Background.

If you've been reading my blog and following my posts, you'll know that I don't give much away about myself. And for good reason. I even use a Bitmoji character so as to show a version of myself in my posts. But I've decided to change that character a little closer to how I actually look like. So it has changed from looking like this:

A photo posted by projectforthesoul (@projectforthesoul) on Sep 28, 2016 at 10:12pm PDT

To this:

A photo posted by projectforthesoul (@projectforthesoul) on Oct 20, 2016 at 8:12pm PDT

Ah... That's more like it.

Now, the reason that I've hidden the hijab/scarf/shawl (whatever you choose to call it), is due to the fact that there are so many negative things surrounding this piece of cloth and the faith tied to it - when it shouldn't be so. And I had wanted to start @projectforthesoul without any kind of judgement or biasedness against my faith or beliefs. All I wanted to spread was kindness and only kindness - be it through my post-its, notes, compliment cards, posts on Instagram, etc. And it has been... EXACTLY FOUR MONTHS since I started @projectforthesoul and I did not regret a single day of it. However, I have been battling with whether or not I should slowly reveal the face behind it, the identity of who I really am, etc. Cause I feel like it is a little unfair and that I'll be short-changing the people who follow my page and so I finally decided, some days back, to reveal that one part of me that I was afraid to show - my hijab. After I posted that on Instagram, I was bracing myself for any questions or feedback or negative comments. But none came. I realised then that it probably does not matter what I wear on my head, or how I looked like and that I was over-thinking about the whole thing when I shouldn't. And for that, I love my followers even more for it.

I'm also taking advantage of this post to share a little more about @projectforthesoul. I've had a friend who asked why am I not making this into like a business sort of account - where people can order cards from me or make it seem more like it's a group of people managing this page to spread kindness. Reason being: Because it's not. It's an idea that came about to me, and I didn't want to make it seem so corporate-ish cause I feel like it will throw people off and it wouldn't seem so personal. This page is about literally PROJECT FOR THE SOUL. Whose soul? Mine. Yours. Theirs. ANYBODY. It is about projects and ideas that I have, that I want to carry out, for the betterment of my soul. Which could in turn, affect your soul and move you to do something similar or maybe more, better, bigger. Which then affects someone else's soul, etc... The ripple effect of kindness begins.

So, although it may seem like the Compliment Cards were the main idea of the page - it's not. It's still a big part of the reason behind @projectforthesoul - but at the same time, I'd like to focus on other small things that I could do to help others, make others smile or feel better, etc. Cause it's also an act of kindness and that's what @projectforthesoul is basically about. Kindness. And being a RAKtivist, I feel that @projectforthesoul is the perfect platform for it. And I finally get to do what I've been wanting to do for the longest time - which is to spread kindness and help others, in whatever way I can, be it small things like buying coffee or big things like giving out Compliment Cards.

I feel like I've rambled on for too long now and am starting to over-explain myself. I will continue what I have been doing, and maybe do even more - what with the projects and ideas that I have in mind. Maybe one day, I will decide that the internet is not as savage as I thought it would be and I won't be too afraid to show myself. Maybe. One day.

50.

A photo posted by projectforthesoul (@projectforthesoul) on Sep 20, 2016 at 11:48pm PDT

Exactly a month ago, I hit the 50 followers mark and I was so excited! To know that I had 50 people who liked what I was doing, liked it enough to follow me - was such good news. It gave me motivation to keep doing what I was doing and maybe even venture into doing more. I have ideas that I will share about it in time to come and hoping that my followers, no matter where they are, will be interested in it as well.

But back to the main topic of 50.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Thank you for choosing to follow me. I am so grateful. Truth be told - amidst all the other kindness movement related accounts, I feel so small and insignificant. But I know what I am doing is worthwhile and it can only bring about good things. And knowing that I have the support from my followers, I do it.

I will keep going with my RAKs, my Compliment Cards and similar #projectforthesoul ideas, ideas that I hope will one day turn into reality. Brainstormings are in the process, and once an idea is set - I will share about it on my Instagram and I hope there will be some response to it. So that I can get some feedback before I start on materialising the idea. That's the best part though - materialisation. Watching my ideas that I had thought hard about, brought to life by my very own hands, and then see the impact that it might make on others. *FINGERS CROSSED*

Talking about impact on others - Someone had shared an image of the Compliment Card he had received! Woohoo!

A photo posted by Marcus Chua (@fibby.apples) on Sep 14, 2016 at 12:36am PDT

There was no story on how he had received it but to know that it was reaching out to people was just amazing news to me. I hope those who I have given the cards out to are not too shy to pass it on to someone else. (HAHA, what am I talking about - I was shy, myself!)

A lot of great news in the month of September. I still have quite a bit of Compliment Cards to give out. And on top of the ideas that I already working on, I will probably need to make a set of more generic Compliment Cards. A set that is easier to pass on to others, a set that is more stranger-friendly. It has been a busy October - so many things to look forward to!

Have a great Friday everybody, and have an awesome weekend!