Netflix Picks #6

Bling Empire is classic reality TV, it is set in the glossy hills of LA and is based around the Chinese community who live there. It focuses on the rich and famous, and how they live their day to day lives. As always it involves the nitty, gritty gossip from around the area. It wouldn't be an american reality show without some catty comments and fall outs. I found it very interesting and it is an easy watch. This will definitely be back for season 2, as it became very popular for Netflix.

Bridgeton is the most watched series so far in 2021 for Netflix, it took the UK by storm. It is based on the novels by Julia Quinn. It is set in London and follows the lives of the rich and elite in the 19th century, and it portrays the line between the rich and poor. It is centered around the Bridgeton family, Daphne is a young woman who is forging her way within the heirarchy to find her future husband, she has to delve her way through many prospectful men. She makes a side-line deal with her brothers best friend the Duke of Hastings that they will court so their families will give them some breathing space. On the side lines is Lady Whistledown, she is a secret and anonymous newsletter columnist who breaks all of the gossip and scandals to the public. The story follows Daphne and her family as she marries and learns she has lived a sheltered life and has a lot to learn once she is married. Bridgeton has been praised for being a racially integrated show and showing how life should and could have been for those living in this era.

Emily in Paris follows Emily a young millennial who moves from America to France as part of her work. She struggles to fit in to the office and french culture. It follows her work colleagues and the drama, it shows the challenges of life in a new country, new friendships and love life. It is an incredibly easy watch, and I look forward to series 2. It also makes me want to get on a plane and go to Paris as it is such an incredible city. 

Million Dollar Beach House is set in the Hamptons following the young and money-hungry estate agents who are battling to make the most commission. They are selling the most luxurious, multi-million pound houses to the rich and famous within the area. As all reality shows, it explores the individual lives of those working within the office. It isn't quite as entertaining as Selling Sunset which I cannot wait to return. It just doesn't quite have the same spark, however I really enjoyed it and I hope a second series is on the way. In all honesty, I love being able to sit on the sofa, with a cup of tea, and ponder at all the magnificent houses. 

Tiny Pretty Things is set in Chicago and follows aspiring ballet dancers at an elite school. It starts with an accident of one of those dancers and the twists and turns behind what has happened. It sheds some light on the realities of life in a ballet school, the competitiveness, and the grueling regimes involved to try and battle and make it to the top. It follows new girl Nevaeh and her trails and tribulations and the behind the scenes of ballet being from a working-class background. It really enjoyed this is I still attend ballet classes, and I love watching how amazing the dancers are.

The Fall is based in Belfast in Northern Ireland, it follows the story of Paul Spector who is a serial stalker and attacker, and occasional murderer. It is a sinister and twist-turning watch and I was totally engrossed. DCI Stella Gibson has been brought in from London to help solve and catch this killer. It is a cat and mouse chase, as Paul is super deceiving and takes obscure changes to complicate things further for the police. Meanwhile, Paul is going home and leading a double life with his wife who is a nurse and their two children. There are three series to this drama, and wow I was gripped the entire time.  

Lucy

xoxo

Holiday Reads

Queenie is a book focused on a young woman trying to live her life and page her career in journalism. It discusses her prejudices towards her race and her struggles with modern day relationships. She has a lot of challenges in her love life and work life, and I was engrossed in her story. Queenie is a strong, out-going character who strives to overcome all obstacles which may face her.

The prison doctor follows Dr Brown as she tells her insight into being the duty doctor inside Britain's biggest female-only prison. She helps women who have and are facing many battles such as drug and drink addictions as well as abuse. Prison can be a place of shelter and a place away from harm for many and somewhere to recuperate. It is a real eye-opening book as it delves into the different stories of women and how they are trying to create a new start from themselves on the outside. 

An almost perfect holiday follows Em, Maggie and Olivia all in dire-need of a break. They all find themselves in a little village of holiday cottages which shares an outdoor pool. They end up chatting and opening up about their own reasons for escapism to the countryside. The story line is engaging and moves at a good pace with lots of unexpected additions to the characters. There is lots of drama as well as laughter and different secrets along the way, however all in all the women are brought together in a very unexpected friendship develops.

The little book cafe follows three women - Tash, Emma and Amy who are all in need of a break from work. They all live in a small village and build their friendship around the book club at the local cafe. Their love of books and cake brings people from the community together. It is three short novels who follow the three main girls on their own adventures and relationship turbulent along the way. 

One stop is a lovely book written by fellow blogger Laura Jane Williams.  Daniel notices Nadia whilst on his commute to work and writes an advert on the local newspaper. After weeks and weeks of missing each other on their daily commute, they finally reach out to each other and arrange a death. The recent death of Daniel's father means he is called away by his mother in a moment's notice and Nadia turns up thinking she has been stood up. She is 

Someone we know is a great novel by Shari Lapena who also wrote the couple next door which I reviewed previously. In this book a teenage boy starts to break into houses within his neighbourhood which is all fun and games until his mum finds out. Then a local woman is founded murdered and as the whole community tries to discover who was involved and in what way. This was favourite book that I read on my holiday I was gripped from start to finish. The twists and turns had me gripped and I was totally engrossed page to page. 

Lucy

xoxo

Happily Ever Headbands

Back in February my sister and I decided to create a headband business called Happily Ever Headbands. It had been an idea which we had early last year on our first visit to Disneyland Paris. We wanted something different to the classic ears, and wherever we searched we couldn't find what we were looking for. Therefore, we decided there was a gap in the market for what we wanted to make. We have been making lots for friends and family. We have lots of Disney inspired headbands which are personalised to whatever the customer may like. We originally made one for each princess or theme. Since then we have had lots of requests for many different headbands inspired by a variety of different movies which we have loved making.

We have since branched out into simpler headbands which can be worn on a more everyday basis. This has included the use of gems and pearls in a variety of different patterns, which has opened a whole new scope to our designs. We have made many styles which a customer can simply opt as it comes, but we love for people to get their creative juices flowing and allow any changes to an original design in any way which they prefer.

The pricing of the headbands are all headbands with a thicker band are £6.50 and all thinner bands £6.00. We then add on a standard fee of £1.50 for 2nd class postage.

We cannot wait until we can go to Walt Disney World and take lots of photos of our designs. We absolutely love receiving pictures of our customers wearing and loving their designs. If you want to see any of our creations then the best place to find everything is on our Instagram page - Happilyeverheadbands. If you have any enquiries about purchasing a headbands you can direct message the Instagram page or email us on happilyeverheadbands@hotmail.com.

Thanks for the continuous support

Lucy
xoxo

Netflix Picks #5

So lockdown has sent me into a deep spiral of endless Netflix. Everyone is finding a way to get through this unique time.

Love is Blind was released just as lockdown started and it was perfect to binge watch. I love trashy reality tv and this did not disappoint. It is a new way of dating, but it is very unrealistic, however it is an interesting watch. Contestants are put into 'pods' where they can only hear  and speak to potential dates through the pod. They then have to try and decide who they have a connection with. When they are sure they have found the one, they then propose and they finally get to meet in real life for the first time. After this, they are whisked away to Mexico to get to know each other more, and see whether they can really work as the ultimatum is at the end of the series they will decide whether to get married or not. There is a lot of drama and the wedding days are full of surprises.

Too Hot to Handle is also a dating show. A number of the hottest people get put together thinking they are on a retreat, however they are really there to resist temptations to win money. It is revealed to them that they have potentially 100,000 dollars to win. Every time any couple choose to physically make contact they will loose money. The aim of the show is all about building a real connection. It is full of scandals and twists and turns. They will definitely be bringing a second series of this out.

