19 Things I Learnt By The Time I Was 19

I'm back again for the third year with one of my all time favourite blog posts to write. As my 20th birthday is fast approaching, it was only right to sit down again and reflect on what I learnt the year before.

1. There will come a time when you have to go through heartbreak. This can be in relationships, friendships or your own personal battles. Don't be scared of it and don't doubt the power of the human heart. It will be whole again.
2. Everyone that you will ever meet will come from different walks of life. Learn to accept that you never know what a person is truly going through and everyone has a different story to tell.
3. You can do just about anything you put your mind too.
4. People who were a part of your life last year wont be in it forever. People move in different directions, just make sure you're moving in your direction with the right people.
5. If something or maybe someone doesnt feel right in your life, do not force it.
6. Always put yourself first.
7. Falling in love with someone can be amazing. But falling in love with yourself is een more incredible. 
8. Don't listen to other people's opinions about yourself. You're better than that.
9. Naps are often the best medicine.
10. Take the odd weekend just to yourself. Pamper and relax.
11. Take a leap of faith. 
12. Always try new foods. You might surprise yourself.
13. What seems like a hard challenge right now will soon fade. You'll look back and be proud of how you overcame it.
14. Always make time for those who have always been by your side. Even if there's miles between you.
15. Step out of your comfort zone.
16. Don't take crap from anyone. You deserve more than that.
17. You'll find good friends in the people you least expect.
18. Save some money every month and buy yourself something nice. We all have bils to pay, but we all deserve a treat sometimes too. 
19. The final thing I have learnt this year is to appreciate evrything. Every year is flying past quicker and quicker. Don'y wish for the weekends. Appreciate the days you have and dont look back to the bad days, they've gone. Focus on today.

-HappiestEqualsPrettiest xx

La La Land - Review

It's only January and already we have had some amazing movies hit our screen, with a lot more to come out through the year. One film that has definatly put its mark in people's heart is La La Land.
La La Land stars the beautiful Emma Stone and the incredible Ryan Gosling.

The film tells the story of Mia, who is trying her hardest to land a role in the cruel world of acting and Sebastian, who has only ever dreamed of opening his own Jazz bar. When the pair meet and fall in love, they have to help each other also reach their dreams which isn't always as easy as it looks.

This movie from the opening sequence made me feel so happy and content. The acting is phenomenal and the music that goes along with the story has made it in to my top playlist of the month. This movie doesn't just teach you about love. It teaches you that you can chase your dreams for years and years before you finally reach it. It is a story about never giving up.

Mia moved to LA to try and become an actress. Years later she is working in a coffee shop which is not where she wants to be. She is going to auditions and getting call backs all without success but never fails to give up on her dream. She even writes her own one woman show - but you'll have to watch the movie to see what that's like.

Sebastian on the other had, is living in a tiny appartment with barely anything to live off. But he has a passion for Jazz and is an incredible piano player. He just wants to open his own jazz bar. But when things take a turn, he ends up doing something he isn't passionate about and loses sight of his dream for a while.

I think this film can teach you so many lessons. It taught me that just because something doesn't happen or work the first time, doesn't mean it won't work out another time or that I should give up. This film has left such an impact on me, I just cannot wait to see it again!

If you are going to see this movie, make sure you have your tissues with you.

La La Land is out in Cinemas now!

-HappiestEqualsPrettiest xx

Hello 2017

So it's no secret to everybody that 2016 wasn't the best year. From World social issues, politics, and the deaths of people who will always live in our hearts. In some ways this year has been good for me personally but it also had times where it did not contribute to my dreams.

But this isn't a time for me to say what went wrong, but what I want to achieve in 2017. I am not one to make new years resolutions and these are far from that but these are my wishes.

