What did I learn today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self Love

The better that we are being with ourselves, the better that we are with relationships (all) (unknown( Do you know what your triggers are? Like what are the things that trigger certain responses and reactions? I am still learning mine, I know what a few are and so that when I feel or see the trigger coming I can get ready or be better prepared instead of responding by either shutting down completely or getting mad vex and doing something stooopid! or comfort eating, I notice that I fall back on comfort eating as a response to a trigger So I learnt another one yesterday and wow that one was a shocker to me, why? because I grew up watching my mother react in the same way. I said I will never do that when I become an adult! My mum loves her house to be in order when she gets home from work. The dishes must be done, things must be in place, the house must welcome her in a clean and orderly fashion and if it's not well my friend it was hell to pay! Don't stick around when sh...

When joy is the aim, you will stretch with your whole Soul to reach it. Your satisfaction will begin to eclipse your need for approval and acceptance. You won’t have time to validate your choices or keep   score because you’ll be too busy with pleasure . Danielle La Porte Got another gig in NYC today! I am so excited to be doing a book signing in Harlem! Harlem NYC here I come! The Sisters Uptown Bookstore on Amsterdam Avenue, a Harlem institution. I remember going to Harlem as a teenager, hitting 125th street and being in the buzz of all the action, the culture, the soul food, the stores, the revolution, the parties, the spots! Here I am now going to Harlem to add to the mix, not just watch and participate but to contribute, to serve! I am beyond excited! Its going to be super duper awesome! My NYC trip is shaping up to be a blast!!!! Peace!!!!  

If you cannot support from the front, push from the back! I spent some time on Saturday at the NGC Bocas Literary Festival in Port of Spain Trinidad. The festival brings together literary works from all over the Caribbean and the diaspora with a number of world renowned writers and poets. What struck me at this event was the honest and open stories of a few young men who were incarcerated from the age of 15 for an average of ten years at the Youth Training Centre (YTC). They along with their English teacher, a woman who volunteered to teach them English Literature whilst at the institution, decided to tell their story in this open, honest and wonderful piece of work called Wishing for Wings. I found myself literally weeping listening to their story! And there and then I vowed to do something! We have young people from the age of 11 being incarcerated and locked inside for 23hours a day, we have a rehabilitation system that instead of rehabilitating it creates more prisoners and ...

You cannot force, coerce and demand change. Change is a process that unfolds when the individual mind comes into alignment and cooperation with the flow of life, the universe at large. Change is a journey. Change is not linear, meaning do this and that will happen. Change is uncertain and uncertainty gives rise to fear. Change requires vision and strategic planning. Changes requires that we work from the top down (from the mind to the heart) and from the bottom up (from the experience to the cause of the experience) at the same time. Change often creates problems in our environment. Fear not! Problems are our friends! Without problems we cannot learn. Without problems we have no idea of the depth of the change that is required of us. Iyanla Vanzant I am working on a change management process for the next two weeks with an organisation and each day I sit with the executives of the organisation and we talk about the change and the process and let me tell you I smell their fear, I se...

" Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all."   - Norman Vincent Peale So I was booked to do a radio interview and talk show on Tuesday, I was so excited and pumped up! I thought I was ready! And guess what? I missed it, I had to call in to the show and couldn't get through, they sent me a message and said you missed it sorry! I sat there thinking about it, what is the lesson because you know that is my standard question when things are kicking off!! What is the lesson? I believed that I did everything possible to get on the show, what were my thoughts? what were my underlying feelings? I took some action and contacted the producers, they told me ok we shall book you on tomorrow. I was happy to have another shot, got ready and guess what? same ...

Check it out!! Peace!! http://www.thenextwomen.com/2014/04/21/captain-sustainability-interview-melanie-richards-founder-csr-solutions

I acknowledge the progress in my life and being, through the support and grace of God, my ancestors, elders, teachers, spiritual guides, sisters and brothers. Rev. Manazerine Olujimi Baptiste Today I am being interviewed for the Michael Dresser radio show! This will be my first time on US Radio! I'm pretty excited and a little bit nervous too! I am super grateful as well to have an opportunity to be living my purpose! It's a scary thing to take that leap of faith but it is so worth it and yea I do have times when I am like as they say shitting bricks wondering about what's next, where will the cash come from and then I get the sign to be quiet have faith and keep working it's not only about the money its about knowing that you will always be taken care of no matter what! Anyways I digress, tune in if you got the time, you can listen online as well, Michael Dressler show 4.19ET http://www.blogtalkradio.com/michaeldressershow Peace!

Happy Easter to all, sharing a post today that I liked a whole lot! Hope that you enjoy Peace!! http://buddhistthings.blogspot.com.es/2014/04/20-things-to-start-doing-in-your.html

An attachment is something we have a strong emotional connection to that has nothing to do with our survival or even our truth. We may think releasing this attachment will destroy us....but will it really? Releasing our attachments may create change, but it can not destroy us, nothing can! We are Eternal Spirit . Sabrine Ruer This is my first time doing an intervention! I was asked to assist in carrying out this task for a large organisation, what struck me is how we are attached to things and the fear of us losing them! I mean like car, house, status, job title and phone! Nothing said about internal qualities or even friends! And why I recognized this is because I been there!! We hold on and hold on and hold on when we know and know and know its time to let go because of fear!!! So here's my lesson, here is what I have learnt we must be WILLING to let go of what we have, everything to gain everything, lose it all to gain it all. Be WILLING!!!! I get that!! And I get that ther...

