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.
Exploring in Floral
15 June 2017
Eldwick, UK
Going for walks has got to be one of my favourite things to do. It’s a very basic activity, you don’t need much, but the benefits are always positive. Whenever I’m in a bad mood, not feeling well, or want to get some easy exercise in, I just go for a walk. Luckily for me, I live in quite the scenic area of Yorkshire, so a beautiful stroll is only two steps away.
Converse have become a big go-to shoe to me recently, and I feel like up until now, I was really taking them for granted. I’ve had this classic pair since school, and they’re still in top condition (minus the mud). I love how they add a casual twist to this look paired with a denim jacket. Converse all the way! Shop the pieces from this look below!
5 Netflix Shows You Need to Watch This Month
12 June 2017
Bingley, UK
I’m a self-confessed Netflix lover. Ever since signing
up, I have just adored the site and use it more than I use usual TV. There are
a lot of TV shows and series that I have grown to love, and watched way more
than three times. Therefore, my joy must be shared!
01. Girlboss
The phrase #GIRLBOSS is pretty famous thanks to Nasty Gal
CEO Sophia Amoruso, and this show is a total inspiration. Although it hasn’t
received the best reviews from critics and some feminists, I still love how
determined and unique Britt Robertson’s character is. The story is interesting,
very much like the book, even though the narrative is a little slow. If you’re
looking for the motivation to start your own business or jump into the fashion
industry, check out this show.
02. 13 Reasons Why
I completely understand why this show was controversial.
Some scenes were truly terrifying to watch. Why you should watch it? Well not
only because everyone is talking about it, but because this show will alter the
way you look at the world. While watching it, I started to think about my own
personal demons and actually become motivated to defeat them. I was moved by
Hannah’s story, as well as Clay’s emotional turmoil as each episode unfolded.
There’ll be characters you love, totally despise and want to hug. It’s a series
full of relatable types and eye-opening messages. But please watch with
caution!
03. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Whenever I’m on my lunch break, I look for something
light and humours to watch, as it’ll lower my stress levels and put me in a
better mood before I return to an afternoon of reports and cold cups of tea. Unbreakable
Kimmy Schmidt is that perfect show. Not only is it truly hilarious, but I fell
in love with the characters, especially Titus. You’ll often see gifs of him
floating around the internet, so tune in and enjoy.
04. Riverdale
I can’t lie, I really struggled with this show at first.
With the first few episodes, I couldn’t get addicted, and didn’t relate to the
characters this much. By the third or fourth, and a little encouragement from
my friends, I really started to enjoy the show as more details of the
mysterious murder were revealed. One thing I noticed with the characters in
this show, is that you really get to know them and their lives, and are able to
make your own decision as to whether or not you like them. And like any good
show, there are some great couples to obsess over!
05. Gossip Girl… obviously
I mean, if you haven’t watched this show. Kmt. I don’t
even know where to begin. I’ve been a Gossip Girl fan since it first showed on
ITV2 a couple of years ago. I became obsessed then and I’m still obsessed now.
It’s definitely the show that helped me to fall in love with New York City,
fashion and glamour. The drama is enough to have you hooked, and each season
has a hint of mystery; on top of the biggest mystery of all – who Gossip Girl
is!
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?
June Goals
1 June 2017
Harrogate, UK
CAREER
Get back my blogging groove – I used to post six times a
week, which I now know is way too many times for my busy brain to handle, but
the chaos was kind of fun and I’d like to publish more photography online.
Meet more bloggers – I haven’t met many bloggers in real
life, and although I have mutual followers and so forth online, it would be
lovely to really establish friendships with more in this wonderful community
and get to know the people behind the URLs.
Update my CV – I currently work part-time for my mama’s
charity, but my CV hasn’t been touched for about two years. Granted, I’m not
looking for a job, but the media kit for my blog is always updated; I guess my
CV should be too!
FRIENDS & FAMILY
See my family – My extended family members literally live
twenty minutes away and I barely see them. This results in broken relationships
which isn’t healthy in the long run. I have quite a few cousins, and we should
all be a lot closer!
More girls’ nights – For the first time in a long time, I
have friends that I enjoy being around. There’s no cliques and there’s no drama
– just how I like it. I love when we have our girly nights in and we need waaaaaaaay more.
Bond with my mum and sister – My mum, sister and I have one
of the most hilariously interesting relationships I’ve ever known. We’re a peculiar
bunch and could be yelling at each other one minute and howling with laughter
the next… I want more of that.
HEALTH
Gym, gym and gym – I haven’t hit the gym in a while and it’s
just because I’m lazy. I sort of gave up on the health kick I was on, and I’d
love to hop back on that train. Being in the peak of physical health is the
goal!
Prep my meals – One of the major things that lets me down is
the food I eat. I hate cooking with a burning passion and will do quite a few
things to avoid it, like buy Pot Noodles when they’re on offer. If I prepare my
meals in advance, I’m sure it’ll help.
Take a yoga class – I’ve always been intrigued by yoga, and
I love how it’s so beneficial and challenging for the body. It seems like one
of those exercises that you will start to look forward to, rather than dread.
FUN
Late summer nights – Summer means more daylight and a higher
temperature, that means campfires, woodland adventures and so much more. I can’t
wait to get started, 2017 will be the best summer yet!
Take a holiday – I haven’t got anything booked yet, but
taking a spontaneous trip to a country I’ve never been to sounds like the
dream. Just something care-free and fun is sure to lift my spirits and help me
enjoy the year with my friends.
Vlog – I already have one little travel diary from London
sitting in my “Videos” folder, ready to upload to YouTube, but I don’t know if
I’m ready. I think the more I vlog, the more comfortable and confident I will
become with my skills.
MONEY
Attain more freelance jobs – I really enjoy doing the odd job
here and there, it’s such a fun change to my regular routine and helps me build
experience in the real world. I’d love to do more, whether it’s photography or
a sponsored post on my blog.
Buy a MacBook – Don’t get me wrong, I adore Windows, but
Windows doesn’t come with some of the software I need. MacBooks are the key to
upping my blogging and vlogging game and I think buying one would help me a lot…
I just need some money…
Buy a camera – At the moment, my iPhone 7 does the perfect
job of taking snaps when my DSLR is deemed too heavy, but I’d love to purchase
something in the middle. I’ve had my eye on the Canon G7x Mark ii, maybe June
is the month I buy it.
SELF-CARE
Be positive – One of the reasons I took a break from
blogging is because I no longer saw it in a positive light. That’s got to
change. There may be some bloggers who believe there’s no room for anyone else
to shine or that the market is saturated… who needs that kind of negativity?
Journal daily – I have a journal specifically for
making note of when my anxiety gets the best of me or when I struggle to
control my emotions. I definitely to write down how I feel a lot more, as
storing it all in my brain just isn’t healthy.
Start saving – Not just to have money, but for my future. I
have a very ambitious mind set and have already decided my next car will be a
Mercedes. If I want to buy one, I need cash. Saving money from blogging and my
pay-check is definitely a June goal.
What are you goals for this month?
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