Let us all just take a few moments to thank the lord for his vegan blessings this year. Finished praying? Excellent! Onto Pizza. Thick, deep pan, double cheese, over topped pizza that sends my whole food plant based diet hiding. There is nothing quite like biting into the cheesy goodness that is pizza - but as a vegan? It's a whole new ball game. Will it taste like cardboard? Will the "cheese" feel like paste? Will they put random vegetables on top to make us feel valued but leave us wondering who the hell puts cauliflower on a pizza? With all of these things in mind, I was dubious that Pizza Hut would be able to provide. Boy was I wrong. I really do feel like they have tried this year to meet the supply and demand that this year's Veganuary brought. Not only do they have several delicious pizzas on offer, but an entire menu of goodies to choose from. So the vegang headed out to test it out - and the 50% off voucher that is circling the green web helped! |
On the back of my previous point, I just wanted to not only tell you, but reaffirm to myself. Your weight doesn’t define you. It doesn’t make you a kind person. It doesn’t get you friends or relationships. It doesn’t make you comfortable within your own skin. It doesn’t make you worthy. When you’re on your weight goal and working hard, please don’t forget to keep your mind healthy too. All of the reassurance you need, comes from within. As cheesy as it sounds. If you don’t look in the mirror in happiness now, then you won’t see the weight loss. |
4. LISTS MAKE EVERYTHING ACHIEVABLE
This is something incredibly simple, and less heavy but lists truly are incredible! Massive projects at work that seem intimidating, household tasks that seem impossible or even a personal project that you don’t know how to start. Write it down in a step by step guide, and suddenly these huge momentous things in our mind seem nothing but simple.
5. IT'S NOT GIVING UP ON YOUR DREAMS TO GET A CAREER
If your dream is something that you love, it’s incredibly difficult to let it go. Well, i’m not recommending that you do. I’m simply saying that I had to think realistically. Having a creative hobby often needs money to fund it. Without a chunk of savings behind you, you’ll need some sort of income to keep going. You might just find that you fall in love with it too. By day, I am in commercial insurance, and by night I am a writer. I have nothing but love for both of my jobs, and it’s opened my eyes to so much more.
6. THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU SHOULD GIVE UP
You should never give up on your dreams. If it makes you happy to write/paint/dance/bake or anything! Keep it going. Put time aside for yourself and your hobbies to no only keep yourself sane, but to keep your progress moving. It’s not to say that they will always stay a hobby, so let yourself flourish!
7. THINGS THAT YOU HATED AS A CHILD ARE THERAPEUTIC
Dishes. Hoovering. Organising. Gardening. Filing. Cooking. Everything that I used to hate as a child are now things that I look forward too. How did I do it? Well, I made it something almost spa like. I took Sundays as “My Day”. I would wake up early, make a huge breakfast and sit and drink my coffee in peace with the world. I would listen to my favourite music, watch my favourite movies and drift through the day. When you’re that relaxed it’s hard to find the boring mundane tasks as just that. They become something to do whilst you’re enjoying your day. Not something to put you on hold.
8. DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK ON YOUR "STRONG FRIEND"
I personally hate being called the “Strong Friend”. Although it is flattering for others to think that I am the strong one, we are often named as such because of the things that life has thrown at us that we have managed to battle and survive. Despite the battles that your “strong friend” has survived, they will have left their scars. Don’t forget to check in on them, and make sure that they are handling things as well as they can.
9. A PARTNER WILL NOT FIX YOUR PROBLEMS
I’m going to keep this one short as you all know what i’ve just said is true. Things will always seem blissful at the beginning, but no matter how much they distract you, make you laugh, or whisk you away - your problems will still be there. It’s unfair to expect your partner to help you, when you’re not in a position to do the same for them.
10. A HEART HAS MANY DOORS
This is something that my mother used to tell me when I was younger but I never truly understood what she meant until this year. When you truly let someone into your heart, and you “open the door” to them - they never truly leave. Your childhood sweetheart that you loved is still in there, they just have a separate door with their own memories inside. Once you fall in love, they’re always with you. The lessons that come with each relationship stay inside and force you to remember them when necessary. Along with the happy memories that drift through your mind at times of silent.
11. BREAK-UPS HAPPEN
This is just a fact of life that break ups happen. No matter if you could see yourself married, with little children with ginger curls frolicking in the manor garden that you look over as you sip coffee together on a Sunday morning - the worst can always happen. Not every relationship that you have is built to last - but if it truly is. Then it will be. If not? Then it is just another lesson learnt. Oh! And your life isn’t over because your relationship. The chapter in your life has ended. The book hasn’t.
