Weekly wisdom #17

However much satisfaction you might (or indeed might not) get from your full-time occupation – be it studying, working, or somewhere in between – the thrill of a side hustle shouldn't be underestimated. Keeping something for yourself, your thing, provides a kinda inner contentedness and fulfilment that outwardly-imposed work just can't compete with. But the two needn't be mutually exclusive; they can co-exist! With a conscious mindset shift, there's nothing that should stop you (or me) from those little passion pursuits. 

By side hustle, I'm referring to the inwardly-motivated ambition that truly sets your heart aflutter – and doesn't need to be monetised or get you "seen" to be considered a success. Quite the opposite in fact. In focusing on the soul stuff first, those things might well come, but the results will be a whole lot more authentic when superficiality isn't the stimulus.

Don't get me wrong, I make no claim to have mastered this. If anything, what you're reading now is an exercise in personal accountability; I have note pads (and note pads and note pads) filled with the side goals I wanna hit, but have up to now been putting off with inexcusable excuses. Speaking as an eternal perfectionist and imposter syndrome sufferer, too, there's a certain vulnerability and fear tied to deeply personal projects; a self-imposed pressure to fully do them justice. After all, they're a reflection of "you" in the realest sense. 

But I've resolved to make the things happen – step by step. Here's a little line-up of ways that might just help you with your side hustle too, whatever it may be:

• Don't see your full-time job as an obstruction. If anything, see it as an enabler; the stability that allows you to schedule in out-of-work time to do what brings you pure, unmitigated joy. Though it's easy to idealise working for yourself – which of course still isn't out of the question – in reality it's a luxury to be able to do stuff that's wholly for you, without it bearing the burden of paying bills and other adult things. No pressure.

• Be focused and intentional with your 24 hours a day. There's so much we do out of habit, that our knee-jerk excuse is "I'm too busy" or "I just don't have time." But by being aware of and prioritising what's truly important to us, we can free up space and take (see: make) the time to do the things we wanna do. If you can't make the time for it, it's obviously not a priority right now. And that's ok. 

• "Don't compare your hustle to their highlights reel" – I came across this quote through Sophia Amoruso of Nasty Gal and #Girlboss, who I believe got it from this article. In short, social media often warps the BTS hard work and sh*ttier, sweatier, messier moments, neatly curating and mediating the process and final product into minimalist, flatlay, VSCO-filtered form. But let's be clear: we're all winging it and self-doubting, but we're also – each and every one of us – full of more potential than we know. And we owe it to ourselves to realise it.

7.5.16

It's hard to articulate how time can simultaneously move so quickly and yet so slowly in a 12-month time span; how so much can change and yet feelings can remain so incredibly close to the surface. It's surreal to think that exactly one year ago today – even if it's one day later that bears the most prominence for me – siblet and I lost our Pa at the not-so-ripe age of 56. Unexpectedly, suddenly, and without a chance to say goodbye.

It's funny: With Prince's recent passing at 57 – which Papa would have also turned this year – it really foregrounded to me just how premature it all was. Their added musical connection and entirely individualistic natures only underlined the parallel (not that they're to be compared, but you can see how it evoked familiar feelings).

Firsts are always the hardest, and there'll always be little moments and unforeseeable triggers that catch me off guard. I've learned the hard way that it's ok to feel the shit bits; it's ok to be a bit vulnerable; it's ok to be a most-of-the-time incredibly happy human and still feel the waves of negativity that slap you round the face ever so often. And to let yourself actually feel them.

Because looking back on the past 12 months, the 6-week period from May 7th 2015 onwards – during which I completed my uni finals, graduated with a first, got my dream job and independently moved my life to Berlin (all the while contending with the loss of one of the most significant people in my life) has only made me realise more how bloody much us humans are capable of, not to mention how much we can grow as a result of life's aforementioned shit bits. Even if those meagre 6 weeks couldn't be more of a blur to me now.

Just like the post I impulsively wrote one year ago (see here), this little entry is a heart-on-sleeve sorta outpouring; an entirely personal – some might say selfish – stream-of-consciousness slur that's really here to document this significant spot in my life; for me. But if you happen to take anything from it, let it be this: Know that you're so much more capable than you give yourself credit for. Use – as much as possible – any shitty-life-event-induced energies to fuel your strongest, most determined, motivated self. And always let yourself have a cry when you need to (be it in public or not).

NB: The lettered quotes that appear here are all taken from conversations I had / voicemails I received from Denz; it's amazing how (in the moment) seemingly small sentences acquire such significance posthumously. 

A petite reminder to write it all down! 

Apple crumble + custard shake (VGN)

Don't get me wrong, I love (love) to eat, but I'm also quite the beverage enthusiast – and any excuse to whip out my beloved blender, too. This in mind, experimenting with fun smoothie and shake concoctions (while keeping the ingredients as more-or-less wholesome as I can), is a regular event in my little Berlin kitchen.  

As with most of my culinary creations, this combination came about kinda fortuitously – the result of needing to use up ingredients before a quick London getaway –  but I thought the outcome was worth a share. Dainty disclaimer: Don't go expecting an actual apple crumble and custard dish, but rather an alternative take on the conventional dessert's fundamental flavours, unconventionally remixed into a sweet and (I think) lovely liquid.  

For one serving, you will need: 

> 1x banana 

> approx. 200ml dairy free vanilla milk (Alpro's soya vanilla has the most custard-like taste, but choose according to your own preference!)

> a handful of cashews

> 1 tbsp vanilla protein (I use NUA Naturals vanilla rice protein powder)

> a squeeze of agave/maple syrup

> 1 tsp cinnamon

> 3 tbsp apple purée (100% apples)

> for the topping: a sprinkle of oats, crushed cashews, date sugar and/or coconut sugar  

Make:

1) Blend the banana, vanilla milk, agave/maple syrup, cashews, vanilla protein and cinnamon.

2) Spoon the apple purée into the base of your jar (or other vessel of choice). 

3) Pour the vanilla shake over the apple purée.

4) Sprinkle your oats and cashews (toasted if you like), as well as date or coconut sugar on top.

5) Pop a straw in. A little spoon might come in handy too. Ta-da.  

Weekly wisdom #16

In a screen-centric culture where the boundaries between work and play are increasingly smudged, it can be all too easy to neglect old school, playful downtime. Combine this little fact with the deep-rooted synonymousness of adulting and boring, and it swerves towards an existence that's a bit too all-work-and-no-play for my liking. 

This isn't to say that you can't find fun in the work you do, nor make your play your living. I'm more referring to the important distinction to be made between the "childish" and the "childlike". And we all need to be injecting the latter into our lives more frequently. Not only does it foster additional creativity and a general sense of giddy contentment, but being a little silly – indeed, playful – once in a while also clears your head of adult-associated stresses (if only fleetingly), making it an optimum exercise in headspace refreshment. No kidding.

Zig-a-zig-ah

When it comes to footwear, I – in the most literal of senses – rarely step outside my comfort zone; you’ll seldom catch me sans my trusty (albeit battered) pairs of Air Force 1s. 

That being said, my alternative “sole” searching sessions have always drawn me towards the classic Stan Smith. Like Nike’s timeless model, the signature sneaker by Adidas is a time-honoured type that works with the contents of practically every closet. 

Having justified the investment to myself – such is key to my buying decisions  – I just needed to decide on the specific Stan variant to go for (Green? Black? Laces? Velcro?). After a lengthy period of deliberating, the choice was then suddenly made very easy at the discovery of their recently released zig-zag design in German concept store Kauf Dich Glücklich. 

Retaining the minimalist aesthetic of the much-loved model, I was drawn to this new embroidered number for its slightly novel, very “me” little touch. While the reduced sole height initially took a bit of getting used to (compared to the raised base I’m accustomed to with the Air Forces), not to mention the whiter than white finish (so fresh so clean), they’ve now reached staple status in my wardrobe. 

Indeed, a couple of months worn in and I haven't looked back: I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig-ah.

Weekly wisdom #15

All of it. However silly, trivial or fruitless an idea might seem in the moment, treat each passing notion as one of potential; part of a process. By putting pen to paper – that is, by always having pen and paper to hand – you can explore each spark of creativity in an entirely organic way. #Nofilter. 

Apart from being incredibly cathartic, the act of capturing flowing thoughts while they’re fresh in our minds prevents us from shutting down concepts that could ultimately grow far greater than the seedlings they originate as. 

Don’t overthink, don’t overanalyse. Record what you see, what you feel, what you experience. Our stream-of-consciousness is messy and unpredictable – our notebooks should reflect that. As I expanded on here, actively using your hands triggers a more open, less self-conscious outpouring of ideas and inspirations.

Whether these ever leave the confines of your notepad or not, you’re quite literally making your mark, in a deeply personal and individualised way. You’re documenting yourself and your thinking process visually, distinctively. 

And who knows where that could lead?    

Beach daze

The spell between late December/early January's always a bit of a blur; all concept of days and dates seems to dissipate. So I can't decide whether it feels like a really long time ago since Christmas, or like no time at all. According to the dates in my camera though, it's been nearly three weeks since I reconnected with my beloved Cozens cousins on England's north east coast.







Having not returned to the motherland since moving full-time to Berlin last June, my festive stint in the U.K. (namely London and Newcastle) was a much yearned for opportunity to catch up with some of my nearest and dearest, not to mention drop into some of my most frequented haunts and hangouts.










As with every year, Christmas was spent hibernating in the company of my Geordie fam. Aside from the obvious perk of spending quality time with Salpal's side of the family, this also granted glorious seaside stomps and scenic morning runs. Nothin' blows the cobwebs away like an eye-wateringly windy walk along Whitburn beach.

Having grown accustomed to regular Toon trips while studying at nearby Durham uni, chances to chill with some of my most cherished chums are now back to being few and far between, making these kinda moments all the more important; having close family (in a spiritual, rather than geographical sense) isn't to be taken for granted.  






 For me, the Christmas period has always been about cultivating priceless memories with those you know 'n' love the most – and in this case, quality time precedes quantity time, every time.