Recently here on my blog I’ve spoken about mottos to live by in 2018. So far they have been proving to be rather good reminders to keep me on track in day to day life. Well today I have another motto to add to that list and it’s one I’m surprised I haven’t thought of sooner and it’s this – Stop Scrolling, Start Doing.
We’ve all been there. Those periods of procrastination where anything seems more appealing than what we’re actually meant to be doing in that moment. Our phones have become our best friends and our enemies. Whilst in some ways they have made doing many things much easier, they have also become the distraction that eats into our time and stops us getting a lot of other things done.
Last year my scrolling addiction hit an all time phone junkie high. I didn’t even think I spent that much time on my phone but the evidence stated otherwise. (Seriously, go into your phone settings, check the battery section and see how much time you’ve spent on certain apps in the last 24 hours to 7 days…you may be surprised.)
In 2018 realised that I used Facebook a lot as a time filler. Whilst I honestly have no interest in watching videos of dogs doing back flips, or in seeing Janine’s 3D baby scan pictures, I still found myself mindlessly scrolling through. So I deleted the Facebook app off of my phone and despite missing cues to wish Happy Birthday to ‘friends’ I haven’t spoken to or seen in real life for over five years, I realise I really haven’t actually missed much.
Now whilst removing one app from my phone seemed to do the trick, when it came to the likes of Instagram I decided to use sheer willpower alone. And surprisingly it worked…for a time. Actually I weaned myself off of Instagram scrolling surprisingly easy. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I went two whole weeks over the festive period without posting one Instagram image, which is a pretty big deal when it’s actually part of what you do as your job.
Whilst now I’m back to my usual daily posts on Instagram, I still don’t think that should make for an excuse to slip into old habits of spending too much time on there. However I feel myself grabbing for the phone in regular intervals once again. I know what it is, it’s procrastination, plain and simple and whilst my phone is the catalyst, I am still very much culpable.
So I’ve decided it’s time to nip this bad habit in the bud and so I think the best way to attempt to do that is to give myself a friendly little daily reminder, by adding another motto to my list. Let’s see where we end up with these, by the end of the year I might have worked up quite the list.
Do you use your phone to procrastinate? Or are you good at staying focused and ignoring distractions? If you’re the latter, give me your tips please!
We each have our own individual things that we want to achieve and focus on this year, be it wanting to save, reaching those work goals, or working on our own happiness. Whatever your focus, it’s always good to have a little reminder or prompt to go to in order to help keep you on track. That’s where mottos come in handy, you know, those cheesy little lines that we tell ourselves to give ourselves a boost of motivation.
Maybe you don’t have a motto, maybe you already have several that you like to remind yourself of frequently. I myself have drifted in and out of having my own mottos over the years but more recently, I’ve found myself thinking of certain mottos in my head and often they have given me that little motivational push when I’ve needed it most. So in this post I’m sharing three mottos that I intend to live by this year…
It’s okay to think it over but don’t overthink it
This is one of my own quotes that I actually came up with last year, or the year before (I can’t quite remember when). Whilst I agree it’s wise to think something over before going ahead with it, there’s a point when you need to draw a line and make a clear decision, to avoid overthinking it.
It’s funny, I can decide to book a trip, with not much thought or planning, yet I can find myself overthinking something as simple as what I write in an email. This year I aim to put a cap on my overthinking. I’m going to give things a second thought where a second thought is due but I’m going to try and worry less and not overthink things that really don’t need overthinking…So if you’re like me, then this might be a good one to add to your mottos too!
Your dreams don’t work unless you do
I couldn’t do this post without having a really cheesy one in there and admittedly this is one of the most overused, cliché quotes out there. But when it comes down to it, it’s actually a pretty good motto to live by.
Now in terms of dreams I’m talking about things that are existent or within our own realms of possibility. No matter how hard you work, it’s unlikely you’ll end up living on the moon, not in this lifetime at least (if that’s your bag anyway). But the realistic goals we want to achieve and the things we want to do in life, are things that we can work at/or towards, a little bit each day.
