Do You Know What Today Is?

IT’S OUR ANNIVERSARY!!

Yes! We have been exploring together for exactly ONE YEAR today! Man, I can’t even believe it! I mean I literally remember sitting at my desk (at work) wondering if I should even embark on this journey. I promise I’m so glad I did!

Journeying with you all has taught me so much about myself! I mean, this month last year, God revealed, I knew absolutely nothing about Alyshia-Mae. He showed me, in order to move forward, I had to look backward one last time. So, I chose to do the work! I’m still doing the work… I will forever be doing this work!

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Wow! How did I miss the significance of this month? I’m celebrating our first year together while getting settled into an entirely new state! You all journeyed with me through my first trip to Kentucky! Christmas of last year! Now, I live here!!! On top of all that, 2 years ago, on October 6th, 2017, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior! As you can see, October has been HUGE for me these last couple of years.

Prior to this realization, I use to HATE the month of October! I mean between, clowns, vampires, bats, and zombies, I felt I couldn’t leave the house without being scared out of my mind. I would make sure to be locked in my home before dark and to turn off all the lights on Halloween, to ensure no one knocks on my door. Now, I just feel free. I’m amazed at how God will use a month I dread to bring me back to life! I’m so excited to see how He reveals Himself, even further, to me in this beautiful month!

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Are y’all ready to explore on a deeper level? Throughout this last year, I’ve learned to accept all aspects of my past. With me being comfortable with, and accepting my past, it opens up an entirely deeper, more intimate level of exploring!

It’s a beautiful feeling to not fear judgment. To know who you are, in the Father. To accept your mistakes and FORGIVE YOURSELF, as you ask for forgiveness. I thank God for the person I am today, and am ecstatic to pursue Him on an even deeper level throughout this next year of journeying!

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I want to take the time out to say THANK YOU ALL!! From the ones who have been with me since Taking a Chance, to the ones who are journeying with us for the first time today, and everyone in between… I LOVE YOU!

I appreciate you, you don’t know how much it means to know I have family in 56 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. This is only the beginning! I am enthusiastic to see what this next year brings!!

Please note we will not be exploring this Saturday (10/12). I have to get some things situated here in Kentucky. We will be back to our normal schedule the following Saturday (10/19).

Stay tuned as I continue…

“Working on me- While sharing with you!”

I love y’all!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

See Ya Later

~Hey family! To immediately clear up any confusion, no, this is not the end of Beautiful. Passionate. Love. In fact, this is only the beginning! I pray this week brought you closure on obstacles out of your control. As for me… Well, keep reading and find out! Heads up, there will be no journey Saturday October 5th. Let’s explore. Indulge & Enjoy!~

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For the pain you’ve caused me, I thank you. For the confusion you’ve poured into me, I appreciate you. For the embarrassment you’ve lathered me in, I honor you! For the insecurities you’ve allowed to blossom within me, I love you.

You’ve been so meticulous in every season of my life! How could I not be in love with you? When the world was against me, you were also. When I thought I had no one on my side, you reassured me. When I just couldn’t seem to get this thing called life right, you found more chaos to throw my way. Thank you!

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See, you have molded me into the beautiful, charismatic, triumphant, woman, I am today! All of these obstacles can be seen as negative, I mean, not even a year ago, I would have called them negative myself.) But, the truth is, the pain and trauma you’ve caused me has been the best thing to have happened to me. You gave me a voice, the very voice the enemy tried to silence.

Remember, when I moved to Georgia? Right, the worst 6 months of my life. I thought, by walking away from you, all of my fears, insecurities, and doubts would disappear. I thought life would be perfect. I was completely wrong. So I came back home. I set a one year plan and surpassed it by 3 years. For some strange reason, I didn’t care about not sticking to schedule.

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When I moved to Georgia, I was running. Running from my mistakes. Running from my past. Running from my pain. Running from a future I didn’t want to accept. I was not only broken but shattered. And, like so many others, I thought packing up and starting over would change my outlook on life. It didn’t.

This time is different though. As I plan a future, in a new state, surrounded by family and endless opportunities, I feel free. I don’t feel my past on my heals just waiting for an opportunity to pull me back in its darkness. I have made peace with my past! I have accepted my faults! And, I have gained closure!

Rochester… as I drive away from you today, I don’t want to say goodbye. Goodbye is too permanent for a place holding almost all of my memories. Goodbye makes it seem like I will never see you again. Goodbye sounds like I’m still running. So no, I won’t say goodbye. What I will say is, “See Ya Later…”

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Yes, family! You read that right! I am relocating and possibly driving as you are reading this! It’s been in the works for 9 months now and I am excited yet nervous to explore my new home!

This week, I want to remind you, your geographic location has no control over your mindset. If you are not happy with yourself in Washington, you won’t be happy with yourself in New York. Change your outlook on life before you try to pick up and start new. The last thing you want to do is bring your misery alone with you.

Today, I challenge you. Find one thing you dislike about the way you’re living. Write it down! Now, think about how changing that one flaw will impact your future. Do you really want to change it? Cool! Write down three ways you can begin to remove this flaw. Don’t want to change it? Fine!! But stop allowing it to dictate your feelings on life!

Remember, there will be no journey Saturday October 5th!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Side Chick

~Hey Hey! How are y’all feeling? I pray this week gave you time to reflect on your past just a little. It sure did for me! I want to journey back to my past, for a moment. I’m sure this title has some of you judging me, already. I’m not surprised, though. What I will say is, to anyone who may unfollow Beautiful. Passionate. Love. after reading this… I’m praying for you! Ready to explore? Perfect! Indulge & Enjoy!~

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I take pleasure in being your late-night desire… The one on your mind, while you’re lying next to her. The one you text, when everything else in your life is going wrong. The one who receives, “Good Morning Beautiful,” as soon as you make it to your car.

Actually, that was our, “coast is clear” message. Do you remember? How I knew I could call and text, as much as I wanted, without worrying about getting caught. Send as many provocative pictures as I felt like, without you having to run to the bathroom.

Come on… don’t act like it didn’t happen! You couldn’t wait for Monday’s to come, and you dreaded Fridays… Two days with little to no communication with me drove you insane. I mean, you would literally sneak away in the middle of the night just to lay up under me, and I was always down. As long as you remembered to make it home on time come morning.

You hated, I wouldn’t fight for you. You couldn’t understand why I was so comfortable with you going home to her. You wanted the drama, the emotion. You wanted me to show you passion, more than just in the bedroom. You wanted me to actually want you, even though you didn’t want me. That, I just couldn’t give you…

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Judgement… Judgement… Judgement! I literally feel y’all thoughts right now. Honestly, I’m feeling a little defensive… Like, I’m supposed to list all the reasons I’m still a good person. Say things like, “I’m not a homewrecker,” and justify it by saying “I never wanted him to leave her.”

Well, guess what… I’m not going to say any of that! So, if you feel some type of way FEEL IT!! This platform is all about transparency! And, I know, there are other women, men even, who are dealing with or have dealt with this before. Therefore, WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT!

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Full transparency… Yes, I’ve played the role of a Side Chick. Honestly, I’ve done it too many times in my 27 years of living. Am I proud of it? Not at all. Do I regret it? I regret being the reason another woman is hurt, or feels insecure in her relationship. However, I do not, any longer, regret my actions. (Before anyone comes at me about this statement, please, go back and read Regret, Why?).

At the time, I was content and confident playing this role, I genuinely felt this was my purpose in life (relationship-wise). I didn’t feel I deserved to be someone’s wife, the only woman they were committed to. My self-esteem was so low, I wrote off my future.

Being real, I was afraid of commitment. It was easier to deal with a man already committed because he can’t expect much from me, right? So, he wants to be the only man I sleep with… I’m cool with that! I don’t do the whole overlapping partners thing anyways. It’ll be the whole, “When I’m with you, I’m with and when I’m not, I’m not,” type deal, right?

Little did I know, I wasn’t creating soul ties with just him, but with her as well! I would lay in bed at night and wonder if she knew he was gone… Wonder if she knew he was cheating… Is she hurt…? Is she cheating…? What will I say to her when she finds out? How can I comfort her?

Sounds crazy right? I’m lying in bed next to her man and all I can think about is her and her feelings. That’s when I realized something had to change within me. So I did the work… I started asking questions to figure out why all my life I never felt like “wife” should be my title. Once I got that answer I dug even deeper. Why don’t I feel like I should be someone’s number one? That answer made me dig even deeper! Why do I hate me…

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If you’ve been exploring with me for a while, then you know, most of these questions have already been answered. It took me years to realize my potential and beauty. I mean, I didn’t stop hating myself, until may-ish of last year. And, I didn’t fully realize my beauty until late last year. I battled myself, internally, for at least 21 years of my life, before I finally got it right!

To be clear… I no longer partake in this behavior, nor do I encourage it! As mentioned in our introduction, this is exploring my past.

Everyone won’t be able to relate to this journey, and that’s okay. Guess what though! Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has something in their past, they’re ashamed/embarrassed of. For me, this was one of mine. It’s easy to bury these moments, and pretend they never happened. But what was the point of going through it, if you’re not going to share the lesson with someone else?

I love y’all!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Battle of the Sexes

~ What’s new B.P.L. family? I pray this week gave you the energy boost you need to finish this month strong! As for me? Well, this week I was feeling pretty poetic so I want to share this piece I started. It’s been a while since I’ve done poetry, I think I like where I’m going with it though! Well, let’s dive in! Indulge and Enjoy!~

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Battle of the Sexes

He didn’t fight for me…

He walked away…

He didn’t come back for me…

He walked away, chose not to stay…

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She took care of me…

She sacrificed so much…

She instilled values in me…

She sacrificed so much, no financial crutch…

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She guided me…

I’m lost…

She fed me…

I’m empty…

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He prayed for me…

I’m desperate…

He searched for me…

I’m right here…

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She disciplined me…

He wasn’t there…

She, at times, put too much on me…

He’s unaware…

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I love them both…

My heart will forever be theirs…

I finally see growth…

My destiny’s looking brighter…

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I’m not exactly sure why all of this was stirring within me this week. I’ve been hard on myself lately. Forcing myself to not look back on decisions I’ve made with my best interest in mind. I know it’s easy to blame your decisions on your childhood.

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“My Dad wasn’t in my life…”

“My relationship with my Mom is strenuous or desiccating…”

“I’ve always been the ‘black sheep’ of the family…”

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Allow me to be very clear, THERE IS NO EXCUSE, GRAND ENOUGH, TO GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO ABANDON YOUR DESTINY.

Stop believing the hype media tells you, regarding being a product of your environment. Stop forcing yourself to conform to the way of the world. You don’t fit in? Awesome, your destiny calls for you to stand out. Wear your differences proudly! Stand tall in the very features the world tells you are flaws. If it makes you happy, laugh! Who cares if you’re the only one laughing?

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Let’s do this transparency thing we love so much. If you’ve been exploring with me since the beginning, then you know my father wasn’t in my life until about 10 years ago. You also know, a little bit, about my relationship with my mother (it’s been tough).

According to media/stereotypes, I should be a single mother with multiple children and the number of “baby daddies” to match. I should hate the world and be full of revenge and regret. Beautiful. Passionate. Love. shouldn’t exist. Well, it could exist, but I’m not supposed to be the author. Why? Because it’s too positive for what the world expects me to be. Guess what though. Next month will be a year since we’ve been exploring together!

I defy the odds of my upbringing on a daily basis and I will continue to do so. I used to hate being so different, not fitting the mold. I was “too saved” for my unsaved friends, and “not saved enough” for my saved friends. Not edgy enough for my “hood friends,” and “too edgy” for my suburban friends. Instead of changing me, I changed my environment. The ones who thought I wasn’t good enough for them were right. So, I let them go. LOOK AT ME NOW!

I’ve said all this to say, every experience you’ve been through is what makes you who you are today. If you genuinely don’t like who you are, figure out why and make the needed changes. However, if you don’t like who you are because you’re different… I pray a season of seclusion surrounds you, that you may not only learn to love who you are but also, see how your differences apply to your destiny. I love yall!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Just One Of Them Days

~Beautiful People! Goodness, I’ve missed you all! I pray this week exposed a flaw in you, that once corrected will thrust you into your purpose! I pray when this flaw is revealed to you, you have a moment of praise, the pieces of your future align! Pretty specific, huh? Well, ya’ll should know by now, I only talk about what I know! So, are we ready to explore? Indulge & Enjoy!!~

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Okay, so let’s be real, self-reflection and self-improvement aren’t always fun. These last two weeks have been very difficult. Guess what though. I MADE IT! Yes, there were several bumps in the road, and I would have to say Wednesday contained the largest bump of them all. I mean, keeping transparency, sadness confound me in all aspects of life.

Long story long, I was very short, conversation wise, with everyone at work for the entire day. Halfway through, an incident concerning a client arose, forcing me to have no choice but to work with a coworker. Not a problem, we’ll just resolve the client’s issue and move on with our workday, right? Psh, I wish!

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So, My coworker starts asking me questions, pertaining to the client. And then, her Team Lead jumped in, in an attempt to assist us. Also, her colleague chimes in. Not a problem, we all have one goal in mind, operation “Assist the Client” is in full effect. That is until my emotions took over, and I unnecessarily felt overwhelmed and attacked.

Because I already knew I was in a very emotional space, I decided to walk away from the conversation entirely. The problem with walking away, for me is, I wear ALL of my emotions on my face. Everyone can tell when I’m high or low emotionally (I’m working on changing this).

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Wrapping up this story, as I walked away, I heard one of the three women express her opinion of me having a bad attitude. While she’s most certainly entitled to her opinion, I became even more frustrated in knowing my sadness was being translated into anger.

So now I feel the need to explain myself. I type up a message to the original person I was speaking with, apologizing if the interaction was disrespectful. I also, expressed, I was having a really rough day emotionally. She didn’t respond…

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My day became even more difficult, resulting in me crying, twice, in the middle of my workday. After talking with my manager, who understood I was just having a one-off day. I realized one of my greatest flaws is the need to explain myself.

You see, the desire to want to over-explain oneself often comes from the desire of wanting to be liked by everyone. (Guilty!) Wanting to be liked by everyone, often comes from a spirit of rejection. (Also guilty!) And, the spirit of rejection usually stems from low self-esteem. (Hold up! This one isn’t me! Not anymore at least!!)

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I’ve said it before, insecurities never fully go away! So, yes, while I am fully aware of how beautiful and valuable I am to the world, I will still have days or moments throughout a day where I won’t be so sure of either. This doesn’t mean I have low self-esteem, it simply means I’m having a rough day. And, I don’t have to explain why I’m having a rough day!

Now, your rough days do not give you permission to ruin the days of those around you. There are three things I did correctly Wednesday, recognized I was having a rough day and distance myself from everyone. Also, in my unnecessary explanation, I apologized, realizing I may have come across disrespectful. Truth, I didn’t have to apologize…

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As life happens, these days will arise. Remember, the only person you owe anything to is YOURSELF!

Give yourself time…

Give yourself attention…

Give yourself love…

Give yourself space…

Give permission to feel how you feel…

But, when its all said and done, brush yourself off and remember YOUR VALUE!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Let’s Talk It Out

~What’s up y’all!! I pray this week provided you with the clarity you’ve been searching for. As for me… This week has been an emotional roller-coaster! I mean, I cried almost every day and couldn’t begin to explain why. I made it through though! On this journey, I want to let y’all in a little deeper than usual. Ready? Indulge and Enjoy!~

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Transparency is, still, key with us, right? Okay, so here goes nothing… I’m struggling to embark on this week’s journey with you all… I mean, I know exactly what I want to say, just don’t know how to formulate my thoughts without feeling like I’m exploiting the topic…

You see, God is the most important part of my life… He gave me this platform… He’s been journeying with me since before I knew journeys were a thing. He chooses our journeys and he walks on them with us weekly… So, I’m sure you’re wondering, just as I am, why am I struggling?

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Let’s talk it out! Religion is, and will always be, the most controversial topic in the world. Hold up… Pause… Before I go any further… This post is not to sway ANYONE to my religious beliefs and vice versa! Now, what was I about to say? Right, this family is made up of so many different walks of life, from around the world, I would never want to offend any of you.

Yes, I sprinkle God in our journeys from time to time, however, I’ve never done an entire journey on him. Now as most of us know, our journey, each week, is based on what I feel is the major point of interest, in my life, that week. Well, this week it was definitely my faith!! So I should be able to talk about it right? Glad you agree!

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I spent this week seeking God. I felt He and I had been missing some intimate time with one another, and I heard Him asking me to make room for Him. Without thinking twice, I turned off the secular music and turned on my Christian playlist! But, by Tuesday afternoon, I didn’t feel satisfied.

Before I went to sleep Tuesday, I agreed to seek Him even harder the next day. Now, Monday and Tuesday, I woke up at 5:15 am with no troubles, but Wednesday… Man Wednesday, I woke up at 6:36 am. I LEAVE THE HOUSE AT 7 am! So, needless to say, I missed my prayer time.

I was determined though. I get to work and turn on a sermon and really dig into what is being said and then BOOM… My emotions went on a rampage. I became so upset for no reason at all. Then, all at once, I became really sad. I mean it was completely out of my control. This rollercoaster lasted for the rest of the week…

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Needless to say, while writing this, I’m still not in the greatest headspace… Usually, when I journey with you all, I’ve walked through the beginning middle and end. This time, not so much. To be honest, I think I’m still at the beginning. I mean, I know I’m blessed, and I, also, know I’m highly favored in the Lord! However, at times— most of the time, I struggle to receive His love because I know I’m not worthy.

Wow! There it is family! I’m struggling because I know I don’t deserve to be loved by God… Guess what though! HE LOVES ME! He loves me more than I will ever know. More than my mind will ever be able to grasp! And, I have to accept His love. I have to be confident in known, in His eyes I am more than worthy of His love! AND YOU HAVE TO TOO!

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If you’ve made it this far, I really want to thank you! I know this is different from the journeys we usually have, however, I had to walk through this and B.P.L. is the only place to do so for me! I love y’all.

Be blessed!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Regret, Why?

~Hey Beautiful Family! I pray this week has made you think twice before making a destiny altering decision. As for me… Well, I was tested, multiple times, and I’m proud to report I’ve passed the majority of them! This week, I want us to journey through one of the most powerful emotions we possess… Regret. Ready to explore? Me too! Indulge & Enjoy!~

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Alright! Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The big meany that always picks on us, especially when we’re already down on ourselves. You know, the feeling that you shouldn’t have called him/her, even though you missed them and you just wanted to check-in. Or how you shouldn’t have had that second piece of cake, because it wasn’t a part of your meal plan.

Let’s address the feeling by name. Let’s take its power away, that we may no longer be shackled by its bondage! Let’s walk away from the hurt we’ve felt all these years. Stop trying to ease into this break up with the “It’s not you… It’s me,” speech. END IT NOW! Close the door before they drag you back with the trips down memory lane. RUNAWAY FROM REGRET… and stop looking back.

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I don’t know about you, however, I’m exhausted with having regret on my mind, constantly. I mean, I regret pressing snooze on my alarm, somewhere between five and 15 times, this morning. I regret speeding past the car on my way to work, the driver had no idea where they were going. I regret being the main bully in an alliance, solely created, to make a now close friend cry, way back in high school. I also, regret running away from home when I was 14…

There… now you know some of the things I regret. From trivial to literally life-changing… Have they altered your opinion of me? Can you not journey with me anymore? Am I a bad person, now? No? WAIT! You mean to tell me the events in my life that I’ve been dwelling on, big and small, don’t matter to you at all? You, respectfully, couldn’t care less? So why am I so regretful?

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Truth? All regret really is, is a huge hypothetical mind game! We sit and think about random events and obstacles, from our past we think we would change, not realizing, EVERYTHING we’ve gone through is literally mapping out where we are going. Don’t get it? Check this out… Have you ever seen That’s So Raven? (One of my favorite shows growing up!) If you haven’t definitely check out a clip or two!

A quick synopsis, the main character, Raven, is “psychic.” So, every episode we see her have “visions,” pertaining to her family and friends. Whenever she has a vision, if it’s bad she does everything she can to try to make the vision not true, and if it’s good, I can’t remember many good ones… she tries to make sure it happens. Usually, almost all of the bad stuff ends up happening, I believe the good stuff did also.

What it took Raven, her friends, and her family four seasons to realize is everything always came true because of her actions (prevention or otherwise). That’s what I mean by a huge hypothetical mind game. She saw the future, regret what she saw, tried to change it, and then became the main source of why the event takes place. So now I ask…

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Do you really think you would be in a different position in life, as a whole, if events didn’t fall the way they have thus far?

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Now, someone is definitely reading this saying… “Yes, if I was born rich or won the lottery, my life would be drastically different.” FALSE!! You would still have problems just on a different scale than the ones you have now. I imagine life would be pretty tough not knowing who is genuinely there for me as a person or just for my money or celebrity status. (Just a random example I thought of.)

My take on all of this… Stop regretting your decisions and start double checking your decision making! Once words are said, you can’t take them back. And, once actions are made, you can’t undo them. So, before you make you’re next decision, big or small, ask yourself… ”How will this impact my destiny?”

I want you to take a pledge with me! We’ve done a similar exercise in an earlier journey. Find a mirror, or something you can clearly see your reflection in. Repeat these words…

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“I control my destiny by my actions. If I act before thinking, I lose control. Thinking after acting, is regret attempting to consume my mind and I REFUSE to live a life wondering, ‘What if?’

Today, I choose to take my life back! Today, I choose a wiser thought process. Today, I force regret out of my mind and replace it with certainty! Today, I am free!”

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Don’t believe it, repeat it until you do! Need to talk something out? I’m here for you! Email me at beautifulpassionatelove@gmail.com, we will work it together! (Please, remember I am not a licensed therapist.)

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

But, What About Me?

~Hey Hey! How has this week treated you all? I pray it was full of opportunities to grow! As for me, this week was a challenge! God revealed some emotionally draining, toxic relationships, I have to begin to evaluate. All and all though, this week has been so beautiful!

I mean, I’ve experienced an enormous wave of positivity that stayed with me from Wednesday afternoon, until this very present moment! It’s an amazing feeling. I’ve never been high before (by drugs of any sort), but this has to be what it feels like! I feel confident… proud… tranquil and joyful. The best I’ve felt in a long time!

Well, this has been a longer introduction than usual! We aren’t even exploring this on our journey. Let’s not waste any more time! Indulge & Enjoy!~

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Hey,

When I sat down to write this letter I was concerned I would become exactly who you say I am. Afraid, I would take the bait, and explore a hateful journey, going against everything Beautiful. Passionate. Love. stands for. Terrified, my platform wasn’t being perceived for its intended purpose. But, I’ve overcome my fears… I’ve addressed my concerns! And, I’m ready to address you.

I know you don’t want to accept it, however, you’ve played a role in my brokenness… You have referred to me as ungrateful, a traitor, even a fat b*tch. You have criticized my decision making whether I was right or wrong. You have belittled me and forced me into a box of uncertainty and confusion.

And, everytime I think we’ve made progress, you rip the scab off of an old wound and force us further apart. As I try to pull you closer, you deepen the wound by smiling in my face as if nothing ever happened…

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What I need you to know is I LOVE YOU!! And, there’s NOTHING nor ANYONE that can change the love I have for you!

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With that being said, I also need you to understand, this situation is no longer about you… The decisions I’ve made and will continue to make are solely based on me, and what I need to continue to blossom. Though you don’t agree with them, I pray, one day, you’ll support me and see/understand why they had to be made.

You’ve always been very vocal about your feelings to the people around us. For that, I’d like to extend an apology. I apologize, you didn’t feel comfortable enough coming to me before going to them. I apologize you got the impression I would not listen had you come to me. And, I apologize for the hurt/pain, causing you to react in this way.

I’m choosing to write these words to you because communication has never been one of our strengths. Confrontation nor hostility are feelings I choose to explore at this point in my life, therefore, a face to face conversation just isn’t right for the present moment. What I will extend is an offer to go out to dinner whenever and wherever you choose! It’s up to you.

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Regardless of what you choose to do with these words, I need you to know I CHOOSE ME! My entire life, I have walked around on eggshells, fearful of hurting the feelings of people around me. I don’t know how this was instilled in me (or why for that matter), however, I can no longer accept this way of living. I can no longer fall asleep at night asking, “When do I get to start living my life…?” This year, I’ve FINALLY started living, and though it has severely strained our relationship, I LOVE IT!

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I ADORE you beyond measure, and pray, peace understanding and forgiveness shower over you!

-Signed: Alyshia-Mae

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Wait, y’all are still here!! Thank you so much for exploring with me this week! I had to share how I feel, and sometimes I feel like these weekly journeys are the only way to do so.

If you’ve read this letter and the only thought on your mind is, “Who did she write this to?” Go back and read it again because you’ve missed so many valuable points.

And, if you read this and you are unclear, or feel you don’t know you’ve received what I intended to put out, check this out!

This platform’s purpose is solely to work on me, while sharing with those who are invested in this journey (by reading weekly). This space will NEVER be used to bash, misrepresented or teardown ANYONE. All material in this space is written in a tasteful manner to ensure three main facts:

First: The identities of those referred to remain anonymous (unless permission is granted by said persons).

Second: Blame is never shifted onto persons/parties other than myself.

Third: My TRUTH is shared.

As the creator and ONLY author of Beautiful. Passionate. Love. it is my responsibility and privilege to ensure this space always promotes positivity and remains a safe space for all to express themselves. As you explore with me, always feel free to share what you’ve gathered alongside our journey. So long as whatever you “takeaway” is positive, I’ve achieved my purpose. This space is just as much mine as yours!

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As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Regaining Focus

~Hey Family!! Welcome to August! We are over halfway through 2019!! Can you believe it? Me either. I pray this year, thus far, has challenged you to alter your thought process. With 5 months left, I want to encourage you to stay focused. Ready to explorer? Let’s dive in. Indulge & Enjoy!~

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I feel like this time of the year is when most people begin to give up on themselves. I mean, for 7 months, you’ve been working on you, and you may not feel you’ve made enough progress. You’re not seeing the fruit of your labor, and you may not even remember what you’re working so hard for.

If this is you, I need you to remember, it isn’t over! You still have 5 AMAZING months ahead of you! Please, don’t cheat yourself!

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KEEP PUSHING!!!

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I’m here at this very moment. I don’t see enough progress to be satisfied with my actions. Apart of me wants to give up and start a new path, however, I know I need to continue fighting through this!

In the last month, I haven’t had much spiritual reflection, nor have I taken time for the important aspects of my life. Between work and dealing with my moving situation, I haven’t had much of any time to really decompress.

With all this being said, none of this gives me the right to give up on my promise with God, myself, nor my future husband! And, it doesn’t give you the right to give up on your promises either.

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My word for the next 5 months is CONSISTENCY. I have to put forth the same effort I did in the first 7 months! Notice, I didn’t say I have to try harder. Most of the time, progress can’t be seen when you’re in the middle. You just have to keep the faith in knowing you’re doing what your Heavenly Father has asked of you.

Also, please remember we aren’t perfect! We’re going to fall. Don’t let that derail you. It’s a part of success. Failure is the main component of growth. What I want you to do is, remember how you felt at that moment of failure. After you’ve prayed on it and asked for forgiveness, use it to push you! Use it as fuel! And never forget the pain you felt of letting yourself down. That pain will refocus you when you’re tempted in the future.

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This is probably the shortest journey we’ve had so far and I apologize! I’m literally in the middle of packing, the movers will be here in a few hours! I just wanted to share a little bit of what I’ve been dealing with, this week. If you’re where I am, I challenge you to seek solitude and regrouped!

There will be no post next week, August 10, as I have a multitude of tasks to take care of. I love you all and I pray August begins to rebuild your faith in yourself.

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new journeys will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.

Find Your Peace

~What’s up family!! I pray this week has guided you one step closer to you finding your peace… As for me, this week has been pretty calm. I mean, my procrastination is at an all-time high, but that’s another story! Anywho, let’s explore! Indulge & Enjoy!~

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P – E – A – C – E… Peace. Freedom from disturbance… Tranquility. (Google) Sounds good, right? It does to me! I mean, to be in a space of complete serenity… To be able to see and process all the chaos around you, yet, your soul remains at complete peace. Sounds amazing!

This is my dream… I want my soul to always remain at peace. I desire to help and guide everyone I come in contact with, in some aspect of their lives. I strive to constantly make a difference. However, I no longer allow this to come at the cost of my own peace!

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For people, such as myself, who are constantly submerging ourselves in others’ turmoil, it’s difficult to claim and protect our peace. Because we are constantly communicating with people of all walks of life and faith, we often feel a heaviness weighing on our spirit.

Constantly pouring into others, we don’t realize we’re not feeding our souls the necessary content to promote peace and tranquility. Chaotic environments can only breed chaos! We tend to find ourselves becoming the very messes we’re attempting to clean up.

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So, what can we do to not only regain our peace but protect it also? Great question!! If you’re anything like me, it may take you a while to find what brings you peace. Let me be clear, it’s IMPERATIVE that you take the needed time! This is also an opportunity to get to know yourself a little better! For me, I’ve realized, I find my peace in solitude.

Now, if you have the amazing, wonderful opportunity of knowing me personally, then, you’re aware I’m a social butterfly! I find pleasure in communicating with others, and I admire different walks of life. At one point in my life, I hated being alone. In fact, it terrified me!

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S- O- L- I- T- U- D- E… Solitude. The state or situation of being alone. (Google, again) See, I use to equate solitude and alone as the same. Because I didn’t know the difference, I allowed my spirit, my soul, to be abused. Most of the time I was the abuser…

Check this out. Alone means, having no one else present, (Yes, I used google again!) and, I’ve already shared what google defines solitude as. So, to me, alone is on the physical sense- you know to physically have no one present. While solitude is a state of being.

You see, I could be in an arena full of thousands of people yet still be in a state of solitude. I could also be in a park, under a huge oak tree, reading a book, while children run past me giggling in complete bliss, and still be in a state of solitude. For me, solitude is a position of the mind!

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So, back to our question of how we regain our peace and protect it? You take the time to learn what feeds your soul! You find what brings you tranquility. Is it reading? Is it out on the town with your friends? Is it dinner and a movie with your mom/dad or both? Is it all of the above? Awesome! But, if you’re not sure what feeds your soul, do what I had to do.

Step out of your comfort zone!

Just remember to have fun and feed your soul while doing so!

As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave feedback in the comments section.

(All new post will be uploaded Saturdays by 12:30 EST)

I am BEAUTIFUL. I am PASSIONATE. I will LOVE.