30 Day Writing Challenge Days 1-3

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So you all know how I am with these challenges (#EpicFailures) but, I'm a persistent person. I will keep trying until I get it right. So, I found this challenge via Pinterest and I figured I would give it a try.  So wish me luck on successfully completing this writing challenge.

Day 1: Five ways to win your heart.

My husband may not believe it but, I am very easy to please. He might not even realize it but, he won my heart simply by doing the following:
1. Make me laugh. Why? Because Laughter is good for the soul. I prefer comedies over chick flicks any day.
2. Be honest. I can't stand people who lie. It's an ugly habit and shows weakness.
3. Buy/ cook/ bring me food. No explanation necessary.
4. Be a good kisser. Again, this needs no explanation but, if you need one- a good kiss can make you forget your nightmares and relive your dreams. (I know, I'm deep.)
5. Keep your promises. Being able to follow thru on your word shows character and strength.

Day 2: Something you feel strongly about.

This is a very vague statement that can be interpreted many ways, but being in the social climate that we are in, I would say that I feel strongly about racial intolerance. I do believe that racism still exist. People who say, "I don't see color" are not helping the situation. I'd rather you say, "I see people of a differ color and I still respect them despite, and because of our differences." That would be more acceptable and let me know that you get it.

I also believe that other races will respect us more when we start to respect ourselves. I wrote a post about this some time ago. You can read it here.

Day 3: A book you love

As an avid reader, it's hard for me to just pinpoint one book that I love. But, the book that has given me the most guidance in recent years is Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey. His information was timeless and it got my gears going and inspired me to not give up after my business failed.




 Chime in! Do you have any input on any of today's topics? Or will you join in with me for the writing challenge? Share your blog info below.

Wishing you Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty,
Rhonda

Encouraging Daddy-Daughter Relationships

I'm proud to be a daddy's girl. My dad and I didn't always see eye to eye, especially when I came to the driving and dating age, but I could always count on him. When I was into sports, he was there for the games and the practices. He was in attendance for every recital and talent show, and he screened every boy who called the house. Before he passed away, he often gave me a heads up on men and how they act in marriage. Of course, he was right, so when things started to happen I was already prepared and was able to handle certain situations with a calm reserve. The advise he has given me through my lifetime has been immeasurable and I appreciate the relationship that we had. I could only hope that all girls get to have that relationship with their dads.

That's why I'm so glad that my daughter is a daddy's girl, too. Of course she's too young for deep life lessons, but the relationship that she and her dad share is setting the tone for the relationships she will have with men for the rest of her life. He understands the importance of it as well, and I was so proud of him when he took her to their first Daddy-Daughter Dance last week.

The week leading up to it he knew he had to do it right and wanted to not only show her a good time, but show her how a gentleman should treat a lady. They were dressed to the nines, he bought her a corsage (#DaddySwag) and actually did a little two step with her on the dance floor. (Believe me, that alone is huge for my slightly rhythmically challenged husband.) They both came back with big smiles on their faces, showing off pics and videos from the night.

I didn't even know that they still had events like this, but I'm glad that they do. This is one tradition that should never die. Dads all across the world should make it their mission to help nurture the relationships between their daughters. Your dad is supposed to be your protector, your teacher, your provider. Some would even say that your husband should reflect the relationship that you have with your dad.

So if he's was never present or active in your life, how do you know what to model that relationship on? There is no such thing as a perfect parent but, if you never even try to be that example in your child's life you've already failed.

Chime in! Do you believe that daddy-daughter bonds are important? What's the most memorable moment you've had with your dad?

Forever Loving my B.A.D.D. Kids,

Rhonda

Setting Goals With The Passion Planner

I am a goal orientated list maker. I have several small notebooks that I jot things down in, and to top that, I have sticky notes falling out of them of ideas I had when one of my 3 notebooks weren't available. I also use my notes app on my phone, but I'm a paper and pen type of girl at heart and to me, it means more when you write it by hand.

So obviously this time of year I'm usually putting my yearly planner away from the previous year and getting myself together for the upcoming months. Normally, I just buy a planner from Target or the $1 bin at Michaels, but this year I stumbled upon THE planner that has me feeling like I might just get my life together.

It's called the Passion Planner and it is the bomb dot com. I have had my nose in this planner every free second I've had and I am getting super excited just thinking about the year ahead.

So here's the deets.

- Instructions on how to use it to its best potential. Really? Instructions on how to write in a planner. Yes, because she (creator Angelia Trinidad) has the planner set up with a Passion Roadmap and Reflection Pages. 

- Monthly and Weekly Layouts. I love how  alongside the layouts there are quotes of inspiration, to do lists and plenty of space to obviously plan your passions.

-Several buying options. There are 2 different sizes and a few cover choices ranging in price from $24- $29.

passionplanner.com

-Also, for those of us who are financially challenged there is a FREE option! Yes, I said free. I chose this option as I already had a binder that I use for my blog planner so it worked out perfectly for me. Plus, I find it very hard to turn down anything that's free ninety-nine.

You may be asking yourself, "Why do I need a planner? I already know what I need to do." Yes, you do but without a concrete plan and setting small goals you will just be going around in circles. When you write your dreams and goals down, you set yourself up for success and make yourself accountable. If I don't do something that's in my planner, I can't blame anybody but me and it makes me work twice as hard to make sure I don't fail again. So do yourself a favor, go to passionplanner.com and order this planner. It is so worth the investment.

Wishing you Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty, 

Rhonda.

Skin and Hair Care Resolutions

We are in the 2nd week of a  new year and in true fashion I am taking this time to reflect and determine the things I want to do better in this upcoming year. I want to be better mind, body and soul and since I work daily on my soul and I focused on mind/life goals via my Passion Planner in my last post, I figure it's time to focus on body today.

I'm not saying my body is perfect, but I really don't focus on it like I used to. My curves are in all the right places and I physically feel good 80% of the time, but stress and bad habits have had my skin and hair suffering lately. With that being said, here are a few skin and hair care rules I plan to live by this year. 

I will wash my makeup off every night. Why is this so hard to do? Cause your girl be tired, but I will try my best.

I will drink water everyday. I don't think an explanation is necessary with this, it's just a healthy thing to do.

I will do more mole checks. Dark skin can get skin cancer too, so doing monthly checks on those new moles that keep popping up will pay off in the long run.

I will exfoliate twice a week. Nothing keeps that skin looking baby fresh like scrubbing that tough layer of rough skin off.

I will not become a product junkie. I repeat, I will not become a product junkie. Because of the way my bank account is set up, this shouldn't be a problem, but I still have to remind myself.

I will stress less. Easier said than done.

I will not pop my pimples. Again, easier said than done. Popping them makes them worse before they get better but it is so satisfying when you do. #struggles

I will always keep my eyebrows on fleek. Yaaasss!

I will continue knowing that what works for some may not work for me. And that's okay. All skin and hair was not created equal.

I will wash my hair more often. Once or twice every two weeks is my usual schedule. Anything past that and it's a mess to deal with.

Water will be my main moisturizer. Water is my friend.

I will wrap/ cover my hair nightly. Even if I do look like Aunt Jamima, I have to protect my hair at night. And for added protection, a satin pillowcase will help too.

I will learn the true meaning of protective styling. Braiding my hair up and not cleansing or moisturizing my scalp defeats the purpose.

I will stop being lazy. See above.

And most of all, I will love the skin I'm in and rock whatever texture grows out my head.

Those are my skin and hair care resolutions. What are yours?

Wishing you Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty,
Rhonda

My Summer in Photos

So, It's been a while since I posted, and since summer is officially over, I just wanted to catch you all up to the goings on of me and family this summer. Now is a good time to reflect on the fun we had.

1. Baby girl completed her hip hop class. Unfortunately for me, my phone had an attitude and would not record the video of their final performance. She said she likes hip hop better than ballet, so I'm trying to see if we can get her signed up again.

