Thursday 22 December 2016

Time.

I believe people fear living. I think it's something that people put to the side while they're busy simply existing. I do not want to exist, I want to live. We become so stuck in a routine of go to school, graduate university, get a job, get married, have kids, grow old and then that's it, time up, that's your life. I think people only really start to live once they begin to contemplate death because that way there are no consequences, there is very little to loose.

People believe that they will only begin to die when they are old because that's the norm, that's the way it's supposed to be but the sad truth is that time could stop for any one of us at any given second and the question I like to ask myself is If I didn't wake up tomorrow, would I be happy with the life I have lived? If the answer is no, change it. You want to travel the world? Go do it.


 
 
 
 
 
The only thing that will ever hold you back is yourself.
 
Don't settle for a job that you hate, working unconventional hours with a boss that you can't stand. That's not living. You have one life and I don't believe in wasting it being unhappy. Happiness can be found in every corner of the universe, in every passing smile, in every passing moment it will be there waiting for you, if only you have the courage to find it.
 
 
J x




Monday 21 November 2016

A healthy morning routine

I believe having some sort of routine in the mornings is an important factor in having a good day. When I wake up in the morning, I pretty much know within the first hour whether or not it's going to be a good day. Mostly, it's dependent on whether or not I've had enough sleep, how my relationships are and how stressed I am. If I have enough sleep, I'm comfortable with the way all my relationships are and I'm keeping stress to a minimum then I feel as though I do have a better day and ultimately a better week. Here are a few things that I want to aim for within the next month (and hope to continue with) to see if they have an impact.

 
 
 
 
Wake up early


If you wake up early then you can get the most out of the day. This can be helped also by having time to eat a good breakfast to start the day with and I think drinking water can also help to hydrate you for the day ahead. If you can walk to work, then this helps maintain a healthy lifestyle although I won't be walking to work myself as it is too far from where I live (I'd never get there in time!).


Listen to music

I enjoy listening to music on the radio in the car on the way to work as I believe a good song can really set you up for the day. Some people prefer to listen to more relaxing music whilst others like myself prefer the typically chart music and songs that are easy to sing along to, it starts the day off in a good mood especially on those miserable Monday mornings that we seem to be getting recently

Meditate

This is something I am really keen to try, there is a lot of research that indicates that meditation can be beneficial in dealing with stress and I think this is something that could be useful to me. It's something that I hope to try in the future and if I do notice a difference, am likely to be continuing with

Reading

One of the best and most simple ways that I dedicate time to myself is by getting into a good book. Sometimes it's good to just put down all the gadgets for a second and actually just appreciate the simplicity of words and how moving they can be. It's through this love of words that I tend to write poetry in order to express my emotions as the things I am able to write convey my emotions a lot more powerfully than anything I would ever be able to say in person


J x

Monday 7 November 2016

The cutest Bonfire Weekend

One of my favourite things about November 5th is watching the fireworks go off across the city all weekend. I was talking to my boyfriend over the weekend about fireworks being a metaphor. Perhaps they are a symbol of hope which shows that even in the darkest of times, there is light or that a tiny idea can be turned into something amazing. Just think of all the successful bloggers out there that started blogging as a very small hobby. I am sure none of them could imagine to grow their blog to the size that they have. To me, fireworks are magical, lighting up the darkest of skies and showing that even in the darkest of times, there is light.

 
I do find it very hard to resist being one of those cliché 'let's post every firework we see on Instagram' people but after scrolling through Instagram on November 5th, I realise that to the rest of the world every firework photo can look quite similar. So on this blog I'll limit myself to a maximum of three cliché firework photos.
 

 
My weekend started on the Friday when I went to my boyfriend's house in Horncastle. I walked in to find the cutest surprise which I believe can only be explained by the photo below, he really is a soppy git ;)
 
 
After this adorable romantic gesture we tucked into a Chinese. As usual, we left the prawn crackers, not that we don't love prawn crackers we just decided to eat the rest of the food first and by the time we had finished that we was ultimately too full for the crackers - sad times.
 
