iWell Natural’s sleeping and wellness products were created to put your sleeping problems to bed. Designed with high quality materials, and a personal handcrafted finish, their best-selling eye mask is packed with real lavender to help soothe you to sleep. Daphne Chee, the founder, had discovered that a well-designed eye mask and the relaxing scent of lavender was just what she needed to fall asleep better.

 

Daphne is a light sleeper, and when she started traveling a lot, it began to affect her health. As someone who was already sensitive to her surroundings, the ever changing environments caused her to suffer from physical and mental exhaustion. Now, with an immense understanding on the importance of sleep, Daphne is on a mission to help others rest and rejuvenate through iWell Natural.

 

 

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What are your best-sellers?

Our Lavender Eye Mask, Rose Quartz Silk Eye Mask and Silk Pillowcases. 

 

What makes your eye masks special?

We have 2 types of eye masks:

Lavender Eye Mask

 Rose Quartz Silk Eye Mask

Each piece is handmade and provides a total blackout to create the darkness you need to tell your brain it’s time for bed. 

 

What are the benefits of silk?

 

 

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You also sell silk hair ties, how damaging are ‘traditional’ hair ties?

Traditional hair ties often tug our hair, causing hair breakage and damage. I have thin and fine hair, so I found that silk hair ties are much more gentle when holding my delicate hair without snagging or breaking. 

 

What self-care advice do you have as a brand that focuses on rest and rejuvenation?

Self-care is more than just putting on a facemask, it is also a reminder to check in on yourself and provide yourself with rest – mental rest, physical rest, creative and sensory rest, as well as spiritual rest. When I start to feel disconnected and anxious, I know it’s time to unplug – I’ll switch off my devices and get back to nature. Here are some more tips:

 

With a big focus on community and connection, iWell Natural encourages their customers to support other local brands from F&B businesses and lifestyle products to local talents, such as graphic designers and photographers. “It is important to support homegrown brands to help them sustain in our economy, as well as create more jobs and opportunities for other Malaysians”, says Daphne. Show your support for iWell Natural by shopping their products here and following them on social media!

 

I wish I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and a warm embrace from the sun’s morning rays, but instead I get greeted by anxiety – the complete opposite of that fairytale feeling. Even before seeing my schedule, I already feel overwhelmed by the day ahead, and it makes me want to hit the snooze button for the next few hours (or days). Do you wake up with a head full of racing thoughts too?

Morning anxiety is a common occurrence, even for those who don’t have an anxiety disorder. It refers to the anticipatory anxiety that occurs at the beginning of the day. Stress and worry about work, and other pressures such as socialising, start flooding in and you may even sleep in to avoid the day’s responsibilities as much as you can. If you were already anxious the night before, cortisol (the stress hormone) is usually at its highest in the first hour of waking up – which is why you feel even more stressed than you previously were.

Try minimising your morning anxiety with these self-care methods:

  1. Breathe – Practice deep breathing exercises to alleviate your anxiety. Inhale and exhale slowly while keeping your shoulders and jaw relaxed.
  2. Journal – Identify your feelings by writing them down, and then address these anxious thoughts. Create a positive mantra to help counter these negative statements.
  3. Move! – Exercise reduces your stress hormone levels, and since cortisol is as at its highest upon waking up, moving your body within the first hour of the day can provide stress relief.
  4. Avoid caffeine – Caffeine can make your anxiety worse, but if you just can’t give up your morning cup of coffee, reduce your intake, especially when you’re not feeling well.
  5. Plan out your day – If you’re anxious because of an overly demanding schedule, planning out your day can help you start on a productive note. Seeing and organising your tasks on paper can also make it feel less overwhelming.

Please consult a mental health professional if your morning anxiety gets worse and starts affecting your daily life. Don’t be afraid to – they will be able to treat your anxiety disorder and help you feel better.

