Christmas is my favourite time of the entire year. The world turns into a magical place filled with lights, incredible scents and a wondrous feeling of peace. Love, joy and happiness lingers in the air and even though it sounds cliché, one can really see how people change during Christmas season. Even though commerce and capitalism have cast a shadow on this peaceful season during the last decades, the most important thing about Christmas has fortunately not been forgotten. 

Most of the year, people find themselves trapped in hectic routines, dealing with challenges, sorrows and pain but somehow all of this gets pushed aside for a tiny little while, while people simply enjoy each other’s company, spend time with their loved ones and let joy take over their stressful lives for once. 

Many of us have the luxury to really be able to enjoy the festive season to the fullest and are surrounded by the ones closest to our hearts but it shouldn’t be forgotten that a large group of people can’t celebrate Christmas the way they'd wish to. And as Christmas is the time of giving and sharing, I think it’s important that we who are privileged enough to spend this season the way we imagine, share a spark of our joy and happiness in order to make others happy – even if it’s only for a short moment.

Four Tiny Ways to Make a Stranger Happy. 

Pay for someone’s coffee. 

As a coffee lover I enjoy spending my spare time meeting friends at coffee shops to catch up and spend some quality time. Next time you grab your favourite hot drink at your local coffeeshop, ask the barista what the customer after your ordered and tell them you want to pay their order as well. Believe me, they will be delighted hearing, that they got a coffee for free and it will make you feel amazing, knowing you have done a good deed. It’s such a simple and affordable gesture that can make another person’s day. 

Leave your valid bus ticket at the ticket machine.

As I usually use my bike to get around, I barely ever use public transport. Whenever I do, I have to take a ticket that’s valid for an hour. As I barely ever max out the time the ticket is valid, I always leave it at the ticket machine in order for someone else to find it and use it without having to pay. That way, someone gets a ride for free and is certainly happy about it and the ticket gets used to its maximum. 

Hold the door open for someone.

This might seem like such a natural and obvious gesture but I have witnessed people smashing the door into other people’s faces so often that I feel like it deserves to be mentioned in my list as well. Holding the door open for someone sometimes really has a more positive effect on the other person than one might actually expect. Especially elderly people generally think that the youth was raised without manners, so such a simple gestures might not only prove them wrong but also put a smile on their face.

Same thing counts for holding the door of the bus open for someone running towards the bus station. I always feel eternally grateful when someone does that for me. Be kind and make someone still catch their bus. 

Help a mother with her pram.

Let’s be real, mothers are real superheroes. They manage to juggle their daily routine, a household, a job and their children in ways most of us young adults can’t even comprehend. Especially during Christmas time their stress levels are on an all time high due to Christmas shopping, busy streets and crowded spaces. Carrying a pram down annoying shopping centre stair cases while still holding grip of shopping bags and possibly another child is a challenge by itself. To make that mother’s day, you just have to ask if you can help her carry the pram up or down the stairs and I promise, it’ll make their day as such a tiny gesture helps them so much. Same goes for public transport once again, as getting a pram into a bus is often quite difficult as well.

Extra note to all my readers from GRAZ:

Right next to Flann O’Brien’s Pub is a lovely, small Christmas market with the most amazing Secret Santa idea I have ever seen. One can grab a note from one of the market stands and write a small wish and their name and address on it and can hang it on the market’s Christmas tree. Someone else can then grab the note with the wish if they want to and make a stranger happy in the process. I really recommend participating as it is such an amazing way of spreading the Christmas spirit and making a stranger happy. 

Ways to Help People Less Fortunate Than Most of Us

Donate food to animal shelters.

Especially during and after Christmas animal shelters are packed with animals who were supposed to be presents but were returned because people realised the responsibility and amount of time and attention a pet needs, is too much for them. Not only do animal shelters run out of space, they also run low on food for the animals a lot of the time. By donating dog and cat food you can help those shelters to feed the animals. 

SIDE NOTE: DON’T GIFT ANIMALS FOR CHRISTMAS. GETTING A PET SHOULD BE A MUTUAL FAMILY DECISION AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY HAVING A PET COMES WITH. SIDE NOT OVER.

Donate toys to child care centres and children’s hospitals.

Many children have to spend their Christmas away from home or are separated from their families, which is sad and devastating. Many of us still have old toys which are in perfect condition stored in boxes in the attic or the basement. Instead of those items continuing to collect dust on some shelf, pack up the toys that still work and drop them of at a child care centre or a hospital. Inform yourself beforehand if your chosen institution is allowed to accept your donations though so you won’t be disappointed if you’re rejected. 

By donating toys you can clear out space in your storage and make small children happy on Christmas.

Donate food to those who can’t afford a meal. 

At our supermarkets you can often find boxes right after the checkout where you can drop food such as bread, pasta and other longer lasting items in. Those items are then given to poor families who can’t afford meals or sold at so called “social markets” where food can be purchased for a smaller price. 

Support a charity of your choice.

