HOW TO DEAL WITH STRESSFUL DAYS

Dealing with stress can be well … stressful! Busy-ness is increasing in peoples lives, stress levels are climbing and people are feeling more overwhelmed. Recently I've been juggling so many things, trying to "have it all" as they say. Working a full time job while training to be a pole instructor, acting and writing scripts along with content for this little place on the blogosphere. I think you get the idea that I've had a lot on my mind.

I've been bottling everything up for a few weeks, naturally I was bound to explode at some point. Unfortunately this happened at work, I'm not normally a person to show what I consider to be a weakness so this was extremely difficult for me to do. I should have taken my own advise when juggling loads of things to take the pressure off myself. I’m so lucky to have amazing friends and family to help me out and be there to chat when I need them, otherwise I would still be a hot mess! Next time, I'm going to take my own advice.

Talk about the problem

The basic thing to solving any problem is to get an outsiders perspective and talk through the situation. Speak to a close friend, family member, or complete stranger (if that's what helps), don't let it all bottle up otherwise you'll explode and it won't be pretty.

Take some "me time"

Step away from your busy life surrounded by people and take some time for yourself. Do something that makes you happy, that will help you relax and unwind. Perhaps some exercise, eat chocolate, do some Yoga or go out with friends. You've got to remember to take care of yourself and understand its ok to be selfish.

Focus on one thing at a time

If you overload your todo list with an unrealistic amount of tasks to complete then you'll disappoint and stress yourself out. Stop trying to multitask to an extent and do one thing at a time.

Get some fresh air

Fresh air can help with stress and anxiety. I know that it helps me in most situations, when I'm feeling drained of energy or feel overwhelmed I go for a walk and listen to some music. It allows me to relax and think about anything that's going on in my very busy mind.

Ask for help

Sometimes we can't do things on our own, we need help to get through difficult times or achieve a goal. Some people, myself included are very proud and find it hard to share my problems and think its my responsibility to solve each issue. This is such a bad habit as you’re causing yourself additional unneeded pressure to achieve everything, learn to let go and share your problems. People will be more helpful than you realise.

Get some rest
Sleep is incredibly important to be able to function like a normal human being. If I don't get a minimum of 8 hours a night I overthink little things which causes me to stress out. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep throughout the night, turn off all technology at least 1 hour before you intend to go to bed so your brain has time to shut down and rest. If you watch tv or endlessly scroll through social media feeds your brain won’t turn off and you can experience disturbed sleep. Even though you’re going to bed at 10pm your body isn’t fully resting until 11pm. When you consider this is the different between 7 and 8 hours of sleep, it's a huge difference in my opinion!

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

5 THINGS TO STOP DOING TO LEAD A HAPPIER LIFE

Sometimes we get so busy we forget to take care of ourselves, ensuring you're happy in your life is so important. Now and again we have to do things we don't want to and also be around people that we don't exactly agree with. There are so many little habits that a lot of people (myself included) do that can impact on your life in a negative way.

Trying to please everyone

We have all tried to please too many people at once. What you've got to remember is that people are different and have different tastes and opinions. The way I see it, it's impossible to please everyone, and majority of the time you'll end up disappointing people if you have over promised.

I find that some people try to change their opinion on something to make others happy. From my perspective you should never change your option for anyone unless its your decision to do so. This is something I learnt later on after I spent all my time trying to reach everyones expectations and agreeing with them because I thought it would be easier. This doesn't happen anymore, I voice my opinions even if others don't approve of them. Of course, I get into a few disagreements but I'm happy that I've put my option out there and stuck to what I believe.

Fearing change

Whether you like it or not change is a huge part of life, instead of avoiding it you need to learn to embrace it. Things are constantly developing and moving forward so its time to accept things that are out of your control and adapt to the new circumstances. 

Living in the past

I used to constantly live in the past and wonder "what if", I finally realised that if you're always living in the past you're not moving forward. Dwelling on past events that are out of your control won't do your health, mentally or physically any good. You need to learn to let go of things that happened and look forward to the future. Who's care's if you made a mistake or didn't get that job you wanted, keep developing yourself and hopefully next time things will turn out how you planned.

Putting yourself down

Now I am no stranger to putting myself down ... it used to be a daily occurrence for me. I would moan about my weight or career not being where I wanted it to be, but it didn't get me anywhere. After a while I realised that if I gave myself constructive criticism instead of beating myself up, I would get much further in life. The way I see it is if you're unhappy with something then it's time to be proactive and make a change. Make the changes in your life that will make you wake up and feel happy.

