Thoughtful Thursday - Reflection on 2016

Hey Internet Friends,
So today I thought I'd look back on how this year has gone. I am going to split this into mini sections so I don't ramble and obviously still keep some things more private. This is just a rough overview of how things have gone this year, hopefully with quite a positive attitude. Without further-a-do, here is my reflection on 2016. Enjoy.

Blog - This year I have managed to stick to my schedule and put up posts when they're meant to go up all year. This is likely to be down to the many reminders on my phone and notebook of ideas so I can plan in advance. This is definitely something I will continue to do in 2017.

School - So, 2016 was the year I sat my GCSE exams and I will admit I worked my backside off revising. Thankfully, it all paid off and I was accepted into the Sixth Form I wanted to go to, as well as onto all the courses I wanted. The start of A-Levels has been quite stressful but I'm enjoying it.

Work - This was the year I got my first job! I was taken on as a Christmas Temp. back in October. I am loving where I work as it got me into the festive spirit early and I work with some really nice people. It's helping me gain confidence as I deal with strangers every week.

Relationships - In terms of friendships, these have definitely changed, but I'm glad to say I've been forming closer bonds with better people to keep me on the right track. Romantic relationships on the other hand, well, lets just say 2016 hasn't really been my year.

Hobbies - In my spare time (which there isn't really a lot of), I have been reading lots of book and listening to a lot of music. I've also managed to find some time to plan blog posts, organise things and get better at art.

So, that's a quick reflection on how 2016 has been for me. Hope you enjoyed.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger

Quotes

Hey Internet Friends,
Here are some thoughtful quotes for your Thursday this week. Just remember, the weekend is almost here! I hope you enjoy.

'Eventually all the pieces fall into place. Until then, laugh at confusion, live for the moment and know that everything happens for a reason.'

'If something is meant to happen, it will happen.'

'Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.'

'Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.'

'Be mindful, even if your mind is full.'

'Don't be too hard on yourself. There are plenty of people willing to do that for you. Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do. Even mistakes mean you're trying.'

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

*Disclaimer - I don't own these quotes so all rights go to the original owners*

Thoughtful Thursday - Growing Up

Hey Internet Friends,
Thoughtful Thursday is back and this time is about growing up.

Growing up is a strange concept. While you're young you forever want to be older. No matter how many people tell you that you never fully appreciate the simplicity of young life. When your biggest decision is what to play with, life is simple.

As you go through school, the days become more intense. Exams become much harder and more important. You begin to face decision on qualifications to work towards and which career you want.

That's all well and good unless you don't know. You begin to fear getting older as the decisions get tougher and tougher. Large life goals loom ahead and forever get closer. The uncertainty of things like illness, fight and death throw you off course sometimes but you just have to keep growing.

I may have made growing up seem all gloomy but I can't wait till one day I have a family of my own, a job I love and to live the life I was destined to receive.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Latest Fashion Trend

Hey Internet Friends,
Today I thought I'd discuss my opinions on one of the latest fashion trends. After browsing through shops (online as well as in store) and looking on fashion websites, there was one trend that really caught my eye; the off the shoulder trend.

One of the things I love about this trend is how summery it is! You can flash a bit of skin without feeling uncomfortable or going too over the top. All the tops and dresses look so cute, with many in summery patterns and colours.

Another thing I love is that there are so many styles of tops and dresses that are off the shoulder. This means there are so many occasions you can wear this style. From days at the beach to fancy meals out, it's so easy to dress this style up or down depending on the occasion.

Finally, it is so simple to follow this style as these items of clothing are so easy and affordable to buy. From highstreet stores to designer brnads, there's something to suit everyone.

What do you guys think of this trend? Let me know on social media (links on the contact me page) or comment on this post.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Supernatural beings

Hey Internet Friends,
Supernatural beings; are they real or aren't they? No one really knows for sure so here's what I think.

First of all, I don't believe things like vampires, werewolves and zombies etc. exists. To me they all seem to just be fictional creations for books and films to help add excitement.

On the other hand however, I'm not sure whether ghosts exist or not. If they do, I highly doubt they are like how they're portrayed in films. I guess in a way I believe they are likely to be invisible to us who are alive. It's quite a nice thought that after we die our soul lives on and can watch over our loved ones. I'm not religious so have no religious beliefs on this topic which could be why I'm more susceptible to believing in certain types of supernatural beings.

What do you guys think? Have you ever experienced anything that has convinced you supernatural beings exist? I would love to hear about them!

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

How to cope with waiting for Results Day

Hey Internet Friends,

So, now exams are all over, what do you do while waiting these two never ending months for results day? Here are some of my tips and ideas.

