Lifestyle Maven | Page 5 of 26 | The UK lifestyle blog for your fabulous 40s and beyond

The self-employment survival guide: what I’ve learnt in four years

May 20, 2018 1498 Views 10 Comments

This was the view from my bedside table four years ago. Nothing extraordinary about having an alarm. Except that this would be the last time it would wake me up early for my commute to the office. Four years ago this week, I worked my … [read more]

Beauty

The honest blogger’s review of True North cosmetics

May 13, 2018 1531 Views 6 Comments

Lagom: the search for balance I believe the key to a happy life is balance, and yet I find it incredibly hard to achieve. My problem is lack of consistency. My recruitment work comes in peaks and troughs, making planning very difficult. I’m either frantically … [read more]

Wisdom

5 de-stressing tips for busy people

April 27, 2018 2148 Views 7 Comments

Swan, koala or cat? I remember being asked in an interview in a former life “If you were an animal, what animal would you be?” This is one of those awful psycho-nonsense questions that hiring managers like to ask to mix things up a bit, … [read more]

Food Fun

Gin is the answer. What was the question?

April 18, 2018 2292 Views 4 Comments

Family time I don’t think I’m alone in feeling a rush of relief when the kids returned to school after the Easter break. We had a fabulous holiday in Turkey – more on that later – but I hadn’t spent a moment alone for over … [read more]

Fun Wisdom

The ten commandments of great sleep

March 16, 2018 2684 Views 2 Comments

You may think I’m slightly obsessed with sleep, having written about it several times on the blog already. But I revisit the subject today for good reason: it’s World Sleep Day, plus March is National Bed Month – which I’m celebrating with a well-earned nap. … [read more]

Food Fun

A break from technology: our digital detox

February 18, 2018 1939 Views 8 Comments

There is one subject we argue about more than any other in our house: Technology. Now C is at secondary school, he has his own phone. We reasoned that he needs it to keep in touch with us when he’s out with friends. We didn’t … [read more]

Beauty

My beauty heroes: the skin issue

February 11, 2018 3053 Views 8 Comments

It’s been a while since I posted about beauty. I’ve been working on my personal development, hence my focus on the ‘wisdom’ section of the blog. For several months I’ve been trying new skincare products. Some made promises they couldn’t keep, others caused trouble for … [read more]

Wisdom

How to sleep well

February 02, 2018 3010 Views 10 Comments

I have had many periods of poor sleep during my life. The biggest cause of sleep deprivation? Parenthood, obviously. Looking back, I know that I got away lightly with my kids’ sleeping patterns and that some parents suffer years of disturbed sleep with their … [read more]

Wisdom

If not now, then when?

January 25, 2018 2597 Views 8 Comments

According to new research by Bupa Health Clinics, most of us are slowly wishing our lives away. “I’ll be happy when…” If you reckon you’ll be happy when…that dress fits; you finally get around to joining the gym; you get a promotion – then you’re … [read more]

Wisdom

How to tame your inner demon

January 12, 2018 4901 Views 13 Comments

The demon in my head I have a voice in my head and she’s a real bitch. She’s a demon and she is very busy, chattering and chipping away at my confidence. She beats me up from the inside, keeps me dwelling on past events, … [read more]

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Wisdom

4 more reasons to love (and hate) being self-employed

May 22, 2017 3904 Views 8 Comments

Three years ago today, was the last day in my job of 11 years; the last time I set my alarm for 6.30am and made the tube journey into the security blanket of permanent employment. Two years ago, I wrote a blog about the benefits … [read more]

Food

The day I ate breakfast

May 17, 2016 2376 Views 8 Comments

I understand the importance of a healthy breakfast to get you ready to face the day. My boys never leave for school on an empty stomach. So the reaction I get when I admit that I don’t usually eat breakfast is akin to telling someone … [read more]

Wisdom

Ignored by the mainstream: Living in the invisible middle

March 19, 2019 494 Views 8 Comments

The invisible middle Here are some of the things I’ve learnt since turning 40 (several years ago now): Headstands are no longer a party trick I can pull off without vomiting. Trampolining is only for those mums who bothered with their pelvic floor exercises. Everyone … [read more]

Wisdom

Blogging for beginners

December 04, 2016 4935 Views 8 Comments

So far in this series about blogging, I’ve covered why it’s such a good idea to start a blog, and my personal reasons for hogging this tiny little corner of the internet. Let’s say you have ideas for your first few articles, but don’t know … [read more]

Wisdom

Why does my brain go on holiday before I do?

September 05, 2016 2280 Views 8 Comments

Forgive me readers for I have not blogged for two weeks. The kids went back to school today, signaling the end of a long summer break. We climbed mountains in Wales, enjoyed a beautiful beach-side wedding in Israel and relaxed for a week by the … [read more]

Fun Wisdom

An ordinary life: the best plot there is

March 20, 2017 2923 Views 8 Comments

How do you write a biography about an unnamed person, who you’ve never met and who seems to have discarded their life’s work, in a skip? That was the question addressed by Alexander Masters, author of A Life Discarded, at last week’s book launch. Alexander … [read more]

Wisdom

If not now, then when?

January 25, 2018 2597 Views 8 Comments

Beauty

Lids by Design – give your eyelids a lift without surgery

January 27, 2015 4529 Views 7 Comments

I love it when surprising and unusual products land on my desk, particularly when it’s a beauty product from California. Lids by Design was developed by glamorous entrepreneur Britain Todd, founder of Contours Rx. She wanted something that would lift her eyelids without having to go … [read more]

Fun Wisdom

2016 is dead. Long live 2017

December 29, 2016 4404 Views 7 Comments

2016: move along As we crawl towards 2017, full of slightly stale mince pies and leftover Christmas pudding, I wanted to take a brief look back at 2016, before putting it in a box marked ‘shite’ and trying to forget all about it. It’s been … [read more]

Coupe Stack – the most impressive way to serve Champagne

December 11, 2015 1517 Views 7 Comments

My tipple of choice is red wine, but at this time of year it would be rude not to have the occasional glass of Champagne. And now that I have a Coupe Stack, there really is only one way to drink it. The Coupe Stack … [read more]

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The self-employment survival guide: what I’ve learnt in four years

The honest blogger’s review of True North cosmetics

5 de-stressing tips for busy people

Gin is the answer. What was the question?

The ten commandments of great sleep

A break from technology: our digital detox

My beauty heroes: the skin issue

How to sleep well

If not now, then when?

How to tame your inner demon

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