New Years Resolutions 2015: A Review

Hello!
Earlier this year I wrote up a few New Years Resolutions for 2015. I have decided to re-visit those resolutions to see how I've done so that I can endeavour to complete everything on the list for a successful year. Let's review....

Learn to say YES.

Everyone always seems to regret not taking risks. In hindsight we see they may have lead to something good. I feel that I need to learn to say yes and be more pro-active. I've lost out to many job opportunities because I forgot to respond to them by just thinking 'Eh, I will keep the window open in my browser and get to it later,' but when later comes, the position has been filled. Like in the film "Yes Man" I want to learn to say yes and grab opportunities when I see them. This could mean going on more nights out or taking up extra shifts or anything that could benefit me somehow.

How have I done with this?
I've tried to be a little bit more spontaneous. I go out more upon invitation, I've tried to pursue opportunities. I could be better though. Now we're in August so I have a few more months to say 'yes' a lot more.

Procrastinate less, do more.

This really follows on from the last one. I probably lost hundreds of hours to procrastination in 2014. All those times I went to sit down and write a novel and ended up on Tumblr or Pinterest or YouTube. I have so many things that I want to achieve and I will only do this if I kick my procrastinating ways. I need to focus on my work this year because I feel that this year could be a big one for me.

Well it's been tough. I work a lot. I mean a LOT. You'll see why when we get to the final point. I've not had much time to do anything so I have procrastinated less and have therefore become so much more organised with my time. I would say I've procrastinated a lot less and have really learned a lot about how to manage myself and to organise my time well.

Write a thing.

I want to write a thing. Any thing. A book thing. A script thing. An anthology thing. Anything. I want it done by the end of 2015.

Again, I have tried. I spectacularly missed out on NaNoWriMo even though I really wanted to take part. I work two jobs full time so there's not much time to write. I am about 27,000 words into a project and I'm hoping to have more time but it is hard when you work as much and as often as I do.

Travel

I want to at least go somewhere outside of England. Just once. I meant to last year but work and personal restraints held me back. Hopefully, this year will be the year...

I haven't left the UK so far this year. I do, however, have plans to make one or two trips later in the year when winter rolls around. I'm hoping to do a mini-break with my family in Berlin and hoping to do a trip with my partner to Italy or France. Again, work has been a priority this year

Make a career change

I have been in my current job for over a year now and I can safely say that, although I've enjoyed some aspects of my time here, it's not the job I was aiming for when I left university. Now it is time to find the job I want, the job I'm qualified to do. This may mean working at my current job as well as a new job and doing both simultaneously. This may be one big career move altogether. I've not decided yet but let's see what the New Year brings...

This is the one I have already succeeded in pretty hard. The job I mentioned in the previous paragraph is one I've been working at for a year and a half now, maybe more, and I am still there. I was up for a promotion there at my old job. A few days before the promotion interview I was offered a job elsewhere. This job offer was a salaried position. Obviously I took the job. I had my own desk, a good salary, won many of the incentives and competitions. However the job wasn't working for me so I resigned. It was scary - I'd never written a letter of resignation before. I was scared but I knew I had to resign. I was working an hour away from where I live and worked long hours - there was no way I was going to ever get enough time to make a job interview closer to home when I worked so far away. I resigned and applied to several jobs. I actually received quite a high level of positive response. Quite a few jobs wanted to arrange an interview or discuss the role further. I landed an interview a day or so after leaving my old office job and, within seven days of my resignation/leaving, I landed a new job. This new job is closer to home so no long commute! The new job is an area of interest to me with excellent career progression and I could not be happier.


Having reviewed everything I think I've done well. I'm on track. I just need a holiday and some time to write and it'll all be grand. Fingers crossed...

Silver Linings Search: November

Hello lovelies!

Over the past year I've been recording all the little moments of good that happen in my month and the year is almost over! There's a real possibility that I'll continue these posts in 2015 - just as long as I remember to update. Here are the good things that happened this month:

