7 ways to celebrate International Women's Day

*This post contains some affiliate links  International Women's Day takes place on the 8th of March each year and it's an important event that marks not only the achievement of women throughout history but also as a constant reminder and call for action to progress towards gender equality. First and foremost it's a day for everyone, for women to support their peers, for men to take stock and think how they can be better champions for women and for all those across the gender spectrum to come together and work towards equality on all levels.  It's also a day of celebration and you can spend it any way you wish, perhaps you have started a new business and want to take the day off work for some much-needed self-care time, or perhaps you want to spend it with friends, go to a feminist book club or event or even a rally or maybe you just want to get home after work and lie in a hot bath with a good book, all are valid ways to spend it.  So here are a few ideas on how to cele......

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6 Gifts that celebrate inclusivity and equality

We live in such a wonderful and diverse world, with so many cultures, languages, experiences and stories, these things should be shared, encourage and celebrated. Encouraging diversity and equality in our homes should be a priority, I know it is for me and for my son's, as I would like to see them grow up in a better more inclusive world and that extended to as much of our life as possible, including the gifts we give over the festive period. So I thought I would share a small selection of gift ideas that help encourage this.  1. Lego - Everyone is Awesome   I absolutely love this Lego set that celebrates positivity and kindness in our families, our communities and our world as well as the power of playing together. This set was designed by Matthew Ashton, lego's Vice president of design and also a member of the LGBTQIA+ community who wanted to do more to create visibility and that everyone is welcome when it comes to lego, no matter your background, race, age, gender and......

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4 simple ways to be a more assertive business woman

It is without a doubt harder to navigate the business world as a woman in comparison to our male counterparts but while leaps are being made in terms of equality in the workplace we are not there just yet so working on being assertive in the workplace is key. We often unfairly have to walk a fine line which men don't by being confident without appearing to cocky or being labelled bossy, which is complete double standards! Well, you won’t find them here! So if you’re looking for help on how to be a strong woman in the workplace, you’re in the right place. Use your Commute (if you're returning to a place of work after the restrictions)  The first part of your working day is your commute. It’s easy to use this time to aimlessly scroll your phone, get your caffeine fix, and maybe send an email or two. However, you could use your commute to get into the right mindset for the day. Set intentions of what you’d like to achieve and create a clear plan. Your journey should be stress-free......

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How to talk to your kids about Racism

Firstly I'd like to say I'm am no expert, being white I will never understand first-hand what a person of colour has to go through each day and the added obstacles they have to overcome. I was debating not writing this post but I do know that the onus has to be on us to educate ourselves and not for the BAME community to provide it for us. We are the ones that need to teach our children and to work towards a future free of prejudice and discrimination for all.  Having grown up in South Africa meant that discussions around race and culture were something that was heavily highlighted in my childhood, it's an unavoidable topic there as you are confronted with inequality on a daily basis as well as a sense of hope in a country that is working hard to unify its people and correct its wrongdoings of the past and having witness change first hand I know how empowering that can be for a community and country.  Saying that this needs to be a lifetime journey of learning for us all an......

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The best destinations to get married this leap year

*Associated Post  As 2020 rolls on, it’s worth remembering that February will have an extra day, as we are in the midst of a leap year. Coming around every four years, leap years give us an extra day on the calendar – February 29th. A mythical date – just what do you do if it’s your birthday?! – Feb 29 has been long associated with the Irish custom of Bachelor’s Day, which states women can ask men to marry them, although in modern times it's, of course, no matter what your sexual orientation, whether in a traditional relationship or a same-sex one, you can propose to your partner. If you are thinking about proposing having a bit of a whirlwind ceremony, I thought I would share 5 beautiful destinations for the leap year that are also LGBTQ friendly 1. Cape Town I may be a little biased as I grew up in South Africa's mother city but honestly, it's a fantastic place to get married with reliable sunny weather, white sand beaches and an array of private wine f......

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A word on International Women's Day

International Womens Day - a day too important to ignore, we have come to far and it's also a day to visualise on how we can move forward and closer to equality. When it comes to broader equality in the UK we are pretty lucky, we can vote, work, buy a house, raise children, same sex marriage and plenty of things we overlook and take for-granted that are simply not options in other countries. That doesn't mean to say we don't face inequality in some form daily because we still very much do! I've always been outgoing, I've always been a bit of a Tomboy, I mean why shouldn't I have my hair short, go skateboarding or do Judo (as well as like fashion etc) and these simple decisions should be seen in the same vain as wanting to do dance lessons, bake or enjoy buying makeup, why is it still one set is seen as "normal" and the other as weird? The amount of times people that have said rude, mean and nasty things to me at a skatepark or walking down t......

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Womanhood, Thirties and Why ageing is a Positive thing

This is not a post about suddenly waking up when your thirty and having everything in place, a wonderful home, successful career, model kids and the perfect relationship because at no age is that realistic or guaranteed. You don't just suddenly work everything out overnight, with each year you are still the same person but life experience does make you grow and give you insights you simple didn't have when you were younger. As I got closer to the big 3 0 I actually didn't feel like I was letting go of anything, instead I was saying hello to a newer more reassured me. Yes it's true I don't have that dewy wrinkle-free skin you have when you turn twenty, my eyes are tired, areas of my body are not as firm as they use to be due to it gifting me with two amazing children but this body is mine and for the first time I am starting to own that. Having turned 33 a month ago I honestly feel in many respects now is the best time of my life, its by no means p......

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