I’d started a little practice a few years ago, of sharing a brief post around Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is not a celebration that exists where I live, but I feel that it is good practice to pause for a moment, and give thanks, so I adopted Thanksgiving. I also previously adopted Black Friday sales but that’s a different story LOL! (this year, I’ve stayed away from most of the year end sales … thus far and hope to make it through the rest of the year unscathed)
I looked back in the past 3 years, and realised that I’d stopped this practice. Truth be told, the past 3 years weren’t pretty ones, and I was too wrapped up in my own misery to be thankful for much of anything.
Although I still traverse stormy seas, I think these posts are something I should maintain, because it serves not only as a reminder to me, but also maybe to you 🙂 So, I’ll share a little of what I’m thankful for, and you can do the same. Or if you’d rather not, just pause for a minute today, and think of 3 things you are thankful for. I promise you, the day will look a wee bit brighter – before you head off for your Black Friday sales 😛
These are just a handful of the things I am feeling thankful for this year:-
- Friends – I’ve never been the sort to have a very large social circle. But at different points of my life, I have made friends that I hold near and dear, who I know I can count on. You don’t need 200 friends or throw big parties to see who turns up. What you need are a handful who you can talk to and count on, when you need them most.
- Family – They drive me crazy. Whose family doesn’t? 🙂 But circumstances in these recent years have meant that I’ve found myself spending more time with my family than I did before, and I am thankful. The kids amuse me, and I still run to my parents for advise, because you never stop being that kid who needs parental assurance. But when it gets too much, I return hyperactive or grumpy kids to their respective parents and return to my hidey-hole. Always have a hidey-hole you can escape into! 😀
- My blog – The one constant of my life in the past 10 years has been my blog. In this past year, it’s been my rock. A constant, when everything around me is eddying change. My blog is my personal space which is under my control. I am thankful I decided to not give it up a few years ago, and for it helping me stay sane and with purpose.
- Learning to use a planner – I’d only started actively using a planner in the past 2 years, and it has been instrumental in keeping my days and to-do lists organized. I use a very simple system that I’ve shared here, but it works very well for me albeit now, with slight modifications. Try it, if the whole planner business intimidates you, because it’s helped me a lot!
- Yoga – Some time in the middle of this year, I made a conscious decision to practise yoga more regularly because I felt I needed to remain active. I was feeling lethargic and heavy, my clothes were starting to shrink (ha!) and my mind was cluttered. I did not make a big song and dance about it, but I simply made a deal with myself that I’d do a little yoga, every day. I have kept to my end of my deal, almost everyday for about 3 months, and I am thankful I made that decision. I walk a little taller and am more flexible, my clothes have stopped shrinking, and like it or not, I am stronger and feel better about myself.
I am also thankful that I had gotten to know a fellow blogger, Fiona of Street Love blog a little better in these 2 years. I know many of you read both my blog and hers, and many of you may have known by now, that Fiona has passed on, after a brief illness (If you don’t already know, then this serves as a little update, as I realise not everyone has Instagram). She had always been active in the beauty and lifestyle community, and the news hit the local blogging community like a shockwave. We weren’t very close, but we shared a similar view and approach to blogging, and she was always a familiar face at events I attended, and a good laugh, and like me, not afraid to wear red lipstick. I was sad to learn that she is gone, and I’m sure it is very hard on her family. May her soul rest in peace.
And finally, I am thankful for each and every one of you who reads and visits my blog. It sounds trite, but there really is nothing more to say than THANK YOU. Social media is fun, because it is a little more personal, but it all belongs to someone else, and are subject to their whims and fancies. My blog is my home and within my control. I know fewer people read today than before, or even care to, and even fewer still find time to leave a comment. But I just wanted you to know that your comments lift me up, assure me someone’s reading, and gives me the drive to go on blogging for those of you who still read. So thank you for visiting my humble digital abode, for sitting down for a virtual cuppa with me, and for sharing your thoughts, and being my friend (even if it isn’t always about beauty here at MWS). It means more to me than you realise 🙂
If you feel comfortable sharing, what are 3 things you are thankful for this year? Or if not, tell me what you bought during the Black Friday sales!
