Shandean Reid - Canadian influencer - photo of nails over steering wheel
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9 Safety Tips for Women Driving Alone

by on June 18, 2023
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I wondered if it was too doom and gloom writing a post about safety tips for women driving alone. Then I remembered my goal for this blog. I am creating applicable, practical, experience-driven content for women. The fact is, the world is dangerous for us. We can wish it wasn’t…

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Living Alone in my 30s as a Married Millennial

by on February 4, 2023
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After living with my husband for eight years, I found myself living alone in my 30s for the first time. Most women have lived alone at one time or the other by the time they get to my age, and I have. (Does a college dorm count?) But also, not…

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Jamaican Grand Market: A Millennial Flashback

by on December 17, 2021
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As a Jamaican kid growing up in the 90s in Linstead, I looked forward to experiencing what I now know to be a Jamaican Christmas eve tradition called grand market. Grand market or as it is less often called by actual Jamaicans, Christmas market. It is, however, nothing like the…

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4 Types of Vision Boards You Can Make

by on December 16, 2021
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Have you ever given any thought to the kinds of vision boards you can create? Most people I know don’t think about doing more than one type of vision board, but given how useful they can be, I was thinking, why tmake some things separate. I recall when I made…

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How to Apply for a Canadian Study Visa

by on December 6, 2021
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Between family life, my spouse’s profession, I’ve been a stay-at-home mom/wife for the past five years. Sure, I’ve occupied myself substantially during that time, but for all intents and purposes, my husband and I agreed that while he was in residency and our child was an infant, I would be…

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Tips for Managing Stress

by on July 5, 2021
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I have, from the time I have known myself until now when I sit here writing this post, been terrible at managing stress. As if that weren’t bad enough on its own, I am equally terrible at identifying that am in fact, stressed. I can’t even lie, the last few…

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Five Year Blog Anniversary

by on June 21, 2021
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On June 9, 2021, I celebrated my five year blog anniversary. It makes me sad that I hadn’t even realised it until today when I am writing this, June 19, 2021 since I’ve been so mentally caught up these past few weeks. But this blog? I love this thing! I’ve…

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Practicing Grateful Living as a Lifestyle

by on April 20, 2021
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Practicing grateful living has literally been my lifeline since the start of the pandemic. I started out with living in a state of constant gratitude years before, but for obvious reasons, I’ve needed to pull on it more than I ever have. It has helped me to stay hopeful and…

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Stalked at My Gate

by on March 28, 2021
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I said I wouldn’t share any more doom and gloom stories on my blog, but the past few years and in particular days have been a heavy ordeal for women. Since I have a blog, as a Mother, Daughter, Sister and Wife, it is my responsibility to use it t…

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My Husband Got the COVID Vaccine

by on March 16, 2021
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Last Saturday, my husband got the first dose of his Covid vaccine. As a healthcare professional, he is on the local priority list and was offered the option. Jamaica’s first shipment of 50,000 doses of vaccines, donated by the Government of India, arrived on March 8, 2021, and another 14,400…

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Behind Her Eyes: 7 Real-Life Lessons Explained

by on February 24, 2021
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If you haven’t seen Behind Her Eyes on Netflix and you plan to, or want to savour the opportunity to do so, this post is not for you. Save it, watch and come back later. This is your official spoiler notice. Now then, if you are still reading, you have…

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3 Tips for a Better Vision Board

by on January 6, 2021
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Vision boards are amazing! Let’s start there. They are freaking amazing and after the year we’ve all had, a 2021 vision board is definitely what we all need. I made my first vision board back in 2018 with a group of friends and family having a whole party. I have…

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3 Things I Would Tell My Younger Self

by on December 18, 2020
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What would you tell your younger self? That is the question of centuries old. The hashtag #By23 had me thinking about all the ways I struggled as a young adult, particularly during University.

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7 Things I’m Grateful For in 2020

by on December 15, 2020
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This year has has been a whirlwind from start to this point. When the year started, I’d launch a daily newsletter and so I was in tune with the world news in a way I hadn’t before. By the time the Puerto Rico earthquakes happened, Australia had been on fire…

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Living with Migraines for 16 Years

by on December 6, 2020
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I’ve been living with migraines since I was 15 years old. When they are perpetual, they are called chronic migraines. Chronic migraines are defined by frequency and are recognised to be having at least 15 headache days a month, with at least 8 days of having headaches with migraine features,…

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Guest Post: Hotel Coffee Is Awful

by on October 10, 2020
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This morning, as I made myself my second cup of coffee, I got to thinking, coffee at hotels are really awful. I don’t know why that thought came to me but yea it did so I decided to pen this short talk.

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Own Who You Are

by on October 9, 2020
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Last night, for the longest time in ‘I don’t know how long’ I spent about three hours on Skype with two girlfriends. We talked. A lot. About many, many things including social media and perception. As the conversation grew wings and took on varying subject matters, I listened to how…

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What It’s Really Like Being Married to a Doctor

by on September 3, 2020
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Being married to a doctor is brutal. Even more so when said doctor is a resident. From the time my husband and I started dating, his professional path was something that I took honest consideration about, among other things. Not to be a brat, but as someone who was a…

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Family Unity: My Spouse Comes First

by on July 31, 2020
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I know this topic is discussed to death and there are opposing ideas on whether parents should put the children first in a marriage. I’m sure you can tell by the title of this post where my head is, but I would like to share my position and train of…

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Don’t Wait to Live Your Life

by on May 16, 2020
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My Greatest Fear is a Life Un-lived. Who told you you’re going to get 50, 70 or 90 years of life? If you knew you would die at 40, would you approach your life the same way? If you knew you have a disability at 30 or 40 years old,…

