Personal Growth

I’ve never really been a shy person or anything like that but recently I’ve been doing some soul searching and have noticed I’ve really changed. I always thought when I was around 16 that I knew exactly who I was and what I wanted to do (I still wanted to study journalism and now I do so I guess that’s something?). I wasn’t the most pleasant person really which I would like to blame on hormones but I think I was also just a bit of a bitch too.

I really didn’t like many people growing up which I stand by to a certain degree because I live in a really small place so you’re obviously not going to like everyone. However, I think a lot of my dislike for others stemmed from myself not really fitting in with anyone. I did have friends throughout school but never really felt like they were 100% my sort of people, you know? I guess it just made me bitter which is a shame to think back on.

I really began to notice a difference in myself once I returned home from Bali a few weeks ago but I think since moving away from home last September is where I really started to grow as a person. Throughout school I had a lot of resentment and bitterness towards other people which maybe through no fault of their own I held onto. I always felt really held back and restricted in my small home town and slowly after moving away I started becoming more like the real me than this watered down version I was at home.

I still love the little village where I come from as it will always be my home but perhaps one of the biggest factors of me being bitter was the constant gossip and small town syndrome that carries on there. Everyone feels entitled to know everyones business just because you know them. Things that are literally none of anybody else’s business become public knowledge for everyone to discuss. I immediately noticed a difference after moving away because nobody cares what happened to you in second year or how many boys you kissed because they realise its none of their business.

The biggest difference I can see within myself is my focus on positivity which has made me an undoubtedly happier person. I used to hold grudges forever and claim i’d take them to the grave but holding onto negative energy like that just isn’t necessary and doesn’t bring me joy. I’ve really been trying to practise a lot of forgiveness lately for my own benefit. Instead of being mad and holding grudges against people who have wronged me in the last year or two years ago or whenever just to forgive and let the anger go.

It’s easy now to sit back and think about the previous aspects of my life and personality which made me unhappy now I feel I’ve removed myself from them. I feel more confident, more self assured and so so much happier with the way my life is and the people I have around me and the things I am achieving.

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My Favourite £6 Sunglasses

Sunglasses are an essential for summer fashion whether you need them because of the weather or to complete an outfit by sitting on top of your head.

The recent sunshine we have been having has inspired me to write this post about my new sunglasses.

I always buy cheap sunglasses for my holidays and summers because I really detest spending a lot of money on a pair.

The summer saviours I got for this summer are from Nasty Gal. They were originally supposed to be waiting until my holidays to be worn but unexpected sunshine has brought them out earlier than expected.

I am obsessed with all things pink in my wardrobe – every outfit has some shade of pink involved so these sunglasses were the perfect addition for the summer.

I adore the pink frame and the blue tinted lense on these. Perfect for going with an already bright summer outfit or brightening up a darker toned outfit too.

I’m keeping this post fairly short as there is only so much you can say about sun glasses.

I hope you guys enjoyed this short but sweet post on these sunglasses! This is my first fashion related post which I have really enjoyed writing.

I want to focus my blog on more fashion related things in the future.

If you are interested in purchasing these bad boys, you can do that here. Nasty Gal also have 50% off sale on right now if that isn’t tempting enough either.

Siobhan x

Recently Reading

One of my New Years resolutions for 2018 was to read a book per month and so far so good, I am succeeding.

Like many people I fell out of love with reading over the years but now I am getting back into it and really starting to appreciate the feeling of getting lost in a book once again.

I haven’t yet read as much as I would want too as I currently have a full shelf of unread books and more to get through but I am making a start.

Let’s start by discussing my most recent read and by far one of my favourite stories of all time.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie 

This book just reminds me of high school in the most positive way possible. My drama class studied the play of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie for our higher exam and I can recall everyone in the class practically being able to quote the play word for word. The book is about an eccentric, romantic and free spirited Edinburgh teacher Jean Brodie and her special group of girls, the “creme de la creme”. Miss Brodie preaches “give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life.” it is this exact reason which brings her downfall in her school, Marcia Blane. This is one of my favourite stories and will stay this way for a very long time as it is close to my heart and reminds me of such happy times, as well as being an excellent and well-written read.

Girl Boss 

I was originally going to dedicate a whole blog post to discussing this book but I decided against it as I am probably one of the last people to get round to reading it. Overall, I did really enjoy reading the book as I found it fairly amusing and entertaining. However, as many people note I would not buy this book if you are looking into getting good advice and insight into starting a business. It is like half memoir and half business guide but without the good advice. Girlboss tells the story of Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso who went from making sandwiches at Subway, being a petty thief to selling vintage clothes on eBay and turning that into a $100 million business. Impressive, right? I LOVE the illustrations in this book and it is refreshingly honest and funny too about Amoruso’s journey to where she is today.