One thing I've done is create a list of everything I want/need to get done while I have time off. From organising my room, to getting rid of old revision and taking up a  new hobby, making sure my time is full is a brilliant way of keeping me distracted so I don't get as worried or stressed.

Another thing you can do is make plans with friends and family. Days out will again keep you distracted as well as give you something fun to do. Going shopping or going to the cinema are both great ideas as they keep you out of the house.

Finally, you can read a load of books, watch a TV series and/or watch a bunch of films you've always wanted to in order to help you chill out and stay relaxed. Time off is perfect for this and you deserve to relax after all the exam stress.

So, what are you doing to help you cope with pre-results stress? Have these ideas helped?

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Love

Hey Internet Friends,
Todays idea for Thoughtful Thursday is courtesy of my amazing boyfriend. As I am in a relationship, my feelings about love might seem slightly biased, but everyone has different opinions.

What is love?
To me love is the feeling of safety when someone you love is holding you tight while you're at your weakest. Someone who sticks by you no matter what is always important; everyone needs someone they can turn to when things happen.

Young Love
I hate it when people say "You're too young to be in love". I believe you can fall in love with anyone at any point in your life. It doesn't matter how old or young you are.

I believe love is forever. It's so strong and to me a bond of love can never be broken. It's something that will always last, even through the difficult times.

I hope you enjoyed that. Let me know what your opinion on love is.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

P.S. Sending love to all those effected by the shootings in Orlando. This world is a cruel place.

Thoughtful Thursday - Exercise

Hey Internet Friends,
Exercise to me is like marmite. You love it or you hate it. I can't stand it! I hate feeling too hot or sweaty. Yuck!

So, how do I stay fit? Well, as you can guess, running or going to the gym is definitely not my thing. Quite often I like to go for a walk with my family in the evenings. I always find this makes me feel more refreshed after a long day. It also helps me get a much better sleep that night.

I also do a 30 day Fit Butt challenge each day, which I've mentioned before in a previous post. I find this isn't too strenuous but helps keep my thighs and bum nice and firm. No wobble, bonus!

Finally, I occasionally do some yoga. I used to do this once a week, however now that I'm spending so much time on revision, I struggle to fit it in. Again, yoga isn't too strenuous but helps keep everything nice and firm.

So, what do you guys do to keep fit? Do you love or loathe exercise? Let me know by commenting or let me know through social media.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Animal Testing

Hey Internet Friends,
Today's topic for Thoughtful Thursday is animal testing. Just a quick note before I begin, no images will be used on this post as I can understand how upsetting and disturbing they can be.

First of all, I agree with testing on animals for medical research if there is no alternative option available. Ground breaking results in the medical world can come from testing on animals and save so many lives.

On the other hand however, I am against testing cosmetics on animals. So many brands manage to make safe products without testing on animals so why should others still be allowed to test? As much as I love cosmetics they are not an essential thing for survival. I always try to check my products haven't been tested on animals as it's cruel, wrong and unnecessary.

I'd love to hear what your opinions are about animal testing and whether you try to avoid products that have been tested on animals.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - The Internet

Hey Internet Friends,
So, it's Thoughtful Thursday again and this time it's about the internet.

Ok, call me a typical teen but I love the internet. It's so nice to be able to find out whatever I want with just a couple of clicks. People may say we rely too heavily on the internet but think about how much knowledge we can gain from it; it's amazing. Also, without the internet, we wouldn't have social media and so wouldn't be able to run blogs or YouTube channels. Imagine that, no YouTube! The internet is also brilliant for discovering so many new things. It helps gives us a quick and easy way to research different symptoms if you're ill which helps if it's a while before you can go and see a doctor. The final thing I love about the internet is that you can go online shopping! I love browsing through my favourite stores online, especially when I'm planning a shopping trip with my besties!

Sorry that this isn't particularly long but at least it's better than nothing. I will be starting my exams very soon and so am trying to prepare a whole load of posts that I can schedule for you guys. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to my posting schedule as I have currently all year (GO ME!!) which doesn't happen often.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - School Pressure

Hey Internet Friends,
So, it's getting to that time of year (if you're in a year group that has to do exams) where suddenly all your deadlines for things like coursework have appeared right in front of you. All you're teachers are expecting things from you and want you to prioritise their subject. How do you deal with this?

1) Plan ~ Keep a diary or calendar nearby at all times so you can note down all your exams and deadlines. Then, create timetables for each day with what you need to get done. If you struggle to stick to timings, just create a to-do list each day. This ensures you don't forget anything and don't leave it till last minute.

2) Breaks ~ You must give yourself time off. You can't expect to get a ton of work done in a single day. Break it up and you'll find it all so much easier to manage. During breaks do things you enjoy.

