#Australian Blogger

[wool-f]

30: WITHOUT THE FEAR AND SHAME

Hello friends,

I’m back for 2024, for the thirtieth year of my life, to continue sharing my thoughts, imaginings, hopes, dreams, goals and advice with you all (you all being whoever comes across this blog and reads it).

As always, I began the year making my list of 100 things I want to do/achieve/create in the next 12 months, and this year I’m feeling particularly positive about the list.

I know culturally, turning 30 is a scary moment, particularly for women. It symbolizes this weird juncture between adulthood and the checklist of things we should have achieved by this age – marriage, children, a career, home ownership and more. All the things we pressure women into doing perfectly and all at once, with very little grace granted when we don’t have at least two of these things.

I’m here to confess, I’m in the first job of my potential future career, I don’t have a boyfriend, let alone a husband or a child and I am definitely nowhere near home ownership as a solo buyer (in this economy? Please). Does any of this scare or bother me? No – not even a little bit.

While on paper, it looks as though I have been faffing around in my 20s having a great old time, behaving in a way that some people would consider “wasting my time”, I have enjoyed the past decade so much and I wouldn’t change it for anything.  

I have two degrees, I’ve studied abroad twice, completed an internship in Indonesia with an amazing organization out of Melbourne, I’ve travelled A LOT, I’ve been in love (silly by me but here we are), I’ve danced with my friends, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried and I’ve had one too many drinks on a number of occasions. I’ve lived with friends, I’ve moved back into my parent’s house. I’ve made life-long friends and lost friends who I thought would be with me forever. I’ve read hundreds of books, watched movies and heard so many songs for the first time. Most importantly, I’ve made memories with my loved ones and enjoyed my life.

I don’t regret any of my mistakes, I’ve had fun.

This life has so far been a privilege to live in more ways than one. I’m luckier than most people living and I am extremely cognisant of this fact, particularly at a time when the world is in such a dire state of affairs, to say the least.

I do however, think it’s important to say that I’ve loved it here. There are many things that make me wonder how the world can possibly keep turning but then I look at my grandparents, my friends, the moments we have spent together and laughed, and I know why.

A friend of mine posted a video recently, saying she was freaking out about turning 30 this year, and I can relate to the looming feeling of dread that often comes with a “big birthday” like this and truly up until recently I felt the same way.

All of the things I’ve already written about enjoying life and having gratitude for the beautiful moments in it are true, but I am not immune to feeling pressure or like I’ve somehow fallen behind because I haven’t achieved the things that I am expected to have done.

Over the last six months many things have happened that have given me pause to really reevaluate the importance of being present to enjoy the moment and focus on what kind of life I want to lead and the people I want around me.

I have come to the conclusion that I’m not scared of turning 30, or as media and beauty industry conglomerates would want me to be, of aging or getting older. These occurrences are privileges that many people are denied. I’m lucky to be here and have decided to fully commit to treating every single day in that fashion.  

Here’s to getting old and enjoying it (however I will still be colouring the greys out of my hair forever more xx)

May 2024 be the most free, successful and joyous that I have ever been, and if you’ve gotten to the end of this post, may yours be too.

As always, love you all and have a great week.

G xx

[tripticharan]

Eat Street Northshore, Brisbane

Eat Street Northshore is a feast in every sense-the sights, smells, tastes and sounds come to life in this container food village which happens every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Must Visit! @EatStreet #Brisbane #EatStreetNorthshore #ExploreWithTripti 🇦🇺

[ahalcyongirl]

@ahalcyongirl

[bigbodywhispers]

[seleniaplays]

This is an art piece I did around a year ago while I was in hospital. I was learning how to draw water from numerous tutorials and I just love how it came out. It's meant to be a sunflower but I don't think I drew enough petals haha. Sunflowers represent my home town, and though I despise my hometown because of years of bullying it's made me who I am today.

[heyitsellebell]

elle’s diary - Page 59 - 13/01/24 @ 11:17pm

heya, hope you’re well! Today was a lovely cool day, so I faired a bit better. I woke up at 12pm and had some breakfast outside with Prue. I got ready and then took her out as it was starting to rain a little. She had a good time sniffing about and didn’t mind the rain too much as it kept fairly light for us.

The eucalyptus trees that line the roads here are in bloom. The flowers are a gorgeous warm red. They looked so pretty against the overcast sky (pics attached!). We got home and it became more steady, talk about good timing! I had some lunch and then began work on the vocals for ‘The Fear of Falling In Love’. I chose to make my voice in the verses very soft and quiet, which is naturally is, but I exaggerated this to make it contrast with the choruses, which are more dramatic.

