Embrace Your Life and Yourself

There was a time I hated my style. Looking in my wardrobe I felt I had nothing to wear and found it hard to get out of bed. I wouldn't bath because we'd have to wait for the water to heat up and didn't have a shower back then.

One of the places I like to walk a local park in Epsom and looking at the flowers

I was looking at myself whilst out recently and I really loved my style. 

There are times I do still question what I look like and compare. 

Since working on my mindset I will instantly snap myself out of it. I make an effort and do my skincare, I will brush my hair and make sure I brush my teeth. It is that simple. 

I like putting outfits together and buying less. I like good practical but nice looking footwear. I do wear make up and have a quick routine but have no make up days but still moisturise and love facial sprays.

For me they are like a wake up tonic for my face.

I am making changes with my shopping habit, by no o longer investing in cheap clothes from amazon. I have found that they often are made quite badly and buy from the Highstreet again or charity shops. I focus on longevity and condition. 

I do stay active and walk everyday and do weights. In the summer I like to go swimming and playing sports with my son and it mentally stimulates my mind and body and worked on a good bedtime routine and that has made a huge difference on how I feel about myself and not feeling good about myself was draining. 

So in a journal write about your feelings. I have never enjoyed journaling so much than a do now and has really been helpful and what I want my ambitions are. I am having so much fun these days and I make sure when I rest I rest and have some social interaction, enjoy my home and organising the house.

I like to walk around where there is nature and go for a coffee and just having that time not rushing, being outdoors and love a pond, lake or river. 

I love that I have legs that can walk, I can see and hear what is around me and just thankful of what I have and not what I don't and what I like about myself and my life. 

It isn't about doing 5 mile walks but just for 10 to 30 minutes a day. 

It has made such a difference. 

So embrace yourself and your life and something not working then journal and go through why. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Feeling Ugly and losing your identity

I feel better these days about how I look and my reflection. I still catch myself when I begin to be critical about myself, but I no longer avoid looking at myself and I accept myself. I will make sure I look after myself, by looking after my skin, my teeth and eat healthy. 

You can be your own worse enemy when you put yourself down and would never say it to anyone else and when becoming a parent you can lose your identity, however much you love your kids. 

It is good to do things just for you at times and that is putting on some make up, going for a alone walk with a coffee, meet up with friends, but just you and just time where you feel better and be able to chat about your insecurities and forget about them, for an hour or two.

It is good to see yourself. The the worst thing is to avoid. For me it was, "Do I want to feel like this for the rest of my life?" I had enough, so I spent time challenging myself. I started to make an effort each day and that helped to build my confidence. 

The first thing was, "What makes me happy?" and "What do I want to change?"

Learning a new skill. I have done courses in Mental Health, Counselling and did football coaching courses and just spent time building my skills and knowledge and did a creative writing course and now doing a BBC Maestro course and I really enjoy learning. 

When you are on your Menstrual Cycle you can feel a little sluggish and out of sorts. Along with Menopause and if you are going through puberty. I found the changes of my body as I went through my teenage years, a shock to me and felt really insecure. I was very conscious of my weight, my teeth and would compare myself. 

Now I have stopped and I do feel better and that is regaining my identity now. I did a lot of self conditioning, like changed my habits. I will look after my body, I now paid of my debts, I read each day and go out a lot and explore and that has helped so well and make the most of my days and keep on growing and focus on what is important to me. This has been a huge turning point. 

So you don't have to feel low about yourself and build a better routine that helps with how you feel, like skincare, reading and Fearne Briton for example, enjoys organising her book shelves and I love doing a bit of tidying and make nice lunches. Mix your days up and do a bit of dancing. My son and I have been watching Strictly now it is back and been dancing. 

