What toxic Baggage Do You Carry?

Excerpt from my new book,

"I love being comfortable with myself. But this wasn't always the case. Many of us are still uncomfortable because we keep looking at the past scars, the bumps the bruises, the blemishes, wounds and the unknown ahead-that’s living with fear and crippling insecurity (won’t move pass go!). Many of us continue to hold on to the past and current failures, weaknesses, faults and have not learned to move ahead, learn the lesson and grow from these issues. Guess What?
Others can see these issues before they see us! Meaning, they get distracted by the scars, blemishes, bruises and wounds because we’re flaunting them by our communication and adorning of them. In other words, they see the victim and never see the victor." 

Toxicity of Baggage: We are so bombarded with images (TV/Magazine/Internet, etc.), societal stereotypes/generalizations, social media influence, and identity crisis-especially during adolescence, and it affects our well-being, relationships and self-concept and esteem that cause insecurities and the spirit of competition.

Healing from the Baggage: Wonderful news is that when we realize who we are via positive affirmation, esteem building, counseling, positive influences/people, learning to love ourselves and so on, we begin to heal and embrace our total self with all of our "flaws" and shortcomings because we realize that no one is perfect and without flaws or shortcomings. 

Here's an interesting clip from "The Real" of the hosts keeping it real about the baggage/insecurities they've carried and how it affected them. What a circle of affirmation and healing...

Natural Handcrafting & Hand-making-Unforgotten Art!

It's imperative that we nourish of and nurture ourselves inward and out; including our hair which is attached to our bodies. It is one of the appendages of the skin. It is because of a lack of Knowledge that our health suffers aside from medical problems, procrastination and conditioning. The hair that’s been given us on our head serves two purposes; protection and adornment. Hair protects and shields our skin and scalp (head) from injury and elements in our environment. It also beautifies and enhances our appearance but most people are more concern with looking good over being in good health.

Hey, I found this video on investigating natural products and understanding
"Non toxic & Toxic Ingredients" By Anna "Beauty Experienced"

Taking care of our bodies and hair naturally in modern day societies had become more difficult for many than it was pre-industrialization (when products, clothing and food were hand crafted-great for small business owners) before transitioning from hand production methods & manufacturing to industrialization (using machines and chemical production- decreasing and eliminating many hand craft workers their jobs), and because of improper application of both hand and chemical, and even allowing untrained/inexperienced people to touch our body, hair and scalp.

There are harmful synthetic products that we use in our hair and our bodies that have harsh ingredients that may help in one area but cause damage in another. Understand, this is not to shun or knock anyone who used products with synthetic chemicals because even I use some products that are not 100% pure, raw or organic. Truth is; it’s difficult to escape ALL unauthentic/chemical-based skin & hair products, medicine and food. It’s great to be thankful for advancements in medicine that help save lives and preservation of food but can we do it in safer ways? Personally, I just try to minimize and eliminate as much as possible, the intake and digestion of harsh cell-killing, degenerative additives/ingredients/preservatives, etc.

How the saying goes, “When we know better, we do better…” Hopefully!

Just to bringing awareness because many people still do not pay attention to what enters their body through our skin and oral digestion. You may be aware but don’t assume that all do. I still continue to educate myself and others (clients and even people my age or older) on the benefits healthier diets not only for our bodies but also for our hair and scalp. Today, we are making more efforts to reduce toxic digestion to protect ourselves and children. Good news is that there are ways to detoxify our bodies and begin again-paying more attention to protecting our temples (bodies).

Returning to Handmade/Handcrafting:

Good news, we are going back to the ole’ landmark. Meaning, returning to using more natural, organic and homemade/handcrafted skin and hair products, and food-thus, an emerging of new small business owners and natural living. We are learning from our ancestors about controlling our own economy and maintaining our OWN healthier lifestyles. The End!

Resources:

• Women's Voices 
• Ecoutourre  
• Beauty Counter
• Newbeauty.com

African American Celebrities From Fame to Fortune to Broke

Interesting documentary Video Titled:
"When the Checks Stop Coming In" 
This film takes a look and analysis of the lives of black celebrities' rise to fame, fall from fame, and finally, Just plain broke! :( 

It's available on Amazon.com


Many of us never learned Financial Literacy as children and adolescents. Many of our parents did the best they could with the energy they had, and taught about savings, sharing, and household budgeting (to some degree). Really, for me, growing up in the hood, I never really heard a lot of financial discussions on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, retirement savings, 401 K's, etc. My mother did teach and modeled for me how to open a bank account and fill out the forms, how to pay bills, how to talk to authority or professional people in the business district, how to advocate for myself and so on but because we struggled as well with low income (never went hungry to my knowledge-but I'm sure there were days that we (my siblings and I) didn't know how close to being without we were. 

Like many people say, "We might have been poor but didn't know it." I understand that in the midst of struggling and survival, and relationship and financial burdens, communication on being smart with your money, investments and retirement, get's lost because the focus (being consumed) with trying to make one day at a time. 

Now what happens when many of us who've never had a lot of money or made no more than $7,000 to even 60 or $70,000 annually (because we don't bring this whole amount home-thus the reason why even the "Middle Class struggles") come into major financial wealth? We may even get a out of control (meaning crazy, senseless, confused and/or stupid even-meaning wasteful and negligent) with fortune or fame, and because of ignorance-(lack of knowledge) like many of these celebrities. The best way out of these scenarios is "Education" by (attending seminars, classes, getting mentored, etc.), and "Renewing the Mind" (changing the way we think which changes thoughts and feelings).