As much as I try to keep my blog all positive and rosy, unfortunately, life just isn't always perfect and imperfections, such as jealousy, creep their way into everyday life. I also realise this is a slight departure from my usual type of post, but I've had a encounter with this recently and thought I'd share my tips on how to identify jealousy and how to deal with it, based on my experiences.

Who? Where?

Jealousy is a simple fact of human nature. Everyone is guilty of having the green eyed monster creep up within inside them, and everyone has aspects of their lives that others are jealous of. Jealousy happens everywhere, the workplace, at home, within friendship groups. It does not matter who you are or where you are, at some point in your life, this nasty and unattractive facet, will affect you at some stage.

How?

Identifying jealousy can be tricky, as often it is masked under a fake friendship. Things that should be setting off alarm bells could include the following:

Being caught in a game of one-upmanship

Everyone's guilty of trying to outdo one of their friends, it's kind of natural. Buuuuut, when your 'friend' is continually trying to beat you, it can be demoralising and highlights jealousy.

Copying you

Continually being made to look stupid

I know that's obvious, but when someone's continually raining on your parade and deliberately making you look stupid in front of others, this highlights jealousy.

Sabotaging your goals

I think this one speaks for itself. If you have a friend constantly sabotaging you... PUT THEM IN THE BIN RIGHT THIS INSTANT.

Talking about you behind your back

Another self explanatory one- if s/he's a bitch, you need to say 'Bye Bitch'.

Relishing in your failures

Everybody has ugly photos taken of them, but when your supposed friend is sending all of your #uglies round social media when you've expressed your feelings towards the photo is just not on. They are relishing in the fact you don't look your best and this just highlights jealousy.

Isolating you from other friends

Self-explanatory. It's your right to be able to speak to whomever you damn well want (I mean, provided they want to speak to you too, don't go forcing your messages on some poor unsuspecting person ahahah). If your friend is stopping you from speaking to who you want to speak to, byeeeeee gal/guy!

How to Deal With It

I think, firstly, it's important not to take jealousy to heart. The root of jealousy, is something to do with the other person and the insecurities they have within themselves. No matter how hard you try to alleviate their insecurities- that's not on you. It's something they need to deal with by themselves.

I would then secondly, try and rise above it. Yes yes yes, I hear you. It's easier said then done, and trust me, don't I know those feels. Rising to it can often leave you on their level.

If you have to escalate it, like I had to, try to get to the root of it with the person and then work on a resolution together. Try not to be accusatory and broach the subject in a very nudge-nudge kind of way.

I also personally made time for myself, did things for me because I wanted to and also talked about the situation with my friends (shout out to Mollie, Tanya and Emma!). Bottling things up is never good, and it was honestly so good to be able to speak to the girls about it (especially as they were an impartial third party!).

I turned the big 2-5 in May. Meaning, I'm that much closer to 30... Eeeeeeek (super scary!). I've decided that I'm going to make the year of me being 25, my year. Well, at least attempt to. Honestly, I still remember school as if it was yesterday and it's absolutely mad to think that I finished school 7 years ago and graduated from doing my undergraduate degree 4 years ago! WHERE HAS TIME GONE?! Like seriously, chill out time, thanks!

I've come up with a list of 25 goals/ things that I want to do before I turn 26 and I thought I'd share them!

1. Finish my Marketing Masters and Graduate

2. Hit my target weight (which I'm not too far off!)

3. Watch the top 10 films on IMDB

4. Read 5 classic novels

5. Find a job in a social media role to utilise my masters

6. Attend a blog event

7. Arrange another holiday with my friends

8. Secure a pay rise

9. Finish paying off my car and credit card

10. Begin re-saving for house deposit

11. Continue to blog once a week

12.  Move to London/ Bristol/ Bath (delete as applicable)

13. Do something out of my comfort zone

14. Go to Iceland and see the Northern Lights

15. Get Botox

16. Run a 5k in a respectable time

17. Eat at a Michelin Starred restaurant (different to the one I've already been to and reviewed!)

18. Throw a dinner party/ do a come dine with me type affair

19. Make a trip abroad... by myself

20. Visit more beautiful places within the UK

21. Go and watch a 6 Nations Rugby Match

22. Take a full 24 hour social media break once a month

23. Stay in a nice hotel (Thanks to Tanya (aka. GlamGlitzGloss)- this has been achieved! We definitely didn't turn the sink into a fridge for our prosecco!)

24. Collaborate more with other bloggers/ companies

25. Do things that make me happy, just because I can!

Having spent all of my summer and Christmas holidays in South Korea, whilst I was growing up, and taking holidays to far far far away destinations, I have quickly become accustomed to taking long-haul flights. They're time consuming, boring, and you kind of just will it to be done quickly but 10 hours later and once you've landed you're free to explore and experience a different country and immerse yourself in the culture. As the summer season starts and people start jetting off to exotic countries, I thought I'd share my top tips for surviving a long haul flight.


