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So if you haven’t heard of it then where on earth have you been? Well, probably taking care of the children, doing chores and dealing with motherhood I guess. The Letdown is a new Australian television comedy series, released on Netflix and ABC and was created by Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell, who plays Audrey, new mother to 2 month old baby girl Stevie. The show shares some raw honesty about motherhood. The breastfeeding conundrums, sleepless nights, having to drive a few blocks to get baby to sleep and the ultimate - feeling lost, sometimes unfulfilled and a even a huge sense of overwhealment. Audrey struggles to see the sense in her parenting support groups, her and her husbands sex life is currently down the pan, is struggling to understand her new relationship with her mother since becoming a mother herself and everything in between makes for a series that so many of us can truly relate to. Season 1 Episode 1 opens with Audrey in a car park in the very late evening - half asleep from her routine night time drive to submissively get baby to sleep. Suddenly acosted by a man - no not a worried police officer, or a concerned passer by, as you might think, but the local drug dealer, who then questions her about her presence on his patch. As obscure as this sounds, it's hilariously and unexpectedly funny. What an opener to get you reeled in - right? ABC/Netflix Series The Letdown It's extremely refreshing for a comedy series to be released that depicts all sides of motherhood. The darker and the brighter side - attached with effortless humour. We just can't seem to understand what took so long?! Well heck, it's here now and we certainly think that this is one to watch and make some room for in your busy schedule. One that will help you understand that - it is not just you who can't get the pram out of the car with grace, whilst fumbling with that damn latch that never seems to open. It is not just you that pines for a glass of wine to take the edge off of motherhood, toying with the fact that you are indeed breasfeeding and it is not just you who occassionally feels lost. There are no holds barred with this show and that's what we love about it. When it comes to shedding the ultimate reals on motherhood - the truths that so many women are too ashamed to be frank about, this show does mothers complete justice. With highlights, lowlights and hilariously wrought honesty, we simply can’t wait for season 2.​ So what do the massess think about 'The Letdown'. Here's a snippet Watch it here. We promise, you won't be dissapointed.

Words are oh so powerful. Read these affirmations when you wake up each morning. Take them with you for reminders during the day if you need to. Constant effort towards making proclamations over yourself that are full of life have been proven to change mindsets, cure PTSD, help with depression, reform from mental or all forms of abuse for survivors out there, and renew your mind entirely. Per science it takes 21 days to re-groove your brain - amazing right? This is one step to take daily towards this process and to exercise your brain, get it thinking and believing things other than what we already are right now. A lot of words of death and hate get spoken over our lives constantly so to look at a sheet full of truths about yourself and read them as affirmations from yourself and others will expedite the re-vamping of your mind in unimaginable ways. Stretch, Sit, and Smile. Now, speak these out loud before the day ahead of you begins: Today is a new day. Yesterday is over. I will not carry any shame from yesterday. It is gone and forgiven. I will live today as tomorrow does not exist. I am talented in my own way, and divinely. I am irreplaceable I am special and important I have a purpose Today is a good day for me to have a good day. Today I choose joy. I am capable and dedicated. I am strong and brave. I will fight back only when necessary. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful. I do noy need to impress anyone but myself. (Your Name Insert here) you are a warrior There is only one me. I am without rival. I am imperfect, my flaws are in a gorgeous process not to be judged. I will respect others and demand they respect me. I am loved. I do not base decisions on emotions I will question my emotions before acting on them. I am kind, but I am not weak. I am grateful, just grateful. I will not wait for a light at the end of the tunnel. I will light that bitch up myself. I do not need to prove anything to anyone. I am enough. I may have done some of the things they said I did, but I am NOT who they say I am. I will not judge anything that happens today. I will boss today around. It will not boss me around. I am fearless, savage and free. My happiness matters. I will accomplish remarkable things Today will be victorious I believe in myself I am an eagle, not a chicken. I enjoy being playful. Mary Poppins had living the good life down so a spoon full of sugar shall coat my attitude. I will rebuke then block all negativity and lies to keep my mindset healthy. I am watchful, productive, smart, and I MATTER. I know my worth, I will live today owning it. May today be blessed, positive, and a lesson. I can take on today like a warrior, a badass, and a well-poised, Lioness. Try me.

