This year’s Christmas has been extra special for me and my husband. For the first time, we finally got to have lobsters for our Christmas dinner!

Due to the price drop this year, we were able to buy this rare treat which used to cost many times more than what we paid for.

Never in a million years could I have imagined having lobsters for Christmas. But my dream finally came true this year!

A huge thank you and hugs to my husband who rushed to the shop to buy the lobster well in advance to beat the Christmas mad rush crowd, so we were able to get the lobsters before they were sold out.

This lobster feast I made at home was super simple!

Here’s what I did:

Cooked Lobsters

For the lobsters, we just bought ready-cooked lobsters. I didn’t want to chance having overcooked the lobsters. So we decided to have the experts cook them for us!

To clean and cut the lobsters, I followed this YouTube video from Jamie Oliver’s YouTube channel:

I prepared a few slices of lemon to serve with the lobsters. I decided not to add lemon juice in my garlic butter sauce so that adjust the sourness of the lobsters to our tastes.

Garlic Butter Sauce

10 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt, to taste
Dried/fresh parsley

Method:
– Stir-fry the chopped garlic with butter until aromatic.
– Add salt and dried/fresh parsley.
– Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Roast Potatoes

6-8 medium-sized potatoes, halved (potato skin removal is optional)
Olive oil
Cracked black pepper
Salt and sugar to taste

Method:
– Season the potatoes with olive oil, cracked black pepper, salt and sugar.
– Place the potatoes on an oiled baking tray. Make sure that the potatoes are not on top of each other so they bake evenly.
– Bake the potatoes in the oven at 220 degrees C for about 40 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes). Make sure to turn your potatoes every 15 minutes or so.
– The potatoes are ready when they are slightly golden brown and soft inside.
– You can test whether they’re cooked by poking a large-sized potato with your knife. If the knife goes through without any resistance, then your potatoes are ready!

Garden Salad

French salad dressing
2 hard boiled eggs
½ of a red capsicum, sliced
A handful of sultanas/raisins
4 handfuls of baby spinach
1 or 2 tomatoes, sliced into wedges

Method:
– Put the red capsicum, tomatoes, sultanas/raisins and baby spinach into a large salad bowl.
– Add French salad dressing and mix them all.
– Carefully slice the hard-boiled eggs and place them on top of the salad. This will ensure that the egg doesn’t break up during the mixing process!
– Serve.

Final result:

Here’s what we had! A lobster feast fit for a king and queen.

If you don’t have lobsters, you can make this same meal, but with grilled prawns or fish.

Hope you give this lobster feast recipe a try!

The post Lobster Feast Recipe for Christmas appeared first on Colour It Bright.

Are you a fan of taking health supplements for your daily vitamin intake? Do you feel that they are necessary? For me, I’m not a big fan of taking health supplements, but I do feel that they help me get through the day by making me more energized. So I take them anyway.

Ideally, getting your vitamins, nutrients and minerals through real food is the best as they can work together to enhance absorption. If you have a balanced diet of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, then you may not need to take any health supplements. Have you been eating well enough? You may think that you may have a balanced diet, but you may still be missing out on some essential vitamins.

If you have the following symptoms, then you are lacking in vitamins:

• Memory loss. This means that you may have deficiency of vitamin B12

• Poor night vision, dandruff and some bumps on the back of your arms. This means that you may lack in vitamin A

• Numbness in your hands of feet. This means that you may not have enough vitamin B

• Muscles cramps. This means you may need more magnesium, calcium or potassium

• Muscle aches, fatigue and weakness. This may mean that you are low in vitamin D

• Gray hair, mouth ulcers and fatigue. This may indicate that you have too little folate

Once you found out whether you may be having deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals, it’s a good idea to plan your diet accordingly to boost up what your body is lacking.

The chart below indicates the types of food you can eat to get those vitamins and minerals.

For certain groups of women, their daily food intake for the vitamins and minerals they need may never be enough despite their efforts. In this case, having supplements alongside with a healthy diet will be the best choice.

If you fall under the following categories, then seeking a health professional to advise you on the types of vitamin and mineral supplements to take to improve your health will be your best bet.

• Pregnant women, breastfeeding women and women trying to conceive may need more vitamin B6 and B12. They will also need more folic acid.

• Women with limited exposure to sunlight may need more vitamin D.