• I got to go to a private screening of Interstellar. It was a midnight screening on the day of the release. We all got to go in once the cinema had been locked, all in our onesies and pyjamas, and had such a crazy, awesome time. We had an 80s dance party in the run up to midnight it was brilliant.
• I had an interview for a graduate job and was one of the final two that was considered for the position
• I was called back for a second interview where I feel I seriously impressed the man interviewing me. Fingers crossed!
• My partner and I took a day to just mess around and watch movies with my sister which was fun.
• Driving through the forest with my loved ones singing along to Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
• A show I'm in really took shape. I even whipped up a solo in half an hour, two rehearsals before the actual show went to the stage.
• I made an attempt at NaNoWriMo. An attempt.
• I took up a lot of extra hours last month and they paid off this month on pay day. Wow. 
• I also got a bonus from work. I don't get it til next pay day but still, it'll be a nice little extra in my pay packet. Huzzah!
• I was contacted and straight up offered another job. They'd selected me from my skills. I am fortunate enough to be in the position where I was able to respectfully decline as I move to savour my time for other projects. That said, it's great to be considered. 
• One of my close friends came to visit all the way from Leeds. Although it was a quick trip it was good just to see her face and catch up quickly. 
• My partner got a slight promotion at work which will look great on her CV and provide decent job security.
• I've lost a bit of weight - brilliant!
• I got to see my gorgeous partner graduate from university which was a wonderful, truly special moment.
• My partner and I travelled up to Huddersfield for the graduation so I had just under 24 hours in the wonderful town I spent three years in. It was great! We spent time doing typical Huddersfield things from eating and drinking at our old haunts to shopping for silly items. 
• Shopping: I bought some gorgeous things this month from faux fur boots to a new handbag.
• I got to see many friends of mine - old and new! It was a quick trip but it was so good just to see their faces. 
• November: the month of reduced price Halloween goodies!
• My holiday started at the end of the month. From December 30th I have two weeks off work to get stuff done!

Silver Lining Search: October

Hello my little pumpkins!
So, if you frequent this blog then you'll know what the silver lining search is. If not, I shall tell you. Basically, since the start of the year, I've been collecting and recording happy memories. In writing them down I remind myself of all the good from that month. It's far too easy to focus on the bad things so in doing this I am actively searching for the silver lining in a cloud. It's an exercise in positive thinking.
Alrighty, here are my happy moments for the month:

• I joined a gym! For the first time in my life I am a member of a gym and I immediately began using it. I'm already feeling the benefits. By this time next year I want to have a healthy heart and a slender frame. 
• Also the people at the gym were so nice that they gave me a discount because I work in the same building. They also gave me two weeks for free because they're awesome.
• THEN, to make things even better... My partner joined the gym with me and managed to get a discount through me which is cool. I didn't know until one day, as I was getting changed after a swim, I heard her call out my name. I was all, "How are you in here? You're not a member," and then she whipped out her membership card. Awh yeah. We're gonna swim together.
• I started my Christmas shopping. God, am I organised or what? Some of the presents are wrapped and labelled already.
• I bought some new Halloween pots and my mother gave me some adorable house plants to put in them. It really brightens up the room. They are so cute.
• I had a bunch of money left over just before pay day so I figured I'd take myself out shopping. I bought myself a few bits from skirts to snoods. It was rather nice just treating myself to a few bits and really making a day of it. 
• I've really gotten into gardening lately and the shop where I buy my seeds had a 75% off sale so I bought enough veggie and flower seeds to last me the until 2016 for just £2.50! Oh, it's the little things...
• I bought some really nice books.
• I got cuddles from some lovely cats. They often stop for cuddles on my way to work. One day kitty cuddles will make me late to work, I swear...
• When some major plans folded I saw friends and a community come together to keep things running at short notice which was really nice and rather inspiring.
• The other day I was a guest at a wonderful dinner party. Who doesn't love fine wine, good food and a spot of fun conversation? 
• I saw a lot of great movies such as The Maze Runner and Gone Girl.
• I helped to take care of a dog who is the same breed and similar age to the dog I had and lost earlier this year. Weirdly enough this dog even has the same name: Hamish. It was bitter-sweet but it was kinda nice, almost like closure. Also, I got plenty of puppy cuddles.
• I started really cleaning through some of my stuff to make more room and to de-clutter my life. I can confirm that it has been rather therapeutic. 
• I made plans for a new poetry collection.
• I made some real progress at work and apparently such progress is being noticed.
• I have been asked to co-write a novel with someone. Although this is something I said I'd never be able to do I am looking forward to the possibility.
• Someone wants to turn one of my short stories into a short film and is willing to let me write the screen play. AWESOME.
• My Dad made pumpkin curry which is officially delicious and we'll have to make it again next year.
• Halloween. Yes, that gets a bullet point just for existing. 

Silver Linings Search: September

Wow, the year is flying by like crazy. I was working so much this month that I sort of forgot to add to this blog as time went on but I have tried. This month went by in an absolute flash. Honestly, I am writing this on the 25th of September and I swear the 1st of September was only last night...
How bizarre. Because of how much I worked, I neglected the blog a little and although it was a good month, I didn't really log as much goodness as I have previously. It's entirely my fault, I guess, but it means that this post is a lot shorter than some of the previous posts. I'll make sure to focus more in October.
Oh well - here's my little list of good things that happened throughout the month.

