Monday 11 March 2024

Seeing yourself in a new light

So it was International Women's day last week and I think particularly women tend to be a lot harder on themselves, and feel like we have to take on the world, on our own.  

I no longer give myself a hard time, because when I was, I asked myself, do I want to feel like this all my life? Am I dead? No, so what's the issue? Comparing, Who wants to look at me? and it took a lot to  be kind to myself and accept me.

The women's body is amazing, and so should celebrate women. Be proud of who you are. 

When our husbands are working and we're sitting at home I often, when my son was first born was like "okay what do I do now?"

There are women who make it on their own. I have a friend who has not gotten married or had a child is in her fifties, and I respect that. It does come down to personal choice, and often it feels like we can't win, if we want to stay at home, to bring their children up, or still work in full time employment with children, or of they don't want kids. 

Invest in yourself, by looking after your skin and appreciate your body, your personality and the things you love. Never fear that you aren't good enough. Take chances. Be with people you can relate with and teach you. When I began go out and watch a rugby team, who I was introduced by a friend I really began to come out of my shell and felt I could be me. 

I thank my friend for doing that, it really was such a great time and I am so glad that in my twenties I had that and we had some great times, that I will always treasure. Have a night out and have a glass of wine and a bite to eat. My friends and I would often have a girls night out, where we would meet up in Waterloo station or a friends house and go out and stay at her place. 

Being with people who love you for you, are for me the people you should have around you and you can be yourself and not bitching or getting narky because they've had a drink and just enjoy yourself with like minded people. 

Have those that will give you encouragement to follow their dreams and ambitions. Who will listen and just be there to give you support. 

So, live and remember you are fantastic. Stop being against yourself because you not happy with the way you are. Start following habits and I do write a blog Everyone can build a castle, and talk a lot about habits: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com 

I hope this blog helps you and will be writing more.

Many thanks for reading,


Carrie X 



Sunday 18 February 2024

Being able to look yourself in your face and be honest with yourself

You need to stop demolishing yourself, because you wouldn't say it to a friend so stop doing it to yourself.

I still have to catch myself, because I have nothing to complain about. I finally feel good in my body and my skin, and it has taken a long time to see that and lucky to have the body I have. 

Be proud of who you are and journal how you feel. This helps lay your thoughts down and then ask yourself, "Do you want to feel like this for ever, what can I do today that will help you feel better?"

At school I had criticism about my teeth being yellow and so given advice from a dentist to cut down on drinking tea, and I have abandoned my teeth and so made a commitment to myself to look after them and brush them everyday and no excuses. If I don't want to yellow teeth then it means using a toothpaste that helps and get them regularly checked and cleaned and its not going to go away if I don't take action.

You have to take action and say "What would make me feel better?"

I think looking after my skin has helped. I don't wear make up all the time and help my skin breath and use products that I know my face and body likes, and create a short make up routine if I want to put some on, and it does help with my confidence, and how I feel about myself, along with exercise and changing my eating habits.

Then it is bathing or having a shower, and have a daily ritual, that you can face yourself. Have a routine to practice self care and go through your journal and read it of what you have written, and set goals for your body and I have nothing against cosmetic surgery, but do your research and is a personal choice, but try other interventions and if you still want to have fuller lips, a nose transformation or it is your boobs, for example, really think about it, and never feel forced. 

Be careful of what you consume. If you find certain images that influence how you feel about yourself that gets you down, then change that. Find your style, and create a feel good capsule wardrobe. I love my image now and looking at Pinterest of styles I like and help create an image I feel good about.

How do you feel about the food you eat? I have struggled with my diet and relationship with food and I still don't have a good diet, I will go for cakes and biscuits, so to help that I am learning about what food is good for me. What do I want my relationship with food to look like? 

I started to cook again and planning meals. There seems to be a miss communications as it now perceived that its not about "Portion Control" and about what food you eat and exercise doesn't help with losing weight. What is right and what is wrong? I feel this puts a lot of pressure on people. So to illuminate that I have been trying to stop snacking, but I find eating three meals a day to be hard, because I find that this has had a reverse affect. It is about healthy, I agree, and I get sick of eating crisps and chocolate anyway and listen to my body, as for it depends on each person, and I like Carbs and eating meat and like to eat what I fancy and have fruit and vegetables, and trying different foods, and meals that don't take too long, but are fulfilling.

So look at yourself and give yourself credit, life is too short and so live whilst you living and be happy with yourself and make changes that makes you happy and content with yourself.

