5 Ways To Find Motivation | What to do when you're feeling unmotivated | AD

Wednesday, 1 July 2020

Chloe Harriets wearing Femme Luxe lilac tie dye t-shirt - what to do when you're feeling unmotivated blogpost

We can't always be productive and motivated. Sometimes you start your day with good intentions, yet still find yourself scrolling when you should be making your way through a to-do list, completely lacking any motivation to actually do the stuff. I've been there. I know it's frustrating having that nagging feeling of 'I should be doing this' and then desperately trying to push it to the back of your mind because Netflix is calling your name.

Sometimes our motivation levels drop during the day, and other times they're nowhere to be found when we wake up. When we've got things to do, goals to meet. If you want to feel like your best self, a lack of motivation can really get in the way of that. So today I've thought I'd share some tips on what to do when the motivation goes out the window, and advice on where to look for it again.

Here is a list of things to do when you're feeling unmotivated:

- Move

Sometimes we're just feeling a bit restless, our body wants to move rather than sit at a desk typing. So do exactly that. Go for a walk, a run, do a workout video, dance around your bedroom, find your zen by doing some Yoga (I have a full blog post why to do a yoga challenge here) - whatever suits you. Find a way to burn some of that energy. The combo of those post-workout endorphins and a break from the screen might be all you need to get back with that inspiration flowing.

- Change your surroundings

Sometimes, something as simple as working somewhere new can really spice things up - or if that's not an option have a tidy and rejig of your desk. Our surrounding affect how we feel, so if they're feeling a little stale, you probably will too.

- Listen to/watch motivating content

Soon I will do a full blog post on the content I like to watch when I'm looking for that extra push of motivation. Don't underestimate the power of a Youtube video. I always have my most productive days when I've watched a motivating video or listening an inspire podcast while eating my breakfast.

- Vision board

I am a big fan of vision boarding (I have a blog post on it here and videos here and here). It helps to clarify where you're heading and what you're working towards. Plus it actually freaking works (honestly I should have thought it through more when I added a magazine cutting which says "stay home, work out" to my 2020 vision board because it's certainly happened). If you don't feel motivated, it likely that it's because you've lost sight of your end goal - vision boarding will help you to figure out where you want to be heading.

- Take a walk

I pretty much say it every blogpost now (see here, here and here - I guess I'm obsessed with walking) - nature is healing, refreshing and inspiring. If you're not doing your work, you may as well take advantage of the benefits of spending time in the world around you.

- Read

You really can't bring yourself to go through your emails, write that blog post or do whatever you're supposed to be doing? Why not pick up a book? A self-development book might get you considering how to move forward with your goal or a fiction book can transport you to a new world, so your chill time will no longer include that nagging feeling of an untouched to-do list - If you're looking for book recommendations you can find tonnes of reviews here.

Outfit Details

Lilac Tie-Dye T-Shirt (which was kindly gifted from Femme Luxe): Available here

Dungaree Pinafore (worn as a skirt with a tee over): Old, similar linked here

Sandals: Old, similar linked here

Coming to the end of this post I've realised some of my tips are very similar to what I say in my habits for happiness blog post, but what can I say, for me, happiness and motivation go hand in hand.

I hope you found this post useful! What do you do when you're in need of some motivation?

*The Femme Luxe tee was gifted along with some other pieces which will feature in upcoming blog posts - I could have featured them all together but didn't want to overload this post with images - so I hope you don't mind more gifted posts in the near future.

* Affiliate links are used in this blogpost

#chloeharrietsbooksclub 2020 positive living positive thinking positive vibes positivity self care self development self help self improvement self-help wellbeing

5 Habit for Happiness | Positive Habits for your Daily Routine.

Wednesday, 24 June 2020

Fashion blogger chloeharriets - outfit details - positive habits for happiness

Recently I found myself falling out any routine, my once good habits became abandoned - I think the combination of being unwell, lockdown and moving into a new environment got to me, and I found it easy to push aside those little habits and daily routines, unaware of the impact it would have. After a few weeks of feeling all over the place and noticing the toll of that on my mental health, I realised I needed some positive routine back. So once again I've been developing new routines to follow, of the little things which keep my wellness up.

