The 10 places I want to travel before I die
Monday, 25 March 2019 • featured, millennial traveller, Travel, travel wishlist, traveldestinations, travellocations, traveltheworld, traveltrips, wanderlust, wheretotravel
This world we live in is full of so much mystery, beauty and excitement.
I love to travel. I love learning about new and old cultures, experiencing different food and ways of living. I feel that every place I’ve visited has opened my mind just that little bit more and because of that I will never stop and I will always encourage my son to do the same.
So with that said, here is 10 places still on my bucket list.
Sea of Stars on Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives
The bioluminescence in the water due to marine microbes called phytoplankton, create an amazing effect on the shore that lights up the oceans with beautiful blue lights. It’s like something straight out of the Avatar movie.
Tahiti, French Polynesia
One of the best tropical destinations, situated halfway between Los Angeles and Sydney, Tahiti has it all - Crystal clear beaches, lagoons, waterfalls, valleys, rainforests, extinct volcanoes and plenty of action packed island adventures
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
A geothermal natural spa surrounded by beautiful scenery, the water there is rich in minerals. You can get in-water massages and natural beauty treatments tailored for your skin using rare algae and minerals as well as purchase silica masks.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Labelled as "Germany’s fairy tale dream town", Rothenburg is known for it’s well preserved medieval history and buildings. It would be like taking a trip through a thousand years of history. I've also heard the museum there is incredibly memorable.
New Orleans, USA
Famous for annual celebrations and festivals; such as Mardi Gras. However, I’m most interested in the historic part of the city, the french quarter and all the supernatural legends in regards to the witches and vampires surrounding it.
Jerusalem, Israel
It's considered one of the world’s holiest cities in the world. Visiting Jerusalem would be like travelling back in time again. I would love to visit the Israel museum and City of David.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The largest coral reef system and the only living organism that can be spotted from space. As it's famous for its unparalleled natural diversity, snorkelling there would just be incredible.
Egypt
Egypt is full of history. After the pyramids, there are temples filled with interesting carvings, paintings and hieroglyphics. I love all the stories about the egyptian gods, not to mention Egypt also has some pretty incredible beaches.
Pompeii, Southern Italy
An ancient Roman city, buried after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The preserved site now features excavated ruins of streets, houses and shops that I could explore.
Seoul, South Korea
The host of delicious food, crazy nightlife, history and advanced technology. Seoul is also at the forefront of the cosmetics industry, creating some of the most unrecognizable surgical transformations in the world.
Where do you want to go?
By Melissa Hawkes
Melissa is a freelance writer and skin specialist that loves to travel. She and her partner share a home in Western Australia with one extraordinary little boy and an entourage of animals.
You can follow her work and family life on Instagram @_melissahawkes
I love to travel. I love learning about new and old cultures, experiencing different food and ways of living. I feel that every place I’ve visited has opened my mind just that little bit more and because of that I will never stop and I will always encourage my son to do the same.
So with that said, here is 10 places still on my bucket list.
Sea of Stars on Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives
The bioluminescence in the water due to marine microbes called phytoplankton, create an amazing effect on the shore that lights up the oceans with beautiful blue lights. It’s like something straight out of the Avatar movie.
Tahiti, French Polynesia
One of the best tropical destinations, situated halfway between Los Angeles and Sydney, Tahiti has it all - Crystal clear beaches, lagoons, waterfalls, valleys, rainforests, extinct volcanoes and plenty of action packed island adventures
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
A geothermal natural spa surrounded by beautiful scenery, the water there is rich in minerals. You can get in-water massages and natural beauty treatments tailored for your skin using rare algae and minerals as well as purchase silica masks.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Labelled as "Germany’s fairy tale dream town", Rothenburg is known for it’s well preserved medieval history and buildings. It would be like taking a trip through a thousand years of history. I've also heard the museum there is incredibly memorable.
New Orleans, USA
Famous for annual celebrations and festivals; such as Mardi Gras. However, I’m most interested in the historic part of the city, the french quarter and all the supernatural legends in regards to the witches and vampires surrounding it.
Jerusalem, Israel
It's considered one of the world’s holiest cities in the world. Visiting Jerusalem would be like travelling back in time again. I would love to visit the Israel museum and City of David.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The largest coral reef system and the only living organism that can be spotted from space. As it's famous for its unparalleled natural diversity, snorkelling there would just be incredible.
Egypt
Egypt is full of history. After the pyramids, there are temples filled with interesting carvings, paintings and hieroglyphics. I love all the stories about the egyptian gods, not to mention Egypt also has some pretty incredible beaches.
Pompeii, Southern Italy
An ancient Roman city, buried after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The preserved site now features excavated ruins of streets, houses and shops that I could explore.
Seoul, South Korea
The host of delicious food, crazy nightlife, history and advanced technology. Seoul is also at the forefront of the cosmetics industry, creating some of the most unrecognizable surgical transformations in the world.
Where do you want to go?
By Melissa Hawkes
Melissa is a freelance writer and skin specialist that loves to travel. She and her partner share a home in Western Australia with one extraordinary little boy and an entourage of animals.
You can follow her work and family life on Instagram @_melissahawkes
Unemployment - why it’s ok to sign on and get benefits.
• Adulthood, benefits, Career, graduate, graduate working advice, how to get unemployment allowance, unemployment, unemployment benefits, unemployment benefits uk, work
Spending the whole day at home with nothing to do, is the dream for some people. Lounging about the house with no real plans and nowhere to be, it sounds great doesn’t it?
But spending all day at home because you have no job to go to is not luxurious and can be monotonous.
Recently I found myself without work, unemployed for the first time in my life. Never before had I realised how many hours there are in the day and how quick I tire of binge watching shows on Netflix.
Throughout my life, I have always jumped from job to job with ease with only a couple of weeks without out work, usually spent job hunting. However after a career change, I am no longer looking for jobs in sales which come a dime a dozen, instead focusing on getting a job I am passionate about. Hunting for my perfect job has caused a much longer period of unemployment than I am used to or comfortable with. The over-achiever in me will have to get used to this new reality.
Although the employment rate is at its lowest level since the 1970s, there are currently 1.36 million people in the UK without a job - just like me!
In the media unemployment is constantly portrayed as a joke. Characters who are unemployed in Films and TV shows are typically the family failure and seen as lazy. To add to this newspapers hate on benefit claimants, reporting they are thieves always claiming more than they are entitled to. Very few positive portrayals of unemployment in the media lead to large stigmas in society. People are scared to admit they are unemployed and fear the shame of claiming benefits.
Stigmas against the unemployed lead to hiring bias, drastically reducing the chances of being employed after a period of unemployment. Studies show that regardless of reasons for leaving a job, voluntarily or uncontrollable (i.e. laid off/ redundancy) the stigma remains the same.
Despite how most of society and the media feels about being unemployed and signing on, benefits aren’t in fact a waste of governments money but actually help members of the public. Without the government system many people would struggle to live and would lose their home or starve or in the extreme cause, lose their life.
There are many different types of benefits available to the unemployed covering a variety of needs. Benefit calculators help gain an idea of what benefits can be expected before signing on.
Job Seekers Allowance helps support people who are are actively seeking work. As soon as you have lost your job, you are able to apply for Job Seekers Allowance and begin claiming benefits whilst you seek future employment. It is very easy to sign on and begin receiving benefits. Simply check your eligibility on the government's website, make a claim and go to an interview at your local Jobcentre Plus office.
Introduced by the government to simplify working-age benefits, Universal Credit is replacing 6 other benefits, including Job Seekers Allowance, with a single payment once a month. It is being introduced in stages across the country to help with living costs.
Did you know you don’t have to be unemployed to receive benefits? Child care benefits are available to all parents, not just those without work. There are also benefits available to those with low-incomes. So even if you are in full-time employment, if you’re struggling - there is help available.
Millions of pounds of benefits are missed out on every year, because people aren’t aware that they are entitled to them, or are too ashamed to claim. There is no shame in receiving the help that is there for you!
By Hannah Alex Moody
Hannah is a Travel blogger born in London and now based in Norwich. Previously working solely for one of the leading volunteer abroad companies, she has recently decided to go freelance, working on sharing her love for all things travel with real-life experiences. You can find her online on her blog: Twenty Six O Two and also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
But spending all day at home because you have no job to go to is not luxurious and can be monotonous.
Recently I found myself without work, unemployed for the first time in my life. Never before had I realised how many hours there are in the day and how quick I tire of binge watching shows on Netflix.
Throughout my life, I have always jumped from job to job with ease with only a couple of weeks without out work, usually spent job hunting. However after a career change, I am no longer looking for jobs in sales which come a dime a dozen, instead focusing on getting a job I am passionate about. Hunting for my perfect job has caused a much longer period of unemployment than I am used to or comfortable with. The over-achiever in me will have to get used to this new reality.
Although the employment rate is at its lowest level since the 1970s, there are currently 1.36 million people in the UK without a job - just like me!
In the media unemployment is constantly portrayed as a joke. Characters who are unemployed in Films and TV shows are typically the family failure and seen as lazy. To add to this newspapers hate on benefit claimants, reporting they are thieves always claiming more than they are entitled to. Very few positive portrayals of unemployment in the media lead to large stigmas in society. People are scared to admit they are unemployed and fear the shame of claiming benefits.
Stigmas against the unemployed lead to hiring bias, drastically reducing the chances of being employed after a period of unemployment. Studies show that regardless of reasons for leaving a job, voluntarily or uncontrollable (i.e. laid off/ redundancy) the stigma remains the same.
Despite how most of society and the media feels about being unemployed and signing on, benefits aren’t in fact a waste of governments money but actually help members of the public. Without the government system many people would struggle to live and would lose their home or starve or in the extreme cause, lose their life.
There are many different types of benefits available to the unemployed covering a variety of needs. Benefit calculators help gain an idea of what benefits can be expected before signing on.
Job Seekers Allowance helps support people who are are actively seeking work. As soon as you have lost your job, you are able to apply for Job Seekers Allowance and begin claiming benefits whilst you seek future employment. It is very easy to sign on and begin receiving benefits. Simply check your eligibility on the government's website, make a claim and go to an interview at your local Jobcentre Plus office.
Introduced by the government to simplify working-age benefits, Universal Credit is replacing 6 other benefits, including Job Seekers Allowance, with a single payment once a month. It is being introduced in stages across the country to help with living costs.
Did you know you don’t have to be unemployed to receive benefits? Child care benefits are available to all parents, not just those without work. There are also benefits available to those with low-incomes. So even if you are in full-time employment, if you’re struggling - there is help available.
Millions of pounds of benefits are missed out on every year, because people aren’t aware that they are entitled to them, or are too ashamed to claim. There is no shame in receiving the help that is there for you!
By Hannah Alex Moody
Hannah is a Travel blogger born in London and now based in Norwich. Previously working solely for one of the leading volunteer abroad companies, she has recently decided to go freelance, working on sharing her love for all things travel with real-life experiences. You can find her online on her blog: Twenty Six O Two and also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Starting a business? 10 start up myths you can ignore
• Adulthood, business, business myths, Career, entrepreneur myths, featured, how to start a business, how to start a startup, small business, start up, startup, startup myths
Upon starting a business, entrepreneurs often search online for helpful advice. Search results bombard entrepreneurs with ‘handy tips’, but not all of them are true! For example, did you know a 20 page business plan isn’t essential for a successful business. But to save you scrolling through the endless google search results, we've rounded up our 10 favourite start up business myths.
You Need Lots Of Cash
Many start-ups began with only a couple of thousand dollars to kick-start them. Apple is a prime example starting their now multi-billion global business with only $1300.
There are many ways to make start-up capital go further, joining a business network club can result in befriending a tech guru who can give you mates rates and allow you to save money in the first year.
Business Consultants Can Help
This applies to business consultants, marketing and creative agencies.
In reality, you are the person who knows your business best, what direction to go in, who your target market is and the product it sells.
It can take months for a business consultant to understand your business and begin advising on which direction your business should take.
If you really feel a need for advice from a third party, previous business owners can help mentor you on mistakes they made and what to avoid. Mentors can be cheaper than consultancy firms and sometimes even free!
Entrepreneurs Choose Their Hours
It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to work long hours for the first couple of years.
Entrepreneurs often find themselves putting in as much time as possible to a new venture, it is new and exciting. As it is new, sometimes it may not go right and take a bit longer.
A Team Is Required
The largest cost in any start-up is often the cost of labour. To reduce overhead costs, avoid hiring any staff for as long as possible.
Not only is the cost of each hour of labour going to have an impact, there is also the legal side to consider - before hiring any staff, entrepreneurs have to read everything they can on employment law to ensure they're compliant.