• A new manager took over where I work and instantly we saw positive change. He's honestly making it a better place to work and treats us like human beings.
• I worked a lot therefore I earned a lot. Always good. I'm currently saving up for a future holiday.
• I saw some good films. I saw some awful films too, but I made quite a few cinema trips this month.
• I've taken on some more responsibilities at work which puts me in good standing for future promotions. That said, I'm not sure I'll still be around by the time they're hiring. We shall see...
• I booked off some holiday time for October and will plan and book further holiday and maybe go somewhere nice.
• I wrote. I managed to write a little bit. Sure, that's not much but it's something.
• My partner and I went into London to see Miranda Sings. If you don't know who Miranda Sings is, she's a YouTube personality created by Colleen Ballinger. Miranda Sings is a spoiled singer with an inflamed ego and her warbling voice and foibles reduce me to tear-soaked laughter. The show was great - we even spotted Louis Cole and Alfie Deyes in the crowd!
• My partner and I had a wonderful day out in London where we visited the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. The Natural History Museum is, to me at least, one of the most beautiful buildings in existence. I spent a good deal of time just standing in the Hintze Hall admiring the detail in the architectural structure. It was a marvellous day.
• I met up with an old friend for drinks and a walk in the forest. It was brief but it was good.
• Some exciting plans were made for the future.
• I've started some serious planning which will mean I get to travel before the end of the year
• My partner started her new job and I'm honestly so, so proud of her. This is a really big step for us as a couple and her earnings will be saved up for our future. 
• My partner and I took my mother out for drinks and we all had the chance to chat and bond over a bottle of wine.

Motivational Monday: Keep Moving Forward

We all get the that awful point where we want to throw in the towel. We feel like we're not achieving the things we want to be achieving. We're not going the places we want to be going. This could be with our careers, our personal lives. I think sometimes we don't realise all of the little things we do and how valid it is just to keep going. Sure, we may not be getting the rewards we seek right now but as long as you keep going that's admirable.

Sometimes you've got to remind yourself that just moving forward can be enough.
It is enough.

Silver Linings Search: August

Oops! This post is coming a few days late but better late than never, right?

Goodness, the year is literally whizzing past! I'm glad I've been keeping a record of the nice things from this year. I think I'll continue it into 2015. If you're a regular to this blog then you know the drill... I write down and document little positive things from the past month to remind myself that good things happen.

• A few strangers said things to me that made me realise there is better out there for me and it really changed my perspective on things. It has pushed me to re-focus my aims and career prospects. 
• I've been writing again and jotting down ideas whilst outlining writing plans for the next few years of my life. I really love having a plan and having ambition. 
• I finished reading Bird Box by Josh Malerman this month and OH MY GOODNESS, YOU HAVE TO READ IT. This book HAS to be a movie. Soon. Please, world.
• *cough* Also, Josh Malerman liked one of my tweets which means he knows that I exist.
• Oh, and then I found out that a Bird Box movie is in the works. Thank you, Jesus!
• We threw a great farewell party for an old friend. My partner whipped up a feast, spending the entire day cooking, and created a marvellous meal, including the best Yorkshire puddings I've ever had.
• My partner and I had the opportunity to take care of the cutest, cuddliest little dog. Since my dog passed away in February I've missed puppy cuddles.
• ANNE RICE READ MY FREAKING BLOG. SHE SHARED A LINK TO IT ON HER PAGE! ANNE RICE HAS BEEN ON THIS BLOG! Seriously, I'm still not over it. She's one of my idols as a writer and as a human being.
• I went out and bought little random things like mugs, home ornaments, books, scented candles. Some are things for when I have my own home, others are for now. I do love a little bit of retail therapy.
• I bought a ton of awesome books.
• My partner and I joined the band Bad Pollyanna on their London leg of The Punishment Tour with William Control. Bad Pollyanna are a great band and are friends of ours from up North. It was so great to see them again. We offered to turn up and sell their merchandise and hopefully managed to make them some money. We also got into the gig for free. I hope William Control remembered me from out last meeting...
• We rescued some lovely ex battery hens. We've been rehoming rescued hens for years but these are by far the worst we've ever taken in. They came to us practically de-feathered, their skin irritated and red. They're all coming along so well and, in time, I hope they'll be wonderful additions to our chicken community. 
• One morning, my partner woke me up with breakfast in bed like when we just had started dated. Wonderful <3
• I did a huge clear out of my room and got rid of some old clothes and stuff lying around. Clearing out old stuff sometimes can be really cathartic. 
• In the cleaning process I managed to find some good MAC Cosmetics make up that I'd never used but put away last Christmas. Suddenly I had lots of good, expensive make up like a gift from my past self.
• I met some rather heart wrenchingly wonderful people whilst at work. They opened up and told me their stories and really inspired me. I managed to give them gifts to take away with them. I know it won't fix the things they're struggling with but it was the least that I could do. Both encounters were truly humbling experiences. 
• I set up a romantic Scavenger Hunt for my partner which lead us both around the places we visited in the weeks running up to the day we became a couple. It was quite cute and really romantic and reminded us of how much love we have for each other.
• I finally met my partner's granny who was lovely and gave us her blessing. It was really important to my partner that I meet her grandmother and I'm so glad that I did. She's such a strong, loving woman who always marched to the beat of her own drum. These qualities, I feel, have been passed down to my partner. 
• Two different people asked me out on dates. It was very sweet, and although I had to turn them down as I'm already taken, I found it all very flattering. 
• I got to spend some quality time with my father. We went to see a lot of films together. I went with him to a football game. We took a tour around Camden. We went to an art exhibition.
• My father and I went to 512 Hours, the Marina Abramovic exhibition. It was such a wonderful experience. If you want to see my review of it, it's up on The Huffington Post website. 
• I started writing short stories again. Yay!
• I received some lovely gifts from my family including some beautiful silver earrings from my cousin Wilma who visited all the way from New Zealand. I did feel a little bit spoiled and thankful for such a wonderful and supportive family.
• I got callbacks for some jobs!
• I've lost a wee bit of weight. I'm looking good. No, I don't feel that is a big-headed thing to say. I get to love my body and celebrate my progress. 
• I started preparing for NaNoWriMo. I'm hoping I can get a novel done by the end of the year. I don't know why it scares me so much.

