2020, where do I even begin...

2020, where do I even begin...

Well its been a while and a lot has happened to say the very least...

I started off this year with the most optimism I’ve ever had. A year I was going to absolutely smash and be a year I could look back on and be proud of. Safe to say we're in November and this definitely isn’t the case. I started it with the mind set to become the new healthier, slimmer and more confident me and it got to February and I was no where near my goal. Don’t get me wrong, I'd had the best time, I'd been on a holiday with one of my closest friends and met some of the most amazing people then COVID-19 struck.

I was a workaholic, work was my life and I was so damn proud to be where I was at the age I was. However, that all came to a standstill when the country went into national lockdown. This threw me right off my game. I had my career path set out and I was then unfortunately made redundant in August. I was lost. I had no direction and didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve always had a major fear of being lonely after going through a very bad time during my high school and college years. A time I never wanted to go back to, however the group of people who got me through this was my group of friends. They are honestly the best people to walk this planet. The messages, the FaceTime’s, the late night meet ups for coffee (2 meters apart in separate cars obviously) Alongside these I had the most amazing family supporting me in every way they could and backing my every move.

Now these ‘moves’ weren’t the best moves and its safe to say I definitely went off the rails. I spent more days drunk than sober, I spent money I definitely didn’t have and found myself going days without making time for my family. None the less losing every moral and life lesson I had always stood by. I had always been so confident with who I was and very proud when I said this, however this year has been a massive eye opener for me. I was lying to those around me, I was hurting those who had been there for me the most, I was making the wrong decisions and not even questioning it. I had lost myself completely. I had gone from being surrounded by the best work family, aspirations and goals to completely clueless.

Not many of you will know, and this might be one of the strangest ways to address things to my nearest and dearest but I actually fell in love with a woman. For someone who’s always been so confident in my sexuality and such an open minded person, this scared me. But what can I say, I like men and women.  My family & friends have never and will never judge anybody regardless of who they fall in love with, what they look like or what they believe in. The one thing they care about is that those people are good people and this is something I am forever grateful for. So for them to be so accepting of me is something I will appreciate until the day I die. Falling in love has made me make silly mistakes, hurt people I never wanted to hurt, tread on people while trying to get to the top & try to make too many people happy without thinking about myself. I’ve hurt those closest to me and lost friends I thought I’d die with. But, I’ve learnt a hell of a lot of lessons and I can only say they will make me a better person in the long run. By all means I’ll never be perfect but I am a good person with a big heart and these mistakes will only help me.

When I sit and say I wanted to be proud of myself this year, I’m actually writing this thinking to myself, no I am damn proud of myself and so should all of you reading this. We are going through a global pandemic and we are all still standing, smiling and giving it our everything. So you should all be proud of yourselves too. I have said multiple times 2020 has been the worst year of my life but it’s the one year I’ve also learnt so much about myself from.

I am starting a new job, I have applied and been offered an unconditional place at an amazing university next year, I have had the best memories and laughs but had the most heartbreak and tears. I’ve watched my sister become an amazing manager and strong minded young woman and watched one of my best friends give birth to the most beautiful little boy. I’ve sang and danced & I’ve lived and learnt…Yes I may have written my car off in an RTC and lost my little red baby but I’m alive, I’m healthy and I’m breathing.

As we enter another lockdown, please don’t feel like your alone. There are so many people that care about you and are there for you to speak to. Me being one of them. I am finally finding my feet again. I have a new career opportunity, I am starting to be happy on my own again and dependent on myself & I have and will say again, the bestest family behind me and some of the most amazing friends that I love with all of my heart. Every single person reading this will have had an impact on who I am today and I am forever grateful of you.

Please all of you keep believing in yourself. Never change who you are for anyone else, don’t get caught up in silly drama and gossip and never change your morals. Always listen to your gut and stand your ground. You can only be the best version of you and I believe in you, I really do.

Please all take care of yourselves and try and have the best Christmas possible to end this very questionable year. Look after yourselves and stay safe. My heart goes out to those who have lost someone to this horrible virus and those who have struggled but we have got this!

 

Lots of love

Meg.x 

The world is a weird place.

The world is a weird place.

It has a weird way of showing you things. 

