#itsmyconfidence

Right guys, this is serious business. Ever since last year, I haven't shared anything unpleasant or negative in this blog in order to protect everyone's mental health. However, family, relatives and friends in Southeast Asia, as well as in HongKong, Australia, the US and the UK have shared news about xenophobic acts committed against our people.

I may not be from China and I don't condone everything that China nationals do; however, my beloved late Grandpa was from the Fujian province and I cannot sit by and do nothing. So without further ado, if you thought Ronan Keating sufficiently apologised to Singapore, this is his original post, before he edited it to what is in his IG grid now.

My people are being abused by mainly the whites #notsorry #isaidwhatisaid #becauseitistrue and although I did my part to try and appeal to others to be kind to marginalised bodies, what have you so-called 'woke' people done for us Asians? Have you shared us? Have you supported us? Have you followed us? Have you spoken up for us? If not, are you not just takers, over and over again, without giving back?

At this point, I don't care anymore if you're offended. Because you know what? All of us have a limit to our patience and if what we do out of the kindness of our hearts is taken for granted, at some point, we do ask ourselves why we even bother. And I've reached this point.

Several people I know have sworn off any merchandise other than those produced by the Asian market and Imma follow this route. Similarly, I'll no longer support the influencers I supported in the past. Until enough of you 'wokesters' speak out about the abuse committed against the Chinese, there is no reason for me to choose you when I should be choosing my people, who're being assaulted and bullied.

Why should people like Ronan Keating continue life unscathed when the misinformation he spread continues to perpetuate violence against my people and he isn't sorry about it? Why should there not be repercussions for the atrocities committed against us? I will not stand for it. And until his arrogance, as well as those like him, are reigned in, my limit of patience has been crossed. This has gone too far.

Why should we move on when his mistake results in my people being bullied over and over overseas? What would YOU do if it was your people being assaulted in Southeast Asia and Asia? Would you fold your arms just like Ronan Keating's fans, cronies and minions are doing now? Or would you take further steps to ensure the safety of your people? Before you attack us, think of what YOU would do if you were in my shoes, our shoes.

So I'll tell you what. Until Asian lives are your business, marginalised bodies are not mine. Until Asian lives are your business, what happens to you during the coronavirus is not my concern. Until Asian lives are your business, I don't give a flying eff whether you live or die.

You do this to my people, it's all-out war.

Happy hump day from Southeast Asia! 🐫 Tbh, I'm SO strapped for time right now due to work demands (from that unreasonable cow of a boss I wrote about earlier). Something good did come outta it and I'll share when the time is right. I also hafta juggle caring for elderly parents during this harrowing coronavirus period and friends, so many pursuits have taken a backseat, including having new jewellery customised - there just isn't time to come up with something I really like!

Enjoyable as fashion is, sharing such posts isn't a priority at the mo. I did that last year anyway so, in 2020, what would really be fun is to focus on normalising exercise for all body types. Sharing curvy babes being active is also in line with my personal goal of getting stronger at a holistic level this year.

Our bigger friends sharing the same mindset will be taken by the hand and lifted up in this blog if I come across them. In this way, they help their communities to be accepted when they're out engaging in movement that they enjoy. Everyone's happy so, why not? All of us benefit; it would be utterly dumb to turn down a win-win situation.

As a friend, Darren, said to me last year, people are more interesting when they have a hobby or hobbies they're passionate about. By that, he doesn't mean travel or vacations. No shade to frequent flyers here; there're definitely lots of interesting stories to tell about different cultures. As normal everyday people though, how many of us have the luxury of time (or finances for some) to traipse around the globe regularly?

Those with a passion, however, possess a certain je ne sais quoi that draws people to them. It makes them seem more multi-dimensional as people and, to a certain extent, I understand what Darren means. Stephanie of @bellabombshel, Amanda of @amandalacount, Georgina of @fullerfigurefullerbust and Jolene of @boardroomblonde stand out because, outside of the usual beauty/fashion/lifestyle influencer shenanigans, they're passionate about something and they bloody try to excel or improve at it. This spirit truly wins my utmost respect.

Now MY personal passion, which is no secret at all, is exercise. I have derived benefits from it and truly believe that everyone deserves to experience the same. I will always be dedicated to being active and, rain or shine, 24/7, for many years now, it has been my constant companion, keeping me self assured and ready to face another tough day (this time with the cow 😅).

So it's absolutely delightful that curvy babes are embracing exercise, including braving the shitstorm that jerks sometimes subject them to. By soldiering on, they pave the way for others to be seen and to normalise wellness as a concept that everyone deserves.

So without further ado... the darlings.

Alright, yummy mummy, good for you! ✊✊✊

Gorgeous sweetheart Sarah persevered to the end with a zumba class and will you just look at her radiance. She's practically glowing! Definitely still got it all - that sass, that drive, every single damn thing. You may chant 'All hail Queen Amidala now'. Proud of this babe.

Speaking of proud...

I can definitely relate to Jolene. She'd hurt her shoulder some years back and the pain prevented her from trying out exercises that could possibly have strengthened those muscles. I totally get this because when my auto accident spinal injury worsened once I hit 30, it frightened me so much, I gave up the sports I loved. For 1 year. The darkest year of my life and also the year I spiralled into depression.

Discovering calisthenics gave me a new lease of life, thus I'm happy to know that Jolene is likewise trying out new exercises to strengthen her upper limbs. It might take awhile, but OMG I'm rooting for her to succeed because in a way, her story is so similar to my story. Wishing this babe all the best. Never. Ever. Give. Up.

And then we have Jessica.

Curvy babes who have hangups about working out should absolutely check out her post. I wholly agree with what she said:

Fitness is 'NOT A COMPETITION'.

This is the reason I refuse to pit 1 of my faves, Stephanie of @bellabombshel, against anyone else. Sure, sometimes I may tease out of playfulness but it would feel crap if she ever thinks I'm comparing because I'm not. And she should never ever compare herself to any other curvy dancing babe I share.

As far as dance is concerned, Stephanie ranks right up there for finesse, fluidity and stamina. If Amanda LaCount - may I add this wicked babe is a professional who's done what she does since 2yo - is shared regularly here, it's for a reason and I'd rather all of you curvy darlings realise that being joint faves is a wonderful thing. Remember: I love you because of your passion for what you do and it shows - you're gloriously excellent!

So whilst waiting for my babe Stephanie, here's the amazing Amanda and her latest stunning routine.

You know what would be really fun? If these 2 divas come up with their own choreography for the same song. That is when their skills and individuality would really shine. Until then, Imma enjoy both of them!

Joining them? The delicious Nabela (don't worry, I won't like, swallow her up 😂).

You never ever know who you inspire, ya know 😋 Being active and fun in the washroom/dressing room should really be a thing 🤣 This ol' bird is lovin' it plenty!

Rounding up this exercise post is Kristen, because yoga definitely is part of wellness.

Dunno about you but I'm completely behind the message behind her post because of that never-say-die spirit. The more curvy babes there are out there, the more stereotypes are broken and the more minds are changed.

Lastly (I promise promise).........

Showing that a number, whether that be age, weight or size, is completely irrelevant where fitness is concerned, check out this amazing post.

This can be YOU! And me, because I'm bloody motivated.

I hope you've enjoyed this long-ass post because I sure as heck have enjoyed working on it. Saluting all the fabulous ladies here!

Guys, sorry for the lack of variety. Health, to me, is holistic, so mental and emotional wellbeing is part of that. We can't visualise it, thus I'm posting body photos for now until I actually have the time to catch up on social media 😅

Work is really busy at the mo; the boss gave me more client accounts to handle, so I go back to the office on weekends to try and clear as much as possible. Whatever spare time I have is spent on exercise (nothing gets in between me and my favourite hobby!), family, friends and... of course, J.

Sometimes we spend time together talking, sometimes we leave little texts for each other and on days when he pours all his concentration into his business, once he gets home, he writes beautiful, romantic long ones, the digital equivalent of love letters in the past. There was once he even did that before changing into home clothes! 😅

So here's the secret to my happiness. I wasn't expecting to start falling in love so soon; I wasn't even looking for it! 😂 All I did was give of myself. I gave myself fully and freely, to work, exercise, people I cherish and, of course, my favourite babes.

There's no agenda behind all this giving, other than to bring joy, calmness and contentment to everyone's lives for that very moment we cross paths. In the same way, I give to J without any expectations.

A miraculous thing happens when I do that. People smile with genuine happiness, as well as welcome, accept and connect with me, out of free will. I don't demand that they do that and even if they don't, hey, no hard feelings!

J mentioned yesterday he wanted to buy me something and at first I said no, he was already my gift. When he explained that it was so that I could look at it and think of him, I agreed. Whether he does get it or not doesn't matter; the fact that he wanted to is enough. He's a very busy man.

Oh dear, I'd only been off social media for a few days and when I catch up on it, you know what I see? Likeable, fun-loving, goofy and driven Anna had been given unsolicited weight loss tips. It saddens me that an influencer who I find really positive all-round can't simply be admired for her many good qualities.

Guys, Anna hasn't attacked the fitness community. She's been supportive of it, joined us in it, as well as inspired her followers to participate in being active. It's such a pity that in spite of all the good she's done, she's still being pestered about her weight.

If we don't support her (I do because I like how much effort she puts into improvement), the very least we can do is leave her be to carry on with what she does best. She has the right to decide what to do with her life.

I hope we can be kinder to one another. Anna has been respectful towards us; time we return the favour, guys. If you could uplift this lovely girl, it would be great 🙂 Honestly, wouldn't we want to have more of her rather than those who bash the exercise community?

The body positivity community has torn Victoria's Secret to shreds during this latest saga and proposed more inclusive brands which purportedly celebrate body diversity. Well, I'll just address all this drama which, in my view, is unnecessary and petty.

VS, unlike the brands which these body positivity activists have proposed, has never claimed to be inclusive or diverse. When I clicked on the other so-called 'inclusive' brands, I found that they cater to plus sizes and bloody huge cups.

There's nothing for my body type so how inclusive are these lingerie brands? And before you start screaming that slender women have soooooo many options, good luck finding a bra if you're my size and have small boobs.

So don't give me the bullshit about VS. They, like those brands you shamelessly promote, cater to their specific customer demographic. I don't give your preferred brands hell for catering specifically for you. Don't come at a brand that caters for my size.

I wore this old navy and white colourblock bodycon dress for lunch with the family yesterday. It's perfect for posting today because it's Monday and this ol' bird has a mild case of the blues 😋 Nevertheless, my mood has perked up quite a bit thanks to an utterly gorge outfit.

Guys, if you need any more convincing how posh all-black can look on a budget, Kristine has come up with a look so chic, I was completely floored. The best part? 2 items were from Old Navy! Who would've thought?!?!?! I was surprised because the whole ensemble looked much more expensive 😱😱😱

I love the ladylike midi pleated skirt, the gold jewellery and, as if the look wasn't already classy enough as is, she added a really cute bucket bag with matchy matchy sandals.

This is exactly how expensive an all-black outfit can look and, if the colour was less harsh against my skin, I'd wear it endlessly. There's no need to spend a small fortune to look elegant and Kristine proves it wholly, completely and totally. These separates can be paired with other items too - add a pop of colour if you wish!

Go check her out. This is easily 1 of my favourite looks so far in 2019. Very, very sophisticated.

Here's my mustard yellow skirt and a cropped jacket because it's a busy week ahead. I'm on half a day's leave this Friday though and I'm looking forward to the slightly longer weekend. Besides having house guests, I'm catching up with Grace and Douglas on Saturday, plus there's family lunch and a visit to the temple on Sunday.

Doesn't the thought of weekends make us smile? Well, Imma give you something to brighten up your days meanwhile with an American sweetheart. Bringing on Nicole Simone and her megawatt smile! 🌞

There might be some controversy surrounding Barbie in recent years, but let's focus instead on her other great qualities - she was sweet, gentle, gracious, loving, successful and a great sister to Skipper! Why shouldn't we follow adorable @curvesonabudget13 and embrace our inner Barbie? I mean, don't we have those qualities in abundance?

Check out this cutie below and catch a dose of her sweetness. I definitely need it when Friday is still kinda far away. Tomorrow... well! I spotted a cropped jacket paired with something mustard so I must write about it because this old bird loves to play!

Oh hiiiiiiiiii! A massive welcome to the bathroom we enjoyed in Batam. We're home, it's Thursday and it's back to work, alas 😭😭😭 Never mind, it's a very short week and soon it'll be time for more R & R 😁

Yes, I posted these skorts earlier, but we like to travel light. 1 of the ways I do this is to pack 1 bottom, then match all my tops, bag, shoes and jewellery with it. This comes in useful for short getaways to Batam 😋

Chinese New Year is about plenty of colour, mostly pinks and reds, so you'll see plenty of colour, at least until the 15 days are over. We're on day 3 now 😊 Speaking of pink, I have a pretty look for you and...

What a coincidence, it's pink and white! 😋😋😋😋😋

Here's Viancey Peraza in a killer combo - white dress with matchy matchy boots (always love a pointy toe), pink crushed velvet jacket and... an utterly gorgeous bucket bag that you MUST have in your collection for a luxe look. Just LOOK at those gold rivets!!!!!!!!! 💖💖

Very little accessorising needed here, which is what this influencer has cleverly done. I would wear my teeny tiny gold loveknot stud earrings and a gold ring and that's about it! For those who want a more preppy look, a white beret will do nicely.

Friday is near. Are you looking forward to it? I am! Can't wait to bring you more gorgeous looks over the weekend too! Meanwhile, check out this chic combo below.