10 Ways To Deal With Stress

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1. Remember you're not the only one -  Remember that everyone has s***t they have to deal with, they're probably just as good at hiding it as you are. Learning that you're no different to anyone else means you'll stop feeling sorry for yourself. When that happens it's so much easier to move forward.

2. Be kinder to yourself - Stop giving yourself such a hard time, think about what you would say to a friend in the same situation. You would be kind and understanding so there's nothing stopping you from showing the same compassion to yourself. 

3. Ask yourself what/why - Straight out ask yourself what it is that's bothering you, think it through rationally and try to come up with a solution. Ignoring a problem or telling yourself not to think about it will only make you stress more so get straight to the point and try to figure it out.

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4. Be open - It doesn't help anyone to keep your stresses/worries to yourself so talk to someone you trust. It really helps to be open and honest about how your feeling and you never know, they might be able to come up with a solution for you. Even just writing down your thoughts can help, seeing it all on paper can give you a different perspective.

5. Let go of the past - You can't change it so there's no point stressing over it. Use what you've learnt and discard the rest, happiness comes so much easier when you're moving forward instead of being stuck in the past. 

6. Remember all the good things - It's so easy to forget about all the good stuff when you're stressed out. We give priority to the bad stuff when really what makes us happy is more important than anything else. Make a list of everything you are grateful for and look at it every day just to remind yourself the good far out weighs the bad.

7. Watch something that makes you laugh - Even just a half hour break from stress can do a world of good so put something funny on the tv and laugh your socks off. It'll release all those lovely happy hormones and more than likely you'll be able to think a bit more clearly. If you're feeling happy then the positivity will flow.

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8. Learn mindfullness - It's the art of staying in the here and now, concentrating on what's going on outside of your body. Practise when you're walking along the street, focus on each step you take, how your feet feel in your shoes or how the sun feels against your skin. The more you practise during your everyday routine, the easier it will get until it's just something you do naturally. This is a great technique to learn if you're especially prone to getting lost in your own thoughts.

9. Go for a walk/run - I know exercise seems like the last thing you want to be doing when you're stressed out but trust me, it's a great way to clear your head and afterwards, with all the endorphins released, you'll be feeling ready to face the world again.

10. If all else fails, tell yourself to stress about it later. If it's a problem that's not going to go away just give yourself some time off from it instead. Make an allotted time during your day to worry for half an hour straight. Just knowing you have that time to worry as much as you like eases your mind for the rest of the day and makes it easier to forget about it.

I know how it feels to have your life be ruled by worry and stress, I was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder about six years ago which thankfully I'm now recovering from. During that time I learnt about so many techniques for dealing with worry, testing out all the ways that worked for me and those that didn't. Obviously I'm not a medical professional so I can only advise you on what helps me but I think most of these ideas can be translated to any kinds of stresses you may be having, big or small. It's so important though that if you feel like your worry is becoming overwhelming then speak to your GP, there's so much they can do to help.

Please don't hesitate to email me: elliebostel@gmail.com if you have any questions or if you too are suffering with anxiety, I'd be more than happy to try and help you out or even just have a chat. :)

Useful links:
http://bemindful.co.uk/
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anxiety/pages/introduction.aspx
http://www.samaritans.org/   Phone: 08457 909090 (UK)
http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/

Wishlist - Spring Wardrobe Updates

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I could spend a serious amount of money in the shops right now, there's so many things I've seen that I really want but unfortunately my bank balance doesn't match my imaginary one. I feel like I go through phases when I don't want to buy anything at all but as soon as the seasons change there's a hundred things I want, does anyone else do this?!

For me Spring is the best time to update your wardrobe, here in the UK there isn't much of a difference in weather between Spring and Summer (i.e. it's pretty cool) so I tend to think about layering up with light jackets and thin trousers or long floaty skirts. This gorgeous Peach Jersey Bomber from Monki for example is perfect for Spring/Summer, it would keep you warm on a breezy day but is lightweight enough to carry round if it gets too hot. It's probably now obvious that I like my fashion practical AND stylish, I blame my Dad for never letting me leave the house without a jacket!

