An Explanation/Apology/Promise

I feel like I have a lot of explaining to do...... I haven't posted since March, almost 3 months ago. It's not that I haven't written anything, I have it's just never been finished or posted. I've started 2 favourites posts, 3 lifestyle posts and  a throwback style post. And nothing posted since March.

I love blogging, I started it as a little hobby to keep me entertained and I loved it. I still do but I've had to prioritise. A part-time-but-feels-like-full-time-job, intense training and revision for exam resits have taken top priority. Training and work I don't mind prioritising but revision..... no thanks. 

Once my exams are over I should be back into regular uploads (hopefully) full of inspiration for nice summery posts before I head off on my next adventures in September!!

I can't wait to start blogging more!!!!

Thanks for reading 

Charlotte

XO

Wabi

So I've been struggling to find the time to write anything recently due to work, training and revision and while I should be writing a psychology essay right now I feel guilty for not writing in about a month (oops). I found these words in a psychology article recently and they made me really happy for some reason so I thought I'd share them with you.

All of them are words from other languages which, in the English language, we don't have. All are words for 'positive emotional states and concepts' as the BPS article describes them. Here are some of my favourites but I really recommend reading the whole article because I think it's such language is such an interesting concept!

Nakama

Japanese

Friends one considers family

Vacilando 

Greek

The idea of wandering. The pure act of travel is more important than the destination

Gumusservi

Turkish

The glimmer than moonlight makes on the water 

Firgun 
Hebrew
Saying nice things to people to simply make them feel good 

Iktsuarpok 

Ivit

The anticipation felt when waiting for someone 

Gigil

Philippine Tagalog

The irresistible urge to pinch or squeeze someone because you love them so much 

Kilig 

Philippine Tagalog 

The butterflies felt when interacting with someone you find attractive

Sarang 

Korean

The wish to be with someone until death

Mudita 

Sanskrit

The reveling in someone else's joy

Tyvsmake 

Norweigan

To taste or eat small pieces of food when you think no one is watching, especially when cooking (i'm such a culprit of this) 

Ullassa 

Sanskrit 

Feelings of pleasantness associated with natural beauty

Wabi

Japanese

Imperfect beauty

The last one is my absolute favourite, it's so simple. I like that there are so many words we don't know in the English language which describe feelings most people have/will feel. They're also a lot more beautiful than most English words.

Which is your favourite??

Thanks for reading

Charlotte

XO

Nostalgia

Nostalgia: 'A sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past'

I've recently come to realise I am an extremely nostalgic person which I guess has it's positives and negatives. 

I recently tweeted this:

Do you ever think back to a really happy memory and how amazing it was but then get really sad because you'll never experience those exact feelings you had in that exact moment. No matter what fun or exciting things happen which bring you the same level of happiness you'll never be able to feel exactly how you felt in that moment and that moment will never ever happen again' 

Without realising it I'd basically summed up what I think is nostalgia, or at least how I see it. I am really happy with life right now, it's not perfect but I love my job, I love rowing and training and I'm surrounded by amazing friends and family and really that's all I can ask for. Yet I keep finding myself looking back through my Facebook to see old photos or watch old videos which bring back such strong memories of my time at school. I really miss school, I miss my friends, the simplicity of life (even though I didn't realise it then) and the blissful ignorance I had to the world. I simply went to school, spent time with my friends, rowed and went home and I was okay with that.

Now I'm in a position of huge responsibility, I have a salary but I have to prioritise food, fuel and essentials over things I simply want, no matter how beautiful they may be. I have a job which puts me in a position of power and, again, responsibility over a large number of students. I have to sort appointments, book my car into the garage when something goes wrong, the list is endless and seems to grow with each week. And I am okay with that, I've always been quite a mature teenager and so I like independence and responsibility but it's also not easy. Constantly having to think about what to eat or when something must be done by is tiring (my nap frequency has increased dramatically, but that's another story). 

I love being able to remember these memories so vividly, it makes them feel really special but I think there is a negative aspect to it. I worry that because I think back to these memories, I'm perhaps not living in the moment, maybe I'm not enjoying everything around me in the current moment and maybe I won't remember it like I do with my past memories. I hope I am, and I think I am living in the moment but I think my nostalgia is holding me back from being completely grateful and happy about where I am now. 

So, while I love being nostalgic and I will continue to be I think it will be a less frequent occurrence so that in 2 or so years time I can look back on this time with nostalgia as strong as it is now! 

Thanks for reading

Charlotte

XO