Self Love | BEAUTY/LIFESTYLE

We live in a world that is dominated by social media where our minds are constantly being filled with a distorted image of beauty. Every time I look in the mirror I find something else that I do not like about myself and I know that I am not the only person who does this as well. This is not OK.

We as humans want what we don't have. We see a picture of our dream travel destination on Instagram and we think 'I will never get there'. We see the people around us following their dreams and think 'I will never be that successful'. Or we see a photo of that skinny super model and think 'I will never be that beautiful'. We need to break free of social media's influence on our minds.

I feel very strongly that everyone must know that they are valued and worthy. Whether this be at work or in our personal lives. We are all different and created for a purpose. We need to dig deep into our hearts and and find our self worth. What makes you different? What sets you apart from others? This can be anything from your talents, your kindness, your love for helping others, or your work ethic. We need to start having a good relationship with ourselves. God is not going to help you try to be someone else - someone else is already taken.

Most importantly, let's pray for our mindsets to be renewed. Too often I allow someone's false opinion of me determine my self worth. Do not allow anyone to dictate your happiness or steal your joy. Stay positive through the hard times, forgive those who have hurt you and leave it in the past. Stop dwelling on the pain and realise how incredibly special YOU are! Do not be controlled by what people think, say or do. Even if they totally reject you, you will survive!! Do not let others define who you are - you define who you are.
Let's start focusing on the good in our lives, enjoying the present, getting rid of our negative thinking and begin speaking positively about ourselves and others.

Romans 12:2
'Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.'

You are more beautiful and precious to God than the earth. You are created in God's image, hand picked and hand woven. Nothing is more beautiful in this world to God than YOU. Speak positive, speak love, speak His Word and you will see a change in your perspective.

'CAUSE YOU'RE AMAZING, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.'
Bruno Mars

Thank you for reading!

God Bless,
Amber x

Stress Free Weekend | LIFESTYLE

What is the first thing that you think about when you hear ‘Stress Free Weekend’? I don’t know about you but my brain goes straight to relaxing on a beautiful island somewhere far away from my work and personal life. Although most of the time that isn’t quite realistic! Over the last few weeks I have found myself in need for a few stress free weekends. 
Here are my ways that I like to unwind and relax after a busy week.

Don’t Make Plans

I will be honest here – weekends without plans are my favourite! Going out every weekend can become draining on your body, your mind and your health. If you are a busy bee on the weekends it can sometimes be hard to not make plans, so why not choose a weekend where it is raining? Sit inside in some comfy PJs and enjoy your ME TIME.

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Bath

For those who are lucky enough to have access to a bath, this is an incredible way to wind down and create a stress free environment. Dim the lights, light some candles, put in a bath bomb and relax. The warm water and aroma have a way of relaxing your muscles and easing a tired mind.

Candles

Nothing says a peaceful night like the dim light of a candle! Fill your room with delicious aromatic scents to relax your mind and enhance your mood. Drift off into utter bliss as you listen to music or read a book.

Pamper

Give your body a treat! Have a day where you look after you! Get your nails done, have a facial, have a massage (if I could have one every day I would!) or enjoy a spa day. End the weekend feeling refreshed and revitalised and you will be ready to start the week ahead stress free and relaxed.

Me Time

As cliché as this sounds, it totally works! Take some time away from your friends and do something that makes YOU happy. Whether that is going for a walk, cooking, reading or watching YouTube or a movie. Find a way which works best for you and RELAX and do something that you enjoy.

Staycation

I had heard this term A LOT but I have only recently discovered what it actually means. A staycation is a holiday spent in your home country rather than travelling overseas. It could be spent at home doing day trips to local attractions, or staying at a hotel for the weekend. It is the perfect way to take a break without breaking the bank! Hire a cottage in the country and enjoy some time to yourself away from the city or plan a day trip with a friend. The opportunities are endless!

Life can become stressful at times but we must learn to look after ourselves. 

Make yourself a priority once in a while. It’s not selfish. It’s necessary.

Thank you for reading.

God Bless,

Amber x

Greek Island Getaway | TRAVEL

I can’t remember the last time I had a relaxing vacation, all I knew was that it was well overdue! My parents had arrived from New Zealand a few days earlier and after days of being pushed and shoved by the thousands of people in Central London I think we were all ready to fly out to our next stop… Greece!

I had never been to Greece before but it has been at the top of my bucket list for a while now. I could not contain my excitement when we arrived late Wednesday night. We were welcomed into our hotel with free drinks and kind smiling faces to accompany. It was 11pm at night and I already knew this was the beginning of a great holiday.

We stayed in the beautiful town Hersonissos which is a 40 minute drive from Heraklion, the biggest city on the island of Crete. Every morning we awoke to bright blue skies, the sweltering heat hitting 30 degrees and the ocean calling our names. Before anything else I would put on my bikini and head to a sun lounger by the pool. I could not get enough of this place! Five days was just not enough.

Our first day consisted of mostly relaxing by the pool, swimming and eventually we slowly make our way down to the town centre to browse the shops. We walked down the little side streets that lead down to the sandy beaches and jumped into the ocean for a quick swim when the sun became too hot. Taking it easy was the major activity of this holiday.

The plan for the next day was to relax and read by the pool… that was until we saw day trips to Santorini advertised! Without another thought we were booked to sail over to Santorini first thing the next morning.

A bus picked us up when we arrived onto the island of Thera (known as Santorini) to take us to our first stop of the day, Oia. Oia is the most famous town in Santorini and is well known for its beautiful white and blue buildings, the breath-taking sunsets and cobbled streets. The town, like most of Santorini, is situated on a cliff which makes Oia the perfect location for the most picturesque views. We walked along the quaint paths and stopping at every opportunity for a photo. I mean… How could you not with that view?!

We moved on to the nearby city, Fira (the capital) which was just as beautiful and vibrant as Oia. We weaved in and out of the side streets seeing the brightly coloured flowers contrasted perfectly against the white, stopping at shops that caught our eye and before heading back to the bus, we stopped for a rest and a much needed drink.

Santorini quickly became one of my favourite places I had ever been. Our 6 hours there went way too fast.

Our next day was spent relaxing after our quick Santorini adventure. Although we thought it was about time for us to add a little bit of adventure to the trip! We hired quad bikes to get us around the island! I couldn’t believe we could ride them along the highway! We did a bit exploring and discovered more beaches and the nearby town Malia.

Our last few days were spend relaxing, swimming, reading and sunbathing. I could not have asked for a better holiday!

Greece… I will definitely be seeing you again!!

Don't forget to check out my YouTube channel where I posted a video of our Moroccan Adventure! Make sure to SUBSCRIBE for more adventures!

P.S. This trip was booked through Last Minute. They are a company that specialise in short holidays in which most of the packages include flights and accommodation. Make sure you go and check them out for more great deals!

Outfit:
Pink Floral Dress: Lipsy

Black Shorts: Topshop

Spray Tan: James Harknett (The best spray tan I have ever had!)

Thank you for reading!

God Bless,

Amber xx

Choose to be Kind | LIFESTYLE

Choosing to be happy when you are having a bad day can be one of the hardest things to do, but trust me it’s worth it. When change happens in our lives it can be difficult and at times discouraging especially when you are surrounded by the wrong people like a lot of us are. Moving to one of the largest cities in the world, I don’t know what I expected life to be like. Taking your first tube ride at rush hour will tell you! Everyone seems to be in a rush and coming from a very relaxed lifestyle this is a huge change. In this very fast paced world, it is important to stop and smile, to apologise if you bump into someone, and to lend a helping hand to those in need.

There is too much hate in this world. Let’s start making it a better place for those around us. Let’s stop being so judgmental of those who are different. Let’s accept other cultures and beliefs with open arms. Let’s love one another for who we are created to be. No one is the same and we are all on a different walk of life. Surround yourself with people who love and accept you for who you are.

Always be kind, because you never know what someone is fighting on the inside. Be the person who is known for your kindness and grace.

• “Be kind to one another” – Ephesians 4:32 and Ellen DeGeneres

• Kill em with Kindness – Selena Gomez

• Treat others the way you would like to be treated. - Unknown

• “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12

• “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” Matthew 7:1

• Good manners and kindness are always in fashion. - Unknown

• A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. – William Arthur Ward

• “But the fruit of the spirit is love, peace, kindness, gentleness, joy, patience, goodness, faithfulness, self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23

• “Anxiety weighs the heart down, but a kind word cheers it up.” Proverbs 12:25

• “Let love and kindness never leave you.” Proverbs 3:3

• “I came so that they may have life and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10

Thank you for reading and please share if you enjoyed.

Amber x