Tag: Favourites

How to stand firm in the face of adversity

Hi lovelies,

Happy new month! Can’t believe we’re half way through the year, and into the summer months, already. I hope you are all keeping well, and that life is treating you kindly.

In today’s blogpost I wanted to write a piece of encouragement for anyone who may be faced with adversities.

With every new day, comes new possibilities, strengths and thoughts. While other days, also bring the least expected obstacles and challenges. The nature, significance and extent of these obstacles and challenges vary from person to person, however, the importance of standing firm in the face of these adversities, remains the great equaliser.

It’s now been two long years since the panoramic halted all of our lives, and although we somehow learnt to just ride the endless waves of uncertainty – it is important to consciously learn to stand firm when adversities strike, rather than allow the waves to drown us out.

Based on my own experience, one can learn to stand firm by;

  1. Shifting your mindset
  2. Establishing a strong support system, and,
  3. Consciously reflecting and redirecting

1. Shifting your mindset

It’s true what they say, your perception directly impacts your reality. Quite simply put, we see the world, not as it is, but as we are!

If you don’t like something in your life, change it! And I know that can be easier said than done, but with the right focus and dedication, you can make your dreams and desires a reality.

“The problems you face are not STOP signs, they are guidelines.”

Your life is controlled by what you focus on, so focus on the good.

2. Establishing a strong support system

Having a strong support system is pertinent during trying times. Ensure that your immediate circle of family and friends are a reliable and strong source of support to you, and focus on creating boundaries and/or mending those that aren’t.

I once read a quote that said: “Whatever you are going through in life, both positive and negative, takes a village – because you are not meant to go through it alone”.

Healthy and strong support systems are sources of wisdom & guidance, strength & hope, and, understanding & compassion.

Does your current circle of friends and family currently reflect the above characteristics?

3. Consciously reflecting and redirecting

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way creating more unintended consequences…”

Margaret J. Wheatley

I am a strong believer in all things reflection in both personal and professional life. It is, and has proven to be the key to success, and personal development in my life.

This is at large due to the fact that reflection allows me to pay particular attention to past actions and thoughts, with emphasis on identifying future learning and growth opportunities in my life.

Through reflection, you have the ability to take stock of how you’re living your life and redirect it’s course, where necessary, in advance to unexpected trials and tribulations.

By engaging in ongoing self reflection, you will soon develop a strong sense of resilience and self awareness, which in turn will help you stand firm when faced, with lives endless adversities.

By following the above steps, you will soon learn to view adversities as stepping stones to greatness, rather than stumbling blocks.

Love, Nyasha x

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City Break in Barcelona

Hi lovelies,

How are you all keeping? I hope you have all had a wonderful week. The long weekend is finally here, and I bet I’m not the only one who was living for it. Like many of us, work life is currently keeping me on my toes, so I often find myself dreaming about my next get-away.

One of my short term goals is to travel more, and see more of the many wonders of the world around me.

So far this year, I have been lucky enough to visit both Spain and Scotland.

In January, I took a 4 day trip to Barcelona to visit a friend of mine. This trip completely exceeded my expectations and highlighted my love for city living.

In today’s blog post I will be breaking down all the best bits of this trip.

DAY ONE

We flew from Dublin Airport at 6:15, and arrived in Barcelona just before 9am, Spanish time.

Upon arrival we went to a local cafe called, La Despensa de Eva.

Here we caught up with one another over coffees and cake! We absolutely adored this place – the customer service and overall presentation of their coffees and treats was impeccable.

Later, we decided to walk around the city, to familiarise ourselves with the area and its amenities.

I quickly fell in love with the architecture as we walked through the streets. The high rise buildings, aesthetics and balconies – I admired it all.

Even their Penneys (Primark) looks high end from the outside of the building!

Soon after our strolls through the city streets, the lack of sleep from the night before finally hit, causing our day of adventure to turn into an evening of catching up on sleep and watching cartoons in our hotel room.

