Things (I Want) to do in August

Hello August!

I don't think I've ever been happier for a month to end. July was absolutely horrendous - to both my mental and physical health. In fact, I've only just recovered from my sickness 2 days ago. But you know how I've always wanted to be a morning person, right? Well, I think I'm slowly getting there by waking up at 4 am every morning to go to work. I'm slowly adapting to this new routine of mine. 

But as bad as my month was, I managed to cross out everything from my July list. Surprising huh? 

Here are some things I'm looking forward to this month:

1. Exercise more 

2. Film more YouTube videos

3. Detox every once in a while 

4. Focus on my goals (it is August, after all) 

5. Expand my work profile 

I need to get my mental health game back on track. Slowly but surely. What are your goals for this month? Let me know in the comments 

x

24 HOURS WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND HERE'S WHAT I LEARNED

Over the weekend, I challenged myself to NOT go on my phone and on social media for 24 hours and guess what?

I DID IT!

Now, I know some of you are probably thinking "Gosh. What an easy challenge!" Well, for me, social media dominates most of my waking hours. See, I spend 7-8 hours sleeping and the rest of the day, I'd be blogging, researching, editing, working - basically everything that requires social media apart from having meals and going to the bathroom. 

But I sort of hit the limit last week when I felt like social media was damaging my life a little. That's why I decided to switch off for the weekend and I did that at the worst possible time because I was away on a retreat and I wanted to post pictures on Instagram and Facebook. 

Anyway, I didn't know what to expect because part of me loves social media and another part of me hates it. But anyway, I switched off my phone and here's my little 24-hour journey. 

1st - 3rd hour: 

I was itching to check my messages and emails just to see if there's anything urgent. I was also wondering if I had missed any major celebrity news whatsoever. 

4th - 5th hour:

Upon arriving the little treehouse retreat, I took some pictures on my camera and my phone and I wanted to post pictures badly. But I managed to stay offline and keep myself occupied by enjoying nature. 

6th hour onward:

I felt relieved more than anything else. It felt good not hearing any beeps from my phone. It was peaceful. That's when I realized - it only takes 6 to 7 hours to detach from social media and your phone. Yes, it is definitely possible. 

I do think it's healthy once in a while to take a social media break, detox from the online world and stay off your phone. It makes you see what matters and it makes you appreciate time a little bit more. We're so caught up on who's doing what, who's going where, who's got a bigger house, who's got a better job that we constantly compare our lives to the lives of others, which is the number ONE cause of depression, if you ask me. 

So, if you ever feel like you're stressed out mentally, switch off your phone, exercise, and take some quiet time to yourself. 

Challenge completed! If you didn't know, last month, my challenge was to not drink coffee for a month. (You can read the post here.) If you have any challenges in mind that you are too afraid to try or that you would like me to try, drop them in the comments and I'll document it for you :) Keep it clean, of course 

x

Here's a vlog from my weekend getaway: 

Things (I Want) to do in July

6 more months till Christmas. Oh damn, it's a little too early to say the C word (lol!)

Welcome to the 2nd half of 2018, my dear friends. 


June has been a rather challenging month for me. Nevertheless, I'm grateful for all the lessons I've learned.

So, here's to a more productive 2nd half of the year.

1. Be more creative 

I'm being exposed to more and more things that require creative thinking and I'm very happy about it. I get to share my creativity with people and I also need to be as creative as I can.


2. Be a morning person

Now that I am forced to wake up at 4:30a.m every morning due to work schedule, I need to actually train myself to be a morning, hopefully sooner rather than later.


3. Go on a road trip 

I seriously need to go on road trip!

4. Write more

In terms of blogging as well as writing a short story.


5. Learn to be more grateful

So many things have been happening and I feel like I haven't had the time to be grateful about all the blessings I've received. So, I need to slow down and be grateful more often.

What are your goals for the month? Let me know in the comments 

x

I STOPPED DRINKING COFFEE FOR 1 MONTH AND HERE'S WHAT I LEARNED

On the 7th of May (last month), I made a conscious decision to cut back on coffee. Here something you should know about me. I need at least 4 cups of black coffee a day to function. On good days, probably just 3. On bad days, 5 or more. I realized that this was becoming an addiction and I needed to do something about it before I get completely hooked. 

I knew it was going to be difficult because they say it takes 21 days or more to get rid of a bad habit. But just like the clothes challenge I set myself at the beginning of the year, I knew I could do it. So, here's my journey. 

