Kin.Raz - Hope Studios

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2'; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); We are Asyikin & Razzalie, the founders of Kin.Raz - Hope Studios. We have experienced what it was like to have lost faith and hope ​and what it's like to have found them all over again. ​All of you have challenges in your lives and we hope through our journey, we can inspire you to keep moving forward and stay hopeful always, ​in spite of your challenges, as you embark on your own journey towards your dreams.

[kinrazhopestudios]

Feeling Defeated? 💜

By Asyikin.

Assalamu'alaikum everyone. 💜

Today I wanna share some personal motivational tips which I've been practising.

Maybe these will be useful and help you as well!

Have you experienced or are you currently experiencing a time when you just want to give up?

Yes you just want to give up, and you find it so hard to be motivated?

If you are experiencing this at the moment or have been experiencing this for quite sometime, do watch this video because I'm going to share some things that you can do that may help you get moving, inshaAllah!

Ok, so life sometimes doesn't work out as what we plan.

There are situations in our lives which we cannot control and these make us feeling angry and disappointed.

There are also times when we start a journey, we want to make big changes in our lives, to make things better, but in the end, we end up failing again, and these make us even more miserable.

So during those difficult times, it can be really hard to even function.

Some of us just keep crying thinking about the problems.

Some just stay in bed and not do anything, you're like numb, don't know what to do with the problems.

There are many other ways different people tend to do during those difficult times.

When you find it's difficult to function, of course it is more difficult to be motivated and to push forward in your lives!

It's easier to just give up and hide away, yes?

Those times you think you have failed, the feeling is very painful, but believe that there will be great life lessons that you will get if you just push through the pain.

A few years back, it was a tough ride for me and my husband.

That time I was still working. Even though my pay was high, it wasn't enough as we had monthly bills to pay.

My husband lost his job because he became ill and was not well to get a job.

So I was feeling very stuck.

My work from morning till evening was already energy consuming.

I was thinking twice to take up another job.

Even though it waz just the two of us then, we didn't have enough money to buy food for ourselves.

That time I only know how to buy frozen chicken wing to cook, so in that packet, I will count exactly how many.

Then, when I cook, I will count how many each of us can eat, and for how long it can last us because we didn't have enough to buy some more.

There were times when we couldn't afford chicken, so we just stick to fried rice or Jemput-Jemput (fritters) since flour makes us full. So during those times, I felt very stuck and helpless.

Along the way, I learnt some ways to bring myself up again, which I'm going to share.

Today I want to share 3 ways that helped myself to find a way to stay motivated to push forward despite wanting to give up.

💜 First, focus on the things that you're grateful for in life.

This is called attitude of gratitude. When you focus on what you’re grateful for, it’s actually hard to be focused on the negative.

You will surely realise that you are actually blessed with many things in life.

In that moment when you are angry, or feeling too sad, that's when you should start listing off three to five things you are grateful for in your life.

For example, Alhamdulillah, I'm alive, I can breathe with ease.

Alhamdulillah I can walk without feeling pain.

Alhamdulillah for my eyes, I can see my daughter's face.

Something like this.

So, let the gratitude of all these replace your other emotions. If you have not tried it, do give it a try.

💜 Secondly, I learn to always celebrate small wins, no matter how small they are.

Small things like you bathing your child, make her smells nice and wearing lovely clothes, feed her food. And that is your small win!

Tell yourself, you're awesome! Pat yourself on the back.

Sometimes I forgot that I've actually accomplished many things for that day.

Yes, sometimes you will feel so tired, but learn to be aware and keep track of the things you have done, and celebrate those wins.

Because by doing so, it will give us a feeling of achievement and pride!

And this will make us continue moving forward step by step, inshaAllah.

Alright, so remember to celebrate your small wins!

💜 Lastly, is to stop punishing yourself for small things that go wrong.

When we want to achieve something, of course we will face challenges and failures, that's part of the journey.

Instead of focusing on the mistakes, we learn from them.

Learn to forgive yourself when you fall, then pick yourself up again and keep moving forward.

This is very important. So don't punish yourself, learn from the mistake and move forward.

Ok so those are the 3 ways that I learnt along the way, that helped me pick myself up again and to try again and again to keep moving forward always.

I hope this sharing has been useful for you.

To those of you facing lots of problem at the moment, I wanna tell u that you are awesome.

And I pray that Allah will give you the strength to continue moving forward towards your success. 💜

📖 Recommended reading:

[kinrazhopestudios]

Effective Treatments Won't Matter If This One Huge Barrier Still Exists

By Razzalie.

According to healthhub Singapore and IMH, about one in 6 people in Singapore suffer from mental illness.

You know what that means?

That actually means that someone you know, probably someone close, may be suffering from a mental illness.

For those suffering from mental illness, it takes a lot of courage to acknowledge that they are struggling.

It takes even much greater strength to be willing to seek help.

With advancement in technology, we are actually able to be connected with one another easily. But people with mental illness live in isolation. Feeling alone in a seemingly well connected world. You know what the problem is? The problem isn't about not wanting to be connected.

The major problem is stigma.

Ok, maybe some people will think that the term stigma is so overused. But that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

The truth is that stigma of mental illness still exists and people like me are battling with it every day. Not only do we have to battle with our illnesses, we actually live in an environment of shame and fear that arises because of stigma.

That's why people with mental illnesses are seen as violent, dangerous, and even hopeless or a liability.

Mental illness is an illness. It's a real illness.

The thing is, many people don't understand that it is in fact a real illness. It's an illness that affects the brain, just like asthma is an illness that affects the lung. Just like asthma is a real illness, so is a mental illness.

And just like any real illnesses, there is hope of recovery, Insha Allah.

There are lots of effective treatments out there. I know. I've gone through them. From medications, to therapy, to natural healing methods, these are effective in helping people with mental illness to live their best lives.

However, no matter how effective they are, it won't matter if stigma continues to be quite a huge barrier.

It prevents people from expressing their feelings or reaching out for help.

Most of the time, such stigma comes from people they know around them. The stigma shown by these group of people is usually in the form of flawed assumptions, avoidance, and gossip.

Of course this would make people with mental illness not willing to seek support from those people around them.

Reducing stigma can be a huge difference between living a life, and ending a life.

I invite everyone to take some time to educate yourself about mental illness. Be aware and honest about how you feel about people with mental illness and do your best to find out the truth about this invisible illness. Only then will you be able to reach out to offer acceptance and reassurance to the people close to you who are suffering in silence.

I started this Facebook page and also Instagram because I'm passionate to end such stigma of mental illness. While I was actually reluctant to do that and I even wanted to delete the pages after just a few months, I realise that I have a voice that needs to be heard. To be the voice of many who are suffering in silence, even if it's extremely challenging for me to step up and do that.

I feel that it's my purpose. I've been blessed with these illnesses I have because God knows I can be an inspiration, that I can help through my own experiences.

The support by all of you, supporting my videos, my posts on Facebook and Instagram...helps make me feel that I'm not wasting my time doing this.

You make me feel that I matter and that I am not alone. Thank you.

That's why I will continue helping others feel that they are not alone too, insha Allah.

[kinrazhopestudios]

3 Tips To Support A Loved One With Social Anxiety

By Razzalie.

Do you know someone with social anxiety and you don't know how to help?

Don't worry, I'm here to share 3 useful ways to help someone who is struggling with social anxiety cope with this invisible illness.

Before I share that, I just want to explain briefly what social anxiety is.

It is an illness that can affect anyone, and you won't be able to actually tell if anyone has it, unless they tell you.

For me, most people often mistook me for just being an introvert or just being shy and quiet when I actually have social anxiety.

There are also others who don't appear shy - they are actually seem quite social - but they might be having social anxiety too.

You see, it's important not to judge anyone from what you can see cos there are always things about a person we don't know.

So, in fact, it's better to not judge at all.

Anyway, if you know someone who has social anxiety, it's most probably because they told you about it personally or let you know in one way or another.

Either way, it will be helpful that you find out more about this illness so that you will know what to do to help them feel comfortable in social situations.

One of the things you should know about social anxiety is that this illness causes a person suffering from it to be uncomfortable or fearful in social situations.

Social situations can be for example like a gathering, communicating with people or even situations where they are most likely being watched and commented on for things they are doing, like maybe when they are giving a speech, a performance, or even when they are eating.

Those are just some of the examples that can cause people with social anxiety get really uncomfortable and anxious.

Having social anxiety can be very hard to deal with, especially if they don't have anyone they can trust.

So, if anyone let you know that they have social anxiety, it means that in one way or another, you actually mean something to them and want you to be a part of their lives.

The least you can do is stop judging or assuming. Make them know that you are genuinely there for them and that they are not alone.

I also know that it can be quite hard for you if you don't know what to do to help the people you know who have social anxiety.

That's why I am here now to do my best and help you so you can help them, insha Allah.

Ok, so here are the 3 ways that you can do to help them.

Firstly, what you can do is to make them more comfortable in social situations.

For example, if you are all at a gathering, do check in with them every hour or every few hours, but do it discreetly. Don't attract any unnecessary attention towards them.

So just discreetly ask them if they need anything. And if you actually notice that they are uncomfortable, get them away from the crowd for a while.

If their anxiety isn't going away, spend time with them until they feel better.

This means that you must be OK to leave the gathering or any social events without worrying that the other people there might think bad of you or think lesser of you.

You must show that you are fully present, that you are fully there to help them cope with their anxiety even if it means that you have to miss out on the fun of a social event.

Ok, so, the 2nd way to help them, especially if they decide to stay in the social situations even when they are uncomfortable, is to give them something else to focus on.

They are already so focused on how others are thinking of them so it's best to distract them from doing that.

To do that, you can suggest to the others to play some games, like board games or video games.

People with social anxiety welcome this change, as long as the games don't involve much talking or interaction.

If that didn't make them feel better, then it's best to take a break from the crowd until they are ready to return.

The 3rd way that can help them cope with social anxiety is to encourage them to seek professional help.

Sometimes you may hit a roadblock and don't know how else to help them.

But always remember that it's ultimately their choice. Don't force them or it will make things worse.

It is always best to get professional help, especially if it's their first time, so that they can get an accurate diagnosis or even uncover any other underlying issues they might have.

Later on, they might not even need to continue the therapy sessions. But that doesn't mean they are cured.

They just feel they don't need to go for those sessions anymore and that's OK. They believe that they are better and know how to cope.

And it's important that you support that too, and most probably you would have seen the improvement too.

Believing that they are better and continue to get better is an essential factor towards recovery, and you play a part in instilling that belief in them through your support.

They might relapse, and it might seem that things are back to square one, but that usually isn't true.

Just continue to be there for them, make them comfortable in social settings, and they will continue to get better, insha Allah.

Ok, so those are the 3 useful ways to help someone with social anxiety. Hope you have benefited from what I've shared today.

If you like this post, do consider following me on my Facebook page by searching for @NoerRazzalieOfficial.

In the page, I share more about this invisible illness and my journey living with it as I move towards my dreams.

To not miss any future videos or posts from me, at the top of the page, choose "see first" under the follow options.

Also, feel free to like, comment or share, so more people get to benefit too, insha Allah.

If you prefer Instagram, do follow me @NoerRazzalieOfficial. Thank you for support.

Ok, thank you everyone for reading.

[kinrazhopestudios]

3 Things That Might Make You Give Up On Your Dreams - And Why They Shouldn't!

By Asyikin.

Are you struggling in trying to stay on track towards your dreams? I'll be sharing 3 reasons on why you shouldn't give up on your dreams k.

I hope it will bring some light to you inshaAllah 💜

You know when we begin to do something new, like a new venture or something that is outside of your comfort zone, it is very exciting and also very scary, right?

At the beginning, you will feel very inspired, but, when the planning stage turns into the execution stage, somehow you will find yourself wondering.... if you should have started at all in the first place.

Sounds familiar?

Ok in this post, I'm going to share 3 things that might make you give up on your dreams - and why they shouldn't!

💜1. It’s too hard!!!!

When we start ANYTHING new, yes, it is going to be tough. But that means you’re learning lots of lessons. Maybe you are not achieving your goals yet, but, you are experiencing personal growth! And that is super amazing ok.

When it comes to things like building a business, mastering a sport... You will have to go through a learning curve first!

When I first entered entrepreneurship, did I find it hard? Of cos I find it hard! I'd be lying if I say it's so easy to do business. And yes, I learnt a whole lot of personal growth. I can say that I am a different Syikin now, compared to Syikin 5 years ago. I'm a different, better version of myself now, Alhamdulillah!

So yes, it takes time, patience, perseverance, to keep moving forward even when it is hard.

You know, the thing that stands between most people and success is quitting.

So, Believe that it WILL get easier, inshaAllah.

It does gets easier! But only when you make the choice to keep moving forward no matter what.

💜2. It’s just not working. You put in effort but you feel that it's just not working!

This just makes you feel disappointed and discouraged. So from your discouraged point of view, it MAY look like it's not working out for you. Your sales may be down, your bank account may be in the negative, and it seems like everything around you is falling apart.

But what’s going on behind the scenes?

You know we as humans right... we can only see and process a very small amount of information at a time.

The majority of things that is happening in the world are things you cannot see.

TRUST that there is more going ON, than what you see. This is where the faith comes in. Everything can change in a matter of seconds! Insha Allah...

💜3. Others don’t believe in you or don't believe in your dreams

If this is the case, it’s not time to give up ok... It’s time to find a new circle of people you should be hanging out more often with.

You deserve to be surrounded by people who believe in you, people who encourage you, and people who inspire you, to do the things you have always dreamed of doing. Other people's beliefs should NOT affect your beliefs.

For me, when I first started entrepreneurship, many people around me are not supportive cos I am doing something that is out of the norm, instead of getting a high monthly salary.

That's when I learn to surround myself with like-minded people more often. And, Alhamdulillah, it has been 5 years now, and I am still on my way towards my dreams, inshaAllah.

Ok, so go find a new circle of people that are more positive, more supportive, cos having people to support you when things get tough, is veryyy helpful!

Ok so there you go...3 things that might make you give up on your dreams - and why they shouldn't!

I hope this sharing has been useful for you.

Do like and share this post so others can benefit from it too, inshaAllah.

If you are into personal growth, and you're on your way towards your dreams, do reach out to me, cos I would love to hear from you!

Ok, remember, life challenges are inevitable in life - you will face many obstacles during your journey towards your dreams, but no matter what happens, always keep moving forward and stay hopeful always!!

[kinrazhopestudios]

4 Ways To Persevere To Reach Your Goals!

By Asyikin.

Sometimes it feels so easy to give up, right? But giving up in life will NOT make you achieve your goals. This is where the power of perseverance comes in.

Successful people, like Olympic athletes, and billionaires, know that without the ability to really persevere, they simply would not have made it to where they are today…they would not have achieved their goals and dreams. And without perseverance, neither can any of us!

So, whether you’re aiming for the stars or want to reach a “smaller” goal that’s important to you, you’re going to need to know how to persevere – because there will surely be times when things just don’t seem to be going your way…when you’re so down or stressed that giving up seems to be the best option.

So, I got these powerful tips from a psychology article online, I'm going to share 4 powerful tips to ensure that you persevere in love, work and life, and that you don’t give up… even when the going gets tough:

Ok so tip #1:

1- Stay Rationally Optimistic. 

Okay so maybe things don't always go exactly as you planned. Maybe you sometimes face unexpected challenges or things just don’t happen as fast or as easily as you would like them to. That’s OK.

Because the more you live life, the more you’ll see that things usually happen differently than expected…But they do happen for the best and usually they turn out quite well :). So take it easy and stay rationally optimistic.

Next tip is to:

2- Embrace Your Setbacks.

You will find that most millionaires, billionaires, and those very successful people in general say that some of their greatest “setbacks” were actually part of their journey towards success.

