Spring Goals

Spring Goals

3/30/21

🇬🇧 Spring has sprung... and with it a newfound sense of self. I must confess 2021 has probably been my hardest year so far, the limbo we've been stuck in for over a year now is taking its toll on me (and everyone else...). I'm now trying to find a new sense of self, with new goals and new things to do. For today's post, I thought I should share a few of my Spring Goals with the world...

🇵🇹 A Primavera chegou... e com ela uma espécie de recém-encontrado "eu". Tenho de confessar que 2021 não tem sido um ano nada fácil, a saturação deste limbo em que nos encontramos está a consumir-me cada vez mais, sinto-me cansada. Eu e toda a gente... Por isso comecei a tentar procurar formas de me reinventar e de me reencontrar comigo mesma, novos objectivos e novas coisas para fazer. Para o post de hoje achei que estava na altura de partilhar os meus Objectivos de Primavera...

 🇬🇧 Read more  - Recently I've gotten back into reading. I'm not even close to reading as much as I used to, but I am making progress and after at least 5 years I feel like my reading is getting out of a rut. Books are becoming a priority in my life again, and I am very proud of myself for making the conscious effort to do so. 

🇵🇹 Ler mais - Recentemente voltei a ler e apesar de não estar nem perto de ler os 3 livros por semana que lia quando andava no liceu sinto que, pela primeira vez em 5 anos, estou a conseguir pôr a leitura em dia. Os livros voltaram a ser uma prioridade na minha vida e estou muito orgulhosa por isso. Um dos meus objectivos é fazer um esforço consciente para continuar a ler.

🇬🇧 Make sustainability a priority - This one has been on my list for a long time now but I've always let it go (kind of) because it's daunting. To change our lifestyle from the commodities that we've taken for granted to something slightly different can be hard. However, to be more sustainable I don't need to change my lifestyle completely, just make some small changes that will have a big impact in the long run. For now, I've decided I'm going to stop buying bottled shampoo, deodorant (I've replaced it with a crystal that actually works, but that's for another post...) and try and reduced the amount of fast fashion that lives in my closet, venturing for the first time into 2nd hand clothes. 

🇵🇹 Fazer da sustentabilidade uma prioridade - Esta já está na lista à anos mas deixo-me sempre levar pelo que é mais fácil. Mudar hábitos no nosso dia-a-dia que estão tão enraizados é difícil. No entanto, para ser mais amiga do ambiente, não tenho de mudar completamente a minha vida, apenas adaptar alguns aspectos,por isso decidi apostar em pequenas medidas que possam ter um grande impacto. Para já vou deixar de comprar shampoos que venham em embalagens de plástico, desodorizante (encontrei uma alternativa eco-friendly que resulta mesmo, mas isso é tópico para um post futuro) e tentar reduzir a quantidade de fast fashion que vive no meu armário, aventurando-me pelo mundo da roupa em segunda-mão.

🇬🇧 Walk more, move my body and spend some time outside... If there is something the pandemic made us all do, was spend more time locked inside the house looking at a screen the whole day. The step counter on my phone barely gets used because I simply don't move my body enough. But with the weather getting better I really want to move my body more, catch some sun, go for walks and spend less time looking at screens.

🇵🇹 Dar mais passeios, mexer o corpo e passar mais tempo ao ar livre... Se há algo que a pandemia trouxe a todos foi a proibição de sair de casa, o passar os dias no sofá a ver televisão, ou a olhar para o telefone, ou em tele trabalho. O contador de passos no meu telefone já quase mal tem uso, pura e simplesmente porque eu não me mexo o suficiente. Mas, com o calor a chegar e o tempo a melhorar um dos meus objectivos é mexer mais o corpo, apanhar sol, dar passeios na rua e passar menos tempo a olhar para ecrãs. 

🇬🇧 Learn how to properly take care of my skin... I've been learning a lot, but I'm not where I want to be. I want to become a skincare expert, I want to learn about ingredients, the ethic behind brands, what products actually work and what is just show off. I made the first step towards this goal yesterday when I went to buy sunscreen and I want to make a commitment to use it every day. Hopefully, when summer comes I will be able to have a better skincare routine and a lot more knowledge.

🇵🇹 Aprender a tomar conta da minha pele como deve de ser...  Apesar de andar a aprender imenso sobre skincare ainda tenho muito que aprender. Adorava ser uma espécie de skincare expert, saber tudo sobre ingredientes, a ética por trás das marcas, que produtos são necessários numa rotina e o que são produtos dispensáveis e desnecessários. Ontem dei o primeiro passo em direção a este objectivo e fui comprar um protector solar, quero assumir o compromisso de utilizar proteção solar todos os dias. Quando o Verão chegar espero ser capaz de ter definido uma routina de skincare melhor  e muito mais conhecimento.

🇬🇧  Lead a more aesthetically driven life... All of this to say, I want to build a lifestyle that I've always dreamed of having. I want to dress the way I pin on Pinterest, I want to read more, take more pictures, capture moments, I want to eat food that fuels my body and makes me happy. I want to build an aesthetic that leads me to be the best version of myself and let that goal control my life, without procrastination or regrets. 

🇵🇹 Focar-me em viver uma vida mais estética... Todos estes objectivos servem o objectivo maior. Eu quero desenvolver um estilo de vida que sempre sonhei ter, quero vestir-me como as fotografias que guardo no Pinterest, quero ler mais, tirar mais fotografias, capturar mais momentos, quero comer comidas que me dão prazer e ao mesmo tempo enchem o meu corpo de energia, quero procurar a felicidade. Quero construir uma aesthetic que me leve a ser a melhor versão de mim mesma e deixar que esse objectivo controle a minha vida, sem procrastinação ou arrependimentos.

🇬🇧 And this is it... I hope you liked this post. I am honestly excited about Spring, I feel a renewed energy with the new season, and I truly hope this is a fresh start for me. I want to become the better version of myself and I feel like I am in the right mental space to do it. Hopefully, when you hear from me again I will be better already because right now, that's all I'm striving to achieve.

🇵🇹 E pronto é isto... Espero que tenham gostado do post. Estou mesmo entusiasmada para a Primavera. Sinto que a nova estação trouxe-me uma energia renovada. Quero ser a melhor versão de mim própria e sinto que estou com a  cabeça no sítio certo para atingir este objectivo. Espero que no próximo post já seja melhor, porque neste momento esse é no fundo o meu único objectivo. 

Location. Loulé, Algarve, Portugal 

Photos: Sofia Filipe 

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How the Pandemic Made Hotel Industry Eco-Friendly

How the Pandemic Made Hotel Industry Eco-Friendly

9/21/20

  2020 has been a challenging year, all the things we took from granted, like the ability to travel, open borders (I know how privilege I sound saying this but Portugal is part of the EU and that is my reality) and a simple hug from our grandparents have been taken away. 

Even if life, as we knew it, changed a lot, something I have learned in the past few months is that the human being has an incredible capacity to adapt and accept things as they are, making the best out of the worst situations. 

This deep philosophical introduction comes to say that I did some traveling (uhh controversial, I know) during the summer. Actually, it was more of a staycation 1 hour away from home to stay at my aunt's hotel. I wanted to sit here ar write this blog post because the traveling sector has been deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and I want to give you my point of view on travel, hotels, means of transportation, outdoor activities, and how safe I actually felt. 

If you fancy a video diary of my weekend I have uploaded a vlog on my Portuguese Youtube Channel. 

Having a family member that owns a hotel is a total privilege because it allows me to have an insight into the perspective of someone whose business was directly affected by the side effects of the pandemic in detriment of our regular customer perspective.  I got to sit down and talk to my aunt about her fears, what changed, and what changes she thinks will be permanent once the Covid-19 pandemic is over. I decided to bring to you 3 changes that I think can be here to stay and that made the whole industry more eco-friendly.

 

Daily cleaning of rooms is no longer a thing: In order to keep people away from the guest's rooms, the cleaning works upon request instead of having someone coming to your room uninvented to simply make the bed or to give you clean towels. You can ask for your room to be cleaned at any time and do the same with requesting for new towels or anything else you need. If you don't want strangers getting into your personal space everyday cleaning works upon request, which I personally think is a great measure, it saves water (being that they are not washing bedding and towels unnecessarily on a daily), it saves resources and honestly in times like this anything that diminishes contact between strangers is a great idea in my opinion.

Buffets are a thing of the past: The classic hotel breakfast, probably mine (and many others) favorite part of staying in hotels has changed deeply. Buffets with all you can eat delights such as pancakes, croissants, many natural juices, fruits, eggs, bacon, and everything in between are a thing of the past. Even though I always loved the concept of a buffet breakfast the food waste that it generates must be tremendous. In Monte do Malhão they never had a buffet breakfast, and even though I know different hotel chains are adapting to the new-normal (god I hate that phrase so much) in different ways such as: having hotel employees serving the all you can eat buffets, the classic menu from which we can pick what we want to eat; the way Monte do Malhão has done it is the best way in my opinion. 

They have a simple breakfast composed of many different local products like bread, butter, different jams, a slice of cake, fresh orange juice, and fresh fruit and then you can ask for eggs, coffee, milk, or any other beverage on the spot if you wish. This is a great way to avoid food waste which according to Project Drawdown is one of the biggest things we can do to help fight climate change. 

Hotels are trying to give you everything you may need during your stay: You must have been tired of me talking about how hotels have changed but this is something I have been noticing not only from my personal experience but also from what I have heard other people say on their social media channels, hotels are doing everything that they can to make you stay there longer. Obviously, this depends on the type of tourism you are doing but in general, it is in everyone's best interest if the guests aren't moving around too much. I've seen hotels with a bunch of different pools, restaurants, and many other perks but that normally comes from big hotel chains and resorts. However, if you are trying to support smaller businesses they can still bring something to the table. Monte do Malhão, a small hotel with only 9 rooms, for example (and again, this is my only hotel experience during these crazy times) offers bedrooms with hot tubes, two pools (outside and indoors), they are building a spa complex to go with the indoor pool, massages, yoga classes, a little farm with different animals, viewpoints, trills where you can do hikes, a cultural salon where you can relax unwind and read a book and an ongoing art exhibition throughout the hallways and different rooms of the hotel are a few of the things this wonderful space has. 

If the hotels are making their guests stay in their accommodations for longer instead of going out and exploring the world, at the same time, and probably unintentionally,  they are making sure that their guests are not using their cars or other means of transportation to get around which will help to reduce the carbon footprint generated by them in their daily lives, even if it's just for a couple of days. 

In conclusion, I felt completely safe while staying in a hotel, however, I totally understand if you don't. The world as changed and some industries have changed completely with it, we don't take things for granted anymore but I think that some good has to come out of this pandemic, and maybe, just maybe, some of these changes are here to stay, in a long run, they are already making and they will keep making a difference in the world and we will all get to live in a better place. I don't know if this is just me dreaming but, I like to believe that this is true.

Location: Monte do Malhão, Castro Marim, Algarve, Portugal 

Photography:  João Machado

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I'm still alive || Life Update

I'm still alive || Life Update

7/20/20

Long time no see... I am not sure I still know how to do this, yet here we are. Hello, I'm Ana Teresa Pessoa a 22-year-old from Portugal who has been blogging for as long as she can remember yet who fails miserably at being consistent. Here I am I today (at 3AM, back into the blogging routine as if it was nothing)., to give you a little life update and spill the tea on everything that life has taught me since coming back from Paris 5 months ago. 

First and for most I GRADUATED UNI!!! (in the middle of a global pandemic) and now I feel lost AF. Well, there is not a lot I can say about this one except I feel really relieved, happy, and proud that this chapter is over. It was 4 long years of hard work and a huge set back towards the end named Covid-19. I finished my Culture and Communication degree from the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon. I am now facing a world of doubts and uncertainty about the world we currently live in. I always planned on working on event management after graduation, I never expected to have all kinds of events (including my graduation) canceled for god knows how long. This as taught me many lessons, the major one probably being that life will always go it's own way, no matter how much you think you have, the best skill you can have is your ability to adapt to everything life throws at you. 

Meanwhile due to our global friend Corona I moved back home. Well, temporarily at least. Mid-March Portugal announced we were on lockdown and scared I would be locked in Lisbon for god knows how long, my dad picked me up from Lisbon in a quest that could be part of any apocalyptical film and brought me home, to the sunny Algarve. Don't get me wrong, I love living in Lisbon, but I feel so lucky to be here during the quarantine. I was born in a sunny place that has become a paradise on Earth for me. If you have been keeping up with me on Instagram you will know that I have been spending most of my time at the beach, enjoying nature a little bit more than before, and feeling very grateful for the place I was lucky to be born in. moral of that story you can fly as far away as you possibly can but there is no place like home.

Another thing that has changed is that I revived my Portuguese Youtube Channel, after being asked by many (mainly my mum) to produce content in my mother tongue. Actually, that's what kept me from blogging, I needed (and still need) to learn a new format and to understand how to edit video, and that left me little to no time to focus on the blogging aspect of my digital presence. I created two videos and if you can understand Portuguese I ask you to subscribe and share my channel.  Surprisingly that has taught me that it's never too late to embrace our passion projects.

And lastly, I wanted to talk about doing what feels right. I embraced a new vision on my social media. I know I am not good with schedules or promises, I am not good at being consistent, and for a long time that combined with what other people said left me feeling like shit more often than not and incredibly unmotivated to pursue my own path. Surprise, everyone is different, there is no right or wrong way of living life. I am, now more than ever, focusing on me, my self-growth, and my self-healing. Focusing on living my life to the fullest without letting others affect how I feel, how I live, or how I see the world. I am doing me and I couldn't care less about what anyone else thinks. After all, I think this was the most important swift in my mind as of lately. 

So guys, be welcomed to a new era of this blog, the blogger behind it is proud of herself for being who she is, she is making mistakes and learning every single day, she is pushing through and working hard on understanding life as it is with all this uncertainty and constant need for adaptation. Seeking happiness is now my goal, instead of achieving x amount of followers. I feel like a new Ana compared to the person I was this time last year and IT FEELS GOOD.