• Women on a strict vegan diet or vegetarians may need more vitamin B12.

• Women with restrictive diets due to food allergies or eating disorders may need more vitamins.

Although there are many types of health supplements available in leading pharmacies worldwide, the most recommended supplements are the multivitamins, omega 3s, vitamin D and calcium.

As for myself, I take multivitamins and vitamin Cs. I feel they are good enough to keep me strong and healthy. Do you rely health supplements to keep you healthy? Or if not, what sort of diet plan do you follow to stay healthy?

References:

http://www.healthline.com/health/vitamins-for-women#Overview1

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/vitamins-and-nutrients-for-women

http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/natural-remedies/vitamins-women-best-multivitamins

http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/natural-remedies/100-best-supplements-for-women

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/advice/a2375/what-you-should-know-about-taking-vitamins-116341/

https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/medicines-and-supplements/vitamins-and-supplements/articles/multivitamins

The post Do Women Really Need Supplements to Stay Healthy? appeared first on Colour It Bright.

I personally feel that nothing beats the great feeling to going to boutiques, just trying out clothes that you would like to buy. However, when you live in a place where the variety of clothing styles are so limited or in a location where clothes are simply too expensive and beyond your reach, then buying clothes online can be a good alternative for you.

Purchasing your clothes online can be tricky. You may sometimes be disappointed with your choice when you receive your clothes. To minimise your disappointment, you need to learn how to buy clothes online that actually fit you.

Here are some useful tips:

Tips to buy clothes online that actually fit you

1) Take accurate measurements of yourself

Always take into consideration that a size 10 for company A may be a size 8 for company B. So, by knowing your sizes with this method may not get you your perfect clothes fit. Before buying clothes online, take accurate measurements of yourself. For women, you need to concentrate on getting measurements of your “natural waste”, the slimmest part of your torso. You would also want to take measurements of your actual waist, although this may not always be necessary.

The best way for you to get accurate measurements for your clothes is to let a professional take them for you, such as a tailor or specialist shop. They may charge a small fee to do this for you, but it’s worth it.

2) Record your past purchases from favourite online retailers

Take note of all your past purchases. Once you’ve bought clothing from a particular retailer that actually fits, write down the sizes that had actually fit you. There is a likelihood that different retailers would display sizes with different measurements. So write down the retailer and pair them with the sizes you went for that actually worked well for you.

This chart may help you discover what size you are:

3) Buy a slightly larger size

If you get a really good deal online, you can buy your clothes and dresses at a slightly larger size. Once you receive the clothing, you can find a tailor or seamstress to make alterations and adjustments for you to customised it to your body size. You can get your jeans and slacks hemmed as well as dresses and blouses fitted to your measurements. This tip is especially good when getting expensive clothing at a fraction of a price online because even after hiring a tailor or seamstress, the clothing will end up much cheaper than the price in a retail shop.

4) Plug your measurements into websites like Sizecharter

If you are in doubt about what sizes you should buy, go to websites like Sizecharter and put down your body measurements. The website will let you know what size you are for popular brands.

5) Opt to buy Silhouettes for skirts and dresses

Another good option if you are worried about getting a right size when buying your clothes online is to buy specific silhouettes. This works perfectly when you wish to buy skirts and dresses.

The images below illustrate the types of skirts and dresses you can buy that would be easy to match any size:

6) Return policy

Before purchasing any clothes online, make sure that the online retailer has a good return policy. When your clothes arrive, try them on as soon as possible. Do not remove any tags or stickers so that you can return them as soon as you find out that they do not fit you. This should only be your last option as you may need to pay the postage cost to return the clothes to the online retailer.

Buying clothes online can improve your personal style at affordable and bargain prices. However, by taking some of these extra steps, you can avoid wasting money and time returning your bought clothes that do not fit you.

Have you benefited from any of these tips? Or do you have more tips to share when talking about shopping for clothes online? I’d love to know!

Before you browse the internet to buy more clothes online, I’d like to wish you happy shopping and have fun!

References:

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/01/how-to-shop-for-clothes-online-and-get-a-perfect-fit/

https://www.buzzfeed.com/alisoncaporimo/online-shopping-hacks?utm_term=.haZL4lVQpD#.ivo2xDmXrz

http://www.wikihow.com/Shop-for-Clothes-Online

http://www.fashionbeans.com/2017/complete-guide-buying-clothes-online/

http://www.brit.co/online-shopping-tips/

The post How to Buy Clothes Online that Actually Fit You appeared first on Colour It Bright.