Most of the time, without those setbacks, they would not have learned what was necessary to achieve their success. So be sure to embrace your so-called setbacks as opportunities to learn more…it’s very likely that those emotions, and the frustrations, are indeed important elements to your happiness and success.

Ok tip #3: is to

3- Take Breaks.

Really…Don’t work yourself to death as you try to reach your goals! Take breaks. Meditate. Read. Sip some tea. Live a little. Sometimes creative solutions or great ideas come during those moments when we give ourselves a break.

Einstein achieved many of his creative ideas when he was not in the lab hard at work.

And our brain work the same way as Einstein’s did (we humans are all built the same way). So, next time when you are in need of a creative solution or for your goal, the suggestion is to take a relaxing break. InshaAllah you will get the solution that you need.

Alright so the last tip for today is...

4- Realize that You are Always Right Where You Need To Be. 

No matter how close you are to your next goal, chances are... you already have another goal in mind right? That’s how life IS!

So don’t beat yourself up about not being “there” yet, because the truth is, is that right now, at this very moment, you are exactly where you should be on your journey toward success.

Ahhhh…powerful tips right...ok at last… you can finally persevere in stress-free happiness inshaAllah...

Ok so, next time when you feel like giving up, or even if you just need a motivational pick-me-up, look over these four tips.

You’ll be back on your feet in no time…and you’ll arrive at your next goal in both happiness and success inshaAllah!

Ok that's all from me today. I hope you have benefited from my sharing today. Do like or share this post so others can benefit from it too!

BTW, I have 3 more powerful tips that can help you persevere, do reach out to me and I'll share them with you!

Ok remember, life challenges are inevitable... So no matter what happens, always keep moving forward and stay hopeful always!

[kinrazhopestudios]

Feeling Stuck & Wish To Bounce Back Up? Here Are 5 Tips!

By Asyikin.

Do you ever struggle with motivation? EVERYONE will feel unmotivated sometimes. It is perfectly normal!

Actually, sometimes we get into such a negative state, that EVEN thinking about making something positive seems VERY difficult!

Just know that it is not hopeless.

With some small steps, baby steps even, you can get started down the road towards positive change, inshaAllah!

Ok so today I'm going to share 5 tips that may help you to rise up again!

Ok so the first tip is to have

🌸 One Goal. OK, just one goal.

Whenever we feel discouraged, usually most of the time is because we have too much going on in our life. And we are always trying to do too much that it drains out our energy and motivation.

It’s probably the most common mistake that people make: they try to do sooo many things, they try to accomplish too many goals at once.

We cannot maintain the ENERGY and FOCUS if we are trying to do two or more goals at once.

We have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. It is actually quite hard to do this. Cos you will be so tempted and being too used to doing many things. Don't k.. You can always do your other goals when you have accomplished your One Goal.

Ok next tip is to

🌸 Find inspiration.

Inspiration can come from others who have achieved what we want to achieve, or who are currently doing it.

Read other people's blogs, books, magazines.

Google your goals and read success stories.

Ok so find the inspiration that you need. That's important.

Ok next is to

🌸 Post your goal.

Print out your goal in big words.

Make your goal just a few words long, like a mantra (“Exercise 15 mins. Daily”),

and post it up on your wall or refrigerator.

Post it at home and work. Put it on your computer desktop. You want to have big reminders about your goal, to keep your focus and keep your excitement going.

Alright 4th tip is to

🌸 Start small. Really small.

If you are having a hard time getting started, it may be because you’re thinking too big.

If you want to exercise, for example, you may be thinking that you have to do these intense workouts 5 days a week.

No — instead, do small, tiny, baby steps. Just do 2 minutes of exercise. I know, that sounds what! Just 2 mins?? But it works.

Commit to 2 minutes of exercise for one week. You may want to do more, but just stick to 2 minutes. It’s so easy, you can’t fail.

Do it at the same time, every day. Just some crunches, 2 pushups, and some jogging in place. Once you’ve done 2 minutes a day for a week, increase it to 5, and stick with that for a week. In a month, you’ll be doing 15-20.

Want to wake up early? Don’t think about waking at 5 a.m. Instead, think about waking 10 minutes earlier for a week. That’s all. Once you’ve done that, wake up 10 minutes earlier than that. Get the idea? So baby steps ok, very important.

Alright so the last tip for today is

🌸 to Squash negative thoughts; replace them with positive ones.

It's important to start monitoring your thoughts.

Just spend a few days becoming aware of every negative thought. Then, after a few days, try squashing those negative thoughts like a bug, and then replacing them with a positive thought.

Squash, “This is too hard!” and replace it with, “I can do this! It sounds corny, but it works. Really.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Alright so there you go 5 tips to help you bounce up again towards your goals and dreams!

If you have benefited from any one of the tips shared, do comment or reach out to us. We would love to hear from you. And also we have 5 more tips to help you bounce back up! We are happy to share them with you.

Ok that's all for now. Remember, life challenges are inevitable. No matter what happens, always keep moving forward and stay hopeful always!

[kinrazhopestudios]

3 Tips To Reach Your Goals

So it's already towards the end of February 2019! Time flies so fast doesn't it?

Every year, we set our new year's resolutions and goals. But we know that most of the time, we will not be able to reach them. It may seem like a really bad thing to say, but sadly it's true.

Ok, the good news is, if you want to succeed and not fall into the same trap, it's possible, insha Allah, with these 3 simple tips!

💜Tip #1: Track your goals

No matter what your target is, track your goals.

Without tracking your goals, it is actually much harder to reach them. When you keep track of your progress, it motivates you as you move towards your goals!

You can track by using any app you like. For example, for weightloss, there is this app called MyFitnessPal which is free and help to track your calorie intake. You can also have a simple daily checklist on ms excel or anything that is convenient for you...As long as you can track your progress daily.

💜Tip #2: Start right now

You don’t need to start on a specific nice date.

Don't need to start doing at the beginning of the week or month. You don’t need to wait until after your holiday. Start right now.

💜Tip #3: Motivation is temporary

Yes, you heard that right. We all have bursts of motivation and there are ways of keeping it topped up.

But, you must be able to recognise that some days are worse than others.

This is where determination plays a key role.

However it's also important to know that it's ok if you can't get out of bed. It's ok if you just can't do anything. Cos sometimes challenges can be so overwhelming that you just can't do it.

But it's ok. Don't be so caught up in trying to be perfect or trying to be productive at the expense of your own wellbeing.

Listen to your heart. Do what's best for you.

Then you'll find that you will become more consistent in your efforts towards your goals. And with consistency, you will get motivated consistently as well.

Ok so there you go! 3 motivational tips to get you moving towards your goals.

By the way, we have more ways that can help you achieve your resolutions, insha Allah. Just reach out to us and we'll be happy to share them with you.

Ok so that's all for this post. Remember, life challenges are inevitable in life. But no matter what happens, always always keep moving forward and stay hopeful always!

[kinrazhopestudios]

2 Tips On How To Cope With Everyday Problems

By Asyikin.

Everyone has stress. It is a normal part of life.

You can feel stress in your body when you have too much to do or when you don't have enough sleep.

You can also feel stressed when you worry about things like your job, about money, about relationships, or a friend or family member who is sick or in some kind of problems.

If you are feeling stressed, there are steps you can take to feel better. I'm going to share 2 with you today.

But whatever I share, do remember that overcoming stress WILL NOT come from a half-hearted effort, and you will NOT see the results overnight.

It will take determination, persistence and time. Some suggestions may help immediately, but if your stress level doesn’t seem to improve, it may require more attention or some lifestyle changes, alright?

💜 OK, so TIP #1... is to be realistic.

If you feel overwhelmed by some activities in your life, learn to say NO!

If you feel that the activity is not necessary, learn to eliminate it. You may be taking on more responsibility than you can.

Personally it is hard for me to say no at first. I used to say yes to everything. In the end I was the one who suffered. But after awhile, when I learn to be realistic, I realise that it is perfectly fine to say no.

If you meet resistance, just give your reasons in a nice way why you’re making the changes. Be willing to listen to other’s suggestions and be ready to compromise.

Alright! The next tip is to...

💜 Take it one thing at a time. 

This is really me for so many years now. I can really relate to this tip. Whenever I am overwhelmed with problems, I always take it one thing at a time.

For people under stress, their day-to-day workload can sometimes seem unbearable. The best way to cope with this feeling of being overwhelmed is to take one task at a time.

Make a list of things you need to get done and start with one task. Once you accomplish that task, choose the next one.

The positive feeling of “checking off” tasks is very satisfying. It will motivate you to keep going. And it's true! If you have not tried it, you can start doing it.

Ok! so there you go! 2 tips on how to cope with life problems! I hope you have benefitted from the sharing.

By the way, I have 5 more tips on how to reduce stress and cope with life problems. Just reach out to me and I will share them with you!

So that's all for my short sharing today! Remember, life challenges are inevitable. But no matter what happens, just keep moving forward and stay hopeful always!

[kinrazhopestudios]

Love Your Mornings!

By Asyikin.

If you wish to be a morning person and love your mornings, do read on because I will be sharing with you on how you can do so!

I came across a great article on simplicityrelished.com and today I'm going to share on how to go about becoming a morning person, and loving it!

I can really relate to the article because I used to have difficulties in waking up in the morning and do stuffs, but I am a morning person now and I'm really loving it, Alhamdulillah!

What I like about being a morning person is that I love the quiet time I get at home without feeling rushed.

This is because in the day, as most of you are, I am always rushing here and there running errands!

So, in the morning, without having to rush for anything yet, and this is possible because Alhamdulillah my daughter is usually still sleeping during the early mornings.

And I love having the choice in the morning to decide what is going to matter that day.

In other words, mornings give benefits that evenings don't. Let me just share a few benefits of mornings...

(1) Waking up in the morning gives the opportunity to do your best at something that really matter to you and you won't be tired from a whole day because you just woke up!

(2) Waking up in the morning gives the quietness in which you are able do some reflection, planning, prayers, and hope for a day to go better than expectations.

(3) and, waking up in the morning also gives the calmness to finish off those unfinished work from the previous busy day

Alright, so do you want to become a morning person?

Everyone's schedules are different, but there is one thing most of us have in common:

and that is... we don’t get to lie around in our pyjamas, till afternoon!

Instead, whether we work at home, work at an office, attend school, or send others to the office or to school, our mornings are often packed even before we step out the door!

You must be agreeing with me here.

Yes, all of us have a thousands things to do every single day!

So what are the steps to loving your mornings?

From the article, it mentioned that it generally starts with an evaluation.

STEP 1: To evaluate your current mornings

How would you like to feel in the morning?

Do you want to feel Calm? Energised? Motivated? Feel being efficient?

