Friday 28 October 2016

Wellbeing: stepping out of your comfort zone

October 28, 2016 0 Comments

'Stepping out of your comfort zone' is probably a phrase you have heard many times and is probably one you will continue to hear. However, that is because it is such an important concept and one that you will find so beneficial to your life and wellbeing.

Stepping out of your comfort zone can mean different things for different people but in general it's all about doing something new and probably a little bit scary. I've always been the type of person who absolutely loves remaining in their little bubble of familiarity as it's much less daunting and much more predictable. However, by doing this I realised I was limiting myself to the bare minimum that I could get out of life and this wasn't a smart move.

Once I came to realise this, I began to make small changes and push myself to do more than I ever thought I could and from this I began achieving things that once seemed impossible. One of the biggest steps for me was when I began Uni 2 years ago. It was something I never imagined myself doing because it was like starting school all over again, yet now you were much older and making friends would take a little more bravery and force than it did when you were younger. Before it was as simple as out rightly asking the girl you were sharing play dough with if she wanted to be best friend. However, now it was more about finding something to talk about and then having to make it interesting enough to keep conversation going in hope of forming a friendship.

Starting uni was not only a huge step out of my comfort zone due to the friend's aspect of things it was also due to moving to a new city. It consisted of moving away from home for the first time, living independently and trying to figure out this new place and decide if I could actually call it my new home. It comes with many challenges along the way but one thing that will always remain, is how good I have felt for doing it.

Moving to a new city and moving away from home has provided me with confidence that I never thought was possible within my shy self. It has provided me with the ability to live without my family and appreciate missing them instead. It has also provided me with skills and knowledge on adult things that I previously had no clue about and most of all, it has been the best experience ever.

Stepping out of my comfort zone was absolutely terrifying but the rewards for doing it overpowered the fear by far. Moving away and going to uni are quite huge milestones but getting out of that familiarity bubble can consist of much minor things too. For example, this year I began volunteering for a charity called Student Minds. I remembered last year when I first applied and it took me about a week to actually hit send on my application due to my nerves for not only the interview but if I managed to get it.

However, now I am beyond happy that I decide to take that jump and just go for it because many months later I am now apart of the incredible charity and doing things I never thought I would. I have made so many amazing new friends, I have had the opportunity to be apart of my uni in a way I never was and it has also provided me with so many new skills. I have been running support sessions within my uni, giving me confidence to lead a group of people which is something I have never felt comfortable doing before. 

It has made me realise just how much confidence I do have now as when I sat in my training or sat in the first session I was facilitating, I didn't come across shy at all. Instead, I did it with confidence because this whole experience of stepping out of my comfort zone has made that possible.

The point of this post was not to ramble on about uni, even though I seem to have done that anyway, but it was to highlight how important taking certain scary steps can be. University has been the biggest thing for me in stepping out of my comfort zone however, for others it could be a range of different things. It's unique to every person. But what is the same, it the positive outcome and change it can have on a person. It allows you to experience new things you never thought you would. It allows you to meet new people that you probably would have never considered talking to before. Lastly, it opens your mind to the extensive amount of opportunities that are waiting for you out in the world.

I have made a promise to myself to practice this a lot more and to allow myself to experience life in a way I never did before. Back track a few years and I was a completely different person to the one I am now and I am so grateful for that. However, fast forward a few years and I will probably be a different person again and that isn't a bad thing. Instead, it is just me going out there and experiencing life in it's many different forms which in turn shapes my mind in an incredible way.

Stepping out of your comfort zone can be extremely scary but trust me, it's so worth it in the end!

Saturday 22 October 2016

University: My Room! (decoration inspiration)

October 22, 2016 0 Comments
So for my 3rd year I got to move into a new room with all new furniture and this naturally made decorating it so much more fun! 

I have a collection of photos below of the different areas of my room showing the ways in which I have made it feel more like home - however, with Christmas coming up, this is still a working process as it begins to look more festive in the coming weeks.


(I printed the quotes around the mirror off myself and the fairylights are from primark)


(this is my favourite spot! my duvet cover is from primark as are my cushions)


(fairylights, more fairylights and a cactus... what more could you possibly need to make a room look pretty?)


(a very empty looking notice board - but I have photos ready to fill it with)!