Why it's ok to dream big

Image from Pexels

Do you sometimes question why you have ambitions and goals? I know I do. The idea that wanting to be proud of having a good job and stable income is something that is seen as a taboo subject - it's not moral, it's materialistic.

We are often told that money doesn't buy happiness, something that I completely agree with. Health, family, education and memories are the most important things to me and I wouldn't swap any of those for all of the money in the world.

But why can't I aim to have more? I'm aiming high and working seriously hard in order to get the grades I need to follow the career that I've always dreamed of. I see nothing wrong with that. I have a clear idea of where I want to be in 2, 5 and 10 years and for me, that's how I motivate myself. I would like to buy a house, travel to countries I've never been to, become a primary school teacher and be able to treat myself every so often.

There's just one problem - I don't like to talk about it because people think I'm being materialistic.

If you know me, you'll know that I'm the first person in my family to go to university and I've worked since I was 16, saving every bit of disposable income I have to be able to support myself through university and hopefully, in the future. The stigma of materialism needs to change. I don't buy designer pieces, get money from my parents or waste money on extravagant purchases and I enjoy saving for my future, something I am very lucky to be able to do.

"Working hard is the key."

Having goals is what motivates me to work hard, have a good career plan and save money. Money is the motivator - there, I said it. Older generations seem to believe that we are handed things on a plate; jobs, university places, houses, money, but it's really not the case.

Ambitions and realistic goals are positive and allow you to be able to pace yourself, in order to reach where you want to be with organisation and dedication. Working hard is the key and if that means sleepness nights, 4am alarms and closing myself away from the world for a little while, that's what it's going to be. If I didn't have plans for the future, I may treat money a little differently but at the moment, the future is my priority.

"It is what it is."

Delve into your ambitions, believe in yourself and as Anthony Joshua said in his recent victory speech: "I'm a little bit emotional, because I know I've got doubters that think that I can't do this and do that, but I dig deep. It is what it is."

‪It Was All A Dream #TBT ‬

A post shared by Anthony Joshua (@anthony_joshua) on May 4, 2017 at 9:03am PDT

Social media: Why I use it and what it means to me

Image from Pixabay

Contacts

One of the first tips I was told as a student journalist is to make sure my social media is up to scratch; constantly updated, chat with industry professionals online, remove old or inappropriate posts and follow the people that you aspire to be like or who has your dream job. This is probably the best advice I've been told. Since posting professional content, I've seen an increase in activity, with followers from industry professionals and a bigger following on my blog. Building contacts is good in any profession and you never know what you'll get from following someone on Twitter or commenting on someone's Instagram post.

News

Social media has changed the way in which traditional news platforms report news. Most people now see stories first on Facebook, especially if they follow any news outlets on there, but even through shares, likes and comments. Newspapers are now providing digital content for the majority of their stories; political, entertainment, business or just general news, helping more people than ever become interested in news. Over 80% of people now source their news online and social media has been the biggest influence on that number, especially in generating more people, who wouldn't have before, to read news.

Family

Keeping in contact with my family is so important to me, especially as my family live all over the UK and since my Uncle moved over to Madrid. Social media completely changed the way I chat to my family and friends, with it being so easy to keep in touch, see what people are up to and message them. From double-tapping pictures and videos on Instagram to liking status's on Facebook and messaging each other, I feel closer than ever to my family who I may not see as often as I'd like... simply down to the introduction of social media!

Trends

Similarly to news outlets, trending stories have completely changed the way that news is now provided. Whether it's a trending hashtag on Twitter to a story on Facebook, trends are purely there because so many people are talking about a certain topic. It now takes just seconds to open an app and see what's going on; a killer speech at the Grammys, important election results, the latest sports scores or even a pregnancy reveal!

Job Opportunities

Social media isn't just about checking in with your friends and having a laugh. As I've made my way through university, I've realised how important social media accounts are in reflecting your brand, personality and enthusiasm when it comes to future careers. Creating a professional Facebook and Twitter account helped my following and got me in touch with people I wouldn't have dreamed about speaking to before and creating a LinkedIn account is certainly the best thing I could have done while looking for job opportunities. Don't hold back when it comes to getting your name out there and showing your skills off!


Check out this post for tips on how to transform your social media:

LFW: My highlights, top trends and model of the moment

Image from Flickr

Top 5 Shows

Sophia Webster

Sophia Webster's show is a must-watch for me every year. Her statement butterfly winged heels and beautiful colours always take centre stage - and this year was no exception. The brave over-the-knee ice cold boots won the audience over and for me, those princess heels are just utterly gorgeous.

Burberry

Burberry pulled off a spectacular show again this year, in front of the most star-studded audience of LFW. I always spot massive trends at Burberry's show and this year saw asymmetric dresses, stunning beading and a whole load of capelets. Neutral colours and beautiful fabrics owned every piece, making the show gracious and elegant, with just a hint of fierceness.

Mary Katrantzou

Inspired by Disney's Fantasia, Mary Katrantzou's collection shone with glitter and sequins, and I loved it. I couldn't help but gawp at the beautiful colours and patterns of this year's show and prints are something that definitely weren't held back. Florals, surprising comic prints, textures and embellishments were all out in force.

Topshop Unique

Never one to disappoint, Topshop Unique's show was full of floral dresses, statement colours and oversized pieces, all finished with a spash of 80's. However, the audience won it over for me this year. Sofia Richie wore a beautiful sheer top, definitely a trend that was highlighted at Topshop's show, and Lydia Millen looked stunning in statement sleeves and Gucci loafers.

Halpern

Michael Halpern has won me over. The New York designer has officially vamped up the runway with non other than disco. We're talking a lot of sequins, bright colours and clashing textures and I absolutely love this look. Personally, a statement sequinned mini is more my thing, but I am in awe over the bold flared leg jumpsuits.

Trends I Love

Pink

My forever favourite rocked the runways this year. Different shades of pink with a mix of textures are an easy to wear statement that we'll see all over both designer and high street pieces. A gorgeous transition from spring to summer to autumn!

Volume

This trend is definitely one for the more confident but pulled off correctly and it can look beautiful. Volume skirts and dresses carried the runway, however, for a more subtle look, hunt the high street for a volume sleeve to transform your style.

Beading

Beading is probably my favourite trend at this year's London Fashion Week. It's elegant and classy but super wearable - go for a beaded jumper in the daytime and a beaded mini at night. My favourite piece has to be this sweatshirt from the Burberry collection.

Red

Extremely eye-catching but I'm sure everyone has at least one red item in their wardrobe! Dress it up with different textures and statement jewellery or keep it understated with clean cuts and simple colour combinations.

Sheer

I absolutely love sheer textures at the moment and LFW hit all the right notes with their take on the trend. From dresses to rain coats, embellishment to t-shirts, there's no covering-up from your favourite pieces this year.

Model of the Moment

Come on, it's got to be hasn't it?! Over the last couple of years, Gigi Hadid has completely changed the game with modelling. You can tell that she's a down-to-earth family girl who is living her dream and right from the get go, well, her Victoria Secret Fashion Show debut in 2015, she has been the one to look out for. And now with her new TOMMY X GIGI HADID collection rocking the runway, there's no stopping the 21 year old...

Who run the world? GIRLS.

I love reading other blogs and finding my favourites when it comes to travel, beauty, lifestyle and fashion. I typically follow UK bloggers as I prefer their style of writing and can relate myself to the places they visit, restaurants they eat at and the brands they wear! Reading other blogger's posts and watching their vlogs definitely motivates my style of writing and gives me ideas for posts myself, however, I do really just enjoy looking at their work and finding out how they got where they are now.

Here's my 5 favourite female bloggers:

1. Carrie at wishwishwish.net

Carrie's blog is full of wedding ideas at the moment; calligraphy, honeymooning, decor and dresses. But hunt through her posts and you'll find fun travel features, from Disneyland to European city breaks, with serious style throughout.

2. Victoria at inthefrow.com

You'll find everything from holiday styles, destinations and top tips to reflection posts about bullying and anxiety on Victoria's blog. She writes something for everyone and her latest trip to LA is already giving me serious holiday envy!

3. Lydia at lydiaelisemillen.com

Lydia's style is impeccable and her clothing haul vlogs are brilliant to watch. From fitness tips to holiday's, her engagement video to London shopping trips... she's definitely one to add on snapchat too for a great insight into what she does.

4. Suzie at hello-october.com

City breaks, high-street fashion and beautiful interiors own Suzie's blog and Instagram. Her eye for design is obviously something that she entwines through all of her work... even the clothes she wears! Her nude and black wardrobe is seriously amazing.

5. Claire at chouquette.co.uk

As well as her incredible Chanel bag collection, Claire's blog is full of beautiful clothing, shoes, makeup and lifestyle tips. Her wardrobe tour vlog is enough to make anyone jealous, but there's no doubt she's a down-to-earth girl who works hard for her style!

Top 5 lifestyle tips

After a busy few weeks house-sitting and beginning my second year of uni, I wanted to share some simple tips that once you have grasped, become second nature. They're not bold, confusing or time-wasting, just very simple but extremely effective...

1. Find the right skincare

For the last two years, my skin has been awful. Not necessarily on my face or hands, but on my legs. I developed eczema, causing itching, bleeding and scarring - and no skincare cream or moisturiser seemed to help. I recently found out about Aveeno, and their moisturising cream has been my saviour. It may not work wonders on everyone, but my legs have cleared up, smoothed and cause no irritation. It's most definitely the best cream I have ever bought.

2. Drink more water

I always thought that I drank enough water, 4 or 5 glasses a day. Until dehydration became a huge problem for me, resulting in painful migraines and poor skin. Force yourself to drink as much water as you can everyday and you'll find that not only do you snack less, but your skin will begin to glow and plump.

3. Talk to people

As much as it may seem scary and daunting at first, speak to as many people as you can. Your hairdresser, friends of friends, strangers, people in your chosen career field. I recently created a LinkedIn account, where I have spoken to many people in journalism and teaching, and found that they may put you into contact for a job, work experience or just simply give you advice on your careers and ambitions. Talk to people - you might never know where it gets you.

4. Keep organised

My final year of uni is mad already. Being thrown into searching for work experience, thinking of ideas for a dissertation and constantly being told of expectations is a pretty daunting scenario (after 4 months off!), so keeping organised is my main focus. Writing everything down, taking as much from every lecture as possible and finding a way to manage my time has been tricky - but once you know what you're doing and when you have time to do it, it makes it seem that little bit easier.

5. Think positively

Exams, dissertations, assignments, work - the list could go on. It all seems so scary, especially when you want to do as well as you can. The main thing you can do is to think positively, believe in yourself and aim high. And if it's all getting too much, remove yourself and come back to it after a couple of hours. Go and watch bake-off and order a takeaway...