Demissio was the second instalment of my short mental health series, this time showing what depression could feel like for some people, everybody experiencing it differently. That's what made it harder for me when writing the script for it compared to Ango- which focused solely on general anxiety disorder (GAD). I had consulted many people in the lead up to writing the script for the short, including local mental health charities and friends of mine to learn the differences, alongside a pro-longed research period before writing began.

Overall, the film took roughly six months to make from the decision to make the film to the final product. I experimented a lot more in this film with the production values and post-production, asking for a lot of advice from friends in the industry when it came to lighting and achieving what I wanted- getting the message across that depression affects everyone differently and this is only one way, ultimately asking those to expand their view of depression and break the stereotypical vision they had.

I feel that when writing I draw from personal experiences, but for Demissio I was unable too, instead it came from others people's stories, that I will forever be grateful too for being kind and strong enough to share with me and allowing me to voice their story in a way that they felt they were unable too. The vast difference between Demissio and Ango is that this time I reached out to local mental health charities and professionals and asked for advice, the writing and concept being harder to decide than Ango. Lines within the film are taken directly from people's stories, they're true and untouched.

The reaction to Demissio was more overwhelming than the reaction I had to Ango, so thank you to everyone who watches and I hope you're able to take something away from the film as I intended. Currently the final instalment of the series is being written and is aimed to be released by the end of the year.

If you are suffering with mental health as discussed in Ango and Demission please use the following websites to seek help.

If you are within the UK you can use the following websites to seek help:
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-s...
https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can...
https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/wha...


If your not in the UK you can use the following website to seek help:
https://www.centreforglobalmentalheal...

So, a couple of days ago I turned 18- a big milestone in the fact that I am now legally an adult, which is a little bit weird for me to say...well write. My birthday celebrations were amazing to say the least, something I'll never forget. The thing that had me a little bit on edge just before my 18th birthday was the sudden change in how much responsibility I had and the freedom that came with it. Each birthday since turning 16 there was something else you could legally do that gave you the most excitement \I guess, for example, last year was being able to learn how to drive. This year I feel the responsibility and freedom is a little bit on the heavier side not that I am a legal adult and am now responsible for myself.

I did a similar post to this last year shortly after I turned 17 and I've learned a few things since then so I thought it was about time that I updated it...



1. Your mum is one of your first best friends and knows the most about you
2. Removing negativity is easier said then done
3. Confidence comes when you learn how to self-love
4. Don't let anyone tell you that your emotions are invalidated because they don't feel the same
5. If your dreams don't scare you then they aren't big enough
6. change is never going to be easy
7. say yes to the things that scare you
8. appreciate the little things in life
9. you have enough time to do everything you want- trust me.
10. push yourself, don't expect others to do it for you
11. stop living in the past, let things go and move on
12. learn to say no.
13. quality over quantity
14. communication is one of the best things to do, relationships rely on it.
15. some people don't deserve more than one chance
16. actions will always speak louder than words
17. always follow your gut instinct
18. realise when you're doing too much and take a step back.

If you asked me back in 2016 if I thought I'd still be blogging in 2018, then my answer would've probably been no. Originally I started it just for the summer to cure my boredom before developing a passion for it and wanting to continue.

I started blogging because I was inspired by those before me, who I have mentioned on a few occasions which you can find here. In a day and age where media and influencers predominately revolve around platforms such as YouTube, I wanted to begin on a platform that I could grow on at a slower rate beforehand, testing the waters if you will. I love YouTube, however at this point in my life I can't see myself vlogging my life and being the next 'Zoella' or someone who aspires to be her. I use YouTube to promote my films and only that. Blogging was something that appealed to me due to its simplicity and complexity at the same time, it allowed me to explore multiple things at once without a time constraint. Perhaps one day I'll venture into YouTube alongside my blog, but at the moment not so much.

Like I said, originally I started blogging to cure boredom but over the last 2 years it's meaning has become something so much more. In those two years this blog has achieved so much already, one of the biggest milestones was hitting 5,000 total views last year, but my plans for this blog go even more down the road of success. Currently as writing the blog is at 6,100+ total views while writing, I'm estimating that it'll hit 10,000 by the end of the year with its current growth. I want my blog to go a lot further and I hope that it will, but it'll always be about fun for me on here, and staying transparent and authentic. I'd say my blogging style has changed a lot, and is currently changing once again.

Growth happens whether we like it or not. When I first started I didn't really know what I was doing, I'm still learning to this day about what to write and what posts I prefer and what posts the readers of my blog prefer too. Change helps. Change is good. I'm personally a big fan of it. In terms of my writing style, I prefer writing longer blog posts, but it's not always possible to do so, or I'm battling writer's block. I'm branching out in terms of my blogging style, creeping into new area's that weren't originally part of my blog when I first started. This change has happened alongside my own personal growth and wanting to add things I was passionate about to my blog, and hopefully that come across in my writing.

I remember a time where I was very stressed and panicked to try positing a blog post every day for Blogmas. I wanted to challenge myself and I did. I stated last year that I wouldn't be doing it that year, however this year I'm up for it again. Maybe a little bit more relaxed this time around...maybe.

Blogging not only has made me more creative, it's an outlet when I'm stressed and it's made me more confident. Another funny little thing I've noticed is that since I've had my blog my English grade improved as did my writing, I don't know for sure if the two are linked but I'll take it. This little blog, my little space on the internet, has managed to inspire some of you which amazes me and motivates me to make more and improved content. I'm defiantly not the same blogger I once was, is anyone?

Though my blogging schedule and how I sometimes go through phrases of uploading regularly to disappearing for a while, I do love blogging and my passion for it has only grown. This year I made it one of my resolutions to spend more time on it and plan further ahead, which so far I think I kind of have. I'm still learning and always will be.

My entire blog has gone through two major layout changes in its time, the most recent this past weekend. With two new added sections further allowing my blog to grow, I can only hope that you continue to enjoy, love and support this blog as you have from day one and continue to join me on this little blog's journey to bigger things.

If you've been following this blog for a while then you may be aware of my blogging habits and how I have sometimes disappeared for a short, maybe a few months, period of time. I'm not going to lie and say that it's easy to manage a blog and three A-levels at once, because it's clearly very not. When I first started this blog I posted when I wanted too and didn't really think of an audience let alone a blog schedule. Last year my blog became more beauty and lifestyle central before I introduced film into it all. There are a lot of posts on my blog that were very rushed and I admit that I'm not happy or content with any of them, knowing full well that they're nowhere near the standard I hold for myself or what I think a true reflection of my blog posts are. This year I'm transitioning my blog into something that I can completely fall in love with, accounting for my readership and myself.

I've tried writing heavily in advance, but then I forgot to post or share them on social media and it turned into this constant cycle of forgetfulness. Before my life being completely taken over by school work and life in general. Anyone remember when I did Blogmas and I had a complete burnout? Yeah I do. I think I'm partly recovering even though it was over a year ago. That was rough. School is rough. Life is rough.  Blogging incorporates so much, writing posts are very time-consuming, let alone coming up with the content, keeping in mind making blog graphics and taking photos, responding to emails and comments. It's a very "active" hobby and passion to have. I've been lucky enough to recently connect with some of you and understand what you'd like to see me post on here and its inspired and motivated me to get this little blog back in check and running properly again.

So, why I have some motivation to do just that I thought I'd write a little list of things I've found out that work for me when I go through these little phases of not being caught up in day-to-day life when it comes to blogging.

1. COMMITTING TO ONCE A WEEK

After Blogmas and trying to post three times a week, and quickly burning out, I've recently tried to post once a week and its working for me. It means I have a commitment to keep up, and it allows me to develop quality content that you guys enjoy rather than stressing to try and get three less quality posts up in one week. Quality over quantity aye. I felt guilty if I didn't get blog posts up on time and I got bored very quickly.

I've ditched the whole 'schedule' aspect and just tried to focus on the quality, because that's the most important element at the end of the day. If I have a lot of blog post ideas and I have written in advance then there will probably be more than one a week, or if there is a time constraint on when you can post a blog post, for example a seasonal one then they'll be exceptions, but I'm not going to put unnecessary stress on myself.

2. BLOG POST MASTERLIST

Oh yes, I have one and I am constantly adding to it and coming up with new ideas. This has helped me a lot and technically my blog posts are planned until Christmas. It's very easy to not blog when you have no ideas, and fall into the pattern or in my sake habit of disappearing for months at a time. I've used Todoist for years, for school and revision lists to now my blog.

3. TODOIST

Leading on from the previous point, I use todosit religiously. I've recommended it to friends and family for near enough everything. It works a treat. I have it on my phone and my computer, it helps to have the priority feature and 'projects'. It's amazing and I highly recommend it.