You Have To Take Risks
Even the least risky business should be aware that handling and taking risks is a part of owning a business. There will always be risks but they can low danger risks.
A wood smith who enjoys making wooden objects in their spare time is not taking a great risk by then selling them online, although this is still entrepreneurial.
You Have To Have Qualifications
Volunteering is a great way to gain skills in a certain industry, and not waste time by studying to achieve a degree or qualifications.
There are many examples of successful entrepreneurs who decided to start a business without a degree or any formal qualifications. Mark Zuckerberg famously dropped out of his Harvard course to peruse the creation of Facebook instead.
The Only Motivator Is Money
There are many reasons entrepreneurs choose to set up a business. Sometimes it is money and the things you can do with it.
However, an equal number of individuals choose to start a business because it is their passion, or they enjoy the freedom which comes with owning their own business.
You Have to Leave You Day Job
It can take up a long time to establish a client base and get your business known. Don’t quit your day job until your business is comfortable to support and sustain your lifestyle.
The Business Needs to Grow Quickly
Natural growth is essential for a business, entrepreneurs often get so focused on growing as quickly as possible, it causes their business to burn out both physically and financially.
Previous start-ups have failed by investing all of their cash flow into growth which never materialised. A business is more likely to gain longevity if it grows naturally.
The Customer is Always Right
Entrepreneurs often over promise and under deliver. This isn’t intentional. They are pouring their heart and soul into their passion, which takes time and money.
Customers can be difficult and awkward, but you will learn from each one. Whether it is improving a product or growing a thicker skin, not everyone is going to share the same passion you have, you don’t need to break the bank trying to make them
By Hannah Alex Moody
Hannah is a Travel blogger born in London and now based in Norwich. Previously working solely for one of the leading volunteer abroad companies, she has recently decided to go freelance, working on sharing her love for all things travel with real-life experiences. You can find her online on her blog: Twenty Six O Two and also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
You Need Lots Of Cash
Many start-ups began with only a couple of thousand dollars to kick-start them. Apple is a prime example starting their now multi-billion global business with only $1300.
There are many ways to make start-up capital go further, joining a business network club can result in befriending a tech guru who can give you mates rates and allow you to save money in the first year.
Business Consultants Can Help
This applies to business consultants, marketing and creative agencies.
In reality, you are the person who knows your business best, what direction to go in, who your target market is and the product it sells.
It can take months for a business consultant to understand your business and begin advising on which direction your business should take.
If you really feel a need for advice from a third party, previous business owners can help mentor you on mistakes they made and what to avoid. Mentors can be cheaper than consultancy firms and sometimes even free!
Entrepreneurs Choose Their Hours
It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to work long hours for the first couple of years.
Entrepreneurs often find themselves putting in as much time as possible to a new venture, it is new and exciting. As it is new, sometimes it may not go right and take a bit longer.
A Team Is Required
The largest cost in any start-up is often the cost of labour. To reduce overhead costs, avoid hiring any staff for as long as possible.
Not only is the cost of each hour of labour going to have an impact, there is also the legal side to consider - before hiring any staff, entrepreneurs have to read everything they can on employment law to ensure they're compliant.
You Have To Take Risks
Even the least risky business should be aware that handling and taking risks is a part of owning a business. There will always be risks but they can low danger risks.
A wood smith who enjoys making wooden objects in their spare time is not taking a great risk by then selling them online, although this is still entrepreneurial.
You Have To Have Qualifications
Volunteering is a great way to gain skills in a certain industry, and not waste time by studying to achieve a degree or qualifications.
There are many examples of successful entrepreneurs who decided to start a business without a degree or any formal qualifications. Mark Zuckerberg famously dropped out of his Harvard course to peruse the creation of Facebook instead.
The Only Motivator Is Money
There are many reasons entrepreneurs choose to set up a business. Sometimes it is money and the things you can do with it.
However, an equal number of individuals choose to start a business because it is their passion, or they enjoy the freedom which comes with owning their own business.
You Have to Leave You Day Job
It can take up a long time to establish a client base and get your business known. Don’t quit your day job until your business is comfortable to support and sustain your lifestyle.
The Business Needs to Grow Quickly
Natural growth is essential for a business, entrepreneurs often get so focused on growing as quickly as possible, it causes their business to burn out both physically and financially.
Previous start-ups have failed by investing all of their cash flow into growth which never materialised. A business is more likely to gain longevity if it grows naturally.
The Customer is Always Right
Entrepreneurs often over promise and under deliver. This isn’t intentional. They are pouring their heart and soul into their passion, which takes time and money.
Customers can be difficult and awkward, but you will learn from each one. Whether it is improving a product or growing a thicker skin, not everyone is going to share the same passion you have, you don’t need to break the bank trying to make them
By Hannah Alex Moody
Hannah is a Travel blogger born in London and now based in Norwich. Previously working solely for one of the leading volunteer abroad companies, she has recently decided to go freelance, working on sharing her love for all things travel with real-life experiences. You can find her online on her blog: Twenty Six O Two and also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Jobs you can do while traveling
• Adulthood, at home jobs that pay weekly, at home jobs that pay well, best home jobs, Career, featured, how to make money from home, online job, work at home jobs, work from home jobs that pay well
It is getting easier and easier to have a life as a digital nomad or create flexibility to travel the world more often.
In this article, I am going to share with you 10 ways that you can use to start earning income online whilst travelling the world. If you are not completely ready to quit your full-time job, that's ok too. These can also be great opportunities for a side hustle with the potential to turn into full time work.
Adopting one of these on its own may not make you all the income you need to travel but a combination of a few have the possibility to.
It’s time to stop thinking that it is not possible for you. Your mind is the biggest obstacle that can hold you back from anything in life. I am here to share with you how you can make your travel dreams a reality, just like me.
Teach English
I first left my 9-5 job about 4 years ago. I sold everything, packed up and moved to China where I taught ESL for 2 years. I absolutely loved it. It has been the best decision I have ever made. It was the perfect stepping stone to what has brought me where I am today. Teaching ESL is still a great option for you if you want to have stability but also experience living in another country. It also opens up the opportunity to travel to other nearby countries on your holidays. A few good resources to find ESL jobs around the world are:
In this article, I am going to share with you 10 ways that you can use to start earning income online whilst travelling the world. If you are not completely ready to quit your full-time job, that's ok too. These can also be great opportunities for a side hustle with the potential to turn into full time work.
Adopting one of these on its own may not make you all the income you need to travel but a combination of a few have the possibility to.
It’s time to stop thinking that it is not possible for you. Your mind is the biggest obstacle that can hold you back from anything in life. I am here to share with you how you can make your travel dreams a reality, just like me.
Teach English
I first left my 9-5 job about 4 years ago. I sold everything, packed up and moved to China where I taught ESL for 2 years. I absolutely loved it. It has been the best decision I have ever made. It was the perfect stepping stone to what has brought me where I am today. Teaching ESL is still a great option for you if you want to have stability but also experience living in another country. It also opens up the opportunity to travel to other nearby countries on your holidays. A few good resources to find ESL jobs around the world are:
www.esl101.com
Another fantastic opportunity to do whilst travelling or from home is to teach ESL online. I have been teaching now for several months with VIPKid and I absolutely love it. It pays well, with so many opportunities to receive bonuses on top of that. To teach with VIPKid, you need to be a US or Canadian resident and have a bachelors degree, but you do not have to have prior teaching experience. To get hired you must do a couple demo lessons. Everything is there for you to help you succeed. There are so many different online English teaching platforms out there and some that accept other citizens & have different teaching criteria that may be better suited to you if you do not fit into the above. You can get more info or apply today to VIPKid
Blog
Blogging is another way I have began to earn money. Starting a blog will not bring you money overnight. Do not start a blog because you want to make money. Start a blog to share your passion, and work on building it up to make extra income. Your passion can be anything: travel, health, DIY or whatever you heart desires. There are millions of blogs out there, but that does not mean there is not room for you. You just need to be willing to put in the time and patience.
Here are some useful links to get started on creating a blog yourself.
Start a blog site - WORDPRESS
Register a domain - BLUEHOST
Do you already have a blog but are not sure how to grow it? Using Pinterest is a great way to explode your traffic and increase your potential for income. Here is one of my previous posts to help you understand how to grow your blog:
All About Pinterest Growth
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is another opportunity to work whilst travelling. You do not have to be a perfect or experienced writer to get paid to write. There are so many ways you can go with freelance writing. You can find paid opportunities as well as collaborations, where you exchange writing for blog exposure. This is a great way to grow your blog as well. Here are a few websites that you may be able to find some freelance writing work:
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is another job you can do as you travel because you are just that, virtual. You may be able to find full-time or part time virtual assistant jobs for companies around the world. As a virtual assistant your duties may vary depending on the company you work for. You may be asked to do things like; making calls, responding to emails, scheduling, etc. You can find virtual assistant positions through the above websites that I mentioned under freelance writing and here are a few more:
If you have knowledge of social media platform growth or content creation, then this is another great opportunity for you to earn extra income digitally. I have actually broken into this field and currently manage social media accounts for a few different businesses for side income. You can either reach out to local business in your community or search for SMM jobs through the freelance websites that I mentioned above, such as Upwork. If you are still learning how to use different social media platforms there are many courses out there that can teach you. It can be a win win to help you grow your personal social media accounts, whilst also gaining knowledge to help others.
Other Freelance
There are so many different things you can do as freelance work. Maybe you have some other sort of specialised experience that you are able to do. You can find freelance/remote work in so many different fields. Those positions are especially abundant in the tech field, for things like programming and application development. Have a search on any of those freelance websites I have listed above for something you have knowledge or experience in and apply. The jobs can vary from short term projects to even longer term on going opportunities. You won’t ever get the opportunity if you don’t at least try.
Website Testing/Evaluation
You may not be able to make a huge income from website testing & evaluation but there are some good options out there. The type of work you do and the amount of money you make can vary. I have done a few different types of website testing. The first one is, I work for a company called APPEN. Appen hires people from around the world and it is more of a search engine evaluator. You are contracted through them and get assigned to different projects. Each project has varying rules & structure. It pays pretty well and it has the flexibility for you to log in and choose your hours as you please. I still work for this company and it has been a great side income for me.
A website testing platform called User Testing is something else I have used. Here you go through prompts & talk about your experience live as you test out a website. You make a certain dollar amount per test you do and it usually is about $10 for 20 minutes, but it can vary from test to test. You have to take a pre-screen survey to see if you qualify.
I also found a job through Upwork with a company who launched a new website. They asked me to look around, gave me a few tasks and wanted feedback on their site. This was easy and I earned some extra money. This was a one time freelance job and not ongoing.
Workaway
Workaway is an awesome opportunity for you to save money while you travel. This may not put money into your pocket but it is a way to travel while saving money on hotels & even food. Workaway offers cultural exchanges around the world. You can search for different experiences in countries that you plan to go to. People open up their homes, hostels or farms for you to stay at in exchange for minor work. Each work exchange is unique. You must read the expectations and if you are a member you can email the host to discuss it further. You do have to pay a small fee to register with the website, but it is well worth it to save while you travel. Personally, I think staying with locals and doing cultural exchanges is not only a great way to save money, but it is is the best way to really experience another country. You can learn more here:
Collaborations
Collaborations are opportunities to work with someone else in exchange for something. I talked about collaborations a little bit above as a blogger. You can blog for a business, brand or fellow blog in exchange for exposure. Once you have your blog established you may also get opportunities in exchange for a fee or free product. Do not sell yourself short, you do not need a crazy amount of traffic or following to score these kind of deals.
Another way to collaborate is as an influencer. I do not love this word or like to title myself as an influencer, but I have had the ability to work with many brands in the last several months where I have either been compensated or given free product in order to post about and review the product. I have built up a bit of a following, but again you do not always need a following in order to score these collaborations.
This can also lead you to collaborations with hotels, travel companies, groups and other possibilities whilst you are on the road. I have personally be able to score a few on my upcoming travels and I am so excited about it.
An important note I want to make on collaborating is to be sure that whatever collaborations you do, that you stay authentic. Do not collaborate just to make money or gain exposure. Stay true to yourself and be sure that the blog/brand/hotel/product or whatever you are reviewing or promoting is something that is a part of your messaging or would be something you use or a place you would stay.
Do you have no idea how to get started with these kind of collaborations? There is way to much for me to explain here. Keep an eye out for my upcoming course on how to score collaborations and get travel expenses paid or even paid to travel. You can subscribe to my website or follow me on Instagram to be the first to know when my course is available.
