What's Been Wonderful | February 2016

Hello there ! 

This month has been brilliant for me , I've had more happy moments than I can count and I'm handling the bad moments better :) I wanted to start doing a monthly favorites post each month again  however I wanted to keep Don'tBurstMyBubble really focused on positivity so from now on every month I will be posting a favorites post with  a twist. 'What's Been Wonderful' will be a collection of my favorite positive little things that I've learnt and found in the past month. I really hope you enjoy !

Positive Affirmation 

'Today is going to be  a good because because I will make positive choices to make it that way .'

Article 

I'm a big fan of Psychologies magazine and this month I read an article talking about self confidence. It was a pretty long article and  I took a lot from it but what  I found really interesting was a piece of research into how your posture affects your confidence. It found that sitting up straight and openly for even just two minutes a day affects your brain chemistry to become more confident. The article als talked about how if you adopted a better posture for a few minutes before an interview ( or any anxiety provoking situation) it's more affective than trying to do it once you're already in the situation as that can make you feel fake.

Favorite Quote For Hopeful Notes 

Blog 

Rainbow-Rose Blossom is a wonderful blogger who is all about self love and giving yourself all the kindness you desserve . She's one of the post inspirational people you could have in your BlogLovin feed and her endless passion, love and positivity always means that seeing she's posted brightens my day . I always look forward to visiting her blog and Rainbow is the person who first introduced me to self love. Please check her out, I know you'll love her as much as I do :)

What's made me smile ? 

Just look how cute my girlfriends kitten is ! She's so sweet and I love playing with her :)

What have I been grateful for ? 

Support from my friends over the last few months has been amazing, I've been completely over whelmed by their kindness and support. I couldn't be more grateful <3

Crystal 

I've suddenly become really interested in crystals ( The sparkly kind but I'm also loving Crystal the blogger so check her out as well hehe because she has her own kind of sparkle  ) and learning all their different benefits. This month I bought Prehnite which is a heart chakra and solar plexus ( power ) chakra stone and Prehnite it will protect your personal energy so you won't absorb other peoples negatve energy which is something I really struggle with , as a result it increases your energy . It also helps ease worries which is always a good thing :)

Increasing your well being 

Each month I want to include one small thing that I'd like to do over the up coming month to increase my well being :)  This month , I want to get up 15 minutes earlier so that I don't need to' rush and stress in your morning because that is when the stress hormone in your body is most active . With this extra time I'm planning to make my bed and make sure my room is tidy before I leave the house so I don't have a big mess built up at the end of the week :)

What have you been grateful for this month and how are you planning to improve your happiness / wellbeing / self this month ? Id love to hear from you in the comments !

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

A Trip To Build A Bear Workshop | The Positivity Diaries

Hello !

This weeks been brilliant and It was topped off with a really great weekend :) I can't wait to hear three good things from your weeks in the comments ! Until then, here's my positivity diary :)

Monday : I saw a sign on a carpet shop window that said " Our prices will floor you " and because I'm an idiot it made me laugh hehe :)

Tuesday : We started studying the poetry part of our English a level Which is my favourite bit !

Wednesday : I had haribo strawbs while revising :)

Thursday : I had a great morning studying at home with my girlfriends cat cuddled up next to me

Friday : I finally bought a camera for all my blog photos

Saturday : Me and my girlfriend went to Build A Bear Workshop and made ourselves a bear... Meet Spot Richards :)

Sunday : My girlfriends dad gave me a copy of his War of the worlds Cd 

Let me know in the comments all about the good things in your week :) 

Stay strong <3 stay smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne

Time To Get Up

" Rock Bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

- J.K. Rowling

I've had this quote in my head recently , this is what it did for me :

Life can get bad... like really bad. It can hurt and it's scary because you're out of control and everything's gone wrong and your heart feels like it's dropped down into your stomach, it's painful how heavy it feels and nothing could get worse.

