Welcome 2021!

By now on the blog it’s tradition that the first post of the year will be wishing everyone a Happy New Year and sharing some words of wisdom.

Nobody knows what 2021 will hold but we want it to be ‘better’. I don’t have any expectations so that way I can’t be disappointed. 2020 was challenging for a lot of people (myself included) but there were also good moments. I try not to focus on the bad but realistically it’s not always easy. I applaud myself for getting back up each time something goes wrong and the idealist in me never loses hope that one day everything will be okay and it will all make sense. I don’t want this year to start off on a negative note so, goodbye 2020, I’m not sad to see you go and let’s move on!

The past 12 months were relatively quiet on the blog and initially I feel 2021 will follow a similar pattern. I have post ideas in the pipeline and will write when I get time and feel inspired but gone are the days when I would churn out new posts each week. I turn 26 at the end of the month and I will have been blogging seven (!!!) years in June – it’s understandable that over that length of time circumstances change. Blogging doesn’t hold the place in my heart that it used to but I still enjoy it and don’t want to stop.

For 2021 I need to be more selfish with my time and do what helps me to be happy and stay relaxed and as less stressed as possible. I’m getting better at being assertive and saying no and not feeling guilty for it. Often I feel like I’m letting people down but at the end of the day that person is me 90% of the time. This is me saying I’m done and I don’t want that any more.

Keeping a bullet journal is one thing that fell by the wayside in 2020 and when I’m able to clear my head and have a place to organise my thoughts it helps a lot. I didn’t have many pages left in my current bullet journal so I purchased a new one to begin 2021 and I can’t wait to spend time setting it up. Exercise is another thing that helps me feel good within myself. I got back into a routine during April/May last year and over the past 10 days I’ve started using the exercycle again. I’m going to try hard to keep it up!

2021 is the year I wish to welcome proper happiness. I want to let go of some of the fear I carry with me daily and embrace new things and experiences with people… who knows what the next 365 days will bring!

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What are you excited for this year? Do you have any goals for 2021?

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Hello 2020!

Happy New Year lovely readers! I hope you all had a relaxing holiday season and have enjoyed the first days of January so far.

I had a quiet Christmas which I don’t mind as the day feels peaceful and relaxing. I don’t have a big immediate family so there’s nowhere to travel and there aren’t people to visit but my brother came to stay with mum and I for a week. On Christmas Day we all had a nice meal and I spent the afternoon watching a documentary about Michael Hutchence – I find music documentaries fascinating and this one was poignant and touching. The next day I went shopping and picked up everything on my list. Shops weren’t as busy as I expected either which was a nice surprise. As I have been working through the Christmas/New Year period I’m hoping to take some leave at the end of January around my birthday and have a break then.

I’m coming in to 2020 excited about blogging. I’ve got a few post ideas up my sleeve and I’m going to adopt a similar posting style to last year, posting and writing when I’m in the mood and inspiration strikes. Looking back over the most popular posts from 2019 the clear winners are haul posts and monthly favourites. There won’t be any major changes to the blog overall and I’m enjoying a more relaxed approach.

I’m not sure what 2020 will bring but there’s something refreshing about that and being able to let things happen as they come and be in the moment. I’m hoping this will be the year I get back into a better exercise routine, it’s something I’ve been trying to do for months but things keep cropping up. I’m excited that I’ll be seeing my favourite band, Steps, live in May as I never dreamed that would happen and it still feels surreal at the moment. Slowly I’m becoming more assertive and learning to stand up for myself and look after my needs without feeling guilty and worrying I’m putting other people out. Sure we all want to be liked and respected but constantly pleasing others is detrimental to yourself. Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of and don’t be afraid to speak up and let your thoughts be heard. That doesn’t mean being defensive and being nasty towards others, it’s about knowing your worth. I’ve realised that when it comes to dating and I’m not going to be with just anyone. There’s nothing wrong with having a standard and I’d rather wait for something meaningful than be with someone for the sake of having someone. I’ve always been independent and I need a man that can handle that and doesn’t question why I do or like certain things – you should be accepted for who you are. Work hard, don’t settle and persistence and determination will pay off.

I wish everyone a fabulous year and I look forward to interacting with you in the comments and online!

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Let me know what you’re excited for in 2020 and if you have any goals you’d like to achieve.

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Redhead Rambles: 2018 Round Up

In the past my end of year round ups have consisted of a number of highlights relating to that year, Fifteen of ’15, Sixteen of ’16 etc. This year I decided to switch things up because I wanted to be a little more reflective and talk about the goals I set at the beginning of 2018.

