GUYS I HAVE MOVED OVER TO WORDPRESS! I like the functionality, layout & what it offers me as a blogger more than blogger!

YOU CAN FIND ME AT thecourtneeyeve.wordpress.com. COME SAY HI :) xxxx

When you feel like your life freaking sucks - whether you’ve spilt your coffee on a Monday morning, or you've just got a parking ticket - read through my top 60 things that make life great!

1. The smell of rain
2. Yummy smelling baths
3. Pizza
4. Hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream
5. Defrosting in a warm shower when you’re cold
6. Finding money in your pocket or purse
7. When you have to dance to your embarrassing favourite song at a party
8. The first warm day after winter
9. Waking up at Christmas time and seeing the snow falling
10. When everything is white, covered in snow
11. Christmas baking
12. Christmas
13. Fluffy socks
14. When you laugh so hard you can’t stop and can’t breathe and your crying
15. Waking up at 3am and knowing you still have a good 5 hours of sleep ahead of you
16. Not setting an alarm
17. Driving with the windows down
18. When your toast toast’s to perfection
19. Sitting outside
20. Autumn, when the leaves start to change colour
21. The smell of cut grass
22. Roller coasters
23. Finding clothes that feel like they were made for you
24. Toasting marshmallows on an open fire
25. Puppies
26. First kisses
27. Kisses
28. Bubble baths on a cold night
29. Seeing old couples acting young
30. Winning
31. Finding a new favourite song/band/musician
32. People watching on the beach
33. Iced coffe
34. Looking through old photos
35. The sound of a big city at night
36. Looking out onto a big city at night on the top of a hotel
37. Having a good hair day
38. Having a tan
39. Home-cooked meals
40. Making someone laugh
41. Surprises
42. Adrenaline rushes
43. Travelling & exploring a new place
44. Breakfast in bed
45. Sundresses
46. Getting into bed and closing your eyes when you’re drunk and tired
47. Finishing work on time on a Friday (or earlier)
48. Doing everything on your to-do list before you planned on finishing it
49. Seeing a great movie
50. Fireworks
51. Polaroid pictures
52. Starry nights
53. Fairy lights
54. Ticking something off your bucket list
55. Snuggles and cuddles
56. BBQ’s
57. Weekends
58. The beach
59. Pretty views (especially at the end of a long hike)
60. Parties & Celebrations!

Go on, go do one of these right now, and I hope your day has gotten better! 

Lots of love,

Courtney x

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What do you do on the warmest day yet, the sun is shining, & you're happy? You go on an adventure of course! Cree and myself went for a little walk around and just enjoyed the sunshine today. I just wanted to give you a really comfortable/casual look for the weekend and share my afternoon with you :) 

P.S. Apologies for the phone camera, we weren't planning on going for a walk, so I didn't bring my camera, and my bedroom has poor lighting lol oh well, you get the gist I hope!

Top: Forever 21 | Shorts: Forever 21 | Shoes: Converse | Bag: Call It Spring | Curling Iron: NuMe

Lots of love,

Courtney x

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Being shy is honestly just a very bad habit, that maybe you've had since before you can even remember. Like me, you may be feeling like you've always had troubles socialising with new people, in a group setting, or even a one-on-one conversation. Unless I genuinely feel comfortable around someone, I find it very difficult to strike up a conversation, or even get my thoughts together! Another reason (side note) I got into blogging. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and try to break this bad habit for good.

I have always been shy around new people, and I think it's the way I was brought up. My parents are sociable, but I wouldn't say they're extroverts. They don't express their own opinions around new people, they don't say what's on their mind around new people, and they certainly try to make new people feel comfortable even if they aren't themselves. And I think that's where both my brother and I get our shyness from. Yes, I hate it, but honestly, I've learnt to somewhat accept that that is who I am! 

I would say that I worry way too much about what others think of me, I get way to caught up in my mind, and have always imagined different scenarios in my head and made up my responses in different circumstances. These are things that I have struggled with all my life, and I do get frustrated at times and confused as to how I can't just be like others who can speak to anyone about anything! Ugh so annoying!

