Day 13: I give up... GIVING UP! *defeating my lippy phobia*

So this post is a little delayed but yes.. I had a lipstick phobia! I have always run away from colour on my lips , giving excuses that my lips are too big, its glam for day to day, etc but after being nagged by the girls I knew it was time to overcome my fears and get some lipstick! I must say I had a lot of fun lipstick shopping and was surprised that a lot of shades suited my skin tone, these are my first three purchases which I can't wait to wear out with the rest of my makeup done and outfits to match!

'Nude Delight' by Rimmel:

'Stare At Me' By Rimmel:

'Ruby Woo' By MAC:

I would recommend all the shades above, Rimmel lipstick was amazingly moisturizing and the matt finish of MAC's ruby woo is show stopping. I just need to perfect my pout with an application lesson from boo!coco and I will be good to go !

Next on the list a deep natural tone like Latifa's or a deep deep red and then a bright colour popping pink!

I hearby give up giving up defeating my lipstick phobia!

Day 14: I give up... GIVING UP! *Get on my bike*

I could not wait a second longer so decided to scrap collecting my pennies and hired a bike instead. I love it when a big city makes an effort to bring in country life(- just a little). These bicycle stations are all over central London. You can hire free of charge for 30mins, about £6 for 2hours and so on. They have proved to be really popular with city workers, tourists and curiously random people like me!

Hyde Park...

I don't think my mum had been on a bike for a very very long time so it was a pretty hilarious mother's day! We stopped to say a quick hello to the queen...

..and then we road to South Bank, around the London Eye where there is always something weird and wonderful going on.

My muscles feel surprisingly pain free this morning now i'm exercising more regularly i guess. word to the wise: Its easy to get bored and de-motivated with your gym routine, remember to switch it up with a different sport or a fitness class (im trying a 'Zumba' class next week haha) and you won't even notice your wobbly bits disappear,

so I hereby give up giving up getting on a bike!

Day 11: I give up... GIVING UP *Get that tattoo*

So, it's almost a year that I have been thinking about whether or not I should get tattooed up... and finally the day came that I braved myself and just went ahead with it!

Last week, me and Bella went into to book my session, and managed to get a great deal out of it! hahah talk about blaggin' it.

Sometimes over-thinking can be helpful when it pushes you to take action and solve a problem. But if you are preoccupied with the “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, your worry becomes a problem of its own. Doubts and fears are paralysing where by you get nowhere in life and end up going around in circles.

I tend to over-think a lot, and I can really and truly say that some of the things in my life which I haven't accomplished/done is due to my over thinking. It's really not about ''what ifs''.... More about JUST DO IT / DEAL WITH IT!

So here goes.... I give up... giving up just doing it... Get that tattoo lol (if that makes any sense at all)

xoxo

Day 10: I give up...GIVING UP! *Embrace the future*

Yesterday I got the timetable for my final year exams and it occurred to me this is finally it! Once I finish my exams, I will be entering the big, wide world! Even though I am as scared as hell, I'm also excited about what the future holds for me! God only knows where I will end up and what I will do, but all I know is that I'm free to do what I want, when I want and the opportunities are endless! We forget sometimes that anything is possible and we as humans are capable of a lot. We feel like we are powerless when it comes to our situations but circumstances can change like that *clicks fingers*. So next time when you feel like nothing ever happens, just remember that good things are coming your way! Embrace your future!

Diva xoxo

Day 9: I give up... GIVING UP *Be grateful*

I woke up this morning. I woke up in my house in my own bed, to sunshine and blue skies. Then I took a moment.

So many people woke up today in shanty towns or pallets next to people they've never met, with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and the breathe in their body and then there are those who didn't wake up today. I send a prayer out for them.

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to KEEP; if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

The trivial things that usually plague my mind have been pushed back to accommodate for all the drama and tragedy in the world and as much as I am sad that the world has lost Nate dogg and today Elizabeth Taylor, a moment for those whose names and face we may never know. And as selfish as it may seem this is my time to be grateful for the small things and take advantage of my opportunities.

