A successful life can be characterised by many attributes, which is why we all have unique goals in life.
Regardless of those exact targets, though, heightened happiness is the ultimate dream. While you may
think that it requires wholesale and difficult challenges, it’s not necessarily true. In reality, the key is to
make smart and sensible changes.

 

Focus on the five aspects below, and you should see a noticeable difference in next to no time.

#1. Body Image

 

There’s no escaping the fact that looking good makes you feel good. It influences the response you
gain from other people and, crucially, impacts the perceptions of yourself. Nutrition, exercise, and
sleep patterns all play a role. However, feeling better about your self image is largely about mindset.
You can’t please everyone but, as long as you can put a smile on your own face, that does not matter.
Find a way to be confident in your skin and every aspect of your life will be improved. This is something
I've definitely be working on this year and my mindset has shifted in an increasingly positive way!

 

#2. Financial Management

 

Keeping your finances in good health isn’t always easy, particularly if you’re a student or a recent grad.
However, you needn’t be debt free or earning millions to feel under control. Bad credit loans and other
tools can help you consolidate problems while reducing financial waste will leave you in a better place
too. Even if the progress is slow, moving in the right direction is all that matters. Once you’ve removed
that stress, there’s no doubt that your mental health will improve.

 

#3. Relationships

 

Human interactions are a central part of any person’s happiness; surrounding yourself with the right
people can make a massive impact, not least because positivity begets positivity. Perhaps more
crucially, you need to spot the signs of bad relationships and friendships. Cutting those ties can be
difficult, but it can be highly rewarding. You should also prioritise the people that truly matter rather
than focusing on your social media followings. Real bonds mean everything and again, can improve
your mental health state and mindset. This is definitely my favourite aspect of life to focus on - we need
these loving people in our lives for a long time so focus on them instead of a number on a screen.

#4. Breaks

 

The pressure to accomplish great things is huge, especially for millennials. Therefore, it’s pivotal that
you learn to take a step back from time to time. Exploring the world is a great way to broaden the
mind while a chance to relax on the beach can recharge the batteries. Above all else, the magical
memories that are created while you’re away will last a lifetime to provide a constant source of smiles.
In all seriousness, these moments are far more rewarding than buying a big TV and this is something
that has recently over the years resonated with me. I would much rather walk away with an experience
than a materialistic item. Don't get me wrong, I love my clothes; however, I'd rather tick something
new and exciting from my bucketlist!

 

#5. Direction

 

Human nature dictates that we want to evolve as people and become better with time. Therefore, it’s
vital that you have ambitions and actively work towards them. This sense of drive and determination
creates the direction needed to achieve great things in life. It doesn’t mean that the road ahead will be
smooth, but at least you’ll be on the right track. When added to the positivity that comes from reaching
various milestones along the way, the need to focus on this element is clear. Ambition is such an
attractive quality to me - if you have that drive and determination for a goal then that's something to be
admired for!

What are your top tips for becoming a happier you?! Do
you agree with any of the points above?    


Lots of love

We’ve reached the time of year when students, like myself, start heading away to study at university, or
head back to their courses after a break. Now, with rising tuition fees, many of us merely accept that
pursuing higher education is going to be an expensive venture. However, there are different ways that
you can minimise costs and although you are theoretically 'in debt', the majority of students only pay
a small percentage of that back throughout the rest of their lives. Here are a few steps that you might
want to consider taking to minimise your expenses and debts!

Look Out for Scholarships and Grants

Every year, universities tend to run scholarship and grant schemes for their students; whether you are
heading into your first year of studies or have already commenced your studies and are heading into
your second, third, or fourth year, it’s always a good idea to look at what’s on offer. If you find that there
is a scheme or scholarship where you meet the requirements (perhaps in terms of grades,
extracurricular achievements, or inclusion measures), then it’s always worth inquiring and seeking out
more information. You could apply and be granted some sort of award or have your tuition fees
reduced. Luckily, I managed to get a grant based on my parent's yearly income and my boyfriend
managed to get an enormous bursary for winning "Physicist of the Year" in sixth form.

