Category: Spiritual
Inspirational
I’m here to tell you that Transformation is possible with the right plan of action!Everyday I’m Hustlin’
“Black Women live, create and build with the future in mind, because the present has no place for us. In order to stay alive, we have to imagine ourselves in a future where we not only survive but thrive. A place where we are understood. A place where we still exist. This is a tall order in the world but this is the way we make the present work for us, every day, and it’s the reason I’m most proud of us.” -Shayla Lawson
I have read this quote so many times over the past week and each time is more triggering than the time before . Whether you agree with the quote or not, it is nearly unbearable to know, understand and feel the perspective that is voiced here.
I believe this quote is a great place to start in order to take a deeper look into the “State of Black Women”, more specifically how we cope with life’s daily requirements, how we celebrate our wins and how we respond to the heartbreak of those tough lessons that we have no other choice but to learn.
It has long been said, “black women are so strong”. I would argue the point that many of us are strong because we have to be strong, not because we necessarily want to be. In a world where we are constantly working to make the world a safer place for everyone else but ourselves, we nuture, we advocate, we protest and we support our fair share of people and causes. We do all the things necessary to help others survive. Consequently, we are too overwhelmed and burdened to do the same things for ourselves.
Let’s talk about it.
What are your thoughts about this quote? Do you agree or disagree with this point of view?
I belive many Black Women find their validation in the work they do to help others and in their efforts to solution the world’s problems. Rarely does the message of simply being enough and contributing as our authentic self come into the conversation. Constantly living, creating and building with the future in mind is a huge endeavor to tackle, but that’s how we, Black Women make it. We are forward thinkers. It’s also why we have such a huge problem sticking to a self-care routine. We’re expected to always be ON….on point, on target, on top things….it’s alot!
My vision for Black Women is a world where we are respected for who we are, appreciated for our contributions but also given equal opportunites to rest, to rejuvenate and to love.
One of the core principles of Originis of Peace is “Self-Preservation”. We empower women with the skills and know-how to set boundaries, manage overwhelm and gain clarity around their goals and objectives. Self-Preservation is defined as the act of keeping oneself from destruction or harm, a natural or instintive tendency to act as to preserve one’s own existence.
In a few weeks I’m kicking off my 12 week course entitled; Heal..Recover..Grow to help you GROW through what you GO through.
We will focus on 3 Essential Concepts:
- Heal – Be the heroine of your life, not the victim
- Recover – Own your story; stop running from it
- Grow – Be open to all experiences, understanding that both happiness and sadness have their respective places
All Sessions are virtual. Additional information will be shared later this week.
Peace.
Happy Women’s History Month!
Today kicks off Women’s History Month and this time around, at Origins of Peace we’re putting our own spin on things. Normally we would highlight the achievements of innovative women who’ve contributed their brillance to advance society. Of course we acknowledge and honor these courageous woman and their significant advancements, but this year we’re taking a different approach.
During Women’s History Month 2021, we’re challenging ourselves and all women to reclaim their feminity through self-preservation!
It’s time to feel again, to have again and to make time again, to be intentional again! What am I talking about?
It’s time to…… Feel free, feel loved, feel creative, feel beautiful, feel brilliant, have energy, have time, have conversations, have a waistline, make time to date, make time to laugh, make time to love, make time to exercise, make time to shop, make time to read, make time to cuddle, make time to meditate, make time to chill, make time to dress up, be intentional by wearing colors, slow down to appreciate our curves, take a second to nurture our edges, set goals to drink enough water, make time to just be a woman…………
Of course we recognize there are so many more layers to who you are as a woman but for the next 30 days let’s do some of the things we’ve been neglecting.
I’m kicking off the month by sharing this awesome sermon by Sarah Jakes Roberts entitled Girl, Get up! This is a good word so make time to listen
Later this evening join us online for Strength, Courage & Wisdom Book Club. We’re reading Happy Women Live Better. Here’s all you need to get started:
In preparation for our kick-off, go to www.happywomantest.com to understand which happiness triggers will be most effective for your personal journey.
Title: Strength, Courage & Wisdom Book Club
Join the meeting on your computer or mobile app
We’re also excited about our Love Boards & Laughs with Girlfriends Online Event coming up on Friday, March 5th! I’m so excited for this one! Here’s the details for you to join in:
Love Boards & Laughts with Girlfriends!
Register: Online: us02web.zoom.us
Pay: $9.99 via CashApp: $Irie4Me
Grab your girls, your favorite wine and show up with an open mind!
We’re creating Love Boards!
We’re creating Love Boards!
Similar to a Vision Board, Love Boards help you set your intentions around love and your relationships! You will leave this event with tools yo help you set healthy boundaries in love and you’re sure to gain a few new girlfriends in the process.
Don’t be shy, we’re all in this together!
This event is for ladies only.
Ladies, if you’re over 30, Single, Divorced, Separated or Widowed, we’re looking for you.
Let’s go!
There are so many opportunities this month for you to join in and grab on to your feminity! Let’s go!
Strength, Courage & Wisdom Book Club
Best selling author Valorie Burton unlocks the secret to your personal happiness. She reveals 13 happiness triggers – choices that can boost your joy right now, even in the midst of deadlines, dating, marriage, parenting and squeezing in a workout or girls night out. Throught these happiness triggers, you will learn how to bounce back from stress and adversity faster, enjoy deeper satisfaction in your marriage and friendships, maximize career opportunities and increase your income and fight off illness. We’re kicking things off on March 1st.
