Wherever you stand, be the soul of that place.

Rumi

A little different for this week’s blog for those of you who have joined my little community. I thought I’d write a little piece here so you could get to know me a little more.

Social

As someone who is quite introverted, it is extremely important for me to set up regular catch up sessions with my loved ones as I can often go months without speaking to people (outside of work and immediate family). I guess since being an educator who is always around people, it can get pretty tiring and I would resort to having a quiet evening in.

Whether it’s a video call or a quick café get together, it’s something I really enjoy and find really important for my wellbeing.

Dish Wish

One thing I really enjoy doing (when I have the energy) is to create dishes using random ingredients, whether it’s a pineapple crumble or a south-Asian inspired salad, experimenting with flavours and ingredients is really fun. Like many of my readers that are of south-Asian heritage, we’ve grown up observing the cooks of the family tossing in herbs and spices without measurements, and still managing to create the most delicious food. Likewise, doing the same is risk-taking but equally as satisfying when things go well.

Also, I think I speak for a lot of people who may also find creating dishes quite therapeutic. The initial feeling of overwhelm, the satisfaction of having an idea, executing your idea and then the best bit, consuming it! That’s not to say I haven’t had disasters in the kitchen too; I’ve had many! But the excitement of challenging myself a little is what I particularly enjoy about this.

It’s working out

My top go to activity that I find fun is something I have learned to love. Exercise has always been a little hard for me, but learning to have a balance between exercising regularly and not over-exercising is something that I have managed to overcome over the years.

What makes exercise fun for me is the feeling I get when I finish a workout. It’s almost like a natural high, a feeling of euphoria and accomplishment, you know? My exercise routine changes weekly as I try to do the exercises I feel my body needs in that moment in time – this is particularly important for women. Over the last year I have particularly become really interested in the mind-body connection and exploring exercises that encompass mindfulness to promote a holistic, whole-body workout. But more on that soon.

Something new

Life can become really monotonous when not having the luxury of time, well not as much as I did when I was a student. So it’s really important to snap out of a routine and go out and explore. I’m always on the hunt for exhibitions to visit. Recently, I checked out the Winter Lights exhibition in Canary Wharf which is on till the 28th of January. It’s free and fun for the whole family. I’ve been going for a couple of years now and it’s always an evening full of fun.

Pen to Paper

You know I had to add this. Writing has been a passion of mine for a while. I’ve had this blog for nearly ten years and have found it incredibly rewarding and exciting to talk about things others may not be comfortable to. You could argue it’s a way to connect with lots of you around the world and get people to start conversations on mental health and wellbeing. Moreover, whilst studying psychology and neuroscience over the last few years, I’ve found it even more important to share what I learned in a way that is accessible for all.

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See you on the next one,

L x