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Adeeba Aqeel

Embracing Who You Are. Pursuing Passions. LIVING Life.

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29/04/2022

Daily Tips for Taking Care of Yourself

Hey my loves!πŸ’• I hope you're all well. It's been a while since I last published a blog post. In all honesty, life decided to take a complicated turn and before you know it, I was on a plane to Pakistan. Seeing my family after 13 years was exactly what I needed and for those of you who go away, you know what I mean. Taking time away allowed me to recharge, reflect, and remind myself of what really matters. I'm feeling inspired again too so expect new content guys :)

Today I'll be discussing ways that you can take care of yourself (better). With all the stresses and pressures in the modern world, we need to take care of ourselves more than ever. We might think we're looking after ourselves by treating ourselves to new clothes or a Netflix show but that's a temporary concept of self-care and a temporary fix.

Taking care of ourselves means taking care of our mind, body, and soul.

Eat healthier

This is a given but it makes such a difference. When I eat fast food, I don't feel great. I'm sure you guys don't either. So start by making healthier food choices. For example, do you need to have a portion of fries with your burger or can you have a salad instead? Remember, healthy food does not have to be boring. You can adjust it according to what you like and see where it goes from there. The key is to gradually introduce healthier foods to your diet. 

Move around

Numerous studies and research have shown that moving around is great - not just for your physical well-being but your mental well-being too. You don't have to have a gym membership to move around, you can go for a 15-minute walk every day and that's more than enough. There's also a tone of YouTube videos you can watch to get your heart racing. Do what works for you and see how good you feel after. 

Find ways to relax

Life can be so fast-paced at times that we forget to relax. I'm very guilty of this. It's important to relax after a long or busy day. This can be meditating, doing yoga, taking a shower, or reading a book. Whatever it is that helps you relax, do it. This will really calm you down and help you be in the present moment. 

Do something you enjoy every day 

Whenever I give this tip to people, the answer is usually 'I don't have time'. Yes, life can be hectic at times but it is only you that can make time to do what you enjoy. This is different for everyone. For example, you might enjoy watching your favourite TV show, dancing around the house, or going for a run. Taking some time out to do this every day will help you feel better and improve your mood. 

Take 5 minutes to wind down 

Before you go to bed, set a timer for 5 minutes and wind down. This will help establish a night time routine and will make you feel calmer before you doze off. You can dim the lights to set the mood, not look at your phone, do a mindfulness exercise or focus on your breath. Choose what works for you.

Plan an outing

Having a work/life balance is very important and part of maintaining that is to have plans. Watch a movie with your friends, visit the zoo, have lunch, go shopping etc. This will give you something to look forward to and will motivate you for the week ahead. 

What are some daily tips you follow to take care of yourself?

Adeeba xx

09/09/2021

How to Spend Less Time on Social Media - What Has Worked for Me

Social Media is useful for many reasons including connecting with family/friends, researching for school, getting out of awkward situations, and stalking your favorite celebrities. As a Blogger, social media is very beneficial for me and I love connecting with you guys!πŸ’™ However, spending too much time on social media is not good for me, you or anyone else. It can take up too much time and you won't even realize. Here are some ways to spend less time on social media (that have personally worked for me!). 

1. Figure out how much time you're spending on social media

Grab your phone and go on the app which allows you to track your screen time usage. Look at the numbers and work out what they mean. For instance, if you spent three hours on your phone, how much of that time was spent scrolling through Instagram? How much was spent watching TikTok videos? Is there something else you could have been doing with that time? This tends to be an eye-opener for some people and can enable them to utilize their time more wisely. 

2. Turn off notifications

Sometimes notifications can get a bit too much and turning them off can allow you to get other tasks done. Ask yourself this question - Do I really need to have my phone vibrate every time my favourite YouTuber posts a video? Notifications can distract you and let's not forget - they are annoying! Turn off your notifications for a while and instead, decide when you want to check social media, rather than letting social media tell you when. You will feel more at peace.  

3. Don't go on your phone for a couple of hours 

In conversation with Nkem from WellSpringWords: The Podcast, she found out that I only check my phone every four hours and like many people, was stunned (listen to the episode here). Making this a habit is one of the best decisions I've made. There has been more time to focus my attention on other things that are a priority in my life. If you have trouble with this, start by not checking your phone every 15 minutes, then gradually increase it to 30 minutes, 1 hour, and so on. Remember, if someone really needs to speak to you, they will call. 

4. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode

I mentioned this in my How to Spend Less Time on Your Phone blog post and hands down, one of the best ways to spend less time on social media too. You can set this mode to any time you like (during working hours, when you're winding down at night, studying for an upcoming exam, etc) and you will stop receiving notifications during that time period. It WORKS WONDERS.  

5. Don't check social media when you're out

It's common respect to not check social media when you're out with someone (unless you really have to!) so make this a habit. Live in the moment and make memories with whoever you're with because you won't get the chance to relive that experience again. I guarantee you will have better conversations, longer meals, and more fun.

6. Remove social media apps from your first page

Having social media apps be so accessible can lead you to visit the apps more often than you think. To tackle this, simply move your apps onto another page so it's not present every time you unlock your phone. On my first page, I have all the productivity apps which means I have to put in more effort to find the social media ones (21st-century problems haha). Try this hack and compare how much time you spend on social media apps. 

7. Communicate via phone call more often

Reduce how much time you communicate with family/friends on social media by having more phone calls. This will prevent you from going on social media and will only develop your communication skills of course 😌 So, next time someone wants to DM/tweet/mention you, ask them to call instead. It will make all the difference in your day. 

How do you spend less time on social media?

03/08/2021

Why Being You Is Important

There's a lot of pressure in society about who you 'should' be and it does try to influence you in every direction. But living in a society that is constantly changing, it's important for you to always be yourself and not let other people's expectations/views/opinions of you affect the person you already are. 

When you know who are you, you are more likely to live a rewarding life. And a life that is true to you. Without knowing these things, you can easily be influenced and end up being someone you are not. 

"There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty" - Dr. Steve Maraboli 

You can either decide to be yourself and live a life that's true to who you are, or be someone your not, and live a life that other people approve of. It's easy to be influenced but you need to remember, that no one is living your life, and no one is you. If you want to live the best possible life, it all begins with you being yourself.

So, why is being you important?

1. You don't lose sight of your values and beliefs

When you're certain about yourself, you're also certain about the values and beliefs you hold. When you're not, you tend to adopt the values and beliefs of other people. This is when you start conforming to other people's way of life and way of thinking. It's not how life should be lived. You are a completely whole individual and you have every right to have your own values and beliefs. It's okay to disagree with someone but never lose sight of what it's important to you. Live life according to your own values and beliefs. 

2. Have a strong sense of your identity

The moment you have a solid grasp of who you are, the moment you have a strong sense of identity. You need to remember that no one and I mean absolutely no one, is you or living your life. When you accept this, this is the moment you will start being and appreciating your authentic self. Your identity is your own. No one can take that away from you.


3. Build resilience

It takes a heck of a lot of resilience to be who you are and not what people expect or want you to be. Many people choose to listen to others because it's easier. It's the safer option. It's drama-free. It's hassle-free. But does it make you happy? Does it allow you to stay true to who you really are? Being you does take resilience, courage, and strength at times but guess what? You have the power inside you to take care of that. No matter what might come your way, you'll be able to handle it. 


4. Establish boundaries

Some cultures and generations don't consider boundaries to be important. However, when you're being you, you know what your boundaries and limits are. When people cross those boundaries, you'll know and you'll be able to do something about it. If you don't establish boundaries, people will take advantage of you and will walk all over you (I've been there). If your sense of self is strong, you're more likely to be aware when someone is taking advantage of you. Create and establish boundaries. Trust me. 


5. You have focus and direction

When you're being you, you will naturally have focus and direction in your life. You won't allow yourself to be conditioned by other people, and you'll stay on track with what you need to do. You will have a clear direction in where you want your life to be headed and what your goals are. With focus and direction, you will be able to accomplish those goals. 

Being your authentic, beautiful self is the best thing you can do in life. You will never regret it. Love yourself. Respect yourself. And be yourself. 

Adeeba x

17/06/2021

Ways to Practice Self Love

Self Love has been conceptualized both as a basic human necessity and as a moral flaw. Some people see it as a positive, a way to love yourself, and others see it as a negative, associated with selfishness. I see it as a positive because I believe that self-love is the most important kind of love. In order to truly feel happy with yourself, you need to have self-love. 

Today I'll be highlighting things that will genuinely help you practice self-love. Not just having a bubble bath or reading a self-help book. But actually doing things that will make you feel great and enable you to take better care of yourself. 

1. Take time out

In a society where hard work is encouraged and burnout is real, it's important to take time out for yourself and just relax. You need to realize that there's more to life than work, work, work. Yes, working is important but your mental health and wellbeing are so much more important. If you don't take care of yourself, who will take care of you? Make sure you give yourself enough time to relax after work and have enough sleep. Take the weekends off and do what you want to do. 

2. Listen to your heart

This may sound cliche but it's important. We all have an intuition or instinct about a situation that we know deep down is signaling something. But we often choose to dismiss it and carry on with our day. So the next time you feel a certain way, reflect on it because you will never know what it could lead to. Think about what it's telling you, allow it to speak up, listen to what it wants. 

3. Let go of toxic relationships 

I've spoken about this before because it's so damn true. Toxic relationships are a lot of work and they drain you to the point where it's all you can think about. You deserve to be treated with love and respect and if people can't do that, they need to go. You can either cut the individual(s) off or limit contact. These kinds of people are never happy with anything and they really are not benefiting you in any way. Surround yourself with people who love and support you instead.

4. Celebrate the small wins

Life is too short for you to not celebrate the small wins. Most of us ignore them and wait to celebrate big things like birthdays, holidays, and promotions but forget that the smaller victories should also be celebrated. This is a way to count your blessings and be grateful. You will feel so much better and won't have to wait a long time to feel joyful and excited. 

6. Be YOU

This is the BEST thing you can do for yourself. Do you love watching horror movies? Do you love doing your makeup? Do you love dressing a certain way? If you continue doing these things, it will only increase your self-confidence and allow you to be yourself wherever, whenever. You have so many amazing qualities and traits that make up who you are. You have people who love you. You are beautiful just the way you are, and you have every right to be you.

7. Find your happy place 

We all have some place on this earth where we feel happy and positive. Whether that's cuddled up on the sofa at home, sitting on a hill, on holiday lounging by the pool, with friends having dinner. It can be anything. Find your happy place and spend more time there. This will give you the space to relax, unwind, power down and get away from anything that could be affecting you.  

8. Go after your goals

There's nothing like working towards something for a long time and accomplishing it. If you can imagine that sweet feeling of satisfaction and want more of it, start working towards your goals. Even if it's dedicating 10 minutes a day towards a certain goal, do it. It all adds up and if it's really important to you, you will make time for it. Going after your goals is one of the biggest acts of self-love out there.

9. Let go of expectations 

Expectations are not always a bad thing, they can have a positive impact on your life, but having high expectations can lead to dissapointment in the long term. Trust me. I've been there. It's often better to have less expectations, or no expectations to avoid this. Learn to let go and live in a more flexible way to feel happier with your life, and yourself. 

I hope this blog post has helped you learn more about yourself and understand what you can do to love yourself. The past year has been incredibly tough for so many of us so we could all do with being that extra bit kinder to ourselves. Remember you can always ask for help and there are people out there who love you. Feel free to dm me on Instagram if you ever need to talk. You don't have to live a life where you feel depressed, anxious, or lonely. You deserve way more than that. Show yourself love every day and talk to people when you need to.

Adeeba x

05/06/2021

What Hardships Can Teach You

Hardships. Something we all go through in life. I've had my fair share of hardships in the last couple of years and through every hardship, I've learned a valuable life lesson which I want to share with you. In hopes that these life lessons will help you next time you're facing a hardship. 

