Category: Life

Just Because It Looks Effortless, Doesn’t Mean It Is

Remember, just because it looks ‘effortless’, doesn’t mean it is…

It’s all too easy to assume we understand the ins and outs of someone else’s success, journey, business, life, the list goes on…but just because what we see on social media may show us someone’s outcome, it doesn’t always show us the backstory (and even if it does, you’ll still never know all of it).

So when comparing your own journey in any area of life, to someone else’s seemingly ‘effortless’ outcome, remember that there will always be a lot behind the scenes that you’ll never really know…and just because it looks effortless, it doesn’t mean it is.

5 years has passed since this image, and I’m reminded of the construction site we once lived in again now, as Damien is currently working on the utility room.

We should have finished it with the rest of the renovations years ago, but what can I say, we got lazy and were sick of DIY at the time…but there’s no time like the present, so right now that area is once again dust and debris galore. But you can’t see round the corner (where it’s all going on) so we’ll just focus on the nice bit for now. @samiohome

Samio x

December 13, 2021
Treedom – The Environmentally Friendly Gift for the Person Who Has Everything

What to buy an environmentalist for Christmas?

As we enter into the festive season, it can become overwhelming when thinking about Christmas gifts and what to get for that certain someone who seems to already have everything, or on the other hand says they don’t want anything because maybe they feel they have enough things already or are concerned about the impact that said gift could have on the environment.

I personally am someone who doesn’t like to receive physical gifts as I try to keep personal clutter to a minimum, and so I realise I can be the type of person who can be hard to buy for around this time of year too, and that’s why Treedom stands out to me.

Treedom is a great way to give a gift to someone you love, whilst also having a positive impact on the environment and local farmers in other countries.

What is Treedom?

If you’ve never heard of Treedom before, they are the first platform that allows people to plant a tree from a distance and follow the story of the project online. Not only is there positive environmental impact from planting trees but there’s the social and economic benefits for the farmers too.

What’s really cool about Treedom is that by buying or gifting a tree you’re directly financing small agroforestry projects in rural communities giving farmers the knowledge to keep and look after the trees you plant. By planting trees across 17 different countries across the world the farmers also enjoy the commercial benefit of the fruits produced by those trees. The farmers are fully supported until the trees start producing meaning they can focus on giving the care the trees need to be a success.

What is Agroforestry?

Agroforestry is where land is utilised by more than one specific entity such as trees, livestock or crop rather than any single entity – essentially making the most of the land available. There are both economic and environmental advantages to agroforestry.

In terms of improving profitability making use of the land for multiple things gives more profit than a single entity, but also by planting trees in these areas the crops and livestock are protected from the effects of the sun, wind and rain and any other adverse weather. The new products diversify the farmers income so they aren’t reliant on one crop or livestock and the need for pruning of trees gives a small amount of firewood back to the farmers for use in cooking.

It’s not all just about making money either, there’s a huge environmental impact of planting trees. There’s the obvious CO2 reduction over the tree’s lifespan but trees also enrich the soil enabling use of it for a longer period; trees also aid in improving air and water quality locally.

Now you can’t just plant any old tree anywhere you like – it has to be carefully considered as to the species and if the environment is able to support it – and also that it won’t actually damage the environment too. Artificial forests (where there is only a select number of species grown in an area) can put water reserves for an entire region at risk, damage local ecosystems and also impoverish local diversity in the area. Treedom does the hard work for you here – by giving you the option to only plant pre-selected tree species in specific regions.

I Want To Plant a Tree!

The first step is to head over to Treedom.net and select which kind of tree you’d like to plant. You can select from species such as Coffee, Cacao, Lemon, Baobab and quite a few more! Other than the type of tree you can also filter down based on how much carbon each tree would absorb over a minimum 10 year time period.

Before choosing your desired tree there’s information on which country it will be planted, local uses (such as medicine, biodiversity and sales) but also the overall benefits of planting this tree such as CO2 absorption, environmental protection, food security and economic development. I find the information really helpful in aiding me decide what exactly I want to support and where I want to plant a tree.

Once you have selected buy it for yourself or gift it to someone and then you can follow the story of your unique tree. You will be given GPS coordinates with a photo and regular updates about the project in which it is planted.

So buying and planting a tree couldn’t be easier, or more fun, and what a great way to gift a present that keeps on giving!

And as a special offer for readers of this blog, you can use code SAMIO15 at the checkout for 15% off. only to be used once per person, expires on the 1st January 2022.

PLANT A TREE

Samio x

This blog post is sponsored by Treedom however all opinions are my own.

December 3, 2021
My Week Long Digital Detox

I took a week long digital detox and it was just what I needed…I decided to eliminate TV, my laptop, the internet and social media, deleting all my apps for a week, basically anything that usually would have me staring at a screen for long periods of time. And I pretty much only used my phone to text, only when essential (I’m not really a big texter anyway so that wasn’t hard for me)…and I have to say I actually loved it.

After having felt burnt out for a while, it was like the full factory re-set I’d needed – long overdue and so worth it.

I cleared my work calendar ahead of time and treated my week like an at home retreat; I went to the gym and yoga, I had a massage, I had a float tank session, went out for some meals, had lots of long walks, I journaled, and I read a lot – which is one of the things I really enjoyed getting back into the swing of this past week.

I seriously hadn’t felt this relaxed and fully present in such a long time, and I felt like I really got to clear my head and simply just think.

