So, here's a list of the little life-changer - because little things can make a big difference.

• The Wet Brush: Honest, this hairbrush makes such a difference. I didn't realise how knotty my hair was, how painful running a brush through it felt until I started using a wet brush. I didn't get on with the tangle teaser if anything I found it more painful to use, but the wet brush takes all of the pain out of hair brushing.
• Using a Mooncup: I started using a Mooncup last year, and I wouldn't go back to using pads and tampons. It takes the hassle and spending out of having to buy sanitary products each month, it's easy to use and personally I find it feels more hygienic. 
• Tracking periods - it's good to know where you can blame your mood on your hormones. I personally use the Clue app, but I know there are plenty of others around.
• Keeping longer socks and ankle socks in different drawers. It's probably a weird flex on my part, but it saves the frustration of looking for socks for some trainer socks and pulling out full-length fluffy bed socks.
• Changing the sound of your alarm something you actually enjoy listening to. Mine is a Harry Styles song, obviously.
• Meditation: I've spoken a million times about how great meditation is so I won't keep going on. If you're sceptical, just give it a try, I have this blog post on my favourite meditation apps!
• Not sleeping with your phone under your pillow, not checking Instagram the moment you wake up: You want to wake up with your focus being on you, not trigger comparison by spending too much time scrolling. I now have my phone set to lock the majority of my apps until 9am. On a good day when I get up at 6, that gives me a few phone-free hours, which allows me to have a more mindful morning.
• Having a Monzo account, using the pots to save money: I have saved more than ever since I got a Monzo account. I feel more aware of my finances, and I manage to save money without even realising by setting up pots. If you do want to sign up, follow this link and we'll both receive £5, win-win.
• Give your belonging homes. It's nice not to have to search for a pen every time you need one.
• Make your bed every morning
• Get your bag ready the night before
•  Don't go to things you don't want to go to. No is a word, use it, often and kindly.
• Keep your keys in the side pocket of your bag. It's just not necessary to have to empty you're belonging, after rummaging in your bag for 10minutes to simply get in the house.
•  Get a notebook with dotted paper  (or a bullet journal - which you can find blog posts on here and here, and some youtube videos here) I didn't realise what a difference this made, but honestly, those dots are life-changing.
• Start getting ready 10 minutes before you think you need to.
• Don't go shopping hungry: You just buy so much unnecessary food, which won't get eaten, and you'll spend more money.
• Just get up when your alarm goes off: Hitting that snooze button won't enhance your day.
• Do the purse/phone/keys check before you leave the house.
• Have a savings account. Actually, use it to save.
•  Know how much money is in your bank account, don't spend more than that amount.
• Portable phone chargers.
• Put sanitary products, lip balm, hair bands, grips and plasters into each of your handbags: They always come in handy.
• Step away from Instagram when you're feeling down: There's no need to see photos of beautiful, rich, successful girls when you feel crap
• Do that laptop update you've been pressing remind me tomorrow on the past year
• Clear a decent amount of space on your phone, get rid of the storage full notification
• You know those things you keep having to go to the next room to get? like phone chargers, and scissors? Buy more, have them in every room.

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I've been seeing lots of Summer Bucket list floating around so I'd put my own one out there. It's easy to forget to live, it sounds silly to say, but we can become stuck in routine without the awareness that life is happening right now, and the things we plan on doing become hopes rather than actions. They can build as a list of 'one day's' in our heads. Lately, I've been trying to adjust my focus, put effort into living in the now, and transforming thoughts into actions. I thought a way to do see this, would be to share my Summer Bucket list on here, so I've got a reminder of all the things I want to do this season and a way to hold myself accountable for making my life what I want it to be. I've definitely been over-ambitious writing this list, but anything I don't get around to, I'd like to keep in mind for next year. This is also going to be the one blog post which I go back into edit, I'm going to cross things off when I've achieved them so it's clear where I'm at.


- Go on Holiday
- Visit 3 different cities
- Go pottery painting
- Keep a journal
- Go to life drawing classes
- Star Gaze
- Have a picnic
- Complete a 5k run (for charity)
- Do a random act of kindness
- Read 5 new books
- Watch a sunrise
- Watch a sunset
- Get a tattoo
- Swim in the sea
- Go to a drive-in/outdoor cinema
- Paint a picture
- Go to an art gallery/museum
- Send postcards
- Go to the theatre
- Do Yoga Outdoors
- Go to a basketball game
- Go berry picking
- Finally, pass my driving test
- Throw a party/host a dinner party
- Go on a staycation
- Buy myself flowers
- Scrapbook my memories





Wish me luck making it through my list! I'd love to know what's on your Summer Bucket List.

C x


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As one year draws to a close, and we prepare for a new year, it becomes very clear people fall into two categories. There are the people who get excited for a new year, claiming this will be their year, and set endless ambitious goals. And then, of course, there are the people who take the piss out of their positive enthusiasm.

I fall into the first category. Something about the New Year fills me with hope, often I make myself cringe at how keen I am for a new year, and knowing set goals which often seem unrealistic because it's always better to try.

So without further ado - here is my list of goal which I'm hoping my make progress with this year:

- Pass my driving test and get a car. Finally. It's taking me a while I know, but I'm so close to achieving this one now,
- Get articles published in magazines. I've been pitching a while and I'm yet to have any luck, but that's only made me want to work harder
- Finish my book and begin my search for a publisher. I'm 45,000 words in at the moment, so the first draft finish line is nearing, it's just case of editing this draft until it's good, and finding somebody else that believes in it.
- Save £5000.
- Read 30 books.
- Reach 1000 subscribers on youtube. You can find my channel here if you want to help a girl out.
- Work with brands on blog content.
- Start taking Instagram more seriously. Build up my follow count, post regularly, document life on my stories, work with photographers etc etc
- Stick to a weekly work out routine. Go for a run/work out 3 times a week.
- Get up earlier, get into a good morning routine.
- Create more art. Paint, draw, doodle more.
- Document my life more. Take photos for me,  scrapbook, write in my diary more, vlog more.
- Start dating. I've been extremely single for years, not wanting to meet anyone, but 2019 will be the year I will brave putting myself out there (more about why it will be in an upcoming blog post, so keep your eyes peeled).


I'm excited to start working on these goals, and to see all the wonderful things 2019 will bring! I'd love to know what goals you've set yourself for this year!



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Happy New Year!

Portugal

Fitness 

 Walking in the Woods

Bristol Food Tour

Reconnecting with family

 Shooting with Madi

I've spent many fun days taking blog photos with my friend Madi. It's so good to have a friend who really understands the blog thing and it's great to help each other out. These days have been both fun and productive, which is super rewarding. Alongside this, we went to a blog event together, and for the first time ever I felt like a 'real' blogger.

Museum visits, harbourside walks and coffee with Kelsey 

Quitting my job

Began creating Youtube videos again

Went to a teamaking workshop at the Bird & Blend Tea Company

 

Celebrated Christmas 

Seeing Ryleigh grow up

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On listening to a Nobody Panic podcast, on happiness, I found myself thinking about little joys. I'm someone who chasing tends the big things. I've found myself wrapped in sadness because the big things aren't happening to the timeline which I've decided is appropriate, and when these things do happen, I've built them up so high, that they're often underwhelming.

My main focus has shifted recently. I'm looking for happiness in all the places it hides. I'm searching for the smallest joys in my most mediocre days. Yes, this blog post is probably up there with one of the most cheesy things I've written, but I'm okay with that because I think with gratitude we become a magnet of good things. Yes, I am a law of attraction wanker.

Places I've found happiness recently:

• One returning from babysitting one Saturday night, rather than heading straight to bed, I found myself, my mum and my stepdad crowded around a phone singing Robbie Williams Angels. I'm not sure how it came about, but it was the purest happiest moment. We're all terrible, like really terrible at singing. English is my stepdads second language so naturally, he was getting the lyrics wrong. The shambles of this heartfelt performance that my neighbours probably hated us for made me grateful, that at 26 years old, I still live with two of my favourite people. It doesn't matter that I'm an adult living with my parents when I have a bloody great time with them.
• Wearing my favourite perfume - Spritzing on a bit of Glossier You, or Laura Mercier Ambre Passion sends a smile to my face every time I catch a whiff of myself and remember I smell delicious.
• Listening to a good podcast - Nobody Panic Podcast never fails to make me laugh, and CTRL ALT DELETE  always leaves me feeling inspired.
• In exercise - Crazy, I know, but there's something about only focusing on my body and nothing more.
• In texts from friends - from chats about Joe Sugg on Strictly to messages to let me know they're proud, I've found myself smiling at Whatsapp a lot recently.
• In books - Recently I've got into reading YA fiction again and there's something nostalgic about reading about teenage crushes and friendship, it just feels very wholesome.
• In ticking off to-do lists - A wave of relief and the feeling of accomplishment always washes over me after a productive day.
• In cups of tea and magazine articles - This Sunday tradition of mine always leaves me feeling content, so much so that it's become more of a daily tradition than a Sunday one.
• A social media break - Things we're getting a bit much recently so I decided I needed a bit of social media-free time, because follow counts, likes and losing the day to Instagram doesn't always make me feel great, so I deleted the twitter and Instagram apps from my phone and had a few days without worrying about what to post next and scrolling other peoples lives instead of living mine. I'm not perfect, so I obviously slip up a few times and had a peak on the newsfeeds, but I spent so much less time glued to my phone and didn't check Instagram the moment I woke. I might have lost a couple of followers but it was good for my soul.

How I'm making my day to day more joyful:

- Getting dressed every morning, wearing clothes that make me feel good.

- No saving my best, for best. Every day I should be living my best life.

- Turning off my phone more.

- Buying what I want, not what's cheapest.

- Listening to my intuition.

- Taking breaks when I need them but not letting them lead to unnecessary procrastination.



Photography: madeleiinegraceblogs ... I know you've seen photos from this shoot again and again in posts, I'm sorry - but I love them, so why not get my use out of them!
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But the world remains, pretty close to how I left it at 11.59 on December 31st, 2016.

2016 was going to be the year I got a new job, a career.
Made something of my tiny space on the interest.
The year I got a car and finally passed my driving test.
Moved out of my mum's house, and waved goodbye to my single bed.

I am still not earning my blog
and I'm yet to reach 100 subscribers on my Youtube channel.

I'm sat on my single bed. I am yet to take my driving test, and I have not changed jobs.
It wasn't the year I intended it to be, but the world has not stopped spinning.



2017 didn't turn out to be my year, I guess every year can't be the one to change the world. It was still full of laughter, friends and memories. Although I'm yet to get the whole adulting thing down. I had a good time between in unachievements, and felt joyful in the midst of disappointment.

So rather than feel sad about the year it wasn't,  I'd celebrate those memories I made which bring a smile to my face.


Drumroll pleaseee...
Here are some of the of my favourite memories from 2017:


Playing Jenga at the Pub with Jaynie and Gina...

It sounds so simple, yes, but it was so filled with joy. I had the funniest afternoon with my friends Jaynie and Georgina playing Jenga at the pub. Of course, I am terrible at Jenga and lost every time, but it was so much fun. We all got fully into it, I found a competitive streak I never knew I had, partly because everyone stared when the Jenga fell. Sometimes the small things are the nicest.






Walks with Hannah and Hannah

 Something I have fully embraced this year is going for walks. Whilst I never quite understood the fascination when I was younger, as a 26-year-old woman, I find myself feeling pretty content whilst wandering through nature chatting away with friends. It has become quite a regular thing to taking a walk with my friends Hannah and Hannah, and although I still haven't quite got the dress code right, I have been thoroughly enjoying exploring with my friends.


The Bloggers Market

 Early on in the year, I took myself to London to go to the Bloggers Markets and catch up with one of my uni friends. I wrote a full post on it here, so I won't ramble on too much. But I very much loved doing something I little different, catching up with an old friend, and of course, it was lovely to meet Liv in person after years of major blog stalking.

New Day Blogger Lunch 

Again, I wrote a full post on this which you can read here, so I won't to on about it too long. In April I headed over to Cornwall to visit my friend Stacie and get involved with a blogger event with New Day Knitwear. Whilst it was one of the first time I felt valid as a blogger, I was also reminded of the calm crochet brings me, I got to meet some other bloggers and it was so so lovely to see my friend Stacie.


Charly Cox Poetry Night

 I am the biggest fan of poetry, and Charly Cox is one of my favourite modern-day poets. So, when she put on a poetry night to raise money of MQ Mental health, I booked tickets to London. It was the perfect excuse to spend the day with my Mum and then as she abandoned me for the poetry part, I had to push outside my comfort zone and go in alone. I met some really lovely people and Charly did a wonderful job. There's a full post here, and a vlog from the day here.




Wild Place

Myself and my friend Matt spontaniously went to Wild Place for the day. It was so much fun exploring, seeing and learning about all the animals. I learnt a lot about how they are working to save animals from extinction, so it's definitely somewhere I'd like to visit more. There is a photo filled post on it here , and a vlog here.



Turning 26

My 26th Birthday was one of my best birthdays yet. I spent time with family, and friends, at great food and got thoroughly spoilt. You can read more about it here, or watch some of the highlights here.



Vienna

Myself and my friend Matt spent a weekend exploring Vienna. It's safe to say I fell in love with the city. It was a jam packed weekend where I saw so much more than I expected. We did loads in the short time we were there. I was surprised by how truly beautiful Vienna is, and I am very happy to have visited.  There's a full, lengthy blogpost on it here, and a vlog here




Ginger Bread Decorating

I had some pre christmas celebrations with a couple of friends, which included pulling crackers, exchanging gifts, eating yummy food and decorated ginger bread men. It was lovely.
Winter Wonderland and Christmas:

Of course these make the cut, but as my post on them went to so recently I'll let you pop over there (link here) to see pictures and read more about the festive time.


Looking back has made me realised, although I've not achieved all I hoped, 2017 has been pretty wonderful.

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