Be optimistic and other things

Hello beautiful people. 
We are alive and well and if anything is going wrong today, just breathe and remember this, 'you are alive.' May that be enough for a while.

I have zero resolutions this year. Yay! I just have a list of 25 things in my vision book that I need to get done. One of them was getting off my blog and creating a bigger platform to express myself further (as if you've not had enough of me). I seriously need to stop thinking that the Kardashians and I are family. 

I hope you will enjoy this new platform, do subscribe and spread it like confetti. I thank you in advance. The most awesome news is that I will have some guest features am speaking globe trotters, chefs, etc. Isn't that exciting? Who knows we might even publish a book. I'm just saying...New year, not new me but new website. 

www.evelyn-breakthrough.com

X

Your mind friend 

The best is yet to come...

No one told me that 2015 would end with me seated next to someone passing repugnant gas every other 20 minutes on my flight back to New York. I think, security needs to check our stomachs before we board flights because gas such as the one I had to endure could easily be an attack on one's safety.

Anywho, Looking back at the year I find myself saying this over and over 'thank You God for not giving me some of the things I prayed for.' Flying back with such a light heart having tied loose ends, spent quality time with people who replenish my soul, I feel truly expectant for 2016. I've got a wonderful feeling about this coming year. 

Although you've spent your 2015 amidst confusion, tears, loss, heartache, illness, fruitless job searches, relocation etc, you've got to believe that it can only get better and it shall. I'm going to make this year a year of 'yes' to life. 

Let's say what needs to be said, Let's do what needs to be done, let's work hard, let's be good to people and let's be the kind of souls that heal.

Here's to 2016 and all the good things God has for each one of you. I pray blessings and favour over your new year and I pray that you'll never find yourself seated next to someone constantly passing gas. Amen.

Waking up in Zambia

Last week, I woke up next to my best friend whom I hadn't seen in three years but because we like to exaggerate, I'll say I hadn't seen in forever (It felt like it had been an eternity). While I waited for her to wake up, I went through my morning routine. Looked for my phone, went to whatsapp, went to my emails. Usually my emails are pretty much the same, scroll...scroll...scroll, BOOM an email from Empower Women updating me about the status of my article.

Empower Women is a United Nations Women's (UN Women) global movement for women's economic empowerment. A few months back I got this opportunity to become a blogger for their WE Inspire blog. My mind was like, 'shuuuuttttt up!me?' What could I possibly write about that would resonate with thousands of people?

After spending a reasonable time on their blog reading the thoughts of such intellectuals, my heart started to get anxious. I mean these profiles of men and women look like they know what they are talking about, they have attained more experience than I have. Oh you know, the usual fear banter.

See, fear waits for us to get these good opportunities and then steps in and reasons with us. If you give into fear and start to see your weaknesses, you're bound to be your own enemy of progress. We won't see the other side of things if we give in to fear. After I decided to shake the fear off, I knew that it wasn't a competition. It doesn't matter who writes better, who is more qualified, who understands women issues most. It's about coming together as a community and sharing our thoughts and inspiring each other to go and make a change.

Yesterday, while I watched this documentary of Muhammad Ali visiting Congo, I wondered to myself, 'what makes a woman or a man memorable even when they are no longer on this earth?' COURAGE.

There are so many brilliant stories on WE Inspire, and I know data is an luxury for many of us, but I hope you'll find yourself challenged to go after your cause with fervor. Here's a link to my very first article, feel free to critic and to share it with your people.

http://www.empowerwomen.org/en/blog/2015/11/30/01/46/how-do-we-make-women-issues-the-issues-of-other-women

To being courageous.

X

Honey...I am Home. (Kampala Diary)

I am back home in Kampala and it feels so good. The rains have made it so hard for me to wake up and although I enjoy rain-sleep, I am aware that there are people on the streets who absolutely hate it when it rains because they have no shelter. I shall endeavor to refrain from getting too excited when it threatens to rain at night.

Life

I have been the definition of 'Real Housewife of Kampala' if such a thing exists. I have dined out almost every single day I've been here. It has been so good catching up with all my friends and having a guaranteed good laugh. I didn't know how much I missed my fave places until I actually sat down and saw all the familiar faces. Hello bistro! (They are always my faves) Shout out to Paul for getting my order wrong, he is forgiven.

