25 Things I've learnt before 25!

On Monday (June 3rd) I had the best day of turning 25. That's quarter of a century old, I can't quite believe it. Makes me wonder how fast life is going but I've learnt so much over my 25 years on this planet so I'm joining the bandwagon and sharing what I've been lucky enough to learn. 

1. Love Yourself. Comparing yourself to other people isn't worth it. Learn to love your flaws and know they don't make you a shitty person. Embrace your body; your love handles, your belly, your pancake botty or even your uneven boobies. Nobody really cares at the end of the day so love what makes you, you.

2. Work isn't and shouldn't be your first priority. I've learnt when to take time off and say no to work. Don't to make it all about work. You miss out on so much working 24/7 for people who don't even care about you. If no one is willing to put you as a priority within your job, don't do it either.

3. Mums are ALWAYS right. If my mum is reading this she will be like "hell yeah I am" lol, no matter what, always listen to your mum whether its about friendships, relationships or life in general. She's never wrong.

4. Friendships come and go. Probably learnt more over the last year and the true meaning behind the word 'friend'. I've accepted that it's better to have a few true friends that support and love you than having fake ones who don't give a crap about you.

5. It's okay to ask for help. No matter how little, don't be ashamed to ask for help. Whether it's to put a washing line up or it's because you need someone to talk to. At some point in life, we've all been in that same boat.

6. Not everyone will like you & that's absolutely fine. I'm often surrounded by people who don't like me every single day, who act fake as the next to my face and if we're being honest... I really don't care who likes me or not anymore as it's not my problem :) 

7. Know your worth. Don't stand for anything less to what you want/don't want. I'm still learning and implementing this into my life and I'm happy to finally be practising what I preach. 

8. Prioritise your health. Never take it for granted, look after yourself. You only have one life.

9. There is no timeline for your life. If you're not where you want to be right now, that's fine! You will get to where you need to be in your own time. Forget what everyone else is doing and focus on yourself.

10. It's okay to walk away from toxic people/ situations. Whether it's a boy or girl you love, friends who you think you can't live without or a job that sucks the life out of you. IF IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU HAPPY, WALK AWAY. 

11. Live in the moment. See life away from the screens, it's better that way and doesn't hurt your neck as much.

12. You can't please everyone. Don't waste your time trying to please others, it's an endless game of Tom and Jerry but less cute.

13. Social Media is a highlight reel, not real life. Don't get caught up in it, not everything is as it seems nor is everything 'behind the scenes' revealed. 

14. Binge watching Greys Anatomy is a must. It will honestly change you and show emotions you didn't even know you had. Not even kidding.

15. Therapy isn't a bad thing. Speaking about how you feel to a complete stranger shouldn't be frowned upon. If anything it will help you become a better version of yourself and you see yourself/your struggles through a stranger's eyes. 

16. Not everyone wants you to fail. Can't stress this enough. There are many supportive people in the world who want you to win in life. There's more wanting you to achieve your goals than fail them, so aim high and you will get there.

17. Always listen to your gut feeling. It's never wrong. If you feel uneasy about something, someplace or someone, don't ignore it. It's probably protecting you more than you think. 

18. Everybody you meet knows something you don't. The best people to be around are those who you can chat to for hours and who have some epic stories to tell. 

19. Finding who you are isn't a bad thing. Whether you break from a relationship/friendship or decide to have a spa weekend for one, finding yourself isn't a bad thing. Learn about yourself as it's so exciting and insightful. 

20. Appreciate the little things. Appreciate the roof over your head, how lucky you are to still be breathing, how you can still tell someone you love them because life is too short. We never know when our last day will be.

21. Be the person you want to attract. I've always thought I attracted arseholes because at one point in my life I was one. What you put into the universe, you get back. Why not reinforce it into the people you want around you? :) 

22. The best memories don't have to involve alcohol. Since leaving university, I've realised how crap drinking made me feel for days after, how I couldn't really remember things and how it triggered my anxiety, recently this happened and it just made me wake up. You can still enjoy life sober and to be honest, from personal experience, you create the best memories <3 

23. You'll get broody for either a dog/cat or a baby at some point in your early 20s. Fact. 

24. Not everything you lose is a loss. Everything happens for a reason, right? 

25. Smiling makes the world a happy place. Smiling at strangers is the best feeling, you can see how much it makes their day. Especially with the elder folk, it's probably the only interaction they get once a day, so smile at people :) 

So there you have it! What have you learnt in life so far?

Thanks for reading!

Find me here: 

Instagram: @jaydeekelly 

Twitter: @crashl0nelystar

Goodbye 2018 | Thank you.

2018, well... What a year you've been. I've definitely had some wonderful moments with some great people. I've too, have had a wild ride down to the worst of what life has to offer too. But in the end, it's how you rise and stand your ground, right?

It's most definitely been a rollercoaster of a year and here's why; 

• I got to see 3 INSANE concerts; Speaking in Shadows, Taylor Swift & You Me At Six, three of the most amazing nights of my life! 

• Passed my driving test, although my confidence is a bit shaken from an incident on the motorway, I'm determined to get on the road in 2019!

• I turned 24... now I'm halfway to being 25 and still getting ID'd for energy drinks and paracetamol haha! It's funny because everyone has a shocked reaction realising my age... :-)

• My mental health got really bad to the point I lost myself. Now in therapy, I'm discovering who I am again and couldn't be more thankful to be here. It gets better, it really does. 

• October took a turn for the worst when I was rushed into hospital because of an ovarian cyst rupture causing me to have surgery and two weeks off work... hardest time of 2018 but very very thankful for it. 

• Despite a difficult year trying to learn how to live together, I and my partner had our second Christmas together in our first home. Not only that but got to spend our time with family too, which was very very much needed!

I'm thankful for you 2018, you've not been all that bad but that's life. I could keep going as this year has brought plenty of smiles and tears, ups and downs but overall, I am glad to be here, to see in another New year. So let's make it a good one.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND ALL THE BEST FOR 2019 

- Jaydee xo 

New Year, New Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Wow, that's Christmas put to bed for another year, Welcome 2018! Well and truly baffled at how quick time is just slipping away. Oh well. Another year full of goals, memories, journeys, and happiness. So exciting to say the least, I wanted to share some of my resolutions. I did one last year and I shocked myself with how much I achieved.

• Be more positive - Getting inside your own head is not a nice feeling. I struggle to stay positive with simple situations so achieving this resolution is #1 on my list.

• Get Professional Help For My Mental Health - Don't want to go too much into this topic as it's quite tender and fresh cut at the moment, but at some point, I want to seek professional help when it comes to my mental health. More so, for strategies to learn whenever I feel anxious, depressed or not myself. 

• Set More Goals - This is something I say will happen but never does. I am my own worst enemy at times which sometimes holds me back. I want to achieve more goals that I set and do more exciting, new and spontaneous things throughout 2018. 

• Say Yes More - Being too scared to say yes to more things soon catches up with you. 2017 I didn't take risks to say yes, I said no instead. For 2018, I want that to change to be able to go for a night out, or on a coffee morning with the girls, shopping and not feeling guilty, spending time with family/friends and taking more opportunities by the hands and just do big things.

• Find myself - Sometime's I don't even know who I am, or what I'm here for. Throughout this year I want to find that sense of security of knowing who I am and what my purpose is. Here's to the crazy adventure! 

Those are my resolutions for this year, nice and simple. When I first wrote it, it appeared I had more things I wanted to achieve to say I've done rather than develop on the things nobody talks about. Well, that's going to change. Stay tuned. 

Thanks for reading!

Find me here: 

Instagram: @jaydeekelly 

Twitter: @crashl0nelystar 

xo

September Favourites | 2017

Photo credit: myself. Edited on: befunky.com

September was a crazy busy month. I had no time to sit down and blog, which is honestly quite upsetting as I love writing. When it hits you that you abandon what you love, it's like a brick being thrown at you. Quite shattering. But anyways, I have a few very random favourites to share so here goes; 

Simple wipes & Vaseline Lip balm: I must've used these religiously since being in hospital mid-September as I couldn't bathe properly after my surgery so using wet wipes and creams helped keep my skin from looking dry and flaky.  

Vaseline cocoa butter became my best friend in recovery. Even more so when I was rushed into hospital during my recovery (I will do a separate post on this)

Dove Shampoo and Conditioner: Having long hair is great until you need to wash it and keep on top of the natural colouring coming back through. Usually, if I use a shampoo and conditioner for ages it will make my hair so dry and it feels horrible. Since using Dove for my hair as a trial, my hair has felt amazing. 

Photo credit: myself.

Favourite Youtube Channels: Recently I have been loving fitness channels. I want to get back into training in a gym as the last time I did, the only thing I benefited from it was a stronger body... I did lose weight but I gained it back. Ever since it's been up and down and watching these ladies have inspired me to track my journey. 

Meganfitmusic & Busybeecarys

Photos belong to @Megannfitmusic (left) & @Busybeecarys (right)

The Walking Dead: What can I say... my boyfriend is obsessed and has been trying to get me to watch this for the 7 months we've been together. Safe to say, I caved. Never thought I'd get so into a zombie apocalypse television show, but it happened. No regrets. It's so addictive, so well written and the plot/twists just leave my jaw dropping. It is quite gory but it's hard not to press "next episode" when one finishes. I'd highly recommend anyone who is wanting a new television show, to give this a whirl. You won't regret it!

Photo belongs to google.com

Sheffield United vs Sheffield Wednesday - Football madness: Things you do for love... haha! I like to keep my other half happy, even if that means getting involved watching his favourite team play. During my recovery from my operation, we put the football on and more or less consisted of me screaming at the television. Not only did we have pizza, cuddles and quality time, but it was one of my favourite things to be involved in something my boyfriend is so passionate for. Was definitely one of my all-time favourite moments. 

Photo credit: myself

Fostering kittens: An opportunity came along at beginning of September. I fostered three kittens and their momma that had been abandoned. I do home-care for my job and came across these beautiful babies at a clients house who unfortunately is quite unwell. I and another carer, who is one of my closest friends, decided to act on the fact these kittens needed a temporary home until a shelter could take them. So that's exactly what we did, we took the kittens and their momma to my home and brought them back to health. The momma cat wouldn't stay in but she would always come back to check on her babies, it was adorable. I ended up naming them all, we decided to call momma cat Lola as it suited her personality well. The kittens were named; Milo, Max, and Harvey. I fell in love, it's no secret. It was devastating giving them to the shelter, but knowing they are all being rehomed makes me happy. 

Fostering an animal is such a rewarding experience. You receive unlimited cuddles & get to take photos, see below... Super cute. But knowing you're helping an animal is the best feeling in the world. I'd recommend fostering any type of animal as there is plenty that needs loving homes! Unfortunately, due to being in a shared housing property, animals aren't allowed although my landlord was pretty cool about having them stay a while. Everything happens for a reason right? Genuinely feel grateful for this experience.

Photo credit: myself

All the bright places, By Jennifer Niven: After the madness of kittens was over and done with, I had to go in for surgery. I will most likely do a separate post on this as it was definitely a wild ride. However, in the process of my recovery, being bed bound was proven difficult as I'm quite the active person and wanted to go anywhere and everywhere. Somehow, my boyfriend managed to make me rest & discovered a new book which is literally the best read, especially when you get lost in the plot... so engaging. Sometimes it's a struggle to focus on a book, or I put it down and don't finish it for ages. Won't lie, this has happened more over the last couple of years/months, terrible habit for sure. The book is called "All the bright places". Not yet finished it but it's made me realise a lot about mental health and how much I actually relate to it. I'll hopefully do a post on this too when I've read it all, definitely worth a read.

Thanks for reading!

Find me here: 

Instagram: @jaydeekelly 

Twitter: @crashl0nelystar 

xo