Is there any chance you lovely people could fill out this short survey – for my University third year project? 😀 Much appreciated!
It about Oasis and their branding. Click on the link below.
Archives for category: General
Writing my own blog has been a very valuable experience especially within the community of WordPress. I’ve loved talking to like minded people and sharing similar interest. Whether that be: travel, fashion, positive thinking. It has been awesome! And I guess I’d like to say thank you.
However I wanted a change. I have proved that I can keep writing a part of my daily life (something you have to keep focused on), but I wanted to direct it more in line with future careers and passions.
I’m currently a fashion student. Yet I’m still looking for that spark inside that says ‘Yes, I want to be going this as a career’. I have yet to find something I love doing day to day. Something that I’m so passionate about that it makes me work day and night. I am a motivated person, always looking for challenges and wanting to better myself. However this is harder than it seems when you have no path to direct your career ambitions and aspirations.
Ever the optimist, I am constantly looking for things that interest me… have a go, see what it’s like. What do I have to loose? I still have a year left at University, so I’m not going far!
So tying this all together, I have started my own online magazine – Another Side Magazine
Currently it is just operating as a ‘Fashion magazine‘ providing different stories of fashion. Giving you trend updates, controversial issues, new designers and just your essential fashion fix!
However future ambitions of the website will be more of a ‘creative‘ magazine. Somewhere that people can go to find stories in creative industries including; music, interior design, photography, art etc.
I am very excited about this new project and I’m loving the new experience.
This post is not just to let you know that I’ve started a new adventure – but also to see if you’d like to join me?
I’m looking for any writers that are interested in writing about creative industries. Whether your passion is films to literature. There is an opportunity for you at Another Side Magazine.
I’d love for my magazine to be a community of creativity – so if you would like to join the Another Side Magazine team please e-mail me at anothersidemag@gmail.com
I’d love to get your feedback on the magazine as it stands?
Come and get involved!
One evening after talking to the other half about potentially having music in the bedroom. I know – such an in depth conversation. It seemed the best solution was to hook up an old phone to some speakers and just have it playing in the background.
It came to reason that it can be some effort to find new music on a regular basis, download it and load it on your phone. Nowadays technology has filled this void of our laziness and created many different platforms where you can stream your favourite music to your heart’s content. One of which is Spotify.
Now for those of you who have been living under a rock for the past six years, Spotify is a music streaming service providing music from a number of different record labels.
After using it only for a couple of days, I have to say I’m really impressed with the service. It’s very easy to find new music.
The only thing which is highly annoying (I’m sure you know) is the adverts!
If anyone has paid for the subscription – add free on Spotify is it worth it? Or are you using another service of the same quality?
I really like using one system for all of my music but I’m unsure what one is the best compromise. I’m happy to pay for the subscription if it’s worth the money. Any thoughts?
Last week I took part in The Colour Run in London, have a read of my previous post.
Here is my short video of the day – I hope this inspires you to join in next year. It was such a good day, and all for a good cause!
If The Colour Run hasn’t come to your city – you can sign up to register your city. I’ll be sure to apply to bring it to my city!
Yesterday I took part in The Colour Run a 5k run in Wembley Park, London.
It had been something on my bucket list and something I’ve wanted to do for a long time!
Running 5K whilst getting absolutely covered in coloured powder, all the while raising money for charity. I’d say that’s pretty good going for a Sunday.
In total, 18,000 people participated in the London Colour Run. Such an amazing turn out.
Me and my sister had been lucky, as they re-opened entrance for the London run, so we were able to get the last few spaces.
We arrived early, around half 12 to try and soak in as much of the atmosphere as possible. We needed to collect our Colour packs, as ours hadn’t arrived in the post. I was very surprised how efficient and easy it was at the info tents where they wer handing out Colour packs and giving info to all the runners. It really was a well organised event!
We managed to get a quick bite to eat at one of the restaurants in Wembley Park, before it started to get manically busy.
In the space of half an hour, the entire population (it seemed) of London had made their way to the Wembley Park and were raring to get started.
We were one of the first groups who made it off the start line, I think it must have been about half 3 when we started running. It was such a good build up! Capital FM had sponsored the run and had been playing music at the start line which added a really enjoyable atmosphere and got everyone excited!
