When it comes to self-improvement, most people will put things off until the first of January, when they can make New Year’s Resolutions in a bid to better their lives. But this is just a form of procrastination. Why leave things for months at a time for the sake of conforming to a made-up deadline when you could literally kick your bad habits to the curb today? By the time New Year’s Day comes around, you could have completely eliminated a problematic set of behaviours to the curb and start a new project or venture. You’ll have been experiencing the health benefits of your new lifestyle for months already! So, stop dawdling and choose at least one area of your fitness or well being to start working on from today onward. For now, let’s focus on smoking, something that around one in every three adults take part in. I've recently kicked the habit myself, so I thought I'd share some tips and tricks to kicking the habit yourself.

QUIT SMOKING

Smoking is bad for you. There are no two ways about it, and we are all well aware of the consequences that come hand in hand with both pre-rolled cigarettes and self-rolled cigarettes alike.

Depending on our beliefs, religion and other factors, we have a different perspective on modern living. But what about ethical living? Over the years, the ethical lifestyle has been prodded at, joked about and portrayed in film and TV as something only “hippies” partake in. But what happens beyond the stereotype?

This week marks my 3 months milk free milestone, and I’m SO proud of myself. Although I eventually want to live a more plant based diet, the thought of going straight to an all vegan diet just didn’t sit well with me. I wanted to start cutting out unethical items slowly, replacing products one by one, and choosing dairy free milks has been a huge step for me (and my relationship with food). If you don’t agree with me, that’s totally okay, but I really don’t believe in the mistreatment, abuse, and murder of animals. Up until a few years ago, I was quite complacent in my want to eat meat – I even made fun of vegans, but now that I’m older, I see the harmful way that animals are treated by us, and how their slaughter can contribute to issues in our environment.

But are there other ways to live an ethical and modern lifestyle away from the vegan propaganda? What about lifestyle choices, clothing or interiors? Can we be ethical in all parts of our lives? I think it’s entirely possible!

ETHICAL CLOTHING

For many mass produced clothing stores (like Primark for example) their clothing is made in countries that exploit young workers. Their wages can sometimes equate to 10p an hour, which is so shocking and appalling that it makes sense to try ethical clothing when you can. Of course, Primark offer cheaper options, clothing wise, and not everyone can afford more pricey, ethical brands. Unfortunately it’s just the way in which the world works, but if you can afford something a little more ethical, then check out brands such as People Tree and Komodo, who offer fair trade organic clothing. Alternatively, why not try and make your own clothes, or make your own mark in the world and try your hand at Organic T Shirt Printing? Many inks can harm our environment, which is why printing with special ink that doesn’t contain toxins is a great way to help our environment.

ETHICAL HOMEWARE

Now, you may think that ethical homeware is hard to find, and you’d be right. Not only this, but a lot of items can be pricey. However, sites like Natural Collection and Nkuku offer some amazing statement pieces for your home that are ethical and part of the fair trade agreement.

Alternatively, there are other ways to embrace a more ethical way of living, and that’s by ensuring that your home runs efficiently. For example, choosing LED lighting over traditional light bulbs can save money on your monthly electrical bill, and takes a lesser toll on our environment. When I (eventually) have my own place, I’ll be installing a uk made roof lantern. Not only are they beautiful, but they let in natural light, can be triple glazed, and withstand some of the worst British weather.

VEGAN AND ETHICAL MAKE-UP BRANDS

There are so many Vegan make up brands on the scene at the moment, and it’s so good that there are many more embracing vegan formulas. Up until a few years ago, vegan and ethical make up products where pretty much unheard of, and I’m so glad that this is changing! Popular brands like Jeffree Star and Spectrum all offer beautiful vegan products. I’m currently in the process of switching out my brands for more vegan friendly formulas!

Now, obviously making an ethical change can be daunting, not to mention pricey, but small changes over time can make such a great impact!

Xo

When my parents go away on holiday I’m usually left alone in the house – and it scares the heck out of me. I have my dog with me, and he’s massive, but I still feel like I’ve done something that could go wrong. I’m not sure where this fear comes from…I mean, it could come from that time I burnt a hole in our kitchen counter with incense, but I digress. Here are some ways that you can feel safe in your own home.

FIRE PROTECTION

In our home, we have an open fire and a gas cooker. Now, it’s nice to look at, but the thought of leaving the fire on accidentally or leaving the stove on fills me with dread sometimes. I also light candles before bed and my palms will sweat until I blow them out! Now, there are fire protection systems you can buy to ensure your safety – and I can imagine I’ll buy a system when I have my own home. I know that I turn everything off, but if someone terrible happens, I know I’ll be prepared.

SET ALARMS

Now, you could also install an alarm in your home. We used to have to one, but our dog tends to set it off – so we leave it now and use him as our little deterrent. But alarms can be really helpful in putting your mind at ease. You can also set alarms on your phone to do a nightly check before you go to bed. Make sure that your doors and windows are shut – that your appliances are switched and that you have no candles burning.

INSTALL A HOME VIDEO

My friend recently experienced a break in, and I can’t even imagine how horrifying it must have been for her. Since the incident, she’s installed a home camera system. This monitors the home and gives you any notification if the camera detects movement. Now, as she has two cats, she gets a few notifications, but it’s quite cute because she can talk to them through the microphone! If you’re looking to invest in a home monitoring camera, take a look at the hive camera. I saw an advert for it the other day and it looks so good!

Xo

Now, I could blame this post on Say Yes to the Dress (which I’ve been watching a lot of lately) or I can be truthful. I super love weddings – I always have and I always will. And for those who remember the angry “I’ll never get married” Gina from Uni, you met a heartbroken little shit. The truth is, I love the idea of getting married. I have it all planned out in my head – to a certain extent. I know the kind of dress I want, the theme, the venue…It’s practically all sorted! Thanks to sites like Pinterest and Confetti, I have so many mood boards for my dream day – so I just wanted to create a little post all about it.

THE DRESS

I’m still adamant that Kate Middleton stole my dress idea, but her dress is my ideal wedding dress! I love long sleeves, lacey bodies and a high neckline. I really want my tattoos to poke through the lace but still look and feel classy. My all time fave is an Elle Saab dress I saw years ago, but to this day I can’t find a picture of it!

THE VENUE

Think barns, teepees and outdoor festoon lights. I’m actually going to a wedding next month with this theme, and I just know it’s going to be magical – especially if the weather is sunny and warm.

If I didn’t go for an outdoors theme, I would definitely want something quirky or weird – just because it’s who I am!

THE THEME 

I’ve touched on these subjects before, but I thought I’d finally write up a post about undiagnosed disorders. It can be hard, when you don’t have a diagnosis, to go about your life with an understanding of who you actually are as a person.

It has been a string of misdiagnosis after another with me. My IBS was shushed as a bad diet for a year, my Uveitis and Scleritis went undiagnosed for another year (I even knew what I had through Google before my doctors did) and my mental health/eating disorder has been continuously pushed aside since I started speaking up about it in University with my doctors.

My first real disconnect with the NHS came about when I first went to the Doctor about my depression and anxiety. I was in peak crisis with my eye, my skin condition had become unbearable, and my mental health really suffered. I broke down in my Doctors office, and I told him exactly how I was feeling, what I felt was wrong with me, and I asked for some advice. He replied that he was busy at the moment, but that I should come back next week. I felt so low that I thought about taking my own life that weekend.

Now, I know that the NHS is under a lot of pressure, and I don’t blame my Doctor for asking me to come back. When I did, he recommended some therapy services and placed me on Fluoxetine. I felt like I was going somewhere, but I don’t think that the issues I was experiencing where being addressed. Therapy would take 6 months to become available, and even then it came in the form of an online flash card service – which didn’t help me in the slightest.

Now, I’m lucky enough to be able to afford private therapy (I can’t recommend Karen enough by the way if you live in St Helens) but some people aren’t. Many have to wait for months on the NHS to speak to someone about their mental health, and when you experience issues such as gender dysphoria, this wait can become years.

I wanted to make this post because I know that there are so many people out there at the moment who suffer from undiagnosed issues, and I want them to know that they’re not alone. I’ve struggled with an undiagnosed eating disorder for years – and I don’t think I’ll ever find the tools through the NHS to get the diagnosis I need. But, I’m starting to accept that. I’m trying to learn in my own way just how I can overcome my binge eating, the purging and the controlled diet. It’s a long journey, one that I’ve only just found my feet on, but it’s important to know that you don’t need a diagnosis to beat your disorder. You are strong enough to do this by yourself, and tbh I super believe in you – even if you don’t.

Xo

I don’t know if you can tell, but my weight is a touchy subject. Sometimes, I don’t mind talking about it. But for the majority of the time, I like to keep things quiet. When it comes to losing weight, I always feel as though I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, I whole heartedly believe that we should all accept ourselves for who we are. I also believe that every body is beautiful, that no one should judge, and that we have all been socialized into this notion that being fat is one of the worst things for our body. Being a faux doctor online will not help me to address my eating, either, before you start. We all know that being obese isn’t healthy, but being skinny doesn’t mean you’re healthy either. BMI is a lie, and every body naturally sits at a normal weight for bone structure and height (I just wanted to get that out of the way).

For years I’ve struggled with my self identity. The last time I didn’t worry about my body, my weight, or my appearance was in year 8… 13 years ago. Since then, I’ve had mental health problems, undiagnosed eating disorders and a severely unhealthy relationship with food. All of the above has brought me here. I’m not at the heaviest weight I have ever been, that I reached last year at my lowest point, but I’m still obese.

Although my weight isn’t everything that affects my mental health, there is a significant part of me that believes it has a giant influence – which is why I’ve decided to start a weight loss series on my blog. I don’t want it to be a big thing, but somewhere I can write about my problems with food, how I’m doing, and note down some nice things that have been happening. I guess it’s more a cathartic thing, but if others want to read about my journey then that’s cool too!

I’ve recently started following Slimming World again, and so far so good. I lost my first stone on Slimming World, so going back to what I know will work is a step in the right direction for me. If you don’t know the premise of Slimming World, it works on the basis of “free food”, “healthy extras” and “syns”. Your free food consists of fruit, vegetables, meat, beans and pulses. As well as this, you can have as much pasta as you would like (heck yea). To go with this section of my blog, I’ve started a new weightloss Instagram. It’s not much, but I like having my diet/fitness separate from my main account (gotta keep that aesthetic ygm).

So, yeah, I thought I’d do a brief introduction to this section of my blog, what it means to me and what you can expect! I’m going to write monthly updates, about how I’m getting on, what’s influenced me, the recipes I’ve found, how I feel and more. I think it’ll be exciting to see how it goes and review everything. We’ll see, anyway. For daily updates etc you’re more than welcome to follow my new Instagram!

Xo

So as part of my ongoing collaboration with Love Drop, I've been asked to review their 2nd box to date! Not only this, but I want to talk about spicing it up away from the bedroom. When you associate sex with the bedroom only, you'll find that your sex life can become repetitive. Finding ways to be sexy outside of the bedroom (and sometimes outside of the house) can be a huge thrill, and can work wonders for your relationship. This months box actually encourages some "out of the bedroom" play, and you'll see why in a minute.

Xo

If you’re thinking of going freelance, the chances are that you will need to create a portfolio so that prospective clients can assess your work and potentially hire you. There are multiple ways to sell yourself alongside a portfolio, but if you’re a writer, photographer, make-up artist or designer, the right portfolio can make you stand out in a crowd.

CREATE AN ONLINE PORTFOLIO

This can be a standalone website that you make yourself via Wordpress, or via a dedicated service that allows you to showcase your work online.

MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF

One way to get yourself out there is the network. If you’re socially awkward like me, you’ll find that meeting people online is actually a better way of getting yourself out there. Create a Linkedin and Twitter/Social Media Account for your business/freelance work. Making friends with similar freelancers can also open you up to new opportunities.

MAKE A REAL LIFE PORTFOLIO FOR POTENTIAL CLIENTS

Although it can be a pain, making a real life portfolio is a great tool to utilize when you have meetings with clients. You can bring your portfolio for them to skim during the meeting, and gives them a focal point and evidence of your hard work. Choose from a colourful Printed Folder

CHASE OPPORTUNITIES

On Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter, you’ll find a range of opportunities for freelancers. Depending on your work – find groups that offer opportunities and take it from there. When it comes to blogging, there are tonnes of freelancing sites out there at the moment where you can earn money.

Xo

At the moment, it feels like I’m working 2 jobs. I have my Copywriting role with Pixus UK, which is full time, but I love adding content to this blog and getting it off the ground in my spare time as well.

It can be slightly overwhelming, but once I got myself organized, I found myself enjoying writing a bit more. I have big plans for this website, and I’m updating my theme this weekend which is exciting! Here’s how I organize myself to maximize my workload at work and at home with my blog:

PLAN YOUR WEEK

Every Sunday, I sit down and write out blog post ideas. I’ll then take a look at my schedule, and plan when to write blog posts for my website. On Thursdays, I usually see my personal trainer, and with driving lessons coming up, I’ll have to plan around them.

Knowing when to write your blog posts is essential to keeping up to date with your blog. If I didn’t plan my writing evenings, I’d probably never get anything done. When it comes to scheduling my posts, I’ll pick a time where my engagement is high. In general, these times are in the morning around 8.30 and 7 pm at night. As my peak engagement on social media is around 3 pm, I’ll also schedule social shares of my posts around that time using Hootsuite.

KEEP A BLOGGING JOURNAL

Although I have a journal for keeping me up to speed on my plans (dinner dates, seeing friends, therapy appointments etc), I also keep a journal solely for my blogging. In this, I’ll write my ideas, some update ideas for my categories and other notes about collaboration posts.

KEEP YOUR PORTFOLIO SIMPLE AND ACCESSIBLE

If you’re a freelancer, you may have a portfolio to showcase your work to potential clients. A custom printed folder is an amazing idea if you’re looking to impress, and looks great on a tidy desk. I have a small portfolio, both online and in a folder, which showcases my writing styles, the clients I have worked with in the past, and the niches I can cater to.

DON’T LET THE LOAD BURY YOU

It’s actually really easy to fall behind and stress yourself out about your workload. The main thing to do is not panic. Which is more easily said than done, but still. If you forget to meet a deadline, or you didn’t have time to write a post, go back to your blogging journal and see if you can make time in the coming days.

Xo

With the sun finally showing its face, I thought I’d write up a little post about growing your own veg! I started doing this last year, and I absolutely love the process. I think it’s super fulfilling to grow your own vegetables, and knowing what you’re putting into your diet can feel really wholesome in my opinion – also you feel like you’ve actually accomplished something other than building a mansion in the Sims 4…

HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES

What you want to grow will dictate the spot you cultivate your seeds in, the amount of light they need, and how much water they will need during their growth. As I’m still very much a beginner, I’ll talk about growing some starter veg: lettuce, tomatoes and courgettes. Ideally for these vegetables, you will need a space that allows for 15cm of soil underneath – so whether you’re growing in the garden or on your windowsill, accommodate for some depth in the soil. The soil you choose should ideally be compost, which can be pre-made or one that you make yourself.

Depending on your level of skill, you may also want to buy some equipment. Grow Genius Grow Tents are usually bought by specialist growers for herbs (more specifically the devil’s lettuce) but if you want to grow your vegetables indoors, or if you live in a flat with little light source, this could be a great option for you.

WATER & PRUNE REGULARLY

Watering and pruning can be the fine line between the life and death of your vegetables, especially if you’re growing them in a green house. Make sure than soil is always slight damp, and be careful not to overwater. You may find that with leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and courgettes, you will have to water little and often. If you’re growing your seedlings indoors before transferring them outside, lettuce leaves can usually be transferred when they have around 4 or 5 leaves starting to sprout.

With Tomato plants, you will need to ensure that smaller leaves and shoots are pruned once you have one or two branches that are beginning to sprout fruit.

HARVEST

Once your vegetables are ripe, you can start to harvest! Tomatos are ready to pick when they are round and red. Lettuces are usually ready to harvest when the leaves reach 4 inches long. If you cut the leaves, your lettuce will continue to grow leaves – however if you cut into the crown, your lettuce will more than likely die. Courgettes can be picked with they are around 10cm long.

Xo