I have had straight hair all my life I’ve never used a round brush or really needed a straightener. Earlier last year I was itching to get a perm but my older much wiser sister talked me out of it. Perks of being the younger sister, you can learn from four others who’ve made mistakes before you! In fact I love curling my hair so much I invested in the Chi straightener back in college just to use as a curler and I taught myself the technique of curling with a straightener. With my new found favorite hair tool the Chi Spin Curl styling my hair takes a total of twenty minutes tops (something my husband, Ali, appreciates A LOT)!
I’ve linked all the hair styling items I use.
The Chi Spin Curl is automatic and has buttons to spin in two different directions. I know it sounds scary the thought of getting your hair stuck! But it’s amazing features have taken all those fears of mine away. I’m not going to lie I got my hair stuck in there the first couple times as I was getting the hang of using it but it was a breeze to get out. If your hair gets stuck the curler stops and gives you a repeated beep you can either press the off button and turn the chi off and it releases the hair so smoothly or you can unplug your curler and it also releases the hair with no damage or pull. It’s one of the most simple curlers to use. I have four sisters and two of them bought it immediately after they saw me using it. I’ll share a quick video tutorial on how to use it over on my instagram today!
It’s ceramic rotating barrel creates bouncy curls and waves. Once completed I’ll spray my hair with the Chi Style & Stay Firm Hold Protecting Spray. *Note: I’d definitely also use the Chi Heat Protectant Spray before beginning to curl just as an added protection. This curler is pure magic and you will love the ease in using it!
Happy Inauguration Day, Friends! In honor of our first ever Madam Vice President I wanted to share three looks in a velvet blazer. There’s nothing quite like a chic blazer to make you feel like a real boss babe. This was my first and only blazer in my closet which later turned out to be the most worn and styled piece throughout Fall and Winter.
This casual, comfortable, and chic look is one of my favorites. It’s a great look for a date night, girls night, or even a zoom call. Not sure how many of us are dining out with the pandemic but still a look to keep in mind when this pandemic is all behind us! The velvet blazer here adds the perfect pop of color, the white bodysuit is a closet must have because it gives the perfect shape and can be worn with so many other pieces, and these AG black jeans are an investment but worth every penny! They are butter soft, very forgiving if you have a mommy pouch like me, and overall one of the best fitting jeans I own!
This outfit is one of my favorites because the white wide leg pants are the most comfortable and such a great fit! Before or after Labor Day… there’s no hard rule you can wear white all year long! I’d wear these white wide leg pants all year long! This bodysuit is the same as the previous one except in black, *Note: I have a lot of these because the shape/form they give you is amazing! These leopard booties are my go-to they add a pop to any outfit, especially the neutrals and I love them! if you ask me they are another great staple closet item and on major sale today at 60% off!!
These boyfriend jeans are ultra comfy! They have the perfect amount of distress in the denim and they fit snug and they are running on year two and still in great condition after many wears. I’ve had the hardest time finding a good pair of BF jeans but these have been a keeper because of their comfort and fit. They fit perfectly snug and add a nice shape too instead of looking loose. Ask me one Rolling Stone song and I couldn’t answer you because I’m the girl that loves a good band tee regardless so this one I snagged from Target for only $12!! Yes, Target, FTW!!! These shoes are a beauty, a golden goose look alike but from one of my favorite local boutiques, Woven, owned by a friend! I can’t link this exact pair but I’ve linked similar options here!
Do you take time out for self-care, a workout, a walk? Just YOU! No kids, no hubby, no siblings, just YOU!? I’ve struggled over the years with doing that especially last year. This year when I noticed it was affecting my mental health I made it a point to make sure I make myself a priority. As I treat each day with more intention I have been realizing how I have been postponing things on my to-do list for other tasks. But I’ve implemented a few hard rules for myself to make sure that I don’t do this and I make myself a priority. *Note: I’ve learned that prioritizing myself does not mean that I’m being selfish. I’m a mom, so naturally I have other priorities as well. But some key points I’ve jotted down that help me organize my day so that I can make sure that I’m living a fulfilled day for myself as well are the following:
What I’m doing to Make Myself A Priority
I have a daily ritual: Some kind of routine is key. I’ve been praying, journaling. and reading a book everyday! It’s given me a form of meditation, sanity, and helping me learn something new everyday.