I absolutely loved Cheersquad which I wrote about in an earlier Netflix picks post. They have brought out Cheer which is about a college school called Navarro which is known for being very successful. It follows the team as they try and balance college life with cheer. They are essentially competing to win the national competition. It really highlights just how much work goes into being a cheerleader, and the amount of time and risk it goes into being the best. You see their journey to get to nationals and find out whether they manage to win or not.

Next in Fashion was something which I had on my to-watch list for ages. Hosted by Tan France and Alexa Chung, it has vibes of Project Runway but it has its own twists which I really enjoyed. It takes contestants from around the world, and they compete in weekly challenges to create clothing to represent each weeks theme. They then hold a runway show and judges decide who they want to take through to next week. I really loved this, I was fascinated at watching how to take things from nothing to a beautiful creation. I instantly text my best friend who works in fashion to ask her to teach me how to sew! Maybe I should add that to my lockdown to-do list.

The Trails of Gabriel Fernandez is an eye-opening and tear-jerking series all about a young boy called Gabriel who is essentially beaten to death. The series follows the police as they investigate what happened, whilst highlighting the flaws within the social services department. His older siblings open up about the torture and violence which existed within the family dynamic. It follows the trials and verdicts for sentencing for those identified as his killers. Before I worked in my profession I was blind sighted to what actually goes on in terms of child abuse. I cried watching this as it definitely has harrowing parts to it.

Lucy
xoxo

Remaining Positive

With the outbreak and overwhelm of the last week, I think it's very difficult to remain positive. The prospect of the unknown and also the feeling of knowing things have a potential to get a whole lot worse can be frightening. I have put together a little list of how I have being trying to keep a positive outlook and ways to keep my mind from wandering and worrying.

My number one has been keeping in contact with family and friends. This is the time where we all need to be checking in on each other and seeing if anyone needs a hand. My friendship group messages have never been so wild. There is no doubt there is an overall sense of worry and rightly so. People are terrified for their own families. The hardest thing that I have found is having to cancel all social gatherings. The way that my friends and I have overcome this is by using video chat. We have being using an app called Houseparty where you can have as many people as you want in the chat and also play games. Tonight we have a wine and video chat planned and I cannot wait.

It may sound obvious but reading has been an escape from reality. I have always loved reading, but I had massively got out of the routine of picking up a book. I bought myself some new books and every night before bed I have dedicated 30 minutes to reading. I have found it has massively reduced my anxious thoughts allowing me to sleep a lot easier and for longer.

I have dedicated some time during social distancing to start refocusing and dedicating time to blogging again. Finding something which you enjoy doing and most importantly something which you can focus your mind on can give you a sense of achieving. My biggest barrier has been that all my hobbies e.g. dancing have cancelled their classes meaning you can feel a little bit lost, which can easily lead to boredom and anxious thoughts. This could be the time to take up classes on YouTube, or like myself have put in my diary days where I going to get some fresh air whether that be going for a jog or just a walking around the local country park.

This is probably the most important of them all and definitely the hardest. Staying off your phone could be a daunting thought, but I have found that I have had to physically take myself off my Twitter feed. Honestly, this is the most damaging to your mental health. I think as I work on the front line of the NHS I know what to believe and what not to. However, I really worry for people believing so much untrue information which is re-surfing constantly on the internet. I have had family members and friends contacting me daily with worries as to what they have read. I understand how easy it is to be pulled into believing everything you read. I am not saying to not go on any social media, but I have actually found that Instagram has been the only platform which has been some form of escapism. Twitter and Facebook has been wild. A brilliant idea if you want to properly escape from it is to mute or ban all hashtags and word associated to the epidemic. It will probably leave you feed very bare, but it will allow for your mind to be free for a little while.

Even though I am carrying on with my daily work routine, whilst at home I have created a new little routine and I would encourage you to try and find one to suit yourself. Mine involves not staying in bed scrolling in the morning. Each night before bed I have made a to do list of what I need to get done the next day, and also a list of extra things I could get done over the week. This has kept my mind focused and actually leads to productivity. When I wake up I look at my to do list and organise it into a chronological order of rough timings for the day. Throughout the day I then re-look at the list and tick it off as I go which gives some sense of achievement.

I am no way trying to brush everything which is going on under the carpet. However, it is so important to look after both our physical and mental health. As things unravel and things change on a daily basis there it is definitely an overwhelming prospect of the unknown. I think this is why worry starts to build as we do not know what is going to happen next. If you are feeling lost or are filled with constant worry please reach out to someone.

Lucy
xoxo

In a world where you can be anything, be kind

A few weeks ago I started to write a post about women pitting themselves against each other purely based on their looks. I only wrote a couple of paragraphs and then I decided not to continue. This year I wanted to ensure that all the heavy feelings which I feel I get off my chest as soon as possible to stop it building up inside me. I can be hot headed and I am trying to be less reactive and let myself thoroughly think about my actions, so I have no regrets. I think this an approach we need to undertake as an online community. If you have any source of social media, you have to be responsible for what you write. When I first got Twitter, Facebook and Instagram way over 10 years ago now, the internet was a very different place. From my perspective, it was a more positive place; however there was a lot less responsibility in what we wrote. In that aspect I think we have moved forward. Where we haven't made any progress is the nastiness that people choose to write online.

In the light of Caroline Flack's death it has taken a bigger toll on me than I ever expected. I was on a galentines night out with my work friends when we all woke up to the news. We were literally all floored and in these short few days later I am struggling to process just exactly how she must have been feeling. I just cannot fathom how we can allow this to happen time and time again. You don't have to have liked or even known Caroline to accept that some kind of change has to happen and fast. It will be a few weeks of sorrow and tributes and then the media will be finding someone else to circle on a daily basis stopping someone from being able to leave their own front doors.

We now live in a society of cancel culture, and I feel as though it has become such a toxic place to be involved with. When I first started blogging back in 2013, the internet was such a different place as to where we are now. I can't remember everyday seeing on my timeline, someone slagging another person off not even a celebrity but a standard Joe Blogs who has said something slightly controversial. People tend to jump on the bandwagon and set fuel to the fire and within an hour a whole hate campaign can be started against someone, this usually stems from a tabloid story which has provided a completely biased and unjustified point of view. I used to buy gossip magazines and then one day I thought as a forward-thinking female why would I ever want to be involved and be contributing to a culture of picking at another woman's flaws and putting them in the worst dressed category. These small changes and distancing yourself from this type of source can be really refreshing for your thoughts. I recently realised that I had been following lots of people on Twitter who consistently have something to say about any bit of gossip that might arise. It has been noticed and talked about quite frequently about how toxic the blogging community has become, and this is what saddens me the most. I started blogging to meet friends, and be involved in discussions about things with people who shared similar interests. It's very much okay to unfollow anyone who you feel may be spreading consistent hate or is ultimately having an effect on your mental health.

This for me all stems down to just being a little bit kinder. In my every day job role I see on a daily basis the effects of online bullying and the harrowing realities of teenagers attempting and committing suicide as they have no way of coping. When I started high school nearly 15 years ago now, social media was just emerging and I feel that within my social group it was used as a way to interact with my friends. However, apps didn't exist and you couldn't just get on it with a click as we do now. We had top ups on our phones and to use the internet it cost, it provided you with a break away from the online world. Now, this doesn't happen. We don't give ourselves breaks from social media, and we have all fallen down a rabbit hole. The rise of memes in the Twitter world has taken online bullying to another level. I am not acting innocent in any way saying I haven't had a private little giggle on the group text with my best friends about something relatable. Imagine though everyday constantly being tagged in something negative about yourself and having to block users consistently, it must become draining. When you are in the limelight there is to a degree as expectation that you are going to be featured in the media, but I really don't think I would have the strength to constantly battle the negativity which is found daily online.

