Affirmations to Begin the New Year

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Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities. 

~Michael Josephson

 

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.
~John Burroughs

 

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential. 

~Ellen Goodman

 

How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I'm committed to?

~Anthony Robbins

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Affirmations for Dealing with Anxiety

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I never considered myself to be much of a worrier until I had kids. I started seeing the world with new eyes once I had to a child to raise and protect. Prior to that, I traipsed all over this world as if I was untouchable. When I think of some of the things I've done and situations that I put myself in, all I can do is thank God that I made it through reasonably unscathed.

The oblivion that defined my young adult years has now been replaced with a great deal of awareness and unfortunately - anxiety. It started in my latter twenties and eventually led me to seek professional help. It's something I have to manage on a daily basis. The Fear. The Uneasiness. Sometimes it's downright panic. If I don't do the internal work of keeping my thoughts positive, setting boundaries as to what I let in and what I keep out, and how much I take on, I'm bound to have some kind of breakdown. I talk about knowing your triggers in this post.

Today, I want to arm with you with some resources to help you get through moments of overwhelming anxiety. What has really helped me to deal with mine is to not allow it to get to the point of panic. When I feel myself overwhelmed, I get myself as quickly as possible to an environment where I feel safe and where I can be alone to recharge. I pray and breathe and will my Spirit to silence the scary thoughts circling my head.

Kim and I are big fans of Gabby Bernstein and have several of her guided meditations on our iPods. If you're curious, try this five minute exercise to help you release anxiety and embrace peace.

Reflect on the following quotes to give you some perspective:

Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.  ~Theodore N. Vail

You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.  ~Mary Manin Morrissey

Do not be afraid of tomorrow; for God is already there. ~Author Unknown

A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work. ~John Lubbock

Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action. ~Walter Anderson

To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another. ~Katherine Paterson

Repeat the following affirmations to calm yourself and get recentered: 

All is well in my world and I am safe.

Every breath I inhale calms me and every breath I exhale takes away tension.

With every breath, I release the anxiety within me and I become more calm.

I look towards the future with hope and happiness.

I overcome my fears and live life courageously.

I acknowledge that the only constant in life is change and am prepared for it.

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5 More Affirmations of Value

The fact that they don’t “get it” doesn’t make you or your ideas any less valuable.

Someone else’s disappointment in you doesn’t make you a loser. In fact, it often isn’t even a competition.

Where there is judgment, respect cannot exist. Try observing the situation without judging them or yourself.

Avoid sending positivity to everyone else and reserving the negative for yourself; you’re just as deserving of the positive space you hold for others.

Manage your self-talk. Instead of labeling yourself as lazy, stupid or weak—acknowledge that you are making choices not to learn or not to do the work. And then turn it around.

While these may seem like simple concepts, it’s easy to forget them amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life—and often even more difficult to execute when your emotions are involved. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and affirm what you know about yourself. These affirmations have helped me. I hope they help you too.

*Click here for more affirmations of value

**Photo via Pinterest

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Affirmations for Stepping Outside of the Box

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We begin life with the world presenting itself to us as it is. Someone - our parents, teachers, analysts - hypnotizes us to "see" the world and construe it in the "right" way. These others label the world, attach names and give voices to the beings and events in it, so that thereafter, we cannot read the world in any other language or hear it saying other things to us. The task is to break the hypnotic spell, so that we become undeaf, unblind and multilingual, thereby letting the world speak to us in new voices and write all its possible meanings in the new book of our existence.   ~Sidney Jourard

Have you ever tried to change yourself for a man, a group, or a job?  Have you ever tried to be something for someone and forgotten who you really are? Have you ever felt misunderstood? unaccepted? uncool? Do you have ideas and philosophies that are outside of popular opinion?

Perhaps you've been teased and labeled when trying to express yourself? Does your family disagree with how you live or decisions you've made?   Maybe you've failed at something and been told "I told you so".  These things can all quickly rob you of your confidence and motivation.  These things can put out your fire - but only if you let them.