Peace,grease and blessings guys Xoxo Boo!

Day 8. I give up... GIVING UP! *Time OUT*

How much time do you spend with yourself doing nothing? sleeping doesn't count! I'm guessing not a lot and for a workaholic like me, 'not a lot' is an understatement. There's tons of reasons why I work like I do but this year I said to myself moaning was sooooooooooo last year! 2011 I do something about it so first step was to schedule a day off.. some time out just for me myself and I. These are what I found to be the perfect components of a time out session: LIE IN: Sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind. I recently learnt that as our sleep cycles are 90minutes long, if we sleep for at least 5 full cycles we will wake up feeling even more fabulous! So scrap your 8 hour sleep regime and try 7.5! I decided to have 9 hours .. pure bliss.. PAMPER: I don't think pampering should be considered a luxury. Make it regular and your body will thank you for it. I needed an all over tlc session. Took a trip to my local cosmetics store and picked up my favourite body scrub (soap and glory), face mask (garnier), hair conditioner (doo-gro) and spent a good hour or four in the bathroom doing what a girl does best. O and for all you animal print lovers .. this nail pain is a must! I think its the novelty of watching the paint crack before your eyes that does it for me. You paint a base colour of your choice apply the 'magic' nail paint on top and Barry M does the rest.. this is the end result. love it!
LET YOUR HAIR DOWN: who needs an energy drink, when you have fabulous friends! I am an only child and the majority of cousins, uncles etc I do have are all abroad so my girls are my family. Laughter & dancing heals all wounds in my book. So my head wasnt 100% the next day (blame it on the alcohol) but my soul was still laughing :D
ps. these nights are usually strictly girls only but as my cousin and her man were on holiday in London, he was the exception !
CHOCOLATE: I consumed a lot of food during my time out which was perhaps not the best idea given I am preparing to get back into my skinny jeans but the one ingredient I don't regret is chocolate. With all this pressure to be skinny and eat salads.. (really?!) its important to treat yourself and chocolate is good for you! I'm not talking the whole 500g thang but a few squares. GUILTY PLEASURES are a must ;)

DO NOTHING: ...not a thing, nada, just find a quiet place and relax. the sun was suprisingly out that day so I took a walk to nowhere and back. stepped out of my box and thought about me, my life, my goals, my fears, my blessings. I realised that as hard as I have been working to get ahead, who I am has been falling behind. The energetic, confident, fun, passionate, wild, kind, hilarious, sexy, intelligent, go getting, skillful young woman that I want to be will never fully form unless I invest time into her.

So I hereby give up giving up, time out for moi! Kisses..........

Day 7: I give up...GIVING UP *Helping out more around the house*

I know I am not the best child in the world when it comes with helping out around in the house. So it's no surprise to me that my mum is always having a go at me.

Since starting the 9 to 5 routine, I've become even lazier when it comes to helping out at home; i.e. when I get home I'm too tired to rustle up anything in the kitchen for my younger siblings to eat (secretly waiting on mum to come home to do that) which ain't fair at all. If anything, she's probably be a little more tired than me.

So I've decided to chuck away my lazy side (& quick and easy food) and start helping out more in the house by cooking some more.... from scratch! :D

Today... I made some Curry Goat with Rice and Peas - Yum!

Sorry no photo of the end product...

I was so hungry I ate all the food before I realised I forgotten to take a pic, However it looked a little something like this...

Happy Monday!

xoxox

Day 6. Reflection *Love thy neighbour*

Sometimes it can feel we are alone in this world. We become so preoccupied with our everyday lives: our jobs, family, friends etc until something drastic happens that makes us realise that it's not just all about us! For example, the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan literally shook us awake! And it's at times like this, we forget about ourselves and come together as one big community to help those in need. We "love thy neighbour as thyself" (Romans 13: 8-10). Sometimes as much as we think we are capable of doing things ourselves, we do need the help of others. I know I couldn't have gone through the most difficult times in my life without the love and support of my family and friends and people who were just willing to help, who didn't have to but wanted to. However it shouldn't just be in difficult times. We should be there for each other no matter what!

Diva xoxo

Day 5. I give up giving up * Appreciate my skills*

I am in essence a Jackie of all trades.... need you hair did? Your nails did? (Everything did lol) or do you need your wedding planned? Or a brand new one of a kind outfit? Or do you at just want a favour? To often I dish these skills out for free and I don't mind but too often the favour is not returned. Being a firm believer in giving for the sake of giving but on my lenten journey, I've been reading the Zahir by Paulo Coelho and have come across the idea of the favour bank. The idea is that you selectively give out favours safe in the knowledge that one day your favour will be returned. Although this may seem selfish to some I believe that its fair and by placing value on my skills I give my self permission to feel appreciated and gain a sense of value. So I hereby give up giving up appreciating my skills

Day 4. I give up...GIVING UP *Make someone's day*

We as beings can some times be very selfish and not altruistic.

It doesn't take much to make someones day. Something as simple as a smiling to a stranger can do wonders and have an effect on that persons day... maybe even their life.

Just the other day, I got a email from a client expressing how much he values the work I did on his case (however small it was) and that he will never forget that.

Not only did it make me proud to think that my work has that kind of effect on people, it also made me think about how I can incorporate this in my daily life.

Making someone smile and brightening up their day is the most generous thing anyone can do as this can have a ripple affect on them.

side note: It's also healthy!!!

"If you smile at someone and make them smile you are actively causing chemicals to be released in to your body that battle stress and cause feelings of joy."

So today and every other day I give up my selfish needs and wants in order to give you the gift of my smile and make your day!

Happy Sunday

Txuna

xoxo

Day 3. Reflection *Love yourself!*

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy! Beating ourselves up and blaming ourselves for things that are beyond our control, when really we need to be gentle with ourselves and love ourselves just the way we are! To love yourself is to acknowledge your worth, to be yourself and be true to you! In a world where people strive for perfection it's easy to forget to do this and lose ourselves. We try to fit in but we forget we are all different, with our little quirks and flaws that make us unique and stand out. Quirks we should embrace as they make us beautiful! So, OK I may not be the smartest or the most prettiest person but I am ME and this is the reason I LOVE MYSELF! The relationship we have with ourselves is the most important relationship we'll ever have! Unlike other relationships, you depend on YOU and so you should never let yourself down! And if you don't love you, how can you expect anyone else to! You set your standards and establish your worth by loving yourself! So if there's one relationship worth investing in, let it the one with yourself!

Diva xoxo

Day 2. I give up... GIVING UP! *Visualise my goals*

I use to be addicted to lists and life plans! I don't know whether it was the idea of simplifying life or whether it was that satisfaction buzz you get when you can cross off a completed item on your list (is that just me?).. either way it got to a point when I realised that life is unpredictable and what YOU make it. It's about what you love, not what somebody else told you it should be and that's why I love life! I spent today (in between working of course) visualising exactly what I wanted to give and gain from life.

'What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve!'

One of my goals is to travel, work in Brazil and teach English to vulnerable, unprivileged children. I imagined feeling that sunshine hit my face as I stepped off the plane. I saw the children's smiling faces, myself standing at the front of the class introducing the lesson and my friends ordering the 2nd round of Caipirinhas later on that day!..

Another goal is to have 4 beautiful children (that does not necessarily mean I will be pushing out a baby 4 times by the way, im not crazy!) I just imagined the girls performing their latest living room concert, the boys play fighting in the background and their father kissing them goodnight. When visualising this goal, timing was not important - believing and being thankful that they are on their way into my life is enough.

I visualised the rest of my goals in the same way and rather than writing a life plan I just wrote what I will be grateful for in 5 years time. Can you believe that I only had £50 in the bank when I reserved 2 plane seats to the Caribbean for me and my mum and what an amazing trip it turned out to be! Ditch those lists ladies, see what you want and live each moment with that goal in mind.

I have promised myself that I will continue to keep my dreams alive... I hereby give up giving up visualising my goals!

Day 1: I give up...GIVING UP *Let it all out* 2

Following Boo's Lenten promise... I took up on *letting it all out* today too.

I'm usually the one who stays quiet and listens to what everyone has to say in meetings (mostly because I am still relevantly new) .... But today I thought why should I kick back, and suffer in silence??

So I took the opportunity to "LET IT ALL OUT" and express my concerns.

I won't get into details of the exact problem, but what I got out of it was self accomplishment even though I didn't expect it. Just by opening my mouth, not only did I feel better, but I also I managed to get my boss to take on my ideas for a new working strategy so that we can successfully and 'realistically' manage our work load and time.

SCOOOOORRREEE!!!

Txuna

xoxo

Day 1. I give up...GIVING UP! *Let it all out*

I find that to often I bite my tongue. I'll let it slide. I talk about it the next time. I won't let it bother me. Who am I to point out the issue. Who am I....... Acknowledging that I am someone with valid thoughts and feelings also means regulating. Knowing what I will and won't accept. And speaking my truth. To often we let shit go, you know those snide little comments, but we walk around for the next day/week/ month trying to analyse what has been said or make ourselves feel better, while that person goes on with their merry lives. So rather than holding on to this burden I've vowed to let it go, by any means possible, whether I have to confront them or forgive them. So I hereby give up giving up letting it all out and letting it go.......

Lenten promises

Today is Shrove Tuesday and that means from tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, we begin the season of Lent. For 40 days and 40 nights we traditionally "give up" something or "take something up". We do this because Jesus Christ spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting, praying and preparing Himself to carry out his purpose for which He had come to earth, to save mankind by sacrificing Himself. We give up things because Jesus Christ gave Himself up completely for us, and then rose again in 3 days. Therefore Lent is a time of forming a closer relationship with God, prayer and reflection so that when Easter Sunday arrives we are reborn just like Jesus.

This year, the girls and I have decided to do a Lenten promise together. We have decided we are going to give up.....GIVING UP! I know you're probably thinking "Huh?!" but hear us out! I got this idea from Jameela Jamil who writes a column for Company magazine, who last year did a similar Lenten promise. The whole idea is to do things that we having been meaning to do but haven't for whatever reason e.g. time, money, scared what others will think if we do etc etc. But we have to realise life is a blessing and too short for us to spend unhappy and not fufilling our purpose and so this is the reason we have decided to do this.

So for the next 40 days we are going to be doing things that will make us feel fufilled, no matter how silly as long as it make us happy and along this journey we will be reflecting as well. The list includes things we want to achieve individually or as a group. So here is our list so far... 1) Let it all out 2) Be bold! 3) Wear that risque dress 4) Get that tattoo 5) Get that piercing 6) Give blood 7) Go Charity shop shopping 8) Believe in myself 9) Wear glittery eyeshadow on a rainy tuesday 10) Appreciate our mothers more 11) Experiment with our looks 12) Speed dating 13) Live in the moment! 14) Take risks! 15) Blag it 16) Appreciate my skills 17) Signing up for that Dj class 18 Try out that new dance class/club 19) Be grateful 20) Love thyself 21) Love your neighbours 22)Accept my weakness 23) Accept my strengths 24) Accept my past 25) Embracing my future 26) Make time for myself 27) Learn to do something new 28) Make do with what I have 29) Help out more around the house. We also want you guys to join us on our journey and if you have any suggestions, you can comment below and tells us. So here's to our Lenten journey. Diva xoxo