Affiliate Programs
There are so many different free affiliate programs that you can join. When you become an affiliate for a company or product you are promoting their product and if there is a sale then you get a certain percentage. Just like with collaborations, choose affiliate programs that speak to you and go along with your niche. You can promote affiliate programs through your blog or even social media.
You are given a unique link that you can share. You can earn income as an affiliate as you are travelling. There are too many to list here so to learn more about different affiliate programs out there you can check out my blog post on this:
All About Affiliate Programs
These are just 10 of many ways to earn income as you are travelling. You have the ability to create this kind of lifestyle for yourself. You just need to be willing to put in the hard work. I believe in you!
Health, Love & Happiness.
By Courtney Brady
Courtney was born and raised in Washington State in the USA. It was just a few short years ago that she finally mustered up the courage to move overseas and really start living life on her terms. Now, a few years later, she has created a flexible lifestyle for herself that allows her to have freedom to explore the world. She is not only passionate about travel, but also holistic health. She combines her two loves along with inspiration to help others follow their dreams through her blog, Nourish the Free Love. She loves to connect with like minded people around the world and would love for your to follow along on her journey.
Another fantastic opportunity to do whilst travelling or from home is to teach ESL online. I have been teaching now for several months with VIPKid and I absolutely love it. It pays well, with so many opportunities to receive bonuses on top of that. To teach with VIPKid, you need to be a US or Canadian resident and have a bachelors degree, but you do not have to have prior teaching experience. To get hired you must do a couple demo lessons. Everything is there for you to help you succeed. There are so many different online English teaching platforms out there and some that accept other citizens & have different teaching criteria that may be better suited to you if you do not fit into the above. You can get more info or apply today to VIPKid
Blog
Blogging is another way I have began to earn money. Starting a blog will not bring you money overnight. Do not start a blog because you want to make money. Start a blog to share your passion, and work on building it up to make extra income. Your passion can be anything: travel, health, DIY or whatever you heart desires. There are millions of blogs out there, but that does not mean there is not room for you. You just need to be willing to put in the time and patience.
Here are some useful links to get started on creating a blog yourself.
Start a blog site - WORDPRESS
Register a domain - BLUEHOST
Do you already have a blog but are not sure how to grow it? Using Pinterest is a great way to explode your traffic and increase your potential for income. Here is one of my previous posts to help you understand how to grow your blog:
All About Pinterest Growth
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is another opportunity to work whilst travelling. You do not have to be a perfect or experienced writer to get paid to write. There are so many ways you can go with freelance writing. You can find paid opportunities as well as collaborations, where you exchange writing for blog exposure. This is a great way to grow your blog as well. Here are a few websites that you may be able to find some freelance writing work:
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is another job you can do as you travel because you are just that, virtual. You may be able to find full-time or part time virtual assistant jobs for companies around the world. As a virtual assistant your duties may vary depending on the company you work for. You may be asked to do things like; making calls, responding to emails, scheduling, etc. You can find virtual assistant positions through the above websites that I mentioned under freelance writing and here are a few more:
If you have knowledge of social media platform growth or content creation, then this is another great opportunity for you to earn extra income digitally. I have actually broken into this field and currently manage social media accounts for a few different businesses for side income. You can either reach out to local business in your community or search for SMM jobs through the freelance websites that I mentioned above, such as Upwork. If you are still learning how to use different social media platforms there are many courses out there that can teach you. It can be a win win to help you grow your personal social media accounts, whilst also gaining knowledge to help others.
Other Freelance
There are so many different things you can do as freelance work. Maybe you have some other sort of specialised experience that you are able to do. You can find freelance/remote work in so many different fields. Those positions are especially abundant in the tech field, for things like programming and application development. Have a search on any of those freelance websites I have listed above for something you have knowledge or experience in and apply. The jobs can vary from short term projects to even longer term on going opportunities. You won’t ever get the opportunity if you don’t at least try.
Website Testing/Evaluation
You may not be able to make a huge income from website testing & evaluation but there are some good options out there. The type of work you do and the amount of money you make can vary. I have done a few different types of website testing. The first one is, I work for a company called APPEN. Appen hires people from around the world and it is more of a search engine evaluator. You are contracted through them and get assigned to different projects. Each project has varying rules & structure. It pays pretty well and it has the flexibility for you to log in and choose your hours as you please. I still work for this company and it has been a great side income for me.
A website testing platform called User Testing is something else I have used. Here you go through prompts & talk about your experience live as you test out a website. You make a certain dollar amount per test you do and it usually is about $10 for 20 minutes, but it can vary from test to test. You have to take a pre-screen survey to see if you qualify.
I also found a job through Upwork with a company who launched a new website. They asked me to look around, gave me a few tasks and wanted feedback on their site. This was easy and I earned some extra money. This was a one time freelance job and not ongoing.
Workaway
Workaway is an awesome opportunity for you to save money while you travel. This may not put money into your pocket but it is a way to travel while saving money on hotels & even food. Workaway offers cultural exchanges around the world. You can search for different experiences in countries that you plan to go to. People open up their homes, hostels or farms for you to stay at in exchange for minor work. Each work exchange is unique. You must read the expectations and if you are a member you can email the host to discuss it further. You do have to pay a small fee to register with the website, but it is well worth it to save while you travel. Personally, I think staying with locals and doing cultural exchanges is not only a great way to save money, but it is is the best way to really experience another country. You can learn more here:
Collaborations
Collaborations are opportunities to work with someone else in exchange for something. I talked about collaborations a little bit above as a blogger. You can blog for a business, brand or fellow blog in exchange for exposure. Once you have your blog established you may also get opportunities in exchange for a fee or free product. Do not sell yourself short, you do not need a crazy amount of traffic or following to score these kind of deals.
Another way to collaborate is as an influencer. I do not love this word or like to title myself as an influencer, but I have had the ability to work with many brands in the last several months where I have either been compensated or given free product in order to post about and review the product. I have built up a bit of a following, but again you do not always need a following in order to score these collaborations.
This can also lead you to collaborations with hotels, travel companies, groups and other possibilities whilst you are on the road. I have personally be able to score a few on my upcoming travels and I am so excited about it.
An important note I want to make on collaborating is to be sure that whatever collaborations you do, that you stay authentic. Do not collaborate just to make money or gain exposure. Stay true to yourself and be sure that the blog/brand/hotel/product or whatever you are reviewing or promoting is something that is a part of your messaging or would be something you use or a place you would stay.
Do you have no idea how to get started with these kind of collaborations? There is way to much for me to explain here. Keep an eye out for my upcoming course on how to score collaborations and get travel expenses paid or even paid to travel. You can subscribe to my website or follow me on Instagram to be the first to know when my course is available.
Affiliate Programs
There are so many different free affiliate programs that you can join. When you become an affiliate for a company or product you are promoting their product and if there is a sale then you get a certain percentage. Just like with collaborations, choose affiliate programs that speak to you and go along with your niche. You can promote affiliate programs through your blog or even social media.
You are given a unique link that you can share. You can earn income as an affiliate as you are travelling. There are too many to list here so to learn more about different affiliate programs out there you can check out my blog post on this:
All About Affiliate Programs
These are just 10 of many ways to earn income as you are travelling. You have the ability to create this kind of lifestyle for yourself. You just need to be willing to put in the hard work. I believe in you!
Health, Love & Happiness.
By Courtney Brady
Courtney was born and raised in Washington State in the USA. It was just a few short years ago that she finally mustered up the courage to move overseas and really start living life on her terms. Now, a few years later, she has created a flexible lifestyle for herself that allows her to have freedom to explore the world. She is not only passionate about travel, but also holistic health. She combines her two loves along with inspiration to help others follow their dreams through her blog, Nourish the Free Love. She loves to connect with like minded people around the world and would love for your to follow along on her journey.
Blog - Nourish the Free Life
Instagram - @journeywith.court
How to de-stress after a tough day
Monday, 11 March 2019 • 5 ways to de-stress, Adulthood, de-stress, de-stress tips, featured, how to de-stress, how to reduce stress, how to relax, Lifestyle, self care tips on how to destress, ways to de-stress
Coming home after a tough, draining day and not knowing how to relax?
Go for a walk
Put on your comfiest shoes, a cosy jacket and pick out your favourite Spotify playlist and get walking – this is an easy way to get your mind off things. Even if it’s just a five minute walk to the corner shop next to your house, it’s probably going to make you feel even just a little bit better.
Write in your journal
I know not everyone keeps a diary/journal, but sometimes there is nothing more therapeutic than putting pen to paper and just ranting about your bad day. I am all too guilty of coming home after a bad day at uni and writing about how stuck I feel at times. More often than not after writing my feelings out, I do feel better and more focused.
Pamper yourself
Everyone has their own idea of what pampering themselves means. Personally, mine is sitting in front of the TV with my cosy pyjama’s on, a face mask and a cup of tea – not doing any work at all. We all need nights like this where we just take time to ourselves, to focus on the small things we enjoy whether that’s doing a full skincare routine or eating pizza.
Switch off
Taking time off social media when you’re stressed is probably one of the best things you can do. Majority of people only put their achievements and best selves on the Internet, there’s nothing wrong with this, I do the exact same but it’s not what you want to see when you feel deflated. I like to stop replying to messages early in the night when I’ve had a particularly stressful day and switch off with a podcast before bed to take my mind off things.
Plan the next day
Just because today was bad, doesn’t mean every day needs to be. Taking the time to plan tomorrow, or the next few days can be really beneficial as you know exactly what you are going to be doing. It’s important to be realist when doing this as you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew, and end up in the same stressful situation again. Giving yourself achievable goals every day is a good way to get things done in a well-balanced way.
We all live in a hectic world which makes it necessary to find ways to relax after having a bad day. Whether or not any of the suggestions here helped you feel better, it’s important for everyone to know at least one way they can pick themselves up after a bad day.
By Siobhan MacDonald
We’ve all been there.
It’s too easy to come in from a bad day in a not so good mood and just slump on the couch scrolling through Instagram and Twitter for a few hours. It’s not uncommon for a bad day to leave us all feeling sad, unmotivated and stuck, but here are some tips to get you out of that funk.
Go for a walk
Put on your comfiest shoes, a cosy jacket and pick out your favourite Spotify playlist and get walking – this is an easy way to get your mind off things. Even if it’s just a five minute walk to the corner shop next to your house, it’s probably going to make you feel even just a little bit better.
Write in your journal
I know not everyone keeps a diary/journal, but sometimes there is nothing more therapeutic than putting pen to paper and just ranting about your bad day. I am all too guilty of coming home after a bad day at uni and writing about how stuck I feel at times. More often than not after writing my feelings out, I do feel better and more focused.
Pamper yourself
Everyone has their own idea of what pampering themselves means. Personally, mine is sitting in front of the TV with my cosy pyjama’s on, a face mask and a cup of tea – not doing any work at all. We all need nights like this where we just take time to ourselves, to focus on the small things we enjoy whether that’s doing a full skincare routine or eating pizza.
Switch off
Taking time off social media when you’re stressed is probably one of the best things you can do. Majority of people only put their achievements and best selves on the Internet, there’s nothing wrong with this, I do the exact same but it’s not what you want to see when you feel deflated. I like to stop replying to messages early in the night when I’ve had a particularly stressful day and switch off with a podcast before bed to take my mind off things.
Plan the next day
Just because today was bad, doesn’t mean every day needs to be. Taking the time to plan tomorrow, or the next few days can be really beneficial as you know exactly what you are going to be doing. It’s important to be realist when doing this as you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew, and end up in the same stressful situation again. Giving yourself achievable goals every day is a good way to get things done in a well-balanced way.
We all live in a hectic world which makes it necessary to find ways to relax after having a bad day. Whether or not any of the suggestions here helped you feel better, it’s important for everyone to know at least one way they can pick themselves up after a bad day.
I tried meditation everyday for a week and this is what happened.
• benefits of meditation, featured, guided meditation, Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, meditation, meditation challenge, meditation for anxiety, meditation for beginners, She tries, what is meditation
They say those who claim to have no time to meditate are the ones that need to most.
Why it’s okay to be a big kid in your 20s…
Thursday, 7 March 2019 • adult, Adulthood, big kid, big questions, childhood vs adulthood, featured, growing up, kid, Lifestyle, mental health, millennials, why its okay to be a big kid
As I sit here in my Unicorn slippers and my Wonder Woman robe, laying on my Zebra blanket, and surrounded by décor that is a mixture of rhinestone picture frames, and nostalgia paraphernalia from 90s cartoons, I write to you to let you know that…I too, am an adult.
