August 31, 2017

August, For Me

Dancing around my home city, as you do. 😆 Photo taken by Matt ❤

And just like that, we’ve hit the end of the August! Where is this year going?

August is the month of many anniversaries for things in my life such as my blog’s birthday, positive habits, starting the healing process and for these monthly blog posts!

I’ve enjoyed writing them at the end of each month and being the super-reflective person that I am, I’ve looked back at them often throughout the year to ensure that I continue this 🔥 momentum: goal hitting, going above and beyond everything and overall killing the game 😉

Main highlights

Blog

  • 🎂 Pawlean turned 3 years old on the 19th of August! I’m glad I’ve been able to reconnect with blogging and the community 😁

Health

Professional

Personal

  • 💏 Continued being cute with Matt. 😉

  • ☕ Caught up with a couple of old friends including Tues who was the one who welcomed me to Sheffield 16 years ago. Forever thankful. 💕
  • 💇🏻 I finally got my roots done with my hairdresser, Jing. I naturally have curly hair. I don’t like how it’s such high maintenance so I get it chemically straightened (i.e. rebonded every 6-12 months!) I can just wake up without having to think about it too much which is always a plus ➕
 
  • 🌳 My family and I also took a trip to Castleton, located away from the city and more into nature ❤ a few days ago. It was incredibly refreshing! My main highlights were doing a walking meditation in the open green space, spending quality time with the fam and calling over a horse to take a selfie with me (this seriously happened, I was shaken. 😆)
Castleton, Derbyshire
I called her over by saying, “Come ‘ere luv!” No joke. 😂

3 Things I’m happy about

1) Completing my placement year

When I was walking into my placement on my first day last year, I was terrified.

I started doubting if it was the right choice – taking a year out to work, leaving my friends behind and “missing out”. I persisted through it and can happily say that it was the best year of my life so far.

So much positive growth – I recommend students in their first or second years at University to dedicate some time to focusing on securing a placement year (or work experience in general), it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself in the present moment and in the future 🚀

2) My health

I’m feeling the fittest and healthiest I’ve ever been – mentally and physically. Friends I’ve met up with this month have said that I’m happier and seem more at peace with myself. Prioritising my health this year has had such a massive impact on every aspect of my life, for example, I feel like I’m confidently building and maintaining better relationships with people. Yes – the effects of exercise isn’t JUST losing a couple of pounds 😉

3) Motivating others

On a related note, after publishing this blog post. I’ve had the biggest number of visitors on my blog along with a number of sweet messages, here are a few of them:

My heart is so full ❤

Why do I share constantly on social media? Because of this. Because I know that it can help someone, somewhere going through a tough time. I know that it always helps me when I’m having a hard time, to listen to others stories, others experiences and know that yes, time heals and things improve.

I’m happy knowing that this is what some of you feel about my posts. I’ll keep doing it! This goes beyond just health and fitness but even careers and learning how to code. Thank you so much 💖

August in pictures

Left to right: Fuerteventura, Matt, Placement team, Dad and I, Sheffield and North of Fuerteventura

Monthly favourites

🎧 AirPods – I’ve mentioned before that I dislike my headphones because it always rips my hair off my head when I take it off! I finally bought AirPods and not only do I no longer have this problem but I also look super futuristic. 😆

🎶 Dua Lipa – New Rules – I can’t stop watching the video and listening to the song. 100% recommend!

✏ Bear – a note-taking/writing app.

I’ve been using Evernote, Google docs and other random writing applications – having my notes and other stuff all over the place.

I found Bear when I was on holiday and was on another app-browsing spree. It’s got a super clean, minimalist interface (unlike others which sort of overwhelm me!)

I’ve been using it to write up draft blog posts and just general notes.

🔥 Making-Instagram-content-fire apps:

  • VSCO – Photo editor; some awesome filters!
  • Mosaico – Instagram-planning feed (my organisational obsession has reached new heights 😅)
  • Lumyer – allows you to make cinematic videos to make your feed more interesting.

