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

  Affirmation: “I no longer betray myself for peace. I create peace by being true.” “What do I need today—and am I honoring it?” A question asked with compassion. Received with surprise. And now held with reverence. It came from someone I admire deeply—intelligent, intuitive, and kind. And it landed in me like a seed. Quiet. Potent. Ready. Since that conversation, I’ve been paying attention.  Not just to what I do—but to why I do it. Not just to how I show up—but to whether I feel whole when I do. Because here’s the truth: It’s easy to lose ourselves. To dishonor ourselves. To convince ourselves that it’s nothing. We call it sacrifice. We call it being cool, being liked, keeping the peace. We call it “not a big deal.” But it is. It’s a betrayal of Self. And betrayal, even when done quietly, spills. Into our relationships. Into our work. Into our bodies. Into our joy. I’ve done it. I’ve ignored my needs to be liked. I’ve ignored my needs to avoid conflict. I’ve ignored my needs...

 Affirmation:  I am open to receiving abundance in all its forms—seen and unseen, simple and sacred. I trust that what I need is already on its way. I’ve been sitting with the word “abundance” lately. Not just the Pinterest version with gold fonts and overflowing fruit bowls, but the real, raw, everyday kind. The kind that whispers, nudges, surprises. The kind that shows up even when the bank account is quiet and the contracts are on pause. Abundance, to me, is the flow of energy from the Universal source of life. It’s spiritual and material prosperity. It’s love and wisdom. Talents and virtues. Money and material goods. It’s whatever we need to fulfil our purpose—and it doesn’t always come dressed in dollar signs. I’ve been meditating on how abundance shows up in my life, especially now, in this season of change. And let me tell you, it’s been showing up loud and clear. Not in the ways I used to expect, but in ways that feel even more sacred. A kind word from someone who sees...

Affirmation:    I honor the signs. I release the excuses. I choose truth, even when it’s inconvenient. We heal when we stop avoiding the signs. Not just the ones that whisper discomfort, but the ones that scream danger. Not just the physical aches, but the quiet erosion of self-trust. Healing, for me, is not just about the body. It’s about how I feel about myself when no one is watching. It’s about the choices I make when I want to win more than I want to be well. There are times I’ve wanted to win so badly— to prove I’m worthy, capable, right— that I’ve justified what I knew, deep down, was misaligned. I’ve ignored the nudge. I’ve overridden my intuition. I’ve dressed up excuses as discernment. I’ve even reached for spiritual platitudes to soothe the sting: “All is well.” “I saw a sign.” “I’m on the right path.” But Life, in her infinite grace, doesn’t let me get away with that for long. She loves me too much. She nudges. She whispers. She roars. She gets my attention in any...

Affirmation: I trust myself enough to choose" I believe our souls and spirits are involved in every single choice we make. Even the unconscious ones. Even the ones made in fear. Even the ones we avoid making altogether. Choice is not just a mental exercise. It’s a spiritual transaction. A whisper from the soul. A nudge from the spirit. A portal to creation. Sometimes I make choices knowing they’re not the best ones. I choose silence to avoid conflict. I choose compliance to be liked. I choose delay to dodge discomfort. And still—my soul is present. My spirit is involved. The consequence is never just external. It reverberates through the inner landscape. When I refuse to choose, I am still choosing. And my soul knows it. My spirit feels it. There is no bypassing the sacredness of choice. When we choose in alignment—with our values, our truth, our spirit— there is a peace. Not always ease. But peace. We are always being led to that place. To the choice that honors our wholeness. To...

  Affirmation: Peace is my compass. Integrity is my path. But when does that measurement begin? Is it at the moment of the decision? Or in the process that leads to it? Or in the unfolding that follows? I’ve been walking with this question lately. Especially when I hear someone say, “I made the right decision.” Often, they’re speaking of love. Of choosing a partner. Of finding happiness. But then they add, “The process was messy.” Cheating. Betrayal. Hiding. So I ask: If the union is happy, does it make you a better human being? Is it in alignment? It’s the same with the dream job. You get it. You’re thriving. But the path there was dodgy—manipulation, omission, stepping over someone else’s truth. Is that in alignment? Beyond Judgement, Beyond Ego I’m not asking these questions to judge. I’m asking to understand. To strip away ego and performance. To sit with the soul of the choice. Because alignment, to me, is not just about outcome. It’s about process. It’s about peace. The ...

“You have to know yourself, well enough to trust yourself, well enough to be yourself and know that that’s enough.” — Onami When someone asks, Do you know yourself? what do you say? I’ve noticed that many of us respond with what we are not. “I’m not a morning person.” “I’m not into cars.” “I’m not a people person.” Or we reach for roles: “I’m a mother,” “I’m an accountant,” “I’m a wife.” Sometimes we name our struggles: “I’m anxious,” “I have anxiety,” “I’m messy.” But rarely do we answer from the inside out. Rarely do we say: I am curious. I am tender. I am resilient. I am joy. Why is that? The External Mirror It’s easy to define ourselves by what we do, who we’re with, or what we’ve survived. Careers, relationships, identities—they offer structure. They give us language. But they’re also temporary. If I am only “a wife,” what happens when the marriage ends? If I am “an entrepreneur,” who am when the business folds? I’ve learned that when I tie my sense of Self to something external,...

  Affirmation:   Even in uncertainty, I am rooted in grace. This month, I do not arrive with a plan. I arrive with presence. I do not demand certainty. I offer surrender. The grants have faded. The contracts dissolved. But I remain. Not as a fixed point, but as a living question. What does it mean to serve when the structure shifts? What does it mean to lead when the map disappears? October is not asking me to hustle. It is asking me to listen. To show up without armor. To feel without flinching. To trust that the ground beneath me, though unfamiliar, is still holy. I am not lost. I am being rerouted. I am not broken. I am being reformed. This month, I will not chase clarity. I will cultivate courage. I will not grasp for control. I will practice trust. I will show up. I will feel. I will be. Peace and Blessings ______________________________________________________________ Rooted in Obedience: A Companion Reflection Module: Courage & Belonging Sometimes courage looks like...

Affirmation:  Today, I choose presence over performance, trust over control, love over fear. I am rooted in awareness, and I return to myself with grace.  This week, I’ve been sitting with the ego. Not the kind that struts and boasts, but the quieter one—the negative ego. The one that whispers stories when I’m not paying attention. The one that pulls me out of presence and into performance. I’ve noticed how it shows up: In the need to know everything—before, during, and after. In the distraction that feels like urgency. In the craving for external validation, applause, approval. In the stories I make up to feel safe, seen, superior. When I listen to the negative ego, I act from fear. I compare. I control. I conquer. I want to win—at all costs. And the cost is high. Peace becomes scarce. Confusion becomes familiar. Connection becomes conditional. This week, my practice has been self-awareness. Noticing when I slip into fear. Noticing when I speak out of turn. Noticing when I ju...

  Reflections on the Nina Documentary Launch – Sunday 21st September 2025 Affirmation:  Obedience births alignment. Trust the nudge. There was no budget. Let me start there. No grand sponsor, no overflowing account. Just a deep knowing: this must happen. The launch of the Architects of Change documentary was more than an event—it was a calling. A whisper from the Most High that said, share these stories. And so, I listened. I wrote to a few corporate companies. Some responded, some didn’t. I wasn’t discouraged. I was determined. And then, on a quiet Saturday morning walk along the beach—my usual rhythm—her name came to me: Tisha Jack, founder of TCJ Events. Now, I hadn’t spoken to Tisha in years. A brief hello two years ago, nothing more. But the nudge was clear: Call her. So I did. She gave me a quote—beautiful, but beyond what we could pull together. I was honest. She was gracious. Her words: “Have no fear. We will make it happen.” And happen it did. The venue was transforme...

Affirmation: I show up with intention. I stand on my values. I honor myself and others in every exchange.  Lately I have been practicing to  ask myself: What is my intention? Not just in the big, sweeping gestures—but in the quiet moments, the conversations, the choices made when no one is watching. To me, intention is not a vague hope or a distant goal. It’s a living compass. It asks: • What am I hoping to achieve? • What am I hoping to share with those around me? When I move with intention, I move with clarity. I am less likely to be swayed by the need to please or perform. I am more likely to stand rooted in truth. Living My Values My values are what I stand on. They are the quiet truths I carry whether the world is watching or not. • I value kindness—not as niceness, but as a radical act of care. • I value mutual respect—where dignity is not earned, but honored. • I value authenticity—even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s not liked. These values are not ju...

Affirmation : I honor the process  When we’re called to do something new—whether through prayer, intention, or a quiet whisper from within—what’s the first thing we focus on? For many of us, it’s what we don’t have. What we can’t do. What must be perfect before we begin. We start scanning for certainty, for guarantees, for ease. We want the path to unfold exactly how we imagined it—smooth, predictable, affirming. And when it doesn’t, fear creeps in. Doubt takes the mic. We start rehearsing reasons to delay, to shrink, to wait for “the right time.” But here’s what I’ve learned: Anything new comes with a process. And that process will ask something of you. It might ask for discomfort. It will definitely ask for discipline. It may ask you to stretch, to stumble, to start again. There is no shortcut to transformation. If I want to get healthy, I have to move my body. If I want to learn Spanish, I have to practice. If I want to grow—spiritually, professionally, personally—I have to show...

Affirmation -  Presence is my power source Lately, I’ve been asking myself—what’s taking up bandwidth? Not just time or attention, but the deeper current of energy that fuels how I show up in the world. Is it overthinking? Future thinking? Emotional labour? Energetic dependence? It’s astonishing how easily the mind slips—into the future, into the past, into loops of what-ifs and should-haves. We rehearse conversations that haven’t happened, replay ones that already did. We try to solve what isn’t ours to hold. And in doing so, we abandon the only place where life is actually happening: here. Now. Presence isn’t passive. It’s a practice. A training. A remembering. I have to remind myself—daily, hourly sometimes—to return. To breathe. To feel my feet on the ground. To notice what’s in front of me, not what’s behind or ahead. Because the energy of presence is powerful. It’s what allows us to make decisions that are rooted—not reactive. It’s what helps us choose from clarity, not fear....

There’s a quiet revolution unfolding—and it begins with you. I created Rooted for the woman who’s ready to stop shrinking.   For the one who’s tired of betraying herself to belong.  For the one who knows that joy is not frivolous—it’s revolutionary. This 4-week online immersion is a homecoming to your truth, your boundaries, your joy.   Each week, we’ll explore a theme that invites you to return to your center: - Week 1: Rooted in Self-Awareness   - Week 2: Rooted in Courage & Joy   - Week 3: Rooted in Boundaries   - Week 4: Rooted in Belonging You’ll receive guided reflections, affirmation cards, journaling spreads, and live sessions designed to help you reclaim your voice, your rhythm, and your sacred no. We begin October 5.   Registration is now open. If you’ve been waiting for a sign—this is it.   Your yes is sacred. Your truth is welcome here. Peace and Blessings Save Your Spot

  I am safe. I choose discernment over fear. I trust myself to stay. What Does “Uncommitted” Mean to Me? I’ve been sitting with this word lately—uncommitted. Not in the dictionary sense, but in the way it lands in my body. To me, it means someone who jumps ship when something shinier comes along. Someone who abandons the cause, the conversation, the community—without warning, without weight. It’s not about them, really. It’s about how I feel when it happens. I’ve noticed that when people around me act uncommitted, I react. I cut them off. I move on. I tell myself I’m protecting my peace, but underneath that is a deeper truth: I want to feel safe. And when someone leaves, I feel abandoned. I’ve been learning not to take things personally. I’ve been practicing self-awareness—not to judge myself because when I don't judge myself I don't judge others, but to understand the why behind my reactions. So now, when I feel that sting of someone pulling away, I ask: • Are you safe? • ...

  Rooted Series | A 4-week online immersion begins October 5 There’s a quiet revolution unfolding—and it begins with you. I created Rooted for the woman who’s ready to stop shrinking. For the one who’s tired of betraying herself to belong. For the one who knows that joy is not frivolous—it’s revolutionary. This 4-week online immersion is a homecoming to your truth, your boundaries, your joy. Each week, we’ll explore a theme that invites you to return to yourself with grace and clarity:  Week 1: Rooted in Self-Awareness  Week 2: Rooted in Courage & Joy Week 3: Rooted in Boundaries  Week 4: Rooted in Belonging  We begin October 5. Registration opens soon. For now, save the date—and begin listening for the yes inside you. Peace and Blessings Akosua Dardaine Save Your Spot

In the presence of eternity, the mountains are as transient as the clouds . Robert Green Ingersoll Sunday mornings have taken on a new rhythm. A new challenge. I lace up my shoes, press play on my soca playlist, and head out into what we lovingly call “the bush.” Trees stretch tall like elders, rivers hum low like secrets, and the bike trails twist and turn like stories waiting to be told. It’s absolutely lovely. And it’s mine. I stopped running just before Covid. A shoulder injury slowed me down, and then the world did too. But now, I’m back. And soca—sweet, pulsing, unapologetic soca—has become the soundtrack to my return. Without it, I feel lost. Slow. Like I’ve forgotten the beat of my own body. But this morning was different. As I ran deeper into the bush, off the road and into the quiet, I felt a tug. Not in my shoulder, but in my spirit. A gentle nudge to take the music off. To be present. . To run without distraction. To run with myself. And so I did. The run continued, but som...

I am seen. I am significant. I do not need to perform to belong.  Last Sunday, I found myself triggered. I was at a workshop, and something in the room made me feel... unseen. Ignored. My instinct was to do something—to retreat, to isolate, or to make myself visible in ways that didn’t feel aligned. But instead, I did something radical. I paused. I took a sacred pause. In that stillness, I asked myself: Why am I feeling this way? What surfaced was fear—fear of being seen as unimportant by this group. My negative ego had slipped into the driver’s seat, whispering stories rooted in scarcity and self-doubt. But was that story true? No. I realized I didn’t need validation from anyone in that setting. My worth wasn’t up for negotiation. I let it go. And I was proud of myself. This was one of the first times I chose the pause over the performance. I didn’t act out. I didn’t shrink or shout. I simply sat with the discomfort and looked at the bigger picture.   Why the Sacred Pause Mat...

   “ 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...