Positivity Journal

For my 22nd birthday I was given a dotted-paged journal, which reads “and at the end of the day your hair should be messy, your feet should be dirty, and your eyes should be sparkling” on the front cover. It’s a beautiful little pink book purchased from www.emmakateco.com and if you haven’t checked it out, I definitely recommend you do.

As a child I loved keeping a diary, and as I got older, I tried my best to keep a journal to keep myself organised. Every year I would purchase a diary for the new year, with hopes to fill it out every day with any upcoming plans, or when my assignments were due. However, I soon realised that I’m not exactly the organised type. Within a few months the diary would be forgotten, collecting dust.

I decided not to buy a journal for 2018 as it just seemed like a waste of money. Why purchase something you know you’re not going to use? In the end, I ended up receiving a travel themed calendar for Christmas 2017, which I absolutely love, and I still use it to this day! I find that it’s much more useful and convenient, as all of your plans for the month are right in front of you, plus the travel photos are very inspiring to look at!

Anyway, back to the point… When I received this journal, I decided straight away that it would be my little positivity book. Within the journal I will write my goals for the year, and quotes that reflect how I’m feeling that day. I might even write what my favourite song is at the time. Then, at the end of the year, I will have a positive reflection of 2018.

One person who did inspire this idea was YouTuber, Jordan Clark. She creates aesthetically beautiful videos about her arts and crafts, and in particular, journaling. If you haven’t seen any of her videos I highly recommend that you do, if you are after some creative inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/user/xoStellaire

So far I have written one page in my journal, but at the end of the year I will definitely show the results, and discuss on whether I did manage to achieve my goals, and my overall experience. I also believe that by writing things down and by focusing on them, you have a higher chance of achieving it. I have big dreams for 2018, a total of four actually. Only one of them is currently guaranteed though, so hopefully the rest shall follow on.

I hope that this journal will remind me to not just be more positive, but also mindful and grateful about where I am in this point of time. If you have ever kept a positivity journal let me know about your experience in the comment section.

xx

My 5 Year Plan

Would you believe me if I told you that I never really had a plan? Everything in my life has always been spontaneous. It’s always linked, one thing after another, and I’ve never imagined beyond the next year of my life.

For example, when I was applying for University I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do. The idea of Nursing or Teaching didn’t sound interesting, or me, at all. The only thing that I could think of that actually made sense was Film and TV. I had been working at a cinema throughout high school and edited videos as a hobby. It wasn’t something I ever thought about but something that developed throughout my life, for example, when I asked for a video camera for my 10th birthday.

In my second year of University I decided that I wanted to study abroad. The plan was to spend a semester studying at Lancaster University in England. If you have read my previous posts, you would know that I lived in England for three years as a child, so I thought to study there could be an amazing opportunity. However, before I started my application, my friend told me about her experience at UCLA. Thanks to her, I applied that day and ended up being accepted.

I managed to start my career before even graduating University. A job opportunity that involved filmmaking and travelling was advertised on campus. Naturally I applied, but considering the other applicants, I didn’t think too much into it. Who knew that one month later I would be flying to New Zealand to work on the Number One Sailing Channel on YouTube – Sailing La Vagabonde. It was definitely the most insane thing I have ever done considering I that don’t know how to sail, but I definitely don’t regret it. I believe that I was meant to have that experience, but it also wasn’t meant to last. Three weeks after returning home, I went to Sydney for a wedding and made a last minute decision to stay. Ultimately, I landed a job at a leading television studio within one month.

Like I said, I never really had a plan but that’s because I am a very impulsive person. Nevertheless, I believe that everyone needs to have goals. I need to keep moving in order to keep growing. So, here are my three main goals that I must achieve within the next five years.

1.Work Overseas
I definitely have a strong travel bug, but I am also very career focused. I have already worked overseas (in New Zealand) but to take my career to either America, Canada or England would be an amazing opportunity!

2.Travel
After I turn 28, I will be saving for a house, and, I guess, preparing for my 30s. But, until then, you will probably see me go on multiple round-the-world trips.

3.Be Successful
Honestly, my brain doesn’t stop working as I’m always looking for my next project. Alongside this blog and full time employment, I have a YouTube Channel. Through these platforms, I hope to improve and develop my skills. The ultimate goal from this blog, is to keep growing as a writer, and eventually publish a book. As for my YouTube Channel, I hope to grow as a filmmaker and, one day, work on feature films.

