Book Challenges!

I've only recently, over the past couple of years, become aware of the different reading challenges people set for themselves. Instagram is full of posts and updates about how people are getting on with their 30 day reading challenge, or 'Booktober', or whatever else they've chosen to do. Personally, I love the idea of this, and I've wanted to set myself one for such a long time. Reading is wonderful, and so is challenging yourself to read more often and to read different things. 

At the moment I've set myself a 'Booktober' challenge. Over the month of October I plan to read a book per week - any books of my choosing - so I'll have finished 4 by the end of the month. Now that I've finished my work assignment, I have a lot more free time on my hands, time which can be well spent reading! I wanted to challenge myself, mostly because I'm sometimes quite slow when I'm deep in a book, or I don't make the time to read when I know that I can. 

There are so many different reading challenges you can set for yourself. You don't have to use social media to share them with people, but I find it really enjoyable to see what other people are doing and to share my own journey and chat with people about what we're reading. You could do Twitter or Instagram picture post challenges, sharing a different book every day of the month. Invent your own challenge or take inspiration from someone else. Something like;

Day 1 - a book that surprised you
Day 2 - a book you chose based purely on its cover
Day 3 - a book that made you cry

And so on, up to the end of the month. This works best for books you've already read and want to share with others, and there are a lot of bookstagram accounts that follow challenges like this.

Another idea could be to pick a book for each day and post a photo, giving it a one sentence summary/synopsis. Not only is this a fun little activity for social media, but it can also help hone your writing skills. Try to think of something clever, but that doesn't give away too much of the plot. It's definitely something I think would be interesting to try.

Book clubs are also a wonderful way of challenging your reading. Everyone has their own preferences for genre and author, amongst many other things, so reading as a collective group can really help you step out of your comfort zone. You could read with friends, family, or even join in with some brilliant online book clubs and reading groups. There are loads on Twitter, Instagram, and even some on Youtube - every platform has its own version. Discussing books is a great way to see them from a different persepctive and broaden your literature scope.

Whether you choose to challenge your reading by joining a book club, or if you prefer to make use of social media instead, have fun with it. Reading is amazing and enriching and good for the soul :)

~ C xxx
 

Let's Talk Poetry!

I never understood poetry when I was at school. I would only read it because I had to, and I don't think I ever allowed myself to enjoy it. And it wasn't exactly cool to like poetry either - not that I was remotely cool at all - so it was very easy for me to shun it.

It was only when I went to university that I actually started to appreciate, and almost love, poetry. In my second year, as part of my Creative Writing course, we studied a module which was dedicated to poetry. At first I didn't like the sound of it, and the first few poems that I brought to seminars were awful. But I soon began to enjoy writing a poem for each week's class. We were given a different style of poem to write every week, and I found myself becoming more and more confident as time passed by, and more willing to share my work with everyone. We would sit in groups and workshop each other's poems, saying what we liked about them and suggesting potential improvements. 

All of this did wonders for my confidence as a writer.  

After studying poetry, I had a new found appreciation for it and so so much respect for the poets who give us such beautiful things to read.

More recently I've found myself buying more poetry collections to enjoy. I graduated university four years ago, and I miss reading and writing poetry as much as I used to. Sometimes I'll use my lunch hour to go peruse the bookshelves of Waterstones and find hidden gems that I wouldn't ordinarily pick up. I'm not going to lie, it's one of my favourite things to do. 

A Poem for Every Night of the Year, edited by Allie Esiri

Allie has collected a whopping 366 poems into one beautiful collection. I first saw this book on Instagram and it looked and sounded so lovely, so I had to have it. The wonderful thing about this collection is the huge variety of poems it encompasses; from Spike Milligan and Lewis Carroll, all the way to Shakespeare and Sylvia Plath. There's something to suit everyone's tastes. 

In my opinion, it's the perfect book to pick up if you want to start reading poetry but don't really know where to begin. The sheer number of different writers mean you're certain to find one that strikes a chord, and from there you can delve in to the rest of their work. 

I also think this collection is perfect to read to children. I know that my parents championed the bedtime story with myself and my brother when we were kids, and I think a bedtime poem is just the cutest idea. They're short and sweet, and each one is different every day. I can't recommend this collection any more than I already do - I love it.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

I asked for Milk and Honey for my birthday last year. I'd seen bits of Rupi's work all over Tumblr and Instagram, and I was incredibly intrigued by her style of writing. The book itself is gorgeous from cover to cover. I love the illustrations and the simplicity of the design - it's minimalist and that really works with Rupi's poetry. 

The collection is separated into four sections; the hurting, the loving, the breaking, and the healing. As you would expect, the poems in each section reflect the theme. Some of her work is simply one or two lines, other poems are longer. I've seen people argue that anyone could write what Rupi writes, and that her poetry isn't any good, but I beg to differ. My favourite poem from her collection is just two lines long; 

i am a museum full of art

but you had your eyes shut

In my opinion, any and all poetry is good if it means something to someone. This particular poem struck a chord with me because of the way I was feeling when I first got the book. Personally, I identified with it, and to be honest there are a whole host of other poems in this collection that I identify with. 

Now I'm just excited to read Rupi's next collection, The Sun and Her Flowers, which came out last week.

