a year in my life, 2013

This is my first ever actual recap, not only on my blog but ever..I just kind of usually just go with the flow of things & the years just come & go. I don't stop to think about them.

When it comes to New Years Eve you won't find me partying..far from it, you will probably find me at home in my pjs & thats exactly how I like it! :)

Like I said before I don't usually reflect on my year but since I now have my own little space, here on a whole lot of chitty chat.. I thought I'd sit & reflect back on the year because hopefully I will be able to reread them in a couple of years time. I say hopefully only just because you never know whats around the corner do you? Quite scary but we won't focus on that..

I've decided I'm not just going to focus on the good things about the year because life isn't always good, well you already knew that. Yes, I'm one for focusing on the positives...I'm sure you might of already noticed that. But remembering the bad times doesn't have to mean we have to be sad, it can prove to us how strong we are & what we have survived.

I'm going to attempt to do my year in order, as much as I can anyway..actually I'm going to get my diary out so I don't miss anything, slightly sad? Nevermind ay :) I have a feeling this could be a really long waffley post so brace yourself, get comfy & get a lovely drink of your choice.


January
The only thing to actually happen in January was my birthday, I turned twenty one..Can I just say, I don't see what the big deal is with turning twenty one. I'm actually more excited about turning twenty two just because I can go around all day singing, 'I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22'.. you know releasing my inner Taylor Swift. In fact I will probably be singing it all year round. :)





February
I decided to give blogging ago & well it's safe to say, it turned out pretty well & I really enjoy it. I did originally start blogging over on wordpress but then I changed my mind & I haven't felt the need to change from blogger since. Ok, admittedly I did change my blog name from 'away with the fairies' (awaywiththefairies321.blogspot.co.uk) to 'a whole lot of chitty chat', I'm so glad I made this change..feels so much more fitting! I did also move most my posts across on to here too so I can keep them all together. I originally blogged about my struggles with anxiety & panic attacks but I've moved on a little bit from them too & adding in random posts as I fancy. But the reason why I started was to have something to focus on, something to call my own & to make people know talking about mental health isn't something anyone should be ashamed of at all.



March, April, May, June
Okay then, I've decided to tie all these months together because I have very little wrote in my diary (yeah, that sounded such a good idea until I started flicking through the diary). During these months it was a mix of good & bad. I'll start straight off with the bad, let's dive straight on it at the deep end. My mum got diagnosed with breast cancer & had two operations & a session (is it called a session?) of radiotherapy. Don't worry she powered through it, if you saw her you wouldn't even know at all. She is such an inspiration. Now the bad stuff is out the way, on to the good. I became friends with my now very good friend Ally, Ally if your reading this hello & I LOVE you girl, thank you so much for being there for me! You are soooo strong & keep fighting! I also experienced my first ever Skype party, have you ever had one? Music, dancing, party food, drinks & presents? As Miranda Hart's on screen mum would say, such fun! It really is a great idea. I can't wait for our next one for my birthday. At the end of June I started driving lessons, well the rest is history...



July, August, September, October
I'd say these were the obvious months when my health improved massively. I finally felt I was getting myself under control & back on track. I gave CBT sessions another go, after around the same time last year getting what felt like nowhere with CBT, feeling like there was no way out & no way to get better. So I gave sessions another try with a different therapist, I seriously couldn't thank her enough. She does a fantastic job! In October it felt a very hectic time on the job front, I applied for a job then had a driving lesson on the same day & when I got home there was a voice mail from the shop I had handed my CV in to that very morning asking me to give them a call. I had an interview that very same day, crazzyyyy! I was honest regarding my anxiety from the word go & what makes it even better is they were completely understanding & it didn't affect anything. They said they really liked me as a person & admired my honesty.


November, December
I got another interview from the job I had the interview for in October but unfortunately I didn't get the job but I have helped them out twice when they had an event on. Which was great experience & I LOVED it! Really would of loved to have got the job, as much as I love helping out my parents at their shop I don't feel its healthy spending so much time with them. But who knows what the future holds, not me! Do you know? If so please let me know :) I won't get myself down about it, it obviously wasn't meant to be. At the beginning of November I managed to pass my driving theory test first time, what an incredible feeling that was & I passed it on my god mum's 40th birthday too..happy day all around! :) December has been pretty quiet really other than my driving lessons, which I've been absolutely loving! The past week or so has been lovely spending time with my family & close ones, mainly just lounging about & enjoy each others company.

WOW! my driving lesson appointment cards so far.

I'm not 100% sure they are called appointment cards (it just doesn't seem to sound right) but I'm not sure what else to actually call them.



Well that was a short & sweet post, yeah right! :) Give yourself a pat on the back if you made it this far & are still awake, woo hoo! Well done you..*high five*..*group hug*

I just want to take this moment (ok, now I feel a speech coming on) to thank every single one of you who takes time out of your day to read my posts & interact with me too. Since starting blogging I feel so many friendships blossoming & I absolutely LOVE it! :) I hope 2014 is going to be a great year for us all, each & every single one of you! I'm also hoping that you will travel along, on my journey via my blog. I LOVE BLOGGING! & the incredible people I've 'met' along the way!

Hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas & I would like to wish you all a very happy new year!

- Anna ♥

p.s. let's end this post in style, 90210 style.
90210 has come to an end & so is 2013...

Image found on weheartit

Sit Down Sunday - 29th December 2013

It's that time of week again but not only is it the last day of the week but today is also the last Sunday of 2013! WOW, where has this year gone?!?!

