Things To Do When You Have A Headache

#Wellness

We all have experienced headaches at some point in our lives. Some of us get it more often than we would like. However, the good news is, we don't always have to depend on traditional or Western medicines to cure it.

There are some things you can do to ease the pain without a trip to the doctor or the drugstore.

1. Drink water

Dehydration is usually the number one cause of a headache. It's said that drinking water is shown to relieve a headache in most dehydrated individuals within 30 minutes to 2 hours.

2. Avoid foods high in Histamine

Foods/drinks such as beer, wine, smoked fish and cured meat are high in Histamine. It has been said that histamine may cause headaches.

3. Ease pressure on your head

A ponytail that is too tight of wearing swimming goggles that are too tight, or even wearing a hat may cause a headache. So try loosening whatever you have on your head to try and relieve the pressure from it. 

4. Dim the lights

Some people are prone to headaches caused by bright lights. Try dimming your phone/computer screens or lights in the room. You should also try and put on a pair of sunglass when you’re out in the sun.

5. Get enough sleep

Lack of sleep definitely triggers headaches. So be sure to sleep early and get at least 8 hours of sleep every day. 

6. Scalp massage

Try giving yourself a scalp massage. It is said that massaging the back of your head at the base of your skull can relieve a headache.

7. Stretch

Headaches are mostly caused by muscle tension, so by doing some neck stretches; it could help relieve some of that tension.

8. Hot shower

Taking a hot shower while letting the water fall on the back of your neck could help ease the tension in your head. 

9. Watermelon

Again, if you think your headache was brought on by dehydration, then eating water rich foods such like watermelon could help relieve your pain by rehydrating. 

10. Ginger tea

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that could alleviate some of the pain.

Happy Birthday In Heaven Godma

 Today would have been my Godma’s birthday. There are no words that would describe how much I miss her and having her around especially during parties as it has always been her “thing”. No words will ever describe how much I am still filled with regrets about what had happened and how we never made peace before she passed. But that is life. We all make mistakes and we learn from it. It is also something I will deal with for many years but I believe my Godma knows how much I truly do love her. 

Things are good with the family now … mostly.  A few till won’t talk to us because of the incident but it is not like we didn’t try. So be it. We have been spending a lot of time with Granny and taking care of her and making new memories. 

So today, the family, the few of us, got together at my granny’s to celebrate my godma’s birthday, to toast her memory. It was lovely. 

Even though we celebrated my godmother today and her memory, upon returning home, I could not stop thinking about how it could have been if we just got to say “sorry” and “goodbye” to her. But I suppose that there are incidents in life when you have no real control over things that happens around you. Sometimes, in these situations, family members face issues of their own and then life sometimes does not give us time to solve the issues in an orderly fashion. Then we get mad and angry when things don’t go the way we want it to then we lash out at each other. 

When that happens, we have to always remember to calm down and learn to feel strong enough to deal with all of what is happening instead of arguing and fighting with one another. 

It is normal for us to always think our problem is the hardest to cope with but others feel the same way about their problems too. 

I realize more now that everyone is an individual with different ideas and views. The would surely be boring if we all were programmed the same way. I sure do think it is important for families to have open communication and when there are disagreements, it is also important to consider the other party’s views and try to reach a compromise.

Families are individuals forced together through blood, they are not involved by choice but by birth. They have to deal with one another and their differences. Not just that, the family have to also deal with one another’s levels of growth and maturity as well as different goals, wants and needs. 

No matter how different each family member is, every human wants to have choices and freedom, but in order to keep a family together, sometimes we have to forfeit that luxury.  Families must always work together although it often takes arguing, and even maturity before we can see one another’s perspective.

We as individuals are all so diverse and complex, our personalities clash, our opinions differ, our beliefs and morals shape us into the person we are… the same goes with families.

There are 7 billion individuals on this planet, it is natural for us not to get along with others sometimes. Same with families… it’s normal for families to argue ad disagree! Healthy even. Generally, everyone is bound to meet in an argument with someone else at some point. Just never let it drag out too long for you to have regrets the rest of your life.

Juicing Ingredients For Healthy Skin

Do you run off to a beauty product store right after leaving a facial appointment, only to spend big bucks on beauty products that you think would preserve your post-treatment glow?

 

Did you know that problems like acne or dark circles are more than skin deep? Great skin is the effect of what one puts in their body.

