My Most Popular Posts Of 2018!

Dec 18, 2018Leave a comment

I don’t know about you but I find my analytics absolutely fascinating. Stats might not be everything but year after year I love to see what my readers have been getting up to on my site. So, I thought, why not make a post out of it?

I’ll always write what I want to write but, at the same time, my blog – and the opportunities I get from it is down to my wonderful readers. On that note I’m going to stop babbling and let you actually read!

Number 10: Fibromyalgia And Me

I’m really pleased this post made my top 10, because it was one I was very nervous about posting. I only got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia earlier this year and my reaction was…complicated.

I didn’t want people to see me differently BUT needed to reevaluate parts of my life. Now I feel much better and can be much more open about living with Fibro. The post that started it all is here.

Number 9: I’m Starting Again

In July I found myself job hunting again and it knocked my confidence. This post was just chatting about how I felt, what I was trying to do and a general update. You can read about it here.

Number 8: I’m In A Funk

Another one of my mental health posts to hit the top 10. I wanted to get out there that I was struggling and comparing myself a lot to others. It was a to the point post about how we look at ourselves and comparison.

Number 7: Carrying On: Surviving The Past Year

A post from April about the previous 365 days that had been pretty tough (little did I know this year would have a LOT of ups and downs too!). I like to keep you guys in the loop and this was looking back on how far I’d come.

Number 6: I’m Obese?

I really wanted to write about body image and expectations because of a few knocks I’d had. Following on from a doctors appointment where I was deemed overweight-obese by my BMI, despite being a size 12-14 I decided to get my feelings down once and for all!

Number 5: Why I Will NEVER Use An App For Birth Control

Responding to a worrying idea that people were using a fairly risky app as a way to try and prevent pregnancy got in the top 5. I made my feelings very clear and, actually, had a lot of great conversations about it!

Number 4: The Pros and Cons Of Long Distance

I’m in a long distance relationship for chunks of the year. I get asked quite a lot of questions, some weird sympathy and so I wrote about what’s it’s like – and you can check it out here.

Number 3: Taking The Plunge – I’m A Freelancer

Not something I entirely planned for this year but it happened! I’m planning to do an update on being freelance in the new year too! The blog about how it all started is here.

Number 2: Harry Potter Haul: Updated

One of my most popular blogs EVER was a Harry Potter haul I wrote while at university. So, when I went to London for a Potter filled day shortly after Christmas I came back with a little collection and wanted to share! The updated version is here.

Number 1: Stressed, Depressed, But Well Dressed?

This is one that really, really surprised me. I wrote the post a few years ago about a top I saw with the slogan on and how I felt about the phrase. Next year I really want to talk more about Mental Health! You can read it here.

So, that’s my top posts of 2018! Thank you to each and every one of you who head read, liked and commented on my posts – it means so much.

Which of these was your favourite? I’d love to know in the comments below!

*please note these were the most popular at the time of writing.

Why I Get So Excited About Christmas

Dec 7, 20183 Comments

I LOVE Christmas, love, love, love. Recently I have been met with more than a few people who don’t get why I get so excited for the season. Why I can’t stop listening to my Christmas playlist and why on earth I started my shopping in September.

Now, aside from the fact that deep down I have an inner basic who needs to come out every now and again, there’s a much better reason as for why I love this holiday so much. I love it because I can. I can feel the excitement and love when previously I haven’t been able to.

In the deepest parts of my depression, I couldn’t find joy in anything. These were times when I was very ill. One Christmas in my teens I just felt empty. I cried for no reason. The darkness swallowed me whole. In short, it was the worst.

Because I have known that feeling I am so grateful to feel excited and happy. I am grateful that I have my health under control enough, that my medication works and I can feel happy rather than empty.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a miracle. I am not ‘cured’ from my mental illness. I still have to work on myself every day and it’s something I live with. BUT, for me, each Christmas shows me moving forward from that one year when I couldn’t summon any joy.

This year, my focus well and truly is just to try and enjoy myself as much as possible. See my friends and family, while also making time for myself (which is super important over Christmas). As well as trying not to put huge amounts of pressure on myself for January, although that’s a whole other post all together!

If you’re reading this and right now your mental health isn’t great, give yourself a break. No one chooses to live with the monsters in their head and, unfortunately they don’t seem to take time off for Christmas. Be kind to yourself and take it one step at a time, you’ve got this.

Why I Haven’t Planned ANY Blogmas Posts

Dec 1, 2018Leave a comment

It’s the 1st December and bloody hell hasn’t that gone quick! Throughout the internet, I’ve seen people starting Blogmas and Vlogmas where the very dedicated post every single day either in the run-up to Christmas or throughout the month of December. So, what about me?

I love seeing everyone’s post and last year had a great time with my own Blogmas posts, however, when I came to this year I had to think about it. Things are different to last year, mainly, because I started working freelance and running my own business all of my spare time and energy are going into that to make it a success. I’ve been doing this since August. And, honestly, I really want some time to relax in December. I need to take a break before the madness of 2019 when I’m hoping to get a few projects going.

