Just To Let You Know...

Hiiiiiiiii everyone!

Just to let you know that I'm going to South Africa for 2 weeks today so it is unlikely I will be posting anything for that duration. But fear not, I will be back, better than ever, with more blogposts for you in August!!!! 

Much Love

Charlotte

XO

What's Your Dream?

I love dreaming (hence my Tumblr URL f0rever-ddreaming). I regularly daydream just like we all do. From a young age we all dream. As a kid we dream of being older and being allowed to do more 'cool things that adults do'. As adults we dream of being young again and having no responsibility at all. Amongst this we also dream of achieving our goals, meeting our favourite celebs and idols to one day having a family of our own or a successful business. For me my dream is relatively simple but quite difficult to achieve. I dream of rowing to the highest standard I can, being successful and having a big, loving family with kids of my own. 

I think dreaming is good. Without it we would probably all live relatively mundane lives with no drive or determination. Dreaming of an exciting future motivates us  to train and work harder to be able to achieve our dreams. 

However, I also believe low expectations are a good thing. If we don't expect anything much to come of what we do, we can't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out but if it does it's really great! Jenna Marbles, queen of all things comedy on YouTube made a video about this recently and I agree with it so much.  

Having low expectations it doesn't mean you can't dream. By all means dream bigger and better than ever just don't expect amazing things to come from it because then you will only be disappointed when it doesn't turn out how you planned (let's face it nothing ever goes to plan 100%). 

While I dream (everyday) of rowing for GB eventually I don't have any expectation of it happening at all because I know how disappointed and upset I'll be if it doesn't happen but also how incredibly happy and proud of myself I will be if I do make it. 

So dream and enjoy it but don't expect miracles to happen. Work hard to make those dreams become reality and you shouldn't be disappointed! 

Thanks for reading! 

Charlotte

XO

Do What You Love

Possibly the best advice I've ever been given and have since given to so many other people is 'do what you love'. 

A lot of younger people ask me what subjects to take for A-level or GCSE and I always tell them to do what they enjoy because I honestly think that is the most important thing in life. To enjoy it. Life is short so we have to make the most of it and can't let time go by doing things that make us unhappy. I also think that if you love something you're going to work harder and strive for success more. 

Unfortunately I think a lot of people stop doing things they love or do things they don't enjoy because of pressure. Whether it's from school, society, parents or friends there is a pressure which manipulates your behaviour and activities. I think the best example of this is ballet. Almost every girl I know did ballet when they were 4 or 5. 90% of these girls quit when their friends began to quit or when they thought they weren't good enough. Of this 90%, 99% (sorry lots of numbers I know!) of them regret quitting and always seem to wish that they'd continued. The same goes for other hobbies such as playing instruments or a doing sport.

When I was choosing my subjects I was lucky that my parents weren't pushy and let me do what I wanted to do but I know of other people whose parents set a standard they had to meet by doing 7 A-levels and 20 GCSEs (I'm over exaggerating but you know what I mean).  And I really feel sorry for these people because I can't imagine not being able to do what I enjoy and having to do what other people want you to. 

I got the inspiration for this post from going horse riding yesterday. I used to have my own horse and I rode all the time but I had to stop because I just didn't have time. But it made me so happy to just sit with the horses and take silly selfies and talk to them without being on my phone constantly. Horses are such chilled animals and you (or me definitely) always feel like they're listening to you. I'm not crazy I promise! 

How could horse selfies not make anyone happy?

So, what I'm trying to say is while it is important to do what you love in a wider sense like your job, subjects etc. I really think it's important to do something you love on an daily basis. For example, listen to your favourite song or see your favourite people or doing a hobby. It's so important to enjoy your life and make the most of everything. Obviously I know that everyone has down days when they feel really crappy but doing something you enjoy can really cheer you up. For me it's rowing/working out and lots of loud music I can sing and dance to! 

The other side of this quote I feel I need to broach briefly is that you shouldn't let the pressures of society or school or friends stop you from pursuing what you love. If you love it, go for it and forget what other people might say or what they would rather you do. It's your life so live it how YOU want it! 

Thanks for reading chums! 

Charlotte 

XO

Best Songs for Confidence

So this week has been dedicated to confidence and I thought I'd share my favourite songs for boosting my confidence. Some actually have a good message about confidence in them while others are just happy songs which I find cheer me up and make me feel a little more confident.

