HOW TO BATTLE THE WINTER BLUES

I definitely identify as more of a winter person than a summer person, I would pick the cold over the hot any day of the week, but the one thing I cannot stand about winter is the severe and chronic lack of daylight in my life during these cold months. I love scarves, a brisk breeze, I live for jumpers but waking up to a dark day and coming home to a darker night is awful. I notice a genuine dip in my mood and energy to the point where I just want to curl up and hibernate in my bed only venturing out for food and hot baths. Of course, this is not possible. Like with most things you have to just get on with it, so here are some of the things that help me when I am feeling particularly blue during this time of year. I hope you find something that helps you, let me know in the comments below if you struggle with the shorter days as well and share your tips and tricks. 

Annual Leave If you work and find this time of year to be a hardship, be smart about how you use your annual leave. I like to save at least a week so I can use it in November or January where I am starting to feel really sluggish. A week away from work allows me time to recharge. I love to go to different places, so I could use it for an impromptu trip or just for some rest and relaxation. 

Maximise your daylight I try to go out during my lunch breaks for a walk, this gives me an extra half hour of daylight and like I said I actually quite enjoy cold weather if it is manageable. I also try to keep my curtains or blinds open during the day as much as possible. 

Spoil yourself As mentioned, there are plenty of things I love about winter, including but not limited to winter clothing staples. I like to buy a new coat and scarf as well as new boots every winter. I adore candles, hot baths and being swamped in soft fluffy blankets while I read or write. To keep the blues away do more of what you enjoy within reason. I love to do face masks and I especially love the instant warming clay masks, they feel so good this time of year. 

Let there be light This isn't something I have done, but most people's favourite thing about winter is Christmas. In my house, we only have Christmas decorations in the living room and I think next year I will try and decorate my own room so I can feel more of the festive cheer. Pick up a small Christmas tree, I am sure TK Maxx have loads - which will be reduced come Boxing Day rejoice! - and some LED lights. You can wind the lights on your shelves, curtain rails, desks or your mirror. If LED lights aren't your thing, candles are always a magical way to brighten up your room and you get to choose the smell. I picked up some festive candles from Primark recently and I will be burning vanilla and apple spice tonight to get myself in the Christmas Eve mood. 

Alarm clock There are some really great alarm clocks out there that wake you up by simulating sunlight. I think this is a really cool concept especially if you struggle to wake up in the mornings like myself. I am one of those people that have ten alarms on every morning. I haven't tried one myself, but I know Lumie is a well-known brand that does such alarm clocks which you can find on Amazon. 

Be productive Inevitably, in the winter time when you're not out and about at holiday parties you spend a lot more time in doors. It is a good idea to be a bit more productive and set aside time to get round to emails, completing job applications, writing letters or organising the home. All the things you wanted to do in 2019 but hadn't got around to, well now is the time. It will give you a sense of accomplishment and a boost to your self-esteem to have achieved something. Winter is a great time to set your affairs in order so you enter the new year with a clear mind, home and inbox. 

Charity This time of year is a great time for giving - is there ever a bad time? - especially around Christmas there are usually so many charity drives that you can get involved with. I know filling shoe boxes with gifts is a regular Christmas charity occurrence, this year my work donated a bunch of items for new parents and other charity organisations give warm clothing and blankets out to the homeless. Similar to the last recommendation, giving to those less fortunate or in need of certain things can keep you busy and occupied and also provides you with a sense of achievement and accomplishment and keeps your mind occupied. Christmas can be a difficult time for many, so keeping your mind occupied can be a serious struggle during the holidays.  

Read Not everyone enjoys reading, but I really do, there are so many classics on my list still for me to read. I just finished reading Sea of Strangers by Lang Leav and I am currently reading The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway which I have been wanting to read for ages. I actually received a hardback copy of the book a few years ago. For those of us that do not like reading there are always audiobooks or podcasts. There are many podcasts I enjoy and listen to regularly, Case File is my absolute favourite but All in the Mind is a great thought provoking podcast about lived experience of mental illness. 

Photo via @heyclaire on Instagram, I read the book on my iPhone. Highly recommend.

Learn For me personally, I love to learn and I have an innate fear of forgetting everything I have learned so I have made a conscious effort to dig out my old textbooks and read a chapter when I am feeling bored. This helps me learn and gives me ideas of different topics to research but also sparks memories of when I learned the same topics in a lecture or seminar. I really like the site Future Learn as well, it is a great free site where you can sign up to courses you like the look of and even interact and discuss with other users. They cover so many topics. 

I hope you found this post helpful, I definitely need to take my own advice and I have been trying to do more of the things I enjoy and love over the past few weeks. It can be difficult at times, Christmas can be such a crazy time of year that it feels like you never get a moment to breathe so I try to carve out as much time as possible for myself just to relax and do things I like. Hope you all have a great Christmas, leave a comment sharing what you do to beat the winter blues or if indeed you don't feel blue at all let me know down below. Thank you for reading. Take care. 