Really, this is a form of self-care for me. When I blog I want to put things out that I’m passionate about and care about. Trying to write and schedule 25 posts just felt a little overwhelming this year and so I decided to take care of myself. That said, I’ll still have all of my regular blogs up and ready to go! There’ll even be some bonus blogs with my favourites of the year posts that I LOVE to do (they’re my absolute favourites).

Why am I writing this? Mostly because I wanted to remind other bloggers too that if you simply don’t have the time, the energy or don’t want to do Blogmas don’t feel like you have to! We all know how long blogging takes getting the ideas together, writing, editing, taking any images, making images etc. With Christmas being such a hectic time of year I don’t think we should put more pressure on ourselves.

While I will 100% be supporting and cheering on my favourite bloggers as they take part in the mammoth task and maybe next year I will get involved again, who knows? Right now, my focus is going to be recharging my batteries a little and making big plans for next year!

Are you taking part in Blogmas or Vlogmas? I’d love to know why/why not in the comments. If you are please leave your links too – I’d love to support you!

Muddled Millennial – The Beginning

Nov 28, 20182 Comments

As I write this, I am sitting in Cookie Monster Pyjamas, with a doughnut pillow behind my head and an existential crisis brewing in my head. Welcome to my ongoing mid-twenties crisis. Take a seat.

I’d been toying around with writing a few blogs about being a millennial, because everyone seems to think we’re terrible and um, I think we’re kinda okay. Maybe not all of us, but for the most part. I kept putting off writing it because, well, I was procrastinating. It’s as simple as that.

The logical part of my brain is telling me I need to calm down, it will all be fine I am not the only one. Plus, when I googled quarter life crisis there was a HELL of a lot of people feeling the same. So I thought I’d do what any self-respecting millennial with a blog would do, write about it. Standard.

So, you know the crushing panic that comes with being in your mid-twenties? You do? Awesome we’re on the same page. I’m in this weird part of my life where my friends think I have my shit together, I think they do but really we’re all muddling along.

I’m watching my feeds fill up with ‘I said yes!’, baby posts, new jobs, amazing holidays and here I sit, in my pyjamas. The thing is I don’t have a bad life, in fact, I’m fortunate. I have a wonderful partner, a nice home, family and I’m working for myself – so why do I feel so stressed?

When we were kids we thought we’d have everything sorted by 25. I thought I’d have a mortgage, be married with a kid. Have I done any of these things? Nope, not one. I have done cool things – but sometimes even that feels like it’s not enough.

So, this is a kind of muddled, messy introduction to my latest series where I’m going to spill the tea about being a millennial and hopefully get some of you to as well!

Are you also a muddled millennial? Let me know in the comments below!

I’m Up For A UK Blog Award!

Nov 18, 20183 Comments

I can’t quite believe that I’m writing this but my little old blog is up for an award at the UK Blog Awards this year! As most of my regular readers know, I’ve been writing this blog since just before I started Uni, *cough* five years ago *cough*.

I’ve never been up for an award like this before and I’m so grateful. I know it’s something people say all the time but just to make it to the second stage has floored me. There are some absolutely fantastic people in every category!

Voting is now open and if you do like what I do and would like to vote for me you can do so here.

Thank you so much to each and every single person who has read my blog! You’re the best!

What’s Happening To My Blog?!

Oct 20, 20181 Comment

Hello, hello, hello

Well, I’m writing this when I should be cleaning my flat – procrastination at its finest, am I right. That’s all you need to know about me even when I’m procrastinating I’m still doing something. Anyway, I digress.

I’ve noticed both this month and last month that my stats have dropped. Part of me didn’t want me to admit this – I see so many bloggers getting amazing opportunities, growing their followers and talking about the 1000+ views they get a day. It’s easy to hide away and feel down. And I did – I try with my blog and not seeing it go up does frustrate me. BUT there is a reason.

Earlier in the year, my blog was what I did every night, any spare moment I had was spent on the blog and it grew. Every year I eagerly watched as my stats nudged up and it made me feel like I achieved something. I paid so that I could edit my SEO better this was a huge thing for me.

I still love my blog BUT as most of you know, back in the summer I became a freelancer. That is amazing in itself (update to come soon) but it takes up a lot of my time. I am working a lot because as you know there are no guarantees as a freelancer. Work, work, work – am I right? Because of this, I’ve had to cut back a bit on the blog.

This is not, in any way, me stepping away from the blog. I might not have thousands of views a day, deals with big businesses or get trips around the world because of my blog (although, I 100% would do that) BUT it’s something I love to do. So, while I might be stepping back slightly to get this off the ground – I’m not going anywhere.

Sorry guys, I think you’re stuck with me!