Photography: Sofia Filipe

Location: Loulé, Algarve, Portugal

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One Semester Away from Graduation Here is my University Advice

One Semester Away from Graduation Here is my University Advice

9/23/19

 

I write this post to anyone that is starting University right now, anyone that is studying there already but it can't help but feel lost and to anyone who just wants to check where I am at regarding my education at the moment.

I am a student at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon (Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa - FLUL) and I am doing a degree in Culture and Communication Studies. I am studying in Portugal, I've never done Erasmus+ or any type of exchange program, so I can only share with you my point of view and my personal experience, based on that I am going to try and provide the best advice I can.

You create your own path, no right or wrong: When I first got into University I was studying Performative Arts, I wanted to be an actress since I could remember and it was the logical next step to me. After my first year, the program for my course changed, and I didn't like the changes that were made so I switched degrees. I started my degree in Culture and Communication Studies. At the time it felt like the world was ending, I loved my degree and I didn't understand why they had to make changes to the program, I didn't want a new course and I didn't want to remain in the old one. After a few months of searching, I finally made the change. Looking back on my path the only thing I regret is not picking Culture and Communication when I first when to University.

You don't need to make a lot of friends: A big thing we all feel in College is the pressure to fit in, to have the American movie experience and live the best years of our lives. Hollywood made us believe that we haven't really lived until we go to University, we will meet the friends that we will take for live, we will meet the love of our lives. All of this while studying to become a successful person in just a few years. I'm sorry to let you know that, for most people, that is BS.

I have met a lot of people since coming to University 4 years ago, but only made 2 friends that I know will be part of my life when it's over. I didn't feel the need to have a bigger group of friends or to meet more people, I've met the people that I needed and I am better of with two great friends than with 20 people that couldn't care less about me.

Everyone is in the same situation that you are: Dear freshman, this is probably the best advice I can give you. It's daunting not knowing where the classroom is, what materials you should get, where is the best place to print copies of assignments or where is the library. It's even more daunting not having anyone that you feel like you can ask. Well, everyone that you see around you is either on the same situation or it has been. No one will judge you for not knowing anything because no one does. Feel free to ask people for their help whenever you need it, you will realize that 9 times out of 10 you will find someone willing to help you.

University professors are not the monsters High School Teachers paint them to be: I remember when I was in High School being told that whatever I was doing wasn't enough for College standards, Professors wouldn't care if we understood what they were teaching, we would have to study a million times harder than we ever did before or otherwise we would fail. Well, to some extent this is true. In University we are all adults, no one will force you to go to classes, no one will force you to do your assignments or even show up for your exams, you are old enough to know what is at stake if you don't do your part. Yet, I've never had a Professor that refused to help a student in any way they could. They are more approachable than High School teachers in that way I believe. If you are too scared to ask something during class, just drop them an email, if you are not sure about what topic to chose for your paper, ask them for their advice. At the end of the day, they want you to succeed. What is the point of being a teacher if all you want is to fail everyone?  That will just show that you don't know how to do your job.

It's just another stage of your life: I feel like University is made out to be this big scary thing because it's normally the first big step into our adult life. Think about it this way, it's just another school, no different from when you went from Elementary School to Middle School or to High School. It doesn't define you, it won't define all your adult life. If you don't love the course you picked, change. If you don't like your University, go to a master elsewhere. You are not late to the party, you are in your own time and that is what matters the most.

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The Art of Self-Love

The Art of Self-Love

7/15/19

Self-love, such a though art to practice to a generation that is constantly bombarded with images of what they should and shouldn't be. Of what is right and what is wrong, we learn that we should love our bodies, our mind and everything about us for simply being who we are. At the same time, we are bombarded with pictures that show us that we are not enough, not thin enough, not smart enough, our life isn't exciting enough. We get stuck in loops of self-doubt, self-comparison and, regardless of what we do, we are never good enough to the crazy high standards we have. Self-love becomes something we preach but the opposite of what we practice. 

If you had told me one year ago that I would be uploading topless pictures to my blog I would call you crazy. I would say that I would never do that, that I wasn't that type of person. Deeply I lacked the self-confidence to do so. To ask someone to take the pictures, to post them. What will other people think? It was a bold move I wasn't bold enough to take. 

As I grow older (and hopefully wiser), I realize that the problem with self-love is that it truly isn't self-love. It's not on us, it's on what other people say, think or do. People talk and regardless of how good looking, successful or amazing we are it will always affect us, because we are all human. 

The moment we are aware of this fact is the moment self-love becomes easier to practice. 