I like this motto because it’s simple, to the point and it’s great for someone like me who is a self confessed procrastinator. I almost picture me giving myself a lecture as I’m saying it, ‘girl, stop wasting time, come on, you’re dreams don’t work unless you do’. So maybe this cheesy motto isn’t such a bad one after all.
Do not strive for perfection. Strive for consistency
This next motto in some ways flows on from the last, in the way that it once again relates to working towards goals. This is another one of my own motto creations and if you watched my most recent YouTube video about how to achieve your 2018 goals, you will have already heard me mention this one.
Firstly, as we all know, perfection is something impossible to strive for, because in reality it doesn’t exist. The problem however, is that many of us quite frequently dismiss this, myself included. For example, if your aim for this year is to eat healthily, by putting pressure on yourself to constantly eat a restrictive ‘ideal’ diet, it’s more likely that you’ll eventually fall off the bandwagon and slip back into old habits. Whereas if you plan to consistently eat well and make better choices but with less pressure to ‘be perfect’ all the time, then it’s something that you’ll likely find easier to maintain and in the long run you’ll actually see the difference and feel the results from.
For me striving for consistency over perfection is something I need to apply more with my work. As a creative (and I’m sure many will be able to relate), it’s easy to have thoughts that our work or what we produce isn’t good enough at times, or that it needs to be better and the reality is that the more we create and share, the more we are able to improve and grow. Improvement comes with practice and time. Whilst things may not be how you want them to be right away, keep at it and in the long run you’ll develop and growth.
So those are three mottos that I’ll be trying to live by this year. They are just friendly reminders to myself to worry less, work hard and be consistent. Maybe some of these were relevant to you, or maybe it even inspired you to think of some mottos of your own. Are you into mottos? If so what’s a motto that you like to try and live by?
New year new…*eats doughnut*. Okay, new year, same old me, but why am I feeling bad for breaking a New Year’s resolution that isn’t even mine!? Maybe it’s because I feel I don’t have enough New Year’s resolutions of my own, so my subconscious has decided I should take on other people’s too. Why only aim to watch less Netflix when you could also aim to get fit, learn a foreign language, get up an hour earlier everyday, learn to mediate, write a book, start a new hobby, take up yoga and learn to play the banjo.
The problem, or more specifically ‘my problem’ with New Year’s resolutions is just that, the fact that it always seems to involve making more than one. Before you know it, you have a list as long as your arm of unachievable standards, that not even Beyoncé could keep up with.
Of course (like many), privately I like to make goals for myself and write them down in hopes of channelling those thoughts and eventually achieving them, but I don’t necessarily wait until the start of a New Year to do so. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I like the idea of starting a fresh and using a New Year as a way to wipe the slate clean and change old habits, or even create new ones. I feel though, that in the age of social media, we hear so much of other people’s goals that it can actually become hard to decipher our own. I do want to join the gym and have the body of a goddess…don’t I?
What I mean is, that sometimes our own real goals can be pushed aside, or overshadowed in place of bigger and more seemingly impressive ones. Not only have standards risen but standards of goals seem to have risen too. It’s not enough to want to make one small life improvement for the year anymore, you’ve got to be aiming for bigger and better and more, or so that’s the idea we are constantly fed.
I’m not saying we should lower our standards, if you have big things on the horizon for 2018, then you go for them with everything within you but if you don’t, that’s okay too. It’s enough being content with where you’re at and focusing on simpler achievements or even solely focusing on one.
If you aim to become fluent in French (which in my eyes is actually a biggie as far as resolutions go), you don’t have to add pressure to your plate by also aiming to learn to juggle, take up mountain biking and starting a cookery blog too, just because that’s what the likes of Malcolm Magnificent says he’s doing (totally just a random example here). There’s nothing worse than putting too much on your plate and in the end finding you can’t keep up with any of it at all.
In the end, my problem with New Year’s resolutions isn’t the idea of goal making itself but the pressure we put on ourselves to achieve those goals, or more specifically, to achieve a multitude of goals. Ultimately we may find ourselves feeling fully content (not to mention less anxious) by focusing on and achieving just one. Just remember what is really important to you, then priorities and take baby steps. Ease off the pressure, focus on one thing at a time and ultimately, you do you.
