New Year, Blank Book

The truth is hard to handle and delivering the truth is an art. Therefore I’ve made it my goal to let everything in 2016 go through purity, honesty and writing. I look forward to 2017 being a year where I wear my heart on my sleeve, and hope that you do too.  A year where I forget about secrets, speak what I know, send reckless text messages and tell people that I love them or that I can’t believe they exist. I love being horribly straightforward, but often fear has stopped me from being so. 2017, I will live my life as straightforward as possible.

I’m going to stop apologising for all my soft. I won’t apologise because I miss you, or because I said it, or because I texted you first, or again. I think everyone spends too much time closing themselves off. I don’t want to be cool or to conform, I want to be honest. This brings me to 5 factors, and sometimes hurdles, in my life this past year – Education, Friendship, Social Life, Work and Connections.

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Oh, The Places We’ll Go → Coastal Walk

Cliff-tops, caves and coastline, that’s exactly what the Royal National Park (RNP) coastal track sounds like. I edited a short video to guide you through bits of the track and more importantly to Wedding Cake Rock and our final destination, Wattamolla beach. I noticed the video lags at certain points, but I made it quickly on my phone and couldn’t really fix it (sorry). This 12km hike is only part one of our journey in completing the entire track to Otford – a further 15km walk.

After a two hour travel via train and ferry, we arrived at Bundeena and took a 10 minute walk to the beginning of the coastal track. Feeling fit at this point, the sand, rocks and grates were no match to our fitness levels… or so we thought until another 20 minutes. Arriving at various cliff-tops was relaxing however, and both the breeze and crashing waves were soothing. There are lots of good photo opportunities not only at Wedding Cake Rock, but on the cliffs while making your way there! Be sure to stay safe on the cliffs though, maybe even ask a friend to hold your hand like Kim did. Better safe than sorry.

8 Reasons Why

Fun Fact: Watching one great movie is equivalent to the lessons learned from one entire year of living life.

I read this quote from the Psych2go page on Facebook (which I recommend you check out, it’s really interesting), and it got me thinking about the movies that have inspired and influenced my life.  Below is a list of the top 8 most inspirational movies that I’ve seen, but not only do they teach and motivate us, they’re also incredibly made!

The Pursuit of Happyness

“The Pursuit of Happyness” is a biographical drama film that was released in 2006. The movie is based on the true story of Chris Gardner’s nearly one-year struggle of being homeless, alongside his son. This incredibly emotional movie taught me a key lesson about life: you can’t let people discourage you from your dreams just because they have been unsuccessful themselves. This clip of the scene where Chris Gardner (Will Smith) and his son, Christopher (Jaden Smith) are on the basketball court explains exactly what I mean, and shows part of why I love this movie so much. I also admire how the film reveals that the road to happiness is full of setbacks but nonetheless, the main character never gives up on himself. He was always willing to keep going, take risks, and still remained hopeful during the darkest of times. This is exactly what I strive for and the film portrays these life lessons in such a meaningful way.

This part of my life… this little part… is called ‘happiness.’ – Chris Gardner

Reconsider

Imagining the future keeps people going, but nothing ever happens. You use the future to escape the present.
We are lost in a maze and people hear, but they don’t listen. They hear with the intent to reply, but we should listen with the intent to understand.

One place is where all collides,
one moment defines your life.

Emphasize the mood this post has given you by clicking this link

To Coogee and Beyond

Bondi Beach is the most famous of Sydney’s beaches, with Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly nearby.  A six kilometre cliff top coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee allows you to experience the amazing views, beaches, parks, bays and rock pools. My best friend, Kim, and I decided to tick this coastal walk off our bucket list and set off for Bondi Beach. After 1 hour and a half of travel (combination of a train and bus ride), the sun was peaking and our arrival to Bondi was met with 30 degree heat.

Bondi Beach

Immediately, as we followed the path for the walk, our eyes were
greeted with stunning views. We couldn’t help but take many photographs along the way. The walk has several staircases and a few steep gradient paths along the way however, there are many rest stops with great views and seating during the walk from Bondi to Coogee.

The Truth About “Heaven’s Trail”

Thomas Zimmer Photography

If you’re interested in travel as much as I am, you’ll probably recognise this amazing image. The single figure silhouetted at the end of a stairway that seems to lead into a trail of stairs has an unreal quality which evoked a sense of wonder and curiosity in me the first time I saw it. I was questioning whether it was a real place, or if it was just photoshopped like many other images on the internet recently. The breathtaking photograph was published online a couple of years ago with nothing but the caption: “There’s this place in Ireland where every two years, the stars line up with this trail on June 10th and June 18th. It’s called Heaven’s Trail.” Curious to find out more, I dug a littler deeper. Where was this place exactly? And how could the stars only line up with this trail every two years? Constellations follow an already predicted, annual pattern.

Be Your Own BFF

(Click image for credits)

Technically being the first post on my blog, I’d like to focus on two things:

•  Keeping positive and,
• You!

This post will hopefully help make – and celebrate – the best version of you.

We are often harder on ourselves than anybody else, but it’s time that we start being nicer to the person in the mirror. According to psychologists, it’s important to love and respect yourself as much as you do others. Understanding the affects of loving and respecting yourself will enhance your ability to do the same to others. This, in return, allows you to create positive energy and increases the chances of great things to occur in your life. Poor self-esteem is a huge challenge for countless people and it’s time to fight it. After all, low self-esteem is responsible for a whole lot of bad stuff – poor body image, feeling anxious and depressed, eating disorders, feeling inferior to others, and even bullying. And you are way too amazing to be plagued by any of that.

Introduction

Candid: truthful and straightforward; frank.

Just like the meaning of the name of my blog, I will provide my honest opinion and advice about certain aspects of life. Whether it be about current trends, travel or just personal documentations, this blog is dedicated to all those who read it in hopes that I create a positive outlet of creativity and peace of mind. My posts will also be supported by an image or video to further express my views on the subject or merely to explain my point more clearly. All will come in time however, and for now I will leave you to ponder over the quote,

Don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm.