SIS Chai and Chat

“You are so strong.” Something we hear but don’t always feel. You could be hanging on by a thread with no idea what you’re doing with life and you can barely get through the day. It’s ok to hurt, have anger, be sad, or need to just shut out the world for an evening so you can just cry and cry. You are surviving. Some might call that strength and you might feel that way later, but right now-just now- you need to feel and be validated for the struggle. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog: https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog Background music – ‘Nasheed Islamic Background’ by SufiSama99, available via Pixabay (Pixabay Content License).

THEY UNFOLLOWED ME?!?!?! The real issues today are so different than life before digital social media and online following. Listen to Mea and Kawthar talk about concerns they’ve heard from others and eventheir own online traumas.For more content and topics, check out my blog https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/Background music – ‘Nasheed Islamic Background’by SufiSama99, available via Pixabay (Pixabay Content License).

We always think about a “new chapter” in life. Do we ever pause to think about the context of each chapter? Each time we turn a page in our book of life, there can be new and exciting or maybe even sadness and hardships happening. Take some time to reflect on where you are in your chapter. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog: https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog Background music – ‘Nasheed Islamic Background’ by SufiSama99, available via Pixabay (Pixabay Content License).

Many people are trying to be focused on a more natural and holistic lifestyle. There’s different degrees of crunchy and no person is “better” than another. There’s an affect on children raised in a crunchy lifestyle and there’s no telling how they end up as adults. Listen to Hoff explain how everything has come full circle and she has gotten in touch with her roots. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog: https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog Background music – ‘Nasheed Islamic Background’ by SufiSama99, available via Pixabay (Pixabay Content License).

Packing and unpacking-literally and metaphorically. What are things in our lives to we pack away when we need to process them and prepare them for moving into the next stage of life? We have to deal with all our clutter mentally just as much as physically before we can move on in life without the weight dragging us down. It’s ok to take small steps. One thing at a time and one second at a time. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog: https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog Background music – ‘Nasheed Islamic Background’ by SufiSama99, available via Pixabay (Pixabay Content License).

Communicate. Comprehend. Collaboration. THERE’S MORE THAN 5 LOVE LANGUAGES. Many people get hung up on trying to cookie-cutter how to express love to others. There’s a spectrum of love and relationships and it takes time and attention to learn how each person in your life needs to receive the appropriate love from you. Listen to this extra special conversation where Hoff and Jasmine (and little Theo) discuss relationships and what they have learned about love and expression. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blogBackground music – ‘Nasheed Islamic Background’ by SufiSama99, available via Pixabay (Pixabay Content License)

Holistic health includes all aspects of your health- mental,physical, spiritual, and emotional. They aren't always going to be the samelevel of health equally. When your health struggles in one way, there are waysto work to keep the other areas to not decline in health overall.For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blogBackground music-'Nasheed Islamic Background' by SufiSama99, available via Pxiabay (Pixabay Content License).

Is there something on your mind that has taken over all yourthoughts? It keeps you from functioning and making progress. Hearing other stories can help you realize that you aren’t the only facing difficulties and you don’t have to go through life alone and controlled by concern. Take it from adoula, there’s so much we can do for each other to tear away some of the worries. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Mothering in this day and age is nothing like the 20th century! Unlimited knowledge at our finger tips and we still struggle! Moms, aunties, family, and friends are all part of it. Between culture and societal pressures and shame, there's so much to unpack.Join Sister Hoff and her sister Lauren in this discussion about parenting, our upbringing vs parenting kids and nieces and nephews, and other issues we face in society as we raise the next generation.For more content and topics, check out my bloghttps://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/

Your voice matters…Global warming? War? Rights of minorities? Politics? The right to be heard? Maybe your short speech will inspire your neighbor to tidy up their lawn or maybe inspire a future senator to address the issues of the people. You just may even become the voice of something big.For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

There are many types of freedoms with aging. Maybe it’s freedom from restrictions and dependency or the freedom of letting go. When we learn to think and experience our emotions when they happen, we are allowing ourselves to be free of so many unnecessary pressures and stresses in life and make room for true happiness. Many learn this as they age, but it’s never too late or early to practice this. Hoff talks about her journey to freedom of following the status quo and being true to herself as well as making real connections with people who matter in life. For  more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Total embarrassment? Sticking your foot in your mouth? Badtiming for a punchline? With a variety of political, social, religious, and personal opinions on anything and everything, we might find ourselves in many moments of discomfort in a conversational space. In many cases, we can laugh about it later. The hardest time is when we leave the conversation with a heavy heart from invalidation. Living intentionally and with compassion can help us minimize the shame from not always saying “the right thing”.Hear about the experiences of Hoff, Noor, and Taiba and the different types of situations they, or someone they know, have been through.For more content and topics, check out my blog https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/

