Slipping away

after my 'free Friday' post ,the week that followed was anything but.i guess I deserved it for gloating,hehe,tho I must ask which new mum can resist not sharing that type of info? I digress,so let me swiftly get into todays Blog before I am the first to miss the message I have in mind.

I was full of blog post ideas this past week but I had no time to gather and organize my thoughts neither to remember them all nor type them out.I wrote a piece of poetry which remins incomplete,formulated a few 1 or 2 line quotes ,had passing eccentric ideas and deep thoughts yet nothing concrete.my mind was constantly multitasking and would not settle down.i realized that when you are moving so fast in pursuit of materialistic goals you lose track of the important things.and tho you might think you're moving along deftly ,at the end of the day you still end up wondering what happened to the time and how you did not achieve all the things you set out to do.In the grand scheme of things it means our time on earth is running out,surreptitiously at some times blatantly at others.either way we need to maximize whatever we have left inshaAllah.

Time is a gift.its been said repeatedly but there's no contesting the fact.a precious ,precious gift which if not used wisely can contribute to our downfall,Allah forbid.I recalled the following Hadith and hope to remind myself of it when I have some time to spare again.

'Take benefit of five before five:
Your youth before your old age,

Your health before your sickness,

Your wealth before your poverty,

Your free-time before your preoccupation and

Your life before your death.'

[Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - Al-Haakim,
Al-Baihaqee: Saheeh]

May we be guided to use the time we have to 'build' and 'beatify' our palaces in Jannah,and not to throw it away in efforts that will be of no avail in the next life. Aameen

Until you read again
Ma'assalam

free friday

its today, its today. hehe,my free friday,that means just me and my family and my Creator time.BLISS!

Dont get me wrong,i love my work.sometimes its nice not having to rush and to worry about running to the oven.i think my lil man feels it too,he follows his routine effortlessly when i have a stress free day.with all this free time on my hands what do i do with it?and productively? hmm, i cant sit still unless with a book or ipad in my hand so i will probably do just that.unless my feet get really itchy and i hear my mixer calling my name.

so to all of you under a bit of pressure or stress,this is what i have found for you

"For fast-acting relief, try slowing down."
Lily Tomlin
   
- 1.  One of the best ways to relax is to turn off the television, the computer, and any other item that can prove to be distracting.
Lay back in a recliner, a sofa, or even a bed and close your eyes. . Do not allow your mind to focus on things that cause stress. Just focus on relaxing thoughts and slow breathing exercises.
 - 2.  Many individuals who indulge in a warm bath or a warm shower find that this is a very relaxing way to rinse stress away.
  - 3.  There are many different types of exercises that may prove to be relaxing.-(from todays woman and health.com)
  -4.laugh
  -5. a meal or visit with loved ones
  -6.connecting with nature
  -7.and the ultimate relaxant- Praying!

until you read again
hope your weekend and week to come are stress free,InshaAllah

Ma'assalaam

s.o.s

i follow a few pregnancy and motherhood forums and ive noticed a large number of ladies with the following problem.i call it triple m- moody ,miserable motherhood or what is more commonly known as post natal depression.

its nothing to be ashamed of.I,to a certain extent noticed a change in my behaviour after giving birth.it  is understandable considering what a woman goes through  during pregnancy and childbirth,it all takes a toll.the problem is that it should not negatively imprint on your behaviour permanently. i researched pnd and i was surprised to note that it often goes undiagnosed  and worse,untreated. the latter is possibly lethal,where some mothers end their or their kids life.
there is light at the end of the tunnel and it involves the use of simple solutions.
Pray.constantly and sincerely.there is nothing that puts you more at ease than dua(prayer)
Take care.look after your body and mind by eating well and resting
Talk! if you feel you are constantly down talk to your spouse ,parents or someone you trust.
Relax.take time off for you, a massage,tea with a friend,read a book.
Professional help.seek counsel if symptoms persist.
Link up. form a support group with other new moms.(revised from pregnancy sites)

realize your value as a mother and the incredible status you have been blessed with.cherish your role and remember that  “Verily, with hardship, there is relief  (94:6)” Al Quraan


until you read again
ma"assalam

my sugar sister gets sweeter

i know i did a post of her work recently but i could not resist not posting these.shes trying her hand or rather her eye at photography and the results are gorgeous.have a look :)

she is one of those 'if you apply your mind you can achieve it' people.so i hope you aspire to the same.

until you read again
ma'assalam

killer reads

im not a book worm,im a book snake,a big one.i read until the wee hours of the morning,taking turns to rest each eye and i can never get enough.at the moment im binging on my James Patterson collection,as gory as they are i cant say no to books that are so well written.

 i classify books that i  read as either 1.fluff,yeah all you chick lit lovers know all about that.
2. the back in the day books,memoirs,wars,history books basically which i usually avoid except if they are Islamic.
3.horrific,think stephen king or goosebumps from our childhood days.lol
4.peter pan style books,fantasy and adventure
5. soppy,those drama filled books that you cant put down when you are pmsing
6.cops and robbers.action ,thrillers,suspense
7.Islamic,self explanatory and my favorite

so back to james patterson,his books are often a combo of  1-6 .maybe not so much 1,2 and 5 but those elements are included.i think his work can best be described as  disturbingly brilliant,his ideas are novel,he moves at break neck speed  and the books are borderline psycho.hehe,all in all they are reads that will keep u engrossed cover to cover or leave u tossing and turning come bedtime. i suggest like with all books,you make up your own mind about them.let me know what you think and what are some of your favorites.

until you read again
ma'assalam

Buried in books

Yup it's that time again,with Every second person up to their elbows in textbooks and tutorials and on scavenger hunts for past year exam papers.whilst I'm not one of those individuals presently,I thought I'd share some tips and advice so that the studious don't attempt to gorge out their eyeballs with their hb's.

1.body basics
Yes a healthy body = a healthy mind
Eat well,sleep well ,exercise.it is that simple.go for power foods at breakfast time,oats ,eggs ,bananas,smoothies etc.think high energy but slow releasing energy foods
Keep your Meals light,snack regularly on brain food(almonds) and keep hydrated.

2.strategise
He who fails to plan plans to fail
Draw up a timetable ,set realistic daily goals and stick to them.there is a sort of comfort in discipline and structure.

3.environment
Make your study environment conducive to your study needs.choose a room that is free from distractions.a peaceful environment with all your resources at your disposal (sometimes hunting for stationery sets you back a good few minutes)

4.rewards
When you set a study goal accompany it with a reward for your efforts.give yourself a break every forty minutes or so,your mind wont switch off and will be rejuvenated with the treat you have chosen for yourself .also remind yourself of what you are studying towards,eg,your degree

5.pray
Make dua often .it eliminates anxiety,grants you release when you are under pressure and promotes a healthy frame of mind.exactly what you need for a productive session of studying

'Rabbiy anniy maghloobun fantasir' that dua has helped me on a number of occasions and it mens 'Oh my Lord ,I am overwhelmed so assist me'.And don't lose sight of the fact that these tests of the world are not what will matter at the end,try yourbestbut don't be too hard on yourself.

Until you read again
All the best inshaAllah