Planning the Perfect Relaxation Night| Carenza Bramwell

With everything that's going on right now, it's hard to feel fully relaxed. My aim for this post was originally to talk about how to have "chill no-work nights" as a student, however, given the current situation, I thought I'd expand the topics. In essence, it's going to be the same post, but slightly altered. I thought I'd share some ideas for how to have a relaxation evening. Some of these activities can be done either by yourself or with the people you live with. 

How to Have the Perfect Relaxation Night

Firstly, pick a night to do one of the activities. If you're like me, then it's finding the time to relax that is the challenging bit, not the actual relaxing bit. Secondly, decide what sort of relaxing you want to do or need. Thirdly, enjoy!

Movie Night

Who doesn't love a good movie night? One of my favourite things to do as a student in need of a relaxing evening was to watch a movie. Most of the time, I would watch by myself, but sometimes I would watch something with my housemates. I have to admit that I am guilty of rewatching my favourite movies, more often than watching new movies. 

During the current situation, there are lots of new ways of watching movies together while being in separate locations. I know there is a feature on Netflix and on Google Chrome. I've also seen people watching stuff together via Facebook messenger and Facetime. It's all about getting creative with how you can do these activities. If you live with other people, you can have a group movie night while still adopting the appropriate safety measures.   

If you are looking for some film recommendations, here is a list of my favourite films. 

Tv Marathon

Again, who doesn't love a TV marathon? There are so many great TV shows to be watching. Before all of the safety measures kicked in, me and my housemates were preparing for the new season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine to drop on Netflix. 

Now is a good time to start a new TV show or catch up on a classic. Personally, I am waiting to finish the latest season of Doctor Who. I've also started watching Noughts+Crosses, an adaptation of a series of novels I love by the same name. Some classics I want to finally get into include Peaky Blinders. There is a never ending list of TV shows and many streaming services available to watch them on.

If you are looking for some TV recommendations, here is a list of my favourite shows. 

Reading Evening

This was my usual way of having a chilled evening while at uni. I would always set aside a few hours, or as many as I could spare, to have a reading evening. I've found that this is a mostly solitary activity, however, I know that a lot of people in the bookish community have been hosting readathons to get through the current situation. 

My perfect reading night involves curling up in bed in my pjs, with a candle burning and my favourite reading playlist playing. I also really like having a tasty drink nearby. I regularly take breaks to just relax my eyes as reading lots can strain them.

I have so many book recommendations on here, you can look through my back catalogue of books.

Game Night

Honestly, all I can think of is the episode from season 5 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine called Game Night. However, in all seriousness, a game night could be a great way to relax either as an individual or as a group. It could also be to play video games or board games. My housemates and I would always play games together and it was a really fun, but easy way to hang out. There are so many great games out there.

I would recommend some classics such as Monopoly or a more modern game such as exploding kittens. When it comes to video games, I don't actually know that much, but I have seen a lot of people playing the new Animal Crossing game on Nintendo Switch (which looks so fun I might just have to cave in and get one). From actual experience, I've played some of the jackabox (I think that's what they're called) games and they can be a really good way to relax as a group.

 

Pamper Evening

This is the only option I would say is a solo activity. You can't go wrong with a pamper night. Have a bath. Do a face mask. Just some general tlc. I don't do these as much as I should but they are a really good way to relax. It's important to look after yourself and a pamper night is the perfect way to do so.

Arts and Crafts Session  

This is the only activity on the list that I haven't tried, but I think that having an arts and crafts session would be a great way to relax. I know a lot of people who swear by colouring books as a way of relaxing. You can put some music or a tv show on in the background. I want to try out more forms of arts and crafts, so having a dedicated evening could be the perfect way to do it.

I hope this post was helpful and inspired you to find some time to relax during this difficult time.  

Carenza :) x

Why I've Started a "Creative Journal" and How You Can Too| Carenza Bramwell

As someone who identifies as a creative, it is very important to me to be working on at least one creative project. Something I was struggling with up until the beginning of this year was finding a way of keeping a track of all my creative thoughts. And then I had a fairly simple solution to my problem- I would start a creative journal. You might be wondering, what the heck is a creative journal? In this post, I will explain what I mean by a creative journal, why I use one and how you can use one while making it unique to you. 

A title page in my creative journal

What the Heck is a Creative Journal?

Good question. A creative journal, put simply, is a journal where I store all of my creative thoughts and plans. It's just a plain notebook with all of my creativeness in it. It isn't anything fancy like an art journal or a bullet journal. 

