3 Thoughtful Ways to Stay in Touch

Now more than ever, staying in touch with your friends and family is a really massive thing and something that we are having to put a little more thought into. Especially those friends we would usually see daily that we haven’t seen for months – definitely missing them all! It’s really important for everyone’s wellbeing that we put a bit of effort into checking in on our friends at this time. These are a couple ideas other than just picking up the phone and giving them a call, which is just as lovely!

Write them a letter: Ever wanted a pen pal? Now is the perfect time! Get out an actual pen and paper and just chat as if your friend was sat opposite you. You might think you haven’t been up to much (like everyone else!) but tell them about the latest series you binged watched, book you read or dinner you ate. It’s nice just to share some of the simple daily details of life with your bestie and to hear about what they’ve enjoyed too! You can even go out and post it on your daily walk too – win, win!

Send them a meme, gif or Tiktok: One of the simplest forms of letting someone know you are thinking of them. I don’t know about you but when I get a notification that a friend has tagged me in something funny it really gives me a boost! I always think it’s so sweet to know that someone has thought of you, you know? Just whilst scrolling I suddenly popped into their head! That means a lot in 2020! They’re usually really funny and scarily accurate, so definitely worth giving your friends a simple tag in something online to brighten their day.

Post them a special gift: If you want to send something special then now is a perfect time, whether it be something you have homemade or order it online. If they live locally you can always take it to their door and then stand down the driveway! There are lots of different things that you can send online whether it be a recent book find on Amazon or a letterbox brownie from a local bakery business. You can find lots of food delivery companies online or trying Instagram, Facebook groups or Etsy to find some local places to support. Getting post at this time is literally SUCH A THRILL, so it’s nice to pass on that joy!

Take care,

Amy

The Art of Emailing

Happy Motivational Monday!

Do any of you get the fear set-in when you have to speak on the phone? I completely have this, so for me I LOVE  a good email. I find that I have so much more confidence when I can send an email, I can refine it and make sure I am saying what I really want to say. Recently, I’ve started being a bit more proactive when it comes to things I chat about I’ve decided I don’t want to just ‘chat’ about them- if that makes sense. I talk A LOT, which is why I made this blog because funnily enough my Mum doesn’t overly care what my Walt Disney World Wishes: Resorts Edition are and my Dad really could not care less about my Must Haves: Glossier. SO with this in mind I thought, why don’t I put all this chatting about my plans or moaning about things I want to change and just do something about it? Alright, ramble over. I’m just going to share a couple of ways you can use emailing to make a change… a little lesson in the art of emailing, if you will!

Emails and Career Plans: I’ve used emailing to get me every bit of work experience I’ve done. I’ve used it to gain opportunities online too and I think that we often forget that SO many people are just an email away. Pick a company, find the boss online and then just email them. It’s that simple, the worse they can do is say no right? Just go for it. There are LOADS of templates of work experience emails online, just fill in the gaps and give it a try. Finding an actual person to right to is a great way of showing you are proactive too.

Emails and Making a Change: If you’ve seen something recently that you’ve felt really concerned about or you want to get involved with some activism- go for it! Email your MP or write them a letter. Being able to write your ideas done in a coherent way is the perfect way to get your voice heard, without having to literally get out there. I did this recently, with a story on animals, so I got in contact with a zoo and they were so helpful in spreading the story higher up. I really felt like I made a difference, from a simple email!

Emails and Kindness: Okay I couldn’t think of a great way to label this one BUT with mental health being a really dominating topic at the moment, I have found there are lots of great charities that you can get specific advice from via email. If you have a friend or family member that you are concerned about then you should try giving a charity an email and they can give you some really good information, that is personal to your situation.

Who knew they were made for more than just online shopping confirmation emails, right?

Amy

Random Act of Kindness Day

Happy Random Act of Kindness Day… for yesterday!

This is such a cute day and the perfect reminder I thought we all needed on a Monday morning to spread some kindness, with no reason behind it whatsoever. It’s just a nice way to be able to put some goodness out into the world and sometimes, with the stresses of daily life, it can be difficult to do that. I thought I would just share a couple of reminders of things you could do today, and every day, just to give some kindness.

Let’s start of with some Random Acts of Kindness that you can do that are free and often the easiest. Something as simple as smiling at a stranger, holding a door for them or complimenting someone- all very easy things to do but can often have the biggest impact. If you commute then giving up your seat on the train is always a lovely gesture if there are older people around- they’re usually very grateful. Saying ‘bless you’ when strangers sneeze is a good one I always think- they usually look pretty surprised- or just saying ‘have a good day’ to a retail assistant when shopping. These little things might seem insignificant and you probably already do many of them without thinking but they can often have a massive difference to making someones day!

Photo Credit: Pinterest 

Giving money to charity is obviously one of the bigger gestures you can do to spread kindness even further, maybe you want to give some spare change when you’re in town or even just retweeting their social media campaigns is helpful to them. Paying forward is also a popular one at cafes or coffee shops, I think it might be more in America though, I’ve never seen or done this before! Maybe sending a hand written letter to an old friend or a relative who lives far away, they always provide joy and it’s a really personal, thoughtful act. You might want to go further and send a ‘care package’ with some of their favourite things or buy your mum some flowers just to say you love her. I find these little things for people you know are often met with the biggest thanks and it’s lovely to say thank you, with no hidden agenda.

Obviously, it is important to note that in the same way we don’t have to just share our love on Valentine’s we don’t have to just spread kindness on a set day either. I just think its a cute reminder as it is something that I know I personally can forget about after Christmas- I’ve written about this before in my Maintaining the Christmas Magic post. You’ll probably find you already do lots of nice things, but just don’t label it in this way, as many are just common curtesy but I still think we all need a reminder every so often. Remember to join in with the #RandomActOfKindnessDay on social media for yesterday to get some more inspiration and share your stories. It’s a lovely ‘habit’ to incorporate within your daily routine to add some positivity and kindness, as you never know what someone else is going through!

Remember to be kind to yourself too!

Amy

Spirit of Christmas

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR IS HERE!

THIS IS NOT A DRILL! I can’t believe my favourite time of the year is here, I couldn’t be happier. To kick off this festive season on my blog I’m going to be sharing a post on the ‘Spirit of Christmas’- the very essence of the season. It’s all the wonderful qualities that Christmas brings out in humanity- the giving, thoughtfulness and kindness- something that can sometimes feel hard to come by. Hopefully this post will provide some different ways to encapsulate the spirit of Christmas throughout this loveliest season.

There are lots of charity campaigns over Christmastime to get involved with, whether it be a small donation or retweet some campaigns on Twitter to raise awareness. Save the Children also have their Christmas Jumper day which is a great festive charity fundraiser to get involved in at your school, college or work. You could even do some of your own festive fundraisers, maybe have a bake sale or sell some homemade goods for charity!

There are also lots of local campaigns to get involved in during Christmastime too, so taking some time to have a google in early December can really make a difference. There might be local campaigns like the ‘Shoe Box Appeal’ or at our local Salvation Army they create Christmas Food parcels for those in need and a ‘Toy Service’ where you can provide presents for those less fortunate. It is definitely worth helping out locally and your help can be really appreciated whether you can donate money, products or simply your time- it all counts.

So we’ve covered national and local, but the Spirit of Christmas should really be felt in the home and on a personal level too. Taking time to speak to the family that you haven’t to for a while or write a letter to an old friend, to send your seasons greetings. Offer to help out your grandparents or elderly relatives with their christmas shopping or putting up their christmas tree. Helping out your parents and siblings, let it all be done in the name of Christmas- even if they annoy you for 90% of the year.

Hopefully this post has given you some inspiration this festive season for sharing some Christmas spirit. I ABSOLUTELY love all the extras that come with Christmas, but it is really important to remember the real reason for season and the goodness that is so important to share. It can be a difficult season for many people, so taking the time to spread a little bit of extra kindness. Remember to be kind to yourself this Christmastime- you deserve it.

Amy

Maintaining the Christmas Magic

Happy New Year!

Today is just a reflective chatty post to bring in the new year. I hope you’ve had the most wonderful Christmas… it’s just the best isn’t it? All the lovely sides of humanity come to light in the festive period and I think it is SO important to keep these qualities throughout the rest of the year. I’ve already shared a couple of posts on this topic such as Ways to Spread the Spirit of Christmas and Spreading Kindness. These posts can give you an insight into beings a friendlier person all year, it’s a great new years resolution! I wanted to just share 3 ways to maintain the magic of Christmas in your everyday life, until the festive period comes round again.

1. Friends and Family: Keep making time for these important people in your life, it is THE most important thing. Over Christmas the mobiles go away and your loved ones are at the forefront! So make time to give someone a phone call, send a letter or even visit them, especially any elderly relatives. We take these wonderful people for granted so it is important to look out for them all year, not just Christmas.
2. Be Charitable: This is looking a little further afield, try helping someone outside your circle. Obviously this doesn’t need to be financial aid, but if that’s something you want to start then you could consider setting up a direct debit. Try researching some local and national charity campaigns that you can raise awareness for even from your home.
3. Random Acts of Kindness: These can come in endless forms. They can be as extravagant or as simple as you wish. Once you start adding these little things into your life then they’ll become a habit, a really lovely habit! Simply paying forward at a cafe, complimenting a stranger or holding a door open… literally ANYTHING goes. It’s easier than you think to be kind and you’ll probably surprise yourself with how effortless it can be.

Obviously, I am not the kindest person ever and there are times when you’re feeling a bit ‘done’. I just want to make it clear I am SO far from perfect but I just want to try and add this kinder element into my everyday life in 2018. I think its an important new years resolution and if the whole world did it, then it would be lovelier place. Another important thing to note is BE KIND TO YOURSELF, treat yourself like you do your best friend and give yourself a break.

Finally, I just wanted to say that throughout January I will be having a ‘Throwback Thursday’ month. So every Thursday at 10am I will be posting my ‘Top 5’ of different topics from 2017- if that sounds like something you’ll be into then I’d appreciate if you gave this blog a little follow!

Wishing you lots of happiness for 2018,

Amy🎄

Ways to Spread the Spirit of Christmas

Happy December!

I hope you’re enjoying all your advent calendars and the Vlogmases! Today’s post is probably going to be the most important that I publish ALL month. I know it’s a bit soppy but it is really important! The real magic of Christmas comes from within and spreading goodness and joy. So I wanted to share a few ways to do that, that you might have not thought about before! One way that I do this is by doing a ‘Random Act of Kindness’ in the days leading up to Christmas- but obviously I try to carry it on. I’ll be completely honest I’m not the best at all of this but this time of year I like to give it my best shot. So here we go:

• Give Time: I think that time is one of the nicest things you can give someone, time free from your phone and distractions. One way you could do this is helping different family members or sending some old friends a Christmas card to let them know you are still thinking of them. I usually help my grandparents put up their Christmas tree in an evening which is a nice way of spending festive time with them. This one also includes giving time to yourself which is just as important- so remember that one!
• Join National or Local Campaigns: You can do simple things like wearing a Christmas jumper on the ‘Save the Children’ campaign day. There are also local campaigns you might want to join if you have a look on the internet. For example, at my university they run lots of Christmassy things like the ‘Santa Run’ or you can make up shoeboxes to send to less fortunate children. The campaigns near you will probably all differ but they are all important to help.
• Giving: It doesn’t have to be a lot of money just some loose change when out shopping is enough! Perhaps you could buy a hot chocolate for some of the homeless people in your area when out shopping! There are so many ways you can give money because there are so many people who need it across the world, so if you have any spare change this Christmas you could research where you would like to give it the most. If you go on Oxfam’s website you can buy presents for people and the money goes to helping children in Africa, they start from £5 and would be a lovely gift. You can read more about it here.
• Simply be Kind: This is the easiest one because it doesn’t cost a single penny. You can just smile at someone in the street, help them with their shopping or just compliment your friends more. These are the little things that you’ll probably realise you do already, but it’s nice to spend a little more time doing them this month.

Hopefully this post has encouraged you to spread some festive goodwill! If you want some more ideas then I’ve written a similar less-festive post here Spreading Kindness. This is one of the basic Christmas principles and I think it is nice to have a few extra ideas of ways to spread festive joy during December.

See you Friday,

Amy🎄

Spreading Kindness

Happy Monday!

I wanted to kickstart the week with a post on kindness. The concept of kindness can get lost in the business of everyday life, but it is such a positive characteristic to possess and share with others. Before this turns into the cheesiest post EVER, I have complied a list of cute random acts of kindness to try:

1. Write letters: Taking the time to write someone a notecard is so simple. If you never have stamps (like me!) you could try apps like ‘Touch Note’ or going on Moonpig.com to send personalised messages directly from your phone! You could sent these to friends, family or sometimes there are special appeals, especially at Christmastime to send to ill children or various people who need support/ friendship. This is the perfect excuse to buy ALL the pretty and funny postcards,  notecards and letter writing sets from Paperchase!
2. Reminding people you are thinking of them: This is so simple and it’s free- win win! Something as simple as tagging a friend in a meme on Facebook that reminds you of them or sending them a funny tweet to cheer them up can really make someones day. Simply texting someone and saying ‘Miss you’ can mean the world, trust me at uni these really make your day because sometimes it is so easy to feel forgotten! Another idea is sending uplifting tweets to people who are having a bad day or congratulating/ complimenting them on something and although it might seem weird to respond to a stranger you never know how much they might have needed it.
3. Spontaneous presents: Clearly this could be an expensive suggestion, but it doesn’t need to be done regularly or with luxurious gifts! One example is when I visit my grandparents I sometimes pick them up Scones for £2 as I pass a shop on my way- this is cheap way to brighten their day, or better still bake them yourself! Also my sister, who lives far away, recently received a bad haircut (I know the pain!) so to cheer her up I sent a special Pancake mix from notonthehighstreet.com directly to her address with a gift receipt too- perfect!
4. Give to charity: This doesn’t necessarily have to be financial giving but if you can then a direct debit is a good way of doing this, because otherwise it is so easy to forget! Also it can be very small amounts, even just a £1, would make a difference especially to local charities. Other ways to give include taking old clothes or toys to a charity shop, retweeting/ sharing charities posts help raise awareness of campaigns or looking for online ways to volunteer your time at various charities- some charities like Make A Wish have online volunteering schemes where you don’t even have to leave your sofa!
5. Be kind to yourself: In some ways this should be top the list because if you are kind to yourself then you can help others. This really could be anything, but it is so easily forgotten! Let yourself watch an extra episode of your favourite TV show, eat ALL the chocolate, have a bath until your fingers go all shrivelled, laugh at your favourite film, sing at the top of your voice, lounge around in your pyjamas every once in a while and forget all your responsibilities! I understand this is easier said than done, but be happy, you deserve it.

I hope these inspire you to spread some kindness to others and yourself. There are also lots more ideas on Pinterest! Let me of know any other easy examples of random acts because it is always important to find new ways of spreading kindness.

Amy💖