So, I had just turned 31 when I had my son who has recently celebrated his 12th birthday - yep, do not, I repeat do not ask me where those years have gone! My style since, has somewhat changed a hell of alot. The combining factors being - one; my beautiful new and aging body shape - not that I ever wore crop tops prior, but after having my son I had and still have some prominent silvery stretch marks on my lower tummy area - that I have come to love might I add. I am now so at one with them and will still wear a super cute bikini on holiday's, but with a cover-up close to hand of course. However, I certainly wouldn’t want to expose them while food shopping in Sainsbury’s. Two; this is probably also in part due to my age, although I loathe saying “age appropriate” as I'm pro women being able to wear what they love - without judgement. I still love Top Shop, but tend to go at quieter times when I'm adament the store will not be filled to the brim with gorgeous looking teenagers. In the first few years after my son was born I think I lost my style mojo - which most mama's can relate to and as I navigated through motherhood and learned to accepot a whole new lifestyle, my love for fashion seemed to wane. I think your child becomes your whole focus and you are in a bubble at this time, but as they then begin to attend nursery/pre-school and you have more time to yourself, you can begin to focus on yourself, even if only a little bit more. In recent years my interest in fashion has been re-ignited. Feeling more confident as I have aged to just wear what I like and not to worry so much about what anyone else thinks. I think being a mother can be so demanding and consuming sometimes that the fun and frivolity of fashion is a much needed welcomed distraction. This is why I enjoy Instagram so much as it’s an outlet for my fashion and makeup interests with women who also share these passions, who are supportive and non-judgemental. Since my son has been at school I do find there is definitely a “mum uniform” that I and many others wear. The go to skinny jean with a blazer in the summer or parka in the winter with trainers or ankle boots. It’s an easy look which looks good and means you don’t have to think about your outfit too much. As mama's we also sometimes shy away from standing out too much as we do not want the other mothers to pass comment on what we are wearing so going for the let's call it - ‘safe option’ is much easier. I do however try and “jazz” my mum look up with some statement sunglasses though - I love sunglasses, well, who doesn't? They always look fabulous and hide a multitude of sins, plus everyone looks better in a pair of sunglasses. Or I will put a bright lipstick on just something to make the look pop just that little bit more. My last take on fashion is that I have to say that since becoming a mum I find high heels much trickier to wear. I think this has been down to all the time spent chasing a very energetic little boy in flat shoes, which has now meant I find myself wobbling in heels a whole lot more nowadays. I am now definitely a car to bar heel wearer these days. You can see more of Carole at: www.carolembeauty.co.uk Instagram - carolem_beauty

So we all know there is a magnitude of sleeping aids on the market. Some over the counter, some prescribed, but if you are like me and do not fancy heading to the doc's for a prescription, you'll want to opt for something different right? Suprisingly there are a multitude of products that can help aid sleep and some that even add the beauty part in there too. So what are these products and where can you find them? Our Beauty Editor Emma Collins keeps it real and shares some of the best tried and tested natural sleep aids out there. Sleep Well Milk £6.95 3x200ml My mother instructimg me to have a warm glass of milk before bed was the first thing I imagined when I came across Sleep Well Milk, however, not to be confused with days of yonder, this exceptional milk has been given a complete millenial spin. It's milk, but get this, it's Jersey Milk, which contains 20% more calcium, protein and higher amounts of minerals and vitamins - yep, we've just upped our milk credentials. But get this, it also contains Valerian, a natural sleep aid and relaxant, which has also been proved to decrease anxiety and stress symptoms. Sleep Well Milk has a delicate consistency and natural taste with a hint of honey and vanilla and can be drank either hot or cold, 30 minutes before bed. So, we opted for hot and gave it a try. Like I said, I've never really been one to opt for a glass of warm milk before bed, but after the second night I was actually looking forward to my natural night cap. The magic in this is obviously the valerian and the bonus is the extra nutrients. When I slipped into bed I felt relaxed and calm and more alert in the morning. It is such a simple, yet cool and innovative product and I just can't wait for the chocolate flavour to be released! Neals Yard Beauty Sleep Body Butter £23.00 The Neals Yard Body Butter is quite frankly, put in the simplest of terms - exquisite! With a unique soft scent of lavender I was mesmerized immediately. See I have quite normal skin, but can be prone to breakouts when my skin doesnt want to behave, so I'm usually a little apprenhesive when it comes to trying new products. It is as rich in scent as it is in texture and has a luxurious quality to it and that's what I just love about it. With Ylang Ylang and Patchouli Essential Oils all infused, the calming and relaxing properties make for the perfect addition to your beauty and sleep routine. The thick and creamy consistency of the butter also meant that it soaked right into my skin without leaving a film like layer (as some butters do). Suprisingly, it didn't feel greasy or heavy on and didn't toy with my skin. Although, meant for the body, I found that it worked amazingly as a face moisturiser too. Goodnight Pillow Mist £15.00 It is fair to say that Neals Yard deliver well when it comes to their products and scent and this shows with the Goodnight Pillow Mist. With a delicate and dreamy lavender aroma, best described as - what a dreamy meadow close to a lavender vine yard would smell like, the pillow mist was absolutely delightful. I sprayed it in the air and over the pillow at bedtime and it left the room with a soothing and tranquil environment and once my head hit my pillow I took to the scent even more. Filled with organic lavender, vetiner and mandarin essential oils the combination of these magical ingredients aid your sleep tremendously. I did wake up in the middle of the night to carry out my usual spot checks on the children and on returning to bed the scent was suprisingly still there, still as strong and still as effective. Come the morning, I woke up feeling cool and calm and completely ready to take on my day. Beauty Sleep Supplement £26.50 I have always been slightly skeptical with supplememts, so when it came to the Neals Yard Beauty Sleep Supplements I already had my reservations. The self proclaimed skin hero does not only aid sleep but also aids skin renewal too - now that's major! The supplements contain an amazing herbal blend of lemon balm, chamomile, passion flower, added B vitamins and pantothenic acid to help aid relaxation, in order to reduce fatigue and promote a restorative sleep. This also works to support your skin's natural night-time regeneration and to help maintain healthy skin, nails and hair, all while you sleep. About 5 days in I started to notice a new level of calmness during my bedtime routine and a greater sense of balance in the morning. See, my mornings are usually ridled with uneasiness and chaos - but I managed to maintain this until about lunch time - until my mid morning slump kicked in. Nethertheless I was truly impresed even if it were only for an hour or two. Dermalogica Sleep Cocoon £72.50 Dermalogica, has honestly never been been my go to beauty product of choice, but after hearing other beauty editors raving about the Dermalogica Sleep Cocoon - I had to give it a shot. I obviously didn't want to be the only one left without the 'glowing skin' right? So I delved in. With a gentle combination of Whu-Zu-Yu extraxt, yeah, bit of a mouthful, I know, Tamarind seed extract and a whole host of other beutiful hard to come by and hard to pronouce essential oils, this my friend lives up to it's hype and does exactly what it says, while also promoting deep restful sleep for a healthier looking skin in the morning - what's not to love? Neom Perfect Night's Sleep Face Oil £42.00 Neom have given us an oil, with an amazing aroma might I add. Not only does it help to boost sleep, but it also gives you amazing skin too. Tremendous. Small but punchy, you certainly shouldn't let it's size fool you, as this oil should so be on your birthday, christmas, heck any celebration wish list. So my night time skin routine, by any meausre is up and down. Sometimes I'll bathe in luxurious creams and oils and other times er, I'll fall asleep and wake up in yesterdays makeup. Ah - I have kids. The Neom face oil does however add a new dimension to my night time skin routine and is a quick remedy to boost my skins suppleness. With Cranberry Oil, Wheat Germ Oil plus 11 other essential oils to help you sleep, this oil is definitely my bedtime go to. The scent although lovely, is a little strong for my liking, but what overides this is the light density and the fact the oil dissolves instantly into the skin, with the added pleasure of relaxing and calming ingredients to help you drift off to sleep. This is one to certainly remain on my list.