Sharing this post from Carol Fant! Peace!! I’ve spent a good part of the past weekend napping.  It’s the kind of thing I rarely do – but when the sh*% hits the fan, I hit the couch. Napping used to be a defense mechanism, a way to hide completely from the world until I could convince myself that whatever was happening wasn’t real, that I really didn’t need to deal with it, not right then – maybe not ever.  Napping as in “sleeping so I don’t have to think.”  That sort of complete cop-out slumber. That sort of hiding made me really sick, made me find all sorts of unhealthy ways to deal (well, really, not deal ) with my emotions.  Anything that could make me quit thinking and feeling were fair game, whether they came in the form of pills, liquids, herbs or powders – or something shiny and new that I couldn’t afford – or any combination of other people, places or things.  I ran.  That sort of running is exhausting.  So I slept.  I slept through...

I give thanks constantly. For it go how it has to go, it has to and of course nothing happens exactly as it did before, but happen they do and over and over again the many become the few until the old is forgotten by the new but they will remember they always do - Natalie Stewart Yesterday I was out on the North Coast of Trinidad doing a project with a community group! What struck me about this group is their unrelenting optimism and dedication to the improvement of the community! They could complain about the neglect of the authorities, as many many people do here but they don't ! They tell me that they live in such a beautiful place with rivers, beaches, hiking trails, cocoa and coffee that they will use what they have to ensure that their children can live there in the future! I asked them how things have changed over the years, they told me in the last ten years they got running water, electricity, telephone and now working on getting Internet access and this didn’t come...

EXCERPT FROM "What did I learn today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Love" Authenticity is about returning and magnifying who you are, instead of trying to become someone who you think you should be. It’s about peeling off the false adornments and standing wholly, holy, and true. You have to question your motives. Is your motive to be comfortable? Is it to be liked? Is it to be accepted? Is it to be rescued? I will bet my last dollar that for many of us, there is at least one “yes” in there True friends—those that want nothing for you but peace, harmony, and joy—sometimes more than you want it for yourself—will rise to the surface. Those are the ones to listen to and commune with. You will know their voice because it’s authentic as well, and it speaks with no ulterior motives or projections. It may not tell you pretty things, but it will always speak in love.

"When you give to others to the degree that you sacrifice yourself, you make the other person a thief." —Iyanla Vanzant, paraphrasing A Course in Miracles Pearl Cleage is my absolute favourite author, I love her work! I love the authenticity, the realness, the vivid pictures she paints, the stories and issues that she touches! I remember discovering her work one random day in New Orleans walked into a bookstore and they had her as the featured author with readings and specials on her book  "What looks like crazy on an Ordinary Day", I picked up the book and opened it and as they say the rest was history! I have followed her work ever since! So much to my delight she has penned another book, her story, authentic and business all out there for the world to see "Things I should have told my Daughter", awesome, awesome and more awesome. These are the thoughts of one reviewer "I also feel this book a reminder for all women to openly communicate ...

The book speaks to a journey, and a journey as we know, gives the idea of moving from one place to the next, and although there is physical movement – as the story moves through her life here in Trinidad and Tobago, in England and in Uganda – the real movement/the real journey is to a place of self-love.   This journey to self-love is a painful one, one that is full of growth. A beautiful journey, one which a lot of us might choose not to do, but one which Akosua embarked on bravely and courageously.   The book details this journey by identifying and speaking to different values or as I term them, guiding lights - Authenticity; Gratitude; Intuition; Balance; Letting Go; Self Confidence; Courage; Forgiveness, to name a few.   Even though it is a painful story, it is not a painful read as it is written without bitterness and with a lot of humour, love and compassion.   There is no beating up on self for decisions made and actions taken.   There is no reg...

Choosing fear outsources your happiness and makes someone else responsible for the way you feel. You seek for Love because you believe you lack it.   Jackson Kiddard I was having an interesting conversation yesterday, the guy told me that women, he has no time for them now in his life because they want him to spend time on them and insist that he makes them happy. Right now he wants to focus on himself. I thought that was interesting for two reasons 1. Building a relationship, in my mind, can only thrive if time is spent building it, simple! 2. Other people insisting that their happiness depends on something and someone outside of themselves I understood where he was coming from on both counts having been there! Why do we really outsource our happiness? Can you honestly say that you can be happy regardless of what your boss, teacher, partner, mother, father, friend says and does? Do you even know how? Have you ever thought about it? I thought about it yesterday and I cam...

