Great books for a happy 2018

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It’s the start of a new year so if you go into any bookshop or look online there are a whole host of books promising a healthier, fitter, happier you.

We thought we would share our favourites, so you can buy something you think will work for you.

With an enthusiasm for life and an impressive mop of dark curls, Joe Wicks has yet another book out in 2018. Inside the glossy cover of his ‘Fat-Loss Plan’ are a series of recipes and exercise routines that are designed to help you achieve a fit, lean and healthy body. We love the steak taco with lime salsa, we are pretty partial to his goodness packed veggie super bowl and are impressed that he has included some sweet treats to keep you motivated on those dark January nights. With more than four million followers on social media, we are pretty sure this book will be as much of a success as the others.

With endorsements from Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Lily Cole, it is little wonder that ‘Self Care for the Real World’ is flying off book shelves around the world. Sisters, Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips, use this book to get to the heart of how to look after yourself if you often putting others first. From changing out of your work clothes when you get home, to having regular hot baths and meditating, this fantastic book shows you that even when the waves of life are high, you can keep grounded and well. We think this self-preservation read has ‘buy me’ written all over it.

For something a bit different, we love the Judgement Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living a Better Life. By Gabrielle Bernstein, a life coach and #1 New York Times bestselling author, this book explores the notion of being judged as well as judging others, something that is part of modern-day and a block to happiness for many. Bernstein uses a six-step programme that includes yoga, meditation and other healing teachings to allow readers to let go of judgement and find inner peace.

Even if you don’t want to lose weight, Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kerridge has a new book out full of low-fat recipes that are beyond tasty. His experiences in the kitchen have been blended with a personal weight loss journey and the results on the pages of ‘Lose Weight for Good: Full-flavour cooking for a low-calorie diet’ are amazing. The warm halloumi salad, sweet potato and black bean burritos and sticky pork chops are good but for us the winner has to be the baked doughnuts with sweet five-spice dust. Genius!

Journaling isn’t anything new, but we have fallen in love with the ‘The Wellbeing Journal’ that’s been created in partnership with the mental health charity, Mind. The beautiful pages of this gorgeous book include activities, drawing prompts, inspirational quotes together with space for writing and reflecting on your thoughts so you can have a more creative, positive life.

Team Pure-Beauty

Make 2018 the year to go freelance

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accountant, activities, basics, best friend, Blogger, book keeper, boring, Breakfast meetings, buffer, business opportunities, business plan, cake, competition, creative, cylinders, daily commute, design websites, dream, equipment, evening event, excitement, finance, flexibility, fly solo, focus, freelance, full time freelancing, full-time job, growth, hard cash, holidays, HR, insurance, investment, IT, location, logo, love, lunches, magazine, Marketing and PR, marketing plan, mistake, money, name, new venture, offerings, out there, own boss, people, PR, professional, realistic goals, reality, research, school mate, skills, small print, social media, synergy, tax, think, unexpected costs, up and running, VAT, water cooler conversations, website

Fed up of the daily commute?

Had enough of mundane water cooler conversations?

Sick and tired of Sarah in IT and Jo in HR making your life a misery?

Then maybe it is time to go freelance.

While you might not have the security of a 9-5 role, a monthly salary or 21 days holiday a year, being your own boss does offer you flexibility and the chance to do what you love but on your terms.

We aren’t saying hand your notice in now, but have a think about what you want to do and if you consider the points below, we think you might start making that dream a reality.

Have a plan
Create a business plan that looks at finance, growth, location, activities and skills. This don’t need to be anything long or fancy but setting things out in black and white can give you a focus and realistic goals.

Network
Breakfast meetings, lunches and evening events are all greats ways to start making connections even if you are still in a full-time job. If you are nervous, why not go with a friend and then swap notes at the end of the session?

Contacts
The old saying, ‘it’s who you know not what you know’ is very true when you start a new venture. Maybe your best friend works on a magazine, your old school mate is a blogger or you know a couple of people who design websites or do PR? Make the most of the people you know and it could well be there is synergy between you and them that could lead to business opportunities.

Look at the Competition
You might be able to make a mean cake or write a really creative marketing plan – but so do loads of other people out there. Do your research, check out the competition and work out what makes you different and where your offerings would site in the market place.

Think About the Money
Let’s not beat about the bush, starting out requires hard cash investment and you are going to need this, so start planning. Look at how much money you need to start your business, what equipment you would need, and before you make a start make sure you have a buffer saved up for those unexpected costs and quiet patches. It might even be that you need to work part-time for a while to get things up and running and keep money coming in, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Marketing and PR
This is something you can do as you get ready to take the next step of full-time freelancing. Decide in a business name, get a logo, set up your social media feeds and ensure you have a website in place. All of this takes time, and money, but if you get the basics set up in the background, when you are ready to go, people will be able to find when you when you are open and firing on all cylinders.

Small Print
The excitement of setting up something new can mean the details get left behind, but this isn’t a mistake you want to make. Finding an accountant or book-keeper, registering for tax, considering VAT status and researching professional insurance might seem boring, but they need to be done and will make you more efficient and professional in the long run.

Location, Location, Location
When you work for someone else, you go to their premise day in and day out but when you fly solo it is a very different matter. You need to make sure you have a base to work from and one that is ideally close to local amenities, has a decent internet connection and phone support as well as good transport links.

Whatever you do, if you have a dream, go for it.

Team Pure-Beauty