I'm going to share some tips of mine that have somewhat help me:

- Wear things that make you feel good about yourself and confident. Whether if it's your favourite top you don't wear often, or a bright lip, or your hair curly/straight/up/down, just make sure if makes you feel the awesome you that you are!

- Stand up straight and even act proud of yourself - this will SHOUT confidence to others, especially those new ones you've never met!

- Give yourself a pep talk in front of the mirror before going to a social gathering. I have no idea why, but this works for me! I went to my boyfriends sister's wedding last year, did this, and I honestly made decent conversations with people for hours who I had never met in my life before.

- Do activities by yourself or with a friend or even in a group that will get you out of your comfort zone and getting yourself mixed in with all sorts of personality groups. Whether it be volunteering at your local animal/adoption shelter, rock climbing or going to events, it will really help you with interacting with people.

- Listen to your favourite music, eat your favourite food, and be loose before going somewhere you're nervous about. Tomorrow I have a group interview for a job and I'm so nervous because we're doing icebreakers (ICEBREAKERS... EEEK), but I have my favourite outfit planned, and I plan on dancing to the Biebs before leaving the house! Just to make me feel that little more relaxed.

Just remember, being shy isn't a bad thing. It's a part of who we are, whether you had something bring it on, or if you've had it forever (like mwa), we can together combat and hopefully become a little more outgoing and less scared about socialising.

I hope my tips helped a little bit!! Comment any tips you may have for myself and other readers.

Lots of love,
Courtney x

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I want to talk about what's been going on lately, and why I haven't been blogging too much in the past month. As this post goes live, I will currently be back at my parents for a few days before me and Cree move up North to Thunder Bay for the summer! We are moving as Cree got a co-op through his course at school, and we are so excited to be around all the provincial parks and lakes. Expect a lot of photo posts this coming summer! Anyway, let's get to why I haven't been blogging, some things a lot more exciting than others!

Firstly, I obviously had to quit my job for this move. I haven't really been enjoying my job for a while now, mainly because the work itself, and I just didn't feel comfortable with my team. It's been a very stressful month, and now that I have finally left, it's now time to get back on track with life, and start working out what I want to do!

My last day of work was April 22, my birthday!! Me and Cree didn't do a whole lot that night, as we had so much to sort out with the house, but I knew he had a huge surprise for me planned on Saturday. I packed an overnight bag for the Saturday night, and knew that obviously we were going to a hotel for the night. Finally Saturday at 1:30pm rolled around, and we jumped in the car. My parents were waiting for us at the Crowne Plaza in Niagara Falls... FANCY YES I KNOW! I walked in, took a few steps, and my best friend who flew all the way from Australia jumped out in front of me from behind the bed. I just looked at her with a blank face, trying to interpret what the hell was happening haha! Then finally I realised it was real life and just started crying and hugged her and wow it was an incredible day! We then went out for dinner and did some touristy things with her. 

After spending the whole week with Ella and Cree doing some fun stuff, reality finally set back in and it was time to get the house packed! With only 6 hours sleep, and another 14 hours packing furniture into storage, things into boxes, cleaning, then driving 3 hours back to my parents, we were in bed by 9pm.

The next two days calls for repacking our suitcase and boxes, and then setting off on our travels to the Great North of Ontario. I hope you're having a great week, and I promise I will be back sometimes this week!!

Lots of love,

Courtney x

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I am generally a happy, positive, go-lucky person, with big dreams, however sometimes this can weigh me down, make me feel useless and overall unhappy. The past few months haven't been the happiest times of my life - I have been trying to deal with my anxiety and moods, but sometimes they just overtake you (you can read about it more here). Sometimes I feel very angry, anxious and shaky, and other times  I feel empty and just need a good cry. So I wanted to share what I do on the days where I feel like the rooms are caving in on me, or when I feel overwhelmed by life. Of course, these aren't going to make every one feel better, but I hope at least one of them will make you feel more at ease when you need a pick-me-up.

1. Run yourself a bubble bath
This is my go-to remedy for clearing my mind and relaxing. Running myself a hot bubble bath, with candles, a tea, a book or my favourite TV show, really does help me rewind and calm down when I'm feeling stressed out or anxious. Plus this a really good excuse to visit Lush to buy all their incredible bath products right!?

2. Listen to your favourite music
Music is a powerful art form that can be expressed to anyone on so many platforms. The different moods it can make you feel is indescribable. So why not listen to your favourite songs and sing along with them. Recently I've been listening to a lot of old Justin Bieber to just carelessly sing along to.

3. Go for a drive
I love getting in the car and just driving. Crank up your favourite music, wind down the windows and just hop on a road and drive. I feel as though for me this is a type of meditation. I love jumping in the car when I'm down, to drive, or to get icecream. Just anything to get me out of the house and not letting my mind wander.

4. Meet up with a friend
Sometimes I'm in a bad mood because I'm lonely. In this case I call a friend or Cree and go for a coffee, or sit outside, just to talk and have a presence around other than my own. Chat about things in their life, exciting things in yours - just don't dwell on your bad day, because we're trying to make it better, not worse.

5. Get outdoors
Kind of like the driving tip - get outdoors, smell the roses and enjoy the sunshine. I get in moods if I stay inside all day. I need my fresh air, and even if it's a 5 minute walk around the garden, that's good enough. Go for a run if you're really feeling energetic, this can help some people clear their minds and use their energy on the run itself, rather than their thoughts.

6. Write lists
I am always making lists. It helps free up some space in my mind, and relieves the stress and pressure of remembering something later. You can also write down your feelings - kind of like a journal if that helps you. Write these down on paper with a pen, not your phone or computer.  There's something about writing free-hand with lists and your feelings.

7. Bake treats
I love my treats, and if I bake them myself, I get a sense of accomplishment. Baking not only takes your mind off things for a little while, but you'll find it's very therapeutic to your body. Plus you'll have yummy things in your pantry too!

8. Pet an animal
This is one of my favourite things to do, no matter what I'm feeling. I have guinea pigs I can snuggle with and pet, and I just find it so relaxing! Obviously not all of you will have pets you can do this with. Go to a friends house who has one, or go to your local pet store or animal rescue. This is another form of meditation for me. Animals just bring so much joy to my life.

9. Keep perspective
Write down on that piece of paper you have, 3 things you're grateful for. This is so simple but so effective. You'll soon realise this feeling will pass, and will not matter in a year from now. Keep on going.

10. Go to bed early for a good nights sleep
We all find it difficult to wake up in the morning, if we haven't had our 7-8-9 hours of sleep. So make sure you wind down before going to bed, spray your pillows with a mist, or drink a tea, or read a book snuggled up - this will help your mind wind down, and will allow you to drift off into a nice peaceful sleep.

You'll figure it out. Like anything, every one has their own ways of dealing with things. Please let me know in the comments what you do to calm down or make you happier.

Lots of love,

Courtney x

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I've never really thought I would ever be one to live with something outside of the "normal." Throughout high school, I was smart, had a lot of friends, and used to love going out and socialising. I had no issues with speaking in front of my class, because I knew each of them individually, and hung out with almost all of them outside of school. Then I had to move countries, and it all came to a sudden reality that I had been living with anxiety for a lot longer than what I had known.

I have always been a shy person around new people, that's just me and my personality, but I have never been one to have a hard time making friends. And coming to Canada, knowing no one, I have had an extremely hard time making a bond with someone. Obviously I have Cree now, but I don't have a girl friend I can call and say lets go shopping. I am literally sat in every weekend, because I don't have the social skills anymore. I try and make an effort when we go places yes, but it is really hard.

I first realised when I was living with anxiety when I started a new job. I would feel like the room was closing in around me, like I was really claustrophobic, cold sweats, knees weak, therefore causing me to almost faint every time. This happened several times that year, and I genuinely thought it was just something that happened to everyone. But then I realised that this had happened in the past, in Australia, when my life was easy and stress-free (aka, I had school, a job, friends, and no money issues). I then realised that this was something out of the ordinary, and it had to do with me.

I find it very difficult to talk to new people my age now. I find it hard to socialise at parties, and strike up conversations to make friendships. I cry and breakdown sometimes, out of nowhere. I get emotional about the most trivial things, and my mind takes over. I lay in bed some nights, with thoughts running through my head, about things that may have happened weeks ago. 

This year I really want to try and starting saying yes to more things, get back out of my comfort zone, and live my life how I would've if I was still living in Australia. I need to stop caring about what others think of me, and stop worrying about things I can not change. This is 2016, and me writing this post is a wake up call to myself that I need to take a step back once in a while and enjoy reality, because as I am writing this, I feel as though I haven't been living my life to the fullest. Here's to a year of happiness, gratitude and stepping out into the world!

Lots of love,

Courtney x

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2015 was the year of emotional highs and lows, big changes, and life lessons learnt. I've recently realised how quickly the years are going all of a sudden. I remember Christmas of 2014 like it was yesterday, and feel like I didn't make the best of 2015. That is why I am writing this. I want to reflect, and remind myself that yes, maybe I wasn't the happiest all the time, but look at what you've achieved!

This time last year, I was waking up to go to a job which I absolutely hated. My boss was a manipulative, conniving bully, who I'm pretty sure made it her best efforts to make my day worse than the one before. After being there for 1.5 years, working my butt off for the company, and having no recognition for the things I was doing for them, I realised pretty quickly it was time to find something else. 

In June, I left that job, and had two months off work. This gave me thinking time, about what I really wanted to do. Me and my family went on vacation to Washington DC & New York for 14 days, which was the best holiday I have ever been on. Although we were on our feet every single day, I knew travel was in my nature. I loved it!

I then came back home, and started packing up my life to move in with Cree. He was in school 2.5 hours away from where I lived, and I knew I did not want to travel every fortnight for the weekend, in the snowy winter nights. After throwing all the pros and cons on paper, I knew that where I should be was with him. We were so excited to move in together, but the next challenge was ahead of me... to find a new job.

I am not one to speak highly of myself, or know what I'm good at, or even know what my hobbies are, but I knew what had to be done. I spent almost 3 weeks searching and applying for jobs. I was getting desperate. I then sent my resume to an optometrist office in Niagara Falls, not even expecting a response. She emailed back for an interview the next day, and within 1 week, I had a new job as an Optometric Assistant. I was over the moon!

We then knew we were on a time limit, so we started frantically looking for a house to live in. Thankfully Cree's friends were also looking, so that gave us some more movement on the rent prices we were looking at. I wasn't so keen on moving in with four guys, with being a girl, and needing my personal space. But it hasn't been at all that bad. Me and Cree have our own area downstairs, and I work all day anyway so I'm hardly even at home. I will however mention that I am so very excited to move into a clean space that I can call "home" with Cree, and ONLY CREE! Haha

Since then, I have just been an emotional wreck. With not having any girlfriends here yet, it makes it tough when you want to go shopping, or go out for brunch. I still get very homesick to Australia, and that is one of the many reasons why I started writing on a blog. It keeps my mind from the negative thoughts, and keeps it active.

I know I need to make a lot of mind changes in 2016, starting with moving on from my old life, and to start writing more things on my blog for you guys. Here's to better change for 2016!!!

Lots of love, 
Courtney x

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It's finally that time of year where you get to whip out your Christmas Tree and get to put on carols while spending a lazy Sunday afternoon decorating it. For some, this sounds like an expensive chore where you have to run around shop to shop and max out on your credit card, just to get that nice looking tree. I'm not saying my tree this year is gorgeous or outstanding, but it is pleasing to the eye and it definitely got me into the festive spirit putting it up today. 

I don't live at home anymore. I've had to learn pretty quickly how to budget and know where to spend my money that will make it worth my while. Yes, I could've opted not to put up a tree this year and save myself some dosh, but Christmas makes me so happy. I wait the 50 weeks of the year to literally wrap presents, bake some cookies and top the tree with a gold star. So yes, of course I need a Christmas Tree in my living room!

