In Books & Reading, Business & Blogging

The Year of Less by Cait Flanders

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on

The Year of Less

If you’re looking a book purely about decluttering and spending less you’ll be disappointed in this book. The Year of Less by Cait Flanders is so much more than that. I tried reading that cult favourite book which asks you to take every item you own and hold it in your hands, see if it sparks joy, then throw it out if it didn’t. That book didn’t spark any joy so I threw it out. The Year of Less has its own electric current and I struggled to put it down.

Cait Flanders is a well-known blogger and freelance writer living in BC, Canada. I’ve been a blogger since 2006 and a freelance copywriter for almost as long and so can tell you, it’s rare to see anyone write so openly, honestly and so compellingly about alcohol dependency, consumerism, mental health and facing and overcoming it all in a brave and inspiring way.

Cait tells us what led to the decision of starting a year-long shopping ban, how the challenge was set up, what she could and couldn’t buy and we live with her through that year, and beyond. We see events unfurl in her life that threaten to break her, we look at things in her past that have shaped who she is today (or during the period the book was written about) and we look at where she finds herself after the year of less, and beyond. This is a personal journey for Cait that she generously decided to share with all of us and in doing so offers inspiration to countless others struggling with the pressures and expectations life likes to heap on top of us.

There are many books out there which tell of how a person has reinvented themselves or found the “true them”. Some are tongue in cheek, some hilarious and some rather dark. The Year of Less offers a lot of this and yet is somewhat unique in that it is written in a refreshingly matter-of-fact way.

This is a beautifully designed book that is easy to read (you don’t want to put it down) which glows with a truth that’s hard to deny. If you’re not sure what I mean by that read it. There’s a little of all of us in Cait Flanders and I for one wish there was more of Cait Flanders’ bloodymindedness in me!

If I was the sort to hand out stickers and give people star ratings The Year of Less would get a solid 5/5.

Find out more about Cait on her website and purchase her book from all major retailers (you won’t be sorry).

Hay House Publishing were kind enough to send me this book to read and review.
My thoughts about the content are entirely my own.

In General, Health and Exercise

Vape Don’t Smoke

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on

I gave up smoking in 2005 and have never looked back. There wasn’t the advice and support then that there is now, other than going to the Stop Smoking clinic which, I can tell you, was not a lot of fun. I could have done with more resources such as those from CFAH.org to help me make the decision earlier and to find a way to quit easier, using methods that worked for me.

vapeDid you know that WHO (World Health Organisation) have classified a number of the ingredients in tobacco cigarette as being toxic and potentially cancer-causing? That in itself should be enough to have smokers throwing their cigarettes away instantly, but quitting is hard, which is where vaping comes in.

Studies show that it isn’t just the *nicotine that smokers find difficult to walk away from, it’s the hand to mouth action, the relaxation, the taking a drag and the social aspect. Smokers find smoking enjoyable, and I get it, trust me. Vaping offers the opportunity for smokers to enjoy all of this without the nasties they are putting into their bodies when smoking, and even Public Health England say that vaping is at least 95% healthier than smoking. It’s the perfect alternative. You may have your cake, each it and not feel sick afterwards or have to worry about calories or guilt.

Variety is the Spice of Life
One of the wonders of vaping is that there are so many different e juice flavours to try out. You can go fruity, sweet, creamy, minty, enjoy drink-related flavours, tobacco flavours (yes really) or opt for some of the original-tasting flavours that many vapers love.

There are many e cigarettes, from those which allow you to alter the temperature you vape at (producing big flavoursome clouds) down to plug and play starter kits that get you going without any fuss or need for vast knowledge of the ins and outs of an e cigarette. You may completely customise your vaping experience.

The Cost
On face value, some might think that vaping is more expensive than smoking as you have some set-up costs (although basic starter kits are actually really affordable) and e liquids and consumables to consider. All of this has been taken into account by many doing professional comparisons and vaping comes up considerably cheaper each and every time, particularly longer term.

Health
It all comes back to health at the end of the day, and so it should. Health professionals, NHS trusts and charities are all pointing people towards vaping in order to get them off smoking in order to improve their health and reduce the risk of smoking-related premature death. Public Health England, the UK Government department responsible for the introduction of the Go Smoke Free legislation which saw smoking in many public areas made illegal have been keen to advocate for vaping, even listing e cigarettes as a useful cessation tool on their 2017 Stoptober materials. A Hampshire NHS trust are giving those serious about giving up smoking a one-time £25 vaping voucher for use in local shops to help them get a basic starter kit and introduce themselves to vaping properly in order to make the switch.

Clearly the benefits of choosing to vape far outweigh any reason to continue smoking. Black Note have put together a great article on help you quit smoking. If quitting smoking is on your list for 2018, good luck! As I wrote previously, I quit back in 2005 and have never looked back. My only regret is not putting in a jar what I spent on tobacco cigarettes each week and saving it. I could be looking at early retirement by now!

*E liquids do contain nicotine however, unlike tobacco cigarettes, you may choose with vaping the strength of nicotine you want, gradually tapering your usage down if you wish until you are enjoying zero nicotine vape e liquids.

All original content on these pages is fingerprinted and certified by Digiprove