I recently wrote a post on people that annoy me, one of these groups included people who talk in the cinema. It makes my blood boil.

Anyway, I was watching a film called Frenemy the other night and the funniest scene came on which summed up what I would like to do in this situation…

It’s funny and slightly disturbed, as was the film, watch it below!

Hello,

I thought I’d share 5 of my role models today. I don’t believe in trying to shape yourself to be somebody else but I think having people to aspire to be more like, in the way they live life, is a good thing. These are people who have inspired me to want to be a better person in every way and whenever I’m looking for motivation, they’re a great start.

1. Jillian Michaels – Through a period of very poor health I came across a box set of her fitness DVDs, unopened in a charity shop, called The Biggest Winner. I had only ever seen snippets of her on the US Biggest Loser but didn’t know much about her at all. I now think I was meant to find the DVDs, no one has ever inspired me more to want to take the best care of myself that I can. I like that Jillian’s approach to fitness is about aiming for more than that bikini body, it’s about being strong, healthy and making time for yourself.

This doesn’t paint her in the best light but it made me laugh!…..

2. Tony Robbins – I first saw him in a cameo role in the film Shallow Hal, “Devils come out!” Anyway, a few years later I was lucky enough to attend a three day seminar of his at the Excel center in London called, ‘Unleash The Giant Within’. Even after all these years later, I can still say it was three of the best days of my life, no exaggerations! Not only did I learn so much about living life positively but I got to dance like crazy and walk on fire! He is completely inspiring, I could listen to him all day. Anything I’ve read or watched of his since has always been brilliant. He makes you realise if you put in the work, you can overcome and achieve anything and better yet start making things happen NOW.

3. Tiffany Hall – This is a less well known choice for those in the UK. Any of you who don’t know, Tiffany Hall is an author and television personality in Australia. I first saw her on Gladiators and The Biggest Loser Australia, she’s promotes strength and health. With her fitness roots starting within martial arts, her philosophy is first to train the mind and with that focus you will be able to achieve anything afterwards, “motivations fades, but creating a healthy mindset lasts a lifetime.” I find her positive attitude and strength infectious, I also think she is a fantastic role model for young girls to aspire to be; intelligent, confident and strong.

Today’s 5 Favorites is actually only three! I got to number four and was stuck, I could think of other people to include but it took me time to think of them. I think a role model should be someone who instantly spring to mind, inspires and motivates you, not just someone who should or sounds good.

Please share your role models, if you have any, with me below

I often dream of me and Jack, on an Hawaiian beach. Me lapping up the rays while he serenades me, ahhhhhh

Fantasies aside, it is a dream of mine to see him live and even better attend the Kokua Festival in Hawaii, to watch him perform. Here’s a video of him at the festival in 2010…

I tend to love all his stuff, some albums more than other. I love listening to the lyrics in his songs, they all have meanings, lessons or a story. This is one of my favorites from a much older album, I found this live version just now and loved it….

Let me know your favorite Jack song if you’re a fan

J Cole <3

Love all the songs off the recently released EP, Truly Yours, but I think this is my favorite. I never get excited for artists to release new albums but I can not wait for his upcoming album, Born Sinner, later this year.

To listen to the full EP on YouTube….click here.

I had a long conversation last night that’s made me especially grateful for my life.

When I’m told, people have been through worse or someones hit rock bottom and come out the other side, it means nothing to me. I understand those things 110% but does it change my life at that moment, no.

I think the reason it’s never been of any use as motivation to me is, I have no emotional connections to these ‘people’.

As heart breaking as it is to watch a starving family in Africa or a natural disaster destroy lives forever, it’s never going to hit as hard if you’re not connected in anyway to it, bar compassion for another human being of course. There’s a big difference to hearing about disaster on the news than hearing from it straight from the horses mouth, it’s raw and it’s real.