Do you get down in the Winter time? 

Love ❤

Kiran

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*This post is not sponsored. Images are credited to their rightful owner, images not credited are either stock images or taken by myself. 

SEPTEMBER GOALS

We are already a week into September, notably I feel very different to how I feel typically would feel at the start of a new month which is the predictable *gasp* where has the time gone *shocked expression*. This year, much like last year, has been a complete mixed bag and I have been taking it day by day let alone month by month, and I am ready to move on, every new day, new month, new year is a chance of a fresh start and the potential for things to get much much better. I haven't done a goals post in a while and I find helps me to stay on track and focus on yourself especially when there is a lot going on for you. I am currently in Japan, most likely severely jetlagged. I am frantically trying to get some posts in queue before I fly so I don't feel severely disappointed in myself, really sorry if these suck by the way. 

1. Be present. This is something I am sure many people struggle with but I do want to try and enjoy every day and every moment in their own right. Sometimes, I can become fixated on the future, what might happen, what has already happened and know in my heart of hearts that the best thing to do is just live for the now. I start a new job in October and to be quite honest  I am bricking it. So the best thing to do is enjoy what is happening right now, the job I have, the people I love, the good and the bad, worry about tomorrow when it comes. If you worry about something before it happens you put yourself through the same stress twice. Save yourself the stress. 

2. Be open to trying new things. I am lucky enough to be spending a fortnight in Japan and I want to squeeze every last drop of it and have no regrets. I am not going there with a concrete plan of course we have an itinerary of sorts and we have key places to explore but I am so excited to get Lost in Japan (Shawn Mendes reference - not sorry). 

3. Healthy is happy. I have bad eating habits, particularly when it comes to sweet food and I want to get back on track to eating a healthier, balanced diet with less meat. I am going to make a conscious effort do this and to incorporate more exercise into my daily routine. 

4. Friendships. Friends save your life, I have gained and lost friends every year so I want to make a conscious effort to keep people that add to my life in my life even if it is in a really small way, like an email or a quick text. As I mentioned, I am leaving my job and it would mean a lot to me to be able to remain in touch even for a brief while with some of the great people I have met there. In a way it gives me that sense of validation that I am worth knowing and not that easy to throw away, I can take broken friendships personally and it does hurt my feelings to feel like I am not worth knowing to people that I genuinely care about and enjoy spending time with - I would be happy to do a post on this if it is something people might relate to?

5. Blog my little heart out. I definitely want to keep the blogging momentum going, it sounds stupid, but I think it is good for my self-esteem and helps keep me motivated and engaged in my life. I definitely want to do some posts on Japan, I really miss doing my travel posts I have been to so many amazing places in the last few years like Amalfi Coast, Jordan, Marbella, Berlin etc. that it is such a shame that I don't have a post to commemorate them. 

Five small, hopefully achievable, goals. Nothing too crazy. There are other things on my mind too, like saving money and not overspending. I can go crazy in the pasta aisle at Sainsbury's during my lunch break and I definitely need to calm down. Please check back in for a post in a few days, I have a bunch of foundation reviews to post but want to make sure I am back on British soil so I can do them when I am not in a rush and am able to take photos properly etc. Thank you so much for reading, I will see you in the next post which will be in a week so Sunday, so come back then. Leave a comment below sharing your goals for September, I would love to read them. Take care. 

What are your goals for September? 

Love ❤

Kiran

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MAY FAVOURITES | MUSIC

I cannot believe May is basically over, June is going to be one hell of a month. I do intend on completing a beauty favourites post but in the meantime let's chill out and share some music I have been listening to lately. I have been slacking massively on the blog front, honestly I am just so scared of getting blocked off most social media platforms that I do minimal promoting these days so if you found this post wow I really don't know how you got here but . . .  welcome! 

Weirdly most of my favourite songs at present I discovered through the Billboard Music Awards. The first one is Maren's My Church which is the opening song of the medley Kelly Clarkson opened with (see video above). I love Kelly Clarkson she reminds me of my angsty youth and if you didn't know I am a fan of country music well the cat is out of the bag now. I love country music, not all, just some. My music tastes tend to be music with lyrics. Before you ask I am not religious and I am definitely not Christian and I also could care less about the use of "church", "Hallelujah" and "Amen". I like what I like *shrugs shoulders*. But of course it's not everyone's cup of tea and I completely respect that. 

Next is Fall in Line by the dynamic duo and two of my favourites Xtina (yes I just didn't want to look up how to spell her last name) and Demi Lovato. This song took a while to grow on me, when I first saw the lyric video on YouTube and listened I was impressed by the vocals but didn't really care for the song. Seeing them perform it at the Billboard Awards was really powerful and damn Christina has some serious stage presence. This is a song I can easily play on repeat, it's empowering and meaningful and happens to be a great song to both get ready and pack to.