In the future, I will post sine more detailed versions on my morning and evening routines (possibly on my Youtube channel, so make sure you're subscribed) but for now, I thought it would be nice to share some of the habits which have got me happier on the day-to-day.

5 Habits for Happiness:

- Journalling:

Honestly, I find daily journaling has such a positive impact on my mental health. Just getting my thoughts and feelings out onto paper, makes me feel as if I've emptied any negativity from my mind. Sometimes I use journaling to get things on my chest, sometimes to express my hopes for the future - usually, it's just word vomit, I don't think about it too much, I just write what comes to mind and boy oh boy it can be therapeutic.

- Reading:

For me, there's no escape quite like reading - I find it transports me to another world and allows me to let go of my worries. I read everything from self-help to fiction, I listen to audiobooks, flick through pages, the lot. You can read some of my book reviews here or join me on my reading journey for this year with #chloeharrietsbookclub.

- Moving your body:

When we work at desks, spent our evening binging Netflix, and our nights sleeping, it's easy to really not spend that much time moving... however I've found on those days I find myself more stationery than not, I feel a little slobby. Implicating more exercise in my routine has worked wonders for my mental health. I do regular fitness session via Zoom with @laurenalicefitness, and on the days which I'm not up for a full-on workout, I find something as simple as going for a walk or dancing in the kitchen gets those good endorphins going for me.

- Going outside:

Fresh air and nature are good for the soul. Yet still, it's super easy to end up cooped up in the house if I don't have plans (which I haven't had many of due to lockdown) so I've been making going outdoors a priority and taking myself for daily walks and it's been so refreshing - definitely, a habit to I need to keep up.

- Phone free time:

I've been trying to step away from my iPhone screen a little more because as we all know too much phone time isn't good for the brain. So recently I've committed to at least an hour before bed screen-free - and I'm just trying to leave my phone in a different room to me during to the day to ease back on the mindless scrolling, and I'm feeling so much better for it.

What daily habits do you try to keep up for a positive mind?

Etsy | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

coronavirus lessons lifestyle lockdown

Lockdown Lessons | The Things I Learnt During Lockdown.

Wednesday, 17 June 2020

blonde blogger girl chloe harriets reflecting on the things she learned during lockdown in garden of peonies. 2020 coronavirus lockdown lessons.

With many of us in lockdown due to Coronavirus, it's safe to say the past few months have been a bit of a weird time. Going into this, something I didn't expect was being in lockdown to teach me so many life lessons. Although it's been an uncertain, scary time, for me (who luckily hasn't been directly impacted by the virus beyond lockdown), the staying home, and slowing down part, has been sort of cathartic. I've found beyond those random general knowledge questions we all suddenly know from our Friday night Zoom quizzes, I've learned a fair amount.

So here are some things I've learnt during lockdown:

-You don't always have to be productive:

When lockdown was first announced, I wrote this blogpost of my lockdown goals, and to put it simply - it went to shit. With the pandemic going on, alongside personal things, I didn't always feel like being productive. After weeks of struggling to push against that, I decided to lean into it. I let myself rest. I played The Sims, at first I felt guilty because I felt I should have been putting that time elsewhere, and then I realised I was playing because it's fun, and just because time isn't necessarily spent in the most productive way, that doesn't mean it's wasted. Enjoyment is not a waste of time.

- Nature is healing

I went on a lot of walks during lockdown - I walked the route I'd normally take to get to the bus stop, which used to feel like a chore and I realised it's nice to be out in the fresh air, even if it's just to end up back at home. I explored the area I live more than ever before, discovered fields of flowers and took in views I've never seen before, which are a stone's throw from my house. I'd return home from my walks, and I feel more peaceful and grounded than I did before I stepped outside.

