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Showing posts with label 31 Day Blog Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 31 Day Blog Challenge. Show all posts






I realise that this might be a tad deep when you sit back and think about it - but really makes sense.  

A large majority of people fall into a herd mentality and end up doing what everyone around them is doing.  This is probably because our entire lives have been laid out for us : attend school, go to university, get a degree in order to get a good job so as to support yourself.  If that's not enough - find a partner, have a family, support the family by continuing to work hard until retirement when you can finally enjoy your life.  Heard this before right ? 

There's nothing wrong with structure but have you taken a minute to think about whether that preset path is the path for you ?  Did you give up on an entrepreneurial move or a risky career change due to fear of the unknown / uncertainty of it all ? Is there something you feel you could have done different when you look back at the past few years ?  Are you doing what you love ? 

Ever since a young age - I realized that I'm ready to go down the road less travelled.  At 9 or 10 years old I told my parents I wanted to own a night club.  Imagine that !! When it was time for me to go to university - I ended up moving halfway across the world from Dubai to Montreal.  That's a flight time of about 18 hours including layover.  My Dad wanted me to be a banker - a good stable career.  I pursued it for all of 9 months after graduation and  left to set-up my own company managing & marketing night clubs in London.  My entire family including extended members flipped out and told me how irrational I was behaving; that I shouldn't leave a good career which growth opportunities for something that wasn't stable.  I moved out of the family house, got my own apartment and followed my passion - the world of events & nightlife.  Then about 6 years later my clients were asking me to plan private events for them and within a year of that I moved across oceans (again) to Bombay to set up my next venture in Events & Wedding Planning. 

I currently run a boutique company called A Klass Apart which focuses on events & wedding planning.  I get to work with clients and event spaces around the world.  I now take 'summer holidays' (like we did back in school) for 3-4 months a year for the last few years.  I work with select clients (mainly on a word of mouth basis) - if we 'click' we work together; if not - I rather not take the stress.   I have a portable office (my trusted laptop & hard drive) which means I can work from anywhere in the world as opposed to being in one place all the time. 

Of course it's not all a bed of roses.  I've had financial ups & downs.  I've learned a few things the hard way.  My friends are never free when I am (i.e. during the day).  The industry I'm in means that public holidays, festive seasons and weekends are generally when I am the busiest so can't really enjoy this with friends / family.  But I knew all of this when I chose to take this path and the things I didn't know I got to know over the years.  

I may not own a nightclub as yet but I know eventually I'll get there.  It's still on my mind.  Maybe if I was a stockbroker like some of my cousins - I would already have it but I doubt the journey would be as much fun as what I'm currently experiencing. 

I came across a great article 'Creating Your Own Life Path' which I resonated with and think you will enjoy as well.  

What path did you choose - the road well travelled or the road less travelled ? Are you happy with your choice ? Is there a path that you wish you had taken or think you could still take (even if it for a short walk) ?     



Come on !! Who doesn't get a happy feeling knowing that there's some extra cash sitting in the bank account ?  Instead of spending that rolled up tenner that you found in your jeans pocket - just put it away.  

At the start of the year I randomly decided to just collecting all the coins / spare change that I would find around my room, in my various hand bags or even in my car ... at the end of the month there was the equivalent of £20 that I had lying around ... think about it £20 x 12 months = £240 that's enough for a big night out or a weekend away. 

I started saving properly when I hit 30.  I should have done it earlier but I was busy enjoying life and the financial independence that I had spent my entire 20's working for.   I'm 33 and have a good chunk sitting in the bank.  I may not be able to buy a house yet but I've got my down payment ready ! 

When did you start saving ? Are you regular saver ? Do you have any saving tips that you could suggest ? 


Nothing quite beats the feeling of financial independence ! I started my first business at 21 and my second at 28.  I may not be able to afford to buy a house right now or even get a mortgage as I'm self-employed but just knowing that I earn enough to support myself, and indulge my passions (whether it be travel or learning something new or taking the 'summer' off work) is quite a feeling in itself.  

Do you remember what it felt like when you got your first pay cheque ? That euphoric feeling and sense of accomplishment ? How did it feel knowing that you are no longer dependent on your folks now that you're earning on your own ? 

Just remember that if you have the ability to work and earn right now - no matter what the income is - be grateful that you can do that because there are people out there who are unable to meet their basic requirements.  





Sometimes you just have to confront your past and lay out ground rules so that it doesn't suddenly pop up and send your present helter-skelter. 

