lydia-on-life

Garnier Moisture Bomb Mask | Does it Work?

“Invest in your skin. It is going to represent you for a very long time” ~ Linden Tyler. I’m going to Venice next week and wanted to treat myself to a little pamper session. I’ve been keen on improving my skin care routine and this was the perfect time to try out some new products and have a little me time. One of the products I purchased yesterday on my usual Superdrug run was the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask. Will it work?

“Invest in your skin. It is going to represent you for a very long time” ~ Linden Tyler

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I’m going to Venice next week and wanted to treat myself to a little pamper session. I’ve been keen on improving my skin care routine and this was the perfect time to try out some new products and have a little me time. I want to go on holiday feeling relaxed, refreshed and with glowing skin.

One of the products I purchased yesterday on my usual Superdrug run was the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask along with the L’Oreal Detox Clay Mask.

I used the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask after using the L’Oreal Detox Clay Mask as my face was feeling a little dry and needed some moisture back in to it. I love anything that boosts moisture to my skin as it tends to feel quite dry even though it looks oily.

I used the pink Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask which is for sensitive skin. The mask claims to:

Intensely hydrates
Comforts and soothes
Skin feels softer

BEFORE PLACING THE MASK

I used the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix night pads to wipe my face after washing off the L’Oreal Detox Clay Mask then placed the tissue mask on. It was a little messy putting it on as it was folded up inside the packaging but I managed. If it wasn’t for the YouTube video I saw before buying the mask I wouldn’t have known what I was doing.

WHILST WEARING THE MASK

It felt really cooling and refreshing to my face the moment I put it on. So much so I didn’t want to take it off. The mask stayed on without any issues or slipping off and I could move my face comfortably. There was no irritation what so ever. I liked how it felt on my face but not sure about how it looked though. A little scary don’t you think?

AFTER REMOVING THE MASK

Removing the mask was easy (wish everything in life was that easy). I peeled it off and gently messaged the excess serum left on my face with my hands. My skin felt hydrated, soft and really refreshed. After a while (30 minutes or so) my face felt like it needed a little bit more moisture so I used my daily moisturiser from Nivea Soft. I’m not sure if you should add a moisturiser on top of the serum or not but I felt like I needed to.

Would I use the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask again?

Yes, defiantly. I think I’m going to add this to my weekly skin care routine. If only they did this for your body.

OVERALL RATING

I’d give this product a 9/10. The price was good, the product did what it said it would do and it was easy to use. What more could you want? I’d highly recommend trying it if your skin is dry or dehydrated. I’m really impressed with this mask so I might see what their other products from the Moisture Bomb range are like. I’ll definitely be trying their other 2 moisture bomb masks.

If I use this mask and drink at least 1.5 litres of water my skin should be holiday ready, right? We’ll see.

Your turn…

Have you tried the tissue bomb before? What were your results? Would you recommend it? What other product from this range have you used? Would you recommend them?

Share your questions, experiences and tips with everybody in the comments.

Till next time.

Love,
Lydia x | https://lydonlife.wordpress.com

L’Oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask | Does it Work?

“Be good to your skin. You’ll wear it every day for the rest of your life” – Renée Rouleau. I love skin care. With skin problems such as mild acne, large pores, hyperpigmentation and a whole list of other impurities I could do without, I have to love skin care. It’s a battle I’ve been having since puberty. Now that I’m in my mid-twenties, I can afford to invest in better quality products. But will they work?

“Be good to your skin. You’ll wear it every day for the rest of your life” – Renée Rouleau

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I love skin care. With skin problems such as mild acne, large pores, hyperpigmentation and a whole list of other impurities I could do without, I have to love skin care. It’s a battle I’ve been having since puberty. Now that I’m in my mid-twenties, I can afford to invest in better quality products and take the steps needed to get my skin to where I want it to be.