So, you take note and be aware of what emotions you wish to feel.

For myself, I love the feeling of calmness and being peaceful in the morning.

Then, you choose activities that will actually help you give those emotions.

Waking up early doesn't mean you start working earlier, no.

It might mean simply starting to empty your basket of dirty clothes into the washing machine, or preparing a meal for your loved ones, or listening to an audiobook, or writing in your journal while sipping a cup of tea.

STEP 2: Adjust your sleep schedule by 15 minutes each day

No need to get up at 4am immediately. That is not possible! Especially when you are so used to waking up only at 7.30am!

Start slowly and work your way up. But don’t hit the snooze button! So, wake up by 15 minutes earlier day by day.

With your extra time each day as you adjust, do something that gets your body to wake up.

It could be making that first cup of coffee, or stepping outside of your house (even at the front gate or your house corridor, or if not, just like me, I stand by my room window and look out of the window, for a few minutes for fresh air or enjoy looking at the calmness of things especially when many are still asleep.

Enjoy the peace.

STEP 3: Start with one thing you love

What is it that you want to do in the mornings?

Eat a full breakfast? Go to gym? Do you love to read or write?

Give yourself time to experiment with what works well. And Make sure to include a few buffer minutes so that you still leave your house on time!

STEP 4: Begin to make it as a routine

We humans are capable of learning nearly any behaviour as long as it’s repeated enough.

So keep doing it everyday and make it a habit, a routine! You can even add in your family members to join in with you, but if you need the time alone, then just be with yourself.

STEP 5: Maintain your routine, even on the weekends

So, the bottom line is to use your mornings well, and you will love it! The challenge to become a morning person is in the beginning. But once we begin to shift our schedules, we find that mornings offer so much more than evenings do.

Alright, that's all for my sharing today.

I hope you find it useful, whether you need time to be alone, to prepare yourself, to pursue a personal goal, or to carefully plan your day, I hope you will fall in love with mornings, just like me!

By the way, I do have more tips on how to be a morning person, just reach out to me and I'm more than happy to share them with you!

Please like, comment or share this post so others can benefit from it too.

Remember, life challenges are inevitable. But no matter what happens, Keep Moving Forward and Stay Hopeful Always!

[kinrazhopestudios]

I time travel on a daily basis!

By Razzalie.

I'm sure most of you might have, at one point or another in your lives, felt that you were being too harsh on yourself, beating yourself up, most probably because of mistakes you made.

For those suffering from social anxiety, not only are we doing that for mistakes made, we are also being overly critical of ourselves for almost everything we do daily.

Either way, whether you have social anxiety or not, I want to share a therapist's advice, which I feel would benefit everyone. He shared some advice about being overly critical and making unfair judgement of ourselves.

How many of you tend to over think things? I admit, I do.

I actually engage in time travel! Well not exactly like Back to the Future, but it's a form of time travel.

It's because, social anxiety, like many other forms of anxiety, shares the cognitive process of "time travelling," which means I am often thinking 10 steps ahead of what is actually happening.

I tend to make predictions about the future, which are usually things about myself that are not true.

I am not talking about having a heightened level of awareness. Cos those who suffer from chronic physical or mental pain have this ability to sense danger, which includes knowing when people are not saying what they mean, increased level of awareness of non verbal cues, having "spider sense" and all these types of abilities which we have because of the chronic pain we are battling with daily. Our senses are on overdrive to help protect us from unnecessary danger, things that can worsen our pain.

I'm not talking about these, cos these are true and accurate most of the time.

What I'm referring to are predictions about the future, about ourselves, which are unlikely to be true, for example thinking, 'they hated me to be around', or 'I will trip and fall if I walk', or 'they are going to laugh at me', or 'I'm going to fail'. You get the idea, right?

Most of you might have thought that way at some points in your life, but for those with social anxiety, this type of thinking happens daily!

The best way to overcome this is to be present! I got to run back to the time machine and set the time back to the present before I accidentally alter the course of the future that I wouldn't want. If I don't get back to the present, whatever I'm over thinking about might come true!

So I gotta go back to the present. To be mindful of the present. And one of the ways to do that is to find something neutral that I can find to refocus my attention. And one such thing is actually focusing on my breathing. Once I focus on my breathing, it helps to clear my mind and I will then be able to start being present, to find peace, and strengthen my spirituality and increase my inner strength.

If I don't do this, if I let my over thinking progress further, I would end up deconstructing each part of a conversation or event, being overly critical of myself, making me more self conscious and making me more anxious.

For example, eating is a common activity isn't it? But, when eating out at restaurants or at other people's houses, instead of enjoying the food, the taste and everything nice, I become too focused on how I hold the spoon - is it the right way to hold it, am I eating too fast, am I taking too much food on the spoon, am I disturbing others with the sound the spoon make when it hit the plate?

To prevent such over thinking, I would be in the present. Focus on my breathing. If there is music playing, I would focus on that as well, especially if it's calming music. So if you want to invite me to your house for gathering or open house etc, do play some music, preferably Boyz II Men songs. Hehe.

Anyway, you can see how social anxiety takes a task that is harmless and draws judgmental attention to small components of the task.

So if you feel that way sometimes, or all the time if you have social anxiety, be present, focus on your breathing, or anything in the present like calming music or scented candles.

And remember, treat yourself well. Don't be too harsh on yourself. You are doing great. You are doing your best. You Matter and You Are Enough.

I'm still a work in progress. I have lots to work on but Alhamdulillah, I've made so much progress.

These tips I shared are for me first and foremost. By talking about it, it helps remind me of what I can do to help me cope whenever I'm in social situations, to help reduce the anxiety.

If you find this useful, do like and share this post. And do follow my page @NoerRazzalieOfficial on Facebook and Instagram, to follow my journey towards my dreams as I overcome my illnesses.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for your support.

Remember, challenges in life are inevitable, just remember to be in the present, keep moving forward and stay hopeful always.

[kinrazhopestudios]

Success can be disappointing. Here's how you can avoid feeling that way.

By Razzalie.

All of us are in pursuit of our own success in our own journey right? And I am sure you all can agree how challenging it can be.

But, you know what happens when you actually succeed? There will be people around you who feel that success comes easy for you.

It is usually one of 2 things - they will compare. They will say you have that quality and they don't. They will say you have the advantage over them. They feel that everything has been laid out for you on a silver platter and that's why you succeed.

Or they will feel that they are ethically or morally superior than you. They feel that the reason you succeed is because you must have done something that is not ethical or something that is not morally right. They feel that you must have cheated your way towards success.

Either way, they will feel that success comes easy for you to the point that they feel that it's unfair that you get to achieve that success.

I am saying this not to discourage you. I want you to be prepared. Cos this WILL happen. Just be prepared and be aware. There will be people around who feel that way about your success.

You know, when we succeed in something, we do want the people around us to congratulate us or something, don't we? Especially when it takes our blood, sweat and tears to reach that level of success.

But, for them, the ones who feel either one of those 2 things I mentioned, they won't. They will not congratulate you. Just be prepared and don't expect that.

In fact, they will find something to criticise on. Something that won't reflect badly on them or make them feel like they've been 'found out' about how they really feel about your success.

But they will find something to pick on, some mistakes you made, that will dim the light on your success. Even if these happened years ago. Or even if these are not even true.

I'm telling you this so that you can understand why this happen. So that you have an idea about their thought process. And if you get defensive about it, it will only reinforce their negative perceptions about you and your success.

So, by being aware and understanding what's going on, why they do what they do, why they say the things they say, why they think like that, it helps you to behave professionally. And in fact, it will make you be in the state of gratitude and humility all the time.

So don't worry about them. Lower your expectations, or even better, don't expect. Pat yourself on the back. Celebrate your success.

Don't wait for others to do that. You go and do that. And, remember, be in that state of gratitude cos after all, the only reason you achieve your success is because of God's Will.

So, just be the bigger person. Be so positive that you can influence others to be positive. It matters.

The reason why you have been blessed with your journey that is filled with so much struggles as you reach your success is because you are supposed to share your journey and inspire others.

The bigger your struggles, the bigger it is your responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others.

I know this is easier said than done, but just have the intention and God will guide us.

What I am sharing today is especially a reminder for me first and foremost. Writing about it helps to reinforce my understanding about this matter.

Ok, I hope what I've shared makes sense to you and will help you in any way. Thank you for reading. If you feel that this might benefit the people you know, feel free to share this post.

Anyway, remember, challenges in life are inevitable as we continue on our journey towards success. But, no matter what, just keep moving forward, and stay hopeful always.

[kinrazhopestudios]

Bored With Your Life? - Here's How You Can Spice It Up!

By Asyikin.

Do you feel that you no longer feel excited about life?

You feel that life is pretty mundane for you and it's full of routines. You eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast everyday, commute the same route five days a week. You alternate between 10 outfits and two pairs of shoes.

And then when you have some free time, you will take out your phone and browse through photos on FB or Instagram, scrolling down the apps, just to see what everybody else is up to.

Sometimes you just wish you were somewhere else and doing something else. But somehow you’re not sure what you would be doing. But what you know is — you wish life was more exciting.

How many of you feel this way?

We all have been there at one point in our life. Honestly, I have been there before! Sometimes it lasts for a few days. Sometimes it lasts for years. Actually it's like the most undesirable feeling ever to feel that your life is not exciting anymore. It's like you don’t have anything to look forward to the next day.

You just want to go to work, get it over and done with, so that you have enough money to pay the bills.

That was me years ago, after working in the same company in the same lab after about 4 years. But now, Alhamdulillah, I truly believe in living with passion.

Anyway, I've come across a good article online and I just wanna share 3 tips to those of you who might feel a little stuck and bored with life.

Do try one of these or all of them, and you might instantly feel like life is exciting again!

One thing they all have in common though — They require you to break out of your comfort zone.

Okay here it goes!

💜 Tip #1: Pick up a new hobby!

Most of us have hobbies! They are the things we enjoy doing in our spare time when we are not working. Things we do to release stress. A new hobby can give you more joy and fun into your life. Your life will also be more exciting because of the new challenges you have to face.

By breaking out of your comfort zone and achieving new goals, you will gain self-confidence and feel proud of yourself. You will meet new people who are passionate about something different from your old gangs or peers. By having new friends, they might give you a new perspective on life and living.

As your new passion grows stronger, you’ll start to have a whole lot of other plans with it.

Maybe you will start planning hiking trips after spending three months mastering the art of hiking. You will want to go to places where you can surf since you can now surf. Or maybe u will start waking up early because the practice of yoga inspires you. So now you start waking up early.

So by picking up a new hobby, suddenly life seems exciting again!

💜 Tip#2: Find new friends and meet new people

This is abit sensitive. Haha. But whether we like to admit it or not, sometimes we feel bored because we feel bored of some of our friends. They don’t inspire us or make us feel excited about life. They live a mundane life. They have no ambitions. They are happy with their routines.

It IS hard to get out of these circle of friends sometimes because they are true friends who have been there for you for all those years. HOWEVER, we are only going to be as successful as the people we surround ourselves with. What I mean is, if we keep hanging out with people who just want to be average and don't desire success like we do, unfortunately, we might become like them.

But if we hang out with people who are passionate about their lives, we will be affected by their positive energy and enthusiasm and feel inspired!

So...what I'm saying is, know who you want to be. Imagine how you want to feel. Then surround yourself with people who portray that.

If you want your life to be exciting, hang out with those who live exciting lives.

💜 Tip #3: Do something totally different for a living!

Sometimes finding a new job in the same field is not enough. Even though your experience and skill set is valuable to the industry, you can get bored with it after doing it for 10 years.

IF you’re totally up for the challenge, consider moving to ANOTHER Industry! Do something TOTALLY different from what you have been doing for the past 10 YEARS!

If you are a bored banker, why don’t you consider working in hospitality or technology? If you are a stressed lawyer, why don’t you consider becoming a writer instead?

It’s true that most of the people in a similar profession are wired similarly. They think almost the same about life! So when you move to a different industry, you might have a new perspective on life. And you will find yourself MANY new friends and your life will start to feel exciting AGAIN!

Yeah! So there you go! The 3 tips that might really help you make your life exciting again!

I hope you find the 3 tips useful. Do LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE this post so others can benefit from it as well. Thank you everyone!

Oh BTW, my husband and I are doing online business. And many started out as being part-timers. If YOU are looking for an opportunity to experience something different in your life, and if you are OPEN to explore, just PM me. I'm more than happy to connect with you!

Alright so thats all for this post! Remember, life challenges are inevitable, but no matter what, keep moving forward and stay hopeful always! 💜💜💜

[kinrazhopestudios]

Let's Approach Our Goals Differently

By Razzalie.

2018 is coming to an end very soon and we are about to start a brand new year! If you haven't had any success with the goals that you have set this year, it's worth taking a different approach.

"Sometimes it can be overwhelming when we look at our goals and wondering whether it is even achievable..."

My wife and I have been working really hard and we believe that we are closer to achieving our goals and dreams, especially after we've changed the way we set our goals, Alhamdulillah.

Being motivated and continue to be motivated isn't easy, and usually, for most of us, we will be less motivated as early as the 2nd week of the new year. It happens to everyone including me.

So, in this post, I want to share something that I have done differently in terms of setting the goals that I am aiming for.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming when we look at our goals and wondering whether it is even achievable, no matter how much we believe in ourselves. Anyone of you feel that way?

So let's try something different.

Instead of making the goals results based, make it activity based.

Here's what I mean.

"It's not about the results. It's the activity."

Maybe you want to lose weight. So instead of saying that you want to lose 10kg in 2 months, focus on the activity. Let your goals be 'go for short morning walks every day', or eat balanced nutrition daily, or count calories and record them daily.

Or maybe you want to get a raise at your workplace. Instead of having 'earn $5k a month' as your goal, let your goals be getting to work early, help improve the productivity of your workplace by doing more than what you're required to do, working or improving and promoting yourself by constantly learning and upgrading, or even being open to opportunities to make extra income like actively looking for such opportunities to do so part time.

Ok so what else do people want to achieve?

Well for example for me, as most of you know, I have social anxiety. So instead of having my goal as 'recovering from social anxiety', I focus on the activities, like going out to crowded places at least once a week, or committing to treatment like going for psychotherapy sessions. Something like these.

Hope you get the idea. It's not about the results. It's the activity. Make your goals be activity based. You can apply this to anything you want to accomplish.

We can't control the results. And if we're too fixated on the results, we can get easily disappointed.

What we can control is our activity. There is no judgement. It is our own choice of activities based on our own preference. We choose what we want to do but we must stick to it. Do it consistently and we'll see progress insha Allah.

"Remember to celebrate for every accomplishment...no matter how small or insignificant it may seem."

You know what happens when there's consistent progress? We'll likely stick to it and continue, won't we? We will also automatically have the sense of accountability, being accountable for the results. We will have a heightened sense of responsibility because we have a clearer picture. We can see first hand the relationship between our activities and results.

You can apply this simple tweak on anything you want to achieve in your life. Focus on the activities to get you there and detach yourself from the outcome.

Just remember one very important thing - remember to celebrate for every accomplishment, for every time you actually meet your activity based goals, and for every time there's progress. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Pat yourself on the back or do anything, anything that helps remind you that you have what it takes to succeed. Whatever it is, just remember to do it every single time. Don't wait till you achieve something big. Don't wait for others to praise or congratulate you. YOU go and do it.

Ok that's all I want to share in this post. Hope that helps you out.

By the way, one of my big goals is to help as many people as I can achieve their dreams. So I make it a point, in spite of my own challenges having physical and mental illnesses, to reach out in any way to more people on a daily basis to help them make extra money.

So, if anyone of you are open to look into how you can make extra money, just let my wife and I know. This might be what you're looking for or it might not be what you want. But if you're open to find out more, just let us know, ok? If not it's ok too.

Ok thank you for reading. I hope you've found value and benefited in any way.