How many 'New Years Resolutions' style posts have you read already? I'm not even gonna apologize for adding to the masses, because a fresh year (starting on a Monday, no less!) is the perfect time to implement all of those changes you keep promising yourself. Plus, I love reading everyone elses and getting inspired! 
I wrote a post back in September when I was feeling super motivated about how that time of year (more so than actual New Year) gets me ready for a fresh start. It's probably due to the whole 'start of the new school year' which was engrained for so many years as a fresh start. But that doesn't mean I don't still get motivated by the new year.

I don't have a bullet point list of things that I want to accomplish in 2018, set number goals to achieve or anything like that, but just a few things that I've been noticing lately that I want to make more of an effort with.

Doing Things For Myself.
The biggest change I want to make for 2018 is to be a stronger person, learn to say no, learn to let go and, basically, stop being taken for a mug! There have been too many 'friends' only ever getting in touch when they want something, not being there for me and generally just using me. To the point where I was in tears to my mum on one ocassion telling her how much I just hate people. So 2018 is gonna be the year to get rid of that kind of negativity from my life. I want the kind of friends who uplift me, not tear me down, and although I'm super introverted and not the most sociable person, I just need to push myself a little and find more like-minded people.

Saying Yes More.
This kind of follows on from the first point, but as if I wasn't shy and anxiety riddled enough, something happened early on this year which just pushed me way back. To the point where I was cancelling plans if not avoiding making them in the first place, and honestly? I've barely done anything this year other than work or blog. I've not been on holiday (unless you count a family trip to Dublin?) and I've just not spent much time with friends. So for 2018 I want to get back to being me. Doing things I enjoy with other people, not just on my own, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone somewhat.

Working On My Content.
Not so much a change, but I want to continue working on improving my content more, working with photographers for my outfit shoots and writing more ~think pieces~. My photos, writing and blog in general have improved a lot since I started, and I am so happy with it all, but I still want to continue pushing myself and my abilities! Along with this comes improving my social media. I'm not talking aiming for higher numbers, I'm talking how I use them. I need to be more active and sociable on twitter, and I need to put more effort into my instagram. It got to a point where I was so focused with posting everyday on there that I wasn't posting my best photos. Less high quality photos are better than lots of poor quality ones tbh.

Being more ethical.
I like to think I'm not doing terrible at this anyway, but I know there's little changes I can still make, cutting down on plastic use being a big one! I didn't even watch Blue Planet (sorry!) but the chat around it still made me think, along with the other chat you see on social media about climate change and veganism and all sorts. I eat a (mainly) plant-based diet, but health problems restrict me with food a lot anyway! I do the main things like using a canvas shopping bag and recycling what I can, but I do I want to get a compost bin too for any food waste, and generally just be more aware.

If it's not about wearing everything red, or gawdy festive jumpers everyday, then Christmas tends to mean wearing head-to-toe sparkles for ~the party season~. But sometimes, you've got a banging LBD you want to wear, a colourful skirt or a check-print trouser suit, and that sparkly playsuit just doesn't fit right. If you're not comfortable in it, don't wear it! Sparkles just aren't for me. I've never worn a glittery dress (why are they all so itchy?!) and a sequin covered top just seems impracticle tbh. So why not add sparkle to your outfit through your accessories instead? I don't mean adding glittery belts or covering your shoes in sequins, just some nice little metallic pops. And what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't go for rose gold, hm?!


I picked up this suit from Missguided and for the price, it fits really rather well. Although the check print means it's not the most subtle, it's also not very loud, so with a nude bodysuit underneath I thought it would make the perfect outfit to sparkle up.


Shoes
If there's anything you should know about me, it's that I LOVE a statement shoe. In particular statement boots! Whether it's metallics or animal print, platforms or vibrant colours, I'm all about them. So this rose gold pair from Office seemed like the perfect addition. Failing that, I also think a red pair of boots would add the ultimate pop of colour!


Bag
My brother actually got me this bag at the start of the year when I was in my cliche blogger 'I love everything rose gold' phase and it's actually not been used all that much! It's the perfect 'going out' size but I just never go out, y'know! I love that the chain and the whole bag are all one colour; and are statement bags, teamed with statement shoes, not the easiest way to jazz up any outfit?!

Jewellery
I'm really bad when it comes to jewellery. I have multiple ear piercings but never change them and I wear the same selection of rings almost every single day. But you just need to think a bit more about what you're wearing and the perfect jewellery accompaniments can be found! I initially wanted to add a necklace, thinking it would tie in with the bare chest look well, but decided statement earrings would be a better fit. I always go for lots of rings, and this time I simply switched my normal choices for these rose gold ones that I picked up from Primark a while ago! I also switched up my watch from my usual black and gold Olivia Burton number to this rose gold beauty from Ice Watch*. It's the perfect 'sparkle but not too much' style and is super lightweight and comfy to wear!