I was thinking in depth as to what I could do to contribute to this change which is so necessary within society. I can't imagine how it must feel to spend your day being a keyboard warrior or consistently trolling someone. We need a forward movement in spreading a little more kindness, as things have to change we can't allow ourselves to continue like this. I feel helpless to some degree as to what I can do to help. Deep down I take pride in knowing that I do not spend my days spreading hate. On Instagram, I wrote a post about how lucky I feel to be surrounded by a group of girls who cheerlead me on in all I do and how grateful I am. I often show my appreciation to these girls as they have helped me through a lot. Imagine having no one to talk to, and all you read everyday is how people want you to die. No matter how strong you are, this will start to chip away at you and there is no doubt that your thoughts and feelings will start to alter. I am a very sensitive person and I myself have experienced people publicly staring and pointing at me due to my looks. I don't know when or where my strong-minded resilience to block out these people came from, but boy am I glad it did. I literally do not let anyone's negative thoughts or words to process in my brain. I literally let it in one ear, and straight out the other. There is no doubts this took time, but I normally just tell myself what sad lives they must lead, and I am sure they are fighting some demons of their own.

I am just so sad that it has taken yet another person's death for us to think about the absolute need for change. We choose how we use our social media platforms and we choose whether we choose to be kind or not. We are presented with these life choices and we choose whether to spread hate or comment on a trolling feed, or whether we share someone's achievement and champion on a campaign for change for women. This the opportunity for us all to make some changes if we need to, if you have said things in the past which you regret look forward with a new perspective and strive to change. We all make wrong choices at some point, but its ensuring we don't make those choices again is where the progress happens.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. This quote has resonated with me and had been swirling around my brain. I have been thinking about my impact on how the words I say can affect others. I think this is where we need to place the emphasis on the impact of our actions. I promise being kind and sharing a bit of love can make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. We can use our kindness to help those who need it most, who may need a glimmer of hope in their lives. We have a choice about what choose to share and do online and let's all choose to be kind. Get rid of negativity from your timeline, and spread some positivity.

If you are struggling or going through a hard time, or you know so someone who is, I know it's so easy for everyone say to just reach out. I really think that is somewhere you can start so I will leave a few numbers and websites of charities who you may feel can help you.

Mind - 03001233393 / https://www.mind.org.uk/
Samaritans - 116123 / https://www.samaritans.org/

Lucy
xoxo

How I am planning on budgeting and saving in 2020

For 2020 I have made goals about what I want to achieve and where I want to go. I am going through some kind of mid-20 crisis and it has been a light bulb moment in where and want I want to be spending my money on.

I have tried to look at my wage each month and look at the areas where I can definitely make savings and places where I am spending and essentially wasting money. I have made end of year saving goals and also have adjusted it depending on what is happening in my life. For example, I am lucky enough to be going to Florida in May and it is going to be a holiday of a lifetime. Therefore, I am paying off the holiday and want to have money to spend whilst I am. However, after that from the mid until end of the year that it where I am looking at being able to save the most money.

I think you have to really look at the finer details looking at exactly what is coming in and going out. My monthly wage changes slightly each month. I have created an average which is a nice round figure which I can work off. My first tip is using the notes app on your phone. I have a list off all my out-goings that I pay month to month. I total at the bottom what I will have left. I then look at my calendar as to what social events or other things I have going on in the month and list those. Next to each item I give myself a budget, for example a meal out with my friends £20. I then finalise the total costs. You can then see what if anything is left over whether this is £20 or £200. That is your target for the end of the month. After this every time I pay the bill or buy something it goes on the list I deduct the money each time. Once you have done it for one month you will realise exactly what you are spending your money on.

Patricia Bright is the queen of all aspects of money. This YouTube video she did on her channel - The Break Platform on how she budgets her salary is fabulous. She uses an excel spreadsheet which lays out clearly exactly what she has coming in and out of her wage. She gives hints and tips as to what areas you can make little savings, and she talks about how should always be investing which is something which has never crossed my mind. She makes reference to how she suggests spreading your money around so you always have pots which you can dip into where necessary.

I think it it always good have an approximate end of year goal whether it is £1000 or £10,000. It is important to stay in your own lane and stay focused on your own goals as it can be easy to compare yourself to others. My end of year target is to have saved at least £5,000 to put towards my house savings. I have looked at all my outgoings and realised it is a realistic goal. There is no point saying you want to save a huge sum of money if you are literally going to have absolutely nothing left.

One saving tip which I have been doing since I qualified in my job three years ago is whatever I have left at the end of the month I move into my savings. Whether this is 10p or £100, I move it over in my savings so that each month I start on a clean slate. This means each month I can go through and make the list which I mention earlier, and budget for that month on what I have earned. I love doing this as you realise that you can actually make more savings than you realise.

Another way how I make little savings here and there is using apps. One which I have loved to the latter end of 2019, is an app called Airtime Rewards. You can attach all of your debit and credit cards to your account and if you shop in an shop which is attached to the app you can a reward to your account this may vary from 1%-15% cashback. Once your account reaches £5 you then cash it in and it takes if off your next phone bill. If you are wanting to join if you enter my code: WRPHF3MJ then we both get 0.50 added to our accounts. Other little saving regimes which I use all the time are the good old supermarket clubs. Tesco is always me favourite as there is nothing better than getting your clubcard vouchers through the post. I have found myself shopping in Morrison's recently so I have recently signed up for their points regime. It is so much easier now you can upload these cards to your phone so you don't have to carry them around with you. I also love the good old Boots and Superdrug cards as you can collect points and spend them. These little amounts of money add up and for real little effort.

So here's to 2020 and making the goals a reality. Let's stay in our own lanes and smash those savings goals!

Lucy
xoxo

new year, new me?

Some people love new year resolutions, some people think they are pointless. I sit somewhere right in the middle. I am a big believer in setting goals and trying to make them realistic. There is no point me pledging to save £10,000 and buy a house by the end of the year as 2020 as it is clearly not going to happen. However, telling myself I am going to try and save an extra £50 a month is a goal which can be achieved.

I really like to make a few goals and try and think as to how I am going to keep them. For example I want to continue to run as often as I can. I am making it a realistic target to go at least twice a week. With my shifts I can't say I will go every Tuesday as my rota changes from week to week, so just simply stating twice a week I can plan it and make it much more manageable.

What I do not think is achievable is wanting to implement multiple resolutions which are simply not going to happen. If you have had a really rubbish 2019 and you are in need of an urgent change and a fresh outlook, then I really believe you can see a new year as some kind of fresh page in a new book. In every day life I am a reflective person, and I often seek ways of improvements and how if something was to reoccur how I would manage/ change the situation differently. If you struggle with the idea of wanting to implement a change no matter how big or small, it can helpful to think ahead as to any if unexpected barriers do occur how you will overcome them. I do this often, but you have to try and balance a fine line of managing it without taking too much on, and being disappointed when the outcome you expected or needed does not happen.

I have been saying for years I want to start writing a diary. This is my main goal of this year. I want to mainly focus it around my work and have it as a mixture of personal reflection but also gratitude. I want to be able to look back in years to come and see how I was feeling in the moment. I feel as though I sometimes struggle with my emotions and how to express them, and I know that writing things down can be great as it feels like a relief as you leave it on the paper.

