New Year. Enhanced Me.

I don’t know about you but I’m one big ball of self-deprecation. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate myself but I’d like to think I’m quite realistic about my flaws and my not so good qualities.

Some may read this and say ‘But you need to love yourself! Love your mind! Love your body!’, but I already do. This may seem like such a contradiction but in the most non conceited way possible (is that even possible?) I really do love myself, including my self-deprecation. I’d hate to be so unaware of my flaws, whether they are physical or mental, that I go around thinking I’m the female embodiment of perfection. Yes, sometimes it's good to embrace your flaws but sometimes it's good to realize we're not all rainbows and sunshine and that a bit of enhancement can be a good thing.

But enhance, what do I mean by that? Well, it just means that throughout this year I’d like to work on some bad qualities I have and make positive changes in my life. Some may read this and think, ‘Hey, this is just some New year’s resolutions bullshit! Get a grip’ and well, you're kinda right. I guess I’m just not a fan of the word resolutions and if I’m honest these changes have been on my mind for quite some time.

So why now? Why New Year? Whether you look at the new year as just another number to add to your calendar, I personally see it as a clean slate that allows me to make some much needed adaptations to my life. 

Yes it’s a new year but it's definitely not a new me…just an enhanced one.

Veganism

Ok, so, this is something I’ve had on my mind since I last stopped being a vegan which was nearly 4 years ago. Without going into the long and short of it, it’s something I truly believe in and something I really want to become part of my life again. I'm slowly but surely getting there and this will take a few weeks to finalize, however, this is where I become the BIGGEST hypocrite ever. 

(Hey, it's my blog, why not be brutally honest?)

In a few months I will be heading to America. Not many people will know this but this journey is very important to me, as it’s something I’ve longed to do my entire 27 years on this earth. Whilst in America I have made a pact that I will be allowed to eat whatever I please whilst I'm away. I know, I’m awful and I’m aware how selfish it is but my response to that is…’Meh, you rarely go to your dream destination'.

Cruelty Free

As a blogger/Instagram addict and a sucker for a good bit of packaging, I find myself buying lots of beautiful and wonderfully unnecessary products that I've seen fellow bloggers/Youtubers rave about. However, during the latter part of last year I found myself stumbling across a few Vegan Beauty Hauls on Youtube and started to realize that I owned a hell of a lot of products that were tested on animals. 

This really freaked me out.  

As someone who considers themselves an ‘animal lover’ I felt a fraud buying products from companies that willingly tested on animals.

I’ve already started to only buy cruelty free products which is much easier than I thought and I intend to replace my whole makeup/cosmetic collection with cruelty free products. This will eventually start to trickle out into everything in my home such as cleaning products or detergents etc. However, my own stipulation is that I must use up all the products I already have before buying any other cruelty free products to replace them. Even though I hate the fact that I’m still using these cruel products, I’d hate it even more if I just threw full bottles of of products away. What a waste.

Ethical Clothing

It would be odd of me to only address the needs of animals and not that of humans too. I find it so easy to buy clothing from cheap high street stores that are renowned for their unethical ways but deep down I’d really only like to only buy from ethical companies who help their employees and allow them to work in a suitable working conditions with fair pay. I’d hope that if I was ever in their position, more fortunate people like myself, would do the same.

Stop Cancelling Plans

I’m hardly a flake and I’m probably making this out to be a much bigger deal than it actually is but yes, my name is Kirsty and I cancel plans. I don't ever cancel plans because I’ve found something better to do, quite the contrary. Most of the time I wind myself up so much that I end up convincing myself that I’d be better off at home doing nothing. Why? I’ll never know but 2016 is the year for this to end.

Make More Plans

I am have acquired some absolutely belters of friends over the last few years and I’d really like to spend more time with them. As mentioned above, my inner demons convince me I’m better off at home and so I don’t end up doing anything but this year…Oh, THIS YEAR, it’ll be different.

