Outside the classroom

Outside the classroom

Life is a teacher and sometimes the best lessons take place outside the classroom. For me,   some of these lessons were learnt during my escapades and interaction with different cultures. Personal development is at the core of my journey. It entails challenging myself, looking for inspiration in every situation and doing what makes me happy.

Here’s a summary of what gives me a kick and keeps me motivated

I love reading as long as it is not in the library (I hope I am not weird). I consider reading my passport to all corners of the world, into authors’ thoughts and their very private spaces. No shock intended, but I still believe in traditional printed books. Sorry e-reader, it will take me some getting used to and perhaps a little miracle to commit to e-books. The sight of books on my pedestal when I wake up, and the feeling of turning pages beat scrolling down by far. Otherwise I am very contemporary in many other respects.

Travelling!

I don’t know if I can refer to myself as an avid traveler or just say I love travelling. I have done my fair share of globetrotting with the meager income of a teacher. To me travelling is a mechanism to get away from the cares of everyday, a quiet time to reflect, learn, develop and grow. It does not matter where I am going, as long as I am on the ‘road’, the feel good hormones just go on a rampage.

Facing my fears

And then there was the moment of reckoning, when I enrolled for swimming. Maybe I am weird, again because the gym intimidates me. Apart from this, I think I can win a contest for the president of ‘couch potatoes club’ without a campaign. For this reason, enrolling for swimming lessons was one of my biggest achievements. I could give a few tips on the topic ‘facing your fears’.

Fashion and beauty

Every woman’s guilty pleasure. I blame fashion magazines and television programmes. For someone with a modest income, I had to develop extraordinary skills to sustain my love for shopping. Bargaining! Bargaining! And more bargaining. I started a mobile boutique, which I ran for close to a decade. Most of my customers were colleagues, family and friends who wore the same size as me or one size up/down. There is going to be a post on fashion and personal branding in my blog, where I explain its significance and the value of image. So keep your eyes peeled for this treat.

Let’s agree to disagree on this one. A little bit of eye shadow, blush, mascara and lip gloss go a long way in complementing an outfit. Knowing which shades to use when, how to prepare the skin for a smooth application and all other details to ensure one gets the desired effects can be daunting. This is where professional makeup artists come in handy. I learnt these basics with Vivian Ashworth. I am not a pro as yet, but I master the three minute transformation. Thanks to social media, I continue to hone my skills from Instagram and Pinterest video posts and pins.

Now here is what really makes my inner child dance like nobody is watching. Lots of scented candles and room fragrances. Anything with a citrus or floral base and lemon grass tickles my nostrils.