Tag: happy

A little list of things to leave behind in 2017…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment
  • Leave your past behind – The past is in the past and no matter how hard you try and change that it will still remain there. Let it go. The more you keep looking back the more you’ll miss out on what is happening right now.

 

  • Leave the hate behind – Leave whatever hate you’re feeling inside of you and try and learn forgiveness. Forgive people that never said sorry, forgive people when they don’t even deserve it – don’t continue to feel hate because you’ll end up hurting yourself more.

 

  • Leave that lack of confidence – Stop listening to the voices in your head telling you that you’re not pretty or good enough. I can honestly say that it’s a load of crap. You are more than enough. Learn to love and look after yourself – the change has to start with you.

 

  • Leave behind comparing yourself to others – Don’t head into 2018 comparing yourself to people, you are on your own journey and walking completely different paths. The more you focus on someone else’s journey the more you’ll lose sight of your own.

 

  • Leave behind the things and people that don’t make you happy – You need to look after yourself first, leave behind the guilt you feel when what you want doesn’t match up with what someone else wants. This is your life, you’re not a puppet. Go and live it for you and only you.

 

  • Leave behind your phone – Physically leave it at home. We have become so attached and dependent on our phones and social media that we are missing what is really happening in the world. A text or a notification can wait, but the people that matter to you are in front of you now, and you never know for how long.

 

  • Leave behind perfection – Stop thinking that perfection equals happiness. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. Imperfections are part of who we are, it’s what makes us – us! Just try and remember that you don’t have to be perfect to be happy. You just have to be you.

 

  • Leave your comfort zone – Go and do things that you have never done before, try new foods you’ve never tried, go and travel to different countries you’ve never seen. Be bold, daring and brave. Go out and experience new things. There’s a whole world out there – don’t be afraid to step outside of your bubble, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find.

 

  • Leave behind your mistakes – Whatever mistakes you’ve made in 2017 let them go. You don’t need to bring them over into 2018 – what’s happened can’t be changed but you can learn from your mistakes, it will help you grow into a better person. Don’t let them define who are you for the rest of your life – instead of letting your mistakes break you, let them build you.

 

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A Little Inspiration – Part Two

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

So about this time last year (maybe a little later) I posted a blog of my favourite inspirational quotes to take into 2017, so over this past year I’ve fallen in love and saved some new ones! I love these kind of posts because sometimes all it takes is a few sentences to really touch home  – I love when a piece of writing can become something personal.

So if you’re having a bad day, week or year then I hope these quotes give you that little bit of comfort or that extra push you needed to go out and be brave.

Choose, everyday to forgive yourself. You are human, flawed, and most of all worthy of love. – Alison Malee

What’s the greatest lesson a woman should learn? that since day one, she’s already had everything she needs within herself.  It’s the world that convinced her she did not. – Rupi Kaur

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life. – Omar Khayyam 

They’re scars for a reason, they don’t hurt anymore but they’re there to remind you of all the things you lived through. The moments that almost killed you and ones that made who you are. Stay strong. – R.M Drake 

Beg no one to stay when they decide they want to leave. Your love is not a cage for wild hearts, it is a gift to be well received. – Nikita Gill

The world gives you so much pain and here you are making gold out of it, there is nothing purer than that. – Rupi Kaur

Whatever makes you feel the sun from the inside out, chase that. – Gemma Troy 

One of these days, you will see that your pain is the reason why you’re still here. This is how we make art. This is how we beat the monsters. – Erin Van Vuren 

Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go. – Herman Hesse

Maybe theres something you’re afraid to say, or someone you’re afraid to love, or somewhere you’re afraid to go. It’s gonna hurt. It’s gonna hurt because it matters. – John Green

We are all broken, that’s how the light gets in. – Ernest Hemingway

Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. – Oscar Wilde

There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky, and you ask ‘What if I fall?’ Oh but my darling, what if you fly? – Ernest Hemingway

If you don’t imagine, nothing ever happens at all. – John Green

If you are broken and they have left you, do not question whether you were enough. The problem was you were so enough, they were not able to carry it. – Rupi Kaur

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See you soon with another blog x

 

Top Tips for moving to London.

