Category: Mind, Body, and Soul

By Lindiwe

We all have started a new semester and we usually go through the motions of increased workload and some sort of pressure going around.
So, I would like to share my tips how I cope with academic pressure, and I hope you can share yours because I love hearing what keeps the community motivated and ready to work.

Planning ahead

• 

Having a year planner is very important but having a semester plan is even more important. You should keep eye out for when the semester starts a semester plan and you can start planning around that, its very important to know when your due dates and tests are beforehand so that you can start preparing 3 weeks or 2 weeks in advance. Your academic preparations should always start three weeks or two before to avoid being overwhelmed and under pressure.

Do not fall behind

It is important not to fall behind, I know some days we deserve time off and that is perfectly okay but relaxing to the point of procrastination can affect your work ethic and momentum, take half day off and then catch up in the evening or alternatively you can start with your work early in the morning and then take the day off.
Always do tasks that you are supposed to do in that day
I recommend doing a to do list for this step, to remind you about lectures, after lecture tests, assignments, and days to start preparing for the tests. It will help with anxiety during the day as you will do what is expected from you.

Always ask for help

Some of us usually hate this step including myself but academically you cannot work in isolation, you need to find academic groups that can help, or you can set up consultations with the lecturers or the tutors, do any that you are comfortable with.

Reward yourself for finishing assignments or lecture notes

I use a reward system that can help me keep things in check and to also help me keep focused. After achieving the days tasks, reward yourself with your favourite movie, a walk, a phone call with friend, your favourite beverage, or your favourite foods.

Unwind whenever you get the chance

This is my most favourite part of the process, relaxing and unwinding! I usually take Saturday off in my schedule where I can catch on my social life and meet my loved ones, I use music to unwind, and I believe in music! I have my favourite celebratory playlists on JOOX that I use to celebrate a good week, I find my best songs on there and I can listen even when I have no data (we all know the data struggle!). Find an activity that helps you calm down and keeps you relaxed, like listening to music, dancing, yoga, anything that makes you happy!

Thank you for making it this far and I hope you can share your tips with me, I am always looking for ways to improve my academic life!

By Lindiwe

Journaling is used as a meditation method and also as a reflection method for people who want keep track of their emotional journey. I use journaling as a meditation method and I just want to share tips on how to start if you are a beginner or if you are simply struggling.

1. Be honest and intentional

You need to be honest to yourself about what you are journaling about, it could be for school reasons, your day, your healing journey or just a venting technique. When you start journaling you should be true and honest to yourself and state your intentions. Many of us can be very hesitant about journaling because we are scared of what we’ll realize, but that’s the point, to realise and change. When you are honest with yourself it’s easier to express yourself.

2. Be self aware

You need to know which emotions you want to focus on, or which areas of yourself or your life that you want to focus on so you can track your progress on how you’re feeling or improving in the area you want to focus on.

3. Start small and do what you can

You don’t have to be perfect at this, this is one thing you can do whatever you feel comfortable with as long as you are true and honest with yourself. You don’t have to write pages as well, 3 to 4 sentences can work when you feel overwhelmed, do whatever you are comfortable with. Have fun.

4. Do it at a time you feel comfortable

I know that people recommend journaling in the morning as part of a morning routine, but it really doesn’t have to be that way, you can do it a time you feel comfortable, light and ready to pour your heart out, it can be in the afternoon or night before you sleep. Do whatever works for you at that time.

5. You can write about anything you want

Journaling doesn’t have to be all about your emotions, you can journal about your experiences in the day, it can be a conversation you had with a friend, things you’re grateful for, your goals and ambitions.

Thank you for making it this far with me and I hope the tips are helpful, remember to do what you’re comfortable with and be true to yourself.

Take Care💛🌅

• 

Hi guys, welcome to my blog and it’s been a while I know 🙂 but I’m back and I just want to share something that’s been on my mind lately.

Since the new year started I have been feeling very insecure about myself. For context, I’ve hardly ever felt secured about my body. But this year has been significantly worse, everyday I’d examine my body and be filled with so much shock and resent and everyday I’d sing the same song “I need to lose weight”. Standing in the mirror and noticing a new pimple, new blemishes and my other favourite song? “I need to clear this skin”

This went on until I judged and hated my body into a slump of depression, I didn’t even know what my body looked anymore. It felt like my body wasn’t my own. I felt foreign in my body, in my body that hosts me, in my body that keeps me alive.

And it got worse, the harshness on my body got worse, the shaming got worse. Hating myself got even worse.

It got worse until I couldn’t anymore and it was saddening to see me hate the body that keeps me well and alive and right now I’m trying…

I’m trying to be grateful, I’m trying to fill it with love, I’m trying to be grateful that it carries me through the most amazing times of my life and through the hardest.

I’m trying my hardest to stop comparing myself and my appearance to other people in anyway (oh my goodness it’s time to get off social media!!)

But moreover I’m trying to soft with myself. I want to give myself the best love, the softest love, and love that can help me grow in areas of my life.

It’s been the hardest few years and months of my life but nobody can give me the love that I need to give myself. Nobody can shine upon me more than I need to shine on myself. I need to keep light for myself, I need to be the light for myself. I need to try and try, I’ll get there.✨🌱

By Lindiwe

Many may not seem too fond of winter because of the low temperatures, colds or just the fact that they do not go out as much, I have a few of my favourite winter moments that get me through the winter and let us get to it!

1. Fashion!

Winter fashion is my most favourite part of fashion because there is so much to explore, I love wearing layers and layers of clothing I will not lie but I love winter fashion specifically for the warm colours, earth tones, coats, skirts, and boots. I am a big fan of dresses in the summertime but a bigger fan of skirts in the wintertime. I love skirts that you can wear with boots, sneakers, or with coats, currently Superbalist has all my favourite skirts in stock, and I am feasting! You can check them out and you can see all that I am talking about!

• Coffee Dates

One thing about me? I love spending intimate, quiet time with my loved ones and coffee dates are the best thing on earth for me – the catching up, the venting, little laughs in between and the warm and love that comes with this moment is beautiful.

• The Sunsets

Yes, I know the best sunsets come in the summertime but hear me out in the winter too! I love watching the sunset in winter while I have had a whole day and I just gaze at the sky and I am in awe of how subtle and calm the skies are blending in with the sun, the sunsets are almost unnoticeable, but I love paying attention, those sunsets remind me even in every season you can bloom, even when you are not yet in the spotlight.

• Quiet Adventures

I always use winter to focus more on my book adventures, I put myself up to the adventure of finding new books preferably romance, poetry or a little thriller and I put myself up to the test of finishing as many books before the next season starts. I usually call it my cute little adventure because it is the time, I put myself to the test of exploring something that I love dearly.

• Self-Reflection

This is my favourite season to self-reflect and to make sure that I am still in touch with who I am and doing a lot of check in with who I am and where I am headed. And I usually do that subtly by journaling more or by going on more solo dates with myself wearing my favourite outfit. All I am saying is treat yourself with love and grace during the wintertime!

I have reached the end of the blog and I do hope you liked my favourite parts of winter and hope they are your favourites too! Let me know in the comments what are your favourite parts about winter!

You can connect with me on:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindiwe.e/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/_lindiwee
• And please check out one of my absolute favourite online stores: www.superbalist.com

       Til next time! 

By Lindiwe

🌱

It is the start of the new year and I would just like to start of by wishing a good prosperous year and I hope you achieve and release your gaols this year.

Of course, many of us may feel that this year might not be so different from last year, I am already starting to feel like the year is just a continuous 2020. I still feel as though there is still hope for me to live better this this year, to feel better, to let my guard down and just explore this year.

And I know that is so hard to achieve with this “new normal”, but I just want to try. And I feel that this outlook has been helping my anxiety. I entered the new year with such a heavy heart, seconds into 2021 and I was letting my loudest tears run down my face. I just could not believe just how much I have achieved, how much I have been bottling inside me for so long. I just didn’t realise how much pain I was holding in until I couldn’t let room for a smile, I could not make time for a chat with a friend… until I gave up all the things that gave me peace and that was my biggest torture.

I was mostly angry with how the year went by; I was so angry that this was not the year I had envisioned. I was so sad at how many people where losing their loved ones. It was so hard seeing other people in agony, that I started falling into my own depressive episodes.

But I hope to believe that I feel way better now, I feel energised for a new start again, and I do not know where it will lead by I hope for greener pastures this year. I hope I can grow my blog, so it reaches more and more people who like what I have to say, and write more and more series reviews that people would love to read.

I hope this year goes just a little better for us, at least for our sanity.

I hope this year is a lot better for all of us.

Let’s try.

🌱

I May Destroy You

This series is an HBO production and it was released between 7 June to 14 July. It is a drama series that has had a big impact on people this year.

“I May Destroy You” is just one of those brilliant HBO ideas, Michaela Coel, wrote and was a lead actress in her first written series “I may destroy you”

Firstly before everything else I would like to warn you that there are scenes of rape and homophobia that may be triggering to some viewers.

The series starts of light and Arabella (Michaela Coel) is the lead actress and we can note that she has a carefree personality.

The opening scene starts in Italy where Arabella was sent by her publishing company to go get inspiration to write her next book and she also found the love of her life in that city.

Arabella was shown to be a carefree writer from the opening scene. The background of the story does not develop in Italy but in London where Arabella is from and the rest of the series picks up from there.

The first night that Arabella spends back in London, she already finds herself between a rock and a hard place and she has to make a decision that can hurt her career or that can hurt her social life, so Arabella decided to neutralise and decided to show up for both and that was the night that changed her forever.

“I may destroy you” is a series of development, from that night that changed Arabella forever, she kept changing in each episode, her ideals and views started changing all around her. Her life became difficult from that night and some events that took place after then changed how she saw the world, her family, her friends and how she now socialises.

In these personal and career developments that Arabella, you will notice as a viewer signs of anxiety and depression in the character but not only Arabella but in her friends and family too.

The series has a great soundtrack, and the visuals are upbeat and are very modern and give off a cool look through out the show so I will give a good 9/10 for the visuals and soundtrack.

Overall I will give the series 8/10 and I will recommend that you watch it and I hope that you will have the same experience as I did.

Stay tuned for my next review!

I have fallen in and out of love with myself often. Some days self love seemed so effortless, so kind, so gentle, so possible. Some days it was ugly, uncomfortable, and draining.

It’s always so easy to tell yourself or other people “Just love yourself” but the process is hardly spoken of. The self doubt that often creeps in, the lonely days and nights because you are realising that the people that you keep around are no good to you.

But self love also feels amazing, waking up in the mornings and reminding yourself that you’re beautiful, motivating yourself through the bad days and smiling all the way through aligning and brightening your own path.

We’ve all had a tricky and difficult year this year and we should be kinder and softer to ourselves than we have ever been before. Take your emotional, mental and physical health as a priority. Give yourself a break and take every opportunity to rest.

We may not be where we all want to be in life at the moment and this year made it all seem difficult but we will heal, we will succeed and we will love ourselves more than we ever did.

Take Care. 🌿

By Lindiwe

Hey guys! Happy new month, I hope this month brings you all love, peace and happiness.🌺✨

So listen, I know I’ve been gone for way too long. It’s been a few weeks since I had last put out ANYTHING.

But in all honesty these last few weeks have been significantly harder for me than any time in my life. I was always extremely anxious and all I wanted to do was just sleep and live in my shell with as little social interaction as possible.

I could never find it in me to be consistent with anything including doing all the things I loved. Everyday was gloomy, same routine, same feeling, same demotivation, same dark hole.

And honestly, I don’t know a worst time in my life than this one. Waking up and feeling drained and motionless after 8 hours of sleep was hell. Walking a different route to the mall so you don’t meet anybody you know because they’ll know something wrong with you is hell. Constantly ignoring self reflection because you’re scared of what you’ll realise about yourself is hell. Listen, it was hell. It was an emotional rollercoaster.

But as I’m writing this at this moment I’m okay, stepping into everyday easy and some days are better than others. I’ve blogged before about how having a routine can be helpful and I’m following my own advice again.
It’s been 5 days since I decided I want to take an active step in changing how I feel and how I live through each day. I’m getting better at helping myself realise my toxic traits and how I can change them, I’ve gotten better at scripting my manifestations
I’d say this a good space, a breath of fresh air.

The next step with a new step. letting myself know everyday that I’m worthy and every situation is a lesson and not a personal attack on the self. Getting myself know that I’m not alone, I am surrounded by love and constant abundance. That disappearing and being emotionally unavailable is okay, that maybe in that time you are watering yourself into a new path in your life.

If you’re like me or even feeling something close to what I’m feeling, know that you’re not alone. You are loved, you are the light, your feelings are valid, the days will get better and know that flowers also bloom in the darkness as much as they do in the light.

We will be okay.🌱

BY LINDIWE

I have been into literature since I had been in high school, I never really minded it nor had I ever thought I’d want to be a writer/blogger/poet by the time I’m in my twenties… and the first book that changed all of that was “the perks of being a wallflower”.

I remember reading the book and 16 year old me was starstruck. I don’t know which one had the most impact on me, falling in love with words perfectly written or that this book could help 16 year old me heal and realise that sometimes being an outcast was okay, that sometimes It’s okay to get stuck on words because your mind keeps racing. The book made me feel okay and accepted.

So I started writing, I wrote poetry, screenplays, I tried write a book (but I really had no patience with that). I never got to see them through because I had never ever intended to share them with other people but the more I wrote, I always felt free – I felt unjudged and so whole. And that’s how words became my healing. My healing became summarising my hurt on a poem with my heart aching and tears running down my face as gut wrenching as this may sound but it felt good. It felt good finding a safe space to turn your misfortunes and mental challenges to art, to your art.

This is how my life has been put together in and out of these slumps. I’d put off writing until my life feels like a nightmare again(I should really stop doing that) but I love the feeling I get when I start reconnecting with my heart once more. I love the feeling of reassuring myself through words that I too am enough – even when I hardly believe it. I love the feeling of getting lost in my thoughts and I write a poem that relieves me off my misery.

I guess what I wanted to say in this blog is that I love writing, I love poetry and I love words and my art has gotten me to a point where I’m so comfortable with being vulnerable in it with everyone without being ashamed of it and this has really changed the way I feel and do things.

So now let’s talk, what’s your favourite thing that you love doing that makes you feel brand new everytime?