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.
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.
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...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)