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

Since it’s Sunday and I have absolutely nothing to do today (although I should really go to the gym, but I highly doubt that will happen…) I thought I would write a spur of the moment post – I have a few posts lined up to publish but I just really wanted to do something a little bit different.

So a few weeks ago I made the big move to London with some friends to start my new life down here, and its been wonderfully crazy to say the least… Before you move, whether that is moving from a previous house or moving out from your parents it’s always scary and you need to be VERY prepared – but you can’t always be prepared for everything!

So here are a few tips of what I’ve learnt so far if you’re planning on moving to London (or any other city in fact) I hope you enjoy 🙂

  1. SEARCH, SEARCH AND SEARCH AGAIN FOR FLATS

This is a very obvious one I know, because when looking for a new place you obviously need to look, but when moving to somewhere like London – places come and go in seconds. When we started looking it was months and months before we were even on planning to move down but getting an idea of what you want is so handy. You can get an idea of prices and places – you can figure out which part of London is cheapest and if it’s near to transport and shops. We wanted somewhere as central as possible but the more central you go the more expensive it is – keep looking everyday on Right Move, Zoopla, Gumtree and any other sites you can find. If you keep looking something will pop up just right for you.

 

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2. BOOK A VIEWING

Again, a pretty obvious one but I’ve seen a lot of people get a flat before even viewing it. This is VERY VERY risky. Most of us were based in Yorkshire so we booked a day where we could all visit London and made sure to have some viewings booked, and we are so glad we did because the property we thought we wanted to get was not as great as we thought. We got to see the surrounding area, have an in-depth look into what the flat was like, ask all the questions you wanted – and once that was done we were all in agreement that the other flat we viewed was actually what we wanted. Before you move make sure to book viewings and have a look around – you don’t want to get the property and then regret it when it’s not what you thought.

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3. SAVE

I cannot stress this one enough – wherever you move too you need to have some savings behind you – but if you’re planning on moving to London you need to reeeaaallllyyy save! I knew London was expensive but DAMN it’s ridiculous. Rent is crazy high down here – and like I said previously the more central you go the more expensive it is. Make sure to have some savings behind you so you have that blanket of money just to give you that comfort.

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4. BUSES ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS

One of the best things about London is the transport – everywhere you go there is a tube station or bus and it is SO easy to get around – but once moving down I realised that buses are one of the best ways to get around. If you can, take the bus – firstly it’s £1.50 wherever you go and you hop on and off when you please. Don’t get me wrong the tube is brilliant but it’s double or triple the price of a bus – also it gets very manic especially during rush hour to and from work, and if you add the time it takes to actually get into the tube station, walking to which line you want to catch, catching the tube then finding your way out – takes you probably the same amount of time as a bus.

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5. LIVE BY CITYMAPPER 

Once you move down you have to download the app ‘Citymapper’ – I live by this now, it’s so handy to know where you need to go and how long it will take you, it will plan out everything for you and show you the nearest tubes, your route, buses, which number to catch, time, distance, how much it will cost you and so on. It’s so handy and makes travelling round London a little less stressful!

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6. WALK AND EXPLORE

Once you’ve moved in go and walk around your area and see what’s about! Get to know what restaurants, bars and shops are around – and see what activities are on! We have a gym next door to us which is very handy, then down the road is a Mcdonalds. I bet you can guess which one I’ve been to more…Big superstores are great and there are a few little bar and restaurants near us too. Go and explore and see whats there! It’s great to know your surrounding area.

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7. DISCOUNTS ARE AMAZING 

I loved discounts before moving to London – I think everyone does but I LOVE them even more now – especially when I go food shopping!  I always go to the discount section and see what’s on offer. I’ve cooked some great meals for a very little price. You have to really know the time of day to go so you can really pick up some bargains!