All types of ages and abilities were taking part in the run, which I feel added a sense of togetherness. Everyone was there to enjoy themselves, get messy and to have an amazing experience which was definitely the result.
Each 1k was a different colour, you’d run across the 1k marker and there would be about 20-30 workers ready throwing coloured powder at all the runners.
In the distance you could see the coloured clouds of powder at each check point. A coloured fog that would swallow all the runners. It was so exciting.
It didn’t feel like a proper run, as you were just excited to get to the next check point to have another colour thrown in your face adding to the collection of colour bombs on your t-shirt.
After 5 check points I’d had; pink, blue, yellow, orange and purple powder sufficiently covering my body including my mouth – where I’d got all excited shouting and someone had lobbed a handful of powder in my mouth.
Such a brilliant day! Hopefully they will be bringing the Colour Run to my city soon!
Thats one off the bucket list – Check
I have to admit I have been sufficiently bad at blogging over the past month! I really do admire people in the blogging world who are able to find those spare two minutes to sit and just bash out a post or two and integrate it into their daily routine.
I’ve been on a mission this month to try and get settled into a routine yet finding time to go and see friends, try new hobbies, get my Uni work done.
I went to a ballet lesson (something that I haven’t done in over ten years) I really did enjoy it, the only downside was that it wasn’t a busy class that I was hoping for. I am more keen to find an activity that I enjoy and use it as a social thing as well! As I’ve recently discovered – moving to a new place and working constantly, doesn’t leave much time for meeting new people.
I have tried to make an effort get involved more – hense the ballet lesson. I will try and find another class, maybe something a little more contemporary.
On another note – I am going to the Isle of Wight this weekend to a small festival. Really excited to take a little trip with the other half, venture off the main land. I’ve only ever been to the Isle of Wight once and it was a brief visit. This time we’ll have a little exploration of what the Island has to offer including the night life!
Today I picked up my printed University work! Thank god that’s over. Only once more year left then it’s into the real world. I’ve enjoyed my year out doing a placement! I’m one of those people who would much rather get stuck in and learn as I go, rather than finishing my last year at Uni. I’d be quite happy to carry on in the working world – moving my way around different jobs / companies etc. However whilst I’m still at Uni I feel very much restricted. I can’t really commit to anything as I still have another year mapped out that I have to sit and ride it out.
The only good thing about having this long wait – is that I’ll be living in the same place for more than a year – something that hasn’t happened for a few years. It will be nice to have a feeling of settling into a place, making my own connections and feeling as though I can belong somewhere.
I must confess that I have been extremely lacking with my positive thinking tracking. I originally stated I wanted to blog every evening with one positive thought that came from the previous 24 hours. (See original post).
However the past week or two I have been extremely busy, so when the evening finally comes around – all I can think about is face planting my pillow. Rather annoyingly my positive thinking blogging has taken a back burner during this hectic time.
I have noticed a difference; when I haven’t taken the time during my evenings to sit at my laptop whilst drinking my cup of tea and reflect with positive eyes over the events during the past 24 hours. I can honestly say, having these quiet moments to understand your day and select these positive feelings/achievements/conversations brings another way of thinking to how you see your day.
I would like to compare it to practicing yoga. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert in yoga either, but often I go to yoga classes in the evenings as a way of removing myself from the day and just relax. Spending dedicated time just with your thoughts is an amazing way to clear whats in your mind. I’ve found by blogging about my day I have this similar feeling of clearing my mind, filtering my thoughts into smaller pieces and understanding myself.
So rather than seeing the negative in the fact I haven’t been blogging in a while – I will try and put my positive hat on and see the good.
I have been manically busy, because at present I’m doing my placement year with a company whilst holding down a part time job. This means many of my days are split between the two and I feel like I’m running all over the place doing both.
I am really enjoying the challenges that are in both! I feel like my brain is constantly needing to be active and focused. My days are both filled with learning and work.
Recently I’ve had some really nice feedback of my work at both my placement and my job. Recognition of the hard work I’ve been putting in is welcomed tremendously! It’s nice to know that my hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. It just makes me more determined to do better. Doing my work placement year has been an invaluable experience! I’ve had a lot of changes throughout but I’m starting to understand myself a lot better; whats important to me, how I like to work, what is it that drives me, which is starting to help me understand how I want to live my life.