Wishing you the best of luck with whatever you hope to achieve in 2018, however big, or small.
Samio x
If you don’t already follow me on Instagram, you can search the hashtag #SamiosSelfPortraits to check out more images I’ve shot myself, like these ones.
It’s funny how some of the best things in life can come from taking a leap, diving into the unknown and doing something that ultimately scares the crap out of you. I’ve had my fair share of these moments in my life and I’m pretty sure there’ll be many more to come but for today’s post I’ve whittled it down to a few…
That First Date That Turned Out To Be The One
I still remember walking up to Damien’s car when he came to pick me up on our first date. The reflection on the windscreen obstructed my view and oh my was I nervous – would I still fancy the guy I was about to get into the car with? Having only met the evening before on a night out, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been more than a bit tipsy that evening. Sure I’d fancied him then but did my drinking goggles elude me? I had no way to be sure, this was before the days of easily accessible social media profiles, no prior stalking had been done. I didn’t really know much about him and so of course my mind raced a little…what would we talk about? Would we have stuff in common? Would we enjoy each other’s company? Would we still fancy each other? Would there be a spark?
I got into the car and it was instantly clarified that yes, I definitely did fancy him and once we got chatting I found we did have things to talk about and that yes, there was a spark. Now don’t worry, I’m not about to make you do a mini sick and tell you that it was love at second (sober) sight and that we lived happily ever after…but we did pretty much hit it off right away. Once we started dating, that was more or less it and then the rest (as they say) was history. So don’t worry, I won’t bore you with the full soppy love story today but that’s how things started and how basically something that initially had me shit scared, turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life and I’m so glad I went on that first date (n’aaaaawww). Okay enough of that.
‘Wait, what!? How is getting to spend a month in one of the coolest European cities, scary?’ I hear you say…Well, let me divulge…I remember being on a modelling job in Majorca when I got an email from my agency manager saying that an agency in Barcelona was interested in me and if I’d like to go over and model there for the summer, once I returned from my shoot in Majorca.
I’d been to Barcelona before, so I already knew I loved the city, however I’d be lying if I said going there for an indefinite amount of time and living in a model apartment with people I’d never met, didn’t leave me feeling a little aprehensive. I love to travel but I also like my home comforts and some of the stories I’d heard about model apartments in the past had been a little more than off putting. I also thought about missing Damien but luckily we’ve never been the type of couple who need to be attached at the hip 24/7 (and I always think it’s important to also do your own thing, even when in a relationship). In the end I decided to just go for it, because if you don’t try something, you never know right?
It turned out to be one of the best times of my life. Initially I was going for two weeks but as I started to get optioned for jobs, my stay extended. I’m not going to lie, on my first day I thought I’d made the wrong decision and this was the real moment of ‘fear’ for me. Attempting to navigate the city whilst trying to make it to a load of castings, whilst also being put in a room with a girl who couldn’t speak English, all on the first day, was a little overwhelming. But quickly after, myself and the girls in my apartment all settled in together. My room mate and I soon learnt to communicate in our own way and she was actually the best roomie I could of asked for, not only that but the girls we shared the flat with were great too.
It was so much fun getting to know and spending time with people from different parts of the world with completely different backgrounds to my own and we quickly developed friendships that made it feel like we’d been friends for years. I also got booked on two really fun commercials whilst I was there, one of which took me to Madrid to shoot. So all round it was a pretty incredible experience, it took me out of my comfort zone, I had so much fun and I made some great friendships in the process.
Buying A House
I’ve always enjoyed my freedom and for a long time I saw buying a house as something that epitomised the opposite to that. I enjoy to travel, I enjoy going out (quite a lot) and I enjoy being able to do as I please to put it quite simply. In my head buying a house threatened to put an end to all of that because it just sounded so…grown up!
I hadn’t ever imagined buying a house in my early 20’s and I’ll be honest, it was Damien’s idea before it was mine. Initially to me the idea was scary, it was adulating on a whole other level and I was just about getting my head around how to do my tax returns (seriously that is the biggest bane of my adult life).