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8. MAKE FRIENDS AND SOCIALISE

Go out and have fun, make friends, go to bars and live your life! London is full of so many different kinds of people! It’s a bloody good night out – whatever you’re after! Shoreditch and Soho are great nights out, it’s always so vibrant and busy – cute little bars, cocktails and great music!

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9. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

London is a big city and with that comes a hell of a lot of hustle and bustle. It’s loud and busy whatever time of the day, something is always going on. That’s one of the things I love about London but at the same time I like my peace and quiet, and I like to spend time by myself. I live with 3 friends and we are super close but sometimes you just need to have some time to be on your own and do nothing. It can get a little bit overwhelming especially since it’s still new to us all. Take some time just to be on your own – read, listen to music, go for a walk. I always feel so much better when I do.

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10. BE YOURSELF AND HAVE FUN! – YOU’RE IN BLOODY LONDON! 

Have fun! This is such an exciting time in your life, moving to the capital where exciting things happen every single day! Yes, it’s scary and daunting – but it’s wonderful and so thrilling! You get to wake up each day and make it amazing – you have so many opportunities and things to do right on your doorstep, so many places to go, people to meet! I’ve fallen in love with London already and I can’t wait to see what this next year holds. Be yourself and have fun!

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These are just a few little suggestions there are so many more but I would be here for hours 😉

 

Have a wonderful Sunday and see you soon another blog! x

 

 

 

 

Life is only just beginning.

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

So this is a really spur of the moment post but I’ve been wanting to write something like this for a little while but I didn’t really know how to write it, but I’m currently laying in bed with a cup of lavender tea (tastes WAY better than it sounds) and I’m finding myself just typing away on my laptop.

These past few weeks I’ve been scrolling social media and it’s round about this time now that everyone is graduating! It was only last year that I was doing the same. It’s weird to think that you were once a student that had no responsibility and suddenly you’re thrown into this big scary world trying not to drown. It’s hard. And extremely overwhelming. Even if you went straight into work you could still be there doing the same routine day in and day out wondering when something will just click.

After university last year I moved back home to sunny Yorkshire and got myself a job in my little town, I couldn’t really stay in Manchester as I had literally NO money whatsoever and in all honesty I needed a big break from the city and to come home and just breathe. I saw a lot of my friends stay in Manchester or move off to other cities and go travelling and I was just living back at home doing the same thing. As the months went on I became comfortable, I was up and out the door for 8 and then back at whatever time in the evening, I would watch some TV or read a book and then go to bed, and it was the same, Every. Single. Day. 

I’m 24 and I felt that my life wasn’t really heading in any direction. I felt stuck. I wanted to do all these things but somehow I couldn’t quite get there and I didn’t really know how to get there either. Especially since I’m at the age where my student days are long gone and real life is calling for me…

But after taking some time to really think about it, in all honesty it’s absolutely fine to feel like that. It’s okay to feel a little lost at 24. Or 30, or 40. It doesn’t matter what age you are you’re always going to feel a little lost at some point, and I think that it’s a pretty magical thing, that you can feel so lost and unsure of what the future holds but you eventually find your path, you get to rediscover yourself over and over again and become someone who is proud of who they are.

You might find that getting your dream job is a lot harder than you thought it was, or that your relationship has broken down and you have no idea which way to go next but the wonderful thing is you get to decide EXACTLY what it is you want to do. You decide which path you take next. Yes, you’ll feel lost and worthless and hurt, and it may seem like the world is against you and doing everything in it’s power to keep you from being happy, but it’s not. Every morning is a chance for you to wake up and make today the best day of your life, to go out and reach whatever goals you have set yourself. You don’t have to permanently feel lost, you just have to close that chapter in your life and move on to the next one, and the best thing is you get to write it.

Don’t be scared to try living out of your comfort zone, be brave and take chances. You don’t want 30 years to fly by and to regret all the chances you didn’t take. Have faith that things will work out and enjoy the journey. You might end up surprising yourself.

A few months ago I didn’t know how my life was going to pan out, and I still don’t. The mystery makes it that much more exciting, but I got off my backside and put working on my dreams into gear. I go travelling around Europe in 3 weeks and then I move to London with 3 wonderful friends to start a life down there and I couldn’t be happier, and for the first time in a long while I’m excited to see where the future takes me.

The best time for new beginnings, is now. 

 

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Glossybox Beauty Products – July

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

This month’s Glossybox was very summery and yet again the products are absolutely amazing! First off the box itself was one of my favourites. It’s a gorgeous coral colour with the words ‘Hello Summer’ written on top. Pretty handy to store bits and bobs in!

 

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So the first product is Snail Essence Wrinkle-Smoothing Sheet Mask. It sounds weird and it also looks incredibly weird on. I actually look like I’m from Texas chainsaw Massacre.

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This face mask is definitely for a night in by yourself. Apparently snail essence increases the skin’s ability to hold moisture and reduce cellular ageing, so this mask is basically going to keep you looking young and fresh! It was really easy to apply, a little bit gooey from all the moisture but it stayed on my face well. You’re meant to leave it on for 15-20 minutes then peel off. The remaining moisture you just rub in. My face felt fresher straight away and my skin feels really smooth!

Buy it here!

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Next up is one of the cheapest products in the box but one of my favourites! They are the spiral headbands from Papanga. Hair can damage and fray really easily when you tie it up with a bobble, but these spiral headbands prevent breakage and split ends but also have the same hold as a bobble does! They come in all sorts of colours and are really affordable. I wear my hair up quite a lot and I always seem to go through so many hair bobbles, as soon as I tried them out I always now wear my hair up with them.

Buy it here!

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Next is the Small Fan A10 from Spectrum Collections, this fan brush is perfect for applying setting powder or highlighter. It also has cruelty-free synthetic bristles! It’s a brilliant ‘finishing touch’ brush and would fit perfectly in your clutch for a night out. I use this now for when I apply highlighter to my cheek bones, it’s really soft and applies it evenly. It’s one of my favourite brushes now so I highly recommend it! (It’s also a very pretty colour)

Buy it here!

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Next in the box is MONUspa Soothing After Sun Lotion, with aloe vera, vitamin E and shea butter this lotion is perfect to take on your holidays. It cools, hydrates and helps calm sunned-out skin. Now the weather is getting sunnier (although today it’s actually tipping down with rain) this is a must have! I have really fair skin and burn quite easily, unfortunately I don’t tan very well so this lotion really helps soothes my skin and calms down any redness. It’s a little pricey for what I would normally pay for lotion but it’s really sensitive on the skin and doesn’t cause any irritation.

Buy it here! 

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Finally is the Banana Setting Powder from BELLAPIERRE Cosmetics. Basically this setting powder has a yellow hue that helps counteract redness, discolouration, blemishes and dark circles in paler skin tones. If you have more of an olive skin tone it creates beautiful highlights. I’ve never used a setting powder before so I was really intrigued to start using it, I wasn’t disappointed as it kept my face looking fresh all day! It balanced out any redness I had and is a perfect size to have in your handbag! It’s a little pricey but totally worth it.

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So that was July’s beauty post! If you want to sign up for your monthly subscription to Glossybox then click here!

See you soon with another blog.

R x

 

 

Glossybox Beauty Products – June

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

 

So it’ s time for my monthly glossy box beauty post! When I opened this months box I fell in love with it straight away. I was so impressed with the products I received and couldn’t wait to start trying them all.

