Motivational Monday: The Ripple effect of kindness

I stumbled across this video earlier today and I immediately knew 
I was going to write about it. 

I initially had something else planned for today's motivational monday,
 but I think this is more fitting. 

In case you didn't know, I am a muslim and right now muslims around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan. 

"The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Ramadan also teaches Muslims how to better practice self-discipline, self-control,sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity."

The message behind this video resonates a lot with what this month is all about.

 But the thing is, we shouldn't just practice this attributes only in the month of ramadan, we should make it part of our daily lives.

This video right here shows us a perfect example of what an act of kindness means to the receiver and how it can reap benefits for the giver, even after so many years.

I hope this will help you reflect on your attitude in regards to kindness. 

I leave you with the sayings of Ellen DeGeneres.....

BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER!!! 

HOPE YOU HAVE A LOVELY WEEK GUYS!!

with love,

 meera

Motivational Monday: Things are never as bad as it seems.

Hello there Internet friends!!!

How have you been?

I hope you've had a lovely weekend... Mine was perfect!! well except for Korea loosing their match :(

Today's Motivational Monday is to reassure you and remind myself that in this life things happen that sometimes makes us feel like it is the end of the world and we can never move past it. 

But here's the thing that is never the case. So don't you go fretting and worrying yourself about things that are either 

1. Not in your control
2. Not as bad as you think
3. Has a solution

So the next time you maybe 

• have a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, remember there are kind people travelling on the same road that can stop and give you a hand or
• have a deadline looming over your head and you feel you can't make it, stop, take a deep breath and calm yourself down, then have a mindset that you can do it!! You will be surprised when you eventually meet the deadline. This things are all in our head... or
• You want something but you feel it is never going to happen, well you haven't tried, so how do you know that the answer will be 'NO'? Last I checked you aren't a psychic!!! So that Job you've been eyeing, that person you like or even that work trip or project that you really want to be a part of is just an ask away. So I dare you this week to go after all your heart's desire!!!

I know life can seem pretty scary sometimes and things don't always go our way but 

what we fail to realise is that every event in our life is connected. 

We might lose a Job to get a better one, 

miss a flight that will sadly crash because it isn't our fate to die at the time. 

Life isn't all rainbows and roses but, if we accept that, we can begin to see the hidden beauty underneath.

If you look hard enough at the right places you will see the real beauty of life, 

a kaleidoscope of laughter,pain,love,hope and so much more....

So the next time you feel that your world is falling apart and you can never pull yourself out of it just remember

Then you know there's nothing that life will throw your way that you can't handle!!!!

HAVE A LOVELY WEEK GUYS!!!

with love,

meera

For lack of a better title, Let's just call this one 'Passion Fruit'

Hello there Internet friends, I hope ya'll are having a good week.

I apologise for not uploading a Motivational Monday post this week. I have been having Internet problems. But things are back to normal now. In the mean time, if you haven't read the previous ones you can check out these motivational monday posts from the last two weeks.

It is so much easier to "Just be Yourself", Trust me.

Of Maya Angelou and Mukhtar Mai

So I was going through my creative writing notes this morning when I stumbled across the writ-up below. I just thought it was interesting and slighty humorous, so I'm sharing it with ya'll. I can't vouch for my state of mind when I wrote this or why I chose this topic, but then again, can I really explain why I do half the things I do? No.

Anyways this was a random exercise in class so make of it what you will :) enjoy!!!

My write-up is about Passion Fruit. 

yup!! 

you read it right, passion fruit!!!

PASSION FRUIT

It' surface is smooth and hard like a perfect rock by the sea. 
You would expect and wonder at what is hidden underneath. 
Blunt knives as hard as they try do not penetrate it.
You need a sharp knife, as sharp as can be, to get to the surprise laid within.

But lo and behold, a mushy bed of slimy seeds awaits you,
that makes your skin crawl and your insides cringe.
But what will baffle you is the sweet oh sweet taste that it brings.
Now who would have thought such ugliness had a hidden beauty it seems.

Hope the rest of your week is awesome. Two more days till friday ;) :)

with love,

 meera

S is for Survivor: Book reading and Tea Party

I invited my cousin who is also a sickle cell warrior to attend the event with me.  We arrived early for the event and was met at the door by Samira, she welcomed us and we headed in to find our seats. But as it normally is at Nigerian events, there was ‘African time’. 

Whilst waiting, one of the warriors, Zulaha, walked around the room giving the guests a placard to take a picture with. I decided to indulge and participate as well. On it was written #Cellfie and #WSCD here’s a picture of me…

#CellFie and #WSCD (World Sickle Cell Day)

 After waiting for a while, and by then the room was packed, Nura another warrior gave the opening remarks. He talked about the life of a Sickle cell soldier, how they go through the same things we do but not in the same way. Being too happy or too sad can result in a crisis. He mentioned how sometimes people do not understand his pain or think it is exaggerated. 

Then it was time for the reading… Samira chose excerpts from the book that was dubbed as the most crucial part or as I like to say the core of the book.

 

Samira reading S is For Survivor

Sitting in a room filled with “soldiers”, family and friends, care-givers and well-wishers, Samira tells her story in an assured voice. 

Healthier Lifestyle, Happy You.

We all want to be a healthier version of ourselves, but we think it takes a lot of effort, or it is expensive with gym membership, or we never just find the time to do it. 

 Lack of success can usually be attributed to something I like to call 

‘Too much, Too fast’.

Research has shown that to be able to go through a lifestyle change you have to take baby steps. It is just like swimming, you start off at the shallow end of the pool and work your way to the deep end.

With the recent increase of cases of Cancer, Diabetes and Heart problems, we need to start caring more about our health. The public Library of science Medicine study indicates that many could increase their life expectancy by going through simple changes.

Another study also says that exercising, moderate intake of alcohol, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and not smoking can add up to 14 years to your life.

To help us through our transitioning into a healthier lifestyle, I have put together this list as a guide (I am also in the transition period :)

Have a positive mindset that you can do it. 

When we set ourselves up for failure or think we cannot achieve a goal, we almost always never do. Having a positive attitude not only increases the chances of success but also helps build a healthier immune system and boosts overall health.

Motivational Monday: Of Maya Angelou and Mukhtar Mai.

Today's Motivational Monday is inspired by the words of one phenomenal woman and the actions of another phenomenal woman. 

Who knew that when Maya was writing these words she would be describing the courageous Pakistani woman Mukhtar Mai, whom albeit being powerless and an illiterate, brought hope to the fight against women violence in Pakistan. 

Within these sentences, 

"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it"

 lies the story of Mai's journey to regain her honour in the face of great injustice, barbarous traditions and what is dubbed as 'A man's world'!!

She didn't come out of her ordeal the victim her rapists expected but a courageous and fearless warrior against the social injustice of her land...

KPop Academy Week 12: Graduation....

Hey guys so I graduated from KPop Academy on the 17th of May 2014!!!

I dreaded this day for the obvious reason that it was an amazing experience and I didnt want it to end.

P.S: Photo credits goes to KCC. Most of the pictures are theirs mixed in with some of mine. 

Entrance to the Centre, you can see some of us sitting inside.

The day started out with us arriving to KCC before 1:30pm (Ceremony was scheduled for 2pm) to sign the cards we got for the organizers of the Academy and also to sort out the pressies and flowers. The foyer was packed with all of us plus our guests (we were each allowed 2) chatting and nibbling at the yummy cookies that Roxi (One of the coordinators) made for us.