4. MAKING THE TIME

What's the purpose of making a to-do list if you then don't make the time to get it all done? I always plan my revision around school hours, normally leaving blogging to the weekend where I have the most spare time and I'm relaxed, being able to get things done quicker for some reason. I think its because I don't have the constant stress of school so much surrounding me at this point of the week. Saturdays are my blogging days, predominately when I'm watching TV so I'm multi-tasking at its best. And then I don't have to think about it for a week.

5. FOLLOWING SIMILAR BLOGS

Personally, I get motivated when I follow like-minded people and blogs similar to that of mine. I loose motivation when I get heavily loaded with school work and struggle to find time to write, easily falling out of the blogging mind-set. Seeing fellow bloggers uploading frequently inspires me to do it and vice-versa, it's a wonderful community and I'm very happy to be part of it.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed, even at the end of a long day at school or on a Sunday morning, I like to take some time to de-stress and relax. We often hear about how important self-care is and how often we should do it, but sometimes it's harder to set that time aside in our busy schedules or even having the effort to do so. Sometimes it's because we don't know to indulge in self-care of where to even begin.

Self-care can involve you doing absolutely nothing if you so wish. Self-care can involve you doing whatever you want to do. Don't force yourself into doing anything you don't want too, self-care only works when you listen to what your body is telling you. I go through little phases every now and again when it comes to self-care, I mix between doing more exercise, journaling, drawing, reading, going on a short walk-whatever. I do it in that moment, when my mind is telling me too. I don't procrastinate about it. Your body needs a break every now and again, it deals with so much in your day-to-day life and it's very easy to become overwhelmed. Self-care has been proven to produce positive feelings, which improve confidence and self-esteem too.

Self-care is important for a few reasons:

- it reduces stress
- it helps your happiness
- gives you some 'me' time
- it can help you refocus

Personally, when it comes to self-care I like to do something everyday and then dedicate my Sunday evening to it too. I find this the most relaxing moment of my week and it helps me de-stress tremendously.

P A R T   O N E

Is there anything more relaxing than an warm bath? Especially at the end of a long day?


 I'm personally not a fan of candles so I rarely use them for lighting or just in general, though I have a few lying around the house. I just turn on some fairy lights in my room to give me the low lighting feel. I normally put on an episode of a series I'm watching on Netflix while I relax in the bath, trying to catch up on my favourite TV shows. In this time I do part of my body skin care routine which consists of body scrub, shaving, moisturise, exfoliate etc... and also apply a clay face mask to my problem area's on my face.


P A R T   T W O

After I get out the bath I do my hair care routine and my nails. Before I dry my hair I spray _____ into it to nourish it and help it grow, be strong and healthy.  I spray heat protector onto it before then gently combing through it and letting it dry naturally for around half-an-hour, in which I do my nails, before then finish drying it with a hairdryer.


Just before I wash off my face mask, using a warm flannel to get off the excess while my hair is drying naturally, I start doing my nails. I start off with some clear base coat to protect my nails and to prevent damage, leaving it to dry while I pick my colour of choice for the week, sometimes two. Once my nails are dried I finish off drying my hair. If I know I have something coming up in the next couple of days I'll straighten my hair or curl it before going onto part three.


P A R T   T H R E E

I'm a huge fan of the app Headspace- it's one of my saviours and really helps me clear my head and gives me some more 'me' time. I only do 5-10 minute sessions in one given sitting, otherwise I find I get a too little relaxed and nod off on the floor or something. After this, I tend to watch another episode of a show while in bed, before doing some journaling and then reading around 25-50 pages of the current book I'm reading (currently the 'Catcher in the Rye') before going to sleep.


I hope you enjoyed this little blog post. What's your favourite self-care tip?

First things first, we can all look after ourselves better. I had a little bit of a rocky start to this year, I had some health problems (all of which are being worked on and some are completely under control now) arise and it really taught me how to look after myself better. Looking after yourself seems like such a simple thing to do but in reality it can be tough to do, and at first I didn't really know where to start. I had this image in my head that I did look after myself pretty good but after a little eye-opening experience I realised that I hadn't been in the slightest.


1. Set hours in which you don't work
This one is particularly important for students or those who work from home, personally in revision season I don't work after 9pm so I can have some time to myself, whereas on normal weekdays its 8pm. I also set out hours in which I'll have family time or spend time with my friends. This really motivates me to get my work done and finished so I can have the time to relax and wind down. There sacred to me and they never change.