I think have been thinking a lot about my blog recently, and the direction which I am hoping to take it in. I am still unsure as to what I want to do with it, so at the moment I have decided to not put too much pressure on myself and dedicate the time to it as and when I can. I find the management of this blog quite a stressful aspect of my life. I want to get so much out of it, but at the end of the day it is a hobby not my career and I have to constantly remember myself that.

For me 2019 was the year of the to do lists! You may be thinking, to do lists have existed since time began, and you'd be correct. However, I only really incorporated them into my life in the mid to latter end of 2019, and I found they helped manage my busy days so much more easily. I would make my to do list at the start of the day, and then rearrange it in to a chronological order so I know where to start first. Honestly, there is nothing more satisfying than ticking things off one by one once they are completed. Sometimes there simply is not enough time in the day to get everything done which I would hope to have completed. I will therefore look at my list and prioritise and think what do I have to get done today that cannot roll on into tomorrow. I then underneath write an ongoing to do list - things which need to be done and can't be forgotten about, but it's not imperative in that moment there and then. Going forward the do list is definitely coming with me into 2020.

Where I am trying to go with this post is make the new year what you want it to be. If you had a really rubbish 2019 and you feel you need that fresh start then grab it with both hands and go for it. Make sure you stay in your head space and I find that constantly reassessing where you are and where you want to be, can definitely help you to keep on track and continue to move you closer to accomplishing what you set out to achieve. I also learnt in 2019 that the reassessment of goals can be imperative in order for them to be achieved. Life isn't simple or straight forward and you can be thrown many obstacles into the mix when least expected. But, however upsetting or rubbish the change can make you feel, it is about readjustment and getting back on track ensuring that that goal is achieved one way or another. One thing which I think can be the most important of all, is not putting all your time and energy into something which you are not sure of. I definitely learnt the hard way last year and accepted that many things need to be taken with a pinch of salt.


Here is to making 2020 whatever you want it be.

Lucy
xoxo

Netflix Picks #4

I think my Netflix viewing statistics are only on a rise. They are consistently releasing outstanding content which I find myself engulfed in to watching. Amongst my friendship group I feel as though I have rightfully gained the title of Netflix queen.

First up, is Jailbirds I stumbled across this as it turned up in my recommended for you category. This is set in America in a high security prison and follows the life of mainly women who have been locked up for all kinds of reasons. It highlights the reason issue of drugs in prison and the lengths people go to in order to get their kicks. It also shows the men's part of the prison and how different the units are between the genders. One thing that made me shocked about this series is how much emphasis inmates make surrounding building relationships. The inmates empty the toilets in their units and put together a chain of material so that it reaches toilets of others, this means they can pass notes and contraband easier between themselves. An interesting watch and I hope they do future series of this.

60 Days In is a series which has been set up by the prison itself in Arizona. The prison has recently seen a huge surge in violence and smuggling and the chiefs are trying to eliminate this, they do this by enlisting members of the public for help. The volunteers are all prepped on what to expect, but even I was shocked at what they endured. One inmate was assaulted and ultimately asked to leave the show. The most interesting part was how hard the volunteers had to sell and keep up their story of their reasoning's for their arrests. There were many occasions where they became the subject of hounding from other inmates about their reasoning for being locked up. I thought this was a very interesting concept for a show and it gave a real insight into life in prison.

Unbelievable follows the story of a series of rapes which take place in Washington and Colorado. It follows a young lady named Marie who was charged with lying about being raped as she struggles to piece together what happened to her. With lots of pressure on her she ends up changing her statement to say she lied about being raped. As the story unravels more rapes happen in surrounding areas and everything links back to her. At times I found this tear-jerking and also thought-provoking. I binge watched this as it definitely kept my hooked and I found myself wanting to know right away what was happening next. I think this highlights real life issues and how young girls struggle with the pressures from authorities on these awful life-changing experiences.

Styling Hollywood is based around a celebrity stylist agency and the behind the scenes outlook on what really happens. It follows a married couple Adair and Jason who are well-known for their work with the stars of Hollywood. Whilst Jason is known for his interior side of business, Adair focuses on dresses the stars for the red carpets. I like that this offers two insights in to their lifestyle business as it flickers between the works of them both. This gives me the same good feels which Queer Eye and Selling Sunset did. I have featured both of these in my previous Netflix picks post. It is an easy watch show which you can flicker in and out of and pick up at any stage. It features some very well-known celebrities, and in one episode there is a major wardrobe malfunction which needs resolving at the last minute. I most enjoyed seeing the time and input which goes into finding 'the' best outfits for the red carpets.

Our Planet is a nature documentary which is narrated by the ever-so-loved David Attenborough. This follows the success of his previous planet based series which the BBC has created. Netflix brings the same vibes with this focusing on the human impact on the environment, centering on the importance of climate change and the effects it is having on creatures. This programme was four years in the making and was filmed in over 50 countries. I love this type of series as it is such an eye-opener to what it actually going on in the world and the devastating effects which are taking place. There is no lying that this is thought provoking, which is what makes this such a special show as it doesn't hide the real realities of what is happening. The frozen episode following the penguins had me in tears. I was completely gripped from start to finish. It genuinely leaves you asking yourself how you can help to improve the ever-expanding impacts of our behaviours on our environment.

Lucy
xoxo

Listening to your own advice

Sometimes in life on top of the challenges which we are constantly trying to tackle and work on, other obstacles get thrown into the mix. I feel amongst my friends I dish out advice often. It can be hard to give advice on situations which you have never faced yourself. However, you are still able to give advice and I base this upon what I think I would do if I was in their shoes. The advice you give out I often don't think I will ever need to deal with myself, but then life happens and a spanner is thrown into works. This has happened to me recently. It can be crazy to think about how easy it is to dish out advice which you think is correct left, right and centre but when it's yourself everything changes. I have constantly been thinking about what I would say to others. This is so important in any decision making. Giving advice can at times be brutal, but I always want to give an honest and open opinion as that is what I would want to receive in return.

When my friends have asked for advice I like time to think about what I want to say. There are situations when advice is needed in an instance and that can be hard. I like time to process and think. I have often been in situations where I have gone back in a day or two and put in a different spin on my take. Recently I have learnt that sometimes I can beat around the bush on what I really feel in order to protect the feelings of my friends, I'm often the person who puts in an alternative opinion to try and help them see things from both points of view. I am not however a person who holds back, but I like to think I am protecting their feelings as sometimes they need a gentle approach. I listen to everyone in the discussions input as this may trigger your opinion to slightly change when you hear it from someone else's perspective.

What I have learnt is listening to your own advice can be much harder than you may think. It becomes frustrating as often you know what's right, but you are thinking of the alternatives on repeat. My friends have often said to take a few days to think about things and let it stew. I am not great at this and like to get things sorted as soon as possible, but in this scenario it worked for the better. I allowed myself to think of all the different options knowing that it's up to me to put a time limit on my decision. If you are certain of what you want I would always say go ahead and nip it in the bud. If you need time, give yourself time. These situations always seem to happen when you are at your busiest, already trying to juggle life and work and then this gets thrown in as well. I think it is often important to prioritise it when you can in order to make a decision which has been well thought through.

Depending on what you have decided it will now be the time where you actually need the most advice from those around you, whether you have made the choice to go against what they have said or not. As the person receiving the advice though you have to sometimes understand that it can be difficult for the other person to see it from your point of view. I would always hope that this would only happen because they love and care for you. I have been in situations when someone has asked me for advice which I think has been open and well-rounded. The person has then done the complete opposite. That can be hard for you to get your head around, and can be difficult to offer support but that's what friendships are about - being there in their hardest times. On top of this it can be a time where you learn who your real friends are. Who actually sends a text to ask if you're okay and who doesn't bother.

