The adventure that is life

I'm Sian. 22. Live in Rochester, usually in London somewhere. Vlogger, producer, explorer, photographer and creator of good viiibeees 🌞

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Hello.... it’s been a while

Hi!!!!! You probably don’t even remember me. It’s been SO long. I just wanted to write and say I have a new blog and I’d love to catch up with you all again ♥️ If you’re interested, it’s www.lovesian.co.uk Have the loveliest day!!!!

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I really miss blogging. Really really. I'm coming back. Starting with this.. My Sunday morning Musefest.

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Life lately!

☀ Friday and Saturday night I had my first shifts at my new job... Freelancing work has been dry lately so I now work in a pub! I have literally hit the job jackpot because everyone I work with is beyond lovely. They invited me to a BBQ yesterday and I felt like part of their family already. Cuteeeee

☀ Today I’ve been packing for my holiday on Wednesday and I’m SO EXCITED it’s unreal. Can’t wait. My favourite girls, my wonderful grandparents, sun, swimming + golden tans await.. eeek

☀ I’ve been uploading lots of vlogs lately but haven’t wanted to spam you so go check out my YT channel if you want to catch up with what’s been going on! Above is a little channel trailer I made this week and it’s worth watching purely for the fact I found an incredible Arctic Monkeys remix (and my bro is mad gorgeous)

☀ Love, light and more love to all of you :-)

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Hi tumblys 👅🤘🏻 another vlog! This time I did the 'get to know me' Youtuber tag which is basically me answering a shit ton (50 to be exact) of personal questions that make for interesting (or not so...) viewing 🌈 xxxx

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Filming some new vlogs today to schedule while I'm on holiday. I bloody love vlogging. I can't even imagine how amazing it must be to do this for a living...stay tuned 😌 On another note I have been feeling SO GOOD lately and do you know why? I decided to stop worrying. Sounds ridiculous but it's true. I got in a real slump about putting on weight/not being where I wanna be... Took advice from Alex Turner and snapped the hell out of it. A) feeling bad only attracts more feeling bad B) life is so magical and so temporary, am I really gonna waste time feeling shit about things as shallow as my weight ? Nah And it's so silly but deciding to stop caring has just made the world of difference. I smiled at my podgy belly this morning because I'm alive and I can dance and I'm so grateful my body is healthy (☁️ look how beautiful the sky was the other eve 💗)

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I’ve actively avoided the news for as long as I can remember. I’m the type of person who averts negativity at all costs - I’ve ‘positive quote’ boards galore on my Pinterest and preach the power of positivity to my friends so much so they’ve started calling me the ‘positivity fairy’! It’s not that I don’t want to know what’s going on in the world, it’s just - like so many others - I’m sick to death of hearing about what’s going wrong with the world. So when I was asked to attend Positive News’ Constructive Journalism course on behalf of Podium, I was excited that actions were being taken to shape the news as we know it.

I’d not heard of Positive News before and I won’t go in to too much detail (because we all have Google) but in short, it’s a ‘constructive journalism magazine’ that reports ‘with a focus on progress and possibility’. Imagine a magazine that looks at the amazing progress we are making around the world. Instead of reporting the wholly negative, Positive News might look at solutions to global challenges and how we can move forward from them. Their second quarter (2016) edition contains articles surrounding body positivity, the future of clean energy and alternative approaches to the failed ‘war on drugs’. It’s a complete breath of fresh air.

As mentioned, I was invited to attend their ‘constructive journalism’ day course - an intimate (around 10 of us), seminar-style day session of brainstorms and discussions. I learnt invaluable lessons about the nature of the news, the media industry and how both of these shape the way we view the world. These lessons aren’t solely useful to journalists alone (I don’t consider myself a journalist at all!) but are widely transferrable and useful to anyone interested in our human potential, progress and the future - so I hope this might benefit you too, in some way.

Constructive Journalism is defined as ‘rigorous, compelling reporting that includes positive and solution-focused elements in order to empower audiences and present a fuller picture of truth, while upholding journalism’s core functions and ethics.’ (Source) When looking at ‘constructive journalism’, it helps to look at the news as we know it. We watch/read about shocking events in the news day-in and day-out, such events are normalised, we become used to them and de-sensitised, the news is exaggerated/becomes even more shocking, we are de-sensitised further… and the cycle continues.

During the course, Jodie Jackson, a psychologist and associate of the Constructive Journalism Project, gave a presentation about the impact that this kind of negative news has on our mindset. Jodie explained that, not only does negative news affect us psychologically by triggering feelings of anxiety, sadness and helplessness, but behaviourally and socially it encourages feelings of contempt, anger and hostility. If we begin to think of the world as a dangerous, scary place full of risk, we are less likely to be trusting and compassionate towards others, which has a whole host of negative implications.

To fully grasp how the news is shaping our world view, Jodie spoke about a recent episode of the ‘Secret Life of 6 Year Olds’ on Channel 4 (a series that studies how young children interact with each other). In Episode 6, the children can be seen role-playing as news broadcasters. The news stories that they report (though only make-believe) are about international terrorism and violence  - “there was a train attack on a French train to Paris. They got the knife and got the guard and stabbed them.”  We see this kind of news on a daily basis, as do our children. So how is this shaping their view of the world? (Watch the clip here)

One thing the course clarified is that constructive journalism isn’t just positive, happy news stories or ‘fluff’ as they called it. It doesn’t mean ignoring all the terrible things that are happening in the world. Instead, it’s news that focuses on solutions and progress - stories that ask what next? and how can we grow from this? It’s reporting the news in a way that inspires and motivates us to take action, to be more active in our society; a type of journalism that makes us want to engage, instead of disengage with the events around us. This is why constructive journalism is so important and it seems now, more than ever, there is a need for it.

At the beginning of the course, we drew a mind map of ‘how the news makes us feel’. Common key words were powerless, anxious, sad, angry, confused…You get the idea. Constructive journalism aims to leave the reader inspired, motivated, informed and empowered. As the next generation of journalists, creators and leaders, it’s important to remember that the news, the media and the messages we are sending out are shaping our world view, and ultimately our world. If we keep sending out negative messages, our world view and perspective will be negative. If we can begin to inspire feelings of hope, empowerment and change, maybe the next generation of six year olds will have a kinder world to re-enact.

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Hiyaaa, happy Saturday!

I put up a new vlog this week. It’s basically me watering some plants and getting drunk

If you’re bored, here’s a really exciting way to pass the time. You’re welcome

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British summer. Glorious and guaranteed to only last a few days (hours sometimes) but still....SUN. Kiss me. Today I made iced coffee with coffee ice cubes and it is soooooo exactly what you need when you need a boost but it's too hot for coffee. Lululuuuv

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Yesterday, mum and I had the perfect day. I got home from work and we walked in to our darling Rochester- which we are still absolutely in love with!!! What followed was a pub crawl of live music, new friends, sunshine, DELICIOUS food, a twilight stroll home and Nowhere Boy (one of my fav films about John Lennon). Did you know 💡 Rochester castle is nearly 1000 years old!!!!

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Life lately ✨ photo dump 1. My friend left her henna tubes at my house and I went to TOWN. 2. Yesterday's ponder whilst staring in to the blue: 7 billion people will have a completely different experience today. Life can be whatever you make it. 3. Saturday reading aesthetic. Good books/Twilight is how I roll 4. Near Embankment station there's a guy who sells poems. Each poem is in an envelope and you can choose one for a small donation. I chose "for a young lady fond of sweet things"... I assumed it just meant sweet things as in y'know, cute. But nope. The poem was about baking. Ha. 5. Gorgeous holiday presents from my best friend. "Dare to live your own adventure" 6. A pretty window on a house I stayed at in London this weekend

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I have joined the dungaree club and it’s a big thumbs up from me.