My favourite from this box and the first product I tried out was Beauty Pro black Diamond Black Peel Off Mask. I’ve seen other people use them and I’ve heard pretty good things about them so I was super excited that it came with this months box. It was a little messy when I started to apply it because its not a mask you just place on, it’s a really gooey liquid that turns into one. I left it on for a bout 15-20 minutes and once it started to harden I then peeled it off. Now peeling it off was so painful. I’m not even joking I thought I started to peel some of my skin off at the same time, I had to stop and take a breather at one point. Once I had peeled it off my skin felt amazing! It was so smooth and  clean, and I felt so refreshed! This is a great buy if you want to have a girly night in or just a chilled out weekend.

Buy it here! 

 

Next up is 111Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel. Now I’ve never really purchased a product like this, I never saw the point, but since it was in this months box I went and tried it out. It basically does what it says on the product, it’s a lifting gel. So it reduces dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. Really soothes the eyes and where it’s most sensitive. Good for wrinkles! (Luckily I’m 24 so that’s not a huge issue at the moment) But if I start young maybe when I’m 70 I’ll look 25.

Buy it here! 

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Next is Noughty Intensive Care Leave in Conditioner. When I first saw this I was a little bit unsure because when you apply conditioner your first instinct is to then wash it out. But in fact it’s made my hair so much healthier! I was worried leaving a cream like this in your hair would make it go greasy and not look that great, but it’s made it shinier and it’s so smooth. This leave in conditioner is for people with frizzy or damaged hair, and because I curl or straighten my hair a lot of the time it’s really helped. Once you’ve finished washing your hair as usual, just apply this to the mid section to the tips (avoid the roots) and style as normal. Straight away you can feel the difference! It’s at a really affordable price and you can get it in super drug. I really recommend it!

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Next is Sleek Lip Power Plump Pencils (in the shade Notorious Nude) In last months glossy box I received a sleek product so I was super happy when I got one this time. Now I LOVE lipstick. That is the one thing I will always buy, whether its lipgloss, matte or pencils I can’t help it. I was also happy that it was a nude colour, I like bright colours on the lips but you can’t go wrong with a nude or a light pink. This lip pencil is lovely, it’s such a nice colour and stays on really well. It’s a matte texture which I love and it isn’t sticky or anything like that. It’s at a cracking price and you an easily find it in super drug or boots!

Buy it here! 

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Next is Manna Kadar Glo Illuminator. This basically is a liquid that you can either mix in with your foundation or just wear it on it’s own to give you a glowing look. This product is great because you can use it on your face or anywhere else on your body, so you’re glowing all over! It gives off a really subtle luminous glow, and it’s in a lovely light pink shade. Now we’re coming into summer this would be the perfect buy! (It’s also at a really affordable price!)

Buy it here!

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Last but not least is one of my favourites, and is a pretty popular product on its own anyway! It’s the XXL Volume spray from Batiste! I’m not a huge hairspray wearer, I don’t really like a lot of ‘oomph’ in my hair (pretty boring, I know) but this spray is still great even if you’re just curling your hair, spray a little of this and it just gives it that extra volume instead of it being pretty flat. If you’re really into backcombing or having HUGE hair then this will be perfect for you! Batiste is a great brand with an even better price so you can’t really go wrong!

Buy it here!

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These are all the beauty products for this month! Can’t wait for July’s box already. If you want to sign up for your monthly subscription then click here!  

Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and I’ll see you soon with another blog.

Lots of Love,

R x

Glossybox Beauty Products – May

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

So recently I’ve signed up for a monthly delivery of beauty products from Glossy box. My sister got me into it as she’s been with them for over a year and the stuff you receive are amazing! I’ll put all the info in how to sign up at the end of this post. You answer questions about your skin and make up prefrences and each month they will send you a box full of goodies matched to your answers. So I thought as something different to what I usually write I would write a post on each monthly box, I’ll try them out and you let you all know what I think!

