Motivational Monday | Self Acceptance

Self Acceptance is something I'm sure a lot of us have struggled with at some point in our lives. We all have flaws and imperfections that make us hate ourselves but it shouldn't be that way. We all need to learn to love ourselves because, if we don't, we can never be fully happy.

Growing up, I was never 100% happy with myself as a person, especially when I started my teen years. When I was 12/13, I think I came across as a happy person despite being chubby and not fitting in to society's definition of 'pretty'. I didn't wear make-up and my hair was almost always in a ponytail. It wasn't until I was 14 that I started noticing what other girls looked like and that maybe I should look like them. I changed my hair drastically, I got it straightened, got a fringe cut and dyed it red. I also began wearing make-up (foundation and eyeliner). I did all this to make myself 'fit in'. Unfortunately, I was still unhappy with myself. One of my biggest insecurities is my teeth. They were overcrowded when I was in my early teens so I hated smiling in pictures. I remember when I was having my Year 10 photo taken and I tried so hard to smile without my teeth but they ended up sticking out and I looked ridiculous. It wasn't until I was 16 that I started smiling more in pictures and trying to be more accepting of my teeth. Unfortunately, in April 2015, I had fixed braces and my insecurities came back stronger than ever. I felt like Ugly Betty without the glasses. 

It's taken me a long time but I've accepted myself for who I am. Maybe I have braces, maybe I have spots, maybe I'm chubby, but those aren't what define me as a person. Yes, I get incredibly jealous all of the time of other girls who don't have braces and have perfect make-up but, at the end of the day, we are all different and that's what makes us beautiful.

Here are some ways to cultivate self-acceptance:

• Set an intention - It's important that we set an intention for ourselves that we are willing to shift paradigms from a world of blame, doubt and shame to a world of allowance, tolerance, acceptance and trust. This intention acknowledges that self-loathing doesn't lead to a satisfying life. If you set your intention that a life with self-acceptance is better than a life with self-hatred then you can begin a chain reaction within that leads to a life of peace.
• Celebrate your strengths - Instead of focusing on all the negatives about yourself, try and list all the positives about yourself instead. I know this can be difficult but I'm sure you have something good in your life. For example, I'm very fortunate to have a loving family, a roof over my head, I'm healthy, I try my hardest to be as independent as possible and I'm always accepting of others. Your strengths can come in any forms, for instance, even leaving the house when you're feeling low is still a great achievement. Your strengths are all worth noting, no matter how big or small.
• Consider the people around you - Obviously if you're being surrounded by people in a negative environment, you're never going to be happy. Think about the people in your life. Do they treat you with respect? Are they accepting of you? Do they pick you up when you're down? If the answer to all those questions is 'no', then I would suggest finding some new people to spend your life with. Be friends with people who make you answer 'yes' to all of those questions.
• Forgive yourself - Having regrets can stand in the way of self acceptance. We all need to learn to forgive ourselves, we can't change the past. The behavior or decision might not seem correct in hindsight, but at the time it seemed like the best choice. Instead of regretting, learn from your mistakes. 
• Shush your inner critic - We all have one. A inner critic that tells us all the negative aspects of ourselves. "You look too fat", "You look ugly", ect. A lot of people equate this inner critic with the voice of reason but this is wrong. Whenever you're having these thoughts, in your head, tell that critic "I may look fat, but I'm happy with my body" and "No, I'm looking good as this is my face and it's the only one I have so I have to accept it". Our mistakes and our imperfections are not bad or wrong or failures – they are the fingerprints of humanity and opportunities for learning, healing and growth.
• Be kind to yourself - A lot of people are hesitant to show even a hint of self-kindness because they see it as selfish or undeserved. One of the keys to self-compassion is understanding that weakness and frailty are part of the human experience. Treat yourself like you would treat your best friend or family member.
• Perform charitable acts - When you sacrificially give to others, you see how your deeds are a positive influence on other lives. It becomes more and more difficult to maintain the idea that you are no good when you see how your deeds help other people.
• Know that acceptance is not resignation - Acceptance is letting go of the past and things we cannot control. This way you can focus your energy on that which you can control, which is empowering. In fact, for some people, accepting that they have a problem is the first step to making positive changes. 
• Fake it until you make it - If you're unconvinced that you're a worthy person, keep the faith and keep at it. Keep practicing self-compassion along with the other suggestions. 