There's something so special about music, something so special that it has the power to heal heartbreak, turn a bad day into a great one, and has the sheer ability to ensure that you wake up feeling motivated, revitalised and ready to kick ass! (we say that quite alot!) So, what gets you moving, shaking and motivated? Not sure, well, we've decided to help you out a bit. From Nina Simone to Steff London, whether you're in the gym or folding laundry, we've packed a killer playlist of 28 empowering songs that every woman should have on loop. Now turn up the volume and thank us later.

Our brain is a muscle; a very advanced and fascinating one. Just like any other muscle in our body, our brain and 'mind’ needs to be well-kept, exercised, cleansed, and re-aligned daily. There are many ways we can tend to our minds for what we need to do to improve function, conduct damage control, evoke renewal, and enhance our lives all together. In our society today, Mindfulness is applauded and has become a very trending anecdote for stress, anxiety, frustration, etc. I’ve never been one to meditate, or put forth effort into Mindfulness including Yoga. I saw it as pointless. My mind is always going, and so am I. For me to stay still takes painful effort, and my anxiety gets anxiety, so you guessed it—relaxation doesn’t come easy. I always wondered how meditation could possibly be a productive option. Well, finally, being, the curious woman I am, I decided to see what all the hype was about and try out an app to start. Plus, if one of these or a few worked for my type of personality then I figured they would deserve recognition and assuredly work for others out there. Since I found countless apps to choose from and rather than asking Google, I conducted my own research. I tested twelve different apps all categorized for Mindfulness. Five out of the twelve tested, I found to be exceptional. They are amazing from color, format, interfaces, options, personalization’s to the mere voices used to guide you. To my surprise these five apps worked well on me, and they too, are all rated with 4.5 to 5 stars, so you can trust they are well worth a shot and not only just because I say so, yet, I am a very tough critic. Breethe Free download iOS and Android The moment you open this one, you feel an ease breezing by. The colors chosen are that calming and the features you see listed before you are top-notch. It has a well-engineered layout and interface. It is user friendly too. It has a meditation class for beginners, and many meditations to choose from that are all great at taking you into your moment. The, ‘Wake up with Intention’, meditation is soothing, and refreshing. You can adjust the voice volume and music volume to your liking. It has a serene look, and tranquil sound. You hear a calming voice say, “Feel the benefit of your nights sleep, allowing your body to slowly awaken from its nights rest.” A wonderful way to start the day is that meditation right there. Many features are available in this app such as bedtime stories. You can choose to have stories read to you in one of the most calming voices I have ever heard in my life. They have Moby Dick, Pride and Prejudice, Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland, and many more. You can favorite meditations to build a library of the ones that best work for you. Many apps have a music library but this one is fanciful. It guides you to breathe while you hear tranquility in the background sending you off into a realm of quietness and empowerment. That realigns the mind, and body so well, and I enjoyed being still within the music library, and the app in its entirety. The contents in this Mindfulness app are powerful. It is among one of the highest rated apps, and it is excellent for us who have a more tough time meditating and letting loose. Calm Free download (optional premium subscription £35.99 per year) Upon opening this app you instantly hear soft ocean waves rising to a shore with birds subtly in the background. I call it, The Serenity NOW, app. The meditations are categorised by intentions. What you need to meditate over or on is listed for you in an easy to use and clean interface. I enjoy that the entire layout of this application is smooth. The music library is also categorized by intentions, or certain words of action or feelings. Therefore, the music highly resonates with your spiritual, and quiet side well. There is a masterclass which are lessons with different doctors for knowledge and information regarding various subjects all linking to mindfulness. The sleep portion of this app I found to be exceptional by how it is set-up. You can choose a story to be read, music, sounds of nature, etc. This app has features that allow you to personalize or quickly find the proper meditation. I highly recommend this Calm especially for the busy, busy, busy. Aura Free download (optional subscription £7.99 per month) The first thing you see when you open Aura is a question. “How are you feeling?” You are given various choices to answer, you do and the rest of the journey through this application is tailored according to that current mood. It helps keep you focused on why your tending to your mind as it is. The voices used in AURA are all soothing. Most apps of this kind have soothing voices as guides but there are a few that do not and I found this to be a critical component for meditation, and mindfulness. Every meditation offered is exceptional, you can journal your thoughts before and after and keep logs of your activity. What an effective way to see your progress, and something to look back on when you may find it necessary. Unlike many other apps there is a community option offered to share your insights and issues with others on this app who are like-minded people, all seeking the same thing at one time or another. I found that to be a very comforting factor linked into this application. The music is organized in a way it bases off your mood and there are many other features that are well put together, and just extraordinary. AURA is an all-around desirable choice for that perfect app. Relax Meditation Free download (optional £9.99 subscription) This app is especially great for beginners. It starts out by guiding you and showing you how to meditate and helps you to better understand it and practice. The melodies are the best part in my opinion as you can make them if you wish. You can have a background melody, then you can add in thunder, rain, birds, waves, wind, and so much more. The way you can personalize your music for meditation is brilliant. You’re able to save the melodies you create, so what works for you can always be with you. Personalization is vital to meditation and mindfulness and not one of us are the same so this one stood out more. The more you can personalize and in a quick fashion, the better the experience overall. This easy to use app which includes a brainwaves option, is nothing short of stellar and will get you to the confident zone your mind needs to be. M3mindfullness Free download (optional £3.91 subscription) This app is brilliant. Everything about it I found to be very impressive. Press