Dealing with Sorrow

     

     This past week I lost someone dear to me. Although it hasn't been long and I'm not an expert, I can say this week has challenged me in so many ways. Being the only nuclear relative not present the day before the death as well as being in another country, and more. I'm not at all of saying this for you to pity me, but imagine feeling helpless with a strong gut pain for days. It's honestly the worst. But when I begin to think about all of the great things he had done in his life and all of the jokes he made, it helps ease the pain. And knowing that his wife had foreseen it and the rest of the family happened to be present the day before was even greater. And even the fact that he didn't die in the hospital that he was just discharged from, but died in the comfort of his room was the greatest. These facts that I have noted created a flowing peace in my mind. It had to be his time. Placing positive thoughts in your mind can change the way you view someone's death and bring thankfulness into your life. 

     And of course it is known that not everyone dies peacefully, some people may have passed in harsh situations. But coming to the realization that they die as heroes, that people after them may seek justice, and use their death as reference to end a cycle is a very powerful thing. I truly believe that we are all given the opportunity to reconcile with someone before they die. We all have a choice to either take on that initiative or not. The saying that 'life is too short' stands true in the means that you should never linger an unforgiving spirit or hatred because once that person is gone it's too late. There is no better feeling than knowing that you showed appreciation for someone before they passed. If I held on to any grudges I had, I would have never gotten close to him and I wouldn't have learned everything that I needed to know before his passing. I would have regretted so much if I allowed bitterness to reign in my heart. What I want you to take from this is that the pain of missing someone will be there, but no one wants to add the burden of regret into that fire. And for those who have lost a loved one and bear regret, I want you to know that that pain can be amended by doing the things they wished you would, for example, breaking a bad habit, or even praying more. I hope that this short message can help ease the pain of someone going through something similar. 

You Are Your Only Enemy / Elevation

        Not everyone you love is out to get you. Not everyone that doesn’t see the vision wants to see you fall. You are the pilot of every direction you end up going. These are some of the things I am learning in 2018. I am learning to be myself regardless of who is judging me. I am learning to follow my heart regardless of the opinions of the people dearest to me. I am learning that sometimes it is better to fall back from a situation and analyze before exploding. I am learning that life has a lot of rules, but we define them for our personal advances. Some people say there are none, but the reality is that everything has consequences. I am learning that I am no longer a child, and I have to accept that life will continue to change its course while I am in this new decade.
            I am ready for new experiences. I am ready to apply mistakes and for others to be made. I am ready to let go of the past. I am ready to make every day a glorious one. I am ready to fully commit to allowing the peace of God to flow in my life. I am ready to submit to letting the barriers fall and throwing the padlock and its key away. I am ready to be the provider I was made to be. I am ready for new beginnings.

The Wanting Spirit

     The newest shoes, the flyer car, and that perfect partner that everyone wants. That's the perfect life, right? Should our life's worth be determined by how much we have and how many competitions we beat? This young women has the perfect home, the perfect friends, the perfect income and people all around her are envious. Let's call this young woman Stacy. Stacy is top in everything she does. She won best dressed at work, she is known as the prettiest amongst her friends, and she travels to all of the prettiest places in the world by jet. She portrays confidence and unconsciously makes others feel inferior. But the gag is, Stacy battles with depression. How come you may ask? She has everything you could wish for, and she is loved by the world. This is where the problem lies. She may have everything, but still feel empty. She may be loved by the world, but still not know how to love herself. From the beginning of time to this present day, people have wanted so much and believe that by gaining things and approval by others, they will love themselves, but that shouldn't be the case. Depending on material things and the approval of others will only create an empty void in your life. It is nice to possess things, but that shouldn't be the foundation of your joy. It is important to learn to love yourself and to be content with what you have because at the end of the day, it will only be you living YOUR life. The famous saying, "You come into this world alone and then you die one man", holds very true. Here are FIVE ways to practice self-love and contentment.

1. Write Notes to Yourself.

-  Notes such as "You are loved, "I am thankful, grateful, and content, "Everything around me is for my growth" will boost optimism and help gain a new perspective.

2. Treat/ Reward Yourself.

- Take yourself out to eat when you finish a goal, watch a movie, or anything that will help boost your esteem.

3. Do the Things That You Love. 

- Anything that makes you feel good inside, whether it be painting, singing, or running, tap into it and invest your time. You may find your greatest purpose.

4. Go on Nature Walks or Climbs.

- Some of the most humbling experiences are found being alone. All of the beautiful creatures, living and still, help to bring one back to balance from all of the craziness surrounding.

5.Prayer/ Meditation.

- Prayer and meditation is the medicine for attaining peace.

     There are some activities that boost self confidence without the aid of individuals and help develop self-reliance. With self-built confidence, the need to impress others or the need to attain a materialistic lifestyle would lessen when one realizes their overall worth. 

How to Be a Cash College Baby!