It has a weird way of showing you that you should tell your loved ones you love them as much as possible.
It has a weird way of showing how love and respect work. 
It has a weird way of showing you that you are loved.
It has a weird way of teaching you lessons.
It has a weird way of making you a better individual.
It has a weird way of showing you hatred and pain. 
And it has a weird way of showing you that unfortunately most of these things you have to learn and understand by going through some pretty bad times. 

But, going through and tackling these things, no matter how bad they get, makes you into the person you are today. And for me, thats someone I'm so damn proud of. 

Ive never been great at speaking about my emotions or how I feel. Im a strong person. A really strong person. But i'm not just a person. Im a really strong friend, best friend, Sister, cousin, Daughter, Niece, Granddaughter & employee. 

Its taken me 20 years to realise this. However i'm now not afraid to say i'm struggling. 

Im really struggling. I don't like disappointing people, or letting people down, or not making time for people. I don't like crying in front of people because i'm there to pick people up, not to let them see me in this way. I have issues and struggles just like everybody else.  Some of these things people might look at as trifling, however some people have a fear of the dark and some don't. Think about that. I'm battling things that people don't know because I don't want them demons to define who I am & I promise to not let them win but sometimes, just sometimes, I hold my hands up to admit I am struggling. 

Sometimes the weight of the world just gets a bit too much. Which is why I chose to express my feelings and emotion in this way. Im not asking for sympathy, I'm not asking for for someone to drop everything for me. What I am asking for is to make sure whoever is reading this, no matter who you are, please check on the 'strong' people you know. Because they may not have found their release. They might just need a bit of support or someone to listen to them. 

Before its too late. 

Lots of love 

Megz x 


Please check out my pages above. It would mean the world. x

#selfcaresunday

Preach.

She's back.

Sooooo its been a while. Life, work and thoughts sort of took over but I'm in a good place so what better way to radiate positivity than with a new 'inspirational' blog post for you all to read and hopefully take a bit self care tips away with you.

Going through the year tackling work and social life, I've found its so important to have time out and take care of yourself.

Now self care can be in many different forms depending on your own personal preferences. It could be a gym session, it could be reading a book, reading articles or could simply be having a bath and in bed for 8pm. Unfortunately working in the hospitality industry this isn't always the case.

Sunday is the day for me to set up your goals and targets for the following week. Budget your finances, set in stone any plans with friends or loved ones throughout the week,running errands, completing tasks and even scheduling in an all important food shop.

Sunday is the day for me to wash my hair. Sounds really gross however washing my hair is literally the bane of my life! 1, it takes about 48367 hours to wash blow dry and straighten the frizz out of it. 2, its always so luggy and soooo irratting to brush and 3, to put it quite frankly, I cant be bothered.

Sunday is the day you fill your self up with a home made Sunday roast. Yorkshire puds, chicken, gravy all the veg and stuffing!!!!! Making my mouth water writing about it.

Sunday is the day for a whole lot of self loving and actual 'selfcare'. Face masks, hair masks, manicures, moisturizer, teeth whitening, whatever tickles your fancy.

My faves: Lush Butterball £2.95 | Law & Order SVU | The best hair mask | Skincare Go To | And all the best comfort foods.


In conclusion, remember to take care of yourself. Your physical and mental health should always be a priority. People may come and go but its important to look after who you are first.

Lots of Love

Megz x

P.S please check out my new page above 'Mother Meg' all is explained.

Happy Galentines Day

*disclaimer, okay this was meant to go live on valentines day, however the time ran away and its now going live today. Just use your imagination that its still valentines day. Also small weight loss update, ive lost 11lbs this week?!?!?! ahhhh how crazy. dont get me wrong, the gym has killed me off & its different not eating 24/7 but im so happy and cant wait to keep you all updated on further weight loss!*

Happy Valentines Day my loves. I hope you all, no matter what your doing feel the love today, tomorrow and forever onwards. This post is a 'Gal' appreciation post. or 'Woman appreciation' you might call it.

Yet again I'm spending valentines day alone. The bigger social media becomes, the more you sit and question if its ok to be alone on 14th February. Well here's your answer, yes it bloody is! When you're surrounded by amazing people, you don't think about it like that. I'm a very loving person. I literally love with all my heart. No matter if i've known you 2 minutes or 2 years. This has had its issues in the past but I always see the good in people and sometimes all people need is some love and appreciation. I know I sometimes do.