Self-love, at least for me, has risen from simple acts of being kind to myself. To look at myself in the mirror and realizing what I like and what I don't, to do my best to change what I don't. To take responsibility for my actions and my feelings, being the best version of myself is a task that depends only on me. Basically, self-love starts when you are aware of what you have, change what you can, and accept what you can change. 

Something else I've noticed is how little do we know ourselves. We are afraid of being lonely, so we don't spend any time alone, consequently, all that we are, we are because of the influence of other people. 

Most of us are afraid of doing things alone, things like going for a walk, going to the beach or to the cinema, because we have no one to talk to and consequently we have to deal with ourselves, our emotions and our feelings, no more hiding it to the outside because everything, suddenly, becomes both the outside and the inside. It's a hard decision to make, to spend more time by yourself, but it's also very rewarding. I only realized everything I wrote about in this post while spending time by myself, reflecting on my thoughts and my actions. 

We shouldn't be afraid of other people opinions or dressing a certain way, painting your hair a certain colour. Life has no rules and if changing any of those things about yourself will help you feel better with the person that you are, and that you are becoming, do it. If you are happy with who you are and how you feel, if you practice self-love, what others have to say will not matter, it won't make a difference, because you will know that you are working to be the best version of yourself that you possibly can. 

Location: Ilha da Armona, Algarve, Portugal 

Photography: Sofia Filipe

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An Honest Chat About Sustainability

An Honest Chat About Sustainability

6/14/19

Sustainability is the hot topic of the moment, and I'm glad it is. After all, we only have one planet, the fact that leading an eco-friendly lifestyle became trendy is a good thing. It means that more people are willing to try and make changes to the way they are living, yet it can also mean that the subject will stop being a topic once it stops being trendy. 

I, like most of us, am guilty of falling into the trend, and consequently start becoming more aware of what I buy, what I use and what am I consuming in general.

Today I thought I could share with you my thoughts and opinions on this topic. I realize that my opinion may be a little bit controversial, but I think it's time I share my thoughts in here. 

A Portuguese Zero Waste Instagrammer that I follow, named Catarina Barreiros, shared a quote the other day that ran along the lines of "We don't need a hand full of people doing zero waste perfectly, we need millions doing it imperfectly." and if I had to use a quote to summarize my point of view on the matter this would be it. I don't do as much as I could and I am aware of it. I use a lot of plastic, I buy fast fashion and I eat meat, all things that can be condemned by more extremist environmental activists (something I am not). However, I am conscious of these decisions and I have been trying to make little changes in my life so that I can lead a life that is more environmentally friendly, I must assure you that all the little steps I've done are easy and can be done by anyone who's willing to make a change. 

The real difference is made when a lot of people make little changes instead of trying to change everything about the way they live only to finding it too hard and simply giving up. 

As I said I do eat meat, but after watching Cowspiracy I've learned a lot about the dark side of the meat industry. Did you know that to produce 1 Kilo of beef it takes up to 15 000 Liters of water, to produce 1 Kilo of pork up to 6 000 Liters? Not to talk about the fact that the biggest cause of the hole in the ozone layer is the CO2 generated by cow farts (it's all on the documentary if you don't believe me). 

After having this knowledge I simply couldn't keep eating meat more than 10 times a week. I then and there made the conscious decision of eating one vegetarian meal every day, leaving animal protein to be eaten for the other. I truly believe that if everyone did this, the mass production of meat would be an easy fix problem. I do love vegetables which is a big help, but I've had to try new things in the kitchen and try my best to keep this habit going. I didn't feel much of a difference in my routine but at the end of the day, I know I am making a difference. 

Another thing I truly believe in. Is that the fast fashion industry (which includes basically everything I've ever got) is a needed industry. It allows a lot of people to be able to dress because most of us can't afford to buy only from sustainable brands. I would love to be able to do that, but at these point in time, I absolutely can't. So I do the next best thing. I buy only pieces that I know I will have a lot of wear out of. For example, the top I am wearing cost 3€ for Lefties 2 Summers ago and it's still going strong. I've had the denim shorts from Pull and Bear for over 5 Years and they are still my favourite piece of denim shorts. I have certain pieces that I've had for years and years and that I always find myself going back too. I try to repair the pieces when they need repairing and when I am done with them they are normally to worn out to go anywhere but the trash can. If not, I always had the habit to pass it on, either to my mum, some friends or to some charity that collects clothes. This way I know I am doing my part making the fast fashion industry a little bit slower. 

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room. A little friend we have named PLASTIC. Recently plastic has almost become a forbidden word, a word that carries a lot of baggage within itself. If we talk plastic, we talk about ocean pollution, fish genocide, the end of drinkable water. However, and even though most of us are aware of its dangers, plastic has become an indispensable part of our routine. It's in our food, in our shower, in our makeup bag, in our closet, it's basically anywhere if we care to look.  