First off, which is probably my favourite from this months box is the avocado and aloe vera scrub. So last week I decided to have some quality time with myself and run a hot bath, pour myself some proscecco and try out this body scrub. I learnt during this experience that it’s probably best to apply when you’re in the shower, or at the very end of the bath. When I was applying it, it felt like and looked like I had been rubbing soil all over myself, so it wasn’t the prettiest sight. But it smelled amazing. After soaking for a little bit and listening to some old Maroon 5 hits I washed it off and my skin has honestly never felt so smooth. It was almost like a silk texture. I smelt great and felt great, so if anyone is needing a little pampering session this scrub is right up your street.

Buy it here! 

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Next is Ruby blush powder, I love trying out different blushers so I was really excited to try this new one out when I received it with the box. I was going out for some drinks so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. I absolutely love the colour of this blush, if anyone loves nice rosy cheeks then this is perfect, you only need a little bit on your face as its very bright and strong, but it’s very summery! I will definitely be using this again!

Buy it here! 

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Another one of my favourites is the Sleek make up eye and cheek palette. I’ve purchased quite a few things from sleek before and I’m a huge fan. It’s great quality but really affordable, so at uni this was my go to make up! It has lots of different sections with different colours so you can change up your look, it has a highlighter and contour section with different colours of blush and eyeshadows. It’s a nice size so it can easily fit in your bag so you can top up on the go! I’ve used this on nights out and during the day so it can work anytime, highly recommend this!

Buy it here!

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Next up is PAWPAW original balm, which I have never heard of before and when I saw it in the box I was wondering what it was, but I absolutely love it now. It’s basically a soothing balm for lips, skin and nails. So it pretty much works everywhere! I’m a huge lover of vaseline (as I’m sure everyone knows already) but this works wonders on your lips, it has a really nice smooth texture and doesn’t leave you feeling all sticky, if you have dry, irritated or cracked skin this really soothes it and is great to take with you on your travels as it also helps with insect bites!

Buy it here!

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Last but not least is Ocean 417 foot nourishing cream, now this has to be my favourite foot cream EVER. I can’t even begin to describe the smell because its amazing, it’s a mix of fruit and summer and happiness. It’s beautiful. It leaves your feet feeling so smooth that you could glide round your house, I’ve started applying it at night time so it can work it’s magic when I’m asleep. If you suffer from cracked or dry feet then this will be perfect for you as it really soothes the skin and doesn’t leave it feeling irritated. It’s great to apply when you’ve just had a pedicure and now sandal weather is approaching it’s the perfect time to buy some!

Buy it here! 

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If you’re wanting to sign up to Glossybox for your monthly goody box then click here! All you need to do is sign up and create an account, answer some questions and then you’re all ready.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, it’s something very different to what I usually write but it’s been so much fun trying out these different beauty products. This will be a monthly post from now on so I’m already excited for next month!

Lots of love,

R x

Mental Health with Made In Chelsea…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Made In Chelsea girls Lauren Hutton and Natalie Joel. They talked about how important getting help really is and what it did for them, why they chose The Blue Tree Clinic, experience with eating disorders and the pressures of body image with social media. I hope you enjoy these little clips, and hopefully one of these topics speaks to you.

Here the girls talk about why they chose The Blue Tree Clinic and what sort of help we offer.

The girls talk about how therapy helped them in their personal lives and what they’ve learnt from it.

The last 2 videos are my personal favourites, the topics they touch on are so important and need to be talked about more. It’s so sad to see how much social media plays a part in the downward spiral of so many people, Lauren and Natalie talk about how its affected them and how they’ve learned to deal with it.

 

 

I’m sure everyone at some point has compared themselves to someone they’ve seen on social media, whether that’s someone they know or a celebrity. It’s so important to realise that you are so beautiful and worthy just the way you are. You don’t need to change anything about yourself for other people to love you. Self-confidence isn’t something you are going to stumble upon one day , it’s created. It’s built by strong men and women who fight voices in their head everyday which tell them they aren’t good enough. It’s created by people who empower one another and not by people who bring each other down. Be kind always. You never know what someone is going through.