The current generation is much different than our parents, in the aspect that “being an adult” means something completely different now. I can’t image my parents, let alone my grandparents still watching the cartoons of their childhood when they came home from a long day at the office, or using a cheetah lunchbox to carry their meals in to work. For me however, that is the norm. I am a prime example of a big kid in their 20s. My room is a mixture of glam “adult like” features, such as my black and gold bedding, with matching area rug, and oak wood bed frame. On the flip side, my display shelf is filed with hey Arnold, Betty Boop, Archie Comics, and Wonder Woman, items. These visuals add such value and happiness to my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I might as well and go ahead and confess, that I am obsessed with Wonder Woman items in particular. I have everything from dish towels, coffee mugs, underwear (TMI?), slippers, hoodies and workout tanks, donning the iconic Wonder Woman logo. To take it even a step further, I should let you know that I dress up as her every year at Comicon. So far I have only been to the ones in Minneapolis and New York City, but San Diego…I’m coming for you. This may seem like the description of a 17-year-old girl, at best, a freshman in college, but no I am a full-fledged adult as they would say.
Currently I am a graduate student studying public policy, and have a full time 40 hours a week day job in corporate America. I do not live in my parent’s basement, but rather on the other side of the country from them, and am fully self-sufficient and on my own.
Shae Lambert is a blogger, MPA grad student, actress and dancer from Minnesota, living in New York City.
IG and Twitter: @Shaes_travel_lifestye_
The current generation is much different than our parents, in the aspect that “being an adult” means something completely different now. I can’t image my parents, let alone my grandparents still watching the cartoons of their childhood when they came home from a long day at the office, or using a cheetah lunchbox to carry their meals in to work. For me however, that is the norm. I am a prime example of a big kid in their 20s. My room is a mixture of glam “adult like” features, such as my black and gold bedding, with matching area rug, and oak wood bed frame. On the flip side, my display shelf is filed with hey Arnold, Betty Boop, Archie Comics, and Wonder Woman, items. These visuals add such value and happiness to my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I might as well and go ahead and confess, that I am obsessed with Wonder Woman items in particular. I have everything from dish towels, coffee mugs, underwear (TMI?), slippers, hoodies and workout tanks, donning the iconic Wonder Woman logo. To take it even a step further, I should let you know that I dress up as her every year at Comicon. So far I have only been to the ones in Minneapolis and New York City, but San Diego…I’m coming for you. This may seem like the description of a 17-year-old girl, at best, a freshman in college, but no I am a full-fledged adult as they would say.
Currently I am a graduate student studying public policy, and have a full time 40 hours a week day job in corporate America. I do not live in my parent’s basement, but rather on the other side of the country from them, and am fully self-sufficient and on my own.
Too often there is a stigma attached to adults that indulge in activities that are perceived as just for kids/ teens. Like, you must not have a job, or live in your parent’s basement, and lest not forget the image of the hunched over gamer covered in Cheeto dust, chugging a mountain dew.
Men especially, are thought of as immature and lacking if they don cartoon clothing, and are looked at as they could never get a girlfriend. Well I will tell you that my boyfriend’s Goku to Hollister shirt ratio is just about even, and life still worked out for him.
So, the next time someone looks at you strange for wearing a Rick and Morty shirt, with a Death Note bag on your way in to Barnes and Noble, just remember, that there is a someone out there working at an office on the upper east side wearing baby blue superman socks with pink writing.
By Shae Lambert
Men especially, are thought of as immature and lacking if they don cartoon clothing, and are looked at as they could never get a girlfriend. Well I will tell you that my boyfriend’s Goku to Hollister shirt ratio is just about even, and life still worked out for him.
So, the next time someone looks at you strange for wearing a Rick and Morty shirt, with a Death Note bag on your way in to Barnes and Noble, just remember, that there is a someone out there working at an office on the upper east side wearing baby blue superman socks with pink writing.
By Shae Lambert
Shae Lambert is a blogger, MPA grad student, actress and dancer from Minnesota, living in New York City.
IG and Twitter: @Shaes_travel_lifestye_
The pros and cons of finding love on the road
Wednesday, 6 March 2019 • dating while traveling, falling in love while traveling, featured, find love while traveling, how to meet people while traveling, love, love and travel, making friends while travelling, Travel
Finding love is never easy. But having found love while you’re on the road is something else.
Many fall into the situation of travelling to someplace exotic looking to “find themselves”, but what happens if you end up finding someone else and not particularly yourself? Let’s look more into the Pros and cons of finding love on the road!
Pros
Finding love on the road can be one of many amazing blessings. You come across someone that shares one specific interest with you...you like to travel! Just having that one specific thing in common can light up sparks in so many peoples eyes. Travel lifts souls like no one has seen before and to share those soul lifting moments with someone you adore can be such an heartful feeling.
Endless travel bud! Not only do you NOT have to worry about feeling alone on a sight-seeing tour but you can take all the best hikes, drives and walks with your fellow lover who enjoys those activities too!
No need to bug strangers at every picture perfect moment, now you have an “Instagram-husband/boyfriend”. It sometimes can get very irritating to ask random people at every country and touristic spot to take a photo of you, not to worry now though you’ve got your camera guy! (unless you’d like a couple shot!)
Finding love on the road can seem very exotic at times. I mean, generally when you set out to travel you may visit a lot of countries with thousands of people from all over the globe. You meet people you would never meet in normal circumstances. In saying that, many trips back and forth from each others home countries come with that. You might even have to learn a new language to speak to the family, friends or get around your partners country. Exciting times indeed!
I think we can agree that finding love whilst travelling can bring some brilliant changes to your life. But let’s now look into the cons.
Cons
Weddings! Where and how are you going to plan it? If you and your partner found each other while traveling and both of you just so happen to live on opposite sides of the world.. just how will you manage the wedding guest list? I’ll leave that one up to your imagination.
As the world moves into globalization we still have problems with communicating in the same language, but think about how to try and communicate in a completely different language without knowing it? Difficult I think.
Cultural differences. This one can play such a hard reality in relationships that have been found on the road. Not only is it difficult to go through the usual challenges with your partner, but think about the different cultural understandings with one another. These could be some of your low times as when arguments really get heated and neither of you know where to meet in the middle, due to being brought up completely differently - how are you meant to come to a middle perspective? This problem is actually one of the most common problems that couples who found love on the road have to deal with, and it can even be the problem which brings these types of relationships to an end.
By Rusha Paenga
I am Rusha, a young kiwi traveler just booking flights around the world to explore more than what was put in my corner of paradise, called New Zealand. I like to blog about Travel and Lifestyle, particularly about my personal experiences but I am also looking into sharing tips, tricks and advice posts as well as reviews for food & drink, hotels and more! http://www.rumelepa.com
Many fall into the situation of travelling to someplace exotic looking to “find themselves”, but what happens if you end up finding someone else and not particularly yourself? Let’s look more into the Pros and cons of finding love on the road!
Pros
Finding love on the road can be one of many amazing blessings. You come across someone that shares one specific interest with you...you like to travel! Just having that one specific thing in common can light up sparks in so many peoples eyes. Travel lifts souls like no one has seen before and to share those soul lifting moments with someone you adore can be such an heartful feeling.
Endless travel bud! Not only do you NOT have to worry about feeling alone on a sight-seeing tour but you can take all the best hikes, drives and walks with your fellow lover who enjoys those activities too!
No need to bug strangers at every picture perfect moment, now you have an “Instagram-husband/boyfriend”. It sometimes can get very irritating to ask random people at every country and touristic spot to take a photo of you, not to worry now though you’ve got your camera guy! (unless you’d like a couple shot!)
Finding love on the road can seem very exotic at times. I mean, generally when you set out to travel you may visit a lot of countries with thousands of people from all over the globe. You meet people you would never meet in normal circumstances. In saying that, many trips back and forth from each others home countries come with that. You might even have to learn a new language to speak to the family, friends or get around your partners country. Exciting times indeed!
I think we can agree that finding love whilst travelling can bring some brilliant changes to your life. But let’s now look into the cons.
Cons
Weddings! Where and how are you going to plan it? If you and your partner found each other while traveling and both of you just so happen to live on opposite sides of the world.. just how will you manage the wedding guest list? I’ll leave that one up to your imagination.
As the world moves into globalization we still have problems with communicating in the same language, but think about how to try and communicate in a completely different language without knowing it? Difficult I think.
Cultural differences. This one can play such a hard reality in relationships that have been found on the road. Not only is it difficult to go through the usual challenges with your partner, but think about the different cultural understandings with one another. These could be some of your low times as when arguments really get heated and neither of you know where to meet in the middle, due to being brought up completely differently - how are you meant to come to a middle perspective? This problem is actually one of the most common problems that couples who found love on the road have to deal with, and it can even be the problem which brings these types of relationships to an end.
By Rusha Paenga
I am Rusha, a young kiwi traveler just booking flights around the world to explore more than what was put in my corner of paradise, called New Zealand. I like to blog about Travel and Lifestyle, particularly about my personal experiences but I am also looking into sharing tips, tricks and advice posts as well as reviews for food & drink, hotels and more! http://www.rumelepa.com
The benefits of speaking to a therapist
Tuesday, 5 March 2019 • counselling, counsellor, featured, health, Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, mental health, mental health counsellors, mental health day, mental illness, seeing a counsellor, the edit, world mental health day
When you're feeling at your worst with your mental health, it takes serious guts to admit to yourself that you need to speak to someone as professional as a counsellor or therapist.
Speaking from personal experience, there was a feeling of failure and even embarrassment when I realised that I couldn't work my way through my personal issues myself. I kept saying to myself - "How can I possibly speak to a total stranger about my problems when I can't even admit them to myself or help myself overcome them?!" It does sound bad, I know.
However, please believe me, the benefits of going to see a professional counsellor or therapist outweigh the non-benefits (I can't think of a word for the opposite of benefits). It doesn't seem like it right now, but it will, I promise.
Going to speak to someone who is unbiased can be much better than speaking to a family member or close friend, you'll feel you can open up much more speaking to someone who is non-judgemental. A loved one can sometimes only tell you what they think you want to hear. Hmm, that's not overly helpful to yourself and your mental health, that's just like papering over the cracks.
Talking to a counsellor means you will receive great advice, they can help you get back to your best self. From giving you some self help guidance and mindfulness exercises to do at home, you can gain so much for your mental health by speaking to a professional.
You'll be surprised how effectively you can work out your issues yourself, you think that it’s the counsellor that's doing it for you, but the only person who can help you is YOU.
After your first session of speaking to someone, you feel (excuse the cliché) a great weight has been lifted off your shoulders. A sense of relief takes over you and you no longer feel the world is against you. You’ll feel like skipping back home (well, as long as home isn’t too far away!)
Another thing to mention as well is that you don't have to have a deeply personal problem to speak to a counsellor or therapist, it could be that you just want to talk, it's surprising how liberating and freeing it feels when you get stuff off your chest. They're there to listen, that's what they do best.
So if you're sitting there debating, umming and arring about whether to make the first step of making an appointment to talk to a professional - just do it. You'll reap the benefits of making that call.
I hope this will help someone who is feeling scared, alone and anxious about making that first step to go and speak to someone in this capacity.
By Lucy Mary
I'm Lucy, I live in South Wales with a chronic illness. I survive on green tea, watching football and writing.
Blog - www.lucymary.co.uk
7 spot remedies that actually work
• acne, acnetreatment, aloevera, beauty spottreatment, featured, health, Health and Beauty, homeremedies, lemon, pimples, remedies, She tries, skincare, skinhealth, spot, stress, teatreeoil
It’s the evening before your date and despite the fact you’ve spent a quarter of your pay cheque on countless spot treatments each week you’ve still got that ghastly spot staring back at you. The sad thing about it is that it only seems to be getting bigger and as you gawk into the mirror in horror you fear that’s what your date will also be gawking at from across the table tomorrow. But before you get out the tweezers and your old extractor causing further damage, we've got 7 of the best home remedies sure to work on evicting your skins new foe in no time.
Aloe vera
Used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for treating wounds, cuts, and inflammation, Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. It can also help to accelerate the healing process of your pimples and reduce the risk of scarring. Even Cleopatra was believed to use aloe vera as part of her beauty routine.
Lemon juice
Due to lemons high levels of antioxidants, natural levels of citric acid and antiseptic qualities lemon juice is a great contender, some other interesting qualities of lemon juice is that it can also help to fade pigmentation and scarring.
Tea tree oil
If you can get past the strong smell that is tea tree oil you will be met by one of natures best, penetrating the epidermis to help unblock and clean your pores with its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, it will decrease the amount of breakout causing bacteria, clearing your spot before the big event.
