Well hello to you my reader chums! It's part of human nature to not speak about our emotions. As a culture of saying 'I'm fine' and moving on from that, it's become a norm to not say how we're really feeling and speak out.

Since working on my mental health and self-love journey, I've really tried to be more open with my emotions and learn to accept them. I will say, it isn't an easy task to accept my emotions and feel what I'm really feeling. It's easier to suppress and distract, however, that isn't healthy.

If you're learning to deal more with your emotions, here is my guide on how to accept your emotions.

Feel what you're really feeling

Have you ever thought anxious and sad about something? And then thought you needed to cheer up or feel better as you don't want to come across as bringing the mood down or negative in any way. In these moments, you need to feel all that you're feeling. If you suppress the emotion, it's likely to come out bigger and make you feel worse in the long run. When your mood is low, practice some self-care to fit that mood. This can mean doing low-energy activities, resting, sleeping or finding a way to release your emotions.

Speak about all the types of emotions

We all have a range of emotions and these can vary depending on how your day has panned out, situations and even your menstrual cycle, if that's something you deal with. As emotions can range, it's important that you feel safe and secure to speak about them and find someone to talk to in all instances. Alternatively, if there's nobody around who you feel comfortable speaking with, try and journal your feelings out and allow yourself to put everything on paper.

Understanding emotions are normal

Nobody is okay all of the time, they do have sad days or angry days, and days when they don't feel like themselves. It's normal to experience a range of emotions. When you understand this concept, it can help you come to terms with your emotions and how you're not singled out. In a world where mental health is now spoken about more, it's the perfect time to be able to express your emotions and listen to others when they're discussing theirs. 

Practice self-care

Self-care is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It doesn't just mean facemasks and bubble baths, it also means learning to say no, setting boundaries and listening to your body in order to care for your mind and body in the right way. Self-care can be taking a rest day when you're not feeling great, it can mean having a social detox, it can mean heading out in nature or spending some alone time. Or, it can mean reflecting on what you're grateful for, writing a positive letter to yourself or doing something you enjoy.

Be kind to yourself

I have to admit, I'm the worst critic of myself and to an extent, we're all like that. It's an unfortunate thing we all do, and why one of the best pieces of advice I always give is 'to speak to yourself like your best friend'. We would never talk to our best friend the way we do for ourselves - and this is why it's important to be kind to yourself. Say daily affirmations, talk yourself up on a bad day, encourage yourself like a cheerleader and treat yourself every now and then. You deserve to be treated well.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What else would you add?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I'm a big fan of thrillers and murder mysteries. I love sitting there and trying to figure out who did it and seeing all the twists and turns which come with this type of novel. They always leave me in suspense and wanting more which is one of my favourite feelings when reading a book. I picked this book up on a whim as it sounded like my kind of thing and honestly, I absolutely loved it. 

If you're looking for a new murder mystery and wholesome read, here is my full review of  Murder at the House on The Hill by Victoria Walters.

Plotline 

The story follows Nancy Hunter and her grandma Jane who run the Dedley Endings Bookshop selling mystery novels in their quiet Cotswold village where nothing ever happens. However, when the esteemed Roth family, open their mansion to guests for the first time in thirty years for a party, things change. The celebrations are cut short when Lucy, recently married to Harry Roth is found dead.

The plot is about figuring out who the murderer was and why. Nancy and Jane decide to investigate and figure out what really happened before the murderer gets away with it.

Characters and relationships

The characters in this novel gave it a wholesome appeal and showed the true nature of what having good people around you is really about. The protagonist Nancy I was really drawn to. She is a bookworm like me and lived a very simple and happy life with all the people she cared about around her. The book really encapsulated what village life is all about. Nancy and Jane's bond was full of love and reminded me of what true love in the family is. I loved the bond between Nancy and Jonathan too, who was her best friend. You can tell they've had their differences but they love each other have friends unconditionally and always have each other's back.

The Roth family were an interesting kettle of fish. My favourite of them all had to be the brothers' Will and Harry as Harry seemed like a sweetheart and my heart really went out to him about his wife's death. Will on the other hand had this different, cheeky and honest vibe to him which I liked in a character as it also showed the difference between the two.

