What are you doing in the meantime?

Do you ever look back to those dreams that never came true? Sometimes we forget we ever dreamt about them; it feels like, with our fingers, we wrote them on seashore sand and they were kind of swept away by the wind. But if you do remember those dreams, it’s that there is a subconscious part of you, however little it may be, that wants to re-work on that dream. Right? You still want to achieve that goal!

With my friends, we have been laughing at how some New Years Resolutions end up being just puffery! Not because they are puffery in their essence, but because we overlook them and kind of write them on seashore sand. We have high, amazing future expectations, sometimes SMARTer goals, but how many of them do we actually achieve huh? I have a list of long unattained goals, and a few bullet points of the one I that came true, and from there I have learned something that I am happy to share with you today.

Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to know how to ride a bicycle, I tried it only two times in my whole life, I feel down every time, so I kind of gave up trying, however like a singer once said: “a piece of me still wants to.” I have also always dreamt to know how to play poker! And… I don’t know how to! Judge and laugh at me on this too. It’s Okay. lol

I dream to finish my university…

I have always dreamt to serve a great example to my younger siblings…

I also dream to gain some muscles…

The list goes on, chaotic and EXHAUSTING as well! Let me cut it short!

Lupita once said; “No matter where you are from, your dreams are still valid.” I realized that an everyday motivation to hit your target comes in form of one simple question: “What am I doing in the meantime?” Yes, you have your goal want to hit it so bad, and you know people don’t wake up and build castles. Yes! you do know that, right? My point is that whichever dream you have, however simple, funny or difficult it may seem. No one can take that dream for you. Don’t just dream, don’t just write your dreams somewhere, pave your ways by doing something in the meantime. And that’s the bottom-line.

I believe that we will be excited to see the people we are becoming once we decide not to passively look forward to our dreams, but do something in the meantime. Do you want to learn how to ride a bicycle? Have you maybe spotted a friend who will teach you, have you secured some time during your weekends for this? Are you saving some money to rent it? I mean, are you doing something in the meantime? Well… I think I am talking to myself on this! Lol.

This was in Karura forest, 2017 with Weya. I am the one on the left, in a dirty jumpsuit. I fell off this bike more than 10 times before this picture was taken. (Amavi yari yabaye ay’ihene ndakurahiye)

Let me send you this question. What’s your dream that never came true?

Starting a small shop in the neighborhood?
Finishing secondary school/university maybe?
Securing a full-time job?
Taking Kizomba or Salsa dance classes?
Buying a new phone, or a car maybe?
Riding a bicycle? Or… anything else.

Share your thoughts in the comments box below: Do you want to re-work on your unachieved goals? You do achieve some goals too, what do you think is the stepping stone to make your dreams come true? Share your tip!

Bizou! Bizou!

Denyse Umuhuza

Stop your excuses!

If you are above 20 years, it means you’re either a student, or always busy with work, or you don’t have a job, you have a lot of work, or you are busy eating a lot and depressing. If you fall or don’t fall under these categories of people, you too should read this blog post. We only have one life, you already know it, but let me remind you this you will never get a second chance to live. Put on your favorite sports outfit, get your ass out! Go for a run! Hit the gym! Meet other people! Smile! Laugh! Play! Just do something to stretch up. Okay?

From my personal experience about death (I never died though). If you die, people cry for the whole day, for a week, or a year, but I assure you that after X time, they forget you. You get replaced at your job, and people do not hate you, but they learn to live without you. And Done! You are forgotten.

(girltalkhq, n.d.)

There is only one way through this. It’s sport! You can delay your death by working out alone, or with a group of friends! Sports will boost your good mood, it will give you a daily motivation, it will chase away negativity, it will increase your esteem and most importantly it will make you healthier and fitter! Or shall I say that it will make you more beautiful or handsome! Try this and thank me later!

(Our Watch, n.d.)

Go back in time when you were a 5 or 10 years old kid. For a minute, close your eyes to think about how your younger-self felt when you were playing. Wasn’t it awesome? Or maybe “incredible” is the word!

Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can re-live that feeling. If your childhood memories are dull, then this is your time to catch-up. Who said “retour d’age” was a sin? So stand up, get out and stretch-up! You are busy, exhausted, you are a girl, you are pregnant, you feel that you just can’t work out. Right? Come on! Stop your excuses, my dear! No one is telling you to lift a 1000 tones weight! Google, or go find a sports specialist; there are hundreds of types of sport that you can do!

(WordPress free library, n.d.)

What are you waiting for? Just do it!

PLAN A TRIP WITH YOUR DUDES!

Most of us have seen those memes that talk about how funny are group trips preparations. Right? The day the idea sparks, your whole squad is in! All your 10 friends are coming. They know which car you will take, when you will leave, the outfits, the food you will eat on the way. I mean they keep fantasizing about how dreamy the trip will be. By the way, that’s my favorite moment “fantasizing”. One week before the trip, you are no longer ten, because 6 of you won’t make it. You are sad, but you stick to that thought and silently you murmur: “the trip has to happen, anyways.” And the fun, the high hopes, and all the fantasies will burn to ash on the day of the trip, your bags are made, but when you call your other three friends, here is what happens. The first; “I have a terrible cold, I won’t come”, the second “I am so broke right now, I can’t even afford to buy myself a chewing gum.”, and the third one, “We can’t do this alone, just the two of us, it may seem like a honeymoon and it will be boring as hell. I am sorry to do this dude, but I won’t come.”

A trip ruined on the D-day! Do you know how that feels? This hurts like a heartbreak, or maybe a little more. The big question here is: How do you successfully plan for group trips? And the key word here is “group”. It should be a group project. From my personal experience, I am going to give you few tips that will help you plan for a fun, blissful trip experience with your friends.

I don’t out every Friday, and I don’t take airplanes every summer to go for holidays, but I do travel a lot. And every time with friends of mine. Here are 5 simple tips to not forget:

Create a chat space: You may do a WhatsApp group, a Google Hangout group etc so that you have a spot to talk about the trip. Add all the people that are interested.
Fix a favorable date: We have different priorities, right? But try to find a date that the majority of people feel comfortable with.
Estimate the budget: You know where you are going, how much is the ticket, how much you will spend on a Hotel, food etc. If you don’t, do research and find out. Estimate a budget and cut down the expenses to adjust it, so that each group member knows roughly how much money they will contribute.
Who is going? Who is not? After you know the budget and the date ask all group members to confirm their availability.
Fantasize: (This is my favorite part Lol) You know who is going, so now it’s time to stir up the flames. Google search the nicest images of the nicest places you are visiting, share them with your friends and fantasize about most fun things you will do there. This is a crucial step because it will develop more attachment to the trip.

This article provides more Things you need to know before you plan for a group trip. So what do you say, do you now feel comfortable to prepare for your trip with the dudes, or maybe do you want to share a tip with others?

With these 5 tips, I am 80% sure that your trip will not be ruined on the D day. So have a nice trip then! Thank me later. Which other tip do you think can help people to successfully plan for trips with the dudes? Post your thoughts in the comment box below.

Denyse U.

Want to hit the gym? Wait! Eat first!

I have friends of mine who are great workout fans, they go to the gym and go out for morning runs, but some of them come back home after 10 or 15 minutes. And how should I describe their facial expression when they come back? Sadness blended to self-disappointment, it used to happen to me too, but I learned a trick! If you want to hit the gym so hard, or to have fluorescent results from any type of work out, wait! And eat first!

Running on an empty stomach may lead to premature exhaustion during a work-out, that’s why you need to have something in your stomach when you work out. However, you can’t eat chips and meat before running! Not everything is healthy as a pre-workout diet.

I do sport often, and I ate practically everything before I realized that some foods are well appropriate than others. I am sharing with you takeaways from my personal experience. Below is a list of four foods that can help you sweat better!

Drinks

1.Yoghurt

It is thick and it will help you sweat for long without getting exhausted prematurely. A plain yogurt is always better because it

You can eat have your sliced banana with a whole bread toast and you will be well off to start your morning run.

2. Smoothies

Smoothies are thick drinks made from a variety of fruits, and most fruits are great because they give you stamina and strength to do more hard cores. Bananas are great for natural and healthy sugar. It helps you get sufficient energy you may mix them with pineapple, watermelon, and papaya to make a well-packed smoothie.

Foods

3. Banana

You can have your sliced bananas with whole bread toast, then you would be well off to start your morning run.

4. Apple wedges

Apples are rich in fibers which makes them great digestion agents. So if you have packed your stomach too much and would love to have a workout, get yourself some apple wedges.

The list above is a few there other things that can help you hit the gym with stamina, however, you should note that the appropriate time to eat is one hour before the workout. You may also want to read about what to eat after a workout. Now that you know the trick, hit the gym so hard! Thank me later!

Denyse Umuhuza

This is why you need a facial massage so bad!

A facial massage will relieve you from stress in a blink of an eye. But why would people opt for a facial massage knowing there are hundreds and hundreds of massages which vary geographically even culturally. The facial massage is easy, quick and it can be done at home. And Yeaaaah! You won’t need to pay for a spa massage. Economic, right? Thank me later!

In fact, there are different types of massage. Just to name a few, there are Swedish massages, stone massages, feet massage, but the facial massage is much easier and even quicker. This massage consists of rubbing facial muscles gently which relieves pain and hurt. However, the benefits go beyond stress relieving. Facial massage softens the skin to give it a brighter and younger look, and it stimulates brain activity.

Here below is a step by step guide on how to do a healthy and effective facial massage.

You may have a million questions now, wondering: where to start? What to use? Who can do the massage or even; how do steps follow each other? This short tutorial shows how to do a face-brightening massage. You can do it yourself or ask someone else to do it for you. This will give you a brighter and younger face. Follow these three easy steps:

Start with clean skin: Clean your face as you usually do, use a soap or oil and lukewarm water, then dry your face with a towel.
Apply a light layer of face oil: This is to ease friction. Recommended oils include Argan or Almond oil for dry skin, and Jojoba or Castor oil for medium skin. Feel free to use your favorite oil if you are allergic to some oils.
Start the massage and follow this order: Begin by massaging your lymph area, massage the sides of your face, massage your forehead, close your eyes and massage your eye area. To finish go over each area one more time.

Try this technique, and post your comments below sharing your experience by answering these guiding questions. How did it go? How did you feel after the massage? What went well? What has been difficult?

Denyse Umuhuza