30 things i learned before i turned 30

1. Self-love is the best kind of investment.

2. Being at peace with yourself is essential and its another art to learn but is so worth it.

3. It's important to have true friends than to have many 'friends'.

5. Happiness is a choice that we make every single day

6. Be kind to yourself and others. In words and in action.

7. Giving is always better than taking.

8. People who REALLY want to spend time with you will make time for you no matter how busy the schedule.

9. Trying to CHANGE someone is a futile attempt.

10. Eating healthy is not just for healthy body but also healthy mind.

11. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.

12. the WISER one end the argument by not participating.

13. Backbiting is negative talk and one should not engage In it whether you're the one doing the talking or listening to the talk.

14. Gratitude does pay Back ( in form of mental peace)

15. Expressing your feelings is better than holding them back.

16. It is ok to say sorry if you are at fault.

17. It's good to make up for something bad that you've done.

18. Taking responsibility for your actions is a wise thing to do.

19. You can't control the future but you can control how you respond to it.

20. Fall in love it's beautiful. (With nature, people, pet)

21. You don't always have to hold people accountable for their bad deeds sometimes you can choose to walk away instead.

22. Walking away from abusive narcissistic relationships is crucial to one's self growth and survival.

23. Having a hobby is form of investment in yourself.

24. It's ok to make mistakes. When you grow older it will just be another page to flip when you look back at your life .

25. Forgiving yourself as important as forgiving others.

26. Holding grudges harms you more than it harms anyone else ,sticking to something that happened years ago and still feeling bad about it it doesn't bring out any good.

27. Follow your instinct it won't lead you astray.

28.Lower your expectations.

29. Life is never fair and people aren't either so it's best to get over things quickly and move on.

30. No matter how bad the situation, you've got this!

 

While all your friends are getting married...

A few days back a friend of mine sent me an email...with an article on it. I'm coming across a lot of these kind of articles since i turned 23 LOL. I wonder if its God's way of comforting me or what... I am however very patient and content.

I just thought of reposting the article so that my viewers can read it too..
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“Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent.” [Qur'an: Chapter 66, Verse 8]

We all wish to marry and settle down with a comforting partner in our lives. Especially women. They begin to hope and dream of a husband usually during their teens. The budding desire to have half our deen completed as soon as possible is quite strong in women. Women want to have a spouse who practically makes her life incredible with each passing moon, and kids who make her home a heaven. Truly, which woman wouldn’t want a picture perfect family in her life?

Every female wants this dream. And with this desire, comes a pressure for many Muslim females i.e., getting married at a youthful age. That’s right. While men do not deal with this pressure, many women do. The younger, the better.

On the other hand this tradition often leads towards too many low self-esteem points for single sisters out there who haven’t found their other half yet and feel like they are either forever alone or forever destined to be single.

Soon, they begin to develop serious depression as they watch their friends and even younger peers get married. Many are even left feeling like their youth is wasted if they are not married while they are young.

This article is penned down as a gift and advice from one single sister for her other single sisters out there who are feeling down and need help to see the light of iman. I hope that you can gain wisdom from this and beat the obstacles to being productive, as Islam inspires us to do.

Identify the Negative Thoughts That’s Bringing You Down

The first and most foremost step is to realise the basic things that disturb you regarding your single marital status. Then using Hikmah, overcome that notion with a highly productive and halal thing in life to turn your sad days into blissful ones.

I have listed below major thoughts that come to mind and lure us towards negativity. Hunt them down, sisters – with antidotes! – before they hunt you down.

1. What good I am if am not married in youthful age?
2. Oh! What would become of me if I cross 25! I’ll get even older.
3. How will I enjoy my life if I am not married soon?
4. Oh no! What would my relatives say! She finished her studies but she’s still not married?!
5. Why has Allah (glorified and exalted be He) put me through this?
6. I have to hunt a husband soon or I’ll be too old to get married one day.
7. Am I not pretty?
8. I am a failure…
9. Maybe I should give up the hijab!
10. And so on…

If none of these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, Masha Allah and Subhan Allah, congratulations on your firm belief in Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and His works.