As hard as it may be to - don't look back at your past.  If something isn't working out for you - regardless of the situation i.e. work / personal life / education etc chalk out your options / alternatives and strive forward.  Once you've made that choice - don't dwell on the past.  This is when applying the 3 C's of Life will help you : make a choice to take a chance to change your life ! 

 Once you have truly accepted that the past should remain in the past - you'll be able to see what the future has in store for you.  Life is too short to stress yourself.   I've made peace with my past - have you ? 





How aware are you of who YOU really are ? Are you aware of the positive & negative qualities that you possess and the qualities that people think you have ? How 'accepting' are you ? 

I came to the conclusion almost 2 decades ago when I was still in school that I'm different from my peers.  I didn't fall into the flock although I definitely had many 'flocks' of friends.  I'm an all-round person.  I can pretty much adapt to any situation I'm put in.  I'm very comfortable in my own skin.  I don't give a f*ck what people think about me (not in a bad way) but because unless you can tell me to my face - your opinion holds no value to me).

I have good days and bad days like everyone else.  I love my business and it drives me.  I work hard to party even harder.  There are days I wish my sweet tooth wasn't so bad and in turn that would result in me dropping at least 10 kgs but I do love dessert way too much to really give it up.  I love my friends fiercely.  

Do you accept and enjoy yourself for who you are ? 




Doesn't seeing this image leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling ? We often take our parents for granted and oversee the sacrifices they have made to ensure that their children are comfortable.  

'Unconditional' - it appears to be the only apt word to describe the love a parent has for their child.  As my Mum puts it - she loves all her children even the ones who give her grief (clearly that's not me). 

I've taken to spending the mornings chatting with my Mum - getting to know what her plans are or what she thought of the last movie that she saw.  I realise now as I write this post that I 'spoke' to my Mum almost every day whilst I was travelling for the summer (and that's something I've never done in all my years of travelling)..  

I reckon she deserves a vacation ! Hopefully I can take her somewhere she wants to visit in 2016.  

Don't forget to drop your folks a quick hello by email / text / phone call or give them a hug if you happen to live at home or if you are in their neighbourhood. 
With the Ultimate Blog Challenge just around the corner - I have more or less decided on a theme for my blog posts.  Have you heard or come across 'LastLemon.com' or perhaps you know them better for the cute cartoon 'Happiness Is ...' images that are floating around the internet ?  



I'm going to use illustrations from LastLemon.com to help me get my blog on as it's been over a year since I've written on a consistent basis (although in my defence there are quite a few partial drafts sitting in my dashboard).  

Ever since my Dad passed, it hit me hard in the face that life is unpredictable.  I've always known this but it 'sunk in'.  I've made it a point to try to enjoy / do more of anything & everything that makes 'Me' feel good.

I've started collecting illustrations that I feel an instant connect with and hopefully I'll get a few blog posts ready before the challenge actually starts ! So there you have it, my blog theme for the UBC is based around 'Things That Make Me Happy'

I hope you enjoy these posts and if you find yourself relating to any of them - I would love to hear from you in the comments.  If you're participating in the UBC then do let me know so that I can visit your blog as well.  Are you following a theme for your blog posts ? If you use Twitter then drop me a tweet on @dazediva 
As you may be aware, the Ultimate Blog Challenge is back in October 2015 and yours truly is taking part in it to get out of my blogging rut ! 

My very first UBC was in Jan ’12 where I just blogged about random topics every day – and it did get hard towards the end of it.  Then I went ahead and with a general theme 'Think About It' wherein I wrote about quotes / images that connected to me.  I've also written about the 'A to Z of Blogging' and 'A to Z of Sex' for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  

Given the above actually helped me focus my blogging in a particular direction - I'm wondering whether or not to go with a theme for this years' challenge ? I'm more than likely to do it - but then it's the topic that I need to think about. 

Seeing that I'm in need of inspiration - it would mean a lot if you could suggest a theme or post topics that you would like to read about.  
I've been thinking about the way I can edge myself back to the blogosphere and I reckon that the best way for me to do this would be to get myself in gear for the Ultimate Blog Challenge October 2015.   
  
