Why it's important to have a rest day

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I'm guilty of admitting, I'm not very good at taking rest days, having a break, or pausing on being busy; it's just part of who I am. However, as I've gotten older, I've begun to learn that it's more than okay to take a break, take a step back and simply rest - and why I should be doing this more.

Whether you're like me and don't know when to stop or are feeling guilty about having a rest day, here are the reasons why it's so important to have a rest day.

Pegwell Bay Kent

It's a chance to recharge

If you're constantly going for it, whether that's in your job or your fitness routine, then eventually you will burn out, which isn't healthy at all. And, it will have a detrimental effect on your mental health - which will only make you associate the thing you're overworking at as a negative image.

Having a rest day from work, fitness, or your busy life will give your body and mind the chance to relax and recharge - so when you want to go for it again, you'll be ready for it. If you work at 100% all of the time, you won't be able to always give a high percentage of energy, as that'll slowly dwindle, and you'll be working off tired fumes.

Take regular breaks and recharge to be able to get your full self back and then give your all. I've found this to work a treat, whether that's for my blog, job, or a fitness routine. Giving myself time to recharge means, I'll be able to be on my A-game again - you need to recharge like your phone does every single night.

To take care of your body

Your body is your temple and should be taken care of in every instance, whether that's with what you eat, getting out and out, looking after your mental health, and doing things that are right for you. But, it also comes down to ensuring you're giving your body the opportunity to relax and rest when it needs it, in order for you to live your best self.

You only get one body and you need to look after it. After all, your body does everything for you; it keeps you alive and heals you - and often or not, the physical symptoms it shows you such as anxiety or pains, are warning signs of how you're taking care of it.

I've definitely started to take care of my body a lot more recently, fuelling it how it needs, exercising, keeping hydrated, and making my mental health a top priority in day-to-day life.

To learn to live intuitively

This has to be my favourite tip as really links to why resting is so important for your body and mind. Living intuitively means really listening to your body in terms of eating and what it needs in every given instance. If you feel like you need to get up and go for a walk, do it, if you're feeling extra tired, have a sleep and if you're hungry, eat. It's really that simple - and will do you wonders.

Your body is more in tune with your mind than you think and listening to it really is key. This is why things like meditating, using crystals, and aligning chakras, really help you figure out what your body needs.

To understand life isn't meant to be full-on all of the time

I feel like this is something I need to shout at my past self because as I've previously said, I'm guilty of being a very busy person as I thought that is what life is meant to be about. However, this is not the case at all. Life is what you want it to be, and as humans, we're not designed to work all the time. We're put on this Earth to enjoy everything around us and appreciate, and learn from everything thrown our way.

Life can be fast sometimes and it can also be incredibly slow, and both ways are okay - but as long as you take the rest involved with that is the most important thing.

And know, some of the best things in life are at a slower pace

It probably took me until we went into the first lockdown to realise this point. With the world shutting down, we were forced to stop our fast-paced lives and go into something a lot slower. Once I started living at a slower pace, I realised the beauty in it and I didn't have to constantly be busy with work, socialising, or jetting over the world to be fulfilled.

I could get the same fulfilling feeling taking a walk down the local beach, spending an afternoon in a good book, having a workout, and having facetime with a pal. I didn't need all the fancy extras - and this also helped me realise why a slower-paced life and taking rest days are so beneficial to my mental health.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other reasons do you have?

Thank you for reading <3

Top 10 tips on how to feel more confident

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Confidence is one of those things which comes with age, opportunity, and experience - and is something we all have the ability to pursue. I wouldn't describe myself as a completely confident person, however, I would describe myself as confident in a lot of ways - and that has come with a long journey of working on my self-confidence and body confidence.

Looking back at what I used to be like, makes me realise how far I've come in terms of confidence, however, there are always ways to improve and I'm still on the journey of being the most confident and happiest version of me.

Top 10 tips on how to feel more confident

Whether you're struggling with confidence or are like me and need a little boost in your journey, here are my tips on how to feel more confident.

Stop caring what people think

It's human nature to care what everyone thinks around you; whether that's your family, friends, work colleagues, or strangers online. We all want to be loved, valued, and appreciated for who we are - it's part of being human. However, once you work towards not caring what other people think of you, you will start to lead a more peaceful life.

