MAKING NECESSARY CHANGES

Hello and welcome to my first blog post of 2015. I wonder how many posts I'll be able to write this year? It'll be exciting to find out how many I do eventually post!

So I'm really in the mood to write a blog right now. Today has been quite a big day for me but only because of little things. Not life-changing, but perhaps lifestyle-changing. This is what I'm going to write about today.

I noted a few of my new years resolutions in my previous blog and I'll mention some of those again but first I'm going to just outline my day for you and explain why each little thing felt like a big thing (big as in positive, not tedious). It started last night when I got back to my university accommodation. I spent several hours unpacking, re-arranging drawers, moving things around, tidying up, hoovering and settling back in generally. Then just before I eventually turned my light out (surprisingly before midnight) I deleted my social media apps off of my iPhone: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  I decided to do this for three reasons.

Reason number 1: I have an essay deadline on Wednesday and I can't afford to be procrastinating by the means of endless scrolling through social media feeds.
Reason number 2: I needed to clear my head. I needed to free my mind from the buzz of the internet - it all gets a little too much sometimes. Social media is such a huge part of my life and it shouldn't be. I shouldn't be itching to swipe down my Instagram feed all the time and refresh my Twitter timeline. It's just so unhealthy. And as much as I do love those inventions, sometimes I wish they didn't exist. I get too caught up in the internet bubble and I needed a reality check.
Reason number 3: I wanted to see if I could actually stay away from social media.

I've managed to go 24 hours now without looking at any of my social media accounts (minus to post the links to this blog!! Agh damn, it's just too useful for some things). The apps are still non-existent on my phone. I'm going to keep it that way until at least Tuesday I've decided. From then on, I'm going to just check them a lot less, and set aside social media free days. I think it's hugely important to do that.

Back to my day... I set my alarm for 8:45 and actually got up then, I didn't lie in bed a second longer. For anyone who knows me at all, this is almost unheard of for me! But I did it. I got up, had a proper breakfast (never happens) washed my hair and sat down at my desk. Then I worked on my essay.

After an hour, I had a break in which I started my journal (another new years resolution). I'm really excited about starting and keeping a journal - a place where I can spill out absolutely anything and everything and document the little things in life.

I then went back to my essay for another hour before going on a huge food shop in Asda (I wouldn't have managed that without my dear friend Jake who helped me carry it all back to my flat!). Then I made bacon sandwiches for us both - I had mine with a huge bowl of salad and a few pringles. Then I put the food shopping away, washed up, cleaned the kitchen and did some more journaling. After a while, I finished my film script which is due in next week - that felt amazing to complete.

For dinner, the boys in my flat cooked the 3 of us some fajitas which were delicious, and I followed that up with a huge quarter of a watermelon. I actually ended up having 4 of my 5 a day today - salad, vegetables (in my fajita), watermelon and a whole tin of tinned pears. Eating my 5 a day isn't a resolution I've written down but having done it today, I feel so much healthier. In just one day. So I think I'm going to make an extra effort with that one.

I've just been Skyping my lovely Laurel (who's going to be sleeping in my bed at my home in Guernsey tomorrow whilst I'm not there - so weird!!) and it was great to have a catch up with her before her laptop died. Humph.

So that was my day, and I've made some changes that I wanted to make so that I can have a happier, healthier and more productive lifestyle: got up early, ate breakfast, ate my 5 a day, had 3 proper meals, started my journal, avoided social media, had a hot chocolate with almond milk (so much healthier than soya), worked really hard, and had some relaxing time. I also socialised with my flat mates a lot today, which is something I know I need to do more too.

Okay, it's only one day, but I've proved to myself that I can make those positive changes today - so there's no reason why I can't do it every day. I'm going to make sure I go to my big band rehearsal this week and maybe a yoga class if I have time. I'm going to be much kinder to myself from now on and distance myself from things and people that aren't good to me. My friend Jaymee highlighted in her end of year blog that we shouldn't wait until New Years Day to make changes, which I absolutely agree with, and I'll strive this year to make changes as and when they need making. But I also have to admit that having a new year feels refreshing and therefore is a good time to do what needs doing.

I'll leave you with a quote on this theme of making changes:

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today."