Turmeric
Turmeric contains curcumin which naturally brings down swelling and associated pain all while fighting bacteria. To take advantage of this mix with water to create a paste and voila.
Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is an astringent that works by naturally drying and shrinking blemishes along with your pores. So it comes as a bonus that because it shrinks your pores, dirt and acne causing bacteria will find it harder to clog your pores.
Take probiotics
There is a strong connection between gut health and skin health, by creating a healthy balance of bacteria in your stomach with probiotics you can help decrease overall skin inflammation and encourage healthier skin from the inside out.
Work on controlling your stress levels
When you’re under stress your body pumps out hormones that can trigger the onset of a spot such as cortisol. This hormone causes glands under your skin to produce more oil. This excess oil can get trapped inside hair follicles, along with dirt and dead skin cells and then produce that pesky spot you’re dealing with. So take some time for yourself to do something you love and helps relax you - whatever that may be.
By Melissa Hawkes
Melissa is a freelance writer and skin specialist that loves to travel. She and her partner share a home in Western Australia with one extraordinary little boy and an entourage of animals.
You can follow her work and family life on Instagram @_melissahawkes
How to handle the boss from hell
• Adulthood, beassertive, bossfromhell, Career, dealingwithboss, difficultboss, featured, meanboss, micromanagingboss, respectintheworkplace, workplace, workplacestress
Are you sick of feeling stressed out and powerless in your own job? Very few people are best friends with their bosses and I’m willing to bet there are many of you who metaphorically speaking of course, work for someone who resembles the shiny red guy from down under.
To save your sanity we’ve put together some of the best ways to handle your boss and hopefully make things easier.
Be assertive
It is important that you stand up for yourself in the workplace but remember there is a difference between being assertive and being aggressive. Showing aggression, especially towards your boss will only make things worse. An assertive person listens to others opinions and feelings and takes them into consideration before voicing their own in a calm manner.
Try and stay one step ahead
Sometimes bosses who micromanage are feeling stressed out and that they don’t have everything under control, you can help your boss (and yourself) feel at ease by staying ahead with daily tasks, check in with them and let them know what has been done. Ask your boss if they need anything else done. This shows your boss how competent you are and that you’re willing to work hard.
Accept when you’ve made a mistake
It is true that we learn from our mistakes. Take everything as a learning curve and ask yourself, “what could I have done to prevent this?” or “what can I do differently if this happens again?” You will find this a valuable way to understand how you and your boss work.
Don’t give your boss a reason to snap
Keep your promises, follow workplace guidelines and show your boss how much you care about your job by asking for feedback, this way you can squash any messy altercations before they arise.
Tell your boss how their words and actions make you feel
There’s nothing quite like good old fashioned communication; if you were embarrassed by your boss criticising your work in front of the entire team, let them know in a calm and respectful manner.
Don’t take their rampages personally and know when to take appropriate action
Sometimes you can do all the right things but your boss still seems to just have it in for you. It’s hard to know what’s going on in another person’s life, perhaps (not that it’s an excuse) they are having trouble in their home life or they too have a boss from hell. Some days you just have to take what they say with a grain of salt though with saying that nobody should be in a workplace that makes them feel inferior or uncomfortable.
Remember your rights and take appropriate action if necessary.
By Melissa Hawkes
Melissa is a freelance writer and skin specialist that loves to travel. She and her partner share a home in Western Australia with one extraordinary little boy and an entourage of animals.
You can follow her work and family life on Instagram @_melissahawkes
To save your sanity we’ve put together some of the best ways to handle your boss and hopefully make things easier.
Be assertive
It is important that you stand up for yourself in the workplace but remember there is a difference between being assertive and being aggressive. Showing aggression, especially towards your boss will only make things worse. An assertive person listens to others opinions and feelings and takes them into consideration before voicing their own in a calm manner.
Try and stay one step ahead
Sometimes bosses who micromanage are feeling stressed out and that they don’t have everything under control, you can help your boss (and yourself) feel at ease by staying ahead with daily tasks, check in with them and let them know what has been done. Ask your boss if they need anything else done. This shows your boss how competent you are and that you’re willing to work hard.
Accept when you’ve made a mistake
It is true that we learn from our mistakes. Take everything as a learning curve and ask yourself, “what could I have done to prevent this?” or “what can I do differently if this happens again?” You will find this a valuable way to understand how you and your boss work.
Don’t give your boss a reason to snap
Keep your promises, follow workplace guidelines and show your boss how much you care about your job by asking for feedback, this way you can squash any messy altercations before they arise.
Tell your boss how their words and actions make you feel
There’s nothing quite like good old fashioned communication; if you were embarrassed by your boss criticising your work in front of the entire team, let them know in a calm and respectful manner.
Don’t take their rampages personally and know when to take appropriate action
Sometimes you can do all the right things but your boss still seems to just have it in for you. It’s hard to know what’s going on in another person’s life, perhaps (not that it’s an excuse) they are having trouble in their home life or they too have a boss from hell. Some days you just have to take what they say with a grain of salt though with saying that nobody should be in a workplace that makes them feel inferior or uncomfortable.
Remember your rights and take appropriate action if necessary.
By Melissa Hawkes
Melissa is a freelance writer and skin specialist that loves to travel. She and her partner share a home in Western Australia with one extraordinary little boy and an entourage of animals.
You can follow her work and family life on Instagram @_melissahawkes
How to walk off a flight not looking jet lagged
• airplane travel, featured, Health and Beauty, how to avoid jet lag, how to beat jet lag, how to cure jet lag, how to not get jet lag, jet lag, jet lag how to recover, jet lag tips, Travel
Abandoning our mundane everyday surroundings in favour of a more exciting climate feels more alluring than ever thanks to social media. Stunningly picturesque backdrops that once seemed to only exist as default laptop screensavers are now the reality for many, with our Instagram feeds full of friends and influencers alike appearing to live their best lives by jetting off to incredible travel destinations around the world.
However what these photos don’t show are the contrastingly less than attractive long haul flights taken to reach such exotic places. These journeys are likely to include a frustratingly disjointed sleep (I’m convinced that anyone who can easily doze off uncomfortably upright must have some kind of superpower), heart racing turbulence and bathrooms that are straight out of a claustrophobic’s nightmare. Not only this, but flying takes a huge toll on the body with dehydration, skin dryness, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea included. Not sounding so idyllic now, right?
Against these odds, it’s unlikely that anyone would be feeling and looking their best after a long flight, with posing for holiday photos the last thing on the agenda and instead the thought of sleeping in a comfy, horizontal hotel bed for 15 hours straight sounding much more appealing.Having endured a multitude of long haul flights myself (many totalling over 24 disorienting hours air bound), I’ve literally gone the extra mile to find the best ways to avoid the dreaded jet lag and it’s accompanying dishevelled look so that you can strut down that plane aisle like it’s your runway and have the best possible start to your trip.
Remove your makeup
Now I know that the mere thought of this may cause you to shudder, but hear me out.
The humidity on a plane is often lower than 20%, which is drastically less than the optimal level of around 40-60% that our skin is used to, causing it to dry and tighten. Other side effects from this unnatural environment include chapped lips and itchy eyes. Letting your skin breathe as opposed to clogging pores with makeup can reduce this irritation. Not to mention that sleeping on the flight will feel so much better with a bare face, I mean have you ever woken up with mascara still on and had to literally peel your eyes open? Not a pleasant experience to say the least.
Apply a sheet mask
Whilst the sight of this may alarm the child in the row next to you, wearing a sheet mask will combat the lack of hydration and humidity to your skin caused by that nasty recycled plane air (typically only half of the air pumped around the cabin is fresh), whilst giving you an enviable glow. There’s also an undeniably soothing and relaxing feeling that you can’t help but experience with a face mask gently pressed upon your face and whilst on an uncomfortable flight, I’m all for anything that promotes this spa-like feeling. Most sheet masks have a recommended application time of less than half an hour, so be sure to remove it at this point as the mask will otherwise dry out and have an adverse effect on your complexion. Sheet Masks also deserve a special mention for their light and flat shape, meaning they take up little to no room and can slide into your hand luggage with ease, no matter how many outfit changes and duty free purchases (no judgement) you’ve crammed in.
Stay hydrated
Kind of a cliché and kind of a general rule to life but never underestimate the importance of drinking water. Water, which benefits us from the inside out, is good for our skin, immune system, energy levels and so much more. Also the decreased cabin pressure weakens the body’s ability to absorb oxygen, lowering our alcohol tolerance, meaning you’ll feel that G&T a lot stronger than usual. Feeling drunk on a plane will only add to the light-headedness and fatigue you will probably already be experiencing from flying and depending how long your flight is, your hangover can even kick in before you’ve even landed, so be sure to drink twice as much water for every alcoholic drink consumed. As well as alcohol, other dehydrating beverages to avoid include caffeine-based stimulants as they will make it harder for your body to relax and sleep. Whilst I’m aware that coffee is a daily staple for many, your body will thank you if you can muster the willpower to hold off until the end of the journey. I’d recommend purchasing a large bottle of still, spring water just prior to boarding as although airlines provide water, I find it’s never really enough and this saves you awkwardly having to signal the flight attendants every hour.
Pack the essentials
I remember being so unprepared on my first long haul flight that I didn’t even pack a hairbrush in my hand luggage, causing me to spend the entirety of my layover in hiding, whilst also wishing back combing was still in style. Since then, I’ve taken to braiding my hair before departure, which not only avoids this stress entirely, but I’m also always pleasantly surprised how it’s still intact and presentable when I arrive.
As I’ve drilled into you at this point, hydration is key, so be sure to also pack a lip balm and moisturiser, ideally containing SPF as the plane brings you a lot closer to the o-zone layer and some UV rays can still penetrate through glass (one silver lining to not getting the window seat).
Unless you are lucky enough to afford the ultimate cabin class experience, (oh how I envy you) you will be unable to shower when you feel in need of one more than ever, so a great way to freshen up is with facial/body wipes and a mini deodorant. Other standard essentials include hand sanitizer (breathing the same air as a large number of people for hours on end will inevitably leave you susceptible to picking up illnesses) and a toothbrush and toothpaste which although are provided by most long haul airlines, I find it’s always more comforting to use your own familiar products.
Remember you can also bring makeup (hurrah) if it’s in quantities of 100ml or less. I like to apply mine just before the final meal on the plane is served (and therefore beating the final bathroom rush), usually about 2 hours before landing.
Sleep as much as possible
Beauty experts and medical professionals alike have all backed the benefits of sleep from reducing stress to maintaining a healthy heart and combine this with knocking off hours from that long flight duration and it truly is hitting the jackpot. Whilst you might sleep like a baby on solid ground, it’s a completely different situation air bound, so be sure to get a good night’s sleep pre-flight.
Calculating and timing sleep to tie in with your destination’s local time zone is key to avoiding jet lag, although getting shuteye at any given moment is never a bad thing.
The pillows that airlines provide are usually small, thin and generally lacking in comfort, so I most definitely recommend purchasing a travel pillow. Whilst using one doesn’t fully solve the sleeping upright situation, they really do help and by having the extra neck support, you’re less likely to wake up drooling on the shoulder of the person next to you (might be speaking from personal experience). They’re designed for travel in every way, travel pillows usually have a clip that can go around the handle of your hand luggage, meaning you don’t need to free up any precious packing space.
Other simple tricks that work wonders for sleeping on planes if you’re struggling to nod off include using sweaters and coats as extra blankets for comfort and warmth and listening to calming music or a guided sleep meditation.
Move around
My final tip is an important one for your health, so listen up. You must ensure blood is circulating round your body by maintaining movement, from stretching and flexing your muscles and joints whilst seated, to walking up and down the aisles. Not only do swollen ankles not look aesthetically pleasing, but not moving around can potentially lead to blood clots which could have much more serious (albeit very rare) consequences such as an artery clog. Even if you are sporting compression socks you are not immune, so make sure you are keeping active every hour.
By Emma Warner
I’m Emma, a Brit with a love of travel and doing things that are good for the mind, body and soul. I have lived in four different countries (and counting) and can’t stay still for long as I believe there is too much beauty to be discovered in this world of ours. Wellness and self-care are very important to me and I’m a person of inquisitive nature, striving to be forever learning and exploring.
However what these photos don’t show are the contrastingly less than attractive long haul flights taken to reach such exotic places. These journeys are likely to include a frustratingly disjointed sleep (I’m convinced that anyone who can easily doze off uncomfortably upright must have some kind of superpower), heart racing turbulence and bathrooms that are straight out of a claustrophobic’s nightmare. Not only this, but flying takes a huge toll on the body with dehydration, skin dryness, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea included. Not sounding so idyllic now, right?