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The Real Mother’s Day

by on May 11, 2020
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By now, I’ve been awake for a few hours. Yesterday was Mother’s Day and if we’re being honest, I spent it in bed. All of it. Right there is where my husband brought me coffee, showed me my gift and later brought me dinner. I roamed Netflix, social media every…

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Guest Post: Spilt Milk on the Coronavirus

by on May 9, 2020
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One Sunday in January 2020 I spilled milk.  Let pause here for a second. You are probably wondering what the fuck does milk have to do with anything? (I’ve put a strike through the word ‘fuck’ just in-case it offended anyone. You don’t have to read that word. Just skip…

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This Shift is Permanent. ‘The Great Pause’.

by on April 28, 2020
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Many of us dream of things going back to the way they were before, but do we understand that whatever is there waiting for us on the other side of SARS–CoV–2 is not like it was before? A time when “The Great Pause” of a world perpetually on the move…

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5 Things I Took For Granted Before COVID

by on April 19, 2020
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Apart, from the obvious things, COVID19 has pretty much redefined life as we know it. Notwithstanding the big things, there are so many every day, mundane activities that you’re not able do or suddenly notice and it’s quite sobering. Not that I make a habit of takin things for granted.…

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Blogging for Therapy: Coping with COVID19

by on April 7, 2020
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Blogging is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. I read that somewhere this week, and it might have been the kick I needed to jump start my engine. See, since this quarantine thing started, I’ve opened a blank page to write a blog post a couple of dozen times, but…

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Tips to Stay Cool This Summer

by on July 9, 2019
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It’s six am. I’ve just woken up to find myself without the top I wore to bed. It’s strewn on the floor telling me that at some point during the hellish heat I most likely peeled it off. I do remember sweating and being restless, Tibby tossing and turning, trying…

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Own Who You Are

by on February 16, 2019
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Last night, for the longest time in ‘I don’t know how long’ I spent about three hours on Skype with two girlfriends. We talked. A lot. About many, many things including social media and perception. As the conversation grew wings and took on varying subject matters, I listened to how…

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Death Is So… Final

by on January 15, 2019
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A few days before the holidays, my husband’s maternal family lost its matriarch. While the family is close and usually jovial, there was a hanging presence over the holidays. Last Sunday, she was laid to rest. I dislike funerals, and blessed as I am, I’ve only ever lost one person…

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My Struggle With Ovarian Cysts

by on August 30, 2018
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Have you or anu=yone you know who struggled with ovarian cysts ever had one of those bad boys rupture or slow leak? I’ve been struggling with them leaking and rupturing for a while now. I posted a video on my Instagram teasing about a possible pregnancy some weeks ago. After…

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I Was Almost Kidnapped

by on July 9, 2018
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Yes, you read that right. I was almost kidnapped. This blog post is a mite different from anything I’ve shared on here. It’s darker, a piece of me I still actively sometimes struggle with. The other day I mentioned the effect a past experience had on me to a friend. She…

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To Propose or Not To Propose… To Your Man

by on March 1, 2018
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For a few years now, every so often a picture emerges on social media of a woman proposing to a man, and the reaction is almost always the same. Women shaming the woman for asking the man she wants to marry her. I for one find the practice so annoying.…

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I Won’t Go Natural

by on December 6, 2017
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Over the past few years, the natural hair movement has dominated quite a bit. I am here for it. As ever, my little country, Jamaica has been pushing boundaries on the international stage regarding what’s acceptable as beautiful hair. I am here for it!

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Emotionally Taxing Friendships 

by on September 30, 2017
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 I had to separate myself from a person and situation that I believed to be more taxing than I would ever be able to tolerate or endure…

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Single Until Marriage?

by on July 19, 2017
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I was listening to a podcast and the topic of discussion was centred around a young woman who said that she was single until she was married due to the fact that men are not trustworthy and may be doing this, that, that and the third. This in and of…

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Gender Roles & Feminism?

by on June 9, 2017
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The new age definition of feminism seems to appropriate that women believe and behave in a manner that portrays they are superior to men. I, myself, have zero interest in that. I agree with textbook feminism, that we are equals, neither being more superior. By this view, I neglect to…

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The Meaning of Friendship 

by on May 14, 2017
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When I was about 18, I lost a friend that I had loved like a sister due to one most basic girl code reasons that I had thought shouldn’t take place, a guy. 

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Does Size (Length) Really Matter?

by on March 28, 2017
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TL; DR. The acronym means ‘too long; didn’t read’ and gets a bad rap because the user is labelled lazy and rude. But is that true? How many of us are guilty of this without typing it to let the author of a piece know? I know I am.

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Two Thousand Sixteen: The Year That Was

by on December 31, 2016
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“I’ve been more than a little preoccupied lately.” This is actually a gross understatement. I’ve been attending a very lovable, tiny person as her appearance changes the dynamics of my marriage and home life in general. Tiny person, major influence(s) and chain reactions. Overall, I feel as though I’ve held…

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The Modern Traditional Woman: The Married Individual

by on July 5, 2016
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My last article spoke of the The Modern Traditional Woman, focusing on the acquiring of a fulfilling career and family life. This piece is on that same woman from a different perspective. Marriage and being an individual.

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The Modern Traditional Woman: Having It All

by on July 2, 2016
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Sounds like quite the oxymoron, does it not? Perhaps, but it describes the woman who doesn’t want to be boxed in. (At least in my head that’s what it describes). The woman who doesn’t want to spend her life in the traditional role of being barefoot and pregnant. The woman…

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