Shawn Mendes and Khalid collaborated on Youth which I believe was a response to the school shootings happening in America and a stance on gun violence. It's a beautiful hopeful song. Shawn Mendes, Khalid too, can do no wrong in my eyes. They are both great artists and the song is very well executed. A great song to listen to when you are staring sadly out the window on a London bus.

Another sad song, for me at least, is Kesha and Macklemore's The Good Old Days. I love this song and it almost always makes me want to bawl my eyes out. Recently I started a new placement as part of my degree and it has been sincerely eye-opening. Every day I meet people who are dealing with problems way outside of my wheelhouse and as you know I have been struggling a little over the past year and recent events have made it clear to me that to appreciate what you have in the moment is all you can do. Happiness and sadness can be fleeting and just as things can get better things can get worse too. I know people always say you're not going to feel like this forever and there will be a day where it gets better but equally there could be a day where it gets worse and you pray for this day where it was bad but not so bad, do you know what I mean? I hope that made sense. I think after Kesha's public legal battle with her manager everyone sees her in a different light. I view her music very differently now, I don't know if that's wrong or right but this song is damn good.

Fifth Harmony's Don't Say You Love Me is a classic easy listening ballad. Surprised I like anything from them since Camilla left but this is actually really good. The melodies are on point and it is a song I can easily listen to on repeat. I usually have about five songs that I listen to over and over again and this fits perfectly in that limited playlist.

On a more upbeat note Ann-Marie's 2002 is just the cutest song ever, I love every song she pays homage to and it makes me think of dancing in my living room when I was eight and watching all those iconic music videos. Such a great nostalgic song which makes me want to buy Hubba Bubba and find an Avril Lavigne album. The video is super cute and fun too.

Zedd, Grey and Maren Morris came out with The Middle which is a song that I just know I will love forever. It suits every mood that I am in, and few songs can do that. I was surprised that the same Maren Morris that sings My Church is featured on this song but also appreciate her versatility.

The Vamps were a band I thought I would never return to after about 2014 but no their latest song Hair Too Long is a song that I instantly liked. It's fun, a little childish and catchy. It's a song I walk faster too and it literally brightens my day. Songs that make me want to smile are just as important as sad songs. It's all about balance.

Yet another unlikely return is Jesse McCartney, I will forever be a big advocate for Beautiful Soul, it is a masterpiece fight me if you wish, his new song Better With You is just incredibly sweet. No one does sweet better than Jesse even though his hair is no longer boy band blonde I still dig this song a lot. 

A song I listen to when I have to be social is Ru Paul's Call Me Mother, it's one of the only songs in the world that actually makes me feel like dancing in high heels. It is a great song and is my go to song for going to work as it instantly uplifts me and gets me to work twice as fast. Nothing much has changed, I am still almost always late to work despite living so close so this is a lifesaver. I also like to listen to this after I have listened to a lot of sad songs, again balance. The choreography videos on YouTube for this song are insane as well, definitely worth a watch.

Finally, and a little random, let's round off with another country song. This time by Carrie Underwood and it's called Church Bells. I am obsessed with songs that tell a story and this is like a movie in three minutes, I love the lyrics and I can't help but sing along every time. It is my go to song when I want time to move faster i.e. when I am on a long walk or when I am in a low mood.

In total that's 11 songs that I have started listening to over the past month. I would love to know what songs you have been listening to and loving, no matter the genre, please share in the comments below. Things are totally  crazy over here but I am going to do my best to keep posting throughout the wedding madness. Thank you so much for reading, don't forget to comment. Take care.

What songs are you into right now?

Love ❤

Kiran

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HAPPY NEW YEAR | 2018 RESOLUTIONS

2017 was a bit all over the place and I honestly have a good feeling next year. My sister is getting married, I will have finished my MSc. It is going to be a damn good year, I am telling you, I feel it in my bones. But truthfully this year was a bit of a shitshow for me. I learned a lot about myself and I had to adjust and adapt numerous times. I travelled alone for the first time in my life and loved it. I have made more money blogging this year than any other year and I started uploading, albeit sporadically, on YouTube which has been a goal of mine for fucking-ever. I think I am growing as a person and I am truly excited to see where this year takes me. I wish you all a blissfully happy, healthy and prosperous new year. For all of you who have read even one of my posts, clicked on a link, commented on any of my social medias, asked me a question on Snapchat, supported me in times of stress thank you from the bottom of my tiny heart. You are a piece of joy in my life. I am more open and candid here than I have ever been, I hope this helps you and thank you for being there for me even when I couldn't be bothered to post. It has meant more than I can express.