Against these odds, it’s unlikely that anyone would be feeling and looking their best after a long flight, with posing for holiday photos the last thing on the agenda and instead the thought of sleeping in a comfy, horizontal hotel bed for 15 hours straight sounding much more appealing.Having endured a multitude of long haul flights myself (many totalling over 24 disorienting hours air bound), I’ve literally gone the extra mile to find the best ways to avoid the dreaded jet lag and it’s accompanying dishevelled look so that you can strut down that plane aisle like it’s your runway and have the best possible start to your trip.
Remove your makeup
Now I know that the mere thought of this may cause you to shudder, but hear me out.
The humidity on a plane is often lower than 20%, which is drastically less than the optimal level of around 40-60% that our skin is used to, causing it to dry and tighten. Other side effects from this unnatural environment include chapped lips and itchy eyes. Letting your skin breathe as opposed to clogging pores with makeup can reduce this irritation. Not to mention that sleeping on the flight will feel so much better with a bare face, I mean have you ever woken up with mascara still on and had to literally peel your eyes open? Not a pleasant experience to say the least.
Apply a sheet mask
Whilst the sight of this may alarm the child in the row next to you, wearing a sheet mask will combat the lack of hydration and humidity to your skin caused by that nasty recycled plane air (typically only half of the air pumped around the cabin is fresh), whilst giving you an enviable glow. There’s also an undeniably soothing and relaxing feeling that you can’t help but experience with a face mask gently pressed upon your face and whilst on an uncomfortable flight, I’m all for anything that promotes this spa-like feeling. Most sheet masks have a recommended application time of less than half an hour, so be sure to remove it at this point as the mask will otherwise dry out and have an adverse effect on your complexion. Sheet Masks also deserve a special mention for their light and flat shape, meaning they take up little to no room and can slide into your hand luggage with ease, no matter how many outfit changes and duty free purchases (no judgement) you’ve crammed in.
Stay hydrated
Kind of a cliché and kind of a general rule to life but never underestimate the importance of drinking water. Water, which benefits us from the inside out, is good for our skin, immune system, energy levels and so much more. Also the decreased cabin pressure weakens the body’s ability to absorb oxygen, lowering our alcohol tolerance, meaning you’ll feel that G&T a lot stronger than usual. Feeling drunk on a plane will only add to the light-headedness and fatigue you will probably already be experiencing from flying and depending how long your flight is, your hangover can even kick in before you’ve even landed, so be sure to drink twice as much water for every alcoholic drink consumed. As well as alcohol, other dehydrating beverages to avoid include caffeine-based stimulants as they will make it harder for your body to relax and sleep. Whilst I’m aware that coffee is a daily staple for many, your body will thank you if you can muster the willpower to hold off until the end of the journey. I’d recommend purchasing a large bottle of still, spring water just prior to boarding as although airlines provide water, I find it’s never really enough and this saves you awkwardly having to signal the flight attendants every hour.
Pack the essentials
I remember being so unprepared on my first long haul flight that I didn’t even pack a hairbrush in my hand luggage, causing me to spend the entirety of my layover in hiding, whilst also wishing back combing was still in style. Since then, I’ve taken to braiding my hair before departure, which not only avoids this stress entirely, but I’m also always pleasantly surprised how it’s still intact and presentable when I arrive.
As I’ve drilled into you at this point, hydration is key, so be sure to also pack a lip balm and moisturiser, ideally containing SPF as the plane brings you a lot closer to the o-zone layer and some UV rays can still penetrate through glass (one silver lining to not getting the window seat).
Unless you are lucky enough to afford the ultimate cabin class experience, (oh how I envy you) you will be unable to shower when you feel in need of one more than ever, so a great way to freshen up is with facial/body wipes and a mini deodorant. Other standard essentials include hand sanitizer (breathing the same air as a large number of people for hours on end will inevitably leave you susceptible to picking up illnesses) and a toothbrush and toothpaste which although are provided by most long haul airlines, I find it’s always more comforting to use your own familiar products.
Remember you can also bring makeup (hurrah) if it’s in quantities of 100ml or less. I like to apply mine just before the final meal on the plane is served (and therefore beating the final bathroom rush), usually about 2 hours before landing.
Sleep as much as possible
Beauty experts and medical professionals alike have all backed the benefits of sleep from reducing stress to maintaining a healthy heart and combine this with knocking off hours from that long flight duration and it truly is hitting the jackpot. Whilst you might sleep like a baby on solid ground, it’s a completely different situation air bound, so be sure to get a good night’s sleep pre-flight.
Calculating and timing sleep to tie in with your destination’s local time zone is key to avoiding jet lag, although getting shuteye at any given moment is never a bad thing.
The pillows that airlines provide are usually small, thin and generally lacking in comfort, so I most definitely recommend purchasing a travel pillow. Whilst using one doesn’t fully solve the sleeping upright situation, they really do help and by having the extra neck support, you’re less likely to wake up drooling on the shoulder of the person next to you (might be speaking from personal experience). They’re designed for travel in every way, travel pillows usually have a clip that can go around the handle of your hand luggage, meaning you don’t need to free up any precious packing space.
Other simple tricks that work wonders for sleeping on planes if you’re struggling to nod off include using sweaters and coats as extra blankets for comfort and warmth and listening to calming music or a guided sleep meditation.
Move around
My final tip is an important one for your health, so listen up. You must ensure blood is circulating round your body by maintaining movement, from stretching and flexing your muscles and joints whilst seated, to walking up and down the aisles. Not only do swollen ankles not look aesthetically pleasing, but not moving around can potentially lead to blood clots which could have much more serious (albeit very rare) consequences such as an artery clog. Even if you are sporting compression socks you are not immune, so make sure you are keeping active every hour.
By Emma Warner
I’m Emma, a Brit with a love of travel and doing things that are good for the mind, body and soul. I have lived in four different countries (and counting) and can’t stay still for long as I believe there is too much beauty to be discovered in this world of ours. Wellness and self-care are very important to me and I’m a person of inquisitive nature, striving to be forever learning and exploring. 
8 Mocktails & Cocktails recipes you need to know
• cocktail party, cocktail recipes, cocktails, craft cocktails, easy cocktail recipes, featured, how to make a cocktail, how to make cocktails, Lifestyle, mocktails, She tries, vegan cocktails
Good girlfriends are hard to come by, but, when you do have great friends, it’s always amazing to plan out great times together. Although it’s blistering cold outside, this we’ve taken it upon ourselves to provide you with some mouthwatering cocktails & mocktails to add fire to your weekend and help keep you warm on the inside.
Rumchata is the star of the show, it’s a smooth creamy drink that I had an opportunity to try recently. The really cute bottle attracted my attention, but the surprising taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, really pulled me in. Here are four easy drink ideas that should keep the girlfriends warm on any cold night.
Rumchata on ice
Add the Rumchata to your favorite cocktail shaker with ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass with ice and enjoy.
Rumchata and Fireball Cocktail Fill your cocktail shaker with ice
Add 1 shot of Fireball
Add 1 shot of Rumchata
Shake and strain into your rocks glass with ice and sprinkle a dusting of cinnamon
Hot Cocktails1. 2 oz. Rumchata added to your favorite hot or iced coffee and splash of Amaretto
2. Rumchata added to your favorite Hot Cocoa beverage, then add a dollop of whip cream & cinnamon sprinkles will surely warm you from the inside out.
These drinks are sure to warm you up on a cold night! Now of course your non-drinking girlfriends can sip on a nice cup of hot cocoa or flavored coffee with your favorite flavored creamer and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Great introductions are always welcomed and especially when they fill your memories with fond thoughts. I was introduced to the deliciousness of Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach while visiting with family in Texas at Christmas. The blend of raspberries and red peaches coupled with the smooth flavor of Grand Marnier, makes this an exceptionally smooth cognac with a hint of orange flavoring. This beverage quickly became a family favorite. Some enjoyed the taste on the rocks, but since I enjoy a sweet flavored drink, we created a holiday signature drink that has a very delicious twist of flavors.
The Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach Signature Cocktail
2 oz Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Minute Maid Peach Punch
1 oz Ginger Ale
Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice and shake
Strain into a cocktail glass with ice add garnish as desired
A quick way to turn this delicious blend into a fruity Mocktail is by just removing the alcohol.
Orange Peach Signature Mocktail
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Minute Maid Peach Punch
1 oz Ginger Ale
Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice and shake
Strain into a cocktail glass with ice add garnish as desired
All good girlfriends enjoy a delicious brunch. What better way to add a little spice and flavor to any girlfriends brunch is with a fruit infused Mimosa. I have found the best way to make a Mimosa is not necessarily with champagne, but with a great sparkling wine, such as Verde.
Verde Mimosa
1 oz Verdi
2 oz Orange juice
Splash of cranberry pineapple juice
1 oz Cranberry ginger ale
Garnish with berries & Orange slice
Mock Mimosa
2 oz Orange juice
Splash of cranberry pineapple juice
2 oz Cranberry ginger ale
Garnish with berries & Orange slice
It’s always great to vision being on a warm sandy beach when it’s cold outside. Well with this beverage we will bring the tropics straight to you.
Tropical Breeze Cocktail
2 oz Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
1oz Tropical juice
1 oz Cranberry pineapple juice
Combine rum, tropical juice and cranberry juice in shaker with ice and shake
Strain over ice and garnish with an orange slice
Tropical Breeze Mocktail
2 oz Tropical juice
2 oz Cranberry Pineapple Juice
1 oz Cranberry Ginger Ale Combine Tropical Juice and Cranberry Juice and Ginger Ale in shaker with ice and shake
Strain over ice and garnish with an orange slice
Lastly, always keep Welches Sparkling Cider on hand and then just add a garnish of your choice with a splash of ginger ale. This is very refreshing and alcohol free.
Good Girlfriends, here’s wishing you a great week and weekend filled with delicious cocktail and mocktail treats.
By Tracy Broady
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Minute Maid Peach Punch
1 oz Ginger Ale
Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice and shake
Strain into a cocktail glass with ice add garnish as desired
A quick way to turn this delicious blend into a fruity Mocktail is by just removing the alcohol.
Orange Peach Signature Mocktail
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Minute Maid Peach Punch
1 oz Ginger Ale
Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice and shake
Strain into a cocktail glass with ice add garnish as desired
All good girlfriends enjoy a delicious brunch. What better way to add a little spice and flavor to any girlfriends brunch is with a fruit infused Mimosa. I have found the best way to make a Mimosa is not necessarily with champagne, but with a great sparkling wine, such as Verde.
Verde Mimosa
1 oz Verdi
2 oz Orange juice
Splash of cranberry pineapple juice
1 oz Cranberry ginger ale
Garnish with berries & Orange slice
Mock Mimosa
2 oz Orange juice
Splash of cranberry pineapple juice
2 oz Cranberry ginger ale
Garnish with berries & Orange slice
It’s always great to vision being on a warm sandy beach when it’s cold outside. Well with this beverage we will bring the tropics straight to you.
Tropical Breeze Cocktail
2 oz Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
1oz Tropical juice
1 oz Cranberry pineapple juice
Combine rum, tropical juice and cranberry juice in shaker with ice and shake
Strain over ice and garnish with an orange slice
Tropical Breeze Mocktail
2 oz Tropical juice
2 oz Cranberry Pineapple Juice
1 oz Cranberry Ginger Ale Combine Tropical Juice and Cranberry Juice and Ginger Ale in shaker with ice and shake
Strain over ice and garnish with an orange slice
Lastly, always keep Welches Sparkling Cider on hand and then just add a garnish of your choice with a splash of ginger ale. This is very refreshing and alcohol free.
Good Girlfriends, here’s wishing you a great week and weekend filled with delicious cocktail and mocktail treats.
By Tracy Broady
So, you want to take a gap year?
• featured, gap year, gap year advice, gap year experience, should i take a gap year, taking a year out before uni, Travel, University, what to do on a gap year, why you should take a gap year
Taking time out to re-evaluate can often lead to people completely changing their mind about what they wanted to do. I know people who left school wanting to study sociology to doing a 180 and studying history instead after their gap years. In school you’re often forced to pick a career path when you barely know who you are - a gap year can help you find yourself and realise what you want to do.
One of the biggest criticisms I faced when I was taking my gap year was that my parents were scared I wouldn’t go back to education. I always knew I was determined enough to go to university for further education after my gap year, so this argument was infuriating. However, it is a big belief when taking a gap year that you will lose your academic momentum. After a year of working/travelling/having fun it would be difficult to transition back into full time education.