Silver Lining Search: July

So here we are on the ongoing quest for positivity. I've got to be honest, I worked a lot in July and so I forgot to add to this post as the month went by so it'll be a little more brief than usual but hey - I didn't forget and at least I tried. Also, yes, it's a little late but obviously I've been working about 6 days a week so I'm behind on a lot of things. Oh well, here are my silver linings:

• I had the chance to hang out with some old friends I'd not seen in ages.
• I spent some of the vouchers I'd won at work. I bought Birdbox by Josh Malerman. So far it is one of the best books I've read this year.
• It was my anniversary with my beloved!
• My partner and I headed out to celebrate our anniversary in London. We had a walk around Camden and then saw a play. The play we saw was The Crucible with Richard Armitage as John Proctor. It was such a wonderful and ambitiously dark performance and we both loved it. For dinner we found a beautiful little Italian restaurant and curled up with each other to wind down.
• I had a real heart to heart with my supervisor and I think he's now aware of how he treats his staff. I think that perhaps all it took was one person standing/speaking up for the rest of the team. Any progress is good progress.
• I took part in Camp NaNoWriMo and, even though I won't be finishing the novel this month, it sets me up well for November. Yes, I'll be doing NaNoWriMo in November as well!
• I had a big job interview. The job was way over my head but the fact that I was even considered for it was huge for me. 
• I've really bonded with my co-workers this month inside and outside of work itself. We had a great night out and a lot of fun. I'll be sad when I have to leave.
• The sun came out... The sun everywhere makes life better.
• I entered a big competition to win the trip of a lifetime. Let's just hope I win it...

Silver Linings Search: June

Once more, I sit down and cast my mind back over the past month to think about all of the nice things that have happened to me this past month.
It was pretty crappy in some ways after one of my cats fell seriously ill and had to be put down. That said, my mission in doing this is to remind myself that good stuff still happens, despite the bad stuff happening. That's why it's so important to keep doing this: so all the positive things don't get lost. So I've rounded up some little nuggets of good that popped up this past month:

• Hannah, Julia and I took part in The Great Contiki Challenge 2014 and did pretty darn well, actually. Not enough to win, of course, but we did well. It made for a really fun day and an after party with free pizza and beer. 
• I won another competition at work and came home with £30 worth of vouchers. Oops!
• I landed a job interview way about my punching weight for a law firm. Even though I was up against applicants with actual law degrees it was really cool that they considered me and still actually really wanted to interview me. 
• I went shopping and bought some gorgeous new clothes which make me feel fab. I've still not had the courage to wear them yet. They're too precious <3
• I've had a lot of lovely, relaxing days with my partner. 
• I've had the opportunity to spend some quality time with my sister.
• I also bought some goodies from Lush Cosmetics to pamper myself
• I hosted an event called Harpicide in London with Elly McCabe, Julia Mascetti and Julia Gray which was great.
• I got a bit of writing done. Here's hoping that CampNaNoWriMo in July might take off a little.
• The sun came out a great deal! The world feels warm, at least here it does.
• I've lost quite a bit of weight. I'm eating healthy and my body is thanking me for it.
• My partner surprised me with a ticket to Calling Festival to go see Aerosmith. She pulled some strings to get that ticket and absolutely amazed me with her thoughtfulness and generosity.
• Then there was the gig itself... Aerosmith were absolutely amazing and the festival vibe as they played was great. I had a great time. 
• I saw lots of good films.
• My team and I are currently in the lead for a different work competition.

