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Mum Guilt & Why You Should ALWAYS Trust That You’re Doing An Incredible Job
From the moment I found out I was pregnant with Theo, he was at the very heart of absolutely everything I did. On the same day that I got my first positive pregnancy test result (and I was so early on in my pregnancy that I’d had negatives up until the day before) I climbed into a bath full of bubbles and caressed my tummy, imagining my little poppyseed sized baby growing inside me. From that moment until my 12 week scan, it took EVERY bit of restraint I had to avoid making baby related purchases. I IMMEDIATELY ordered wallpaper samples for the nursery. And I couldn’t even finish a…
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The Loneliness of Being a New Mum
Motherhood is wonderful, beautiful, magical. Every time I look at Theo’s happy little face, I feel so overwhelmed with joy that I could cry. I am so blessed. Every day, I ask him: “How did I get so lucky to be your mummy, Theo?” But it’s irresponsible to say every second of motherhood is easy, or even enjoyable. Amongst many challenges new mums face, motherhood can be incredibly isolating – which is something nobody ever prepared me for. But in hindsight, I wish I’d embraced those early, intense, lonely days more. And if you’re a new or expectant mummy, I’m here to tell you that those overwhelmingly lonely early days…
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Talking Point: Friendship Red-flags and How to Spot a Fake Friend
I’m incredibly lucky to have a handful of friends I consider family. We share each other’s heartache and joy, and those feelings are genuine. We laugh together, we cry together and we share everything in-between. But despite having a selection of friends I couldn’t bear to live without, I’ve also had a handful of fake friends – and they are the worst. We’ve all had one, and they’re so easy to spot. But, on the off-chance you’ve got a fake friend of your own and you’re yet to discover it, here are three red flags to look out for, and three dignified ways to cope through a friendship breakup. They’re Jealous…
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Talking Point: Are Fairytales Setting Our Kids Up For Heartbreak?
As a little girl, I adored fairytales. And admittedly, whenever I feel run down or a bit defeated by life (being an adult isn’t always is never easy) I still snuggle up on the sofa and treat myself to a ‘Disney day’ – matching pyjamas and all. Fairytales are wonderful things. They give children hope of a better life and teach us to believe in magic. But as grim as it sounds (pun absolutely intended) I think fairytales have a lot to answer for when it comes to our unrealistic expectations of adulthood and romance. As much as I hate to admit it, I think the originals written by the Brothers…
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How To: Overcome Disappointment
Let’s face it, disappointment is shit. Have you ever bitten the bullet and applied for your dream job, only to find an unwelcome letter of rejection sat smugly in your email inbox the following week? Or perhaps you’ve had your eye on a gorgeous pair of shoes for weeks on end and when you finally decide: I work hard, I’mma treat myself, they’ve inevitably sold out in your size. Whether it’s losing out on a promotion or a pair of shoes, feeling let down is rubbish and can really suppress our inner superwoman. Whether you’re going through a tough breakup, a spell of unemployment or you’ve realised there’s no milk…
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Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A Project With Scouse Bird Problems
“It’s not you, it’s me” said my ex-friend to his now ex-girlfriend. It wasn’t him. In fact, it wasn’t her either. It was fear. Fear that he couldn’t resist the seemingly delicious temptation that is infidelity. Knowing that he was heading off to University and as such would be expected to engage in the typical freshers rituals, he couldn’t handle the pressure of remaining faithful to his girlfriend whilst surrounded by beautiful and overly keen girls, even though his girlfriend was beyond gorgeous herself. At least he had the decency to be honest with her, right? Desperately trying to console his devastated ex, I eventually managed to convince her that it was for the best. After all, could…
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Talking Point: The #KylieJennerChallenge
Okay, unpopular opinion: I fucking hate celebrity culture. It’s not that celebrity gossip doesn’t interest me because, to some extent, of course it does. I’m only human, after all. I’m not a fan of TOWIE or Geordie Shore, or any other celebrity reality shows. Unless they’re eating kangaroo bollocks in the Australian jungle, count me out. To be completely honest, I’m just far too busy with my own life to be interested in what the Kardashians are doing for Christmas, and who’s had their boobs done. There are many reasons for this, but the biggest issue I have with celebrity culture is the unrealistic expectations young girls and ‘ordinary’ women…
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Talking Point: Why the ‘Plus-size’ Label is Bullshit
If there’s one thing that really winds me up, it’s body shaming. I will never advocate for unhealthy eating habits, or a body type that puts a person at serious risk of ill-health. However, I genuinely believe that we’re all beautiful in our own way. So, why is it that people seem to be in such a rush to stick a hurtful label on everything? For now, I’m going to focus on the arrangement of the words ‘plus-sized model’. Do we really need to be so pedantic as to point out that a person might be ever so slightly curvier than the typical? The fashion industry has come a long…