Worrying about where you are in life

Now and again I worry about where I am and where I want to be in 5 years or so. Its good to have a plan but there is no need to be concerned if you aren't as far ahead as others at work for example. Mine isn't so much to do with work rather my personal life, since I haven't or aren't following the "normal" steps in your twenties. Have a partner, apply for a mortgage, get engaged or even start a family. I haven't and don't plan to do any of these things right now, after all I'm still young and don't need to follow the norm. It doesn't matter if you're not doing what everyone else is doing, your life plan could be completely different and that's fine! Although, if you're not where you want to be, what can you do to get you closer to achieving your dreams or ambitions? Make small changes and continually develop and you'll get where you want to be if you put the work in.

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

6 THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR

Life can sometimes throw you unexpected curve balls but even through the difficult times everyone has things to be thankful for. Being able to identify these things can be challenging but when you realise how good your life is you can learn to live a truly positive life. Today I want to talk about the things I'm thankful for ...

Happiness

Living a positive life is so important to leading a happy one. You know all those cliche phases, like "Every cloud has a silver lining", "You have to look through the rain to see the rainbow", "Everything happens for a reason" or my all time favourite ... "It's not the number of breaths we take, but the number of moments that take our breath away". Ok, I'm done with the cliches but you get my point right? They all stand for happiness and finding the good moments through the difficult times. So smile, laugh and enjoy life with the people you love.

Happiness isn't something you experience solo through life, it's shared with our loved ones. My best friend is now 27 weeks pregnant with a bouncing baby girl and my uncle will be tying the knot in August. Its a wonderful feeling to be able to share these life events with the people we love, never take these moments for granted as they are what make up our lives.

Career

Not everyone is entirely happy with their career, maybe it's because they took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in a job that paid the bills. Right now, I'm happy with my career, I feel that I am learning new things everyday. I've worked hard to get to the position I'm in now, I want to keep developing my skills and myself within my role. To think, I would have never got this role if I wasn't made redundant from my previous job that I was only "fond off", life works in mysterious ways.

Travel

I had no idea that I would have already travelled to so many beautiful places in the world at this age. I love exploring new sights and experiencing new cultures. I constantly have wanderlust for a new city or country, especially when I follow so many inspirational travel bloggers on Instagram. Although my long term travels are over for a while it's still an amazing feeling to share my travel stories and inspire others to venture out into the world to discover something new.

Freedom

I'm so lucky to live in a society that provides so much freedom to do, say and think what I like ... within reason of course. Social media has made it so easy for everyone to voice their own opinion regardless of their education or lifestyle. Having the freedom to be the person I want to be and to live the life I want to live is a wonderful thing.

Friendships

When I need to share, laugh, cry or vent, my friends are just a phone call away. I'm proud to have so many loyal friends all around the globe, each person has supported me through difficult and happy times during my life. I've always been told that good friendships last even if you're not together a lot, take me as an example, I have lots of friends that I met while travelling who live all over the world. Yes I don't keep in contact with them all but I have with my closest friends. 

Health

Your health above all else is the most important thing in life, we should all be grateful if we are in good health. Nothing else truly matters, as long as your friends and family are well. So, go to the doctors and dentists for regular check ups and keep up a healthy lifestyle.

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

8 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MOOD

Every now and again we all can get irritated or moody, I wouldn't say this is a daily occurrence for me but occasionally I have a bad day and need to boost my happiness levels! So, with this in mind I want to talk about the ways to turn that frown upside down! (I apologise for the bad humour)

1. Exercise

Fitness releases endorphins that increases your happiness levels. Get yourself up and out of the house, go for a run or even a walk with a beautiful scenic view. Taking in fresh air does wonders for your health and improves you mood. I personally love to take long walks around Wollaton Park in Nottingham, enjoying the wildlife and people watching, oh I do love to people watch.

2. Pamper yourself

I'm not saying you need to go for a Spa day but it wouldn't hurt aye? Doing little things at home like painting your nails, putting a face mask on or going for a hot bath will help you relax.

3. Eat some good food

Good food can make you feel great from the inside out, try and stick to the healthier options but if all else fails then fill the void with a pizza, a sweet treat or one of your favourite foods. 

4. Do something that makes you happy

When I feel down in the dumps, doing what I love always puts me in a better mood. I either go Pole Dancing, walking, practice my acting or blogging. Doing a bit of what you love can improve your mood straight away.

5. Get dressed

When you stay in bed all day you can feel lazy and unproductive, try getting up, having a shower and putting clothes on. You'll be surprised how this can help.

6. Treat yourself

Sometimes all you need is to treat yourself. It doesn't need to be anything expensive like a new iPhone but a new lipstick or pair of shoes can give you the little boost of happiness you need. Although throwing money at a problem doesn't make it go away but it gives you a little distraction and puts your mind at ease for a short while.

7. See friends or family

When I'm feeling blue I love to see my best friend or sister, we go for a walk or catch up over a hot chocolate to talk which helps me move past the issue.