1. Something needs to change

I'm quite stubborn and feel like whatever I'm doing is the definite, right way. However, I've learned if something is continually happening, it's time for change to take place. Clearly, what I'm doing in the moment isn't working. You can only try to make something right in a certain number of ways. So, instead of looking at external factors and blaming them, look at yourself and see if there's anything you can do to improve the situation. Whether it would be changing your habits, changing your technique, changing your reaction. You need to change something in order to overcome the hardship. 

2. You can control the way you see things

Yes, we can't control what happens to us but we can control how we see the situation. As soon as you understand this, it will make things so much smoother and you will be able to respond accordingly. Next time you're frustrated, angry, or hurt, allow yourself to feel like this for a moment but don't allow yourself to continuously feel like this. See the situation in a different light and deal with the matter then. And then see what happens. 

3. You're stronger than you think

Every hardship you go through makes you a stronger person. It prepares you for what's to come and how to deal with future hardships. The fact that you've gone through a hardship and come out the other end, means you're strong and you can deal with whatever life throws at you. Really believe that you're strong, and utilize this strength to deal with any hardship you face in life. 

4. Appreciating what you already have

Sometimes when we're going through a difficult time, we often lose sight of appreciating what we already have. Sit down one day (or how often as you like) and make a list of all the things you're appreciative of. Remind yourself of these things and watch how your mood and outlook on life changes. This will make going through any hardship that bit easier. 

5. Realising who your true friends are 

It's not until you go through a hardship that you realize which friends stayed and helped you get through it and which friends disappeared and left you to it. I learnt this life lesson three years ago and thank God I did. If they are your true friends, they will stay no matter what, otherwise they will go and you will try to figure out why. So surround yourself with people who respect you and will never leave you when things get tough. 

6. Recognizing what's actually important to you 

One of the blessings of hardships is that it makes you think and reflect if certain things are actually important to you and if they are worth your attention. If it isn't important, l e t I t G o. Don't be afraid to do so either. Make room for things in your life that are actually important to you. Focus on those things and don't let anyone/anything get in the way of it. It's your life. 

7. What is this teaching me? 

Different hardships will teach you different things. It may take you a short while or a long while to understand what exactly you're being taught in that moment. Whatever it is, bear that in mind next time you go through a hardship. And remember, a hardship is not a hardship if it doesn't teach you anything. 

Adeeba x

08/05/2021

Why You Should Put Yourself First

People who put themselves first were considered selfish. This not true. Putting yourself first means you are being kind to yourself, being more productive, and becoming a better person. You have decided to prioritize yourself. It's not selfish - it's a way of loving and respecting yourself. If we're constantly giving our time and energy to others, we will have nothing to give to ourselves. Investing in yourself is the most important investment you will ever make. You will never regret it. 


How do we put ourselves first?

1. Create your own happiness

Your happiness is in your own hands. Only you can control that. The sooner you realize this, the easier it will be for you to create your own happiness. Why spend so much time making other people happy, if you're going to be miserable yourself? You can't create happiness for other people, and they can't create happiness for you. That's something you have to do yourself. And you deserve all the happiness in the worldπŸ’•

2. Take care of yourself

This includes your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. These are all areas of your life that are so important and deserve your full attention. It's only you who can take care of these things and ultimately, take care of yourself. If other people take care of themselves, why can't you? That's the least you owe to yourself. 

3. It teaches people how to treat you

If you put yourself last, people will also do that. As someone who used to put others before herself and got treated unfairly, I'm telling you it's not worth it. You have self-respect just like everybody else so treat yourself as you would want somebody else to treat you, and watch how people's behavior towards you starts to change for the better. 

4. People will stop taking you for granted

If your somebody who keeps saying 'yes' to people, then you need to start giving yourself the respect you deserve. Don't let people walk all over you. You can be kind and help people, but don't let anyone treat you like a pushover. People don't appreciate you because they know you'll always be there for them. But will they always be there for you? 

5. You'll realize that not everyone deserves you

People come and go, that's part of life and that's completely okay! But the moment you start putting yourself first, you'll notice that there will be people who will start to treat you differently or will start to walk away. Let them. They were only in your life to teach you a lesson. Accept the part they played and move on. Those who are meant to be in your life will stay. 