One last thing, don’t be afraid to talk about your problems. Don’t ever feel that your problems don’t matter because they do. Doesn’t matter if you speak to a friend, parent or a psychiatrist, talking to someone will get you on the right path to recovery. I know talking to someone is a scary and daunting thought, but believe me it’s worth it, you won’t seem so alone.

Don’t let your demons win. You are and have always been stronger than them x

 

My Favourite Books…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

I’ve always been a huge fan of reading, I find that it’s a great way to relax and for everything just to be still for a little while. In this post I wanted to show you guys some of my favourite books that I’ve read recently – these range from novels to poetry to autobiographies. I hope you take whatever inspiration you can and maybe go ahead and purchase one of them yourselves! You won’t be disappointed.

In no particular order 😉

  1. Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig

I got reccomended this book by a friend, I had never heard of it before or heard of the author, now it has to be one of my favourite books ever. This book is a healer. The writer talks about his personal experience with depression from the very lows to coming out the other side and how even now he still faces struggles. I couldn’t put it down because I was so emotionally attached to his story, it made me want to cry, smile, laugh and scream. I think one of the most amazing things about this book is that he recognises depression and anxiety as an illness and not just some inconvenience. He see’s it from both sides, someone suffering and watching a loved one struggle. He’s not afraid to show how dark depression can actually be and I think that’s why it’s one of my favourite books, he’s brutally honest about his experience but also talks about just how amazing life can be when you finally start to heal.

2. Milk and Honey – Rupi Kaur

I am a huge fan of poetry, and this book is the reason why. I started following Rupi Kaur on Instagram as I came across a few poems she had written. When I started to fall more in love with what she was posting I had to buy her book. It’s beautiful. It may be a book full of poems but it tells a story of survival, loss, abuse and love. Each part of this book deals with a different pain, it definitely comforts a broken heart. I think every girl at some point will be able to relate to what she’s saying, and I think that’s why I fell in love with it, because at some point in my life I have felt some kind of pain which somehow she has made into beautiful poetry.

One of my favourite but simple little quotes 🙂

3. Angels Walking series – Karen Kingsbury

This isn’t just one book, it’s 3. Karen Kingsbury is my favourite authors. I’ve been a huge fan of her since I was a teenager when I first read one of her books when I was on holiday. From them on I have fallen in love with her work, I own a lot of her books so it was hard to narrow it down, but these 3 are the most recent. The first book is Angels Walking and I got it for Christmas 2015, and I think I read it in about a week. The thing with Karen Kingsbury is she has a way of connecting with her audience that you can’t physically put the book down. I’m a huge fan of the lovey dovey novels where there is always a happy ending and the two people in the story always end up together. I love crying when reading, you know it’s a good book when it makes you cry. Angels Walking is a beautifully crafted story of love and loss, you root for the main characters and find yourself in the story. Just like the next two books of the series ‘Chasing Sunsets’ and ‘Brush of Wings’ you experience more heartache, she focuses on new characters and intertwines all the stories together. She’s an incredible writer that has you hooked from the beginning. If you’re wanting a book that you can’t put down then I recommend Karen Kingsbury.

4. Broken Flowers – R.M Drake

R.M Drake is another author that I first started following on Instagram, just like Rupi Kaur he has a good way of putting what you’re feeling into words that are beyond beautiful. Not only is he an American author but he is also a self-acclaimed street artist. His work is seen across all the major cities in the US. In this book instead of focusing on longing and loving he writes more about friendship, memories and honesty. The way you can relate to his work is what makes it stand out, there is a poem in there for everyone. It brings comfort to you when you need it most in the smallest of passages. His work is simple but beautiful.