I couldn’t recommend taking a digital detox enough, especially if you are someone who struggles with anxiety, stress or overwhelm. It’s something I’ll be doing a lot more going forward…

Previously I’d take a weekend out here and there, but a full week gave me long enough to sit in the initial discomfort and actually give my brain time to process without so much outside noise and distraction…

It made me think of the quote I read whilst reading Greg Mckeown’s Essenstialism a while back -‘ …by abolishing any chance of being bored we have also lost the time we used to have to think and process’ – I couldn’t agree more.

Your mind is such a precious thing, treat it as such.

Samio xx

October 4, 2021
Podcasts to Get You Through Life!

As I scroll through my digital library my eyes flit across the screen, ‘what shall I listen to today?’ I ponder to myself. It’s 5:40am and I’m surprised to see that a new episode of the podcast I usually listen to on a Thursday (the day it goes live each week) has already gone up. ‘Efficient’, I think to myself and my thumb swiftly taps to open it up and press play. As the episode begins, I hop in the shower, and my day has officially begun.

So what’s the big deal with podcasts anyway?

I am obsessed with podcasts. Isn’t almost everyone in this day and age? That’s possibly a slight exaggeration and probably a sign of the bubble I find myself in, in which a large number of my friends and those whom I follow online, hungrily consume podcast content as if they are the elixir of life, the resolve to their problems and the essential entertainment they need to get them through their day (and for many of us, they are absolutely that).

It’s that familiar voice keeping us company as we do the washing, or that inspiring story giving us motivation as we work out in the gym, or even that hilarious conversation making us inappropriately laugh out loud during our commute. They can comfort us, they can inspire us, and they can give us some light hearted relief when we need it most, all whilst we’re getting on with other things that we need to do at the same time. Podcasts are the multitasker’s content of choice, shall we say.

I’ll readily admit I was somewhat late to the podcast party. I only really started to get into them around 2 years or so ago. I’m not fully sure how or why it started, but since then I’ve built up a little collection of favourites that ultimately serve as life advice, guidance, motivation, inspiration and sometimes even just good old fashioned humorous entertainment to get me through my week. This might be a rather bold statement, but when I really think about it, I honestly believe that podcasts have ultimately changed my life in many ways.

I work from home alone most days (regardless of the current global situation we find ourselves in), and I do admit it can get lonely and it can definitely become uninspiring at times too. So for me, listening to a podcast is like listening to an old friend. In some I find words of wisdom, in others I find a good laugh.

It might be one particular sentence or point that’s made within a particular episode that sparks a whole idea, which then leads me to create something for my work. It can be a story from an inspiring guest on a show which pushes me to re-focus and work harder on what I’m doing. Or it can even be a piece of life advice telling me to slow down. You can learn, you can laugh, you can be entertained and you can find comfort, and that’s why I love podcasts and so wanted to finally share some of my most frequently listened to ones here with you today.

I by no means claim to provide the ultimate list of podcasts, as the list which I share is of course very much tailored to my own interests and needs, but I do think there is a mix in there, so if you are on the hunt for something new to listen to, or even an introduction into the wonderful world of Podcasts, then hopefully this can provide some insight!

Put Yourself First by Kat Horrocks

I’m not being bias here, as Kats definitely not on this list just because she is actually one of my very close friends, but I actually do really love Kat’s podcast. In fact, we sparked our friendship through her podcast, which she invited me to first be a guest on about a year and a half ago now. Since then I began to listen to Kat’s podcast on a regular basis, and now it’s become an integral part of my Monday morning routine.

Kat is a life coach, who’s podcast Put Yourself First, in her exact words, consists of ‘inspiring conversations with badass women, empowering you to make time for your personal goals and put yourself first’…and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Kat interviews all different types of women, sharing their journey, how they have got to where they are, and how they practice self care alongside all of that.

What I love about this podcast: It’s one of those podcasts that I find each time I listen to an episode, it gives me something that I’d needed; be it a piece of advice or the reiteration to just do something. I often find myself excitedly messaging Kat to tell her what I took away from her recent episode as I always find each one so insightful.

This podcast is for you if: You want uplifting and inspiring. If you want to discover more amazing women doing awesome things in the world.

I like to listen to this podcast: On a Monday morning, which is when it goes live. I find it sets me up for my week ahead, and often leaves me feeling motivated.

Where to start: You can start on any episode with this podcast, just pick a title that you like and go from there, you’re bound to find some inspiration from each episode you listen to.

(listen here)

Dreamer’s Disease by Alex Manzi

Dreamer’s Disease podcast for me, is like the the male equivalent to Kat’s Put Yourself First podcast, although Alex interviews both men and women, it’s coming from a similar angle and this time from a male perspective. On this podcast Alex interviews an array of interesting and inspiring guests, as he finds out what makes them tick and how they navigate their lives and mental health, whilst doing what they love.

I discovered Alex’s podcast after listening to an episode with blogger Samantha Maria, last year. After really enjoying the conversations they had in that episode, I swiftly subscribed and have been listening ever since.

What I love about this podcast: I really like how conversation around mindfulness is a big part of this podcast. It’s not just about focusing on people’s end goals but their continual journeys. I’m often left feeling super inspired after listening to a conversation between Alex and one of his guests he’s had on the show.

This Podcast is for you if: You like deep and interesting conversations. If you want insight into how other people navigate their lives, and if you want to feel inspired.

I like to listen to this podcast: During my working week, usually on a Thursday when it goes live. It’s a good boost of motivation to get me through the end of my working week.

