My Favourite Podcasts This Month | August 2018

Hey Guys! 

Over the past couple of months, I've been listening to podcasts instead of listening to music or watching YouTube videos while I'm getting ready in the morning. I love that with podcasts you don't have to physically watch it and can just put your headphones in or plug your speaker in and listen while multitasking. A few months ago I would listen to Estee Lalonde's podcast The Heart Of It while I was tidying my room or doing housework. After finishing her podcast series I started looking into other podcasts that I would enjoy, which led to me browsing through the popular section of Spotify podcasts. 

When I go to bed sometimes I struggle to fall asleep, so I've been finding different ways to help me relax. Sometimes I listen to soothing music or I put a Netflix show on just to have some noise in the background (I sometimes struggle to fall asleep when there is lots of silence. Bizarre I know!). After a while, I found podcasts were good to listen to when I couldn't sleep, so over the last couple of weeks, I've been switching between these three different podcasts when I'm getting ready in the morning or I'm struggling to fall asleep. 

On Spotify, there is such a huge selection of podcasts to choose from. There are so many different genres that there is something for everybody! 

(WARNING: SPOILERS)

Crime Junkie

I only started listening to Crime Junkie last week, but after a few episodes it automatically went on my favourites list. I'm a huge fan of murder mysteries and unsolved crimes/murders (highly recommend Buzzfeed's Unsolved True Crime videos with Shane and Ryan) so any stories of mysterious murders and bizarre crimes always capture my attention. When I first started listening to the podcast I wasn't sure if it would be as good as some other videos and podcasts I've listened to before about crime and murder. But the narration and stories are great! 

Crime Junkie is a weekly podcast where every Monday Ashley Flowers discusses a different crime story she has been researching. By dissecting all the facts and details she gives the full story behind the unsolved crime giving all the chilling information she has found while doing her research, which then leads on to who the suspects are and motives behind the crime or murder.   

The first episode I listened to was Episode 39: Serial Murder Todd Kohlhepp and straight away I was hooked! Ashley Flowers' narration is great. She gets straight to the point and gives all the facts straight up with suspense and chilling information. Each episode is different and the details she gives in each story is extensive and paints a full picture of the events taking place!

Some stories aren't as great as others and lack some suspense and thrill but I think that is more of a personal preference on what type of crimes and murder mysteries you find interesting. The Serial Murder Todd Kohlhepp was the most interesting I've heard so far due to the murders he committed and the number of people involved. Due to the fact it has more thrilling facts, I found it more gripping compared to other episodes. 

If you are crime-obsessed like me you'll love this podcast! They talk conspiracy theories, murders, wanted people and serial killers so definitely check them out over at Spotify. 

Happy Place

Happy Place is a podcast series by Fearne Cotton where she "talks to incredible people about life, love, loss, and everything in-between as she reveals what happiness means to them". Throughout the series, she discusses the subject of happiness, positivity and mental health with people such as Emma Willis, Gok Wan, Dawn French and Stephen Fry. It is a great series for those who need uplifting ❤

I started listening to Happy Place because I was looking for something that focused on positivity and getting over hardships. On Spotify, Happy Place is in their popular selection so I scrolled down the list and on seeing Dawn French pop up I clicked on her episode. I'm a huge fan of Dawn French from watching The Vicar of Dibley, French & Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, Lark Rise to Candleford and from reading her autobiography a few years ago. I thought I knew a lot about Dawn French but actually, after listening to her conversation with Fearne I learnt quite a lot more about her and how she stays positive in the world of entertainment. Especially with divorce, journalists writing about her dad's death and her body image. 

I've also listened to Gok Wan's episode and I never knew he had such dark times in his life from his childhood to eating disorders and anorexia. He talked about when he left school because he got kicked out due to bad behaviour, working in his family's restaurant from the age of three and developing issues with self-confidence and body image. I've always known Gok to be a positive figure in entertainment, especially in helping women to learn to love themselves on his show How To Look Good Naked. But I never knew he had experienced such things as an eating disorder and had such a hard time when he was younger because he has always been so positive from what we see of him in the media and on television. But I think that just shows that nobody knows what is happening in someone's head and what they choose not to share. Gok Wan talks about many great things that keep him positive and it was so uplifting ❤

Another episode which really resonated with me was Stephen Fry's discussion with Fearne. As most people know Stephen Fry has battled with mental health for quite a while and now he is battling with prostate cancer. Listening to his episode was so enlightening. One thing he said was "why are we ashamed of the bodies we didn't choose to be given and have no control over" which I couldn't stop thinking about. He is so right and I think Stephen Fry is such a positive role model to those who have struggled because he reflects so much positivity. He has had the hardest of times due to coming out about his sexuality, getting criticised for marrying a man 30 years younger than him and then having to deal with his mental health and battle with cancer, and throughout this, he demonstrates how you can get through it with a positive attitude ❤

This series is great if you are feeling a little lost and need a boost to get you back in the right direction. Fearne Cotton narrating the podcast is great, she listens to each person's incredible story so attentively and lets them get everything off their chest without asking too many intrusive questions. 

Shane and Friends

Shane and Friends is a bit of an older series compared to Crime Junkie and Happy Place, starting in 2013 and ending back in 2017 with no new series appearing in 2018. Shane and Friends is also only available on Apple Podcasts instead of Spotify, so instead of my Spotify playlist, I also use my Apple Podcast app to listen to Shane and Friends and for looking up other podcasts that I might enjoy. 

 Narrated by YouTuber Shane Dawson and his co-host Jessie Buttafuoco (who is hilariously sassy) every Friday an hour-long episode would be uploaded which was described as "non-stop tea spilling, shade throwing and overall hilarity". Where Shane and Jess would "dig deep into the lives of their celebrity guests by asking brutally honest questions that others might not have the balls to ask". 

Shane has lots of guests on the show such as Joey Graceffa, James Charles, Tyler Oakley, Trisha Paytas, Tana Mongeau, Jenna Marbles, and the very well known Michelle Visage. He has had a lot of well-known influences on the podcast, most of them being fellow YouTube stars and some being viral internet sensations. The topics of discussion differ depending who they have invited on the show, so when Michelle Visage was a guest they discussed Celebrity Big Brother and Ru Paul's Drag Race. Whereas, with other guests, he'll discuss rumours that haven't been addressed, conspiracy theories, what is going on in popular culture, what is going on in their personal lives and what is happening with other celebrities. 

I haven't listened to all five seasons of the podcast as I tend to select the episodes I'd prefer to listen to with guests that I'm interested in, as some of the guests I'm not a fan of or the topic of discussion isn't something I'd find funny. The funniest one I've listened to is Episode 77 with Drew Monson and Garrett Watts, when those two and Shane are all together they are so funny and the conversation topics they have are hilarious! Another episode I really enjoyed was Episode 79 Conspiracy Theories and Trying Acupuncture because other than crime and murder mysteries I love conspiracy theories (especially Shane's conspiracy theory videos) so listening to different conspiracies is time well spent ❤

Shane's podcast isn't as PG as Crime Junkie and Happy Place as it is more of a comical podcast discussing crude topics and funny experiences, so there aren't as many serious topics discussed compared to the other podcasts I've been listening to. Shane and Friends is the podcast I go to when I need some comedy and something light-hearted to laugh about.  

Let me know in the comments below what podcasts you are listening to at the moment and if you have any recommendations ❤

See you soon!

Amy x

University // Why I'm So Grateful To Be Here

Hey Guys!

It has been a while since I've wrote anything on here. After I got back to university in January I had finals and assignments to complete all in the space of two weeks and then the new semester started at the beginning of February so I wanted to concentrate on my new modules and keep on top of all the work. So, I took a hiatus from writing and prioritised my school work. But now I'm back and trying to fit more time in my week to write blog posts again ❤

I'm constantly trying to focus on things I'm grateful for, especially when I'm having a bad day. So, one thing I'm constantly grateful for is getting the opportunity to go to university. I always think about what my life would be like right now if I didn't go to university or even more specifically Newcastle University, so I wanted to express how grateful I am having access to education and being able to go to a great university ♡

1. Friends: I have met the most amazing people while I have been here in Newcastle. My housemates, course mates and those I've met through mutual friends have made my time at university so much better than my expectations! Living with some of my favourite people has been such a blessing, having people around who are so supportive, always having something to joke about and the nights out has made my time in Newcastle for the past two years so fun! 

2. Being a student: I love going to university! I'm so sad that I've nearly finished my second year already. The time here at university flies by so quick, it felt like only a minute ago I started my second year and moving into our house. My course is perfect for me, it is everything I hoped for and more, so the fact I'll have to graduate next year makes me so sad. I love learning new things, I love being able to sit and learn about something new all the time, which is why I'm so grateful that here in the UK I got the opportunity to attend such a great university and take a course that is exactly what I wanted to do. It is just so sad that July next year I will have graduated and will have to move on to other things. 

3. Opportunities: I have had so many great opportunities since coming to university, especially in my second year. When I started second year I knew that I needed to start building up my CV and gaining experience. So I explored and looked into it and now I'm writing for The Tab, I work for the university's marketing department as a content creator writing blog posts and I've been able to network with people in the media and creative industry. I'm grateful that I'm able to have these opportunities through uni and gain more experience in the industry I want a career in.

4. Learning to become independent: One thing I learnt from moving away from home and moving to a new city is how to be independent and how to look after myself. I was always quite independent when I was back home and living with my parents, but I never had to do my washing, cook for myself everyday and if I was unsure about something my parents were always there. Whereas, since moving to Newcastle I had to learn how to do everything on my own, make my own decisions and look after my money (including earning my own money). I can confidently say now that I'm able to do everything on my own (unless I'm really stuck and I ring my mum and dad haha!).

There are so many more reasons why I'm grateful for getting the opportunity to go to Newcastle University, but they can wait for another time  💕

See you on Wednesday my lovelies!

Amy xx

My New Year Resolutions for 2018

Hey Guys!

This post is a bit late as it's already the 9th of January and normally I do publish my posts on Sundays at 6pm but I've just got back to Newcastle for my university final assessments before I start a new semester, so my schedule is all over the place at the moment. I'm trying to get back into my usual routine but I have four essays I need to complete in the next few weeks.

For my first post of 2018 I thought I would share my New Years Resolutions with you all. I want to be able to look back and see if I've achieved them by the end of 2018 and reflect. This year I've gone for some resolutions that are a little more easier to achieve and aren't so ambitious that I'll find it hard to complete. I want to be able to achieve my goals this year and feel that I've accomplished something that will benefit me in many ways. 

Meditate For 5 Minutes a Day

Over the summer I tried to meditate everyday for just 5 minutes using the mindfulness app Headspace. When I was really busy and just took 5 minutes to sit and relax it helped me stay focused. I loved doing it in the morning after breakfast, I'd sit with a cup of tea, relax, and then afterwards I would feel so motivated to carry on with what I needed to do that day. If I didn't manage to do it in the morning I would make sure to do it before I went to sleep to help me wind down. Therefore, this year I want to try and do it everyday, keep a streak going so that I can see some improvements over the year such as my motivation, focus and mindfulness. 

Read 6-7 books

I've got back into reading again recently so I wanted to challenge myself to read six or seven books over the year. I've got a pile of books I've been meaning to go through for ages so I want this year to be the year I go through them all. When I was younger I was constantly reading and it was always Jacqueline Wilson, so I'm reigniting the love again! Let me know if there are any books your recommend. 

Start Reading Self Help Books

There are so many great positive self help books out there that I want to read like; Body Positive Power: How to stop dieting, make peace with your body and live and A Beautiful Mind, a Beautiful Life: The Bubz Guide to Being Unstoppable. These two books focus on mindfulness and remaining positive, which are books that reach out to me, as I try and be as optimistic as possible. If there are any great self help books you recommend let me know in the comments!

Become an Organ Donor 

I've actually already achieved this one. On Saturday I joined the register to be an organ donor. I've wanted to register for ages but I wanted to make sure to speak to my family first so that they knew about my decision. I want to be cremated when I die so I thought I might as well donate my organs and save lives. I'd rather someone else continue to live their lives and be healthy than my organs go with me. 

Yoga Once a Week

I normally do a New Year resolution related to working out and becoming more fit and toned but this year I wanted to give myself a resolution that I could stick to and would help me relax more when the semester at uni gets stressful, so I decided on yoga. It's relaxing, it will help my awful posture and a lot of people recommend yoga when you want to stay active but not do strenuous exercise, therefore I want to give it a go! 

Give Blood

At the moment I actually can't give blood as I am slightly under the desired weight they would prefer, therefore it is suggested that I don't sign up to give blood. So, I hope by the end of this year I will have gained a little bit of weight so that I can at least once donate blood for a good cause and help someone.

Hopefully by the end of 2018 I'll be able to review and reflect on my New Year Resolutions. What are your New Year Resolutions? Let me know in the comments below ♡ 

See you on Sunday my lovelies!

Amy xx

My Summer Goals | July - September 2017

Hey Guys!

Now that I've finished my first year at university I have a very long summer, three months in fact so I wanted to create some goals to achieve over summer so that I could be kept busy being motivated working towards something. I love setting small goals to achieve so that I can be passionate and productively working towards something. From the list you'll be able to see a lot of them are based around a healthier lifestyle and eating healthier and that is due to the fact I want to start looking after my body a lot more, I'm very slim but that doesn't mean I'm healthy on the inside. Therefore, I want to take steps to improve my lifestyle.  

#1 Complete My Reading List 

For the summer I've created a list of books I want to have finished by the time I go back to university. Recently I've got back into reading and exploring different genres. At the moment I'm reading 'Henry the VIII's Wives' and its a great read if your after the facts but also a story. A blog post discussing the list of books I'm determined to finish by the end of this summer will be uploaded next week, so look out for it if your interested in finding out what types of books I'm interested in reading ❤ 

#2 Start Taking Multivitamins

Like I said at the beginning of the post I'm aiming to improve my lifestyle and diet and one step is to start taking multivitamins with iron. I used to take vitamins when I was younger but then once I started secondary school I stopped, so I thought it was about time I started taking them again. I chose multivitamins because I'll be getting a great mixture of all the important vitamins like B12, Vitamin C and Vitamin D while also having an intake of Iron. I get tired very easily these days so I thought by getting multivitamins with iron as well might help with giving me a natural boost of energy. 

#3 Work Out 4 Times a Week

I'm very hit and miss when it comes to exercise, I'll be really motivated for about a week and then I'll give up and get back to being lazy but this summer I'm determined to stick to it. As part of my new healthy lifestyle goal I'm determined to become more active and to the point where I start seeing results. I've been following Blogilates's videos and tips, and geez she works you hard! 

#4 Start Drinking Green Tea Every Morning Instead of a Cup of Tea

I do love a nice cup of tea when I wake up in the morning to give me a boost but I put three teaspoons of sugar in my cup of tea (bad I know haha!) so instead I'm swapping it for more cups of green tea. Green tea isn't the most flavourful drink to have but I'm so used to having it that the taste doesn't bother me anymore. Therefore, this summer I'm determined to drink more and have a full on detox!

#5 Drink At Least Two Bottles of Water a Day

I've never thought much of drinking lots of water and its benefits to my skin and lifestyle but recently I've realised how clearer by skin has become after starting to drink more water throughout the day. So, I'm determined this summer to drink lots more water to help clear my skin a lot more and stay hydrated. There is no harm in drinking more water and by adding cucumber it is a very refreshing drink for the hot months (hopefully coming to the UK).  By aiming for two bottles I hope that I'll be drinking more than that, but two bottles is good for the start of a new routine. 

#6 Start Juicing 

I got into the habit of buying Naked juices because they are full of different vitamins and fruits and they are a great drink to have for health benefits but then I started realising how expensive it is to buy fruit juices and you aren't 100% what is actually in the bottle such as sugars and additives, so instead I'm going to start making my own juice so I know exactly what is in the drink and it will work out much cheaper in the long run compared to constantly buying a bottle from Sainsburys or Tesco :)

#7 Complete My Watch List

Like my reading list I also have a list of all the shows and movies I want to watch while I'm home. Now I have a lot more time on my hands I can binge watch all the different Netflix series I've been meaning to watch for months! There are also tons of films I want to watch that were in cinema but I never got a chance to see, so throughout the summer I'm gonna complete a few box-sets and recent films. These include Orange is The New Black, Versailles, Peaky Blinders, The Tudors, The Shadow Hunters and The Girl on The Train, Moana and the new Beauty and Beast. 

#8 Keep On Top of Skincare Routine

I've got myself into a great night time skin care routine that has been really helping my skin, especially with clearing up my acne scars and retaining the moisture in my skin while I sleep.  So I want to keep on top of it so that I start seeing more positive results. It is so important to look after your skin and finally I've found a routine that works for me, so hopefully over summer my skin will make some improvements and become healthier. 

#9 Stretch Every Night

Sometimes I really struggle to sleep if I've had a really productive day and my mind is still whizzing round so I want to get into the habit of stretching and getting into a relaxed state before trying to sleep as I believe it will really help slow down my brains functions so that it will be easier to sleep. This should also help me get into a better sleeping routine as I'm trying to get up earlier in the morning, therefore I need to sleep earlier. 

#10 Start Eating Healthier

I've never been really unhealthy where I eat junk food everyday but I could definitely be eating healthier and better meals, and I've already started since I've been home but I want to continue eating better quality food and meals all through summer. Obviously it doesn't mean I can't have treats like ice cream, cake and snacks but I just want to be having a more balanced diet and eating food that is better for my lifestyle and skin. I've been keeping a meal diary so I record recipes and food that I really enjoy and can keep making ❤ 

What do you want to achieve this summer? Let me know in the comments below! 

See you on Sunday my lovelies! ❤ 

Amy xx

Keeping Positive | My Method

Hey Guys!

Sorry there was no post on Wednesday! Late on Tuesday night I flew back from Brussels and got back home from the airport really late and Wednesday I basically slept all day recovering from the hectic four days I travelled around Brussels, so unfortunately I didn't have a post scheduled or arranged for you guys! But I'm back now with a positivity post for you guys!

I like to think I’m a very positive person and that I see the good in every situation but no matter how positive you are there will still be times where things get you down and you get yourself into a rut which you find hard to get out of no matter how hard you try!

There have been several times in the past 8 months where things have got really hard, whether its family or stress related and you find it impossible to be happy or think positively! For ages you think you are going to be stuck in this downward spiral and don’t know how you are ever going to think positive again, and believe me I had been in this situation many times and so have many other people ♡  So to help myself I came up with something so simple and easy to keep my mind clear and encourage myself to be positive. If I do get into a rut or downer mood I have this method to bring me out of it :)

For my birthday my best friend brought me this beautiful journal/notebook from Paperchase and seeing how colourful and vibrant it is I wanted to use it for something special. Thus, I came up with the idea of using it to reflect on myself and my daily life. By reflecting on my daily life and how at least one positive thing would have happened throughout the day it lightens my mood! 

This is my method:

In this journal I write down the date and anything else significant and then I will write 3 things I’m grateful for, something that I have recognised and realised that day to be something special and something I should be thankful for. By writing these three things I'm focusing purely on something positive and it then helps me realise how lucky I am and how I’m more fortunate than other people around the world. I shouldn’t take that for granted therefore, making me happy with what I have been gifted with ♡ I like to use different colours as well throughout the journal to keep it colourful inside and fun! 

Underneath the things I’m grateful for I write a quote for the day that is something I can live by and relate to. By writing these quotes I can fully reflect on why I should be happy and focusing on the great things I have and not what I don’t have! A lot of people focus on what they don't have and not what they do have, so to make myself happier I now try and focus on the great things that are going on in my life :)

This won't work for everybody as everyone will have different ways of staying positive and reflecting on the positive aspects of life but this is the method that works for me! By purely thinking about the things I should be thankful for and reflecting on it puts me in such a great mood and can really help when you are just focusing on the bad things that are surrounding you. Look on the bright side! (slowly starts singing Mr. Brightside haha!)

I hope this helps, even just for one person! ♡ 

See you on Wednesday my lovelies!

Amy xx