Hello, Autumn!

Autumn. My favourite time of the year has arrived once again and I couldn't be happier to ditch my practically non-existent summer wardrobe for all things that bring me warmth and comfort. I love everything about this season - from the fashion to the food and we can't forget about those dark and cold nights where we're all snug in the cosiest pyjamas with a hot drink and Netflix. I've always said that I feel the most me around this time of year. I feel comfortable and content most days and that's down to many things, most of which will be included in this blog post today. I've decided to join the blogger train and write about the reasons why Autumn is in my personal opinion the most wonderful time of the year.

Fashion / Accessories 
Autumnal clothing allows me to feel so much more comfortable in my own skin and conforms to my own style way more than summer clothing does. I love the colours - mustard yellow, burgundy, dark forest green (my ultimate fave), orange, reds, golds, black. I just prefer the variety of shades and I'm definitely not the only one. Oversized scarves, bobble hats, layers (lots of layers), chunky 'throw on' jumpers that later on become far too warm despite the fact that they're super soft and cosy to wear, boots, tights, coats. I just bloody love Autumn fashion and if I could wear it all year (which in the UK is possible) then I definitely would! We haven't even made to October yet and already Zara are killing it with their Autumnal pieces this year! I just love it! I also prefer doing my make up during the colder months because I tend to be more adventurous. I love being able to do my dark purple / berry lip and golden eyes at this time of year. I just feel like there is so much more you can do and so many different looks and colours to experiment with (that's if I've got the time)!

Cosy Nights In
I love love love finishing college and walking outside to see that it's almost pitch black and the weather is gloomy and miserable. I personally love the rain and being able to wrap up warm. There's nothing better than putting your lounge wear or pyjamas on (I'm absolutely loving THESE at the moment that I got from Next the other week. Who doesn't want pyjamas with hedgehogs and squirrels in dressing gowns drinking tea on them?!) and making yourself a hot drink and snuggling up on the sofa with a film or your nose in a book whilst being surrounded by cosy lights and candles. Candles are another highlight of Autumn and Winter for me. There is such a variety of scents these days it's almost impossible to decide which ones to light. Pumpkin and Gingerbread scents always go down well with me. Christmas Eve by Yankee Candle is one of my faves too. I love cosy nights in and being able to do them often during the Autumn is heavenly.

Skincare
You might think that this is a weird one but bare with me! Naturally, my skin becomes way more problematic in the colder months than it would during the summer which means that I spend more time doing my skincare than I usually would. Even though it's way more effort (sigh) my skin thanks me immensely for doing it. Also tied into this category is LUSHHHH! My absolute fave. Their Halloween and Christmas range never disappoint and I've already started to stock up on old time classics and personal faves for a relaxing night in. I have way more baths in the colder months a) because I'm constantly cold and b) because they really help my skin when it's dehydrated and struggling. The Body shop also do an amazing collection at this time of year. The spiced apple shower gel is dreamy and instantly reminds me of Autumn and Winter. (Just an fyi but I might be doing a 'my current skincare faves' post over the next couple of weeks!) 

Food / Drink
Yes, I am one of those people who loves a Pumpkin Spice. Not because it's Starbucks or because it's the drink of choice at this time of year but because I bloody love pumpkin anything. Along with gingerbread and cinnamon, it's probably my favourite scent / taste for Autumn. It's not too sweet yet it's not too overpowering with spice and flavour either. Bluebirds do the BEST spiced pumpkin pie flavoured tea and it's the best thing I've ever 
tried. I also tend to live on homemade soup during these months - whether it's mushroom, butternut squash, classic tomato or winter vegetable, it's the nicest thing to have on those cold nights. M&S have also upped their game this year and they're apparently introducing a load of new vegetarian food for the Christmas period. Just an fyi to anyone who's veggie like me!

TV
I've always said that Autumn is when all the really great dramas are on TV! Not all of them, I mean loads of my faves have already aired this year but the point is that there is always something on! I'm currently watching at least 5 things and it's great to have something to look forward to during the evenings! I'd highly recommend Victoria (Sunday, ITV 9pm UK)! One of the best series I've EVER seen. Anyone who knows me will know that I bloody love my historical films and series (I'm well aware that a lot of what is shown has been included for dramatisation purposes but STILL). Safe House is brilliant and so gripping. I'm literally on the edge of my seat watching that show (Thursday, ITV 9pm UK). Doctor Foster which is also an incredible series starring the phenomenal Suranne Jones (Tuesday, BBC1 9pm UK). Strictly Come Dancing which is just a classic (Saturday, BBC1). And we can't forget about Great British Bake Off which just screams Autumn is coming every year (Tuesday, Channel 4 8pm UK).

These are some of the endless reasons why I adore Autumn so much and I'm so excited for the upcoming months! I've already created loads of new content for my blog and I can't wait to share it all with you. I hope you enjoyed this one and don't forget to stay hydrated and wrap up warm!

Lots of Love,
Meg X

The Importance Of Kindness

I've always said that you should treat others as you wish to be treated. Kindness costs absolutely nothing and I strive to do acts of kindness as often as I possibly can. It's unrealistic to be nice every single minute of every single day. Sometimes our mood and things we're going through can influence the way we may treat other people and I'm definitely guilty of not always returning the smile. Having said that I'll always try and as humans sometimes our best is all we can manage. I was talking to my Grandparents the other day and they had been out for a meal together. They told me that there was a man sitting fairly close to their table having lunch by himself. Once he'd finished his meal, he went over to where they were sitting and struck up a conversation. He was friendly and polite, he offered his compliments and even gave them the free chocolates he'd received with his coffee. After a brief conversation, the man returned to his table, grabbed his coat and left the restaurant. My Grandparents continued their conversation, finished their meals and asked for the bill to which the waiter told them that the gentleman who had spoken to them and sat nearby had already paid for their meal. At first, my Grandparents thought it was some kind of joke but they later realised that the stranger had in fact paid for their three course meal and drinks out of the kindness of his heart. The owner of the restaurant later revealed that the stranger visits the restaurant every couple of weeks and he has been known to do this once before. The story left me speechless because it is so rare in today's world that a stranger would do something so unexpected yet so selfless and kind hearted. It made me wonder where he'd come from, if he had any family. I wanted to know why he'd do such a decent thing for two complete strangers. That man, whoever he may be, has inspired me immensely to do more good. Whether the act is small or not, kindness is never wasted and it's never overlooked. Somebody, somewhere, will recognise what you've done and appreciate it. I often think about this kind of thing when I'm in work. I work in retail and I'll often spend ages talking to customers and it'll cross my mind whether I'm the only person they'd spoken to all day. Perhaps they've had a really terrible week and the slightest compliment or smile could make their whole day so much brighter. You don't necessarily have to spend money, it costs absolutely nothing but a second of your time to make a difference to someone's day and it's such an important thing to do when there are so many less fortunate people than ourselves. Just yesterday I was sitting in a cafe and it was packed full of people so I ordered my drink and I sat down at the last available table. An elderly couple came in and they were absolutely drenched from the rain so I approached them and offered them my table and drink thinking that they needed it more than I did. I didn't mind of course, luckily I was in a good mood but they appreciated it and it made me feel better about my day. Even as I'm writing this, two strangers have started a conversation next to me and it's such a lovely thing to witness when you don't owe anybody anything yet you're willing to go that extra mile to make sure someone is okay. It's truly heart warming, especially when you can never really know what a person is going through or how they're feeling. Even if they're on top of the world, no act of kindness will ever go unnoticed. And I think that's important to remember.

I hope you enjoyed this little story. I wanted to mention it because the moral of the story is so important, especially in today's world where we seem to be caught up in all of the terrible things that are happening. I hope you've had a great day wherever you are.