And that’s it! You might think it’s very broad, but I prefer it that way. By not planning too much, you leave room for opportunities and experiences, that you never even imagined. I would much rather live an unpredictable life than one I’ve always known. I will definitely work towards my goals as they all include my passions of travelling, filmmaking and writing. However, life can change at any second and it can throw anything at you. At the end of the day, I’m only 21 years old. Who knows what’s going to happen next.

5 Ways to Save Money for Travel

When you hear the word travel, what do you think of? The thrill of adventure? Your upcoming / previous trip? Or money?

Money is usually the first thing people think of when it comes to travelling. And, because of this thought, there are so many of us who will never see beyond our own backyards. It’s the oldest excuse in the book… “I can’t afford it”. 

To be able to see the world is a privilege that we have to work for. Plus, with no adventure being the same, you will find that travelling definitely builds your character. My previous experiences have definitely made me who I am today, but I will save that for the next entry.

I firmly believe that all of the small things add up. So, I thought I would write a list of 5 small changes you can make, to guarantee extra cash on your next (or first) trip.

1. Do you really need that coffee?

Coffee is the enemy of saving. Believe me, I calculated it. Let’s say you buy a coffee every day before work. Is it $3? Maybe even cheaper? Let’s say, you then catch up with a friend on the weekend over coffee. That’s $3 x 6 days = $18. Imagine what that might become after a month, or even a year. Once you realise how much you spend on coffee annually, it’s quite scary. Since I calculated my expenses, I have resorted to only making instant coffee, and TBH, I’ve become quite the pro.

2. Would you rather…

Start to mentally compare what you are doing right now, and see if it would be even better in another country. Here are some examples:

Would you rather buy a coffee from the same place every day? Or a coffee in Rome?
Would you rather eat a croissant at your local cafe, or in France?
Would you rather order from Pizza Hut, or Pizzaria La Notizia in Naples?
Would you rather drink at your local bar, or in London?

Trust me, it all adds up.

3. You can make that at home!

There seems to be a food pattern right now… But it is food that takes away most of our money! One thing that I find with A LOT of people, is that they think it is cheaper to buy fast food, or even frozen meals. While, yes, it appears that way at the time, you can also buy fresh ingredients that will last many meals, for example:

A footlong Subway is around 7.00 – 10.00 AUD. It might even be cheaper where you are. But, instead of spending $10 on one meal, I can buy all of the ingredients for around $15. Seems more expensive, right? However, in the end, I have 8 – 10 wraps and my lunch is set for the entire week. It’s also much more nutritious!

My motto here is: Don’t buy what you can make.

PLUS: Get in the habit of ordering table water, rather than buying soft drinks (coke, etc.)

4. Shop alone, or online!

I find that shopping with friends can be a very influential experience. How many times have you bought something, purely because your friends kept saying how “cute” or “good” it looks? Sure, they might be right, however, you might not actually need it.

I realised that splurging only ever happened when I was with friends, and to shop by myself meant that I had more time to consider my purchase.

Ask yourself these questions next time you are shopping:

Will I take this on my next overseas trip?
Can I think of more than one event that I can wear this to?
Does it match with anything I already own?
Is it on sale?

Personally, I try to only shop when there is a sale. Although, I have also recently found that online shopping can be a very strict and thoughtful process. It’s so easy to just select everything you like, however, once you look at your shopping cart, it’s a different story. Are you willing to spend that much online? What if it doesn’t fit you? There is much more to consider. I have found that by choosing just a few favourite online stores, I have much more control in what I am spending. My number one rule is to never spend more than 100 AUD online. I also try to only shop once a month, whether it is online or in store.

My favourite online stores:

Meshki
Showpo
Beginning Boutique

5. Split your Pay

As soon as my pay comes through, I seperate it into five categories. First is Rent. Second is Bills. Third is Travel. Fourth is Savings. Fifth is Groceries. Just by getting into the habit of separating your pay, you will see how quickly it can actually build. As a result, you will feel much more organised, and you won’t be as tempted to buy unnecessary items.

And that concludes my five tips to save money! Heard it all before? Maybe. But, just by putting my mind to it, I have found that it actually works. All you have to do now is commit to the idea of saving, whether it is for travel, or something else, and you will feel much more in control!

xx