The best advice I've heard

There isn't enough lonely in the world to keep a Queen under a man who doesn't
love the King of Kings.

Take your time. Don't rush plans. In God's time you will know when to move and
when to stay put. 

Deep down on the inside of you;you know what to do. 

Sometimes your deepest ministry will come out of your deepest pain. 

Don't try to fix things for God.

God will never waste your pain. Your purpose is far greater than your pain.

At some point the people you love will hurt or disappoint you. You
choose whether this will break you, bend you
or whether you will rise above it. You choose how to respond to it.
Remember love conceals a multitude of sins.

Saul of Tarsus met His Source on the road to Damascus. He became the apostle Paul.
Know your source.

If you only saw yourself the way God does you wouldn't settle for okay relationships.

Character do's and don'ts

DO

Do improve yourself in every way. Take a class that will improve your skill set, watch educational you-tube videos, read books - they have a wealth of knowledge that you might not always get online. 

Do stay humble - you never know who might be the next link to your open door.

Do stay positive - the bend in the road isn't the end of the road. Every setback is an opportunity to do better, to push hard and get more refined. 

Do remember hard work always pays off. Giving up is not an option.

Do smile - You use more muscles to frown that you do to smile. It just takes way more energy.

Do spend time with the people you love - not only is it good for you - but it's always important to remember we can't rewind time. Make the most of the time you have now and you won't regret it. 

DON'T 

Don't let anyone steal your joy. Life is too short to be hung up on what someone said, or didn't say; did or didn't do.

Don't try to be somebody else. There's only one them and there's only one you. Your job is to be the best version of yourself that you can ever be. Whatever gifts you have; work on them - polish up on your skills  and become the master. Whatever you do stay in your lane, run your race.

Don't forget the people who've always been in your corner. True friends are hard to find. 

Don't feel the need to know everybody's business. If it ain't making you any money why bother?

Don't spend so much time online that you forget to interact with the people who are right in front of you. That includes family and friends in case you had forgotten they existed.  

Don't forget you need me-time as well.  You are not a robot -everyone needs to recharge their batteries and just take a back seat and refocus. 

Don't be a people pleaser. It almost always ends bad and you not being happy. Not everyone is going to like you or understand you. You have to deal with that and not let it deter you.

Don't forget to let go and enjoy the moment 

Stay grateful!!!!!

10 things to tell yourself each day

1. I can do this

2. I am more than enough

3. I am created for a purpose and I know it

4. Nothing can get between me and my dreams

5. Impossible is nothing with the Lord on my side

6. Dwell on the positive

7. My time is now and I was created for such a time as this

8. I am never alone

9. Do it with passion or don’t do it at all

10. Take the risk 

Taking Stock : January

I recently interviewed Nyasha Nicole on my blog and this inspired me to start uploading 'taking stock' posts just like she was inspired to do the same by blogger Queen Grace whose style is always on point. Looking at her Taking stock post I found it so interesting and a fun way for my readers to get to know me and keep up to date with what I am all about.

Making: Vegan dishes. Wish me the best. They can’t be all that bad? Can they?

Drinking: H20 – for some years now water has been my go –to drink especially when I’m not loading myself up with my caffeine fix. I choose water most of the time.

Reading: All kinds of Christian literature. My spirit just loves to overdose on good information that can help me in my walk with Christ and so that I can also help teach others too.

Wanting: to travel and see different parts of the world so I can share it with my readers. Hit me up if you know of any press trips coming up in 2017.

Looking: To the future. There are so many possibilities and I want to be a part of something big and memorable.

Playing: Bonnie Deuschle & Celebration Choir One True Lord album on repeat in my home office.

Wasting: Nothing. Every moment is an opportunity to do something meaningful. 2017 is all about maximizing on the time.

Wishing: For new opportunities.

Enjoying: Spending time with my special person.

Liking: the direction my blog is taking.

Wondering: what my life will be like 5 years from now. Energising the visionary in me.

Hoping: For only the best.

Needing: A breakthrough.

Smelling: Roses coming my way.

Knowing: Success is certain. Failure is not an option.  

Giggling: at how life is full of surprises.

Cooking: Ethiopian Cabbage dish sometime this week.

Wearing: Heels more often. I had kind of relaxed on them.

Following: Spanish blogger Lady Addict; she’s absolutely flawless.

Noticing: That I have a lot of changes to make to get to where I want to be.

Feeling: a mixed bag of emotions. A drive to win at all costs.

Let me know if you like this post and would like to see more of these posts in 2017?

Blogger Interviews: A Naturelle Craving blog

Meet Zimbabwean born - Malaysia based blogger Nyasha Nicole of A Naturelle Craving blog and learn about her style, her belief in all things natural, her natural hair  journey, holistic lifestyle, DIY beauty habits and how she dresses in this interview by Chiedza Alexandra Mebe

1.      Who is Nyasha Nicole?

I am a twenty-something year old Zimbabwean female. A first child of four and was raised the typical Zimbabwean way. After completing my A- Levels at Gateway High school in Harare I travelled to Malaysia to further my studies and that is where I am currently based. I graduated with Bachelors (Hons) in Marketing and Business Management and work in the telecommunications industry. I have lived a normal average life until just over a year ago when I started blogging and decided it was time to live “outside the box”. I have been celebrating life and trying to live as fabulously as I can ever since!   I love travelling, reading, cooking and organizing (hahaha, you’re probably thinking weird). I am one of the few women that do not enjoy shopping; I would rather sit behind my computer and add items to my cart (now you’re probably thinking how weird can she be). I am a huge DIY person; if I can make it myself I am not paying money for it.

2.      What inspired you to blog?

When I did my big chop in Nov 2014 and started my natural hair journey, something within me was awakened and I began paying attention to labels on the products I purchased. I started doing research on different products and came to the realization that natural ingredients are the solution to my health & beauty needs. In celebration of my 1 year natural anniversary I decided to start a blog to share all the things I have learnt & continue to learn about in living the ‘natural’ life.

                                                                                        

3.      What can people expect from your blog?

A wide variety of content, from lessons I have learnt from my hair journey such as hair growth tips, simplified wash day routine, skincare tips; like my go to DIY masks, to lifestyle related posts such as the importance of having a morning routine and travel posts. I have recently started a new segment where I update ‘taking stock’ posts at the beginning of every month so that my subscribers can be updated with what is happening in my life.

4.      What do you intend to achieve with your blog?

I want to share my love for ‘all things natural’ and to let other ladies out there know that the solution to most of your hair/ skincare problems can be found in your kitchen. I only share what I have personally tried. It is my hope that the ladies around me can be inspired to live a more ‘holistic’ lifestyle and learn a thing or two from the posts I share.

5.      What’s the one thing every girl should own?

A wig! Girl you need one for those for lazy/ bad hair days. If you cannot afford to purchase one, I suggest you invest in good quality hair, use it once or twice then make your own wig from it. There are so many helpful tutorials on YouTube, from which I actually learnt and made all my 4 wigs (straight long & short, curly long & short).

6.      Tell us what your 2017 is looking like?

2017 is looking really bright! I intend on making some really big changes in my life particularly with my career. I will talk about this in detail in an upcoming post on my blog. I recently completed my Masters course and will have more time for blogging so I am hoping to partner with some brands and do more collaborations with other bloggers.

7.      The most expensive thing you have ever bought?

I paid my own fees for my postgraduate course and am proud to say I am now a Masters holder. In terms of physical items I am a gadget person so it would have to be my Macbook Pro.

8.      We have noticed that you definitely prioritize your appearance; what do you like most about your appearance and define your personal style?

I like my small-medium sized frame (I recently started appreciating that, growing up I always associated myself with being skinny) because it allows me to fit in with different types of clothing and trends. I guess I have also learnt how to dress for my body type. When it comes to my personal style I love blacks, whites, greys. You would hardly see me wearing bright colours like pink, green etc maybe red on a really good day.

9.      What would be the ultimate brand for you to work with?

Tarte Cosmetics! They are an organic, paraben, mineral oil and gluten free make up brand, which is everything I stand for.

10.  What fashion and beauty rules do you live by?

Comfort over everything! Yes we all want to look good but there is nothing classy about a lady looking good but we can see that she is not herself or that she is struggling in the outfit. I always want to look good but I make sure I stay true to who I am and am comfortable in the outfit choice.

And certainly when in doubt about what to wear I go with black.

11.  Is the blogging industry what you imagined it would be like?

No. Before I started blogging I thought it would be all rosy and I would come up with a new post weekly, have thousands of subscribers and make money. When I started blogging I realized that I was so busy (balancing work, school and now a blog) I could not update posts on a weekly basis so I had to do what worked for me (which until now is always changing). In terms of subscribers I learnt that I just had to be true to who I am, continue posting authentic content and combined with consistency my subscriber base grew (it did not happen overnight). Financially I have not even gotten to that point yet, for now I just want to build relationships with my subscribers and continue producing good content.

12.  Any last words?

Quit looking at what everyone else is doing. Stay in your lane and do you!

Check out her blog on http://anaturellecraving.blogspot.com