Well hello to you my reader chums! I've spent a lot of time this past year working on myself, cutting out negative energy and learning to love all of me - and I've also learnt a lot of healthy tips, mentally and physically to do in order to improve myself and live a happier life.

The new year can be about change and trying new things and if you're looking to live a healthier lifestyle, here are 10 tips for a better you.

Spend time focusing on you and your goals

Focusing on you and your goals isn't selfish. For the longest time, I spent my time helping other people, socialising and trying to keep busy with others, rather than focusing on my own goals and working on myself. I thought by being around others, I could distract myself from the things I've been avoiding and that scared me, and it would make me happy and it did, but it also meant I swayed away from what I really wanted to achieve.

A habit I've put into play the past few months is learning to love my own time and making sure I have that time to focus on me, my healing, and working on my goals. Learning to be alone is really important as you can't always rely on someone else to boost you up and offer advice, you need to be your own hype girl.

Cut out people who don't bring you joy

Anyone who brings toxic or negative energy into your life isn't worth your time. You don't need to surround yourself with unecessary drama or unecessary pain caused by toxic people. If people close to you are acting this way, slowly cut yourself away from them or limit contact and surround yourself more with those who radiate love and support - they're the ones who will boost you up and help you out. It's not about the number of people around you, it's about the quality and knowing they've always got your best interests at heart.

Try and get out and about more

Exercise and fresh air are so important for your physical and mental state. I'm not saying to go run a marathon but getting out and about every day for a short walk can really help in so many ways. Try and implement it as much as you can into your routine.

Take active breaks from your phone

I'll happily admit I have a huge phone addiction but I am at my happiest when I'm not scrolling or on my phone unnecessarily. Being away from your phone and technology is so important for your mental wellbeing, especially if you spend the most amount of time on social media. Try and take active breaks away from your phone - put it on do not disturb, switch it off when socialising and take allocated breaks, it can really help.

Actively be kind to everyone around you

Kindess is the most important trait anyone can have and it costs nothing to be kind. Not only is it important to spread love wherever you go, it can benefit people more than you realise - and it can also benefit you too. Doing good for others can make you feel good. But even though it's important to be kind to everyone, don't leave yourself out. Be kind to yourself as much as you would your family and friends - speak to yourself like you would your best pal.

Practice affirmations each morning

I've fallen in love with affirmations this past year as they really set my day out on a good foot. They can be the same affirmation or a series of a few that you repeat several times. It'll give you something to focus on first thing in the morning but also a sense of assurance too. 

Thinking about how you eat

The diet industry is something that I really don't like as it teaches people that losing weight and counting calories is the healthiest way to go about things - and that's not right, and can cause a negative relationship with food. Good nutrition is what should be valued when you choose what you eat and how you eat. It's not about cutting things out, it's about listening intuitvely to your body to what you want to eat and not restricting yourself. Food is such a beautiful part of life and as long as predominately of the time you make better choices on how you eat then you can still enjoy treats, and eat healthily.

Set boundaries 

I could talk about boundaries all day. Boundaries are so important to set in every different instance in your life, including relationships, friendships, career, and even your day to day life. You need to learn to say yes to what feels right and no if it's not for you. Taking control will give you back the power into your life.

Take mental health days

I would never be one to do this and in turn that made my mental health worse and I'd feel unwell for longer. However, this past year, I began listening to my body more and on the days I didn't feel great with my mental health, I would take the time to actually relax and do nothing - rather than force myself to do something. Mental health is incredibly important and if you're not feeling well, take the time off work, spend longer in bed, and do what works for you to feel better.

Stop people-pleasing so much

I think a lot of us a people pleasers as we want to make everyone around us happy. However, as soon as pleasing people is starting to make you unhappy, that's when you need to make the decision to stop trying to please those people - and focus on what makes you truly happy.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What tips do you have?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! It's a new year, and a lot of people take this as a chance to set new goals and jump into new things, and I'm definitely one of those people. A new year is a chance to wipe the slate clean, look back and reflect, and focus on your new goals.

Whether you've set one goal or made an entire list, here are 5 ways to stick to your new year goals.

Get yourself a goal journal

One of the best ways I find to stick to goals is having a physical list in front of me that I'm able to tick off. I'm a bit weird like that and love making lists and ticking them off as I go - it's like a sense of accomplishment. Instead of a regular list, invest in a goal journal. There are plenty you can find on places like Etsy or Homesense which can be packed with questions to really make you think of what your goals are and the actions you need to take to achieve them. One of my friends bought me a goal journal for Christmas and I've already started to fill it out - and love it. 

