Things to do when you're having a bad day

We all have bad days. Some more than others, but everyone has them. Those days where even dropping something on the floor will have you bursting into tears. I've had my fair share of bad days, and obviously they don't last very long but I've come up with a list of things that will help you feel like it's not so bad after all. 

1. Have a good old cry. I've found that crying will make me feel better, maybe even watch a sad film to set you off. It helps, trust me.

2. Eat all of the chocolate. Chocolate is actually scientifically proven to lift your mood, just don't think about the calories.

3. Nap if you can, I'm always napping and it makes me feel better and less stressed.

4. Have a long hot bubble bath with your favourite Lush bath bomb. You'll feel like a sparkly princess who can take on the world!

5. Cuddle your partner, you know they give the best hugs so why not make the most of it!

6. If you can't cuddle your partner/don't have one, cuddle your pet, apparently stroking your dog is likely to relieve stress and anxiety, and it makes the dog happy too.

7. Curl up on the sofa with the duvet and a nice hot chocolate, get snuggled up and enjoy the warmth.

8. Listen to some of your favourite music, I have a habit of screaming along to power ballads to let some of my emotions out and it works perfectly!

9. Rant on Twitter, because usually everyone on Twitter will give you a boost and make you feel loads better. Especially bloggers, because they're the nicest people ever!

10. Paint your nails. I love just sitting down and painting my nails, I find it so therapeutic.

 If you’re having a bad day, just remember this feeling isn't permanent and you'll get through this! Now go cuddle your dog, get a cup of tea and watch videos of cats doing stupid things 'cause you got this!

Life Update: Where I've Been

Over the past month, I've definitely been a bit MIA from both my blog and all my social media. I don't want to be that person that tries to make excuses for themselves and I'm disappointed in myself that I've been away for so long. 

I don't have a specific reason of why I've not been blogging. I haven't been on holiday, I haven't been ill (except one day last week) I got stuck in a rut, with writers block being a massive problem for me. I tried everything I could to find inspiration for new posts, I tried changing up my desk area and clearing it out but nothing seemed to work.

Blogging has never been about the numbers or followers to me, but it was nice to see that people were reading what I was writing and actually liked my blog. I was so proud of how well my little blog was doing, and of course I had a long way to go to compete with the big names in the blogosphere, but I was happy with how well my blog was doing and it was something I enjoyed doing. 

I put a lot of pressure on myself to stick to a Monday/Thursday upload schedule, being very strict on myself with what posts to upload on certain days. There's obviously nothing wrong with having a schedule or a blog post planner and it was working for me to start with but then something went wrong and I just ended up forcing content, repeating the same kind of posts over and over. I've only been blogging since October of last year so I probably don't have any rights to be complaining about writers block or the struggles it comes with in such a short amount of time but it definitely affected me.

When I noticed I was struggling with my content, instead of announcing a break or just changing things up a bit, I dropped off the radar. There's so many bloggers out there who are absolutely killing it right now and I take my hat off to each and every one of you, you're doing a great job! I really wish I could be one of those people who is super organised with posts planned a month ahead, but I'm not. 

I really liked the schedule and structure I had with my blog but it was really getting me down, to the point where I thought about just stopping altogether. I've decided instead of sticking to a schedule that quite clearly wasn't working for me, I'm just going to write and upload whenever I feel like it. 

So from now on, you'll hear from me when I have something (half) decent to write about, but I won't restrict myself to certain days or a specific schedule.

Thanks for reading

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging

As much as I love blogging, there are definitely some things I wish I knew before I started blogging. I always see people on social media saying stuff like 'bloggers have it easy' 'it can't be that hard' 'it's easy money' But I have to say, it's a lot harder and more time consuming than you think! It's basically a full time job! I spend most days blogging, whether it be actually writing a post or just scheduling tweets or taking part in Twitter chats with other bloggers. It might look like I spend my days doing nothing of substance, but I'm constantly planning new content on my blog, or taking photos for posts. I wish I could call this my job, but as of right now I don't get paid for it so it's only a hobby. These are just a few things that I wish I'd known when I started out.

How much time you actually need

I already touched on this but I wanted to talk about it a little more. When I first started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing and would just write a blog post to be uploaded that same evening. Then I learnt a few things about post promotion and put a bit more effort in, and realised I couldn't keep to my normal writing routine. No one told me that I'd spend most of my time planning posts, writing them and taking photos. I spend nearly every minute of my day thinking about blogging, even if its just finding post ideas. 

Your phone battery is literally the worst

I always thought iPhones had a pretty good battery life before I became a blogger, but that all changed when I started scheduling tweets and spending every waking minute on social media, either posting or catching up with other people's posts. I had to charge it atleast twice a day but now I have a portable charger and I wouldn't be without it!

