A Gooding Take On The World @agoodingtakeontheworld - Tumblr Blog

Bullshit

We can smell it a mile off, right?! 💩 'I don't mean this as it sounds but...' 'I'm not being nasty but...' 'That looks lovely on you but...' The list is endless and we're all guilty of it but I think it's about time we cut the crap, stopped beating around the bush and just said what we mean, don't you?! The truth can hurt of course, but it's a damn sight better than trudging through loads of bullshit... So next time you're not sure whether or not to be honest or are questioning your response, don't! You're not doing yourself, or anyone else for that matter any favours. Glad I got that off my chest, it had been bothering me for too long! 😆

365 days, 364 photos...

365 days ago I started my yearly task of setting myself a New Years Resolution. I enjoy it - I enjoy thinking about what I want to achieve and how I am going to go about it. I wanted to do something for myself. Something that would help me to appreciate life and the people in it. 365 photos. Take one each and every day until 31st December 2015. I didn't really know what to expect - would I be bothered? Would I remember? Won't I get bored?! Well, here I am with 1 day to go and I did it. I have a photo from every day of my life from the past year - how cool is that?! (Well nearly...more on that in a moment!) Sometimes I wouldn't have taken a photo and would need some inspiration, so I'd trudge my way through Instagram and Pinterest to find a good quote worthy of the daily position that was up for grabs. I would highly recommend doing this - I feel a sense of achievement that I set myself a task for a whole year and I've done it! I'm looking forward to looking back over them and seeing my year in pictures. I should probably mention that I've had a slight mishap along the way...I appear to be one short somehow so I must have not marked one of the photos one day but I'll be going back over them to find the day in question and will slot something in. So, 364 out of 365 isn't THAT bad is it?? Now the time has come again for us to reflect on the year passed and set some goals for the next 12 months. It's a cliche I know but it's such a good time to make a decision about something or make a change. In case you're interested, these are my 2016 New Years Resolutions. 1) Take a photo every day (again) 2) Read for 15 minutes each day 3) Do something I have never done before every month 4) Don't put important tasks off 5) See more of my family Nothing strenuous, nothing I can't do - just 5 decisions I am making to give 2016 a kick start! Have a think - it's quite therapeutic actually! You don't have to explain yourself to anyone, just do something for yourself - the sense of achievement is worth it!

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year?

Christmas. There are parties, reunions, presents, drinks, food, fun and games. We absolutely LOVE it! The looks on kids faces when they realise Santa Clause really does exist. The giving and receiving of presents, the huge roast dinner that would feed 5000 people and spending quality time with our loved ones.

That's the majority of us. What about those who don't have any family to share the festive period with? What about those who link Christmas to sad times in their lives? What about those who don't 'do' Christmas for whatever reason?

I'm not trying to put a dampener on it, far from it! We should all revel in the fact we make Christmas the most wonderful time of the year. But we should not forget the people who aren't fortunate enough to be able to do this.

Some people will be on their own this Christmas. Some people will not get any presents. Some people won't be able to afford to buy any presents. For some people, this is a very painful time.

Let us share the love and get right back to basics - forget the presents, parties, food and drink, relish in the fact you have loved ones to spend this time with. Tell them all you love them and you're grateful. Be thankful. Say a prayer. Count your lucky stars.

Have a very Merry Christmas and see the New Year in with a bang! But please spare a thought for those less fortunate - a smile, a short chat or even a cup of coffee could make someone's Christmas. Let's not forget what it's really all about.

This has got to stop!

I find myself watching the news or reading it on my phone quite often these days. Catching up on the day's events, seeing who killed who in Eastenders and who's left the jungle. All mundane, 'entertaining' and mediocre headlines we all just skim. Today, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I stopped in my tracks. I was reading about the Government voting on whether or not 'we' should attack the Islamic State in Syria. I can't remember a time when I ever felt uneasy about getting on a plane or going to London. Until now. Don't get me wrong, I would never not do something for this reason but it's made us all a bit unnerved right? The Paris attacks all a bit too close to home. It's terrifying. Terrifying to think what these monsters are capable of. Terrifying to think our Country could be hit with the same devastation as Paris. Terrifying to think our loved ones could be in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, two wrongs DO NOT make a right. We should not give these monsters what they want. We should not attack. I felt like I was reading an episode of 24 and Jack Bauer would save the day! All this talk of drones and planes controlled remotely and explosions. Surely this can't be what our world has become? It's soul destroying and utterly disgusting. I can't comprehend this happening here. I don't want to. But I also don't want to be part of this ethos that we should attack them. And no, I don't know what the answer is, I don't know what the right thing to do is. But we have to find a way to fix this broken world we find ourselves in. We have to set an example to our next generation. We just need to glue the world back together and make it right. I don't know how but I know that what's on the cards at the moment is not the answer.

United We Stand

There are no words to express how devastating, terrifying and disgusting the events in Paris were. It’s incomprehensible. These people have no hearts. I have no idea what goes through their minds - someone somewhere has brainwashed them. The human race should not be capable of such actions. Sadly, it would appear it is.

We must not hide away. We must not let them know we are frightened that our country will be next. We must stand united, together and as one.

You will never win.

There is no right way

We’ve all heard it, been told what we should be doing or should have done or what we should do next; what our priorities should be, what we should do less of or more of.

This is what I say - they’re my priorities, my mistakes, my needs, my wants, all of which equates to my life. A life I choose to live how I wish.

Children, travel, relationships, drinking, jobs - the list is endless. There is always something to say, something to criticise or suggest or just drop hints left, right and centre.

Sometimes people don’t realise how they come across, maybe they think they’re being helpful. They’re not. The saying ‘If you haven’t got anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all’ comes to mind.

And no, this isn’t directed at anyone. Just something I’ve been wanting to get off my chest for a while! I’m talking about society, not one or two people. And the worst part of it all is that we take notice. We think we SHOULD be settling down and having children as we’re getting older, travelling the world to gain some life experience or cutting back on the booze or cigarettes.

I’m making a stand. Do what YOU want and not what society says you SHOULD be doing. Make your own choices and just be happy. Do whatever is right for you - change jobs, go back to college, break off that poisonous friendship, but do it because it’s what YOU want.

You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.

Celebrate being independent and just love life and all it has to offer.

❤️💙💛💚💜 Just Be You 💜💚💛💙❤️

The Countdown

This is my first 'personal' blog that's directly related to me - sometimes writing (typing in my case) things out makes you realise just how bloody fantastic you are! 😆 I don't think I've ever experienced so many emotions at once. I feel terrified. I feel excited. I feel sad. I feel relieved. I feel shocked. I feel proud. I get my uni results in 6 hours. I want the fast forward. I want to know right now! I want this fear to be gone. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I NEVER thought I would get to this day. I am so proud of myself for achieving this - a task that seemed so far out of reach 3 years ago I could only imagine this feeling. And now the time has come, D-Day has arrived, I want it over. I want this feeling to be gone. Maybe I shouldn't be wishing it away. It's everything I have worked for these last 3 years. It's for all the hours slogging at my desk. All the times I had to say 'no' to going out. All the exams I sat. And all the support I've had from my friends and family. In 6 hours the wait will be over. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to come out of this with a 2:1 - of course I do! However, I am doubtful. And regardless of all my lovely friends and family saying 'of course you will, you've worked so hard', it's not a given. There's no promise of this grade that seems to be golden. Exams are hard, and I struggled with 2 out of 3. So I'll probably get a 2:2 - I've had a full time job, I've bought a flat and I've had the best 3 years of my life - how on earth could I for one moment complain or be disappointed? I did this for me. No one else, just me. And regardless of what I get I couldn't be prouder of myself. I've achieved something I didn't think I could and come through the other side with the best friends in tow and the best stories to tell. I'm sharing my feelings because I want everyone to believe they can do something and be proud! Do something for you - just you, and ALWAYS be proud! 😁💜🎓

Those moments

There are some moments in life that are just plain annoying. Or perhaps soul destroying, devastating or incomprehensible. We want to scream because it's not fair, ask why it had to be us and just moan about it until the cows come home. That's one option anyway. Be grateful. Grateful that it wasn't any worse. Grateful for the things you do have rather than moaning about the things you don't have or can't do. Be thankful. Thankful to your friends and family who support you. Thankful for them making you laugh and turning that frown upside down. Be hopeful. Hopeful that things will get better. Hopeful that you won't have to experience this again. You know how you feel. You know what's best. You know how to deal with it. They'll be lots thinking that this is all about me too. Me and my ankle. They'd be mistaken. And you assumed I thought it was always all about me...

Fakebook

For the second time this year I’ve decided to go a month without Facebook (although I’m not sure I’ll ever be back!). I tried it out in February and although I found it pretty hard to start with, I gradually became accustomed to life without the famous Book and actually quite liked it!

Sure, I missed seeing what my friends were up to and the photos of kids and nights out that everyone chooses to share, but there are a few things I didn’t miss.

I didn’t miss being questioned and judged. The life that I chose to put on Facebook was being slated. The comments with hidden meanings and the inside jokes. And I know we are all guilty of it, but I no longer wish to be a part of this bitchy revolution.

We all choose what we put online. We choose what we want people to see. And it’s not just me who is being questioned and judged; it’s you too. Every single thing you put on Facebook is being picked to pieces by someone, somewhere.

And no, before you start thinking this is aimed at you, it’s not - don’t flatter yourself. I’m speaking in general terms about something that’s pissed me off for longer than I care to remember - it’s only now I’m getting round to doing something about it!

This isn’t life. This isn’t what it was ever supposed to be about. So I’m putting my foot down. For another month (at least), I’m going cold turkey.

Why don’t we go back to basics? Why don’t we write letters or even send texts?! That’ll be a distant memory soon as well. And we’ll all just be Facebook friends - you’ll have in excess of 200 friends. Take your rose-tinted glasses off and smell the shit round the corner - you don’t have 200 friends, nor will you ever. Let’s try concentrating on the twenty-odd real friends we do have and share all our shit with them and them only.

Bye Fakebook - over and out!

Pretentious and judgmental - oh it's far too easy!

I find myself using this word all too much these days. 'Don't be so pretentious!' It seems to have become a regular sentence that I use. Good or bad?! I'm undecided. Sure, I can be pretentious - I swipe 'left' like there's no tomorrow on Tinder, not even considering those who don't have the required hair colour or correct shirt on. And I'll swipe 'right' only giving thought to someone's glasses or chosen pose. Only ever looking at the first photo you understand, God forbid I would actually look through any other photos and take the time to inspect my potential 'match' a tad further. Is it me being pretentious or is this what society has become? We judge people by their looks - what they wear, their size or shape, their hairstyle, their tattoos; or simply by what their friends look like. When did it come to this? And why?? Perhaps we're all just too judgemental. Come on, we're all guilty of it! I personally couldn't give two shiny shits what anyone thinks of me because I am comfortable in my own skin and happy with the who I have become - some people aren't so lucky and need that little bit of reassurance sometimes. So let's stop being pretentious and judgemental and pay someone a compliment instead and try and see beyond what people look like. It's far too easy to be negative and much harder to be positive sometimes but with a little bit of perseverance we'll all get there. We're all capable of seeing past the mask that we all possess; the problem lies whether or not we want to...

Human nature - is that what they call it?

It’s a strange one isn’t it? What is ‘human nature’ anyway?! We’re all humans and we have a nature? Like a garden?! NO - THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT YOU DISGUSTING INDIVIDG! (new abreev and one that I am very proud of! Many thanks, kind regards)

You’ll hear the term a lot these days - ‘oh it’s just human nature’ - WHAT IS??????

Is it human nature to ask stupid questions without thinking; to feel sad about things that we shouldn’t; to get mad about things that we shouldn’t; to get cross when others don’t act as we feel they should?!

Perhaps ‘human nature’ is another human who just appears when we least expect it, when we don’t quite know what’s going on, or just when we are at our wits end and someone is trying to test us?!

Who knows?! I certainly don’t, and to be quite honest, I don’t really care - we are all humans, we are all different, but appaz we do all have this human nature in common. And there’s one aspect of this that we are all guilty of. We ask stupid questions and don’t think before we speak. So come on humans, let’s just try and beat this human nature and just think a teeny bit more and maybe, just maybe, the world would be a happier place…

Lucky Stars

Today I’m feeling nostalgic. Funny word isn’t it?! The sort that we don’t really understand until we are in our twenties…or perhaps that was just me…

I don’t count my lucky stars enough. My friends and my family are amazing, and I know we all say it but it’s true.

Take a minute to count yours - you'll be on an instant high!

I love you all, thank you for everything but most of all, thank you for being my lucky stars ⭐️

Two things...

There are a few things that have played on my mind today having read Glamour Magazine (I’m opening this blog post with this information for the benefit of those who wish to know where I have got my inspiration from!).

Firstly, and I know this is quite a com (new abreev) question that people ask, if you knew that today was going to be your last day alive then would you have done what you have done?! Interesting question I feel as I’m pretty certain if it was mine I wouldn’t have gone to work! But we have to don’t we?? We have to carry on in life regardless of the shit that it throws at us. We have to be strong. We have to hold our head high and put our best foot forward. It’s what we, as humans, although I use that word loosely, do best.

It’s so easy to see family/friends/friends of friends/acquaintances/strangers go through hard times, times that we feel would be impossible for us. I’ve often said myself, ‘I literally don’t know how I would cope’. I consider myself fortch that I’m not in their shoes, that I haven’t had to experience their pain. But the bottom line is, whatever life throws at us, however hard, however impossible it feels at the time, we get through it. Because we have no choice. Because life is worth living! And because I truly believe that no one on this earth is given a cross to bear that they are not strong enough to carry. So next time life feels unfair, you feel picked on or if it just all gets a bit much, remember that you are strong enough and that cross will gradually get lighter.

Secondly, if someone wrote a book about your life to date, would you read it to the end?! Would your life be a page turner? It’s an interesting thought isn’t it?! Sure, some things would be as dull as hell, all the mundane stuff that we’ve all done - school for example. But we’ve all got stuff we’ve achieved and are proud of. It’s good for us to think about these things sometimes, to appreciate just how f***ing fantastic we are! I’ve nearly finished a law degree whilst working full-time - I don’t care if anyone else is proud of me, I’ve done it for myself and I couldn’t be prouder of me!

So perhaps what I’m trying to say is this. Pat yourself on the back. You’re totes amaze. Whatever it is you do/have done/plan to do - WELL DONE! There is too much criticism in this world and its about time someone said, you know what - I would be a page turner and I’ve conquered a hell of a lot so far so BRING IT ON!!

#glamourmaguk

The morning after the night before...

You wake up. You feel like death warmed up. You have that sudden pang of dread in the pit of your stomach. You pick up your phone. You do the dreaded scroll through of your messages. Who did you text? What did you say? How obvs was it you were hammered? How much of your dignity did you lose to your messages?

We’ve all been there right?! Why is it that we have the urge to send messages we would never send sober once we’ve popped the cork on a few bottles of vino?! Maybe we lose our inhibitions. Maybe our alcohol fuelled brain thinks it knows best. Maybe it does. Maybe if our friends can’t cope with us when we behave this way, when we’re, for want of a better word, pissed, they shouldn’t have the pleasure of our friendship. Maybe our intoxicated mind comes out with everything our sober mind keeps locked away.

Or maybe, just maybe, the phone should stay at home…

Did I learn something new?

They say we learn something new every single day - just a saying or is it actually true?! I certainly learnt something today.

ALWAYS re-read an email before you send it, especially when the recipient is your boss!

She knew what I meant of course, that wasn't the problem. But for anyone else reading it out of context my computer access would have been shut down! (Fortch this didn't happen!)

Surely I already knew that I should re-read an email before sending it? You'd think so anyway...

It's similar to that fatal moment when you send a text to the wrong person - to the person the text is about and the whole world suddenly falls out of your arse!

In 2015 when technology is so advanced and we are expected to do EVERYTHING online and not ever touch paper again, you'd think there would be a way of negating these earth crashing moments from our lives. Human error is a terrible thing...

So going back to the original question - do we really learn something new every day?! I'm pretty sure I already knew subconsciously that I should be checking before I enter the land of no return and press 'Send' but I guess I didn't think of that at the time. Perhaps that's the problem. Perhaps I don't think enough. Just makes me impulsive. Not a bad quality. I mean who likes playing it safe?! How boring...

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