average child will be able to achieve, with their excitable outlook on life, many children’s “big” dreams will be things that are totally and completely attainable for them. Regardless of what kind of dreams your little ones are having, as parents, it’s important to always encourage your kids in their dreams.

To help you in doing this in a positive and successful way, here are three tips for encouraging your kids’ big dreams.

Let Them See You Going After Your Dreams

One of the best things you can do for your kids to help them learn that it’s okay to dream big and to go after their dreams is to see you doing this in your own life. Children learn far more from our example than they do from us trying to remind them of things on an inconsistent basis.

If there are things that you’ve always wanted to try or passions that you have that you’d like to devote more time to, try to find a way to do this. Even if the way that you’re able to accomplish this dream is on a smaller scale that you may have anticipated, like printing your own book rather than getting it professionally published, going after your dreams and allowing your kids to see the determination you have will help to instill this into them as well.

Give Them Space To Explore

Sometimes, kids might not know what their dreams are until they’ve had time and space to explore things that interest them. But to give them this time and space, you have to allow them the ability to try new things and be creative. However, in our super-busy worlds, time to just find out who we are and what we want isn’t always easy to set aside.

If you feel like your kids are overcommitted to things that they may not be passionate about anymore, consider cutting back on structured activities so that your kids can have more space to learn and grow on their own and find out what their big dreams are.

Teach Them To Work Hard

Accomplishing any kind of goals or dreams is never going to be easy. And while this can be a hard lesson for both kids and adults to learn, you can help your children get used to this idea by teaching them how to work hard and maintain their determination to reach their goals. This can be done by praising their effort rather than the outcome, setting smaller goals and giving rewards when those are teached, and helping them find motivation and joy in the journey.

If you have kids with big dreams, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how to continue encouraging them.

 

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How to Take Care of Your Mental Health After the Loss of a Loved One

When someone you love dies, it’s not something you can just “get over,” but it’s also not something that will last forever. Human beings are mortals, and it is primarily a natural process that death will come. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the death rate in the US is 1,043.8 deaths per 100,000 population.

It’s essential to take care of yourself during this challenging time and ensure you’re trying to maintain a healthy mental state. This article will give some tips on how to do just that.

Acknowledge Your Grief

It’s important to acknowledge and accept your feelings. Grief is a normal process, but it can be painful and uncomfortable. Everyone grieves differently, so figure out what works best for you. You may find that some things help while others make things worse. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, so find what works for you.

Grieving is not something you can get over. It’s an ongoing process that takes time for everyone involved in losing a loved one. It’s important not to rush this process by trying too hard or pushing yourself too far before it feels suitable for healing from grief to begin in earnest.

This process might be slow, but you need to go through it. Only when you acknowledge that you are sad can you leave the grief in the past and truly move on. A study published on the NCBI website states that most people take anywhere between 6 to 12 months to restore normalcy after losing a loved one.

Find Ways to Distract Yourself

After losing a loved one, it’s natural to want to avoid distractions. You may feel like you don’t want anything but time alone with your thoughts and memories. But staying focused on sadness can worsen it and lead to depression or other mental health issues.

Once you get caught in depression, turning back can be very challenging. Per a report published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, around 9 percent of the US population above 12 years of age experienced depression due to diverse reasons in 2020.

Instead of being alone, try distracting yourself with activities unrelated to your grief. These might include:

  • Listening to music
  • Reading books or magazines
  • Making art in any form, drawing or painting pictures, making jewelry from beads, sewing clothes from fabric scraps, etc.

Honor the Loved One and Get Closure

Honoring your loved one is essential to taking care of your mental health. You can do this by ensuring you have a way to honor them, whether through something as simple as holding a small ceremony or creating something more elaborate.

Think about what would be meaningful for them and how they might want to be remembered by others. If possible, ask other family members or friends if they have ideas on how they would like their loved one honored. This can help guide the process so everyone feels included in appropriately honoring their loved one.

You can get a headstone and have a memory service at the grave site for the closure. Hire a headstone service provider who can offer you many options so that you can find what you are looking for.

Customizing headstones can help you make this experience better. For example, Legacy Headstones allow you to add colored or black-and-white photos to a flat tombstone. This minor customization can make it memorable, as the loved one you lost will always be in your memories with those photos.

Additionally, the company uses bronze and graphite for headstones because these materials are impervious to environmental conditions. Its employees can also help in choosing a flat headstone with the right measurements so that you can add every detail you want to add to the headstone.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

It’s OK to ask for help. When you are struggling with losing a loved one, it can be easy to feel alone and isolated. This is especially true when we are in grief. Many people do not know what to say or do when someone they care about has experienced the death of someone close to them. But this doesn’t mean you must go through your journey alone.

Many resources are available for those experiencing grief. Even if those resources aren’t perfect for you, they may still be able to point out another option that could help your situation later on.

It’s also important not just because asking for help is less isolating than going through something like losing someone without support from others around you but also because there are times when seeking out professional assistance might make things easier on you as well.

For example, if your symptoms get too severe or become unmanageable over time, then seeing a therapist would likely benefit both parties involved since therapists have training specifically geared toward dealing with these situations better than anyone else might be able.

Grief after losing a loved one can be overwhelming and powerful, and it is called complicated grief. Complicated grief affects 10% to 20% of the total adult griefers. Therapy and counseling can help you cope with such grief.