The Woman In Black 

This book was a birthday gift from my flat mate for my birthday. I’m not going to lie this was the first book I read this year and that was because it got right to the end of January and I hadn’t yet started another book, let alone finished one and I didn’t want to fail my New Years resolution in the first month. I saw the film for this already when it first came out so I went into this book knowing the storyline. The book is reasonably short but still manages to pack a punch with all the creepy details it entails. The book has all the elements of a perfect ghost story – tragic back story, ghost seeking revenge, bad stormy weather and a creepy old house.

The Sun and Her Flowers

I am probably going to write a more in depth review of this book later on as I did with Milk and Honey but I want to mention this in here anyway. I was such a big fan of Milk and Honey so naturally when this came out last year I was super excited, this was a birthday present from my mum. This book is a safe haven for those who are hurting and want to nurture themselves. The book has an enticing table of contents, like a flower cycle: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. The Wilting section contains poetry relating to the early stages of a break up and how the person wants to get in touch with themselves again. Falling is the downfall containing poetry describing feelings of loneliness and depression. Rooting has poetry relating to the process of regaining strength and self love as the soul re-energizes itself. Rising details how the person rises from the ground and moves on and leaves toxicity behind. Blooming is the last chapter in which the person realises that they need to put themselves first and take care of their own happiness.

These are my four recent reads, as well as the pile of magazines I now have to get through. My gran has been posting magazines like Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire down to me in Glasgow as she knows I like them, how cute is that? Let me know what you’ve been reading and if you have any thoughts on the books I’ve mentioned. Hope you enjoyed reading,

Siobhan x

Vegan Heaven in Glasgow

Hi everyone, something a bit different is coming on the blog today. Since moving to Glasgow I have become such a foodie. I love eating out and cooking different types of food so much. I even wrote my university blog on vegan food in Glasgow.

As mentioned in some previous blog posts I follow a vegan diet and this year is coming up my 4th year of being vegan. I don’t normally write about restaurants on this blog but I’m making an exception for my all time favourite place, Mono Cafe Bar.

Mono is located in the heart of Merchant City in Glasgow next to some vintage clothes shop. Mono is also home to a record shop, Monorail Music inside their restaurant and is partial to having some gigs held their too.

My first visit to this restaurant was last September and I remember walking around the streets for half an hour getting lost trying to find this place.

My last visit to Mono was last weekend where I was left amazed once again. I visited here with my mum and gran for Mother’s Day.

Mono is a fully vegan restaurant but this doesn’t mean only vegans eat there. The food is amazing and doesn’t require any animal products to be that good.

There is an extensive list of hot, cold, alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks at Mono, however I stick to the classic Old Mout Cider.

Last weekend I ordered artichoke fritters, Mac and cheese and a chocolate fudge banana split. The artichoke fritters were amazing – the batter was crispy and not greasy which complimented the soft artichoke amazingly. There was also vegan tartar sauce which I thought I’d hate but paired with this dish was amazing. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to get any photos of this.

I’ve had the mac and cheese here before and I am always left amazed. When I went vegan I thought that was me giving up Mac and cheese but Mono have managed to create a vegan version of my favourite dish. I got chips and salad with this as well because it feels wrong to have Mac and cheese with anything else.

The desert in the photo above is a classic favourite of mine from a young age. I used to cry for banana split’s whenever I would go out for food with my mum and dad when I was younger. My love for them still stands now. The ice cream is delicious but the real highlight of this is the fudge sauce. I could literally take a straw to a bowl of it and just drink it, it’s that good.

Mono has a seriously relaxed vibe with mix and match chairs and a serious of gig posters all over the walls. Another wall next to the stage features silver brew bats reminding me of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory for some reason.

This is a restaurant to be enjoyed by meat eaters and vegans alike because the lack of animal products doesn’t take away from the delicious food.

New Years Resolutions 2018

I make new years resolutions every year, most of the time they don’t stick but it’s worth a shot right?

I made another post about this last year for my 2017 resolutions which you can read here if you’re interested. I mentioned in this post that I wanted to be able to look back on this year and be proud of things I have accomplished and I really am proud of myself. Super cringey, I know.

I think this year I’ve really grown up a lot as a person and I’m a lot more sure of myself than I was at the beginning of 2017. I’m not gonna talk crap and say how I’m a totally different person because I’m not. I’m a lot more confident and happier with myself which is a good achievement.

