Tag: Love

New Beginnings

Hi lovelies,

Happy New Year! Wishing you a year filled with peace, love, joy and prosperity.

Before the year came to an end, I started a new job and returned to a sector I believed was far behind me. Embarking on this journey made me reflect, with excitement, on my past and look forward to the new chapter and mindset, ahead.

How beautiful it is, that despite the challenges we may face in life, we always have the opportunity to forge ahead a brighter future.

As we navigate through this new year, I encourage you to look ahead with hope. Embrace the months ahead in their fullness; seize them and make each day count. Show up for yourself, even if it may not be easy. By showing up for yourself, YOU have the power to create a life that feels authentic, joyful and fulfilling.

Don’t let limiting beliefs hold you back.

Rise above the imposter syndrome and step into all that you are to be.

Love, Nyasha x

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

Dear Class of 2020

Hey lovelies,

I know it’s been some time since I’ve written a blog, but now that I am finally done my degree, I hope to be posting much more content.

Today’s blogpost goes out to the Class of 2020 – the final year college students and those in their 6th year of secondary school.

This one is for us.

Who would have known, that we would be finishing our final months of education in the midst of a pandemic. COVID-19, has stripped us of one of the most cherished moments of our youth. We were supposed to have finished the final few months of eduction, alongside our peers, but instead this journey ended over emails, zoom calls and online classes.

It was not supposed to be this way.

If you’re anything like me, you have experienced a whirlwind of emotions, in the last few weeks. The virus forced us to quickly adapt to the new normal, and accept changes that have taken away from our educational experience. This adaption has created feelings of uncertainty concerning our futures and has brought about increased levels of anxiety and stress.

However, I would like to encourage each of us with the following words.

I know times are unprecedented, but do not lose hope. We may not know what lies ahead of us but let’s endeavour to persevere. The world is still our oyster and what’s meant for us, won’t pass us by.

Despite the circumstance, you still have so much potential and a purpose to fulfil. Times are tough right now, but don’t let the dark clouds erase your hopes and visions.

“Remember, this too shall pass.”

Love, Nyasha x

New Year, New Decade.

Hi lovelies,

Happy New Year! 2019 has come and gone, and a new decade has finally arrived. The last year has been truly amazing! I grew as an individual, learnt valuable life lessons and learnt to appreciate the ugly that sometimes comes with the good in life. In today’s blog post I wanted to share three tips on how to slay the coming year!

If you are anything like the rest of the population, the new year often comes with the pressure to change up your life in order to be the best possible version of you.

However, this facade can sometimes be so detrimental to our wellbeing, as it often adds unnecessary pressure to succeed.

The use of social media often adds to this, as our feeds slowly become filled with endless #goals, gym updates and healthy eating posts – and although these can all be a source of encouragement to the rest of us – dwelling on posts like this on a day to day basis can sometimes do more harm than good.

But just before we allow the January blues to get to us, I wanted to share a few ways to make this year your very own!

*Remember it’s never too late*

1. Reflect

You only have one life, so make the most out of it!

Every year is a fresh start, a whole new chapter to rewrite YOUR destiny, YOUR hopes and YOUR dreams.

Not the dreams of the people you follow on Instagram, or the people that surround you on a daily basis.

But your own!

So take some time to reflect on the last year.

Reflect on mistakes, downfalls and shortcomings , and make a plan to ensure that you come out stronger this year.

Identify your weaknesses, establish ground rules and stop undermining your worth!

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try”

2. Write down YOUR goals

The process of writing down your goals allows you to refocus your attention on what really matters.

There’s just something about being able, to see your goals, all written in one place, that is so motivating.

By writing down your aspirations, you create a physical reminder of what you hope to achieve – something that you can always look at when you feel demotivated.

So make some time, grab a notebook and start writing down your heart desires!

As Steve Maraboli once said, “If you have a goal. Write it down. If you do not write it down, you do not have a goal – you have a wish.”

3. Only make time for things that bring you joy

I think we can all agree that life is so much better when you spend time doing the things that you enjoy.

So this year I challenge everyone reading this, to make as much time for things that put a smile on our faces.

You would be surprised, at how much your life could change by simply taking time out of your mundane day to day tasks, to find ways to incorporate the things and people you love.

When we spend time doing the things we love, we become happier, healthier and more successful, because our lives are driven by passion and not by the endless demands of life.

January 2020, and the months that follow, are all brand new opportunities, for all of us, to create the life of our dreams!

Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back!

Start doing you, for you!

Love, Nyasha x

Albufeira 2019

Hi lovelies,

I’m backkkk!

First of all, my sincere apologies for being inactive on this site recently, but as you all know (from my endless rants on Instagram), I’ve got a degree to get!

So far this academic year has not been the easiest, but I really can’t complain because despite the constant weight on my shoulders, no tears have been shed! But I will get into all of that in another blog post, sometime soon!

Today, however, I’ve decided to come out of my shadow to share the highlights of my trip to Albufeira, Portugal.

One of my childhood friends turned 20 this year, and to mark the occasion, some of her friends and I, decided to embark on a girls trip to celebrate.

We flew from Dublin Airport at 7:40 and arrived at Faro Airport around 10:40.

When we arrived in Faro, we were collected and driven to our accommodation

For the duration of our trip we stayed in the Club Ouratlantico Apartments. These apartments were in walking distance to all local amenities, making it a lot easier for us to explore everything Albufeira had to offer!

DAY ONE – FRIDAY

After a morning full of traveling and very little sleep, we decided to take it easy on ourselves and just wander the streets of Albufeira.

We eventually found ourselves at the beach, Praia dos Alamães. While walking along the beach, we stumbled upon the Beach Spot Restaurant. Despite being confused by the menu at first, we ended up getting lovely food and drinks here for a very reasonable price! The restaurant was situated in such a lovely ‘spot’ on the beach, which offered such a beautiful scenic view, from the upper outdoor terrace.

Later that evening we decided to go and explore the Strip. The ambiance of the Montechoro strip was very lively and friendly. It had so much to offer, from bars to corner shops and everything in between. With every step we took, we encountered hawkers, who did not shy away from sharing their latest enticements.

Our first evening in Albufeira was very random, to say the least. It consisted of karaoke, fish pedicures and a miniature pig we all will never forget! But like they say,

“The best memories are usually unplanned, random and spontaneous”.

DAY TWO – SATURDAY

Breakfast was definitely my favourite meal during this holiday. We got breakfast in Urban Pizza on the Saturday and Sunday because it was just that good!

The freshly squeezed orange juice was exactly what we all needed to start our one and only full day in Portugal.

On Saturday we headed to Aquashow in Quarteira. We bought our tickets at a local shop on our way to the aqua park because the vendors sell them at a cheaper rate. The tickets were €26.10 per person. This ticket gave us free access to all rides in the park.

The first ride we went on together was the water rollercoaster. I was genuinely so surprised at how much I enjoyed this ride considering I have a fear of heights and drowning. The park is designed with everyone in mind, so even if I wasn’t feeling as brave as I did, I could have had just as much fun on rides that didn’t involve speed, heights or water.

That evening after a good rest, we decided to get dressed up and head back to the strip for our final evening in Albufeira.

Dinner was then, followed by strolls down the strip and an ice-cream date.

We were travelling back to Dublin on Sunday evening, so we all woke up extremely nostalgic. The trip had just gone by so so fast! We had such a fabulous time in Albufeira, and enjoyed everything little thing it had to offer.

Here’s to more adventures in 2020!

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

Stop underestimating yourself

Hi lovelies,

Before I get into this weeks blogpost, I just want to say my sincere apologies for not posting one last week. I was honestly so exhausted by the time it got to the weekend, and just kept experiencing writing blocks whenever I sat down to write. Thankfully I’m well rested now, the sun is shining and I am feeling super motivated to conquer the week!

Yesterday as I was scrolling through Instagram, I came across a quote that read “Stop underestimating yourself”.

Tomorrow, I start my final year in college – and I’d be lying to you, if I was to say that, I wasn’t feeling worried and overwhelmed. Quite simply, the thoughts of ‘THE THESIS’ scare me! When I think about gathering all the research involved in it, I start to undermine not only my abilities but also myself.

For some reason, in my head I have managed to construct the belief that I am going to walk into my Research Project module and be flung into the deep end with 0 assistance. However, in reality, I know this won’t be the case. I can be rest assured that my lecturers, friends and family will be there every step of the way – to offer guidance, support and encouragement when in need.

This year surely wont be the easiest but I will definitely pull through it.

“Sometimes when you are the closest to your breakthrough the pressure is the greatest. You have come too far to give up now!” – Joyce Meyer

Whether you are starting college, going into your final year, or embarking on a new life venture, do not underestimate yourself.

Believe in your abilities.

Each of us was born with the potential to do great things – but those great things can only come to flourish when we believe.

“You must expect great things of yourself, before you can do them”

Love, Nyasha x

Summer 2019, Recap

“You know all those things you’ve always wanted to do? You should go do them”

Hi lovelies, 

As we are drawing near to the end of summer now, I just wanted to do a quick recap of my summer, and all it had to offer me. This summer I vowed to myself to live life to the fullest and seize any opportunity to do things I found fulfilling. Although I didn’t get the opportunity to fly out to live my best life, or jaiye at Afronation, I can confidently say that, Summer 2019, you have been too good. 

Despite having started my summer sick and brittle, I quickly recovered after plenty of much needed rest and once better, I didn’t waste any time to start making plans with those I love. 

May

After 10 days of not seeing them, the college girls and I met up for a shopping trip in Dublin City. As someone who used not to be very confident in their navigation of the town, I was pleasantly surprised on how good my navigation was. We spent the day gallivanting, and to end the day we went to TGI Friday’s, on Temple Bar.

June

June was such a busy month for me. On the 2nd of June, I decided to finally bite the bullet and start this blog – meaning any spare time I once had, was and is now spent typing. However, thankfully, it has been such a wonderful and surreal experience thanks to all of you who have been reading them on a weekly basis.

Other than working and integrating blogging to my lifestyle, I also tried to spend some quality time with my family.

This was also the month that I got engrossed in all thing Love Island despite my original dismissal of the show. Without getting into too much detail, I’m actually happy that I ended up watching the show, as I gained some valuable life lessons (suprise suprise!!).

  1. Sisters before misters ALWAYS!!
  2. Be confident in you
  3. Always expect the unexpected

July

As some of you may know this year I was resident more so in Wexford than Kildare – meaning I had little to no time with my family and friends from home throughout the academic year.

July, however offered plenty of time for me to catch up with those near and dear. Roadtrips, cinema dates and everything in between were had.


August

As I am writing this, the month of August is not yet over. However, in the next two weeks I will, most likely be spending, most of my days in work, so I will not have much left to recap with you.

So far I have spent this month attending events such as Girlz Arize and CTY 15 hours of Praise. I’ve also been catching up with friends, embarking on road-trips and engaging in family time.

Overall, like I said at the very start of this blog post, I am very content with how my summer has gone this year. I wanted to be productive in whatever I found myself doing, whilst having a nice balance of work and fun – and I can confidently say I did just that.

“Be spontaneous. Be crazy. Leave your comfort zone and live with no regrets.”

Love, Nyasha x

Gratitude.

Hi lovelies,

It honestly feels like I haven’t talked to you all in forever, but I’m back! I hope you are all keeping well and enjoying life and what it has to offer, at the moment. I know I am. This week alone has been such a good one for me.

On Wednesday, I went on a little day trip to Wexford to see my main ‘huns’. The sun didn’t disappoint us, so we used it to our advantage, and went on a little road trip to Forth Mountain Quarry…. where the scenes did not let us down.

I don’t know if seeing the world from an elevated point of view made me develop a strong sense of gratitude, but I certainly found myself feeling much more thankful and appreciative for the people I’m surrounded by, the fact that I have a job, a roof over my head, clothes I can wear and food on my plate – all the things I tend to take for granted every other day.

Gratitude is described as the quality of being thankful and the readiness to show appreciation.

By developing a sense of gratitude, we obtain the ability to disconnect from toxic, negative emotions, increase our happiness, become less materialistic and less likely to experience burn out while developing patience, humility and wisdom. Expressing gratitude not only benefits an individual, but it also benefits their society. Despite the numerous benefits, expressing gratitude has to offer, many of us often fail to show gratitude to those who make a difference in our lives on a daily basis.

We struggle to find the right words to express ourselves and assume that the person we want to appreciate, will feel just as uncomfortable hearing us express our gratitude as we will feel, expressing it. This however, is not the case. When we show our gratitude to others, we make them feel valued and significant. As individuals, we thrive on positive feedback. Being valued and appreciated reinforces a positive sense of self worth.

From today onwards, I am going to make the conscious effort to find one thing I am grateful for, every night before I go to sleep. If it happens to be an individual, I will make sure to show my gratitude to them one way or another, so that they too, know that I value them.

On that note, I would like to say a massive thank you to each of you reading my blog, sending kind messages and interacting with me. It means a lot more than you may realize. If you live in Ireland, I currently have a giveaway running on my Instagram account @niiash_a. Unfortunately it does end tonight, at 23:59, but please do enter up until then, you never know you could be the lucky one.

I definitely hope to do more giveaways in the future, so don’t be disheartened if you missed this one.

You are all making a dream of mine a reality, so I will continue to thank you in any way possible.

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul” – Amy Colette

Love, Nyasha x

A Guide to Making Friends for Life

Hi lovelies,

I hope you have all had a fantastic week. On the blog, this week, I have decided to delve into the world of friendships. Friendships are an integral part of each of our lives. Being surrounded by good friends has many benefits to an individual. They make hard times easier, and the good times all the better. Unfortunately as we get older, making good friends becomes much harder, because of the shift in expectations from both parties.

Recently, as I was talking to one of my friends, I was reminded of the struggles that come with forming true friendships in adolescence. For me, this stage was filled with conflict, jealousy, mistrust and consistent questioning of people’s intentions. I used to think that I would never be truly content in my friendships. However, over the last month I’ve come to realize that I am honestly so blessed to be surrounded by true friends that go above and beyond my expectations on a daily. The type that I can actually rely on, not question and laugh with, to the point of tears.

This week I wanted to share a short guide to help anyone who might feel like they are truly not satisfied with their friendships. Numerous studies in the last decade show that many people feel like they don’t have any true companions. If this is you, don’t feel guilty, according to Jim Rohn, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”… so if you are not satisfied with your friends – you can’t be satisfied with yourself. I hope that the following steps will be of use to those of you, who are wanting to improve their friendship circle.

1. Be a true friend

The law of attraction, that states, that you attract what you are, plays a pivotal role in the formation of friendships. I quickly learnt this in my teens, when I decided to ditch the mean girl demeanor, that is heavily influenced by the media. I became a ‘girl’s girl’, who was more concerned with empowering the girls around me rather than gossiping and anticipating their downfall. With this character change I began to attract positive friends that were open and welcoming. By naturally shifting to positive thinking I began to align myself with the type of people I wanted in my life.

2. Be yourself

“You came into this world alone and you’ll leave it alone”, so why would you change yourself to suit people who are only in your life temporarily. It’s so easy these days, to find yourself in positions that compromise your identity, just to suit those around you. However, it is much more beneficial to be CONFIDENT IN YOU, without feeling the need to be validated by so called ‘friends’.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” – Romans 12:2

3. Make the effort to stay in touch

I’m sure you are all aware of the belief that true friends can go long periods without speaking and then easily reconnect, and although I have found this to be true, distance can only be built and sustained by maintaining friendships. Just like relationships, friendships require effort. Friendship’s can be maintained by keeping in contact through texts, calls and face-to-face interactions, where possible.

4. Give and take

Unfortunately each of us have dealt with a friend that seems to take more than they give, at least once in our lifetime. This friend is quick to make all things about themselves. If you find yourself tolerating their selfishness, overtime you may begin to unintentionally form mistrust in future relationships, as a result of this one experience. I would encourage any of you who may feel like they were used in a friendship, either for their time, attention, energy and/or money, to open up again. Friendships are all about balance. Individuals involved must work together to create friendships where each person feels cared about, appreciated and respected. It’s just as important to have good friends, as it is to be a good friend.

When you are surrounded by good people, you’re surrounded by life. Stress is reduced and you begin to experience happiness in all facets. If you have come to realize that you are short on meaningful friendships, I would encourage you to reflect on this guide and start making changes to your circle today.

Be open to inviting new people into your life.

Love, Nyasha x