Hello Everyone

Forgiveness. An important thing that all humans need for both themselves and for others also. It not only helps you to move forward with life, but it also helps you to dissolve the past, making the now that little bit more enjoyable. We all have days where we find ourselves doing nothing other than ruminating or focusing endlessly on the 'mistakes' that we made in the past, however, I, below, have provided myself and those of you who are reading with a shortlist of things that you can take into consideration when you find yourself stuck in one place and being unable to forgive yourself.



1. Realise that there's nothing that you can change about the situation.
This tip is as simple as it seems. In the past year, I've realised that I have encountered many challenges - and still am - but I have simultaneously realised that there is not much that I can change about those same challenges. There are some situations that are entirely out of my control, and assuming that I can control 100% of the outcome is nothing but a misjudgement on my end. Therefore, I am better off understanding that I can somewhat plan for the worst, but there still needs to be some sense of spontaneity and wonder within each situation. Take everything within your stride, and similar to Bruce Lee's famous quote, "Be like water my friend."




2. Find something else to focus on.
By actively choosing to find something else to spend your time and energy on, you'll find that you have no only taken a deep dive into something new and better, but you would have made way for time to do it's thing. Heal. I find that you will never be able to forgive yourself if you spend 100% of your time ruminating, and endlessly reliving the past and analysing the places, stages and sentences where you made a 'mistake'.

One day you'll wake up and find that you have changed and no longer feel the same. Therefore, I'm a huge believer in giving 'time' a chance and letting her take the wheel.




3. Understand that no one is perfect.
Despite the things that we display on social media, no one is perfect nor will they ever be. In other words, we all need to cut ourselves some slack and remember that some of those same 'mistakes' that we have made in the past have in fact made us the strange, perfectly imperfect and wonderful beings that we are today. Had it not been for those 'awkward' moments, or questionable actions and scenarios we would not have learned our lesson, or have been able to take some of the remarkable teachings with us into the now and the future.

So, always keep the present and in the back of your mind and remember that there are no 'mistakes', only lessons - that don't bear repeating - and small droplets of guidance that we can take with us into our daily lives, and potentially help others so that they too can learn from your lessons.


We all need to cut ourselves some slack and give ourselves some breathing room and time to make decisions. There is no cookie cutter shape or one size fits all when it comes to life and daily living. We all look, think, act, speak and behave differently, therefore, there is no perfect way to live your life. We are all experiencing our own lives for the first time. So, in other words, there is no way that we can live it wrong. Keep pushing forwards, and remember, forgive yourself.



Millie xx




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Happy New Year

Tambaguchi, Kyoto, Japan ●February 2019

Welcome. Welcome to the wonderful, bright and prosperous 2020. A year that I am forecasting to have much more excitement, many more learning moments and countless times of uncontrollable laughter. In other words, I welcome 2020 with open - and positive - arms.

To kick things off, I'm beginning the new year with a bang already. During the month of February, I am due to leave the UK and move to South Korea. Exciting right?! While I can both speak and read some Korean, I feel as though I need to do more research on the specific area that I will be moving to and the difference in culture. Moving from a country like England where everyone - myself included - has a 'Me' attitude, to a country that not only has a vertical hierarchy but focuses heavily on teamwork will prove to be a little bit hard. Therefore, I believe that I need a shift in mindset as well as my preparation techniques.

With that said, I believe that a post about remaining in and leaving comfort zones was definitely needed. Something that I can read again when I find myself feeling stagnant and not moving, and also something for my readers to read whenever they are feeling the same and lacking in the motivation field.

First things first, in my opinion, comfort zones are the perfect bubble that we have set up shop in. The place where we seek refuge when the world is seemingly against us. The place where from the moment we wake up, we are able to forecast the events that are due to take place in their entirety. Despite this sounding like an ideal place to reside, I personally cannot think of anything more terrifying. I find that by actively choosing to remain in such a place, there is no room for growth. No room for anything outside of the normal to occur. No room for you to potentially achieve any dream that you had in mind or saw yourself writing down during the changeover of the new year. 

So below I have provided myself and all of those who read this with a small list of 3 benefits of leaving your comfort zone. 

