Self-love vs Self-Care

Self-care and self-love are two concepts that are often mentioned in discussions about personal well-being and mental health. While they are related, there are distinct differences between the two. Self-care refers to the actions and practices we engage in to nurture and take care of our physical, emotional, and mental health. It involves prioritizing our needs and making intentional choices that promote overall well-being. Examples of self-care can include activities like taking a warm bath, practicing mindfulness or meditation, getting enough sleep, eating nourishing foods, and setting boundaries to protect our energy and time.

On the other hand, self-love goes beyond external actions and focuses on cultivating a positive and compassionate relationship with oneself. It involves accepting and embracing who we are, acknowledging our strengths and weaknesses, and treating ourselves with kindness and understanding. Self-love is about recognizing our worth and valuing ourselves as individuals. It means practicing self-compassion, forgiving ourselves for mistakes, and speaking to ourselves in a loving and encouraging manner. For instance, self-love can be reflected in the way we talk to ourselves internally, practicing positive affirmations, or engaging in activities that promote self-growth and personal development.

In summary, self-care encompasses the practical actions we take to meet our physical and emotional needs, while self-love focuses on the emotional and psychological aspect of nurturing a positive relationship with ourselves. Both concepts are essential for maintaining overall well-being. Self-care provides the foundation for self-love by ensuring that our basic needs are met, while self-love encourages us to embrace and appreciate who we are, fostering a sense of inner happiness and fulfillment. Combining self-care and self-love allows us to lead balanced, healthy, and more fulfilling lives.

The New Normal, COVID-19

It’s December 31st, 2019 11:59:50pm, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Happy New Year!
Fireworks fill the night sky with vibrant colors. People are out dancing and drinking the night away. Others are celebrating the new year from the comforts of home. Some usher it in from places of prayer and worship. Everyone is filled with hope and anticipation. As the dawn of a new year advances, not only would 2020 be a new year, but it would also be the start of a new decade. Obligatory new year’s goals were being made; lose weight, drink less, exercise more, travel and visit new cities and countries.
Fast forward to June 2020, New Year’s Eve 2019 feels like it was a lifetime ago.
We now are living in what they call "the new normal.” Many are wondering, what is this new normal? What happened to change our life as we knew, it so drastically?
Covid-19 happened. It started out like a murmur that grew into a deafening crescendo. News headlines screamed “deadly new virus discovered in Wuhan China”. Soon all we could read or watch on T.V was Corona Virus this and Corona Virus that. Just as we were just beginning to accept there was a deadly new virus, it was classified as a pandemic.  People across the globe started getting sick, fatality rates kept rising.
Next airports were shut down, and travel restrictions put in place. Governments, experts, and people globally scrambled struggling with how to deal with Covid-19. Schools were shut down, lockdowns put in place. Anxiety levels for many people skyrocketed. Others experienced feelings of despair and depression. Wherever you looked it seemed that there was negative news about Covid-19. More deaths, more infections but no vaccine. Some days, it felt like we were “living” in a real life post-apocalyptic movie. In the blink of an eye, the freedoms that we had always taken for granted were taken away.
This, “new normal” has come in many versions. If you are a parent or guardian -the new normal is having to home school your child. More than ever we have learned to appreciate the critical role of teachers in our children’s lives.
For people in lock down, the new normal meant stocking up on groceries and food, not being able to visit friends and loved ones. For others, the new normal meant not even being able to walk outdoors for weeks. Weddings were postponed, even funerals were held virtually.
The “new normal” has made us question what we see and read. There was an onslaught of fake news and conspiracy theories, especially in the early stages of Covid-19.
In business, the new normal has meant video calls are the standard and no longer the exception. The new normal has meant working from home and having to re-learn effective time management skills.o
The future may be uncertain, we are unsure of how long this pandemic will last, or even if  it will ever go away. As global citizens we are all in uncharted territories, and we are all having to accept the fact that Covid-19 is in our midst indefinitely.

If the first 6 months of 2020,  have taught us anything, It  is that we always need to adapt to challenges and change. We will and we must learn to live and thrive in this new normal.

Where Has The Year gone??!!!

The year is going fast, (to be honest it's going just as fast as any other year with the exception of leap years). It does feel like every year goes faster then the previous year.

We started the year on a high, resolutions were made, declarations declared, "I'll do this, I'll stop this, "there was so much optimism and excitement that usually comes with a new year.

Now we're in July, 7 months gone only 5 more to go. Have you been reflecting on your January goals, are you on track with them? Are you happy with your progress?

Goals are great, but like anything else they require consistency,discipline and determination to achieve them. We have to take the time and foster good habits and patterns that will help us achieve our goals.
When we're unable to obtain our goals we can sometimes end up feeling disappointed and feeling like failures. Listen; you're are not a failure.
If you've gone off track on your goals, it's A-Oh-Kay,don't beat yourself up about it. Take the time to reflect on your goals and see what's been stopping you from staying on track.You'll have to be really honest with yourself when doing this.
The good thing with goals is that  you don't have to wait for January to make them, you can make goals today or any day. The best time to make changes to your life is when YOU decide.

So  from July- December, let's kick the crap out of our goals.You can do it, I can do it, We can do it! So let's make these last 5 months of the year super productive and effective. #yougotthis
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The Blog Virgin

Ok so i've been hearing about this blogging thing for years now and i always thought well that's nice but it doesn't seem like it's for me. Then the other night i was telling my hubby that "hey you should write a blog about your experiences"(he has a very interesting story but we'll save that for another blog). So then i thought "why don't i take my own advice." So here i am a "blog virgin" about to find perhaps the love of my life lol?

Today's blog will be a rant!
I am sooo tired of these stupid blackout and water shortages they not only are causing inconveniences but stopping most people from doing their monthly household shopping. Yes I know that we are in a developing country and all but puhhleaase spare me!
We have gone literally 1 week with either no water or lights and most of the Easter long weekend without both!! THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! I don't care how poor you say this country is but the last time i checked water and electricity were basic human rights! This is a TRAVESTY of 21st century urban living.

What is more disturbing is that NOBODY seems to really be doing anything about it, we've all kinda come to accept this ABNORMALITY as a perfectly normal and acceptable occurance. No protests,petitions or big walks?!!! What's that all about seriously???!!! I'm baffled,flabbergasted and bamboozled. I know Malawians  are docile non confrontational people but these are our BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS!!!!

That aside I do loooove malawi it's full of exotic fruits and even more exotic people, the scenery is spectacular the food is organic and the cost of living relatively fair. What's not to love?

Malawi also has a potential tourism goldmine. But tell me this who'll want to visit if we don't get our act together? Who will want to invest with these frequent black-outs? Am jussayin!!! Food for thought people! Let's hold hands and rally peacefully together and make the people making decisions aware that things HAVE to change!