Prayers up

As I get ready to hop on a plane for my vacation, I want to preface this post by saying my thoughts and prayers are with those loved ones regarding the missing Malaysian Airlines plane.  I can't even imagine what the people on the plane went through and what the loved ones are feeling right now.  To have no answers, no closure, and a plane just seemingly disappears without a trace.   Feeling hopeless, helpless.

 

Pray for MH370.

catch up

I try not to go more than a week without a post, about anything, but I haven't felt inspired to write. I think the winter weather has me in a funk. Of course I was excited about #snowday, but I, like most, am now over it...and the cold. Meanwhile, this weekend's weather was glorious - hence my photosess (can you tell I love my shoes!), but unfortunately a tease because the cold and snow are back this week. Blahhh!

I got outta the house, thoroughly enjoyed the sun, and celebrated a friends birthday with a scavenger hunt at the National Museum of American History, painted pottery at Color Me Mine, and dinner at a wine bar/bistro. Even though my team came in last at the scavenger hunt, we did pretty good considering it was a little hard to get into the swing of things...next time though we will take the crown!

And in other news, I've been selected with the opportunity to build up my travel writing portfolio as a travel curator for Travel Noire, a fairly new, but vastly growing platform for the black travel community. I do have a (newly thought of) goal of creating a book of my travels to share and be an inspiration to someone, even if it's just myself. So this is nice stepping stone. Stay tuned for more on this! Now I'm just crossing my fingers for one more piece of good news and this year will be off to a great start. God is good!!

“Life is a gamble. There are no sureties. If you want something badly, you'd have to trust your heart and your instincts and then take a leap of faith.” - Alyssa Urbano

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!

2013 it's been real!

2013 quick recap: cutting off my hair, inauguration (2 terms!!), taking a pic with Gabby Douglas, Houston, Dallas, funerals (i.e. heartbreak), new favorite songs, reminiscing over high school track (i think i still got it), Nationals game, soul sessions: the vinyl edition, Lauriol Plaza swirls & mojitos, Opera in the outfield, work trips to NY and Ohio, Fort Lauderdale, Capital Jazz fest, Tamia at Howard Theatre, celebration of 60 years of marriage, Living Social cooking class, weekends at the pool, wine festivals, brunch in the city, eastern market, Cocktails with Claire event, hookah, record player and vinyl, blogging, London, Paris, Emeli Sande at meyerhoff, #photosess, tourist in the city, Beyonce surprise album (lol), holidays, family!

The final day of 2013 has finally arrived. Not to say it like I was ready for it. But I am ready for it. It's nothing like a new year to get excited about the newness that's in store for you. New places to visit, new people to meet, new goals, new dreams, a new beginning. In 2013, I was obsessed with DIY (made my DIY Christmas idea happen!), photography, beauty and fashion related - dark vampy lipsticks and midi dresses and skirts.

But before I hit the new year, I want to reflect on the old to help enter into the new feeling extremely blessed to make it to 2014.

2013 began with a fresh new haircut. On January 1, I chopped all of my hair off. Throughout my life I had shoulder length and longer hair, so chopping it all off was a huge deal for me, but I was oh so ready. Like really ready. That was the only way I got through it. It did help that in 2012 I cut it shorter and shorter so when January 1 rolled around I was able to let it all go. I didn't feel like a weight had lifted or whatever other emotions women get then they cut off all of their hair, I was just excited. I did what I wanted to do, and I was ready.

Later on in the month I travelled to Houston and Dallas to visit family and the day before I was heading by home, my grandfather passed. Literally hours before I set out to visit him in Galveston. He died in his home and lived a long life. I know he's watching over my family, and I pray his spirit helps us get through our issues so we can become a stronger, close-knit unit. After the memorial I was able to hang with all my family. We sang, dance, ate well and had an amazing time together. One of the highlights of the year. A bittersweet moment.

Unfortunately only a few weeks later, one of my closest friends passed. I still remember the call from my friend, and her voice on the other end of the line like it was yesterday. We all endure personal demons, and sometimes they take us to a point of no return. As often as we can, a group of us get together and celebrate his life, remember his most enduring moments, and reminisce on his "pleasant" nicknames for us (Lol..insider). His funeral was the hardest moment of 2013. I pray that he is at peace, and is looking down on those who he loved and loved him with a smile and those deep dimples.

Life then went on as usual for the next few months, I got restless and travelled to Fort Lauderdale for some quick, much needed R&R.

In the meantime in between time, I always knew I wanted to travel to Europe, soon and very soon. So what better way than to ring in 30. I booked my ticket and started planning my solo travel to London and Paris. This was indeed my best moment of 2013.

Thanksgiving and Christmas was celebrated and enjoyed with family. Even helped surprise my family with a wine and painting night.

In 2013 I continued to find myself. Sounds cliché'ish, but nothing better than truly knowing who you are. It's a constant search of finding my happy but I'm on the right path of how I want to live my life, and the type of people I want in it - friendship and relationship wise.

This year had its highs and lows, as next year will have as well. It's inevitable. But I'm determined to have more highs than lows, if I have any control over it. In March, I'm going to Hawaii and I've already begun thinking of destinations for my 31st birthday in September (Greece, Barcelona, Cabo, T&C…). Somewhere in the mix, I plan to sprinkle in a few "smaller" trips. Let's see where the wind blows!

Welcome 2014!!!