Before I was diagnosed with a nut allergy, I loved eating out at restaurants.
It was my go-to weekend treat – a meal out, and a few drinks.
But once I learnt of my nut allergy, that changed.
Eating out was no longer fun and exciting. Instead, it became daunting.
In fact, it got to the point where I would make up all kinds of excuses not to eat out because I was… Read the full story
I’m not embarrassed of the fact my partner and I have had relationship therapy.
Or should I say, I refuse to be embarrassed any longer.
Though we’re in our twenties (while the socially-accepted criteria is often middle-aged couples who’ve been married for years) we’re open with each other about the fact that sometimes, we need a little extra help. And truthfully, it only makes us prioritise each other’s happiness more.
Though we’ve always been strong and devoted to each other, a variety of factors began to take their toll after we’d been together for about four years, from living apart at university to job frustrations and my anxiety, which always worsened any issue.
Arguments became more frequent. The much-feared B-word – breakup – began to rear its head more and more. Having always expected to be in it for the long haul, we began to consider therapy as our only option.
I’ll admit that I resisted at first.
The thought of sitting down with a stranger… Read the full story
Here’s a reason to get excited about pageants again – beyond the pretty dresses and sparkly crowns: Miss Minnesota has just seen its first contestant with Down’s Syndrome.
That’s proof to all young girls that disabilities don’t need to hold them back from following their dreams. If they want to dance on stage, they can. The world suddenly feels a lot more open.
The world of pageants doesn’t tend to be known for its diversity and inclusion.
When competitions often have swimsuit… Read the full story
Not so long ago, I was offered what seemed to be the perfect job, working for a well-known website.
It was everything I wanted: interesting, part-time, flexible enough to fit in around family life.
But thanks to my depression, I lasted one whole day.
Over the past few years, my mental health has had a major impact on my career.
Way back when I was newly qualified, I was named Most Promising Student Journalist of the Year… Read the full story
Once you’ve got through the filling in the forms, ‘getting to know you’ stage, therapy can become a bit, well, awkward.
Free of the structure of questions and answers about when my depressive thoughts started, my first panic attack, and how long I’ve been taking medication, I quickly found myself at a loss for what to say.
I ummed. I ahed. I asked my therapist what we were supposed to talk about.
Her answer: ‘Whatever you want. This is your space, your time, and you can fill it however you like.’
We then proceeded to sit in silence for a few minutes. It was uncomfortable.
When you’re given the freedom to talk about whatever you like, you can end up feeling trapped.
Is this thought important? Is this anecdote worthy of discussion? Am I wasting my time bringing up work issues when I should be talking about my parents? Is this what therapy’s for?
I worry that my therapist is going to judge me for what I bring… Read the full story
Achieving your dreams while overcoming culturally-ingrained stereotypes can be a difficult thing to accomplish.
But that’s exactly what boxing champion Bianca Elmir is attempting to do as she prepares for her first ever professional fight.
Australian Muslim Bianca, nicknamed Bam-Bam, wants to empower women through self-defence and is boxing her way through all sorts of obstacles to inspire other Muslim women to take up sport.
the 35-year-old Olympic boxer is about to take a massive leap in her career in the upcoming Capital Fight Show 13 on December 8 in Canberra.
But Bianca’s path has been a difficult one as she navigates… Read the full story
As we drowned in a sea of dick pics and creepy messages, Bumble felt like a lifejacket.
Finally, a dating app that prevented men from sending sexual messages to everyone they fancied, and put women in charge by forcing them to make the first move.
Yes, many of us did respond to this by letting our matches grow cold when we couldn’t be bothered to come up with a witty opening message, but it was a nice idea.
As the app positions itself as a cool, trendy dating app for millennial women, it makes sense that Bumble’s office is equally womencentric.
Its new headquarters in Austin, Texas, are a Pinterest dream –… Read the full story
St Andrew’s day is coming up this week on Thursday, November 30 as Scotland celebrates its patron saint.
It is a national holiday in Scotland, as in 2006 the Scottish Parliament passed the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday Bill, meaning employers could give their employees the day off but didn’t have to.
How much do you know about Scotland’s patron saint or Scotland’s national day?
These facts are sure to impress friends, family and colleagues when Thursday comes around.
In case you missed it, it’s officially Christmas time.
The John Lewis advert is out, Starbucks is selling Christmas drinks, and the Coca-Cola truck’s tour around the UK has been announced.
The big festive news today concerns the last thing on that Christmassy list: The iconic red Coca-Cola truck that blasts ‘HOLIDAYS ARE COMING’ out of its speakers as it tosses out cans to passersby (they actually gently hand them out rather than throwing them. Those cans could cause serious injury if thrown).
Now, for the first time ever, you won’t only be able to gaze… Read the full story
Ludlow has this great reputation for food.
As well as the annual food festival that takes place each September, the market town in Shropshire is also known for its crop of top food producers.
I admit, I’m a bit of a snobby Londoner, and I’m always dubious about what the provinces can offer.
I’ve only ever lived in big cities so the thought of going to the countryside and having nothing to do terrifies me.
But as a food lover, Ludlow’s food reputation is a huge draw for me.
