Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

These Animal Sounds…Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

SQUAWK!! This is the silent shrill angry animal sound that has been recurring in my head of late. It seems like my life has been going down the river of late, tossed and tumbled like a flotsam from one tedious occurrence to the other and from three flu-bitten grumpy children to a flu-croaky, grunty husband and now it’s my turn, after nursing them and I must say, I sound pretty croaky. I think my croakiness is more like husky and sexy 😉

Groan! For the last couple of weeks, my blog has suffered as well and I’ve been bingeing on sugary stuff – I comfort eat when I feel low and even though I know it’s not good for me, I still do it. I hiss in disgust at myself but that still doesn’t stop me from gobbling a pack of biscuit chased down with a glass of juice. Meow! I feel like a bad kitty and have avoided the scale like a plague.

On the bright side, silent twitters also ring in my head happily ‘cos I just got a moonlighting part-time coaching job at an institute to prep students for English IELTS/TOEFL exams. I must say that I enjoy the weekly interactions and after 3 hours of teaching the rudiments of grammar, reading, writing and speaking, I come out feeling totally gratified. If the truth be told, this is something that I would do for free – but I need the funds badly.

Okidokey, let me moosey off now and get ready to bleat it – I have a tutoring session this morning with two young and funny Algerian kids who are learning English. See you later alligator 🙂

P.S. Dear Linda, I think I’ve managed to fit in several animal sounds with today’s SoCS prompt – sMOOth – though I suspect that there are many more waiting to be let out.

The Daily Post

Forest of Possibilities…

art-ball-ball-shaped, bubble

You were afraid
to live your dreams,
and you buried them
in the place you believed
they would be safe;
now everyone who goes by
sees a forest of possibilities.

#Buried dreams

Forest – The Daily Post

©

Jacqueline

This piece is an excerpt from my upcoming 3rd Poetry book.

You can read my 2nd book, Unbridled on Kindle Unlimited for free.

Amazon
Kindle

The Daily Post

Bubbles of dreams…

animal-avian-beak-bubble

Bubbles of elusive dreams
are burst
by pin-pricks of harsh reality

©

Jacqueline

Bubbles – The Daily Post

Life · Poetry/Poems

To Walk in Silence

adults-cap-daylight-couple

Maturity, are the days

when we enjoy each other

in comfortable silence;

not worried

that our lack of words

means that

we are breaking up.

 

Book · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · The Great Book Of Lists

The Wedding Night…

Image result for mills and boons

The pain was sharp and astonishing.
Dreamy wedding night illusions
induced by copious pages of Mills and Boons
shattered with vigorous thrusts.

©

Jacqueline

Who binged on Mills and Boons? Well, I did. I read tons of them and more and had many rose-coloured dreamy visions of married life…the rude truth is that the pages of a book tell huge lies 😉

Blog · Blogging

Boosting Your Social Profile As A Blogger

Going Up The Ladder, Progress, Growth, Social Media
Image source

If you want to get your teeth into the best hot dog in Times Square, are you going to go to the vendor that has no one queuing up their cart or are you going to the chap that has twenty people standing in line? Exactly. It’s called social proof and it is a surefire way to tap into the psychology of people. But it’s not just hot dog vendors that can use this marketing tool; it’s something we bloggers can use to encourage people to read our words, subscribe to our blogs and follow us on social media.

So, without further ado, here are some pretty genius ways you can add a dollop of social proof to your marketing strategy and encourage more people to buy into your brand – whatever that is.

  1. Let An Expert Takeover

You must have come across an online publication, newspaper supplement or Instagram account where someone with influence takes over for a day or so. They might play magazine editor for a special edition, they might do a guest post on a blog or take over a brand’s Insta-stories. Whatever it is, having an expert or influencer takeover is a great way to tap into the followers and embrace the halo effect.

  1. Highlight Milestones

Another super awesome way to create social proof is to highlight a milestone by showing a bunch of gratitude towards it. Perhaps you just reached 10,000 Instagram followers, or 5,000 Facebook followers or a 20,000 blog subscribers – reaching a milestone like this is cause for celebration, offers you a chance to say thank you and, best of all, let’s other people know you are worth following.