Make an action plan

All goals are different, whether you'd like to save money, travel more, find a new job, or create a fitness routine, you'll need to make an action plan that works for you. For example, if you'd like to save 5k by the end of the year, figure out how much you're able to put aside each month to be able to reach that goal.

Another action point that really works for me, is writing a do to list every day. By having something to work towards every day (even if it's the smallest task), you'll have a lot more focus and drive about what you need to get done. And, it should spur you on - as there is nothing more motivating than ticking off a list.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself

There's a difference between working hard and overworking - and it's important to know the difference. When you're focusing on a goal, make sure to put in the actions to pursue it but don't work too hard that you're making yourself lost sleep over it. Finding a balance is vital and will make it easier for you to achieve all your goals.

Praise yourself

This may sound obvious but congratulating yourself every step of the way will give you a positive mindset to continue pursuing all your goals. I always say to be your own hype girl as believing in yourself really is the first step to achieving anything you want to do. Praise yourself whether that's a compliment or treating yourself to a new piece of clothing or experience as a well-done gift. It's the little incentive that will keep you going.

Have fun with it

Setting goals is a fun and ambitious experience. We all have something we want to work towards and getting there should be a fun process. Even though at times it can be hard and difficult, every step you're getting closer to your goal should be celebratory and a good thing. Try not to get swept up with the trickiness of reaching the goal and enjoy it. As remember, every step you get closer to your goal, you're further away from what you used to be.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other ways do you suggest to stick to your goals?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I've been talking about sustainability for a while now on my blog and the changes I've made to my lifestyle, my wardrobe, travelling, and really, just the way I think about life and making decisions to live a more waste-free lifestyle.

With the mindset of trying to work towards living a waste-free lifestyle, I'm a lot more conscious when I'm out and about, how I shop, or the day to day things I get up to. If you're trying to be more sustainable or looking for some advice on how to do so, here are some of the things you can bring with you on the go.

I was kindly gifted a few of these items by gobambu but all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

Reusable water bottle

I don't go anywhere without my Chillys Bottle. Ever since I got it nearly 2 years ago, it's served me very well, including being a part of my backpack contents when I was travelling. It keeps water cold all day long and generally, it's just handy to have. I always like to carry water with me regardless of where I am as I like to have access to a drink; it's so important to stay hydrated. Bringing it around will save you from buying excessive plastic water bottles that you're likely to throw away after one use.

Tote bags, tote bags, tote bags

I can't tell you the last time I bought a plastic bag when I've been doing my shopping, the idea of that actually makes me cringe a little now. I always have a tote bag at hand; they're really compact to carry around and they're a lot more resilient to heavy things I'm buying, which also means, they last longer. My favourite tote at the minute is the one I was kindly gifted from Heiko. I've been using it non-stop and as it's made sustainably, I find it feels a lot stronger than my other tote bags.

Travel mug

Now the weather is a lot colder, it's the prime season for hot drinks and that means a lot of waste with disposable cups. If you're a big hot drink fan, I would highly recommend purchasing yourself a travel mug that you can bring wherever you go. It's handy to bring drinks from home or if you're going into a coffee shop, to fill your drink up and take with you on the move. 

Reusable cutlery and straws 

I was so excited to receive some of these as I've been wanting to have a set for ages, I just never got around to buying some myself. Wherever you work, you're always going to have to bring in lunch and that's when these come in handy. You can have them for your preprepared lunch or during lockdown, if you're going to stop somewhere for a takeaway, it'll save you having to use their disposable ones, adding to the waste. The straws are perfect for when things go back to normal and you can go to pubs/restaurants, or at the minute, when you buy a takeaway drink.

Swapping food bags with Beeswax wraps

Whether it's a picnic or packing snacks for work, instead of using clingfilm of disposable food bags, swap to Beeswax wraps. They're reusable, can be cleaned multiple times, and come in a selection of the cutest designs.

Your own produce bags

When food shopping, I don't know about you but I see a lot of people putting their fruit/vegetables in the throwaway plastic bags. And as easy as it is, it's also a little thing that adds to waste so for a while I just popped them in the trolley and washed them vigorously when I got home. However, when I bought some produce bags, it was a small but really effective change and I love how I'm able to reuse them over again. The same goes for the larger produce cotton bags, I find they're fab for the larger fresh produce.

