With that in mind, I thought I’d jot down, what I look to call ‘MY ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGERS’ (play it cool Lydia, I know!) in the hope that they encourage new ways of thinking should you need a bit of encouragement this month.
Now I won’t lie, what I’m about to share is basically motivational gold dust (!) so brace yourself, buckle up and get ready to go…
I mentioned Mo Gawdat’s book Solve for Happy in the post I shared earlier this week but I’ll start with that because, if you hadn’t already noticed (!) it’s my current obsession. If you’re interested in exploring the topic of happiness and how to bring more of it into your life this year, Ali and I have discussed so many nuggets of wisdom from this book over dinner. Not only do we feel like we’re learning so much about how we each think, together, but it’s also helping us to dig deep into everything from emotions to life itself.
I listened to 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think when I was really struggling to navigate the weird and wonderful world that is being an online creator a few years back and it felt like I had a life coach in my ear 24/7 cheering me on. This, coupled with Glennon Doyle’s Untamed and How To Do You by my actual life coach/queen, Jacqueline Hurst (who incidentally changed my entire existence with her straight-talking kindness), left me feeling empowered and more grounded than I have felt in a long time.
And then of course the first self-development book that changed the game for me and my productivity… Christine Carter’s The Sweet Spot. As the name suggests, it’s all about finding the sweet spot in our lives as we each try and juggle a million things. For me, it’s the perfect book to dive into if you’re just starting out on your self-development journey. Enjoy.
Now I know that September tends to hog the limelight when it comes to new stationery – back to school season and all that – but in my opinion, January deserves some credit here too. Why? Because a new diary and pen are staples in the opening chapter of my year. For me, nothing beats Smythson’s Soho Diary because it’s beautiful inside and out (I love the layout) and as for pens, nothing beats the Santos de Cartier ballpoint from Cartier.
If one of your resolutions is to get out of bed an hour earlier to squeeze a new goal in but when your alarm goes off, you hit ’doze’ and go back to bed (we’ve all been there!), I’ve found that doing everything I can to make my morning as peaceful and enjoyable as possible removes all the dread and doom that I once-upon-a-time associated with early starts!
For me, laying out my gym wear and dressing gown the night before is a must – Ali got me a new Soho robe for Christmas which basically means that when I wake up, I replace one warm cocoon with another! I’ve also stopped taking my phone to bed so can 100% vouch for the Phillips Hue Alarm Clock if you want a soothing start (think a gentle, ‘you can do it’ wake up instead of GET OUT OF BED NOW vibes). Lastly, any uplifting shower gel incentivises me to get my goal ticked off asap so that I can hop in the shower and start the day feeling like I’ve already accomplished something. I love Neal’s Yard because it comes in a huge bottle and smells incredible but feel free to insert your shower gel of choice here!
Finally, the team and I were chatting about an episode of Jake Humphrey’s podcast the other day because he shared some advice that made all three of us go “YES”. That advice is as follows…
“Just because something isn’t your fault, it is your responsibility.”
Without wanting to sound bossy, read that again and let it sink in. Ultimately, there are 7 billion of us living side-by-side on this planet. Some will always have it better, some will always have it much worse. Let’s make winter the season we take ownership of our circumstances and make the necessary tweaks (however slight) to create the change we want to see.
Ad When the turn of the seasons encourages you to wrap up in classic clothing from the beautiful British brand that is @lkbennettlondon , retreat to a cosy, country hotel and hunker down for afternoon tea with your husband. Use LYDIALKB20 for 20% off until 28th October #WearingLKB paid partnership
I had so many messages about my work from home outfit last week I thought I’d share it complete with accessories
Ad Outfit
Jumper @goelia_official
Trousers @lkbennettlondon
Shoes @emmylondonofficial
Jacket @marcelalondon_
Fragrance @diorbeauty La Colle Noire
Can you guess where I’m off to for afternoon tea?
Ad Outfit
Coat @lkbennettlondon
Dress @aavelleofficial
Hat & boots @hollandcooperclothing
Fragrance @penhaligons_london
Tights @wolford
The Autumn Equinox has arrived and as the nights draw in there’s so many opportunities to reconnect with nature.
Hosting a very special breakfast for my girls in honour of @princestrust and @thebrilliantbreakfast to raise money to help young women turn their lives around through work, education and training. A donation of £5 can enable a woman to simply travel to an interview which could go on to change her life forever so I would absolutely love it if you would join me in hosting your own Brilliant Breakfast between the 9th and 15th October, whether it’s simply coffee with a close friend, or encouraging your entire office to get involved, the funds raised will go towards helping young women, aged 11-30 create better futures for themselves.
And thank you to my angel @hello.petal.flowers for giving her time and creative flare to bring my vision for the breakfast to life, of course you don’t have to go with florals like me, but if that’s something you enjoy this is the perfect opportunity to throw a lovely breakfast with your girlfriends with a cause that will help so many other women, front and centre!
Ad Because being old fashioned is always fashionable
Such an honour to drive to @goodwoodrevival with the @astonmartin team in the iconic DB5 to celebrate 110 years of the brand and 60 years of the DB5.
Outfit
Dress @dior
Hat @aavelleofficial
Gloves @cornelia_james
Jewellery @garrard
I love this so much, anything inspiring and involving self help is always a go to, your ever so empowering Lydia,
My 2022 was going great, I was minimising spending, I joined the gym and I was walking as much as possible, school run and to my job at school, then last Thursday my son got Covid so that meant staying in the house to look after him then low and behold myself and my daughter both tested positive on Sunday so your blogs and vlogs have kept me going so thank you. Hopefuly Monday I’m allowed back into the world and carry on a positive 2022. Have a great weekend xox
This sounds wonderful Kelly! x
This is AMAZING!! What a wonderful idea Lydia! Been a silent viewer for about 4/5 years now and it is so incredible to see how far you have come. Thank you for all you do xo
Thank you so much Eman xx
Because off your advice last year, I dived into ‘The sweet spot’ and indeed, such a GameChanger. Happy to see it has made this inspiring edit! I listened to Mo’s podcast, really curious to read the book.
Looking forward to the next blogpost.
X, Dorien
I’m so happy to hear this! x