HELLO 2018!

Happy New year you lovely lot and hello 2018! I ended up taking a big chunk of time off at Christmas, which wasn't intentional but was definitely needed so apologies for the radio silence and slow return to this little corner of the Internet.

Going into Christmas I was 35/36 weeks and exhausted, so it was nice to switch off and let everything take a back seat while I watched the kiddo get excited about presents, board games, festive films and woodland walks, as well as cope with my nan going into hospital.

I've been spending some time nesting and reflecting on the past year, writing down intentions and trying to focus on a word that will be leading 2018. Obviously there is going to be a huge change with a new baby on the way *Less than two weeks to go until D-Day eek!* but aside from the new routines and sleepless nights, I want to be sure to take some time to reflect on myself and allow myself not to be lost in the process of new motherhood again.

So what word? I've been toying with Brave and Embrace but haven't quite settled on which is best, it might be that I use both. Brave for all the new challenges and change ahead and Embrace so I can move with them rather than against them, while looking after my mental and physical health.

2017 gave me a miracle, a new life that I was told I couldn't have and with it bubbled up all of the loss and grief of the last five years that also needed to be waded through, so I have definitely felt challenged. Now I am looking forward to a positive year full of firsts and laughter.

I am planning on taking a small amount of maternity leave once she arrives - although that could be any day now - I want to take the time to soak up those newborn baby days and snuggles. Hopefully I'll have a few post scheduled to keep me going over here and I will still be sharing over on my Instagram as I slowly emerge from hibernation.

For now though I just want to say thank you all for following Wild & Grizzly and this little journey of mine and here is to a year of positivity and adventure.

Are you making intentions for the 2018? Or coming up with your own word?

PRACTISING MINDFULNESS & STYLING THE SEASONS

Do you feel ready for winter? I'm pretty much an all-season girl, loving each changing month with a particular fondness for that low autumn sun, but somehow it's November and I'm not quite sure how that happened?! Did you notice it creeping up? In fact this year feels like a bit of a blur and if I'm honest my head has been full of self doubt, anxiety and restlessness, which you can imagine is pretty exhausting *cue all the coffee.*

So in an attempt to quiet the noise and focus on my well being I've started practising Mindfulness. For those not familiar with Mindfulness it's a technique that uses Eastern Buddhist meditation practises, allowing ourselves to give full attention to a particular moment with purpose, to create a inner connection to our true selves and promote emotional well being.

Sounds easy enough right? But how many times a day do you fully focus on what the task at hand? I'm often doing one thing and my mind is in several other places, planning, thinking, questioning. Our thoughts are often whizzing a million miles an hour and I'm not surprised as life is busy ay.

So I've been channelling some calm vibes and used this months Styling the Season as a chance to create a quiet space, focusing on neutral colours and this geometric bowl giving it a touch of me.



How to Practise Mindfulness Meditation
Try this in a quiet space with lots of natural light where you won't be interrupted, and set a timer for five or ten minutes. Sit on the floor cushion crossed leg or on a chair with your back straight, shoulders relaxed and take a breath in from your abdomen, using the lower part of you lungs. Breathe in and out focusing on each breath and the sensation of breathing. If you notice your mind wander and thoughts coming into play acknowledge, in an accepting, non-judgemental way return your focus to your breathing. It's that simple.

Fancy trying it? I love these reasons for practising Mindfulness and giving that grey matter a break. I tend to use it on the go with my morning coffee. Whether you're pouring that first cup or standing in line at your favourite coffee shop when taking that first sip take a second to use your senses. Before knocking it back like a tequila on a night out, focus on the fresh roasted bean aroma, feel the warmth of cup on your lips and the sensation of that first sip. Sounds simple but just focusing on our senses in that moment can create a connection to ourselves.

Here are five other ways that you can use Mindfulness at home and if you need something a little more substantial then you could always try looking at a private psychologist in London for help. What do you think? Worth a try?

To get involved with Styling the Seasons you need to do is share your photographs of your styled surface on any day this month – use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or your blog, if you have one. Please tag Katy and Charlotte and use the hashtag #StylingTheSeasons. You can also search the hashtag for styling inspiration from the other wonderful bloggers and creatives who are taking part.

STYLE IN YOUR CITY // THOUGHT CLOTHING

I'm not sure how another fortnight has flown by already but it's time for #StyleInYourCity once again, which showcases your life and creates a community celebrating all the things you love about where you live. It's been a little quiet on the blog but very busy behind the scenes, and if I'm honest I still haven't quite caught up after the long Easter break –hence the radio silence – which is why I've decided to create this post around tranquil spaces and thoughtful fashion.

I am very excited to announce a special Style in Your City this fortnight in collaboration with the wonderful Thought Clothing. I've recently fell in love with the comfort and ethics of these clothes and couldn't wait to share the exciting news that I'm now a regular contributor over at Thought Blog. Born in Sydney, Australia and now based in London, Braintree is a natural clothing company which has been championing eco fibres since mid 1990's - always produced ethically and with sustainability in mind. All of their clothes are made from sustainable fibres such as hemp, bamboo & organic cotton. These fabrics are good for the environment and great to wear and feel amazing to touch.

One of the things I love about Bristol is the ability to find an oasis of calm somewhere in the city, for me it's the Lido. Tucked away from the main roads and subtly placed amongst a row of Georgian houses is one of the UK's oldest surviving Lido's, allowing outdoor swimming all year round. This pool, spa, cafe and restaurant is one of my go-to places when I need to clear my mind and relax. After growing up by the sea I always find the water so calming and when the sun shines, there's no better place to sip coffee and watch the world swimmers go by.

Over the last few weeks I have visited the Lido a few times for coffee/me time, or with F in tow and have taken time to sidestep the rush of everyday life. While treating the mind to a bit of down time, I've also enjoyed styling the softest of fabrics and loving my body with these beautiful timeless designs.

 These Dashka Heart Bamboo Leggings have been great with this transitional weather, teamed with either boots and a dress or sandals and tee, they have kept my legs happy and they are perfect for doing exercises in too. I've also been loving my Avika Striped top which I've been sporting on IG recently, the boxy style boho look is perfect with ripped denim jeans, pumps and gold necklace for an urban edge to ethical clothing. And don't get me started on how cute these Bayou Organic Cotton Denim Jeans and Jagger Striped Cotton Dress is, both perfect for sunny adventures in far away places. 

As I'm so excited about the quality and comfort of these timeless designs, the lovely people over at Braintree are giving five of you lovely readers the chance to win yourself a pair of the Dashka Hart Bamboo Leggings which come in three different colours. Me and Fritha will be looking to give one pair to our favouite #styleinyourcity IG pic, one pair to our favourite linked up post celebrating style where you live and a chance to win using the rafflecopter entry below *fingers crossed*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last fortnight I think this was my favourite image from Instagram due to the super spring vibes and this zesty coloured bike captured by Emily. My post pick was by Gingerlillytea, who proves that you can find style outside the city with this beautiful photography. Don't forget to hop over to Tigerlilly Quinn for her favourite snaps from the last fortnight and to see what style has caught her eye.

So how does it work? 

We would love it if you wanted to link up and join in with 'Style in your City'. We want you to hunt down your style finds and it could be anything: colourful buildings, street art you've spotted, fashion your loving, art you've seen, fab floors, the list goes on. We'll be showcasing our favourites on our blogs each fortnight. We're running this as a bi-weekly feature and you don't have to have a blog to join in or live in a bustling city for that matter, simply use the hashtag #styleinyourcity on twitter and/or IG with a photo and tag @wildandgrizzly and @tigerlillyquinn.

You can find me on Instagram here and twitter here.
You can find Fritha on Instagram here and twitter here.

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up over the last two weeks, we'd love to see you link up either below or on Instagram/twitter, we'll announce our favourite link up in two weeks time. 

*T&C Giveaway will run for two weeks and the winner will be drawn by random using rafflecopter on the 29th April. All entries will be verified. Prize will include one pair of Dashka Hart Bamboo Leggings worth the value of £22. This is not exchangeable. By entering you are signing up to the Wild & Grizzly E-newsletter. Open worldwide. 

An InLinkz Link-up

THINK YOURSELF HAPPY

For most, life rarely runs smoothly, all the hearts and flowers you see in films are often the fantasy we long to buy into. Not to say everyone is moping around feeling sorry for themselves but reality dictates for the average adult, we have to experience the lows so we can appreciate the highs whether these are our day to day stresses of work, financial commitments, relationships, parenting anxieties, health and general wellbeing. It is very easy to feel like a bad day is in fact a bad life, when we are overwhelmed and stretched to the point where we start to question ourselves and what it is we are actually doing in this life of ours.

Some people long to live like stars basking in the limelight, others for wealth and riches, others for romance and love and for some there is only the want of a simple life with health and happiness being a key part to play. All of these may be different and as viewer in a virtually social world it is easy to look at snippets of others projected lives and feel inadequate, where you are potentially missing a trick.

But what if there were ways to think yourself happy? Rather than look for external factors to determine your wellbeing, perhaps it is better to raise your happiness baseline allowing you to attain more of a feel good factor in the day to day. I caught up with Annette Sloley, Clinical Hypnotherapist to see what tips and tricks we can use ourselves to create a positive mental attitude.

Click to read more