An example of one of my blog post planner pages

My creative journal is a black hardback Moleskin notebook. I've just started adding some drawings to the blank pages and there is a lot of colour coding depending on what I need to write about. I use it to plan my blog posts, keep a track of what books I want to read and what books I've read. I also use it as a place to store all of my big writing projects. I have since started to add other lists such as a list of all the digital content I watch (films and tvs) and to track all the books I purchase. Like I said, put simply, it is for tracking all my creative plans and projects. 

Why I Use One?

I decided that 2020 would the year I get my creative plans sorted and keep on top of all my creative thoughts. I am someone who often has creative plans just pop into my head and I always forget to write them down, or I spread them around multiple notebooks. By having a set journal, I now have one place for all my creative thoughts. I've been using it since early January, and I've found I'm no longer in such a creative slump. I've had lots of ideas and I can't wait to find the time to write them. I do already have a notebook called "writing projects", which I think I will use for rough plans and the research parts. I can also transfer my current projects into my new journal. 

One of my creative project planner pages

The increased productivity I've found since starting one has been a real inspiration, especially during the current climate. Like with any other journal form, having one place to store all of your thoughts is handy. 

I've also found it very relaxing to actually spend some time away from technology and use an old fashioned pen and paper to plan everything. You could also do this digitally if you wanted to, but having a bit of time away from screens has actually been very relaxing and good for my mental health.

How You Can You Make Your Own?

My book tracker for January 2020

It's quite easy, all you need is a notebook and your thoughts. It depends how you want to split up your projects. For me, the three main areas of my creativity are my blog, books and writing. I have a couple of minor lists, which I might end up incorporating into bigger lists depending on how things go. I would recommend colour coding the key sections of your journal to make it easier to find what you are looking for. Something I've also started to do is to add title pages to each month. I was inspired to do this after seeing a tonne of bullet journal videos do this. They don't have to the prettiest or the best drawings, if you're having fun that's all that matters. This is also a chance to develop a new skill. I wanted to develop my drawing skills in 2020, so by adding little drawings where I can I am improving this new skill. 

If you are looking for something fun, easy and new to do during the current situation, then look no further than starting a creative journal. 

Carenza :) x 

 

Finding Inspiration and Positivity When It Feels Like There is None| Carenza Bramwell

Remember when we all thought 2020 was going to be a great year? Our year? Sadly, COVID-19 ripped that away from us and things are looking a bit bleak right now. My plan for this post originally had been to talk about finding inspiration when you are feeling uninspired. However, I realised that was very similar to a post I've already written. So, with the world and life being a bit blue at the moment, I thought I'd spread some positivity and tips on how to find inspiration right now. 

Inspiration and Positivity During the Current Situation

As I've already said, it feels hard right now to find anything good in life. We're currently living through a pandemic, we could or might have already lost loved ones, the shops are a barren wasteland and many elements of our day to day lives (school, work, etc) are closing. I think a key step towards feeling normal and more positive about this situation is to acknowledge that you are sad and give yourself time to feel "normal" again. For me, I was going to go travelling this summer with a friend, I was hoping to get some work experience before I graduate next summer and finish my second year of university. Suddenly, these every day plans have been taken away from me. I am nowhere near back to feeling normal, but I have come to accept the reality of my situation in a healthy way. When all of this was announced and I suddenly found myself packing up my life, I took the time to feel sad and accept that this was not where I wanted to be. I think taking those steps have helped me overcome the first hurdle. I will still have bad days throughout the coming months, but by taking the time ti acknowledge that I am actually really upset about how this is effecting me is a normal thing to do.

Something else I have decided to do to make it more bearable is to try and find a routine in all of this chaos. I suddenly have a lot of free time on my hands, and while I still have commitments (all my university deadlines sadly), I don't know what to do with myself. One of the first things I did when I moved back to my parents house, was to sit down and make a "get it done lockdown list". I split this into three categories- university, creative and personal. I then made my own calendar and wrote down tasks I wanted to complete on each of those days. I have planned the rest of this month and I have made plans for most of April. Up until mid-May, my life is taken up with making sure I meet my deadlines. I am planning on working on university commitments during the weekdays and then at weekends, I can have time off or I can help my parents with various tasks. It's not quite the same as having to go to lectures and making time to hang out with my housemates, but it means that the time won't feel quite as stretched as it could do. 