1. You're a step closer to achieving your dream(s)

Achieving your dreams is all that anyone should be striving to do in life. I'm a firm believer in, if you're not, then you should be actively trying to change your living situation so that you are, or you should at least reevaluate what it is that you truly want.

However, if you're anything like me, the idea of success is something that always frightened me. Not because I was scared to fail. But, purely because I was actually scared to succeed. However, during the challenging yet highly rewarding year of 2019, I realised that if you do come into something good, advantageous situations or in fact success, then it was truly well deserved and not a stroke of luck. 

In fact, such scenarios, regardless of however big or small they are, are a glimpse into the different types of things that you can achieve if you just trust both yourself and the current situation to provide you with all that is needed to succeed.

2. You meet some incredible people on the way out

One of the things that people sometimes fail to mention are the amazing souls and kind hearts that you come into contact with once you leave your comfort zone. More often than not I have found myself meeting and having conversations with people who share a similar mindset to myself, have similar dreams, wants and ambitions or are actually a (or five) stage ahead of myself. Meaning they are the very people that I can learn from, share stories with and actively work together with by helping the other to achieve their dream.

On the opposite side of the fence, I find that if you choose to stay in your comfort zone - despite being surrounded by loved ones - there are not many chances for you to come into contact with those who have been on life-changing journeys and have an amazing story to tell. There are also little chances to meet people who have come into contact with the worst possible scenario but have still managed to find the good within.

Step outside of your comfort zone and see what happens.

3. You won't want to stop

Humans can be very greedy creatures. Meaning that once they come into contact with something that they like, they will find any way to keep it coming. The same can be applied to success, great experiences and meeting great people. Think about it. When we come back from an amazing holiday, we develop those dreaded holiday blues, and find ourselves wanting to return rather than to be fully present within the current moment. Why not choose to do the same when leaving your comfort zone? Find an amazing dream, ambition and want that you would prefer to attach yourself to, and stop at nothing to get yourself there. And surely enough, day by day you will see yourself slowly chip away at your dream, achieving more and being more. In other words, that sense of achievement and completion that you will receive from striving towards your dream, you won't want to stop. Success will be just around the corner.

So in all, leaving your comfort zone starts with the simple act of putting your shoes on and walking out of the door, even if your mind is telling you to stay put.

Millie xx

What I was listening to whilst making this post

HYUKOH - TOMBOY

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Hello Everyone

There are many days when we may feel under the weather, targetted or as though there is a conspiracy theory against us, however, I've realised in recent months that despite the words that we tell ourselves in our heads, we have a lot more going for us than we care to realise. While expressing gratitude has definitely been on the rise in terms of seeing it plastered everywhere on social media, there is no reason why it should be deemed any less unworthy. Yes, it may seem weird to make a list of or verbally expel certain aspects of your life, but I believe that it is one of the many ways that we can exude positivity, optimism and pure happiness within our lives. 

Daily, I find myself creating an altered take on the 'To-do list', by writing down a checklist of 'Things I need to do today', followed by a least three 'Things I'm Grateful For'. Focusing more closely on the 'Things I'm Grateful For', I make sure that I give myself at least 5 minutes to sit down and truly think about what I'm grateful for. This can be anywhere from specific people to objects. Hey, it can even be experiences or even something as simple as running water. So below I list the different avenues and categories that I take into consideration when producing my gratitude list.

1. People

First in the list, is showing gratitude towards people. This can be by thanking them for being in your life, appreciating and being grateful for their actions towards you or a certain situation, this can also be because of how they make you feel. Anything will suffice, but truly think about what you catch yourself thinking or saying whenever you're in their presence. That will more than likely be what you're grateful for.

2. Objects

Another way in which I show gratitude is towards the objects that I either use daily or the ones that make my life that little bit easier. I find myself frequently showing gratitude towards my favourite mug and drink for easing me into each and every morning and making rising just that little bit more comfortable. I believe that expressing gratitude towards objects is a relatively easy way to express gratitude. However, I believe it definitely means a lot more when you have fewer items that are in higher rotation, compared with having many items that you seldom use.