Find a new hobby:

I know blogging counts as a hobby but I want to do something else with my time too. I’m leaning towards starting scrap booking or photography because I think I would have a lot of fun with that and be creative with it. I’m less inclined to attempt to take up a sport or musical instrument as a hobby because I just don’t think I will enjoy it a lot.

Travel as much as possible:

I think I’ve mentioned in a previous blog post about my trips to Bali and Sri Lanka this year so that is some pretty big travel plans. There are loads of little road trips I want to do at home in the Highlands as well, so when I say travel I don’t mean it necessarily has to be across the globe. I would like to explore my own country a bit more too.

Join the gym:

I think that is the famous last words of many people coming into the new year. I’ve been determined to join the gym at my uni but I was too poor for a good few months. When I did have the money, it was December and I was about to go on a 6 week holiday from the uni so it seemed pointless to start paying for it then. I really want to find a type of exercise I really enjoy and don’t totally hate. Also want to get into a better shape by the time my holidays come around.

Save as much money as possible:

Not gonna lie I have been pretty careless with my money at uni – always spending too much on going out for food and doing far too much shopping. I’m gonna create a budget plan for myself to try and stick to and also hopefully find a job down in Glasgow too. Nobody likes being skint so I’m going to try and be a bit more sensible this year.

Read a book per month:

Towards the end of 2017 I was getting into a better habit of this by reading a little bit of one of my books every day. I have shelves full of unread books in my room and I want to start making my way through them. I think setting myself this target of one book per month will be a really helpful way of getting back into reading and enjoying it more. I feel like when you get reading that you hate at uni it really puts you off reading for fun too.

Eat my 5 a day:

I used to be really good at this and eating super healthy. However now I’m definitely not. This year I really want to take better care of myself through exercising and eating better. Having 5 different fruits/veggies a day is a good little goal to encourage myself to eat better.

So these are my new year resolutions for 2018 and I hope I can stick to them. I’ve tried to keep them quite basic and vague so they are achievable rather than have some ridiculous goal. What’s your new years resolutions? Hope you enjoyed reading this post.

Siobhan x

Time for a catch up..

Hi everyone, it has been over a month since I wrote my last blog post which is crazy considering in the summer I had finally gotten into a good habit of posting weekly-ish. Who knew I’d have more free time working two jobs than I would as a student with no job? Since I haven’t been posting much this post is basically to explain why and give a little insight on what I have been up too.

So, I have just started my 5th week in university which is crazy because now all those deadlines are starting to seem close instead of a million miles away. Overall, since starting university there isn’t any words for how much happier I am than I was before. It’s amazing seeing such a positive difference in myself, going from a job I hated to a studying a course that I love surrounded by the best people. I do hate the 9am lectures and what feels like endless hours of practising shorthand but in general I really do love it.

I thought I would struggle with moving to Glasgow since it is such a big difference from living in the Highlands but I am totally loving it. City life is so different to living in the Highlands but I’m definitely used to it.  I’m not homesick yet but that’s probably because I’ve been home twice and had my boyfriend and my parents visiting me here on separate occasions too. This weekend I was home for just under a week and it was because my Dad was getting married. How exciting is that?? It was literally the nicest ceremony surrounded by all our close family and friends which is lovely.

I’m determined to get more organised with how I spend my time because I really want to get back into blogging and start going to the gym. I really miss having proper hobbies and things I enjoy doing. I think I’m either going to make Wednesday’s or Sunday’s my blogging days as at the moment I have nothing on on those days. When I get my next SAAS payment, I’m gonna get my gym membership and force my butt to the treadmill and some metafit classes.

There isn’t a huge amount going on in my life right now, but I’m really really happy with the way everything seems to be going and that is the most important thing.

Siobhan x

 

UPDATE: I’ve Moved To Glasgow

Hi there everyone,

First of all I would like to apologise for my absence in the past few weeks on pretty much everywhere. I have recently moved to Glasgow and started my induction for my first year at Glasgow Caledonian University. So, this is some pretty big stuff. and I have also got my timetable for the first half of this year and all I’m gonna say is there is probably going to be more absences. My timetable is so full on, I’m pretty much in uni 4 full days a week. It might not sound a lot to anyone but I can already feel the exhaustion of the next few months.

Anyone who has known me at all over the years knows this is the course I have wanted to study and the university I have wanted to study at for as long as I can remember. So this is a bit of a big deal for me. It’s weird having met everyone already now and getting along with my class so well, knowing we are going to be spending the next 4 years learning together most days.