Even though I believe we should spread love and kindness all year round I think that Christmas is the perfect time to support a charity that stands for a cause close to one’s heart. 

I hope you’re all enjoying the festive season and hope all your dreams come true. Be loving and treat people with kindness. 

Yours, Simone xx

The last couple days all I have been seeing on social media platforms and the broad realms of the word wide web have been Black Friday sales, bloggers sharing codes and affiliate links and websites trying their best to manipulate their customers into buying things most people probably don’t even need on second thought. Consumerism has become dangerously accepted in our society and has turned people into easily impressionable buyers who have forgotten to make conscious purchasing decisions. 

Black Friday Tricks.

I am not against Black Friday sales per se, as it is an amazing opportunity to buy gifts for upcoming Christmas or splurge on new items one REALLY needs like new shoes for winter when the old ones are about to fall apart. I do love bargains myself as we all need new items every once in a while but what I highly disagree with is the ways of companies and their marketing strategists trying to convince the general public into thinking that it is essential for people to spend their money just because everything’s on sale. Especially because those apparent low prices often trick people into spending more money than they usually would and they end up regretting their purchases later on when realising that they don’t actually need what they bought. 

I think it is highly important to use inventions such as Black Friday sales to really consciously think about what we truly need and make responsible decisions when purchasing new goods. There is nothing wrong to make use of sales and maybe land a great deal as we all love to spend money every once in a while to treat ourselves or those we love. But it is essential to prioritise and inform ourselves beforehand and restrict ourselves to the items we really need. 

The Power of Combination. 

What we need to realise as well is that key and staple pieces in our wardrobe can be combined with all sorts of statement pieces such as faux fur coats or leo print jackets. One outfit can turn into three by changing up only one piece. Not long ago I figured that it doesn’t really take much to have a put together wardrobe with lots of options to choose from, simply by combining individual items. The amount of money I spend on clothes has drastically decreased ever since I came to that conclusion. 

Sustainable and Second Hand.

What I have always loved is high quality second hand fashion as well. Thrift shops and vintage stores offer sustainable fashion with a story and find a new home for pieces that have been worn before but haven’t lost their quality. 

Shopping is fun and I love doing it myself but it is important to do it with every option in mind because that’s what’s saving us time and patience and most importantly - money.

The following outfits are entirely put together by things I bought second hand, have had for a while and have spent a lot of time thinking if they were worth buying.

JACKET 1. - Tom Tailor Leo Coat

The world around us is moving and changing at a fast pace, with barely any time to sit down and really reflect on the things in our daily life that affect us mentally and physically. Every move we make seems to have to be planned and tied to a satisfying result. The modern human does barely let himself have time periods inbetween during which he just cleans his mind from all the negativity and various stress factors occurring on a daily basis. 

We are constantly pushed into such a tight and stressful routine by not only ourselves but the demands and guidelines we are confronted with by our own society that we often forget that our bodies are not machines that can work on full power mode over a stretched period of time. We tire. We feel poorly. We are capable of emotions and feelings. We aren’t meant to work our way through  our lives just to look back at it and realise we didn’t really enjoy the ride at all. 

Mental Hygiene is Important. 

Especially during my uni years I realised more than ever how much joy life could bring if one really embraced its opportunities. Balancing hard work, dedication, mental health and social life is a challenge, but manageable - and to be able to maintain a balance, we have to start the journey within our minds. A clear and healthy mind is the base to a human’s general well being. Which is why it is of immense importance that we consciously decide to spend time with no one but ourselves because ‘me time’ is the key to a strong and fierce mindset.

I started doing yoga when I first started uni and I thought I needed something other than just average strength and cardio training to really tap my full potential. I figured that in contrast to the training I usually do, yoga would help me find my inner strength and peace that had nothing to do with training muscles really. So I started doing yoga. Not every day, sometimes not even every week, just whenever I felt like I needed to take a step back and give my mind and body a break. I know that some people do yoga every single morning and force it into their routine, but I don’t think the amount of times you do it determines the effect. 

Mental health and well being is something as individual as the human itself, which is why adopting someone else’s routine can backfire and lead to more stress rather than relieving it. Finding your own perfect routine is key when trying to balance mental health and stressful daily life, which is why listening to body signals is significant to long term success. 

Letting Go.

Whenever I feel down or feel like I need to ease back into feeling mentally and physically strong, I sign up for a yoga class and just let the teachers guide me through the depths of my mind where I know my mental strength lies and I enjoy being around people doing the exact same thing. It is actually incredible how much impact the right words and instructions can have on your personal well being if you really try and let yourself sink into the situation, genuinely embracing it. 

I am not trying to sugar coat the fact that I myself sometimes end up overworking myself until I feel both mentally and physically drained because let’s keep it real, we all do sometimes. What is important is to not try and  push your body further until the breaking point. 

