So I've been extremely stressed recently, and have struggled to find time and topics to blog about. Because the rest of my family have to work, I have been 'chief puppy looker afterer', which means even less time to blog. I love my little scamp, but I've been exhausted. So instead of a long written post I thought another inspirational post would be better. So I've picked some really motivational quotes to help get you through the day- and me!

I know people love a good ol' 'How To' blog post, myself including, so I thought it was about time I did another. I don't know how helpful it will be but I suppose we shall fathom that at the end. So recently I been a little down and I sat at my desk all alone, feeling sorry for myself, and it got me pondering happiness.
Sure, we all feel down and sometimes we feel really down and we think that happiness is so far out of reach or for some is an impossible task. But I soon realised it wasn't. Sometimes when we're down, we see happiness as something enormous and difficult to get, which then only makes us feel worse. We sometimes feel as though we are never going to be perfectly happy. So whilst pondering, I thought I would list down some steps as to being happy. Now of course I'm not saying these will definitely work or that they are scientifically proved, but they have helped me.


1.) Realisation- Sometimes even WE don't know why we are sad, we just are. And not knowing can make things worse, which is why I feel it is best to ask yourself and really dig deep, 'Why am I sad? What is causing my sadness?' Now it will take time, and there are days when we are literally down for no reason, but usually there will be a reason, and once you've figured out what it is, you'll be able to understand your emotions and perhaps overcome it.

2.) Acceptance- Accept the situations, accept your life and accept yourself. This is tricky. I won't sit here and act like it'll be easy. I still have a lot of work to do on this step. I find it hard to accept things in life, things that aren't fair and make me ask 'why me?'. But getting wound up about something won't necessarily change it. Unfortunately in life, things aren't always fair, and they do suck! But it is how we react and go about them that will result in a happier self. We sometimes have to just ACCEPT that there will be bad times, and some days we will be sad. But that's okay, we're only human.

3.) Talk to people- bottling up emotions is never good. Hell, I've tried, and I'm sure you all have too. So maybe you feel most comfortable with a friend or maybe your sibling or your mother, who ever you feel is the right person to talk to, talk to them. Even if they have no opinion on the matter, just having someone to listening will feel great. And once you've ranted and gotten everything off you chest, a huge weight will be lifted. Will the problem be solved, no probably not, but you'll feel happier for sharing. And besides that's what your friends and family are for.

4.) Don't be angry- We all get angry from time to time, I get angry a lot. But what does anger really solve- nothing. So it's a whole lot of wasted energy resulting in nothing. It's so much better to just brush it off your shoulder and let it go. Need I sing Frozen's 'Let It Go' here? I know we all want to get angry sometimes, not that its a nice feeling but in some ways I feel as though because it is one of the stronger emotions we feel more certain and powerful, which can often give us a rush of adrenaline. But wouldn't you rather have a happy adrenaline rush. If you face things positively they are much more likely to be resolved. So don't be angry, just stay calm and distract yourself with something that will make you laugh.

5.) Always make time for family- I know when you get to a certain age, all you want to do is hang out with your friends. And whilst friends are extremely important, nothing goes deeper than family. I know that I feel at my happiest when I am with my family. And if you are lucky enough to have a good family, then there is just so much unconditional support, comfort and love there waiting for you. Whenever I feel down, I think of my family and how crazy we are. It gives me strength . When you're with family, you can completely relax and be you.

6.) Do fun things- Sounds and obvious one but it can be the simplest of things. Such as going for a coffee with an old friend and catching up, or booking cinema tickets to a funny movie. Even a little stroll through the park with your partner, will be enough to make you feel like you did something productive with your day. I went for a 10 minute walk through the park with my boyfriend the other day- so simple- and it made me ridiculously happy! Or if these aren't your things, then whatever is, you should do them. Having something to look forward to or maybe something spontaneous, are really great, easy ways to stay positive and happy.

7.) Listening to happy music- Music can have such a strong impact on our emotions and mood. If I listen to a sad song, I feel sad. It goes without saying. So listen to a happy song in the car or whilst getting ready in the morning, it does a world of good!

8.) Stay cool- Whenever I get hot and bothered I feel angry and stressed. Whenever I'm walking somewhere, because I am a fast walker, I get hot very easily. So if you're like me, then plan extra time to walk, so you don't have to walk so fast, don't get out of breath, and you'll have more time to enjoy the walk. This sounds like a silly step, but like I said, sometimes it's the little things, that will determine anger/happiness.

9.) Treat yourself- I know some of us aren't exactly rich, so this one may be a little difficult. But I'm not suggesting you spend heaps of money all the time. Just every now and again or when you're feeling down, treat yourself. It could even be free, for example a relaxing evening away from work/study, with a face pack and a movie. I treated myself to a Domino's pizza the other night- totally worth it!

10.) Relax- It's so easy to get stressed these days. So why not try sleeping to some relaxing music. When I did that for a week, my sleeping was so much better and I felt a lot better for doing it. It can really help stress levels. Or if you're not in to that then meditation could work- although a little hard if you're a fidget like me! Whatever it is that you find relaxing, a bubble bath maybe, it'll help you wind down from the day and you'll see that anger wash away!

Now I hope these little tips have helped. Of course these aren't the only steps, but these were some I had thought of and wanted to share with you all! X

So I've been seeing a lot of pictures on social media recently with the tag '#TBT'. I never even knew what this meant until fairly recently. But for anyone who doesn't know, it stands for Throw Back Thursday. And with this tag, most people like to share an old photo or memory which I think is a lovely idea.


However for some people, looking back into their past, isn't the nicest of things to do. Not everyone has had a wonderful past and unfortunately nothing can change that. Now I don't want people reading this to think that I am in any means saying that Throw Back Thursday is bad- it isn't and I like it! I wrote in a previous blog post about not dwelling on the past and I think this is relevant here. Perhaps instead of Throw Back Thursday, we should focus on Throw Forward Thursday, and spend time thinking about all the little things that we look forward to in the future.

Because no matter how dark your past is, the future will always provide light.

You should always enjoy the memories of the past, never forget them and hold them close to your heart, and you should always appreciate the  present. Live for the moment more and enjoy what you have right now. I don't think people should spend their whole present thinking about the future. However thinking about the little things can really help keep us going. For example thinking about a possible holiday with a loved one can really make a difference to your attitude. I really want to go back to DisneyLand Paris next year for my 21st birthday- and even though it is a way away, it makes me smile thinking that it might happen. The thought of moving into a house in September with some close friends, is also making me excited and really lifting my happiness levels.

If we are down about the past or even the present, it really has an impact in our mood and happiness. But the one thing that we can't be sad about is the future- because it hasn't happened yet. So imagine it as a blank canvas or an empty book which is down to you to fill with wonderous, amazing adventures and smiles. Just because you are growing up, doesn't mean you can't have just as many adventures as you did when you were a kid.

So lock the past in your heart, and don't dwell. Live for the present and live it well. Look forward to the future, and never think that the tunnel is closed- there is always light!