On the Saturday we got the bus into Lincoln and decided to do a bit of shopping, we stopped off at McDonalds for some food and then continued with shopping, browsing the array of charity shops (one of the best places for bargain clothes) along the way.
After that we headed to the Odeon where we watched the new film 'A street cat named Bob'. For me this was a very personal film as I also used to have a ginger cat named Tilly, who was also a street cat and found his new home here. What makes this film even more of a tearjerker is that it is based on a true story, it's a film I can definitely recommend but I'd advise taking some tissues too! In the evening we then went to a charity fireworks display in Horncastle (photos above).  It was absolutely freezing but we managed to stay close to the bonfire they had which made us a bit warmer.

On Sunday I went to something I have never been to before at Skegness Stadium. It was known as slot car racing or banger racing and involved modified cars to race around a circuit. Honestly, if my driving instructor thinks I'm dangerous on the roads he should watch that. I really enjoyed the races but my favourite has to be the destruction derby at the end (I'm not a violent person at all) and this involved racing round a circuit smashing up caravans as much as possible. I have attached a video below but it may not be to everyone's taste.
After the racing there was also a fireworks display which we stayed to watch (no cliché photos this time don't worry) and then just as the fireworks finished and we was heading out of the stadium, it started to rain but luckily the car wasn't too far away.
 



 
Overall I had a really amazing weekend and had a lovely time celebrating Bonfire Night. How did you celebrate Bonfire Night?
 
 
 
J x

 

Monday 31 October 2016

Winter bucket list

Is it too soon to start thinking about Winter? The clocks have changed, the nights are getting darker and it's definitely getting colder. Despite all this Winter still remains one of my favourite seasons, there is a few things I want to achieve this Winter to get the most out of the season!
 

 
1. Visit a Christmas Market
 
My hometown has a Christmas Market every year and I really do enjoy the experience to get into the Christmas spirit, it's a great place to pick up some little handmade items that make very unique and special gifts for loved ones
 
2. Build a snowman
 
As a kid two of my favourite things about Winter was sledging and building snowmen, I'd love to be able to get back into that feeling of being a kid again and just messing around building a snowman (maybe not the sledging as I do feel I am slightly too old for that now, plus have no idea where my sledge actually is at this point)
 
3. Have a hot chocolate with Marshmallows in
 
I am now a regular at the Saturday football matches where I watch my boyfriend play most weekends, one of the best ways to warm up after being stood outside in the cold (or rain in one particular case I remember very well) is with a nice warm mug of hot chocolate, as a special Christmas treat though I'd love to try one with marshmallows on the top and maybe some squirty cream too
 
4. Watch the Christmas lights switch on
 
Again this is something I went to last year which I found a great experience I really enjoyed watching the lights switch on as it felt like to start of Christmas, this is something I would love to do again this year.
 
5. Bake Christmas cookies
 
Not only Christmas cookies but I'd also like to have a go at making a gingerbread house, there's no way anything I bake will come out like the photos I've seen circulating social media but I feel it is worth a shot at anyway!
 
 
Finally, the isn't something I think I am going to be able to do this year but one year I would love to go to Winter Wonderland in London, I've heard so many great things about it and it's an experience I'd love to try!

J x
 


Friday 14 October 2016

Whirlwinds and Wanderlust

So these last few days have been amazing as I have been celebrating my 19th Birthday! The adventures started on Friday when me and my family and boyfriend went to see Shappi Khorsandi. This is a comedian who I had enjoyed watching on Live at the Apollo and would like to see live. I could definitely recommend seeing Shappi live if you are a fan. The show was predominantly about culture but with a very meaningful message of patriarchy behind the humour. Shappi also had a support act who I can say was practically as equally funny as Shappi herself and I would recommend looking at Tom Lucy's work if you haven't before.

Me and Alan at the LPAC waiting for Shappi

On the Sunday we had been searching all day for anybody selling tickets to Russell Howard at our local venue as we had wanted to go since the tickets were released but the tour had sold out within minutes. Last minute somebody messaged us asking if we were still looking for tickets as they couldn't make it, amazingly they were willing to give the tickets away for free despite us offering them money for them so we both felt extremely lucky to be able to have that experience.

