If you’re an avid bookworm, you’ll understand the joy of losing yourself in a novel too, which is why we’ve compiled a reading list of our all-time favourite fiction. Our very own literary canon, if you will!

From modern giants to the must-read classics and a certain scar-bearing wizard, these are the books that have stayed with us way past the acknowledgements.

– Maddie –

Pride and Prejudice

Probably my all-time favourite book if I had to pick one. When Jane Austen created Elizabeth Bennet she may not have known at the time but she was creating the feminist protagonist we all still need in our lives to this day. She’s fearless, determined, witty and honest but most of all she didn’t let her position as a woman of “little means” and of the horrifyingly old age of 21 dictate her future happiness. I think even 200 years later we could all stand to be a little bit more like her.

Harry Potter

I have read and reread these books time after time and I think that I could never grow tired of them, I simply couldn’t not include them in this list. They’re wonderful escapism at it’s best with incredible detail, interesting characters and plot twists. There’s love, friendship and of course all the magic, what’s not to love! I think secretly we all wish we could be witches or wizards and go to Hogwarts, don’t we?

The Song of Achilles

This was a stand out favourite book of the more recent years for me. I am obsessed with Greek mythology so I always knew the subject matter would make it a page-turner but it was so much more than I expected. The love story that grows between the two main male characters who are so complexly different is so beautifully written I was weeping by the end. It’s an incredible retelling of a story I thought I already knew and just thinking about it makes me want to pick it up again.

– Danielle –

One Day

This book was just simply magnificent when I first read it. It revisits the same two characters who met at their Uni graduation on the same day every year. I love everything about it, the premise, the way it was written, the characters and all the hilarious and heartbreaking bits. I physically cannot put the movie on as it hurts my soul, I won’t give away why in case it’s a big fat spoiler but if you haven’t read this book PLEASE give it a go!

The Night Circus

Such a beautiful read from start to finish I ate this up time and time again and I’d still grab it out and dust it off for a holiday now. It keeps you guessing in a universe that isn’t much like our own and I guarantee you it’ the perfect escape!

Chelsea Handler’s Collection

I’m not 100% certain how I started reading Chelsea Handler’s books, I think I may have picked one up in an airport when I was about 19 coming home alone from Miami. Generally, her books are made up of stories from her life and they are absolutely hilarious, laugh out loud funny. She is so unapologetically herself at all times, and if reading them doesn’t make you give fewer F***s I don’t know what will.

Rupi Kaur – Milk and Honey

As this is a poetry book you can pick it up whenever you fancy and remind yourself of some of the most gorgeous yet genius poems you’ll ever set your eyes on. I adore Rupi’s words, they make me think and cry and generally stick with me for such a long time. Follow her on Instagram if you want a little taste!

– Zoë –

Anne Franks Diary

I first read this when I was in primary school and it had such a huge effect on me that I have read it more times than I can count. I love that it’s such a momentous piece of history and it’s something I will also encourage my children to read too!

The “I Heart…” Series by Lindsay Kelk

This was one of my first introductions to women’s ‘chick-lit’ and I was obsessed. I adore Lindsay’s writing style and instantly fell in love with Angela and all her escapades. I could read these over and over!

Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn

This book completely engulfed me and it was fabulous. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book as fast as this one. It’s really fast-paced and a great thriller. After finishing this I needed to talk about it with someone immediately. Always a sign of a book you’ll never forget!

All The Bright Places

Jennifer Niven – I read this a few years ago and couldn’t stop recommending it to people (it was also a book in my Zoella book club with WHSmith). It’s one of those stories that hooks you in and makes you feel all the feels. Adore Jennifers writing, characters and the storyline is perfect.

– Lareese –

Grief Is A Thing With Feathers

Part sound-poem, part lyrical memoir and metaphor – this book will stay with me forever. It’s not something I’d usually read but I’m very interested in the grief narrative as it’s such a human experience. This story centres around a dad, a crow and his two young sons as they try to navigate life without their mum. It’s beautifully written, sad, confusing, hopeful and unconventional in the best way. It’s hard to unpack and impossible to articulate – much like grief itself – because it deserves a genre all on its own.

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre was a secondary school classic! I remember reading the opening chapters aloud in class and just falling in love with the way it was written. The pathetic fallacy, the unusually spunky and headstrong heroine, the flawed romance – it’s a remarkable novel.

– Charlotte –

The Book Thief

My all-time number one! I’ve always been a history junkie so any books set in the First or Second World War immediately have my attention. Set in 1939 Nazi Germany, the story follows 9-year-old protagonist Liesel and her love affair with books, as she starts a journey in stealing them from libraries and even Nazi book burnings. Things become dangerous after Liesel’s foster father hides a Jewish man in their basement, and the story of love, loss, innocence, and hate leaves you gripped throughout.

Confessions of a Shopaholic series

Something a little lighter! I first read these books when I was far too young to be hearing about the ins and outs of the saucy encounters of Rebecca Bloomwood, but nonetheless they’ve remained high on my list of romcom faves. The series follows Becky’s ups and downs as she battles to manage her career, love life, and the mishaps that come with her quirky personality, all whilst her uncontrollable shopping habits lead her astray time and time again …

The Rosie Project series

I’m not usually one for a male protagonist but this series bucks the trend! Written from the perspective of Don Tillman- an Australian genetics professor- the story follows his unusual personality (think Eleanor Oliphant vibes) as he sets out on ‘project wife’ and his mission to find ‘the one’ based on a perfectly constructed questionnaire. But when Don meets Rosie, his perfectly orchestrated plan goes out the window, and you’re left to wonder if spontaneity, ditching routine and straying from what you know is all part of the process in finding your perfect someone.

– Darcey –

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – Mark Manson

This is a bit of an unconventional one, but this book really helped me change my mindset while I was at university. It teaches you to remember that bad stuff will happen, that it’s just how life works, but to remember that achieving anything in life comes with a struggle. It taught me to remember that not everything can always come easy.

Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

I studied this book at college, and I loved it so much. This was a book written before its time, Bronte challenged victorian ideals, like religion and social class, which I found so fascinating. This book made me think a lot about feminism within literature too and I ended up writing my A-Level coursework on Emily and Charlotte Brontes feminist literature!

The Fault in Our Stars

I mean I think this book is probably in a lot of people’s top books, I have never cried so much reading this book. In fact, I think this is the only book I’ve ever cried at while reading. I loved the film to of course, but for me the book won, I prefer how the story is played out.

– Lauren –

Eat Pray Love

I read the book after watching the film, and of course, I loved it more, and it’s kept a special place in my heart ever since. The fact Liz Gilbert took this huge step to change her life and put her happiness first, learning skills, being open to the universe and life, and being able to experience so much of the world is truly inspiring. This book is what sparked my obsession with Italy and learning Italian, and it’s one I re-read yearly.

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What are some of your all-time favourite books?

What is your role at Gleam futures and what does it entail?

I’m Head of Publishing at Gleam Titles, the literary arm at Gleam. I work as an agent and represent the books and look after the careers of writers. So it’s my job to talent spot and discover authors, I help secure them publishing deals and work alongside them throughout the process of writing and publishing their books.

How long have you worked with Zoe?

I have worked with Zoe for more than four years now! I’ve loved watching her move from her Girl Online fiction series into non-fiction, and then onto this big fiction series, The Magpie Society, which we’re so excited about. It’s going to be EPIC.

What are some of the best parts of your job?

The people. One of the best parts of my job is getting to work with people who are doing amazing things in the world, like changing laws, facilitating award-winning activism and helping others with the skills and platforms they have. I also love words – being close to the text, an idea, and helping turn that into a book that people will spend time with.

What are you currently working on?

A lot of the things I’m working on now I can’t discuss as the deals haven’t been announced. But this month we’ve had Sunday Times bestsellers with Where’s My Happy Ending? and the one and only Mrs Hinch. Liv Purvis’ The Insecure Girl’s Club and Chidera Eggerue’s How To Get Over a Boy have published – they are both fantastic books offering pearls of wisdom and nuggets of truth.

What did you study at school/uni to help with your career?

I studied English Literature and it definitely laid the foundation for my work. I think the psychoanalytic theory I studied was very informative in terms of the books I work on now – it’s where I discovered feminism and the idea of gender as a social construct.

What are some of your all-time favourite books?

That’s the impossible question I get asked time and time again. I love to read literary fiction: Deborah Levy, Angela Carter, Miranda July, Sally Rooney etc. I’d recommend everything and anything they’ve written. I also love more surreal and quirky books that suspend your reality, such as Andrew Kaufman’s All My Friends are Superheroes and The Vegetarian by Han Kang. Ariel by Sylvia Plath is one of my favourite poetry collections. The Son by Philipp Meyer is the best western I’ve ever read.

What are you looking forward to reading this year?

There is so much great stuff coming this year! Excluding my own authors from this list, I’m excited to read Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan Pandora’s Sykes collection of essays How We Know We’re Doing It Right, The Panic Years by Nelle Frizzle, Marian Keyes’ new novel Grown Ups and Explaining Humans by Camilla Pang.

Who are some of your favourite new authors?

Han Kang, Naoise Dolan and Marina Keegan, who sadly passed away at a very young age but her debut collection of essays and stories The Opposite of Loneliness was published posthumously, and it is one of the most brilliant and affecting collections I’ve read.

What do you like most about working in London?

The access it gives you to so many other worlds and perspectives, inspiring art in galleries around the corner, the height of new fashion on your doorstop and incredible food to sample on your lunch hour. London is a giver.

If you had any advice for aspiring writers what would it be?

Write what you’re afraid to write. Read as much work as you can by the writers you aspire to be like. Write, write, and write.

What do you always carry with you?

Poo bags. (I have an Italian Greyhound).

What would your last meal be?

My answer was always seafood, I adore seafood. But I just got struck down with food poisoning from a handful of cruel oysters, so now I’m really not sure…

What are you looking forward to most in 2020?

All of the incredible books I have coming from some amazingly talented people – Laura Bates, Sam Baker, Emma Gannon, Florence Given, Sophie Hinch, Louise Pentland, Penny Wincer and of course Zoe! It’s going to be one hell of a year for Gleam Titles.

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To celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day, we’re aiming to do just that by spreading a little piece of joy, one note at a time.

Inspired by London-based artist Andy Leek and his kindness project, ‘Notes to Strangers’, we thought we’d take a leaf out of his book and help spread life-affirming message across our fair city too. Because unexpected kindness is never wasted!

What random act of kindness are you going to carry out today?

You can inject a lot of personality into a space simply by displaying some of your favourite items together in your home. So, whether you want to create a minimal arrangement with a neutral colour scheme to match, or you’d rather go all out maximalist – styling your shelves with the things you love is bound to make you feel right at home.

From vases and art prints to book stacks and candles, check out the decorative bits and bobs we want to see sitting pretty on our shelfie!

Maddie

I’m currently very much shelf-less. My husband and I are in the process of building a house so at this point a roof would be nice let alone getting the point of decorating shelves! I think we’ve got quite different views with these small details too, i’m all for an organised clutter whereas he loves a minimal no mess look. What we do agree on is art and prints so i imagine that’s what we will be investing in.

Desenio, EUCALYPTUS BRANCH TWO POSTER, £7.95 

Desenio, SOFT WAVES POSTER, £11.95 

Desenio, EIFFEL TOWER CLOSE UP POSTER, £8.95 

Desenio, NEW YORK CITY POSTERS, £11.95

Desenio, ITS NOT WHAT WE HAVE, POSTER, £3.95 

 

Lareese

I am a non-stop shelf shuffler – it’s the easiest way to give a room a quick refresh and change up the mood a little! I collect loads of random bits and bobs from books and magazines to candles, little plates, notepads, fabric swatches and paint sample cards. Depending on how deep your shelves are, you can always add trinket boxes and create some varying height and symmetry, too.

*Amazon, If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi: Stories, £12.23 

*Amazon, Inspired by Nature: Creating a personal and natural interior, £13.51 

*H&M, Scented candle in a holder, £12.99

Zara, TWO-TONE WOODEN BOX, £19.99 

The Little Deer, P.F. Candle Co. 8oz Terra Soy Wax Candle – Juniper, £36 

Nordic Nest, Pillar vase 24 cm, £34 

*Urban Outfitters, Aries Trinket Box, £16 

Zoe

When it comes to styling up a shelf, I love to have little sections where you’ve got different things going on. Maybe a little stack of books underneath a diffuser or a candle, a trailing house plant in a cute pot and a photo frame of some sort. You can really tailor it to your space and co ordinate it with the theme or colour scheme of the room it’s in too.

*Anya Hindmarch, Diffuser Lollipop, £99 

*Matalan, Trailing Succulent in Face Planter, £8 

*Oliver Bonas, Star Grey Ceramic Plant Pot Large, £32 

*Oliver Bonas, Lucky Star Gold Foiled Wall Art, £59.50 

*Oliver Bonas, A Guide to Creating Your Indoor Jungle Book, £25 

 

Danielle

I’m currently styling up my mantlepiece which is a shelf of sorts! I’m a bit rubbish at this kind of thing but I’ve taken inspo from Charlotte Jacklin, Hannah Gale and obviously Zoe to pick out this eclectic mix of bits and pieces. I fell in love with this ‘I came to boogie’ artwork from Oliver Bonas that I can prop on my mantel up against the wall and have created a little gold an pink themed paradise!

*Amazon, Meri Meri, Garland, Mini, Gold Star, £10.98 

*Oliver Bonas, I Came to Boogie Pink & Gold Wall Art, £79.50 

*H&M, Scented candle in glass holder cest la vie, £6.99 

*H&M, Scented candle in a glass jar, £12.99 

*H&M, Small glass vase, £2.99 

 

Charlotte

Living a rented flat I can only DREAM of one day being able to put up endless shelves, colour code my books and house my overflowing plant collection. I’ve gone for a mixture of art, books and plants and love how the mixture of colours, textures and shapes look together. Notice that I’ve paired a houseplant with a greenery tips and tricks book- I need all the help I can get in caring for my leafy babes!

Sighh, Today I Have The Power A4 Pink Print, £12 

Patch, Theodore plant, £18 

*H&M, Tall vase with a motif, £19.99 

*Anthropologie, Gilded Garden Trinket Dish, £8 

*Amazon, Leaf Supply: A guide to keeping happy house plants, £25 

Darcey

I am obsessed with house plants, so I like to fill my shelves with them. I love a cactus, or an abundance of cacti in my case. I love how spider plants look dotted at the ends of shelves too as they naturally start to hang down. I would pot my spider plants in these pots from Oliver Bonas and these cacti from Urban Outfitters would pair great with them. For other little touches, I like to have some photo frames and jewellery holders, I think they add a lot to an empty space. Lastly, I always have a candle placed somewhere, they look great and of course smell great too!

*Urban Outfitters, Cacti Live Plant – Set of 3, £15 

Waitrose, Chlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’ variegated spider plant, £8.99 

*Oliver Bonas, Modelo Geometric Light Grey Stoneware Plant Pot Medium, £12.50 

*Oliver Bonas, Alphabet Initial Marble & Gold Metal Ring Holder, £12 

*Oliver Bonas, Gold & Glass Portrait Standing Photo Frame 8×6″, £20 

*John Lewis, Diptyque Eucalyptus Scented Candle, £47 

Holly

I’m not really one for shelf styling if I’m honest. I’m more of a chuck everything on a shelf and hope it doesn’t look too cluttered. I love to have books everywhere, some plants, photo frames and probably a few random pieces like a dolphin statue that I’m too sentimental to throw away. Maybe one day I’ll change?!