Have you ever been in a situation that was so embarrassingand humbling but you kinda needed it? These embarrassing situations engravethemselves into our minds and we don’t forget them. Sister Hoff exposes some embarrassingmoments and how she embarrassed others…sorry y’all. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Girl, spill all the tea…in the West, we talk a lot. Whether you have 1 friend or 100 friends, you don’t have tospill all your business to everyone in our lives. There’s a line to draw in what you share, how much you share, and who you share your journey with. In a society that our personal lives are highly publicized, it’s hard to tell ourselves we are not obligated to share our past or private matters, nor are we owed someone else’s business just because we are friends. Sister Hoff shares personal experiences and her struggles with venting appropriately. For  more topics, visitSister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Ignorance is not bliss. Choosing to not learn limitsourselves. In a day and age where we are exposed to more information in one afternoon than people spent in their whole life-time less than 100 years ago, you cannot possibly keep your head in the sand if you have intellect. Knowledge is a power that we can use for good. There is no useless knowledge, just ask Sister Hoff. For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Are you the person who always has music or the radio playing at all times? Maybe you constantly surround yourself with other people so you never have a quiet moment. Why do we feel the need to have audio clutter and fear silence? Music and constant talking can manipulate our mood and slow down our self healing. When you are silent and listen to nature or inside where there is no noise, you are faced with yourself. You are giving your ears and mind rest. The rest you need to be still and at peace mentally and spiritually. It might even generate creativity within yourself. Hear how Hoff embraced the silence and why she stopped listening to music years ago. For  more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Sometimes we want to just be motivated to accomplish a goal whether that's mental health, financial success, physical well-being, or other things. Unfortunately, we don't spontaneously have motivation. In this little bite of life, a friend shares some wise words and Sister Hoff reexamines "where there's a will there's a way".For more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

“I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is a frequent phrase with students during final exams, people with work deadlines, and parents. We cannot go without sleep. It’s physiologically impossible. Can we lose sleep and not get what our body needs? Absolutely! In a world where you can keep the lights on 24/7 and access to emails at any time, it’s easy to get sucked into the madness and think we can be like robots without any needs to take a break. It’s understandable that everyone has a different plate to handle life and even pretending to sleep may be the only way to slow our bodies down. Listen to Hoff talk about the needs of sleep and dangers of not getting enough. For  more topics, visit Sister Hoff’s blog:https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com/blog

Ramadan Kareem!Have you ever done intermittent fasting? During the month of Ramadan, Muslims (and sometimes other friends) fast from sun up to sundown from food, beverages, smoking or anything that goes in your body, and romantic activities. There are healthy ways and also risks of fasting and how we fast. Of course, if you have a medical condition that it is harmful to fast or women on the menstrual cycle, you should not fast. LISTEN Y’ALL…it’s not just about cutting off physical desires. There is a mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect. Sister Hoff explains a tiny snippet of the benefits and dangers of fasting. For more information on fasting during the month of Ramadan go to: https://www.eatright.org/food/cultural-cuisines-and-traditions/holidays-and-celebrations/ramadan-the-practice-of-fastingIF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS AT RISK OR SUFFERS FROM AN EATING DISORDER, PLEASE SEEK MEDIAL ATTENTION. For access to online support groups or more information go to: https://eatingdisordersanonymous.org/about/Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis HelpTo contact Sister Hoff, check out her contact information at: https://holistichijabihoff.weebly.com

Tea Cakes: Little Bites of LifeWe all start somewhere. There is a beginning, but for some,there is a restart. Do not pass go and do not collect $200. Yikes! It’s only funny when you’re playing games. When it’s your life, there is grief and it is unique to you. In this little bite of life, listen to Sister Hoff share examples of starting over and talk about how to be supportive of people in your life who are starting over.

America is one giant salad bowl. Everyone from everywherelives here and there is no single “American culture”. All backgrounds are represented, and different geographical regions of the country can be drastically different from another (just ask Hoff about southerners vs northerners). Superstition, rituals, mythology stories, and general knowledge. There are thousands, maybe millions, of cultures in the world. Each has something unique and even bizarre. Sometimes, people think something only exists in their culture but it’s actually global. There’s warm cultures and cold cultures. Hierarchy and anarchy. Maybe whatever grandpa says it actual fact and it’s not up for discussion. Who throws salt over their right shoulder and spits over their left shoulder three times? Why can’t we walk under ladders or cut a boy’s hair until his first birthday? There’s a lot to unpack here. Join a multicultural group of sharing and laughing about their own background and what it means to them and how we all mix into American society.

Horror stories?!?! Living with other people can sometimes be a wild adventure. The rules are different and setting boundaries is not always easy. Whether it’s roommates, neighbors, or family, we all cross paths and have interactions. Nothing tests your patience like sharing space with other people. Hear how Steph, Hoff, and Fizza have learned how to view people with empathy and have patience and understanding with those around us

Adulting:” the practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.” It’s something most of us inevitably have to do. Everyone has a different lens in which they view the world of adulting and what’s important to focus on. Hear how other women feel about it and the stories they share about their experiences “adulting” and how some people have overcome their own struggles. Listen to Hoff and Mea discuss growing up quickly by necessity and how it shaped who they are today.

You matter! People matter! We were not meant to be alone. In a society where people stop depending on others for help and support, we've lost touch with making real connections with people. You need a village! Join Sister Hoff and Tiffany as they discuss their experiences and how they found their people and created a healthy village of support and friendship. Please forgive Sister Hoff for coughing the entire time :) It's allergy season at her house.