I also can't get enough of these Nude Skater Shoes from Dorothy Perkins, they look delicate and girly but with a tomboy edge, I really need to get my hands on them, like now. Oh and how perfect would this Embroidered Kimono from Topshop be for a festival, I can just imagine myself wearing it flapping my arms up and down in time to the music like a complete idiot. I just need to decide which festival to go to this year, suggestions please!

Anything you're particularly excited about wearing now spring is here? Let me know below!

Spring Nail Colours

Essie, Ciate and Barry M are my favourite nail polish brands at the moment so I thought I'd share my favourite Spring colours from my already over flowing collection. I have literally tons of nail polishes, far more than any one girl would ever need! I could have included far more colours but I managed to cut it down and these ones I've picked are my absolute favourites that I wore all through last Spring/Summer and will continue to do so this year too. 

Each year Spring comes around I really look forward to being able to start wearing gorgeous, bright colours. Don't get me wrong I love wearing rich, jewel toned polishes for Autumn/Winter but I just love pretty pastel shades even more. Who can resist a baby blue or a dusky lilac adorning your fingertips? Not me! 

// Ciate Ferris Wheel £9.00 // Ciate Kiss Chase £9.00 //

// Essie Mint Candy Apple £7.99 // Essie E-nuf Is E-Nuf £7.99 //

 

// Barry M Gelly Blueberry £3.99 // Barry M Gelly Prickly Pear £3.99 //

I'm supposed to be staying away from nail polish for a few weeks to let my nails breathe as they're really not in the best condition at the moment. I think having the central heating on every day since October has really dried them out and they're all flaky, if anyone knows how I can fix this then please let me know! I still can't help myself from painting them though, it's a little relaxing hobby I get to do every few days plus it gives me an excuse to sit and do nothing for an hour afterwards. (I'm sure those that know me would say I don't need an excuse however!)

I'd love some recommendations for more affordable nail polish brands (besides Barry M) or even of any shades you think I might like so if you have any, make sure to let me know in the comments below.

A Few Recent Buys In April

Levi Cut Offs Vintage £15 - Sunglasses Vintage £5 - White Shirt Primark £8 - Pink Shirt Primark £8 - Black and White Shirt Primark £10 - Plaid Dress New Look £22.99 

I love shopping at this time of year, summer clothes are starting to be put out on the rails which makes me really excited for blue skies and sunshine. Plus, with my holiday just over two months away I think that gives me the excuse to go out and top up my wardrobe, not that I need an excuse of course! 

My Sister and I went to a Lou Lou's Vintage Fair being held in Reading at the beginning of the month and were so impressed with what was on offer. They run vintage fairs across the whole of the UK so if ever there is one near you it's definitely worth a visit. A huge range of clothes was on offer and most of the stall holders seemed to also be selling on Asos Market Place or they had their own websites but stupid me forgot to note down any details! So anyway I'm sure you're interested in what I got, well two things I really wanted actually, a pair of vintage Levi cut offs and some cat eye sunglasses. I know for a fact the sunglasses aren't vintage but I only paid five pounds for them so I think that's fair. I'm pretty sure the shorts are vintage but again I'm not too bothered if they aren't. I paid £15 for them which is a brilliant price compared to the £40 Urban Outfitters charges for the same thing. They do have a  hole in along the er 'crotch' area where the seam has come apart but it's easily fixable and I like to think I'm pretty handle with a needle and thread.

We went on another shopping trip (oops!) last weekend to Guildford which is my favourite place to shop at the moment. It has a really good range of stores that most other towns don't have including a huge Urban Outfitters, Liz Earle and Anthropologie, what more could a girl need?! Our first stop was Primark where I picked up two gorgeous short sleeve shirts in white and pale pink, a geometric print black and white shirt (not pictured, I couldn't find it!), a chiffon white shirt with black sleeves and a geometric black and gold necklace. I was really happy with my haul from Primark, I don't tend to shop in there very often but their stock seems to have improved recently. My favourite buy however was this amazing pink plaid dress from New Look, I've already done a post on it which you can take a look at here. It's really not something I ever thought I'd wear but I tried it on and loved it, I can't wait to wear it more in the spring sunshine.

