How to: Be Happier

We all have those moments in our lives where we think that nothing is going right and it won't get better and we'll be sad forever don't we. I've had my fair share of them, but I'm still smiling and happy with my life :) Here are some of the ways that I stay happy, even when I've had a rough time.


1. Surround yourself with people who build you up not tear you down
I've been lucky enough to be blessed with friends who accept me for who I am and make me feel like I can take on the world. I can say that surrounding myself with those people has made my school experience and what I've lived so far, so enjoyable. If you have friends who pressure you to do things that you don't want to do, or if they make you feel unimportant and worthless, then trust me... they're not worth your time. Everyone deserves to be loved, so make sure you're around people who love you.

2. Be optimistic
Now, I'm not going to lie and say that I'm an optimist all the time because I'm not, but I'm neither an optimist or a pessimist... I'm a realist (curse that Iggy Azalea song). But when it comes to situations where I doubt my abilities or I doubt that things will get better, I like to be optimistic about what will happen in the future. It's like that saying 'fake it 'til you make it'- if you think that things will get better, then you'll begin to believe it after a while. There's nothing more triumphant than proving yourself wrong, and thinking positively.

3. Listen to happy music
This is one of the best ways I stay happy. I like to listen to songs that make me want to jump around and dance and sing around the house with my friends, family and even my dogs. If you listen to happy songs then it boosts your mood. Proven fact.... (I think :P) Here are a few that I love:
- "Gotta Keep Smiling" by Scouting for Girls
- "Upside Down" by Tori Kelly
- "Keep Your Head Up" by Andy Grammer
- "She's So Lovely" by Scouting for Girls
- "Dreaming" by Smallpools

4. Doing what you love
Personally, I love playing tennis and spending time with friends, so that's what I do to stay happy. Doing what you love to do instead of what you hate doing will completely change your mood and make you a happier person. If a job you have makes you sad or you absolutely hate it, then find another job that you'll like better.

5. Forget what others think and just do you
I still struggle with this sometimes, as everyone does, but lately I've been a lot less concerned with what others think of me and I've just been doing what I love and not caring what others think of me. Social media has literally poisoned our minds thinking that we need to look a certain way, and act a certain way in front of people to be loved. But honestly, that is a complete lie. Have you ever noticed that you are so much happier when you let loose and forget who's watching? I have. I used to be so caught up in the lives of others that I neglected myself, and believed that I needed to be a certain way to be loved. But since then I've looked up and seen that I have friends who love me for me and they might not be there if I didn't be myself. Just do you boo (lol I felt so silly writing that but it't true!)

Those are just a few of many ways that you can be happier you. They've helped me so hopefully they'll help you too! :)

-Tianah xo

John Green's books give me life...

Hello!

I wanted to take the time to confess my love for John Green's writing... A little strange, but until you read just one of his book, you will not understand :P

Lets take a trip into my past...
Last year some time I was in PCG (home room) at school and my friend Emily told me that she was reading this amazing book called 'The Fault in Our Stars' by this guy, John Green. I thought, eh this isn't a book I'd enjoy since I tend to read books about dystopian worlds were the characters lives are at risk from some fiction event. But I decided that it might be nice to read something different for a change, so I bought the book and began to read. I personally don't read too fast, maybe a book in 2 weeks if I like it; but this book I read in just one week. It was incredible and amazing, and I was left wanting more.

So what else could I do to satisfy this 'want' of mine, than to read another of John Green's books... or should I say masterpieces?

I read 'Paper Towns.'.. In 3 days... It was so good!! The tale of a boy pining for a girl who has disappeared mysteriously, leaving clues for him to find her. How could someone not be intrigued by this, 'cause I certainly was! I even convinced my little sister to read it and she loved it just as much :D

Next was 'Looking For Alaska', which again, was MAGICAL! Learning the life of an average teenage boy at a new boarding school, where he meets a cool bunch of friends who include him. Then each of them destroyed emotionally when tragedy strikes, and they learn to cope with what's happened and learn life lessons. This book was so emotional and I loved it! One quote that stuck with me from 'Looking For Alaska' was "If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane" which is so powerful and shows the power of love.

Anyway, the point of this post was to bring to your attention the brilliance of John Green and his books. If you haven't read them, read them. If you have read them, read them again. They're too good to not be read.

JOHN GREEN'S BOOKS GIVE ME LIFE :)

- Tianah xo

Cute DIY Wall Decor

Hello!

A few months ago I was feeling really unsatisfied with my bedroom. There was nothing on the wall. Now, I had this giant blank wall and I thought for ages and ages on what to do with it. I'm the type of person who needs things to look good for me to be happy with it, so I couldn't just put anything up there. So I searched endlessly on Pinterest (follow me ;) @tianahbanana97 ) for inspiration on what I should do and I ended up really liking the idea of having a photo wall where I could swap and change the pictures I had up.
So I decided to make a post about how I did it and how I like it :)

What you'll need:
- a bunch of twine
- 6 or so command hooks or nails (I would recommend nails if you can use them, otherwise the second smallest clear command hooks)
- miniture pegs
- a whole lot of printed photos

Now what you need to do!

1. To start with, decide how many strings of photos you want or will fit. Then depending on that number, measure out on your wall how far apart the hooks need to be and mark it. I made mine around 34cm between each of my three strings.
2. Next you'll want to attach your command hooks according to the instructions of the packet so the hook is facing away from where the twine will be. Like so.

Step 3

If you are using nails, then just drill the nail into the wall, and ignore the first part of the next step.
Leave it for at least an hour before you continue to the next step. I was impatient and didn't wait, so one of my strings fell down on me which wasn't fun, so I really recommend waiting :P
3. After the hour has passed, you can unravel some twine and make a small loop at the end of it and tighten it around the hook. Then carry the twine to the hook on the other side and adjust the length of it to your liking. I draped mine a bit so it would have a more tumblr-y feel to it. Also take into account that the photos that you put on it will make it droop lower that it is without the photos.






4. Next you just want to get your photos and start pegging them up randomly on the strings.
And your done!

A really easy way of personalising your wall without having to make commitments :)

- Tianah xo

The Giants (13/02 - 15/02)

Hey!

This post is a little different from my other ones, but then again, I don't want my blog content to be set in stone, so here is a little post about the cultural phenomenon that swept through Perth city from Friday 13th of March until the 15th of March.

The story behind The Giants is complex and I cannot explain the whole story, so I will link a website where you can read the entire story in detail.
https://2015.perthfestival.com.au/Whats-on-by-Genre/The-Giants/Story

It was amazing to see the The Little Girl Giant and the Giant Diver. They are simply incredible and are a story of Western Australia's Aboriginal culture being recognised in the modern society.

Hundreds of thousands of people came to see the Giants over the three days, so there was simply too many people to get a great look, but I managed to captured these shots.

The Little Girl Giant sitting on the Giant Diver's lap

The Little Girl Giant dancing

The Giant Diver getting his helmet on

The Giant Diver beginning his journey around Langley Park

Berry breakfast smoothie!

Hello!

Lately I've been trying to eat healthier and excersise more often to get fit for summer (only 1 month to go!) so I've been making smoothies in the morning. It's surprisingly filling and it tastes so good! Berries are great sources of antioxidants which can improve your health, hair and skin, as well as preventing specific diseases.

So here's the recipe! 

Ingredients:

- a handful of frozen raspberries and blackberries

- a small bunch of frozen blueberries

- 5 or so fresh strawberries

- tropical juice 

Method:

1. First, wash your strawberries, take the leafy part off and halve them.

2. Next, throw your strawberries, blueberries and raspberries into a blender. 

(I got this small one for $39 at Target which is designed so you can drink it straight from the blending cup, so it't great!)

3. Then just fill up your blender with enough tropical juice that it covers three quarters of your berries - this gives a nice consistency that isn't too thick or thin.

4. Now just blend it up and your all g!

If the raspberries and blueberries that you're using aren't frozen, you can just add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of ice, depending on how you like your smoothies. 

Also, you can add any greens like kale, spinach etc, or bananas (I found that it really overpowered the berries when I added banana, so I took it out) or anything really, this recipe is very customisable so if you don't like something in this recipe, then you can easily switch it out with other fruits or vegetables. 

Hope this helped you!

Goodbye and goodluck!

- Tianah xo