A month in Instagram - July

As I've said before, I'm just a little bit addicted to Instagram... I studied Fine Art at university so I've always been more of a visual person anyway, but I like how you can just see something and not need to read a caption, or even include a caption in a post. July was actually a really good month for me, I saw my godson who doesn't live nearby (I cherish every minute that I spend with that little man), received a ridiculous amount of flowers from my boyfriend and went on several bus journeys at various times of the day.

I also realised that I hate using my iPhone for music so rediscovered an old iPod video, which has the best sound quality... Sometimes older is better, a little nostalgia never hurt anyone :) I spent my bus journeys listening to so many different genres and enjoying dabbling in old favourites like Muse, My Chemical Romance and Panic! at The Disco feeling 14 years old again. I like going for walks near where I live and took some photographs of the views in different lights and shared my favourites (there's secretly still an art student inside me, haha) and took a couple of selfies, one with makeup and one without. I'm learning to be ok with how I look and not wear so much makeup that it's a mask which has actually helped my skin a lot, it's a lot less blotchy than before.

I also shared some photos of friends, of my boyfriend and my Izabela, so is sadly leaving work but I'm sure we will keep in touch ❤️ it's strange how the people that you work with become so close to you, like family almost. So that was my July in a series of very random snapshots, but good memories all the same :)

Re-evaluating life

 

Every so often it's good to take time out to just sit and think about yourself, if that involves your life, your job or your health... Whatever you need to evaluate will be important to you and only you, but will also affect you in a big way. Ultimately, everyone's aim in life is to be truly happy; however it can be a struggle to define what actually makes us happy as people. Happiness is definitely something that only the indivudual can decide on, for example my idea of happiness may not be for you.

I'm trying out a new idea which is every month, to sit down and take the time to slow down and think more often. Even if thinking sometimes feels stressful, I've learnt that ignoring a problem isn't a solution and that sometimes you have to face your fears and take action. The hardest part of this process is not even the decision making for me, it's the taking action that is hard. Ultimately the most important thing to do is give yourself time only for yourself and simply unwind and do as little as humanely possible.

The only person who has the power to change your life you, and if something is making you unhappy then the solution is to change it. I know as much as anyone that is easier said than done, but as life disappears in a flash as it is, then why spend it unhappy? If you focus on the positives and plough through the negatives to create more positives then fingers crossed the journey to happiness will be complete.

Recently I've been evaluating and re-evaluating my life across many aspects; its almost theraputic, even if it's not the most pleasant of processes however necessary it is. I've realised that the quest for perfection is high, and that I definitely have a tendency to overthink many things but everyday is a learning curve and tackling problems rather than avoiding them is a step in the right direction. I'm learning to be grateful for what I have in life. :)

Favourite instagrammers - July

Hello again, as a self-confessed Instagram addict, I thought it'd be nice to suggest some people to follow each month as I know when I read a blog I enjoy seeing who else they follow and I've often found that I then start reading their blogs too, so I guess you could apply the same principle here :) please note that all of the images below were taken from the usernames mentioned using a Google search.

 

theresalightthatnevergoesout

I have been following Megan for what feels like ages, and I love how she keeps it so personal with pictures of family and friends as well as the things she loves such as her favourite bands (The Smiths, for example) or her growing tattoo collection. As I previously studied art and photography at university I also enjoy seeing her architecturally based photographs of Northern England, makes me think I should visit one day even if I am a proud Londoner! Haha.

 

heldtogetherbypins

I have no idea how I started following Paige, but I don't regret it. Not only does she have a blog (the url is the same as her username), she also posts a variety of different make up looks and DIYs alongside personal style posts. However I would say she's not an atypical fashion instagrammer, because her account has a lot of personal posts as well, such as photos with friends and recently some of her birthday.

 

oliviabynature

Olivia is very much a style blogger/instagrammer (her blog url is the same username). Very much a hipster, vintage styled fashionista; her love of denim and stripes definitely shines through about 80% of her outfits, aha! She's definitely the epitome of London cool complete with sunglasses, Polaroid camera and a bicycle. Another reason that I really like her posts is she's based in a similar area of London to me and so I recognise some of the streets she photographs.

 

emmmasometimes

I really enjoy Emma's happy go lucky posts and appreciative views of nature mixed in with fashion and lifestyle; laden with food posts about cake or chocolate, baking is definitely one of her passions. She has a massive love for cats and her overall style is very classically feminine and cute with lots of skater dresses and this is in line with her photographic style; a little quirky and a little adventurous.

 

elliecp_

An obvious lover of vintage clothing, Ellie has the quirkiest personal style that I've ever seen, mixed in alongside travel post, art and disposable photography. Her posts are littered with collages and sketches of fashions that she's seen and liked, as well as some more random enjoyable moments with friends. She's probably best described as a chameleon as her make-up, hair and accessories are matched to every outfit. 

July Playlist!

 

1. Try - P!nk

2. Dark Side - Kelly Clarkson

3. Cheap Thrills - Sia (feat. Sean Paul)

4. Walk Of Shame - P!nk

5. Fall For You - Bethan Leadley

6. Franklin - Paramore

7. Hallelujah - Panic! At The Disco

8. The Vegas Lights - Panic! At The Disco

9. Take Care - Drake (feat. Rihanna)

10. Hallelujah - Paramore

As you can probably see, my music taste is a little strange as I listen to literally so many different genres and styles. This month I've revisited some bands that I adored as a young emo child mixed in with some more recent music and I've actually enjoyed listening to what I feel like as every song I listen to is like looking into a memory or a glimpse of what I'm doing at the time. I've also been using an old iPod video which actually has the most amazing sound quality even though its 10 years old now, I love it ❤️

Let's talk seriously for once..

 

Hello, again.

This time I want to talk about something that's quite important to me, but it's a little more serious than usual. Mental Health is something that I've struggled with for as long as I can remember, which is a bit scary to sit down and acknowledge. As an example, some days I'm so happy it completely engulfs me and makes me impossible to be around, I'm too hyper. But on the flip side, I'll be a crying, shrieking mess that can barely move or bear to get out of bed. My life is like a tightrope of emotions that fight each other to be in control and if I'm honest the thought of facing it gives me a headache most of the time.

However, as I get older I'm becoming more aware of what I need to do to look after myself, like taking time out for myself, seeing friends or even something as simple as taking my dog for a walk. I guess what I'm getting at is that I've realised that I can be severely self destructive and I'm learning to recognise the symptoms of a come down, or a major high. I suppose that this highlights how important it is to look after yourself and put yourself first, without being selfish, it's almost a survival technique. I also suffer with ridiculously high anxiety, which can be difficult to deal with as well, as overthinking is actually more stressful then it sounds.

So, to summarise this slightly random post; always make sure that your main focus is yourself, because ultimately if you don't look after yourself there's not many people who could or would be willing to. For example, you have family but they work and do other things, likewise with friends. You have to learn to balance your own life, whether that's finding a new hobby, taking some time off or just somehow ploughing on through life in the hopes that it will all be ok in the end. (I prefer the last option, but that's just me). Perhaps none of this makes any sense and it's all a bit strange, so sorry for that. Let me know if this made any sense, I'll be posting again soon. I'm trying to keep up this hobby :)