100 Happy Days

So I recently have seen a trend going about via the hashtag #100HappyDays and decided to look into it.
I found that the premise is just that simple: the idea is to try and be happy for 100 days. Sort of.
It's not easy to just be happy especially if you're living with depression or anxiety or living through difficult circumstances. I suppose the idea is to try and find something in the day that you're grateful for or something small that makes you happy. It's basically the same thing that I've been doing all year with my Silver Linings Search challenge.

The idea is to find things in your day that make you happy, take a photograph that represents that happiness and post it onto social media. It seems like a pretty nice idea if you're willing to commit to 100 days of social networking. Do you think it's something you could do?

Some may see this as just another excuse to take selfies. So what? If someone is trying to tap into their own happiness and positivity, let it be.

Motivational Monday: Love Who You Love

So I know the theme of our last Motivational Monday was all about loving yourself but today it is about the importance of loving others. Today we need to remember the importance of our love for others.

Other people add colour and variety into our lives. They bring excitement, adventure and comfort. We establish bonds with them. It's important to find at least one person in this world whom you love. This can be in a romantic way or a platonic way. Maybe it's a family member of a pet. Find someone who makes you happy and remember to make them happy too. Do something nice for them to remind them that they are loved. Go out and spread some love and positivity. Who knows: maybe the love and positivity will come back to you somehow.

Motivational Monday: Love Yourself

When searching for happiness and motivation there is often one person at the centre of such attention: you. I think it's important not to simply accept the person that we are, but to love that person also. If you're not the kind of person that you can love, why not? What can you change to make yourself more worthy of that love? How can you show yourself love? Is it in little acts of care or ways in which you treat yourself? Is it in the respect you show your body or the routine you follow?

Make sure to make time for yourself to do the things you want to do so you can get what you want. Make time to go on quiet walks or have long bubble baths or write your novel. Make sure to wear what makes you feel comfy or do things that make you feel good. Re-evaluate how you view yourself and remember that you're worthy of love from others and from yourself.

Silver Linings Search: April

So this is my fourth month doing this. The idea is to record nice things that happened in the month because it's important to remember that good things do happen, even if they're little things. Those little things can add up to big happiness.
Here are some little things that made me happy in the month of April:

• From the 3rd of April until the 5th, I had a glorious 3 days off. A three day rest was just what I needed.
• I started to look at graduate jobs. I've enjoyed my current job, I've gained a lot from it, but it was always going to be a temporary thing. As I write this I'm currently eyeing up a position as a university librarian. I've been a librarian before. I'd love to be a librarian again. It's quiet work, surrounded by books... 
• I finally got to see a doctor about my knee and he actually took it seriously unlike the last prick of a doctor I had to deal with. 
• I did a lot of gardening. There was one day, a day I had off work, where I just sat in the garden in the sunshine with a beer in my hand. I've planted lots of lovely flowers: lobelia, aster etc. I've planted four different kinds of pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers. We're going to be growing an entire salad bar at this rate. I've found that gardening is truly calming. 
• I won a big sales competition at work, ahead of the best seller and it looks like I'm about the win another. Work hooked me up with a wonderful meal for two. My partner and I each had a full three course meal and left the restaurant without having spent a penny which was a wonderful feeling - such a gorgeous meal too. 
• My Dad does little adorable things sometimes. He's not the most outspoken person when it comes to his emotions, he won't come up to you and tell you that he loves you, but he shows it in his own ways. Like, yesterday he bought me peanut M&Ms because he knows they're my favourite. If I'm unwell he'll make me a hot water bottle and wrap me in a blanket. It makes me smile.
• My boss gave me an Easter Egg as I was leaving one day. We all got one as a thank you from the company. 
• I applied to some new jobs with more confidence than ever before.
• I won an Easter Egg at work at our last meeting for my superior film knowledge
• It may seem like a little thing but on the 6th, I had a wonderful bath with a gorgeous bath bomb from Lush Cosmetics and I curled up, the room lit with candles, and listened to The Vampire Armand on audiobook. It was so relaxing, it left my skin smooth and my hair in curls. Little moments of relaxation like that make life a little easier. 
• On the 7th of April I stayed up until 2am to watch the season 4 premiere of Game of Thrones. I was so happy for the return of my favourite show. 
• I got to see the wonderful Within Temptation. The last time I saw this band live was probably around 2011. They were awesome as always and it gave me a chance to meet up with friends old and new. 
• My Dad and I had a day in London: we went to a Harlan Coben book signing, wandered around Camden and ate foods from all around the world: Japan, Iran, Italy - it was wonderful!
• My sister and my partner spent some quality time together which was all kinds of heart-warming. There's something really nice about the people you love loving each other and being good friends.
• Some baby chicks hatched out on the home farm: on the first day three chicks hatched out with a fourth still pipping through her shell. Within two days we had seven beautiful baby chicks. They're all different breeds so it shall create a wonderful variety of chickens. Here's hoping they're all hens!

