tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38258995465428492812024-03-13T11:23:51.038+00:00Love Steph xHealth, Travel and Lifestyestephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.comBlogger289125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-55632602263277246192022-01-02T21:40:00.000+00:002022-01-02T21:40:26.092+00:002021 Highlights and 2022 Goals<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBXYjMxjrT9I91YJ1mSlBdOa1q81WvlluTx7huiB9U12I3S8P-8Ba3iqS1V9ZMQiEzjCQEmGEdcCgwOCu5XXCq2eQ7474pKp-NwIYzMrbs_eqjAYfVMvO2PQjWOGCEJpFRjBszJuCsL4mA5DDYjmyF2eJr4004SniTWzSyWGiIeOF0ccu4ddDes1hi=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBXYjMxjrT9I91YJ1mSlBdOa1q81WvlluTx7huiB9U12I3S8P-8Ba3iqS1V9ZMQiEzjCQEmGEdcCgwOCu5XXCq2eQ7474pKp-NwIYzMrbs_eqjAYfVMvO2PQjWOGCEJpFRjBszJuCsL4mA5DDYjmyF2eJr4004SniTWzSyWGiIeOF0ccu4ddDes1hi=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></i></div><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh hey, fancy seeing you here! I hope you've had a good new years and are looking forward to what 2022 has to offer. I had to drop back in for my annual highlights and goal setting post. Looking back on another very turbulent year full of challenges and difficult moments but equally, filled with some amazing memories that need appreciating!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> So without further ado, here are some of my highlights from 2021...</span></span></i><p></p><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Buying a House</span></h4><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m very grateful to have been in a position to buy my first house in 2021. During a difficult time and with so many struggling, I am appreciative of the fact I was able to manage it and proud of the accomplishment. I enjoyed the process of house hunting and even more so the process of designing and decorating the house. I loved and continue to love finding pieces for the house and making the space my own!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYxTPyHTKwRbsvlQrrTH6MEWz0FXzhTj1c3O_dPd5upeihcE8XCx0L79j8U9T-7H1RiGVMqQ4Bfv-JM0P2QmHxC65s9FBYQR68bCHWB5N9Fm69-tEHKZ4_SIuP0r6UxGyVSu-A59KN_hGJZGkeGiYMBm1PTh4gnNl8DiWhLFEhEcnl7uubJrRrJA2=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYxTPyHTKwRbsvlQrrTH6MEWz0FXzhTj1c3O_dPd5upeihcE8XCx0L79j8U9T-7H1RiGVMqQ4Bfv-JM0P2QmHxC65s9FBYQR68bCHWB5N9Fm69-tEHKZ4_SIuP0r6UxGyVSu-A59KN_hGJZGkeGiYMBm1PTh4gnNl8DiWhLFEhEcnl7uubJrRrJA2=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PT Qualification</span></h4><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After countless delays and changes, 2021 was finally the year I passed my Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer course. It was challenging to have such a gap between doing the coursework and theory exams and then getting to do the practical but it really helped bring everything together. I enjoyed the whole experience and obviously learned a great deal during the process. The people leading and completing the course were great and only added to the whole experience. Now it’s time to take it forward and see how I can make the most out of it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trips </span></h4><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another year with limited travel opportunities but I did enjoy a few UK-based trips and of course, my time in Spain completing my course. Our family time in Wales made a great start to the Summer with the weather truly on our side. We were able to explore new places and enjoy spending time together, we even dipped in the river by the cottage which I never thought I'd be doing! Spending the weekend in London was also brilliant, giving us the opportunity to see my brother in his play for the first time in a long time (he was amazing, of course) and get to enjoy some time in the area. I really enjoyed the restaurant of choice- Lantana where the food was so lovely and flavoursome, I'd definitely love to head back. The time spent in the Lake District and Harrogate was also a lovely experience- from the fairground rides to the escape room and everything in between, it was a great trip with even better company.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> I also had a great girls weekend at a cottage in Yorkshire, with lots of opportunities to relax, good food and so many laughs!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3gldbB1XRkPTowCE9VS5e818jyeV5RorJskTzYLJw4tEpFTKHGDSA-9cBPevl93njjJiPHa4wAvC361Fi-cRehVR7cuJBhK40NwM49Fh-eWIgD8cKQjDwnM19YkO_WQNZ3D_x6jAfJB9nNZkszAoG091_S2IC4KdDya9_XHM3F4q19rej_shC3trI=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3gldbB1XRkPTowCE9VS5e818jyeV5RorJskTzYLJw4tEpFTKHGDSA-9cBPevl93njjJiPHa4wAvC361Fi-cRehVR7cuJBhK40NwM49Fh-eWIgD8cKQjDwnM19YkO_WQNZ3D_x6jAfJB9nNZkszAoG091_S2IC4KdDya9_XHM3F4q19rej_shC3trI=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Relationships</span></h4><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From remote movie watching and distanced walks to actually being able to spend time together going for meals, cinema trips etc. it’s been a great year to spend together with plenty of wonderful memories. Meeting new people as a result has also been an amazing bonus. Making the most of relationships with friends and family and watching them blossom has been another highlight in 2021, enjoying time spent together whether it’s for a spa day, a gin night or a FaceTime, each moment has been appreciated. And of course, relationships with the beloved animals- turbulent but so much love there.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As always, I set myself a few goals for 2021 so how did they go?</span></h4><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Buy a house-</b> I well and truly ticked this off the list... I was lucky enough to find my home in January and own it for myself in May. I even filmed a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IE88GkisUc&t=199s" target="_blank">house tour here.</a></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Finish my PT course- </b>As above, 2021 was the year I finally finished the course and am now officially qualified. </i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Travel somewhere if it’s safe-</b> I managed to visit Estepona for my PT course although most of the time was spent in the gym. I also managed a few UK trips but hopefully 2022 allows us to travel that bit more!</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Write more fiction- </b>Unfortunately, I didn't tick this one off. My writing dropped off significantly. Perhaps 2022 will get me back on it! </i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Keep reading regularly- </b>I also didn't quite manage this one, I managed to get through a few books but not as many as I'd hoped.</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Improve my running and run further- </b>I've managed to make slow progress in this area but it's very much still a work in progress so bring on 2022.</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Enter a sporting event- </b>A group of us did an inflatable run postponed from 2020 which was a lot of fun and something I'd definitely do again. Hopefully I can get a few more events under my belt this year.</i></span></li></ul><div><i><br /></i></div><h3 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2022 Goals</span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"></i><blockquote><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Start working as a PT or Fitness Instructor</i><br /><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Travel abroad</i><br /><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Try rowing</i><br /><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Enter a few sporting events</i></blockquote><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"></i><p></p></h4><div>I hope you had some great moments in 2021 and that you have even better ones in 2022. Thanks for reading my post.</div><div>Love, Steph x</div><p></p>stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-161290174602152542021-01-02T17:42:00.000+00:002021-01-02T17:42:03.001+00:002020 Highlights and 2021 Goals<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rsMRINaMK3Q/X_Bhf31CH-I/AAAAAAAAO3I/cjrCPzK4pNkMLBz92UzrjkRX4-hYMR5EgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01052.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rsMRINaMK3Q/X_Bhf31CH-I/AAAAAAAAO3I/cjrCPzK4pNkMLBz92UzrjkRX4-hYMR5EgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/DSC01052.JPEG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Happy New Year! It’s that time for my annual post, taking a moment to reflect on the <strike>disaster of a</strike> year, recognising the positive moments that have emerged. Of course, as with everybody, the year has contained a lot of lows and challenges but it’s also had its good moments that are worth remembering and reflecting on. So here are a few of my 2020 highlights...</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PT Course</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whilst I’d love to have completed the whole course by now as originally expected, unfortunately circumstances delayed that. However, I still managed to get all my theory coursework done and pass my theory exams- a definite challenge but great to have under my belt. It’s been a great experience to create workouts for friends and family and keep both my mind and body active during lockdown! I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can finally get it all completed in 2021!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GieK1uXWuIo/X_BhwhXr7gI/AAAAAAAAO3U/Dx21IVPZemcotkW81_fkYWkyHHHCJv3fgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9944.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GieK1uXWuIo/X_BhwhXr7gI/AAAAAAAAO3U/Dx21IVPZemcotkW81_fkYWkyHHHCJv3fgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9944.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Workout Regime</h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On a similar note, I’ve surprised myself by how much I’ve increased and improved my exercise routines and been able to keep it consistent rather than dropping off as gyms closed. I even found myself fitting workouts in more often around working from home. Trying different things to use none to minimal equipment, following videos at home and generally getting creative. It certainly helped having family to get stuck in with and to keep each other motivated. I even started the year as I meant to go on by being one of the first in the gym on New Year’s Day, trying a new class and blossoming from there. I also undertook the challenge of Gymshark66 and worked hard on my challenges to make healthier snack choices and move more on office days. W</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">e also cleared out and renovated to create a home gym in summer which has been a Godsend with all of the various limitations and lockdowns. It was a fun project and great to now have access to it whenever.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></h4><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;">Running</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve always been terrible at running, I could never catch my breath and therefore had to stop regularly or do an almost HIIT style of running, walking, running, walking etc. Just last year during my Bootcamp I pushed myself and could do most of the exercises without too much trouble (they definitely hurt and tested me but were manageable) however, anytime we had to run even a short distance I struggled. People helped to keep me going but I just couldn’t get my breath. During classes back home, I could go faster during the running intervals but still needed time to walk and recover before going again. Then somehow this year something switched. I forced myself to keep going and just see and managed half a mile without stopping- small to many but huge to me. It did mean going a little slower but a more consistent pace and it felt an improvement. The next time I knew I could get that far so I ran a bit further- I just wanted to get higher up the hill and managed not only to get to the top but to get down as well. From that day I knew I could physically do it I just needed my mind to push me so I kept going and each time I ran that little bit further. I still can’t run a particularly long distance but each time I’ve improved and proven to myself that I have it in me. I did take a knockback towards the end of the year after having covid so since then have reduced the distance again (better that than risking long-term problems) so now I hope to build back up and progress further in 2021.</span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></h4><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Salsa</span></span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It doesn't feel like the same year but somehow was! Mum and I started salsa lessons, learning the basic steps and jumping way out of my comfort zone. It took some time to get used to and I never got to the point of it entering or even coming close to said comfort zone but I enjoyed the process, seeing <strike>minor</strike> improvements and having fun (whilst also feeling incredibly awkward- I don't think I'd ever get used to dancing that closely with strangers). </p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></h4><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-neJQkX4RQiI/X_Bi1fgftGI/AAAAAAAAO4E/9ZiBL3PfHOcu0XrwyF5i0KJoSxtnpcu7QCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_1821.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-neJQkX4RQiI/X_Bi1fgftGI/AAAAAAAAO4E/9ZiBL3PfHOcu0XrwyF5i0KJoSxtnpcu7QCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_1821.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></h4><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Family Bonds</span></span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first lockdown was spent with a few extra relatives and all of us shielding together. Whilst having a full house all on top of each other and not leaving for anything is inevitably going to have its challenges, it had some great moments and allowed us to build on our relationships. I feel grateful to have had that opportunity and to have been able to make the most of what we could- it was certainly never boring, it's just a shame it wasn't under better circumstances. On that note, whilst I'm sure there will be challenges later on, I've loved being able to spend more time with Ruby and Luna. They've been so lovely and cuddly, adding love and support. They've also calmed down a lot and improved their behaviour which has been wonderful to see. We've been sending them to day care/play centre where they get to spend time with other dogs, working on their socialisation- a massive plus in these times. I love seeing the pictures of what they get up to and knowing they've been able to enjoy parties at Halloween and Christmas (more than most of us can say!)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reading</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve always loved reading but often lack the time. Spending more time at home allowed me more opportunities to actually get stuck into my reading pile. I managed to get through most of my ‘to be read’ books (previously unheard of) although have since restocked and am looking forward to cracking on with these new ones.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AP6gnDwARDI/X_BiJBljdVI/AAAAAAAAO3g/qHt4LwJE7kQkA2nLMx-uz-qKIBOtDksKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/8d4974f5-00d3-4492-a6cc-066345733fb3.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AP6gnDwARDI/X_BiJBljdVI/AAAAAAAAO3g/qHt4LwJE7kQkA2nLMx-uz-qKIBOtDksKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/8d4974f5-00d3-4492-a6cc-066345733fb3.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Work</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Work has certainly been different, as mentioned I was working from home during the first lockdown due to shielding so it was a new way of working for us all however, I was fortunate enough to continue working throughout the year and had the opportunity to catch up on bits before being thrust back into the madness. Its been one of the busiest times and certainly keeps you on your toes with constant new changes and developments. It's not been easy but I’ve been grateful to have had a stable job and been pleased with some of the progress made within projects.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">T</span></span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve once again been pushed out of my comfort zones and encouraged to achieve with my friend. Whether it’s writing challenges or workouts, we’ve done it together and motivated one another. Not to mention been in touch regularly for a general catch-up and for support. He’s definitely helped keep me sane.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Movie Nights</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Within the house to keep things entertaining, we would take turns to pick a movie for us all to watch and enjoy a movie night together. Some were great, some not so much but I still enjoyed spending that time together. Likewise, Teleparty/Netflix party has been a great way to keep in touch with friends and enjoy a movie from afar- a nice way to keep comfy and safe but entertained!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Neighbours</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">We are lucky to have wonderful neighbours who we've been able to enjoy spending time with from the safety of our own gardens, over the fence as well as virtually. Whether it's a drink, an outdoor movie or the quizzes they worked hard to create throughout the year to keep us all entertained and social, it's been a lot of fun to put our knowledge to the test, learn new things and generally have a good evening with others. There would have been a lot quieter weekends without!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Derbyshire Cottage</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I loved spending time relaxing at a cottage in Derbyshire. Spending the weekend with good food, great company and a hot tub... what more do you need. Hopefully, once things settle we can share more times like these.</p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKFEl5nOBMA/X_BjbF6Q2yI/AAAAAAAAO4Y/57MQwgVf568YnxKVz5nohdVMTpIeFH-bQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_1942.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKFEl5nOBMA/X_BjbF6Q2yI/AAAAAAAAO4Y/57MQwgVf568YnxKVz5nohdVMTpIeFH-bQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_1942.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div></h4><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCE-UrdDu5U/X_BjyycyMoI/AAAAAAAAO4k/CTGkdcZouLgyI8DT3nAqxwbRVIB-MSL2ACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_5246.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCE-UrdDu5U/X_BjyycyMoI/AAAAAAAAO4k/CTGkdcZouLgyI8DT3nAqxwbRVIB-MSL2ACNcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/IMG_5246.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Cornwall</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It's a shame to have missed some of the holidays we had planned but nevertheless, I enjoyed our week in Cornwall. Exploring some of the gorgeous beaches and towns. One memorable trip being a visit to Lands End, a breathtaking view and spectacular experience even if it did slightly creep me out!</p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Wales</h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">At the start of the year, we were lucky enough to visit Wales a few times. Firstly just the four of us, enjoying new year walks, meals and a trip to Zipworld- a whole lot of fun! We then visited with my cousins which was another lovely experience, seeing the waterfalls, going for walks and again enjoying meals out. The final trip being with my grandparents, a great time spent together, visiting the beach for the dogs' first sandy beach experience and enjoying yet more meals together. Who'd had thought we'd miss going out for meals so much.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQDDgDhsfdU/X_Bj_hZkpsI/AAAAAAAAO4s/f--CedsUyz0Eu8k_3ScZnA5aA5XwAobkwCNcBGAsYHQ/s960/IMG_2211.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQDDgDhsfdU/X_Bj_hZkpsI/AAAAAAAAO4s/f--CedsUyz0Eu8k_3ScZnA5aA5XwAobkwCNcBGAsYHQ/w197-h320/IMG_2211.JPG" width="197" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Christmas</h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As with everyone, Christmas was very different this year. Instead of the 28 we'd usually spend the day with, the 4 of us spent it by ourselves however, it was a lovely day and made special in so many ways. Taking more time to give and open presents, tuck into a delicious Christmas dinner and play a number of games, it was a wonderful festive day. Whilst I hope we can return to normal next year, I'm glad of the enjoyment this year.</p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><h4 style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spring Weather</span></h4><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How British to comment on the weather but it's hard to gloss over the beautiful weather we had during the first lockdown. It was amazing to have so many hot and sunny days and I felt lucky to have the garden space to do workouts outside, sit and read with my feet dipped in the paddling pool and generally sit out and soak up the sun. A great mood booster.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">I'm not going to go into detail reflecting on my 2020 goals as unfortunately most of them were not possible- clearly didn't anticipate the year to go as it did! However, here are a few goals I did manage to tick off or at least work on...</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>I improved my eating habits- there have been times of poor eating habits and many a snack enjoyed throughout 2020 but overall I have managed to improve and feel better for it, particularly in the latter half of the year (Christmas aside).</i></li><li><i>I toned up- this can always be worked on and improved but I have moved in the right direction which is a positive.</i></li><li><i>We worked to improve Ruby and Luna's behaviour and whilst they aren't perfect (nobody is), they're really loving and generally well behaved dogs.</i></li><li><i>I moved more on office days- it's not always been easy but I've done more evening workouts and generally have tried to get up and walk (even if it's just to the toilet) more often to reduce the time spent stationary- I don't know how my back and eyes cope without.</i></li><li><i>I continued writing- it may not seem like it as I've been quiet over here and I haven't done loads elsewhere but I have done some writing as part of challenges with my friend. Now I just need to continue and write more.</i></li></ul><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbsQe4nDccU/X_Bj_y1JeBI/AAAAAAAAO4w/uyoHRIjvNO87zg6vYzQ0rYqmBVXIaPa9gCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2270.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbsQe4nDccU/X_Bj_y1JeBI/AAAAAAAAO4w/uyoHRIjvNO87zg6vYzQ0rYqmBVXIaPa9gCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_2270.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">How about 2021? Well, who knows what's around the corner. It's quite a difficult time to set goals with the situation we are in but there are a few things I hope to achieve in the new year...