the icon and you see the words, “Take a deep breath.”, come upon the screen which then says, “and smile.” It starts you off right straight away. The home screen is soft and has a new quote showing daily. A smile, then inspiration? You’re good to go already. M3mindfulness is great for on the go or for a lengthier time with wonderful meditations, sounds, and features. I especially enjoyed that you can set three reminders a day at a time you decide. The app will then send you a reminder to be in the moment, to go outside, to dance, to breathe, etc. I know notifications tend to get annoying, but I found these to be stimulating and calming. They were helpful especially when lost in a busy day or chaos is running it's course. These reminders get you out of your own mind and I think that’s spectacular. The interface is user friendly and clean. This app and all it has to offer deserves a try. You will not be disappointed especially if your days are often hectic. Gratitude Free to download (£4.99 to unlock) An app completely dedicated to gratitude, to being grateful and remembering to be. Thankfulness is a critical part of a healthy soul, and internal life. This app offers random mantras that get you thinking and inspired. They remind you of all you have to be grateful for and to be grateful for it in pure heart and spirit. The home screen has a marquee like thing going on within statements of gratitude to speak aloud. The reminder settings you customise and throughout the day you will get a reminder to be grateful. I think we all need this daily. During the hustle and busting of asses in life we do tend to forget what matters, what we must smile over and be happy about. This app will keep your mind, heart and soul inline and inline with gratitude and nothing can destroy gratitude. Gratitude is key to a calm mind and healthy soul. I say everyone should have this app running. Period. Counting our blessings brings about happiness and kindness. Kindness spreads just as fast as influenza! These are the apps I found to be exceptional so far and to add there is Memorado which has excellent brain exercises. There are many other apps that are amazing and well put together like Mindfulness, Mindful, Yoga, 10% Happier, and the list goes on, but these five stood out. May they be of help to you during your craziest of days and nights.

Alas, the sun is here - and it sure has taken it's sweet time. Finally we can ditch a layer or maybe even two and work some brighter colours into our wardrobes - er, but what happens if, like me, you are a monochrome kind of girl? Black tee's, black denim, black maxi’s and black legging's; (no actually scrap the black leggings) - with a possible inch of white thrown into the mix - just to break it up a bit. As morbid as it may seem some of us just love the classy and classic appeal that black possesses and we’re here for it, no matter the season. So, here are are 20 style ideas for wearing black - all year round.

These books are ones that will stand as complete Must Reads, confident after you read them you will agree. These books are for everyone, but they adhere to women and mothers in well form as well. They are informative, enlightening, stimulating and relatable delightful reads. Knowledge is Power, as other perspectives can change our ways of thinking, and stories written by these poets are the ones most have a tough time putting down. Below are the three books I insist you try to make time to read. Also, I give you a glimpse into each book in hopes it will only leave you wanting to read more. THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F* CK A counterintuitive Approach to Living A Good Life Written by: Mark Manson Do not let this title fool you. This book is no joke and by no means, negative. It is kindly raw, full of depth, and one exceptional and well-thought-out perspective. One of the many statements made at the start was and I quote, “The moments of non-f*ckery are the moments that define our lives…To not give a f*ck is to stare down life’s most terrifying and difficult challenges and still take action.” He then states, “Most of us struggle throughout our lives giving too many f*cks in situations where f*cks do not deserve to be given.” Those set the tone for the book. This book taps into arears of our lives we can all relate to and it causes us to think and to re-evaluate things. Caring is a good thing but caring too much and about things we shouldn’t waste our time on is exhausting. This book puts it down with factual history to advice with power in it. Each chapter has an enticing title. Here are a few of the nine: ‘Emotions are Overrated’, ‘The Value of Suffering’, ‘You are not Special’, and ‘Happiness is a Problem.’ As it may seem I assure you that this book is not cynical in any way. It is however, intriguing carrying a serious and slightly humorous voice to narrate you. Mark Manson wrote an impacting book with a well written, and enjoyable tone that ninety -percent of humanity should read. It is good for mindfulness, learning to choose our cares better and gives a wiser look at yes, not giving a f*ck and when that mantra should be in place. The last quote from this book I am leaving you with is one I found most striking, “Happiness requires struggle". A bold statement that is true, and quite fascinating. Enjoy reading this! I have no doubt you will. GRAVITY Written by: R.M. Drake R.M. Drake who is currently named, Instagram’s most famous poet is one brilliant writer. I recommend all of his books to be read. R.M. Drake has an exceptional way of conveying what a female is, what she’s feeling, going through and as a male he adds in another perspective that perfectly mesh together. He especially conveys the male point of view in his poetry. But, his unique writing style gives a glow to the female mind, heart and soul unlike anyone else I have ever read. It is nothing short of fascinating. Along with this, he has messages he wants to share, and to speak to inspire his readers. He is very raw, but his writing tone is soft, and calming. You can feel the emotion come off the pages. This book, Gravity, is not a poetry book of his. It is a story well written with emotion that vibes off the pages. It is a heart-warming, striking, tragic and painful story about friendship, parenting, true love, loss, and what we don’t know could change our lives if we ever get to the point everything finally makes sense. It is beautiful from beginning to end and well-inked with valuable points being purposefully impressed with a subtle fierceness. This amazing poet, and author knows how to reach women and delight them with a divine touch and will certainly have your full attention two pages in. I'll leave you with this excerpt from, ‘Gravity’; “Sometimes what you love isn’t good for you, and sometimes what’s bad heals you in ways you never would have imagined. Sometimes when you fall, you fly, and sometimes when you break, you do because you’re slowly gathering yourself back together again. Sometimes mistakes don’t teach you much, and sometimes the smallest of things hold revelations that are too hard to ignore. “ This book will not