I have found in many different situations that consciously you know what to do. I often think about the bigger picture, think about in a month's time or even a year where do you see yourself. This may be that you're thinking about getting a new job, but you've been too scared to take the plunge. It could be something completely different to do with friendships or relationships. I am often a here and now person which can be great. I would say I try to be as optimistic as I can be, but I struggle at times. I do believe in having a gut feeling about something and it is a lot of the time right. Contemplating backwards and forwards can you leave yourself feeling crazy. Depending on what is going on, taking a risk can sometimes be worth taking. It is important to think about all the possible outcomes, and if it ends badly whether you are willing to take the risk and be able to deal with the consequences. Most importantly, you know some decisions are only going to end in hurt and the likelihood for a happy ending is very unlikely. Something which makes you happy for a short period of time is better to end now, rather than prolonging and ending in a much more complicated and hurtful way.

Listening to yourself and following what you know you should really be doing is the best advice which I will ever give to anyone. You have to be selfish and think about yourself and what is best for you. Taking a few days or even weeks to make a decision is fine. We often feel as though everything has to be done there and then, if it is something important to you ensure you are not going to regret your decision. You are in control of your decisions and outcomes. In months or even years you often look back and reflect on decisions you have made. In my job we are encouraged to do a lot of reflection, in order to look at the positive, negatives, barriers and improvements which can be made. This has made me an open thinker, but also an over thinker. I allow little things to build up and bug me and others probably think I am just over thinking which I know I am. I do however think I am good at listening to my own thoughts. We need to learn to all be kinder to ourselves, and this is something which I try to continuously work on and often encourage others to do as well. I am also a firm believer in what is meant to happen, will happen.

Lucy
xoxo

Holiday Reads

I am sad to say I am one of those people who doesn't read on a daily basis. I am a bit of a binge reader, when I go on holiday I read consistently and then when I get home I just don't seem to find the time to pick up a book. I really want to change this habit and read on a regular basis and put it into my weekly routine. On holiday I managed to get through seven books, so I thought I would give a little run down of them all.

Lullaby was quite a short story compared to my other reads. It is a very interesting read about a young couple living the average millennial life trying to juggle work with a baby. They decide to hire a nanny, from the start you get an unnerving feeling about her and the introduction actually lets you into the nit and grit of what is the final outcome. Overall, this was a very thought-provoking and sad book which shocked me with its ending.

Who doesn't love David Attenborough really?! Adventures of a Young Naturalist is a trilogy of adventures which he went on when he first started in TV in the 60's. This was by far one of my most interesting reads in a while. I thought it was a little bit crazy to see how things have changed from then to now, as we now live in age which rightly so highlights animal conservation and welfare. This book explores how David and his team went to different countries to find a variety of exotic animals which had never been seen before all in aid of a TV programme called Zoo Quest. In the grand scheme they go and catch these animals and bring them back to the UK to then feature on the TV programme. They then take residency in London Zoo. It was interesting and laugh out loud funny at some points imagining them to trying to catch these animals especially the story about the pig!

The Sister is a thriller where Grace's best friend Charlie dies suddenly, and Charlie's wish has always been to find her biological dad. Grace sets out to find him and in the process she meets a girl named Anna who tells her she is Grace's half-sister. There are lots of twists and turns in this book, and I was definitely sucked into the story line. I really enjoyed this book and I was shocked at the ending, this has made me interested in reading Louise Jenson's other books.

As a children's nurse I am always into reading and watching films which can be very sad, but delve into the true realities of teenager illnesses and the harsh realities of their lives. If you have read or watched My Sister's Keeper or The Fault in the Stars then this will be right up your alley. Five Feet Apart follows a teenager friendship of two friends Stella and Poe who met whilst in hospital over a period of time receiving the same treatment for cystic fibrosis. Another teenage boy Will then arrives on the unit, he is not following his regime and has essentially just given up as his mum struggles to accept the reality of the situation, and she is constantly sending him for different therapies all over the world. Stella falls in love with Will and takes him under her wing. However, there is a rule in order to not spread any bacteria between them which could be life-threatening they have to officially keep six feet apart. They decide they should keep five feet apart. This is a tear-jerker and an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. It is a book which made me think in great depth and I highly recommend it.

The Sunshine Sisters is a story around an actress called Ronnie Sunshine and her three daughters. Ronnie has always been dramatic and her daughters feel there upbringing was not the most loving. The girls grow up and all leave to lead different lives, when Ronnie asks them to all get together they are all expecting a different reveal as to what is the real problem. She tells the girls she is seriously unwell and only has a few days to live. The girls all have their own major personal life troubles and this is just a big spanner thrown into the works. It is a great book which explores the ins and outs of being in a celebrity family and the challenges along the way.

The Couple Next Door really had a great element of suspense to the story line. My dad and I sometimes have similar interests in books and I have given this to him to read. It all starts with a normal loving couple who has a 6 month old baby. The parents are left down by their babysitter last minute and their neighbours suggest leaving the baby in their house with a monitor on and to take it in turns checking every 30 minutes. However, when the mum goes to check the baby is missing. The book holds great suspense and the story line moves on at the perfect pace. I did at some points find some elements a little unrealistic, but by the end it all comes together and I was shocked to discover who and what caused the disappearance of the baby.

The F Word is a book I had wanted to read for ages. It is by Lily Pebbles who is a blogger who I have been following from day dot. She is always so down to earth and relatable and she always comes across as a strong independent feminist. This book explores female friendships and it is interesting as Lily delves into different types of friendship and puts them into categories. Whilst I was reading this I was thinking of my own friendships, and it really made me cherish the friendships that I have and realise how special they are.

Lucy
xoxo

Turning 25

I don't know what it is about turning 25 but it is scaring the life out me. I mean I know birthdays come around every year but after you get to 21 I feel like birthdays aren't quite as exciting. As a July birthday when I was younger I used to hate being the young one. I did not go out for any of my friends 18th birthday and then when I turned 18 everyone else's excitement at now being 18 had worn off. 25 is the age you've entered mid 20's territory well and truly. I feel like it is the age when you need to have your shit together, whatever that means.

It is so easy in life to compare yourselves to others. No matter how hard you try, it is normal to think I want what they have. This can be in many different forms. I often like to have these chats with others and see what they think. I recently discussed it with one of my friends and my interpretation of her having everything she wants, was actually very different to her perception. I have asked pretty much all of my friends recently about getting older and what they want to achieve. I quickly concluded I have definitely been putting a lot of pressure on myself. As I get older I often think about meeting someone stable and being happy. To have someone to buy a house with and build something together. When you have been independent for many years it would take someone very special for me to allow someone to come and change that. I think this is why my brain has been in overdrive, just constantly over thinking everything and feeling a little lost for a while.

I am so grateful for everything I have in my life and honestly I am content but I just don't know why turning 25 is freaking me out so much. All my friends are like Lucy it is not a special birthday pull yourself together. Life flies by and before you know it you are another year older, and the process of reflection as to what you have achieved over the last year can be the biggest sense of achievement. Being 24 was not the easiest year for me, it was challenging and testing at points but its how we overcome and learn from these things which are the most important. I see a new birthday year just like a new calendar year. People make pledges and promises to change and make adjustments to better their selves. This is how I see this year of turning 25. A year to do things I have wanted to do for ages, take the plunge and be more spontaneous. Not constantly worry (hence this post) about getting older. I met a friend recently who I hadn't seen in over three years and she asked me about my love life and said I bet you're too busy for it with work. I do make work a priority, but I do think I have managed to get a good work / life balance. I just want to be more open and willing to do new things and be more spontaneous.