On Loneliness

Oct 5, 20181 Comment

Recently, I heard that young people between the ages of 16-24 feel the most lonely It didn’t surprise me in the slightest because I completely agree. The last few years I’ve felt very lonely – even in the last few weeks I’ve struggled with loneliness. I have a very loving family, I quite often just go and hang out with them.

I feel like there are so many ways you can feel lonely and, often, it’s not easy to talk about. You don’t want to worry people, you don’t want to seem needy and, for me at least, there are confusing feelings. Have you ever been in a room full of people and felt alone? I’m sure you have.

But what are the biggest reasons to feel lonely?

Social Media

I love it, it’s literally my job to create, manage and monitor social media. That said, everyone posts a highlight reel which means it can look like everyone is out having fun, living their best life and you’re sat at home in your PJs. I know this and, sometimes, I still feel lonely! It’s easy to get swept up in it.

Growing up and apart

Your late teens and early twenties are also a time of huge change. You grow up and a lot of times you can grow apart from people you’re really close to. Some people I know have moved to new cities or even countries.

Not knowing what the hell you’re doing

I can *seem* like everyone else has their shit together. They don’t, I promise you. Everyone I speak to says they don’t know what they’re doing with their lives, they question everything they do. But for that conversation, one of you has to admit it and that can be the hardest part, am I right?

Relationships

So many people I know feel lonely because of relationships. I have friends who are single who feel lonely, friends in relationships to feel like they’re disconnected from friends who are single or in very different relationships. For me, I feel lonely when Ali goes on tour, as I write this he’s in Manchester. Not having him to hug can be really lonely.

That’s just some of the reasons I think people my age are lonely – but I might not have your reason listed. I guess I’m writing this because I wanted to say you might feel lonely but you’re not alone.

I’m a Gryffindor

Jul 16, 20182 Comments

If you follow me on any social media or have been following this blog for any period of time you’ll know I’m a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I fell in love with the books, the movies and the whole Potter world. I can’t tell you why I fell so much in love with it, but I did and I never miss an opportunity to see or do something Potter related or celebrate the fandom. Oh and owning a lot of merch (see my most recent haul here).

Since I first read the books I have always felt like a Gryffindor, mainly, when I was younger because I saw so much of myself in Hermione. I finally found a girl in a book just like me. She loved studying and learning, was a bit of a know it all but loyal to her friends. As I got older I realised that I still strongly associated with Gryffindor, also with the slightly stubborn tendencies they are known to have…

In the above picture, my friends described me as looking like Gryffindor threw up on me. My two friends went it Ravenclaw aesthetic (hint of blue, well put together) and a lot of black and green for Slytherin…and then there was me. There was a Potter t-shirt under the Gryffindor jumper, obviously my scarf, red hair and even red and white Potter trainers. Even in the way we dressed we represented our houses when visiting the British Library exhibition.

Here’s what the Sorting Hat says about being a Gryffindor

“You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart“

Now, I know that there is a whole crowd of people screaming, it’s not real BUT there’s a beautiful sense of comradery in the fandom. This is something I grew up with and something I cherish. It may seem silly to some but I love the world of Potter, I love the fact that I relate so much to a book!

What is your Hogwarts house? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments below!

My Pride Pledge 2018

Jun 29, 2018Leave a comment

Hello, my lovely, lovely readers!

Now, I’m a big supporter of Pride as you know and recently I wrote my Pride Flag Book Tag and as much as I enjoyed it I realised something. While I was scanning my shelves and my Goodreads I was disappointed in the lack of novels that featured an open LGBTQ protagonist. There were some with those who hadn’t come out or side characters but that was it.

I completely understand and enjoy reading coming out novels but I wanted to read a few novels where it’s not the main point of the story. Where a character simply is LGBT and that’s not a huge thing. So, this year I pledge to read more LGBT books, fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels.

I’ve read a lot of non-fiction about Trans women, a few of the most popular novels with an LGBT main character such as Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, etc but I’m not stopping there!

So, I’m trying to change that, I’ve ordered All Out and I’ll Give You the Sun. I have a long list of recommendations such as

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
Autoboyography by Kristina Lauren
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Bingo Lover by Tee Franklin
Chord by Chelsea M Cameron
Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt
Nevada by Imogen Binnie

While this is a decent sized list I, of course, want all of your recommendations as to what I should read! Have you got any favourites that aren’t on this list? Please do let me know in the comments below, add me on Goodreads or follow me on Twitter. I’d love to hear from you!

Feminist Friday Returns!

Jun 8, 20181 Comment

Yes, you read that right I’m bringing back Feminist Friday.

I was really unsure for a while, I wasn’t getting the response I wanted, feeling generally deflated. Then I read a few books, got mad about sexism and started writing again. Really writing for a few weeks and, well, I decided that I wanted to bring this back.

I’m not sure it will be every week, I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to be writing about. There will be opinions and poetry and hopefully other women writing about things they are passionate about too.

Let’s start a revolution!

Chloe Metzger