Blog about all things lifestyle, home, fashion and being a woman.

Online Conveniences That Most of Us Can’t Do Without

It’s no surprise that the internet has created many convenient services for us. For instance, most of us couldn’t do without the ability to buy things online, especially with lockdowns affecting most of the world. But what if you’re still rather new to buying things online? What if you still have trust issues because you don’t feel safe giving your bank details to a company online?


You’d be right to be cautious, especially considering how many people have their bank details stolen online. Fortunately, this is still a rather small percentage of the world. Despite the media often playing it up and scaring us, online fraud doesn’t happen as often as you think. As long as you’re vigilant when using the internet and keep an eye out for anything that’s too good to be true, you actually have a fairly high chance of avoiding all forms of scams.


But what if you’re still on the fence about buying things online? In this post, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest online conveniences that many of us couldn’t do without.


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Online shopping


Online shopping is one of the main reasons why we love the internet. Not only is it more convenient to buy certain items, but it also opens up many different stores that we can buy from. If you want something overseas, you can actually just order internationally and have it sent across the world directly to your doorstep. It’s so convenient that it’s starting to make many retail business owners sweat. Of course, it’s never going to be as exciting as physically going to a store and browsing their wares, but if you want to save time and money, online shopping is the way to go. Plus you can get discount codes for your shopping and save money. There are codes for every type of store from Home Depot coupons to clothing coupons to groceries coupons. There are lots of choices.


Online groceries


Gone are the days of carrying home several bags of shopping or driving to your local supermarket every week. For a small cost, you could have all of your groceries delivered straight to your door. There are even some services that allow you to place orders that you can receive in just 2 hours. These online grocery stores are incredibly time-efficient. Instead of spending an hour or more travelling to a supermarket and buying your groceries, you can simply spend 20 minutes ordering things online and then wait for it to arrive. You can even save shopping lists for things that you buy on a regular basis. It’ll save you a lot of time and even money if you look out for deals.


Online prescriptions and medical services


A surprising service that not many people know about is the ability to request medical services and order prescriptions online. You can go here to visit an online pharmacy that can cover most of your medical needs. In addition to online pharmacy services, you can also speak with an online doctor about symptoms, an illness, weight loss or even hair loss. If you wear glasses, you can even buy glasses or contact lenses if you know your prescription. It’s extremely convenient to get medical attention online nowadays and it’s becoming even more important due to the lockdown taking place. This is also an important service for people that are homebound. For example, seniors that have limited mobility will usually rely on online prescription services to get important medication. You can also save a lot of money with online medical services if you’re looking to adopt a more frugal lifestyle.


Online takeout food


While takeout food isn’t exactly healthy, it’s one of the more convenient ways to feed your family if you’re not in the mood to cook. Sometimes, we just want to come back home after work and dig into a hot meal without much worry. For that, we have online takeout food ordering. It can sometimes be a little more expensive than buying it on your way home from the store, but you don’t need to wait around at the store and you often get some fantastic deals. You also have plenty of choices to pick from if you live in or near a city.


Online learning


While not exactly a physical product, a lot of people have started using the internet to study. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn a variety of different skills. Online learning platforms can teach you everything from nursing skills to woodworking for an incredibly low price. If you’re interested in picking up a new skill, it’s actually extremely simple to do so with the internet. While you do need to be self-disciplined and willing to study in your own time, it’s still a fantastic way to control how and when you study.

10 Tried and Tested Steps to a More Confident You

 Life has the capacity to be deeply enjoyable and fun and all the other good things that we can experience, but it is conditional. We’re not always in the right frame of mind to live life to the fullest. If we’re going to live our best life, then there are some things that we’ll need: our health (mental and physical), energy, and yes, confidence. We all know how much easier it is to make our dreams come true when we’re feeling confident. Plus, it just allows us to enjoy the world more: everything looks brighter when we’re feeling secure in our skin. 


Of course, how to actually reach this confident state can seem difficult, actually almost impossible sometimes. But if there’s one thing to remember, it’s that a confident version of yourself exists. And in fact, it’s not as difficult as you might think. It’s all about doing many small tasks (rather than waiting for one big, life-changing thing to change everything). In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a bunch of small actions that’ll put you on the right path. 