</p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Buy a house</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Finish my PT course</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Travel somewhere if it’s safe- I'm not so picky on this after the year we've had but some travel experience in 2021 would be great</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Write more fiction</i></span></li><li><i>Keep reading regularly</i></li><li><i>Improve my running and run further</i></li><li><i>Enter a sporting event (assuming they are able to start up again)</i></li></ul><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I hope you found some joys in 2020 and that 2021 brings many more. Thank you for reading this post.</p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Love, Steph x</p>stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0United Kingdom55.378051 -3.43597327.067817163821154 -38.592223 83.688284836178838 31.720277tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-17994357514026845962020-08-23T13:47:00.004+01:002020-08-23T13:48:21.397+01:00How to Shop More Sustainably<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUu7H7MOk20/X0JXYgzh1GI/AAAAAAAAOrE/v-d8WLv3PlM_x0ih1aMRYmwPTj6XcprBwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01010.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUu7H7MOk20/X0JXYgzh1GI/AAAAAAAAOrE/v-d8WLv3PlM_x0ih1aMRYmwPTj6XcprBwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/DSC01010.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Fast fashion is a huge problem. As the second largest polluter after oil, our habits of regularly buying and replacing clothing does more than just clog up our wardrobe. One solution could be to stop buying clothes altogether however, for many of us that isn't a realistic option. With so many brands under speculation and criticism for their lack of fair wages, good working conditions and sustainably sourced materials, it's no wonder more people are looking for alternative places to shop. In addition, it's so important to support smaller businesses where we can. Whilst we can't control the ethics a brand has, we can control where we invest our money and how we, as individuals, reduce our contribution to the fashion industry's carbon footprint along with ensuring our money goes to the people all along the chain. So if you're looking to shop more consciously or make some small changes, this might just be the post for you... </i></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z28dZRZ3Ask/X0JboXq6p2I/AAAAAAAAOt8/pjINYjficb87P8TaRPh-UpkX-KtLT68KwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/DSC01031.jpeg" width="640" /></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTJ1Ep1Bn5A/X0Jbo8J-UfI/AAAAAAAAOuE/CtRKEsmYPsMP74fNqwzNbH1xfSqxhIZxQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/DSC01033.jpeg" width="640" /></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">NH by Hand</h4><p>A small business based in the UK and ran by Natasha who designs and handmakes the clothes herself with the help of a freelance seamstress. The clothes are gorgeous, well made and true to size. As each item is made to order, you can select your top and bottom size individually and ensure it'll be right for you. The personal touches such as the handwritten note in the delivered package really add to the experience. NH by Hand offers so many pretty designs, including a variety of matching sets, that it's easy to love this business. One option is to purchase a lucky dip worth either £10, £20 or £50 which could get you a variety of items ranging from those on sale, exclusive items or something from a previous range and could consist of mismatched or paired items. Overall I had a really positive experience from the shopping, to the delivery, to the final items.</p><p><a href="https://nhbyhand.com/" target="_blank">NH by Hand Website</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LTsxhDYW810/X0Jc-sa_XSI/AAAAAAAAOvw/AcNbGTQH5oAszLUq_yZTkDml9h9bbIQ0gCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01023.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LTsxhDYW810/X0Jc-sa_XSI/AAAAAAAAOvw/AcNbGTQH5oAszLUq_yZTkDml9h9bbIQ0gCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/DSC01023.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVnG53YYTh4/X0Jct1BOMRI/AAAAAAAAOvM/ODOiPN_G6TIgf6Z7-actIZRqXGWVRclVACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/DSC01015.jpeg" width="640" /></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">Luna Clothing</h4><p>Another small business ran by two women in the UK. Luna clothing is great for somebody wanting to support a smaller business however if you want to shop and know exactly who makes the clothes, this would be challenging as the brand has grown to now sell wholesale items and items bought in from other suppliers. I loved the pieces they had on offer and love the jewellery and clothes I purchased so I'd recommend Luna Clothing on that front however, they cannot be classed in the same sustainability and ethical bracket as some of the other businesses and don't quite fulfill the goals I was hoping to meet so would be less likely to return compared to some other options.</p><p><a href="https://www.lunadesignclothing.co.uk/cart" target="_blank">Luna Clothing Website</a></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fl2FHIYUB9k/X0JeAU6fEsI/AAAAAAAAOwc/Z3t2wMDXR9shwcUxh4AE4r8NRQaaOOMEQCNcBGAsYHQ/w307-h410/IMG_3712.JPG" width="307" /><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9zhWAI9wvI/X0JeBtTQP8I/AAAAAAAAOwg/iT80W1BZpLkd5MhvkV7HNu9-v4cc9WoJgCNcBGAsYHQ/w307-h410/IMG_5228.JPG" width="307" /></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">Love Wild Rose</h4><p>More clothing handmade in the UK by an individual. This site has a lot of items available including loungewear, swimwear, party/festival items and general clothing. I loved the look of the fleece loungewear sets and although I wouldn't typically find cropped sets comfortable for lounging around I thought they looked cute and comfy. Upon arrival, I was pleased by the quality of the items and the way they looked however, I don't think I would wear them as a set as much as I'd hoped as I prefer more covered up clothing for lounging around. I find the shorts to be quite thick which adds to the quality but slightly takes away from the comfort although, I would and have worn them on their own with a different top and enjoyed it more. Overall, I would recommend this business although it is less my typical style so I'm not desperate to place another order myself but will keep an eye on new releases.</p><p><a href="https://www.lovewildrose.com/" target="_blank">Love Wild Rose Website</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NYUGgkbz5Ho/X0JegUawSAI/AAAAAAAAOw4/6a8d1zkZrbEY2E7gdyAX4j7j5op2tN5agCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01059.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NYUGgkbz5Ho/X0JegUawSAI/AAAAAAAAOw4/6a8d1zkZrbEY2E7gdyAX4j7j5op2tN5agCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/DSC01059.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6HsbtDTA0w/X0JekY5dh4I/AAAAAAAAOxI/LspAdNkNgwcji_NHjRgRZZCatxajaOwawCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01074.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6HsbtDTA0w/X0JekY5dh4I/AAAAAAAAOxI/LspAdNkNgwcji_NHjRgRZZCatxajaOwawCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/DSC01074.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Ecostyleco</h4><p>I was eager to find a sustainable gymwear brand with affordable short sets in stock which seemed to be a bigger issue than I anticipated. Eventually I found Ecostyleco and found a few items I loved the look of plus, the business plants 7 trees for every purchase which seemed a great idea. After ordering two sets, one short set and one long set, I had a long wait until they arrived. What I hadn't taken into consideration was the fact it is an American based business and as a UK citizen, my ordering from across the seas essentially undid all of the good of planting 7 trees when taking transport into consideration. On top of this, after ordering I got a notification informing me it was shipping from China and got sent back and forth a few times which only added to the carbon footprint and prolonged the delivery. Furthermore, as there is little information on the production, I am hesitant to shop there again not knowing who is actually making the clothes, ensuring they are working in good conditions and are paid fairly. The two sets arrived separately roughly a week apart which made even less sense to me and the quality of the clothing certainly differs between the two. The pink shorts set seems fairly well made if a little on the small side but once on seems to fit okay and not move around too much when working out. The white floral set is pretty and comfy as it stretches well but the material is very thin and see-through which makes it near impossible to wear for exercising (or for anything else). All in all, I would not shop there again, it seems very hit and miss and whilst it plants trees, it doesn't seem to have sustainability covered elsewhere. Perhaps if you live in the US or China, the reduction in the effects transport has would make it more worthwhile but for me, it's sadly a no go.</p><p><a href="https://ecostyleco.org/" target="_blank">Ecostyleco Website</a></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Ebloggers</h4><p>A business which concentrates on recycling clothes? Great! Ebloggers collect clothing from influencers, bloggers and celebrities and resells them at discounted prices. The items can vary from brand new with tags on to worn but in good condition. Not only can this be a good place to get clothing but also beauty products that are often gifted to bloggers who can't/don't want to use everything they are given. I loved the concept and was amazed at the amount of items on the website although one thing to consider is the sizing is more limited. I noticed a lot of UK small, 8s and 10s and significantly less items in other sizes which may vary depending on launches they have at any one time or could be a reflection of the average sizes of those donating clothes to the site. I was also pleased to know that at least 5% of every purchase is donated to charity (the percentage depends on the person providing the clothing). I was very happy with the new Bare Minerals products I got my hands on for a discount and would definitely return for beauty and skincare. I was less happy with the clothing but this was down to my choices as they were all different brands and different conditions so can't reflect Ebloggers themselves but I failed to take into consideration my sizing preferences with shirts and blazers as I would normally size up and did not do so. On arrival, I was a little disappointed that the clothes didn't fit as I'd hoped. Although this was my fault, the fact that most items cannot be returned (which I knew going into this and stupidly overlooked) does put me off a little as now I have some items that I cannot or will not wear which means it hasn't fulfilled the purpose of finding a good new home for items. I'm yet to decide what to do with these as I don't want to add to landfill so will wear what I can but will keep this policy in mind for future purchases and ensure I pick clothes and sizes I'm more confident in. </p><p><i>Returns Policy- "<span face="" style="background-color: white; font-family: arapey, serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">As a company that sells secondhand clothing and </span><span face="" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arapey, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bolder; text-align: -webkit-center;">donates to charity with every sale,</span><span face="" style="background-color: white; font-family: arapey, serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;"> we have to strictly adhere to our shipping & returns policy in order to remain a viable business. We hope you can appreciate that although we are not legally required to offer returns on these preloved goods, we do so as a gesture of goodwill. </span><span face="" style="background-color: white; font-family: arapey, serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-center;">Not all items sold at Ebloggers are eligible for a return as we act as an agent for private sellers, thus we are under no obligation to offer returns on any items and so we do this as a gesture of goodwill for our customers."</span> </i></p><p><a href="https://ebloggers.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ebloggers Website</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kLceVUXn8mc/X0JfniTfpMI/AAAAAAAAOxY/69mY_-c6nfg863FRur89COF_gjmkx4QRgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01052.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kLceVUXn8mc/X0JfniTfpMI/AAAAAAAAOxY/69mY_-c6nfg863FRur89COF_gjmkx4QRgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/DSC01052.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Lily's Gadgets and Gizmos</h4><p>As a Disney fan in this current climate, I was pleased to find this small business which usually handmakes Disney ears but has recently expanded to make masks (matching ears and masks also available). I ordered a couple and was happy with the quality, the delivery and how cute they look! With a number of fabrics to choose from, you can pick the one right for you whether it's in your face Disney or a more subtle print. I'm sure when I next visit Disneyland, I'll be ordering myself a pair of custom ears to take along for the ride.</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lilysgadgetsandgizmos/" target="_blank">Lilys Gadgets and Gizmos Instagram</a></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Good on You</h4><p>This website/app has been so insightful and helpful in showing which brands are ethical and sustainable compared to those which are not doing enough. You can use the site to search for brands and it will rank them overall as 'avoid', 'not good enough', 'it's a start', 'good' or 'excellent' based on their 'labour', 'environment' and 'animal' policies and actions. It's been a great place for me to browse the brands I would normally shop at and discover which I am likely to avoid now knowing their efforts (or lack thereof) as well as those that I'm more inclined to return to. It really highlights how many stores both high street and high end are lacking in their ethics and sustainability. For sites with a more positive overall score, the site also recommends similar brands which can help to discover new places to shop with a more ethical approach.</p><p><a href="https://goodonyou.eco/" target="_blank">Good on You Website</a></p><p></p><blockquote>I have a couple of reviews on my channel which show the items I purchased from some of these brands both in the packaging and tried on so if you want to check those out, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">here</a> or watch below.</blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"> <iframe data-blogger-escaped-allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w8awbXRWeIc" width="480"></iframe></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe data-blogger-escaped-allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vEXbiq-JS88" width="480"></iframe></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Honorable Mentions</h4><p>In my searches, there were a few smaller and more sustainable businesses that I discovered but have yet to put to the test. So if you're looking for more brands to consider these might be the ones for you...</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://uk.organicbasics.com/" target="_blank">Organic Basics</a></li><li><a href="https://www.beniniswim.co.uk/" target="_blank">Benini Swim </a></li><li><a href="https://www.notionfashion.co.nz/" target="_blank">Notion Fitness</a></li><li><a href="https://nu-in.com/" target="_blank">Nu-in</a></li><li><a href="https://staywildswim.com/" target="_blank">Stay Wild Swim</a></li><li><a href="https://bambooclothing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bamboo Clothing</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sosactivewear.com/shop-sustainable-and-ethical-activewear" target="_blank">SOS Activewear</a></li><li><a href="https://www.peopletree.co.uk/" target="_blank">People Tree</a></li><li><a href="https://sanchosshop.com/" target="_blank">Sancho</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ootoclothing.com/" target="_blank">Out of the Ordinary</a></li><li><a href="https://lucyandyak.com/" target="_blank">Lucy and Yak</a></li><li><a href="https://www.votig.com/" target="_blank">Votig</a></li><li><a href="https://www.depop.com/slowgarments/" target="_blank">Slow Garments</a></li><li><a href="https://actawear.com/" target="_blank">Acta Wear</a></li><li><a href="https://wolventhreads.com/" target="_blank">Wolven</a></li><li><a href="https://theseraphinacollection.com/" target="_blank">The Seraphina Collection</a></li><li><a href="https://hausofjb.com/" target="_blank">Haus of JB</a></li><li><a href="https://www.verityanne.co.uk/" target="_blank">Verity Anne Clothing</a></li><li><a href="https://www.wearetala.com/" target="_blank">Tala</a></li></ul><p></p><p>I hope this has been helpful in identifying some new places to shop, source information and how to find new places as this hasn't been the easiest for me to find. If anybody has any other businesses they can recommend, please share as I'd love to find some more. Thanks for reading this post, to keep up to date with me, follow my social media links at the top of the page.</p><p>Love, </p><p>Steph x</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLoqluTyTJM/X0Jf53sCQCI/AAAAAAAAOx0/O3RcCKLw2YkCMnTZ5JKZ5XozHdZ21hGUACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC01035.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLoqluTyTJM/X0Jf53sCQCI/AAAAAAAAOx0/O3RcCKLw2YkCMnTZ5JKZ5XozHdZ21hGUACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/DSC01035.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-29616166948510194802020-01-01T11:00:00.000+00:002020-01-01T11:00:07.271+00:002019 Highlights and 2020 Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hola to anyone who has stuck around, found themselves returning or is new to my blog... it's been a while, thanks for popping over!<br />
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I feel like I say this every year, mainly because it's true but it's been another whirlwind year. Every year I think the next will be better and every year continuing and new challenges arise that knock me back. Of course, I don't have it the worst and would never claim to but it certainly doesn't make things easier to face in the midst of challenges. That's why I wanted to take the time to reflect on the year, look back at the goals I set and pick out highlights to remind myself of those positive moments as well as set new ones for 2020.<br />
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I've been MIA here and over on my channel for a long time now and although I miss elements of it, particularly as we broach a new year and I don't have clips to edit into a 'year review' video (I don't even have many photos!), I haven't been in the right headspace. I, therefore, am not going to make a big 'I'm back' speech as for my own mental wellbeing, I don't want to commit to such a thing. Instead, I hope to pop up now and again, logging memories for myself, sharing bits and keeping on top of my filming and editing skills.<br />
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<i>So now that's out of the way, let's take a look at my 2019 highlights (in no particular order)...</i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #351c75;">2019 Highlights...</span></i></h3>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">New York<a name='more'></a></span></h4>
I started 2019 with a university trip to New York which was incredible! I did so much during the days we spent there and loved seeing what the city had to offer. Whilst I didn't see and do everything, I did all I had wanted to do and more. One day, in particular, was beyond amazing, starting with a trip to Good Morning America where we sat behind Samuel L. Jackson and M. Night. Shyamalan during their interview, got to see our friend model some clothes on the show and met some of the presenters. It was great to witness anyway but particularly as a journalism student, seeing the production and how it came to be a show. Later that day, we also skated in Central Park (an absolute dream), watched The Prom on Broadway (insane) and went to the top of the Empire State Building to view the bright lights in the city that never sleeps (stunning). It really was an incredible trip and I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to visit.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Majorca Ultimate Fitness Bootcamp</span></h4>
As mentioned above, I experienced my first solo travel adventure. I was incredibly nervous when booking and took my time deciding what to do/where to go but I don't think I could have chosen a better thing for me. Spending a week with a group I'd never met, working out together, living together and exploring together was an amazing experience. Everybody was so lovely, they helped motivate each other when they were struggling i.e. helping me to keep running and we had a lot of laughs! It felt so good to be able to do as much as I did and push through the pain to complete all of the workouts and hikes, particularly when after the first day, I didn't think I'd physically be able to. It really shows how much you can do both mentally and physically. It was also great to do yoga each morning looking over the beach- I'd only ever tried yoga as a one-off so to do it consistently felt really good. I'm yet to put this into practice back home but I felt yoga really benefitted me so I need to get into it as a regular thing over here. Doing this Bootcamp also gave me more confidence to try new classes back home as well as contributed to my desire to learn more about fitness instructing and training.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Graduating</span></h4>
Finishing university is a funny thing- you're suddenly out in the 'real world', making decisions, moving back home and planning for the future. Towards the end of university, I felt very negative and drew myself away and then struggled with the idea of finishing and having to move forward. Whilst I now feel more secure in my current path, I still have no real idea where I'll end up and try to push that aside and concentrate on the now until I feel ready to move on to something new. After processing all of this change (or trying to), Graduation came around and I really wasn't sure whether I wanted to go but thankfully I did and had a lovely day, celebrating the hard work I put in to get where I am, to achieve a degree and to have survived three years of uni which isn't always easy! It was a nice end to the chapter to close it with some of the brilliant people I met during my time there.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Luna and Ruby</span></h4>
We lost both our family dog and cat in 2019 and it truly broke my heart, twice over. They were both a huge part of my life and had been for 8/9 years. It really hit hard and I love and miss them both dearly. After dealing with the loss of not only Fudge herself, we also felt the absence of a dog in general- you don't realise how 'there' they are until they're not. The same with Millie (our cat) but we lost her later on after our new additions. So we decided to rescue two puppies during Summer. Luna and Ruby are sisters and bring their own challenges- trust me, there have been plenty over the last few months- but they are beautiful, lovable, cuddly pups and amongst the heartbreak, brought some light back into my life. They could never replace Fudge or Millie and they will remain in our hearts, but I now have so much love for these two as well and hope 2020 allows them to settle, their behaviour to straighten out and for our bond to grow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fudge </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna and Ruby August 2019</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna and Ruby November 2019</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Portugal</span></h4>
We stayed in the most beautiful villa in Portugal! With stunning rooms and an amazing pool and outdoor area, it was just what we needed to relax, explore and have fun. I enjoyed putting my newly learned workouts into action pretty much every day whilst also enjoying the amazing food. I'm such a kid at heart and love floats/lilos and playing about in the pool so really made the most of this with my giant Pegasus! We also visited a couple of water parks which is another of my favourite things to do and it did not disappoint. The area itself was lovely- we took a few trips out to the nearby villages and towns but my personal highlight was being able to relax by the pool, splash around and enjoy the waterparks.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Shawn Mendes</span></h4>
After way too many years of listening to his music and attempting to get tickets, I finally saw Shawn perform live at the O2 London. Seeing him in 2018 as part of the Summertime Ball really reinforced the need to see him at his own show. It didn't disappoint and was even better to see him at his own concert and to finally hear some of my favourite songs performed live. It was a lovely evening and he was incredible both vocally and with all of the instruments he played.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Photoshoot</span></h4>
Not long after the loss of Fudge and when I really didn't feel like doing much, mum and I had a pre-booked photoshoot that I'd won. Unsure whether we should go, we decided to anyway and it turned out to be just what I needed to take my mind away, have a pamper and feel good within myself. With hair and makeup and a glass of bucks fizz, it got off to a great start. The photographer was then brilliant at guiding you, telling you what to do and of course taking lovely photos. I expected to dislike most of them (naturally) but was pleasantly surprised! I loved that it captured the fun side as well as taking some more 'posey' photos of myself and my mum and I now feel glad to have them to admire and remember the happier moments of a pretty rubbish time.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Summer</span></h4>
My friend came to stay with me in Summer, having not seen her for a year or so. It was lovely to spend time together, catch up and remember some of our previous trips! Although it wasn't the most exciting compared to other trips as we only just had the puppies who couldn't be left long at all, we managed to fit in a number of outings and I enjoyed getting to spend time together even just chilling again!<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Triathlon</span></h4>
I completed my second triathlon this year (third if you include the team relay I did a few years ago) and was really happy with my time! I sped up significantly on the bike and maintained a decent speed on the swim. As hinted, running is not my thing, I really struggle to catch my breath no matter how often I run (most probably due to my asthma) so I was not looking forward to this part of the triathlon. Whilst I didn't run it all and instead opted for bursts and then brisk walking, I still managed a decent time and finished well under my goal of 2 hours to complete the whole thing!<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Vidcon London</span></h4>
I almost forgot this happened in 2019, it's all gone by in a blur! I really enjoyed my weekend in London and loved the way it brought the world of YouTube to life. Whilst it didn't have the same magic as Vidcon Amsterdam in 2017, it had its charm. My two main highlights were chatting to Mark Ferris, who was so lovely and funny, and seeing Gabbie Hanna perform live as I love her music!<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Wales</span></h4>
This year I also helped to decorate our cottage in Wales and have since been able to visit a couple of times to enjoy the area. As an exciting new business venture, it's been great to see my parents throwing themselves into the process and to join in where possible. Whilst there over Summer, we also visited a vineyard which made for a fascinating day complete with the wine tasting and delicious cheeseboard. On a previous visit, we also got to try the Treetop Zipwiring which was kind of terrifying but a whole load of fun!<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ragdale Hall </span></h4>
The evening we spent at Ragdale Hall was lush! So relaxing and pleasant with amazing company and a beautiful spa itself. The treatment was heavenly but the real highlight had to be the infinity pool with a gorgeous view. With so much on offer, it was hard to fit it all in but we did our best to experience it all and enjoyed it in the process! I hope to go back and enjoy a relax there again.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #351c75;">Reflecting on my 2019 Goals...</span></i></h3>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Limit procrastination- just get things done and then have rewarded time off</span></h4>
Whilst procrastination is still a habit of mine, I do feel I worked on this during 2019 particularly with regards to my Final Project (Dissertation equivalent). As the new year started, I found myself focused on what I needed to do and managed to get myself working hard on it early on so I had finished a month ahead of the deadline and could give myself plenty of time to edit and perfect it, which was quite handy as our university had a break right before the deadline meaning lecturers weren't as available! Although it wasn't perfect, I like how it turned out and feel proud by the number of roles I had to take on, the independence it required and the fact that I successfully made a Mental Health Magazine with Augmented Reality singlehandedly. Plus, I put the pressure on myself earlier on to get it finished which didn't actually prevent the stress, just pushed it forward but it allowed me to relax more towards the deadline knowing the bulk was done.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">More consistent workouts</span></h4>
I feel this was a success! I increased the amount I went towards the end of university but have found it easier and more successful since moving back home. I've even tried a range of new exercise classes, some I've really enjoyed, some enjoyed less but it's opened my eyes to new ways of working out and helped build my confidence by trying new things.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Travel and have time to breathe</span></h4>
Whilst I haven't traveled as much as I'd hoped, I did complete my first solo travel which was a brilliant experience as mentioned earlier! I have also taken the pressure off slightly to give me time to breathe, think and see where the wind takes me.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Do things for me</span></h4>
I'm still working on this but feel I've made more of an effort this year. I would benefit from taking this goal into the new year to continue working on focusing on what I want to do for myself rather than always putting others first but we're slowly getting there.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Spend less</span></h4>
This year I managed to cut down my wardrobe massively by giving to family/friends as well as donating to charity and since doing that I've been better at limiting my purchases. Of course, the Shopaholic in me still exists and sometimes pushes through but I'm heading in the right direction and am reducing the amount of shopping, particularly clothing and makeup. I want to continue reducing the amount I spend and increase the amount I save as I head into 2020.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Upload more often without too much pressure</span></h4>
Well... we all know how this has gone! Earlier this year I decided YouTube wasn't for me. When I didn't really feel like doing anything, it's natural that the last thing I wanted to do was pick up a camera and film and it felt like every time I felt inspired again, something new would knock me back. Writing kind of fit alongside this and my creativity seemed to flop during this time. Whilst my life currently doesn't really suit regular video uploads, I do want to try and film a little more during 2020- perhaps monthly- so I capture some bits and have moments to look back on without too much pressure. The same applies to blogging, I hope to try and upload now and again to keep it going, doing it when I enjoy it without too much pressure. I guess it also applies to the rest of my social media... I want it to be something I enjoy and as I head into the new year with a couple of new Instagram accounts, I hope they bring me joy and act as a great way to document areas of my life.<br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Write</span></h4>
At times I successfully worked on this goal and found myself writing more often, with the help and motivation of one of my friends but I haven't done so much recently. Again, I wrote about quite personal experiences and although I want to continue, I needed a break for my own wellbeing and didn't want writing about more negative emotions or thoughts to keep me feeling negative within myself. I need to find that balance to get the writing flow without the negative headspace!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #351c75;">2020 Goals...</span></i></h3>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Do yoga more consistently</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Be able to do a headstand without assistance</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Improve my eating habits</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Tone up</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Pass my PT course</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Work with Luna and Ruby to train them and improve their behaviour</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Have a bit more of an idea about my next steps</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Visit Italy</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Visit Croatia</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Do another Bootcamp (maybe)</span></li>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Complete a Tough Mudder/Obstacle Course/Spartan run or similar</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Watch Wicked at the theatre</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Move/walk more on days I'm working (an office job can make me feel very lazy)</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Continue writing (with a balance)</span></li>
</ul>
</h4>
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<i>How has your year been? I'd love to see your highlights and any goals for the new year in the comments! Thank you for reading this post and for sticking by! I'll be back here again soon but in the meantime, if you want to check out my socials, you can find the links at the top and bottom of my blog. I also have two new Instagram pages if you fancy heading over and checking those out- Luna and Ruby's here and my fitness page here. See you soon!</i><br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-73745068443406171572019-06-27T18:00:00.000+01:002019-06-27T18:00:02.344+01:00Ultimate Fitness Spain Bootcamp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Goodbye comfort zone, hello adventure! </i></div>
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<i>I have just returned from something so new and out of my comfort zone and can honestly say it has been an incredible experience and one I hope to do again... I travelled solo for the first time and did the Ultimate Fitness Bootcamp in Majorca.</i></div>
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The first challenge, seemingly simple but caused a great deal of worry before I left, was the idea of getting a bus from the airport to Alcudia where I would then be picked up and taken to the villa. I was lucky in that I found someone getting the same bus with me and spoke to her a little before leaving, arranging to meet at the airport. It was a nice way in, getting to know someone and having the opportunity to talk before meeting everybody else and certainly helped me, knowing I could do that step of the travel with somebody. In the end, I needn't have worried as it was incredibly straight forward, straight opposite the airport and two stops to the town but I was glad to have the <span style="text-align: center;">company to make it seem even easier.</span></div>
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I was surprised by how comfortable I felt quite quickly- don't get me wrong I didn't feel at home- but I felt fairly at ease with the living situation and ready to take on the challenges of the week. I'm not the most confident or outgoing person and tend to take a bit of a back seat so the idea of living with strangers for a week was nervewracking but I enjoyed getting to know people and they helped make me feel more at ease. The bootcamp manager was also lovely and very good at settling you in and initiating conversations to help make it all easier. She definitely helped to make the experience even better and was very hardworking and generally lovely. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beach houses</td></tr>
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Living together and working out together is definitely a bonding experience and it's surprising how well you get to know each other in a short space of time. It makes it weird to say goodbye at the end of the week despite the short time you've actually known one another. I got to share my week with some great people and found myself laughing constantly- creating a number of memories I'll remember for a long time. With people from all different backgrounds, different ages and from all over the world, it's great to come together with one clear shared interest and is particularly nice for support and motivation, as when you're struggling (aka any time I ran) people do their best to support you and push you, making it that little bit easier.</div>
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The day was structured to start with yoga on the roof terrace at 7.45am, followed by some fruit and then a HIIT/full body workout at 9am and breakfast at 10am. The first day includes a SUP (stand up paddleboard) lesson after breakfast and then throughout the week you have access to boards to go out whenever you fancy it. With free time in the afternoon, you can make the most of exploring the area or could take time to relax before the next HIIT/full body session at 6pm on Tuesday and Thursday, the hike on Monday and Friday and the beach volleyball on Wednesday. As someone who enjoys going to the gym but doesn't always go as often as they should, I was sure that that many workouts in one week would finish me off and although it wasn't easy (the aches on Wednesday being the worst), it was surprising how I found it and how it did get easier and slightly less painful over time. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning view from the roof terrace</td></tr>
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It was certainly a week of new challenges with new people, a new environment, new workouts and new to yoga, volleyball and stand up paddleboard but it was such a good experience and a great way to find new things I like. I even attempted sunrise paddleboarding one day unfortunately, the weather wasn't on our side and the clouds stopped what would have been a great sight but for those that did it the day before, it looked beautiful!<br />
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Most of the morning workouts were circuit-based (after a warm-up) and involved 3 rounds of 12 different exercises, 45 seconds on each so 9 minutes of work and 1-minute rest. Each circuit was different and covered different areas of the body with a slightly different focus each day. The afternoon sessions involved a bit more running and were more based on reps rather than time. Although some were similar to one another, it felt good to have a variety within the workouts and didn't feel as though you were repeating yourself. Plus, you're bound to have some you prefer over others depending on which exercises you like most but they all manage to push you and show what you can achieve. These workouts may change depending on the week or trainer (if it changes year to year for example) and will probably differ in different locations but it gives you an idea of what you might expect. It really is good for varying levels of fitness as you can push yourself based on your own abilities and support one another as you do so.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hike day one</td></tr>
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I am not one for cycling back home but the use of bikes throughout the week was both beneficial and almost essential. Whether it was cycling to the port for dinner, cycling to the hike or exploring, there were ways around it but it's worth noting that you do use the bikes a lot. Cycling along the coast into town is not only straightforward but has amazing views that you can enjoy- it definitely makes the cycling seem easier!</div>
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As a vegetarian, eating abroad isn't always the easiest but I was pleasantly surprised by the food on offer at the bootcamp. It was spread out with individual items to make your breakfast and lunch what you like. Breakfast consisting of yoghurt, fruit, muesli, toast, eggs and alike and lunch including salad based foods and the likes of pasta, couscous, quinoa and rice. It was good to be able to pick the bits you like and build it into a healthy lunch that you can enjoy. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many, many burpees!</td></tr>
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As well as the option to stay in the beach house with others, you can book to stay in the Club del Sol, about a 5-minute walk away. Although I enjoyed staying with everyone and found it particularly beneficial as my first time away to push me out of my comfort zone and make me feel more involved and happy to talk to people quickly, I would consider staying in the hotel if I did it again. This would mainly be to combine the fitness bootcamp with a more traditional holiday and have the ability to stay by the pool and chill in the afternoons rather than going on further adventures.</div>
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It's amazing what your body can actually do and how you can push yourself even when every muscle seems to ache! The workouts were challenging but good and helped with motivation and inspiration for back home. I still don't think running is for me although there wasn't too much of it during the week anyway (thank goodness) but I tried a lot of things that I did enjoy and could feel myself improve with.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stand up paddle boarding lesson</td></tr>
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I would definitely recommend trying an Ultimate Fitness Bootcamp regardless of your fitness ability and will hopefully be going back myself or visiting one of the other locations: Thailand, Bali, Australia or Sri Lanka (opening in October), I'm particularly intrigued by the Bali trip! The fact that there were members of my group that had done it the year before and come back speaks for itself, especially considering the Spanish Bootcamp only opened last year. For anyone interested in booking a trip for themselves, I do have a few tips...</div>
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<b>Take a blindfold and ear plugs-</b> it's the nature of sharing a room and I didn't have any issues personally but if you share a room with somebody who snores, you may be grateful for the earplugs and the blindfold is good for blocking out unwanted light or shutting yourself off if people are in and out at different times. I like to listen to podcasts to help me sleep so I found it handy to take a blindfold with speakers like <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/ink-topoint-Bluetooth-Headphones-Sleeping-Traveling/dp/B07FVQQ3FP/ref=sr_1_12?crid=3G4JBPP89O42P&keywords=bluetooth+eye+mask&qid=1561402675&s=gateway&sprefix=bluetooth+eye+mas%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-12" target="_blank">this</a>, which was a great way to help get to sleep without disturbing others.</div>
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<b>Use old trainers-</b> the ground is uneven so be careful whilst you're there and take supportive trainers but as it is done outside on dusty ground, I'd advise taking an old pair as they do get dirty!</div>
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<b>Multiple outfits-</b> there is a washing machine there so it isn't vital to take multiple outfits but I found myself wishing I had more workout outfits and more underwear as you may end up getting changed several times between sessions depending on what you choose to do in your free time, as putting sweaty outfits back on in the heat isn't very comfortable! I also found it useful to wear leggings in the morning and change into shorts for the afternoon sessions due to the temperature. For your free time it really depends what you decide to do, you may choose to stay in workout gear or perhaps put swimwear on and head to the beach so having a bit of variety is handy. I didn't end up 'dressing up' much throughout the week and often went for food in my workout gear straight from an activity so evening wear probably isn't a priority. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friday's hike</td></tr>
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Of course, these are all based on my personal experience and others may have different ideas and opinions particularly if it's regarding one of the other camps around the world. I had an amazing time and surprised myself in so many ways so I'd certainly recommend it to others! The owners and staff in general were lovely, adding to the experience. If you have any questions about my trip, please feel free to ask. Don't forget to follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see more from me. Thanks for reading this post, I hope it's opened your eyes to a new style of travel, if you have any similar experiences and/or recommendations please let me know. </div>
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Love, Steph x</div>
stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-16009213276862540862019-05-09T18:00:00.000+01:002019-05-09T18:00:02.698+01:00My Sleep Saviour...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBsSLulZKRU/XNNBeyFuXYI/AAAAAAAAOG4/A_cgcbidFn8_9HBSf7MJ5B3Tf6P9vjBdgCLcBGAs/s1600/5NDzXlAXRbSWPiLRFTpcZQ_thumb_2077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1087" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBsSLulZKRU/XNNBeyFuXYI/AAAAAAAAOG4/A_cgcbidFn8_9HBSf7MJ5B3Tf6P9vjBdgCLcBGAs/s640/5NDzXlAXRbSWPiLRFTpcZQ_thumb_2077.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>It's hard to comprehend that a necessary activity that we do so often can be so difficult for so many! Whether it's daily, weekly or from time to time, most of us seem to struggle with sleep in some way. For me personally, it's usually struggling to get to sleep but I've found my hero... my confidant... and I'm not sure where I'd be without it!</i></div>
