I thought I'd start with a new blog series what I'm calling "last week was, this week will be", not the most adventurous name by all accounts. I'm basically wanting a way to motivate myself and a chance to share with you some highlights or thing's I've enjoyed from last week and jot down a few things I intend to do the following week. Kind of like weekly resolutions since I'm pretty sure my to do list for this year is failing badly.
I seem to be spending so much time day dreaming recently about the most ridiculous of things, I feel I'm forgetting to focus on what's going on right now. I'm sure we all have these moments where we daydream but I do feel too much time floating in the clouds, prevents us from building out lives right here. Check me out, going all philosophical on you.
I will share with you however one thing I do regularly, I have no idea how I started this, but often on days that feel a little mundane I buy a scratch card and leave it in my bag for a while, that way I know that even if my day is bad there is always the chance I've won £100,000.00. A little weird perhaps but it's the small things that sometimes make Mondays much better. I'm also really starting to realise the benefits of having more get up and go. For example I can sit here and look at 1000 Pintrest images for inspiration on how to get the perfect body and why I will feel great clean eating (whatever that is..my diet is cheese and diet coke) but going for just one little run on an evening will always feel a 1000 times better than wishing to change.
I seem to be spending so much time day dreaming recently about the most ridiculous of things, I feel I'm forgetting to focus on what's going on right now. I'm sure we all have these moments where we daydream but I do feel too much time floating in the clouds, prevents us from building out lives right here. Check me out, going all philosophical on you.
I will share with you however one thing I do regularly, I have no idea how I started this, but often on days that feel a little mundane I buy a scratch card and leave it in my bag for a while, that way I know that even if my day is bad there is always the chance I've won £100,000.00. A little weird perhaps but it's the small things that sometimes make Mondays much better. I'm also really starting to realise the benefits of having more get up and go. For example I can sit here and look at 1000 Pintrest images for inspiration on how to get the perfect body and why I will feel great clean eating (whatever that is..my diet is cheese and diet coke) but going for just one little run on an evening will always feel a 1000 times better than wishing to change.
Last week was:
The Urban Decay Electric pallet. I have wanted this for so long and it finally arrived. I bought this when the pallet went live on Cohorted last Monday. Cohorted is a social shopping website, where products are request, when the item goes live the more people who buy the products, the cheaper they become. I will explain this in a separate post soon. However the reason I'm so happy by this purchase is it is something I have wanted for ages. when I saw the item on Cohorted this meant I had to wait for the item to go live, which took about a month I think. My point been I had to wait and it made receiving the item so much better.
It bought the feeling of when I was in college and I would occasionally see a pair of shoes in the window of Schuh. On my little supermarket part time wage I couldn't just afford to go out shopping like I can now, therefore I had to wait, save and I spent my money wisely. The excitement of finally putting my feet into my shiny new pair of shoes was so satisfying. I've talked in the past about how now I seem to have no satisfaction in shopping and have become greedy in some ways. So to have something I for once appreciate (even if that is an eye shadow pallet) and got excited about was nice.
Contrary to the above statement, last week I took these beautiful trainers on their first outing. That outing been a very short lives 15 minuet jog but still. Despite sitting in my shoe collection perfectly boxed up for a few months amongst my other boxed up hardy worn shoes, I've really fallen in love with these trainers. It also made me feel a little bad taking them out of the box for the first time after 4 months. It really confirmed the above feelings, that I'm somewhat of a materialistic brat. Despite that my 15 minuet jog, made me appreciate the free things in life and the well-being feeling of a short jog (it started to rain...and I had a stitch). I do love been outdoors and I have notice that even completing the shortest exercise session fills me with a lot more pride and happiness than material possessions ever will.
Last week (in fact all weeks) felt a little social media heavy. I seem to spent a lot of time, checking emails, Twitter, writing blog posts, sending texts, checking Facebook. As much as writing my blog feels productive, waking up to check twitter, or checking emails on my lunch break feels over the top and counter productive. I really don't need this much social media in my life and especially not 24/7. I wrote a post a while back called too much technology and I often wish it didn't exist to the extent it does today. Despite my love hate relationship I will never be able to give up social media but I feel I need to find the technology - life balance.
Finally on a more positive note from last week, that all seemed a little depressing. I came across this song. It was the kind of song (for me any ways) you hear and fall in love with, I could sit and listen to this all day. Such a calming relaxing song and it sounds a little like my favourite artist Ben Howard.
This week will be
I'm hoping to book a weekend break this week, when pay day finally arrives. I'm hoping a small trip away will give me time to relax fully and plus it's always nice to have something to look forward to, it keeps us going. I have my heart set on going to Rome, I'm not much the beach bunny I'm far more city chick when it comes to holidays. I like the chance to explore and actually see the world no matter how small a part of it.
I have talked myself out of joining a gym for months. Telling myself instead I will go jogging as it's free, it's an unnecessary cost, blah blah blah. This month I've convinced myself I can't quite afford to join a gym and I won't have time to go as I will hopefully be in Rome. Firstly the holiday to Rome if it's booked, will last around 4 days and secondly I'm sure I will buy myself more than one new outfit which is the cost of the gym membership. Considering January I bought all the relevant fitness gear. I don't have many plausible excuses. So this pay day, no excuses I will be signing myself up and trying my best to go 4 times a week. I'm hoping if I stick to that I may splash out on an actual fitness plan next month. I'm really hoping that instead of splashing out on clothes and make up trying to look good, I'll mostly feel better from within.
Not to spend money on anything unnecessary. I'm deciding to leave my bank card at home when I go to work, no more expensive lunches, coffees on the way to work and I really hate to admit I routinely use a cash machine what charges me out of convenience. From now on I will withdraw money at the start of the week and when it's gone it's gone. I'm not going to become "tight" but I need to start asking myself "do I really need this?". I've noticed towards the end of the month when I'm in my overdraft typically, I don't curb my spending at all, I just feel more guilty about doing so and tell myself next month I'll be better. It's a habit that needs to stop. I've decided I will allow myself money for a night out a week, some clothes (but purchases I've thought through) and defiantly no running through Primark like I'm on super market sweep.
After watching UP sometime ago (yes I cried), it made me see we do actually need money to make us happy and assist us in our life experiences. Despite that not been the point in the film, from an "adult" perspective money goes a long way towards been able to lead a fulfilled life. I'm the grand old age of 23 and there are things I want to tick of the bucket list sooner rather than later, see some of the world, actually learn to drive, eventually buy a house and make it my home, are by no means going to come free. Unless the scratch card in my bag is a winner.
Sammie