What I Want to Achieve in 2018

Well, we’re half way through January 2018 already(!) and, now that it’s finally dawned on me that we’re into a new year (anyone still writing the date as 2017? Yep, me too), I’ve decided that now is as good a time as any to set some personal goals.

It’s taken me a heart-breaking number of years to accept that I’m not a teenager anymore (I was a bit of Peter Pan who wanted to stay in Neverland forever), but now that I’ve left that sink in, I find myself growing as a person with each year that passes and things that didn’t matter to me before now do, and things that were significant to me in the past, are no longer.  My perspective of what is and isn’t important in life have changed and as a result, I find it helps me stay focussed and channel my energy into things that matter to me.

The first thing I’ve done this year is think about what I really want to achieve.  I haven't set New Year resolutions for the last couple of years, mainly due to the fact that they were always broken by 4^th January and quite frankly, I was setting “goals” just for the sake of it.  I didn’t ACTUALLY know what I wanted to achieve, so in reality, I’d failed before I’d even begun.

So, what's on the agenda for 2018?

Being more positive – This is something that I think about quite a lot, and although I’ve taken steps in the last few months which have definitely helped me lead a more positive life, there is still room for improvement.  Like every human being on the planet, I have my down days.  I have days where all I want to do is lock myself in my flat, feel sorry for myself and not talk to anyone.  I have my moments when I feel like my issues are everyone else's fault.  I have times where I feel unattractive and like I'm not good enough.

As part of being more positive, I’m learning to become more open minded.  I’ve always been quite an opinionated person and before, no amount of debating or persuasion would change my mind.  I believed what I believed and there was no changing that.  Now, I’ve come to learn that everything happens for a reason – People say things or act in particular ways, usually as a result of something they’re dealing with in their own personal life.  I’ve learnt to take a step back and, rather than make rational assumptions about a person, I’ve considered that they might just be having an off day.  And that’s ok, because we all have them.  Being forgiving, letting go and not getting hung up on small things that don't actually matter will, I promise, be a weight lifted off your shoulders.

As cliche as it may sound, positive thinking really has the ability to completely change your outlook on life.  All you need to do is find what makes you feel those "positive" and motivating vibes, and remember them each time you feel like you're having a crappy day.  Think positive, act positively and become the best version of you.

Look after myself more - This includes a lot of things for me, so it's quite a general goal to have, but it's something I know I should do and don't currently make much time for.  Like a lot of people I know all the things I should be doing, so why amn't I doing it;  Lack of time?  Lack of money?  Lack of motivation?  Probably all of the above, but I'm adamant this will change this year.

I want to make more of an effort on things that will make me happier and healthier, both physically and mentally - I want to visit family and friends more, because the feeling you have when you're surrounded by love and laughter is like no other feeling in the world.  I want to look after my body and skin better, because when I do, I always feel amazing and I'm a firm believer that if you feel good on the inside, you look good on the outside.  I want to eat better and drink more water, and I want to take more "me time" and learn how to switch off from a busy day at work.

The most frustrating thing is, some of these things are so easy to achieve with just a small adjustment to everyday life.  I know that it's all about balance, so it's time for me to beat the bullshit and just get.things.done.

Spend less time on social media - Well this is perhaps a bit of a strange one, given that I'm a blogger who is trying to increase my blog following.  So, what I think I mean is, I want to spend less time obsessing over unattainable bodies and unrealistic lifestyles on Instagram and instead, focus on being influenced by the more positive messages that social media has to offer.

I personally feel that social media has got out of control over the last few years.  A lot of it is photoshopped/perfectly contoured/digitally enhanced "perfection", all in the name of getting a few more likes and followers.  But it's not.  Sadly, much of it is fake, unhealthy and it can be totally damaging to individuals who can't decipher what's real and what's not.

Although I feel like I have a pretty firm grip on reality, it's sometimes difficult not to compare yourself to others online, so I've made a conscious effort to unfollow any accounts that I feel portray a negative image and instead, will continue to follow those who make me happy, inspire me, and make me feel better as a person.

Well, if you've read this far in what feels like an essay rather than a blog post and I've not bored you to death, I'd love to hear any thoughts/comments/feedback you might have.  Do any of my goals resonate with you?  What do you want to achieve and how do you intend to do it?  Feel free to comment below!

Rachel x

A Trip to Mexico

Hola!  If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know that I've just returned from a dreamy trip to Riviera Maya in Mexico.  My friends are probably sick of the sight of all my holiday snaps now but hey, what's a girl to do?!

I spent 10 days at the Catalonia Riviera Maya Resort & Spa in Puerto Aventuras where I FINALLY managed to unwind and switch my brain to downtime mode.  It's been a bit of a crazy year so it has, so some time away from it all was long overdue and in fact, it reminded me of the importance of taking some time out to escape everyday life and recharge the good ol' batteries.

The Catalonia was a great choice with clean, modern rooms, a good selection of different themed  buffet and a la carte restaurants and eateries (there was a crepe van people!!), and of course a couple of lovely big pools and private access to a gorgeous white sand beach.

Although we were unlucky with the weather a couple of days (it is hurricane season in October afterall), I would highly recommend visiting Riviera Maya if you're after a quiet, all inclusive resort holiday.  The food was fab, beaches amazing with stunning crystal clear waters and most importantly, I could have as many mojitos as I wanted... Like, what else do you need?!

As our last few holidays have been pretty busy, I was a little worried that we'd be bored lounging around by the pool/beach all day (a ridiculous thought, in hind sight), but actually after buying a flat this year, switching jobs and so on, a wee break was exactly what the doctor ordered.  It turns out that some sunshine and snoozing on hammocks all day really is the best kinda medicine... Who knew!

We did one day trip whilst we were away which was to Tulum to see the Mayan ruins.  Despite the fact I was nearly eaten alive by mosquitos (nasty little buggers), it was really interesting to learn about the history there and I would definitely recommend a visit if you're into that kind of thing.  The site is quite small, but set aside at least two hours so you can wander around at your own pace and take it all in.  And please, if you do go, TAKE YOUR MOZZY SPRAY.

Anyway, a holiday is of course a perfect excuse for a blog post so instead of rambling on about how perfect the sea and cocktails were, I thought I'd share some photos with you.

I would definitely love to go back to Mexico one day and perhaps try a different area, so if you've been and you have any recommendations then holla!

Rachel

Bikini Top - ASOS

Bikini Bottoms - ASOS

LET YOUR HAIR DOWN

Hey guys... So I'm quite possibly the worst "blogger" in the entire world and it's been MONTHS since my last official blog post. Pathetic attempt, I know. Must try harder.

So I have a few posts on my radar that I want to share with you soon, but until then, I thought I'd share my new do with you! Now I don't know about you, but I'm typically "that" annoying friend that never seems to be happy with their hairstyle - I go blonde: "Oh my god I wish I was brunette again", goes brunette: "Oh no I want to go lighter again for the summer because it will totally go with a tan!", cuts my hair short: "Holy crap what the hell have I done". Yep, that's me. Can anyone relate?

But anyway, new year and a new start and all, so I decided to take the plunge and go back to the dark side and I have to say, I LOVE IT! One of my upcoming posts is going to be all about taking care of you and making yourself feel good, so I'm not going to blabber on about it too much right now, but what I will say is that sometimes all you need as a wee "pick me up" is a good hair cut or a style change and Lordy, you feel like a new woman. Sometimes the smallest of changes is all we need to freshen things up a little and give yourself a good ol' confidence boost. And I'm all for that.

My little January perk me up is following a visit to the lovely Junction Hair Salon in Aberdeen where Lauren worked her magic. Better yet, the salon had a January offer on for a complete cut, colour and blow dry for £50, so extra points for that one!

If you're in the area then I would definitely recommend a visit. In fact, my mum has since booked herself in! All of the girls were lovely and provided me with endless cups of tea and biscuits (extra bonus points, of course), so if you're in need of a change and live in or around the old Granite City, then get yourself booked in.

I'll try not to leave it as long next time...