Increasing your endorphins can help in so many ways. So give yourself a break and doing different habits and changes can really help you to feel good inside and on the out. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

 

Self Development: Stop Self Neglect

I still get days like this morning where I have super bed hair, a coldsore on the side of my lip and feel like I could just hibernate in bed and do nothing. However I like to get dressed so I have developed a routine where I make sure I have something hot to drink, do a bit of reading and then go on my laptop and do a bit of writing and been watching the Jacksons who performed this new years and at 6:30am I get dressed for the day. 

One thing I like to do when my son is at school writing and planning in a local Coffee shop once a week

To feel good about yourself find a good mirror that flatters you and don't feel like tearing it down. Put a bit of make up on and brush your hair and make sure I brush my teeth twice a day which at one point I was not and it felt like self neglect. 

I no longer give myself a hard time about the way I look and thank Pamela Anderson for not wearing make up and that made me feel good as I do like make up but like make up free days too and she has made it okay to not wear make up. At the end of they day its up to you, but it is all about how you feel and what will help you feel better about yourself. 

This year is all about put myself more together as I do like to be smart aswell as dressing down on some days too when I want to do a workout, like dumbells and floor workout or walk on the treadmill, but still make myself presentable. 

I will be doing a Self Development programme on my Youtube channel Carrie Educational Youtube Channel and on my blog site, Everyone can build a castle. More to be confirmed.

It is all about investing in yourself and taking better care not to allow life to knock our confidence and we can often feel down when we spend our time looking at others and feeling like you don't fit in and that you'll never be good enough to compete and always being in competition, when it isn't about others it is about you. It is good to selfish. It is good to have some space from others and a friend of mine has just gone a solo trip and when I was a child there was a couple of my parents friends would go away just them and it is too just be on your own or your spouse and having that time can make a huge difference to your feel about you and your life.

I use the week when my sons at school to have time to go on a solo walk, have a coffee and weight training and floor workout, nice lunch and connect with others via my blogs and Youtube channels.

Now I do voluntary work on a Sunday and is like having time out to play music and has really made me feel good about myself. So stop neglecting yourself and do things that help you feel good to build your confidence.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Worried about not being good enough

You criticize yourself all of the time and worried about what other people think about you. 

If they do then they're not worth the attention and probably critical to others and yet they do it because actually using to hide their insecurities, which putting you down makes them feel better. 

Do you want feel good about yourself?

Draw a picture of yourself and what your ideal self looks like or write down all the things you are feeling and how person you wish to be is different. 

Image the ideal you by closing your eyes and look how they stand, what their habits are, how do they feel when the wake up in he mornings? 

What do they look forward to and what do they eat?

What's the first thing they do when they get up each day?

How do they dress?

Notice their hair and skin, their body language. Visualise ad bring this image closer an how their feelings of the world, who do they spend their time with?

Put the image somewhere, where you can see it and create a real vision as if you can touch it and work towards this ideal self and what one thing can you change right now. 

Check Paul McKenna books as this exercise can really work and has method where you reduce the person you are now and make bigger the person you want to become and just by doing one thing, like changing a morning habit, to make time for yourself to look after your body and mind, so you can be happy when you think and see yourself.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Feeling Better About Myself and changing my image

Looking in the mirror I no longer give myself a hard time and thankful for the fact that I can see myself, can pick my son up even though he is super heavy and not for long, but embracing it as my son is growing fast. I can walk and breath, and going through what I am grateful for has made a difference and writing down what has made me happy each day. Not about the way I look but other things, like writing a blog and receiving more followers, for walking to my sons school each Thursday at the moment as he does an afterschool club, and takes about an hour and half but don't mind as its a nice route to walk. 

Stables in Ashtead that I walk pass and love it everytime I do this walk from Epsom to Leatherhead

My life is taking a turn and started a new adventure. I am now working on my local Hospital radio and loving it. I do a show on Fridays evenings and has really helped build my confidence, as putting yourself out there can cause fear, but knew that this was made for me and wanted to work on radio since leaving school in 1996, and now its just by chance has happened. 