Me and Alan outside The Engine Shed to see Russell Howard
 
 
On Tuesday I finished work at lunchtime as we was going to a Jaime Lawson concert in the evening after my parents got me tickets for my birthday. Alan had booked the whole day off working and came to surprise me by picking me up from work at lunchtime with a McDonald's and surprising me with a cinema trip to see The Girl On The Train. This is a film that I had wanted to see prior to it's release as I had enjoyed the book so much! I felt the film was definitely worth a watch although it could get a bit weird in places.
 
 
 
 
 
Then came the actual day of my birthday! I had booked the day of work as who wants to be working on their own birthday? I hadn't had anything planned and was thinking of having a lazy day with Alan but was surprised to find that he had organised a bowling trip for us and my parents and that night I also went to Damon's for a meal where I had a lovely cheeseburger! I really enjoyed the two games of bowling we had and the Mississippi Melt burger from Damon's, I also tried one of the Damon's Special's cocktails which was really nice and made a change as I am not usually a fan of alcoholic drinks!






 
Overall I had a really lovely day and I can't thank my boyfriend and family enough for making it so special for me!!
 

J x

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Weird Fish Giveaway!!

So I am running another fantastic competition with Weird Fish for a gorgeous cross body bag. The idea for the company was first formed in Cheltenham in 1993 through a love of the coast and great outdoors! They formed their first t-shirt after finding an airbrush technique that worked for them and have kept growing as a company ever since!

One of my favourite things about Weird Fish is the authenticity that they give to their products. In particular I find their t-shirts very unique and able to cater for all styles and tastes which is a rare feature in the fashion market today. I'm particularly fond of the graphic styled t-shirts that they do too!

For your chance to win the gorgeous cross body bag below, enter using the Rafflecopter form and make sure you visit their website to find the latest range of their styles!



 
 
Please note that data collected from this competition will be shared with Weird Fish.

 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday 9 September 2016

10 years from now...

It's easy to wonder what you'll be doing 10 years from now, it also might be a common interview question, where we create an answer about building a career because that's what they want to hear. But few of us may rarely stop to thing, where will I be 10 years from now? What do I want to achieve?
The truth is, nobody knows. Nobody can predict what life will be like in 10 years because it changes so rapidly. The upmost important thing is to set goals, make sure you know what you personally want to achieve and how you plan on getting there. Here's a five of my own personal goals on where I hope to be in 10 years.

1. Move into my own home
This ideally is something I want to achieve within the next 5 years with my boyfriend. I'd love for us to get our own place, not anywhere fancy but just to have moved out and taken that responsibility is really important to me.

2. TravelTravel is really important to me as I believe it can really change our mind set by engaging ourselves in new experiences and adventures. I hope to turn this blog into a predominantly travel based blog and I hope that through sheer passion and determination I am able to do that.

3. Start my own business
From an early age I have wanted to start my own event business and have been encouraged by organising several successful charity events previously. Not only do I want to do more of these events and hopefully make it an annual event, I also want to turn my passion for events into a business or at least have a job that I love within the events industry.

4. Grow and invest in my blogThis is something I have been meaning to do for a while and now that exams have finished I hope to be able to do this. I'd love to participate more in blog chats and comment on all of the lovely blog posts I read and I hope that by having more time I will be able to invest more in my blog.

5. Raise £5,000 for charitySince my operation at the age of 12 I have been passionate about raising money for charity. I have set my goal to raise £5,000 through varies events within the next five years. I don't think that this is impossible and think it is a reasonably set goal.

Some people write their goals down and bury them in a box to dig up 10 years later. I'm not going to do that with this but I hope that this blog will still be here so I can see how much things have changed, maybe I'll even have different goals by that point.


J x

Monday 5 September 2016

Get to know me - 20 Questions

I realise that I haven't properly given readers the chance to really get to know me with an in depth questions post. I realise that this might be the cliché post that most bloggers will do at some point but I'll try to make the answers as interesting as I can and hopefully after you'll understand a little more about me and what this blog is about!


1. What's your philosophy in life?

To enjoy it, life is short and you only get one opportunity to achieve all the things you dream about, if you don't make them happen, nobody else will.

2. What's one thing you would change about yourself?

I'd make myself more confident and a little less awkward.

3. Are you religious or spiritual?

I'd say more spiritual.

4. Do you consider yourself an introvert or extrovert?

Definitely an introvert

5. Which parent are you closer to and why?

I don't know if I could say I'm particularly closer to one parent, it definitely used to be my dad when I was younger but I'd say its evened out a bit more now.


6. What was the best phase in your life?

I'd say the best phase was either where I am right now and if not that, I believe it is still to come.

7. What was the worst phase of your life?

When I was 12, I spent a lot of time around hospitals and it definitely wasn't the right environment for a 12 year old.

8. Is what you're doing now what you always wanted to do growing up?

Not exactly but it's working out, I'll get there

9. What makes you feel accomplished?

Achieving something I never thought I'd be able to. For example, getting the exam results I did.

10. Looks or brains?An equal amount of both? Too much of one could make the person cocky?

11. How do you feel about sharing your password with your partner?

I don't have a problem with it, my accounts aren't that interesting;)


12. Have you ever lost someone close to you?

Yes definitely

13. Are you confrontational?

Only when there is a need for it.


14. Would you relocate for love?


Of course.


15. What are you most thankful for?


A supportive family, friends and boyfriend.


16. Do you believe in second chances?


Yes, I believe everyone deserves a second chance.


17.  What's on your bucket list this year?


Travel more, that will be on my bucket list every year!


18. What's your idea of a perfect vacation?


Anything that involves adventure!


19. What is your ultimate goal in life?


To be happy.


20. Love or money?


Love, definitely love.

Saturday 27 August 2016

Jess Glynne Concert

I recently went to a concert called Rasen Rocks with my friend Hannah. This is an annual event that happens at the racecourse every year and I have been a couple of years ago when I went to see Mcfly there. 

The event was really good and I really underestimated how good Jess would be live. She has a really strong voice and that really comes across in her performance. 


We managed to get close enough to be in the middle of the action which meant that we could just see the stage but the view was much more visible on the two big screens that were displayed either side of the crowd. I managed to get lots of photos of the event which I have added a few to this post! 





I would definitely recommend seeing Jess Glynne live to anyone that has the opportunity too!

J x

Thursday 18 August 2016

Which gate would you choose?

When I was a child my Dad would make up a bedtime story every night before bed. It would always start by asking me if I wanted to go through the pink gate or the blue gate and the gate that I chose would determine the story. It wasn't until I was much older that I realised that in reality, it wouldn't matter what gate I chose, the story would be the same. This led to me developing a philosophy, that maybe life was a little bit like this too.

We spend so much of our lives working, trying to prepare or earn something that might already be predetermined. We prepare for a job interview when the perfect job might be just around the corner. We wonder why things don't always go to plan but eventually we see that everything falls into place. Everything works out in the end, perhaps not always the way we'd first planned it, but the way it was meant to be.

Last year I worked and revised almost solidly for my AS levels and the results didn't reflect the effort that I had made. This year, although I did revise, I took a more relaxed approach, I made sure that I had time to enjoy myself and that my life wasn't concentrated around a schedule of revision, I even left school a week early to go on holiday and I did a lot better. I re-sat one of my AS levels this year as well as doing my A levels and I went from a U in the exam to an A. Perhaps, last year was a lesson, this year was the reward that happens when you realise that exams are not the end of the world.

I've always been known to overthink and analyse too much but slowly I think I am learning to relax and let life fall into place. At the age of 18 I have 8 GCSE's, 6 A levels, a supportive family, a good job, a fantastic boyfriend and I'm learning to drive. Things that I hoped to achieve but never expected to. If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be that everything will fall into place in the end, things will work out and get better.

Going back to my first point about gate, perhaps it doesn't matter. We worry to much about the choices we make when the outcomes could be the same. Life is about taking a risk, what will be will be.

J x

Saturday 13 August 2016

Adventures in Kefalonia!

Ah so I haven't been keeping up with blogging and much as I should have done recently but work has been tiring and I haven't had the motivation to continue as much as I usually would do but I'm back today with a blog post detailing my recent trip to Kefalonia in Greece. 

I spent a week in Scala, which is quite a hilly area but has a lovely beach and is a lovely area. There are a lot of restaurants where you can eat but we were all inclusive so mostly decided to stay in the hotel at night as there was entertainment there. 



One of the highlights of the trip had to be the caves we visited as part of a boat trip of the island, they were amazing to see and it was a truly special experience to be able to not only see the caves but also to go inside them! As there are very few places in the world with caves of its kind. 




The views from the boat trip and even from our own hotel were stunning. Our balcony looked over the sea and it was a beautiful sight to wake up to, one that you wish you could wake up to every morning! The view from the balcony is pictured below!!


Kefalonia is such a beautiful island and although it has had its fair share of earthquakes it has never lost its beauty. My parents visited the island over 20 years ago and although a lot of change has taken place, the essence and the natural beauty and warmth has remained the same. It is definitely somewhere I would visit again!



J x

Friday 22 July 2016

10 Things I'm grateful for

I believe that sometimes in life it's important to evaluate it. even in those times when you physically feel like life couldn't be any worse, there is always hope and always something to be grateful for even if its a really little thing. As I've never done this before I have decided to sum up 10 things I'm currently grateful for


1. My BoyfriendThis pretty much goes without saying because it's obvious to everyone how much he cares about me. He supports my decisions and is always there for me whenever I need someone to rant to or times when I don't want to talk and just need a hug. He's my best friend and I would have struggled to get through some difficult times without him.

2. A supportive family
My family have recently started to realise that I'm serious about the goals that I have set myself and have started to support me more with these. I'm thankful for that because their support means a lot to me by giving me the belief that it is possible.

3. Earning an incomeWhilst work isn't exactly the most enjoyable aspect of my life I am thankful that I have been able to earn an income. It's important to me to be independent and move to my own place as soon as I am able to. It is because of this ambition that I am glad I made the decision to move into work instead of going to university.

4. Sunny Days
There has been some lovely weather recently and I'm thankful that I've been able to get outside to enjoy this. I believe that sunny days gives of a more positive vibe and being able to get outside is healthier than having to be shut up indoors due to bad weather.

5. Owning a carSo I haven't passed my test yet but I'm thankful that I am able to own my own care in order to pratice in. I have a lovely Nissan Micra which is the car that I wanted as my first car so I'm very grateful for that. Hopefully after a few years of driving I'll be able to upgrade my car to a VW Beetle.

6. The ability to travelI am so grateful that I have been able to travel so much to so many amazing places and have a holiday to look forward soon. Travel is something that I value a lot so I am grateful I have been able to have the experience.

7. The water machine in the officeBecause obviously in these summer days, water is a necessity.

8. Ice cream in the freezerMum recently bought some ice creams for the freezer which is lovely to come home from work to!

9. Exams being overThe idea that I'll never have to go to school again!

10. Lifts to workMy mum has been giving me lifts to work which I'm really grateful for! I don't need to wake up ridiculously early to get a bus!

This post proves that even if its only really small things there is always something to be grateful for! Let me know what you're currently grateful for!

J x

Friday 8 July 2016

Perceptions

Social media has definitely drastically changed our perceptions on how we view not only ourselves but every aspect of our lives. Whilst social media has many benefits in terms of communication, advances in technology also produce a variety of consequences. Take Instagram for example, a site purely based on perception. Every influential 'instagramer' most likely has a crisp white background, matched along with perfectly edited and perfectly timed photos. They give a perception of the perfect life but that's all it is, a perception. A synchronised process of brainwashing designed to make you believe that this is the desired lifestyle and maybe for some, it is. The problem with instagram however is that it is impossible with these images and one line captions to truly get an insight into a lifestyle. We will never know what happens behind the photo, we see not only what we want to see but also what the individual posting wants us to see, it is simply a perception of the truth. A suggestion perhaps, that this is what it ought to be like, this is what could be possible. My instagram feed is full of travel photos. These stunning sunsets and crystal clear waters can only be a perception of the truth. It could of rained 10 minutes after the photo was taken, who knows? Someone does, but it won't be us. The lesson I think is not to trust or believe everything we see. Not everything is a reality and some things are simply based on how we wish they were, not what they actually are. Apps like instagram can be beneficial but they can also be very damaging, especially towards the younger generation. J x

Friday 1 July 2016

The fear of not living

So today's post is on a slightly more diverse and sensitive topic in comparison to my usual lifestyle post. I have noticed that people only really tend to live when they are told they are dying, or they come to the conclusion for themselves that they are. We make bucket list and put all the dreams we have put aside most of our lives into action. We travel, we start a business, we take risks. We do things that we have only ever dreamt about before, but why? The truth, I believe, is that with death there is no fear, there is no consequences. Death is inevitable and once we have realised that conclusion that is the time that we truly begin to live. We fear leaving it too late, we fear missing our only chance. In simple terms, we don't need to save money. We can travel the world without the worry of coming back with no money. We can start that business without the risk of being in debt. We can take risks that we never could before. Because if it doesn't work out - so what? I want to adopt this attitude before I reach close to death. I want to live now, while I'm young and while I can. I know that life is short and death is the inevitable consequence. I don't want to waste a minute, we shouldn't waste it but of course, we always do. We spend far too much time looking at photos of other people doing what we want to be doing. It's time to start living. J x

Thursday 30 June 2016

Beauty Picks of the month*

So today's a little bit of a different post with more of a beauty theme. It's to share some of my favourite beauty picks from this month. I was sent both of these and have genuinely loved using them both. 

1. LIQ C Serum

After finding this serum via Twitter I was really keen to try it for myself! I rarely used serum but after this I think I will definitely be using it a lot more. The vitamins within the serum definitely made my skin look healthier and I noticed a difference in the softness of my skin too, it's definitely something I would recommend and also use again myself!


2. Spieza Organics 

This is a lovely little set from Spieza Organics who overall are such a lovely company to work with. One of the main highlights of this product is that they are organic which gives a more natural feel. The packaging is also lovely and the products again are definitely noticeable on the skin with very obvious benefits! 

This is just a little bonus post and I will be posting my regular lifestyle themed post tomorrow. 

J x

Friday 24 June 2016

Exams are over! What now?

So Yesterday marked the day of my last a level exam. It was in Sociology, a subject that I probably couldn't hate more if I tried, which made it even more satisfying when after 2 hours of staring at a clock, it was over. I'd never have to set foot in school again. Well, only for results day. 

So after around 13 years of eduction, what exactly have I learnt? Not much actually. I could probably tell you about Merton's Strain Theory or Porter's 5 Competitve forces, but could I show you how to pay a bill? Could I explain how tax works? Understand a financial statement? Networking? Saving properly? There are so many essential life skills that are not taught in school and they should be. I feel that most of the things that school taught me I will never use again and that's the same for most people.

With A-Levels we cram everything we have learnt in the past year, into an exam that at most will last a couple hours. It's not pratical and is merely just a memory test. How many people? How many theories? How many dates? It is not just about what you know, it's about how much. It doesn't matter if you've been an A* student in every mock exam you've done, if you've got an F in the actual exam then you're classed as an F grade student. Is it fair? I wouldn't say so. 

Now that exams have finished this has made me so much more relaxed and it's only now I realise how stressful school was. It's a very pressurised environment and from a young age we're forced to make a decision on the rest of our lives. It's not that I don't appreciate the education I've had, I just believe the system should be different. 

Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself 

J x

Saturday 18 June 2016

50 Followers Giveaway!!!

I am so happy that this little blog has reached 50 followers already that I am launching a little giveaway to say thank you! The giveaway is to win a collection of some of my favourite facemasks. It will last for a month and the winner will have their prize posted to them the week that the winner is announced. This is my first giveaway on this blog and I'm very excited to launch more giveaways in the future too! a Rafflecopter giveaway J x

Friday 3 June 2016

The relevance of dreams

It amazes me that I've actually managed to blog for three weeks running now without forgetting or having some sort of block. 

I wanted to talk about something different today and something which isn't often openly talked about in public, although I believe it should be. Dreams, we all have them whether we decide to share them or not. 


It's hard to define what exactly a dream is. A place, a moment, a person, something we wish would happen or something that maybe already has. It's something we crave, something we long for, maybe we're born with pre-existing dreams to build us as a person, they make up who we are. 

Phrases such as "life's too short" and "follow your dreams" are throwaway cliche phrases that are used far too often. Despite this, they carry a very significant message and that is that dreams are important and that if anything, you must believe that they are possible. 

They act as a source of hope, a source of achievement, something that we can measure success by. It may never happen, but there is always hope that one day it will. 

My dream is to open an event planning business and I have worked for that from a young age and am still now continuity to work for it. I know it will take time, it's a long process but I refuse to give up on what I define as a dream. 

To dream is to live 

Friday 27 May 2016

To be happy you need to allow yourself to be happy

This is something I've been learning a lot recently, that to be happy you must first allow yourself to be happy. You must accept that you do deserve this, that it has happened for a reason and you are entitled to it, you must learn to know and recognise you're own worth. 

Recently, things have been great. I have a fantastic boyfriend, a job that I love, a supportive set of friends, I'm learning to drive and have recently bought a car. Yet, at first I wanted to run away from it all, I felt that I didn't deserve any of that, like it wasn't supposed to be happening to me. 

I guess a lot of this has come from a lack of self believe from a young age. Always being shocked when I achieved something or got a good result, waiting for something bad to happen again as soon as things turned good, being scared of the good. I've slowly had to accept that good things do happen, rewards do exist and they happen due to determination and hard work. 

With an attitude like this it's probably natural to wonder if I can ever be truly happy and I have wondered this myself. If I feel on edge at the best of times, can true happiness exist? I believe it can , I believe that I am truly happy but before happiness there has to be acceptance. 

Accept the good with open arms and deal with the bad as it comes, accept that there is nothing to be afraid of and that in every life there will be a sequence of good and bad events that need to be embraced. 

"To live would be an awfully big adventure " - Peter Pan

J x

Friday 20 May 2016

A week in Filey!

Earlier this month I left school a week early and went to Filey with my boyfriend and his family whist my parents went to Gran a Canaria for the week I was away. 

I was dropped off at my boyfriends house on the Saturday and over the weekend learnt how to make pancakes (kind of) as I am not the best of cooks, my very tragic attempt at a pancake is seen below, although Alan was still good enough to eat it bless him😂

On our way to the Blue Dolphin caravan park in Filey where we were stopping we stopped off at the Humber Bridge for a few photos, I hadn't stopped there before but it was a really good place to get some good photos along with some great views of the bridge and I would definitely encourage anyone to make a short stop there if they are passing. 



We was lucky that it was a sunny day on the day we set of which made the photos even better! 

We had a little trip out during our stay to get some fish and chips by the coast and whilst it was a little chilly it didn't matter to us in that moment as we was on holiday and having a good time. 


As well as this we also went on a cliff top walk which is something I've never done before but definitely a unique experience. From the caravan park you could climb up a grassy hill until reaching a fence, when climbing over there was a muddy path where you could walk along the cliff. As it was quite windy that day this probably wasn't the most sensible idea but some of the best ideas are the most crazy ones. 


And just incase you're wondering, yes I did steal his coat, I'm sorry🙈

We also visited the Sealife Sanctuary in Scarborough which is probably where a lot of my photos came from!




We also bought a keyring and photo that we had taken as we went into the sanctuary which is now pinned up on my bedroom wall along with all the other memories! 


Overall it was definitely an amazing trip and such a great experience to have! 

J x

Friday 6 May 2016

Last day at school!

Today was my last day at school. After 7 years I suppose a normal person would feel some sort of sadness at this departure but for me I  cannot help but feel almost numb. Leaving school is just another stepping stone and I can't help feeling that this is just all part of a journey. I'll start work soon as I've got an apprenticeship so really it feels like all I'm doing is moving from one institution to another, although the new role will bring with it many new opportunities and experiences and I am looking forward to it, there's no doubt about that. 
I don't know what it is about school but I've always felt a bit fed up there. Of course it's had its good days but there's also been days where I've felt that everyone around me is somewhat immature and I suppose that's come from being forced to grow up and focused from an early age. I've always been focused on doing well and having a career. When I was thinking about starting a business others were going out or playing computer games. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, it's their choice and it may be the reason why I've also felt comfortable more around older people, considering people within my own age group to be just slightly immature and to an extent, fake. 
I cannot doubt though that I have some amazing friends and boyfriend within my own age group who have supported me on all my ambitions and I am very thankful to them for being in my life. 
I look forward to the new opportunities and adventures that the future brings 

J x

"Life is an art form to be lived beyond boundaries"

Monday 2 May 2016

Upcoming adventures!

So recently I've had a lot of exciting things going on which I haven't necessarily talked about on this blog. 

I've recently got an apprenticeship which I will be starting within the upcoming weeks once paperwork is completed which I am really looking forward to as it is an area that I want to go into. 



I'm also going on a trip to Filey next week  with my boyfriend which I am really looking forward to and will be blogging about once I get back (along with lots of photos!) 

I definitely want to work on this blog more in the future too and make travel one of my main goals in the next couple years I believe that travel can open the mind to new experiences and ways of thinking that can't be achieved within the routine that we currently live in. 

I look forward to sharing all of these adventures with you 

J x


Thursday 21 April 2016

Relationships and why they mean the most❤️

I'm doing this blog post a day early and there's two reasons for that. Firstly, I realise that I haven't blogged in forever so this is my way of apologising. Secondly, it's a little surprise for Alan, who in fairness is probably the only one that really reads this little space on the internet, I love you❤️

Anyone that knows me relatively well will know that I'm not one that talks about my feelings easily and definitely not one to post them in what is essentially a public setting without considering it first.

I've been with my boyfriend for nearly a year now and he is honestly the best person I know. I truly believe that relationships like this mean the most, whether it's a bond between family, friends or boyfriend and girlfriend, it's special and should be cherished. 
I'll be honest, I don't have a close relationship with all my family and there's many that I don't speak to, sometimes I wish things were different and other times I like it the way it is. 

I can't really express the feelings that I have for Alan but he's something special and I can only hope that he stays in my life. He's taught me a lot about love and most importantly, how it feels to be truly loved. For the first time I've met someone  that truly thinks I'm special and shows me that in a million different ways every single day❤️


So this ones for you, my boyfriend, bestfriend and favourite blog reader, I love you😘❤️

X~Jess~X

Saturday 2 April 2016

Adventures in Devon!

Devon is somewhere that I have visited many times as my grandparents live in Devon. This time though we went for more of a holiday and stayed in Torquay at Torquay Holiday Park in an apartment. The views from the park were very scenic as we was surrounded by countryside and would have been ideal for walks if the weather had been kinder to us. Luckily, on the day that we decided to visit Paignton Zoo it was a sunny day and I was also able to wear more summery clothes instead of jeans.

 






 
We spent the entire day at Paignton Zoo and stayed a lot longer than we had expected, I had been to a zoo before but only when I was very young so couldn't really remember but it really was a great experience!
 


 
 
As we ate our lunch the birds would roam freely among us, scavenging for leftovers so you really felt like you was amongst the animals.

 
Overall I would definitely recommend Paignton Zoo for all animal lovers! It really is a great experience and well worth the visit!
 
 
x~Jess~x