The Bees by Carol Ann Duffy

When I think of Carol Ann Duffy's work, it reminds me of my GCSE English classes where I know for a fact I didn't appreciate any of it enough at all. Now that I'm older, I'm so happy that I'm able to read her work with mature eyes instead of the eyes of a bored teenager. 

I bought The Bees for several reasons. Number one, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. If you've read any of my previous book related posts then you'll know that I'm guilty of judging a book by its cover. The Bees is shimmering gold and white, and has a beautiful pattern of a hive all over the cover.  Reason number two is the simple fact that this collection revolves around bees, which I love. They're so important and must be protected, so of course I had to buy this book. 

So far I've only read a handful of poems in this collection, and I love how the bee is somehow woven in to each one, either in an obvious way or very subtly. Imagery of nature has always been one of my favourite things to read, so the fact that this is tied in with so many other different themes is wonderful.

The princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace

I passed by this collection in Waterstones a couple of times before I decided to buy it. It caught my eye one lunchtime as I was browsing the shelves, and then I saw a few bookstagrammers sharing it on Instagram. The title itself was enough to pique my interest, so I bought it. Being a self-confessed feminist, I champion the idea of the princess saving herself. Why shouldn't she? 

Amanda's work reminds me of Rupi Kaur's in some ways. A lot of her poems are very visual, which I really enjoy, and I like the theme of fairytales that runs throughout. I can definitely feel a lot of pain in some of the poems in Amanda's collection, and as a reader it feels very therapeutic to absorb them. 

Again, I've only read a few poems from this collection. One in particular has really stuck with me, especially because the book I'm reading at the moment for my Booktober challenge revolves around body positivity. 

For me personally, this poem is powerful. It really means something to me, and I think that's important.

How about you? What are some of your favourite poets or poetry collections? I'm always looking for recommendations. Feel free to comment and leave your thoughts! 

~ C xxx

The struggles of learning to love yourself

What a concept, eh? To love yourself and have ultimate body confidence. It's a dream that so many people want for themselves, myself included.

I've struggled with liking anything about my body since I was a teenager. I've always had plenty of meat on my bones, which is in no way a bad thing, but it's always made me so self conscious. My stomach is my absolute least favourite part about me and always has been. It's not flat or smooth or a home for rock hard abs. It's soft and squidgy and a little on the wobbly side, which is fine, but in a world full of instgram models and photoshopped magazine covers, sometimes it's hard to like what you see in the mirror. Don't get me wrong, there are things I like about myself a lot and I try to focus on those things, but everyone has bad days.

Much like most women, I've put myself on diet after diet, and tried to train myself to eat the right foods and go to the gym as often as I can. Honestly, I've grown to actually enjoy exercise - which is something I never thought I'd say - so it's less of me forcing myself to go and more of me trying to avoid being lazy. I used to have hopes of beinga size 8 and as slim as I am short, but I'm slowly beginning to come to the realisation that being skinny isn't going to make me the happiest person in the world. 

Shocking fact; it's not a crime to have a tummy. I'm still coming to terms with this. Shocking fact number two; a person's size doesn't define them in any way at all. I can comprehend this perfectly when it comes to other people, but I sturuggle when it comes to myself. I suppose it doesn't help to hear and see other people labelling others as 'fat' and 'lazy' and 'chubby' in incredibly negative ways, and you look at the person they're attacking and think "I look like her... does that mean they'd label me in the same way?" Bodyshaming isn't cool or cute, and makes the struggle of loving yourself through and through even greater.

During my most recent holiday I shied away from wearing a bikini until the last couple of days. Why? I don't really know. My body is nothing to be ashamed of, but it takes a lot of hard work to shake off that mentality and I'm still learning how to do it.

Thankfully, there is a glimmer of beautiful hope in the form of Body Positive bloggers, vloggers, models, actors and social media influencers. My personal favourites include Megan Jayne Crabbe (aka bodyposipanda), Tess Holliday, Iskra Lawrence, Hannah Witton, Sabina Karlsson, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Cassie Ho, Laverne Cox and Winnie Harlow, just to name a few. They all promote so much body, mental health and sexual positivity. I know for a fact there have been several times I've been scrolling through instagram and feeling a little bit crappy, and seeing a badass, honest or positive post from one of them has made me smile. 

Loving myself will be an ongoing struggle, but I know for a fact that I'm worth loving so why not be the first to do it? c:

~ C xxx

A Summer of Reading...

As expected, I managed to get through a lovely little pile of books whilst on holiday in Menorca. The relaxed atmosphere gave me the perfect opportunity to spend almost every single day with my head stuck in a book, which is my dream life I'll be totally honest. I read four and a half altogether - not bad for 2 weeks. It was so nice to have all that time to myself to read when I've been stressed with work and assignments while I've been at home. 

So, without further ado, I'll jump straight into it!


All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 

My mum recommended this book to me, and I was actually reading if before I went on holiday. It took me a little while to finish it but I'm so glad that I did. I found it to be such an interesting concept - mixing truths we know from history with an element of the supernatural in the form of the stone from the museum in Paris. 