Where to start: As I mentioned, I started with the episode with blogger Samantha Maria, which you can find here, but any episodes that sound of interest to you is a good place to start. Keeping things current (to the time of writing this), I also enjoyed this more relaxed episode which was a conversation with Alex and his friend’s around the current situation on working from home whilst in quarantine, here.

(listen here)

Creative Rebels by David Speed and Adam Brazier

It’s funny with interview style podcasts, it’s like opening yourself up to a whole new network of people you never knew existed, and more often than not, one podcast will lead me to another. Like in this instance, I discovered Creative Rebels podcast whilst listening to them as guests on the Dreamer’s Disease podcast.

This podcast is hosted by business partners and professional graffiti artists David and Adam, who interview fellow creatives

who have took their businesses full time, and ultimately ‘rebelled’ against the conventional 9-5.

What I love about this podcast: I only discovered this one more recently, but I’m finding it to be a good one at keeping me sane when I’m having a creative block with my own work, or simply a good one to listen to when I just want to feel re-motivated to get on with stuff.

This podcast is for you if: You’re a creative, either working for yourself full time and looking for some encouragement and motivation from fellow creatives, or if you’re wanting more insight into how to break out of your 9-5 and make your creative work your business.

I like to listen to this podcast: Anytime mid-week and usually in the morning before getting into my working day to give me a boost of inspiration/motivation.

Where to start: You can start on any episode, I guess it’s just a case of fining a guest and/or episode title that sparks your interest (and I’m sure you’ll find there’s a lot). Or if you wanted to kill two birds with one stone here and get a feel for two different podcasts on my list, you could check out the live interview episode with Dreamer’s Disease podcast and Creative Rebels podcast here.

(listen here)

Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker

This is one of those instances where I can’t quite remember where I discovered this persons work first; was it from her podcast, or her blog, or her instagram? I’m not entirely sure, but I can say she’s one of those online creators who, if you enjoy what she does, it will ultimately lead you to exploring her work on all platforms, from which you’ll be able to take something very different from each.

Sara is a full time content creator, author, mum and fellow northerner. I’ve actually been listening to her podcast for a lot longer than I’d realised before I went to write this post. Hashtag Authentic is a podcast for creatives, with lots of insight and knowledge into how to navigate the ever evolving online world. On the podcast Sara interviews a plethora of inspiring creatives, from small business owners to artists.

What I love about this podcast: The episodes are usually both heartwarming and insightful and I personally find Sara very calming to listen to.

This podcast is for you if: You’re a creative. If you enjoy listening to other creative’s stories behind how and why they do what they do. If you’re a small business owner, or creative looking for more tips and insight into how to best navigate the online world with your business.

I like to listen to this podcast: When I’m editing photos and want to be kept company by some fellow creatives having a chat, and I tend to find Sara’s episodes quite relaxing to listen to.

Where to start: There are so many brilliant and inspiring episodes but I particularly remember this episode here standing out as one of my favourites, in which Sara interviews business owner Syreeta Challinger who founded lifestyle brand Moments of Sense and Style with her husband Rob after a huge change in life circumstances. I would definitely recommend giving that one a listen!

(listen here)

The Reggie Yates Podcast by Reggie Yates

Switching up the content in this list quite dramatically with this one, I actually don’t even know where to start with this podcast.

I’m guessing this one will probably be a bit like marmite for most people. It’s whacky, it’s random, it’s inappropriate a lot of the time, but I love it! I was introduced to this one by my friend L’Oréal about a year and a half ago, unsure of what the premise of

the show was going to be, and simply going off the recommendation of ‘it’s so funny, you just need to listen to it’, I swiftly went back to the very beginning of the episodes and began to listen to them all in order (something I have a habit of doing with Podcasts)…and I very quickly found I was hooked.

To try and put it simply, it’s a podcast hosted by Reggie Yates (who is a well known TV presenter/Documentary maker, here in the UK, for those who maybe haven’t heard of him), along with a group of his friends; Owen, Baba and Uzo, (along with other guests from time to time) and they sit and have a chat about anything and everything. From deep chats, to childish banter, it quite literally is all the intricacies of a close friendship group laid out in all it’s glory, for us to peek inside and be a part of for an hour or so a week.

Why I love this podcast: It’s like being with a bunch of friends, those friends you can chat rubbish with, be vulnerable with and also have ridiculous banter with. Although you don’t need to listen to these episodes in order, I’d recommend going back and listening to older ones first if you can, as it’s like getting to know a group of mates, so you want to be ‘in’ with some of the recurring jokes they make on more recent episodes. They also have really inspiring guests on from time to time, which I also really enjoy, but mostly I just love this show for how much is makes me laugh.

This Podcast is for you if: You have a silly side, you don’t mind a bit of inappropriate humour, you need a bit of lighthearted relief and want a good laugh.

I like to listen to this podcast: Either on a Friday afternoon, or a Saturday morning when I’m getting ready. It gets me in a silly/giddy mood and makes me feel ready for the weekend.

Where to start: Scroll all the way back and go to episode one. If you’re getting onboard then you’re in it for the long haul with this lot, once you’re hooked, miss an episode and you might get FOMO.

(listen here)

Jesus and Jollof by Luvvie Ajayi and Yvonne Orji

I’m noticing a slight theme occur here with my choices of podcasts, as for each male hosted podcast I love, I seem to have an equally loved female version, and vice versa.

