New Beginnings

Image c/o Ali Gordon

Its been a very wet and autumnal morning. Its Saturday and its the first time I have sat down to write a blog post in what feels like forever. I started my day by drinking a smoothie cuddling on the sofa with Harper which I haven't been able to do in I don't know how long. Recently life has become very hectic. Continuous readers of my blog will have noticed it has been very quite on here for some time now. So I think it is about time we sit down and have a little chat. Filling you all in on this whirlwind I have endured. 

Looking back over this past year there has been many changes in my life some challenging and some so incredible rewarding I sometimes have to pinch  myself  to realize that this is real life. The real preparation started during summer time where my blog  sat on the back burning. Of course it wasn't completely neglected just the actual writing part and then September came and this is when my life got turned upside down in the best way possible. 

My blog Bella and Vogue is almost two years old now and I could never imagine my life without it. Even as I write this I have the biggest smile on my face. It brings me such happiness. In ways you will never know. The more I work on my blog and the more I put into it has given me the most amazing opportunities some I thought I would only dream about. Some are still top secret and others you will find out about over the next few weeks as I will be returning to full time blogging as we speak. 

Which brings me onto my next life update. The first week of September brought an other stepping stone into my life. I moved away from home to one of my favourite cities in Ireland. That is of course Galway. Growing up I could never imagine myself living there. I always thought it was too close to home and that it wouldn't feel like I had really left. But as I have gotten older I just couldn't get enough of the cities charm and at Christmas its magical. The people are so friendly here and I have settled in really well. 

I have wanted to move to Galway for probably over a year now but the timing was never just right until this year when an opportunity arose that I just couldn't say no to. As most of you know I am a qualified Beauty and Complementary Therapist and have been working in the industry since I was 21. I have worked in numerous places and feel that I have gained as much as experience as I can working in salons/spas and been my own boss but what I really want to do is grow my career in both blogging and business. So I decided to step back and think about my options. 

This is probably one of the hardest decisions I had to make but thankfully so far so good it has really worked in my favor and has opened so many more doors for me. I toyed with the idea of returning to college to gain a degree in business for some time but wondered if it was the right option for me. In the end I decided to just go for it. I had nothing to lose and if I decided down the road it wasn't for me I could always defer the year and move on. I thought it was better to take the chance now than regret it in the future. I did a lot of research and applied for a number of business courses in Galway but the one that stood out to me the most was a Bachelor of Business in Market and Sales. I was in the middle of a press event talking to Courtney Smith when I spotted the email landing into my inbox offering me the course. I had the cheesiest grin on my face for the entire event and this proved to me how much I really wanted the course. I am now over a month in and I couldn't be happier. 

Its hard to get my head around how much my life has changed in such a short space of time but I am so excited to bring you all on this journey with me. I am so grateful for all of your support and thank you for staying around! 

Until next time...

Yours stylishly

Kerrie x 

  

Pop Of Pink At Bellissimo In Aid Of Breast Cancer Research

On Friday I attended the #PopOfPink charity fundraiser event in aid of Breast Cancer Research  at Bellissimo hair and beauty emporium in Galway organised by Sinead Carroll founder of itwbn, Irish Blogger Agency  and Mini Media. I met with my friend who is also a blogger Jenny from Style Sanctuary  before hand so we could go to the event together. Bellissimo has the most beautiful white interiors and is probably one of the prettiest salon's I have ever been in and on the day they added touches of pink with a pink carpet leading into the event, pink balloons and displays and accessories. 



The event kicked off with healthy juices and snacks sponsored by Little Pea Juices. The juices were delicious and so refreshing. We also got to try little tubes of fruit and coconut yogurt. The first 30 people to attend the event were gifted #PopOfPink goody bags that consisted of System Professional shampoo, Physicians Formula  lip gloss, two Wet'n'Wild lip glosses and a voucher to use in Bellissimo. 

A number of local designers and businesses were very generous and sponsored spot prizes on the day. The first prize was a beautiful hat by award winning milliner Suzie Mahony. The G Hotel, The Connacht Hotel, Blacoe, Tribeton, Eye Cinema, Anthony Ryans, Cappagh Stores, Stuff 4 Cakes, Treats and Trinkets and Cocoa Brown also sponsored gifts for the raffle.

Dolores from Irish Health Hour pampered us with the most wonderful Aroma Hand Massage while some of the team at Bellissimo treated us to the prettiest pink polish. The kids were also in for a treat as face painting was also available throughout the event. 

The event was so fun, I had a really good time. It was really lovely to see how many people came to show their support and how much work both Sinead and the team at Bellissimo put in to organize such a successful event.

Yours stylishly 

Kerrie x 

Race Week Launch Party At The Nox Hotel

Race Week in Galway always brings such a buzz and excitement to the city and I couldn't have imagined any better way to start it than in Galway's newest hotel - The Nox Hotel. There has been a lot of hype about this hotel ever since it opened all over social media and I was dying to see what it was like. I am so happy to say that it did not disappoint. It has a super cool vibe and stylish interiors. It  is extremely modern but still has a really chilled out and relaxing atmosphere. Its safe to say I am a huge fan already. 

The event kicked of with a Cocktail Reception ahead of the fashion show. I met Shona from Sho Style and Emma from The Fashion Chair in the hotel lobby and made our way to the reserved blogger area. I caught up with some of my favourite blogger friends and met some new ones. We chatted about all things blogger related and sat in awe looking at all the fashion. Everyone made such at effort for the event and paid attention to every last detail. The event was held in aid of Galway Autism Partnership, so it was lovely to see so many people come and show some support. 

We sat front row at the fashion show. The perfect location to capture the style. Born Clothing was worn by Roza Model Agency and styled by Tess Purcell Fashion Stylist. Peter Mark professionals styled the models hair and Urban Decay make up artists did the models make up. Tess shared her top styling tips for ladies day at the races while milliner Fiona Mangan talked about choosing the perfect hat and how to style it. One of the make up artists from Urban Decay did a make up demo creating the perfect ladies day look. 

The event was really fun. It was the perfect girly evening. I had so much fun and didn't want the night to end. I had to attend another event early the next morning so unfortunately I was unable to make it to the after party but I would have loved to have stayed longer as I heard that everyone had a really good time. I am really looking forward to going back and exploring more of the hotel sometime soon.

Yours stylishly 

Kerrie x  

Living A Balanced Lifestyle

We have officially reached the final week of 'The Body Confidence Series', to be honest I am really going to miss this but not to worry because I have a lot of exciting fitness posts and collaborations coming up which I am really looking forward to and I think you will really enjoy them too. The weather has finally gotten a lot warmer which means a lot less clothes and lots of bikini's.

 I am still not 100% confident wearing a bikini but I feel a lot better about my body then I did before I started working out. I think exercising in general gives you a certain amount of confidence whether you have lost weight or not. I think that once you get into a routine and learn to love exercise and eating healthy the weight loss just comes and you get so sucked into that lifestyle. I used to go out a lot when I was younger but now that doesn't interest me as much as working out and looking after my body. I really enjoy it and I don't feel like i'm depriving myself in any form. I'll eat cake and pudding if I feel like it and not feel guilty. I just eat these things in moderation. When i'm in the gym I will compete with myself and not with others. I always try to run faster, lift heavier or do an extra circuit. I don't do it for anyone else but me. 

I make my workouts fun and enjoy trying new and exciting healthy recipes. I really enjoy this lifestyle and it makes me very happy. We always hear the phrase balanced lifestyle and that is something I am always striving for. I want my life to be happy, healthy and positive in every area. There is no rule book explaining to you how to live a balanced lifestyle, so simply find your own happiness and work with that. I think the majority of us go through phases when we are extremely dedicated to the gym and then slightly lose interest for a while but that is all part of the journey. 

As we get older we charge and our prioritize change. It's important to constantly adapt your life in order to achieve your goals and to ensure you stay happy, positive and motivated. Finding your own happiness is the key to living and balanced lifestyle. 