Make-Up
Hey look, it's something else that I'm really bad at! I mentioned only recently how terrible I am with makeup but one thing I'm all about is a statement lip and nail combo. At this time of year it does tend to be red, because you just can't beat it can you? But once I pick a theme, I really stick to it, so this rose gold lip cream from the Bourjois metallics range*  paired with a Barry M metallic nail polish couldn't be any better could it? The lip cream is so nice and creamy (not drying on the lips!) and the nail polish is only slight sparkle (not the hard to get off, all out glitter!) so it's a win-win!


Wearing:


Blazer & Trousers, Missguided


Bodysuit, Missguided


Bag, SkinnyDip


Boots, Office


Earrings, Next (not online)


Rings, Primark


Watch, Ice Watch*


Photos by Matt McCormick

Y'know when inspiration strikes in the shower and you write up paragraphs in your head, but as soon as you get out, it's gone? Yeah that happened with this post! I had the idea and loads of points that I wanted to make, worded it all so that it was actually readable and now don't have a clue what any of it was! But I just see so much focus, everywhere, on aiming to be a girl boss, run your own successful business, have multiple side hustles and be on the grind 12 hours a day, everyday. And I hate it. Like yes, that is (obviously) a great goal to have, aim high and all that, but it's just not for everyone. AND THAT'S OK.



Wherever you look, whether it be the slogans on clothing, the latest must-have coffee table books, or just chat on social media, being a ~girl boss~ seems to be the goal for everyone at the moment. (And don't get me started on why we're still using this term - is a boss not a boss whether male, female or anything in between?) And I was all for it at first, yes GRLPOWR, we can and should achieve just as much if not more than our male counterparts, but then the more I've thought about it, more so in relation to myself, it just doesn't sit right with me. When I do something, I like to give it my all, I do everything I can to make any task the best it can possibly be, to the point of burning myself out. So if I was having to go out and find a paycheck each month, my mental and physical health would be TERRIBLE. The thought of blogging full-time, loosing a steady income and risking it all, gives me so much anxiety, which only triggers my IBS more and makes me want to hibernate for a week. I know blogging full-time isn't the only way to be bossing life, but it's just one example because, y'know, I'm a blogger! 



I love my blog, and yeah of course I get a little jealous at times seeing those who do it full-time jetting off everywhere and anywhere, shopping all week and choosing their own working hours, but for the stress that come's along with this, I just don't think it will ever be for me. I love blogging alongside my 9-5 and what's so bad about that? I don't have to worry where my next paycheck will come from and when; I can switch off at 5 o'clock and my holidays are actual holidays. There's no fear that having time off will result in a loss of money or having to take my laptop on every trip I make. If I want to create content for my blog whilst I'm away then that's through choice and it's stress-free. I'm not ~bossing life~ but that's ok. 

"Chase your dreams or you'll end up helping someone else chase theirs"
One of the most RIDICULOUS statements used to encourage everyone to build an empire. What's so wrong with helping others achieve their dreams? Absolutely nothing. If you build such a successful empire then you'll end up wanting somebody to help you and you shouldn't be looking down on them for that. Not everyones dream is to be their own boss; not everyones dream is even career focused! Some people just want to travel the world or have a family, and if a stable job working for someone else helps them to achieve that, who are we to judge? 

With social media so huge it's very easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to literally anyone else who is a similar age, and it's just not necessary, is it? I don't have my own business, I don't own my own house, but does that mean I don't work hard? No. Does it mean I'm not successful? No. Whether we have different end goals or just different paths to get their, no two people have the same journey. 



Wearing:


Top, Topshop


Jacket, Primark (similar)


Trousers, Nasty Gal


Hat, TK Maxx (similar)

I always like to switch up my skincare as we get into the colder months, adding extra hydration of course, so it seemed liked the perfect time for me to finally try a few pieces from The Ordinary! I've wanted to try so many items for a while now, but because of the hype they're always sold out. So I was very happy to finally get everything I wanted in one order, because I'm just that easily pleased! Glossier launching in the UK at the same time just added the cherry on top of my wonderful little cake full of skincare (that didn't really work did it, but let's just roll with it..). I simply opted for the 'Phase 1' set from Glossier because I didn't know what I actually wanted to try and it seemed like the easiest option. So after trialling these for about ~a month, I thought I'd give a little run through each of them.



The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid 2% + B5
Have I mentioned how annoying the names of The Ordinary products are? Because it took me a good while to figure out what each product was and whether they were suitable for my skin. FYI they almost all say not suitable for sensitive skin, I have sensitive skin and took the risk; they aren't very harsh.
But anyway, this one is a hydrating serum and I've been using it on an evening before my moisturiser and have really noticed a difference! I have dehydrated skin, so when it's cold and the heating at home and work is on and drying out my skin, it gets awful. But a couple of drops of this each night and my skin is feeling much more hydrated and I'm not quite as desperate to get my makeup off and slather my face in moisturiser each night now!