There are few simple rules to follow if you are interested in taking up the Ultimate Blog Challenge:
  1. Post every day for 31 days (yup - that's why it's a challenge).  Doesn't matter if you post twice a day and then skip a day – but you have to hit 31 posts over the entire month of October.
  2. Each post must have a minimum of 100 words to count – so you can’t just put up a picture or a video and leave it there.  You need to actually express yourself in at least 100 words.
  3. Once you've posted, then tweet your post with the tag #blogboost so other participants can find you, and come comment on your blog
  4. Join the UBC Facebook page and find yourself amongst fellow bloggers; just add your link on the daily post comments section and visit other blogs 
  5. Go to the #blogboost page and take the time to read other participants blogs (and don’t forget to comment!)
  6. No adult blogs – so keep it PG
  7. Have fun whilst you blog !
You can sign up over here : http://www.ultimateblogchallenge.com and enter your name and email address (this also allows the organizers of the challenge to send you across daily blog ideas and gets you listed on the site as someone who is participating)

Have you ever been a part of any Blog Challenges ?  Would you consider being a part of this 31 Day blog challenge ? I have really enjoyed the UBC in the past and discovered some fab blogs along the way.  Given my recent writers block - I hope to be able to just get on with it and hit my target of 31 posts for the month of October.   Now I just need to think of a theme !! 

If you do decide to take part in the challenge, please make sure you leave a comment and share your blog link so that I can stop by your blog .

I've often wondered about this (and it seems like the ideal quote for a wrap up post).  I'm the type of person who has a folder on my laptop filled with various images, quotes and even cartoon strips that have caught my fancy over the years. 

Some of the content would cause those acquainted to me to reassess their perception of who I really am.  At end of the day - we are all 'someone' on the surface but there is much more to our individual characters than what we allow the world to see.  I can be an extremely expressive person except when it comes to being 'emotional', 'mushy' or 'overly romantic'.  Don't get me wrong - I can - it's just not in my comfort zone.   Having said that, I've found a way to express myself by way of some of the lovely content available online and those few lines of expression are what I can relate to immediately.  It's as if someone else has read my mind and penned it down.  

Thanks to social media - I feel that I gain a better insight to a person when I see some of the articles, links and images that they post via Facebook or Twitter. It's those things that we no longer talk about or express in person that we do by way of social media (through images / quotes etc) that says more about an individual than words could justify.  

Think about it ... if I shared something today that appealed to you and it was something you didn't expect from me - your perception of me would be altered. Try it out within your own social network and see how many people surprise you. 

What are your thoughts ? Do you think our favourite quotations say more about us than we let on in person ? If you've been following my blog through the Ultimate Blog Challenge - have you enjoyed the quotes that I have used ? Were you able to relate to any of them ? 

 p.s. If you're a lurker and came by without leaving a comment - now would be a great time to delurk and reveal yourself to me. 
I like this quote because it perplexes me in a way.  Based on numerous conversations with people and reading various blogs - it seems like individual self-worth is down and people don't realize that they 'deserve' the good things out there and they just need to find the path to lead them to it.  

Who doesn't want to be a laid-back billionaire with a private jet ? That's aiming pretty high but that doesn't mean one doesn't 'deserve' to go on a few holidays a year.  We all struggle with this balance of being financially stable and having the good life and sometimes it so happens that to have the good life - your finances can take a bit of a hit.  That is one of areas I find that makes me anxious BUT in the last few years I've sort of tossed it in the air and said that I deserve that luxury week long trip or the extravagant annual birthday weekend because if I don't spoil myself now in my prime years - when the hell am I going to do that ?? 

I know I can afford to do this because I have my own business and I'm my own boss; but I also have friends in corporate houses who make it a point to take a long weekend or a week off every quarter because they damn well deserve it for working their asses off all year round.  Obviously one can't go completely off the chain and pour their hard earned money down the drain; but the point is that stop worrying about the what ifs and learn to spoil yourself - you've earned it.  

On the other hand if I apply this to my personal life - it makes me sit back and think.  There are days I don't even know how I feel about relationships; it's been a while since I've been in one and I know I'm very good in one as well - but business is booming and my personal life has been sacrificed for the time being and I'm left wondering one of two things.  How is it that I haven't found myself in a relationship and then the immediate thought after that is because I deserve better than what is currently around me.  Perhaps a tad cocky - but I really think so and that's why I'm okay with where I am today.  

What are your thoughts ? How do you feel when you read this quote ? 
Do you ever find yourself wondering 'oh I could have done XYZ' or 'I should have done ABC' ?  The thing about human nature is that it's only natural that we wonder and cross-examine the ifs, buts, whys, who and wheres in our lives .. but the problem with that is that we end up setting ourselves up for disappointment.

