I smile, reflecting on the last time I said, “No.” It was a simple “No.” No explanations, no theatrics. Just… “No.” And it felt good.

Essence Festival 2019: I finally made it! I’ve wanted to go forever now, but (as some of you may know) planning ahead is essential to getting a hotel. And getting Labor Day weekend off in the restaurant industry is a joke, lol. 

​Another year has passed and 2021 is upon us. Many of us had a stellar 2020. We got knocked down when quarantine first hit in March, but we bounced back with a quickness! But some of us got knocked down, stayed on the ground, and let ourselves get run over by the twists and turns of every obstacle that came our way. So, what gives? What is the difference between those who bounced back and those who were steamrolled? We can spend the whole day listing the various external causes of failure to reach your goals. But there are (at least) four intrinsic reasons why you (or someone you know) fail to achieve your goals. 

​Are you on social media? Be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, or Snapchat—how often do you check it?  What was the purpose of you signing up for that social media platform? Each one can have a specific purpose, such as keeping in touch with family, networking, dating, blogging, or simply being nosey.

Whatever the reason, is it controlling how you feel? Do you feel encouraged, happy, or sad, or depressed? Studies have shown that social media can negatively impact on your mood and cause conditions such as depression. But how did we get here? 

Yes, I’m from the South. And yes, I like to cook. 
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​If there is one thing that brings me peace, it’s cooking. Well, technically eating, but we can keep it cute and say cooking.

There is something about having the ingredients perfectly arranged in front of me. My mise en place organized while maintaining direct access to the sink and stove. I recently realized how much of my focus is based in the kitchen while I was creating my housewarming registry. Of my gift requests, 72% of my requests were in the kitchen category. 72% y’all! And I could have kept going, but I wanted to make sure folks knew I purchased a home and not a test kitchen.

​I have been going through a really tough time with a significant other for about two months now. This relationship has really tested my sanity. I’ve felt giddy, sad, aroused, angry, resentful, and even confused all from this one partner. My experience in this relationship contained enough emotional high energy frequency to trigger a dissociative disorder. If it wasn’t for me finally picking up my journal a couple days ago to release some of that energy, I think I would be in a mental institution by now.

Spiritual awakening? What is it? How do you know if you’ve experienced one? Well, I want to share my take on spiritual awakenings. It’s important you recognize and acknowledge spiritual growth since it increases your own self-awareness and, most importantly, it is a way of showing gratitude to yourself for the strides you’ve made. When we acknowledge ourselves, our self-confidence increases as well.

Food. It’s one thing we can’t live without. Yet, it’s one thing that can hurt our bodies if we are not careful. To start in an open and honest way, I would like to classify myself as a super foodie. I love food. I love trying a new meal. I love gathering with friends or family for dinner, brunch, lunch, breakfast, or even snacks. I just love food. Honestly, it doesn’t even matter what kind! I’ll try it all!! BUT this year I’ve had to take a hard look at my relationship with food and how I consume it. 

As much as we learn in school and from our environments, growing up, we don’t get to witness how business people operate in professional spaces or how entrepreneurs navigate their way through different business ventures. We learn certain social skills from others around us and how to perform certain functions, but many of us are blind to how much control we have over our professional mobility. Whether you are thinking about starting or expanding a business, wanting to increase revenue, looking to make a career change, negotiating a salary increase, desiring a promotion, or just simply trying to take your life to the next level, it helps to have a framework that defines what success looks like to you.

If you have ever experienced self-doubt, you’ve probably had a run-in with its sister—the imposter syndrome.  In fact, 70% of people encounter the imposter syndrome some time in their life. So that means it’s highly likely that Beyoncé, Oprah, Michelle Obama, and Roz Brewer all experienced the imposter syndrome at some time during their careers.