April was a decent month. I didn't do VEDA or Camp NaNoWriMo as expected but I'm sure the month of May will be just as positive and productive. 

Motivational Monday: Find The Thing That Fulfils You.

As I write this my cat, Wednesday, has been curled up and sleeping on my lap for about ten minutes. That may not seem like a big deal but to me, and to her, it is. Wednesday was a rescue cat and had a very bad start in life. I've made it my personal mission over the past three years to make her feel safe and cared for. When we got her she wouldn't accept cuddles. She would rip your hands to ribbons if you tried to pick her up. The fact that she's able to sleep soundly in my lap demonstrates a high level of trust that has taken years to build up. Every time she comes over for a cuddle like this, I find myself filled with pride. Little things like this honestly make me feel that life is truly worth living. It is important to find the things in life that make us feel fulfilled, like life is worthwhile. What makes you feel proud of yourself? What makes you feel like you're doing some good?

Silver Linings Search: March

Hello, blog-ghosts!
It's time to start looking for the positive things that happened to me in this, the month of March. This is a personal project that I started with myself to just write down and record good things that happened this year. The idea is that it gets me focusing on the positive. I think we too often focus on the bad things that happen and forget all the good things in our day. Sometimes you have to search a little harder to see the good, but it's there. Here are some good things that happened in the month of March:

• I got a lot of script writing done. 
• I actually got some reading done for my 2014 Reading Challenge which is good because I was seriously lagging behind quite badly. I had some Neil Gaiman, some Rainbow Rowell, some manga. It's all been good!
• A double page spread that I wrote for a magazine was published. Unfortunately they didn't publish my name along with it BUT it's still pretty damn cool - my words printed forever, sealed in ink. It's just another thing to write on the CV I suppose...
• I started working on some articles for my local newspaper which would mean getting some local exposure and journalistic experience.
• I also started doing some work for the company at which I am employed which involves writing and the arts. Again, this just means I'm doing things that are relevant to my dreams and aspirations and my personal skill set is being appreciated.
• I applied for my dream internship. Fingers crossed I actually get it but at least I know that I tried. It would be absolutely amazing to get it though. 
• I had some outrageously good naps. I mean soul restoringly good.
• I also had some really nice baths. These might seem like really mundane things but they're the things that calm me and make the day a bit better.
• I picked up some extra, exciting projects which should be interesting. It'll mean I'll be getting some experience working as a journalist as well as doing some PR and Marketing work. 
• I took a trip to IKEA and bought some beautiful home accessories. 
• I had some time to just catch up with my parents and have some one on one time which was really nice.
• Anne Rice announced that she is bringing out another Vampire Chronicles book and this made me so, so happy. You have no idea. I'm such a huge fan of her work that it became a huge part of my university thesis. She is one of my absolute idols as a writer and as a human being. I'm so glad that the world will hear Lestat once more. Rice has even hinted at more books after that. Yay!
• The sun started to come out. Flowers began to bloom. The blossoms started falling down from the trees. Beautiful... 
• I got really, really creative and I did a lot of writing and penning out various projects including my next collection of short stories and a novella. I know, I know. It'd be great if I could sit down and actually finish something but who knows? Maybe I'll get around to finishing something very soon. I've been writing like mad lately. 
• MY FREAKING BOOK LAUNCH HAPPENED. I wrote a whole post about it on this blog.
• I got to go back to Huddersfield and visit for a day and a half. It was short and sweet but man, I love that town.
• I got a cake with a picture of my book on it, a wonderful gift from my father. Best writer perk ever.
• I went to IKEA and bought a few beautiful home items. One is a gorgeous lantern and the other is a bird cage room ornament that hands from my ceiling. Bird cages - most fitting!
• I won a few competitions at work. I love the thrill of winning and achievement. 
• I got to work at this super cool Muppets event with a few reps from Disney. It was really cool PR experience and, as an added bonus, I now have some cool photos of me with some of the Muppets. 
• I had a super satisfying moment when I bumped into my old boss. He fired me and was a really loathsome person. There I was working at a cool event and there he was, now officially unemployed. Look who's on top now, matey...
• I got a little ambitious this month and started asking after a better position in the company that I currently work for. Although there are no job vacancies, I registered my interest. I don't know if I'll work for this current company for long. I definitely know now that I want to move onto bigger, better things. 
• I've managed to get a bunch of writing done. Ever since my book launch people keep asking me what I'm going to write next. It truly pushes me to work on new projects.
• I met up with some old friends, some of whom I hadn't seen since I was a teenager, which was refreshing. 
• So many people pre-ordered my short story collection and I felt so shy and so humbled by how many people went out to pre-order it. It truly was something special. It gave me all the feels.
• I got my first ever book review. Yes, someone read and reviewed my work and gave it some pretty high praise. It was the first ever official review of my work which excited me greatly. Similarly on the 10th of March I noticed that you can actually buy my collection of short stories on Amazon. I'm on Amazon! FREAKING AMAZON. 
• I've been to some brilliant events: I saw Eric Whitacre and the Eric Whitacre singers at Union Chapel. I saw Laura Mvula. I saw the Cantate 20th Birthday Concert. 
• I've had the opportunity to bump into so many old friends, many of them I've seen over the past week. It was wonderful to catch up with people I once knew. I love hearing how their lives are going and what they're up to now. I've also bumped into people I've not spoken to in years who somehow know of my publication of short stories. This makes me very, very happy. 
• I've also made some wonderful new friends. I'm always thankful to meet new people. 
• I got to do a First Aid course. I was thankful to have been chosen for the opportunity. Similarly, I am glad that I have the training to potentially help save a life.
• I got to spend some great time with my family. Right now we're sat together eating pizza and watching The Musketeers.

Motivational Monday: You're The Only You.

It is estimated that there are well over 7 billion people on Earth today, more people simultaneously existing in this space than ever before. This is amazing and it's also a little daunting. How do we fit into this big, crowded world? What do we contribute? 

Well, my friend, you have to remember the simple fact that there's only one you.

There will be something that only you can contribute to the world and only you can do it in your own specific way and once you work out what that is, give it. Be proud of who you are. You're the only you and you're the best you.

Valentine's Catch Up

Hey blog-ghosts,
I know I've been a little quiet lately but I have a good reason for it. I'd been a little stressed with a few things and after a really tough evening at work I called up my partner and just cried a bit and expressed how shitty I'd been feeling. My partner and I live about 4 hours away in different parts of the country which hasn't been easy. During our long phonecall I kept saying "Can't you just be here? Can't you magically just be here? I'd feel so much better if you were here" and my partner reminded me that in two weeks we'd be together again.

I went to work the next day, going about my usual business, and as I finish serving a customer I look up to serve the next and there's my partner standing there, suitcase in hand, having gotten onto a bus at five o'clock in the morning to come see me. I swear in that moment I felt so loved and so cared for that I've been smiling ever since. On Valentine's Day my partner even took time to stop by and surprise me with flowers and champagne at work. Beautiful... I hope that Valentine's Day was good for you and that you know you're loved

Motivational Monday

Throughout my teenage years my self esteem plummeted.

I'm sure it did for most of us, right?
In fact most people have very low self esteem. We spend our lives dissatisfied with our bodies, yearning for a better job, sacrificing our morals to manipulate certain outcomes that benefit us somehow etc. When I was a teenager I felt lost and I felt low.

Now I'm in my 20s. I'm spending so much effort and energy working towards my future. I've really changed over the past few years as I slowly started trying to achieve the things I wanted to achieve. I've realised lately that I'm actually exactly the kind of person that I want to be: I'm kind, I'm ambitious, I'm loving, I'm a dreamer. I'm actually so happy to be me and to live in the skin that I live in. It's a really positive sharing and I kinda just wanted to share it. I think it's better to share real, positive emotions than negativity. I hope you feel this good in you own skin and that you're the kind of person you want to be. If not, you can always work at it.

Silver Linings Search: January

So, as promised, here is my first "Silver Linings Search" post for January. A silver linings search is an exercise in positive thinking: the aim is to write down a list of good things that happen to you. Then you can look back on all the good things rather than focusing on the bad.

In creating these posts I hope to remind myself that good things happen throughout the month and we must remember the little things as well as the big things. I hope to inspire you to focus on the good in your day to day life because little good things do happen be it a random act of kindness or a lucky coincidence. In focusing on them we can really push ourselves to feel happy.

So here are some good things that happened to me throughout the month of January:

• I really began to settle into my new job. I got to know my co-workers and began to slowly become a part of the team. This is kinda nice for me as I'm not usually the best in social situations. In my last two jobs I found it hard to bond with some of my fellow colleagues but here it's much easier. I have also received a lot of positive praise at work which is always nice. My bosses (there are several within the hierarchy) are all so sweet, understanding and supportive unlike those I encountered in previous jobs. My bosses and managers are super supportive. I get loads of perks with my job.
• I celebrated my sister's birthday with her. We had a day of girly shopping and even I managed to find some clothes. I rarely buy myself new clothing but I found myself two really cute skirts and they were on sale. They each costed the grand total of £3 - awesome! My sister got some really nice pieces too and then we all went out for a lovely dinner.
• I met two really lovely ladies at work. One had severe arthritis and the other had severe cancer. They were so lovely I almost cried and I don't cry often. I hardly ever cry actually. They were just so nice and so grateful for my help that it warmed my heart. I almost adopted them as grandparents.
• I got a promotion of sorts at work which will involve a clear interest in arts and culture which I'm pretty excited about. I like taking on new responsibilities and roles in my work.
•  I also got paid from my new job. Lord, I missed the joys of pay day! My first pay day purchase? Books!
• I got back into vlogging after a short hiatus. #Oopsy. Earned a few new subscribers too. #Awesome
• I started singing again. The past few years I've been living in apartment blocks, always too afraid to sing. I felt like a caged bird. I couldn't sing because walls were thin. People would hear and I didn't want to bother them, even in my own shower of my own damn apartment. Now I can sing. I'm warming up my voice and I feel so free.
• I hit 25,000 page views which is a lovely little milestone to cross.
• Not long after I hit 26,000.
• I started my 2014 Reading challenge. I'm going to try and read 30 books this year. To some that may not seem like a lot but university slowly crushed my will to read for fun. I'm now getting back into the swing of reading as a hobby.
• I bought a ukelele and I'm gonna learn to play it. 
• I saw loads of great movies. All of them were free to see.
• I got to spend a lot of time with my lovely partner. We went and saw a lot of movies, we went to the gym together, we had days where we snuggled up and watched movies. It was all rather lovely. Only a few short months and the "long distance" part of our current long distance relationship will be over.
• I started going to the gym again. I did a lot of swimming and even managed to attend a low impact water aerobics class which was tough but fun. Afterwards my body felt great. I decided to wind down in the sauna which opened my pores and left my face smooth and soft for days after. I'm writing this entry on the 16th and I can say I've lost around half a stone. 
• I worked on (and submitted) the master edit for my collection of short stories that is set for publication later this year. It was really hard. In fact the night before submission I was awake all night just pouring my energy into working on it and reading it all through one final time. 
• I was surrounded by family, friends and pets which is always good.
• I applied for a job as a columnist for an arts magazine publication. It'd be great because I'd finally be paid to write articles. I'd honestly never even considered journalism at all until least year around April/May so I may as well try. I think that broadening your horizons and trying new things will always make life a little more interesting. 
• My partner surprised me with a few wonderful gifts from a pretty little espresso set since I am, on occasion, drinking coffee again. Some other wonderful gifts were a beautiful old collection of Romantic poetry (but it was the personal inscription inside that I cherish most) and a beautiful bird cage shaped photo frame with a goofy caricature of the two of us inside. I utterly adore it. I never expect gifts. In fact I often feel undeserving. I have a wonderful partner who utterly spoils me sometimes. 
• Today, on the 17th of January, the bus driver dropped us off at our stop for half the price just to be nice. I have a bad leg so walking is pretty hard after a long work shift. It was a nice gesture, a random act of kindness that made my day.
• I had days where I just stayed wrapped up in bed, watched movies and took care of myself. I like to have days where I rest and pamper myself. I think it's important to have days of indulgence to ensure we're giving ourselves the best care possible.
• This month is the first time in a long time where I really realised that I actually enjoy being me. I know now that I'm exactly the kind of person that I want to be. I have spent this month working hard. I've filled my life with ambition and purpose. I am so comfortable and confident in myself and I really think that this is going to be such a great year for me. It's off to a really great start already.

Ok, let's see what February has to offer....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope you're having an amazing day full of good things. Be kind to others today and be kind to yourself. I'm sending you love and positivity on this day of all days. 

6 Month Writer Challenge

I'm just so happy with life right now.
Everything is going exactly to plan and I'm sickeningly and unapologetically positive about it all.
Today I take the "aspiring novelist" thing up a notch.
For the rest of the year, these final six months, I will be writing a minimum of 500 words of novel per day. This way I'll be able to properly call myself a novelist by the end of the year and can then attempt to seek publication for my work.

If you're in a similar situation where you've always wanted to write/finish a book but haven't so far then why not join me? Spend the summer working towards something that should hopefully be hugely rewarding.

This will be most challenging once I jet off on holiday as all writing will be without my trusty laptop and written by hand. I'll therefore have to find real discipline and hand count all the words on paper. Ouch! This is going to be interesting...

That said this has been an amazing year, today we enter the second half of it, and I hope that this half of the year is as good to me as the first half has been. I hope you're well, readers.