Today, I encourage you to remember what drives you and what makes you different.  If you're not completely fulfilled and inspired by your life, then you have the power to change that.  Consider the following quotes to help you keep an open mind when it comes to creating the unique life that you want:

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.    ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ~Attributed to Howard Thurman

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.    ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nothing encourages creativity like the chance to fall flat on one's face. ~James D. Finley

You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~Mark Twain

Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought. ~Albert Szent-Györgyi

It is the eye of ignorance that assigns a fixed and unchangeable color to every object; beware of this stumbling block. ~Paul Gauguin

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Affirmations for When You Feel Like Giving Up

In hindsight, things are usually not quite as bad as they seemed while you were in the moment. Try remembering that when you’re at the height of your frustration and feeling like you want to quit. If you can hold on just a bit longer, you might be right on the edge of your breakthrough. Here are some affirmations to help manage your self-talk and bring you off the ledge.

I accept the given details of my circumstances. I acknowledge that there are things about my situation that I do not like, but I know that as long as I continue working towards my ideal outcome, things will work out in my favor.

When I feel frustrated, I recognize that I need to turn inward and ask Spirit for help.

I practice changing my self-dialogue and bridging my negative thoughts back to positive ones. Instead of “I am frustrated”, I will try “I am frustrated in this moment, but I know it will get better because ___”.

I refuse to believe in “I can’t.” God—please show me how to do this.

I will take time for myself and focus on doing the things that make me happy; instead of letting my thoughts be clouded by things that do not make me happy.

Even in my darkest moments, I trust that the Universe is moving on my behalf and that I am being taken care of.

I know that patience pays off. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn patience in this moment.


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Affirmations for Turning Your Life Around

I just celebrated my 33rd birthday, and I’m so grateful to have been blessed with another year. On my 28th birthday, I had a breakdown; I felt that I hadn’t accomplished anything that I thought I would have by that time in my life: my finances were a mess, my career was stalled, and many of my relationships were dysfunctional.

While that was one of my lowest moments, I’m grateful that things happened the way they did, because that was the moment of my own personal quantum shift. I got my finances together, found a way to do what I love and learned to let go of relationships that didn’t serve me and to be open to healthy ones to come in their place. I’ve been learning and growing and accomplishing and it feels fantastic.

As I reflect on this past year, I see a very different woman than I used to see. I have peace surrounding my circumstances, I dream big and work hard every day to get closer to seeing those dreams come to fruition, and I’m surrounded by amazing, driven and supportive people. I am so grateful for many things that contributed to a better me along the way. I’m reminded to be grateful--not just for the wonderful things that have happened, but also for the things that didn’t seem so great at the time, but turned out to be exactly what I needed when I needed it.

I share this because it is my hope for you to know that no matter your current situation, you have an opportunity to turn it around. You can take negative and turn it into positive if you set your mind to it. Your future can be as bright as you can dream it. Set goals, tap into your resources and set feverishly about making them manifest. You might have to take some steps backward in order to move forward, but just keep moving forward.

Affirmations

I am grateful for rock bottom because I know that I can only go up from here.

I let go of those things that do not serve me in order to make room for things that will.

I trust my gut to guide me, and I work to make solid decisions.

I am patient with myself because I know that just because I don’t get it right the first time doesn’t mean that I won’t ever get it right.

I know it’s never too late to turn things around; I’m grateful that every day equals a new opportunity.

For more guiding affirmations, click here.

Photo via google images

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6 Reminders for the Frazzled Superwoman

1) When stressed, reprioritize what's really important.

I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.... I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby. ~Nancie J. Carmod

2) It's okay to make mistakes. Matter of fact, it's necessary.

If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake. ~F. Wikzek

3) Don't wait until you are in crisis to pray.

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. ~Abraham Lincoln

4) No matter what you're going through, recognize the opportunity for growth.

When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity. 

5) Don't lose sight of what you have, in the dogged pursuit for more. 

It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy. ~George Horace Lorimer

6) Slow down. Be Calm. Don't Overreact. 

One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. ~Chinese Proverb

Ladies, I hope these reminders were as timely for you as they were for me.  Now, take your cape off and and put your feet up.  You deserve it.

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Showcase Your Inner Pretty: Practice Loving Everyone

We love our families, our friends and our romantic partners—that’s easy. The thing that takes work is practicing loving everyone else, and letting love be the conduit for our actions at all times.

When we think of love as general positive energy, in opposition to negativity, it becomes easier to see how we can love everyone we encounter. We send love out to everyone by practicing empathy, patience and understanding.

We practice loving everyone by being giving, and sharing what we have been blessed to have with those who are less fortunate; by being of service.

We are loving when we refrain from criticizing, gossip or speaking ill of those around us who fail to behave, look or think as we believe they should.