2. Meditation
Even jut meditating for 5-10 minutes a day can put you in a really good mood and get you ready for the day or even help you get ready for bed. I personally use Headspace (which is amazing and I highly recommend it!) but there are a lot of meditation tips and tricks an tutorials online and on YouTube. Early morning meditation increases my mood and self-awareness whereas meditating at night helps me wind down for bed and relax. Meditating can make you more positive, energetic and happy.

3. Getting enough sleep
This one I struggled with at first. I use Fitbit to help me track my sleep and it helped me to see exactly how much sleep I'm getting at night, and what type of sleep it is (Light, REM, Deep and how much time I spent awake etc.). Meditating really helped me increase how much sleep I'm getting and I've been in a better mood because of it.  More sleep equates to more happiness, better health and improved decision-making and it helps you to detox and recharge.

4. Journaling
Life can be very overwhelming sometimes and I find it helps to get everything your thinking about onto paper. I jot down absolutely anything and everything, from how I feel to to-do lists or ideas I have. It's also really cool to look back on and remember things that happened, it being a good little keepsake.

5. Yoga.
What kind of tips on how to look after yourself better, would this be if it didn't incorporate exercise? I've become a lot more active and I've turned to working out every other day which I never thought would happen. Yoga is one of the easiest ways to reset your mind and body, you can find numerous tutorials on YouTube or an apps such as Nike Training Club.

6. Happiness.
Smile. Smile more. Just do it.

7. Dance like no one's watching.
One of the first things I do when I get home is dance around my room. It helps me de-stress and improves my mood and helps me get out any energy that's going to stop me from doing my work. It can also improve body image, lead to a better outlook and is associated with a lower risk of dementia.

8. Read More.
Reading has been proven to keep the mind sharp as it ages and reading fiction books can increase creativity and a more open mind. It can also increase sleep and make us more empathetic.

9. Laugh.
Ever heard of the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine'? Laughing benefits our mental and physical health, especially when combined with exercise. It can improve our quality of life and help us connect with those we laugh with and help our relationships. I recommend watching Friends.

10. Declutter your life and room.
Did you know that clutter can stress you out? I find it therapeutic to sort through things and get my life organised. Decluttering and organising things can make us more productive, cheerful and calmer.

11. Exercise in general.
We all knew this one was coming after yoga. Exercise is amazing and my new best friend. I love it. It decreases so many things and makes you so much healthier. It's a pretty good mood lift. Exercise goes a long way to reducing stress. Just a small walk will energize you and motivate you for the day ahead.

12. Get off your phone.
In this day and age we use our phones for near enough everything, we always seem to be looking at a screen of some sort, whether that be a tablet, our computer, TV, or our phone. We're living in a virtual world and forgetting what's most important in our lives. Taking a break from social media and our screens can helps us recharge and give our brain the downtime it needs to work at an optimal level.

13. Self-care, self-care, self-care.
We don't tend to set aside times for ourselves in our busy schedules. We tend to forget that we need to look after ourselves too and not just those around us. You can read about my self-care routine here.

TV and film is such a huge part of my life, especially in this day and age where you can binge-watch a entire season of a show in a day, with the help of on-demand, Netflix, Amazon prime, Hulu and of course other not-so well known streaming services. It's at the click of a button, for the audience to consume anywhere, anytime.

I'm known for getting through series very quickly, especially if I'm in love with them and they've become one of my new favourites within a couple of episodes. Hopefully, through this little list you'll find a new TV show to watch. I'd love to hear some of your recommendations to, so please feel free to comment them down below!

PEAKY BLINDERS

Credit: BBC2

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Credit: TNT

If you like Peaky Blinders, then you'll love Animal Kingdom. It has a very similar presence, but more action packed and set in the modern day. It follows the Cody brothers, J and Smurf, in their freelance criminal family. It's lead, Finn Cole, is also in Peaky Blinders as Michael Gray. The show is jaw-dropping in its plot twists and storylines, which never fail to grab my attention.

GREY'S ANATOMY

Credit: ABC

This is the show I seem to cry the most at. Word of warning- don't get too attached to the characters. This show is a roller-coaster of emotions but Shona is an amazing writer who never fails to amaze me with each and every episode. This is defiantly one for those who want a challenge when it comes to binge-watching with 14 seasons currently available. It's set in Seattle Grace hospital and follows the doctors and surgeons face day-to-day problems with some extraordinary cases.

SCANDAL

Credit: ABC

For the fans of Greys or 'How To Get Away with Murder', you'll be interested in Scandal for sure. From Grey's being centred on doctors, and HTGAWM based on lawyers, this one follows the 'fixers'. Have a problem? Call Olivia Pope. In recent seasons they've followed the 2016 election campaign, and its honestly hilarious but dramatic. It's a little bit harder to get into, in comparison to Greys but it is worth sticking with it for the long run.

BLACK MIRROR

Credit: Netflix

Black Mirror is one of the shows that loves to challenge current debates and issues in our society, in a magnificent way. You can watch one standalone episode from any of the seasons, without having to of watched any of the other episodes (though it may help to understand what exactly the show does and its structure). Each episode takes a issue or debate and shows how our world might look like. I accidentally watched season 3, episode 1 first, before realising that there was two previous seasons, so I quickly went back and started from the beginning because I was hooked. This show is defiantly for those who want something new and exciting with each episode, its truly one of a kind.

(Editor note: I wrote this at the very beginning of the year and never came round to posting it until now, sorry!!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope everyone had an amazing last year, and that this year brings everyone happiness, success, love, and good health!!

I always like to reflect on the year when it comes to an end, look back on past achievements, new and old friendships and just sum it all up in a whole. However, I only ever do this in a positive way, the negative experiences I have learned from and I will take those lessons forward with me in my next step, but I don't see the point in reflecting on the negative, as I feel like it holds you back a bit.




Confidence comes when you're happy- confidence is something I've always struggled with, especially once I hit puberty. I used to be confident when I was younger before all the bitchy-ness began amongst everyone once we got to secondary school, I had a much simpler life back then. This past year my confidence has increased a lot, especially in December. Something finally clicked in me a little bit and I feel very different compared to this time last year. Not everyone is going to be pleased or happy with what you do and you can't change that, you have to accept it and move on, always be yourself and have fun! My confidence came once I was happy with who was surrounding me and what I was doing, I'm so excited to see what this year holds for me as I'll encounter a lot of new experiences this year that will most likely change who I am and let me grow as a person as I reach adulthood.



When to be silent and when to speak loud- have you ever found yourself in a position when you are debating when to stay silent and when to speak loud? I have found myself in this position a few times in the past couple of months. I've learnt that sometimes words aren't always needed and that actions do speak much louder than words. I've learnt when to bite my tongue and stay quiet and move on from situations before anything else ensures that isn't going to make any one happy that's involved.




Don't hold yourself back- I've always been a very driven person who has big dreams. This year I released some films that I had been keeping to myself for some time before getting the confidence to put them out. Filmmaking is what I want to do for the rest of my life and the response I got from my three little pieces, has only driven me further, and made me want to work even harder to get to my dream position in life. I realised through all of this that I was holding myself back, so this year I'm planning even bigger and better projects to be released throughout the year to widen my experience and pursue my passion to my heart's content.

Coming is going, and going is coming- I ended this year with only some of those whom I started with. Friendships come and go as you grow apart from people, but the people I have surrounding me now I wouldn't change for the world. Change is normal and it needs to occur in order for you to grow. Plus, it's not always a bad thing!! A lot of change is coming my way this year and I'm very ready for it and see what it has in store for me.



Cherish those that you love, you never know if you'll seem them again- I'd say this by far the most important lesson I learnt this year. You never know what's going to happen or how long you have left in this world. One day you won't be here so you have to make the most of those around you and the precious time you have on this earth. You never know when its going to come to an end. don't ever take those around you or time for granted.

Black Mirror came back with a bang, a couple of days ago at the end of the festive period, and I have to say that it lived up to and beyond my expectations. The fourth series overall was highly entertaining and thought-provoking and once again, made me want to throw away all technology I have in my house and pray that none of the plot lines every come true.

With some of my favourite actors making an appearance ( *ahem Joe Cole), some of the episodes have become some of my favourite Black Mirror episodes of all time.

USS Callister

Credit: Netflix

I loved the Easter eggs that appeared in the episode and I'm sure it will be heavily loved by Star Trek fans everywhere. I was near enough cheering by the end of the episode.

Crocodile

Credit: Netflix

The bleaker, haunting episode of the series was in fact Crocodile this time around. It's something that I can see happening in the future as technology develops, most likely by the government and police forces.