This is another, spit your tea out, ‘I can’t believe they just said that’, silly humoured podcast. If you hadn’t realised already, I’m someone who is either looking to be inspired, or entertained, and actually, these woman manage to do both!

Jesus & Jollof was another podcast recommendation to me by my friend L’Oréal (clearly we have the same humour) and I’m glad that I also took up her recommendation with this podcast too, because these women make me cry with laughter.

Luvvie Ajayi is an author and speaker and Yvonne Orji is an actress, (whom you may know from HBO show Insecure). In Luvvie and Yvonne’s own words, they are ‘two proudly Nigerian women (who have no behavior) talking about the things they love, their stories, and life in general’ – making me laugh out loud as they do it. And incase you were wondering, the podcast is called Jesus & Jollof because it’s two things they can’t live without, Jesus and Jollof rice.

Why I love this podcast: Did I mention I find them hilarious? I also find them to be super inspiring too, and in-between all the tomfoolery (which I of course love), they give some straight up good advice as well as insight into their background and the hard graft that’s got them both to where they are today.

This podcast is for you if: You want to be entertained and inspired at the same time. If you want a good laugh and if you enjoy high energy chit chat and hearing conversations on everything from career to life and relationships.

I like to listen to this podcast: When I’m having a break from work, or as some light hearted entertainment to listen to as a I’m cleaning or getting jobs done around the house.

Where to start: Season 1 if you can. If you get their humour, these women will have you crying with laughter at their constant jokes and accents, so much so, you’ll want to go back and listen to every episode anyway.

(Listen here)

On Purpose by Jay Shetty (and kast media)

This podcast is one of the most recent additions to my podcast library. I say ‘recent’ addition, that still hasn’t stopped me from listening to a large number of these episodes at lightening speed.

I was recommended this podcast by my friend Chan not too long ago and it’s since become one of my favourites to listen to.

Jay Shetty interviews so many interesting guests, many of whom you’ll have heard of, and even the ones you haven’t still provide plenty of insight and wisdom, which is bound to leave you feeling inspired.

Why I love this podcast: As the title suggests, this podcast is all about living life on purpose. The people he interviews do exactly that and I always find these episodes open up my mind to another avenue of thinking. It’s hard not to take something away when listening to these episodes and I love the questions the conversations they provoke, not just between Jay Shetty and his guests, but the ones I then find myself thinking about and asking others after I’ve finished listening to an episode.

This episode is for you if: You enjoy listening to deep conversations, if you’re looking for something positive to uplift your soul.

I like to listen to this podcast: When I’m in a more serious mood but want something thought provoking and uplifting to listen to. Or even just in the morning as I’m getting ready.

Where to start: Any episode. Either look for an episode title that strikes your interest, or pick one at random, any episode you pick is likely to give you some form of takeaway and words of wisdom.

(listen here)

A Couple of Extras

The Calmer You Podcast

I discovered Brotheridge’s, The Calmer You Podcast, after hearing her speak

The Goop Podcast

You may have already heard of the Goop, wellness and lifestyle brand, founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

as a guest on Kat’s Put Yourself First podcast recently.

I haven’t listened to loads of these episodes yet but the ones I’ve listened to I’ve found to be really helpful and, as the title states, ‘calming’.

Chloe is a hypnotherapist and anxiety expert and her podcast episodes offer guidance and inspiration to help you feel calmer and happier.

It’s probably a great one to start listening to at this time too and I’m looking forward to listening to more of her episodes of the coming weeks.

(listen here)

It’s come up against some controversy from time to time for some of it’s alternative approaches to wellbeing, and in all honesty I haven’t delved too deep into that side of things, so I can’t really comment, but what I can say is that I have been enjoying the podcast.

Although I don’t listen to this one all the time, I’ve found the episodes that I have listened to, to be incredibly interesting, mainly so because of the legendary guests on there.

Two stand out episodes to me, which I would absolutely recommend you listen to are the ones with Oprah Winfrey (that woman is literally a fountain of wisdom) here, and this episode here with spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle.

So there we have it, a roundup of my favourite podcasts right now. I hadn’t expected this blog post to go on quite as long as it did, but what can I say, I enjoy chatting about things that I love. Hopefully you’ll be able to discover some new podcasts from this list and if you have any that you’d like to recommend, then do let me know in the comments below, because as you may have guessed, I’m always on the hunt for new ones to listen to.

Samio x

April 2, 2020
I’m A Serial ‘Faffer’ At Heart – So Here’s What I’m Going to Do About It!

I used to be the person who would naturally and quite easily spring out of bed ridiculously early. I even remember back when Damien and I had our PT and we’d get up at 5:30am, 3 mornings a week to make our sessions before Damien started work. I’m not saying that was the easiest of tasks, especially in winter, but still, we did it and it just became a regular part of our routine.

Even post early morning PT, throughout last year I’d find myself naturally waking up around 6:30 am, feeling ready to spring out of bed and start my day (yes, I was that annoying person)….

Fast forward to the start of this year and everything seemed to change. Suddenly I was no longer the quite so smug, early morning person I once was. Getting out of bed had become a real chore at times, and for the most part it’s continued to be so up until now. You’re probably thinking ‘welcome to my world’, round about now, and admittedly, I have sort of embraced my new ‘just a bit longer in bed’ lifestyle. I’ve took it as a sign that my body has maybe needed the extra rest, and so I haven’t put much pressure on myself to get up early. In fact, I’ve enjoyed many welcomed lie ins, and not just on the weekend either. Some mornings I’ll find myself swanning out of bed and into the shower at 8:45am – the perks of working from home and only having to ‘commute’ as far as downstairs to your dining table office. To some this would still seem early, to others, this would seem late, I guess it’s all relative and depends where you live, what you do and if/how far you have to commute.