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A Bit of Perspective


There are many people out there who actually are confident people; they just don’t know it. Or to put it another way, they’re people who should be confident, they just don’t see it. If there’s one thing that is damaging to the world, it’s that people underrate themselves -- and that keeps them in their little small box. If you took an objective look at your life, you’d probably find that there are many reasons for you to feel confident and happy. Of particular note should be how you view your appearance. People typically undervalue their attractiveness level, all because they focus on their (perceived) flaws rather than what they’ve got going for them. Focus on those things instead, and you’ll feel much better.


New Clothes


Is there anything better than leaving home knowing that you’re dressed as well as can be? It’s an instant confidence boost. If you can walk past a mirror and think, “I’m looking good,” then you’ll be on the right path towards having a good day. Of course, dressing well is not guaranteed. There are many things that can influence it, but perhaps the most important aspect is the quality of the clothes. If you’ve been wearing the same old, same old items for too long, then take a look at investing in some new threads. It can be worthwhile paying a little more than normal, such is the difference that high-quality clothing can make. 


Find Your Style


Clothes function as more than just items to preserve our modesty and keep us warm and so forth. They are an extension of our personality. Or at least, they should be. If you’re wearing clothes that you know don’t really reflect who you are, then make some changes. You’ll feel more confident when it feels like people can get an idea of what you’re all about just by looking at you. The process of finding your style can be a journey, but it’s worthwhile taking. If you don’t know where to start, look at simply mimicking other people who have a sense of style that you like. In time, you’ll find that you’ve acquired your own.


Not Trying to Impress 


Moving away from your appearance for a moment, let’s think about your interactions with other people. If you have any level of social anxiety, then it probably impacts your confidence, at least to a degree. Experts are conflicted about whether “faking it till you make it” is an effective strategy for improving confidence, but there are some areas where it is recommended. One is how you present yourself socially. A person lacking in confidence is eager to impress. They want to be liked by others. A confident person doesn’t feel the need to do this. They can just sit back and be themselves. If this area of your life is affecting your confidence, then try this: put the “impress” pressure on the other person. The goal isn’t to make them feel uncomfortable (don’t do that), but just to make yourself recognise that you don’t have to go out your way to make other people like you, or to connect with them. If it happens, it happens. You’ll find that this new self-assuredness in social environments can do wonders for your confidence.


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Upgraded Beauty Routine


There are some things that’ll have a huge influence on your appearance, which means that they in turn have a huge influence on your confidence. Even though your appearance is not the most important thing in the world, it would be wrong to think that it’s entirely unimportant: it’s not. So if you’re looking to nudge things in the right direction, why not look at mixing up your beauty routine? If you’ve been stuck with the same old makeup style for longer than you can remember, then take a look at some YouTube tutorials and find a look that suits you. 


Items for your Figure


There are some things that can be considered “obvious” when it comes to improving your confidence. Some are a little more subtle. One such example are the things you wear that can’t be seen on the surface. While it’s fine to wear unremarkable initiates, you’ll find that you feel a lot more confident if you’re wearing lingerie, especially if they accentuate your natural body shape. More than anything, high-quality underwear will just have you feeling good throughout the day.


To the Salon


Along with your makeup and clothes, it’s your hair that has the biggest impact on your appearance. Most people are pretty adept at styling their hair well, but if you’re trying to push your confidence in the right direction, then that’s not enough: you’ll want to take things further. A trip to the salon can be so beneficial that it should be prescribed by doctors. Providing you’ve gone to a stylist who knows what they’re doing, you’ll find that you leave on cloud nine. If you can pick up a few tips and tricks from professional hairstylists, you’ll be able to keep the look -- and the confidence that accompanies it -- for longer than usual, too.


Work Up a Sweat


Exercise improves your confidence in many ways. For starters, it helps to keep your body look trim and toned. But perhaps more important is the mental fortitude you need to work up a sweat even when you don’t want to. We gain confidence by overcoming our mental barriers and doing things anyway. When you take up exercise, you’ll experience that on a regular basis. There’ll be times when you want to give up, but you’ll push yourself to workout for another ten minutes. There’s power in that. Once you’ve finished, consider a cold shower. This isn’t appealing but can do wonders for your confidence, energy, skin, and more. As with the exercise, you’ll have to force yourself to get into the shower sometimes, but you’ll do it anyway -- and that brings confidence. 