Prioritize Self-Care

In times of stress, it can be hard to remember how important self-care is. Self-care is any activity that makes you feel good. It might be a healthy meal, a walk in nature, or even watching your favorite TV show. It’s important because it helps you stay healthy and happy while giving your mind a break from what may be an overwhelming situation.

Self-care isn’t just about taking care of yourself physically, as you also need to take care of your emotional health. This may mean talking with friends and family members about how they feel about their loved one’s passing or listening without judgment when someone needs advice on handling their emotions during this difficult time.

Conclusion

We hope you have found this article helpful. Remember that you are not alone in your grief; many resources are available to help you through it. If you feel like your mental health is affected by losing a loved one, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

 

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Small Walk-In Closet, Big Ideas: Customizing Your Storage Space

Do you envy your friends with large, spacious walk-in closets? You don’t have to anymore! Even if you only have a small walk-in closet, there are plenty of custom walk-in closet ideas for the space, to make it work for you. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips and tricks for maximizing your storage space in a small walk-in closet. So never worry about not having enough room to store your clothes again!

Start by Decluttering

When it comes to organizing your living or even your work space, the first step should always be decluttering. It’s important to take the time to evaluate what you actually need and use on a regular basis. Often, we accumulate items over time that we no longer need or use, taking up valuable space and causing unnecessary clutter.

To effectively declutter, start by going through all of your belongings and separating them into categories such as keep, donate, and discard. Take a critical look at each item and ask yourself whether you have used it recently, if it still serves a purpose in your life, or if it has sentimental value. Be honest with yourself and don’t hold onto things out of guilt or nostalgia.

Once you have identified the items that you no longer need or use, make sure to donate them to a local charity or second-hand store. This not only helps to reduce clutter in your space but also benefits those in need. Getting rid of outdated accessories and decorations can help to refresh and update the look of your space.

Install Adjustable Shelves

Adjustable shelves offer several benefits for small spaces, making them an ideal solution for walk-in closets. One of the main advantages is the ability to customize the shelves to fit your exact needs. This means you can adjust the height and spacing of the shelves to accommodate different items, such as shoes, handbags, and folded clothes. This can help you maximize the available space and keep your closet organized.

Vertical and Horizontal Storage

Another advantage of adjustable shelves is the ability to store items both vertically and horizontally. This is especially useful for small items that can get lost in a cluttered closet. By using adjustable shelves, you can store items such as jewelry, scarves, and belts vertically, which saves space and makes them easier to see and access. You can also store items horizontally, such as folded clothes and shoes, which helps to keep them organized and prevents them from getting lost in the back of the closet.

Customizable Options

When investing in adjustable shelves for your walk-in closet, there are several customization options to consider. You can choose from different shelf materials, such as wood or wire, depending on your preferences and budget. You can also select the type of shelving system that best suits your needs, such as a built-in system or a standalone unit. Some shelving systems come with additional features such as drawers, baskets, and hanging rods, which can further maximize your storage space.

Invest in Storage

Boxes, bins, and baskets are versatile storage solutions that can be used to organize a variety of small items, such as jewelry, socks, and underwear. They are also great for separating items by type or season, which makes it easier to find what you’re looking for quickly. By using boxes, bins, and baskets in your closet, you can keep everything in its place and prevent items from getting lost or tangled up with other items.

Types of Boxes, Bins, and Baskets

There are many different types of boxes, bins, and baskets available, so it’s important to choose the ones that will work best for your needs. Some popular options include clear plastic bins or boxes, which allow you to see the contents inside without having to open them. This is especially useful for items such as jewelry or accessories that you may want to keep separate from other items. Fabric bins or baskets are another great option, as they come in a variety of sizes and can be easily folded and stored when not in use.

Organizing Tips

When using boxes, bins, and baskets in your walk-in closet, there are a few organizing tips to keep in mind. First, it’s important to label each container so that you know what’s inside. This will save you time and prevent you from having to dig through each container to find what you’re looking for. It’s also helpful to consider grouping similar items together in each container, such as all of your winter socks or all of your statement necklaces. This will make it easier to find what you need and keep your closet organized.

Incorporate Shoe Racks

Shoe racks are a must-have for small walk-in closets. They offer several benefits for organizing your shoes, including keeping them visible and easily accessible. By using shoe racks, you can keep your shoes organized and prevent them from getting damaged or lost in the back of the closet. Shoe racks can help you maximize your closet space by utilizing vertical storage.

There are many different types of shoe racks available, so it’s important to choose the ones that will work best for your needs. Some popular options include over-the-door shoe organizers, which hang on the back of your closet door and can store multiple pairs of shoes in a small space. Freestanding shoe racks are another great option, as they come in a variety of sizes and can be easily moved or adjusted to fit your space. Wall-mounted shoe racks are also available, which are great for utilizing vertical space and keeping your shoes off the floor.

Pro Tip

Install a full-length mirror! A full-length mirror will help you to see how your outfit looks altogether, so you can be sure it’s perfect before leaving the house! Plus, they are easy to install, adds dimension, and they don’t take up too much space.

We Are Here to Help

Having a small walk-in closet doesn’t have to be the end of your creative storage solution ideas. With just a few simple tweaks and small changes, you can turn even the smallest of closets into something special and unique. As always, if your closet needs an extra push in sustainability or efficiency, JB Closets can help. We make custom closets for any size and budget so that you can breathe easy knowing that all of your storage needs are taken care of. Don’t let yourself get stuck with a boring old closet; explore the many options available out there and create the walk-in closet of your most creative dreams!