"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." - Coco Chanel

So lately a current obsession of mine has been stripes, when I walk into any shop lately I am naturally just drawn to anything that has stripes. Over the past month and a bit I picked up these three pieces that I am absolutely loving and adoring.

Striped Tube Dress - Myer Miss Shop - $30.00 (AU)
This dress I wore to two of my friends 18th, with a natural face and eye look and a bright red lip. I really love the way this dress hugs your figure at the chest and hips area. It has think black stripes, which don't really show up that well in photos, but I think looks super cute in real life and could easily be dressed up or worn more casually. As it was a backyard party that I wore it to, I paired it with plain black thongs (flip flops), but here the model has worn it with black booties, so I guess you could pair it with anything.

Striped Crop Top - Jay Jays - $15.00 (AU)
The second piece I have picked up recently is this navy and white striped top. I usually wear this top with blue denim shorts, black shorts or blue/black jeans. When I went to the counter at Jay Jays the woman serving me said I could grab another top so it was basically buy one get one free, so I grabbed a plain grey skirt of the same style. I try to wear this shirt for casual occasions as I don't really think it's that dressy and I really love the style. I got a Medium instead of a small so it would sit like it does on the model, barely showing any skin so it's not really what I call a crop top. The material is also really soft and wearable so I was really happy with these purchases!

Striped Crop Top 'Pocket Tee'  - Sportsgirl -  $24.95 (AU)

"Christmas is not a time nor season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." - Calvin Coolidge

So the other night myself and some friends decided to go and look at some of the more legendary Christmas lights in Sydney, with the 'Jesus Christ Of the Later Day Saints Church's' Life Sized Nativity Scene and Christmas Lights. I just snapped a few pictures and I thought I might post some of the pictures on here.

I hope you enjoyed and have you seen any nice Christmas lights this year? 

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images taken by me on my Canon 1200D. 

"Every time you post something online, you have a choice. You can make people happy or you can take away their happiness. Just a thought." - Zoe Sugg 

So I just finished Zoe Sugg (Zoella)'s first novel 'Girl Online' and honestly it is fast becoming one of my favourite books. First off, I am so proud of Zoe, she has done such amazing things and I really think she is one of the most inspiration ladies. She has stayed so humble through everything that has happened to her and deserves all the success that she has achieved, I am happy to support her through everything she has done and will continue to do because I can't think of someone who has worked so hard for so long and achieved such incredible things. 

I have always been inspired by Zoe, whether it be through her YouTube channel, her fashion sense, her blog or just the general way in which she carries herself, she is definitely one of my role models. I have idolised her for a long time now and her blog is one of the reasons why I decided I wanted to start one of my own. I was going so well with my blogging and then after the HSC I just stopped and I wasn't inspired to write, I felt pressured and I just wasn't enjoying it. Then whilst browsing the Internet one night I came across this trailer: 

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"Happiness is not something that can be made. It comes from your own actions." - The Dalai Lama 

So I think I've got it back? Or at least I'm trying to get it back. I don't understand what's wrong with me or why I'm having these feelings, but lately I just have been scared to blog, which is strange for me because there is nothing I love more than knowing people are reading what I write. But I think I've found a solution. I'm currently reading Zoe Sugg aka Zoella's novel 'Girl Online', and I love it. I am obsessed and it is honestly inspiring me so much to write again, so today I thought I would write a little post about happiness. 

Right now, my life is going so well, and at the back of my mind, there's this little thought saying "not for much longer," and I'm not fond of that voice, if I'm honest I want to kick it out, because this post is not about some pesky voice at the back of my head, but rather the immense feelings of happiness which I am currently plagued with. I feel so incredibly spoilt, a lot of things in my life right now are going absolutely perfectly, and when I look back on the year that was I feel so incredibly happy. Even though this has been one of the most stressful years of my young life, I'm so happy it's done. I feel so incredibly free and I feel like I can just do what I want. 

I don't want this year to end, the months are absolutely flying by and there's still so much I want to do, before I start University in the Fall, we don't call it Fall in Australia, I just thought it sounded cooler saying I start Uni in the fall. 

