#IAmAWitness

bullying

There is a campaign called I See Bullying which I found on Twitter which just sums up what I stand for.

This song is the song used for the campaign and has been one of my favorites ever since came out and the lyrics all about struggle, hope, empowerment, beauty, and love. In the official video, we meet a lot of beautiful people and hear their stories.



 It really opened my eyes, but I see similar things every day. So now is the time to make a stand.

How Bullying Has Affected Me

I've been bullied for as long as I can remember, I've never been your stereotypical girl, I played rugby and then put on my heels on afterwards, so I find it really hard as I'm not a girly girl but I'm also not totally a tomboy, I'm just an awkward mixture. 

So after many, many years of bullying (I'm so used to it so some of it was probably from me in my head), it is fair to say that I have pretty low self-esteem. I try to be confident - maybe too hard - but when I'm uncomfortable, lost, alone or like I don't fit in, I completely shut down which makes it harder on me as that means that I constantly push people away even if I don't mean to.

I started this blog to help people like me, and keep their spirits up or just educate others so that they just understand and maybe think before they act and realise what they've been doing which seems harmless to them but is crushing to someone else.

About this Campaign


90 percent of teens ages 12-17 who have witnessed some form of online cruelty say they have ignored mean behavior on social media, and more than a third (35 percent) have done this frequently (Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project). Research has shown that the bystander can play a pivotal role in stopping bullying.

In a groundbreaking effort to empower teens to speak up when they see bullying, the Ad Council and an unprecedented coalition of media, corporate and non-profit partners launched the I Am A Witness campaign. Developed pro bono by ad agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the campaign aims to stop bullying by activating the “silent majority” of kids who witness it each day, transforming them from passive bystanders into a united, empowered and active collective that will speak up against bullying.

The heart of this campaign is the Witness Emoji. Shaped like a speech bubble with an eye in the center, the Emoji enables teens to take a stand against bullying and show support for someone who is being bullied by posting it online or through a text message.

The Emoji is available on iPhone running iOS 9.1. and via a downloadable keyboard available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The I Am A Witness keyboard holds a variety of Emoji, GIFs, stickers and messages for teens to use when they experience bullying. They can post the Witness Emoji when they see hurtful comments, or send GIFs and stickers to show support for someone in need. All assets drive to the campaign website IWitnessBullying.org.

What Can You Do?


  • If you know someone who is being seriously bullied - TELL SOMEONE. 
  • SPREAD AWARENESS of the effects
  • Be a FRIEND or a SUPPORT to people that you wanted or would want
  • If you see someone being bullied SPEAK UP
  • TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE
  • THINK about how your ACTIONS AFFECT OTHERS
  • LEARN more about it


For more info visit: http://iwitnessbullying.org/

How To Stay Motivated To Work Out in Winter

Fitness



I know as the days have got colder, I have felt less and less inclined to work out. The Great British weather is unpredictable and I haven’t really wanted to jog in the rain or cycle in the frost, but for me sport and exercise is what helps me sleep better, because I have a sleep disorder and that helps me tire it out, and as a dancer and cheerleader it also very important to keep fit. We can't use Winter as an excuse, in some shops it's been Christmas since the end of July. So I thought that a round of inspiration and tips were in order.

Tips  

1. Go to the gym

If it’s too cold to work out outside, then a nice warm gym is another viable option. You can do a variety of different types of exercise, whether it’ll cardio or weight training. So get your gym membership today, so you can still work out when the weather is not on your side.

2. Join Boxing or MMA

Boxing and Martial Arts is a great, fun way to keep fit and let your frustrations out and although it is extremely intense, I know a lot of people who look forward to going every session. And if it’s good enough for Demi Lovato and Gigi Hadid, then it must be good enough for us.

3. Find your Winter Sport

If you make a commitment to any sports team or club, then working out will just become part of your daily or weekly routine and you will be working out, enjoying yourself, making friends and you won’t give up as you have a support network and other people relying on you.

4. Have Someone to Work Out With

Having a work out partner helps a lot. I’m really competitive, and I hate losing so having someone there pushes me harder and I don’t want to let them down. And they are a boost when I am tired or feel like giving up halfway through. [Check out my previous exercise buddy, Dara ‘Daza Wilson at backofthenetsouth.com]

5. Work Out at Home

If you feel too tired or too lazy to go out and go somewhere, you can also workout in the comfort of your own home.

6. Listen to Music

Silence bothers me, whereas music breaks up the monotony of the workout and helps me work out for longer. Putting on my favorite workout tracks, almost lets me forget the weather. And different paces and intensity tracks can easily help you to control your workout.

