journal

September Goals

1 September 2017

September is here! It’s the first of the month, and what I class as autumn. This season is my favourite time of year, so here are some goals to get me started!

CAREER
Earn more freelance jobs – I freelance in photography and journalism, and absolutely love it. The idea of having more odd jobs and earning extra coins while doing what I love sounds like a dream!

Gain more customers – I currently work for my mum’s charity, Clothing Solutions for Disabled People. We make clothes for disabled people, and although only small, it would be wonderful to have some new clients!

FRIENDS
Movie nights! – I literally want to have movie nights every weekend with my best friends. We’re such a cuddly bunch, it would be so much fun!

Hang out with my blogger pals – I have a few internet friends, many who are bloggers, and it would be absolutely brilliant to host a blogger brunch in the city centre of Leeds.

HEALTH
Run a full circuit without stopping – I recent quit the gym because it’s too awkward to get to. Since then I’ve been running, and often have to take breaks as I’m not at the peak of physical health. I’m determined to run the full route without stopping!

Become a yoga expert – In June, I fell in love with yoga and it’s easily one of my favourite ways to work out. I have more energy after each class, and will soon be showing off my poses on Anika May!

FUN
Head to a festival/gala – It would be simply fantastic to be able to visit a festival soon! There’s Bingley Music Live, a music festival held right in my hometown, and I’ve been once, but I certainly need to go again!

Drive somewhere new – Now that I’m a confident driver, I 100% want to take a long drive somewhere. It’s my goal to be able to jump in my car, bump to some tunes and just go!

MONEY
Have money – A very obvious goal. I do have some money (obviously), but not much spare once those bills suck the life out of my current account. I’d like to be working my way towards earning money doing what I love!

Buy a new iPhone – I love my iPhone 7, it works brilliantly and always has my back. However, I have my eye on the 7+. I definitely don’t want the 8, not with a starting price of £1,000! The 7+ would be perfect for me and for photography on the go!

SELF-CARE
Keep up with my positive journal – I have a book, a very special book that I use to note down all the good things in life. It helps keep me positive and manage the anxieties of life. Now all I need to do is keep up with it!


Improve my skills – There are so many areas I want to learn new skills in. HTML, Photoshop, video editing, journalism, DSLR techniques and so on and so on. The list is endless, and autumn is the perfect time to get started! 

Ten Thoughts for Thursday

22 June 2017

Leeds, UK
#1 You are not alone
It’s always good to remember there are other people in this boat with you. I often put myself in my own little bubble, and it’s not the best way to deal with things. You’re never alone!

#2 There’s room for improvement
I always like to think there’s a chance for something to get better. There’s growing space in most situations, so it’s time to notice that space and use it.

#3 It’s not the end of the world
Although it may certainly feel like it. It’s difficult to find comfort in the mess of today’s world, but it certainly isn’t the end.

#4 Smile back
There’s something really special about smiling back when you make eye contact with someone. In Yorkshire it’s a normal thing, but I think the whole world should do it.

#5 Just do it
Quoting one of the biggest brands, but one of the best sayings. That thing you’ve been avoiding all week – get it over with.

#6 Do what brings you joy
I hate anything that feels like a chore as much as the next person, which is why it’s vital to save some time for the joyful things in life.

#7 Watch some cartoons
I’m a big girl but SpongeBob will always make me smile. It’s an odd fact, but I know I’m not the only. Throw on an animated series and have a laugh.

#8 Forget the past
What’s done is done. Just take the lesson, accept the principle and move on. You only ever move the direction you’re facing, so turn around.

#9 Value everything
Sometimes it takes a shock in life for us to focus on what’s really special in life. Why not just value those things, or people, while they’re there?

And finally, #10 Pizza is awesome

Unless you seriously hate pizza, pizza is the best. I had a Domino's this week, and it brought me so much joy I just had to add it to today's post. 