Once all my deadlines are over, I have the foreseeable future available to fill. It's quite daunting to have months available to do whatever and personally, I don't cope well during the large breaks between uni. So I have decided to use this time to do things I wouldn't normally have the time to do. As I've mentioned in the previous paragraph, I made a list of things I want to get done during this lockdown. On my creative list, I want to spend the time learning new things. I was planning on trying to relearn the very little I knew about playing the piano, and now I have more free time, I want to do that. I also want to develop other skills such as learning to knit properly and picking up French again. Obviously, I still want to read and watch as much as I possibly can, and will be making a very long list of books, films and tv series I need to catch up on. Instead of filling up my summer with an internship, I can fill it up with working on a long term creative project. I feel that picking up a few different things to do will be more creatively inspiring than just sticking at one thing. On my personal list, I now have the time to finish decorating and designing my new rooms at my parents new house. We moved house back in November, but due to the fact I spend most of my time away from home, I have a bedroom and office that don't feel finished, so I have time to make them feel like home. I do just want to end this paragraph by saying that you don't have to fill this free time super productively. You can just use it to relax. I've seen a lot of people playing the new Animal Crossing game and am very tempted to join them.

General Inspiration and Positivity

I figured that I could also include what I was going to write in my original blog post in the second half of this post. I've written a few posts on creative burnouts and feeling drained as a creative, so I thought I'd share some of the new things I've started to do when it comes to finding inspiration. 

One of the key ways I find inspiration is through current content available. That can be from books, film, tv and many other forms of content. I am someone who if I find something I love, I will latch onto it. Often, my ideas are inspired by the content I am consuming. It's usually because I enjoy something so much that I want to create something that others can enjoy. 

This links to my next point which is to make what you want to see. Although I make stuff because I want others to enjoy it, I also make stuff because they are things that I want to consume. I think that as a creative if you don't want to see your idea come to fruition, then you are working on the wrong idea. It is about finding the balance between wanting to create something for others but also wanting to create something for yourself. 

My last point has become a bit redundant in the current climate, but something I like to do is to take inspiration from every day life. I take inspiration from the usually embarrassing or funny things that happen to me. I like to try and include them in the projects that I am working on. 

I hope that this post brought some inspiration and positivity into your life, especially during this dark time.

Carenza :) x

Belated 2020 Anticipated Releases| Carenza Bramwell

Yes, I am aware that we are almost a quarter of the way through the year at the time this is being posted, but I still wanted to share with you guys my anticipated releases of the year. On this list, I will be including those that have already been published. I think I have some that might have slipped under the radar for others as well as some popular releases. This list is in publication order. 

Infinity Son

By Adam Silvera

Published January 14th 2020.

Adam Silvera's latest novel is the first entry on this list. I am a huge fan of Adam's other books, so I was super excited when he announced his first fantasy novel. I have read it and sadly it was not for me. For more details why I gave it 3/5 stars, follow the link to my most recent wrap up. 

Yes No Maybe So

By Becky Albertalli and Amed Saeed. 

Published February 4th 2020.

I stumbled across this when I was scrolling through Goodreads and it was recommended for fans of Adam Silvera. I loved Simon Vs and I had read Becky's other collaborative novel. I am a huge fan of politics, so a YA novel centred around politics peaked my interest. It ended up being an okay read in the end. For more details, read my most recent wrap up.   

Heartstopper Volume 3

By Alice Oseman

Published February 6th 2020.

I am a huge fan of the Heartstopper series and the third volume did not disappoint. It's a cute LGBT graphic novel, I adore them. Volume four now please. For more details, read my most recent wrap up. 

The Shadows Between Us

By Tricia Levenseller.

Published March 1st.

The first book on this list that I haven't actually read. I stumbled across this, I think probably watching people's recommended releases. It seems like a really interesting fantasy novel, which revenge at the core. I've ordered a copy and I can't wait for it to arrive. 

A Question of Holmes

By Brittany Cavallaro.

Published March 3rd.

The final book in the Charlotte Holmes series. I loved the first two books, but sadly have not been a fan of the last two. I might have to binge read the series again as I feel reading them in one go might be a better experience than waiting for the newest book. I gave this book 3/5 stars.  

Chain of Gold

By Cassandra Clare.

Published March 3rd.

One of my most anticipated books of the year. My review just went up for this book. I absolutely adored it and am so sad that I now have to wait for the remanding books in this series. Obviously, I gave it 5/5 stars. 

The Gravity of Us

By Phil Stamper.

