I recently read that there are three keys to happiness; something to look forward to, something to be proud of, and something to do. Now happiness has not been my strong point lately but I am really really trying. I'm trying to work on myself, my career, and just generally create the Grace I want to be.
Since hearing about these three keys I've become obsessed, they just make so much sense. So in my quest to be the best, I thought I could round up my own three keys every month and remind myself that I do actually have a lot to be happy about.
So here they are...
Something to look forward to
I've actually got a lot to look forward to in September. From meeting up with old friends to making new ones, I've been very very social. I used to be a social butterfly in my late teens but I got comfortable with having a few close friends and stopped seeing people regularly. I've made more of an effort these last few months to see my girls and make time for my family, I also have lots of little catchups planned over the coming weeks.
I also have a solo day trip planned which was pretty spontaneous. Anyone who reads my blog will know that travelling is my first love and soulmate, and I won't give up on it now that I'm single. I did plan on going on a short city break by myself this month but I fannied out last minute. I did however book a solo day trip to Leeds which I am very excited/ nervous about.
Something to be proud of
I started my new adult job a few weeks ago now and I am proud. I am proud of myself for going to an interview, proud for actually getting the job, and proud for taking myself every day on the bus. If you told me this time last year that I would be working a 9-5 office job, getting myself there, and actually enjoying it too, I wouldn't have believed you.
Something to do
Now between spending most of my time at work/ with my friends and family I don't really have a lot of space to do things. Blogging has taken a massive backseat lately and I've really missed it to be honest. I won't be able to get back into my usual routine anytime soon but I do want to start setting aside more time for my favourite hobby.
I also was to travel more. I want to travel more and on my own. It's a scary thought but what choice do I have? There's places I want to see so I just have to go for it. I'm hoping to go on my first solo city break before Christmas if possible!
My last thing to do is actually probably the most important. I've applied for a marketing course which is due to start on Monday(!!!). I've wanted to get into marketing for a while now and I finally plucked up the courage to apply for a course last month. I am ready to be successful and for me that will start here.
Now that I've actually written it all down I can see just how far I have come in the last few months. It sounds strange but I've always been kind of scared to progress. I was always terrified of failure which meant I didn't actually try anything new. Well now I have nothing to lose anymore. I've been at the bottom and I am slowly but surely getting to the top.
Moms. We don’t give them half the credit they deserve do we? I know I don’t but I’d really like to change that. My mom is such a gem, she has helped me get through so much over the years and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to thank her really. Of course we have our fall outs but as I’m getting older I’m realising just how important she is to me and my sister.
Thank you mom, for everything.
I’ve not had the best time lately. The last couple of months have been quite hard but my mom has always been there to help me pick up the pieces and stay up with me whilst I cry myself to sleep. There have been a lot of nights like that recently but she doesn’t get bored or tell me to just get on with things, she sticks around and tells me what I need to hear.
One night a few weeks back I was having a terrible time. Everything was getting in top of me and I just didn’t know if I could be bothered anymore. she stayed up with me well into the early hours to help me look for a new job and apply for some new courses. I needed something to live for again and she knew this. We were honestly looking for hours but she didn’t get annoyed with me at all. I hope I will always remember that night, especially whenever I feel my patience wearing thin with her.
As a teenager I did go to my mom for some things but for the most part I didn’t think I needed parents. I guess most teens are like that, we think we know better, we tell them we hate them and can’t wait to move out. But for most of us our parents, moms especially, will always be waiting with open arms to make things right again.
My mom has been an angel my whole life but I’m finding more and more that adult Grace needs her a whole lot more than baby Grace ever did. She has always got my best interests at heart and even when we argue I know that no one could ever come close to replacing her.
Thank you mom, for everything.
So you can probably tell from the fact that this palette is a bit of a mess that I didn't plan on talking about it. To be honest, I didn't ever really plan on buying it in the first place and I initially didn't like it at all. On my way to Disneyland in February 2017 I realised I didn't pack any eyeshadow so I panic bought the cheapest palette I could find in duty free which happened to be this one.