- Good friends will stay good friends without constant contact:

When this all began, I found myself worried about the implications on my friendships - not being able to see someone can have its effects on relationships, however, it didn't take long to realise that the friendships I have are good ones, and they will still be there when this is all over. Of course, we used technology to aid staying in touch - but there was an awareness that the conversation didn't have to be constant, as we all need to live beyond our phones and laptops too

- You should accept when you feel low:

We can't feel good 100% of the time, and as much as I understand the importance of a positive mindset (I have blog posts on that here and here), and avoiding a negative spiral - feelings are human and we are allowed to feel them. Sometimes trying so hard to be positive when you're feeling low can be counter-productive because we end up feeling worse due to the guilt of it not working when you're trying to force a positive feeling. Sometimes it's good to wallow, to cry it all out. Holding onto negative emotion is a recipe for disaster.

- You can figure things out as you go along:

Something I ended up doing in lockdown, was creating my Etsy store. It wasn't planned, it just sort of happened - more on that in this blog post. As a natural planner, it was terrifying to launch right into something without months of calculating all the details, but it felt right so I just went for it. I didn't have it all figured out, instead I made things up as I went along, as it's working out pretty well. If I had spent months planning it, there a chance that I would have given up before I began. Sometimes I think all you need to do is start, you can figure out the rest of the stuff as you go.

- You already have valuable skills:

Continuing on with lessons which came from my Etsy store venture, something else it taught me is that you already have so many skills, that you maybe just forgot about. It wasn't until I created my Etsy store, that I realised being able to sew and make quality products is a valuable skill. As is using a camera to take decent pictures to show off my products. Sometimes I think we sell ourselves a bit short and forget about all the great things we can already do.

- You don't have to see someone in person to connect, but there is something special about the human touch:

For me, lockdown meant months without seeing my boyfriend or friends - but I've not felt disconnected from my social circle if anything the opposite. Not being able to see friends has made us creative and encouraged us to reach out and make sure we're keeping contact when in ordinary life we might just wait until the next time we see each other to catch up. I'm not a very touchy person, so it did come as a surprise to me, over the past few months something I've found myself missing, is physical contact with my friends - a simple hug goodbye, walking with arms linked, the brush of hands during conversations - those things can't be replaced on Zoom.

- Getting dressed and getting ready changes how you feel, and those things should be done for you.

At the start of lockdown, I lived in my PJs and inturn felt pretty slobby and unproductive. My good days have been those that I spent time in the morning, thinking about what I want to wear and have let my appearance reflect how I wanted to feel.

- Working out is good for the mind:

Something which has been a constant for me in lockdown is working out, and I'm not your typical gym bunny (I've never been to one in my life actually) (you can read more about my on/off relationship with exercise here). But during lockdown, I've been doing Zoom workouts with @laurenalicefitness and it's paid off. I've always felt more positive and productive on the days I've worked out. It's also added structure to the endless days at home, plus my body is looking, and feeling better than ever

- It takes the smallest things to make things special:

Dates nights don't have to include going to fancy restaurants, putting a little more effort into cooking, setting the table nicely and lighting a candle can make what would be you standard dinner at home special. You can celebrate from your living room with the right music. Add fairy lights, some snacks and a blanket and there is even magic in watching a bit of tv.

#ad 2020 chloeharrietscreates etsy lifestyle

Creating the Perfect Unboxing Experince | Ad - Sponsored

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

If you read this post or follow me on Instagram, you'll know I recently launched my Etsy store. One aspect of becoming a small business owner I didn't expect to feel like such a big deal is the packaging - I mean obviously I realised orders would need to be packaged, but I did not expect that I'd spend so much time considering my best cardboard packaging option or to fall in love with that part of the process carefully packing orders while simultaneously taking my time to figure out the best way to do it. Launching my Etsy store has been a learning curve, and the packing is most definitely included in that.