Gap years can be a once in a lifetime experience. When else would you get the opportunity to do something like this? More and more people are taking gap years to go travelling and immerse themselves in new cultures and experiences before taking the plunge to university.
Even if you don’t go travelling and work for a year, you can gain a lot of life experience working full time and saving money. The life experience of working or travelling can hugely benefit you for going to university and can teach you more valuable life lessons than school ever could.
If you choose to go travelling, it can be hugely expensive if you aren’t financially prepared. I personally worked full time for 6 months of my gap year to save the money to travel around Australia. There is a lot of planning and factors that need to be taken into account when doing a travelling gap year, but having plenty of money to ensure you are secure in case of emergency is a must for your own safety.
Overall, my gap year was the best decision I made as it allowed me to reflect on my interests and what I wanted to do with my life. I made some friends for life, as well as amazing memories I will cherish forever. Even the time I spent working full time, I fully enjoyed it as it was my first full time job and it taught me a lot about the work place and employment. Gap years aren’t for everyone as majority of my university friends just went straight from school to university, but it is something I recommend to everyone not sure what to do with their life.
If you choose to go travelling, it can be hugely expensive if you aren’t financially prepared. I personally worked full time for 6 months of my gap year to save the money to travel around Australia. There is a lot of planning and factors that need to be taken into account when doing a travelling gap year, but having plenty of money to ensure you are secure in case of emergency is a must for your own safety.
Overall, my gap year was the best decision I made as it allowed me to reflect on my interests and what I wanted to do with my life. I made some friends for life, as well as amazing memories I will cherish forever. Even the time I spent working full time, I fully enjoyed it as it was my first full time job and it taught me a lot about the work place and employment. Gap years aren’t for everyone as majority of my university friends just went straight from school to university, but it is something I recommend to everyone not sure what to do with their life.
By Siobhan MacDonald
Make sure your insurance works for you
• Adulthood, auto insurance, car insurance, Career, featured, health insurance, house insurance, how insurance works, insurance, insurance for millennials, life insurance, money
Let’s be frank. Insurance is boring.
Paying for something you may never need to use isn’t particularly appealing. However it is necessary if you want to drive a car, own a home or run a business. So it’s a boring must-do.
But what is Insurance I hear you say? When you buy an insurance policy you are paying money to transfer your ‘risk’, from you to the insurer. For example, the risk of you leaving your straighteners on and burning down your house (we all know that dread).
Today let’s talk home insurance. If you ever buy a home, you will need to by home insurance as part of getting a mortgage.
1. Don’t underestimate the value of your home.
Most insurers will ask for the cost to re-build your home (rebuild cost) NOT the market value of your home. If you under value your rebuild cost, you will be underinsured. Lots of people fall into this trap as putting in a lower rebuild cost will give you a lower premium – all good until you have to make a claim. Most insurers will only pay a percentage of your claim if you are underinsured. Be smart and insure the correct value.
2. Make sure the policy will cover for your most expensive single item.
The majority of contents insurance policies will have an upper limit for a single items value. This is usually called the ‘single article limit’. Check the small print and make sure it covers you for your most valuable items. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, insurance is a girls sugar daddy when you lose those diamonds!
3. Don’t get lured in by huge excesses!
The ‘excess’ is the amount you have to pay the insurer if you want to make a claim. For example, you may have a claim for losing a £700 ring, but the excess of £300 has to be paid first. Leaving you only £400 better off when the claim is paid. Be realistic about what excess you are prepared to pay.
4. Use a comparison website to check prices…
…but always check the policy details on the insurers website before buying. Comparison websites only give you the high level details and benefits (a bit like men’s profiles on dating apps).
5. Go for a well-known brand.
Tempted by the 5% cheaper policy from an insurer you have never heard of? Pay a bit more for peace of mind. Insurers have been around for years tend to have more comprehensive policy cover and a more experienced claims service.
If you’ve been putting off buying your insurance policy, this is the sign to get on with it! It’s rare anyone regrets buying insurance, but people always regret not buying insurance.
Paying for something you may never need to use isn’t particularly appealing. However it is necessary if you want to drive a car, own a home or run a business. So it’s a boring must-do.
But what is Insurance I hear you say? When you buy an insurance policy you are paying money to transfer your ‘risk’, from you to the insurer. For example, the risk of you leaving your straighteners on and burning down your house (we all know that dread).
Today let’s talk home insurance. If you ever buy a home, you will need to by home insurance as part of getting a mortgage.
1. Don’t underestimate the value of your home.
Most insurers will ask for the cost to re-build your home (rebuild cost) NOT the market value of your home. If you under value your rebuild cost, you will be underinsured. Lots of people fall into this trap as putting in a lower rebuild cost will give you a lower premium – all good until you have to make a claim. Most insurers will only pay a percentage of your claim if you are underinsured. Be smart and insure the correct value.
2. Make sure the policy will cover for your most expensive single item.
The majority of contents insurance policies will have an upper limit for a single items value. This is usually called the ‘single article limit’. Check the small print and make sure it covers you for your most valuable items. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, insurance is a girls sugar daddy when you lose those diamonds!
3. Don’t get lured in by huge excesses!
The ‘excess’ is the amount you have to pay the insurer if you want to make a claim. For example, you may have a claim for losing a £700 ring, but the excess of £300 has to be paid first. Leaving you only £400 better off when the claim is paid. Be realistic about what excess you are prepared to pay.
4. Use a comparison website to check prices…
…but always check the policy details on the insurers website before buying. Comparison websites only give you the high level details and benefits (a bit like men’s profiles on dating apps).
5. Go for a well-known brand.
Tempted by the 5% cheaper policy from an insurer you have never heard of? Pay a bit more for peace of mind. Insurers have been around for years tend to have more comprehensive policy cover and a more experienced claims service.
If you’ve been putting off buying your insurance policy, this is the sign to get on with it! It’s rare anyone regrets buying insurance, but people always regret not buying insurance.
By @lifeaswomenknow
I fiercely share what it’s like living up to society’s expectations of women. My aim is to help women everywhere find their own voice and self acceptance - not to conform to the boundaries the world tries to put around us.
I fiercely share what it’s like living up to society’s expectations of women. My aim is to help women everywhere find their own voice and self acceptance - not to conform to the boundaries the world tries to put around us.
Why I’ve never wanted to go to university
• Adulthood, featured, not going to uni, not going to university, should i go to college, University, why i decided not to go to college, why i decided not to go to university, why i didn't go to uni
Throughout high school, I've never had such an ambition to go to university as the big American movies would display.
I had completely learned how to sew, how to design, get in contact with manufacturers and even how to build a business plan. It gave me everything and more within a short amount of time plus a lower amount of debt - and because of knowing this and that that was all that was needed to kickstart my future. This just added even more of a reason as to why I never wanted to go to University.
Why would you when you can find something just as beneficial, for less money and time but for more practical knowledge? Beats me.
By Rusha Paenga
I am Rusha, a young kiwi traveler just booking flights around the world to explore more than what was put in my corner of paradise, called New Zealand. I like to blog about Travel and Lifestyle, particularly about my personal experiences but I am also looking into sharing tips, tricks and advice posts as well as reviews for food & drink, hotels and more! http://www.rumelepa.com
"He goes to Harvard, he goes to Stanford, she goes to Yale”…I would sit in my classroom and contemplate why the fuck I should learn why Macbeth was so important. What can Macbeth tell me about a mortgage? About loans? About debt? Can Macbeth tell me how to open a bank? Can Macbeth tell me how difficult it's going to be to get a house? Can Macbeth tell me how to wipe my arse?I just didn’t understand it. Not one bit at all.
I wasn’t too much of a school person, although I was quite passionate about a few subjects. It wasn't a secret that I bunked school a lot. In fact, the school started assigning a social worker to come and pick me up from where I was staying and take me to school so that I could redeem my attendance before the law got involved.It wasn’t that I hated all of school, it was only that I didn’t like going to certain classes.
So as I grew this dislike for school, I started to grow this dislike for other education establishments, such as a University. In my family, half of them wouldn't even bother talking about University and the other half just would not stop talking about it! As my days at high school started to become numbered, my dad's side of the family started questioning me about what I wanted to do after school. I already had something in mind. Move to Australia. They would always go back to the "question", "but don't you want to study something?" I would always roll my eyes and just look away, I was very certain that I didn't want to go to university. I didn't want to go back to school again and learn things that didn't exactly teach me what I really wanted to know. To me, it all seemed like a waste of money, a waste of energy but more importantly a waste of time! The way I saw things was that by the time I get into my first year of study I could have already walked into a job, worked my way up the ladder, earnt a lot of cash, and bought a mentor that can help me open my first business.
Unlucky for me, I fell into the trap of debt and lost time because of heading into an educational institution after dropping out of school at the age of 16. I had enough of school. I finished my last year of school off with some good grades that helped me pass and gain an entry level into Eastern Institution of Technology in Hawkes Bay. I went in there knowing my passion for fashion, styling and design. I wanted to get ahead with some information that I knew would help me when moving to Australia. What I wanted to learn was how to create designs, how to get in contact with manufacturers, how to create projects, pattern draft and start your own business. This course taught me exactly that! It was amazing. It wasn't about theory work, lectures, knowing fact 1 and fact 2. It was about doing the work, knowing the industry, and gaining knowledge and experience. We even were taught the fundamentals of business. It had everything I wanted to know. This is more of what I wanted to do, a practical course that could benefit me more than heading into university. A place and a course that could actually tell me how to start something, go off and build it on my own and not a University that spends a lot of time trying to just get you to slip quietly into the normal 9 – 5 job box that benefits the economy and the 1%.
I did that whole course in 2 years. Completed my course and graduated. During the 2 year course, my designs were up on the runways nationally around New Zealand. My designs had been seen on the front of newspapers, articles, photo shoots and more! To this day I am still being emailed to design and create some garments for fashion shows for which I feel truly honoured.
I wasn’t too much of a school person, although I was quite passionate about a few subjects. It wasn't a secret that I bunked school a lot. In fact, the school started assigning a social worker to come and pick me up from where I was staying and take me to school so that I could redeem my attendance before the law got involved.It wasn’t that I hated all of school, it was only that I didn’t like going to certain classes.
So as I grew this dislike for school, I started to grow this dislike for other education establishments, such as a University. In my family, half of them wouldn't even bother talking about University and the other half just would not stop talking about it! As my days at high school started to become numbered, my dad's side of the family started questioning me about what I wanted to do after school. I already had something in mind. Move to Australia. They would always go back to the "question", "but don't you want to study something?" I would always roll my eyes and just look away, I was very certain that I didn't want to go to university. I didn't want to go back to school again and learn things that didn't exactly teach me what I really wanted to know. To me, it all seemed like a waste of money, a waste of energy but more importantly a waste of time! The way I saw things was that by the time I get into my first year of study I could have already walked into a job, worked my way up the ladder, earnt a lot of cash, and bought a mentor that can help me open my first business.
Unlucky for me, I fell into the trap of debt and lost time because of heading into an educational institution after dropping out of school at the age of 16. I had enough of school. I finished my last year of school off with some good grades that helped me pass and gain an entry level into Eastern Institution of Technology in Hawkes Bay. I went in there knowing my passion for fashion, styling and design. I wanted to get ahead with some information that I knew would help me when moving to Australia. What I wanted to learn was how to create designs, how to get in contact with manufacturers, how to create projects, pattern draft and start your own business. This course taught me exactly that! It was amazing. It wasn't about theory work, lectures, knowing fact 1 and fact 2. It was about doing the work, knowing the industry, and gaining knowledge and experience. We even were taught the fundamentals of business. It had everything I wanted to know. This is more of what I wanted to do, a practical course that could benefit me more than heading into university. A place and a course that could actually tell me how to start something, go off and build it on my own and not a University that spends a lot of time trying to just get you to slip quietly into the normal 9 – 5 job box that benefits the economy and the 1%.
I did that whole course in 2 years. Completed my course and graduated. During the 2 year course, my designs were up on the runways nationally around New Zealand. My designs had been seen on the front of newspapers, articles, photo shoots and more! To this day I am still being emailed to design and create some garments for fashion shows for which I feel truly honoured.
I had completely learned how to sew, how to design, get in contact with manufacturers and even how to build a business plan. It gave me everything and more within a short amount of time plus a lower amount of debt - and because of knowing this and that that was all that was needed to kickstart my future. This just added even more of a reason as to why I never wanted to go to University.
Why would you when you can find something just as beneficial, for less money and time but for more practical knowledge? Beats me.