Yours Stylishly 

Kerrie x 

Into The West Blogger Network 2nd Birthday Bash

The day began in true Into The West Blogger Network style. As I stepped out of my car onto the red carpet which led into the beautiful entrance of The Connacht Hotel. I could hear the chatter of the bloggers who had already arrived inside. I was so excited I thought I was going to burst! I knew it was going to be such a good day.

Juicy Lucy Reception

The event kicked off with the most refreshing reception you could have ever imagined by Juicy Lucy. Juicy Lucy is a plant based cold pressed juicing company located in Galway. We were lucky enough to sample the Clean Green Juice and Detox Water which was infused with fruit such as lemon, lime and cucumber. They were both delicious. You all know my obsession with juices and smoothies so you can only imagine how happy this made me and I am delighted to let you know that if you live in the Galway area the team do home deliveries so make sure that you check out their website. If you don't live in the Galway area you will be thrilled to know that Juicy Lucy will be soon stocked in super markets. So make sure to follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for regular updates. During the reception I mingled and networked with other bloggers and had a quick browse of the stands. We then checked out our seating plans, our tables were named after Irish Celebrities which I thought was a really nice touch. One thing for sure is the itwbn girls really know how to make you feel like you have this celebrity status.

Speakers

Sinead and Saibh the Founder and Creative Directer of ITWBN kicked off the event with their welcome note and then introduced the speakers, Olivia Collins, Nikki Bradley and Gill Carroll.

Olivia Collins

Olivia Collins was the first speaker of the day. She is the founder of Food PR & Marketing. Olivia told us all about her career and shared with us her knowledge of PR, Marketing and Bloggers. Here are just a few of the tips she shared with us.

- Networking is extremely important to get your business publicity both online and offline. Figure out how you can get that offline exposure. (ITWBN meet ups or events for example).

- PR companies want to work with like minded bloggers.

- Know your morals.

- PR companies want speed so don't waste their time.

- Treat your blog like a business.

- Know the PR companies in your field.

- Suggest what you can do for the PR company.

- Be an expert in your area.

- Be your brand.

- PR companies don't always focus on your number of followers they want to invest in quality blogs.

- Keep up to date with your industry news.

Nikki Bradley

Nikki Bradley is a blogger, a journalist, a motivational speaker and most inspirational women for many reasons. Nikki was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer - Ewing's Sarcoma at the age of sixteen. She has since gone through many forms of intensive treatment including having two hip replacements before the age of twenty six but Nikki has never let any of this hold her back. After receiving the news that Nikki would have to remain on crutches she set up an awareness campaign - Fighting Fit For Ewings.

Nikki's aim for setting up the campaign is to highlight the importance of exercise for rehabilitation, Fitness is used as an educational tool to help people who want to help themselves. Nikki's mantra is 'Yes now, worry later!' Nikki was suffering with chronic pain relying on very strong pain killers daily. Nikki hated this as she is a very health conscious person and worried about the effects the pain killers were causing on her other organs. Nikki decided to take her leg out of the equation and thought about how she could strengthen the rest of her body. After a few months of vigorous exercise Nikki was off all pain killers after ten years. On the tough days when the pain started to come back Nikki went to the gym and worked through it. She learnt so much about herself and found an inner strength that she never knew she had. Nikki is unstoppable!

I learnt so much from Nikki today. She really inspired me. She is so incredibly strong in more ways than one. After everything she as been through she still has such a positive attitude and looks at the brighter side of life. She has accomplished so much I could never fit it into one blog post so make sure to check out her blog - Nikki Bradley - Beyond Limits and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You will be so inspired!

Here are just a few of the things that I learnt from Nikki:

- You can achieve anything you want to.

- Inline yourself with the universe and your entire life will change.

- Get rid of all negativity in your life.

- Be open.

- Say yes.

- How important exercise and fitness really is.

- We are selves are the only people who hold ourselves back or push us forward.