I took a break for dinner (a quick ramen I make with two minute noodles and a bunch of yummy spices), and continued work on the vocals until I finished all but the final chorus. That I left for tomorrow as my voice was getting tired and I want to record some high harmony lines. Alrighty, that’s gonna be all for now!Thanks for reading and take care of yourself <3

lots of love,

elle xoxo

[teresabeadle5]

"Today, don't forget to show yourself some love" by Nikki Heron Via Flickr: *Spring Fever Set* Showcasing 1 out of a set of 12 poses from B(u)Y ME Poses for the Arcade Event. There are 12 to collect with 2 being the rare. This one shown is number 4 and the hat is included. Flowerfield and props included with corresponding poses. This event is open now and running through to the March 31, 2024. TP to the event and for your convenience B(u)Y Me Mainstore B(u)Y Me Marketplace Store B(u)Y Me Flickr Page (see the full set of the poses here) B(u)Y Me linktr.ee Taken @Elvion Thankyou in advance for your support, faves, comments and awards! I do appreciate you all 💖

[dragonomatopoeia]

i sometimes subject stella to my anthropological studies of rich people which has backfired this evening because i loaded up a youtube review of a cruise and as soon as we saw the vlogger's face stella was like "air why is your evil shadow self reviewing a cruise ship"

[rebelontheroad]

Jacob Elordi nel photoshooting di GQ

Jacob Elordi è un attore che ha catturato l'attenzione del pubblico non solo per le sue capacità recitative, ma anche per il suo fascino magnetico. Con il suo aspetto affascinante e la sua presenza carismatica sullo schermo, Elordi ha rapidamente guadagnato una schiera di fan devoti.

Il suo stile senza sforzo e il sorriso accattivante lo rendono una presenza irresistibile sul red carpet e nei media. Tuttavia, alcuni critici suggeriscono che il suo successo potrebbe essere più attribuibile al suo aspetto fisico che alle sue abilità recitative. In diversi ruoli, ha dimostrato di avere una buona presenza scenica, ma alcuni ritengono che la sua bellezza abbagliante possa distogliere l'attenzione da eventuali carenze interpretative.

Nonostante le opinioni contrastanti sulla sua abilità attoriale, non si può negare che Jacob Elordi abbia conquistato un posto di rilievo nella cultura popolare. Il suo fascino è un mix intrigante di fascino classico e moderna coolness, che lo rende un'icona di stile e un volto riconoscibile nelle industrie cinematografiche e televisive.

In definitiva, Jacob Elordi incarna un equilibrio unico tra bellezza e talento, e il suo impatto nell'industria dello spettacolo è innegabile, alimentando le discussioni su ciò che rende davvero un attore affascinante.

[bellalaloca]

why do i still not have polls. not that i’d use it, but i’ve been here since 2010. if there’s anyone that deserves it, it’s me.

[wool-f]

Let’s have a real chat about mental health

I have a secret. 

I have had a secret for the last ten months. 

My secret is that despite my outward presentation, I’ve been really struggling with my mental health for the most part of 2022. 

I find it difficult sometimes to be open and vulnerable about it, because I feel that so often my own issues and struggles are so much less severe than other people out there, and that I have enormous privileges that other people don’t have access to. 

So in that vein, I want to first acknowledge and express with the greatest gratitude the luck that I have in having great parents, understanding friends and a roof over my head. I am surrounded by people who care about me, and I have access to food, hot and cold running water, and a great job that I enjoy doing most of the time. I have everything that a person needs in their life to be happy and healthy, and yet I still struggle with my mental health. 

So let’s really talk about mental health, self care and the trend of toxic positivity. 

Throughout the pandemic, my circumstances changed (by my own choice) and for the most part, I was happy and can honestly say, I built a number of health habits that I maintained throughout the lockdown period, that I carried through until we were well and truly out of the worst of it. 

I went through a phase at the beginning of this year, where I got a new job and started working In a role that I had never even thought possible for me just two years prior. I am now a paid journalist, working in Melbourne, and I get the opportunity to do some really cool things during the week while I’m working. 

At this time, I was also recovering from Covid, which I also link to my decline in mental health, as a few things happened on the peripheral of my life at that time, which caused me to really think about who I was spending my time with, and where I was sharing positive and supportive energy. 

Throughout the following months, I started to really retreat back into myself. I was spending more and more time at my parents house, I found little joy in the work that I was doing, I fell behind in uni and stopped doing the things that I loved to do. I also stopped following the habits that I had so carefully maintained and built throughout the lockdowns in Melbourne. 

I think it was only in August of this year, where I really stopped myself and looked in the mirror - I was a person that I barely recognised anymore. I had lost my zest for life and I was really not enjoying anything. My body had changed, due to lack of healthy physical activity, and my focus had strayed from anything productive. 

I journaled and tried to start doing all the things I knew would help to pull myself out of this self-made hole, but to no avail. It came to a head at the end of August, when I moved back into my family home, and I had the space to really let myself relax, feel safe, and heal from the inside out; until I got to a point where I could look at what was going on inside my head from a space where I could actively do something about it. 

What I have found is that despite the fact that everyone is constantly trying to be “that girl” or portray a life of perfection and constant positivity, it truly is not conducive to a healthy relationship with yourself. I know that is not by any means an original thought at all, but the more I notice it, the more I can’t un-see it. 

I have clocked it in myself, that when I am attempting to portray a life of perfection and pure joy 100% of the time, it is in fact when I am the least happy, And when I am trying to convince others that I don’t care about a potentially hurtful situation, I am actually more often than not, very upset about it. I can’t speak for anybody outside of myself, but I think it’s worth saying - that it’s ok to care about people and things. 

My generation particularly, and from what I am seeing of the following generations, are so caught up in trying to care less, and pretending to be too cool for things, because the whole cult of mindfulness has been only partially absorbed - when something is genuinely upsetting, you are allowed to be upset about it. People treating you badly is a very good reason to be sad, losing an opportunity that you really wanted is disappointing, and not being exactly where you expected yourself to be right now can be extremely disconcerting. Pretending that you’re fine when in fact you are struggling, are sad, are unhappy or uncomfortable, or just generally annoyed, is stifling your ability to express yourself in a healthy way. 

I noticed after moving back into my family home, that I had found myself in a place where I didn’t feel comfortable expressing myself fully in any other environment. And among other things, the little voice in my head that I normally keep wrangled in a genie lamp, had become so powerful and loud, that it was all I could hear and all I was listening to. And it was at that point, that I was actively able to step away from the negative self talk inside my own head, and start doing things that would allow me to recalibrate my brain. 

Obviously this is not an all in one fix or solution, and for many other people they need more assistance than a journal and a couple of weeks in a safe space with more than 4 hours sleep a night, and I probably could use the help of a therapist. But for now, I am truly trying to do my best to feel emotions as they come to me, and to not suppress them. I am doing my best to counteract negative and invasive thoughts with my own active positive thoughts. I have started doing things I love again, I have started making lists and enjoying the life I am living again. I am trying new things, and realigning with my goals and dreams again. I am truly moving back into the old self I had cultivated in 2020, and it wasn’t by pretending everything was fine and I was perfectly happy with the way it was going. 

I’m not saying this is for everyone, but I really want to try and be as open as I possibly can be with my own mental health struggles, because I feel as though everyone talks about them on a surface level, but never really tries to tackle them in depth or go into them in a serious way. This was very much just a rambling post about where I am in life with my mental health and I’m not really sure I said anything helpful, but it’s helped me in a way, so someone else out there might need this too!

Anyway, that’s all for now, I’m going to be a lot more active on my social platforms from this week going forward, so you’ll hopefully be seeing a bit more from me. If you’ve gotten to the end of this post, thank you so much for being here, I love and appreciate all of you that take the time out to consume what I create. Please feel free to reach out at any moment in time, or comment down below what struggles you’re having currently - a problem shared is a problem halved. 

Good night, love you all. 

G xxx

[tripticharan]

Top Photographer 2022 on Google Maps

I am glad to share that my photographs on Google Maps have crossed 30 Million views and I have been recognized as the Top Photographer 2022 on Google Maps. For more updates join me on Instagram @love_yourself_love_life

[cwdigimark]

IT'S DIFFERENT ON PINTEREST: SEVEN REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BE ADVERTISING ON THE PLATFORM

IT’S DIFFERENT ON PINTEREST: SEVEN REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BE ADVERTISING ON THE PLATFORM

Marketing Mag | July 4, 2022 As we head into the second half of the financial year, many brands will be looking to lock down their Q3 and Q4 marketing budgets. Smart brands will be seeking to connect with consumers on platforms with highly-engaged, commercially-driven audiences. Platforms that provide inspiring and positive environments. This way brands can offer a way to reach a more valuable…

[uglyandtraveling]

Study Abroad & Live There Forever? Top 10 PR Paradises & Pro-Tips for Students! Unlock a world of opportunity with Permanent Residency after graduation. ️ Get details on Canada, Australia, Europe & more!

[steventureau]

"Daniel Solander

Cape Solander is named after Swedish botanist Daniel Solander (1733-1782), who accompanied naturalist and botanist Joseph Banks on HMB Endeavour from 1768-1771.

A Gifted Student

Solander studied under famous botanist, Carl Linnaeus, at Sweden's Uppsala University. Before Solander completed his studies, Linnaeus sent him to London as his representative to work at the British Museum cataloguing the natural history collections, and to promote the Linnaean classification system. This system became the internation standard for the classification of all species and is still used today.

Unfinished Business

In 1768, Joseph Banks invited Solander to join in the scientific staff on HMB Endeavour on its voyage to the South Pacific. Together, Banks and Solander collected approximately 30,000 specimens including around 1,300 species new to Western science. The number of species they collected demonstrated the need for a classification system that could cope with Earth's biodiversity.

On his return to England, Solander became Joseph Bank's secretary and librarian and went on numerous collecting expeditions including to the Isle of Wight, the western highlands of Scotland, Iceland and Wales. He was also appointed keeper of natural history at the British Museum.

Solander died of a stroke in 1782 aged only 49, leaving much of his work incomplete, unpublished or waiting on contributions from others.

A Significant Legacy

Solander made important contributions to botany through his discoveries and his meticulous categorising of the specimens he and Banks collected around the world.

As early proponents of Linnaeus's systematic biology, Bank's and Solander's work here led to Kamay Botany Bay National Park being nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Area. The national park is important both culturally and scientifically in 'The Rise of Systematic Biology' - the study of biological diversity and its origin.

This includes a taxonomic classification system for categorising organisms into related groups."