Is It Possible To Be Too Kind?

Is It Possible To Be Too Kind?

Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, rendering assistant or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return.

WIKIPEDIA

The Oxford English Dictionary, Kindness is “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.”

two cups and a vase of flowers outside on a table, discussing kindness and being too kind
a possible example of being too kind gesture.

It’s important to be aware of your own boundaries and to act from a place of authenticity..

If this resonates with you, you may wish to read a blog I’ve previously written about Boundaries and Friendships which might help.

As Audrey Hepburn wisely said:

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

AUDREY HEBURN
image of me sitting overlooking Dartmoor as the sun rises reflecting on being too kind.

“How do we change the world? One random act of Kindness at a time”

MORGAN FREEMAN

Charlie Mackesy's Boy and the mole, kindest and being too kind

As we celebrate World Kindness Day, I’m reminded of Morgan Freeman’s words: “How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.” Kindness doesn’t need to be grand—it can be a simple smile, a thoughtful message, or checking in on someone who might need it.

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Christmas Food Prep Made Easy: Stress-Free Recipes & Tips

Christmas Food Prep Made Easy: Stress-Free Recipes & Tips

Garden Trading Company decorations for a stress free Chris
Garden Trading Company

“Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.”

DR SEUSS
Mary Berry Christmas Book, your ultimate guide to a stress free christmas

Christmas Eve is the perfect time to lay the table, chop your vegetables and double-check timings. I always put on a festive playlist, pour something bubbly and get into the spirit while I prep, it turns the jobs into moments to enjoy, especially if the family get involved too! One of our favourite make-ahead meals for Christmas Eve is a relaxed, cosy dinner that sets the tone for the celebrations.

Festive mulled wine prepared in advance for a stress free Christmas food prep
festive display of candles preparation in advance for a stress free Christmas and christmas food prep
The scent of Christmas – The White Company

“My secret to Christmas this year, as it is every year, is my to-do list. I’m always in charge if preparing the lunch – I like to think of it as simply a big roast dinner”  

MARY BERRY
Roast parsnips prepared in advance for a stress free Christmas food prep

Method:

Roast sprouts prepared in advance for a stress free Christmas
Roast carrots prepared in advance for a stress free Christmas

“Christmas is about sharing our homes with the people who matter to us the most. And a little planning goes a long way in making every room sparkle, cosset and glow.

From the thoughtful touches to the most memorable moments, we’re all set to help you make your home a place of celebration, comfort and joy this season.”

NEPTUNE
lemon posset in glass dishes prepared in advance for a stress free Christmas food prep

“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.”

EDNA FERBER

“Christmas is a together-y sort of holiday.”

WINNIE THE POOH
christmas bauble on the tree ready for a stress free Christmas food prep

signature, claire

Blogs you might also enjoy:

One Thing That Will Help You When There Aren’t Enough Hours In The Day.

How To Recharge Your Batteries In One Powerful Hour.

Little Mission ~ Prepare Game Casserole For Your Guests

Welcome To The Woman On A Mission Blog!

Welcome To The Woman On A Mission Blog!

image of me sitting on a chair

These mini missions are small but effective. One a week adds up to 52 in a year, 52 ways to bring positive, motivating habits into your life. Here on the blog and my Instagram, I share “mini missions” and Power Hours, small actions that can make a surprisingly big difference.

laptop, glasses and a mug of coffee
One Thing That Will Help You When There Aren’t Enough Hours In The Day.

One Thing That Will Help You When There Aren’t Enough Hours In The Day.

Image of a sofa and coffee table, highlighting the benefits of relaxation in a calm environment for the power of an hour.

Image of calming flowers, to relax about overwhelm using the power of an hour method
Don’t worry, take a breathe. Let’s remove the overwhelm.

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs”

Henry Ford
Image of lap top with coffee cup and flowers in the back ground the power of an hour may take place in the office.

Turn Mundane Missions Into LittleWins:

Two coffee cups indicating the power of an hour to relax or to celebrate after the Power of an Hour is over.
Image of the sea thrust on the cliff path with the sea in the background, highlighting the benefits of getting outside.
A walk along the coast in the fresh can be super powerful.

What You Can Achieve In An Hour

Something just for YOU

Call a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with ..

Enjoy the fresh air, whilst giving the garden a little makeover..

Giving your pantry a little Refresh.

5 books you’ll need to creat a beautifully organised home.

Image of a laptop on a desk with coffee cup, bulldog clips and a notebook
Image of the free daily planner food in the organisation tools as an example

The Power of an Hour is a great way to inject intention into your day or evening. I’ve shared  free daily planner (and more) in the Organisation tools.

It really helps keep me focused and find it invaluable for my Power of an Hour.