*M&S, House Plant In Textured Pot, £19.50 

*John Lewis, John Lewis & Partners Flat Photo Frame, Black/Gold, £8 – £15 

*Urban Outfitters, the sun and her flowers By Rupi Kaur, £12.99 

*Urban Outfitters, Best in Travel 2020 By Lonely Planet, £11.99 

*Amazon, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, £9.27 

*Amazon, Juliana Objets d’art Glass Figurine Blue & Green Dolphin Paperweight Ornament, £13.70 

Lauren

I’m all of nothing with shelves – fill them up so everything has a space and is off the floor, or keep them very minimal and styled with a few trinkets. I’m trying to buy more prints to make my space feel more homely so not only does it add personality, but plays with height and colour depending on the shelf. Pop in a planter (sans plant for me) and a nice candle to clear the space and you’re good to go!

*West Elm, Ceramic Llama Planters, £39 

*Etsy, Amalfi Italy Print – Italy Poster, £11

*Etsy, EUCALYPTUS | 100% Pure Essential Oil Candle, £18 

*H&M, Rectangular metal bowl, £14.99

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When times are pretty sh*tty, we’ll wade in and give you our best pearls of wisdom, without the unsolicited advice – all in the hope that you’ll feel a little less alone in whatever you’re going through. Bottom line: Yes, you’re normal, no you’re not the only one, yes it’s ok to have problems and HELL YES it’s ok to ask for help.

Whether it’s friendship woes, marital struggles, grief, loneliness, body hang-ups, overbearing in-laws, problem-skin, stress or heartbreak, we all know a problem shared is a problem halved and we hope this space is somewhere you can show up, be open and honest and get the emotional back-up you need. Like a cracking pair of pants – we are here to hold you together, so lament and vent away!

So, let’s kick things off with our first BYAM dilemmas…

Zoe says…

Hi, thank you for opening up and writing in, I know that can’t have been easy and please don’t think it’s silly to feel this way, it’s perfectly normal and healthy and I can assure you that there will be others reading your question and nodding along. My parents divorced when I was 21, so although not as young as you are now, at any age it’s a huge life adjustment that comes with a big sense of uncertainty.

Although for you it happened two years ago, it will definitely take a while to feel that there is some normality and for the dust to completely settle. My parents divorce weirdly made me see them more as individuals rather than “mum” and “dad” which was something I’d not thought too much about before, but as they go on new chapters in their lives it will never alter the fact you are their daughter. I think it would be a good idea to chat with your Dad about how you feel and that it makes you nervous that he’ll see you less or that distance will grow between you (and not just in psychical miles). I have a feeling he will be worrying about it too! The last thing he would want is for you to be fretting about this to yourself, and he can offer you the reassurance you need.

I moved away from both my parents at 24 and we’re now 3 hours away from each other. It was a huge decision as I never saw myself leaving the family village, but if anything I think it means the time spent together is of a much higher quality. You can plan nice days together, go and stay for a weekend and really make the most of the time you spend together as opposed to smaller, more brief everyday encounters. I also find there is generally more to catch up on and chat about too!

Even the fact that you sharing this with us has made you feel better, imagine that weight being lifted by speaking with him too. Both your parents will want you to feel at ease and in the most comfortable situation as possible, so think about what would make you happy! Hope that helps! 🙂 xxx

Lareese says…

Hi, thank you for opening up and writing in, I know that can’t have been easy and please don’t think it’s silly to feel this way, it’s perfectly normal and healthy and I can assure you that there will be others reading your question and nodding along. My parents divorced when I was 21, so although not as young as you are now, at any age it’s a huge life adjustment that comes with a big sense of uncertainty.

Although for you it happened two years ago, it will definitely take a while to feel that there is some normality and for the dust to completely settle. My parents divorce weirdly made me see them more as individuals rather than “mum” and “dad” which was something I’d not thought too much about before, but as they go on new chapters in their lives it will never alter the fact you are their daughter. I think it would be a good idea to chat with your Dad about how you feel and that it makes you nervous that he’ll see you less or that distance will grow between you (and not just in psychical miles). I have a feeling he will be worrying about it too! The last thing he would want is for you to be fretting about this to yourself, and he can offer you the reassurance you need.

I moved away from both my parents at 24 and we’re now 3 hours away from each other. It was a huge decision as I never saw myself leaving the family village, but if anything I think it means the time spent together is of a much higher quality. You can plan nice days together, go and stay for a weekend and really make the most of the time you spend together as opposed to smaller, more brief everyday encounters. I also find there is generally more to catch up on and chat about too!

Even the fact that you sharing this with us has made you feel better, imagine that weight being lifted by speaking with him too. Both your parents will want you to feel at ease and in the most comfortable situation as possible, so think about what would make you happy! Hope that helps! 🙂 xxx

Charlotte says…

Hi, thank you for opening up and writing in, I know that can’t have been easy and please don’t think it’s silly to feel this way, it’s perfectly normal and healthy and I can assure you that there will be others reading your question and nodding along. My parents divorced when I was 21, so although not as young as you are now, at any age it’s a huge life adjustment that comes with a big sense of uncertainty.

Although for you it happened two years ago, it will definitely take a while to feel that there is some normality and for the dust to completely settle. My parents divorce weirdly made me see them more as individuals rather than “mum” and “dad” which was something I’d not thought too much about before, but as they go on new chapters in their lives it will never alter the fact you are their daughter. I think it would be a good idea to chat with your Dad about how you feel and that it makes you nervous that he’ll see you less or that distance will grow between you (and not just in psychical miles). I have a feeling he will be worrying about it too! The last thing he would want is for you to be fretting about this to yourself, and he can offer you the reassurance you need.

I moved away from both my parents at 24 and we’re now 3 hours away from each other. It was a huge decision as I never saw myself leaving the family village, but if anything I think it means the time spent together is of a much higher quality. You can plan nice days together, go and stay for a weekend and really make the most of the time you spend together as opposed to smaller, more brief everyday encounters. I also find there is generally more to catch up on and chat about too!

Even the fact that you sharing this with us has made you feel better, imagine that weight being lifted by speaking with him too. Both your parents will want you to feel at ease and in the most comfortable situation as possible, so think about what would make you happy! Hope that helps! 🙂 xxx

Maddie says…

I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through such a rubbish time, there really isn’t a pain like heartache and to go through it during a stressful uni work/exam time makes it that much worse. I was also in a really toxic on/off relationship from the ages of 18-26 and with each breakup, I went through all the exact motions you’re describing and it was really bloody hard. When I look back on it now though I just wish I hadn’t wasted so much time on someone that didn’t care about me as much as I did about them and I promise you, you will eventually feel the same way.

The best advice I can give while you’re still feeling so raw and upset is to stay as busy as you possibly can, say YES to things you wouldn’t have before, step out of your comfort zone, spend time with friends, take up a new hobby and find as many ways to meet new people as you can. Also, for the time being, self-preservation is key so unfollow/defriend him on everything and give yourself time to prioritise yourself instead.

I promise you if you occupy your brain enough the ratio of sadness to happiness will eventually tip back and you will feel much lighter again. Time really is the best healer in these situations so take it day by day and be as kind to yourself as possible.

Danielle says…

My heart really goes out to you and even your description of what you’re going through was tough to read let alone live through! I know you’ve probably heard this a lot from friends and family but I’m going to say it anyway – you are so young, you have so many fun things to do without the baggage of a long-term boyfriend and later on in life when you’re with someone who makes you ten times happier and this guy will just be that first boyfriend you had and nothing more.

