The seven essentials to become happier

We all have our dark days and bad weeks from time to time, trust us, we've all been there and unfortunately it's all part of growing up, becoming older and of course, wiser. But what exactly can we do to overcome those bad days and become happier, more positive people? I have teamed together my top tips, of which help me on day to day basis and hopefully they will assist you on helping you become an overall happier person with a brighter outlook of life and with our fingers crossed, together we can be on our way to beat those 'down days' for good.

Listen to music

Sticking our earphones in, blocking out the world with our favourite, most uplifting and motivational songs can really help improve your mood. It can transform you into a world of your own, erasing the bad memories of a terrible day,oh which you'd much rather forget.

How it helps me; I listen to music as much as I can throughout the day, mainly on the bus, whilst I am walking or just before bed. It massively contributes to how my mood changes, sometimes if I've had a bad day at college, listening to music on the way home instantly becomes a mood changer and by the time I get through my front door my rubbish day is no longer at the forefront of my mind as it helps take my mind off everything for a short while and concentrate on the more positive things, after-all tomorrow is a new day.

My uplifting playlist: (Well a few)
{some are very cliche, I know}

   

• Drake - One dance
• Blonde - All cried out
• Coldplay -Hymn For The Weekend
• The Saturdays - Ego
• Beyonce - Countdown
• The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
• Sia - Cheap Thills
• Dua Lipa - Hotter Than Hell

Write it down

Writing your thoughts or feelings down can feel as though a slight weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. Not everyone can be open with their family members or friends, so writing down exactly how you feel can give a sense of 'telling someone', making it easier to congest why today or this week wasn't a good one and how you can ensure that tomorrow is a great one.

How it helps me; I don't tend to write down my feelings down at this present time, although at school keeping a diary about dealing with GCSE stress did help me out a lot. I prefer to discuss how I feel with either Alexandra, my boyfriend or my stepdad as i find these people the easiest to talk too, it's all down to preference, some people feel more comfortable with just writing it down, although it's always reassuring to discuss a problem or concern with somebody close to you as well.

Get rid of negative people

Shutting out people is extremely difficult and challenging, whatever you age or current situation may be, it's never nice to loose people that you were once close too or had created a special bond with, but honestly, sometimes it is for the best. Surrounding yourself with negative people, who may constantly try to bring you down is never a good idea and it will reach a point of enough is enough.

How it helps me; As my last year of high school was nearing to an end, for me it was a prime opportunity to escape negative people and slowly drift away from them without causing any problems or awkwardness. High school is always a difficult time, people change and unfortunately not always in a positive way. I was ALWAYS a forgiving person no matter what the issue may of been and leaving year 11 would be the turning point for myself and the chance to keep in touch with only the people who would be good for me and who I'd benefit from. There's most definitely a certain way to approach this situation to avoid causing any upset or being horrible and honestly is always key. Addressing the problem with a friend or work colleague etc. is always a good starting point, if they take everything on-board, that's perfect and if not, you can cope without them.

Look good,Feel good

There's no better feeling than getting complimented unexpectedly or walking around feeling damn hot and usually, for us ladies it's all about the clothes, the face and the hair. Putting on your favourite outfit, feeling utterly pampered or simply, getting a fresh cut can leave us all feeling better about ourselves. Looking good certainly makes us feel good and feeling good is the key to a great day.

How it helps me; All of us have varied opinions on how we can look our best, for me I'm most confident when my eyebows are done to perfection, disappointing brows = disappointing day. How I dress is a huge confidence boost for myself, when I'm dressed in my favourite pieces I'm instantly more happy and positive about how I feel for that day. Sometimes, there will be days where I chop and change my outift three or four times, I'd never even attempt to leave my house if I didn't feel comfortable in what I was wearing or how I looked.

Plan,Plan,Plan

Who doesn't love planning days out or trips with the people who mean the most? Whether it's a year or a month in advance it's always great to be looking forward to one thing or another. Not only is it a great way to get together with family member you don't usually see or long lost friends, it's also the perfect opportunity to take your mind off things you'd rather forget about, whether that be college/school/work etc.

How it helps me; I've got to be honest, I'm a little lazy nor creative when it comes to organising plans for a day out and sometimes I'd rather enjoy a day spent in bed with a cup of tea...although I have now realised, I need to get back into being more outgoing rather than wasting my life away under my duvet. I've made a promise to myself that as soon as I turn 18, I shall venture out more but until then, I  probably with just waste away in my bed, oops.

Find A New Hobby or Interest

Finding a new hobby or interest is something we should do often, it's a prime opportunity to meet people and find something new about yourself, maybe a sport you never even knew you were good at. Many people thing this has to be sport based, but that isn't the case at all, maybe a art class would tickle your fancy or a new found love of historic monuments. It can literally be anything. It keeps things interesting, can take you out of your comfort zone, keep your mind off things and build confidence, what's not to love.

How it helps me; I'm not particularly in to participating in any type of sport, so anything sporty based is a huge no go for me as P.E at school was literally my worst nightmare. It's taken me a while to find something I enjoy and stick to for longer than two weeks but blogging is finally something I enjoy and it's non-physical, which is the perfect hobby for me. Blogging is the perfect way to meet various types of people and to bring me out of my comfort zone, not only that but fashion and beauty is a huge passion of mine and what better way than to share that with you all.

And Smile...

Smiling is the easiest tip of them all, it's the biggest and most essential tip on how to be a happier person. No

matter how rubbish and down you feel on the inside,smile and eventually the happiness part will begin to follow naturally. 

~Saving the pennies~

Who else is with me when I say, money equals worry? Is money constantly playing on your mind? Same and it's the WORST. Since leaving college last month, I've been trying to fit more hours in at work, however, nothing seems to compensate all spending I do and after all, every little helps. So what else can we do to save our pennies and up our 'only spend what we need' game in time for summer? 

Shop around

If you're similar to me and fall head over heels for a wardrobe piece and you can't get it out of your head until you've ruined your bank account, then you're doing it all wrong. Browsing is key. You may find a very similar item or a fantastic dupe elsewhere for a quarter of the price. You can download shopping apps including 'Mallzee', of which you can browse similar items all in the same place. So, snap out of that 'love at first sight' mode and get to it.


Bring lunch

Lunch is my favourite time of day, actually scrap that, food in general is my favourite time of the day, and yes, majority of my money is thrown away on take aways and eating out. It actually saddens me to think about how much money I've spent over the past few months on food, sigh. This is 1000000% the area I need to work on the most when it comes to saving and the only way I can *just about* manage to resist buying food is to sort myself out with a tasty baguette and some scrumptious snacks the night before work. Also, take a drink with you...the pounds seriously do add up!

Groupon is my savour 

I've recently downloaded the Groupon app and honestly, it's one of my most used apps on my phone. It's particularly good for dining out as they offer a selection of money-off vouchers for the best restaurants around. They also offer discounted days out and cheap trips away, DOWNLOAD IT NOW, seriously. 

Avoid delivery costs

Recently, avoiding the shops and dragging ques and instead, ordering online has been very much preferred. Although, paying money for the order and then £4-5 delivery just isn't viable and frankly, I aint got time for that. Delivery costs quickly add up so instead, spend an extra £10 or so, to qualify for free delivery and then return free of charge and obviously, get your money back off the items not needed. Of course check with the T&Cs but it's definitely worth the hassle in the long run.

The un-breakable money box

Dipping into savings from the piggy bank is just too easy, so why not buy one which you can only dip into once you've smashed it to a million pieces. THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. It makes resisting a whole lot easier and you can purchase them from the pound shop, even better!

Sell everythaaaang

Unwanted clothes, shoes, games, consoles...SELL IT ALL. Download Ebay, Amazon and Depop, honestly, people will buy anything and everything! It's seriously worth looking into and ensure you set up a PayPal account so money can be paid to you safely and securely.Your trash, is somebody elses treasure. Guaranteed you'd be surprised to see what you can earn from your own front room.

What are your money saving tips? I'd love to hear from you!

With love soph x

(MATTE ME) Sleek Liquid lipsticks

Sleek is a fairly new brand to me, I have yet to test majority of their range, aside from the Sleek powdered contour kit, so I am still very sceptical but excited to give one of their new products a go. Liquid lipsticks really took off  and hit the market hard when Miss Jenner brought out her lip kits, which obviously have been proved popular. Although, if you're like me and a student on a budget, spending that amount of money on the product and shipping just isn't viable, so alternatives are the way forward. Today, I am finally loosing my liquid lipstick virginity.

                   

    

When it comes to lip products, I'm either a very nude, nude girl or a 'in your face' kinda girl, with light brown, reds and dark purples steal my heart every single time. Although, this time around I thought I'd try a pallet a little more unusual for me, gravitating towards a more pinkish, red shade. Varying in 12 shades, you're not limited with pallet choice, from baby pinks to fiery reds, Sleek are offering it all within this range. 'BITTERSWEET' is my choice today and if all goes well, retailing at only £4.99, I'll definitely be purchasing the collection.

Firstly, the  packaging is simply 'sleek' (excuse the pun), a minimal matte black lid, with an embossed logo and clear casing, it's easy to view the shade without even swatching. Quick pallet choice if you're in a major rush.

I normally steer away from a lip-gloss styled brush as I find the application more difficult than using a lip brush or a block lipstick.  Although, due the the slight angling on the applicator, it did help with getting into the creases of the lip and edging toward the corners without smudging past the lip line. However, I would recommend using this product along with a lip liner to assist with a smooth line.

For the price, I wasn't getting my hopes up but O M G, I was so pleasantly surprised and definitely would recommend. The lip cream is so pigmented, 'matte-tified' to the max and glides on your lips effortlessly. The product drys super quick which helps to avoid smudging and budging throughout the day. However, I would state that this product is very drying, so if your lips are normally dry and dehydrated, like mine, ensure you moisturise, moisturise and moisturise a little more before application and you could always apply a gloss on top if preferred.

A little elbow grease is needed to remove the product at the end of the day as it does NOT budge. ONLY £4.99, WHAAAAAT. Overall a really good must-have lip product if you're on a budget.

P.S. Not 100% sure this shade suits me, maybe I shall be sticking to my usual pallet from now on *Covers face*.

{Click here to purchase}

Any lip products you're loving or desising lately? Let me know

With love, Soph x

[lil' life updates]

My blogging mojo is back , hallelujah. As you've all probably noticed,  Her Envious Mind has been in "sleep mode" during the past few months and I am thinking you're all in need of  a little explanation and update. If I am completely accurate and 100% honest, blogging has been quite a struggle for quite a while now. Although, it feels flipping good to be back. Overall, this comeback post  is definitely overdue. I've been working hard on a number of new posts and ideas, of which I'm super excited to share them with you soon and over the course of next year. Time to get organised and shake things up - never a bad decision, right? 

The latest:

• Driving - After only a short few hours behind the wheel and rapidly developing my driving skills, unfortunately I realised I had massively been ripped off by my driving instructor and the Drive Dynamics Company and sadly, I had to terminate my driving contract with them. GUTTED. I'm hoping to continue with my lessons within a new company in the next few coming months and will keep you all updated with my progress.
• Job and Education - .I'M A COLLEGE GRADUATE! Oh my god, I am over the moon to of finally been able to say 'bye bye education', college isn't for everyone and it certainly wasn't for me. I am now a fully qualified beauty therapist, YES! In regards to my job, I am currently working part time in H&M and I can safely say, the retail life isn't quite doing it for me and a full time job hunt is about to get under way. Pass me the money.

• Personal life and love - Earlier February this year I met the most wonderful human (Reece), of which I now call my bf and my best friend. A lot can change within the space of 5 months or so, and in all honesty, I feel as though it was fate. After meeting on a rather drunken evening to celebrate my 18th birthday, we just hit it off and I couldn't be happier. HIGH FIVE TO LOVE lol.
  
• Travel -  I've had my fair share of trips and days out this so far this year, London, Chester, Stratford, Western Super Mare, and I am about to jet off to Menorca for 12 nights, just to name a few. My love and passion of travel increases year after year and myself and Reece are already planning our next trip, so look out for some travel posts heading your way. 

Can't wait to restart and continue this venture with you all.

With love, Soph x

My Simple, Simple skincare routine

Today I wanted to introduce you to an affordable, basic yet beneficial skincare routine for all of you that are on a budget. Although, I have previously used a variety of brands on my skin I thought I'd share with you my Simple range which is the cheapest and most kind to my sensitive skin. If you're like me, I don't always find the most expensive products the best on my skin as I could go and splash out £30 on a moisturiser but it wouldn't necessarily be suitable to my skin type, where as I know Simple products suit me down to a T and are a fraction of the price. I carry out majority of this routine once in the morning and then again in the evening, my skin has never felt or looked better and at each product retailing at around the £3 mark, what more could you ask for?

Refreshing Facial Wash Gel:

I tend to use this twice a day as it's my substitute to the 'soap and water wash' but is more gentle to my skin as soap is way too harsh for the face and neck region. This is the first step of my skincare routine, gently cleansing and refreshing my skin first thing in the morning and last thing before bed.

Purifying Cleansing Lotion:

I find this one of the most important steps to keeping my skin healthy and blemish free as it deep cleanses my skin removing excess makeup, grime and dirt that is trapped within my pores. This helps to reduce breakouts as it thoroughly cleans out even the deepest of pores which face wash or soap cannot achieve.

Soothing Facial Toner:

It's always important to follow with a toner after you've cleansed your skin as it first of all removes any excess cleanser, closes the pores and helps tighten the skin, supposedly, leaving your skin to look more youthful as the years go on. I'm always left feeling so fresh-faced after using this toner creating the perfect clean and refreshed base before applying my moisturiser.

                                   
Hydrating Light Moisturiser:

After I've washed, cleansed and toned my face and neck, I then lightly moisturise my skin to prepare my final base before applying my makeup. I purposely chose a 'light moisturiser' as I don't like wearing a heavy product on my face and this leaves my skin feeling light and airy, letting my skin breathe. I leave this around 10 minutes before applying my makeup products, letting the moisturiser settle into my skin.

                                   
Deep Cleansing Face Mask:

Unlike my facial wash, cleanser, toner and moisturiser, where I use them twice a day, I only use this face mask a few times a week...purely due to lack of time and the fact that hardly anyone uses a facemask on a daily basis as its not an essential but acts as a extra deep cleanse for my skin. I find this mask brilliant as it only needs to be left on your face for around 3  minutes and I really do find it works even within such a short period of time. Since using this mask, my skin has been left with minimal breakouts and has left my face feeling smoother than ever before.

Love Soph x