Here's to 25 and it being the best one yet!

Lucy
xoxo

Pinch Punch First of the Month

 

In 2019 on the 1st of every month I have pledged something which is I want to achieve within the month. I think I went all out in January, and as the months have gone on I have learnt to set a more manageable and smaller goal.

The goals so far have been relating to money, home life, exercise and healthier eating. I am very task orientated and I know I love to have something to focus on, even if I don't particularly achieve it. As always I have got one of my best friends on board and I text her asking what her pledge is. I think it is good for both of us as you can check in and see how we are getting on. I think it is also great for me to have a friend doing it alongside me as she can reign me in when I am being a little too ambitious. 

I feel like I have a lot of goals and ideas floating around my little brain at the moment, and I feel like each month is drifting by and I have not achieved any of them. I thought it would be a great idea to break things down into months and it would therefore be more management. This means that each month I only have one thing to focus on. This month is about saving for a large holiday. I do this a few times a year e.g. I did no spend Jan this year which you can read all about here. I am hoping to travel to Canada next February and I need to save a few thousand to be able to go and have a once in a life time trip. Therefore, this month I have pledged to save a particular amount in order to get the ball rolling with booking the first installments. 

I very much live by the rule that you only live once. I think everyone goes through phases in life of saving for things for one minute and then splurging the next. That is life and you do what you want. I think about the future a lot, probably a little too much. However, I know that I don't want to get later on in life and look back on my 20's thinking I could have done so much more. Within my job we are told about the importance of reflection, and I have definitely started to incorporate this into my everyday life. I often look back at situations and think about what I loved and hated and how in the future I could improve it. 

At the end of 2018 I had big expectations as to what I wanted 2019 to be for me. I am always one for new year's resolutions and I like to have something to try and achieve. We can go all guns blazing into the new year and be a little disappointed when things don't happen as quickly as we would like them to. I know for sure this is me. Once I have an idea I want to achieve it, no matter how big or small. Take buying a house, it is probably one of the biggest things I will ever do for myself. I knew this wouldn't happen in 2019, but I have a goal for it to be accomplished by 2021. These goals don't always have to be achieved straight away, in the next year or even five years. However, having an end sight of particular goal/s is such a fab way to get motivated and go out and get something. 

For the past five months I have made these monthly pledges to try and make small but positive changes. If you are like me and like goals and aims then I say to try making one pledge a month and see how you get on. You can always review it mid-way into the month to see what you have done already, and what you can now do to ensure you achieve it. If it is a much bigger goal which needs more time in order to complete it, continue it into the next month and make a new pledge as to how you are going to do it. 

Lucy

xoxo

Netflix Picks #3

Looking back on my list of Netflix picks over the last few months they could not have been more polar opposite if I tried.

Before watching Fyre Festival I don't really know how I missed this fiasco happening. It's an hour and a half documentary which followers the organisation of this luxury festival which is going to cost hundreds to attend, but it is going to be 'the' festival of the year. It is interesting as it follows them in the here and now and the organisation behind the scenes. It unravels how from the start it was never going to work and how the main guy organising it doesn't really have a clue or handle on anything which is actually going on from day dot. He has all of these brilliant ideas but doesn't think about the implication of them. I won't ruin it but the whole thing turns into a catastrophe, and worse of all it has devastated effects on the little island of the Bahamas where it is being held.

Abducted in Plain Sight is one of the strangest programmes I have ever watched in my life. This was another one which was not only the topic of conversation at work but also within my group texts. Something strikes you and you think okay now that has to be the extent of this, and then bam within the next few minutes a bigger hurdle spirals out of control. The storyline itself is strange. It follows a family from America who attend church and life seems to be as happy as larry. A new pastor arrives in town and starts to create close connections with the family especially with the daughter called Jan who at the time is 8 or 9. Things develop and the pastor starts to grow closer to Jan and when she is 12 she gets abducted by him. There are lots of other aspects which go on within the family and it's all very eye-opening. My reaction to it is how can you be living with your eyes so shut that you literally cannot see what is going on in front of you.

So it is no secret that I am a very messy person, so I thought Marie Kondo being on Netflix would be inspire me. I have read her books and I did take some ideas with folding and doing one big clear out on board. Marie is a breath of fresh air and I really enjoyed watching this and how she is able to change people's lives just with a clear out.

Dirty John is a little freakish as John basically stalks a new love interest and everything turns bad very quickly. The one thing I love about this show is it moves a long at a fair pace and you aren't waiting for three episodes to find out an answer. It follows a rich independent woman and how easy it can be to fall in love. It also highlights how easy it is to fall out of love when you really get to know the ins and outs of someone you think you know. I feel like the ending was definitely shocking, but I love the twist it was great.

You is one of those programmes that everyone was talking about at work. Everyone knows I am a Netflix lover and was like Lucy you need to watch it. True to their words I dived straight in. There are lots of different elements which I liked about this. It definitely drags you in and captures the audience. First of all it has Penn Badgeley (Dan from Gossip Girl) as the main character and he owns a book shop. He meets this girl who he falls for but she has quite a complex history. It shows flashbacks to his previous relationships and how obsessive he can become. These things start the shine through and he is very territorial. It once again moves on at a good pace and I think there will definitely be a series 2 of this on the way.

Yummy Mummies is an Australian reality show which is a little bit like Real Housewives. It follows four soon to be mums who all have rich husbands, and their journeys to birth. It is classic easy watch TV with the extravagant baby showers and push presents. The mums are all different and it's interesting to follow throughout their pregnancy to birth.

Back with the Ex is another Australian reality style show. Basically a person nominates an ex who they believe is the one who got away. It follows them over a few months and they have a few challenges to complete to see if they are able to rebuild their relationship. It is easy going, with a few twists and turns in the works. Overall, this is a classic binge-worthy programme which is an easy watch.

Sex education is a programme I nearly forgot to write about. It's a bit strange the way it is set in modern times but it definitely has a 90's theme with the styling of the show. It is based on a group of high school friends. Otis is a typical experimental teenager who is lacking in the love department. His mum is a sex therapist and basically embarrasses him at every opportunity. He meets Maeve, a cool badass girl who is very attractive but also has a very difficult home setup. They set up a sex clinic with advice from what Otis has learnt from his mum and Maeve being the organiser and money collector. They are many other characters which all have their own troubling teenage worries which are very relatable. The mix of the characters and the great story line makes this a smash hit.

Flint is different to anything else I have mentioned in this post. It is a documentary which follows the Flint policing department in America. Flint as a city is known for having high crime and violence rates. The programme follows through the time of the city getting a new mayor, and how the community have lost faith in the justice and police system entirely. They face a water crisis where all connections have been contaminated. It also delves deep into the chief's position, and  the implementation of new strategies to try and tackle just some of the major issues like gun and knife crime. I think this is a very honest and open documentary and it really does highlight current affairs.

Sunset Selling is a last minute addition to the line up. After binge-watching 5 episodes in one night. I sent a text to my best pals saying "girls you need to watch this, it is like the hills all over again". This time round instead of the girls working at fashion houses, they work in high end real estate in LA. This estate agents sells million pound houses to the elite, but as always with a group of girls there is the bitchy and catty dramas alongside. It's great as you have the inside knowledge, and you also get to look into some of the most fabulous houses out there on the market. In particularly they have a house worth $40,000,000 which is the biggest house which they have ever had the opportunity to sell. It is all about who can make the most commission between the girls to earn the most.

