What does technology mean to you?

What does technology mean to you?

This may seem to be a strange question, but think about it for a moment.

For some people it means the latest and greatest gadgets - fun, games and entertainment.

For others it is just a means to an end, a way to get things done more quickly and efficiently.

There is no doubt that technology has made our lives better in many ways, helping not only to entertain us and keep us connected, but also to live longer and healthier lives.

Whatever it means to you, the certainty is that technology is taking over more and more aspects of our daily lives.

It has got to the point where society would struggle if all technology suddenly broke down.

We all rely on it daily, even if we feel that we don't.

Even just cooking a meal usually relies on the technology of our microwaves, ovens and hobs.

Washing our clothes, watching TV, hoovering, ironing - they are all made easier by technology.

However we use technology, and whatever it means to us, we should always remember that it is just a tool.

Technology can bring its own stresses. The stresses of always wanting to be available, to always keep up with what is going on in the world.

We should remember that we don't need to be constantly connected, constantly entertained.

Every so often, it is good to go back to basics for a while, to switch off and enjoy ourselves without our gadgets and gizmos.

Going for a walk and leaving our phone at home is a very simple way of doing this, or how about being brave and camping out under the stars, with nature as your companion.

So how about taking the time today to disconnect, de-stress and enjoy a few technology free hours.

What will you choose?

Our lives are full of choices, from the tiny right up to the life changing.

What we have chosen to do up until now has shaped us into the person that we are today.

What we choose to do from now will shape our future.

Whether we succeed in life or not is mainly down to the choices that we make along our way.

All of our choices matter, even the small ones can have consequences that we cannot foretell.

Each choice is like a crossroad, and the next choice is yet another crossroad, and so on.

These many paths can lead to an infinite amount of possibilities, some good, some not so good.

Some choices are easy, some are very difficult, but each has it's own set of consequences.

So it is wise to consider our choices wisely, to make them work for us and to help us become the best that we possibly can be.

We should take our time, consider our actions, get the most that we can from our choices.

So what path are you going to take today? Choose wisely, grow and learn.

I am strong!

How do you define being strong? Does it mean being physically strong, or does it mean mentally strong?

Whichever way we perceive it, we have the tools to increase that strength.

If we do nothing, do not challenge ourselves, take those first steps out of our comfort zone, then we will never get stronger.

But with each small step we make, our strength will begin to increase.

As we push ourselves a little further each time, we teach our body and soul to become stronger.

With steady progress we will become stronger than we ever thought that we could.

Or lives and happiness, our very confidence in our own abilities will grow along with our strength.

Only when we push the limits of comfort will we truly know how strong we can be, and how much we are capable of.

So take that first step today, use your body and mind, challenge it, grow strong.

The block

She took off her glasses, setting them down beside her. She rubbed her temples in despair.

It had been so long since this had happened last. She had hoped that it had been the first and only time that it would happen.

But no, here she was yet again. There seemed to be no rhyme nor reason to it. Sometimes things just went her way. And at other times, like now, they just didn't.

Maybe some inspiration would come, maybe a random thought would spark off something momentous within her.

Perhaps a glass of wine would help her to relax and let the ideas flow.

She walked to the fridge and poured herself a large glass of white, padded back to the sofa, curled up comfortably and tried to think.

She sipped the wine, waiting, waiting for inspiration, but still nothing came.

This was no good! People were relying on her, waiting for her guidance, humour and inspiration.

Maybe a walk! She threw on her coat and headed out into the cool, Spring evening and headed off.

Yes, sometimes finding inspiration was difficult.

What to write, what to write. A poem, a story? Or maybe a deep and meaningful thought.

Serendipity smiled to herself. Maybe tomorrow the writers block would lift.

Maybe tomorrow she would pen the blog post of her life.

Celebrate

As we go through our lives, we enjoy many celebrations.

These can come in the form of birthdays, anniversaries, marriages and all manner of other important occasions.

But does it really need to be a special occasion in order to celebrate today?

Just being here to enjoy the day is a good enough reason to celebrate.

This day is special, there will never be another quite like it, so we should celebrate it.

Indeed we should celebrate each and every day as we go through the journey of our lives.

The sad thing is that one day, hopefully far into the future, it will be our last day.

So instead of drifting through life, just going through each day without marking it, make a point of celebrating it.

Mark each day as special. Embrace and recognize it. Celebrate and enjoy each and every day.

Super sunshine

As I sit here and type, I am bathed in the warm glow of today's beautiful sunshine.

It's amazing how much better the sunshine can make us feel.

It brings with it feelings of happiness, it makes us feel like life isn't quite so bad after all.

It's warmth and energy can make us feel happier and more positive.

It gives us the urge to go outside and enjoy it whilst it lasts.

Sunshine makes the world seem a brighter, more interesting place.

It makes us more sociable - after all who wants to stop for a chat, or go to a barbecue when it is raining and cold.

We can enjoy spending more time outside, gardening, walking, reading, just relaxing.

Some of these effects are psychological, but some are backed up by science.

The sun on our skin triggers our body to produce Vitamin D andsunlight helps us to maintain our wake and sleep cycles, so can help us to sleep better.

It is always important to remember to protect our skin against the sun with sunscreens, hats and clothing.

That way we can enjoy the benefits that the sun brings, while still protecting ourselves from damage.

So if the sun is shining wherever you are in the world, embrace it's energy, enjoy it, live life, enjoy.