So for a few years off and on I have investigated Affiliate Marketing, but could never get my head around it.  Life just took over and I never had the time to dedicate to sit down and really try to study it and understand everything about it.  So I have been watching a lot of make money on line videos of late, because I made up my mind that I will not be having the vaccine and therefore I will not be able to go out to work.  Consequently I must figure out a way to make money on-line.  

I came across a YouTuber called “Affiliatemarketingmc”, who seemed to know what he was talking about.   His name is Marcus Campbell from America. He seemed to be open and helpful so I decided to follow his advice and see what happens. I followed his link and it seemed to lead me down a rabbit hole however I reserve judgement until I have been through the whole of his program.

First of all he told us to create a Hub website, which I know is the first thing that we need.  He has affiliate links to this, which he was open and honest about and after all this is what it is all about – finding all the ways you can to earn an affiliate pay out.  However I already have a website that can host a number of sites so I don’t need to do that part.  So it is on to Part Two Entitled – Download your Theme.

So I was excited and then I realised that he was going way too fast.  I had to abandon it for now and then look at the things that he had missed out.  So what I am going to do is keep researching this topic and then plot out all the stages as I begin to understand what it is that I need to do.

I found an Article today relating to this question and I think the information is excellent and can be helpful for everyone who recognises that they need a grateful attitude.  This article lists the benefits of developing gratitude for both Children and Adults.

7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude

by Amy Morin – Psychology Today

1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends, according to a 2014 study published in Emotion. The study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship. So whether you thank a stranger for holding the door or send a thank-you note to that colleague who helped you with a project, acknowledging other people’s contributions can lead to new opportunities.
2. Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than other people, according to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences. Not surprisingly, grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups, which is likely to contribute to further longevity.
3. Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.
4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when others behave less kindly, according to a 2012 study by the University of Kentucky. Study participants who ranked higher on gratitude scales were less likely to retaliate against others, even when given negative feedback. They experienced more sensitivity and empathy toward other people and a decreased desire to seek revenge.
5. Grateful people sleep better. Writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Spend just 15 minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed, and you may sleep better and longer.
6. Gratitude improves self-esteem. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athletes’ self-esteem, an essential component to optimal performance. Other studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who have more money or better jobs—a major factor in reduced self-esteem—grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.
7. Gratitude increases mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. A 2006 study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that Vietnam War veterans with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11. Recognizing all that you have to be thankful for —even during the worst times—fosters resilience.

We all have the ability and opportunity to cultivate gratitude. Rather than complain about the things you think you deserve, take a few moments to focus on all that you have . Developing an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction with life.

Gratitude Journals are very effective and can help parents to teach their children the attitude of gratitude. Click on the Link and reap the benefits for your children – https://amzn.to/3fxwaje

Sickle Cell is an hereditary Disease, that a person must get from both parents.  It affects the Red Blood Cells and causes them to become mis-shaped. Instead of being round and somewhat like a doughnut they become shaped like a sickle or half moon.  These then begin to get trapped in a person’s blood vessels and so stop the constant blood flow and cause excruciating pain. These episodes are known as “Crises”.  

I was diagnosed at four years old in the 70’s and as I child I was ill quite frequently.  As I became an adult, I would have very small “crises” but they were very manageable. All I had to do is rest, drink plenty of fluid and keep warm.  Occasionally I had a few big Crises that would land me in hospital but on the whole I was healthy, just always felt tired/ got easily exhausted.

Until 2016 when I went into Menopause, and then the stress of those hot flushes caused a massive Crisis and I ended up in hospital and really weak.  The crises kept happening because of the Flushes and I remained weak for months.  Off and on I have had more problems with my sickle cell than in the last 30 years, then Corona Virus Struck the World.

Because of having Sickle Cell I am classed as one of the vulnerable, therefore I had to shield.  I was okay for six months as I stayed in and then the Government said it was safe to go out.  So I went back to work as a School Guide.  Within four weeks of going back, I became ill and by the end of October 2020 my daughter had to call the ambulance and get me into hospital despite all my protests.

I live in Birmingham so I was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, by this time I was so weak that I couldn’t easily get to the toilet.  They tested me and it came back negative, but I lately learned that I had Covid 19 but by then it was out of my system. I know because I gave it to my daughter a second time.  By the time I came out of hospital, she tested positive.

Upon investigation they told me that my blood count was 5.2.  I had internal bleeding and I had pneumonia.  Lately they also discovered that I had a hernia.  Five days later I came out of hospital still very weak but alive.  Nurses came every few days to give me vitamin B12 shots and it took about two months to recover.  

From January to April we again were in Lockdown in the UK so again I was shielding.  After being in hospital I noticed a floater in my eye.  It had a specific shape and it kept that shape for weeks.  However in February I noticed that it started to change shape and then one morning I woke up and my sight in my left eye was very hazy.  I tried to find out where I could go for help but the eye hospital was not answering and the other various opticians I couldn’t get through to either.  By the evening the haziness was not so bad.  When I woke up the next day though I was completely blind in my left eye.

I finally got in touch with a local optician, she examined my eye and sent me urgently to the eye hospital.  I was there for about five hours and had to go back early the next morning.  One of the blood vessels in my eye was bleeding.  They said hopefully it will stop on it’s own and that all the blood will disappear.  It kept bleeding for a few days and then it did stop and after about a week & a half I could see again.  

Then exactly four weeks later I had a crisis in my right hip/bottom. This lasted for three days then I was weak for one day and then my ankle started hurting.  I could not put my foot down and bear any weight on it.  It felt as if it was broken, I couldn’t walk.  That lasted for another three days and then the pain was relieved for another day and then it travelled to my knee.  The same thing, it was very difficult to walk, this time it lasted for about two weeks before it got better.  I am glad to say that at the moment I feel as if I am back to my old self, I am just trying my hardest not to get sick again.

Even though all these things have happened to me, I feel blessed and grateful to still be alive. I thank our Creator Jehovah God that I can still feel the sunshine and see the blue sky and smell the flowers.

It is GREAT to be Alive!!! 

This was not what I had planned to do, I wanted to create some stencils using my hot glue gun.  However I am still at my daughter’s house as I have been shielding and I seem to have a problem with my right knee at the moment.  But never mind.  As I am determined to do something creative  or learn about something new everyday I decided to try my hand at Digital Collage. Using Canva & Pixabay. I created some covers for my Notebooks and here are the results.