  1. Big Numbers Appeal

The moment you come across a blog that shows they have a social media following of tens – or hundreds – of thousands of followers, you automatically click the ‘like’ or ‘follow’ button. Why? Because there has to be a reason why so many people are following them and you don’t want to miss out on it. The best way to achieve this kind of following is organically, but a great way to get a head start is to buy cheap Instagram followers. It’s not cheating, it’s just embracing the fact that perception is reality. Distinction.

  1. Curate User Content

User-generated content is the secret weapon used by so many brands, bloggers, influencers and everyone else and that’s because it helps grow a following to record numbers in almost no time at all. A great example of a brand that loves user-generated content is Fairfax & Favor. It’s the backbone of their marketing strategy. The way it works is simple: you repost user’s posts by encouraging them to use a branded hashtag.

  1. Get An Endorsement

One of the most amazing ways to boost your social proof is to get your blog endorsed by industry leaders or well-known brands. We’ve all been on a blog and noticed a section titled “as seen on” followed by a load of logos you recognize: Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, Daily Mail etc. That’s the aim right there.

This is a collaborative post.
Poetry/Poems

Where Do My Prayers Go?

Prayers, Poetry

 

My prayers,
you are stuck on the ceiling board.
I look up, intently at the white rectangles
eyeing the invisible patterns of my earnest supplications;
that never quite made it past my rooftop.

My prayers,
why are you not getting past the ceiling board?
Is it because in the midst of saying it
I was thinking what sauce I must make for the day
would meatballs or fried chicken
appeal more to my hungry fold?

My prayers,
why do you fail to soar
could it be that the landlords brick and mortar
are far too hard and impenetrable?
I must have a word with him
‘cos he needs to use heaven proof material.

My prayers,
once you leave the space in my heart
do you roam the void trying to fill the vacuum
or do you travel faster than the light of speed
heaven bound where Angels receive you
then file you away in ‘to do files’?

My prayers,
I have no idea where you go
no do I truly know where heaven is,
but what I know is that at some point in time
each word of prayer I ever offered
will be waiting there to meet with me.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Philosophy of Life · Poetry/Poems · Quotes For You

What My Mama Said To Me…17

Wisdom, Mother Knows Best, Proverbs, Mother and Child

Mama said to me, baby,
it’s always a waste of your time pulling others down
‘cos you’ll end up beneath them.

©

Jacqueline

This piece is an excerpt from my work-in-progress.

You can read my book, Unbridled on Kindle Unlimited for free.

Amazon
Kindle

Health · Wellness

What Your Health Really Needs, When It Really Needs It

Grapefruit, Fruit, Pomegranate, Healthy Living, Citrus, Pink
Photo by Brooke Lark on unsplash.com

When it comes to our health levels, you’re always going to find that you need to focus on different things. Because there’s no one size fits all approach to your health levels. Of course, there are key recommendations that are going to help you to stay fit and feel your best, but as you go through life you’re likely to find that your needs change. And when your needs change, you have to tweak your approach to health a little. Whether we’re talking about growing children (such as your own) or old age (whether that’s yours or your parents’), everyone will need to take a different approach to health. But how do you know what your body needs?

Most of the time, it will be telling you. And while you may not be all that in-tune with yourself yet, you will be. Before long, you’ll recognize the signs and what your body is trying to tell you about what it needs the most. But until then, we’re going to break down what some of them might be. Because during different phases of your life, your body will want and need different things. So let’s take a look at what you need to know to help your health during them.

To Feel Good

Yoga, Health, Meditation, Healthy Living, Yoga By The Sea

Photo by Kristopher Allison on unsplash.com

First of all, we’re going to talk over the things that your body needs right now in order to feel its best. And yes, we’re kicking off with some of the most simple, but also the most effective, tips.

Water

First of all, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re drinking enough water. This is the secret to feeling good. And yes, it’s really that simple. When you drink more water, your body will be energized and able to work at its best. Your digestion will improve, your skin will clear up, and your brain will function better – all because you started to hydrate your body better. So whenever your body doesn’t feel its best, load up on water!

