A Blog For First Days

Welcome to A Blog For Days Newsletter, thank you for subscribing! Each month a new newsletter will be sent to your email with all of our articles plus extra content appearing on a few editions. We hope you enjoy this newsletter which is a roundup of A Blog For Days’ first month.

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Starting Afresh

By Sahira Dharamshi

Being an expat my whole life  I’m all too familiar with first days. However, as I get older, they don’t necessarily seem to get much easier.

First days symbolise a fresh start, a new beginning and whilst that can appear to be exciting a sense of dread can’t help but cling on tight as well. Along with dread come these annoying little voices whispering doubts into my ear letting negativity wreak havoc on the mind. Now, not only is energy spent on mentally preparing for the new start but, also attempting to tame these inner voices. At times, it all gets too overwhelming and I end up talking myself out of the new project, if possible of course – as much as I loathe to admit it there are certain decisions out of my control!

However, sometimes I let myself embrace the unknown  and the uncertainty that comes with it. Maybe, at this point, I’ve let the negative thoughts runs so rampant they have to quieten down to reenergise themselves providing me with a brief moment of calm. Or potentially I’ve successfully quietened the voices myself that only utter their grievances every now and then making them easier to ignore. So, whilst my voices are taking a quick nap I shall finally press ‘launch’ on the first blog post.  When the adrenaline’s worn off I’m sure I’ll be sat thinking “oh gosh what have I just done!” with the voices freshly energised. However, with the launch of A Blog For Days I mark the start of a new chapter. Creating a space for individuals to find themselves clicking on when they need a confidence boost, comfort, fashion tips or even where to dine out. A site that has something for everyone for all sorts of days. Maybe it can even be the place you come to, to quieten your little voices of doubt.

First days always leads to a new journey, I hope you embark on this one with me creating a new: Digital Sanctuary. 

I guess A Blog For Days has now began.

May Your Winter Be Merry And Cherry (Red)

By Yasaman Ayati

In line with this month’s theme of ‘A Blog For First Days’ we have a guide to the first days of curating your winter wardrobe.

From runway to window displays, there is no doubt that the colour red has taken over what’s left of the 2023 season.

We all know Cherry Red has been strutting all over the fashion industry. Whilst the colour is normally used as an accessory or a ‘pop of colour’, this season it will infiltrate your mood boards resurfacing as a bold and powerful fashion manoeuvre associated with any ‘It Girl’. According to L’Officiel the last time Cherry Red dominated the fashion industry was in the 50s as a symbol of modernity and passion. Today Cherry Red intertwines its traditional flirtatious flare, with an edgy modern twist that is the epitome of empowerment.

Wondering who’s been on trend this season? Here are Vogue’s rundowns:

The Maximilian Davis Ferragamo collection plays with monochromatic colours leaving his collection totally unforgettable. Over at Gucci’s, ss24 runway Cherry Red took the show by storm. The deep hue was showcased in a delicate fashion making their iconic Jackie bag in Cherry Red leading to it becoming this winter’s ‘It Girl’ bag of the season.

For those who want to give the gift of fashion, head over to Ralph Lauren for their gift collection this winter which would be the perfect edition under your tree. From textured handbags to fleece jumpers, Cherry Red is presented as both a subtle and convenient addition to your wardrobe.

Alternatively, for a delicate approach to the new liberating trend, Cherry makeup poses a mix of sensuality and youth. From Essie’s Bordeaux shade, Dior’s Rouge Dior coming in three different finishes, to Hourglass blush in Brick Red. Cherry Red has become a playful addition morphing itself to suit the individual’s needs; allowing you to don the winter colour without making a bold and intimidating statement. The versatility and ability to spice up any upscale or day-to-day outfit by Cherry Red is undeniable from runway to window display, so whether you want to dabble in fashion or pick up a product, Cherry Red will be the accessory you’ll never put down this season.

