LINDA O BELLA: Lifestyle

Insta Inspo : Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.

Lifestyle : How Well Do You Spend Your Time? How You Spend Your Time Is How You Spend Your Life.

I have learned that Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. Sometimes it baffles me when I look around me and see people waste precious time on things that don't matter, on things that won't serve them well but I feel people will learn the true meaning of life in their own time and in their own way.

Virtual Lifestyle: 'I’ve Always Had Fun With Fashion And A Strong Sense Of My Own Personal Style' Exclusive Interview With Virtual Fashion Designer - MINNOW. [Women Empowerment Issue]

Recap:

I recently went back to hosting some of my virtual shows which I started back in 2010, It is an online version of my Magazine (OTSM) the only difference is I interview the amazing personalities that help beautify the VU community such as (Developers, 3D Meshers, Models, Graphics And Creative Designers etc).

Every once in a while I will be sharing a glimpse of my virtual interviews with some amazing and talented individuals I have been blessed to meet via the virtual website "VU". I was happy to read emails from you guys telling me how you enjoyed the last interview with a previous guest on my OTS show last year "YALLA".

[Image Edited By - Viviraa]

Lifestyle: How To Kick Start Your Day Right.

Lately, it is becoming a daily struggle for many to get out of bed and start the day, the energy in the world is enough to leave you feeling drained and lethargic. The way we start our day can strongly influence how the rest of the day goes. In this short post, I will be sharing a few ways to kickstart your day. When you feel groggy in the morning, don’t rush to get out of bed. Open the windows, take a second to sit in silence, be grateful to the universe and God for the grace to see a brand new day, and observe your surroundings. Don’t reach for your phone to check emails or social media. Keep electronics in another room or on flight mode and get an alarm clock to wake you up instead. Take care of your own well-being first. The world can wait trust me.

Wake Up Early :

Many of us wake up feeling groggy and grumpy lol, Avoiding the temptation of going back to sleep only to end up- waking up even groggier than before-is something we all should make more effort in doing. The best way is to wake up early and give yourself enough time to help you feel more in control of your time and day rather than rushing around feeling pressed for time. I personally love my sleep but giving yourself a little extra time and start your day in a relaxed and positive way really sets the tone for the day. Lastly, When you get up - Make Your Bed!! It does something to the mind and body seeing a well made/clean bed.

Meditate:

Meditation activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which leaves you with a deep sense of relaxation. That means that even if you only got six hours of sleep last night, the energy-inducing endorphins brought on by meditation can give you the boost you need to take on the day. Meditation is a really simple and effective way to start your day well. If you haven’t meditated before, just carve out five to ten minutes from your day and sit quietly. Some people leave their eyes open. I prefer closing mine to shut out distractions and enjoy the present. There are a lot of amazing guided meditation videos on YouTube, find the one that best suits you.

Have a Good Breakfast

A good breakfast is always a great way to start your day. Breakfast is called the most important meal of the day and for good reason; it provides the energy we need to start the day and also provides us with essential vitamins and minerals. The more fruits and vegetables an individual eats in a day, the happier, more creative, and more engaged they tend to be. Know that if you eat little to no breakfast, you’ll be hungry all morning and it’s difficult to concentrate when you’re not feeling at your best.

Exercise

We all know that exercise is good for you, whether you work out at work or during personal hours. Exercise increases the production of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that decrease the risk of depression and improve your mood and long-term memory, respectively. Exercising in the morning forces you to wake up earlier, gives you a totally natural mood-booster, and increases your energy. Find time to work out even if it's only for 30Mins, you will not regret it.

Stay Happy

Do something that makes you happy, We do better at work when we’re happy in our personal lives. Remind yourself of your goals Let's face it: No matter how much you love your job, there are days where it's going to feel like you're just slogging through. That's okay, as long as you don't let the bad days slow you down, Fill your mind with positive thoughts, think of that thing you could do when you are home that brings smiles to your face, even if it's watching your favourite movie 100times as long as you are happy, people around you will be.

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If you have found this post somewhat helpful or interesting, Feel free to share it with someone you know. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram Here

Lifestyle: What This World Needs Is More People Spreading Love And Not Hate. #SayNoToRacism

I am sure many of you are aware of the ongoing situation in the world today and no I am not talking about COVID, I am talking about the ongoing "Racial Discrimination" and people thinking this race is better than that race, Newsflash people there is only One Race and that's the "Human Race". This whole racial discrimination topic is always a very sensitive one for me because I have personally experienced it first hand so I can relate ( Imagine going to an organisation for help and you are told- We don't normally help women your type, and I thought she meant single mothers like myself, but Lo and Behold I was corrected when she said No - Your ethnicity, Black Women) because I was in dire need of help I did not grumble or complain I took every insult that came my way. I have also experienced such treatment from my fellow ethnic group so this post is not about what ethnicity is better than the other, it's about respect for eachother and spreading love instead of hate.

Fastwording on to 21st century I did not let my past experiences turn me bitter against any ethnicity in fact, every experience I have been through made me stronger, It made me want to spread more love than hate, It made me want to do more if I can and that's what happens when you are able to forgive and free your heart and mind of hate.

At a time when it's evident that change is necessary to address the racial injustice that currently prevails in the world today, we have to constantly fill our minds with empowering and positive things.

That is why we all have to commit ourselves to be actively anti-racist in our attitudes and our behaviours. Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world even with a simple act like spreading awareness.

We all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance, narrowness, and selfishness, Instead, we should look forward to the time when the power to love will replace the love of power. Only then will our world know the blessings of peace. The issue with our world today is that people are blinded by their skin tone, the shell, the surface, the outlook that they forget to look inward and see we are all the same, we all bleed red, have the same skeletal colour, in the end, we all end up the same way, no one gets out of this world "Alive". It really upset me when I started seeing posts lately that featured attacks on the "Asian Community" blaming them for the Virus? Discriminating them for the way they Look? Don't even get me started on the words and sort of languages used on them, that really goes to show that this world needs deep cleansing and healing. The virus today is "Hate", once people can stand up against Racism and spreading hateful vibes and negativity, this world will slowly begin to heal.

During times of Major crises, people’s concern for personal safety increases and we tend to experience heightened anxiety. One effect of this heightened anxiety is that it can intensify bias and discrimination. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis many individuals, particularly those from East Asian backgrounds, they experienced more of racism and xenophobia. East Asian individuals have been unfairly targeted for discrimination and it really saddens me, this issue seems to be getting worse around the world now, On social media, I have seen gruesome videos showing the elderly Asians get pushed and shoved, This is not about whose community deserves more attention than the other as that is what I have observed lately, this post is about telling each and every one of you that all our lives matter, no one deserves to be treated poorly, No one should have the right to take another human's life if you can't create one.

According to "ADAA.ORG" - Historical and present contexts place individuals from East Asian backgrounds at greater risk of discrimination. Presently, Asian individuals have been unfairly targeted by being accused of having COVID-19 when expressing normal, non-illness related coughing or sneezing and when demonstrating symptoms of a common cold or seasonal flu. In addition, East Asian individuals have been more likely to experience negative consequences of showing symptoms, such as “victim-blaming” and accusing the culture as the reason for the disease, experiencing racialized violence when showing symptoms, such as slurs or glares, and being removed from public spaces (e.g., asking them to leave classrooms, workplaces).

I would ask each and everyone one of you reading this to take a moment, take a step back and really Look- See what is going on in the world, researched healthily trust me it's easy to get drawn in and overwhelmed while reading and watching any triggering video. I know I can't single-handedly change the world but if by putting this out there it somehow educates someone, then that is enough for me.

Remember we are all spiritual beings having a human experience, let's learn to spread more love and affection, Kindness is free so be generous with it, be kind with your words as you do not know what battle the next person is fighting.

Sending you all brightest blessings and good vibes always.

Lifestyle: Ways To Stay Positive And Motivated Daily.

Being positive means you are choosing to see the bright and beautiful side of things. It means that you can recognize that struggle and pain are not the only things out there, even if they are the only things you can see at the time, It means you are trying to do all within your power/abilities to rise above all negativity.

Lifestyle: Never Stop Believing In The Beauty Of Your Dreams.

We live in a world where people are quick to let go of their dreams and aspiration either because someone did not believe in them enough or they saw someone doing better than them and they gave up. We live in dark times right now, the world is filled with naysayers, negative people, toxic energy, energy vampires, and Ill-Wishers who enjoy seeing others suffering and struggling- believe me I have come across people like this so I know exactly what I am talking about.

Lifestyle: Are You Doing What Makes You Happy and Feel Good Inside Out?

It has been a while since I blogged, I had to take a break from social media for a little bit to detox, once in a while I always recommend a detox from social media and apps because it can become overwhelming and distract you from what is important. Today I want to quickly discuss the importance of doing what makes you "Happy", this is something most of us take for granted, we often leave ourselves and feelings behind while doing everything for everyone else and we forget that to make others happy = we have to be happy.

I like to brew a good relaxing tea to start with like "Chamomile" tea, It promotes good sleep trust me, Chamomile tea relaxes nerves and soothes the nervous system, therefore helping you sleep better. It lacks the addition of caffeine and is best consumed before sleeping, but as an added benefit, it also reduces stress, boosts immunity, reduces muscle pain and spasm, gives you clear skin.

Detox Your Skin and Body :

Detoxification is about resting, cleansing and nourishing the body from the inside out. By removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxifying can help protect you from disease and renew your ability to maintain optimum health through a range of methods including yoga, meditation and more.

It also gives you a glow up, detox helps you radiate a wonderful energy through your skin and aura. It's not easy but start from somewhere, remember you are what you eat too.

Even while trying to detox and cleanse, staying happy is very important, if you do all these and you are still bitter inside then it doesn't work, Lately a lot has happened in the world that can easily get you down, but know that there is a reason for everything that happens.

Ways to stay happy even during these tough and hard times:

1) Be with others who make you smile. we are happiest when we are around those who are also happy. Stick with those who are joyful and let it rub off on you, avoid negative people with negative attitude, sometimes when people see others happy they do their best to dampen your spirit, so if you know anyone like this, stay clear of them.

2) Accept the good. Look at your life and take stock of what’s working, and don’t push away something just because it isn’t perfect. When good things happen, even the very little ones, let them in and be grateful, when we put out good vibes into the world and universe ,good things come back to us, sometimes many of us don't notice it but it comes back, but if you put out negativity , negative things happen around us.

3)Do things you love. Maybe you can’t skydive every day or take vacations especially due to this pandemic, but as long as you get to do the things you love every once in a while, you will find greater happiness.

4) Push yourself, not others. It’s easy to feel that someone else is responsible for your fulfillment, but the reality is that it is really your charge. Once you realize that, you have the power to get where you want to go. Stop blaming others or the world, and you’ll find your answers much sooner.

5)Be open to change. Even if it doesn’t feel good, change is the one thing you can count on. Change will happen, so make contingency plans and emotionally shore yourself up for the experience.

6) Bask in the simple pleasures. Those who love you, treasured memories, silly jokes, warm days, and starry nights—these are the ties that bind and the gifts that keep on giving, sometimes sit up at night and talk about funny memories and experiences, believe me this will help you forget or push aside those sad thoughts that tend to creep in every now and again.

I hope these few tips have been helpful in some way, send me an email with tips on any topic you would like me to write about. Have a blessed day.

Interior Decorating : DIY Projects Can Be Very Therapeutic.

DIY - BEFORE MEETS AFTER 🎨.

I love taking time off social media often especially to detox and spend my time doing things that make me feel good like "Creativity". As we all try to adjust to our new normal we must not forget to take time out to recuperate, we must never let the negativity of the world stop us from doing the things we love.

Creativity doesn't wait for that perfect moment, everything you can imagine is real so 'Stay Creative".✂️

So two weeks ago I found a cupboard I put aside in my storage, I remember doing so because it was too plain and you all know I am a human magpie, I decided to dazzle it up with some acrylic decors I had and here is the result below.

I had to get rid of those silver knobs first and wanted something different and bespoke.

Then I fetched my acrylic designs and added to the doors, I also changed the knobs.

And below is the final result, the main purpose for this post is to tell you not to think you can't surround yourself or your home with beautiful things, whatever you can imagine in this life can become a reality (Visualisation is Realisation), so get out those forgotten DIY projects/tools and do something with them today - trust me you will feel good about yourself.

Beauty and Lifestyle : A Few Things I Do Daily To Help Me Stay Sane During This Period.

With everything going on right now in the world, it can be very challenging to keep up with your normal daily routine, I know I do struggle from time to time especially with being a mom and having to always improve my brand/platform every day, but we have to try to invest in ourselves and never forget to put ourself and happiness first, If you are happy, the people around you will be happy.

Today's post is about the few things I do to try to maintain a normal and healthy lifestyle daily.

Start Your Day With A Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” – and it’s true, we have fasted overnight while sleeping, so skipping breakfast will just add to this fasting period. Missing your morning meal has been found to disrupt blood glucose balance, consequently affecting energy levels and concentration.

If you leave home without breakfast this means your body would have to play "Catch me if you can" all day long, because it's trying to make up for not eating in the morning, so you won’t be feeling your best, leading to poor overall function. Eating a good breakfast on a regular basis leads to improved mood, better memory and good hormonal balance. The consumption of a healthy daily breakfast has also been found to boost the metabolic rate and consequently lead to efficient weight loss, as well as help to maintain a healthy weight.

An Hour A Day Work - Out:

Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. Exercising regularly decreases a person's risk of developing certain diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise can help a person age well. This may not seem important now, but your body will thank you later. Exercise has been proven to provide a mood booster, as it releases chemicals into your brain that help you feel happier and can ease the effects of depression, ADHD, and anxiety. It can also allow you to sleep better at night, which is important to maintaining an overall good mood.

Set Up A Motivational Work Space In Your Home And Sit There Few Hours A Day:

Use a simple desk, your dressing table, your dining table or even your coffee table. You need to create a positive space that would tempt you into sitting there almost all day without feeling down or depressed. I would like to discourage you from sitting in bed or slouching about, you want to feel like a powerful Boss Queen Or King. You need to create a workspace that feels and looks beautiful but also functional. In a recent post, I mentioned my love for crystals and how certain crystals help you stay focused, I like adding crystals to my home office table that help me stay focused while studying.

Meditation Is Key:
I know a lot of people enjoy Meditation, but after doing further research I realised that some people don't enjoy it, Some feel it's too long a process, some actually find it boring.
Here is what I think- At first when I started meditating I hated it. It took so long to finish, listening to the Guided Meditation got so boring I Stopped and tried other things. I then returned to the basic things I do like, Playing with my Crystals, Burning sage to get rid of negative energy around my surrounding and myself, I enjoy using my Cards and Dices but I still felt drawn to the idea of mastering the Act of Meditation, I tried it again and slowly started liking it, or maybe I liked the voice of the speaker in the Guided Meditation, It was so soothing he put me to sleep so quickly, Since then I have not stopped Meditating. Another good thing about it is this- there’s research suggesting that the practice of meditation may reduce:
Anxiety (Y'all can see I made it bold, this is something many of us struggle with daily especially during this period of Isolation).
Depression
Blood pressure
Insomnia

In a nutshell, it has many Mental and Physical Health Benefit, these are dark times and so much is going on in the world today, what better time to start than now?

Practice Daily meditation because the practice of staying present and mindful for a limited period of time can have numerous benefits for our mental and physical health, When we meditate, we can enhance our focus and decision-making and lessen our feelings of fear and stress.

I do hope this post has been helpful in some way please share and leave a comment below, and stay tuned for more posts coming soon.

Linda O Bella

Lifestyle : Self-Isolation Or Self-Re Evaluation!

Hi, Lovelies,

I am just checking in on everyone, I hope you are all holding on and going strong, I want you to know that you are doing the best you can right now, don't forget to have fun and use this time wisely, don't just see this as "Self-Isolation" see it as "Self-Re-Evaluation".

Self-reevaluation is one of the ten processes of change in the transtheoretical model and involves cognitive reappraisal of how behaviour change is part of one’s identity. Although self-reevaluation is a critical motivator for individuals in the contemplation stage of change

We need to use this period to Re-Evaluate ourselves, this is the time to re-connect with who we truly are, It is also a time to rebrand and take time out to improve ourselves. If you have a platform, for example [Blog, Podcast, Vlog, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook] this is the time to work on what kind of platform you want your audience to see.