What better way than to show the main women in my life some love and appreciation than to do it on valentines day. In a society where woman empowerment is becoming stronger and stronger and some of the most successful people in life are women, heres my way of saying thank you to those who have impacted who I am today and made me the woman I am. Why sit and tear each other down, when we can build a force to be reckoned with. Who's with me?

My Mother- You've been thrown so many of life's curveballs and yet every time, you get back up, fighting till the end. You honestly are a mum in a million. I love your dry humour, your dedication to your career, the love you have for us all, the happiness you bring everyday, the care and support you give me every time you can see that i'm down, the many life lessons that you've learnt, the way you look at all my friends and treat them as your own and lastly for being the bestest, bestest friend I could ask for. I hope I become half the mum you are.

My Sister - Now if you'd of met me and my sister about 5 years ago, you would honestly believe that we hated each other. At one point I thought I did. But gradually over the years, we've both seen that actually, I probably love her with all my heart, more than i've loved anyone before. All I want is to protect her, even though she's only 16, she's been through things I could never imagine and fought them like its nothing, like its just part of everyday life & not once has she sat there and thought that its anything major. Your strength, positivity, self belief, ambition, love and care for others, funny-witt, fashion sense, style and your pure beauty has inspired me in so many ways. Im so proud to be your big sister.

My Friends - I have so many amazing girlfriends. From girls I've known from school 7 years ago, to some of the bestest friends who I only met last year. Before I ramble on, I love each and every one of them. They're all so unique in different ways. From the love they give, to the humour, to the support they give and how they pick me up when I fall. I simply couldn't do life without them. End of. Friends really do make the world go round. Please don't any of you change.

My Female Managers - Sounds weird but you completely take the women influencers who work with you everyday/every month/every year for granted. Ive worked with and alongside so many female bosses who I can only thank for getting me to where I am today. Don't get me wrong, I'm no where near how far I wish to be, but without them I wouldn't half be where I am now. From the first female supervisor who asked my big boss to promote me, to the female managers who have helped my work place over the years and taught me so many things about how to be a great leader, to the girls i've had the pleasure of working alongside(who are now some of my best friends) and finally, to my manager now. Your all amazing at what you do and I'm glad to have been alongside you at some point or working with you now to smash 2019!! We can do this! 💪

My Female Family Members - From Cousins, Aunties, Godmums and ladies who I class as family. I have grown and learnt so many things from you all throughout the years. Whether its how you deal with family issues or even how to drink a bottle of wine without a hangover the next morning, I thank you all for everything you've taught me. I hope you all realise the great impact you've had on my life.

Little Mix - Now these girls are a boss ass girl group!!!!! Ive never really took interest to any girlband or artist over the years however Ive never 'fangirled' as hard as I did when Perrie rang me on the phone over a live 'twitcam' in 2012. ( you can actually find it on youtube, however please don't embarrass me like that ) I love the message they all promote. From LGBT rights, to looking however you want, to being happy in the skin your in and being proud of your background and where you are from. These girls are the ultimate role models. And I hope in years to come, my children or the younger generation have girls to look up to like this. Plus, their singles are absolute BANGERS! Bring on London with my huns in November to watch them at the 02.

So there we have it. 'Happy Galentines Day' I hope this has made you realise how special the women in your life are. Make sure they know it.

Lots of Love

Megz x

2019 Here I come...

First of all, thank you for the love on my first post, i appreciate every single one of you. This post is so you can get to know more about me and my goals for 2019. I hope you enjoy ready and can join me for the ride. 