1. REMEMBER YOUR HEADPHONES!

This is the single most important thing to remember on a flight (bar your passport, obvs!). Yes yes, I hear you saying the airline provide you with some crappy excuse for headphones- but they're uncomfortable, scratchy and have incredibly poor sound quality. Earphones enable you to be able to listen to and watch the vastly-improved entertainment system, listen to that banging Spotify playlist you made and downloaded pre-flight and also block out the inevitable screaming child in the row in front of you.. a literal godsend. Forget them at your own peril!

2. Pack snacks

Being the ultimate fatty that I am, snacks are essential for any trip I take. Long haul flights are certainly no exception. Especially with plane food not being the most appetising. I mean, if you're travelling Virgin Upper Class, fair play, you go for that fillet steak! But for the majority of us, British Airways (if that) Economy is where it's at. I tend to buy a sandwich, a couple of snacks such as crisps, fruit etc and then attempt to ration my supplies through the flight (in reality, six hours in and they're all gone!). However, at least there's normal ground food should you decide the chicken or beef isn't for you.


3. Arrive to the airport with heaps of time to spare

I know this goes without saying, as you're supposed to arrive at the airport two hours before you fly internationally, however, I personally like to chill and have a nice meal at one of the airport restaurants (and a cocktail or two hehehe) pre-flight. I figure, if you're chilled and not running about stressed- you're more likely to have a nice relaxing journey and also less likely to be bothered about queuing for 100 years (or what feels like it!) to get through security.

4. Wear layers of comfortable clothing

This one is kind of a no-brainer. You're going to be sat in a tin can full of recycled air (although, slightly more high tech than my brief description!) for X amount of hours in an undoubtedly uncomfy seat (again, unless you're not in cattle class with the masses). I tend to wear loose clothing (aka. leggings and a hoodie) which I can layer up or down according to the ever changing temperature within the aircraft.


5. Get your water in

If like me, you're partial to a pre-flight cocktail- water is essential. I mean, even if you aren't partial to a cheeky cocktail- flying is incredibly dehydrating and can make you feel and look tired a f. Make sure to drink your water as not only will it help you to avoid those horrendous dehydration induced headaches, it can also help to combat jetlag once your arrive at your destination.

With the weather getting warmer, now is the perfect time to book your girls holiday- which is why I’ve teamed up with Last Night Of Freedom to round up the top five destinations for a girls’ holiday.

1. Newcastle

Constantly topping our top destinations list, our Geordie hometown is a must visit for any girls’ weekend. Once you’ve been, we can guarantee you’ll be back. Overflowing with huge variety of illustrious nightlife districts, including the Bigg Market, Geordie Shore’s Diamond Strip and the classy, upmarket Grey Street – you’ll be spoilt for choice with places to party. Plus, with iconic tourist hotspots such as The Tyne Bridge, Millennium Bridge and the glistening quayside, St James Park, and the world-renowned Angel of the North – there’s plenty of sightseeing to be done between all that partying. It’s also a commonly known fact that the further north you travel, the cheaper everything gets – so, southerners, prepare to be impressed.

2. Barcelona

One of the most popular locations for a city break from the UK, Barcelona offers a brilliant mixture of culture and entertainment unlike any other European city. The cosy cocktail bars and underground clubs nestled amongst the tall alleys of the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) offer a great atmosphere for groups. Down on the Port Olimpic promenade, huge venues like Shoko and Opium are upmarket restaurants through the day and high-end nightclubs through the night. During the day, when you’re not engaging in retail therapy or exploring the local landmarks, Barcelona’s beautiful stretches of criminally underrated beach are perfect for sipping a mojito and dipping your toes in the Med.

3. Dublin

The decadent Southern Irish capital ticks all the boxes for an indulgent girls’ weekend. The Jervis Shopping centre and surrounding streets are definitely a spot for a retail therapy lover, where the quaint, cobbled streets of the Temple Bar, with its multi-coloured bars and live music aplenty, boast a unique drinking experience suitable for every group. There’s even the Guinness Storehouse, where you can while away a boozy day in the capital, before hitting the bars later on.

4. Valencia

With beautiful beaches and a picturesque port, the sheer splendour of Valencia makes it an easy selection for this list. Valencia’s growing reputation as a pulsating party city is thoroughly deserved. Amongst the opulent historical buildings and monuments - such as the 13th century cathedral - a large provision of bars, restaurants, salsa and flamenco venues and nightclubs are filled with young, olive-skinned locals and enthusiastic foreign visitors. With great sailing trips available, the city allegedly being the home of the best paella on the planet, and boasting an ultra-reliable Mediterranean climate, Valencia is definitely up there with destinations to tick off your list for any girls’ trip.

5. Marbella

Upmarket, luxurious and glamorous, Marbella has always been popular for girls’ weekend away. The classic Costa del Sol haunt has the scorching sun, gorgeous beaches and Champagne spray pool parties aplenty – it’s no surprise it’s a classic for a girls’ weekend. Plus, Sean Connery used to live here, meaning you can officially call yourself a Bond Girl when partying here. It’s a no brainer, really.