Published May 14th.

I believe this might already be out in America, however I am still waiting for it to be published in the UK. It's an upcoming LGBT own voices YA novel. The background of this book is the NASA programme and follows two boys who end up being connected by it. I'm really excited for a new LGBT novel.  

Jo&Laurie

By Melissa De La Cruiz.

Published June 2nd.

I'm a bit hesitant to put this book on my list as I haven't heard the best things about it, however, after watching the most recent adaptation of Little Women, I thought this book sounded fun. Melissa has done a bunch of other adaptations, so I think we're in safe hands. I know this is a fun, fluffy book, so I'm not expecting it to be brilliant, just a fun read. 

The Confession

By Jessie Burton.

Published June 2nd.

Technically this book is already out, however, I am waiting for the paperback to be released. I recently read The Muse by Jessie Burton and I loved it. I still need to read The Miniturist, but if the Confession is anything like The Muse, then I know that I'll love it. Jessie Burton has become one of my favourite modern literature authors.  

Loveless

By Alice Oseman.

Published July 9th.

As I've already mentioned my love for Alice's novels, it comes as no surprise that she has not one, but three mentions on this list. Loveless is her newest novel and features an aromantic/asexual character. I haven't read many stories featuring this, so I'm very excited. I also know that Alice is a great contemporary writer, so I can't wait for this book to come out. 

Blood&Honey

By Shelby Mahurin.

Published September 2nd.

Quite possibly my most anticipated release of the year. I cannot put it into words how much I love Serpent&Dove. This comes out a few days after my birthday and I am not joking when I say I would happily skip my birthday (which I love celebrating even though I'm turning 20 this year) so I can read this book. I cannot wait to be reunited with my faves again. 

The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal's and Shipwrecks 

By Mackenzi Lee.

Published September 3rd.

I absolutely adored the first two books in this series, but wasn't the biggest fan of the third one. Mackenzi Lee writes amazing LGBT historical fiction, so I have high hopes for this one. I might have to reread the other books in this series before this one comes out. 

Nick&Charlie 

By Alice Oseman.

Published September 3rd.

Surprise surprise, another Alice Oseman book. This one is actually already out in eBook format, but it is now being published in physical format. It's a short story set a few years after the Heartstopper comics have ended. Like with her other books, I'm so excited to read this. 

The Madness Blooms 

By Mackenzi Lee.

Published November 24th.

Another Mackenzi Lee book. I am a bit hesitant to put this on my list as I have seen a lot of controversy around it before it has even been published. It does seem to be another LGBT historical fiction novel and I'm hoping that once ARCs start being handed out to reviewers, some of the controversy is cleared up.  

That concludes my list of anticipated releases for 2020, what books are you excited for this year?

Carenza :) x

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare Book Review (Contains Spoilers)| Carenza Bramwell

Title- Chain of Gold
Author- Cassandra Clare
Series- The Last Hours (Shadowhunter Chronicles)
Published- 2020
Page Count- 624 (UK Collectors Edition)
Publishing House- Simon&Schuster
Rating- 5/5 stars (obviously)

About the Author

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Teheran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.
Taken from Cassandra's website. 

Plot 

Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

Taken from Goodreads. 

My notes for Chain of Gold

Opinions

It comes as no surprise to long time followers of my blog, but I am a massive fan of Cassie's work and I adored Chain of Gold. I flew through it in three days, which I regret now as I still want to be absorbed in this world. It was so nice to be back in this world that I know and love. The Infernal Devices is my favourite Shadowhunters series, so a series about their children with them still in it, it's all I could have hoped for. 

One of the things I really loved about this book was the flashes between past and present. The most we have learned about these characters is through short stories from the companion novels, so these little extracts into their lives really helped to get to know them as characters. I also loved that the cast of characters we got to meet in this novel. I was worried that they were going to be their parents in miniture, but they are fully fleshed characters. James and Cordelia are fantastic additions to the Shadowhunter world and I cannot wait to follow them in the next two books. 

As always with Cassie's novels, there is an amazing amount of diversity, especially LGBT rep. There were so many great characters that are in the LGBT community. Anna Lightwood and Matthew Fairchild are LGBT icons and I adore them. I was also shocked when it was revealed that Alastair Carstairs was revealed to be attracted to both Thomas Lightwood and Charles Fairchild, I did not see that coming at all. 