1.  Skincare - I want to improve my skincare routine during this year. I want to look after my skin more because it is defiantly what I am most lazy with. I have a routine lined up to try and not everything will always work but my skin will improve this year!
2. Healthy Eating - Over the years, my relationship with food has varied to say the least. This year I want to eat healthier. I by no means want to do this to lose weight, but when I eat rubbish food it makes me start to feel exactly that - rubbish. I don't want this feeling anymore and I'm not going to say that chocolate and crisps are going out of my life completely, I just want to eat healthier meals.
3. Money - I need to start saving money more. I like shopping but I need to stop buying the things I don't need and start saving money to do things I actually want to do. I want to save for a holiday so that is my aim!
4. Travel - This is going to be harder to achieve as I am working full time, but I want to travel more. I want to go to places I've never been before. I don't know how much of this I'll be able to achieve in 2017 but I'm going to try my hardest.
5. Blogging - This blog took a back seat in my life during 2016 and that made me sad. I love to write and I love this little hobby that I can grow. I have changed so much as a person during my years on this blog. This year is going to be my 3rd blogging birthday and I want to start blogging more. But at the same time, I don't want it to feel like a chore to write and if I need a break I don't want to feel like I've failed. So I've decided that I am not going to have a strict schedule and I don't want to upload something that I'm not proud of. I will upload when I can and when I have ideas but there will be more content this year.
6. Happiness - But in 2017 what I want the most is to just be happy. I know I won't be happy all the time and I am a firm believer that it is okay to be sad sometimes. But you do sometimes get to a point where you're tired of being sad. 2016 was full of happy moments, but it was also some of the most difficult times as well. I also want my friends and family to be full of so much happiness too. This is our year! 

So long 2016. You've been unforgettable in many ways. That'll be one to tell the kids about.
Hello 2017. Please be good to me.

Happy New Year everyone!

-HappiestEqualsPrettiest x x 

Blogmas Day 12- The Christmas Tag

 Today I am doing the Christmas Tag! So here we go:

1. What is your favorite Christmas film?
If I had to pick one is would be The Muppet's Christmas Carol. I love the music and the story and watch this every Christmas Eve so it would have to be this.

2. Have you ever had a White Christmas?
I wish. I'd love to experience that!

3. Where do you usually spend your holiday?
At my family home. We've never spent Christmas away.

4. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Either I wish it could be Christmas Everyday By Wizzard or Merry Christmas Everyone By Shakin' Stevens

5. Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?
Nope. never! I think it ruins the magic of it. I can wait one more day for presents.

6. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
YES! I actually can. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Doner, Blitzen and Rudolph of course!

7. What holiday traditions are you looking forward to most this year?
Christmas Dinner and family time

8. Is your Christmas tree real or fake?
Always a fake one. We've never gone real.

9. What is your all-time favorite holiday food/sweet treat?
Okay, so does anyone know the Cadbury snow bites. They're ball of chocolate covered in white powder. OMG I will eat so many of those this Christmas. They're my favorite things.

10. Be honest: do you like giving gifts or receiving gifts better?
I love buying gifts for people and watching them open what I brought, but I can't lie, I do love present opening time.

11. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
That's hard because I get so many lovely things. I remember I begged my parents for the Barbie dream club house once and I got that and loved it.

12. What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?
I want to go to New York for the holidays. I went there during Halloween but I want to see it at Christmas.

13. Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?
Fail. No more needs to be said.

14. Most memorable Holiday moment?
Me and my brother putting out mince pies and milk for Santa and just being so excited for the nect day and waking up at 6am.

15. What made you realize the truth about Santa?
I'm not sure I remembe an exact moment. I think just one year my parents put all the presents under on Christmas eve and obviously Santa hadn't been. I feel like I had grown out of it by that point anyway. I don't remember

16. Do you make New Years resolutions? Do you stick to them?
Sometimes but not really.

17. What makes the holidays special for you?
Spending time with people important to me


18. What do you wish for Christmas this year?
I don't know really.

19. Favorite Christmas smell?
Christmas Cookie Yankee Candle

20. What is the worst/weirdest gift you ever got?
I used to get cat ornamnets. Why? I have no Idea

21. Favorite holiday drink?
Hot chocolate or the Costa Christmas menu.

22. Have you ever spent Christmas in another country? If yes, which one(s)?
No I haven't.

23. What place/landmark in your town do you love during Christmas?
We don't have one really in our town so we'd probably go to London to see the lights or go to Winter Wonderland or something at Christmas.

24. Were you naughty or nice this year? You know that Santa is watching *smirks*
Of course I was nice ;)

Can you believe we are half way through already?

-12 days to go-

-HappiestEqualsPrettiest ox

Blogmas Day 9 - My Holiday Playlist

Is Christmas even Christmas if you don't listen to all the music that comes along with it? Here is my holiday playlist.

1. I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
2. Holly Jolly Christmas - Michael Buble
3. Mistletoe - Justin Bieber
4. Last Christmas -Wham!
5. All I want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
6. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Bandaid
7. Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues
8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Pretenders
9. Carol of the Bells (I don't know who sings this but its the song from Home Alone)
10. Stay Another Day - East 17
11. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - Celine Dion
12. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
13. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bruce Springsteen
14. Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin' Stevens
15. Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
16. Christmas Eve - Justin Bieber
17. It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas - Michael Buble

These are just some of my top Christmas songs that make it to my holiday playlist.

What's on yours?

-HappiestEqualsPrettiest x

Blogmas Day 5- Gift Guide for All

I knew I wanted to do a gift guide during blogmas but I also had so many other posts I wanted to do as well that I had to include all the gift guides in one. So there should be something for everyone in this.

Females

Mums- Shopping for my mum is something I always find pretty easy but I know for some people this might be a bit of a challenge. Some of the things I like to get for my mum include - Yankee Candles - Now my mum loves yankee candels so any present from their ranges do the job. Perfumes - Perfumes are also a good gift. At Christmas you can usually get the sets so it may include a body lotion or shower gel. I think these are always nice gifts because they can become limited edition and they can have their favourite scents in other forms. I always like to go to boots or superdrug when looking for presents for my mum, because brands that she normally uses will bring out different sets that mums will like.

Sisters- I don't actually have a sister, but being a sister myself I know what my brother could potentially buy me for Christmas. Last year he got me a perfume set of my favourite perfume. If you are really stuck a voucher is always good. If they are into makeup and cosmetics then you could get boots or superdrug or if they enjoy fashion then get them a voucher for their favourite clothes shop. I think this is a good idea because they get to choose for themselves but you've still shown that you know what they would like to buy if you gave them a voucher.

Friends- I think friends are so difficult because you never know how much to spend. I think if you have a big group of friends a good thing to do is secret santa. This way you only have to buy for one person and you can also just buy one person something really special that they like.


Males

Dads- For my dad I like to go for little gadget because he loves that type of thing and you can usually get these in the male department of any shop. DVDs are also a good shout or a voucher for debenhams is a classic one with my dad. I also like to get him a box of Chocolate brazil nuts becauses these are his favourites so their favourite chocolate is also an idea.

Brothers- For my brother I might get him a game he's been wanting for his PS4. A smellys set is also good because they do really good ones now that don't make them look too boring like Jack Wills ones.

Friends- this is kind of the same as above but I've never actually had to buy for male friends before so I may not be great but little gadgets are good. They are fun and also very affordable. I always used to get my friends the chocolate from thorntons which you could get their names piped onto. These are always good personalised presents.

Let me know in the comments what you like to get for people christmas in the comments so I can have some ideas as well.

-20 days to go-

-HappiestEqualsPrettiest

Blogmas Day 4- My Christmas Wishlist

I love seeing what other people are wishing for this Christmas, so I thought I'd show you what I want this year. 

1. Cheryl Stormflower Platnium - I have wanted Cheryl's new perfume for months so I would love this for Christmas

2. Zoella Lifestyle/Beauty - I would love some of Zoe's new lifestyle collection, maybe one of the candles and I love her Christmas beauty range this year so that would be very much appreciated.

3. Tanya Burr Cosmetics - I really want to try Tanya's lipsticks so one of them would be lovely. 

4. Lush - Any of the Lush Christmas collection would be so nice.

5. I think I might ask for some new straightners. I have had mine since Christmas 2009 or something ridiculous. I think it's time they were replaced. Even though they still work well, I think I'm in need of new ones.

6. There's a Sleek Makeup set form boots which I saw and would also love.

I think that I everything I can think of which I would love to wake up and find under the tree on Christmas day. I am very grateful for everything I will recieve though and these are just things I've seen I would like. 

-21 Days To Go-

-Happiest Equals Prettiest xox