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5. Spaceship – R.M Drake

Another R.M Drake book, this is one of his older books and I love the way he describes it as ‘A collection of words for the misunderstood.’ I think that in itself makes you want to buy it. This book is less ‘wordy’, but there is art and design attached to the quotes. It’s very short and sweet and wouldn’t take you long at all to read it, but I would find myself re-reading certain quotes over and over again. Again, R.M Drake never fails to disappoint.

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5. Her – Pierre Alex Jeanty

Jeanty is a American author and poet, ‘Her’ is my most recent purchase after yet again falling in love with his quotes through Instagram. (Great place to find some amazing poets!) One of the most beautiful things about this book is that he writes about the beauty and strength of women, it is a beautiful expression of heartfelt emotion which he portrays perfectly. Every girl should pick up this book, you’ll come away from it feeling empowered and inspired, and I can’t stop reading it over and over again. It’s one of my favourite purchases and I’m so happy that I stumbled across his writing. – ‘If there is a lover in you, you will not get enough of Her.’

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6. Unfiltered – Lily Collins

Lastly is the only autobiography that I own, now I’m not a huge fan of autobiographies, they don’t interest me in the slightest, but this one isn’t like any other. It’s a personal story of Lily Collins where she talks about her struggles with anorexia, troubled relationships, her father, her love for baking, her struggles with body image and so much more. She reveals the most personal parts of herself and lays it completley bare for everyone to read. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful and I didn’t realise just how much I can actually relate to her. I’ve been a fan of Lily Collins for a while, I’ve always enjoyed whatever movie she has been in, but this book makes my love for her even greater. She isn’t afraid to talk about her lowest points in her relationships, how she struggled to love people with addictions, how she struggled with anorexia and bulimia from a young age and how now she has such a great love for food. She writes a heartbreaking letter to a dad, and makes you realise that loving yourself is the best thing you can do. I can’t recommend this book enough.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and maybe you might even purchase one of these.

Lots of love,

R x

Be your own Valentine…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

So Valentines Day is fast approaching and to lot of people that means celebrating it with the person you love. But to a lot of people it means spending it alone. With a bottle (or 2) of wine and the biggest box of chocolates you can find.

Don’t get me wrong it’s lovely when you have someone special and you spend the day with them, enjoying each others company, but why all the emphasis on this certain day each year? Shouldn’t we love and be loved all year round? To a lot of people spending Valentines Day by yourself can be quite a depressing thought, but before you resort to going on tinder and swiping right to the first human you see, why don’t you be your own Valentine.

SO, if this year you’re spending Valentines Day alone then I hope this makes you feel a little comfort 🙂

You don’t NEED someone else in your life to make you happy on Valentines Day or any other day of the year infact. You can do that perfectly by yourself. So before you start searching for someone to fall in love with you, start by falling in love with yourself.

Start embracing the way you look and love every part of yourself, appreciate your talents, be your own best friend and for once stop caring how other people see you. Its the way you see yourself that really matters. You’re so amazing and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Enjoy your own company, I know for a lot of people that can be hard – but take yourself out on dates. Don’t wish and wait for someone else to do it. Take yourself to that movie you’ve been wanting to see for ages, go to an art gallery or museum and take lots of photos, go to that cute little cafe on the corner and order whatever the hell you want. You know that love you’ve been giving out to everyone else? Well for once maybe use some of that on yourself.

It’s hard to stay on track and not get distracted. We forget that we are capable of being there for ourselves, we are so much stronger than we think we are and sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom for us to realise that. Though you may not feel like it right now, you as an individual are a whole person, you are so complete on your own.

The world out there is much bigger than just this one day of the year. Valentines Day does not define you as someone who isn’t capable of being loved. You are so much more than that. So, this year embrace being your own Valentine. Be happy being on your own and don’t wish it away. Be happy with just being you, you are pretty damn great just as you are x

(If you do find it hard this time of the year, then The Blue Tree Clinic is offering discounted counselling therapy, just quote Valentines using your contact form – The Blue Tree Clinic )

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