The future

Yesterday the Warrior Women (WAWO) team went to Early Learning School. If you follow @officialwarriorwomen on instagram you've already been bombarded with my overwhelming emotions. What a day! What love! The school looks more like a school now with all the bright paint. The children still remember us. I had some ask me to take them back with me to America. I told them that if they got aggregate 4 in primary 7, I would take them with me. Lucky for me, the most anxious ones were the little ones in primary 3. I still have time to bring America to them. Hopefully I will have a private jet by then. Still I am comforted by this thought, 'although there's glaring need, I know that as we all take up a cause in our private lives, that small or big sacrifice makes things better when we look at the bigger picture of our country. Simply put, any help is better than no help.'

Social media

I have had quite a number of people ask me why I left my personal Instagram account. Well wonder no more, here's the answer. It's because I had over 500 followers and I only got 231 maximum likes (I kid I kid). In all seriousness though, I know we mostly associate leaving social media with social or personal problems. It wasn't like that for me. I simply left my personal account because I wanted to leave what I share with the world to the people in my life. I wanted my best memories or proud moments to actually be more for the inside circle. I don't know if that makes sense. Of course I stay creeping on that Instagram street because I like to be informed. There are also some people I am quite obsessed with and must know what they ate for dinner, but for now the blog shall suffice. 

What am I looking forward to?

Zambia... I can't believe it's happening. I get to see one of my best friends after such a long time, there might be tears involved. I have heard that Zambia is a beautiful country and I am preparing for my trip by deleting all pictures on my phone to create space for Zam-pics. I already apologize to my friends because they won't have data left. 

Adieu

Otherwise I hope you're all doing well, dominating your territory and just loving where you are and where you're going. Surround yourself with people who inspire you the kind that ask, 'what did you achieve today?'. Surround yourself with hard workers who will not respect your sleep hustle, but challenge you to actually wake up early and use your 24 hours. 

As much as the world is harsh, don't lose your grace and humor.

Kampala there's no place like you. Whichever presidential candidate is giving more night-lights on the road they've got my vote. 

X

BIRTHDAY POST - OPEN LETTER

It's my birthday and I have no words to express the state of my heart. It is full. This post won't be perfect as I want this up before midnight. I want to enter the new year with my cup of tea in hand.

I am not bragging when I say that my friends are ridiculously amazing, selfless and beautiful. God has showed off in of course the most boss status way in my life. I write this with overflowing love and gratitude to everything He does for me and everyone He has surrounded me with. What profound love! My heart is overwhelmed.

To my special lovers (you know who you are), thank you so much for loving me so selflessly, for protecting me fiercely, for fighting for me, for laughter, for stories about boys, for dreaming together about the things we can do in this world and for doing this life through the good and the bad together. You're the best people a girl can ask for.

Here's to the next year of kicking major butt.  

10 lessons at 20 something 

1. Choose confidence always

2. Read your bible

3. Draw lines in relationships 

4. Forgive quickly 

5. Give mercy 

6. Send gifts

7. Buy pretty stationary 

8. Encourage people

9. Make unlikely friendships 

10. Say 'I love you' as often as you can

X

Me.

Morning Sunshine

7 something am sunrise

‘Holy is the Lord revealed before my eyes

And my burdened heart can scarcely take it in

As I behold your beauty with unworthy eyes

The only song my soul can find to sing

Is Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah my King’

Woke up extremely early this morning, and by extremely early I mean 6:04am! WOAH! I had prayed the day before for God to take away the unfathomable love I have for sleep and I asked Him to wake me up early so that I can squeeze in some gym time. I haven’t seen the gym in a month or so and I desperately needed to get my mind more active.

We all know 5 seconds of a work out are bound to get us speaking like Gandhi. So here’s my Gandhi.

What a year! Heh? I sat on the bench watching the sun rise and thought of a lot of things. The things I prayed for and actually got to see them happen like Candy in NYC. Isn’t it just like God to pay attention to the smallest of details? If it matters to us it matters to him.

Last year or early this year (trust my mind), I told someone that in the morning I pray to God to help me choose my outfit. She asked me ‘why bother God when there are bigger things to ask Him for?’ I didn’t know how to explain it to her. For me, it’s as simple as God is my friend. I let Him in my closet as much as I let Him in my tears. He is constant with me. I have mind convos with Him. He hears my loud prayers as much as my silent prayers. I am far from perfect hence why I’m so needy for God. If He doesn’t help me choose my #ootd, I might just walk out in a bikini yo, in the middle of the coldest day. I kid you not.

There are so many things I am praying for, impossible in the natural. Sometimes I ask myself why I even try for those things but if there’s something I’ve learnt from the few bible chapters I have read is this; God can’t wait to show off in the lives of those walking in faith. Will you choose to walk blindly in faith and trust Him that in His perfect timing EVERYTHING will work out? Will you choose to see beyond the hopelessness in the present? Will you love others, be generous, and be faithful in the little even when you don’t see any reason to keep going?

I pray we will because I want to live a life that gets people to question, how? Why? And those questions would only have one answer…only Jesus.

November I’m ready for you.

Why I should be your personal shopping buddy

The best compliment I ever did receive was '...your taste is excellent but too pricy' that was my 'mama we made it moment.' I don't consider myself a shopaholic; I honestly don't think I truly enjoy shopping for myself. I'm that girl who absolutely doesn't like trying on clothes in the dressing rooms, I'll take clothes home and if they don't fit, I just scream luuuuuulllllllzzzzz!

I don't like going shopping with other people to get stuff for myself simply because I set goals, a budget, a time frame and I am not flexible hence I would not want to put that version of myself on anyone else. She’s a beast!

But this one thing I do enjoy... Shopping with other people for their own stuff. I'm not going to wait for someone to tell me that I am an expert shopper buddy therefore, let me tell myself for you. I am an expert shopper buddy. I intend to make a profession out of it (adds said profession to my list of other well thought out professions).

I actually don't consider myself fashionable. My personal style is unexceptionable nonetheless I often get it right with other people.

I wrote down a few unbiased benefits of having me as a shopping buddy.

1. I won't make it about myself... It is all you, you, you. 

2. My patience is on a whole other level! When you go shopping, even with your ride or die friend, moods are going to change. 100% guaranteed or your money back. But you know who will constantly be in a good mood? Me! That means that your bad mood won't last long either, and this makes for an enjoyable experience.

3. I'll ask you to try new things, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

4. I am good at squeezing discounts out of people. Tellers always have coupons. You just have to determine the kinder teller.

5. I have walked the streets of SoHo on both the hottest day and the coldest day. You know what that makes me? A SURVIVOR (cue Destiny’s Child). Count yourself blessed if you've never experienced the SoHo trek. You will need a few of us in your life who have survived and lived to tell the tale. That someone could be me. 

6. I remember seeing Macy bags as a child but I didn’t know who this Macy person was. I wanted to meet this great Macy person. Finally, I visited Macy’s in Texas. I thought it was great. Sometimes, I am impressionable (don’t judge me).

Years later, I went to Macy’s New York to get my eyebrows waxed at the brow bar. It was cold, and it was raining people. I was in so much shock! Why would anyone leave their house in freezing temperatures to go shopping? Or were they all having a bad brow day? Long story short, I don't like going to Macy's. I don't like shopping in heavy foot traffic areas but I would like my store to be located in a heavy foot traffic area (there’s a difference).

Whatever area screams tourist central I try to avoid shopping there. Here's why. I don't like crowds because shopping should be tranquil. One shouldn’t have to worry about an untimely heart condition while doing the thing one loves or hates.

I also don't like sale racks. Please understand my personal attitude and opinions do not reflect the attitude and opinion of my bank account. In fact my bank account doesn't support my mental Kardashian lifestyle. Of course my hope and vision is that one day my bank account will catch up with my mind's lifestyle.

I digress…

Due to my strong feelings against crowded shopping, I've managed to find affordable places in quiet neighbourhoods. Here dear shopper, you have the choice to take your time, no dressing room line, sometimes if you’re lucky, you might get offered a cup of coffee or tea or lemonade. Having me for a shopping buddy gets you benefits like noise free, hassle free shopping. 

7. I will never force you to take home something you're uncomfortable with. Remember it's always about you but also I won't let you give up until you find that perfect ‘I hope I run into my ex’ kinda outfit.

8. I have a gentle way of telling you that something doesn't look good without hurting your feelings. I think shopping buddies should always be honest, don’t let your buddy go home with a terrible outfit, of course the method one chooses to deliver the truth is très important. I'll use words like 'honey, how about we try the dress that accentuates your best features.' Forget what's trending; sometimes what's trendy just doesn't work. I once tried on those small denim booty shorts that go so low and I looked like an afternoon stripper called sugar cakes. I slapped myself for even getting that off the rack. So get something that looks so good on you that it automatically becomes fashionable.

9. Am sure you like nice things too. Right? I'm not always buying nice things for obvious reasons but sometimes a girl with a Chanel mind needs something that doesn't look like it came from China town. You can still look like $5000 on a $200 budget. And no I don't mean $200 on a white shirt, let’s not be cray yet! 

10. There's always food or dessert at the end of the shopping day to celebrate your shopping conquest. Who doesn't want dessert?

 I hope those reasons will make you choose me as your shopping buddy. I'm yet to discuss my rate but with all those benefits, it will be well worth it.