I've been making an effort to reduce my usage of plastic by making little unnoticeable changes. So far I've replaced my toothbrush for a bamboo one, I've stopped using shower gel and started using soap bars instead, I always carry a metal straw in my bag so that I am not using the disposable ones. 

When it comes to the supermarket I try to carry a tote bag with me in which I can carry my groceries, I never use the little plastic bags they have available for fruits and vegetables. 

Another thing I  try to do is to buy locally. I get most of my fruits and vegetables from a local grocery store I know the owner and he knows me, it's less expensive, I know the products are great and it feels really nice to support a local small business.

These are a few of the changes that I've made so far. I know they seem small, but a lot of small actions make a big difference. I hope to keep educating myself on this matter, and I hope to keep doing what I can to preserve our beautiful planet, so that places like the one this post was shoot at don't become a memory, but a reality, places I will be able to take my kids to one day and that they will take their kids too as well. 

Photography: Alexandre Serôdio 

Location: Loulé, Algarve, Portugal 

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Life Update: From the Algarve with Love

Life Update: From the Algarve with Love

6/10/19

Another school year is over. Another Summer is beginning and I am home for the Summer months. I'm home, I'm free. I took a much-needed break and here I am. I'm back and full force. 

The last six months made me realize, more than ever, that what I truly love to do is to share my vision of the world. Not only in words, but in pictures and in video form. For the rest of the year, all I want is to create better content. I am not worried about schedules or posting a lot, all I want right now is to try and let you see the world with all the beauty that I am able to see in it.

Taking a break allowed me to go to the beach, tan in the sun, take a dip in the ocean and go to the cinema a lot! Taking time off is something I've realized is essential, it allows us to see things from a different perspective. It changes our point of view on everything. I would one hundred per cent recommend you to do the same. We need to realize that feeling stressed all the time and like we are a bomb ready to explode at any second it's not a good thing. It doesn't make you a better or more hardworking person. It is not positive and Summer is the best time to relax and unwind. If all you want to do is to spend a full day at the beach or at home watching Netflix, I promise you don't have to feel guilty about it.

I also finished my third year of university. It feels like only yesterday I was sitting behind the computer and writing about my 1st year of Uni, and now that 2020 is approaching I realized it will be my last year there. I really want to write a full blog post about what I've learned in the past three years and a whole reflection on my time while being at Uni, but for now, I want to say that I feel absolutely terrified of being done with it. Studying is all I know how to do, I know how to get good grades, how to balance my time but school and studying as ALWAYS been a factor in the equation, the day that it won't be is coming. The day in which I will be an adult, I will have responsibilities, big decisions to make, to get a job or do a masters, to stay in Lisbon or move somewhere else. We never know what life has o offer, but the sooner it approaches, the harder it becomes to make decisions because you learn the power that those (said decisions) have. They are the stones in the adulthood path, the foundation of the House of Being a Grownup. 

Anyways, I truly believe in doing what if feels right at the time and we will always sort out the rest. I try not to worry about my life and the future so that I am able to focus all my energy in positive thoughts and good vibes.

Last but not least (if this was a list this would probably be first). I STARTED A YOUTUBE CHANNEL! As you can see on my first video I am pretty insecure about stuff in general. I thought about starting a channel, it was something I had on my mind for years, I've had various attempts to do so and I always gave up, I made up excuses and I never took the step forward to simply do it. I came to the realization that if I didn't I would always have that "what if" feeling with me, and I truly didn't want that. So I did it. I am going to see how it works if it goes well great, if not, at least I would have tried.

So let's see how that goes, my new challenge, something that was in my 2019 resolutions and that I managed to take down! 

For now, all I want is to keep the good energy that I have going on. To keep feeling as happy as I am, not struggling with anxiety not struggling with anything basically.  Wednesday I will go to Lisbon for a couple of days for what's probably going to be the last time this summer and then I'm back in the Algarve for exciting times! I can't wait to keep sharing my life with you, here, on YouTube or on Instagram. It's amazing that I have created this digital diary, where I will be able to look back, no pictures lost (as it happens so many times). I will be able to read posts like this and see exactly where my mind was at that specific moment, how I looked and what was I doing. I truly love to blog, to create content and to feel like I have a door open to truly be myself. Thank you for being on that side and for helping me keep this going. 

Love, Ana

Photography: Alexandre Serôdio

Location: Loulé, Algarve, Portugal 

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5 Products I've Fallen in Love with in February

5 Products I've Fallen in Love with in February

3/15/19

I've decided that I am going to try and talk about the products I've been loving always in groups of 5. This will allow me to be both more selective with what I am showing you and it's something that ultimately is more on brand with the goal I'm aiming towards in general. 

