White Chocolate Rocky Road

I have no idea if this is a retro recipe, but it has marshmallows in it and this is retro enough for me. I give you this recipe but I want to warn you, this rocky road is addictively delicious;)

Ingredients:

600 g white chocolate (you can of course also use milk or dark chocolate)

A bag of marshmallows

A handful of your favorite nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, ...)

200 gr. good quality soft gums.

50 gr. dried cranberies or raisins

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt them in the microwave (+/- 1.5 min.) Put the chocolate in the microwave again when everything has not melted.

Meanwhile, cut the other ingredients into small pieces. Mix everything with the chocolate and pour into a mold covered with baking paper.

Let everything stiffen in the fridge for a few hours. Once hard you can cut everything into (small) pieces and enjoy.

Easy, delicious and MMM ... so sweet!

Miss Poppy

How to deal with toxic people

 Everyone at one time has toxic people in their lives. This can really be very harmful for your wellbeing.

The best thing to do is cut them comepletely out of your live. But sadly that isn't always possible. And sometimes you have to find a way to deal with them.

1. Don't take their conduct personally. This is all about them, not you. Just try to ignore their behavior as much as possible.
2. Don't engage in their attempt to throw you of balance. They will try to manipulate you and work on your sense of responsibility and use your loved ones against you. They have the talent to revert the situation so you become the villain. This can be very frustrating but defending yourself will be in vaine, sadly.
3. Don't expect them to do "the right thing". Often they lack a sence of empathy and can only see the world from their point of view. 
4. That said, it doesn't mean you have to accept their behavior. You have to set bounderies with these people. Somethimes in a very harsh way because otherwise they don't get it.
5. Try to stay in a loving place towards them. They often don't realize that they are in a bad place and are struggling with themselves. Also, again, don't take their behavior personally. They treat everyone like this.
6. They may try to get under your skin and try to convince you that you are the bad person, all because you're standing up for yourself. And they are very good in convincing others in reversing things so you'll be the one with the bad attitude (that's also called gaslighting) and they are the victim. Stand your ground and do not question yourself, and no, you are not over sensitive.

All that said, there is no easy way to deal with them. I've experienced that myself in my own family.

They can really do a lot of harm and destroy relationships sadly.

Stay safe,

Miss Poppy

The advantages of having an alter ego

I'm certainly not the only one that has an alter ego. An alter ego is having a second self. Years ago even Beyonce created an alter ego to feel more at easy on stage. And I've found that having an alter ego can help you in many ways. One tip, don't go to far from your own personality. My alter ego ( Miss Poppy) is someone who I strive to be, my better self.

So here are some advantages:

1. It can help you to step out of your comfort zone. I've done many things that otherwise would scare me to death. Like recording my Christmas songs.
2. It can help you make other and better decisions. When I have a challenge, I often pause and think: What would Miss Poppy do? That can give you an other perspective.
3. You can accentuate your positive characteristics through your alter ego. And devellop them further.
4. During difficult times you can distance yourself from the situation and get a better grip on things. Your alter ego can come to the rescue if you feel your losing it.
5. And having an alter ego is also about having fun.

How can you create an alter ego for yourself?

1. First ask yourself why you want an alter ego. Is it to be more confident? Do you want to be more outgoing?.... It is very important to know what direction you want to go.
2. Create your alter ego's personality. Are you bold, outgoing, brave... This should be in line of your own personality.
3. How does your alter ego looks. Create an image, how to dress, act,...
4. And then pick a name. 

After all of that, start to have fun with your new self.

Kisses,

Miss Poppy

Tips to live a luxury lifestyle on a budget

Recently my income has gone way down. As I like to keep the lifestyle I had, I've been looking for ways to substain that as much as possible.

These are my tips:

1. Choose a cheaper substituut. I'm a real Chardonnay lover so I swopped my normal brand with some Chardonny in 3L box. You might have to try some before you find something to your taste. But it worked great for me, and that can be applied to almost anything.
2. As for clothes, go for the classics: white blouse, black pants, cardigan, plissé skirt...You can always find replica's of the more expensive brands. If your consience is bothering you (because, yes, cheap clothes are not always produced the decent way) Try a thift store. Maybe you can find a bargain on an expensive brand. I got this dress for only 12€.
   
   
   
    
3. Look for discounts, yes it's pretty obvious but it can save you lots of money. Also don't buy anything you already have a simular item of. (so no 2 black cardigans)
4. Buy artificial jewelry. I buy a lot from shops like Kruidvat and C&A. Noone sees the difference unless they are professionals. And even then, who cares...
5. You can travel luxurious by traveling off season, to a less expensive location, And try asking for an upgrade for your room. Do you have any fancy hotels in your city? Maybe you could just hang out in the lobby for a little bit and take it all in. What do you notice? People walking through in their sharp outfits…women’s stilettos clacking on the floor…it makes you want to sit up straighter and get taken a bit more seriously, doesn’t it?
6. Save for higher quality possibilities. Sometimes a girl needs a bit of spoiling, so don't rule that out entirely.

So, hope this helps you on the way and if you have any more tips, leave them in the comments below.

XXX

Miss Poppy

Ten tips to clean up your retro wardrobe.

1. If you didn't wear the garment last year, get rid of it. Obviously, you don't feel well in this garment.
2. See what you need and what you already have, if there are already 3 black cardigans in your closet, don't invest in another one (as much fun as it is)
3. Invest in basic pieces: classic black dress, white blouse, ballerinas ...
4. Buy the right size, don't buy clothes for when you will lose those extra pounds, also no one likes to wear clothes that are too tight.
5. Put together outfits with what you already have, so you can see what you are missing in your wardrobe
6. Invest in accessories, they are a relatively inexpensive way to pimp your outfit and they will be loyal through thick and thin (haha, do you get it?)
7. Don't be convinced to buy something because it is on sale. If you are not going to wear it, it is a bad investment anyway.
8. Invest in shoes: classic black pumps, easy step shoes, summer sandals ...
9. Mix retro and vintage, it doesn't have to be all new and expensive. Some things like handbags get more beautiful with time.
10. Leave some room for drama: a little fake fur, an exotic dress, a showy pair of earrings, bright colors ... It doesn't have to be perfect and so too serious.

❤

Miss Poppy

10 tips to live with high sensitivity

High sensitivity is not a condition or disorder. You can't get rid of it. High sensitivity is a personality trait with advantages and disadvantages. 

Throughout my life, I’ve been deeply affected by bright lights, strong scents, itchy clothing, and loud noises. I know that once I got a terrible headache from the lavender bags my aunty made for me and she got really angry about it.

During childhood a was told that I was oversensitive and that I shouldn't exaggerate. So many highly sensitif people feel rejected. We feel like we don't belong. We feel different and misunderstood. Many of us try very hard to toughen up to fit in, to be 'normal'. Of course that doesn't work and this makes us very insecure.

Here are some tips enjoy your personal trait more and to grow more secure.

1. Stop making excuses for what and who you are. People who respect you will accept you the way you are, even if they don't always understand your reactions. The first step is accepting yourself and being proud of your assets. Think of the richness in how we feel the world arround us. The music we intensely enjoy and range of the colours we see.
2. We tend to be pretty hard on ourselves, so practice self-compassion. Be very forgiven for yourself. You should treat yourself like you would a dear friend. Never forget that.
3. Sometimes we get stuck in the emotion. We loose ourselves and are making things worse. If that's happening it's time to take a step back. It can help to talk to a friend who can put everything in perspective for you. Or you can try to distract yourself with a complicated task. Try to see everything back in right point of view. Learn how to recognize your emotions. Remember that distressing feelings, like anxiety, sadness, and feeling overwhelmed will be temporary.
4. Feeling rejected is something that is very common. Everyone is against you. Do not interpret your fellow man. You can't possibly know what he thinks of you unless he actually tells you. So if someone doesn't smile at you, it's not because they are angry but maybe they had a bad day.
5. We all have a big sence of justice and can get very worked up about that. But keep in mind, not every battle is your battle.
6. Do not try to please people by acting how you think they want you to be. You betray yourself and it is at the expense of your self-esteem.
7. If you have a emotional outburst, don't be hard on yourself. You were pushed too long, too hard, too intensely, at some point the bucket is full. Many times I've tried to point that out to my surroundings but many times they didn't respect my bounderies and kept pushing. So this passionate response was required. And even if I personally don't like losing my temper, sometimes it can't be avoided. 
8. Take many breaks during the day if possible, and try to get in touch nature. Nature is soothing and calms the spirit. If that's not possible then take a bath or listen to calming music.
9. Set your bounderies, this is a difficult one. Many people will try to push your limits. Pratice how to say no, how to say this is not acceptable. You will get resistance, don't give in.
10. We feel things deeply but may hide our emotions from others, because we’ve learned to retreat. Try not to do that, but speak about them to friends and family (only when your calmed down) 

Have a nice evening,

Miss Poppy

9 tips on how to stay sane in insane times.

Times are tough and it's difficult for everyone. But keep in mind that there's always someone who's in worse pickle than you are.

As for me, it's pretty challenging at the moment. At the end of 2019 life threw me some pretty nasty curveballs and ever sinds I'm going through some very painful and though times. So Covid-19 has made it only harder.

And yes, I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of people who have it a lot worse.

So how do you stay sane when you think you cannot handle all the worries anymore?

First of all I'll have to admit that there are times that I totally freak out and collapse. The trick is not to stay down and get up again, even if it's no picnic. 

Here are my 9 top tips:

• Keep holding on to the routine that you had before. Make a planning for your day. It's a good thing to do that at the end of the day before.
• Even when you have to stay home, reach out to friends and family.
  Stay connected through social media, facetime... Or call a helpline, anything that helps you to talk about how you feel.
• Move, yes, do some excercise, even in your tiny appartment you can do this.
  Look on youtube for some inspiration and make sure you do something you can stick to.
• If you have a bad day, that's ok. Don't beat yourself up over it. You are human and not every day has to be a good day. Just go with it, take things slow if you can. This will pass.
• Pamper yourself frequently. Take a bath, meditate, make a yummy meal, listen to music... Whatever works for you. You can never pamper yourself enough.
• Stay busy. I don't care if you start knitting or fill in some crossword puzzles. Keep your mind busy and focussed on something else then what's going wrong with your life.
• Take it day by day. Everyday is a new day. So yesterday doesn't matter. Start with a clean slate every day, and don't look back if yesterday didn't go as you wanted. There is no point in worrying about it.
• Before you go to sleep, write down 3 things that made you happy today.
  That is a very good way to end your day.
• And if you had it with these tips and need to let out some steam. Just scream, weap, punch a pillow... It's ok. You are not alone.

Hope this helps. 

Miss Poppy