If you enjoyed reading this I have done two previous Netflix picks posts which you can read here and here.

Lucy
xoxo

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Concealer

I love writing beauty reviews and it takes a lot for me to get really excited about a new base product. I've wanted to try lots of makeup from Fenty Beauty and after loving a highlighter and primer from the range, I decided to treat myself to their latest beauty launch the concealer. The pro filt'r instant retouch concealer is what I have needed in my life for a while. I still always look for high coverage concealers as it was what I needed since the first day that I started wearing makeup due to my acne. However, I am a very lucky that I only get the occasional spot nowadays and I don't know what but my under eye circles have taken a turn for the worse. I mean I am always tired, but I literally look tired even on a day when I don't particularly feel it.

I had read a few reviews before making the purchase and everyone only praised it. I only spend my money on products which I really want these days, and I really wanted this. It is not cheap, I took a little gasp at the price especially when putting my pin into the card machine. However, I wanted it so it was a payday treat. I managed to justify this by saying to myself that my concealers were running low which they are.

I have loved the ethos behind Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, she recognised a big gap in the market for beauty lovers with all skin tones. There is no denying that the beauty industry needed a shake up, and Rihanna stepped forward and took it upon herself to create a beauty line where any person could go into a store and could find a shade which matched their skin. How many times have we had to mix two shades together to try and find a shade which could possibly resemble our skin tone out of a line of six shades on offer? In this concealer range there are fifty shades, yes fifty. I am not being funny but this line in what makeup is about, everyone enjoying it and feeling amazing wearing it.

The actual concealer itself is what you all came here to read about. I am very happy to say that it is perfect. I bought this six or seven weeks ago and have been using it on a regular basis. I have tried many concealers but in order to get full coverage the formula is using very thick which makes complete sense. However, this is a breath of fresh air as it is very creamy and light. It does have a slightly more matte than glow finish but it works incredibly well. It is not too matte and still has a light luminosity throughout it. I put on one layer which creates a medium-full finish and then let it dry. I have tested going in with a second layer and does produce a perfect full coverage finish.

The main aspect which gives it the wow factor is its brightening factor. Like I say I have found concealers which do the covering part of the job, but this adds an instant light around the under eye area which is where it has been mainly tested. After application it instantly adds a lift to my face. I always look in the mirror every time I apply it to try and put my finger on exactly what makes it so special, but I think it is a mixture of having everything which I am looking for. A big aspect is definitely the slight glow. It is also the light formula which is not too heavy meaning it doesn't crease easily.

I have the shade 160 which is a really great match for my skin. I would say my skin is light with a slightly pink-neutral undertone. I went to Harvey Nichols to buy this, and the assistant was incredibly helpful when matching it to my skin. They advise to use the Fenty concealer brush for application, but it costs £19. At the time I felt as though as I already have a good range of brushes and sponges at home to the job. I have been using my trusty Beautyblender to apply this. I like to get it really wet so it expands and then give it a really good squeeze, and then bounce the product into my skin.

 I also like the shape of the applicator on the concealer wand. It works really well at getting into the inner corner of your eye, and it is nice and flat if you want to do create the classic triangle underneath your eyes.

I think it is always good to include comparisons to other similar products. If you like the Nars creamy concealer I think you would like this. Out of the two I prefer this one as I tried the Nars one a few years back and I didn't repurchase it, as I just did not fall in love with it. I did really enjoy using it, and they both have similar creamy and light consistencies. However, I have just really loved how the Fenty concealer looks on my skin. I feel as though I can recommend this to others and feel pretty confident that they will be impressed.

If I haven't already justified this purchase enough, then this might just do it for you. When I am doing any beauty reviews I always look at how many mls I am getting for my money worth. When I saw that this Fenty Beauty concealer contains 8ml (0.27fl.oz), my eyes instantly popped out of my head. I headed straight for my makeup drawers and had a good rummage within my other concealers. I discovered that my NYX, Makeup Revolution and Sephora concealers all contained 3.4ml (0.11fl.oz), which is less than half compared to this Fenty one. So really for 3.4ml it is costing less than £9 for the same amount. Some have much bulkier packaging making you think that you are getting a lot of product for your money. 8ml is the most I have ever seen in a concealer, so hopefully it was a last me a long time before needing to repurchase.

Lucy
xoxo

No Spend January

So in January up until payday which was 28 days I decided to challenge myself to go on a mega saving campaign. It is only when you actually do something like this you realise what you spend your money on. I have some big travel plans in the works this year, meaning a lot of money needs to be saved. I do have a little disclaimer as I love doing posts like this but as my outgoings will vary compared to others, I always feel like it is open to opposition. Yes I still live home, something which I still love. Yes I am saving for a house. However, what I spend my money on is my choice, and I believe people can spend their money on what they want to!

I had an approximate idea of wanting to save £500 after my out goings. Each month I have a list of bills which I pay every single month, so I took of the total of all the outgoings and went from there. This was not including the £200 that I had already put into my help to buy house ISA which I do each month. More than anything else, this was a challenge and a bit of a reality shock all rolled into one. The main goal of this was to not buy any material goods e.g. any clothing or makeup.

So the first thing which I bought in January was a McDonald's on new year's day as I was horrifically hungover. I was clearly very ill as I spent £8.28! The day after went to Waterstones and spent £6.49 on a book. I then made a last minute decision to buy an additional present for my sister's birthday which was £30. On the 7th January I spent £15 in Boots, I am not sure what on but I don't think it included any makeup. It was more skin and health care buys. On the 10th I went to Aldi and spent £15 on food to get my through my upcoming night shifts, along with £2.60 on cleaning products and another £7.95 in Superdrug. I then naughtily went to McDonald's and spent £4.68.

My mum did not help as I was in need of a new suitcase for my holiday next month, and she saw a cracking bargain in Morrison's so I spent £35 on a new one. I did need a suitcase and it was a bargain, but I definitely broke the rules buying this! On the 17th January I cheekily went to Nando's for a catch up with a friend, and also managed to spend £14 in Asda. I once again went to Aldi and spent £10 before another week of night shifts. I feel like my major failure of this experiment took place within 2 days, I went for a carvery with the work girls and spent £9, had a cup of tea from Costa and then sneakily treated myself to some new gym gear from Decathlon costing £29.45. I also took £30 cash out along the way to pay for my dance lessons and to buy other bits and bobs.

I added up every single transaction I made excluding the expected bills and it totalled £240.08. I bought other little things here and there costing £2 and £3 which added up to about £20. Now I thought it would actually have been a lot less than the £240 as I had really, really tried. It simply shows me how buying little things here and there add up quickly. I had in my head that it was about £150. I was doing really well, but I can be impulsive which I have shown when I managed to spend £50 in two days without any thought.

I know my usual shopping habits include a few trips to Zara and a few ASOS orders so I have definitely identified that it is the materialistic goods e.g. clothing and makeup which make up a large amount of my 'treats'. This isn't actually new news to me as I know that this is where I downfall when saving. Out of the £500 target I set on payday I had £482 left so I think I did pretty well.

Having set the challenge I found that I was feeling guilty about buying things and that definitely stopped me buying anything unnecessary (most of the time!). I am quite an impulse buyer, and as soon as payday comes I can easily blow £100 on clothes in one session without thinking about it. During January I also cleared my clothes out and realised the vast amount that I actually have. I am pretty sure that I will be sticking to minimal clothes purchases this year. I think it would be a great challenge to get out cash at the start of the month and only have a certain amount each week. When I have cash it definitely makes me think twice about buying something.

