Perspective

I had intended this to be a morning post however due to my lack of ability to get out of bed I am now posting this pm.  I really do admire those who can just jump out of bed! For me, regardless of how much sleep I have, every morning feels like a battle. One where the bed usually wins and I end up staying about half hour (cough an hour) longer in bed.

I have another week and a half and then I’ll be making my way back home for the summer. It has been so long since I’ve gone back home for longer than two weeks. I’m looking forward to going back seeing friends and family and not having to rush, squeezing as many visits to people I haven’t seen in a while. I can go back and relax.

For as long as I can remember I’ve pushed and pushed to be the best I can, trying to find a good career, wanting to move away from home and live my life. As I’ve gone through Uni it has been a massive awakening – to find out I’m the most confused about my future than I ever have been.  I guess I’ve been so focused on getting to the next step, whether that be moving away going to University, finding a placement, living away, that I haven’t really stood back and thought – what do I want? What do I like doing? What work makes me the most happy?

So I guess that’s what I’m doing. I’m taking myself away from all the madness and the changes and just going back to what feels like home. It’s a very unnatural thing for me to do.

I still have one year left at University which I start back in October, so really I just need to calm my impatience.
I don’t know where this impatience comes from, I’ve always been so eager to just do things – and if I’m not happy with something I make a fast decision and I change it. I’m not one to sit and just think or even let things happen for themselves. I’m a firm believer in – if you want something, you need to get off your ass and get it! 

This is now the problem that I’m facing. I’m dying to be doing something, finding myself and chasing a goal but I just don’t know what?! All this pent up energy that is just waiting to be explored – with no direction.

As I’ll be going back to Wales, expect lots of photos of the beach. As I’m hoping that’s where I’ll be spending most of my time.

Rest Bay, Porthcawl – Beautiful 

 

 

 

Guys – How ready is your summer wardrobe?

As summer begins to peek it’s head around the corner it leaves us all dreaming of life in the Hamptons; Pimm’s at the beach, lunches with house salads and endless evenings dinning with friends watching the sun set. Summer really does feel like the good half of the year.

With these event invitations it’s only fitting your wardrobe is ready, even you gentlemen. Summer is a chance for you to drop your shoulders, looking smart and relaxed in your fresh suits.

I’ve had a sneaky peek of the new Summer Collection 2014 by Paul Fredrick. It’s definitely the place to revitalise your summer wardrobe with timeless classic shapes teamed with soft colours and lightweight shirts. This summer’s collection brings you effortless style.

We know how you guys like to keep things nice and easy, so Paul Fredrick has made it very simple. Their classic shirts allow you to remain smart yet the refreshing washes of pastels tones combined with statement patterns create a stylish addition to your wardrobe.

Get a hint of Southern American style with this gorgeous grey and white striped suit. I really do love this look, keeping it young with the pink and white floral tie.

 

This versatile collection blurs the lines between formal and casual: Sharpening you casual wear with statement patterns yet adding some fresh summer hues to your work wear.

 

The great thing about this collection is that it can be adapted to suit your style. For you fashionistadudes these pastel tones can be made edgy and roughened up. Take Nick Wooster – he has combined smart pastels yet developed the outfit with statement accessories and shoes to add his own unique twist.

I feel Paul Fredrick has encapsulated this seasons trends whilst offering timeless pieces that can be suited to many styles.

For more pieces from the collection see the Paul Fredrick lookbook 

Sneak peak of The Colour Run

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!

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.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! Hopefully if you have eaten too many Easter eggs you are now going to veg out the rest of the evening all cuddled up on the sofa watching Disney films. The best way to recover!

I’ve had an amazing Easter weekend spending some much needed catch up time with my friends! I don’t have much planned for the rest of the bank holiday. If this weather clears a bit I’m hoping to go and take a leisurely stroll down the beach tomorrow maybe grab a tea on the beach. But again that’s if this awful British weather decides to clear off any time soon!

I should really be trying to finish off my deadline that is due alarmingly soon! But as with anything, I’m not really jumping at the chance of spending more time on Uni work. Thankfully as I’m doing a placement I only have one deadline of work. I shouldn’t really be complaining when my friends, all of whom are just finishing their final year have about four times the amount of work I do.
Naturally I’m doing everything I can to put off doing work! Piano always racks up a good couple of hours. But I don’t tend to see this as wasted time. I think of it as creative procrastination. Is that different?

*Random thought – I’m really enjoying blogging, as I find it helps me collate my thoughts. For example I had intended this post to be a little ‘Happy Easter’ and that’s it, but as I write I find lots of things come into my mind; thoughts that would have probably jumped into my mind the minute I wanted to go to sleep. This way, by allowing myself to identify and organise my trail of thoughts in a written way provides some clarity amongst the mess that can be left with my thoughts at the end of the day.

Well I’m just glancing at the time and realising that it is almost time to watch Game of Thrones, so I’m going to wrap up this post quite promptly!  I don’t know about any of you, but I’m quite addicted to the series!

Hope you all have a lovely bank holiday!

Positive Thought #7

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.

🙂

Positive Thought #6

This weekend as a last minute decision I took the three hour journey back to my home in Wales. As it was Mother’s Day on the Sunday I thought it would be nice to visit to everyone for the day.
So I guess the positive thing from my weekend was family / home.  I always love going back home to Wales. As soon as I cross the Seven Bridge I instantly feel at home.

When I was younger, I was so desperate to leave Wales, venture out and experience more than I had done in the small town where I’m from. Over the few years since I’ve left, I’ve come to appreciate my home.  The people that are in it and of course my family. I guess this appreciation has comes with distance.
For people that have never been to Wales it’s hard to explain the differences from the rest of the country. They are only minor differences in themselves, however as a whole the country feels very different, especially in attitudes.

I got to spend some quality time with my sister, which is always so lovely. As kids it’s pretty fair to say we didn’t get on. We are only two years apart so I guess this in normal for sisters. Now we’ve had some time apart and we’ve grown up we seem to be much closer. It feels more like we’re on the same team against my parents. As apposed to us battling, and our parents being the referees.
We get to have the girly chats, much like the ones I have with my friends – which I suppose she is my friend. Over time, it feels like we can tolerate our differences, which weren’t the easiest thing to do when your a teenager.

One of the best reasons I love going home is to harass my dog! You can see my obsession in more detail in my previous post – Introducing Woody.
Here’s a photo – because it’s too cute not to.

 

So I’d say in conclusion, the positive element of this weekend is appreciation of my family 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positive Thought #5

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?

Positive Thought #4

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)

Positive Thought #3

My positive thing from today would be having great friends!

It goes without saying; that having a close group of friends is priceless! I have made such lovely friends at University, something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Having the support from your friends can truly bring another sense of happiness to yourself.

Hours of chatting about dramas, gossips, guys obviously.  It removes yourself from your own troubles and worries when your with your friends. Mainly because you can share your worries and they can offer honest advice with the best intentions. And also you absorb yourself in their lives and offer your support.

My friends came down to see me, and we had a lovely day – catching up on the latest events. It also reminds me that we are slowly growing up (unfortunately). As the gossips that are brought to the table nowadays have changes over the past year.
Friends are having babies, moving in together, settling down in relationships. It all reflects the changes that are happening in our lives and it is amazing to be able to share this with your friends.

It’s true they say as long as your have your friends – you will be happy!