7. Change it Up

Doing the same thing every day can be BORING and make you want to take a day (or a few) off. Changing up your routine can keep it interesting and help you to achieve better results.

8. Think about the Summer Body/Have a Goal

If you keep on working at it, all through winter, by the time everyone is starting to worry about achieving their perfect summer body, you will already be there. If you have a goal, you are more likely to work harder to achieve it and not give up.
Work now, achieve first, laugh later.

9. Incorporate Working Out into Your Normal Routine

For example, I can’t attend weightlifting on a Friday because of Cheer, so I carry a very heavy bag around and do reps when I have the time.

10. Schedule in Workouts

I know, that I always have times where I sit down and doing nothing and hours seems to go by. So if you schedule in workouts at this time then you are replacing the idleness with something useful.

11. Realize that You can Workout While Watching TV

Not all workouts are strenuous and some you can very easily do while watching TV or Netflix (etc.) such as flexibility or you can invest in a workout machine so while you’re having down time you are still working out.

12. Invest in some Equipment

You don’t always want to leave the house to work out, so by having your own equipment, you can work out whenever you want.

13. Youtube can be Your Best Friend

There are so many good workouts, for the gym and at home, on Youtube. I used to always do the ballet workouts, which are so good by the way, but you can also take different types of classes.

14. Surround Yourself with your Motivation and Inspiration

Put up posters and inspirational quotes around your house and on your phone and maybe even get a T-Shirt just to inspire you on those bad days.

15. Follow some Exercise Instagram Accounts

I recommend:

@twobadbodies 

A photo posted by TwoBadBodies (@twobadbodies) on


@fitnessinspiration77



@fitnessquotes_ - 



@upyourfitness



16. Get an Exercise DVD

I, personally, have MANY. Personal favorites of mine are the Zumba ones (although you could go to a class, with the DVD the class comes to me.) and Davina DVDs is a classic.

17. Change Your Lifestyle Choices


Instead of driving everywhere you can easily change your lifestyle by cycling, walking or even catch the bus or train, there’s no work out like daily running for the bus.

So, I hope you found these tips helpful and act on a few. Working out doesn't have to be stressful and you don't have to be a 'certain type of person' to do it. Take a chance. Find your way of working out and have fun.

Charlz x

How to Face Your Fears

Fears



We all have fears, whether they be spiders, small spaces, clowns, haunted houses or celery, but with just over two weeks to halloween I thought I'd write a post aimed at facing your fears.

Yes, I know Face Your Fears Day was now ages ago, I messed up, I know. but shouldn't we be facing our fears everyday...

Why should we Consider Everyday to be Face your Fears day??


We all have a variety of different fears that can affect are lives in many different ways. Some are almost impossible not to face, such as going to school and facing bullies and some we can try to avoid like the plague, like coming out of the closet to family who don't understand or even eating celery.

Everyday we take risks, face fears and that takes a lot of courage. People don't just face their fears on face their fears day, they can face them on any day at anytime, anywhere. Not all fears we overcome but we do live with them everyday. Which is why I consider everyday Face Your Fears Day.

What Are My Fears?


It's not really fair to tell people to face their fears when I'm not really honest about my own... (see here)

Some Fears that my Friends Have


I know a lot of people's who are scared that their fears are 'stupid' or 'not scary enough' so I'm going to share a few of my friends without names, just to show you how different they can be.


A fear is caterpillars and celery. 
I'm afraid of the inevitability of death
Doing something really nervewracking like auditions, serious interviews, hotseating where all the pressue is on you...
My fear is flies, wasps; anything that can fly into my face
I fear failing to do the right thing at the right time and not meeting all my expectations.
Not getting an A* in German [she's fluent] 
I'm scared of all you guys [her friends]
Popcorn
Not know how many orororors to do in Gloria Hosanna in Excelsus 
 Reading or speaking in front of the class
You...
Stuttering in front of my crush
Dropping someone in cheer
 Disappointing my parents
Talking to my crush 

How to Face your Fears today


All fears are different and some are easier to face than others, but my advice to you is that everyday to make an effort to confront your fear, whether that is  talking about it,  taking a step to conquer it or even thinking about it, if you're too far from that fear just actively do something to face it.

Whenever someone has a fear I think it's best to just go for it!  It's better to regret it afterwards than to regret not doing it. Because it might go really well, I mean it might not, but it might go very well. 
Megan Walker
Even if you embarass yourself, it's okay. If you don't embarass yourself your life is boring
Megan Walker 

Tips to Overcome Fears


Facing Your Fears isn't easy, even without trying to overcome them. But I found these two videos and website really helpful in trying to address and overcome mine.




■ http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/overcoming-fears.aspx

■ http://tinybuddha.com/blog/9-essential-tips-to-face-fear-and-live-a-bold-life/

So I wish you well on the path of facing your fears.

Charlz x

My Fears 10/16

Fears

I have many fears and I'm pretty sure I haven't discovered all of them. After interviewing people for the past 2 weeks about their fears I soon began to recognise my own. So I made a list:

 1. I can't stand horror movies, I have no taste for them. Granted, I haven't really given them a chance but I'm shivering.


 2. This probably stems from the fact that used to be terrified of movies in general. It sounded like someone was trying to murder me when my parents sat me down to watch high school musical.

 3. I don't know if this counts a fear, as such, but I hate Christmas Dinners I can't stand the smell or taste and end up having ribs, yorkshires and basically KFC. Probably down to school dinners.

 4. I basically have a meltdown if you attempt to put flared trousers on me. I admit they look good on some people but on me they make me want to throw up.

 5. Daddy Long Legs are basically the devil. Flies are annoying and I'm fine with spiders (as long as they're not on me) but flying spiders should not be a thing [I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about them].

 6. I am absolutely terrified of ending up alone. Unloved, unwanted and just a nuisance.

 7. In turn, this makes me petrified of doing the wrong thing, so I end up doing nothing, which admittedly is worse as I feel that I have no personality.

 8. Also, I'm terrified to be myself. I know that not everyone will like me, that's not realistic. But I have very low self esteem from being bullied a lot when I was younger.

 9. I also hate disappointing people. Meaning that I'm a try hard most of the time.

10. Being not taken seriously is also up there, I hate being underestimated and try to keep a bottle on things. But that would scare me.

11. Losing control is also very scary for me.

12. And with the exception of a very select few that I've known for years, I find it very hard to converse with people I know

13. This blog I created to change at least one persons life for the better. A constant fear of mine is that I'm not doing all the people I'm speaking up for justice, after seeing first hand the effects of some things like bullying, depression, self harm, insomnia, anorexia, being in the LGBT Community. A lot of these I am not but I know a ton of people who are affected by it and want to do them justice and make them proud.

14. Death scares me. I don't want to lose my friends or my family and I don't know and can't know what comes after.

15. And my daily fear, is that I won't be able to sleep (properly) as usual and that will affect me negatively for the entire day.

16. Dropping someone in cheer

17. Donuts

So I hope that you learned a lot about me and understand me better.

Charlz x

United Nations Day

Inspiration




Is it shameful that before I started researching it, that I knew what the UN was but not what it does?

What is the UN?




What does the UN do? 




United Nations Day Video 




Hopefully you’ve learnt a few things just as I did…

Charlz x

13 Halloween Makeup Ideas

Beauty



With Halloween fast approaching I think it to be only best to share my 13 Ultimate Halloween Makeup inspiration. I’m not amazing at costumes but I love the makeup side of things. So without further ado…

1 The Chic Cat


2 The Cute Clown

3 The Floral Skeleton


4 The Extreme Skeleton

5 The Shattered Mirror

6 The Girl With Stitches

7 The Melted Makeup

8 The Veins

9 The Sophisticated Cat

10 The Half and Half

11 The Sparkly Skeleton

12 The Wonderful Werewolf

13 The Glittering Galaxy



For more inspiration follow this pinterest board...

Charlz x

I'm Back

Lifestyle

Hi,

Sorry I've been M.I.A. for a couple of weeks because I underestimated how much time school, dance and cheer would take up and didn't plan accordingly, and I had an amazing post planned for World Mental Health Day last Monday but my insomnia got really bad and I didn't have the energy (ironic that my mental health condition prevented me from writing a mental health post). And before anyone disses me saying that not being able to sleep would make me more likely to write a post it's not that simple and I will explain that and my insomnia in a later post, in short even if I don't sleep I still need to rest.

I will post every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and potentially on other days. Check my twitter - @charlzappiah and instagram - @thisischarlz at 1930 to see if there's a post or not, and I'll be online until at least 2030 if you want to have a conversation.

See ya chicas
Charlz x

Popular Posts

  • Theresa May: The Fashion Icon
    Today, in Britain, we just got a new Prime Minister, our 53rd and the 2nd female in British History, Theresa May. And she may be the le...
  • 13 Halloween Makeup Ideas
    With Halloween fast approaching I think it to be only best to share my 13 Ultimate Halloween Makeup inspiration. I’m not amazing at costu...
  • #IAmAWitness
    There is a campaign called I See Bullying which I found on Twitter which just sums up what I stand for. This song is the song used for ...

Flickr Images

blogging connect approved blogger PR badge black colour