Perception

~What’s up y’all? I pray this week allowed you to see yourself from the viewpoint of someone else. So often, we create an unrealistic view, in our heads, of how others see us. We have to remember, the way we see ourselves is not how others see us. Also, it’s not right (nor is it possible), for us to impose our opinions, of ourselves, on to our peers.

Before we get started, I just want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas! Aside from all the amazingly wonderful gifts you receive, remember why we celebrate this season. Anywho, are you ready to explore? Perfect, let’s dive in. Indulge and Enjoy!~

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I remember applying for my first job. My freshman year was coming to an end, and let’s just say I wasn’t on my best behavior. If you’ve been exploring with me, then you know from previous journeys, I wasn’t the sweetest in grade school. But, at 14 this was my first job, and of course, it was my first list of requirements.

So, I’m ending my first year of high school, and my mom is trying her best to keep me out of “trouble,” throughout the summer (easier said than done). At the time, there was a program called Summer of Opportunities, for the youth to get their feet wet with employment while school is out.

There were limited spaces, an extensive application process, and a lengthy hiring advancement. One requirement was a letter of recommendation. I had no prior bosses, and at 14, any adult I knew was family (which they specifically told us we couldn’t use). So who do I ask? Well, even on my worst behavior, a couple of teachers took an interest in me and drew me close to them.

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One of the women who played a major impact in high school, (she continues to play a role in my life), was my history teacher. She’s like an Aunt… you know, the one that’s stern and refuses to allow you to “play yourself,” yet, you love hanging around her (even if it means assisting her with grading papers.)

Terrified, I asked her to write a letter of recommendation, on my behalf, knowing it would be tough to find good characteristics to speak about. To my surprise, she agreed without hesitation. The next day, she placed a sealed envelope in my hand, labeled “Alyshia-Mae’s letter of recommendation.”

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YOU MEAN I CAN’T READ WHAT SHE WROTE!? I just knew I wouldn’t be getting this job. I didn’t have anyone else I could turn to, so I decided it was best to just submit her letter. A couple of weeks later, I received a letter from the city I lived in (also the city the program was through). Bam! I had a summer job to look forward to! I was elated!

Of course, I went to school the next day proud, and ready to share the news. Approaching the teacher that had written my recommendation, she must have seen the joy on my face. Right away she smiled and said, “You got the job!”

I confirmed and thanked her for the letter. Then I asked, why was she so confident I would be accepted. Smiling the entire time she said, “ You’re an intelligent, beautiful, poised, young woman. I never doubted your ability to success…”

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Poise

/poiz\

Noun

Graceful and elegant bearing in a person.

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I had never even heard the word poise before this conversation. If I did, it definitely wasn’t in correlation to me and my appearance. How did she see me as poise?

According to me, I was average, intelligence wise, and I lacked beauty. I was a young woman though. She got that part right.

So did she lie? To me, at that moment, she definitely lied! Now, over 10 years later, I realize she was giving HER perception of me. Mine nor anyone else’s mattered.

Yes, sometimes, my perception of me won’t align with my peers, family, and/or friends (quite often actually). This is completely fine! My goal… is to make sure I have no, well, very few, negative perceptions in the world!

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.

Something Different

~Hey Family! I pray this week has shown you just a glimpse of what your 2020 will look like! As for me, it’s safe to say I’m beyond excited to see what next year will bring!!

This week, I want to explore the many changes that took place in my life. And, of course, I’ll share how I feel about them and what they’ve taught me. Ready to explore? Let’s dive in! Indulge and Enjoy!!

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Last week, I may have (intentionally) forgot to tell y’all I quit my job. After a year and 7 months, it was time to say goodbye. Did I want to? No. I didn’t have much of a choice though. My contract was ending December 20th and if I didn’t find a new job soon, I would be standing in the unemployment line.

So I had two job offers, I ended up going with the one I felt God had been guiding me to and, MAN!! When I tell you I am so impressed with this company!! For obvious reasons, mainly privacy and protection, I can’t give you guys the name of my new employer, however, I want to take this time to remind you all to never stop trusting God!

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Lately, I’ve been paying close attention to the opinions of others. Not necessarily their opinion of me, (because y’all know I don’t care what people think about me) I do pay attention to what they think about people, situations and events surrounding us.

This week, I started my new position and my observation unintentionally poured into my peers. I realized how free everyone is to be themselves WITHOUT JUDGMENT. I mean not even the slightest hint of judgment! It was an amazing feeling.

Then, I started thinking about everyone I’ve encountered since moving here… So far, I haven’t witnessed nor have I experienced any judgment. Now, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page, I’m talking about judgment in the negative sense. (Gossip, slander, belittling, degrading conversations.)

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Yes, people here share their opinion, even when not warranted. And, no, everyone doesn’t always get along. But, I’ve noticed a different level of respect here. I’ve noticed, people’s first instinct here is not to spread whatever you shared with them to the world. People know how to provide constructive criticism without destroying one’s confidence.

I’ve noticed a level of respect, I wish I saw more of back home. Here, we focus more on what’s right in our lives, rather than what’s wrong. We start conversations with laughter and love before we dive into “vent” mode. We end phone calls with, “I love you,” no matter how many times we’ve spoken to one another (this took some getting used to).

There’s a level of protection, I feel here, I wish I felt back home. My siblings genuinely care about how I’m adapting to life here. Family reaches out just because. If they haven’t seen or heard from me within a reasonable time, they become a little uneased.

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My siblings desire to bond with me! Sometimes, at home, I felt like a social outcast. Like nothing I did was good enough for my siblings to want to “chill”. Here me just being me is enough!

And, this is the best part! My siblings encourage me to build relationships with their spouses/significant others!!! Back home, my brothers definitely weren’t a fan of this (even though my niece’s mom and I became, and still are, the best of friends).

I’ve always been big on family. And I love my family back home. I miss them daily. I just wish they would express, they missed me a little too…

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Living here is definitely a learning experience. Sometimes even a culture shock, if I’m being completely honest. Thanksgiving was crazy for me because I’m used to only being around 5-7 people. So, to be in a house full of what felt like 50+ people (all family), I definitely became overwhelmed at one point.

I went to my car, called my mom, and cried for about 5 minutes. Then I put my big girl pants on, went back in there and genuinely enjoyed my family and their dysfunction.

Yes, they have their own dynamics and dysfunction, just as my family back home does. So I want to end this by saying this…

Change isn’t always bad. Different isn’t always wrong. New isn’t always fun. And, old isn’t always trash.

Learn to love what you have for what it is. This doesn’t mean you have to tolerate anything that disrupts your peace, it simply means accepting and reacting accordingly.

Thank you for exploring with me! I really 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.

Staying True

~Happy December Family!!! It’s the last month of the year! I pray this month provides you with closure on the good, the bad, and the ugly of this year. As for me, well I’m praying the same prayer for myself!

This week, I want to explore Beautiful. Passionate. Love.! This won’t be a super long journey, however, I feel inclined to address a few things moving into 2020. Ready to explore? Let’s dive in… Indulge and Enjoy!!~

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First, I want to say this space is my baby! Our journeys are therapy for me. One thing I’ve realized, within the last few weeks is, once I started sharing my faith, and allowing God to be visible on our journeys, I’ve lost a lot of views. So, I want to address this…

Beautiful. Passionate. Love. exist because God gave me a voice and a platform. When we first started exploring, I was afraid to openly discuss my faith because I wanted this to be a safe/free environment for everyone. I realized, within our first year together, if I continue to exclude my faith I would lose my transparency…

Yes, as you know, I’ve made a multitude of mistakes throughout my life, and continue to make mistakes daily (we’re all human). We all need something to give us strength from day today. For me, it’s my faith. Without my faith, I am no one. Without my faith I am voiceless.

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I said all of this to say… MY FAITH is not leaving this journey!! I love and respect all of you, however, this space was created on transparency and me keeping it real. I will never intentionally disrespect anyone’s religious beliefs, but I will also never intentionally compromise my own.