But if any of these thoughts has crossed your mind, be alert sister! You are suffering from a state which paralyses your soul and halts productivity in beautiful Muslimahs – Muslimahs who probably can make a good difference in this world or someone’s life. Remember, shaytan’s greatest enemy is the soul that is most pleasing and dutiful to Allah (glorified and exalted be He), so he tries to dishearten you and spoil your life.

This is where you need to be wise and patient. For Allah (glorified and exalted be He) orders in Qur’an, “Say: “Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us; He is our Protector”. And upon Allah let the believers rely.” [Qur’an Chapter 9: Verse 51].

6 Antidotes to Negative Thoughts & Sadness

1. Dedicate your youth to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) if a husband hasn’t come yet

   The reasons for not being able to get married yet can vary, but just because marriage hasn’t come to you yet, it does not mean that your youth – or your whole life – is wasted, sister. If you regret losing time in waiting for a spouse, then turn the tables by dedicating your youthful single days to Allah’s cause and obedience.
   This way you won’t feel sad nor regret losing beautiful days. In fact, if Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is with you every day, what have you lost? After all, among the seven who would be provided shade under His shade on the day is the youth who grew up worshipping Allah (glorified and exalted be He). [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

2. Start a noble project
   

   You’re only young once. Would you really let it slip away while you mourn over being single, or would you rather do something productive for the sake of Allah (glorified and exalted be He)? Once again, turn the tables over and start an amazing project. Let this project be one that is beneficial for both your present time in the dunya and the akhirah.
   Maybe you could start on a noble project that you can pass on to your children and further generations as legacy. One idea is to produce a copy of handwritten Qur’an using beautiful calligraphy. I’m sure you can think of many more ideas!

3. Don’t pay heed to what others say. Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is your Protector and Caretaker
   

   I know that family pressures tend to bubble up and make your life unhappy. In the words of someone I interviewed for this article, “It’s not easy with these destructive relatives; but I focus on what I have, not on what I do not have, and definitely not on others’ opinions about me. But you know how it is – their words do get to you in a painful way and you can’t help not getting affected by it. So allow yourself to be upset but pick yourself up and simply move on. That’s how I do it.”
   Remember that pain is just a state of mind. You can think your way out of everything, even pain. Try not to involve yourself in arguments, avoid the company of negative people, be wise and exit an uncomfortable situation politely. And if you feel burdened, pray, “Our Lord! Lay not upon us such a burden as You did lay upon those before us.” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 286]

4. Know you’re special and were born with an aim in this world
   

   We are special, sisters! The special creation of Allah (glorified and exalted be He) with an aim in this world. There’s nothing wrong with your face or mind or hijab or your nose to be honest. Our life, though filled with not-so-pleasant moments sometimes, is a gift from Allah (glorified and exalted be He). We’ll always be tested. There will be tears but there will also be laughter and love. You have the right to live your life however you want it to. Marriage isn’t something you can force. Trust in Allah’s plan for you and be strong.

5. Take the education route

   Take advantage of the time and freedom you have and invest in education. It could be a language course or a degree. Don’t miss out on the time. Make Hazrat Aisha (may Allāh be pleased with her) your role model and pursue education with noble passion and zeal. She is considered one of the great female scholars in Islam. This is your opportunity to educate yourself in the best manner for the sake of becoming a good educated mother and a wife in the future, In sha Allah.

6. Know that there has to be a reason why Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has chosen this for you
   

   To believe in Allah (glorified and exalted be He) requires total faith in His Actions and what he wills for you. Try to sit alone for a few minutes and talk to your soul. Then reason with your heart and inform your nafs that there is a reason why Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has chosen this situation for you.
   Maybe He desires that you fulfill a very important task in life for His sake, so He decrees that you stay single till you have achieved that aim? Or maybe He wants to reward you with something great and this ordeal is a test for you. So make istighfar as much as you can, and make dua to your Lord to grant you victory and peace and fill your heart with serenity and love. Then make lots of dua for your future spouse’s khair.
   And always say, “O My Lord, Whenever you wish for me to be married, let it be for good and happiness”.