1st week (7 days) 

1) I felt uneasy the first few days, like something was missing. Like a part of me was missing. Friends around me were drinking coffee and the smell was just like a perfume I was addicted to, which made it even more difficult for me to resist. 

2) I felt tired most days because I kept telling myself that I haven't ingested any coffee. 

3) There were so many times when I just wanted to take ONE sip of coffee. 

2nd week (14 days)

1) I thought it would be easier the 2nd week but I was so wrong. It was so so difficult. 

2) Some nights, I would cry for no reason and ask myself is all of this worth it? What is the purpose of me doing this? Some ridiculous thoughts would just appear out of no where (which, I think is completely normal when you're trying to give up something).

3) My mood was all over the place. I snapped at people over trivial things and my tolerance level towards people deteriorated. 

3rd week (21 days) 

1) I started to focus all of my "coffee thoughts" on swimming, which is good because I've been meaning to start doing some form of exercise since the beginning of the year. 

2) The scent of coffee became bearable although it still sucked when I had to order diet Coke or water instead of black coffee in Starbucks or restaurants. 

3) I always drink coffee when I travel but when I was in Lombok recently with my uncle, I felt like I did not really need it. 

4th week (What I've Learned)

1) "Coffee thoughts" don't pop up everyday anymore. 

2) I could still function and live my day without coffee. 

3) My productivity is as good as when I have coffee. 

4) A lot of the times, we think we NEED coffee but that's not necessarily the case. 

5) I'm swimming and exercising more. 

6) Coffee is good but at a moderate amount. 

7) Coffee doesn't control my life. 

8) I saved some money from cutting coffee. 

9) My breath is not always smelling like a coffee machine anymore. 

10) Coffee actually helps with my digestive system and blood circulation.

1 hour ago (19th June), before writing this post, I've finally had my first cup of black coffee since the 7th of May. Yes, I've lasted that long but I do feel like coffee keeps me warm. I don't feel the urge or the need to drink anymore coffee today because I'm functioning perfectly fine. 

My friends, this was my experience and my journey. I hope this helps any of you who are trying to cut back on coffee or trying to cut coffee out of your life. It can be done :) 

x

3 MONTHS OF NOT BUYING CLOTHES AND HERE'S WHAT I LEARNED

This blog has always been about motivation, travel and fashion. And if any of you have noticed, I haven't been posting a lot on fashion and here's exactly why:

On the 1st of January 2018, I declared "no shopping for 3 months!"

At the start of this little "challenge", I was really motivated because I'd been so broke from spending WAY.TOO.MUCH on clothing and everything else during the month of Christmas. Also, here's something you should know about me. Whenever I'm stressed out, I tend to shop for things I do not need. This is a very very bad habit which I'm trying to slowly get rid of. That's also one of the reasons why I set myself up for this "challenge".

I tracked my progress each month and finally have the verdict. So, here it is. Here are my thoughts: 

January

1) Like I said, I was motivated as hell because I was broke, so I couldn't really buy anything anyway.

2) I started appreciating the clothes that I have a little bit more. 

3) I didn't see the need to walk into any shops to buy any clothing. 

4) I pretty much have everything in my closet.  

5) I wasn't itching to go into any stores. 

February 

1) I was still appreciating my wardrobe. I even started digging out clothes that I haven't worn in ages from the bottom of my cupboard. 

2) I didn't have the urge to go into any stores because I told myself I have all the clothing I need. 

3) I also tried not to go into any stores that I like and that I know I could afford. 

4) I realized how much stuff I had in my wardrobe. Stuff that I didn't even need. 

5) I was wearing all the new clothes that I never had a chance to wear. 

March 

1) I did some wardrobe spring cleaning. Basically donated some clothes and gave some clothes away. That was a nice feeling. 

2) I analyzed what type of clothing I need and that would suit me for the next year or so. 

3) I got rid of some old, dirty clothes that I would not wear ever again, but was just too lazy to get rid of them or being too sentimental with them. 

4) My wardrobe is happy, so am I. 

5) I started looking at what I NEEDED more than what I wanted. 

So, here's what I've learned: 

1) I saved much more money and I could even travel more. 

2) Bad habits can be treated, slowly. 

3) I truly learn to appreciate what I have. 

4) I am much more careful with my money and what I purchase. 

I continued this until the end of April when I had a little splurge session with my friend. After analyzing what I really need in my wardrobe, and after donating 40% of my clothes, I basically just went to the "sale section" and got myself some stuff that I truly needed - for work purposes and for daily purposes. More on that in the next few posts :) 

My bad habit is still lingering in me. I do still want to spend money on clothes when I'm in a very stressful place, but I control myself and buy groceries instead. Not to mention, I save up for my travels, so that's definitely been helping me. You need to take responsibility. That's what it is and that's the biggest lesson this "challenge" has taught me. 

Have you ever tried something like this before? And if you want me to try some of your "challenges", leave them down in the comments too :) 

x

My Life One Year Ago

Back in March, I shared a very personal post with all of you (which you can read here).


Basically, my whole life changed since last November.

A complete 180-degree-turn!

From my public life to my personal life. In the span of 1 year, I have changed so much - physically, emotionally and mentally. And I think I can say this today.

"I am a survivor of broken hearts, of unemployment, of tough times, of my downfalls. I know for a fact that I am a survivor." 

Like I said in that post, tough and rough times don't last forever. I've completely experienced all of that. You fall, you get back up again. And I'm not saying that my life is perfect now, I'm still going through tough times, I'm still learning everyday, but I am stronger today because of those rough times.


In terms of Career

I never would have thought that I'd be working as a radio announcer/part-time blogger/attending events/interviewing ambassadors. NEVER IN MY LIFE. But here I am, doing all those things. I am fairly new to the industry but I think I'm going to stick around for a bit.



In terms of Relationship and Love

Well, this one was one heck of a roller coaster ride. And I've not "made it there" yet. But I've learned that if someone is meant to be with the other person, it's going to happen no matter what. So, don't force anything. Let it flow naturally.




In terms of Friendship 

I know so many people who live by this sentence "as you get older, you know who your true friends are". I'm going to be completely honest with all of you. The number of good friends whom I can trust and talk to is probably less than 15. And that's totally OK. You need friends who can and will be there for you when you cry or when you're going through tough times.

In terms of Personal Growth

I can definitely write a whole blogpost about this but the biggest growth I've seen in my life this year has to be my confidence and mental health. See, the older you get, you kind of know how society works and how screwed up the world really is. You'll never really know why people do the things they do, and you don't need to understand it. All you need to do is live your life and be happy.




In terms of Family

No matter what you do in life, even if your parents/family wronged you, they will always have your back. And you will always love them no matter what. That's just how it is. That's a fact right there. Your family will always be the one you count on for moral support.

It's almost 2018. Has your life changed much? Let me know in the comments :) 

Happy Place: The Beach

A lot of people have asked me where do I go to re-collect my thoughts, and where exactly is my happy place.


Well, my answer is:

I have many happy places.


So, I've decided to share all of my happy places with you one-by-one.




Beaches have always excite me. No matter how non-spectacular one is, I will still always love it. The sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, the sand on your skin, the breeze - I mean, need I go on?

I find myself in complete ease and total relaxation when I'm on the beach. Hence why, beaches are definitely one of my happy places.

What's one of your happy places?

Healthy Ways to Focus on Yourself

Here's something personal that you might or might not know about me.

Throughout July and August, I went through a mild stage of depression. I could not eat well, it takes me forever to fall asleep, I dreaded waking up every single morning. I was just in a very bad place because even though things around me seemed alright, things with my personal self was just completely off.

I tried to brush it off by keeping myself busy. Only to find out that I was getting more and more unproductive each day. Writing - the thing that I love to do most - didn't excite me anymore. That's how bad of a state I was in. 

But I'm not here to share my sob story with you. 

I found ways to actually get better. However, it's no easy task, if I'm being completely honest with you. It took a month or so of time alone, of figuring things out, of not thinking, of being around good company, etc. Trust me, it will and it can happen. All you have to do is focus all the energy on yourself. 

Here are just a couple of healthy methods that actually helped me out during my rough time: 

1. Pick ONE thing you love about yourself

And just keep focusing on that. If you love making people happy, keep focusing on that. If you love how you look, keep focusing on that. Just pick ONE thing and focus your energy on that. 

2. Stop comparing 

The absolute worst thing to do is to compare yourself, your success, your status to others. Why do you put yourself through that? Just stop. RIGHT NOW!

3. Visualize success

It can be any kind of success. You - getting out of bed feeling energetic is already a success. Small things. They are success too. Picture what you want to achieve at the end of everyday and focus on that. 

4. Smile

When I went through depression, I found it very difficult to smile. Even to give a fake smile or a fake laugh was difficult. But the real trick here is to find ONE thing that makes you happy everyday - a cat video, sitcoms, etc. And make sure it's a genuine. Look yourself in the mirror and see how beautiful you are when you smile. 

5. Don't be too hard on yourself

If it doesn't work out today, let it go. Try again tomorrow. There's absolutely no need to be hard on yourself. What's the point? Ask yourself that. 

What are your healthy ways of focusing on yourself? 

Total Disconnection: Retreat Edition

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I recently went on a weekend getaway to a retreat where there were NO Wi-Fi and NO internet service.

And yes. It is possible - 

- for someone like me who's constantly on my phone, on social media, checking emails, texting, posting pictures (basically, obsessed with my mobile and Wi-Fi and internet) -  

- to disconnect for 36 hours. 

And the results? 

1. Instantly relaxed 

It was so refreshing not to have my mobile constantly beeping and ringing, to not look at my laptop. Basically, the only digital thing I had was my camera for taking pictures and vlogging. And it felt gooooood. 

2. Calmed

I admit, I do get impatient sometimes when people are not doing things as quickly as I am or as quickly as I expect them to. It's because most of us are so used to the fast-paced environment. But just sitting down and listening to the crickets and feeling the wind in my hair - that took me to a whole new level of calm. 

3. Creative

If you don't know/didn't realize, I've been having writer's (or in this case, blogger's) block for about a month now - hence, the lack of blogposts. But when I was chilling by the pool - surrounded by trees and plants, my mind instantly went on a creative spree. That's when I wrote down all my ideas and that's when I decided to do blogtober. 

4. Happier

Something about being in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature - there's just something exciting about that. And I noticed that I felt happier not knowing anything except for knowing how to have fun and have deep, meaningful conversations and relax.  

5. Self-love

How often do you check in with yourself? How often do you ask yourself how you are? My answer, I have no idea when was the last time I actually asked myself "how are you today?". And I just realized how important self-love is. Once you learn how to love yourself, you know what to feed your mind and soul.

I think it's such an important thing to disconnect from the digital world once in a while. EASIER SAID THAN DONE! Trust me. I was feeling frustrated the first few hours, but after that, everything just felt amazing. 

However, I'm gonna be totally honest with you and say this right here right now. A little bit more than 36 hours and I probably couldn't handle it. So, 36 hours is the perfect amount of time :) 

If you have a few minutes to spare, here's the vlog of my fun weekend: 

Chasing Happiness

Hiatus no more :)


To be really honest with you, I've been neglecting my baby (my blog) because of various reasons. Tight schedule, conflicting emotions, de-motivation, you name it.



Which is why yesterday, I took a walk in the park alone and I realized that life can be beautiful.

Life IS beautiful. 

You just need to appreciate the little things in life. The birds chirping, the sound of the wind, the breeze on your skin, the sun in your face, the smell of freshly cut grass - just any little thing that would put a smile to your face.

We're so busy chasing whatever it is we're chasing that we sometimes forget to be happy. Don't get me wrong. Chasing your dreams is an amazinggggg thing, trust me. But chasing happiness is even more amazing.


You see, in the process of chasing your dreams, you face hardships, you face difficulties, you face obstacles, and you lose focus, you lose yourself, and you lose your happiness. So it is important sometimes to just sit alone and think about the little things that make up life.

The sky, nature, look at everything around you.

Lately, I've been adjusting to something that I'm not entirely comfortable with, hence why I haven't blogged or written that much. And I know that's no excuse at all to neglect what makes me happy.



You see. I asked myself this exact question and I want you to ask yourself this very question too. And just dig real deep and find it in your heart:

"What makes you happy?" 

NOT

"What do I want in life?"



Are you happy eating? Cooking? Hitting the gym? Sleeping? Travelling?...


That's the simple question.


So, my friends, if you ever find yourself unhappy, just sit alone and ask yourself that. And if you want someone to talk to, hey, I'm not going anywhere from now on :)




It's time for you to chase your source of happiness :) 

3 Things to Tell Yourself on Your Worst Days

I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone when I say this.

Everyone will experience bad days, some more than others. 


Bad days are inevitable. So, goodluck to those of you who are trying to avoid it. I, however, have tried avoiding bad days and problems, only to find out that running away from them is absolutely pointless (something I learned the hard way).

So, take it from me. It's better to face the storm than to run away from it.

If I'm being completely honest with you, February has been no picnic for me. In fact, I think it's probably one of my worst months yet considering it's only the second month of the year. 28 days seems like 50 days. And here, I thought January would be a terrible month.

But hey, enough complaining. I'm not here to ramble about how terrible my 28 days have been. I'm here to tell you that, looking back now, I'm proud of myself because I braved through everything and faced my worst days ALONE.


So, here are the 3 things I always remind myself on bad days.


1. Nothing lasts forever

Whether it's the good times or bad, nothing will ever last forever, as harsh as that may sound. All you can do is cherish the good moments and face the bad ones with your head held high and know that it won't last forever.


2. Just keep going

When a plane is going through rough winds and turbulence, it doesn't stop just because of bad weather conditions, it goes on until it reaches its destination. And so will you! Because bad days are just like rough winds.


3. Everything will be OK 

Even though it may seem like your whole world is falling apart right now (trust me, I've had my fair share of days like that), truth is, it isn't. It's just a day of things not turning out how you've planned it to be. Stay positive and remind yourself that it's going to be OK.





Remember, it's not the end of the world. Keep fighting and don't you ever give up! These are the things you should do everyday: count your blessings, let go of what you can't control, just breathe. 

February Goals

Holy sh!t. 



Can anyone of you actually believe it is the 2nd month of the year already? Because personally, I think this is all just a dream. Honestly, how could it be February already?!?!

Well, at least January went by quickly because as I mentioned in my January Goals post, January is probably the toughest month of the year. Speaking of goals, today I am, of course, here to update you on my February Goals.

A wonderful motto for this month that I'm going to stick to is:

"Never stop trying. Never stop believing. Never give up"

Let this be a reminder to every single one of us. No matter what you want to achieve in your life, never stop until you're somewhere you want to be :)



Here are my February goals.

1. Write and blog more

Let's face it, I was rubbish at blogging in January as you can tell from the amount of posts I've created but things are going to change from here on out and that, my dear friends, is a promise!

2. Film more videos 

Videos are slightly more terrifying for me but I've been really consistent with them and my YouTube channel too. You can check out my latest video and subscribe to my channel because that would honestly make me so so happy :)



3. Have a healthier lifestyle

Meaning eat healthy, which I am going to try my very best at! And also exercise more!

4. Travel 

Wish I could make travel an every month activity. I'll work on that :)

5. Pass my probation and focus more on work

Yes, I have been slacking off on work a bit but hey, no more!



Monthly goals have been helping me keep track of my progress. So, what are you waiting for? Create your February goals today.

4 Things To Do When Life Gets Too Overwhelming

Have you ever found yourself crying for no reason? Have you ever felt like you've completely lost at life? Have you ever felt like giving up? Have you ever felt like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders?

These are all signs of overwhelm. It can hit you differently at any time. 

Life is not meant to be easy. You can live a simple life, but you cannot live an easy life. 

When life gets too overwhelming, here are 4 simple things you can do to pick yourself up.

1. Stop stressing

Let's face it. The only possible reason that you feel like complete shit right now is because you are stressed. And stress is normally created by yourself. Yes, factors such as people around you and your surroundings can cause stress but the main problem is with yourself. You create the stress in your head. You overthink. Stop overthinking because that is the main cause of stress. Do what you can and try your best at everything - that's when you win at life. 

2. Switch off

For an hour. Sit in silence. Switch your mind off completely and switch off all electronic devices near you. Recollect yourself. Think of all you have achieved, think of how far you've come in life, think of where you want to be in the future and write it down in a journal. From there, plan your journey one by one. That way, you will never lose focus and lose sight of who you are and who you want to be. 

3. Exercise

Go for a run in the park, hit the gym, attend yoga classes or go for that swim. Whatever form of exercise that excites you and doesn't feel like a chore, just do it. When you're exercising, 3 things can and definitely will happen. First, you think about your problem -> you work out harder -> you get too tired to think about your problem. Or second, you leave your problem at the doorstep -> you exercise -> you get too tired to think about your problem. Either way, you forget your problems for a while when you're exercising. Plus, you get to burn calories. Major bonus. 

4. Treat yourself

Do it right now! Whether that's going to the fancy restaurant you've always wanted to go to, or the pair of heels you've been eyeing since Christmas, or if you really want to surprise yourself, go for a fresh new cut. Just do whatever you've been wanting to do that makes you happy. Do it! Now! There's no better time to do it than right now! You deserve it!

Whenever you feel like life gets a little too overwhelming, try these 4 things and I'm sure you'll feel better. And remember, life is not meant to be easy. If you failed today, try again tomorrow, and again and again until you get it right. 

I hope this helps you in any sort of way. Let me know what you do to get back up on your feet when you're feeling overwhelmed. I would love to know so I can try it too.