I’ve identified my time wasters: I’m guilty of scrolling through instagram. Biggest problem of having a business on social media is that you can end up spending a lot of unnecessary time on social media. I’m trying to get better at this by focusing on setting times for when I should be on my phone. Because I don’t like to document my every moment to the public but at the same time I do like to share snippets of our daily shenanigans and something of value, daily deals, recipes, etc.
I’ve learned to give myself grace: Not everyday will go as planned. There’s no point in planning out my day by the hour and minute because random things always come up. And keeping track of my day by the hour will only get me more frustrated and rushed in any task I do. So I’ve allotted time for the important stuff, made lists, and I go with the flow of the day especially because I have little kids.
I’ve alloted time for the important stuff: A workout is important to me, so I schedule it! And I’ve started to make it happen! Journaling has become very therapeutic to me so I try to wake up before anyone does so its nice and quiet and I can collect my thoughts and write as I sip on my morning cup of coffee.
How do you give yourself priority? What are some things you do in the day to make yourself feel fulfilled?
Hey everyone! How are you doing with your 2020 goals? In this post I mentioned I was struggling for years to accomplish a lot of my goals because I lacked consistency. Consistency in exercise, reading, writing for the blog/instagram, even to the smallest task of eating my daily vitamins! In December I committed to focus on consistency with my goals and tasks by incorporating these five tips. These five tips to achieving consistency have helped me get back to a workout routine, pray/meditate regularly, and overall live a happier lifestyle.
Five Tips to Consistency
1.) Start your morning off early: The morning sets the tone for the day. On the day I wake up early I am more productive and I have more time in my day. Granted its hard some days because toddlers are exhausting! And I need to get better at going to bed earlier.
2.) Set a routine: By creating a pattern in my day I begin to create a habit of certain things I need to accomplish. If its something I really want to accomplish be it praying, meditating, working out I give it the same importance I would as brushing my teeth in the morning.
3.) Set smaller goals: Setting realistic manageable goals sets me up for success. If I attain success then I naturally get motivated! I couldn’t find myself to start praying five times a day. This genius lady suggested to commit to two prayers a day but make them a habit like brushing your teeth. It’s worked I’ve been praying 2-5 prayers a day since December. Praying has turned into a form of mediation for me. Helps me unwind, relax, and focus better.
4.) Reward yourself: Treating myself for accomplishing my goals motivates me to get the job done because my eyes on the prize! A shopping spree always makes me happy so I treat myself!
5.) Give yourself grace: This girl over here I learned a lot from! She told me it’s okay to fall what’s more important is to pick right back up. People make mistakes, shit happens, and life is random. Missing a prayer, missing my morning workout, even missing a daily vitamin are all things that would bother me and I would let that take over my brain I’d fall into the rabbit hole of failure. But one mistake or mishap shouldn’t control or judge me. I pick right back up where I left off because each day is a new day in which you should #beatyesterday
Use these tips and tricks through the year and see yourself achieve those goals! I hope we all make 2020 our best year yet! What are some of your goals you are working towards this year?
I hope your 2020 is off to a great start! 2019 was the year in which for the first time in two years I actually felt like I had this whole parenting thing somewhat in control. Honestly, I have no recollection of 2017 it was all diaper changes, feedings, and my head in the clouds. 2017 was the year I had two kids under two! 2018 seemed to be all tantrums, sleepless nights, more diaper changes, and chasing the boys! Needless to say in 2019 we still had sleepless nights, sick kids, meltdowns as we started our kids in preschool, but it felt like I could actually breathe and we were in kind of a cruise control since my older one officially got potty trained, his asthma got under control, and he got over his separation anxiety. Enrolling him in preschool even for a few hours did wonders for that boy! This gave me all the more confidence to enroll my younger one too for a few days. I learned as a parent it was okay to get a couple hours to myself. Granted I have yet to learn how to be more productive with that time because for a while it was just overwhelming to realize I was kid free for a few hours.
Through this new found freedom of time I gained the confidence to finally take a girls trip with my sisters and step away from mommin’ for a 48 hour trip to New York City which was such a nice and refreshing breath of fresh air. Ali and I also took a couple 24 hour trips sporadically through the year with the help of nieces, nephews, and my in-laws who stepped in to watch the kids. Yes, it takes a village to raise my kids!
I signed up to be a substitute teacher in the boys’ school which was a rewarding and exhausting experience. Some days I felt like I was dropping my own kids to their classes only to take on the responsibility of eighteen more toddlers. But most days it was so much fun and rewarding especially when the kids showered me with more hugs and love than my own. As a substitute teacher I gained more patience as a parent and learned ways to engage my own kids at home more creatively not to mention my boys were over the moon the days I substituted in their classrooms I have to admit that was a nice feeling. As a mom of boys I want to take in all those moments and feelings because when they become teenagers I know it wont be the same, perks of having nieces and nephews at a young age I guess, I know how those cute kids turnout when they grow up! (And if my nieces/nephews are reading this, I still love you all, haha!)
This year I also got to spend a lot of time with my sister-in-law who was visiting from Pakistan. That was probably the highlight of our summer the boys got to meet and play with their cousins they had met when they were newborns. I got to travel and connect with my sister-in-law for the first time since I’ve been married. She’s a dermatologist in Pakistan so she gave me some of the best skincare advice. She has three boys and a girl, her heart is just as full as her hands if you ask me. The kids were such a pleasure to have here because Rayyan was basically entertained all day by his cousins and gained this sudden desire to be just like his “older” cousins.
Towards the end of the year my faith grew stronger I began to pray more and my prayers turned into a form of meditation for me. Trying to pray five times a day helped structure my day better. I felt there was more productivity in my day. I learned the importance of gratitude and giving myself grace on the hard days. I began to realize that even though certain things didn’t go my way there was a greater plan out there no matter how difficult it was to believe that on some occasions. And there are still some days I go off track and question the random happenings that may upset me but I just have to keep building on that faith and make each day better.
I realized that my biggest struggle in many aspects of my life was consistency whether it be this blog, exercise, reading, or even with goals I set. If I fell off the beaten path I’d suddenly label myself as having failed and that immediately demotivated me. But then I met a lady on this platform who told me it was okay to loose direction but what was more important was to lift myself back up, set small goals, and reward myself. I’m nowhere near perfection but so long as I keep getting back up and finding my way to my very own definition of success I’ll keep getting better.
Setting smaller goals has helped with consistency and my productivity. With that being said here are a few small goals I’ve set out for myself for this year. And you all are welcome to hold me accountable on these goals since I’m sharing them so publicly.
Be more consistent with content on the blog/instagram
Be more consistent with exercise (Signing up for a race and actually doing it!)
Learn to swim, yes this is something I never learned, I can do some form of swimming but if I had to survive in an ocean or the “deep end” of the pool—NOPE!
Read at least one book a month (This month I’m reading Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Everisto)
Read/Understand the Quran by reading at least an Ayah a day with translation
Keeping it short and simple for this year! Here’s to a prosperous, healthy, and adventurous 2020!
What are some goals you have set for 2020?
Have any of you trained for a half marathon? Did you train with an app? If so, which app?
I’m finally getting a chance to upload my gift guide for HIM! This is for all the dad’s, father-in-laws, brother-in-laws, and brothers in your life! I’ve curated these picks very carefully going through each item with my husband! Almost all these items have been bought and are being used by someone in my family! So everything is tried and true!
I hope this list is of use to you and helps to make your holiday shopping a lot easier! Happy Shopping!