When we meet frustration with calm, and work to sort through the problem, we are love in practice.

It’s not always easy to offer that smile when we’re upset, to engage someone when we’re tired, or to excuse behavior that offends us—but it is possible….if we practice.

Affirmations

I choose to see this differently. I release my negativity and I choose to view life with a perspective of love and gratitude.

In every moment I have the opportunity to choose my thoughts; I choose thoughts filled with love and forgiveness. 

I welcome energy, light and love into my heart today and I invite them to guide all my choices.

I recognize that their reaction to me isn’t about me at all. I choose to respond with love, knowing that they are suffering too.

I am love, and like attracts like.

Photo source: Pinterest

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Affirmations for Letting It Go

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It doesn't seem fair when he cheated on you and now he's happily married and raising a family with the woman he cheated on you with. It stings when the job that fired you for unfounded reasons is growing in leaps and bounds and you are having trouble finding a job just to make ends meet.

Where's the retribution? Have you ever felt this way?

I have a couple friends going through these things and the common theme I hear voiced through their frustration is that they feel they are being punished. They don't understand why it seems that the people who have done them wrong are being rewarded.

Why do bad things happen to good people? No one on this earth can answer this question with certainty, but what I believe is that 1) What doesn't kill us makes us stronger or teaches us something we needed to learn 2) We won't get stronger if we view ourselves as victims and 3) When we've been wronged, we need to focus on our own healing and let go of our fixation with the person who hurt us.

I know it's not easy. I've been trying to think of ways to comfort my friends through these situations, and I keep hearing myself say "Let go. This is not about them, this is about you. Don't worry about what they think or if they are laughing at you or feeling sorry for you. The only thing you should be thinking about is how you will heal and move forward. Take the lesson and let it go."

Do you have any advice to share based on what you've been through? Are you going through something right now? Consider the following affirmations:

I am stronger and more resilient than I think I am.

My joy and peace of mind are not dependent on my current circumstances.

The quality of my life is defined by staying true to my values, no matter how others behave.

I don't need revenge or retribution to feel closure from a bad situation.

I can empower myself by not playing the victim, and looking at challenges as opportunities to overcome.

I believe in myself when no one else does.

I love myself unconditionally.

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Affirmations for Energy

We each have those mornings where we wake up and feel completely lacking in energy. Whether it is due to the past night’s activities, the change in weather, or a restless night—there are some days when it requires an extra boost to get out of bed.

While you can energize your physical self with vitamins, exercise and a healthy breakfast; it’s necessary to energize your mind as well so that you can productively tackle all the items on your “to do” list for the day. Not to mention that what your mind believes is the key to how well you accomplish everything else--you'll never make it to the physical exercise if you don't believe you have the energy to push through a workout; you won't eat well if you don't believe your body deserves to be treated well today.

So how do you energize your mind? Affirmations, like the ones below, can help:

I welcome energy, light and love into my heart today, and I allow them to guide all my choices.

I call in all the creative energy needed to beautifully execute my work.

I feel completely charged today as my vital energy resurfaces to work on my behalf.

I am healthy and fit and full of life.

I enjoy healthy food that is good for me. I eat for nourishment, instead of pleasure.

I express gratitude to the Universe for all the energy that surrounds me, and I draw on it for use today; where I am lacking, may the Universe fill in the gap.

What helps you to recharge when your energy level is low?

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Affirmations for Patience

We're used to getting our way.

We don't want to be left behind. 

We don't like being uncomfortable.   

We don't want to end up alone. 

We want more money or status.   

We feel pressed for time.

We think that things or situations can make us happy.

We are waiting for others to do or be something different.

These are some of the things that make us impatient.

These thoughts swirl around in our minds: "I just can't wait until...." or "I'll be happy when..." or "I wish this person would just grow up and ..." We want what we want and we want it now. 

Do you feel like you're never satisfied?  Do you look around and only see what's wrong or what's missing?  Well, it's time to change your perspective. 

Learning to be patient can help you in every aspect of your life.  Spiritually, emotionally and even physically, we all benefit from accepting the present moment -- no matter how uncomfortable we think it is. 

Consider the following affirmations to help you increase your patience and develop a healthy sense of tolerance:

I am supposed to be right here, right now.

I will be patient with myself and therefore increase my patience with others.

I will avoid the urge to hurry and hasten my way through life.