Read More

You may already be aware that nearly 10 years ago I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Though my dyspraxia has somewhat improved over the last year, my dyslexia hounds me every day. I sometimes find myself unable to form full sentences without stumbling over my words. 

Yeah, great but what has this got to do with reading? 

Reading helps to slow my mind and it also helps me to look at words I struggle with visualizing. I find that the more I read, the less my dyslexia affects me, so this is something I really need to work on throughout this entire year.

Exercise

I'm aware that many hate exercise but my personal thoughts are, if I have a body that is ready and able, I should exercise or move or jump or anything. I really adore exercising (weird, I know) and I love the results I get both internally and externally but like most things I’m so unbelievably lazy and bone idle that I never really push myself to do it. I really want to start pushing myself this year and be proud of my strong body.

Be Productive

This may sound odd but I love doing nothing. I love being quiet and I love being alone but whilst I enjoy the nothingness in the moment, most of the time I end up resenting myself slightly because I feel I’ve wasted my day and done nothing worthwhile. I need to be more productive and proactive with my time.

Sleeping

Oh man. I really love bed and do you know what? Bed really loves me. This is going to be one tough romance to break but I know this is something I need to stop doing so much off. Sleeping in is one of my biggest habits and I adore it. I could sleep for England and I usually find myself easily sleeping in to 3pm. Maybe it's the cold weather, maybe it's the short, dark days, either way...it needs to stop.

Volunteer  

This is something I’ve applied to do in the past but was turned away at every door due to lack of funding. However, I was contacted the other day and told that I’ve been selected to be a ‘buddy’ for an elderly person who is alone, so that's a start!

Reading this back I sound like a right mess! Maybe I'll do a post about my positives just to counteract this massive well of self-deprecation.

So, what about you? Are you aiming to make any adaptations to your life this year? Can you relate to any of the above? Let me know in the comments below and don't forget to leave me your blog link as well!

Go Big By Dreaming Small

Lets face it, we've all heard the terms 'Go big or go home' and 'New Year, New Me' as it's around this time of year when a lot of people put these terms to good use and promise themselves a multitude of changes over the forthcoming months.

Don't get me wrong, dreaming big is a necessity that gets me through most days but if anyone is like me, I can't help but fail at the grand gesture New Years resolution. Some may be able to carry on their new found resolution for the full 365 days, and to them, I tip my hat (and quietly curse them beneath my breath) but when it comes to the New Year and the new you, I feel our basic desires and attainable wishes are somewhat overlooked.

Think about it for a second. How many small dreams, aspirations or goals do you have right now? I mean it. Instead of thinking big for a second, lets think real small. How many times have you said you wanted to travel to that beautiful city you've always dreamt about visiting? Or promising yourself you'd go to that restaurant you've heard so many good things about. Even wishing that you allowed yourself some more 'me' time... 

Instead of wishing to complete these small goals internally but never giving them too much afterthought, why not give yourself mini monthly targets in advance and actually do them? 

I know this may seem so obvious to some but I know there are so many out there who let the days, weeks and months slip away until another year has come and gone with not much else achieved. I used to be that person.  

Sometimes it's nice to just achieve something, anything. Sometimes it's just nice to tick something off your to do list, stand back and look at your small but personal achievement. Achieving any goal, big or small, has so many rewarding factors associated with it. 

For the last two years, instead of having one or two major New Years Resolutions that I promise myself I'm going to keep but never do, (as they're subsequently forgotten about by the time March rolls around) I tend to set myself several monthly targets, aspirations or dreams that I have always wanted to achieve which have continually been placed on the back burner of my mind because you know...such is life.

(Cheeky plug, you can find my 2014 monthly goals here, here and here, along with my 2015 monthly goals here. If you want to see some TERRIBLE writing, layout and pictures, then definitely click on those links. PS You're welcome).

I'll just put this out there, the targets I set myself each month are not ground breaking in the slightest. I'm not asking myself to run 25 miles in 30 minutes, to create world peace or to visit the moon with my cat strapped to my head. No. Instead, I'm setting myself realistic and achievable goals that I know I'd be so stoked and satisfied to finally complete.

