Sistahs Are Talking About.....

What is 'BLACK COOL'?

The Vanderbilt-Fisk Bridge Program which helps minority students obtain PH. D's

The sequel to 'Waiting to Exhale'

Jackson Family Drama

UP YOUR STYLE GAME

The BEST blogs for Naturalistas/Fashionistas

Are you Fully Natural or Transitioning? Trying to Up Your Fashion Style Game?
In my humble opinion, the blogs listed below are a wealth of information and worth checking out.

7. Natural Chica

6. Quest for the Perfect Curl

5. Around the Way Curl

4. Minimalist Beauty

3. Curly Nikki

2. Urban Bush Babes

1. Fashion Bomb Daily

Constant Change

The Only Thing Constant is Change.
I'm not sure who originially qouted this, but they are absolutely right.
We know change is constant-yet everyday we fight it, resist it, avoid it, resent it, wrestle with it and even ignore it.
What makes change, any change be it positive or negative, so difficult? Chalk it up to behavioral patterns, Link it up to habit, whatever the case, although changing a habit is difficult, it's not impossible.
Set a Goal.
Work a little harder on your response to new situations.
Face change.
Deal with it.

Re-Mix

"There I go thinking again, All up in my brain"-Miss Jill Scott*

Re-Mix

I often wonder why I am stuck in a pattern of behavioral sameness, that while comfortable, is oh so bland in its monotony.

Wake up. Shower. Coffee. Dress. Subway. Work. Lunch. Walk. Work. Subway. Home. Blah.

Have you ever noticed we react to situations and circumstances on auto-pilot? Why is that? Have we programmed ourselves? Why do we get stuck in ruts? Ruts come in various shapes and sizes. Some of us are stuck in a rut of a job. Some of us are stuck in a rut of a relationship (more on that later) Some of us are in a style rut. I take the subway to work and i see the same woman every time and my girl is in a style rut. Winter , spring, summer or fall,  she is lining her lips with Fashion Fair circa 1982 brown liner, with no thought as to what color lipstick actually matches. And her poor eyebrows have been tweezed to non-existence, but i digress....Have we forgotten spontaneity?

Have we misplaced impetuousness? Has our joie de vivre taken a long walk off a short pier?

My personal challenge today is to engage in one glorious, improvised unplanned act. Give someone an unexpected hug, randomly smile at a pleasant looking stranger (don't want to attract crazy stalker people...)Stop by the kids playground to hop on the swing. Sing at the top of your lungs in the car-I mean really Get It-Pump up that Jill Scott!!-With the windows rolled down! (Watch out there now) Mix it Up. Stir it Up. Won't you join me?

*Jill Scott is the BizNaZZ.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE (did I say love?) Jill Scott. If you have not listened to her newest album-Light of the Sun-Please check for that immediately.

Friends

There is nothing like a good girlfriend. Do you have a childhood homie? A gril from around the way you always stayed in touch with? A cousin who is more like a sister?
These relationships are priceless.
Make sure to cherish them

My Musings

Have you ever wondered....

Why talking is harder than thinking?? Aren't they the same words??

Forgive Thyself

It’s amazing how saturated my life was at one time with negativity. My past life experiences, relationships and my own negative viewpoints clouded my perspective. This prevented me from seeing the positive in myself and others. I got tired of living on the pessimistic side of life. Mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually it was draining. Therefore, changing that negative aspect of my life became necessary; yes imperative to my inner happiness.

Immediately I took a good look at myself, evaluating both the inner and outer person. I was pretty cool and content with the outer me, for I looked good and appeared happy. However, as I started digging below the surface, sure enough there existed unresolved hurt, pain, fear and a measure of insecurities.. It surprised me how I still remained hopeful.

I started accepting the fact I made a lot of mistakes .

I knew facing and dealing with my past was something that had to be done. I thus surrendered to the reality and the very sobering truism; change could only come by means of dealing. Pretending I was fine, placing blame or ignoring the pain kept negativity alive and ever so present in my mind and heart. I didn't realize I was only putting a band-aid on my wounds and sticking a pacifier in my mouth hoping I would soon feel better. By focusing on the outer appearance of happiness, I failed to see how bad I was suffering in-side. I then heard the words of my Brother Paul say, “wherever you go, that’s where you will be”. In other words, I had to stop running from myself and start dealing with me and me first.