2014 (...and beyond) Vision Board

As a part of a meetup group called VAsistagirls, I attended a vision board workshop, met some likeminded, goal oriented, hilarious black women. I went into the meetup anxious and excited to be inspired. I felt empowered being around a group of women who were uplifting each other with a "you can do it" and "go for it" attitude. Positivity. Several women either owned their own businesses or wanted to become entrepreneurs. Single. Divorced. Single mothers. A variety of 20 or so women, all just looking for encouragement, resources, someone to talk to, pray with, root for them, cheer on, and uplift.

Before flipping through magazines and ripping out how we hoped our vision for 2014 (...and beyond) would go, we began with a 3 minute mediation. Mediation for me is a calmness, clearing my mind and spirit, allowing God to move into my heart. I spoke to Him and asked for clarity and simplicity on my vision. I always have a ton of ideas and thoughts, but sometimes it gets jumbled and my brain moves a mile a minute. I decided to use this moment to gather my thoughts, clear out some brain space, and slow down. As a part of the vision board, you should add your picture because it's about you. I didn't have one at the time, and didnt add one prior to taking this picture. Anywhoo, after talking to my God, I decided to break down my vision board into a few sections.

The top part of the board is about me and my vision for me. How I see myself. I use my board as a visual daily reminder. A daily reminder of how i (should) see myself, even when others do not.

Priceless. In a league of her own. Queen. I love being a Black woman. Style. My black has endless possibility. My beautiful is for the world to take note. Fearless spirit. A beautiful inspiration. "What I find powerful is a person with the confidence to be her own self."

My vision continued with, of course, travel! This is my daily visual reminder of my passion.

Skyline. Golden gate bridge. Globe. Beaches. Ready, Set, Vacation. Escapes. "Away is a place where life's not about the money you spend. It's about the moments you make." Global coverage.

I proceeded to pour on all the inspiration that could fit.

Try something new! Getting to happy. Inspiring strength. Get out of your own way. There's never been a better time to focus on you! Live.Right.Now. Healthy living. "Be careful for nothing; but in everything...let your requests be known to God." Resilience. Perseverance. Focus. Perspective. Discipline. "Reading is a way for me to expand my mind, open my eyes, and fill up my heart." Health.Family.Money.You.Better.

I'm putting in my sights: Goal setting, Visualization, Planning, Actualization. I'm excited to see what God has in store for me in 2014 (...and beyond)!!

Weekend Love

As I sit in front of my computer at work, I can physically and mentally feel that I needed those 4 days off.  The weekend, MLKjr holiday, and a snow day!  God knew exactly what I needed.  A mini mental break.  This past long weekend was definitely a good one to begin the year. 

 

Me time, relaxation, vision board workshop, girls nite filled with sushi and drinks - that ended with a trip to the tow yard and barely beating the sun home..(cues up King Bey.. "tonite i'm stayin out til tomorrow..."), enduring my football team losing the chance to play in the Super Bowl, and looking terrible doing so might i add, Teedra Moses concert (she sounded awesome - just like the record), and ending with ice skating on a surprisingly beautiful 50+ degree day.   Or so I thought my weekend was ending.  Snow day!!!   Weekend was topped off with a straight lazy tuesday filled sleep, food, and catching up on the DVR all in my onesie. 

 

3 day work week underway...I can dig it!

Don't quit your daydream

While doing my daily blog reading, I came across this picture. I am a self-proclaimed daydreamer. A dreamer period. I often find my mind wandering of all the pretty places I wish to see, breathe, explore. All of the ideas in this brain of mine I wish to make happen. That's a typical daydream for me. A visual break into lala land. But I have the desire to turn my daydreams into reality. Research. Note taking. Study. Repeat. The travel industry is my obsession. I am craving location independence and entrepreneurship.

Current job, not so bad. Apartment, not so bad. "The problem is the 'not bad' syndrome. It is easy to get comfy in 'not bad' land and never leave." I have to want, desire, and go after more. Go after my happiness. "Not so bad" just screams settling. I don't want to settle, I want to succeed! "There's no faster way to kill goals and dreams than by settling for 'not bad'".

"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears." - Glenn Clark

"We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate." - Pico Iyer

A little birdie told me...

I've been off twitter for a year now, but in the meantime I created a travel account with the hopes of dishing out ideas for destinations, sales, deals, my own personal experiences and journeys, but I didn't get very far. Not sure what exactly happened. But I started it, tweeted a few times, and that was about it. My decision to leave twitter in the first place, was a personal one. All social media can be very toxic. If you let it. I'm deciding this go round to not let it. I've decided to follow only a few friends, but i will mainly focus on following travel and positive people. That's the kind of inspiration I'm carrying with me into the new year. No time for negative, draining people.

When January 1 hit, I logged onto to Twitter, said Happy New Year and decided to give twitter another shot. My way. It worked. I signed in today and was instantly inspired, uplifted. It's amazing what a lil washing of detrimental people can do to your spirit. I imagine this is what it feels like to rid those kind of people of out of your "real" life. A relief.

This is the kinda awesomeness i need in my life, you deserve it too!