Vanitah + Christine + Derrick
Vanitah
So my non existent new year excitement has finally died down and now I have to think and plan for what I want to see and achieve in the coming twelve months. With the mentality that I Will only Reap What I sow. I decided to jot down some of my resolutions for the new year (some these are totally new to me while others I adapted to in the midst of the previous year and I thought I should keep them).
– Going to bed on time. My insomnia tends to get the best of me but if I can manage to get more than 5 hours of sleep that could be helpful especially with my crazy schedule.
-Drinking more water. I tend to forget this at times and when I do remember, I prefer drinking hot water to cold water. Plus I know my hair and skin Will Definitely Thank me for it.
– Praying more. To me this is more like having a conversation with God where i thank for his abundant love. I talk about my feelings and plans as well as ask for guidance.
– Working out 🏋️♀️ I think it’s about time me and the gym work on this off and on relationship we have.
– Eating more fruits 🍉🍓🍇🍌🥭🥑and vegetables 🌶 🥗🥦🥕. I love my fruits and veggies but at times I forget to eat them as often as I should. I feel like my once a day is not enough so I will definitely have to do better.
– Travel…I have a few countries that i would love to see on my bucket list and i believe it wouldn’t hurt to knock one or two of them off of that list this year🤷🏾♀️.
– Be kinder to myself. I tend to be more sympathetic and understanding towards others but too hypercritical towards myself. Like I will give someone the benefit of the doubt if something goes wrong but when it comes to me I will be like I should have done more to prevent that from happening. This year I choose to believe in myself, respect myself and treat me well with all the kindness I can muster because I can’t control how kind other people are to me but can sure as hell control how kind I am to me.
– Read more. I love reading novels so I definitely wouldn’t mind cheating on my phone and tv with a good book or two.
– Saving…With the online shopping and the fuzzy feeling of money literally burning holes in our wallet (the itch to spend every penny), the saving culture can be one of those difficult things to adapt but once taken upon, you never regret.
– Telling my loved ones what they really mean to me. We never know when it can be the last time we are seeing or talking to certain individuals because life works and evolves in mysterious ways. I get that i tend to be absorbed and busy with my own endeavors and tasks but I know that this should not stop me from letting people know that I love and care about them. After all actions speak louder than words. So i hope i get better in 2019.
Christine
Well this beautiful blog (I hope you find it beautiful) was borne in the amazing mind of Vanitah. It’s now the three of us, me and Derrick included. Initially, it was to be a guide to melanin hair kind of thing, until we realized, being a person of color is more than just hair. Being Africans by decent, Ugandans to be specific, we have so much more to share about our traditions, culture, interests and just generally things we care about. We know this platform is just the place and we are excited to embark on this amazing journey.
So my resolutions this year:
-Remember to cut myself some slack. I am only human after all.
-Love myself first. I know this sounds like an anthem but when you’re at a point of utmost self love, you love everyone and everything better and most of all you’re happy.
-Which brings me to the third. I am going to choose to be happy regardless and see the good in all situations. Yes, happiness actually is a choice and is one that I am putting above all else this year.
-Face all situations head on. I used to have a tendency of sweeping things under the rug…well no more. I am going to wear my big girl pants and face the good and the bad and hopefully learn and grow from it. I believe this is what we’re created for: to grow and learn.
-Make a difference however small in my community. Whether it means giving to the needy on the streets or committing to a charity, I would like to bless someone the way I’ve been blessed and give them a reason to live. Even if it’s just for a day, I want to bring a smile on their face.
-Lose the weight I earnestly gained the past year. This I have started diligently already. I have learnt consistency is key. 1 day of cardio a week does not erase the 7 days of junk (I’ve learned the hard way).
-Read at least one non-fiction book a month. Again, learning is the best way to grow.
-Do everything like as if it’s the only thing I can do well at that moment. I hope this helps me commit and do things better and with more passion.
– Read my bible and pray everyday. I am a Christian in faith and deed and I choose this path daily because I’ve come through my most trying and beautiful life moments as a result of believing in something bigger than myself. To me, being Christian is a lifestyle of humility, empathy, charity, love and most of all service above self. This is the basis of all that I am and growing to be.
Derrick
Seated in my favorite a bar alone on the first Friday night of the year I decided to finish my write up for the first blog on Afrococktail. It’s so weird I’m alone in this somewhat crowded place but I’m so happy. This year 2019 is definitely going to be a good year. Like I’ve just been texting a friend of mine, it’s all about good vibes! I’m so excited for this journey with my close friends Vanitah + Christine on this blog. It’s going to be a crazy ride, you’ll need to hold on! Before I start on stating my New Year’s Resolutions, I know you’re all asking yourselves why I’m alone in my favorite bar. I’m not a loner. It just so happened that one of my best friends stood me up. Anyway for my New Year’s resolutions, I will share with you only a few because I’m one of those people with soooo many. And yes! I will be surely ticking them off one by one this year, I said.
– I want to enjoy life more! I’m one of those people who always wish for the perfect moment and at times I get to miss what’s right infront of me because I have a better way it could have happened in my mind. For example if this was 2018, I would have left this bar like 10 minutes after entering and being alone but I realized that the music is great, the drinks are cold AF and the crowd is beautiful. Plus I’m having me-time. Sounds chilled, right?!
– I want to share more about my life. With this 2019, I get to have two blogs running at the same time. Which means an extra story of my life everytime I Post. I feel that with sharing what we are going through we reach out to many people in the same experience. Well we also entertain, I hope hahaha.
– I want to love more and say it out loud more. Many times we don’t even tell our mums we love them let alone our friends. We need to share our feelings more. It doesn’t take anything away form us so what the hell!!!!
– I also want to be extremely productive. I recently started working at my first job at the age of 23 and damn, works hard but weirdly fulfilling, ON PAYDAY. Haha
Anyway long blog post cut short! I’m excited to have you on this blog. It’s going to be amazing considering I’ve co-blogged with both Christine and Vanitah on my blog at the posts are both a hit! Let’s do this!!!
AfroCocktail 