Loving Yourself, My Kind of Valentine's Day!

Valentine's day on Tuesday?! Oh I really love the idea of Valentine’s Day, it’s the execution of the day that I am not quite as enamored with. Think about it for a moment, an entire day that is dedicated to the idea of love, being in love, showing your love and declaring your love. It makes me smile just thinking about it! It is the price tag pressure that makes me less mushy; that and the part about desperately trying to find someone to shower with hearts and chocolate even if you are on your own by either choice or circumstance.

Instead of trying to figure out ways to make everyone else happy, try to figure out the things that make you happiest :)

I remember once a friend of mine says, “I can please only one person per day. Today I choose me.” I am thinking that this Valentine’s Day, you should choose your own happiness first before worrying about everyone else. Self love is the best type of love because you will always be there for yourself. You do not have to stress about you leaving or breaking up with yourself. Sure it might sound selfish and arrogant to love yourself more than anyone else, but I believe it's been the key to happiness.

If you are single, tell yourself that you love yourself! If you are taken, you still need to take care of yourself. A relationship is something complementary, not supplementary and I strongly believe that you need to fulfill whatever happiness you need in life on your own and that a partner is just an extra bonus of that.

So to prepare your "Special Day", take time to reflect, journal your thoughts, give yourself a pep talk I actually talk to myself all the time, get hobbies, work on personal development,  do something good for yourself and for others, take a moment to remind yourself of the things that you are thankful for, always be honest with yourself, and focus on the positive.

In case you need a reminder, be grateful, treat yourself right, and LOVE yourself xx

Stay positive around negative people

Many of us have people in our lives who, to put it bluntly, bring us down. Heck, even if we are not always upbeat, if you spend much time with negative people, it can be a drain. If you are regularly exposed to downer influences, their attitudes and moods can weasel their way into your soul and strip you of your well-being and sense of peace. Even your world view can become skewed by their incessant lack of enthusiasm.

Under the influence of a negative person, you might even second guess yourself on important decisions, feel sad, uncomfortable or depressed. 

So how can you stay positive around negative people?

Keep your power. Negative people’s pessimistic outlook can drag down your mood making you feel sullen and cynical. In my opinion, allowing a negative person to dictate your emotions gives them too much power. This means you’re responsible for your mood and outlook, do not let anyone else sour it.

Remember it’s not about you. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from my parents was “it has nothing to do with you.” Negative people are negative; if they’re critical or harsh, they’re like that with everyone. Don’t make it too personal.

Counterattack with positivity. Some people are being so negative simply because they know it can rile you. So, if your boss say, “Those shoes are an interesting choice,” try countering with “I love your top today.” If your colleague constantly complains about the weather, reply with how pretty the sky looks. When some people realize their negativity falls on deaf ears, they may give up the comedowns.

Look for the positive. Even in people who you feel are negative, always try to find some positivity within. Sure, maybe they complain a lot, but maybe they’re also the first to offer to pet-sit when you go on vacation.

Keep yourself busy with positive things and stay away from their negative chats, but do not forget to always be pleasant while keeping a space between you and them. Surround yourself with positive vibes and be positive xx

Reasons to be grateful: the gratitude lists

How many times have you found something irritating today? Did someone cut off on the way to work? Was the coffee burnt? Did someone not reply to your email? Did your boyfriend break his promise? Again?

And how many times today did you find something to be grateful for?

Often times we lose sight of the forest for the trees; we focus on life’s tiny burdens and forget to remain mindful of our blessings. Making gratitude lists can bring us back to the place of natural reflection, where we focus on what is good rather than what is bad.

In other words, when we learn to focus on what we appreciate rather than what we lack, we start to realize how much we have been given. And then we start to give back.

Take some time today, wherever you are and whatever you are doing at the moment, to come up with gratitude list. If it does not come naturally, do not let that stop you from giving thanks. There is still much to be thankful for, if we only have eyes to see.

SAYING GOODBYE TO 2016

Another year has flown by and just like each year, I am amazed at how quickly it's gone and I honestly feel as though I have blinked and the whole thing just whizzed by like a film on fast forward. 2016 has seen many highlights along with a few challenges! I wanted to document a little bit raw and from the heart shall we say. I just love going back to read as a nice reminder of how much can change and how much I have grown as a person. 

I started the year feeling very suffocated by certain press, some other general negativity following my career. It's very devastating to work hard on something, and for it to be twisted beyond your control and to feel as though the only thing you can do is crawl into a hole rather than try and stand up for yourself and to watch everyone else turn on you.

It's almost like it happened in slow motion and I spent a good portion of the first quarter of the year trying to find happiness again. Through that tough time however, I learnt who my true friends and supporters were. The people who stuck by me and supported me, the people that encouraged me to keep going and the people who offered everything they had to put a smile back on my face (you know who you are). Although hard, 2016 also got me two new jobs. New challenges, new colleagues, new experiences.

Christmas holiday itself was amzing. You know those times that you feel like you completely relax, that's home for me. It was my first time spending Christmas and New Years Eve with friends without my family around and It was not that bad at all, in fact I was very happy to be able to spend time with them. I tear up and realize how lucky I am to have such amazing friends around me and family who will go above and beyond to put a smile on my face. I have also feel like I have firmly solidified my friendships and I have come to appreciate how these people make me feel. In 2017 I will be flushing out the people that do not bring out the best in me or who have a negative effect on my life or wellbeing and focusing on those who make me laugh until my sides hurt. Life is too short for anything less. I will also attempt to start eating healthy again, do more squats before sleep!

I just want to say how blessed I am. 2016 has been a crazy year. It has been a year of lost and a year of growth. I want to thank my family and friends for their overwhelming support that I will continue giving them joy. Here's to 2017 and all the amazing memories we will make together.

Lots of love, TS xx

Socialize People!

We have seen it before, a couple sitting together on a dinner date both completely ignoring each other in favour of their smartphones. Neither one looks up acknowledgment of the other for most of their time together, both engrossed so deeply in something clearly riveting on screen. I can feel awkward and uncomfortable to watch at times, though more and more couples are favouring their smart phones over face to face contact. So much so, in fact, that they could even be having a conversation on social media as they sit across from one another in a restaurant.

Technology is supposed to make us more connected. We can stay in touch with our friends all the time, from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and of course, by texting. But are our smartphones actually getting in the way of real socializing? Could technology be making us more alone?

Some can say that it makes us more independent with the people around us. As technology continues to get more and more advanced, we continue to get more absorbed into the world of technology and it becomes a bigger part of our lives. Sometimes it can be positive, and other times it can be negative. We continue to adapt more and more to the world of technology as it becomes a bigger part of my life. Nowadays, a lot of people rely on the internet to help their lives easier. Now that people are absorbed into their phones or computer and they tend to forget about the world around them.

Intimacy is hard to achieve or maintain when your laptop or phone keeps beeping with alerts, notifications and email reminders. A constant merciless distraction, our gadgets have come to replace deep-felt, long conversations in view of non-urgent, shallow tasks; retweeting a fun fact, updating your Path, Instagram or Facebook status for the 136th time.

In Fact, some people talk more about their relationships on Facebook than they do face to face with the person they are actually in a relationship with!

Technology was not always here, but it was not always here, but it was created for people to keep us more connected. People say if this technology cuts us off from real people, is this true? Sometimes we see people all the time in groups of friends, but we never see them talking, they are always on their phones. Some people even text a person when they are in the same room as them. A lot of people get so lost in the internet world that they make people in the real world feel alone, and unwanted. It seems like people do not realize that the more your on your phone the more you drive people away. So yeah technology does make us more alone.

We could fix this if we put our heads into it, but some people see technology as a necessity. Phones and the internet are like an addiction, hard to stop when we needed to. If people would give technology a break, and start socializing. We would be less addicted, and less lonely. So please think about how technology treats you.

Socialize, people! ;)

Tuesday Thoughts

The world that we live in can be a scary place for us. In this age of technology, it can be hard to get away from the media, which can be a negative place full of worrying pressures for us growing up. Obviously I try to make to make my little corner of the internet a happy and positive place to be. It’s very easy to feel as though you SHOULD be doing something to please others, even at 24 I feel this way about certain aspects of my life. Do I do everything for me? Is every decision I make for me? Let alone when you are growing up and you feel the pressures of making decisions is even harder and your surrounded by people telling you what it is you probably should be doing. 

If they want to play the drums, they can. If they want to be a ballerina, they can. it’s so important to remember that the world is your oyster and you can go wherever you want to go, and do whatever you want to do. It doesn’t mean the road will be smooth along the way, but with determination and confidence, anyone can reach their potential. If you love something, do it.

When I first started blogging back in 2014, I didn’t know it would end up loving writing (to be honest, it still doesn’t feel like I love this work), but I stuck at it because I loved it. It was so much fun. I had people discouraging me along the way, some told me it was silly. There were times when I would listen to them, and I would consider stopping, but something in me didn’t want to give it up and I stuck at it. Every time from then on when someone discouraged my blog or anything I am doing, it made me work harder. It’s so important to follow your heart in these situations, even if everyone else is telling you it won’t work, or you should be doing something different, that doesn’t mean they're right. Only you know what feels right, and only you can act upon it.

Happy Tuesday

Don't forget to smiiilleee! x

Relaxing..Motivational Sunday :)

I feel slow and sluggish but I have just made a big to-do list, had some toast and I am writing this. Sometimes completing just one task gives you the motivation to tackle and complete another, you just have to start.

Yesterday was a write off. I had such plans for so many things. Finished my Saturday class and instead, chatted with my best friend Jovita and Faris that I just met yesterday. Spent the entire day with Jovita, it was lovely.

Sometimes when you do not do any work for a day, just make my mark on the world, relaxing, just live my day. 

It is just so, so beautiful.

I did so many things for these past few years, I did earn my money, and I did further my career. I felt like career-wise it was such an amazing year and I am truly grateful for what I have so far. Personally though, I was crumbling.

This week remember what you are living for. Take time and enjoy your life. Remember that there is so much more to your life than working and think about what really makes you rich. 

Love you lots.

xx