Many thanks for reading,


Carrie X 




Tuesday 2 January 2024

Changing your image getting bored with the way you look

I looked at my self earlier and thought "You know what you look good", but then as soon as I felt that, the critic within my brain began to speak, "Your hair is mess and straggly, I look tired and I am wearing leggins with a couple of holes and wearing a pair of trainers that are dirty. 

The critic in your head will voice his opinion, but that is just it, it is a habit that I got into and used to being self critical about the way I look, but have learned to be resilient and think right what will help it?

So first of all, I have legs that can walk, a voice that can speak, hair that keeps growing and can change, so will be booking a new hair cut, and I have legs and arms, etc. So what have I got to complain about. Speak with the inner critic and say, "Thanks critic but I look fine, and yes a bit of TLC is needed, but still grateful of what I have, rather than what I don't". 

Yes I have put on a bit of weight due to Christmas, so just means cutting down and listen to my body and what it needs. Good nutrition is important so going to manage my diet, and going to have more wholesome food, that will properly fill me up, and I know this will help me, and that is it, take Action and have fun by trying different looks, making and experiment with food and find the style that suits you, and answers the inner critic, and check out vintage fashion, aswell as high street and online, and create a capsule wardrobe that will excite you and help build your confidence and look in the mirror and go over what you are happy about and what areas of you think need a bit of TLC and will help make you fill better. 

So for me I have looked on Pinterest of hair cuts I like as I am looking for a change, but I do like having long hair and would like to different style so will work on that, and going to dye my hair again, and bought some new eye pencils a couple of days ago, and going to do a minimal make up every day look, along with no make up days, and take supplements again to improve energy levels and for my hair and skin, to make me look a bit more alive, and not going stress and have fun doing different looks that helps me feel good about myself and not listen to the critic and stop getting bored and still practice gratitude of what I already have, and not be drained by thinking I am a mess.

I hope that this blog helps you too and share tips on how to ignore the critic and not get bored with yourself. You can leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading, 


Carrie X 

Friday 1 December 2023

You are amazing and keep reminding yourself of that

We all have imperfections, well we think we do. We are human beings and we will think negative thoughts about ourselves, but it is how you change that and stop worrying about being perfect. I have spent hours of thinking about what others thought of me and would see people who seemed to have floorless beauty and that I will never be able to look like that. 


I now love my style and wearing funky socks, fitness bottoms and tops. I do like to dress up too, but when there is a special occasion, like going out for someones birthday, and for special holidays. 

Looking after my health, is much more important and dress that suits your personality. It is good to be different, and I believe that everyone is unique. There are those who criticise, because they see fault with everything and everyone. Lay them to rest and rise above it and live, and "Grabs the bull by the horns" and not allow anyone bring you down.

When we avoid mirrors it is because we see a different image to what we see in our heads, but now I give myself credit and have fun with clothes and with make up. If I see another woman dressed well I compliment because I like fashion and see people have different styles, and I like making people see the good things about themselves. The feelings of we are super ugly can really make us hide away, because we feel pressure in looking a certain way and we never going to feel good enough. 

I got fed up in feeling that way and made changes on how I see myself, by going through my clothes and make up and getting active. I look after my skin that has affected how I felt and look after my hair, teeth and my health. 

You are amazing and remind yourself next time you look in the mirror and I like having breasts, and thick hair, and glad I am the size I am. I did have type two diabetes, which affected me and had to control the amount I ate and what I eat. I don't have a super healthy diet but I now have managed my weight and my BMI and feel so good for it. It is all about building your personality and letting people know you have arrived, not knit picking at yourself, because you think another person looks better than you, and it apppears that they have no blemishes or looking better in a outfit you have and seem to have it all. If we all looked the same the world would be boring, so stop, be kind to yourself and give yourself some love.

So no more putting your self down and live.  

Many thanks for reading,


Carrie X 


Friday 3 November 2023

Being grateful of what we have

Hi it has been a funny week, in that it was a mixture of good and bad and I have been doing reels on my Instagram, because I am having trouble in uploading images to it, and I do feel a little self-conscious, but it is good to step out on your comfort zone. 


I am using my son's laptop to write my blogs, because I was getting my one fixed and had a few problems with it, short story, I was scammed by receiving a message from supposedly PayPal saying that £785.85 was going to be taken from my account, and thankfully it was sorted it out and talked about on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal/?hl=en

However, going on with the blog and what I want to blog about. Is that we often look at all the badness of the way we look, dress and present ourselves, when actually other people don't really care. We feel we have to dress a certain way to make a impression, and not saying you should be scruffy, but that our own opinion of ourselves is what is important, not someone else's. 