12. YOU WON'T KILL EVERY PLANT
One day. Just take my word for it. One day - you won’t murder your plants. You will be responsible enough to nurture a plant. I am happy to say that I have successfully grown a tomato plant in my windowsill for the past few months, and it is flourishing quite nicely. It seems impossible, but trust me. Your day will come.
13. DON'T LET YOUR MEMORIES GET WASHED AWAY
Speaking as someone who has lost a lot of precious people in my life - memories are all we truly have of people. Whether it’s saved on video/photos or even in the written word. Don’t let any of the drift away. It’s why I keep all of my photos, no matter who they are of. Parts of your life can go missing within a blink of an eye, and a memory lost. So cherish them, and remember the happiness you have had in your life. It’s hard to think of one person, who has never given you a happy memory. And those memories are the ones that get you through the hardest times in your life.
14. DON'T TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU
This year more than ever, I have opened my eyes to the destruction in the world. Whether it’s environmental issues, political or even down to what we put in our bodies. Knowledge is power. Once you have learnt about the world around you, it’s incredibly different to look at it all in the same way. Things that seemed impossible, seem almost compulsory. I recommend to start with the Netflix show Earthlings and then follow where your mind takes you.
15. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
This is my biggest belief, and the one that I won’t let go of. No matter what life throws at you. Everything has a reason behind it. It’s the sentence that I hold onto in times of struggle. This can apply for everything. Lost your job? It has opened the doors to something more incredible and now you have the lessons to know how to fix your errors in future. Lost your relationship? They weren’t the one for you or it will prove your worth as a couple. It’s the one piece of faith that I will never lose.
Well, I hope that this has helped to put your mind at rest - whether you're panicking at your age, or just hoping for the future. Just know that it's just a number, and you're never truly ready for the big moments in life and that's the joy of them.
Now here at The Brough Blog, we are a big fan of small things that you can complete day to day from the comfort of your own sofa. I know that I love nothing more than coming home to sit still with a cup of coffee in front of Netflix, and have no plans to move - but if I took that time, or even the time that I waste scrolling endlessly through Facebook hoping that something interesting appears, into small little achievements that I don't need to move for. Well, I think that it turns me into a super hero boss lady that has won at life that night.
It truly is a way of giving yourself a little boost, with making minimal effort physically. So take some weight off your shoulders with these 5 little steps that you can make from the comfort of your own sofa.
Now this sounds scary, but it really isn't as difficult as it sounds. Pop open Excel and just start off by writing down all of your bills and how much they are. Then write down how much you take in each month so you can figure out how much is left over after everything is paid.
After that, you can go crazy. I like to figure out how much I can save each month and add it into my bills - not only that but I split my remaining balance into weekly amounts that I can monitor to keep myself on track. I find that once you start falling down this rabbit hole you can truly lose yourself. I spent three hours the other night scrolling through my previous statements in horror at how much money I spend on soy lattes at my favourite coffee shop.
It truly can be as big or as little of a task as you wish it to be - but it's something so important. So many of us get lost in all of the things that we want, and forget about the things that we need. Student debt, or even debt in general is at an all time high so any corners that you can cut back from open up a whole new way of living. Although, I still won't give up my soy lattes!
If you are anything like me, your wardrobe is a disaster zone. You can't find anything that you need, you're always searching for that one shirt that you love more than anything but keep picking up the same bedraggled items that you have ignored for years but haven't attempted to remedy.
Whether we are buying things that we're certain we can "fix up" so that they fit the way that we imagine, or simply being too lazy to return items when they don't look right - we as consumers fill our wardrobes to the brim with items that truly should be going to a happier home.
One way to clear out your wardrobe, and to make some extra money on the side is to start selling online. Ebay is a great way to revamp your closet into something a bit more minimalist - but be warned. It is incredibly addictive.
Either take some photos of the items next time you pull it out - or even find old photos of you wearing it and create an advert. Have a play around, and see what you can get. I sold a dress that I bought for a Christmas party several years back, and if i'm honest, it wasn't particularly flattering then! When I finally could muster up the effort to post the photo of me wearing it to Ebay, it sold for twice as much as what I bought it for. Cha Ching.
