Top 10 things on your to do list that excite you right now

Reading the same stack of romance novels, taking frozen meals out of the freezer every afternoon cause it's your worst nightmare to go to the grocery store, and watching an abundance of Netflix series may have been exciting to you in normal life, but people lets face it people, if you do something enough times it can get pretty boring right? 

Well, week 7 in solitary confinement, I have decided to make a list of things I need in my life to give me a bit of excitement! Can I get a woop woop? No seriously, this is a big step! It's amazing how much happiness a list can give you, especially when you know that you'll be BUSY ALL DAY! 

 It's amazing, at least for me, how the simple things in life can bring you joy. Although I won't lie, dancing crazily around my room to Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' has always been on my to do list!

I know sometimes its hard to use your imagination, you feel stuck in one place with no idea how to get out. This is absolutely a normal thing, especially right now. That being said, try not to let things overwhelm you. Do something that brings you joy! I've found that even getting outside for 30 minutes in the morning, whether it's running or walking immediately makes you feel better. 
If it's more your groove to chill and watch YouTube - pick a funny video or podcast that will make you laugh, and if you're a beauty queen, get creative with your makeup bag. There's no one more worth looking gorgeous for than yourself!

What are the top 5 things making you happy at the moment? Write them in the comments below. I'd be delighted to hear them! 

Lastly, if you feel like you need a tad more inspiration to get and stay motivated check out this post from 'The Tiny Buddha' Blog on Lori Deschene's experience of being involved with 'Oprah Winfrey's Life Class' 
I mean, if that's not motivation, I don't know what is! 

https://tinybuddha.com/blog/60-life-lessons-insights-from-oprahs-life-class/ 

My Daily To-Do List

  Jammin' on my daily run listening to my favorite 'Badass Playlist'

     Drinking a hot cup of my favorite organic Yogi Tea

     Write gratitude journal every night

     Keeping up on the large stack of books I have on my dresser

     Creating artistic and fun Insta Stories

     Work on mastering my blog – AND I WILL!!!!

     Watch at least one Beyonce video

     GET MY BODY MOVING! 

     Sending/receiving funny videos (a smile a day keeps the blues away!)

     Making sweet treats! 

 

Top 5 Awesome Instagram Posts of All Time!

Photos, stories and more photos! Who isn't an Insta lover these days, right? 
I've always been a fan of the multi-feature app that just keeps getting better by the day, in my opinion! I've had my account for a couple years now but have deleted and reinstalled a good couple of times trying to find my "niche"

So, as I sit at home reflecting on life/blogging (more than i probably should 😉) in this current pandemic situation. I thought I'd compile a list of my top favorite Insta posts of all time. They may not be the most well known or photographically skilled but each of them evoke a happy memory or emotion that I've had the joy of experiencing in my life.

I hope you enjoy!  

One of my favorite things to do in Paris, is take some time to browse the plethora of little 'librairie!' This is taken from one of my favorite Instagrammers 'Sophie Nadeau' who spends her days taking photos of all the beautiful places in the City of Love 💖! Check out her blog here: https://www.solosophie.com/

Another stellar pic from 'Sophie Nadeau' I remember walking along the banks of the Seine in my early twenties, listening to the faint sound of the accordion, sipping lemonade, the sun beating down, and watching lovers kiss from afar. There's nothing quite like it!

One of my favorite Instagrammers, Sunny Lenarduzzi! Totally different from the above photos, she focuses on clean, fresh images that make you feel happy and ready to take on the world! This one's a bit Christmassy, but who doesn't love some lights and bright red lippy! Check her out here: https://sunnylenarduzzi.com/

Who doesn't love a messy baby? Mmmm, not me haha! That being said, you couldn't find a cuter string of photos on super successful Instagramer Aspyn Ovard's profile of her family life and the tiny tot! For more cute photos check her site out: https://aspynovard.com/

Last but not least, if you need some motherly inspiration, super retro fashion sense or some nice words on love and relationships, Love Taza is the place to go! Pro tip! Check out the 'Love' Section under 'Family' on her home page and click on the post 'The Story of the Yellow Fringe Skirt' It's super cute! For more outfit inspo, copy and paste here: https://lovetaza.com/

Are you a big fan of Instagram? Do you have a particular person who's content you just can't get enough of? 
I love learning about new IG personalities so please let me know who they are!

Top 20 best inspiration quotes to make you feel amazing!

Good afternoon Peeps and thanks for reading! I'm sure you've got loads of quarantiny things to do these days like keeping up with laundry, doing your favorite online workout (Joe Wick's is my fave!, hint hint 😉) or signing up for a zoom conference if you're working from home so I'd just like to say thanks for reading!