2. Hubby and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary with a nice dinner at one of my faves, Bahama Mama- their shrimp and grits gave me all my life. I also made an anniversary video...major brownie points were given.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOxz1l9fdQA&sns=em

3. Then we hit the road with our first family road trip. Despite the thirteen hour drive and the "survivor" type conditions the first night in town, our trip to Alabama was one for the memory books.

4. I went to the Women's Empowerment Expo and had a wonderful time. My friend and I did breakfast at a local bakery, met Zane (author of book turned into movie, "Addicted", and got to see Ayanya Vanzant dance down the isle.

5. We had our annual family picnic, complete with my higly requested cupcakes and our family obstacle course.

So that was my summer, how was yours?

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids,
Rhonda

Happy 10th Anniversary!

Tomorrow is our 10th anniversary and I am so surprised happy that we made it this far. Our story is 20 years in the making, with many more to come. To commemorate this milestone, I made a video. Take a look and experience the best story ever told.





Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids (and My Husband),
Rhonda

How to Turn Your Fear Into Motivation

What would you do with your life if money was no object? I don't know about you, but I could spend hours pondering the possibilities. The dream vacations, the business ventures, endless opportunities for my kids, good credit, shoot you wouldn't be able to tell me nothing. So what's stopping me from having all the things I desire? One word: fear.

Fear is a frequent topic at bible study and it is a frequent emotion in my life. Scratch that, as I just learned, fear is a spirit, not an emotion. Only fear has the power to erase your plans and turn them into self-doubt. Well, I have decided that I'm taking my power back from fear. I'm tired of writing in my journals all these dreams and goals for my personal and business life and just simply letting them continue as words on a page.

It is time to put into action all those dreams and it's time to stop letting fear win. I want to share 5 simple steps that I will use to turn my fear into motivation.

1. Daily Affirmations- An affirmation is a statement that you are declaring is true. When you constantly feed into yourself positive affirmations, it leaves little room for doubt. Saying to yourself, "I am capable. I am wonderfully made. And I already have everything I need to succeed," would be a great start to each new day.

2. Vision Board- I am a true believer in vision boards. So much so, that I had a vision board party back in February. Along with affirmations, putting images and quotes up where you can see them on a daily basis adds more positive thinking to your daily process.

3. Face Your Fear- You know how they say that the only way to fix something is to admit that there is a problem? This is certainly true with fear because we may not realize why we do the things we do, but once we can recognize it and call in out as fear, we will know how to handle it. It's hard to admit that you stayed in a bad relationship because you were afraid of being alone or you never went to the doctor for that pain because you feared what the test results would say. You have to face fear and decide to take it head on. You do that with the next step.

4. Step Out On Faith- Faith and fear can not co-exist. Faith trumps fear every time by being one of the most powerful spiritual tools you can receive. The Bible says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". (Hebrews 1:1) To have faith in not only yourself or an idea, but also in a God who will never steer you wrong is the perfect answer to combat fear.

5. Embrace Failure- No one likes to admit it, but sometimes, even when we affirm, face our fears and step out on faith, we can still fail. But, when you understand that failure and rejection is a part of life you will be able to learn from the journey. Failure is not easy, especially when done in front of others, which most failures tend to do. Just consider it a stepping stone, a change lane signal or an event that needed to happen to develop you character with humility.

I hope that I shed some light onto the subject of fear and helped you start your journey to a more faith driven life. Don't give up and remember that everything you ever wanted is just on the other side of fear.

Wishing You Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty,
Rhonda

My Life in Photos- June 2015

1. Talk about real life goals, this would be a true blessing. All shopping decisions I make are based on my budget, so not having to check the price tag or my account would definitely put me at success status. This quote is going on my vision board ASAP!

2. So somebody at Matel came up with the bright idea to put false lashes on Barbie. I don't know whether to say, "aww, they're cute" or "bye, Felicia!" While I love wearing lashes myself, that's not the image I want to put out to my daughter that she has to wear falsies to be beautiful. I already have to fuss at her about staying out of my makeup, I don't need to have to hide the lash glue, too.

3. I decided to get my Janell Monae on and try out this protective hair style. It was super easy, only took about 20 minutes to style and only $15 in braiding hair. All the questions and compliments about my hair skills have also made me rethink my future in styling natural hair. To be continued.

