Chrisette Michele + Better
Chrisette Michele and I go way back. I’m talking 2007 back when she sang “I am One” [to me] during one of the most challenging times in my life.
I’ve been following her music since then and had the opportunity to see her live at a House of Blues concert at Downtown Disney Orlando, years ago, and have just been in awe of her voice and her presence.
So when I learned that she was coming out with another album next month, that little girl in me from 6 years ago squirmed with excitement.
I’ve been catching up on videos of her Journey to Better, sitting here in awe, mouth and heart wide open, of her growth. It is so beautiful, ya’ll.
Her maturity. Her beauty. Her. Just her. Chrisette. #NoFilter.
I’m inspired to do better. Love better. Just. Be. Better.
Thank you Chrisette.
In Due Time
I’ve been chasing this dream for the past 10 years. Had my life planned out. Knew what I was going to do and where I was going to be by milestone ages. At 18, I was going to have high school graduation under my belt and immediately attend college by securing Florida’s 2+2 scholarship. After grinding for two years at a community college, I was going to head out to the University and secure that Bachelor’s degree. At 22, I was going to move on and secure that Master’s degree and practice Neonatal Nursing by 25.
It didn’t happen quite that way. You see, I’d have a baby at 19, secure my Bachelor’s in a completely different field by 21 and dabble in somebody’s MBA program, only to quit after realizing that I was settling.
I’m 30 now, and nowhere near where I thought, planned and hoped I’d be by this time. And to be honest, it’s discouraging. But then, this happened:
“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future” – Jeremiah 29:11
I don’t know when I’ll be that Neonatal Nurse. Until then, I’ll keep living. There’s much to be proud of. There’s much to be grateful for.
Whatever it is that you’ve hoped for your life, run until you finish.
Inspiration: Naturally Free To Be Me
Tell us a little about yourself :
My name is Ebony and I’ve been married now for 10 years to my wonderful husband Paul who is my biggest supporter. I’m a girly girl : ) I love the ocean and taking long walks. I just enjoy life!
What is the mission behind Naturally Free To Be Me?
The mission behind Naturally Free to Be Me is to focus on the entire person. It’s so much more than hair. My desire is to help people become healthy and free from the inside out.
What do you love most about being Naturally Free?
Being natural allows me to be unique. The word of God tells us in Psalms 139:14 that we ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’, so being natural has allowed me to love and embrace who I am.
What advice can you give someone who is thinking about going natural?
First ask yourself why you’re deciding to go back to natural hair (everyone has different reasons). Secondly, do your research; take advantage of all of the information that is out here to assist you with your transition. Be Patient with your journey to having healthy natural hair. Have a great support system even if it means joining FB pages, subscribing to blogs, etc… A support system will be of great HELP to you. Understand that each of us were created differently so we all have different textures, and learn to LOVE the texture you’ve been given because it’s beautiful.
Who is the WiseWoman behind Naturally Free To Be Me?
I am a woman who has accepted my purpose in life which is a life of service, first to God and then people. I am very committed to helping people see that they can in fact live a life of FREEDOM! I am motivated by seeing people realize who they are and living the life of their dreams. I live by this quote “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, and kindness in your smile.” ~ Mother Theresa.
Natural Hair: Adventures in Henna!
Repost, as I’ve been thinking about doing another henna ‘treatment’
After reviewing a few tutorials on YouTube and several blogs on how to keep excess shedding at bay, I decided to finally bite the Henna bug. And I must say that, overall, it was a good experience. I have noticed that my hair is softer with less brittle ends. There are numerous tuts on how to mix and apply henna and I took to both CurlyNikki and the Mop Top Maven blogs for instructions.
I deviated a bit from their insightful posts and used products that I already had on hand (I refused to purchase anything else except the Henna). Let’s just say that I was a bit nervous due to this deviation and was a bit fearful that my experience would have ended like this:
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Ha!
Check out the video below to see how I mixed and applied the henna! Have you tried it yet?
Janelle Monae is a True Q.U.E.E.N., Hunny!
and I am here for it!
Homegirl had to take the shoes off and do an encore to show how bad she is!
Here’s the official
“You can take my wings, but I’m still gone fly!”
Power Your Workouts: What to Eat
Since I’ve embarked on the ‘transforming my life’ journey, I would always get stumped as to what I should consume to power my workouts. Thankfully, Angel with K is for Kinky.com spilled the deets:
Depending on what you eat before your workout, certain foods can make or break your routine. you can upset your digestive track causing cramps and gas or just send your body into a feeding frenzy mode. here are a few tips on avoiding these problems and eating well before you workout.
Try to skip the fiber
Too much fiber before a workout could mean stabbing, painful cramps and gas. can you imagine trying to do leg presses and letting one out as that cute guy passes you by? Not the business. Instead opt for simple carbohydrates, which are absorbed very quickly by the body, and protein for your morning meal. I like a hard boiled egg (yolk included) with a cup of greek yogurt and a half cup of blueberries. Total protein count about 24 grams carb count about 11 grams
Don’t go overboard
We are snackercising here so don’t try to sit down to a workout meal. If you overdo it, the cramps will take you out before you can say suicide drills. Focus on getting no more 150-200 calories in your snack. If you work out hard, you’ll burn it all off and will just start to get hungry by the time you finish working out. A banana with a scoop of peanut or almond butter does the trick.
Total protein count about 8 grams carb count about 54 grams
Check out more tips here.
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