When you’re depressed, you feel depleted – you don’t have the energy or motivation to do anything, let alone clean up your room. Along with this, another sign of depression is the inability to focus, which makes it hard for you to keep up with your day-to-day chores. When cleaning becomes less of a priority, a mess begins to accumulate, and the bigger it gets, the more stress and negative emotions it brings with it.

If you’ve been feeling down, here are six things you can try to start cleaning up again:

  1. Start with 5 minutes
    Find an area to focus on and set a timer – this could be a pile of clothes on the floor, a cluttered coffee table or a kitchen counter than needs a good scrub. Do as much as you can, and once the five minutes is up, take a break. You can do this again in a few minutes, hours or even the next day.
  2. Clean everyday
    You don’t have to clean the entire house or even a whole room – just do a little bit of cleaning everyday to get into the habit and avoid messes from building up. If you need some motivation, create a checklist, which will also help you stay organised. Slowly work your way through it during the week.
  3. Do the small things first
    It’s normal to procrastinate when you have a big, daunting task to do, such as cleaning an entire room or house. Instead, break these tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks – for example, changing your bed sheets and organising your desk as a start to cleaning your room.
  4. Colour code it
    If you don’t know where to start, a fun way can be to pick a colour and look for things in that colour that need to be put away, thrown away or cleaned. Take a break between each colour.
  5. Clean as you go
    Even when you’re not feeling down, this takes discipline, but it is self-care! It protects your future self from having to struggle with cleaning an even bigger mess. Get into the habit of putting away, throwing away and washing things after using them.
  6. Ask for help
    Don’t be afraid to ask your family members, roommates or partners for help when it comes to housework. Do let them know why you’re struggling with it. If you’re able to, hire someone to help clean up or talk to a therapist about your problems with staying on task.

The hardest part is starting, so be proud of yourself for doing as much as you can – even if it may seem small at first. Try your best to get things in order because when you’re depressed, a messy home can cause further stress and anxiety. Don’t forget to cut yourself some slack in the process!

Your self-care routine may currently look like curling up on the couch, after a long day of work, with a soothing scented candle on the side, a hearty cup of tea in one hand and a hilarious self-help book in the other. It could also involve a checklist of good habits you’re trying to incorporate into your daily routine, like not checking your phone right after you wake up or focusing on the rich flavours of the food you’re eating. What we tend to overlook when it comes to wellness is financial self-care – although we are well-aware of the stress and anxiety that stems from our finances.

Wellness focuses on our overall health and wellbeing, and that definitely includes our financial health. Having a financial self-care routine will not only benefit our finances, but it will also contribute to our happiness and overall wellbeing. After all, real self-care helps us reframe the situations we’re in to get to the root of our problems. It goes beyond feeling comfortable and digs deeper into healing in order to feel better afterwards.

It can be intimidating, and even embarrassing to confront our own finances, but by adding these good money habits to your self-care routines and checklists, you’ll be able to develop a better understanding of your finances and a healthier money mindset:

 

Write down the first few things that come to mind when you think about your finances. Ask yourself why you feel the way you do – it could come from a childhood experience, having student loan debt or recently seeing others lose their jobs. These fears can prevent us from taking control of our finances, so once you’re able to understand your limiting beliefs – you’ll know how to move forward and start organizing your finances.

 

Make it a habit to check your bank accounts often. Not being aware of where your money goes can cause a lot of frustration. By physically seeing your bank balance, and keeping track of your transactions, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions when it comes to spending. This habit will also allow you to catch any unusual transactions or unauthorized purchases before it’s too late. 

 

We all have financial goals. What do you aim to do with your money? You could want to repair one of your devices, pay off credit card debt, or save for a car. Note down these goals and break them into smaller steps that can be achieved daily or weekly – i.e. saving RM50 a week for 6 months. By constantly reviewing your progress, you’ll be able to ensure that you’re on the right track and be aware of any obstacles that could set you back.

 

Set boundaries when it comes to your money. With shopping being just an app away, it’s become much easier to spend money – ‘retail therapy’ now consists of browsing when we’re sad or happy. Either delete the apps or add the items to your wishlist (instead of your cart) and sleep on it. As with any impulse, see if you still want it badly the next day or in the following days.

 

We’re not saying you shouldn’t spend any money at all, you should always treat yourself – responsibly that is. Reward yourself for reaching your financial goals, but make sure you’ve made space in your budget for treats. This can motivate you to save more. Remember, wellness is all about balance – don’t feel bad about tending to your differing needs.

 

Unfortunately, since we didn’t learn financial literacy in school, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves. Most of us are actually clueless about money, not even receiving honest advice from our parents because it is a taboo topic. Make the effort to read, join free courses, and listen to podcasts – no, not to ‘get rich’, but to get a better understanding of how to manage your finances.

The longer we ignore our limiting money mindset and beliefs, the harder it’ll be for us to become financially stable, secure or free. You can avoid further stress and anxiety by finally stepping up and taking control of your finances.

 

As I sat down to write this article, I already made my first mistake – I had my phone in plain sight. Instead of diving right into work, it was like a reflex to reach for my phone and get sucked into social media. I began mindlessly scrolling through Twitter and Instagram, TikTok for good measure, and the latest digital distraction – Clubhouse. It was only after getting a glimpse of the time (which we don’t seem to see even though it doesn’t leave our screens), and realising that I was officially off-schedule, when I quickly ran to my room and put away my phone. Now here I am writing with no digital distractions.

Like many other Malaysians, having to spend most of my time at home has made me more dependent on my phone. It did not come as a surprise to me that compared to other South East Asian countries, Malaysia had the highest upsurge in Internet usage due to our strict social distancing measures. Our phones placed the entertainment and connections that were separated from us, right at our finger tips. It doesn’t help that some of us have had to work unsupervised from home – turning off auto-relax mode was already hard to begin with.

Here are 6 tips that have helped me tune into what I’m doing without any digital distractions:

  1. Put your phone away!

No, not next to you with the screen faced down (unless you’re that disciplined then #goals), but in another room. Hopefully when it’s out of your sight, the urge to check it will leave your mind too. If your excuse is, “What if I get an important message?” – use a desktop version of the messenger-app, but keep it running in the background.

2. Schedule time to use your devices

It’s time to take back control and let your devices know when they can have your attention. Start with short, frequent breaks, like 5 to 10 minutes after every hour, and work your way up from there. You’ll soon be able to break the habit.

3. Replace your screen time with other tasks

Before reaching for your devices, ask yourself, “Why?”. It could be to do research, reply a message, or simply just take a break. But if you want to use it just for the sake of using it, ask yourself, “What else can I do during this time?”. Turn to your to-do list – you’ll find that you actually do have the time to wash the dishes, fold your laundry, workout and read.

4. Turn off notifications

If it’s something you don’t need to know right now (like who liked your picture), you don’t need to see it right now. We’re constantly distracted by pings and pop-ups, but most of these are unimportant information and interactions.

5. Delete apps you don’t use

Sometimes, when we’re bored, or basically just looking for a distraction, we start opening apps that we don’t use (there’s no need to check in on Snapchat, that ghost is doing fine). Delete, declutter, go Marie Kondo and let go of all the apps that no longer spark joy.

6. Journal when you wake up

Here’s a bonus tip that’ll help with your mental health too! When you wake up, grab your journal instead of your phone. Start scribbling down the first things that come to mind, or if you need prompts – “How do you feel about today?”, “Set an intention for the day”, “What are you grateful for?”. This sets us up for a more positive and productive day rather than losing ourselves, and a lot of time, scrolling through our devices in bed.

Digital distractions will never go away (they may even get worse), but by following these tips – we hope you’ll feel less overwhelmed and more focused on important and meaningful tasks!