Overall thoughts

Overall, this book was a very typical and I suppose cheesy murder mystery plotline which I absolutely loved. You get some murder mystery books which are very serious, however, this one had more of a light-hearted spin with other themes within the plot including the development of different relationships, friendships and the growth of characters. However, the murder mystery element was very well-thought out and all came together at once, which I liked. The author had a way of throwing me off the track a few times, and I enjoyed the twists. Its setting was beautifully explained, the book had a personal narrative and I loved the emphasis on the love of books within the plotline.

Ending

The ending all came together pretty nicely and the answer to what happened actually made a lot of sense I couldn't wait to discover it. The last few pages weren't my favourite though and I felt it could have had one last high to end on.

Discover more book reviews here.

I hope you enjoyed this review. What's your favourite type of book?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I'm an avid traveller, I love nothing more than planning my next trip away and jetting on an adventure. The world is incredibly vast and there are many wonderful things to see and do, and it excites me how much more I still haven't seen.

Whether you're planning a big trip or want to travel more, here are my best tips on how to save up for your travels.

Set a monthly savings goal

We all have different goals when it comes to travelling, whether you're going to Asia for a few months, interrailing in Europe or fancy a luxury 2-week holiday in the Maldives. With different intentions, means the amount needed to be saved can be varied, and this will depend on the time it takes you to save and what you need to save for. I find the best way to hit saving travel goals, is to have a savings intention every month and send that amount as a direct debit into my savings account. This could be £50 to £500, depending on how much you're saving overall and your income.

Set up a side hustle

To earn a bit of extra money when it comes to saving, start up a side hustle. Side hustles can vary in what your skill is and how much time and energy you want to put into it, as this can also fit into organising how much you want to earn from it, to aid the overall savings goal. Whether it's freelance writing, online digital services such as a virtual assistant, selling homemade goods, selling your old things, taking a night job or teaching a topic you're knowledgable about. 

Have a monthly budget for expenses and disposable income

Budgeting is the key to saving money. I would recommend creating a spreadsheet and writing out all your monthly expenses, such as bills and subscriptions, adding in how much you spend on food and then seeing what's left over as disposable income. Decide how much of that income you have to put in your savings and then, how you'll divide it during the rest of the month to spend on fun things or social activities. 

Think smartly when spending money

Following on from the previous point, you need to think smartly about what disposable income you have remaining for the month. Do you have a special occasion that month you need to have money set aside for? How many social plans have you got? Is your car due for its MOT? Do you want a new outfit? Whatever the thing is you're going to spend money on, try and find deals where possible, shop around and do your research. Even saving a couple of pounds here and there will help in the long run. If you're a budget traveller, you'll be used to budgeting for things and only buying what you need.

Cancel unnecessary subscriptions

We all have subscriptions we don't get full use out of, whether it's the gym or a streaming service. Whatever it is, cancel it. If you're not going to use it, you're better off spending that designated money a month towards your savings as trust me, it'll add up after a few months. Every small amount will help in the long run!

Put any extra money left over at the end of the month in your savings

If you've done incredibly well with you're budgeting and overestimated how much you were going to spend in a month, there may be money left before payday. With this, throw it all into your savings and the money will begin to increase even more.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What tips would you add?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Living a healthy lifestyle is something many of us strive for and is easier than you may think. In a world of fitness influencers, it can be overwhelming to know what is the right thing to do or how you should be healthy. However, it's really the simple things in life which can make a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.

If you're looking to make some healthy changes, these are the everyday healthy habits to implement.

Do a stretching routine

Whether you have a job where you're on the move or you sit in an office all day, moving your body is essential to care for your physical wellbeing. I know exercising is the most important thing, however, stretching can be a massive benefit too. When it comes to stretching, the routines are endless. I think the best way to stretch is in the morning to wake your body up and then at the end of the day to stretch out any pains which may have formed in your body or to recover your body from the day in general. I love to head over to Youtube and search for stretching routines and see which ones are on offer. Alternatively, for something a little more intense, yoga and pilates can have the same effect.

Drink plenty of water

I probably sound like an overplayed record with this point. However, drinking plenty of water is the key to feeling somewhat better and more proactive during the day. I always find, I get headaches or feel a lot more lethargic when I haven't drank a lot of water, and I notice that's the reason too. They say two litres is recommended and I fully believe that because when I drink less than that, I feel the effects. The best way to drink as much as possible is to invest in a good quality water bottle and have it near you throughout the day. You can also set reminders on your phone to drink if it's something you're not good at.

Get some fresh air

Again, this is a pretty simple point. But fresh air isn't only good for your lungs, it's great for your mental and physical wellbeing. It's not natural for us to spend all our time indoors, we need to get out and appreciate nature. Getting some fresh air doesn't have to be a big deal. It can be a quick ten minutes here and there throughout the day to give yourself a break.

Journal your feelings 

This is something I want to do more of because I find writing incredibly therapeutic. It's one of my favourite things to help me feel calm. Get yourself a pretty journal and pop it by your bedside. Start the day or finish the day to get all your thoughts and feelings out, your to-do list, what you're grateful for and positive things about who you are and your life. It's a positive way to release the stress in your mind and have an outlet for communication.

Listen to your body

Our bodies are powerful things. They protect us and know how we work. Listening to your body can do wonders in living a more positive and healthy life. Whether it's to do with your food habits, if you need to take a break or exercise, our bodies will do things to signal when something is wrong and needs to change.

I hope you enjoyed this. What other habits do you think are useful?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! I'm a big advocate for mental health as many of you know, it's something I've spoken about for years on my blog, sharing my journey of anxiety and depression. When the seasons change into autumn and winter, I find it's the most challenging time for my mental health. With darker nights and dreary weather, the natural joy of summer passes and it really affects me.

I know many people struggle with seasonal changes, regarding their mental health. If you struggle with your mental health in autumn and winter, here are my best tips to care for it.

Make the most of the daylight hours

My least favourite thing about autumn and winter is the short days and how it's dark outside before the work day even ends. Sometimes, I feel robbed of an evening because I can't roam around or do activities the same as I would during bright summer evenings. Due to this, I make the most of the daylight hours. This means waking up earlier and getting out and about in the day when I can. On a work day, I would try going on walks during my lunch break or running errands during my breaks, and on the weekends, do as many activities as possible whilst the day is bright.

Maximise your morning routine

I'm a morning person, I always have been. I love being able to accomplish a list of things before the day has even really begun because then I feel as if I have more of a day. In the autumn and winter, it's even more important to maximise your mornings because as it gets dark sooner, the days feel shorter, even though they aren't. I think many of us forget how much we can do in the space of an hour or two before we start our course of the day, whether it's a work day or a busy weekend. I've been trying to get up and ensure I do some form of exercise, whether it's pilates, a workout or a walk and some reading as well. That way, I'm doing something good for my body and something I enjoy to set me up for the day. 

Stay sociable

I always find this time of year, I'm ready to hibernate and do more activities inside and that in itself can sometimes shut off as many social plans as summer brings. Because of this mindset, I would suggest trying to stay sociable. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to go out in the cold, you can have film nights or games nights. However, keeping social will prevent you from hibernating and falling into a negative mindset, if you're feeling low.

Do the hobbies that make you happy

We all have hobbies which make out hearts happy, whether you love to paint or delve into a good book. Whatever it is, don't let the dreariness of these seasons prevent you from pursuing them. Make time for the hobbies you love, even if it's only for 20 minutes a day.

Practise self-care

Self-care is one of the most important things and doesn't only mean bubble baths and facemasks. It means listening to your body and understanding what it needs, emotionally and physically. It's also all about setting boundaries, saying no when you feel you need, practising affirmations, practising self-love and looking after number one. Motivation can lack in these seasons and why it's crucial to prioritise elements of self-care in your daily routine.

Utilise indoor exercise

Unfortunately, as these seasons come into play, it means darker evenings and my content beach walks aren't as easy to do anymore. This is why I love to utilise the power of indoor exercise. With Youtube and other social media platforms sharing an array of various workouts, we're spoilt for choice on what to do to look after our bodies. I'm obsessed with pilates, they're one of my favourite types of exercises. However, you could also do yoga, a dance workout, HIT workouts, fully body workouts and even utilise any workout equipment if you have it.

Participate in activities to slow down

I recently wrote a post about activities to help you slow down because recently, they've really been helping me to relax and care for my mental wellbeing. We don't always need to be doing exciting things to warm our hearts and be thrilled, there are many calmer activities which can provide the same feeling, such as drawing and writing.

Focus on healthy eating

When I talk about healthy eating, I don't mean dieting because as many of you know, diet culture is something I absolutely despise. I believe we all deserve to enjoy good food and treat ourselves, it's all about eating intuitively. Intuitive eating is picking food that's going to make you feel good mentally and physically. That could be a fresh fruit smoothie or a giant cookie. It's about making the right choices for yourself, having cooking freedom and listening to your body.

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

Thank you for reading <3