disappoint. R.M. Drake will never disappoint. I stand by those two statements firmly wanting to call actual opinions, facts. THE PRINCESS SAVES HERSELF IN THIS ONE The story of a princess turned damsel turned queen Written by: Amanda Lovelace This book takes you on a journey with the author herself in poetic style. You ride along with her probably being able to relate to much she puts out on these pages. Below are a few exposed pieces of this journey, this book. They will leave you wanting to engage further with Amanda Lovelace and her story of how she saved herself through what was a ruthless season. It in turn may just help you, many out there, or at the very least show proof that we can overcome anything if we try. Here is the quick glimpse into this voyage with, Amanda Lovelace, one hell of a writer and determined woman. “the princess locked herself away in the highest tower, hoping a knight in shining armor would come to her rescue. -I didn’t realise I could be my own knight.” “The pain…it did not teach me anything except to be afraid to love anymore.” “if you don’t want to end up in someone else’s poem, then maybe start treating people better for a change". – an unapologetic poet “repeat after me: you owe no one your forgiveness. -except maybe yourself” “the only thing required to be a woman is to identify as one. – period, end of story” “your happiness comes before anyone else’s happiness. – the real meaning of self – respect.” The way she concludes this book is phenomenal. Here’s a good taste to leave you with… “dearest reader…please know that for every word you read, it gets that much easier for me to breathe.” “Pending: your own happy ending. – you’ll get there. “

Quotes are the records we keep of countless perspectives. They are thrived upon for inspiration, encouragement, comfort, and insight on life, love, friendship, death, and everything else we experience. Many are brilliant daily reminders, kick-starters, and affirmations that help keep us going, but there are some you come across every now and then that give you the chills. These are the quotes that change the color of your mind. Our words, and thoughts hold a mighty power within our lives. Due to that, know when I say this, I say it with extreme gravity. A very key part of who you are, and how you live each day stems from your mindset. Sometimes things happen that change the colors of our minds, but it is much different than as meant above, so our minds need to be reminded and re-aligned often. Keeping truth and positivity close is a smart move to make. Here are ten carefully chosen quotes for this purpose, to hopefully be the right words that will in fact, stimulate your mind, impact your life, and be of effective use to you the rest of your days. “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realised how seldom they don’t.” Eleanor Roosevelt “It is how you react that has the most value in today.” Unknown “You’re always one decision away from a totally different life.” Anonymous “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Mark Twain “What you pay attention to, you give life to.” Bishop TD Jakes “This day will never come again and anyone who fails to eat and drink and taste and smell it will never have it offered to him again in all of eternity. The sun will never shine as it does today… But you must play your part and sing a song, one of your best. “ Hermann Hesse “Don’t be a dick to your dog. He’s a few years of your life but you are all of his.” Unknown “If you give up at the first sign of struggle, you are not ready to be successful.” Unknown “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” Harvey Fierstein

Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History The overlooked, unknown and now, unleashed. In this modern society today, there are still ways in which women are shunt and kept slightly subset but more so, women are highly valued, empowered and uninhibited these days, far outweighing the lingering oppressive forces that still exist. Even so, women are still very underestimated and mostly, it is by our own selves. The deliberate battles fought, and the women that fought them tend to be overlooked. Women intentionally blazed trails proving we are not only valuable, but prevailing assets to humanity. Yet, defeat and doubt reign amongst us more than ever these days. I believe that’s partially due to the knowledge we lack from our history which has an extensive detailing of influential, and courageous women who changed the course of our entire civilization by epic proportions. These women remain hidden under the radar leaving us without proper acquaintance of what we hold within us from those that went before us. The power that women possess has been under oppression for a lifetime, and its not hard to see why. A vast number of mighty warriors, way-makers, fearless pioneers, inventors, thinkers, and most strategic rulers were women. Ones with extreme sway who stood in the face of viscous challenges declining to back down. These women inherit our history yet regrettably, they are not well known, if known of at all. These hidden marvels expose a tremendous showing of all that we were gifted with to offer our world. It is time we learn about a few of these stellar women. So, without further a due I bestow upon you a select seven of history’s most time dividing, moral, impressive, brave, and innovative women to have ever lived. Their stories are filled to the brim with intriguing moments, trials and victories that will leave you more vested as a woman. May this aide us all to the necessary view of strong, independent, driven women across the world, as it should be, especially within ourselves. Amelia Bloomer Activist and The Coco Chanel of the 1800’s (1818-1894) Image Pinterest.com Amelia Bloomer was a 19th century women’s rights activist and trendsetter with a soul permanently set a fire for change, and advancement. After her marriage to Dexter Bloomer she began writing for his newspaper. The absence of material dedicated to women troubled her, so she went on and established, The Lily, which supported womens suffrage, and the temperance movement. It was one of the first newspapers written, edited and published by women. I’d say, every edition printed had the word, empowerment glaring off it. She too was an advocate for womens clothing reform. That lead Amelia to shake things up in the 1800’s fashion realm, much alike the way our beloved Coco Chanel once did. Amelia voiced women should abandon the corsets and petticoats for looser and shorter skirts with pants underneath. She didn’t design the garments, but she popularized them so well that they became known as “bloomers.” Along with those stirring achievements she worked assiduously to support the rights for women to vote. Her grit caused great movement as her activism helped secure Ohio women the right to vote in 1873. Amelia Bloomer swam against big waves during a time nothing was more challenging than going against the current, and she did it well. Mary Edwards Walker Prohibitionist, Prisoner of War, and Civil War Surgeon (1832-1919) Image nursingclio.com Mary Edwards Walker was a devoted woman with guts, honor, and glory. She survived then thrived in a place where she was at first denied acceptance. Mary opted as a volunteer surgeon after her initial application to join the Union Army as a medical officer was rejected. While on duty as a volunteer in April of 1864, Mary was captured by the confederate Army and held prisoner for months at Castle Thunder Prison near Richmond, Virginia. By October, Mary had been released and it was then she was given a commission as acting assistant surgeon. She was the first female physician in the U.S. Army, and is the only woman to receive a Medal of Honor. In, 1865, President Andrew Johnson signed a bill awarding Mary the Medal of Honor due to her patriotic zeal she devoted herself with for the sick and wounded soldiers, both in the field and hospitals. She endured hardships as a prisoner of war and President Johnson acknowledged this in a divine way. During this time-period congress was known to strip members of these medals unless they had engaged in combat. When they came for Mary’s, she refused to give it up, and wore until the day she died in 1919. To add to her moxie, she was known to be a very outspoken and fierce advocate for womens rights, and she was also arrested multiple times for wearing men’s clothing. Mary Edwards Walker is the prime example of what the mixture of gumption, compassion, and cold-stone confidence looks like. Lyudmila Pavlichenko The lethal sniper the Germans were most desperate to stem (1916-1974) Image: Pinterest.com Lyudmila is regarded as one of the top military snipers of all time, and the deadliest female sniper in history. The Smithsonian notes, she was described to be an opinionated and independent tomboy who was unruly in the classroom. Having been born in the Ukraine gave Lyudmila quite an advantage for her unknown destiny. Many young people in the Soviet Union were encouraged to participate in OSOAVIAKhIM, a paramilitary sporting organization teaching youth weapon skills, and etiquette. She was one among the many participants. She practiced tirelessly, mostly because she heard boys bragging over their skills and that determined her to show them what a girl could do. Even at an early age intentional ambitions were raging from Lyudmila. As she grew older it was stated she looked like a model with well-manicured nails, fashionable clothes and hairstyles. But, when it came time for battle her thoughts were, and I quote, “There is no rule against wearing make-up, but who has time to think of her shiny nose when a battle is going on?” When Hitler broke ties with Stalin the German troops invaded the Soviet Union. This well-kept woman rushed to join the Soviet Army to defend her homeland, but even with presenting her marksman certificate and sharp shooter badge she was denied entry. They didn’t allow females to join. Even the recruiter laughed in her face questioning her if she even knew anything about rifles. It was insisted upon her to work as a nurse instead, but Lyudmila wasn’t going to take no for an answer. She resorted to all kinds of tricks to try to join but eventually she got her chance; an audition from The Red Army. They showed her two Romanians down range who were working with the Germans. She shot down the two soldiers with ease and it was then she became accepted into the Red Army’s 25th Rifle Division. She quickly made a name for herself, and her reputation earned her more dangerous assignments. She went face to face with one of the German snipers, so it is said that she dueled, and she killed a confirmed number of 36 German snipers. On several occasions she was wounded, but it was the shrapnel she took to the face from her position being bombed by the Germans. That is what took her out of battle. The Germans locked in on her as they were desperate to terminate the ride of her epic and escalating kill streak. They first tried to recruit her but since that didn’t work, they took her out best they could. They sure did not kill her though. Maybe that was a smart move on the Germans part considering Lyudmila quickly distinguished herself as a fearsome, lethal sniper killing 187 Germans in her first 75 days of war. She ended up with a confirmed 309 kills, and a name attached to the skills she had, also defining her as the deadliest female sniper in all of world history. Due to her exceptional record, and efforts she was invited to the Whitehouse becoming the first soviet citizen to be received by the President of the United States. Lyudmila was living proof that women can do anything they set their mind to with passion and perseverance and the mindset, giving up is not an option. Cecilia Grierson Physician, Activist, Author, Inventor, and first woman to… (1859-1934) Image: Pinterest.com Cecilia Grierson’s picture should be next to the definitions of persevere, innovate, and reform in the dictionary due to the impact she had on our culture. She was the first woman to receive a medical degree in Argentina which is a huge achievement that changed the course of history. See, in the 19th century women were forbidden from attending medical school and even secondary education all together. That didn’t stop Cecilia though. Through much perseverance and passion that came from the struggles she faced, Cecilia earned her degree, and became one of the most influential human rights activists to have ever walked this earth. She was vice president of the International Council for Women, a suffragist organization that fought hard for social causes, welfare benefits, maternity leave for working women, and the end of the slave trade. She too was a physician studying gynecology and kinesiology. Webbed into that portion of Cecilia’s life came the idea for medical service vehicles to have alarm bells. Yes, she is the reason we have what we call ambulances today. Cecilia is one of history’s greatest pioneers, activists, and women of inspiration. Hannah Duston Puritan housewife to captured Avenger (1657-1736) Image: BadassOfTheWeek.com Since this woman’s savage like, but very necessary escape from Indian Captors occurred, it has been a topic of controversy among some to decide whether Hannah was a cold-blooded killer or avenging mother. I’ll end that issue right now. The title, avenging mother, takes the cake. Hannah was a colonial housewife, and mother to nine children. During her 40th year on March 15th, 1697 she was captured by the Abenaki tribe of Native Americans during an Indian raid. Along with Hannah they took her 6-day old baby, Martha and her nurse, Mary. Her husband fled with the other eight children. Thankfully they were not to inherit the same traumatic fate his wife and new baby girl did. At the start of their captivity, the Indians killed her baby by smashing it to death against a tree while Hannah was forced to watch. The captors then made Hannah and Mary walk for days to an island in the middle of the Merrimack River. Soon after settling they were told they were being moved to another location. Hannah decided they were not going along. Before that could take place Hannah along with other captives decided to launch their plan of escape. As the Indians slept, Hannah and two other captives