And now for a little me time
MONTHLY CHALLENGE
Finding gratitude
by Lorna Gordon
It’ s easy to be negative, we all go through rough patches in our personal lives, work can be hard or difficult to find and most people are still feeling the financial pinch with the cost of living. Focusing on the negative in the long term can make you feel pretty awful and can be a difficult habit to get out of, because even when things are tough, there are always good things happening that can make you grateful to experience them. Gratitude isn’ t easy if you are only focused on the negative in your life, but with a little practice you can start to see the good experiences that happen daily. This will be your challenge this month.
Like exercise, practicing gratitude gets easier with time, but how can you get started? The simplest way is to think about three things you are grateful for each day, you can share them with your partner or family or write them in a journal if you want to keep track of them.
You don’ t have to focus on big events or experiences, it could be as straight forward as having a hot cup of tea or coffee on your walk to work to warm you up, a hug from your friend you haven’ t seen in a while, getting to pet a cute puppy on a walk or hearing your favourite song on the radio. All of these are examples of small boosts of happiness that you feel grateful to enjoy.
The magic happens
when you do this over time, it will shift your thinking away from the negative and help you to look for the positive in your life. Not only can it improve your mental outlook, but it can also help you feel better physically, lowering blood pressure, helping you sleep better, and boosting your immune system. By keeping up your gratitude practice you are helping to rewire your brain— bit by bit, day by day. Start small, be consistent, and soon you’ ll begin to notice more light than shadow in your life. Being grateful doesn’ t mean ignoring the hard stuff. It simply means choosing to see the good that still exists alongside it. Ready to take on the challenge? Begin today— and give yourself the gift of a happier, healthier outlook.
PODCASTS
Crime Junkie
by Lorna Gordon
If you’ ve ever found yourself deep in a late-night rabbit hole of unsolved mysteries, then Crime Junkie might just be your new true crime obsession. This weekly podcast, hosted by lifelong best friends Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, has captivated millions with its gripping storytelling and dedication to justice.
Ashley and Brit take listeners through haunting cases that range from high-profile serial killers to missing persons and chilling conspiracies. Each episode is a deep dive into the cases they can’ t stop thinking about told with empathy, clarity, and just enough suspense to keep you pressing play again and again.
Some standout episodes include the mysterious disappearance of Alissa Turney, the disturbing case of Israel Keyes, and the unsolved murder of Kelsie Schelling. The show doesn’ t just entertain, it encourages listeners to think critically, share stories, and even take action to help bring justice to the underrepresented.
With over 1.5 billion downloads and ranked # 1 on Apple Podcasts for two years running, Crime Junkie is more than just a podcast— it’ s a global community of curious minds committed to seeking the truth. Produced by the audiochuck network, the podcast consistently delivers powerful, well-researched content that resonates with true crime lovers everywhere.
Tune in weekly and become part of the Crime Junkie movement, and if the regular episodes aren’ t enough to keep you going, you can subscribe to members only content to get even more juicy information.
... MOVIE TICKET GIVEAWAY... MOVIE TICKET GIVEAWAY...
15 DOUBLE PASSES TO GIVEAWAY TO EACH MOVIE!
The Life of Chuck
Release Date: In Cinemas August 14 Duration: 110 minutes Classification: TBC | Censorship Advice: TBC
A life-affirming, genre-bending story based on Stephen King’ s novella about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz.
Written and directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Lauren LaVera, Karen Gillan, Matthew Lillard, Harvey Guillén, David Dastmalchian, Mia Sara, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Q’ orianka Kilcher, Jacob Tremblay
Bride Hard
Release Date: In Cinemas July 31 Duration: 105 minutes Classification: TBC | Censorship Advice: TBC
Never mix business with pleasure. For badass secret agent Sam( Rebel Wilson), that hasn’ t been difficult. But now she’ s tasked with one of the hardest missions yet – being maid of honour for her childhood best friend. Deep out of her comfort zone, Sam barely maintains her cover as a dependable friend even on the day of the extravagant wedding. And what’ s worse, the three bridesmaids are judging her every move. But when a team of mercenaries take the uber-wealthy wedding guests hostage, it’ s up to Sam to do what none of the other bridesmaids can – wage war on anyone who would ruin the most important day of her best friend’ s life.
We have 15 double passes to giveaway to each movie, to enter send us an email info @ hdinews. com. au and put the movie of choice in the subject line. Leave us your details – name, address and contact number and be in the draw to win. We will contact all winners via email or phone.
14 ISSUE 121 // JULY 2025 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT