On leading a more productive life.

Image Credits: Pinterest

Good Sunday morning my dears! :) It's such a beautiful day today, and I sure hope everyone's enjoying this long Easter weekend. Whether or not you're at church or simply spending time lazing out at home, it's a beautiful day here on my side of the world and I'm feeling splendid :) 

I've finally started exercising again, I'm proud to say I accomplished my fitness goals for this week! :) Maybe its the adrenaline or the hormones, but I'd like to thank the exercise for my mood as well. I don't think I've felt this energised and happy in a long while. 

I was inspired to write this post today because being productive is something I lack in my life. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who succumbs to procastination, but procastinating is really something I major in. It's an art form in itself, and requires the least effort to succeed in. Yet this very art form is something that should be rid of in its entirety, although I suppose a very mild case of it won't bring too much harm. My case on the other hand is severe because I'm able to procastinate for weeks on end. Let's use some of my make-up posts that have been saved in drafts for weeks now. *waves frantic hands up in the air*. So, though I may not be the most reliable person to produce tips on leading a more productive life, I thought I'd share some things I've tried in the past and am hoping to inculcate now to put me back on track: 

1) Keep your area neat and tidy.

This may seem like the most mundane yet it is also the most important thing to do. I'm not a very neat person, and when I'm at my worst there's hardly space on the floor to walk around! I'm not proud of this, and the clutter makes me frantic and uneasy. Very often you'll hear people say they need to clear their rooms before attempting work, and this is for the very reason that the clutter around you represents that in your head! I've been keeping my room neat and tidy, and I have found that it has helped me tremendously as it makes me more energetic to do something. It's not easy to keep spaces clean, but with a little effort you'll thank yourself for sure in the long run! 

2) Integrate at least a half hour of exercise each day.

Let's not deny that it is no easy feat to get our butts off the chairs to head out for a run/exercise. Did you know though that exercise doesn't necessarily involve leaving the house and sweating profusely? Besides, there are several videos you could search for on YouTube to work out at home! I personally love Yoga, and my go-to YouTuber is Adriene. She has tons of videos to choose from, and I work out on these videos even after having gone to the gym! Plus, yoga is relaxing and you'll feel so much calmer after :) I also like Cassey and Sean, their videos are all simple to do and hardly require equipment of any sort. Let's not forget apps you can download like the Nike Training App, it's free and is super useful to do at home :)

3) Plan out your day.

To-do lists are definitely one way of keeping yourself on track for the day and week ahead, but I personally prefer writing out a schedule for the day. Use a vision board, or a wall in your room and fill it up with sticky-notes to let yourself know what you plan to do throughout the day. I find that doing this helps me better in organising my time for the day. This way, not only do I have a to-do list, but I know how much time I'm planning to spend on each activity and how much time I'll have to do other things. You'll be surprised at how much you can plan (and not squeeze!) if you write out a detailed plan.

4) Have a routine.

Just like an exercise schedule, it's important to keep a routine. What this means is what you do in the morning when you wake to when you fall asleep at night. Undeniably, being more productive means waking up bright and early in the morning. Set yourself a time to wake each day, and perhaps a different one during the weekends (there's nothing wrong with a little sleep in during the weekends ;)). What do you do each morning when you wake? Prepare yourself some tea? Take a shower? I know I always feel productive when I have a routine. I always start my day with a shower and some tea, and then end it off with a candle before I go to sleep. Having this routine keeps me more in check with my life and I know I have complete control over it. 

5) Constantly fill your mind with positive vibes.

There will be good, but there will also be bad days. During days like these all you want to do is cuddle under the covers and hide yourself from the rest of the world. For some, it takes a day to get over but for others like myself, this may spiral for several days and weeks sometimes. I've found that keeping myself around positive words of affirmations and vibes have been vital in the process of stripping my covers away and getting out of bed. I can't say I'm an expert in this area at this current moment, but it's something I'm still grasping to master. Instagram is definitely a wonderful place to start, follow pages that are filled with bright colours and happy quotes and vibes. They're great to look at to keep yourself going during the darkest times. 

All in all, leading a productive life is something I know we all aspire to do. Even so, sometimes procastinating and taking a day off is important to unwind too. I know some of the tips shared here may be borderline excessive, but I do hope you understand that it's not meant to be followed strictly. Either ways, may you be filled with happy positive vibes, and I hope this post has helped you albeit slightly :)

Do you have any other tips on leading a more productive life? What are your thoughts? Do share, I'd love to know! :)

xx. 

5.5 hours cycling under the Sun.

In an attempt to fully soak in the Sun and good weather before things got gloomy, my friends and I decided to spend our day cycling last Sunday. It was a good decision for sure, the weather was perfect for a day out and about especially since we had two full days of downpour prior.

We rented our bikes from Rentabike at Federation Square. We paid $35 for a full day of bike rental. I'd definitely recommend it, the price is reasonable, the bikes are good and its $35 of a whole day of fun and exploration. Who wouldn't want that?

We made a pitstop at HortusXSevenSeeds Cafe along the way to grab a cup of coffee. I personally love Seven Seeds Coffee, and have been to this particular establishment along Docklands only once with a friend prior. It was a good pitstop and definitely a good wake-up since I was pretty sleepy that morning.

Panda on a tree

Iced Mocha, YUMMY

The journey to williamstown took longer than we expected, but that was because we spent about an hour or so frolicking around our pitstops. We stopped several times along the way to soak in the scenery and take photos while we were at it. I had just purchased new lenses for my camera, and I was really stoked to give it a whirl while we were out. I am so in love with it!! Actually am really excited to take it out for more photo taking journeys. Still playing around with my camera and understanding it a little better, so do bear if the photos aren't exactly professional! Am definitely hoping to fine-tune it in future :)

The journey back took us a mere 1.5 hours and we had 30minutes to spare before returning our bikes. All in all it was a great and fulfilling day, and I definitely plan on going back in future to cycle around Melbourne again. Came back home with tan lines, and there's nothing better than feeling flushed from a good day out under the sun. I love winter, but I'm definitely going to miss good weather like this.

Till next time,
xx.

All photos taken and edited by me.

What it's like living with eczema.

Image Credits: Google Images, Edited By: Me

1) You've tried on pretty much every moisturising cream in the market. 
And no, we're not talking about brands like Clinique or Chanel. We're talking about dermatological moisturisers like QV, Dermaveen & Physiogel to name a few. You've tried numerous products recommended by your dermatologists, and can pretty much state confidently whether or not it's worked for you. You've also developed a keen sense of touch and smell in detecting whether or not you're sensitive to a product. Too fruity, sure to break out or the consistency is too sticky, it's uncomfortable for me.

2) You've ingested so much steroids in your body you wonder why athletes risk their lives taking it in.
One down side of having eczema - especially serious cases - is that you're bound to have been prescribed steroids to lessen the infected area. The sad truth is that these steroids are hella effective. A small application goes a long way and it's pretty much your holy grail for those days your skin just decides to break out. Well... until you realise how much toxins your body's just taken in.

3) Scabs and dry skin don't frighten you.
In fact, you may have just developed a fetish of wanting to remove scabs you see on others. Does this make you weird? Possibly. But you should seek comfort in the fact that dermatologist Dr Sandra Lee has close to a million subscribers on her channel right now, so you're not alone ;)

4) Water is your best friend.
When it comes to having dry skin, water is essential in your diet. Drinking helps to keep your skin moisturised and is a better solution than the moisturising creams available. Drink enough to stay hydrated, but it won't hurt to add in a few ml each day. Give it a try and see what a difference it makes :) I've also blogged about my experience drinking 3l of water every day, you can read more about it here.

5) Cold showers are the best showers.
Showering with hot water is the worst decision a person with eczema could possibly make. For the longest time, I loved taking hot showers. I'm a morning person and so taking a cold shower in the morning was brutal. It wasn't until I watched a show and received advice to take cold showers with my condition. I've changed things up and needless to say, it's helped me tremendously and my skin has never been better. In fact, I actually recall scratching and putting my skin under boiling water. Perfect when you're itchy, but hell once you leave and see the damage you've done.

6) You pretty much are an expert in spelling.
The number of times I've felt a huge wave of satisfaction simply from being able to spell e-c-z-e-m-a properly would be enough to earn me an all expense trip around the world. You're pretty much an expert in spelling from the numerous times you've had to let a doctor or a nurse know your medical history. You're also the first to correct if someone spelt it as e-X-z-e-m-a. It's pretty much a cool club if you can spell it right.

7) You are more acceptive of defects/conditions you see in others, even if they aren't eczema related.
Now this point of course doesn't only apply to people with eczema, but I personally find myself to be less judgmental of people with other conditions. "Abnormal" defects or things that may be considered gross by some don't deter you.

8) At the end of the day though, no matter how troublesome eczema may be, you've learnt to appreciate and own it. 
I've had eczema all my life, and though it is nowhere near to the condition it was in when I was a teenager (let's just say people wouldn't touch my skin without flinching from the texture), I'm appreciative for it. It's taught me a great deal of things, from discipline, self-awareness and even management of money. Overall, it's been a journey and though I still have high hopes of being rid of it completely, till then I'll still have to remain religious and careful in how I take care of myself.


Does anyone out there have eczema too? These are some of the things I've learnt and experienced as someone who has it but I'd love to know your thoughts on them too :)
xx

Birthday weekend

Despite the tumult that is my life, I was able to take the weekend off and invest some time being happy. Celebrated my 23rd on the 13th, and it's odd because I feel like a 30 year old in the body of a 23 year old. 

Headed down to the Moonlight Cinema last Saturday to catch Zootopia. We arrived ten minutes before showtime, and the entire area was pretty much filled up. We managed to get a spot at the far corner in the back, and it wasn't too bad at all :) A nice place to go on a date, and I'd recommend it for couples. 

Moonlight Cinema

I know it looks really bright here, but this picture has been exposed. Also, the sky was reddish that night (maybe a sign of the gang fight that broke out in the city that night?) and it wasn't as dark as it usually would have been. This worked in our favour though, because it felt really early even though it was already 11pm.

Fireworks from the Moomba festival

The movie went on a short intermission from the fireworks display from Moomba. It was seriously such an enchanting evening :)

On the day of my birthday, I pretty much had nothing planned. I just wanted to spend the day in lazing around before going out for dinner. My housemate suggested we go cycling and so we did. I'm really glad she dragged me out of the house, it was such a lovely day and such perfect weather to be cycling in.

We rented our bikes from this place at Federation Square and cycled for two hours. Rental was $20 for two hours, and i personally thought it wasn't too bad. This was however my first form of physical exercise over five months, so I was desperately trying hard to keep up with myself. My quads are pretty much all jelly at this point...

In the evening we headed to Veggie Bar for a simple dinner. The food at veggie bar was.... O.M.G. I LOVED IT. I seriously applaud vegetarians who can whip up a solid meal. I mean... mock meat is legit meat. Taste wise, I can't tell the difference sometimes! I love vegetarian meals, they're so filling if served properly and needless to say we had a satisfying dinner. We originally had plans to grab dessert after but we were too stuffed to even think about it. 

HUGE portion of fries. SO WORTH IT.

<3

I don't always express my true feelings to people, but I was sincerely grateful on my birthday. Birthday cards were read with tears streaming down my face, and in that moment I have never been more thankful for the people I've been blessed with. I'm the harshest critic when it comes to my own self, but sometimes I need to know that it's okay to have problems and not be perfect. 

I'm 23 but I'm still very lost. 

23 but still going through life a step at a time.

23 and still an undergraduate.

23 and still learning to accept my flaws.

Even so, I'm 23 but I'm still excited and hopeful for my future and all there is to come for me. I've definitely loved myself a little bit more the past few months, something that hasn't come from the validation of others. 

So... I'm 23. Where to now? 

xx.

The past four months.

I've stopped taking photos as often as I used to, and I really do regret not doing so. I've stopped using Instagram for the longest time, I hardly browse through the app as often as I did before. Social media in general was toxic for a while, and I needed to detach myself from what everyone else was up to and it proved to be a very good relief during the time I needed to catch a breath and recover from my own life. But with this catharsis came my lack of enthusiasm in capturing the little moments that made me happy, and it makes me sad that I won't be able to look back at those memories in the future. Anyway, here are some photos from the little things I was up to the past four months:

Taken during the break whilst at work. Work was the only constant that made me genuinely happy when I was back at home.

So much love for this wonderful human being <3

Yo-Chi: An Appetite for Life a Yogurt a Day.

Summer in Melbourne hasn't been treating me so well...

Yep, that's about all that I've captured the past four months. I'll make more effort to capture the happy moments this time round. It's always the little things that you can look back into...

Sigh. Photos are just wonderful aren't they? They're so much more than a 2-Dimensional image. One look and you're reminded about pretty much everything you went through that day.

Till next time,
xx.

Go the distance

If you haven't already watched Disney's Hercules (the movie), then I highly recommend it. I remember watching this movie as a toddler and not understanding or liking it because of Hades and the underworld. Recently I found myself chancing upon a video performed by a choir of a Disney medley that included the song "I won't say (I'm in love)". One thing led to another and I found myself buying the DVD on iTunes to watch. I've developed a deeper appreciation for the movie and the soundtrack ever since.

I'm going to be honest, it wasn't easy coming back here to write a post. Especially after having been gone for so long. How was I going to start my post after having been inactive all this while? Do I provide an explanation? Do I pretend nothing's happened and carry on? Do I owe an explanation as to what's happened?

The truth is, I've been going through a lot of personal (for the lack of a better explanation) problems recently. Whilst I know that we each go through our own set of problems, I can safely say that this is the lowest that I've ever found myself to be in. Failure, disappointment, worthlessness, stress... just to name a few of the emotions that I've been going through.

It hasn't been an easy journey, and it isn't one that I'll delve into anytime soon. Perhaps someday in the future when I've overcome this obstacle and become successful. When time has healed the wound that is so deep I'm almost numb to the pain no matter how much further it digs in.

... this is where Hercules comes in. Perhaps it's because it was that time of the month, or perhaps it's because I sympathised with Hercules. For what it's worth, this movie and the moral behind it moved me to tears. For the past few weeks, 'Go the Distance' has been on repeat. A reminder to myself to continue dreaming, that my hero's welcome is waiting for me out there someday.

So until my next proper post, I just wanted to wish anyone who's reading this right now the best of luck for the future that lies ahead. Don't let the obstacles you're going through dampen your spirits for a brighter future ahead. It's an uphill slope, but don't you lose hope.

Image Credits: Pinterest

Till then, with lots of love and strength from me to you,
xx.

Penang '15

Last week saw me travelling to Penang, an island very slightly off Malaysia. My grandmother was born and raised in Penang, but after getting married to my granddad at the tender age of 18, moved to Singapore with him. I grew up knowing my relatives and family in Penang. We don't visit as often as we would like, but we definitely stop by once every 2-3 years when possible :) Even so, I would still think I'm relatively close to my direct family there because when we do visit we don't do anything touristy since we spend all our time with family. 

I love Penang, and I especially love visiting. Perhaps its because I'm only able to meet up with my family once every few years, but each time I do there's always that sense of excitement that leads up to the trip. This is then followed by that same sense of sadness and forlornness after returning home. Whilst we usually only visit for up to 4/5 days each time, for some reason the trip this year felt shorter than normal. 

Toilet selfie

We usually travel by plane from Singapore to Penang. My dad has long since given up driving into Malaysia because it really takes a toll on his health. I remember taking long car rides back when I was little. We'd depart as early as 5am to travel to Johor Bahru up to KL before making a pitstop for one night and then resuming our trip to Penang. I think it usually takes us 2 or 3 days to get to Penang itself by driving. That's a huge comparison to the 1 hour plane ride to Penang haha! I usually fall asleep once I get on the plane and by the time I'm up we've already landed. 

We stayed at G Hotel Kelawai this year. The last time we came we stayed at G Hotel Gurney but this new establishment at Kelawai just recently opened and my dad wanted to give it a go. The two hotels are a stone's throw away from each other, with both being ridiculously close to Gurney Plaza. It's convenient for us especially if we need to do some last minute shopping / eat after returning from our relative's place. Also the hotel provides a buggy / shuttle service from one hotel to the other. I was originally really keen to be sitting on the buggy, but realised its so much faster to walk there than take the buggy! The buggy takes a longer route since it has to travel on a proper pavement whereas if you were to walk you're able to take the shortcut and its a lot nearer. 

I'm not picky with the hotels I stay at, as long as I'm able to feel safe and have proper rest whilst I'm there I'm good. If I were to compare between the one along Gurney and Kelawai though, I'd have to say I prefer the one along Gurney. G Hotel Gurney to a large extent feels a lot more polished and spacious as compared to G Hotel Kelawai. It was unanimously agreed to be so, but Kelawai is still decent and good for a hotel too :) p.s. their minibar was pretty much free so I was a happy goober. 

Complimentary Taro Ice Cream

Upon arriving at the hotel we were served with complimentary taro ice-cream. I was especially excited for this because the last time we visited they served us ice cream too! Call it a cheap thrill of mine, but I love it when hotels tend for their guests in small ways like these! It prompts me for the room and service that I'm about to be given for the rest of my stay :) Which to be honest, was very good service in my opinion. I have no complaints about their service at all.

Cute toiletries!

Okay, I have a confession to make. I actually took home all four bottles you see at the back there. I am so embarrassed to admit it but just look at that packaging!! How cute is it?! It's from a brand called Appelles, I think they're a company from New South Wales in Australia. I'd never seen it before even though I've lived in Australia the past four years now. I used their products whilst I was there and for someone like me with eczema and dry everything, they worked like magic! *hearts in eyes* My mom also confessed that she brought home the bottles too haha! Like mother like daughter. 

View from our hotel room :)

There were two view options we could have gotten. The first being the sea view and the second what you see above. My parents and grandparents got the sea view whereas my brother and I got the city (?) view. I think I actually preferred our view because it really felt like I was in Penang. Penang's really so so beautiful. They're surrounded by gorgeous hills and nature yet still has the hustle and bustle of a city. It's a more traditional Kuala Lumpur to me.

The pool was located on the topmost floor, and although its nothing big enough worth boasting about, the view definitely was. If we had time I'd have loved to lounge up there just soaking in the view. Must be a nice treat :)

Anyway, we didn't really spend much time in the hotel. We were only in Penang for four days in total and spent only the first day in the hotel rooms because our relatives visited us there then. The next consecutive days saw us outside in the city. 

One of my highlights from the trip has to be this. Parasailing. When the trend for travelling was visiting Penang, I never knew what tourists liked to do there because I guess I was never really a tourist whenever I visited. I did know that most of my friends went there to do water activities. It just so happened that on the weekend we visited, my granduncle hosted a get-together for the family at an apartment he rented along Batu Ferringhi, and so after having lunch we headed to the beach to chill! If you've never been to SouthEast Asia and would like to experience what a beach in these countries are like, I'd recommend Batu Ferringhi. There were a multitude of activities going on from horse-riding, to water sports, the list goes on! Business there is quite lup-sup though, you just have to take their word for it when it comes to the prices to partake in the activities. I'm pretty sure they jack up the price accordingly depending on the type of people they approach.

Anyway if you were wondering, yes that's me! in the picture. I did the activity with my aunt and it was so much fun. It was such a last minute decision too and I was wearing jeans to boot! Love spending time with the fam :) 

Overall, I had an enjoyable and fantastic time in Penang and am counting down to the next time we / they visit :) Blood is thicker than water, and I hope that this continues to be seen in the generations to come. Have a lovely week ahead, and happy holidays to all! 

Love, xx. 

My first 10km run!