As much as your friends' opinions of you are important, what is most important is how you view and value yourself - it's only then that you can start to feel confident, and be the best version of yourself. You're amazing just being you and the world deserves to see that - and you shouldn't let unnecessary hateful/jealous comments stop you from anything, whether it's a career opportunity or simply wearing a certain outfit.

The best weight you can lose is the weight of other people's opinions on you. Once you dismiss those thoughts, you'll not only begin to see the confidence grow within you, you'll also find a lot more headspace to focus on yourself and your goals.

Congratulate your achievements

A big step in feeling more confident is realising the things you have accomplished and celebrating that. We all have many things that are worth celebrating and actually taking the time to say 'well done' to yourself will boost your confidence in many different areas of your life.

These little boosts will eventually turn into a positive mindset that you are capable of achieving and working towards your goals - and do wonders for your overall confidence.

Be your own hype girl

Congratulating achievements go hand in hand with being your own hype girl. Although you may have an incredible network around you, it's so important to hype yourself up and talk to yourself like you would your best pal.

With positive reinforcements and daily affirmations, the lovely words you say to yourself will start to stick and give you the stepping stone in building confidence within yourself, in terms of self, body and how you present yourself in social settings.

Surround yourself with positive energy 

As much as it's the most important thing to be your own hype girl and boost yourself up, having positive energy around you goes hand in hand with that to support what you're working towards in terms of confidence, and leading a happier life in general.

The people we have around us make a huge impact on how we see ourselves as often they're the ones to compliment or comment on what we wear, what we're doing with our lives, and the one we go to for advice. This is why it's so important to pick the right people to surround yourself with who will not only support you but be honest and boost you up when you need it. Positive people will help you view yourself and life in a better life, and feed into your confidence.

Listen/read empowering stories of others 

I have many people I look up to, whether they're people in my real life, celebrities I've followed for a long time or others online. I'm inspired by them because of their empowering stories, how they've overcome certain obstacles and have become strong and powerful individuals.

By reading these sorts of stories and engaging in this type of confidence will give you hope and something to aspire to - and it's something that has personally helped my confidence. When I see people reach where I want to be in life, it pushes me to work on my confidence more.

Do it anyway

What I mean by this is, anything you're having doubts about, whether it's a meeting, applying for a job, booking that trip, or wearing that outfit, simply, do it anyway. Try to focus on what the most confident version of yourself would do and channel that energy when you're having doubts about a certain tasks. I can assure you it will give you the confidence to do it - and really, what's the worst that can happen? You'll never know until you try.

Accept that it's okay to have bumps in the road

Sometimes in life, we often feel like we've taken three steps forward and then four back and it can really knock out confidence. However, when it comes to feeling more confident in general, it's important to understand that in life, there will be so many knockbacks but it's how you get up from it that's important.

Feeling confident is a similar process to feeling positive as it's all about a change in mindset, and sometimes, negative comments can be said or you've had a bad day and that's okay. You will feel better again soon and come back from this.

Learn to become the love of your own life

I talk about self-love a lot on my blog and why it's so important to be the love of your own life. Self-love intertwines with confidence in so many ways as when you love yourself, the confidence will come along naturally and you'll notice it starting to grow.

There are so many ways to learn to love yourself but it begins with accepting who you are, surrounding yourself with positive energy, and living your life for you and what makes you happy. 

Put yourself out there socially

It all depends on where you're lacking in confidence but being more social can help it in many ways, including obviously, being more socially confident. By putting yourself out there socially, whether that's talking to new people or interacting more with your usual friends, it can give you that boost of confidence around more people - and also give you the buzz to want to keep going out more and more.

I used to be a complete recluse when it came to socialising due to my anxiety but over time and putting myself out there more, I've become a lot more confident in new social situations and in myself more - as now I know I have the confidence to do it.

Be your authentic self wherever you go

We all feel our most confident and at our happiest when we're being our authentic self as that's how we identify. This is why it's always so important to be yourself wherever you go, as that way, you don't have to overthink about being a 'certain' person or worrying what others think of you, like the ones that like you for you are the people you should stick with. And, you shouldn't be wasting your energy on people who don't appreciate your authentic self.

Be beautiful and wonderful you in every area in your life, and you'll find the confidence will begin to build and your mindset will start to change too - for a more positive outlook on life.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other tips do you have for feeling more confident?