It also largely depends on if you’re a morning person, which I, (as you may have already guessed) am. So as a morning person who has been depriving themselves of a chunk of their morning for quite some time, I’ve been really starting to feel it.

Let’s not make this too much about productivity, because there are plenty of life enriching things you can do with your early mornings without making them a cause for productivity, but then one could argue that anything ‘life enriching’ is productive – I don’t know. Anyway, I digress, my point is, yes, it does help me to be that little bit more productive, but, more than anything, getting up earlier allows me more time to simply ease into my day.

I’m a serial ‘faffer’ at heart. I try not to be. I’ve downsized my wardrobe, simplified my morning routine, organised my home, basically everything I possibly can in order to minimise ‘faff’…but guess what, it still happens. And so I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way I can truly combat this is by having more time. I can have my outfit laid out, my hair washed and ready, my makeup routine to a minimum, and still wind up running 10 minutes late (I know, I hate me too). The problem is you can’t make more time, but you can wake up that bit earlier and give yourself some more minutes in the day, even if it is simply to allow for faffing.

This doesn’t have to just be reserved for days when we know we need to be somewhere, because let’s face it, none of us are going anywhere around about now (corona….let’s not even mention it). I generally tend to faff regardless of if I’m going out or staying in. I like to take my time with my morning coffee, maybe listen to a podcast whilst I exhaustively do my skincare routine, write some morning pages in my journal, maybe even do a workout if I’m feeling really intrepid (check me ready to take on the world with my morning routine of champions). I may only even wind up doing one of those things, but having the time to choose, dither, swan around in my dressing gown for half an hour longer if I so wish, is a wonderful thing. So that’s why I’m taking back my mornings!

Last night as I chatted about some of my thoughts to Damien, I found myself feeling motivated by the prospect of a new month. We decided to set ourselves a daily challenge that we’d complete together throughout April and we (mainly me) came up with the wonderful idea of taking things to the extreme and getting up at 5am every morning for the next 30 days! (I know right, what a brilliant idea…not). Maybe after the long winded intro into my sleeping habits, you won’t be so surprised when I tell you that after our alarm went off at 5am this morning, we chose to ignore it and go back to sleep. I know, I know, talk about trying to dive in at the deep end.

So we failed our challenge before it even begun, but all is not lost, because we then did in fact decide to wake up an hour later at 6am (still a good hour and a half to two hours earlier than I’ve previously been getting up), and I can’t deny, it was still a struggle, but we did it!

Did I have the most profound morning ever? No. Did I get an important task done? Erm, does showering and actually getting dressed in decent clothes count? Did I workout? Absolutely not. But I did have time to listen to that podcast, put on a dress and wear something other than sweat pants for the first time in a week. I even did my makeup (go me), purely to make myself feel good. I then got Damien to quickly snap these photos before he started work at 7:30am (go us)…and I even got to work on this blog post, which ashamedly so is my first of 2020! I’d forgot how much I enjoy the catharticism of getting some of my thoughts out into a blog post, and the enjoyment I get from planning out the images to fit around my text on the page.

So here’s to earlier mornings. More time to fulfil faff and ease into my day. I hope you have a good one!

Today I’m wearing…

This star print maxi dress that I picked out as a gift from Baukjen a couple of years ago. I actually nearly got rid of this in my wardrobe clear out that I did the other day, as I haven’t really worn it near enough as I’d have hoped, but then I realised what a wonderful ‘working from home’ dress it is. Not only does it feel like giant nightdress to wear, whilst still looking good (comfort is key folks), but it also lends itself perfectly to layering underneath. It’s quite chilly in our house at the moment, so to prevent living with the heating on constantly, we layer up! Today I’m wearing a long sleeved knit and leggings under this floaty number!

Granny slippers. Because what ‘working from home’ outfit would be complete without a pair of ridiculously comfortable footwear to boot!

Liner & Lip Balm – When I’m feeling lazy, but I still want to put something on my lips, this is my favourite little lip combo. The Marc Jacobs (Poutliner) in shade (Nude)ist, seems to be the most perfect ‘nude’ shade for my lips. I line with this and then smudge it into the centre of my lips a bit as I apply my Lanolips 101 ointment (my favourite lip balm).

Perfume Roulette – Over the weekend I had a HUGE Spring clean. It involved creating a home for everything, including my vast selection of sample perfumes, which I have now found this little glass jar to house them in. It seems the perfect time to try some different scents each day, so I’m diving in and picking one at random to spray each morning. Today I’m wearing Herve Gambs Coup De Grace. This one’s not for me if I’m honest (lol).

I’ve also pulled out my Fitbit because I realised I’ve been very inactive since being stuck at home. My aim is to try and get 10,000 steps in today. I can only laugh at how ridiculously ambitious this goal is. According to Google an office worker walks an average of 7,570 steps per day…well I wore my Fitbit for the first time in a while yesterday and I did about 3,000 steps, so I’m probably setting myself up for a fail here…shall we make it 5,000 instead?

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April 1, 2020
Weekend of Wonder

Hello again

Coming back to this space is like reuniting with an old friend; at first it feels like a lifetime has passed, there’s a worry that things won’t quite be the same but then you get chatting and it feels like you never even had time apart.

Well here I am, back with my second blog post after my little hiatus. I was actually really looking forward to making writing a blog post the first thing on today’s to do list, which is a good sign that the time is right and it feels good to officially be back in this little corner of the internet.

I’m easing into my Monday morning with a much needed coffee, whilst the therapeutic sound of rain bouncing off the kitchen velux’s is this morning’s soundtrack. I think it will be a day of slowly working through the to do list whilst swigging copious amounts of pipping hot tea.

An autumnal atmosphere is in the air and I’m feeling the shift in seasons in more ways than one. Lots of changes have been slowly taking shape in my life over these past several weeks and months and I feel like I’m now entering into a new chapter, or I guess you could even call it, ‘life season’.

Over the weekend I celebrated my hen do with a bunch of my favourite women. I was surprised with a fun filled weekend staying in a house in the country side (which also impressively had a hot tub and pool). We did everything from life drawing (such a funny and brilliant hen do idea), a cocktail making masterclass (I can now make an awesome Pornstar Martini), karaoke (although dare I say it I feel asleep for a period on the first night, so missed that bit), lots of drinking (obviously, and hence my impromptu nap on the first night), dancing, skinny dipping (I’ll say no more on that one) and there were more comedy moments than I can count. We laughed, we cried, we had deep chats and nostalgic moments. I got to have most of my favourite women all together in one space and it was truly wonderful.

I’m now sat here feeling incredibly grateful for such a wonderful hen weekend and the amazingly fun, caring, talented, hilarious and crazy women I have in my life. I promise to stop gushing shortly, but I just can’t stop smiling looking back at all of the photos and the videos from this past weekend (many of which will not be making it to the internet). I seriously couldn’t have asked for a better hen weekend and it’s one I’ll never forget.

So What Now?

Well I’m sat here nursing the remnants of my lukewarm coffee, which is a clear sign that it’s time to pop the kettle on and make a start on my first cup of tea of the day…oh and yes, there’s that whole, getting married thing too. There will be more to come on that soon enough. But for now, I’ll leave you with some images of me looking very bridal, in the white dress and veil that I wore over the weekend. As I said over on my Instagram, don’t let these images fool you, this was my one and only sophisticated moment of the weekend, and I did in fact spill not one, but two pink G&T’s down this dress before I even arrived at the location for the hen do. So if I look at all classy, well, I really wasn’t.

Ciao for now.

Samio x

Images shot by Onyi and edited by me.

September 9, 2019
Where Have I Been?

An Explanation

Where have I been…where have I not been is the question. Well, when I last posted here on my blog (gulps) in April, I was frantically putting together the finishing touches on a sponsored post that had been approved by a brand just hours before I was due to go away. I pretty much hit publish just before dashing off in a taxi to the airport, ready to set off on a flight to Australia…now this seems like the part in the story where I tell you I then went travelling for 6 months, hence the long absence here on my blog. But in fact I was away for just 3 weeks in total on that particular trip. No short vacation by any means, but not quite the impressive world travelling excuse which would have succinctly explained me abandoning my blog for what feels like a lifetime (and could actually be classed as such by internet standards).

I’m not quite sure why I let the time pass by for as long as I did, or even how for that matter. I call myself a blogger and I work doing this weird and wonderful online creative thing (call it being an influencer or whatever you wish) full time, but I’ve felt quite guilty that I’ve not actually been doing, well, what my job title suggests. I guess things have changed and evolved in this industry a lot more than I wish to fully acknowledge at times. As we all know, Instagram has somewhat taken over the blogosphere and so, many people have abandoned their blogs (or these days not even needed to start one in the first place), in favour of more frequent short form content. There’s been a real shift in the tide and I guess I’ve sort of floated along with it, without really realising. I get that things change and we do have to move with the times but I never wanted to leave my blog behind completely, gathering dust, and in fact I hate that I’ve pretty much done what I said I would try so hard not to.

Before I went full time with this thing, I don’t think I quite realised the scope of work that my job role would come to entail. I’ve talked before about the juggling act which this job and many similar self employed jobs require. A lot of the time you’re learning on the job and you’re soon forced to become well versed in roles that you may previously have had little interest in, but are required to do in order to keep your business going (especially if you’re a one man band). I really can’t complain, as I feel so incredibly grateful that I get to work for myself doing something I really love. This is just a way of giving some sort of explanation to both myself and this here space on the internet, as to why I’ve been away for so long.

Moving Forward

I’ve realised that as my business evolves and my work continues to expand, I need to allow myself to let go of certain things. You can pretty much say that’s what I’ve done by no longer posting here, but this has just made me realise that whilst something has to give, this doesn’t necessarily have to be it. It hasn’t been a concious decision to stop writing and sharing my long winded musings here, but after how overwhelmed I found myself getting with my work last year, I must admit that putting zero pressure on myself to post here in recent months has been one less thing to worry about.

The thing I’ve come to realise though are the things that I value most with what I do, and time is one of them. I’m now finally coming to terms with allowing myself to let go of certain responsibilities so that I have more time to focus on the things I actually want to, like my blog, and let go of the other things that I’ve maybe been holding onto for the sake of holding onto them. I think that the comfort zone you create for yourself can be rather deceptive, it has you believing that you’re exactly that ‘comfortable’, but maybe you’ll find a more suited position seated around a different table, you’ll just never know until you take a moment to come out of your ‘comfy’ spot and switch to a different chair.

And of course it wouldn’t be a Samio blog post unless there was a rather abstract metaphor squeezed in somewhere there, so good job I got one in right at the end. So on that note, that is the end of my blog post, and hopefully the (re-)start of many more.

Ciao for now.

Samio x

Images shot by Carrie and edited by me.

September 5, 2019
Suited & Booted And My Working Balance

Damien and I shot these images in January…JANUARY. It’s now April. I feel a reoccurring theme at the start of my blog posts of me often parroting on about how the time has flown by; but as I feel myself hurdling into Spring once again, it’s hard not to take notice and vocalise the fact that time has whizzed by, leaving me feeling solicitous in my want to get certain things done.

Once again my blog took a backseat over the month of March and it’s just a never ending cycle in the thing I like to call my ‘working life’s balance’. I spread my social media content across my blog, Youtube and Instagram. I’m like a juggler who has only ever learnt to juggle two balls well enough (does that even count as juggling). When it comes to juggling it all, I’ve never quite managed to keep all three balls going consistently at once, and so to metaphorically speak, I tend to drop a ball every now and then and focus on keeping the momentum with just two instead…until I finally feel ready to add in another ball again, which I eventually drop of course, and so the cycle continues like this.

It’s something I’m now very much used to and it’s something that doesn’t bother me so much these days, at least not like it did before. I remember a time (not that long ago actually) when I’d put immense pressure on myself to try and keep everything to a schedule which I inevitably always failed to stick to. I’d always wind up feeling rubbish about my inability to keep up with things and so in the end, after a good long while of this self critical behaviour and hitting breaking point with it, I had to take my foot right off the pressure peddle.

I’ve noticed the people who tend to do things best only focus on that one thing. My problem is, I like lots of things, so I often find it hard to focus on one, and only one consistently. So over time, I’ve come to find my own sense of balance with it all, which means focusing on the things I like in rotation. I’ll admit it can be a tricky one, especially when these thing form together to be my job, but I’ve found that this is how things work best for me right now.

I’m taking things a lot slower this year in all aspects of my life. It’s done wonders for my mind and even the way I approach things and take on work. Of course I still get stressed and have those periods of panic, but I feel a lot more in control of them than I did last year. Accepting that things can still move forward and progress positively without always being ‘on it’ (so to speak) with everything, has been quite a liberating feeling.

So whilst the change in seasons is a noticeable marker that time has passed and so I really need to get certain things done (like simply check in here for example), it’s not a real cause for concern and instead just a polite nudge to not forget about the other things that I also want and need to do.

And with that very long winded self-analytical, cathartical mind dump over, I’ll briefly finish with a bit about this outfit and the original reason for taking these images in the first place.

Back in October last year, Asos invited me along to their HQ for a tailoring workshop. As a lover of blazers over here, of course I jumped at the chance and so on a trip down to London I popped into Asos for an afternoon of suit browsing and fittings and in the process I got to have a behind the scenes look at the design process at Asos. As someone who has shopped on Asos a lot over the years, it was all very interesting to see and myself and the two other bloggers who were invited along, Chloe and Hannah, were kindly gifted our own bespoke suits and jackets. I went for this blazer and flared trouser combo in a black pin stripe and when it arrived in December I was eager to shoot in it, as well as wear it of course. I shot it in January, then fast forward to now and I’m only just getting round to sharing the shots, but better late than never hey.

Anyway, I just wanted to say a bit about the outfit in this post, to share a little bit about the fun experience and to put things into context as of course this exact design isn’t available online, however they do have the same style in different prints, some of which are perfect for Spring Summer and I’ve linked below.

So there we have it. That’s enough blabbering on from me for this post but I’ll catch up with you again soon. Ciao for now.

Samio x

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April 5, 2019
Sometimes I don’t start things in fear of them not being good enough

Sometimes I don’t start things in fear of them not being good enough. I’d love to say that I am fearless and that nothing phases me, but if I’m truly honest with myself, I don’t think I am.

In some aspects I am that fearless person and my passion to do certain things knows no bounds. At other times though, the longing is there, however the feelings of self doubt creep in and I am therefore held back by my own insecurities. I don’t feel particularly insecure on the surface, but if a fear of not being good enough at something is holding me back from doing it, then surely I have to admit that it stems from insecurity.

I think it comes down to knowing our strengths, or at least thinking we know them and getting into a habit of focusing on what we know and have been proven to be good at. A pastry chef may be confident in their ability to make the most amazing Profiteroles, but then ask them to say, make fresh pasta and they may feel unsure of their capability to do it to the standard which they have perfected with the profiteroles – and so may be reluctant to even try. This is a somewhat random example and there may be a pastry chef who reads this and is thinking ‘actually I can make wicked fresh pasta for your information!’. But my point is, stepping out of our comfort zone, even if only slightly, can often be more daunting than we give it credit. And so we find ourselves saying things we’d like to do, knowing full well that they are not entirely unachievable, however we never get round to doing them, due to something deep down holding us back. It’s that hidden insecurity, which we often bury with the age old excuses of not having enough time, or the right tools or enough money and so on.

When I think of all the things I started when I had no clue and very little resources but went ahead and did anyway; I think of how different things would have been if I had maybe never been brave enough to give them a go. My blog for one is probably one of my biggest examples. When I started my blog I didn’t even read them, I just had a passion to create and share and so that’s what I did. Of course I look back at some old posts and laugh to myself at their pointlessness, my questionable outfits and my writing (or lack of)…but if I hadn’t started, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

Now I couldn’t imagine not having this little space on the internet and it still amazes me that it evolved into part of my job…but what if I’d never started. What if that self doubt had crept in, what if I’d had that overwhelming fear of not being good enough and I hadn’t just gone ahead and published my first post and continued to share regardless. Who knows, maybe I would have found something else that I was equally passionate about to focus on, maybe I wouldn’t. All I do know however, is that in starting I have no regrets and in fact I feel thankful to my past self for being fearless enough to just start something new.

Even when I look back at the things I tried and failed at, I never look back with regret, as each thing has taught me a lesson or two along the way, if not only given me some very funny stories, some of which I’ll maybe have to recount to you in future posts.

I guess it all comes down to the push. I’ll explain what I mean by that in a second, but first I want to say how it’s funny that I’d written the start of this blog post a couple of weeks ago and it had sat on my desktop, unfinished since then. Over the weekend though, I spent a lot of time chatting with some of my fellow creative friends and a lot of what we discussed actually focused on the topics in this post. I guess that’s what inspired me to pick things back up and finish this post today.

Basically, when chatting to a friend, I’d used an elaborate metaphor to describe a situation of trying something new and quickly transitioning from one period to another. I said how the thing we want to do but maybe feel too afraid to try is like diving into a swimming pool from a high up diving board; you find yourself standing on the diving board and looking down at the deep blue pool below. It looks appealing, inviting even, but you are so far away from it, it looks too scary to just dive right in.

And so you wait, stood on the diving board (in your safe space if you like) looking into the deep blue water below, wondering and imagining what it would be like but not feeling quite brave enough, or feeling like it’s not quite the right timing to just dive right in…until eventually, (if you’re lucky), you get the push. Either through forces outside of your control, or through your own urges to get on with it, you jump.

Then you find yourself falling and plummeting into the freezing cold water. It’s different, it’s outside of your safe space and it can even be a shock to the system. But then you pull yourself to the surface and catch your breath. You realise that you did it, in fact, you’re doing it right now. It still feels different but you dived right in and now you’re finally doing the thing that you’ve been wanting to do for the longest time.

It’s not necessarily easy, but you have two choices, you either stick in this pool and keep swimming, or you get out. The longer that you’re in the water though, the more you find yourself getting used to it and soon you start to swim, you even start to enjoy and become good at it and eventually you look back and think, I’m glad I dived in.

Like I said, that was my very elaborate (and somewhat long winded) metaphor, but it’s the best way I can describe the process and it pretty much sums up some of my own experiences. There have been times where I have got out of the pool (metaphorically speaking) after having dived into certain situations. It’s important to know that not every experience will wind up being for you, and that’s completely okay…but then if you never try you’ll never know. So what’s it going to be, stay firmly planted on the board, or dive right in?

Samio x

The photos in this post were shot by myself. I have a series called #SamiosSelfPortraits which you can see more of here.

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February 4, 2019
Lookbooks, Life & Some Double Denim

I’m looking back over January with fondness; that’s not something I usually say about the first month of the year but it seems I surpassed the dreaded January blues and actually had a pretty good month, despite the bad weather and having had a cold…It’s what I’d call a ‘getting things done’ month. I got lots of little things ticked off (as I’d mentioned in my last post), I set a few things in motion which I’d been wanting to do for a while, and made a few fun plans, which I’m looking forward to over the coming year.

I think taking a slower approach has been the best decision I’ve made for the start of this year. The irony is that work has been even busier, but what’s changed is my approach to it all and I’m managing everything a lot better. I’m enjoying working on less but bigger projects which I can really channel my focus into and not feel so overwhelmed by lots of little things all building up. I’ve started as I wish to go on, so hopefully this is habit forming for the rest of the year with how I manage my time and work.

As we veeerryy slowly creep towards Spring (I say this as I can still see the remnants of snow outside my window), I’m really looking forward to lighter evenings and warmer days – but aren’t we all! We may have a while to wait yet but that doesn’t stop me from musing over Spring outfits on Pinterest and curating ideas in my head for the milder months.

I was recently offered a gifting from cult Australian brand Oneteaspoon and so after browsing through the website I decided to pick out a few pieces that I felt would be good all-year round staples. I hadn’t planned on putting a look together for my blog as such; however the other day as I was trying on and styling the jeans and jacket that I had picked out, I decided to take a quick snap in it for Instagram, which then swiftly turned into an impromptu photoshoot. As I’ve been getting back into shooting self portraits this year, I’ve really been enjoying shooting more lookbook style shots again, which fit together perfectly as little series of images. This is something that’s not so easy to share on Instagram, and often I find myself torn as to which one image I will share there. This is why I will always love my blog, as it allows me curate a selection of images and tell a story – or in this case, show an outfit.

Outfit posts on blogs have died out a bit over the past few years, and it’s no surprise why, as Instagram makes everything so quick and accessible, why even need to visit a blog. But for me, it’s still a process I enjoy and a part of me slowing down in life, is also slowing down somewhat online too. I don’t want everything I put out to be so fast pace and disposable. I don’t live or shop that way, so why share that way? So I’ve been enjoying styling and shooting more outfits again recently and I have lots more that I’m looking forward to sharing over the coming days and weeks. Here’s to a happy and chilled February, have a good one!

Samio x

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February 1, 2019