Something that I need to still improve on is prioritising my time better. In my head there are so many things I’d like to be doing better; playing the piano more often, reading, learning new skills (Photoshop, music production etc), blogging more often, seeing friends on a regular basis, going to the gym more often. I never seem to have the time to get stuck in and feel like I’m progressing in any one of these areas. I’ve been reading a lot on Quora recently, about how people learn new skills at different ages and what it takes to train yourself. It’s very interesting reading about people’s experiences with developing themselves.
One of my favourites was a question from someone asking if he was too old to learn an instrument. One of the answers gave an example of their grandmother who had started learning the violin at 60 and when she died she had been playing for 25 years. This is an incredible example of how anything is possible at ANY age. It really does put things into perspective, and the possibilities around you.
🙂
Following on from my previous post where I plan to document one positive thing from each day. The positive part of my day was that this morning I made the effort to get my ass down the gym! I’ve been feeling very motivated recently and I think it’s because I’ve started training on a regular basis. For me, I find if I do a good hour session at the gym it releases me from the day, a way of getting my brain to focus on one task and to completely relax.
I’ve got a good gym plan now that i’m powering through trying to push myself further. I have a good support around me in terms of people I can go to for advice. About a year ago my sister really got into fitness, learning how to develop herself physically as well as mentally. This has rubbed off on me, so I can go to her when I need anything!
Also one of my friends is a personal trainer. She has one of these infectiously passionate personalities where you can’t help but get enthralled by her vast amount of knowledge and dedication to improving other people. She is driven by the fact she is helping others succeed and fulfill their goals. This passion shines out of her, and it literally makes me want to hit the gym immediately.
Have a little look at her website
With all this around me I cannot help but feel like I need to pull my weight (quite literally).
Having a good balance with work, social life, exercise (well for me anyways) it makes such a huge impact on my general happiness day to day. If I lack in any of these areas I start to feel a bit imbalanced and as though I’m not getting the most out of myself. This week as a whole I’ve been pretty good. I’ve had some much needed time with my girls, the other half and some gym time.
What was positive about your day?
I read my horoscope yesterday, which is something that I don’t often do. I’m not majorly into horoscope and astrology however from time to time I enjoy reading what might come of the next month.
Well it just so happened that my horoscope read ‘you should take the time with a friend or lover as you have both had testing weeks, and enjoy some quality time’. I don’t need to be asked twice.
That evening with my ‘lover’ we went on a little date night, had food and just spent some quality time with each other. Even though it was a Thursday evening I think it was a good choice to remove ourselves from the chaos of the week and just enjoy being with the two of us.
I think it’s very important to have moments like these! Whether it’s with friends or partners. It makes you appreciate what you have and allow yourselves to reconnect. I see very often couples for example that may live together not really enjoying each other, just simply existing next to each other.
Taking the opportunity when you can – even for a couple of hours is invaluable! If you don’t have the time, make the time. As the gap between the relationship will just keep growing. The day to day stresses can cause you to take it out on the ones who are closest to you, so from time to time appreciating the relationship and reminding yourselves why you are with each other brings you closer.
Oh and this is completely irrelevant to the rest of the post, but I saw these photographs today and it made me smile, so I thought I would share it 🙂
See link for the full album
(Images by Elke Vogelsang)
Day 1
Following my previous post about improving productivity and happiness through positive thinking. I start today’s post with my first day of documenting one positive thing about my day.
As I start to write this, I realise that looking back over my day, I never usually look for the good, and it feels almost unnatural to try and sieve through the days events through a positive lens. I don’t know about you but my usual thoughts (especially on a Monday) would go go something like this; I forgot to start this, I need to remember to do that, I didn’t have time to do this etc. It does start to make you feel as though you had a very unproductive day, when in fact if I acknowledged all the good things in my day I actually have done pretty well!
– Taken on new tasks in placement
– Had a lovely conversation with the guy that served me coffee
– My first shift alone as a supervisor at my part time job – everything went according to plan! Woo
I know it seems very obvious that we should look for the positives in our lives and therefore will make us happier. But this is not our default setting. We are trained to search for better, what could we improve, what did we do wrong. I am aware that it is good to challenge yourself with new things however taking time to appreciate what you have done, and acknowledge your successes, really does make all the difference.
So as for Day 1 – my positive thing from my day would be; A successful first shift alone as supervisor in my new job.
What was the positive thing in your day?
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