2021 Goals

Hey guys and welcome back to my blog!! Happy new year to you all!! I hope you all had a great time during the holidays.

So i did the same post last year with 2020 in terms of new year goals. This one will be the same but in a more thoughtful way.

I am proud of myself for coming so far with my healing and recovery in the past year. Since I have moved abroad, I have achieved so much.

• I can manage my anxiety a lot better than before
• I have had a lot less bad days than I used to
• I have started to take my health more seriously ie. taking important vitamins that’s good for my immune system
• My mood has improved a lot
• My productivity levels have been much better even though I was not working
• I managed to completed three online courses last year on coursera

All of this, I never thought I would have done if I had stayed in London longer. Since moving abroad last year, I have done so much that has made me a better person. That doesn’t mean I never experienced bad mental health days. That does not mean I never experienced mishaps. That does not mean everything went my way. I also had some bad times too. But it has become so much less. Which I am proud of.

I am not perfect, there are some things that still need work. And this time around I have done a lot of thinking about what my goals will be so much.

This year I plan to:

• Perfect my prayers
• Work on my communication skills
• Let things come as it is and not overreact when it does not go my way
• Perfect my skin care
• Make exercise a habit
• Apply for university to start my PGCE course in Dubai
• Find work
• Do some exploring
• Have my own domain for my blog
• Do more online courses while I still have time
• And most importantly, to have fun

I really want this year to work out for me. I have a lot of hope for myself to be able to heal, relax and be more positive this year.

I hope you guys also are able to achieve your own goals too.

Again, Happy New Year!!! Thank you for reading!!! ❤ 🙂

How to stay Budget Friendly when Flying Abroad

Traveling can be both a frustrating and enjoyable pastime. It has the potential to exhaust you while still providing you with lifelong memories. Many of us enjoy traveling as a hobby. However, due to Covid, we have slowed down a little.

The trick to enjoying the best vacation ever is to find a decent travel offer to your desired destination. It’s difficult to find a good travel deal, but I’ll give you some pointers in this post to help you get started.

Tip #1: Remove all of the shady-looking travel agencies from your search engine

This is the first step toward finding the incredible offer you’ve always desired. Make sure the travel sites you’re using are run by reputable and well-known businesses. Before booking flights and/or hotel deals with a brand, do some research on them. Checking to see if the business is legitimate would save you money in the long run and you will be less likely to be taken advantage of or scammed.

Tip #2: To find cheaper flights, just type in ”Everywhere/Anywhere” in the search bar

This is a new trick I discovered recently. This will assist you in determining how far you can go within your budget. A price is assigned to each city. So, whatever your budget, you’ll be able to find something that suits you. You won’t have to spend a lot of money, either.

Tip #3: Never fly during peak travel times

Choose bank holidays when you know that, in your state or country, people are more likely to stay at home. This is a less costly, less crowded, and less crowded mode of transportation.

Tip #4: Book 3 star budget hotels

It’s a lot faster and less expensive to book this way. In a hotel, you don’t need any of those extravagances. When you’re on vacation, all you need is a spot to rest your head and store your belongings. Aside from that, you won’t need any food or additional items from the hotel. You will have more money to spend on food outside of the hotel, souvenirs, and other things you might want to purchase or eat while at your chosen destination if you spend less on the hotel.

I hope you found this article useful. Thank you for taking the time to read what I’ve written. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. 🙂

Travel tips during Covid

Hello there, everyone, and welcome back to another post.

In several nations, international travel or staycations are still prohibited during the pandemic. Vaccinated people, on the other hand, are finding it simpler to travel.

Have a read of my previous post about the benefits of getting a vaccination here.

Traveling necessitates extensive planning, budgeting, and management. Even if you are taking a solitary trip, arranging a journey is never easy. You should think about a few things before, during, and after your trip.

Before you travel:

Tip #1: First and foremost, do your homework. This is the most crucial aspect of your travel preparations. Make sure you do your homework on the destination you’re visiting, including the most well-known tourist hotspots. That is the place in which you are most likely to be or stay.

Tip #2: When packing your baggage, don’t just throw anything in there. Dress for the weather, your destination, and the time of day.

If you’re traveling to a hot area in Africa or Asia, for example, bring two outfits for each day. There’s a daytime outfit and an evening/nighttime outfit. When it comes to putting ensembles together, it makes things a lot easier.

Tip #3: Keep the necessities with you at all times. Tampons, pads, additional underwear, and bras are all essential essentials for the females on their journey. Make sure you have these on hand in case something goes wrong.

Body lotion, travel-size hand cream, travel-size hand sanitizer, a pack of masks, electronics, chargers, and, of course, your passport and ticket must all be packed.

Never forget the essentials.

If you need hair styling products, those are extra goods you don’t require. It’s unnecessary baggage weight and items that can be readily replaced.

Depending on where you go, you may be able to get such items at a lower price at your destination.

I hope this post helped you in some way or another. Don’t forget to read my previous post about vaccinations and why it’s a good idea to get them.

Until next time. Xoxo

Benefits of the Covid-19 Vaccine

Hey guys. Welcome back to another post.

So I’d like to discuss travel and how it has changed as a result of the pandemic. For those who have been vaccinated, travel has become much easier. As you might be aware, the Covid vaccine has been distributed in several countries around the world. If you’re worried about getting the vaccine, this post is for you because I’ll explain why it’s so important to get vaccinated.

Vaccines, like anything else that comes out of a syringe or needle, are frightening. You have no idea what’s in them and are afraid of it. I see your point. It’s a legitimate concern that you’re allowed to have.

Symptoms

It’s unlikely that you’ll experience serious symptoms like diarrhea. It’s very rare for a needle to cause such a symptom. The only symptom you can experience, if any, is a headache and minor pain from the vaccination jab. You should take painkillers for that.

Benefits

I’ll also list some benefits below so you can understand easier:

• Little to no symptoms at all
• You do not have to worry about wearing a mask depending on which country or state you live in (it is better to wear a mask regardless)
• You can travel easier
• Risk of infection is reduced
• Your body is better prepared to fight off Covid if you ever contract it after your vaccine (this is less likely to happen)
• You are less likely to get Covid or to give it to someone else
• Fewer people remain vulnerable
• Covid is less likely to be transmitted from vaccinated individuals to those who cannot be vaccinated due to health conditions or pregnancy (so there is nothing to worry about)

Finally, having the vaccine is a smart thing in my view because you would be much safer to yourself and others. You don’t have to consider not wearing a mask or not sanitizing your hands just because you’ve been vaccinated. That also doesn’t mean you should stop being careful because you feel protected or because your state or country says you shouldn’t. And if you have the vaccine and all of its advantages, you should always be cautious.

I received the vaccine as well. And when I say this, I’m speaking from personal experience. Outside, I continue to wear my mask and carry hand sanitizer. It’s not a bad idea to be extra careful. You don’t want to be the reason anyone else gets Covid.

Stay safe and be aware!!!

Expectations versus Reality: Self Care

Self-care is a major concern that needs to be discussed. It is important for all of us to strengthen our mental health and well-being. However, our perceptions of self-care and the practice of participating in self-care can often be misaligned.

We want self-care to be twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, taking care of ourselves, being optimistic, and maintaining a positive attitude. This way of thinking is influenced by social media. There’s no reason to feel compelled to exercise self-care all of the time because of what other people do online. The truth is that we don’t all do our best, and self-care isn’t always a top priority for a variety of reasons.

That’s why I always tell people to take care of themselves when they can. There is no such thing as a rivalry in life. Practicing self-care should not be seen as a competition. There is so much more to life than constantly competing just because someone is consistently doing something better than you. Slow down for a moment. Life isn’t trying to get away from you. You have a lot of time ahead of you.

Don’t put yourself under any undue stress. When you’re feeling stressed, it’s also better to take a break from social media. Make sure you’re doing it for yourself while you practice self-care. Self-care should not be done for the benefit of others. And do it whenever you want.

Self-care should be something we enjoy doing. It should be something we enjoy doing, and it should be unique and special to us. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to self-care. You can do it in a variety of ways. It might be as easy as going to bed early or brushing your teeth at night. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant or high-end. Unless you have the financial means to do so. That, however, is not the issue. My point is that you can do whatever works best for you. Do not imitate what others have done.

Each of us has our own way of doing stuff. Do you think so? Be true to yourself. Take care of yourself in your own special way.

Thank you for reading. 🙂

Expectation versus Reality: University Experience

American movies have glorified the university experience so much that people believe their experience will be the exact same. But the truth is, it isn’t. Yes, you’ll meet new people, learn to be independent, learn to initiate on your own. But what they say in movies about how university is a fun party land is far from the truth.

University is a reality check. You take out loans, you take out grants just so you can, have somewhere to live and basically stay alive during your time at university. You work part time or struggle to find work. You have to find ways to take care of yourself while staying up late doing those assignments last minute and close to the deadline.

University is basically late nights, coffee and energy drinks. It isn’t always a party everyday unless you want to fail then there would be no reason for you to take out loans because you’re wasting it. Yes, there are some elements of fun and hanging out with friends. There are some elements of parting and going out. But it is not always sunshine and rainbows.

If you want to get through university, you have to balance it all out. Make your studies a priority, then you can have all the fun you wanted and always wished for. But if you don’t, then you can’t always have the glory. That us just the way life works.

University isn’t for everyone. But to those of you who want to go to university, do keep in mind that not everyone is going to have the exact same experience. Or else, university will be boring. Make it a unique experience for you, yourself. Don’t be a follower, be a leader. Make your own choices. But wise and healthy choices.

Make sure you take care of yourself, self care is everything. Dedicate the weekend to that. Have an at home spa day filled with bubble baths, facemasks, candles, sage, incense and peace and quiet. If you live with a roommate who is a party animal, this will be a little harder to do. You can always change rooms or switch roommates in the first few weeks at university.

Having high expectations of what university will be like isn’t the way to go. Just assume that you’ll have a mixture of good and bad experiences along the way. That is how life is. We live and we learn.

Thank you for reading. 🙂

Expectations versus Reality: Job hunting after university

Going to university is exciting and all. It’s a good experience for us to all have. But there are quite a few flaws about university and sometimes obtaining a degree is not all that you think.

Of course, university is not everyone’s preference. But for those that do decide to study further and move on to higher education, what universities advertise is not always correct.

Universities promise that you’ll be guaranteed a job within 6 – 12 months after graduating. In some cases that’s true but not always. For some people like me, it is difficult to get a job in the field you want. Unless, you know someone who can get you a job at where they work. Then, it is less likely you’ll see any jobs within a year of graduation.

Every university also promise that you’ll have a great experience with them. And some people do genuinely have great experiences which is good for them. But not everyone has that same “fantastic” experience than those who do.

University is all about making friends and having a good time. But some people struggle with that in particular. They have a hard time adjusting and not everything is always in their favour. Some people struggle with their mental health, making friends and being social at university.

In the end, university is a benefit but it isn’t always necessary for what you might want to do in the future. You may want to be a small business owner and so you may want to study business management as a degree for you to gain knowledge on how to run a business. Or you may want to be an artist and paint and sell on etsy. That doesn’t need or require a degree at all.

So when thinking about your career goals, ask yourself is university is the route to go or not.

University isn’t always the best especially when I went anyway. But whatever you decide to do, good luck with it. And whatever you decide about university, make sure you are going for yourself and no one else. It’s a lot of money you pay and once you start you can’t drop out. Well you can but you’d have to pay back the loans you took out.

That’s also another reality check for you.

Well, thanks for reading! 😊

Till next time. 😁

Hobbies you can do during quarantine

Hey guys and welcome back to my blog.

Some people have benefitted from the pandemic and others haven’t. Some people gained jobs and others lost theirs. Some people gained new opportunities and others lost their opportunity. So it can be hard to stay productive and keep busy during quarantine especially after losing work.

But it isn’t all bad during this pandemic though. It doesn’t have to be all sad and gloomy. Some people have gained new skills and others found new ways to keep busy. But if you are struggling to find what is for you, then this post is for you. Keep on reading.

For me personally, it is very important to find your passion and do something you love. That is the most important thing for me. If you find something you love, it won’t ever feel like work. Which is why I am writing this post because a hobby could turn into your passion. You never know when you try something new whether it could turn into what you end up doing for life as something you love.

Quarantine has been hard on us all. Some places around the world, are free of Covid and lockdown, other places are free of a lockdown but not Covid. Other places are in lockdown and have Covid present. So we are all going through it right now and it can be hard to keep your head up high and feel positive.

So if you are stuck about what to do during quarantine and you’re bored, here are a few things you can do to help you get started:

• Reading
• Journaling
• Crocheting
• Knitting
• Take part in online courses (I’d recommend coursera.org for this)
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Join any online clubs or extra curricular activities like book or running clubs
• Take part in outdoor sports (if you aren’t lockdown)
• Writing

I hope this will give you some ideas on what you can do as a hobby and indulge in. If you have more ideas, feel free to add in the comments below.

Thank you for reading. 🙂

Taking care of your mental health while working from home

Hi guys and welcome back to my blog. I hope you’re all doing well.

Since the pandemic has started just a year ago, more of us across the world have been working from home. Which is something that some of you have gotten used to already by now. But for others, it is still a huge adjustment.

There are alot of things that we miss that we can no longer do unless you’re an essential business or worker. The simple things like commute to work and being in an office like environment (where productivity is likely to be increased) are just the few of the simple things we miss being able to do.

There is alot this pandemic has taken from us. What the pandemic can’t take from us is how we think and our attitude towards it.

It is extremely hard to think positive and to maintain a positive attitude all the time 24/7. And that is okay. You are allowed to have your bad days.

There are going to be days where you need a lie in bed, a coffee or two, a good cry. That’s okay to experience all of that. As long as you remember that, the most important thing is that we come back up stronger.

Looking after your mental health is number one priority for yourself. Or it should be, if it isn’t already. You cannot look after your kids, or be a carer to someone else, if you are not able to care for yourself first.

It may seem selfish. I know. You might be thinking, you can’t put yourself first. But if you don’t, leaving yourself to burn out to the point of exhaustion isn’t going to help nobody.

Here are a few simple tips on how to take care of yourself mentally (that won’t take up a lot of time):

• Go for a run 🏃‍♀️ (30 – 45 minutes per day)
• Do home workouts (5-10 minutes per day)
• Have a (30 minute) coffee date over facetime or video call with a friend or SO 🎥📞
• Do yourself a bubble bath 🛀
• Join an online social club that meet up on zoom every week
• Treat yourself to a home spa day 💆
• Go on a walk every day (1hour)
• Read a book 📚 (20 minutes)

The most important thing is, don’t overdo it, don’t push yourself too hard. You’re doing your best.

I hope this helps. 🙂

Thank you for reading 💘

My favourite youtubers I enjoy watching for fun

Hey guys ☺️

I hope you are all doing well and I hope you are all in good health as you read this post.

So I am in a very fun mood today. And I want to share with you all, my favourite youtubers I like to watch for entertainment when netflix isn’t doing their job. Lol 🤣😆

Youtube is a source of entertainment and fun I turn to when I get bored of netflix or when I want to eat food. I can’t eat without putting something to watch on first. It’s a become a habit of some sort now. Yeah, it’s that bad. I know.

But who cares, it’s youtube. Youtube is fun, amazing and it gives me the giggles when I need a good pick me up on a bad day.

And I hope it does the same for you too.

WWE:

I love watching wrestling for a good laugh. It is fun, I know it is not real and they follow a script. But I love the characters and the superstars always risk their lives to give us as viewers, entertainment round the clock.

Dr. Phil:

Dr.phil is a mental health expert who has a ton of experience in the mental health community. He has his own show hence he has his on channel on youtube. I watch him because I am Intrigued to see how he deals with people’s situations and what they go through every day. It’s a huge insight and a learning experience for me.

Steve Harvey:

Steve harvey is a comedian. He had his own show for a while, about 7 years. I watched all the clips on youtube of his show since I could never watch full episodes of his show on tv. He is one of the very few people who was there for me without even knowing it. He would always make me cry with laughter when I needed it.

BBC THREE:

Bbc three is a channel that we have in the uk that is on tv. It is exclusive to the uk only. They have a youtube channel I’d you ever want to watch their stuff. On their youtube channel, there are lots of different documentaries on there. It makes me think a lot about myself and the things I always complain about. I have a lot to be greatful for. It’s so sad seeing people in those documentaries going through what they go through. It’s a reflection of reality and real life.

NAT GEO WILD:

I love watching nature documentaries and films. I am animal fact junkie. I love learning about new animals and how they live. Such an amazing channel if you’re an animal fact finding junkie too.

I hope you found some new things to watch after reading this. Thank you for reading. 🙂

How to deal with toxic family

We all have family members we don’t talk to. We all have relatives we don’t like to associate with. There’s always someone who embarrasses you or makes you feel bad. There is no one who hasn’t got a crazy family member who is always causing trouble.

If you don’t have anyone in your family that isn’t what I mentioned above, then that’s very rare.

Everywhere we go, there is always toxic people. Some of those people can be your family. But we overcompensate for them because they’re “blood”.

And “blood is supposed to be thicker than water”. That’s right, but that statement does not apply to everyone. Yes, even if they are related to you and bound to you by dna.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are being: used and abused, I suggest that you stay as far away from them as possible. You do not need negativity or toxicity in your life. You deserve better.

Here are a few tips on what to do when you come across “family” who think using and abusing you is okay.

If you live with them:

• Stay in your room and avoid them as much as you can.
• And you have to work from home, you don’t have to leave your room. Only leave your room to make yourself food or go to the bathroom.
• And you leave home for work, even better. You don’t have to see them all day.
• Avoid confrontation as much as you can.
• Keep communication to a minimum.
• If you can afford it, move out.
• The most important thing I can say to you is: keep those negative nancies at a distance!!!

It is always best to keep toxic family at arms length. Whatever you do, do not give in to their cries and pleas when they “need you” all of a sudden. Just tell them no.

I hope this post helps. Thanks for reading.