FUCK INSECURITIES

This is my biggest one and my main challenge this year. I worry about so much, a lot of you most likely can relate. Nothing is good enough. I go to bed feeling like a failure because I am not where I want to be at the age of 23. I am incredibly hard on myself which leeches the enjoyment out of my life. There is so much I want to do and I am angry with myself for letting myself down time and time again by not having the balls to do it. I filmed my first YouTube video on my Sony laptop (RIP Toby) in first year at 18 years old and instantly deleted it. If I could go back in time and strangle myself I would, imagine if I had kept at it. Five years later I would be much better and not such a novice. Regrets are pointless now so I want to make this a year of doing. I want to start filming for YouTube and creating and posting makeup looks even though I know I am nowhere close to the talent all of you seen online. Instead of saying why them say why not me? You need to be your own cheerleader it is as simple as that. The world waits for no-one and we could all die tomorrow so suck it up and live for today. 

STOP MAKING EXCUSES

My biggest strength is my ability to procrastinate, but my biggest lesson this year is that I am in charge of my own life. It is all me. Every mistake, regret and achievement has been of my own doing (with a little help, of course, I am not a narcissist). I put off making videos because I wanted them to be perfect, I wanted that picturesque background, than $2000 Canon camera with a Sigma lens, a tripod, a Diva ring light and studio panels. The whole works. Well, I don't have the space for that and I don't want to spend a small fortune on something I might not stick with. Everybody starts somewhere but you have to put the work in. Same goes for my studies and my career goals. I plan to work in a very competitive field but I am a determined person, I know this. I know I can do it. So why do I keep making excuses and putting off tasks that will help be the person I want to be? Fear. Well, fuck fear. Fear has done fuck all for me. So it is time to make it all happen. And it starts with you. 

HONESTY

It is hard for me to write this because I am a private person and I have this awkward fear about people seeing or knowing too much about me, like it gives them this irreversible power. It’s irrational and it stems a lot from past relationships and friendships, I have regretted opening up to people in the past and right now at this stage in my life I am just tired. I am tired of pretending I am okay all the time and worrying about what I say as it might give people ammunition against me in the future. I don’t like people very much and that is never going to change. Honesty is something I admire the most in the people I surround myself with and I am too cautious and wary to be able to get the most out of my friendships. I don’t have time for people who don’t have time for the truth. I am lucky to have cultivated some great friendships this year which I hope last my lifetime. They have inspired me as in such a short space of time I learnt so much about them, the darkest and brightest times of their lives and their families and friends and I opened up almost immediately and felt truly liberated. I want all my friendships to be like that. So that is a key goal of mine to be more honest with the people in my life because it has been a mixed bag of a year and I honestly don’t know why I am so afraid to talk to people when I am struggling. As someone who wants a career in mental health I am a bit of a hypocrite. Maybe a lot.

GRATITUDE

Leading on from the last goal, this has been a tough year for me. I can’t put my finger on why exactly but I have struggled a lot. Irrationally so. The uncertainty of my future feels like this impossible weight around my neck and I am scared all the time. I let my fear dictate what I do so I feel limited in what I can achieve which is why it is imperative that I do my utmost to achieve the first goal I mentioned. Gratitude is one of the key things psychologists have correlated to happiness. Those who list what they are thankful for daily are likely to feel happier with their life.  I have a lot to be grateful for. Not all of you know that I work in a hospital when I am home from London, I work in Histology during the week and on the wards at the weekends for patient contact experience. In a way I have never really thought about it before even though I was always aware of it I am so infinitely grateful for what I have. For all the suffering I have been spared in my life. For my health, my home, my parents, my family. All the love, safety and security that exists in my daily life is priceless. So many people don’t have that. So many people from the second they are born are dealt such a shit hand and I have seen this in front of my eyes. I am thankful there are people that care in the world. I am thankful for the NHS and for the people that work on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, not because of the extra money but because they can see the bigger picture. Imagine needing to go to hospital on Christmas, or having to call the police or experiencing some other emergency. It would be unbelievably shit, wouldn’t it? So the least I can do is be there for the people that have had their day ruined beyond belief. I see patients that don’t get a single member of their family come to visit them and it breaks my fucking heart. I am so lucky. And I want to remember that every day of my life. You don’t appreciate what you have until it is gone and that is the sad and simple truth. If you don’t have a cold or the flu right now take a big deep breath, if you can walk, run and fix yourself a sandwich marvel at the ability and amazingness your body is capable of. I am not saying you should live every second kissing the ground appreciative of the breath you are given but just feel it in your heart that you have something many people don’t. It’s a short life but if you experience a little bit of the beauty this world and the people in it have to offer it can be a glorious one. 

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

I made a lot of impulse purchases last year for no real reason. I bought Juvia’s Place Eyeshaodw Palettes and the Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Palette all from US sites when if I had just waited and bided my time I could have saved myself a shit tonne of cash. I paid add-on shipping fees and custom fees shelling out a lot of money when both brands and products came to Beauty Bay in a matter of months. The idea behind it was I wanted to review it on my blog and YouTube channel but feeling so stupid when Beauty Bay announced both products were coming to them I felt too ashamed and too frivolous to bring myself to open the palettes. I am a master at self-berating. So this year I want to be patient and wait before making impulsive decisions. I think that will make me mentally healthier in the long run and would do my bank balance some good in the process as well.

