Simple Solutions for a Happier Life

With the modern world presenting us with longer working hours and many increased financial outgoings, it can sometimes feel like life is an uphill struggle. However, I've found that it's easy to put a little bit of balance back in my life by following a few of these small life changes.

Getting out and about

Simply going out and meeting people is one the best ways to put the spring back into your step. Whilst it can be hard to find the energy sometimes, I find that simply meeting a friend for lunch and discussing day-to-day activities can do wonders for my mood. This is because it seems that our actions determine our moods, not the other way around.

And this is why getting out the house can do so much in making us feel better, as it gives us a subtle shake-up to stop us getting too lethargic and dull. A little walk can be a good and quick way to refresh our minds, and it's been shown that somelight exercise can do much in making us feel better, so you can improve your mood without necessarily sweating it out at the gym!

Environmental concerns

As well as taking care of yourself, it's also important to spare a moment's thought for the state of our planet too. Without getting overly spiritual about it, I find that it's important to realise how connected everything is, so anything we can do to lessen the impact on our planet can do much to make us all feel better.

Whether it's eating a little less meat, or even taking public transport to work, environmentally-friendly habits all seem to have the dual function of caring for our planet, and helping us live better quality lives too. Our consumer choices also factor into this, which is why buying environmentally-friendly products such as electric radiators from the likes of Verismart, or even ethically-produced mobiles from companies such as Fairphone, can do much in helping us look toward to future.

Get creative

The power of positive thinking can do so much in improving the quality of our lives. I find it's a great idea to try and keep learning new things as a way to keep things interesting. Whether it's taking a dance lesson, or even learning a new language, keeping the brain active with new activities is key to lifting our moods.

I love checking out craft blogs like And Who Says You Can't which provide a great source of ideas to keep your hands busy and your mind inspired. It's all about making sure that we all spend our time doing what we want and cherishing each new day that comes to us.


*Written by Jess Walters

Layering Up for Autumn

Autumn.  The time of year when the weather likes to play tricks with us.  It could be freezing cold in the morning, only for gloriously warm sunshine to appear in the afternoon.  We dress for one type of weather and on many occasions end up getting another.

So how do we combat this mercurial weather?  The answer is layers.  A mix and match combination of your Summer and Winter wardrobe that will work with any weather combination.  For me, as always, that starts with a dress.

I am still clinging frantically to all my Summer dresses, not yet willing to give them up just yet to be packed away for next year.  So at the moment, my go to combination is a light summer dress, with a cardigan, tights and ankle boots.  Whether the day starts cold and goes warm or visa versa, the outfit can be adjusted to suit the temperature.

Here is what I was wearing today:

Floral Print Sleeveless Dress *
Black cardigan - old
Tights - New Look
Flat Ankle Boots *

I have to make a special mention of the boots that I am wearing in these photographs as they are an absolute bargain at £19.99 and are so comfortable.  Your foot is completely cushioned and it feels like you are wearing slippers.  The dress is also a bargain at £19,99 and can easily be worn with sandals for those warmer days.

K.Jacques Sandals

As I write this post, the rain is pouring outside and the weather forecast is miserable.  Last week though happily we had a few lovely sunny days and it gave me the chance to test out my new sandals from K.Jacques

K.Jacques is a family run business in France that create bespoke sandals to your precise specifications which sell all over the world.  K.Jacques have had artistic collaborations with the heights of fashion such as Givency, Karl Lagerfield; Balenciaga and Helmut Lang; to name but a few.  So when you create your own bespoke sandals, you know that you are in great company.

I was given the chance to create my own pair of sandals, which is something I have always wanted to do.  

The first step is to chose your style of sandal.  I went with the Buffon style with a combination of black leather and Dover Capri leather for a touch of sparkle.  Once you have submitted your design, this is sent off to the design team who come back with a picture of your chosen sandal, sometimes with a suggestion of an added element or design.

Once you have agreed your chosen design, the next step is providing them with a hand drawn outline of your feet so that they can create the perfect fit for you.  This is especially great for me as I have a slightly wider foot, somewhere between an E and EE so finding fashionable sandals is usually a bit of a challenge.

One week later and my beautiful sandals arrived on my doorstep, with a bag to keep them in to ensure that they stay in great condition.  The leather is luxuriously soft and the sandals fit me perfectly.

Being bespoke and handmade they cost a little more than your usual sandal purchase, but for a pair of sandals that fit like a glove, are soft to the touch and are designed to your precise specifications; the money is worthwhile.

With the weather turning to rain and cold I may not get another chance to wear my sandals now until next Summer, although with our changeable climate, I could be wearing them again in blazing sunshine next week!

*These sandals were gifted to me but all opinions are, as ever, my own.

My Fat Shaming Week

Trigger - comments shared about fat shaming - having a much needed vent

If you are fat, this has been one helluva week.  From Nicole Arbour's video, to the usual backlash against fat people because of it through trolls who surged like a swarm of locusts in delight at being to hurt a little more than usual.  

Then there was the whole #PlusisEqual campaign from Lane Bryant whose message that it was time to represent the 67% of women who are unrepresented on billboards; only then to use "socially acceptable" sized models in their campaign photograph.

I cannot help but think that while Lane Bryant may have an inkling of what their message actually means, they are not brave enough to carry through with it.  Ultimately they want to sell, that is their business.  But I know I, for one, would have seriously considered buying from them if they have been truly representative.  

I am not going to lie, this week for me it has been hard being a fat woman.  Not because I feel any less confident this week or feel any less about myself; but more because going through this week has been like being surrounded by jellyfish, not knowing when they are going to sting.

It started by seeing the "Dear Fat People" video shared on my Facebook timeline, by people who I know, progressing by troll attacks on my blog and Facebook page following my post about it (see here ) which I spent all yesterday's lunch time deleting.  

Comments that I am "glorifying obesity" simply by existing on the internet, that I am a whale that needs to be put down, that I am a gross and disgusting woman who will never be loved and that I need someone to shut my big fat mouth (never going to happen fuckwit).

While I do get trolled occasionally, I have been lucky, if lucky is even the right word in that it doesn't happen too often.  So to find so many comments this week has been hard; although sadly I did half expect it because of my posting about a video that has been talked about worldwide.

This was also a week where I have been targeted by the general public more than usual too.  From the woman who openly laughed at me to her friend as I walked past (get a life and work on your own issues sweetheart), to the man who commented to his girlfriend that I had a pretty face, only for her to comment "Yeah but look at the fat!".  Insecure much love?

This week culminated in me blowing my top when a teenager passing in a car with her presumed parent shouted out of the window at me as I crossed the road "Oh gross, she is huge!".  I turned around, gave her the finger and screamed fuck off at her.  I was half expecting the mother to turn the car around and have a go at me for shouting at her daughter, but she didn't.  Hopefully she was ashamed of her daughter.  I know I would be.

This week now comes to the near end.  I leave it still happy in myself, still confident, still wearing bloody amazing dresses and feeling awesome while wearing them.  It also leaves me sad and hurt.  

Sad that there are still people who use fat people as a vehicle for clicks and subscriptions, sad that trolls get their kicks from trying to hurt others.  I am also hurt that people I know, as well as random people on the street think it acceptable to share hateful videos and comment negatively about me right to my face, or behind my back; as if either my feelings do not exist or they are of no consequence.

Next time you make a fat joke, next time you share a derogatory video that you think has no consequence because "fat people deserve it", next time you troll (ok, there is no hope for them), look into the eyes of the person you want to insult and ask yourself:  What kind of human being do I want to be?  Don't be a dick.