There is so much happy in my life right now and lately I've been having these days where I just burst into tears because I am so incredibly happy. Wonderful things are happening to my closest friends and it just makes me SO HAPPY. I don't know why, but I do know that I have chosen some of the best people to spend my life with, and the fact that they are happy makes me feel so overwhelmed with joy and pride I just burst into tears. I don't understand myself at this moment in time, I don't understand why I feel so incredibly emotional, so I thought blogging about it might give me some clarity. 

I just want to bottle up all this happiness and store it away forever. I am about to do some amazing things over the next couple weeks and I cannot wait to share it with you all. My eyes will be locked on my camera and I will be posting as many photos as humanly possible on this blog, that reminds me, I need to buy a new memory card so I will have plenty of room for capturing all these incredible things. 

I have been given so many opportunities, and if I'm honest, I feel like I don't deserve them. I am surrounded by the most wonderful, supportive and enthusiastic people, who I know I can come to about absolutely anything and everything. I don't know why I was ever scared to tell people more about my life, because from what I'm experiencing right now, it's one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel like I don't deserve this happiness, and I feel like one day it's all going to disappear and I'll be alone again. It's sort of similar to what happened to Charlotte in Sex and the City, where everything is going so incredibly well in your life you begin to develop this fear, this fear that something is going to go wrong, this fear that you've done something wrong and this fear that there is just someone out there waiting to take your happiness and rip it from you, someone is going to take your happiness and stomp on it, till that great balloon of joy is nothing but an empty piece of rubber in the dirt. 

Happiness is very fragile and it can be taken away so easily. Some people will feed off other's happiness, trying to suck them dry and take away their happiness. Other people rejoice in happiness, trying to spread it around so the entire world can bask in this feeling of absolute joy. It's up to you to decide what type of presence you bring to this world and what type of person you are. 

People have always told me that the most important thing is for you to be happy, and I never really understood what they were saying until now. During the HSC my friend Negin said, 'but the most important thing is that you're happy and that you're healthy.' At the time all I could think was, 'yeah I know, but right now my happiness has got to take second place to my future.' Now, thinking back on what she said and happiness has got to be linked to your health, because even though I don't get the most sleep or eat the healthiest, I just feel so happy and so thankful for all the opportunities that I have been given, for all the people in my life, and for you, yes you reading this right now. I'm thankful for you. We may not know each other very well, or we may not know each other at all, but by you reading this right now, because right now, whether you know it or not, you're making me feel very, very happy. 

Do you understand what I'm going through? Do you sometimes get this overwhelming feeling of happiness? And hey, what's making you feel happy right now? 

♡♡♡

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"Should Graffiti be judged on the same level as modern art? Of course not, it's way more important than that." - Banksy 

Okay so I know I wrote a post a long time ago about how I was feeling really uninspired with my blog lately, but I've decided that it's got to stop. There are too many wonderful things happening in my life right now and I want to share them with you so badly. I have my beautiful camera and I just want to be able to document my life on here and through videos. 

It's weird a weird thought though, as I write this post all I can think about is the fact that all Augustus Waters wanted was to be remembered, he wanted people to know his name and in the previous paragraph I was going to write, I want to be able to document my life on here and through videos, so I can be remembered, but the thing is though, behind all the sadness, pain and hardship that is The Fault in Our Stars it teaches you that you should only want to be remembered by those that you really know, your friends, family, loved ones, etc. 

So basically I can't decide if I'm being selfish by writing these blog posts. Of course I want to leave my mark on the world but at the same time I don't want to seem like I am ungrateful for all the wonderful friends and family that I have been blessed with. I write this blog for me, so I can sleep better and just for my own personal therapy. So I can I just have my little corner of the internet, where I'm not scared to put myself out there, where I can just write from my heart and not feel pressured unintentionally by those around me to write. 

I basically began this post because I saw this cartoon trailer for Zoe Sugg (Zoella)'s book Girl Online and I remembered how much I loved my blog and how much I enjoyed blogging, so I'm gonna try and go back to my daily posts, but lets see how this goes. 

No pressure. 

No obligations. 

Just you and me. 

