Happiness

"Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy"

Happiness is when you know you're finding yourself. Happiness is when you start mapping out priorities and you start to realise who you really are and who you really want to be. I spent last year at the opposite end of the spectrum from happiness. I spent last year drowning in misery and wishing I was someone else, wishing I could take back decisions I had made.

I've spent the last 3 months being happier than I have ever been. Not even content, just happy. I started to experience snippets of the life I want to have. I started doing things I love to do and enjoying myself, sparing the opinion of others. I've started to realise that we are on this earth only once, we only get one shot at this life, so why spend it so wrapped up in other peoples. I spent almost a year studying for a psychology exam which I bombed a few weeks ago because I stayed out until 3am the night before, and I'm okay with that. Because if anything, it taught me that you can fail at things, so if you're gonna invest your time into something it may as well be something you are having fun doing. I got to visit Australia and do things with one of my best friends that I would never have dreamed of doing, things that probably helped me decide who I want to be as a person. I got to travel around Europe with some of my best friends and make memories that will definitely last a life time. I stopped over thinking. Don't think about what is going to happen tomorrow, or next week. Don't think about what happened yesterday, or last month. Live for now. Right now. You are content, you are happy. Don't spoil it thinking about consequences.

Last year I felt embarrassed about things I had done and things I had said and I spent a lot of time wishing I could take back things. This year I've spent time with people who have showed me it's okay to be me. It's okay to sometimes snort when I laugh on front of boys, apparently they even find it cute. It's okay to pass out drunk at 10pm (kinda). It's completely okay to make a decision that you need to do to make YOU happy, even if it disrupts others. It's okay to like someone you shouldn't, because they make you laugh until your stomach hurts and you feel yourself around them. It's completely okay to dance like crazy, even when you know you can't dance. It's okay to do cartwheels down the corridor of a 5 star hotel. It's okay to walk around in your PJ's in a 5 star hotel ... (Jess). It's okay to break a car headlight cause hey, it makes good memories (Steph). And it's okay to leave people behind who are holding you down. It's okay to do stuff that makes YOU happy. Don't be scared, don't be embarrassed, don't feel guilty. Cause I'll tell you something... Happiness feels good :)

Do Or Die

"the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page"

Every single person is different. Everyone aspires to be someone that they're not. Some people have expectations too high and some have dreams too small. For me? Well, I aspire to be happy. When people ask me where I see myself in 5 years i genuinely don't know the answer. Not because I'm a "high school drop out" or because I've not thought about it, because trust me; all I do is think about it. However no matter how many times i rack my brain, I always have a different outcome. Which leaves me thinking maybe it's better not to know where you will be in 5 years. Maybe it's better to live spontaneously and stop thinking everything through. Maybe the reason for the overwhelming world depression is that nobody puts happiness before money. You can always make money. You can't always make memories. If you have a chance to go on an adventure just do it. Don't waste time thinking "What about work, how will I get time off". Nobody ever lay on their death beds thinking "Damn, I should have done those extra Saturday shifts."

As for me, well I'm 17. I'm not scared of what life holds for me. Plans can change quickly. 4 months ago I had no idea that I would be sat in Australia right now. I had no idea that me and one of my best friends would decide on a sudden 10 hour road trip from Melbourne to Sydney. I had no idea I would meet amazing people here and have such a realization about life. In the past few years I have made a few solo trips around the world. I visited California twice and explored with my best friend while making memories that will stay with me for life. And this year I have made the 24 hour trip to Australia while spending a full day exploring Dubai along the way. Seeing different cultures and different cities really opens your eyes to life. Life can be great. People can be happy. Don't be afraid to travel. Don't be scared to not know what life has planned for you. Don't be scared to stop doing something you're not happy with. Everything will work itself out. Every person was put on this earth to die. We only get one shot at this life. Do you want to spend it working every weekend or crying over uni coursework? Save. Save everything you have. Every penny. Stop buying those new clothes you don't need. Stop ordering take out every weekend. And buy a plane ticket. Travel is the only thing money can buy which makes you richer. During my trip to America I realised that the UK isn't the place for me. I don't want to live my whole life there. And this current trip to Australia is making me believe that even more. I love exploring new places. Not being a tourist but also being a nomad. Daring myself to do things and try things that I never would have before. After all, I may never get the chance again. When I get home from Australia I only have around a week before I jet off again to visit Amsterdam and Paris with some of the best girls I know, and I can't wait to see what that has in store.  There's an entire world of new possibilities and adventures out there. You just need to be brave enough to go find them. It's do or die. 

