MPV.....my point of view!

Mental illness doesn't earn you cool points neither is it a trending hashtag... 1 in 4 people will suffer from a neurological or mental illness in their lifetime. We are all part of a statistic! The current focus is on mental health due to the changes in socio-economic environments globally. The increased rates of suicide are alarming hence shifting focus to the mind. Pop culture has always subtly focused on mental health. Unfortunately, it hasn't always been in a way to assist affected individuals. In episode nineteen of Grown-ish, Diggy Simmons' character, Doug, shares his sentiments about mental health. He states that a lot of rappers have glamourised mental illness. This brings on the challenge of differentiating between individuals suffering from mental illness and those who just do it for attention. In a previous post, I shared about fellow bloggers sharing their mental health journeys. I have also seen within Zimbabwe, several celebrities and public figures s...

Until you resolve your brokeness, you will continue to be broken. I am pretty stoked about sharing this month's read. As a writer, reading various forms of literature enriches the craft. Reading builds culture and reinforces application of lessons learnt. I also read books and blogs by fellow writers to support their work through commenting, and sharing. This is how we grow communities you see. Prior to offering a review of this month's book, I would like to share a brief history of the writer. I met this young woman, Nobuhle Nyoni at a birthday, and album listening party for producer and artist, Verseless. She was friendly and bubbly, we even shared a ride into town as we went home. That wouldn't be the last time that I would be in communication with her. Through the magazine that I am editor for, we made effort to push her event. Though I didn't manage to attend the event, I saw the potential of this young woman. In 2017, under the collective called Veryus ,...

What happened to Jacqueline? With such a cliffhanger, I am grateful that 'The Bold Type' is renewed for season 4. I stan over this feminist Freeform series based in New York city. The show follows three women who are best friends working at a prestigious fashion magazine. We have Jane Sloan (Katie Stevens), Sutton Brady (Meghann Fahy), and Kat Stevens (Aisha Dee). The three are building their careers and figuring out life in the big Apple. Under the guidance of Scarlet magazine's, editor-in-chief, Jacqueline Carlyl (Melora Hardin), the trio tackle modern day issues affecting the world. From the get go, I love the characters and obviously their fabulous wardrobes. This season though, I felt disappointed that the ladies weren't giving us wardrobe goals as in previous seasons. The season opens up with the announcement of a new head of digital coming in. According to Jane, this move poses a threat to Jacqueline's career. The team meets Patrick Dooshean, the young...

Would you please allow me to digress? It's Mental health Wednesday - a theme I started after my most recent breakdown. For the past month I have been sharing about self care, saging your space and protecting your mind. It's been eye opening and liberating for me. I have seen a number of fellow bloggers share their own mental health journeys. From celebrities to the average Joe, more people are opening the discussion about mental health. I recall watching Necole Kane  (XONecole), Kerri Hilson and other panelists discuss about depression. In the midst of the heartbreak, I felt unashamed to share my own experiences. It's been bittersweet. But Nina Simone summoned artistes to use their voice for the times. So as a writer, poet, and storyteller, I am obliged to share my story, and give testimony to my journey. It's an artist's duty to reflect the times in which we live. -Nina Simone I have been vulnerable. Allowed many of you to enter my personal space, th...

Why do you complain, when you are too blind to see what's in front of you? From Mario's 'Just a Friend', to J Holiday's 'Be With Me', to the classic, Mr Big 'Be With You', it's all about the 'friend zone'. The male protagonists sing about a friend who is a love interest. They desire to have a relationship with this special friend. I believe that we all have been asked that  question about why we 'friend zone' people? In my conversations, it's always the guys blaming the women for the 'friend zone'. Some of my guy friends accuse me of doing that especially to guys that like me. Erm, I don't have a friend zone! I have what we call the 'grey love zone'! This is where I have stacked all my love interests waiting for them to see the light and come to my 'love zone'. But if any guy feels that I have placed them in that zone, it's subconscious. Askies ! However, there are a few reasons that ...

I choose ME! We watch and I write; correlating fictional characters with reasonably realistic plot lines to our lives. Script my life! I chose not to review a whole season of a series, neither a film this week. I was struggling to write an authentic story about something that spoke to me through visual consumption. And then I felt emotions erupt as I watched the latest episode of Grown-ish. While I sometimes relate to the protagonist, Zoey Johnson, she annoys me more as I watch this second season. I must forgive her because she's a spoilt 19 year old who is yet to learn the realities of growing up. But she does these really annoying things like being judgemental and being up in people's business. I do love Nomi, Sky (Halle Bailey) and Doug (Diggy Simmons) though. Their characters have so much to offer to the show and audience. In this week's episode titled, 'Nice for What', the young women of the coming-of-age sitcom had to make hard relationship choice...