With social media being part of our lives nowadays, looking good in photos has become more and more important in maintaining our self-image and confidence. Some people are natural posers. Others look better in person than in photos. If you are often disappointed by how you look in photos, it’s probably time for you to take action and learn how to look better in photos.

Looking good in pictures will need some time and practice. But once you mastered the art of being photogenic, you’ll be taking good pictures in no time! Try these tips to look great in photos.

Tips for Looking Good in Photos

1) Get your eyebrows trimmed and filled with a good quality eye brow pencil. Use a darker brow pencil to get better pictures of yourself.

2) Avoid showing a double chin by pushing your face and chin forward slightly while elongating your neck. This will help define your jawline and makes your face look thinner.

3) Posing correctly will significantly make you have great pictures. Know how to show your ‘good’ side. Try a number of poses and see which ones suit you the best. I found some great tutorials about posing here.

4) Try lifting your face with some added colours to your cheeks. By applying some blush to your cheeks, you can avoid having two dimension, paled or washed-out look in your photos. You can apply a warm rose, coral, peach or pink blush to your cheeks as they will work perfectly fine.

5) Having unnecessary glow to your skin can be very unflattering. Hence, to eliminate any shiny skin, remove oil from your face with a blotting paper. After this, apply some powder on the oily parts of your face.

6) Choose your lipstick wisely. Avoid using dark coloured lip colours as they look unflattering. Instead, use brighter colours like a berry lip colour. It helps to draw attention to your face the right way.

7) You can fake a tummy tuck by twisting your torso, and turning one of your shoulders towards the camera while moving your other shoulder away from the camera. If you follow this technique, it will make you look slimmer.

8) Your hair will look better in photos when it has volume. To create volume to your hair, blow out your hair with a wide-tooth comb. After this, shake the hair and use your fingers to run through it. This will help shake up your hair. You can also tuck in your hair behind your ears to make your cheekbones look more lifted.

9) Wear clothes and accessories that actually make you look good. There are so many techniques to making your body look great when it comes to clothing and accessories. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your body shape and try to use these to your advantage.

I hope you managed to gain some useful tips on how to look better in photos. Did you find these tips helpful? Are there any other tips that I have not covered that worked best for you?

References:

http://dailymakeover.com/how-to-be-photogenic/

http://www.instyle.com/beauty/10-ways-look-better-pictures

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-look-better-in-photos-based-on-your-body-type-1640221096

http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/how-look-good-photos

http://www.refinery29.com/how-to-look-good-in-photos#slide

http://www.garancedore.fr/en/2013/04/23/7-ways-to-look-better-in-photos/

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I was making some Chinese egg tarts the other day and had some leftover pastry dough. Usually what I would do is put my leftover dough in a cling wrap and keep it in the freezer until I have the time to make another pastry dessert again. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes months before I am able to find the time to make another sweet pastry dessert again. When this happens, I would normally just throw away the remaining dough because it had been kept for too long in the freezer. What a waste, right?

So this time, I decided that since I had the whole evening to bake without any other commitments, I might as well think of something else to do with my leftover pastry before it goes to the bin again.

I thought about all the pastry desserts I could possibly make with the remaining sweet pastry dough. However, most of the leftover pastry ideas I have were just too complicated and time consuming. I told myself whatever it is, I’m not going to spend much time on this second dessert. So I decided to make some lovely jam tarts!

This is what I did to make the jam tarts:-

How to make jam tarts with leftover pastry dough

Ingredients:

Leftover sweet shortcrust pastry (also known as pâte sucrée)

Egg wash (1 egg, beaten lightly)

Fruit jam of your choice (I recommend strawberry or raspberry jam)

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 C.

2. Use a teaspoon to take one quantity of pastry dough.

3. Roll the dough into a ball with your hands.

4. Lightly oil your cookie tray with some softened butter. Put some baking paper on the oiled cookie tray.

5. Slowly press the dough onto the cookie tray with the palm of your hand.

6. Use a melon scoop or your index finger to make a small indent at the centre of the dough.

7. Take about ½ tsp of fruit jam and place it in the small indent.

8. Use a pastry brush to spread some egg wash on the dough.

9. Put the jam tarts in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until they are slightly golden in colour.

10. There you have it. Perfect jam tarts to accompany your tea!

What do you think? Is it a great idea to make jam tarts instead of storing your remaining sweet pastry in the freezer? Or do you have any other leftover pastry ideas? I’m always learning and happy to hear your thoughts on this.