Choose Your Credit Agreements Wisely

The majority of students will take out some sort of credit agreement during their studies. Whether this
is an overdraft, credit cards, or a loan, chances are that you will need to take on some alternative
funding to get you through your studies at some point or another. The trick to making a success of
your credit agreements is to choose them wisely. Chances are that you haven’t had much chance to
build up a credit rating properly yet, as you’re likely to have only recently finished compulsory education,
and you may still live at home. However, you should still familiarise yourself with concepts such as
interest rates. Always opt for the credit agreement with the lowest interest rate, as it means you will be
charged less for the service of borrowing money from a professional lender. If you don’t have a good
enough credit history to take out the credit agreement that you desire, you can also consider guarantor
loans. This means that someone guarantees to meet your payments if you can’t, but gives you the
opportunity to build your credit score and gain trust yourself.

Buy Textbooks Secondhand

University textbooks are notoriously expensive. Publishers know that students require them to
complete their courses and tend to take advantage of this fact by upping their prices. However, you
don’t necessarily need to purchase all of your books brand new. Instead, look for copies on online
auction sites, or ask people in the year above on your course if they’re interested in selling you their
used copies. This can save you a small fortune. Personally, I just utilised my university library
throughout the whole year and only bought a couple books when really necessary - e.g. a book that it
going to last me the entire three year course rather for just a single module in one semester.

Make the Most of Your Student Discount

The majority of businesses and companies offer student discount in an attempt to encourage students
to spend money with them. While you don’t want to get drawn into every deal going, you can use your
student discount wisely. If you are buying something, always make sure to ask whether the seller
accepts student discount, even if student rates aren’t advertised! They may still be on offer and small
business owners may do discretionary discounts. You should also ask whether certain services offer
concession rates that extend to students. Many gyms offer student rate memberships, as well as
theatres, cinemas, and other establishments can offer special prices for students. Making the most of
your student discount can really save you a significant sum of money in the long run!

Consider Own Brand Food Shopping

The majority of students simply purchase the same brands and products that they were used to finding
in their cupboards at home, but you can save some serious money and make your outgoings stretch
further by opting for unbranded or own brand products in the supermarket. A lot of the time, you won’t
actually be able to tell the difference between the products, but your bill at the end of your shop will
come to a much smaller figure.

Of course, there are certain parts of pursuing a higher education that will inevitably leave you in debt.
It is possible to take active steps to minimise the overall amount of money that you spend during your
studies and owe by the end of your studies.

What are your top tips for budgeting and minimising costs? Are you heading back to uni this September/October?

Lots of love

False eyelashes have always been a huge part of my beauty interest and world. I've had to wear false lashes throughout my life because of performing on stage - both dancing and acting. If you didn't know, the majority of the time, actors and dancers who are performing on a professional stage in front of a large audience, you have to apply quite a heavy face of makeup in order to not look washed out when under the spotlights and to intensity your features so they don't get lost. I've been dancing since the age of 3 and acting since I was 7; I definitely didn't start wearing falsies at 3 years of age but I started to wear them from my early teens onwards when I started performing more. Therefore, I've become quite quick at applying a false lash over my years and can quite proudly say that I've mastered it. However, I definitely cannot apply them on others...that's a whole different story!

Anyway, I thought I'd come on the blog to share with you my new favourite false lash brand, as well as the amazing eyelash glue that they sell too. I'm a huge snob when it comes to lashes and find it very difficult to fall in love with a pair. A lot of the lashes out there feel very heavy, too dramatic or have a poorly formulated eyelash glue that only enables the lash to hold for a couple of hours. Thus, when I find a brand as good as this one, I want to share it with you all! Let's goooooo...

The Lash Glue

Alongside the pair of lashes Esqido sent over, they kindly popped in some of their Companion Eyelash Glue. For an impressive retail price of $10, this eyelash glue is available from the Esqido site. Encased in a frosted white tube, classy black font and a golden lid, there is 5.5ml of product and the formula is latex-free, hypoallergenic and paraben free. The tacky nature of the formula allows for gentle and quick application - I wore lashes with this adhesive for 5 hours one evening and never had to top them up once (not even in the corners of my eyes!!) If you are yet to try this, I would 100%
recommend giving it a go if you are a gal like me that struggles to keep her lashes on perfectly for over an hour!

Purchase the lash glue here

What is your favourite false lash brand? Would you like to try Esquido Lashes?

Lots of love