Fuel

Alongside water, you have to fuel your body. Yes, it’s nice to be able to eat for taste or enjoy certain foods because they’re comforting, but when you want to feel good, you need to focus on foods that fuel. Things like salmon, walnuts, and eggs are great for you. Start to research different foods and see what will benefit your body the most.

Sleep

And sleep is the secret. There’s nothing else that can really beat the benefits your body will get from a good night’s sleep. You’ll find more details at SleepFoundation.org on why our bodies need sleep, but above all else, you heal. When you’re tired or achy, your body is going to work on repairing itself when you sleep. So make sure that you’re getting a solid seven to nine hours each night, just to ensure that your body can feel its best.

To Look Good

Granola, Oats, Kiwi, Muesli, Healthy Living, Healthy Eating, Nutritious, Vitamin Packed

Photo by Jannis Brandt on unsplash.com

And yes, of course, we all want to look our best. But we don’t always associate health with beauty – when the two go hand in hand. So if you want to start looking your best as well as feeling it, here’s what you need to focus on.

Your Diet

We’ve already talked about the foods your body needs to feel good, but you also need to realize that what you eat is reflected in your body too. You are what you eat! So if you want to look good as well as feel it, you need to focus on the foods that will help you to do that. And we’re not necessarily talking about weight loss (although this can help you if your weight is at an unhealthy level), but the foods that will improve your skin, give you healthy hair and generally help your health. So start to look into nutrition and what you need to be eating to look your best.

An Exercise Program

Again, we all tend to look to exercise as something we do to lose weight. But it’s so much more than that. When you exercise, you get your blood flowing, your skin glows, your circulation improves, and yes you do tone your muscle and lose fat too. But with the right exercise program, you will start to look your best.

Avoiding Stress

Stress is an incredibly dangerous toxin that will always show in your skin, your digestion, and even your mental health too. So if you’re serious about looking good, you need to work on keeping your stress levels as low as possible.

During Pregnancy

Taking Care of yourself during pregnancy

Photo by Ignacio Campo on unsplash.com

It’s vital that you work to have a healthy pregnancy. While you may feel as if there isn’t a lot you can do to influence the success of your pregnancy and the health of your baby, there’s so much!

Nourish Your Body

During pregnancy, you really need to focus on nourishing your body and helping your little one grow. There are lots of great foods to eat when you’re pregnant and this list on HealthLine.com details most of them. When you load up on things like dairy, leafy greens, and berries, you’ll be doing what you can to boost your health.

Keep Active

Staying active as much as possible if going to help you to keep your body healthy during pregnancy – it can also aid with your labour too. If you don’t exercise regularly, then you don’t have to go to crazy with this, but things like gentle walks, doing your housework, and even gardening can help. If you don’t stay active, you may find it harder to stay mobile during the later stages.

Listen To Your Body

Above all else, you need to listen to your body. Rest when you feel tired, eat when you’re lacking in energy, and laugh when you’re feeling a bit stressed out. You’ll know what your body needs, when you need it, so do what you can to really be in tune with yourself.

As You Age

As you age, Enjoying The View

Photo by Mohammad Bagher Adib on unsplash.com

As you start to get older, your body also has different needs. And you have to take a lot of care. These tips can also be useful for your ageing parents too.

Looking After Your Joints

The number one area that you’ll want to take care of as you start to age (and even well before that) is your bones and joints! You’ll want to keep them mobile and ease an onset of arthritis that could be coming your way. Things like joint supplements and products which you’ll find more at ArthritisHope.com on that can help. By looking after your joints as much as possible, you should find that you can stay mobile as you age.

Taking Care Of Your Skin

Next, you need to think about taking care of your skin that little bit more. Because when you are, you see the visible signs on your skin. Make sure that you’re avoiding too much sun exposure, that you’re wearing SPF, and that you’re taking care of your skin with the right beauty regimen too.

Keeping Your Brain Active

And finally, you’ll also want to make sure that you keep your mind active as you age too. It’s so easy to believe that as you get older, it’s just natural for your mind to get a little bit rusty (along with your body). But that’s really not the case. Our minds and bodies only become less active because we use them less. So keep reading, write, do puzzles, learn more, try new things, and just generally look to make the most of your mind to keep it strong and healthy.

