Julia Speaks: May 2020

Because it's important to share the love: here's my first round of favourite Instagram accounts!

I love Instagram - well, most of the time. Growing on there is a struggle, but I enjoy creating content

on the app and discovering new inspiring accounts to follow. I follow a lot of different types of accounts, from travel, to fashion and style, and I care as much about the pictures as I do about the creators behind them. I sometimes #sharethelove on InstaStories, but today I decided to dedicate a blog post to those accounts that I look forward to seeing new content from every day! It is also a great opportunity for you to share your own favourite Instagram accounts in the comments! Here are my current favourites...

FOR COLOURFUL AND WHIMSICAL PICTURES: HelloMissJordan

For a few years now, I've been obsessed with Jordan's feed. She describes her style as "everyday princess" and it is definitely what you can expect from her feed. Jordan always finds the most gorgeous locations in London and around her travels, and creates beautiful content. Her personality is also fun and I enjoy following her stories. Jordan has grown incredibly these last couple years and that just shows how she works really hard to create her content and live her passion, so you should definitely give her a follow and check out her beautiful pictures!

Jordan also has a blog which you can look at here.

FOR A BRIGHT FEED WITH COLOURFUL MAKEUP, PLANTS AND SLICES OF HOME DECOR: Franalibi

Fran is the loveliest girl, and her feed is a beautiful mix of the colourful makeup looks she creates, pretty photos of plants and home bits, all very colourful and fun. She also posts about some yummy foods and coffee, which always make me want to go and have the same thing as she did! Even cooler, Fran works at Lush so she knows all about all things colourful and quirky and her posts are really feel-good. Fran's blog is awesome too, check it out here!

FOR MINIMALIST FASHION, HOME DECOR AND NATURE: Vintagonista

Sümeyye lives in Manchester, and shares beautiful fashion and home pictures. Her interiors are goals and make me want to redecorate my own room! Her fashion style is also beautiful: Sümeyye gives a vintage twist and vibe to her outfits, wearing amazing pieces with seasonal colours and prints. I'm loving the spring outfits she has shared so far! So if you want to find inspiration, have a look at her feed!

FOR FITNESS INSPIRATION AND A GOOD DOSE OF REALNESS: fit_pham

How to describe Chi? She is a breath of fresh air in the Instagram fitness and lifestyle world. She shares her everyday life, the highs and the lows, and gives the best advice with honest and relatable comments on how she feels - and how you may also feel, too. She shares the most gorgeous outdoors images when she goes on adventures. But mostly, she cares about others and invites you to reflect in so many ways. No matter whether you're a fitness fan or not, you should give her a follow.

FOR INSPIRING TRAVELS AND A SUSTAINABLE BALI LIFESTYLE: thewayfaress

Alexandra moved from the US to Bali and pursued a new life after decided she needed to make a change in a life that wasn't making her happy. And I'm all for this! I believe anyone can change the direction of their life to build true happiness. Alexandra shares the most beautiful travel pictures from all over the world and her Bali home. She is a great writer too, and can only inspire you to live your life to the fullest!

FOR A MAGICAL PARISIAN FEED AND BEAUTIFULLY EDITED IMAGES: margaux_leo

Margaux lives in Paris and shares pictures of the most beautiful locations in the city, and she always edits her photos beautifully! She has really been an inspiration for my content creation. I also love the photos from her Los Angeles travels, where she captured the atmosphere of the city with her own magical (and sparkly) touch. Margaux is kind and lovely too; go check out her fantastic work!

What are your favourite Instagram accounts to follow? Share them in the comments so we can find new inspiring people to follow!

Lots of love,
Julia x

May 26, 2020 No commentaires

This post includes gifted items.

Water is power.

I will preface this post by saying: I generally don't struggle with drinking water. My water intake comes and goes, depending on how busy I am at a particular time - but I am pretty good at drinking water because I love it in the first place, and I understand how important it is to keep our bodies hydrated - good for your health, your skin, your energy levels... I could go on.

However I know that drinking enough water throughout the day can be difficult, so here are my four main tips to help you drink more water!

MAKE YOUR (REUSABLE!) WATER BOTTLE AN EXTENSION OF YOURSELF

And I mean this quite literally. Reusable water bottles are great because unlike plastic bottles, you will not absent-mindedly throw away your bottle once you've drunk all the water in it. You'll refill it again, and even this smallest action encourages you to drink more. (Also, plastic bottles are crap for the environment, and we should all work on being more sustainable in our daily habits!)

I highly suggest that you take your reusable bottle wherever you go: at work, on days out, even if you're just going to a couple shops for a bit of shopping - taking your water with you will encourage you to drink more, instead of waiting until you get back home and feeling uncomfortably thirsty the whole time. At work, always have your water with you. As a teacher, my water bottle is always sitting on my desk, and when I leave in the afternoon I make sure to fill it up before my commute - and I take sips of water regularly.

DRINK EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT THIRSTY

I know, some people don't like this at all - but if you want to stay hydrated, drink often. Don't spend the whole morning without drinking water and thinking "I'll just recharge during lunch" - nope! Like everything else, the more consistent you are with your water intake, the better you'll stick to actually drinking more water and noticing the changes in your health. If you're not thirsty, have a sip from time to time. Especially if you're feelign peckish, although you just had some food. If you feel tired or have a headache, drink water - even though you're not actually feeling the sensation of thirst. If you wait until you're very thirsty, especially on warm days, it means you haven't been drinking enough water in the first place. By drinking even when you're not thirsty (water, that is..!) you prevent the feeling of thirst and lack of water that could arise later and remind you that "crap, I haven't drunk enough water today!"

SWAP ALL PROCESSED DRINKS DURING YOUR MEALS FOR WATER.

Luckily I don't have a problem with this, but I know so many people who do get a lot of fluids in throughout the day, but not water at all. Even as a coffee-lover, I know that my body can't live on lattes all the time - even though, yes, there is some water in my coffee, I know. The main issue is that we can easily swap fizzy drinks, sugary drinks, etc. for water, especially during meals. While it is perfectly fine to have a bottle of Coca-Cola or Sprite on occasion, it is always best to limit our consumption of these products which have more sugar and additives that actual water in them. And trust me, I love Coca-Cola. So I get why it could be hard to swap a daily can of coke for a full bottle of water. However, there are some ways you can make drinking water more fun, if you like a little flavour in your drinks. And here is how!

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE TASTE OF WATER, FLAVOUR IT: REVIEW OF THE WATERDROP MICRODRINKS

I was contacted by Waterdrop to try out their microdrinks. I was intrigued by the concept, and loved the idea that the company promotes the idea of drinking water, simply. I hear that so many people don't like the taste of water, and Waterdrop has come up with a great solution for the people who have that issue.

Waterdrop also sells gorgeous reusable water bottles. Their glass bottles are the most beautiful because they come with different prints and colours, however I did go for a steel option (the Pastel Olive colour in 0,5L) because I am too clumsy to risk it. The bottle is of course gorgeous and keeps my water cool for hours. I love the textured material on the outside, which makes it easy to grip. It's also not too narrow, easier to wash: I always struggle so much with my other water bottle because it's narrower, and doesn't allow for an easy cleaning process.
Along with the bottle I was sent three boxes of microdrinks to try out: Boost (blackcurrent, elderflower and açai), Zen (star fruit, white tea, lemongrass) and Youth (peach, ginger, ginseng, dandelion). Microdrinks are little cubes that dissolve in the water, made out of flavouring (sugar-free, however you do have sweetener in its stead), natural extracts and added vitamins. The vitamins differ depending on the microdrink, but you get vitamin C, biotin (vitamin B8), vitamin B3, folic acid...
As an example, one drop of the ZEN microdrink, dissolved in 400mL of water, contains 24mg of Vitamic C, 70g of folic acid, and 22,5g of biotin. Each cube has to be dissolved in 400-600mL of water - which makes it perfect for a 0,5L bottle. I love the concept of having a vitamin-packed water, and considering that one full bottle of water with one microdrink has 24mg of Vitamic C, one can easily take a good dose of vitamin by drinking only three bottles a day - which makes 1,5L which to me sound like a good amount of water for the day.

The microdrinks have a subtle taste, they are not too overpowering which is great because it doesn't taste like a sugary drink either. My favourite flavour is ZEN, as the white tea has a wonderful flavour that I very much enjoy drinking this spring. The microdrinks don't make the water fizzy, so if you're looking for a way to turn water into sparkling water, that won't do - but you should definitely try out a flavour or two of Waterdrops because it's actually quite fun to drink!
Each pack somes with 12 cubes, individually-packaged because they would otherwise dissolve in contact with the air (as they include no preservatives.) I've been using microdrinks in my water almost every day and I love it! And the fact that I'm upping my vitamins is a big yes for me too.
If you've tried out the brand, let me know in the comments below!

What are your tips to drink enough water throughout the day?

Lots of love,

Julia x

May 18, 2020 No commentaires

Things to do at home to stay entertained, fun ideas

Tired of baking banana bread every other day? This post is for you.

Whether you are still in lockdown in your country, working from home, or simply looking for new ideas to spend your weekend, I've made a list of activities you can do from the comforts of home, with the idea that no matter you are in lockdown or not, it is still very important at this stage that we practise social distancing. Here are some activities I love doing myself, and that may inspire you:

○ Wake up without an alarm

○ Do yoga or meditation to start or finish your day

○ Cook your favourite brunch foods and save $$, because you know that avocado toast is overpriced anyway.

○ Do a pampering session (face, body and hair care)

○ Watch an episode (or 5) of your current show (my current favourite is The Good Place!)

○ Exercise and break a sweat on good music (dance parties count!)

○ Read a book in bed for a calm break during the day

○ Change up the decoration of your room, there are lots of easy seasonal DIYs online

○ Challenge yourself to something creative: drawing, painting, writing

○ Spring clean or declutter, get some old stuff ready for donation

○ Do an inventory of your beauty products - do you *really* need fifteen red lipsticks?

○ Learn a random fun fact to impress your friends at your next Zoom party

○ Call a friend or family member: it's important to check on your loved ones!

○ Remember to be grateful for having a roof over your head, wifi, and food in your fridge ♥

Want to tick the stuff you've done today? Head over to my Instagram (@julia_ds25) for an InstaStory template version of this list! You can also DM me your ideas of fun activities to do from home, and I'll add them to this list!
Additionally now is the time to care better of yourself, so you should read my tips (and access free resources) to improve your self-care habits.

In the meantime, pin the checklist for later:

What are some of the things you enjoyed doing at home? Let's share more ideas in the comments!

Lots of love,

Julia x

May 09, 2020 No commentaires

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