found themselves Tomahawks and killed ten Indians. Before leaving, Hannah paused to scalp each of her victims for proof and for the bounty that would be given for them. She then led herself and the other captives to their very own captors canoe. That is the moment they escaped. Successfully making it back to European hands, Hannah along with her two companions received much praise. They collected their bounty as well. Hannah went on to live to be 80 years old and is believed she is to be the first woman with a statue erected in her honor in the United States. The bronze statue was the first of a few placed in Haverhill town square, where it still stands today. Another is on the island of New Hampshire where Hannah and her captive companions killed and scalped the natives that night. Cold blooded murder is smashing a baby to death, not taking whatever measure necessary to escape from the people that did it. Bravery, and a mother with a vengeance is no one to mess with and Hannah Duston’s story keeps that undeniable truth grounded well within the inner truths of a woman. Josephine Baker “The most sensational woman anyone ever saw” -Ernest Hemingway (1906-1975) Image Pinterest.com The words from “Live your life”, a poem written by Chief Tecumseh hovers over the lifetime of this stunning woman, Josephine Baker. She lived, loved and beautified her life while respecting others, and demanding they respect her. She was fearless and is one who had prepared a noble death song before the night she died like a hero going home. Josephine’s early life didn’t reflect this well to start as she was abandoned by her father shortly after her birth, worked to support her family at a very young age and was often mistreated. At the age of 13 things came to a point where she knew her worth and she ran with it. Literally. She ran away from home and became a waitress, married a man to only get divorced two weeks later. Little did anyone know that this pained 13 yr. old runaway, would end up becoming one of the world’s most admired, loved and honored women in Europe and The United States. Josephine went on to become a highly favored singer, dancer, and activist. While in New York, she was one of the highest paid chorus girls, and it wasn’t too long before she was among the highest paid and most popular performers in Europe. Her performance in France during its times of obsession with Jazz and all things exotic immediately captured French audiences. The way she moved was said to be hypnotic, and her performance in a skirt that was made of only 16 bananas, immediately gained her the admiration of the French culture including Pablo Picasso himself. Now, when WWII erupted, the lioness in Josephine came to rise. Josephine worked for the Red Cross during the occupation of France. She was also a member of the Free French Forces enabling her to entertain troops in both Africa, and the Middle East. Above all else, during this time she worked for the French Resistance, fearlessly smuggling messages hidden in her sheet music, and even undergarments. Her efforts landed her to receive two of Frances highest military honors. Along with such feats, she also lived her life according to her devotion to fighting racism. Nothing, not even the tasteless Klu Klux Klan could scare her off from this fight. Upon her return to the United States in the 1950s to join the Civil Rights Movement, she fought the ignorance that plagued her home country by demanding that her performance contracts contained a non-discrimination clause and that her audiences were always integrated. If that was not the case, no matter how much she was to be paid, Josephine refused to perform. She also was very much a participant in demonstrations and boycotting. Then in 1963 on that fine day in Washington D.C., she marched right alongside Martin Luther King Jr, and was one of the few notable speakers there that day. She took a troubled start at life and beautified it remarkably. Her funeral attracted more than 20,000 people who all lined the streets of Paris while her life was celebrated and honored with a military ordered 21-gun salute, making her the first American woman in history to be buried in France with military honors. She was a hero, and a celebrity, who used her well-known voice to bring harmonic pleasure as well peaceful shouts to a troubled, and lost nation in desperate need of it. Josephine was epic. Hydna of Scione The destroyer of the Persian Navy (500 B.C. - unknown) Image Twitter @saintsisters&sluts Hydna was a Greek swimmer and diver given credit for the destruction of the Persian Navy. She was a strategic warrior with an undeniable strength and skill which can be attributed to her father, Scyllis. He taught her since she was very young to swim in the deepest parts of the ocean as well as to scuba dive. When the Persians invaded Greece in 480 BCE they ransacked Athens. Their goal was to defeat the rest of the Hellenic force in the naval battle at Salamis. Had they won Salamis all of Hellas would have been lost. Yet it remained standing firm due to the courageous acts of Hydna and her father. After the arrival of the Persian Naval ships Hydna and her father decided to volunteer to destroy the ships and how they did this is nothing short of fascinating. With her father by her side, Hydna silently swam ten miles into the sea where the Persian ships were anchored for the night. They swam that distance for this cause during a sea storm. That’s some serious dedication to their country. As they came up amongst the ships they dove underneath each one cutting the ships moorings. This caused the ships to slam into one another, drift apart and run amuck, causing catastrophic damage to each vessel. This heroic act helped to avoid the coming battle for the time being, and saved their home, culture, and heritage and all in one night of deep sea diving. Hydna was credited for this victory and both her and her father were honored with statues as the Hellenic officials found this very pleasing to themselves as well as the Gods. Strategy and strength given to a woman along with her wise father’s help is a recipe for disaster for anyone who strikes against what they cherish and love. Hydna had the heart and mindset of a true warrior. Those are seven striking women in history. Along with them are more women who are just as striking and have had just as much impact, in their own way throughout history. There was, Lilian Bland, who was the first female to design, build and fly her own aircraft. Helat Cambel is the woman who snubbed Hitler, and there’s Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra who seized Egypt, then conquered much of Asia Minor, then preceded to declare herself independent from Roman rule. History is full of more captivation women than imaginable. I suggest you research them. It’s thrilling to read these factual stories that we can connect to being women. Always remember what Ulrich reminded us of when she stated, “History. It isn’t just what happens in the past, but what we choose to remember.” Choose to remember these women. They are indispensable to our history making their legacies priceless to our future.