I will be quiet, breathe deeply and listen when I feel frustrated and impatient.

I will not base my happiness on the speediness of a particular outcome.

I will appreciate what every moment has to offer; not only when things are going my way.

How do you check yourself when you're feeling impatient with yourself or someone else?

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Affirmations for Hardship



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When faced with difficulties, it's easy to get down on ourselves, to think negatively or to try and approach solutions through our frustration (which rarely works). When you've reached that moment when you can feel yourself teetering on edge, use these affirmations to help you to pull through, and to start to see the lesson. This way no matter how much you're shaken up, you'll be able to pull yourself together to handle your hardships with grace and poise:

I choose to see this differently. I release my negativity and I welcome a loving perspective.

I choose to view life with a perspective of gratitude.

I make the most of my current situation.

I relish using my creativity to solve problems.

I view hardship as an opportunity to test my character.

Source: unknown

I find these affirmations particularly helpful during stressful situations at work. What other types of difficulty might they be useful for?

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Love Notes - Friday 9/9/11

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Seasons Change: Reflections on Time and Living in the Moment

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Ready or not, Fall is upon us.  The change of seasons typically brings about a lot of self-reflection for me.  What about you?  What have you experienced this year?  What are you moving away from? What are you moving towards?   Today's quotes and affirmations remind us to keep time in the proper perspective and to take life as it comes. 

Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future is not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and, like the flash of lightning, at once exists and expires. ~Charles Caleb Colton

To always be intending to live a new life, but never find time to set about it - this is as if a man should put off eating and drinking from one day to another till he be starved and destroyed. ~Walter Scott

Having spent the better part of my life trying either to relive the past or experience the future before it arrives, I have come to believe that in between these two extremes is peace. ~Author Unknown

We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it. ~John Newton

Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness. ~James Thurber

We encourage you to meditate on the following affirmations to center yourself and strengthen your spirit:

I don't have to be perfect to begin my journey.
I am moving forward daily.
I acquire strength when I overcome adversity.
I am one-of-a-kind, authentic and living my truth.
I am taking action to make a positive impact on the world.
I live from a place of love and abundance.
I seek to be openminded as events unfold in my life.
All is well.

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14 Truths That Have Changed My Life

Keep me where the Light is

Happy Monday, y'all!  I started making this list in my journal and thought this would be a great opportunity for us all to share.  The key to this list is that these are truths that I have learned from MY life.  These are not things that someone told me or drilled into me.  Let us know if you can relate to any of these:

1.  I can't miss out on what is meant for me.

2.  Loving myself has allowed me to be more vulnerable and thus more outgoing and more impactful.

3.  A peaceful and calm nature is a strength, not a weakness.

4.  Abundance is not just about money. It's a feeling of knowing that you already have everything you need.

5.  I can't change other people, but I can change how I interact with them.

6.  Guilt nags at me in every situation where I have yet to let go and live peacefully with my decisions.

7.  Just because someone is angry, loud, or dismissive towards me doesn't mean they are right.

8.  Failure is temporary.

9.  I don't need constant attention to have a good time and feel sure of myself.

10.  Asking questions is empowering.

11.  The things that other people do have nothing to do with me and everything to do with themselves.

12.  Finding meaning in every moment is more valuable than finishing first.

13.  I don't need to always be right, always have the last word or always be faultless.

14.  The only thing that has prevented me from achieving anything in life is my belief that I could not do it.

What truths and life lessons have you picked up from personal experience that have changed your life??  Share with us in the comments.

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Express Love: On Valentine's Day and Every Day



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Today, and every year on February 14th, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. In a lot of ways, Valentine’s Day has become rife with expectations of chocolate, balloons, cards, flowers, expensive dinners and exaggerated displays of affection. While this is totally fine if it’s what you’re actually into; trying to force it adds pressure that shouldn’t be present when it comes to giving. It seems that many of the gestures associated with this holiday have become a bit robotic and contrived, as opposed to being honest expressions of genuine feeling. I would encourage you to balk at tradition, and find ways to express your love for your Valentine in a way that is authentic and meaningful just for you. I also urge you to remember to appreciate the love in your life on a daily basis—be present when spending time with your special person and relish every moment you are allowed to have with them. Be fiercely loving, overly generous and wildly affectionate on every single day of the year.

Affirmations:

There is an abundance of love all around me at all times and I revel in it.

