Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Hi Everyone,

For about 4 years I wondered what it would be like if I started a blog or a Youtube... and for those 4 years that is all I did, wondered. I never thought lets try it and see what happens, I thought I will never be good at it... what have I got that someone else hasn't? I will just fail and everyone will laugh.

I want to try and help at least one person out there get over this fear. The fear of the world and the fear of people judging you and making comments you don't want.

I struggled for so long with an intense tightening in my stomach when I was attempting to do something I had never done before. Most of the time I would just give up and not carry on. I didn't want to, but it was like my body couldn't push itself to do things that it didn't know the outcome to. 9 times out of 10 it would be because I was scared of what others would think. Scared I would get bullied for what I was doing and maybe even get hurt.

A few weeks back I told you all the story of me getting beaten up by a so called friend and that leads to me having some kind of panic attack. That same story is the reason I didn't want to do a blog or a Youtube... because I was frightened that them girls might come back and do the same things.. or that I would be faced with a similar situation..... that is no way to live your life. I am going to be completely honest and say yeah... blogging still scares the crap out of me and so does Youtube... but I am turning that fear into my driving force. Why shouldn't I do what I enjoy?

And I guess what I am trying to say is Why shouldn't you do what you enjoy?
In my opinion there is no reason out there that is good enough to stop you living your dream.

Now I know as you all read it you will be thinking of what ifs... but what if this and what if that? Stuff the what ifs! What if the Earth got taken over by aliens and we all had to live under their rules? Then you would be thinking what if I had lived my dream till now. What would've happened if I had?

The truth is, life is full of scary situations where you will try to think of the future and tell yourself what is going to happen. But you don't really know what your thinking is true. I discovered my biggest fear in the world is not accomplishing what I want in life... and looking back and regretting things. I don't want to regret a thing and I don't want to look back when I am 70 and think.. I wonder what my life would have been like if I had done what I wanted. I want to look back and know I followed my heart with every decision I made and I did what truly made me happy.

If you really are struggling with some sort of decision, whether it be something like starting a blog or Youtube or making a massive career choice... please do what makes you happy. At the end of the day there will always be people out there that will try to knock you down and not appreciate what you do... but most of the time it is jealousy because they haven't had the guts to go out there and accomplish what you have. Its your life and you only get one so make sure you enjoy it! Disregard any negativity and always focus on the positive.

When I went to my brothers graduation the guest speaker told us all - "We all have a different idea of what success is. Some say it is managing the richest company in the world and others say success is having a happy and healthy family. Make sure you go out there and aim for what you feel is successful".

I want to challenge you all to step outside of your comfort zone. Make May 2015 your month and get your positive pants pulled up! Whether you make your first steps to your success or you achieve it, I want you to let me know how your doing it. Post the things that have made you feel better in the day and don't let anyone knock you back! Say yes to things you would normally say no to... and enjoy yourself.

Shoot for the stars and eventually you will land on one!

Lots of Love
Bethany Louise xx

P.S
I am challenging myself to post everyday on my blog for the entire of May. I feel so much better for getting myself out there and starting the journey to my success.

Youtube

Hi Everyone,

I have some super exciting news (for me anyway)! I now have a Youtube Channel..... I am so excited to see where this goes, but I am chasing my dream and doing something I enjoy!

Please check out my intro video on the link below! I will be posting a video once a week :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1uFo4vxK5E

Don't worry my blog won't lose out... I will still post on a Wednesday afternoon on here :)

Love
BethanyLouise xx

Ikea Malm Series and Bedroom Layout

Hi Everyone,

I know I said I was going to post every Wednesday afternoon, however I didn't post this week and there is a  good reason for that. I was sorting my bedroom out. I literally had a few finishing touches to purchase to make it complete, so I went shopping and bought everything and I spent Thursday and Friday arranging and building it.

I bought it all in stages so it has taken me a full year to buy everything I own. I wish I could afford to buy it all at once, but furniture isn't cheap and I still have to buy new makeup and clothes hehe :)

The first photo shows my bed and bedding. The white bed frame and draws are the Malm Set from Ikea. I think it cost me £410 for the bed frame, all 4 under bed draws and the double mattress. The bedding is from Matalan, it is a bed in a bag (it includes double duvet cover, 2 pillow cases and the throw) and that was £20. I then bought the Mint Green/teal sheet and two pillow cases for £15, again from Matalan.

My dressing table is the Malm Dresser from Ikea and it cost me £95 and I love it! The draw space is great (I will do another blog post on my makeup collection as there is a lot to go through and at this moment in time it isn't very organised), and I love the smooth glass top that comes with it. I have 3 tea light candles on my dresser in front of my mirror to add a pop of colour.

My make-up brushes are in this clear acrylic brush holder, along with any makeup tools I could need. I love this as it has 3 compartments at the top which works for foundation brushes, eye brushes and then bronze and blush brushes. The front 3 have my betty boop mirror (which I use as a metal plate for my foundation), tweezers, nail clippers, primer and my powder sponge. I came across this in TK Maxx and it cost me around £6-£7 ( I bought more than one thing that day).

Next up is my lamp. That's right... it's a lamp. I love love love this! It's so classy and looks so cosy when it is on. It looks like little tea lights. I bought this from Argos and it cost me £39.99 (a little expensive for a lamp but I just fell in love) I feel like it looks so good at the side of my crazy wallpaper and it has a dimmer switch which is perfect for on a night.

My mirror is from Argos and it cost me £40 or around that price. I love this because it has two fold in sides and it's great at reflecting the light from behind onto my face. I know it seems like a peculiar place to put a mirror with the lighting behind, however I can't put it in front of my window as there is a radiator there... but this set up does work for me :)

I really like the contrast of the white dresser against my Pink and Green wallpaper.. which was from The Range maybe 3 years ago.

The rest of my walls are a dusky pink colour... I didn't want them crisp white as I feel it would look a little insipid and my furniture wouldn't stand off very well. I chose a black pole for my green curtains to go on as white seemed to look cheap (I don't know why). My curtains are from The Range and I can't remember how much they are as I have had them 3 years now! I do know that they still sell them though because I walked past them the other day :)

The following 2 photographs are my canvases. I got the Marilyn Monroe one from The Range in the sale at £5... I fell in love and it just fit perfectly with my curtain poles! I got the New York one from Asda Living at £5 again (I love a good bargain) and it was the perfect size to fit on the little, (I want to say chimney breast bit), of my bedroom :)

My clear chair is from Ikea, ( I bought it last night), and its called Tobias. It cost me £65 but its just so perfect. The pear cushion is from Ikea as well. The cover cost £3 (I all ready had the cushion to put inside)... How cute is the cushion though! I just love it!

The 3 main cushions on my bed are just to add a bit of homeliness to my room. The 2 matching Teal cushions were £7 each from Tesco. The green frilly one is from Matalan and I can't remember how much it cost ( I bought it a while ago).

The multicoloured, vintage England cushion is from Dunelm Mill and cost around £5-£8. I love the pop of colour and the pastel throw.

My windowsill has 3 ornaments on. A Buddha in the middle (It is glitzy as well) and 2 Betty Boop ornaments.. My mum and dad bought me them when I was younger so I couldn't tell you how much they cost. I am still in love with them though :)

My light fitting is from Wilko! I never thought of Wilko for a light at all... and then when I was having a little mooch I found it... £30 for this! I personally thought it would be rude not to buy it! It matches my canvases and curtain pole and just adds a bit of a vintage edge to my room :)

As I say it has taken me a year to finish my room completely but I have been buying bits and bobs for the past 3 years to get it to where it is today :) I hope you like my room as much as I do :)

Remember a tidy room is a tidy mind :)

Love

BethanyLouise xx

Barcelona

Hi everyone,

I'm so sorry that I didn't post yesterday afternoon, it's been a bit stressful in the household and people haven't been well.

Anyways, I got back from barcelona on Monday and wow what a city! It was so beautiful I could've cried! 

We walked all the way to the port and the beach on the first day we got there and had tapas and a bottle of red wine in the sunshine and I knew the long weekend was going to be perfect. I did get a bit tipsy so we got a taxi back to the hotel, went to the supermarket for water and got some pastries to have in the room. We were so tired from travelling we thought it was best to have an early night.

Saturday morning came before we knew it and we headed to the sagrada familia, it was exceptional. The best church I have ever seen! The interior was just as amazing as the outside and it did bring a tear to my eye. The only thing I wish was that you could see more, they're still working on a lot of it so areas are covered and cordoned off. We went up the nativity tower and I didn't realise I hated heights as much... The staircase coming down is a spiral with no banister in the middle! Once we got down we got on the city tour bus and explored the  Orange route (I think that was the east side) where camp nou is and the Olympic stadium. 

Sunday we got up at our leisure and returned to the little pastry shop outside sagrada familia as it was cheap and beautiful! I can't remember what it was called though :( we got on the open top bus and did the green route taking us to park guell, where we spent the majority of the day exploring and catching the sunshine, as it was 26 degrees! Once we had finished in there we returned to Avenida Diagonal and went to our favourite cafe, Cafe Berlin, and enjoyed a baileys and nachos! Once the sun went down we went back to the room got changed and headed to the best tapas place I've ever been to, bar El Velodromo, wow! The wine and food went Down far too well along with the conversation with my mama and before we knew it it was time for bed ready to travel home on Monday!

It was a truely exceptional experience and I would do it all again!

Have you been to Barcelona? If so what did you like about it? 

Love

Bethanylouise xx

Nikon D5300

Hi Everyone!

I like to tell myself I have just "Invested" in a new camera to soften the price blow, but I haven't I have bought a new camera. I have deliberated whether to buy it now for the past 6 month, and every time I have thought about it I have always talked myself out of it... well not this time. I do have to say thank you to my mum and dad for pushing me to get something I really want, and letting me know that I do deserve a treat... to most people that sound rather weird but I have a bit of a phobia of spending money and it is rare that I treat myself to something that I don't feel I need to function.

Anyway, I ended up buying the Nikon D5300 DSLR and I have to admit I am already in love! I bought it last Friday so I have only had it 5 days, but the weather has been beautiful and I have managed to get some great snaps of the flowers in the garden. ( See Below)

Has anyone got any tips on how I can improve? And how to get the most out of my camera? I am going to Barcelona and I would love to be able to capture the city in all its beauty!

Love
BethanyLouise xx

Zoe Sugg - Girl Online

Hi everyone,

Oh my goodness what a brilliant book Zoe Sugg has written! It's a fabulous chick flick book but so relatable it doesn't seem like it... I hope that makes sense! 

It took me a while to get into the first few pages of it but after that I was hooked... What a brilliant idea for a story, a girl with an anonymous blog ( I think that's a cool idea in itself!). 

I really don't want to give too much away (Incase you've not finished it yet or haven't even started it) but the advice in it is fantastic! Please if you haven't read It go get it! It really helps give unconfident people a confidence boost but it makes you laugh (and even cry).

I loved it!

Bethany Louise xx

P.s check back every Wednesday afternoon/evening for a new blog post! This is a definite day for me but I could surprise you and post in between hehe! X