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The simple app that comes with most iPhones now can so easily be missed but is a great invention and arguably one of the best apps out there. With so many podcasts, there's bound to be something for everyone.</div>
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Being able to listen to a voice or couple of voices can be incredibly soothing as you fall asleep plus, it allows you to concentrate on what's being said rather than your mind wandering off this way and that, bringing up old memories that prevent you from getting to sleep. Whether it's a podcast dedicated to sleep and mindfulness or it's an interview with your favourite celebrity, all help to achieve the same thing and provide entertainment as you drift off to sleep without distracting too much form your goal. Of course, this may not be the case for everyone but it may just surprise you if you've never tried it before.</div>
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It took me a while to find this (maybe that's just me) but if you scroll down slightly on a podcast episode, you'll also come across perhaps the best feature of all... the sleep timer! After the relevant time, the episode will stop playing and all being well, you'll be fast asleep so won't wake in the middle of the night to an episode still rolling on. It's also ideal for coming back to as you can easily see where it ended or scroll back if you fall asleep a lot sooner and want to go from there the following night.</div>
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I've also found it useful to continue the podcast if I happen to wake a bit later and can't get back to sleep again. Doing the same thing allows my mind to stop wandering and my mind to drift back off to the land of Nod.</div>
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I'd be interested to know how you feel about audiobooks as well... for me, I find it great to read (the usual not audio) before switching my light off and my podcast on but prefer to listen to a podcast than a story that I need to properly follow and go on from at a later date, as chances of me remembering what happened are pretty slim! As a child, when I couldn't sleep I'd listen to Horrible Histories and Angelina Ballerina short stories so I suppose these were early signs of audio helping me to sleep but they also almost bridged the gap between books and podcasts. Maybe audiobooks are right for some people and you never know until you try but finding the right audio content for you could be key to helping you sleep.</div>
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My recommendations:</h4>
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<b>This Might Get Weird with Mamrie Hart and Grace Helbig-</b> This is such an engaging podcast, detailing stories and events from their week. The only real downside is sometimes it makes me laugh out loud which isn't ideal when trying to sleep although as it tends to be my go-to podcast, it can't be too disruptive!</div>
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<b>Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig</b>- Can you see a theme? Clearly, I enjoy listening to Grace and find her amusing to both watch and listen to, this being no exception. I'm particularly fond of the episodes with Mitchell Davis and Jack Ferry but whoever she's interviewing, whether I know them or not, I tend to enjoy it (although I typically choose the episodes with names I recognise).</div>
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<b>Jenna & Julien Podcast</b>- The pair are hilarious and their podcast is no different. The amusement is great as the last thing you hear as you drift off although again, the downside is the risk of laughing out loud which is somewhat of a sleep distraction. Most of the time, I'm able to listen and appreciate the humour without it disrupting but it's something to bear in mind if you'd find it too distracting for you.</div>
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<b>Curious with Josh Peck</b>- I've recently discovered and got into this one and although I don't go to it first, it's a great podcast choice and up there with my most listened to. I find it still contains plenty of humour but doesn't tend to make me laugh out loud as much (unlike his videos). They cover some really wide topics and guests which makes it a great experience.</div>
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<b>Tracks to Relax</b>- To be honest, I don't find this works for me but I wanted to include it as a recommendation as I can see why it would benefit others. I like to listen to something amusing as I fall to sleep whereas this uses meditation and alike to aid sleep or relaxation, so if you find these techniques useful for relaxing, they'd probably be a great benefit to your sleep routine. They vary in length which can also be a plus although I personally find some of them too short to last my falling asleep process. Perhaps I will try and use them purely to relax rather than fall asleep and see how I get on there.</div>
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<b>Shane and Friends-</b> I believe this is no longer being made but it's another amusing and enjoyable podcast to sink your teeth into if you scroll back to previous episodes. I'll still go back and listen to some I missed now or even ones I want to hear again! This probably contains the most risque language/topics so that's something to bear in mind although this could vary depending on the episode you choose.</div>
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I'm sure there are so many more brilliant podcasts, I've recently started listening to a few others but not listened enough to comment on them yet. I'm always keen to discover more though so if you have any recommendations, please let me know! I'd also be interested to know if you have any other sleep aid recommendations as again, I'm happy to give them a try! I hope you enjoyed this post and perhaps found it useful. if you want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top-right-hand corner to see extra content. Thank you for reading this post! I'll be back again at 6pm next Thursday.</div>
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Love, Steph x</div>
stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-90893844145160453582019-05-02T18:00:00.000+01:002019-05-02T18:00:07.917+01:00Sweet and Spicy Quinoa Salad Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQRs-KJnTiw/XMn1NWl-5nI/AAAAAAAAOGE/kAmTH6Ok_Vw_c3n8THrjxr80FqxVWazRwCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC09998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQRs-KJnTiw/XMn1NWl-5nI/AAAAAAAAOGE/kAmTH6Ok_Vw_c3n8THrjxr80FqxVWazRwCLcBGAs/s640/DSC09998.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>The amino acids in protein make up the chemicals that your brain needs to regulate your thoughts and feelings. Quinoa is gluten-free, vegan and high in protein which makes it a great option for non-meat eaters and meat eaters alike. This sweet and spicy salad makes a great snack, meal or meal accompaniment by including plenty of minerals, vitamins and fibres that we need in order to keep physically and mentally healthy. This recipe makes for 3 servings, ideal for busy lives so you can meal prep as well as enjoying it fresh. </i><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VO85LObwHuU/XMn1IrAhJmI/AAAAAAAAOGM/ErGp2fSErgg9pGvGlaVBxo-ekXWttfPMQCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSC09952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VO85LObwHuU/XMn1IrAhJmI/AAAAAAAAOGM/ErGp2fSErgg9pGvGlaVBxo-ekXWttfPMQCEwYBhgL/s320/DSC09952.JPG" width="320" /></a>Ingredients:</h4>
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1.5 cups of quinoa<br />
1 bell pepper<br />
1/4 cucumber<br />
1/2 pomegranate<br />
1 chilli<br />
A handful of grapes<br />
A handful of cherry tomatoes<br />
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Method:</h4>
1. Boil the quinoa on a medium to high heat with 2.5 cups of water for 15 minutes or until the water has soaked up.<br />
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2. Leave to cool.<br />
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3. Slice the grapes and cherry tomatoes in half, chop the pepper and cucumber into small pieces, scoop out the pomegranate seeds and slice the chilli.<br />
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4. Place the fruits and vegetables in a large mixing bowl.<br />
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5. Once the quinoa has cooled, add it to the large mixing bowl and stir all of the ingredients together.<br />
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6. Serve on its own or alongside the rest of the meal, we recommend serving with avocado, an omelette or halloumi.<br />
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7. Place the remaining servings into individual containers and keep in the fridge until serving.<br />
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It's such a simple recipe and easy to make in batches for upcoming meals plus it's healthy and delicious. I'm a big quinoa fan and love pairing it with a variety of things so if you have any recommendations let me know. I'd also love to know what you think of the recipe if you give it a go yourself.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post, it's been a while since I shared a recipe and I've missed it so keep your eyes peeled for more soon. Don't forget you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner for extra content and to see when I upload. Thanks for reading.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-73520683181622431802019-04-25T18:00:00.000+01:002019-04-25T18:54:57.460+01:00MyZone Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NfnAHs_Ttcw/XMFzkKIW2RI/AAAAAAAAOEg/aOYWEVFZK5U-QoQViZmDWQgBa1ubUrg0QCLcBGAs/s1600/BSUfRD87QISu5bl0IYoGCg_thumb_20c5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1087" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NfnAHs_Ttcw/XMFzkKIW2RI/AAAAAAAAOEg/aOYWEVFZK5U-QoQViZmDWQgBa1ubUrg0QCLcBGAs/s640/BSUfRD87QISu5bl0IYoGCg_thumb_20c5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Have you heard of MyZone? Over the last few months, I've been using MyZone 3 during my workouts, a belt designed to track your heart rate, give you points and show your progress. After issues initially, I've really got into using it and thought it'd be good to share my review with you and help you decide if it's something you'd benefit from.</i></div>
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How does it work?</h4>
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The belt fits around your chest and enables users to see their heart rate in terms of percentages of your individual maximum heart rate. Each percentage range is identifiable by a colour or zone: 60-70% is blue, 70-80% is green, 80-90% is yellow and 90-100% is red. By spending time in each 'zone', you earn MyZone Effort Points or 'MEPS' relative to the colour so the higher the percentage, the more MEPS per minute you get. You can view these live on the app or do your workout without the phone and it will then add your points when you open up the app.</div>
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Each month, the aim is to achieve 1300 MEPS which over time enables you to get statuses. This can be kept as a challenge for yourself or shared with other users to keep track of others and get competitive together. You also have the option to set your own MEPS monthly target although this doesn't affect your status.</div>
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After each workout, you receive an email from MyZone with a report of your points, time in zones and general breakdown (like the above images) which is also accessible on the app. It notifies you when you reach the weekly recommended exercise which is quite useful to be able to recognise. Monitoring your progress is also easy, allowing you to stay motivated by fighting for more time in certain zones, achieving the points required each month or maintaining statuses. The plus side is you only need to compete with yourself, of course, you can enjoy the community aspect it offers but the only real competition is you- whether you get in your red zone or you achieve the points you need that month is down to you.</div>
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The belt also has the ability to connect to equipment so that you can get a more accurate heart rate reading and base challenges or workouts off of this, for example, spending 5 minutes in the red zone on a treadmill.</div>
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One significant benefit has been the ability to use Blaze classes at David Lloyd which have been designed around the MyZone belts. Combining cardio, combat and strength training, it really helps to get the best out of your workouts and allows you to see your progress throughout the class for clear aims. I'll be going into more detail in a post on Blaze classes shortly so keep an eye out for more information on this.</div>
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The app also allows you to do different challenges and fitness tests using your belt which I'm yet to try myself but am looking forward to testing out one day!</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z9cTp6PmwAw/XMFzlppLFhI/AAAAAAAAOE4/Oc99htauA0s097BDGwyPBaDNYmuzsH8ogCEwYBhgL/s1600/c32EoehrTU2mdS8uzQh5tQ_thumb_20bf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1087" height="424" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z9cTp6PmwAw/XMFzlppLFhI/AAAAAAAAOE4/Oc99htauA0s097BDGwyPBaDNYmuzsH8ogCEwYBhgL/s640/c32EoehrTU2mdS8uzQh5tQ_thumb_20bf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The cons</h4>
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The first belt I bought didn't work at all, whatever the fault was, it just wouldn't switch on and connect and therefore I had to swap it that same day. My new belt then worked for about a month and unfortunately stopped working again. It took a little longer to sort that time but eventually, I got a new belt again and so far (touch wood), it's been third time lucky! It was a bit gutting to start again and lose the points and status I'd already worked hard to achieve but at least it seems to be consistent now. Although this wasn't ideal and did taint my experience, I think I was unlucky to have to go through three belts. They do seem to be temperamental and have connection issues among several people which is a shame but when they do work effectively, which over the last few months, mine has been doing more consistently, they are worth it. Now I've got used to having a belt, I would struggle going back to not having one, it really has changed how I view my workouts.</div>
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As I bought mine through my gym, it has made it somewhat easier to deal with issues by asking people there and being able to swap them in person when there has been an issue. I'm not sure how easy it would be to swap directly with MyZone or a third party but if issues do arise, you can get in touch with the company to try and sort it and in theory swap it, it just may take longer than it took me.</div>
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Final thoughts</h4>
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The belt costs £129.99 from <a href="https://buy.myzone.org/product/?code=BLE-Belt" target="_blank">MyZone</a> and can be bought through <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/MYZONE-MZ-3-Physical-Activity-Belt/dp/B07111CVJ8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=myzone+3&qid=1556183365&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> although I don't believe you get the same warranty if purchased through Amazon rather than the store itself. As I purchased it through my gym, who had an offer with MyZone, I paid £70 for mine and find it to be worth the price I paid. I do think the original price is on the expensive side so if you need the motivation that this can offer, have a keen interest in the benefits or progress of your workouts and can see yourself using it regularly then it's worth the investment however, it is rather expensive so if you aren't going to be using it a lot, maybe it's not right for you. Having said that, I am yet to hear of anyone that regrets buying it and that hasn't benefitted enough from it to consider it worth the price tag, it's just something to consider, particularly as there are alternative ways to measure and track heart rates or fitness although I find this to be the easiest and believe it to be the most accurate.</div>
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My motivation and fitness have definitely increased since using the belt... It's so much easier to push myself even when I feel I can't do anymore as I can see that I'm not at my maximum and can do it. I also love that I can track my progress and see what each type of workout looks like in terms of MEPS and time in zones. Plus, I want to get my points and statuses each month so I make sure I do enough to get them.</div>
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Have you come across the belt before? What do you think about it? If you have any questions please let me know in the comments. I hope you've found this useful and interesting. If you like this kind of post and want to see more, let me know. Don't forget you can follow my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a> and social media (at top of this blog) for more content. Thank you for reading this post, I'll be back with another next Thursday at 6pm.</div>
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Love, Steph x</div>
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stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-37355879775189823992019-04-18T18:00:00.000+01:002019-04-18T18:00:14.713+01:00Getting over gym anxiety<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Q_D4dprtmw/XLihfuW6TRI/AAAAAAAAOCQ/yPAx74IkBnUMDTj71WjPva2TyRNSz7-BwCLcBGAs/s1600/3S%2525rW7vZTPSPwDmNnOXJQw_thumb_2066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1087" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Q_D4dprtmw/XLihfuW6TRI/AAAAAAAAOCQ/yPAx74IkBnUMDTj71WjPva2TyRNSz7-BwCLcBGAs/s640/3S%2525rW7vZTPSPwDmNnOXJQw_thumb_2066.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Throwing back about five years, having only ever been to a youth gym complete with dance mats, televisions and wii games, stepping foot into a fully functioning gym seemed incredibly overwhelming especially considering my hatred for all things sport at school. Why would I want to enter a space of judgement, for people to look at me not knowing what I'm doing, watch me struggle on the alien machines and amuse themselves over the clear lack of shape I'm in. It was clearly a case of mind over matter and until my mind was at peace with the idea of working out in a public sphere, I was left staying well clear of any and all gyms.</i></div>
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After finally getting the <strike>heavy encouragement</strike> courage to go as a space to destress during exam season, the fear soon became less of a reality. I stepped my first foot in the gym with a trainer who gave me an induction and created an exercise routine just for me and my needs. Having that explanation and clear focus helped me realise I only needed to worry about what I was doing, just like everybody else in the room would be worrying about their own workouts.</div>
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Although the fear didn't completely disappear, each visit got easier and the anxiety got smaller. I became confident in what I was doing and enjoyed the time to work on myself and my health, even pausing some of the other worries buzzing around my head.</div>
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Fast forward to now and my gym anxiety is barely existent, I enjoy going to the gym and feel more confident as a result. It may not be perfect and trying a new class or going when it's incredibly busy can be overwhelming but I know how and when to go to suit me and my needs. It's also benefited my massively mentally, I know that even when I don't have the energy to go or don't feel like going, it always helps boost my mood even if only slightly and certainly helps me to de-stress (especially those punch bags!). I must admit, having a personal trainer has made a massive difference and allows me to just go and not think about what I'm doing, just following instructions and then when I do go on my own, I know what kind of exercises or routines I could do. It also helps me to understand how to do things properly (although I still need correcting sometimes!) and helps me to understand what is working, why things work and where I should be feeling it.</div>
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With so many similar stories and so many with anxieties about the gym, how can we make the first move and start our gym journey with less anxiety? I spoke to personal trainer Jack Claxton and counsellor Paula to get there advice...</div>
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Choose the gym for you</h4>
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Having big open gyms with equipment all spread out can make someone feel less intimidated and like there aren't any no go zones plus, it's easier to see that everyone is just focused on what they are doing and not paying any attention to others. So visiting different gyms around you and finding one that fits this need can be a good way to reduce the feeling of intimidation.</div>
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Induction</h4>
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Having an initial session with an instructor to make a plan can make a person feel more comfortable because they are with someone, they will confident using the equipment with the assistance available and will have a structure to build upon in other sessions.</div>
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Don't go it alone</h4>
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Going with a friend or choosing a gym where a friend is already a member can help with both ease and motivation. They might even benefit too if they've been looking for a partner to join their routine, they want to make the workout more entertaining or maybe they feel intimidated and want some support as well?</div>
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Personal trainers</h4>
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Finding a gym with personal trainers and paying the extra for them can not only make starting and re-joining easier but it also helps to sustain that start or return. Looking more long term, by scheduling in with somebody, you're more likely to stick to those plans and ensure you keep up your routines. Plus, you have an expert on hand to ask questions, get instructions on how to use equipment and to create workouts for you so you don't have to think on your feet.</div>
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Time it right</h4>
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If it's an option, go in the day as there are more varied levels of fitness and less intense gym goers that can make the gym seem more overwhelming. It can often be quieter in the day which can seem easier and more welcoming.</div>
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Classes</h4>
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If you like being amongst people, join a gym with classes, book into a few to try and find what suits you best. Having booked a session, it can also make you less likely to change your mind.</div>
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Why are you going?</h4>
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Known your purpose... do you want to fit back into that dress that's too tight, play outside with your younger relatives or maybe lower your blood pressure? If you know why you're doing something, it makes it easier to go and do it regardless of the fear.</div>
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Get familiar</h4>
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If you're anxious about joining a gym, remember that a lot of anxiety is formed from the unknown so consider going to a place you know, for example, a gym in a hotel that you've been to for events before or where there are people you know around. If neither of those is an option, go and talk to someone at the gym, explain how you're feeling and ask if you can sit in the building and have a coffee while you get used to the surroundings. Most council leisure centres will have facilities to do this and private gyms will be grateful for the custom.</div>
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Just do it</h4>
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If you're a spontaneous person then maybe grabbing the bull by the horns is best. I know when I went back to the gym after a break, that's what I did. I had been thinking I should join a gym then one day decided to go and have a look around, I loved how it felt so before I could myself out of it, I joined there and then.</div>
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Trial and error</h4>
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Remember there are many healthy activities out there and it's easier to stick at things if you enjoy them so if you're worried about restarting or starting a new fitness regime, the more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to continue, so test things out and find the activity that's right for you.</div>
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Taking the plunge can be challenging but with so many ways to ease the mind and find what suits you, overcoming gym anxieties is not only possible but easier than it first seems.</div>
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Have you found this useful? Do you have any tips to add? Let me know in the comments! Plus, to see more from me, you can follow my socials which are linked at the top of the blog and in the sidebar. Don't forget, I'm also uploading on my YouTube channel every Monday at 4pm! Thanks for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful.</div>
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Love, Steph x</div>
stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-12199346758131379662019-04-17T14:00:00.000+01:002019-04-17T16:11:24.815+01:00I'm back...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guess who's back, back again... Steph is back, tell a friend! Possibly my cringiest start to a post yet and hopefully the cringiest there will be but as the song would not leave my head anytime I thought about my come back post, it felt right to start this way.</i><br />
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Any keen eyes and regular readers may have noticed a little update to the layout, I hope you like the refresh?! Although I have been uploading every so often, my regular uploads haven't really been a thing for a few years so as university draws to a close, now seemed a great time to get back on the bandwagon, whip my arse into gear and get on top of my uploads however, the layout isn't the only change I've made for the refresh, we're also shifting content slightly.<br />
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I love my lifestyle blogs and videos but it seemed a good time to make a change and focus in on <i>drum roll please</i>... <b>health and travel</b>. These areas are big parts of my life and I like the idea of bringing that to this space more. Whether it's mental health, food or exercise, I find it all interesting and strive to keep on top of these areas within my life. I also love to do some travelling and have enjoyed producing travel based content which will continue with the shift as I find travel fits nicely with health by keeping the mind healthy through breaks and exploring different areas.<br />
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Every now and again, a more general lifestyle post might make its way onto the blog and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a> is staying a varied channel to incorporate an array of content but hopefully, you'll be pleased to see a clearer theme and upload pattern over here.<br />
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<b>So when will I be uploading?</b><br />
You can expect a new blog post every Thursday at 6pm and a new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w" target="_blank">YouTube video </a>every Monday at 4pm as of this week, how exciting!<br />
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Let me know what you think of this change and if there's anything specific you'd like to see going forward. I'm looking forward to this refresh and getting back into regularly updating my little space on the internet.<br />
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Don't forget you can follow my social media links at the top of the blog or in the side-bar to see extra content and keep up to date with new posts.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-30074483321969210932019-02-21T16:00:00.000+00:002019-04-09T20:17:11.640+01:00VidCon London 2019<i>It's been a crazy weekend, embracing all things YouTube, listening to some of my favourite creators and having a whole lot of laughs. Many of these moments were captured in my vlog which you can see <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-0Rx4dHUC8&t=5s" target="_blank">here</a> or below but there were several things I didn't show or mention...</i><br />
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VidCon London was held in the Excel Centre for its first year in the UK. Compared to the first VidCon in Amsterdam in 2017, it was a little bigger but still on the small side. Offering a range of creator and community events, it seemed relatively balanced although, as it grows I think it would be good to offer more panel-like opportunities for creators as some of the creator options felt a little repetitive. The weekend provided a lot of chances to network with other creators and had a number of creator chats available by lottery which if you managed to go to, were very worthwhile and interesting experiences.<br />
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Highlights</h4>
<b>Creator chat with Mark Ferris-</b> An obvious favourite as I love his videos and I always thought he came across really well and as someone I'd love to talk to, so to have the opportunity to do this was amazing. He was as lovely, bubbly and funny as I expected which made the chat a really memorable experience. We got the opportunity to not only ask questions about his YouTube experience but also to chat with the other creators in the room who all had different channels and experiences so it made for an interesting discussion as well as allowing me to find new channels to check out and subscribe to. Overall, it was quite a relaxed and enjoyable time and was lovely to speak to him in person as well as hearing from his manager who seemed equally as bubbly and lovely!<br />
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<b>Panels-</b> There were several notable panels from the weekend, many I loved for different reasons. <i>Boss Women Who Kick Ass Panel</i> was an uplifting, funny and fairly educational chat. I learnt a lot from the panellists- Saffron Barker, Hannah Witton, Elle Mills and Hazel Hayes. Hazel made me laugh a lot especially when conversing with Hannah... they seemed to bounce off each other and show different experiences and attitudes really well.<br />
<i>My Online Life vs My Offline Life</i> was an interesting panel although it wasn't the most useful one I went to. What I enjoyed most was seeing Kian and JC interact with each other, the panel in general and the audience. I've enjoyed watching their videos for a long time so it was cool to be able to see them in real life especially as they seemed to act in more or less the same way as in their videos. It made a nice bonus when Kian joined despite not being on the original line up.<br />
<i>Let's Talk Mental Health</i> was one I most looked forward to as someone interested in mental health and actually creating a mental health magazine for my final project at university this year. I also love Gabbie Hanna and so was happy to see her on the lineup for this. The chat was very informal and didn't provide as much information as I expected but it did discuss the experiences and opinions of the panellists which was intriguing and also made me laugh a lot so thank you TomSka!<br />
<i>Laugh it up </i>didn't offer the amount of humour and laughs that I expected and in fact I really didn't find Life of Boris funny at all although he seemed to get a lot of laughs from the other panellists and audience members. What I did enjoy about this panel was Jack Howard's questions, he made a point of recognising the lack of women on the panel and addressed the issue, wondering if they could have done more to offer more diversity.<br />
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<b>Gabbie Hanna's performance-</b> In the closing show, there were a number of enjoyable performances and games to watch but the highlight for me had to be Gabbie singing Medicate. As mentioned before, I'm a big fan of her videos and incidentally, her poetry and music. Medicate is the latest of her songs, all of which I loved so I had been hoping all weekend that I would get the opportunity to see her perform this live. She did not disappoint as her vocals and overall performance were amazing. She also ended with a rap (I think this is what you would call it?!) which was very powerful, deep and emotional, it definitely took me aback.<br />
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<b>Jack and Dean presenting-</b> The hilarious duo never disappoint and as they presented the opening show, the laughter seemed to pour out of me. They bounce off each other so well and even react to the things on stage and in the audience in a very humorous manner. All in all, it added to the show and rivalled Rhett and Link's entertainment and humour factors.<br />
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<b>Creator networking-</b> Saturday afternoon/evening offered the chance for creators to network and even offered drinks and snacks. Although I didn't quite do what it was designed for, it was an enjoyable experience and offered me the chance to talk to some of the creators I watch who I happened to bump into. It was slightly awkward as I felt weird approaching a group especially within the creator area and so made eye contact a few times before approaching but when we did go up to them, it was lovely to have a chat. Molly (Beauty Spectrum) was the one I spoke to the most and enjoyed chatting to about VidCon and how our experiences had been but Hannah (Fabulous Hannah) was also great to talk to, although I didn't end up talking to her as much.<br />
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The expo hall was fun but I found there wasn't as much to do in there as it first appears. It looks full and exciting and does offer fun opportunities but for the most part, is just a place to sell and buy and in future, I think it would benefit from more games or fun activities!<br />
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Did you go to VidCon? What did you think? I'd love to hear about your experience and thoughts in the comments. If you enjoyed this post and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner or subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w" target="_blank">my YouTube channel here</a>.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-4907160407109049072019-01-01T22:00:00.001+00:002019-01-01T22:01:47.752+00:002018 Highlights and 2019 Goals<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Wow what a year! It's definitely been a whirlwind- full of highs, lows, adventures and challenges...</h4>
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2018 could easily be seen as one of the most difficult years yet however, there's also been some incredible highlights that would easily be overshadowed or forgotten about if I didn't take the time to reflect.<br />
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Editing my yearly wrapped videos has become a great thing for me to do at the end of the year to collate footage and clips and remember just how much has happened on and off camera. It's amazing how much fits into 365 days and how much you don't immediately remember or recognise as being from that same year. Of course, it doesn't capture everything and everyone that's played a role in my life that year and a lot remains in my head and not in the video but it helps to summarise and will be great for me to look back on in years to come. So hopefully, others will enjoy seeing it too, particularly those that share the memories with me. It's a great way to focus on the positives. So if you want to give that video a watch, you can find it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DETtWcqDza0" target="_blank">here</a> or watch below. As for this post, I wanted to take the time to set a few goals for the new year...<br />
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<b>Limit procrastination- just get things done and then have rewarded time off</b><br />
I tend to be a fairly organised person and know what needs doing when and try to do it in plenty of time however, it doesn't always work out and the cons of having a room for sleeping and working in at uni makes the line blurred and naps all too tempting. As my final project (equivalent to a dissertation) deadline draws nearer, I want to get things done early to limit stress later on and allow time for improvements. So far, I've made a start but I'm not quite at the stage I'd like to be so as 2019 starts, I hope to work on this, limit my procrastination and instead get things done and then allow time for enjoyable things as a reward!<br />
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<b>More consistent workouts</b><br />
I'm not too bad when it comes to going to the gym and I tend to go quite regularly anyway but when I'm at uni, I go a lot less than when I'm home. This year, I want to make more time for the gym when I'm at uni to keep it consistent and help improve both my mental and physical health.<br />
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<b>Travel and have time to breathe</b><br />
As third year ends and a new chapter of my life starts, I want to take some time to travel at least a little bit and just generally have a moment to breathe. Originally, I wanted to take a gap year before uni and changed my mind so I'm tempted to give myself some time out after finishing before I delve into the world of work. At the moment, what I want to do isn't clear which makes things difficult but I want to allow myself not to worry too much about that and just see what happens and where I end up. I already have a job that I'm happy doing and although it's unlikely to be a forever job, I'm happy enough for now to stick with it until I get an opportunity or find something that I know I want to do or at least try going forward! All in all, I'm keeping my options open but allowing a bit of a break which I think is definitely needed.<br />
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<b>Do things for me</b><br />
I do so many things for others that put me out of the way or that I don't really want to do but do for someone else and although this is good to help others out some of the time, I want to make more time to focus on what I do or don't want to do and listen and act on it.<br />
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<b>Spend less</b><br />
I am a shopaholic and I need to work on that. I have way too many clothes which is okay for now as they're split across two wardrobes but I don't know how it will all fit into one once uni has finished. That's my sign that I need to stop. Not only do I not have the space but I also spend way too much that I could be saving for other things. I also spend more on food than I need to so I'm going to try to be more careful with this and only buy what I need and will eat also helping produce less waste. This year I want to try to save more and spend less!<br />
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<b>Upload more often without too much pressure</b><br />
Towards the end of 2018 I really didn't feel like filming and uploading videos and my blog at that point hadn't been updated for months so I didn't force myself. I loved editing the clips back and love having vlogs and content to document my year but I don't want to feel pressured when other things are going on. This year I'd like to upload more often and hopefully rediscover that love but not have a strict schedule that makes me feel bad when I don't upload. I'm going to do it for me, when I want to and hope it ignites the passion again.<br />
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<b>Write </b><br />
During the Summer I started writing fiction again and found it quite a challenging but rewarding and enjoyable process. Going into the new year I want to make time to write fiction more often and see how much I have written at the end of the year- hopefully, this will be on one project but even short stories or chapters will be good practice.<br />
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I'm sure more goals will pop into my head as the year gets underway and I'll have plenty to work on in 2019 but it's a good place to start. Have you set any goals or resolutions for this year? Let me know in the comments. I hope this year is kind to you!<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-3203373047704921782018-06-13T17:02:00.000+01:002019-04-09T20:20:06.017+01:00Share the love... Small acts of kindness<div class="p1">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It’s all about the positive vibes. Filtering them into our lives and radiating them out to others. With so many simple and easy ways to share the love, it’s easy to bring joy to the world around us, working both inside and out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> So what are the simple things we can do to share the love and brighten the mood?</span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Smile</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It’s simple but effective. Sharing a smile can lift the mood of those around you as well as giving yourself a boost. It’s easy to do so there’s no excuse not to.</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Compliments</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">When you see something you like about someone, be it an outfit, an action or a personality trait, let them know. You might just give them the lift they need that day. Perhaps you could give an unexpected compliment... something most people wouldn’t notice or point out!</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Encourage and motivate</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">So many people concentrate on tearing others down either subtly or directly so why not be that counter person who builds others up instead, helping them to fight the insecurities, challenges or negative comments?</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Learn how to change your own emotions</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">We all have bad days but if you can find a way to pick yourself up and get through, you might be able to help someone else. By doing the same for them or offering advice, they may just be able to change their mood and create a positive attitude... it could even be an ongoing benefit!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Listen</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Offering a friendly ear even if you can’t help the situation may just be what someone needs. Be an active listener! There’s nothing quite like the feeling of actually being listened to, knowing your words really matter to someone.</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Pay it forward or backward</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If you have the means to do so, you could make a stranger’s day by paying for their product. Perhaps at a drive through or petrol station, you could pay for their order without seeking gratitude, so when they go to pay it’s all done, it might even start a chain!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Offer a helping hand... literally! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Giving an emotional boost can be a huge help but so can a physical help. You could help someone move, give them a lift or help out with some work they need to do, anything you can do to make things easier.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Greetings</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A simple hello, wave or smile to greet a neighbour or colleague can be a great start to the day or to the interaction, giving you both the satisfaction and positivity you need.</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Applaud achievements</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Success is great even when kept to yourself but it’s often better when someone acknowledges your achievement. Why not be that person for somebody else? A simple ‘well done’ can add to that proud feeling of success.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_44ACHcTsNw/WyE1AQBdx9I/AAAAAAAANqY/OOb-KsFbgRY8QmgmwZHaYeJDJyOJMOAZgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_44ACHcTsNw/WyE1AQBdx9I/AAAAAAAANqY/OOb-KsFbgRY8QmgmwZHaYeJDJyOJMOAZgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_5516.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<div class="p2">
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Learn to laugh with others</span></b></h4>
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">They say laughter is the best medicine so why not give yourself and those around you a healthy dose? Bonding over a funny moment can bring you closer together as well as putting a positive spin on a difficult day.</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Be kind, grateful and polite</span></b></h4>
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It seems so simple but being kind to those around you is such an important thing. Even through life’s challenges, remaining kind, grateful and polite can have a ripple effect amongst those around you, encouraging more positive behaviour.</span></div>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Limit complaining</span></b></h4>
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It’s so easy to complain to others when things don’t go to plan but too much can be damaging to all parties involved. Spinning things into a positive verbally can change your outlook mentally.</span></div>
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Making some of these small changes can not only have a positive effect on those around you but also yourself, it may be the change you need to make!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Have you experienced these from someone else? How did it feel? Do you have any other suggestions? Let me know in the comments so we can help each other out!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Don't forget to follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner if you like what you see and want to see more from me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Steph x</span></div>
stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-7317154476941832102018-05-23T18:00:00.000+01:002019-04-09T13:57:25.265+01:00Azul Sensatori Negril: Hotel Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From the moment we stepped onto the bus to Azul Sensatori Negril, we were welcomed warmly, setting the tone for an amazing fortnight in Jamaica. I don't usually review hotels here but it left such a pleasant taste that I can't not share my experience! (Perhaps I'll do more in the future?)<br />
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<h4>
Food and Drink</h4>
As a vegetarian, I normally struggle finding food I like and can eat when abroad so, often end up eating salad and chips every day. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself able to choose from an array of dishes both in the a la carte and buffet restaurants. Breakfast was particularly great with everything you could ever want- I was a big fruit, egg and bagel fan myself- although not all together, I hasten to add! The hotel had 7 different restaurants so you never feel like you're eating the same foods or even in the same environments but if you do find one suits you better, it's good to be able to go back to with no limitations.<br />
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<h4>
Gym</h4>
The gym was incredible... one of the biggest hotel gyms I've come across. It had enough to do various full workouts without having to think too much out of the box. We went 6 times in total giving a good rotation between arms, legs and core and even managed to vary the routines within the focus which proved the high quality of the gym. Like everywhere else, it was kept clean and generally well maintained, offering towels, fruit and water for guests.<br />
We also liked to reward ourselves after a workout with a stop at the smoothie/cafe/dessert bar in reception to pick up a Banana Nut Blast Protein Shake which, I highly recommend if you find yourself visiting!<br />
The hotel also offers the likes of pilates and boot camps on the beach but we didn't get round to trying these out... maybe next time ;)<br />
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<h4>
Beach</h4>
I'm usually the last person to spend time on the beach, the sand sticking everywhere, the salt water and the sea creatures... it's just not for me so I was a little apprehensive when I realised there were very few sunbeds around the pool and instead were all on the beach. With encouragement from others, I did find myself entering the sea and actually going to the furthest point within the closed off section within the first hour of settling on the beach. Although it was terrifying for someone afraid of the sea, like myself, I ended up enjoying it and paved the way for the rest of the holiday. The sea was so clear that it helped to reassure me, the salt water wasn't irritating (unless of course, it got into the eyes or mouth) and the depth was manageable throughout the whole section and actually, remained pretty shallow going further out too.<br />
The beach activities were also a lot of fun with paddle boards, kayaks, sail boats, a floating bike (kinda thing) and a 'big mabel', there was plenty to choose from. As a premium guest, you could use the majority of the non-motor activities for no extra fee and could even use the sail boats if you've had lessons before or can pay for one lesson and then use them for no extra cost for the remaining visit. The 'big mabel' was particularly entertaining which allowed up to four people to sit on the inflatable seat and be pulled along by a boat. Whilst some guests fall in and some stay on, I think this mostly depends on the drivers and whether they want to tip you in, we had said we didn't want to go in and they stuck to this whilst my brother and dad fell in on their go. It was terrifying at times but so much fun and something I'd love to do again!<br />
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<h4>
Staff</h4>
The staff were incredible, they certainly made the hotel and the experience better. As a whole, they were friendly, attentive and good at what they do. The bar staff made great cocktails both on and off the menu, many of which would also be good to talk to as well; the chefs clearly knew how to make delicious food; the housekeeping staff ensured rooms were kept clean as well as other places around the hotel; the maintenance staff kept the hotel in tip top condition, regularly topping up paint, checking things are functioning and fixing anything broken; the waiters and floor staff ensured you were looked after throughout your meal; the entertainment team put on great performances that differed from a typical all inclusive to show the likes of fire dancing, excellent singers and bands, musical quizzes, trapeze artists and many more; the sports staff helped you access the likes of kayaks, paddle boards and even a boat ride to the island; lifeguards ensure the beach is well kept and safe; you even get a welcome and send off with a group of staff... the whole staff community is just amazing. They really know what they're doing and encourage smiles whilst they do it. Of course there are a few exceptions like with everything but for the most part, they really add to the experience.<br />
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<h4>
Room</h4>
We stayed in the premium section so although I saw one of the other rooms, I only saw it briefly so can't comment on specifics related to that (although it did look fairly similar). The room we stayed in had a king size bed, sofa area, table and chairs, tv, two large wardrobes, a safe, mini fridge (items at no extra cost) and an ensuite room with a shower. The balcony area had a view of another hotel building, the pool area, the beach to one side and a water park to the other (I don't believe this is in use anymore). All in all, the room seemed to be of high quality and well kept (check the video down below to see the room!) It certainly made for a lovely stay.<br />
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Concerns</h4>
The only real issue we found was with the premium section as it was originally sold to us as being adults only which resulted in one particular guest not being able to attend however, when we got there it was not the case at all... the premium section, beach and pool area had plenty of kids around which was pretty annoying given the circumstance. Originally, members of our party moved from one building within the section to another due to excessive noise which again wasn't great. We also found it difficult to get sunbeds within the premium section sometimes and found supposedly exclusive areas to not really be exclusive as well as there being less available to us as we had believed based on original bookings/enquiries. As lovely as the rooms were, I don't believe it to be worth the extra money as there is very little difference in what else you get and the rooms elsewhere are just as nice- plus you can get adults-only rooms if that's what you desire. The exclusive features mentioned aren't really that exclusive as other guests have the same opportunities either deliberately or accidentally. However, it's important to note that this is a misselling from the UK rather than a fault with the hotel in Jamaica. Within the premium section, certain rooms are also rather noisy as well but this depends on the room and I suppose the guest's awareness/sensitivity to the noise.<br />
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You can see more of the room and hotel generally in my video below...</h4>
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If you fancy seeing the wedding we went out for, you can see that here...</h4>
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And if you want to see the final video including the things we did outside of the hotel, you can see that here...</h4>
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Azul Sensatori Jamaica was an amazing hotel all in all and made for an excellent holiday destination as well as being a beautiful setting for the wedding. It's definitely somewhere I'd love to go back to so highly recommend it as a destination if you're looking for a Caribbean break. Although it's all-inclusive, it doesn't lose the 'Jamaica' feel and wouldn't be the same if it was picked up and placed elsewhere.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post, if you did and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right hand corner to see when I next upload. Thanks for reading!<br />
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Love, Steph x<br />
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P.S. Sorry for the delay in uploading this, it's been pretty busy recently but I'm trying to get back into it over Summer and start regularly uploading again! Once again though, I am generally more consistent over on my YouTube channel so if you want to see what I'm up to there, you can click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">here</a>!stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-90391995106455150132018-03-07T17:30:00.000+00:002018-03-07T17:30:17.493+00:00Travel Bucket List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>As I recently uploaded my travel list for 2018, including a few places I'm less likely to get to this year (a girl can dream though, right?), I also wanted to share a few places I'd love to visit more in the future (although, near future would be fab)!</i><br />
<i><br /></i> <b>Switzerland- </b>Interlaken I've never been particularly bothered about visiting Switzerland but as I was supposed to visit last year, it has made me more determined to go. Budapest had never been on my list and turned out to be one of my favourite places so the thought of missing out on somewhere else with the potential to capture my heart makes me more intrigued and excited to replan a trip. I'd love to go to Interlaken as originally planned but anywhere would be great to explore as it seems like an interesting country in general.<br />
<b>Italy-</b> I would love to visit Lake Garda, it looks a beautiful area and Italy itself just seems to be home to so many amazing, gorgeous locations as well as the most delicious food! There are a number of Italian areas I'd like to visit but Lake Garda has to take the number one spot. I've also had Sicily recommended to me which has definitely made me want to visit the island even more than I already did. The diverse food and culture seems incredibly appealing and like an amazing place to visit, particularly in Summer.<br />
<b>Croatia-</b> I already mentioned my desire to visit Croatia in my last post but I wanted to go a bit more into detail as there are so many different places I want to visit within the country as well as a few things I'd love to do. I really want to go to Omis and do the zip wire they have there as it seems like a lot of fun with an incredible view. I'd also love to go to Plitvice and explore the national parks with their beautiful lakes and little waterfalls as well as going to Zadar to hear the sea organ. As for other locations, I'd love to visit Split, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Zagreb.<br />
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<b>Rio de Janeiro-</b> This used to be top of my travel bucket list and although it has slipped down, I still think it would be a great place to visit! I'd love to experience the carnival in Rio but the city as a whole seems to be bright and full of energy. The high crime rates do make me more wary about visiting the area and as a result, it's not somewhere I'm looking to go to in the near future but something I'd look into more in years to come.<br />
<b>Caribbean- </b>The Caribbean looks so beautiful and although I have Jamaica to look forward to, there are several other islands in the Caribbean that I think would be amazing to visit!<br />
<b>New York- </b>This city isn't highest on my list but it seems like a place you have to experience for yourself. I'm yet to find someone who's been and not loved it, so I'm sure I'd be the same. I love the shopping culture but like a lot of people, I would most like to go around Christmas. Max Brenner, the chocolate bar/restaurant also looks like a place I'd have to visit if I did go!<br />
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<b>Northern Lights-</b> Not a location as such but I would love to travel somewhere where I could see the Northern Lights as I think it would be an amazing experience. I know it isn't always possible to see it as I've tried once before and couldn't but it would be exciting to eventually see them.<br />
<b>New Zealand- </b>I'd be really interested in visiting New Zealand as the culture seems so different to here... it looks like a beautiful, adventurous country which only makes me more intrigued.<br />
<b>Prague</b>- I've heard a lot of good things about Prague... it appears to have a lot of beautiful architecture as well as an amazing cafe culture that I'd love to experience.<br />
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I'm sure there are plenty of other locations I could put on this list but that completes it for now. Have you been to any of these? If so, what did you think? I'd also love any other recommendations you might have.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post, perhaps it's given you some travel inspo? If you did enjoy this post and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload.<br />
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I will also be uploading various travel videos on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a>, so if you fancy subscribing so you get to see those as they go live, you can do so <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-57023883777090877792018-03-01T17:30:00.000+00:002018-03-02T13:08:10.897+00:002018 Travel Plans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are so many amazing places to see and as last year brought a few travel adventures, it's only made me more excited to travel and more eager to book new trips. 2018 already holds a number of planned trips and I'll hopefully be adding to the list in the near future. As March kicks off the travel plans, it seemed an appropriate time to share them with you (although I did also visit Slovenia in January which was a great trip).<br />
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<b>Disneyland-</b> I have booked to go to Disneyland this year and as I didn't end up going on my interrail trip last year, I am very much looking forward to going in 2018! I haven't been to Disneyland Paris for almost 15 years so I'm excited to see what it's like after such a long time. As a huge Disney fan (aren't we all!), experiencing the magic of Disneyland is like nothing else and a feeling I can't wait to relive.<br />
<b>Jamaica-</b> What I imagine to be a highlight of 2018... I am going to Jamaica for a friend's wedding where I'm also a bridesmaid. I can't wait to share the day with the bride and groom in such an amazing setting. However, not only will I have the wedding to look forward to but also the time we'll be spending there as a family- sipping drinks in the sun, reading by the pool, dipping in to cool off... sounds like heaven!<br />
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<b>Amsterdam-</b> After visiting Amsterdam twice last year, I'm looking forward to going back with my course to see more of the city and experience Journalism in a different country. It'll be good to see some of the sites I've not yet visited as well as return to some of my favourites.<br />
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<b>Sziget-</b> I visited the Hungarian festival for the day last year and had an amazing time, seeing so much of the island but leaving a lot to be discovered. I'd also love to explore more of Budapest as it's a city that well and truly captured my heart. I would love to be able to go back again this year for longer and although this might not be possible, I hope to make it happen.<br />
<b>Croatia-</b> Although this is less likely to happen than the other trips, I hope I manage to plan a trip to Croatia as there are so many exciting things I planned to do there last year. I really hope to go back and eventually do all of the things I would have done originally which, I doubt will happen this year but if possible, I'd like to visit and at least see the country, perhaps ticking a thing or two off of my list.<br />
<b>Iceland/Italy/New York/away for 21st</b>- With it being my 21st this year, I'm hoping to do something special to celebrate the big birthday. One thing I'm considering is a trip somewhere but as it's in the cooler months, I'm still deciding where to go... Italy is currently my favourite option but Iceland and New York aren't far behind so if anybody has any thoughts on these places or has any other recommendations, please let me know in the comments as I'd love your input!<br />
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Have you been to any of these places? If so, what did you think of them? Have you got any travel plans this year? Let me know in the comments.<br />
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Thank you for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it. If you did and you want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload.<br />
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Love, Steph x<br />
<br />stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-17476180423011886742018-02-04T11:30:00.000+00:002019-04-09T20:18:39.745+01:00Kingsman The Golden Circle<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With its recent DVD release, it seemed like an appropriate time to share my love for Kingsman The Golden Circle and perhaps encourage anyone who hasn't seen it yet, to give it a go!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kingsman is a franchise like no other... The first seems to be a film that no one had heard of and everyone loved. By that I mean, I know no one who saw it in the cinema, I don't even remember hearing the name or hearing whispers of the trailer yet most people I know have watched it and of those people, only one didn't love it (and he has a very different approach to films). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The humour blended with the action makes for an exciting story that you can't help but love. It's bonkers, absolutely ridiculous and yet it works. You can definitely expect the unexpected in both films- perhaps even more so in The Golden Circle which, contains everything you could possibly imagine! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The British charm mixed with the crazy stunts is intriguing as a viewer and makes forgetting the film a very difficult task. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Taron Egerton shows versatility with his ability to play (and play so darn well) as various forms of Eggsy- how one can pull off the scruffy look and the suited, classy spy so well? He puts the wink in cheeky chappy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Colin Firth is as lovable as ever in both films and definitely adds a bit of class to the movie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I must admit, I'm not a huge action film fan, although I do love action comedies, but I know I'm not alone when I say this film is great nonetheless. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">The fact that I watched the film because my best friend really wanted me to, and she watched it because her sister really wanted her to and we then encouraged my housemate to watch the second (having never seen the first)- it speaks for itself. You know a film is good when word of mouth makes it a success rather than expensive marketing or advertising. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The emotion, excitement and humour fed into The Golden Circle makes it an ideal watch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Let me know your thoughts on the movie or any recommendations you may have! If you enjoyed this post and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Thank you for reading this post.</span><br /><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Love,</span><br />x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Steph x</span></div>
stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-88829032985454555232018-01-24T18:00:00.000+00:002018-01-24T18:20:15.260+00:00Veganuary: Switching to Cruelty Free Cosmetics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGfWhj65Vfk/Vpd_MMjp8BI/AAAAAAAAH6M/DSSXSzRq5rsfHVyX5qzNy1aUBcXVGW2DgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_6286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGfWhj65Vfk/Vpd_MMjp8BI/AAAAAAAAH6M/DSSXSzRq5rsfHVyX5qzNy1aUBcXVGW2DgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_6286.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">With January bringing about goals and resolutions, it’s the perfect time to make a step towards a lifestyle change… Dry January, joining a gym or how about becoming a Vegan? January, or Veganuary, as it’s also known, is not only good for trying a vegan diet but it could be the perfect time to start swapping your cosmetic purchases to vegan or cruelty free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">According to Soap and Glory’s Frequently Asked Questions response, ‘it’s important for you to know that no retailer or manufacturer can categorically state that ‘none’ of their raw materials or ingredients have- at some time in the past- been tested on animals.’ With this in mind, there are some beauty brands that host a Leaping Bunny logo, have signed the PETA pledge or avoid testing on animals or including animal products but don’t associate with a cruelty-free organisation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Although some brands don’t test on animals in Britain, where it was banned in 1998, they do sell to China where animal testing is a legal requirement and therefore are not considered a cruelty free brand overall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Each individual has a different perception on what cruelty free is so with the help of this post, you might just find the right brand for you. Whilst some brands are PETA registered, their parent company isn’t classed as cruelty free so it’s up to you to decide which brands you want to shop with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcJcqRzrAQU/VKCI8hAVs9I/AAAAAAAAAck/itXWWT3t2dYgrrw7AT42I4DEXS_zwmSfQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcJcqRzrAQU/VKCI8hAVs9I/AAAAAAAAAck/itXWWT3t2dYgrrw7AT42I4DEXS_zwmSfQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2714.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Soap and Glory </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Although not on the PETA list, Soap and Glory say, ‘we absolutely do not test our formulations on animals, however we can’t say that each and every ingredient that goes into them has not, at some point historically, been cleared for human use, by animal testing.’ Offering a range of skincare, bath and body products as well as makeup, it might be a brand worth checking out if this meets your needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Bare Minerals</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Despite the fact that the parent company, Shiseido, is not cruelty free, Bare Minerals is PETA approved and offers a number of beauty products. The brand creates a range of mineral-based cosmetics ‘powered by nourishing, skin-loving minerals… with purity in mind.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>NYX</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As an official member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program, despite its parent company, L’Oreal, choosing to sell in China, NYX has a number of makeup products ranging from primer to mascara to metallic lipsticks. At a drugstore price, the brand originating from Los Angeles is now available in most large Boots stores.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saYhuIPVOxk/VpazTRmkv7I/AAAAAAAAH08/b9el7o8p8FU_2WF4iAguXeF96QyLpqTbQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_6196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saYhuIPVOxk/VpazTRmkv7I/AAAAAAAAH08/b9el7o8p8FU_2WF4iAguXeF96QyLpqTbQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_6196.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Urban Decay</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Another pledge for PETA’s cruelty free campaign, Urban Decay are slightly pricier but worth the extra splurge with a host of popular eyeshadow palettes as well as many other incredible makeup products. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-trieBf5GYJc/Vpi_uX7zUFI/AAAAAAAAH68/ILcOlkqKwcoi6yqIeTH1wwCrBRCJq6GVwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_6054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-trieBf5GYJc/Vpi_uX7zUFI/AAAAAAAAH68/ILcOlkqKwcoi6yqIeTH1wwCrBRCJq6GVwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_6054.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>The Body Shop</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Offering vegan brushes as well as a number of body and face products, The Body Shop was sold to Natura Brasil in 2017 which is also reportedly a cruelty free brand. As the ‘first global beauty brand to fight against animal testing in cosmetics’, not only are their products cruelty free but they actively fight to bring an end to animal testing and currently have a petition to help this cause available <a href="https://foreveragainstanimaltesting.com/page/9140/petition/1?utm_source=thebodyshop-uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk_cta_faat-petition&utm_content=against-animal-testing" target="_blank">here</a> if you’re interested in signing it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILW6-duPheU/Vf2ROqGuvSI/AAAAAAAADk0/NLfX9dpFIfIUgMti1L4BzrE4LklmsZ7QgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILW6-duPheU/Vf2ROqGuvSI/AAAAAAAADk0/NLfX9dpFIfIUgMti1L4BzrE4LklmsZ7QgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4703.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>LUSH</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The popular bath products brand is well known for being cruelty free but, did you know they also sell a number of makeup items as well as a few scents? LUSH state that they ‘do not buy raw materials from any company that tests anything on any animals’ and that ‘materials purchased by LUSH do not contain animal derivatives that are unsuitable for vegetarians’, the full policy on animal testing can be found <a href="https://uk.lush.com/article/animal-testing-our-policy" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mrYiyc5yl0U/VYWoEijveWI/AAAAAAAACyM/tx8VbBgm-A4YaUnr127NpsqHAFimhFp2ACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mrYiyc5yl0U/VYWoEijveWI/AAAAAAAACyM/tx8VbBgm-A4YaUnr127NpsqHAFimhFp2ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3702.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Arbonne</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As a vegan certified brand with cruelty free formulas, the company offers botanically-based skin care products as well as makeup, hair care and general personal care. Arbonne ‘have been on a green journey for 37 years’ and do not support animal testing. To get your hands on the products, you go through an Independent Consultant who will help wherever possible and will organise your order. Keri Wood, an Arbonne consultant can be found <a href="http://www.arbonne.com/pws/keriwood/tabs/home.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Tropic</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A brand that works in a similar way to Arbonne, with ambassadors on hand to help with enquiries or to place an order from. Tropic don’t test on animals ‘or cause them distress by using derivatives such as lanolin, beeswax or honey.’ Certified by The Vegan Society and Cruelty Free International, they offer skincare, bodycare and makeup! Vanessa O'Neill, a Tropic consultant can be found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TropicSkincareAndCosmeticsByVanessa/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPEhFNgPKLU/Vf2T0FAT3QI/AAAAAAAADmc/WO_Fs9207TY_RWtI9GhHa3CNgBCyQZ-MACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPEhFNgPKLU/Vf2T0FAT3QI/AAAAAAAADmc/WO_Fs9207TY_RWtI9GhHa3CNgBCyQZ-MACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4757.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Advice from others:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"For cheaper makeup I go to Superdrug. Makeup Revolution, Barry M and ELF have vegan products and Superdrug do student discount. Another place to look is TK Maxx and Home Sense as they sometimes get vegan ranges in- they regularly have Sukin and Faith in Nature. Vegan fairs are a great place to try and buy makeup and skin care and you are supporting ethical vegan companies that way... </span>I tend to spend more on foundation as I find the cheaper ones do not last well. I really like the Kat Von D lock it foundation as a little goes a long way. It is expensive at around £27 but the assistant there gave me a good tip to mix it with a little primer so it lasts longer and gives a lighter finish." -</i>Alison Townsend</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Switching to vegan or cruelty free makeup doesn’t have to happen all at once either, <i>"after deliberation I used up the products I already had purchased and then phased in cruelty free alternatives over time."</i> -Jennifer Dudley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"I try my best to be cruelty free with my cosmetics, it’s been difficult though. I often find that Amazon has the answer when I can’t source things! Superdrug has sorted my lotions and potions needs."</i> -Casey Brennan</span><!--EndFragment--><!--EndFragment--></span></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">With so many cruelty free beauty brands available, it may not be as difficult as it first appears. There are still plenty of other options out there too. The likes of Liz Earle, YesTo and Too Faced all offer cruelty free products as well as a number of other brands so for a list of companies supported by PETA, you can look <a href="http://features.peta2.com/shopcrueltyfree/cruelty_free_companies_search.aspx?Donottest=8&Product=0&Dotest=-1&Regchange=-1&Country=-1&Keyword=" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I hope you find this post helpful, if you have any advice or recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments to help myself and others! If you did enjoy this post and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Thank you for reading this post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Love, Steph x</span></div>
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Wow, 2017 has been a crazy year... after a pretty crap 2016, this year could only really improve and whilst it's had its challenges, it's certainly had its awesome moments and all in all, been a big step up and perhaps one of the best years. So this post is dedicated to my highlights and achievements this year!<br />
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I hadn't realised quite how much I'd done and achieved this year until it came to editing my 2017 wrapped up video which consequently, is now one of my favourites! It shows all the amazing things I've done and even made me emotional looking back at it all. I'd love it if you check it out below and let me know what your 2017 highlights are or your plans/goals for next year! (You could also hit that subscribe button if you fancy seeing more videos!)<br />
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<b>Finishing first year-</b> it may seem like an obvious one but I've got to acknowledge the completion of first year as at the very start, I did doubt that day would come or at least arrive having lead to so many amazing things. I then really hated the first part of second year and again doubted that I would finish second year however, this soon changed and I ended up enjoying a fair bit and enjoyed working with new people and those I already knew.<br />
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<b>Flatmates-</b> I've had a great year getting to know and spend time with the people I live with both last year and this year. We've had some great moments both out and spent in the flat/house which has made my university experience what it is. They're some of my closest friends and people I hope to spend time with in many years to come. Long may our sofa chats continue!<br />
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<b>Coursemates-</b> 2017 has been a great year for forming new friendships and developing existing ones. There are some great people on my course and I've loved getting to know people better and spend time together both in and out of lectures.<br />
<b>Ice hockey-</b> One particular outing I really enjoyed was the Varsity ice hockey game we went to at the start of the year. I never expected to enjoy it as much as I did but the whole atmosphere and sport itself made a fun evening! As a big winter sports fan, it's definitely something I'd want to watch more although I haven't actually watched it since then so maybe I'll have to plan more in 2018!<br />
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<b>Nights out-</b> I've actually enjoyed going out more this year, clubbing is still definitely not my favourite thing but I enjoy it more than I did and can have fun without the nerves/anxieties I used to have surrounding it which may seem like an odd achievement but to me is an achievement as it shows progress even if it's not completely changed. It's also created some enjoyable memories spent with some of my closest friends.<br />
<b>Living alone-</b> although I love being back home and spending time with my family, one thing I think I've done pretty darn well this year is living alone. I manage to shop, cook, clean and just generally look after myself without any real issues which is an achievement worth acknowledging from time to time. It's obviously helped by the people I live with that make things easier and enjoyable.<br />
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Travel</h4>
<b>Majorca-</b> spending a couple of weeks in a villa in Majorca with my family was amazing. We had a beautiful villa in a lovely setting. Relaxing by the pool, exploring Pollenca, spending time with family and having a fun day at the water park all made it a much needed break and lead to a great holiday!<br />
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<b>Vidcon-</b> Vidcon was incredible, not only did it tick something off of my bucket list but it exceeded my expectations. Exploring Amsterdam with Kim and Cally was a lot of fun and then to spend two days surrounded by creators and general YouTube community was amazing. I had the best time, learnt so much and got to meet people I love to watch so all in all, it was like nothing else and was well worth the experience!<br />
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<b>Interrailing-</b> it may not have gone to plan but I did see, do and achieve a lot in the week I did of interrailing! My cousin and I had some funny moments including a number revolving around transport. I also got to see Amsterdam again and visit places I hadn't the first time around... House of Bols was a particular highlight although it was a cool experience generally. Budapest was a definite highlight of 2017 as I absolutely loved the city and loved exploring it at my own pace, seeing exactly what I wanted to see without relying on anyone else or a map to lead the way. The fact I saw all I wanted to see and even climbed the hill to see the city from a different view despite my fear of heights is something I am particularly proud of as I usually rely on others to encourage me to ignore the height element. Seeing my mum and Gemma in Budapest was also amazing especially the awesome cocktails in the Tiki Bar! I also went to my first festival in Budapest and had an amazing day! It was so cool seeing the performances, exploring the island and generally make the most of our day at Sziget.<br />
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<b>Sorrento-</b> when interrailing fell through and I found myself back home, my best friend and I planned a last minute short break to Sorrento. It was such a beautiful area to explore and enjoy even if just for a short while. We also had some delicious food including one of the nicest Arrabiatas I've ever had (and I've tried a lot of them!) as well as one of the best Pizzas... they truly made incredible food!<br />
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<h4>
Events</h4>
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<b>Birthday</b>- my birthday was a lot of fun: from cocktails with my housemates; to the surprise party my family organised; to skiing at the snowdome... all of it was amazing and made my birthday a really fun and memorable occasion.<br />
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<b>Rob's 18th surprise-</b> linking to surprises, my brother's surprise 18th was a lot of fun and it was great to see his reaction as he walked in to see all of his friends and family. The day and weekend was made even better by my friend, Runa, coming to stay who I don't get to see very often at all.<br />
<b>Madame Tussauds and shopping with mum- </b>whilst Rob was at an audition, mum and I took the opportunity to spend time in shopping in London and visiting Madame Tussauds which was another thing I could tick off of my bucket list. Although it kind of gave me the creeps, it was such a fun trip and was a highlight of 2017.<br />
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<b>Seeing Rob in London-</b> fast forward a few months to him staying in London, mum and I visited for the day and had a lovely time together. It was nice to explore the area, have lunch and dinner out and watch Footloose the musical... all elements that made a great day!<br />
<b>Little Mix-</b> mum and I had a lovely night seeing Little Mix and despite the long walk home, it was a fun evening. Little Mix were amazing, we had a great meal and generally enjoyed staying in Birmingham overnight.<br />
<b>Filming in London-</b> it was really cool to experience filming in London with Cally and definitely wasn't anything I expected to happen this year. It was really interesting to see the filming process and to work with some lovely people!<br />
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<b>London Made in Chelsea party- </b>this was such a surreal day and another unexpected event. Again, it was really cool to be able to see the behind the scenes/filming process and crazy but awesome to have been able to be in the VIP area in a really cool location.<br />
<h4>
Other</h4>
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<b>Work</b>- another change this year was starting work in the office of a school. It's been cool to work with new people and has definitely made me learn a lot so I'm looking forward to the next year! We also had a great end to the year at the work do and although I didn't expect to be going out afterwards and it did bring some *ahem* interesting events, it was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.<br />
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<b>Gym-</b> I've enjoyed going to the gym again this year and although I haven't been as much as I'd like for a lot of the year, I'm hoping this will be easier now there's one close to where I live. I really enjoy the personal training sessions with mum and even though they're difficult, I never dread going and always enjoy the session. I'm also happy that I have been able to work on my 5km cycle and keep trying to decrease my time sometimes successfully, sometimes less so!<br />
<b>Giving blood-</b> another tick off my bucket list; I finally gave blood on Boxing Day and although the wait was very offputting and the whole experience wasn't the most comfortable, it was all fine and is worth it knowing it will hopefully help somebody.<br />
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<b>YouTube/Blog</b>- last but not least, I've enjoyed working on both my blog and channel and although I've not been consistent with my blog at all, I've been trying to put content up across both as much as possible and have enjoyed YouTube even more towards the end of the year. Both have contributed to a number of opportunities that have helped shape this year. I'm grateful for all of the support across both platforms and hope you've enjoyed my posts this year. I'm looking forward to 2018 and hope you'll continue supporting me and enjoying my content!<br />
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I hope you have had a good 2017 and have an even better 2018. Thank you so much for reading this post.<br />
<br />
Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-52498187990734395252017-12-14T17:30:00.000+00:002017-12-14T18:17:26.726+00:00Cruelty Free Makeup Gift Guide<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E2vHiUKZAKc/WjKPGT4TzhI/AAAAAAAANWw/qCE_lomkLGknjtYAdhT6F_936z3qyNwIQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2649%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E2vHiUKZAKc/WjKPGT4TzhI/AAAAAAAANWw/qCE_lomkLGknjtYAdhT6F_936z3qyNwIQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_2649%2B3.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christmas really is right around the corner so all being well, you'll have your gifts pretty much sorted. For those who may be slightly less prepared and/or still struggling for ideas, this gift guide could help make decisions a little bit easier particularly when shopping for a beauty lover. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With so many beauty gifts available at Christmas, it can be hard to work out which companies are cruelty free and which are best to avoid for those conscious of finding brands against animal cruelty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Soap and Glory, ‘it’s important for you to know that no retailer or manufacturer can categorically state that ‘none’ of their raw materials or ingredients have- at some time in the past- been tested on animals.’ With this in mind, there are some beauty brands that host a Leaping Bunny logo, have signed the PETA pledge or avoid testing on animals or including animal products but don’t associate with a cruelty-free organization.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soap and Glory </span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although not on the PETA list, Soap and Glory say, ‘we absolutely do not test our formulations on animals, however we can’t say that each and every ingredient that goes into them has not, at some point historically, been cleared for human use, by animal testing.’ If this fits the needs of the giver and the receiver, then here’s a few gift ideas for you…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pout-y Popper £6<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perfect for Instagram, you can get that classic confetti Boomerang to glimmer this party season and when that’s all over, make use of the two mini ‘Mother Puckers’ that plump the lips whilst giving them a sultry shine. Contents include a pink and nude lipgloss in Pink Stardust and Bare Enough, fit for any occasion!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wash Upon A Star £8.50<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">An ideal gift for a wanderlust… these body washpods fit nicely in a travel bag whether you’re flying across the globe or exploring a city in your home country. With nine single-use pods and three different scents, you don’t need to sacrifice the quality for the sake of space.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--M96jDgjQcE/WjKPGADgG3I/AAAAAAAANWs/6Y5dBI1qgPsZi0HUUyOTt6mQltDmGGMvwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_4210%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--M96jDgjQcE/WjKPGADgG3I/AAAAAAAANWs/6Y5dBI1qgPsZi0HUUyOTt6mQltDmGGMvwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_4210%2B3.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bare Minerals</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite the fact that the parent company, Shiseido, is not cruelty free, Bare Minerals is PETA approved and offers a number of beauty gifts, ideal for Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello Bright Eyes eye makeup gift set £30<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With Lash Domination mascara, eyeliner and a mini well-rested eye illuminator, this gift set is great for any makeup lovers. Useful for creating that well defined, eye-popping look, the products work well together for a bright eyed, luscious look. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oohs and Aahs makeup gift set £48<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For a slightly more expensive gift, the Oohs and Aahs on-the-go palette set includes signature essentials for everyday beauty. The eyeshadows, all over face colour, matte blusher, mascara, matte lip colour and a buttercream lip gloss create a variety of finishes, complimentary to one another.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">NYX</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As an official member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program, despite its parent company, L’Oreal, choosing to sell in China, NYX has a number of fabulous gifts this Christmas! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vaults<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With Vaults galore, you’re bound to find something for that special person, whether they’re a soft matte lover or prefer a metallic look. With prices ranging from £30 to £65, it’s entirely up to you which you go for!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">City Set<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For a smaller, more compact gift, NYX have a range of lip, eye and face collections for £15. Complete with eyeshadows, a blush, an illuminator and a soft matte lip cream, Berlin, Los Angeles, Moscow and London are just a few in the collection… you’re bound to find the right shade!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Urban Decay</span></b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another pledge for PETA’s cruelty free campaign, any beauty lover would be pleased to unwrap an Urban Decay product on Christmas Day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All Nighter Spray from £10<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s all well and good receiving new makeup for Christmas but until you set it in place, it’s not quite complete! The All Nighter Setting Spray is not your typical beauty gift set but makes a unique present as something that people wouldn’t normally buy for themselves. With a few different sized bottles, you can pick the right one for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Palettes<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are plenty of palettes available too so whether they like a bold look, a warm toned palette or a smoky shadow, there’s something for everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vaults<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For a more high-end gift, Urban Decay also have a few vaults on offer including UD XX: 20 Years of Beauty With An Edge for £245 (20 shades of Eyeshadow and 20 Eye Pencils) and Naked Vault Vol IV for £195 (with 3 naked palettes and complementary lip products).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With so many cruelty free beauty brands selling gift sets this Christmas, if none of these have taken your fancy, there are still plenty of other options out there. The likes of Lush, The Body Shop, YesTo and Too Faced all offer cruelty free products as well as a number of other brands so for a list of companies supported by PETA, you can look here: <a href="http://features.peta2.com/shopcrueltyfree/cruelty_free_companies_search.aspx?Donottest=8&Product=0&Dotest=-1&Regchange=-1&Country=-1&Keyword">http://features.peta2.com/shopcrueltyfree/cruelty_free_companies_search.aspx?Donottest=8&Product=0&Dotest=-1&Regchange=-1&Country=-1&Keyword</a>= <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for reading this post. I hope this has been useful, if you enjoyed it and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Although my blog uploads haven't been very frequent lately (I'm sorry about that), I have been uploading pretty much everyday on my YouTube channel throughout December so if you fancy seeing content over there, you can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">subscribe here</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Love, Steph x</span></div>
stephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-35849714425634728822017-11-02T16:59:00.001+00:002017-11-02T16:59:25.655+00:0010 Places You Need To Visit In AmsterdamAmsterdam is a city well known for its red light district and coffeeshops but there's so much more it has to offer both popular and less well known. If you're planning your next trip and want to see some of the places worth a visit, follow my map down below! You can click the different locations to see some photos and find out what I have to say about the attraction/location...<br />
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I hope you found the map useful and easy to follow. Let me know if you've been to any of these places and if there's anywhere else you'd recommend! If you want to see which of these places I visited this year, you can watch the two videos down below from my trip to Vidcon Europe and my Interrail trip this Summer.<br />
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Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to follow my social media in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">subscribe to my channe</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">l here </a>for weekly content.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-53510746918091521852017-10-10T11:31:00.001+01:002017-10-10T11:31:32.223+01:00Mental Health Awareness Day: Being More Open<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mental Health Awareness Day is such an important day, giving people the opportunity to see the support around them and helping towards its de-stigmatisation but these things should not end because the clock strikes midnight. We need to keep helping people struggling, we need work on identifying when someone needs help, we need better health care for mental health, we need to teach school children how to deal with it, learn how to spot the signs and generally raise awareness.<br />
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Last week was the first time I saw an advert about mental health and the importance of knowing you aren't alone as well as supporting the idea of looking out for symptoms from those around you. One thing I loved about it even more than it's amazing message was the situation it featured; male footballers. Mental health is such a difficult topic to discuss generally, and often can be even more difficult for men to discuss due to the irrational theory that men have to be strong all the time and to be strong they can't talk about their feelings or mental wellbeing. By having an advert showing the struggle of a male footballer and the help his teammates provide, it helps break down these stereotypes that make discussion difficult.<br />
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With mental illness impacting 1 in 4 people every year, it's a horrible thought knowing so many can't or won't feel able to discuss it with those around them or with doctors who can provide the medical support. The fact that physical illnesses are dealt with so much better than mental illnesses, as well as being taken more seriously, creates a massive problem for those that do reach out for support. Finding the right person can be a challenge but it's worth it when you don't find the right person to help you.<br />
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The media doesn't help either, constantly describing (white) criminals (also a whole other issue) as 'mentally ill' or 'unstable' creates an image that people with a mental illness are dangerous which, isn't the case... of course some can be and providing support is essential but some people are just guilty of a crime without any relevance to their mental health. If that wasn't the case, we'd have a serious problem given the large number of people affected by mental health!<br />
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I must admit, I am a bit of a hypocrite... I think it's so important to talk about mental health and to be honest with those around you, to get the support you need. I try and talk about mental health on my blog or in videos but I don't talk about it a great deal in real life. From an objective point of view, I suppose I do, I often highlight the importance of mental health and its de-stigmatisation but on a personal level, I clam up.<br />
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I find it challenging to be open and honest when I'm not feeling so great. I refuse to tell people I'm struggling but I want them to identify it- I know that's ridiculous because I also want to come across as 'put together' and 'in control' so I don't let these things show. I know how to spot my own signs when things aren't quite right but I don't let others know them if I can help it, so why should I then feel worse because someone isn't noticing and isn't trying to help?<br />
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My aim is to be more honest, to tell people when I can feel myself struggling before things get worse than they need to. I shy away from words like 'anxious', 'anxiety' and 'depressed' because I hate the overuse when it doesn't seem quite right but as a result, sometimes I probably don't correctly describe a state or emotion. People shouldn't be labelled and shouldn't be identified simply because of their mental illness but sometimes having that confirmation that there is something wrong and is something that can be done to improve can help.<br />
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I'm sure I'm not alone in this and although it will take me a while, working on it and prioritising my wellbeing is something I need to constantly work on. I suggest those that share my thoughts, aim to do the same and perhaps with each other's support, we can be more open both in real life and online.<br />
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I'd also like everyone reading this to think about their use of terms relating to mental illness and challenge those around you that don't use it in a particularly correct or positive manner. I know I hear the term 'so OCD' used way too often and flippantly which, is something I try to challenge each time.<br />
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I hope this was useful to some people and has highlighted the importance of opening up and supporting those around you. I have done a few posts before about mental health but two I suggest reading if you are struggling with mental health or are supporting someone who is, can be found linked below. Feel free to offer advice or have a bit of a discussion in the comments as I think that would be really useful for both myself and others.<br />
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<a href="http://lovestephx.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/an-open-letter-to-mental-health.html" target="_blank">An open letter to mental health sufferers</a><br />
<a href="http://lovestephx.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/an-open-letter-supporting-someone-with.html" target="_blank">An open letter: supporting someone with a mental illness</a><br />
<a href="http://lovestephx.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/recent-reads-books-to-check-out.html" target="_blank">Recent reads: books to check out</a><br />
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If you want to see more posts from me, follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Thank you for reading this post.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-90125847817455154232017-09-21T18:00:00.000+01:002017-09-21T18:08:00.030+01:00Self Recognition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're so quick to point out flaws, silly things we've done and cling onto memories of mistakes we've made but how often do you pat yourself on the back and applaud an achievement- big or small? How often do you tell yourself, 'you've done amazing, well done!'? I'm going to guess, it's not as often as it should be! We get so caught up in the strive to improve or to reach our goal that the small steps are often overlooked. I want to dedicate today's post to the things I've done recently that I'm proud of, and I hope it inspires you to do the same!<br />
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<b>1. Interrailing</b>- you may be aware that my trip didn't quite go to plan but I'm so proud of the things I did achieve on the trip and the confidence and excitement it gave me for booking new trips. I won't detail all the things I'm proud of regarding this here but I discussed it in <a href="http://lovestephx.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/things-dont-always-go-to-plan.html" target="_blank">this post</a> if you want to hear more.<br />
<b>2. Sorrento</b>- booking a holiday so last minute and having it all run pretty smoothly is a great achievement. I didn't wallow (too much), feeling down about the places I'd missed on the interrail trip, I got a replacement booked and made it happen!<br />
<b>3. Getting the subway-</b> not something I would voluntarily do, I'd rather exhaust all other transport options first but I did it whilst away and even though it made me very uneasy, it was alright! I got on with it, didn't think about what I had to do and just got where I needed to be. It's still not my first choice of transport, nor is it anywhere near the top of the list but, I know I can do it if and when I have to!<br />
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<b>4. Doing a full workout in the gym at rush hour-</b> I never used to feel comfortable in the gym at all, let alone when it's crazy busy and thankfully, I've avoided those times and find myself not worrying too much... until the other day when there were people everywhere I looked and all I wanted to do was to disappear and hide. With no music to block people out, my mum and I did a decent workout together and for the most part, I managed to ignore the people around me or at least push them to the back of my mind. That's not something I would have been able to do a few years ago!<br />
<b>5. Balancing aspects of my life</b>- as guilty as I feel about not doing enough of something, be it being at uni, being at home, working... whatever, I've actually started to realise I have a pretty good balance going on. Although I don't have uni to contend with at the moment, generally I manage to balance the aspects and see people as much as I can even if it doesn't always feel that way (please remember this Steph so you don't work yourself up in the future).<br />
<b>6. Running a blog and YouTube channel on top of everything else in life</b>- it may not always seem much of a job but if people can do it as a full time career, there must be a decent amount of work to go into it and there is... a time consuming, sometimes stressful project, especially when life gets busy and uni and work take priority but you know what, I manage to keep it going (even if I miss an upload or two). I may not upload the most frequently or have the biggest following but I do pretty darn well to keep both going to as high a standard as I can at this stage and love the support I get from those around me virtually and physically.<br />
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<b>7. Climbing the hill in Budapest on my own</b>- I'm not the most confident person when it comes to heights and although I love the likes of Go Ape and activities with a harness, most heights send my head in a spin (literally; it just doesn't seem to agree with my body). <i>Si</i><i>de note: I do love winter sports despite the fear so maybe I just need adrenalin and a distraction to ease my mind</i>! Whilst I tend to give things a go where possible, sometimes things are very out of my comfort zone and require peer encouragement, so the fact I climbed up the hill (sorry, I have no idea what 'the hill' is called) to see the statue and the view of the city on my own is amazing! A small achievement but deserving of my own recognition.<br />
<b>8. Beating my own gym targets-</b> I love those moments when I lift a heavier weight, do more reps, hold something for longer or beat my time... any of these however small the difference may be, prove to both myself and others what I can do. I like having the opportunity to get competitive with myself (and mum when appropriate) to challenge myself more and give me the motivation to go that bit further. Most recently, I beat my 5km cycle time which I never thought I'd manage (8m38s for anyone wondering and so I can remember for next time!)!<br />
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<b>9. Work placement at the Nottingham Post-</b> I learnt so much there and enjoyed experiencing the workroom, shadowing journalists and seeing the things I've learnt come to life. It's also the home of my first shared by-line, which I'm very pleased about.<br />
<b>10. Living a fairly healthy lifestyle-</b> for the most part, I'm fairly active, I eat healthily, I drink a lot of water, I don't drink alcohol much and generally, I look after my health. Of course, I have unhealthy or less healthy things sometimes and don't always stick to a gym routine but I try my best and where possible, I do a lot to look after my body and in turn, look after my health.<br />
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I hope this has been a nice positive post and a reminder to give yourself credit where credit's due. Big or small, there are so many achievements to be proud of. I would love to see you create a 'self-recognition' list of your own or at least, leave a comment with something you've done recently that you're proud of. I'd love to spread the positivity and share the positive experience with as many of you as possible! If you do do a post then let me know as I'd love to check it out!<br />
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Just to let you know, I uploaded a video yesterday all about my moving out experience and the challenge it posed including, my tips and advice for dealing with homesickness/emotional struggles regarding moving out. If you want to hear about that or think it might help you, you can find <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w" target="_blank">my YouTube channel here</a> or can watch the video down below!<br />
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If you enjoyed this post and want to see more from me, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Thank you for reading this post!<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-69192191246242079292017-09-14T17:00:00.000+01:002017-09-14T17:00:06.670+01:00Verona: Boutique of Molly Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A new season is approaching (if you haven't heard that enough yet) and I for one am very excited! With the forthcoming change in season, it seemed appropriate to treat myself to a new bag, especially one that looks perfect for the colder months!<br />
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<a href="https://www.boutiqueofmolly.com/" target="_blank">Boutique of Molly</a> recently released 4 new bags, all of which are gorgeous and can be checked out <a href="https://www.boutiqueofmolly.com/new-in" target="_blank">here</a>! The only down side is that it made deciding which to get a difficult task and although I do own a lot of black bags, I don't own any quite like '<a href="https://www.boutiqueofmolly.com/product-page/verona" target="_blank">Verona</a>' and it just seemed to jump out at me, screaming for me to pick it. Perhaps I'll purchase another when I have some extra cash to splash but for now, I am very happy with this one!<br />
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The black box shape design with gold detailing looks edgy but elegant and can successfully jazz up any outfit.<br />
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Inside, it has a zipped pocket as well as a slip pocket so you've still got the opportunity to separate items! The clasp on the exterior works by pushing the two circles together to release the clasp (I struggled to work this out myself but I'm sure that was just me being silly and most others can use their common sense to work this out!)<br />
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I feel as though this bag along with my boots and a red lip could become my staple, especially as Christmas approaches... yes I did just mention the C word! Big enough to fit your necessities but small enough to take out in an evening, it makes the perfect Autumn/Winter accessory.<br />
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If you want to treat yourself to 'Verona' or any other BOM purchase, you can use the code 'STEPH20' to get 20% off.<br />
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Let me know what you think of the new BOM bags, especially if you decide to get one! I hope you enjoyed this post, if you did and want to see more, you can follow my social media links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Thank you for reading this post!<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3825899546542849281.post-83448516828667054612017-09-05T17:00:00.000+01:002017-09-05T17:00:05.835+01:00Things don't always go to plan...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As some of you may be aware, about a month ago I set off on an adventure of a lifetime, one I'd been nervous, terrified and most significantly, excited about. Sadly, things didn't quite go to plan and a week later I found myself on a flight back home. As I mentioned on my twitter, I just wanted to explain a bit about what happened and what I plan/hope to do going forward.<br />
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I had planned an interrailing trip with my cousin, starting in Amsterdam, stopping at Vienna, Budapest, Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rijeka, Verona, Lake Garda, Munich and Interlaken before finishing the trip in Paris... a lot to see and do in 3 weeks!<br />
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Unfortunately, my cousin hadn't been feeling well on the trip and whilst in Budapest, it was decided the best option was to come home. We played around with other possibilities but under the circumstances, things were proving too difficult to arrange and as our parents were in Budapest that weekend, it seemed sensible to fly back with them.<br />
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Fortunately, my best friend was amazing in ensuring I got to go away again, especially as I'd not seen Italy, which was top of my bucket list out of anywhere in the world, and we managed to book a last minute trip to Sorrento. It was the perfect place to go for the Italian streets, authentic food and great culture I had been after and although I missed out on Lake Garda, I am grateful for the area I did see and plan to go back for the rest! I never considered the history of the area as an interest to me but as I heard and saw bits about it, my mind soon changed and I found myself intrigued, wanting to learn more. Not to mention, the food was even more delicious than I'd hoped!<br />
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Proud</h4>
I'm so proud of the things I did do whilst out there, especially the day I wandered around Budapest and enjoyed seeing all of the sites I wanted to see, without relying on a map or anybody else. There were so many small challenges that I faced that may seem insignificant to some but to me, showed me that I can just get on with things and push myself out of my comfort zone, without too much outward worrying/complaining. Furthermore, I'm so happy I visited Budapest as it's not somewhere I'd have prioritised had I not managed to go, but has now become one of my favourite places and is somewhere I'd recommend to all! I'm disappointed I didn't get to see the other places but am determined to tick them off my list as soon as I can.<br />
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Missing Out</h4>
I had wanted to prove to myself that I could carry and live out of a backpack for three weeks, it was a fun challenge I'd set myself to make carrying that weight more worthwhile and to show what I could do (as weird as it is, I actually enjoyed it as well!). There are so many other opportunities I would have loved to make the most of, aside from the whole city exploring and train journeys, that some may not consider important but that I am sad to have missed out on- I suppose it just makes me more determined to make them happen another way.<br />
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I definitely get envious when I see people showing the memories/photos from their interrailing trip and start to feel a little sorry for myself but mostly I'm happy they had such a great time and have completed such a great adventure. It's definitely something I would recommend doing as it was amazing fun and some of my favourite moments were actually on the trains or other public transport... it's like nothing else you've done before. The things I expected to struggle with or not like, I actually ended up enjoying and finding more manageable than I ever imagined and I'm sure that's the same for others!<br />
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Obviously, we were both gutted and wish things had gone differently but I guess somethings aren't meant to be. It would have been amazing to see all the places we had planned to and to do some incredibly exciting things but there's little point dwelling, and every point in striding forwards, planning new trips to make up for it. I may have only done a week of the trip but it has definitely inspired me to want to travel more and to see more places!<br />
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I did film the part of the trip I did do, which is on my YouTube channel now so if you want to check that out, you can click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfx4YGIz_MQ" target="_blank">here</a> or watch it down below. I also have another part coming out tomorrow at 6pm, so if you don't want to miss that, make sure you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZtSPoGI7MqJeCR3Tu-q1w" target="_blank">subscribe while you're there</a>!<br />
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Have you ever been interrailing, if not, would you like to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you enjoyed this post and want to see more from me, you can follow me using the links in the top right-hand corner to see when I next upload. Thank you for reading this post.<br />
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Love, Steph xstephsalxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04587600705850230206noreply@blogger.com0