And as I discovered after a weekend, it has a lot more to offer than that.
Here’s why Ludlow is more than just a foodie destination and why you should choose it for a weekend break.
Scarlet fever, an infection most common in children, is at a 50 year high. More than 17,000 cases were reported in 2016.
Given that it’s most likely to affect children under the age of ten, and because it’s high infection, parents need to know what to watch out for and how to react if their child shows signs of Scarlet fever.
Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection. It’s usually not extremely serious, but it is very contagious.
It’s caused by bacteria known as group A streptococcus.
It’s spread through close contact with people carrying streptococcus – often in the throat – or… Read the full story
The world has gone nuts for salted caramel.
Gone are the days of simple sticky sweetness. Today, everything from doughnuts to bacon has been glazed in a heady mix of salt and sweet.
It’s genuinely impossible to just have a lick and walk away – salted caramel is among the most morish things in existence.
If you can’t just have a little bit, it’s just because you’re a greedy caramel fiend.
It’s actually science.
A new study by the University of Flordia has looked at 150 participants and concluded that when we chow down on something sweet, salty or fatty, our brains release heroin-like chemicals called endogenous opioids.
So imagine what happens when you… Read the full story
If you were one of the people who helped crash the website of the Canadian designer behind Meghan’s coat (linethelabel.com, if you are still interested), then you may also enjoy the fact there is a copy of her engagement ring and it costs less than a couple of cocktails.
When Kate and Wills got engaged, replicas of Kate’s sapphire cropped up – and sold out – everywhere.
And now it’s the… Read the full story
Clothing brands are experts at missing the mark when it comes to inappropriate logos.
Only the other day, TK Maxx got into hot water for selling a range of bibs, with the boys’ option saying ‘Smarty Pants’ and ‘I woke up this cute’ being marketed towards girls.
And now a dress has sparked controversy after being shared online by the Let Clothes Be Clothes group.
A party dress being sold by Australian website Ozsale for £6.85 has got ‘I’m Sexy and I Know It’ emblazed on the front.
Understandably, parents aren’t happy about a dress aimed at 3+ children having any kind of sexual connotations attached to it.
It’s described on Ozsale’s… Read the full story
If you haven’t heard of Meghan Markle by now, you have officially been living under a rock with no access to the internet.
Meghan and Prince Harry announced their engagement yesterday, and instantly set off a mass frenzy (ranging from excitement, to rage, to confusion over whether or not we’ll get a Bank Holiday).
But Meghan’s been existing on earth for much longer than yesterday, and has been doing all kinds of stuff to make her worthy of a serious crush.
She’s a great actress. She’s a humanitarian. She ran a glorious lifestyle called The Tig (which has since closed down).
And, as any great crush must be,… Read the full story
There are certain qualities that most employers will look for in a job applicant.
Organisation. Leadership. Problem-solving.
And there are many ways in which a prospective employee might demonstrate these characteristics, from internships to student societies.
But there’s also another way: through travel.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware a three-month backpacking trip around Southeast Asia isn’t going to convince any recruitment consultant that you are worldly-wise.
Taking magic mushrooms in the Gili Islands and drinking your bodyweight’s worth of cocktails in buckets on Koh Phangan does not constitute excellent life experience in… Read the full story
Like any left-leaning softie who’s politics don’t quite extend to their love of the royal family, I sneakily watched the Markle/Windsor engagement interview yesterday.
I am not proud of this, but I had a little cry. And my favourite part of their story? The way that Prince Harry proposed.
If you’re dating the fifth in line to the throne you might expect a flashy proposal. Glamourous. Over the top. Diamonds hidden in Cristal champagne with a symphonic orchestra, a thousands long-stem roses and a bit of sky writing for good measure.
That’s quite the opposite of what happened.
Harry apparently popped the question at their cottage (admittedly ‘cottage’ in… Read the full story
Race and social activism have never been more hotly contested.
Dare to raise your head above the parapet online and you’re in for a hail of bullets from one side or the other.
Few, however, bother to discuss important issues in real life, away from the comfort of an anonymous keyboard.
But not 19-year-old Olatiwa Karade.
She’s designed her own range pro-black political slogan jumper which doesn’t really doesn’t hold back with saying it how it is.
‘The current political climate, my coming of age as a young black woman, and my personal experiences with racial discrimination really nudged me to do something,’ she tells Dazed.
Her jumpers cover all aspects of black identity
Christmas isn’t Christmas without Starbucks’ red cups.
It’s such a big part of the festive season that one woman has even turned them into works of art.
But the global coffee chain has unveiled a new red cup to raise money for charities including The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
It’s the first time the brand has launched a second cup in the same season so get your Instagram ready.
The limited-time holiday cup has a pair of hands and customers are invited to write the names of someone they love in the heart.
Strapping your child in to a car seat is a nightmare, it takes forever and it burns about fifty thousand calories.
But you do it anyway, because it’s how you keep your child safe.
Unfortunately, many parents don’t realise that if they leave their child dressed in their winter coat before they strap them in, the car seat can end up being useless.
A video made by Good Egg safety demonstrates just why it’s so important not to forget and put… Read the full story
