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What i look in a great article is the humbleness of language  which means the languages used are easy to comprehend. An article with bombastic words that cannot be understood by average reader would be a waste. The article that cannot be understand would be there just as an accessory, rather than a meaningful way to expressed your thoughts and opinions. I trust that article supposed to give awareness or a sense of realization to its readers. Reader should gain more knowledge about what's the author trying to convey. Besides that, the organisation of the writing also plays a vital role. For instance, if you want to write about healthy eating, you have to start with the reason behind your topic then the juicy details and ends with your hopes and encouragement to who is reading. If the order messed up, reader would have a hard time choosing which part is important.

The great article I came across is an article written by Iman Azman. I found the article inside the newspaper (cannot put a finger to which one) while having my daily routine in the library.  The title was "You are beautiful".The important question was if we could change one thing about ourselves, what would it be? Instantly in my mind, i came with answer but when i continue reading her remarks about the typical answer was so captivating. I am sure many of us will answer about our physicals such as having lighter skin, bigger eyes or fuller lips. Then she replied, why do we focus on something that cannot be change which is our body instead of our character? A person should think of making a change which can actually be made. We should be thinking to be nicer, or be more active. The norm of nitpicking our own self gets are nowhere in life rather it have affected our self-esteem and confidence.

The impact of this article that it made me realized to love myself, the way I am. It made me appreciate the uniqueness of an individual. I'm sure all of us have our insecurities but why should we focus on our weaknesses rather than using our strengths to excel more in life? In a nutshell, love yourself and do what  makes you, YOU.

Here's the link i found online to more amazing articles from Iman Azman
https://imanwriteshere.wordpress.com/author/imanwriteshere/

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HAVE you ever played that game, "if you could change one thing about me, what would it be?"?

I usually play it when I want my husband to compliment me on how beautiful and wonderful I am (trickery and attention-seeking, I know! Haha). He knows by now that the answer to that game is: "absolutely nothing". He learnt this after many years and arguments over his failed answers - "maybe your lips could be little less dry", "you talk a little too loud" and "maybe you should try that teeth whitening toothpaste?"

Sometimes we switch the game and have to answer what we will change about ourselves. For the longest time, my list was endless; my cheeks were too big, I needed higher cheekbones, I wanted my arms to be more toned, my nose is too flat, I wish I was taller, my teeth could be whiter, I craved clearer skin.

I would pick at every part of my body that I was unhappy with and would get quite upset in the process until my husband reminded me: "It's just a game. Don't take it too seriously."

He was right, I was unfairly nitpicking on my body, but I started to reflect on my answers.

Why did I want to change my physical traits and not my character?

At my age (27, goodness I'm ancient!) and having lived through life experiences, I have come to learn that there is nothing that we can physically change about ourselves, except of course lose weight through a healthier lifestyle for a better quality of life. I am a big advocate of that. I cannot make my nose more pronounced, I will not get any taller and it's highly unlikely that I will increase my bra size (let's be real... #sigh).

What I can control is the type of person I am.

So if I already knew all that, why was I always picking on my physical traits and not my character and values?

There is so much I want to internally change about myself. I want to be kinder, more compassionate and honest. I need to be more patient, less aggressive and trusting. There is much room for self-improvement before I can even begin to say that I am a decent human being who makes this world a better place.

That's ultimately what we're here to do, isn't it?

It's not to worry about the length of our legs, the size of our heads or our slightly crooked bottom teeth. We are all beautiful, no matter our size, shape or colour. I truly believe that. But our physical traits do not bring us forward - it is the contributions we make to the communities and world around us by being good, kind and compassionate.

To be compassionate is not difficult, it simply takes a split second decision to let go our prejudices and judgments, and be more thoughtful in how we speak and act. A smile and a positive attitude will make this quality a lot easier to come by.

To be patient requires a bit of practice, especially for me, because I am very easily riled up and get emotional at the drop of a hat. But I have learnt that taking five seconds before responding to a situation, instead of my usual one second, makes a big difference in how I react.

We're able to put things into perspective and not act as harshly as we may have originally done because we've had time to process a situation. Who knows, perhaps the reason the woman behind the counter is taking too long to get me my scoop of ice-cream is because she has had a long day and I am her 116th customer? And getting my ice-cream 30 seconds later than I would've wanted is not going to make it taste any less delicious.

To be kind is one of the easiest things in the world, however, so many of us choose to be difficult and abrasive. I believe how you treat people in the service industry is a reflection of your character. If you are kind, speak humbly and are respectful to them then, in my eyes, you're a star.

However, if you speak to the waiter at McDonald's rudely for not wiping the table well and treat him with disrespect by leaving your dirty tray on the table instead of clearing up after the meal, then you have to work on yourself.

There are values and qualities that I need to improve on too. If my message and thoughts resonate with you, I am beyond touched.

We all have to make this shift, from immediately thinking there is something wrong with our bodies, to loving who we are and starting to consciously put effort into developing into strong characters with meaningful life values.

It is easy to automatically pick on our body because it's something we can physically see, but - as we always hear - it's what inside that matters.

There is nothing wrong with you. You are beautiful, and you are someone this world needs.

Journalism graduate Iman Azman continues to navigate her way through the creative industry as a member of The dUCk Group's marketing team. Here, she muses about her work, finding balance in life and shares what it's like diving in headfirst into new experiences and opportunities.

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HAVE you ever played that game, "if you could change one thing about me, what would it be?"? I usually play it when I want my husband to compliment me on how beautiful and wonderful I am (trickery and attention-seeking, I know! Haha). He knows by now that the answer to that game is: "absolutely nothing".

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“When there is a will, there is a way”. My first encounter with this quote is on the ceiling of my music class in primary school. It was written on a laminated pink paper and it was taped to the ceiling along with other quotes and phrases. Back then, it doesn’t seem important, rather just an impression for a 10-year-old to use in her essays, to earn extra points in exams. After a few years in my life, nearly a decade after, the significance and relevance of the saying came to light.

It started when I got an offer to a boarding school. I had gotten my hopes up for an offer as I had flying colours in my UPSR. It took half a year to realise maybe staying home and going to a local school is my written fate. To my surprise, my offer letter came at the end of the year, exactly twelve months after my results. It was a hard decision because I already settled down with the school and made faithful friends. With my parents’ encouragement, finally I decided to try my luck to the appointed boarding school.

My experience in the new school was unforgettable. I registered late so I got a room at the third floor which is the highest. With all the luggage to prepare me for high school, it was a tiresome to climb up the stairs to my dorm. Fortunately, my family could help me carry it all. It took forty-five minutes to get my place ready. The hardest part of the day was my family leaving me. Some part of me was excited to be independent at a place far from home, but some part of me was devastated to eventually leave the nest. The subsequent years it made me realize through all hardships, when there is a will, there is a way.

In this current time, I struggle in having a balance between studies, work and enjoying my life as a young adult. The key to this situation is knowing my priorities. In studies, my goal is to only achieve a pass result for degree. Contrary to my parents, they have high hopes for me to score a four-flat in my CGPA. This situation made me choose my priority which is to satisfy my parents by making them proud with High Achiever Award or spend extra time to enjoy my youth? Surprisingly, I tend to choose my parents as my number one goal even though the urge to live life at its fullest is deep within my soul. As for excelling my results, I still go hiking with my cliques and do my best to participate events. It’s just I must go an extra mile for the time being in order to get the best results for my present and the future.

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My day kicked off with an annoying alarm. I’m sure someone who sleeps late needs an alarm to wake up. Well, that’s my case. I unconsciously ruined my biological clock and needed an alarm for that matter. I laid in bed until there’s perfectly half an hour for me to get ready. So there would be a timer from which my alarm rang off to the perfect half an hour. I don’t know why I had so much effort in waking up. After finally getting out of bed, I would take a maximum of seven minutes for shower. Next, if I chose to wash my hair, an additional five minutes is taken to blow dry my mane. Another three minutes would be used for dressing up while I would take approximately five to ten minutes for my headscarf. If I had the time, I will drink a glass of cold water before leaving for class while breakfast is usually in the campus café. The rest of the thirty-minutes will be used for the distance between my house door to the bus door.

As soon as I reached the main lobby, I would rush to the lift. Some days its full and I ought to wait for the next lift while some it’s a stroll taking it to the second floor. On the second floor, I would go about thirty steps to check the master timetable. Then, usually the class would be on the same floor or I would take a couple flight of stairs to the third floor and find the venue there. In class, my sleeping hours the previous night would determine my focus to the subject. At times, I would be sitting straight and jotting notes. Contrast to the good days, I would make my thick textbook as a pillow as the desk became my bed for a drowsy class. What a nuisance in a student’s life. In between the classes, the recess is at one until two. Between those hours, I would get lunch, perform my prayers and socialize with whom I’m having lunch with. My circle in lunch is a few friends that I could share my opinion with.

My classes would end at half past four in the evening most of the days. I then took the scheduled bus to reach back to the hostel. When arrived at my room, I would take the chance to lie down and just relaxed. Some days I chose to read books while others I put on music while scrolling my phone. The latter is the obvious option. At five, it’s my cue to sweat a little. I would take my jumping rope and do a little routine for about 15 minutes. Then I do exercise steps that I learned from the web. It’s quite hard to be consistent because I tend to have lazy days but we all need to sacrifice our time for the better. After finishing my workout, I would take a quick shower and do my assignments if any.