1. Taylor Swift- Shake it Off. If you're not feeling so great about yourself, put this song on, dance around as crazy as you'd like and I guarantee you will feel better!
2. Katy Perry- Roar or Firework. Roar is a powerful song and whenever I sing along to it I feel ready to take on anything (excuse the cheesiness!). The lyrics are quite empowering 'I am a champion', you don't get much more empowering than that!! Firework has always been one of my favourite songs too. Again it's a good song to dance to and just like Roar the lyrics are motivating and make me feel more confident.
3. Oh Honey- Be Okay. I doubt many people know this song as I randomly discovered it on Spotify and had never heard of them before. As the title suggests the song literally tells you everything will BE OKAY. It's so upbeat and another one to dance to.
4. Jessie J. There are 3 Jessie J songs that I find really fill me with confidence. Masterpiece is one of her newest songs and it is full of excellent lyrics which tell you a setback isn't a failure and that 'those who mind don't matter, those who matter don't mind'. Sexy Lady kind of does what it says on the tin. It's a fun, easy to dance to song that should fill all women with the confidence they deserve. Finally, Gold another confidence-boosting song and it's fun to sing along to at the top of your lungs in the shower (not that I know from experience of course!) 
5. Bruno Mars- Just the way you are. I chose this for one simple reason, 'You're amazing, just the way you are'!! 
6. Christina Aguileria- Beautiful. This isn't exactly a song you can dance around to but it has possibly the best meaning of all the songs in this list. 
7. One Direction- What Makes You Beautiful. It wouldn't be a playlist made by me if I didn't put some One Direction in there. I love WMYB because it is a good one to dance around and sing to without a care in the world.
8. Little Mix- We Are Who We Are. This song is slighlty cheesy and not to everyone's taste but I like the meaning behind it. 'Pretty's just a pretty word' and 'I'm the only me in this world' are some of my favourite lines.
9. Wicked- Defying Gravity. I'm a big lover of musicals and my all time favourite is Wicked. This, along with 'For Good' are my two favourite songs from the musical. This song basically tells you that nothing is impossible and to be yourself and never stop until you reach your goal!
10. Pharrell Williams- Happy. Just as with Shake it Off, put this track on, dance around and let go of any worries or anxiety. 

There are many more songs I love to listen to to feel more confident and happier but these are probably my top 10. If you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments so that I can have a listen! 

Thanks for reading!

Charlotte

XO

Top Tips for Being Confident

So, following on from my 'Confidence' blog post, I've decided to give you my top tips for being confident. 

1. Forget about everyone else.  While it is good to hear other people's opinions, remember that what people think or say about you (to your face or behind your back) does not devalue your worth. Consider the saying 'What Sally says about Susie says more about Susie than it does about Sally'. If someone is slating you ignore them! They're not worth your time!!

2. Don't compare yourself to other people. Obviously this is so much easier said than done and I'm the worst for comparing myself to others. I constantly see people and think 'She's so much prettier than me' or 'she's so much better at _____ than me' and it's a very destructive behaviour. I like the quote 'Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle' and it's so true. There is no point comparing yourself to someone else who may have more practice or experience than you. Yeah it's great for them but it doesn't make you any worse!!

3. Believe in yourself. Self-belief is quite hard to come across, we live in a society where it is sometimes frowned upon, especially as a girl I think, to actually say out loud 'I'm good at this' or 'I can do that' etc. Obviously no one wants to be cocky about themselves and you are not better than anyone else but there is nothing wrong with believing in yourself. If you don't have even a little bit of self belief, how can you expect other people to believe in you and support you?

4. Appearance. Obviously there is so much more to you than your external appearance but I often find if I make a bit more of an effort with my makeup and outfit etc I feel happier and hence a little more confident in myself. 

5. Smile. It is such a simple thing but smiling creates an atmosphere around you which makes others feel happy and relaxed around you and can then make you feel more comfortable and confident in a situation. 

6. Listen to music.  I find, and don't judge me for this, that plugging my headphones in, putting on some loud music and dancing around my room can really cheer me up and thus lift my confidence. Even if you're not dancing around your room but you're sat on a train or walking down the street, music can put a little spring in your step and give your confidence a little boost.

7. Remove negative people from your life. There is no point in trying to be confident if you surround yourself with people who constantly bring you down, making comments about your appearance or making jokes about something you said. Yes, a little bit of banter is great, it's good to find a group of people who you can get a long with and take the mic out of each other but there's a line that is sometimes crossed and can lead people to feel really down and lacking in confidence. By surrounding yourself with non-toxic people you should feel more confident in yourself as you are more supported by people who care about you.

8. Don't be afraid. I'm a culprit of being too afraid to do something and then regretting it so it's so important to try and forget about the risks attached to something and just let go of everything. Forget about anything bad that could happen and focus on the good that will come out of whatever you want to do. 

9. Don't worry about failing. Reaching 100% confidence won't happen overnight so don't panic if you have little setbacks. Take everything as experience and  don't worry if you do take one step back. Stay calm and believe in yourself in the next situation. Know you can do whatever it may be and, to quote Nike, 'Just Do It'.

10. Just. Be. You.  

I hope these tips have been helpful, remember that you are the only you there is and you are only going to get one life (unless you believe in reincarnation) so live it well and with no regrets!!

 Thanks for reading!

Charlotte

XO

Confidence

I'm not a confident person. I wish I was but I'm not.

Pretty much all my life I have been a shy, introverted and timid person. Never the one to immediately raise my hand in class, never the one to speak out in a group and give my opinion for fear of being judged and always the one to be quiet and awkward when speaking to cashier staff in shops. 

I think I can sometimes come across as confident, I'm quite a good leader and I think  I can be quite loud and perhaps a bit bossy at times but that's because I'm comfortable being a leader of people I know well. But you put me in a group of people I've never met and I'll be the quite one who appears to be a moody bitch who thinks she is better than everyone else but is actually just scared of being judged or of seeming stupid (I promise I'm not a moody bitch!!). 

With university coming up in September and the inevitable encounter with new people I don't know I know I need to be more confident and I'm trying to encourage myself to speak out more. But when you have anxiety, putting yourself into situations where you make yourself more vulnerable are scary. I have a little niggling voice in my head that tells me just to keep quiet or not enter that situation at all because that way nothing bad will happen. But I realise this is not a way to live life. 

I somehow need to venture out of my comfort zone, into the unknown and just be myself. Because there is nothing wrong with being me, right? I am the only me there is (I think) so if I'm not going to be me, who else will? I need to ignore the fact that some people may not like me. If they don't it doesn't really affect me and it's not a reflection on who I am as a person it is simply the fact that our personalities are not the same. 

I remember as young child I was actually super confident in certain situations. I was still shy around new people and I think I remember hiding behind my parents a lot but one very vivid memory is always going up to the waiter in restaurants to ask for the bill or for another drink so confidently but something changed as I reached my early tween/teen years. I think I probably became more aware of my appearance and felt a lot less happy about myself and became increasingly quiet. As I entered secondary school I was thrown into an environment where many of the girls were already much more interested in makeup and clothes than I was and had more access to these things.

It was from here that my confidence really fell quite low and it was enhanced by the fact that I really wasn't good at sports, I wasn't very clever and I became so shy. I have always been so much taller than all my peers and I know I do stand out a lot and I really think this is a factor which has decreased my confidence. Then I did find rowing and my confidence has definitely increased as rowing is a world made for those who are not so vertically challenged. 

But I'm still not the confident person I hope to be. I look in the mirror and I'm still not happy with what I see. I want more defined abs, I want a more symmetrical face, I want narrower hips. But I cannot change most of the things I don't like (aside from my abs and I am working on them) and I really need to learn to accept myself but it is so hard! I believe Louise (Sprinkle of Glitter) is a really good role model for body confidence because she is so confident in her skin and it seems to radiate off her. But then I know she didn't develop her confidence overnight, it would've taken time to truly become 100% confident in who you are. 

So my confidence is a work in progress. I'm getting there but I am nowhere near my final confidence goal yet. I want to be able to look in the mirror, admire my flaws and know that they are my flaws and they are fine, they don't devalue me as a human and I should not be ashamed of them in any way, shape or form. 

Thanks for reading!

Charlotte

XO

June Favourites

Summer is officially here, I'm writing this at 11:30 at night and it is 25 degrees which admittedly isn't a lot for some countries but it is rather uncommon here in the UK. June has come and gone quick as a flash, filled with a range of emotions, exams, rowing and of course some new favourites!! 

Orange is the New Black Season 3 was released this month on Netflix and I'm not ashamed to say I've already finished it. I found this season so much more entertaining than the others and I definitely laughed more. I am slightly bored with the Piper/Alex story line and I'm not sure I actually like the character Piper has become but I'm loving all of the other characters. Suzanne or 'Crazy Eye's' has become one of my favourites along with Pennsatucky and the Prison staff who have had much more of a leading role in this season. The season had some great story lines which tackled some extremely interesting themes and topics, some of which were so relevant to today's society such as Sophia's struggles as a transgender woman.