Next month

Goals

  • Improve some front-end knowledge and apply, apply, apply it! Make GitHub greener ❇
  • Get better at an evening routine!!
  • Clean up digital clutter (didn’t have time to commit to this last month but would like to get this done before the end of September!)
  • Focus on lifting heavier 💪🏼
  • Keep killin’ the game 😏

Events

  • Attending an enterprise conference/training for my part-time job in the next academic year!
  • Attending HackCon EU in Birmingham with Matt. I’m really excited; this will be my first hackathon focused event; preparing for HackMed 2018 😉 ✨
  • Starting my second tech placement, focused more on app development.
  • Instructing at CodeUp Sheffield – where I’ll be teaching people how to code!
  • Returning to University for my final year … yikes! 😱

Quote of the month

At anytime, you can make a change for the better. Just start where you are.

I hope you’ve had a great month and wish you all an awesome September! It’s nearly the end of the year (we can finally start saying the C word again), let’s make the most of the months ahead together. 💪🏼

Leave a comment

Chynna

Ah, such an eventful month for you! It’s been a pleasure following the journey through social media, though – you’re killing it girl 💪🏽

Happy Anniversary to Pawlean! I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since you returned to the blogosphere – I am so glad you did though 😁

I saw you tweet about Bear and I’ve actually started using it now – I absolutely love how minimalist it is. I have it on my iPhone and Mac now. Speaking of Making-Instagram-content-fire apps, I’ve been using Later which seems to be similar to Mosaico. It even allows you to paste in the caption with line breaks cause you know how Insta likes to remove them or act all weird. *goes and downloads Lumyer* 😋

Keep doing you, bby girl! Honestly, you are SUCH an inspiration 💕 You’re definitely gonna smash your last year of university. The sky’s the limit 😘

Amy

Glad to hear you’ve had such an amazing month, Pauline! Your posts are honestly the best for motivation, inspiration and positivity. I love reading them!

Congrats on finishing your placement. So glad it all went well and you came away with more skills and experience. It’s so important when you’re trying to find a job after university! Glad you got to celebrate with Italian food.

Your hair always looks so fab. I wish mine would stay nice all the time. As soon as I go out it goes back to how it was before I straightened it. It’s so annoying!

So happy with how you’ve changed your life after what happened last year. You’re such an inspiration, Pauline!

Liv

Happy birthday Pawlean! (the blog) I love that you list out what you’ve been up to each month so that bad blog readers like me can catch up and go back! 😛 I didn’t know you had naturally curly hair – I always thought you had gorgeous jet-black hair that some Asian girls are blessed with.

Oh man, I saw all your Instagram posts to the Canary Islands and was so jealous! Castletown looks cute as well! Is that the English countryside? It looks like it! I love the photo of you with the horse, it’s a super good photo of both of you.

HAHA! Oh man that’s so awesome you made your own Instagram hashtags! I’m a #mattline fan.

I’m so glad that so many people reached out to you after that post – I saw it when you first posted it but I haven’t had a chance to read the details, which I will do after writing this comment. I remember when I shared a pretty intense topic on Facebook I got a lot of comments and messages, and from you guys as well since I cross posted it to my blog. I share on social media for the same reason – these are stories that people need to hear (read) because they are so real and so genuine. Yesterday I learned at a tech event that Linkedin is a great place to share professional achievements too, so I’m thinking about doing that soon.

I absolutely love those photos of you! And the selfies with friends! Today my friend got a Facebook video of our friend-versary which had a lot of great photos that I took. That is why I bug people for photos no matter how extra they think I am. 😛

If you like VSCO, you will also like A Color Story. I think the filters there are better for bright photos!

Have a wonderful September Pauline!

Brandy

Happy Anniversary to your blog. It’s no wonder that your blog is so successful. I love reading it.

Cheers to a great September. It’s hard to believe how fast 2017 flew by.

Eena

August seemed like such a great month for you, Pauline, and I’m glad! 🙂 You’re doing so amazing girl and I honestly wish you nothing but the best with everything you do in your career, and just in your life in general.

Also, I see my message up – I feel the love hahaha.