Photo by Steve Harvey on Unsplash Every one of us can have a lapse in confidence every now and again, but how do we stop this lapse from turning into something more? Our thoughts are so powerful and there is so much truth in the saying that 'we become what we think'. There is greater power beyond us and the universe is working alongside us for greater things at all times. Positivity can change the way we perceive things and can even change the outcome of events. If we build on positivity this can in turn aid our self esteem and confidence. Affirmations are a great way of changing our mindset and ensuring that we think positively about ourselves and our lives. We can all have negative chatter going on, am i qualified enough?, will they like me?, am i smart enough?...yada, yada, yada, you get the picture. Practiced every day (ideally in the morning) they can lead to creating a better sense of well being and boost our confidence all round. Here are 20 great affirmations to build a better you. 1. I love who I'm becoming 2. I've totally got this 3. I trust the process of my life 4. I am self-reliant, creative and persistent in whatever I do 5. I am able to engage in meaningful relationships 6. Change is beneficial to me 7. My soul is as beautiful as my exterior 8. I have will power beyond measure 9. I am keen to meet and trust new people 10. I am at one with the universe 11. Difficult situations only challenge me 12. I radiate confidence, certainty and optimism 13. I am here to make a difference in this world 14. My past does not define my future 15. I love and accept myself unconditionally 16. I am always developing and growing 17. I believe in my abilities 18. The universe has my back 19. I am stronger than i was yesterday 20. I have nothing to fear Positive self talk is so very necessary, with studies showing that people who bombard themselves with positivity are feel stronger and have more energy. So, keep these affirmations in mind whenever you feel a little low or are finding life a little challenging. Print them out if necessary, write them down in a notebook, use them as your screensaver and allow them to uplift you and give you a complete boost.

15 weeks ago, I changed. 15 weeks ago, I became a Mother. The title carries so much weight and the role of Motherhood sits heavily on my shoulders, but what does being a Mother even mean? I know it means looking at your small human and loving them in a way that you've never loved before. I know that it means putting your own needs way at the bottom of the pile, so that said small human has everything they need. Don't worry Mama's no judgment here, teeth un-brushed at 2pm? Shower lasted approximately 30 seconds? Legs that look like you may be of relation to Chewbacca? It's fine we've all been there. Motherhood means being sensible, being a grown up, doing what you need to do instead of what you want to do. Motherhood means taking one for the team, forever. What I didn't realise was Motherhood meant being a superhero. Transforming into a person that could rival Wonder Woman. How so? I hear you ask. Well, who ever tells you that once you put on the Mother cape you can magically learn so many new things? Including but not limited to; doing most things with one hand, like in my case - typing this article, but also things like applying make-up, cooking a banquet, aka jacket potato or hanging a load of washing. Ask me 15 weeks ago if I needed both of my hands and I would have undoubtedly argued that yes, I do, now I'm not so sure that they are necessary although I'd quite like to keep both if I'm honest. You just never know when having 2 thumbs might be needed! Other superpowers of the Mother cape are Ninja Skills. Like when you need to retrieve something from 'The Pit' formerly known as your own personal bedroom sanctuary before the lodger moved their moses basket in and made it into their room. Sometimes, once my baby is asleep, I realise that I need something from the room he's in. Of course, I don't want to wake him up. Never wake a sleeping dragon. Oops I meant, a sleeping baby. Soz. So, with my cape on I'm able to transform into a real life ninja. Tiptoeing to within an inch of my life, missing the squeaky floorboard obvs and retrieving my item all without even causing him to even breathe out of sync. It's an amazing skill I tell ya. But the last skill that I will touch on - because there are loads and if you're a brand-new mother, I don't want to spoil the fun that you have coming in the next few weeks – is Ears of Steel. What are these steel ears you're wondering. These ears can't be bought with money nor diamonds. They can't be found unless you are a Mother. Ears of Steel are given to you, as a gift by someone in the universe who is awfully kind. You see, Ears of Steel block out everything. They block out the noise of Alvin & The Chipmunks constantly on repeat because your small human likes it. They block out the brain numbing whining of a baby that is over-tired yet point blank refusing to sleep. They drown out the sounds of your little one babbling or in my case, screeching, when all you want to do is watch Netflix and literally Chill. Seriously, this motherhood lark is a proper rock n roll. Now I don't want to come across as mean, I love Alvin's cheeky attitude as much as the next person, I joke, I love my baby babbling and learning to talk BUT once you've gotten used to the new development milestone that they've hit, sometimes you just want a bit of quiet time. That's when Ears of Steel come into play. So, Motherhood. What does it mean? It means a new journey. It means undeniable love and patience that you didn't know you had. It means leaving all self-respect at the door and I'm not referring to the birth, if you ever catch yourself in the mirror and see the faces you make to accompany your high pitched/American/robot voice that entertains the small human then you'll know what I mean. Dignity, gone. Most of all being a Mother, to me, means improvement. Improvement on your pre-baby self, improvement on the skills we are constantly learning as Mothers and improvement of your life as a whole. Babies might drain your resources i.e time, money, energy, sleep reserve and biscuit tin (okay, the small human didn't actually eat the entire packet of hobnobs but you ate them because of him so it was kinda his fault) but they really are an enhancement to our lives. I've been thinking back over the past 15 weeks about all of the changes, about how my life, the only life I knew, has been unpicked, re designed and sewn back together to make the most perfect quilt. A quilt that fits me like I've always had it, it feels so familiar. Of course, it's very much a patchwork quilt. It's a little frayed around the edges and not all of the pieces are symmetrical or chic (the same can be said about my appearance some days). The stitching is rough and there are a few stains in places but it's imperfectly perfect, much like Motherhood. And just to round off nicely, please Mothers, never forget – we created these human beings as a means of being looked after when we get old. These humans will be our future carers, so let's try and do our best by them always because before you know it the tables will have turned and they'll be cleaning our nappies. Kym can be found in the suburbs of London, after leaving the East of the city to set up home with her wife and new baby. Sporting a sleeve of tattoos and often found in trainers, this Mama has a great love for baking as well as writing and can often be found in the kitchen creating something sweet. Instagram - @mumandmama Twitter - @ TheVoiceofMama Blog - www.mumandmama.com