Shireen's Favorite Things

Surprise! I’m blogging again.

I wanted to write something grandiose to pick up where I left off, but honestly, sometimes just getting the words on the page is what matters, at least for a writer.

Over the past few years, I’ve had a lot of living to do and my thought process turned from blogging to navigating real-life problems and a few of them got the best of me. At first, I told myself I had writer’s block; but deep down, I knew l was just tired.

Not of the “Shireen’s Favorite Things” narrative, per se, but from all the noise around me: a raging pandemic, my mother’s battle with Cancer, a devastating break-up, an ever-changing television industry, the dumping of a histrionic friend, a traumatic fall-out with a co-worker and my health. For the record, #CIDP still sucks.

The aforementioned list makes me wanna pound a dirty martini, but I’ll tell you what happened to me in traffic the other day instead. I was sitting at a red light when I realized how much I missed blogging. The feeling surprised me because a year earlier, I had unceremoniously dumped my pet project like a shameful one night stand. #DontcallmeIllcallyou.

I was embarrassed about it, too, especially that I couldn’t keep it going during the pandemic. A time when people desperately needed an escape, including myself, but my voice grew small as an unexplainable virus grew big, spreading throughout the world. I talk about the experience in my post: “Hello, I hope you’re okay.”

So, back to that red light.

It was there, in the middle of horrendous Miami traffic that I realized how much I missed writing about the things I loved, the places I’d traveled and the beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking things I’d lived through and what those experiences taught me, but so much time had passed. Was starting the blog again even plausible?

Moreover, did anyone even care about #FavoriteThings anymore? I used to have an amazing on-line following, great social media numbers and weekly features, but Covid-19 changed all that and I changed along with it. All of a sudden, photographing fashion, food and fabulous places seemed far fetched, especially in the face of a global pandemic.

Turning my back on my blog wasn’t easy; in fact, it hurt.

Writing is my art, my passion, my first and perhaps, last love. It consoles, teaches and vexes me, all at once. It’s magical when it’s right and punishing when it’s wrong and therein lies the challenge, but if you’re not doing what you’re passionate about, are you living your best life? Sounds dramatic, but it’s my truth.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t stop writing altogether; I’m a journalist, after all. At work, I fire off words so fast, I call myself an alphabet hooker. I pump out story after story, or as we say in television, script after script, about “The good, the bad and the ugly” of Hollywood. I’m currently trudging through the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial and it’s not exactly uplifting.

I’ve always known words matter, but I guess when I stopped expressing my own, it left a hole in my heart. Maybe I am a modern day “Carrie Bradshaw”? Or perhaps, just Shireen, who has a lot of #FavoriteThings. So, here I am, typing away on my phone, promising myself to write just a paragraph or two. #KeepItSimple (lol).

I’ve also been fighting off an insecurity demon. You know, that small voice inside that says, “You’re not good enough.” It started whispering in my ear after my long-term relationship ended over a year ago. The break-up made me question everything about myself. I was devastated by my blatant unwillingness to see how unhappy I was. What’s more, I was completely dumbfounded that I allowed myself to stay in that space for so many years (almost 7 to be exact). Complacency is a dangerous thing.

After the relationship ended, I’d sit down to write something (at the time I was working on a book) and it would turn out to be complete rubbish, utter bullshit, nonsensical. My sentences didn’t flow, my thoughts were all over the place and my words were empty.

Not anymore.

“Heading Into Summer (and other things)” is about discovering what you love, and weaving it into the daily textures of your life. For me, of course, it’s my writing, but I also love expressing myself through fashion and something unique and creative, like #NamJosh is the perfect way to breathe new life into #FavoriteThings.

#NamJosh describes itself as “An accessories brand that marries artisanal hand embroidery techniques with a contemporary aesthetic.” I couldn’t agree more. Their whimsical headbands are complete showstoppers.

Once you see their eye-popping colors, beautiful embellishments and luxurious details, you’ll realize not all hair accessories are created equal. For me, their designs are like ornaments, jewelry even, reminiscent of the way Roman and Greek women used to dress their tresses.

Not only do they flower-up flowing locks, they’re a chic addition to an “up ‘do” and can even add extra pizazz to a pixie cut. They also come in handy on hot and humid South Florida summer days. #TameYourMane #NoHatHeadHere.

I’ve always known a fabulous accessory can take a fashionable look to a whole other level and that’s exactly what #NamJosh does. Headbands that make you a head-turner; yes, please. That’s why “Heading Into Summer (and other things) is one of my #FavoriteThings.

Shop your perfect headband here: www.Namjosh.com

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