I just want to start of by saying I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas & I wish you all the best for the new year! :)



I love to blog when I'm alone & there is very little sound. Right now the only sound I can hear, other than my fingers tapping the keyboard is birds chirping away outside....peace & quiet, bliss!

My parents have headed out to have a browse around the sales so I decided to stay at home & just chill, that is what Sundays are for right? Well by chill I actually mean stay in my pjs & catch up on all things blog related. Bloglovin' I'm coming for you next once I've hit the publish button.



Does anybody else agree that Christmas time is the most wonderful time of the year? I understand for some people it isn't going to be a wonderful time of year, every year. You can imagine what is coming next, you've got it..a quote, a post just isn't complete without a image.

Image found on weheartit

Yes, admittedly Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of year but it can also be one of the most wonderful times of year too. Since this week has officially been Christmas I'm going to reflect on the good things about this week & what has made it the most wonderful time (too cheesy, oh nevermind he he).

- spending time with family & loved ones
- exchanging gifts to show you care
- family time with no distractions
- being able to stay in my pjs without being called lazy
- having a skype party & skype in general
- everyone seems more jolly
- exchanging well wishes with blogging friends
- more films are on tv
- lazy lie ins
- sales in the shops, who doesn't love a bargain?
- being told that my posts about driving have made someone decide to give learning a go! :)

I'm pretty sure that has been pretty much everything good about my week. What has been good about your week? Leave me a comment or send me a tweet, I really do love hearing from you.

Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

p.s. my last blog post of the year will be going up tomorrow.

My Driving Journey - Lesson 48 & 49

I'm currently skyping my cool friend Nicola...her words not mine I'd just like to add :P hehe! Ok, she is pretty cool! I didn't know how to start the post but now I'm just going to go for it..

Is the run up to Christmas manic for everybody? I have a list today soooo long! But I added on my list time to skype, have my lunch & blog so here I am. Got to add some good things during the day inbetween cleaning bathrooms, steaming floors, hoovering, tidying bedrooms & a pile of ironing.. fun times my friends, fun times!



If you have followed along with my journey from the start, can you believe how far I've actually come? I know I can't..

I'll shut up with my waffling now shall I & just get on with how I've done this week?



Tuesday 17th December
Today I drove to the next town & first thing when we arrived I did a 3 point turn on a housing estate & made it in 3, I love the feeling of completing a manoeuvre right first time. Afterwards we headed to Aldi car park to have a few practices at bay parking, I practiced 3 different times in 3 different spots & they all went really well, win win win! Then I drove on & got to practice a parallel park which went well. After this we drove on to another housing estate where I got to practice a reverse around a bend & this went really well too. All in all, my lesson was a success!!!!

Thursday 19th December
My lesson today was based in my local town & I got to practice all four of the manoeuvres. First of we practiced a parallel park & then headed to a big car park where I got to practice bay parking. It went really well, half way through I decided to ask Sharon if anyone had ever crashed the car during a lesson..luckily nobody has, she hasn't let that happen but a few people have bumped into the car when the driver has accidentally stalled...naughty, naughty! People should be patient & careful. After this I got to practice a 3 point turn & yessss...did it in 3! Then I got to practice a reverse around a bend, which went pretty well & afterwards I drove to my parents shop in town where I was finishing my lesson today. I find it good being able to end the lesson in different places because then you are gaining more experience.



I feel my lessons have been a real success this week & I also have some news for you all too. Can anyone guess what that news is? (Nicola, you can't comment & guess..you already know)

If you fancy having a guess, leave me a comment below :)

Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 22nd December 2013

Well hello there my little blog readers.
I really hope you are all ready for Christmas & are in the festive spirit....

3 MORE SLEEPSSSSSSS!!!!

I'm not excited in the slightest, honest..
Oh, who am I kidding?
I can't wait!!!!

How sad to think that this time next week Christmas will be over..well Christmas Day will be anyway. Festive season carries on til the start of January right?


I'm not a big fan of reading blog posts without a pretty picture, it just breaks up all the words..pretty obvious statement there? Sorry about that... So I decided to choose this quote as it is a very obvious but very powerful point too. How many of you don't step out of your comfort zone? Admittedly I don't do it as often as I should I guess but that is better than not at all.

Image found on weheartit

So the good things about my week are....

- Christmas presents finally sorted
- receiving such lovely comments
- receiving lovely Christmas cards & parcels
- skype, love the creation
- feeling like I'm creating a lovely friendship with Christina (kimi and me)
- managing to have my dinner in a cafe (big deal for me)
- Sales



What has been good about your week?
Please, do share what has been good about your week.
I'd love to hear from you & about your achievements.

Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

don't make an enemy, make a friend

Image found on weheartit
 
This post isn't about humans. Okay, so that was a simple & not a crazyyyy way to open a blog post. Don't you think?
 
I've now learnt to regard my anxiety as part of me, as my friend. They say the first step to recovery is acceptance. I've learnt to accept anxiety & class it as part of me. It is with me during the day, most days. So instead of pushing the little monkey away (yes, I've just referred to my anxiety as a little monkey, a polite way of putting what it really is) I've decided to welcome it with loving arms we could say.

I've been told a few times by various different people that I'm so positive. I haven't always been this positive, I just decided to switch my mind set. No, it wasn't easy but was it worth it? Yes, totally.

Yes, I've cried some nights just wanting it to pass. Just to no longer feel that way anymore. But where will fighting the feeling get me? Other than miserable, it won't actually get me anywhere. I've questioned why me? Why is this happening to me? I haven't always been like this.. No, I haven't but I can either accept what is happening now or cry about my past self & pray that one day I will return to my old self as if by magic.

If you are reading this thinking, what is the point? How can I be positive about this situation? The point is life will feel much more worth living & I feel everyone can be positive about any situation. You just have to be willing to change your mind set & give it your best shot.

Just like to add aswell that being positive & happy all the time obviously isn't possible or healthy. You know you might see people & be like oooh I want their life, they are always so cheery & upbeat. Yes, they might seem that way but we all fall down sometimes. We have down days & probably just choose not to broadcast it to everyone. We are all humans, nobody is perfect. But I've now learnt to accept my bad days because it is okay not to be okay sometimes you know :)

One good thing to come from my new friend, Anxiety is my strength. I know feel a lot stronger person than before. When life throws something at you it can either destroy you or make you stronger.

Image found on weheartit

I really like that quote, I've used it before on my blog but it is so true. Just look back over your life so far & look at what you've come through & how much stronger you are now.

Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

My Driving Journey - Lesson 46 & 47

I really feel like a broken record being amazed at how many lessons I've done but I seriously never thought it would be possible & I haven't had to cancel any....yet! No, I'm kidding. I don't plan on cancelling any. 
I don't know why or what even made me think of it but earlier the thought popped in my head that I had passed my theory test...yes, I passed it last month but I don't really think it has fully sunk in that I have managed to achieve that. Next stop, the practical driving test itself.
Dum, dum, dummmmmm....

Tuesday 10th December

Today my lesson was 90 minutes & a mock test too.. Is it slightly weird now that mock tests excite me? Surely I can't be the only one who really likes them...am I? who knows, let me know how you feel about them in the comments :) So my lesson was based in the next town & surrounding villages.

 In your actual test you can be marked down for 15 minors & still pass. I got 10 minors today, we started my test at the test centre & carried on one of the possible routes they might ask me to take. 5 of the minors were on the same junction which was almost like a x shape. No, it wasn't a basic crossroad neither. It was weird, genuinely don't even know how to explain it so you'll just have to take my word for it that it was a toughy. Then 2 of the minors were when I completed an emergency stop, not greatly can I just add. But that is what mock tests are for right, to make mistakes & then learn from them & find out where you could be going wrong. The last 3 minors were for tiny things, 1 of them was for slowing down too soon. I can't remember the last 2 but just proves you have to be careful & safe to have a full licence. The amount of minors you could get I feel are just based on the road situation & the amount of traffic.


Thursday 12th December

Manoeuvres lesson today.. I think actually now a lot of my lessons excite me. I'm such a dork :) I get excited when I'm waiting for my lessons now. Yes admittedly today I felt sooo sick & at one point I thought I might just throw up in the car (ooohh lovely, too much info) but I carried on, completed the lesson & didn't throw up at all. Bonus! :) That was hard for me since I seem to have a slight fear of being sick out of the house but really does anyone actually want to be sick out of their house? If you don't like the subject of sick, I apologise..
I got to stay in my local town which felt weird because it feels like I haven't been driving around it for a while. We have mainly be going over to the next town, where the test centre is. I got to practice a parallel park twice, both went really well. Then I got to practice a reverse around a bend.. I always get confused if its called a reverse around a bend or a reverse around a corner...corner & bend are similar though right so what difference does it make? I practiced this about 4 times to make sure I had it sorted. Admittedly last time it felt like it took about 7 attempts to complete it right. Sharon did say it is a tricky corner though, but she does it on the difficult ones just so we can prove to ourselves that we can do it & when we are given a simpler one we should have no trouble. Then before heading home I got to do a 3 point turn ooooh, the excitement! :) I did make it in 3, woohoo! Yes, I did accidently bump the kerb..only a little so all is good. On our way home I also got to practice an emergency stop, can I just say I don't feel like I've quite mastered these. The first time I try I'm not great & then the second time all the papers on the back seat end up on the floor, is that a good sign?
I just want to add in here that if I wasn't blogging about my progress with driving that I might have found it so much harder to do. I've received a lot of support & lovely comments from you, so thank you! I hope if you are debating being able to learning to drive that maybe this might help you along the way? Or maybe in some other part of your life, if your doubting yourself..know that whatever you want to do, you are capable of it. If you set your mind to it & stick to it!
You can do it & just like Amy said in my recent post, you've got this!
Thanks for reading & coming along my journey with me.
- Anna ♥

Monday giggle anyone?

Monday has arrived, some of you might be excited about the fact of a new week ahead & some of you might be like urgh, Monday is here again.... So I thought I'd just do this quick post before I blog in a little bit about my driving. Everybodys Monday will be different, some of you will be back to school/ back to work, some of you might be catching up on blog posts & youtube videos.
 
I have just logged on to my bloglovin' account to see over 50 posts I haven't read, WOW! So whilst I'm catching up I thought I would share two videos that I have watched this morning. I genuinely haven't laughed so much in ages. So if you need a giggle to cheer you up, I don't think you will be disappointed.
 
Firstly I watched The Headband Challenge on Alfie aka PointlessBlog with Joe aka ThatcherJoe
 
 
 
Then I couldn't resist watching Joe's video called Electric Shock Challenge
 
 
I really hope these made you laugh & brightened up your Monday morning!
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 15th December 2013

Jeeeez, is it just me or do the weeks seem to fly by a lot quicker at Christmas time than what they do any other time of year? Another week has zoomed by so it's time to reflect on the good of my week....
 
- cuddles
- Christmas songs
- home alone..would Christmas be the same without it?
- putting up the decorations & the tree up at home
- hollyoaks...extremely entertaining recently!
- the x factor...who will be crowned the winner tonight?
- mock driving test....is it weird that I enjoyed it?
- mint hot chocolate
 
 
There we have it, a selection of things I've enjoyed this week.
 
What has been good about your week?
Let me know, it's always good to reflect back.
 
Thanks for reading
- Anna ♥

Amy from 'relief from anxiety'

I love discovering blogs, especially ones I feel I can relate to so much. I have a little page up top where you can find my blog recommendations. But this week I approached the lovely Amy of 'relief from anxiety'. I genuinely feel like most of her posts are the thoughts that are in my mind, it's slightly scary but just proves we are never alone :)
 
 
So I'll just let you read away with what Amy had to say....
 
Hello guys! Anna has asked me to write a piece for her blog, so here it is. 

My name is Amy, I'm 18 and from the blog reliefromanxiety, which I set to up to help others struggling with mental illness, especially anxiety like Anna has written about in the past. As time goes on, I'm slowly including posts about other things, like music and thoughts of the day. 

At the beginning of my anxiety journey I felt totally alone, until I began to find out how many other people were suffering like me. I set up a blog to not only express what I was feeling, but to help others. I wanted to gain something positive out of this experience and so my blog was created. 

I think I've always been an anxious person, but it got a lot worse just over a year or so ago and it got to a point where I couldn't leave the house. Everything I loved to do, such as driving, going to school and meeting friends was being taken away. I had to rebuild my life from scratch and have had many sessions of therapy and medication to help me along the way. Recovery is a journey I'm still on and I feel I am slowly getting there. You can read more about my anxiety story by clicking on the 'about me' tab on my homepage.

I know it can be so hard at times and life can be hell, as Winston Churchill once said: "if you're going through hell, keep going" Remember that many other people have been through this and have come out of the other side. Think about how much you've been through and how you've managed to survive. "You've got this!"

You can contact me/follow me on any of the social networks. I'm here to help:
Twitter: @reliefofanxiety
Follow me on Bloglovin: www.bloglovin.com/reliefromanxiety

Before I go, I'd just like to thank Anna for letting me write a piece for her blog. 
 
 
Amy, you are more than welcome! I'm so glad you agreed to do a post for me! I really can't wait for Amy to reveal herself as she currently blogs anonymously. I guess blogging openly about anxiety can be a struggle, nevermind adding your face to it too. But I think Amy will be absolutely fine if she reveals her identity :) 
 
I really hope if you too suffer with anxiety, that you check out Amy's blog if you haven't already.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

My Driving Journey - Lesson 44 & 45

I'm quickly approaching 50 lessons now, how exciting!
How many lessons did it take for you to pass your test?
I find it interesting finding out, please leave me a comment :)
I haven't sat my test yet but I would rather have lots of lessons & get myself fully ready because being able to drive a car is such a powerful thing. You have to be extremely careful, accidents can easily happen & end in disaster. So I'm going to practice & make myself the best driver I can possibly be.

Monday 2nd December
Ok, ok so all I have to say is that we drove to the next town & I just obviously drove around. Obviously the more I practice the better I will get & the more experience I will get. I will get to experience a lot more different traffic situations..

Thursday 5th December
This mornings lesson was my first ever 90 minute lesson, well that made me feel a little bit uneasy...well the build up to it did. The day of the lesson itself was absolutely fine, I actually find myself getting excited now before my lessons! I mean really?! What happened to the girl I was last year?!?!?!?! I'm not complaining I am feeling much more confident & have more self belief.

So today I woke up thinking ooh it's abit windy....abit windy was not the word! It was the day when the weather was really bad, stormy infact. It was the day when the weather claimed 2 peoples lives. I didn't realise how bad the weather was until I went out into it. I had never experienced wind whilst driving really but today was definitely an experience. Sharon was even on about cancelling her lessons for the rest of the day. Luckily my lesson was at 9, so we headed over to the other side of the next town. The village we went to had recycle bins & rubbish blowing all over the street, it was pretty dangerous actually. We did the test route (well driving & Sharon would explain what they might ask me to do as we went along) & Sharon kept saying to me the bits I would be asked to do was nothing I couldn't handle anyway so that is great thing!

Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 8th December 2013

It's this time of week again, time to reflect on the good things of the week.
 
Firstly though I'd like to just state that if you misread my last post & thought I meant I was stopping blogging all together I am not, just the series of 'hey let's talk about...'. Just thought I'd put that out there because Christina thought I was...heyyy Christina! :)
 
 
So a reflection on this week & the good things about it..
 
- midnight memories...yes again,check it out!
- rediscovering my reindeer earrings
- my first 90 minute driving lesson
- managing to help out at my parents shop
- youtubers vlogmas
- chocolate advent calendar
- almost being sorted with Christmas presents
- Luke Friends sing off performance..
 
 
I absolutely loved Lukes sing off performance, you can just see how much it means to him. He certainly sang for his life! Thought I'd just pop the video in there for you! :)
 
What has been good about your week?
Let me know in the comments, I'd love to know :)
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Hey, let's talk about....the end of my blogging routine

WOOOWWWWWW!
 
It's safe to say when I started my random 'hey, let's talk about....' series as such on here, I never thought I would write 17 in total. For now though this one will be my last one, maybe forever, maybe for a little while. Who knows? I might feel like bringing it back at some point, just not so scheduled. I thought I'd round it off on an even number, cos I'm a little weird like that....this one is number 18. I've been debating about it for a little while & I think back now to why I started my blog & I didn't really have a set plan to follow, I just blogged when I wanted, about whatever I wanted. So I'm going to rewind & get back on track.
 
I didn't start blogging to become big/to become somebody/to become a well known blogger. I started blogging to escape my mind, to get all my thoughts out & into something productive. Then later on when I realised people were reading I thought I could use my little blog to maybe help people realise they aren't alone in whatever they are facing & whatever they are going through they should not be going through it alone. Talking really does help in my opinion. Why don't you give it a little try. What is the worst that can happen?
 
 
I've just thought some people might not even realise if I had just brought this to an end without warning, but nevermind. You regular lovely readers would of probably realised. I don't actually have anything else to say other than sometimes life changes a little bit every now & then & we just have to make a few adjustments here & there. A slight adjustment I'm making for life changes is scheduled blogging, I will blog whenever I want..about whatever I want. Back to basic guys!
 
Image found on weheartit
 
Well that was a lovely bit of waffle wasn't it? I just partly felt like I was becoming lost in my old routine & my possible new routine. My old routine didn't feel 100% me so I thought I'd be honest & share that with you.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

My Driving Journey - Lesson 43

Thursday 28th November
During todays lesson we headed over to the next town & I just got to literally practice driving around a lot more. My lesson was at 3 so there was a lot more traffic about & it started getting dark whilst we were out. I didn't end my lesson at home I ended it at a shop where I was helping out at an event so ending at a different location is a little different experience in itself. Since I'm used to ending on a very quiet street with very little traffic. That is all I actually have to say for my update today, oh I forgot to mention...I am improving on roundabouts now too. woo hoo!!!! I've just realised it was actually only my last lesson that I learnt I had a fault on roundabouts but I got to practice a lot of roundabouts today.
 
 
Are you learning to drive?
What are you enjoying most?
 
Thanks for coming along my journey with me.
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 1st December 2013

Not only is it Sunday today but it is also the 1st of December, Christmas is literally around the corner & I think now it is completely acceptable to do everything festive! I might actually watch Elf, oooh or maybe Home Alone later. Anyway this week seems to have flown by so I'm gonna get cracking & just recap on the good things about this week.
 
My Advent Calendar
 
- being part of an event
- being trusted
- being believed in
- one directions album - midnight memories
- being able to keep busy
- beating my anxieties
- attending my first ever support group
- being able to put my Christmas duvet & throw on
 
 
What has been good about your week?
 
Feel free to let me know,
I love hearing from you.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Hey, let's talk about....holidays are coming

You've probably guessed already by the name of this post what the post is about.
It's all going to be about the build up to Christmas but with abit of a twist. One of the first things I think of has to be the Coca Cola advert. Surely I'm not the only one, am I? I'm actually not too sure what Coca Cola has to do with Christmas, if you do know please let me know. I've decided instead of adding a photo to my post today, I'd find a video instead. Watch the video & you tell me you don't feel in the Christmas mood..
 
 
 
Cos, holidays are coming. I thought I'd ask you what reminds you of the run up to Christmas? I did start to think of a few ideas but they just seemed really obvious, you know like Christmas songs playing in shops...well really, are we going to experience that in the middle of July?
 
One other thing I could think of was the sneaky huge amount of chocolate that creeps into our homes & into the shops too. 
 
So what reminds you of the run up to Christmas?
 
I'd love to hear from you to see what reminds you of the build up.
 
I hope you get involved & thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

My Driving Journey - Lesson 41 & 42

I feel like a broken record saying this repeatedly but I genuinely can't believe how far I have come. Yeah, I've had my doubts but who doesn't ay? I've started to just accept the doubts now a little instead of letting them control me. Just let them be there, not fighting them..that might only make them stronger.
 
I'll get cracking with the rundown of my lessons this week then. I hadn't had a lesson since obviously the one I blogged about before because my instructor was ill so it had been like over a week since my last one. I'd just like to put it out there that it was hard to get back in the car.
 
 
Thursday 21st November
This mornings lesson was really difficult to just get on with at the start. At the start when we was sat in the car before setting off Sharon was discussing with me about my mums car (I had mentioned we was considering insuring me on her car so I could practice more) & a sudden strong sick feeling came over me. Usually that would end with me saying I've got to get out & go back home but not today, I thought to myself 'no, I'm going to get on with this lesson' & I did..Anna 1 - 0 Anxiety! So I managed to get on with my lesson, we headed towards my local town. On our way there we took a detour & went on to an estate where I got to practice doing a 3 point turn. Basically I managed it in 5, cars were waiting each side so I felt all eyes were on me..in actual fact, they probably wasn't. After this one we headed to the other side of town & I got to practice another 3 point turn...I managed it in 3, high five anyone? I get excited when I do it correct & I actually go yayyy...Sharon must think I'm slightly crackers! Next thing I got to practice a couple of times was parallel park, I'm starting to debate if this is my least favourite manoeuvre. Finally we ended the lesson in the car park where I had my first ever lesson & got to practice parking. They both went fairly well to say I couldn't really see the markings very well because of wet leaves everywhere!
 
 
Friday 22nd November
There isn't actually an awful lot to say about todays lesson but knowing me I'm sure it'll turn into a longggg paragraph. So we headed over to the next town where the test centre is, sometimes the test route can be out of town so I got to drive to a village out of town. I literally only had time to drive, no time to stop for manoeuvres. I have now booked two ninety minute lessons for a couple of weeks so I can have lots of time to go over & practice out of town. Not too sure how I feel about ninety minute lessons yet, I'm sure they will fly just as fast. I learnt one fault I have been making today too, when I'm on a roundabout I check my mirrors, signal & then don't move straight away..I'm a little bit delayed. But atleast now I know that is what I'm doing wrong, I can only improve.
 
 
Righty oh, so that is my update for this week..well my update from last week, you know what I mean.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 24th November 2013

Good afternoon you lovely bunch!
It's that time of week again, Sunday is upon us.
The weekend is almost officially over but nevermind that, how about we focus on our week. How it has taken place & what have been the highlights..
 
Isn't Mr Pudding such a handsome dog
 
- dog walks in the woods
- being possibly given another chance
- a quality street tub appearing in our house
- receiving cards in the post
- doodling away
- Michael Buble Christmas
- having a much needed phone call with Ally
- chatting with some of the lovely bloggers
 
 
What have been the highlights of your week?
 
If your week hasn't been a very good one, I hope next week is better.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥
 
p.s. I couldn't decide between the two photos & just had to share this one too.
 
oh hey there little guy


different person,different journey....

 We are all guilty of comparing our own lives to others. I'd love to know if someone actually doesn't, well maybe they used to but have changed their way or realised it doesn't get you anywhere. I think we all forget though that nobody has a situation that is the same as someone elses. I hate when people make remarks about people when they don't actually know their situation at all.
 
Image found on weheartit

I do think a lot of people don't think before they make the remarks they make, maybe they do it out of anger. I'm not too sure but I thought I'd just list a few random remarks that I've heard that annoy me. They aren't actually direct word for word remarks but I'm sure you will get the idea.
 
 ♥

'we can't all go to our parents for money'
...no we can't all go to our parents for money but really should those of us who have parents that do help out feel guilty about it? No, I don't think they should at all. Everybodys family situation is different.
 
'why don't you just get a job'
well 1) it isn't as easy as just getting a job, you don't pop to the shop to get a job like you would a pint of milk or a paper. 2) the employer might not want you as an employee, sometimes it happens & there is nothing you can do about it. 3) somebody might have more experience or qualifications than you, nothing can be done about that either. 4) the employer might not feel they connect to you as a person. 5) there might not be any jobs even available. 6) the person you're saying the remark to might not be able to currently handle it.
 
'just get on with it'
I know a lot of people who experience mental health difficulties will probably have heard this remark, is it really as simple as just getting on with it? I don't think so. But the person making the remark wont know that at all, unless they themselves experience it. Would you tell someone with a broken leg to just get on with it & go skiing? No, I highly doubt you would.  
 
 
Ok, so I'm just going to leave it at those 3 remarks. Those are the main ones that are currently winding me up really. The whole point of this post was to just let people know that whatever their situation, it is ok. If it isn't great then hopefully it will get easier & improve. You shouldn't be made to feel little at all by people making remarks about your situation when they have no clue what your situation is. So maybe before you make a remark to someone think before you speak. Take a second & just think how the remark will affect the person you are talking to.
 
Well that's a relief to get that all off my chest, exactly what my blog is all about. I shall waffle away as much as I want. Hopefully some of you will have enjoyed it & related to it too. Whatever your situation remember it is a journey that will make you stronger & be worth it.
 
How do you feel about these remarks?
Have you heard any remarks that drive you potty?
Please let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

a few little blog related updates..

I thought I would create a little post & let you know of the changes that have been happening around here....

Image found on weheartit.. I hate uploading posts without an image so this little one speaks for itself.
 
a name change
Firstly I have changed my name of my blog, well I changed it a few weeks ago actually from awaywiththefairies321.blogspot.co.uk (some of my pictures still have this URL on them, I don't know how to remove them now) to awholelotofchittychat.blogspot.co.uk, I do feel a lot better about this decision to switch names. I didn't feel the name suited really so there we have it....a name change & along with a new name change comes....
 
 
a new design
I've gone for a more simple design, quite literally because the design is actually called simple (I think).. I really did love the old design so much but I just felt like it was just soooo much colour going on so back to basics. Obviously a brand new header too, it had to match the new blog name.


 
a twitter account
I have now changed my twitter account to awholelotof_ (just click on the name & you will head straight there). So feel free to give me a follow & you'll keep up to date. Of course only if you want to, I won't be forcing nobody. I started blogging for myself so I will quite happily still blog away if nobody is reading.



bloglovin' & a google follower gadget
I've updated the little bloglovin' gadget so it is linked to this blog now, since I did a name change. I've also added a little gadget along the side where you can follow my blog via your google account too.



Thanks for reading & supporting me too.
- Anna ♥

Hey, let's talk about....Christmas Shopping

We've made it half way through the week so far, well the Monday to Friday week anyway. Which in my little a whole lot of chitty chat world means it's time for Hey, let's talk about.... So this week I've decided to stay along the lines of last week which was Christmas but this week I'm going to share with you my top 3 tips for....

Christmas Shopping

Image found on weheartit

 - Be Organised -

It's so easy to not be organised & end up mad rushing around for presents & ending up putting none or very little thought into it. I have a little notebook which I've started writing in every year, a list of presents that I have bought. Not only does it help me stay organised it also prevents the mistake of buying the same or a similar present as a previous year.



- Shop Around -

If you go along with the first tip of being organised then you probably will actually have a lot more time to prepare & get presents, also meaning you will have more time to shop around. Whether you actually shop around different stores on the highstreet or head online, chances are you will save a heck of a lot of money.



- Find Offers -

This one will also save you some money, look out for offers such as 3 for 2 or even free delivery. But also don't just go with an offer because you think you will be saving a lot if you don't actually need the amount of items in the offer. Some offers might be buy 2 for so much & so many of us will probably buy the 2nd because we are saving money but don't buy it if you don't need 2. Save the money & use it towards something else.




So there you have it, my top 3 tips for Christmas Shopping. It's all about being prepared, shopping around & saving money. I hope you enjoyed reading them & maybe you might even use some of the tips yourself.

Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

My Driving Journey - Lesson 40

Ooooh 40 lessons complete..WHAT?!?!?!?!?!
 
I am seriously in shock, I never thought I would be able to learn to drive at all. But look at me go, go, gooooooo!!!
 
''Don't stop me nowwww, I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball....''
 
I love just bursting into song..I'm gonna get going now though with the run down of my lesson this week.

 
Tuesday 12th November
I thought today would be a manoeuvres kind of lesson, but no, no, no...it was a mock test kind of lesson. Maybe it was because I passed my theory test, who knows? But this mock test was my best mock test so far, yes I have only done three. But that is three more than some people have done & I literally got three minors too. 1) I hesitated a little at a junction. 2) I could of parked a little closer to the kerb on a parallel park. 3) At a set of traffic lights when it had a separate arrow for one lane, it wasn't lit but the main light was. I didn't go because I was unsure, now I look back I think,what? why did I not go? But now I know, that is exactly what mistakes are made for....to learn from them.

 
I seriously can't believe how close I am to being able to take my driving test!
 
Thanks for reading & coming along my journey with me.
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 17th November 2013

Sunday....
can only mean one thing in my little blogging space...it's time for Sit Down Sunday.
 
Okay, I had planned to do these posts on a Sunday morning but sometimes things just don't work out as planned & actually it has worked out better doing it now. So these posts can appear anytime during Sunday, woohoo! Gotta love a little bit of variety right?
 
Image found on weheartit
 
I'll explain my picture choice first, 1) I don't like blogging without a picture being involved. 2) I think it's a pretty positive quote & one that I feel I have been following a lot recently. Especially on Monday when I had my driving theory test which was around a 30 minute journey to the location, I used to be like 'no, I can't go' but now I've changed my attitude to a more positive one. So when you feel you can't do something don't forget to....get up, dress up, show up & never give up!
 
 
Let's get down to business shall we? & list everything that has been good over the past week since last Sunday..
 
- passing my theory test first time
- primark
- little mix's new album, salute
- my best mock driving test so far
- helpful & supportive friends
- fresh air
- getting cosy super early
- wooly hats
- christmas songs
 
 
What has been good about your week?
I'd love to know.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

learning to drive....the theory side of it

Since passing my driving theory test on Monday I thought why not share my tips on revising & preparing for the theory test & the day of the test itself. Some of them are fairly obvious but sometimes the most obvious ones we ignore & don't actually do. Obviously they won't guarantee you will pass first time, nobody can guarantee that..sorry about that.
 
my revision materials
 
- Get your materials -
First things first, to actually revise you'll need something to revise. It could be books, CDs for using on the computer, DVDs, apps or you can even use various websites online. I used a mix between books, CDs & I bought an AA app for my ipad too, for the basic reason of I didn't want to get bored by just one thing.
 
- Block the outside world out -
Move away from your phone, put the ipad down (unless you are using it of course) , log off twitter & facebook.. You really need to have all your focus on your revision. How would you expect to learn when you have all the other distractions.
 
- Don't force yourself -
If you really aren't feeling in the right mind set to revise, simply don't. It isn't great missing out on revising opportunities but it isn't a good idea to just sit & revise when nothing isn't going to actually sink in. Just a waste of your time & effort.
 
- Don't brainwash yourself - 
This is one thing I knew I wouldn't do, I actually wanted to learn what I was studying. Not just learn to memorize the questions & answers. I practiced doing the mock tests maximum of twice a day & never did it straight after the other one either. I'd do one in the morning & then one later on in the afternoon or at night.
 
- Don't revise for too long -
I used to think oh the more I revise the more I'll learn, it turns out that's wrong apparently. After so long of revising your brain just looses interest.
My instructor told me that if you study for 1 hour, you will only actually remember around 20 minutes of it. So instead of doing it continuously just take a break & do it little by little. 
 
- Only book a date for when you know you will be ready -
Instead of thinking yeah, I'll book it next week & just cram in everything all day until then. Chances are it might not work like that.
Be realistic & book a month or so in advance & work towards that. You can change your date closer to the time, as long as it is 3 working days before your test. Otherwise you might loose your fee.
 
- Book a time when is best for you -
If you get really nervous & would rather get it out the way as soon as you can then get an early morning one, but I would also bare in mind if you get an early morning when your nerves might get the better of you. I decided to go for a middle of the afternoon one, yes I had nerves but luckily I managed to control them.
 
- Keep to your normal routine -
I'm not going to claim this is my tip because it isn't, my friend Adele actually told me this piece of advice but I thought I would share it with you. The worst thing you can do is just sit around all day thinking about it. The more you focus on your nerves the stronger they will become.
 
 
Well there is my longgggg list of tips & pieces of advice for you.
 
Maybe you would like to check out my post about learning to drive while experiencing mental health difficulties. You can find that by clicking here.
I really hope it can help someone, even just one person. So many people in this world feel alone & they don't need to.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Hey, let's talk about....CHRISTMASSSSSSS!

IT'S CCCHHHRRRIIISSTTTMMAAASSSSSS!!!!
ok, maybe not just yet but I couldn't resist.
 
Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas?
 Let alone be writing a post about Christmas..
 
Everyone will have their own opinion on the subject. What is yours?
 
 
Christmas
 
Christmas Day will be upon us in 42 days, well according to my Norton search anyway. All the shops are now filled with Christmas decorations, cards, wrapping paper, presents & food. I've even heard a few Christmas songs playing too.
 