It may be difficult, at first, but as long as you keep repeating the above acts, you'll eventually accept and be happy within yourself. 

Thank you so much for reading this blog,

I really hope it helps in some way or another.

❤

July Favourites ❤

Hi, sorry for not posting in ages.

If I'm honest, I really don't know what to post on this blog anymore.

However, I do enjoy writing my 'Monthly Favourites' posts as I like 

reflecting on all the positives of the past month.

July has been a great month for me, there have been a lot of highlights.

Here's what I've been loving this month:

Activated - Cher Lloyd

If you know me well, you'll know I'm a huge fan of Cher Lloyd ever since she was on The X Factor in 2010. Since then, she has released two albums and several singles. This is her latest single, 'Activated', and it's amazing. In my opinion, it's her best song yet. I would say that Cher is one of the most underrated artists out there because her last album, Sorry I'm Late, wasn't successful. She has one of the most beautiful voices and has been working so hard for the past six years, she deserves to be successful. I know some of you might not like Cher (for some reason?) but, please, just give this new single a listen on YouTube and if you like it, you can buy it here on iTunes. 

Ghostbusters

Some of you may be shocked to see this as one of my favourites but, honestly, this is one of the funniest films I've seen this year. I don't understand the hate it got when this reboot was announced. I think the majority of hate came from people who grew up watching the original (where the four main characters were played by men) and were sceptical to the new version. This was one of the films I was most looking forward to watching and it didn't disappoint. This is directed by Paul Feig and I loved two of his previous films, The Heat and Spy. I think that this one manages to give its own unique take on the classic story without being a direct copy. I think it's worth watching if you enjoyed the original, are a fan of Paul Feig and the actors featured in this film. If you want to read my full review, click here. 

Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me is one of my favourite films as it's thrilling and has a unique story about a group of magicians who use tricks to escape the FBI. It was entertaining and was one of the best films of 2013. When I found out there was going to be a sequel, I was really excited as the main characters were all really likable and I wondered where they would go after the events of the first film. While this isn't as good as the first film, it's still a fun watch. There are several new characters including Daniel Radcliffe as the antagonist, Walter Mabry. He provided comic relief in this thriller. The tricks in the first film were created using logic and made the audience think 'How did they do that?'. However, in this sequel, the answer to that question is obvious: CGI. But, if I'm honest, I don't see that as a bad thing because what film doesn't rely on CGI these days? While this isn't a perfect sequel, it's still enjoyable to watch, especially if you enjoyed the first film. If you'd like to read my full review, click here.

The BFG

When I was growing up, Roald Dahl's The BFG was one of my favourite books. Most giants are seen as scary and evil but Dahl changes that stereotype. The 'BFG' stands for 'Big Friendly Giant' and that's exactly what the main character is. The story does include giants that are horrible and enjoy eating people but that's where the conflict comes in. The BFG is the only one that's friendly and would rather eat the disgusting 'snozzcumber' then a human 'bean'. When I re-read the book earlier this year, I remembered why I loved it and I was so happy when I heard that Steven Spielberg had directed a live action adaptation of it. Fortunately, it didn't disappoint and it managed to capture the feel of the book. The CGI looked stunning and I felt like I was part of Sophie's adventure with the BFG. This film is mainly aimed towards children but there's no reason why people who read the book shouldn't enjoy it. If you want to read my full review, click here.

 'Tanya Bakes' by Tanya Burr

Back in summer 2014, I went through a phase of baking. I wanted to be able to make cakes, cookies, ect from scratch but, unfortunately, it didn't really work out and I gave up. When one of my favourite YouTubers, Tanya Burr, announced she was bringing out her first baking book, I couldn't be more happier for her. I was also really excited to see what recipes she would include. I think that this is the perfect baking book for anyone wanting to start baking and need tips. Tanya has proven in a lot of her videos that she can easily bake and cook from scratch and makes the most amazing products. This book includes recipes such as: cookies & biscuits; muffins, cupcakes & traybakes; cakes & loaves; puddings; pastry; bread; brunch and special occasions. I haven't tried out any of the recipes myself yet as I don't have the ingredients to do so but, as soon as I have the right ingredients and equipment, I will definitely try out a recipe from Tanya's book.

Highlight of July - Meeting Fleur De Force (29/07/2016)

In February 2015, I met Fleur De Force for the first time at her book signing for her first book 'The Glam Guide'. She was really sweet and we talked about Twitter and makeup (of course). Earlier this year, Fleur announced that she was writing her second book, 'The Luxe Life' and I couldn't be more excited to read it. I was so happy when she announced a book tour and that she was coming to Manchester. She was just as down to earth the first time I met her. I told her that I met her at her previous book signing back in February last year and she said that it feels like yesterday that she was here touring with her first book. I loved meeting her and I'm hoping that she'll bring out another book and there'll be another opportunity for me to see her. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone in need of advice based on make-up, hair, clothing or how to live a 'luxe life'.

Those were my favourites and highlights of this month.

Thank you so much for reading this, I really do appreciate it.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. 

Hopefully, I'll start updating this blog more when I get more ideas.

❤

June Favourites ❤

Hi everyone!

I hope you've all had a great month, if not I hope July is better.

June has been a really good month so here's what I've been loving.

Me Before You

I hadn't read the book that this film is based on before watching this film so I didn't really know what to expect apart from the fact that it's a romantic drama that will probably make the viewer shed some tears. I can say that this film was definitely better than what I expected and it has made me want to read the book. The performances from the two leads, Emilia Clarke as Lou Clark, a young woman who has a positive outlook on life and Sam Claflin as Will Traynor who is a quadriplegic after the result of a motorbike accident and his personality is a contrast to Lou's. He sees no desire to live but his life changes after meeting the optimistic Lou. I'd definitely recommend this film to people who enjoy romantic dramas and don't mind crying. If you'd like to read my review, click here.

It's Not Me, It's You

If you know me, you'll know that I love Vicky Pattison and have been supporting her ever since I met her at her book signing in September 2014. Since releasing her autobiography almost two years ago, she has come a long way. She has published two novels (All That Glitters and A Christmas Kiss), had her own TV series where she helped various people with their problems (Judge Geordie), won a reality TV show (I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!) and now she is part of a new panel-based series on Channel 5 called It's Not Me, It's You. Vicky is the captain of one of two teams (the other is captained by Kelly Brook) and the show is presented by Eamonn Holmes. There are three different games. In the first, Eamonn will ask if the audience decided if something was a deal breaker and the teams must decide which is the right answer in order to win a point. The questions are all based on romantic relationships. In the show, we hear the team's opinions on certain things. There are also elements of comedy especially from Vicky who doesn't hold back when she talks about her past relationships. The first episode has only just aired but the show will be on every Thursday on Channel 5 at 10pm.

Just Like Fire - Pink

Last month, the sequel to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, Alice Through The Looking Glass was released and, with most movies, a famous artist will record and release a single in order to promote the movie. With the previous film, Avril Lavigne released a song called Alice which was really good. This time, Pink has released a song called Just Like Fire which is a lot more upbeat than Avril's song. The video is original too and features Pink's real life husband, Carey Hart, and their daughter, Willow, as they travel through a Wonderland and meet some of the characters from the film. 

