advice

In the past few months, I have taken my activism offline and out onto the streets in support of causes I care about, so, I thought I would share some essential tips for first-time protesters, as I know it can be a little overwhelming when you don’t know what to expect. These tips can apply to a mix of protests and marches, although they are heavily influenced by the recent Extinction Rebellion actions that took place in London.

Work out if protesting is for you…

Taking action in real life isn’t for everybody, no matter how much we’d like to be supporting a cause. This can be for a whole array of reasons, whether it’s to do with mental health, physical health and abilities, age, race or even location; the list goes on.

Although my personal protest experience is still fairly limited, I’ve experienced a few different variations of protest; from peaceful marches (such as the 2018 Women’s March in Florence, Italy and one of the initial Youth Strike for Climate marches in London), to small intimate direct calls for change (such as the protest in support of the Bangladesh Accord in 2019) and even the larger scale and long-lasting protests of Extinction Rebellion.

In my own experience, the sense of community from all of the various protests I’ve been a part of has alleviated many of my concerns and anxious feelings. Once you’re amongst your people – I say ‘your people’ because you are all coming together for the same cause, after all – you’ll realise that you’re not alone and whatever you’re trying to achieve can be done as a united group.

I don’t feel confident in giving one set piece of advice on working out whether protesting is for you because everyone is so different (and so is every strike, march and protest), however, if being alone is a big concern to you, either stay put until you can find a protesting friend to join you on the journey or be open to meeting new people on the day (more on this later).

Put safety first and come prepared…

Here is your protest starter kit, which you can comfortably pack into a backpack:

*Why a phone number? Because, depending on the protest’s actions, you could be putting yourself in the position of possible arrest. This doesn’t necessarily apply to all protests but it’s recommended if you want to put your mind to ease, especially if your memory isn’t the strongest. Use a pen and write a helpful number on your arm (whether this is a parent/guardian or close-friend).

*For food, I suggest a snack box filled with fruit or on-the-go snacks like crisps and biscuits. For a larger option, if you know you won’t be able to easily access a shop or a full meal during the day, I suggest stocking up on something simple (and plastic-free!) like a Gregg’s vegan sausage roll. Sorry for being exclusionary if you don’t live in the UK.

Assess the situation for you and you only…

This is super important to remember because everybody attends protests for different reasons, and we all have our own personal limitations and boundaries. For example, when joining in with the actions of Extinction Rebellion’s International Rebellion, I knew I did not want to put myself in the position to be arrested.

It wasn’t because I didn’t care enough to stand up for my cause, it was because I knew I wouldn’t have been able to cope with it or manage it on my own. I made it very clear with the groups of people I teamed up with on the days I was there and I also made sure to stay vigilant when I was in prominent police presence.

(I will note that theoretically, you should only get arrested if you want to get arrested. You are given warnings if you are partaking in an arrestable action (like road-blocking), so, you can decide whether to move on or face the consequences.)

However, as a speaker during the Rebellion mentioned, this is particularly important to be mindful of if you are part of a minority or are a person of colour, as systemic racism is apparent and we cannot ignore that, especially in a scenario where illegal actions may be happening. If you are a white person, pay attention to and support those around you, particularly those you know are already made more vulnerable.

Look and listen…

On a similar vein, it’s vital to pay attention to what is actually going on around you, within the protest. If you ever feel unsafe or uncertain, make sure to pull yourself out of that situation, even if it means leaving others behind. This applies to just needing to rehydrate or find food, as well. If we don’t look after ourselves, it’s a lot harder to look after others (and the planet!).

Also ensure that you are listening to those leading the way, whether that be the group leading a protest or whether that’s the police. Non-violent and peaceful protests are collective actions which involve listening and working together, as a team.

Find your people…

As I’ve briefly already mentioned, if you are alone and feel slightly lost and unsure, I highly recommend finding others who are in a similar boat, even if this means going out of your comfort zone and introducing yourselves to groups of strangers.

Not only will this make you less vulnerable but it will also make your experience much more enjoyable – because even if protests are usually focusing on a pressing issue, they can also be a way to lift your spirits.

Extinction Rebellion is particularly great at ensuring nobody is left alone, not only because they advise buddying up but also because the group is so close-knit and supportive. My Instagram feed is now scattered with fellow-protesters that I’ve met along the way and I experienced some truly beautiful moments with them – like sitting in the middle of Oxford Circus, sharing biscuits with strangers as the sun was setting. That’s not something you do every day.

Also, remember to look out for local groups which are focusing on issues you care about closer to home, as often larger protests are held in capital cities which makes them less accessible to those who would have to travel.

I’m now part of my local Extinction Rebellion group which has meetings once a week, to discuss plans for local actions and to express our climate-related thoughts and feelings in an open and honest space.

Those are some very basic tips for attending your first protests! If you have any more questions, ask away in the comments…

Let’s be honest here – caring about the planet, whether you are a content creator or an everyday citizen, can be massively overwhelming…

WHAT I WORE: Dress (Jumble sale) // Neven Low Sneakers (YATAY)* // Snake Necklaces (DIY) // Double Pandan Hair Sticks (SAYA)* 

Becoming more familiar with the harsh realities of the world, has at times, taken its toll on me. It’s especially overpowering when you realise almost every part of your life has a sustainable impact and that the only ways of combatting that could be going off the grid, becoming a naturist and only ever eating the food you grow yourself. Ideal for some; unrealistic for a lot of us.

Even if you aren’t massively into sustainability or learning about the environment or how your clothes are made, I would expect you have at some point sensed impending doom simply from watching the news or scrolling through your Twitter feed.

In my opinion, it’s not that we necessarily live in the worst era of existence, it’s just that we are more able to be involved and within the conversation surrounding all the negative issues at hand. If it wasn’t for social media or the internet, most of us would have a far poorer understanding of what is going on around the world and how little is being done to change it.

Libraries, books and even newspapers are of course still an incredible offline resource but sadly, unless we’re looking for an extremely specific piece of information from years gone by, scouring through physical pages isn’t always efficient or as up-to-speed enough in this day and age.

However, as I say, digital-learning comes with a downside. I can be hard to switch off from the world and not become intensely emotionally involved with the stories and the information we read. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t be – I thrive off of having access to such important educational materials (and I’m very grateful for that) – but, I can’t deny that it can be upsetting and stressful at times.

In a piece by The Daily Campus, this issue is discussed in more detail, highlighting the impact activism (whether it be online or offline) can have on your mental health. Although the piece is specifically targetted towards those fighting the good fight after the 2016 US election, the advice within the piece still rings true for other matters, too.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of my own advice, in order to soften the blow of issues which might be as close to your heart as they are to mine, whether it be climate change, pollution, exploitation, capitalism or everything else in-between. You might even want to bookmark and revisit this page when you’ve had a good read of the rest of my blog. I’d understand…

~ WHO MADE MY HAIR STICKS? ~
SHOP SAYA

Wayan and Yudi who are two young men originally from Java (East Indonesia) and came to Bali for work as wood carvers. They take SAYA‘s drawings to create prototypes by hand using simple tools and techniques. SAYA pre-selects recycled root wood material from suppliers in Bali and have it delivered to Wayan and Yudi’s family houses and workspaces which is where they continue the detailed process of carving, sanding and polishing our pieces to a high-quality standard.

Have an online escape platform…

I use most of my social media platforms as ways to communicate with like-minded, intelligent and informative people. I unfollow people who don’t engage me how I’d like to be engaged with and I follow accounts that post about relevant topics or from perspectives I might not be as familiar with. I’ll always promote the idea of using your platforms and your audiences for good but I would highly recommend also having an escape from that.

For me, my digital escape-road is Tumblr. I use it for what might be classed as my ‘guilty pleasures’, such as my favourite TV shows, aesthetically pleasing imagery and for talking to people who are detached from the world of sustainable activism. It’s refreshing and allows me to have that slice of the internet that, for the most part, will keep my stress levels (or even levels of fear) to a minimum.

Read books…

With social media, I’d say there is fast-becoming this pressure to respond to absolutely every piece of news that enters our content stream. I know that I can feel guilty for not covering every topic or cause for concern but it’s important to understand that we all have our own battles to fight and we don’t have to be a spokesperson 24/7. We don’t have to tweet our condolences or our thoughts of concern if we know that there is a much larger issue at hand that cannot be solved in 280 characters.

That’s when books come in to play because it allows me to continue educating myself without that pressure or feeling of needing to join in the conversation publicly. There are no reply or share buttons on book pages (at least not physical paper books) which means we can keep our thoughts to ourselves or save them for later when we feel we might want to share them. It can help you digest the information in your own time rather than rush to try and process it for everybody else.