3. Experiences

Finally, we have experiences. Experiences are the places that we've been to, things that we've been through or scenarios that we've lived through that have made exactly who we are. This can be travelling to another country, attending a lecture, or having a deep conversation with best friends, family or acquaintances. I'm also a strong believer in anything that is good is good, and anything that is bad is good. Meaning, regardless of the situation or outcome, there is always something we can positively learn. And there is an endless number of things that we can write down for this category.

Another variation of compiling a list of things that you're grateful for is by going on a gratitude walk. Gratitude Walks consist of being outdoors and creating a stream of things that we are grateful for. While this method of showing gratitude can be similar to a stream of consciousness, I find that it does truly help. It helps to stop the mind from thinking about random and irrelevant things, and instead focus on the truly important.

I hope you all enjoy reading my tips on finding things to be grateful for and expressing gratitude in general. Thanks once again for stopping by~

Millicent

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage

Hello Everyone

In recent days, weeks and months, I've found myself looking at life with a completely new outlook. I've not only simplified my life in terms of clothing, belongings but also in terms of the things that I let swamp my mind and plague my thoughts. So, today I wanted to bring to you something extremely simple. The simple ways that I've been able to shift my mind and manage the different things that life has thrown my way. So, without the need to make such a simple post longer, please find below the list of 10 things that I've kept at the forefront of my mind and found to encourage me to not take everything so personally. Enjoy!

1. There is always a reason for everything.

2. Actions speak louder than words.

3. Remember that at the end of the day, you are always alone.

4. People usually only contact you when they want/need something from you.

5. Everything can be achieved if you think of it. Let it manifest and begin taking the steps necessary to achieve and exceed.

6. Everything is temporary.

7. You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with.

8. Always keep your best interests in mind.

9. Remember that happiness is always from within. You should never rely on anyone to make you happy.

10. Never be angry with another person simply because they do not act in the way you expected them to. That is your fault for putting expectations on them.

I hope you enjoyed reading, and I hope that at least one of these tips stays with you. Even if it is only for today.

Millie

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Chris Brown - Sweet Love

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BOOKS

Amongst the things that have inspired me for the month of November, books have definitely been high up in the list. Mainly because they give you free rein within someone's mind. They allow you to see the world from an entirely new perspective, and it supplies you with the chance to either take the newfound information on board or completely disregard it.

Recently I have found myself reading 'The Untethered Soul' by Michael Singer. I found this book via a video on Oprah's YouTube channel (watch it here). It was a truly inspirational video as it spoke of the ways to control your mind and the negative emotions that come along with daily life. The book is no different to Oprah's video, Michael Singer is the author, and while I don't want to mention the book in its entirety on this blog, I will say that it is thoroughly a good read, and strongly recommend it to anyone. 

Books of this genre, are great for those of you who are trying their best to instil another mindset, alter their ways of thinking, and to just see the depths and limits to where they can push their mind. I too am one of those people, therefore I find myself yearning for books of this type/genre on a frequent basis, but this book, in particular, has captured my heart and my mind simultaneously.

MUSIC

The music that I've been listening to this month has found a way to keep me feeling warm despite the morning cold. With the level of coldness steadily increasing, I find that it's extremely important to have music that can not only soothe the mind, but the harshness of the weather also.

Throughout the month, I have found myself listening to the soft tempos and warming melodies to that of Jazz. Jazz being one of the freest music genres this world has to offer. Mainly because it mixes simplicity and complexity. Jazz is one of the only music forms in this world where the composer can make a mistake and it blends into the score seamlessly. Therefore, it only seemed natural to include such a forgiving genre of music. Especially during the time of the year where we find ourselves slipping further away from our new year's resolutions and any other type of promise that we have made to ourselves towards the beginning of the year.

So to list 3 of the songs that I've found myself listening to heavily this month are:
1 | Oscar Peterson Trio - Girl Talk
2 | Makoto Matsushita - SUNSET
3 | Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes - Sunset

CAFE
Cafes. Another perfect aspect of Autumn to mention here on this blog. Simply because, during this season, I cannot think of a better pairing than hot drinks, rain and being indoors to witness it all. And that is exactly what I have been doing throughout the month of November. I have been travelling to various cafes near me, to see which is in possession of the best atmosphere, drinks and overall ambience.