Lots of Love,

Meg X

Why I Started My Blog

I love writing. I love reading what other people have written. I love reading about what they're passionate about, how they view the world or what their unpopular opinions may be. I could never get bored of reading about something if the person who wrote it is passionate and enthusiastic about it. The world is such a dark place at times, and I find it uplifting and encouraging to read something that doesn't inject fear into my life. I love being inspired by people and their writing and that's why I wanted to start my blog. I wanted a little corner of the internet where I was able to talk about the things that I love, the things that spark enthusiasm and happiness but also the parts of my life that I don't share often because they're actually very personal. I wanted the ability to express myself through my writing and my experiences and topics that are of interest to me. I wanted to be able to reflect on the things I decided to talk about and the things I've done, almost like this is my very own online diary. I don't keep a diary. I've tried, like most. But sometimes there are days that weren't interesting enough to document or perhaps there are days that I'd rather forget than relive. Keeping a blog also gives me an excuse and the opportunity to work on my photography and I'm able to share photos that I love and photos that bring me joy and genuinely happy memories. By keeping a blog, I can share content that I want to look back on. I can discuss things that might be of interest to other people. I'm striving to upload content that I'm happy with, topics that I don't mind sharing with people online. And that can be difficult, especially when the post I've published is personal and it's something I've never really talked about before. But I honestly believe that the more we share, the more we can help one another. It's reassuring to read something that makes you feel as though you're not alone and other people are going or have been through similar experiences. My writing is far from perfect but it's an escape for me, to have that freedom to write whatever comes to mind and share it with other people. People who may be able to relate to what I'm saying, or perhaps disagree. I personally find so much comfort reading someone's blog. I've mentioned before about how I could spend all day catching up on all of the posts someone has published. I love it beyond words. Not in a creepy stalker like way. Just because I'm able to mirror my own thoughts and experiences to those of someone else and it's such a reassuring thing to do. Blogs are a means of being creative. There is such a wide variety of content and different types of blogs online these days, it's impossible not to be inspired. I've never considered myself to be creative, but that's okay. I'm determined and passionate about what it is that I want to write about. Of course, I love receiving feedback and knowing that people enjoy what I publish, but it's also a place I'm able to keep track of my thoughts. I'm so happy that I decided to finally begin my own blog just over a year ago. The amount of content I publish does vary depending on how busy I am, but I'm working on being more consistent with it. I really hope those who read my blog regularly enjoy it just as much as I enjoy writing it. And always remember, if there's something you'd like me to write about, I'm always open to new ideas.

Lots Of Love,
Meg X

My Life As An Introvert

I've barely started to write and already I can feel the greatest sense of relief as I write this. This isn't a deep and dark secret that I'm sharing with you today, but it is a topic that I don't discuss often, if ever. And that is my life, my personal experiences if you will, as being an introvert. To clarify for those who are a little unsure or have never heard of that word before, an introvert is someone who generally prefers solitary activities as opposed to interacting with groups of people. People often wrongly assume that if a person is an introvert that they don't like people, however, introverts can still be warm and sensitive to the needs of others. They just perhaps need to spend some time alone to recharge and regain some strength.

There are some general signs that someone is an introvert and these include; you enjoy having time to yourself, you often feel exhausted and drained after spending time with other people, your best thinking often occurs when you're by yourself, you prefer not to engage with people if they seem angry or upset, people tend to ask you for your opinion quite frequently, you don't initiate small talk and you receive more texts and calls etc than you make. Now, I'm not saying you need to tick all of these boxes to be an introvert and every introvert experiences things on different levels, but these are generally the typical signs. 

As far as friends and family go, I count myself unbelievably lucky to be surrounded by the people that I am. Growing up, whenever there was any talk about anything that involved a group of people, I'd get an overwhelming sense of nausea, especially if this involved being anywhere that didn't have my idea of comforting surroundings. When I was younger, I probably put it down to home sickness but I'm certain now that it was never homesickness, mainly because I could be in my own home and still get this feeling of being uneasy and just, well, emotionally and mentally drained. Like all of the energy had been sucked out of me. I soon made the connection and realisation that these feelings would occur when I would go certain periods of time without my own company. Sounds a little weird, right?

Even as I write that, I'm shaking my head because it sounds ridiculous. Whether I'm at home, work or at a social event, it gets to a point where I feel like I just need to breathe and spend a few minutes alone to put myself back together. I find 'socialising' exhausting. Some days it's worse than others but I know that if I don't have breaks in between then I'd become either hysterical or my mood would just completely diminish.

It's really difficult to admit. And there are days when I think to myself that I've outgrown all of this and I crave company that isn't my own. But I know it won't be long before it all becomes too much and I need to breathe. I'm paranoid that it makes me sound rude and selfish. The last thing I'd ever want to do is offend someone because I haven't replied to them or I'd rather not spend time with them on a certain day. From their point of view, I'd probably get the feeling that I was being pushed away. And I get that. It's just a difficult thing to get across and I'd be scared whoever was on the receiving end of it would just think I was making up an excuse not to see them. The thought of spending time with people can often feel more exhausting than the actual spending time with them. I hope that I never come across as being uninterested in the people I'm spending time with but it's important to acknowledge that there may be occasions where me being an introvert is visible, and for that, I apologise. The one thing I really want to stress is that it isn't personal. I love my friends and my family more than life and I enjoy meeting new people. I mean, I meet new people all the time and I do enjoy spending time with those I love. But for me, there is always going to be a limit. 