When I heard a story of someone close to me overcoming an unthinkable situation, that I could not even to begin imagine, it really struck me to feel hope about every aspect of my life that I doubt. Even through an unbelievably hard time, this person was determined to fight to make it better because they value their life that much. Not to strive for any kind of life, just fight for life itself. No matter what, always remember how treasured any human life is.

Many of us say we appreciate our lives but do we honestly ever stop to think how lucky we really are, no matter what, we are alive and have the chance to live, explore and discover so many incredible things.

I remember seeing this picture ages ago and looked it up today to remind myself. Whenever you feel the world’s out to get you and you have the worst luck, remember, just by being able to read this you actually have the absolute best luck

It wouldn’t be top of anyone’s list to describe themselves as judgmental but we all are more than we realize, every single day. Even if you’re just flicking through the television, within a split second you’ve judged yes, no or maybe on what show will be good and worth watching. 

The same way you  decide within seconds of walking in to a room of people who you like, who you don’t and who you feel indifferently about.

This categorizing of so many things in our everyday life is completely judgmental and wrong yet we’ve all been guilty of it, some of us everyday. What gives anyone the right to decide if another human being is worth their time or on the other hand if they are not. I think this type of arrogance can lead to an unsettled inner peace, if you can learn to try and accept people as equal, you will feel more at ease and carry less negativity throughout life. 

The middle ground can be just as wrong when I think about it. Deciding that you don’t have a problem with someone but they’re of no interest to you at all, before you’ve even spoken, is still ranking people in order of importance. You can’t SEE people’s minds, souls or personalities, the traits that should be valued. Instead we make judgments on things such as clothes, hair, speech and how similar they are to yourself. People tend to gravitate towards common ground in others, as it’s less threatening.

It’s hard not to make assumptions on people but it’s far more interesting to discover a person through getting to know them yourself, rather than judging from afar or from what other have said about them. Practice having an open heart and mind to everyone you come in to contact with. Being kind and compassionate to others is a step to true happiness and inner peace. 

“If there is love, there is hope to have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace. If the love within your mind is lost, if you continue to see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education you have, no matter how much material progress is made, only suffering and confusion will ensue.” – Dalai Lama

I thought today I’d share a few of my favorite films in the past year or so. I find it very hard to decide on all time favorite things, my favorite film will change depending on my mood. So here’s an off the top my head kind of list! 

5 Favorite Films -

• Silver Linings Playbook – Despite what I put before I actually would say this is one of my favorite films of all time. It was such a moving and true to life story about the kind of challenges people can face when suffering with any mental illness. Jennifer Lawrence is my favorite actress at the moment but I thought Bradley Cooper made this film what it was.
• Lawless – Can’t remember when it was I saw this but I thought it was amazing, such a great story. Tom Hardy’s also one of my favorite actors so that made it all the more watchable Looking forward to seeing it again on DVD.

• Think Like a Man – I’ve massively gone off rom coms in the past few years but I found this film hilarious. It was romantic but not in a cliche way, very funny and interesting too.

• The Avengers – Wasn’t a dull moment throughout, glad I got to see it at on the big screen rather than DVD.

• Frankenweenie – This was a bit of a wildcard choice but I thought it deserved a mention. I always enjoy Tim Burton films but this was very different to anything I’d seen of his before. The entire length of the film was in black and white and I loved the music throughout.

I haven’t rushed to see many films so far this year, as I haven’t been too interested in a lot that has been on. I am looking forward to a few films this year though including The Hangover 3, I loved the first two so I’m really excited to see how they wrap the story up in this last one.

I like a spin on a fairy tail so I’m looking forward to seeing James Franco in OZ. The original is one of my favorite films from when I was younger, this will be completely different but I’m looking forward to seeing how they do it. 

Animation wise I’m excited to see Monsters Inc 2 (Monsters University) I’ve always loved Pixar films and even though Monsters Inc isn’t up there for me with Toy Story, I still liked the original a lot. No ones ever too old for a Disney film!