I must say, while I have not yet found the perfect cafe, I have definitely had an amazing time while trying to do so.

While I am not sure whether many other countries and cities feature cafes within bookshops, in my hometown we have a rather large book shop that offers the best books, drinks and vegan cookies. So, I've been enjoying myself there quite a lot this month. However, towards the end of this month, I plan on venturing out and seeking just that little bit more. Therefore, I hope to have a longer list come December.



Thank you for tuning into the blog with me this time, and I cannot wait for you to come back again in the future!

Millie x

What I was listening when I was making this post

Hiroshi Suzki - Shrimp Dance

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Hello Everyone

2019 certainly has been a hectic year, capturing most of not only my energy but also my free time. So far I have met 3 deadlines at university, travelled to another continent and am still currently in the process of finishing my final project at university. Busy to say in the least. However, after a temporary halt to the blog, I definitely wanted to explain my whereabouts.

I am not really one to celebrate birthdays as I believe that they are just another day of the year. However, for my final celebration, I wanted to celebrate my 21st birthday in a rather large way. So I booked tickets for 1 to one of my favourite countries. Japan.

Japan is a country of many traits. Famed for its technology, bullet trains and sushi, but I find that it is a country that is indefinitely relaxed in a multitude of areas, from the countless shrines and temples in Kyoto, to the silence of Nagoya Castle. It is a country that feels like home to many people. When leaving the plane, and walking through Haneda airport in Tokyo, I felt as though I had visited the country before. And when taking all of the previous countries that I have visited into consideration, I had never experienced such emotions before. Did someone say future home?

I have a huge belief that after speaking certain things into the universe, they begin to manifest into something real (alongside hard work and actually executing a plan). So when I say that I will visit Japan again one day, I know that it will come true because I will make it happen!

Stick around for more posts about Japan in the future~

Millie xx

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Spitz - Robinson

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Hello Everyone

I hope everyone had an amazing [insert holiday here]. But this festive season is also a sign of endings and new beginnings, and I must say, I'm pretty excited!

This year has been a rollercoaster, not of emotions, but of events. I began the final year of my undergraduate course in Interior Design, I had the opportunity to travel to not only Portugal towards the beginning of the year, but also France in the summer. I took a trip down to London and received a talk from one of my favourite architects (Junya Ishigami). And I'm sure there are many things that I have missed out in-between. 

So in order to give 2018 the summary it deserves, I've decided that its only best that I provide the best images from each of the 12 months. Enjoy

JANUARY

January kickstarted with a visit to Brick Lane, London and rather than go shopping, I took a trip down side roads in order to see the usually forgotten or unseen. Which is where the image in the middle was found. Museums have definitely become a very large part of the things that I do on days off, therefore to start the year off I took a trip to Birmingham to visit a very simple and quite beautiful exhibition on pressed flowers at the IKON Gallery.

Whenever we hit winter, I immediately fall in love with the sky come dusk. The subtle hues of blue and calming orange are what keep me going during the colder months.

FEBRUARY

At the beginning of February, I had the opportunity to go to Portugal in order to visit some architectural builds, and just all around enjoy the country. Despite the journey being fairly short, I was able to see both Porto and Lisbon, and I must say that I would be lying if I said that I wouldn't go back. They were both great for their pastries, views and architecture. Not to mention, the winter sun made everywhere feel both relaxing, and aesthetically pleasing, but it also made everywhere I looked in Porto into something out of an editorial.

MARCH

March took a turn towards self-care, relaxation and becoming more and more interested in reading. I initially made sure that I carved out the time to visit cafes, as they were a means for escape, but also great tea haha.  Even though I've never tried to hide it, since buying my Clarks in 2017, I've been in love with them ever since, so it was no surprise that my love for them continued into early Spring. Therefore, in order to reflect both the season and my inter green thumb, I found myself wearing a lot more greens and blues.

APRIL

During the month of April, I enrolled onto a work placement in Westminster, London and was able to stay with my brother for 2 weeks. I took my time exploring London on my days off, in places such as the Barbican, Dulwich, Victoria or Covent Garden. Also whilst in London, I took the time out to visit parks, and just relax (as usual), and with that fresh Spring breeze, and baby flowers, I couldn't have asked for anything better.

MAY

My love for books continued into mid-Spring and I was introduced to a book called The Book of Tea by Kazuko Okakura, which makes you question the ways in which the Western world views the East and vice versa, as well as the ways in which tea has become a large aspect of all things Japanese, be it new or traditional. After having read this book, it made me want to appreciate my surroundings and just relax with a nice cup of (green) tea, therefore I continued with my new found love for cafes, and went cafe hoping around my local area, and whenever I found myself in different cities. 

JUNE

Towards the end of  June, I went to Paris with my family, and despite having been before, it's always nice to travel anywhere with an open mind and try to seek out new things that you've never before seen. Alongside the summer sun (even though there was too much of it), everything and everywhere was illuminated in the most beautiful of ways, especially the Eiffel Tower come sunset. Another thing that took my interest this year, was photography and filming. Even though my skills aren't the best, I really want to continue with them both and see where it takes me. As usual, I was found wearing all navy, and despite it being a relatively dark colour, I've never felt more comfortable~

JULY

Once again cafe hopping, I took my mum out for a tiny afternoon of tea and cake, and oh my! It was one of the nicest cakes I've had this year. Jaffa Cake flavour, cannot go wrong!

After my friend gave it to me over summer, I finished reading Dr Qing Li's Shinrinyoku (twice), which is a lovely book giving you reasons why being outdoors is better not only for your physical health, but your mental health also, and to be honest, I feel as though I spent a large amount of my time outdoors this year, compared to the previous. So after reading, I actually bought the book again, but for myself and I turned that having read the book twice, into three times~

AUGUST

August was the month of friendships, exploration and admiration. I met one of my Japanese friend's in London and gave him the best tour I could provide of the city, as we exchanged languages, stories and cake (Red velvet this time!). Towards the end of the month I found myself in IKEA, was studying Japanese, and I met a handful of Japanese students from the University of Tokyo. So me being me, and trying to reduce the scariness around introductions and meeting new people, I spoke to them first, and despite it being a weird experience, I was able to make a good friend out of it. We went for sushi and he told me about his travelling experiences and we exchanged our similar taste in music!

SEPTEMBER

Probably my favourite month of the year so far. September, is a magical month full of transition from Summer into Autumn, meaning Nature, the sky and animals are all experiencing the same changeover, which has always been one of my favourite things, as I too feel as though I am going through a changeover. I began using my phone a lot less, which is probably why September was seen as one of the happiest months, due to me not having to deal with that feeling of needing to answer people, notifications and all of the irrelevant things in-between. Having done this, I was able to take advantage of the remaining days filled with the summer sun; and to get me ready for the coming Autumn I began reducing the items in my wardrobe and only wearing the items that I'm in love with. Hence the repetition of black, navy and grey.

In line with changes and new beginnings, I began reading Eric Sinoway's Howard's Gift, which is perfect for making you consider the ways in which you're spending your time, how you want to live your life and the mindset needed in order to achieve it.

In short, I would definitely do September again~ 

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

To no surprise, I had travelled to London again, in order to spend the day going to lectures and wandering around aimlessly. Anytime when I am travelling alone, I am completely in my element, so this trip to London was one of my favourites as I could take my time, there was no need to rush and sometimes, no talking is quite peaceful. Also in the month of November, I began reading Florence William's The Nature Fix. A wonderful book about all the ways nature can actually make us more relaxed, creative and potentially increase our lifespan (are you seeing a pattern in my reading habits yet? haha).

I went to my first Jazz performance, and let's just say that it certainly will not be the last.

DECEMBER

December. Despite it still sitting under our noses, it's been a wonderful month, and despite everyday being filled with nothing but coursework, I took advantage of the remaining winter days and the sun. I spent my time in the park picking up and analysing the ice that sat on the lake, and I went back to London and visited an exhibition on space, which featured Yayoi Kusama's Narcissus Garden.