The first step I took was to stop wearing make-up to work. This was a big step for me but it was something I needed to do to truly start this healthier skin journey I’m on. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to go a week with no make-up at all and still feel as confident as I do with make-up. Baby steps.

The second step was to invest in better skin care products. I’ve always been into skin care but never spent the money needed on good skin care. I’d always look for a cheaper alternative. This worked for me sometimes but more often than not I either didn’t see any results or things get worse. Much worse.

So, last week on my usual trip to Superdrug I decided to buy the L’Oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask. It was on offer and I’ve heard Patricia Bright mention it a few times as part of her skin care. I’m a fan of hers and since she liked it, I thought why not try it.

LOreal has 3 masks in their pure clay range – a purity mask, a detox mask and a glow mask. The detox mask is used to detoxify and clarify the skin

L’Oreal claim that by using the detox mask, you should see instant and lasting results:

Immediately – skin is pure and cleaner
In one week – Skin feels fresher and luminous
Use after use – skin can breathe and is visibly transformed

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The clay smells nice and isn’t too thick or too runny. It’s easy to apply and feels lovely on the skin as you apply it. I applied it using my fingers and I felt a slight tingle or stinging sensation. This could be due to the fact that my face had just been washed and I didn’t have any product on it so it was very dry. I usually get that feeling when I wear face masks so it wasn’t alarming. Does that happen to you? Or it could have been all the impurities getting rattled. Who knows.

I applied it all over my face avoiding the eyes and mouth area and waited for 15 minutes. It says you should leave it on for 5-10 minute but I got carried away writing the intro for this post I lost track of time. It wasn’t uncomfortable when it was drying and I was able to speak without feeling like my face is about to crack.

WASHING OFF THE MASK

I decided to use warm water as I don’t like using cloths on my face unless I’m patting my face dry. It took about 5 minutes to get everything off and there was no mess in the sink. Yay!

AFTER WASHING THE MASK

My face didn’t feel that different to how it felt before putting the mask on. I did feel as though there was residue on my face (a waxy kind of feeling) but nothing alarming. My face wasn’t as dry as it was before but it still felt dry so again nothing significant to rave about.

PURE AND CLEARER SKIN?

Well I’m not sure what they mean by that. My spots were still there. I even found a new one but I wouldn’t put it down to the mask (probably time of the month approaching). I wouldn’t say my skin looked or felt pure either (whatever that means). I could see the pores around my nose and my skin looked pretty much the same as before. So no it didn’t purify and clear my face immediately. Perhaps I’ll notice a different over time.

The box didn’t say what I should do after the mask so I used the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix night pads and then put the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask. My face has been really dry lately and since it was a pamper yourself kind of day for me I thought why not.

Would I use the L’Oreal Detox Clay Mask again?

Well It cost me £5 and I still have a full jar left so yes, I would. A little bit of the products goes a long way which is nice. Nothing bad happened to my skin so I’ll probably use it for the next 3 days before going to Venice and see if anything amazing happens. If I like what I see I’ll continue using.

OVERALL RATING

I’d give it a 5/10 since it didn’t really do what it claimed it would do immediately. However, it didn’t break me out and I might see results after continued use so I can’t completely disregard it. After a week, I’ll give an update on whether I experienced any noticeable difference. If I do, I might invest in their other 2 masks.

Wish me Luck!

Your turn…

Have you tried their clay masks before? Which one of the 3 have you tried? What were your results? Would you recommend it? What other clay masks have you tried? Would you recommend them?

Let me know by sharing your questions, experiences and tips with everybody in the comments.

Till next time.

Love,
Lydia x

Blog Nomination | Liebster Award

“What you do after you create your content is what truly counts..” ~ Gary Vaynerchuk.
I was nominated for a Liebster Award by…

“What you do after you create your content is what truly counts..”

