Post Comment Love 19 - 21 January 2018

Hello there and welcome to another Friday and another #PoCoLo and already I'm wondering how we're over halfway through January.  I've a feeling this year is going to whizz by just as the more recent ones have, but as I can't do much to stop that - just eek!  If you were here last week, it was great to see you, if you're new here this week then you're equally as welcome. 

Work has once again been busy and i've not managed to meet my leave on time ambition but I am making the most of my walk to work, thanks to some snazzy new trainers.  I'm also pleased to see the back of the grey, damp weather and while now there's colder blue skied days, I think on balance I prefer them. Not the wind quite so much though, I hope you didn't experience fences blown down - I don't think we have, and if we have I haven't spotted it yet. 

If I'm honest I was half expecting the cover on our patio table to have escaped, but it was still there this morning so that was a pleasant surprise.  I think it'll need securing this weekend though.

My photo seems much more calm and serene than the weather has been doesn't it? It's another from the beautiful garden, Compton Acres in Poole - I will share more from our visit there last March at some point, and you'll see just what I mean about it being beautiful.

Relaxing among the greenery at Compton Acres

Blogger Showcase: Jazmin from All That Jazmin

Jazz is an amateur pop culture journalist with a passion for writing and is a huge Disney fan and one of the things she loves about blogging is to discover life through other people's eyes. You can find out more about Jazmin on Morgan's blog, but before you go, don't forget to connect with Jazz on her social channels:  Instagram  -  Twitter 

If you'd like to be featured in a future Blogger Showcase then please get in touch with either Morgan and I, we've a waiting list until Easter, but we'd love to add your name to it.  

Post Comment Love & Blogger Showcase 12 - 14 January 2018

Hello there and welcome to another Post Comment Love. If you were here last week, it was great to see you and if you're new here this week then - hello! - you're very welcome.  Please take the time to find out more about our Bloggers Showcase, and to explore some of the other great posts that are linked up this week, Morgan and I are certain you'll find plenty to entertain and enthral.

This week it's been more like back to normal hasn't it?  A five day working week for some of us at least, MOH has been unwell having suffered with the worst of our sniffles from last weekend. I've managed to escape so far, but I can't help but think I'm only delaying the inevitable. But I'll do that for as long as I can.

This week I've linked up my word for 2018 and I'm trying to be kind to myself. It's been an even busier than usual week at work and I'm making the most of my delegation skills (and adding to them) to try and keep this up. I know I've a busy few weeks ahead of me, and you never know by the end of it I might have learnt the skill of writing myself a more manageable to do list, but I'm not promising anything.

As a result of a mostly grey, misty and damp week I've taken very few photos and so was at a loss for something to share this week. But I've popped into my photo archive and this was just the burst of colour I needed.  It's from last year from a visit to Compton Acres in Poole and was taken in the Italianate Garden in March. 

IN THE ITALIANATE GARDEN AT COMPTON ACRES LAST MARCH

IN THE ITALIANATE GARDEN AT COMPTON ACRES LAST MARCH

Blogger Showcase: Megan from FITMEG-UK

1. Who are you?

I am a 20 year old secretary from London. I enjoy reading and fitness. I set up my blog and dedicated it to my passion for fitness. I properly started getting into the health and fitness world about a year ago. I didn’t like the way I looked and wanted to change myself. Now, I am obsessed with bettering myself, although it’s not so much about the physical aspects anymore but more about the mental ones. I love feeling that I am constantly making a better version of myself and being the best I can be. Fitness gave me the hidden confidence I never knew I had (probably why I said it was hidden).

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

Blogging, for me, started at work. Women, in particular, often saw the transformations that I was going through and wanted my advice. One lady was asking about her 15 year old daughter who didn’t like the way she looked. I often gave her advice and one day she said to me “you could start up a blog and give all your advice on there.” That’s where it all started really. I love giving advice to others because I feel that I make an impact on their lives, no matter how small it may be.

I did a lot of research to begin with. Tried to find out how to get into blogging, the best web hosts and most importantly, finding a niche. I wanted to place myself further into the fitness community than I already was. And when I say community, I really mean it. Everyone has the same drive and passion that you do. It is truly inspiring. It makes you want to push yourself even more and help people who are starting out, much like how I used to be.

3. Why did you start blogging?

As I said before, the main reason why I started blogging was to give advice to others who are in the same position as I once was. I had to find out everything I know now the hard way. I made so many mistakes that I want others to avoid. I spent months not knowing what I was doing wrong. The only person that I really wanted to talk to was a personal trainer, but they are WAY too expensive. I want to be that person who gives out free advice about what they may be doing wrong. What I really want is 101 emails in my inbox when I wake up with everyone asking me to help them. I don’t want others making the same mistakes that I did!