Rachel

COOL N' KHAKI

Well hey there, I hope you're having a fabby May-day weekend!  To anyone that's off work tomorrow - I hate you.  Ok ok, that's not very nice... I love you really.  I am incredibly jealous though.

I'm having a nice relaxing Sunday so I thought I would finally take some outfit pictures so that I could post my first ever fashion blogpost, woop!  It's not the greatest of all fashion posts but bear with me people, I will get better at this.

Today I've decided to write about a cute little khaki number that I picked up a few weeks ago in the Miss Selfridge sale (£42 reduced to £12 - HELLO bargain!).

It's a super soft, light denim dress that I think is fab as it can be dressed in several ways to suit most occasions/weather.  It might be May now, however that still means torrential rain and the odd blizzard here in Scotland, so I'm currently styling this with thick, black tights and military boots.

The dress is edgy but feminine and lightweight with a waist clinching belt to flatter your luverrrly figure.   It's super comfy and I think looks great with black or tan, depending on what kind of look you're going for.

The last time I checked this was still available on the Miss Selfridge website (see link below) so if you'd like a little snoop, I suggest you act quick because at this price it will not be around for long... Happy shopping!

Rachel

Dress - Miss Selfridge

Mini satchel - River Island

Shoes - Boohoo.com (shop similar)
 

THIS WAY FOR SCRUMPTIOUSLY SILKY SKIN

So I have a little confession to make... I know us gals (and guys!) always have it drummed into us about how important it is to cleanse, tone and moisturise blah blah... But up until a year or so ago, I was the ultimate lazy girl when it came to skincare and often chose to remove my make up with just a simple make up wipe.  That was it, my skincare routine done for the evening.  No toning, no moisturising, nada.

Now my lack of skin routine was not solely down to laziness (I'm giving myself a bit of credit here) - I have normal/oily skin and have spent a fortune over the years on different cleansers, moisturisers, facial masks etc that promised to reduce my blemishes, minimise pores and control shine.  To cut a long and boring story short, I gave up in the end and my "just use a make up wipe" mantra was born.

HOWEVER, now that I'm old enough to qualify for the "overs" category on the X Factor, I've since decided to put a bit more effort into researching what's good for my skin type and have managed to find some products, finally, that truly work for me.

A couple of months ago, I decided to try something new after reading so many amaaazing reviews and yep, you guessed it, it was Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

The concentrate is a night time facial oil that replenishes the appearance of skin overnight, leaving you with unbelievably soft, fresh and clearer looking skin by morning.  Having oily skin myself, I was a bit sceptical at first about adding more oil onto my face, however it is so light and absorbs beautifully into the skin.  Not only that, but it smells bloomin' divine as it's made from primrose and lavender oil (also helpful to aid sleep!).

The serum is £36 for a 30ml bottle however you only need 2 - 3 drops per night, so you will more than get your money's worth out of this wee thing.

I have used Mr. Kiehl almost every night for around two months now and I can happily preach that this has worked like a charm on my skin.  It's light, it's fresh, and I even feel like it's visibly reduced my blemishes and scars from a couple of spots I had as a teen.  I recommend.  Like seriously, buy it now.

If I haven't convinced you yet to try this little gem, you can check out the thousands of other reviews online for yourself and you may even be able to pick up a sample from a Kiehl' store.  If you do buy, let me know how much you love it and you can thank me later!

Rachel

 
 

AN ASIAN ADVENTURE: PART II OF III

Hello folks, and happy Friday-eve!  I don't know about you, but all these blue skies and that big, bright ball in the sky (I think they call it the sun?) are getting me excited for the weekend!

It's been another busy week but I finally have some time to sit down and put together part 2 of my travel diary and this time, we shall visit Singapore my friends!

This was my first visit to Singapore and all I can say is that I bloody loved it.  Every single thing about it: The green gardens, the food, the people, the cocktails, Marina Bay - Everything.  The place is absolutely immaculate and as soon as I had my first wander around, I told myself that I would live here one day.