The post What to do with leftover pastry dough appeared first on Colour It Bright.

For weeks, I have been struggling with my half broken handbag. I had a new one stashed away in the cupboard. But somehow I did not want to start using my new handbag. There was nothing wrong with it. I was just used to my old handbag’s side pockets and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get used to using my new handbag. I do admit that I sometimes have a problem getting out of my comfort zone.

Finally, when I started using my new handbag, I felt so much better! My new handbag was not only made of a more sturdy material, but I also felt more comfortable using it because it has more compartments – which made it a better fit for my belongings. So the number one fear I had – which is having a hard time finding stuff was actually not a problem at all! In fact, with the more pockets my new handbag has, I find it even easier to find my stuff in this new handbag. It was like it was meant to be. All the fear and worry for nothing!

The moral of the story is – getting out of your comfort zone can be very difficult and challenging, especially when you’re used to doing things or having things in a certain way. But sometimes positive change can lead to much better outcomes than what you can imagine. That’s worth fighting for!

Have you been in a situation where you have been wanting to take the plunge for a new change but did not find the courage to do so? It could be trying out a new outfit style, going on that holiday you have always wished for but did not have the courage to plan for it, that new job you’ve been dreaming of, or setting your dream to become an entrepreneur, book author or creator of an awesome product! Whatever the case may be, there’s always ways to overcome your fear of getting out of your comfort zone.

Although there is no way to totally describe how this can be done – especially in steps, let me encourage you with these simple tips to give you hope for a positive change in your life. I know that at times, we get a little fickle minded. But it’s worth making a firm decision on the things that matters most in our lives.

Moving Out of Your Comfort Zone 101

The Unknown Seems Dangerous

Whenever you are trying out something new, you will tend to fear that the unknown is dangerous. Before you take any drastic steps in your life, careful planning is crucial. Do your research, ask your family and friends for unbiased views and read about write-ups that may inspire you on your journey to that specific change. Small changes like a change in fashion style or an overseas holiday vacation may be something very small. But huge changes like the repositioning of your career or making an investment decision should not be taken lightly. Take your time to decide, but do not take forever to make a decision. You will know when you are ready to take the leap.

You May Lose Everything You’ve Got

If you already have everything, there shouldn’t be a yearning for change from inside your inner being. If you feel unhappy or unsatisfied with certain areas of your life, it means that there is the need for change in your life. Sometimes, you will have to lose something to gain something even bigger. It may be relocating to a different location for a career change, or even something bigger.

What If You Made the Wrong Decision

There are times when you will be making wrong decisions. And that may end you up with unwanted consequences. However, how you deal with your negative outcomes will bring out the best in you and your life. I always feel that whenever we make mistakes, we can learn from them and improve ourselves so that we can be better prepared for the next battle. Eventually, after making some mistakes, we would get things right. And when you get things right, you’ll probably be overwhelmed with joy!

Suffering the Consequences

When we make decisions, especially tough ones, we must be ready to face the consequences. If the consequences are unpleasant, then a positive attitude is a must. Always be ready no matter the outcome. If you fail to reach the desired outcomes, evaluate your mistakes, give yourself a pat on the shoulder and see how you can make better decisions in the future. Give credit to yourself – knowing that at least you have given a go at reaching your dreams. Do not let bad consequences dampen your dreams. Keep on dreaming. You’ll reach your destination sooner than you think!

You May Look Stupid to Others

There are always people out there who are out to either encourage you or pull you down. Beware of hypocrites who pretend to be your friend, but discourage you in things that they know will actually bring good to your life just to see you fail. Please take into consideration that not everyone who discourages you would want you to fail in your life. Some of them are just too concerned or cautious themselves and may never make the same sort of decisions you have been thinking of making. Sometimes, those who discourage you have really made the decision you would like to make and have been unsuccessful in reaching their destinations. In this case, they want to save you from regretting later on. So weight out all the possibilities when receiving comments from other people about your decision – but make sure that the decision is ultimately yours.