4. What do you find most challenging?

I think the thing that I find most challenging is managing my time between my own fitness life and my blog. You will be able to see from the dates, my blogs are so inconsistent from when I post. Email are a lot different. An email I can reply to ASAP and can do it anywhere. Writing a blog takes time and thought. I don’t want to post a half-hearted blog post and do it regularly. I would rather post occasionally but make sure I put 110% effort into it.

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

My favourite topic is FITNESS!! I have a strong passion and dedication to my fitness and well-being and I want to share that with everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a personal trainer. I have no qualifications. Everything I talk about is through personal experiences. Most of my posts are about what I did wrong and what I spent months doing before I found that answer. As I explained before, I want everyone else to bypass the mistakes and listen to what actually works. There are not many places out there that offer free advice. I know from experience. I am and I want to help people in their fitness journeys. 

6. Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?

Funnily enough, my blog was not set up for the intention of others to read it. I made it as a sort of journey and diary for myself. It’s only when a lady at work said I should share my stuff that I thought I would start promoting it. Now, I do it both for fun and my goals. My goals are for my blog to be well known. I want people to recommend it to friends and say that I give really good advice and it helped them along the way. That is my only goal when it comes to my blog. Other than that, I do it for fun.

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

One of my favourite things about blogging is sharing my experiences. Even though I am not trained in anything to do with fitness, I do have a lot of knowledge and experience within this sector. I like that I can share this all through my blog. It definitely makes it worthwhile when someone takes my story on board and applies my tips to their lives. 

Another thing that I love is the blogging community. When I first created my blog, I was afraid to tell people. I was worried that they wouldn’t understand. I didn’t quite realise how big the blogging community is and how much they can help. People in this industry are not in it for themselves. They will easily take time out of their day if you are stuck and need help. That’s the same for the fitness industry. They all have the same passion and drive and will be more than happy to assist you with whatever you need.

8. What are your 3 best posts?

  • Think about the journey and not the end result

  • 5 reasons to drink more water

  • The myth of targeting fat loss

9. Describe yourself in 3 words..

  • Bubbly

  • Motivated

  • Driven

10. Are you a tea and biscuits or coffee and cake person?

Definitely tea and biscuits!! How can you not be?!?

I have such a sweet tooth and it is always for biscuits! I don’t care what kind. I love them all!! I try and aim for 1 biscuit a day but sometimes I just have to have more! It cannot be helped. I never deprive myself though. Otherwise my diet will fail and I’ll end up eating everything I can get my hands on! It’s not a pretty sight.

11, What is your idea of a perfect night out?

My perfect night out usually consists of going down to the local pub with a few friends and catching up. A lot of my friends are at university so when I see them, I prefer to chill out rather than go clubbing.

12. What would you say your best friend/OH/mum or kids say is your best quality?

They would say my motherly side is my best quality. I am a very caring person and I am very protective about those I love. I am a very gentle person and put everyone before myself. I do tend to mother people a lot. I make sure that they have done everything and that they are ok before I tend to myself.

 

Thanks Megan, it's quite timely but quite unplanned that we're featuring your fitness blog at a time of year when more people are focussed on self-care.  It looks as if you're currently taking a break from your blog, so I hope you're back blogging soon.

If you'd like to be featured in a future Blogger Showcase then please get in touch with either Morgan or I - we'd love to feature you!

Post Comment Love 5-7 January 2018

Hello there and Happy New Year!

Welcome to the first #PoCoLo of the year, it's great to see you and it's great to be back. I don't know about you, but I very much needed that Christmas break and took the opportunity to completely unplug myself, and it was great.  Of course that means I didn't achieve as much as I'd planned but it was worth it for the break.  

I'm used to feeling like I need to catch up anyway, it's becoming almost the norm, but that's for another day (and one soon, I hope!)

This week my photo is of the DIY Garland that came on my Papergang subscription box, one of my Christmas presents. It's on my noticeboard to wish me a Happy New Year, but true to form, not quite cut out and formed into a garland. Each of those shapes are to be cut out and part of the garland, and that's a lot of cutting out isn't it?

I'M KINDA LIKING MY SHORTCUT VERSION!

I'M KINDA LIKING MY SHORTCUT VERSION!

We've a lovely blogger in our Blogger Showcase this week, but before I share more - remember if you'd like to be featured in a future post then please get in touch with Morgan or I. We've a bit of a waiting list, but currently have free slots mid-March and we'd love to feature you.

Blogger Showcase: Emma from This is Em's World

Now having read Emma's responses I'm totally jealous as she's seen Strictly live in the studio, something I'd love to do and while I've tried for tickets have never got even as close as a sniff, maybe I will one day, who knows.  Either way though I'm pleased to know that real people do actually get the tickets. 

But there's more to Emma than just Strictly, I mean, she's chosen biscuits and cake - now we're talking!  But before I share all of her responses here I'd best give you the link to Morgan's blog so you can read them for yourself.

Before you go though, don't forget to check out Emma's social media channels and give her a follow or two:

Twitter  -  Instagram  -  Reddit  -  Pinterest  -  Bloglovin'  -  Tumblr