8. Watch a movie or read a book

Sometimes all you need to do is have some alone time, so grab a cup of tea and curl up on the sofa to watch your favourite movie or read a book. A few of my favourite movies to watch are Alice in Wonderland, The Devil Wear Prada and Romeo and Juliet.

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO FOR YOURSELF

1. Have more "me time"

Sometimes get so wrapped up in the day-to-day we forget to do things for ourselves. Remember to take some time for yourself, whether that's to read a book, go for a walk or take up a hobby. You'll feel much happier having had that "me time".

2. Exercise

I bet you made a New Years Resolution to be healthier and get moving more to shed that unwanted weight? Have you already broken those goals and it's only Feb? Well it's not to late to start over, we're only human and slip up from time-to-time but its important to brush yourself off and continue moving forward with your goals.

The thought of exercise can be daunting, sometimes it feels like a chore! Take the time to plan in your weekly workouts, realistically you only need to exercise 3/4 times per week which doesn't take up a lot of time. Aside from weekly fitness I try to stay active each day, whether that be taking the stairs instead of using the lift or walking to the shop rather than driving. Little things can make a huge impact overtime.

If you want to get more active but hate the sight of gyms like me, give another activity ago. I took up Pole Dancing as it's great way to stay fit. So many people are realising the benefits of pole fitness, why not give it a go? You may love it!

3. Save money

We all say that we're going to save a few hundred each month but somehow we spend our money on clothes, food and random bits and bobs. If you don't have anything to save for it's easy to think you don't need to put anything away. The best way I've found to save is to set up a savings account and have a direct debit each month, set a minimum to go in and at the end of the month if you still have money in your account transfer the remainder over.

If you're extremely bad at saving you could open a locked savings account, these accounts can be locked from 6 months to 5 years I believe. You're unable to withdraw during this time and you gain interest on your money.  

4. Disconnect from technology
We're surrounded by technology 24/7 especially if like me you have a desk job, sometimes it's good to disconnect for a day or even a few hours. Put your phone down and have a conversation face-to-face instead of over text.

5. Travel

Travelling is one of my favourite things to do, exploring new and wonderful places while experiencing new cultures, what could be better? I have so many plans to travel from South East Asia, Canada, America, the list goes on and on! I know it's a cliche to say that travelling changes you but it can have a huge impact on how you see the world afterwards.

Book a plane ticket and get yourself somewhere you haven't been before, enjoy a new experience and love the adventure. I went travelling for a year to Australia, New Zealand and The Philippines. What an amazing experience it was, I learnt so much about myself and different cultures. It's an experience I intend to repeat.

6. Learn to love your body
I rarely hear people speak positively about their body, mainly focusing on all the aspects they consider "wrong" or "ugly". I'm not going to lie, I was like this but now I've come to appreciate and love my body. Let's face it, you're going to be in your body for your entire life (without the use of plastic surgery, of course), why not learn to love it?

I find most women complain about their weight, if you don't feel comfortable, change something. Focus on what you're eating and introduce (if you haven't already) a fitness routine. Making small changes to your lifestyle can have a huge impact on the way you feel on the inside and outside.

7. Understand what you're putting in your body

Healthy eating ... a subject so many claim to know about yet barely understand what it is. I'm no expert but I know the basics. Eating healthy is fairly simple, avoid anything processed, use alternatives such as coconut oil instead of olive oil for cooking and prepare your meals for lunch at work, that way you know exactly what ingredient are included.

Last week was the start of lent for which I have given up chocolate and sweet things, so far I don't have any strong cravings but I'm only on day 5! If you want to stop a bad eating habit why not give it up for lent? It's not too late to start.

8. Stop chain watching Netflix

I'm guilty of this, I love a Saturday afternoon Netflix marathon but I've had a realisation that I'm being extremely unproductive. Get up have a shower, get dressed and do something. Whether that be to read a book and education yourself or to go out and spend some time with family and friends.

9. Learn something new

Have you ever had ambitions to learn to play the piano or perhaps a new language? Well, just do it. Last year I was inspired to learn French, I enrolled on a night class and studied for 10 weeks. I learnt so much and was able to string sentences together and have small conversations.

These days there are courses for everything, have a Google search for something of interest and see what local colleges and Universities have to offer. You may be surprised how much you enjoy it.

10. De-clutter your life

I recently had a big clear-out due to moving house and had a realisation that I own way to much stuff! Why do I need 10 photo frames, 4 vases and 5 canvases for a bedroom?! After I'd finished going through everything I managed to get rid of 35KG of clothing and 5 bin bags of old books, toys and other odd bits.

Have a look around your house and see what you haven't used in the past 6 months (Obviously I don't mean all your decorative belongings, I mean things you have no use for) put it in a bag and donate to charity. You're doing a good deed while de-cluttering! You'll feel amazing getting rid of unless items, I know I did!

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx