travel – Page 2 – Happily Ever After

Say Their Names!

Hey everyone today’s post is an extension of a previous post (I’ve put the link here). I’m sure you’re all aware of the Black Lives Matter campaign and the story of George Floyd that has made its way across the globe. George Floyd isn’t the only African – American person to have been killed unjustly. So today’s post is me paying my respects to these people, their families and all Black people. Say their names. It’s the least we can do. Pay your respects to these people who have lost their lives too soon. Stand with us in this ongoing battle for equality.

Eric Garner

Eric Garner passed away on the 17th of July 2014 after a New York City police officer put him in a chokehold whilst trying to arrest him.

Tamir Rice

On November 22nd 2014, 12 year old Tamir Rice was shot after a white police officer saw him holding a toy gun which he mistakenly thought was real, the police officer shot Tamir Rice almost immediately, failing to check whether the gun was real or not.

Mya Hall

In 2015 a black trans woman, Mya Hall (originally Ricky Hall) was killed by Baltimore Police.

Rumain Brisbon

Rumain Brisbon, 34, was shot twice in the torso after a white police officer claimed he felt threatened by Brisbon. As a result of the incident Rumain Brisbon lost his life.

Samuel DuBose

On the 19th of July an unarmed African – American man (Samuel DuBose) was shot and killed by police.

Akai Gurley

On the 20th of November 2014 in Brooklyn, New York City, Akai Gurley died after a NYC police officer shot him.

Nia Wilson

On the 22nd of July 2018 Nia Wilson was with her 2 sisters when a white man began attacking them with a knife. Later 18 year old Nia Wilson passed away from knife wounds to her throat.

Ezell Ford

On the 11th of August 2014 African – American man Ezell Ford died after being shot by Los Angeles police officers.

Michael Brown Jr

On the 9th of August 2014 Michael Brown Jr died after being shot 6 times by a police officer.

Stephon Clark

On the 18th of March 2018 Stephon Clark was in his grandmothers backyard when he was fatally shot by police.

Charleena Lyles

In 2017 a pregnant mother of 4 was fatally shot after ringing police officers to report a burglary at her apartment. The two police officers fired at her, the injuries resulting in the loss of her life. Police alleged she attempted to attack them when they arrived.

Walter Scott

On the 4th of April 2015 Walter Scott died at the hands of a white police officer.

Keith Scott

On September 20th 2016 Keith Scott was shot and killed by a police officer. The incident sparked peaceful Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S.

Sandra Bland

On the 13th of July 2015 Sandra Bland died, it is believed the cause of her death was suicide. Sandra was found dead in her jail cell 3 days after she was thrown in jail for a minor traffic-light offence.

Saheed Vassell

In 2019 Saheed Vassell was walking through New York carrying a pipe, which local police mistook for a gun. They shot him not realising exactly what he was carrying, he died as a result of the gun shot wound.

Say their names. These names are all real people. People who had families, people who had dreams, people who had lives, people who are no longer with us. Please don’t ignore the real world or think we can’t do anything, everyone is important and if we are to stop racism the message needs to be heard. Never underestimate what you can do. Everyone’s voice counts.

Thank you for reading today’s post. Today’s post was another serious post about real issues. I have done some research and tried to educate myself as best I can on the subject and I encourage you to do the same. Have a wonderful day and stay safe!

A Guide to Setting Goals

Hey y’all! Right now is the perfect time to be productive and get organised! I recently shared a post on things to do to keep productive and organised at the moment (I’ve put the link here!). So as an add on from that post, today’s post is all about setting goals. Full disclaimer this is how I set my goals and what has worked for me, but there are a lot of different ways to do it out there so if this isn’t helpful to you I encourage you to keep looking. Hope you enjoy this post.

Step 1

Step 1 is Brainstorm. Personally I love physically writing my goals and thoughts down. I highly recommend writing your goals down by hand as it helps get them out of your head. It could be as simple as getting a piece of paper and jot down anything that you want to achieve. However big or unspecific your goal is write it down. You may want to set a 5 minute timer just to create a sense of urgency, which often helps you focus your mind. Set a timeframe for your goals and write down all your thoughts on anything you want to achieve by that time. It is ideal that you write as many as possible from a range of aspects in your life. Remember a brainstorm is supposed to be vague. We will evaluate throughout the process. When brainstorming think about more words and phrases rather that sentences.

Step 2

Step 2 is building off step 1 and it is to break your goals down. Get into the more specific details of what it is you want. Don’t make them to specific though as we will break them down further again later. At this stage you mainly want to focus on breaking down your larger goal. For example if your general goal was to lose weight you could break it down to “By this time next year I want to have lost _____ amount of weight”. Be specific. “I want to have completed ____ kilometres/or miles of a marathon”. If you have a more specific goal it is easier to track and recognise once you’ve achieved it. When you have larger goals it sometimes feels like you will never finish, which can make you doubt if you have done enough and may make you want to give up on your goal or just forget about it in general.

Step 3

Step 3 is to ask yourself Why. Why do you want it? Whatever you’re goal is there must be a reason you want it. Do you want to run a marathon for the health benefits or for the self confidence and knowing that you can do it. Acknowledging why you want something helps to keep you motivated on your journey to achieving it.

Step 4

Step 4 is manifestation. Think about the minor details of what its going to look like once you’ve achieved that goal. Think about where you are when it happens,what you can see, hear and smell. Most of all allow yourself to think about the feeling once you have achieved that goal. Visualise it and allow yourself to dwell on it.

Step 5

Now that you know exactly what your goal is, it is time to start planning it. Back in Step 1 I mentioned keeping your thoughts short and sweet because we were going to evaluate them later. I also mentioned in step 2 not to be too specific because we were going to break them down even further. Well now is the time to do both of those things. Planning your goals is a really important step to achieving them. To start off with try to make smaller goals. Think about something that is reasonable for you at the given time. Baby steps. I’m going to go back to my example of a marathon. You aren’t going to be able to run 42km on your first try. Work your self up to it and over time you will get the results. Think about S.M.A.R.T goals. S.M.A.R.T goals is an acronym and it stands for; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely goals.

When planning your goals think of it like a flow chart. My first goal is to run 1k. My second goal is to run it in under 10 minutes. Keep giving yourself something to work on until you reach that ultimate goal.

Step 6

Step 6 is my favourite. It is to write it all down. But it doesn’t have to be boring. I personally am a very visual person and like to create vision boards. You can physically sit down, print out pictures and stick them onto cardboard or you may just create a Pinterest board. That doesn’t work for everyone though. You may write your goals down in your journal or on a piece of paper. Just get them down.

Step 7

Put them everywhere! If you keep a journal write them down in your journal every night. If you made a vision board hang it up behind your door or some place where you’ll see it. Did you write a list? Stick it on your fridge! If you’re constantly seeing your goals your more likely to remember them and keep motivated to achieve them.

Step 8

Step 8 is to keep track of them. Every month or so give yourself a check in. Where am I in relation to my end goal? What am I working on now? How far away is my goal? What have I achieved? When you religiously check in with yourself you’re also reminding yourself of the goals.

Thank you for reading! I hope this post was informative and helpful for you! Now is a great time to be working towards goals as we have some extra time on our hands. Hoping that you’re safe and well. – Sophie

Credit to: Jess Bailey @unsplash images

The Power Of Words

Hey everyone. I have noticed lately that the whole Black Lives Matter debate is slowly fading out and I would like to remind you that our job is not done. If we really cared about what’s happening to these people we wouldn’t stay quiet just because there are fewer people talking. I’m not sure if this is the case everywhere but I have certainly been hearing less and less about it. This is just a friendly reminder that injustice doesn’t cease after a couple months of protests.

Although that’s important, today’s post is not just about Racism but about all sorts of discrimination and how you can stand up to it. I know in such a big world it is easy to feel like you couldn’t possibly change anything, but you would be surprised at how much a few words can do.

I like to think that words are magical. Like magic when used appropriately words can be wondrous, but when used carelessly they can cause great harm. Never doubt the impact of your words.

A few words can break a person. A few words can start a war. A few words can heal a heart. A few words can spark a revolution. A few words can change the world. Never doubt the impact of your words.

I’m not just talking about what you say, but also about what you don’t. I’m talking about when you see someone else upset or alone… Maybe your witnessing bullying, racism or sexism, whatever it is if you choose to say nothing you have made an impact. Whether you like it or not. Ignoring someone who needs help or turning a blind eye to what happens in our world all has its impact.

I’m not telling anyone to start campaigning, maybe that’s not your thing, but you can talk to others about it. You can post on whatever platforms you have, you can donate money to a charity or sign a petition. You can go sit with the lonely kid at lunch. Please don’t underestimate what you can do. The power of your words is unimaginable. A smile could make someone’s day as much as a turn in the other direction could ruin it. Everybody has a choice.

I would like to go back to go the subject of staying quiet, because fewer people are talking. The way the media work is that they take a certain topic and amplify it to make a massive movement but as soon as it disappears from our screens we all seem to forget it ever happened. Do you remember the Me Too movement? Do you hear about that anymore? That’s because it’s no longer “in”. It’s no longer on the news. Your favourite celebrities stopped posting about it, so we all lost interest. There are definitely people who this doesn’t apply to. But I do think that for the majority of people that this is relatable. I’m definitely not innocent on this front either. I didn’t pay much attention to inequality and discrimination before BLM. But I definitely knew it was out there. I know a lot of people would probably relate to that, so please don’t go backwards. The battle is far from over.

“I may be a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
Abraham Lincoln

Thank you for reading this post. I hope it helped you. I know that this is something that needs to be talked about. I really do believe that every voice counts for something. Even if you just have a conversation about it. Everything helps. A group of charities and a couple hundred people may seem like a lot but really its not. There is power in numbers. Never doubt the impact you could have. I hope you think about what I’ve said. Have an amazing day!

Credit to : Jess Bailey @unsplash images

What is Feminism?

Hey every one today I am writing a post on a cause that is quite important to me. I haven’t talked about this on my blog before but feminism is something I am exceedingly passionate about. No I haven’t been treated unfairly. No, there isn’t any personal trauma behind the belief. I originally found something about it in a book. I did some extra research and figured considering I am female it would be pretty stupid not to want equality for myself and the billions of other women out there.

Before I start this post I would like to give you my definition of feminism. Feminism is wanting equal rights. Personally I know that being a feminist is often quite misunderstood. Saying that I’m a feminist doesn’t mean that I hate all men. It doesn’t mean I want all the power to the women. It means that I want equality. It doesn’t mean that men won’t have to give up some of their power, because they will. It doesn’t mean I’m not going to disagree with them sometimes, because I will. But this is all part of it. Feminism is believing that women and men are equals. That we should be treated the same. Whether that’s what we wear, the title we’re given, how we treat one another or how much we’re payed.

I know when I talk about feminism that a lot of people envision angry women parading up and down busy city streets with posters in arm. I know some people automatically think about discrimination against girls who want to play soldiers or wear shorts instead of skirts. Some people see women working alongside men in major corporate jobs. Yes that is all apart of it. But it is apart of a much bigger picture.

One thing that is often misinterpreted is that feminism is only about girls. It’s not. Feminism includes letting boys wear dresses or play with barbies. It includes getting rid of that stereotypes that has been set for us, that boys have to be manly and girls have to be girly. That boys can’t cry and girls have to be lady-like. I’m not saying you can’t be those things I’m saying you should have a choice. I know that some people say that we do have a choice, but really we don’t. It’s either we fit into this mould that the world has shaped or we face discrimination, bullying and a hardship because we are different. Feminism is about freedom and liberation. It’s about tearing down those moulds that society has set for us. Not just for women but for the human race as a whole.

The Oxford dictionary defines feminism as; “The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.”

In summary feminism is something that is quite often misunderstood. I felt it was important to correct some misunderstandings that people have about this particular topic.

I would like to thank you for reading this post. Wishing you a wonderful day!

Post Covid-19 Travel Bucketlist!

Hey y’all! Welcome back! During my spare time at home I’ve been reading a lot of other blogs. I can’t help but notice the trend of Post Covid-19 bucket lists. So I thought I would do my own spin on it and share with you all the different places I want to visit after this is all over. Before I continue I would just like to say I am very grateful to have been able to visit many other countries and this is by no means me complaining. I hope you enjoy this post!

U.S.A

Despite many other trips I have never been to the U.S, although I’d love to. In fact we were planning on possibly going next year but that won’t happen now so I can just add it to my list of places I want to visit after the pandemic. Although I would love to see all of the U.S I do have some places in particular that I would really love to go! For example California, New York, Alaska, Hawaii and Texas are all on the top of my list for different reasons and I would jump at the chance to see them!

Bora Bora

Another place on the top of my bucket list is Bora Bora. The beautiful French Polynesian island is located in the South Pacific, and practically screams stereotypical summer vacations. If you’ve never been to or heard of Bora Bora that pretty much sums it up. I would love to go there and relax on the beaches or dine on the huts above the water. Bora Bora is such a summery tropical place it just had to be on my list.

Caribbean

Another summery and tropical place I would love to visit is the Caribbean. For almost the same reasons I love the idea of a beautiful summer vacation filled with swimming, food and natural beauty. I also love the countries/places that still have culture and heritage to immerse yourself in. I would love to do a holiday that incorporated going to all the cultural and heritage sights as well as swimming and lounging around.

Bali

I know your probably sick of all these tropical destinations and are probably thinking that this girl has a island summer vacation problem. Honestly I probably do but looking at some of these amazing places I’m pretty sure I’m not alone! Looking at pictures I think Bali looks amazing! I would love to poke around local markets or go to visit the Monkey Forest (I’ve been told of their cheeky behaviours) I think it would make an unforgettable and enjoyable experience.

Spain

To be quite honest I’ve wanted to go to Spain for a little while now. I even tried to teach myself Spanish last year (I can vaguely remember a couple of phrases!) Nevertheless I’ve always been intrigued by the Spanish people and their culture. I would love to go to Spain and at the moment it is probably on top of my bucket list. Considering it my be a while since I get to go I might have to pick up my Spanish books again!

Argentina

The way I found out about Argentina was a little unusual. It was actually through a Netflix documentary about hockey great Luciana Aymar and the Argentinian team the lioness’ (side note great documentary highly recommend) anyways I instantly loved the architecture and people of the South American country. Maybe it’s because I’d get to use my Spanish? Not that I know much currently 😂! Anyways I’d love to go to Argentina and couldn’t resist adding it to this list.

Canada

I would love to go to Canada! A lot of my friends and family have gone to Canada and I’ve heard so many positive things about it! I also think It could produce some killer photos! Canada is known for its amazing wildlife and I honestly would go to see just that and Canada is also home of bacon and maple syrup so I think I have multiple reasons to visit! I also would love to wander the streets of Vancouver and see what I can find!

Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan and the tech centre of the world! I would love to wander the streets of Tokyo with amazing festivals and beautiful lights. Tokyo is a very modern city in a culturally rich and unique country. I’m pretty sure if I went to Tokyo I would definitely make an effort to go to more of the heritage sort of sights! I would love to go to Japan and experience some of the cultural things it has to offer as the Japanese traditions and temples are quite unique, amazing and easily as beautiful as the modern day cities.

Thanks for reading until the end I hope you enjoyed this post! There are so many amazing places in the world waiting to be discovered! This is just my personal bucket list of places I’d love to go. I must admit it was hard narrowing down on my list so it didn’t take you guys hours to read! I hope you enjoyed this post, have an awesome day and keep smiling!