The story follows Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a young, blind French girl living in Paris with her father, and Werner Pfennig, an orphaned, young German soldier in the midst of the Second World War. The plot is essentially split into two parts, and we weave back and forth through time, until everything begins to tie itself together. I really enjoyed the way that Doerr chose to structure the novel, because it gives the reader the chance to see where both characters are at the end of the novel, whilst also discovering their journey at exactly the same time. I've read books before with time jumps like this and its really bothered me, but I actually feel like it really worked for this novel.

Marie-Laure was a wonderfully gutsy character, and I definitely feel like I connected with her the most in the novel. She was beautifully written - her disability didn't define her as a person, and was simply something she dealt with day to day. It didn't stop her doing anything, or limit her in any way, and I really loved that.  

All the Light We Cannot See touched on some really important themes; the notion of good and evil and how doing nothing makes you complicit, the importance of communication through letters and through the radio transmissions that Marie-Laure and her Uncle Etienne use, the idea of luck and questioning whether it really does exist or not. 

Ordinarily, this isn't a book I'd go for, but I'm so glad I picked it up, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an engaging, gripping book to read next. 


My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood

I was incredibly lucky to have been sent this by Viking Books UK as part of their Instagram book tour for the publication of the paperback version of the novel. Thrillers and Crime novels aren't usually my cup of tea, but I loved The Girl on the Train, and immediate comparisons between the two books had me excited from the off. 

I enjoyed the suspense, and the twists and turns, and was genuinely surprised the deeper I got myself into the book. I'll be honest and say I read it in about a day, which is seriously fast for me, I don't often do that. But I think the fast paced plot, paired with the fact I really wanted to know how everything was going to turn out in the end just kept me going and going and refusing to put it down. 

One thing I really admired about My Sister's Bones was the fact that it dealt with PTSD in such a raw and honest way. I haven't ever read a novel that has dealt with that before, but it's obvious that a massive amount of research and hard work went into that element of the plot, so huge kudos to Nuala Ellwood for that. 

I'll be totally honest and say that I didn't enjoy My Sister's Bones as much as I enjoyed The Girl on the Train, however I would definitely recommend it (and already have - my mum read it straight after me). If you love Thrillers, then you'll enjoy it, and even if you've never ventured into the Crime/Thriller genre then it's a great place to start!

The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Have I gushed over this wonderful author's work before? I think I have, and I'm about to do it again. This book was beyond beautiful whilst dealing with incredibly poignant subject matter. I really struggled to put this book down and do other things whilst I was away, and managed to finish it in a couple of days. It was one of those books that I didn't want to finish though, because I didn't want the magic to end.

Honestly, I just love how Kiran creates such strong, young heroines in her novels, and I know for a fact that my younger self would have read her books over and over and over again. Amihan is a fantastic role model for younger readers for so many different reasons. 

I think what I loved most was the truth to the whole story. It's based around historical events and the island of Culion in the Philippines, and isn't something that would normally be considered subject matter for children. Telling the story from a child's perspective really does make the story hit home - families were torn apart, children taken away from their parents and a whole island ripped in two. Despite the very real human element of the story, Kiran's language and imagery really makes The Island at the End of Everything a stunning read. I loved the imagery of butterflies throughout, and the rich description of colour, from the orange of the mangoes to the house with a blue roof and red flowers growing up the walls. It all creates such vivid imagery in your mind. 

"Some butterflies only live a day, some a week, some a month. But they spend every one of those days busy living. And they make the world a more beautiful place, however brief their time." 

Personally, I think the butterfly's way of life is a good one, living each and every day to its fullest. 

To top the whole book off, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, and is one of the things that would instantly draw me to it, had I not already read some of Kiran's work. I'd 100% recommend this book to anyone. Child, young adult, adult - there's something in it for everyone!


Rebel of the Sands & Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

I honestly didn't expect to love Rebel of the Sands as much as I did. I bought it specifically for my holiday after seeing a picture of it on Instagram and thinking it looked like an interesting read, and I was definitely right! I was absolutely hooked from the very start - I love Hamilton's style of writing and I adore Amani as a character and a heroine. The story itself, for me, felt like a cross between Aladdin and The Hunger Games which was amazing because I love the both of them. It's been a very long time since I've read a book or a series of novels that really made me sit back and think "oh my god, this is so good". Rebel of the Sands and Traitor to the Throne both did exactly that.

Amani's relationship with Jin is electric, and the chemistry they share is clear in every scene they have together. I love the fire between them and the playful banter they share throughout the books. I also loved the other relationships that Amani builds throughout both novels - they feel real and human and organic, which just makes them all the more enjoyable to see play out. Also, the fact that Hamilton writes such complex characters makes me all the more emotionally invested in them, which makes for a rollercoaster of a reading experience! 

I finished the first book while I was still on holiday, and loved it so much that I just had to buy the second one on my Kindle straight away so I could remain immersed in the magic.

If you've read any of my book review posts before then you'll know I'm a sucker for mythology and the Rebel of the Sands trilogy certainly didn't disappoint on that front. The lore surrounding the Djinn and Buraqi and Skinwalkers, etc. just fascinated me - everything was so cleverly constructed and I loved it. 

I don't want to spoil the plot, simply because it's so so worth reading it and discovering all the twists and turns for yourself. I can't recommend this series of books enough and I'm so excited for the last in the trilogy to be released! Yeah, it's Young Adult fiction, but literally anyone can enjoy it.