Need a check up at the doctors? Glasses not working as they should be? Your tooth has been aching? Have you been ignoring all of these things out of pure laziness? Think you can't find the time? Well, then you're just like everyone else. Gone are the days where your mother used to book everything for you, and all you had to do is turn up. Responsibility is in our hands, and quite frankly. We don't want it.
Although in this era, everything is luckily done online. It takes mere moments to book an appointment these days, and 9 times out of 10 we don't have to talk to an actual human. Even if we do, live chat is usually an option. This is truly where the internet is a blessing.
So open your phone's browser and just book the appointment that you have been putting off. It's truly not as terrible as we imagine it to be.
Consider this - revising how to be an adult. All of us like to pretend that we know what we're doing on this crazy rock called Earth, but the truth is - half of the time. None of us know what we are doing at all and are just not born with the knowledge that we have now. The only way to find out the answers to those niggling questions that we have: is to go ahead and get them.
My hour of adult revising consisted of me exploring the world of saving accounts and variable interest rates. I sat and googled until the percentages in front of me started to make sense. It then sparked me to switch an account that had become dormant, to something that would benefit me much more. Something that I would have never done, if I hadn't have taken the time to research it.
Whether it involves cracking open a book that you had put off looking through, or looking up articles on your laptop. Just take a few minutes to look into that area in life where you are a little hazy. Even if it's something that one of your colleagues mentioned at work, where you laughed in response and hoped that it was a joke. It can't hurt to be a little more informed.
This one is probably my favourite to do as I may have a slight obsession with Vegan recipe hunting and the idea of being crazily prepared in the kitchen. Now, this could simply be you finding something that you want to cook that week and planning a night to do so. Or, it could be you finding meal prep ideas for the entire week and putting a plan together to complete it. Whatever it is, meal planning can completely change your night from pure havoc - to complete zen.
I love nothing more than coming home to already prepped, healthy meals but my god it was a journey getting there. Finding the balance between fun things to meal prep, and practical meals was a nightmare of near misses and hideous mush. If I had just taken an hour to research before I went head deep into my pile of Tupperware boxes it might have been a bit better on my taste buds.
Now I make a conscious effort to take a few minutes a week to look up some fun recipes that I can throw into the mix to keep me happy and healthy.
There are some great templates for meal plans if you have an organisation thrill such as me - or if you're one of those smart cookies who do not have a memory like a goldfish you will love whipping out the pan and showing that kitchen who is boss.
Before you know it, after a few small steps you have made your life a little bit better without lifting a muscle. Life is all about the small wins - so never underestimate something that sounds incredibly simple.
I know, that as I sit here ignoring the dishes that I have to clean, that it's the small wins in my night that make me feel like I have achieved something - and if I can do it from the comfort of my own sofa then even better.
Laziness and productivity rolled into one. Who would have known!
I know, that as I sit here ignoring the dishes that I have to clean, that it's the small wins in my night that make me feel like I have achieved something - and if I can do it from the comfort of my own sofa then even better.
Laziness and productivity rolled into one. Who would have known!
I'm known for alot of things in my social group. Loud, unique and strange yes, but mostly. My ability to get over anything that life throws at me. Now this isn't something to roll your eyes at, nor is it something to typically brag about. Quite frankly, I would love it if no one needed this advice - but life has a lovely habit of throwing things at us that we don't think we can handle. Whether we like it or not.
So if you're going through something right now, or even if this helps you in the future - have a look through the steps you can take to get your head back in the game. Life isn't over until you say it is.
Your problem is the name of a chapter in your book
Imagine your life is a book and you are the reader. As you flick through the pages, you feel a crash of emotions. Happiness, sadness, fear and love. Each chapter ends with a cliff hanger, that leaves you on the edge of your seat. The answer to all of your questions is on the next page. The start of a new chapter, and a new part of your life. It just takes courage to read it.
Now your problem is all based in one chapter. Whether it is a break up, an argument, a loss of a loved one, a loss of a job - it's all trapped in those pages and caught by the page numbers. Now you could be one of those readers that loves long chapters, and feeling every emotion that your hero is feeling - or you could be like me. Always desperate to get to the next chapter, and get past their problems. Either way, the choice is yours.
Allow yourself to be sad, to feel anything that your body tells you too. It is not admitting defeat to cry, and it is definitely not admitting defeat to fall. Just know in your mind, that when you are ready, you can turn the page and start again. It won't last forever.
Reach out for a helping hand
After spending as much time as you need feeling down, allow yourself to get help. Every hero has a sidekick that gets them through their battles, so don't deprive yourself of one either. Focus on what you need to get you smiling again. You don't need to spend hours talking about it, only to find yourself fallen again. You need someone to laugh with, take your mind off things and escape from reality with.