I've accepted that hiding in the bathroom for five minutes at a dinner party is the done thing for me and I can't ever see a time where I'll actually enjoy going to a party but I've made my peace with that. I genuinely hope those who haven't experienced this attempt to understand that it's a lot deeper than simply not liking people. Introverts like myself just may not gain energy by being with other people for long periods of time and that's okay. That's absolutely fine. 

Thank you for reading this one, I know it was a little different for me. There seems to be a real mixture of blog posts on here at the moment! I'm trying to upload every Friday and Monday at the moment so lets see how long this schedule lasts for! I hope you're smiling wherever you are.

Lots of Love, 
Meg X

Put The Kettle On : Bluebird Tea

Anyone who knows me, actually, you don't have to know me very well because I announce my love for tea that much that even the stranger I bumped into in the supermarket yesterday knows. Tea, tea, tea. I bloody love the stuff. It doesn't matter what day it is or what mood I'm in, I am always craving a cuppa. Up until last year, I'd been pretty boring with the type of tea I drank and I tended to stick to good ol' trusty English Breakfast tea. You can't go far wrong with that. I still love that, but I've started stepping out of my comfort zone and trying different types of teas and different flavours. I've been writing this post for about five minutes and already I'm starting to see how much of a middle aged woman I am. But please trust me when I tell you that I have discovered the most delicious tea. The brand is called 'Bluebirds' and I'm sure I'm the last to have discovered this place but the tea is THAT good that I'm dedicating a whole blog post to it (it didn't take much persuading but STILL). I discovered the brand a good few months ago but it was only last month that I placed my first order. I would have written a post straight away but I wanted to try everything properly and give you my honest opinion. Of course, I ordered far too much but I wanted to get a flavour of the types of teas I liked and didn't like. The parcel arrived and I'll hold my hands up and admit that I was wayyyy too excited about it. Without rambling on too much, I'm going to VERY briefly talk through some of my favourites and I bet there is at least one of you out there who is just as excited as I am about this...

Bonfire Toffee

This one is a black tea, you brew it for around 4 minutes and it's completely up to you if you want to add milk to it. As soon as I read the description for this tea, I was immediately intrigued as to what it would taste like. Any tea with a hint of apple is a winner in my eyes and this one was no exception. It's a rich mixture of caramel, apple and toasted cinnamon which to me is just Autumn in a mug. The smell instantly reminded me of mince pies, which of course, I was very happy about. It may be rich with flavour but at the same time it's not too overpowering and therefore is one of my favourites.

Peppermint Cream

I bloody love peppermint tea and I've always got some in the cupboard. Therefore, I couldn't wait to try this brew and I was curious about the 'cream' element in the title. It's an Oolong tea that you brew for around 3 minutes and again it's up to you whether you add milk or not. I personally don't add milk to this one just because it tastes quite creamy without due to the cocoa and naturally sweet blend. You can't go far wrong with this one, it really is gorgeous and perfect for all year round in my opinion.

Gingerbread Chai

This was the tea that I was most excited to try due to my love of winter spices and flavours. I'm a huge fan of Chai tea and this one is exceptionally delicious. This is a Roobios tea, brewed for a minimum of 4 minutes (I'll often leave the tea bag in while I'm drinking it) and you can add milk if you wish. As you can imagine, this one is packed with flavour and all things spice. With a hint of cinnamon, this one is perfect for the colder months. I had a sore throat last month and I found this brew to really help with that which was brilliant. It's not an award winning tea for nothing you know!

These are just 3 of the teas I ordered. If you click the link here it'll take you to the Bluebird website where you are free to browse through the many different types of tea and flavours that are available. I'm also completely obsessed with one of the free samples Bluebird kindly sent me which is called 'Spiced Pumpkin Pie.' It's not on their website yet so I'm assuming it won't be available to buy until Autumn but it's probably my favourite one that I've tried. If you love tea and you're keen on trying something new then I can't recommend Bluebirds enough. Not only is the tea absolutely delicious but the service and staff there are so friendly which makes such a difference.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one. Please feel free to let me know what content you'd like to see during the upcoming months!

Lots of Love,
Meg X