In short, 2018 has been a wonderful year with many changes to not only my ways of thinking, but I think also my personality, views on possession, and the importance of solitude. I hope 2019 will be a year of spending time outdoors, learning new things about both myself and all things the world has to offer. But it will also be a year of major changes as I'm due to finish my undergraduate degree, learn new languages (Mandarin, good luck to me!), and anything that I'm currently not aware of.

Thank you for sticking with me this year, depsite me being incredibly busy with university work! I thank you~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year~

Millie x

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Kate Bush - Babooshka

All images are my own

Hello Everyone

Merry December everyone! It's finally that time of the year where we can wake up singing Christmas songs, and it's not seen as weird, or we can drink hot chocolate like its water (Not that I haven't been already haha). The woolly jumpers and scarves are out and we can finally relax come the end of the month. 

For many students, this time of the year means trying to complete their work all before the Christmas break so that we are actually able to have a moment of stillness before January starts us off again. So for this month, I want to be at the height of comfort and have fewer things to worry about. So I'm thinking, comfortable dresses and trousers, as long with warm drinks.

Here's to relaxed month, amongst all the madness x

Millie xx

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Toshiro Yanagiba - Hajime No Ippo

All images are from Pinterest

Hello Everyone

Busy. The state in which we all say we're in, every day, week and month. What we set our WhatsApp statues to. The action that stops us from slowing down to take in the air, people and moment around us. 

Today I visited the local park close to my house, not because I had 'free time', but because I pencilled it into my diary (I actually typed it into my digital diary instead, but let's not talk about that). I think that in recent years we've all become so busy and are constantly looking at screens and taking information in, that we actually take our surroundings for granted. So we seldom stop to smell the flowers, or in this case, hear the leaves crunch. Sometimes it's nice to just switch off, not look at anything technological, and just take in the natural world, rather than the one we created.

Have you even been able to stop and see that the seasons have changed over? 

So I asked myself this same questions recently, and I've instead made the decision to visit some type of greenery for about 3-5hrs every week. Yes, it may not seem like a lot, but it's all we need to keep us going. Plus, it's just beautiful!

Millie xx

Further Reading:

Dr. Qing Li's (2018) Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Medicine

Children Spend Less Time Outdoors than Prisoners

What I Was Listening To Whilst Making This Post

Cameo - Attack Me With Your Love

All images are my own

Hello Everyone

November is well underway and in England, we have seen many, many rainy days. Meaning the scarves, hats and heavy coats need to be pulled out (We're not quite on to gloves yet.) Hot drinks are a must every day, and me being me, I love wearing your basics and simple colours, so my moodbaord for this month is nothing but the bare essentials, along with some moody images. Enjoy!

Millie xx

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Jennifer Lopez - If You Had My Love

All images are from Pinterest

Hello Everyone

Clara House in Buenos Aires, designed by Sarmiento and Tovo. This incredibly simplistic home faces outwards onto two courtyards that do nothing other than provide daylight and an abundance of plants/nature. The usage of wood within the interior truly brings this home alive and give it so much character. The simple shapes and views of nature no matter where you turn help to make this space incredibly relaxing just by looking at it, let alone living there.

My favourite shot from the whole space is definitely the last, as waking up to that botanic view would be nothing short of a dream come true. 

Millie x

What I was listening to whilst making this post:

Takuya  Kuroda - Unlock

All images are from Yellow Trace

Hello Everyone

It's official! October has already begun, and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't one of my favourite months. The seasons are clearly changing, the air is slightly colder, it's finally time to bring out the winter jumpers and hot drinks are a must! For me being a student, it also marks the beginning of a new academic year, and the exciting things that come a long with it! In the next few weeks, I have some posts scheduled for you all, so bear with me and keep on the look out.

As for today's post, I thought I'd try and create a moodboard for the month that somewhat explains the warmth that I feel inside! Hence the pumpkins, and the knits!

If you had 3 words, to sum up your Autumn/Fall, which would you choose? Mine are: Warmth, Excitement and Relaxation.

Millie xx

What I was listening to whilst making this post

Rick James - Mary Jane

All images are from Pinterest