Creating a home that reflects my personality

Hello everyone.

I have been re-decorating my home for the past four weeks. I love to modernise my looks and myself as an individual but I realised last month that I wasn’t applying the same attitude towards my home. I live in an apartment that my dad once lived in until he bought a house.  Everything about the place has his name on it, meaning its shows his personality and the kind of things he likes . His very much into the latest technology so there’s all of that around the house as well as the shelves, wardrobes and cabinets that he has made himself as his profession is in the carpentry / joinery industry. The only thing that showed my personality was the duvet covers and a few picture frames, plus the smoothie and juice makers in the kitchen lol.

He wasn’t opposed to me redecorating the place so I started on the hall way towards the end of last month, painting it all white and adding a few black and white accessories that have inspirational quotes on them. I love inspirational quotes so this is something I wanted to add because every morning when I walk out of the room, it’s a good reminder to be positive and look at the brighter side of life and it also shows my personality.

I have also painted the living room, a nice magnolia cream colour which I really like.  I am currently looking at different curtains, cushions and accessories to add to the living room.  This weekend I will move on to the kitchen and then to the bathroom and my goal is to have the whole place redecorated before the end of the year.

It’s a challenge because firstly, I have had to cut back on buying a lot of clothes that I would normally buy during this season and instead spend more money on paint, wallpaper and accessories for the home and secondly having to spend part of my weekends to decorate. I’ve had to change my weekend schedule a bit and not commit myself to do certain things or go to certain places just so I can focus a bit more on things at home, but this is the decisions we have to make in order to get things done!


Here are a few pictures of the latest additions to my hall way!

Saturday's evening look

Yesterday evening I attended the Godllywood Pledge Night and Feast of the Tabernacles in London.

The dress that I decided to wear was a dress that I had bought a few days before New Year's Eve last year. I bought it for a special event hosted at the beginning of the year but due to the change of the dress code, I didn't.

I saw it fitting to wear for an occasion like yesterday, which was like a gala night. I really do like this two toned grey glitter dress!

Back after a rejuvenating detox

So, I’m back on social media after a 3 week break away from all forms of social media and secular entertainment such as music and TV. I like to call it a spiritual detox! It was much needed and an awesome time to reflect and work on my relationship with myself, with God and with others. Without realizing, we can be so caught up with what’s going on in the world of entertainment, spending our free time or passing time on social media and neglect time for ourselves, our family and most importantly with God. Just because we are physically among people, doesn’t mean we are actually paying attention to them. Our bodies can be present and our minds elsewhere!

A lot of thoughts, attitudes and ideals are influenced by external factors and sometimes we can get lost and lose our own identity and start adopting attitudes or thoughts that don't originate from us. When I abstain from certain things for a while, I have a chance to  see just how my thinking has been, what has been influencing me, both positively and negatively as well upgrading myself to another level spiritually speaking by eradicating what is not good and filling myself with what is good for me.

The funny thing is despite not watching TV, listening to secular music or accessing my social networking sites, I was not bored, not even for a day! Life was still active but I didn’t miss those things. I spent a lot of time thinking, analysing recent events both good and bad, things I have achieved so far this year and things that I haven’t yet achieved and sought why I hadn’t’ achieved them as well as looking for new ways of doing things so I can achieve them before the end of the  year.

I caught up with a lot of work and had lots of me time around nature and at home. I slept early most nights, because I wasn’t up until late watching my favourite TV programs or catching up with news feeds on Facebook and Instagram!


I have a new mind-set, renewed spirit and looking forward to experiencing different things before the end of this year!

My Autumn Sunday Look

 

Hello bloggers!

Autumn is my favourite season. I love being around autumn leaves and couldn't but take a picture among the leaves today!

Happy Sunday!

 

 

Making time for yourself

Even with a busy life, we still can and should make time for ourselves. "Me-time" is really important to me.  Those who know me well know that I like to keep active and socialize as much as I can but I also like to chill and when I get the chance, have an afternoon nap and go to bed early at least once or twice  a week. I'm usually asleep by 9.30pm on Tuesdays and Sundays as they are the days when I am home early and try not to plan things for the evening. When I attend monthly workshops or an event on Tuesdays I move my weekday early night to another day on that particular week.

Thursdays are the days I like to separate for social activities. At the moment I'm attending fortnightly  contemporary dance classes on Thursday evenings. I am really enjoying the sessions. It's something new and challenging and I find it quite relaxing. It definitely helps me to unwind after a busy working week.

Fridays are my non working days which I like to keep free for catching up with the housework, studying, running errands and tying up loose ends.

My weekends are quite busy, especially in the morning and afternoon but I make sure to separate time for my family spending as much time as I can with them. Weekend is generally the best time for us all and Sundays afternoons are now spent at my mom's house having lunch or dinner.

When we take time out for ourselves we are actually doing good to our mental and physical health. Many women look run down, heavy, tired, complain a lot and are fed up with their routine and most of the time it's because they don't give themselves a break. They're always busy trying to take care of everyone and everything else but don't take care of themselves. Sometimes an early night, a trip to the cinema, a walk in the park, a session at the gym or exercise class can help you to relax, recharge your batteries and give you the time-out you need to re-focus.


Last night I went to the theatre with my mom. Initally I had invited my sister to come with me but as she had other plans I invited my mom. My mom works a lot and hardly makes time to do anything like this so this was a treat for her. In fact she couldn't remember the last time she went out. We had a really nice time and the play was great. It was called Hood: The Legend Continues and was centered around the story of Robin Hood in modern times. After the play we went to Nandos and then went home. Something so simple made a difference to her week and mine too!

Step back Sunday: Remebering my time at university

Ten years ago this week I moved to a new city to further my studies
at university. I was reminded of my experience today while speaking to 
two young ladies who have been like my little sisters over the years. 

I've known them since they were per-teens and it struck me just how much
time has flown by. Nadia is moving away this week to start her first 
year at university to study law and Starr is going into her final 
year. Both girls are smart and forward thinking and I believe they will do 
very well!
 
The transition from college to university can be overwhelming and make one feel 
apprehensive. When you move away from home to another city it makes you feel even 

more nervous because your now rolling solo and have a lot of adjusting to do but it's

 exciting all the same.You learn so much about yourself and learn who your real friends are. You meet  different people who will teach you a lot and you start to become independent. 

You have freedom, which can become your best friend or nemesis, depending on how
you use your new found freedom. You set your own rules, plan how your day goes,

 responsible for your own meals, and have the opportunity to mould the way you live

and study. A lot students choose to get caught up in the whole fresher's hype and 
party a lot and get drunk. Even after fresher's week, they spend at least 2 - 3 nights
a week going to nightclubs and drinking. I did this during my first semester at
university until I got bored of it. I did not know God during this time and even before 
I started going to church I started to lose interest in these things. They are many
ways to fun and a really good time without going to nightclubs and drinking excessively.

One thing new students need to remember, which I eventually did is to remember why you
are there - which is to get your degree, so make sure you make time to study and
find a balance between work and play. Oh and keep on top of your student budget!

Be careful with the company you keep and choose friends who you see have a the same
vision and outlook on life as you. A lot of people lose their identity just so they can
fit in with the crowd! Be yourself and don't allow what others are doing or how
they live to make you feel like you have to change to be like them.

The media's portrayal of women

I'm finally getting chance to continue sharing my experience from the women's equality event I attended on Tuesday. I am writing this as I sit in my mother's garden after a very delicious Sunday dinner. 

As I mentioned in my last video post, we women have a power to influence others and we must use it to make a positive impact in other women's lives. The event was more like a workshop because we all had to participate and share our views and ideas. There were more than 25 women of different age  groups and from different areas and backgrounds. We were encouraged to not judge each other's opinions or views and to allow each one to speak and express themselves without jumping in or trying to correct or even impose our own views on each other.

 I learned that we should not be ashamed to have our own opinions and views neither should we be afraid to voice them. Even if no one believes in what we believe in, we shouldn't compromise what we stand for or lower our standards. Women with high standards, morals and values are  greatly admired. They stand out from the crowd and although they face a lot of adversity and hostility from others because they are different, that doesn't stop them from being who they are. These women make the difference - and we need more women like this in our society. 

 Something that some of the women picked up on which I didn't realize at first was how older women are viewed as past their sell by date and viewed as not having anything to add in journalism, TV and film, music, certain job roles and positions in politics or society. They are indirectly and at times directly discriminated against and not taken seriously when in truth, mature women have accumulated a wealth of wisdom and invaluable experience over the years that they can pass on to younger women and the wider audience. Because they no longer look young and sexy, they are dismissed, again, showing how the media unfortunately favours beauty over brains and intellect. 

The opposite can be seen when it comes to males who are the same age as these older women. Have you noticed how veteran actors such as Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and George Clooney still get starring roles in blockbuster films and even have young women half their age as a love interest, but you don't see a lot of actresses their age getting big roles? 

That's why many women end up having plastic surgery and non surgical treatments to try and look young. They end up losing their identity and are allowing the media to dictate their self worth and value. The different ideas of how to positively campaign to promote women growing old gracefully and how they shouldn't be judged because of their age or because they've lost their youthful looks was interesting. I really hope some of the ideas are implemented.