After my mini Hong Kong adventure (see previous blogpost), I visited Singapore for five days whilst staying with family and I tried to cram in as much as possible during my short stay.  There's a bucket load of things to see and do in Singapore, depending on your interests, but my favourites were... * drum roll*

The Zoo

What can I say, we don't particularly have that many fascinating species of animals in Scotland.  I mean, Highland coo's are pretty cool but let's face it, seeing lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) is pretty bad-ass.

I felt the zoo was a good way to spend my first day in Singapore and it gave my body a chance to adjust to the INSANE humidity there.  The zoo was spotlessly clean, really well kept and I loved the fact that the animals appeared to have lots of room to stroll around and be free in.

There were plenty of spots to stop for refreshments and lunch and all round, it was a great day out.

 

 

Singapore Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens is a tropical garden situated near the main shopping district and is a lovely walk if you fancy a more relaxed afternoon.  It's filled with beautiful plants, flowers and water features and it's so relaxing just to wander around at your own pace listening to the sound of the birds chirping away.

Also in the Gardens is an amazing little restaurant called "The Halia" where we stopped to enjoy a delicious lunch (and air-con!).  Their menu was very varied with something for everyone and was a great place to stop for a bite to eat.

 

  

 

Clarke Quay

This is an amazing wee place and if you're prone to a few cocktails and a dance, you NEED to visit here at night time to take full advantage of the funky bars, live music and Singapore clubbing scene.  There are literally endless bars and eateries to try depending on what tickles your fancy and if you visit during happy hour (which seems to last around 3 - 4 hours for most bars), then you can grab yourself some bargain deals on numerous drinks and cocktails - I recommend visiting during this time as it is quite pricey paying full price for drinks after the deals end..

Unfortunately I was a little er, merry, whist here so I didn't take any photographic evidence of my phenomenal (aka extremely average at best) dance moves, but if Singapore is ever on your to do list, I would definitely look this place up and give it a try.

Gardens by the Bay

So you may already have seen pictures of these bad boys because they are an extremely popular tourist destination in Singapore, and for a very good reason.  They are amazing.

The "Supertrees" take part in a light show every evening just after sunset and flash/change colour in sync to a number of great songs from the best musicals.  It's pretty hard to explain in writing but I'm sure there will be some cool videos on You Tube if you feel like having a nosey.  If I remember correctly, the show lasts around 20 - 30 minutes and in my opinion is a must-see, even just for one night.  I promise you, the pictures do these no justice!

 

Marina Bay

Lastly, but certainly not least and probably my favourite, behold, Marina Bay!  Where do I begin.  When I first got to Marina Bay it was early evening and to me, some of the buildings actually looked like a cardboard cut out because they were just so surreal.

The Bay oozes the "wow" factor and is the perfect setting of never ending bars, shops, restaurants and awe-inspiring buildings.  In addition, it is of course the home of the faaabulous Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

I drank in many a bars at the Bay during my stay (I feel I'm starting to sound like I have a bit of a drink problem - I don't, I think) and I also had the pleasure of eating at the OUE restaurant which is a rooftop bar and restaurant offering the choice of three cuisines; Japanese, French and Chinese.  I was lucky enough to have a booth right next to the window and I can't even put into words how amazing the views were overlooking the Bay.

Every evening there is a pretty damn cool laser show which is reflected off screens of water (like the Fantasmic laser show at MGM Studios in Florida for any Disney geeks out there).  As well as that, there are a number of fun, science-y type games and activities situated all around the Bay for anyone feeling creative.

Once you've completed all of the above, have stuffed your face and drank too much wine, a nice stroll around the Bay is literally the perfect way to end what I guarantee will have been a truly amazing evening.

Rachel

 
 
 
 
 

AN ASIAN ADVENTURE : Part I of III

HONG KONG

Aloha!  And welcome to Part 1 of my Asian Adventure travel diary.  I've recently been lucky enough to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand and it was one of THEE best holidays I've ever been on.  Quite frankly, I can't stop scrolling through my pictures and wondering why I ever had to come home (like seriously, who even needs a job?), so I thought I'd try and cheer myself up by sharing some memories that seem so distant already.