I guess that’s all for now. So it’s time to get out of your comfort zone – move on with your life and do whatever you want with it. Life’s worth living when you keep on believing. Happy New Year 2017 and may the new year be filled with joy, hope and peace in your hearts.

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With Christmas being just around the corner, you must be scratching your head trying to figure out what presents to get. If you still have not decided on what gifts to get for your friends and family, why not make homemade Christmas edible gifts for the holiday?

Homemade holiday food gifts are always a treat to anyone who receives it. The fact that it is made from scratch means a lot of effort was taken to prepare it – and people really appreciate it.

If you feel attempting to make easy edible Christmas gifts for your family and friends this seasons, I’ve got some really useful Christmas gift recipes for you. Of course, I’ve compiled them from some of my favourite recipe websites. I’d highly recommend you to visit these websites as the recipes there are really good.

Here they are:-

Chocolate Truffles

Store-bought chocolate truffles can be really expensive to buy. But if you want to give your friends and family these treats anyway, it’s best to make them. Simplyrecipes.com has a really easy chocolate truffles recipe made with minimal ingredients. You’ll be surprised just how fun it will be making them!

Homemade Chocolate Blocks

Are you a fan of those gourmet chocolates that you get from those fancy shops and market stalls? Perhaps it’s time for you to make your own handmade chocolates! I found this really interesting recipe for making dark chocolate blocks the paleo way at Allrecipes.com. It will definitely be a special treat for your friends and family as you probably won’t find these in any shop around town. It’s healthier to eat too. Great for a guilt-free Christmas!

Florentines

Do you like to eat fancy cookies? Chances are – many of your friends and family members would love to try different types of cookies during the holiday season. Why not surprise them with some Florentines to light up their Christmas? They’re really easy to make too! If you would like to make these lovely homemade edible gifts, I’d recommend you to try this recipe that was featured at Taste.com.au.

Panettone

This is a really lovely and tasty bread made especially during Christmas time. I enjoy eating it because of its rich flavour and texture. Although you can buy this in the shops, it may be a little expensive to buy them as gifts. So it can be a good idea to make them yourself! A really good recipe for panettone can be found at www.marthastewart.com.

Caramel Candies

It’s really hard to find unique candies in the stores nowadays. Almost all the candies in the shops are commercially made and lack in real flavour. For some delicious candy goodness, take up the challenge to make some caramel candies. They’re simply irresistible and would surely bring a smile to your friends and family. A simple caramel candy recipe can be found at www.thekitchn.com.

I really hope you’ll have fun using these homemade Christmas treats. Have I missed anything out? Do you have other favourite edible Christmas treat ideas to share? I’d love to find out.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays in advance!

References:

http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1059/homemade-food-gifts/

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/edible-gift

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/christmas+gift+ideas

http://www.popsugar.com/food/Holiday-Edible-Gift-Ideas-12658897#photo-12658897

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/gift-ideas/g403/homemade-food-gift-ideas/

http://www.marthastewart.com/274972/homemade-food-gifts

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_truffles/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/236212/homemade-melt-in-your-mouth-dark-chocolate-paleo/

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/6849/florentines

http://www.marthastewart.com/352672/panettone

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-soft-chewy-caramel-candies-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-180832

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Last weekend, I was on a mission to declutter my apartment. So I went through my closet and discovered that I have been keeping my broken handbags for the past few years without noticing it! I clearly need to learn how to clear away unwanted stuff more often. Do you have trouble decluttering your home too? I must say that although I still struggle with parting from my belongings, I have improved a lot since I moved into my tiny apartment about 3 years ago.

If you would like to have an idea about getting rid of clutter, then look no further. I’ve come up with some general rules on how to declutter your home. You can use this as a guide when organising your home next time.

Tips for Decluttering Your Home

Decide on a specific area to clear

Look around your house to see if there are any particular areas that feel more cluttered than others. Break these areas down into mini-sections. It could be a particular cupboard that you want to clear, your kitchen countertop or closet. When you divide these areas into section, then it won’t be that scary trying to clear them.

Clear your counters

Identify obvious flat surfaces in your house – such as your coffee table, kitchen countertop, study table or dining table. Think about one or two essential things that you will need to have in these areas. Get rid of the rest or store them in perfect order.

Pick a shelf to declutter

After you’re done cleaning all your counter spaces, start looking at your shelves. The common areas that are prone to clutter are such as closets, kitchen cupboards and bookshelves. Do not be overwhelmed by the amount of shelves you need to tidy up. Just focus on one shelf at a time. Take the time to go through all the items in each shelf and throw away or donate any unwanted things to make it clutter-free.

Remove everything from a drawer

Take out your drawers one at a time. Remove everything from a drawer. Have a look at the items. Throw away anything that you feel is no longer essential. Arrange your belongings according to categories in each drawer so that it will be easier to find your things in the future.

Categorise your belongings into four categories

You can categorise your belongings into four categories – things to throw away, give away, keep or relocate. If you are not sure whether you need a particular item, you can put it into a ‘maybe’ box and store it somewhere hidden. If you do not use the item after six months from the day you have placed it there, this means that you do not need that item.

Recycle certain materials

It’s a good idea to recycle glass, plastics and paper that you wish to discard to do your part for the environment.

Donate to charity

Sometimes, it may be difficult to part away from your belongings that are still in perfect order, but have no use to you anymore. If you have items that are still in good condition, do not feel sad to donate them as you know that by doing so, you are blessing someone else. Remember, someone’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Organise a garage sale

If you have the time and would like to make some money from your unwanted belongings, you may consider organising a garage sale. There are always ways to advertise your garage sale online or at your local neighbourhood. Check with your local council for permission if you wish to put up signages in the neighbourhood to advertise your garage sale.

Get a Trash Bag

While trying to declutter your home, always have a trash bag in handy. When going through your stuff, see if they really work. If they do not work anymore and are no longer worth repairing, just put them in the trash bag. If you have electronic, electrical or computer items that you to discard, it’s worth checking with your local council if they have facilities to get rid of such items.

Understand the 80/20 Rule

There is a saying that when it comes to clothing, we normally only wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. The same rule goes for other things too, such as books, DVDs, video games, linens, computer parts and toys. To see if you use an item, everytime you use the item, put it back in such a way that it faces the opposite direction of everything else. So in about six months, you will know what you really need and what you don’t need. If you have clothes for different seasons, then store away clothes for other seasons in a safe location. Bring it out again when the season arrives.

Getting rid of clutter can be tough. I still struggle with it until today. But as I learn to make use of these tips, I can confidently say that I am slowly improving myself to keep minimum items to keep the house looking organised. I’d encourage you to try these tips on how to declutter your home too. Have you used any of these tips before and found them useful? Or do you have more tips to share?

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Being comfortable in your own skin can be challenging. In society, we are constantly judged by our looks, financial status, career and attire. Most often, it may seem as though our lives are being put on centre stage and we are the performers. Are you currently living a life that is not your own just to impress others? Then, stop! It’ll only make your life miserable.

Learning how to be comfortable in your own skin takes a lot of courage and determination. However, once you learn to accept yourself and your choices openly without the need to impress or to compare yourself to others, you will live a much happier life.

Below are some useful tips for those of you who are still struggling to feel comfortable in your own skin:

HOW TO BE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN SKIN

Speak Kindly to Yourself

When you fail at something or are weak at certain areas in life, do not speak harshly to yourself. Instead, learn to lift yourself up by speaking words of kindness and encouragement to yourself. This will help you to get out of any negative mood that you are in so that you will be ready to take on what lies ahead in your life.

Take Care of Your Wellbeing

Get enough sleep, ensure a well balanced diet, drink enough water and exercise daily. This will help you to be emotionally stable and healthy. When your body is healthy, you naturally feel happy and good about yourself.

Meditate to Find Out What You Really Want in Life

You may have already achieved a high financial status, established a family and owned the house and car of your dreams – but still living a miserable and unhappy life. Sometimes, it’s important to have some time alone to meditate. During your time alone, take a deep breath and think about your life and what it is that is missing in your life that is making you unhappy. You may desire more time with your family, a different sort of career path or more time away from your busy schedule. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to determine what is making you unhappy and work towards improving your life to fill that missing puzzle.

Do Things that Makes You Happy

With the busy lifestyles that we lead, it’s quite rare for people to have hobbies nowadays. Do you like to have regular barbecue gatherings with your friends and family, or an annual trip overseas to fulfill your bucket list? Do you like hiking and other outdoor activities? Or you simply like to chill out at a posh coffee shop with a cake and coffee while watching the evening go by? Whatever you like to do, just make it happen. When you do the things that makes you happy, you are truly living a life that is your own.