I give and receive love openly, honestly and willingly.

I allow love to be present in my life on a daily basis.

I express love in a way that is authentic for me, while being mindful of the needs of the receiver.

Even if you’re not in a romantic relationship, express gratitude for the love you receive from family and friends. It is just as meaningful. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Affirmations for Starting Over

The new year is upon us, and this is the season where many people make lists of "resolutions" or things they will change in the new year. The problem with these resolutions is that few people actually keep them. After a few weeks or months, they fall completely off-course, abandoning the changes they resolved to make.

You'll find that we don't address the idea of "New Year's resolutions", as we do not embrace this idea in its entirety. We are of the belief that, while the new year provides a beautiful metaphorical starting point for changes and new beginnings, the day to start taking right actions toward the change you want to see in your life is always today--THIS day, moment or hour. Waiting for a specific box on the calendar, or tick of the clock to move toward our goals and dreams is often a trick of the ego to cause us to procrastinate, and to continue to live in fear. This is not to say: do not reflect on the lessons of the past year and make decisions on what to change going forward; but it is, instead, to encourage you to be in a constant state of reflection, and to honor yourself by being aware of what steps you need to take daily to reach your goals.

We encourage you to accept that your best life has already begun, and to carry these affirmations with you into the new year:

I know that the best time to start over is always right now.

My life is dynamic--in a constant state of change--and I embrace change as the catalyst for growth.

I evaluate myself continuously.

Each day, I align my actions with the intent of achieving my goals.

I walk the path toward my dreams diligently and without deviation--no matter how tough the terrain.

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Our Tendency to Over-Indulge



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When it comes to food, I have at times stuffed myself too full of a good thing--despite being able to visually identify when there was too much in front of me. Often, when I’ve found something particularly tasty, I have continued to eat, even when my stomach has alerted my brain that it was full. Even though I make primarily healthy food item choices, anything in excess can prove harmful, right?

Do you ever find yourself engaging in similar behavior or feeling like no matter what you do, your actions toward food are counter to your intended health or fitness goals? Over-indulging is so often a result of learned behaviors or habit, more than actual hunger. Many women have ingrained beliefs about food that keep us from meeting our goals:

- We tend to view food as entertainment, tying eating into other activities like watching TV, reading or having time to ourselves.

- We let our emotions dictate our eating patterns; we eat when we celebrate, we eat when we’re sad, we eat when we’re bored, we “treat” ourselves to food as “rewards”, etc.

- We eat out as opposed to making food at home (often for the sake of convenience) and when we eat out, we do our best to consume all of the large portions of food placed in front of us in order to avoid waste.

There are solutions to countering this self-sabotage. Instituting some or all of them could aid in:

- Weight management
- Loss of pounds/inches
- Less bloating/a flatter tummy
- More energy
- Healthier self-image

Some solutions include:

- Eating smaller portions (Erika of The Black Girl’s Guide To Weight Loss offers a fantastic suggestion for doing so here)

- Purchasing groceries and preparing meals and snacks at home, in advance, so as not to be caught off guard and make a poor food choice

- Scheduling meals and snacks (for example, planning to have a small meal/snack every two hours) and sticking to the plan

Most importantly, if we value physical wellness, we have to work to change the way we think and make our behaviors consistent with what we say we want. We have to learn to be responsible with food and to express gratitude for food as a gift of nourishment for our bodies, and not take the abundance of availability of food for granted.

Affirmations:

I confuse the Universe when my behavior is counter to my words. Therefore I will train myself to exercise control when consuming food.

I will recognize food as a source of nourishment, designed to keep my body fueled, energized and healthy.

I will refrain from over-indulging—this does not serve me nor does it benefit my body. I cannot perform at the level of my highest self when I am lethargic and heavily weighed down by too much food.

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Black Girls Rock!

If you somehow missed tonight's presentation of Black Girls Rock on BET, I implore you to find it online or to catch the repeat on Tuesday night at 8pm. Black Girls Rock was a phenomenal celebration of Black women and girls who are lighting up the world with their gifts, giving back to their communities, and just being generally outstanding people.

There were so many amazing Black women in the audience and on stage. Those celebrated, to name just a few, included Iyanla Vanzant, Raven Symone, Keke Palmer and Ruby Dee. I found myself clapping feverishly in my living room at Iyanla's rousing acceptance speech "..Black girls rock because we have no other choice. We have no other choice but to honor our grandmothers and great grandmothers and those who walk and stand in the embodiment, the female flesh form of the Creator. We have a responsibility to rock the world, to rock the community, to rock our families, to rock the planet--so that our grandmothers will know that they did not die in vain!" I almost cried at Ruby Dee's breaking down her legacy presentation to say that part of the word "legacy" is "leg"--and that she hopes to be the leg that the next generation can stand on. I couldn't help but smile at how radiant and beautiful everyone, including host Nia Long, looked. There was a joy that just radiated from the eyes and faces of everyone in the room.

The musical performances were touching as well--including an amazing rendition of Nina Simone's "Four Women" performed by Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott, Ledisi and Kelly Price; as well as a version of "I'm Every Woman" that closed out the show. Monica, Keri Hilson and Fantasia sang their hearts out as well.

It would be impossible to target a high point of the show because this was truly just a fantastic presentation from start to finish. It has left me feeling proud, inspired, refreshed, renewed, invigorated and ready to conquer the world! It isn't that Black women didn't already know that we rock, or weren't already secure in our beauty and strength, but instead it is that we loved seeing our fellow Black women being appreciated, loved, and revered by each other. That's the real story of so many Black women in real life. So often our haunting issues are highlighted in film, in music etc--here was a moment where only our beauty and accomplishment were the focal points. And it did not arrive a moment too soon! Thank you so much to Beverly Bond, the founder of Black Girls Rock and to BET for giving us a forum.

I've taken away so many beautiful quotes from the women of Black Girls Rock that need to be shared. I have adopted so many new mantras and affirmations that I’ll continue to carry with me. I hope they speak to you too!

“You can’t take my joy, cause you didn’t give it to me.” ~Monica

“Don’t try to be a special person. You ARE a special person.” ~Marcelite Harris

“Black girls need to be reminded that they rock from the inside out.” ~Iyanla Vanzant

“The world will tell black girls that they can’t rock—that they don’t rock. But a ha! We all know they do.” ~Iyanla Vanzant

“When you grow up being told you’re less than special, you sometimes act less than special.” ~Beverly Bond

"I've been told No more than I've been told Yes. I love being told No. I always say - You're obviously not the person I should be talking to." ~Raven Symone

"I rock because sometimes I'm scared and that's alright. I rock because I'm not afraid to cry. I rock because I'm loved and I'm able to love. I rock...I rock." ~Anika Noni-Rose

“I know enough to know I’m not yet where I’m going to be...I’m always becoming.” ~Ruby Dee

I rock because I’ve learned that where I’m going is more important than where I’ve been, and that everything I’ve done has served me in some capacity. I rock because I’m so hooked on growth and knowledge that I’ll never stop growing and learning. I rock because I’m no longer afraid to be authentic—I rock out loud!

Ladies, why do you rock??

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The Start of Something New

I step into the unknown and am excited for what's to come!

- The Daily Love



Photo Credit via google images

It is always exciting when something (or someone) new happens in our lives. The pleasure and the giddy anticipation of what could be tickle our fancies and send our imaginations running wild. This mostly serves to increase our enjoyment and sends positive energy into the situation, but there comes a moment where we stop enjoying and start wondering… “Where is this going?”…and this is often the moment where fear and judgment set in. We begin to question, label, and judge every aspect of the situation, wanting to determine if it is “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong”. We start to nitpick and analyze and over-analyze instead of remaining present. What we really need to be focusing on is being open to receive understanding about exactly what it is that we need to learn from this new thing. If our vision is clouded with doubt, uncertainty or frustration, we’ll fail to see clearly what we have in front us. We have to remain open so that we can enjoy the journey; so that we can recognize opportunities when they are presented; so that we can receive what Life is sending us through this assignment.

When you find yourself panicking over the future (or how you wish things would go, or feel they are supposed to go) try gently reminding yourself to be at peace, because the Universe has already worked this thing out on your behalf.

Affirmations:

I will enjoy this great thing without having to label it.

I trust that the Universe has my back, and that there is a vision for my future that is beyond what I can grasp with my understanding.

I accept this assignment with gratitude and vow to complete it with grace.

I will revel in the delicious ambiguity of what lies ahead.

I move bravely forward and refuse to concede to fear.

I forgive myself for doubting Life's good intentions for my journey.

I release the need to need anything beyond what God has already placed inside me.

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