Before the new year starts, I wanted to briefly share the most valuable lesson I learned in 2016. Not much of an explanation needed…the statement speak very loudly!
See you in 2017!
-Peach
Black Woman Excellence: A Seat At The Table
Photo From SolangeMusic.com
Since this morning… I have been on an intimate date with my iPhone 7 headphones, and we have been enjoying a lustful union themed by the sounds of A Seat at the Table by Solange. This album makes me just want to get lost in nature, put my phone on do not disturb, and let the cool breeze flow through my natural hair. The work that she has created is brilliant! It is the sheer reflection of Black Excellence. At this present moment, Black people as a whole need to be uplifted and celebrated… and Solange’s music does just that. The album visuals (digital book) is an added bonus of melanin finesse.
The entire album is LIT… but here are the top songs I’m currently vibing too:
- Cranes in The Sky
- Interlude: Tina Taught Me
- Don’t Touch My Hair
- F.U.B.U
- Bordline
- Interlude: I Got So Much Magic
- Don’t Wish Me Well
This album speaks to Black culture and the beauty of Black people. If you haven’t heard great music in a while, I highly suggest this album and no… you don’t have to be Black to enjoy A Seat at the Table.
Until next time…
-Peach
Quotes and Notes #4
Young Jeezy (Pastor of the streets) always shares real talk wisdom. The other day when I was listening to his song Sweet Life, I took a moment to reflect on his concept of dying and reemerging as a new person. Pastor Jeezy was on to something when he said the old him is deceased. Inspired by Jeezy’s real talk wisdom, I thought of all of the moments that got me to this current place in my life. The place of a happy, fearless, unapologetic, self-care enthusiast, lightworker version of Peach. Then it dawned on me that my Divine Storm was the final catalyst of the changes I needed to make.
From that storm, I emerged as a new woman. The old me died! I transitioned into the new and improved version of myself. I love who I have become! I still have a lot of growth to make, self-work is not easy. With the support of my tribe, I am well on my way.
Life is about transition and growth. When you fail to evolve into the higher version of yourself, it is a major disappointment! A disappointment to yourself, your loved ones, society, and the higher power you believe in.
Your supposed to change and grow. When people say you’ve changed, in the words of Dustin from The Friend Zone podcast your response should be “why haven’t you”? When you lack the ability to let go of past behaviors, and refrain from new ways of thinking/being it is a reflection of limited self-love. If you love yourself, you will release the old version of you. What do you truly have to lose by letting the old you die, to become the better version of yourself.
Until next time…
-Peach
Divine Storm
The other day as I was listening to Mastin Kipp’s podcast and I had a major awakening experience. Kipp discussed the concept of divine storms. Divine storms as defined by Kipp are moments in life where you feel like the whole world is against you, and everything falls apart (cue “all falls down” song by Kanye West).
Since the start of the 2016, everything has been falling apart. As everything has been falling apart so effortlessly, I have been trying to define my experience. From bad anxiety attacks, health issues, financial concerns, leaving my job, feeling unmotivated about school, losing the love of my life, my car getting wrecked…the amount of storms just kept accumulating. All of these events were the set up for my divine storm.
Kipp suggested that when everything falls apart it is God’s/Universe’s way of protecting you. Meaning everything is happening for you. As everything has been happening for me, I have been trying to understand the spiritual lesson of my divine storm, and reflect on the areas of growth I need to make. Everything that I manifested, but didn’t act on led me to my divine storm. Being a semi-procrastinator, I needed the extra push to shift into a new paradigm. Now, I don’t understand everything that is happening but, I know its apart of my journey.
Many of us are currently in divine storms, and it’s up to us on how we choose to transition out of the storm (don’t let your negative ego win).
If you want to hear more about divine storms and self-growth the Power & Purpose podcast by Kipp is a great listen.
Until next time…
-Peach
The Struggle Is Real
As of lately I have been in hiding but for all good reasons. My dissertation process has started and the struggle has been real. For the last three years I have been waiting for this moment, and now that the moment has arrived I’m in complete shock. Which is weird considering that I wrote and completed a dissertation for my Master’s program. With being mid-way in the dissertation process I figured I share the top 20 reoccurring thoughts I have while writing my dissertation…
Hopefully some of you out there can relate!
- What did I get myself into?
- Is this really happening?
- I don’t even know how to get started.
- Shit, I have writers block.
- I can’t find the motivation to even think.
- FML!
- I don’t feel smart.
- Why did I choose this topic?
- Why am I second guessing myself.
- I’m the Kanye of writing dissertations.
- I’m a beast when it comes to finding scholarly sources.
- Damn…I’m falling behind the deadline date.
- I’ll just pull an all-nighter and get things done.
- Who am I kidding…I’m too old to be pulling all-nighters.
- I need more computer storage space.
- I should buy a backup hard drive for my backup hard drive.
- I feel like crying!
- Who’s idea was it for me to pursue a doctorate degree? Oh it was mine’s!
- Where’s my cohort when I need them?
- I got this!!!
For any one that maybe working on their dissertation…remember we got this!