Thank you for reading <3

Book review: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

 Well hello to you my reader chums! The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a book that has been raved about everywhere and I've had on my to-be-read pile for a very long time. When I finally picked it up, I regretted not reading it sooner because, to be honest, it's one of the most incredible and gripping books I've ever read.

If you're looking to read it or find out more, here is my full review of the Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Book review: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Plotline

The plot focuses on the death of Evelyn Hardcastle and the reason why she is murdered at a party thrown by her parents. But, it's not a simple murder mystery plotline as Aiden Bishop has to relive seeing Evelyn's murder hundreds of times as he wakes up in the body of a different guest each day and seeing it through their eyes. The only thing to break the cycle is for Aiden to put all the pieces together and identify who the killer is. However, someone is out there stopping him from ever leaving Blackheath and preventing him from figuring out the murder.

Characters and relationships 

The characters in this book are pretty complex but I love that, as with every chapter the characters develop and you learn more about them, and it helps thickens the plot even more. As Aiden wakes up in a different host every day, you learn about the character he is in, the relationship they have with the previous hosts, and how it links in with Evelyn's murder.

It's cleverly thought out how the pace of the character development builds out and who forms a bond with who when the chapters go on. Aiden and Anna's relationship is the most important throughout the whole novel and you learn that as Aiden keeps swapping hosts.

Overall thoughts

Overall, I absolutely adored this book in every single way. After reading many roaring reviews and recommendations, I didn't think it could live up to the hype but, it was even better. 

It's one of those books that is intense but the intensity never ends; I was gripped with every page and the more the chapters went on, the more I needed to read. In a sense, I became addicted to figuring out what the big secret was to find out the murderer. It's a mystery book like no other with so many unexpected twists and turns - and once I thought I was on the route to getting the answer to figuring out the mystery, more spanners are thrown into the works.

The book had a combination of a historical setting, thrilling pace, and complex narrative. I loved how the story was built up gradually and the reveal of the information came at the right time and it was written with such intellect. If you love thrillers, murder mystery and books that will honestly blow your mind, this is a read you need to give a go. 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Ending

The ending was as powerful and intense as the rest of the novel and summed up the answer of who killed Evelyn to another level - in the sense, there were another curveball and revelation thrown into an unexpected answer. It ended the book on the high it started and with a thrill - and also, the last page gave an inspiring note to end on. 

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

Thank you for reading <3


10 things blogging has taught me

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Starting a blog nearly eight years ago now was the best decision I ever made and I'm very grateful to my sixteen-year-old self for pressing live on my first ever blog post in 2013.

The blogging world has completely changed since 2013 and isn't as simple and innocent as it used to be with a whole evolution of creators on all different platforms, including blogs. Blogging used to be the most popular platform back in the day and I used to spend hours reading blogs (well, I still do) and talking to other bloggers online. Being within the community was a lot easier as the blogging pool was so much smaller and simpler to navigate - and everything looked a lot more rustic than it does now.

10 things blogging has taught me


Although things have evolved and blogging is a lot more technical today and the competition is very high, I still love it as much as I did eight years ago when I had no idea what my blog can turn out to be. My blog has given me the opportunity to pursue one of my favourite things: to write and been a place to document my life, and how I've grown from the age of sixteen.

Whether you're new to blogging or have been doing it for a long time like me, here are 10 things I've learnt from blogging.

To pursue my passions

I'm one of those people who always likes to be doing something and has a lot of passions. Writing and travelling are my two biggest passions but I also have so many more including reading and baking. I've always been a big dreamer and wanted to achieve my goals (and still do); I'm very ambitious. Having this blog has given me the motivation and drive to pursue my passions, and always wanting more from them. Blogging is my favourite thing to do and has given me the opportunity to write but also document my travels, my growth with confidence and my anxiety journey. It's helped me learn that I can do anything I put my mind to and pursue anything my heart desires.

Consistency and determination

Having a blog is no easy task which I'm sure many of my fellow bloggers will agree with. When I first started blogging, I thought I simply had to write a post, add a photo and publish it, do a little promotion on Twitter and the rest will come. Oh, how I was wrong. Granted, it was a lot easier to rank on Google and get people to read your blog eight years ago as there was less competition but it still required hard work.

Over the years, I've learnt how much determination and consistency it takes to run a blog but also used this and applied it to my day to day life. Having a hobby that required a lot of work in terms of writing, promotion, SEO etc, then gave me the incentive and determination in all areas of my life, to push myself harder. It makes me so proud knowing I've managed to keep this up for eight years nearly.