BE MORE SAVVY

I love products, I love beauty. I want to try it all. No matter the price or the ingredients list and although I am selective when it comes to what I try out as the beauty industry is so saturated at the moment with new brands and new releases happening every day I could be better. I am already partially doing this, but over the last two years I have realised that the profit margins on these products that we are eating up like candy are astronomical. So instead of giving up my hard-earned money for an £80 face cream I am going to look at the ingredients and see if I can try and find a cheaper alternative or formulate something myself. I highly recommend a lot of you do this, especially with skincare. It is the active ingredients that do the most work and if you can figure out what they are you can purchase them at a health store and add them to your moisturiser and reap the benefits whilst saving yourself a lot of money. One example is the MV Organics Pure Jojoba Seed Oil, this is exactly what it says. There is just one ingredient in here and that is pure jojoba seed oil which you can purchase for £5.49 for 50ml compared to the £30 bottle they sell on Cult Beauty. 

There are of course other resolutions on my list like losing weight, exercising more, eating better (yawn, I know) and also wearing earrings and just generally being less of a tit this year. Thank you so much for reading this a ridiculously long post but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. Thank you all for everything you have done for yourselves this year. I have had people reach out to me when I feel like dog shit and just knowing that people care about you can be a total game-changer. So above all, whether you achieve what you want to or not please look after yourselves. There is only one of you after all. Please leave a comment, share your highs and lows of the year, your resolutions and what you are most looking forward to next year. I cannot wait to read them all. Take care.

What are your goals for 2018 and what have you learned this year?

Love ❤

Kiran

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HOME AGAIN | THE THINGS I MISSED MOST WHILE BEING AWAY FROM HOME

I arrived back home yesterday for the Christmas period and have a stretch of three glorious weeks where I can be in my happiest place. Being in London for the past three months has been a bit of a wake-up-call for me. I struggled more than I thought possible, I have always been someone who gets restless, itches to travel on average every three weeks and gets irritated at being in the same place for more than seven days. London was supposed to be a good fit for me, I have so many friends there, I share my living space with lovely people but I experienced some of my lowest lows over the past season which has been harder for me to deal with than I thought. It's necessary and still great, but home is home for a reason. So in an effort to bring a bit of thanks this side of the pond I wanted to share all the things that I have missed about being home with my family and I am sure many of you that have experienced fleeing the nest can relate, so here goes. 

1. MOM ~ It would be impossible to try and fit in everything she does for me in a novel let alone a blog post. Little things like braiding my hair before I go to sleep (no I am not three years old but it still feels nice), asking me how I am feeling, making me tea and food better than I have ever tasted. She does it all. If I need iron tablets, a doctor's appointment, need to put money in my bank account she is there for everything. No complaints. You just can't put a price on that kind of love, it's not the convenience but the reassurance that she is always there for me that I missed the most. 

2. FAMILY ~ Generally, I get on with my family pretty well, we share similar interests and importantly the same warped sense of humour. I love them to bits. Like most millenials I hate speaking on the phone but being alone in a room in London feeling despondent calling my parents and speaking to my siblings made all the difference in the world. You don't realise how important having a support network is, until you find yourself alone and struggling thrown into a new environment. 

3. HOUSE ~ A weird and unexpected one but I love our house so much, when I first came back after a mere two weeks of being away I recall just standing in our bathroom and appreciating every inch of the space. Most of all I think that because it feels like mine and is the place I feel most comfortable is why I felt such a rush of love when I entered the front door. I have the same key from when I was in Year 7 with the same flat metal NASA teddy bear key ring and that familiarity and safeness is immediately like being ensconced in the world's warmest blanket.

4. HABITS ~ I don't know if you guys know this but I am renting a room via Spare Room which has worked out really great, it is super close to my campus and the rent is affordable. I like it there a lot and get on with my housemates well. But I still don't feel like I can be myself, I am overly cautious and on edge at times because I am in someone else's space. I constantly feel like a guest overstaying my welcome so I try and make as little noise and mess and inconvenience as possible. I can't do the things that I would normally do at home, because I feel like I am being judged (this is most likely completely irrational bear in mind I am sure they don't care, it's just the way I feel). 

5. FREEDOM ~ Leading on from my last point at home I am with my family and the security of that is immense. I can do stupid things and forget to take my mug downstairs and they don't have the inclination to kick me out. I am free to be who I am because they know me, they like me and they love me. I don't have to clean up after myself immediately if I don't feel like it (even though I do prefer to) and no one questions me if I don't leave the house for two days and I fucking love it. 