Some Final Words of Comfort

If you wish to recite dua from Qur’an, take refuge in this verse: “And those who say,”Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.” [Qur’an: Chapter 25, Verse 74]

If you fill your heart with love for Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and His Rasool (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), I can guarantee that all these hurdles and troubling thoughts concerning marriage will perish and you will see yourself as a productive Muslimah who is making a difference in the world of Allah (glorified and exalted be He).

May Allah (glorified and exalted be He) be your Light, my Light, our Light. Ameen.

Click to read more: http://productivemuslim.com/ways-stay-proactive-single-muslimahs/#ixzz2n8FkeaRS

Happy Birthday Card

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...because i'm 20 something...

I came across this very inspiring and insightful post on fb. I thought i was the only one in hustle of the whole 'age' thing, but after reading THIS blog i realized there are many others riding the same boat as me...

Here is what she wrote:

when i was thirteen, i couldn’t wait to be eighteen.  i thought i’d know it all by then- have all the answers and that prized freedom. and when i was sixteen, i planned to be married by age twenty-three with two kids. i’ll always smile to myself when i think about how time changes things. and when i turned twenty four i made a list of as many goals as i had in years. by my 25th birthday, i’d accomplished them all.

and a funny thing happens about the time you turn twenty.five. people start asking about marriage and kids and houses. and you begin to worry about savings, retirement, and health insurance.  you start spending your money on plates.pots.new tires. short term sacrifices for long term gains, right? and sometimes you start to compare your 25 years with everyone else’s. you wonder if you’re on the right track because it’s different from all the people you’re surrounded by. you start going to your friends’ weddings and buying baby gifts for second birthdays.  and suddenly you realize you’re at the exact age that seemed so far away just five years ago.

i’ve always liked including myself in the 20.something. category.  growing up, but not quite grown up. you’re an adult, but still recognize that you’re part kid. i’ve enjoyed the navigating of adulthood and all of my new first time experiences. a new job. my first ‘grown-up’ paycheck. growth. being old enough to rent a car. but it seems like the older i’ve gotten, the more aware i’ve become of my short-lived stay in the ‘twenties’ and the pressure to fit the mold of all of the rest of the twentyfivers.

i’ve started to think about how easy it is to become controlled by our age. and the expectation of what your age signifies to everyone else. how old you should be by the time you graduate.buy your first house. get married. have kids. start your retirement. suddenly it seems like there are all these benchmarks to meet, even when they don’t match the goals you are trying to reach.

forget molds.

because as easy it is to forget, you’re free to do what you want with your life. the problem is, that can be quite the responsibility, to live your life the way you want to, rather than they way you are expected to. especially if that means taking a big jump. and especially when that jump may feel like a free fall.  maybe quit your first job and go back to school if that feels right. get married or don’t. maybe you drop out of school or chop off your hair. maybe you change your mind. end  a relationship that no longer serves you. become a different person.maybe you move away or move back home. or maybe you’re scared to do these things because it’s uncomfortable and unexpected. maybe it’s because you don’t know if everything would fall into place or you’re scared what that would mean if it did.

and when you’re in your twenties, i hope you buy a plane ticket to paris. i hope you get lost wandering all of the streets. i hope you travel the world and read lots of new books.  i hope you have interesting conversations over warm cups of tea.  i hope you drink out of mason jars while dancing barefoot in the grass. i hope you have a water fight in central park. set goals and change them. quit your day job. i hope you don’t do any of these things or that you do them all.write a book. change your mind. start new friendships and let go of the ones that you need to. say goodbye to all of the things that have kept you stagnant and vow to keep moving forward.