Lou Lou's Vintage Fair  facebook.com/VintageFair

OOTD - A Girl In Pink Plaid

This isn't a whole outfit post but I couldn't not share with you this gorgeous pastel pink plaid dress I picked up from New Look at the weekend. I'm like, totally channelling Clueless and doing my best valley girl accent, in the words of Cher 'AS IF!' I have to admit though when I first saw it on the rail I thought there is no way I would wear that but my sister convinced me I should try it on. Low and behold as soon as I put it on I completely fell in love with it. It's way out of my comfort zone of something I'd normally wear but it's good to try something different every once in a while even if my Mum says that I look like a school girl in it, I really don't need to look younger than I already do!

I love the little white collar and cuffed sleeves, that's what really makes the dress for me as well as the pretty pastel colours of the tartan design. It's a great way to take the tartan trend that I loved all during the winter through to Spring/Summer. It fits like a dream and actually makes me look as if I have curves and not just straight up and down and the length is perfect, half way above my knees. I plan on pairing it with my oversized light wash denim jacket and tan leather satchel plus bare legs instead of tights once the weather gets warmer.

Tartan Tunic Dress £22.99 newlook.com

I really recommend you pop in to New Look for a browse, they have some really great stuff in there at the moment and there was quite a few things I could have bought but didn't. It's really great value for money as well compared to some of the other more popular high street shops.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this dress, is it something you'd wear? Let me know below!

New Additions To My Makeup Bag

It's fair to say I've been stuck in a makeup rut recently with regards to what products I've been using every day. I've tended to stick to the same products in my makeup routine and not really bother trying anything different. So what did I do to get out of my rut, I went and bought more makeup of course because obviously I don't have enough *ahem*. Too many products I've bought in the past have gone unused seeing as I've stuck to my fail safe favourites but from now on I vow to be more adventurous in the beauty department. Well, you've got to start somewhere haven't you!

This last month I've been trying out plenty of new products and I thought I'd share which ones have impressed me the most and become new everyday essentials. I've veered more towards those that will see me through the sunnier months of the year which has definitely affected my decisions based on what I've picked.



Essie 'Mint Candy Apple' - £7.99 boots.com Technically I only got this last week but I can already tell it's going to be on my nails until the end of Summer. It's such a gorgeous shade and I'm really kicking myself that I didn't try it sooner.

No7 Pop and Glow Cream Blush Stick 'Rose Blossom' - £9.95 boots.com I reviewed this on my blog a couple of weeks ago (take a look here) and I've found myself using it pretty much every day since. The colour matches the natural flush of my cheeks perfectly and I no longer find myself reaching for any of my usual powder blushes.

Soap and Glory One Heck Of A Blot - £12 boots.com For now this has replaced my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte powder although I am a little put off by the price. However this has to be the best mattifying powder I've tried so maybe it is worth paying the extra for. It keep everything in place all day and stops shine from reappearing.



Seventeen Back Lash Mascara - £6.49 boots.com I'm loving the effect of really natural fluttery lashes this mascara gives. In fact I feel like it gives the illusion of you not wearing any mascara at all. The trick is that the brush picks up just the right amount of product so you don't end up with thick clumps, not to mention that it really seperates out the lashes too.

Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm 'Unapologetic' - £7.99 boots.com I like to use this in two ways; for daytime I'll blot it on my lips with my fingers and smudge it out for just a hint of colour. If I'm going out in the evening I'll apply it from the stick for a really vibrant matte lip.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation 'Vanille' - £10.99 boots.com Once the sun starts rearing it's head I like to use a more light weight foundation and I've found this one really fits the bill for me. I'd never used a gel foundation before but it really works well with my combination skin. It's low coverage but covers all redness and stays put pretty much all day, I'm definitely a healthy mix convert!

Have you made any new additions to your makeup bag recently? I'd love some recommendation so let me know below!