Love Your Appearance and Accept Your Physical Flaws

Don’t look like a super model? Who cares! Even models and actresses have their own physical flaws. You probably just do not notice it.

Enjoy Showing Your Unique Personality

Do you like to laugh loudly, share stupid jokes or exhibit a quirky personality? Do people often ask you to behave like a ‘woman’ or a ‘young lady’? Do you feel suffocated when trying to be Ms Womanly Woman? Then, just be yourself! You’ll be surprised at how a room can lighten up with your unique personality. People will actually thank you for it!

Dare to Dream

When we were kids we were not shy to tell everyone about the most ridiculous dreams ever. But when we grow up, we become afraid to dream big. Why put obstacles in our minds and stop us from dreaming? Why let negativity get in the way of our bigger dreams? Anything is possible if you dare to dream! The world is your oyster.

Stay Away from Those Who Will Never Understand and Accept You

Have you ever been with a group of friends who force you to do things that you hate to do and when you do not want to do it, they make fun of you or threaten to abandon the friendship? Just let them go. There are plenty more friends you can make who will share your same interests. It’ll be so much cooler to hangout with people who accept you for who you are. Friends who make fun of you or who do not try and understand you are not worth keeping.

Live Passionately and Follow Your Dreams

You may have a dream that you’ve been holding on for a long time. Wake up energised every day, knowing that you’re one step closer to your dream. Work towards it and enjoy every moment in heading towards your ultimate destiny!

Never Speak Negatively About Yourself to Others

Do not ever speak negatively about yourself to other people. It will make you feel more miserable. Always highlight the positives about yourself to others and be yourself.

Accept Your Imperfections

Are you bad at mathematics, writing or public speaking? Well, everyone is made differently. We all have our own unique gifts and talents. So why moan about something that you don’t have when you have a lot of other talents to celebrate?

Feeling comfortable in your own skin can take a lot of work. But with great determination, I’m sure that it can be achievable. I hope the tips that I have shared will encourage you to accept yourself. Enjoy every moment of your life. Remember, it’s your life after all!

References:

http://www.bustle.com/articles/130190-6-ways-to-be-more-comfortable-with-yourself

http://sourcesofinsight.com/top-10-ways-to-be-comfortable-in-your-own-skin/

http://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/become-woman-comfortable-skin/

https://joyable.com/blog/comfortable-in-your-own-skin/

The post How to Feel Comfortable in Your Own Skin appeared first on Colour It Bright.

The world of online dating always fascinates me. A normal question that usually comes to my mind when thinking about this sort of dates are – how can two people actually fall in love without meeting each other in the first instance? How can this develop into a binding relationship that could lead to marriage? However, as the years go by, I find out that more and more of my friends are finding their life partners through the internet.

When my high school friend, Sally started sharing on Facebook about how she found her husband online, my curiosity grew even more. I guess that for most of you who have never heard about what online dating is all about, you may be as curious as I am. Hence, for this blog post, I have asked Sally and her husband Rob to share their honest opinion on their online dating experiences.

Below are their answers:

How did you got to know each other? What channel etc?

Sally: Well, it started when I was chatting online with Rob’s friend, Mike. It was back in 1999 when there was an online chatting website called MiRC (I’m not sure if MiRC is still operating). I was chatting casually on that website and not looking for love obviously because I wasn’t on a dating website but yea, it happened

So at that time I was just 15 years old. There weren’t smartphones or apps like now. In the beginning, Mike and I were communicating over email once in awhile and also chatting through Yahoo Messenger.

Then after we assessed each other that we were real and weren’t weirdos online, we sent some letters and exchanged our pictures and small souvenirs. We were basically like pen-pals. We talked about hobbies, friends & family etc.

Sometimes Mike would call me from USA and he let me talk to his friends. From there I got to know some of his friends and that’s how I first heard about Rob. Then the internet came up with social media sites like MySpace, Friendster, and then Facebook. It was easier and we kept in touch through that. Later, I added some of Mike’s friends on there too including Rob.

When you got to know each other, was it love at first sight? Or were you friends first?

Sally & Rob: Basically we were online friends and then we clicked. From chatting we went to phone calls and then video calls. We slowly built up the relationship over time.