It wasn’t until the apartment we were going to rent fell through (due to the landlord deciding to sell it instead), that I started to think about things differently. Although we continued to look for somewhere else to rent, the seed had already been planted and the idea of owning our own place had began to grow in my mind. Suddenly something that had initially scared me, quickly became something that filled me with excitement, not only that but it started to make far more sense too.
Don’t get me wrong, buying a house isn’t easy. Finding a house in the location you want, within your budget is a hard enough task alone, and then we decided to add to that stress by buying a house that needed completely refurbishing (biggest project of our lives). But I honestly couldn’t be happier with our decision. It’s certainly not stopped us living life and I travel more now than I ever did before, so if my past self could have seen into the future it would have definitely made her change her mind sooner.
So that’s it, that’s just a little bit of insight into a few moments in my life that scared me but then turned out to be things I’m really glad I did. On reflection, I realise that many of these moments have shaped my relationships, who I am and where I am today. Further still, I’ve come to realise that what’s actually scarier than when I took on these experiences in the first place, is the thought of what things would be like now if I’d never had them at all…
What’s something that initially scared you but in the end you were really glad you did?
Oh hey there and hello really old pictures that were taken all the way back in January! These images were actually shot in the Airbnb I stayed in whilst in Lisbon with my girl L’Oréal. It’s crazy to think that as we fast approach the end of 2017, that this was actually almost a year ago! I’m not about to get into a deep reflective post here or anything…but then again, who knows, it could go that way because for today’s post I’m back with another Five Things (insert imaginary novelty theme tune music here). If you’re new, this is basically just a post where I chat about five random things that pop into my head, so let’s get into it…
1.
On Monday I went to a gig at Soup Kitchen in the Northern Quarter. I hadn’t been to a gig in flipping ages and the last live music performance I’d seen prior to that was Green Day at the Manchester Arena back in January (yup, a looong time ago). The act in question for Monday’s performance was Mahalia – and if you haven’t heard her music before then go and listen to her song Sober, right now…actually wait, don’t go yet, but do go and check it out at the end of this post (cheeky wink face). Anyway, I hadn’t actually heard of her until two weeks prior when my friend Chloe said that she’d be performing and wanted to go. Obviously me being the yes person I am, I was like ‘sure, I’ll come along with you’ and I’m so glad I did because she was really good. It’s also re-sparked my love for live music/performances in general and I think I should make it a habit to see lots more in the new year.
2.
I’m usually quite boring when it comes to my music choices. Not that the music I listen to is boring, (I have a rather eclectic taste which I think I’ve mentioned before) but it’s more that I get into the habit of listening to the same old music on repeat. It’s actually fine by me but I think it’s good to broaden your horizons every now and then. Like on Monday for example, just completely submerging myself into something new because otherwise I will just continue to listen to the same songs by The Last Shadow Puppets, on repeat, forever.
3.
As we’re talking about music we may as well talk about books too and I am well and truly back on the book train, if there ever was one. I think I mentioned in a previous Five Things post about wanting to get back into the habit of reading because I love how it’s the one thing that allows me to fully switch off. Well I’m currently on the third instalment of Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy and I’m actually trying to take this one slow because I don’t want it to end. It’s a sci-fi/thriller which is actually my favourite genre when it comes to films, so naturally I’m obsessed with this book. Like with music however I need to remember to switch things up, so I want to get another (completely different) book lined up ready for when I’ve finished this one. Suggestions welcome, so feel free to comment down below with your favourite works of fiction from any genre.
4.
Speaking of reading I’ve been thinking more about my writing lately (casual transition there). Posts like this I don’t particularly see as writing, yes I’m writing but I’m actually more rambling than writing – sometimes it is nice to have a good old brain spill though. Anyway, I want to get back into the habit of writing more posts that have more of a purpose, like my recent post on How to Stop Comparing Your Work To Other People’s. Those are some of the types of posts that I most enjoy writing and I must set aside more time to do it. It’s no secret that I’ve never had any sort of set schedule here on my blog and some weeks I post more than others but it’s probably about time that I set aside more time to just write to create more of those posts that I really love.
5.