Being a creative, I want my packaging to be pretty, I want it to be clear to the buyer that I've put love into every part of the process, but also - I don't want it to be wasteful. I don't want to be contributing to unnecessary plastic use. Something else which is important to me as a small business owner is making it personal - it means so much to me each time somebody places an order that the least I can do is packaging their order in a way in which is personal to the buyer - a handwritten note, is something I can offer as a small business that bigger businesses aren't able to, and I feel that just adds an extra sprinkle of love to the packaging. Alongside the prettiness, packaging also has a purpose, to get the parcel from A to B safely, arriving at its new home in the same condition which it left mine. So I've been looking for a balance.

A way to create the perfect unboxing experience for my customers.

I was recently contacted by Lil Packaging, who specialise in cardboard packaging about working together on this post - I accepted when I realised affordable, sustainable, plastic-free packaging was a missing piece, in my mission to create the perfect unboxing experience.

Here are the steps I take to create the perfect unboxing experience:

Triple check the items: Before I pack up any of my scrunchies, facemask or other goodies, I do one last quality control check (despite having checked several times during the making process), just to be sure the item I'm sending out is as good as it can be. I check there are no loose threads that need trimming, no wobbly seams or any final adjustments I need to make. When the buyer comes to unboxing I want to ensure they are happy with the quality of the product.
Ensure the goodies are safe and protected: One of the most important things to make sure is everything arrives in top condition. So once I've checked it all over, I make sure the item is completely protected. I wrap the items in colourful tissue paper which the buyer can, of course, choose to reuse. And seal it with a sticker or some washi tape. At some point, I will invest in some branded stickers, which are as environmentally friendly - but for now, I've been enjoying choosing a different sticker from my collection for each person. Once it is all wrapped up out of harm's way, the next step is to choose what to post it in. Lil packaging are a great choice for cardboard packaging - it keeps sending stuff out plastic-free, and offers the peace of mind that the items are secure. They even have the option to choose the packaging depending on Royal Mail sizing, which allows me to keep postage costs at the minimum, and avoid busy post offices during this pandemic as I can be certain my parcels make it into the large letter category.
Keep your wrapping as environmentally friendly as possible: I don't want my business impacting our planet, so I do my best to keep it as environmentally friendly as possible, opting for cardboard packaging rather than plastic, tissue to paper rather than bubble wrap and card gift tags, making the packaging either reusable or recyclable.
Wrap each item with love: As much as I'm up for saving time, I like to keep packing my items as a slow process, I want to ensure I put love into it - I think the way in which I package the items show my appreciation to those who choose to spend their money in my store. I wrap each item slightly differently, choosing different coloured tissue paper and gift tags, washi tape and stickers for each - I enjoy the creative process of it each time I think that really helps make for the perfect unboxing experience for my buyers.
Include your branding, and links where possible: As a new, small business, branding is a huge way to bring customers in and to bring them back. The perfect unboxing should have positive implications for both the buyer and the seller. So I like to try to promote my business within the unboxing process. As a new store owner, I'm yet to invest in branded stationery for this part (although it is coming, I promise) instead I've been using up what I already have, as I figured that option is best for the environment and the Chloe Harriets Creates money pot. Waiting to invest in branded stationery, has meant getting creative. Using my dynamo label maker to write my brand name on gift tags, including the brands Instagram handle (it's @chloeharrietscreates - go follow) in the note I write for the buyer and popping in a (now quite old) business card with my blog details on so it's clear where else to find me
Make it personal: For the perfect unboxing experience, you want it to feel personal. You want the unboxing to feel special to the buyer, you want your customer to feel valued before as they take out your product - that why I'm sure to write handwritten thank you notes to each customer.
Pretty it up: Everyone is a sucker for cute packaging right?! You can't create the perfect unboxing experience without it. Whether it's adding cute stickers, colourful washi tape or stickers. The pretty details make all the difference to an unboxing experience.

If you want to see more updates from my Etsy store, you can follow @chloeharrietscreates on Instagram, and visit the store here.

instagram lifestyle tips

Enjoy Instagram Again.