The book featured in this post is a collection of consumption-themed poems by Wilson Oryema, which I originally featured in my illustrated wishlist. I highly recommend this, especially for anyone on a gift hunt for a consciously-minded friend!

Don’t be too hard on yourself…

I always take a big sigh of relief when I see somebody who I presumed was almost perfect (whether that be in terms of living sustainably or having an Instagrammable life), being honest and open about how they’re not. I’d like to say that my blog is a space for embracing that; I’m nowhere near being the best example of a sustainable activist (plastic and waste feel impossible to avoid) and hopefully, you all know that.

Evolving and adapting takes time, in no matter what context. So, remind yourself that even when somebody looks like they’ve got it down, they’re probably still working on it and improving as each day goes on.

Share the burden…

I’m not going to go back on what I said about digesting information on our own terms but I will say that sometimes we need to share and discuss things in order to make an issue seem less daunting to face. It’s one reason why I love Instagram Stories because I find my audience easily engages with questions and discussions I raise.

It’s like sharing a burden; often talking about what’s on your mind is the best medicine and hearing other people understand where you’re coming from can help you move forward. And who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something that will aid you in tackling the problem at hand more easily.

Try hands-on experience…

This year, I attended my first in-person activist event in the form of a Women’s March in Florence, Italy. Taking into account your mental state and giving yourself a break is vital, however, after experiencing group activism first hand, I realised that there is a huge difference between typing and doing. 

Proudly walking the streets with hundreds of other people, chanting and singing, can make you feel a lot less alone and a lot more empowered than creating and engaging in content online. It’s reenergizing in itself and it opens your eyes to how many other people are truly behind the issue, as well. If you have the opportunity to get out and contribute to a cause in person, I can’t recommend it enough.

How do you put your activist mind to rest? Let me know in the comments…

(This post is sponsored by and in collaboration with SAYA. All opinions are mine. Read my full PR disclaimer here.)

As I have done for the past two years on my blog, I’m going to be sharing with you some of my favourite blog posts of the year to round things off for 2016. This is a chance for you to catch up on what you missed, as well as time for me to reflect on what I’m most proud of myself. You can even go a step further by taking a read about my round-ups for both 2015 and 2014, too!

→ How to Combat Feeling Judged and Self-Conscious

At the beginning of the year I was asked a question about overcoming the idea of being judged and being self-conscious, and what I had to say seemed to go down positively. I still stick to these ideas and hope that some of you are still using my advice to become a more confident and carefree person! There’s even a to-do list so you can try and change your perspective on things, a little bit at a time.

☼ My Style Editorial: Desert Rebelle

I’ve always been interested in photography but 2016 was definitely a year for figuring out my style. I’m much more carefree with how I shoot things now. I don’t mind using a blurry picture or one which really captures a moment or a laugh, because that’s what makes a moment real. However, I also like more stylised shoots and this was one of the first where I played with both of those elements. Big hats off to Papa Posh (my dad) for kicking things up a notch this year!

★ Turning Sixteen

I’ve thrown this post into the list mainly for memory’s sake because it’s funny to think that you have no idea how a year is going to pan out, especially from a milestone’s point of view or from something memorable like a birthday. Turning sixteen means different things to different people, and I think reflecting on this post has made me realise it was about becoming stronger as a person, for me. My fifteen-year-old self would laugh at what my sixteen-year-old self has now been through!

▷ When in Florence… 

Although travelling in Italy has had its ups and downs, some of the places I’ve visited have been spectacular and I loved writing up my recap on Florence (Firenze). I’m sure I’ll return one day but for now, I have this summary to look back on and for you to read and take travel inspiration from.

✤ Accepting Change & Curating Your Personal Archive

As well as being a year of growth and building strength, 2016 has also been a year of defining who I am at this point in my life, so I shared with you why I think it’s so important to embrace that and how you’re going to change as you grow. It had a lovely response and some of the photographs are my favourites I’ve ever taken and put together. They were shot in an area badly affected by the earthquakes, so I’ll treasure them dearly.

→ Why Using Your Blog Audience to Make Change Is So Important

Over the past year or so, I’ve been making a purposeful change to make my content more impactful and inspiring in certain areas, more specifically in terms of ethical fashion. It’s my aim to change the way things work in an industry I so badly want to break into, but it’s also my dream to continue writing a successful blog, and with that comes some responsibility to try and inspire others too. I wrote about why I think bloggers and online influencers should be using their voices to make a change. If you’re a blogger, I hope you read this and it makes you think about what kind of content you’re publishing.

★ David Bowie Is in Bologna

Another travel post, but this time focusing on one of the greatest heroes which we sadly lost at the very start of the year. I was able to experience the magic of the David Bowie Is exhibition in Bologna at the start of August and it is still inspiring me now. I’ll never forget what an incredible artist Bowie was and is, and I hope that more and more young people start discovering his true talent for what it really is. Since then I’ve also attended his Lazarus musical in London and that too was mind-blowingly beautiful.

☼ Take Part Big Issues: #16in16

On the same vein as my post about turning sixteen, this year I took part in one of Take Part’s Big Issues. It focused on 16 young women turning sixteen in 2016, and was a truly empowering piece about the struggles and inspiring stories of myself and others of the same age. I still feel honoured that I was a part of such an exciting project!

✤ You Can’t Call Yourself a Feminist If You’re Supporting Fast Fashion

This is what I would call my most ‘intellectual’ piece of the year. Some topics are hard to approach without seeming too in your face, or without pointing out what someone is personally doing wrong, so this was quite a challenge to write but hopefully it has opened some more eyes about what is happening behind the labels of our clothes. I hope to touch on more of these sorts of issues in 2017, and hope you will appreciate them as much as you did this time around.

→ How to Grow up as a Teen Blogger

I was really surprised by the response to this post. It was genuinely lovely to see how a lot of you could relate, no matter what your age. I also loved connecting with readers who have been following me since practically day one. Thank you for supporting me throughout this wild journey, and throughout all of the changes. I appreciate your support no matter how long you’ve been following and for no matter what reason.

What was your favourite blog post of the year? Share one of mine or from another blog!

To finish things off, here’s my letter to the past year…

Dear 2016,
You started off my year by making me cry because our world had lost a hero. You made me smile a few months in when I received a message that would turn into friendship which I’ve treasured in some of your harder moments. You made me excited and grateful for the people around me, and you made my family bigger in more ways than one. You gave memories and sunshine and jokes to last for many years more, and you gave me opportunities to inspire myself to push further.

You changed my life in a matter of seconds. You let me see my life flash before my eyes. You made me terrified of my surroundings and the ground I stood on. You made me learn the true meaning of the word emergency and escape; family, home and security. You pushed me and tore me down but you didn’t let me stop. You taught me to never stop. Some things seem too big to handle; some things feel typical and ‘just our luck’, but none of it was ever too much. You made me strong and you made the world strong, even if at times it’s all felt so incredibly weak.

You haven’t been the worst year in history, so perhaps I’ll give you a little more credit. Thank you for letting me see the end of this year and the start of the new one, when I know so many won’t.

I’ve spoken about this topic before in this blog post about ‘sticking out like a sore thumb’, but I’m always happy to revisit the topic, especially if you guys are asking specifically, which you did… back in this blog post! If you’re interested in knowing how I’ve personally combated feeling judged and self-conscious and how you can too, then carry on reading…

I’m going to start out by saying that I’m definitely not in the worst position for being judged or for being self-conscious. There are so many variables that go into making you feel more insecure, some of which include your family and support group, your friends, your school or your work place.

I’m very lucky; I have a family that is truly supportive of me and I have parents that have never pressured me into being a specific type of person. I’m not trying to be judgey, but I know that so many people out there that do feel pressured or haven’t had the same sense of support, so I really do try not to take it for granted.

I’m also currently home schooled which means I don’t have the usual pressures that come with having peers around, although that doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced that sort of thing (I have, and I’ve written about that before too).

But, (like pressure at school), that doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced feeling judged or pressured or most importantly, self-conscicous. We all have, at some point in our lives so far, because every human judges, no matter how hard we try not to. Our brain scans things over when we meet new people, and when we see new faces in the street. It may be subconscious, but we all do it, so it’s rather hard to avoid, and that’s a crucial fact to remember.

For me personally, I’m most self-conscious about my exterior personality, although I’m at a place now that I’m, for the most part, whole heartedly happy with things. I’m happy in myself and how I come across as a person, but when it comes to how I appear, I think that’s where I hit a stumbling block. I met someone new a while back, and whilst I was getting ready on the day, the first thought that came into my head was – “Perhaps I should wear something a little more ordinary”. So, as you can see, I still expect and worry about being judged, no matter how confident I actually feel as a whole.

So, the question is – how do we get past things like that? How do we skip out those thoughts that make us pressured? How do we stop ourselves from shrinking back down into that mold of ‘being normal’ or ‘being perfect?’. Well, I’ve thought about it, and I know you’re no doubt going to think I sound crazy but… I like to think about the size of the world and the universe. Yup, you read me right… I’m getting deep.

Seriously though, sometimes it’s just great to put things into perspective. I know this won’t work for everyone, and it could quite possibly be just my teenage brain making me think about these sorts of things (my sister said she used to the same when she was my age), but honestly, when you realise how small and pointless these insecurities and fears are… you start to feel a whole lot better about yourself, and you start to look at other people around you in a whole new light.

~ YOUR PERSPECTIVE TO DO LIST ~

So, to do this, I’m going to throw in some facts about the universe. It would take 100,000 years to travel across the Milky Way. In the observable universe, there is estimated to be one hundred billion galaxies… so (according to physics.org) if you hold a grain of sand up to the sky, the tiny patch of sky that it covers, contains ten thousand of those galaxies. There’s a lot more to it than that as we all know, but those facts alone are enough to make you feel dizzy.

Nevertheless, I hope you can understand what I mean. Looking at everything in this perspective just makes me think – why should I care about that person across the road looking at me oddly for wearing something a little ‘different’ (what even is different, after all?) when there are so many bigger things to be worried about?

I also mentioned that this makes you look at other people in a whole new light, and it really does. I’ve started to just appreciate a smile, no matter who the person is wearing it. I don’t judge them or comment on the rest of them, I just appreciate what’s there and the beauty of it. Because honestly, once we’re happy in ourselves, we can start to appreciate everyone and everything else around us and we can start to make those people who felt the same way as us, get that little bit closer to being happy too.

  LOCATION: Sirolo, IT  🇮🇹

What you have to realise though, is that every single one of us goes through judgement and feelings of self-consciousness, so there’s no real way to ever combat it (like I mentioned in my sore thumb post). You just have to suck it up and start blurring things out because honestly, it’s always going to be there, no matter who you are… and in a way, that’s kind of the fun of it all.

When you do have those moments of confidence and when you finally do feel happy with how everything is… you’ll be able to look back and compare things with that perspective lens and realise there really was no point in worrying.

Did this blog post help you? Do you have any further questions about confidence? Leave a comment or fill out the form above!

Also… if you’d like to see a full outfit post for what I’m wearing here, do let me know! I’ve also just added a sneaky little feature to my blog in the form of Konami code. Have fun with that! Oh and just FYI, my next blog post is a good one! Watch out!

Other than fashion, another thing that I am wholly passionate about is… self-expression and just being yourself. I don’t really know where it came from, but it’s just always been there within me. The idea of everyone being themselves and embracing the fact that no one person is the same has just always been such an interesting and exciting concept to me…

~ (A LITTLE SNIPPET OF ME) ~

…and I want to share that. I know I’ve spoken a couple of times about the topic on here before (like with my “How To Soothe A Sore Thumb” or “Fat vs Thin” posts) but I really want to try and infuse it into Tolly Dolly Posh Fashion this year. It’s great too because being yourself ties into fashion really well. I mean, what’s the main way we all express ourselves? Through our clothes.

It’s one thing you can’t skip out one each day, so what you put on always channels some form of message. Seriously, you’re feeling a bit fed up and lazy? Putting on comfy clothes literally expresses that (we all do it – even though being yourself certainly isn’t all about fashion).

But the question is… how? I’m all about writing lengthy posts about my own experiences but I think this is one of those topics where we have to talk to each other about it. Does anyone remember when I did “The Ultimate Guide To Being A Teenager“? Well, that was a great example of me taking your questions and queries and creating content from them and I’m hoping it helped.

~ BEING YOURSELF ISN’T ALL ABOUT FASHION ~

Although I loved that yearly series and I’d be happy to bring it back, I’d also love to move forward and do something more regularly, whether that’s in the form of videos (yes I know, I’ve kind of gone off YouTube again haven’t I?) or Q&As, I don’t know, so that’s why I’m writing this post.

Let’s have a bit of a chat! I’m leaving a little submission form below for those of you don’t necessarily want to leave a full comment. Just let me know what sorts of topics you’d be interested in me talking about to do with self-expression and being comfortable in your own skin. Leave a single question if you like! Here are some ideas (they don’t even have to be obviously questions about being you… simple lifestyle type ones can be a good start)…