In terms of him seeing someone else this is CLASSIC behaviour, the guy starts to rebound quickly while you’re still crying at home but for some reason in about 6 months time the tables start to turn, you get your confidence back and become ready to move on with life and it suddenly hits the guy who can’t handle seeing you live your best life. In terms of your happiness it sounds like what you’re feeling is grief, you’ve lost the person that has probably been your closest friend for the last two years and I’m sorry to say there is no cure other than time.

Start to nurture your other friendships, go out of your comfort zone where you can and start to imagine life without him, time really is the best healer and even though it’s horrible to live through, you’ll be so much stronger in a few months. Good Luck! xoxo

Charlotte says…

My heart really goes out to you and even your description of what you’re going through was tough to read let alone live through! I know you’ve probably heard this a lot from friends and family but I’m going to say it anyway – you are so young, you have so many fun things to do without the baggage of a long-term boyfriend and later on in life when you’re with someone who makes you ten times happier and this guy will just be that first boyfriend you had and nothing more.

In terms of him seeing someone else this is CLASSIC behaviour, the guy starts to rebound quickly while you’re still crying at home but for some reason in about 6 months time the tables start to turn, you get your confidence back and become ready to move on with life and it suddenly hits the guy who can’t handle seeing you live your best life. In terms of your happiness it sounds like what you’re feeling is grief, you’ve lost the person that has probably been your closest friend for the last two years and I’m sorry to say there is no cure other than time.

Start to nurture your other friendships, go out of your comfort zone where you can and start to imagine life without him, time really is the best healer and even though it’s horrible to live through, you’ll be so much stronger in a few months. Good Luck! xoxo

Maddie says…

Although I don’t work on the creative side of the team I can completely relate to the daunting feeling that comes with the end of university and the number 1 question that’s on absolutely everyone’s minds… what comes next!? So firstly, take some comfort that you’re not alone, almost everyone I know had ZERO idea what they really wanted to do after university, myself being one of them.

From my experience, at the start, it was very trial and error. I spent the first year following graduation going from job to job, interviewing anywhere I could (I’ve got some horror stories) and interning for next to no money just to get a bit of experience under my belt. In the working world experience is everything so my first bit of advice is to try get some! It doesn’t matter if it’s not the dream job to begin with, you will learn something with every opportunity and knowing what you don’t like is just as helpful as knowing what does make you happy.

If you haven’t already, start to collect and create a portfolio that really showcases your best work, once you feel really proud of your CV, be brave and proactively approach people that you admire to get advice and see whether they have any opportunities that might suit you. Some of the best people I’ve ever worked with and still work with to this day got to where they are just by being ballsy. You don’t ask you don’t get as they say.

Finally, know your worth. A lot of businesses will try and get you to do the most amount of work for the least amount of money possible in a bid to keep their costs down which could lead you to feeling undervalued and miserable. That being said, you need to be prepared to work hard to get to where you want to be, knowing people is obviously always useful but at the end of the day people reward talent and in the right environment it will shine through.

Remember it’s ok to take chances, change your mind a million times and try new things when the opportunities come along and if they don’t then remember you have the power to make things happen for yourself too.

Holly says…

OK, so I have many alarm bells ringing in my head. Have you face timed him? How do you know he is who he says he is? Do you both want to get married/have children? Have the same religious beliefs? I’m willing to bet these are questions you’ve not even thought about discussing after just 3 weeks of talking.

It depends what you’re looking for, but I honestly think that moving in with a stranger is not the answer either way. If you’re thinking long term, you need to know so much more about him. If you’re looking for a bit of fun, surely you don’t want to live together?
You’re probably feeling a bit lonely, after being with someone for 6.5 years, even if you don’t miss the relationship, you’ll miss the companionship so when someone new is giving you their undivided attention, it’s bound to feel amazing. But this is just the honeymoon phase and trust me, the initial love-like feelings will diminish.

I honestly don’t think you can know somebody after 3 weeks of talking, let alone not having met. Imagine he chews with his mouth open or poops with the door open? And I know a physical relationship isn’t everything, but can you even really know if you’re attracted to him from only speaking on the phone? There are so many things that could go wrong!
Moving to a new place is so exciting and you’ll have so many opportunities, make your own strides in this new city. Make your own friends and find your magic places or it will never feel like your home, you’ll be an accessory to him.

I’d suggest moving into your own place for 6 months or so and going from there. You might feel ready to be with him after 6 months or you might not even remember his name. Either way, be your own person for a little while.
I’m willing to bet you are a very trusting person but unfortunately, there are some not-so-nice people out there who will try and take advantage. If he’s the right guy it will all work out, no need to rush things.

Darcey says…

Firstly, I am desperate to know what happened when you met him and if you felt that connection in person! Although I must admit, this all does sound a bit crazy. I understand that sometimes you “just know” and have an instant connection. However, sometimes you find you “really didn’t know” how they could be and act. So, you add this to then living with someone (you hardly know let’s be honest) things could go bad pretty quickly… I personally think moving in so quick will ruin the pretty special first months of being together too, you need to miss someone to grow closer to them. So, living with someone straight away? You could get bored pretty quick. Best case scenario, you fall madly in love and it’s the best decision you ever made, but why don’t you let the relationship progress naturally while living apart? Especially as you are moving to a new city, Start fresh, on your own! Get your own place, make your own friends, find your OWN way.

I think you’ll find moving in with him straight away will take your independence away from you. You’ll become friends with his mates, live at his place (which in all seriousness, he could kick you out whenever he wants) and you’ll then be on his path. I think this could be a decision you seriously regret in the future, you don’t know him enough to make such a commitment, how long was it until you moved in with your ex? Look at past relationships and how they played out and make choices going forward from that. I just think you have such an amazing opportunity ahead to start fresh, find yourself, your passions, your love for a new city, it’s something you should start on your own. I’m not saying don’t pursue him, definitely do if you feel a connection! But just start slow and date, let that progress naturally, don’t force it to quickly and definitely make sure you are secure in a new city. Basically, don’t move in with him… But good luck in your new city! All the best, Darcey X

Danielle says…

Firstly, I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of your friend, I lost a close friend in 2016 and it’s truly an awful thing to go through. It’s kind of uncommon to lose friends at this age and it’s not something with a rule book of how to handle it in the aftermath. In terms of the anniversary is this a date you usually spend with your friend’s family and celebrate their life together or is it something you spend alone?

If the latter, I’d consider starting to do things over the anniversary that your friend would have wanted you to do (I’d imagine they’d be so happy to see you having fun in Fiji!) as this way you can still honour them on this date, take a bit of time to yourself and mentally tell them what you’re up to. However, if there is a tradition that has started on the anniversary that you think you’ll never miss you should be truthful to birthday friend and trust that if they are a true friend they will understand.

I have a few friends who sound kind of similar, but I think if you sit them down seriously or send a long message detailing why you won’t be able to attend and what you have planned for the day, they should respect you enough to accept your wishes. xoxo

Zoe says…

I’m so sorry to hear about your friend, that must be a very hard thing to deal with when that date rolls around each year and you should absolutely take the time you need and do whatever it is that makes you feel better on that day. I think regardless of whether your friend tends to overreact, you should sit her down or write her a heartfelt message telling her your predicament.

If your friend is understanding and cares about you, she will absolutely understand that you need to do what is best for you but she is also allowed to feel sad that you won’t be there at her 30th (a good friend will miss you being there after all and her sadness will only reflect the fact she thinks so highly of you). Alternatively, as Danielle said, this holiday could be just what you need and it might be what your friend would have wanted, you having a fun day and being able to celebrate her life wherever you are in the world. It might also be nice to have your friends there for you too, even if you don’t feel up for joining in on much that day, knowing they’re there and that you can jump in on what they’re up to at any point might be nice!

