When life gets in the way

So it’s true, my blog has taken a backseat while I’ve been travelling and I haven’t written in far longer than is acceptable if I’m expecting my writing to be taken seriously. Shame on you, Hols. That’s not to say there aren’t tons of half-written posts stashed away on my laptop which didn’t make the cut. Half of said posts are full of exclamations like ‘WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY???’, ‘THIS ISN’T FUNNY’, ‘FGS GET IT TOGETHER’. Evidently, giving in to writers' block and turning to a glass of red is way more fulfilling. If you’re reading this, this post has finally made it further than the ones left to die on my desktop and we’ve experienced a bloody miracle. 

The Importance of Being Mindful

So it’s the first day of a fresh new month. The sun is shining more than it’s raining, when we finish work at 5.30pm it’s still light outside and we are one month closer to summer. One might say we have quite a lot to be happy about. However, the reality is that no matter how bloody beautiful it is outside or how swimmingly well our lives are going, the twenty-first century human being has a habit of either dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future. The present ‘now’ doesn’t become a sincerely meaningful thing until tomorrow comes and it’s transformed into the past.

As humans, we are very very bad at appreciating the present moment. Actually, not even appreciating it but merely living it. Everything boils down to yesterday or tomorrow. But what about right now? Like, right this second? How are you feeling? The past has been and gone and you’re never going to create a time-machine, so really, the most important moments of our lives are the ones that we’re drifting straight through whilst our busy minds are set to autopilot.

What it means to be Sassy.

Sass; my favourite word of all time, and as predicted back in January, the word of 2015.  As Google tells us, being sassy is to be lively, bold and full of spirit. To achieve this you must dress in a way that makes you feel flawlessly confident, chuck in a pinch of ‘I don’t give a fuck’, stir in the ability to take the piss out of yourself and if you really fancy, throw in some heels for good measure. But maybe that’s just me.

So far, 2015 has probably been my favourite year of the 22 years of my life and I thought I’d share some top tips on what I’ve done to make this possible.

1. Go on lots of dates.

In the day in age of ‘Netflix and chill’, it might be depressing that very few people seem capable of initial face to face interaction, but with the likes of Tinder, at least we are provided with an unlimited sea of unsuspecting, be it mostly basic, men and women to date. Some will be horrendous to the point of hysteria and very few will be anything more than mediocre. But you know what, getting dressed up and going for a drink with somebody new is often quite empowering, and ultimately, a bit of a laugh.  

2. Dress accordingly.  

It’s basically a fact that if you feel good about your appearance, you will ooze confidence, be more efficient and productivity levels will therefore skyrocket. A slob fest is great once in a while, but you’re going to feel far from sassy in your criminal see-through leggings and Nike trainers. If you’re dressing to impress others though, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. Dress in a way that makes you think, ‘Hi today, I’m going to own you.’  

3. GAF (give a fuck?)

Somebody says something that should probably bother you, but really, GAF? Obviously don’t rid of all your human compassion and empathy, that would just make you a dick, but do try to care a bit less about what other people think. If you’re not hurting anybody in the process and you’re doing what makes you happy, then you’re doing it right.

4. Be a bit weird.

Nobody likes normal.  The ability to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously is a great one. There are times to be serious, and there are times when this is just boring. Don’t be one of those people that has the same pose in every single photo; pull a face, have a laugh and of course, see above.

5. Don’t hold on to the past.

It’s inevitable in life that human relationships change and people will grow apart. Try to review the past with feelings of contentment and untainted nostalgia and don’t cling on to something that isn’t providing you with any value anymore. It’s a waste of your energy.

6. Work hard, play hard.

Put everything in to your passions and dreams. Political activism, travel, career, whatever. Don’t do it half-heartedly and commit to success. Being driven and ambitious is, in my opinion, one of the most fundamental traits to leading a fulfilled lifestyle. Remember though, work is just one element of a wider picture. Drink martinis and slut drop once in a while, I dare you.

So there we have it, a few top tips on how to grab the rest of 2015 by the balls and own it. I urge you all to stop caring so much about how other people around you perceive you and what it is that makes you happy. Being sassy doesn’t involve anybody else, it involves you committing to what you believe in.  Go get ‘em.

Why it's okay to be a bit lost in your twenties.

So this isn't a particularly revolutionary post, or one with controversial views, it's simply an innocent rambling stemmed from the quote below:

‘Nothing will ruin your 20s more than thinking you should already have your life together.’

If there was ever a 'quote to live by', that right there, would be it. I  aways just presumed that by my twenties I would have my shit together and know exactly where I was going with my life. But when I think about where I will be in five years time, I have absolutely no idea, and although this is terrifying, it should be exciting too.

Traditionally, you go through the whirlwind of final year at University, you graduate from the most exciting three years of your life, and then it simply feels like you've been shoved off a plank into the deep end, not knowing what direction is up.

When we look at the instagrams of colleagues, friends and that random girl we just like to stalk, we just assume that everybody's life is so much more glamorous and exciting than our own. When we feel a bit shit or are having a generally down day, we use social media as our point of reference to feel so much worse (that Walden filter on instagram can make anything look worthy of envy). But guess what, it's okay to feel lost and a little bit shit. Stop comparing your life to other people's. We're not supposed to have our shit together and that means that we can get away with so much more.

We're at that wonderful age when we can still get away with lying in bed all day hungover on a Saturday, but we now simultaneously have responsibilities that we dreamt of when we were in our early teens; having your own place, working in an office and being able to wear heels in the day. I'm not one for the cringe factor, but for now I'm going to have to suck it, as your twenties are about exploring, making mistakes, going on awful dates, getting too drunk and learning about yourself.

I realise I'm writing this as if only twenty-somethings are reading, but whether you're nostalgic for the past or desperately clinging to your teen years, know that you can look back on or look forward to your twenties in it's entirety. So I'm just going to sit here in my jammies with a cup of tea on a Sunday afternoon and look forward to next weekend when as routine states, I will be getting pissed as a fart and eating too much unhealthy food. Because I can.