~ Meguru And Yori Constantly Inspire Each Other To Be Better People. Even Though Meguru Feels Like The

~ I started watching Traveler (Season 2) yesterday and I am already in love with Kang Ha-Neul. Also, I didn’t expect Ong Seong Wu to be so timid and cute. I’d thought he’d be more of a snob, but he’s as soft as a puppy. Also, also, hello Argentina and Buenos Aires! ❤ ~

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From: Episode 1

~ The Tale Of Nokdu ~ 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽

~ When we have a constantly active inner critic that thrives on self-hate, try as hard as we may, it becomes extremely difficult to move towards positive self-growth. . The negative self-talk from such an inner critic instantly demotivates you and since that's all we hear, we begin to see ourselves solely from the eyes of this critic. . This propels us to second-guess the nourishing choices we've decided to make and stops us from taking regular action to back these choices, hence causing us to stay in this same toxic loop of self-caused pain.  . If we get down to the root of this, we realize, that in order to back ourselves up, we need to trust ourselves. Due to loop patterns of self-destructive behavior (both conscious + unconscious), without knowing it, over time, we lose trust in our self and our power to make healthy choices. . The way out, I've realised over this past year, is to back the promises you make to yourself by regular, consistent actions.  . This weakens the negative self-talk the inner critic often thrives on and suddenly, there opens a tiny space where you start seeing yourself minus this toxic lens of self-hate (which is the primary cause of self-hurt and self-sabotage).  . Slowly, by backing the words + choices we tell & make for ourselves with regular, positive actions, we invite buds of self-trust to bloom once more. 

~ I Found A Long-Lost Part Of Myself While Watching 'Meteor Garden' ~

Here's a fact: you can never get over the first drama you've watched. 

Every drama-lover I know confesses this lovingly. So, as I waited for being lovestruck yet one more time, I was drama-struck by Cupid instead.

My very first drama happened to be 'Meteor Garden’ (2018) a Chinese remake of the popular K-drama 'Boys Over Flowers'. Like the blink of an eye, I didn’t realize when I was already forty minutes into the first episode. 

That's how the drama bug got me.

The Story:

Meteor Garden revolves around the story of two Ming De university students, Daoming Si (Dylan Wang) and Dong Shancai (Shen Yue). While a typical rich brat meets a poor but badass girl, the story also pans out to accommodate a great cast of secondary characters. 

Beginning with the 'F4', Ming De's most popular boy-group starring its leader Ah Si (fierce, smart heir to the Daoming Group of industries), Huaze Lei (musical genius), Ximen Yan (tea god) and Feng Meizuo (art lover with an unbeatable memory).

There’s Dong Shancai's adorable mother and father, her best friends, Chen Qing (banana expert) and Xiao You (bubble-tea partner).

Over a span of 49 episodes, we watch Shancai and Si's unexpected love bloom, we celebrate the spirit of 'family' -- both in blood and otherwise, we cherish friendship as true as the color of a clear sky and we come face to face with a bounty of life-lessons as we fall deeper and deeper for the characters that make the show.

My favorite learnings from the drama:

1. Dong Shancai's character is a far cry from your typical C-drama heroine. She's strong, confident, boisterous and unafraid of speaking her mind. I absolutely love the way she teaches you to own who you are. To own your whole person --- your strengths, your weaknesses and to keep going exactly when you want to give up.

2. Meteor Garden celebrates love in different forms. The love between a mother and daughter, that between between two lovers, two friends, two almost-lovers-but-now-lifetime-BFFs, the kind of love that hurts because it isn't yours to claim, the kind of love that teaches you how to love with a big heart and then, the kind of love that you must let go of so that you can meet a love you deserve.

3. The F4 sum up the following sentence: find your tribe and love them hard. Their lifelong kinship reminds you that 'family' goes way past DNA and some of the best people in your life today, could have once-upon-a-time been complete strangers. They support, encourage, guide and hold each other up.

4. As a typical C-drama lead, you'd expect Daoming Se to totally own his privilege without acknowledging its side-effects. But Si's transformation from exactly this sort of person to someone who is open to changing for the better is refreshing. What blows my mind is how Si shows courage to write his own story, not the one that's expected of him.

5. While we're used to 'voicing' our opinions, Shancai taught me it's better to let your actions and virtues do the talking. Because, a pure heart may not always be a loud one but it will be seen nonetheless, since it is true to itself.

6. And then you have my favorite learning of all time: LOVE IS WORTH IT ALL.

It is worth growing into, growing for and fighting with every ounce of your soul. 

I've watched many love stories and read quite a few too, but I am unabashedly biased towards Si's pure, magical love for Shancai and vice versa.

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Image Credits | Netflix 

Image Art | Doodle Shape (Android App)

~ To build something with care requires time. It requires infusion of your spirit. Things built slowly smell of love and patience. Haste has no room when time expands, and you create from the well of joy in your heart. ~🌼

Manchurian Dosa | 11th May, Sunday

Went with the Nanus to eat Manchurian Dosa and Schezwan Cheese Frankie at Ghatkopar, on a whim. 👯‍♀️

The Manchurian was green oniony, hot, sour, and garlicky. The chutney was a refreshing contrast against the heat of the Manchurian. The dosa was beautifully soft and yum. 🤤

Unfortunately, it was too dark to take a photo of the Schezwan Cheese Frankie. But it ticked all the boxes --- flaky, crispy cover, potato filling that was heartily assembled with cheese and a generous addition of onions (my favorite part is their crunch), and the goodness of Indian Chinese's version of Schezwan sauce.🤤

" 'It seems to me that you're getting anxious, thinking that you have to discover quickly what you enjoy or do well.' 'Is it so? Hmm... that's true.' Mincheol averted his gaze as he mumbled. He turned back to Seungwoo. 'It feels like I have to find it quickly.'

'Why are you in a rush? You don't have to hurry. If coming here isn't boring, just come over more often. Be who you are right now, and you will be fine.'"

~

~ Page 221, Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, Hwang Bo-Reum~

Image Credits: @spongecake on Tumblr

~ I will take it slow today and reset my heart and mind. On the days when time feels too hard to catch hold off, a mindful breath, a few hours at my desk, writing my thoughts, making things with paper, all of these are like little gifts to myself 🌸 ~

“Real time is slower than social-media time, where everything feels urgent. Real time often includes periods of silence, reflection, growth, space, self-forgiveness, processing with loved ones, rest, and responsibility."

-  @adriennemareebrown @artidote 

As often as you need, disconnect from the noise of the surrounding world so that you can listen to yourself clearly. 🌺

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(Picture of a page before the words were written.)