Blogmas 2019 : Day 15 Baby it's cold outside

After 7 years in Boston, this child of the African Sun has still not  acclimatized to the weather.

 And quite frankly, I don't want to.

I don't like cold weather but I LOVE sleeping in on a nice rainy/snowy day.

How do people stay productive in this climate? All I ever want to do is cozy up with some cafe, endless desserts, and some good books to read.

 I'm currently reading the genesis - part I (In a pit with a Lion on a snowy Day) of a book (Chase the Lion) I just finished reading. It fell into my hands as a happy surprise at a holiday party. You may call it a coincidence, I call it a divine manifestation of speaking out my desire to read this book after finishing it's sequel.

Blogmas 2019 : Day 14 Financial Literary

Today I joined a friend to celebrate the opening of a new business venture. Am so proud of her and her partners and what they’ve been able to achieve. They’re story has inspired me to keep moving forward with my own dreams . This year the goal was to surround myself with people in the financial education /literacy field and what a divine orchestrated encounter this has been . It's interesting what happens when we speak out and declare our intentions. The universe will always respond and set into motion a series of events that will lead you to where you wanna go.

But ask yourself, are you listening? paying attention?

The Burlington Community Financial center is located 

83 cambridge st, suite 2A in Burlington, MA 01803.

It's never to late to start learning about finance and how to make your money work for you. As someone in the Wellness industry, I have had to embark on this learning journey on my own since unfortunately it's not taught in high schools or colleges. I wish i was more informed 10 years ago but that't ok. The next 10 years don't have to look the same if we're open to learning.

Blogmas 2019 : Day 13 Thank God it's Friday

In the real world things happen and that's what happened for blogmas day 11 and 12th. I ended up having to reschedule 2 appointments around work to deal with things I thought I had already taken care of on previous days #adulting

Are you one to freak out when things don't go as planned or do you enjoy freestyling through your days? I need structure. I need to know what am suppose to be doing within blocks of hours throughout the day. That's how I stay organized. Being that* organized allows me to not freak out when i have to rearrange plans because am aware of all the moving pieces.

Am all about, where are we going? what are we doing? what time do we need to be there? what time are we done? what attire? etc....you can never be too prepared and honestly, I believe being organized ahead of time allows me to show up and be completely present in the moments because everything that needs to be taken care of is done.

Tonight, am attending an ugly sweater party wearing a pretty normal sweater.
I might share pictures tomorrow.

Blogmas 2019 : Day 10 predecessors and successors

The more books I read like Mark Batterson's Chase the lion, the more curious I become about the genesis of  my personality, the dreams in my heart, my quirks, my stubbornness, my adventure spirit.

 But also why it seems like I literary have to fight and bleed to achieve every goal that I set out to accomplish.

Why does it feel like, I just can't catch a break and when I do, it's temporal?

Why do some things come easy for some people yet hard for others?

How much do generation curses or blessings established by the behavior patterns of our fore fathers 5, 10, 15, 20 generations remove? affect us today?

 Now as a born-again , I understand the implications of being renewed, but should we stay ignorant of the junk we've inherited?

Or should we use the revelation as inside information to help us combat the road blocks ahead.

Blogmas 2019: Day 9 New Look

I don't consider myself a holiday Grinch but I'm not one to go over the top with decoration and seasonal flavors. I think what I like the most about the holidays is that, most people...for the most part....are in a merry mood. Everyone seems Happ-ier and that joy is infectious.

This year am being more intentionally about getting into the "Holiday Spirit". 

Am listening to Christmas carols from Pentatponix  to get me into the mood. 

Am giving myself permission to show up & participate in holiday office parties.

Am dressing up in holiday themed clothing.

And yes , even as I roll my eyes, I'll be having some pumpkin spice latte.

Blogmas 2019: Day 8 Comfort Food

My Diner : 399 Main street, Melrose MA 02176

What I'm currently loving🖤 on the menu

Western Omelette w/ no cheese

Honestly, I've not had a disappointing meal from this diner. Everything is amazing from the waffles to the pancakes and sandwiches. 

They also have a vegan  menu but I haven't tried anything on that menu.

Blogmas 2019: Day 7 Battling Fear

Lately, I've been dealing with the triple threat:

 fear of rejection, anxiety and sadness/depression.

I have to constantly remind myself how little is in my control and how much more of life IS NOT in my control.

How am combating these feelings

1. I take the fearful steps anyways.

 That't better than being paralyzed with indecision.

2. I surrounded myself with people who will affirm and encourage me.

3. I listen to uplifting music that will stir my spirit and shift my focus from my negative emotions into an attitude of gratitude for all the good things that are going well in my life. What ever you feed your mind with, will grow. So I try to Feed my Faith and starve my negative emotions.

Currently I've been listenign to  You're gonna be Okay by Brian & Jenn Johnson of Bethel Music.