Growing up, most of us were taught to work hard and respect others. ‘Tiger’ parenting and ‘kiasu’ culture pushed some of us into the direction of high-ranking universities and reputable companies, with no regard for our mental health. As millennials, the relentless pressure to succeed continued in adulthood with the rise of hustle culture on social media (being busy is now considered ‘glamorous’).

We’ve spent almost our entire lives listening to others, and comparing ourselves to others, when we should actually be prioritising ourselves. Boundaries can help us do this – they protect our health and wellbeing, and provide us with a sense of self. It’s not going to be easy, and you will feel guilty at first, but here’s why we must allocate time and space for ourselves: 

What are boundaries?

Boundaries are the rules we create to protect our needs. They can be applied within our relationships, career, and even online to communicate our limits and ensure our safety.

Why do we need boundaries?

How can we set boundaries?

  1. Identify your limits

What makes you feel uncomfortable? Check in with your body as well – what makes you tense up?

  1. Be assertive

When it comes to communicating your limits, be direct, but avoid being aggressive. Use ‘I’ statements, such as, “I feel overwhelmed when the house is a mess because I already spend so much time cleaning it. What I need is help to keep it clean”. This allows you to express your feelings without blaming anyone.

  1. Give yourself permission to say no

It can be hard to say “no”, especially in Malaysia where there is a face-saving culture. Let go of the fear of looking selfish or coming off as rude – you don’t owe anyone an explanation.

  1. Develop a support system

Boundaries take determination. If you’re having a hard time with them, turn to your family and friends for support – you can practice asserting boundaries together and hold each other accountable.

When we’re able to define our boundaries, we’re able to have more respect for ourselves. Boundaries can protect us from physical and emotional intrusion, and empower us to make healthy choices and take responsibility for ourselves. Setting boundaries is a process, but don’t let fear and guilt prevent you from taking care of yourself!

Finally, self-love and self-care have started to be normalised as everyone becomes more aware of their significance during these difficult times. They helps us healthily manoeuvre through life – taking care of our mind, body, and soul. But what exactly is self-love? It’s loving ourselves by genuinely appreciating our strengths; accepting our weaknesses; and showing ourselves kindness and compassion, unconditionally.

Human beings are complex social animals – there is no average human, we are all different in our own ways. However, due to sociocultural pressures and expectations of the ‘ideal’ individual, we often succumb to the anxieties of idealism instead of acceptance.

Self-love is accepting all parts of yourself – especially the darkest parts, which is your shadow side. It is knowing when to walk away, setting boundaries, honouring your worth, allowing room for mistakes and working your way towards being the best version of yourself (not someone else). It is remembering that you are, indeed, human – not a robot.

But fully accepting who you are does not equate to enabling your problematic behaviours.

You may have had a tough week and want to take some time to relax – which is fine, go ahead and do it! However, it does not mean that you should stray away from reality for too long and ignore all your responsibilities. Abandoning your workstation to binge watch movies for days on end (while being well aware that you have deadlines to meet) because you feel stressed is not what self-love is – it’s actually the opposite!

Protecting ourselves from the stressors of harsh realities may seem like the easiest way to deal with things because it makes us feel safe and comfortable. In turn, we get used to this and call it self-love – when it is actually a form of ego-love.

Choosing the path of achieving instant satisfaction and indulging in denial may seem like the next best thing we know for ourselves. Yet, this path does not help us grow into the person we want for ourselves. In hindsight, you’ll start to realise that this just might be the cause of your own suffering and lead to self-deprecating thoughts; feelings of inadequacy; expectations of perfection; and the root of your lack of self-love.

Taking accountability for our actions may seem difficult, but it is essential for taking the first step in fully accepting ourselves for who we are. Understanding the difference between self-love and ego love is vital to build the life we want to live in. When we love ourselves, we want what’s best for ourselves, and we do things that make us happy (even if it’s not immediate).

