Getting confident?

It has been quite a while that I was on my blog. I could not decide whether I should do a post about “becoming confident” or not. Why? I thought it would be stupid, because I am anything but confident. So what do I know that gives me the right to counsel. But then I thought I could just give people some Ideas on how you could do and how I am going to gain some confidence. My goal this year is to get more comfortable in my own skin and to be more confident about myself.


Lets start!!

Everybody has there insecurities and it’s totally normal. But sometimes those insecurities are not realistic and out of proportion. When that happens it can effect your life and you start hiding for the world outside, that world is to scary, to big. That happened to me, I got to that point where I got scared and I start hiding and stop living my life as I should. I missed out on lots of opportunities. I am 18 years old (almost 19) and I’m done hiding, it’s time to change. I don’t want to waste time on being scared. Who’s with me?

Of course you cant become confident over night. In order to change, you have to change the way you think. Start thinking more positive and believe in yourself (you are worth to believe in), I know it is hard and I know it is going to take some time. (baby steps).

Things I am going to do to change:
 

• Getting out of my comfort zone: because when your comfortable, nothing is going to change.
• Say yes to every opportunity. In the past I would always find an excuse and now I know there is no good excuse to say no.
• Living more healthy (eat better, exercise). I have no condition and because of the stress, bad food and the lack of eating food I have lost some weight (something I can't afford to lose).

I have no idea if this is going to work, but it’s worth trying, am I right?

A not so quick update + TIPS on What next after rejection!!

It all started at the beginning of this school year. I began to study ‘social legal services’. But after two weeks already, I noticed this wasn’t anything I thought it would be and was nothing that would suit me, but at first I told myself ‘it was just because it was new to me and I just needed to get used to this new chapter of my life’.

It wasn’t after a good two months I realised I couldn’t get used to it. It was nothing I wanted, so I told my mom and my mentor (who still thought she could change my mind during the rest of the year. And I did tried to change my mind, to like my study, but that didn’t happen. At this point I got very confused, I didn’t knew what I wanted to do with my life, what I would like to study next and could not bring up enough

Motivation to keep going this year, but never the less I kept going. I started doing a course (How to find a study that fits you). I have done a post on that. Trying to find me again and what I want and like to do (still searching).

After the course I did found out I wanted to write (to be a writer or some sort). So I signed up for Creative Writing. The study had a selection, I did came through the first round based on my submitted stories (I was so proud). I was invited to the first selection day. That day was at the ninth of April (Saturday last week).

I believe I have never been so nervous as I was then. I didn’t knew what I could expect from that day. I knew there would be 80 other people I had to compete with. To be honest; I am very very shy and insecure, especially if I am in a big group of people.

So there I sat at the first workshop of the day looking and listening to the others, hearing how good they actually are telling myself that they where better than me, that I wasn’t good enough. (stupid I know!). The rest of the day I did tried to give my best, but speaking for a big group of people I barely know wasn’t something that made me feel confident. I already give up the hope I would get through the next round (something I regret).

When finally the day was ending and I was heading home, the stress disappeared.

At Tuesday I would get the results of the day and I would hear I was through or not. That day and the rest of the week I was at my grandmothers, she was ill and I was there to take care of her and to keep her company (nothing serious, just the flu. She is better now).

Unfortunately I got a email with the massage ‘I wasn’t selected, but that I didn’t had to give up’. The news made my sad and normally I would go to my room and cry my eyes out, but my grandmother was sleeping and I felt a bit trapped and didn’t want to make any noise or sign I didn’t felt well. It wasn’t until Thursday night I got home and be comfortable to let it all out. Now I’m home for to days and all the stress of the past few weeks is getting out and making me sick L .

Now it is time to figure out what to do next. I don’t have a plan B.

It is strange to think that last year I was convinced I would never be that person who would start a study, find out it is not what they’re looking for, and move on to another. Or even worse the person who takes a year off to figure out what she wants and here I am taking a year off. I always thought that those people didn’t put enough effort, turns out these tings just happen.

Now I just feel a bit lost….

If you wonder why I share this with you; I just needed to get it out, to tell someone about it. And you never know if someone learns from this post or maybe I learn from it.

Some tips I got during these weeks:

1. Never ever give up on a dream. (no matter what, try again)

2. Always look at the positives (even if you don’t see them, they are there!!!!)

3. Let it all out, you are aloud to. (sometimes it’s good to cry your eyes out, it’s all you need. It hurts…)

4. The first plan is never the only one, there are other ways as well. (take a look at them)

5. Ask why they didn’t choose you, learn from the feedback. (learn from your mistakes)

6. You are not the only one. (there others who go through

something similar.)