 

Yes, no one said we cannot use beauty products. However, we tend to forget all the natural ways of getting healthy skin. A healthy diet does not only keep our body healthy from inside but from the outside too.

 

Here are some ingredients for healthy skin.

 

Cucumber

 

Soothes skin irritations and prevents water retention. It keeps gives skin moisture and reduces puffiness.

 

Carrot

 

It gives your skin a healthy glow. The Vitamin C found in carrots also leaves you with a blemish-free skin.

 

Tomato

 

Tomato juice evens out the skin and helps revive the glow.

 

Celery

 

It prevents dehydration and the folate found in celery helps repair skin damage while keeping our skin in good health.

 

Beetroot

 

Drinking beetroot juice for skin works more than from within. It helps for the surface, too. Beetroot juice helps remove toxins and leaves you with a glowing skin. Oh, and did you know that applying the juice on your face regularly will also kill off dead cells leaving your skin soft.

 

Spinach

 

By drinking spinach juice, or even eating spinach, it helps to clean your skin from the inside out. Because of its antioxidant abilities, spinach is perfect for great skin.

Baz Luhrmann's ELVIS

 The long awaited biopic is finally here and I got to watch it. By the looks of the trailer before it was released, it had some promises of being a good film but I went without high expectations because I have watched dozens of Elvis biopics and left disappointed.

 

An ardent fan of Elvis since I was six, I remember listening to Elvis on my Walkman and falling asleep every night. I had always dreamed of visiting Graceland and that finally happened (4 times to be exact) when I lived in America. But I have been blessed that through the years, I have made great friends through Elvis, whether it is through fan clubs or what not. I am grateful to own rare memorabilia and some footage of unreleased concerts. I am even ore honoured to have had close friendships with people who were close to Elvis but who have also sadly passed. The biggest deal for me being an Elvis fan was when I was asked to assist in the promotion of the Tupelo tourism featuring Elvis. My work was recognized when I had a brick with my name engraved on, placed at the Elvis Fairpark Statue and my name engraved on the Fans Memorial Wall.

So, Elvis holds a very huge place in my heart and in my life. I only wish I wasn’t born 2 years after his passing because it would have been amazing to catch him in concert.

It’s a little daunting to realize Elvis was only a year younger than I am now when he passed. Nevertheless, in my opinion, and I believe many would agree with me, that there will only ever be one Elvis. Also in my opinion, Elvis’ shoes are big ones to fill and so many have tried to impersonate him or to portray him and although I wouldn’t say they failed at it…. they did not meet expectations or they did not have that WOW factor.

 

Think about this… how many singers have really accomplished what Elvis had in such a short span of time? How many singers you know, that when you mention their name and anyone would know who you are talking about? Whether someone is 6 or 99, whatever language they spoke or whatever religion they belonged to, if you mentioned Elvis, I can assure you 80% will know who you are talking about.

 

That theory of mine was proven correct when I sat in the cinema last night with my mother and looked around. There were people who were much younger than I was, people of different races, and who probably spoke different languages…yet, they were all there to watch ELVIS.

 

Anyway, let’s talk about the movie.

 

As I mentioned, I did not have very high expectations as I have been disappointed many times before. However, Baz Luhrmann’s biopic sort of promised he will explore the real life of Elvis, his rise to fame and his undesirable relationship with Colonel Tom Parker.

 

It was amazing how much was put into this 2.5 hours movie, from the very young Elvis, finding his way into Sun Records, to the time Colonel Tom Parker discovering Elvis as well as the demons Elvis faces throughout his life and career and not to mention having to deal with Colonel Tom Parker’s control over him. It also covered Elvis’ army life, marriage, Comeback broadcast, residency in Las Vegas, divorce and death. But the best part about the movie was the stellar soundtrack covering lots of Elvis hits.

 

To be honest, I still cannot find the right words to describe what I felt or still am feeling. Yes, the movie was that powerful! It was heartwarming, funny, sad and there were also moments that could make you so upset.

 

I believe, many Elvis biopics showcased Elvis’ rise to fame but this one in particular somehow showed us what really went on with Colonel Tom Parker.

 

They started the movie with Colonel Tom Parker introducing himself and saying “I didn’t kill Elvis” though the movie implies otherwise. The Colonel went on to say, “I made Elvis.”

