Unpacking: March
A month that didn’t go to plan, but changed me in ways I didn’t expect.
March is a month I won’t forget. We’ve been living through something very real here in Dubai, with missiles and drones being intercepted in our airspace and a constant awareness that things aren’t quite as normal as they usually are. At the same time, it’s also been a month that’s shown me exactly what it means when the UAE says it prioritizes the safety of its people. You hear it all the time, but seeing it actually followed through, in real time, gives you a different level of trust and appreciation. Life hasn’t stopped, which is the strangest part…you’re still going about your day, working, keeping routines, while being very aware of what’s happening around you. Let me explain.
I went into March expecting it to be productive. I had momentum from February, I was excited about my fitness because I’m finally seeing real results, and I had a brand trip I was really looking forward to.
At the end of February, Dior invited me to London for the UK launch with Peter Philips for their newly reformulated foundation. I was genuinely so excited. Flights were booked, I’d already started planning content, thinking about outfits, everything.
I thought March was going to be one of those months where everything just flows.
It didn’t go anything like that.
On 28th February, everything changed.
Living in Dubai, we became collateral damage from what was happening between the US, Israel and Iran. The UAE defence forces and government have been incredible. Truly incredible. The level of protection we’ve witnessed has been something I don’t think you fully understand until you experience it.
But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been scary.
The sounds are unsettling. You hear things before you even see them. You feel it in your body. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel fear, because I have. My heart has been up and down depending on what’s happening around us.
At the same time, I also knew we were protected. And that’s the strange part. Both feelings exist together. You can feel fear and still feel safe. It took a few days for that trust to settle in properly. At first, it’s shock. Then it’s awareness. Then you start to understand how quickly things are being handled and you start to trust it.
The first week was the hardest. After that, it became something you learn to live around. Not normal, because there is nothing normal about it, but something your mind starts to process differently.
This month has taught me a lot….
Community is underrated. The way people here have checked in, supported each other, stayed connected…it’s been incredible. It also shows you very clearly who shows up and who doesn’t. That part has been eye-opening.
I’ve never experienced anything like this before. But strangely, it’s made me feel even more connected to Dubai. I’ve never really been patriotic, if I’m honest. Not even towards the UK but I don’t think that’s very surprising. But this has made me feel a deeper sense of gratitude and loyalty to this country. My home.
I knew Dubai was my place years ago when I first visited, before the Burj Khalifa was even built. I always knew I’d end up here. And now I know it was the right decision. I know that sounds weird considering what we’re going through but let me explain…
The leadership here puts people first. You don’t feel like an outsider. You don’t feel like an expat. You feel like you belong.
I had people messaging me at the start saying, “get a flight home asap!” And I remember thinking, this is my home. I don’t see the UK as home. I was born there, yes, but this is where my life is, and this is why my heart is.
I’ve appreciated the people who have checked in on us. I think when you you’re a content creator and still posting on Instagram, people assume everything must be fine. Like, “she’s still online so she must be okay.” But what a lot of people don’t understand is that life doesn’t just stop here. We can’t just sit in worry all day. Keeping some sense of normality is what helps us get through it.
That also doesn’t mean you’re okay all the time. It just means you’re trying.
And through all of this, I keep thinking about people in other countries who live like this constantly, and worse. It’s broadened my perspective so much.
I’m glad I kept going.
I’m glad I didn’t just stop everything and sit in fear, because it’s pretty easy to do that. I’m glad I carried on working, carried on with daily life, even on the days where I questioned what the point of anything was.
Because there were definitely days like that. When you don’t know what’s coming next, it’s hard to plan. It’s hard to think long-term. Everything becomes very day-by-day…literally!
But showing up, even in small ways, matters. And I’m still trying to do that.
The first week, I didn’t go to the gym at all. I was too anxious. I couldn’t focus, and it just didn’t feel right. Also because I had randome thoughts of worst case scenario’s…like something happening whilst I was in the gym and me being stuck with weights on top of me. You can laugh…I’m laughing even writing it out. But it was the kind of crazy stuff going through my head.
But over time, I went back to the gym. And fitness has actually helped me more than I expected. It gives me a sense of routine. It clears my mind. It makes things feel normal again, even if it’s just for an hour.