On the subject of LGBT, America has announced gay marriage is legal in all states in the country which is a miraculous breakthrough for all. Why it was ever illegal I will never quite comprehend but it is such a milestone I won't complain. (Not actually sure if this is a favourite I'm just happy it's finally happened)

On a more superficial level, I recently had a spray tan for the Summer Ball and I realised how much I love being tanned. being so pale I never really tan that much but it makes me look soooo much healthier and my skin looks much better and I feel more confident. I've also been loving my Naked Palette which I used for the ball. I opted for a goldy-browny eye which I really liked. But I have also been using it on a daily basis using 'Naked' and 'Buck' to get a nice neutral eye. 

June has been a brilliant month for music releases and festivals, namely Glastonbury. Rita Ora released 'Poison' which I'm obsessed with and I also discovered Galantis- 'You and I' which is possibly my current favourite song. The Weeknd's 'Can't Feel My Face' is a new song which I love too. Of course I'm still playing Taylor Swift's 1989 album on repeat as she continues to slay the whole world with her talent and style (see what I did there?!). My final favourite song is Sam Feldt and De Hofnar 'Bloesem' I have absolutely no idea when it was released but I found it on Facebook when a video  of one of the most beautiful men I've ever seen came up on my timeline. I don't know what I fell in love with more, the song or the guy!

I have a Spotify account but I don't have premium so I get the really annoying ads and can only skip 6 songs (which for a serial skipper like me is rather inconvenient) so I have upgraded to premium (just for the free month). It is safe to say I'm loving having unlimited access to so many songs. I personally enjoy listening to music from the Noughties, the kind of things I grew up with like Sugababes, Liberty X, All Saints, Steps, S Club 7 and Will Young (I was quite a girl group fan!). 












Ice cubes have, randomly, been my saviour as the temperature is hotting up and I'm forever feeling so hot and dehydrated. I recently put them into my water bottle for training but by the time I got there they had already melted!! Ice cubes and fruit juice like apple and mango or tropical are a highly recommended combo for a quick burst of refreshment! 

I recently got the 'Deliciously Ella' cookbook and I'm beyond excited to try some of the recipes. The smoothies and juices section looks delicious and some of the sweet treats and main courses looked and sound  incredible. I'm also excited to try Tanya Burr's cake recipes (I realise quite a contrast from the healthiness of Deliciously Ella but you have to treat yourself sometimes!). Her triple chocolate cookies look insanely good as well as the Apple Pie and the Sunday cake!

For once I actually have a fashion favourite with my New Look sandals. I wore these to the ball as I decided I wanted a heel but I knew I would wear them casually too. They were a complete bargain at just £12.99 and they're so comfy and I love the thick bar across the toes. I love them so much I've just bought them in a brown/tan colour too! 

Since Women's Henley we haven't been out in crew boats which has given me a chance to work on myself in a single. I'm going to be completely honest and say that I'm not that great a sculling. When I was younger we never spent much time in singles and so I just didn't get the practice but I definitely am getting better and more confident with every session. I know when I go to uni I'll be doing a lot of singles work so I'm hoping to get even better (if I don't something is obviously going wrong!!). There is something special about being in a single that is moving nicely, with the sound of a trickle from the run of the boat, the sun shining in the sky and just you and your thoughts which I absolutely love. 

These have been my June favourites, what're yours?? 

Thanks for reading!!

Charlotte

XO

Comfort Zones

Comfort Zones are exactly that, comfy. We all love them and are often afraid to push past the boundary and into the unknown. But it's also something we have to do to grow and develop.

My comfort zone was recently tested when I had to drive all the way to Exeter and back (2 1/2 hours) for the uni open day. It was the furthest I had driven and I was so nervous but I had no choice, I had to do it. So, I thought myself through it the night before. I had a sat nav, I was with a friend, I'd written down additional directions and I didn't pass my test for no reason. 

The next morning I got in my car and I did it. I didn't crash, I didn't panic, yes I did get slightly lost but I made it! And I made it back. When I got home I actually felt so proud of myself. For a lot of you this may seem like nothing but to me it was quite a big deal! 

By doing this I now feel much more confident on my abilities, not just driving but pushing myself past my comfort zone in general. There are still so many circumstances that terrify me just thinking about them (right now it's uni!)  but I believe small steps are the best way to move forward. It is pointless trying to give a speech to 100,000 people if you can't give one to 10. 

To be really cheesy there's a quote which says 'life begins at the end of your comfort zone' and I really think it does! Push yourself and you never know what you might achieve! 

Thanks for reading! 

Charlotte 

XO