Click below to join in.
Quarantine Chronicles
Checking In
Day 7: Do A Lil Something Extra To Boost Your Immune System
If we’re anything alike, you’re doing the most trying to boost your immune system and stay healthy. A few of my daily rituals include adding a little Apple Cider Vinegar to my morning cup of Herbal Tea to kill viruses and bacteria and also eating more citrus fruits to boost my Vitamin C Level. Be sure to check out my website for all your Herbal Tea needs.
While scrolling through Instagram I came across a recipe for a mixture called Fire Cider and I am definitely curious to give it a try.
From what I’ve read, Fire Cider has many health benefits, with the two most common being boosting your immune system and fighting cold and flu. The instructions say to take 1 tablespoon daily to prevent illness and 1 tablespoon 3 times a day if you are not well.
I’ve included a recipe below so that you can try it. I’ve also included a link for you to read more about Fire Cider and all of it’s amazing benefits.
Your second challenge of the day is to find additional ways to boost your immune system.
Peace.
Ingredients:
- 1 horseradish root
- 1 ginger root
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic head
- 1 turmeric root or 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
- 2-4 habanero peppers
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey (added after the fermentation process is done and fire cider is strained to balance the spicy taste)
Instructions:
- I usually start by grating ginger and horseradish roots and chop garlic, onions, and hot peppers and place them in a tight lid jar.
- It’s recommended to do the grating and chopping in a well-ventilated area if you can’t tolerate the strong smell and fumes, especially when you are grating horseradish root and onion
- Add apple cider vinegar to the jar and make sure everything is submerged and shake well.
- Screw the lid tightly in place
- Place the jar in a dark, cool place and let it sit for 2-4 weeks and don’t forget to shake it every day.
- After 2-4 weeks strain the fire cider and transfer the liquid part into a tight lid container and discard the herbs and veggies.
- Remember to keep the lid tightly sealed when you are not consuming it, so it stays fresh potent for longer
- Store fire cider in the fridge at all times. Fire cider has long shelf life and can stay good for up to 1 year.
Day4: Do Something That Brings You Joy!
At the house of course!
Keep it light,
Melissa
Day 3: Keep Your Faith
Your challenge for today is to keep your faith.
Whatever that means for you, spend time in it.
Pull out all your prayers, scriptures, meditation guides, sacred music, sage, whatever keeps you going, do that.
Peace,
Melissa
Why Journaling Works & How to Do It Better
Do you Journal? If not, what’s holding you back and if you do, what keeps you going?
A lot of people journal to release emotion and organize their feelings. To be honest, we’re all out here experiencing about 27 emotions daily. That is quite a ride and it’s tough to manage it all. So, what we’re doing is taking the emotion adding to it our daily responsibilities plus the needs and expectations from others and then attempting to get through the day without a method to release. This is the perfect formula for a mental breakdown.
I get it, we want to appear like we have our stuff together with little resistance, add to that this whole self-care trend of “don’t kill my vibe, “don’t interrupt my peace” and “don’t bother me with that”, this leaves us feeling obligated to hold in our emotions.
I’ve found journaling to be a helpful outlet. During those times when I am overflowing with emotions, both positive and negative, journaling helps me to reflect on events, organize my thoughts, release some pinned up energy and even generate solutions. It’s one of the many tools that can be used to re-direct your energy.
There’s another benefit of journaling that very few people notice. Journaling helps you to identify trends. If you journal often and notice a trend of negative or low-energy words and phrases, it’s safe to say you are probably suffering with Imposter Syndrome, self-sabotage and maybe even low self-esteem. If this is you, it’s time for a change in perspective.
I deal with those feelings too. I doubt my abilities, second guess my capabilities and I will overthink a scenario to the very extreme. It’s quite exhausting but I’ve figured out how to manage those feelings.
If you’ve been a member of the Origins of Peace community for any amount of time, you know that our #1 goal is to empower you to get out here and Impress Yourself. There are two reasons why this is important:
- If you don’t impress yourself, no one else will ever stand a chance of impressing you. This is important for business deals, relationships, money goals, all of that. You must set a standard and stick to it. Example, if you want to be in a loving relationship, you must first love yourself. Impress yourself by doing things you enjoy and going to places that make you happy. This produces impression and excitement. It’s mentally stimulating, and it gets you into the habit of Impressing Yourself so that you will know when others are meeting and exceeding your expectations!
- A whole lot of time is spent impressing other folks. You impress your boss when you show up for work and do an exceptional job, you impress your kids by showing up for them daily. It’s time to Impress Yourself!
For the month of November, I am challenging you to use journaling as a tool to change your communication message to yourself! There are 30 days in November. I am giving you 1 word each day to use as a prompt. You will reflect on how the word shows up in your life on that day and compose a journal entry. Your entry can be written or a short video that you keep on your phone. The words that I provide to you should evoke feelings of happiness, bravery, calmness, rejuvenation and friendliness.
I would love to know how this challenge goes for you. You can find me on both IG and Facebook at Origins of Peace to get the word for the day.
You can leave a comment one either platform to get the dialogue started.
Oh yea, if you’re not on my email list, you should be. Our next gratitude offering winner will be announced on Monday, November 4th. You must be on the list to get included in the drawing! Visit www.melissaarivers.com to sign up. You can see the prize for Monday’s drawing on my IG page.
Let’s connect!
Melissa