Some days, it’s hard to feel thankful for anything. But I try to find comfort in the little things. To be thankful we are alive, with a roof over our heads, and a little money to spend on beauty especially now that the Black Friday sales are running riot. Sometimes, that is enough 🙂
Paris B
Happy Thanksgiving Paris.
I am thankful for;
1. My daughter who is constantly pushing & reminding me to be a better person. She doesn’t know it but yes, she is the main reason why I keep pushing & stay strong during these trying times.
2. My family who has been my strongest support system. Doing what I do, having a strong support system is key and they are there for me at whatever time of the day. Truly blessed for that.
3. For being alive. Everyday is brand new day and each day provides the opportunity to do better and be better.
4. Last but not least, you & your blog. I am not much of a makeup person but I love skincare and red lippie hehe. Whenever I am in doubt, your blog will definitely be among the first that I turn to (skincare wise of course & fantastic recipes too).
I am sorry to hear the passing of your friend. May she rest in peace. Life is short, we need to make the best of it while we can.
Happy Thanksgiving again & have a great day!
Hi Shasha, that’s so sweet about your daughter. She’s incredibly talented in her art and a lovely young lady from the short time we met 🙂 Thank you too for your kind words about my blog. I’m glad there is something there for you, despite makeup not being your thing, and I’m thankful to have met you too! I hope for better times ahead for us all
1. the biggest thing to be thankful for… is being alive?
2. it seems that my co has revised some benefit starting 2018, one of the perks is to be able to go home by 4pm if you are a mother with kid under 15yo. YEAY!
3. for my family and friends!
OMG I want to work for your company! 🙂
🙁 just heard rumours about the new perk might have some strings attached. jeez there’s really no free lunch. is there?
Amen to everything and especially going home at 4pm! LOL!
Hi Paris,
I think the only thing that gets me through life these days is to always look on the bright side. To count my blessings. I’ve realised that there is always a bright side or something to be grateful for, no matter how dire the situation is. Dwelling on the negativity just makes things worse. Now if only some family members learnt this simple philosophy instead of moaning to me everyday and spoiling my mojo….
Thank you for your blog, your updates on the blog & Instagram are something I always look forward to.
As for Black Friday, I’m staying away. Avoiding temptation. I do not want what I haven’t been tempted by.
Hi Kay, thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are absolutely right about trying to look on the brighter side of things. Some days however, it is hard. But I try to remind myself that it is not always the big things, but the little things. And we always make our problems to be worse than they really are. Thank you for reading my blog and Instagram. I appreciate it all!
First of all, sorry to hear of the passing of Fiona. I don’t know of her blog but it’s always shocking to learn of a passing of someone you know -especially one who was evidently still at the prime of life. I experienced the passing of someone earlier this year too. He wasn’t a person I’d say I was particularly close too but being a colleague, the time spent in close proximity is still pretty significant. I was much more affected by the loss than I ever thought I’d be and till today, I find myself thinking of him and saying a little prayer for him every now and again.
I do enjoy reading thoughtful (or should I keep up with the times and say “mindful” instead?) posts like these. It did make me stop and ponder for a bit. It is said that people mellow with age. I’m now beginning to get why. Self-reflection has revealed that I have sort of switched from a “half empty glass” perspective to a “half full glass” one as time passes.
When I was younger, I suppose my idealism generated cynicism whenever the brush strokes of reality were swiped over those ideals. With age, I am able to stand more firmly with both feet on the ground and hence, am less affected when reality is presented.
Perhaps, the awareness of human mortality has also become more prominent. The youthful days of feeling invincible have long passed! That awareness creates room for gratefulness for the things I may have overlooked and taken for in my younger days -things such as health and the agility to jump right out of bed upon waking without pulling a muscle!
I am more conscious about trying to look for silver linings in every challenge that comes my way. In the same way, I also am very conscious about giving consideration to the things that are within my control and those that are not. That way, I can focus my (depleting) energy to the former and let go of the latter. I find that really does help with keeping me less stressed. It’s mind yoga! Haha!
To names 3 things that I’m thankful for is easy enough although my younger self would cringe and say “Eeeyeeeeer! So cheesy la!” to the first two.
1. Health
2. Family
3. Being in a position to indulge in my passion for travel. I know this is truly a privilege especially when one earns in MYR!