Unsure of where to look? We’ve got you covered:

Escaping The Digital Jungle: Your Guide To A Realistic Digital Detox

By Sahira Dharamshi

In the age of social media and our lives pretty much revolving around a digital screen embarking on a digital detox has become increasingly difficult to do. However, not entirely impossible. In line with my blog’s theme of ‘A Blog For First Days’ I’m going to share a brief guide to beginning a digital detox – sort of.

How To Embark On A Realistic Digital Detox

Taking time away from screens or even limiting screen usage can have a plethora of benefits. One of the main benefits is bettering sleep quality.

I know many of us are all guilty of scrolling through our phones late at night when we can’t sleep thinking somehow this will get us tired. When in reality, it is having the opposite effect. Screens give off a blue light which can impact our sleep-wake cycle. As a result, spending prolonged time on our phones before bed can make it harder for us to fall asleep and have a good quality night’s sleep.

In everyone’s busy schedules to completely detox from devices may be difficult to do, nevertheless, your ability to limit time spent on them is achievable. Knowing the negative effects of blue light on sleep should be a great motivating factor to reducing your screen time and to begin the process, start by putting your phone away an hour, or even more, before bed to get out of the habit of using it as a crux. 

Personally, on my phone I activate bedtime mode to start my wind down process. This has proven to be very effective as I stop receiving notifications in turn reducing the temptation to pick up my phone and respond. I also have started charging my phone away from bed. Thus in order to reach for it I have to get out from under my covers which I don’t really want to do. This too is used as a tactic to get me to stop snoozing my alarm when it goes off in the morning  ultimately, proving its benefits from multiple angles! I ended up really enjoying not having my phone buzz with notifications that it was often on Do Not Disturb even during the day. Whilst that greatly annoyed my family and friends I stopped getting used to always reaching for it. Sadly, I started working and this was no longer viable but, I revert back to it as soon as the weekend arrives.

Leading to my next point. During the weekend you can reduce screen usage even further. For example, in the morning instead of going to grab your phone as soon as your eyes flit open, go make yourself a cup of coffee, tea or whatever your morning beverage of choice is. Enjoy it, wake up properly, in your own time and at your own pace. A much better alternative to going through friends’ stories of how they spent their Friday nights or mindlessly scrolling through Tik Tok and Instagram as soon as your day begins. 

Additionally, keeping your phone on DND during the weekend is a great way to ensure your’re present and really soaking up all the moments of calm and relaxation before a hectic week at the office, school etc starts up again. With a screen up in front of our faces it’s easy to miss the smallest of things and then suddenly Monday hits and a full weekend has flown by unappreciated.  

Round-up:

As I said, I know how much we all depend on these little devices making it hard to totally detox from them. However, there are definitely little things we can do to reduce our screen time. Not only will your sleep improve but also your overall wellbeing. Being in the moment, appreciating the little things and just being present works wonders. For our bodies individuals go on various cleanses so for our mind let’s show the same respect and start escaping the digital jungle we often find ourselves stuck in.

Tis’ The Season For Inspiration: Five Top Tips For Battling Winter Writer’s Block

By Molly Arabella Kirk

When writing, we all struggle with a place to start especially in the winter months when the cold air starts circling and the brain fog sets in, it gets darker earlier, the temperatures fall and all you want to do is wrap up warm, crawl into bed and watch a Christmas classic on Netflix. Even after years of writing and working as an editor I still massively struggle with starting on new creative projects. I often feel frozen in place, stuck in the limbo of having an idea but being too afraid to put my fingers to the keyboard and dive right in. What if my writing isn’t good enough? Is it too predictable? Will I find the right words to convey my vision? I bet someone else has written something similar but a million times better! 

Be it nagging self-doubt, pure procrastination or simply writer’s block, at times it can honestly feel impossible to know where to start and the barriers seem to magnify in the sluggish twilight months. But good news! Writer’s block and hesitation are natural for any aspiring writer who cares enough about how their work might read! So, after years of struggling, here are five top tips that have significantly helped me on my own writing journey, particularly in the tricky first days of getting a new piece of fiction, poetry or nonfiction underway! 

1. Use your notes app when inspiration suddenly strikes!

The amount of times I have been out with family or just about to fall asleep and suddenly the idea of a poem or short story hits me like a bolt of lightning and I just need to write the idea down before I forget everything.

I grab my phone and pour my thoughts and feelings down into my notes app and come back to it within the next few days to turn my jumbled words into a cohesive narrative. Every. Single. Time. This immediate download, capturing the moment as it hits, is a powerful tool for capturing spontaneous creativity and inspiration. The trick to this is in allowing all your thoughts (no matter how disorganised) to flow out of you; do not try to write down organised ideas or formulate a plot, all you need is a general idea of the themes, tones and feelings you are exploring and then just trust the process – pour it all out onto a blank page and enjoy taking the risk of creation without overthinking! You can always add precision, plot points and streamline your ideas later on. This also helps remove that nagging sense of having something to do that keeps us restless and awake at night. 

• Set yourself “writing time” and WRITE!

It sounds simple and it is. Allocate yourself some specific time once a day (or once a week depending on how busy your schedule is), grab a cup of tea or coffee, put on your cosiest sweatpants and fluffy socks and just write! After a long day at work, I typically allocate myself from 7pm-8pm or 8pm-9pm to write what I can. This approach is really good for people like me who need routine and scheduling (I’m a bit of a control freak). Eventually your brain will settle into a familiar routine, recognising and identifying those allocated periods as a time when you naturally, and increasingly subconsciously, put on your writer’s cap. A good habit forms and promotes good writing!

• Don’t write with the intention of publishing. 

By far the most useful advice I can give is to write for YOURSELF and YOURSELF only. When you write with an expectation of pitching to a certain audience, not only does it put way more pressure on you, but you also start filtering your authorial voice. The pressure of writing for others warps what can be an enjoyable period of creative catharsis into something far more burdensome. These self-imposed boundaries can steal your spontaneity and cause your piece to lose its flow and authenticity. Always write your work as though you are the only one who will ever read it.

• Take it one word at a time!

Take each passage completed as a personal triumph in its own right; celebrate each word, each sentence, each paragraph, each stanza. The principle that ‘small steps lead to great destinations’ is never truer than in the creative journey. Embrace the unknown and observe each victory no matter how small, and you will find that the piece steadily writes itself. 

• Don’t compare your writing to others’.

This factor is my biggest struggle by far, and I still consistently fall foul of it. It is so, so hard sometimes to put all the swirling negative thoughts to rest, especially when I see others my age publishing their own work and writing incredible pieces. Additionally, in this hyper-connected age it feels like every trope and plot point has already been explored, which can be petrifying at times. Yet, no matter what, I believe that every person in this world has a unique story and voice, we each have distinctive lived experiences and different perspectives to offer, and a degree of individualism in all that we think and write. Even when we feel that we are treading a well-worn path, we each have something new to say. So, when negative thoughts are stifling my momentum and self-belief, I just revert to my third point and seek to write for myself – judging only against my own expectations (although, admittedly, I am my own worst critic). Try it and have faith that you are completely capable of creating something amazing that you can be proud of. Trust in yourself and you will eventually overcome the mental blockages and release the wonders within; the right reader will absorb your words on bated breath regardless. I know it. Remember to fall in love with YOUR words too! 

The first days of writing are always a daunting experience for me but, with these tips, I am better able to control the pessimistic inner whispers and anxiety I feel when staring at a blank page, with pen aquiver or keyboard at the ready. I hope they provide some benefit for those of you presently looking to break through your own doubts and barriers to deliver the masterpiece within, particularly as the long nights draw in and the festive calendar hits a peak.

Stay tuned for more articles written by me on A Blog For Days!

First Edition Of A Blog For Days