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

E very time you procrastinate Every time you stop being consistent Every time you lack discipline Every time you let fear win Every time you give up You are slowly becoming what you feared the most - Ama There is not YOU & LIFE There is not YOU trying to do life You are activity in motion We are life itself - it is not happening to us Turn to your own self as evidence of life When you are coming up with the who you are just don't come up with the things you have, the things you own, the outer things What is the activity of your life? What is the vibration of your life? What are you resonating with? The test is to demonstrate what you know & tangible things you have to be a success. Life is not a pop quiz. Bring everything , bring all of you, bring it all together It is time to stand on what we "know", not only what we have. We waste time in judgement about how wrong a situation is, how wrong the situation we are in is - Let that go We don't need the

Your subconscious mind will try to stop you from taking uncomfortable actions. It will use fear, doubt, rationalization and excuses in order to convince you to not take action. Why? In order to protect you from imagined or real pain. Persist nevertheless . Gal Shapiro I was very concerned about flying to Ghana on this solo trip. Not only did I not know anyone, my budget was tighter than a rubber band on a waist line! I talked myself out of going many many times. Then one morning I just booked the ticket. As I booked it, ideas just started coming to me Why not ask James if he knew of anyone in Accra that I could speak to for tips? James is a person I met during last year who was born in Accra but now lived in the US. I sent him a message and immediately he responded telling me that his sister in law works for a tour company. She arranged everything with so much care and patience that when I arrived I absolutely felt welcomed and well taken care of. Everything was not perfect, I

Every leaf on every tree bears witness to the fact that life goes right, over and over again. Every cell in your body, precisely situated, enables you to do all you do . Ralph Marston Most of the time I have been busy trying to control the things that I cannot control wanting to hedge wanting to hedge against life to 2nd guess it, control it, compentalise it, map it out, get ahead of it as if life is this certain something that is against me Life is not against me I have been given a gift of life & its important to love the life that I have & this love is not the emotion, it’s the agape/direction/violition love. Not confusing it with liking. Its staying in the knowing that the dots will connect, whether I like it or not We fall out of agape love with ourselves because we don’t like what we are doing or not doing We are disappointed in ourselves blah blah or whatever the made up story is We spend time focusing on the external hoping to get the external to change. Bu

I saw the space on IG, I loved the space. One year ago, I reached out to them to ask if it was possible to host an event there. They told me that the place was booked for all of 2019. And here I am in 2019 sitting in the same spot, speaking with the owner and presenting a copy of the book that I wrote whist in Africa! Welcome to the Zig Zag Life! The steps you take won’t always be forward. They won’t always be right. & they won’t always work out. But they will be what leads you to the place where you’re supposed to end up. For the lesson, for your own success, for the people, for you to heal, for you to expand, & for you to live — welcome the zigzag.   Libreria, Ghana's newest literary movement dedicated to high quality African Literature & Diaspora Literature is a space where I can see myself sitting down for hours, learning about cultures and new lands, seeing other experiences that are similar to mine and learning! I absolutely love what they did with the space

You really notice your growth when you’re presented with a situation similar to one you’ve experienced in the past & have a completely different outlook or reaction . Ebonee Davis Cape Coast is a wild ride, between the multitude of colourful boats, the coast line, the hub of activity and people stands the door of no return at both Elmina's Castle and at Cape Coast Castle. I was not prepared for it, reading it and seeing it were miles apart. What struck me most is the absolute resilience of the people who survived the harrowing journey from being sold as slaves to freedom hundreds of years later, that we are here to tell the tale, that people are honouring the past by keeping the stories alive. I am inspired by their journeys so much, I know now that I can always be a better person and rely on my mind and their strength to see me through anything. I am reminded to never forget and never again To make a difference and always think that I am a survivor Peace

Life sends you good things whether you are grateful or not. But with gratitude, life sends them to you faster. That is because gratitude is a state of being. Neale Donald Walsh I finally made it to Accra Ghana! After 2 days of travelling, here I am. The place is hot, the vibes are high, the people are friendly, the African dust roads remind me of a time that once passed, a happy time. I must admit I was concerned about my cash flow. I stressed over it for a week or two. Can I really make this happen on the budget that I have? Am And as a testament on how thoughts create things I arrived with a small amount of cash and my cards, nothing unusual for me on my travels. I sat down to at a restaurant to eat dinner, when the time came to pay none of the cards would work, I walked to the ATM nada still no cash! I asked the hostess at the restaurant if they accept USD- they were not interested, no madam we don't. It would seem that I was in a bit of a bind I called the bank back a

Sharing a post from Maxie McCoy On my way to  Accra Ghana- a couple of days travel, so, will vibes y'all on the flip side with all the lessons Peace! I’m the queen of this. I will blow things up, sometimes prematurely, sometimes with force, sometimes with risk, so that  I know . Or at least, that’s what I thought I was doing at the time. I was simply getting the answer sooner. I was seeing the light quicker.  Why waste my time? Why not just KNOW?  It shows up in forcing conversations. In asking pushy questions. In showing up at their door in another country, unannounced. In expediting answers. But what I see when I look back on all of that is not wisdom and confidence in facing the truth, but a desperation for certainty. I was forcing clarity (yes, clarity can be forced). And while I may have received those things – clarity & certainty – in one way, that’s just that, they were in one way –  my way . There wasn’t much space for the magic of time, or the respect of an

Your mind will always try to stop you with doubt, negative self talk, excuses, fear, negative future/ past images, etc You have to be aware of it and continue to choose better. Your mind is not your friend. You have to control it or else it will control you. Gal Shapira The electricity at the hotel went off, it was about 4.30 am, I had big plans to take a run at about 5.30 am. I was not that adventurous. The sun came up and it was bright enough. I ventured outside to the top of a monster hill just to see the most beautiful sunrise at a point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea. I was happy that I felt brave enough to show up. As I returned I decided to walk on the beach before heading back to the hotel to complete the emails and share the stories on social media. As I returned to the hotel, no electricity! What? That means no WiFi! I literally panicked. What do you mean there is no WiFi? I walked to the reception, the receptionist explained that there is an islan

If small things have the power to disturb you, then who you think you are is exactly that: small. That will be your unconscious belief. Echart Tolle This week I am in St Kitts and Nevis, a very pretty and laid back island that captured my heart. the assignment is different to St Lucia. Facilitating a workshop for a rural organisation. I love the variety and meeting new people. Today while minding my business walking to the supermarket, I stopped to ask questions. The guy gave me directions and asked if I was heading to the beach after. Not likely I said, out of his bag hopped 2 monkeys, yes monkeys- real ones. They jumped on me, I wanted to scream so loudly. Of course he saw my discomfort and asked me to relax, and spoke to the monkeys as well. They wanted to kiss me, I was not having it! They crawled over me, had their fun whether I was tense or not, but as soon as I relaxed, they also relaxed, they just sat on my shoulder as if they were not even there. The power of relaxatio

Anything is possible Ebonee Davis Drove about an hour out to Vieux Fort to visit the Eco South Tours - a local community group aiming to bring about sustainable livelihoods using the natural resources within the area. So far they use th sea to produce sea moss, to provide kayaking tours. They have an apiary making high grade honey, they also have a camping site available. The set up is pretty simple -pay a fee and get an authentic experiences from the rural community of St Lucia. Standing there I am reminded of a few things: 1. Simplicity is not always the easiest option 2. All needs are met - we get exactly what we need when we need it, what happens is the wanting of more and being attached to a particular outcome 3. Use what you have - it is provided to you for a reason 4. Make friends and diverse ones - a support network is always useful 5. Keep plugging away! Best of luck to the Eco South Tours on their commitment to improve their lives and their community and thank y

You must know who you are first though. Otherwise you will be told how to move, think, .... and you’ll perform solely for outside praise. Dr Crystal Jones The Conference was filled with people in business attire, dark suits, pump heels, jackets and A Line skirts. I turn up in a bright purple and yellow suit, lots of colour. A new thing for me - Confessions on the Journey. One lady said - you are- pause - colourful. I go into default feeling self conscious for about a minute, then I talked to myself about it Self - how do you feel? I love this outfit I feel wonderful Carry on smartly then. I listen to the other presenters and place myself in the moment, to remember that everyone has a space at this event. Just do you. Go there and be you, do the best in the moment and have fun. The room was packed, the audience kept saying that they were looking forward to what I had to say, I felt the pressure of it all. I asked for this so that meant that I have all the tools required.

I feel a major reset coming - Ebonee Davis I drove from the airport to the resort with Ian, the taxi driver. He seemed pleasant from jump, he was so proud of his island and talked about it with that same love and pride that made me smile. What a wonderful way to show up at one's job! The traffic surprised me, I asked him about it, even that he was positive about as he mentioned that growth caused it but its all good Seeing the daily lives of the people on the road, the hustle, the children walking from school, the after work traffic, I didn't even feel rushed,their bustle felt relaxed. We came off the main road and drove into the well manicured compound with large trees, cleaner sidewalks, newly paved roads, people in uniforms smiling and waving. The compound is beautiful, an all inclusive resort is never one of my favourite places, it seems so sterile but that is my view, many people love the seclusion and ease of it all. So I am learning to be neutral

You know a skill that’s underrated but super valuable? Storytelling . Ari I'm en route to a speak at a Conference in St Lucia. I was asked today if I am being paid to speak at the Conference, I said no. That question was almost like a mirror to me reflecting what has been going through my mind over the past few days. Value and Service. What is the difference between valuing oneself and providing a service to my community. I would love to hear from you, let's share lessons and compare notes! Peace

In form, you are and will always be inferior to some, superior to others. In essence, you are neither inferior nor superior to anyone. True self-esteem and true humility arise out of that realization. You will never experience the success, do the things you really want to do as long as you worry about it. Chances are you are thinking in terms of what you do not have and cannot do.  Your good cannot get to you if your mind is filled with lack. You have no room for blessings if your words are laced with limitations. You will not notice or be open to new experiences if you are stuck in old ones. What you want may be totally new to you. It may be beyond your highest expectation. How can it get to you if you keep getting in the way? It's time for you to move, realising the thing that you are seeking is also seeking you. Peace Look out for me at the CRCA Conference in St Lucia https://www.crcaconference.com/ Have you read any of Akosua's work? What Did I Learn Tod

" Go out into the countryside and teach the Gospel", they said to him, "What will we say?" And his response to them was, "I'll tell you when you get there. " Book of Thomas The small voice within is a guide, it tells us what to do and where to go, and it works particularly well when we ask, it works even better when we get still, when we pause. It's usually a small voice, sometimes a whisper, you will miss it if you are too "busy" if you are moving around too much, if you are drowning it out with excessive "noise". "Noise" can be judgement, drinking too much alcohol. working too much, toxic relationships, judgement and not taking responsibility for your actions, too much TV and Internet to keep you occupied. Noise can also be not being present and minding other people's business. To teach is to demonstrate, or the combination of demonstrating what you have paid attention to when the small voice speaks to you

My advice: Spend more time learning who you are and what you want out of your intimate partnerships before jumping in and out of unfulfilling predicaments where your actions can hurt more people than you ever intended. Embrace honesty and be outspoken about what you need and what you refuse to settle for. If a monogamous relationship is what you seek, someone out there is willing and able to give you the things you want. Be patient. Don’t settle. And be true to yourself and honest with others. Feminista Jones Friday night girls party, a few drinks, some comfort food and lots of talks and laughs, always a fun time. Until it gets serious, with these particular women. The serious bit usually leans towards why am I still single after getting divorced over 5 years ago. I usually smile and say right now the situation I am in is working for me And if I am truly honest I really believe that it does. Its even so much more comfortable to just remain where I am at the present moment - sing

Onward and upward. Growing and expanding . Deion Page Dear November We meet again, I thank you now for coming around again for me to experience another one in this form. I thank you in advance for: -safe journeys – courage  – letting go of what is not serving my growth  – fun  – reminding me that mistakes make masters & they are part of the journey  – to not beat up myself about them.  For reminding me that these dreams that have been downloaded from Source are there to bring to fruition. I'm ready! Let's do this Peace