Here’s a nice article on me-time from About.Com. Enjoy

ME TIME

 

There are simply too many things in our lives to stress us out. Fortunately, there are just as many things that can make us happy. We simply have to take the time to notice them and bring them into our lives. Here are some of mine, but make a list of your own and then make sure that they play a significant part in your day… everyday.

*Take Time. I have decided that I want to be fluent in French, so I spend 15 minutes a day listening to a French CD. I am amazed at how much I can learn in just a few minutes a day. So how does this pamper me? Apparently, we can’t think of more than one thing at a time, so if I am concentrating on my French lessons, I can’t think about anything else. For those 15 minutes, I am doing something just for me.

 

 

*Treat Yourself To Chocolate. Research has shown us that chocolate contains flavinoids that are associated with a decreased risk of heart problems. That means, that if you want a little pampering, a little chocolate is a good way to go. Did you notice that I said a little!

*Change The Ending. When we are stressed, we usually are thinking of the worst possible outcome. Starting today, I want you to spend a little time imagining a happy ending. Think of the possibilities. For example, I often fear going to the dentist because of the chance that he might find a cavity. Wouldn’t you feel a lot better if the new ending was a fast and easy examination? Why do we put ourselves through the stress of something that hasn’t even happened yet?

 

 

*Master The Art of Day Dreaming. This is along the same thread as above, but we are expanding on it. Do you remember as a child, laying on your back in the grass on a hot summer day and watching the clouds float by. We imagined all kinds of things. Well, we are going to do the same thing, and if you want to use a grassy lawn, go for it. If you don’t have a piece of grass handy, simply lean back and close your eyes. It doesn’t really matter where you are as long as you let your thoughts drift to somewhere pleasant. My thoughts often drift to a past holiday in Martinique. Just 15 minutes and I have felt the sun on my face and the beach sand between my toes. And oh yes, there is also a contented smile on my face.

Wow… I love this chocolatey-journey It really does give me moments to ‘reunite’ or something with some chocolates that, back then—so long, long, long time ago, were once my ‘good friends’—I mean, I was used to eating them, at least once in a month or two.

In one side, I’m pretty proud that my fave kind of food is such an ‘elite’ one in the world, yet in another side, I dislike the fact that it’s expensive (most of them), so not all people–that, btw, including me–are willing to sacrifice their (or too much) money, ‘only’ to buy at least one small bar of chocolate.

Oookay, back to my journey. A few days ago I went to a supermarket and found one bar of chocolate that was ‘part of my past’ :). It was Van Houten’s orange chocolate.

Yes, orange. The chocolate, even from the very first tiniest bite, tastes orange. But after it melts completely in your tounge, the ‘usual’ taste of chocolate is felt. The orange flavor is great, but the chocolate itself is ‘just’ good. As far as I remember, when I was a little girl, this bar tasted just like heaven, but now not anymore, don’t understand why.

It’s Ramadhan—the fasting month—already, thank Lord. I’ve promised (and always have been) myself to make as much efforts as I’m possible to change myself for the better me, always. Last Ramadhan was just pretty okay, I suppose, as I didn’t really stick to my very own promise. It’s not about the whole fasting-from-food-and-drink thing. But it’s about the fasting from all of the willing and desire to do those ‘bad, naughty things’—you know, like lying, mad at others, saying names to others, and the list still goes on… (guess I’m good enough in listing these bad things…).

It, somehow, reminds me of my for-the-past-few-days contemplation or something. I accomplish a consciousness that, apparently, I’ve been whining about my very own life, way too much! Well, yes, that’s always been all human being’s ‘forte’, but when it comes to the term “way too much”, uh-oh… really need to hear that sirene, alarming thing. Need to stop just right there and spend the rest of my life doing other worthy-of-note-lessons-in-becoming-more-of-myself things. I realize now that whining is actually an exhausting activity, I swear to Dear Lord. I wonder why we, human, are so keen in this sort of activity.

Traveling–it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
– Ibn Battuta

For the past few weeks, I’ve been inspired to challenge myself to do something definitely new and not-really-me: traveling. It’d be a great pleasure to be given opportunity to visit some places outside the place I live, but that’s just going to accomplish the visiting-as-a-tourist circumstances, while I want to experience being a traveler. Just like Ibn Battuta, maybe? Well, okay, just close to that …

I’m actually not a sort of traveling person. At all. I mostly prefer the ‘comfort zone’, the ’status quo’ state or something.

But, that’s about to change.

…

… at least that’s the plan :p

Travel teaches you how to see.
– Anonymous

I don’t know what’s going on, but life’s been a bit surprising for me on this term–traveling. Been weeks I found some sources that have to do with traveling, without warning (don’t wanna use the word ‘coincidence’). Okay, so is that some kind of ’sign’ or something? No idea.

First, two people–that I don’t know at all–told their interesting traveling stories in a very interesting way.

Second, I found an article on a young woman whose hobby is traveling. The very first time she travelled was when she visited her long-distance-friend … alone.

Third, I read Travelers’ Tale–Belok Kanan: Barcelona by Adhitya Mulya + his wife + 2 other writers. Makes me even more curious to try traveling *would I have the courage…?* Inside this book, all things traveling are revealed in a light way. So appealing. Makes me more triggered to travel one day–I don’t know, somewhere (but when… I’m gonna soon work Monday to Sunday this semester…).

…

Well, having a plan is already a good thing, right …

Traveling–all you have to do is take the first step.
–Ibn Battuta

Toblerone, the most expensive choco bar I’ve ever known so far in town.

So this is the very first time I know how it tastes.

Guess what… it tastes YUMMY! As yummy as it is, still, it’s expensive, I could only buy the smallest size (which, btw, is also expensive… *sigh*). But it’s pretty worth it, anyway.

1st, it’s chocolate. Or let me emphasize… it’s ‘just’ chocolate. Not to be underestimated, but the chocolate milk tastes not as ‘crazy’ as I thought it’d be. It reminds me a bit to another brand of chocolate I’ver ever indulged in.

2nd, still, it has the BEST part. The honey and almond nougat are awesome! Seriously! Their taste beat the chocolate itself, in fact. So these are the ingredients that make this Toblerone tastier. I enjoy the nougat more than the chocolate, frankly speaking.

A tip: if you’re craving for chocolate (let me emphasize again–chocolate), you can pick the solid one–without any additional ‘accessories’. But if you’re looking for chocolate WITH great ‘accessories’, you can try this one (at least for once in your lifetime).