So my first stop was Hong Kong which is a gruelling 16 hour flight from Edinburgh.  My boyfriend gets quite grumpy and agitated on long plane journeys, so I told him it was 10 hours and really "not that bad".  You should have seen his face when we stopped in Abu Dhabi for our connecting flight and he realised we had another 7 hours to go.  Priceless.  Anyway, we flew with Etihad Airways and I have to say they made the 16 hour trip a lot more bearable - New and current movies, comfy seats, decent legroom, a fully kitted out "plane essentials" kit and of course, an unlimited drinks trolley.  That was me sorted!

Once we arrived in Hong Kong I couldn't help but notice three things:

1. Everybody was super friendly

2. The buildings were really, really, really tall

3. I had no idea what day, time or even planet I was on due to my old pal called Jetlag

Accommodation

My three nights in HK were spent in the laaaavly Harbour Grand Hong Kong, situated right beside Victoria Harbour.  The reception area had the biggest, most sparkliest chandelier I'd ever seen and the service offered by the bellboys was second to none.

My harbour view room was on the 32nd floor and, had it not been so foggy, would have offered amaaazing views of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon Island.  Unfortunately I was too excited to think about taking pictures of the room at the time but I can assure you, you would not have been disappointed!

The hotel offered several eating places with loads of different cuisines from around the world, a heated outdoor pool, a gym and spa area and even a harpist in the lobby to make sweet music to your ears!

Things to do, people to see...

Sadly, the weather was ridiculously foggy my whole three days in Hong Kong so I didn't get to do a lot of the touristy stuff I'd planned (Victoria Peak, the Big Buddha, Lantau Island).  Nonetheless, I tried to make the most of my trip and explored parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon whilst trying some local cuisine and embarrassing myself by attempting to use chopsticks.

The city is beautiful in an array of colours at night and you can make the most of the colourful views by having a nice stroll around the harbour or by taking a boat cruise across the bay.

If you are a fellow cocktail lover, one place that you MUST visit if you are ever in Hong Kong is the "Ozone Bar" (also known as the highest bar in the world!) which is situated on the 118th floor of the Ritz-Carlton hotel.  All I can say is wow.  Again, we didn't get the spectacular views due to the weather, but the chilled atmosphere, funky interior and truly scrumptious cocktail menu ensured we had a fab time anyway.

Well folks, I feel like I've rambled on enough about my mini-adventure in Hong Kong.  The weather situation was disappointing but overall, HK gets a thumbs up from me and I would definitely recommend a visit if you are travelling around that side of the world.  I've included a few pictures from my stay below (sorry about the quality of some), and if you've ever been before, get in touch and let me know what you thought!

My next travel post will be about Singapore so keep an eye out and I'll see you there... Happy reading!

Rachel

HELLO & WELCOME!

Well hey there, and welcome to my first ever blog post!  (Yikes!)  It's taken me about four days to pluck up the courage to write this so, with a sudden burst of bravery and a glass of red wine by my side, here goes...

I guess I should start by telling you a bit about myself - I'm Rachel, 24 years young and from the tropical land of er, Aberdeen.  I'm a HR ninja by day and your typical girly-girl/foodie/car singer/phantom gym goer the rest of the time.

I love everything from fashion, food, photography and travelling, to walking my crazy-ass cocker spaniels or chilling with Mr. Net-Flix whilst consuming my body weight in cheesy doritos.

I've wanted to start a blog for a couple of years now and I could rattle off a number of pretty pathetic excuses as to why I haven't done so by now, but ultimately, I was worried about what people might think.  As someone who actively encourages others to "screw what other people think - Do what makes you happy", I am pretty disappointed in myself.  Bad Rach.

Anyway, I've finally decided to get my butt in gear and give this blogging malarkey a shot because you know, you only regret the things you didn't do and all that.  My favourite blogs are those that contain a bit of anything and everything so mine will most likely reflect this, however my main aim is to share general fashion, beauty and lifestyle thoughts and happenings (and not bore you to tears whilst doing so!)

On a serious note, I hope you enjoy reading my blog and I'll hopefully have a new post up in the next few days - If you'd like to leave me any comments/feedback then please feel free as I'd love to hear from you!

Happy reading!

Rachel