The British weather is rubbish

We all know by now that the British weather is usually unpredictable. This obviously annoys most people, bloggers more so than others. If like me you rely on natural lighting for blog and Instagram photos, you're gonna have a hard time getting perfect photos if the weather decides to change randomly. I'm dreading when winter comes and the short nights are back because I'll probably never get any photos taken! I've been very tempted to invest in some studio lighting, just to make my life easier but I'm managing well so far with natural lighting.

Bloggers block happens more often than you think

I've only ever seen a handful of bloggers talk about it but I've suffered from bloggers block quite often. I very regularly read other blogs and get inspiration, but when I run out of ideas I feel useless. It was hard enough at school when I had to write an essay but couldn't find the words to write it, but this is something else! Sometimes it's easier to take a little break and get your mojo back instead of forcing content that people will see is not really what you want to write about. 

Bloggers can be bitches too

I'm sure most bloggers will know this but if you don't, there's bitches everywhere. I personally haven't had to deal with any, but I've seen plenty of arguments on Twitter over petty shit. At first glance the blogosphere looks like a wonderful place filled with unicorns and marble backgrounds with rose gold accessories. While it is filled with some amazing people, who create some amazing content and deserve more recognition for their hard work, there are the odd few who will get on your last nerve. 

As much as I've complained about these things, I wouldn't change it for the world! I absolutely love blogging, regardless of the rubbish things it brings because it also has so many great perks! 

50 Blog Post Ideas

Every blogger will experience writers block at some point, myself included. What I've found helpful is not only suggestions from people, but looking through other blogs to get inspiration. Sometimes you'll get the urge to write, but don't know where to even begin. I've put together a list of ideas for beauty and lifestyle posts, for when you want to write but are struggling for inspiration!

1. 50 facts about me
2. a day in the life
3. morning/night routine
4. monthly favourites
5. music playlist post
6. date night ideas
7. makeup tutorial
8. Q&A
9. interview another blogger
10. share some of your favourite blogs
11. write a letter to 10 year old you
12. share recipes
13. host a giveaway
14. birthday/christmas wishlist
15. products from your favourite brand
16. what's in your bag
17. what's in your makeup bag
18. share your workout routine
19. why you started blogging
20. future goals and aspirations
21. makeup collection
22. talk about your pets
23. share your weekend in photos
24. favourite hairstyles
25. book review
26. beauty/life hacks
27. birthday/christmas gift guide for him
28. birthday/christmas gift guide for her
29. DIYs
30. desk tour (or wherever you usually blog)
31. how you take your blog and instagram photos
32. everyday makeup routine
33. seasonal bucket list (post for each season)
34. write about experiences in your life
35. tips for blogging
36. favourite quotes and why
37. subscription box review
38. share your favourite social media accounts
39. do a 30 day challenge
40. outfit of the day
41. share your skincare routine
42. share any travel plans you might have
43. weekly round-up
44. homeware haul
45. makeup haul
46. 'best of' from one brand
47. favourite lipsticks
48. write a letter to yourself in 10 years
49. home/room decor inspiration
50. share your favourite ways to relax

I hope this helps any of you that are struggling with writers block. Let me know if it did help!

SaveSave

22 Things I've Learnt In 22 Years

Hey everyone, today I thought I'd do something a little bit more personal by delving into the many things I've learnt in my 22 years. I was going to save this post for my birthday next month but I thought it would be a good way to get to know me a little better!

1. It's not the end of the world if someone doesn't like you.

2. Going to bed early doesn't make you boring.

3. Success doesn't happen overnight.

4. Your mum is usually always right, even if you hate to admit it.

5. You shouldn't feel bad for not agreeing with someone.

6. It can be hard to see the truth when you're blinded by love.

7. Some people just want to see you fail.

8. Chocolate might be great but it'll give you awful break-outs.

9. Choosing education over social events doesn't mean you're a loser.

10. It's okay not to be okay.

11. Sleep as much as you want, you probably need it.

12. Find something you're passionate about and stick to it.

13. Don't ever settle for less than you deserve.

14. Don't dwell on the past, life's not about 'what ifs'.

15. Your weight doesn't define you.

16. You don't need alcohol to have a good time.

17. Surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you.

18. But don't worry about what other people think of you.

19. Trust your gut instinct, even if it breaks your heart.

20. Don't feel bad for removing toxic people from your life.

21. Take more time for yourself, even just 5 minutes.

22. Stop worrying so much!

I think it's really important to remember all the little things we've learnt in life. Especially since so many of get caught up in the media and online world that we can sometimes forget who we really are. 

I hope you enjoyed reading, let me know in the comments a life lesson you learned!