Happy Birthday

Presenting me!

Happy Birthday to Me! I am 23. In honor of today, I am going to give myself a motivational talk to propel into my 23rd year. My motivation is going to be a list of 23 things I love about myself. I am doing this because we often focus on the things we need to improve on instead of the things we love about ourselves. I don't know about the rest of you but I am my own worst critic. I get down on myself about the smallest things so today, I am going to be my biggest cheerleader!

I love...
1. My smile. Smiling is infectious. I know my smile keeps me going and it helps me through some of my worst days.
2. My hair. Yes I love my natural hair. It is one of the things I take pride in because it is a journey I have stuck with through the good and the bad. My hair is flourishing because I am finally learning to take care of it. -I am loving it!
3. My health-I am at my prime and I am in excellent health. Even though I don't work out like I am supposed to, I still remain active most days of the week with only a day or two of rest.
4. My ambition-I am truly a little lady with big dreams. Even though I have had a tough few months, I can still dream big and know that my dreams will come true!
5. My work ethic-When I work, I go hard. It can be the smallest thing but if I say I am going to do it, I surely will. When doing small jobs, people ask why I go above and beyond. Simply put, because I can!
6. My resilience-My S.O hates that I bounce back so easily. He worries that I don't spend enough time dealing with my present feelings. Which, I don't. But being resilient helps me keep going through the hard times. I can deal with emotions later!
7. My feet- I used to be self conscious about my feet until I got to college. I didn't realize how cute they were until I starting keeping them polished and pedicured. I think the pedicures help with the mental part!
8. My relationship with God- Though it could be better, I value the fact that I have a relationship with God. He is the light of my life and my all.
9. My discernment- I've been told that I have good energy/a good aura. With that being said, I value my sense of discernment. I am extremely sociable but I also know where to draw the line with people. I can sense a negative person out within 2 minutes of meeting them. This is how I can keep my life so intact because negativity does not exist by choice.
Can I just say that this a harder than I thought? I am going to make it through it though!
10. My compassion-I love people a little too much. I will give a bum on the street the shirt off my back or my last dollar. I have done it before.
11. My will to live- I have a pretty adventurous life compared to where I come from. I don't let any limits keep me from traveling or pursuing a new endeavor. Life is short, live while you can!
12. My love of adventure- Every year since I started college, I have been to a new state. I have been to The Big Apple, California, Las Vegas, Miami and a few other states that have beaches. By far, Vegas has been a highlight. I won some money too!
13. My hustle- I have survived working 3 jobs on a daily basis. Enough said about that one...
14. My personality- I never meet a stranger. I have always been known as a social butterfly and I live up to that. If you ever see me on the streets, be prepared to learn a little something about me before you leave. I love talking to people. Even if people give me bad vibes, I will still find something to chat with them about if I have to be around them for extended periods of time (coworkers that is...)
15. My love of learning-I like to learn about people's backgrounds, cultures, habits etc. I love learning about people. I love learning about anything. I just love learning. I always asked about people's whereabouts because I am always interesting in other people's experiences. Experiences shape people.
16. My life experiences- Despite the bad, I have come to appreciate everything that I have been through in my 23 years. They have all made me who I am today.
17. My networking skills-I love to network. I am in a very malleable stage in my life so my network comes in handy when I am interested in finding out different careers, lifestyles etc.
18. My photogenic-ness- I love to take pictures! When I had Facebook, I had thousands of pictures. I told you, I love my smile!
19. My intelligence- I have to say, I am brains just as much as beauty. I can figure out how to navigate my way through just about anything!
20. My listening ear-Though this gets draining sometimes, I do appreciate the fact that I can be called on when my friends need me. My friends know that I am always a call away no matter the time, day, or event.
21. My vivacious spirit- Most people will never see me frown. My old boss told me the other day that no matter what is going on, he has never seen me with a frown on my face. I think I pick myself up just as much as a friend can.
22. My elegance and grace- Though clumsy, which I always use as a humorous introduction, I carry myself with elegance and grace at all times, unless I trip and fall on my face...which has been done several times in my life, in front of a lot of people (I like to make people laugh)
23. My confidence- I love a lot about myself and I am not afraid to show it. I've been asked be some people that I grew up with, how I keep my confidence through the good and bad. And here is my secret...I remember that no matter what happens, I come out of every situation victorious and more prepared for the next battle. With God on my side, I can do all through Christ who strengthens me!

That's my Birthday gift to myself! I think once a year of doting on the positives goes a long way!

He Had a Dream: What is Yours? MLK Day 2012

I have to say, celebrating black history is something that I do often. I love reading about slavery, the reconstruction era, the jim crow, the civil rights, the harlem renaissance, all of that, in no particular order. But I don't know the basics. Had you asked me when I used to sing, what the verses were for "Lift Every Voice and Sing," I'd spit it out for you, no questions asked. These days, the words escape me, real bad...It is actually pretty ridiculous...


While in attending an MLK Jr Day event on Saturday, we started the day off getting through the Black Anthem. And boy was it a struggle...It went something like this "Lift every voice and sing, til Earth and Heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of liiiiiiberty. Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies. Let it resound, loud as the opeeeen rolling sea.
Sing a song, full of the faith that the dark past has taught us. Sing a song, full of the hope that the presence has boooooooouuuuuuught us! Facing the rising sun, of a new day begun, Let us march on til victory is won..."

Thinking that would be well with the first first we sang, everyone stopped. Until.......One of the elders started to sing the second verse. It went down hill from there. She literally had to lead us through the song, as if we were the church choir and she the director (and we did not practice well in rehearsal 2 Saturdays ago). I was embarrassed. And it went something like this: "Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod, felt in the days when hope unborn had died. hmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhm, hmmmmmhhmhmhmhm feet,Come to the place from which our father's died" (wrong word again I know, It was sad.) I mean, how could I (we) embarrass those who fought so hard for us to sing that song in public by not even knowing the song. And not to mention, it went like that for the rest of the song. The elders were very irritated at the younger generation. I don't blame them. So I made it my business to be sure to learn the song this year. In the meantime, that was just a big fat F.

Ok, real quick. MLK Jr made it clear that he had a dream for us. So many things have changed but so many things have stayed the same. In the year of 2011, I thought a dream I was shooting for would never come true. I went through a phase throughout the entire year thinking my dream would be just that, a dream. But right at the end of the year, I received some inspiration that reminded me that a dream is only a dream until steps are taken to make it a reality. Until then, it will just be a should have, could have, would have, situation. And so it is, I refuse to go through 2012 with the same lackadaisical attitude that I had before. My dreams will come true when I start making moves for them, not when time decides it is ready for me to move.

With that being said as you go throughout the year pursuing your dreams, remember that Dr. King had a dream for us and in the state the black community is in right now, he wouldn't be proud. So in 2012, make it your business to reach back and make sure there is someone you take under your wing and keep the dream alive in them. This is the only way the dream will live on.

What did you do to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy this year?

25th Celebration of Life

My sweetheart's 25th birthday is today and I am so honored to be a part of his life. He is a God-loving man. (That is the most important thing.) He is intelligent and very driven. Embarking on his 3rd degree, after a BA and a MA, he is currently working on his J.D (I told you the man is a go-getter.) He is such a supportive man and he always has my back no matter what. He always has something smart to say, literally. He has a magnificent sense of humor and he is a great cook! He really knows how to treat a woman. He'd go to the ends for me and I for him!
True love really does exist and I am a witness.

I just wanted to put it out there and wish him a very Happy and Blessed 25th Birthday.