Day 29: January 29, 2016- Friday night and Chill

When you want "Friday night" to say Netflix, but your best friend said that you would be cheating if you watched Netflix... 

Mane, whatever... She had imitation ribs the other day and she's not supposed to be eating meat. Sooooo.... Me watching Netflix is the same thing... Or nah?

Lol anyway... Friday night was really chill. I received my MytaughtYou journal and "Over here being excellent" coffee mug in the mail!! I couldn't wait to open that package. 

The Learn More to Earn More journal was created by Myleik Teele. She journals and creates lists every day to keep her days on track. When she learned how to be more disciplined, she applied those two tasks to help her stay on track! I purchased the journal to try it out and see if it helps me do the same! 

Friday night I read the first few pages in the journal that pretty much shared how to use the journal. I'm enjoying it! I even listened to one of her podcasts, Maintaining Momentum" and journaled about it! The over here being excellent mug is so me. I bought it simply because I would say something like that and coffee is a MUST every morning for me! Lol I spend waaayyyyyyyy too much money on coffee! I may just pour my Starbucks in that mug every morning. Lol I like the mug that much! 

anyway... That was my Friday night...!

Day 26: January 26, 2016: #BlackExcellence

Tuesday! 

Easily one of my favorite days of the week...

It's my church day. A day where I anticipate greatly God's presence in worship and in fellowship with some church members that have become really good friends! It was literally the first thing on my mind when I woke up that morning....

And after all that.... anticipation... guess who didn't make it to church?!?! 

This one. #teamslackinallaround

I left the house for church and totally didn't make it.... I had every intention of going, I was just tired! I ended up catching up with a friend and then went home and cuddled with my dog! Smh... What is my life?? 

I didn't watch TV though aaaannnnnnd I was at work super early... 6:30 to be exact. Nothing new... gotta make this money. 

In other news....

Can we talk about the Birth of a Nation film?! For those who may not know, fine Nate Parker, wrote, directed, and starred in what seems to have been an amazing slave-rebellion drama! So amazing that he was offered a record-breaking $17.5 million to own the rights of the film?! This all happened at a bucket list festival that I hope to attend some day, the Sundance Film Festival. I've done some research on this film and was inspired by the time, effort, and money that went into it.  

Nate (yes we're on first name basis... He's bae, duh!) pursued this film with his whole heart. It took him seven years to write it. He even gave up acting for two years to devote his time into it. Talk about passion!! Talk about BLACK EXCELLENCE!!! He spent $100,000 of his own money travelling the world to pitch the film to investors. A few basketball players and others invested and helped form his $10 million budget... Remember the offer I mentioned??? He received his money back plus some. 

There are rumors that Netflix bid $20 million, but Parker turned it down to ensure that it was presented properly and to the right market!! That alone spoke volumes to me!! When you've invested in something and believe in something, your own project, you have to protect it! You don't necessarily sell to the highest bidder when it's your baby...when you want it done right!! 

I'm proud of this WIN for black people!! This shows our ability to BE in an industry that doesn't want to give us a chance! This shows the world that we belong... we always belonged and our gift will always make room for us!!  

I have learned to invest in myself, believe in myself, and allow myself to grow! No matter how many chances it takes... No matter how many No's I get... If it's mine, it's mine!! 

I'm so here for this story!! I'm looking forward to seeing this film.

Until next time, 

Stix

Day 25- January 25, 2015: (Monday Numero Quatro) Motivated by Monday IV

 I have a feeling that the Monday title won’t stick!! I’m not liking it too much.. in fact… as I was typing just now, I decided to strike the original title and change it to Motivated by Monday. 

What an oxymoron! I’m not motivated by Mondays… Mostly because I’m not doing what I love, but I intend to someday… I guess we can say I'm speaking it into existence! Boom… So there you have it… One day that title will be true! In the meantime… let’s talk about Monday!

Typical start to my week… I haven’t gone back to making my bed up in the mornings and yes, I’ve been hitting the snooze button… but I made it to work on time and even managed a little overtime after work! So blah…Typical Monday… I’m determined to end it with a quick work out on my floor…Maybe a few crunches (I need to work off these Klondike bars that I’ve been munching on since the snow showed its face…) and a push up or two! 

To end on somewhat of a positive note… I’ll share this… It starts kind of weird, but bear with me…

To get through my days at work, I’m usually listening to a playlist on Spotify. You know how songs make me feel… I, like most of us, associate certain songs to memories, some good and some bad. Today, while working on notes for a meeting I attended, Dwele’s “Open your Eyes” came on.

