The Simpler Things in Life

I always tell myself and the people whom I'm close to:"remember to appreciate the little things in life". When I wake up every morning, I would always tell myself "wow. Today is a miracle. I get to see the beautiful sky, I get to hear the birds chirping, I'm healthy and alive."

Of course, if I'm being completely honest with you, I sometimes do tend to fall off the wagon. Whenever I've got too much on my plate, whenever I'm stressed out over unresolved matters, whenever I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, I do forget to say those things to myself. 

See, when you're living in a big city - you tend to have a more routined life. You become a robot like everyone else without even realizing it. You work, you come home, you eat, you go to sleep, and you wake up. ROUTINED! 

However, I have been getting back into the habit of appreciating the simpler things in life. Life can be beautiful every single day if you take the time to live for the smaller things - wind blowing across your face, smell of freshly cut grass, etc. 

Here are some of the pictures I've taken over the past couple of weeks that make me appreciate my existence in this world a little bit more :) 

Appreciate, live, be happy

#DayOfTheGirl

If I'm being completely honest with you, I didn't know such a day existed. And personally, I think people should create more awareness on this particular day.

Yesterday, I saw celebrities like Beyonce, Lady GaGa, etc. supporting the day and that's when I found out about #DayoftheGirl 

I'm a very neutral person, I support all kinds of days - international women's day, international men's day, international parents' day - you name it.

Anyway, if you are like me - completely new to this day (concept) - the first Day of the Girl was officially declared by the United Nations back in October 11th, 2012.

So here are a couple of my own personal opinions on #DayofTheGirl :



1. I think girls should be given a choice to follow their dreams instead of being married off once they turn a certain age. Everyone should be entitled to make their own decisions. 

However, if they want to marry young, great, good for them, wonderful. But if they want to make it on their own, they should be given this opportunity and freedom - it's only fair. 




2. Girls should be taught at a young age not to rely on just males, but rely on themselves more. There are so many working girls out there trying to make it on their own and I completely respect that. I am one of them. 

Nowadays, there are so many single moms who are doing perfectly fine without a husband or a man or a partner, there are so many female entrepreneurs who are incredibly successful and doing well on their own. Every girl should be given a chance to experience that. 




3. I was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment that pushes me to study hard and work hard and that everyone is equal. However, girls, it all depends on yourselves too. Remember, you always have a choice! There are no rights and wrongs in life. Just good and bad lessons. 

So parents, if your daughters want to be independent and live on their own, please give them all the freedom and support (for the right reasons, of course). 

Girls are not meant to be married off at a young age and reproduce when they are not ready. Please let them have a say in it. Life is short. Let them be happy. 

Happy International Day of the Girl Child 2017 x 

5 WAYS TO FIGHT DEMOTIVATION

Everyone on this planet will go through ups and downs. That's a given.



If you're down in the dumps right now, let me tell you something. It won't last forever.







Why? 

Because at the end of the day, LIFE GOES ON. 

To be really honest with you, I've been down in the dumps for a few months now and I'm not saying I'm perfectly fine at this very moment, but I know I'm finally in a healthier place. In fact, I've actually been in this healthy place for the past couple of weeks.


This post is coming up today because I don't want to write about it after everything has been said and done. I am still very much going through ups and downs every.single.day with the jobs I'm doing and the industry I'm in and the people I'm with.


Trust me. The amount of "How to Get Rid of De-motivation" articles I've read over the past couple of months have been substantial. Don't get me wrong, some of the articles did help and did provide some pointers for me. But of course, it's all up to you to do something about it.

I'm in a healthier place now because I decided to do something about it, so I do hope these tips I'm sharing will help any of you in any kind of way.


1) Take a break

Like a lot of 25 year-olds out there, my main stress comes from work. In the month of August, my work definitely took a toll on me. I could feel tension building up on my shoulders every.single.day. So, I decided to take a few weekends off. I went away with a couple of friends and just took some time off. It is amazing how taking a break can work wonders.



2) Self-realization 

When you get time off, the amount of thinking you do, the things you think about - they all tend to be a little different from your daily thoughts. While I was on my weekend getaways, I realize that no matter how scared my thoughts made me feel, I kind of know what I want. Some things just seem clearer than when you're daily grinding. I did learn more about myself and what I want in life. But learning about yourself is an everyday process. So, it's good to take some time off to check in with yourself.



3) Do the things you love

Honestly, for me - a person who loves writing and blogging - to have a meltdown and not write anything for a couple of weeks is just unacceptable and unfathomable. Because I find joy through writing. I don't care if it's not as perfect or well put together as other bloggers/writers out there, but I still love to write. Taking pictures, having a couple of drinks with some friends (or even alone), writing, filming - they're all things I love to do. And if you do the things you love, I don't see why you can't be happy.



4) Surround yourself with laughter

The amount of laughter I get from my colleagues at work is actually scary. Too scary. I could laugh every 5 minutes from 9am-1pm every.single.day. And I have a couple of friends who actually make me so happy everyday too. I remember one time last month, I was having a really bad day. Honestly, I couldn't take my mind off things, I had so much on my plate, all I could think about was my problems. But my friends manage to get me out of that stage. And it's all through talking and laughing.



5) Inner peace

Something that I've been practicing for the past couple of weeks. Trying to see everything in a positive manner. Let me tell you, it's no walk in the park. It will always be a working progress for me, I admit. But each day I practice inner peace, I find myself at ease. I sleep better at night. I focus better on what I want. Definitely a good way to start being happy.

Some people are big believers of karma and the whole "what goes around comes around".

I'm more of an "everything happens for a reason" kinda gal. So, no matter what happens, good or bad, I know that everything happens for a reason. Your action, your decisions, your choices, they make you who you are and they make up for those reasons.

I always like to tell myself that there are no right or wrong decisions, only good or bad ones. But at the end of the day, everything still happens for a reason. You made that choice for a reason, you acted that way for a reason.



But don't worry. Because whether it's a good or bad decision, nothing lasts forever. LIFE GOES ON.

AUGUST GOALS

Oh my freakin' goodness!



Honestly, someone needs to push the "pause" button on 2017 because it's actually getting quite scary.

But anyway, Happy August, my friends! I sincerely hope that July wasn't too rough on you. 

The only thing I can remember from July is basically work. So, I guess I did fulfill my July Goals by hustling. I was also able to exercise more which I'm very happy about. I finally got the chance to dance again, which made me incredibly happy. I went hiking for the first time which was great! I swam more. It was all really good. However, I really need to slow down and chill out!

This month, I've found a very strong mantra to live by:


"Everyday we spend not improving ourselves, is a wasted day"


It's August and I want you to ask yourself - What have you done in the past 7 months? Are you improving as a person? Are you getting closer to your dreams? Are you bringing good energy and positive vibes to the people around you? What have you accomplished? 

I will always be striving for improvements and I will always try to better myself. 

This month, my goals are to:


1. Be spontaneous 


Anything could happen in a year, in a month, in a week, in a day, in an hour. I don't want to regret not taking spontaneous road trips or going on vacations. Spontaneity will be my craving for this month.



2. Read more


OMG. I can't even remember the last time I read but towards the end of July, I've been reading a substantial amount of materials and books and articles. I forgot how much I actually love reading!



3. Be a morning person


Yes yes. My mom would say "it's impossible" but I'm going to try to stick to a morning routine in order to be a morning person. Just you wait and see :P



4. No more shopping


For the month of August, I've decided not to buy any clothes and although it already seems like an impossible task, I will try my very best to not spend money on unnecessary things!



5. Cook more often


I made breakfast and dinner last couple of days and I forgot how much I actually love cooking, so I'll definitely be cooking more often this month :)





31 new days ahead. Bring it!

The Difference Between Being Alone and Being Lonely

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that I was going to update you on what's been going on as of late. Well, here it is.

Now, before I actually start, here's something you need to know about me. A very honest statement that I'm going to make right now.

No matter how a person reacts or treat others or how they look like, I always choose to see the best in people. No matter what. 

And I know that's something that will end up hurting or killing me in this dog eat dog world. But it's a trait I don't see myself ever changing. If you guys really know the amount of times I've been hurt, betrayed, lied to, cheated on....etc..., I'm sure you'll ask me:"Then why the hell are you still choosing to see the best in people?"

Even my parents, my family, my closest friends only have some idea of what I've been through. But anyway, I'm not here to talk about that.

Part of the reason behind this post is because I met a guy 4 months ago - or probably even more. For the sake of this post, let's just call him X.


Now, here's a brief description of X.

• mid-40's / 50's 
• no kids
• no wife (or probably divorced)
• no commitment - I mean, he could disappear tomorrow and no one would care
• sweet talker
• confident (sometimes comes off as arrogant) 
• businessman attitude - that's basically how he portrays himself.

From the moment I met him, I knew straight away that I couldn't trust him. Don't get me wrong. He made me feel really comfortable around him at first. But much like me, he's got issues of his own. I mean, every single one on this planet has got issues of their own - trust issues, commitment issues, anxiety.....etc..

Now, I'm not saying I'm an expert at reading people or that I have some kind of sixth sense, nor am I judging the man because let's face it, I am FAR from perfect and I don't deserve to judge people!

Anyway, X seemed like the kind of person who is lonely - which I completely understand. At his age, unmarried, no kids, absolutely nothing to go home to. He has nothing, basically. And don't get me wrong. I've met people like him - I mean, I've met loads of people in my walk of life. 

People are always saying that there is a difference between being alone and being lonely. I've only come to really see lately that there really is a huge difference. And there's nothing wrong at all with either of them. 

See, I'm mostly alone - I admit. 

My parents are living in different cities (countries), my closest friends are living far from me, my relatives are nowhere near me. You get the picture. I do have some good friends here but come on, they have lives of their own too. 

But here's the thing - I'm completely OK with being alone. I don't feel pressured. I don't feel weird when I eat alone or work alone or even go to the movies alone, for that matter. Yes, I know people may have opinions but I don't give two shits, honestly. 

And to be very frank with you, I enjoy doing things alone. I like how I don't need to have small arguments or talk about work or show my feelings to people (yeah, that's just me ok?). However, that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy good company because I really do. I love when I can have deep, meaningful conversations with people whom I click with and people whom I trust. For example, I don't need to explain myself much - and that's a really nice feeling! Hands up if you know what I'm talking about :) 

*Back to the point* 

X tells me he loves 3 women and how he's spending time with all of them. I can't help but feel sorry for the man. He is so lonely that he attaches himself to multiple women to get attention, to get happiness, to be loved by different women. When one woman is busy, he looks for the next. I would understand if these women are his friends but they're not. He has to hide everything he's doing when he's with one of the women. If that's not lonely, I don't know what is. I couldn't imagine living such a tiresome life every single day. 

After knowing a few sides of him, I realized that everyone acts out the way they do for a reason. A person could be taking out his/her anger on you because he/she had a rough morning - and that is not ok but just know that people act the way they do for a reason. 

And while me and X are not really that close, he did open my eyes to see the difference. 

When you're alone, you learn to enjoy your own company, you learn to have fun without being attached, you learn to be independent, you learn new things everyday. You're OK with everything - stress, love, work - you deal with them by yourself and you're completely fine with it. 

When you're lonely, you don't enjoy being alone, you crave attention, you desire someone to be with you (it's totally OK if it's one person, I understand - so does everyone else - but to desire multiple people at once - that's just plain lonely). You don't want to do things alone. You can't stand the thought of being alone. 

Like I said, this is probably just my opinion. The main point is that there is a HUGE difference between being alone and being lonely. And I hope you know how to tell the difference. 

My mind has been preoccupied with this the whole month because I want to try to understand people like X. I want to know that there are good people in this world. And listen, when you find a gem, you better hold on to that. 

5 WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS

Hi friends.



I know I haven't been the best at blogging lately, and don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE blogging and writing but I've just had loads going on - in my mind, at work, with people.

To be completely honest with you, I've been all over the place really. 

And I wanted to take a break from blogging because I didn't want to hurt my blog by posting some useless nonsense on how my life is actually going at the moment (but I really think I'll update you guys on that in the next one! I mean, it's only fair).

I used to post frequently before because ideas could hit me anywhere and at anytime. A car could drive past me and I would have an idea. I could look up in the sky and an idea would come to me. The wind could be blowing through my hair and an idea would come to me. 

It's just more difficult lately because of all the stress and obstacles surrounding me. As I mentioned in my July Goals, June was no picnic for me. In fact, it was stressful AF! 



So, one of my closest friends and I went out a couple of nights ago. And she asked me this very interesting question: How do you get rid of stress?


I didn't know exactly how to answer that question because I'm not a doctor or a psychiatrist and all I had was my point of view. And not forgetting that I'm not the best at dealing with stress, hence why, all the random hiatus. However, I have come to terms with it. That's what I've been doing lately. Taking a break from everything to recollect my thoughts and how I want things to be and how I want to be.

There will be stress wherever you go. You can't hide from it. It's inevitable. You can only deal with it and move on. So, over the past couple of months, I've tried various activities on how to overcome stress. You know, the kind of stuff you'd normally read from articles and whatnot. And no, I'm not going to ask you to exercise. Because I've tried that. When I'm stressed out, exercising only makes me agitated. You HAVE to WANT to exercise. 

But anyway, everyone's got their own way of dealing with stress. Some of them might work, some might not. Here are 5 ways I overcome stress:



1. Talk to someone


Bottling up your feelings won't help you or anyone else, for that matter. It only hurts you and everyone around you. So, talk to someone - a good friend, a person you trust, your partner, a therapist, your parents. Whoever you feel comfortable with and no matter what, just make sure it's someone you can trust.



2. Light a candle & Listen to some music


For me, settings are really important. You're already really stressed out. You don't want to come home to a dark, messy house. And one of the reasons why I'm such a candle whore is because candles help me deal with stress. And with some nice background music, it's just the perfect way to de-stress. All you need to do is close your eyes.

3. Drink tea 


Because alcohol doesn't work. Trust me. All you do is end up crying and feeling sad for yourself and feeling like shit. There was a time when I used to turn to alcohol when I was feeling stressed out. That doesn't work for me. So, I turned to tea. Chamomile or peppermint - precisely. Not only does it help you sleep better, but it helps with de-stressing too.



4. Write it down


Whatever shit you're feeling right now, if it's bringing you down, write that shit down. It doesn't have to have any structure. For example, I could be feeling so stressed out right now and I have absolutely no idea why. I would write "I'm feeling like shit right now and I don't know why. I hate this feeling". From 2 sentences, the whole thing will turn into an essay. By the time you've finished writing them down, you'd already feel nicer. And once you've finished writing, put it aside and don't read it. Only read it a week after or when you're feeling better and you'll actually laugh at it. No joke, I promise.



5. Take a shower


Showers are a godsend. Something so simple. Something that we take for granted every.single.day. And I only found out that this trick worked on me when I was coming home from a very stressful day at work a couple of weeks ago. And I felt helpless, restless. I decided to take a shower and OMG, I came out of the shower asking myself what was I so stressed about? So, taking a shower - quick or long, hot or cold - definitely helps!

Like I said, everyone has different ways of dealing with stress. I've been stuck in that tunnel for quite some time now and I actually learned how to crawl out of it. Hence why I'm writing this post. To help any of you who are still in the tunnel.

Just remember: Stress is everywhere. You can't let that stop you from doing things you love. Deal with it and move on. The quicker, the better. #YOLO :) 

JULY GOALS

It's official, friends. 5 more months till Christmas!



Eeeeks!



But more importantly, I need to take a deep breath and ask myself this question:


"WTF happened to June?"


I think June was by far the quickest month ever. I don't know guys. I feel like 2017 is just flying by, literally. Next thing I know, I find myself waking up and looking in mirror at a 60 year-old me. Oh gosh, even the thought of that scares me.


Anyway, how was your June? Mine was just that - quick! Other than that, it was a really tough and challenging month. I feel like I'm growing mentally and spiritually every single month.

However, this month, I've decided to live by this mantra:


"Your life is yours alone. Rise up and live it!" 



It doesn't get more real than this guys. I've been restraining myself from loads of things just because I'm afraid to try new things and trust issues and fears and phobias. The list goes on and on. And I've decided enough is enough. So, I am breaking free from my shell from now on (or at least attempt to do so).


This month, my goals are to:


1. Keep hustlin' 


Do whatever it takes to keep myself as busy as possible


2. Learn to stop beating myself up at everything


Something I really want to stop doing. I want to be busy but I also want to know that I won't be giving myself unnecessary pressure 


3. Take time to meet friends and family


Something not to be taken for granted. So, friends, fam, I'm here for you if you need me :) 


4. Exercise more


Sweat more - precisely. Instead of being a couch potato 


5. Be consistent 


With everything - my blog, my writing, my videos, my emotions...





Come on July. I'm so ready for you ;)

MY HOLIDAY ROUTINE

I'm not going to lie, I think this year has been the year that I've traveled the most so far. I mean, I think I've been on a plane almost every month this year although it is only June right now. But I do feel like this is a major "level-up" factor in my life considering I have a massive fear of flying.

But hey, 

if you have a fear of flying just like me, 

just know that you are not alone and that you can do it! 

A friend was talking to me recently about travelling and all that.

So, I did realize a pattern in my travel/holiday routine - whether that's in a completely new place or a place that I've already visited.



My minimum stay would be for 3 days no matter what because that gives me at least ONE day to explore and have some fun. But of course ideally, 4-5 days would be my so-called "holiday". 

Here's my travel/holiday routine:



DAY 1: ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION

- Day 1 is more of a relaxing day because I think I deserve to chill after being on a flight and just get more rest for the next day. I would normally just check into the hotel or Airbnb and get comfy and cozy. I would also familiarize myself with the places around me and definitely find a good place to have dinner.

DAY 2: EXPLORE 

- Day 2 is normally when I would definitely do something unexpected. Try something new. It's all about walking around, getting lost, eating, and experiencing the local lifestyle. See, before the trip, I would have already done some research on where I want to explore. At night, I would wind down and go have some nice local food and experience the night life.



DAY 3: BE A TOURIST

- Day 3 is normally when the "shopping" happens. I don't know if it's just me but I would always go to somewhere with either a beach or a nice pool and I would chill for half a day. Then I would go out and do some touristy things and more exploring. And I would normally shop for either stuff for myself (most of the times, not going to lie :P) or get some souvenirs for people. I would also do something unexpected on the third day, whether that's drinking a new drink or meeting a new friend.

DAY 4: PAMPER 

- Day 4 is pretty much a pampering session. Massage, manicure, hairdo, you name it. Exploring comes later on, of course. But at this point, it's more of just soaking in the past couple of days and being thankful.



DAY 5: HOME TIME 

- Final day is of course about packing up. And I would normally visit a few more places nearby before going to the airport. And most importantly, try to get over the "holiday-withdrawal" syndrome before it even strikes :)




That is pretty much what my holiday routine looks like. Of course, it can vary depending on the amount of days I'm visiting. So, I hope this helps any of you who are going on vacation soon.

I would actually love to know what your holiday routine looks like so please let me know in the comments and share a few tips with others too :) 

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 :) 

June Goals

That's half a year gone, my friends! 


We are actually in the month of June already.


And it is starting to freak me out a bit because normally, this time round, I'd be asking myself "What have I actually achieved in the first half of the year?"


Well, I can tell you that I have grown a lot as a person, as an individual. I see things differently. I learned new things about myself that I'd never thought of - be it feelings, blessings or things.

To be perfectly honest with you, last month was a really tough month for me. I experienced hardships, pain, suffering, happiness, sadness, you name it. And it took a lot of motivation and support from the people that I love to get out of the state that I was in.

Don't worry. I'm perfectly fine now. Back to my normal self :) 

So much has happened in just 31 days and I guess I'm just terrified because 2017 is slipping through my fingers. But that is a story for another day. I am here today to share with you my June goals.

And since May was so tough on me, I found a motto that I'm going to stick to this month:


"You only have one job. And that is to live an extraordinary life." 


I have come to realize that whatever worries you have won't help you progress in life. And whatever hopes and dreams you have, they are useless if you don't go out there and make it happen. Don't just settle! Your job is to live an extraordinary life and with that comes hard work, dedication and commitment. Do what you can to achieve that because that is the only job you should be focusing on.


This month, my goals are to:


1. Meet more people 

Because I forgot how much I love meeting new people


2. Focus more on myself 

Because I feel like the second half of the year is going to get rough


3. Film more videos 

Because that makes me happy


4. Write and blog more

Because let's face it, I was rubbish at blogging last month


5. Be brave

Because I forgot how good it feels to stand up for myself and what I believe in



All of these things make me happy. And I guess I just lost track of what I actually love doing and what makes me happy. That's why I'm going to focus more on myself this month. I mean, the whole idea of monthly goals is to keep track of what makes you happy in life :)



So here's to the June. May it be fruitful and stress-free. Happy mid-year, my lovelies.

May Goals

Holy crapola! 


What in God's name happened to April?!


Guys, we're already 8 days into May. It's the 5th month of the year already. HOW?!?!




*give me a moment to fathom this fact*





Anyway, April was a really productive month for me, I must say. I pretty much achieved everything in my list of April Goals and I'm really proud of myself. See, that's one good thing about having monthly goals - is that you know what you've achieved and you can keep track of your progress. 

Well, this month, I'm going to stick to this motto:

"You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream." 



I've realized that as we, human beings, grow and progress, we will always have new goals and new dreams. And that's why I think we should never be afraid to set new goals. Whatever it is, just do it :)



This month, my personal goal is to:



1. Attend more events and meet new people

2. Work hard, play hard

3. Spread happiness and positivity 

4. Talk to friends more often 

5. Eat healthy and cook more healthy meals at home 




OK. Even though it's 8 days in, I feel like May will be a busy month, so let's do this!

April Goals

OK. April, let's do this.

Honestly, I'm actually writing my April Goals today because I didn't realize it was already April yesterday. 

But what I CAN say, is that March was a really fruitful month. I think part of the reason why it flew by was because I was working a lot and just being a lot busier than the previous months. March had been good to me. Now, let's just hope April will be too. 

Again, I am proud to say that I have achieved the first 4 things in my March Goals list. I only didn't manage to drink more tea. Instead, I was downing coffee :/ 

Anyway, the motto that I'm going to stick to this month is: 

"Yesterday was yesterday. Focus on today." 

Because we're already in the 4th month of 2017, things are getting pretty serious. So, I think it's best if we start focusing on today instead of yesterdays. 

This month, my personal goals are to:

1. Socialize more

2. Keep myself busy and occupied 

3. Have more faith and confidence in what I do and in my life

4. Travel more

5. Experience new things

I feel like April is going to be a tough month for me, so I need to keep track of my goals here :) April, here we go. 

The Truth About My Life Now

Whenever I post something close to my heart, people seem to enjoy it more. So I've decided to write this post today.

Lately, my life has been rather confusing and hectic. I'm at the age where I can't quite figure myself out yet but I'm kind of getting there. I'm at a place where I'm fighting for myself every.single.day. 

I try to act tough everyday because I know I'm strong, but deep down, I'm vulnerable too. The truth is, when you've been strong for too long, you need a break from it. And that's where I am right now. I fight and I fight and I tell myself I can do it. But at the end of the day, my brain, my body, my soul - me - every single part of me is so tired. 

Tired from pretending. Tired from hurting. Tired from thinking. Tired from running away. 

This week has been one of the busiest weeks I've had so far. I've actually forgotten what it feels like to lose track of time. When I realized that today is Friday, my brain just could not fathom it at all. And today was just one of those days where everything just went South. I'm not going to lie, this month, I've had loads of days like that. 

People always see the happy side of me, the smiley side of me, the laughing side of me. That's because I choose to show that side of me. 

The truth is, I need a shoulder to cry on. 

I don't have many friends. I mean, I know lots of people but I can only call a few of them my friends. And all my friends who hold part of my heart are not here with me, which makes it that much more frustrating. 

It suffocates me.

I can't count how many times I've had difficulty breathing just because I need someone to talk to. Someone I can trust. Not someone who'll feed on my sorrow and then use it against me later. 

One thing you should know about me is that I've been betrayed so many times it's not even funny anymore. I find it hard to trust people. I'm open-minded and I'm good at meeting new people, don't get me wrong, and I can talk about almost anything to anyone. From past experiences to dirty jokes. 

However, I find it difficult to talk to people about my problems and share my feelings. That's why I turn to 2 of my best friends whenever I'm having a serious mental breakdown. And the fact that 2 of them are not here with me is just one of the saddest things ever. 

Today, one of my best friends texted me with encouraging and supportive words at the correct time. Like I said, today was one of those days where I'm just not feeling it. I got her text and I suddenly realized that I am a lot stronger than I used to be. I don't need other people to validate me because the truth is, I AM ALREADY DOING MY VERY BEST. 

And as long as I can see that, other people can too. And if they choose not to see it, it's absolutely not my problem. 

So, today, I want to thank absolutely everyone - whether you're my friend or not - who supports me in what I do, who supports my life, who makes me laugh and smile everyday. Thank you so so much. 

I don't take any single one of you for granted. 

:) 

SUNDAY FUNDAY: EXPLORING NEW CAFES (OW:L ESPRESSO SS15 REVIEW)

I want to make it my mission to visit a new cafe every Sunday. 

I love exploring cozy little cafes. Honestly, it's one of the best things ever. On Sunday, I decided to go somewhere near where I live so, I came across OW:L Espresso cafe.

I guess the concept of this cafe is a lot similar to most "fusion" cafes these days. Cakes, teas, waffles... etc. Even though I find it similar to most cafes, I still find joy in spending time in a new cafe. It's just my thing :P

Anyway, my first impression of it was "wow! That's a lot of people for a Sunday!" However, I loved all the decor and how the layout of the cafe was. Basically, there's a smoking area out in the balcony and inside, there are different sets of furniture to enjoy. Latest musics and nice ambiance make it even better. 

The one thing I would say that took my breath away is this........... 

Look at how massive that snowman cotton candy is!! 

And buried within it is a bowl of chocolate and banana snowflake (bingsu) which is just gorgeous. 

Of course, we enjoyed this with some peach tea, banana milkshake and latte. 

Overall, I think this place is really worth the try. Absolutely loved it!