3) Mindfulness ~ If you are a particularly anxious or stressed person, try mindfulness. I have created a post about it before (click here) as I found it something that has really helped me cope with stress.

Hope this has helped some of you. Anything else that helps some of you, let me know through social media or below in the comments.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Weather

Hey Internet Friends,

I wrote a short poem about weather and thought I'd share it with you. Sorry if my posts haven't been as good recently, under a lot of stress with school as I'm sure a load of you are too.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger

The weather

Ever changing

Unpredictable

Hot to cold

Warm to wet

Stunning

Magnificent

Hated and loved

Varies from place to place

A beauty of nature

Thoughtful Thursday - Gay Marriage

Hey Internet Friends,

Before I begin I would just like I say I'm very passionate about this topic. I'm bisexual and there are members of my family and friends who also aren't heterosexual. I completely support gay marriage. If two people are in love, I don't see why it should matter what gender they are. Just because marriage traditionally means bringing/joking together a man and a woman, it shouldn't mean we stick to that. Times change. People are more open and more educated about different sexualities. Why should some people be disallowed to so something, just because of who they love? It's their life, why should it matter to anyone else? I'd love to hear what your opinions are, so either comment or message me using the links on the contact me page.

Love and Hugs,

1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Relationships

Hey Internet Friends,

Today I thought I'd talk abut relationships with you all. Over the years I've been through a handful of relationships and so I thought I'd share what I believe to be good and bad things about them and the people involved.

Bad:
Okay, so first of all, I find a controlling relationship to be bad. If you don't have the freedom to be yourself then it's not a good place for you. Another factor of a bad relationship is if it's full of neglect. If you don't communicate or spend time together, then what's the point? Relationship's are meant to be two people wanting to be together for as long as possible. It's the same as if the relationship is very one sided, if one of you is making all the effort and the other is doing nothing at all, the one making all the effort is going to feel neglected and fed up of being the only one trying. This leads to loads of arguments which just end up in the 'blame game', where no one will accept that they've done wrong and so it carries on for ages. The final bad thing in a relationship is lies. You should never lie to your partner (unless you're trying to surprise them) as they will only lose trust in you and it won't last very long.

Good:
A good relationship, to me, is one that's full of love and care; one where you can just be yourself and feel comfortable with your partner. I always find it's good if you can talk about anything and everything; tell each other your worries and problems and work at solving them together. A good relationship is about finding someone you really connect with, despite having differences. You don't have to love the same things, but it's nice if you always find time to talk to each other about the things you enjoy. Naturally, there will occasionally be problems but in a good relationship, you'll always manage to work together to sort everything out.

Currently I'm in a relationship and I honestly couldn't be happier. He treats me like a queen. On Valentine's Day he gave me a gorgeous necklace and bracelet, as well as hand warmers and a box of chocolates. He's just perfect, he always knows when somethings wrong and always cheers me up. He knows when to just hold me and tell me everything's going to be okay when I'm upset. So far, we haven't had any problems as there's just so much love and care between us. I can just be myself around him and talk about absolutely anything.

So, that's what I have to say about relationships. Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think are good and bad things that involve relationships.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Hi Internet Friends!

I was thinking earlier last month about what topics would make a good Thoughtful Thursday. I like to sometimes look at topics that people have very conflicting views about; this post is about gender equality.

Why should someone be treated differently die to their gender? Why do we associate certain jobs with a certain gender, why does sexism still exist?

Just some of the things that come to mind when I think about ended equality.

Feminism: "A range of movements and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment." * I am a feminist. Not because I think women are better than men, but because I think people should be treated equally, regardless of their gender, race, sexuality or age.

I mean, come on. It's 2016. Why are people so wrapped up in sticking to traditional gender specific roles? If you want to do something, regardless of your gender, you should be able to do it. We don't choose what gender we're born as. We didn't choose to not be 'suitable' for a certain job just because of our gender. It's ridiculous. Why should it matter?

I hope you enjoyed, let me know your opinions either by commenting or via social media (links in the contact me page).

Love and Hugs,

1 More Blogger xox

* Disclaimer: the feminism definition is not my own, all credits and rights go to the original author [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism]

Thoughtful Thursday - Mindfulness

Hi Internet Friends,

Today Thoughtful Thursday is about something I only recently discovered. Mindfulness. I was in a shop one day and my Dad noticed a book called 'Mindfulness on the go' by Padraig O'Morain. After reading the blurb, I discovered mindfulness is brilliant to help you stay calm. Just perfect for someone like me.

So, what actually is mindfulness? Well, it's basically the practise of constantly returning your attention to what is going on/what you are doing, hence making you more aware of what's going on around you and less on worrying thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness has many benefits. It's really simple to incorporate into your everyday life, helps with stress, anxiety and worrying thoughts, helps you gain more control over your thoughts, and finally it helps you control your emotions a bit more which can help add stability to your feelings. It's brilliant for a hectic lifestyle as it helps you stay in control.

As I mentioned earlier, the way I discovered mindfulness was through the book 'Mindfulness on the go' by Padraig O'Morain. I fell in love with this book whilst reading it and it's now my essential go-to book when I feel anxious. This book helped make me aware of so many different mindfulness practises, all which are incredibly simple to do whilst living my everyday life, without it being obvious to others. It gave me an understanding of what mindfulness is and how it can benefit me. There are so many different tips and ideas in this book for so many occasions I would most definitely recommend reading it. A final brilliant thing about this book is that you don't have to read it all in one go or in any particular order. If you need to learn some mindfulness tips for relationships for example, you just turn to that chapter and at the end there's several pages with different activities you can do.

The book also recommends some websites and some of these are below so you too can begin to look into mindfulness and help make your daily life slightly easier.

www.freemindfulness.org

www.everyday-mindfulness.org

www.mindful.org

www.padraigomorain.com (here you can sign up for a free newsletter and free daily mindfulness reminders and quotes, as well as find books and other useful resources).

If you didn't know anything about mindfulness or have heard about it and not looked into it further, I hope this post helps introduce you to such an amazing practise and helps you deal with life's daily stresses and worries.

Love and Hugs,

1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Social Media

Hey Internet Friends,

So, today's Thoughtful Thursday is all about social media and whether it's a good thing or not. Lots of people, including myself, use some form of social media but is it really worth it?

On one hand social media is brilliant as it enables you to communicate with people worldwide incredibly easily. This can be great if you want to keep in contact with family members or friends who don't live near by. It also allows you to interact with your favourite celebrities which would be incredibly difficult without the use of social media. Another bonus of social media is that you can openly express your opinion about a topic and find people who feel the same way as you. This can quickly lead to conversation and before you know it, you have another friend. Finally, social media can help broaden our knowledge on what's going on in the world around us. It provides us with so many links to and comments about different news stories, which helps make us all more aware.

On the other hand however, social media can often cause problems. For starters, you will always get people who share ignorant opinions which can be offensive to others. From this spring the haters and bullies who spend their time annoying and upsetting people as they have nothing better to do. Social media, unfortunately, makes it easier (in my opinion) to come across unpleasant people who may be lying to you about who they are. If it goes too far, you could end up putting yourself at risk. Finally, social media is full of photo-shopped images of celebrities and models. If you come across these often, it can occasionally lead to negative thoughts about yourself as you see more and more of an unrealistic ideal.

As you can see, social media has both advantages and disadvantages. I personally think it's a brilliant thing, provided you stay safe. What do you think?

Just as a side note, if you are experiencing any bullying online, make sure you don't go through it alone. Get help online or talk to someone you trust about it. Remember to report any horrible behaviour as it can prevent some others from being targeted.

Love and Hugs,
1 More Blogger xox

Thoughtful Thursday - Rant

Hey Internet Friends,

This Thoughtful Thursday is slightly more of a random rant. You can comment and let me know you're opinions on this and suggest ideas for what else you'd like to see on my blog.

Love and Hugs,

1 More Blogger xox

I hate feeling like i have to hide who I am through fear of being judged and criticised for it. We should all be allowed to be who we want and make our own decisions without people bringing us down for it. People need to learn to accept others for who they are and not make them feel like they should hide their true self. It's sad really because everyone has secrets. Everyone has a darkness inside them that continues to grow; that they feel can't be spoken about due to hatred and prejudice of others. It needs to stop. Things need to change.

Thoughtful Thursday - Rain

Hey Internet Friends!

I find rain a thing of absolute beauty. Sometimes, I wish I was a raindrop. I'd love to fall freely from clouds in the sky and run down rooftops and windows with all my other raindrop friends. I'd love to come together with others to create puddles for young children to splash in and be happy.  Lots of things in life have two sides. Even simple things like raindrops. They look so fragile and dainty yet have the power to transform into things like snow and hail which can be harsh and violent.

Some people don't like rain but I don't think they see the true beauty behind it. Rain is under appreciated, just like most of the beauty in our world.

 It's strange how late at night you think about random things that wouldn't usually cross your mind. This is one of the thoughts I had one night that I thought I'd share with you all. You can let me know some of your late night thoughts below or on one of my social media pages.

Love and Hugs,

1 More Blogger xox