So tell me about tomorrow. I imagine it's better. In fact I know it;s better. Take some time, be sad. Cry, swear, shout, feel rubbish for a few days and accept that's how you're feeling and just take it in all its intensity.

Now get up. 

Tomorrow's going to be better because you're going to make it that way honey. Have a shower, paint your nails, make an action plan and tell me what you're going to do about it. You don't deserve to feel this way. If you need help then get help ( I promise it's out there... seriously, google it. ), If you need to drop the subject that you've tried and tried but are leaving every lesson crying then drop it. If you need a fresh start then have one. If you need to be with the person you love then be with them. What have you got to lose ?

Rebuild your life and let yourself have what you need, find what makes you happy and know that you are loved. I love you. You can do this . If for no other reason ... J.K.Rowling is a pretty damn impressive woman so she's probably right about this as well as most other things !

You're doing good and I'm proud of you. I once got asked how my week was and I said " Up and down.". I was expecting the reply " Why, what's wrong? " but no. He said " That's normal, life is full of ups and downs, it's about handling them in a healthy way ". So be sad, pick yourself up, make an action plan and rebuild your life.

Life can get good... like really good. You can make a change and it can be hard and you might go through hell to get there but I'm telling you it's pretty good when you do. Feeling happy, in control and like it couldn't get any better. If you need a reminder of that then this is for you.

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

Harry Potter | Quotes Posts !

Hello ,

I'm really sorry for not posting last week, I was house sitting for my girlfriends uncle and in the second half of the week was unwell . I hope you've all been doing okay though and have had brilliant weeks. Posts will be back to normal now and The Positivity Diaries will be up again this Sunday :)

It's been forever since I've written a quotes post and recently I've been obsessed with Harry Potter because me and my girlfriend are going to visit the Harry Potter Studios this December and oh my gosh I cant wait !! So today I thought I'd share some of my favorite Harry Potter quotes .

" Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress adventure "

" Of course it's happening inside your head Harry, but why on Earth should that mean that it is not real ? "

" What's coming will come and we'll meet it when it does." 

"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be." 

" I wish ...I wish I were dead..."
"And what use would that be to anyone ?" 

"We've all got both light and dark inside of us. What matters is the part we chose to act on. That's who we really are." 

"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies but even more to stand up to your friends." 

"Happiness can be found in even the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light ." 

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." 

"We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy." 

What's your favorite Harry Potter quote ? Have you ever been to the Harry Potter studios ? Let me know in the comments !

Also, I'm planning on starting a new series where in each post I talk about a different random act of kindness you could do for somebody to cheer them up and put a smile on their face. What do you all think of that ? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

Origami Hearts DIY

It's just a few days until valentines day and sometimes it's just impossible to find the right the present to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you . So why not tell them yourself ? Today I wan't to go back to basics ( well with a little added sparkle ) , the good old fashioned love letter . There's nothing more heart- warming than receiving a sweet, well thought out letter that you can go back to whenever your sad or need a reminder of how loved you are. It's even better if the love letter has been made into an origami heart !

Step One : Write your letter/message on a piece of A4 paper

Step Two : Take either of  the top corners of the sheet and folder it diagonally to make across the page. Then unfold and repeat with the other top corner and unfold again.

Step Three : Where the Two fold lines meet making a cross , fold the paper horizontally and unfold

Step Four : Take the two sides of the paper and pull them into the middle and then while holding them in place with you fingers, push down the paper to flatten into out. ( This is really tricky at first but I promise you'll get it after a few goes )

Step Five : Take the top layer of each corner of the triangle and fold them into the centre of the triangle so then meet in the middle making a diamond .

Step Six : Now fold in the sides of the rectangular shape into the centre .