The online world can be a friendly place

I'm fully aware that the online world isn't all fairies and rainbows sometimes, however, blogging has taught me it can be a really friendly and supportive place. Over the years, I've had so many conversations with other bloggers, formed online friendships and gained mutual respect with a lot of other creators, who will spread positivity and love. The blogging community is one of my favourite parts of blogging as everyone is so friendly and helpful, and gives me hope for the negative side of social media.

There's always something new to learn

I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to learning; I love to learn new things and pick up new skills - and one amazing thing blogging has taught me is learning never stops. Blogging and the world of content creation changes often, with new updates on social media, Google ranking and much more, and that just means, more opportunity for learning and gaining new skills.

To write what's right for me

I've been in the blogging game long enough to know that when I'm reading a post, I know if the author is truly passionate about the topic or not, or if they're writing it for non-authentic purposes. With blogging, it's so important to write and share your passions as you'll find an audience who enjoy the same niche and follow you for that. There's no point not being authentic online as you're not being your true self - and the same principle applies to life really. Do what's authentically you and you'll gravitate towards the right people, energy and feel happy in what you're doing. I've always written topics on this blog that mean a lot to me and I enjoy it as I want that passion to come across to my audience, and for me to enjoy the writing process too.

The number game isn't the be-all or end-all

The numbers game is a tricky one. When I first began blogging, it wasn't really a big issue but as the years went on and blogging became more popular, competition grew for views but also to work with brands. Although it is important to have a good amount of views and followers for brand collaborations, if you're not hitting massive numbers, it doesn't mean your work isn't any good - and you shouldn't be disheartened by it. I've learnt to enjoy the blogging process and even the mundane elements of it and not focus too much on the numbers game - and if I wanted to more, know there are resources out there to teach you how to grow views/followers etc.

Growth in every way is the most important thing

Having a blog over the course of eight years means I've changed a lot. I'm no longer an insecure sixteen year old, I'm a grown woman with a wealth of knowledge, memories, travel stories under my belt and also, a huge love and appreciation for who I am. I always like to say this blog has grown with me and it really is true. As I've evolved, my blog has in terms of what I talk about, my writing ability, my passions and how this information comes across. It has made me realise how important growth is in every way of life, how change is inevitable and that we can always improve ourselves. Every day is a learning curve.

To not give up

I don't actually think there has been a day in the eight years of having the blog that I wanted to give up writing on it. There have, however, been days where I've had no inspiration on what to write or was disheartened when I compared myself to other bloggers. But despite all of that, I've not given up and I think the crux of knowing how much I loved blogging, gave me the motivation to keep going. Never give up on your true passions.

The right people will always support you

This is more of a life lesson as a whole, however, it does apply to my blog. I'm always incredibly grateful for my friendship group, I'm surrounded by the most positive and supportive girls and I love them dearly, and the same goes with my family. They've always supported every endeavour I've tried and that includes this blog. And those who didn't make me realise, they weren't the right people for me.

To open up about my insecurities 

It's not a secret that we all live with insecurities and I am one of those. Over the course of running this blog, they have changed and I no longer feel insecure about what I used to. But, in a way, I have this blog to thank, as it gave me an opportunity and platform to talk about my anxiety, struggle with confidence and learning to love myself. Being open about it has made me realise I am not alone and most people go through feeling insecure about something in one way or another in their lifetime. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you run a blog, what has blogging taught you?

Thank you for reading <3

What self-love means to me

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Self-love is the most important thing for your mental health and self-esteem, and something I preach about it on a daily basis. It's a journey for us all in different ways and not something that happens overnight, and I wish it was normalised and taught more when I was growing up.

I've had a very long journey with self-love and learning to be the love of my own life, but it is something I want to talk about as much as possible, and share with my readers. Whether you're new to self-love or would learn more about it, here is what self-love is to me.

What self-love means to me


What is self-love?

Self-love has a wide definition in my opinion but the crux of what it means caring and loving yourself, and valuing who you are as the most important thing. You are the number one priority in your life, and that's exactly how you should view and appreciate yourself. You should talk to yourself with kindness, pursue what makes you happy, and ultimately, be your own hype girl.

Understanding what self-love is is important, but then practicing that on yourself is even more so. Self-love to me means first accepting yourself for who you are and that means the good parts, the flaws but also the insecurities. We all have insecurities, even the most confident people, however, with confident individuals, they have just accepted and learnt to live with them - and you can do that too.

Having confidence in yourself and your body is a big stepping point in your journey to self-love and a way to help you realise your worth. I always say, once you know your worth, you can take on the world and that's so true. As when you have that true love and belief in yourself, any problem or obstacle that comes your way, you'll be able to overcome it a lot easier than if you have no confidence in yourself.

Self-love isn't just about liking what you look like and who you are, it's also accepting when you've done wrong, made mistakes, taking accountability for every choice you make, and constantly working on yourself to make the best version of yourself. Nobody is perfect and there is always something to improve on and learn from, that's the whole beauty in being a human being.

You need to love yourself enough to be self-aware of a situation, admitting what you've done right and wrong, setting boundaries, and always trying to do what's best for you. We can all get distracted by the world and people around us, and that is a very important part of your life. However, self-love also means encompasses all the best parts of your life and living for the things that make you happy, not anyone else.

Why is self-love so important?

Self-love should be a top priority in your life and is something we need to normalise as an everyday practice. It's not selfish to love yourself, it's not 'full of yourself' to love the way you look or adore your appearance, and being single isn't 'depressing' or 'lonely', it's a wonderful and empowering time, to learn more about yourself.

Self-love is important because:

  • You are the most important in your life - It took me a long while to realise this point. I was constantly putting everyone else's needs before mine as I've always been taught to be kind and caring, and look out for one another, but that always made me neglect myself. This is a very important thing to do as treating people with kindness is necessary, but you are also a person and deserve the same kindness you give to everyone else. When I began this journey of self-love and to understand this principle, I started to focus on myself and my goals and realised how happy it made me. I didn't need to find happiness in other people when I could find it in myself - and learnt I am the most important person in my life.
  • You deserve to feel happy within yourself - We all deserve happiness, and sometimes when we don't love ourselves or believe in ourselves, we think we're not worthy of happiness. Spoiler - that's not right. Happiness is a journey but learning to love yourself and who you are will give you a step in the right direction of knowing you deserve it.
  • You are unique - One of the reasons a lot of us feel inadequate or not good enough is that we compare ourselves to everyone else and feel like they are better than us. However, that's not the case. Everyone has insecurities and everyone compares themselves to other people, despite how 'perfect' they look. Learning to love yourself will make you realise you are unique and beautiful and amazing, just the way you are. You don't need to be anyone else.
  • The media can be toxic - It's no secret that traditional media and social media can be a toxic environment a lot of the time when it comes to how we view and value ourselves, often plastering 'perfect' looking people everywhere and also, shaming a lot of people for how they look or what they do. Nobody has the right to judge anyone for how they look or what they do in their life. It's their choice and their life, you shouldn't get a say - and that's the same with your life. Self-love is important because it goes against everything the media is trying to promote to us, making us feel inadequate so they can market products to us to 'feel better about ourselves.'  Diet culture, airbrush imagery, and influencer culture all feed into this idea. You're good enough and worthy enough already, I promise you.
  • Life is too short - Life can go by quicker than we all think. I'm nearly 25 and it seems like my twenties are zooming by and as much as time scares me, it also makes me realise I need to cherish and use every moment and be grateful for everything I've experienced. Although I've had lots of lows, I've had the best of highs in the course of my life and as I'm growing older and falling in love with myself more, it makes me even more appreciative of that. Life is too short to worry about people's opinions on you - once you realise how absorbed people are in their own life, you can have more energy to focus on your and your beautiful life.
  • It can help you understand boundaries - Learning to set boundaries is an act of self-care and looking after your own mental health, and cutting out unnecessary toxic energy. When you love yourself or are in the journey of self-love, you will soon come to realise the reason of how and why people act around you, and how to set the right boundaries in your life, in terms of your interactions and what makes you happy.
  • It lets you make mistakes - We've all beaten ourselves up at one time or another if we've done something wrong, made a mistake, or hurt someone and that's totally normal. However, what's not normal, is beating yourself up so much you hurt yourself, emotionally and hurt your own feelings. Self-love can teach you to appreciate and respect the mistakes you make but also teach you accountability and how to learn from them, rather than convincing yourself you're the worst person on the planet.
  • It assures you having bad days is normal - I would always put pressure on myself that I should feel happy all the time, and I wasn't feeling that way and wondered why. But, it's not normal for anyone to feel happy all the time, we all have bad days and that's okay. Learning to love yourself means that on the bad days, instead of beating yourself up for feeling down, you'll learn to take care of yourself on those days instead.
I hope you enjoyed this post. What does self-love mean to you?