Some of the goals I set myself over the last few years have varied greatly. 

I've created a list of food that I've always wanted to try but never did before because I was far too afraid to go out of my culinary comfort zone. I visited major land marks in London that I had never visited because for some odd reason, after living here for 27 years I had never been to places like the Towers of London! I went to my first Yoga Class, my first bloggers meet up and even started up my own Youtube channel and actually uploaded content! 

(Hey, have another cheeky plug...here's my Youtube Channel)

But why plan small instead of big? Personally, I was fed up of letting each year come and go as they pleased without me so much as planning, organising or achieving anything in each year. It's all well and good having the intention to achieve something but in reality, how many of my big dreams was I going to achieve in just a year? I don't know about you but my personal dreams are still in the making and will take another few years to get into motion. So whilst I wait here for the big pay off, am I just supposed to sit ideally? Waiting? Wondering? Because that's what I did and I got bored.

New Years resolutions don't have to be some grand, almighty gesture. Dreaming big is amazing but in reality, having small goals is amazing too. I'm not sitting here sticking my fingers up to all the big dreamers out there, far from it. I think if you are able to succeed in planning and completing smaller goals or targets, what's stopping you from going for the big kahunas?

The New Year doesn't have to mean a whole New you, maybe it could just mean a more happier and content you, who is achieving personal goals on a monthly basis?

Wow, I sound like the right life and soul of the party don't I? Plan your year or your life will dwindle into a ball of nothingness and you won't ever achieve the smallest dreams you've ever had in your life...*

Well, that escalated quickly...

Do you have any New Years resolutions planned? Do you like to 'Go big or Go home'? Or do you like to aim for the smaller dreams you have?

*PS If you don't get my humour this paragraph is going to be a very odd read for some and for that, I apologise. I'm lying, I don't, get a sense of humour...

;)

Review // Pixi Glow Tonic

Let’s face it. This has to be one of the world’s most famous toners at the moment. Maybe it’s due to the fact that Zoella absolutely adores this stuff and mentions it within multiple monthly favourite videos OR it could be because that people can’t help but spread the good word about such a wondrous product. Whatever it was, I aimed to find out what all the hype was about.

As I walked through Carnaby Street one Sunday afternoon (I lie, it was dusk and all the shops were closing) I stumbled across Pixi By Petra flagship store with a sign outside saying ’20% OFF. TODAY ONLY’. So of course, at break neck speed, I ran inside and knew exactly which product I was going to buy.

After dishing out £14.40 for the Pixi Glow Tonic I couldn’t help but think ‘Have I just been duped? Spending nearly £15 on a toner is a big hit on the ol’ purse strings’. But I cast those fears aside and added this new fandangled beauty product to my morning and night regime.

At first, I’ll admit, I saw no difference. I half expected to become a new woman with a Beyonce face after hearing all the raving reviews from other bloggers and Zoella (Damn that Zoella!) but after a few days of use, I didn’t think this oh so wondrous product was having any effect on my skin.

However, I was not wasting £14.40, no way. So instead of giving up, I continued using the Pixi Glow tonic (Tonic, I love that word. It sounds very magical doesn’t it?) and decided to stop being a doubting Debbie and really look at my skin after I used it. 

The tonic states it ‘Evens and Brightens skin tone’ ‘Gently exfoliates’ whilst ’Skin texture looks & feels smoother’ and after two weeks of use day and night, I started to see a wonderful results with my skin. 

Without sounding too much like an cheesy commercial, my skin has never felt so unbelievably soft. This tonic seems to remove dirt that I can't even see, which would would explain why I've had less breakouts recently. I usually use quite harsh spot removing products like Clearasil, to help exfoliate and prevent spots but the Pixi Glow Tonic does all of that but without being super harsh on my skin. I can't say that it has helped to even out my skin tone but it has definitely helped to brighten my skin. Some may find the smell a little odd, which is quite clinical, however, I think it's quite fresh smelling and I love it. Another benefit is that Pixi by Petra does not test on animals, nor do they have any other parties, such as suppliers etc test on their behalf. Another massive bonus. 

