#tiptalk - how to smile more ♥

After attending a beautiful wedding at the weekend, I was surrounded by my friends and family. I think I spent 99% of my time laughing and smiling (or eating). My phone was hidden in my clutch bag and I enjoyed being around everyone without thinking of social media or any unneeded drama. Currently I am the happiest I have ever been but rewind back to 2014 and this certainly wasn't the case. I thought I would write this post to talk about how I stay positive and how I always try to see the bigger picture. It certainly isn't easy and I am definitely not an expert but after surviving heart surgery and dealing with my dad having cancer, I thought I would share my tips about how I still keep smiling.

I think a lot of our happiness depends on our environment and who we surround ourselves with. In the past I was guilty of being around people that would put me down and chip away at my confidence, although I would shrug the comments off this still played in the back of my mind and if you constantly surround yourself in that type of atmosphere, it will definitely affect you mentally. Learning to say 'no' has been my biggest learning curve this year. Time and time again I would do something to keep someone else happy when in reality, I wasn't happy. It is such a relief to say no to something and put yourself first for once. 

This has certainly helped with my anxiety and when it comes to my blog, shooting outfit photos and product shots can only happen on the weekend so although it is important to find a balance with seeing your friends and family, I love my blog and I want it to do well. I don't feel guilty anymore for not making plans if I was to spend one or two Saturday's out of the month to shoot photos and edit videos for Fairytale Kiss. Do what makes you happy - whatever you are passionate about, make that a priority and give yourself more 'you time' and I think you will certainly be smiling more. 

Having a balance in life is certainly a great way to keep smiling, while I was at the wedding, I made sure I scheduled my blog posts and social media so I didn't need to worry about anything. I could switch off from everything else and just enjoy spending time with my friends and family. There is no nicer feeling and my blog was still waiting for me when I returned home. I used to get incredibly stressed (and I sometimes still do) but being prepared helps me worry less and I find myself smiling and laughing a lot more. What tips do you have for keeping your smile? I would love to hear them! ♥