Okay, okay, so we seem to be going with some sort of flow here and so it feels only natural to end on the topic of video. I’ve been really enjoying the YouTube side of my content lately and seem to have found a real flow with it. If you haven’t checked out my YouTube the main thing I do on there is fashion related content, ‘ways to style’ videos seem to have become my thing and I also love creating artsy look books too. All in all it’s a bit of everything (a bit like here on my blog really) but in video format with a whole lot more of me rambling. So if you enjoyed this post then you might enjoy some of what’s been going on over there and you can check it out here.
That’s it I’m all chatted out. Hope you enjoyed this fourth instalment of five things. Have a fabulous weekend! Ciao for now!
I hadn’t intended this to be a home/interior post but I’m going to start by talking about it anyway, because as I look through these images I realise that this is actually the first (although small) look into our house, here on my blog.
These images were actually shot a couple of weeks ago now, one miserable Saturday when Damien and I didn’t fancy venturing outside to get outfit shots and so, we decided to capture this outfit inside instead. And although impromptu, I’m pretty happy with how the shots turned out.
If you’ve read my blog for a while you’ll know that a couple of years ago Damien and I bought our first house together and since then it’s been a long process of major house renovations, most of which Damien and his dad have done themselves between working full time (hence the longevity of this project). So now that things are finally begining to take shape, our house is finally feeling like a home.
I really love the vibe of our home now and I’m feeling so happy with how it’s all coming together. The interiors and the decor really reflect a combination of both of our personalities and for me, in a totally different way to how my personal style does.
I feel relaxed in this space and most surprisingly I feel inspired. And I think this has reflected in how I’ve been feeling when putting outfits together recently.
Whilst I haven’t added many new items into my wardrobe recently, I’ve really been enjoying playing around with my different pieces and mix and matching garments that I wouldn’t have initially planned to go together. I guess it’s stepping out of my comfort zone slightly whilst still being very me.
If you watch my YouTube videos you’ll likely know that I’m obsessed with the velvet blazer I purchased a couple of months back now from Topshop’s London Fashion Week collection (I seem to manage to squeeze it into nearly every styling video). Little did I know at the time that it would be such a trend piece but I feel the style of a tuxedo blazer is one that will never truly go out of style altogether and regardless, I’m pretty sure I’ll keep wearing it anyway.
I’m usually drawn to opting for a quite put together look when grabbing for this blazer but on this occasion I was in the mood to mix all textures and styles. Like I mentioned in a recent post, I’ve fallen in love with my & Other Stories flared denim jeans all over again and so it only felt right to try the two pieces together…and voilà we had a look.
I liked this outfit combination, I felt cool in it. It has a real, I’m really not trying to go for any particular look but this is now a look, vibe (that’s the only way I can describe it). So there we have it, that’s a low down on this outfit and a sneak peek look into our house so far. If you’d like to see more you can check out my home renovations/tour video below and of course, more home/interior related content shall be coming to the blog soon! But for now, I’ll say ciao!
If you’re someone who works as a creative/in the creative industry, it’s normal to go through periods of self doubt when you feel like your work isn’t quite up to scratch or not yet to the level you’d like it to be. Those feelings are natural and quite frankly something we need to all feel at times in order to grow and push ourselves creatively. The problem comes however when we get too entwined in these thoughts and being to look to those around us for examples of how our work should be. Yes it can be good to seek inspiration from our peers but when we start to use other people’s work as a tool to decipher the level of our own, this is when it becomes problematic for our own thought process and in turn our work as a creative. Whichever field you’re in, I’m sure you’ve likely gone through moments of comparing your work to others at times, I know I have, and so in this post I’m going to take you through a list of things that helped stopped me from doing just that…
Understand That We Each Have a Different Purpose
Once you understand that your purpose is different to someone else’s then you’ll inevitably realise that comparison is in the end, pointless.
Two people can do something similar but their purpose can be entirely different and at the same time, two people can do two things completely different but their purpose can be similar.
I’ll give you an example here: Two musicians can create the same genre of music and even have a similar style and overall aesthetic, however I might listen to one for their out of this world vocals (and as a backing track to my shower singing) and then to the other when I want deep thinking and a real connection with their awe-inspiring lyrics. Both can be great in their own right but for each person interpreting their work (and maybe even for themselves), they have a different purpose.