Some of you may be asking, “Why is she saying this?” Well, mainly it’s because God had been dealing with me, this week. Because my views have been low I thought about embellishing our journeys to make them more “interesting.”

As I write this, I’m so glad I choose not to do so. Transparency… will remain key in our journeys. Honesty… will continue to lead us on our journeys. Committed… I will remain to Beautiful. Passionate. Love.! Numbers… will never define this space…

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Sometimes, you have to remind yourself of your why. I think this week’s journey is more for me than it is you. You see, when you compromise your character for attention (good or bad), it changes you.

Have you ever thought about how life-altering lies are? I mean, once you tell a lie, you have to keep up that story, in order to convince everyone. Think about it, if I tell you I’m sad with a huge smile on my face, you aren’t even going to ask what’s wrong. But, if I’m crying when I say it, you’re automatically intrigued to want to know more.

Now that you’re intrigued, if I don’t have a captivating story to tell you, you won’t care. So, I make up one to tell you… Now, I have to make sure to tell everyone around me the same story and pray none fact checks the details.

I don’t know about you, but lying or embellishing is too much work for me. I’d rather be myself and attract genuine, loving, people who deserve my time and energy.

This week I’ve come to realize, now more than ever…

I’M ENOUGH JUST AS I AM!

YOU ARE ENOUGH AS YOU ARE!!

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

Thy Will Be Done

~What’s up family! I pray you’ve been productive in planning out the end of your year. As for me, I’ve had to deal with some upcoming realities, however, I’m beyond blessed! This week we’re going to continue with the lessons of 2019.

Before we dive too deep into this journey please keep in mind, with next week being Thanksgiving, we will not explore together Saturday, November 30th. We will resume our journeys, Saturday, December 7th. With that being said, are we ready to explore? Indulge and Enjoy!!~

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“It’s all about me!” I heard this phrase yelled so often throughout my life. Most of the time, it was from my mother. (Please hold the judgment and continue reading.) As a single mother of four, my mother rarely had time for herself. I can literally only recall two times, to this day, she actually took some “me time,” and did something she wanted to do. If she wasn’t working, one of her multiple jobs, she was with me and my brothers. Between the four of us and the many friends (of ours), she took responsibility for, her hands were always full…

**Story Time**

All through grade school, my older brother and I attended the same schools. Because he is only a year older than me, our friend groups would often merge. I can remember one year in high school, my sophomore year, his junior, the school made the mistake of having my brother, me, AND all of our friends in the same gym class. Of course, we got into some trouble and we immediately were escorted to the Principal’s office. As we sat in the office, my brother wouldn’t let me or our friends talk. He just kept repeating, “Call our lawyer…” every time the Principal asked us a question.

Thank goodness for Catholic school, because I’m positive our city school district would have called the police. Our Principal knew he was referring to our mother when he said “lawyer,” and we (friends included) knew our mother would get us out of this. So, they called her on speaker. One thing we all need to know is my mom does not play!! Man… Listen… She yelled at the Principal, the gym teacher, AND us!

Once she finished, the principal pointed my brother and me out of the group instructing us to go back to class and, she’d be calling the other students’ parents. Our mom quickly replied in and frustrated, firm, direct, tone, “I will handle all of them. You all better be at that school when I get there at 3:15. If I have to come find ANY OF YOU, there will be hell to pay. Do you hear me?” We all replied in unison, “Yes Ma’am…” Before she ended the call, she said, “Now, take ya’ll a**es back to class, and I better not get another call from this school today!”

No other parents were called and we were all sitting on the school steps when she pulled up…

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This story is a perfect example of my mom taking on more than she needed to. I can go on and on with stories of my mom’s selflessness, but that’s for a future journey. What I really wanted to convey with this story is, yes, my mom yelled “It’s all about me,” however, her actions showed it was never about her. To this day, though my siblings and I are grown, it’s still not all about her.

I definitely inherited this trait from my mother. BOTH OF THEM. I’m always yelling at myself to be more selfish and focus on me. In the same breath, giving any and everything I can to my family and friends. I don’t have any children of my own, yet I always have children with me. According to the camera roll on my phone, I have between 7-10 children.

So many times, within the last few years, I’ve promised myself, “It’s all about me.” This year, however, I’ve learned it’s not about me at all. No matter how many mountain tops I stand at and shout, “It’s all about me,” God’s will for my life, will always redirect my path…

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One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned this year is… Thy will be done. All of us on this journey are not well versed in scripture so, I will explain “Thy” translates to “Your” and “Your” refers directly to God. In other words, God’s will be done.

Now, as a reformed control freak, I will say this has been my most challenging lesson to learn… I mean, I have thrown full-blown tantrums with God, because I don’t know his plan for my life. I’ve been upset with Him. I’ve been childish towards him. I’ve even flat out disrespected him (with my actions). Yet, he still loves me.

Instead of turning his back on me, he caresses my soul saying…

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

-Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

He accepts the parts of me, the world deems as broken, tattered, and useless and He tells me they’re perfect. He has welcomed me home, with open arms, every time I’ve ran away. He is the love that shines through me. He is the joy that beams from my soul. He is my heavenly Father.

This year I have grown from the defiant daughter, that refuses to obey their parents, to the mature young lady who turns to them for guidance. And, yes, I do turn to my mom and dad for guidance, have done so for years, but they don’t know my future either. So now, I address my Heavenly Father, I take heed to His direction and follow His word.

As His perfectly imperfect daughter, I thank and honor Him for never giving up on me…

You all should already know this by now, but 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

A Love Letter (Second)

~Hey Hey! I pray this week has brought you clarity regarding the next path in your journey. (It did just that for me!) I really don’t want to talk about what happened though. I’d rather share what’s been on my heart. Ready to explore? Awesome! Indulge and Enjoy!~

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Dear Future Husband,

Thank you, for an amazing night! After the week I’ve had, yesterday’s date night was a perfect surprise. I mean, there were so many roses! And what was the scent of that candle? (We definitely have to buy more of those). It’s funny to see the look on your face when the little things you do amaze me. Almost, as if you expect me to want more from you. But yet, you know me so well!

Between our work schedules, lately, we haven’t had much time to just enjoy one another’s company. A tub full of bubbles and a bottle (or two) of wine was the perfect way to do just that! Being around family and friends is always beautiful, however, I love my time spent with you and only you. You know, like when I can’t sleep. So, you hold me tight, my head on your chest, and tell me your plans for our family. I slowly start to drift to sleep, as your fingers tangle my already coiled hair…

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Okay, so maybe this was just a dream. Maybe, the only joys pulling me through this week have been, my love for God, and my love for you. It’s been a while since I’ve written to you. I just need you to know, your visits in my dreams keep me grounded in preparing for our future.

Thoughts of you, fill my soul with joy beyond words. It’s as if you know just the right face to make to calm my forever racing mind. You know just how tight to hug me, to reassure my sense of security. And, you know just the right time to fill my ears, and heart, with prayers reminding me where our strength comes from.

Dreams of you balance me. They force me to remember, I will be perfectly yoked for the right man. They forced me to continue to push myself in all aspects of life. Most of all, they remind me to keep God at the center of all the things I desire, including you.

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I use to believe, there was only one true love for everyone in the world, but, not anymore. What I now believe is, out of all the humans on earth, we choose the one we are most compatible with. We pray we’re choosing someone we can grow old with, in hopes of forming true love.

My handsome husband, you will not be my first love. You will not be my first kiss. You will not be the man who takes my virginity. But, what I want you to always remember is, you hold so much more than any of those men.

You are my perfect match. You are my swipe right. You are my fish out of plenty. You are the Christian I choose to mingle with. You are the One I choose to pour into, as you choose to pour into me. You are my forever love…

I love you,

Your Wife

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As you’ve explored this journey, I pray, you remember how promising your future is. No matter your relationship status (single, divorced, or widowed) you’re special someone is patiently waiting for your paths to cross.

Remember to prepare yourselves for a love like no other. For a love, only God can ordain. For a love, greater than you could ever imagine!

I love y’all!

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

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