
Daily Affirmation for August 19, 2025 to Kickstart Your Vibe
'I don't need to have it all figured out to take the next step.'
Vibe Check:
Overthinking? Same. But real talk — clarity doesn't always come before the move, sometimes it comes from the move. You're not lost, you're in motion. Today's vibe is about letting go of the pressure to have a perfect plan and just trusting yourself enough to try. One small step is still progress, even if your confidence is still catching up.
Why This Works:
Society loves to glorify 'the plan' — but life rarely follows one. This affirmation helps you drop the all-or-nothing mindset. You don't need the whole staircase, just the next step. Taking action without having all the answers builds real self-trust — and that's where confidence is born.
Your Mini Mission:
Write a messy to-do list. Seriously. Scribble out three things you might want to try today — no pressure, just vibes. Pick the one that feels the least intimidating and give it a go. You're allowed to try, pivot, repeat.
Messy But Moving Playlist:
For the babes figuring it out as they go:
'Keep Going' – DEZI
'Good as Hell' – Lizzo
'Try Everything' – Shakira
Bonus Energy Tip:
Stand up. Shake out the overthinking. Then say this out loud:
'I trust myself enough to begin.'
Even if it's not perfect, even if it's not clear — you're still allowed to move forward. Let momentum be your magic.
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Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Meet the Dubai mum building a screen-free parenting community
We've all been guilty of it at some point. Reaching for the phone at dinner. Handing a restless child an iPad just to finish a meal in peace. Scrolling endlessly while promising ourselves it's 'just five minutes'. Screens have seeped so deeply into our daily lives that their presence feels almost subconscious, yet their hold is anything but harmless. Today, children as young as four or five are handed devices as pacifiers — tools to keep them quiet, still, or 'disciplined'. And, lord forbid, when the screen is taken away, the reaction can even resemble severe withdrawal: tears, tantrums, and the unmistakable anxiety of dependency. So, as families transition from the carefree sprawl of summer into the structure of a new school year, the question feels more pressing than ever: with devices increasingly woven into classrooms and homework, how can parents draw the line between healthy digital literacy and overexposure? Well, a Dubai mum might just have some answers. Building a screen-free home Indian expat Adveta Dwivedi has taken this challenge head-on — not only within her own home but also by building a growing community determined to reimagine what childhood can look like without screens. At 40, Dwivedi balances her role as Chief Digital Officer in the gaming industry with being a mother of two. And despite a career immersed in technology, she and her husband have made a bold, intentional choice: to raise their children — a five-year-old and a toddler — screen-free. 'No tablets, no TV, and even with our household help, we follow a strict no-phone policy,' she says. 'Phones are only used for emergency calls. Family life is simple, connected, and full of being present in the moment.' Evenings in their home are phone-free zones, reserved entirely for the children. Weekends are sacred too, filled with nature outings, animal visits, or unstructured play rather than tightly scheduled extracurriculars. 'That time has given our kids resilience and imagination,' she explains. 'My older child can solve 500-piece puzzles, immerse himself in books for hours, and play independently without needing constant stimulation.' From book club to UAE-wide community The seed for this screen-free parenting community was planted in a children's book club, recalls Dwivedi. 'Every Saturday, families would gather, sometimes bringing their own books, sometimes borrowing from my personal library of more than 300 titles. The idea was to create a space where children could fall in love with reading, and parents could connect over shared values.' That book club has now grown to more than 60 member families, with shelves lined with classics, encyclopedias, and imagination-building stories. But slowly, the conversations moved beyond books. Parents began talking about the pressures of screens, sharing concerns about gaming, and swapping strategies for reducing screen time at home. Morphed into a screen-free community, the space has now become a sanctuary for both children and parents. 'For the little ones, the focus is on sensory play, storytelling, and the freedom of unstructured play. Older children are encouraged to explore a growing library of more than 200 carefully curated titles, ranging from Animalium to Oceanarium, which spark curiosity and open up long conversations about nature, wildlife, and conservation,' says Dwivedi. For parents, the community provides a safe space for candid conversations around digital wellness, says Dwivedi. 