The point of this post is I felt like Dorothy in Oz for a while, and the glamour, fun and chaos of London didn't impress me much (Shania!). I hope one day I find a place for myself where I do feel at home, I really do. I would love to do a post on what it's like living as a lodger in someone else's place but out of respect for the people I live with and you guys because I do want to be brutally honest it might not be until after I leave. I can't stress enough that they are beautiful, kind, understanding people and do their best to make me feel welcome. It is just me, I can be irrational at times and it is hard to feel at home in a temporary place. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you can forgive me for being such a flaky bitch. I am ready to bring the fire, have a great week. Take care. 

What are your favourite things about your home?

Love ❤

Kiran

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NOVEMBER GOALS

It feels like I have ditched monthly favourites for monthly goals here on my blog and although that seems representative of my maturity levels, I am not sure I dig it. Rest assured I just placed an outrageous ASOS order so expect a haul super soon. Without further ado, let's jump into my November goals which are probably eerily similar to my October goals. 

Organisation. So with starting university again, my organisation skills are in need of serious nurturing. My whole life is in need of a massive clean out and the best place to start is my laptop. I need to organise folders in terms of modules and coursework. I want to make all my notes digital, but even more nerve-wracking I need to spruce up my numerous CVs and make them extra pretty and appealing to every employer imaginable so my broke ass is less broke in 2018. 

Coursework. Another month equals another nail-biting assignment, and when I say the last one destroyed me I tell no lies. I am talking endless bouts of uncontrollable tears, sleepless nights, lengthy phone calls to my sister and just general feelings of worthlessness. It was stress with extra stress and dressings of stress. So this time round, the goal is to chill the fuck out. It is 25% of my overall module and not worth the exhaustion, upset and stones I gained devouring chocolate instead of real food when writing my essay. Do your best and stop letting this stress leak into aspect of your life. 

Enjoy yourself. I haven't been feeling like myself lately and I think that is because I have let university be the sole focus of my life. Which sounds like a great idea but I am not made that way. I need variety and I need fun. So for that reason I want to make the most out of my time here in London, see friends, and just explore this brilliant city myself. There is so much to see and do. I want to find a job so I can spend money without barrels of guilt assailing me and get back into volunteering to build on my existing skills and explore new opportunities. I used to be busy all the time before I came to London and now with only my degree to focus on it can be a bit much at times. Balance is important, so just like finding time to watch Stranger Things 2 (yes I watched it all in one day, no I am not ashamed) I think it is important not to lose sight on what brings me joy and fulfillment. 

Do not compare yourself. Say it once more for good measure. This motto for me used to be a holy grail blogger motto because there is always going to be someone better, taller, with thicker hair, a prettier face and a jaw-dropping wardrobe. And I got over it, I don't have a Canon, I live in jumpers and at this point in time I am lucky if I upload once a week. But now the dreaded social comparison has spilled into my real life which is infinitely worse. I am comparing myself to other 23 year olds I know. Some of my friends are applying to the DClinPsy this year and I am thrilled and excited for them. I hope with all of me that they get onto a course of their choice and look forward to hearing what it is like, but still I am nowhere close to that milestone myself. This saddens and distresses me. I am also not in a relationship, nor am I close to being a homeowner and it all just weighs on me at times. I want to be a success and I want to make my parents proud, but the road feels longer than ever even though with my MSc I am finally taking an active step to reach my destination. Like most things I need to get over it and I need to be realistic. I am not like other people, my journey will not follow the same pattern but that is okay. It may take longer and be more difficult but thems the breaks. 

Christmas Drinks. I fully intend to consume as many Costa Christmas Drinks as humanly possible. I look forward to it. I also plan to ingest an inhuman amount of mulled wine. 

Spending and Blogging. I found it hard to blog as I haven't bought much of anything in the past two months, but now I have had enough of that. I really enjoy blogging and I need to come up with a schedule where I have time to post, promote and comment on other blogs daily, fingers crossed. I have already made a few online orders and intend to explore the amazing flagship Missguided store in Westfield in a coming weekend. I will at some point, when I feel deserving, buy the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette. I am as of yet undecided as to whether I want the Faux Filter Foundation, I am keen to try Fenty Beauty Pro Filtr first but have to drag myself all the way to Harvey Nichols because I refuse to pay £6 shipping. I have seen ELF available in Superdrug so I will pick up their foundation as well and the L'Oreal Lash Paradise mascara has been on my list forever. 

Get Out. I am the worst for not leaving the house if I have nothing to do. I like my pyjamas, I like not having to put any makeup on. It is comfortable, but this definitely effects my mindset. Getting dressed, going out even if its just to the library for a few hours really helps me be productive and makes me feel like I have done something. I think this has had great input into how shit I have been feeling lately. We all need our hermit days, me more than most I gather, but I want to make more of an effort to just leave the house, go to Brixton, get foundation matched at The Body Shop, do a price comparison of Holland & Barrett's teas, find a coffee shop that isn't Starbucks. Life won't come knocking on your door, you have to go out and live it. 

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post. I would love to know your goals for this month, and if you have any tips for time management when it comes to blogging it would be much appreciated. Hope you are having a great week, enjoy the weekend. Take care. 

