January 2, 2014

Steps toward where you want to be

In Oprah's "O" magazine, there was an article about how to direct your life in the right direction or the direction you want to go in. I really enjoyed the article. I really felt like these were steps that would help me a lot so I wanted to share them!

  1. Have a vision. Make a vision board to help you see what you actually want. When you can visualize what you want, I think you're more likely to fight for them and work hard to achieve your goals. 
  2. Let go of what doesn't work. There's no need to hold on to things that aren't working.
  3. Failing is okay. Not everything you do is going to be as successful as you want it to be and that's really hard but you kind of have to accept it and move on. Learn from your mistakes and try again. 
  4. Pay attention. Focus on what matters. You can't get ahead if you're not focusing on where you're going.


Hopefully these can help you too!
Oprah.com
MarthaBeck.com

Quote of the Day: January 2, 2014

"There is no one else like you on the planet. There never has been and there never will be. You are forever a unique divine creation."

-Louise L. Hay

January 1, 2014

Welcome to 2014!

Happy New Year Everyone!
 


The first day of the new year is here. With 2013 ending with graduating from college, I really feel that this year is the beginning of a chapter in my life. I didn't really make any resolutions but there are many things that I want to try more of this year. I'm excited for this new chapter of life and I really like that it's kind of beginning as the new year begins. I'm still on the search for what's next in my life but with determination and hope I know I'm going somewhere and it's going to be great. I am black excellence!

This year I want to read more. I say this especially because I wasn't always able to read for fun while I was in school. I read a lot of great books that were assigned to me and I'm so glad that I was able to read so many great books but I have a very long list of books that I've wanted to read for a long time so I really want to put a dent into that list. I'm also looking for more books to put on the list. I can't wait to explore the book world again and not worry about how it will interfere with my schoolwork.

I want to write more because I can and it means a lot to me.

I want to hold on to positivity and reject negativity to the best of my ability.

Most importantly, I want to dream more. I want to focus on my dreams and my visions. I'm probably going to make a vision board this year. I've always thought they were pretty cool and I think it will really help me focus on my goals this year.

I sincerely hope that 2014 is good to you. I hope you get what you want from this year. All my good thoughts and wishes go out to you for this year.

---

Here's a quote :) ♥

"The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility."
-Leland Kaiser

December 30, 2013

Motivation Monday

It's the last Monday of 2013! There are less than two days left in this year. If you're reading this, that means you've pretty much made it through the year. All of your successes, achievements, triumphs, good days, and good memories are yours and yours forever. No one can take them away from you. All bumps in the road and any struggling have passed and you can use those moments to learn and grow from. They're a part of you too. They make you who you are.

This new year is a fresh start and we all know that life happens but this is your opportunity to start things the way you want. Make a vision board. Make positive affirmations. Count your blessings. Take personal days when you need them. Reevaluate what self care means for you and make sure you take care of you! Don't forget that you are very important!

I hope you end 2013 healthy and happy! ♥

December 20, 2013

Graduation: December 14, 2013!!

I have some great news! Ready? I am a college graduate!! On the morning of December 14, 2013, I walked across that stage and it symbolized that I've earned my degree! Finally!! It feels so good. I'm so glad that I was able to share that day with some of the most important people in my life.

Sometimes it's hard to believe that I'm done with undergrad. I made it! There were so many times when I wasn't sure if I would ever finish. But I made it. I changed my major a bunch of times, wanted to quit, wanted to transfer, and just give up. Some times it was hard to keep going but I knew that there was a finish line and the only way to get to it was to keep on keeping on. I really made it and this was a day I'll never forget.

I chose the quote "Still I Rise" for my graduation quote because I love the poem and I love Maya Angelou. I really wanted my cap to be a representation of myself. That's why I added the bow as well. I love quotes and I wanted to make sure I used a quote that fit how I was feeling. I'm so happy that I chose this one. It means so much to me.



I've grown so much and I've learned so much about myself and about life during my 3.5 years in school. This chapter of my life is over. It's a little scary but it's also exciting. College brought me so much. So many wonderful people have entered my life and my heart. I have memories and moments that no one can take away from me. I've learned how to take care of myself and how to make me happy. Although there were hard times, I've learned to love myself more and more each day. I'm so thankful for everyone who made my time there so special. I'm also thankful for the people who didn't always make me feel the best because often times, they made me realize that self care and my safe spaces are important. Everyone enters your life for a reason! I have no doubts about that.

I can't wait to see what life brings me next!




December 9, 2013

Motivation Monday



Private Party by India Arie is definitely my inspirational song of choice at the moment. Enjoy! ♥

November 25, 2013

Motivation Monday


"Sometimes we all need to be reminded to keep going."
 -Kid President

October 10, 2013

Communication

My favorite parts of the day are when I have the chance to talk honestly with someone. It doesn't have to be a specific topic or even a specific person. I just love being able to be in a conversation and having the opportunity to share ideas and talk about feelings and just generally be in a safe place that promotes healthy thinking. I'm finding that this is an important part of my self care. It doesn't even have to be with someone that I'm really close with--I love those moments when I can talk honestly with the people I care deeply about but I also love when I can talk honestly with people I've just met and with people that I've only known for a short period of time.

This past week, I've had two of those special honest conversations with people that I didn't know that well. Both conversations were about life and the future. We talked about goals and dreams and visions. It was wonderful. It also eased the fears I had of my future plans. I was very glad I had the time to talk to them. The conversations were great enhancements to my life and my spirits.

It's so important to have people around that you can talk to about what's important to you.  People with similar interests, goals, and values. I think it's great to have someone to vent to and talk about your day to. Conversation is important because sometimes they're magical.

Imagine an end of the day conversation over a nice cup of hot herbal tea. That's one of my reasons to smile. ♥

May 13, 2013

Positive Affirmation: March 2013



“I am a wonderful woman who is constantly healing and growing to become stronger as each day goes by.” --Kiyanna Shanay’s positive affirmation

I went to an empowerment conference a few months ago designed by the Black Female Development Circle, an organization at my school created to uplift, educate, and empower women. I’m always looking for environments that focus on uplifting and empowering people so needless to say I loved it! The affirmation I made that day was from their self-esteem workshop.

My affirmation is a reminder to myself not to give up. I shouldn’t give up on my dreams. I shouldn’t give up on myself. Everyday I’m learning more about myself and I’m growing as a person. I’m beautiful. I’m wonderful and I’m worth whatever effort it takes to keep on going on.

My affirmation is a reminder to me that it’s okay to have bad days. It’s okay to take a personal day if things get too tough to handle. It’s an important part of my self-care.

My affirmation is a reminder to me that self-care is important. Taking care of myself is so important because if I don’t take care of myself than how will I be able to grow and to thrive?

My affirmation reminds me that I’m more than my past experience, my past downfalls, my rough days, my g.p.a., my grades, my fights, or my disappointments. I’m much more than that. I’m my own person who is learning from past mistakes and who in understanding more and more that mistakes are okay. We grow out of the darkness to rise again—and be better than we were before.

There is good in everyday. My positive affirmation is a reminder of that.

What should I do with my life?

“I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”
-Leo C. Rosten 


What do you want to be when you grow up? Who would have every thought that would be such a hard question to answer? People have been asking me that question since I was about 5-years-old. My answer constantly changes but lately I’ve been feeling more pressured than ever to pick a career path. It’s almost time to start applying for grad school. I know what I want to do with my life I just don’t know how to go about it. I want to help people. I want to change their lives--make people feel safe and loved and happy. I want to talk to people. I want to appreciate all the beautiful people and things in this world. And I want to be loud about it. I want to share with people and have people share with me. I want to empower and inspire people. I want to be an advocate for myself and for others. I want to educate people. I also want to hug lots of people. 

This is starting to sound like a children’s book. Which is something else I want to do—write children’s books.

 I’ve been pretty set on finding social work masters programs for graduate school. I’m not 100% sure but that’s what makes the most sense to me right now. In my research, I found that you could possibly be a counselor with a Masters of Social Work. Counseling is along the lines of what I wanted to do during my senior year of high school and when I first got to college. I wanted to be a psychiatrist because I wanted to talk to people so that I could help them. At the same time, I wanted so much more than that so I changed my career paths a few dozen times after that. 

I’m stuck on Social Work programs because they pretty closely match what I want to do. If you take all the mushiness out of dream job description, it pretty much screams something that sounds like social work, community development, non-profit work, or something like that. I just don’t know what but I social work seems like a great place to start. The only thing is, I look at many of the programs and their subprograms and concentrations and nothing really ever jumps out at me. It also just seems like they narrow it down so that you have to do one thing for the rest of your life. Why pay so much money just for one career option? I want many options. I want to do many things. I’m determined to touch many lives and I don’t think a narrowed focus in one field will help me with that but I don’t want to not miss out on any chance I can get to help people and I know in this day and age I need some kind of degree on my wall for me to be allowed to help anyone. I guess I’m looking for something with my exact description but since that won’t happen, I guess I’m feeling pretty lost. That really only means that I need to do some more research. Any suggestions?