Think about what the purpose of your work is. Is it to educate, to entertain, to inspire, to help people…It could be a combination of things but whatever it is, focus on it and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.
Realise There is Room For Everyone
Do you think the second ever author on the planet stopped themselves from writing a book just because one had already been written prior to theirs? (okay that example was a bit silly but it still makes a point) In clearer context, imagine if J. K. Rowling had never sat down to pen Harry Potter because she thought there were enough fantasy novels out there and that she wouldn’t be as good as other authors. The point is, there is always room for someone else to interpret an idea in a new way, however big or small.
Know That It’s Okay To Be In Your Own Lane
Sometimes looking for comparisons between your own work and other people’s whom you maybe admire, can actually be a way of seeking a form comfort. If you know Joe Bloggs has been just been booked to photograph a big campaign and you feel that your work is quite similar, you’re onto a winner right?…wrong. Okay, not to shoot you down before you’ve started here but sometimes what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you and it’s always important to remember circumstance and timing (which, hardwork aside, can often play a huge part to a persons success).
If you feel like you’re the black sheep in your line of work, that can actually work in your favour. If you’re different you’re more likely to stand out right? And sometimes it can be the things that set you apart that make what you do truly special.
As creatives we have to be just that – creative. If we constantly compare our work to other’s it can easily begin to manifest in our own work. It can feel scary to be different and make you feel vulnerable when you’re the odd one out trying something new but the word creative itself means ‘the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something’. So go, do it, be you and create.
At the start of last week Damien and I returned home from a long weekend away with two of our friends. It was pretty much a chilled affair. We drank, we ate, we lounged in the sun and aside from the 60 mile bike ride that the guys did on the Saturday (the purpose of the trip in the first place), we didn’t really do much of anything else…and you know what? I really enjoyed it.
Many of my friends would be surprised to know that I didn’t even take my camera on this particular trip and in total I took about ten, rather candid (and certainly not Instagram worthy) iPhone photos. I put my out of office on and actually managed to block out all work related stuff for an entire four days!
Being the weekend before last and so much having happened since then, our little trip away now actually feels like it was ages ago and it’s funny because if you were to look at my social media, it’s as if it never happened. This makes me realise that I (and many of us) really do document so much of our lives online and even when we aren’t documenting our own goings on, we’re likely catching up on someone else’s. When I think back to our little trip the other week, I have such fond memories of the weekend away and although for once I may not have the beautifully captured images to show for it, it still happened and we still had a great time non the less. Whilst I love being able to capture, create and share moments online, for me the trip has been a reminder that it’s so important to also switch off from it all occasionally and here are a few reasons why.
To Help De-Stress
Modern technology and the invention of mobile phones and internet on the go have been brilliant in helping many aspects of our lives become more efficient. However on the flip side it has meant that we have become ever more reliant on technology, especially those like myself who use it as a large tool for their job. So for most people (myself included) our mobiles have become an extension of our right (or left) hand. Basically meaning we rarely ever get to fully switch off.
As a result an increasing amount of us are suffering from anxiety and stress related conditions. It’s hard to say technology in some ways doesn’t play a part. Everything is faster and we’re supposed to keep up and aside from that there is an ever growing pressure to always present our best selves online whilst having to look at everyone else’s. I don’t know about you but sometimes this can all get the better of me and I need a big fat time out. Whilst we obviously have to keep up with our work commitments and the social side of the internet can be fun, we do have to allow ourselves the time to occasionally step back and relax away from it all. Annndd breathe.
To Spend Quality Time With Loved Ones
I’ll hold my hands up and say I’m one of those people who will quite often have my phone out on the table when out for lunch or a coffee. It’s not that I’ll be on it constantly, however it’s sort of a (quite weird) comfort knowing that it’s there. Again going back to the topic of always being switch on, I feel I always need to be alert to check work related emails or respond to a call from my agency. Sometimes I hate it and my habit to check my emails has become an unhealthy compulsion (I kid you not I just checked on my phone then). I think it’s so important to try and live in the moment however and aside from my weird email checking habit, when it comes to spending time with loved ones I’m pretty good at keeping off social media. Unless of course I’m with a friend like L’Oréal, as we’ll quite happily have fun messing around filming each other being silly on insta stories or taking shots for the gram (you know how it is). With other friends however, it’s not always like that and so I will happily step away from the social media when handing out.