Either way, I think bringing your friend in on your thoughts would be the best thing to do here, and if she goes completely off the handle at you and makes you feel completely rubbish, maybe she’s not a friend you want or need in your life, but that’s a whole other “between me and you” problem! Haha

Lareese says…

I think it’s time to set some healthy boundaries in this friendship. Of course, you want to do right by your friend and do your best to help them but not at the detriment of your own mental wellbeing and self-care. After all, a friendship should be a mutually beneficial partnership, you need to feel like you’re being heard and appreciated, too. With everything going on in your friend’s life, I think it’s possible that their anxiety is all-consuming, and perhaps they don’t realise they’re relying on you quite as much as they are.

Reassure them, acknowledge that what they’re going through is difficult and encourage new ways of thinking and viewing certain situations that trigger their anxiety but also, don’t be afraid to recognise it’s too complex for you to cope with all on your own.

Encourage them to get support from a professional so it’s not all on your shoulders. If you’re starting to feel the pressure, there’s absolutely no shame in recognising your limits and joining support groups or reaching out to a mental health professional so you’re getting the help YOU need too.

By setting clear boundaries and taking a minute to acknowledge your own needs, you’re actually making sure you’re better equipped to be emotionally available for them when it counts, without judgement.

Get them to ask you if you have the head-space and energy to take this problem on right now? If the answer is no, gently let them know. Say I’m a bit frazzled right now but you know what, let’s go for a walk at the weekend and talk things out. I’ll be there for you! By prefacing your conversations with this question you instantly know one another’s boundaries and can control the situation. In doing so, you’re actually normalising the conversation around anxiety.

In order for you to be the best possible friend to them, you need to understand your boundaries and ask for what you need. It might be an uncomfortable conversation to have at first but by being open and honest with one another, it will only improve your friendship in the long run. Lareese x

Holly says…

Let me start off by saying you are absolutely not a bad person. I think anyone that is worried they’re a bad person, generally isn’t.
Most people (myself included) could do with putting themselves first sometimes. Something I’ve learnt over the past few years is that absolutely everyone has their own shit going on. So never feel bad for putting yourself first.

Friendships/Relationships can be tough, especially this one sounds a bit one-sided. I’m going to try and explain an analogy my therapist gave me but bear with me, I’m not one for words. So imagine a ‘container’- Everything that causes you anxiety or stress goes in the container. The more full the container gets, the heavier it gets and you’re carrying this around with you. You need ways to relieve this pressure, things you enjoy and help you destress. For me, I play netball, spend time with my little cousins and talk things through with my friends/family. This keeps the container at a steady half full all the time. Make sure you know your taps and when you need to open them. If the container is full up, you’re no good to anyone!

That being said, if in the future you feel like you are in a position to offer your friend support, then I don’t think being ‘bad’ at making someone feel better is a thing. If your friend is coming to you its because you are exactly what they need right now. Whether it’s to take their mind off of it or just sit in silence together, never underestimate the power of just showing someone you care. Ask them how you can help. Nobody knows their brain better than themselves so chance are, instead of stressing on how to help, they’ll tell you exactly.

If everyone could put the time into themselves I think the world would be a much better place. Holly

Zoe says…

Hi, your problem really stood out to me as someone who is probably “that friend” at times haha! And there is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling that way but to reassure you, your friend is probably painfully aware that their mental health could be affecting those around them.

Your friend must really trust you to share how they are feeling and to expose their vulnerable side with you (a lot of people don’t feel they have that person in their life) and it’s about getting a good balance of “being there as a friend” to your best ability but also you must never feel that you are carrying the burden of someone else’s problems as that can start to weigh very heavy on you and you could end up being the one needing support. If your friend isn’t speaking with a professional, it might be worth suggesting it so they feel they have someone more qualified to help them with their mental health, thus taking some of the pressure off of you. Mental health can feel very consuming, both to the person experiencing it, and to those close to them, but it’s not something that can just be turned off. One thing that might also help, is to ask your friend specifically what you can do to help during a panic attack or an emotional/stressful time if you feel that you are unsure of how to make them feel better, although I’m sure you do make a difference otherwise they wouldn’t keep opening up to you.

My boyfriend of 7 years will have moments of knowing exactly what to do and say but will equally still get frustrated at times, but it definitely took a lot of communication and years of working out what works best for both of us in those situations. It certainly does not make you a bad person or a bad friend, it’s totally normal to feel this way but if you love them and care about them, this is just one of the things that comes hand in hand with this friendship and you can only do your best, but their mental health is not in your hands and you should never feel pressured to do or say a certain thing because of them.

A friendship should be beneficial for both people, and if you don’t feel you’re getting as much out of it as they are, it’s definitely worth having a conversation about!

Darcey says…

Relationships… It’s a funny topic at this age, isn’t it? Everyone is either basically married, or single and always ready to mingle. So, as a fellow 21-year-old, who has also never had a boyfriend and doesn’t go on many dates, I feel you! I want to say firstly though, never EVER think that something is wrong with you or that you aren’t enough, you are perfect just as you are. You just haven’t found the right person yet, and that’s okay. When it comes to relationships, you mustn’t compare yourself to others, especially at our age. This is something I have also struggled with in the past, always wondering “why haven’t I met anyone yet?”, “Why don’t any of my ‘talking stages’ progress to anything?” and “Is there something I’m missing, do I need to change?”.

But you have to just trust your own path, trust that there is someone out there for you and that you’ll meet them when the time is right. Another thing you have to do (which I am also not always the best at) is you’ve got to put yourself out there. Get on some dating apps, Hinge I would recommend, just start chatting to some people. Then, when you feel comfortable, go on some dates. If you are already trying this, then don’t be afraid to ask them on a date! At the end of the day, what have you got to lose?

Unfortunately, some people find love easier than others, I have friends who have been in constant relationships since 14… and I just think, how?! Sounds like you have a similar situation with your friends too. But, don’t let their comments upset you either, especially the “you’re kinda intimidating” one. Firstly, I highly doubt you are “intimidating”, you definitely don’t need to change who you are as a person to please others. To me it just sounds like you are slightly standoffish when meeting new people, maybe to do with anxiety or fear around guys especially. I can be exactly the same! So, don’t worry about all that, if a guy is interested, he’ll show interest, it’s just finding the confidence to put yourself out there a little more.

I struggle with anxiety too, and it makes me sometimes question how I’ll come across to others, especially when it comes to dating. It’s held me back in the past, but a friend told me recently not to fear putting myself out there, because if they don’t like you for you then that’s their problem, you just have to be your authentic self!

But never do anything you feel uncomfortable with to please others, do things at your own pace. Start dating when you feel you want to, not when your friends say you should. Being on your own is something you should enjoy! Enjoy your twenties and remember there’s a lot of us single pringles out there. Hope this helps and the best of luck with everything! Darcey x

Danielle says…

Hey Anon, there are a few things to unpack here but I think they’re definitely all connected. As time goes on it sounds like you’re becoming more worried about not having a boyfriend/ any male interest but it also sounds like you used to have a good way of framing this (it’ll happen someday, I’ll be fine).

Societal pressures can really weigh down on you and make you think you ‘should’ have done something by a certain point, I feel it all the time like ‘should I own a house by now’, ‘should I be having kids in the next few years’. Suddenly friends and family can start making you feel bad about yourself because you’re living your life a bit differently. I think in this case of your anxiety, it’s flaring up because you’re worried about it as appose to you thinking that your anxiety is WHY you have not had a boyfriend.

My advice would be to start making more friends with guys, this way you’ll probably feel more comfortable with men in the future. It’s also super easy for friendships to turn in to something more and is usually the most organic way for relationships to start. You mentioned not doing anything that makes you feel uncomfortable but I urge you to do one thing a month that makes you feel uncomfortable, it sounds scary but more often than not you’ll be so pleased with yourself after the fact, which will do wonders for your self-esteem.