I know it is early days, I am currently on day 3 of my induction, but I am excited to see what the next four years will bring. As much as I love my home and where I come from I am relieved in a sense to get away. I spent the past few months before I left absolutely hating life, working horrendous hours in jobs I hated and surrounded by the rumour-mill that comes along with living in a small town. So, a fresh start with new people and new opportunities is exactly what I need.

I will always love my home town because it’s where I grew up and have so many memories. I already know how much I am going to miss living with my mum and popping down to see my dad and gran in the afternoons whenever I please. I’m going to miss seeing my boyfriend and having him only be a 15 minute drive away instead of a 5 hour drive. Despite all that, I am so beyond ready to enjoy and embrace this new chapter in my life with open arms.

Sorry this post is short, but hopefully I will be able to update everyone with how I’m getting on and settling into Glasgow and return to some normal beauty posts shortly.

Siobhan x

July reflections & August Goals

Hi there everyone, welcome to a new month.

This is a weird August for me. The past few Augusts I was in school waiting on the dreaded letters from the SQA for exam results and it feels so relieving to not be dealing with that at all this year. I shouldn’t be too relieved as it is only another 5 weeks until I move away to university and then I have even more exams to deal with.

I have felt so, so drained this month – I think the constant working all day every day for the past few months has finally caught up on me and I feel ready to collapse all the time. I’m a waitress so I’m standing, running about on my feet for 10 hours every day and it is so beyond tiring. The tiredness I have been experiencing from work has affected my mood, obviously making it a lot worse than normal but I try to be as upbeat as I can.

Tiredness has also affected my productivity in terms of my goals. I failed more or less all my blogging goals. This is mainly because I don’t have enough free time at the minute to spend considerable amount of time working on my blog which is frustrating. I succeeded in a lot of small goals such as practising flat-lays, editing photos and budgeting my money better. I’m not too annoyed at myself for not completing my goals as I know how  busy and tired I am, and I really did try my best. There is no point in stressing about it right now because in just over a month I will have moved away and plan to spend plenty time working on my blog.

In last month’s post I also spent some time talking about cruelty free beauty and how I was making errors in my purchases. I have now given away all of my make up (except gifts and already opened/used products) to my mum and friends which feels good. I felt so incredibly guilty once I realised I had been buying and endorsing brands that test on animals. The most annoying thing about it was that I was making those purchases due to my own ignorance as the information is so easy to find. However, now I can look at all my make up with a clear conscience and be glad I am rid of my old make up.

A lot of my goals are going to be carried on from last month, so hopefully this month I will be working a little bit less and have some more time to focus on them.

Blogging Goals:

1. Reach 1,000 monthly page views.
2. Reach 200 blog followers.
3. Join more blogging chats on twitter.
4. Be more active on Facebook pages.
5. Continue to promote my blog more often.

Personal Goals:

1. Relax more – take baths, read books, use my colouring in book, meditate, yoga ect.
2. Eat healthier and eat my 5 a day every day.
3. Take more Polaroid photos.
4. Spend more time with my family before I move away.

Social Media Goals:

1. Schedule tweets.
2. Schedule Instagram posts.
3. Reach 900 followers on twitter.
4. 1,300 followers on Instagram.
5. 75 followers on Bloglovin.

So now you have heard the juicy info of how exciting my July was, I can’t wait for the end of being constantly exhausted. Here’s to a month of hopefully successfully meeting goals and investing more time into self care. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and if you have any hints or tips about anything to help me meet my goals please let me know in the comments.

Siobhan x

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The Body Shop Spring/Summer Feel Good Box First Impressions

Hi there everyone, hope you’re all well. 

I have recently purchased The Body Shop Spring/Summer 2017 Feel Good box. This is a box of carefully selected mini products from The Body Shop designed to enhance your summer glow. 

Inside this box there is the British Rose scented instant glow body butter, himilayan charcoal face mask, oils of life sleeping cream, drops of youth facial concentrate and the sweetenia perfume. Most of the products in this box are sample sized except the lipstick. 

I was so excited about this box and all the products I couldn’t wait to write about it. Since there is so many mini products this is perfect as a gift or for someone who is knew to buying from The Body Shop. Let’s get into a bit more detail about these products. 

British Rose Instant Glow Body Butter 

I have had so many body butters from The Body Shop over the years and loved every one. I was excited to try this one and love the idea of smelling like a rose all the time. This moisturiser is super effective practically sinking into the skin straight away with no residual stickiness on the skin. 

Himilayan Charcoal Facemask

I already own the full sized version of this product and have already discussed this on here but in case anyone missed it. This is one of the best face masks I’ve used. My skin is so noticeably soft after use and my pores are reduced. This has a very cooling and detoxing effect on my skin. 