Quite frequently these days though I’ll be out and spot a couple or friends out together where one will be on their phone whilst the other stares into space. I guess for many of us it can be the excuse that it’s ‘work related’ although mostly when I see it I suspect it’s just mindless scrolling. If we think about it, if we seriously can’t spare an hour or two phone free to hang out with a friend, or enjoy date night with our other half, then maybe our work (or even online social) life is spilling over into real life a bit too much.
One thing I’ve found after returning home from trips where I’ve allowed myself to switch off is that I often return feeling really inspired. Now of course being out of my usual habitat can have a part to play in this, not to mention having time to relax and clear my mind. However I do find that when I spend too much time looking online for inspiration that I can wind up feeling less inspired than I did to start with. Everything starts to become the same and in the process my thoughts start to align with those ideas too. Now I’m not saying I’m ever able to be completely original because lets face it, there’s too much out there these days and likely anything you do, someone else has already done. But I do notice that as all of our interests, searches and likes are (quite creepily) logged with our online activity, we are constantly targeted with adverts, videos and images of thing we already like, so that we aren’t really seeing anything new. The same goes for news and political opinions but that’s a whole other discussion for another day.
Basically we get trapped in an ecco chamber and the reality is that the only way to get out of it is to switch off from the online world and go somewhere outside of our usual zone…but even then, are we really able to step out of the ecco chamber completely (hmmm, let’s not get too deep here). In a nutshell, before I digress any further, sometimes we need to get away from our online world in order to fill our minds with something completely and organically new.
Occasionally switching off can do wonders for the mind, relationships and life in general. Life online can be fun, an escape from real life and for some even a job. However just remember that although it may seem like it, you don’t have to be switched on all of the time and if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or just like you need some quality time with the people in your real life, feel free to step back, switch off and take some time away from it all. 🙂
Hello and welcome back to another instalment of Five Things and if you’re new then welcome, welcome, this is basically a blog post where I ramble on about five random things that pop into my head/current goings on, etc, etc. It’s actually that simple. Although I hadn’t initially intended to make this a series, seeing as this is my third Five Things instalment, I have a feeling these may sporadically continue, and so because of that, I’m calling this post: Five Things Number Three! I know, inventive right? Anyway, that’s enough of an intro, let’s begin…
1.
If you were wondering, these photos were actually taken on my recent-ish trip to Porto at the end of August. It’s crazy to think that this trip was now over a month ago and since then I’ve been abroad another two times and now it’s almost October. Like how did that happen and where has that time gone!? I feel like It’s something I’ve said in so many blog posts but time really does speed by and it’s something that never ceases to surprise me. I know it’s so cliché to say but I honestly felt like life went in slow motion when I was a kid and now in adult life, everything seems to be zooming by.
2.
Being aware of time can be a blessing and a negative simultaneously. I say this because I’ve become very aware of time recently and as someone who is a self confessed huge procrastinator, I’ve been managing my time very well and in the process been getting lots done. The problem with this is that the more I do the faster time seems to go. I know it’s not actually the case but it’s like they say (second cliché alert), time flies when you’re having fun or when you’re busy and I’ve been both busy and having fun. Obviously I can’t complain but it freaks me out all the same.
3.
Speaking of freaking out, I’ve never really been a particularly anxious person but lately I’ve been sort of feeling just that. I’m not sure if it’s the ‘feeling like time is going at the speed of light’ thing but the more I do, the more I put pressure on myself to do more. It’s weird, if I’m having time off from blog related work stuff, I’m pretty good at letting everything go and I mean completely, without much pressure on myself. But when I’m in the swing of things and work is flowing it’s almost like I’m in constant competition with myself, always trying to improve and outdo myself on the next thing I do and I’m sometimes left with the feeling of dissatisfaction, like it’s still not good enough. I’m pretty sure that’s a battle that most self employed creatives deal with at times – it’s a real ‘woe is me’ scenario, I know, but I know I’m not alone here. The feeling of anxiousness though is a clear sign that I need to chill the frick out and stop putting so much pressure on myself. Instead I need to be like, ‘boo, you got this, you’re doing alright’.
