Food for Thought

Food for Thought #5 "Under the Surface"- More is less, too much isn't good enough, and the truth LIES beneath. Sometimes no matter what we do, our circumstances or those that are a special part of us lead us to believe we will never be good enough. When you've given all you can and are left empty, it can leave you in a state of confusion, embarrassment, and frustration. Love should never leave you feeling in that manner, if so it's time to reevaluate who you give your heart too.

Being In Real Love

Remembers what it feels like to be in love with someone so wonderful and sweet, damn I've missed ME...but I fell in love with myself all over again.Was wondering why I ever broke up with me?But that doesn't matter now, I've figured out there is no feeling better than the intimacy of knowing who you are.(If I can't have... me, no one can. I'm selfish too, because I know that no one can love me like I do.)

Red Is Hot- Styling the Little Lady's Natural Hair

So I decided to post my daughter's hair progress and more so my ability to style it easier. She has 4a hair and some 3c in her lower back. Her lower back is nearly touching waist length when stretched.

Steps to achieving and maintaining this style. As I have said in several post I am beyond busy each day and the mornings are a riot. So I generally style her hair at night and she wears a satin bonnet to bed.

I used water, Giovanni direct leave-in Conditioner, one drop of jojoba oil and about two drops of sweet almond oil. This style was a refresher from a previous style from three days ago.

First I spritz the hair with water to dampen it and then added the leave in conditioner ( about a palm per section). Next I stretched the hair with my hands only to loosen the curls. Then I detangle slowly from ends to roots. After hair was complete moistened with mainly conditioner I added the oils to the ends of the hair.

I secured the sections with ouch-less bands and twisted. I add the barrettes to the top of the hair and ends to accessorize. This will probably last another 3 days and then it is time to redo. Throughout the days I will spritz each morning with Trader Joe's Nourishing Spa Conditioner and water. I add a small amount of oil to the ends to seal.

This is just another way I try to keep my self on schedule for busy school mornings. There is no way I can squeeze in taming her hair each morning. The bonnet is a life saver.

How to Help a Child Start a Journal

This post is one that my little girl suggested I write about. My daughter keeps a journal and feels that it is important to write in your journal during private times. (She is 6 years old BTW). Anyway, I could not agree with her more. Keeping a personal journal and writing in it during quiet time is a wonderful way for young children to express themselves and practice their penmanship. She enjoys reading and drawing, so the journal is filled with small pictures she draws and “Dear ___”, letters she writes.

This was an inspiring post because she spoke very clearly about what should be inside the journal for beginners. Here were her suggestions for topics to write about:

1. A Wish List- (i.e. Dreams of taking trips to America, Africa, Canada, The Bahamas, etc.)
2. Things your teachers do daily
3. Stuff you like to do (i.e. eat fruit, eat vegetable, ride your bike, help people etc.)
4. Draw pictures

She was very clear about the information written in the journal should only be about you and no one else.

Children are amazing because they think of things right away without an expensive degree or having a black couch for someone to lay on (LOL). We all know that journaling is often suggested when people are dealing with issues of pain, guilt, depression, etc. But journaling is not just that, it is a healthy way for keeping record of daily activities, diet habits, and more. For me journaling is a fun way to express my creativity. I generally write out poems and other writings,
Keeping a journal can be a wonderful experience for young children.

Letting Go Phase 2- Forgiveness

Forgiveness is often times seen as the most difficult thing to do, especially when someone has betrayed your trust or hurt you emotionally. The disbelief that someone you love could mistreat you, is often times enough to make you dislike that person forever. But is it really?

Personally I find it hard to hate, and I find it even more emotionally tiring to allow someone to occupy my daily thoughts with negative memories. So it brings me to phase 2 in the quest to Letting Go. Forgiveness is not as hard as it seems. I am not saying by any means that you allow people into your life that you know will do harm, but I am saying that in order to move on you have to forgive them. Forgiveness is not about accepting a person's apology because if they are what I call "a relentless" person, chances are they will never apologize or when they do it was long overdue.

So forgiveness starts from within. Deciding to forgive someone can be very emotional. You can go from feeling as though you want revenge, to feeling unbelievably disappointed and finally to feeling sorry for them. But when you are at the place when you are ready to forgive someone you can simply say out loud in room with only you. "Person's name I forgive you". Once those words are uttered, you need not do anymore. You do not have to tell them that they have been forgiven (if you all are no longer speaking) nor do you have to share this accomplishment with those around you that knew of the wrong doing (unless you want too). Deciding to forgive someone is a personal experience. The forgiveness I am speaking of comes from deep within and is hard to surface if you are bottled down with hurt feelings. There is no time frame as to when you should forgive someone or to what extent. I personally know that in order to move forward you have to forgive.

Spirituality is very important to me. While I don't live a sin free life (no one is perfect). I do hold very close the notion that God is the creator and ruler of all things. Therefore it is pointless for me to punish someone for what I deem a sin, when God already has that on his agenda or not. Spending countless time hating someone or wishing them a rough life only makes you to grow old in spirit and become subdued in their mistreatment against you. So as we embark and embrace the start of a fresh tomorrow, remember forgive and forget. Do not allow past hurts to cloud your judgment of someone that may have been sent as a blessing. Also don't allow forgiveness to cloud your experiences, learn from them and move on and vow to never make the same mistake twice.

Food For Thought #4

While you are busy hating someone or wishing them ill will, chances are they have no clue nor have they given you a second thought. Life is too short to waste precious time trying to be like others. Get your own dreams, you'll never be able to fit another shoes, GOD made them a custom fit. Besides people with ambition have BIG shoes to fill and you may just trip trying to take a step in them.