Highlight of the month: Seeing Emma Blackery and Busted on the Pigs Can Fly tour

03/06/16

I thought that I could also include a 'Highlight of the Month' in my monthly favourites because this night was definitely one of the best days of my life. In case you didn't know, I'm a huge fan of Emma Blackery and have been supporting her ever since I started watching her YouTube videos in 2013. I think she's really funny and creative and she's also a talented singer/songwriter too. When I heard Emma was touring with Busted on their Pigs Can Fly tour, I was so happy for her. The tour was coming to Manchester twice (an extra date had been released due to popular demand) and I wasn't going to go until I noticed there was one ticket left for a seat close to the stage for only £50! So of course I bought it. Then I realised, Oh my God, I'm finally seeing Emma Blackery live! (And Busted of course) Friday the 3rd June finally came and I couldn't be more excited. I got to Manchester Arena about 5pm and queued about an hour until the doors opened. I got my 'EB' t-shirt which is a part of Emma's merchandise and went to my seat. I was really happy with my seat. At about 7:30pm, the instrumental to Emma's latest single, Sucks To Be You and I jumped out of my seat and there she was! I quickly got out my camera and recorded her singing Sucks To Be You, Look What You Made Me Do and Perfect. Despite having a cold, she still came out and performed for the crowd and she didn't disappoint! Her setlist was short but it has made me even more excited to see her at her tour in October. Busted were amazing too. They really know how to entertain an audience. I was only about 4/5 when they were popular but I remember jumping on my bed and dancing to Year 3000. I also love Thunderbirds Are Go, Falling For You and What I Go To School For. Overall, I had a great night and will definitely be one of my biggest highlights of 2016.

That's what I've been loving this past month.

Thank you for reading my blog, it means a lot.

❤

May Favourites ❤

2016 is going really quickly, I can't believe we're

halfway through this year already.

Anyway, May has been a great month for me, 

I hope you've enjoyed your month too.

Here are my favourites.

X-Men: Apocalypse

This is definitely one of my favourite films of this year. It's the eighth film in the X-Men franchise and focuses on the worlds first ever mutant, known as Apocalypse, who has awaken after being buried underground for thosands of years and it's up to the X-Men to stop him from destroying the world. This film is set in the 1980s, ten years after the events of Days Of Future Past. Every actor involved gives a strong performance especially James McAvoy (as Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (as Magneto) and Oscar Isaac (as Apocalypse). The action is full on throughout and is just as good as the previous X-Men films, if not better. If you'd like to read my full review, click here.

Britain's Got Talent

This has been my favourite show to watch as it's one of the most entertaining protgrammes on TV. Every year, thousands of people from all around the world auditioning for this show and showing off their 'talent'. The reason for the speech marks is that some people don't have talent and they just want to be on telly. That's what makes this TV show so fun to watch. Of course, there are some really talented acts too and that's why this show is such a success. It's currently in its 10th year. Ant and Dec present the show and their reactions to some of their auditions is just priceless. The current judges are Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams. I think this is the best judging line-up as they're all different and have their own views and opinions. The live semi-finals were last week and the majority of acts were really good. BGT is one of those shows that I look forward to every year as it just gets better. I also love the side show on ITV2, Britain's Got More Talent, presented by Stephen Mulhern. As you can probably guess, there's a lot more to the show and we get to see Stephen interviewing the acts and playing various games with Ant and Dec. It's hilarious.

Sucks To Be You - Emma Blackery

Emma Blackery is one of my favourite YouTubers and many inspirations. Not only does she post some of the best videos on YouTube, she's also just released her EP, Sucks To Be You. It features some of her best songs including her single, Sucks To Be You, Let Me Be and Look What You Made Me Do. Emma is currently on tour with Busted and she has also announced her first headlining tour which will be later this year. Words honestly can't describe how proud I am of Emma. She has come so far since she started YouTube four years ago. In my opinion, I think she's really underrated and deserves more recognition, so, if you haven't already, you should definitely give her EP a listen. The songs are brilliant and written by Emma herself. 

Can't Stop The Feeling - Justin Timberlake

This is Justin Timberlake's latest single and features on the soundtrack for the new animated film, Trolls, and is a feel good anthem. This is definitely one of Justin's best songs and the music video is great. It features a variety celebrities including James Corden, Gwen Stefani, Anna Kendrick, Kunal Nayyar and Justin himself in different clips of them performing and lip synching to the song. I think this song is perfect for anyone in need of a positivity boost.

Cheap Thrills - Sia

I think that Sia is an incredible singer with hits such as Chandelier and Elastic Heart. Now, Sia has recently released her latest single, Cheap Thrills which proves to be just as good as her aforementioned singles. Sia sings 'Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight / I love cheap thrills' which is a meaningful lyric as she's saying that money isn't necessary in order to have fun and I agree. The song is really catchy too and I love the video which features Maddie Ziegler who is a talented 13-year-old dancer and frequently appears in Sia's videos. Her dance moves are really compelling and makes the songs even more enjoyable.