I'm thrilled that I enjoyed all of my holiday reading. What books have you taken away with you this year? If you have any recommendations then feel free to leave them in the comments! :)


~ C xxx

Visiting Menorca

Just like anyone else, I love going abroad. I'm not hugely well travelled, but I plan to spend my whole life changing that fact. Having two weeks away from real life and responsibilities was wonderful and much needed.

I've been to Menorca with my family about three or four times, and it's such a beautiful island. The quietest of the Balaeric Islands, it spans 697km squared and is lined with gorgeous beaches and quaint, little towns. I love the calmness of Menorca in comparison to other places. Everything feels so relaxed and slow-paced - it was the perfect holiday for me after the past few weeks of stress I've been feeling. 

We stayed for two weeks in Cala'n Bosch in the smartline Cala'n Bosch Hotel. I've never been on an all inclusive holiday before (because I'm such a fussy eater) but I really wasn't disappointed by our hotel at all. The staff were so friendly and welcoming, the place itself was incredibly clean, and it was in an ideal location for getting to and from different places. The food was lovely as well - everything was really fresh, which surprised me as I had a pre-conceived idea that it would all be processed food. I was wrong. 

Over the two weeks we were there, the weather was mostly good. A couple of rainy days showered us, but that's nothing us Brits aren't already accustomed to. With the price we paid for the hotel, we also had access to the water park Aqua Rock. I've been there several times and it's great. I didn't make the most of all the water slides this time, and instead I just used it as a great place to sunbathe & take a dip in the pool.  

Sunbathing played a huge part in my holiday (of course), and I spent the majority of my time reading. I managed to get through four books & started a fifth and a sixth because I was feeling greedy. I'm planning to write a separate post about my books though because there's far too much to include in this one!

In terms of nightlife, if you're anything like me then Menorca will be perfect for you. The Marina was roughly a five minute walk from our hotel and it's filled with bars, restaurants and shops which was enough to keep us busy during the nights when we weren't elsewhere. The Med Bar does the best waffles & nutella and I'll admit I devoured more than one while I was there. The bar at the Valentin Star has some brilliant entertainment every night in the form of musicians and tribute acts, and there was rarely a night when it wasn't full or very nearly so. My dad enjoyed a Brandy Alexander every time we went in. 

Ciutadella is one of my favourite places in Menorca. A beautiful, rustic, traditional port city just a half an hour bus ride from Cala'n Bosch, it's busy both day and night for all the right reasons. Personally, I prefer to go late afternoon/evening time to give myself plenty of time to amble around. There's plenty to see and do, and the photographer in me took so many pictures while I was there. 

There's a shop I love there called Pachamama, which sells beautiful clothes & jewellery. There was the prettiest handled mirror in there that I wish I'd bought but sadly didn't. The traditional stalls in Ciutadella are amazing as well. I much prefer buying handmade products from people because you can see that a lot of time and effort has gone into making them. 

I've posted a lot of pictures on my photography instagram, but here are a few shots I took in Ciutadella.

I hope my photography can do it even a little bit of justice. 

Our trip to Mahon was the only small spanner in the works. It was supposed to be an organised trip to a Fiesta - a traditional Spanish celebration with music, dancers, acrobats etc. Sadly it was more like a fun fair in a car park, which was really disappointing. But we did go off to do our own thing, and found a lovely little restaurant and enjoyed some delicious paella & sangria. The rain did put a dampner on things (ha! I'm puntastic) but I'll never rid my mind of the memory of traipsing around Mahon in the rain, with my parents, wearing a black bin liner. Yes, really. 

I was so sad to come home and back to normality, but it won't be long before I book my next holiday. Who knows where it'll be to next year...

If you fancy seeing any more of my holiday photos, feel free to check out my photography instagram page here. 


~ C xxx

Stress, anxiety & keeping your brain healthy

Everyone has good days and bad days, and I'm a firm believer that everyone has at least a little bit of anxiety in them. I know that I definitely do. It can come on at the most inconvenient times but I'm pretty certain that'll be the case for anyone who experiences it. When I get stressed out, I become anxious, and recently I've been feeling very stressed out for various reasons. 

Money causes me stress, moving house was stressful, planning for my holiday has been stressful, working on my assignment, work in general, and simply not having enough time to get this done are all very stressful! The list could probably go on and on, and all of this has had me looking like a huge ball of stress. 

Stress is such a horrendous feeling. Obviously the experience is completely different for each person. For me, it manifests into a physical sensation. My chest feels tight and my stomach wraps itself in knots. The majority of the time, I feel incredibly tense and on egde, which isn't enjoyable in the slightest. I tend to really retreat into myself when I'm feeling anxious. If I'm incredibly quiet then it's likely that something is worrying me. I have a habit of keeping things to myself, which I know isn't healthy, but it's a really bad habit that I have. 

It's not the end of the world when stress and anxiousness strikes though! 

There are so so many things you can do to help yourself cope. I know that, for me, making lists of all the things I have to do really helps me. I find it so much easier to visualise the things I need to do, and that way I can prioritise them accordingly as well. At work I'm forever making lists for my day ahead. I love being organised, so if I can try to stay one step ahead of the game then that really helps to keep me calm.

A couple of years ago I was suffering a lot with stress in one of my old jobs. My mum bought me The Little Book of Mindfulness by Dr Patrizia Collard, and it's filled with little exercises you can do to relax your mind and really give yourself a break. Mindfulness is all about living in the present moment instead of allowing your brain to wander and worry about other things, and it really makes sense in terms of de-stressing.

Exercise can really help to relax me sometimes. Whilst it's not always something I want to do when I'm feeling uptight, releasing all of that pent up anger and energy can make you feel as though a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. I feel like this probably works well for me because I tend to bottle things up, so a physical release is exactly what I need. If you don't fancy a lot of physical exertion then you could just go for a nice long walk? A Sunday afternoon walk can often work wonders for your mental health.

It sounds obvious, but making time to do the things you actually enjoy doing will help to combat some of those anxious feelings. I know that if I manage to get my blog written and posted during a busy week, or if I get a lot of reading & writing done, then I feel a million times better. When I'm productive, it makes me happy :)

The last thing I can think of that I do to beat stress and anxiety is something that's probably quite niche to myself. Watching Disney films does all kinds of good for me. It doesn't matter which film. I'll simply look through my collection, pick one, and enjoy. Maybe it's the feel-good factors of Disney films? Or maybe it's the whole 'getting caught up in a fantasy world' element of it? Either way, Walt's films are guaranteed to put a smile on my face and warm my little heart. 

I'm toddling off for two weeks now, on a well deserved holiday! Expect lots of posts, updates and pictures when I get back. Adios for now! :)

~ C xxx

Finding the right work/studying balance

Along with having a full time job, I'm also studying for a CICM qualification in Money and Debt Advice. I chose to do it because I firmly believe that if you're presented with an oppurtunity to better yourself in an academic way, and learn and develop, it would be silly not to take it. 

This blog is mostly about how I balance work and study time, as well as other things in my life, and my own studying techniques that I've learned over the years. 

Planning, planning and more planning!

This may sound blindingly obvious, but there were so many times in high school and at university when I didn't heed this advice. I also, cleverly, didn't listen to my own advice when I was given my first CICM assignment in March. I made the mistake of putting it off week after week, until I only had just over a month to finish it in. Not a good idea. 

It's so easy to be overly relaxed about your assigment/coursework/revision as soon as you're given it, but time flies by surprisingly quickly when you're not working hard. I can't stress this enough; don't wait to start your work. Don't use the excuse that you have plenty of time to write it.

Starting is usually the hardest part, so the sooner you do it, the better. Personally, I never start an assignment at the beginning. If it's an essay then I'll miss out the introduction and make a start on my first point because I can always go back and write the introduction later. With my assignment, for example, I look through and find a question that I feel most confident writing an answer for, because that's far better than struggling for ages on the very first question.

It may sound silly, but plan your weeknights when you come home from work. I know that Monday night is Game of Thrones night, so my plan for the evening is really important if I want to fit any study time in. I'll come home, exercise for 30 mins, have a shower, cook my dinner, wash up, do at least 1 hour's work and then watch Game of Thrones at 9pm. 

Make sure you leave yourself enough time to finish everything. That's why planning is key. Hindsight has taught me that lesson many times. 

Create your own workspace

Everyone works differently. Some people work best in silence, while others need a little bit of noise to get the gears in their brain turning. Making sure you have the ideal workspace will encourage you to be more productive. If I sit down in front of the TV with my laptop, I can guarantee that I won't get anything done, and that includes my own personal writing and blogs. If I can see that there's something on TV, even if I'm not interested in watching it, I'll still get distracted. My brain likes to do its best to avoid doing the things I know I need to do, which I'm almost certain is the case for most people. 

At university I managed to write my entire dissertation whilst sat in bed. I had no TV and no distractions in my room, and plenty of space to spread all my notes and paperwork out, so it was the perfect place to work. Well, not perfect because sitting in bed like that for so long isn't great for your posture, but it got me through my dissertation. 

Personally, I can't work in silence. I mostly listen to movie scores while I work (don't call me weird...) because while it's still music, there are no words to distract me or get me to sing along. Half the time if I listen to music with words I end up either singing along or typing the lyrics, neither of which is good.

Know when to stop working 

Sounds counter-productive, but stay with me here.

There's no sense in working yourself into the ground, even if you have a lot to do. You're one person and you can only do what one person can do. So if you get tired, then sleep. Take regular breaks to keep your brain focused. If you've been working for a very long period of time, chances are your brain won't want to co-operate, especially if you've been at work all day as well.

Don't say no to every social gathering that comes your way. Yes, it's important to work had and make sure you fit in study time after work or on weekends, but also make sure you have time way from it too. Go out and meet friends, visit family, go for a walk - anything that gets you away from the computer and the books.

Personally, I find that this is where good planning comes into play. For example, with my most recent assignment, I know that I'll be away for some time just before it's due it. Of course, I'm not taking my assignment on holiday with me, and similarly I can't ditch the holiday to finish the work! So, I've made sure to finish as much as I possibly can before I go, and that way I'm not panicking when I come home and only have two weeks left to do it. 

Balance between work, studying, social life and hobbies is so important. It can feel really difficult sometimes, but once you get it under control you'll feel so productive.

If you've got any tips for balancing work and studying, or just tips for studying in general, feel free to leave a comment!

~ C xxx

Powerful Ladies in Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones season 7 has had everyone talking and speculating about how the show will end, and what secrets are still waiting to be revealed about our favourite characters. Last week and this weeks episodes were both brilliant, and it's clear that the last few episodes of this season, and then the final season, will be dominated by the powerful female characters that have been developing since the very beginning.

It's so difficult for me to pick a favourite character because I love so many of them. That, and I'm also too afraid to get attached to any characters for fear of them popping their clogs in the next episode! 

FYI, there will be spoilers in this blog for the new season, so if you're not fully up to date yet then don't read on.

Brienne of Tarth

I love Brienne. Whether she's kicking Podrick to the ground during a sparring match or avoiding Tormund's longing looks, she's one of the most loyal and noble characters on the whole show. I'm almost certain that I've loved her since we first met her and I just want her to stay by Sansa's side and finally teach Podrick how to fight properly. She's the perfect example of a physically strong woman - she can take care of herself perfectly well which is most definitely needed in the Game of Thrones verse.  

Missandei 

Hallelujah, Missandei and Greyworm finally got together! (sort of) Honestly, I didn't think Missandei would live as long as she has done, mostly down to the fact that she's a fairly soft character, and most of them have been pretty doomed throughout every season. If you're not a sword wielding badass or a complete psychopath then you're usually in danger of being killed off in Game of Thrones. That being said, I'm really glad Missandei is still by Daenerys' side, and I think she was the perfect figurehead while Dany disappeared for a while back in season 6. She's one of the few female characters left who uses her stereotypically feminine traits as her strengths and I'm so here for that.

Cersei Lannister

I love to hate Cersei. Do I want to see her die a fiery, dragon-fuelled death? Absolutely. But I can't deny that she's a phenomenal character. She's developed from a tortured Queen who was so unhappy with her life, to pretty much the H.B.I.C. and it's all thanks to how sneaky and clever she is. Besides the vomit inducing scenes with Jaime that I find really difficult to watch, I'm hooked every time she's on screen. Who's she going to torture next? How will she do it? Will she unleash any more wildfire on King's Landing? Is she the Mad Queen just like Aerys Targaryen was the Mad King? Who knows... My only hope is that Tyrion gets to see the end of her if/when she finally does die. He's endured so much hatred from her, so I feel like he at least deserves that.

Yara Greyjoy

Yara grew on me so much during season 6. She makes a great ruler, and I'm praying that she's not about to die at the hands of her uncle because she should be leading the ironborn, not him. I was so excited when she travelled to meet Daenerys and formed an alliance with her, and my naivety got the better of me because I was sure that nothing could stop them at all. I harboured some hatred for Theon when he abandoned her during the attack from Euron Greyjoy, but let's be honest, Theon has been through a lot. It's no wonder he's suffering from some form of PTSD. If Yara survives then I'll be eternally happy.

Sansa Stark

Sansa is fast becoming one of my favourite characters. I love how resilient she's become, and she's been on a heck of a horrendous journey to get there. I think she gets a lot of unnecessary hate from fans which annoys me because what has she done wrong? Okay, fair enough, she was a spoiled brat to begin with, but she's endured so much and grown massively as a character. I'd say, besides Theon Greyjoy, she's had one of the most difficult journeys of any character. First Joffrey, then Ramsay Bolton... just the thought of both of them makes me shudder. All I'll say is; #ProtectSansaStark   

Arya Stark

Arya is everyone's favourite needle-wielding teenager. I absolutely love how strong and cunning she's become. People underestimate her so much, but it always ends up working in her favour. I'll admit, I wasn't a huge lover of the faceless men plot she was involved in for AGES. For me, it dragged on way too long and frustrated me everytime episodes cut to those scenes. That being said, it's given us the Arya we have today. Part of me does worry for her because she's so consumed with a need for revenge, and I fear it could be her downfall? I hope I'm wrong though, and I hope she cottons on to Littlefinger's heinous plans and uses that Valyrian knife against him.

Daenerys Targaryen 

The Mother of Dragons holds a very special place in my heart. Ever since she emerged from the fire unburnt, I knew we were on to a winner with Daenerys. She's the people's Queen, and with the right advisors by her side (i.e. Tyrion and Jon), she'd be the perfect ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. I could list so many awesome things about her. I love that she essentially has two sides; gentle, kind Dany and "I'll cook you with my dragon if you don't bend the knee" Dany. She's definitely made some mistakes because she doesn't always listen to her advisors, but at the end of the day her intentions are pure. She wants to claim the throne back for her family name, but not because she's greedy or hungry for power, because she wants the best for the people. #MotherofDragonsforQueen

Final note; GENDRY IS BACK! GENDRY IS BACK! GENDRY IS BAAAACK!

Okay, I'm done now :)

~ C xxx

Moving out...