You have to face your fears and is out of my comfort zone, but if I didn't do this I know I would have missed out and got to seize the day, otherwise you may never get it back, and I hate regrets. I like the fact when I wanted to do something I have done it and I have done it myself. 

Its "Dipping your toes in the water" as I call it and unless you do, you'll never find if something is for you or not and life is full of risks, but ask yourself, listening to Mel Robbins, what if it works out? What if it does happen to be the job of you dreams for example and all your dreams come true?

The solution isn't to sit down and wait. All that does is bring negativity when noone is coming, but taking action. I made a choice do I want to be happy or not? Do I want to be able to get out of bed not feeling anxious? Do I want to continue this feeling of dread? 

Ask yourself those things. Noone wants to sit back, and I was someone who daydreamed whilst listening to music envisioning all day and be someone else, check out blog I wrote: Building Self Confidence- The Ugly Duckling: Wanting to be like somebody else (buildingselfconfidencetud.blogspot.com)

Avoiding mirrors is one trait I developed at one point, and then I made changes like finding a look that suited me, so changed the clothes I was wearing, made the effort and put make up on, and looking after my skin, hair and teeth, and made life changes. I no longer listen to music before bed, having my phone by my bed, I make my bed, journal and go for walks with my son and play sports and not dreading those moments because I had really bad energy levels at one point. So changed my medication, and I still have moments of low energy, but I love walking and looking after my body and feeling proud of it by making changes to my appearance that make me feel good and rejoicing who I am and working towards my future self. Live now, and make changes. Its gonna help you, and if you have advice or want to leave feedback of this blog then please do. You can leave a comment below.

So if something in your life isn't working out for you, it is time to change it, and can help you discover what area your life you are happy with, by writing it down and going through your life to make it one that gives you joy. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Does Size really matter when it comes to health and self image?

Watching the women's rugby 6th Nations, Scotland vs England, I was chatting with my mum and step dad about the size of some of the players. Not disrespecting them, but that if you didn't know that they were rugby players you would think they'd be classed as overweight? And does size really matter?

When it comes to rugby you have to be strong and bulky to play rugby, and this is for men and women. Think about athletes who do the Shock put or Hammer, they are bulky and not because they are over weight, but because they need to be a certain size for strength because of the demand of these sports on the body. 

It all down to lifestyle. If you eat 8 donuts a day then this will effect the body and lead to being unhealthy. It is all about what your body needs and listening to it, and so if you worry about your size then make a list of what you want your lifestyle to look like. 

I am still growing and not always eating super healthy, but I don't believe in depriving yourself. For me it is balance, working on my food habits and gaining control over it again. I have fallen off the wagon, but got back up again and now I do make sure I eat food and vegetables rather than crisps and chocolate. This helps me to feel good about my body and my self. I want to eliminate my feelings I get when eating bad food by choosing food that is nutritious, but will have a take away occasionally, and not binging. 

This has been one of my biggest flours.

Looking after the body is important and being able to accept yourself can take a long time, and noones life is perfect, its what makes you happy and be able to look in the mirror rather than avoid looking at yourself. 

I remember watching Trinny and Susannah and would show how to dress for your size and names of different sizes and this helped me a lot, and that no matter your size you can still be super fit and that it is just a frame, not your total whole being.

So look at yourself and be proud of who you are and there is more to a person than just their size.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

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 

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 

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 

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 

 

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 

 

Can following trends help us to feel good about ourselves and what can effect how we feel

As a kid I was someone who would follow trends, having the current skirt, dungarees and MC Hammer suit and had a pair of Kickers and observing myself, and this is from a video I did about Following trends saying that I don't, but then recently in some new clothes I have purchased realised I do. 

It has been subconsciously as was unaware of this habit but don't buy items just because they are trendy it has to suit me at the same time. I don't dress to feel current but to feel good and enjoy what I wear. I don't mind wearing the same clothes on consecutive days, and putting together looks that I like to see if they suit me or not. If it raises your self esteem then wear it but if it doesn't then fear not, it just not your style and that is okay. 