♡♡♡

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"Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." - Mary Kay Ash

So over the past week I have been feeling a bit uninspired when it came to my blog and I just feel like I have had nothing to write about. This had made me really sad because I love to write on this blog and clear my head. Today I though it has been over a week since I wrote on this space and I need to write something. I need to get the thoughts out of my head and put my thoughts out into the world. 

Inspiration is something which I used to find everywhere and I used to be able to see something and rattle off a blogpost as easy as pie, but I have not found something that has made me go yes, I want to write about that in such a long time and so I've decided that I need to make more effort. I need to put more time and work into my blog, to make this space a lot nicer for people to come and read and just find some things that interests them. 

A blog is pretty much an online journal, or that's how I use mine and it's quite scary to share that and allow people to read what goes on in your head, and for me that means a lot of people now know my deepest darkest secrets and my most intimate thoughts on various things, but I'm coming around to the idea. I get so much positive feedback on my blog and I honestly work incredibly hard on all the posts that go up, so I think I should be proud to share my work. I shouldn't live in fear of people finding my blog or my YouTube channel, which has been happening a lot more lately. 

I waited to high school finished before I started my YouTube channel, I waited over a year till I shared my blog with all my friends, and I still haven't told a lot of my family about it, but that's okay. It's our little secret. It's just my space, where I can write and think what I like and I do miss posting everyday and I'm going to try and make an effort to blog more because even as I write and and ramble away I feel like so much pressure is being released from my shoulders and my brain and I don't feel like I'm missing something. 

If anything this week off blogging has taught me that I need to share my work and I need to have the courage to put my thoughts into the world, because so far I have got nothing but a positive response, now that might change in the future, but as long as I'm happy, healthy and having fun, I honestly don't think it matters what other people think of you or think of what you're doing. 

So I hope you enjoyed this rambly little post where I just stream of consciousness wrote and that you have a wonderful day! 

♡♡♡

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"Love is spiritual. It's about self-sacrifice and commitment. And discipline. You cannot have true love without discipline and respect. When you loose the respect of your spouse, you'be lost everything." - Carrie Bradshaw (Candice Bushnell, The Carrie Diaries)

So this is just another quick picture post because I'm still trying to catch up with my regular posting, but here's an appreciation post of the beautiful Anna Sophia Robb who played a young Carrie Bradshaw in the Carrie Diaries. I love and adore the Carrie Diaries and miss the show so much, I am still obsessed with Sex and the City but I really love how approachable this show was for a younger audience. The narrative voice of Carrie inspires me more and more to write and to live my life. I also am obsessed with the beautiful colours and style that is 80s fashion, and one of the major bonus' is that the soundtrack is all popular music hits from the 80s and I really love 80s music so the soundtrack of this show is a definite bonus (I have searched everywhere for a CD or somewhere where I can buy the soundtrack).

I hope you enjoy! 

"It's much easier to not know about things sometimes. Things change and friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody." - Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

So, it's all over. Today was my first proper day of complete and utter freedom. I never have to wear a school uniform again. I have completed my HSC (High School Certificate) and I have never felt so free. This is honestly one of the oddest feelings because I really don't know what to do with myself. 

I've edited and uploaded my first YouTube video. I've purchased myself a MacBook. Had a play with my new camera and browsed my DVD collection a good couple of times before I've found something I actually want to watch. I basically don't know what to do with myself. I'm organising social activities left, right and centre but other than that I'm just tidying my room and getting my strength back. 

I guess the HSC was a somewhat positive experience. It allows you to test yourself, and test what you've learnt no matter how cruel the methods. I also think that I've earned my free time. I've worked hard for six whole years and now I can do what ever I like. 

You know in a couple months I'm going to say to myself the HSC wasn't that bad, but you know what I'm writing it down now. I'm putting it on record that the HSC was bloody hard. There was tears, there was sleepless nights, there was more support and encouragement that ever imaginable and a countless amount of hugs. It's all over. It's all done and if you have any suggestions of anything I could do with myself to fill in some time then please please let me know!

Oh and guess what NORMAL POSTING IS BACK!!! No more delayed 5 day spam! 

Ps. That image really made me laugh, because there is no way in hell I am crying because the HSC is over.

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"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

So today is the 1st of November, 2014 and I just posted my first video on YouTube! Let me know what you think and I'm sorry it was so awkward! 