Plastic-free gum

I didn't realise until a couple of months ago that chewing gum has plastic in it. And now, looking back at all the chewing gum cemented on the pavements, it makes sense as that stuff will take forever and a day to get rid of. Because of this, when I was next in my local plastic-free shop, I came across plastic-free gum and picked up a pack. it was a little pricer than regular come but tastes and looks the same - plus I know I'm not putting fragments of plastic in my body.

Other ways to stay sustainable when out and about:

• Reduce the number of places you drive - try and utilise public transport, walk more or car share where possible.
• Buy things with less packaging - A lot of food items sold in supermarkets are covered with unnecessary packaging. When shopping, try and limit what you buy as much as possible.
• Recycle - If throwing things away, be sure to recycle whatever it is properly and efficiently.
• Litter pick - If you'd like to go the extra step, try and pick rubbish up where you go and dispose of it correctly.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Thank you again to goBambu, I'm honestly in love with everything I received. Which tips do you have for being sustainable on the go?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! 2020 wasn't exactly the year any of us had planned, however, despite that, for me, it was a year of growth. I really managed to knuckle down and get four books written, make some great memories with my loved ones, and learnt to take a slower pace of life. It came with a lot of ups and downs for everyone, and I really hope 2021 is more of a positive and hopeful environment for us all.

With that in mind, I've got lots of ambitions for the year ahead. Here are my 2021 goals:

Become a published author

I have wanted to be an author since I was little and dreamt about having my book on the shelves for as long as I can remember. However, I never took the proper plunge into writing my books properly until this year. I had started them and had a million ideas bouncing about but didn't go for it. Furlough was really a blessing in disguise for me as I finally had that free time to really focus on my own writing, and getting to grips with writing books. I've managed to complete one young adult fiction and three children's books - and the next step will be to get them published. I'm aware of getting a book published is no easy task, however, you can't blame a girl for trying and I would love it if I was able to achieve that goal or be on the way to before my 25th birthday. That would be the real dream. 

Travel, travel, travel

If you read my blog often then you'd know travel is my biggest passion. I'm either always away on an adventure or planning my next trip - which means 2020 was a bit of a weird one for me. It's the longest I've stayed in the UK since I was probably about 19. I usually go away at least 5 times a year and I'm completely grateful for that as it's something I've implemented in my life for the past couple of years. 

Going to the airport every other month became as normal as going to work each day. It was like a routine and something I had to look forward to. I would plan my year around my travels, my holiday days from work, and my budget. I was able to go on a trip before lockdown this year but all the other trips I had planned were cancelled. I'm hoping 2021 is safer for travel and I can fulfil all my travel goes and get back to what I love doing best - seeing the world.

Continue with my healing journey

2020 was definitely a big year of growth for me. I was still getting over a breakup and dealing with a lot of other trauma I've experienced. It's been a year where I fell in love with myself and who I am again, I've grown in confidence and happiness and really changed my mindset for the better. This healing process has been good for me and I'm really feeling the best I've been within myself. However, healing is linear and I'm in the process of learning that and it's okay to be triggered etc. I hope to continue my healing journey in 2021 and feeling good in myself.

Spend as much time as possible with my loved ones

This year stopped a lot of us being able to spend time with those who mean the most to us and utilise facetime and Zoom as much as possible to have that social interaction. I was lucky enough when the rules were slightly relaxed to have time with friends doing somewhat normal things and see family. However, if it is safer next year, I'd love to be able to get big groups of family and friends together and socialise in the good old fashion way.

Continue to implement a more sustainable life

For the past few years, I've started to make small changes in my life to live more sustainably and waste-free, but have made the most effort this year. I'm not perfect in any sense in doing this, but I'm happy with the small changes I've made in my beauty routine, when I travel, how I dress and how I live. There are so many tips I pick up regularly and I'm constantly learning on how to improve.

Spend more time away from my phone

It's no secret that I'm a bit too obsessed with my phone and especially this year, I think I spent longer on my phone than ever. This is down to furlough and being my house far more than I would usually. However, it's the moments without my phone that are always the best so I'm going to make a conscious effort to put it away when not necessary and use the time I was on my phone to do other, more productive things.

Read a lot more

I'm a big bookworm and with more time this past year, I was able to read a lot more and I discovered some great books this past year. I don't know if life is going to change much in the next few months in terms of being busy but even if it is, I'm really going to try and read more. I've got so many fab books on my to be read pile and I can't wait to get stuck in.

Doing what's best for me

Gradually over the years, I've worked on this. I'm a massive people pleaser and I really like to help others so often I put everyone else's needs before myself. Most of the time, I love to do this but at the beginning of this past year, I realised, I need to start focusing on myself more in order to be happier and live my life the way I want to. I've learnt that putting my needs first and setting boundaries isn't a bad thing and it's something I want to continue doing in order to help me reach my goals. 

Saving more money

Despite being on furlough for most of the year, I have moved back home which has allowed me to save a lot of money that I wouldn't have if the pandemic didn't happen. I want to keep the financial security going into 2021 and hopefully start to work towards saving for a house deposit.

Living a healthy lifestyle for my body and mind

I see a lot of people in the new year going on a diet or detox but to be honest, that really isn't what I'm all about. I have a lot of opinions towards the diet industry and everything it stands for, and how it makes money out of people's insecurities - so a diet life will never be for me. I can understand I am naturally slim so it's easy for me to say that. But, I've always been big on nutrition and try for the most part to eat well and then allow myself to have whatever treats I like. I think I'll always be like that and I'm always grateful I have a good relationship with food.

What I mean by living a healthy lifestyle is everything that encompasses the word 'healthy'. I want to make sure I have healthy friendships with the people around me, that I take breaks, that I am well-rested, look after my mental health, ensure I get out and about often and do things that warm my soul. I'm aiming to bring lots of healthy habits in 2021 and leave behind all the negative and toxic energy.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are your goals for 2021?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! 2020 has been a strange, hard, and unique year. It's not the year any of us planned as we shouted 'happy new year' on new years eve, however, it's nearly at the end now - and I can't believe how fast it has gone. Even though it's certainly not the year I expected it to be, and at times has been exceptionally hard, I've learnt a lot about myself, my life and also a lot of lessons in general.

Here is everything I learnt this year:

Taking a slower pace in life is healthy

I don't know about you but I'm one of those people that has to be busy all the time, whether that's with work, socialising, my business or my blog; I don't really have a pause button and I'm not very good at relaxing. However, when lockdown happened and I got put on furlough, for the first time in my life, I took a step back from not being manic busy. I started to have a few lay-ins, take the things that I was doing at a slower pace, enjoy the outdoors more and generally, calming down a lot more. 

As I started doing this, I realised how important it was for my mental health and for my life in general. It's healthy and okay to take a step back sometimes and especially, relax. Being stressed isn't good in any situation and I've certainly learnt this year to try to prioritise my feelings.

Never take time or freedom for granted

I was always that person, if I wanted to do something, I'd go out of my way and simply, do it. Whether that was a goal in mind, travelling somewhere or making a life-changing decision, I have an ambitious mindset like that. With this year, our freedom was taken away a lot in a sense as we had to stay in our homes, unable to travel or really do a lot of things we'd take for granted in regular times.

I've always been very grateful for the life I lead, always travelling and doing exciting things with my friends but I think this year has taught me to never take any of those moments for granted again, and really appreciate them.

I love where I live

As I've gotten older, I have appreciated where I come from, the Kent coast but I don't think I fell in love with it as much as I did in lockdown. Having plenty of beaches a stone throw away from my doorstep, I've refallen in love with some of my favourite beach walks but also discovered many other great places that I now adore. I feel so privileged to live here and spent lockdown exploring my local areas.

It's okay not to be okay

I preach this a lot but I think this year I've actually started to listen to my own advice. My mental health has been challenging to say the least this year as I was already going through a breakup and then the pandemic happened so it has been up and down. I've learnt though, on the down days or when my anxiety is bad, it's okay to have a day off and step back, and just feel all the emotions rather than suppress them. 

Don't put pressure on me 

This falls in line with the previous point. I always put too much pressure on myself to get things done even when I'm not feeling great. But, as I've taken a step back this year, I've also learnt to stop putting pressure on myself, to live in the moment more and relax.

Learning to rely on only me is important

This year has been hard for everyone and because of that, when I've been having a hard day, I can't really go to people or I feel like I can't as I know they'll be going through it and I don't want to emotionally dump on anyone. This is why it's been so important for me to embrace and learn to love my own company, but also being my own reason to smile, and be able to pick up myself.

To appreciate everything I've got

This year has made me the most grateful I've ever been. I've always been a grateful person and tried to stay as positive as possible, but with everything being stripped back this year in terms of what life is, I've really been able to look at my life for what it is - and I'm incredibly grateful. Even though I've been on furlough, I'm so grateful that I'm privileged for a house with a garden, I'm appreciative of all my family, friends, where I live and the memories I've been able to make this year.

Learning how to heal

All of us have some sort of trauma to deal with and often, we suppress it and don't actually deal with it as life gets too busy and it's easier to not have to face it. However, with all the distractions taken away this year and having more time on my hands, I could face everything head on. I was already dealing with a breakup but there are many other things that were troubling me, and I was able to take the time to get to the route of the problem and how to feel better - and really, after lots of different methods, I feel like I've grown a lot and have healed in many ways.

To be kind and understanding more

I've always tried to be a kind person and look out for everyone around me, but I think this year especially, we've all learnt how far kindness can go and affect somebody else's life. It's so important to listen to people, be understanding of their feelings and be kind in whatever way you can, whether that's offering support or throwing a compliment their way.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What things have you learnt this year?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you reader chums! I've read a few books based on what happened in Auschwitz, the Tattooist and the Librarian, and now The Twins. When I saw this in my local bookshop, I had to pick it up. I'm really interested in that era of history, as although it's incredibly heartbreaking what occurred during the Holocaust, I find it interesting to learn about the stories of the victims and survivors - and their stories.

I'm a twin myself and I can really resonate with any book that talks about being a twin and that relationship, and that's why I loved this book so much. It's moving, powerful, inspiring and shows how far love can go for your twin.

Here are all my thoughts on the book.

Story 

Usually, I would write about the plotline of a novel but this book is based on a true story of the twins Miriam and Eva. The story is told from the perspective of Eva who was sent to the Auschwitz camp with her family, where they were all separated - apart from her and her twin sister. Her parents and older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and twin sister Miriam were taken into care by Dr. Joseph Mengele, who later gained the name of 'the angel of death.'

The girls were ten at the time when sent to the camp and were completely terrified but Eva always had the mindest of staying strong and the aim to get out of the camp which is so inspiring. Twins were granted the 'privileges' of keeping their own clothes and hair at the camp, which isn't the same as what other prisoners got. But, that 'privilege' also meant they were subjected to Mengele's dangerous medical experiments. They were forced to fight for survival daily, injected with many dangerous substances and many of the twins who went through this, unfortunately, died.

The narrative is told in such an honest and emotional perspective from Eva herself, who describes the pain, the hardship, and the heartbreak through her whole time at Auschwitz - and afterward too. It's an incredibly moving story about a child's endurance in the face of pure evil - and her ambition to get out with her sister and live a normal life once more.

Eva and Miriam - and their family

As I always say with any book, the people in it make the story - and this time because it's non-fiction, suppose to fiction, I was drawn to the people in the book even more. I felt their pain, their emotions, and their heartbreak, and couldn't even imagine dealing with what they went through

Eva is such a strong character who really holds everything together for her sister, even when she doesn't have the strength anymore. She and her sister are faced with unimaginable things done to them in the camp; losing their family, starvation, horrid experiments, and illness, it's hard to read about, truly.

The book also follows the girls after they leave the camp and what their life becomes. Unfortunately, they never did see their parents and sisters again, but they reconnected with other relatives, and built an inspiring life, even after everything they faced when they were only ten years old. Eva was an absolute saint and inspiration and I felt privileged, reading her story.

Overall thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and read it incredibly quickly. Although it's really hard and tragic to read, it really taught me what true strength is and how willpower, determination, and forgiveness can get you everywhere you need to be. I think it's a must-read for everyone, especially those learning about Auschwitz for the first time. It offers a personal perspective, that raw honesty, and description.

Ending of the book

The book paces out in the stages of Eva's life an exactly what happened going to Auschwitz, in Auschwitz, and when she managed to leave the camp. The ending of the book was uplifting and really inspired me by everything Eva was able to do after surviving Auschwitz.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you read this book?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I've heard a lot about CBD oil over the years and how it's meant to benefit the body and mind in so many ways. I never really thought about trying it out in all honesty as I hadn't researched it enough. However, when Thrive got in touch to review their oil, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to see if the oil would work for me and see what Thrive is all about.