Six Ways I’m Approaching Blogging Differently

7 June 2017

Kettering, UK
In December 2016, I decided to take a break from blogging because I fell out of love with it. During this time, I wanted to really figure out the type of person I want to be, and I want that person to be the same online, as in real life. Blogging became more a chore for me and I feel like all the joy was zapped out of it. And articles from bigger bloggers saying the market is saturated and there’s no room for everyone else doesn’t help, but it isn’t going to stop me. I’m back to blogging for good, and I have six different ways I’m going to ensure that happens.

KILL THE COMPARISON
One of the main reasons I fell out of love with blogging is because I was comparing my blog to everyone else’s. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve and grow as a person, but it should be to your own standards, not to the achievements of someone else. I was measuring my success based on how similar I was to other bloggers I looked up to, and when I wasn’t close to them, it started to get me down. I’ll still look up to bloggers, but not try to become them. I wanna be me!

NO MORE PRESSURE
I used to really pressure and push myself while blogging, almost to the point of not wanting to even switch my computer on. I used to seriously freak out if I wasn’t getting four blog posts out a week and had to post on Instagram three times a day. That’s when blogging really became a chore. I was even setting reminders to tweet and so on. Now that blogging is more personal to me, I’m posting when I feel I should post (but still frequently) and tweeting what I’m actually thinking, rather than just a quote of the day or a photo of my breakfast. With Instagram, I still post every day, but filling up people’s feeds isn’t at the top of my list any more.

FOCUS ON PHOTOS
When blogging my daily outfits, I used to use any old photos and just hope for the best. I have a chunky DSLR that takes killer photos, and awesome lenses, so I’m going to make use of them! I really enjoy photography and my sister (sort of) enjoys taking photos of me in random locations, which means I really need to up my game. Instead of finding hit and miss Tumblr images, I want to spend time arranging flat lays, or planning the set up for my photos, so they not only reflect my personality, but also improve the quality of my blog.

PUBLISH THOSE DRAFTS
The number one reason I started a blog is because I love to write. When I was younger, I really thought I was going to be an author or a journalist because creative writing and sharing my thoughts it my passion. I have quite a few blog posts sitting in my drafts that I wrote to inspire my readers. However I was always a little scared to publish them, worried that it means I won’t fit in to the whole “fashion” market, or that I was straying too far from my niche. Well my blog is named after myself, and myself shall decide what I publish. From photography, to travel to journal posts, I want to share it all.

CREATE VIDEOS
There’s very little chance I’m going to become a YouTuber over the next six months, but I recently edited a video called “24 Hours in London” which I shot on my iPhone 7. I really enjoyed the editing process and loved the final product. Creating a travel video out of the phone footage was genuinely an enjoyable experience and I definitely want to continue doing so. I may start small, with the occasional trip around Yorkshire or even some drone footage. But soon, I want to be able to share travel videos online!

JUST BEING ME
As I mentioned earlier, my blog is named Anika May. That’s me. There’s no point creating a little corner on the internet for myself, if I’m not being myself. I finally know the type of person I am, and I know who I want to grow to become. It’s not another blogger, or a celebrity, or even one of my friends – it’s just me. Anika. I’m not that cool, I don’t pout in photos and I like spending hours watching trash TV. I no longer want to hide aspects of my personality or worry what people think of me because it’s my blog, and it always will be. Haters gon’ hate…right?

Into The Woods | Gallery

3 December 2016

Eldwick, UK
One of my favourite things about living in Yorkshire is the scenery that’s simply footsteps away. It’s one of the main reasons I won’t move to London, I need these kind of views every day. I live in a tiny village in the West of Yorkshire, with moors right outside my bedroom windows. However, between the moors and my house, is this huge valley which everyone just calls “The Woods”. It’s easily become my happy place, because it’s hidden, untouched and peaceful. The only sounds you can hear are from the brook that runs through the valley and hundreds of birds. It’s one of the best places to run away to, and as it’s so close to home I’m there basically every day. 

Let Your Dreams Fly: Volume II

21 November 2016

Leeds, UK
Happy Monday! A little while ago, I published a blog post that featured some of my favourite inspirational quotes to spread a sprinkle of positivity on my blog and on the world wide web. Sometimes I just need a pick-me-up moment, and looking through a good selection of quotes imprints the wise words on my brain and motivates me to work harder and let my dreams fly...


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