 

So is Colonel Tom Parker a bad person? After watching the movie, I am left wondering. I also thought he used Elvis and because of his citizenship status and did not own a passport that he stopped Elvis from touring the world and being bigger than he was. I believe Elvis could have been more if the Colonel wasn’t so selfish. But Colonel Tom Parker was also a very smart and manipulative man.

 

Would be still have enjoy Elvis is not for Colonel Tom Parker and his amazing business ideas? Who knows?

 

I guess he did have a part to play in Elvis’ unhappiness and later part; death.

 

Oh I don’t know. I have been told by some of the people close to Elvis that Colonel Tom Parker was well liked by many and he could brighten up any room. But they won’t deny he was a little dodgy when it comes to money and who took advantage of Elvis. So I guess even people close to Elvis were not too sure what they thought about the Colonel.

 

Going back to the movie and how they portrayed Colonel Tom Parker…

 

Colonel Tom Parker was colourful, controlling and clearly had a huge influence on Elvis since becoming Elvis’ manager in 1955.

 

In my opinion, I think Elvis was partly afraid to lose Colonel Tom Parker because in Elvis’ mind, the Colonel got him to where he was and that if he fired the Colonel that he would mess everything up.

 

I read somewhere years ago that the Colonel did not even like music yet her profited disproportionately from Elvis’ record sales and concerts taking a bigger than normal cut. If I am not mistaken I think he started out at twenty-five percent while the norm, was fifteen percent.

 

And apparently the Colonel had massive gambling debts which got him into trouble in Las Vegas which made him hike his percentage to fifty percent. Then I wonder, how the hell did Elvis agree to that!?

 

Don’t forget that because of the Colonel not having a US passport, Elvis missed out on global tours.

 

In the movie, it showed that Elvis’ long-term deal performing in Las Vegas was because the Colonel had made a deal to keep Elvis there in repayment for all his own debts to be wiped out. But that killed Elvis’ momentum and broke his spirit. He became unhappy, overworked and exhausted. That was heartbreaking to watch.

 

They showed Elvis collapsing from exhaustion and Colonel continuing to push him to perform. It was madness.

 

There was a part where they showed Elvis looking high and strung out and cussing out Colonel Tom Parker on stage. Many would think it was exaggerated or there was no truth in that but I can say I have many clips that were shared with me through the years when Elvis did just that. Can you blame him? I am sure he felt so trapped.

 

Elvis did try to fire, or leave the Colonel on a couple occasions but the Colonel was a smart, manipulative man who used Elvis own words, fears and feelings to control him.

 

Anyway, moving on to the star of the show… AUSTIN BUTLER.

 

OK. Before I get into Austin, I have to say this…

 

Before you see Austin Butler’s portrayal of Elvis, you have to watch other actors who played Elvis in the past, in previous biopics.

 

Actors like Jonathan Rhys-Meyers who wasn’t that bad but not that good, Tyler Hilton, David Keith, Kurt Russell, Don Johnson (how the heck did they cast him?), … just to name a few.

 

Austin Butler earned praises from Presley’s own family so that should tell you something.

 

I am not surprised by how many actors have tried their turn at playing Elvis and donned the Elvis jumpsuit.

 

As I mentioned earlier, Elvis’ shoes are BIG shoes to fill and I can only imagine the task it takes to portray an iconic figure like Elvis in a biopic. Any actor can be given tons and tons of Elvis references from photos to videos but if an actor cannot nail their impersonation or interpretation to the audience who are so familiar with Elvis, then all the magic is lost!

 

Well, you do not have to worry about that when it comes to Austin Butler. He was mesmerizing!

 

He faced a tough challenge and he nailed them all! From getting Elvis’ voice and mannerisms almost close to perfection, to the vocal cords when singing some of the songs and recreating some if Elvis’ dance moves!

 

Austin Butler captured the smoldering physicality of Elvis, as well as the playfulness and vulnerability.

 

Any doubts I had going about whether Austin Butler could fully capture Elvis was evaporated almost instantly. Austin has the moves, the mannerisms, and the voice. He sang about a third of the songs himself, especially the early ones. I did not feel he was trying too hard to impersonate Elvis but inhabiting him.

 

The truth is Elvis’ voice cannot be imitated and this biopic wisely did not try to and instead what they did was genius; remixing the actual Elvis recordings with Austin’s voice, rather than trying to replicate them.

 

I guess it was a bonus that Austin Butler could sing to begin with. As part of his audition, he actually sang his own rendition of Elvis’ Unchained Melody. Oh did I also mention that Austin has been playing the guitar since the age of 13?

 

Truly, Austin brought Elvis back again. I also loved how they had actual footage of concerts together with that of Austin Butler’s performance and at times, even the biggest of fan could be confused as to which was Austin’s portrayal and which was Elvis himself.

 

Well, the chose the right actor for sure and Austin Butler’s efforts put into studying Elvis over a one year period sure did pay off. I am pretty sure Elvis would finally be smiling knowing someone finally did a great job at portraying him.

 

The details in most of the performances were close to perfection. Let me name a few examples;

• The details to the jumpsuits Elvis wore.
• The things that was said on stage in Vegas (funny moments).
• The hilarious Elvis character was also portrayed when Elvis put the mic in his mouth during performance.
• The details of Elvis’ last performance, seated at the piano, singing Unchained Melody. I am talking about even the little details of what was placed on the piano!

The final touches put towards the end just made it perfect. They showed actual footage of Elvis during his Vegas performance, wedding, etc.

 

If you have not seen the movie yet, GO GO GO! You will not be disappointed. This is coming from a lady who always had very high expectations for any Elvis biopics!

 

By the way, I forgot to mention how I loved the bejeweled Warner Brothers logo that was shown at the beginning of the movie. That was so very Elvis like.

I Finally Broke…

 

I can say 17 June 2022, Friday, I finally broke. 

The stress of everything finally caught up with me and during the work day when I was bombarded with a ton, I finally broke. I yelled, screamed, punched my desk repeatedly out of frustrations and even hurting myself and cried. 

My chest was tight and I just felt hopeless. 

I do not believe it was just the stresses from today but stress that was built up over time. Family, work, personal issues… you name it.

My poor mother, she felt helpless as she opened my room door and stood there and kept asking me to take a break. A few minutes later she came in again with a glass of tea for me and hugged me and that was when I cried. I needed to let that out. It did make me feel a little better but not all better. 

I guess I have been taking on more than I can handle and it’s now getting to me because I hate to fail. Work has been piling up, and responsibilities of having to care for everyone else around me and the trauma of events that happened in the past 2 years has taken a toll on me. Please don’t get me wrong, I love my family. I love them to pieces but it is a lot for one to handle. Between both my kids, docs appointments, one after another each month… it’s a lot. 

Then again, I should delegate it out BUT to me it’s more frustrating having to explain where to go, what to do, what time the appointment is, etc….then having to repeat it again because they don’t recall. I’d much rather just handle it myself and be done with it. 

Work is work and I do things as if I am a robot. I know what needs to be done, I know how to do it, and I just go on and get it done because it needs to be done. I have somewhat made it a point to stop office stuff at 6pm although most days it’s almost impossible to complete all my work by then. Anyway, by the time I get done with dinner and spending some time with mum and by the time I actually go back in to my room to try and work on my book or whatever personal stuff I have to do, I am exhausted and I have a writer’s block. Not even that… I just don’t have the mood and energy to do anything else. 

Late last year I was hoping to get at least the first edit of my second book done by June. We are half way through June and I’ve got nothing! Many times I have tried to sit down to work on it but I end up just staring at it and then closing the document. 

I have so many ideas for my third book, fourth book and so on but I just need to find the time and energy. 

Even a journal that I started or my blog has been neglected. 

I am not sleeping well. I am always short tempered. I stress more easily. As much as I am not sleeping well at night, I still feel that all I want to do is sleep and that I have been doing. My weekends are burnt because I waste it on sleep. Then I wake up feeling lousy because I think of all the things I could have accomplished during that nap. It is a vicious cycle. 

The loss of who I thought was my best friend in the past 2 years was a kick in the face, the death of my godmother who I never got to make amends with, the death of friends who were suddenly taken away so soon. But for one particular friend, his death affected me but the thing that affected me most about it was finding out the lies he told which I only learned after his passing. Of course I felt betrayed. 

Hell! I felt betrayed when my so-called best friend turned around and twisted everything making it all my fault that we should not reconnect. 

The one death I still cannot accept or get over and I don’t think I ever will is the death of my dear special friend Matt Moore. Yes, we dated when I was still a teenager. We remained the best of friends all those years. If not for him and his father, I don’t think I would have had the work ethics I have now or would not have been able to carry myself with such poise and class. 

Matt loved his fast cars. He died in one, driving what he loved most. But he was an earth angel that even in death, even though God wanted him, God made sure Matt’s beautiful face was untouched in the wreck. 

He was and will forever be that one only guy I trusted. He was the only one who kept his every promise he made to me even in death. No one, absolutely no one could ever take his place. He took a huge portion of my heart with him. 

Then we have Jason and his family who I had sacrificed so much for and done so much for yet I was played like a fiddle. Because of whom they are (no biggie to be honest), I was always judged saying I am bitter because I didn’t get my way. I was placed in the middle of all the hate. But the point is no one would judge if they were randos (as Amber Heard called Johnny Depp’s witnesses). But I would have been just as disappointed if they were randos and did what they did to me after I gave my all to the family. 

But I am glad I wasn’t afraid of them and I am glad I spoke up. It is because I was strong enough to do that, I had many women approach me to share their stories with me. Some of who had been friends with that toxic family for more than 3 decades! So I was lucky it was only about 10 years for me. 

However, I left and I feel proud I did. It was serving me no good purpose. 

In the beginning, people talked and said they dropped me and that upset me so much. But I have come a pretty long way in 7 months. I don’t let those comments affect me anymore. I laugh and it off and wish those women luck if they ever should cross that family’s path in a way I did. 

Still, the trauma of knowing what I had been through all those 10 years still haunts me and upsets me. 

Then the biggest decision I made during the same time as when I decided to drop the D family was cutting off contact with my own father. To this day, I am still not sure if it’s the right decision but when you hear on 2 occasions your own father have said he does not have a daughter…. What would you do? You know the daughter he abused and called names all through her teenage years and who he stopped supporting right after she left high school …. Yet his ‘unheard of daughter’ was the one who took him in when things went through and he showed up at her doorstep. She picked him up for 8 years and this is what she gets. So yes, maybe in a few years I will realize it was the best decision I have ever made. 

Getting rid of a narcissist who like a typical male Chinese, favoured their sons more. I had enough with the mind games and mental torture. 

Then in recent weeks, I learned of a sudden passing of a dear friend Donna Blake. I have never met her but I got to know her through a fan group. We got along fantastically right from the start and she trusted me and made me her family. She supported me through the ordeal dealing with the D family. We shared so much together, we had planned to meet in Vegas.. She always knew the right things to say. 

In fact, when I found out my mum had heart issues, Donna comforted me and gave me all the advice I needed as she had gone through the same. So her sudden passing not only affected me in a sense I had lost a dear friend but it is giving me anxiety that my mom could end up just like her. Yes, I am afraid to lose my mom. Not now. Not ever. 

As for work, I guess I work the way I do because all my life I always tried hard to prove my worth. Maybe because I felt worthless by the way my father and previous boyfriends had treated me? Or maybe I just wanted to be able to provide for my kids more so than my father ever did for me?

I even made a new friend who has been so supportive and encouraging but I am terrified. I am terrified to trust. I don’t trust anyone anymore. 

I even feel suffocated. I feel I need some space from everyone, even when I am at home. 

So I am in a very bad place in my life right now. I need to let lose, I need to get away maybe on a short vacation or something. I don’t know really. 

No, I don’t have thoughts of suicide (thank god) but I do have thoughts about running away. 

Why am I writing this and sharing with the world my weakness when I have always been seen as a strong lady? Why not? I’ve always said I am very transparent. I also want to show everyone that it is ok not to be strongly all the time. In fact, no one will stay strong all the time. But it is always good to acknowledge it and get help or support. 

No one can guess what you’re going through so speak up, speak out.   

Like many cases of this nature, not even family members realize what you’re going through and some don’t even want to believe….. until it is too late. 

I guess this is my way of crying out for help. I know I have always suffered depression, I just never allowed it to take over me but this time, I feel I am at my breaking point. 

But if this blog post can help someone else going through the same as I am then it would make me feel good that I am reaching out to you to have you seek help. 

A nervous breakdown is not something that anyone wants to go through because it is like a full system shutdown in many ways. It is also usually affiliated with anxiety and depression. A nervous breakdown often occurs when it all feels like too much and it’s exceeding our ability to cope and it drains our mental resources. 

So what are the signs? … Here’s what I feel… 

The first would be UNABLE TO FOCUS. I start to feel like nothing really makes sense and I need a moment to myself but just can’t seem to find one. 

I feel RESTLESS AND UNABLE TO RELAX.  I am always on edge and not able to find peace. Even when I am home, I am not able to let go of the things causing the stress. I feel like they have leeched down into every aspect of my life. 

I also feel like my LIFE IS UNMANAGEABLE. I feel like I have way too much on my plate and it is bringing me down. 

I am not getting much if any SLEEP at all. I cannot seem to be able to relax and wind-down. My thoughts seem to keep me up at night.

I am also very MOODY AND IRRITABLE. I am frustrated in general because everything keeps piling on. Even the smallest thing can drive me up the wall and I become snappy. 

Does it get any worse than what I have mentioned so far? YES!

My STOMACH IS ALWAYS UPSET. I guess stress and stomach issues go hand in hand. 

Then there is my LACK OF MOTIVATION. This drains me physically, mentally and emotionally, even the slightest effort feels like an arduous task. I barely have enough energy to ‘survive’ the situation that’s causing me to stress, let alone focus on other responsibilities.

Not to mention my CONSTANT STATE OF PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION.

Lastly, the FEELINGS OF FEAR AND WORRY overcomes me. My emotions are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. All those fears, doubts, worries that were lurking somewhere in the back of my mind suddenly rise to the surface, seemingly altering my perspective and clouding my judgment.

It’s awful. Really is. I have been getting constant headaches, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and upset stomach. It just doesn’t go away.

That’s the physical part of this… what the mood changes? Don’t even get me started.

I feel anger all the time, emotional numbness even, fear, increased irritability and angry outbursts. Oh don’t forget the mood swings and uncontrollable crying. 

A whole bunch more changes that will frighten the heck out of you just by you reading this but it’s scaring me, too, because I need to get my life back on track again. 

I have low energy, some days I don’t get any sleep and some days all I want to do is just sleep.

But the scariest of them all would be the changes in my thinking. I find difficulty thinking clearly, I worry extra and have racing thoughts. I even have unwanted thoughts that are sometimes scary and anxiety provoking. 

I believe part of the reason for me finally falling apart, aside from all the reasons I spoke about in the beginning, could be the two years of isolation and remote work that have stretched my mental resources to the limit.

And the worst part about it all, most times I have to control myself in front of my mother to prevent her from worrying. 

So this post is my ‘little cry out of help’ and I also want to show the world that even the strongest person can break at times. 

Another Year Older. A New Me.

 

I just turned another year older and as much as I always tell myself that age is just a number. This year the thought of me being only seven years closer to hitting the big 50 is a little daunting. It’s a mad rush to accomplish the goals I’ve set out to do.

 

However, before any of that can happen, I first need to work on some life changes. I need to find more time for myself, I need to start putting myself at the top for a change and I need to take care of me.

 

Once I’ve mastered how to do that, I need to start purging. Purging the unwanted thoughts in my head, purging the negative (things, thoughts and people) in my life and purging all the hurt and hate I’ve built up over the years.

 

So to kick start this process, I figured I’d first “buang sway” on an auspicious day such like my birthday.

 

“Buang” means to throw or discard in Malay, and “suay” means unlucky or unfortunate in Hokkien.

 

So I decided to get a haircut. I wanted to cut my long black hair to show a difference and not just snip off an inch or two.

 

In many cultures, cutting your hair can have different connotations, from acquiring health to wealth, or good luck and everything in between.

 

But as Coco Chanel once wisely uttered, “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” She knew the power of a good haircut and the power she was referring to was confidence and the sharpness of how the new look will feel.

 

When I decided I would cut my hair short, I was nervous. I’ve never really had my hair short. But I knew I had to do it. And so I did.

 

At first, the hairdresser only snipped off a couple inches. I looked at it and it didn’t make much of a difference so I got a bit more confident and had her snip off a few more inches.

 

I actually like it! It sure made the difference I had set out to accomplish in the first place.

 

I feel it has taken away 10 years. I feel so much more refreshed and …. Younger. Ha.

 

So here’s to a new start!

One Year Ago, I Had My Book Published

 

Well, it took me over three years to finish it.

 

It was the first quarter of 2018 when I was asked by my mentor if I wanted to help a celebrity he knew. My role would be to create a 30-days juice cleanse program for this said celebrity. I agreed because ever since I started juice cleansing and had lost over 30 pounds myself, I got to being a real pro at it. I wanted to help others and I had been through my Facebook group but being asked to do this meant a lot.

 

I worked hard and spent over two weeks coming up with over 120 juice recipes and put together a game plan; breathing exercises, how to start, preparation tips, etc.

 

The mission was a success and the said celebrity lost the 30 pounds he had set out to lose.

 

I felt accomplished at that and I wanted to help more people. I could through my Facebook group but I wanted to do something more. I wanted to have something solid. I wanted to have something that could be a reference from people from all over the world should they want to try juice cleansing. I wanted to put all my knowledge into a book and have it published!

 

I have always loved writing since I was a child. I remember I used to write Beauty and the Beast fan fictions at the tender age of about ten. I wish I had kept that journal! I write lots of blog posts about anything and everything. However, I never thought I would want to write and publish a book, one day, and that book would be something that could help others in their journey to health and wellness.

 

At the end of 2018, I started putting things together. It was more like notes of ideas, and information slapped together in a notepad. I think I reached about 40 pages of scribbles of ideas and noted when I bowed out because life got a little busy and stressful and thus distracted and I lost focus.

 

Finally, at the start of 2021, after watching a dear friend publish her first book, it inspired me to get off my butt and to continue working on my dream.

 

I put together everything I had and I finally completed the first draft of a health and wellness book, although I had struggled with for years, I had just fallen in love with it.

 

That alone was a BIG achievement! The accomplishment was the fact I sat down and wrote and put together a book. I know most of us who write forget that accomplishment isn't the validation, awards or the money. The accomplishment is the final completed book!

 

The big accomplishment for me is to be able to say, I devoted hours and energy to this and turning my dream into a reality. Something that only existed in my mind or day dreams is now on a computer and on print to be looked through for a final edit!

 

I did it! I turned the nothing into something that that feels damn wonderful!

 

May the second, twenty-twenty-one, my first book was officially published!

 

I haven’t achieved everything I ever dreamed of (yet), but I finished a book for the first time. That’s worth celebrating.

 

A year later, my book is placed at different library branches around Singapore. And guess what? I am working on my second book!

 

Many people don't write a book because it's extremely difficult. I had to force myself to sit down, brainstorm, write, edit, rewrite, edit, cut, add, rewrite, and rewrite some more until I had somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 words is grueling work. Most can't do it and when you're one of the few who can, it really makes you feel good about yourself—an important quality in a true warrior.

 

All the effort and time put into writing a chapter can all go for nothing if it doesn't mesh just right in with the rest of your book. It doesn’t matter if it's your part: If it's not right for your book then it's not right for your book and has to be cut. Deleting your writing, especially words you've sacrificed so much to create, can be incredibly painful but you do it in spite of the pain because, deep down, you know your book will be better off for it.

 

What were my rewards of being a published author?

 

First of all, it was the sense of accomplishment. There's nothing in the world quite like seeing my goal of getting my book published being made into reality. And to hold that book in my hands for the first time, I felt all the energy and time, my struggle to find the right material was all worth it!

 

I believe I have every right to be proud of myself. I am officially a published author with a message to share.

 

What was more exciting was the fact I finally get the chance to share my message with others. It proves my commitment to something that I care strongly about and it to get across so I can help others and raise awareness about their health. Sharing my message with the world and being to help others with my knowledge is a very unique reward.

 

By publishing this 'advice book' or 'self-help' book, I have immediately gained more professional recognition and credibility. As a published author, I have become more visible and with that increased credibility, more professional opportunities have become available to me.

 

I have learned that writing a book and publishing a book are two very different accomplishments.

 

Writing provided me with a great personal satisfaction. However, it’s when I shared my knowledge with others that my work took on a new life.

 

So what truly motivated me to take the big leap into publishing?

 

I wanted to show myself I could do it and I loved the idea of even a few people successfully turning their lives around and getting healthy after reading my book. Oh yeh! And I really wanted to walk into a bookstore or a library to see my book on the shelf!

 

I believe that accomplishing a dream is rare and awesome.

 

Many people try to write a book but only a few ever succeed. Whether it's because they didn't put it in time, make the difficult sacrifices or were too scared they weren't good enough, they never did what was needed to be done to make their goal a reality. 

 

Anytime you've worked hard to accomplish a difficult-to-achieve dream, you are, without a doubt, a badass and no one can ever take that away from you.

 

I owe it all to Ed and especially my mother who had always been my number one fan. My mum has always believed in me and without that love and believes; I would not have accomplished this dream.

 

Thank you all who had purchased a copy of my book and I hope you're just as excited to read my second book as you were for my first.