Following trends can cause a lot of pressure because often we use fashion to fit in, and worry about being different and in the 90's I was very much heavy metal/tom boy, and so you'd see me in DM's with Jodhpurs and long baggy T-Shirt. I would wear Denim on Denim and got into waistcoats and now I do like the oversized clothes look. I do write a fashion blog called Carrie Versatile fashion https://carriesversatilefashion.com/

I have been influenced which knowing about life now being my 40's we all do and that is okay but I do like to be different in what I wear too If we were all the same the world would be a boring place and I do like those who are different and have their own unique style, example: Boy George, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Beckham and my music Icon, Cyndi Lauper. 

Then their is surgery and getting bigger lips, bigger boobs, younger looking skin and permanent make up, and yes I have been thinking about it, as I hated having big boobs and being short and having straight hair. Now though for the first time in my life I have been acceptive and having a heart operation and mental health issues, I like how I look, and that is taken a lot for me to say that. 

Part of me can still be self critical, but having fun in what I wear has helped and I use Pinterest to help me plan my wardrobe. A lot of it is boredom I get sick of seeing the same face, same clothes etc, so I like to change and look different, and so will dye my hair and make sure it is trimmed and easy to wash and dry. I love patterned socks, and wearing baseball caps and hats, and love be able to mix 'n' match.

Clothes aren't what makes us or trends, it is a necessity and so shouldn't dictate but be creative and finding your own style that makes you happy and feel good about ourselves.

So create a good capsule wardrobe can really make a difference and watch trends adding your own style to it. 

Check these boards I have created on Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/yearly-fashion-look-book/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/fashion-vision-for-2023/

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

 

Loving your skin and looking after it to help build confidence

I have had a skincare routine since a child, because I suffer with dry skin, and so have to be careful of what products to use to prevent a break out. I know there are people who suffer with worth issues with their skin, but it a personal to each person especially women, and being world women's day there is no greater time to give yourself some love, care and attention, by looking after your skin. 

Its all about taking time in knowing your skin and how important it is to you. I love to put moisturiser on my face and body. It does make me feel so good and ready for the day and in the evening ready for bed. 

I don't choose expensive creams, because in my experience, you don't need to. If your skin feels soft and smooth then money doesn't matter in this case. Also it is how it makes you feel after it has been applied, and feel fresh and ready for bed, or in the morning to help kick start your day. 

Today I have decided to not have a shower, not that I want to smell, no that isn't the case, but going to have a shower in the evening, because I do prefer showering in the evening rather than the morning and going to do some selfcare later, like wash my hair, but save money on water, and still look after my skin and moisturise. 

If you have skin problems it can affect your confidence and cover ourselves up because we feel self conscious about it, and hide behind our clothes. I have been there, as I hate being hairy. My nan never had that much hair growth and so never shaved in her life, but I do and it really gets to me. 

I do use razors as I don't like the creams as I find they burn my skin, but in the winter I don't shave that often, because I find shaving all the time it makes my legs dry, and I love scrubs, they really do exfoliate the skin, and makes me feel brand new and fresh. 

So investing in skincare is worth it and looking after yourself, your skin to feel good can really build up your confidence. 

I do film Skincare videos on my main Youtube channel, here is a link for you to watch: https://youtu.be/inGvjpRd0SY

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X  

Improve your habits to improve your life

I think good habits go a long way. They can boost your energy and your confidence which leads to good wellbeing.  

There have been many struggles in my life that I have documented through blogs and youtube videos, but I have always got back on my feet. Having a good routine of good habits has helped, for example I no longe4rspend the whole day in bed. I like to get up and kick start my day.

I wrote a blog on my site: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com How to start the day and end it and this blog is about how to Improve your habits to improve your life as I have improved my habits a lot and they really help with my mood and how I feel about each day.

There was a time I would skip breakfast and when working at a holiday camp I wouldn't eat anything until after my first shift that could end by lunchtime and would over eat. So now I make sure I have breakfast and vary what I have. 