I will say that Chain of Gold felt like a slow burn novel. It took almost half of the book to get to the central action. I also felt that while we learnt a lot from this book, not a lot happened at the same time. I feel that maybe when I reread it in preparation for the next book coming out, they're might be more to it than at first glance. This might be because I read it so fast because it was quite easy to digest. The writing style was a lot different from the most recent Shadowhunter trilogy. 

It didn't surprise me that there were lots of love elements with in this book, as that is a common and classic feature of a Cassie Clare novel. I was torn between who I wanted to end up with who throughout most of the book. I really love James and Cordelia as a couple, but the bracelet clearly did something to James which meant he loved Grace. I really hope there isn't some variation of a love triangle as we've seen that Cassie can write a great, if not the best love triangle of all time, and we don't need another one. Personally, I didn't vibe with Matthew being in love with Lucie. I saw them as having a brother-sister relationship. 

It goes without saying but I am very excited for the next instalment in this series and any future Cassie Clare novel. I was disheartened for a while as I hadn't been the biggest fan of her last three publications, but this book has fully restored my faith in her. It's also making me want to reread the Infernal Devices as those are some of my all time favourite books. What did you think of Chain of Gold?

Carenza :) x   

What I've Read Recently- Winter Edition| Carenza Bramwell

It's time for my first wrap up on 2020. This month, I thought I'd combine January and February as I didn't manage to post monthly wrap ups. I've also become a big fan of the "what I've read recently" format on YouTube. My reading this year isn't quite going to plan. I was trying to read 2 books a week, but due to various reasons, I have fallen behind on my goal. So far this year I have read 12 books and am almost finished with my 13th. Without further ado, here are the books I've read so far.  

January

The first book I read in 2020 was The Wych Elm by Tana French. I had read In The Woods in 2018 and loved it. I then had to read Faithful Place for my degree and it reminded me why I enjoyed In The Woods so much. Sadly, The Wych Elm was not for me. It was difficult to follow at times and the main character wasn't likeable at all. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Next, I read Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher, the second book in the Stranger Things novels. This novel was mostly from the perspective of Hopper, who is one of my favourite characters. This was much more enjoyable than the first ST novel about Eleven's mother. I loved how it weaved between scenes with Hop and El and Hop in the 70s. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of the multiple P.O.Vs, as they didn't add much to the story. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

I had quite a varied reading month which is why I next ended up reading Cheri by Colette. I had seen the movie about Colette in 2019 and I found her to be a really interesting person. This was my first Colette novel and I have to say it wasn't the best reading experiences. Most of the time, I was confused as to what was happening, due to the flashbacks. However, the bits I did understand, I found really enjoyable. I would love to read her Claudine novels. I gave it 3/5 stars.

This book is one I actually started to read for uni but I ended up enjoying it so much, I read it for fun. It was The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. I have been dying to read this series for some time and I'm so glad I finally had an excuse to pick it up. I had read a mini prequel about one of the characters in this novel many years ago and I had really wanted to continue with it. It's a Jack the Ripper mystery set in 2011. Maureen Johnson is an incredible YA mystery writer. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Like everyone else, I have been swept up in The Witcher hype and because of this, I've started reading the books. I picked up The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. It is a collection of short stories, many of which feature in the TV show. I have to say that I did enjoy the stories that they adapted for the TV show were the ones I enjoyed the most. I liked Dandelion (aka Jaskier, the best character in the show). I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Next, I decided to read The Muse by Jessie Burton. This was a cover purchase for me back in 2016 and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. I was totally swept up in the mystery of the novel and was fully invested in both timelines. I have a copy of The Miniaturist which I will be reading shortly. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

The last book I read in January in full was How to be Famous by Caitlin Moran, the second book in her How to Build a Girl series. I accidentally purchased the second book without realising it was in a series. I then listened to the first on audiobook and I wasn't the biggest fan. I was shocked when I ended up enjoying this one a bit more. I cared much more for the story this time. I'm still not the biggest fan of the main character, but I am considering continuing and reading the final book. I gave it 3/5 stars.

February

The first book I completed in February was Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. I had heard nothing but good things about this book, which was why I was surprised when I ended up not enjoying this as much as I wanted to. I really enjoyed the magic system and the world building, but I found the multiple perspectives and first person narration confusing. I also could not stand the amount of insta love in this book. I'm highly doubtful I will continue with this series. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

In February I finally read my first five star read of the year, Heartstopper volume 3 by Alice Oseman. She has quickly become one of my favourite contemporary writers. It was just as adorable and gay as the first two volumes. I'm dying to get my hands on the rest of this series. I am also desperate to read the novella that is finally being published in physical format about Nick and Charlie. I obviously gave it 5/5 stars. 