The Ordinary salicylic acid 2% solution 
I don't really remember choosing this one, but I'm so glad that I did because it's become one of my staples! It's a purifying toner and after changing up my skincare so much, my skin has been breaking out rather a lot recently so this was much needed! I've just been applying a few drops on my problem areas after cleansing on a night, and by the next day they're more or less gone? What a dream!



The Ordinary Vitamin C suspension 23% + HA sphere 2%
I'm still somewhat undecided on how I feel about this one tbh. It's a brightening serum and I've been using it every morning before my moisturiser, but it leaves my skin feeling greasy and just doesn't seem to soak in much! It also has a grainy texture which took a bit of getting used to too. Can't say I've noticed much difference with using this, so not sure I'd bother repurchasing this one!



The Ordinary Glycolic acid 7% toning solution
I was really holding out hope for this being a perfect dupe for the Pixi Glow Tonic costing a fraction of the price, but it doesn't *quite* match up for me. It's definitely much better value for money and it does do the same job, it just feels like it's more diluted? Which it probably is and it's probably better for your skin tbh (I've not done a great amount of research!) but it's not pulling me away from my trusty faithful I'm afraid!



The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution
This is probably the one that I was most excited to try! (Yes I get excited over skincare, shh) It's a bit like an exfoliating face mask and leaves my skin SO soft. It's a bright red liquid, so when you apply it to your face it leaves you looking like a tomato and you're best not to wash it off with a new, white muslin cloth or it will stain. I learnt that the hard way! It does sting a bit when first applied, but I like that because I like to know that somethings working. Just don't make the mistake of applying it to freshly waxed skin like I did after having my eyebrows done - the burn is real!



Glossier Priming moisturiser
Being honest, I've not really trialled this all that much. With switching everything else up in my skincare routine, I didn't want to mess around with my day moisturiser as well. I have used it a few times, and while it's a great base for applying make-up (as the name would suggest) it doesn't seem moisturising enough for my thirsty skin. I'll still try it out a bit more though - with a hydrating serum before it might be much better!

Glossier Balm dot com
Clothes and shoes aside, if there's one thing I have in excess, it is lip products. Lipsticks, glosses, balms, everything, I have an array in pots and trinkets galore. It's ridiculous! But I couldn't not try this given the hype around it. I went for the 'Birthday' flavour because it's just different to any others I have, and it tastes SO nice! It's quite tough to squeeze out of the tube, but is nice and moisturising and has become my nightly before-bed balm!

Glossier Milk jelly cleanser
The final piece that I've started using and I'm liking it, but not loving it. It's not gonna replace my beloved Cleanse & Polish, lets put it that way! It is nice - it smells goods and doesn't dry your skin out like some cleansers can, but it doesn't give a deep clean. It's not great when you've got any amount of make-up on, but I've switched to using it in a morning as opposed to evenings and much prefer it that way. It's a nice wake-up for the face!

So I mentioned in my post about the benefits of having a blog, that one of the best things about blogging is the community of bloggers. It makes you feel less alone in what you're doing, and it often helps when you have a wobble and feel like you're talking to nobody and someones there to remind you that you aren't, someone who can actually relate to how you're feeling. So with this, comes the fact that we should all be building each other up; tell someone when their post makes you feel something; let them know when their outfits have inspired you; share the love!! I did a little post a couple of weeks back sharing the love on some of my favourite instagram accounts, and now I thought I'd share my favourite blogs at the moment. Because I'm TERRIBLE at commenting/tweeting/generally leaving feedback. So here's a little apology for being the dreaded silent reader. Woops.

1. The Little Plum
I'm sure you all read Chloes blog already (if you don't, why the hell not?!) but I couldn't do a post like this and not include her. Her posts are the ones that have me shouting 'YES!' at my laptop the most, because she nails it every. single. time. Everything she writes about is just so relatable, honestly, sometimes I think she's in my head. Whether its about contraception or body confidence, dating advice or general fashion chat, I can guarantee there'll be a post you fall in love with. And she is the queen of petite style don't ya know!

Favourite post by Chloe: Who I Want To Be On The Internet

2. Sophie Cliff
So I actually found Sophies blog through the #leedsblogger tag on instagram, because if you can't support local girls then whats even the point?! I fell in love not only with her imagery, but her honesty and her commitment to blogging too. I don't know how she puts out so many consistently high quality posts while holding down a full-time job; I am in awe. She has inspired me to get up earlier in a morning, make use of the time that we have, and also to be more honest in my posts. Her travel posts always have me wanting to hop on a plane and just spend a weekend somewhere new!