It will seem almost impossible at first to laugh. It seems like a ridiculous idea, but laughter is the mind's best medicine. It's great for the soul, to laugh until your stomach hurts, and happy tears roll from your eyes. Don't feel bad for smiling. You have every right to feel some sunshine. After a short while of happiness, you will start to see everything in a much better light. Trust me.
Allow yourself to feel angry
Despite all of your worries, and insecurities. You know deep down that you deserve happiness. You would never wish unhappiness on your loved ones, so why would you wish it upon yourself. Remind yourself of your strengths, the things that you love, and the skills that you have. Now let yourself feel anger.
It doesn't seem productive at first, but getting angry is natural. Casting my mind back to a recent break up, I remember waking up one day and no longer being sad. After copious amounts of ice cream, and chick flicks with my best friend - All that was left was this odd rage. Not towards anyone but towards the knowledge that I deserve better. After feeling like they were all that I needed in the past - I kicked myself that I let my integrity be compromised. This important step is where you will put in the ground work for your future. No longer will you allow yourself to feel that way. You will make steps to prevent this unhappiness at all costs. You are in charge.
Kick start the life that you want
No matter what it is that has happened, it is now in the past. It was past tense the second it finished, and that is where it will stay. Although it will still be fresh, and your wounds won't be closed yet - you have the choice now to fight. To start the life that you should have had. Get out your notebook, and start writing a list. "Steps to get my life together".
These could be anything from starting the gym, getting a promotion, saving money or even going on holiday. Anything that you want to do, and will improve your life - write it down. Organise your living space, no matter how small it is. Grab a shower, eat some breakfast and work on point number one in your list. Focus on each one, and work towards them. Push all of the negativity out of your life, and focus on the most important thing. You.
Starting the next chapter
Starting the next chapter in your life will be the most freeing feeling in the world, and the most terrifying. You are in charge of your own life, so it's your move. Where will you go? What will you become? It's all up to you.
There are some situations where these steps are not enough. When life get's too hard for anyone to handle. Know that you are not alone, and there is always someone that you can talk to. The reason that I have mastered the above, what seem simple steps, is because I have been there. There was a time that I thought that the next chapter would never arrive. At one point, I didn't want it too. That's where you need to reach out for someone.
The Samaritans are a charity that are there to help, and trust me. They do. They are unbiased, confidential and there to simply listen. If you ever feel like you can't turn that page. It's too terrifying to try again, or you have fallen with no one to help you up. I urge you to contact them.
Above all else, just know that you are worth more than you think. No matter what it is that is niggling away in your mind. What ever it is that keeps you up at night or tearing up. Know that it is just a part of your book and it only makes the ending so much sweeter.
Now, I know that I have been gone for quite some time, but I promise that it didn't go completely to waste.
Educating Miss Brookes has been bumping around my mind for years, and I've always wanted to put pen to paper and bring it life. There was something quite liberating about bringing the characters alive, and letting myself love them.
So, after around a year of note taking, pure fear and then sudden inspiration. I welcome to the world - Educating Miss Brookes. The first book of three, filled with a story from my own past.
Educating Miss Brookes has been bumping around my mind for years, and I've always wanted to put pen to paper and bring it life. There was something quite liberating about bringing the characters alive, and letting myself love them.
So, after around a year of note taking, pure fear and then sudden inspiration. I welcome to the world - Educating Miss Brookes. The first book of three, filled with a story from my own past.
"Amelia Brookes had spent her life reading about the romance between the pages of her favourite book. With every page, she fell into a world that she could never imagine would be true. That was until she met Henry.
After meeting Henry at a local pub, she soon discovers that he was not only the handsome man she had always craved, but in fact her teacher.
A forbidden love that wasn't meant to be, follow Amelia in her journey of self discovery, love and betrayal.
The girl who thought she would never find love, is about to be taught a few lessons"
So please excuse my excitement, and prepare yourself for a world surrounded with Henry and Amelia. Despite my complete and utter desire to shrivel into a ball and hide away from critics eyes, it's made me happier than I have ever been.
Each book will take you through a stage in Amelia's life. Follow along as Amelia experiences love, lust and heartbreak. From a clueless teenager to a kooky adult.
If you fancy delving into the world of Miss Brookes and helping a budding writer lose her fear, then please feel free to take a look.