7. Last but not least: Don’t worry be happy!!

　

　

　
 

Get out of your comfort zone!!! that's where life is

Hello everyone, did you all had a nice week?

This post is for those of you that are like me. Someone who wears the same outfit (or identically ones) every single day and want to change that. I think the key to be confident is to feel good and beautiful in your skin, and sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone to get to that feeling.

My boring outfit, consist of a black simple bodycon dress with a sweater over that or a skirt with a similar silhouette to create two identical outfits. Why?? Because I blend in with everyone else. I’m a very shy person and I’m not feeling confident being in the spotlight, I get very nervous. But It’s time to get out of my comfort zone.

If you want to change your boring everyday outfit, don’t go overboard with it and change the whole outfit at a time. It can be to big of a change for you and you want to go running home and change. Take baby steps.

Tip 1: Instead to change your outfit at a time, change bit’s of it. For example; when your everyday outfit consist of a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, change the basic pair of jeans for one with a print (dots, flowers….) or change the basic shirt for one with lace details or a fun print.

I’m going to change my simple black skirt for one with a similar silhouette, only this skirt is lace and green.

Tip 2: A statement piece of jewellery. It instantly makes your outfit more interesting.

Tip 3: Change your hair, I don’t mean to chop it all of (unless you feel like it). Just put your hair in a ponytail, braid, bun or ad a headpiece. Go for inspiration on the internet/ magazine. When you change your hair, it gives you a fresh look.

Tip 4: Last but not least. Change your makeup. Wear some lipstick for a change, try a Smokey eye or a winked eyeliner.

And when you feel confident with your first step, then take the next.

Hope it is of any help.

PS. It is always a good idea to get out of your comfort zone and start living!!!!

Review: LOréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil

Again….. I have not been posting for to long, with no reason. I really need to figure out how to plan, because this is not working. However I did get some exiting news, I'm through the first round of the selection of the course Creative Writing!!!! I know I’m not accepted to the school yet, but it is a start.

Now over to LOréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil. I have been using this product since august and only the half of it I have used. Every time I washed my hair I put to pumps in my hair.

 

Whole my life my hair has bin annoying; my hair tangles very easily and is very dry. When I was a kid I even caught a pair of scissors and cut out the tangle, because it annoyed me so much and it was really big. Because my hair is this way, I have tried so many varieties of product; leave-in conditioners, hair masks. But nothing really made a difference to my hair, till I saw LOréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil last summer. First I had my doubts, I found it expensive (€ 10). But I’m glad I give it a try, now I can’t life without it. My hair feels much softer and tangles less and the best part is it last long.

Of course it is not a miracle, but it does make a difference to my hair. The only down side I found, is the glass bottle. When I go on holiday I don’t find it comforting to but the bottle in my bag, afraid it will break.

If you have dry or damaged hair, I do recommend this product!! I feel a difference since the first time I used it and when I forget to use it my hair is back to its annoying self.


Love
          Esther

DIY: Circle skirt

I had planned to do this post last week, but unfortunately I didn’t. First it was a bit harder then I thought to make the steps clear, so you could understand. And I got sick over the weekend, something that wasn’t helping either. But better late then never, right?

What do you need?

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Measure tape
• Pins
• Sewing machine (or a needle and thread if you want to hand sew)
• Zipper
• Zipper food (only if you use the machine)
• Iron
• Nose-rag
• Webbing waistband

 Before we can begin with sewing our skirts, we will need to measure our waist first.

Your waist (mostly the smallest part of your body)

Then we need to do a little calculation: your waist (W) - 5/6 (in cm).

The next step is to measure from up your waist down, this is to get to know how long you want your skirt to be. Mine measurement was 40 cm.

If your going to use a sewing machine for the first time, ask someone to help you use it. Think of your mom, neighbour, ant or someone else you know can use a sewing machine.

Step 1: The first step will be folding the fabric in half. What I did was starting at the closed side to measure out your measurements.

Now take a starting point, and start measure your outcome from W - 5/6 and pin a pin on place, keep doing this till you have a small half circle.

The next step will be; to measure out the length you want for the skirt, starting with the outline of the small circle. Also her pin a pin in place and keep doing this till there will be a larger half circle.

Step 2: Cut the circles out. But leave 1 cm space from the lining with pins. In my drawing I made the line you have to cut red.

Now you should have one whole circle if you would fold it open.

Step 3: You now already have the base of the skirt. The only thing you have to do with this step is cut a straight line, starting from the inside out. The line you have to cut I made red.

Step 4: for a skirt you need a waistband. You take you waist (without the calculation) and at around 5 cm, this will be the length of the waistband. The width of the strap is 10 cm. When you cut it out, you have a rectangle.

Step 5: For this step you will need the iron, your fabric for the waistband and webbing waistband. Place the sticky side of the webbing waistband on to the fabric. Then place another peace of fabric (I used a nose-rag for this part) over the waistband and the webbing and start ironing this. (the nose rag is used to prevent it from sticking to the iron, if you accidentally place the webbing waistband wrong). The webbing should stick to the fabric (not to the nose-rag). You do this step so the waistband is more secure.

Step 6: Fold the waistband (horizontal) in half. Before you going to attach the waistband to the inner circle. You want to finish the ends of the band. Fold the waistband in half, but with the webbing out. Sew the ends of both sides (I made those lines green). After you have done that turn the inside out, so the webbing becomes the inside. Now your going to attach the band to the inner circle (the smallest one), but both of the ends from band have to be at the split in the circle. Attach them first with pins and than sew them together.

Step 7: Get the zipper and measure how much room you need to for the zipper, the rest of the room you sew together, I made those lines red. (the zipper will come at the open side of the big circle.
hand sewing

Step 8: This is the tricky part, you might ask someone to help you with this. Your are going to sew the zipper to the skirt. See here how to do so.

Step 9: Now, you want to finish the raw edges. See here how to do so.

Step 10: The only thing left to do is sew on the button.

I hope this was helpful.

Love Esther

Sometimes the wrong choices bring us to the right places

The time comes for everyone, that they have to make a choice in live. For example; I had to make the choice about what I would want to study. It so happened that I haven’t the right choice immediately, what brought me back to this difficult decision I rather would not have to make again. What would I want? What do I like? What will be my next study?

And I have found out what I like and what I think is the right choice for me right now, but that isn’t where I’m going to talk about in this post. No, I’m going to give you all a few tips that helped me to find the right job/study or better said my goal.

• There’s no such thing as a perfect choice. So there is no reason to beat yourself up for it. The choice you’re going to make is a choice for right now and not for the far future. Nobody knows what the future will bring, the future isn’t fixed. So just make a choice that feels good for right now.

 

• Take a step back. When your stressing out about making that choice and it is the only thing you think about. Then there is no way you can make the right choice, because when your getting all fixed up about making the right choice, you will not have a clear mind to look at the options probably. So do something that takes your mind of it. Take a step back, so you can have a fresh look to it again.

 

• Create a top three of your dream jobs (or five if you want to). This was a assignment of a course I took to find out what I wanted to study. With this assignment it is the idea that it doesn’t have to be realistic, it can be everything you want.

 

• After you’ve done that; think about what you would have to do to accomplish your dream job(s) or find out if there is a job that is quite similar and that you can accomplish. Google is a great way to find out what all there is you can do. Take your time doing this.

 

• Look around and see if there is a course offered to help you with your choice or maybe your school provide help by making your choice in study. Don’t be limited to just your neighbourhood. I’ve done such a course and it really helped me a lot.

 

• If you found a few options, but you can’t choose between them. Make a list of pros and cons, and rate those pros and cons, at the end you count all the pros together and all cons at each of your options. The only thing there is left to do is pull the cons of the pros and compare all the results and the option with the highest results is probably the best choice.

Keep in mind that when you have made your choice and you find out it isn’t what you thought it would be. It isn’t the end of the world. Because ‘Sometimes the wrong choices bring us to the right places”. because I’ve made that wrong choice, I found out a lot about me and what I do and don’t like that I wouldn’t found if I had not make this choice.

 

I wish you all lot’s of luck finding your goal in live.

X Esther

 

February goals and a bit more

 

 

Oops….. I haven’t post anything here lately. :?

The reason that I haven’t post anything is: I was in the middle of my exam weeks : (

But I’ve had my last exam this morning and will have a fresh start to post more regularly. Starting with my February goals.

But first I wanted to talk about something I found when I was looking through some old pictures of me and my family. I found a small list with words that I could say when I was one and a half years old. The word that struck me the most was the word I had for snow. I called snow: PIEUW!!, not sure why I called it like that, maybe because snow is falling out of the sky and when the wind blows they go fast and everywhere. To bad I can’t see what’s in my head when I was one and a half.

                                        #me reading / #my list of words i could speak

I had a lot of fun getting to know what words I could speak.

When you where younger, did you had something similar like that. Did you had a strange name for something, what was it?

Lets move on now to my February goals. (wow the first month of 2013 is already over).

• Blog at least once a week (more is better!)
• Finish the assignments for the entrance exam (Creative writing course).
• Sew a circle skirt and do a blog post about that to show you how to : )
• Get a star bucks coffee (it mind sound a bit silly, but even though I pass star bucks every day for the past six months I can’t bring myself to get a cup of coffee. I really want one, but somehow I find it a bit scary. Like anything could happen : P.)