5 benefits of starting yoga

I first tried yoga a few years ago. It didn’t end well. Despite the class being for beginnings, they didn’t cater to new starters. I told the instructor about problems I had – which was ignored, no alternatives given and I stopped when I was making thing worse.

I was too scared to try it again.

But I kept seeing it mentioned. Being an avid follower of Jenny in Neverland meant I couldn’t escape the positivity surrounding yoga.

When a flyer arrived introducing a new class to my local area, I figured it was time to try again.  I started last September. I haven’t looked back since.

My morning skin-care routine

I’m making a conscientious effort this year to take better care of myself. Starting by paying my skin some attention.

I’m an ‘all-or-nothing’ kind of girl. I’ll spend twenty minutes using everything I own. Or I’ll do nothing. As soon as my mood goes, skin-care is always right behind it. But having stopped a downward spiral a few times lately, I’ve also realised that feeling fresh, clean and hydrated is an effective way of snapping myself out of it. Not all the time, but it’s worth a try, right?

It’s time-consuming. True.

 But I need to stop that preventing me from doing it, even getting up a few minutes earlier to fit it in. My commute and working environment means my skin takes a painful hit each day – and it doesn’t take much for a break-out.

Having had a clear through of products, I’m making the point of writing up my routine. It then won’t look as daunting and, with any luck, I can persuade myself that it’s worth-while doing every morning, no excuses.

Beating the blues: staying inspired

Why is it when I reach a comfortable point in life, mental health raises its ugly head? I’ve been lethargic, unmotivated and feeling lazy recently – feelings I loathe.

We recently had an upheaval at home by having our staircase replaced. My parents were typically away for the crucial weekend where we could have been kicked out of the house. The impact would hit me. I wasn’t proud of how I reacted: anxiety went through the roof and I fell apart.

But even after that episode, I wasn’t in a great place. I came from work and sat on my bed, literally doing nothing, staring into space. I’m not sure if it was anxiety, depression or a combination of the two. I hated it.

Make-Up Haul!

I’ve developed an interest in make-up and skin care over the last six months. Unfortunately, I just had no idea what I was using or how to use it!

For my birthday, my parents bought me an awesome make-up mirror (it has lights around it!) and a make-up lesson. It taught me a lot (even if I still can’t do eye-liner) and helped me decide what to invest in.

I had weddings coming up, and wanted the confidence of creating my own look.

Here are some of the products I ended up buying:

Deary Diary: Positive Thinking

I haven’t written one of these since October. How things have changed!

Back then, I had only just started my job and was a couple of weeks into uni, wondering what I was doing and if I had made the right choice.

Now, I have been at my job for five months and have an essay, two presentations, an exam and a book proposal under my belt for uni. I’m frantically working towards my next set of deadlines right now.

I’ve been putting off writing this post until the last possible moment as I wanted it to be accurate. Things appear to be changing for me. During my holiday in January, I found something that had been missing for a long time.

Personal Post: Novel Progress

Ever since I was a small child, I have wanted to write for a living. It all started with a class story when I was back in reception, five years old and deciding on a path in life. For the most part of growing up, it wasn’t something anyone took seriously, least of all myself. I felt – and often still do – that no one believes in my writing enough to think I actually have the skill to turn around and say I’m an author.

Then I went to university and studied a writing degree. My dissertation involved digging out a novel that I had been working on for a few years. Suddenly, I had to write it properly. I had to know my characters, plan my plot and work out my pacing. Suddenly, for the first time ever, I felt like I could actually do this.

Five ways of Dealing With Deadlines

I am the type of person who likes to be organised. When it comes to blogging, I have everything planned and scheduled out. I then have a shock if I don’t have posts ready. I feel out of control and stressed if things aren’t where they should be when I need them to be.

Luckily with my job, I am not yet at a stage where I need to worry about these sorts of things. As long as I know I’ve worked hard through the day, it’s fine. But at university, it was a different story. I had two massive deadlines a year so had to make sure that multiple projects were all being worked on at a steady rate to ensure the best marks I could. On top of a part-time job and just general life, this meant being organised.

So how do I deal with deadlines?

5 Ways of Looking After Myself

I am notorious for not looking after myself. Considering I’ve had health issues over the last three years, that’s not exactly the best thing. I don’t seem to stick to routines when it comes to taking care of my body: from eating the right things to remembering to moisturise, I’m forever slipping up and regretting it.

I figured it was time to try and make myself do something about it. If I set myself rules, I won’t stick to them. But here are some of the things I try and keep an eye on when I can.

1. What I’m eating. This doesn’t mean that I’m always eating healthily. But it does mean that when I’ve had a bad few days and I have that bloated, sicky feeling that comes from eating junk food, I listen to what my body is telling me. That is when I make sure I have a healthy day the next day to have a little bit of a detox/goodness hit.
2. I’m not good at drinking lots of water. But I am a tea addict. While my fluid levels are generally okay because of that, I find getting into the habit of having a glass of something with lunch and dinner is a good way to ensure I’m drinking enough as it is that little bit extra.
3. Skin-care. I literally go from one extreme to the other with this. I try to remember to put some moisturiser on after the shower and before bed though. Most of the time I must admit to forgetting. But when I do it, I do it properly. So while I could admittedly take much better care of my skin than I do, I know there are a few times a week where I give it what it wants. It means it never causes me too many problems.
4. A few years ago, I was awful at sleeping. I would go to bed late and wake up early. If I thought I could handle it, I would still do that now. But being ill has taught me a lesson. If my body is craving sleep, then I give in to it. I still try and get up early but I’m much better about going for an early night and getting a decent amount of sleep.
5. Listening to my body. I have shoulder issues where they knot and tense up and I have to have it massaged out or it gets seriously painful. I used to just ignore it as long as I could. Now, if I feel it beginning to tense, I try and release it. If I can’t, I book in. It always makes me feel so much better.

In general, I’m much better at listening to what my body wants. I’m still not brilliant at taking care of myself. But at least I know how to keep myself functioning as a human being these days. What are your tips to keeping yourself going?

Graduation!

Tuesday 13^th October 2015 was a special day for me. I graduated! I already knew my grades and had technically finished, but it was the day of the ceremony. Having dropped out of my first university, it was a day I didn’t think I would have the chance to experience. Or, for that matter, be able to give to my parents to experience either.

What a day it was.

Autumn Fashion Favourites

I thought I would try and branch out a little with the type of posts I am doing on here. I have a strong interest in fashion, so figured that would be a good way to go. I apologise for the fact I don’t really know what I’m doing with this post, but hope you like it nonetheless.

I thought I would take a look at my favourite outfits now the weather is changing and Autumn is upon us.