I don't know about you, but I'm trying to get a good dose of inspiration and positivity each day during these crazy times and wanted to tell you my favorite inspirational quotes to hopefully help you feel more excited and enthusiastic about the future - whatever comes our way. Whether you're feeling sad, depressed or angry about the current pandemic, I can assure you. You are not alone. We will get through this together, and as one of my favorite female entrepreneurs Marie Forleo says, 'Everything is figureoutable!' On a side note, for more of Marie's inspirational material follow the link here: Marie Forleo

1. 'Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.' –Napoleon Hill

2. 'I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.' –Florence Nightingale

3. 'I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.' –Michael Jordan

4. 'The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.' –Alice Walker

5. 'The mind is everything. What you think you become.'  –Buddha

6. 'Eighty percent of success is showing up.' –Woody Allen.

7. 'Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.' –Vince Lombardi

8. 'I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.' –Stephen Covey

9. 'Either you run the day, or the day runs you.' –Jim Rohn

10. 'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.' –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

11. 'The best revenge is massive success.' –Frank Sinatra

12. 'The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.' –Ralph Waldo Emerson

13. 'Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined.' –Henry David Thoreau

14. 'Believe you can and you’re halfway there.' –Theodore Roosevelt

15. 'When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life.  When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I wrote down ‘happy’.  They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.' –John Lennon

16. 'We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.' –Marie Curie

17. 'Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.' –Joshua J. Marine

18. 'Limitations live only in our minds.  But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.' –Jamie Paolinetti

19. 'What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.' –Bob Dylan

20. 'You become what you believe.' –Oprah Winfrey


If you are struggling, I hope these words of wisdom have made you think different about how much you're capable of and how much you can achieve! If you enjoyed this post check out another inspirational post here!

15 amazing quotes to start your week right!

Yes, it's Monday... 

The alarm goes off (in normal life) at 5:30am, we crawl/stumble to our kitchen thinking of only one thing COFFEE! Hoping it will make this weekly occurrence most of us are still not used to - even after years of doing it - more bareable, (and it usually does.) It's not even just Monday mornings that are difficult for most of us nine to fivers. We are cursed with the Sunday evening lead up! Ironing, packing lunches, checking our work emails and batch cooking are all reminders that the week is, of course, going to start again. Luckily, I've compiled 15 amazing  motivational quotes from some of my favorite inspirational women which should hopefully put a little spring in your step and help reduce those Monday blues! Remember, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams!" - Eleanor Roosevelt


Oprah Winfrey

THINK SUCCESS!

As one of the most influential and driven women with a plethora of organizations and a passion for giving back to the community, Oprah created the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls based in South Africa back in 2007. The school provides education and leadership opportunities for young women who show excellent leadership qualities to make a difference in the world.

1. 'You can have it all, just not all at once.'

2. 'Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough'

3. 'The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.'

4. 'Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.'

5. 'Think like a queen. A queen if not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.'



Rachel Hollis

With two New York Times Bestsellers, a global conference speaker focusing on female empowerment and a mindset that anything is possible, it's no wonder Rachel Hollis is one of the most successful bloggers, instagramers and podcasters in the world right now! Having worked in the corporate event planning industry in her early career, she built her self up through hard work and determination and now owns a multi-million dollar media company that she runs with husband Dave Hollis. Check out why she is one of my best inspirations and why she could possibly be yours here! https://msrachelhollis.com/. 

Success is immeasurable!

6. 'Nothing is wasted. Every single moment is preparing you for the next.'

7. 'The difficult seasons we walk through are how we learn to build up strength to manage any situation.'

8. 'Not having the knowledge just makes you teachable, not stupid. Not being in shape just makes you moldable, not lazy. Not having the experience just makes you eager, not ignorant. Flip the script and force yourself to see the positive where you’ve only seen the negative.'

9. 'A goal is a dream with its work boots on.'

10.  'Whatever standard you’ve set for yourself is where you’ll end up – unless you fight through your instinct and change your pattern.'

11. 'If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.'


Beyoncé Knowles-Carter

Whatever you refer to her as; Sasha Fierce, Bey or simply B, Beyoncé is definitely at the forefront of the R&B music scene and is known as a pillar of female empowerment for women all over the world. She's created multiple fashion lines, appeared at some of the worlds most coveted venues and created (in my opinion) some of the greatest songs around. I mean, who doesn't like to shake it to a little 'Singles Ladies' every once in a while, right?!

12. “I felt like it was time to set up my future, so I set a goal. My goal was independence.”

FIERCE!

13. 'I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world.'

14. 'Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.'

15. 'Power’s not given to you. You have to take it.'

Let me know what your thoughts are and Happy Monday! 😊 

Astonishing Date Ideas During Covid-19

Hello Lovelies! 💖

How's your romantic life these days? Are you enjoying hot dates with your Netflix box set or a cool glass of your favorite Chardonnay? Well, you may feel like your love life is kind of on the back burner these days, but it doesn't have to be!

Even though it's impossible to go out and enjoy a romantic dinner at your favorite restaurant or chill with a full size popcorn basket at your local cinema, I think you'll be pleased to know that dating sites have you covered.

As one of the most popular casual dating sites around, Tinder has made it their business to give you vital and helpful info that will take your virtual dates to the next level! https://swipelife.tinder.com/post/dating-and-coronavirus. 
Of course, you can stick with the old texting trick, but Tinder has taken it a step further with suggestions of Netflix parties, ordering takeout from the same restaurant, or if you're the sporty type, doing a partner workout via Zoom or FaceTime.
You must know that these options don't really compare to sitting cuddled up on the couch together but it's a great way to start building connection until we can all meet in real life again!

Similarly, Plenty of Fish has also jumped in on the virtual dating game by adding it's LIVE! feature to heavily affected Covid-19 areas like California, Washington DC and New York. They are also planning to roll out global live-streaming at the end of April so we can all make the most of this new, exciting and bizarre way of dating! Check out more info here: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/24/how-singles-are-meeting-up-on-dating-apps-during-the-coronavirus.html


But, if the ideas above aren't really your cup of tea, don't worry, because Bumble has also suggested an interesting technique that will at least make for a good laugh on your next virtual happy hour with your BFF.  If you do decided to adhere to a social distancing date in your local park or promenade you can always exchange pleasantries through a "footshake." Now THAT would be an interesting experience. (Let me know if you try it!)


What do your dating ideas look like at the moment? Are you taking advantage of all the virtual options out there? I'd love to hear about them.

I know Covid-19 is an inconvenience for all of us, especially when all we want is a bit of personal contact, but I hope through the tips above you'll get going and use some creativity on your next virtual date.  Maybe you'll love it and, who knows, it could become the new "sexy" in the dating world!

Where do you find inspiration?

'A Sudden, brilliant or timely idea.'

Doesn't that definition of inspiration just ooze enthusiasm and excitement for you? It sure does, me! It would be interesting to collect all of the different translations of inspiration and see which one sounded the best. Although, personally, I think the English language has it down!
We are so lucky as human beings to have the opportunity each day to be inspired. Maybe for you that means watching a YouTube performance of your favorite singer. Maybe it means landing that job you've been hoping for and you just can't wait to get involved and show what an expert you are in your field! Or maybe, in my mama's case, it means hiking in the depths of nature with some hard core athletes and feeling encouraged enough to scale a jagged rock face. Whatever it is, I believe that inspiration is a key thing in personal growth and feeling excited about your life!

Personally, my inspiration comes from a number of things, but I would have to say music, in all it's forms, has the ability to make me feel determined to chase my dreams and go for the goals that brew deep in the back of my mind. There's nothing like Whitney Houston's song 'Higher Love'  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTYOkcRH220 to get me dancing and ready to take on the world!

Well we all know you're not reading this post to hear about my inspirations so, go on... What gets you inspired? What do you look forward to after a long day at work, do you have a favorite hobby that you feel inspired to turn in to a career? Please, let me know!

I know everyone goes through tough times in their life. Heck, this lockdown is turning out to be one of the toughest times in all of our lives! That being said, I believe that some of the best inspiration comes out of feeling like you have nothing or that you have no idea where you'll begin again when things go back to normal. And so, to leave you with a quote that should make you feel your most inspired self, let's take some advice from the great Langston Hughes:

'Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly.'

How are you beating the blues during coronavirus?

A beautiful day in Santorini

Well, it's another beautiful day in the northwest of England 🌞That being said, I can hardly believe it! 

I'm not religious myself, but I sincerely believe there is a higher power watching over me right now being that I'm in such a rainy part of the world. 
I've been thinking, as I'm sure many of you have during this current time, about many different things: Whether or not you'll be able to go back to work, when you'll be able to socialize and go out with your friends and when you'll be able to hop on a plane to your favorite exotic locations again. I'll be honest, that last one is always on my mind! 😉 

It is such an unnatural thing for all of us to be living such a simple life and even though it has been an extremely humbling experience, there are definitely days where you feel like you're trying to beat the blues!

I have been so lucky to have discovered new hobbies during quarantine including becoming an amateur artist, taking up chess and of course starting this blog but despite all this new excitement in my life there are still days where I wake up thinking 'when will things go back to normal, how am I going to master all of the aspects of running a blog (the big one being promotion) and when will I be able to start earning a decent income again?! I'm sure I am not the only one feeling this and know that these questions I'm asking are teeny tiny compared to people with much bigger problems. 

Everyone needs a little love in their life

My advice to myself, and to you if you need some, is to breath. It's OK to feel fear, to be nervous about what the future holds but as I've said in my previous posts, human beings have incredible potential to make magic happen, especially when things aren't so great. All you need is the determination, confidence and persistence to carry you forward to the next day because I promise you, It will get better!

The second is get up and move your body. I don't mean going for a 15 mile run, unless that's your jam, or climbing the tallest hill in your vicinity! My favorite way to exercise is to put on a bangin' Beyonce song and dance around the room with crazy arm motions. (The neighbors probably think I'm crazy 😜) Either way, you do you Friend! 

These two methods have helped me in so many situations, both in my professional and personal life. You will always be learning and evolving so be patient, try not to worry to much and give yourself a pat on the back for even getting this far. You're already winning!

A scrumptious lunch in the heart of Venice!

I'd be really interested to know what your strategies are for beating your personal blues, and if you're feeling like this time in quarantine is helping you achieve things you'd never thought about trying before.