SS: Sunday Saves (#53)

Happy Bank Holiday weekend everyone! I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far!  I’m back with another Sunday Saves this morning and again, just like last week, there’s no certain theme this week so I’ll be talking about handling stress, body issues and bath ballistics!

1) Not Copper Amour (Ways To Save A Stressful Day)

We’re always talking about stress, and rightly so, stress is more prevalent than ever so that’s why Emma has a wonderful blog post on how to manage this stress. Out of her list, I 100% agree with making time to eat; I love planning out a big meal and savouring it, it’s so relaxing. Physical exercise is another big way to combat stress that I couldn’t agree more with, especially when I’m in a big mood. There’s nothing better than taking your stress out on a weights sessions or even on the bike. However, cuddling up in your PJ’s with tea and chocolate works just as well for me sometimes too.

2) Surangi Style (My Body Shame)

Nital tells her story of how she currently feels about her body and you have to respect anyone who talks about their body, in a positive or a negative way, because body image is something that we all struggle with at some point in our lives. I feel like I’m on a similar path as Nital when it comes to recent body issues, so I can relate to her worries especially about buying new clothes and some of the food aspects, but more so clothing wise.

3) Desperately Seeking Lifestyle (LUSH of the Month – April – Yoga Bath Bomb)

LUSH is one of my favourite shops of all time! (Not a joke.) And unsurprisingly, I have tried the Yoga Bath Bomb but I love how much detail Ellie goes into from the scent, the appearance and she even lists all the ingredients so you don’t have to go to the website to find them out. If you’re looking for an in-depth look, Ellie has you covered.

That’s all for this week’s Sunday Saves! Thank you so much for reading and if you have any blog recommendations, please tweet me over at @RetroSnowflake or leave me a comment below.

SS: Sunday Saves (#40)

Happy Sunday and welcome back to my Sunday Saves! How is it that I’m on my 40th edition of this series AND it’s the middle of February? Time flies when you’re having fun! So if you’re not sure what my Sunday Saves is, it’s a series that I write (almost) every Sunday featuring three blog posts or YouTube videos that I have loved that week. They could be new that week or they could be a year old but I’ve found them that particular week. If you’ve missed any of my other Sunday Saves, you can click here to read them all.

This week I’ll be looking at finding friends online, the story behind one woman’s pregnancy and how to help social anxiety.

1. Hello Sara Lou (Internet Friends)

Reading Sara’s post, I think a lot of us are in her position. We don’t carry many friends on from high school; sometimes that’s a conscious decision and other times people just drift apart. For me, it was a little mix of both. I cut a few people out of my life after high school because I decided I couldn’t be around a negative energy anymore and I just drifted away from others unintentionally. I still talk to a few of my friends from school but it’s maybe once every few years. The online world has been such a huge part of my growth, friendship wise and Twitter has been one of those saints when it comes to friends. I became part of the ‘Community’ community of Twitter and then when I started blogging, I got introduced to a new community, so it’s really lovely to always have people to chat to. I have the same belief as Sara that your online friends can mean just as much as those you know on the outside and I love having that balance between both.

2. Love Libby (Being Pregnant at 19 & Dealing With Miscarriage | TMI Tuesday)

I don’t think I’ve ever cried at a blog post before, not until Libby’s post about her story. She talks in detail about finding out she was pregnant and talks you through their journey up until the very end. It was such a touching post to read a different perspective of pregnancy because not a lot of women talk about miscarriage so in depth so it was a lovely but upsetting read, just have your tissues at the ready.

3. Jessica Leigh CBT (3 Steps for Overcoming Anxiety)

Social Anxiety is something that is becoming more talked about and I couldn’t be happier about it. Not because it’s a nice thing to happen, believe me, there’s nothing worse than feeling like you aren’t in control of your own emotions in a social situation but it’s more to do with the fact that more people are coming out and saying that they are having the same problem. I’m very lucky that I started seeking counselling to help me deal with a number of issues including social anxiety and Jessica has been my counsellor to help me through the barriers I’ve faced recently. We have used these tips in some of our sessions so I can tell you that they have thoroughly helped me through some of my socially anxious moments. It’s not complicated, it’s all about talking to yourself like you would a friend and guiding yourself through a situation (before, during and after) and reevaluating your thoughts on that particular social situation. If you’re struggling with an issue like social anxiety, I’d highly recommend Jessica’s tips.

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That’s all for today’s Sunday Saves! Remember to click on all the links I shared today and if you like them, share them too. You never know who might need to read them right now.

So you want to try yoga?

I’m not an expert in yoga at all but if you read my first yoga birthday post, I have some quite fresh experience in getting into the lifestyle, so I thought I would give you some advice if you’re new to yoga or even if you want to try it, but don’t know where to start.

Do your research.
Do you know anything about yoga? Do you know what type of yoga you would like to do? Have you done it before? Is this your first time or are you getting back into it again? These are all questions you have to ask yourself while researching about the practice.

Find classes in your area.
I’m all for watching videos online, I think it’s a fantastic resource and with so much free content out there, I don’t think you should let it go to waste. HOWEVER, for yoga especially, I think it’s an absolute must to go to a class and learn how to do the poses correctly. You will never know if you’re doing it right if you’re watching it and trying to copy it, you could end up hurting yourself.

It shouldn’t cost the earth.
It doesn’t have to be expensive either; depending on the area you live in, you can find affordable classes with experienced teachers. I live in Belfast so I learn through Yoga Belfast who have a range of classes for beginners right up to intermediates, in a range of areas, and are affordable too. There’s some drop in classes and others were you can sign up for a certain amount of weeks. There are many other yoga companies in Belfast of course, but I haven’t had any experience with them.

Get the right gear.
You don’t have to buy a £200 yoga mat, you don’t have to spend loads of money on new workout clothing, but make sure you’re equipped to work out properly. You don’t need to worry about trainers because yoga is done in either socks or in your bare feet. Try to avoid very loose clothing but don’t go really tight either, try and find a nice balance in between the two. I personally don’t like the cheap foam yoga mats because they can slide back on the floor (First week I went to yoga, this actually happened, so personal experience is talking.) but I got a good yoga mat from ASDA and it wasn’t expensive at all. I’ve heard TKMaxx or Sports Direct do some nice ones too.

Practice makes perfect.
This speaks for itself really. You can’t expect to get better at anything if you don’t practice. You’ll mess up, you’ll fall over, you’ll lose your balance, your posture will need corrected, but you know what? That’s okay, if you learn with someone who is willing to show you the ropes and if you’re willing to put the effort in, even one or two times a week, then you will gradually get better.

I am very thankful to have introduced yoga into my life, I don’t know what I would do without it. It has helped me physically; I’m now more flexible and that is particularly helpful when I go to the gym too. It has helped me mentally; I still get stressed and I still panic but yoga helps to bring me down (If only I could do yoga in work every day, now that would be heavenly!). I believe yoga is for everyone, no matter what your age, gender, flexibility, fitness level, lifestyle, whatever it is. It’s such a good focus for people to get stuck into and I would highly recommend it to anyone. I hope my advice has helped even just one person, good luck!