It is a cliché that yoga classes are boring and a waste of time. It is simply what you make of it and how much you get yourself into the situation. Even if you feel like this type of sport and way to relax your body and mind isn’t for you, you should still give it a chance and at least try. Most yoga studios offer free or reasonably priced trial lessons so you can see for yourself and check out their program and institution without signing up for anything just yet. Especially in Graz but other cities as well free yoga classes are held regularly at various occasions, you will be able to find events like this on social media sites such as Facebook. 

Don't be biased. Don't be scared. You can't do anything wrong. Just give it a try. Let your mind find its inner peace a bit more, no matter how.

The following text was inspired by the movie/book "Love, Simon" or "Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda" and the fact that it is Pride Month. No matter if one is part of the LGBT community or not, supporting it and standing up for human rights is something I will always get behind and speak up for because we all deserve support and appreciation when it comes to things that are important to us.

This is about love. About all kinds of love. About love as a force, love as a magnet, love as a 

keeper, a rock and the wild sea shaking the shore in its core. About how love is diverse and different and something that has been attempted to be described but has never been fully mastered. About love as something that is the closest thing to actual magic that humanity knows. Because as much as people have tried, the answer has never really been found - why love is stronger than any force on earth. 

When looking at the generation I’m growing up in, I look at a powerful group of human beings, full of bright ideas and visionary minds. Open minded and curious, accepting and courageous, willing to stand up for their own beliefs. And within this bright community with a better future in their minds and hearts, within this force, something new was created. Lives full of pride, reckless strength and new found confidence. 

This month the world celebrates those who have been thought different for as long as records reach back, those who have had to face boundaries and hatred, injustice and resentment. They used to live their lives silent, or were immediately shut down, they have had to fight for what’s right and for a world without inequality. 

Who are we to define what love really is – a force that is more than we will ever be. We don’t get to decide who we love and who we don’t, the only thing that does in the end is our heart all along. Love is diverse, a spectrum we can impossibly grasp, so who are we to decide for someone other than ourselves. Love doesn’t come easy for anyone on earth, it’s a challenge and adventure, sometimes makes our hearts burn. 

The beauty of this moment, the time that we’re in, is that it’s our turn to change it and unite forces within. Because what I notice more and more amongst my peers is astounding support for each other and those we’re in love with. 

I have to be frank and rather honest too, I did indeed have to educate myself on LGBT matters and everything that’s involved because as sad as it is, standing on the outside sometimes makes you oblivious to what people go through. It’s still a privilege of the straight to step outside and just BE and only the friends I have made over the last couple of years who are an active part have actually opened my eyes about  the real issues they have to deal with. 

But even though life for them is still hard, as I mentioned before, times are slowly changing. People are open about who they really are, encouraged by a world that’s started to accept. Accept that love is diverse and not just black and white, a rainbow of people, quite literally. Although this has not been my fight I feel like everyone should stand up, stand up for what’s right and for a bright future to come.

In the end it’s all love, no matter what kind, love doesn’t change or differentiate. We love who we love with all its beauty and pride, so why don’t we all stand together and unite as what we are in the end: An incredible  bunch of humans growing up in a world full of diversity and beauty. To end this with a quote of a person I love: You now have the chance to be whoever you wanna be. 

To love. To diversity. To an open minded world.

Be proud. Be strong. Be you. Always. 

Happy pride month to all those who have found themselves, are still yet to find themselves or are just in it to support it for the long run. 

You don’t always need to travel far to experience world’s beauty, sometimes it can be found right around the corner only a short bike ride away. Humans tend to have the urge to get away and leave their homes behind in order to find peace of mind and discover new places. 

Ever since living abroad in the UK I have realised how little we care about the beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis. We start taking our environment for granted forgetting to consciously look at the wonderful place we’re living in because everything inside of us is just constantly urging for the far away lands of unknown mysteries. 

When living in the UK I tried to get around as much as possible because I wanted to get to know the country and its people and encounter things I hadn’t seen before. When talking about my trips with my UK friends, the answer that I most frequently got when asking if they had been there was “No”. This fact made me realise how much we take our home countries for granted. We don’t see the point in exploring what is around us everyday, we don’t make the time for a 30 minute drive to leave the city behind and go on adventures in the forests and mountains we call our home. Instead we make time to plan trips abroad, for the sake of crossing things off our bucket lists and for the sake of telling friends that we’ve travelled the world. 

Travelling is one of the most amazing inventions mankind has ever had. But travelling, in my opinion, does not only involve those trips we look forward to for months and which take us places that are so different from what we are used to, it’s also the trips we spontaneously decide to do. Those trips to castles embedded into the skyline of your own home town that you haven’t come around to visit in five years of living here. 

Travelling far is exciting, and important. But exploring what one calls home is just as important. You develop a newly found appreciation of the world around you and suddenly you notice all the small details that make your home special that have been overlooked for years because our mind has gotten so used to seeing them every day. 

Trousers

Turtleneck

Blazer

(pictures are ©TheStylePolaroid 2018, the brands are mentioned beneath the pictures, credits to the designers)