'Parents are grateful for practical insights into platforms like Roblox or Fortnite [games popular amongst kids], understanding what's safe, what's risky, and how to manage boundaries.' The risks of early screen exposure Screens may feel like harmless companions, but the toll they take on children begins earlier than most parents realise. What starts as a distraction at mealtime can rewire attention spans, disrupt sleep, and delay vital developmental milestones. 'The risks are clear and research-backed,' says Dwivedi. 'The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends no screen time for children under 2, and very limited exposure for those aged 2–5. A University of Calgary study in 2019 found that just 30 minutes of daily screen use in toddlers was linked to measurable delays in communication and problem-solving skills.' In her own home, she witnesses the contrast every day, having created a device-free environment. 'My children thrive on books, puzzles, creative play — exactly the kind of skills research shows are undermined by early screen exposure.' Practical alternatives for parents For many parents, going screen-free can sound daunting. Dwivedi insists it doesn't have to be. 'First of all, if a child is under the age of five, I encourage parents to stop screen use immediately and replace it with presence and engagement,' she adds. 'The first week may feel challenging, but children quickly adapt, and by the second week they develop a natural rhythm of independent play. After that, parents don't need to constantly entertain them.' Dwivedi also believes the shift begins with parents themselves. 'Even 20–30 minutes of phone-free, focused time after work can transform a child's sense of connection,' she explains. 'It's also essential to align caregivers — household help should remain phone-free and instead be guided to support children with reading, puzzles, or simple creative tasks.' From her experience, the alternatives don't need to be elaborate. 'Independent play setups with open-ended toys like Magna-Tiles, puzzles, and art materials are wonderful. Books and audiobooks spark imagination, and even something as simple as a walk outdoors or unstructured play can inspire more creativity than hours of passive screen use.' Recalling her own evenings at home, she adds, 'In our house, evenings are always fully dedicated to the kids. That consistent presence keeps them thriving and reduces the pressure to rely on screens.' A bigger vision What started as a children's book club has grown into a full-blown screen-free parenting community, and for Dwivedi, this is just the beginning. 'I see it growing into a movement, with us leading conversations around digital wellness and mindful parenting,' she says. 'Beyond supporting families at home, I want this community to inspire schools and policymakers to rethink how children are introduced to technology.' Childhood, she believes, is being rushed into a digital world far earlier than it needs to be. 'By Year 4, children in the UAE average around 40 downloaded apps. That's too much, too soon,' she adds. 'My vision is that technology should be introduced later and more mindfully. While basic digital literacy is important, children in Year 2 or Year 3 don't need heavy device exposure.' However, at its core, screen-free parenting is less about rigid templates or seeking perfection and more about trial and error. 'We're not rejecting technology, it's essential to the future,' says Dwivedi. 'But childhood deserves a foundation built on books, play, imagination. That's what creates emotionally resilient, digitally literate children when the time is right.'


Khaleej Times
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- Khaleej Times
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A fire on a US Navy ship off Japan was finally put out after 12 hours early Thursday, the US military said, after local vessels spent most of the night dousing the blaze. Two US sailors were treated for minor injuries from the fire which broke out on the USS New Orleans in the southern island of Okinawa on Wednesday, the US 7th Fleet said in a statement. "The cause of the fire is currently under investigation... New Orleans' crew will remain aboard the ship," the statement said. The 208.4-metre (684-foot), 24,433-ton amphibious transport dock ship is anchored off the White Beach Naval Facility. Japan's Coast Guard said that initially the US military sought assistance from Japan, but then cancelled the request before then renewing it around 7:30 pm (1030 GMT). Four Japanese vessels — from the Coast Guard, the navy and private contractors — spent the night dousing the blaze, spokesman Tetsuhiro Azumahiga told AFP. The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, mostly on Okinawa.

The National
18 hours ago
- The National
The surprisingly political history of pockets in women's clothing
Pockets are simple, extremely practical folds of fabric stitched into our clothes, and a place to stow coins, keys and phone, while freeing up the hands. That is unless you are a woman, of course. For centuries, pockets have been a gendered battleground, with the lack of pockets in women's clothing more than merely inconvenient, but a feminist issue that has stretched across centuries. In menswear, pockets have evolved as a standard fixture within coats, jackets, thawbs, trousers and shorts, making these items fashionable, comfortable and useful in one swipe. For women, however, pockets are often at best an afterthought, frequently too small, too shallow, or too fake to be of any use. This difference is more than a quirk of tailoring however, but rather a persistent reminder of female dependence. The desire to carry important things appears to be a universal human trait, with the earliest known example dating back more than 5,300 years, to Otzi, also known as the Iceman. A perfectly preserved mummy found in the Otztal Alps between Austria and Italy, he was wearing a belt with a sewn pouch that contained flint, a scraper and dried tinder, suggesting he valued these items enough to keep them close by. The idea of wearing a pouch or small bag to hold things seems to have developed simultaneously around the world, with many cultures tying them around the waist inside clothing. In China, such small bags were called hebao, while in Japan, people tucked items into kimono sleeves, or inside inro, decorated containers that hung from the obi (sash). By the 16th century in Europe, pockets were large and detachable, and worn tied around the waist by both men and women. The name itself derived from the French Norman word poke or pouque, entering English as poche or pouch. During the 17th century, a gendered distinction began to emerge. Men's pouches, already hidden amid clothing layers, became accessible via a slit in the outer layer. Eventually, this culminated in some clever spark sewing the slit to the pocket hidden within, creating the pocket as we know today. Women, on the other hand, still had to make do with a small bag tied around the waist beneath her clothes. The Victoria & Albert Museum lists most women of the period wearing at least two layers of undergarments and a petticoat, under which her pocket would be tied. While this kept the contents safe, it also made access impossible in public, denying her the freedom that men enjoyed. By the early years of the 18th century, women's fashion for sleek, high-waisted empire-line dresses made internal pockets impossible. Instead, women carried a reticule, an early form of handbag, barely big enough for a handkerchief. This was less about fashion, however, but rather a reflection of how women were perceived by society at the time. Regarded as a decorative adjunct to men, women relinquished their money to their husbands and were only beginning to be able to independently own property. In the UK, women could not secure a mortgage without a man until 1975. 'One supremacy there is in men's clothing … its adaptation to pockets," Charlotte P Gilman wrote in The New York Times in 1905. 'Women have from time to time carried bags, sometimes sewn in, sometimes tied on, sometimes brandished in the hand, but a bag is not a pocket." The Suffragette movement of the early 20th century that sought equality for women gave rise to the Suffrage suit, which had large pockets as a visual push back to the routine absence thereof. In September 1910, American publication Duluth News Tribune highlighted how unusual pockets were regarded at the time. "If a lady needs pockets, they may easily be added to her suit or gown. The dressmaker may raise her eyebrows, but you are the one paying the bill," it advised. Around the same time, French designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel emerged. Determined to rid women of restrictive clothing and being treated as fragile, she instead championed independence via trousers, jackets and dresses that were as practical as they were stylish. With no tight waistbands, Chanel's designs were comfortable and pragmatic, and finished with military-like buttons. By the 1920s, her pieces were fitted with ample pockets inside and out. The First and Second World Wars pushed women out of the home and into the workforce, where they donned masculine trousers and overalls to work on farms and in factories. In everyday life, however, their coats, jackets and dresses frequently would have had small or even fake pockets as the fashion standard. When Europe emerged from the devastation of the wars, French designer Christian Dior debuted his New Look of 1947, with full skirts and a wasp waist. Scandalous for the yards of fabric needed in a time of rationing, it also had overtly feminine padded hips and small, discreet pocketing. Dior's proclamation that 'men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration," prompted Coco Chanel out of retirement despite already being in her seventies, furious at what she regarded as a backwards step in women's emancipation. 'Dior doesn't dress women. He upholsters them,' she is said to have retorted. Since the 1950s, Italian house Max Mara has imbued its collections with pockets, as it caters to the wardrobes of working women, but fast forward to the 2010s, and pockets remained deeply divided. In 2018, when researching the differences between pockets in gendered jeans, journalists Jan Diehn and Amber Thomas revealed that women's pockets were 48 per cent shorter and 6.5 per cent narrower than the male equivalent. Some historians believe the abaya entered Saudi Arabia some 80 years ago via travellers from Iraq and Iran. Fashion archiving project The Zay Initiative has quoted an unnamed older woman as saying "this practice is only recent. It came with oil". Even more recent is the addition of pockets, shifting the abaya from a decorative outer layer into something far more practical, as designers also experiment with new materials. A similar transition has been seen in Moroccan jalabiya, with pockets increasingly the norm as women look for functionality. With pockets such a recent addition to women's clothing, is it tempting to link the gap to the growth of handbag sales. With Cognitive Market Research valuing the luxury bag market at more than $23.5 billion in 2024, there seems little incentive for brands to add pockets as a functional and free alternative. In 2023, Hannah Carlson, senior lecturer in apparel design at the Rhode Island School of Design, released Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close. Carlson's research suggests that women's missing pockets are linked more to societal norms than function. Speaking with The New York Times, she explained that 'men's clothes are meant for utility and women's for beauty," and as such enforce "old ideas about women's place and the more limited social and economic contributions they are expected to make". The pocket's story is far from concluded it seems. With fashion so slow to accommodate women's practical needs, it stands as a reminder that revolutions often begin with the smallest details. In reclaiming the pocket, women take ownership of something far more significant – the right to carry their own essentials, but more importantly, make their own choices.