VSCO is one of my favorite apps! Although since I started using Photoshop again, I haven’t really been messing with VSCO as much as I used to. And lol at the AirPods! I’m so conflicted with them, I hate the long wires but I feel like the Pods would make me look weird. Have you looked at the Wireless PowerBeats? I have those, I think the third generation ones, and I love them! But I have noticed sometimes they come off when I go ham on running. Oh well.

Elise L.

congrats on your blog turning 3 years old! 😀

whoa, i didn’t know you have naturally curly hair! sometimes i envy people with wavy hair because it’s seem like they have it easier when they want to achieve that beachy, loose waves ya know? meanwhile, i have broom straight hair and it can never hold a curl despite how much hairspray i use! out of curiosity though, did you dye your hair? because my eyes are blurry af and i’m not seeing colors ^^;;

you know i’m so in love with your voice and accent, yea? and now i’m thinking about you saying “come ‘ere luv” and i’m just “awwww”-ing on the inside. gahd, i’m such a creep lmao but really though, i heard that Brits tend to say “love” a lot right and that kind of makes me go pitter patter bahahaha

this is probably gonna sound so cliche and boring since i’m sure you’ve heard of other people say this a thousand times but gurl, you’re so amazing i cannot even stress it. you’re like this positive fairy godmother who’s always ready to lift other people and it’s just sjekhflwk;; amazing??? like, i don’t have any other words besides amazing right now and i probably sound like a sore loser but you are such a motivation for everyone out there! you are on fire! ♥
i’m so so so happy for you ;A;

i can’t comment on every single bullet point in this post but to wrap things up, your achievements are just so amazeballs. i really need a new vocab other than ‘amazing’ -_-;;

Cat

So many great milestones for you in August! And happy birthday to your blog!

Aahh, your hair looks so good. I had no idea you have naturally curly hair! I’ve never had curly hair, so I don’t know about its maintenance, but I do like not having to do much with my hair in the morning, haha.

I think it’s weird when people criticize others about how much they share on social media. If it motivates and inspires others like you have done, then that’s awesome! I’m all for bringing more positivity into other people’s lives 🙂 I’m really happy for you that you’re feeling so fit and healthy. It’s a good feeling!

It looks like September is going to be another eventful month for you! I hope you have a good month!

Kya

It is so wonderful that you have been able to achieve so much. I love catching up on your blog and reading about all the things you are doing. Not only to help yourself but to encourage and inspire others as well. 😀

I am so glad to hear that your placement year was such a great experience. It is amazing that it has been a year already! :O

Your health transformation has been fantastic and has inspired me to think and be healthier. 😀

Aww, those messages. 😀

Best of luck for the goals and upcoming events in September. 😀

Micah Lee

It sounds like you had another motivating and positive month honey! Happy anniversary to your wonderful blog, I remember reading it over a year ago and it was about your experience with your first retail store. That’s when we started talking properly I think?!
Your influence on social media is just amazing, the thing is you don’t even have to try. The fact that you try and show how you’re living a happy and healthy life, encourages others to do the same because we see the results from your instagram, snapchat, twitter, Facebook and your blog. It leaves us wondering “Damn, I should be like this too!” and guess what? Eric and I are off to the gym tomorrow. It’s all down to you babe, so thank you.

Congratulations on finishing two placements, so flippin’ proud of you!

Here’s to September being an even better month.

Love you!
Micah A Lee

Nancy

I am convinced that the older we get, the faster time flies. I can’t believe how long it has been since you started your blog back up! Look at you with all of these neato achievements! Congratulations on the features as well! So cool to see all of the advancements you’ve been making :). I’m totally digging your long hair!

It’s great that you found taking a placement year being totally worth your time and effort. You’re going places, girl! Haha, I totally agree with you about exercise. There are so many factors that are taken into account when it comes to weight – like the amount of muscle, your size, and etc…. As long as you’re happy with yourself, that’s all that matters! I can see your dad totally being a big motivator for you! He’s so swole.

My boyfriend loves using Bear for notetaking. Great that you’ve found it super useful! Good luck with your goals for the month!