Posted by Kim Jackson on 11:18 AM
Photo credit: art.com
My child is a unique individual: thoughtful, perceptive, wildly inquisitive, fiercely independent. And while I believe I played a part in enhancing these traits and allowing them to flourish, I don't believe I am responsible for them. Oh no! He came here that way. Those things are just what make us compatible mother-son partners for his journey. I understand these aspects of his personality, and the truth of who I am allows me to relate to him, and to test him and to help him push beyond his limits. You see, I don't believe that as parents we are meant to try and turn our children into miniature versions of ourselves. Sometimes,...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 9:59 PM
by Anita Revel, from The Goddess Diet, See a Goddess in the Mirror in 21 Days.
I goddess, ask for the willpower to take charge of my life, my body and my habits, for the sake of my health, peace of mind and self-respect.
I goddess, believe my body is sacred, a treasure and a pleasure, a luscious wonder and miraculous manifestation of the respect I have for my magnificent Self.
I goddess, am ready to receive blessings of dignity and grace during my transition, good health, and renewed energy to do anything I set my mind to.
With love to myself, and for myself.
From PLP...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 3:30 PM
Remember how people used to talk smack on the playground when you were little? One of the things you could taunt that made you sound tough and fearless was, "Don't talk about it, be about it." Meaning "I'm not afraid. Do what you will. Bring it on!" As children, we had no idea of the power of those words, but lo and behold they actually ring quite true into adulthood. We have to be just as unafraid now as we were then, challenging life to "bring it on!" and do what it will, because we can certainly handle it.
When you're going about making changes in your life, or reaching for your dreams, don't just talk about it, be about it:
If you're sure...
Posted by GG on 9:15 PM
photo credit: http://www.desicomments.com
When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
Your imperfections? Your big this or small that? Do you see a reflection of criticism, thoughtless comments and judgments?
Is it easier to perceive your uniqueness as unbecoming than it is to own it as oh so right for you? Do you long for thicker hair? straighter hair? clearer skin? smaller waist? larger breasts?
Do you see all the things you can't afford, haven't accomplished and the vices you have yet to overcome?
Do you see all the people who have told you that you can't, you won't or you shouldn't? Do you see all the moving obstacles in your path?...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 2:27 PM
Often, when something happens in our lives that elicits a strong emotion like joy or excitement, we label this thing that has happened as "good". Likewise, when something happens in our lives that elicits a strong emotion like sadness, hurt or anger, we label this thing that has happened as "bad". The thing to remember though, is that these are labels, created by imperfect humans, that do not speak to the true definition of a thing.
Often, we feel hurt or sad because of our attachments to people and things. There is absolutely nothing wrong with attachment as it is a very natural human thing. But, we have to be able to let go of these same things...
Posted by Peace Love and Pretty Things on 5:21 PM
By nature, I am a quiet, laid-back, thoughtful person. I’ve been called everything from shy and reserved to stuck-up and conceited, because at times, my silence makes people feel uncomfortable. I used to think something was wrong with me for being this way and that I should change myself to make others feel more comfortable. Over time, I’ve grown to appreciate my ability to sit back and peacefully observe people and situations. I try to choose my words thoughtfully, because once they are out of your mouth, you can’t take them back. We should all ask ourselves before we speak, “Is it thoughtful, is it kind, does it improve upon the silence?”...
Posted by GG on 5:27 PM
photo credit: art.com
It's that time of year, lovelies! Holiday shopping is in full swing, and I don't know about you, but I am not trying to overspend this year. I am on a mission to simplify my life. I am the only one who can do it, because I am the only one guilty of making it complicated. That's hard to admit, because I so badly want to point fingers, but it's true. I came across the following post at http://zenhabits.net/ , one of my favorite self-development and empowerment websites.
It's kinda long, so I've shortened it for PLPT. To read the post in its entirety, click here. It's definitely a worthwhile read to help you get your mind...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 10:09 AM
This past year of my life has been full of tumultuous change and as a result, amazing growth. In the past I've feared change and avoided it at all costs, preferring what I perceived to be the safe haven of routine. But what I have learned is that change is inevitable, necessary and always ultimately good. Sometimes we have to go through a tremendous amount of pain or learn difficult lessons in order to recognize the good, but we are always smarter, stronger and more self-aware when all is said and done. I have gained insight throughout my recent growth experiences that I might not have otherwise. Perhaps these are things that others already...
Posted by GG on 5:51 PM
Remember those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books? At every crossroads you had to choose Option A or Option B which would lead you to a different part of the book and down a different path. I loved those books! Even if I didn't choose the most exciting option, every adventure was meaningful and taught me something. I wish I had that kind of fearless abandon in real life!
As adults we are faced with major decisions that we agonize over in fear of making the wrong choice. We want to go this way, but we are afraid of what people will think. "What is she thinking? She's going to ruin her life!" And what will people say if we fail??? Surely the combination...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 6:56 PM
*I am valuable.
*I walk in beauty.
*I release my habit of self-criticism.
*Self acceptance brings me joy.
*I release myself from harmful judgments.
*I am the best thing that's ever happened to me.
*I am free to be myself; I accept myself as I am.
*My insecurity is replaced with shining confidence.
*Venus, Roman goddess of love/self-love. Courtesy of www.goddess.com.au
Remember to live in abundance. Affirm yourself and all the strength and beauty that lie within your character. Focus not upon the things you do not have, but upon the value of all the things you do have and of all the things you are. Fill yourself to the brim with contentment...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 6:58 PM
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with trying to figure things out that we forget to take time to live in the moment and appreciate the small things that make life so sweet; the seemingly insignificant, but magical things that we encounter every day that can transform us in ways we don't even recognize. I came across this in one of my weekly emails and it reminded me to always search for the magic in life.
Magic Happens when:
* Women gather. Whether it be a sacred gathering in intimate circles, closed covens or wonderfully open Goddess Conferences*, women conjure magical connections between heart and humanity, young and old, the hurt and...
Posted by GG on 3:04 PM
Peace Love and Pretty Things celebrates the depths and complexities of a woman's spirit and the potential that lies therein.Our GEMS feature showcases women who are tapping into their unique talents and breathing life into their dreams. GEMS stands for:Grace andEncouragement forMotivation andSuccessThe women who are showcased as PLPT GEMS are accessible examples of women who are doing interesting things, overcoming challenges, expressing themselves and making a difference in a unique and beautiful way.As they share their stories, we hope that you will read something that inspires you to reflect, laugh, cry, dare, question, create, understand,...
Posted by GG on 12:11 PM
I just turned 32 years old, y'all. And I feel like I've earned it. I survived my twenties and lived to tell the tale! No matter how lost and confused I was during that time, I'd go through it all again to achieve the awareness that is blossoming within me now.
With this awareness comes a call for action! I couldn't ignore it if I tried. I know what makes me feel alive, and I realize that my best efforts on this earth will come from me investing my time and energy into what I love. You know, align myself with my purpose. Take my passion and make it happen.
Fancy talk aside, I'm bout to flip the script.
Big life changes can be daunting, but in some way, we are always going through major changes whether we acknowledge it or not. The next recreation of you is always brewing under the surface....
Posted by Kim Jackson on 10:39 AM
You have all the time you need to do the things you love, and accomplish everything you desire. Start with these affirmations, and let the dream realization begin!
*I see and accept the path intended for me
*My future is full of juicy possibilities
*I invite new choices into my life
*My goals are becoming manifest
*I deserve to have my dreams realised
- Epona, Celtic goddess who brings dreams to you and helps manifest them. Courtesy of www.goddess.com...
Posted by GG on 10:56 PM
photo credit: kuumbakinetics.com/art_workBe patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it, and live along some distant day into the answer. ~Rainer Maria RilkeIf you resist reading what you disagree with, how will you ever acquire deeper insights into what you believe? The things most worth reading are precisely...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 10:39 PM
“The motivation for me, was them telling me what I could not be. Oh well. I’m so ambitious!” – Pharell on Jay-Z’s “So Ambitious” (Blueprint 3)
On this track, Jay-Z recalls all the people in his life who told him he’d never amount to anything, that he couldn’t make it and that he was destined for nothing; and how he used this negativity to fuel his ambition. As I listened, I began to think about my own life and what it was that I was told about myself growing up. I realized that ironically, I was told just the opposite all my life! I was encouraged and pushed and told that I was destined for greatness; that I was intelligent and talented and...
Posted by GG on 6:00 AM
Atleast once a week, I get completely overwhelmed with everything I have to do, need to do, want to do, and don't do. Last night, my weekly visitor was here and in full effect!! Wooooosaaaaaaa!
This excerpt reminds me not to be so hard on myself, to ask for help when I need it and to take life as it comes.
Have a peaceful and productive day!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Every woman is every other woman trying to figure out who she is. Women of color have been led to believe that they must be everything to everyone. As a result, we do not know how to ask for support when we need or want it. We become angry with others when they are not there for us, but we must realize people cannot, will not and do not know how to help if we do not know how to ask. Take sixty seconds...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 10:42 AM
"A Spiritual Plan is a statement of clear intention about what you desire to experience within yourself and a clear definition of what you must do to make it happen."
I thought I would share a portion of my spiritual plan--some of the broader statements that apply to many of us, but that we sometimes forget when we're in the midst of the very things that threaten our peace of mind. When it comes to peace of mind, it's all about the little things that we do each day to bring us joy in the midst of all the external "stuff" we have to deal with that is out of our control.
Statement:
I desire to experience total transformation from the inside out,...
Posted by GG on 6:05 PM
Do you wonder why you keep attracting the same kinds of men into your life? Friendships? Financial Situations? It doesn't matter - the law of attraction does not discriminate. I recently came across the following excerpt and wanted to share. If we are honest with ourselves, we can all relate to the truth in these words. And if we take it a step further and are proactive with that honesty, we can make actual changes in our lives to break these cycles. The only way to make change in your life is to change yourself.
When you are not happy with yourself, you cannot be happy with others. Everyone comes into your life to mirror back to us some part...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 12:27 PM
Excerpt from Until Today! Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind....
I will realize my own worth when I accept...God has given me some things that nothing can change.
Your worth is not measured by what you do. Nor can you calculate the degree of your worthiness by what you possess. Your worth is a function of your being. Your being is colorless, genderless and believe it or not, ageless. Your being is worthy of honor, admiration and respect. It is a vessel of love and light. It is a beacon of inspiration. Beneath all the things that you have told yourself, been told about yourself, maybe even hold against yourself, there is...
Posted by GG on 9:32 AM
Just like a song in my heart
Just like oil in my hands
Oh, I do love you
Still I wonder why it is
I don't argue like this
with anyone but you
We do it all the time
Blowing out my mind
~Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Rae
There's just simply nothing easy or effortless about love. Once the euphoria of infatuation fades, understanding how to love your partner is the only thing that will sustain a long term union. We have these ideas of how love should look, talk and feel and often these ideas prevent us from experiencing the authenticity of true love. We all know that putting love first is the key to making a relationship work. But...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 10:15 PM
Gifts are an interesting thing. They're innate and planted into our spirits--designed to help us grown, learn, commune, share and affect the world around us in a way that is special and unique just to each individual. Many people can have the same gifts, but not one of us can use them in exactly the same way, or give and receive the same things when they pour out of us. We have a responsibility to these gifts; to honor the truth that sits deep in our souls, waiting to be lived--waiting for us to do something, to help someone, to initiate change in our little part of the universe.
Communication is my gift. The spoken, sung and written word are...
Posted by GG on 9:55 PM
To relax or not to relax? To loc or not to loc? To fro or not to fro? Once upon a time, in a little world called Conventional, I never considered any of these questions. Straight meant great, and life was simple. As soon as my mother allowed me, with no ifs ands or buts, I relaxed, fried, straightened and spritzed my hair into forced cooperation to achieve the shiny, frizz-free look that I desired. How I loved the sizzle sound that the curling iron made on my freshly spritzed hair! Me, not relax? Absurd.
I have always loved hair and paid more attention to it than clothes, shoes or makeup. In the 80s, I loved shiny, tight freeze curls and fingerwaves...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 12:57 PM
Mike Dooley, author of the infamous notes from the Universe, has put more of his insight into his newly released book, "Infinite Possibilities, The Art of Living Your Dreams":
"Infinite Possibilities is a fresh and inspiring look at how each of us can turn within to discover our true purpose, ignite our imagination, and manifest our desires. Mike Dooley explains that our dreams are not accidental or inconsequential, but rather serve as invitations to understand the truths about ourselves, hinting at the lives we can create. Once you learn to open your heart and mind, thinking far beyond what spirituality has traditionally meant, it becomes evident...
Posted by GG on 11:46 AM
I came across the following post recently and was immediately drawn in by the plight of the writer that seemed to be plucked out of my own personal book of grievances. I have these lofty aspirations of being Every Woman, but I get tired y'all. Tired of trying to be everything to everyone and everything to myself and on top of that keep my house clean and my toes done. I have my outlets, but I'm forced to protect them like a guard dog and that in itself often drains me. Am I wrong for turning my ringer off when I need peace and quiet?
Should I feel guilty that my sanity requires that I write everyday and sometimes I have to shut the world out...
Posted by Kim Jackson on 8:34 PM
“Accountability”. It’s a tough word to own. It’s not always easy to look at myself in the mirror and stare straight into the middle of my mess. To confront those things I said I wouldn't do again...that I did, again; the lies that I told myself to avoid confrontation with myself or with others; the self-sabotaging behaviors; the overcompensating for my weaknesses instead of owning them; the guilt. It’s downright scary to look myself straight in the eye and say "You messed up." It doesn't seem natural that I should accept my flaws instead of burying them if they don't fit in with the picture I want people to see. It’s disconcerting not to be...