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Remember that time, way back when... Instagram was fun?! Back before you used to obsess over numbers and photo edits? When it didn't need to reflect a perfect life, just the one you were living? Well, I have gone back to that and I'm loving it.

A few weeks ago, I decided, I had two choices when it came to Instagram - to find a way to start enjoying it again, or stop bothering with it altogether. It simply wasn't fun anymore and why put my time into something which isn't fun? So I decided to make a change. I'm not a quitter and I didn't really want to say goodbye to those little squares that I'd spent the last few years curating. So instead, I looked for the positives. I searched for the joy the app used to bring me, and I found it - in today's blog post I thought I'd share how.

So for those who are stuck in an Instagram rut, like I was, here are my tips for enjoying it all over again:

- Lean into the bits you like:

There are so many things we do can do with Instagram - from photography to caption writing, to curating a feed, posing for pictures, video editing and the list goes on. Naturally, when given that long list of things, there will be the parts which you're doing because you think it's expected, and the parts which get you excited. Lean into those exciting bits. If you love the photography, then use Instagram as an excuse spend more time with your camera, if writing is a hobby of yours, show that off in the captions, or post your writing to your grid. The bits you enjoy, that's where you get to have the most fun, be your most creative.

- Step away from the bits you don't:

As well as leaning into the bits you enjoy, you need to step away from the bits you don't. Do you find it a hassle editing your photos, then don't do it. Can never think of any cool captions to write? A couple of emojis will do. You shouldn't have to put your time and energy into the aspects of a phone app which feel like a chore.

- Photo challenges:

Now, this will only apply to those that are in the love photography camp. Something which has got me back to loving Instagram is photo challenges. They've inspired me with what to post and I've found myself snapping things I wouldn't usually. Following in hashtags for these challenges have helped me find new great accounts to follow, and I've felt a sense of community on Instagram again. If you're curious, I've been doing the Zoella #comewhatmay challenge and occasionally the Shotfromthestreet #shotwiththetheme challenge.

- Unfollow:

The obvious one. Not only do you want Instagram to a fun place to post, but you also want it to be a nice place to hang out, where scrolling doesn't leave you feeling inadequate. Firstly, any accounts of people to who trigger that comparison side to you. just unfollow them. You definitely should not be comparing or obsessing over anyone else Instagram accounts (and not your own too). I think I've got the not comparing things on my own Instagram down (how is coming in the next bullet point) - however, it's something I've been struggling with when it comes to my new Instagram account for my Etsy store, where my account is new and I'm still finding my footing - so I've figured out, there's an account, who hasn't done anything wrong, but somewhere in my mind I set up a competition between us, and because of that I've found myself sad, that I wasn't winning the imaginary competition. - which is ridiculous. So I've stepped away from that account. I don't need to watch their stories or check how many followers they have - it's not serving me. Over the next few weeks, be a bit stricter with who you're following, anyone who pops up on your feed that you find yourself uninterested in, unfollow them too. Laura Jane Williams once said to me "Instagram is a magazine which you curate yourself" Don't have content in that magazine that you don't enjoy.

- Ignore the numbers:

If you're going to change one thing about how you do Instagram, make this it. I know, when you're a bloggers/influencer as numbers can translate to jobs- but I've always found when I don't think of, or obsess over my follow count it grows anyway. When you stop worrying about the number and how to make them grow, it makes it easier to lean into the bits you like and step away from the bits you don't. Follow counts and numbers of likes you get does not translate into your worth - so obsessing over them - it's not helping your account anyways.

- Engage with your community:

I've made friends on Instagram, and it feels like a place with shoulders to lean on. A community of people who inspire me. That's how you want it to feel. Engage with your community, get to know your followers and appreciate the time they take to engage with your content - you never know, you might also make a few friends like I have done.

- Remember, your feed doesn't have to be a masterpiece:

If you want to post something, whether not it fits with your feed you should be able to. Remember you are one person and it's perfectly normal that you don't have a professional photographer follow you around on the daily. It doesn't have to be perfect, you just have to enjoy it, otherwise, what's the point?!

