Once Upon A Time, I Had A Frigging Fantastic February!

It's not very often I can say that I have had a fabulous February. Usually my birthday month of May is the best one (obvs!) but even my birthday month is going to have to be pretty damn special to beat February 2019.

I've seen a boost in my confidence which I lost a while ago. I'm feeling happier and more content with myself, I feel like I can conquer the world again, like I wrote in this post a little while back.

I just want to focus on all the things that make me feel positive and distance myself away from all the negative things.

I'm a strong believer in positive mindsets, I want to keep in that mindset for the rest of 2019. Hopefully it can stay that way.

So yes, what have I been up to this month that has made me think that it's been frigging amazing?!

A  MINI  TRIP  TO  LIVERPOOL | 3RD - 5TH

I visited my happy place at the start of the month, this trip stood out for me in particular. I overcame some bad anxiety beforehand and made the trip up even though I wasn't feeling my best. As I walked along The Strand and Pier Head, I found myself beaming from ear to ear. The witnessing the picturesque skyline made my anxiety disappear within a flash.

From meeting friends over some banging food to shopping in town to completely slogging around in my hotel room eating prawn cocktail crisps and drinking rose, I'd say I had a pretty good weekend!

ANNUAL  REVIEW | 15TH

Ok, I know what you're all thinking - "Why the hell would a hospital appointment make it into your favourite moments in February?!" Well I'll tell ya, because it went so bloody well, that's why! Lung function was good, weight was good, the small cyst on my liver hasn't grown any bigger and I've miraculously grown a centimetre in height, how could I not be happy?



Annual review update - lung function down by 2% (2.61 today compared to before Xmas when it was 2.65)
Weight is around the same, ultrasound scan looks good, the doctors have taken every single sample they can think of from me and they gave me a free cooked dinner 😆 @CFAware

— Lucy Taylor (@LucyMaryTaylor) February 13, 2019

In between these two highlights, I had some bad news about my job, which I won't go into now as I want this post to be a happy one!

MY  SECOND  BLOGGING  EVENT | 24TH

I went to my second blogging/networking event in Cardiff with House 21 again. I so much enjoyed the last event that I was eager to come to the next one. From drinking tea and eating avocado on toast (how very bloggery!) to listening to some inspirational ladies give talks on how they have become so successful and are working towards their aspirations, it really inspired for the following week ahead. Meeting like-minded people really gives me the confidence to strive for what I really want in life. Hmm, I wonder when the next event is?

 

A  MORNING  AT  BBC  WALES | 25TH

Less than 24 hours after being in Cardiff, I was back in the capital city again going to BBC Wales to do a spot of filming for BBC Sesh. The video should be online within the next week or so. No, I am not going to tell you what I talked about! One thing I can say is that I hope I can help people who struggle with this certain problem. One of the highlights has got to be filming in the room where the Doctor Who props are kept. Yes, I couldn't resist having my photo taken with a Dalek and the Tardis. Literally had to fight the temptation to shout "EXTERMINATE" when I stood next to it.

So to the other months which lie ahead of me in 2019, you better step up and prove February wrong.

Let me know your favourite moments from February!

Lucy

Blog Reads of February

Posting this a little earlier than I normally would! But here are my favourite posts from February!

1) Why Blogging Awards Are A Welcome Tradition Within Our Network | Petite Ellie

I seriously loving reading this lovely girl's posts, they're so straight to the point and positive. This post that Ellie wrote about blogging awards had me nodding in agreement all the way through. This industry is still mocked and laughed at, even though the progression of the blogging/influencer industry has grown so much in recent years. Ellie is right, we should celebrate and recognise blogger's who work their butt off all year round to create amazing content, blogging awards are the ONE. The Blogosphere Awards are currently open for nominations, get voting for your favourite bloggers NOW. (Sorry for the shouty capitals)

 

 

2) Let's Talk About: Being Single on Valentine's Day | Abigail Talks About

I've been single on V-Day for years now, yep, quite depressing to say out loud. I love how Abigail has put her spin on being a singleton on the international day of love. There are so many perks that Abigail has listed here that I'm pretty much glad I stayed single on Valentines! From not forking out god knows how much money on gifts, to eating and wearing whatever I well please. My favourite has to be cuddling up with your fur babies, which is exactly what I did. I ended up with a porky black and white cat by the name of Charlie curled up on my nap. Bliss for me. Thank you Abigail for making singletons see that there are always perks to being single on V-Day!

 

 

3) How To Overcome Blogger's Block | The Sunday Mode

A must read for a blogger struggling with this. That feeling when you can't think of anything to write as a blogger is one of the worst feelings. I've suffered from it and it's not nice, you feel your creative mind has turned to mush and you feel like you can't get your creativity back. I love this post that Julia has written about to overcome that blogger's block. I'm glad I'm not the only one who writes in a passive voice! When I do a grammar check on my posts before publishing, that's one of the error's that always crops up. One suggestion that Julia has mentioned is listening to podcasts. Podcasts has become a new found love for me, I definitely will listen to them more when I get a case of blogger's block.

 

 



4) Something To Get You Inspired For Spring | From Roses

Ok, this post may only have two sentences, but these absolutely beautiful and aesthetically pleasing photo's of flowers are definitely worth the look. I've followed Rebecca for a long time now and her photography is just stunning and inspirational to say the least. I love Spring, a time of year for blossoming flowers, Easter eggs, rabbits, luscious green grass and two weeks off work for the Easter Holidays. Hmm, Spring is definitely one of my favourite parts of the year.

 

5) Love or Loneliness? | Hello October

I've written about being single recently on Valentine's Day. I've mouthed the words "I'm going to be alone forever LOL" plenty of times in the past. Usually when I'm feeling down or someone I know is getting engaged or getting a puppy with their partner. One thing that Suzie has written is that V-Day is just a day, it's no different to any other day with your partner. You can celebrate as many relationships as you bloody well have, but the one thing that struck a chord with me is the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself. Abso-bloody-lutely! And that's how it should be!

 

 

6) I Can't Be That Blogger Girl | Sinead Kathryn

I scroll through Instagram daily and I see all these bloggers posing in front of Peggy Porschen or outside a telephone box in London, it makes me realise that I cannot be that blogger girl, this is why I loved reading Sinead's post so much, I could completely relate to it. Like Sinead, I started blogging as a hobby, me barely knowing that I could make money from it. Also like Sinead, I compare my flatlay's and OOTD photos with other bloggers and I fully know that I can't even begin to imagine to take amazing photos like those bloggers do. However, I'm happy as I am right now, that's all that matters!

 

 

Let me know your favourite blog posts from this month below!

 

 

Lucy









How I Tripled My Monthly Unique Users On Pinterest

I love Pinterest, I get so much inspiration from it, as I’ve written in this post before. I’ve always gotten great use out of the app. Whether it's for blogging photo inspo or outfit ideas.

However, I’ve seen so many different bloggers ask about how best to capitalise on Pinterest and how to get the monthly unique users number to increase. I've seen so many bloggers say that they get the most traffic to their blog from Pinterest. I sit there with the most perplexed face staring at my phone screen, literally mouthing the words "What. The. F*ck?"


Recently, I've read this post about ways to master Pinterest by Vix so I'm going to treat her post like a Bible page to get my Pinterest up and running proper.


Let's get back to the title of this post, what I've found it's easier to increase your monthly unique users (you'll need a Pinterest business account to look at those stats). I have basically tripled mine through trial and error. My monthly unique users went down to 5,000 from 30,000 and I couldn’t understand why! I’d been pinning pictures, ok, maybe I had slacked quite a bit in the pinning department.

But a couple of weekends ago, I decided to organise my Pinterest boards, which were frankly in a bit of a mess. I didn’t like the fact that all my pictures and boards were in disarray. I’m a bit like Monica Gellar when it comes to organisation skills.


So after I deleted some boards which I looked at and thought “Why the hell did I save pins like this?!” They were pictures nobody was going to give a shit about so why keep them?


Then it was time to organise some boards into different sections. For example, all my dream rooms eg living rooms, kitchens etc got sent straight to a board called 'INTERIORS' , now all my dream kitchens, bathrooms and offices are stored all under one board.

A lot of people will read this and will turn their lazy mode on when they think of all the hard work and time this will take. I'll always be honest with you my lovelies, it doesn't take more than 5 MINUTES. I promise you, so turn off your lazy mode and get cracking!


I am in no way a Pinterest expert. I will never claim to be one, or claim to be an expert in anything for that matter. Maybe an expert in popping pills for my CF. I digressed then...ah yes, like I said, I'm no expert with Pinterest, more like a novice, but I've written this post based on my experience with the platform.

Let me know if you have any tips or advice about how to get the best out of Pinterest. You may be able to help others who read this post too (as well as me!)

 

 

 P.S - here's the link to my Pinterest

 

 

Lucy

Yes I'm Single - And Your Problem Is?

I've been single for a while now, I'm not ashamed to admit that. It's not like I'm going to cop off with the first man I see in the pub or meet every single man I like on Tinder (I don't have Tinder btw, not my cup of tea) the right man will come around eventually. I do believe in fate and that what is meant to be will happen. If it doesn't happen, it's not meant to be, a lesson which I have definitely learnt over the last couple of years.

T Shirt // New Look

However, I tell people that I'm not seeing anyone and they automatically give your this response -

"Ooh we'll have to set you up with someone!"

 

 

Yeah, probably they're weirdo friend who collects stamps as a hobby or their next door neighbour who owns a pet snake.

No I don't want to be set up thank you very much, I'd rather be alone than try and enforce a connection with someone who thinks he's got a chance of getting his leg over.

This is my point, I don't want to be set up with that weirdo friend or neighbour. Let me find my own man in my own time and way.

Some people (and I'm not including everyone in this statement) seem to have a problem if you're single in your mid-twenties. They think you should have about 3 kids, be married, have your own house and potter around the house with the Dyson. Well, not in that exact order, but you get what I mean. Yes, a few of my friends are already doing that, which makes me so happy because they deserve nothing but happiness. But I would never tell them before now that they should go out and meet someone and have lots of babies. That is kind of intrusive.

I'm a firm believer in letting nature take its course. When things happen, it'll happen because they're meant to happen. You can't force fate.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be single forever. I don't want to be the old lady who owns about 17 cats. I'll find the right man and it'll be better because I found and met him myself and not been set up to meet him.

 

If you're single, do you get hassled about it?

 

 

 

Lucy

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I Needed To Find My Confidence Again

I've just come back from a(nother) trip to Liverpool and as much as I thoroughly enjoyed meeting friends, strolling around and blowing my wages (oops), I travelled up for a little personal reason of my own - to gain my confidence back.


Near the end of last year, I kind of lost that little bit of 'oomph' , for want of a better word. I feel like my anxiety is creeping back into my life after I firmly slammed the door in it's face in 2016. I made a little pinky promise to myself that for 2019 all that was going to change.

I want to do a mini throwback to the 2nd February, pre Liverpool eve, I encountered something which I haven't had in a very long time - an anxiety episode. The morning started with me getting some news which would affect my plans in Liverpool, so that threw me in a spin, then trying to pack ready for the next day and also getting an upsetting email really wound me up into a state of upset, with some tears and panicky breathing thrown in for good measure. I literally found myself saying - "I don't want to go to Liverpool tomorrow". Also - "I can't do it, what if something bad happens?!" This WAS NOT like me in the slightest. Liverpool is my happy place, why the hell would I not want to go?! Anxiety is a powerful thing, sadly.  


Even before going to bed that night, I still didn't feel confident enough in going. But it's hella amazing how much a good nights sleep can change your frame of mind. The next morning, I felt eager to get my suitcase packed and I couldn't wait to book a taxi to the train station. 

Like I said at the beginning, I needed to go away to get that much needed confidence back that I have kind of lost over the last year or so.


I'm so happy that I fought back against my anxiety and braved the cold weather of the Royal Albert Dock and slogged out in my Premier Inn hotel room.

I never really talk about anxiety, I suffer from it terribly and because CF is the main focus in my life health-wise, anxiety comes a distant second to that. However, after two glasses of Echo Falls rose, I found myself pouring my heart out on my Instagram Stories talking about the day before where I was feeling so frantic and panicky. I'm not saying the alcohol influenced me to do that, but you know,  It felt very cathartic and therapeutic for me to do that, even though I haven't got thousands and upon thousands of Instagram followers.


Oh yes, I did have a lovely two days in Liverpool thank you! A much needed catch up with friends and a lengthy walk around my happy place really has made me feel fabulous and I feel I can conquer the world once again!




I look like I've given myself an emo haircut here

 

Lucy

 

Why Writing Less Posts Has Done Me Good

I made the decision to not stick to such an army style blogging schedule at the beginning of this year. I think near the end of 2018, I struggled with trying to keep up with things and I ended up being a little unhappy with how I was writing. I knew that needed to change in 2019.


I made a little pinky promise to myself, can you make pinky promises to yourself? Anyway, I said that I would never let myself feel unhappy about blogging again, so getting rid of the tight schedule I kept to for months was literally thrown out of the window.

We're in February now and I can honestly say that not keeping to a strict rota with the blog posts has done my writing and more importantly, my mental well-being the world of good.


I kind of feel more content, relaxed and mellow about my blog right now. I don't feel that pressure that I put myself under last year anymore.


My aim for this year in terms of blogging is to remember why I started in the first place - to write. To put my mark on the blogging world, to give my opinion on things I didn't usually discuss with my friends and family and to just fulfil my passion I've had since my primary school days. The days where writing pages and pages of random shit about dragons storming castles or writing Haiku poems about the seasons. Well, I'm not planning on introducing poetry or dragons to my blog, but you get my drift.

What I've found is that my blog views have increased with writing less posts. Ok, I know that doesn't make any sense, but hear me out. It means that my posts aren't getting snowed under and not being read properly by my audience. I was updating on a tri-weekly basis, which meant my posts weren't getting the best opportunity to be viewed, because literally a few days later, I was publishing a new post on my blog and that cycle started again.

I honestly prefer writing this way too, like I said, it's taking that pressure off me and I feel like I can relax more while I'm writing and posting. I can focus on writing more authentic, real posts rather than forced ones. Well, I never posted forced content last year, but you know what I mean.

Do you prefer writing lots or less?

Lucy