How do you handle the difficult times?

Blogmas 2019: Day 4 The gift

Today I'm grateful for my dream team @ IFC.

Thank you for an amazing dinner at Tokyo Steak House.

IFC has been the gift that keeps on giving in my life.

I don't know how I would have survived the last couple of years in Boston and dealt with my pain and grieve in a healthy way without this amazing community of believers standing with me through it all.

Blogmas 2019 : Day 3 Returning some Library Books

Today I took an evening walk to my local library to return some books and to donate some books for their book sale fundraiser.

It's a shame that so many people do not use the resources found at their local library. I try not to buy too many books because it is cheaper to just rent it from the library and return it for the next user. It's also more environmentally conscious.

When was the last time you visited your local library?

Do you know you can rent out the latest best seller books, passes to museums and parks and a whole bunch of other perks at the  library?

Don't sleep on your local library. Check them out this Christmas holiday.

Blogmas 2019: Day 2 Wisdom

I took the train to my dentist to get my wisdom tooth pulled out.

I met a lovely mum who was there with her son. She seemed appalled that I was alone and went to great length to inform me that it is not safe for me to travel alone home after my tooth procedure because I will be in a lot of pain and just cant do it. I didnt bother to tell her I was going to work (8hrs to be exact) after the procedure

I chuckled silently to myself.

Kids these days #wimps

And the parents are part of the  problem. Let that boy become a man on the dentist chair

Blogmas 2019 : Day 1 Foodies in Christ

Sunday December 1st: Cheesecake factory, Burlington Mall.

In true New England fashion we welcomed the beginning of the month with a Snow Storm.

Surviving the Holidays - My Holiday Traditions

With holidays, come the unveiling of holiday family traditions that I admire in  my friends who come from such families but am also left feeling a little envious. Those traditions range from ...everyone travelling from wherever they are to grandpa's lake house, or everyone wearing a onesie(i know it sounds silly) and etc

'Presently, after all the mind work I've done over the years to crush my spirit of comparison, the only thing that holidays leave me longing for, is a spouse and a family of my own. Until that happens, I have spent the last couple of years creating holiday traditions with my friends instead of waiting for my "future" family to start them.

Disconnecting from social media especially during the holidays helps me to deal with those feelings when people are sharing and revealing their gifts be it an engagement ring, a new car, or a pregnancy announcement. I've learnt to celebrate others, especially those who have hit life milestones am still patiently waiting for. However, it is OK to unplug momentary from  platforms
 that constantly brings those desires to the fore front of your mind.

Travel, especially travelling AWAY from the United States, helps me deal with holiday blues. The amount of marketing endorsing shopping during the holidays is overwhelming. If you can't take an international trip, consider taking a local one, away from the noise, perhaps to a cabin, a beach front property, disconnected from technology with a group of friends who also have no plans for the holiday. 

Or better yet, plan the holiday party you will like to be invited to. Become a host and let your home be a haven for your friends, who like you might feel misplaced over the holidays. 
Another thing I've done, since I enjoy travelling, is visiting my other single friends who live in other states and we spend the holidays together. The companionship works both ways.

Lastly, Do no not make emotional based purchases. Resist the temptation to spend money you don't have pleasing people who will not be your friends in 2020!

The best present you can give anyone is the gift of your TIME.

Your time is A PRICELESS commodity.

Custome -made

One of a kind.

So instead of a giving a present that will be forgotten before the year ends, a present that will end up with the rest of the collectibles in the garage /basement/closest....

Give the gift of your TIME.

Honduras Mission trip Summer 2019

Since returning from this mission trip , I have tried several times to write a blog post about my experiences. Each attempt has been met with failure because WORDS are not enough to describe what this experience DID TO ME......Continues to do to me even now as I type this.

WORDS cannot describe my appreciation to Kim, her staff and their ministry in San Pedro, Sula
WORDS cannot describe my appreciation to my YNG family, and how I firmly believe everyone who went on this trip with me was a divine orchestration by God so that we could all lean, take, and receive from one another.
I went to serve and pour out whatever I had in me into every encounter I had in Honduras and yet some how I left refueled , inspired and energized to continue running my life race.

So here is 1% of the story of how my life got changed in Honduras and how that experience is one of the many reasons I will be embarking on a new experience in 2020.

This ICON night.....reminds me now in retrospect of a book am current reading.....where the author talks about how our dreams are dreams within a dream....our dreams are the realities that someone else prayed for...That's why it's so important to follow after the things God has planted in your heart.

Icon Night was ICONIC!!! 

To see where the Grace Dream Center is today, knowing that I was part of the team that weeded the ground and planted the flowers and other plants that will grow in the garden that will be used to feed the kids in the program is just.....it's very humbling. My goal is to go back to the dream center, I don't know when and how but I know God will make a away for me to go back there.