Thank you for reading <3

5 things you can do to feel more body confident

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Body confidence isn't something that happens overnight and it's a journey that took me many years to get me to a point how I feel today, happy in my own skin.

It may be something that requires a lot of work, however, being body confident is so important. We're all beautiful in every single way and we should all have the confidence in ourselves and our bodies, to know just that. Your body size doesn't define who you are, it's what makes you uniquely you and it deserves to be loved. You deserve to be in love with yourself

Body confident tips


Whether you're looking to feel more body confident or don't know where to begin, here are 5 things you can do to feel more body confident.

Organise your social media feeds

Comparison is the killer of all joy, especially when it's plastered in front of your face every single day. Social media can be a beautiful thing but it can also be a toxic environment for comparison. Instagram is plastered with 'perfect' looking people and I know a lot of us often compare ourselves and our bodies to the 'perfect' models on the gram. But, what I think is really important to remember is Instagram is a highlight reel, pictures are typically planned out, staged, posed, and edited to look perfectly online. It's not realistic. Everybody has some form of insecurities about their bodies, just because they are posed perfectly online, it doesn't mean they are perfect, they just feel confident in the skin they're in.

Something I've found to be incredibly helpful when it comes to comparison is following the accounts that inspire and motivate me, rather than make me feel worse about myself. I got tired of following people that were all perfectly posed, and instead did the following audit, removing all the people that made me feel bad about myself and followed inspiring individuals who talked about real issues and promoted body positivity. It's a lot more refreshing knowing my social media feeds are filled with positivity and reality, and also knowing I'm digesting that on a daily basis, rather than fantasy content.

Practice daily affirmations

Affirmations have become my new daily thing and I wish I knew more about them a couple of years ago when my self and body confidence was in the gutters. There are so many affirmations I like to use every day including 'I am beautiful', 'I am strong'. 'I am calm' and 'I am enough'. 

I like to practice them every morning with my crystals, chanting them over and over again. It's a lovely assurance every morning to give me a positive start to the day. And, if my anxiety is playing up, I also like to practice them. Practicing nice affirmations about your body such as 'My body is beautiful', 'My body is enough', and 'My body is perfect how it is' will reinforce the idea of positive thoughts about your body.

Talk to yourself how you would your best friend

We're often taught to be kind to everyone else which is incredibly important, however, it's just as important to be kind to yourself. We all hype up our best friends and tell them how beautiful they are and how good they look in their outfits - but why don't you do the same to yourself?

Talk to yourself how you would your best friend if they came to you saying they weren't feeling confident in their body. What would you say to them? You'd tell them they are beautiful the way they are, that they look stunning in their outfit and their body is amazing how it is. Use those positive thoughts and actions towards your own body on a regular basis, until the advice sticks in your brain.

Understand the most important thing about your body is its healthy and happy

This is something that really helped me in my body confidence journey. We're all given our bodies and it's there to keep us fit and healthy. For instance, when you fall over and cut yourself, a scab forms in order to heal your skin back to its normal form. Or think about how beautiful it is that women can grow a whole human being in their body? Your body is so important in looking after you, and it's crucial you help nourish and look after it with how you eat, working out, and treating it with kindness.

Wear what's right for you 

Body confidence is about how you feel about your body but also what you wear to show off your figure, and feel comfortable in doing so. Fashion is such a versatile and exciting prospect, and to feel comfortable in what you're wearing can do wonders for your body confidence. Choose clothing items that show off your favourite bits about yourself and when you're on cloud 9 about your outfit choice, compliment yourself and really big yourself up, until the thoughts stick.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other tips do you have to feel body confident?

Thank you for reading <3

The best coastal walks in Thanet, Kent

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I've been living on the Kent Coast my entire life and I feel incredibly grateful to have grown up by the sea. Over the past year, I've appreciated where I live especially as the beach walks have gotten me through the few lockdowns we've had. The beauty of Thanet is that there are plenty of different beaches and coastal routes you can take, whether you'd prefer something remote or a little busier.