DAY TWO

After a very much needed relaxing evening, we woke up far more energised – ready to take on Barcelona day 2.

First on the itinerary was brunch! We visited a restaurant called Belliny, where we ate our full. The menu here was filled with endless breakfast, brunch and lunch options such as full English, various benedicts, pancakes and even açai! After a lot of debate I ended up ordering their eggs benedict riojanos and fresh seasonal fruit.

After our brunch, we wandered around Barcelona city once again.

On our strolls we came across the Sagrada Familia. We opted not to book tickets to enter the grounds, however from the outside we were able to take in the beauty of the building.

Right outside the church you also find stands of local artists selling their work, here you can purchase beautiful paintings and drawings of the Sagrada Familia, amongst other things.

Later in the day, we visited the St Joseph La Boqueria, which is a public market in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is renowned for being one of the most picturesque markets. Inside you will find most, if not all food types, from pick n’ mix stands to fish and meat stands and everything else in between.

Next door to the marketplace, you will find a DUNKIN’ Donuts and Starbucks, where we treated ourselves to coffees and doughnuts after our wander through the market. From there, we decided to call it a day, order a take away and take endless photos in our matching pyjamas.

DAY THREE

Having had another quiet night we woke up ready for another day of exploration. We started our last full day in Barcelona, dining in La Despensa de Eva, where I got a toasted chicken sandwich and chai latte.

Later in the afternoon, we decided to visit Park Güell. Tickets were €10.00 each, and available to purchase from the entrance, using a QR code.

Upon entry into the park we were met with a lovely uphill walk way, which led us to the most scenic view of the city.

Fun fact; some scenes of Disney’s, Cheetah Girls 2 was filmed in Park Güell. My inner child was fan girling, just by being here.

I got to experience the public transport in Spain for the very first time this day, and I was pleasantly surprised by how affordable, consistent and reliable it was, in comparison to good ol’ Ireland.

Later that evening, we decided to have something a little more Spanish for dinner.We went for tapas near La Plaça de Catalunya. The garlic prawns I ordered were to die for.

For the rest of the evening we strolled around Barcelona city, taking in a few more sights we’d missed the days before.

We stopped for coffees in starbucks after this, and then later that night we decided to order a Mc Donalds. I finally got to try their patatas deluxe and white chocolate sundae that are exclusive to the Spanish menu… and might I say, we are definitely missing out here in Ireland.

I absolutely enjoyed visiting Barcelona – I would even go as far as saying that it is one of my favourite cities to date. Definitely one for the bucket list, if you haven’t yet visited it.

Love, Nyasha x

July Favourites

Hi lovelies,

Hope you’re keeping well? Today I’m back with yet another blog post, to showcase all the bits I’ve been loving recently. So let’s get into it!

Skincare

The Ordinary - AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 

The Ordinary’s Peeling Solution has quickly become one of my favourite skincare products. My skin looks and feels, so good after exfoliating with it. However, if you’re skin is even slightly sensitive (like mine), it might just sting a little when you first use it – but trust me it’s worth it. I now understand why it is always out of stock online!

Yes To - Grapefruit Single Use Bubbling Paper Mask

Another skincare product I loved this month was the Yes To Grapefruit, Bubbling Paper Mask. This product made my skin feel amazing and brought an influx of fun to my skincare routine.

Haircare

Truth being told, when it comes down to haircare – I can be quite lazy. However this month I promised myself that I would try to do better.

If you follow my Instagram, @niiash_a, you know I’ve been loving wigs lately. Maintaining my natural hair is very important while I switch from wig to wig. I’ve been loving the Cantu Argan Oil, Repair Cream to keep my hair well moisturised under the wig caps.

I have also been loving Melt Effect’s, Premium Glue Remover. This product has been SAVING my edges whenever I uninstall my wigs and I love the fact that a little goes such a long way. Did I mention that this product is from a Black Owned Business, in Ireland?!?

What I’ve been listening to

Road trips, worship sessions, dance parties, you name it! There’s a song for every occasion in this months playlist.

What I’ve been watching

Now that lockdown is easing, YouTube content is getting adventurous again – and I just love it! Here are some of my favourite videos from last month – I would also really appreciate if someone could recommend some shows they’ve been loving on Netflix cause clearly I am wasting my subscription.

I hope you have enjoyed yet another blog filled with my monthly favourites. Please let me know if you purchase/watch/listen to anything I have mentioned.

Love, Nyasha x

June Favourites

Hi lovelies,

I know I haven’t been posting much lately, but I’m back! – and hopefully more consistently with a blog post every week. This week I would love to share some of my June favourites with each of you.

So here we gooooo!

SKINCARE

If you follow me on my personal Instagram @niiash_a, you know I’ve been investing in skincare products throughout quarantine. Here are a few products I’ve been loving throughout the month of June;

CLOTHING

I purchased this Sage Shacket from Missguided, and it has quickly became a staple piece in my wardrobe.

It’s such a versatile item of clothing because I can wear it with almost everything and anything!

WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO

Here are a few of my music favourites of the month.

Clearly some of these have been influenced by Tik Tok …

WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING

Netflix and Disney+ are great and all – but quality Youtube content is top tier… I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s been binging youtube during quarantine.

These are a few of my favourite videos from the month of June;

I really hope you enjoyed this blog filled with monthly favourites. Please let me know if you watch/listen/purchase any of the videos, music and products I have mentioned.

See you all super soon!

Love, Nyasha x

Why prioritizing yourself, is the best decision you’ll ever make

Hi lovelies,

How are you all keeping?

Before I dive into today’s blog post, I just want to apologize for the lack of content on this blog lately. The reality is that, college has finally decided to take its preeminence in my life again. Deadlines are beginning to pile up on me, and as a result, for the time being, I have no other choice but to prioritize my education, meaning content on the blog will now be limited to when I can, instead of on a weekly basis.

I am not saying goodbye, but I am just giving each of you a heads up, not to be expecting a weekly blog post as I was previously accustomed to. Instead I will try pop on as often as I can, with as much advice, updates and positive energy, as possible!

For the time being, I just want to say thank you for the continuous support that each of you have given me since starting – I honestly feel like I can never say it enough.

For all the shares, comments, words of encouragement and for simply taking the time to read what I put out. Thank you!

Anyways… enough of the soppy stuff. Let’s get into the topic, of today’s blog post;

Why prioritizing yourself, is the best decision you’ll ever make.

Growing up, I was always that child who would drop everything and anything to be there for the people around me.

I have a very giving personality and I never really knew my limit. I would bend backwards for people who would rarely do the same for me.

As I went through my teenage years, I quickly identified this trait and how detrimental it was becoming for me. I was beginning to feel exhausted, frustrated and even angry when I would not receive the same energy I would consistently give out.

I would question my self worth, identity, friendships and life itself. All because I had convinced myself that I loved being a giver. That I am someone everyone should be able to count on, when they are in need.

From a young age we are all taught that giving is the best way to show kindness.

We are all guilty at chorusing the idea that ‘sharing is caring’ – but never explaining to what extent. No wonder why it becomes so easy for some of us to get caught up in unhealthy cycles that may begin to take a toil on our health.

When your constantly the one who gives and gives, you risk burning yourself out. Your well, begins to run dry, and as a result you begin to form resentful feelings.

If you relate to ever feeling any of the above emotions because of your tendency to give a little more than is necessary, I want to encourage you to find a balance.

Begin to identify when your giving out of love or when you’re giving out of guilt and negativity.

Unfortunately I can’t tell you exactly how to find this balance for yourself, but what I can share, is how doing so, for myself, has benefited me.

1. I began to value myself

As I mentioned above, over giving caused me to develop negative emotions. It took a significant toil on my self-esteem and made me question my self worth and value. I almost began to feel like it was normal for people to walk all over me. However, once I identified the negative emotions, that stemmed from giving too much. I quickly began to put value on myself.