Lets start with where I got my tree. I got lucky and didn't spend a cent on this one. My neighbours gave it to me at no charge, and yes it's fake, but I don't have the time or the money or the tools to go out and chop down my own this year :( Christmas tree's in department stores range from $150-$1000+ which is totally ridiculous. Go check out your local Goodwill, or local garage sales. You'd be surprised at what you can find for a decent price.

I got the gold and red smaller baubles, the gold star topper, and the gold glitter flowers from the Dollar Store. Literally. It cost me $15, and I'm so happy with them. No they're not shatter proof, and yes the glitter goes everywhere when you handle them, but they look exactly the same to the $20-$40 baubles you'd buy elsewhere. I wasn't going to buy a star for the top, because I like to spend most of the money on this. I'm not going to lie, this one does look a little cheap and tacky, but hay, it would look bare if there wasn't something to top it off with. 

The gold glitter flowers are so cute! They came in a pack of 3, and I wish I had brought more. They're on a clip, so you don't have to worry about tying strings, you just clip it on to the end of a branch. They're the perfect size for my little tree, and honestly, for $2 I think they're so pretty.

I also found these prefect little red glitter stars in a pack of 2 at the Dollar Store, so I got two packs. Then I saw these little pine cones sprinkled with gold glitter, topped with cranberries and leaves. These are so cute! I saw them and knew they had to be on my tree. I thought they both would look great among all the other gold and red decorations.

I then realised my tree had no Christmas lights, which is basically a Christmas tree must-have. So I took a trip to Canadian Tire my local hardware/auto/electronic/homeware shop. I found little cheap LED white lights that just plug into the wall. I personally don't like battery operated ones because 1) you need batteries, and 2) I don't find the lights are bright enough. I then took a quick trip down the Christmas aisles, and fell in love with all their decorations. I found myself a pack of 6 gold pine cones, just to fill in any sparse spots on the tree, and 3 red plaid plushed stars and hearts with a little button in the center. These were on one of their displayed Christmas tree's, and I absolutely needed these little cushioned decorations on my tree.

Just finished if off with some minty candy canes, and wah-lah! You have a completed Christmas Tree that looks pretty damn good in my opinion, for the fraction of the cost. 

TOTAL COST OF THE TREE - $48

Dollar Store - $15

Canadian Tire - $30

Candy Canes - $3

I am going to go buy a new tree and some newer/nicer decorations after Christmas, for next year. That way I'm prepared and will still get a good deal on everything.

Lots of love, 
Courtney x

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Some of us like to create bucket lists for our lifetime, some of us like to set goals for the upcoming months. I don't really like to do either because the lists I've created in the past written for the rest of my life gives me inspiration yes, but most of the things on there are so unrealistic. And on the other hand, I'm not really a long-term goal setter. So I thought I'd create a list of things that I want to do, things I want to achieve, places I want to go, things I want to read, etc for 2016. To me, these are not necessarily "new years resolutions", they're things I want to improve on and bring into my life to become a better person, and start to figure out who I am and what I enjoy doing.

♥ Travel to a place I've never been before
♥ Start a capsule wardrobe with items that make me feel good
♥ Join a gym & actually go
♥ Start planning date nights every 1-2 weeks with my partner
♥ Try yoga
♥ Drink more water
♥ Don't eat fast food for at least 1 month
♥ Do a good deed every day
♥ Start reading books
♥ Go to a concert or festival
♥ Bake more
♥ Gets savings account looking healthier
♥ Over prepare then go with the flow
♥ Get own apartment
♥ Make breakfast a priority
♥ Downsize my plates
♥ Unplug and unwind - take a bath, read, go for a walk
♥ Work hard, play harder
♥ Less weakness, more believing
♥ Spoil the ones I love
♥ Do something today, that your future self will thank you for
♥ Pamper day/night once a week
♥ Clean more often
♥ Have more patience
♥ No eating past 8pm
♥ Throw away things you don't need or use
♥ Stop getting upset about people or situations you can't change
♥ Start saving for retirement
♥ What others think of you is none of your business
♥ Think "In five years, will this matter?"

Hope these have given you some inspiration for your own bucket list or new years resolution / goals. Happy listing!!

Lots of love, xxx

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