Any goals or advice for the coming month?

Love ❤

Kiran

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JACK WILLS | WOOL & WHISKY EVENT

Thus far, I have been to two London blogger events and I am insanely happy. I have fantasised about being the kind of person that attends blogger events and, although it doesn't fit with my strong affliction for staying in my pajamas and reading in bed all day, I can say the novelty has not worn off yet. Weirdly, both events have involved a lot of wool talk, but I will talk more about that in my next event post. This event was entitled Wool & Whisky and comprised of just that. 

There was an impressive selection of whisky on display and Jack Wills also had an impressive sale on with 75% off their sale items and 25% off their whole store. The focal point of the event was the emphasis on British wool. I do think there is a returning trend of us going back to basics. In terms of style, I think that means reverting to the classics: good material, solid colours and timeless style. They have some really great, easy-to-wear pieces available and honestly it is a little expensive for my taste, but if you need good quality clothing for work you can easily find several pieces here. Their gymwear in particular is quite attractive. I really enjoy the new aesthetic.

The best part about blogger events is getting to meet people you would never normally get the chance to speak to. I met a handful of bloggers that were all really lovely and I will leave their links all below so you can check them out. We wound up grabbing dinner together after and all in all it was such an enjoyable experience as I really don't know any blogger in real life, which is a damn shame because we are a cool bunch. I also met some great PR people and with the help of alcohol managed to exchange details with a few people, so I hope to make some long-lasting friendships. London can be a lonely place at times, it is odd because I know so many people here but we are all so busy that I almost felt closer to them when I lived a three hour train wide away. 

I hope I get invited to more events and get to meet more amazing bloggers. I really have put this blog on the backburner for a while and I am trying hard to rediscover my passion for it. I used to enjoy it a lot, but now I am so focused on saving money and doing well in my studies that I feel I have no energy left for my blog anymore. I keep promising to do better but I always fall into the comparison trap, I don't have a fancy camera, lighting, blog props and I can't blur my background or take artistic swatches. My hand is barely even steady when I snap a picture, so believe me when I say I am so grateful to be invited to anything especially when I see the content and teams of other blogs. It is eye-opening and heartwarming for sure. 

Of course, no night is complete without a substantial dinner but Carnaby is hella busy at 9pm on a Thursday. Luckily, we all shuffled into Wagamama's and I had a classic chicken katsu curry while talking to the lovely people I met. I want to shout out Abi Pursey from Ramblings of a Blonde, Sonam Lotay from Sonam Lotay, Radhika from Radhkia Recommends and Emil Allard who has a vlog channel. If any of you have any recommendations for London restaurants I am all ears, I just want to try absolutely everything. This was such a fun event, thank you Cassie for inviting me. Also, a shoutout to the lovely Faith who made everyone feel so welcome, she was hilarious. 

Thank you so much for reading, I did want to try and film the event but I was quite nervous and self-conscious about recording in front of everyone. Even with my second event, the idea of filming myself in the back of the taxi to explain where I was going almost made me break out in hives. Maybe in the future, baby steps. I hope you have had a lovely week so far. Speak soon. Take care. 

What is your favourite restaurant?

Love ❤

Kiran

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OCTOBER GOALS

October is my favourite month because of Halloween and the run-up to Christmas, the fact that boots are completely appropriate footwear and jumpers are in every single shop, Zara scarves and the gorgeous orange of pumpkins. There is no end to the reasons I love October, the influx of horror movies on Film 4 and in cinemas is a major one too. I did a Goals post a few months ago and really enjoyed writing it as it is away from the norm for me. So I thought with all these changes and to try and keep my head in the game I would share my goals for October as well. 

Coursework: I have coursework due in for the 23rd October and it has been a hot minute before I had to submit an assignment in. Regardless, I am determined to nail it and start the academic year as I mean to go on. 

Halloween: I want to try my hand at some Halloween looks and figure out what I actually want to do for Halloween. If you have any suggestions let me know, I would love to hear them. I love Halloween so much. I definitely want to do an IT inspired tutorial because they are everywhere. 

Videos: Need to pull my shit together and upload more videos to YouTube, this and the Halloween goal are all about building up my confidence. I still hate my face on camera and I am trying to just move past this so I can enjoy my life more. 

Instagram: Still have not got my Instagram back but as I have said previously I am not going to give up. I am going to keep reporting every single day of my life until they return it to me. 

Social: Back to being a student feels odd and it is so easy for me to just stay in my room and be at one with my laptop. Being in London is a fantastic opportunity and I want to meet as many different people as possible. This means trying to talk to everyone on my course and you know actually leaving my place and venturing out occasionally. 

Explore: London is full of amazing things to do. I definitely want to see Aladdin and go to a tonne of restaurants. I have done a lot of the touristy stuff in previous years but again any recommendations are highly welcome. London is my favourite city, it just fills me with joy.

Thank you for reading this short af post. My goals are pretty simple this month and you will notice there was nothing about fitness or drinking water etc. because God knows I fail at this every time. Hope you are having a great week. Take care. 

Do you have any goals for October?

Love ❤

Kiran

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A SIMPLE GUIDE ABOUT THE MANY WAYS YOU CAN GIVE BACK

I think most of us all have the thought that we want to give back but we just don't know where to start. There are hundreds of adverts, thousands of charities, horror stories where people have been scammed and an unimaginable amount of suffering in the world. It's not unusual to feel like you want to make a difference, however little and there are many ways to achieve that. Not just with money, but with your time, your social platforms and even your mind. Read on to find out the many ways you can help causes that are near and dear to your heart and for all the sceptical peeps out there. 

First, identify what strikes a chord with you the most. There are countless charities out there but there must be something that really really gets to you. This doesn't mean you don't care about all of the other charities, it's just something personal for you. For me, the causes that resonate the most with me are for women, children and refugees. This doesn't mean I don't care about any other group in society, but as a woman, a third generation immigrant and someone who is very protective of all children these are the causes that I spend my own money on. Even if it is just 20p in a charity bucket at Morrisons. It is these posters and signs that catch my eye.

A lot of people struggle with finding a way they can continuously give back and help the world around them, so I wanted to give you some options so you can see the many ways in which you can help. Some of which don't even cost a dime.

MONEY: This is the obvious one. Non-profit's depend on government funding which is constantly being cut so they get a lot of their money that helps keep their charity and cause afloat from donations. You can give a little or you can give a lot, never give more than you can afford and don't feel guilt for not dropping a £20 note every time you see a worthy cause. Do what you can. That is all anyone can ask of you.

VOLUNTEER: This is one of my favourite ways to give back and, in my opinion, the most rewarding. There is nothing more precious or valuable than your time. I have volunteered with a variety of organisations with both children and adults and it takes no more than a few hours a week and is a great experience to boot. You can also volunteer at charity shops, schools, at fundraising events etc.

SOCIAL MEDIA: One of the easiest ways to help and give back is just by promoting your cause. Giving them a little more exposure so that maybe someone more affluent might see it and donate. I frequently post about worthy causes on my Insta-Stories. You can also tweet, post on facebook, snapchat etc. Beauty Blender, for instance, just yesterday, dedicated the entire day's sales to Houston who as you know are experiencing a horrific flood at the moment. This brings me to my next one.

OPEN YOUR EYES: MAC Viva Glam is a well known lipstick where the proceeds go to the charity of a celebrity's choice. There are plenty of companies who donate a percentage of profit to certain charities and bigger companies might do it with one specific product. There was even an advert for a toilet paper that stated for every pack sold they would plant 3 trees. There are ways to give back literally everywhere which require such little effort and hey you get a lipstick out of it too. I think this is a great way to start, if everything else is too overwhelming.

EVENTS: MacMillan's Cancer Support frequently have coffee evenings and schools hold regular events to fundraise for different charities. There are fundraising events going on all the time, you just need to get involved.

SPONSORING: Moreover, marathons,  sponsored silences or skydiving all count. You can sponsor a friend for their next charity event and that counts as giving back. Do be weary and only give money to someone you know and trust as this is a way pesky teens can scam you.

FUNDRAISING: You can, of course, host your own event or do your own activity and get some sponsors. This could be a fun way to get involved with a local cause. You can sell cakes, or sell products. There are an endless amount of ways to raise money.

AWARENESS: This one might sound a little stupid but if you have a cause in your head all the time and it frustrates you to no end that nobody talks about it then you need to talk about it. People need to know what is going on, because if they don't know they can't help. I feel this way about child pornography. We hear about child abuse but not pornography, who is helping them? Blake Lively did an emotional speech about it at the Variety event and what she says is powerful and completely world-shattering. To think that a life like that is someone's reality and that they never had a hope is heartbreaking but my motto is if someone had to live through it the least I can do is listen. You an watch it below:

Here are a few resources that appeal and have helped me to give back. If you search on your local council website you might find more information about what you can do locally, these are more national/international resources that everyone can use. If you want to volunteer, learn about new charities or find events near you, click on the respective links below:

Do It

Volunteering

Non-profit Fundraising

Giving Back

Mind - Mental Health Charity

Girl's Education Challenge

Rosa - The UK Fund for Women and Girls

Women's Aid
Refuge - Domestic Violence Charity 
Mankind
Rainbow Trust - Helps Families with a Terminally Ill Child
Barnardo's 
Action For Children 
Internet Watch Foundation

Thank you for reading, I hope you found this post helpful. I will have my August Favourites up tonight and if you can't wait you can watch my YouTube video here. I hope you are having a great week so far and I would love to hear all about the causes that are near and dear to your heart and how you like to give back. Thank you again for reading this uncharacteristic post. Take care.

What are some charities you think deserve more recognition?

Love ❤

Kiran

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