We know self-love isn’t as simple as it seems – we all struggle to give ourselves the love, compassion, and kindness we give others on the daily due to a myriad of factors and past experiences. But despite the complexities of it, self-awareness is key to shifting our mindsets in accepting the self as it is – whilst working towards being a better version of ourselves than we were yesterday <3

Now that we’re stuck at home, you may find yourself glued to your phone more (if that’s even possible). My New Year’s resolution was to decrease my screen time, but that went out the door the second we had to close ours for yet another lockdown. From devastating floods, to unfair anti-LGBTQ+ punishments, and a terrifying rise in gender-based violence – the bad news doesn’t seem to end. And we can’t stop checking for it.

To be fair, we are still in a state of emergency, so it’s important to stay informed, but it goes from helpful to unhealthy when we start obsessively scrolling through social media. The bad news begins to take a toll on our mental health, bringing more anxious feelings and negative emotions with it. As our anxiety goes up, and our mood goes down, we can’t help but to feel hopeless all over again. Here’s why you should start limiting your daily news consumption.

What is doomscrolling?

Doomscrolling is used to describe our tendency to continue scrolling through bad news, regardless of how saddening, disheartening, or depressing it is. Surprisingly, it’s not a new term, but after the year we’ve had – we get why it’s become a buzzword.

Why do we do it?

Not being allowed to leave the house has left us with a lot of free time our hands (sometimes too much). Without our regular activities and entertainment, negative news has taken over our conversations, and even caused FOMO as we see others speak up about social issues. Other than seeing it as a way to connect with others, it also gives us a sense of control – something we desperately need during a time of uncertainty and uncontrollability. Staying up to date has also made us feel productive, as well as prepared for future dangers and threats. It doesn’t help that most of us are addicted to using our phones either, which makes our social media habits even unhealthier.

How do we stop?

What will make you put down your phone – deleting apps, turning off notifications? If you still don’t trust yourself, set screen time limits to stop you from spending too much time scrolling. Use your newly freed-up time to do activities that you need, or want, to do as an enjoyable, and actually productive, distraction. After reading the news, don’t forget to allow your self to rest and release any tension.

Find out how to develop a healthier relationship with social media here, or how to cope with compassion fatigue here.

Talking to someone can help bring us relief during these difficult times. As we try to cope with a pandemic on top of our personal problems, our day-to-day struggles may start to feel more overwhelming. Who do you turn to when you’re having a bad moment?

We can either turn to our family and friends, or go see a therapist, but as available as these options might seem – they aren’t always accessible. Opening up to your family and friends can be discouraging if they don’t understand you, judge you, or provide you with biased feedback. Therapy doesn’t fit into everyone’s budget or schedule, and many are afraid to seek help.

This is where the PlusVibes app comes in with anonymity and free emotional support. It offers users a safe space to talk about their feelings, without the fear of being judged, and always provides someone to listen. We spoke to founder, Madiha Fuad, about the first all-in-one platform for mental health and wellbeing, and how it’s destigmatising mental health in Malaysia:

What is PlusVibes?

PlusVibes is an all-in-one platform that provides various types of support and motivation, which includes connecting you to NGOs, mental health clinics and associations.

What are the main features?

  • Wheel of Life – a tool that helps you visualise all the important areas of your life at once. Upon signing up, you are required to rate all the areas in your life from satisfactory to least satisfactory – this will then translate into a carefully curated Explore Page that features helpful articles, quotes and videos that focus on guiding you with ways to deal with specific areas in your life that you may need help with.
  • Relaxation Activities – including Yoga / Meditation / Zumba videos, Short Exercises, Sound Wave Therapy, Peaceful Soundtracks, Anxiety Relief Techniques and Calming Voiceovers which comprises top viewed guidance videos that can help you stay healthy and achieve a state of calmness.
  • Talk to Someone – start a conversation with a mental health professional, qualified listeners and even mental health associations that we are partnered with, with the intention of providing easy access for everyone to seek the help that they need without having to leave their homes.

What makes PlusVibes different?