Ladies who lunch

After Nikki spoke we were served some delicious refreshing Solaris Tea. We were then served yummy nibbles and desserts. We had blogger chats with everyone at our tables and then had the chance to freshen up and mingle some more browsing the stands such as Siren and Soul , Suzie Mahony Designs , The Cool Bean Company, Bellissimo, LookWest.ie, ClothesPartyU2 and McCambridges. It was then time for the next speaker.

Gill Carroll

Entrepreneur and business owner Gill has proven to be a very successful #GirlBoss in everything she does. Gill owns the infamous cafe's and restaurants 37 West and 56 Central . Gill taught us so much about what it takes to succeed in business and how to be the ultimate #girlboss. Gill is also the founder of the organisation Strive For It which empowers like minded people in business based on the mastermind principles of Mr. Hills Think and Grow Rich. She was also recently awarded Business, Economics and/or Entrepreneurial Accomplishment in the 'Top Outstanding Young Peoples Awards' by JCI Ireland.

Here are a few things that I learnt from Gill:

- No one is going to save you, you have to save yourself.

- No your traits.

- Set your goals to the highest value.

- Know your passion and what sets you on fire.

- Push yourself and challenge your self.

- Live your true authentic self.

- Don't compete with each other, support one another.

- Visualize your goals and put them out there.

- Make a vision board.

- Be the best version of yourself.

Sofa Session

Next up was the 'Sofa Session' which included some of itwbn's bloggers. Kieran from Fear Nua Blog, Doug who does marketing for An Pucan along with many other businesses, Dolores from IrishHealthHour, Ciara from Getting Fed up and Serajay from Siren and Soul. Hosted by Kerry from FabuliciousFifty. All bloggers spoke about their favourite social media platform sharing tips for what they find works for them and what they loved most. Doug spoke a little bit about how his video about raising aware for mental health went viral, while Kieran shared his thought's about girls on snapchat and what he loves about twitter. Dolores is also a big fan of twitter and has recently started using blab. Snapchat is Ciara's favourite platform because she loves how real it is while SeraJay prefers instagram because she loves sharing her creative side. The 'Sofa Session' was really interesting because its a great way to learn from other bloggers and see which they prefer.

Swag Bags

We were also gifted 'Swag Bags' on the day filled with goodies for us to try out. As you can see from the photos we were gifted with No7, Thalgo, The Body Shop, Blank Canvas Cosmetics, Propercorn, UltraPure, Mothercare, Barna Lodge Foods, Dolores Andrew-Gavin, Wicked Wholefoods, WetnWild, Paese Cosmetic and Studio 53. 

I had such a fun day celebrating itwbn's 2nd Birthday! Congratulations to Sinead and Saibh for all you have achieved and a BIG thank you for all that you do for us bloggers! We are all so grateful! I learnt so much today and caught up with some of my favourite bloggers and meet some new ones to add to the collection! 

I am so excited for the next event so we can do it all over again!

Yours Stylishly

Kerrie x

Fearless

A new month always brings a glimpse of excitement. A fresh start and an other chance to set new goals and to become a better human being. Every New Years Eve I, like a lot of people sit down and write out all of my hopes and dreams that I would love to achieve in the year to come. I have big dreams and a fire in my belly to succeed as well as a strong work ethic. I have also got into the habit of setting monthly goals, some small goals and stepping stones that will help me to achieve the long term goals.

 It wasn't until last week when I looked back over my March goals to tick off everything that I had achieved and to reevaluate the goals that I hadn't achieved got me thinking why I hadn't achieved them. I knew all the steps I needed to take in order to achieve them, I know they are all something I really want to do. Is it laziness? Lack of motivation? Fear of what people will think about me or what I'm doing? Fear of failure? Or could it be fear of been successful? I know I am a complete over thinker but I also think that it is something that a lot of people go through. Maybe it's my generation or an Irish thing. But whatever it is I think its time to not be so scared of what may happen and for us Irish learn to just say thank you when we get a compliment.

Here are a few tips for getting over all of our fears:

Be Positive

Wake up each day with a good go-getter attitude. Be positive and believe in yourself. The more positive you are the more positive situations and outcomes will appear in your life. If you want a happy and successful life you can't focus on your fears and the negatives. So have a good attitude towards life and work hard to make your dreams happen. 

