Like one of your French girls

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullah :) how have u been?

I am apparently always at the market, as I went there today, and will go tomorrow to another market in sha Allah. Alhamdulillah for that. I have a friend who is always washing laundry, so I guess we all have our things to do..

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The title is a click bait, I admit, there's no nude pictures here. No one is drawing anything anyways, this is a writing thing. I have my hibiscus+rose hip tea on the way, and some time to talk with you guys. And today was a happy day because I got my salary, and was able to do some purchases I needed to do. So what has that got to do with the French girls?

Well, I bought few things from my two favorite online shops, both based in France. The first one is Avril, my favorite cosmetics brand. It's natural, organic, affordable and the products work. Like they really work.  I bought a mascara and a lip oil. Then later I went through their page and saw some pouches made from organic cotton.. I wish I saw them earlier! Next time then in sha Allah, Aisha. But yeah, they have a good range of make up and skincare products, and I like to shop on their own page instead of some other online shops, because their prices are the cheapest. Even with the shipping. I currently have their eye pencils, mascara, lip oil, lip balm, and I have tried their shampoo bar too and it was really good. 

The second one is also known for it's high quality and affordable prices, Al akhawat ♡ I was looking for skirts, but didn't find a suitable color, so I went to see their hijabs. I haven't bought any new scarves for maybe couple years now, so it was time. I like jersey fabric the most, but they had some stretchy modal ones I wanted to try. I bought three! I'll show the colors for you later in sha Allah. I hope they fit me! And now I can finally ditch my chiffon ones away, those which I've also used for years, and those which look like it. Chiffon is a nice material, especially that stretchy, flowy one, but it is ruthless in summer. It will make you sweat and you'll never get that sun cream off the fabric. So it's time for a refresh. 

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It's not all just spending though. I do want to spend some money on myself sometimes, get something I really want and need. It's easy when I don't have children. If I'd have kids, I would make sure first that they have everything. But even if you're a mom, you also deserve sometimes a little treat. But anyways! We need to remember that all of us don't have these luxuries. And as we have learned young, it's important to share. The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are starting, and it's very good idea to give to charity these days. My go-to organization is Islamic Aid. I think I've mentioned it earlier. Well, it's reliable and I like how you can either ear mark your donation or then go with "most in need". Personally I find it hard to decide between causes, so the option to help those who are most in need is good. I trust in their consideration. 

The genocide in Gaza doesn't show any signs of end, and now South of Libanon is on the line. People are still suffering of famine and war in Sudan. Children in the mines in Congo are on the edge. Rohingya refugees, and our Uighur sister and brothers suffering in silence. And so many others. Let's remember them, not only, but especially these blessed days. Let's keep them all in our prayers, and help in ways we can. 

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Alhamdulillah for everything. It's eight o'clock here, and I've finished my daily chores. I'm on my second cup of tea. I feel even a bit guilty that life has been easier for a while. I'm even starting to learn how not to worry all the time and have some fun too. Things have been going good. The anxiety has been gone for a while now. Or not all of it, but most of it. If you suffer from anxiety, try to find help. I know how paralyzing it can be, like a maze where you can't find a way out. There's lot of self help sites online. What comes to anxiety, and well I'm not a doctor, but I'd still say that medication is not the only way. It can help, but it can also bring more trouble, like addiction. So look for other options. Shortly, mostly good ways to cope with anxiety are something to do with your senses. Using these methods, you might get a small distraction or break, and using these regularly can help you cope better with it:

- a sour candy

- ice pack on your wrist, forehead, chest

- hot shower

- a small rock you can keep in your pocket and reach for

- counting things in your environment, for example trees or cars

And there's more. I have found attending to different groups the most helpful. It's nice to get peer support, it's really helpful to see others and hear their experiences, and you can actually relate.

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I try to be on the present moment. And usually the present moment is ok, alhamdulillah. There's usually always a way. So no worries, dear. Allah swt takes care of us.

It's my time to relax a bit and watch Girls (I never watched it when it came out and found out about it now). Thank you for reading,

Aisha