4.
Something that has been helping me to relax a lot recently is reading. I’m not sure if I mentioned this in a recent post, or spoke about this on my channel but I’ve been wanting to make time to get back into reading for a while and I’ve now finally done it. It was clearly long overdue as I picked up a book last week and I’ve almost read it. This one is real page turner and I’m so glad because the last book I tried to read was not and it put me off reading altogether. I gave myself a bit of a ‘I don’t have time to read’ mentality but if I have enough time to watch an entire series of Ozark in a shorter period than I’m willing to admit here on my blog, then I definitely have time to occasionally pick up a book. When I read it’s the one time I feel I can switch off with no distractions. I can’t check my phone, I can’t have a conversation midway through or reply to a message, I’m just fully submerge in my book and I love that. My current read is Pines by Blake Crouch if you were wondering and it’s part of a trilogy so I’m already excited to start book number two!
5.
When I’ve read this book I’m going to pass it on to my friend Jazmine so that she can read it and I’m hoping she will have a book for me to read in return. We started doing this at the start of the year but then stopped as I got out of the habit of reading and she went to India for three months. I do love a book swap/book club though because when I read a good book all I want to do is find someone else who has read it so I can talk about it!
Okay that’s it, I’m done with today’s Five Things ramble. In part because I’ve ran out of waffle (as in things to say) and also because dinner is ready and I am hungreaahh (I’m having stir fry FYI)! So that’s it. I’m sure I’ll be back with another Five Things in the not so distant future but until then, ciao for now!
We all go through phases where we feel like we aren’t performing or feeling our best and it’s natural to go through these periods, because let’s face it, we can’t be on our A game all of the time. I for one regularly go through these periods but then I have to take a moment to remind myself of a few important things to keep myself in check and work towards getting myself back on track to being the best version of myself I can be. So here are a few pointers on how you too can do just that…
Don’t Worry About What Anyone Else Is Doing
It’s easy to look at what someone else is doing and take it as an example of what you should be doing in your own life but the truth is, we all have different strengths and abilities so what works for someone else may not work for you and vice versa. As they say, comparison is the thief of joy and aside from that, it’s also a massive time waster. So next time you find yourself looking to someone else for an example of what you think you should be doing/achieving in life, just remember that, that time could be better spent working on your own goals instead.
Give Yourself Time Off When It’s Needed
Whilst it may feel like you’re unable to stop when you have a gazillion things on your plate, it’s so important to schedule time out when it’s needed. If you’re overworked and tired you’re not going to be able to perform your best or be your best you, so it’s better to take time out and then come back and complete those tasks when you’re feeling back on your A game. It could be as little as taking time out for a bubble bath and switching off from the outside world for an hour or two, to taking a week out and getting away from it all completely. However you do it, just make sure you allow yourself that time and schedule it in when and for however long may be appropriate. Everyone needs a break occasionally and don’t feel bad for doing so. Give yourself those well deserved breaks and then you can come back feeling refreshed and back at your best again.
Do What Makes You Happy
If you’re lucky enough to do a job that you love, then great, but if not then make sure that the time spent outside of work is used to do things that truly makes you happy. Now I know that even outside of work, life admin can often get in the way but it’s so important that you still make time for those things that you love; Be it spending time with family, hanging out with friends, working on a project or making time for your hobby. Sometimes we can let the time slip by until we realise that there is no time left at all and so making time for the things that bring us happiness is mandatory.
So that’s it and those are a few tips for how to be the best version of yourself. Obviously it’s important to take care of yourself and make sure you’re getting fed and watered properly but I thought I’d save you the excercise/healthy eating spiel in this post. Anyway, those are a few of my tips, what are some of yours? I’d love to know in the comments below. Until next time, ciao for now!
