Little things that make me happy

Life feels a bit overwhelming at the moment. From moving house, to having a driving test booked in for less than two weeks' time(!), the adulting is real right now. So, I'm scaling things back to think about all the tiny things that bring a smile to my face, or stop the tears, or just make me feel a little more content. Sometimes it's so easy to overlook all these little things, so this is a reminder to me and to you that there are so many things out there that can make your heart a little happier.

25 small things to do when grief strikes

Earlier this week I lost a teacher that had taught me for seven whole years, and as such, I lost a huge inspiration in my life. This really made me think about the death of my Grandfather, or 'Grandy', something that happened four years ago and really really destroyed me at the time. 
Over the past couple of days, I've been thinking about grief in general, and how it never really leaves you. Yet, there are things that help. This list I've compiled is by no means some kind of textbook which will give you all the answers, and definitely should be taken with a pinch of salt. These are all the little things that have helped me deal with grief during my lifetime, especially at a time when I lost the man who was effectively a second father to me.
So, without further ado, here are 25 small things that I've found can help to ease the pain of grief, however marginally:
1.) Seek help if you need it. There's this massive belief that if you're not the closest person to someone who has passed away, you ought to be less effected, and less upset than them. This isn't true: your grief matters and if you think it's all becoming too much, book time into a therapist's office or see what your doctor has to say.
2.) Don't buy into the toxic notion of them being 'proud' of you when you do something right if you don't want to. This has the opposite outcome too: you feel like absolute shit if you do something they wouldn't like. 
3.) Don't feel guilty on the first day that you don't think about them: this is going to happen over time, but it doesn't mean you care any less.
4.) Listen to some music to chill out.
5.) Go for a long walk in a natural environment. Bring a favourite playlist with you.
6.) Don't isolate yourself: explain to a friend how you're feeling and ask to meet for coffee, or a Disney movie date.
7.) Speaking of which, engross yourself in your favourite film.
8.) Accept the tears.
9.) Don't isolate yourself physically - a hug can sometimes do far more good than words can. 
10.) Get a Start Where You Are journal. Honestly, it's amazing. 
11.) Write about your feelings. It doesn't have to be in a public sphere, but physically writing (or typing) can be incredibly cathartic.
12.) Do something you've always wanted to do, but have put off.
13.) On a similar note, take up a new hobby.
14.) Take a companion to the funeral that you can spent the remainder of the day with -  don't spend that day alone.
15.) Deal with admin when you can, and not before.
16.) Explain to people why you're behind, or off. If you can't do it face to face, then do it via an email. Then your work colleagues/classmates won't think you're just being rude when you're quiet. 
17.) Buy a mindfulness colouring book and give it a whirl.
18.) If you don't want to force yourself out of the house, then don't. Curl up in a duvet fort with your favourite snacks and Netflix.
19.) Don't stress about eating - if you're comfort eating lots, that's all good, and if you've lost your appetite, just try to remember to get as many nutrients in as possible.
20.) Don't abandon your self care routine.
21.) Take a long bath with your favourite programme and a nice candle.
22.) Allow yourself time to breathe.
23.) Cuddle your pets.
24.)  De-clutter your home. Make it an environment you truly want to be in.
25.) Finally, accept that your life shouldn't have to end with theirs, and that believing this doesn't make you selfish.
What would you add to the list?
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Dealing With Weight Gain Part Two : Blogger Confidence

About a month ago I wrote this post about how I'd been dealing with my weight gain, and you guys seemed to really enjoy it, so I thought I'd talk all about how it's impacted my blogger confidence and tips on how to not let it stop you blogging if you're going through the same thing.
So, I realised that things were getting a bit bad in the weight gain department when my nine-year-old cousin informed me (kindly) that I looked like Jeff. Some context: Jeff is my chunky dwarf hamster pictured above who fills his cheeks with mountains of food and is almost an exact sphere. Brilliant, right? 
Here are some tips on how I personally have been dealing with weight gain and maintaining my confidence in blogging:
Weight gain doesn't change your skills and abilities I have to admit, I've been a bit guilty of thinking along the lines of 'good lord, why would any one even want to hear beauty/fashion/lifestyle advice from this fat girl who clearly isn't control of things?!', but this mentality gets you nowhere. In the end, my writing skills, photography skills and blog inspiration are still there, so my weight can go suck a dick, it impacts nothing and remembering that is one of the most important things you can do.
Your selfie game is still strong Have you seen the whole 'violently contouring my Christmas double chin' meme? That's been me recently, but on a more serious note, having a little bit of the ol' hamster cheek syndrome isn't going to mean you suddenly forget how to do your makeup. Don't be ashamed of posting your current favourite selfie to Instagram - your followers will still love it because of your makeup skills.
Do more of what makes you feel good Don't let weight gain get you down. Why not take a day trip to the city and take gorgeous photos to write a post on? Or buy a little present from you to you and get a piece of high end makeup to write about and make you feel super sassy when you leave the house (or just let your followers know how happy you are with it with a selfie). Even if you're not happy with your weight gain this doesn't mean all other aspects of your life have to be miserable.
Don't stop yourself from taking outfit photos Let's face it, I'm not and probably never will be a fashion blogger, but I have been thinking about taking to outfit posts recently despite my weight gain. Your followers are not going to lose interest in your blog or your fashion advice just because you've gone up one or two dress sizes. In the end, if your style is on point it's going to be so no matter what size you are. 
Be honest with yourself and your followers If you're feeling shit don't think you have to force yourself to pretend that everything's sunny. Yes, excessive negativity is tiring, but maybe make a post about 'struggles with weight gain', start a discussion about it and get it off your chest. Keeping secrets and feeling as though you always have to be false with your following will only make you feel distanced and unhappy.
I hope you found these useful! What would you add?

Life is All About Balance | Turning 21

A few weeks ago I hit the big 21, and had to make up my mind about how to celebrate it on a fairly strict budget as I was heading to Tenerife the following day! I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by my nearest and dearest, and headed for a cheeky breakfast juice at my new favourite eatery in Leamington, Pure and Raw.

We headed for a day trip into Birmingham with my boyfriend where I ate some gourgeous sweet and sour chicken with coconut rice (my favourite oriental dish!) and picked up the final bits and bobs I needed for holiday.

This year has been pretty tough emotionally, and I'm so glad I've managed to get to a state of wellness both physically and psychically by ensuring that I maintain balance in my diet, exercise and routine. Here's to another, even better year!

How did you celebrate your birthday this year?

Back to Basics | Day One

Recently I've been falling away from my clean eats diet, and I've started to notice the effect it's having on both my physical and mental health. My sleeping pattern in particular has been all over the place. So, this week I'm going to be posting every day as I attempt to get back to basics, and remind myself why I started this journey. 

So, I've started off the week with a glorious trip to Wholefoods (honestly, I could spend hours in there). This is just a very small sample of some snack-type foods I picked up for when I feel like eating something really bad so that I don't do exactly that. Plus I've been hunting for Himalayan pink salt and wholegrain penne for just about forever, so my little beady eyes lit up with joy when I spotted these. 

As I sit here sipping on my Clipper's organic detox tea, which btw is a million times nicer than any other I've tried so far, I realise that I feel fulfilled about how I've spent my day for the first time in a couple of weeks. I hit the gym super hard for the first time in forever, and you can see the massive smile it put on my face in the top picture. 

Hope you all have a healthy, fulfilled week - what are your plans to improve your wellbeing?

Love and Light

Steph