#liebsteraward – Ask. Think. Do.

I am beyond honoured to have been nominated again for a Liebster Award! This time from the wonderful floatinggold, whos site is full of creative and inspiring posts which you should definitely check out!

liebster2

Rules Of Accepting The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award is an award that exists only on the internet and is given to bloggers by other bloggers, whose work they find interesting, to motivate them and promote them as well. The earliest case of the award goes as far back as 2011. Liebster in German means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The instructions for accepting the award and passing it on are as follows:

•Create a new blog post on your blog thanking the person that nominated you, link to their blog and put in a graphic of the award.

•Answer the questions that were provided, and then share some facts about yourself.

•Create a new set of your own questions for others to answer.

•Nominate 5-11 others and share your blog post with them so they can accept their awards

QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

How much do you follow the news?

I am very interested in global politics and current affairs, after being hugely inspired by my A Level Politics teacher (shout out to you Nick Cowell!). I do find it hard to follow the news too closely however, as the constant 24 hour rolling broadcasts and focus on suffering can make the world seem like a very scary and sad place sometimes. Instead, I make sure I am up to date with headlines and key events around the world, and then research and read up on topics which have particularly caught my interest. I do feel we all have a responsibility as global citizens to keep up with what is going on, as to be uninformed seems quite a dangerous place to be at the moment!

2. Are you currently living in the city you were born in?

I am not, and I am very happy about it! As anyone who has read my post Relocate will know, I have a complicated relationship with my hometown which largely involved trying my best to leave it! I am very happy where I am at the moment, but I am a bit of a wanderer so we shall see!

3. Is there anything in particular that you are looking forward to in the near future?

Firstly, the opportunity to have a future – every day we get on this Earth is a huge blessing. I am also in the process of beginning a new job involving lots of travel, so very much looking forward to that, as well as possibly going back to Uni in the Autumn. My brother is also performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year, so lots of exciting things to look forward to!

4. What makes you laugh?

I have quite a dry and dark sense of humour, so quite odd things! I have some friends who make me absolutely howl on a daily basis at the most random things, and I find silly things like someone pretending to be a sheep absolutely hilarious! I probably spend more time laughing than anything else, especially when I really shouldn’t be!

5. What do you stress about the most?

Unfulfilled potential, and missed opportunities.

6. If you join the circus, what would you perform and why?

I’m not a huge fan of circus’s using live animals for entertainment, so it would have to be something like the trapeze or aerial hoops. I’m currently training myself in silks, so that would be cool!

Here are my nominations, wonderful bloggers who inspire me every day!

Thru Her Eyes
Sincerely Alice
The Introverted Book Nerd
CharlieJaneLyne

And here are my questions:

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
What is your life motto?
If you won the Euromillions tomorrow, how would it change your life?
If you could magically have any skill, what would it be and why?
Where in the world would you most like to travel?
Who are your top three dinner guests, living or dead?
Describe yourself in three words?

Once again, thanks so so much for this award, my readers mean the absolute world to me, and I’m so glad you like my random thoughts!

Love and light

J x

I am so thrilled to end 2017, and start 2018 by being nominated for a Liebster Award!

liebster2

Thank you so much to the lovely Vesna from https://whisper365blog.wordpress.com. Hers was one of the first blogs I followed when I started, and she who’s writing continues to inspire and entertain me with every post, with stunning pictures and original and fascinating insights into unusual topics. Coming from you, this nomination means a lot!

Rules Of Accepting The Liebster Award

The instructions for accepting the award and passing it on are as follows:

•Create a new blog post on your blog thanking the person that nominated you, link to their blog and put in a graphic of the award.

•Answer the questions that were provided, and then share some facts about yourself.

•Create a new set of your own questions for others to answer.

•Nominate 5-11 others and share your blog post with them so they can accept their awards

Vesna’s Questions

Why did you start blogging?

The simple answer is that I finally got my butt into gear and started what I had been putting off for too long. I always said I was too busy, I had nothing to write about, I couldn’t afford it, maybe next month…always an excuse. As a child and teen, I lived for writing stories and poems, keeping diaries, making up stories for TV shows and movies, destroying my favourite characters lives through fanfiction… I had also always worked through problems by writing about them, by making lists and setting goals. Then life happened, things got busy, and I got good at putting myself last, and I found the only thing I was writing was academic papers (which, don’t get me wrong,I loved!). One day I found myself in a fed up mood, and decided to return to something which I had loved when younger: writing down my problems. I wrote down the issue, and worked through outcomes on paper, and gradually rediscovered how much I enjoyed putting pen to paper. It was then I decided to write down my ideas in a Pages document, and, on the spur of the moment, posted it on WordPress. Hence, my first post, A Non New Years Resolution, was born.

