Simple steps I took to improve my wellbeing:

Getting ready

Lockdown has made me realise two things: Number one, I feel better when I get ready. Number two, getting ready doesn't have to mean a full face of make up and uncomfortable clothes. Sometimes just not wearing what you slept in is enough to get you feeling good, and sometimes a smudge of red lipstick makes you feel like you can take over the world. As I'm not going many places recently (hello lockdown) I've got myself two pairs of slippers, onw for in the day around the house, a cat pair which I think look pretty fancy, and a pair of fluffy boots for when I'm cosying up in my pjs - a pair for day and a pair for evening - I'm surprised how much a different pair is slippers is making me feel less like a slob. Spending a little time in the morning getting ready help me feel in a routine and signals to my brain it's time for the day to start, and reminds me, even if I'm not going anywhere my purpose exists beyond watching Netflix in my jammies.

Asking for help when I want it

I don't mean the big deal help here... not going to a therapist when you're hitting rock bottom (although if you think you might need a therapist, you probably do, and you should look into it...) but the small help. I very easily get overwhelm. For example if I'm cooking dinner as there's too many dishes around, it stresses me out, rather than continue to be stressed about dishes, and desperately searching for the kitchen space I need, I'm simply asking my boyfriend to help clear them up. Hanging the washing is a task I hate but rather than dread it every time, I can ask for a hand and get it done in half the time. It took starting to ask for help with the small things, to make me realise I can ask for help and realise that the majority of time, I only surround myself with people willing to help me. 

Daily meditation

Daily yoga

Fresh air, spending time in nature.

Keep track of finances 

Make small steps everyday

Taking vitamins 

Listening to the good stuff

Making time for loved ones

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Keep things tidy

My environment really impacts how I feel, so the month I have been making extra effort to keep on top of the cleaning and tidying ensuring my home is a nice place to be. 10 minutes before bed to make sure everything is in order downstairs, cleaning up as I go when I cook and Sunday bedding changes make all the difference.

Outfit Details: 

*Affiliate links are used in this blog post

 Recently I made this video on how it's never too late to start again. In the video (at bottom of post), I discuss how something small can be your new start. I think sometimes the small things matter more than we give them credit for, and when we put all of the small things altogether, they can result in something much bigger. It can be the tiniest moments which get us through the day-to-day. Small new starts are less intimidating, they are manageable and taking the small steps moves us closer to bigger things.

A few nights ago when I went to bed I felt like my world was falling down. Everything was crumbling and crashing to the ground, and there was nothing I could do to save it because I too was crumbling. The next morning, I woke up, ready to take those pieces and sellotape them back together. It's time to rebuild what I thought was broken.

So after hiding out in my bed for days, binging The O.C, and chasing my emotions in a circle of sadness, guilt and disappointment, I decided it was time to drag myself out of bed and face the world which I'd been attempting to ignore. I started taking the small steps to start again.

If like I did, you need that new start, here are some of the little things I'd recommend doing:

- Have a cup of tea. Tea usually helps.

- Shower. Somehow, it changes everything.

- Create a vision board, or revise the one of you've got (full video on that here)
- Get out of the house. It's easy to become a willing prisoner in your own home when really some fresh air and new surroundings will do you a world of good.

- See or talk to a friend. I went for a coffee with my friend and remembered what it is to laugh again.

- Exercise. Go for a run, do some yoga, or maybe just have a good stretch. Move your body.

- Meditate (I've got a full blog post on meditation apps here), because mind workouts matter too.

- Spend some time organising. I got out my bullet journal and started planning future blog posts and writing projects

- Write a list of things you're grateful for. There's always more than you can imagine which should make the list.

- Write a list of things you're proud of. Remind yourself of how far you've come (it's further than you think).

- Make some future plans,  give yourself something to be excited by.

- Decide where you want to be, plan your next step. Just do something towards it, no matter how small. Spend 10 minutes minimum working on it. Something is always better than nothing, and as soon as you start something, it's easier to get going.