Have you ever found yourself trying really hard to achieve something but you end up struggling with it ? And at times, the minute you just stop and let go - things seem to fall into place ? 

I'm a self proclaimed workaholic - I like the buzz and the random stress that comes with the job of an events & wedding planner.  Having said that, I also decided that life is too short to stress oneself out and made a conscious decision to let things come and go naturally to me.  As harsh as it may sound - I apply this to people around me as well.  I know which friends I am certain of ; I know that other people are all passing by to share a lesson or two and then there are some people we need to let go off.  We must rid ourselves of fears because fear stumps our growth and crushes the potential we have deep inside.   I rather live a life stating 'oh well' than thinking 'what if'.

What are your thoughts ? How do you avoid stress ? Do you dwell on the could have / should have of things ? Or do you go with the universal flow and see where it takes you ?  
I've always believed and felt that we meet the people we do for a reason.  As a child I used to think we were characters in one massive story - The Storybook Life - and each person we met had their own chapter and our lives / chapters merged together.  When I look back at those thoughts now - I reckon I was on the right track. 

I've had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people over the last 3 decades of my life who have given me so much.  There are some people who have opened my mind and heart to the possibilities of so much more just when I thought I didn't have it in me to 'feel' a certain way.  Not all of those experiences ended in a positive way - in fact probably more painful than I care to admit - but definitely an experience I'm glad to have had because it just leaves me in a better place overall.  

Life is as complex as it can get and each of us has our own experiences to add to it and I just feel that there's a reason we choose to interact with certain people - it's because we were meant to (for whatever time  period it may be).  Every interaction has taught me a valuable lesson (good and bad); has made me evolve more into the person I am and added to my own character.

So if you’re reading this, you are in some way a part of my story –and I want to say ‘thanks for reading’ !  (just de-lurk in the comments so I know how to find you)


We all have expectations about something or the other - it could be about the work environment one is in or it could be what one expects from friends and family .. and it all boils down to the perception of expectations.

Last year the subject hit home to me and I wrote a post 'To Expect or Not To Expect?' and did a quick follow up on that with a new post 'Lowering Expectations'  .. and I've noticed that quite a few people around me were all discussing 'expectations' on social media platforms. 

I've already admitted that my personal expectation levels from my nearest and dearest are on the higher side despite having lowered my expectations when it comes to other things.  I suppose it's because if I can't expect those closest to me to do what it takes then who else can I expect that from other than myself ?   
The minute I saw this quote I knew it was one of the ones I had to share with all of the folks out in blogosphere. 

I hate being in a 'what if' situation.  I rather have tried & tested and come out saying 'oh well' this worked / this didn't than be left wondering 'what if I did this or did that instead'.

I've been in situations where the 'oh well' result wasn't the best but I'm glad I did because I finally knew what would happen.  I wasn't twiddling my thumbs away.  I rather just go out there; speak my mind and see what happens - the outcome can only be good, bad or neutral right ?  

How many times have you wondered 'what if' ? Do you regret those what ifs ? How many 'oh wells' are you glad that you followed through with ? 
Life is too short to be left wondering 'what if' .. when was the last time you pushed yourself to take a risk where you weren't sure what the outcome would be ? 

 Ask yourself a this question -  Are you living your dream ? If you aren't then start building your dreams before someone asks you to build theirs for them ! 

 I believe that nothing can substitute experience and one must challenge their limits to see how far they can reach.   Don't be a afraid of failing because failure leads to innovation and adds to your experience.  The next time you try - you will know what pitfalls to avoid. 

 So today I ask you - have you ever risked going too far to see how far you can go ? How did you feel about it ? Are you glad you did what you did ? 


Okay maybe 'wonderful' isn't the word I'd use but time does show us what really matters. 

The trouble with people (or society in general) is that we all think we have time.  But in reality we don't have a clue how much time we have.  

When someone says something to you - we tend to hold on to that in some way.  Someone told me that I would see a definite change in their attitude & behaviour towards me as a friend and two months later I do see the change - there's nothing.  It probably doesn't matter to that person - but my perspective has changed and what was important to me then is no longer the case.   In fact I've lowered my expectations altogether because I don't have the time to get annoyed or disappointed by people. 

Ever since my Dad passed away - time just seems to be of essence to me.  I have very limited free time and if I want to maximize that when I can.  As days, weeks and months pass - if you dig deep down into your heart and soul - you will now what really matters to you.  Take all the chances that you get so that you can happily say 'oh well and not what if'