Think about it, in this day and age, what does it truly mean to be a supportive friend? Especially in a space where friendships are characterised by more than just emotional resonance. These days other aspects like social media affiliation, as dumb as it sounds, factor into the equation of how ‘supportive’ we are being. Should you as a ‘good friend’ risk honesty for the sake of maintaining your ties with people? Let’s talk about it?

Bitterness is an ugly look on anyone, doesn’t matter who you are or what you do. We all know that being bitter doesn’t add any positives to our lives but we are still so quick to turn sour. Instead of taking an introspective look at why we’re feeling this way, we’d rather project our turbulent emotions to those we feel did us wrong. The worst part about being bitter is that it usually affects us much more than the people we’re bitter about and before you know it, you’ve spiralled into a rabbit hole of toxicity. Let’s talk about it.

Do not overlook self-care, you are not a machine! I can’t stress this highly enough because in this day and age, people misconstrue the meaning of productivity and equate it to working yourself into the ground. I have been vocal in the past about how infuriating people who perpetuate toxic productivity can be, always sharing captions that promote an unhealthy standard of living for the sake of ‘the grind’. Self-care is just as important as your 9-5 shift or any other activity you partake in. Learn to make time for yourself and start prioritising healing and reflection.

Previously on Can I Preach, Donavere and I spoke about his adventures in Hong Kong and Activism amongst many other things. On this episode, we reflect on our journey at university as we stare down the final 10 months to the grand crescendo that is graduation. We delve deeper into all that the ups and downs that this journey has encompassed as well as speculate on what the future holds. We will also try and sprinkle some words of wisdom to all the budding freshers, hoping that they’ll learn from our comical mistakes.

As we commemorate the 50th episode of Can I Preach, the podcast gods have FINALLY answered my prayers and delivered me a guest. Perhaps the wait was worth the while as the man joining us today has lived quite the experience over the past 12 months. In 2019, Donavere left the humble shores of Dundee, Scotland and ventured off to study abroad in Hong Kong, where he got caught up in the protests. He was then relocated to Australia, his arrival ushered in with the terrible bushfires. Now back home in the U.K, my globe-trotting friend is here to speak about the state of modern-day activism, Black Lives Matter, Biden 2020 and why it’s important to have conversations about racism. 6:00- Donavere’s big move to Hong Kong, his difficulties adjusting and the struggle that is culture shock 18:30- The Hong Kong protests and why it was important for Donavere to participate in these protests. 30:00-Racist stereotypes and navigating the corporate world as a black person 38:00-Donavere’s experience in Australia and the rise of environmental activism 45:00-Black Lives Matter and having uncomfortable conversations about racism. 01:17-Biden 2020 and the rise of Kamala Harris

Most of my friends have been up in arms about the fact that they can’t go to their favourite nightclub because of the lockdown. I, on the other hand, am not so sentimental about the club. I’ve never really enjoyed going to them for many reasons, maybe it’s because I missed the bus. A lot of people I know started clubbing at a fairly young age (trust me you would be surprised.) When I finally went, I realised that I wasn’t missing out on anything and the surprising thing is that many think along the same lines as me. Let’s talk about it.

We all belong to at least one of them, fandoms are an essential aspect of socialising. Regardless of who you are and whatever background you hail from, you can always find solidarity amongst fellow fans of your favourite sports team, musician, film, tv show and everything else in between. Fandoms allow us to seamlessly fit in with specific groups which in return gives us a sense of belonging and now with the rapid spread of social media, fandoms have become bigger and bolder than ever before. Although there are many benefits to gain from this, there are tricky scenarios that can arise when fandoms clash or when you’re a newcomer trying to navigate uncharted spaces. Let’s talk about it.

Have you ever felt like you don’t deserve the accolades or the achievements that you get? That it is only a matter of time before everything you’ve worked for comes tumbling down in a blazing inferno? If you can relate, then you have experienced what is known as the imposter syndrome. A psychological blockade riddled with self-doubt, convincing you that all your milestones are as a result of luck and that you are undeserving of any success. Even Maya Angelou, one of the most celebrated people of our time had shared similar concerns, so what can you do about it?

One of the few things in my life that I will NEVER compromise on is my cleanliness, I take great pride in keeping my personal spaces spotless and up to shape. I like to have all my clothes in order when they’re stacked away in my drawers. I always clean the soles of my shoes every day when I get home and I religiously disinfect my living environment thoroughly, every week. The thing about being a neat freak is you can occasionally find yourself getting on the nerves of those who do not share your concern for vigorous cleanliness. I find cleaning therapeutic and my spirit feels at peace when my spaces are in order. Let’s talk about it.

Toxic masculinity has become a hot topic of discussion in recent times due to the rise of the #MeToo era. As a man navigating these social scenes, I believe it is crucial for us as men to call out these toxic behaviours when we come across them. However, I do take issue with how masculinity as a whole is sometimes depicted by the mainstream media as an inherently toxic trait. While we fight to rid the world of all forms of toxicity, we must be objective in how we call out such behaviour and not vilify masculinity in general, which is something that is necessary for all men to embrace. Now, before you sharpen your pitchforks, let me explain.