zahirafashion

Life's been a real whirlwind for me this past year. This time last year I'd dropped out of university, moved back home and not got a job. I was deadly convinced university wasn't the right option for me. At 19 I still had a lot to learn and taking this past year off studying has been really good for me on the whole!
Currently I've been stuck for blogging motivation as life just gets in the way sometimes. I'm writing this post sat in my new flat (with not so good wifi) having just had dominoes with my new flatmates (who are all absolute babes) and I realised this was the happiest I've been in a long time!
I'm currently just starting the 2nd year of a Fashion Promotion degree which I'm enjoying so far, but it's still early days yet! I've moved in with lovely flatmates and have a really supportive boyfriend too!I'm writing this post to hopefully inspire some of you that despite how hard things may be, it will get better. Here's a few tips I've learnt along the way this year...
Nobody's Life Is PerfectOnce I left university I kept looking at other peoples lives who were still studying and enjoying their course and wishing that could be me. Wishing I was still in their shoes. But nobody's life is perfect. If you keep comparing your life to other peoples lives you'll never be satisfied with your own life and where it's going.
Make a plan of what you're going to do nextSometimes it's really hard to motivate yourself with making a plan of what to do next but as soon as you have a plan you have something to work towards. Once I left University I started looking for jobs straight away, restarted driving lessons, re-applied for university and started saving. I can successfully say I found a job, passed my driving test, got into university and I'm still saving!
Be grateful for what you do have Do you have awesome friends? partner? family? flatmates? when you're not feeling good about your life these are the people you go to. When times get tough you'll need these people to be there for you! Make a list of five things you're grateful for here's mine: Family, Health, Friends, Boyfriend and my (new but really lovely) Flatmates!
Read Positive Quotes, Books, Focus on PositivityOne thing I'm trying to do more of is read motivating books, books about positivity, positive blogs and articles on online sites. These sorts of things can really uplift your mood and help keep you positive through-out the day.
Hang Around Positive PeopleDo you have a toxic friendship which sucks all the happiness out of you? Do you have a relationship with a friend which is getting you down and making you feel worse? If needs be or if this has gone on for a long time it's time to cut out the negative people in your life. Being around positive people all the time will make you feel better and happier!
Have you got any steps on staying positive?Twitter//Instagram//Facebook

I thought I'd carry on after so many of you loved my last post about 5 Reasons You Should Travel! I really enjoyed putting that post together so I thought I'd do another one!

Do you ever feel like you want to do something different but you're too scared to? Do you want to change and enjoy life more? Well here's some tips I've learnt to help me step out of my comfort zone!

1. Learn to let go of your past - This is something I still struggle with but the only way to move forward is to let go of your past. It sometimes feels like the hardest thing to let go and move on. Sometimes the only way to get rid of 'old baggage' is to get your hands on some new luggage! This means join that club you've always wanted to, you may make friends for life by doing so.

2. Life is a challenge - It's easy to get into a routine and never do anything new. One of the best ways to step out of your comfort zone is simple - you need a challenge. It's sometimes so easy to say 'No' to things because it's something you're not used to. Why not say 'Yes' and accept a new challenge and trying something new? Life is full of ups and downs for a reason!

3. Say 'Yes' - Have you ever fully declined doing something because it makes you feel uncomfortable? One thing I'm trying to do more of is to say 'Yes' to the uncomfortable things. Whether its a night out with a certain group of friends, going to see that scary film at the cinema or going on that visit to see a friend at university in a different part of the country! Why not say yes? You might just learn something new about yourself.

4. Is one way the best way? - Have you ever wondered why you do something a certain way? There's other ways of doing things. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone only serves as a reminder that you are living a healthy life. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone makes you really appreciate what you already have.

5. Take opportunities which come your way - It's so easy to let opportunities slip through your fingers. I'm guilty of this myself as most of you probably are too! I'm trying to make more of each and every opportunity which comes my way. Whether it's travelling to a new country, seeing that friend in a place you've never been to before or just saying yes to an opportunity because you can!So basically what I'm trying to say in the post is make the most of opportunities you have, say 'Yes' to some of the things you'd normally say no to and let go of the past/people which are holding you back!

How do you step out of your comfort zone?Twitter//Instagram//Facebook

Have you got the travel bug? Around this time of year it feels like everyone is going away. Travelling is one of the best things you can do with your life and I was lucky enough to be able to travel to New Zealand and Australia this summer!
Want to travel? Here's some reasons why you should explore...
1. You (probably) don't have any responsibilities - If you're like me and you are early 20's you don't have many responsibilities. Soon you'll have a house, a full time job, insurance, electricity bills, a mortgage the list just adds up. What's stopping you from saving up some money from a part time job picking a country and just going off travelling? NOTHING!

2. You're going to spend the rest of your life in debt - While you are young you don't have that much debt. A phone bill, car insurance and maybe a year or two of university. You may aswell borrow what you can, bite the bullet and pack your life away for a while and explore the world!

3.  You learn so much about yourself - If you decide to travel alone it's a whole different experience from travelling with friends and family. You'll figure out what makes you happy, what drives you, what inspires you without having to worry about doing what the other person wants to do as the only person you have to impress is yourself!

4. You have the energy - Well you're only young once right? Make the most of it! Bungee jump, climb that mountain do all those things you've written down on your bucket list you thought you'd never do.

5. The experience is invaluable - Have you ever thought of working abroad for a few weeks? I was lucky enough to work with one of the best marketing agencies in New Zealand this summer and I think foreign experience will always look good on your CV! Thought about volunteering? Want to teach abroad? Go for it!

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So I thought I'd try out a new feature while I'm over here in New Zealand. I'm always fascinated by people in the fashion industry and what they studied and getting an insight to what they do for a job! I was really excited to head over to Publicity PR HQ and interview their Junior Account Executive Danielle Todd!


So after having a quick chat we sat down with a peppermint tea and chatted all things PR. So let's get the interview started!

1. How did you get your dream job at Publicity PR?
I had no idea I liked PR at first. I went to University to do Journalism and my boyfriend suggested to me to take a PR Internship which I then ended up getting! I just fell in love with it. After university I landed an internship at Publicity which then turned into a full time job.

2. What advice would you give to someone looking to gain experience in PR?

Photo Credits : Tumblr, We Heart it, Pinterest and Ring My Bell
Choose A Style MusePinpoint someone whose look and attitude you'd like to channel. Next time you go shopping with your muse in mind. My style muses are people like Ashley Madekwe, Alexa Chung, Suki Waterhouse and The Olsen Twins.
Research, Research, ResearchTear pages from magazines and check out your favourite blogs, tumblr and pinterest for inspiration. Study things like hair styles, shoes, accessories, lipstick colours and outfit ideas so you have a clear idea about what you want to try or buy.
Have a wardrobe clear outI for one am pretty bad at this! I hate chucking clothes away as I feel I'm always going to find new ways to wear them! But I think I'm getting better and getting rid of things I don't wear! I always think that if you haven't worn something in years then get rid of it. It's better to have less in your cupboard than to have too many things so you can't see what you have to wear. Discarding old clothes means there's plenty of room for a fresh start!
Exercise more!I am doing a bit more exercise now and I am hoping to carry on with it when I get home from New Zealand. I was thinking how you will always feel a lot better after you've lost a few pounds. Clothes seem to look and fit best after you've lost a bit of weight!  A good way to reinvent your figure is to find a realistic image of a body you admire and replace the person's face with your face to use as a reference! It's definitely worth eating healthily and exercising as dieting doesn't always work!
What are your tips on re-inventing your style?Twitter//Instagram//Facebook