Finally, I’d like to say that I’m happy you chose to continue with blogging. I enjoy reading your posts and appreciate the effort to interact with your readers. The instagram live thing is fun! -although I, unfortunately, don’t get to catch them all. Thanks for sharing a part of yourself with us and long live virtual friendships!
Thank you for sharing your insights, Isabel. I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your colleague. Isn’t it odd how people can affect us in ways we never thought? Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts with me all this time. I’d like to think that with age comes a little wisdom. Perhaps not the wisdom that we may expect some times, but wisdom nonetheless, for weathering the storms we have 🙂 And I also think that with age definitely comes more appreciation for the simpler things in life, and health. Without it, life won’t be worth living 🙂 Happy to hear you’ve been indulging in travel! It truly does broaden the mind, and open the eyes 🙂
This year, like any other years, I’m always thankful for the 3 F’s – Family, Friends and Food. I guess what I’m most thankful for this year is being alive and for being at peace with myself. When you hit a major milestone in life, it is not always easy to move on to the next part of your life because you are either too comfortable in your current default setting or too afraid of what the future holds.
I’m also grateful that you have decided to keep the blog running otherwise we would never have met!
As for Fiona, I have read her blog for years like yours, but only recently joined Instagram and started chatting to her. She is such a character and her blogs/social media are merely an extension of her persona. We shared a mutual love of a bold purple lip ( in your case also the red lip) and I loved how unapologetic she is about her life and shes never one to hide behind any sort of facade despite dealing with her demons. She will be missed and I can’t imagine the heartache her family and close friends must feel. But I also take comfort in knowing that she is at peace and probably rocking that bold lip 🙂
Thanks for sharing Lezel, and those 3F’s are the best there are! I’m glad we’ve met too, although you are bad for my wallet haha! But I’m going to try to be good (or rather, better) and leave some purchases for next year. But you are also right about moving on. The future is always scary but it is the future. There is no point in dwelling on what’s past.
Hi Paris, I am sorry to hear about your passing friend and in this difficult time, do stay stronge and take yr time to grief.
I am thankful to have found your blog 3 months ago and enjoy reading them 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving
Thank you Eileen 🙂 And thank you for reading my blog and for sharing your thoughts! I hope you’ve enjoyed your visits 🙂
Allow me to leave a comment expressing my sorrow for the passing of Fiona. I hope people get to know what she’s been passionately doing even during the last seconds of her living.
She approached Worthee Cosmetics for sponsorship of Paula’s Choice products early this month, for her 100 beauty bags to be launched in December. She shared that she will be printing T-shirts to slot in the bags. Funds collected will go to her meaningful “I Will Be Okay” campaign to raise awareness for the fatal depression. She plans to have a trail hike in March. Everything’s in discussion. My last email to her was just a week ago.
My heart sinks knowing I’ll never receive a reply from Fiona again. May peace be with her in the better space.
Thank you for sharing Qaph, and she was always passionate about her cause. It is sad to know she won’t be able to realize it all.
What a gorgeous shot. I love reading these posts . I felt a pang in my heart when I read your tweet about your friend fiona . Sorry about that .
I would love to tell you both. I am thankful for having a family that loves me, friends that are fun to be with, and having the things that I need. To make it short “All that I have”. ( Good Food of course. )
Haven’t bought anything this year because last month I have spent $300 on skincare 🙂 .
Thank you so much for all your posts, Insta stories, live chats and your hhonest reviews .Please keep writing .
Thank you Anusha 🙂 I am thankful for your support all this while and for sharing what you’re thankful for. Truly, it all comes down to the most basic and simple things in life 🙂
Great post as always :-). Your blog is the only beauty blog i read right now because I regard your opinions on beauty matters highly & also because I dont have much time to read blogs these days.
I still cant get over the fact that Fiona is gone. I have followed her blog but more of her IG posts for as long as I have followed yours. But life is so short so we have to make the best of the time we have on earth.
The 3 things I am thankful for are faith, my family & friends. Without these 3 things, life on earth does not have much meaning.
I did go for the Black Friday sales. Bought Shiseido sunscreen, Laneige lipstick & Clinique Take The Day Off Balm from Sephora & a nice pair of leather pumps from Isetan :-).