Whether you're based on the Kent Coast or looking to head on a staycation in the summer, here are the best coastal walks in Thanet.

Shorter coastal walks under 2 miles

Botany Bay to Palm Bay

Botany Bay has to be one of my favourite beaches; it's a lot quieter to the main sands of Ramsgate, Broadstairs, and Margate and has a unique appeal to it. The beach is a combination of soft sands, rock pools, and white-washed cliffs to walk through. It has a bit of something for everyone and a great way to get away from the main beaten track.

Botany Bay UK

The trail between Botany Bay and Palm Bay is all dependant on the tide. When it's out, you're able to walk across the rocky terrain onto the paved walkway between the beaches and experience the soft sands. If the tide is in, you can still access a nice chunk of sand on Botany Bay and Palm Bay, but you can't make the walk properly through the main stretch of Palm Bay. However, there is a beautiful walkway on top of the cliffs between the two and you can get a perfect view of the two beaches.

Distance: 0.6 miles

Botany Bay to Joss Bay

The other way to head towards the Broadstairs side of the coastal path rather than Margate is to head to Joss Bay from Botany Bay. Joss Bay is renowned for surfing in the summertime and one of those beaches that also isn't as popular as the main town sands.

Joss Bay beach

The crossover between the two beaches is pretty rocky, but an absolute joy to walk along when the tide is out. You're able to discover some beautiful views and coves to walk through. Once on the sands of Joss Bay, it's a pretty calm and sandy beach with a long stretch to appreciate the coastal air.

Distance: 1.3 miles

Stone Bay to Dumpton Gap Beach

I adore Stone Bay beach; it's the popular Viking Bay's serene and quiet neighbour, away from the bustle of Broadstairs' shops, restaurants, and ice cream parlours. It's quite a small beach, however, is a lovely starting point for a coastal walk. 

Stone Bay beach Kent

Head from Stone Bay, through to Viking Bay, passing the gorgeous colourful beach houses, fairground rides, and happy smiles of passersby. Then, make your way along the cliffside walkway, through to Louisa Bay, and onto Dumpton Gap beach.

Distance: 1.4 miles 

Minnis Bay to Epple Bay

Minnis Bay is located on the other side of Thanet and an absolute treasure to visit all year round, especially in the summertime. Minnis Bay is quite a large beach and has a lot to explore, especially for a coastal walk. There are two different ways you can head from Minnis, and the first and shorter route is from Minnis Bay to Epple Bay.

Epple Bay beach Kent

Minnis Bay is a beautiful starting point with gorgeous, soothing waves. If you head towards the right side of Minnis Bay beach, you can make your way towards one of the quietest bays, Epple Bay. Epple Bay has a serene appeal and is lovely to walk around if you need complete silence.

Distance: 1.7 miles

Longer beach strolls over 2 miles

Ramsgate Beach to Viking Bay

The Royal Harbour in Ramsgate has more to offer than first meets the eye. It's a hub for restaurants, cute brunch spots, and the main stretch of sands with the best fish and chip shop ever, Peter's Fish Factory. 

Ramsgate Beach Kent

Ramsgate is quite a big town and the beach has a lot on offer for residents and visitors. The beauty of this walk is you get to experience both the joys of a park and the coastal trail. Head along the main sands of Ramsgate and then up the steps onto King George VI park. Walkthrough there until you come out to the entrance of Dumpton Gap Beach. You can then head down the path onto the beach and make your way along with the cliffside path until you reach the bustling beach of Viking Bay.

Distance: 2 miles

Palm Bay to Margate Main Sands

Palm Bay is one of the quieter beaches in Margate and a fab place to experience the joys of coastal air without too many people filing through. When you head along the bay, if you keep going, you'll continue into an even quieter beach, Warpole Bay. This sandy beach is really lovely, and if you keep going along, the main hub of Margate will greet you. 

Palm Bay Kent

Margate's main sands are right next to Old Town with a selection of family-run restaurants, boutique-style shops, and cute coffee places.

Distance: 2.2 miles

Minnis Bay to Reculver

For probably one of the longest walks (unless you'd really like to walk the entire coastal walk of Thanet), Minnis Bay to Reculver is an amazing coastal walk, whether you'd prefer it on foot or by bike.

Minnis Bay beach

It's a popular spot for cyclists and dog walkers alike - and gives you the opportunity to experience the sandy shores of Minnis, the stoned beaches of Reculver, and end up in a great picnic spot by the towers.

Distance: 4.1 miles

I hope you enjoyed this post. Where is your favourite coastal walk?

Thank you for reading <3

5 ways to stop caring what people think of you

 Well hello to you my reader chums! One of my favourite quotes I've recently heard was 'the best weight to lose is the weight of other people's opinions on you' as it really echoed some home truths. I can't be alone in saying, I've spent way too long, caring what people around me think, whether that's family, friends, work colleagues, or even people I've never met online.

5 ways to stop caring what people think of you quote

It's human nature to care how those around us view who we are, especially if they are people you love or truly admire - as it's only natural to want people to think good of us, whatever the circumstance, as nobody wants to be viewed as a bad human being.

Whether you're struggling with people's opinions of you or comparing yourself to others, here are 5 ways to stop caring what people think of you.

Learn to love yourself

I talk about self-love and self-confidence on my blog a lot because it's something that is incredibly crucial in leading our best lives and being our best selves. It's not an easy route in any sense and took me a long journey to get to a content and a secure feeling in myself, however, it is possible for us all - and is something we should all try to work on.

How you view yourself has a big impact on how you think others view you. Once you create a secure and happy feeling within yourself and a true love for who you are, you'll start to realise you're not bothered by how others perceive you and will begin to live your life for you, rather than those around you. This is why I've always said, once you know your worth, you can conquer the world - this is because, once you realise how truly incredible you are just by being you, you won't let the thoughts or opinions of others stand in your way to achieve what you want to do.

Cut out toxic people from your life

Working on yourself and bettering your life isn't an easy task as there will always be obstacles or people who stand in your way and put you down, and reinforce negative thought patterns. However, this doesn't mean to say you can't do it and live a more positive and happier life - and get rid of those thoughts of how people view you.

One way to do this is to cut out toxic or judgemental people in your life, as they're usually the people you're worried about being your authentic self around. By limiting contact with them, not investing time in them or talking about your inner thoughts with them, will remove those people from your radius and open up more time to invest in those who do matter - and hype you up. It's really important to pick your support system wisely as it has a massive impact on how you view yourself and caring what those people around you think.

When I'm with my friends, I always say to them that the conversation we have is a safe space and there will be no judgment in whatever they tell me as I don't want them to ever feel small in being who they are as they're all incredible humans that I love dearly.

Limit who you tell your personal thoughts to

I'm a very open and honest person and that's something that has grown as I've gotten older, however, it wasn't always a good thing. I would find myself telling personal, inner thoughts to people at the time who I thought I'd trusted and really, those people weren't a safe space to me and the effect it had, made me think they thought badly of me - and had a detrimental effect on my mental health.

My point being, choose wisely about who you have those deep, meaningful conversations with about who you are and your life choices as the right people with support, hype you up and value your honesty - and you won't walk away feeling like they judge you. I'm very lucky to have a group of friends that I know have my back no matter the circumstance and never judge me in what I do or for just being me.

Have an 'I'll do it anyway' attitude

You're always going to have critics in life, that's inevitable, but it's about choosing whether they should take up any thought time in your head - and really, they shouldn't. Everybody has haters, even the most famous celebrities; there will always be someone jealous of you and that's why they act mean towards, it's how they view themselves, playing out on bad words towards you.

Haters will always hate and that's why it's so important to embrace the 'I'll do it anyway' attitude as at the end of the day, it's your life and your choices. You don't want to get to 85 and realise you didn't go somewhere, take a job or do an experience because you were scared of what people thought. You'll regret it - so do it for yourself and forget about everyone else.

Know that everyone is too absorbed in their own lives

This point really helped me in so many ways. Once you start realising how nobody actually cares what you're doing (in the nicest possible way), you'll soon learn not to care what other people think of you. That meeting you were terrified you said the wrong thing? Nobody remembered you messing up more than yourself. That outfit you wore you didn't like? Everybody thought you looked great apart from you. That risky Instagram picture? Nobody thought about the negatives, only your bravery.

Everyone is too absorbed in what they look like, how they act in a meeting, wanting others to like them or view them greatly, that they really don't care about those little things you're overthinking about. Focus on you, your goals, your dreams and learning to love yourself, and I can assure you, you'll live a more peaceful life.

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

Thank you for reading <3