With this episode I was bit stand-offish with, some parts I liked and some bits I didn't. The episode started off slowly and then became more fast paced as her life began to unfold in front of her. I did read somewhere on twitter that the meaning behind the name is that a crocodile with cry when they kill someone, but not because they have remorse. I'm still crying internally for the poor baby who had no reason to be killed in the end.

Arkangel

Credit: Netflix

This episode surprised me a little bit as I didn't have high expectations for. I thought it would be an episode that would most likely find its way to the bottom of my list of the best to worst episodes but it actually did good.

It had similar premises to previous episodes, with a little extra twist. Again, it's honestly a concept I could see happening in the future as technology develops and people wanting to shield their children from all the violence in the world, with censorship growing stricter as the years go on already.

One little bone I have to pick with this episode is, that Brenna Harding does not pass as a 15-year old girl in any way.

Hang the DJ

Credit: netflix

My absolute favourite of all the episodes from this season, not only because it starred one of my favourite actors, Joe Cole, but the whole episode in general was amazing.

Inspired by the ever-growing dispassionate dating rituals of the 21st century, its lives up to San Junipero, with both leads doing an outstanding job and making it by far my favourite episode from the fourth season.

My heart was melting throughout most of the episode, knowing that 998/1000 times they decided to rebel against the system and it did make me wonder, what happened to the 2 tries that they didn't rebel and went with the person who wasn't in fact their true match. It hurts my heart a little bit to think about it actually.

Metalhead

Credit: Netflix

Metalhead was a bit confusing at times and was my least favourite episode of this series. The acting was good but it doesn't come anyway close to its fellow's unfortunately. I feel that the narrative was also too simplistic for it even really be considered a black mirror episode, which led to its much shorter screen time.

A constant chase between a relentless mechanical dog and a woman wasn't what I had in mind for this episode at all. Honestly, I was quite bored by the end of it and kept zoning out while watching, it wasn't nearly as gripping or suspenseful as one would hope for a black mirror episode and was a bit of a let down.

I have one question in regard to this episode, Charlie Brooker, what on earth were you thinking?

Black Museum

Credit: Netflix

I loved this episode!! Moving on from the normal and typical Black Mirror episode formula and instead focusing on small tales interlinked with the main narrative, constructed one of the best episodes they've ever done.

I've always thought that the episodes of Black Mirror all occurred in the same universe, interlinking with one another in some shape or form. Black Museum did just this. It was overall, a very memorable episode.



Have any of you seen the new season or are planning on watching/binging some of the episodes (if not all) before we go back to reality in the next couple of days with school and work and life?

 

You can find me on Pinterest here. As well as my quotes board here.

Every month, I make a list of some goals I'd like to achieve before the end of the month. For the last three months, I was sure to make one of those goals the development of a new habit. Something I'd tried to get the hang of before, but was unsuccessful in keeping it up after the month was over. However, since adding it as one of my goals, I've been successful in both developing these new habits and doing them every day since, without fail.

For August, it was drinking more water and doing the 30-day water challenge, which you can read about my experience with, here. For September, I took up yoga to help relieve stress and get some more activity into my routine. For October, it was working on something I loved but didn't always have the time to work on. For me, this was filmmaking. I spend at least 30 minutes every day scriptwriting, editing or storyboarding,  just generally working on improving my skills and work in that area.

Your habits are responsible for how you live your life. Bad habits can prevent you from becoming the person you aspire to be. Habits are responsible for your happiness, your health, how successful you are, just to name a few.

I first started wanting to develop new habits when I got back into health and fitness. I was curious to see how much water i was drinking, which led to me doing the 30-day water challenge. This then fuelled me to look into other areas, where I knew I could improve both myself and my lifestyle.

There a few ways to develop new habits; one of which is a habit tracker. You can find these all over the internet, I personally used Tumblr to find the one I used, or you could make your own. These are amazing for tracking multiple habits at one given time, especially if your main goal is something little like making your bed every day.
In order to make one of your own, you need to number 1-30 or 1-31, depending on the month you're starting, with the name of your goal down the left hand side. As I said before, habit trackers are the best at tracking multiple habits at one given time.