To Grow

Charming Girl, Baby, Play Time, Toys

Photo by Li Tzuni on unsplash.com

Now, this final point is aimed mainly at your kids. But it’s safe to assume that you won’t want all of these tips and tricks for yourself. So let’s take a look at the primary health needs of your small children.

Vitamins

Children have different nutritional needs to us. They need so many more vitamins and nutrients in order for their bodies to grow and their minds to develop. So make sure that you’re looking to feed them a mix of lean meats and proteins, leafy greens and vegetables, and whole grains. Also add in a good all-round vitamin supplement, just to make sure that their levels stay topped up.

Energy

It’s easy to think that children just have endless amounts of energy, and it probably seems that way, but you will need to nurture it. Along with a healthy diet that will help to fuel their bodies (which will be very similar to your own), you’ll want to make sure that they’re doing activities and classes that will push them to workout out and exercise. Lots of different sports will be great for this.

A Healthy Mindset

And finally, above all else, you’re going to want to make sure that you encourage a healthy growth mindset in your children. We all want to raise happy and healthy children, but it’s so easy to just think that their minds will develop themselves, or that you don’t need to do anything else to nurture them. But focusing on a positive and healthy mindset will allow them to grow into healthy adults.

Lifestyle · Travel

Sprawling Cities That You Need To Visit

Sao Paulo, Brazil, Skyline, Travel
Picture Source

The mind-boggling skyline of São Paulo stretches further than the eye can see.

As a traveller, you’re always looking for new experiences. You might be used to hopping from destination to destination, so you want to find a place to explore that’s a little more substantial. Well, rather than navigating your way through the winding maze of some beautiful jungle, maybe you should navigate your way through a manmade jungle instead. In this article, we’re going to talk about some of the world’s biggest and most exciting cities. You won’t run out of things to see and do in these destinations.

São Paulo, Brazil

As the picture above clearly shows, the city of São Paulo is ginormous. And packed into this sprawling city is a lot of culture and fantastic pieces of architecture. If you’re completely blown away by the picture of this spectacular skyline then you should book accommodation at the Marriott Executive Apartments in São Paulo so that you’re able to stay in a luxurious hotel that provides brilliant views of the city.

Additionally, you want to be within walking distance of the fantastic restaurants and other sights in the area. You should visit the São Paulo Museum of Art, first of all. Not only is it a stunning building in its own right, but there are lots of wonderful galleries to admire within this huge building. You should also check out the Monument to the Bandeiras; it’s not only a fantastic sculpture but a celebration of the explorers known as bandeiras who settled in the heart of Brazil centuries ago.

Los Angeles, U.S.

When it comes to sprawling cities, L.A. is one of the best destinations to put on your bucket list. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in America for a good reason. For starters, you should explore Hollywood. Whilst it’s a very different place behind the scenes, that’s part of what makes it so fascinating. And if you head up the Hollywood Hills on a mini-expedition then you’ll be able to admire the entirety of L.A.’s beautiful skyline from a great height.

You should head to the Griffith Observatory whilst you’re up there. It’s a beautiful building that provides a beautiful view of the city (there’s also a fantastic telescope that gives you a view of the stars). Still, this is only the tip of what Los Angeles has to offer. Head to Grand Central Market downtown for some of the best food in the city. Not only are there fantastic dining spots in this sprawling market but there’s often wonderful live music too. The point is that Los Angeles is huge, and there’s a lot to explore in its depths.

Singapore

When it comes to huge cities, Singapore probably wins the challenge out of the destinations on this list. It’s so huge that it’s more than a city, in fact; it’s an island country. But we’re including it on the list anyway, as it is a city of sorts (it’s just an overwhelmingly large city). This multicultural haven is a paradise for any keen traveller.

You should try out the Peranakan cuisine whilst you’re in the city; it’s a delicious combination of Chinese and Malay dishes. The gorgeous Gardens by the Bay are well worth seeing too. This fantastic manmade structure takes you on an elevated walk through some of the stunning waterfront gardens that Singapore has to offer. It’s the very definition of garden artistry.