It is also about what you consume, and I can over do it with Youtube so I take a break and get outdoors whenever I can. Today as I write this blog I decided to stay in and be outdoors when taking my son to a half term holiday club called Youngstars and pick him up. 

However I do like to get outside and is a habit that is good for my body and mind, and looking forward to the summer when I can read my book on a local park and enjoy working and spending time in a coffee shop, not all the time but now and then just to get outside and be around other people. 

I am not a fan of drinking water all of the time, so I make it an evening habit to have a glass when taking my last medication of the evening, and I know there will be people saying no you should do this in the morning and I will tomorrow when I go for my run, but will drink water instead of a hot drink for the evening that helps keep me hydrated from night time to morning, and hydrate with a cup of tea and a few coffees. 

Running has been a habit I began after two year break and has made a difference since starting again it helps wake me up and is my me time and warm up the body and costs me nothing to do. I like to run around our local gardens and parks and do an indoor workout in the week along with walking. 

It is all about getting yourself into a good mindset and a reason to get up in the morning and use up your energy to have a goods night sleep.

So start changing your habits and honestly you won't look back.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal 

Not all about make up but looking after your body and listening to it.

When there are so many people showing their capabilities online it can make us feel insecure because I have often asked "Why do they look like that?" and "Why don't look like that?". 

Comparing is a habit, and I have to catch myself, and remember that they would have spent time with someone dong make up and with stylists, especially for TV interviews and I can look that when I make the effort. 

I like to have days where I don't wear make up and like being casual and I do wear it depend on the day and where I am going. 

Like Wednesday I am up London to celebrate my step sister's birthday and so will make myself more presentable, and I like allowing my skin to breath.  

Beauty is skin deep, and learning about your body can important as I am not able to wear make up all of the time as my skin can react when I do, and thinking of putting some on now writing this post. I like a doing a look which takes no time at all and just wakes me up a bit, and so I will film the latest make up I use and also do plan to sort out my make up and my toiletries in another reset video, and check this new Reset video of me tidying my desk to motivate, https://youtu.be/ZJiP0hDwLks

The other thing to help me is sorting out my wardrobe each Sunday and weekend ready for the week and wearing what I have and not buying anything new, because I have plenty of clothes and outfits to wear. 

There are still items I haven't worn yet and so this is ensuring that I do and going to do as part of my next reset is sort my clothes out int the chest of draws I have in the closet I use for storing some of my clothes, and I use my wardrobe in my bedroom as my weekly clothes that I want to wear for the week and I do wear the same clothes on consecutive days. They do get washed and I do change my underwear but if the clothes aren't dirty and can be worn on numerous days before washing them then I do and having this control, really helps how I feel about myself and its not all about wearing make up, but what makes you feel good. I have debts to pay and need to focus on that and making sure that I use up my skincare products and toiletries. I do like to invest in good creams and toiletries but again, controlling this as I don't need eight moisturisers, or scrubs or sponges. I would like to invest in buying some flannels, because I do like to when I wear make up, is use hot water and a flannel. I do use Micellar Nivea to help remove make up, but once this is used, as I hate waste and am conscious of landfill use it up and it is good on the skin, but can get buy with a flannel and hot water. 

It is all about moderation. I am also working on my diet, as this can have an affect when I eat bad foods, and my appetite has changed, and don't need a lot for breakfast, but just enough so it feeds my hunger and get good benefits at the same time. This morning I had a yogurt and banana. I have bought some pancakes and so would like these with some grapes or strawberries with a small amount of honey or maple syrup so it helps with my sweet tooth. 

I want to feed my body and I do eat vegetables a lot now and I have cut back on eating meet a lot. I love meat but like non meat products too. I am all for vegan and gluten free foods, but some items aren't that much better and on biscuits they go stale very quickly so it is finding what suits my body and is going to help limit waste. 

