Shocked at council spending

l am appalled after reading in the messenger at the amount of money Trafford councillors have invested into property.

Not only that but making loans of millions of our council tax money to one of the biggest and richest private property owners in the country Bruntwood.

Not to worry !!!

The poor council can not clean out the clogged up gullies, repair the potholes, and regarding the parks, Well they are a total disgrace.But the poor council have no money for all those trivial irritable tasks

Our bins are not been collected . Why should they ??

The money spent on those stupid tasks would greatly eat up Amey's profits

And we cant have that.

What a shambles

Tom Fleming, Sale

Let good habits support health

Are you determined to improve your health and your life? Good habits are often crucial to your resolve's good outcome.

Losing weight, becoming fitter, achieving more success and being motivated to do well at work or to make new friends; all require effort to continue beyond the first few days.

Let good habits support your good health

The first thing is that your habits must have real resonance for you.

If you're not especially bothered about being slimmer, fitter or more successful, then that lack of enthusiasm won't sustain you through cold dark evenings or on the tough days when your will power starts to waver.

Set small steps towards your bigger goals, rather than becoming overwhelmed.

Recognise each milestone you achieve; praise yourself for enrolling in that class, not eating that cake, declining that alcoholic drink. Each decision takes you nearer to success.

Being accountable can be a great motivator.

Exchanging tips, advice and motivational stories, perhaps in a group, can really help on tired, unenthusiastic days.

And if we know our attendance matters for the group to survive it can inspire us to keep going.

Being a group member, even online, can encourage us to stay with good habits.

The downside though is if one or two members lose their enthusiasm that can demotivate the rest.

Sometimes paying money upfront to join a club or gym pushes people to go regularly, whilst there are others who lose interest and still only go a couple of times.

Be aware of your own vulnerable areas and put steps in place to mitigate them.

So, for example, if you know that you find reasons to justify stopping at the petrol station, off licence or supermarket every day, where you then 'accidentally' buy chocolate, wine, cigarettes or scratch cards, intercept those times and don't go.

Instead, shop online or make a list and shop once a week. Don't put yourself in temptation's way.Paying a professional coach or therapist may be worth considering if there are specific issues which are holding you back which need to be addressed.

Regular sessions should help you move on, introduce a positive mindset, manage stress and determine to treat yourself better.

Be gentle with yourself. It can take 2-6 months until a new habit becomes your automatic default.

If you experience slip ups, bad days and 'can't be bothered's be kind to yourself and let them go. Remind yourself of your good reasons and start again.

Susan Leigh, Altrincham, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor

What message for youth?

This week MPs have voted against both protecting the rights of unaccompanied child refugees to be reunited with their families in the UK and also continuing full membership of the Erasmus+ education and youth programme.

What sort of message does this send to young people? Is this really the sort of future that anyone voted for December?

David Philpott