Category: Lifestyle

5 Ways To Avoid Health Issues As You Grow Older

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Everyone ages and everyone will encounter health decline at one stage or another in their lives. However, to prepare ourselves for the race against time, practicing good health care and a balanced lifestyle the only way to slow down the ticking clock. Keeping our body, mind, and soul healthy and happy is the true secret to living a long life.

Diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are aggressive beasts, taking many people unaware and stealing their health away. But these diseases are preventable to a certain extent. Even though the genes for these conditions may already lay dormant in your veins, conducting a better lifestyle can halt them from ever manifesting destructively. Today we are going to talk about how you can reduce your risk for health issues and stay healthy for longer.

Stay Active

It’s no surprise that an active lifestyle is good for your health. It can help you lose excess fat surrounding your organs, let you build muscles and even assist in the fight against common illnesses, as it boosts your immune system. Exercising for 30 minutes a day is good for your heart, helps you to digest food more easily and allows you to sleep better. It’s a no brainer.

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Feel Stress-Free

Stress is one of the primary causes of premature health issues. It is linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, obesity and even asthma. Calming your mind and body at the end of the day is as essential as eating your greens. Not only does your body need to stay healthy, but your mind also does too. Consider meditation. Wake up five minutes earlier in the morning and meditate before you start your day, there are loads of meditation apps which allow you to do this easily.

Avoid Harmful Triggers

There are many dangerous triggers in the world which can cause or aggravate health issues. Smoking is one of them, and if you are struggling to quit altogether, consider moving to a nicotine only substitute such as Mount Baker Vapor. Because it doesn’t contain the harmful chemicals which a cigarette does, it is the safer option for those who want to make a healthy change. Alcohol is another trigger which is linked to liver failure and weight problems. However, you don’t have to stop drinking altogether, just practice moderation.

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Eat A Balanced Diet

Being overweight or obese can lead to a number of different health problems:

  • type 2 diabetes
  • high blood pressure
  • heart disease and strokes
  • certain types of cancer
  • sleep apnea

But you can easily prevent the risk of becoming overweight by following a balanced, healthy diet. That’s not to say you have to swear off Dominos Pizza for life; it’s all about moderation. You can cheat every now and again as long as you maintain a healthy diet in between.

Don’t Ignore The Doctor

Finally, if you have a recurring cough, you need to urinate more than normal, or your stomach hurts when you eat: visit the doctor. A trained medical professional will help you with whatever the issue may be and will be able to give you advice on how to prevent it in the future.

Sports That Can Turn Into A Career (If You’re Any Good!)

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If you’re a sporty one that loves to keep active – brilliant! Your body is going to reap all the benefits, and so will your mind. Remember that being active doesn’t just keep you fit and healthy by burning fat and preventing disease. Your mental health greatly improves too, by releasing endorphins into your brain making you feel oh so good, even when you don’t.

But what if that favorite hobby could be turned into a full-time career? – All that is down to you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you will open more opportunities to reach the top.

Here are some examples of a sporty hobby that can be turned into a successful career.

Dancing

Who doesn’t love to dance? Whether you’re actually gifted is a whole other story, but dancing is a wonderful way to let your hair down and throw away all your worries and concerns. Making it into a career all depends on the style of dance you’d like to do. While most dancers will be taught a lot of different styles – as your progress, you’ll most likely focus on one more than the other. If you enjoy ballet, then you will want to go in the theatre direction, whereas if you practise more modern dance like modern jazz and contemporary, your best bet is being part of a dance team that has a manager to find you bookings and auditions.