Credit: http://www.lifeonwaller.com/free-printable-daily-habit-tracker/

In order to develop and track a new habit you need to do a couple of things:

I know millennial's will rather watch and stream movies through services such as Netflix, Sky and Amazon Prime, just to name a few, instead of going to a cinema nowadays. You can't really blame them. With the click of a button, you can have endless amounts of movies at your fingertips- in the comfort of your own home, on the go and at a much cheaper price. A monthly subscription can cost the same as going to the cinema once a month. Personally, I prefer going to the cinema to see a film, maybe because I'm a little more traditionalist in that aspect, but general viewing and experience of a film can differ a lot between whether I watch it at home or in the cinema.

So far this year, we've had some pretty good films be released with some hopefully more good ones to come. With some of this years main winners at film festivals making their way into the cinemas in the next couple of months, I wanted to do a little-roundup of the films coming out in November, that I am most excited for, in order of release.

A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS- 1ST NOVEMBER 

THOR: RAGNOROK- 3RD NOVEMBER 

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS- 10TH NOVEMBER

DADDY'S HOME 2- 10TH NOVEMBER

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI- 10TH NOVEMBER

JUSTICE LEAGUE- 17TH NOVEMBER 

WONDER- 17TH NOVEMBER 

COCO- 22ND NOVEMBER 

DARKEST HOUR- 22ND NOVEMBER

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME- 24TH NOVEMBER

Credit: Pinterest

Over the month of August, I did the 30-day water challenge, in aim to keep my hydration levels up and out of pure curiosity, what drinking more water would do for my body and skin. It was hard but it was so worth it at the end. I drank over 4.5 litres a day and I did stick to it after but then I had one crap day and I stopped.

One thing that came out of the challenge, was me becoming more aware of how much water I'm drinking each day, not counting any other form of liquid, such as lemonade, fruit juice, hot chocolate etc. Just pure water.

On average, I drink around 2-2.5 litres a day. After a little bit of research recently and a little consultation with my doctor, I found out that I should be drinking around 5 litres a day, 5.3 litres to be exact. And that's a lot of water.
This month I wanted to partake in the challenge again, drinking just water, for 30 days. This time around I'm challenging myself to hit the 4.5 litre mark every day, yet again. Which acquaints to 135 litres of water at the end of the month. Now, that is a lot of water.

What is the 30-day water challenge?

The aim of the challenge is to drink between 64-150 ounces of water, per day. This equates to between 1.8-4.2 litres.

How do you do it?

You can start the challenge at any time, but personally I think it's best to start it at the beginning of a month as it helps you to keep track and stay on target. Before beginning the challenge, I'd measure how much water you drink daily, over the course of a week, to find out your average intake. If your drinking about 2 litres a day, like I was, then I would recommend trying to drink around 3-4 litres per day, during the challenge.


What are the benefits of drinking more water?

Just to name a few:
- Increase in energy and relieves fatigue
- weight loss
- flushes out toxins
- improves skin complexion
- maintains regularity with digestion
- headache remedy
- boosts immune system
- prevents cramps and sprains
- mood booster
- prevents cancer
- less joint paint
- helps maintain the balance of body fluids
- helps to control calories
- energizes muscles
- helps your kidneys

Before and after results (from when I did it in August)

Like I mentioned earlier, I first did this challenge over the summer in August. I first started noticing results 3 days in to the challenge, my skin cleared up and became smoother and I was generally feeling much more energized than I was before the challenge, when I was drinking around 2 litres a day.

I have sometimes problematic combination skin, with dry spots prone to eczema, especially in the colder months of winter, whereas in the summer it becomes very oily. After the challenge, my skin was very smooth, and I no longer had any trace of eczema and/or dry spots on my chin, around my eyes and cheeks.

Not once over the course of the month did I have a headache, which was very rare for me. I normally get at least one or two when I'm stressed. In addition to this, I was more energized, I was waking up earlier naturally, and I was getting through the day with less sleep, and I had never felt better.

One of the things that attracts people to this challenge is the benefit of weight loss. Yes, this did happen to me, but it wasn't my reason for doing the challenge. The reason for weight loss when you begin drinking more water, is because sometimes your body is unable to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. Drinking more water makes you less hungry, your appetite goes down significantly. I lost five pounds over the month, with no increase in exercise, purely from drinking water and as a result eating less.

I would recommend this challenge to anyone, especially if they were wanting to drink more water. Obviously, not everyone will be able to consume over 4 litres per day, every day, due to a lot of factors, so please don't feel pressured to try and do so. Start drinking a little bit more every day to help you ease yourself into it, it helps I promise.
I shall be back at the end of the month to update you all on doing this the second time around and to see if there were any more changes in my body.