Zola: Life

Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts

3 Nov 2015

Why Stress?

It's fair to say that my life is a little bit crazy, I'm a fairly busy person. Lately I've been feeling a little overloaded with stress over everything and nothing at all. It's like everything in my life just turns into play-doh and rolls around in my stomach. Stress sucks, but it something we all face. I know a lot of you are facing exams at the moment as well, so I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. The thing is, stress is really really pointless. It doesn't actually achieve anything other than freaking us out. So why do we stress? And how can we stop?

Sometimes you've just got to take a moment. Play your favourite song. Look at yourself in the mirror and be real with yourself. You can't beat stress pretending you're ok. What are you afraid of? Is it actually likely? And does it actually matter?

Most of the time the things we're freaking out about aren't a big deal. We waste so much time stressing and why? Is it just that we don't believe in ourselves?

When it comes down to it, we just don't believe we can do it. People are actually the most amazing things on this planet, by far. Last night I went and followed a whole stack of anorexia accounts on Instagram, just because I find them so inspiring. It got me thinking, some people do the most incredible things. Some people have these awful demons, but we're beating them every single day. We're all so capable of incredible things, but half the time we never go for it because we don't believe we can. Our natural instinct, is no, I can't do that. But imagine if we shifted that to a yes. Of course you can, you're capable, you want it bad enough. It's yours. Imagine all the stuff we could actually do. But no, you're not quite enough, or at least that's what you're telling yourself.

What I've learnt about stress, is it's all in your head. But that voice saying you can't do it, that voice has an opposition. There's another voice in your head. It might be quieter, because you don't choose to listen to it as often but the thing is its still there and it has just as much power as the voice telling you you aren't enough. That second voice turns around in that moment and says OF COURSE YOU ARE. You're amazing, and beautiful. This is your moment. Don't let stress make you miss it.

As usual, I sat down to hit the publish button and ended up writing a completely new and different rant. I love writing stuff like this, its terrifying and exposing and wild but if someone somewhere is reading this and feels something, I guess its worth it. I honestly just want to build you guys up. Remember to keep things in perspective my lovelies, and always remember you can. I'm believing in you xx

25 Aug 2015

Hope for Homeless

6:32AM Sunday 23rd August.
When I wake up it's raining. It's windy and cold. It's the kind of day that makes you want to roll over and go back to sleep... except when you're sleeping on cardboard. I thank God I'm undercover and spare a thought for the thousands in Sydney tonight that aren't. They lie in bus stops, park benches or like me on the ground, representing a voiceless group within society - a group that is struggling.

Over 105 000 people in Australia are homeless. That's around 1 in 200. 27% of these people are under 18. Kids and teens living on the street, going through things I can't even begin to imagine every single day. Over the weekend I tried to get a feel for their situation in a homelessness simulation through my school. We collected cardboard to make up our 'beds' on the concrete. We were given some soup from the local 'soup kitchen' before playing cards to fight the intense boredom that comes with homelessness. It was nearly impossible to sleep on the ground, and we didn't have any safety concerns keeping us awake. Many homeless people in Sydney sleep in the day for fear of being mugged or attacked at night. We were woken early and told to move on, as homeless people so often are as not to disturb the public. It's just so terrible.

Homeless people are such a misunderstood group in our society, and before studying the issue of homelessness I didn't understand it either. As a young girl I always saw homeless people as dirty and highly dangerous. I naively assumed they were all frequent users of drugs and generally unstable people. I'd never dream of approaching a homeless person, even to give them money. I thought I was protecting myself. Us Australians pride ourselves on being friendly, but look at how we treat our poorest people. Every night they sit in the shadows, forgotten and avoided.

But what I've learnt over the past few weeks is a homeless person is not just a homeless person. A homeless person is a human! We seem to have seriously forgotten this. Behind every homeless person is a face, a story, something that got them to the point where they are. And in front of every homeless person is a future, a plan, a hope. That's what I keep telling myself as a way to deal with this problem. There's a way up for every homeless person. We have so many incredible volunteers and helpers willing and every day homeless people are turning their lives around.

In between that past story and the future hope is you, it's us, it's community. I'm not asking you to donate to a charity, start volunteering or anything like that. I'm just asking for something really small and its this - rethink how you treat homeless people. Remember this week that the homeless are people. Skin and bones just like you! If you pass a homeless person smile, say hi, just like you would if you passed any other person on the street. The little things like this can be huge for a homeless person. So theres your challenge - say hi to a homeless person this week. Don't ever think you're too young to make a difference. We've got the power to change our culture toward homeless people. Because when it comes down to it, a homeless person is still just another person in Australia's 21 million and each one has just as much potential as you and me.

Have an incredible week, and remember to keep your safety first if you do decide to get amongst your community!

18 Jul 2015

Why You Need A Bucket List

This might be something that you don't know about me, but I really love lists. Like a lot. I've written lists for everything from homework, to cooking, to outfit ideas, reading lists and blog posts. While you can never have too many lists in your life, I've decided one list everyone should have is a bucket list. It's so important to have things you want to achieve and this is no different. It's a really helpful way to keep track of your dreams, goals and things you want to achieve. Having a bucket list and knowing what you want to achieve can add a new sense of direction to your life, and help you work toward something meaningful. Plus, there's nothing better than the accomplishment of ticking something off your list.

It's important to remember there's nothing too small for a bucket list. I feel like people save the really big moments for a bucket list like 'get married' or 'own a home'. But it doesn't have to be like that at all! I have some as small as 'pass my Ls test'. At the same time, don't be afraid to go big! Your dreams are meant to scare you a little! It's completely and uniquely yours - put whatever you want on it no matter how crazy.

But the main reason to write a bucket list is why not!? They're just so fun and the possibilities are endless! As always, inspiration is everywhere, starting right here on Zola. I'll leave my bucket list below, so have a read before starting your own. Happy dreaming sweet potatoes x