Would I recommend the Glow Tonic to someone? Most definitely. Yes, it's a bit pricy but it's a great product, that truly works and it's a real investment. Also, I think it's always nice to support companies who don't test on animals.

Have you tried the Glow Tonic before? If so, what are your thoughts? If you haven't, is this something you'd like to try?

Thanks for stopping by!

The Unpalatable Truth about Food Waste

Like many people nowadays, I'd like to consider myself a bit of a foodie. There is nothing I like better than finding tantalising new recipes that I can try out at home or visiting the newest restaurants in my local area. Food not only provides us with life and energy, it can provide warmth, comfort and dare I say it, happiness. So why do we throw away so much of our delicious, hard earned food?

Did you know that the UK is one of the leaders of food and drink waste within the whole of the EU*? UK households throw away over 4 million tonnes of food & drink annually that is either still fit for human consumption or has been allowed to perish beyond edible standards, so maybe it’s time that we address some of our bad food habits.

Before I start to come off as a preachy little retch, I’ve been guilty of throwing perfectly good food away too. I’ve allowed food to pass the point of being edible instead of preparing a meal with the available fresh food that had a short shelf life. I think this is something we’re all very guilty of, pushing the wilting veg to the back of the fridge and getting our hands on that tasty pizza from the freezer that we’ve had our eye on for the last few days (or is that just me?). I get it, convenience is sometimes more appealing than slaving over a hot stove. 

Within Wraps executive summary of the 2012 Household Food and Drink Waste report (which you can read here) they stated:

‘The avoidable food and drink waste that was subsequently thrown away would have cost £12.5 billion across the UK, or £470 per household per year, at 2012 food prices’. 

So you heard it here first kids (Ok, Maybe not first) Food Waste = Wasted Money 

In the UK, we have registered the highest amount of food poverty within the last five years, with nearly a million people registering for emergency food supplies with the Trussell Trust Food Banks. In this day and age where food and living costs are on the rise but wages are not, we should all be watching our food waste and saving our pennies (along with the planet).

Photo Source: http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-figures-top-900000

Maybe one of the reasons we throw so much away is because we are desensitised to the amount of effort, resources and live stock that goes into creating our food. Would we be so willing to throw that piece of chicken away if we had to raise and kill the bird ourselves? Would we be so inclined to bin that broccoli if we had watched it grow from a seed? Maybe it's because we are so far away from the actual production of food that we forget how much effort goes into generating our sustenance. 

Food waste not only effects our pockets but it effects the environment too. Throwing products away that have used extensive resources to produce them means that food waste is impacting our carbon footprint as well. Cheese, milk and meat come from a large supply chain so we should think twice before we throw these products away so easily.

Photo Source: http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/node/215

Before the food even reaches your cupboards, heck, before it even reaches the supermarkets, food waste is occurring at phenomenal levels, with estimates** of nearly 5.5 millions tonnes of food waste coming from manufacturers and food suppliers, which then heads straight to the land fill all because some 'imperfect' fruit and veg looks a bit 'odd'.

How can we avoid food waste?

Sometimes food waste is out of our hands, we don't all have the means to rally against the big cooperations to stop their food waste but there is so much we can do just from the comfort of our own homes.

Plan your meals

Yeah, I know it may sound boring to some of you but planning your meals for the week or a few days in advance means you will only buy what you need meaning you’ll have less products to throw away.

Use what you already have

Again, I know, I’m sounding like a nagging mum but if you use what you already have, you’re preventing food waste and saving yourself a few quid that can go towards that new Charlotte Tilbury foundation you’ve had your eye on (Can you tell I’m seriously lusting after that at the moment?) 

Reduce portion sizes

If I cook too much food, I’m more than happy to use that grub the next day for lunch or dinner but some people are not that open to food leftovers. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like left overs the next day, why not reduce your portion size and in turn, reduce food waste?

Sell by dates/Use by dates

Personally, I’ve never used these dates. I’d like to think as a human (supposedly the most superior creature on this planet) I’ve been equipped with the best tools to decipher whether or not food is edible. By all means, don’t take this as the gospel truth but I have a three step process to decide whether or not I should eat something:

1. How does it look? Good? Green? (Green is bad. Real bad. Run for the hills!) Normal? Content? Does everything look Ok? If there are no signs of visible mould or deterioration move on to step 2.

2. Smell. It can all go down hill from here, so prepare your nostrils! How does it smell? Like death? That’s bad, throw it away and burn it with fire. But seriously, does it smell ok? Normal? Maybe even a bit tasty? If so, move on to 3.

3. Taste. Now it’s time to give that sucker a try. I’m not asking you to scoff the whole lot, just a small bit enough to decipher whether or not you could die from eating this all.

And there you have it! You have successfully used your powers of elimination to discover if something is edible or not. Round of applause all round.
Now, those 3 steps may seem like complete common sense to some but I have met so many people who live by sell/use by dates and don't just use their sight, smell and taste to see if something is ok to eat. Remember, the less food you throw away is more money saved!

Buy directly from the farmers

Farmers markets are not just for a select few, you can get your butt down to them as well. Not only do you get to meet local food producers but you can get your hands on fresh fruit and veg, straight from the source. You can even inquire about buying the ugly fruit and veg for lower prices!

Smoothie it

Is that spinach wilting? Is that banana now more brown than yellow? Throw those bad boys in a smoothie maker and it’ll make no difference! Zero food waste and a healthy meal in one go.

Freeze!

Make use of your freezer. If you know you may not be able to eat all of your fresh fruit and veg before they start to wither away, check and see if you are able to freeze it and use it at a later date.

Dine at sustainable restaurants 

Believe it or not, there are restaurants out there that use sustainable produce or intercept food waste before it reaches the landfill. Save the Date cafe is an example of this new and exciting venture!

Ask to take your leftovers home

Out at a restaurant but unable to finish that big lovely plate of food? Instead of throwing the food away, why not ask for a doggy bag or better yet, bring your own! There is no shame is saving the planet but if you do feel a bit embarrassed, why not call the restaurant in advance and check to see if they are able to provide you with a doggy bag? A win all round!

Buy those imperfect beauties

If you don’t, who will?! Also, why not ask for a discount on these items from your supermarket! (If you don’t ask, you don’t get!)

                                              ________________________________________________

This is a completely out of the ordinary post for me, so I hope I've done this subject justice. If you'd like to look into this subject more, there are links scattered throughout this page and also some below. More top tips on how to save food can be found here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject and if you have any other tips you'd like to share, please leave them in the comments section below.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Interesting links

*http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/uk-tops-chart-of-eu-food-waste
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/retailing/article4601013.ece

http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/

**http://www.thisisrubbish.org.uk/resources/10-flooring-food-waste-facts/ 

Please note: The photos with stats within them are not mine. I have used them for research purposes only and do not claim to have any right to them. I have provided links to the original source beneath each photo if you wish to research this topic further.

I need to vent

(Please note: This is going to be a very whiny, 'poor me' sort of post. There may be a few jokes, lol's and sarcastic humor, but overall, prepare yourself for an onslaught of 'WHY ME?!' sorta thing. You've been warned).

Let’s just ignore the fact that this rant is coming from a relatively healthy (I have sinusitis, not Ebola, so I should count my blessings) free (as in, I can do what I want, not that I’m now being sold at the low, low price of zero!) Western woman, with a roof over her head who is surrounded by friends and family.

Let’s just ignore the fact that I could have it a lot worse. I know that. 

I'm actually so aware that I should be grateful for all the things I do have in my life, that I’m annoyed at myself for feeling so down about the bad things in my life. 

How ridiculous is that? Annoyed at myself for feeling low. 