At night, I would spend my time on my part time job. I usually took off at eight and finished my shift at twelve. I work as a barista at a fast food chain. It’s quite challenging for the first few weeks because I never had the experience but it came to my likings to spend my nights there. Most of my co-workers are friendly and helpful and some could be quite a handful but it’s all in a day’s work. Our principle there is serve from the heart. I try my best to be polite and friendly to all the customers while I steam milk for their preferred coffees. My job is a wonderful extend to my life as a student as it gives me a new perspective to work harder to achieve balance and success.

My day ends when I lay in bed once again, but this time in my pyjamas and a pillow in my arms.

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In five-year time, all I wish is to be useful person to the community- at least to my family. By that time, I probably finished my studies and hopefully I have a stable job. If I were to had kids, maybe only one before the five-year gap because I don’t want to burden myself with the responsibility of children before I can cope well in this economy. Besides that, I want to have the ability to support my parents either financially or physically. I want to ensure my bond with my parents and siblings as I truly believes blood is thicker than water. Okay, enough with the cliché stuff.

In five years, I hope I don’t turn out being robots. It’s a phrase I used for people who have no life or in other word any excitement or tendencies in their life. Someone who wakes up, goes to work, do their job and at night, they go to sleep. It’s quite boring to spend years in office just to get what? A raise? A stable job? I don’t deny the need for an income, but it has to be a limit. Many people dream of a successful career in each of their own fields but there is fine line between living your dreams and succumbing your life to having a dream. People work hard until sometimes they get their priorities wrong. For instance, a father works after hours for a report at the same time not having the time to read a storybook for his three-year-old son in bed. It might seem unimportant for a father to read a book to his child rather than providing a comfortable life with wealth for his son, but is it worth the cause? The complication of not spending your life to provide a better life that it’s going to be too late when you are finally ready to settle down.

Furthermore, I wish in five years I still have a tad of being a kid in myself.  I wish to have the innocence and carelessness of a child. I do not mean to not grow up at all, but to have a sense of enjoyment without worrying the aftermath is truly intriguing. People nowadays are so serious and I believe that may cause the downfall of our stress coping mechanism. It’s a privilege for one to not care about money in their life. I don’t mean in it in an irresponsible way, we still have to pay the bills and any commitments but to not worry the absence of money is golden. This world has become corrupted, to some of us, Money is God. I hope I would be lucky enough to dodge this new dogma and once again emphasize to just enjoy life with full of adventure and desire.

One more thing, I really want a Persian cat because they are so adorable with their lazy face and fluffy coat of fur. For now, I don’t have the permission of my mother thus waiting another five years once I get my own place- if I managed to get one.

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It’s the second week of march but i’m already on the edge. I have a tons of assignment due this week and i’m not sure how i’m going to survive this week. Just last week, we were advise by our lecturer to manage our time wisely.

Our assignment for MPU a one-man essay consist of 1000 words and the group assignment consist of 3000 words. The group assignment was quite tough because we had the topic for Islamic Banking versus Conventional Banking- clearly not my forte. Other than that, the English Final Project is getting on my nerves. It’s quite simple but we had to crack our head to choose which might be appealing to maximize our carry-marks.

It was hectic but it was my fault. Congrats, dear Procrastinator. This is my first semester working so it’s very challenging juggling all my works. Throughout the day, I go to class and spend time with my friends. At night, i’m steaming milk and doing latte arts (practice makes perfect!). I do admit, some days are depressing but I really appreciate the diversity people and environment I spent, day and night.

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Yesterday I got the news about an event by Cyberview celebrating Women’s Day #pressforprogress. I decided to go for the talk and I was excited because in the list there was about 20 people going.

In the morning of the event, suddenly all the participants from CUCMS decided to cancel because they have classes. Surprisingly, I was the only one left. So the staff from Student Affairs, Mr. Sher join me and we went by car. It was the first time I went to such event. It was a place called Futurise- still in the compound of Cyberjaya. It was awkward the moment I arrived because everyone was so fashionable and they looked professional while I was only a student- obviously I was under-fashioned.

The host was Daphne Iking, she was so pretty. I knew she was respected in the industry but I didn’t take part to know much about her so I googled her up. After that, the forum started with five panelists with a long list of contributions to the community. The most appealing panelist to me was Datuk Munirah from PERTIWI. She was the founder of companies of man-leading industries. Apart from that, she leads a non-profitable soup kitchen to feed the homeless around Kuala Lumpur. She was such an inspiration as she was capable to spend most of her days tiredlessly eventhough she is already in her 60’s.

Nonetheless, I feel very empowered and believe that women these days can achieve anything the desire if they put their mind to it. I don’t really care about feminism and having equal rights but this talk made me see the struggles of a woman in a different perspectives.