When I see people without limbs and being hurt causing them to not be able to see themselves, grateful of the way I look and so, when I feel myself being unkind to myself, I will now get a hold of myself and that I am lucky. I have hands that can write, feet and legs that can walk, a heart that is beating as it should and no skin problems as such. I have had dry skin, but others have scars and blemishes but never allow themselves in these, affecting how they feel about themselves, and for dry skin, that used to bug e got under control, but no longer obsessed with the way I look by being grateful of what I have, in terms of body, and I have had weight problems, and it has been a rollercoaster, as I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and have gotten this under control, and so feel truly blessed.

So stop given yourself a hard time over the way you look, and love yourself.

Many thanks for reading,


Carrie X 

 

Friday 6 October 2023

The image you see in the mirror how I have changed my view of myself

It has taken a lot for me to look at myself in the mirror, but since doing Youtube videos and getting my mindset better, I know longer fear the way I look and don't want to be forever punishing myself with those thoughts and love my style and enjoy the clothes I wear and image I see. 

There is more to life than the way we look, and my eating habits not great, so we are working on that, but love exercise and going for walks again, and putting make up on some days helps and practicing self care has helped, by looking after my skin and body, and in turn managing my life as a mum, with my writing I do on my blogs and books, and other projects to support my blog community, who take the time reading my blogs and following me.

First thing never yourself, and do this by going through images of yourself, as when I do this and look at pictures of when I was a kid, and remember having insecurities back then, and there was nothing wrong with me. I looked okay and wished I had realised that at the time.

I no longer fear fitting rooms, if you are new to this site, then I used to hate them, and hate for me is a strong word for me, but really caused me to hate myself and would really give myself a hard time over it. 

Life is too short though and had to change these thoughts and feel good about myself, and now I am comfortable in my own skin. Don't get me wrong the inner critic still speaks but I have learned too shut it down, by saying in my head "No I look fine" and like being real and I do like to wear make up and take care of my appearance but for me it is looking after myself to feel good about myself, like using Skincare products that suit my skin, have good nutrients and minerals in my diet and making the most of each day and learn to be grateful of what I have, not what I don't have. 

I know longer feel like the ugly duckling and not relying on what others think of me, but how I feel about myself, for me and if I feel I look good, then that is okay. 

Don't get me wrong I like compliments and does help with my feelings, but I no longer rely on that and concentrate on how I feel about myself and if something doesn't look right, I change it but no obsessed over it.

So I hope this helps you and please let me know if you too have turned your image of yourself around and want us to help each other. 

Many thanks for reading,


Carrie X 

 


Thursday 29 June 2023

Being happy with my weight and going natural

I am in a place now where I am happy with who I am and what I look like and seeing other ladies of different shapes and sizes has helped. It not the size that matters or having the recent make up trend, but how you feel within yourself and on the outside. 


The image is of my son and one of our walks we do through Morden Hall park in London and filmed us doing this walk, check out this link here to watch it: https://youtu.be/UZlq8tbCtgY

This blog is not slating those who wear make up in anyway because I do like wearing it too, but for my skin I don't wear a lot. I find myself giving myself pressure as part of me keeps telling me to put in on everyday but I like going make up free some days and allow my skin to breathe. 

Listen to your skin and having a good skincare routine is a must for me and I love skincare. So is why i do like to go more Natural, and I like doing a look wear I haven't got a lot on and have a natural make up look. 

It can depend on the day and have been working on my sleep routine, and on my energy levels. I am trying to control my eating habits as this can affect how we feel and have implications on our body when we do consume unhealthy foods, but I like having a McDonalds a few weeks and eat out, but not all of the time.

There was a time where I hated the word diet, because I thought it a negative word and unachievable and never going to have a flat stomach, but I am not bothered by that now. I am no long bothered by size, and it feels good to say that. That is the question, do you want to continue to battle with having the perfect body or live your life? 

It is up to you, but for me I feel so drained by thinking about this and made up my mind that this is not what is important to me. Yes like to have a break from wearing leggins all the time, and make an effort, I just no longer want that battle with myself and live. 

So I am happy with the weight I am now. I do still check daily as I have had to lose weight because I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but I feel okay with it and do feel I have control of it, and that this a big part of my change of mind, is being in control and not allow weight to control me and eat more natural foods and be in Natural environment too, as me and son now like going for walks by water and near nature. 

So I really hope this helps you and lets work together to feel good about ourselves and have confidence in ourselves.

Please check out my books on amazon under the names of Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Holmes. I write EBooks and Novels.  

Many thanks for reading, 


Carrie X