Remember, you get to choose how you use this app, there's no right or wrong way. Any pressure there, you've probably put on yourself, so instead be gentle with yourself, and open your eyes to the enjoyment Instagram can bring you.

Instagram | Etsy | Twitter | Youtube | Facebook

How I'm going to start living with more intention | Mindfulness

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

I'll be honest, recently I've been feeling like a bit of a fraud. In my bios, my blog description and online something I go on and on about is intentional living, and I've had the realization that I haven't been living with all that much intention recently. Instead, I've found myself busy, rushing around (which is crazy considering we're currently in lockdown and I've got nowhere to be), distracted and all-around feel quite chaotic. This hectic life which has been playing out for me recently, is not the life I want - so it's time to make some changes.

How I'm going to start being more mindful and living with intention:

- Get back into meditation: I used to meditate almost daily (here's a blogpost on my fave mediations apps if it's something you want to get into!) But as life got busy, it's one of those things which got dropped - but mediations can be as short as a minute, and if I find time to scroll Instagram, I can find 10 minutes each day to meditate. I know my mind feels so much clearer when I do.

- Journal, reflect: I clearly want to be crowned the queen of self-reflection because something I want to do more is to spend more time journaling. I love getting my thoughts out onto paper, it helps me feel at peace, and peace is something I'm constantly on the search for more of.

- Being more organised: I think a lot of the reason that I'm constantly feeling in a rush lately, is because I've been procrastinating, unorganised and leaving things to the last minute, which ultimately leads to things like writing blogposts the day they go live, and not feeling all that zen when doing so. Organisation feels like a key ingredient in the life I want - because when I'm feeling more organised my mind feels calmer, it makes room for the nice things.

- Spending more time in nature: One thing lockdown has reminded me of is that I like going to for walks in nature (I touch on that in this vlog). Fresh air is good for the soul. Listing to the birds singing, taking in the colour of the flowers and feeling the breeze on your skin is something quite lovely - I want to live my life with so much intention that I'm sure to spend time outdoors, and with enough gratitude, I notice these little luxuries which can sometimes fade into the background.

- Spending time away from my phone: Too much scrolling is not good for anyone. Life is to be lived, not spent comparing your lives to what the lives of strangers appear to be from what you see on an app.

- Unfollowing: What we consume is so important, and that includes the media we consume online. We also have full control over the online content we consume. I'm going to start being more mindful of who I'm following and unfollowing those accounts which don't bring me the joy, knowledge or inspiration I like to gain from my phone time.

- Actually relaxing: Something I realised I'm not particularly good at is relaxing. Sure I take the time out to relax, but often I find myself trying to multitask and get something else done rather than remaining present in the thing I'm meant to be doing to relax. Or my mind feels so busy I find myself planning to-do in what is supposed to be my chill time, which of course completely takes out the chill. Relaxing starts to feel more like procrastinating. So I want to find more ways to relax which completely consume me, and take my mind to a new place. This will include more reading, actually letting myself play the Sim without feeling guilty because it's not productive - fun is allowed, it's actually encouraged in my world, I need to remember that. I also want to find some new series to watch with worlds I can get completely lost in and fall in love with new films.

Editing is down goals and to-do lists: Sometimes I'm interested in so much, there are so many things I want to do, I end up doing a bit of everything, but not nearly enough of anything. Nothing is done as well as I want because I've too much on my plate. It's time to edit down. I'm going write shorter to-do lists, taking out the pointless tasks, and re-asses my goals, figuring out where I want my focus to sit. I can't do everything, and it's about time I stop trying. For a while I think my Youtube channel is going to be on the back burner - running a blog, writing a book and running and making items for an Etsy store is a lot of things for one person - especially when time also needs to go into relationships, exercise, cleaning, cooking and just living. Removing filming and editing videos from my list for a while will make room to put that love in elsewhere.

Turning off phone notifications: Because let's be honest. Life feels more peaceful without them.