You can call me Self Deprecator the Extraordinaire!

Just about everything is annoying me right now and I mean everything. People talking to me, eating near me, scratching, coughing, slurping, breathing. But I know the only reason everything is annoying me so much is because I'm on the edge already and everything else is just the cherry on top of this crap heap of an ice cream sundae (ew).

So why have you been so down Kirsty? Thanks for asking Kirsty, I'll explain why. 

I’ve been made redundant 

After being on a rolling contract for 2 years, 2 months ago I was finally made permanent. Praise the lawd'! At last I finally felt secure; I felt secure in my job and I finally felt like a fully-fledged member of my team. A permanent job meant I could get a mortgage, plan for the future, save more, you know? All that amazingly fulfilling adult malarkey that we've all grown to love and strive for.

Yet 2 months after being made permanent, my company made a shocking announcement (and I mean shocking. No one had a bloody clue!) that quite of few of us were to be let go and I was one of them.

Great.

The real kicker is that I absolutely adore my job. I love the company, the people, the role, the whole fucking shabang. So for the next few months I'll be stuck in employment limbo whilst I finish the end of my contract. No plans can be made. No mortgage can be sought after. No security will be had.

(Told you this was a 'poor me' post)

I passed my driving test

AT BLOODY LAST! After putting this off for god knows how long, I've finally passed my driving test, which means I can finally buy a car! Amazing! I'm 27 and I can finally own my first ever!!!

Oh, no. Wait. You've just been made redundant. No car for you my love. Back to relying on lifts from friends and family and back to feeling like a complete loser who hasn't got her life together. Great.

Have you got a boyfriend?

If you are at a similar age to me and are single, I’m sure you’ve experienced this as much as I have. If you’re younger than me and single…prepare yourself, because in the near future you will find out how annoying this sort of stuff is.

A few years ago no one gave two flying hoots about my love life, but now! Oosh! All of sudden because I’m nearly 2 years off 30 (Good Lord, someone kill me) everyone seems to be watching my poor, lonely, cat lady life play out and they feel as if it’s necessary to pry or pity me. 

Calm down people, in the words of Gloria Gaynor, I will survive.

I’m questioned about my relationship status on a daily basis. I’m told I must be picky because I’m single. I’m told to ‘put myself out there’, I’m told to ‘just settle’.

It’s not as if I’m not aware that I’m at that age in my life where I should be settling down. I know I should be. I'm reminded everyday when someone new on my Facebook news feed gets engaged or married. I get it! I'm just sitting here watching reruns of Grand Designs from 1999 with a bottle of vino to myself asking my cat how his day went. I get it. I'm alone and should be doing something about it.

I’m told that I'm getting on a bit, that my looks will fade, my body will change and I'll no longer be this fertile baby making machine. I'm told I need to get married, have babies and live happily ever after. 

To all the people who are constantly on my case about my love life, please see below: 

Buying a house

'Hi, I'm Kirsty and I'm 27 and still live at home with my mum'. I'm such a catch, right?

If you're not at the stage in your life where you are thinking about mortgages, I have only one piece of advice for you: Start saving, now. Right this second kinda now. Seriously.

Mortgages are expensive and extremely hard to save for on your own but I'm at this stage in my life where I want to move out in to my own place and just have something to call my own, but unfortunately, like many people at my age, it's nearly impossible to do so.

My room

This is an odd one and something I could solve easily if I just had enough time.

My room really needs to be redecorated. Desperately. I’m half way through the process but now the process has just stopped. Living in a room which is half finished with paint and furniture for so long is honestly driving me insane. It just shows how your living space can really affect your mood.

Anyway

I actually feel somewhat better for ranting about this utter drivel. Does anyone else feel like sharing? Let’s make this into a therapy session where we all just cry at our computer with a glass of wine in hand and talk about our problems (sounds like every Friday night to me. Wahey!)

I hope you are all having a better time than me. Thanks for stopping by and I promise, I'm not usually like this*. 

(*Lies)

x