Thank you Victoria 🙂 I think most people have fallen off the blog reading and writing bandwagon and also, because many readers have grown up and are now busy with other things. Everyone tells me to get with the programme and do Video again, but I’m like meh. Too much work LOL! 😀 Yes I remember that you’ve been following Fiona for a while as well. She was a fountain of information when it came to deals and sales. No one can fill that void. In the end, it is truly the little things that matter most, and will leave us with the most impact once it is gone. It’s interesting that material things aren’t as important as we make them out to be, yet we chase them. What a conundrum!
First of all, you’re welcome, Paris. You’re the first beauty blog I read, and one I always come back to for no holes barred reviews. It still seems unbelievable that Fiona is gone, and it’s always such a tragedy for a young person to leave us so soon. Her passing reminded me just how fragile life really is, and we should be thankful for each breath we take, each little moment be it happy or sad. I am thankful for my family and loved ones, the few close friends I can count on, and the comfort of having a home.
I caved and bought the Naked Heat palette, and after swatching it and playing with it a few times, I don’t regret it one bit. I also replenished some items I used up such as loose powder, lip balm and cleanser for eyes and lips. This time, I opted for some brands I haven’t tried, like Laneige and Shiseido.
It’s the start of the long school holidays now, so I am prepared for the crazy with all the kids being home at the same time. LOL!
Ooh school holidays! I hope your sanity stays intact haha! And thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts all this time! The sudden loss of someone we know is always a shock, but it is also a reminder to just appreciate the time we have while everyone is around. Sometimes, we can take people for granted. I know I do. Oh I think you’d rock the Naked Heat palette – the shades are right up your alley! Look forward to your thoughts on it. I need to catch up on my blog reading!
Hey Paris! A very simple word of Thank you, its always meant a lot. I’m thankful for your 10 years continuously blogging which help me (and I believe many other readers too) out from miserable skincare LOL
I was a skincare dummies before come across your blog about 6 to 7 years ago when I was still in college. During that age I was like many other teenager are experiencing with breakout. But after reading your thoughts here i learnt how to properly taking care of my skin, and so much more knowledge, which eventually they (the evils acne) are finally under control (although still breaking out sometimes). Truthfully thanksful for it! I serve this blog like my bible wherever i need to look for some skincare solutions, a search button here solve them all! LOL
Btw, on last Friday i bought the Leahlani Mermaid Mask and Pixi Glow Tonic (250ml) at UK CultBeauty all for just RM202 only after blackfriday discount! Feel so worth it!
Thank you Ed for reading and the support and for letting me know that my ramblings have been helpful for you! 😀 I’m truly happy to have been able to help you deal with teenage skin problems, even though I know I don’t focus on it. But I’m so happy that you’ve found my tips useful one way or another! Oh and you did get a really good deal on the skincare! I hope you’ll enjoy using them 🙂 Just remember to stir up your Mermaid Mask before using!
It’s hard to grapple with the fact Fiona is gone, at her prime, when she was bursting with many projects that we all were looking forward to. Life is too fragile, therefore whatever life dishes to us, we cherish the present and our loved ones and not to take them for granted.
Allow me to remind all to take care of out health and always have second medical opinion with regards to health complications you might have. The realisation hit me too late after she has gone. I did a brief reading on hyperthyroidism to understand Fiona’s fever, mouth ulcer, dehydration of liver and low immunity were side effects of the drugs she was prescribed to after she updated that her hyperthyroidism returned. I could be wrong but suspected the medicines were not suitable for her. She could be saved if she was given early medical intervention. I still find it sad but ridiculous that she has to appeal to private hospital to get admitted but thankfully her friend working there wrote a letter so that the govt hospital took her in.
So it was a reminder for me to get the medical insurance plan updated in case of any missing loopholes and schedule for yearly health check. Because nothing is more important than health.
This just serves to remind us that we can but live our life the best way we can. We never know when our time is up. I think to be honest, none of us will know what truly happened in Fiona’s case. It could have been medication, or a pre-existing condition, a state of mind, or just a combination of factors that combined themselves in this way. I did find it off that the private hospital would turn her away, but I’ve since spoken to some other people who have told me that it happens. And usually, it’s when they are unable to deal with the problem. Whether this was the case here, again, we won’t know. The best thing we can do is just to honour her memory, and to live life to our fullest, with the people who matter, and to maybe stay in touch more with family and friends. Life is truly fragile and uncertain. Thanks for sharing Margaret 🙂