2015 has so far been my best year for running, and it feels awesome to have a few more weeks left of this year to round it all up. I've just been having a moment where I've thought about all I've achieved this year with running and it's always good to look at yourself and note when you've done something that you deserve to be proud of and think "y'know what, well done me". With this, I thought I'd write a post in my A Little Running Diary series. Here is a list of my top three things I adore about running.
1. I most of all love the sense of achievement I feel. I can even have bad runs and I still know I'm on the right track. I love looking at my running app and seeing personal bests, new routes and just the fact I've completed however many miles. I run because it makes me feel awesome and that's what this crazy thing called life is about, right?* When I've stopped my run, had a little walk and sipped my drink, I return home and I feel like the day is going to be written down as a good one.
2. I love how calm it makes me feel. Whether I am running to beat a time or just having a nice jog, I feel like all my worries float away behind me and I'm running into something good. We all need things that calm us down and running really is my safe haven.
3. Hobbies often are often a large section of your life and having running as a hobby means that I not only have something to look forward to and think about when I'm not even running, but it comes with all sorts of other bonuses like running clothes. I love buying running clothes and it always feels awesome to treat myself to something new. Materialistic, but it is a bonus!
A Pair of Trainers & A Smile,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
*Terms and conditions: providing that we're not hurting ourselves or others.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Sunday, 13 December 2015
Laughter
There are so many things I believe I should remind myself of
every day- things I most certainly should be grateful for and should aspire to
live every day a certain, positive way because of. Today, with a blank page in
front of me, I am thankful for laughter. I am thankful for the memories I have
of being with friends and having hours of ridiculous giggles, I’m thankful of having people in my life that will, today, make me
laugh, and I’m thankful at the thought of all of the precious times to come
which will be brightened with laughter.
A way a lot of us wind down when we can is to watch comedy- whether that be a series or a stand-up comedian. Even if we aren't physically laughing, we enjoy how it makes us feel some form of laughter (in our heads or literally). Laughing means forgetting about whatever worries; it means coping better with worries; it means really enjoying a moment.
I spent a whole day laughing with two of my best friends today. It meant that when I got home and sat down, I just grinned.
What a damn good life I have filled with laughter.
Gratitude & Happiness,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
From laughing momentarily with a train conductor after an
automatic door kept refusing to completely shut (it's one of those "have to be there" moments) this morning
to calling my best friend and experiencing him telling me a joke he could
barely tell thanks to his ridiculous laughter. Laughter… I believe it’s actually therapeutic. I
see this when something really tickles my mum and she’s laughing by herself on
the sofa, with the most lovely, happy expression on her face. I see this when my friends and I all come together because of laughter.
A way a lot of us wind down when we can is to watch comedy- whether that be a series or a stand-up comedian. Even if we aren't physically laughing, we enjoy how it makes us feel some form of laughter (in our heads or literally). Laughing means forgetting about whatever worries; it means coping better with worries; it means really enjoying a moment.
What a damn good life I have filled with laughter.
Gratitude & Happiness,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
Saturday, 12 December 2015
A Brother and a Sister
My family and I put up the Christmas tree and decorations tonight and it was the most wonderfully festive and family-orientated couple of hours. My brother and I worked mainly on the tree and my parents unpacked and kind of looked upon us. We had Christmas songs on and we drank warm drinks and oh my goodness, it feels so lovely to be home. I already know tonight marks one of my favourite nights of the whole holiday.
I understand that I am very lucky to have a family around me that deserve only my respect and for this I am so grateful. I couldn't help but feel so warm and festive whilst doing festivities alongside my family. Moments like those make it so obvious that, to me, family will always be so important in my Christmas (and my life in general!). We have a few awesome Christmas activities lined up for the next couple of weeks and I can't wait to spend my time at home with them- because when you're as lucky as I am, it's lame not to appreciate how (kinda) cool my family are.
So, the tree is up, glistening prettily in front of me while I write of Christmas and just how lucky I am to experience such warm Christmases. I am at home for a few weeks, and while Christmas songs tinkle in the background, it must be grinned at that the countdown truly is well underway, isn't it?
~
A brother and a sister grin with their lips and their eyes as they stand at the top of the stairs, hurrying their parents, with stockings hanging from the hands. With bright eyes, the sister dares to say, "Can we go down now?"
As their parents' lazy eyes focus on their children, they laugh, "Yes."
Slowly, they walk step by step until they can peek into the dark living room, where multi-coloured lights dance slowly, waiting for their arrival. Although presents are dotted underneath, the children feel mesmerised by the air around the Christmas tree. That Christmas Day song that sings around the family it surely have it all. Warmth, smiles and a family? That's a lot to be thankful for on one set of stairs.