Switching up a few things in life is always a good thing and it could open some doors you didn’t even know existed! Keep smiling anon, the right people are out there for you <3

Keep sending your problems to Betweenyouandme@zoella.co.uk as we’ll be answering more next month!

This is 2020, people! Being unattached is not a reason to lock yourself in a lofty tower for the whole of February. There is heart-shaped chocolate to be had and masturdates – that’s ‘going out on your own’ for anyone scratching their heads, or any other region for that matter.

Valentine’s Day is about love of in ALL its forms, starting with the glorious romance you have with *drumroll please* yourself.

So, let’s paddle through the commercial BS and make room for some good ol’ fashioned self-lovin’ shall we?

Shower yourself with affection simply because you can, buy yourself some chocolate and flowers or weep into a bottle of tequila if you prefer.

This is our guide to navigating Valentine’s Day as a singleton – no S.O. necessary!

Just ignore it…

If you don’t feel like commemorating the day of love, just… don’t! You don’t need permission to pie it off altogether.

Like a red card from DPD, just leave Valentine’s Day at the door with a, ‘sorry we missed you note’. It’s but another day on the calendar after all.

Call your friends

Nurture the 10/10 relationships you already have in your life. Host a dinner with your fellow fluent-in-Tinder-BS gal pals and compare hideous dating stories. Laughter is the best medicine.

Hang out with yourself

There’s this weird expectation that if you’re alone, you must be f*cking devastated and showering with your dog but riddle me this, what’s so crushing about having your wicked way with the thermostat? There’s nothing more fulfilling than realising you’re more than comfortable with your own company. Being single is a choice, not a burden.

Go shopping to get what YOU want

Sure, lacy lingerie is great but have you tried new PJs?

Make yourself a nice dinner

“Hey, what do you fancy for dinner?”

“I’m easy. What do you fancy?”

“I don’t know, what are you thinking?”

“You choose”

“Don’t test me, Michael. Start naming food groups” 

The riveting daily dinner chat doesn’t exist in your world – eat what you want, when you want without the hangry debate, you lucky thing.

Stay in and binge Netflix

If we don’t make any sudden moves maybe Valentine’s Day won’t see us. *Cue five uninterrupted hours on the sofa*

Plus, you’d be doing yourself a massive disservice if you didn’t use this holiday to pay Ryan Gosling the heed he deserves.

Pamper yourself

Run a bath, finish that book, do a face mask, leave the leg shave for another day. Take advantage of the perks of living life on your own terms and not having to share your physical and mental space with anyone else. Guilt-free decisions with zero compromise! High. Five. To. That.

Unplug from social

Couples, couples everywhere. You can practically smell the PDA before you see it. Come off social media for the night and enjoy some well-deserved solitude!

Take a trip

Get away from the V-Day hype and fall in love with a new city instead. Paris is always a good idea and you don’t need a plus one to prove it.  

Touch yourself

Seriously, just masturbate, it’s what Aphrodite would want.

Single this Valentine’s Day? Let us know how you’ll be celebrating self-love!

A mini-break is short and sweet but that’s the beauty of it.

From a whistle-stop tour of Paris to a long weekend in Lisbon, these are the city breaks we’ve tried and loved.

Lareese | Porto

I live for a city break me! I find it really hard to sit still on holiday, so a city break is my idea of a perfect trip since there’s so much to do but you can also enjoy a bit of downtime too. It’s the best of both worlds.

I went to Porto & Lisbon last September with my boyfriend for a few days and loved it. I’d never been to Portugal before so doing two cities was a great way to get a feel for it. From the fresh Pasteis de Nata to the charming old tram and laundry-lined back streets, it really is a wonderfully unique and vibrant city.

The LX Factory is a must when you’re in Lisbon. It’s full of independent boutiques, food stalls, trendy coffee shops and book shops. There’s a nice outdoor bar area for you to chill in the sun with a beer after you’re done mooching around or stop for a quick coffee and a sweet treat in WISH. It’s a slow coffee house in the LX Factory.

When it comes to good grub, Lisbon didn’t disappoint. We went to a lovely restaurant called BouBou’s for some contemporary Portuguese food – the gambas were amazing. I still think about them now! The Time Out market is also a foodie’s dream. We’d go there for our daily pastel de nata fix – they make them fresh in front of you so they’re warm from the oven. It’s dribble worthy stuff.

We also took a short trip across the river to Almada for the day. The pace is a lot slower there and it has some beautiful views of the famous 25 de Abril Bridge. We walked around and stumbled across a great seafood restaurant right on the water called Restaurante Ponto Final. The scenery is just beautiful!. I very much recommend soaking up a few hours sat here with a glass of wine.

If you’re a sucker for a beautiful building, Casa de Serralves is a must-see. It’s a pastel pink art deco mansion and it looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson film.

Danielle | Boston

My City Break recommendation is Boston! I know it seems a bit long-haul but I thought I’d mix it up from cities in Europe and talk to you about one that doesn’t get as much love. I went to Boston with my partner and another couple in Feb 19′ and it was SO GOOD, cold but not absolutely baltic so we could do lots of walking, which is exactly what you want from a city break.

For activities, we did the Freedom Trail in the city centre which has so many historical bits and is super easy to follow. We visited Harvard for a day which was just like the movies, I did my best Legally Blonde quotes on campus. We headed over to Salem for a day and headed to one of the witch museums it was SO interesting, we had an amazing lunch at Sea Level. For sports went to see a Celtics basketball game at TD Garden which was great fun and as the baseball season wasn’t on we went for a tour at Fenway Park but couldn’t catch a Baseball game – which is my fave sport to see in the states! We were also there for the Super Bowl which was incredible, so great to see it with so many Patriots fans and as they won they had a parade the next day with all the players.

Boston is generally pretty ‘grammable one of the prettiest places was Acorn street but every road we walked down was BEAUTIFUL.

Zoe | New York

I chose New York City as my ultimate city break, and although a little further to go from here in the UK (you’d definitely want to make it at least a four day weekend Friday-Monday if you were a bit more limited for time, anything less than that I wouldn’t recommend as there is so much to see and do) it’s somewhere that has completely stolen my heart! I first visited NYC in 2014 but it was extremely fleeting and it was for work so I didn’t get to explore! In 2018, I went back for my birthday for a week with friends and family and we had the best time. As someone who doesn’t love the hustle and bustle of big cities (London and I have a very love-hate relationship), I was half expecting to find NYC very overwhelming and daunting, but because of the street grid system they have, you can always find your bearings and I find I never get lost!

The city has so much to offer, cute little shops and cafe’s if you head a little more south-west, Central Park in midtown which I could spend a whole day in and the traditional tourist spots you see in movies and all over everyone’s Instagram! I went recently in December and spent some time in Brooklyn and absolutely fell in love with it, so would highly recommend a night or two across the river! Williamsburg is full of quirky shops and independent cafes and is a little less busy.

One thing I would highly recommend is booking restaurants in advance for dinner, if you spot somewhere you really want to eat, chances are others will have the same idea, and you could end up in a very long queue. So research is key when it comes to planning a city break to NYC. Places you should visit include: Central Park, Greenwich Village, East Village, The Highline, Williamsburg, Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge, Top of the Rock at sunset, Times Square & Broadway. Places to Eat: Milk for the tastiest ice cream, Joes Pizza, Jacks Wife Freida, Beauty & Essex, The Flour shop for the best cake bites you’ll ever eat, Sunday in Brooklyn for EPIC pancakes, Memoria for delicious pasta, Buddakan for a fancy meal and edamame dumplings that I think about on the daily.

New York is just one of those cities that I instantly fell in love with and felt completely at ease in! I find something else each time we go that makes me want to plan my next trip on the flight home!

Also wanted to give a little nod to Amsterdam as this is also a city I fell in love with! We already have another trip planned for this spring. I love the atmosphere of Amsterdam and the little cobbled streets with so many independent shops and food places! The canals are so beautiful and calming and there is so much to see and do!

Maddie | Paris

Paris is a bit of a home away from home for me but I love it so much and always pine to go back if it’s been too long.

I love to wander around my favourite quarter le Marais, drink a cafe in Les Places de Vosges, stroll around Les Jardin des Plantes, explore the many cobbled streets of Montmartre and stop by Trocadero at sunset to see the Iron lady in all her glory.

Charlotte | Rome

Rome was my most recent city break but by far my favourite! I’ve been on plenty of trips where vegan food is somewhat … lacking (to put it nicely) but I was pleasantly surprised by the options in Rome- I’m actually considering another trip purely so I can relive the IN-CREDIBLE dairy-free carbonara and tiramisu I had at Rifugio Romano!

The Metro system was easy to fathom and made further out spots like The Vatican City accessible too. I visited at the end of May and the weather was perfect for walking around without the threat of sweating through a grey tee, whilst being warm enough for shorts or a summer dress in the day. Do I sound like I’m getting commission from the Italian tourist board yet?! In all seriousness, a 10/10 trip!

Lauren | Sicily

I really want to go on more city breaks as I’m so interested in the various styles of architecture across Europe, especially Italy as it’s one of my favourite places!

The city has breathtaking views of the ocean and Mount Etna, and because it’s been invaded so many times throughout history, the range of culture and architecture you find around each corner is amazing. Obviously the range of food available is incredible, and there are so many places to see including the amphitheatre and Isola Bella Island – make sure to try the Granite at Bam Bar!

Holly | Budapest

I LOVE a city break. Catch me exploring well-known cities over a beach holiday ANY DAY. One of my favourite cities I’ve been to is Budapest, Hungary. I went in February with 2 of my best friends for 3 days and we had much fun. There were so many things to do and see so I’m going to bullet point for you here or I won’t be able to stop.

My first tip is to buy one of the 72 hour Budapest Travel Cards. The trams are so easy to use and so handy when some of the top spots are pretty far away from each other. With a magnitude of history and museums, I was in my element. We decided on the ‘House of Terror’ and it was so insightful. Quite eerie when you’re in there but worth it if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

We went to the Outdoor Thermal Baths which were lovely to relax in but I would recommend not planning a whole day around it. I get a bit fidgetty and it is pretty much just sitting in an outdoor bath. If you’re going to Budapest, chances are you’ll go to the ruin bars. Szimpla Kert was unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. Every room is completely different. Very difficult to get a table but the atmosphere is electric and there are different ruin bars all over the city so if you’re like me, you can go on a Bar Crawl and get ‘Ruined’ – Get it?

One last thing that you absolutely have to do in Budapest is to walk to the castle on top of the hill. The views on the way up and at the top are insane. I think this was one of my favourite parts and it’s super interesting to see the divide between Buda and Pest. If I’m honest the last thing I’ll say on the subject is if you go with good people, you’re gonna have a blast.

Darcey | Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a great place to go for a short city break, with so much to do and everything is fairly close to each other! There’s a lot of fun things to do in Amsterdam, I went on a boat trip down the canals which was really nice and gave you a chance to explore more of the city. We, of course, went to the sex museum (which I didn’t actually rate much, but I think it’s a must when you are visiting).

The Heineken experience is super cool, and you get a lot of free beer which is always a plus! There are so many food options too that you can have a different cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What’s great about Amsterdam is that there are cultural things to do, but also many fun things as well! If you are a fan of the nightlife, the clubs are pretty good there too, but quite expensive!

Where are you heading on your next city break?

From helping someone with their luggage to complimenting a stranger – often it’s the smallest and simplest of gestures that can mean the most.

One cup of coffee, one smile, one conversation – that’s all it takes to transform someone’s day.

To help lift others up and project those good vibes out into the universe, here’s 50 ideas to inspire kindness not just today but every day.

1 Read stories to school children

2 Donate blood

3 Bake something nice to bring into work

4 Leave positive notes in random places

5 Give chocolate to delivery drivers

6 Help someone with their bags or buggy

7 Buy someone in the queue a coffee

8 Volunteer at a homeless shelter

9 Cook an elderly neighbour a roast dinner or invite them round for a cup of tea

10 Go litter picking in your local park

11 Buy a cinema ticket for the person behind you

12 Leave your waiter a generous tip

13 Lend a friend your favourite book

14 Smile at a stranger

15 Call your grandparents to tell them you love them

16 Donate clothes and toys to charity

17 Give a stranger a compliment and mean it

18 Organise a fundraiser and raffle

19 Buy someone a lottery ticket or scratch card

20 Write someone a card to tell them how awesome they are

21 Send someone some surprise flowers. No reason necessary!

22 Comment something positive on Instagram

23 Leave some change in a car park machine for the next person

24 Teach someone to cook a delicious recipe

25 Pay for someone’s shopping

26 Drop some flowers round at your friend’s house

27 Write a little message for your work colleagues and drop them off on their desks before they come into work

28 Offer a friend a lift

29 Offer some words of encouragement to a colleague

30 Sign up to be an organ donor

31 Offer to take a photo of a group of friends or a couple

32 Leave a positive review for a local business

33 Give your seat up on the bus

34 Do a friend’s laundry

35 Start a piggy bank for a good cause

36 Donate to someone’s Just Giving fund

37 Give a friend a non-appearance based compliment

38 Send someone you know a cute self-care package

39 Offer to babysit for free

40 Give someone a big ol’ hug

41 Tell a new mum she’s doing a great job

42 Write a nice comment on a blog post you’ve enjoyed

43 Surprise your parents with a spontaneous visit

44 Text a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while to arrange a catch-up

45 Let someone go in front of you in the traffic

46 Write a positive review of a book you loved

47 Let someone go before you in the queue

48 Volunteer at an animal shelter

49 Post thank you cards to your local hospital to let the staff know they are appreciated

50 Post a small gift through your neighbour’s letterbox

Do you have any random of acts of kindness that have inspired you? Share your kindness story with us!

What was one of your first amazing recipes?
It would have to be my No-Bake biscoff cheesecake. It’s one of my most popular and most re-created! It’s absolutely delicious!

How long have you been Vegan for and why did you go vegan?
I’ve been vegan for over 5 years now and it’s been amazing!

I started veganism at a time when I was struggling at school with physical and mental health issues. I was put on a FODMAP diet (which is an exclusion diet) so it was on a very bland and limited for quite a while.

I was also spending a lot of time at home with my cat and he became so important to me. That’s where my love of animals came from! How could I love him so much and eat a different animal?

I started to watch vegan documentaries like ‘Cowspiracy’ etc and my passion to help and care for animals grew from there.

Has food always been a passion of yours?
Yes!! I actually have a photo of me in the kitchen, aged 4 making a mess- haha! I love being creative and making something for people to enjoy!

When did you start The Little Blog of Vegan and why?
I started my blog which has now developed into my full-time business around 4-5 years ago. I was at home having left school, with no job prospects, feeling depressed and didn’t know what to do. It was my sister who said ‘why don’t you start a blog?’.

I didn’t know how it would turn out but at the time it helped my mental health and my transition into being vegan. I started to write about what new cruelty-free and vegan products were on the market and I also began to create vegan recipes. It’s only been in the last few years that my passion for baking and creating vegan desserts have taken off.

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration from the many lovely and inspiring food bloggers and YouTubers on the internet alongside Pinterest.

What is the process like for creating a new recipe?
First thing I do is do research online. I love Pinterest to get inspiration and youtube videos for cake decorating tutorials.

Sometimes ideas just come to me and ill draw them out on a piece of paper or on my phone. I often ask my followers what they would like me to do. I also like to hold poll’s on my Instagram stories to get some ideas too.

Most of my recipes work first time but some need a bit of tweaking to get it perfect.

What’s some of your career highlights?
There are so many!!! Winning Food blogger of the year 2017 was a major achievement for me!

I was invited to feature on The Great British Bake Off- An Extra Slice which was incredible. Stacy Soloman and James Acaster loved my cake which was amazing-haha!

I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing and high profile companies including Tesla Cars, BBC, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Nokia, Kitchenaid, Smeg etc.

I’ve been the front cover of many magazines including Vegan Food and Living, Vegan Cookbook and Simply Vegan.

Meeting one of my favourite Harry Potter stars Evanna Lynch who is a vegan activist and now regards me as a friend which is amazing.

What’s been the hardest part of your career so far?
I’m lucky to say I haven’t really gone through anything really tough in my career.

The only thing I would say is working on social media can be hard when things like Instagram or Facebook stop working as this is where a large audience of mine are based.

How do you stay motivated when you’re the one in charge?
I stay motivated because I love what I do. It can be hard to get up early in the morning to get in the kitchen as I often work late responding to emails etc. But once I’m up and make a start, I am fine.

I often have deadlines to meet with companies that I’m doing work for and so I like to keep up with my work and not let myself get behind.

Do you have any role models?
Big role models to me are obviously my family, and in the baking scene people like Mary Berry and fellow food bloggers like Vegan Yack Attack and Deliciously Ella.

What do you always carry in your handbag?
What don’t I carry!? I swear my bag is like Hermione Granger’s bag from Harry Potter- it never ends!! My iPhone and purse are number one. I don’t go anywhere without my iPhone as its the tool of my business. Its never far away…..ever!!

Also, I have long hair so a hairbrush is a must. I also like to carry around a reusable straw and coffee cup.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
I’m a sucker for anything Mexican. Refried beans with rice, fresh guacamole, salsa and tortillas sound perfect to me! I’d have to add a coffee with it though lol.

What are you most looking forward to this year?
I am in the process of writing my first baking book which is super exciting. It will be out spring 2021.

I can’t wait to create lots more content and grow my audience, and show people that veganism can be fun with lots of very delicious food!

Aside from my work, I am interested in music. I play the guitar, bass and the drums. I have tickets for various concerts so I am really looking forward to like Aerosmith, Greenday, MCR. I’m a rocker at heart!

Find The Little Blog of Vegan website here

and Holly’s amazing Instagram here.

To help combat Winter face and bestow a healthy glow, we’re relying on these hard-working highlighters to fake a dewy complexion.

If you’re in the market for an intense shimmer and mega-watt shine – bring your sunnies, we’ve got just the thing.

From the barely-there to the super moon bright formulas, meet the holy grail highlighters lighting up our cheekbones and our lives

Maddie

I’ll keep it real, I have a lot of makeup products that all do pretty much the same thing and deliver the same results but highlighters are a product where you can easily justify having more than 1 or 3 or 5. Depending on whether you’re looking for that all over holiday glow or just a dusting of light at the tops of your cheekbones. Basically, you’re going to need options.

A good all-rounder/beginner option is Benefit Dandelion twinkle, I’ve had this for years and it’s failsafe. It has more pay off that the original Dandelion but it’s buildable and very pretty.

If I’m going all out “night out highlight” then the best I’ve tried is Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand in the shade Spotlight. Its easy applicator makes it really simple to pop it on the areas you want to highlight without going overboard and it’s really pretty used as an inner corner too.

My everyday look is a bit of a hybrid highlighter product. Hourglass ambient powder in diffused light is so so gorgeous and worth every penny.

My desert island ultimate hero pick would be the MAC cream colour base in HUSH and I have Nic Chapman to blame for my addiction with this product. It’s a bit of a hybrid between a highlight and a cream blush and is the perfect last step to achieving that really fresh faced dewy look. Basically it’s youth in a pot!

Zoe

I absolutely don’t feel like my makeup is complete without that sheen on my more-than-likely-non-existent cheekbones. I’m also almost certainly a “the more the merrier” kind of girl too and tend to just keep going until I feel like a human disco ball.

An Oldie but a Goldie – Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in “Soft and Gentle”, this is probably my longest used highlighter and one of the first in my collection but it’s perfect for a subtle pretty glow.

Next up is the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee which is a must-have for summer or if you’re away on holiday. It gives you that perfect golden glow!

A go-to everyday staple for me is also the Charlotte Tilbury highlighter in the Filmstar Bronze and & Glow palette. I also love the contour colour in this palette too, in fact, the whole palette is fabulous but the highlight is super pretty.

Stila has a gorgeously velvety highlighter in their super popular shade “kitten” and this looks really glowy on the skin. It has a subtle peachy pink tint to it!

Hourglass has such an amazing range of highlighters (their lighting edit palette is perfect for having that perfect shade range) that can also be used as powders, giving you a bit more of a subtle finish. I love using these during the winter months to bring my skin to life a bit.

A highlighter I featured in my 2020 beauty heroes post is the Pat Mcgrath LABS ChromaLuxe Hi-Lite Cream in pale gold! If you prefer more of a cream/liquid highlighter this is EPIC!

Darcey

In third place is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Sugar Glow Kit, this was majorly hyped up a few years back, but it is genuinely so good! It has a mixture of icy, caramel and pink-toned highlighters, so it’s really versatile.

In second place is the Mac Hyper Real Glow Palette, this is very similar to the Glow Kit, in the sense it has a mixture of highlighter shades. But, the pigment is arguably better, with more of a stronger shimmer.

In first place is the one and only, Fenty Beauty Killawatt Highlighter, I use the colour duo ‘Lightning Dust and Fire Crystal’. This is the best highlighter I have ever tried, how it reflects under light and especially in the sun is unbelievable, almost brought a tear to my eye the first time I used it. Happy, highlighter induced tears.

Lareese

The Pixi Beauty Layers Highlighting palette is great for giving your skin a natural glow. As you can probably tell, the ‘Lace’ shade is my favourite – it’s great for giving tired skin a radiance boost.

The great thing about this palette is there’s something for everyone in there from bronze sun-kissed shades for deeper skin tones to the pinky and pearlescent. Take your pick! ZIPPER & TEE are great across the lids, too.

Danielle

If I’m going for a powder that packs a punch it has to be Becca Champagne Pop, a lot of people swear by this and it’s obvious why because a little goes a long way and it’s a real classic shade that suits me no matter what tan I’ve got going on.

If I’m going for a liquid highlight on for a ‘less makeup’ ‘dewy’ day I’ll go wild for the Glossier Play in the shade pale pearl. It’s much more natural and a lovely finish but I find it hard to use this on top of full coverage foundation and powder. Honourable mentions go out to the Charlotte Tilbury highlight and sculpt powder and the Zoella X ColourPop one that sits so nicely on top of blush!

Charlotte

It’s only in the past 6 months or so that my love affair with highlighters began- as an oily skinned gal I was always a bit afraid of adding more glow to my already shiny complexion. But! There is a difference between an oily glisten (TMI) and a (faux) lit from within glow, and this Wet n Wild Megaglo has helped me nail the latter!

Lauren

theBalm Highlighters have been my go-to ever since discovering them. Mary Lou is a classic and great all year round for a nice shimmer, but Bonnie- Lou is my favourite; it’s a lot warmer and has a gorgeous bronze tone which is perfect in summer, but I tend to wear it in winter too as it adds a nice colour to my cheeks and makes minimal makeup days feel fancier than they are.

Holly

As you’ve probably guessed by now, I’m not overly enthusiastic about buying new makeup so I am still using the Zoella x Colourpop highlight.

The Cover FV Glitter drops in mirage is POPPING. Full-on glitter but in an acceptable way all over my face. I’ve also got some leftover MAC Dazzle Highlighter in Sparkling Rose Gold for the more everyday look which still makes me look somewhat alive. I may not be a frequent buyer but if my highlights a poppin, I ain’t stoppin.

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