Unlearn and burn your inhibitions... We grew up socialised into certain behaviours and beliefs that are sometimes unhealthy for our mental wellbeing. These factors contribute to brokeness, poverty mentality and self loathing. Many of us may experience stunted emotional, spiritual and mental growth due to past experiences and beliefs. But the cycle needs to be broken now. Our generation is privileged to acknowledge the unhealthy patterns in our lives. We have the ability to unlearn mindsets that have prevented us from living our best lives. I have been on my journey to healing for the past four years. The journey to healing and self love isn't an easy one. It does help to realise that there is so much to you than what meets the eye. Your healing begins by spring cleaning your life. It's out with the old, and in with what you carefully choose to enter. This cleaning applies to every aspect of your life. As we go into the second half of the year, let's reevaluate ou...

If he's making the economy an excuse, swipe left.... A guy who makes too many excuses whilst pursuing you is not worth your time. He will make excuses for not making time for you. More so, for not taking you on a date. A real man makes a plan...all the time! Yes, the economy is atrocious...a complete nightmare! Does that mean that humanity stops? Y'all,  we have procreation to continue until the end of time. A season of a recession, shouldn't hinder dates, relationships and the whole nine yards that come with that package. Couples over centuries overcame obstacles such as family feuds, classism, racism, tribalism, religious differences etc. They all found a way around those challenges. Any guy who uses 'in this economy' as an excuse is dropped like a pin. Honestly, such an individual lacks ambition and creativity. I want the flowers, chocolate, and the date. Otherwise...skrrr! You will have to show innovation in your pursuit. If you can't be strategic w...

With a show of the hands, how many of you have ended up with your crush? I guess I will see in the comments section below. Reminiscing about the complex, simplicity of high school is funny. When you are a teenager,  your whole life seems to be captured in that time capsule. It seems like an eternity before the reality of growing up hits you. As a grown woman, I still indulge in a high school movie or two. I love how cliché and generic the storylines are. Yet they somewhat relate to what a teen is going through or what I related to, once upon a time. I still love the lessons about being true to yourself à la 'Mean Girls', '10 Things I Hate About You' and most recent, 'Reality High'. Y'all high school is hard! I'm not sure what it's like now with social media and cellphones. Back in my day, bullying was physical, rejection was real and your crush wrote a note, or letter to reciprocate your feelings. Funny story, I'm still 'sort of...

Taking care of oneself shouldn't be a hash tag or social media trend. Self care is a key component of self love which is an actual journey. Self care isn't achieved overnight but with time and patience, one can reach the point of bliss. We all need peace of mind, good health and productivity. Yet most of us find very little time for 'self.' We are either coerced into guilt by equating 'self-care' to selfishness, or that it's counterproductive. In an article by Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser on the global mental health, it was estimated that 970 million people worldwide had a mental or substance use disorder in 2017. Of that population, 3.4% suffered from depression while 3.8% had anxiety disorders. 107 million people were reported to have alcohol use disorders. We are living in a stressed world and few know the right coping mechanisms. We are mostly triggered by the economy, politics, work, finances and relationships. Apart from mental health disorde...

To be honest, I don't like my birthday. I often fall under the pressure to have the best birthday. I need billions of birthday wishes. I want flowers and confectionery. I need an event: brunch, party or getaway to commemorate such an auspicious occasion. Sadly, that's not my narrative. During my school days, my birthday fell during mid year exam time. As an adult, they have often forgotten my birthday. I remember that last year; I felt very unappreciated. Many people especially my best friend forgot my birthday. I was hurt and miserable. My sisters and friends consoled me by taking me out for lunch by the lake. It was thoughtful of them. This year I had planned to have a weekend away by the Mozambican beaches. I would invite a few of my newly gained 'friends' and have a girl's getaway. I wanted sun, bikinis, and cocktails. Because of the cyclone, that plan washed away. Alternatively there was Inyanga, mainly because I have never been there...ever! Or we travel...

Some stories are best watched as they play out... Ever watched a movie or TV series and relate to a character? How many parts of the plot line would you have loved to be part of your life? Filmmakers have managed to tap into our subconscious to draw emotions towards their films. There are certain characters that have become memorable with fans. We often quote them, use film analogies to explain real life and even play out the plot ourselves. Relating film to real life has become a common feature on this blog. We called it Script My Life, of which many of you are a fan of. To date the most viewed posts are the 'SML' for 'Madea's Family Reunion' and 'Why Did I Get Married?'. All I can say is thank you. We continue to bridge screenplays to our real lives today. Television series often bring various storylines in different genres. When I was young, I had an obsession with medical/hospital drama. Teen dramas became my thing during my early 20s. Remember...

As I sat down by the locked door, I realized that I am going through the most. Bad luck comes in threes, with one challenge following the next. You can't seem to catch a break or a breath. I couldn't hold my breath because I was feeling out of it. I felt dizzy, palpitations set in my heart and I was out of breath. The pharmacist told me to sit down and breathe slowly. He suspected an asthma attack. I know asthma; it wasn't it. I suspected of high blood pressure. But I knew what it was... I was experiencing a nervous breakdown. Nervous breakdowns aren't a thing. We are already struggling with the discussion of depression, bipolar, and other mental health illnesses. I have been going under the guise that my shit is together. I got a heavy blow mid-May and had to pretend that I didn't care. I thought that I could make it through because I have done this before. My mind calculated how much work I would need to sustain me financially until I get the next decent job -...