We offer a free platform for the mass market, access to counsellors and advisors without the expensive clinic fees, and offer anonymity for users to encourage open communication. Our aim is to break the cultural stigma, and create a community that empowers, as well as understands one another. ​

What pushed you to start PlusVibes?

In 2019, I was running a few businesses and I was pursuing my PhD. It was a high time and a positive chapter in my life. But this turned around in 2020, when I was diagnosed with a damaged long thoracic nerve. It affected my ability to work and worst of all, I was constantly on nerve medication and painkillers, and it was MCO. So how does one have a positive mindset in that situation? Where physical limitation affected and put every aspect of my life at risk. It was during this time that I truly understood what depression and anxiety meant, and how it could easily affect your happiness and productivity. I was struggling to cope with nerve pain, but my struggles were not visible to the public eye – life still went on and I still had commitments. (On that note, I feel like most people can relate to this – having a silent struggle where people assume you are okay.)

As someone who is not able to open up emotionally, as I have always been an independent person, those times were the toughest. I realised that bottling emotions was severely affecting my health and mental health. My only source of motivation were the articles and videos that I would search up online to keep my feelings at bay, but it took a lot of effort (Google, YouTube, Flipboard). I had to go on different platforms to search for motivational content. On top of that, I had to search for counsellors, and I could only contact ones that were available through calls due to my physical limitation.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit globally, I realised that it impacted and put a higher percentage of people in emotional distress, and I could easily relate to that – which is why I decided that this is the best time to create a platform where people from all walks of life, who are going through the same struggles, can find support and motivation.

As there is still a stigma surrounding mental health in Malaysia, how popular has virtual therapy been?

The app has been on the App Store and Google Play Store for a little over 3 months now (since it first became available for download in the beginning of October), and to date, we have gotten 5,500 active users with up to 200 Chat Requests per day. Users are encouraged to rate the chat sessions, and the feedback has been very positive with our overall chat rating being 4.7 out of 5.

Based on our data, we’ve learned that the ‘Talk to Someone’ feature has been the users’ go-to as they find it much more convenient to now be able to express themselves freely and comfortably as their identity is kept 100% anonymous.

Majority of our users are aged between 13 – 22, which means they may not necessarily have the financial means to attend paid sessions with mental health professionals. Virtual chat sessions on our app with the ​Vibers (qualified listeners / counsellors / therapists) has been a great solution in catering to their need for emotional support, especially with the current pandemic and restrictions.

Are people still afraid to open up even though their identity is kept anonymous?

As both users and ​Vibers identities are kept hidden, we realise that this has actually encouraged people to open up easier as they do not have to worry about preconceived notions being formed based on their background, race, or even sexuality.

For those who are used to receiving in-person support, did they find it harder to express themselves online?

This was an initial concern, however throughout the pandemic, with the limitation of on-site sessions and having to resort to online-basis counselling / therapy, we’ve learned that this has actually been a more convenient avenue – especially for the youth as most of them prefer a more technological approach since everyone is dependent on their mobile phones. Being able to express themselves online actually provides easier access to those who are in need of help as they are able to get the support they need remotely.

What else can be done to encourage people to seek the help they need?

Destigmatising mental health has been quite a recent effort in Malaysia, therefore we understand that it will take some time for people to perceive mental health as a norm, and that it is equally as important as physical health. At this point of time, we believe it is important to educate society and create awareness so that all generations from all walks of life would have a good understanding on this matter. 

We also believe that when public figures, celebrities or influencers open up about their mental conditions – it carries weight in making the community feel that they are not alone in what they go through or how they feel. This would hopefully help encourage people to seek help for their mental wellbeing the same way they would go to a clinic when they are feeling sick.

How can one volunteer as a Viber?

We are on a constant lookout for more volunteers to join us as Vibers! This would be a great opportunity for Psychology / Counselling graduates to contribute to the community as a shoulder to lean on, and to gain firsthand working experience as a listener. Those who are qualified and interested are welcome to apply as a Viber here.

As a society, what can we do to maintain this mental health culture after the pandemic is over?

We believe that it is important to incorporate mental health learning / programmes into our education system to educate the youth from a young age on mental health, so that this will no longer be a taboo topic in the future.

It is also important to continuously create awareness and have more talk shows / publications that would highlight this subject in order to broaden the knowledge of the society.

What else does PlusVibes do?

We are currently working on a program to highlight the importance of mental health amongst adolescents called the Mental Resilience Programme, targeting orphanages / children homes, universities and schools. The program includes a comprehensive module that involves motivational talks from eligible speakers, as well as activities and a workbook to guide the participants. We encourage individuals / institutions that would like us to carry out this program for their student body or even employees to reach out to us here.

We also cater to employee’s mental health benefits. Companies are able to gain insight on focus areas, such as financial assistance, childcare, stress management, etc that their employees need assistance in. As for employees, they are able to seek advice anonymously while also focusing on their own self-improvement journey! Interested organisations may contact us here. ​

 

Download PlusVibes – Support & Motivate on the App Store and Google Play Store, and follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for more emotional health support. Look out for their upcoming PlusVibes TV series on YouTube!

 

When we think of art therapy, we think of creating art – our emotions expressed through harsh brush strokes, the feeling of clay between our stressed palms, being soothed by colouring within the lines. But did you know that simply just viewing art can help us explore our emotions, cope with stress and develop self-awareness? Those who claim not to have a creative bone in their body can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Although art therapy doesn’t require you to be artistic or talented, it is still assuring to know that just the presence of art can contribute to better mental health. Looking at art has been proven to reduce stress levels, and has the brain releasing dopamine – providing the same feeling as falling in love. And like being in the outdoors, exploring an art gallery also helps with relieving mental exhaustion and restoring focus!

As cases continue to rise, we encourage you all to stay at home, but you can easily hop on an online tour with The Art Seni – a virtual experience that allows you to enjoy art, with the artists themselves, without having to leave the house. We asked founder, Aza Iza, how to pick up this hobby.

  1. When did you become interested in art? 

I was exposed to art at a very young age, but didn’t really think it’d be something I’d explore further. I just enjoyed it, that’s it. It was not until after high school where I started doing regular searches of ongoing art exhibitions/ art events for me to explore over the weekend or when I was free. At that time, I felt the need to always explore art. I always made sure I had something art-related to do over the weekend. It sort of became part of my routine!

 

  1. We love what you do with The Art Seni! What pushed you to start it?

The Art Seni started when I realised how difficult it was for me to gather information about art in Malaysia. I started getting frustrated with how sometimes I missed art exhibitions just because I had no information about it at all. The only source of art information at that time was the newspapers, magazines and some websites. All of the art information was so scattered. So, if I missed it, I missed it.

 

  1. As someone who is making art more accessible in Malaysia, what are the most common misconceptions you have come across?

It is an ongoing misconception all around the world that people think art is for the elite. However, in Malaysia where it is not as accessible, people find it even more intimidating to approach. Another common misconception is that many people think that art is only for art people, and that if they’re not part of it, they cannot explore it.

  1. Studies have shown that viewing art can have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing – do you find that to be true? How has it helped you personally?

Yes! Art does contribute to one’s health and wellbeing in so many different ways. For me, I think it definitely helped me cope with whatever I was going through throughout the years without me realising. I often find myself turning to art when there’s too much going on or when I just needed to recenter. Art is like my little hideout!

 

  1. How can one start exploring art – what do they need to know about the current scene here in Malaysia?

The visual art scene here in Malaysia is growing and has so much to offer. One can start by selecting a few galleries to visit from our weekly “On This Week” postings. People often find it difficult to navigate themselves through art galleries in KL and most of the time, are too intimidated to explore on their own. Alternatively, if they wish to explore art with a friend, they can join one of our art tours! 