i hope your fifties mean going back to school or starting yoga. i hope your forties include falling in love with someone new- a friend, child, or partner.  i hope you stay up all night laughing with your friends. and when you’re thirty, learn something new. i hope your life is one of wisdom and youth, adventure and old age- no matter what year it was that you were born.

but what i really mean to say is that I hope you aren’t held back because of a number. and that you don’t rush into things because it feels like time is slipping by. i hope you do what’s right for you.   hold on. slow down. and breathe in. your age is your age. but more importantly, your life is your life. don’t change your journey so that it matches someone elses. we need to walk different paths so the whole world can be explored. revel in the differences. and enjoy where you are.

here. right here.

Breathtaking views at University Technology Petronas

Card Making

It is always nice to give away handmade cards to people who are special to you. Here is one i made, its pretty simple, any one can do it ( even an 8 year old ) :D doesn't require special skills, just a little but of cutting and wrapping and you're done!

Things you need: 

1. A thick paper for card making ( any paper would do )
2. Another Colored Paper for Card Frame ( Can be thick or thin )
3. Plenty of Crepe Paper to wrap around the frame 
4. Another colored paper for heart shape and spirals
5. Scissors
6. Glue Stick
7. Water colors ( not necessary/up to you)
8. Scaled ruler to measure and cut out the paper and frame

Step 1: Cut out a 4 x 8 inch thick paper ( or any size you want, bigger or smaller ). Make sure one dimension is the double of another so that you can fold it into a square.

Step 2: Cut out the frame for the paper, measure the outside of the frame to be same as that of your card so it can fit on the edges of the card. Cut out the strip about half an inch off the crepe paper and wrap the frame with crepe paper as shown below.

Step 3: Select another colored paper ( any color you want ) and scrunch it to make it wrinkly.   Cut out a heart shape from this paper ( only after scrunching it )

Step 4: Glue it all together ! Voila , you re done! :D
Step 5: Give yourself a pat on the shoulder ( not kidding -_- )
I did it in a hurry, you can be neater =]

INDONESIAN CUISINE : Ayam Penyet

I got the privilege to try out this new restaurant in Seri Iskander (near Ipoh, Malaysia) known as "Ayam Penyet". In Bahasa Melayu ( Malaysian Language) as well as Indonesian language Ayam means Chicken, I'm not quite sure what Penyet means.

Anyway i went to this restaurant with a group of friends and we tried Ayam Penyet, a well known Indonesian dish. The specialty of this dish is that the chicken is coated with a crispy coating first and then it is deep fried. It is served with a red sauce (spicy) known as ' Sambar' and some friend Tofu. To beautify it, they add sprinkles of golden brown fried onion on top of the chicken. You can eat it as it is or with plain boiled rice. If you like to excite your taste buds with new dishes, this one is definitely good for you. 

It looks a little something like this :D

Ritter Sport - Who doesn't love chocolate?

Who doesn't love chocolate? Well if you are someone who doesn't, there is certainly something wrong with you! (Jk.....NOT) :P
I've been wanting to write about this chocolate on my blog for a long time, well today i am!
So the first time  i tried RITTER SPORT, was because of my very dear friend, (who keeps on bringing the coolest gifts ever whenever she drops by). The first flavor i tried was 'Corn Flakes', yes the yellow one! and i found it totally OmnomnomIOUS.... The chocolate just melts in your mouth like a thick chocolate cream. All i can say about this chocolate is that i am totally in love with it. And if you are a chocolate lover, you should definitely give it a try.

The brand of chocolate is German, and everyone knows Swiss and German chocolates are the best xD So why not give it a try. It comes in different flavors, you can either get one whole big squared pack or mini small packs or whatever you want :D

Watercolor syndrome

Free and graduated!!!
I'm feeling so good about graduating mainly cause I can finally give some time to myself and painting....

Diana Of London Foundation review