Free Yourself From Toxins


There are some things that are presented to us as normal, but which are actually harmful. Take alcohol, for instance. This is something that the majority of the population drink regularly. But is it as good for us as we think it is? Depending on the type of alcohol that you’re drinking, you could find that it’s having a negative impact on your mood, your skin, your energy, and more. If you’ve never taken a break before, consider giving it up for a month or so. The truth is that within a couple of weeks without alcohol, you’ll likely have noticed that your mood and confidence has improved. You might decide to have the occasional drink after the month is up, but it’s unlikely that you’ll go back to your pre-break levels once you’ve seen the many benefits. 


Keep Moving Forward


Finally, remember to keep moving forward. If you think back to when you felt the most confident, you’ll probably find that it was when you were challenging yourself and making things happen. When we stop doing those things, it’s normal for our confidence to take a bit of a hit. While it can be easier to pursue challenges when we’re young, it doesn’t mean that they’re impossible to make happen when we’re older. They’re not. Looking ahead, why not focus on seeing what you’re capable of? Just deciding to do that will give you confidence (since it’s not an easy decision to make), and it’ll be even more profound if you pull your challenge off. 


Conclusion


When we’re low in confidence, it can feel like something that we’ll never have. It just feels too far away. However, never forget that there are plenty of things you can do to push things in the right direction. While the effects of your actions can take some time to sink in, once they have, you’ll find that you’re riding high with confidence -- and it’ll happen before you know it. 


The 4 best adult only holiday destinations

Well, the hot weather is beginning to fade in the UK and its starting to look a lot more like autumn every day. We all blinked and missed summer and due to the unforeseen circumstances, we all found ourself in.  We all had a most unusual summer holiday. Most of us did not manage to venture abroad. I personally love to travel and it brings my heart joy to immerse myself in another culture. I have missed travelling. 

But with the passage of time come the new normal and the new normal opens the door to getting back to the wonderful world of travel and holidays. I know a lot of people have been homeschooling and navigating the challenges of life mostly within your home. It is time to reward yourself and plan an adult-only trip. Family trips are so fun but I think you deserve some adult-only time. Let's face it you need a break.   I have spent hours perusing Voyage Privé for the best deals for adults-only holidays and city breaks. I love this site for booking holidays they really are the best at what they do and they have some incredible deals on at the moment so why not pop over and check them out yourself. 

So let me tell you my top 4 Adult only destination. 

France Paris 
The city of lovers. I would be doing an injustice if I didn't start with Paris. I love Paris.  Paris in the autumn and winter is even more magical. There is nothing quite like walking around Paris with snow on the ground. This city is even more beautiful in the snow. Don't get me wrong it is stunning any time but I have had the pleasure of seeing Paris in the snow and I will never forget this. 

There are so many amazing hotels in Paris. I suggest the Westin Paris Vendome this four-star hotel. This will blow your mind. The decor is elegant with a sophistication only done in France. Not only are the rooms to die for they have a stunning spa and fitness centre. 

There really is something for everyone to do in Paris has some of the best historical sights in europe take the Louvre, Montmartre and Arc de triomphe for instance Or why not walk along the river Seine and find the mini statue of liberty. So many options. 

Paris is also well know to have some of the best shopping in Europe. If you like designer labels Paris is a must for you. 

I personally think a trip to Paris is not complete without a meal a night time in The Jules Verne ( The restaurant in the Eiffel tower). I love to watch the twinkling lights whilst I eat an amazing meal. Speaking of food there is nothing quite like getting a crepe and walking the streets of paris or walking around one of the many city parks. 


Cyprus 
The beautiful island of Cyprus is a fantastic choice for any adult-only trip. With the never-ending beaches and turquoise waters that seen to go on forever, this is heaven for any sun worshiper. Cyprus is known to have some of the best weather in Europe year round. So it is a natural choice for a nice trip away with a quicker travel time. 

You need to check out Azia resort and spa this is an adult-only resort. It is 5 star and it really does live up to that rating. This hotel is located in vast grounds with an expansive elegant outdoor pool with a world-class spa for you to unwind from all the stress of the day and relax in this tranquil environment.  

Cyprus boasts all the normal beach holiday activities from private boat tours to sea fishing and water sports. But it is not just for the sun worshipers out there it is also steeped in history. With both greek and Turkish influences in its history, there are so many options for you to explore this country's amazing history.  Another plus side is Cyprus has been named one of the safest countries in the world. 

The food in Cyprus is very unique it has taken influences from its vast history and has both greek and Turkish flair. If you are a foodie you will not be disappointed with the food in Cyprus. 

Italy Venice
One of my all-time favourite places Venice. Venice for me is one of the most spectacular places in the world. I love history and I love the water and this combines both of my passions with abundance. I could spend all day telling you why you need to book your adult-only trip to Venice but let me give you a quick rundown. 

Venice is unlike any other city in the world. Fully surrounded by water with an intricate canal system this city is Italian architecture at its finest. I could spend all day just walking around the beautiful building and taking in all the history in the walls of this special and magical city. 

For a hotel that will blow your mind check out Indigo Venice Sant'Elana. This hotel is elegance with a modern twist whilst in keeping with the style in Venice. It is home to an indoor courtyard and garden which is very rare in Venice. 

The food in Venice is, of course, Italian but I have to say there are lots of local Venetian specialities that you will find along your way. You must try the world-famous Venetian ice cream. You will thank me for this. 


The Maldives
For the ultimate adults-only holiday why not head a bit further afield and book a trip of a lifetime to the amazing Maldives. The Maldives where the warm turquoise water and hot climate seem like a dream come true. 

Have you ever dreamed of being in a private beach villa on the beautiful turquoise water in the Maldives? Well, you need to check out Mercure Maldives Kooddo Resort. Here you can have your very own amazing villa on the water with direct access to the turquoise waters. These Villas are out of this world luxury. This hotel has lots of elegant and sophisticated eating options and some of the best cocktails in the Maldives. 

If like me you like to snorkel or dive the Maldives is the place to be. Can you imagine waking up in your private villa to look out on the crystal clear blue waters knowing you can step right in the warm water from where you are sleeping and see hundreds of fish and other sea creature. Heaven. 

I hope you have enjoyed my choices for the best Adult only holiday options. 


Please check all restrictions and government advice before booking any trip at this time. 

How To Keep Your Lawn In Pristine Condition

 Your lawn is the main aspect of your garden. It's the thing you've spent the most time on, and it's what you want people to be impressed by. A gorgeous lawn will be healthy and green, dazzling those who set their eyes upon it. 


Sadly, lawns don't stay in pristine condition forever. Or, more accurately, they need a lot of maintenance to ensure they remain perfect. Lots of things could be damaging your garden and causing issues with your lawn. So, here are some pro tips to keep your lawn as luscious as can be:


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Water it regularly

Every lawn needs some water to help it thrive. You'll notice that grass tends to go yellow during the hotter months. This is because a lack of water causes it to dry out and die. Water your lawn as regularly as can be - sprinkler systems are the best thing to use here. They offer an even distribution to ensure every blade of grass is nourished. 


Avoid waterlogging

On a similar note, too much water is a bad thing for your lawn. Avoid emptying buckets of water on it every single day! This is why the spray from a hose or sprinkler system is most effective. Also, consider what happens when it rains. It may be worth looking for submersible water pumps to improve the irrigation system in your garden. This allows the rainwater to drain away with ease, preventing puddles and waterlogging.  When too much water pools on your lawn, it basically drowns the grass. You get massive muddy patches that end up destroying the way it looks. 


Don't forget to fertilize

Your lawn is a living thing, believe it or not. So, it can't get by with sunlight and water alone. You need to fertilize your lawn to provide all the essential nutrients that let it grow. This will ensure you get healthy grass that looks as green as can be!


Be wary when mowing your lawn

I've saved this tip for last as it is the most relevant. When cutting your grass, don't put your mower on the lowest setting. This sounds like the smart thing to do as it ensures your grass is cut short. However, you end up scalping the lawn and damaging it. This causes muddy areas and will lead to patches. 


Instead, put your mower on a higher setting and only chop off around a third of the height. The idea is that you should mow your lawn frequently to keep it at a decent height. It sounds like a lot of work, which is why most people mow their lawn really short. The shorter it is, the less often you have to cut it! But, if you want your lawn to look gorgeous, you have to put in the extra work. 



Think of these tips as the fundamentals of lawn maintenance. If you follow each step, you're almost guaranteed to end up with a beautiful lawn. The only instances where this might not be the case is where your garden is shaded, and no sun hits the lawn. Sadly, there's not a lot you can do about this, and it might be smarter to install turf instead.