I’m not going to lie, 2018 was fucking difficult at times. I don’t want to spend a lot of time talking about the negatives but it’s easy to see how people get bogged down. I look back at myself and all the different emotions I’ve felt throughout this year and part of me can’t believe it happened. I see myself as someone who just keeps going because I have to. I’m strong and I always hope the next day will be better. I may be accused of being a pessimist and sure I have moments of pessimism but I actually see myself as a realist and I have plenty of moments of optimism. I don’t take things for granted and I note down something good about every day even if the day itself is not good.

The undercurrent of 2018 was change. I’m not going to let the breakdown of my relationship define the year but when you’re betrayed you’re not the person you were before. I became harder. I’m even more hyper aware of how people act and what they say. I’m smarter now, I’m extra cautious and I will not give my trust easily. If someone doesn’t respect you and can’t match your effort, don’t be around them. I will never stop being kind but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let people take my kindness for granted and walk all over me. I’m going into 2019 stronger and more resilient. If people don’t want to be in my life, they know where the door is! Being on my own for the past eight months has helped me focus on myself again and my priority is looking after my happiness, my mum’s and Halo’s.

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At the start of 2018 I set eight goals. Here’s how I got on:

1. Journal everyday – Complete.

2. Improve my photography – My pictures have improved. I continue to use manual mode on my DSLR. I would like to get out more with my camera and try outdoor/scenery shots.

3. Read 50 books by September – I came close, I read 45.

4. Watch 20 movies – I watched 27 movies in 2018: The House At the End of the Street, Steve Jobs, Poison Ivy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Post, Oblivion, Murder On the Orient Express, Crooked House, Cellular, Money Monster, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Don’t Breathe, The Intern, Dark Places, The Tall Man, Avengers: Infinity War, The Next Three Days, Fracture, Arbitrage, Assumed Killer, Seeking Justice, Panic Room, Passengers, The Resident, Mothman Prophecies, Jack Reacher and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.

5. Declutter – I had a few makeup declutters and did a project pan. I also cleaned out my wardrobe.

6. Lose weight – After the breakup I didn’t have to try but I’ve put some of the weight back on.

7. Don’t spend unnecessarily – I think I could have done better with this but I don’t buy just for the sake of it, I research and consider my purchases. A girl’s allowed to treat herself sometimes!

8. Do one new thing each month – Complete. I left this goal until the end because I knew it would take up the most room. Below is a list of new things I did each month.

January

• Started bullet journalling
• Uploaded my first YouTube video

February

• Got a new Birman kitten
• Played mini golf

March

• Tried L’Oreal’s Lash Paradise mascara
• Downloaded my first eBook

April

• Burnt my Ecoya candle
• Purchased hot chocolate sachets from the supermarket

May:

• Purchased a Dannii For Target coat

June:

• Bought my Shaaanxo eyeshadow palette
• Started watching Instinct (TV show)
• Wore blue highlighter

July:

• Bought a car
• Tried a new Indian restaurant
• First time using facial oil – love it!

August:

• New glasses
• First order with White Fox Boutique

September

• Joined Goodreads
• Bought some goodies from MECCA
• Reached 1,000 blog followers!

October

• Makeup Revolution launched in New Zealand
• Tried an apple turnover

November

• Got a promotion at work

December

• Saw Shania Twain in concert
• Tried sushi for the first time (not a fan)

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Did you achieve your goals this year? How do you feel 2018 was for you?

I want to say a huge thank you for all the support this year! I feel lucky to have such lovely blogging friends and to be able to continue getting to know you better. Wishing you all love and happiness for 2019! ❤

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1,000 Followers Giveaway WINNER!

My 1,000 Followers Giveaway closed on Wednesday and today I get the joy of announcing the winner!

Firstly, thank you to those who took time to enter the giveaway! I honestly thought there would be more entries but on the plus side, the entries I did get had less competition and higher odds of being chosen!

AND THE WINNER IS…

Nadine from https://nadineblewett.wordpress.com/ 

As mentioned in the rules of the giveaway post in order to choose the winner I selected my five favourite entries based on adherence to the rules and general blog engagement. From there I assigned each entry up to three numbers (depending which platforms each person entered on) and the date of their comment.

I drew up a page in a notebook and recorded all the entries. The names with the asterisks beside were my five favourites. Further down the page I wrote a list of the five names and their assigned numbers.

The number generated ranged from 1-13 (as not everyone entered across all three platforms). I then used Google’s random number generator to select the overall winner!

I will be in contact shortly Nadine and I aim to package everything up and ship it off as soon as possible!

Thank you to everyone for their support during the giveaway and all of the nice words written about me and my blog. I loved seeing which product everyone was most excited to win!

A big thank you to the other four entrants who made it into my top five; I wish I could send all of you a prize ❤

Congratulations once again to a deserving winner!

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The End of Blogging?

No, don’t worry I’m not saying goodbye yet… you’re stuck with me a while longer, but have you ever thought about what happens when you decide to stop blogging? Do you remove content? Do you leave your blog up? What would happen if blogs didn’t exist anymore? Over the past wee while I have had these thoughts pop into my head and I wanted to use this post to explore them.

As some of you may know I started this blog in June 2014 and I have stuck with it for over four years! My blog is where I share what’s going on in my life, what I’ve been buying, the makeup I love and some of my most personal thoughts – it’s almost like a diary. During the four years I have been blogging I have seen many bloggers come and go, others segue into more of a YouTube presence and some stop because of something that’s happened in their life.

I have wondered when’s the right time to go and if blogging ever became unenjoyable and felt like a chore that would be a sign it may be time to move on. During my four years I have had a few breaks here and there and they do help me feel refreshed and miss writing again. If something major happened that meant I couldn’t blog anymore I would be sad but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

One of the biggest things that puzzles me is what happens to all the words and the posts you’ve written? I know there’s an export tool through WordPress but does that keep all the posts in one place or does it export your site and your theme only? It’s sad to think all of the comments and the words each blogger has carefully written and crafted could just disappear with the click of a button. Personally I don’t draft/write my posts in a program like Microsoft Word then copy them over to WordPress. I draft in WordPress and once that is done posts are scheduled and published. Do people keep backups of all their posts?

If you do decide you want to stop blogging, would you delete your site and remove all the content? If you choose not to delete your site, after a certain amount of time does WordPress do it for you if there’s been no activity? I’ve never heard these things talked about in the blogging world before and maybe I’m naive for not looking into them myself but I’d rather have discussions with my readers than read through articles on Google and not have any personal experiences to go off.

With the likes of Snapchat, Instagram stories and IGTV, micro-blogging is becoming more of a trend. I can see the appeal and it’s quick and easy but I believe there is still a place for blogs. You can’t beat hopping on your laptop and scrolling through a bunch of posts from your favourite bloggers! There’s something about Instagram that seems polished and there’s definitely a certain aesthetic that lots of people follow and stick to. I also feel that you couldn’t write as many words as you can for a blog post because let’s face it who wants to sit there and scroll through Instagram if your captions are 1000 words long. With a blog post it’s easier to digest the length because often words are broken up with pictures. If you don’t read the post straight away it’s easier for you to go back to later, there’s no algorithm that puts certain posts above others.

The rise of social media has no doubt been a contributing factor to the popularity of blogs and the number of people creating a blog in the past 5-6 years. People who choose to start a blog have their own reasons for doing so and I started mine when I was unemployed and looking for a job. Over that time I have grown and learnt so much and while I’ve never seen my blog as super popular, I have come to know of so many lovely people and the people that do take time to read and comment make my day. I don’t blog for money, popularity or freebies. I blog because I enjoy it and it’s my own little place on the internet.

I’m not sure what will happen with blogs in the future but for now I think they’re here to stay! Blogging full time has turned into a career for a number of people and I say good on them for being so dedicated and working hard to do a ‘job’ they love. I put job in inverted commas because there’s a quote that goes, “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” If you truly love what you do day to day you feel fulfilled and working hard comes easy because it’s fun.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I don’t intend to stop blogging soon. To all of the people who currently blog or those who are thinking of taking the plunge and starting, enjoy it! Once it stops becoming enjoyable it may be time to assess and re-evaluate if it’s still what you want. It’s cliche, but write a blog you’d want to read!

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What are your thoughts on how blogging has changed and have you thought about stopping at any point? What would make you stop blogging?

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The Handwriting Challenge

Before I get into today’s post, Happy Valentine’s Day lovely readers! Hope you have an enjoyable day whether you are celebrating or not! ❤

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At the end of January I was tagged by Galit over at Coffee n’ Notes to do The Handwriting Challenge.

Instead of answering the questions and typing them up, bloggers write down their answers on a piece of paper, take a photo of the piece of paper and share the photo in the blog post. Is it strange I like seeing what other people’s handwriting looks like? People always tell me mine is so neat and straight but in my opinion it’s all down to the pen. Some pens are more steady to write with and those are the ones I prefer. Hope you enjoy the post!

The Questions I Answered:

1. Write your name
2. Write your blog’s name
3. Write your favorite word and its definition
4. Write something nice
5. Write the name of your favorite song right now
6. What are you writing with?
7. Write a fun fact about yourself
8. Write/draw your favorite emoticon
9. Write a silly message
10. Write who you’re tagging

My Answers:

I nominate:

• Nadine
• Dannii
• Angela

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Please don’t feel obliged to do the tag, just if you want to! If I didn’t tag you also feel free to take part and let me know if you do so I can check out your post!

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Hello 2018!

Happy New Year! I hope the first day of 2018 is good to you and the other 364 days follow suit!

Generally my first post of the New Year is to wish my readers and fellow bloggers well and discuss what’s to come in the next 12 months. The second half of 2017 made me really enjoy blogging again after losing my way at the beginning of 2017 due to unforeseen circumstances. The past few months got me thinking of changes I can make without losing the essence of my blog and here is a small list I’ve come up with:

1. I purchased a DSLR camera in July 2017 and improving and getting better at blog photography is the first thing on my list. I have been using my DSLR for the majority of blog photos since July 2017 and have had a head start but practice makes perfect!
2. I will be publishing three posts per week. My old Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule will resume. In December 2017 I started posting at 8am (NZ time) and will trial that time slot for another couple of months.
3. Fridays will be dedicated to a new weekly series, Redhead Rambles. The first post will be up on January 5th.
4. #PinterestThoughtTuesday will continue on Instagram. (Follow me @chanellehayley_).
5. Would you still like to see my Gratitude Journal/Happiness Highlights posts at the end of each month? There aren’t my most popular but if you enjoy them they will stay!

Now onto the personal side of things:

In 2017 I set five main goals and I’m proud to say I succeeded with four of them; exercise regularly, take each day as it comes, don’t stress about blogging and cut down on social media. The only goal I didn’t work on as much as the others was to drive. Driving makes me very nervous and I accept it will take time for me to get comfortable and that’s okay, I will get there.

Honestly, I don’t have any major goals for 2018. There are a few areas I want to focus on (lose weight, get better with my DSLR, read 50 books by the start of September) but mainly I want to live life and see what happens – I’m open to possibilities. Throughout the year I may set some goals but currently the only thing I want is to be happy.

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I wish you all an amazing 2018 and I hope it brings everything you want! Spread love and positivity but don’t forget to look after yourself!

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Seventeen of ’17

Previously I have written Sixteen of ’16 and Fifteen of ’15 so it only seemed right to continue this theme! There have been some extremely special moments throughout 2017 and also moments that have been difficult but this post focuses on the positives and sees me discuss what defined my year.

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#1. Steps reform + release new album

Steps are my favourite band and on January 1st 2017 they announced they were back. The band originally split up in 2001 and got back together briefly in 2012 for a #1 Greatest Hits album, a Christmas album and two tours. In March 2017 the band announced new music and their long awaited fourth studio album Tears On the Dancefloor was released the following month. The album was re-released in October. I have had the album on repeat since April and it is my favourite album of 2017!

#2. My 22nd birthday!

22 isn’t a milestone birthday but it was special for me as I got to celebrate my first birthday with my boyfriend. I had a massage in the morning as a gift from my mum and in the afternoon my boyfriend picked me up and we went for a walk. We ate pizza for dinner down at the lakefront before he took me on a drive. It was a lovely, relaxing day.

Related post: My 22nd Birthday!

#3. Winning Stash Matters giveaway

I was over the moon when I saw I had won this giveaway! There were so many brands and products I had never tried before and I still use lots of the products on a daily/weekly basis. (I will admit I haven’t tried the eyelash curlers yet though, sorry Stashy!)

Related post: Stashy’s Giveaway Prize + First Impressions

#4. First Valentines Day

This was another super special day as it was the first Valentines Day with my boyfriend and the first time I’ve ever had a valentine. We gave each other soft toys as presents – great minds think alike – and the card he gave me was so sweet. We went for another walk, this time around a lake and I can still remember how beautiful the sky was afterwards.

#5. Winning a polaroid signed by Vanessa White

Vanessa White is one fifth of British girlband The Saturdays (my favourite band after Steps) and on Valentines Day she held a Twitter competition where she was giving away signed polaroid pictures. I was lucky enough to win one of 40 I think it was. A signed Post It also arrived with the picture.

#6. Fit Bit Zip in Magenta

I found my Fit Bit on sale for $29 in March and I have been wearing it most days since it arrived. It is interesting to see how many steps I walk each day and how that equates into distance and calories. My Fit Bit is basic and doesn’t have a sleep tracker or heart rate monitor but I like that I can clip it on and don’t have to wear it like a watch. I’ve heard so many stories about the bands snapping and having to be replaced. The battery life is good too, I’ve replaced the battery once in nine months.

#7. Going to the cinema

Up until this year I hadn’t been to the cinema since about 2007. It got expensive and most movies end up on TV anyway. I have been twice this year and I really enjoyed the experience both times; I saw Logan and IT. Maybe I should go more often?

#8. Saying ‘I love you’ for the first time

I was the one to say ‘I love you’ first and I felt so brave when I did it. Technically it was written not said aloud but I meant it. I didn’t know if my feelings were those of love as I had never felt that way before but I have said those three words countless times since!

#9. 3 years of blogging

In June I celebrated my third blogging anniversary. Three is my favourite number so it felt even more legendary.

Related post: My Three Year Blogversary!

#10. Trip to the MAC counter

I don’t have a MAC counter in my city but ended up at one unexpectedly in July. I got two items, a lipstick in the shade Show Orchid and a travel sized Studio Moisture Cream. I actually didn’t end up paying a cent as I had gift cards and my boyfriend paid for the rest.

#11. Buying a DSLR

Also in July I took the plunge and purchased a DSLR camera. I settled on the Canon 700D as it has a flip out screen so if I ever wanted to try videos or use the screen for difficult, hard to reach angles I can. I love practicing with the settings and using my camera when I can. I’d love to snap some festive, Christmas photos and share them after December 25th.

#12. Essie Glow Your Own Way

This nail polish is one of the most photogenic products I have worked with. I bought it on a whim back in August and it is subtle and glamorous at the same time. It’s easy to apply (a pain to remove) but that doesn’t detract from how nice it looks on. Essie polishes are some of my favourites!

Related post: Essie Nail Polish in Glow Your Own Way

#13. Job at the library

In August I changed jobs. I’ve loved reading and going to the library since I was a child so it’s nice that I am able to work in a place that makes me happy. I am part of the customer services team and believe or not the majority of my days are not spent putting books away. Since I started this job I have been in a much more positive place.

#14. One year anniversary with my boyfriend

Quite a few of these highlights are about me and my boyfriend but they are truly some of my most memorable and happy moments of 2017. At the beginning of September it was one year since we first met in person. We didn’t spend the day together but I did receive a cute text message.

#15. Boyfriend’s 25th birthday

I think I was more excited about my boyfriend’s birthday than my own! I jokingly thought about doing 25 presents as he turned 25 and then as I began coming up with gifts I realised it wasn’t actually a stupid idea. He didn’t know what I had planned and I had a lot of fun buying all the gifts, wrapping them and revealing the surprise.

Related post: Boyfriend’s Birthday Surprise!

#16. NYX Cosmic Metals – Fuchsia Fusion

Hands down this is the prettiest lip colour I own! I have a few fuchsias but this takes the crown. Pink – check, sparkles – check. This is so sparkly and pretty without looking unnatural. The formula is not sticky and comfortable to wear. The pigment is outstanding!

I love this photo and it shows the colour/sparkle.

#17. Music

2017 has been a whole lot better for me music wise than 2016. There were some musical comebacks from 90s artists: Steps, Martine McCutcheon and Shania Twain as well as great original material from Una Healy, Dua Lipa and Vanessa White. The majority of artists I listen to are female but a special mention goes to Shane Filan who released his third album in 2017. His voice is beautiful and so easy to listen to.

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What have been your favourite moments of 2017?

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Hey, It’s Okay… To Be Anxious

I published my last Hey, It’s Okay… in July this year and if you’ve been a reader of my blog for a while you will remember it was a monthly series back in 2016. These posts are always raw and honest and this could perhaps be the most personal yet. I wanted to write it before the end of the year so you can understand where my head has been at and try to leave as much of these feelings in 2017 as I can.

If you asked me a couple of years ago what anxiety was I would have put it in the same category as other mental illnesses and understood it was very serious but I didn’t actually know what it was or how it affected people; not in a naive way but I didn’t know enough to form an explanation.

Honestly, I had a difficult time this year and I’m still getting over it. My mum was seriously ill and I was not only worried about her but things at my old job came to a head. I started to feel trapped and insular and I was just getting up each day because I had to. I was tired all the time, some days I would feel sick and I was just low. I vividly remember Mothers Day in May. I was working half a day from 9am-1pm and the whole morning I felt sick to my stomach, I was shaking and I had a strange feeling like I couldn’t breathe. The feeling of not being able to breathe became more regular. I suffer from asthma but it was a much tighter feeling and higher up my chest. I wondered if the breathlessness was a side effect of my contraceptive pill – I now know it wasn’t.

I’d been to my doctor about the tiredness and had blood tests done and my B12 levels were a bit low so I purchased some supplements which at the time I think did help. The stress and breathlessness weren’t going away and I returned to the doctor (in tears each time) and he said it sounds like I’d been having panic attacks. I knew that was a symptom of anxiety but I brushed it off because in my head I didn’t realise how bad things had got. I will state I have not been diagnosed with anxiety and I don’t take any medication for it but I did get help and I am thankful. I saw a counselor and the first session was so hard because it meant letting the thoughts in my head out and having to tell someone and have them listen. I had four sessions in total.

Now when I look back at myself during that time it feels like I was a completely different person. I was scared and I felt like I was going crazy but the panic and the angst were very real. It also made me realise that I am naturally an anxious person but during that period the anxiousness was out of control and it wasn’t ‘normal’. Everyone has a different idea of what normal is and what affects one person might not affect another but that’s why we should be so mindful, who are we to judge someone else’s pain.

At the time no one really knew what I was going through apart from my mum. My boyfriend kind of knew but I tried to be strong and I didn’t want my anxiety to get in the way of our time together. I didn’t purposely not tell people but I went through it by myself as there wasn’t really anyone to lean on for support. I know I am strong and going through this made me tougher. There is nothing more important than happiness and being happy. I was brave enough to step away from a toxic situation.

I am still getting over everything and still have days where I feel anxious or don’t have a lot of energy and feel tired. I now accept that I do get symptoms of anxiety but from now on I will be better equipped on how they present themselves and how to deal with them. I don’t want to ever go back to that place.

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Do you or anyone you know get anxious? I hope this post can help someone who might be going through a tough time. Thank you for reading.

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Places I’d Like To Visit

I have been meaning to write this post for a while now and seeing other bloggers share similar posts has given me the push I needed to crack on with my own list. I haven’t ever been out of New Zealand or had a proper holiday and surprisingly my travel list is quite small. Maybe some of these choices will surprise you!

1. England/The UK

I thought I’d start with the obvious one! I am slightly obsessed with The UK and when I was a teenager I even wanted to move there. Now that I’m a bit older I figure it would make sense to visit first before committing to a move. I’d love to travel all over, big cities like London and Manchester but smaller, quaint towns too. I’d have to visit Yorkshire as that’s where my boyfriend is from. His dad was giving me a tour of York using Google Maps and everything looked so beautiful. I’d like to travel to Scotland and Ireland, with my hair they might think I was a local!

2. Paris

The romantic in me would love to travel to Paris. People seem to either love or hate Paris but I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to go. To eat proper French pastries and bread and see the Eiffel Tower would be magical. It would be logical to visit Paris for a couple of days during my visit to The UK, the countries are so close together and if I didn’t like it I haven’t committed to a whole trip on it’s own.

3. Bermuda

I will admit until earlier this year I barely knew anything about Bermuda. I watched some races in the Amercia’s Cup that was held in Bermuda and thought how nice the water and scenery looked on screen. The population is roughly 65,000 and the temperatures aren’t hot and tropical – I don’t like heat. The best part of all is that there is a beach with pink sand; Elbow Beach. British singer Louise Redknapp called her third album Elbow Beach after the place she married her husband.

4. Bora Bora

In the tiny bit of research I did for this post I discovered Bora Bora is like the Maldives but cheaper. Bora Bora has some of the clearest water and gorgeous beaches and seems to have a lovely relaxing, resort feel. I imagine it would be very peaceful and good for escaping. The only slight deterrent would be temperature but there is all that water and I’m sure there’s air conditioning right?!

5. Belgium

When searching for pictures of Belgium online the first thing that struck me was how beautiful they looked. I don’t know a lot about Belgium apart from they’re good at making chocolate and it’s where Hercule Poirot is from. The country seems intriguing and I assume it wouldn’t be the typical place for people to visit.

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What does your travel wishlist look like? Do you have a favourite place you’ve traveled to?

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