Chelsey. 

BOOTEA

Lately the hype about these "teatox's" has been overwhelming. Since the new year has started and I'm in the mood for getting that beach body I've been dreaming of, I decided to try one for myself. There are many teatox's on the market but the one I decided to try was Bootea. I decided to try the 14 day one to start out with. The prodict was around £20 + Postage but you can buy this from stores such as Boots or Holland & Barrat. The product comes in a box which contains 2 packets of tea bags. 

One small packet (the night time cleanse) and a large packet (everyday morning tea). So in the morning tea you get 14 teabags, you are supposed to drink this tea every singe morning with your breakfast. I think it tasted quite nice as I usually have a herbal tea in the morning anyway. In the night time cleanse packet you get 7 tea bags. You are to drink this one every second night right before bed. The night time cleanse is basically to detox your body.... so be close to a loo in the morning. 

While doing this teatox you are supposed to lead a healthy lifestyle, going to the gym and eating good food. However, I find it pretty difficult to eat healthy do instead I just reduced my portion sizes a little. I went to the gym twice a week for these 14 days, so 4 times in total. After about day 5 I started to notice results. My stomach was less round and bloated and felt tighter. The tea is super easy to use as it isn't time consuming, it's simply a cup of tea in the morning and a cup of tea each second night. The morning tea also gave me a burst of energy and made me feel more awake and healthy, which is always good. The morning tea also suppresses your appetite which means you aren't as hungry as usual. 

At the end of the 14 days I thought my stomach was much flatter than at the beginning of the two weeks. I lost 6lbs in total! I also lost almost an inch from my waist. I am very happy with my results and would recommend this tea to anyone who is looking for a quick-fix flatter stomach. My before and after picture is below :) 

I don't know why I look so pale in the second photo, weird lighting... eeek. 

Feel free to ask any questions you may have about this tea! 

Chelsey x

Year Of Growth.

Okay so 2014 is almost over. Everyone is making their plans for NYE, and jotting down the same resolutions as every other year : lose weight, save money, blah blah blah. For 2015 I'm only going to have two resolutions : Care less about what people think and be happy. 2014 has been the best year of my life so far. It has been the quickest year of my life. It has been the most eventful year of my life. It has been my happiest year but also my saddest. However, most of all, it is the year where I have learned so much more about life. Compared to what I knew at this point last year, I now know everything. But compared to what I'm going to know at this point next year... I now know nothing. This is something I wish i had learned a lot earlier on in life... that we continue to learn and we continue to grow. Last December, when I was my naive 16 year old self, I thought I knew everything about life. I thought I was this smarty pants teen who had love all figured out and held the key to happiness. I have never been so wrong.
In 2014 I learned that people get jealous. People get jealous and they try to bring you down any way they can. I learned that maybe in school you were only friends with those people because you saw them 5 times a week. I learned how to deal with being alone for a while, I learned how to meet new people that make me happy, I learned how to gather enough confidence to go for job interviews and I learned about trust, lust and hurting. These are all also things I wish i knew earlier.
Back to my resolutions: Care less about what people think. So just like some lies are better left uncovered, some truths are better left untold. (This is where shit gets cheesy deep). So this year, among the growing and learning, I managed to get myself into this situation. Lets call it Situation A. And this situation literally turned my life on it's head. I had just left school at the time, I was spending literally almost every single day with my non-school friends. But this situation changed all that, before it was even over it made me lose the relationship I had with one of my best friends. It made us lose contact for a while, and even when we started speaking again it was never the same. It made me start talking to anew group of girls who I now also consider my closest friends. It made me learn how to defend myself, it taught me about who to trust, how to trust and how to be trusted. It taught me that guys are dickheads (which I already knew). Most of all it taught me how to lie. This is where my 2015 resolution grew from. I learned how to lie, so that people wouldn't think badly of me. So people wouldn't judge me. So people wouldn't try to be my friend for false reasons. I learned to lie so well to the point that I started to believe it myself. But also to the point where I would lie in my bed wide awake at 5am worrying that maybe someone would figure it out if I slipped up. I got myself so worked up over this, I let it ruin friendships and all because I cared too much about what people think. So in 2015, that's not going to happen anymore :)
Resolution 2: Be Happy. Sounds easy right? Well everyone knows it's not quite as simple. But why not? Why can't it be that simple? This year I'm gonna give it a try! Im going to stop over thinking things that I can't do anything about. I'm going to stop stressing over decisions that dont need to be made for another few years. Im just going to try and free myself from as much negativity as possible and BE HAPPY. I think my 2 resolutions link together quite well. If I care less about what people think then I will be happier. As well as, if I'm happy in myself I will care less about what people think.
I hope all you guys can try and have resolutions this year that isn't to do with wealth or physical appearance, but how you can improve yourself in other ways that will make your life easier and happier all round :)