I'd love to hear from you, what changes you going to make to help build your confidence. Please leave a comment below. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal  

 

Rebuilding your confidence

It has taken me a long time to feel fully confident within myself and I still have days where I like "Oh its you again". Not as often though and today I was feeling super anxious so I got my exercise mat and did a bit of Pilates with some Yoga and feels good to just workout but at a slower pace. 

I feeling the slump, and doing all I can to get myself out of it and I just want to hibernate, and super fatigued. Yet I have just uploaded a new video. It is of my total reset I did in my bedroom and boy did this make a difference. Check out via this link: https://youtu.be/udenyPsPZD0

Its been a battle through out my life and so to manage it, exercise and set challenges for myself that helps me feel good and seeing what I can do and make an effort and found my style and what I love to wear and acknowledge myself and see that "There is nothing wrong with me". 

As a kid other people perception of me would influence my feelings, because I believed that everyone around me was better than me. I would think "Why can't I do that?", and have "shiny hair", "How come they can make friends and no me?" and I begged to fit in, yet often felt I was different to them and I would never feel good about myself. 

Now though I have retuned my thoughts and now being 44 years old, see things different and never allow the influence of others knock my confidence and whenever I have felt unworthy focussed on what will help me and seeing that I can have shiny hair, I just need to look after it and this will help my feelings I feel inside. 

It is the little things like that, that can make a difference. It's not about having the perfect picture, but being healthy and being kind to yourself and making an effort each day. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal 

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Believing in yourself and be okay when you get it wrong

I always have that inner critic going and feel that I am never getting it right, example what to give to my son for dinner, and what I should wear and should I wear make up or shouldn't I and it can be tiring and this morning because I was waiting for a bus and had to wait a while decided to walk but typical as soon as I did the bus I was waiting for goes passed. 

I have started to realise that if I get it wrong doesn't matter because this will teach me to get it right and listen to my gut instinct and have faith in myself. 

Confidence isn't just about wearing the clothes that suit me or make me happy, but how I am with myself and to be kinder rather being critical to myself all of the time, it can ware me down and feel that I have so much going on in my head that I need to take a break from the self doubt I carry everyday. 

How I manage though I will look what is bothering and journal, I will walk with some music playing and I will read a book and listen to podcasts of others that have felt like I have, like Mel Robbins, Vearn Cotton and Diary of a CEO. 

I change my inner doubt in a positive way in that I use it to make sure I plan and write things down and remember the things I need daily, like my purse and keys and phone. I make sure I am on time with appointments and I completely forgot that it was my son school trip, and thankfully got a phone call the day before and has made sure I make sure I write all appointments down and on my phone. 

The school trip was a good day and feel thankful that the school phoned me and next time I will make sure put in up a board and going to make myself a notice board or get a wall calendar again to help, but not allow to bother my day and I believe in fate and feel it is on my side rather than against me. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X

Typical London Gal 

Facing a mirror

There was a time where I would avoid mirrors, because it would really make myself as I have been like an enemy to myself. I'd get so upset and would look at others think how come they look so good, but I don't?

That is the first thing, not comparing. It is draining to not want to face my face and would be my own worse critic. Looking at myself from top to bottom, and thinking "Why do I look like this?", and "Wheres my confidence?".

You don't just find confidence, because it is a feeling habit that we have done since a kid and thought being an adult these feelings would go away but for doing this habit for so long, took while to shake it off. Is to do it because we have been influenced? It can be, and being told that I have put on weight, which did happen, hard. Being overweight did bother me and so I had to make changes as it was making avoid looking at myself. I began to take on exercise, this was the best I needed. I started to look at the portions I was eating and realised I was eating big with each meal, yet a year before I was losing a lot weight. This was because I was burning it off through the work I was doing. I was working at a holiday camp and so was on a my feet a lot. 

Birth control was the culprit at the time, because as soon as I stopped taking it the weight piled off. 

Is weight everything? It can play a factor on how we feel about ourselves, and it did for me. I began to find it hard to buy clothes that fitted me and stopped going out because I was so conscious of it. I felt inadequate. 

Now though 12 years or so later I never felt as good as I do now, I like the clothes I have and putting on make up has made a difference, but also feel better when I don't put it on, I think about my skin and protect it and so allow my face and body to breathe and really take care of myself. And it is that, that can make a huge difference. 

So I can now look in the mirror and no longer avoid them. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal   

 

 

What changes can you make, that will get rid of stress and stop anxiety from taking over that can effect your confidence

Since a kid when I would be clumsy and forgetful, I would begin to panic. This would make what I did seem ten times worth that what really wasn't that bad. I once spilt nail varnish remover on a table we had when we lived in a flat on a housing estate and because nail varnish remover had acid in it, it took the wooded paint off the table. 

I did it to show I can be responsible, so I was actually showing off, because I saw someone else do it, I wanted to follow. Basically I was taking my nail varnish off to put some more on and as soon as it happened and I saw the face on my parents, I ran into the bathroom, thinking "I don't want to be told off" but as I spilt the remover of course my family saw it spill,  and yes I got a telling off. 

Now I am an adult, I can now reason with it, and to say I learned my lesson, and rarely paint my nails, and when I do, I rarely use remover. 

This effected my confidence with using nail polish remover, because I am still clumsy but feel a little distrust in myself to do so. I know I can use it without spilling it,  but I have spilt again on carpet and so I feel me and remover will always have a love hate relationship, and it is because I need to change my relationship with. I know now to use it when in the bathroom over the sink, but took me a while to be logical about it. It is a habit, and like habits they do tend to take us back and I am still clumsy but better and not being so bloody naive.

This is made me less stressed about it and about other things, like leaving my bag in a shop, and did this once in Tesco's where I live, left my rucksack with my laptop with it, but luckily it was found and given in. 

Do I still use that rucksack? Yes,

Have I done the same since? No 

So have I learned? Yes

I did feel myself want to panic? Yes, 

Was anything taken?No. 

My anxiety started, but I took control, and that has changed me in being more reliable when it carrying my possessions, and sort it out before the panic jumps in. 

If something is stressing you out constantly then changes need to be maid because it will effect your wellbeing and your confidence, because it's gonna constantly play in your mind, until you take action. 

I have an inner strength now since those incidents, because it raised my awareness. I will take my time rather than rushing, and value myself in remembering stuff and no longer living in a day dream. 

When we beat ourselves up, all it does is cause restrictions to not do that again, in case the same thing happens, but believe in yourself and make changes, so now when put nail varnish on and take off with remover I know to take my time and over the sink. Nothing drastic has to change, just be more logical about it. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X

Typical London Gal  

 

 

Body Confidence and look after your health

To build our confidence we have to help ourselves to become healthy, and make you happy. Giving your self some time to look after your skin and haircare. I like to treat myself to nice shower gels and perfumes but don't over do it, just the amount that makes me feel good about myself. 

Take supplements. I take Garlic, Vitamin D, Iron and multivitamin, because I kept feeling fatigue and I also take legal prescribed medication, for my mental health, but taking supplements can still help and make a different to what you need. 

Look after your skin. I love Skincare as I have suffered with heat rashes, heat lumps and dry peeling skin and can make me really self conscious, so I will take my make up off in the evening, as I would often leave it on, I don't wear make up everyday, because I like to allow my skin to breath, and so I don't wear make up everyday. I do use face creams, washes, scrubs and show gels, and night creams. 

I look after my hair and don't wash it everyday, but keep my hair hydrated by using refresher sprays and serums, and blow dry my hair after every wash. It has made a difference as in the summer I can get itchy flaky sculp so I take hair of that, as I love my hair. 

Doing these things along with healthy food, can make a huge difference. 

I am still doing a Life Coaching Programme "The Summer Project 2022", and so check out my main Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDFIqjVKLy7NhtcR6Hy0Tg and my website, https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com    

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal