February come-down!...COME UP

So, I've been reading through my posts for a few weeks now, thinking I haven't written a post in a while.

In trying to get some inspiration to write, I've been reading other blogs, but then soon come to realise that this wasn't helping at all because I was just critisising my own writing in comparison of those who have been blogging for years.

So me and my man went for our Sunday morning Costa Coffee date as we normally do and were talking about how we were and just to chat about anything we really needed to say. We see each other a lot throughout the week but never to have a 'proper chat' so this is always really nice. I told him about this rut that I am struggling to find things to write about and he suggested I start off by writing about this 'rut'...So here I am...

I read my first post in this blog and I was so shocked when I could see how excited I was about all of my new years resolutions and really and truely dedicated.

Now this is very much me. I get very excited about change and improvement, so it didn't shock me in that way. 
It shocked me because I noticed how demotivated I have become since then!

I wanted to make this blog originally to inspire people and to show people that you can make any dreams and goals come true... So I was hesitant to tell you this but then I remembered a quote that I had read somewhere once...
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall"

...I'm only human, we all fall down, but it's all about what you learn from it and how you overcome that fall.

I felt an overwhelming feeling of dissapointment because up until now, I havn't achieved any of my new years resolutions.   
Now, a couple of them I am no longer able to do because of a change in circumstance but some of them, there is no excuse! 

I didn't go back to the gym until February
I havn't learnt to run (This I can't because I have a problem with my knees and have been advised that a marathon would be too strenuous on them and I could injure myself. So I won't be doing the marathon, which I am gutted about)
I havn't finished reading one book! 
I didn't start eating healthy until Yesterday (12th Feb)
I havn't done much towards my book....or blog! 
I havn't given blood, given to charity or become a donor
I havn't saved money

.....The list goes on as you know if you read my new years resolutions blog.

The point is, I havn't been motivated for any of this! 

Until This Sunday in Costa. I thought, that's it, I need to get my ass in to gear! 

So I went shopping, bought lots of veg, meat, nuts and fruit and prepared lots of paleo meals for the week ahead! 
Porridge has been replaced with Bacon and Spinach!
Pizza has been replaced with chicken & broccoli 
Sandwiches with Paleo Bolegnaise! 
And sweets, muffins, chocolate and cookies have been replaced with bananas, apples and cashew nuts & almonds.
I started back at my gym last Wednesday
I've started writing notes about my book...
I'm writing this blog!

I'm more determined than ever to make this work now, If I'm going to achieve my goals, I need to work hard.

There's no point in letting the days go by without saying I have achieved something.

Every day is going to be an achievement from now on! :)

My new moto is.....'Dream big and work your butt off!!'

:D 

Rude interuptions

Ok, so everybody who has taken the time to get to know me, and who knows me just a little bit, will know for a fact what my biggest pet hate is!

People who interrupt me when I am talking. 

The annoying thing however is that even though people know I really get irritated by this, they still do it!

It's always been seen as 'bad manners' or 'rude' to interrupt somebody when they are speaking but it seems to have become more common...great!! Half of the time people don't even notice that they are doing it!

Because I am an Introvert (someone who is stimulated by being alone or in small groups of people and can feel drained when in a big crowd or by loud noises and bright lights), I find it difficult when I get the chance to talk or voice my opinion on something and then I get shut down by somebody interrupting me!! It can literally make me want to breath fire on their asses!!

It can make me forget what I was saying and then if it was a really interesting conversation (in my eyes) it can be quite gutting that you can't continue talking about it.

I never used to say anything when I was interrupted, I didn't want to make people feel bad for what they had done because I knew most of the time, they didn't mean it.
I now (90% of the time) can guarantee that I will pick you up on it if you're rude enough as to interrupt me mid-flow of a conversation!
Now, don't get me wrong, I am the least confrontational person you could ever meet but this shows how much it gets to me! People can't help but notice the flared nostrils and teeth clench that follows the incident and ask, what's wrong?
......"YOU INTERRUPTED ME!!"

I've thought long and hard about this, and wondered why this always seems to happen to me. First, I thought it was because I was quiet (people told me that was why), but that's only around faces I wasn't familiar with, and it would always happen with my family too (where I am NOT quiet)... So no, not that.

Then I thought it was because I was too nice (again, what other people had told me), they said that I needed to just shout at them if they interrupted me, but that's not me...I'm not a shouter!

So, I've come to the conclusion that it's not me!...The majority of people that interrupt me are Extroverts, people who think out loud, people who when they have something to say, they need to say it then and there. People who don't realise that 'people like me' find it very disheartening when being interrupted. It's them!! 

So what I do now is just politely point out to them 'do you realise you just interrupted me?'...Most of the time I get an awkward laugh and 'Oh god sorry did I??' 
...With my boyfriend and family however, I just mimic what they do when they interrupt me... As soon as I notice them start to interrupt me, my voice just gets louder and Louder and LOUDER! until they realise and shut up, we laugh and I continue my point!...Peace! :)

Any Extroverts reading this, just try to recognise when you're doing this, and think about how it might make the other person feel. If they're anything like me, they might feel, disheartened, unimportant, insignificant, like their opinion doesn't matter to you, sad or fed up. 
Introverts statistically tend to do better in exams, have brighter and better ideas and thoughts and some of the greatest people in history were Introverts, to name a few, Ghandi, J K Rowling, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Steve Wosniak.
My point being, you might well be VERY interested in what they have to say!

...And if you don't, just please be kind enough not to interrupt them! Thanks! :)

Belief + Action = Dreams

When most people talk about their dreams, they see it as this fantasy driven world that only the most gifted among us are able to achieve. They talk about living with a big house, a nice expensive car, being multimillionaires and having the ability to buy whatever they want, whenever they want....but that's for celebrities right?...'That's the life lived by those rich people'...Well yes! Of course! But how did they get to that point?

They just Believed and took Action!

People like Oprah, J K Rowling, Beyonce, Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, they all Believed they could make it and most importantly they MADE it happen!

Most of us want something to happen but we're not quite willing to put in all of that effort for it to happen. Or we're waiting for is somebody to come along and encourage us, to motivate us and say you can make that happen! or 'You'd be perfect for that!' or we are simply waiting for somebody to guide us along the way and show us some sort of pathway to success.

We want someone who has preferably done it themselves or been successful themselves, we need reassurance that it can happen (in case we waste all that time working hard for something that is impossible). 'Even if you haven't done it yourself, please just tell me that I can! Tell me I can make it!

We have lives to live, families to feed, money to save, lifestyles to keep up with...we can't afford to step outside of our comfort zone for something that we dream of doing, just in case it all goes wrong!! Right?!

Do you think that Bill Gates or Oprah thought like that when they were making their millions?...Do you think that they let those thoughts of 'this isn't going to work' and 'I'll never make it that big1 override the thoughts of 'I will make this happen!'?...No, they pushed them to one side and decided:

"No, I will make this happen because this is what I am passionate about and this is my dream!"

Some of you may have dreamt of being a singer when you were a kid (I know I did), or a professional football player, basketball player, actress/actor, doctor, nurse, teacher, TV presenter, journalist, author, film producer, or maybe you just wanted to be a receptionist so you could wear smart glasses, cool headset and smart business clothes.

When we were kids, we could be anything we wanted to be, if we wanted to be superman, we would put a blanket over our backs and climb trees or sofas, jump off them and pretend we were flying. When we wanted to be a model, we would stick on our mother's high heel shoes (twice the size of our feet) and walk the length of the living room shaking our bum. If we wanted to become a singer we would pick up a hairbrush and JUST SING!...we made it happen. We had no doubt in our mind that that was what we were going to be when we grew old.

The problem was, you grew up being told how hard it is to get there, you'll never be that famous, 'You can't be Superman, there's no such thing!', 'you can't climb that tree, it's too high and IF you fall, you COULD hurt yourself!'

People hate taking risks, (BIG risks I mean)... just IN CASE.

But, what if...

What if you did make it? What if one day you jumped off the garden wall and started flying, what if you climbed that tree and made it right to the top and back down without a single scratch...or maybe a couple of scratches. Maybe you don't fly the first or second or third or fourth time, but the fifth time you flew!

Ok, so I know it's pretty impossible for humans to actually fly... but you see my point.

We're so worried about falling or not making it that we avoid taking the risk at all just in case it doesn't go to plan.

We worry about looking silly in front of others.

We don't go for that promotion because 'if I don't get it people might laugh and think 'She never stood a chance anyway and now look, she didn't get it!'

Really....what does it matter what others are saying about us?....And are they even saying those things, or is it another one of those scenarios that we imagine in our head to give ourselves an excuse to not go for it?

What if we had the minds of when we were children, we have this dream but when we were kids, what would we have done with it?

Do you think we would give up trying before we even started or do you think when we fell from the tree, that we would brush off the grass and try again, and again, and again.

We have these big dreams as adults but now we have so much fear and doubt that takes over. Like a little voice in our heads telling us that we shouldn't take risks, that it's too hard to achieve, 'that goal is unreachable, you'll never get THAT far!'

This little voice has been put in our brains by society, culture and negative people. This little voice wasn't there when we were kids, and even when it started, we would just ignore it.

We need to stop listening to this little voice, ignore it and concentrate on your dream...big or small! Stop giving up before you even try. Stop being 'realistic' (more practical and acceptable word for risk averse and just plain CAUTIOUS).

It isn't getting you anywhere!

BELIEVE you can make it happen, Make it happen (ACTION) and then you'll get your dream! I guarantee you!

Belief + Action = Dreams

Dream big guys! :)

New Years Resolutions 2014

So, as I mentioned, I have made a whopping full page full of new years resolutions...here they are!

1. Write and finish my fiction novel- I have wanted to write a book for some time now, however, I've never been sure what it was exactly that I would write about. Until now, I have realised that the best thing to write about, would be something that you have experienced and/or you are passionate about...watch this space!

2. Read at least ONE book every month. 

3. a) Learn how to run properly! b) Complete 1/2 Marathon - This will be a huge achievement for me as I've never been able to walk/run any kind of long distance and my first achievement was completing the Race for Life with my mum last year...that was 5k, so a 1/2 marathon is going to require some serious preparation!

4. This leads me on to my next goal... To complete 10k Race for Life!

5. Help others - This has a few secondary goals to it, a) Give Blood b) Become a donor c) Give to charity monthly.

6. Train hard at the gym!

7. Eat Healthily - a)Drink 2 litres of water daily b) NO dairy & NO bread - Bread makes me horribly bloated and feeling lethargic and many people can react badly to dairy and I'm one of them (just to clarify, not intolerant!) I have however decided to not be so strict with myself as when I did my lifestyle challenge last year because my massive craving for sweets and chocolate completely take control of me after about 3/4 weeks so I start to introduce it slowly and end up splashing out....then it goes downhill from there! so I'm allowing myself some give and take :)

8. Go on holidays! - Me and Dan (my partner) have decided that we are going to America for 2 weeks. A 1 week holiday somewhere else and at least 3 weekend breaks. This will hopefully break up our year from working after last year when we had a holiday in May and then nothing for the rest of the year.

9. Save money - a) For our many holidays b) for counselling course c) and for future in general. SAVE SAVE SAVE!

10. Do more fun things with Dan - We realised that we really don't do enough fun things. a) Do something every month that makes us laugh i.e. comedy show, funny film etc. b) Do more outside during the summer/nicer weather (we always moan that there's nothing to do in the winter when its wet or cold so we've decided to make the most of the summer weather when we do have it) c) Go to a festival (This is the main goal I'd say would seem very extroverted) But I feel that we need to push the boat out a little bit every now and then because I've wanted to go to a festival for so long, and so has he but we will allow ourselves the option of getting away from it all by not throwing ourselves into the centre of the crowd/mosh pits...we will enjoy it from a slightly outer prospective.

11. Look after myself more - a) Get a haircut and a manicure once every two months b) Wear less make up & get a skin care routine to look after it more c) get 6-8 sleep every night d)Go to bed earlier & wake up earlier. e) Go for early morning walks/runs (when i learn)

12. See friends once a week

13. See Dan's family more including, his Dad & sister, Grandma & Grandad.

14. Do something fun and exciting for New Years Eve 2014 - We havn't ever actually done anything fun for new years eve so this year...it's happening!

15. Write out a (fake) cheque to myself with the amount of money that I want to have and stick it on to my wall. I believe that if I look at it and believe it will be mine...then it will!

16. That then leads on to creating my wish board of all the things that I want in my life - If you want to know the in depth reason behind this, read The Secret - Rhonda Byrnes...it will change your life!

17. Continue to support Dan on everything that he wants in life.

I hope you've all made your new years resolutions!

If you're an introvert, make sure your goals are suited to you're personality and temperament.

Dream Big! And be Happy! :)

An overwhelming start to the year!

So Christmas is over, all of those invites to places you didn't attend have been taken down, you made it through the new years party or family gathering you felt you needed to attend and what's left?

For me, it's an overwhelming sensation of excitement, fear, anxiety and impatience. This may not sound like the most positive start to the year but in fact it's perfectly normal and happy in my eyes! 

Let me explain...

I'm an introvert. Now, most people don't realise the benefits, the amazing feeling it is once you realise and accept that this is a part of you and when we live in a world with so many extroverts it can be very difficult to get the alone time that we need. 

My Christmas started early this year, October actually! so I'm quite glad that we're passed it... Not because it wasn't good....it was perfect but because I love new beginnings and the positive thoughts that surround us when everybody has made their new years resolutions and feel invinsable like they can accomplish anything!! This may be heightened by the fact that the majority of people are also drunk when they make these promises but there really is a true sense of 'I can achieve anything!' 

My new years didn't include any of that alcohol, parties and being surrounded by loads of people. I purposely wouldn't put myself through the torture by going somewhere with a humongous crowd of people, pushing and shoving and fighting and dancing and singing and all that noise and flashing lights...Ahhh! Makes me wanna lock myself up forever just thinking about it!

No, I'm an introvert. So I spent my new years eve with the love of my life, chilling on the sofa, eating pizza and sweets and discussing our new years resolutions. Unlike most people who have maybe 1-3 new years resolutions.... We thought long and hard about ours and I ended up with a whole page full!! I know... A lot to take on for an introvert right?... Well no actually, I don't have one new years resolution that puts me in a position where I'm surrounding by too many people, (apart from go to a festival) which I'll have to face when it comes to it! But besides that, I'm very excited about all of my new years resolutions. I'll write a post showing all of my new years resolutions and how I'm going to achieve it. (yes, I have a lot of time on my hands)

The only problem I now face is that of wanting to do them all right now!! As many other introverts will find, once you find something you want to do, whether that's to learn someone new or read a book, u tend to want not to wait! We're impatient, we want to know EVERYTHING and we want to know it now....and that's exactly why Im so anxious for the new year! It's so much to achieve in 365 days! But I am invinsable!! :)