Until next time…
-Peach
Everything I Did Wrong
Photo from inkSpotEntertainment
This week has been a short but long week. It was nice having a snow day but after endless naps and dreadful cabin fever, I was completely bored. It wasn’t like I didn’t have any homework or work to do. I honestly didn’t feel like doing any work period. So, during the snow day I searched online until I stumbled across a new YouTube series. For me, finding a new YouTube series is like finding internet gold (bring on the binge watching).
What I like about YouTube is that content creators have the freedom to tell stories from their perspectives. In fact, YouTube is one of the few mediums where content celebrating different cultures is actually supported. As we all know, in mainstream America various mediums lack diverse perspectives and diverse people.
Okay so back to the web series. The series is titled everything I did wrong in my 20’s. When I saw the title I was already lured in, because I have been doing so many things wrong in my 20’s. With the month of March officially marking the last year of my 20’s, I plan to make right my wrongs so that my 30’s can be poppin.
The series is a part of inkSpotEntertainment founded by Kim Williams who also writes/produces everything I did wrong in my 20’s. The series does an amazing job of vividly telling the narrative of women in their 20’s making choices that cause unhappiness later in life. The main character of the series Stephanie Rogers feels like my spirit animal. Needless to say, I binged watched season one and I am highly anticipating season two.
Check out the series below.
Until next time…
-Peach
I Choose Courage
Photo from Courage Works
One of the new year gifts I brought myself was a virtual seat in the online classroom of author/scholar Brene Brown. After seeing Brown’s SuperSoul Session on OWN and reading the book Daring Greatly I was extremely moved. I believe it was the universe’s way of motivating and inspiring me to take more risks. #Truthmoment…I am literally the type of person that will walk to the edge of a cliff and not jump or at least wait for the right moment to jump (and the right moment never comes).
So far, I’m about three weeks into the course and loving every minute of it. There are a variety of courses to choose from on the Courage Works website. I decided to take the Daring Leadership course, considering my life journey and the changes I’m determined to make.
The course concepts around vulnerability, marble jars, and permissions slips have me feeling encouraged. In a short time span, I feel like I have made growth in the personal/professional arenas of my life (I’ll talk more about this in a different post).
If you have the opportunity to take a Brene Brown course I highly recommend it. Once I complete the course, I will write a final review on my overall thoughts.
Until next time…
-Peach
Quotes and Notes #3
This week has been one hell of a week. I haven’t been feeling like doing much of anything except staying in bed and avoiding my responsibilities. It always interesting how the universe works… the moments when I have to show up and be accountable is usually when I don’t feel like it. When I feel like this, the quote from the film The Great Debaters, “we must do what we have to do in order to do what we want to do” is what I rely on to keep me focused. Literally, when I wake up after saying my prayers…especially when I am tempted to press the snooze button I say to myself , “I must do what I have to do in order to do what I want to do” and then I start my day.
It’s crazy how words have so much power. I constantly say this quote out loud and silently! By doing so, I find myself making it through hectic days. The quote reminds me that eventually all of my hard work will pay off, and believe me when it does I can guarantee that I will be doing what I want when I want to.
As for now… I definitely need a vacation.
Until next time…
-Peach
New Year Essentials
2016 is officially here! For this year I am expecting great things to manifest. To help manifest the great things I want to accomplish, I felt it was only right to to grab a few essential items to start the new year with a bang.
Here’s what I picked up during my holiday festivities:
Journals
- The gratitude journal keeps me mindful of all the blessings I receive.
- A new writing journal is always necessary or maybe I just have an obsession with journals. Anywho, out with the old and in with the new! Every year is different, and stifling energy from the previous year’s journal shouldn’t be carried over into the new year.
Candles
- Chakra candles are perfect for meditation and speaking what I need into existence.
Bracelets
- The gemstone healing bracelets help with keeping my anxiety down and defending off negative energy.
Lotion
- The aromatherapy lotion Energy from Bath and Body Works not only smells good but is great for boosting energy, which is something I need when I get physically and mentally fatigue at times.
If there are any new year essentials you use comment below.
Until next time…
-Peach
2015 Teachable Moments
2015 has been the year of teachable moments. Every situation I encountered not only made me wiser but, made me very selective of what I dedicate my time/energy to. When 2015 started my goals were simple just…peace and prosperity. However, the more I started to gain peace and a “little” prosperity, the more bullshit came along the way. When reflecting back on the year, I now understand that peace is not obtainable without struggle. If it were not for my moments of struggle, I wouldn’t have reached my destination of mental clarity… and I for sure wouldn’t be in a self-reflective mind state.
2015 taught me:
- I matter!!!
- Always choose myself first.
- Trust my struggle.
- I do what I want.
- The law of attraction is real.
- Hard work does pay off.
- Embrace newness.
- Slow down and be still.
- Certain things can wait to be completed.
- Death is not avoidable.
- People do and say the craziest things.
- Sometimes I’m prone to having rants like Kanye..what would Yeezy do?
2015 was a #yearofgrowth for me. Cheers to 2016 and what is to come in the #yearofpeach.
Until next time…
– Peach