Favourite post by Sophie: Is Our Generation Paralysed By Choice

3. Lauren Evie
Lauren is fast becoming one of my favourite bloggers, like, ever. She did blogtober last month and absolutely nailed it with such unique and amazing posts, whether that be on mental health, a book review, or any kind of lifestyle post you could possibly want. Her way with words is just the best, and her posts actually make you FEEL. She's also one of the nicest people I follow on social media, so really, whats not to love? I am also going to hold her solely responsible for my ever-growing collection of books which I am always failing in making time to read, so there's a warning!

Favourite post by Lauren: There's More To Life Than Right Now

4. SopharSoGood
I genuinely can't believe that Sophie only started blogging this year, considering the level of content which she is putting out! I love every post that she writes whether it be fashion related, a travel diary or beauty reviews. Her outfits are always on point and her posts have more substance to them than a typical 'this is what I wore' which I really admire and love in a blogger, and something which I try to do myself. She's just one of those bloggers who you want to be best friends with, y'know?

Favourite post by Sophie: In Defence Of Dressing Up

5. Beth Sandland
I must admit that, for a while, Beth was one of those bloggers who I followed on social media and interacted with without actually venturing to her blog. Bad, I know! But then I went on and got sucked into post after post because they're all so. damn. good. She posts on an array of lifestyle topics and her imagery is always so on point, it's hard to believe she's only been blogging for a year! Also: her instagram feed is a dream and I love how real she keeps everything with such honest captions. 

Favourite post by Beth: Blogging And Relatability

I'm forever seeing blog posts on 'how to balance blogging with a full-time job' and basically, the key is good time management and finding what works for you. Whether you want to be publishing posts 5 times a week or just once, whether you need to co-ordinate with someone else to shoot your photos or can do them on your own, whether you work 9-5 or varying shifts, it's totally different for everybody. So after a week of feeling bleurgh, my iron deficiency coming back with a vengeance and wiping me, alongside a bout of tonsilitus and just wanting to hibernate, I thought it was time to kick myself into gear. Starting with sharing how I (usually) find the balance when juggling full-time work & a blog (along with going to the gym, having a social life, me-time, etc.etc.).



Being Organised 
The key to keeping sane when you're busy is organisation. There's no fancy tricks, it's that simple! I got the 18-month Kate Spade diary this year and it has basically become my life. It has everything in there; my plan of blog posts each month, a track of what I've been spending, appointments & shoots I have booked, everything! I know a lot of people like bullet journals, but this just works for me so why rock the boat? 



Making Time 
With being organised, comes utilising your time well. For me, this has become getting up earlier on a weekday to make use of an extra hour each day. This may sound like hell to some of you, but it's just become routine now (and admittedly, some days I do spend much of that extra hour scrolling social media). I'm just a morning person! I never have and never will be a night owl, I'm lucky if I make it to 11 o'clock without having fallen asleep once already, and the idea of coming home from work, having some dinner and then starting to write a blog post is never gonna work for me. I like to leave my evenings free for some down-time; whether that's a pamper evening with a face mask, going to the gym or meeting a friend for pizza, evenings are just when I feel least productive. So getting up a bit earlier (still staying bed, of course) and editing some photos or scheduling a few tweets is what I like best. 
Along with this, I like to make use of my lunch hour a few times a week too. I spend much of the work day chatting with colleagues so don't feel the need to be sociable at lunch too (hello, I am the most anti-social bean to exist). If I can get a post written whilst enjoying a muffin and hot chocolate from Costa, then what's not to love?!



Planning Ahead 
I mentioned briefly that I have a plan of blog posts for the month ahead scheduled in my diary. This is something I'm continuously adding to and adjusting as new ideas come to me or things change and I don't get the photos I wanted, but it just gives me an idea of what I need to be writing/shooting and when for. The one piece of planning which I think is vital in juggling a blog around full-time work is to shoot as many sets of photos as you can at once. For my outfit shoots, I aim to get 2 outfits done per shoot, so if I don't get chance to shoot the following week I still have photos good to go. With regards to flat-lay style photos, if I have the products needed and know how i want to photos to look, I'll do as many as I can because these dark evenings really limit photography time! 



Not Getting Too Caught Up In It All 
I know I said being organised is the key to blogging around a 9-5, but I also think it's essential to be aware and take a step back sometimes. If you wanted to shoot outfit photos but it's raining, have some time off. If there's a post that needs writing but a friend wants to go for pizza, have some time off. Blogging is my hobby first and fore most. It isn't what pays the bills and it's something that I want to always enjoy. So I'm never gonna put too much pressure on myself. Sometimes you've just got to put yourself first and not burn yourself into the ground.