Saturday 31 December 2016

New Year, Same Me, New Goals 2017

Saturday 31 December 2016


I never considered myself to be somebody that would set new years resolutions because I firmly believe that if you want to achieve something that you shouldn't have to wait for the 1st of January to be able to do it. I believed and still believe that if you want to achieve it, you should just go out and do it. However, with saying that I have set new goals for 2017. They may not be ones that are measurable or achievable but who isn't up for a challenge. I have set nine goals/ challenges for myself to achieve in 2017, follow me if you want to follow my journey in 2017.




1. Blog
I want to grow my blog and make it something that I am proud of. Don't get me wrong I am proud of it now but I want to be able to dedicate time every week to making this place of the internet an accurate representation of who I am as a person. I want my blog to be a digital version of myself. The digital version representing both the pain and the joy I have through the year, I want to share my deepest insecurities, my happiest moments, the goals I achieve, memories iImake. I want you to see who I really am!




2. Health and Fitness
As I said on blogmas day 23 health and fitness is something I definitely want to improve on. I want to be as fit as I was three years ago, I want to do yoga and go for runs as I use to. I want my outlook on food to change, I want it to nourish my body. One of my main goals for 2017 is to cut out most sugar, and to pretty much cut out food that isn't going to nourish me that means post-hangover pizza and burgers.

3. Fear.
This is something I struggle with, always have probably always will. While I can blame it on several mental illness and events in my past ultimately I have decided not to, it's something I can and want to change. My fear of the unknown and my fear of things like heights are completely different thus I am going to put them as separate points. My goal for this year is to do one thing a month, 12 in total that scares the crap out of me. This may be bungee jumping or skydiving. However, scare me? It will. Conquer?  Well, we will have to see about that one.



4. Unknown.
The unknown is my biggest fear. It has changed how I see and react to different events. I have had this fear for a few years. I have a fear of not knowing if you're  going to fall in love, or get your heart broken whether you're going to have that first kiss or it will be a disaster it is all terrifying. However that is something I want to overcome I want to be excited by the unknown I want to be excited to think I could fall in love or get my dream job or whatever it may be because it the end of the day as a friend put it; if it is meant to be it will be. Sometimes we have to just do things and not overthink things, which I have a history of doing, I'm a self-confessed control freak and that is definitely something that I want to let go of.

5. My past.
This is a big one for me, a lot of things that have happened in my past I talk about to very few people. I feel vulnerable and open when I talk about these things and that is something nobody like to feel, however, the events that have occurred in my life have also happened to a lot of other people as well and in 2017 I want to be able to embrace my past and to help others with my story and my experience. There is probably less than 20 people that know what happened and even less know the effects and what I know have to deal with because of it, but so many people go through the same thing and don't have a way out or don't see a way out. I have found a way to be myself again and that is something that I have so many people to thank for.




6. My Faith.
This is a big one my faith is something I struggled with for a long time. When I was younger (4 or 5) I would go to Sunday School and I also went to a private Christian School for two years (Some of my friends a couple of years ago couldn't believe it, I'm not exactly a type A Christian) however growing up I saw a lot and experienced even more and that definitely changed my outlook on my faith and God. I lost respect for him however over the last year I have, started finding my faith again and have definitely experienced some amazing things. In 2017 I want to explore my faith more and what being a Christian means to me.

7. Acceptance.
I am not perfect nobody is, however, I want to learn to accept myself and be nicer to myself. Yes, I have acne, freckles, scars and so much more but at the end of the day, they have come with me through every experience some experiences causing scars whether they are visible or not. I am who I am and I need to learn to love myself, and who I am just as much as the next person.

8. Anxiety and Mental Health.
This year I have made so much progress with my anxiety which of course is amazing, however, over the next year, I want to be able to say that anxiety is something that no longer affects my day to day life. I don't want to be scared of having a panic attack in the middle of the supermarket (which yes has happened this year and it was not a good time).

9. Getting my sh*t together.
I hate when there are no plans, hence, why I am a self, confessed control freak. In 2017 I want to get my sh*t together both in my personal life, as school and professionally. By personally I don't mean getting into a relationship, I mean seeing my friends and family more and making time for the people in my life that have been there for me and supported me, if that happens to mean I meet someone amazing and fall in love so be it, although it isn't something that I will be actively seeking out (although you can apply below, I am joking). School, this year started off great I got pretty decent grades although the second semester well lets just say that didn't go so well, I also had a lot more going on and was travelling to Whangarei every week for therapy, however, my time in between that wasn't thought out very well, thus this year I have a goal to attend all my tutorials. Yes, every single one. I am aware that there may be events that cause m to not be able to make it but there is always an exception to the rule although a hangover is not one! Improving my grades is something that is extremely important to me and a goal I definitely want to achieve in the new year. Professionally, by this I mean my blog and well you can just go and see number 1 for this.

