#2/100: Be bad until you're good.

I admire creatives who can write on a regular basis and can keep their audience interested and content fresh... I'm working on it ;)

I have learnt that I should jot or have a fair idea of what I want to say or cover, to help ideas flow and to make it easier on myself.

5 quick tips to to help content generation!

1- Keep a notebook or notes app.
Whenever I have an idea or something worth noting, write it down so when it comes time to write, you have a starting point.

2- Make time.
Like right now it's 8pm and the house is quiet and I've got a nice hot cuppa boba tea. It's easier for me to focus without distraction or worry, lets the writing juices flow!

3- Read more.
The more you read, the better your vocabulary will get too. You find you will start to use more interesting words that you've learnt in more situations too. So not only does that make you smarter, but grows & matures your writing!

4- Find inspiration.
For me, I will look on Pinterest or scroll Tumblr for images or conversations that I can add commentary to. This can also apply to people, locations, situation etc...

5- Do whatever you want!
It's easy to get caught up in what every other blogger is talking about or what your audience wants to hear - find your own voice and what works for you! Especially for new ones like myself, I'm just trying to find my niche and that's good enough for me!

Cheers to the journey,

#1/100: Life Update

Hello digital land!

Long time no chat. How's it going? Missed me? I thought not.
A lot has happened since my last post, here's a quick recap.

* I decided to go back to study! For a while now I've been really interested in Marketing and wanting to pursue this career further. After a few unsuccessful attempts of trying to entering the marketing industry, I decided that best option was to dive head first into the year long Sales and Marketing post-graduate diploma at Manukau Institute of Technology. I hope to share some commentry on this course, or at least give you some tips.

Beautiful large tapestries hanging from the ceiling at the MIT business school

* I got married! Honestly the luckiest girl in the world, marrying my best friend and forever hype man. We tied the knot in March, in the sunniest country town; Opononi, New Zealand. We have some family land up there, close enough so both of or families can attend - and it turn out perfect. We were praying for sunny weather and light winds on the day, and oh man did He deliver! I might share some photos in a later post, i've been dying to share my experience!

Hokianga Heads at sunset. Photography by Chasewild

 * I'm teaching design classes! Church is a big part of my life, and what comes with that is giving my skills and time to help build the House of God. Part of that is expanding the design team and taking on others who want to learn a new skill. It's been an interesting experience, I never thought I was the teaching type, nor had anything worth contributing but I've really enjoying imparting into others and helping them think creatively and problem solve more in their fields. It's more philosophical than technical at the moment, but these guys are so hungry to learn!

* This is an (unofficial) 100 day challenge! I kept saying that I want to get back into blogging, whether it was contributing to another space, post design or blog lifestyle. And with many awesome ladies around me who are so good at what they do, I was constantly comparing myself to them and was thinking 'would anyone even find value in what I say?'. So after discovering that there was a #100day challenge being organised, I thought it would be a good excuse jump in and just do something, anything, utilising this space.

So here we are. I have no plan with what I am going to say for 100 days - but I know something good will come out of this. If not, it was nice knowing ya! kidding, but thank you (if you got this far) for reading, I really appreciate it!

Cheers to the journey!

5 Things I Am Grateful For

Well hello and Happy New Year to you all! Aint this just an unfamiliar sight.
I am back with a renewed look at this platform! If you know me, I'm very sporadic when I comes to content. I don't particularly think my life is interesting enough for content, but there's no any better way to ring in 2016 than to reflect on the year that was, and the beautiful things that I have experienced.  

1. Good Friends

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" Proverbs 27:17
So thankful to have an amazing network for friends that have your back. They won't gossip or backstab, they won't let you make a fool of yourself, and they WILL let you know when your playing up. Been rolling with my cliche for years now and to be able to see each other grow our strengths, gifts and talents, sharpening each other, takes a special bunch to hang around after all these years. Truly blessed to have my #wolfpack sisterhood.

2. Knowing Who I Am

"Better to have stood for something, than to fall for nothing". It might come with the maturity, but knowing who I am and my values, has helped me recognize what I stand for, what is important to me and what can be left behind. I can easily say that I am a church girl where my God and church comes first, an optimist that doesn't do things to please people, creative thinker + brainstorm extraordinaire, and is all for change for better (and easier) way to do thing. Anything that doesn't fit into that - buh-bye! 

3. Family
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” Proverbs 1:8-9 

With my Mum overseas and my Dad a couple hours drive away, it isn't easy having your family so far away, so I am always grateful for the time I do get to spend with them. Sometimes communication is a hit and miss, where are lot of experiences and opportunities are missed because I don't get that one-on-one time with my wider family. I will say that the MIL, is my rock at the moment with all these wedding plans + timelines and organising the logistics of it all - she's been a good middle-woman with the other side of the family. I really do appreciate you Cindy! x

4. The Struggles
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
Sometimes, well a lot of the time - it's the mountains and the Goliaths we face, do realise just how much power we have. Whether it's getting up early in the morning, stopping that bad habit or letting go of some situations - do we see that we CAN do a lot, and that we have the faith in ourselves to enable that power within. For me, my faith is a large part of my everyday. Relinquishing a lot of things to God with the understanding that our battles are already won, we just need to turn and face them.  God won't give us anything we can't handle, that behind that seeming impossible task is a reward far greater than I know now. 

5. Mr DTW

"Be completely humble and gentle; Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3

Cheesy I know, but this man has taught me a lot in the 4 years we have been together. The biggest one - patience. Which mainly came down to waiting to be proposed to, but even patience in communication and not rushing into everything, that is is ok to step back and get a good look at things. I would say that is his realist perspective on things, sometimes crushing my optimistic dreams - but it's healthy to have that balance or what I want and what will work (which has proven during wedding planning). But there is no one else I'ld rather fight, laugh and cry with, than my awesome man x

Cheers to another year of blessings and greatness!