22

I know that my last post was about turning 21 so it might seem a bit odd that my next post is about turning 22. However I have a few thoughts that I wanted to share.

I don't really think that I have a problem with age, however these last two blog posts might tell a different story.

I find that birthdays are a second opportunity to make new years resolution or to stop and take stock of the last year. Looking back at the last year I'm very happy with what I have achieved, although I didn't complete all the 21 things a set myself. The 21 things project gave me the opportunity and motivation to carry out activities I would have otherwise cast aside.

Turning 22 ( no I have not set myself 22 things to do!!!!) hasn't really bothered me that much, I've got a lot of exciting things planned for the rest of the year. However, I do feel like that I am living my life in slow motion, a lot of my friends are graduating this year and moving onto the next chapter of their adventure. But I am still 2 years from closing that chapter, and it feels like a loooooooooong time. I know that studying with Open University means that it does take more time, and has allowed me to have opportunities that otherwise I wouldn't have had. It is still difficult to see other people moving on when you're still stuck in the same place.

Despite these feelings I am learning to appreciate what is happening in the here and now, not constantly looking forward, or waiting on the future. My challenge to myself for this year is appreciate the little things, also I want to finish my 21 things, take more photos and blog more.

21 Things

Back in April of this year I turned the big 2-1. I have to say that initially was dreading it, I felt it was a huge milestone in my life and I was bit down about. 21 was the age where my life should have been ‘together’, I should have accomplished or be on my way to accomplishing something, and be able to say for certain what I wanted to with the rest of my life. But in reality I still didn’t feel very sure about myself, I’m only third of way through my degree and I still don’t know definitely what I want to do after it.

To take the focus away from this negative attitude that was bugging me, I decided to complete 21 things that I hadn’t accomplished yet. I’m not sure when the idea came to me, but it became a definite plan at a New Year’s Party when I was discussing it with a friend who has also taken up the challenge.

I’ve only completed 5 of the 21 things on my list thus far, which is a bit behind schedule. The things on my list really vary, the first thing I did was get my ears pierced something that I had wanted to do for ages but had just kept putting it off. Other things on my list include going to Paris, cycling the coast to coast, and making a patchwork quilt.

The important thing about this list is that I have created memories, such as seeing McFly at Wmebly, that will stay with me for many years to come.  I hope to create many more memories that I will be able to hold onto, and look back on this year and say that I did 21 things that I had never done before.

I feel that completing this list has really helped me to be more active about the things I want to do, it’s easy to say ‘I’d love to see Mcfly live.’ But to actually do it is a million times better. It has really changed my attitude to the things I want to do, I may still be unclear about what I want to do for the rest of my life in the sense of a career, but I do know that I want to live life full of doing stuff not wishing that I had done stuff.

I encourage anyone reading this that creating at list of things to accomplish in a year is such a great motivation to do some amazing things, take the challenge up! You don’t have to be celebrating a big birthday. I think I will always aim to complete a list of 10 things every year from now on. ( 21 every year might get a bit expensive!!!)

Go on I dare you take up the challenge!.

Live life!

X

P.S one of my 21 things is to sell on of pieces of artwork check it out here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/158405795/big-ben-london-print-on-sheet-music

Stop. Think. Then Buy.

For a while my conscience has been nagging me and making me think about the ethics of what I buy. Where possible I buy fair-trade chocolate, tea, coffee etc. As I have got older this nagging has got more persistent and I have begun to feel that I don’t do enough.

The awful incidents in Bangladesh at the clothing factory were one of the final straws for me. It wasn't instant, I heard about the incident on the news and was deeply sadden that the world is so split that there are people working in these shocking conditions so that people like me can save a few pounds on the latest fashions that most likely will be worn 10 times before they get replaced with a new piece that was equally as cheap

I realised that as a consumer I/we have the control of what is sold, if something doesn't sell companies will no longer stock it, so surely if enough of us made a stand against having our clothes made in these shocking conditions then the companies would have to make a change.

I plan to try and change my consuming habits, buying as much as possible fair trade  made locally etc. it is not going to be easy and will cost more, but maybe it is not just where it’s made but do I actually need it? I think of all the clothing that I own, and how often I wear each piece I could easily survive on a much smaller wardrobe.

I read a blog by Alex Day a while ago which was very inspiring. He has made a decision to have a set (very small) number of clothes. This blog really challenged me to make a difference in my own life, I know that I love clothes too much to go to the same extremes as Mr Day but I do plan to consume less and think more about how what I do in my comfortable life affects people living in severe conditions!

I needed to write this blog to cry out because I feel so sad that this divide happens in our world. So I am setting myself a challenge and maybe you’ll take it up, next time you pick up an item of clothing to buy, think is this essential to my life and who has made it and in what conditions? And maybe slowly we can make a change.

It can happen, not that long ago you couldn't buy fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate etc. in the supermarkets and now you have the choice in all (I think) supermarkets. We are the consumers we have the power to make a change!

Here are some articles that inspired me in the writing of this blog:

Rag Rage Campaign

Lauren Laverne: Fashion with a consiceince

catch you later 

:) x