'Feel Pampered' and 'Feel Blissful' - Radox bath soaks

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know I love Radox's bath soaks. They're cheap (currently two for £1.80 at Superdrug) and they last for a really long time (you don't need to use loads in order to get a lot of bubbles). They also have really nice-smelling fragrances. I've recently bought the above bath soaks and I can definitely say they're my current favourites. The 'Feel Pampered' contains Shea Butter which enhances the fragrance and smells similar to chocolate. The 'Feel Blissful' is perfect for relaxing as it has calendula and rose which is a gorgeous combination. 

Thank you for reading my blog,

I hope you enjoyed it.

❤

World Asthma Day

May 2nd 2017 is World Asthma Day which is an important day for me

because, when I was a child, I was diagnosed with asthma.

In this blog, I'll be talking about the symptoms and dangers of asthma 

and my experience with it.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a common long-term condition that can cause coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness.

What causes Asthma?

Asthma is caused by inflammation of the small tubes, called bronchi, which carry air in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma, the bronchi will be inflamed and more sensitive than normal. When you come into contact with something that irritates your lungs – known as a trigger – your airways become narrow, the muscles around them tighten, and there is an increase in the production of sticky mucus (phlegm).

Common asthma triggers include:

• Viral infections
• House dust mites
• Exercise
• Animal fur
• Cigarette smoke
• Pollen

Asthma can also be triggered by substances (allergens or chemicals) inhaled at work. If you think your symptoms are worse at work, speak to your GP.

It is not fully understood why people develop asthma although it is known that you're likely to develop it if you have a family history of the condition.

Asthma can develop at any age including in young children and elderly people.

What are the symptoms of Asthma?

The symptoms of asthma can range from mild to severe. The majority of people with asthma will only experience occasional symptoms although a few people will have problems most of the time.

The main symptoms of asthma are:

• Wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe)
• Shortness of breath
• A tight chest
• Coughing

These symptoms are often worse at night and early in the morning, particularly if the condition is not well controlled. They may also develop or become worse in response to a certain trigger, such as exercise or exposure to an allergen.

Asthma attacks

When asthma symptoms get significantly worse, it is known as an asthma attack or "acute asthma exacerbation".

Asthma attacks often develop slowly, sometimes taking a couple of days or more to become serious, although some people with asthma are prone to sudden, unexpected severe attacks. It is important to recognise attacks early and take appropriate action.

During an asthma attack, the symptoms described above may get worse and – if you're already on treatment – your inhaler medication may not work as well as it normally does.

Signs of a particularly severe asthma attack can include:

• Your reliever inhaler (which is usually blue) is not helping with symptoms as much as usual, or at all
• Wheezing, coughing and chest tightness becoming severe and constant
• Being too breathless to eat, speak or sleep
• Breathing faster
• A rapid heartbeat
• Feeling drowsy, exhausted or dizzy
• Your lips or fingers turning blue (cyanosis)

If you have one or more of these symptoms, it's important you call 999 and seek immediate help.