I absolutely love Christmas, just the whole feel of it. Anybody else still wake up super early? I certainly do, 21 or not..I will be up early excited to open presents & spend the day with my family. I love when it snows, the snow just makes everything so much more beautiful. It's a really good time of year to spend with your family & friends playing board games. The cold weather & dark nights are great excuses to get straight in to your comfy jim jams or onesie, super early & get curled up & not move for the majority of the day. The Christmas songs being played, the movies all being played on tv too.
 
But one thing I have noticed recently in shops is, Christmas decorations are no longer traditional. Anybody else noticed this? Maybe you like it, I really don't. Christmas should be your greens, reds & golds.
Wilkinsons is the only store I have been in & seen Christmas decorations & actually taken any notice. They have got a woodland creatures section, I mean really...since when do you have an owl on top of the tree? In my opinion its either a fairy or a star. They also have like a glitzy section, I mean really...since when have black feathered wreathes been Christmassy?
 
What are your opinions on Christmas?
& the new updated decorations?
Let me know, I'd love to hear from you.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

My Driving Journey - Lesson 38 & 39

Tuesday 5th November
Today I learnt that driving really does keep the mind busy. I had my second interview today straight after my driving lesson, I know full well if I didn't have my driving lesson I would be a real mess with nerves. Luckily the driving lesson completely distracted me. During my lesson I got to practice a parallel park, a reverse round a corner, a 3 point turn & finished off by bay parking.
 
Thursday 7th November
So today we ended up driving across to the next town & got to practice different types of junctions, traffic lights & roundabouts. Just really practicing different road situations too. I found out today that at the beginning of the week a lady who suffers with her nerves past her test first time, yayyy! I really love a happy story & it just proves that people suffering with various things can achieve things!
 
 
Oooohhh & I also have some exciting news too!
 
This is why I'm posting this late, today I had my theory test & ready for it....
 
I PASSEDDDDDDD!!!!
first time, woo hoo!!!!
 
Genuinely can't believe it but I'm so proud of myself.
 
 ♥
 
I really love being able to share my journey with you, my friends.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

Sit Down Sunday - 10th November 2013

Hello there,
it's that time of week again. It's SUNDAYYYYY!
 
I hope you've all had a good week
& if not, I hope next week will be a better week for you..
 
 
If you are new here you might not know what Sit Down Sunday is but click here & you'll find out all about it. I've just realised this feature was introduced a month ago now. WOW, that month has flown by.
 


This photo pretty much speaks for itself, it really is the little things. When I received this text I couldn't help but smile, so thank you Joe you little sweetie.
 
Other things that have made my week are..
 
- being part of such a supportive community
- last nights x factor, brilliant!
- positive feedback
- Christmas shopping
- bubble baths
- cosy nights in
- hollyoaks
- chunky knit hats to hide bad hair days
- being surrounded by understanding people
- driving theory cds
 
 
What has made your week this week?
Let me know in the comments.
I love hearing from you.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥

achievements

I keep thinking to myself how far I've come recently & it always manages to make me smile. When I'm having a really poopy day I remember it is just that & better days are coming. Some of the things I've achieved are so big to me but will be so little to others. That doesn't mean they aren't achievements or any less important. I'm sure we are all guilty of comparing ourselves to others, what if we just stopped doing that & actually recognised our achievements & how far we have come over the past week, past month, past year. Will you join me?
 
Image found on weheartit
 
Since I now feel friendships building with some of you lovely people, I really would love you to get involved with me & recognise your achievements. I'd love for you to share them with me too. Maybe you'll leave a comment below, maybe you'll send me a tweet, maybe you'll send me an email or maybe you'll even create your own little blog post about it..whatever you do, please share them with me. Instead of comparing ourselves to others or each other we can all celebrate our own achievements together.
 
 
I'll get started with listing mine then..
 
- learning to drive -
I genuinely can't believe I'm actually managing to do this, at the start of the year if you had asked me if I was going to learn I'd be like no, not really bothered. I wasn't lying either but now I am so glad that I am learning, it really is such a great achievement & I really do enjoy it. Even when I have a bad lesson I just brush it off & do my best the next lesson.
 
- attending two interviews -
This achievement is really recent, as in the past two months. A job vacancy came up & it sounded like my ideal job so of course I had to apply for it. I managed to get an interview the very same day, how amazing is that? Then a few weeks later I got a second one, I'd been one of their top three. Both of them were pretty informal but still the word interview is enough to make some of us nervous.
 
- speaking openly to a stranger about my anxiety -
Relating back to the job interviews, I thought you know what, anxiety plays such a big part in my life right now so I'm just going to be honest with them. I was completely honest with them, they were absolutely lovely & understanding. It clearly didn't scare them since I got a second interview. Unfortunately I didn't get the job, I lost out to a lady with more experience. I'm not going to let it get me down though because the man who interviewed me called to let me know & said there is nothing negative to come out of this at all, other than I haven't got this job. He said they really liked me as a person, so anxiety in tow...I must be a nice person.
 
- managing to be out of the house -
Some will read this & be like, big wow..to me yes it is. Sometimes you can get so absorbed in your comfort zone that you don't want to leave it. That used to happen to me an awful lot, especially when I was looking after my mum after her operation. But now I push myself a lot more, like today I have managed to help my parents out at their shop all day. Usually my mind tells me, no you can't cope..you need to go home...now! That is usually within 10 minutes of being somewhere too. But for the past week now I have managed & questioned the thought in my head.
 
 
So they are my recentish achievements, now it's your turn.
Of course only if you want to share, I'm not going to gang up on you or anything.
If you do want to share them with me, please get in touch with me & tell me all about them.
 
Achievements are such a good thing to share around & knowing other people are also achieving things, big & small makes me all smiley.
 
Thanks for reading.
- Anna ♥