7 Things I'm Loving Right Now

Over the last month or so, I've realised that I've started to make an unconscious shift towards a more balanced life. Instead of spending the majority of my time either at work, working on my blog, or doing chores around the house, then crashing into bed absolutely exhausted at the end of the day, I've started being a little more lenient with myself.

This means allowing myself the chance to do what I want to do for a change, indulging in my hobbies and interests, and spending more time with the people who matter the most. It's a refreshing change, but a welcome one, and I hope I can continue to manage the work/life balance in this much more healthy way moving forward.

To celebrate my newfound freedom, I thought I'd put together a list of some of the things that I'm loving right now. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to treat yourself to a little more 'me' time?

1. The Umbrella Academy

The Umbrella Academy is a TV series on Netflix based on a comic book series. It's fun and action-packed, with a great cast of characters and an intriguing plotline. Perfectly balancing superhero antics with suspense, adventure, and plenty of humour, this really is a must-watch. The show has a high production value, excellent actors, and great writing. I'm hooked - and I can't wait for season two!

2. Making More Time to Read

For the last few years, I've set myself a target of reading 50 books throughout the year. Armed with my trusty Goodreads reading challenge, I've started off hopeful, only to lose out as life got in the way. However, this year, I'm aiming to smash my goal and achieve the challenge - I'm currently on track (even a little ahead!) so fingers crossed that things keep going in the right direction!

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Which one should I read next? 🤔

A post shared by Lorna Holland (@themaxdog) on Jun 1, 2019 at 1:57am PDT

3. Rediscovering 15-Year-Old Me's Favourite Songs 

While there are some older songs from my past that I never fell out of love with, others fell by the wayside as my music tastes broadened and I found new songs to fall in love with. Recently, I've been enjoying a spate of rediscovering all the songs I used to love ten years ago.

When I was 15, I loved all the Disney stars' music - I'm talking Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Camp Rock soundtrack, and of course, the Jonas Brothers. The Jonas Brothers' reunion and subsequent release of everything ever (Happiness Begins album, the Chasing Happiness documentary, and worldwide tour) have brought back all those feelings once again. You'd better believe I'm going to see the boys when they come to the UK next year!



4. Spending More Time With the Right People

I've never been someone who has lots of friends, but as I've grown older, I've come to realise that it's important to keep the right people around you. This year, I've enjoyed spending more time with the people who matter the most and building relationships with the best friends and family who are caring, supportive, and loyal. Similarly, I've also been slowly cutting toxic people and those who don't bother out of my life, curating a tight-knit circle of the very best people to surround myself with. As a result, I've never been happier with the people around me!

5. Putting Less Pressure On Myself

This was one of my 2019 goals and it's a massively important one for me - and it's something I think a lot of people should consider in today's hectic, fast-paced world. In the past, I've worked myself to the point of exhaustion, trying to balance my day job with blogging and freelance work, life commitments, maintaining some semblance of a social life, and ensuring my house is not a complete pigsty. Frankly, it's exhausting, and adulting is hard!

That's why I've started allowing myself more time to take a break and do what I want. It's okay if I only publish one blog post a week, or if I don't necessarily feel like doing anything productive in the evening after a long day at work. Instead, this has allowed me to place a greater focus on self-care and indulging my interests, and I feel as though I'm in a much better, more positive place because of it.

6. My New Desk and Chair

Although I loved my old workspace, it was causing me several problems. The desk was too low to use my keyboard properly, causing pain in my neck and shoulders. Similarly, the desk chair was only a cheap one without much padding or proper back support, which only exacerbated my health problems. As a result, I knew it was time for an upgrade.

I bought a fancy new desk chair from John Lewis and a lovely new desk from Ikea, and I am very happy with the way my new workspace looks! Although the new desk and chair aren't as bright or colourful as the old ones, they are much more comfortable and practical, earning a big thumbs up from me!

7. Getting Back into Geocaching

Last but certainly not least, the warmer and sunnier weather (for the most part) has meant I've been itching to get out and about exploring. I used to really enjoy geocaching but I haven't really done it for a few years, so this was the perfect opportunity to rekindle my interest in the hobby. I've only found a few since I've been back at it, but I set my very first geocache a week or so ago, which is very exciting!

Sometimes, I think it can be all too easy to get bogged down focusing on the negative aspects of life. Whether it's stress from work, seemingly endless chores, or struggling to find time to do the things you want to do, things like these can easily get you down.

So, why not take a moment to pause and reflect on the good in your own life? Even if it's something small like the points I've mentioned above, there's always something worth celebrating and shouting about. Don't be afraid to speak up and let your voice be heard!

What are you loving right now? Let me know in the comments below!