Wrestling

As seen on tv, wrestlers like the men and women from WWE managed to transform their dream into a reality, and now they tour around the world selling out arenas full of their dedicated, lifelong fans. If wrestling is something you’d like to get into, the best place to start is to look for a local group that trains together and can teach you the basics. From there, the more experience you get, the further you can go. To begin, you’ll need your own wrestling uniforms to change into so you’re more comfortable when fighting, along with the suitable footwear to give you the right support.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is one of them sports that takes up a lot of time in your life, making it very demanding and having to have a very disciplined lifestyle. Having said that, the rewards are amazing. Your body will be sculpted like a goddess, and your ability and power that you have will impress many. If you want to make a career out of it, it’s important to train every day getting as much practice and experience as you can. Then you will be entered into competitions that will increase in skill every time you win. If you’re lucky enough to get spotted at one of these competitions, you may be offered a position to represent a professional team of gymnasts.

So as you can see, as long as you don’t give up, you can really make any one of your passions into a successful career. All you have to do is try

 

 

It’s Time to Start Feeling Comfortable in Your Own Skin!

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We live in a world that thrives on perfection. Everyone wants the perfect hair, the perfect skin, the perfect smile and the perfect wardrobe to top it all off. It’s easy to get drawn into this culture that idealises the flawless. Sometimes, it makes us overly self-critical. We begin to doubt our own beauty and start to feel blue. It’s about time that we free ourselves from these stresses and start feeling comfortable in our own skin. Remember, nobody is really perfect, and our imperfections are what make us unique and who we are. So, if you’re feeling a little down about your appearance, here are a few tips and tricks that can help you along on your journey to self-acceptance.

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Note Down Your Insecurities

Take a few moments to sit down and make a note of all of the things that make you feel insecure. Once you’ve gathered a list and have identified the root causes of your worries, you’ll realise that most of them are easy to change. All it takes is a little dedication and hard work. If your self-confidence issues are weight orientated, start to make a plan. A healthy balanced diet and the correct amount of exercise can help you to reach a healthier BMI, whether that involves losing a few pounds or putting a little weight on. If you are concerned about blemished skin, visit your doctor. They will be able to recommend creams and lotions that can help to reduce spots and they will also be able to give you an idea of the correct skin care routine for your type of skin. If you don’t like your hair, it can be easily cut, dyed or grown. Alternatively, there are endless types of weave, extensions and wigs out there too! If your hair is constantly getting in the way, you might like to shave it or have a shorter, cropped cut. If there are issues on the list that are a little more stubborn, don’t worry. There is always an expert plastic surgeon on hand who may be able to help. Remember, your body is your own! You can do what you want with its appearance.

Don’t Believe Everything You See

First things first, let’s tackle the media and social media. Every day we are exposed to seemingly endless images of models and celebrities looking the image of perfection. But prevent yourself from comparing your own looks to theirs. After all, these images are highly edited using airbrushing software. Many celebrities will admit themselves that the photographs of them plastered over posters and advertisements don’t actually look anything like them in real life. Now, your friends and colleagues’ social media feeds. Remember that people only post images of themselves when they’re looking good. It’s unlikely that you’ll find anyone who will post a picture of themselves as they wake up in the morning without a filter applied. It’s important that you recognise the power of angles, lighting and filters in other people’s projections of themselves and essential that you don’t compare yourself in real life to others’ altered pictures.

Self-confidence is massively important, as your confidence can greatly affect your lifestyle and composure. So, it’s time to start building it today. Don’t wait around. It’s time to start feeling comfortable in your own skin!

Blogging Equipment: The Most Useful Items to Own

One of the main reasons why many people decide to start a blog is because it is straightforward and you don’t need much to get started. But once you get into it, you start to realise that there is a whole host of equipment that can come in handy and essentially make you a better blogger. In this post, we will take a look through some of the top items that can give you a major boost so you can build up a high-quality blog that attracts a loyal readership.

Technology

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First of all, you need a device or devices on which you can actually write your blog in the first place. Most people choose a laptop, and you ideally want one which is fast and durable, while still being light enough for you to transport it around easily. Some bloggers also find that a tablet is a useful purchase. Even if you don’t write the posts on here, it is a good option for responding to emails and doing other admin-based tasks. And finally, you have your smartphone. Many bloggers take their images using these devices, and they are also great for updating any social media accounts that are directly connected to the blog. Even though you may judge people who use selfie sticks, there is no doubt that they can really come in useful.

Photography

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A lot of bloggers prefer to have a professional-standard camera on which to take their images as it gives a nice touch to accompany your posts with some high-quality pictures. Paired with this, you may also want to invest in some extra equipment like a set of lenses and a remote. Another good option is a tripod which can help you get the stillness you need and is particularly useful if you are photographing scenery.

Extras

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Though many people rely heavily on technology these days, it can still be useful to carry around a notebook with you so you can write down any ideas that may come to you while you are on the go. And to help out the actual writing process, it is a good idea to invest in the best keyboard for typing. Beyond this, having some photo editing software       can give your pictures an even more professional-looking edge. Also, having a portable backup charger for your phone or camera can really help you out as batteries tend to drain very quickly when you are taking a lot of photos and video footage.

Beyond these things, everyone has their own personal preferences, but this gives you a good overview of the most essential items. To start off with, you may just need your laptop, ideally an office and then you start to build up your collection over time as you develop your blog. Essentially, you just want to make life as easy as possible for yourself. Good blogging takes hard work and dedication, but the right equipment will give you a helping hand and set you off in the right direction.

 

4 Things Your Morning Routine Needs More Of

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Every day starts with a morning. There is no escaping that fact. That’s what makes or break moment that sets you up for a great day or one you’d rather forget in a flash. With that in mind, finding the perfect morning routine should be a priority on everyone’s list because the right routine can sprinkle positivity over the rest of your day. It is a magic formula that will probably require tweaking but, once you have perfected it, well it becomes a matter of wake up, smile, live, sleep, repeat. What’s more even the most morning-loathing people on the planet can learn to love dawn with the right routine in place.

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Save The Coffee For Later

What you drink first thing in the morning is so important when it comes to getting the rest of your day right. So while coffee may be the go to drink of choice, it isn’t a preferable option going, more just a habit you can’t kick. Instead, we recommend you try caffeinated water. If you want to get that shock-factor that coffee gives you, then store a bottle of this in the fridge overnight, otherwise just drink it warm. Not only will the caffeine work wonders, the infused fruit will get your digestive system working while your body will get the rehydration process underway; pretty important after eight hours of nothing.

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Always Eat Breakfast

Not only is this the most important and most tasty meal of the day, it is one of the most important ingredients in a healthy morning routine. This is the fuel that will kick start your day, the very substance that will urge positivity to build from your belly, jump starting your metabolism and giving you that energy you so desperately want. Of course, in order to get the most out of this, you’ll want to have something healthy but long-lasting, which is why you should mix fresh fruit with something like muesli, adding a splash of yoghurt and honey into the mix because, well, why wouldn’t you? It is delicious and a surefire way to stop you from always feeling hungry. Oh, and by eating brekky every day, your body won’t feel such a need to hang onto your fat deposits, which means your metabolism is way better too.

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Stretch It Out Now

If you are worried that a morning routine will mean you have to get up a ton of minutes (possibly even hours) earlier than you are used to, then you can safely eradicate that thought now. Even just the addition of a stretching routine can be done and dusted within five minutes. What this does, though, is wake up your muscles and prepare them for the big day you have ahead. Try not to just stick with one stretching routine and use that every morning, however. Instead, try and listen to what your body is saying and tweak your stretches to meet your body’s wants and needs. That will give it a much more beneficial role in your day.

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Always Talk To Someone

It doesn’t matter whether you talk to your gorgeous partner or your housemates, or whether you pick up the phone and call your mum or your best friend, talking is a great addition to anyone’s morning routine. This is because human contact can seriously alleviate any feelings of stress or anxiety, two things that are awesome at ruining your day. The reason this works is that, when we talk to people, serotonin gets released into our body’s and that whips stress’ butt while also boosting your creativity, positive energy and just plain awesomeness.

 

 

 

Routine Maintenance: Caring For Elderly Family Members

No one likes the idea of their parents, grandparents, or other elderly relatives having issues in their later life. Instead, you want to protect these people, giving them the best possible chance at a good life, without taking away any of the joy they used to have. This sort of challenge can be a hard one, as most people are busy enough looking after themselves, let alone having the time to care for someone else. To help you out with this area, this post will be going through some of the key considerations you should be making. Along with this, it will also be helping you to achieve this goal for your own loved ones.

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When something goes wrong with someone’s body, it can often be hard for them to admit that there is an issue. As people notice more and more issues, as they usually do into their later life, it can be hard to be vocal about them, and a lot of elderly people will simply suffer in silence. The best way to combat this issue is through monitoring. You should always be looking out for differences in mood and behavior, as well as the way that they move. If you suspect a problem, they should get medical help as soon as possible.

Once you have started to monitor your loved ones, you can consider the ways that they will be cared for. In most cases, it’s best to avoid giving intimate care to someone you’re very close to. Taking this work into your own hands will hurt the memories you have of them, as you will see them in a very vulnerable and undignified state. To take this sort of work out of your hands, loads of companies have been started in recent years which can handle this care for you. 

A lot of elderly people have to spend their mornings and evening popping pills to make sure all of the chemicals in their body have the right balance. From treatments which help with blood pressure, to ones which fight much more serious conditions, this medication is very important. To avoid any mistakes with this, an aged care medication company can deliver all of the treatments required, as and when they’re needed. This makes it a lot easier to keep on top of the medicines your loved one takes, while also ensuring the right options are used.

As you get older, having to rely on care from others and support in most aspects of your life can be very depressing. Just imagine becoming a child again, losing a lot of the abilities you once had and having to go back to being looked after. Of course, though, elderly people are adults, not children, making this a hard pill to swallow for most. All of the work you do for your loved ones should be to try and maintain as much of their independence as possible. For example, even if it might be easier for you to do all of the food shopping on your own, taking them with you will give your relative the chance to make their own choices.

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Hopefully, this post will arm you with everything you need to start making your loved one’s lives as comfortable as possible. During this time in their life, it’s very easy for someone to lose a lot of the things they once loved. This is a shame, though, as it doesn’t have to be the case. Instead, you just need to start working harder to help them.

Why Sobriety Feels Better Than Anything

Becoming an addict can be much more of a slippery slope than we ever thought. If you enjoy an experience, your brain will be hooked on it from that first time and want to experience it again and again. Battling against this can feel like a hopeless cause, but recovery has so many more benefits than just improving your physical health. So with that in mind, why is choosing to stay or become sober a better idea than the alternative?

 

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Being in rehab is supportive

When it comes to both having an addiction and coming out of one, it can be awfully lonely. By choosing recovery, we place ourselves back onto the path for support and friendliness. Going to a rehab center such as The Recovery Village is one of the best ways to stay sober and feel good about it as you’ll be surrounded by specialist care and like minded people who understand what you’re going through. You’ll never be alone in your suffering, and you’ll get out of it faster than you would without any aid.

There’s no chance of withdrawal symptoms

This is a huge benefit for both your physical and mental health. For example, if you’ve been on prescription drugs for the past 10 years, getting off them is a complete drain on your mental health for both your state of mind and chemical balancing. But if you’re sober, there’s no possibility of going through withdrawal symptoms for the first time again. Relapses can and will happen, but they’re often minor and can be gotten over quickly. The longer you stay sober the less likely you are to relapse and the years get easier and easier.