Comfort Zone

Growing up I was always such a shy person even with my closest friends. I was always afraid to show my personality and always tried my best to 'fit in'. What if I say something stupid and completely embarrass myself.The more I thought about my fears the more it began to hold me back. I began to live in this bubble in my own little world - my comfort zone. I know what you are all probably thinking. How did I have the courage to start a blog when you really are putting yourself out there. To be honest I don't  even know how I did, but I wanted to start a blog for about two years before I actually did it. It is my biggest regret that I didn't start it sooner. 

The thing with blogging is that for the most part you are sat in your office looking at your computer screen completely on your own. Thankfully there is an amazing blogger community all who are very supportive. Networking and getting invited to events is a big part of blogging and is still something that terrifies me just a little even though at a lot of the event's I know the other bloggers and have even worked with them but the more I say yes to these events the braver I get. So I have learnt that stepping out of your comfort zone is one of your best ways for getting over the fear. 

Dream Big

When setting goals why not set huge ones that really excite you. That you can literally feel adrenaline when you think about them. Life is supposed to be exciting so why settle for mediocre goals. Push yourself to really dream big, it could be to start your own online business, open your very own boutique, go back to college or even to run in the Boston Marathon. Really push yourself to dream big because life is full of possibilities and the more excited you feel about your dreams the more likely you are going to achieve them. 

Visualization

Visualization is so important! Every single successful person visualized been successful and achieving their dreams at some point of their lives. Of course they worked extremely hard to get to where they are today. But it always starts in your mind. When you visualize and believe in your dream strong enough. Your brain believes it has already happened. 

Internal Voices

You are your own worse enemy. We all have doubts and we all have worries. We set goals and get all fired up for achieving them and then stop and think 'What if I fail?' 'I can't do this, what was I thinking?' We need to let go of all this doubt a disbelief right now. First of all it really doesn't matter if you fail you can always just try again and this time try a little harder. Mistakes are proof that you're and they are learning curves that shape you as a person. Secondly don't let any negativity set in your mind as soon as you think one negative thought get rid of it. Pronto!

What Will People Think

A fear that I think that every single one of us has - What will people think? When in reality all those people that we are spending so much of our time worrying about what they think about us are probably spending their time worrying what everybody is thinking about them. So really no body cares what anybody is doing we are just creating this problem for ourselves! 

Everyone Is Not Going To Like You

Not everyone is going to like you but that's okay. We are all so different, we have different tastes and different hobbies and we are not going to be to fond of what everyone's doing all the time. As long as you are not going out to hurt anyone and just focus on your own family, friends, readers and enjoying your own life you have nothing to be frightened of or to be worried about. 

Stop Saying Someday

We are all so guilty of this. We have a dream or we have a goal and we say someday I will have that or someday I will achieve that. What we need to do is act now. There is not one thing in this world stopping you from achieving your dreams so get out there and make them happen. 

Someone Else's Success Is Not Your Failure

Don't compare yourself to anyone. If you see someone in business or school doing better than you don't feel intimated my them instead learn from them look at their mindset and work ethic. If you are in need of some help ask them. Everyone started out the same. No one starts from the top. 

Be Proud Of Yourself 

Life can be tough and it can be amazing all at the same time. We are all doing the best we can to achieve the life we want to live so be proud of yourself and respect how far you have come and what you have achieved. Don't let fear stand in your way and hold you back on all life has to offer because once you let go of the fear and become fearless there really is nothing holding you back. 


Yours stylishly 

Kerrie x  

  






  

#KissGoodbyeToMS Campaign

Today marks the first day of a month long campaign in support of #KissGoodbyeToMS (www.kissgoodbyetoms.ie). The campaign started in Australia and has been extremely successful over the last number of years. MS Ireland along with 7 other MS Organisations throughout the world are encouraging the public to 'Kiss Goodbye To MS' and raise money for vital research into the cause and cure of Multiple Sclerosis.  The funds will also be used to support essential services for the 9000+ people living with MS locally in Ireland. 

This is the first year the campaign will be running in Ireland and I am so happy to be involved. Sara Donaldson from the fashion blog Harper and Harley , dedicated an entire month on her blog to the campaign. I thought this was such a good idea so I am going to do the same.That means 29 posts coming your way with a variety of beauty, fashion, fitness and well being. I want to do my very best to raise as much awareness as I can. 

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease within the central nervous system. It effects the nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Affecting how the brain is able to communicate with the rest of the body. Sadly this is becoming more common at a younger age, with the disease being diagnosed in the early 30's and as young as 20. 

I would love if you could get involved too, in any way you can. Follow the social media hashtag #kissgoodbyetoms, wear red lipstick or something red, take a selfie and donate €4 by texting 'smooch' to 50300. Don't forget to share with your friends and dare them to wear red and donate too. You can also get involved sharing these post's with your friends and family! Your support means everything! 

Love always 

Kerrie x  

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2016 is finally here and I couldn't be happier. As much as I love Christmas and the build up I was really looking forward to the fresh start, a new beginning and an other chance to achieve anything I want. The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy. Especially in the run up to Christmas. I never really take time out to just relax or watch a movie. I am always on my laptop, on my phone, working or going to the gym. Even when I do sit down to 'relax' in the evening I am always working on a blog post, planning a blog post or browsing on line looking for inspiration for my blog. I know I'm obsessed but this little blog brings me such happiness, more than you will ever know. 

I became a little run down over Christmas, due to over-indulging in all the wrong foods, not exercising as much as I should of and having way to much fun. But that's what Christmas is about after all. Every year I sit down and write out my New Years Resolutions, last year was the first year I achieved everything I set out to do. So this year I am more determined than ever to ensure I reach every goal I set out to achieve and more. 

My health, well-being and fitness are my main priority this year. Both physically and mentally. I want to concentrate on what I am putting into my body more so than focusing on working all the nasty stuff off. I am in the process of growing my blog and am planning on featuring a lot more categories filled with happiness, positivity  as well as few surprises in store, one of which is a change in design which I am so excited about. But for now my resolution planning is in full swing and I am determined to make it the best year ever! 

Decide what you want to achieve 
Sit down with a pen and notebook and plan out your year. Really think about it. No goal is to big when you put your mind to it you will achieve it. Think about what makes you happy and what you love to do. If you are feeling a little uninspired why don't you check out Pinterest for some inspiration.

Focus
Really focus on what you want to achieve. Create a dream board, print out pictures of what you want to achieve. Get your list and stick that on it to. Write out a plan on what you need to do to achieve everything you wish. Look at the dream board and list every morning and every night. This will remind you to do something everyday to bring you closer to your dreams. 

Believe you can succeed 
Believe in yourself and know you can succeed. Have unwavering faith in yourself. Get organized and do what you need to do. If your goal is to be fit and healthy, then book your classes at the gym, prep your meals and have your gym bag packed. 

"Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!"

Solve the problem 
In every problem there is a solution. In every question there is an answer. Sometimes life just happens which directs you in a different direction from your goals. But you can't let that stop you. Find the solution and focus on it and you will be unstoppable. 

Enjoy!
Life is to be lived so enjoy every second of it. You are making these changing to make your life better or to be a better person. So keep going and don't look back. You can create anything you want in these world so get out there and make it happen! 

Yours stylishly

Kerrie x 

Lessons Learned in 2015

As 2015 is coming to an end and we are winding down after Christmas it is always very therapeutic to look back over all the ups and downs the year had in store for us and what lessons we learnt throughout. It really is amazing how much can change in a year and this year more than any I feel like I have really grown as a person and have learnt so much along the way. On St. Stevens night or Boxing Day as it is know as in the UK. I met up with my best friends from secondary school for our annual Christmas night out. I think it had been a full year since we were all out together and I think it is crazy how much we have all changed and how much we've grown. It was lovely to meet up with everyone and we had such a good night filled with fun and laughter. Laughter is the best medicine especially with loved ones which brings me on to my lessons learnt in 2015. 

1. Appreciate your loved ones
At the end of the day family and friends are all we have. That is so important to remember. Those are the people who are going to love and support you no matter what happens in life and what choices you make. They will always have your back. Focus on quality not quantity. It is more important to have one really good honest friend then 10 fakes ones. 

2. Happiness is a choice
I have just finished the book 'The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind' and there is a full chapter dedicated to happiness. People are always searching for happiness by buying items, or coming out with statements like "I would be so happy only I don't have the money." Or "I would be happy if I had my dream job". All these outer things wont make you happy. Its down to you. You have to wake up every morning and decide to be happy and that is how it happens! 

3. Confidence is key 
In order to be successful you need to be confident. Growing up I was always really shy and quiet. Even when I finished college and started working I didn't have confidence in myself. This really effected me as I let other members of staff and employers walk all over me. I knew I had to change something. I took a step back and began to really focus on myself and my mindset and this has changed me for the better. Confidence isn't about looks, money or a job. Its knowing you mind and making peace with yourself. 

4. Believe in yourself
Believe in yourself because you are amazing. Right now you have the power to do anything you want to. You literally have the world and your fingertips once you have that self confidence and belief you can achieve anything you want in you life. Al you have to do is get off you bum and do it! 

5. Forgive & Let go 
If you've had a fight with your sibling or a friend or had a boss that treated you badly, forgive them and forget about what ever was causing the upset. I know at the time when circumstance happen they may seem like the world is going to end but really it isn't and it's never as bad as it seems. Thinking about what happened is only effected you and know one else so let it go and you can move on with your happy life. 

6. Always be yourself 
This is your strongest power because no one in the entire world will ever be like you so embrace it. If we were all the same life would be really boring so go out the and shine! 

7. Put yourself out there
What I mean by this is don't be afraid to try something new, maybe its a job you've been eyeing up in a certain company and its suddenly become vacant. Maybe its a new hobby, or joining a gym or starting a new business venture. Just go for it. Lives to short to wonder what if! 

8. Don't take no for an answer 
If you want something go get it. Don't stop until you have it or  have achieved it. Don't listen to naysayers telling you it can't be done. Hustle harder then they ever will and you will have everything they've never had. 

9. Gratitude changes everything 
Gratitude is the only way to bring more into you life. Start each day being grateful to be alive and breathing and watch the magic appear in your life. 

10. Do not criticize others
Do not criticize others for everyone is fighting a battle. Be kind always. 

11. Do what you love 
Life is to short to waste it doing something that you absolutely hate. I learnt this the hard way but has probably taught a vital lesson in life. If you are not happy make a change. That's what I did and I haven't looked back! 

12. Give as much as you can
I am not talking about giving away your wages or anything but maybe when you see a school or a charity looking for support give them something. There is always someone worse off then you and they will be so grateful for the help. 

13. You can't make everyone happy
As I mentioned above we are all individuals. We all have our own tastes in music, in food, in colours so you can't make everyone happy all of the time. When you except that and move on you will be happy so at least you can do that!

14. Dream big 
Set your goals high. The higher the better. Write them down and look at them daily. Do something everyday to bring you closer to your dreams. Last year I did a blog post on My New Years Resolutions. I didn't look at them every day but I reviewed them a few times throughout the year. I looked back on the today after not looking at them for a few months, I was surprised that I achieved all of them except for going to Paris. But I wont to London instead!

15. Work hard 
If you want to achieve anything in life you are going to have to work for it. Be that building your business, losing weight or even being a better person. Nothing worth having comes easy so work hard every single day, persevere and belief in yourself and your dreams will come true...

2015 has been some year which sometimes felt like there were more downs then ups but without the downs I would not be the strong person I am today and for that I would not change a single thing. It really does show you how one year can change your entire life. I really hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hoped you learnt a tip or two and I would love to hear what you learnt throughout the year. 

Wishing you all the most amazing 2016! 

Love always

Kerrie x