The past few weeks have been pretty exhausting, mostly because I've been trying to fit packing all of my things in at the weekends and after work, in preparation for moving in with one of my closest friends. I've moved out once before, when I went to university, but this time it feels a lot more permanent. I'm 25 now, and I feel like it's high time I had my own space away from home. I'll always love being at home because I'm most definitely a homebird, but it's nice to have more indepedence and just be able to do my own thing. Part of me feels like I'm waiting for my life to properly start, even though that's not really the case at all.

Living at home again for the past four years has been great. It's enabled me to save money and learn how to best manage my pennies and be nice and comfortable for a few years. Honestly, I'm thankful that my parents could stand having me around for so long! I'll miss not being around them all the time because I do get on with them (most of the time), but they're only a phone call/short walk away :)

This blog post is less about tips for moving out, and more about my own general experience. I'll be honest and say I really don't have any tips for moving. I find it so stressful and it drives me a little bit crazy. Maybe don't have as much stuff as I do? That's a top tip if there ever was one. I've had far too much crap to sort through, and have still left a whole load of it at home to go back and organise.

Also, it's sod's law that the weekend I've decided to move I've come down with a delightful cough/cold/sore throat combination, so I'm trying to nurse myself back to health as well as getting used to living in a new house. So far I'm still sniffling, but hopefully downing plenty of Lemsip will do the trick.

At the moment I'm on day 2 of my move, so I'm still getting used to everything. My room isn't exactly how I want it yet, and there are a few technical things that need fixing, but they're not major issues. As soon as I've managed to save up a little more money over the coming months I'm planning to get a few more things sorted. 

I know I'll settle in well, it'll just take a little bit of time getting used to living with someone else again, which is totally normal. It's definitely making me want to save for my own house as soon as I can! :) I can't wait to have my very own place.

~ C xxx

July Reads

I bought a lot of books in July, mainly because I'm going on holiday soon and there are a million books I want to read. But this post isn't going to revolve around what I've bought, rather, what I've been reading this month. I'm not a fast reader - never have been and probably never will be - and I've thoroughly enjoyed the books I finished/read most of this past month.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Attwood

I can't put into words how much I adored this book. Honestly, I should've read the Handmaid's Tale years ago. We made reference to it on one of my course modules at University and I wish I'd picked it up sooner. I think I can safely say it's going to take a place as one of my all time favourite books. 

For those who don't already know what the book is about, it revolves around a dystopian future where women are essentially 'repurposed'. Some are used as vessels for birthing children, others take their places as wives, and the rest either live and work for the wives and their husbands, or they're sent away to quite literally die. Sex is no longer considered a pleasure, and is instead simply a necessity for birthing the next generation. We follow Offred's journey in this world, and find out how the world came to be this way from her perspective.

I think the reason why this book hit such a nerve with me was because it's an alternative reality that isn't obscure or wacky or completely unimaginable. It has a chilling sense of potential reality to it and isn't something that couldn't ever happen. We live in a world where there are regimes and countries that still treat women as commodities, so it's not as far from home as we might think.

With such a heavy plot, I half expected the book to be difficult to read. Sometimes I find that when the subject matter of a novel is darker I struggle to enjoy the writing as much as the plot itself. It often jars with me and takes me much longer to read than usual. This wasn't the case with The Handmaid's Tale though. Each chapter flowed seamlessly to the next for me, and I really enjoyed Margaret Attwood's writing style. I definitely want to read more of her books.

The recent TV adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale is actually what spurred me on to get the book finished as quickly as I could. I've only watched episode 1 so far, but I'm really excited to see how they've translated the book to the screen. I've certainly heard good things about it at least.

Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland

This book is so delightful so far. Personally, I think that's the best word to describe it. I haven't finished it yet, and I'm about halfway through and really loving it.  When I first bought it and started reading, part of me thought that it wouldn't be a book that would suit me. I'm not a mother, nor do I have any plans in the future to become one, and that is an integral part of the plot, so from the off I was worried that I wouldn't connect with the main character. 

However, I was wrong, and found that I could relate to Robin Wilde in so many different ways. Louise has a lovely way with words, and manages to really convey her leading lady's thoughts in a casually written way, but without being too chatty and colloquial -if that makes any sense at all. What I mean is, sometimes I read a book and feel like too much slang and quirky character phrases are used, and the voice feels forced to me. This book didn't feel like that. 

One thing that I connected with immediately in this novel is the reference to 'The Emptiness'. Robin is a single mother and, like so many people do, often suffers from a crippling sense of self doubt and sadness that washes over her at the most inconvenient times. The moment I read her description of said feeling, I instantly knew it and connected with Robin as a character immediately.

"I start to feel stressed because there are too many people in the house, but then remember how the quiet moments don't always feel so peaceful.
I've named that feeling The Emptiness. When I feel far away and isolated. I have days where I am consumed by anxiety and loneliness, and I just feel so flat. Lyla will be at school and I'll be at home all alone and feeling like I have no place in the world, or like I am a speck of nothingness, desperate for my life not to feel so sad."

So far, we've seen Robin battling this barrage of emotions, all while taking care of Lyla, stepping up the career ladder and meeting a new man. I'm excited to find out how the book ends!

Reader, I Married Him by Tracy Chevalier

I picked up this book purely because of the title. It screamed Jane Eyre at me from across the bookshop, so naturally I had to buy it. I don't often read short stories because I like to get my teeth stuck into a novel usually, but I've really enjoyed reading every story in this collection so far, and it's been lovely fitting in one or two during my lunch break. I only have 1 left to read out of 21, and each one is based around an aspect of Jane Eyre.

