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

   “ Let’s keep reminding each other: our stories survive because we continue to tell them. Period.” Ava DuVernay  Reading that Ava quote, It felt like a whisper from my grandmother’s kitchen.. Not because it was new, but because it was familiar. It reminded me of something I had always known but had, somewhere along the way, tucked into the back pocket of life’s busyness: I am a storyteller. I come from storytellers. And stories are how we survive. I grew up in the presence of voices that painted worlds. Women who could turn a simple pot of soup into a parable. Elders who didn’t just recount events—they passed on wisdom, encoded in laughter, caution, and grace. I learned how to listen before I learned how to speak. And when I finally spoke, I realized I was echoing generations. But life, as it does, got loud. Got fast. Got practical. And somewhere in the shuffle of building programs, shaping policy, and navigating transitions, I forgot that storytelling wasn’t just a to...

Part of courage is simple consistency - Peggy Noonan   I started going to a boxing class. Five days a week. It’s intense. The kind of intense that makes you question your life choices mid-combination. I struggle—let’s be clear. Compared to the other participants, I’m often behind. My feet don’t always follow the rhythm, and the fitness tests? Let’s just say they test more than my fitness. But I show up. Every day, I hear my name echoing through the gym. “More power on those bags, Akosua!” “More speed, Akosua!” “Akosua, Akosua!” Sometimes I smile in annoyance, thinking, Can’t he see I’m flat out and ready to faint? But I keep punching. I keep moving. I keep showing up. Last week, after a group session, the trainer said, “I want to give a prize for the most consistent boxer here. Rain or shine, I know this person will show up. Y’all be like Akosua.” Me? I was shocked. Pleasantly surprised. A little embarrassed. I didn’t win for speed or strength or technique. I won for consistency. O...

  "Your whole life is a manifestation of the thoughts that go on in your head." - Lisa Nichols  Rev Deborah L Johnson , one of my favorite spiritual teachers, says  that one of our most sacred responsibilities is to mind our mind—to be consciously aware of our thoughts and how we choose to direct that energy. It’s a call to presence, to stewardship of the unseen currents that shape our lives. Because whether we notice it or not, our thoughts are always making an imprint. They ripple outward, forming the architecture of our reality. How many times do we realize that the thoughts we place the most energy on, manifests itself into reality - whether we want it or not?  So why do we not pay attention? Why do we allow our thoughts to run unchecked, as if they were background noise rather than the blueprint of our becoming? I believe in the energy. I believe that what we think and say is where we are living. Our thoughts are not passive—they are generative. They are the qu...

  “ When you abandon yourself to please others, you teach the world that your truth is negotiable.” — Unknown There are moments when the world aligns in such a way that it feels like a whisper from the universe—a gentle nudge to pay attention. Today, the beach offered me one of those moments. The fishermen were already out on their boats when I arrived, casting nets, pulling ropes, calling out to one another in words I couldn’t understand but whose meaning was clear: Here, take this. I’ve got you. Let’s work together. There was grace in their labor, a kind of poetry in the way they bent and lifted, in the way the sea accepted their efforts without complaint. And then—just above them—a rainbow, as if placed there just for them. For a moment, I stood frozen, struck by the sheer beauty of it: these men, doing the most ordinary of work, bathed in something extraordinary. How Many Rainbows Do We Miss? How often do we rush through our days without seeing the magic woven into the mundane?...

 Rather than think about what you have to do to change a situation, consider what the situation might be doing to change you. How it might be seasoning and transforming and growing you. You are not responsible for everything and everyone. Allow that as a possibility. Jessica Dore There are some situations that don’t come into your life to stay. They show up like quiet teachers, nudging you to shift, stretch, evolve. They whisper of change, even when you’re desperately clinging to what’s familiar. You say you want to grow—but are you ready to release? You say you long for transformation—but have you made peace with the discomfort of the unknown? Let’s be honest: loss is terrifying. We grieve even the things we no longer want. The familiar, no matter how confining, wraps itself around us like family. It becomes our safety net, our story, our shield. But maybe it’s time to redefine “lose.” What If Loss Is Just a Beginning? I don’t say I lost my house anymore. I don’t say I lost my ma...

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ” –Albert Einstein Yesterday, the Nina ladies took on a short but spirited hike to the breathtaking Zorro Falls. What began as a physical challenge quickly unfolded into a living classroom—one where nature, uncertainty, and sisterhood taught us more than any indoor session could . We use these outdoor journeys as practical learning spaces: to explore how we navigate challenges, embrace uncertainty, and show up for one another with both strength and softness. And this hike delivered all of that—with a splash of fun and a whole lot of heart. There were moments that tested us: slippery rocks, steep climbs, and the rope-assisted ascent up the falls—the easiest way up, but still no small feat. What stood out most was the cheering. The genuine, soul-deep encouragement that echoed through the trees as each woman tackled the terrain. It was a reminder that support isn’t just about lending a hand—it’s about believing in eac...

No one comes to the earth like grass. We come like trees, we all have roots - Maya Angelou    August arrives like a roar. A reminder. A reckoning. A return. This month, I choose to remember what it means to be Rooted—not just in place, but in presence. In truth. In love. In the quiet courage that says, “I will not abandon myself.” To be Rooted is to stand firm in the face of winds that try to sway you. It is to know, without needing to explain, that your worth is not up for negotiation. It is to feel the pulse of nature in your bones, the rhythm of spirit in your breath, and the clarity of truth in your choices. This August, I root myself in: - Nature – the original teacher of resilience and grace -  Truth – even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s mine alone -  A Positive Mindset – not toxic optimism, but intentional hope -  Love – for self, for others, for the journey -  Spirit – the unseen force that guides and grounds -  Courage – the kind tha...

“ My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”   Maya Angelou I picked up one of my old journals this week—something I don’t often do anymore. I've started letting go of them when the pages run out, a quiet rite of passage, I suppose. A moment to say: I’ve learned from this, now it’s time to move forward. But this time, I was searching. A line, a moment, something I scribbled while half-listening to a podcast and reaching for the nearest page. What I found were two questions written in my own hand: - What do you think about the most? - What would you do with your life if you didn’t have to pay bills? They stopped me. I’ve been feeling rudderless lately. Moving, but not quite arriving. Doing, but not fully being. These questions didn’t demand answers—they invited me home. What I Think About Most? I think about being healthy. I think about showing up kind. I think about being great—not perfor...

The deeper you go spiritually, the less impact the ego will have over you . Sadhiviji  There are moments when the truth sits quietly beside you, waiting to be acknowledged. I stumbled across a quote by Sadhviji that hit a little too close to home If you believe that you're unworthy of love, you'll act in ways to ensure no one loves you. If you believe you're unworthy of abundance, you'll live in scarcity. If you believe you're not good enough, you'll ensure that whatever you do ends in failure My first instinct was resistance—“No way am I self-sabotaging!” But truth has a way of softening defenses. I sat with it, breathed through it, and stepped aside to ask: Am I responding from ego, or from truth? In hindsight, yes—there are decisions I’ve made that carried the fingerprints of fear, doubt, and lack. Not because I wanted to stay stuck, but because some part of me believed I was supposed to. Subconscious beliefs shape our patterns, and life, ever the mirror, ref...

Choice is your greatest power. It is an even greater power than love, because you must first choose to be a loving person. Carolyn Myss There’s a moment, often missed, between thought and action—a sacred pause where our greatest authority lives. Choice is one of the most potent forces we possess. It is the quiet architect behind the life we live, the relationships we nurture, the truths we embody. Every choice—whether grand or subtle—holds power. And every choice carries consequence. When I slide into blaming others, to feeling like a victim, to throwing my hands in the air, I think about what choice did I make to contribute to where I am today.  What makes this even more astonishing is how often we choose unconsciously. We choose by habit, by reaction, by ancestral muscle memory. We choose from fear. From judgment. From ego. These choices, unnoticed as they may be, still create. They ripple outward, manifesting realities we may never have intended but must now account for. And whe...

  Grace is a muscle—I’m learning how to flex it. I used to think healing meant a life with no more challenges. That once I “got it right,” the hard stuff would vanish. But the real revelation—the one that gave me peace—was realizing that healing simply means I move through the challenges differently. With more courage. More patience. More calm. When that truth landed, I laughed out loud. All those moments I’d spent berating myself for missteps, not seeing that what I was actually building was discernment. What looked like failure was practice. What felt like chaos was the slow unfolding of wisdom. Now, life looks different. The government contract ended, and with it, most of my income. Old me might’ve spiraled—shame, panic, fear-based decisions. But this time, I feel something else. Concern, yes. But also clarity. I’m not scrambling, I’m listening. Asking for guidance. Giving myself space to respond instead of react. And here’s the beauty—I’m carrying this grace into my relationshi...

 You do not have to operate from a place of fear in the name of being ambitious - Rha Goddess  What comes up for you when someone calls you ambitious? That question, posed by author and soul coach Rha Goddess in her book Intentional Ambition, stopped me in my tracks. Was I offended? Appreciative? A little of both? I remembered telling a friend that someone we both knew was “quite ambitious.” I meant it as a compliment—someone willing to do whatever it took to get ahead. But now, I see how loaded that word can be.  Redefining Ambition Rha Goddess invites us to rethink ambition not as ruthless drive, but as a commitment to growth, thriving, and collective uplift. It’s not about sacrificing health, relationships, or integrity for success. It’s about aligning with purpose and honoring both self and community. This resonated deeply. For so long, ambition has been framed as a solo pursuit—climb the ladder, chase the goal, win at all costs. But what if ambition could be intenti...

  “ Wan­na fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”  Toni Morrison  Staying the course begins not with grand gestures, but with a whisper: This too shall pass. It is not mere endurance, but a conscious planting of perspective. This mindset becomes the soil—rich, fertile, and ready—for transformation. To stay the course is to become both resilient and receptive. Feedback doesn't bruise; it refines. The trials do not shatter; they strengthen. You learn that thick skin is not hardness—it is wisdom in motion. Staying the course isn't optional. It's embedded in life itself. Every pivot, detour, stumble, and elevation demands it. We’re enrolled in this curriculum simply by choosing to live fully. "Just as I’m on the path to growth, something happens to test me. It’s as if life is whispering: Are you ready to stay the course?" The Invitation of the Unknown Life delights in surprises. It doesn’t ask for permission to shift. And so staying the course become...

  In nature, everything exists within a larger field of support: the tree is held by the soil, the fungi, the sunlight, the rain. It doesn’t  earn  that support. It exists within a system designed to sustain it. Ellie Seilern This quote found me when I needed a reminder. A reminder of what it means to be held—not through merit, not through effort—but simply through existence. And it unlocked something in me: a deep wave of gratitude for the earth that has always known how to carry me. Nature has been my quiet companion, my sacred teacher. In the ache of uncertainty, in the mess of transition, when I didn’t know what healing looked like—I walked. Up steep hills with no promise of a peak, across beaches that washed away my fears grain by grain. The winds changed without warning, the skies tested my resolve, but the sheer magnificence of the moon hanging over the sea, the sun breaking the horizon open—it reminded me I was still here. I didn't plan for nature to heal me. I s...

  There’s a quiet revolution happening—one that begins with a simple, radical truth: I am worthy. Full stop. Not because I’ve ticked off every item on my to-do list. Not because I’ve stayed busy from sunrise to sunset. Not because I’ve earned a certain income, gained a certain following, or built a certain network. I am worthy because I exist. The Hustle Myth We live in a world that often confuses productivity with value. We’re told our “net worth” defines us. We’re praised for being booked and busy. We’re encouraged to chase metrics—followers, likes, connections—as if they are proof of our significance. And so, we hustle. We overextend. We say yes when we mean no. We perform. We prove. We push. All in the name of being seen as “enough.” But here’s the truth: Hustling for worthiness is a losing game. Because the finish line keeps moving. And the more we chase it, the more disconnected we become from our true selves. A Different Starting Point What if we began...