It sounds strange to say you “get used to it,” but in a way, your body adapts. Not to the situation itself, but to managing your response to it. And the gym has been a big part of that for me.
I’m honestly so fed up with the UK media and the way they talk about the UAE. It’s not even surprising anymore, but it is frustrating to read and watch, especially when you’re actually here living it.
The headlines are always the same tone. Negative, exaggerated, designed to provoke a reaction rather than reflect reality. And it’s not just about this situation…it’s a pattern. We’ve seen it before with other people and situations they’ve covered. It’s like they rely on creating a narrative rather than reporting what’s actually happening.
What really got me this time was seeing claims that people living here are being paid to say positive things about Dubai.
Do they genuinely think that in the middle of what’s been happening, with missiles and drones being intercepted above us, people are sitting here thinking, “let me take a paid job to pretend I feel safe”? It doesn’t even make sense.
The reality is, people here are speaking from their own experience. And my experience is that I feel protected. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. That doesn’t mean there’s no fear…of course there is. But both things can exist at the same time, and I think that’s what people outside don’t understand.
There’s also this constant need to paint Dubai in a certain way, like there must be something wrong with it if people are happy here. As if it’s not possible for a place to actually offer safety, opportunity, and a good quality of life.
This country has given people more than most places do. And I don’t just mean financially. I mean in terms of mindset, opportunity, and the way it makes you feel. It makes you believe you can actually build something for yourself. It makes you feel like you’re part of something, not just passing through and competing.
Even simple things like kids playing outside safely, people spending real time together, not everything revolving around alcohol or surface-level socialising…it’s a different way of living. And once you experience that, it’s very hard to look at things the same way again.
So when I see the UK media constantly trying to tear that down or question it, it just feels tired. It feels like they’ve already decided what they want the story to be, and they’re going to stick to it regardless of reality.
And the truth is, people who live here don’t need to be told how to feel about it.
We’re already living it.
My purchases this month have been very different.
We’ve been spending more time at home, so I bought a new book…Verity by Colleen Hoover. It’ll be my first book from her, so I’m looking forward to finally getting back into my “book of the month” routine.
I also bought a Lego set. But it’s actually been such a good way to switch off. Something simple, something to focus on that has nothing to do with what’s going on.
My diet hasn’t been great this month. There’s definitely been some emotional eating. Baking has been my way of coping, which is great for my mental health but not ideal for my health in general. That said, it’s not completely off track. I’m not eating junk…it’s more that I haven’t been as structured with my protein and routine as I usually am. I’m starting to bring that back in now.
One thing I keep thinking about is how situations like this always come back to power and ego, and how it’s never the people making those decisions who feel it the way ordinary people do.
It’s innocent people who live through it. People going about their normal lives, working, raising families, trying to build something for themselves, and then suddenly everything around them changes because of decisions they had no part in.
It’s a strange feeling to sit with. You realize how much of the world is shaped by people you’ll never meet, making decisions you have no control over, yet you’re the one living the impact of it in real time. And again, I can’t stress this enough…there are people in a far worse situation in places like Gaza, Lebanon, and many more places.
And it does make you question things in a grounded way. Why does it always come down to this? Why does it always end up affecting the people who are just trying to live their lives?
I think I’m going to get another Lego set, maybe even a board game….or maybe a jigsaw puzzle.
At this point, anything that helps you disconnect for a bit is worth it. If you have any recommendations, let me know.
I’ve been loving the Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick. It’s just easy. It blends well, looks natural, and works quickly, which is what I need right now.
The new Dior Forever reformulated foundation is also incredible. The finish is exactly what I want, skin-like, fresh, but still long-wearing. It looks flawless without feeling heavy and it stays put throughout the day.
I’ve actually watched quite a lot this month.
Bridgerton got me through the first week. It was the kind of easy, comforting watch I needed.
I’m also watching Paradise, which I’m really enjoying.
And Madison, the new Taylor Sheridan show, is so good. Definitely a must watch.
So, March didn’t go how I expected it to.
But it’s been one of those months that shifts something in you. It’s made me more aware, more grateful, and more present. It’s shown me what matters, who matters, and what I can actually handle when I have to.
Right now, it’s still about taking things one day at a time. That hasn’t changed.
But I’m still here. Still showing up. Still trying.
Until next month…
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