Today, and even though its a bit late, I am going to share with you the 5 products I've loved the most in February. This is something that I'm going to try and do every other month and it's going to include both beauty and lifestyle bits. 

The Humble Brush (The Humble Co - 3.99€): This might seem random but if you've read my new year's resolutions post you would know that a more sustainable lifestyle is one of my goals for 2019. The first change I made was changing for a Bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic one. This is one of the easiest changes to make. At first, it was a bit weird to brush my teeth with a bamboo brush instead of plastic, it felt a bit too big for my mouth and the material felt a bit like a stick, but after the first couple of uses I can say it feels now strange to use the "normal" plastic one (I still have a plastic toothbrush at my boyfriends house). It's something cheap and easy to change and won't affect your daily habits what so ever if you wanna live a more eco-friendly lifestyle this might be a good first step.

Earrings (Parfois, 1.99€): I got my ears pierced for the first time in January and now I am finally able to change my earrings, which is honestly so exciting. Never having my ears pierced before I never understood why it was such a big thing, but now I feel (and look) so much more put together regardless of what I am actually wearing, how my hair looks or how my makeup looks. These little hoops were the first pair of earrings I bought myself and it was such an exciting purchase to make. But really, if for some reason you don't have your ears pierced and you want to do it, just do it! Icompletelyatly painless and it really boosted my self-confidence!

Conceal & Define Liquid Concealer (Makeup Revolution - 4.99€):  My NARS concealer was worn to death on my Minimal Makeup Challange and I couldn't afford to replace it at the moment (broke university student here!), so when I stumbled upon this product I had to give it a go! I won't talk much about the product because I will have another post coming soon in which I will go into more detail but this is a great hight coverage concealer with one of the best shade ranges I've ever seen. I've used this product almost daily since I got it and it's for sure one of the best liquid concealer formulas I've ever tried. I know this is a product that I will always have in my makeup collection. 

Hoola Bronzer (Benefit - 37.95€): What a cult product this is. I've got one of those wonderful kits Benefit does for Christmas last year and this gem was part of it. I've been using it ever since for either contour or simply as a bronzer if I'm feeling a matte bronzer. I love the product. The colour is a perfect match for my skin tone and the formula is amazing, the pigmentation is the right amount so that you don't need a ton of product but you also have a lot of control over what you are doing while using it. After trying it I must say that there actually is a reason why this is such a cult product in the beauty community.

Born to Run Eyeshadow Pallet (Urban Decay - 54.90€): Even writing the price down after months of owning this pallet makes my bank account cry, but oh well, there are some things that simply are worth it and this is one of them. I own multiple eyeshadow pallets and I must say that this one is by far my all time favourite one. The quality of the shadows is as amazing as Urban Decay always delivers and the colours picked for this one just tickle every box. This is the pallet I would 100% recommend to anyone who is starting with eyeshadow and is willing to spend a bit more. It has some cool tones and some warm ones, some blues, pinks oranges and purples but still a lot of nude eyeshadows, perfect for anyone starting to get creative and exploring more with makeup.

If you still have doubts on how much I love it, well let's put it this way: If my whole makeup collection got stolen (God forbid) this would probably be one of the first products I would repurchase!

Before I sign off I just want to say that I truly am happy with the way the photos turned out. If you know me you would know that I was very self-conscious about my photography skill and about having blog posts without my face on them and this year I knew that in order to have good quality content I would have to try and improve. There is no magic formula, instead a lot of trial and error, but I truly feel like I'm evolving and that my content creating is really benefiting from it. 

Have you tried any of these products? Which one caught more of your attention?

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March Goals, Objectives and Where I'm at in Life

March Goals, Objectives and Where I'm at in Life

3/1/19

When compared to January, February was pretty slow here on the blog, however, I blame that on the fact that was the exact opposite when it comes to my personal life. I'm full force back in university and dealing with midterms already (as I sit in my kitchen writing the post I'm ignoring the huge amount of papers I must read for my exam tomorrow). Life has been good. I've been able to keep up with my Instagram game and I am really proud about it.
I've been doing really well regarding my mental health and my physical health as well. However, I believe I could do better and it's something I am planning on improving.
For now, I wanna focus on my new year resolutions and making sure that they are not forgotten, I have made them for a reason and I intend to keep them going for the whole 12 months!

I haven't been reading anything, but that is because I am a bit out of love with the books that I have to read, I've realized that to keep my goal going I will need to buy a few new books. The good news is, there are so many cool books that I want to add to my shelves that this will for sure be an easy thing to do. 

Blogging wise I am really happy to where I'm at. Although I haven't been the most consistent here on the blog, Instagram is a whole other thing, I am really happy about that. I plan on having quite a few changes here on the blog. I can feel it March is gonna be my month.