Now I have learnt to quickly take two steps back, when I feel under appreciated or taken for granted.

I’m not saying that I expect to be thanked or praised when I go out of my way for someone, but if I’m constantly questioning the other individuals intentions, my time will quickly become limited.

2. My giving became much more genuine

If you were to ask me what my favorite characteristic, that I possess is, I would undoubtedly say that it is my giving spirit.

However at one point in time, I found myself giving for all the wrong reasons. I remember feeling guilty and under pressure, to do it all! To give, because it made me look good, or because I felt morally obliged to.

To overcome this, I had to learn to prioritize my own needs, and as a result, I started giving from a cheerful place, once again!

I took care of my own needs, which in turn gave me the energy necessary, to take care of, and put energy that was light, joyful and void of pressure, into others.

3. I began to focus on my own goals

When your a naturally giving person, it is very easy to focus entirely on other individuals, besides yourself.

You begin to focus all your time and energy into them, leaving little to no time for you. You slowly become sidetracked by their life, and slowly begin to divert all attention, away from your own ambitions and plans.

By balancing how much of me, I was giving to people, I began to regain my own zeal for life. I no longer craved that thrill, I got from helping people. I stopped allowing, giving to be the only drive I had in life. I realized I had more to offer!

Prioritizing myself, was and is one of the best decisions I have ever made, because it caused me to develop as an individual. I became an even happier person, because I grew to be content in myself, as opposed to being content in the way others saw me. I started to become (well at least tried…), as invested in myself as I was in others.

To whoever this has resonated with – I beg you to find your balance. Stop feeling guilty. Let go of the pressures of society.

Protect your energy, by prioritizing yourself.

Yes it’s all well and good, to be there for everyone and anyone, but if you can’t even be there for yourself, what good are you?

Reminder; You are allowed to help yourself before you help others.

Love, Nyasha x

Everyday Makeup Favourites!

Hi lovelies,

Today I’ve decided to dive into the world of beauty by sharing my go to everyday makeup favourites. I am definitely no makeup artist, but I like to believe that I have mastered the art of doing my own makeup over the years – and that would not have been possible without the following products I have grown to adore, that I am going to share with all of you, today.

Brows

Although I am very confident in my natural brow shape and shade, I can’t imagine doing my makeup without carving and filling them in to give that extra fleek. My go to products for my brows are the Essence Longlasting eye pencil in the shade ’01 Hot Chocolate” and the Clear Brow Mascara you get in the Collection Eye Brow Kit.

Foundation

As for my foundation, for daily use I tend to reach for the Maybeline Dream Satin Liquid in ‘Golden Caramel’. However, on the rare occasion that I am looking for a bit more coverage, I also top up my foundation by applying the Black Opal ‘True Color Foundation Stick’ in the shade ‘Nutmeg HT5’ , to the areas of my face that tend to suffer from discolouration.

Concealers

To conceal my under eyes and smile lines, I tend to interchange between the PS ‘My Perfect Colour’ liquid concealer from Penney’s and Maybeline’s ‘Fit Me’ concealer in the shade ’50’. I love the consistency of both products and how easy they are to apply and blend.

Powder

Applying powder to my face is definitely one of my favourite steps when doing my makeup. The Black Opal ‘Deluxe Finishing Powder’ is EVERYTHING. It locks in all the products I would have already applied, whilst also beautifully highlighting the areas of my face that naturally attract the sunlight.

Contour

After setting my face with powder, the next step is contour. I have been using this specific NYX palette for more than 4 years, and couldn’t imagine completing my makeup routine without it. The shade I use to contour my cheekbones, jaw and forehead is called ‘HCPS08 Hollow’.

Bronzer

The B by Superdrug, Radiance Powder, is the product I never thought I would need and love. I use this product to add a natural looking glow to my face after all the setting powder and contour. With a fluffy brush I apply my bronzer to my forehead, cheekbones and chin, to achieve a radiant glow.

Mascara

The Essence ‘Lash Princess’ ‘False Lash Effect Mascara’, is definitely a current favourite of mine. It was recommended to me months ago, by a friend of mine, and since then I have ditched all my previous ones and find myself constantly reaching for this one.

Some of you might be questioning the fact that I have not included a setting spray within my product favourites for my everyday makeup routine – and that is because I still haven’t found one I truly love or one that actually makes a significant difference to the durability of my face. So if anyone has any suggestions of setting spray’s they swear by, I would really appreciate either a comment or dm on Instagram.

Once again, thank you so so much for reading today’s blogpost. If you have any questions or queries concerning prices, feel free to comment down below.

Love, Nyasha x

Summer Favourites 2019

Hi lovelies,

I hope you are all having a fantastic week so far, and that you are all enjoying the lovely weather that we have been graced with. Among other things, summer for me, consists of glowing skin, adventures, memory making and much more. In today’s blog post, I want to share some of my summer favourites which are essential in making my desired summer a reality

1. Self Tanning Body Lotion

Woman of colour.. self tanner… summer favourite?! Yes, yes and yes! The “Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived Shimmer Body Lotion” is definitely a prize product that i do not see myself parting away with, any time soon. I use this product in the shade ‘medium to dark skin’. Although it is summer, because of Ireland’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, we mainly experience a temperate maritime climate. This essentially means there is often little to no opportunity for ‘golden hour selfies’. However, this moisturizer gives me such good coverage on days that I want to ditch the makeup and flaunt my natural skin, while giving the illusion that I have been basking away in rays of sunshine for hours. The shimmer particles in the product also act as a highlighter, which is always a plus!

2. Lipgloss

The Essence ‘Shine Shine Shine Lipgloss’ in the shade 01, is definitely a must have for me all year round. The gloss gives a wet-look effect, which I know a lot of people aren’t here for, but I am all for it. The texture of it is very wearable and smooth and leaves your lips feeling moisturized, while giving them that glow.

3. Bags and purses

In the last few months I have really fallen for a chunky bag or shopper as my desired handbag. I just find them much more useful for day to day use, because you can carry absolutely everything in them. However, when I am going on adventures/day trips I hate nothing more than lugging around a bag filled with unnecessary bits. Small shoulder bags, like the one pictured above, are the most efficient when you are on the go, as they allow you to carry the minimal necessary bits without the excess weight.

Unfortunately because of the size of my desired bag, I have to resort to downsizing some of its everyday contents, such as my purse. Being honest, I have never been a fan of smaller purses, I am all about the big ones with plenty of card slots (because i just can’t say no to loyalty cards), however the black polka dot one, which I picked up in Stradivarius (also pictured above), has won me over.

4. Fragrances

The Hollister, ‘Crescent Bay’ Body Mist, has been a summer favourite of mine for the longest time now. I am all about body mists in the spring and summer months as I find that they are a much lighter scent, in comparison to a perfume. Crescent Bay is infused with refreshing and bright notes of watermelon and lychee, which are perfect scents for the summertime.

5. A Planner

Summer can be a very busy period for a lot of us because of various commitments. Making use of a personal planner is ideal, in times when you are trying to schedule social events, holidays and outings, in-between shifts in work. As you can see my ‘Molly & Rex’ one is clearly loved because of the creases all over it. The planner offers amazing monthly and weekly layouts and also has sections for me to write my top priorities for each week and events coming up the next, which helps keep me organized. I would recommend anyone who leads a busy life to get themselves a planner not only for the summer months but for the year.

So yeah… there’s five of the products and things I have been loving, so far, this summer. If you would be interested in seeing more of the products and things I am loving, leave me a comment down below and let me know. I would also love to hear about some of your summer favourites and essentials.

I hope you enjoyed the read.

Love, Nyasha x