This has definitely shown me that I am capable to save if I want to. On the whole I think I am quite sensible with my money. I know I am lucky enough to be able to buy myself things, but there are definitely cuts that I can make. The main goal of no spend January was to not buy any material goods e.g. any clothing or makeup and I think I did fairly well with that. I am definitely going to try and take what I have learnt into the upcoming months, and hopefully save enough for my dream trip at the end of the year. It is definitely achievable and I have proved that I should stop moaning and start saving!

Lucy
xoxo

Did I manage to break up with my phone?

So in December I thought it was time to spend last time on my phone. Some days it was ridiculous on my tracker it was saying that I was on my phone for 4+ hours, some days 6 hours! When you think about it in the grand scheme of things it is a lot of wasted time. I was angry for allowing myself to spend so much time mainly scrolling pointlessly through social media. I saw another blogger had put this book on her insta stories and it came around at the perfect time.

I ordered the book and when it came I enrolled one of my best friends Ella to do it with me. We had recently had a discussion about reducing our screen time and what we would do with the time not spent on our phones. As always with everything we were excited and enthusiastic and gave ourselves a weekend to prepare. I started off really well and got on board, I sent Ella a picture of the next day's challenge each day so we could keep up. I loved writing the list of why I was wanting to give up screen time, and I found so many reasons why I wanted to and what I would do with that time. When I am work I go on my phone for maybe one hour a day and probably an hour when I get home. It is on my days off that I massively downfall. I often sit watching Netflix or catching up on all things do with my blog.

I got off to such a good start and was really on board with the idea. The book gives you a few goals each day for 30 days, and the obvious aim is that by the end the time on your phone has massively reduced. It is set out really well, and I like that it is gradual process rather than just going cold turkey and giving up your phone completely. On one of the days it tells you to delete getting notifications and I found this really useful. I 1000% open my screen when I get a notification which leads me open to scrolling. Taking off all social media notifications was great. The biggest difference I saw was taking my notifications off my email. Every time I opened my screen and there was an email I would check and delete it. In some aspects it is good that I cannot get on my work email at home, which means that all my emails to my personal address are usually junk. Even if they are not junk they are from my favourite online shops and nothing essential. I still have my mail notification off now and I am still seeing the positives. Taking the notifications off social media lasting approximately 5 days and I am disappointed that I reverted back. However, I found that I was checking those apps more often with anticipation of what could have been.

I was doing really well sticking to my goals, but I really did struggle. I realised that I am actually addicted to my phone, and the bad relationship I have with it. I am dependent on it, and I don't think I am the only one. I don't think people realise how much time they are on it. I do use my phone to catch up on YouTube and I didn't see that as a problem and I still don't as I often watch it at night as a bit of downtime from the real world. It was definitely the amount of pickups that was the problem, it was on average 40 pickups a day. That added up to 30% some days of my waking life. I find that number actually embarrassing and absolutely obscene.

As the days went on I was feeling great about it. I was putting my phone on charge more than arms length away, my time was reducing and I was seeing improvements. The most important thing I realised was scrolling through social media was actually really boring and repetitive. I think we live in an age where we think we are missing out, comparing ourselves to others, and that is not good for our self esteems. I hadn't ever thought about it like this before. I wasn't actually enjoying spending all those hours on my phone, it had just become an everyday norm in my life.

I really struggled with the task of having an entire 48 hours off my phone and I actually didn't complete it. It was hard for me to choose 48 hours where I wouldn't need my phone. I didn't like the idea of not being able to contact someone at all in the outside world. I did manage to stay off social media for the allocated time, just not off my phone completely. I am not really sure what happened but after day 25 I thought I had it all in hand and I was a changed woman and I did not finish the full 30 days.

I am disappointed to say that in the new year I have quickly reverted back to old habits. I feel like I do spend less time on my phone, but I have still not cracked stopping scrolling on social media. Sometimes I do really well less than 2 hours, other times it is 5 hours again. The time really varies which is an improvement, but I still want a bigger crack down. I am going to go through the book again, and highlight the particular pages which I felt that first time round really had an impact on me. Ella actually feels the same as well, it is so easy to slip into old routines which have become every day life. I want to revisit the list I made at the start with the main reasons for the crackdown, as I still feel passionate to try and tackle this problem. I am not going to stop myself from going on social media at all, as I do enjoy some aspects of it. I can pinpoint that my downfall is at night, and that is where I need to make the changes.

Lucy
xoxo

Before and After Roaccutane

I went to my final dermatologist appointment with the happiest smile on my face. It sounds like complete madness but I feel like my days of roaccutane seem like a life time ago and having acne seems like it never happens. Even typing that sounds so surreal as I can vividly remember in an instance how I felt starting roaccutane and how I wasn't that hopeful. I had lived with acne for 11 years and it was just a part of me. Sometimes I sit and look back at my photos from February and remember how I felt on that first day of my dermatologist saying he would finally start me on it.

I took these photos on day 2 of roaccutane and I am so glad I did as you can clearly see the scale of my acne and that underneath all my pretty makeup, my acne really had taken over my entire face. I remember for the first time being really determined that this was going to work for me.

















   

These pictures were taking in Jersey when I was on my holidays with my parents. Seeing as this was was 2 months into the treatment I remember feeling like my skin was possibly improving and then all of a sudden I got this row of large spots on my forehead and they were huge. I felt like I had taken about 10 steps backwards.

I took this picture in June and I remember looking at this and being able to pinpoint that this was the time when I was starting to actually feel as though my skin was getting better. I went to my month 4 appointment and I feeling great and determined to carry on. However, this was when all of the side effects had well and truly kicked in and my lips were like the sahara desert. I was getting headaches and my skin was so dry nothing was helping. My chin has always been the areas where my acne has been the worst and that was the area where I was seeing improvement. However, I was still getting a collection of pesky spots across my forehead and around the edges of my lips.

I couldn't find a close up picture from in August but after being on the treatment for 6 months my skin was so much better. Out of my 14 days on holiday in Madeira I think I only wore makeup twice. I remember going on this day out to this these beautiful botanical gardens and knowing I would want some insta-worthy pictures, but also knowing it was a boiling hot day. I remember at this point I had not had any new major spot in weeks and my skin was just holding onto the left over rough reminiscence of old spots that were not for leaving. I did have to wear factor 50 this entire holiday as my skin could not take more than an hour in the sun. I felt like I was continuously burning no matter how much suncream I applied.

I took this picture the day before I went to my last appointment on roaccutane. I went into the room with the biggest smile and as discussed in my last post I had three weeks left of roaccutane. However, I had been very emotional and was not feeling myself at all so on the 10th October 3 days after this picture was taken I decided to stop taking roaccutane all together. I was scared but the dermatologist said I had had a good period of time with being happy with my skin and not having any breakouts so it was time to see how my skin now coped. As expected I was so nervous and the last time I took a tablet I also stopped taking my pill which I had been on for the entire 8 months. I felt as though I wanted my body to completely hormone free for the first time in what felt like forever.

This photo was taken on the 23rd December, and I am soooooo happy to report that since finishing the treatment I have only had one tiny pesky red spot which has now disappeared. I know it sounds silly but I was convinced that my spots would return and I would be back to square one. There is no denying that my 2018 had pretty much been consumed with roaccutane but wow am I glad I finally took the plunge.

If you want to catch up on my entire roaccutane journey you can read my before, starting, month 1, months 2-3, months 4-6 and finishing posts to see the entire process. 

Lucy
xoxo