Drops of Youth Facial Concentrate 

This is the second product I own from the Drops of Youth range and I couldn’t wait to try this. This is designed to soothe skin and leave it looking fresher and healthier. I don’t particularly need to be investing in anti aging products just yet but the appearance of my skin does look softer after using this. 

Oils of Life Night Cream 

I have never had a night cream before so I was excited to try the sample of this. This is designed to sink in and nourish skin whilst you sleep and leave yourself looking more revitalised. This feels a little bit tingly when applying to my skin at first but I think that just means you really feel it working. The cream is super light and non greasy so is the perfect moisturiser for before bed. 

Matte Lipstick 

I haven’t tried this shade of the lipstick yet but I have another one from this range. If I’m honest I’m not sure if this colour will suit me so I’ve just tried to put off using it. However the matte lipsticks are the most perfect consistency ever – matte but hydrating instead of drying. 

Sweetenia Perfume 

I have never used a fragrance product from The Body Shop before so I wasn’t sure what to expect to be honest. This is the floral scent of crisp Mahogany flower combined with a breeze of orange flower and bigarade leaf for ultimate freshness. I find this perfume very strong scented and to be long lasting. 

So that’s all the products in this box. I find this to be of extremely good value considering it is only £12. This is a great way to be testing some of the more premium products from The Body Shop.

Hope you all enjoyed this post, 

Siobhan

Sydney – Day One

Hi everyone, some of you may know that I have just flew to Australia to begin six months of work and travel. Technically, this is my second day in the country but I am doing an orientation week through Gap 360 and this is my first day in the country with them. 

So today, our main activity was the Sydney walk. I really underestimated the length of this walk. I wore sandals instead of boots (terrible idea) and now my feet have been in pain all day ever since. 

First we walked through Sydney’s Chinatown which was pretty cool. This is actually quite close to our hostel so wasn’t too long a walk. In the streets surrounding our hostel almost every  restaurant is Asian cuisine, with either a 7/11 or subway to occaisionally separate them. In Chinatown there is a large Chinese market which sells clothes, technology and food for super cheap prices which is recommended for backpackers. I am excited to check this place out at the weekend. Through the Chinatown street there is decorations EVERYWHERE for Chinese New Year. Most shops are either restaurants, bubble tea or gelato – definitely making a trip to the gelato shops because it is just soooo yummy. Unfortunately I did not get any photos here to show you guys. 

Next place we strolled along to was Darling Harbour. This is basically a harbour that is surrounded by restaurants, clubs and bars as it is right next to the CBD it is a popular but very expensive place. Walking about here at probably the hottest time of the day was not too enjoyable, I love the sun I just hate sweating and feeling completely gross. 

After that we walked across the huge bridge you see in the background of the photo to go to Hyde Park. Wow, saying we walked to Hyde Park feels a bit weird to me as there is one in the UK but miles away down in England. Hyde Park in Sydney is beautiful, it looks like a peaceful place to come and relax if you need to escape from the busy atmosphere of the city (even though it’s still in the city centre). There is a beautiful fountain in the middle of the park, pretty bushes of flowers everywhere and St Mary’s Cathederal behind too. 

The botanical gardens aren’t too far away from here either. The gardens were beautiful and I will definitely be coming back along but just perhaps on a more cooler and shadier day. There is little notes all around the place to tell you what each plant is, so if you’re into that it’s kinda cool. There were also little hoses by each plant too, this was just tempting to hose myself down and cool off. 

Last big attraction we went to today was the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. By this point in the walk I wasn’t really excited to see these attractions but more just excited to finally stop walking and sit down in the shade. The Opera House is HUGE, quite overwhelming to stand under it and look up. The Harbour Bridge as well was cool, you could see people at the top who did the climb up and I am soooo excited to do that. It seems completely overpriced but it is a one in a lifetime opportunity so the money is worth it. At the side of the Opera House there was also multicoloured chicken statues there, I’m not sure if they are always there or perhaps another decoration for Chinese New Year. 

After the walk I was completely dead and needed to cool down so I thought the best way to do that was to get some passionfruit gelato and a frozen coke. Despite how tiring the walk was it was completely worth it, i still find it a little unbelievable looking at these photos and knowing I was there just a few hours ago. 

So now my first day is over and I can safely say I hope every day travelling is as good as the first. Although I am missing some home comforts, like  not sharing a room with 7 other people and not living out of a suitcase already. 

Hope you enjoyed this post about my day, 

Love Siobhan x