HOW TO: Clean a piercing

A lot of things can influence you to get a piercing and a lot can also put you off. One of these may be the work required in cleaning. 

Honestly, it's not difficult and this shouldn't influence your choice.

When getting a piercings, your piercer will give you cleaning instructions but if you've forgotten or they didn't, here you go:)

                                                                     What you need

Saline Solution-the same stuff you keep contact lenses in

A shot glass or egg cup

Cotton wool or cotton buds

Microwave

                                                                            Method

    Step 1: Wash your hands! Cleanliness is very important when cleaning piercings, especially new ones

Step 2: Squeeze a small amount of the saline solution into the egg cup/shot glass or whatever you have to hand. The amount you use will depend on the piercing you have and over time, you'll get a feel for how much you actually need.

Step 3: Place the egg cup/shot glass in the microwave for NO MORE THAN 10 seconds. If you put it in for too long it'll just evaporate.

Step 4: Take it out the microwave and allow it to cool a bit. Then take the cotton bud and clean your piercing, removing the crusties.

Step 5: Take another cotton bud and wet it with clean water and clean the piercing again. This removes the saline. Dry it again with the cotton.

Crystal Tip: When you first get you piercing, it's very sore and sensitive. I suggest using cotton wool rather then cotton buds for the first few weeks. It's much gentler and hurts less.

Oh and DON'T OVER CLEAN! Stick to a maximum of twice a day, in the morning and at night. Over cleaning can cause irritation and we don't want that now do we!?

 Tragus piercing on the right ear.

xxx

Help!

For some people many problems in the world today only exist on TV simply because they haven't been exposed to them. I am one of these people.

Before, anxiety, depression, self harm and suicide seemed like distant problems. I never knew anyone who suffered from these things so to me they we almost non existent. How wrong I was.

I'm lucky enough that I don't suffer from any of these things but recently I have been exposed to them, especially suicide, and it can be extremely scary.

If you're reading this and you suffer from any of these things, you know how it feels. I'd just like to say how sorry I am that you are affected and you have my empathy.

If you don't suffer, you may be clueless about how these problems really effect people and that's not your fault.

If you know someone who suffers from anxiety, depression, self harms or has contemplated suicide PLEASE let them know you're there for them. You may not be able to do much because their problems are rooted deep, but if they know you're there for them and are willing to support them all the way, it makes the world of difference.

The little things in life that you can deal with, for example a break up, these people can't. Their moods can change in a second because of something that's been said or done.

Put yourself in their shoes. Just imagine if you woke you everyday unhappy. If you went to work, school etc and nobody acknowledged you or smiled; if you felt segregated from the world, like you weren't worth anything. If someone constantly sneered at you or made hurtful comments for no reason.
Just imagine it.

Please Please PLEASE let them know you are willing to help them. If you see someone on the street looking sad and depressed, smile at them.
If you're in a shop or anywhere and, for example, you like a person's make up or something they're wearing, tell them. A compliment means a whole lot more if it's from a stranger. You never know what that person is going through and you may have made their day from that one compliment.

I apologise for this being a "not so happy" post but these problems are REAL. 121 million people have some form of depression and 1million people commit suicide every year. That's too many.

I can't stress the importance of this. I understand it's hard to imagine, but when you are thrown a real life situation like this, it hits you like a slap in the face.

DON'T BLAME YOURSELF! If you have done nothing wrong and something serious happens to someone you know, please don't think it's your fault. When it comes to these situations, sometimes you really have no control over what's happening and you mustn't feel like you've caused the problems.

So please, if you can do just one thing, try and change someones life.

  xxx

Tattoo Tuesday: Heart Beat

This is a tattoo I'm really considering getting. I'm well into tattoos that have meaning and I like this one. It means: "If there are no ups and downs in your life, it means you are dead."

It really is true and it's encouraging you to think positively about life. Yes we love it when things go our way and get annoyed and sad when they don't, but it's about accepting the things we can't change and making the best out of the things we can because usually, there's someone worse off than you. 

Disclaimer: This is not my image

xxx

HOW TO: Fit In

Some of you will know what it's like to move somewhere and how difficult it can be to fit in or find friends. Your experience will differ depending on the type of person you are. If you are one of these people who finds friends in a flash, lucky you and that's not a bad thing., although some people won't have this "skill" and find it more difficult to do so. I don't find it difficult but I do know what it feels like to be in a place surrounded by people who have friends and you're there like a loner.

I thought I'd give some pointers on how to go about adjusting to a new place/area, more so in a community such as a club, school etc.

1. Smile. Just smile. Or at least put on a  friendly and welcoming face. If a person see's you're happy, they might want to talk to you more because you're giving off positive vibes.

2. Expectations. Don't expect the first person who talks to you to be your friend. This may happen, I'm not saying it can't, but don't have the expectation that they'll be you BBF just because they said hi. They may just be being polite, and of course there's nothing wrong with that.

3. Be yourself. There's only one of you in the world so don't change yourself just so people will accept you. Also you are your own biggest critic. Things that you may not favour about yourself other people may love, so don't change just to fit in. It'll be difficult to keep up and you won't feel right in your own skin.

4. Have patience. Just because people don't run up to you the minute you get to school or wherever doesn't mean you won't make friends at all. I made friends on the first day and was still making new ones the following few weeks.

5. Get involved. If you stand on the sidelines, you won't be noticed. If you get involved in classes, games, sport etc, you'll find you enjoy yourself, and especially if someone shares the same interests as you they may want to talk.

There's no wrong or right way about making friends. Like I said, your experience will differ depending on who you are, what sort of a place you're in and the type of people surrounding you. You may find it hard to make friends and if so, don't blame yourself. You may find that it's everyone else, not you, so don't get too down.

You don't have to follow what I've said, they're just pointers. If you've got anything to add, I'd love to hear it

:)

xxx

Sleeping With Sirens

I came across this cover of Iris by Sleeping with Sirens and I am literally in love with it. It's so...I dunno, it's just amazing.

 

Iris-Sleeping with Sirens (cover) 

xxx

Tattoo Tuesday: Dolphin

Inspirational.

                                            Disclaimer: This is not my image. No copyright intended

xxx