Something we always tell people since day one is that you don’t need to know art to explore art because it is not only for “art people”. Art is for everyone! Follow us on our  social media platforms to stay art-to-date, or to simply start exploring art. We invite just about anyone of all ages and backgrounds to join us explore art!

 

2020 made us all more resilient. If you’re reading this, always remember – you were able to persevere through a global pandemic. You were able to push through despite a world health crisis, and the seemingly never-ending setbacks and obstacles it threw your way. Be very proud of yourself.

We now enter 2021 with a better understanding of how to navigate through uncertainty, and a full understanding that it will entail a lot of stress and fast changes. But how do we maintain our resilience? Before moving forward, take a step back to look at your mental health – be honest with yourself and attend to your needs. Like any physical activity, in order to power through, you need to be fit.

What is mental fitness?

As our mind is a muscle, it needs to be trained and strengthened. Mental fitness involves exercises that develop our mental and emotional abilities – the more we exercise our minds, the stronger it gets. No, these activities aren’t done to increase your IQ. Mentally, they help us become healthier and fitter with skills that allow us to focus better, be more optimistic and connect well with others.

What are the benefits?

Mental fitness has physical benefits too – by being able to slow down, especially at night, our bodies will be able to rest properly. Having a calm mind will also help us become less reactive to stress and solve problems in a more relaxed manner. When it comes to concentration, mental fitness builds cognitive strength, which allows us to ignore distracting thoughts. Socially, it benefits us with the ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships as we become less judgemental and more understanding.

How do we practice mental fitness?

When it comes to training, whether physical or mental, consistency is key. It won’t always be easy, but by adding these small actions to our daily routines, we’ll be able to achieve our goals of having a stronger mind. Be patient, be kind, and remember that improving your mental fitness will take time.

For the first episode of Wild Ginger Connects, we had model, Alicia Amin, talk to the MP for Muar (and fellow millennial), YB Syed Saddiq, about struggles such as mental health, bullying, brain drain and cancel culture. These are issues that we all face, but how does the youngest Malaysian to take office overcome them?

That’s a question he wishes he would get asked in interviews – how he deals with the stress, but his answer isn’t his cats or exercise. It’s the inspiration he gets from his mother. Awww! The newly-retired teacher raised four (then) troublesome children while being the main bread winner of the family. She’s also been acknowledged as the best teacher in both her school and the state of Johor!

Syed Saddiq on Mental Health

“We have to break that taboo, and for us to do so, there must be that transparent, open national conversation and discourse on mental health. A lot more people must start sharing it – that’s why I truly value when a lot of youth icons start speaking up about it, like Tengku Iman. When that’s shared in public, it gives a sense of familiarity that even people in these particular positions also suffer from it, how they overcome it, and hopefully, will start that conversation among others.”

Syed Saddiq on Bullying

“The last thing which I want is for others to see and then get even more demotivated because of what happens in parliament. For example, if other young people see, ‘If this is how they treat young parliamentarians, then I don’t think there’s a future for me in politics’. I don’t want for them to see that! So, that’s where I think, dealing with it with compassion, speaking up on these issues, getting other members of parliament (even from that particular party) to speak up against these tactics.”

Syed Saddiq on Brain Drain

“Young people have that very passionate and diverse energy – instead of suppressing it, why don’t you address it? Deal with it and try to harness it in a positive way. I think if we do that, we would be able to partially also deal with brain drain – there are obviously many other reasons why, but I think we can at least start by listening to them and taking them seriously instead of, every time they come up with a funky idea, ‘You’re wrong, that’s criminal, goodbye’. That’s wrong.”

Syed Saddiq on Cancel Culture

“If you lock them up with a particular stereotype or because of one mistake, or a few mistakes, then it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The person is more likely to commit mistakes over and over again because you don’t guide them to the right path. It’s about really showing compassion, and genuine care, and empathy to bring the person out of that hole.”

Watch the full interview below: