Admittedly I thought the five years of January would never end, but I’m pleased to have survived. I am currently getting into the flow of life and trying to organise as much as possible in my Cloth & Paper planner inserts. It is helpful to plot as much as possible early so you can budget your time and money accordingly. Still eager to get back into the gym but have yet to find one with the locality and equipment I want. Perhaps I’m being a little hard on myself since I am used to long, unforgiving gymnast workouts; however, my flexibility is struggling, so I need to get back on it. I like the gyms with a small room within the main room since my body doesn’t appreciate me stopping to chat mid-routine. I’m the one that will wear enormous headphones, and someone will still touch me to ask how my workout is going mid-flow. So, of course, that’s my cue to start socialising with them, plus any and everyone in the gym. Before you know it, my body is cold, and I can’t get back into it, so off to the jacuzzi I go!

Where are the Videos Nadiene?!

Despite having all the equipment, I still need help editing videos. I recently watched one of my favourite Youtubers discuss why she has been posting less frequently lately. In this video, I became inspired as I suddenly felt a rare feeling of connection to someone since she mentioned editing takes her up to 18 hours. As her editing process takes so long, she sometimes feels demotivated, which is usually overcome by the video comments once she has posted. It reminded me how nice it feels to get content posted finally and for people to comment on things about it or how they enjoyed it, much like when I’m writing but in a different form. The feedback from so many has been around having my blog posts in a video format, so I will return to working on delivering that for you (well, editing what I’ve already filmed).

CURRENTLY READ (WELL LISTEN)

In my last catch-up, I mentioned that my next read would be Spare. It took me a while to get around to starting it, but my sister kindly gifted me the audible version and boy, was this a treat. Harold (does anyone know why everyone seems to call him this?) reads it himself, and as soon as I started, I could not stop listening. If it weren’t for the fact that I am over halfway in one day and want to savour some, then I would be finishing it right now. I’ve been left with many questions, and I’m not speaking about Royal gossip. Why do his brother and father call him Harold when his name is Henry, and why do so many army officials like small dog breeds? This book should have been “Bare” not “Spare” the last thing this book is doing is sparing us from anything. Every detail is laid bare for all to read/hear. The next time you hear from me, I will most certainly have finished and will return to my usual self-help reads. You can find most of my reads on GoodReads.

Self-care, Self-focus

February is so wild to me because firstly, you blink, and it is gone, but also, 50% of my siblings have a birthday this month and Valentine’s. Generally, by February, things have picked up in workload, so the hamster wheel is at full speed too. After the holidays, into the five years of January, I already feel a little fried. So it is essential to have some self-care, and thankfully, I use Valentine’s as a self-appreciation prompt. This year I am committed to buying some flowers, not for any reason other than I like flowers, and Winter makes me miserable. I’ve been thinking about self-care activities and what simple activities bring me joy. I realised how much I love using brushes (yes, any brush). Of course, you’re aware that I love makeup artistry. However, I also have taken up minimalistic art, and I use calligraphy drills to relax when I feel stressed. Also, while redecorating, I found how much I love painting walls with a brush and how comforting I found it. Now that I am more aware of this, I will consciously incorporate these activities into my weekly routines. I’ve made a list of self-care activities you can take this Valentine’s and every day, all tried and tested by me:

Have a cup of your favourite drink
Journal about how you’re feeling
Try deep breathing
Listen to your favourite music
Go for a long walk
Cook/order your favourite meal
Read a good book
Have a spa day
Get an early night’s sleep
Buy yourself flowers
Practice daily gratitude
Take a long bath or shower
Turn your phone off for a bit
Go for a drive (no destination required)
Do your hair and makeup & put on that cute outfit you’ve wanted to wear!
Practice yoga
Sleep with a weighted blanket
Do something creative (painting, writing, drawing, etc.)
Take a break from the news
Take yourself on a date

Retail Therapy [you shouldn’t, but you should]

Sometimes we can’t help but treat ourselves even when we can’t always afford to. To try and make this as guilt-free as possible, I’ve rounded up some of the discount codes I have from my favourite places because SHARING IS CARING. Some of these are affiliate links, meaning I receive a small sales commission; others are just codes you get when you buy stuff, and others are pre-loved sites I’m selling things at discounted prices. I recently spoke of the skincare brand Banish who have said they are also working on sharing a code with me and will update you as soon as I have one.

MONICA VINADER – Who doesn’t love gifting themselves some lovely jewellery? Take advantage of 25% off your purchase when you use the code: “LOVE-ACB1” (valid until the 15th Feb)
Grubby Meal kits – I get weekly plant-based recipe ideas by ordering from these guys. I’ve had a membership with them for over a year (I pay for it – this isn’t affiliated). My friends can get 50% off your first box + 30% off your first month! (damn, I wish I got this) Once you’ve ordered, you’ll automatically receive a credit to cover the cost of your next Grubby box. It’s limitless, so go wild whilst you can!
VINTED – I started a vinted page because I decided to downsize my wardrobe aggressively. Initially, I started with only going for a set colour palette, and then I extended to specific cuts of clothing, so there are more and more items heading to Vinted. There’s nothing worse than deciding what to wear in the morning, but if you stick to a colour palette, you can grab it, and everything somehow goes together. That said, some items will be hard to let go of, not to mention some still have tags on, but oh well.
BYROTATION – Coming soon…

Speaking of artist

I finally got my gel artist qualification! It was one of those things I should have had ages ago, but I never got around to doing it. So now, I’m a makeup artist and a Gel artist, so don’t be surprised if you start seeing more nail-related content here and there.

I will hang out with Skinsense Founder Abi Cleeves this week to check out a brand-new product. Check the blog soon, and I’ll update you on the product and the event.

Whatever your plans are this Valentine’s, I hope you have a lovely one.

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