"Go on then! Go down!" their mother encourages them.
With one last look at each other, the brother and sister enter a Christmas Day that won't ever be forgotten.
~
Baubles & Tinsel,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
I understand that I am very lucky to have a family around me that deserve only my respect and for this I am so grateful. I couldn't help but feel so warm and festive whilst doing festivities alongside my family. Moments like those make it so obvious that, to me, family will always be so important in my Christmas (and my life in general!). We have a few awesome Christmas activities lined up for the next couple of weeks and I can't wait to spend my time at home with them- because when you're as lucky as I am, it's lame not to appreciate how (kinda) cool my family are.
So, the tree is up, glistening prettily in front of me while I write of Christmas and just how lucky I am to experience such warm Christmases. I am at home for a few weeks, and while Christmas songs tinkle in the background, it must be grinned at that the countdown truly is well underway, isn't it?
~
A brother and a sister grin with their lips and their eyes as they stand at the top of the stairs, hurrying their parents, with stockings hanging from the hands. With bright eyes, the sister dares to say, "Can we go down now?"
As their parents' lazy eyes focus on their children, they laugh, "Yes."
Slowly, they walk step by step until they can peek into the dark living room, where multi-coloured lights dance slowly, waiting for their arrival. Although presents are dotted underneath, the children feel mesmerised by the air around the Christmas tree. That Christmas Day song that sings around the family it surely have it all. Warmth, smiles and a family? That's a lot to be thankful for on one set of stairs.
"Go on then! Go down!" their mother encourages them.
With one last look at each other, the brother and sister enter a Christmas Day that won't ever be forgotten.
~
Baubles & Tinsel,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
Friday, 11 December 2015
Knowing Your Limits
So it's the eleventh day of Blogmas and it's almost eleven o'clock in the evening (at the time of writing) and I haven't yet written a post that needs to be posted in the next hour and a bit to make it eligible for this festive challenge I am a part of. It never crossed my mind to not actually write the post but I just had the fleeting thought of the fact that I don't have to post because I'm so, so tired and I could do with going to sleep. This then got me to thinking about knowing your limits. Of course, writing this post is going against this idea, however I know I have the time in the morning to make up my sleep and these thoughts have inspired my fingers to type out a post.
On the blog I have occasionally been awful at sticking to a schedule I always naively set myself. Although maybe 30% of the time that I suck at sticking to one is down to rubbish time-keeping, the rest of the time I suck is because of other commitments like university work. I give myself a hard time for making my blog a lonely place, when really I am trying to understand my limits. I have to prioritise my university work and I have to make sure I'm getting enough rest and eating well and all that kind of stuff. I still need to work on this because I'll try and write or I'll spend too much time having a word with myself, but I have recently made a little promise to myself that it is a good thing to know when to say no.
I've never been one to give into peer pressure, although I haven't always been perfect with it. So the first part to this is knowing your limits. It's things such as if you know it's wrong, don't do it or if you know you can't do it, don't do it. However, it's also making sure you don't give yourself a hard time afterwards. A few years ago I would say no to going to certain things, despite anyone repeatedly asking, and I would feel a bit rubbish afterwards. That sucks. I shouldn't have felt rubbish. When I did feel rubbish I don't think that this feeling often lasted too long, but when it did I'd start to question myself and in this way, we must learn to be less hard on ourselves- we've exercised that we know our limits and we should exercise that we know we are doing a good thing.
We are always taught, by society, that we must know our limits with alcohol and our levels of tiredness when it comes to sleeping and other such things. Don't take drinking too far and don't drive when your body can't hack it. They are such important values and we need to take these values into other aspects of our lives. If we are working ourselves into being a very stressed and tired human, do everything you can to rest and find away to cope (in legal ways because that's the only way!!!!). We need to say no when we've been a bit silly and booked too much in. We need to realise all of these things all of the time. We need to know our limits and we need to find a way to live a life that's happier than that stressed person we've become.
I am tired writing this post so excuse anything awful expressions I've produced, but I know my limits (wahey) and I'm going to sleep!
Happy Blogmas!
Disney & Songs,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
On the blog I have occasionally been awful at sticking to a schedule I always naively set myself. Although maybe 30% of the time that I suck at sticking to one is down to rubbish time-keeping, the rest of the time I suck is because of other commitments like university work. I give myself a hard time for making my blog a lonely place, when really I am trying to understand my limits. I have to prioritise my university work and I have to make sure I'm getting enough rest and eating well and all that kind of stuff. I still need to work on this because I'll try and write or I'll spend too much time having a word with myself, but I have recently made a little promise to myself that it is a good thing to know when to say no.
I've never been one to give into peer pressure, although I haven't always been perfect with it. So the first part to this is knowing your limits. It's things such as if you know it's wrong, don't do it or if you know you can't do it, don't do it. However, it's also making sure you don't give yourself a hard time afterwards. A few years ago I would say no to going to certain things, despite anyone repeatedly asking, and I would feel a bit rubbish afterwards. That sucks. I shouldn't have felt rubbish. When I did feel rubbish I don't think that this feeling often lasted too long, but when it did I'd start to question myself and in this way, we must learn to be less hard on ourselves- we've exercised that we know our limits and we should exercise that we know we are doing a good thing.
We are always taught, by society, that we must know our limits with alcohol and our levels of tiredness when it comes to sleeping and other such things. Don't take drinking too far and don't drive when your body can't hack it. They are such important values and we need to take these values into other aspects of our lives. If we are working ourselves into being a very stressed and tired human, do everything you can to rest and find away to cope (in legal ways because that's the only way!!!!). We need to say no when we've been a bit silly and booked too much in. We need to realise all of these things all of the time. We need to know our limits and we need to find a way to live a life that's happier than that stressed person we've become.
I am tired writing this post so excuse anything awful expressions I've produced, but I know my limits (wahey) and I'm going to sleep!
Happy Blogmas!
Disney & Songs,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
Thursday, 10 December 2015
The Creation Qualification
Yesterday I watched Carrie Hope Fletcher's video, Am I Qualified To Be Creative? which you should definitely check out. Of course, without discouraging anyone from carrying on with education/going into higher education, Carrie describes her recent struggle where she wanted to have it known that she is "qualified" to write books. The awesome conclusion it draws is that, of course she is qualified. And I'll tell you this for one thing: I can't bloomin' wait to read her book!
It got me thinking about how I still feel a bit sheepish when it comes to The Girl in the Moonlight, my little blog that brings me such joy. I've stopped questioning why I choose to blog anonymously- 100% knowing it's just how I want to do things, so putting that aside, I don't like how I feel sometimes that I'm not "qualified", in a sense, to blog. I've never thought about it exactly in that way because I am always so deliriously happy to sit down and write for the ol' blog and I don't ever see it that harshly, but I wonder whether the (few- and I'm okay with that!!) people that view my posts and potentially read them think it's all rubbish.
I wonder whether, when I put up short stories, any potential reader thinks, "Hey, you're no writer!" or whether these are the kind of thoughts that cross anyone's mind that comes across my blog. Yeah, people might think it, but some people wouldn't even think that- they would know too that it's just my little personal space on the internet. My blog isn't this massive institution where it is of vital importance to make sure every thought I portray is succinct and it isn't something I get paid to do but it is something that makes me so deliriously happy and that's why I have the creation qualification, if you will, to create the content I create for the internet, even if I'm the only one that's paying attention to it!
My dreams, as I always note, involve writing- writing a book in my lifetime and earning a living with this hobby I oh-so-adore. Soon my hopeful plans to be a writer will start unfolding (past my degree) and that's when I will really find out about the creation qualification- to succeed in that career I will need a few good opinions on what I do, if it's how my life does unfold.
For now, I have the creation qualification for this blog because I enjoy it. And that really is all that it's about!
And side note: heck no do you need to "go to school" to get far in so many areas in life. Happiness is the choice we need to make.
Creations & Hopes,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
It got me thinking about how I still feel a bit sheepish when it comes to The Girl in the Moonlight, my little blog that brings me such joy. I've stopped questioning why I choose to blog anonymously- 100% knowing it's just how I want to do things, so putting that aside, I don't like how I feel sometimes that I'm not "qualified", in a sense, to blog. I've never thought about it exactly in that way because I am always so deliriously happy to sit down and write for the ol' blog and I don't ever see it that harshly, but I wonder whether the (few- and I'm okay with that!!) people that view my posts and potentially read them think it's all rubbish.
I wonder whether, when I put up short stories, any potential reader thinks, "Hey, you're no writer!" or whether these are the kind of thoughts that cross anyone's mind that comes across my blog. Yeah, people might think it, but some people wouldn't even think that- they would know too that it's just my little personal space on the internet. My blog isn't this massive institution where it is of vital importance to make sure every thought I portray is succinct and it isn't something I get paid to do but it is something that makes me so deliriously happy and that's why I have the creation qualification, if you will, to create the content I create for the internet, even if I'm the only one that's paying attention to it!
My dreams, as I always note, involve writing- writing a book in my lifetime and earning a living with this hobby I oh-so-adore. Soon my hopeful plans to be a writer will start unfolding (past my degree) and that's when I will really find out about the creation qualification- to succeed in that career I will need a few good opinions on what I do, if it's how my life does unfold.
For now, I have the creation qualification for this blog because I enjoy it. And that really is all that it's about!
And side note: heck no do you need to "go to school" to get far in so many areas in life. Happiness is the choice we need to make.
Creations & Hopes,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Their First Snow Day
She stares with a heart full of weight out of the window. Every piece of snow that catches her eye is the star of the show for all of the moments before it hits the ground. Before she can dwell on how each piece of snow falls to sleep as its fate is handed to it when faced with the damp ground, another piece catches her eye, and there we have how the evening of twenty-four year old Annie is going to be spent. She said no to seeing her best friend who she hasn't seen for months; she shook her head sadly at her little brother who wanted to play outside with her; she said no because she had a promise to keep. She has the window seat and although the pavement is damp, snow is still layered like it is on Christmas cards and it really is something.
"Our first snow day is going to be the best," Alfie says, stroking Annie's hair with a triumphant smile.
"What if we are busy during the day?" Annie frowns.
"Then we will have the evening, and if we have any supposed plans, I hear you ask? Screw 'em."
Annie giggles and curls into her boyfriend's arms.
The little marshmallows falling from the sky can't see Annie but they're performing for her. They're showing all that could have been and all that is evidently not by doing so. A few children giggle past the window with their parents trailing dreamily behind them. Annie notes that everyone outside seems warmed by all of the fun and smiles, and yet Annie, sat opposite the fireplace, couldn't feel any colder.
"What other firsts have we got to come, Al?" She asks longingly.
"Our first holiday." Annie looks up at him but he's not looking at her. Instead he's looking a head with adoring eyes and Annie's heart smiles with his. "Our first fight."
"No!" Annie almost yells and they laugh at the irony. "Go back to our first snow day. That sounds fun."
"So we will have our first snowball fight... Do our first snow angels!" Annie giggles at his enthusiasm. "And Annie," he turns to her and strokes her face. A tear glistens in his eye, and his thumb touches her lip. "Our first kiss in the snow."
Christmastime was getting underway just over two years ago when Alfie picked Annie up and twirled her around making her giggle. When he set her back down on her size four feet, he lowered his lips to the height of her ears. "Imagine our wedding and our first kiss as husband and wife."
Annie feels her heart lift for a second and her eyes refuse to blink. In the darkness behind the window that is separating Annie from the merriment, Annie lets herself believe that just in front of the big tree sprinkled with white dust, there's a girl with size four feet and a guy with the biggest heart. As there are far off giggles of excitement, Annie can almost see her own arms wrapped around her lovely Alfie. Just as their lips touch and Christmas makes their wishes come true, Annie's head falls into her lap and she cries for him. For her. For them.
It's the second Christmas Annie's celebrated without her best friend since they met ten years before. She brings the last photo taken of them from her pocket and onto her lap. Three weeks later Annie was stood at his funeral, not even daring to let one tear drop. A year and a half later and she's understanding the glisten of the Christmas lights a little more- the sadness to be remembered, and the happiness that can be found. Annie let's go of her quest to find the light in the darkness for one night, and she whispers through her tears, "Our first snow day." She stares out of the window. "We said we'd spend it together, so here I am baby."
~
Stars & Snow,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
"Our first snow day is going to be the best," Alfie says, stroking Annie's hair with a triumphant smile.
"What if we are busy during the day?" Annie frowns.
"Then we will have the evening, and if we have any supposed plans, I hear you ask? Screw 'em."
Annie giggles and curls into her boyfriend's arms.
The little marshmallows falling from the sky can't see Annie but they're performing for her. They're showing all that could have been and all that is evidently not by doing so. A few children giggle past the window with their parents trailing dreamily behind them. Annie notes that everyone outside seems warmed by all of the fun and smiles, and yet Annie, sat opposite the fireplace, couldn't feel any colder.
"What other firsts have we got to come, Al?" She asks longingly.
"Our first holiday." Annie looks up at him but he's not looking at her. Instead he's looking a head with adoring eyes and Annie's heart smiles with his. "Our first fight."
"No!" Annie almost yells and they laugh at the irony. "Go back to our first snow day. That sounds fun."
"So we will have our first snowball fight... Do our first snow angels!" Annie giggles at his enthusiasm. "And Annie," he turns to her and strokes her face. A tear glistens in his eye, and his thumb touches her lip. "Our first kiss in the snow."
Christmastime was getting underway just over two years ago when Alfie picked Annie up and twirled her around making her giggle. When he set her back down on her size four feet, he lowered his lips to the height of her ears. "Imagine our wedding and our first kiss as husband and wife."
Annie feels her heart lift for a second and her eyes refuse to blink. In the darkness behind the window that is separating Annie from the merriment, Annie lets herself believe that just in front of the big tree sprinkled with white dust, there's a girl with size four feet and a guy with the biggest heart. As there are far off giggles of excitement, Annie can almost see her own arms wrapped around her lovely Alfie. Just as their lips touch and Christmas makes their wishes come true, Annie's head falls into her lap and she cries for him. For her. For them.
It's the second Christmas Annie's celebrated without her best friend since they met ten years before. She brings the last photo taken of them from her pocket and onto her lap. Three weeks later Annie was stood at his funeral, not even daring to let one tear drop. A year and a half later and she's understanding the glisten of the Christmas lights a little more- the sadness to be remembered, and the happiness that can be found. Annie let's go of her quest to find the light in the darkness for one night, and she whispers through her tears, "Our first snow day." She stares out of the window. "We said we'd spend it together, so here I am baby."
~
Stars & Snow,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Down to Earth to Daydreaming
I've been told before that I'm quite down to earth and then, on the other hand, I've been told I'm a daydreamer. I really don't mind this quite dramatic contradiction. And I'll tell you why.
The down to earth part in me
My uncle told my mum that he thinks my brother and I are very down to earth. I believe that the ones I love who also surround me (physically or on the phone/over Skype) are down to earth people and being reminded of these values because they are so often around me helps. I'm down to earth in that I understand my priorities and what and who should be put before what other things or people. I understand, like most, that I'm not who the earth revolves around and I understand that hard work is necessary and I won't be handed any successes with ease. I think being down to earth is important because it means understanding others and also yourself. I think it then rolls into having other qualities I so aspire to have, like humbleness and sincerity and all the other good stuff!
The daydreamer in me
For good measure, I'm a daydreamer! In a way there are no limits to my daydreaming, which is almost exactly the opposite of being down to earth, in my head! I adore imaging how my future is going to turn out, which always involves me using my future books I've written as pillows and all sorts of other necessary furniture so I can always be surrounded by them at home. I love thinking about days out in the future and holidays that aren't even planned or talked of yet. I'm your classic daydreamer and sometimes I'm your classic daydreamer x100.
A little conclusion
I actually believe these two attributes work in tandem- they can really complement each other. It is a good thing to reach for the stars and I hope I always do- daydreaming is good for this. It is also good to know when something isn't possible- I can't do all of those a million fabby things today and I have to draw a line and throw away my musical theatre career (apparently my talents do not lie in this field). Daydreaming is good because it can often outline what I really want from my life and being down to earth means I remain somewhat of a humble human being and can continue aiming to be better!
Advent Calendars & Fluffy Gloves,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
The down to earth part in me
My uncle told my mum that he thinks my brother and I are very down to earth. I believe that the ones I love who also surround me (physically or on the phone/over Skype) are down to earth people and being reminded of these values because they are so often around me helps. I'm down to earth in that I understand my priorities and what and who should be put before what other things or people. I understand, like most, that I'm not who the earth revolves around and I understand that hard work is necessary and I won't be handed any successes with ease. I think being down to earth is important because it means understanding others and also yourself. I think it then rolls into having other qualities I so aspire to have, like humbleness and sincerity and all the other good stuff!
The daydreamer in me
For good measure, I'm a daydreamer! In a way there are no limits to my daydreaming, which is almost exactly the opposite of being down to earth, in my head! I adore imaging how my future is going to turn out, which always involves me using my future books I've written as pillows and all sorts of other necessary furniture so I can always be surrounded by them at home. I love thinking about days out in the future and holidays that aren't even planned or talked of yet. I'm your classic daydreamer and sometimes I'm your classic daydreamer x100.
A little conclusion
I actually believe these two attributes work in tandem- they can really complement each other. It is a good thing to reach for the stars and I hope I always do- daydreaming is good for this. It is also good to know when something isn't possible- I can't do all of those a million fabby things today and I have to draw a line and throw away my musical theatre career (apparently my talents do not lie in this field). Daydreaming is good because it can often outline what I really want from my life and being down to earth means I remain somewhat of a humble human being and can continue aiming to be better!
Advent Calendars & Fluffy Gloves,
The Girl in the Moonlight.
P.S. Blogmas!
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