So far this year for me personally has been the most life changing, challenging, hopeful and exciting year I've had in a long time. It is all down to stepping out of my comfort zone more and more, even if it is small steps, it has still counted for something and I have already achieved some incredible things, that this time last year I could never imagine overcoming. This has given me so much hope and excitement to achieve more, to get better and continue to face my fears, all whilst finally being able to actually enjoy life! It's made me actually look forward to things that I am no longer afraid to plan in advance and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the things I want to do before the year is up...

Whether you're a keen photographer or a blogger who enjoys taking photos for their blog, a bright image is something we all aim for and know looks a lot more aesthetically pleasing to our audience. It can be difficult to always achieve a bright image with things like the weather, lighting or using the wrong camera settings getting in the way. I know for me when it comes to taking photos for my blog or Instagram, I do struggle to achieve a bright image and have to rely on editing tools to help me out. But sometimes my images do come out bright with a good white balance and looking crisp. And not only is this such a good feeling when this does happen, but it also means I've been able to pick up some good tips and tricks to follow to even achieve this process to make it work in the way I want to. 

There seems to be some misconception within the blogging world that we need to be on our game 24/7 with making content, promoting said content and thinking of new said content. Whilst doing this can be good for progressing your blog along and bringing success, it can also be toxic if you burn yourself out, especially if you are already feeling deflated with your blog and know that you need sometime away from it. Blogging breaks are fine. Blogging breaks are needed. Everyone needs to have a break from blogging, the same way we have days off work or education, breaks are highly beneficial for so many reasons. The same applies for blogging and taking breaks. The benefits you can get from taking a break from blogging is endless. 

When it comes to packing for a short break, it can sometimes be hard to know how much you actually need to take without packing too lightly and then regretting not taking a particular item or two. It's a good idea to ensure you're packing the essentials and that the things you do pack are practical. This will help to keep things light for your short break and avoid you overpacking. Here are some of my top tips on packing for a short break:

I think most girls can relate to the insecure feelings they experience when it comes to bikini season, knowing that they might be venturing off on holiday and having to bare their body for the world to see, feeling pressures to get this 'summer body' or be 'body goals' before they go. However we all know that this is unrealistic. Our bodies do not change with the seasons and not everyone is going to be a body goals. So to stop ourselves from feeling unconfident and uncomfortable about stepping out in swimwear this summer, it's important to try change our mindset and by following the tips below, you can say goodbye to your insecurities and hello new found bikini confidence that we should all be able to have:

Dating and putting yourself back into the world of romance can be a scary step anyway. But combine that with a generalised anxiety disorder and any other mental health conditions, it can feel more of a nerve racking and uneasy experience rather than one of excitement and joy. Dating means stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown, which for an anxiety sufferer is a really uncomfortable place to be, especially if you're someone use to staying in your circle of comfort. You're not going to be 100% in control of the situation and that feels completely scary. But it's also ok. Because the more you do it, the easier it will become and the easier it is the less you'll feel anxious regarding dating. With small baby steps and self belief, dating can be successful and you can overcome any fears surronding it. 

Here are some of the things that have helped me and can also help you with dating when you have an anxiety disordered: 

1. Know and accept that you probably will be anxious - Accepting that you probably will be anxious is a great place to start. This way you know you're not battling against your anxiety nor are you going to surprise yourself if you suddenly feel yourself getting anxious. Know that this is completely ok. Being anxious is something we all experience, especially when it comes to seeking new relationships or going out of our comfort zone, so everyone will be feeling the same way. You will not be alone. Don't fear the anxiety. Let it be. Ride it out and it will pass. The feelings will not last forever. 

2. Be in control - I know I mentioned briefly that dating means being out of control, but if you can try be in control of a situation as much as you can then this will really help ease yourself into it. This could mean being in control of whom you decide to start getting to know, where you go on a date(s),  what you want from the situation etc. Also when you feel comfortable, don't be afraid to share with them how things are for you. This can really help if you do decide to meet with someone, then they will know what to expect from you and how to handle it. By doing this, you're taking off some of the pressure from yourself and sharing your anxiety with someone else. This will help to make you feel more confident as well.

3. Do things at your own pace - There really is no rush. Do things at your own pace. You have plenty of time on your side. Don't make snap decisions just to get to where you want to be. Take it nice and slowly. It might take weeks, months or even a year or so, but every frog you have to kiss to get to the right one, will be worth it. It's all a learning experience and a chance to beat your anxiety, so take it in your stride. Talk to people when you're ready to. Meet up with people when you're ready to. Don't put pressure on yourself to be at a certain stage straightaway. Also don't let anyone else pressure you either. You're in control of you. You call the shots.

4. Understand your needs/wants and also theirs too - Ensure you're both on the same page. Know what you want/need. Whether this is the relationship you both want (dating, seeing each other, an open relationship, a committed relationship etc) or how things are progressing, it's good to know how things are between you to help reassure you and keep peace of mind. This will help ease your anxiety.

5. Let them in on the know - When you feel ready to, slowly ease yourself into informing them just how you're feeling and what to expect from you if you were ever to meet properly or start a relationship. This will help give them a good idea of how to handle any flare ups and educate them on the best approach to take to handle your mental health. This will give you assurance that you know someone will be there to support you if you do feel uneasy at any moment.

6. Be confident - Remember that with dating they're getting to know you for you. So be confident in who you are. Just because you suffer with mental health doesn't mean you're a bad person. You're still you with or without the illness. It does not define you. You're still a human being with bags of personality. Use this as the perfect opportunity to love yourself to the full and praise yourself for all that you are. Be honest and shine yourself in a positive light, even if it one of the hardest things you have to do, the more you do it, the easier it will become. You want them to get to know the real you, just as much as you want to know the real them, so be confident in it and belief in yourself.

7. Don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out/they turn out to be a d*ck - Unfortunately some people are harsh. This is not your fault. The problem lies with them not you. So if things don't work out or someone is disrespectful to you in anyway do not put the blame on yourself. It does not reflect your worth if someone turns out to be a d*ck. The plus side is that it makes way for better people who will treat you right. So don't lose hope or take it personally. You'll find someone who is just right for you. No matter how long it takes. It will happen.

8. Find support and encouragement from you and others - When trying to improve your mental health, we're always taught about self-love and self-care. Really enforce this way of self care onto yourself by being your own cheerleader. Praise yourself for any obstacles in the dating world that you overcome and encourage yourself to go for opportunities with that help of your own self belief. It's also nice to get the same support and encouragement from your friends and family who will be more than happy to offer this help to you. They can talk with you before any dates and boost you up ready to face the situation. Also they can also help you to come to terms with your feelings regarding any situation, whether this is potential people you're interested in or the types of things you're worried about.

9. No pain, no gain after all - No matter how deliberating anxiety can be, without going through it and coming out of the other side, we wouldn't gain something more positive in return. Once you have got through the anxiety and faced your fears, you will know that it was all worth it, to be able to find someone (again) or have learnt lots from your experiences and gained lots of confidence. It will feel amazing once you have gotten through it and you are able to feel comfortable on dates, around that special someone or even just talking and getting to know new people. 

10. Don't give up - This is super important to remember when you are suffering with mental health. But can also be applied to dating when you have anxiety. Do not give up on what you want or you as a person. You are not your anxiety. Your anxiety might operate within you. But you do not operate within it. So keep going. Don't let it beat you. Get back up and try and try again. Love yourself and respect yourself. Know your worth and what you deserve. Continue to push yourself out of your comfort zone at your own pace. You'll feel amazing once you have done. It will all be worthwhile. Believe in yourself and give it time. You'll get there. Don't give up. 

What are your top dating tips?

Lauren x

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Stereotypically when it comes to the weekend, you'll more than likely want to have plans and things to do to keep yourself busy and make the most of your time off from work or school. Although sometimes it is nice to just sit back and relax, to not have things planned in advance and spontaneously go through the day without thinking too much about what you're going to do. A chilled weekend can sometimes be exactly what you need to unwind from the busy working week and give yourself sometime to yourself. Here are some ways you can relax this weekend fuss free:

So two years ago today, I hit publish on my first blog post and after that I really got myself involved in the blogging world. It's crazy to think I have stuck with this hobby for two whole years. I don't think there has been any hobby that I've stuck with for this long so it's definitely been worth it. Of course, like everyone's blogging journey, I've had my ups and my downs. There has been times when I've wanted to quit and other times when I feel like I'm really on my game. But I'm really pleased I've stuck it out even when times were tough. Although when I first started, I never realised what I could achieve nor what blogging really entailed. It was a complete mystery to me. There's so many things I wasn't aware of and I thought I would share some of those things in today's anniversary post:

Summer well and truly has rolled around now. We have been so lucky in the U.K recently to be blessed with such gorgeous weather throughout the week. Although it does suck when you're stuck inside all day, maybe working or at school, thinking you've wasted the day away, but why does the fun in the sun have to stop just because you're busy during the day? When you get home, make the most of the sunshine and warmth that will still be lingering around. 

I feel like my Spring goals kind of failed really, I didn't do an awful lot of what I wanted to do because sadly life got in the way. But it hasn't stopped me from being determined and motivated to get stuck into the things I have planned for this next season. This time I feel like everything on my to do list is a lot more achievable and realistic than the last time, as well as being more suited to whom I am right now and where I'm headed. So for my new post back into blogging, I thought I would share with you some of my goals for the summer season:

There's been many changes I've wanted to make to my blog for a really long time now and I've never seemed to get round to it for many different reasons. I also mentioned in my last post about how I've been feeling lately regarding blogging and some things I've tried to do to get my spark back. Therefore, I have decided to take the rest of May off from blogging. I feel like I need a much needed break away to get organised with my content and get back into a schedule of posting three times a week. There's also those changes I really want to start properly implementing on my blog and I thought it would be a good idea to share with you all what you can expect, as well as give myself something to refer back to over the next few weeks as I work hard to sort my blog game out once and for all. I hope you all understand that and can be patient whilst I carry out these changes:

Blog design - Now, my blog design has been something I've wanted to change up for the longest time. Since I don't earn a regular income, it's not something I really want to spend a lot of money on or if I could none at all. So resorting to finding a free theme is my top priority. I have a few I like and have tried out before, but I always struggle to get them to look just right and end up resorting back to my current theme. This time I am going to really take sometime out to just work on it and get whatever theme I go for to actually stick. Watch this space!

Blog header - Like my theme, my header has also really needed an urgent update for a while. I've had a few turns in designing my own and playing around with different designs, but again I am so fussy and want it to look perfect that I end up not using any. This time I am going to promise myself to change it up. Even if it's only a slight change in design. It just really needs a refresh.

Social gadgets - You can probably already see a recurring theme here, but I want to also switch up my social media gadgets on my side bar. These have been with me since I first created my blog nearly two years ago now (I know!!!!!). I really do need to change them and I think along with a nice new header and theme, everything will really tie in together and hopefully look more professional and sleek.

Update profile photos & about me page - I'm really hoping to go out and snap a few photos of myself now summer is approaching.  I really want to update my profile picture on my blog and on my about me page, which also needs updating and refreshing to keep it more current with how things are for me right now.

Post the content I 100% love - I think sometimes when you're going through a bit of a rut with your blog and find yourself running behind schedule, you end up rushing posts or not putting your 100% all into them. I feel like I have been guilty of this several times and I really want to stop doing that as it's never been me. Instead, I am really going to plan some content I truly feel passionate for and produce it to a standard that I really am proud of.

Get back to a consistent schedule - After daily blogging through blogmas, I will admit that it did really burn me out and whack all the inspiration out of me. Ever since I have not only lost my spark for blogging as mentioned, but I've also felt like I haven't been able to keep on my game when it comes to being consistent with my posting. I use to find it so easy to post three times a week with no real struggle. I want to go back to that as I really enjoyed doing it. Let's see if after this month off posting I can keep it up!

I think most of us can all agree that the blogging world has been a bit strained the past few months or so. With the drama of Bloglovin, Instagram and other bloggers bashing each other, blogging can sometimes make you feel a bit deflated and unsure of whether blogging is something you still want to be apart of. Lot's of us have noticed our hard work go to waste with certain apps making things harder for us to get noticed, there's also people cheating their way to the top by buying fake followers and playing games, resulting in some of us going on digital or social media detoxes to get away from it all. I know it's not just me who's been feeling a little burnt out and fed up with everything that has been going on. So I really wanted to share this post with anyone who has been feeling a bit 'meh' about blogging lately and needs some help in falling back in love with this hobby that was actually pretty damn fun! Here's what I have been trying to do to fall back in love with blogging:

When you first get diagnosed with a mental health illness of any form, it can seem so daunting and overwhelming. Sometimes it can even be a relief to finally know what's going on inside your mind and be able to go forward with your recovery now you're aware of just what it is you're suffering with. In no way does that mean it is easy (if only it was, huh?). Its complicated and sometimes it can be messy. But it is a learning process and a challenge that brings the greatest personal achievements and growth no matter how big or small they may be. Suffering from a mental illness teaches you so many important things about yourself and the world around you. It's always good to keep in mind some of these things to help you through even the darkest of times and use your experience and knowledge as a way to help other people. Here are some important things to remember when you with suffer with any mental health illness: