Heart Work

Hi lovelies! 

Transition periods for me always trigger periods of self reflection. I think it's the feeling of being in limbo or maybe it's because I finally slow down enough to take everything in and think. I'm an overthinker by nature but there's something about getting time to stop and think that allows me to take it a step further into heart work.

No one tells you how chaotic heart work can be.
How real self love is hours of self examination, learning, unlearning and growing into a better version of yourself. Even when you thought you were a good (enough) person and that you've achieved what you'd set out to do in that season. How you'll have to turn your world upside down before putting it right side up again.

On Learning and Unlearning...

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ESV

You think you've done all the (physical) growing that you do when you become an adult and life laughs in your face. 😩 There are a few things in life that are constant and growth is definitely one of them.

I'm one of those people that has always been excited about growth. Growing taller, growing older, growing wiser and definitely growing spiritually. But no one seems to prepare you for emotional growth. The kind of growth that comes with growing pains like you wouldn't believe. Growth that causes you to go through a period of learning and unlearning. Choosing exactly who it is you want to be and realising that you need to grow on your own, but also that you have to grow with the various relationships in your life. And boy is that a tough one, especially if you're keen on growth while the people around you are set on staying in the same place. Or, if you think you've grown enough in a certain place and then you're placed in a situation where you realise that's definitely not the case.🤦🏾‍♀️

Taking stock: Corantine 2020

Hey lovelies!
Happy Easter 🤗

How crazy is it that the first quarter of 2020 is already done? 🤯 It was just last year that I was counting down to this year and now it's flying past. So while we all have time to read/write I thought I'd do a quick reflection of how I'm doing at the end of it and start this next one on the right foot.😅 Here we go:

Making: So much progress with my studying.
Come on productivity!🥳💃🏾

Cooking/Baking: Pancakes and dessert french toast bc dessert and breakfast foods are my absolute favourites! 😍🤤Did you get the chance to snag the recipe yet?

Drinking: Water, the answer is always going to be water. 😂

Craving: Outside 😭 and I know everyone knows what I mean when I say that.😅 I've been making a list of everywhere I want to go eat once they open outside again cause oomf shaded me about being indecisive.🤣

Faith, Self Isolation Pancakes and other stories

All around the world right now Covid-19 is being spoken about. What started a bad flu making it's rounds in China last October and progressed to cases of pneumonia in December quickly showed itself to be the Corona virus that has spread to all corners of the globe. It has scientists working their hardest to find information on it, health workers in battle against the increasing number of cases they have to treat and governments trying their hardest to keep their people safe. But at the heart of it all is people like you and me who are essential in stopping the spread, once and for all.

How do we do this?
Well, we wash our hands, sanitize, avoid unnecessary contact with other people and most important of all, if you can, stay home. After all home is the safest place you can be, surrounded by all the people you love. I know that's where I've been for the last week.😅

It may seem like the world has stopped, all our favourite things are cancelled, and the media is just out to instil fear in us but that's so far from the truth. There are so so many things that we can get up to and because we have the love of God in us there's no need to be afraid. His perfect love drives away all fear.😍 (1 John 4:18)

An Attitude of Gratitude...

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul"
- Henry Ward Beecher

I posted the picture above on my Instagram at the beginning of the year and asked my followers a question: "what is your word for the year?"

As you can obviously guess from the title, mine is gratitude. And while it may seem like a relatively easy one I can tell you now it definitely isn't, especially in a social climate like the one we're living in right now.

I'm not exactly sure when it happened but I stopped writing down resolutions for the year.🤔 Not cause I was boycotting them or anything, but just cause by the time the end of the first quarter came round most of those resolutions had been broken or done away with. And that was quite disheartening. So instead, I decided to go with a theme or a phrase that would help direct my year and encourage me to apply it to all the things that I attempted or went through in the process of it. And I can tell you now that it's definitely changed how I live. 😄

Bridesmaid Diaries

  

Dear diary,

So apparently this post has been a long time coming because I'm a serial bridesmaid.😂 That is a lie. Don't believe everything people tell you.

Wait *awkward silence*
I'm the only one that tells you anything *hehehe*🙈
Let's just pretend that didn't happen.

Actually, what had happened was, two of my favourite people got married over the last year and I spent the better part of it involved in some kind of wedding planning or giving my input on one thing or another. And if you follow my Instagram it's definitely testament to that.😅
So a friend suggested I write a bridesmaid handbook. But rather than just tell you the do's and don'ts, I thought I'd run you through the process (which may vary from wedding to wedding) and help you see how you can be the best bridesmaid ever. After all, it is an honour to be part of your person's wedding party and what better way to thank her than doing the best you can at your role?

Should we kick this series off than at the very beginning then?!

Its the year Two Thousand and Nineteen

Happy New Year!

The other day as it struck midnight and all the fireworks went off signifying the star of the new year, I sat on the couch watching and reflecting.
You know, like a normal ambivert (I'm not going to argue it, I said what I said) would.
Asking myself questions like:

How was it already 2019?
Where had the time flown?
What lessons had I learnt from 2018?
And what did the new year have in store?

So many questions with just enough silence and all the time in the world to think through them.
Fast forward to today, we are a week into the year and I'm finally ready to sit down and put those thoughts into words on your screen. It's been a while since we had one of these heart to hearts and while I post the Taking Stock series every chance I get (I promise those are coming back), there's truly nothing like a good old fashioned deep meaningful conversation (or post in this case).

Chicken pox Woes and other stories.

Yes you read right, I caught chicken pox.

At my big age 😂

And yes it caught me totally by surprise, despite being a medical student and all of that.🙎

So lemme tell you how it happened.

A couple of weeks ago I got excited when I saw a pawpaw (or Papaya for the rest of you in the western world 😉) in Food Lovers market and had to have it. I also picked up a bag of locally grown Zambian coffee and headed out. The next morning guess who had pawpaw for breakfast? This girl! Note that it wasn't fully ripe but since when has something like that stopped me?😅 Fast forward to nine pm that night and guess who had an "allergic reaction"? This same girl 😂 tjo guys, was I not worried that I would become ugly?!😩 You should've seen me panic when I realised I didn't have my allergy pills (everyone with a ton of allergies has them, if you know you know), I then proceeded to wake up my mum and bother my sisters for antihistamine cream.

Fortunately I found some, lathered that stuff on like lotion and BAM! Crisis averted.💪😄

Or so I thought.😂

Out of Christ

Happy Sunday!😁

I know I've been gone for a hot minute 😫 (on YouTube too🙈), but the hiatus was definitely needed. It helped me gain perspective, learn a few truths and adjust my mindset. It also reminded me why I love to write and share my stories in the first place.

A little while ago during a very interesting interrogation 😂 (inside joke) I was asked what my favourite hymn was. Being someone who doesn't like to be put on the spot😩, I asked my questioner to tell me theirs and why that was their particular one.
I've never been so appreciative of someone sharing something like that with me, (maybe one day I'll get them to share) and I don't think I'll ever forget it. So much so that it made me comfortable enough to open up and talk about mine.

Yes, contrary to popular belief I'm not completely extroverted. 😭 I actually have quite introverted tendencies, especially when it comes to talking about myself.

But that's a story for another day.😅

Note to Self: Intimacy with God

Happy Thursday!

I know what you're thinking. Ït's been forever since she sat and wrote something properly on here." And I agree. There's nothing I can say or do that would help you understand just how much I needed the little impromptu hiatus(es) I've been taking over the year, so I won't even get into that. I did miss you though 😉

For those of you who stayed loyal, and kept checking on me every once in a while: I'm ever so grateful! And I see each and every one of you! 👀😍😘

So for you, especially for you, here's a little something I wrote:

There's a special place I'm striving to get to, something I've been learning about for a while.
Come with me as I endeavor to illustrate it with my words.
Or at the very least try to make you smile.😏

Bisous!

x

P.S I've got a fun vlog for yáll coming out soon 😁

Single in a world full of relationships

Other person: "So how's your boyfriend?"
Me: "Lol what boyfriend?"
Them: "The man in your life..."
Me: "Oh, no. I don't have one of those, I'm very single."
Them: "Why are you still single?" 😕
Me: 😂 Am I not allowed to be?

I cannot tell you how many times I have this conversation. Well, not those exact words but you get the gist right? #FunTimes

Thinking out loud : Med School editon

Here's a few things I've learnt from my first year in Med school:

❤ Life doesn't have to be perfect. Sometimes you're allowed to wrap yourself in a blanket (like a burrito) and watch *insert preferred sad movie* till you shed a tear. 😢

❤ Smiling even when you don't feel like it is a guaranteed way to make you happier😄

Thinking Out Loud #2 : Love

Happy Thursday!!
And a happy last month of the year.

Source

So the topic of love has been on my mind and on my heart for a while now.

How to show it.
Who to show it to.
What love is.
Self love....etc

Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud

Happy Throwback Thursday!!

I've been away a while, it's been one of those months.
You know, those ones where you barely have time for anything.
The ones that move so quick you barely have time to breathe.
The ones where you're going from day to day with a "help me get through today" prayer?
The ones where you're counting down till you get a break? Three weeks I see you!
YES....Those Ones.

Can we just give it up to God for getting us through? Wont He do it?!
Cause 2016 has been something, am I right? 2017 come throuuuuuuuuuugh!!

So today's just gonna be about Thinking Out Loud.

I came across this on one of my favourite blogs: Running With Spoons. And I just knew I had to get into it. For those days when I don't have a structured enough something to share, even thought those draft posts are piling up. *covers face* Or those days when I just want to share the organised chaos that is me.

Motivational Mondays : On (For) women.

Happy Monday!

In a world where women are constantly looked down on, or being put down (by men or other women). A world where we have to fight to be heard/acknowledged. It's comforting to come across pieces of writing like these. On days when God knows I need special encouragement, He always finds a way to send me little love letters through His word. And to think, this message was written oh so long ago, only for me to read it today :). Look at My Daddy God!

My Hate-Love affair with Adulting

Happy Choose-day!

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I'm sorry I didn't get you your usual Friday post, I tried to but, I was adulting.

Source

I've been 23 for all of two seconds, okay it happened about a week ago *cue music*, but I can tell you I definitely feel the difference.
So why now?
Why ONLY now?
Why have I decided to be responsible and adult this year?
Well to tell you the truth, I've asked myself that and had a couple of chuckles about it too.