Treatment for Asthma

• Inhalers - Asthma medicines are usually given by inhalers – devices that deliver medication directly into the lungs as you breathe in. This is an effective way of taking an asthma medicine as most goes straight to the lungs, with very little ending up elsewhere in the body. Each inhaler works in a slightly different way. You should have training from your GP or nurse in how to use your device or how to help your child use theirs. This should be checked at least once a year. Some inhalers are pressurised canisters – similar to a spray deodorant or an air freshener. You press the inhaler while breathing in, so the vapour containing the medication can pass into your lungs. Some inhalers are not pressurised canisters but contain the medication in dry powder form, usually in a capsule that is punctured when the inhaler is "primed". It is not possible to use a spacer with these inhalers and, unlike pressurised canisters, the powder must be inhaled quickly and forcefully if the medication is to reach the lungs.
• Spacers -  Pressurised canister inhalers can work better if given through a spacer – a hollow plastic or metal container with a mouthpiece at one end and a hole for the inhaler at the other. Children under the age of three may have a spacer attached to a face mask rather than a mouthpiece, as this can make it easier for them to breathe in the medicine. When using a spacer, the vapour from the inhaler is released into the container, where it is held while you breathe in slowly and progressively until your lungs are full. You should then hold in your breath before relaxing so the vapour has time to settle in your lungs. This can make the medication more effective because much more of it reaches your lungs and much less stays in your mouth or is swallowed, where it has no effect on your lungs but is more likely to cause possible unwanted effects. Spacers are also good for reducing the risk of thrush in the mouth or throat, which can be a side effect of some inhaled asthma preventer medicines.  Spacers can also be very helpful for people who find using inhalers difficult, such as young children. As spacers also improve the distribution of medication into the lungs, their regular use is preferred in many cases – particularly for preventer medications – even in people who use inhalers well.

My Experience With Asthma

Like I said earlier, I was diagnosed with asthma as a young child. I think this was mainly due to my parents smoking when I was an infant, which can be one of the triggers of asthma. My mum quit smoking not long after she had me but, unfortunaly, my dad still smokes although not around me as he knows it can harm me. I remember feeling nauseated whenever I was around people who were smoking and I still have to keep my distance away from my smokers as I worry it's going to trigger my asthma. Fortunately, my asthma isn't that bad now but I remember as a child and in my early teens it affected me a lot.

At the age of 9, in the winter, I had an asthma attack. I remember feeling very ill and having the aforementioned symptoms so I sat with my mum downstairs for a while before she took me to hospital. I remember being very scared at the time and nurses running tests on me to make sure I was okay. After a few days, I was given the all-clear and left but it has made me more aware of my asthma. When I went back to school, I learnt that asthma can be deadly as one of the students in my school had an asthma attack and died. It was very shocking to me and it's played on my mind ever since. This is why I'm writing this blog, to raise awareness about asthma as it can be dangerous and it's important you seek help from your GP as soon as possible if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms.

As a child, I used to stay and sleep over at my Grandma's house and she has a few cats, which can be a trigger for asthma, so it was a struggle for me to sleep as I kept wheezing and coughing and I remember waking up in the middle of the night in need of my inhaler which I'd left at my Mum's house. Luckily, we only live a 5-minute walk away from my Grandmother's house so my Mum brought it round for me. Even though my asthma isn't that bad anymore, I still have to be careful when I go to my Grandmother's house as I still tend to get a bit wheezy and breathless.

Another experience I had with asthma was in high school, during PE when we had to run laps around the field which was huge. This was when I was about 12 or 13 and I was a little on the chubby side and, after running round the field once, I felt like I was going to pass out and I remember lying on the floor in front of my PE teacher and my friend having to run inside the changing room to get my inhaler. It was scary at the time but when I think back, I cringe as I must've looked ridiculous, lying on the ground, trying to catch my breath whilst everyone jogged round the field.

Fortunately my asthma doesn't affect me that much anymore but I still have to be really careful and look after myself. Even if your asthma isn't that bad anymore, it's vital that you carry your inhaler with you as you never know when something might trigger it. 

Hopefully this blogpost is helpful and if you are experiencing

any of the symptoms then you must seek help from your GP

as soon as possible.

Thank you for reading my blog.

❤

April Favourites ❤

I can't believe it's the end of April already, 

this month has flown by.

I've really enjoyed this month, I hope you have too, if not I hope 

May is better.

Here's what I've been loving this month.

'Dangerous Woman' by Ariana Grande

This is Ariana Grande's latest single from her new album of the same name and it is amazing. I do think this is her best single yet. It's a midtempo pop and R&B song with an arena rock chorus and a guitar solo during its bridge. Lyrically, Dangerous Woman explores the theme of empowerment and confidence in a relationship and how a partner can bring a different side out to a woman. In the music video, Ariana proves she isn't shy by showing off her 'dangerous' side.

The Huntsman: Winter's War

When I first watched Snow White and the Huntsman I thought it was a great film. I loved the twist on the classic fairy tale story where, instead of the Huntsman taking Snow White into the woods to kill her on the Evil Queen's orders, he teams up with the young princess and the two work together to defeat the Evil Queen. Winter's War is a prequel/sequel and it's really good. In the first film, we know that the Huntsman is a widow and in this film, we see how the Huntsman met his wife and how she died. The majority of the film is set after Snow White defeated the Evil Queen, Ravenna (Charlize Theron), however she doesn't make an appearence. This film's main focus is on the Huntsman trying to find and retrieve the Magic Mirror before Ravenna's sister, the Ice Queen, Freya, can get her hands on it. If you'd like to read my full review, click here.

10 Cloverfield Lane

In 2008, Cloverfield showed the destruction of New York and focused on several citizens trying to survive this monstrous attack. By using shaky cam-footage, the audience felt like they were part of the action. Now, producer J.J. Abrams has brought us the sequel, 10 Cloverfield Lane. However, he describes it as more of a 'blood relative' than a sequel as none of the characters from the previous film are in this and the director, Dan Trachtenberg, has decided to use a steady camera. The film focuses on Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who, after surviving a car crash, wakes up in a bunker where she meets Howard (John Goodman) who tells her that he saved her and that the outside world is 'contaminated'. Of course, she doesn't believe this until she tries to escape and gets an glance at what the outside world has become. Now, she, Howard and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), have to live together and wait until this apocalyptic event is over. However, Michelle is suspicious of Howard. The film is full of tension throughout and Goodman's Howard is really creepy. When Michelle doesn't abide by his 'rules' he gets angry. The ending is brilliant too and full of action. I definitely think there are more films to come. If you'd like to read my full review, click here.

The Comforter shower cream from Lush

I love Lush because their products are vegetarian/vegan and they don't test on animals. They even have their own campaign to stop animal testing. Not only that, their products are really good. They're best known for their variety of bath bombs and other bathroom products including shower creams and gels, bubble bars, ect. Recently, I went to Lush and I bought 'The Comforter' shower cream. I would say that the smell is very sweet like the Snow Fair shower gel, which is only available during November/December. After using this, my skin felt very smooth and I can definitely say this is my favourite Lush shower cream.

Granny Takes A Dip bubble bar from Lush

I love Lush's bubble bars as they last for a really long time. You break small pieces of the bar and hold it under a running tap to create bubbles. I've never tried this bar before and it smells really nice and I love the colours. It's my favourite bubble bar. 

Thank you for reading my blog, I hope you liked it. ❤️

Five Things I'm Looking Forward To In 2016 ❤

Hi, I'd like to start off by apologising for not updating my blog

as much. The main reason is that I get stuck for ideas

and I have no clue what to write about. 

However, I thought that I'd write about five things

I'm looking forward to this year. 

This could be movies, TV shows, books, events, ect.

'On The Other Side' by Carrie Hope Fletcher

In April last year, Carrie Fletcher published 'All I Know Now', which was a non-fiction book created to help people struggling with various topics such as bullying, friendship, relationship, mental health issues, ect and it also included various anecdotes from Carrie's life. In July this year, Carrie will publish her first novel, 'On The Other Side' and I couldn't be more excited. I know how hard Carrie has worked on this book. She wrote this book whilst on the train to London where she performed as Eponine in the musical Les Miserables. In October last year, she published another edition of All I Know Now that included extra chapters and an extract from On The Other Side. I bought the Special Edition and read the extract. It's safe to say that, judging from the extract, it's going to be an amazing book. 

The main character is Evie, who is eighty-two when she passes away. However, there's a twist. Evie wakes up in her twenty-seven year old self and in front of the door, which leads to her heaven. Unfortunately, it's locked and Evie soon learns that her soul is too heavy to open the door and must get rid of what is preventing her from entering heaven. For Evie, this means unburdening herself of the three secrets that have weighed her down for over fifty years and must find a way to reveal them before it's too late. 

When Carrie first announced she was writing her first novel, I couldn't be happier. Just judging from the plot of the book proves how talented Carrie is at writing. She has a beautiful imagination and only she could write a book with a story that's so heartwarming and touching. 

Cher Lloyd's third album

When Cher Lloyd released her second album, Sorry I'm Late, in 2014, I had high hopes that it would be successful. Unfortunately, it didn't do well in the charts, due to lack of promo. Like a lot of her fans, I was devastated. Sorry I'm Late is probably her best album yet and shows her talent. The songs on there meant a lot to Cher personally, especially Goodnight, a track she wrote for her father. I think if her record label had given it good promotion, it would've been a success. Fortunately, Cher left her label, SyCo, and has confirmed that's she's with a new label (she hasn't announced which) and is making music. She's been tweeting for the past year how she's been in the studio writing and recording her new music and earlier this year she said that her third album should be released soon. Cher has also released pictures from her photoshoots, like the one above and she looks incredible. I honestly hope that Cher's third album does become a success because she has worked so hard since she left the X Factor in 2010 at the age of 17. In my opinion, she should have the same level of success as Little Mix, who have just released their third album, Get Weird, and have been touring both UK and America and are set to tour Europe later this year. This is what Sorry I'm Late should've done for Cher. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be but, hopefully, this will be the year Cher receives recognition.

X-Men: Apocalypse

I didn't become a fan of the X-Men films until I watched Days Of Future Past in 2014. They have since become one of my favourite superhero franchises. I've loved all of the films (including the prequel First Class) and, after watching the trailer, I am so excited to watch the latest film, Apocalypse. It focuses on Apocalypse, who is described as the 'first and most powerful' mutant in the X-Men universe. In this film, he has recently been awakened after thousands of years and is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruites a team of powerful mutants, one of them being Magneto (Michael Fassbender) to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), with the help of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

The film sounds really exciting and I can't wait to watch it. It features a lot of my favourite characters from Days Of Future Past, including Quicksilver (Evan Peters). The action sequences look really thrilling and I think it will be the best superhero film of the year (sorry Batman V Superman).

Passengers

In case you haven't already guessed, Jennifer Lawrence is one of my favourite actresses and I'm always waiting for news about new films she's in. Last year, it was announced she was going to be in a new sci-fi film alongside Chris Pratt. I was so happy when I first heard about this because it will be great to see Jennifer as a completely different character as opposed to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games and Raven/Mystique in the X-Men franchises. In the film, Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt play two passengers, Aurora and Jim, who, on the way to a distant colony planet, are awakened 60 years ahead of schedule. This sounds like a great film but, unfortunately, it's not released until December 23rd in the UK. However, I know the wait will be worth it. I'm looking forward to seeing how both Jennifer and Chris' characters interact with each other and what happens in the film. The film has been described as an adventure movie so it'll be interesting to watch what happens in the film. The director is Morten Tyldum who previously directed the Oscar-nominated film, The Imitation Game. In all honesty, I don't think Passengers will be nominated for any awards, as these type of films tend to be overlooked but I know that the quality of the film will be really good. 

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

I love the Harry Potter films and, like a lot of people, was sad when they came to an end in 2011. To be honest, I thought that was the end of the Wizarding World but, no, J.K. Rowling, being the very talented writer she is, published another book set in the Wizarding World called 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them' in 2001 and, finally, there's been a movie adaptation of it starring Eddie Redmayne as the main protagonist, Newt Scamander. It's set in New York, long before Harry Potter and Voldemort, and is about Newt's adventures in a secret community of witches and wizards. I haven't read the book so I have no idea what to expect from this film except that it features witches, wizards, a lot of magic and, of course, 'fantastic beasts'. It's going to be interesting seeing the Wizarding World from a completely new perspective and to see Oscar-winning actor, Eddie Redmayne as Newt. Redmayne has proved himself to be a very talented actor. He has performed as Marius in the film adaptation Les Miserables and as the famous physicist Stephen Hawking (which he won his Oscar for) in The Theory Of Everything. I can definitely see this film being a huge success as there are a lot of die-hard Potter fans who, like me, have been waiting for another film set in the Wizarding World.

So that's what I'm looking forward to this year.

I know that the majority of them are films 

but I am a massive fan of watching movies.

Thank you so much for reading my blogpost,

it means a lot.

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