2. How has blogging affected your life?

Blogging has had nothing but a positive impact on my life. It has introduced me to some incredibly inspiring bloggers and writers, and well as a hugely supportive network. It has also helped me destress; I feel much more calm after I have written down my thoughts, and for me, my blog works almost as a mental declutter – a space to test ideas and vent about issues, as well as helping me sort through things in a logical way. The travel blogs have also made me very jealous and inspired me to travel more this year!

3. What is your favourite book or series and why?

My favourite book is ‘I Capture the Castle’ by Dodi Smith, and has been ever since I was a little girl. The character of Cassandra is one who is so alive and real, and one of my favourite literary images is of her sitting in the dark kitchen, with her feet in the sink. Her sister Rose is such a wonderful blend of contrast and compliment, and equally as vibrant and alive. Smith uses wonderful descriptions and beautiful imagery to create the ruins of the castle right before your eyes, and her characters are real people with real problems. She also creates wonderful, natural dialogue which makes a point without beating you over the head.

“You see, they’re apt to think of God as a slot-machine. If nothing comes out they say ‘I knew dashed well it was empty’ when the whole secret of prayer is knowing the machine’s full.”

“But how can one know?”

“By filling it oneself.”

“With faith?”

“With faith.”

4. What kinds of blogs do you like the most?

My favourite blogs are travel, lifestyle, and interior design blogs. I like to scroll jealously through other peoples stunning pictures, and get inspiration for trips, designs and ideas.

5. What is your philosophy in life?

My philosophy in life can be seen in my blog title: Ask. Think. Do. I believe in asking lots of questions, thinking too deeply about everything, and taking action to change the things you don’t like. Life is what you make it; if you don’t like it, change it. Also, in the words of the wonderful Dappy Contastavlos: no regrets.

6. What are you most grateful about?

My family. I have a wonderfully supportive, kick ass Mum, who taught me to be a strong woman, and an amazing not so little brother, who is also my best friend. I am grateful that I can see and hear the beauty of the world, that I can dance whenever the mood takes me, and that I have been blessed with good health. I am hugely grateful for music; the world would be very empty without it.

7. If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

I’m a huge history buff, so I’d love to go back in time. I’d love to visit the Titanic pre-iceberg, to soak up the ambience and atmosphere, as long as I could whizz out before disaster struck! I’d also love to go back and meet Cleopatra and Queen Victoria, two bad ass women!

8. What 3 words describe you best?

Loyal, nerdy and unique.

9. What advice would you give your 18 year old self?

Oh darling, none of those things you are worried about will matter in a year. You are about to be totally surprised; go with it and you will love it and totally change your life. Ignore the haters: you won’t even remember their names when you start Uni. You will love Uni – throw yourself into everything, don’t hold back, and you will emerge a totally different person. Be true to yourself, stay smart around people, don’t let anyone put your down. Let your guard down a bit, and don’t be so stubbornly loyal to someone that you push someone important away. Your life is about to totally change, but you’’ be ok. Enjoy it!

10. What makes you happiest?

Animals. Snuggles with my cat. A long country hack on a gorgeous horse, no destination in sight. The smell of my too expensive shower gel. Book shops. Time alone. Incredible music. Art. Gorgeous sunsets. The smell of Malibu rum. Middle of the night existential discussions. Being totally at ease with myself and having people accept it. Writing. The moment you land at your destination. Hotel rooms. The perfect cup of tea. Happiness.

Here are my questions for my winners!

What is your favourite childhood memory?
Why did you start blogging, and where do you want it to go?
Who is your favourite writer and why?
If you could ban one thing, what would it be and why?
What makes you laugh until it hurts?
What is your proudest achievement so far?
What three things could you not live without?
What makes you cry?
If you could be transported instantly to any time and place, where would it be?
You have one chance to have a conversation with anyone, living or dead. Who do you pick and why?

Nominations:

This is so tough, as so many amazing bloggers have inspired me, but I narrowed it down to my top 5:

Journey of a Lifestyle

My Daisy Daze

Zeds Lifestyle

Hello Professional Girl

Young Meets Free