How did you interact with each other online?

Sally & Rob: We started to message each other on Facebook and then we downloaded WhatsApp and LINE which made it easier to communicate daily.

What did you think of each other at the first instance when you met online?

Sally: I think he’s nice, funny and a shy guy. That made me wanted to know him more.

Rob: I liked Sally’s personality; she was fun, we got along well, we could easily make each other laugh. I was eager to get to know her better.

Did you exchange photos? When?

Sally & Rob: The first time we exchanged photos was when we first downloaded WhatsApp in 2012. But we knew what each other looked like way before that since we were friends online through MySpace, Friendster, and Facebook.

When did you decide to meet each other? After how long?

Sally: It happened that Rob’s friend, Andrew was going to Indonesia in 2014 because he was marrying his fiancé, Melissa (now his wife). So, we were invited to Andrew’s wedding in Indonesia. We thought it was a good opportunity to meet up after about a year talking and chatting daily on WhatsApp. We felt we already kind of knew each other after many years of talking before this.

Sally & Rob: Our first time meeting up was amazing. We were excited and nervous at the same time. When the first time we saw each other at the airport there were these magical sparks and chemistry between us right away. Both of us had huge smiles on our faces. It felt natural, like we had known each other forever!

Sally: I noticed that he couldn’t take his eyes away from me. I was so happy that he flew all the way to see me. We traveled together with Andrew & his wife in Singapore and Indonesia and I also brought him back to Malaysia to my hometown to introduce him to my family.

My parents knew about me having friends in USA that I know through online since I was 15. Ever since that fateful trip we knew we always wanted to be together and we feel blessed that we are happily married now.

How did the relationship manage to develop being so far apart?

Sally & Rob: Communication is always the key in any relationship especially in a long distance relationship. Technology helped a lot. We always spoke daily and had video calls.

Time difference was another challenge we faced having a long distance relationship. For us it was a 12 hour difference. We had to be consistent, stay positive, and have the same goals towards the relationship that we built. We would wake up earlier before going to work just to make sure that we could talk to each other daily.

We always would update each other what’s going on in our lives and we showed that we’re always there for each other. For example, we showed each other pictures of what we were doing during the day, like the foods that we had for our meal or sending a photo of the movie we watched with our friends.

We sent cards or small gifts once in a while to surprise each other which helped maintain our relationship and make it feel more alive.

Most importantly our relationship came with honesty and openness. We talked about anything, even our weaknesses and beliefs. We came to accept each other the way we are. We are, and always will be, each others best friend.

What’s it like to date online?

Sally & Rob: To be honest, it was never been easy as your love isn’t physically there for you. You have to be committed. As long as you have the same goals in relationship or the same feelings towards each other, it will work out the same as the normal relationship.

How did you manage trust in online dating?

Sally & Rob: We spoke everyday and were completely honest with each other from the start. There was never a reason to doubt each other. We always updated each other on what we were doing or where we are at. We also respected each other’s space.

Did part of you wished you could date each in person? Did you miss each other and how did you overcome it?

Sally & Rob: Absolutely! It would have made things easier to date in person. We missed each other very much and we spoke everyday on the phone or video called and also texted daily. We would plan out on the next trip to meet up with each other again. The longest waiting time that we had to go through until we saw each other again was 6 months. We would plan to meet up with each other as often as we could no matter where, in KL or in the U.S.

Did part of you doubted that the relationship would work out in the end during your courtship?

Sally & Rob: There was a little bit of doubt during the relationship due to many challenges we faced such as coming from different countries, different cultures, different time zones & etc. But every relationship has challenges and it depends on how you handle them that makes it work.

What would your advice be to people wishing to pursue online dating?

Sally & Rob: First of all, always make sure that the person you’re chatting with is real. Not only get to know them, but it’s better to know their family & friends too. Have a lot of patience and communicate daily to get to know each other well enough before meeting up. Sometimes it takes time, but it’s worth it.

I’d like to thank Sally & Rob for sharing their success in online dating and some dating advice to those who are wishing to pursue online dating. Although this sort of dating can be challenging, but it does work for some couples. To Sally & Rob, I’d also like to wish you both a happy marriage ahead!

The post A Successful Online Dating Story from Sally & Rob appeared first on Colour It Bright.