Truthfully, it took me a very long time to learn to love this palette. I hid it away in my makeup draw straight after I returnED from my holiday and didn't really think I'd ever use it again. I didn't even look at it for months, that was until I was packing for a short camping trip and was tight for room. Its a very small palette with a decent sized mirror and some subtle glittery shades which I thought would be ideal for a weekend away. I used it every day that trip and I've never looked back.
Since that short break back in May I've used this palette every other day and taken it on multiple other trips. I've fallen in love with the pretty shimmery shades and if I'm honest they are really long lasting. I'd even go so far as to compare my favourite shades to some of my Urban Decay eyeshadows which are much more pricey. The quality of the glitter shades in this palette are incredible, unfortunatly I don't get on so well with the mattes which I feel aren't as vivid as they should be.
The shades don't have names in this palette which is a shame but the ones I use the most are; the second from the left which is a beautiful shimmery peach colour, the forth from the left which is a light brown/ bronze colour, and the fifth from the left which is a glowey gold shade. I use the others occasionally but only really on the outer corners of my eyes to give my favourite shades more depth. Because the shades in this palette are so warm I feel that this is the perfect palette for summer, especially warm days/ nights by the seaside. Its an ideal size to pack in my hand luggage and I feel like a glowing summer princess when I wear my favourite shades, not even being dramatic.
- Shop the look -
So how much will this little beauty set you back? £14.99. I know right. A gorgeous palette like this for less that £15 really is a bargain. As I bought mine in Duty Free I paid roughly £12 but I've seen deals on this palette before so its worth keeping an eye out in your local makeup store just incase the price drops.
All in all this is a decent little palette with a few really good quality shades that I now wear most days. I think it retails at a bargain price and is ideal for taking on your holibobs too!
Have you tried any of the Loreal Paris palettes yet?
Thanks for reading!
x
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Want to read more beauty posts? You can find some recent ones below!
- Falling back in love with makeup
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Want to read more beauty posts? You can find some recent ones below!
- Falling back in love with makeup
- My hand luggage beauty essentials
- The naked truth: is Naked Heat worth the hype?
So I've got a confession to make. I've never been to a proper festival. At almost 24 years old I've never seen the likes of V-fest, Glastonbury, or even Bestival. As someone who's such a free spirit and loves spending cosy nights in a tent you'd think I'd be an experienced festival veteran by now, but nope.
The one festival I have been to is Elmfest. Not heard of it? Of course you haven't. It's a teeny tiny homemade festival on a small campsite in the middle of Gloucestershire. Although it's small, it's fun and friendly and pretty local to us so that's perfect. It also allows dogs and campfires on site so we can take our angel George and keep cosy when the sun has gone down!
Now, just because Elmfest isn't a real festival doesn't mean I'm not going to dress up and treat it like one! I'm probably not going to get my first taste of a big festival for a few years yet unfortunatly so when I knew Emlfest was coming back around I took full advantage. I started planning outfits and buying face glitter! I actually invested in some biodegradable body glitter for the weekend, which I'm hoping to create some fun makeup looks with in the coming weeks.
Although a lot of my outfit plans changed due to the cold and then the extreme heat we had one day, this outfit I wore on the Saturday night stayed the same. It's not the most generic festival wear, after all I am in a random field with about 200 other people, I can't really go all out. Its not like a normal festival, it's less anonymous, if I did the whole glitter tits thing people would remember! So I went for a comfortable outfit with happy carefree vibes to it. I feel like this is something I would actually wear to a festival if I did get the chance. Maybe I would add more sparkles and a bit of funky headwear but the base of a good festival outfit is definitely there.
- Shop The Look -
Hopefully one year I'll get to see one of the big UK festivals. I'll probably hate every second of being claustrophobically close to people and the horrible smelly toilets but I'm sure it will be an experience to remember. Until then I'll carry on enjoying my little local Elmfest with a roaring fire, a couple of cans of Dark Fruits and some of my fave people.
Thanks for reading!
x
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Am I a food critic yet? Some days it feels like it, but nope, I just know what I like and I can talk about it for days. Maybe that's why Miller & Carter invited me down to dine in one of their newer restaurants last week. I can't be sure, all I know is that I went, ordered whatever I fancied, and I enjoyed every last bite.
The recently opened Marlbrook restaurant is located just outside of Birmingham in neighbouring Bromsgrove. It's situated in a very easy to get to spot and has a large carpark at the front which makes a nice change from over crowed, multi-story parking in the city.
We arrived pretty much bang on time for our reservation last Thursday night and were promptly greeted and seated. We were offered the choice to sit and have drinks before being shown to our table but our stomachs were empty and we were ready to eat.
The interiors of the Marlbrook branch were similar to other Miller & Carter restaurants. It had a very familiar feel but with a warm homely touch. This welcoming feeling was one that would not leave us all night, but was especially prominent whilst we were being served by our waitress Kat.
Once we were given our menus there was no rush to order. We were given plenty of time to pick and choose what we wanted and I noticed the same patience was shown to other guests, even the less friendly ones.
After a good few minutes of debating what to order I opted for a bowl of Mediterranean olives as a starter, and a bacon and smoked cheddar burger with more olives as my main (don't judge me). I also decided to push the boat out and ordered myself a little Mojito.
I took my partner in crime to help me sample the delicious menu, such a tough job I know, but I have to repay him for the hours he spends taking photographs of myself for the gram, am I right? Sean is a huge steak fan so I doubt he even looked at the burgers or any other section of the menu whilst ordering. In fact he opted to order from the Steaks & Dates menu (obviously) in which you can order a 3 course meal for £25.95 per person on Thursday nights after 5pm.
Sean's not one to stick to budgets when eating out and so he ordered the cluck and duck wings for a starter, the 8oz 30 day aged fillet, which incurred a £5 supplement, and a glass of red wine. I have since been told the supplement was 100% worth it. Our drinks soon arrived and the photoshoot began (sorry Sean).
After a very short wait our starters were brought over to the table. Sean's looked absolutely incredible and I was told the hoisin glazed chicken and duck wings tasted as good as they looked. As I was saving my main tummy space for my burger, I didn't want a large starter and so my mixed olives were the perfect thing to nibble on while I sipped on my Mojito feeling all fancy.
My tasty little cocktail was soon gone and it was time to order another. This time I opted for something a little bit more boozy, a long island ice tea. I had one back in December when we visited another branch of Miller & Carter and it was the perfect drink to accompany my main meal. The designated driver had a coke, poor Sean.
After another short wait our mains were placed in front of us - cue another unbearably long photoshoot for Sean. He knows the drill by now, I'm sure all 'Instagram boyfriends' do and to be honest it wasn't all that hard to take cracking photos when the food is as well presented as ours was.
We were soon tucking into our meaty meals which were every bit as delicious as we anticipated they were going to be. My bacon and smoked cheddar burger really was something else, it was juicy and full of flavour without being greasy like burgers sometimes can be.
My favourite touch was the cheddar topped bacon which is more like a slab of gammon in my opinion and really does take the burger to the next level. I also think it's priced very reasonably for a steak house, costing just £11.95 including a large side of chips and tasty coleslaw. I know Sean also enjoyed his meal by just how quickly it had found itself into his belly.
After munching down on our mains we were pretty stuffed. I couldn't even finish my second helping of olives, can you imagine? We asked to take a short break before ordering our desserts and weren't felt rushed at all.
When we were eventually ready for our sweet treats Sean knew exactly what he wanted and ordered the rich chocolate brownie. It sounded amazing, and was even available on the regular dessert menu however I fancied something much smaller. Although the desserts on offer looked delicious I knew I wouldn't be able to finish an adult sized portion, but I didn't have to fear as Kat was here and ready to recommend a child's ice cream which came with two scoops and a cookie on the side, perfect.
Some restaurants wont let adults order from the child's menu as it's company policy. In my eyes this translates to 'we just want you to spend more money' but this wasn't a problem here at all and my dessert was the perfect size to finish off my delicious meal.
Sean and I both had such a nice date night, in a lovely setting, served by the friendliest waitress. Miller & Carter is a treat for me as some of the dishes can be on the pricier side but I can honestly say it has left me pining for more. The quality of the food really is worth every penny and I can't wait for my next visit.
Want a fancy date night of your own? Enter my competition HERE to win a £50 Miller & Carter voucher!
Thanks for reading!
x
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* Our meal was complimentary however all thoughts and opinions are my own. I would never promote anything I didn't believe in.
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As a kid I always loved sport. I could power through a football match, beat many of my peers at the 100 meters race, and I even have medals for both trampolining and horse riding. So why is my body so big? Well the teen years hit, my confidence dropped, and I quickly left anything sporty in the past.
P.E. at school was mortifying for me. Once puberty hit I started to gain weight, mix that in with my love of quavers and you've got an obese child in the making. Now I don't personally think I've ever been obese, and I think that word in general has such nasty connotations around it, but I was told by a doctor at the impressionable age of 14 that I was just that. According to my BMI I was obese. How do you even begin to get your kit off and go play around on the sports field when you feel like a disgusting fat blob, and the doctor has just confirmed it for you? Looking back I was a very normal weight, slightly over maybe, but I had muscle and I was healthy.
Fast forward to almost 10 years later and here I am. I'm definitely bigger but still healthy, and actually happy for once. It has taken me years of reversing all the damage done by self hate and vile comments from others for me to be where I am today and I'm quite proud. That being said I could be a lot healthier and I know that.
So now is the time to fix the damage that all those bags of quavers have done over the years. But now I have another challenge to face, I am actually quite large. Sports wear is very difficult to buy, not just because the sizing usually caters to slimmer people but because actually going to buy gym clothes is embarrassing. I know the fitting room assistant is thinking I'm too fat for leggings and I know the cashier is wondering if I've ever been to the gym in my life. I just know it, except I don't. I have no way of knowing what they are actually thinking about. More than likely they are too busy counting down the hours until they can clock off to even look at my body. I have to remember that next time I try to pick up some snazzy sports wear.
For me, the thought of doing exercise now is still as mortifying as it was back when I was at school. 'Will my legs jiggle?', 'Will I be able to do it without getting sweaty and gross?', 'Will everyone judge me because I'm fat?' Those are just some of the hundreds of unhelpful, unwanted, intrusive thoughts that push themselves into my mind whenever I think about trying something new.
The hard truth is that yeah, maybe people will think nasty thoughts about me, and chances are my legs are going to jiggle, my tummy will too, but that's just life. I can't keep letting other people's thoughts effect me especially when 1. I'm trying to better myself and 2. I will never truly know what they are thinking.
Over the last few months I've been making more of an effort to get back into fitness. I've bought a bike which I occasionally ride to work, gone swimming with my friends, tried my hand at rock climbing, and even managed to get myself to the top of the Malvern Hills. It's not been easy, getting into a swimming costume was especially hard, but I did it.
For me half the challenge with fitness is getting into the right mindset to do it, and once I've overcome that, chances are I'll be able to to the activity I've chosen. I'm not as much of a blob as I sometimes think and I always feel so much better after a good workout. You can get back into fitness no matter your size, but it's always better to start sooner than later.
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Thanks for reading!
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If you liked this post don't forget to click here to follow me on Bloglovin!
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- My blogging equipment list
- Hand luggage beauty essentials
- Some blogging goals
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