The Life Chronicles of Lauren

Long time no see... My last post on here was not the most positive I’ll be honest, and since I made that post it has been HARD to settle back into life in the UK and find myself amongst the chaos. The later months of last year were amongst the hardest of my life, and by far it was the lowest I have ever felt. It’s hard to explain but I like to try and be honest with people about mental health, because it’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, that’s what I tell anyone who confides in me that they are struggling, and if I was to keep quiet and not tell people then that would make me a hypocrite. So as a result, I post a lot on my Instagram stories about my own experiences with mental health and how I’m feeling, and I figured it would be useful to also post it here in a more permanent format, in the hope that it will help someone going through the same thing, or at the very least of it doesn’t do that then it’s a great reminder to myself that I am stronger than I think. Around September ...

  Living abroad has been one of the best thing I’ve ever done, but something people don’t tell you is just how hard it is. Most people can empathize like “oh it must be hard being away from family” and yes, it absolutely is. Especially when there’s an emergency and you can’t get home thanks to a global pandemic... but honestly, the hardest thing is coming back. Picture this, you’re so excited to come home and get back to seeing your friends, going out for fun day trips or boozy nights out like it used to be, but what you don’t consider is that while your experience and time away has changed you, it also has had a huge impact on your relationships. Your friendship groups have changed, people forget to invite you places because they’re so used to you not being there, friends/ family you once considered close now feel distant and some don’t even get in touch at all.  It’s crushing. You begin to question everything and you just feel alone. Yeah, I miss my friends who I’ve just lef...

Earlier this year I turned 27, and with that I decided I needed a bucket list. What resulted was a list of 30 targets which I aim to achieve before turning 30. Of course, COVID may have put the brakes on this quite considerably so I’m not holding myself to the exact date of my birthday since a large portion of this list relies on being able to travel internationally...   Without further adieu, I present to you my 30 before 30 list: Personal - Get engaged (I’m aware this is largely dependent on my partner but he has assured me we will be engaged before then!) - Get a dog - Start a new hobby - COMPLETE - over lockdown I started running, I’m not very good at it but I find I actually enjoy it a lot more than I ever though I would, I used to always be in the camp of only running out of necessity Travel - Live abroad - COMPLETE - In 2018 I was fortunate enough to move to Canada with my job, and late 2019 my lovely boyfriend joined me. As it stands we will be moving back to the UK in Ma...

I know there are hundreds of posts and articles out there telling you how to love yourself and be confident and “love the skin you’re in” but really do any of those really work? Whilst the media still places all a woman’s worth on their looks and size by pushing the latest fad diet or the newest wonder product to hit Sephora it all seems a bit of an empty sentiment to me.  Now, having said all that let me throw my thoughts into the ring too with yet another blog post on how to learn to love yourself... The biggest thing that has helped me is regular exercise. I”ve always been a fan of the gym and of course pole since I started dancing 4 years ago, but over lockdown I got really into being active. Getting a smart watch with a fitness tracker has really helped motivate me to be active on a daily basis and I started to see a huge difference in the way my body looks but also my appreciation for it. Yes it may be a little heavier than I’d like, and a little squishy in some places but da...

I know I’m super late to the game but I have been getting really into podcasts lately! I find they really help my concentration while I’m working (a must have when I was working from home!) and unlike the radio where I flick through channels to avoid the “talky” bits, I love listening to the conversations being had on my favourite podcasts. There’s hundreds out there to choose from but here are a few of my favourites... 1) Shagged, Married, Annoyed Honestly, this is my absolute fave! Chris and Rosie are utterly hilarious and so down to earth and relatable. Really reminds me of my relationship with my boyfriend and I look forward to listening every week. Though sometimes it does make me cringe and my toes curl! Especially THAT nipple story... 2) Travel Diaries Holly does such a great job with this podcast, even during lockdown when she wasn’t able to interview guests she curated collections of clips from previous episodes and highlights. Since listening to this for the first time late l...

I know it seems like it’s the “trend to jump on” right now, but I like a lot of people have been trying a lot more vegan food, and it’s delicious! Now I know why so many people are turning to a plant based diet.  I have my own reasons for wanting to try it, namely to lose some weight and be healthier, but by no means do I want to call myself “vegan”. I want to do my bit for the environment, and for my health, but I don’t want the guilt of slipping up. I love to travel, I love trying new foods, and experiencing different cultures. From a purely selfish aspect, I want to be free to have my favourite local burger if I want to, or to try steaks in Argentina, or fish dishes in Portugal. Which is precisely why I prefer to say I am transitioning to a “mostly plant based diet”.  I asked several of my vegan friends in the past how they did it, most of them said they just “went vegan”. Now, I don’t know about anyone reading this, but that seems an impossible task to me. If I decide ...