Tuesday, June 14, 2016

New Release Tuesday

I posted shared this on my Facebook page

and wanted to share it here.



No matter what we may be going through, personally and as a nation,

 please remember a verse from this song....



"All we need is hope and for that we have each other" <3 <3







Sunday, June 12, 2016

I'm Back! For Real This Time!!!



I could go into a long detailed explanation about why it's been almost a year since the last time I posted but I'm not going to do that. Let's just say, life happened and I pushed blogging to the bottom of my priority list. But I've missed it and I've missed you, my readers, and so I am vowing to make a conscious effort to blog more frequently.


So what's happening competition-wise? Well, my initial plan was to step on stage in July at Team Universe and win my pro card. If I was unable to win my card at Team Universe, I planned to hit the Masters Nationals stage two weeks later and win it there. These two shows were my finish line. Every workout, every meal, every thing I did during the off-season was for these two shows. I was determined to do the work so that when the time came, I would be victorious.

Prep started and things were moving along, slowly, but they were moving. Then there was a shift. Shit started happening. I couldn't control everything like I had previously been able to. I wasn't sleeping well. I was stressed. I was emotional. I was dealing with so many things all at once and guess what? I started to crack. Small cracks at first but they were there.

I checked in with my coach when scheduled and my thoughts gradually changed from being confident about being ready for Team U to concerned thoughts of having a physique that would be competitive for the national stage. I shared these thoughts with my two best friends and no one else. I strongly believe in the power of "speaking on it" so I was worried that if I kept saying that I wouldn't be ready, then that is what would happen.


Last Saturday marked 4 weeks out from Team Universe and I sent my progress pictures into the Boss Lady. However, this check in was different. I included a video message to her in which I said I didn't want to do Team U or Masters Nationals. I was open and honest about my feelings and my fears. I didn't sugar coat anything which I realized I had been doing in most of my check ins. Since she was out of town with clients that were competing, we agreed to talk when she returned home. 

We talked last Monday and agreed that I am not ready to compete at the national level next month. The Boss Lady told me to focus on the other aspects of my life, do what I needed to make training fun again, and to keep in mind that the stage will always be there whether it's in a few months or next year.

It was after that conversation that I decided I would not be competing in 2016. My heart and mind were just not in it. I just couldn't give prep & competing the attention and dedication it required. There would be no bedazzled suits or 5 inch clear heels for me this year. There would be no pro card. It broke my heart but I also felt extremely relieved, like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.

I took all of last week off from the gym. I didn't lift or do cardio. I happily drove past my gym without stopping and didn't feel one ounce of guilt about it.

Today was my first day back to the gym and during my workout I heard something that made me stop, put down the dumbbell that was in my hand, sit, and cry.


"You've gotten this far.
If you were going to quit, 
you shoulda quit a long time ago.
You've come too far to quit now.
Show me that nothing is impossible."


I texted my best friend Lo and sent her what I had heard. Her response was "That's true...u didn't come this far to quit...it's not what we do. So what r u going to do about it?" 

I don't know exactly what I'm going to do but I do know this, I'm not hanging up my clear heels just yet. It doesn't feel right. 

Nothing is impossible so I will figure this shit out and make something happen.

I hope you'll join me for the ride. 

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

New Release Tuesday


Let's breathe some life into this blog, shall we?

This song is perfect for how I feel right now....

I don't like life.....I love it.... 

Let's all grab an ice cream cone, 
sit back,
relax,
and enjoy the moment! :)


Tuesday, April 28, 2015

New Release Tuesday

Did any of you watch the show "Empire"?
I didn't but had been hearing about how great the 
music from the show was. 

I liked what I heard so much that I 
ended up buying the soundtrack!
Right now, this is my favorite song and 
it's currently on repeat.

Let me know what you think!


Tuesday, April 14, 2015

New Release Tuesday

This isn't a new release but in case you forgot about it,
let me reintroduce you!

This song came on last week during one of my
workouts and I almost lost my mind. #realtalk

Yes, I stopped what I was doing so I could 
do a booty shake.

To my fellow gym members that witnessed it....you're welcome.
To those of you who missed it....sucks to be you.... ;)

Enjoy!!



Thursday, March 26, 2015

Cuz I'm Happy...



Cue the Pharrell Williams song!

*actually please don't because that song grates on my nerves now - thanks local radio stations for overplaying it!

photo credit

Did y'all know that last Friday was International Day of Happiness? There was a Do Happy Today event on the plaza that is front of the library that I work at. The coordinator of the event asked for volunteers to help "sprinkle happiness" before and during the event. What is "sprinkling happiness"? It was as simple as this!





I have to be honest when I say there have been times in my life recently where I may not have been consciously taking the time to be happy, be present in the moment, be calm, etc. I have been on auto-pilot and that is not good!

photo credit 
When I volunteered to do the sprinkling, I began looking at the Day of Happiness website and realized  I was doing some of the things mentioned in the picture above....I just need to do them more often! What about you? Which of the "Ten Keys to Happier Living" do you need to practice more often?

I am going to diligently work on having more moments like these.












Here's to being carefree - present - grateful - happy!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

New Release Tuesday


Shaggy is back! 
Wait...was he ever really gone? 
I don't know the answer to that question but
I do know that when this song came on iTunes Radio,
(yes, I'm obsessed with iTunes Radio!)
I started shaking my ass...

After hearing that song, I wanted 
to go to the reggae bar that's here in town,
dance, drink, and eat some jerk chicken in the parking lot.
*sigh*

Enjoy the song and as always,
if you have any recommendations please send them to me!