Gary Vaynerchuk

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Welcome to Lydia on Life

Thank you so much to Sarah for this nomination. This is my second award nomination since starting Lydia on Life and I believe it’s such an amazing concept. It not only helps fairly new bloggers slowly find their feet, it also introduces you to so many other bloggers. I’m falling in love with the blogging community more and more.

Ever since I joined, I’ve experienced nothing but support and I was so excited to receive a twitter notification informing me that I’d been nominated by the lovely Sarah Walker (Yellow Feather ) for a Liebster Award. The award is given to bloggers by other bloggers and is a great way to discover growing blogs.

Here are the rules:

Answer the 11 questions that your nominator has asked you.
Nominate 11 other bloggers (with under 200 Twitter followers)
Ask your nominees 11 questions
Let them know that you have nominated them

So let’s get started! Here are my answers to Sarah’s questions:

What’s your favourite place you’ve ever visited?

Last year I went to Mombasa, Kenya for my friend’s wedding. I’m originally from Kenya but have lived in London since I was 5. I’ve travelled to Kenya a few times since moving to London but most of the time I’m visiting family or trotting around with my mum to view her ever growing plots. This was the first time I had travelled to Kenya without my family and the second time I visited Mombasa. 2 weeks of sun, sea and safari (and an Asian wedding). This was also the first holiday K and I had been to outside Europe. It was an amazing 2 weeks and I can’t wait to go back next year (hopefully).

Snow or sand?

Sand, definitely sand. Where there is sand there is sun and hopefully a mango tree and a beach nearby.

What’s your party trick?

I don’t think I have one. If I do, I’ve probably been too drunk to remember.

What’s your favourite thing about blogging?

The freedom and ability to use your own thoughts and experiences to help a random stranger. Even if it’s just one. Also, the support you get from the blogging community. I was afraid that blogging would be overly competitive but I was so wrong and I’m glad.

Who’s your celebrity crush?

Michael B Jordan. Mmm guurl, have you seen Creed? Damn… (Sorry K)

What’s your favourite social media site?

YouTube, I love YouTube and wish I had invented it. It’s considered a social media site right? If not then I’d say Instagram. I find myself scrolling through it every day after watching a few YouTube videos. I haven’t quite gotten the hang of Twitter yet as I’m still new to it but it could become a favourite one day. I’ll finally see why Donald Trump loves it so much…

What’s your go to source for inspiration?

I read through the blog posts in my WordPress reader a lot and use Twitter and Pinterest to get some ideas. However, most of my inspiration comes from something I did, spoke about or thought about during the week. Trying to find inspiration in my own life as well as others.

What’s your favourite song?

This is a hard one. I don’t think I have a favourite song. From hip hop, R’&’b, and Reggae to Jazz, Soul and Gospel, my iTunes library is too big for me to pick just one.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

I have such a huge bucket list (in my head) so one thing on it would be to travel around the world. I want to experience different foods, cultures, languages and all the things this beautiful world has to offer. We’re not in it for very long.

What’s your favourite TV show?

How to Get Away with Murder and Homes Under the Hammer. One is for pleasure and the other is for business. Can you guess which one is which? I’m joking they are both for pleasure but Homes Under the Hammer is more for business reasons. I’d one day like to own my own property and this show helps me pick up a few tips for when I’m finally ready to take that step.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“Stop hiding yourself, love yourself like no one else can”. These are the lyrics to a song called Mirror by Lalah Hathaway. The entire song is the best advice I’ve ever received and I’m on the journey to taking it.

And that’s it.

So now I have to nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 question.

Here are my nominees:

And here are my 11 Questions!

Why did you start blogging?
What is the 1 thing you wish you knew before starting a blog?
How do you manage your day to day and still maintain your commitment to blogging?
How many places have you travelled to and which one has been your favourite?
If you were to invite 3 celebrities to your home for dinner, who would they be?
What’s your signature dish?
Book or Movie?
How would you describe yourself in just three words?
What would you change about your life right now?
What are 3 things you hope to achieve by the end of 2017?
Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

I could only come up with 9 that I felt had interesting blogs with under 200 Twitter followers.