I have a few favourite stories, and I know I'd struggle to pick just one. 'Since I First Saw Your Face' by Emma Donoghue, 'Dorset Gap' by Tracy Chevalier, 'The Self-Seeding Sycamore' by Lionel Shriver, and 'The Orphan Exchange' by Audrey Niffenegger have been my favourites of the whole collection. Some stories take Jane Eyre from Mr Rochester's perspective, others choose Grace Poole's point of view, and some relate to the novel in a completely unexpected way.

I definitely think this collection will spur me on to read more short stories. Sometimes it's so much more satisfying to finish something short and sweet, expecially for a slow reader like myself. I've already had my eye on a the 2017 Best British Short Stories collection in Waterstones. No doubt I'll end up buying that because when it comes to books my ability to exercise restraint is non-existent.

I'm seeing Jane Eyre at the Grand Theatre in Leeds this Friday, so I'm really excited for that. I accidentally timed the reading of Tracy Chevalier's short story collection perfectly! :)

~ C xxx

Motivating myself to stay fit & healthy

 

Over the past couple of years I've tried to gradually get myself into better shape. I've never been confident about my appearance, my weight, or my body shape, so my mission has mostly been to improve the way I look for my own self-confidence and happiness. I wouldn't call myself a remotely athletic person, so exercise has been something of a struggle in the past (basically I'm a bit lazy...) and sugar is my Achilles heel. Needless to say, losing weight has been quite a battle. 

I've never been a member of a gym before, until around September of last year. I decided to join because a new one opened up close to where I live, and my thought process was basically "it's now or never". I was genuinely quite apprehensive to go, mostly because I had an idea in my head that everyone would know that I've never set foot in a gym before and laugh at me for it (a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea). I was wrong though. It wasn't remotely scary. There is a specific ladies only part of the gym, but I surprised myself by not going in there to work out. Instead I use the mixed area and generally don't pay attention to anyone else in there. I'm there to work out, so I just get on with it. There's absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to use a ladies only gym, but I'm just pleased that I didn't let my own insecurities beat me in that respect.

I try to exercise at least 5 times per week, even if it's just for 20-30 minutes including a cool down. Doing this just keeps my momentum up, and lessens the chances of me coming home and deciding not to work out at all for weeks on end. Once I get myself into a routine, it's easier for me to stick to. I go to an Aerotone (aerobics and toning) class for an hour every Wednesday, and I try my best to keep up the same level of intensity when I exercise for the rest of the week.

Food, food, food. Probably the most important part of trying to lose weight is changing your diet. Sugar has been my Achilles heel for years. I can't just eat one Malteaser or one biscuit, I'll eat the whole packet. It's sort of an all or nothing situation I suppose. With that in mind, I knew for a fact that I had to cut as much sugar out of my diet as possible, which is easier said than done. Since doing this, I've noticed that sugar was making me feel bloated and gassy; not a particularly nice feeling at any time of the day. It's probably been about 2 months so far, and I know that when I've had even a little bit of sugar since, it's had a bad effect on my body and my digestion. It just goes to show that healthy eating isn't just about losing weight and getting in shape, but also about ensuring that your body is functioning better on the inside as well. 

I'm definitely still learning when it comes to food and nutrition, but any pieces of knowledge that help me to better my diet or the way I'm living are always useful. I've replaced my snack foods with carrot sticks and other vegetables so that I don't feel like I'm making myself hungry at all. Changing my breakfast to a bowl of Shreddies every morning has really helped me to cut down on the amount of snacking I do as well. I'm fuller for longer while I'm at work, which works wonders for my concentration as well!

I'll admit that I've always been a very lazy cook. If throwing a pizza in the oven is an easy option then I'll do it. However, since I've really been paying attention to what I'm eating, I've found that I'm enjoying cooking more and more every day. Eating well motivates me to get busy in the kitchen and make some really tasty meals because, honestly, there's nothing better than coming home after a day at work and eating something delicious for tea. I make sure that I'm eating lots of protein rich foods like chicken, eggs and fish, as well as lashings of greens and other vegetables. I enjoy my food so much more if I know that it's good for me, because I don't get that guilty feeling afterwards of "oh, I shouldn't have eaten that". 

Of course I definitely don't think that we should never treat ourselves! I certainly won't be saying no to a girly night in with a takeaway, or a meal out to a restaurant where you can be a little bit naughty. It's all about moderation.

Instagram has been massively motivational in my little fitness journey. I've set up my own private account (which I won't be sharing) to document my meals and progress, and the simple act of sharing this really helps to motivate me to keep going and do better. I also love to see other people's journeys too, and the wealth of body positive instagrammers out there spreading love on the internet. Staying fit and healthy isn't about being supermodel thin or getting yourself a nice set of abs. For me, it's about working to gain a body that I feel comfortable in and that I can appreciate. If I appreciate and love the way I look then I don't give a monkeys about what anyone else thinks.

What's your relationship with food and exercise like? Do you work out/go to the gym and do you enjoy it? What are your favourite healthy meals? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments!

~ C xxx