Hi, I'm Azalia Suhaimi.
I'm a poet, artist and just overall a storyteller helping us mothers remember to be kind to ourselves.
This was unlike me years ago. I remember struggling with anxiety & negative self-talk particularly in those early months of motherhood.
But, I also remember the beauty of healing. A lot of the healing from my mental struggles in motherhood can be attributed to SELF-COMPASSION.
It was self-compassion that helped me become the happier mother I am now. So I'm here to share with you the things that have helped me, the best way I know how - art.
You may find my "Dear Mama" art series regularly posted on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok.
"Dear Mama" initially began as love letters to myself... like reminders on a bad day. And now I'm so pleased to share them with you, too. :)
Because YOU are amazing, mama. And you deserve amazing things.
Yes, even on those hard, messy days of motherhood. You know, those days we feel like we have not achieved much, those moments we hide in the bathroom crying, those mornings we wake up feeling like we just couldn't 'mum' that day?
If you've felt any of these, or if you've struggled with conflicting feelings towards the realities of motherhood, please know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I feel so strongly for the cause of maternal mental health, having experienced the postpartum blues myself. So as a way of giving back to the community, I am using my art and words to accompany you on this beautifully challenging journey.
A little bit more about me (if you're curious).
My passion in literature and the arts have been around since pretty much forever. One of my motivations to go to school each day during my teenage years was the English Literature class.
For job security purposes though, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in accountancy after high school. But passion often prevails. Many years later, I ended up pursuing my passion by completing a Diploma in English Literature at the University of Cambridge. This journey of passion doesn't stop here, I'm sure. I definitely hope to continue learning in the fields of literature and creative writing.
Given my passion in telling stories through my works of poetic words and art, and also the fact that I'm a mother to young children, naturally my next goal is to produce POETIC PICTURE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN.
I'm currently working on them by the way. And if you're an agent or a publisher in the Children's Literature industry, I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. :)
How To Reach Me?
Aside from underneath the bed with a favourite bar of chocolate, you can also find me here:
And I was kidding by the way. I don't eat chocolates under the bed. I just lock the room to be all by myself for at least ten minutes when my kids are safe in another room. In other words, setting boundaries - a form of self-care. :)