This topic is a sore subject for me. Something that I’ve really struggled with talking about growing up. I’ve always been a big girl, the tallest in my class, the one who looks 5 times older than she is, the one who gets starred at walking through college and the one who hides behind everyone in group photos. The list goes on. I’ve never really spoke about how that affected me mentally. It knocked my confidence and its only now that I’ve come to realize how it affected my mental health. Period. From 2014/2017 I was never in photos, id always hide. I never wanted the fear of someone seeing the photo and saying ‘ewww look at her’ or ‘seen the size of her’. I never went to parties at school, again because of photos & never feeling comfortable shopping for new clothes (maternity clothes can I just add) to wear that didn’t make me look 25 at the age of 16. I never went to school or college as my uniform didn’t fit me & I didn’t want the embarrassment of buying bigger sizes than I already was. When the girls used to get changed in the changing rooms, id hide in the toilets and sweat and struggle to change back into my uniform that was too small. One because it was embarrassing and two because I didn't want people seeing my size 14 body. (at the age of 15) Id have comments sniggered behind my back, people staring when trying to get/fit in a ride at a theme park, always the last in the PE fitness test because let’s face it, the fat girl couldn’t run. I hated the conversations about finding a boyfriend or who I was seeing because how could I sit there and explain that no-one is attracted to this. This was only ever my fault. I got too comfortable. I tried and tried fad diet after diet. I can remember not eating for 2 days and celebrating in my room that i'd made an achievement and I was finally going to be skinny. I can remember eating a mento, a mint mento, and thinking I’ve put 2 stone on. This happened for 3 years (that I can remember); along with other childhood traumas, I think I blocked the rest from my memory.

(2016 - 2018)

This is something I still struggle with day to day. I struggle making an effort when I feel so low. I struggle with the concept of moving and trying out new places because of the routine of fitting in somewhere and finding people who accept me for how I look.

The first way humans deal with emotion or trauma is to comfort eat and this is something I admit I do every time. I was never shown any other way. Im a closed book, I bottle things up for 6 months, then explode. Its how I do it every time. well now its time for a change. I'm ready for a change. I'm tired. Literally tired all the time. I'm sick of wearing the same clothes because no other ones fit me, I'm sick of having a wardrobe full of clothes that don't fit me. Its time for me to kick 2019 in the ass. 

Now I know to some people how this can look. ‘why don’t you just go on a diet’ why don’t you just lose weight’.  I know there are people who are way worse of than me and are fighting critical illness’ everyday but this is something so much more for me than going on a diet. After trying and trying so many times I don’t know how to anymore. I don’t know what’s healthy. I expect to see results over night and its not that easy. I think by not eating for a week I’ll have accomplished something but I’m so so wrong. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that by speaking more about it, I can come to terms with it. 2019 is my year, as I’ve said so many times. I want to end the year being a happy, HEALTHY, fighting fit, young woman with the most confidence. And I want you all to join me. Its going to take time for me find something that works for me and something that I can incorporate into my day to day routine working in the hospitality industry because that is hard! However, if you have any suggestions of what worked well for you, please throw them my way!

I’m going to make this my year of self care and love. Focusing on myself, making myself happy, cutting out the toxic people (as hard as I find this) and making the best out of myself. So please bare with me if I ever seem distant or stressed or ‘flappy’ This is going to be a shock to the system and something that I will need to adapt too. (trust me, no-one likes a girl when she’s hungry)

So there it is, one of the biggest goals for me broken down. Out there for everyone to read. If you have a similar goal, go get it girl! I know you can do it! I’m looking to restart the gym on Monday (I now cannot back out haha) and want to keep you all in the loop so keep your eyes peeled for me dying at the gym and any food plans or healthy meals I find works for me.

All my love  

Megz

What I learned in 2018

Well here she is, speaking in the third person, re-launching her blog again... What’s different this time you ask? Dedication, motivation, pride, and happiness. This makes me happy. I’ve never been good at speaking about how I feel or what I want to do so to write it all down is perfect for me.  I hope you enjoy reading and exploring it as much as I love writing it.

(sunset in liverpool, little sisters prom & huns day out in manchester)

2018 was a difficult one for me. Materialistically it should have been the best year. I got a promotion I’d longer for at work. I made friends that I now couldn’t live without. I reconnected with old friends. I brought a new car. I went on an amazing summer holiday. I travelled all over the UK. Met new amazing people. Laughed until I nearly wet myself. Became close with people I never imagined I would. I really broke down barriers that were hard for me to speak about many years ago. Made new memories and tried new things. However mentally it was the hardest year of my life. I literally hit rock bottom. But looking at my social media and speaking to my closest friends and family, you’d never have guessed it because of how I chose to portray myself as I was scared of the vulnerability. This scares me that someone could be at their lowest point however you’d never know. Always be kind to people. Everyone has a story you know nothing about.