- Change your bedding.

There are a million ways to start again, big and small, you just have to decide to do it. It's time to make your way out of the woods.



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I whizzed through When We Collided by Emery Lord so fast. It's the most mesmerised I've found myself by the characters and plot of a book in a while, so I had to write a full blog post, and with Christmas coming up, I thought now was the perfect time do it as this novel certainly fits in with my series of mini Christmas gift guides/reviews.

The YA novel switches between the perspectives of Vivi and Jonah, both of whom seem to have traumatic pasts they're in the process of both dealing with and avoiding completely.

The characters meet in a small coastal town where Jonah lives and Vivi is spending her summer.

Jonah is tired, whilst Vivi always seems full of energy, and a bit well full on. Although they seem completely different, I found both characters equally enchanting.

They both come with an intense backstory and a bit of mystery, which unfolds as the story progresses.

The pair meet when Jonah takes his younger sister to paint pottery where Vivi works - he's surprised he doesn't know her, as he's the townie in the small coastal town. The reader soon learns that this isn't Jonah's only sibling, he's one of 6 and has recently lost his Dad (this isn't too much of spoiler, that gets revealed pretty early on) Jonah's younger sister befriends Vivi, so she begins to spend time with his entire family, besides his mum. It Vivi seems like the light Jonah's family needed in the tough time, he's almost blissfully unaware she's going through her own problems.

Vivi is unpredictable, and Jonah is a sensible 17-year-old, playing the grown-up, struggling to make it through the summer.

It becomes clear that each day Vivi throws a pill into the ocean and goes about her life. It becomes clear Vivi is running from a troubled past and isn't as carefree as her almost hippy persona gives off.


The book includes themes of mental health, grief, relationships, sex, acceptance family dynamics and so much more. There's a lot packed into it, and it all entangled into the love story, which makes it feel so much more real.

Come to the end of the book, I found myself in floods of tears, both satisfied and heartbroken.

When We Collided and The Start of Me and You Comparison

I discovered the author Emery Lord, from reading her novel 'The Start of Me and You' so I wanted to compare the two.

To give some overview of the Start of Me and You, it is once again, a Young Adult Romantic fiction. A story which begins 6 months after Paige's fairly new boyfriend dies in a drowning accident. Paige wants to feel like a teen again, so writes a list of things she wants to achieve, from dating to swimming. The book sees her friendship group grow, as she finds herself again, and as ever, fall in love. There are some unexpected bits in the book, but as a whole, I found it slightly more predictable.

Despite beginning with the theme of death, I found this book felt much more lighthearted. I liked the characters but didn't feel quite so captured by their quirks as I was with the characters in When We Collided.

However, I find the author Emery Lord writing, such a pleasure to read, it's both simple and poetic at the same time, and the worlds she creates feel real.

I would recommend both if you're into YA fiction.  When we collided definitely felt more pack full, but both stories were both interesting and well written!


I will definitely be reading more by Emery Lord. Have you read any of her writing? I'd love to know what you thought!

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photography by Madeleiine Grace

We buy ‘Dream Big’ Posters, ask children what they want to be when they grow up, and upon finishing a project comes the inevitable question ‘what next?’ Ambition is something we praise. I try to surround myself with those whose work ethic I admire. Having few career aspirations is a red flag.

Dreams are great, but with making them come true there’s pressure. We overlook the sacrifice and strain that comes with being a #girlboss.

According to moneymow.com, for nearly all age groups (except 70+), most people expect to be more happy in the future than today. This stat certainly rings true for me. I have high hopes for the future because it is what I’m working my ass off for today.

Alone, I’m cracking under pressure, yet to reach my goals. My mind is running in circles, wondering if when I get to that place, will it be enough? It’s unlikely. There’s always room for more in this power-hungry society, where we wear our busy schedule like a prize badge.

Could that ambition we’re all so proud of, that we strive for, actually be damaging?