I was on a contemporary high at this point, so I decided to read Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Amid Saeed. It was a cute political love story. I really liked that there is more politics being included in YA books. Sadly, it fell under the multiple perspectives and first person writing style that I really don't vibe with. I also felt that the characters weren't that developed and that the ending was predictable. I gave it 3.5/5 stars.

A book I was shocked that I did not enjoy as much as I thought I would was Infinity Son by Adam Silvera. Adam has become one of my favourite authors of all time, but this book was just not for me. I found the magic system complicated and unexplained. I also found that I didn't like any of the characters. I did like the fact that there was some LGBT rep. Sadly this is another case were I highly doubt I will continue with the series. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Lastly, I read No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference by Greta Thunberg. I had the absolute pleasure of hearing Greta speak recently, so I decided to read her book. It was an interesting, quick read. I do think it is better to hear her speak in person. I gave it 4/5 stars.

That concludes all the books I've read so far in 2020, I might make these "What I've Read Recently" a regular feature on my blog rather than monthly wrap ups.

Carenza :) x 

New Years Resolutions 2020 Update| Carenza Bramwell

It's crazy to think that it's already March and we're now a quarter of the way through the year. As we've reached this milestone, I thought I'd update you guys on how my New Years Resolutions are going. If you're new to my blog, then here's a link to my original New Years post. 

Changing Tactics 

One of my goals for this year was to develop a new creative skill and I chose drawing. Originally, I was trying to do a small drawing everyday. I've decided to change this method for a few reasons. Firstly, my 2020 hasn't gone to plan so far. I've had a few problems with my health, meaning I've been struggling in general. Secondly, I wasn't finding it as creatively inspiring as I thought it would. It was forced creativity. I was making myself draw everyday and the drawings I was producing were ones I wasn't especially proud of.

The way I approached it at first was to draw three mini drawings to do with my day, but I soon found I became uninspired and lazy when it came to my drawings. I then changed my method for February. I made a prompt page, with a prompt for each day. At first, this was going really well and I was really enjoying it. Then all of my health issues started and I let my daily habit slip. My approach for March is that I've come up with a weekly topic and my goal is to draw a spread on that theme. I'm going to see if this method works for me more than everyday.

Rocky Reading

At first my goal for reading was to try and read two books a week. I set my goal on Goodreads as 104 books. But then I became demotivated each time it would say I was 1 book behind schedule. So, early on I decided to change my goal to 10 books, knowing I would hit this and I have. I still want to read 2 books a week but I'm only on book 13 of the year. By this point I should be on book 20. As I've already mentioned 2020 isn't going to plan, mainly due to my physical health getting in the way. I have to admit that I've been watching way more Netflix than I have been reading. Something I've been struggling with is lack of sleep, meaning it takes a lot for me to feel energised to read. 

I've also found that I haven't been reading books that make me go "wow, I loved that!". I've only read one 5 star books so far and the rest have been 3 or 4 stars. I think the problem here is that I'm at university and don't have access to all of my books. I have around 10-12 books at uni from a wideish selection, but I'm not always in the mood for what I've brought with me. I have been reading a wider range of fiction and non-fiction than I normally would, but I have a feeling that I'm in a bit of a reading slump. I'm hoping that as more 2020 book releases come out, I'll find one that makes me go "wow, I love this!" and will break the slump curse. 

Life Is Getting In The Way

This is a common theme of this post, but my life sadly is getting in the way of me achieving my goals. I've noticed since my health began to decline that I get these random bursts of energy and creativity. I sort of have to go with it and this method isn't working for me. In the first few weeks of this term, I was actively setting time aside to relax and make sure I was refreshed for each week. However, since I started feeling crappy, most days have turned into relaxing days with the odd few hours of work sprinkled in. I've also spotted that I've become way to dependent on my phone. I have this itch to always be on it and I'm trying to break this habit. I just like knowing what's happening in the world, but I think the best thing for me is to cut down the amount of time I spend on my phone. I've developed this unhealthy habit of after I've finished my nightly reading session, I want to watch Netflix and YouTube. I think I'm going to implement a no phones rule after a certain point each evening.

I know this post sounds like me whinging about my health and to some degree it is, but this is my honest update on how my New Years and Resolutions are going. Are you New Years Resolutions going well? 

Carenza :) x