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"Control what you can control. Don't lose sleep worrying about things that you don't have control over because, at the end of the day, you still won't have any control over them." - Cara Newton

Words cannot explain my exhaustion right now, I'm at the stage where you can barely hold you head up, well that's me right now. This has been one of the longest weeks of my entire life and I cannot wait till its over. I cannot wait to start a fresh and to actually let my life begin. I have noticed a few things though lately. 

1. I rarely make sense anymore 

2. I cannot sleep 

3. I crave TV more than anything 

4. I've become more sensitive to the heat and cold (I know weird!) 

5. I have an addiction to counting down when things will be over, whether it be time, days, months, etc.

SO as a quick post today as I procrastinate my troubles away, I thought I would share some little tips that I have found to combat my number one issue, LACK OF SLEEP. 

1. Sleeping Masks

2. Big glasses of water 

3. Calming music eg. Ed Sheeran Multiple Album 

4. No lollies after 8pm 

5. This is going to sound really weird, but I read it online and it helped so much. So basically you start at your toes and you start clenching and holding your muscles for about 10 seconds and then gradually move up your body. I'm usually asleep by my lower back, because I don't remember anything after that! 

So I hope these little tips might help you if you're struggling to sleep because I am so exhausted I'm not really sure what I'm writing! But hey, in less than 24 hours I WILL BE DONE MY HSC AND FREE!!! So watch this space for some exciting things!! 

♡♡♡

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"Ah music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!"  - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (JK Rowling).

I don't know if this is a thing that everyone does, but in my family when each of us was born my dad sung us a song and it became "our song." So my song is 'Little Ray of Sunshine' (1970) by Axiom. When ever I listen to this song it sort of gives me faith in my parents, that they actually know what they'e doing and it makes me feel really special, because when you listen to this lyrics it's such a beautiful song about the relationship between a father and his daughter. 

There are so many beautiful old classic songs with such wonderful lyrics, but this one really stands out to me and it's impossible to be in a bad mood if this song is on. It really does make you think how much your parents really do care about you, how much sacrifice they put in to raise you and how much your parents really love you. 

Music is so powerful and it is indescribable how special someone's song is to them. I know right now, and I always have that I will give each of my children a song, because especially during the teenage years when one's identity is questioned having a song can really bring you back down to earth and remind you where you belong, remind you who you are where you came from. 

MY SONG: 

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"They say that the best blaze burns brightest when circumstances are at their worst." - Sophie Hatter, Howl's Moving Castle

Sorry about the lack of posting, but I'll catch up soon for all the missed days, it's just a full on week! 

"Here's how adaption works - almost everything in the movie is in the book in some form. But it's as though the deck has been completely reshuffled and some of the cares have been assigned different values, some of the fours have been made into jacks and some of the jacks have been made into twos." - Walter Kim

Ah yes, the debate the is as constant as the sun rising. Books versus Movies. As I lover of both, deciding whether you preferred the book or the movie can be one of the easiest decisions you ever make, or can be one of the hardest. 

I just finished reading John Green's 'The Fault in Our Stars' - which was a very long time coming, especially as I watched the movie months before with my friend Sonali. The movie ended with me collapsing in a field of tears and practically launching myself into her arms, Sonali on the other hand whilst comforting me and helping me come to terms with what we had just witnessed was also crying so hard that she lost her contact lens. As you can see, it was an emotional journey for nearly all who view it. It's movies like this that make me question the whole debate, as what often happens with me and sad movies is that if I know it's going to be sad, I won't cry, it's like my mind and body are emotionally prepared and then I sit there like some heartless, stone statue whilst everyone around me passes the tissues and hands out cuddles. 

Let me paint you a picture. It's 2am, the day after you finished your final Maths exam and you're finishing a book [insert The Fault in Our Stars, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, etc]. You know what these books are like, you know the emotional pain and hardship that comes with reading something written by Nicholas Sparks or John Green, BUT, you have already seen the film. You sat through that movie and balled your eyes out, so you finish that book, and then you sit there. You sit there for a good solid minute thinking about what you just read. Then something happens, you either break down into an emotional mess of ugly sobbing and the classic 'Kim Kardashian crying face' (please google it if you don't know what I'm talking about) or you pick up a tissue, wipe away a single tear and roll over and go to sleep. Now funnily enough, I was the second option. I Lauren MTP didn't cry when reading the fault in our stars, yet I was a complete and utter wreck after the movie. I promise there was ugly tears and uncontrollable shaking, ASK SONALI, SHE WAS HOLDING ONTO ME.

So this got me really thinking, how weird is that? The well-known Book Worm, I've literally won medals for reading, didn't cry in the book but she cried in the movie. Okay I've been thinking about this pretty thoroughly over the past 48 hours and I've come to the conclusion that I liked the movie better. The more I think about this the stranger the thought becomes. Maybe it was because Shailene and Ansel brought Hazel Grace and Augustus to life. Maybe because the film allowed you to explore countries that are across the other side of the world. All in all the film was done so so well and I think it's one of the best film adaptions I have ever seen. The lines were word for word and I really loved how when ever one of the characters was on their phones or computers the little image of what they were writing came up on the screen, I know that won't make sense if you haven't seen it, but hey that's an excuse to go and watch the movie. Overall the book and movie have definitely made me think a lot about the nature of life and how this is a good life. We have to make the most of every day and that we are lucky to be alive, no matter what our situation is. I know I'll be re watching the movie, A LOT and definitely re-reading the book sometime in the near future, but just take some time to watch the trailer and then take some more time to watch the movie because trust me, you won't regret it. 

Getting back to the whole debate though one of my favourite things is watching a movie after I've read the book or reading the book after I've watched the movie. I am still developing my rules when it comes to this but I thought I would share with you some little things that I have discovered myself and some little things that I have picked up from people. 

1. Go in with low expectations, I know it's not the most positive outlook, but expect to be disappointed. That way 9/10 times you come out pleasantly surprised and not disappointed at all. 

2. If you can't take spoilers (this one is for you, Sarah), avoid Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and all other forms of social media. I learnt this the hard way as a few weeks before I was going to see the Fault in Our Stars a girl posted a Facebook status, which single-handily destroyed all the hard work I had done to avoid this particular spoiler and also ruin the surprise element for the movie (I know it was months ago, but I'm still mad). 

3. You need to make a choice. You either read the book and then see the movie adaption, meaning you are often disapointed as the best details or favorite scenes are often cut. This is what my friend Miriama describes as the 'rookie mistake' or you go and see a movie and then read the book. Which means that you are pleasantly surprised (or angered) but the immense amount of detail which you find in the book, you get to picture the characters in the novel as the cast from the movie and you get to relive the experience. 

4. Read the book WAY before the movie comes out, this means you have time to forget that the director missed out that intricate detail and you leave the cinema coming to the conclusion that the movie adaption was identical to the book, and NOT A SINGLE DETAIL WAS MISSED. This is one of my personal favourite approaches to this issue.

5. If you're going with a group split yourselves (you can still sit in a row, just give me a second to explain), people who haven't read the book and need explainations are put with people who like talking during movies (aka myself) and then at the complete other end of the row, place those who remain dead silent, and need to pay 100% attention to the movie, that way no way gets annoyed or no one is left confused and completely lost as to why that guy is kissing that girl when they're brother and sister (guess that series).

I hope these little tips help and feel free to leave a comment about anything you have to say on The Fault in Our Stars, movie watching, book reading or any tips you have for these activities. 

♡♡♡

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"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." - A.A. Milne 

Okay so I was struggling to think of something to write about today and when I looked at my view counter I have just hit 2000 views. I literally do not know what to think. My blog has been viewed over 2000 times, someone other than me have pulled up at my corner of the internet and read my blog. 

TWO THOUSAND VIEWS.
I guess I should say thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. From the bottom of my heart it honestly means the absolute world and I have no way to express my thanks. I am so incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to have my voice heard and that I am so fortunate that people want to read what I write, and that it has been viewed so many times. Thank you for reading what I have written and I honestly don't know what to think. 

For someone who this time last year barely had 100 views I don't know what how I got so lucky, just thank you. I know I said thank you 2000 times but I will never be able to express how thankful and lucky I am. 

I love and appreciate everyone who has taken the chance to read my thoughts and I hope you have the most wonderful day! 

♡♡♡

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So a couple blog posts ago I mentioned that I recently purchased Ed Sheeran's album: Multiply. I know I am a bit late to jump on this band wagon, but this album has made the last couple of weeks a lot more bearable. 

"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list ." - Susan Sontag

So lately in my down time I've become really really obsessed with some more travel vloggers on YouTube. Especially; FunForLouis, Mr Ben Brown, Steve Booker, Will Darbyshire and so many other's as they recently took a trip to Toronto, Canada for Buffer Festival. I have particularly been following Louis, Ben, Steve and Will's trip as they have now roadtripped' from Canada to New York. As you watch in these vlogs gradually people are going home but Louis, Ben and Will are now about to travel from NY to California and words cannot describe my jealousy right now. Through people like this you are able to see so many different parts of the world without leaving your bedroom, which I think is a beautiful gift to share with the world. 

"Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker and what he thinks into it." - Ernest Holmes

So yesterday when I was getting my formal dress tailored (the short life) I had to stare in the mirror for quite a long time and I sort of started to get really mad at myself because here I was in a beautiful dress that I really love and I could not stop myself from picking out my flaws.

So even though it's Spring in Australia it is Autumn and coming up Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, so I thought I would find some super cute sweaters online and put together a post! I hope you enjoy and stay cuddled up because there is nothing I hate more then being cold.

"The kind of soil in your area determines the type of crop you will plant to harvest. The kind of potentials in which you will decide the type of success you will celebrate." - Israelmore Ayirvor

I know I've already made today's post but I just wanted to make a little post congratulating myself and this blog for having a post up for every day for the past month. It honestly feels like so much longer than a month, as so much has happened to me since then. I have become quite attached to this little online diary and it makes me feel really proud that there has been a post for every day, even if it has been late sometimes or made up on the next day, there has been a post.

Thank you for visiting my little corner of the internet, whether it be today, for the first time or whether you have been a constant reader since last year. Thank you so much for everything, from the bottom of my heart and I really do hope that you enjoy delving into the deepest thoughts of my mind, and hopefully feel inspired each day by the little things I write. 

I hope you have a truly wonderful day and happy reading! 

♡♡♡

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"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." - Roald Dahl

Formal season is almost over, but for me it's just about to begin as my formal is in less than a month. I had been planning to post this a lot earlier, even before I had found my dress but I still wanted to share some of the dresses that I liked and my own is even in the mix so I hope you enjoy and if your formal is coming up, maybe get some inspiration. 

"It's the friends you can call up at 4am that matter." - Marlene Dietrich

A constant thought on my mind lately has been how much not only my life has changed but how much I, as an individual have changed. When I was younger I suffered severely from social anxiety, I could never eat in the food court of shopping centers, I couldn't catch trains or buses anywhere and when I was starting primary school my family doctor suggested the primary school I went to because it was a smaller school and meant that I wouldn't be so overwhelmed. 

When I think about it now, I never had very many close friends during Primary School, I had a few friends outside of school, but I could probably could have counted all my friends with my fingers. Like most things in life this has changed so much. since then. I now have the most wonderful group of close friends and an uncountable amount of people who I can rely on. 

I still get anxious when I am going out with people, like I tend to forget things or spill things all over myself but I have managed to grow out of certain parts of my anxiousness. I now have no problem with public transport, food courts, being surrounded by people in tight places and most importantly I have completely lost my fear of meeting new people, which to some extent I think plagued me up until last year. I only made new friends when I had to and I still got really upset and worried, but now and especially over the past year, this has changed so much. 

I absolutely love meeting new people now, I have no problem with making conversation with strangers and I love going to parties and talking and getting to know new people. It's so crazy how my life has changed from being the girl who hated doing anything other than sitting in her room and reading her books to someone who loves going to parties and meeting new people, even if the friendships don't last longer than that night it still makes my younger self feel proud to know how far I have come and how much my life has changed. 

I honestly don't know what changed or this change occurred, but I feel like once I developed a solid support network outside of my family, that I knew I could depend on, and I wasn't so scared to meet people anymore. There is still always the feeling where in my head all I can think is "do these people really want to be here with me?", bur I guess that as I continue to grow and face new challenges I'll be able to overcome this fear and put those voices to bed, permanently. 

