Blog - November 17, 2019

Day 17 : The November Happiness Challenge 2019

Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is. My name is Zulaykha, I’m an Architect and a wifey, happiness has always been a thing that I struggle with because I tend to over think, I’m a cup half empty kinda girl, if you know what I mean, so I struggled and I’m still struggling to find a balance but I’ve learnt to Let go after doing my best, and leave the rest to the supreme being. The former me didn’t live enough, I was too stuck up and all I cared about were my grades but Alhamdulillah, my goals were achieved but I was left with an empty vacuum. I know better now because I try to relish in every moment, making sure to enjoy the process/journey (this birthed “zeezuliving” on my Instagram page @zulaykhah_ you should check it out). I try to find a balance between work and self-care because they are both important as you can’t pour from an empty cup. One of the things I enjoy doing for self-care is creating and recreating recipes, there’s something about food that brings a smile to my face (foodie alert) especially healthy foods; the colours, textures, crunch makes me happy. I also love me a good bowl of spicy food; I’m guilty of one week fit-fam and three weeks of binging Playing dress up is also a thing I find really interesting, I apply makeup and get dolled for absolutely no reason, no event or outing, I just do it for me, I call it makeup therapy ( I guess that’s a reason). YouTube is your plug for learning makeup and all things DIY (do it yourself). Skincare is another obsession of mine, an obsession that eats deep into my pocket I must confess, that notwithstanding, it’s a major part of self-care because your skin reflects how you feel inside. Black does crack if you don’t take care of your melanin, its important you know your skin type and use products that works for it and please don’t forget to use your sunscreen. The same thing applies for hair care in fact for the entire part of the body. I realized selfcare makes me happy and I pray I can sustain it (In Shaa Allah) afterall happy mind, happy life. Documenting the moment so I have memories to fall back on is another I do, after all nobody stays happy 24/7 (if you do I envy you). Im a photography student and I love taking photographs of moments (youtube is my tutor) I still find excitement in little winnings when it comes to my career, a completed design, building projects, I have a little project that I am working on, it is about housing customization and home décor, ya’all should please follow cubic_spaces on Instagram. The bone of contention is to get yourself a pet project that excites you and also brings money to your pocket. Above all things is the supreme being, closeness to Him gives peace which in turns gives happiness, I love to read books that enlightens me about God and the Sunnah (doings) of the prophet (pbuh). Listening and pondering on the verses of the holy book brings some form of tranquillity that can’t be explained. A few of my favourites for Islamic lectures are Mufti menk, Yashir Qadi, and prof. Abdulfatah. Ted talk also does the magic sometimes. Holistic self-care is important, take care of yourself from inside out and also from outside in, preserve your energy by doing what you love and staying away from bad energy, this can be inform of people or certain things you do. In as much as you should be your own best friend, never practice toxic self-care by ignoring people or inflicting pain on others in a bid to take care of yourself, helping peopl also brings a wave of everlasting happiness, be kind to people, give when you can and don’t forget to count your blessings each day, indeed we have a lot to be thankful for. (Alhamdulliah)   Connect with me on Instagram