I pray today to be EMANCIPATED. . . EMANCIPATED from fear and all its children: worry, fret, doubt, can't, shoulda/woulda/coulda, procrastina- tion, shrinking, hiding and 'don't know'. EMANCIPATED from pride, arro- gance, thinking I know what's best, thinking I'm superwoman and erroneously believing I can do it all on my own. InnerVisions Worldwide My granma had a birthday on Sunday last, she turned 85, and she looks darn good! (hope I get her genes!) I haven't spent a birthday with her in almost ten years and a few of the family members as well have never really been around in March, this time a few of her grandchildren was here and she made a huge fuss about us coming to eat breakfast with her around her kitchen table! As I sat there the thought entered my head that right here is a lot of knowledge and wisdom! Somehow I was searching for it and it was right there all the time! How many of us go searching and what we are searching for is ri...

" Just for today, be devoted to honouring your feelings. Allow yourself to feel them. Admit to yourself what you feel. If you really want to give yourself an opportunity to grow and heal, admit exactly what you are feeling to one other living person" Iyanla ( the boss) Woke up pretty early today as I am heading to a village called Brasso Secco on the North Coast of Trinidad, pretty place! I am meeting with a rural community group who started a business to " use what they have" to grow and empower the community through business, they have amazing cocoa and coffee being grown up there, met with them once before but only  a couple of the members, this time its everyone, at their community center, more than likely, as is always the case, I will learn more from them than them from me! So until then, will let you know how it goes! Have an awesome Monday!

It's the subtleties of our behavior that either wake us up or numb us out Danielle La Porte Sharing this from one of my favourite teachers Sudir Krisnan You become what you do every day. For example: • You smoke everyday, and you become a smoker. • You drink everyday, and you become an alcoholic. • You overeat everyday, and you become obese. • You neglect your health every day, and you become sick. • You neglect your relationship every day, and it turns sour. • You spend beyond your limits every day, and you become poor. • You practice being unhappy every day, and you become depressed. Likewise: • You exercise everyday, and you become fit. • You sing everyday, and you become a singer. • You run every day, and you become a runner. • You write everyday, and you become a writer. • You eat moderately every day, and you maintain healthy weight. • You think business every day, and you become a businessman. • You work diligently every day, and become successful in your career. • You...

  Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!" - Bob Marley Wrong?? We make choices. Choices have consequences. The only way wrong gets in is when we put it on the path, when we judge ourselves and others. Life offers us an endless supply of do-overs. Life always offers you the opportunity to do it over until you receive the desired results of your heart. Today seize the opportunity to do over some things you have already done!!   I’m viewing mistakes and misfortunes as DO OVERS!!!   So ok brutally honest, today I was harbouring serious thoughts about leaving Trinidad and living somewhere else, I'm sitting in the moment for a bit because there are some lessons somewhere, I was seriously thinking, "Universe, spare me from class today, please? Can I get one day out of class??...

Sometimes you have to be willing to let go of something old to grab onto something new. You have to be willing to let a part of you die that you used to be comfortable with in order for another part of you to be born . Lisa Nicols I was thinking today about how things really happen when they are supposed to happen - ok when you are ready to receive  or when you need it, not when YOU THINK you need it, when you actually and really really do need it! So if you aren't ready to receive or not ready for a different perspective, no amount of forcing, pushing, begging and pleading will make it happen! What is for you is for you and it happens in divine timing, All of that is to say this, when I was going through my denial of how my life was crashing over a cliff, and the proverbial shit was hitting the fan, I sat down one day and said " What exactly do you want? What exactly would I want given the situation that I cannot control?" It took me two weeks to answer ...

There's nothing wrong with external validation. It's just that external validation cannot serve as a foundation to internal validation. Without an internal structure of self validation, one tends to spend too much time searching. Seeking something never to be received from anyone other than self. Addicted to the inevitable let down of not quite getting what one needs. These synthetic lives. These synthetic times . THE FLOACIST I am going to be off for the next 3 days working on a project, not sure yet how I am going to get to touch base with you guys yet but technology is such an awesome thing now anything is possible! So let's see I was minding my own business today when the phone rang with this opportunity to do a change management project, never really did it before but the people who asked me seem to think I could! Just as I was about to go to the bank to pay my rent and asking the Universe, ok I have been patient and I still am but hey when is the cash flow gonna ...

Let me stop tryna force the issue I been getting all the right lines But I ain’t been paying attention Want me to be what they want me to be But that ain’t really my vision I’m scorching hot like fire So let me stop all this trippin’ Forgin to my own funky fantastic dimension Let me do what a sister like me do And put some funk in the kitchen Let me stop all this trippin’, and listen -Jill Scott, the Light! ok so since we last "met" I was asked to do a TV talk show programme called "Moving on" Got pretty excited about it because I want to promote not just the book but to share the lessons, stories, journey and to learn from others as well! The taping was on Saturday, it followed a format of 3 hosts asking me questions and having a chat! Well I will be brutally honest, I was nervous as hell! I was nervous about how I looked, what I was going to say, where to put my hand, you name it!! And the hosts, bless them, really made a huge effort to let me k...