Being courageous is hard but I tell myself two things, I tell myself you'll regret it if you're not courageous now and a life with regrets is a life  not lived. The second thing I tell myself is that people actually want to spend time with me, people go out of their way to do nice things for me and the thoughts you are thinking are just in your head, even as I write this I am questioning myself, I'm questioning whether what I'm saying is actually true, but I'm letting the stronger side of me take control and letting myself believe that what I'm saying is true because in the end you can only have faith and hope in people, and have faith and hope in yourself, because in situations like this, what else can you do.

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"When you pay attention to boredom it gets unbelievably interesting." - Jon Kabat-Zinn

So I don't know about you, but lately one of the major issues for me has been boredom!!!! I am bored all the time and from what I can see, most of my friends are pretty bored too.

"It's a little video, it's a little video, it's a little video about twins." - Jack Harries

Please check out this video by Jacksgap, it is one of the truest, honest and most accurate videos I have ever seen about YouTube and the way YouTube and even internet culture is perceived. 

"Feeling good about your life, but not expressing a heartfelt 'thank you,' is like wrapping a gift for someone and never giving it to them." - Chip Conley 

Okay so as I posted the past three days posts today as I have just been so very busy right now with exams and everything so I called on my lovely friend Isadora who never fails to inspire or support me in a plea of desperation for a blog post, and she had the wonderful idea of doing a post on affirmations. I'm sorry internet but I'm not going to give you the exact reason as to why this is so very important at the moment because affirmations are such a personal and intimate thing. 

So if you don't know an affirmation or sometimes called fuzzy wuzzies (thanks Lauren - not me, my friend called Lauren) and they are basically a little message you send someone can be verbally, via video or even by a letter or text where you can write or say whatever you like. You can write/say how you feel about that person, what inspires you about that person, what you love about them or even the things that they do that make you smile or laugh. 

An affirmation is something so very personal, so you can see it can be shaped into so many different things but as the other name suggests it is basically meant to make you (the writer) and someone else (the recipient) feel warm and good about yourself. For me affirmations can change the way I look at myself for that day because it means that someone I love and care for has managed to get into my head and beat away all those negative thoughts that are constantly swimming around with a baseball bat and have them subdued for a while. 

I have received so many affirmations over the past couple of years, I don't know whether it's a Catholic school thing or not but we are always writing these and they make you laugh, they make you cry and they just have the ability to make you feel so incredibly special. It makes you feel as if someone really does care for you, and if everything you do is actually noticed and appreciated by someone. 

So I'm going to write two things, first thing is a DIY affirmation and the second is an affirmation for you, yes you, the person reading this blog post RIGHT NOW.

Dear _____, 

I love your _____ and you make me so incredibly _____ every day. I don't know what I would do without your _____ and your overall _____ in my life. You inspire me to be better than I am and I am so incredibly thankful for your friendship and support. You are so talented in everything you do, especially _____ and your passion for your _____ shows through with what you do every day and overall how you live your life. I love you to the moon and back and I don't think you will ever fully understand how much I love, need and rely on you. 

Lots of love and infinite hugs and kisses, 

_____ (xo, xoxo, xx, x, o)

Okay now onto you guys:

Dear Reader, 

I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you. To say thank you for reading this post or for reading my blog no matter how long you have been here. Just you taking five minutes out of your life to get an insight into mine means the absolute world, honestly every time that view ticker goes up my heart flutter not because my blog is gaining popularity, which I am thankful for, but because someone has taken time to pull up a chair in my corner of the internet. Someone is reading my thoughts and opinions on various issues, no matter how immature or stupid they are. I love the support I get from all the people who know me in real life or online and the always positive response I get from people reading my blog. Thank you so much for being you because without you I would not feel as inspired as I do to keep letting my thoughts fly free and setting them out into the world. I would not feel inspired to write better blog posts and I would not feel brave enough to tell people that I have this blog, that I have this little corner of the Internet where I can sit and let my thoughts out about anything and everything so thank you for letting me have a voice and for letting me be completely and utterly who I am on this blog, no questions asks. Thank you for being you and I love you so very much! 

Lauren x

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