Your relationships will be deeper than ever before

Hanging around other people who have an addiction like yours, whether it be gambling, smoking, or taking drugs, makes it a lot harder for you to break the habit. Peer pressure affects us all and is a form of bullying. Learning how to say no is a big step in anyone’s life. This can be made easier if you take the time for yourself and make a conscious decision on your own terms to give up something. Becoming sober and going through recovery gives you a chance to cut these kind of toxic actions out of your life and build up the good ones from the people who truly love you. What someone thinks of us can be all we focus on, so by removing the nasty perceptions, we can increase our self esteem levels and allow ourselves to be loved again.

We all like to casually partake in substances, like a few drinks at a party and a couple of pills when we have a headache. But for some, it’s a huge part of their reality. Knowing this, becoming sober is a big decision for a lot of us. However there is more understanding and support out there than you realise, so let yourself enjoy life again on your own terms.

 

Beat Boredom At Home

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Modern life is frantic, and we never seem to get enough time to ourselves. So, when we do, it’s imperative that we fill that time in a productive fashion. Sadly, that lack of familiarity means that those moments of relaxation often lead to immense boredom. It is undoubtedly one of the most frustrating things in the world.

If money is tight, you can’t just pop out to fill your time with expensive entertainment. Thankfully, there are plenty of cheap and cheerful ways to entertain yourself at home. Here are just five of the best.

Get Fit: Exercise releases endorphins, which will instantly start to make you feel positive about life in general. However, the results can also promote a better body image and increased self-confidence. Working out at home can include using DVDs, practicing yoga, and lifting weights. Either way, it’s cheaper and more enjoyable than the gym and is something you can do even when you only have a few minutes to spare. Perfect.

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Read A Book: Reading is a good way to pass the time, but it can help you achieve so much more. Titles like Spirit Flows Power Grows can help you become a more complete business person, which can accelerate your career. Books on cooking, gardening, and other daily activities can encourage you to develop key skills that will enhance your life. Above all else, you’ll have cured that boredom for a few hours while becoming a better person.

Do Some DIY: Instead of focusing on self-improvement, you could also upgrade the home. Tutorials can show you how to make light work better or how to build a simple garden deck. Alternatively, with the help of Viral Nova, you could transform old toys into useful items for your child’s bedroom. If putting a smile on their face doesn’t sound like a great way to beat the boredom blues, what does?

Discover New Shows: Television plays a huge part in our lives. It’s not only a form of entertainment, but it also provides a talking point for groups of friends and relatives. Our viewing habits have changed, though, and the internet now enables us to find great shows like Ouran Host Club at our leisure. Aside from the joys of binge watching your new find, there’s a great opportunity to share it with loved ones. In turn, it could be the new topic of conversation for weeks to come.

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Earn Money: Life is essentially split up into three elements – sleep, leisure, and work. So, if you can’t fill your free time with fun, why not start earning a little extra money? This can be achieved in a variety of ways, which include completing surveys and signing up to sites like People Per Hour. Anything you earn is a bonus and can be used to fight future bouts of boredom too. If nothing else, reducing financial stress is sure to bring positive to your world.

So, there we go. Five cheap and easy ways to cure the boredom without even leaving the home. Wasting time never needs to a problem again.

 

 

How To Have A Happy Retirement

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Retirement has come at last, but you might not be thinking that everything is plain sailing from here. Whilst there are things to sort out now that you’re out of work, the important thing is focusing on relaxing and enjoying life from here on out. The following points might help you with sorting out the boring side of things so that you can move on quickly towards enjoying the more exciting side of life.

Sort our your living situation.

This is the second thing you’ll need to think about now that you’re retired. Perhaps your children are now adults and they’ve moved out of home. You and your partner, if you have one, might be looking to downsize from your current home. It might be time to move somewhere else. Perhaps a small cottage or a bungalow is more your thing. Of course, you might not want to live alone anymore, depending on your age. You might want to check out RiddleVillage.com if you want to look into options for retired living. There’s more out there than the standard care home; you could be part of a village community which encourages independent living with your peers.

