Friendly Reminder

When you're working on yourself, it's important to remember that you shouldn't compare yourself to anyone else. You are your own person and you're working to become the best you that you can be.

You won't be able to get there if you're focused on what anyone else is doing. Everyone has their own truth and we're all different. It's your job to live your truth--not anyone else's.

♥

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“i am mine.
before i am ever anyone else’s.”

-in, nayyirah waheed

Motivation Monday!

Celebrating Me: January 6th

I want to get into the habit of celebrating myself. So I decided to have a photo shoot with myself every month on the 6th. I tried to do this my senior year of high school to see how much I changed over the months but I don't think I was there emotionally to celebrate myself every month. I've changed a lot since then so I want to try it this year.

Every month on the 6th, I'm going to get dolled up, or not, and get comfy with my camera. I pick the 6th so that it will fall on my birthday come August. So I did my photo shoot today and I loved it. I really felt great about it so I'm going to write it off as self care. I think I'm going to keep up with this to the best of my abilities.

I was really exciting about my photo day! I got to play with my make-up and feel glamorous! I loved it. What I thought was interesting was that my favorite photo was myself in my satin cap right before I washed my make-up off.

The photos:

Today I feel at peace. I feel productive. I'm relaxed. I'm happy to be in my own skin today. I enjoyed a great cup of coffee today. I didn't do everything on my to-do list but I'm okay with that. Today was a pretty good day!

My quote of the day is, “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
― Maya Angelou. 

Quote of the Day

"Today I use my power to stop what is no longer good to me."

-Iyanla Vanzant

I think you owe it to yourself to let go of the negative things in your life. When you hold on to negativity, it's like holding on to poison, holding on to something that's going to hurt you. Don't hurt yourself. By holding on to negativity, you're hurting yourself. Let it go. If you can, learn from it and leave it in the past. If it doesn't make you feel good, you should try to get away. Letting go can be really hard but you owe it yourself to be happy.

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

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.

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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

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! ♥

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!

Motivation Monday

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