The Real Neat Blog Award

October 27, 2016October 26, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 11 Comments

Thank you to Francis and Anna from francisandanna.com for nominating me for such a great award.

If you haven’t checked out their blog – head over there for a glimpse into their adventures to beautiful places.

So, the rules are:

Thank and link the blogger who nominated you.
Answer the questions asked.
Nominate 7 more bloggers for the award (it’s nice to advise them independently)
Create seven questions for your Nominees.

Things you need to know about me:

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

I drink a glass of water and set my intentions for the day. I believe the best way to start your day is with positivity and calmness.

If there is one place you wanted to visit, where would it be?

I would love to visit America. All of it.

What is that one word that your friends describe you as?

I think my friends would describe me as kind.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Becoming ‘me’ again after the death of my younger brother.

What does your perfect day look like?

I love this question! It would have to include afternoon tea, shopping, a cocktail, a nice hotel and my family!

If you were to create a piece of art, what would the subject be?

Love – because it’s all encompassing.

What motivates you?

I feel most motivated when I am excited about what I’m doing. I can literally lose hours when I am writing – the time use flies by!

Things I need to know about you:

Name one person who has helped you become the person you are today.

How did you decide on the name of your blog?

How would you describe your style?

What is your favourite dessert?

How do you like to relax?

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Who was the last person you said ‘Thank you’ to and why?

I am nominating my newest finds:

Funhouse Vision

Michaela Schell

That Girl Called C

Scintillating Memoirs

Up and Down the Rabbit Hole

A Mile in my Shoes

It Rains in my Heart

Thanks again to Francis and Anna for nominating me for this award,

I wish you all a great day!

Nicky 💋

It’s the Little things 23.10.16

October 23, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 9 Comments

It’s the little things in my week that remind me to be grateful for what I have, even when I am wishing for more.

This sunrise made an early start a little easier

Have you ever noticed how even the darkest of days can be warmed by a beautiful sight, kind gesture or happy thought?

What little things creep into your day and bring a little smile whilst warming your heart and simply encourage you to pause and notice the moment?

Let me know below 💋

xoxo

It’s The Little Things 16.10.16 *The Manchester Edition

October 17, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 12 Comments

This weekend I headed to Salford Quays with the family (minus one) for a couple of days. As always when we get together, there was plenty of laughter and smiles.

Hotels call for drinks that don’t need a glass…

It’s the little things that make our lives happier, healthier and abundantly more fun!! Start noticing them, celebrate them and repeat them.

Tell me, what’s made you smile this week?

I’m No Expert, But I Can Tell You My Story

October 13, 2016September 25, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 10 Comments

An award is a great chance to share a little something about myself and my blogging journey so far.

Kristian from Life Lessons Around the Dinner Table has nominated me for 2 awesome awards recently (or maybe not so recently – I’m a little behind!)

As I’ve done a few award posts recently – I thought I’d put the 2 together and do a mishmash of them both!

My blog. My rules.

Things you need to do

Thank the one who nominated you and embed a link to their blog.
Share how you started your blog.
Give a little bit of advice that new bloggers can take away.
Select fifteen other blogs who you think really deserve the award.
Visit the blogs you nominated and let them know.

Share how you started your blog

I started this blog because I love words!

After my younger brother died I spent a long time journaling, finding quotes and affirmations and reading other blogs in a bid to heal myself.

I knew I had a story to share. I knew I wasn’t the only person who had experienced rock bottom and so I decided to share my journey of finding myself and in time becoming the best authentic version of myself.

Over the last 6 months I have connected with so many other amazing people – I call them my tribe! People from across the world, living different lives, writing about different topics. But it’s been great. When you find a group of people that you can truly be yourself with, it’s a beautiful thing.

And I think you’re all amazing!

Give a little bit of advice that new bloggers can take away

Write what you know. Write about your passions, what excites you. Write for yourself.

People will feel your enthusiasm and come back for more. Don’t worry when you first start out that you have to have it all figured out. Just write. Your style and voice will follow in time. The more you write, the more ideas you will have. You will find inspiration everywhere – don’t forget to connect with your readers too. This has made the biggest difference to my experience. When you leave a comment on a piece of writing that touches you, inspires you or simply makes you smile, it feels great!

7 things you need to know about me

I love a good quote.

I buy most of my clothes in charity shops (thrift stores if you’re from across the pond).

My favourite colour lipstick is red.

I have tiny feet – size 3.

I now have 2 dogs – Missy and Lola.

I have a thing for handbags – read about it here.

I have an eclectic taste in music, depending on my mood I could be listening to jazz, heavy metal, 90’s club classics, 80’s hair metal or classical!

Select fifteen other blogs who you think really deserve the award

This is really difficult as I’ve nominated over 20 blogs in the last month – so I’m going to open it out to anyone who would like to have this award OR better still, if you’re reading this and wish to nominate your favourite blogs, go ahead!

Thanks again, to Kristian for allowing me to share some of my blogging journey with you all.

Keep writing – the world needs your story.

Nicky 💋

It’s the Little Things 09.10.16 *The ‘Let’s Shake It Up’ Edition

October 9, 2016 ~ Nicky M ~ 5 Comments

This week I have zero photographs to show you!

Gasp! Horror!

NOT because I haven’t experienced anything that made me smile – however it was limited as I was in bed with an infection for most of the week, but because I thought we were due a little bit of a shake up.

Today the focus is on you; to get you really thinking about what makes you smile.

If you know what brings a little pleasure to your day, then maybe you can go about intentionally tweaking a few things here and there and adding a few well chosen ideas to your daily routines?

Let’s dive in:

💋 What’s the first thought you have of the day (before you have even got out of bed)?

Is it how much you have to get done whilst mindlessly checking your social media? Or do you set your intentions, telling your mind exactly how you want to feel today and the positives you are going to focus on? Can you think about what areas today may need a little extra care, laughter or love?

💋 What does your morning routine look like?

Is it rushed, grabbing a pastry whilst running out the door? Or do you take the time to sit and savour your favourite food, whilst calmly contemplating the day, read or write your to do list? Is it a fight for the bathroom or do you get up earlier to allow yourself the time you need?

💋 Do you dress in such a way that there’s a little bit of you in what you’re wearing?

Do you have a signature look, piece of jewellery, lip colour? Do you wear clothes that fit well and make you feel fabulous all day long? Or do you just throw on the first thing to hand without much thought? Even if you have to wear a uniform, maybe you have an amazing handbag or signature perfume to accessorise!

💋 During the day, how often do you go out of your way to intentionally make someone else smile?

Do you look for the good in people? Compliment them on a job well done? Talk kindly behind their backs? Enquire about their well being? Do you believe in ‘what goes around comes around’? What do you want to be known for?

💋 Do you put aside some time during the day to do something that recharges or rebalances you?

Do you spend time alone with your thoughts, reflecting on the day? Do you exercise, create, read? Do you show yourself some love, watch something beautiful, listen to something you enjoy? Do you believe it is important or that you are worthy?

In each of these areas, there will be a way you can enhance just one element to make it more pleasurable for you and make you smile.

Even the boring stuff! Honestly!

Take for example cleaning up after dinner – a job I loathe! So to improve something that I regularly do, I decided to add a little shimmer to the experience…

💛 First up – I bought my favourite washing up liquid and cute cleaning brushes.

💛 Then I transformed the area by the sink by putting the utensils and dishwasher tablets in beautiful pots and jars, on a silver tray.

💛 Next, I tell myself that after it’s done, I will reward myself with a cup of my favourite coffee, from my favourite mug whilst I sit for 5 minutes to put on my favourite hand cream and read a few pages from my current book.

Et voila! A few little treats and within no time the job is done. I haven’t done anything unusual, I’d do all of these things anyway – but I’m programming my mind to look for the things that will make me smile. Thus enhancing a boring, mundane task.

Up for the challenge?

Take one area of your day that does not make you smile and see where you can add a little fun, glamour, ease, beauty or enjoyment; shimmerify it!

Let me know below how you get on.

The Shimmer Within Her

Find yourself Be yourself

Be yourself