This session is constructed to open up a conversation regarding transitioning to the person you desire to become. Based upon a personal approach. What works for me may not work for everyone, but the resources are definitely universal, available, and up for grabs..
It’s as easy as flipping a switch. Accept traverse is expected. As a young black woman in America I feel as on edge of my seat as I always have, if not more. From our black lives being left in the dust - to net neutrality risking our easy access to worldwide information.. In a nation so tied to creating power over true equals, it's crucial we remain vigilant over our freedoms. Creatively, financially, regarding our bodies. Opps want to shut you down and shut you up. I would've never expected to be a young adult dealing with the issues we face, and it's even more insane that it's the same thing our oldheads have been facing but with contemporary technological advances.
I know it sounds contradictory but the best part about life is the endless surprises it brings. A gift and a curse for sure; maybe that's just my Libra scales talking, but life has proven to be 50/50 no matter what. You never know how things are going to turn out, but thank goodness there’s a way to heighten our chances of getting everything we want. The cure to all of our problems is hidden right in plain sight. If you close your eyes you’ll see it, maybe even hear it being chanted over and over getting louder each time. To make your dreams a reality you have to continue to stay true to yourself!
DO YOU BOO.
With a vengeance for your past shortcomings and an urgency to do more. Show no mercy.
When I feel like I could improve certain aspects of my lifestyle or just down and out due to stress or bs, I remember to check in with myself and make sure that I am (1) taking care of my overall health and (2) aligning my actions with my goals.
Just remembering those two words motivates me to go and either take care of myself or get some work done. To do my best I feel like it’s important to be as up to par physically as well as mentally and spiritually. I think we could all work better when at peace with ourselves. This is a belief that I hold close to my heart and use as a mantra.
I made this mixed media piece using graphics from different elevations and time periods to interpret ascension and descent in our lives, skeletons for neutrality, gold for value.. I hold my passion for equality and freedom together by taking care of myself first.
“I declare to nourish my body & annihilate my obstacles.”
Whether it be going back to school, starting a business, taking on a new hobby, or building relationships. Newness and the unknowing is the gatekeeper to the lifestyle you want to partake in. Your dreams wouldn’t be dreams if you were ready, willing, and able to achieve them. You will always have to prepare yourself for the blessings you intend to obtain. Keep it real and ditch all your distractors. Things get dark fast out here, your resilience and devotion to self has to be up. Esp Missy Elliot didn't just get a letter in the mail saying “Congratulations! You've been chosen to influence the music industry for the next decade!” She was just doing what she loved hard, & she freaked it! Rihanna? Look at her empire right now. Jordan Peele? Creating a new style of theatrical art entirely. Even Lizzo had some words recently that correlate:
It aaaalllll starts within. Once you are ready and accept the challenge for change, you have to make sure your body is ready to join the fight. Nourish your body. Nourish your body like a plant, like a god, like it’s the only thing keeping your world together because that’s exactly what it's doing. EVERY DAMN DAY.
NOURISH (V.)
Nurture
To promote the growth of
I can not stress enough that you need to nourish your body to rise to any occasion, especially new ones that you’ve never experienced before. This can look like a lot of things but there are three main necessities that you need to check off each day to make sure you are contributing to your future success; mind, body, and soul. You knew that though. Set aside time daily to make sure you are taking care of each part of your body.
Nourish the mind by
-practicing emotional intelligence - learning, ask more questions -meditating -doing a daily mental check Nourish the body by
-eat healthy foods (high octane foods)/veganism -exercising to burn off steam -self-care when you can to bounce back Nourish the soul by
-Work on your spiritual journey -do what you know makes you most happy(as long as you don’t bring harm to others in the process)
Growth starts off as an “inside job” because you have to prepare yourself, but what’s next? Just sit around and wait to level up and become a trillionaire who gets paid simply to blink? No. Now that you are gathering yourself, it’s time to exercise the new you unapologetically! Do what aligns you with your goals and makes you happy. Enforce boundaries between your new and old self, and share those boundaries with people surrounding you because you can’t count them out of the process; experiencing transitional stages really shows you the depth of the relationships you have with people. Pay attention to those who are holding on to the old you, don’t find yourself going back into your old ways to make someone else feel better. Birds of a feather flock together; the people who love you and desire your presence will find it & vice versa.
It’s impossible to exist as long as we do without coexisting amongst each other. I can not remember the last time that I did something that did not either have an effect on or incorporate others. You can only go but so far so quick doing everything yourself, yes it’s possible but it is not always the most efficient way. The amount of knowledge you can obtain through communicating with others is astonishing; in fact, one of my top favorite feelings has to be when I ask someone a question and they give me more information than intended. TOP TIER FEELING.
Sometimes you learn things you didn’t even know you need to know in the whim of the moment. It takes a bit of extra curiosity to manifest a drastic change. Opening myself up to the thought processes of others has personally helped me to become more empathetic and understanding of my own train of thought and exposed me to new ideas. Whether it be a stranger in the supermarket or online, we all attribute to the success of others given the chance.
Speaking of success. You can’t speak it into existence. That is only part of the whole shebang.
It’s important to keep your dreams and goals in your head. There are lots of tactics to do so but my favorites are journaling, list-making, and project management apps. Keeping my aspirations in front of me often and incorporating them into my daily itinerary aids with consistency and diligence. It’s so easy to just sit around and daydream about the life you want to live but the hard part is doing the work (s/o Being Boss, the most influential book I read this year that got my butt in gear to be my own bo$$). Take the steps that are necessary to evolve. Figure out what you have to do and then overachieve. Outdo yourself for once. And when you do celebrate your progress because a baby step is better than none.
ANNIHILATE
Killshit.
Annihilate your ego. The competition. The day. The you standing in front of yourself. The people telling you that you can’t do it.
There is no easy way out or in. Actions will always speak louder than words, hence why we now have the term CAP, that's all people do. Shoot, I be capping. Pinpoint what is preventing you from taking the leap of faith into your destiny; is there something preoccupying? What are you afraid of? Cut it out here and now. Pull through is sometimes easier said than done so strategize. An enhanced, energized mental capacity and the right tools will take you far. Social media is a common pastime for myself and my mutuals, as we constantly find ourselves procrastinating from our current studies or work to see what black twitter is putting us on to today - dm’ing back and forth the funniest memes or most recent case of tyranny. This platform has constantly shown us that opportunity lies everywhere. Yes, it’s filled with trolls and trends about your problematic fav appropriating a culture, but there is something to gain. Media, and especially social media, is a very large and impacting factor in the world today. From my point of view, the larger conversation within my/our culture today is being had through this messy media stew. A lot of your favorite music artists are becoming the person they’ve dreamed of becoming because they put the work and made a lane of their own through social media. Take that into account, finding a community of like-minded individuals accelerates your advances. Always seek more truth, make your own movement.
Resourcing helps us interact within and contribute to our community. Opportunities lie behind closed doors but you have to take the initiative and grasp the nerve to achieve the change you want to see. If you are anything like how I was a couple of months back, you just need to figure out how to go about the things you wanted to do. Whether it be a brain dump or inspiration, you just need an outlet. There are a couple provided here and whenever you're experiencing your raw beautiful life, remember that the best knowledge is free and everywhere. Take advantage of it.
Pour into yourself and out into your environment.
This is a reminder for me and you. Stay up and stay ahead. Attached below is are Productivity Sheets for Bosses and Bores; created to keep you going when you're down and out or just looking to switch it up or kill some time. You'll end up a better version of yourself.