Very Merry Christmas!

So Christmas has now been and gone. I'm about 8 stone heavier and I've managed to stuff my stomach beyond capacity with roast potatoes and chocolate! For the first time in forever I actually managed to have a stress free Christmas where there wasn't a single family argument!

Sadly, I know maybe everyone's Christmases weren't as great, with the accident that happened in Glasgow only days ago all of the affected were in our hearts as we sat round the table greatful that we could all even be there. 

Hope you all got the stuff on your Christmas lists and a kiss under the mistletoe (does that even happen in real life?) I finally got my new laptop and some super cute items from my family. And.... (drumroll please.....) I BOOKED MY FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA! Yes, so on March 26th I'm jetting off to visit one of my best friends in Melbourne and I'll be gone for a full month! (Finally) However due to the flight connecting at Dubai I will be staying there for a night by myself, which I'm a little scared about but also very very excited! I honestly can't wait to go on this adventure and I'll be trying to post every day during it (with lots of pictures) to show you guys what I'm doing and hopefully I don't get eaten by a spider. 

 What did you guys all get for Christmas and did yous have a good one?

December Favourites

So Christmas is fast approaching, most of the gift-buying is done and Santa has received all his lists :) This year I am so proud of myself as I am so prepared for Christmas, I only have 2 gifts left to get. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? 

Anyway, amongst the mist of festive cheer and gift-buying I have managed to pick up a few things for myself which have made it into my December favourites list! This list varies from beauty products to candles to music choices. When you have finished reading let me know if you guys have got anything this month that you love!

Cosmetic Lad Moisturiser (£12.50/ Lush)
Okay, so the first item on my list is this moisturiser from Lush (yes I might love it a little bit more than I should because I work there but it is amazing!) It was originally made for guys (as the name suggests) but trust me it works just as fab on girls! This is an amazing choice for winter as its an incredibly balancing moisturiser which nourishes the dry patches on your skin. It has super gentle ingredients which calm and soothe the skin such as aloe vera and lavender honey water. Honey is an antiseptic which means as well as moisturising your skin you're also helping prevent breakouts! It also contains Marigold which is insanely good at getting rid of any redness!  AND if all that wasn't enough to convince you... IT SMELLS LIKE TERRY'S CHOCOLATE ORANGE. All of this makes it a sure December favourite for me.

White & Gold Deer Wrapping Paper (£1.50 per sheet/ Paperchase)
This one might seem a little random but I frikin love wrapping presents and trying to make them look as pretty as possible and when I seen this wrapping paper I just had to buy it! It is a little pricey at £1.50 per sheet, especially when 95% of my gifts are wrapped in it this year, but it's totally worth it for the sheer satisfaction of looking at your perfect gift afterwards. Please believe me when I say this photo does it no justice at all. 

Christmas Eve Bubble Bar (£2.95/ Lush)
Okay, yes it's from Lush again but its awesome. This bubble bar gives me the most relaxing bath ever! It creates major bubbly goodness and has scents that just relax your muscles and send you to sleep like jasmine absolute and ylang ylang oil, it's also super gentle on the skin and makes you feel silky smooth when you come out, which is always a bonus! This is also a Vegan product which makes it even more special. This one would make a great little gift or stocking filler for someone who loves Lush or just wants to relax after Christmas day.

Candy Cane Lane Yankee Candle (£16.99 for medium) 
This is the most sweet Christmas-y scent you will ever experience, it turns your room into Santa's Grotto! Not to mention the glass jar adds a cute homely feel to any room. This candle's scents are peppermint-y with a sweetness over it, reminding me of Christmas when I was in primary school and we would get to take in sweeties on our last day. However, all Yankee Candles Christmas Collection smells amazing, not just this one!

Ayvan Off Shoulder Knitted Jumper Dress Black (£21.99/ Missguided)

This jumper is my favourite colour (black) and I love the fit of it. As I'm quite tall it's usually hard to find a nice baggy jumper that doesn't make me look like a Christmas Pudding, but this one does the job! As its off the shoulder I will be able to wear it again in summer and at the beach as a cover up when I go on holiday. I'm currently waiting on my thigh high boots to get delivered and I cant wait because I know they will look amazing with this sweater! It comes down to just under my bum and is super cosy, it looks great with jeans, tights and especially just on its own!

Taylor Swift Christmas Album
This will be no surprise to anyone who knows me. What could make Christmas songs more amazing other than Taylor Swift singing them? I have this album on repeat all throughout the year not just at Christmas time. But at least around Christmas I can force others to listen too! My favourite song on the album is Santa Baby.

Are any of you guys finished your shopping yet or do you prefer to leave it till last minute? 

EW PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

As a student and part-time worker, I spend around 90% of my life going from A to B on public transport, and you know what? It sucks!

After using buses and trains almost every day for the last 10 years I have managed to compile my hatred for public transport into four short points. Because it wouldn't actually be so bad if all of the passengers just behaved like normal fucking humans.

Reasons Public Transport Sucks Ass.  

1. The smell: I do not understand why or how every single bus in the Glasgow area smells like piss. This again relates to the idea of the other passengers not behaving normally because clearly, at some point in time, someone has pissed them self on this bus. Therefore making the 45 minute long journey to work in the morning a lot more unpleasant than need be. If it's not the smell of piss it's food? Not the smell of a lovely chocolate pastry on the bus oh no, it's someone who has chosen to sit right beside you eating the smelliest tuna sandwich they could find or the strongest packet of cheese and onion crisps. 

2. The noise: Oh dear lord the noise. If it isn't the insistent smacking of food in your ear it's a child crying their eyes out or a mother loudly trying to console them. It's teenage boys and girls and their shrieky goosebump provoking overly loud laughs coming from the back of the bus. Worst of all- the music players. I sit on the bus/ train with my earphones in enjoying my latest music purchase to then be interrupted by some individual strutting onto the bus wearing their finest tracksuit and playing the latest bass hunter song through the speakers on his phone. Like, excuse me, you see what I'm doing here? You see these little things in my ears? They're called headphones and I use them (mainly so people don't know I'm secretly listening to Britney Spears) so that my music choice isn't an annoyance and inconvience like you're being right now. 

3. The creeps: especially on nighttime journeys there always has to be some creepy guy who decides that you are the chosen one to hear his life story which you literally couldn't care less for, as your main focus is his alcohol scented breath being so close to your face. There's always the guy who has a few teeth missing who moves to sit beside you and says you're "the most beautiful lassie he has ever seen". Please people, let us endure our journey home without being creeped on. 

4. The time it takes: Trains are not so guilty of this one. Buses however, let's hope you're never in a hurry if you're travelling by bus. Actually, it seems the later you are, the longer the bus will take. If you're in a rush there is no doubt that the bus will stop at every single stop and the passengers will take what seems like forever to retrieve their money from their purses. A 15 minute journey can easily needlessly turn into an hour. 

So what about you guys? Do yous hate public transport just as much? What's your least favourite thing about it?