80 per cent of British females they put too much pressure on themselves to be perfect even though they accomplish an average of 26 tasks a day. 26 tasks don't feel enough. Our stress walks hand in hand with our to-do list, which is, of course never-ending. When we're not ticking things off, we're feeling guilty about it, lazy even. That list is infinite due to this notion of more which strips us of the pride of our achievements. Amongst curated Instagram feeds and viral success stories, the average Joe isn’t going to measure up. This inadequacy makes us more determined, more hungry for success.

My mental health hit an all-time low, I felt down, desperate and ashamed of myself. These were the repercussion of attempting to make dreams come true. I'd hear myself talk about my ambitions, and despite the work, I put in, the words felt empty. Rather than worrying about my own perception of happiness, I began putting my all into making something tangible of those dreams, which made me feel like a failure over and over again.

I came across a quote which changed my perspective. “Remember when you wanted everything you have right now”. It was a reminder that we all need to take a moment to appreciate our steps, to pause while climbing this never-ending ladder.

What is the point in working so hard, and never appreciate its pay off? Why does one day have to be so far into the distant future when we’ve already travelled miles with all the hours we’ve put in. Where exactly does success fit amongst that full schedule with no downtime? There aren’t any smiles living a life of the edge of burnout.

 How to stop ambition overpowering happiness? Take some time out. Stop worrying about the future and start appreciating the now. Keep a gratitude journal. Put your phone away, stay in the moment. Unfollow those who fill your bones with envy. Remember the to-do-list never goes away, it sounds like twisted advice, but learning I would never conquer my entire to-do-list was the most freeing lesson.

I think success is more likely to come off the back of happiness. Happy people attract good things, stressing about never being enough, will only make that into reality, instead put that energy into enjoying your day. You might even be more productive tomorrow if you show yourself a little love today.

Dress: ASOS | Shoes: Vans

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You may have noticed, I've been a little slack with my weekly blog posts recently, the reason for that being, that since returning from my holiday (more on that next week), I have finally been told why I've spent the past year or more feeling lightheaded pretty regularly. Although it wonderful to know that I'm not going insane, since being diagnosed (I'm not going to go into details of what's wrong, there's no need to share the ins and outs of my health, but is nothing serious, just something which needs managing), the lightheadedness, has escalated and I've begun fainting, a lot  (ironically it took so long to diagnose because I wasn't fainting). It's not nice. Although fainting moments after a bouncer called me dramatic for trying to sit down, made me thank my body for its impeccable timing, I've felt, to put it bluntly, like shit.

Last week was one incredibly challenging for me, both mentally and physically. To feel the world slip away, while knowing that all eyes are on you, and not having the energy to say or do a thing. To lose complete control over your body, and feel helpless knowing that's your only option until it passes. Fainting is it the strangest mixture of being unaware and aware at the very same time. You feel your eyes rolling, your head dropping. You feel it, but you can't stop it. You become aware of your blood, you can almost feel it washing down towards your toes in waves. Sometimes you've got no choice but to give in to your stubborn and say goodbye to the world for a moment. Fainting is terrifying but temporary, and when it's happening, there's no stopping it. 

The timing of this has been awful, my sisters recently moved out and my mum and stepdad are away, so I'm home alone, and yet I've never felt less capable of being independent.

It's isolating. This week has felt lonely. I was sent home from work on two days and called in sick on two other days. The people who care, have been worrying about me, rightly so. However, there is this weird line, where your friends and family begin to feel more like your babysitters as they're constantly (and kindly) checking up on you. The two-way streets of relationships can move away from their usual give and take when one person is more vulnerable.

I've also felt haunted by the fear of fainting. It's easy to cancel plans and stay at home in bed because of 1. it's scary to faint 2. it's scarier to faint in public 3. I don't want to be a liability. As much as staying home in bed can often be a wonderful thing, when overdone, it can lead to mind spirals, it can pull you into a state of sadness. when your home has become your base after being off work sick, the four walls that you live in can become kind of evil, you feel both like a prison in your home and in your head, if your mind is that way inclined. I know myself well enough to say, my mental health is very up and down. I'm either high or low, and that is the highest highs and the lowest lows. So a week of feeling poorly and alone in my own home was more than likely to send my mind on the eeriest wild goose chase with the destination being the hell of my own head.