Little Mission: Preparing To Leave For Uni

Little Mission: Preparing To Leave For Uni

Welcome to this blog, based on my experiences that I hope you’ll find useful if you are preparing for your child to leave home for University for the first time. I’ve compiled a list of what we did to prepare and what we packed in the hope it helps you support your fresher and family.

 Firstly, congratulations! I really think we as parents need to stop, breathe and give ourselves a pat on the back of getting this far in parenthood. Yay! I hope that by sharing my experiences of navigating this emotional rollercoaster of a time, it”ll help you feel that you’re not only not on your own but it will help you save more and spend less. 

 It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were through with exams, both our teens had completed GCSE’s and A levels earlier in the summer, and we were in limbo waiting for results…

footsteps in the sand.

Our eldest had applied to University and is the first to leave home. In all honesty, I wasn’t ready.. I’m not sure if it’s because of lockdown and all the usual landmarks of school prom, leavers assemblies and more, hadn’t happened. It seemed the lead up to this time arrived so darn quickly.. 

This time reminds me very much of how it was when we were expecting our girl to arrive into the world – no idea what to expect as new parents, what we would really need, (the list appeared endless for such a teeny human!) and also how we would feel as a couple becoming a family.

Except this time was so very different, we were getting ready for our 18 year old to fly out into the big wide world and my heart was breaking. Of course I wouldn’t dampen her excited spirits but we’re close and it was so very odd, knowing our lives would be changed.. 

“Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time”

Lyrics from Slipping Through My Fingers, Abba

There seemed SO much and yet so little information out there about our young adults leaving home. This period of time reminded me of when we were expecting our second child. I was keen each of our little family equally involved in the new arrival. Except this time we were preparing for a sibling to leave home, not arrive for the first time. We are extremely lucky, our children are very close. I knew my sons life would also change, they aren’t just as siblings, they are friends. Life would be different for all of us in our little household.

What did I do? I got list writing and preparing of course! It’s what I do!

I’ve compiled a list of what we packed and what we did to prepare in the hope it helps you support your fresher and family.

Kitchen Items

The temptation is to go overboard and get one of everything you own in your home kitchen. The truth is, you really don’t need to. 

Here’s what we bought and has proved very useful – our girl used everything!

Tin opener

Sharp knife

Wooden spoon

Spatula

Kitchen Tongs

Kitchen Scissors

Cheese grater

Vegetable peeler

Saucepan (1 large, 1 small)

Frying pan

2 plates, 2 bowls 2 mugs

Resealable freezer bags

Sealing clips of different sizes for bags of pasta etc. 

Bedroom Items

Similar to the kitchen items, I’d advise to pack what you know you will need and anything else you can order via Amazon or use as an excuse to visit! Remember even though they have gone off to University, shops exist and they will be fine!

Prepare with an aim to make the room as homely as possible. My girl and I went to buy the dovet and covers together, it was fun deciding on a new colour scheme from her room at home. I added a couple of items which I’ll share in my next blog Little Mission ~ Helping Your Fresher Settle Into their new Life  

Cushions, throws, rugs, plants and photographs all add an instant homely feel. Check University halls individual guidelines as most won’t allow items such as kettles and candles. 

We love these battery operated fairy lights which have clips for photos, a really simple and effective way to bring happy memories and light to the room. 

Other items we packed were a study lighta desk organiser and books – lots of books!

Storage And Laundry Items

Storage solutions are key for Uni rooms and this is where your trusty home furnishing stores such as Ikea, Homebase, Dunelm etc come in. Baskets and under bed storage bags are invaluable. 

We packed smart as much as we could. 

The dovet, pillows, pillow cases, towels etc we vacum packed into storage bag which saved a huge amount of space in the car. When in the room, these bags 

A top tip we were given was to simply lift the clothes out of the wardrobe on their hangers put a dustbin bag over the hangers to form a temporary cover.  When you arrive, you can simply hook them straight into the hanging space! 

old fashioned stop watch with autumn leaves in the background

By planning ahead and spreading the costs, over what is an extremely expensive time, I hope you will have saved a little money too. Remember facebook marketplace and many of the homestores I mentioned earlier will have offers on for Univeristy students so keep a look out. 

On that note, we found that shopping earlier, especially in Ikea, was key. (not an ad at all!) The store proves very popular at this time of year so don’t leave everything to the last minute. 

I really hope this has helped take away a little of the overwhelm for you and your new University student in the preparation for them flying the nest. It’s an emotional roller coaster of a time but ride the wave in the knowledge you’ve supported your little one to this stage and you aren’t alone. 

Stay in touch for more in this series including helping your fresher settling into their new life and how to manage moving in day!

Let me know in the comments if this helped and how you’re feeling. 

Sending love and huge hugs,

Claire xxx