Make sure to check them out and show their blog some love!

Your turn…

If you are reading this and I haven’t nominated you, please feel free to leave a link to your blog in the comment section below.

Love,
Lydia x | https://lydonlife.wordpress.com/

Blog Nomination | Bloggers Recognition Award

I was nominated for a Bloggers Recognition Award by…

Firstly, welcome to Lyd on Life

My first blogger nomination. Yay!

I was nominated for a Bloggers Recognition Award by Pearl from The Pearly Life blog. So exciting! I’ve been away from Lydia On Life for a while now so to come back and find out my blog has been nominated for the first time on WordPress is a lovely welcome.

I am very appreciative that the lovely Pearl not only nominated my blog but follows and interacts with my blog. Thank you! It’s encouraging to know that someone enjoys what you do, even if you only do it for fun and not quite sure of what you are doing.

I’ve never read a bloggers award post before so had to read a few to understand the idea behind it. Pearl’s post was first on my reading list. Check her’s out!

Ok, lets get into it.

BLOGGER RECOGNITION AWARD

Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Write a post to show your award.
Give a brief story about how your blog started.
Give two pieces of advise to new bloggers.
Select 15 other bloggers you want to give this award to.
Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated them and provide a link to the post you created.

How My Blog Started:

I started my blog in September 2016. Since then, it’s gone through a few changes as i tried to figure out what the hell I’m doing on the blogosphere. I’ve always been curious about how other people live their lives. From watching YouTube videos, SnapChat stories to reading personal blogs. I felt that navigating through this life is easier when we share what we’ve learned in our pursuit of happiness. Whether it be career, relationships, self-love, self discovery or motherhood, I was inspired by other peoples journeys and thought why not share my own. Help someone, even if it’s just one person. So Lydia On Life was born. A place where I share my experience and the many things that I’m learning in my day-to-day life as I pursue my own happiness. I enjoy writing and sharing the little wisdoms I acquire through my experiences. This blog is a work in progress, as am I and I’m excited about where I can take it.

Advice for New Bloggers:

Your about page is worth writing: Before you go writing your first blog post, I think it’s important to make sure you have written what your blog is about, why you started and what people can gain from it. For me, it acts as a constant reminder of why I started this blog whenever I’m tempted to do what other people are doing or feel frustrated when nobody reads or likes my posts.
Get involved with other blogs: You can learn a lot from other bloggers. Search for bloggers who are writing about topics you are interested in and get some inspiration from them. It helps, especially when you read about how they started and the struggles they faced as well as their success. It takes time and it will happen, if you work hard for it. I believe that.

My Nominations:

I’m still new to this and still discovering bloggers so here are a few I enjoy reading

Love,
Lydia x

What I Learned in My First Post-Graduate Job

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~ Wayne Gretzky.
Last week March 7th marked my 1 year anniversary at my first post-grad job. I feel like I only started a few months ago yet I’ve grown so much since then. Professionally, personally, financially and socially. With 12 months under my belt, I thought this would be a good time to share the little knowledge and wisdoms I’ve gained over the past year.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~ Wayne Gretzky

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Last week March 7th marked my 1 year anniversary at my first post-grad job. I feel like I only started a few months ago yet I’ve grown so much since then. Professionally, personally, financially and socially. With 12 months under my belt, I thought this would be a good time to share the little knowledge and wisdoms I’ve gained over the past year.

1) Soft skills are more important than your hard skills. Apart from managing my dissertation at university, I’d never done any project management related work. However, the soft skills that I had made it easier for me to grasp the concept of project management in the real world. Have a willingness to be the best at what you do even if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing can take you far.

2) Nothing will make sense at first. Unless you’ve been there done that and bought the post card, you’ll feel like a fish out of water. From the jargon used during meetings to socialising with co-worker, you will feel a little alien but will soon settle after a few months.You’re in a new environment so it will take some time to adapt but trust me it will happen. You don’t have to force it.

3) It’s OK not to know. Asking questions is your new weapon. Even stupid questions. It’s better to ask a stupid question than to make a stupid mistake. You can’t play the I don’t know card for long if you want to progress. But think about the question before asking.

4) It’s OK to say no. Being the unqualified newbie, you want to please everybody. That should include yourself. Know your limits and make sure it is known by others. If you are valued then your time should also be valued. A justified no is better than a regretful yes.

5) 24 hours just isn’t enough. Working 9 to 5 will make you realise just how little time you have for yourself. How did my mum do this plus go to university and raise 3 kids? This will make you realise the true importance of organisation skills and why diaries are so useful.

6) Clients will always think they are right. No matter how mistaken the client is, they are never allowed to feel your frustration even if they show it to you. You must always control your emotions and learn to articulate your frustrations in the nicest way. It takes practice and a lot of proof-reading (from you and others). Don’t let anyone (especially clients) cause you to step out of character because you are responsible for your actions, not them.

7) Your manager is your confidant. If there is one person in the office you should be confiding in about your work it should be your manager. They should have your best interest at heart and are in the position of making things happen that can make your work life easier. If you can’t confide in them about work then they shouldn’t be managing you.

8) It’s not all about the money. Your first job should really be about experience more than money. Don’t turn away an opportunity just because of money. If I did, I wouldn’t be doing a job I’d never done before and loving a company I’d never heard of before. Learn to crawl before you can walk and soon you will be climbing.

9) Money does help. At first it may not be about the money but once you have some experience and grow as a person you start to understand your value. You now have some experience to back up the salary you expect and the confidence to get it. If you focus on being the best, the money will come to you. Your job should not only repay you but reward you for the work you do.

10) Speaking gets easier. Whether it’s speaking in a meeting, to a client or participating in office banter; the freedom to express yourself appropriately gets easier after a few months. It’s not a popularity contest in the real world. Your work speaks louder than your words. As you gain more confidence in the work you do, your words will find confidence too.

11) Every mistake is knowledge. When I’ve made a mistake I’ve never forgotten it. Why? Because failure is the best teacher. You’ll make mistakes during the first few months but slowly you’ll see how your mistakes turn to knowledge that prevent others from making the same mistakes.

12) Culture fit/match is a big deal. You may like the work you do and how much you make but the company culture makes a huge difference. Finding a company that fits with your culture will make the Monday mornings and late nights much more bearable. You’ll find that your work-life balance is easier to manage and lessons 1 – 11 become much easier to grasp in a company culture that fits with you.

Going into the real world isn’t easy. When you finish university, you’re launched into a world you feel is too grown up for you. A world that reminds you just how much you don’t know. You can no-longer hide behind the fancy words on your CV or the grades you got at university. You are put to the test – as a graduate and a person.

Though going into the real world isn’t easy; with the right support system, attitude and vision, it isn’t hard either.

A lot can happen in 12 months and I’m excited for what the next 12 months will bring. Will I still be in the same role, at the same company with the same positive vibes I have today? We’ll see.

Your Turn…

What was the most important lesson you learned from your first entry-level job? What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career?

Get in touch, tweet me @lydonlifeblog or share your experiences and tips with everybody in the comments.

Till next time.

Love,
Lydia x | https://lydonlife.wordpress.com

P.s: Here are some other articles I found interesting on first job lessons:

Getting a Job After University

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions” ~ Benjamin Franklin.
Getting your first post graduate job is not easy and it’s even harder for those who have no work experience to back-up their degree. A survey conducted by YouGov found that 52% of employers say university does not prepare young people for the world of work. As a graduate who was in the rat race to get a job last year, that figure is all too real for me. So what has the experience taught me?

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions” ~

Benjamin Franklin

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Getting your first post graduate job is not easy and it’s even harder for those who have no work experience to back-up their degree. Universities never talk about that part, do they? A survey conducted by YouGov found that 52% of employers say university does not prepare young people for the world of work. As a graduate who was in the rat race to get a job after graduating last year, that figure is all too real for me.

You’d think that after the blood, sweat and tears and promises of employment, getting the job would be a piece of cake. Think again. It’s months of job application after cover letter after CV editing. Then there’s the rejection e-mails or complete silence. That’s the part I hate the most; the silence. Did they get my application or am I just being impatient?

I was fortunate enough to go on a placement year during my course but even still, that did not protect me from the frustration that is job hunting as a recent graduate.

It’s a hard knock life for us but I’m here to encourage you that with a little faith and persistence it gets better.

I currently work as a Project Manager for a software development company which I never applied for. After months of job hunting, I was getting discouraged and wanted to give up but I knew the current job I was doing wasn’t one I could build a career on. Plus, I’d spent too long at university and incurred too much debt to give up.

So I kept applying and one day I received a call from a recruiting agency that found my CV on a job board. I had no idea which job board since I’d applied to so many but I didn’t care. They told me they had a vacancy for a Project Manager role and explained what I’d be doing. I had no idea what the company did nor did I understand the role but I thought why not. I mean, they called me so they must think I’m capable, right? After asking me a few questions they invited me for an interview where I’d have to take an excel test. He asked me if I’d be comfortable with that to which I replied yes. I mean it’s just excel and I have a degree in software engineering so how hard could it be?

Oh it can be very hard, especially when you have no idea what you’re doing. I could have told them I didn’t know but then that would have meant admitting that I lied on my CV about my expert knowledge in Microsoft Office product. So I just sat there thinking “Jesus take the wheel!”.

And trust me He did. Long story short, the computer crashed which meant I couldn’t take the test. Hallelujah!

We swiftly moved on to the rest of the interview which was easier as I had months of practice from all the job applications I’d done. That’s the beauty of job hunting, every application is an experience that will equip you for the next one. It’s not a fun process but it does develop you. I felt a lot more confident talking about my CV and experience because I had done that so many times before. It was practically engraved in my head by now.

That was by far the best interview I’d had and it was for a role I felt I wasn’t qualified to do. Go figure!

Hours later, I found out I got the job. Now I work with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, in a company I didn’t know existed a few months ago.

What this experience taught me was the importance of keeping a positive mind and taking a leap of faith. Especially when it comes to finding a job after university. With all the rejections I’d been receiving over the months, I could have said no to this interview since I didn’t even understand what the job role was. But I didn’t. I saw this as a character building experience and that’s how the job hunting process should be seen.

A university degree is good but just don’t rely on it alone. It’s just a tool, not the whole tool box. Getting out there and facing the world is what really prepares you for the world.

My 12-month review is due this March. Perhaps I’ll share with you what I’ve learned in 12 months of my first post-grad job.

How was your experience finding your post-grad job? Do you have any tips/advice on how to climb up the career ladder?

Let me know in the comments below.

Love,
Lydia x

Workplace Loneliness is Real

“If one’s different, one’s bound to be lonely.” ~ Aldous Huxley.
We spend more time at work than we do at home yet for some of us, the workplace can be the most loneliest place to be. Is camaraderie and social connection a key to workplace satisfaction and happiness?

“If one’s different, one’s bound to be lonely.”
― Aldous Huxley

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We spend more time at work than we do at home yet for some of us, the workplace can be the most loneliest place to be. Research conducted by Mind and totaljobs has shown that more than 60% of employees in the UK have felt lonely at work. Workplace loneliness is real.

