How Can Gratitude Change Your Life?

It never occurred to me that we lived in a world where gratitude fell short. We constantly want more - never satisfied, and are continuously drunk on the idea of being the biggest and the best. 

Competitive by nature, dynamics haven’t changed since cavemen were fighting over campfires; replace the campfire for a desk in the swankiest office in London or anything that will bring more dollar dollar and there you have it – a generation set up for failure, and we don’t even know it. 

In all honesty, I, along with many other late teens or people transitioning into their 20’s, have fallen at the hands of this competition. It can seem so severe and overwhelming, that we deem ourselves failures before we’ve even tried. 

In my head, it was me who had been dealt the unlucky at life card; it was me who fell behind whilst everyone else succeeded; it was me who had no luck with relationships whilst everybody else were moving in or getting engaged to their other half. Basically, the universe was obviously against me, doing everything in its almighty power to make me unhappy. 

Along with that mentality comes a bout of anxiety, self-pity, and the glass undeniably, always, half empty. 

But what would happen if we look at that glass differently? What would happen if we looked and saw not just substance, but an ocean of opportunity, filled with reasons to be happy and grateful to have a glass of anything to begin with? It’s a glass to be filled with anything your heart desires. Cherish what is already there and see its potential to grow and fill right to the top, overflowing with everything you love: friends, family, passions, dreams, anything that will help you to grow and continue to blossom as an individual. 

A positive, educated mind that appreciates what is already there will always defeat a negative mind, easily alienated by greediness and ungratefulness. 

Gratitude is something anybody can welcome into their lives if they really want to, and incredible things happen when we embrace the life we’ve been blessed with; make friends with it instead of feeling at loggerheads all the time.  

Look at the small things intertwined into your daily life and feel grateful that they're yours. Your coffee in the morning (or herbal tea for me). Your friends and family - the people who make your smile so big it hurts your face. Feeling the sun on your face when you leave the comfort of your cosy bed, or the cold chill as you wrap up warm in a big wooly scarf. The overwhelming sense of achievement and confidence you feel after a productive gym session.

Always strive to be better. 

However, with gratitude at the core of our minds and actions, it can make all of our journeys or everyday routines much more enriching and positive. So, when the time does come to ‘compete’, we are already grateful for the opportunity - and even if things don’t turn out the way we intended, who cares? We already have a glass half full.

I no longer look back at bad things that have happened, or situations where I've considered myself to be the unlucky one. I'm grateful to have learnt valuable lessons that have shaped me into the person I am today. It's not that I was originally dealt a bad card in life, it's that I never saw the potential to take that experience and turn it into something positive. In fact, through tough times, I've come to cherish the people in my life who have stuck by me through thick and thin. I know what's important and I'll have the whole world at my feet after completing my final year of university.

Nature and the universe are always on your side. Show them gratitude and you'll be surprised by how full and vibrant your life really is - or has the potential to be.

LAURA 

Love Yourself Whilst Working For What You Want

Confidence, unfortunately, isn’t something we’re born with. It sometimes seems to be the most rare of human mentality in a society drunk on the image of Photo-shopped bodies, faces and unachievable expectations. Confidence isn’t just a daring outfit, or new hair colour that screams ‘look at me’, and sometimes it’s people with the boldest of image that suffer the most with confidence; it’s something that shines from within, radiating to the expression on our face, to our posture, our interactions with others, and our temperament. It affects everything, and although people wish to bottle it up and sell it like it’s something that can be achieved overnight, it’s within us all. We just have to take the journey to find it. 

I’ve been on every level on the confidence scale. From the highest to the lowest and sometimes there seems to be no in-between. It never seemed to be my forte, almost as if everybody has an attribute that they’re most accredited for; confidence was never mine.  For example, the class clown who doesn’t bat an eyelid when they disrupt the class – I’ve always admired their desire to be heard, no matter how much trouble they get into. The girl who always put her hand up, even if the answer was completely wrong, sometimes hilariously wrong – even though she gets a few sneers and laughs, I’ve always admired her persistence and determination to try and try again. I don’t know about you but I always think to myself: what attribute am I paired with? What am I most known for to my closest friends and family? 

Most of our actions are a product of inner-confidence, even though it’s not always a conscious decision; we all have it in us without realising it, it just has to be ignited and only you hold the match. Unfortunately it can take a lifetime to build, and seconds to destroy when letting other people and situations disrupt your calm, which is why confidence is something we have to try with, each and every day, whilst getting to the place we want to be in our lives and in ourselves. 

After events last year, I’ve become a firm believer of finding a love for yourself whilst working for what you want. It’s become less of a frustration of having an image of where I want to be but a warm acceptance of the process, welcoming change and learning to be patient with myself despite events that have tried to disrupt my own calm. Fitness is now my calm. 

When applied to health and fitness, it’s all about the process and mentality, finding the conviction to reassure that you’re doing just fine, and the results will come with persistence and a love and gratitude for yourself. Don’t just work for your dream body or health goals for your partner, or anyone you’re trying to impress in fact, do it for you and to create a better, more confident you; THAT is when you will see results. That’s when I saw results. Each gym session was a step closer to the body I’ve always wanted (it still is) and the confidence I’ve always seemed to struggle to find. With every gym session you are getting stronger, physically and mentally. With every healthy meal choice you make, you are nourishing your body with the goodness it needs to make the most of your existence on this planet. Being kind to ourselves during the process is the key to achieving our goals and leading a more self-loving, accomplished life. 

Negativity is within us too, and no it is not embedded into our brains from birth. Like confidence, it can build up as a product of our environment, people we choose to surround ourselves with and is consumed by a part of our brains that want to protect us from harm, as a result turning it into - what is perceived to be - negativity. Feeding into the inner critic after making the conscious decision to make constructive change to your life is completely pointless. It does nothing but create a negativity that dampens any form of energy put into bettering yourself, hence why many surrender on their journey of self-improvement and finding confidence. 

Don’t get me wrong, a bout of confidence and self-esteem issues still regularly comes knocking on my door, but I try and make the decision every day to turn it away, and as the weeks pass, it becomes an easier process, until you don’t even bother to check what’s at that door anymore. It’s about taking control, and making choices for you and only you, and this can start simply by your altering your environment, and the people you choose to spend your time with. 

Cleanse, your life of toxic negative people. Cleanse, your mind of negative thoughts that destroy your progress – keep your eyes on the goal, don’t ever take them off. Cleanse, or change your surroundings. And in turn your confidence will not only start to grow, but you will start to live your life at peace with yourself, building a positive relationship with yourself, whilst making decisions driven by your heart and soul. What could be better than tackling life headfirst with our heart and souls instead of our self-doubt and negativities? There would be no need for Photoshopped women on glossy magazines that’s for sure.

LAURA

A Few Words Of Advice: Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you’d told me a few years ago when I set up a beauty blog that I’d be writing about Arnold Schwarzenegger I would’ve laughed. I’d hardly put a seven-time Mr Olympia champion and makeup tips in the same sentence, but since I’ve put the majority of my beauty-focused writing behind me and entered the intimidating but very rewarding world of health and fitness, it has never been more appropriate. In fact, when I started my blog I didn’t even know how to pronounce Schwarzenegger without getting a funny look – he was just that “I’ll be back” guy.

Winning the Mr. Universe title at just aged 20 (c’mon now I’m 20 – oh jheez) as well as having the title of actor, producer, director, philanthropist, politician and many more titles under his belt, Arnold is quite the guy. But it isn’t just his body in the Pumping Iron days and notorious heavy Austrian accent that created the unstoppable icon that is Schwarzenegger: mentality is the key force.

It wasn’t until I got a bit lost on YouTube last night and came across his numerous motivational speeches that I thought, hey this Arnold guy has a little more to say than just how to ‘get big’. His words and advice spoke to me, and became more to me than just gym motivation, but life motivation.

According to the Fitness Industry Association, 12 per cent of January gym goers give up after 24 weeks. It’s no surprise when many people fail to partner mentality with physical strength. Why do we have to think about picking up a weight? Surely it’s just as mundane as cleaning our makeup brushes – girls, you’ll feel my pain. But it’s the mentality, the positive attitude, the thirst for success that pushes you that little big harder, that little bit heavier, and for that little bit longer. A positive mental attitude can unlock many things in life that you never thought could be yours. Arnold's six rules of success are something to read and remember, again and again – so simple, yet steps that anybody can apply to their daily lives to get closer to where they want to be.

1) Trust yourself Your biggest critic is yourself. Make every decision for yourself and with a goal set in mind because at the end of the day, any choices you make, you have to live with everyday, not anybody else. So trust your heart and mind endlessly.

2) Break some rules As Arnold says: break the rules, not the law. I really need to recite this in my own head because it’s very easy to stay in our comfort zones… but if we all did that, then there would be nobody breaking the mould, nobody excelling in anything, no icons like Arnold or public figures to look up to.

3) Don’t be afraid to fail Yet again, as Arnold says: how far can you really fall? The ground is just there. Turn failures into lessons or motivation. Failure isn’t measured by you not getting that job you always wanted or not getting the grade you wanted at uni, it’s measured by how well you come back fighting.

4) Ignore the naysayers This one normally sticks in my head the most because who the heck says the word ‘naysayers’, and in that robotic Austrian accent, how can I not remember it.

Block out the people who say you can’t. They are insignificant to your journey, and after all, how good will it feel to prove them wrong? Oh the sweet taste of success for you … and bitter taste of jealousy for them. 

5) Work like hell Don’t just think about it, do it. You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.

6)  Give something back Giving back and helping others is just as rewarding as doing something for ourselves. Treat others with love and care and it will come back to you. It’s the key to a happy heart and an army of supportive friends and family.

It’s strange to think how things can change when we tweak our mentalities, set a goal and keep our eyes on the prize, the destination in other words. This time last year I idolised Kim Kardashian for her killer contour technique or Kylie for her lips, now Arnold is up there for his unwavering drive to succeed. After all, on-point make up keeps us happy for a day, but a positive mentality unlocks a lifetime of happiness - and doesn’t smudge or flake off.

LAURA

Why Ditching The Treadmill For Weight Training Changes Everything.

For a long time I glued myself to the treadmill and cross trainer hoping the pounds would drop off, thinking it would ultimately be the answer to all my body hang ups. My dream body was only a million mile run away. You can probably tell from the way I’ve started this post; that most definitely was NOT the case. With a change of plan, and a little bit of knowledge, I managed to create a body that I’m not 100% happy with yet, but a body I’m proud of. Coaching others on the things I learn on my own fitness journey is something you can expect to see in the coming months! 

I’ve spoken to numerous women, and read many things online about women’s attitudes towards weight training and it all seems to be the same. It has been stigmatised that women who weight train are masculine. Bulging biceps, prominent veins, and ripped, cheese grater abs are the first things that pop to mind – of course, this image is just as badass, but the majority of women I have come across are looking to tone, not to compete. Don’t get me wrong, I also had this mentality for a long time, but if you take one thing from reading my blog post, let it be this… pick up those darn weights and reap the benefits almost straight away.

1) Empowerment

If you’re a superwoman and reading this whilst on the treadmill or doing any form of cardio: get off, right now and get yourself over to those weights. I can’t promise you instant success, but I can promise you something: empowerment. The surge of empowerment – or in gym terms ‘the pump’ - I feel when I pick up a dumbbell or feel the deep burn as I push my body to complete the last few reps, is intoxicating. You will feel strong, powerful, and unstoppable; it’s a good enough reason to swap the treadmill for the squat rack any day.

2) Sculpt curves

 Strength training can sculpt the curves you’ve always wanted. That seems hard to believe when it’s logical to up the cardio and lose weight: a common misconception. Sure, a more trim form and fat loss can be achieved through cardiovascular exercises, but muscle is also lost in the process – the kinda muscle that makes a beach bum and hourglass worthy waist!

It’s no longer a case of being born with a straight up and down shape, or a shape that’s considered too curvaceous; we can quite literally sculpt the body we want, and accentuate our assets with targeted weight training. It depends how bad you want it!

3) Burn calories whilst doing NOTHING.

Yes, I really mean it. It is possible to burn calories whilst sitting on your ass… BUT there’s a catch - after you’ve well and truly earned it in the gym that is. Our bodies are always burning calories, even at rest, simply to keep our heart pumping and to find the energy to fuel our intricate machines. This is called our resting metabolic rate.

The more we increase our muscle mass, the more our bodies use calories efficiently, therefore increasing that metabolic rate.

This means if you hit the weights harder you can burn off the cheeky cheesecake you consumed on your cheat day much quicker, simply by being a couch potato (nobody has to know)

People with speedy metabolic rates also benefit from younger looking skin, better moods, better immune systems and more energy!!

4) Everything fits better!

This ones pretty simple; muscle weighs more than fat. So, when it comes to building muscle and

toning, step off the scales and look in the mirror. Naturally, the body transforms when enduring strength training, internally and externally. But let the mirror and the fit of your clothes be the judge of progress, not a number on a set of scales.

This is what’s really benefited me since switching my mind set at the gym. Although I’ve lost weight from controlling my nutrition, my muscle mass has increased and I can feel the results when I try on the jeans that never used to fit. Getting them on is no longer a work out in itself, and I can breath without fear of the button popping off and doing damage.. oops. 

Although muscle mass goes up, and potentially the number on the scales, dress size will plummet – now that sounds like a good little deal there, doesn’t it!? 

5) Stressed? Happy lifting!

 Research has shown that women who regularly strength train manage stress much better than those who don’t. They also experience fewer adverse reactions to stressful situations. Now, I always liked the sound of this because I can be a bit of a self-confessed stress head. But now, any stress I have I obliterate at the gym. It motivates me, it drives me, and it keeps me going. It focuses my energy on the moment - the exercise - instead of the thing that’s stressing me out. I seem to come out of the gym feeling more… together, like I can conquer anything the universe has to throw at me (apart from shark infested waters, nope, no amount of gym can sort that one out).

Don’t put cardio completely in the doghouse, it has its many benefits too, but when we want to get toning, picking up those dumbbells will get us there much quicker. Feel strong, feel powerful, and get lifting ladies!!

LAURA