I haven't been reading anything, but that is because I am a bit out of love with the books that I have to read, I've realized that to keep my goal going I will need to buy a few new books. The good news is, there are so many cool books that I want to add to my shelves that this will for sure be an easy thing to do. 

Blogging wise I am really happy to where I'm at. Although I haven't been the most consistent here on the blog, Instagram is a whole other thing, I am really happy about that. I plan on having quite a few changes here on the blog. I can feel it March is gonna be my month. 

In other news, I am truly more than ready for Spring. Done with the raincoats, sweaters and boots. I can't wait for T-shirts, blazers and shorts. There is something magical about the sunshine, the change in seasons and the way things change from our point of view with something that we have absolutely no control over, yet they have so much control over us. 

Brace yourselves, really good things are coming with really good weather. 

I would really like to know what kind of content you would be interested in reading here, in what video content you would like to see and all of that. 

So before this post is done I would like to share with you all a 3 of my goals for the month/things that I wanna focus my energy on.  

1- Redesigning my blog: This is something I've been wanting to do for the longest time, but was never made a priority. I plan to start working on it, this month. 

2 - Reading two book: If I really wanna have read 24 books by the end of the year, I really need to get on top of things, and even though this may not be the right time due to the amount of work I have to get done both for the blog and for university I feel like my brain really could use a break from all the technology and screens. Picking up a book instead of my phone it will be good for both my mental and physical health. 

3- Work on at least 3 travel related blog posts: Being that travelling more is one of my main goals of the year creating 3 travel blog posts will allow me to visit a few more places (this includes places in Lisbon as well). I have my head buzzing with ideas that I honestly can't wait to see come to live, and that I feel like all of you would much rather appreciate. 

Photography: João Machado 

Location: Lisbon, Portugal 

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How I Plan Planning 2019 : My Bullet Journal

How I Plan Planning 2019 : My Bullet Journal

1/28/19

I'm starting to feel like a pro at the art of Bullet Journaling. I've been keeping a BuJo since I was in 11th grade and it has become more and more my creative outlet. I love the method because it allows me to be as creative as I want to, without the added pressure of failing or doing it wrong,  because there are no rules. Deep down, and if you want to be part of the Bullet Journal community you need nothing more than a pen and a notebook, by following the method you will be creating your own planner, something that is 100% adapted to your needs. If 2019 is the year you are starting to Bullet Journal I would recommend you to find any notebook you already own and try the method first, no need for fancy pens or fancy notebooks. I only committed to a Leuchtturm or a Moleskin after 3 years of using the method. 

In my opinion and with the crazy amount of content that it is available online on the topic I think it's important to leave a few reminders, especially, if you have been wanting to try it but you feel like you can't because you are not artsy enough. 

I suck at drawing, however, and because this is my main creative outlet in a physical form, I like to try a few header designs and a few different caligraphies when writing quotes and things like that, however, this is not needed. You can keep your spreads as simply as you want them, I personally think that the simplicity of some pages is what makes minimal Bullet Journals so pleasing to look at. 

2019, however, will bring a bit of a change when it comes to how I plan. I decided that this year I wanted to use my iPhone a bit more as a planner and for that, I am using nothing more than the calendar app on it. I've started creating time blocks so that I can have a full view of what my day looks likes since I wake up until I go to bed, this will help me keep on track of stuff when I am on the go and can't take my Bullet Journal with me. I've color coordinated everything with pastel colors so that it looks organized and at the same time it matches my Stabilo Boss Pastel Highlighters that I use in the kye of my Bullet Journal, this is how both my digital and my physical planning methods come together. 

Another helpful thing I've started doing was to always braindump everything into my notes app, this way when I am planning a month I already know what blog posts I want to create or what movies I want to go to the cinema and watch. This way I can always be organized and I am not 100% dependent on either method. 

Since December that I've been planning more and more following this coordination of digital and physical forms, and I have been truly loving it. After so many years of having a BuJo as my only planning form, this feels revigorating and it made me excited again to use the notebook as my planing method. 

Right now my main supplies are a Leuchtturm 1917 grey notebook (I parted ways with the official BuJo notebook because I fancied a different color and the main advantage in the original one for me was that the pages were numbered, which also are in this one). And I use a regular bullet point black pen from Bic. I also use the Stabilo Boss Pastel Highlighters and a ruler (which is more often than not replaced by a card) and nothing else, I keep it simple and that is the way it works best for me. However, this method is so personal that a very high maintenance super fancy BuJo might be what works for you.

Don't forget to read Ryder Carroll website in which he explains every step of the method he created. I will be reading his new book on it this year as well!

If you want to check my 2018 and my 2017 Bullet Journals feel free to go back and visit those posts!

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