The 18th of October 2015 was a special day for me because it celebrates the day I ran my very first 10km! Looking back at it today, I can't believe I actually completed the entire 10km without stopping. Just a few months ago it seemed impossible but now that it's done and dusted I feel like I am capable of achieving and accomplishing anything.

Here's a little backstory on how I got myself involved in the first place:

Rin had signed up for the 10km run for the Melbourne Marathon. I was always keen on participating in a 10km but had never been bold enough to sign up for it because I knew that doing so would mean commitment and thus regular training. As it is, I hadn't even completed a 5km properly before so 10km to me was practically swimming before I had even learnt to breathe underwater. To cut the story short, Rin persuaded and managed to get me to sign up for the 10km, and from that day on I knew there was no backing out.

Now my physical fitness was never on 'expert', but I definitely know I'm fit enough to run and carry out strenuous exercises. My physical strength wasn't so much my concern as my mental strength was. In all my life, I'd always run in the gym on the treadmill. Running outside was always a failure because I always gave up before I had reached the end.

Rin on the other hand, was experienced with running long distance. She'd covered a half marathon before and this girl had a healthy lifestyle (she's recently committed herself to powerlifting!!) so she knew what had to be done! Quite frankly, she was the one who opened up my eyes to the world of running and training for the run.

We only started proper training less than a month to the 10km. It's considered last minute training, but for the amount of time we - I - took to train for it, I'm pretty proud of how far I've come!

We started out by running 5km non stop outside and that very first run for me was a killer. I wanted to give up and almost did but my coach (Rin) was tough and strict on me. She told me not to stop and pushed me all the way. I originally thought we were just going to take the 10km leisurely, never did I think we were going to actually train properly for it. She even wrote a detailed plan for me!!

Training Plan

When I saw this training plan the only thing that went through my head was: I must not disappoint her. Whilst it is true that I started out with a different intention, but after seeing how much effort she put into my training plan and how supportive she was in my abilities to complete the entire distance, I didn't want to let her down.

What I learnt though, was that running long distances isn't difficult. In fact, I developed a deeper respect for athletes in general because of the disciplined plan they follow for their respective trainings. In the course of the three weeks that I trained for the 10km, I ate to exercise rather than exercised to eat, and my schedule revolved around my exercise plan. On days that I had to run the long distances outside (I did this with Rin), I used the techniques she taught me to make the journey easier. Progressively, like all things we do, it got easier to cope with as the weeks went by.

It's easier to build yourself physically than it is to do mentally. Challenging my mind was the toughest battle I had to overcome. In fact, the day we planned to run 7.5km outside happened to be the hottest day of the week. To top it off, of all times to run, we chose to run at 11.00am.

I so wanted to give up so many times, and I even tried to sneak my way out of it by faking that I was going to faint. I don't know if Rin could tell, but she made us run under the shade for a while to cool from the Sun before running outside again. I really wanted to give up and to exaggerate it: wanted to die. Even so I persevered and pushed on and at the end of day, managed to complete 7.6km. I felt so proud of myself.

Subsequently, once I knew mentally that I could run 7.5km, running the first 7.5km on the day we were scheduled to run 9km wasn't difficult at all. It was conquering the final 1.5km that was the real challenge. Even so, by this point I knew that I was physically able but still mentally weak. One method I took to battle this was by focusing on my breathing and the manner in which I was running. Channelling my thoughts in this direction helped to take my mind away from how much further I had to run and stopped me from thinking about giving up.

Eventually, the day of the 10km run came and to sum it up, it was the most incredible and amazing experience I'd ever been through. People of all ages, shapes and sizes were there to run in their respective categories. The atmosphere was so supportive and everyone was just there to have fun and to run. I'm proud to say I completed the entire 10km without stopping. I did it. It was truly a moment for me :)

Full Marathon runners

Before the run 

All smiles after the run!!

We did it!!

Huge huge huge shoutout to my gem of a friend/coach Shirin. Without you I would have been nothing.

Let this be a constant reminder to me during the times I want to give up. Giving up will bring me nowhere in the long run.

Next up: Half Marathon.

xx.

Photo Credits: myself & Shirin.