Step Seven : Turn the whole thing upside down

Step Eight : Folder the bottom up to meet the line where there triangle shape starts

Step Nine : Fold down the top layer of the triangle ( I think It kind of looks like an envelope with bunny ears at this point haha )






Step Ten : Fold the bottom corners into the centre to meet each other and then tuck each one into the
little pockets you'll find in the sides of the upside down triangle .

Step Eleven : Now fold the top  triangles down and tuck them into the pockets made by the last fold.

I think this could make a really heart felt gift and if your single ( Or even if your not ) this valentines day you could practise some self love by making one of these for yourself with a list of all the good things about yourself in them :)

What have you bought your loved ones this valentines day ? Let me know in the comments !

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

Valentines Treats Recipe

Hello There !

So with valentines day just around the corner , there love chocolate everywhere ! It's brilliant being in love and eating tonnes of chocolate on valentines day but It's important to remember to practise a little self love over this loved up season. One way to practise self love and increase your physical wellbeing is to make yourself some delicious valentines day treats that won't leave you feeling bloated and in desperate need of an intensive workout ! So here's how to make Cranberry FlapJacks .

Step One : Weigh out 125g of sunflower spread, 100g of soft dark sugar and 3/4 ( depending on how much of the syrup you ate off the spoon , I know you did ! )  table spoons of golden syrup, into a bowl .

Step Two : Boil some water in the kettle and fill about a third of a sauce pan with it and put in on the stove to heat with the bowl resting on top of the sauce pan .

Step Three : Stir until the sugar has melted and the mixture is smooth and golden brown

Step Four : Weigh out 250g of rolled oats and add them to the mixture about 2/3 table spoons at a time ,mixing them in as you go

Step Five : I could probably say weigh out some dried cranberries about now .. but if I'm honest I just threw them in until there was enough to suit my taste ! But if you want a measurement , about 3 tablespoons :)

Step Six : Grease a baking tray and the grease the inside of a heart shaped cookie cutter.

Step Seven : Place you cookie cutter on the baking tray and spoon in the flapjack mixture and once it's filled up , slowly lift up the cookie cutter and the flapjack mixture holds the shape !

Step Eight : Repeat this with the rest of the mixture

Step Nine : Place the baking tray in the oven at about 180 C for 15 minutes

Step Ten : Take out , leave to cool ( If you're more patient than me ) and enjoy !

 YOU deserve your love this valentine day so why not try this super yummy gluten and diary free flapjacks and maybe pack them up in a box and enjoy when on a self date ! You could even go on a lovely picnic with them . Alternatively , box them up with a bow and give them as gift to a loved one ! These are especially perfect for those who are diary intolerant and can't enjoy the usual chocolates :) For more easy and delicious, healthy alternatives this valentines day visit Nuts.com  for loads of great ideas !

What are your favourite healthy treats to make ? Let me know in the comments :)

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

Cat Cake | The Positivity Diaries

So this weeks been extremely up and down but I'm hoping to make next week a lot better . Either way, there's always good bits so here they are !

Monday : I did lots of blog planning :)

Tuesday : I made some flashcards and they really helped me learn a lot of french vocabulary

Wednesday : Me and my girlfriend went out for hot chocolate in Costa on our lunch break !

Thursday: The majority of today was spent helping my girlfriend with her art project ... I say helping, I mean I'm no artist but she let me paint the sides of the canvas when she was running out of time to finish , so I'm gonna say I helped ;) I couldn't be prouder of how talented she is <3

Friday: Some of our classes got cancelled so we went home early, got a chippy and watched Into The Woods because I hadn't seen it and oh my gosh it was so good !

Saturday : Georgie and me made a cake in the shape of my cat Charlie for my mums boyfriend birthday ( He really loves Charlie )

Sunday : I've gone out without make up on for the first time in at least a year, maybe two !

In the comments let me know 3 good things that have happened to you this week so we can keep this communal positivity diary going !

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

Abc Dates ...