(family holiday to cyprus 2018)

In 2018 I lost 2 people who I never imagined loosing. I lost my great nanny to dementia. And lost my first puppy Oscar who as weird as it sounds, you think will live forever. I’ve never known how to deal with grief or loss as its something I’ve never really had to deal with. I have in other ways dealt with loosing things, whether its friends or objects however when someone is taken away from you, that you know you wont see or speak to again, it hurts. And I cried like you don’t know what. That much that I think I could have cried myself a river. ‘Don’t get wrapped up in ‘life’ and being in the IT crowd’. Make time for those who matter the most. I wish I could speak to them one last time just to make sure they know how much I loved and valued their presence in my life. Family is so special. Treasure them until your dying day, tell them everyday how much you love them.

(became godmother to a beautiful baby girl, attended the christening & finally brought my own car)

11 things I learned throughout high school…

Friends will fade away but thats ok. - Throughout your years in education so far, you will have made new friends and lost old friends but thats perfectly normal. You will meet people who brighten your day and you find out who your true friends are. In high school, having things in common with people doesn’t really matter, its down to loyalty. Its who will be there for you when you need them the most that you cherish forever. A friendship also works two ways, if theres no effort on their behalf, accept that theres not really a friendship worth fighting for.

Everyone is battling their own battle. - The issues you may face at home or within your friendship group, I’m pretty sure very other individual faces too. Don’t judge a book before reading and be kind and understanding.

If you're a girl, basic essentials are key! - Even if you’re running late or have no organisation skills what so ever, essentials such as bobbles, kirby grips, a bottle of water, lip balm and ‘lady care’ are must haves for your school bag. The amount of times I’ve been desperate for a drink of water and didn’t have one handy is endless. Make sure you learn from this and don’t make my mistake. Its important to keep hydrated. :)

You can’t have it all. - You can’t be the most talented student, the funniest class clown, the brightest mind or the most attractive person. In the end it all comes down to face value. All that matters is your personality and how kind you are to others. 

Your parents do know best. - There has been many a time when I’ve gone against my mum and dads advice for me to then wish I had listened to them. They have lived in this world without you, however you haven’t lived without them. More often than not they would have experienced what your going through and may have some tips on how to deal with any issues or problems you’re having. Also they only want whats best for you, remember that.

Its ok to make mistakes. -  Not every move you make will be perfect. The best solution is to identify the mistake and learn from it. Everyday you grow more as an individual meaning mistakes are a necessary part of everyday life, but only you can decide how to overcome them.

Be a shepherd not a sheep. - Just because everyone is going out and getting drunk does not mean you have too. Chances are you’ll have just as much fun watching and interacting with the intoxicated than you would joining them. Also alcohol may not be your thing. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do.

Be the best version of you. - Because everybody else is taken. You are good enough, remember that! But also remember to love who you are. You can’t ask someone else to love you if you don’t have love for yourself. Do things that make you shine and make you happy and also surround yourself with the best people! This way you won’t go wrong. 

Have Fun. - High school is the time that your education becomes somewhat serious however don’t let this take away the fun and enjoyment that comes alongside it. These will possibly be some of the best years of your life. Its when you’ll meet new people and experience new things. Make sure you take a step back now and then to enjoy whats going on and treasure the memories forever.

Don’t look back with regret. Looking back now after my ‘high school experience’, there are many things which I wish I had of done differently or maybe took the opportunity to do. Rather than doing these I cared too much about what I looked like, or whether it was a cool thing to do or not. Please don’t let this hinder your chances of experiencing amazing things. Trust me you’ll regret it.

Your grades do not define you. - Last but not least, the grades you achieve for your GCSE’s do not determine the rest of your life. (Something I learned a couple of months back) Lets say I didn't achieve the grades I thought I would and had longed for. However college found something for me! Im now studying Business which was still available for me even though I didn’t get what I thought I needed. So the future is bright no matter what path you chose to take! As my Mum says “Your best is good enough” 

(we heart it)

These ‘lessons’ are just somethings I learned throughout high school. I hope some of you can learn from them or maybe pick up some tips to make your experience that bit better.

Thanks for reading

Meg x