By Rusha Paenga
I am Rusha, a young kiwi traveler just booking flights around the world to explore more than what was put in my corner of paradise, called New Zealand. I like to blog about Travel and Lifestyle, particularly about my personal experiences but I am also looking into sharing tips, tricks and advice posts as well as reviews for food & drink, hotels and more! http://www.rumelepa.com 
5 jobs you can do from home that pay well
• Adulthood, at home jobs that pay weekly, at home jobs that pay well, best home jobs, Career, featured, how to make money from home, online job, work at home jobs, work from home jobs that pay well
As a full-time traveling woman, I’m always on the lookout for ways to make cash that allow me to work from wherever in the world. Whether you are seeking a location-independent lifestyle or just want to earn some extra bucks from home, here are five well paying income opportunities!
Proofreading
For the English nerds and technical writers, proofreading is a great way to make loads of cash online. With numerous companies like ProofreadingPal and Wordvice, getting started as a freelance proofreader has never been easier! The average full-time proofreader salary is around $36k a year, with contract positions offering even more. I know several travel bloggers who supplement their travel funds by proofreading part time.
Blogging
As a blogger, how could I leave this one off the list? In a time where blogging tutorials, free courses, and resources are readily available all over the internet, why not make money blogging about one of your passions? Bloggers across the globe are raking in thousands of dollars each month through affiliate links, brand collaborations, and ad space. This could be you!
Website Design
Looking to develop a new, marketable skill? Web design is a hot market for earning money from home and getting qualified only requires an online course or two! As personal blogs and business websites continue to grow by the thousands, the demand for good web designers has never been greater. A freelance web designer can make anywhere between $26k and $100k in a year, depending on their skills and the type of client and contracted web designers earn around $55k annually. What are you waiting for? Go get qualified!
Online Course Creation
A new type of business has been tearing up the market it recent years, and that is the business of online course creation. Though some confuse it with blogging, creating online classes around your personal area of expertise for a niche audience is actually quite a different platform for money making. The average course creator has three levels of money making courses, each with a higher price point and more value than the last and successful course creators can make around $10k a month! There are plenty of resources and business coaches ready to get your started on your path to course creation success.
Online Tutoring/ESL
Have a degree and want to make money teaching from home? With businesses like VIPKID, GoGo Kid, Quora and many more, you can make around $20 an hour from the comfort of your living room. As many of these companies allow you to set your own schedule, you are free to work when and where you want. Personally, I work for VIPKID and find the flexibility, pay, and resources all top caliber. For more information on getting started with VIPKID, see my bio below!
Being location-independent has never been more possible. Time to get your grind on, girl!
By Natalie West
Natalie West is an international travel blogger from Colorado, USA currently living in northern Spain. She is an online English teacher, freelance writer, and full-time adventurer who loves Pinterest, sushi, and reality TV. To learn how to become a VIPKID teacher like Natalie, visit her website at InternationalNat.com.
For the English nerds and technical writers, proofreading is a great way to make loads of cash online. With numerous companies like ProofreadingPal and Wordvice, getting started as a freelance proofreader has never been easier! The average full-time proofreader salary is around $36k a year, with contract positions offering even more. I know several travel bloggers who supplement their travel funds by proofreading part time.
Blogging
As a blogger, how could I leave this one off the list? In a time where blogging tutorials, free courses, and resources are readily available all over the internet, why not make money blogging about one of your passions? Bloggers across the globe are raking in thousands of dollars each month through affiliate links, brand collaborations, and ad space. This could be you!
Website Design
Looking to develop a new, marketable skill? Web design is a hot market for earning money from home and getting qualified only requires an online course or two! As personal blogs and business websites continue to grow by the thousands, the demand for good web designers has never been greater. A freelance web designer can make anywhere between $26k and $100k in a year, depending on their skills and the type of client and contracted web designers earn around $55k annually. What are you waiting for? Go get qualified!
Online Course Creation
A new type of business has been tearing up the market it recent years, and that is the business of online course creation. Though some confuse it with blogging, creating online classes around your personal area of expertise for a niche audience is actually quite a different platform for money making. The average course creator has three levels of money making courses, each with a higher price point and more value than the last and successful course creators can make around $10k a month! There are plenty of resources and business coaches ready to get your started on your path to course creation success.
Online Tutoring/ESL
Have a degree and want to make money teaching from home? With businesses like VIPKID, GoGo Kid, Quora and many more, you can make around $20 an hour from the comfort of your living room. As many of these companies allow you to set your own schedule, you are free to work when and where you want. Personally, I work for VIPKID and find the flexibility, pay, and resources all top caliber. For more information on getting started with VIPKID, see my bio below!
Being location-independent has never been more possible. Time to get your grind on, girl!
By Natalie West
Natalie West is an international travel blogger from Colorado, USA currently living in northern Spain. She is an online English teacher, freelance writer, and full-time adventurer who loves Pinterest, sushi, and reality TV. To learn how to become a VIPKID teacher like Natalie, visit her website at InternationalNat.com.
Are you going vegan for the right reasons?
• benefits of being vegan, featured, go vegan, Health and Beauty, Lifestyle, reasons to go vegan, vegan, vegan diet, vegan food, vegan weight loss, veganism, vegans, what happens when you go vegan
Disclaimer: I am in no way a medical expert or dietician. Always consult a doctor or medical professional if you have questions about changing your diet and the potential risks involved!
In the age of social media and nearly unlimited access to health and diet resources, it’s no surprise that the culture of trend dieting is stronger now than it ever has been. With Instagram and Pinterest making it ever easier to follow the every move of slender celebrities and fitness gurus, for many electing a wholesome diet becomes a way to be relevant and gather a following on social media platforms.
Veganism, especially, has seen a huge percentage increase of new vegans in the last ten years and has been faulted as being “just a hipster fad” by some yet praised as a sustainable living lifestyle for others. Today we will explore some of the most popular reasons people choose the vegan lifestyle and why some reasons fall short of being informed decisions.
Health
One of the biggest reasons many people choose to experiment with veganism is to improve their health. My personal stint with the vegan diet arose as a result of wanting to clear my system of processed foods, chemicals, and the like. To some end, I was successful in reducing my cravings for greasy, heavier foods and having more energy. However, this success came after suffering through an intense depression that seemed to come out of nowhere. It turns out that many people experience depression on a vegan diet if they are not careful about including high energy foods (bean sprouts, pomegranates, and dark chocolate to list a few) into their daily regimen.
Veganism certainly has its fair share of health benefits and while we all should be consuming plenty of greens and fruits, it must be said that veganism isn’t always right for everyone’s specific health and specific body type. Many people jump into veganism without researching potential health risks (vitamin B deficiency for one) which puts them at risk for new health problems, rather than resolving old ones. Make sure to do your research before diving in and make the best choice for your personal health!
Weight-Loss
Another popular reason for going the vegan route is to lose weight, and while this is a healthy solution for many people, for others it just isn’t the right call. One drawback of vegan dieting can be a poorly functioning metabolism. For some people (myself included), metabolism just doesn’t fire as well on a meat-free diet as one with a balanced amount of animal protein. Many women become frustrated when reaching a weight loss plateau when they are doing and eating all the right things, when really the issue is choosing the right wholesome diet for their body types. Just because we see that something works for other women doesn’t mean it will automatically work for us! Make sure that your decision to go vegan stems from wanting to care for and nourish your body - not starve it into looking a certain way.
Environment
Sustainability - a word with so much potential for good and a word that we sometimes don’t know what to do with. In a time where many political voices are saying many different things about what is best for the planet, we can all agree that something for certain must be done! For some, that positive change for the climate and the earth we love is found in the vegan lifestyle. Numerous documentaries and research reports have pointed to farming plants as a solution to the damage that mass animal farming is doing to lands all over the world, and often recommend readers and viewers to adopt a plant-based lifestyle to do their part.
But there are two sides to every story, and with the rise in number of plant-only dieters, there has also been a rise in demand for certain produce world wide that is resulting in shortages that are affecting the economies of entire countries. Mexico, the world leader in avocado exports, is considering importing the popular product for the first time in its history and is currently dealing with avocado farmer strikes. Sometimes the answers to our biggest problems aren’t as straight-forward as we might like. Make sure you know where your food is coming from and who it is affecting!
Animal Cruelty
I think we can all agree that there is never a justifiable reason for an animal to be treated cruelly. The issue arises when we begin to discuss exactly what the definition of animal cruelty is. For some, taking the life of an animal is never the right thing to do. Others are more interested in fighting for humane treatment and human killings of animals on farms. There is no right answer for everyone as diet is a choice everyone must make for themselves. Again, research is critical to be able to fully understand where our food comes from. I would add that it should be equally important to fight for humane treatment of farmers and field workers, groups of people who are often cheated and abused so buyers and resellers can make more money. This is a personal choice for everyone and it is important to be informed.
So, which of these reasons is a right reason for you? Only you can decide, but if you are passionate and informed about your decision to choose veganism then go you, girl! Do what is best for your body and your world and live your truth!
By Natalie West
In the age of social media and nearly unlimited access to health and diet resources, it’s no surprise that the culture of trend dieting is stronger now than it ever has been. With Instagram and Pinterest making it ever easier to follow the every move of slender celebrities and fitness gurus, for many electing a wholesome diet becomes a way to be relevant and gather a following on social media platforms.
Health
One of the biggest reasons many people choose to experiment with veganism is to improve their health. My personal stint with the vegan diet arose as a result of wanting to clear my system of processed foods, chemicals, and the like. To some end, I was successful in reducing my cravings for greasy, heavier foods and having more energy. However, this success came after suffering through an intense depression that seemed to come out of nowhere. It turns out that many people experience depression on a vegan diet if they are not careful about including high energy foods (bean sprouts, pomegranates, and dark chocolate to list a few) into their daily regimen.
Veganism certainly has its fair share of health benefits and while we all should be consuming plenty of greens and fruits, it must be said that veganism isn’t always right for everyone’s specific health and specific body type. Many people jump into veganism without researching potential health risks (vitamin B deficiency for one) which puts them at risk for new health problems, rather than resolving old ones. Make sure to do your research before diving in and make the best choice for your personal health!
Weight-Loss
Another popular reason for going the vegan route is to lose weight, and while this is a healthy solution for many people, for others it just isn’t the right call. One drawback of vegan dieting can be a poorly functioning metabolism. For some people (myself included), metabolism just doesn’t fire as well on a meat-free diet as one with a balanced amount of animal protein. Many women become frustrated when reaching a weight loss plateau when they are doing and eating all the right things, when really the issue is choosing the right wholesome diet for their body types. Just because we see that something works for other women doesn’t mean it will automatically work for us! Make sure that your decision to go vegan stems from wanting to care for and nourish your body - not starve it into looking a certain way.
Environment
Sustainability - a word with so much potential for good and a word that we sometimes don’t know what to do with. In a time where many political voices are saying many different things about what is best for the planet, we can all agree that something for certain must be done! For some, that positive change for the climate and the earth we love is found in the vegan lifestyle. Numerous documentaries and research reports have pointed to farming plants as a solution to the damage that mass animal farming is doing to lands all over the world, and often recommend readers and viewers to adopt a plant-based lifestyle to do their part.
But there are two sides to every story, and with the rise in number of plant-only dieters, there has also been a rise in demand for certain produce world wide that is resulting in shortages that are affecting the economies of entire countries. Mexico, the world leader in avocado exports, is considering importing the popular product for the first time in its history and is currently dealing with avocado farmer strikes. Sometimes the answers to our biggest problems aren’t as straight-forward as we might like. Make sure you know where your food is coming from and who it is affecting!
Animal Cruelty
I think we can all agree that there is never a justifiable reason for an animal to be treated cruelly. The issue arises when we begin to discuss exactly what the definition of animal cruelty is. For some, taking the life of an animal is never the right thing to do. Others are more interested in fighting for humane treatment and human killings of animals on farms. There is no right answer for everyone as diet is a choice everyone must make for themselves. Again, research is critical to be able to fully understand where our food comes from. I would add that it should be equally important to fight for humane treatment of farmers and field workers, groups of people who are often cheated and abused so buyers and resellers can make more money. This is a personal choice for everyone and it is important to be informed.
So, which of these reasons is a right reason for you? Only you can decide, but if you are passionate and informed about your decision to choose veganism then go you, girl! Do what is best for your body and your world and live your truth!
By Natalie West
Natalie West is an international travel blogger from Colorado, US currently living in northern Spain. She is an online English teacher, freelance writer, and full-time adventurer who loves Pinterest, sushi, and reality TV. For more from Natalie, visit her website at InternationalNat.com.
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