Category: Life Hacks

Umbrellas in Dublin

Self-deprecation gets you nowhere

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Oh, you liked my latest blog post? You think I’m a good writer? Thank you! I mean, I think I’m alright and everything but there’s obviously much better writers out there than me. You see what I did there? Obnoxious, unnecessary, self-deprecation.

Lately, I’ve really noticed that I am bubbling over with self-effacing ‘jokes’, negative comments and rambling replies that rain all over my own parade. Now that I’ve realised this, I want to punch myself, Ed Norton in Fight Club-style, every time I do it. But surely there’s a better way to deal with self-deprecation that won’t leave me swimming in self-loathing or potentially with a black eye? There is. Continue reading “Self-deprecation gets you nowhere” →

Living more sustainably in 5 small steps

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True story: I joined Greenpeace when I was 8. I still have an envelope full of literature and stickers about the Ozone layer, Save the Whale and the dangers of pollution. Let’s just say I was a precocious, super sensitive little Sally Draper who was very obsessed with saving the planet. Plus, I’d read The Baby-sitters Club ‘Dawn Saves the Planet’ that summer and well, just about everything in my life can be traced back to The Baby-sitters Club books. Continue reading “Living more sustainably in 5 small steps” →

How to deal with negative thoughts

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This week I wanted to don my Oprah hat and write about something I think we all experience: negative thoughts and self-doubt. I’m told that self-doubt is as much a part of a writer’s DNA as coffee dependency, narcissism and nosiness. To be honest, that doesn’t really give me much comfort when I’m hunched over my laptop, paralysed with fear and self-loathing, as though the assignment I’m working on is the first thing I’ve ever written and wondering why the editor gave it to me of all people. So how do you stop that niggling negativity from completely taking over? Continue reading “How to deal with negative thoughts” →

Money saving tips for vegetarians & vegans

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One of the most common gripes I hear is that healthy eating is expensive. If I received a bean for every time someone suggested to me that you need a steady supply of cash to be vegetarian or vegan, well, I could make a very nice dip with it.

The truth is, convenience foods ARE less expensive than healthy items but there’s plenty of ways you can adopt a plant-based diet without needing to take out a bank loan. Being smarter about key ingredients, prepping your meals in advance and getting creative in the kitchen are just a few ways you can eat healthily on a budget. Continue reading “Money saving tips for vegetarians & vegans” →

How to quit caffeine and not lose your mind

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For the fourth time in my life, I’m trying to cut out caffeine and all I can say is hold me. Somebody. Anybody. The headaches, the tiredness, feeling so irritable you are this close to giving Michael Douglas in Falling Down a run for his money. The joys of caffeine withdrawal.

So, why am I doing this to myself? As well as being a sucker for self-punishment, it’s that time of year when we are all vowing to be a bit healthier, to drink more water and turn ourselves into Gisele, all within the space of January, and I’m as guilty of this as the next person. Also, as you may recall from my golden milk recipe post, coffee has been exacerbating my anxiety in the last year or so. Even though I used to drink up to 6 cups a day – insert beating heart emoji – these days all it takes is that second cup and my heart is aflutter…and not in a good way.

Continue reading “How to quit caffeine and not lose your mind” →