Hello,

I love going to the cinema, it's great seeing new movies with the people you love but sometimes, you want to do something a little different ! It can be easy to fall into the trap of going on the same dates . every time and it can get really boring . So when I heard about the abc dates challenge I immediately wanted to try it. All you have to do is think of a date for every letter of the alphabet and go and do it ! So I sat down with my girlfriend and we made a list of possible Ideas, it was a lot harder than I expected but lots of fun so I thought I'd share some of our ideas with you !

A -  Animal farm ( We're planning to go and visit a local farm called Ash End Farm )
B -  Breakfast date
C - Chocolate Factory/ Cadbury World/ Cinema
D - Disney Land
E -  Eat out
F - Finding Dory ( Not long until it's in cinemas now ! )
H - Harry Potter Studios
I - Ice Cream Parlour / Ice Skating
J - Jewellery Making
K - Kitten Buying ( I want a kitten.. who doesn't ? ) / Kite Flying
L - Live Music
M - Musical
N - Night walk
O - Orange Is The New Black Marathon / Opera / Origami
P - Picnic / Pizza Day
Q - Quiz Night
R - Road Trip / See Russell Howard Live ( He's a comedian in Britain )
S - Seaside / Spa Day
T - Train Ride Day ( Get on a train and keep going until you find somewhere you want to be )
U - Underground ( In London )
V - Vacation / Vidcon
W - Walking / Wine Tasting
X -  Xbox / X-men Marathon
Y - York / Yoga
Z - Zoo

What do you think of the abc dates challenge ? What are your suggestions for some of the letters ? I'd love to hear in the comments :)

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx

Top Three Books | January 2016

Hello !

I don't do reviews on this blog as many of you know because I simply don't enjoy writing them. But recently I've read some books that touch on some very real issues and have tackled them in such a moving and insightful way that I have been desperate to share with you guys because I really think that reading them added something to me as a person. So I will stick to not doing reviews because my opinions of all these books is " Go to the book shop right now, buy them, spend three days reading them and then come back and fangirl with me " but I will give you a quick summary of each of the books and let you know the sort of topics they touch on . 

Fans Of The Impossible Life - Kate Sclesa 

Told from the perspectives of three different teenagers, all written in very different styles and deeply intriguing . Sebby, Mira and Jeremy are three teenagers brought together to transform each others lives forever . I couldn't put this book down! My poor best friend ended up coming over the week I was reading this book, to sit on my bed and then fall asleep as I insisted on " Just reading another page " ... until I finished the book :) It touches on many issues concerning mental health, particularly depression and self harm ( I would however put a trigger warning on this book if you struggle with any of these topics ) and other issues like addiction, Chronic fatigue syndrome, bullying and sexuality. If you're interested in any of these issues then seriously go pick up this book ! 

Trouble - Non Pratt 

Hannah is fifteen ... Hannah's also pregnant. I've never read a book hat dealt with something as big as this in such a realistic way . I have very little to say other than, please, please read this book. It really taught me that it's easy to judge people but nobody does anything without reason. People are struggling enough, be kind to them . 

The Act Of Being Normal - Lisa Williamson

I'm going to hold my hands up and say I'm pretty uneducated on the topic of being transgender ( which I think says something for the educations system.. and it's not saying anything good ) however I felt much more educated after reading this book because if nothing else the excellently written story spiked an interest in my mind and made me realize the gap in my knowledge and as a result I did a lot of research on Transgender related things. The book follows the life of David , a girl trapped in a boys body and his journey accepting himself, asking his parents acceptance and finding how to be his true self . And then there's Leo ... I'll let you learn about him for yourself because anything I could say is a spoiler hehe :) 

Have you read any of these books ? What did you think ? If not then do you have any recommendations of books touching on similar issues or that you felt were really important ? 

There are a few other books I've read that have affected me in similar ways so If you liked any of these then I'd be happy to share some more with you :) 

Stay Strong <3 Stay Smiley :) 

Lots of love, Marianne xxx