There would be the added benefit of care and help on hand, no matter which kind of retired living community you chose to explore. Of course, it all depends at which stage you’re at in your life. You might have just retired, but perhaps you’re still happy living at home with your partner or your family. This is more something you might have to plan for the future, but it doesn’t hurt to get these things in order. As mentioned in the last point, regarding finances, it’s better to have these things set way in advance. An article over at usatoday.com explains that staying social is the key to happiness in retirement, so if you’re not finding that in a living community then you might want to find it elsewhere. The final point discusses this further.

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Sort out your happiness.

It’s hard to be happy all the time as you get older, and you might find it difficult to deal with the lack of things to do once you retire. It’s important to find hobbies and ways of staying active. Join groups of likeminded people; that might mean volunteering, but it’s all to do with how you want to spend your time. Much like when you were young, being happy is a state of mind, and it’s something that has to be pursued.

One of our articles sums it up perfectly by stating that you need to still find the time to be active, whatever your age. That might just mean going on a leisurely walk around your local park with a family member, rather than heading off on a strenuous run. You need to keep your mind and body active because the mental effects of exercise, whatever your age, are huge. Of course, cardio is also great for your heart and it might help alleviate aches, pains, or stiffness which might be stemming from inactivity.

 

Throwing The World’s Best Bachelorette Party

Whether you’re a bridesmaid or the maid of honor, we all know that the most important part of any wedding is what happens before the wedding: the bachelorette party. Much like bachelor parties, the bachelorette party is meant to be a wild and unforgettable night that marks the transition from one era of life into another. It doesn’t have to be risque, of course (but it definitely can be, depending on the requests of the bride-to-be). Still, there are a million different ways to throw a brilliant bachelorette party. If your goal is to throw the best the world has ever seen, however, then here are some tips to help you get started.

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Budget.

This is the boring part. You just want to plan all the fun parts of the party, and that’s understandable, but, as suggested at bridebox.com, you first need to have a budget to work with. The bride and groom might have set aside some money for this, but it’s just important that you know how much you have to spare before you get to work on planning the big do. After you have a rough figure, you need to make a list of things you want for the party and how much it’ll all cost. You just need to know that you can afford everything you want. Of course, if you’re not sure what you want for the party yet then here are some ideas…

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Venue.

The venue is obviously one of the most important aspects of the party. Maybe you’ll be throwing a crazy event in somebody’s garden, maybe you’ll all be heading to your local club, or maybe you’ll be jetting off to another country. Wherever you choose to go, it’s important that you know your friend, as explained over at huffingtonpost.com. You want to surprise them, but it’s important that you know the surprise is something they’ll love. Perhaps a lot of the other bridesmaids want to go to a club, but if you know a beautiful city that your friend has always wanted to visit then that’s where you should go.

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Stay safe.

Drink to your heart’s content, but make sure that you have a safety net in place so that all of you have a good time. As suggested over at bridalguide.com, you could arrange a limo or some other ride if you’re all going to be drinking. Perhaps one of you will designate themselves as the driver and the sober, caring friend of the evening, but there are other ways to make sure everybody gets home safe; you could pay the driver to come and pick you up from the same club later on in the evening, for example.

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Entertainment.

We saved the best for last. You need some entertainment for the evening if you want to put together a truly special bachelorette party. Let’s get the “normal” suggestions out of the way, first of all. You could hire a live band to perform a show. Dancing the night away whilst you’re a little bit worse for wear is always fun, of course, but there are always other options for music if you’d rather go a little more wild in terms of entertaining the bride-to-be. There are shows around the country from HunksTheShow.com if you’re interested in a real “hunk” putting on a performance for you and the other ladies. Let’s be honest; that’s the way everybody really wants to be entertained on such a crazy night.

Still, the most important thing, whatever you do for this party, is that it’s all done in the interests of the bachelorette. You need to think about what she likes and build a party designed to be her perfect night, so don’t make plans around what everyone attending the party wants to see or do. This is your friend’s last night of “freedom”, so make it count.

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