   

     It may sometimes seem difficult. You may look at your friends and wonder, "How did they get that opportunity, and how come its so hard for me to get the same?" It's all about confidence. Coming into college I had no professional work experience. The only experience I had was assisting my mother in her entrepreneur activities as well as creating my own. She gave me insight to the overall working experience and this is what I put on my first resume. Sometimes experience at home, something as little as babysitting, is good enough to be considered prior work experience. It was vary  hard for me to get an off-campus job with the experience I had on my resume. No matter where I applied, it seemed like no one was interested in me. This is what prompted me to look for a job on campus. It is so much easier to get hired for a campus job for the fact that employers are understanding of students' needs financially to support their academic career. Usually, these on-campus jobs understand when an employee cannot come to work due to academic reasons. School will always come first in their eyes. For the fact the job would be on campus, commutes would cost little to nothing at all, saving you more money. The benefits are endless and this is unfortunately the gem that many students aren't aware of. Find out more about your school's specific system for applying to on-campus jobs and start making money! Or, you could just be a sugar baby lol

(p.s I am not promoting any specific organization or individual)

What is Love?

     

     I usually don't speak on topics like this, because in my opinion, the world's description of love has been swayed by personal emotions of infatuation. But, what does it mean to love? How does someone know when to say, "I love you?" Of course, we all have loved ones that we say we love and hold dear, but when it comes to that special individual outside of our family and friends, when are we sure that we love them? Is it by the things that they give us, physically or mentally? If someone cannot feed your mind and stimulate your aspirations, do they really love you? I'm not saying that receiving gifts, dinner, and entertainment shouldn't be appreciated, but if that's all you're getting, is that really love? If all you see when you look at them is sexual desire and no substance, is that really love? No one wants to be with someone who only brings them gifts to shut them up or brings them gifts in order to take away that one special thing that you may have. Love should be compared to a mental checklist. Do they care enough about you to be there if something tragic may happen in your life? Would they feed you and clean you if you were bed written? Would they travel miles to see you just to hold you if you were broken? Sometimes, you will never know how much love someone has for you until, God forbid, you are in a bad situation. But one thing that should be checked for sure, is their intentions. People will always show you signs of who they truly are once you tap into it. Some people will show you signs of their intentions after the first week of knowing them. It is important to be aware of the positive and negative signs in order to make these mental checks. For example, if a man only glorified and complimented the appearance of a woman's body at first conversation, that could be a red flag that he only cares for her looks. If a man first and foremost asks a woman about her aspirations and goes out of his way to encourage and attempt to open doors for that woman, that is a red flag that he truly cares for her and wants to see her grow. It's all about knowing your surroundings, having an understanding of the type of man/woman you look to pursue, and if you want to be completely loved, or only lusted after. I hope that the difference is clear, you have to know your own worth, love yourself, before another being can give that same love to you. 

(I don't believe you are ever too young to know what love is, to each their own)

Delaware's Diversity

     'Dela-Where'? 'HellaWare' as some call it, even 'DelaWhack' , but something that I have come to realize over the years is that where ever you are, you have to make the most of it. Delaware is known for its farm land and country-like culture; it is a place that seems to lack variety. But as the eye looks deeper, it can see the bright colors of diversity. A blend of various backgrounds that almost seamlessly unite as one minority, and we all have something unique to bring to the table!

#Delaware'sDiversity

Individuals involved: (Manny, Chelsea, Jaelin, Luah, Kenon, Kenon's Dog, Grace, Me)

Photography: Noah DuQue 

Instagram: @dirtyduu

"YOU DON'T NEED A JOB"

     When I say this, I don't mean you should abandon the fact of making money, I only mean that why waste your time and day working for someone else, when you can create your own source of income? Everyone has a gift, right? You need to tap into your gift and make something great out of it. What do you find the most joy in? It could be painting landscapes, or even writing songs. But the issue a lot of us face is that we look at our gifts as hobbies, we don't see the benefit out of them, but that is where we are wrong. Make a list of all of the possible business ideas that you would be interested in. Then, cancel out all of the ones that you feel you couldn't 100 percent be accountable for. After you have a list of all of the possible business idea you are confident in, pick two. Pick two and focus on them both. You will see that as you focus on the two business ideas, you may flourish at both and do amazingly well at keeping up with them, or you may struggle with one more than the other. If you see yourself struggling with one over the other, drop the difficult one. I'm not saying you should abandon it completely, but the easier idea will facilitate life in the long run and you will be able to provide for the other one, if still pursued. Here are some tips in summary and new when creating your own business:

1. choose your hobby.

For example, teaching drumming classes, it can even be as simple as tutoring in a class you're really good at

2. Always have a plan B.

Never give up so easily, always have a side hustle, but don't forget the final goal is to work for yourself

3. Take your time.

Your best work is never rushed, the more time you take, the more respect you will receive from customers and the more positive feedback you will receive

These are some of the things that I have learned in the past year and I am happy to share this info with you. I hope that everyone maximizes their potential and realizes how great of an impact they can  make with their talents. Blessings and more life to everyone!