Firstly Raise your Consciousness:
Consciousness-raising is the process of actively becoming more aware, mindful or conscious of the current situation, Self-reevaluation flows naturally from consciousness-raising. Self-reevaluation means taking stock or appraisal of the behaviour that needs to be changed, and reveals how your values conflict with the problem behaviours.

I am a huge lover of interior decor and design, I also love photography and all things beautiful, I am using this period to study and brush up on my skills as a digital content creator, I want people to be entertained when they visit my platform, that is why I am using this period to re-brand myself and my style.

Social Media Detox:
I love to take time off social media every now and again to detox and study, to also think of ways to improve myself, Social media will always be there so why would I need to spend every minute of my life on it.
It was discovered that most people who use social media end up comparing themselves to the lives of everyone they know. The problem with this is that it can have a serious impact on your self-esteem.
Even if you aren’t aware of it, social media brings out your competitive side. This is because the main basis of social media networks such as Facebook is to attract attention to your posts. Each reaction and comment is a measure of how popular a particular post is, which can make you strive to outdo others and even yourself.

Studies have shown that the more time you spend on a social media site, the more likely you are to develop depression. Additionally, the amount of time you spend on these sites is directly related to whether or not you feel stressed out or happy.
In other words, if you’ve been feeling highly anxious, stressed out or depressed, this is a good time to take a social media detox. It may feel weird at first, but your overall mood should begin to improve as you stay away from Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites for a little while.

Focus Your Energy On Important Things Like Your Health

I know we are told to go out once a day to exercise, but there are still other workouts one can do indoors to improve ourselves, get off that couch and move, it is easy to relax and let ourselves go but one must ask ourselves the bigger question- What would life be like after this is over? How do you foresee your Mental and Physical Health?. I am not perfect myself that is why I am sharing these tips with you also, to encourage you to never give up or assume this is the end of life as we know it, in fact, this is the time to do the things that make you happy and feel good.

Please leave your comments below, let me know your thoughts.

There is no way one can blog a post these days without acknowledging the fact the world is not what it use to be, everything is changing every day, and people are having to find ways to cope and stay sane, and I have been doing more breathwork and meditations lately to keep myself calm and grounded.

Lifestyle Tips : Things I Do To Keep My Self Mentally And Spiritually Balanced During These Dark Times.

Meditation
I know a lot of people enjoy Meditation, but after doing further research I realized that some people don't enjoy it, Some feel it's too long a process, and some actually find it boring.
Here is what I think- At first when I started meditating I hated it. It took so long to finish, listening to the Guided Meditation got so boring I Stopped and tried other things. I then returned to the basic things I do like, Playing with my Crystals, Burning sage to get rid of negative energy around my surroundings and myself, I enjoy using my Cards and Dice but I still felt drawn to the idea of mastering the Act of Meditation, I tried it again and slowly started liking it, or maybe I liked the voice of the speaker in the Guided Meditation, It was so soothing he put me to sleep so quickly, Since then I have not stopped Meditating. Another good thing about it is this- there’s research suggesting that the practice of meditation may reduce:

I am Still Gushing over my Gold Mirror From Mirror World UK, It fits so well with my Decor and Living Space, I would advise you to please take advantage of a 10% discount of all their mirrors bespoke or ready-made by either quoting reference QT10FF at the checkout if ordering via the website at www.mirrorworld.co.uk or call the sales team on 0333 800 8181.

Look In The Mirror- What do you see? :

Now I do not mean this in a Vain way, I mean really Look into the Mirror, See a Perfect and Beautiful Human Being standing there, never be anyone's version of what it should be, be your own kind of Unique, Many of us go through life trying to please people, always trying to get other peoples Opinion, but let me tell you this, Never let anyone one make you feel inferior about yourself without your consent, Every Morning I smile into the Mirror, Do this every morning and you will start to see a big difference in your life, There are two ways to spread light and happiness in the world, "Be the Candle or Be the Mirror That Reflects it.

If you recall in my last post, I expressed how important it is to take quality pictures for your blog or platform, For Those Who Missed The Post Check It Out Here

LINDA O BELLA