Taking Stock July: I Choose Peace, I Choose Me.

Hello there! 😀 It’s time for another Taking Stock post… And if there’s a mantra I believe we should take up now onwards, it’s: I Choose Peace, I Choose Me… Keep reading, and I’ll tell you why!

Can I be honest? Until this morning, I had no idea what to write in our Taking Stock Post… It has been a while since we did one, and I’ve been wanting to do it… However, I have been coming up blank lately.

My Scrapbook Journeys’ OG readers know that our Taking Stock posts are a time to pause, breath and reflect in a fun way… If you are new here, feel welcome and settle in. 🙂

Sometimes when I feel stuck on what to write, I let the post ideas simmer for a while… Today though, I woke up with something I couldn’t afford to ignore.

And that’s to do with the upcoming General Elections in Kenya. Don’t panic though, this is not about to become a political blog post. Not even one bit! 🙂

Stay with me awhile…

Take Up The Slogan: I Choose Peace, I Choose Me

Anyone who knows me personally, knows that I generally abhor politics. I do however care deeply about our country, and I care about our welfare as a people.

Moreover, traveling around Kenya has given me a great appreciation for the diversity of our cultures & our country’s offerings …

A lot has been said with regard to the election, so I won’t attempt to speak on the matter. However, I believe it is what comes after the elections, that truly really matters… It is the choices we make, and how we let ourselves get influenced.

You probably watched the recent Deputy Presidential Debate that was aired on most local TV stations in the country. If you did, then you might recall the question posed to the hopeful candidates on their net worth…

With their ‘hundreds of million Kenya shillings’ responses, one thing became abundantly clear to me: they can afford and have the means to survive, should this country fall apart…

We as Kenyans, on the other hand, cannot.

Let’s for a moment consider this… Do you have hundreds of millions in the bank the resources to cushion you, if we choose to turn on one another?

And with our current economy, can our country survive another bout of post-election violence? Is that a price we are willing to pay…?

My neighbour, your neighbour, regardless of their tribe or cultural background, is NOT the enemy. The enemy is poverty, the enemy is violence, the enemy is having to build our lives back up from scratch again.

We have much to lose, and much more to protect.

So, in all honesty, no matter who wins: I choose Peace, and I choose Me. As opposed to getting incited to violence and hate, let’s choose to uphold peace. Choose an outcome that ensures your life moves forward, not backwards.

And if I can inspire you, even just one person, to choose yourself and to choose peace, then this Taking Stock post was worth it. 🙂

Quick Tip:

Check out this blog post: 21 Stunning Photos of Kenya That Will Make You Want To Visit and Stand Up For Peace.

***

Taking Stock July: Cheers to keeping it light!

It wouldn’t be a proper Taking Stock post if we didn’t find ways to let off steam and have some light fun, right? Let’s get into it! 😀

Buying: More like, shopping around for a travel fanny pack. Any leads will be appreciated! 😉

Craving: My Mum’s chapatis. They are just perfect for making a rollex at home! 😀

Cooking: Up blog and travel ideas for the month of August! Send requests!

Drinking: Lots and lots of black tea to keep warm.

Eating: Homemade rollex for breakfast, without the tomatoes and the onions. Shoutout to my Ugandan readers! Lol. 😀

Enjoying: My birthday month. 🙂

Feeling: Young and grateful.

Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Hoping: For Lewis Hamilton to win the French GP this weekend. It’s been awesome to see him back on the podium. Fingers crossed, that we take France! 😀

Quick Tip:

Also, my friend Muthoni who runs Thinkk Travels has this cool package for the November F1 Grand finale in Abu Dhabi.

Fun group trip with your friends, maybe? Check it out below! 😉

Learning: This new way of making ugali that my Mum showed me recently… Wish me luck! 😀

Listening: To positive affirmations before bed. It really changes how you wake up feeling the next day. Try it! 🙂

Looking: Forward to September, God willing.

Making: Intentional decisions to be thankful and recognise the blessings in my life.

Missing: Random road-trips with no particular destination.

Noticing: How interesting our world is… While we are freezing in Kenya, some parts of the world are experiencing a heatwave! Whew!

Praying: For a peaceful election period in Kenya.

Reading: Just finished reading an awesome devotional on the YouVersion Bible App: Success From The Inside Out by Nona Jones.

Thinking: About re-reading Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for the 3rd time! It’s quite a sobering book, and worth the read.

Wanting: To skip to the good part for all of us, as Kenyans. 🙂

Watching: I can’t wait to start on ‘Country Queen‘ the most recent Kenyan release on Netflix. I’ve heard great reviews so far. Have you watched it?

Wishing: For a trip that involves the beach and beautiful sunsets. 🙂

Working: On cultivating happiness * success, from the inside out. 🙂

---

Thank you for reading my friends! 😀 I hope you enjoyed our Taking Stock Post and that you are inspired to choose yourself, and to choose peace.

Until the next one…

<< Stay. Inspired. Always. >>