Practicality 10/10 ✅ - pockets for phone, front pocket for train tickets

Comfortability 10/10 ✅ - sooooooo comfy, so loose, so fab

Aesthetic 7/10 ✅ - if you want to look like a full time painter / 90s throwback, this is the look for you

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NEW VLOG 😚 Important life advice in this one + fun in the sun at The Big O Festival

Watch the full thing here ❤

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How to sort your life out

Yesterday I had the LOVELIEST day at a festival near my old house. All my best buddies, my first Ferris Wheel experience since I was a kid, pimms galore, live music... It was so good. (Vlog coming soon) Anyway I spent a good part of the evening with my friend Bill in Dean's Diner talking life over nachos and milkshake. Peanut butter milkshake might I add. Lately I've been feeling so demotivated and we basically sorted out a plan for me. It feels good to have a plan and some goals again. I feel, wait for it... MOTIVATED 🎉 hoorrrray So this morning I started Couch to 5k again- inspired by motivation queen @arborescent who just restarted the plan too. It felt soooo goooood. And so the point of this post is.... Sometimes when you're feeling a bit unsettled/unsure/demotivated, you just need life chats with your pal and a real delicious milkshake. 🌞 happy Sunday X

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Friday 1st July

💜 How is it July? ...More importantly how is it July and we’ve only seen about 4 days of sun this whole year?

💜 My ear is STILL blocked guys. It’s so frustrating. I went to a gig last night and I can’t work out if the gig sucked or I just couldn’t hear 

💜 I always get soya lattes when I go to coffee shops now and so I bought some soya milk to try at home. It just isn’t the same is it?! Sweetened soya tastes a tad more like it... but seriously, what are they doing to make it taste so nice?! Because at the mo it just isn’t doing anything for me. I want pret standard soya lattes at home pleaseeeee

💜 This English weather is doing my nut now. Rain rain go away, don’t come back another day. Probs why I’m so demotivated 99% of the time lately...I belong on a beach somewhere. I have always had this silly dream that I’d open a beach bar/shop somewhere exotic and sell jewellery made from shells. That’s the life for me.

Or Sian’s Safaris. Either works

💜 I was talking to someone the other day about ‘universal wage’ - basically where everyone is given the same amount of money to survive on monthly (a basic wage) which covers food/living etc. Any jobs you want to take on to make more money is entirely up to you or you can just live on the basic wage. It would give people a chance to pursue their dreams/art/passions whatever without the financial pressure of having to live. I don’t know about you but seriously if I was in charge I’d make it happen. How lovely to be able to live and do what you love without worry?

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Beautiful moments from this week 🌞

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Monday musings, thoughts and stuff

💜 I tried to upload a video of my birthday earlier and it had two of my guy friends jokingly peck each other on the lips for literally one second but Tumblr removed the video due to ‘sexually explicit content’... are you kidding me?

💜 My left ear is totally blocked. I can’t hear a thing apart from super loud ringing and it’s sending me mad. A visit to the doctors tomorrow can’t come soon enough (if they’ll fit me in...if not I might go crazy)

💜 I need to figure out what I’m doing with my life. I don’t have a job - freelancing doesn’t count when it’s not regular - and it’s getting real frustrating..

💜 I am so ridiculously grateful for my friends. They’re unbelievable. Honestly, this weekend I was made to feel so loved and I can’t believe I’m this lucky

💜 My gorgeous pen pal and Canadian soul sista Megan (who I haven’t actually met yet) might be booking her plane ticket in the next couple days to visit and that makes me SO excited!!!

💜 “rinnnnnnngggggggggggggggg” - my ear

💜 I need someone to tell me how to conquer the YouTube world asap

💜 Coldplay at Glastonbury was something ELSE. Never seen anything so beautiful in my LIFE. Rainbows everywhere, love everywhereeee

💜 That’s it for now because ring ring ring ring can’t think straight ringggggggggggg

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📢 HIYA. NEW VLOG.

Turned 22. Cutest present ever. Secret pub. Ice cream.