Of course, the easy option is to accept that I'm not well, I can't do anything, and because there's a possibility of fainting I could stay home, where I'm living with sadness. But the easy option isn't always the best route.

My sister asked me about my plans for the weekend, I told her I was going to cancel my plans because I didn't feel like it and... what if I faint?!

She told me I had to keep my plans or see her, she wasn't allowing me to be home and sad (she knows me well it seems)

So after sending my friend's several stroppy texts (sorry guys) saying I couldn't make the Bristol Food Tour which had been planned and paid for, for months, I finally owned up let them know I was worried about fainting and asked if they were they okay with me going knowing it's a possibility I could faint. Of course, they wanted me to go, they're my friends, after all.

That was yesterday. Today, I still feel weak, but I feel like myself. I had forgotten how that feels over the past few weeks. Sometimes a day with friends is what you need to escape the prison of your own mind, and to find yourself. Mental Health is, of course as important as physical health, and they often walk hand in hand, but yesterday was my reminder that they don't always have to.

Outfit Details:

Dress: New Look (on sale now)
Shoes: Vans (similar linked)
Hat: Urban Outfitters (no longer available in yellow)
Glasses: Tom Ford (similar linked)




*affiliate links are used in the blog post.

I've recently entered a familiar realm of sadness, and while I think it's important to ride it out, allow myself to feel. I also think it's just as important to control it before it spiralling. So here are some little things I'm doing to ensure my sadness is shortlived.

1) Reaching out to friends: I've recognised I've been feeling a sense of loneliness and isolation, so rather than dwell on that, and feeding my paranoia, by mentally listing all the reason I could believe that my friends don't actually like me and are attempting to ghost me, I'm simply texting to ask if they want to hang out.

2) Unfollowing: I'm terrible when it comes to following. I see a picture I like, or one tweet I relate to and immediately hit that follow button. I guess because there's no limit on who you can follow. However recently, I was on a friends twitter and noticed she only follow 80 odd people, and I thought to myself with envy "her twitter must be a nice place to be", and then I realised I follow thousands of people which make my social media feeds just as loud as my brain. So not to be that dick who unfollows but I'm going to be doing some unfollowing, for my own sake.

3) Facemask - My once completely clear skin which would cause me to brag how I never get spots, is cluttered with angry blemishes. I think stress has caused my skin to have a bad time. Rather than dwell on the fact my skin isn't looking great, I'm taking it as an excuse to do some facemask, give it that extra bit of love it's looking for.

4) Eating Healthy - The temptation to binge when I'm feeling down is high, but I'm trying my best to shake my head no to the overload of snack that I want and eat well because it just makes me feel a little nicer

5) Exercise - I mean, I'm yet to put this one into practice if I'm completely honest, but I'm trying my best to incorporate exercise into my life again because I know what good things it does for the mind. I want to try out Yoga, considering I've never met someone less flexible than me, it could be interesting.

6) Meditate - As well as moving your body, I think it's just important to be still, and alone with your thoughts. I'm going to get back into meditating, if you've been reading my blog a while, you'll know used to be obsessed with the Headspace apps, it's time to start using it again.

7) Delete the social media app which I mindlessly scroll on - I recently deleted my Facebook app from my phone, I don't miss it, and I don't waste time scrolling, or meeting with the devil of comparison. Snapchat will be going next.

8) Clean - It's not only therapeutic, but it creates a more inviting environment. I was having a terrible day yesterday, I walked into my bedroom, and was reminded I changed my bedding earlier that day and just one thing was slightly nice, and sometimes the smallest things, really count. I know clean bedding's not going to change the world, but it makes it the tiniest bit brighter.

9) Tweet less, blog more - I find it far too easy to tweet out a few words which poorly describe how I'm feeling which might not always come across how I intend and can make space feel quite negative. I'm going to try to take to blogging more when I've got something to say, so that I can talk about how I'm feeling in a longer form, that way I can hopefully understand it, and explain it better.

10) Write in my Diary - I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing down my thoughts each day, taking the time to explore my thoughts and pour my heart out into words on a page, just for me. I find this helps understand how I'm feeling, and gain a sense of control over it, plus it encourages me to practise my writing for no one other than myself.

Photography: Madeleine Grace

Outfit Details
Dress: ASOS 
Jacket:  H&M (old, similar linked)
Shoes: DMs (similar)
Bag: Zara (old, similar linked)
Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 37 L'Exubérante



I hope you found this post useful, I'd love to hear your thoughts!


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I'm writing the post partly to benefit my readers, and partly to remind myself.

There are certain things I have recently been trying to do every day, in order to become a little more mindful, to keep learning, and feel positive.

So, here are 12 little things I'm trying to incorporate into my everyday routine...

1. A consistent skincare routine - Whether I'm intending to stay in my PJs all day or not, I need to sure my skin is being looked after. 
2. Going outside - Even if only for a second, getting a bit of fresh air makes all the difference.
3. Reading - a book, magazine, blog post or an article, whatever I choose doesn't matter, as long as I'm reading.
4. Having at least an hour with my phone an aeroplane mode - sometimes we just need to step away from technology and stop scrolling.
5. Meditating - It only takes 10 minutes and makes a huge difference.
6. Exercising  - Of some form at least, no matter how big or small, I need to make sure my body is moving
7. Clearing any phone notifications and emails - Looking at my phone is a lot more pleasant without the obnoxious red numbers everywhere
8. Drinking plenty of water - Hydrating is important.
9. Complimenting somebody - It's nice to be nice.
10. Writing in my diary - so I can read and cringe in the years to come.
11. Eating my five a day - I mean, actually, do it. Keep track of the fruit and veg I have and everything.
12. Writing 3 things in my gratitude journal - because it's important to be grateful.

Some Quotes I liked...

“See, anxiety doesn’t just stop. You can have nice moments, minutes where it shrinks, but it doesn’t leave. It lurks in the background like a shadow, like that important assignment you have to do but keep putting off or the dull ache that follows a three-day migraine. The best you can hope for is to contain it, make it as small as possible so it stops being intrusive. Am I coping? Yes, but it’s taking a monumental amount of effort to keep the dynamite inside my stomach from exploding."

“Perfection is a feeling; you’ll know it if you’ve ever questioned the competency of your penmanship before writing on the first page of a new notebook.” 

“I just want to have proof that I can think straight, that I am more than the girl who believes that odd numbers will cause a catastrophe.”

Star Rating:
★★★★ out of ★★★★★

If you have given this a read, I'd love to hear your thoughts, I personally really enjoyed this book!



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Lately, I haven't been in the greatest headspace, if I'm honest, I've mainly been feeling pretty damn right crap, but I also haven't been doing all that much to prevent this feeling. I simply found myself stuck in a rut, and felt very cooped up in my own house. After leaving my previous job, I've been at home concentrating on blog stuff, and both facing and ignoring the daunting what's next question, so much so that I distanced myself from the outside world and found sadness in my current situation, where sadness needn't be,

This week, however, seems to be completely different. I feel as though I've gone into this the week (I'm writing this on Monday) with a new perspective (let's hope it lasts until, at least Friday)  and a fresh mind, and I'm putting that down to fresh air and friends.

Sunday afternoon I went for a roast (veggie one for me), and a very muddy walk through Leigh Woods with two of my friends.  I love exploring with my camera, and catching up with friends,  and I think the day was arranged just in time for when I needed it. It really cleared my mind and gave me the opportunity to appreciate what's around me.

Somebody, remind me to go outside more! The world is a beautiful place and my laptop screen, and self-inflicted blues should not stop me from taking it in.