21/02/2015

Sisters

   

Hello lovelies,

Now a sentimental post is not one I do very often, but I want to do one today. For the past two days I have spent visiting my sister in Birmingham and I have to say I have loved every minute of it. I don't get to see my sister or brother in law that much as they live far away and I just don't get that much time now I have a job (saying that when I didn't have a job I didn't visit them as much as I could have or should have, if you're reading this then I'm sorry). 

But these past few days have been fun, we've had chats, watched tv (mainly eastenders) and laughed a lot. Today we are making home made bread, cakes, gingerbread cookies, shepards pie and sausage casserole. I love it, part of me don't want to leave, but I know I have to as I have work on Monday (half term goes too quick).


Now in the past my sister and I fought like cat and dog (like most sisters I suppose). However, now we have both grown up we seem to have a stronger bond. For starters she says "I love you" without cringing now and hugs me, which was very rare when we were growing up. We don't have fist fights like we used, which resulted in me crying my eyes out to a point where I felt like being sick and couldn't breathe. I love my sister and I'm not ashamed to say it, I would do anything for her. If anyone hurt her I would hurt them ten times worse. I hate seeing her cry and I hate feeling useless when she cries. I love our heart to heart chats and when we act silly together (feel sorry for my brother in law when that happens). 


My sister is so supportive of things I do and she gives amazing advice on everything from clothes, make up, cooking to boys. I don't know what I would do without her. When she went to uni I cried my eyes out, when she graduated uni I cried my eyes out watching the ceremony, when she got married I cried my eyes out in front of everyone when I was reading a poem. No doubt when I go home on Sunday I will be crying my eyes out, but like Marilyn Monroe said "sisters make the best friends in the world." And to me that's true, my sister may not see me as her best friend and that's ok. But she is my best friend, she was there for me from the start and she will be there for me at the end and I love her for everything she has done for me and taught me over the 28 years of my life.

Lou if you're reading this you're probably thinking soppy cow, and you're right I am, but I don't tell you enough just how much you have influenced my life, yes I have liked most things you've liked, but that's only because I have wanted to be like you. I wanted to match your grades in school and at uni, I know it sounds silly, but to me you are a great role model and you are who I looked up to when we were growing up. I don't to tell you that enough just like I don't tell you I love you as much as I should.

 To all you girls and boys who have sister or brothers or both, tell them as much as you can how much you love them, because one day you might not be able to. For now I am lucky I still have mine, but I know one day I won't have her, that day nearly happened a few years ago when we fell out and didn't talk to each other for months. I was so upset I kept saying to my mum I've lost my sister and I don't know what to do. But anyways I'm going to cry if I carry on.

Have any of you felt like your siblings are your best friend?


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17/02/2015

Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed.


Hello my lovelies,

This is a post that's been sitting in my drafts for months, I've left it until now as I didn't want to be posting the same thing as everyone else. Doing this post now, I feel gets this product back into people's heads...hopefully.

Now typically I avoid self heating products - they usually send me into a state of panic, I fear that they do more harm than good and yet here I am with oddly only good things to say about Soap and Glory No Clogs Super Self Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask.

It does seem that a few products have underwent a make over in the last year or so and Soap and Glory No Clogs Super Self Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask is no different. Gone is the metallic packaging and sponge that was included in the past and in is a much sleeker white outer. By doing so the products feel more grown up and sophisticate and from what I have read the sponge from the past won't be all that missed. 

The Soap and Glory No Clogs Super Self Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask is a gritty (to me it feels like oatmeal) exfoliating yet deep cleansing weekly facial mask. The concept is that you apply it to the face once a week to melt away even the deepest grime trapped in the pores, help heal blemishes as well as excess oil and of course leave the skin feeling softer than soft. 

As someone with problematic skin I sucked it up and applied the self heating formula which admittedly I was a little pensive about doing so - the concept is that you apply a grape sized blob to the skin and scrub the face until the mask turns blue and of course heats up. Oddly the heating sensation which is provided using hot clay is quite pleasant, it warms gently but didn't not tingle nor leave my skin uncomfortable. Once you have done that you leave the mixture on your face for up to 10 minutes before rinsing clean. 

For me the mask did leave my skin feeling beyond soft with a slight glow, I have to stop myself from touching and stroking my face after application which is all down to the combination of micro pumice and glycerine for added moisture. However I can't say that it did anything at all for my blemishes, clogged pores or excess oil. If you are looking for a a great weekly exfoliating mask then I do recommend this 100% but for other skin concerns I am afraid the search continues.
Soap and Glory No Clogs Super Self Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask £11.50/100ml via Boots - link 
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16/02/2015

Everything cosmetics

Hello my lovelies,

Just a quick post to say I am part of the everything cosmetics team. When you're a member you get to try products and all you have to do is review them. Now I haven't received any yet as I've only just signed up. But I'm looking forward to receiving the first products. I'll keep you posted.

<a href="http://www.everythingcosmetic.co.uk"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.everythingcosmetic.co.uk/badges/productreviewteam.png">
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15/02/2015

How to Deal With Stress


Hello lovelies 

If you’re anything like me, and take on too much, are a real perfectionist and always striving to do your best, and then more of it, then no doubt (like me) you also suffer with stress. Whether that’s just an instant short lived feeling of stress as a result of a high pressure situation, or longer term stress from an unhealthy work life balance, resulting in migraines, IBS and general unhealthy wellbeing. Stress in my opinion, is something we should all avoid in our lives, it’s often hard given the pressures we have upon us from all areas of our lives (work, friends, commitments etc) but is something that can be managed, eased and aided with just a little bit of love and attention! 

It’s often something that isn’t easy to ‘kick’ when you’re in the midst of a stressful episode, it’s often hard to see the wood through the trees, but I have a few easy ways to try and help you de-stress during these times, but also in the longer term can help create a better work life balance if practiced daily and therefore help you deal with stressful situations in a far better manner, to avoid stress in the first place. If you’re in a positive mind frame, then it’s proven to help you deal with difficult situations more easily.

. TAKE A MOMENT OUT .

The easiest, and probably most obvious way of easing stress, particularly if you are in an a stressful moment is to simply take a moment out. This is extremely hard if your stress is due to work pressures or deadlines, like I said it’s hard to see the wood through the trees, but there’s no point or use in forcing yourself to keep going when your body is struggling with the pressure. Whether it’s taking a moment to grab a cup of tea (builders if you need comfort, Camomile if you need relaxing, Green Tea if you need energising & a kick start), taking a short walk at lunch time to get some air and clear your mind, or even trying to squeeze in a routine break like a lunch time yoga class. You may feel you don’t have time, but actually getting yourself mentally into a better place will only mean your more productive with the work you’re doing.

Another thing you can do, by taking a moment out, is to just take yourself away from the stressful situation and spend 20 minutes just clearing your head & jotting down in a note pad all the things on your mind, the key things causing pressure or the issues which are making you anxious. I do this an awful lot, lists are the best way of getting all the crap out of your head, and then into a list where you can shuffle things around and give yourself a clear plan of action of what needs tackling first. Taking a moment out to look at the bigger picture, create a little to do list, can really help make a whole load of ‘things’ feel more manageable..HIT THE GYM.

This tip is something I only wish I would listen to myself, as I know from experience how much it can help. Doing exercise, whether that be a 20 minute jog, a 45 minute yoga class or a serious hardcore gym session helps unbelievably with stress, not only helping clear your mind, but also helping destress and relax muscles, boosting your health, mental health & immune system, and of course giving you that ‘good feeling’ that going to the gym gives you. It’s not an easy thing to squeeze in if you have an exceedingly demanding schedule, but actually it’s something that in the long run will just reap tons of rewards and make stress a non-issue. 

. ME TIME .

It’s very easy when you get home from work to then cook your dinner and then allow yourself time to actually unwind, relax and de-stress after a hard days work (Particularly as this is also when I need to write my blog too). But it’s one of the most important times to try and give yourself some time, to shut off work, spend some time doing the things that make you happy & generally giving yourself a little TLC. Just like you would a meeting at work, a couple of evenings a week, schedule an evening in, where you can cook yourself a lovely healthy meal from scratch, take a long and relaxing bath, snuggle up on the sofa with a book, and while away the evening escaping into another land (ideally some kind of chic lit to actually help you chill out). This for me is something I don’t do often enough, but when I do, I instantly go to bed feeling like a weight is off my shoulders. My favourite routine would be bath (nice bath bomb and good hair wash), pyjamas (heated on a radiator first), hot water bottle & cup of tea, and then the evening spent snuggled on the sofa with a book & the fire on. Even if it’s just 2 hours, that ‘me time’ will give you the chance to recoup, relax & get your head back in the zone!

Another very easy way of taking some ‘me time’ especially if you live in a city where you commute to work by train or bus etc, is to use that journey to do something that you enjoy – read a book, listen to your favourite album, even meditate. 40 minutes of travel each way, each day, is quite a lot of time to play with!

. SEE PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOU HAPPY .

Just like the gym and me time, often when we’re stressed or busy we can forget to take time to ourselves to see our loved ones, have an evening with friends, or generally just spend time having fun and not worrying, working and stressing. If you think about the things that make you most happy, I’ve no doubt that your friends, family, boyfriend etc play a big part in all your favourite memories & happy times. So it’s only obvious that when you’re needing a little break or suffering through a stressful period, that seeing your friends will help lift your mood, take your mind off work & generally leave you with a smile on yourself. It’s so easy to not have time to see loved ones, but make time, it’s important. Whether that be a quick coffee at lunch time, dinner after work, a weekend back home with your family or friends, or even a simple phone call when you just need a little reassurance or support. My mum and sister are always on the end of the phone, knowing when work is bringing me down, and wearing me out, always sending me little messages of reassurance, support, telling me how well I'm doing. These little touches can instantly ease my stress, bring me back down & make things feel a lot more manageable.

Plus of course there’s nothing like going home to your family for a weekend if you really want some time out of the big smoke to unwind! It’s like a little sanctuary for me!

. HOLIDAY .

This is my number one trick for stress fighting. Holidays. Yes they cost money, yes they require time, and yes they take organisation, but by god don’t they combat stress. Holidays are not only a great way to actually get away from work & life demands, but also the perfect opportunity to spend a week or two taking care of yourself, with people you love & having FUN! Money can of course be a big factor in restricting people from taking holiday’s but when money is tight, staycations, camping, a little eurostar escape & an AirBNB stay can be really great ways of ensuring you get some time out, but without breaking the bank. Even taking a week off work, and staying home spending time just relaxing, taking walks, seeing friends, visiting the cinema etc. It doesn’t always have to be fancy vacations, just dedicated time off is what you need. The other great thing about holidays are that they give you something to look forward to, something to focus on and work towards! Without being too dramatic, HOPE. And those positive thoughts are another very simple little way of combating stress and negativity!

So there you have it, my 5 tips for helping to combat stress, some being simple things you can easily do right now (take a coffee break, write a to do list, phone your mum), others are bigger things which require more of a shift in lifestyle (sign up to a yoga class, plan an evening in, book a holiday). But regardless of which ones you are able to do, even the smallest of things can help to make a significant impact on your stress levels.

How do you combat stress?

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How To Tick Off Your To Do List


Hello lovelies,

As a Career girl it’s important to know how to schedule. Scheduling means planning your activities so that you can achieve your goals and priorities in the time you have available. When it’s done effectively, it helps you to understand what you realistically achieve with your time and make sure you have enough time for essential tasks.

So how to start start?
Before we can start, you should know how much time you’re spending on your activities right now. Take your smartphone and clock how much time is used and wasted for each task. Facebook & Instagram is not being productive ladies. Start with scheduling every beginning of the week. You can even do this at the beginning of the month and make a more detailed version weekly. I know there are different websites and apps around there, which are great. But sometimes I still love to use a pen and notebook.
Next what medium are we using?
A notebook and pen or software and apps like Google Calender or Wunderlist(my personal favourite). It all depends on your personal preferences. The most important thing when choosing your planner is that it lets you enter data easily, and allows you to view an appropriate span of time (day/week/month) in the level of detail that you need. Once you have decided which tool you want to use, prepare your schedule in the following way:
#1 – What to do?
Make a list of everything that needs to be done this week. Make your to-do’s specific actions as if your instructing a personal assistant on her first day on the job as to what you need done. Include as much information as possible and make sure you put items on the list that you’re definitely doing.
#2 – How much time
Fill in how much time it will take to do each tasks. Our to-do list should be short, to-the-point commitments that involve no more deciding as to whether you’re actually serious about doing them.
#3 – Prioritize
Prioritize your tasks in order. Schedule in high-priority and urgent activities, as well as essential maintenance tasks that cannot be delegated or avoided. Schedule your time with understanding when you are most energetic and when you are not. It may seem silly to assign a numbers or letter to your tasks, and you shouldn’t think of these as mega important, but giving each task a simple 1-4 when you create it makes your to-do list organize itself. That way, when you get to work and look at your to-do list, you don’t need to think about what to do first—you just start at the top of the list and start working your way down.
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Tips on being a successful person.


Hello lovelies,

A successful young woman is self-confident, knows what she has to offer and is willing to take risks. She knows her downsides, but knows how to work around them to reach her goals. I hope these tips are just as helpful to you and they have been for me, they have helped me get on the career path I want.

What’s is the secret to effectively being on top? 
#1 – Make clear goals
What are your long-term goals and what are your short-term goals? Make a plan on how you’re going to achieve these goals. A life without dreamy goals is like trying to walk to the other side of the country without a map, or realistic road directions. If you have a road map, you’ll be less likely to become derailed. Decide where you want to be five, 10, and 15 years from now.
#2 – Believe in Yourself
Make sure you believe in yourself. It’s important to be focused. Of course, there will be many bumps along the way, but don’t get distracted by the zigzags on the road. Vision and passion are very clear; if you believe in something, other people will too. Be true to yourself and don’t let anyone else steer you away from the right path and stop you from achieving your goals. You are amazing and you can do this!
#3 -Respect others
Be kind and generous so that people will be kind towards you. Make a habit of saying please and thank you.
#4 -Be dedicated & organised
Dedicated persistence is above all else. Even though you need refreshing and rest, keep first order priorities first. It is important to maintain some sort of order in your work life. One of the most important things I do to keep myself organised is making ‘to-do’ lists for every day of the week: with all the things that I need to have done at the end of the day. A great app for this is Wunderlist.
#5 – Say No
Know how to say no. We know how to say yes, but we don’t know how to say no, and we often go down a rabbit hole of excuses, especially if it’s something we don’t want to do. Say no with grace and authority.
Do you have a career plan, what goals do you want to achieve? Let us know!
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Tips for Getting a Goodnights Sleep



Hello my lovelies,

Lately I have been really struggling on the sleep front which means getting through the day without any drama can be quite tricky. If I am tired I get stressed out and emotional, and I end up taking things personally, things that if I was firing on all cylinders I would take in my stride. I am not the sort of person who survive on six hours kip a night, in fact ideally I could do with ten but realistically I will settle for eight! When I go through stages like this, of not be able to drop off easily I follow these tips and they always help me nod off more easily.

Switch off - I have a full time job which means I have to do most of my blogging in the evenings and sometimes I can be in on my laptop as late as 10pm finishing off a post for the next day, when this happens I find that my brain just can't switch off, especially as I spend all day at work in front of a computer. I have found by simply having a technology ban from 8pm onwards I sleep a lot better. I try and read a book instead of looking at any kind of screen. 

Buy an alarm clock - I have always used my phone as my alarm clock but I find that if it is next to my bed I get tempted to look at it and see if there is anything happening in the world of social media. Therefore I have a bought a separate alarm clock so I can keep my phone somewhere else in the house at night and not have that temptation to check my Twitter account! 

Have a cup of milk - or any other hot drink such as Camomile tea. I swear by a cup of Camomile tea and maybe a cheeky spoonful of sugar. I don't know what it is, but it almost instantly makes me feel a bit sleepy. You could try adding some honey to it, or maybe even a hot chocolate would also work. I think anything warm and soothing that doesn't have caffeine will do the trick!

Put some Lavender oil on your pillow - Lavender has long been considered a useful aid for getting some sleep and I have been a fan ever since I was a little girl and my mum would put a few tiny drops of oil on my pillow.

Create a bedtime routine - I would say this is the most important thing you can do to help you get to sleep quickly every night. An hour before bed create a routine and make sure you stick to every night so that your body knows it is time for bed. This includes making sure you go to bed at the same time each night. It sounds obvious but it is something I am often guilty of not following!

So there we have it! Just a few tips that I use to help you get to sleep more easily. What tips do you have? Let me now in the comments section below!


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Migraines

                           

Hello my lovelies, 

 I haven't really written a post like this before, but it's something that is really affecting me at the moment and I'd love to speak to some fellow sufferers to talk triggers and fixes! 

I've suffered with migraines since I was about little and if you've never experienced a migraine before let me tell you it's hell. They were so bad that I used to cry in the bathroom so that my parents didn't hear, but they always managed to. Must have been the parental radar they have. I also couldn't stand light or sound, so I had to stay in my room (it had blackout curtains), but I also used eye masks and sometimes I wore ear plugs to block out sound. 

Everyones experiences are different, but the worse part is the aura that comes. This includes a throbbing in my neck, my vision then starts to blur and I can't focus on anything. I also feel sick and don't want to eat anything, which when you have a headache isn't a good idea. Along with the thumping head ache it really is the worst illness I've ever experienced. Unless I'm at home and I can go straight to bed, I start to panic as I know I will eventually burst into tears as it hurts too much.

Once I'd reached my teens my migraines seemed to subside as I was diagnosed with Epilepsy. It's weird over my teenage years and early twenties I never got the migraines only bad headaches, but recently the migraines have been coming back. Not so bad that they cause me to cry, but light and sound I still have trouble with also feeling sick. I tend to just say to my parents I have a really bad headache, sometimes I go to bed with a headache and I wake up with one as well. I don't know what causes them, but I've been having trouble sleeping and have had some stress due to my new job so this is the only thing I can think of. 

I haven't really found anything that helps. I picked up some Paracetamol migraine tablets, but I only used these the following day in case another started. I also like the cooling pads you stick to your forehead and I find these do help. I plan on buying a stick that does the same thing and have heard they are brilliant. I think the real test will come when I feel one coming on next time to see if these two options stop the migraine. 

If you've never experienced a migraine, you'll think I'm a being a little melodramatic when I say these attacks really are affecting my life at the moment. I am miserable and I have to really force myself to go into work if I've woken up with one, if I get one during the day I have to make do as I don't want to go home as I will feel like I'm letting them down. As I said if you haven't suffered with a migraine you won't know how horrendous they are! If you have suffered with migraines PLEASE let me know if you've found a cure that works for you! 

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Tips For Staying Focused!



Hello my lovelies,

The tips and tricks type posts are often a hit or miss in the blogging community. I know for some people they say that there are no real tips as everyone has different ways of doing things and blogging is just a bit of fun, and I do agree with that but personally I do like reading these types of posts as you do end up learning something new and it's nice to see what works for other people. I'm always looking for ways to improve my blog and to try out new things. I try to make my tips posts unique from everyone else's and include ones that you might not have necessarily read before because I know they are pretty self explanatory.

Listen to music
I'd say the majority of my posts have been typed to Taylor Swift or even New Kids on the Block ( for you younger generation they were the 1D of the late 80s and early 90s). I've always been one of them people who can't sit in complete silence revising, typing, or even when I'm sitting on the sofa on the laptop I'll still have the TV on catching up with the latest episode of Blue Bloods, Crisis, The Blacklist, Supernatural or any other shows I'm watching, but have missed. Surely I can't be the only one? I just find it helps the flow of the post which might sound absolutely crazy, but I find it works really well. Whenever you can't focus on a post or find it hard to think of words to say (bloggers, we all know this problem), pop on a bit of music and allow the post to flow ;)

Use Bloglovin for Inspiration
We all have them days where we can't focus on our blog or have no motivation or inspiration what's so ever. Why not have a look on the top posts on Bloglovin to see what sort of posts people are loving at the minute? You might even find some inspiration and come up with a post idea. It's also nice to see what's up and coming at the minute and what type of posts people are interested in.

Download Blogger App
I highly recommend downloading the Blogger app so whenever you are out and about and you get a sudden post idea, you can save the post or even start writing it up! I've typed up so many posts whilst I'm on the go and when I'm home I go back through it and type it out properly.

Save Title Of Posts On The Go
When I tweeted that I had something like 54 posts saved to my drafts - it's purely because of this one! Whenever I get a post idea, I always save the post title even if I don't have time to type the post, I know the idea is always there so I don't forget it.

Keep a to-do list | Use the Note section on your phone
Keeping a to-do list is one of the reasons how I actually get things done. The main thing is though - you need to be realistic and set reasonable tasks. Prioritise it and set realistic goals which then you are more likely going to achieve them. Allow yourself to have breaks in-between tasks too.

Avoid Distractions
Twitter and Instagram are my biggest distractions whilst blogging. Try putting your phone in a drawer or put the screen facing the table so nothing pops up and distracts you. Twitter is the ultimate deathly one - I even had to delete the app once because I became too obsessed which is very naughty!


I hope you managed to pick up a few tips to try - let me know if any of these work for you!

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Help Wanted!





Hello, me again. Wow twice in one day.

Looking at redesigning my blog. Anyone know of a good designer that isn't expensive, but really good at a complete blog design with blog button and grab code, social buttons etc?

Please leave suggestions in the comment box.

Thank you my lovelies 
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