I definitely fall into that 60% but who is to blame? Is it a lack of social skills? Or the lack of support from the company? Or is it the workload? For me it’s a mixture of them all. I thought I was the only one who felt some type of loneliness at work but according to a survey by the Jo Cox Commission in 2017, nine million people in the UK are affected by workplace loneliness.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my work and the people I interact with daily are some of the nicest people I have ever met. But you see you can be surrounded by all those people and still feel lonely. My usual routine getting into the office is tea first, greet the team then its headphones in and head down. For some us, that is our norm. With large workloads, technology replacing human interaction and the social anxiety from having to do small talk in a professional environment, getting your work done becomes more important than socialising.

My role as a Project Manager means I often work with different groups of people in the company. You’d think I’d have made meaningful connections with people, right? Nope. As a Project Manager I don’t really belong to a team. I’m currently the only Project Manager so if I want to get my work done in time for me to leave at 6, I tune out everything and everyone that isn’t contributing to my productivity. Majority of the interactions I have with people are work related which leaves very little room for more personal connections.

When you feel this isolated, it can lead you to overwork yourself to justify your work loneliness. Unfortunately this often leads to further isolation outside of work. Whenever I’ve been invited for after work drinks I’ve always said no. Partly because I’m tired but also if I can’t talk to them during work hours, what the hell am I going to say to them outside of work?

So I keep to myself.

It’s sad but it’s the reality for a lot of people. Especially those who want to build deeper connections that go beyond the small talk in the kitchen during lunch. It’s strange to say that I suffer from workplace loneliness because I’m not that person outside of work. I wonder why? What is it about the professional environment that causes us to become something we’re not?

Perhaps I’m still adjusting to my environment or perhaps the type of people that I can build deeper connections with just haven’t come around yet. Maybe I just need to stop overthinking and take the plunge to actually accept an invitation to after-work drinks. Or maybe I should spend my lunch time hours eating infant of people and not in front of my laptop. Or perhaps the company will arrange some social activities during work hours. I don’t know but something has to be done.

I’m still finding my feet in this role and company so who knows where things will be in a few months time. Will I still feel this lonely?

March 2017 will mark 1 year since I’ve been at my new job. I wondering if things will be different by then. Let’s hope so.

Do you ever feel alone in the office? What makes you feel that way? How do you deal with it?

Let me know in the comments below!

Love,
Lydia x

P.s: Here are a few articles I found interesting regarding work loneliness:

The important lessons I wish I had been taught in School for the real world, from personal health to money issues – and the topics that need to be added into the curriculum for future generations

Your 20s | Expectation vs. Reality

“Honour the space between no longer and not yet.” — Nancy Levin.. See no one told you life was gonna be this way. Your job’s a joke, you’re broke and your love life’s D.O.A. It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear and it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month or even your year. Sound familiar?

“Honour the space between no longer and not yet.”

Nancy Levin

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See no one told you life was gonna be this way. Your job’s a joke, you’re broke and your love life’s D.O.A. It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear and it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month or even your year. Sound familiar?

Yes, those are the lyrics to the Friends theme song but they are also the perfect way to sum up life in my twenties. I didn’t realise how good I had it in my teenage years before bills, boyfriends and talks of babies. While all of our secondary school years were spent looking forward to my twenties, now that I’m finally here, it feels a little underwhelmed. I was warned that life wasn’t going to be a bed of roses but there were a few things I expected to have sorted out by now.

Here are just a few of them.

Expectation: Finally feeling mature and grown up

Reality: Mature and grown up? What is that? At 25 years old, you still have no idea what that means. You feel more like a teenager now than you did when you were 18 years old. You legally became an adult at 18 but not sure what happened mentally, emotionally and sometimes physically (still waiting for the glow up). Without your parents or Google, you probably won’t even be functioning right now.

Expectation: Flawless skin

Reality: Adult acne. Acne is for teenagers they said. It’s part of puberty they said. It will go away they said. Well, they were wrong. Adult acne is a thing, a real life thing that a lot of people experience in their twenties (and beyond). The worst part is that it appears more in women than men due to periods, pregnancy, cosmetic products and a whole list of other female related issues. Great.

Expectation: A high flying job straight after university

Reality: I shared a post on how I got my first proper job after university. Have a read when you get the chance. If you want the short version, it’s months of job hunting, rejection letters, frustrations and reaching to a point where you are ready to settle for anything. That student loan isn’t going to pay for itself.

Expectation: Sleep eight hours, exercise daily and get to work on time looking fabulous

Reality: There is not enough hours in a day to do all that. If anyone tells you otherwise, its a lie. You’ll be lucky to get 5 hours of sleep every night or have the energy to exercise every day. Getting to work on time and looking fabulous are choices that you will rarely get to fulfil at the same time. It’s either one or the other unless you don’t mind getting dulled up on the train.

Expectation: Travelling the world with friends

Reality: You can’t even successfully organise a lovely dinner with your group of friends. Trying to organise anything with a large group of friends is more difficult now than it was in your teens. You all have more commitments and responsibilities than you have time. You’ll soon realise that your friends are just as disorganised as you. Travelling alone doesn’t seem so bad anymore.

Expectation: Shopping in Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Versace

Reality: More like Primark, H&M, New Look and website that sells clothes from China. The designer wardrobe you thought you’d have in your twenties is nothing close to what you actually have. With plans for a house, a fancy car and saving for the future, designer bags are no longer a priority. Plus your still waiting for your fashion sense to catch-up to your age and decide what it wants to be.

Expectation: Keys to your first home

Reality: You’ll probably still be living at home with your parents and you know what, there’s no shame in that. The price to buy a home in London now is ridiculous and renting isn’t any better. So instead you’ll feng shui the bedroom you’ve spent most of your 25 years in to try and make it look a little more “grown up”. It’s the punishment you get for spending your student loan instead of saving it.

Expectation: Driving a fancy car

Reality: Cheap used cars. They’re not sexy but they get you from point A to B without breaking the bank. Being sexy is nice and all but not if it means being broke. Buying a luxury car can make you broke if you are not financially stable. And who is finally stable in their twenties? No one, thats who. At least not the majority. So a 10 year old banger will do and you will learn to love it.

Expectation: Having fun plans for the weekend

Reality: Sleep. Clean. Eat. Repeat. And in that order. After working 9 to 5, five days a week, the weekend couldn’t come sooner. Not because you have some amazing plans but because you have some amazing sleep to catch up on. Plus theres the other adult stuff to do like laundry, housework and food shopping. If it’s not pay day weekend, there is no energy or money for cocktails and parties.

Expectation: Getting married

Reality: More like getting tired of trying to find the least creepiest dating app. You’ll soon realise that men are no more mature now in their twenties than they were in there teens. Nonetheless there’s still the pressure to find one that is husband material because it seems like the next thing to do. Everyone else around you seems to be doing it. Peer pressure doesn’t stop in your teens.

At least that’s how the first half of my twenties has gone so far.

Life in your 20’s can feel very, very, VERY messy. We spend our teen years defining it only to realise how unrealistic a view we had. The pressure we put on ourselves to fulfil those expectation can leave us feeling underwhelmed even before we’ve reached halfway.

Some people get to enjoy their 20’s exactly the way they imagined it whilst others take it as it comes. Either way your happiness about your 20’s shouldn’t be attached to the things you cannot control. Instead, attach it to the things you can control and take everything as a learning experience because where you are is not your final destination.

Being an adult isn’t a stage, it’s a process that has no end. Things change, people change and you will change. You have to adapt to those changes. It doesn’t happen overnight or even over several years so just enjoy the process as it’s happening. It’s called adulting.

I’ve still got another 5 years left of my 20’s and if I’ve learned anything, it’s to use that time wisely and have fun as much as I can. It will be over before you know it!

What expectations did you have of being in your twenties?

Let me know in the comments below.

Love,
Lydia x

P.s: I was today years old when I found out what D.O.A means and that I’ve been singing the Friends theme song all wrong this whole time!