4. It was my daughter's birthday and as much as I tried to make her celebration a small, nothing special, with just ice cream and cake, the more the grocery and guest list grew. It also didn't help that it rained ALL day, but it was a good turn out and a great non-party if I do say so myself.

That was my week in review, how was yours?

Wishing you Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty, 

Rhonda 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month- How to Get Help

Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to make people aware of the identification factors and intervention of those who suffer from mental health conditions. According to mentalhealthawareness.net, 1 in 5 American adults will suffer from a mental health condition in any given year, but only 41% will actually get help.

This last post of my 3 part series is going to inform you on how to do self-checks on your mental health and once again tell you how to get help.

There are 10 things you can do for your mental health to self evaluate and try to steer you into a more positive outlook. They are simple steps that should be done consistently in your life to help maintain balance for your mental well being.

1. Rest- As I stated in my last post, 7-8 hours of sleep is the recommended amount an adult needs on average. Living off 5 hours every night is not doing you or those around you any good.

2. Eat well- Eating well balanced meals can not only keep you satisfied, but it will keep you from loading on carbs or sugar, just to crash and burn soon after. You want to keep your energy levels at a constant flow and not dip and dive with each sugar rush.

3. Exercise- Keeping yourself moving and in motion is good for your body and your emotional well being because of all those natural, feel good endorphins that kick in along with it.

4. Journal- Write about the good things you have going on, have a gratitude journal and re-read those entries when things start to get a little tough in your life. You will realize that staying positive instead of focosing on the negative is a good habit to have.

5. Get up and Get out- Don't stay secluded to yourself all the time. It's good to go out with friends and family, even if only for a couple of hours. Have fun and enjoy each others company.

6. Meditation and Prayer- Making time for meditation and prayer should definitely be a priority. Whether through practices like yoga, or religious beliefs, the benefits are so far greater than can be explained.

7. Do what makes you feel good- As long as you aren't causing any harm to yourself or others, do what makes you happy. Eat, dance, laugh, play or whatever puts a smile on your face.

8. Learn your triggers- If there is something that causes you to be in a funky mood all the time, it may be time to change that situation. Get a new job, move out of that neighborhood and stay off of social media if they're causing you more harm than good.

9. Watch your circle- And the same thing goes for the people in your life. If there are people who transfer their negative emotions to you and are full of nothing but bad vibes, then maybe you need to limit your time with them or throw up deuces on them all together.

10. Seek a therapist- There are some circumstances where our emotions are so scrambled that we can't get it together on our own and there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help. There are people who have dedicated their lives to helping those in need of help, so don't be ashemed of taking advantage of their expertise. It could be the difference between a well balanced life and one of detriment and emotional torture.

There are sites like mentalhealthamerica.net or crisiscallcenter.org that have been created for such a purpose. You can take online assessments, get in contact with centers and counsellors in your area and learn about mental health issues ranging from depression, bipolar disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.

There are is also the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273- TALK/ (800) 273- 8255 for immediate help 24/7.

They say when you know better, you do better so hopefully these posts have helped you get a better understanding on mental health and why it is so important.

Wishing you Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty,

Rhonda

My Life in Photos: May 2015

1. Forever the actor/ wannabe model, I posed this pic for my mental awareness posts this month. If you haven't done so already, please check them out.

2. Just one of the many perks of being in a committed  relationship and having a warm body next to you at night. I sometimes complain about the bear hug when it's hot, but when he doesn't do it, the next morning I be like, "what's yo problem?" I'm complicated like that.

3. Another perk of being married is that I can be myself with no apologies. Sometimes my husband can't do nothing but laugh at me. This time it was because I pretty much said screw our budget and I took his "lol" as approval.

4. My baby got his medal for flag football.  They didn't place in the top 3 and I doubt if I'll be able to talk him into playing next year, but I'm so proud of my big baby. He proved himself to be a team player, a quick learner and a pretty good running back. If you look closely you can see what looks like a smile. 

That's my life. What's happening in yours?

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids,

Rhonda