Hi sunshines of Hive!馃挋
This is my entry for the Ladies of Hive Community Contest #43.
I will be answering both questions.
1. When was the last time you tried something new? Did it change you?
Men ow men, I really had to think about this for a while before I realised that I tried something new yesterday! I cooked Moksi Alesi for the first time.
People who know me, know that I'm not a kitchen girl at all. Worse still, I'd rather run far away from the kitchen than towards the kitchen.
But the long lockdowns in the country have made me find my way back to the kitchen after a lot of reluctance and start experimenting with some things.
Moksi Alesi is a Surinamese dish and literally means 'mixed rice'. There are different variants of Moksi Alesi. The most well-known within my circle of friends and family are the bitawiri moksi alesi (prepared with the bitawiri plant, which has very bitter leaves) and the sebijari moksi alesi (prepared with butter beans).
The best thing about Moksi Alesi is that you can just put anything in it. This dish originated during the slavery period, when slaves used the leftover rice, vegetables, meat and fish to prepare a dish. Some people also put coconut milk in it. And I love that.
So yesterday, I tried for the first time to prepare Sebijari Moksi Alesi with coconut milk in it. And it was delicious. Unfortunaltely I don't have any photos 馃檨, because yesterday I had no idea that I would write about it today.
But I was so proud that it was delicious. It has motivated me to try out more recipes now! That's quite a change for someone who doesn't like being in the kitchen.
I told a friend yesterday through whatsapp about it. And he immediately said that he also wants to taste. Except he's abroad right now. In my enthusiasm, I promised him I'd get it ready for him again when he gets back. Afterwards I was shocked by my own promise, because I never cook for someone. That Moksi Alesi experiment really did something to me.
When I'll cook for my friend, I'll make sure to share photos with you all.
2. What life lesson did you learn the hard way? How did it alter your perception or attitude?
Self-love. It took at least 25 years before I learned that self-love is important and then another 2 years before I really learned to love myself.
This may have to do with my upbringing. After all, I was always taught to love others. To do for others, to help them. How to love myself and that I should love myself, I never learned.
After endless break ups in my life, not only in romantic relationships, but also in friendships, I came to realize and learn that part of the problem was with me. How can I expect others to love me if I don't love myself?
So I began to change my lifestyle and put myself first. Before others were a priority, now I am a priority.
I thought I would lose friends that way. And that's what happened. Do you know which friends I lost? Friends who were friends with me for their own benefit.
I'm glad they're out of my life.
But loving myself has also drawn other friends to me. Friends who are positively influencing my life.
Self-love has taken away my insecurity in life. Has taken away my doubts. Has made me stronger. It has taught me that I can also go through life single. It has taught me that I don't need anyone to save me; I can save myself.
I would like to invite 
Thank you for visiting my blog.馃挌
