Living Simply.

I was always quite a spender. I mean I wouldn't have made it onto Sex and the City or anything but my impulsive nature certainly enjoyed obliging price tags. Also, I'm a pretty soppy person. I'd nearly empathise with nail polish remover or a broken shoe rack. I would find it very difficult to let go of things. To top it off, I'm highly disorganised, so "clutter" has always been as present a word in my life as "family". 

However, in the past while I've become more aware of this alien philosophy called "Living Simply". I really fell in love with the idea of it and my first experiment to test the notion was to, in a completely radical fashion, tidy my room. Yes, I will accept your applause....

 I didn't throw anything away that wasn't complete rubbish but just gave everything a place that wasn't the floor. And you know what? I felt like during my few hours work I had released a tank of oxygen within the four walls rather than shift a few objects. That's how much clearer the space seemed. 

This was me.

Even better than my respiratory advances, my mind felt like it was processing one thought at a time which was sooooooooooo unlike me, I felt more alive, more productive and generally just happier. The conditions of my physical, external environment had proven to really impact the way I thought and felt. As an extra note, I had a feeling of control over my decisions and the way I lived.
Since then, delving further into this "minimalistic" lifestyle I'd uncovered was always on the back of my mind. A gradual descent I'd made was down the hill of materialism. I tend to become overwhelmed quite easily and I don't know if you ever get this but with all the new trends and even just the immense amount of products out there, I felt like there was so much I was missing out on. I would never have everything and there was something hugely disheartening in that. 

"Living Simply does not mean owning nothing, it means nothing owns you!"-A slightly adjusted quote that I definitely read somewhere, I'm sure of it!!

This was what really pushed me to alter my life in relation to "stuff". I wanted to begin to see objects as things, tools to help me go about life and add to it, not sentimental beings that almost controlled me and were in such abundance that they weren't used to their full potential, if at all.

I did a bit of research on this thing called "minimalism" and though as of yet I would by no means call myself a minimalist or probably even comprehend the extreme lengths some people have gone to to reduce  their possessions, however I did go about getting rid of a lot of things I owned which I had previously thought I needed but when looked at straight on were of no use to me. I don't cling onto "just in case" for dear life and a major leap has been made in my lacking interest to replace these items.



So I guess that's been my little journey so far, by removing three quarters of the contents of my room I've ended up with the feeling of having more. How did that happen??? I don't stress about "stuff" at all really anymore and I feel a lot more detached from the things I own. It really dawned on me when I found it hard to let go of these things I hadn't even realised were hidden away in my cupboard for ten years that maybe that's something I need to sort out from the inside, you know? We invest so much meaning and emotion into inanimate objects but it doesn't really make any sense, does it? I guess this whole thing of simplifying is about eliminating the clutter in our lives so we can focus on what's really important to us. You haven't a tonne of distractions to be looking at but you're faced with the truth of your life and how you're living it, what you're getting out of it and what you could be experiencing.

With all that said, I want to know what you guys think! Have you ever considered the prospect of "Living simply" before? What does it mean to you and do you believe in it? If you have reduced your value for material possessions in your life, how do you feel it has impacted on your mind and being?

Love,
Rachel! =)

Guilty Pleasures.

Guilty pleasure is a commonly used term in our society today. I have guilty pleasures, you probably have guilty pleasures, but have we ever really questioned the origin of our guilt? In this blog post, I'm going to take an everyday guilty pleasure of mine, examine what I feel guilty about and ask the crucial question of why. 

My most recently formed guilty pleasure would have to be "Gossip Girl", the rather popular TV series about the lives (and endless gossip) of New York's elite. 

So what is it about the show which causes me to feel slightly embarrassed and a need to justify my watching of it whenever I mention it to other people?

Its probably because the plot is hardly particularly intellectual. When you analyse and attempt to sum up what its all about you realise its just a lot of very attractive people in beautifully made clothing cruising through the upper east side with so much money that college degrees are just *quote* "accessories".

It represents and glamorises a lot of things that I disagree with. For example, as mentioned above, all of the main characters are filthy rich, practically wear a different outfit in every shot and this lifestyle is made to look super cool and luxurious. You fall in love with characters whose behaviour you really shouldn't grow fond of (I am completely obsessed with a character who attempted rape twice in the series and a girl who is the pillar of mean insecurity and manipulates and verbally abuses practically everybody.) The cherry on top is that the one voice of opposition to this plastic and fake world is made look like a crazily over the top, opinionated lunatic! 

Therefore, due to its vanity, shallowness and severely differing morals, I've put it in the "that's kind of embarrassing" box. But why? Well, I guess its pretty simple when you look at it head on, we seem to care about what other people think of us, our reputation and what we're known for. I'm certain we all have priority characteristics programmed into our heads from life which are the backbone to undergoing and justifying all of our decisions, actions and beliefs. Now what do I mean by that? Well, let's say if someone really took pride in being a realistic person, ( or it could be cool, nice, truthful, courageous, positive anything) from people they've known, things they've seen and experiences they've had, they've unconsciously grown attached to the desire that anyone who describes them, names that adjective. And that is the main reason why, I feel, we have guilty pleasures. Furthermore, if we looked deeper into the reasons why, maybe its not just about our reputation and other people's thoughts on us but maybe we're half keeping it a secret from ourselves. Do we even fully admit to ourselves that we like this thing or do we just justify a reason for the obsession?

So what's your conclusion? Think of your own guilty pleasure in your life, what makes you guilty and why. Do you think we should feel guilty? I suppose it depends. If you're guilty pleasure proves harmful to other people should you still act on it because you want to? And where does the mind play in this? Guilty pleasures seem like a head vs heart debate to me but I don't think it has to be. While there's something kind of nice about a guilty pleasure and all that it entails, I suppose one has to look at their life and ask why they feel they can't be open about this thing they are attracted to and why they're attracted to it. What's missing in their life?
And lastly, I definitely don't think that just because your guilty pleasure may be regarded as stupid or shallow then that instantly means you are. Perhaps you are just curious about another side of life? Difference can be enthralling in itself.

Anyway enough with all the questions, get pondering and form your own conclusion!

Don't repress your feelings because they're there for a reason! Always deal with them mentally or physically!

                                                          Love,
                                                              Rachel! =)

Things to love about life!

                          

I thought this would be a good idea for a blog post, to act as a boost for us all to remember and smile about the simple, yet beautiful things life has to offer. These are a random list of things, feelings and moments which, when I dwell on them, make life worth living and bring me so much happiness.

You know we all think about the big purpose in life, me included, and for us who enjoy it, who says we should stop? However, one very important element to our own happiness is surely the little things, the often unexpected moments which never really pass on but stay with us to hopefully be repeated again and again...

• Cherry Blossoms.....in abundance, everywhere and anywhere.
• Really cold apple juice
• Hitting the pillow after a long, busy and productive day!
• Netflix... simple as... 
• That first bite of a chocolate bar, especially if you're hungry.
• Being called pretty or finding out someone likes you! 
• Finding the perfect temperature in the shower!
• Having a number of things on in one day, and also having absolutely nothing to do for an entire 24 hours...
• Gazing out the window in the morning to a beautiful, sunny day.
• Bouncing a tennis ball on a racket outside, and watching it soar into such an infinite sky with so many possibilities
• Being in an environment where you feel welcomed and wanted.
• Being so captivated, the time flies.
• Getting something done you've been putting off..

• CHRISTMAS!!!!!
• laughing and laughing and laughing and laughing...
• Replaying all the moments in your head where you were with that one person you like, thinking of all the little things they do
• Those times when your whole family are getting along
• Travelling
• Eating out.
• Being inspired, motivated and put in utter awe. 
• Having periods of time where you literally could not give a damn about what others think!
• Receiving kindness from another as well as giving it successfully and genuinely.
• Being inside when its raining 

• The perfect hot chocolate.
• Getting something you've wanted for ages 
• Thinking.
• Watching the elegance of snow falling
• The cinema
• Having really long, deep conversations
• Holding eye contact with someone
• Feeling like you've really helped someone.
• People listening to you, and caring!
• Keeping calm despite someone else's behaviour
• Hope.
• Reading or seeing something that stretches your mind
• SURPRISES
• Gorgeously warm baths...

• Teddy Bears!
• The beach... The sound of the Sea
• The feeling that you've impressed someone.
• SMILES, TRUE AND BEAMING SMILES
• Cake!
• Green Tea (and the peaceful feeling at the end of the mug)
• So- delicious- no -one- talks pizza
• Freezing water to a parched throat
• Being able to relate to something
• Our power to FORGIVE.
• Gratitude
• Technology
• Music
• Long car journeys

• Cuteness
• Art
• Freedom
• Nature
• Scents with memories
• Being completely alone to reconnect with yourself
• When someone has faith in you and doesn't give up
• Imagination
• Dreams
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Dim rooms with elegant lights
• Being trusted
• Colours
• Hearing "God bless you" from an elderly person
• Accomplishing something
• Being addicted to a story
• Cloud watching

• Canopies
• That feeling that you're making a difference
• Feeling completely comfortable around someone else
• People getting your joke
• Receiving respect
• Having your mind blown
• An exciting text 
• Fast internet
• Songs with a killer beat
• Settling down to watch something or read a great book
• Learning a new skill
• Being greeted by your dog
• Feeling really cleansed
• That glimpse of good in even the most cruel seeming folk
• Winter
• An idea pops into your head
• That moment when everything is surreal
• Holidays abroad

Share some of your favourites from the list in the comments below or let us know what additional "little things" give a spark to your life!

                                                Love,

                                                                          Rachel! =)

Forgiveness

I recently had to forgive someone, I had to push away the pride and the temptation to hold on and think over and over again of all the things that had happened before, the temptation to immerse myself into the injustice and the anger and the pain and the frustration. Right after I had done it, I tried to sum up my feelings in words and this was the best I could come up with...

"The necessity of forgiving is one of the most energising yet peaceful things I've ever experienced. It shines the light of prosperity on the future and remains one of the largest leaps in moving forward."

I believe forgiving is very much necessary. I would hope that no one, including yourself, has ever done anything that's hurt or made you angry towards them, but I realise that is very unlikely. Because with all the pain and confusion among humanity, its very easy to hurt people, its very easy to make mistakes and to do the wrong thing, and what's horribly annoying is that its so difficult to forget the wrongs we or others do, you can never go back and change the past. The next best thing to backwards time travel though is forgiveness, and unless you want to forever hold the demons of yesterday inside you, you are going to have to use that power, the power we all possess.

Do you agree with me when I say that you feel so, so energised after letting go of a grudge and forgiving someone for something they've done to you? I felt like I had a new lease of life, all sluggish or laziness had departed and my eyes seemed to stay open more freely. It makes a lot of sense, you're removing weighty chains from yourself and allowing the negative energy and thoughts to be dropped. Not only have you shared compassion and kindness to another by forgiving them (which adds to the positive energy), but you've performed a hugely compassionate and kind act for yourself. The energy makes you feel younger and like you're starting afresh. Its beautiful.

At the same time, I think you feel an immense sense of serenity along with that new found energy.You have made peace with yourself, the other person and what's happened before. And one of the huge benefits of forgiveness is that you have decided that another person's problem will not become your problem. Forgiving them loses all ties with that negative place they were in and the negativity they tried to instill in you. The peace you feel is like one that cannot be stirred or shifted because you took the power and made the decision to go out and achieve it.

You can't talk about forgiveness without mentioning its impact on your future. When you've successfully forgiven someone to their face or even in your mind, you have created a sense of hope in the both of you. And hope is a precious thing. You feel excited and ready for what the future brings after this cleanse and all your worries ease. Essentially, you become happier because you can now move on, and one thing we humans love is progress. Its like taking a deep breath in and continuing to walk down the path you had previously been standing still on, constantly glancing back at a dark and winding road that you could never walk again. "To forgive is to move forward", so if you want to move forward in your life, move on to new and happy experiences then forgiveness will have to play a huge role.

And if you still can't bear to make that other person feel even slightly less guilty or unhappy by forgiving them then remember how vital forgiveness is to yourself. It is not all about them, you are doing it to free yourself from them and what they've done to you. Don't let what they did hurt you even further. Choose to be happy.

On another note, make sure to forgive yourself for the mistakes you've made! We can be so hard on ourselves and since you're always around yourself, its important that you are kind and loving to your human clumsiness. 

So! I'm going to ask you to do two things before clicking out of this post, 

(a) Forgive someone in your life for something they've done to you. Remember, you really need to feel it, if you just  say the words then, well, nothing's changed has it? Words mean nothing without feeling.

(b) Forgive yourself for something you've done in the past. You are only human and should not feel in any way resentful towards yourself or less of a person, for making mistakes.

Try and sum up how you feel when you've done the two tasks and embrace the feeling because its one of the best!

Love,

Rachel! =)

Boredom

Boredom:The state of being bored. (Inspiring definition)

It has only occurred to me recently how crime worthy boredom is! How dare we allow ourselves to become restlessly uninterested in a world that is so mind blowingly and bizarrely full of things to do!

What's crazy to think is that the prime time for boredom is when people (usually the younger a person is the more prone they are to it) are on breaks! Summer break from school etc...

Can we think about this objectively for a minute please???

 

A young person with so much energy and creativity is free from a scheduled, restricted routine under which they have no control , and you're telling me you have nothing to do?... Now are we beginning to see how ridiculous this notion is? 

 Don't hold up the excuse of bad weather, lack of people or trips to justify your boredom because they don't matter. Boredom is simply a state of mind and with what the world has to offer, you could easily never experience the negative feeling for the rest of your life.

Its a bit like a numbing, isn't it? A lack of passion and fascination for a  world that is.. quite.. astounding! Age and circumstance is irrelevant because "the world is vast and meant for wandering, there is always somewhere else to go" We all have a very limited time here in this life. We may hope there are more to come but you can never be sure, you can never be sure if you have the next moment and as cliche and overused as it sounds you only have right now, right this very moment as you read these words and while it would be extremely difficult to withold that mental awareness for your entire life, its important to stay present in your current situations and activities instead of looking to to future ones or behind to what's gone. When we take into consideration this value that life has and how extremely lucky you are to be in it and a part of it do you really want to waste anytime being bored?

        
 Nothing on TV? But darlings, don't you see? There is always an enlightening book to read, film to watch, game to play, laugh to have, conversation to engage in, information to learn which almost expands the world right before your enlarged eyes, scrapbook to make, drawing to paint, message to express, blog to write, person to understand, thought to ponder on, masterpiece to create,skill to improve, hobby to take up, recipe to perfect, sunset to watch, story to write, song to dance to along with new music to discover, different place to explore, innovative project to commence, exercise to be done, goals to be reached, help to give, tea to relax with,.... There is always something to be mesmerised and inspired by in life.


So don't ever let yourself be convinced that you're "bored".


                                                                 Love,
                                                                     Rachel! =)

Two big questions you CAN answer.

How is life meant to be lived? What is the most important thing in life? What is your philosophy on life?
All questions to ask someone first thing in the morning...

And they are also questions I just love to ask people. Yes you can gain a great insight into a person from their answer or lack thereof but judging people off how they approach this rather out of the blue topic change isn't cool. I always want people to think about the question deeply and honestly, focusing on their true answer rather than over thinking it and believing they should say a certain thing. Its not about me or why I've asked it, its about the question and you!

I feel questions are very powerful, very important to face yourself with because I've realised that a lot of people live and walk through life on the surface layer. They don't really take the time for reflection or to connect with themselves and what they believe in, what they feel and what they think about things at that stage of their life. They don't put thought into how to move forward and a hugely important sector which is how to treat other people, what changes to make and what they're so grateful to have.

And these questions of "What is most important in life?" and "How is life meant to be lived?" Is a very good one to ask yourself. You may have heard the quote:

     "Stand for something or fall for anything"

Though it may not seem like they're connected, they in fact, are. The world and its people can change you very easily and if you don't have something or a number of things that you feel are important to include in the way you live your life then you can find yourself being more of a sponge than ever. Its hard enough to keep above the waves when you have a clear idea on how to walk this earth, but if you don't then other people end up deciding for you.

But its a hard question, there's no denying that whatsoever. However it can be played with, it doesn't have to be taken with the severity of life or death. You don't need to take into account what you might feel when you're 40 years old. What makes the most sense to you and your own reasoning now is usually the best answer, and when you take it calmly and with enjoyment its actually a beautiful thing to think about. 

What is your own unique outlook on life? And just thinking of the thing that takes first place to you is certainly a happy moment. It recharges you and you actually grow from the thought.

Some of the answers I've received have ranged from Kindness, to the importance of family, to being around people in general, to being familiar with your surroundings as much as possible, to mixing love and hate, happiness and sadness. Some have said that the more they think about it the more they believe there is no meaning to this life. All have fascinated me, all replies delivered with excitement.

So I suppose its my turn to give my point of view. 

1. What is most important in life?

2.How is life meant to be lived?

From all my experiences in life so far and at this current time I believe the answer to the first question is having a good, strong connection with myself and as as unpopular as it is, to love who I am. Not egotistically, but to have a really good relationship with myself  is vital to me because from there all situations are so much more approachable with flexibility. You can love others because you love yourself. You are never wholly dependent on anyone else and you always have someone to turn to.

To answer the second question (in a different font, ooooh), I think there are a few elements that are important to me. The first part being "genuine". Living a truthful life is so, so important to me. Being honest with others and more importantly myself in relation to my own feelings is something I never want to lose. I will never be cunningly sneaky and I'm glad.

I still hold a huge place in my heart for positivity and picking myself up after a bad patch because there is always beauty in the world and opportunity for change. Along with that, I want  to live my life with gratitude because its effects are truly magical. Awareness of what you have is mind blowing.
Lastly, I've recently understood the value in taking risks, adventuring and being completely ok with making mistakes. Throwing yourself into the unfamiliar and overcoming obstacles (no matter how many times you stumble or how awkwardly you do it) is vital for me to live a satisfying life.


I do not keep to these every minute of every day, its hard, but every day it gets a little bit easier and that's fine with me :)

And now comes the important part, Ladies and Gentlemen, during my long break away from scribbling I've realised my need for clarification of my purpose in doing these posts. They are for you to relate back to yourselves, to have some sort of impact on your thoughts and most certainly not just for me to talk about me. 

So either by sharing with us in writing or just pondering to yourself, I want you to answer the two questions I've discussed in this post.

In your opinion,

1. What is the most important thing in life?

2. How is life meant to be lived?

People say these questions are too deep and impossible to answer but they're not. You are well able to come up with an answer that your current self is proud of. I have never found an answer boring so I would love to hear yours!

                                                Happy thinking!
                                                           Love,
                                                              Rachel! =)

P.S. Do you know what's super interesting? Out of all the people I've asked, I've never gotten the same answer twice! Never in the same way...

Fake to be happy?

It recently came to my attention through observation of and discussion with other people, that a lot of folks seem to think that a person who is happy a large percentage of, or all of the time is fake! More people than you might expect almost look down on positivity and find it irritating to witness someone behaving in an "overly excited" manner.

And while we're on the subject, the same seems to apply for someone who's attitude towards others,
or beliefs are "boringly nice". People seem to prefer when one takes a negative outlook on life and kind of joins in complaining or going on about how bad their life is so that the other person doesn't feel so alone and can connect with someone.. through being negative.

 Its common for people who are down, being negative and not feeling good about themselves to dislike it when other people have taken a different route in life, have chosen to see the bright side because it makes them feel happy rather than the the pessimistic view to get a laugh or approval from others.

So what if its not cool to be happy or like and stand up for someone every one else is bitching about? What I always think of is, "why would I want to surround myself with someone who thinks frequent happiness, excitement or "niceness" is false? What good is them liking me (or more the satisfaction and consolation for spreading negativity) if I have to sacrifice my own happiness?"

" A lion doesn't concern himself with the opinion of sheep"

I know it can be hard to stand your ground when faced with a dominating character who almost forces this fog of negativity on you but as we grow and as we learn of the little importance other people's opinions on our attitude matters, I think we'll develop the ability to see through these people who say that happiness is fake and realise that a person's belief differing from yours does not equal being correct. Often times those with cynical attitudes need to bring others down to their level, which is to be pitied and I'm sure on some level we've all been there.

However, lets all ensure we won't be there in the future! If we're in a bad mood and someone with us is as chirpy as can be, lets not close off and resent them for it, attempting to infect them with our negativity... instead lets try to open up and allow their positive vibes to fill us and improve our mood!
After all, doesn't it feel better to be happy? More free to be positive? As well as making us more productive. If we're down about an injustice, because negativity is draining and creates a feeling of hopelessness, I believe if one wishes to solve that problem one needs to be positive, hopeful for change!

"Don't be afraid to laugh or smile when you're hurting. They have the power to heal. Let them"

Don't be afraid to express an opinion you have as raw as it feels. Don't feel the need to put an edge to it or add something less "nice" if its not what you believe. Your thought out opinion is as equal and important as everyone else's. Don't presume people won't appreciate it even if you think its too "goody two shoes-ish." there will be those who agree and are so glad you said it and maybe they're the people who you're meant to surround yourself with? And if no one agrees, who cares, pursue your belief because you do!

Now to address those who may actually be faking happiness on an everyday basis or at times throughout your life.
       
Its  OK to be sad. You are entitled to feel any emotion that you do feel and you should not feel ashamed or like you cannot tell anyone, like you have to cover it up.

Faking joy or excitement is pointless and does not mean you will instantly achieve the emotion you are imitating. You are avoiding a problem that needs to be dealt with and can be. Acceptance is key and that is why we often need to frown before we smile so that we can realise that yes, I am sad but I don't have to stay this way, I can pick myself up and see that the situation isn't as bad as I thought it was, there's more to life and always a reason to keep going.

Being genuine is extremely attractive and is so much better for ones own soul. There's a big difference between accepting that you're sad and dealing with it, aiming to get better and find the light, and being cynical, wallowing in self pity and dragging others down with you.

If you're not genuine in your feelings, then where can you be genuine?

So to conclude, I highly disagree with those that think people who are happy a large percentage of the time are "fake", being nice is not a bad thing and you don't have to balance it out with a negative edge.

What do you believe on this topic? Have you experienced it in your everyday lives?

                                                       Love, 
                                                          Rachel!=)