6. You are your own best friend

You've learned that you can't rely on others to be there for you or save you. So who do you have? Yourself. No one else in this world can be you and no one knows you, better than you. Being your own best friend means that you have to pick yourself up when your feeling down, remind yourself of who you are, help people close to you but not sacrificing your own mental sanity in the process.  

7. Your relationship with yourself improves

When you learn to put yourself first, you'll know what you're capable of. You'll start to value, respect, and appreciate yourself more. You will be there for the people you love, but you won't let them take advantage. You will be able to set boundaries and won't let anyone cross them. You will know what your likes and dislikes are. You will know what makes you happy, and what you love. 

It's finally time to put yourself as your number one priority and know that the key to being happy is taking care of yourself, loving yourself, and putting yourself first.

Adeeba x

17/04/2021

How To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Stepping outside my comfort zone and throwing myself in situations is one of the best decisions I've made. Why you ask? Well, it made me the person I am today. So what exactly is a comfort zone? To put it simply 'a place where you don't have to do anything new or different'. 

We've all heard people tell us to step outside our comfort zone but this is easier said than done.

Luckily I've learned some things along the way that have allowed me to grow, meet amazing people and have cool experiences. So, I'm going to be sharing the things I've learned which were uncomfortable at first but things that bought me happiness, excitement, opportunities, and experiences.


Before moving to a new city for my undergraduate studies, I was someone who loved staying home and was afraid of trying new things. I barely had any memories and remember every day being the same. I was also closed-minded and didn't know what living life truly meant. It wasn't until I moved out that I discovered endless opportunities and realized that anything is possible.

Here are some of the things I did to step outside the comfort zone.

1. Leave the house

If you don't leave the house, how do you expect to be presented with opportunities, experiences, and memories? If you're a natural introvert who wants to step outside your comfort zone but afraid to, start small and start with one thing. For instance, go on a walk one day or meet someone you haven't spoken to in ages. This way you're learning about yourself, start realizing your likes/dislikes, and decide if it's for you. 

2. Learn something new

This can be anything. Perhaps you wanted to learn to play that guitar that's been sitting in your garage for ages? You wanted to sign up for an online course to enhance your skill set? You wanted to take a cooking class to learn new dishes for your family? Whatever it is - do it. You'll only regret not trying. The experience can teach you so much. 

3. Get out there

My university held a range of events throughout the year and it wasn't until my second year that I decided to attend an event and interact with other students. If you want to experience new things or see how something is like then you need to get out there. Who knows what you'll do? what you'll learn? who you'll meet? what will happen next? Life is too short. 

4. Meet new people

You learn so much about someone after an initial conversation that it could lead to beautiful friendships and much more. Meeting new people is a great way to see things from someone else's perspective, share your common interests, go out with and make memories with. You never know who you'll come across so start by sparking up a conversation and see what happens. 

5. Pursue your passion

Ever since I started blogging, I've met amazing people, collaborated on projects, featured in podcasts, and much more. If there's something your passionate about and I mean truly passionate about then start pursuing it. You don't want your life to be work, work, work. You want to start living for yourself and that starts with pursuing whatever it is that sparks a light in you, that gets you out of bed in the morning, that brings you joy.

6. Do what scares you

This is one that will really require you to step outside your comfort zone. I had a fear of public speaking like so many people. It's something I never saw myself doing and resulted in a lot of anxiety. It wasn't until I started speaking to groups of people (that got bigger) that I was able to get better at it and more confident. The fear of public speaking started decreasing and now I'm confident to talk in front of hundreds of people in one room. Always think 'What's the worst that could happen?'. 

7. Change your perspective

If you don't change your perspective, how do you expect to grow and try new things? All it requires is a mental switch and when you do that, anything becomes possible. Literally. The power really is in your hands. Learn to stop listening to that negative voice in your head and start saying 'yes' and 'can' more often.  

8. Small steps

If you have a goal your working towards and feel like it'll never be achievable, I'm here to tell you it is. Start breaking down the goal into small steps because once you start, you won't stop until you get there. Your attitude will change and you'll be more motivated to achieve your goal. Remember, you're in control.  

"Everything you ever wanted is one step outside your comfort zone."

Adeeba x

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