What are your new year resolutions? What do you want to see from me?
Let me know in the comments below.


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Wednesday 30 November 2016

Five Everyday Make Up Products I’m Currently Loving // November 2016 | Beauty

Wednesday 30 November 2016


                            





I thought that I would share with all of you some of my favourite make up products that I use every day. I have a lot of Make Up that I love and tend to only buy make up that I am in love with, but these are the ones that I use every day and are a part of my staple look.






Chanel CC Cream Correction Complete  – I bought this CC Cream before I went overseas earlier this year. I wanted something that was going to be moisturizing and felt really light on my skin. I honestly didn’t think this was going to turn into a product that I would start to use every day, mainly because I didn’t believe this product wouldn’t be worth the price (I was proven wrong). The amount of coverage is also pretty impressive, which I wasn’t expecting but am really pleased about because my face has a tendency to break out.




Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow 157 Beige Doré  – I love this eye shadow, the main reason being that it takes 30 seconds to put it on, meaning my makeup routine doesn’t take as long. The staying power of this eye shadow is also somewhat impressive and can last really long days. My longest day starts at 7am and finishes around 1 am, and it lasts intact the entire day. If you would like a blog post on how I use this eye shadow comment below. (This eye shadow is limited edition and has sold out in this colour)




ColourPop Ultra Matte LAX  – This was a rush purchase and I definitely didn’t know that it would become a favorite of mine. I have always been and probably always will be a staple lip kind of girl and this definitely achieves that look. It also has a really nice formula.


Vanilla Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting Recipe | Recipe



These are potentially the fluffiest, softest, most delicious cupcakes I have ever make, and will ever make. The icing is rich and delicious and not for the faint hearted. 

Prep time – 30 minutes
Cooking time – 20-40 minutes
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes
225g butter, at room temperature
2 cups caster sugar
3 free range eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons natural vanilla extract
Seeds of one vanilla pod
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup milk
¼ cup cream

Icing
200ml cream
200g white chocolate, chopped
4 1/2 cups icing sugar


Method

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 170c bake . Line 2 standard cupcake trays.

2.Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, stir with a whisk and set aside.


3.Cream the butter and sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, gradually beating on a medium speed between each egg. Add the Vanilla and beat for a further 15 seconds.

4.Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then beat to combine. Add 1/3 of the milk. Repeat these steps until all of the flour and milk mixture is used up. The mix should be nice and smooth.

5. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners ¾ full, and bake in middle of the oven for about 18 – 20 minutes.  Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.



Frosting

1.Melt White Chocolate and Cream together and leave to cool in the fridge for approximately 30 mins. 

2.Slowly sift in Icing sugar. 


3.Ice cupcakes.










What s you go to cupcake recipe? Have you made these?
Let me know in the comments below.

Niue

Niue is an amazing place to visit. The scenery is incredible and the people are lovely. It's definitely different to anywhere else I have been.


I love how untouched the Island is, in comparison to Rarotonga; Niue isn't commercialized and has only a small shopping area that is really only for necessities. Everything is very down to earth. 




The fish while snorkelling are amazing, as is the coral. There are also coconut crabs all over the island that predominantly come out at night, but are amazing if you see them. The fishing is on a whole other level. We went on a fishing charter early one morning and three of us caught 8 Tuna within an hour, yea when I say the fishing is a whole other level I mean it!






The pools and the caves are incredible all around the island. You could literally spend a three or four days just going to all the pools and caves.... and We did. Once We were in some of the caves I started to regret the amount of horror movies I have watched, but nonetheless they were beautiful.


Whangarei Falls

Whangarei Falls is one of those touristy walks that people do when they come to Whangarei, although I'm not technically a tourist because I lived there for two years I do love going to the falls. The best time is to go right after it has rained then you a guaranteed that there will be heaps of water flowing from the falls.



While the falls are magic, the walk there is as well. It takes any where from ten to fifteen minutes and it is a fairly flat walk. I love this walk because of the scenery and nature. Who doesn't love to be indulged by nature?


Depression // November 2016 | Mental Health


Mental illness is an issue that is close to my heart, particularly depression because of my own battle with it. A lot of the time people don't understand the facts and how depression affects people, thus I thought I would share some facts on depression with you. There isn't just one black and white type of depression and it is important to note that just because people have the same type of depression it doesn't mean they are affected in the same way.

Depression is an illness that can affect how you feel for weeks and months at a time. Depression is a lasting low mood, that can affect work, school, relationships hobbies and everything in between. It is important to seek help early. The early depression is treated the sooner you can feel like yourself again, there are plenty of resources you can access which will be listed at the end of this post.


Depression comes in all shapes and sizes and doesn't discriminate.

                                              


How do I know if I have depression?
Anybody can get depression and it is important to know what the symptoms are in order to know when you should seek help. If you ever feel as though you have depression you should contact a healthcare professional. There are some helpline numbers listed at the end of this blog post.

   Continuous low, sad or depressed mood. The person may describe this as as feeling empty, having no feelings, or they may complain of pain.
                       
   Loss of interest and pleasure in usual activities. This one is basically a reduction in enjoyment from things you once got a lot of joy and happiness from.

   Irritable mood.This may be the main mood change, especially in younger people, and in men (especially from Maori and Pacific ethnic groups).

   Change in sleeping patterns. Most commonly reduced sleep, with difficulty getting to sleep, disturbed sleep, and/or waking early and being unable to go back to sleep. Some people sleep too much. Most people with depression wake feeling unrefreshed by their sleep.

   Change in appetite. Most often people do not feel like eating and as a result will lose weight. Some people have increased appetite, often without pleasure in eating. This is often seen in those who also sleep more.

   Decreased energy, tiredness and fatigue. This can be so severe that people find it difficult to do the smallest tasks.

   Physical slowing and/or agitation. Often comes with severe depression. The person may sit in one place for long periods and move, respond and talk very slowly; or they may be unable to sit still, but pace and wring their hands. The same person may experience alternating slowing and agitation.

   Thoughts of worthlessness or guilt. As a result of feeling bad about themselves, people may withdraw from doing things and from contact with others. This is a dangerous sign of depression and it is important to seek help.

   Thoughts of hopelessness, harming themselves and death.They may feel there is no hope in life, wish they were dead or have thoughts of suicide. If you ever feel suicidal or suspect somebody is suicidal or hurting themselves, you should get help immediately and phone 111 if someone is in danger to themselves or others.  If you are worried about somebody you can visit the Mental Health Foundations page on ‘Suicidal Thoughts: Worried about someone.’ You can access it here.


   Difficulty thinking clearly. People may have difficulty in concentrating. They may not be able to read the paper or watch television. They may also have great difficulty making simple everyday decisions.





Treatment:
'Treatment of depression can involve a number of aspects, each of which can be tailored to your individual need. For most, a combination of medication and talking therapies such as counseling can be effective. It is also important, that if you decide to get counseling that you find a counselor that is suitable for you and that you feel comfortable with.


Some Facts:

   Depression affects 1 in 5 New Zealanders.
   1 in 4 young adults will suffer an episode of depression before age 24.
   Women are twice as likely to experience depression than men.
   Globally more than 350 Million people live with depression.
   Many creative individuals experienced depression, including Ludwig van Beethoven, John Lennon, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Georgia O’Keefe, Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemmingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Sylvia Plath


What to Study // November 2016 | Life


It was always a big deal to make sure you knew exactly what you wanted to study at university before you got there. I definitely had that pressure but because I chose such a versatile degree that pressure left once I started university. I found out there was a lot of people who didn't know what they wanted to study and that made me feel so much better. Do what makes you happy, and don't stress about it because you can always change. Here are my top tips for choosing what you want to study:



1.     Don’t stress over what you are going to study.

 Don’t stress, you ultimately have your first year to really decide what you want to do and if you change a few times during the year that is okay. I have personally changed my major I think three times this year. I have always known I wanted to do psychology but this year I made the decision to do a double major and my other major I have changed several times and that is oaky.



2.     Just because it’s a hobby doesn’t mean it can be a career you will enjoy.
 Originally I was going to do a double major in Psychology and English. However, while studying English at university I found as though the passion that I had for English and writing had evaporated with studying English. That terrified me because I relate my identity and writing so close together. Making the decision to drop English as my major was a huge decision but I am so happy I made that decision I have since decided to do Security studies as my second major and I am really excited about that because it challenges me in a way that writing never did. I have also found that since I stopped doing English as my major and dropped those papers, I have found my passion for writing and also have found my passion for my blog again.