“I see you in a lonely place…how can you be so blind. You’re still regretting the love you left, left behind. Oh darling… I see you go through a change, sitting along each night. Are you expecting to find the love, love that’s right. Oh darling, open your eyes and let me show you the light. Girl you’ll never find the love that’s right….

There is a light that shines special for you and me…. You’ll need to look at the other side. You’ll agree… ”

Ok.. that’s enough. That song triggers a beautiful memory for me at the time, but definitely took me to a place today.. I was literally about to cry thug tears. My ex-husband used to create mixtapes that told “our story.” That was one of the songs from the first mixtape. I don’t think I’ve heard it since then. Anyway, I immediately went into this dark place that I’ve been trying to stay away from. That place where I hear the lies that I’ll never find love like that again…

That I’m the reason that my relationship ended…

I mean…after all… most of the guys I dated seriously are married now…

“…and look at you… divorced…”

I mean… THOSE kind of lies. 

Lies that I believe and pray like HELL that God will help me ignore. Anyway… right on time, my friend sends me an article entitled, “How To Ruin Your Life (Without you noticing that you are). Good stuff… I’ll include the link so you can read it, but check this out:

“You ruin your life by letting your past govern it. It is common for certain things in life to happen to you. There will be heartbreak, confusion, days where you feel like you aren’t special or purposeful. There are moments that will stay with you, words that will stick. You cannot let these define you – they were simply moments, they were simply words. If you allow for every negative event in your life to outline how you view yourself, you will view the world around you negatively….You will miss out on affection because you assumed your past love left you because you weren’t good enough, and now you don’t believe the man or the woman who urges you to believe you are. This is a cyclic, self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t allow yourself to move past what happened, what was said, what was felt, you will look at your future with that lens, and nothing will be able to breach that judgment. You will keep on justifying, reliving, and fueling a perception that shouldn’t have existed in the first place.”

 Commmmmeeeee on,  *in the voice of one of my good, church friends, Katie* If my God is not an on time God, man…!!! 

 http://thoughtcatalog.com/bianca-sparacino/2014/11/how-to-ruin-your-life-without-even-noticing-that-you-are/

 I’ma leave that right there! Check it out if you feel you need it!!! 

 Good stuff.

Until next time, 

Stix

#day12- January 12, 2016- Dear Diary, The struggle though...

Every time I type out the date in my title I feel the need to say....

"Dear Diary,..."

Random, I know. Maybe now that I've said it, it will be out of my system.

Tuesday! It was better than Monday, that's for sure! Not much better than Monday, but definitely better.... And by better, I mean I didn't hit the snooze button or get back in the bed. That's as far as it went though. I've completely gotten out of the routine of making my bed already. I think I'm going to try writing out my days, chore by chore to develop a better habit of handling my bih-ness because the way my life is currently set up( I actually hate that I quote that Kevin Hart line, but it's so necessary... Not really a fan of his, but I digress) I'm going to have to plan this out a little better.

It's amazing how I'm so disciplined at work. I set a goal for myself and I get it down... If I plan to be at work early, I usually do it. If I want to work an additional 2-4 hours, I do that as well! What is it about meeting my goals outside of work?? It's a daily battle I tell you!! 

Tomorrow starts my first day of the kickboxing class I signed up for... Let's see how this goes!! 

Until next time,

Stix

#day10- January 10, 2016: My "Why?"

My roommate and I had a great conversation about self-discipline and how hard it's been to give up television, for me, and cable for her! It all seems dumb and pointless right now. We've both found ourselves getting a bit frustrated by the process and even wanting to blame God or be mad at Him for where we are in life... I know, I know... That doesn't make a lot of sense and is ultimately not fair when I think about it.

One technique that I've practiced lately that helps me stay on task and committed to this challenge is to remind myself WHY I gave up television. I'll list them below:

1.) Maximizing my Time: I want to say last year, but if I'm being completely honest, I'll say for as far back as I can remember I have always spent my idle time in front of a television. There has always been something else I could be doing such as, organizing my living space, cleaning out my car, creating a plan for the day, week, month, or year, catching up with family friends, etc. Isn't it funny how we(or I) can give you a blow by blow of my favorite celebrities life, but can't tell you how my friend or family member is doing?! It's a sad or unfortunate truth that I am not proud of at all. With this challenge, I am committing to make better use of my time. 

2.) Saving money- Now that we both have given up television/cable, our new internet bill is so much cheaper than what we were paying... I'm talking like $140 cheaper. With this amount of money going towards catching up on bills (my divorce kind of jacked up my finances) and eventually putting this money away, I can take more trips and save for the house I hope to own in the next year or two! This definitely helps me stay on track! 

3.) Finding/ Focusing on my passion- Modeling is something that I really want to pursue and grow in, however I have never committed the time I need to, to make it happen. There are so many celebrities that I admire for always hustling and growing in their field and have always hoped to muster up the energy and drive that they have to pursue my dream. I know for a fact that they aren't sitting in front of a television. These people are studying their craft, building relationships with people in their field and working with them, and etc. Without television, I have time to do the same. Study my craft... Grow in that craft.! 

4.) Discovering new things- I hope by the end of this challenge I can say that I've tried lots of different things and found that I love some of them. Because I'm athletic and competitive, I am always down for a new sport to try. I've tried tennis and loved it! I will definitely revisit that sport with lessons in the spring. I plan to try my hand at golf as well. Recently, I signed up for a kickboxing class and a boxing class! I'll definitely blog about both! I'm looking to using some of this time to try different classes and see where it goes... Who knows.. I may take a cooking class! lol I'm not really about that life... But we'll see! 

Anyway, I was definitely motivated by our conversation to continue to focus on my "why" and continue to tackle this challenge with everything I have! This challenge could quite possibly lead to this year being "the best year ever" (another quote from my vision board) if I let it...

We shall see.

Until next time, 

Stix

#day9- January 9, 2016: "Be Bold. Be Unexpected. Be You."

That is one of the quotes on my vision/affirmation board this year! I took a peak at it before bed and it stood out to me... especially after watching the movie, "Joy," 

What an awesome movie... No spoilers, don't worry! 

One thing I'll share about myself before I continue is, I try to find the lesson in everything. In my mind, nothing happens by chance. If I come across it, it's for a reason and I'm going to find the lesson in it. Point. Blank. Period.  With that in my mind, I'll continue...

I walked away with quite a few lessons after seeing "Joy." In my opinion, the movie was a bit long and drawn out, however one thing I learned from Joy Mangano is that once you tap into your own power the sky is the limit! You literally cannot be stopped and absolutely no one can stand in your way. Joy Mangano is an inspiration, a hero! She was tested time after time with an invention that she couldn't get out of her head for years... She knew it was a good idea. Proving that to the world wasn't so easy... She wasn't your typical, self-confident, head strong woman. She was like me... A woman passionate about a dream and willing to do whatever it takes to protect it and see it succeed! She knew nothing about business. She simply had a good idea. 

She was bold when it was hard to be though... Unexpectedly brave and smart, and she didn't allow the market she was introducing her invention to change her!! It's a remarkable story and one that I was proud to learn is a true story! 

I love a good movie, but it's something about learning that the character that you are drawn to and inspired by is real. It makes defying odds and overcoming defeat seem possible! It's a great movie that I recommended to everyone! 

I walked out of that movie feeling like I could conquer the world... I felt like nothing could stop me... I am even more encouraged to...

Be Bold.

Be Unexpected.

Be Myself! 

Good stuff... It was also so refreshing to sit in front of a movie screen! Lol the things we take for granted! I am now extremely grateful for a movie theatre, chile!! Haha! 

Until next time friends, 

Stix! 

#day6- January 6, 2016- Random blogging/ #WCW

Listening to: Coldplay- Everglow

Not really sure how to write this one. I wouldn't call this "writer's block..." Just a chill night of listening to music and allowing my mind to wonder. There are so many places I want to go with this one... No real plans... just random typing and thinking. Sorry... This blog is meant to let you into my mind, my way of thinking... I hope you don't mind. 

I love music... This song that I'm currently listening to literally makes me want to cry... It's not the words... It's the way it sounds...I love music... especially music that allows me to feel...*sigh* I just love it. 

Ok... anyway.... A quick review of my day. I think I'm getting the hang of my mornings. I didn't hit the snooze button and I made my bed! Tucker and I went for our walk and I made it to work on time! I haven't watched television and I haven't thought about it much. The only time I think about it is when someone asks me if I watched a show. So far it's happened only twice. Both times felt like a slap in the face because they both know about the challenge. Lol... I get it though. They have to get used to this just like I do.

As you know I have more time on my hands so I'm reading more before bed. I read an article about one my favorite people ( I have lots of favorite people... I hate to admit that I have this "fan-girl" that lives inside of me and she shows herself when she finds like qualities in celebrities ... This is one of those people), Myleik Teele. #WCW

I'm afraid to even tell you about her as my description of her wouldn't do her justice. I am literally enamored by her. That sounds gay... maybe I should say enamored with her way of living! It truly is captivating. See... This is why I can't describe her to y'all...lol My fan-girl (I'ma call her Fran) is trying to take over.  

I won't even do it... I WILL share that she is the founder and CEO of CurlBox, a subscription service that allows black women to sample natural hair products monthly. While her company is really dope, I am more impressed with her willingness to share her knowledge with anyone who will listen! She's that chick that figured it out and wants to help everyone else figure it out too. She literally wants us all to share in the freedom of living... in our  truth, in love, and in business! So many people are selfish. If they haven't made it then no one can... Or they've made it, but because they don't know their worth, they are more worried about the next chick taking their place to pay it forward. It's sad. I am proud to say that Myleik Teele is nothing like that! She's young Oprah and a big sister in my head!! 

Anyway, another favorite person of mine has a blog called xoNecole and is also just as in love with Myleik and has benefited from her podcasts and encouraging messages via social media! She talked with Myleik and blogged about it!! So many nuggets are in that blog. It's on my home screen on my iPhone to read again because there is so much to take from it. Because I'm on my self-discipline tip right now, I thought I would share this quote with you guys from Myleik. 

“Successful people have this insane amount of discipline and do things when they are tired or they don’t feel like it. I’ve seen so many people do so much in a day with very little complaining. I always say that I don’t know a successful person that doesn’t wake up early.”

This struck a cord with me because this is what all of this is about... God shared it with me at church too!! I am molding myself into what will be a successful, well disciplined person. Someone who lives life on purpose and with the intention to give it all I've got. If that means waking up early to develop a plan, barely sleeping to master a task, then so be it! Myleik is setting the standard. I love that about her!! The article is dope! You know I have the link for y'all...

Check it out! 

http://xonecole.com/curlboxs-myleik-teele-keeps-it-real-on-being-a-boss-psychotherapy-why-single-women-shouldnt-sleep-on-tinder/

Until tomorrow, 

Stix 

366 days of discovering

So... I have this idea!

Whaaaat?!- I will not watch television for the next 366 days!! 

Cray. That's the first word that comes to mind when I think about going an entire year without television! I know... I know... It seems a bit drastic... it is drastic!! For those who don't know me, I am a cold turkey kind of chick! I believe in diving right in and dealing with the hard crap along the way... This challenge is about self-discovery too... I’m curious to see how I handle the “crap!” You can count on me to be up front and honest too. If I slip, you'll be the first to know! 

Who does that?! Smh... Only Stix! 

When?!- My first day without television will start on January 1, 2016 12:00am CST and will end on January 1, 2017 12:00am CST. Of course the year I decide to do this is a leap year?! My freakin luck! 

Why?!- Well… about a week ago *schmoney dances*, I was lying in bed thinking about 2015. I couldn't recall much of anything worth talking about. I mean… Lots happened in 2015, good and bad, but I can't say that I lived life to the fullest in 2015. There wasn't a lot of discipline in my life and it pains me to say that I don't remember much of it. I didn't live life with the intention of growing or learning. I just WAS this year. I also can't remember how I spent New Year's EVE/Day in 2015. For some reason that freakin bothers me... What the heck did I do?! So yeah... This challenge is simply to encourage me to live... To be... to discover me and hopefully have a little fun in the process.

I chose to document this journey to hold me accountable. I am the type of person that needs accountability to succeed in certain areas where discipline is involved. This is one of those things. Pretty sure that’s not a good thing… *shrugs*

How?!- It's as simple as it sounds... No Once Upon a Time, No Real Housewives, No TGIT, No Black Ink Crew, No Rev Run shows (all of them... plus the new show with Tyrese) No Growing up Hip Hop... Ok... This list has to stop. I'm depressing myself... 

I still haven't figured out the logistics of it…Maybe that's what will make the blog interesting... I'll find cool things to read, cool things to do in the city, learn how to sew, blah, blah, blah! 

 I WILL see an occasional movie with friends though! Movies are my life... All of it will be done outside of my home!! The goal is not so much to be strict or withhold myself from doing... The plan is to be more intentional with the hours in my day and live a more fulfilling life!! 

Where?!- Nashville, TN/Wherever I am! Lol No exceptions.

Will you cheer me on along the way? *sigh* Weeeeelllllll here goes nothing… *holds up champagne glass* Here’s to the last day of the year and my last chance to drown myself in television! Wish me luck. 

XO, Stix