This chapter is all about diving deeper. Its led me to deciding love is all I want to offer. I’ve fought. I’ve defended. Ive offended. I’ve accumulated things and titles. I’ve denied myself and others of the highest level of love because love was a struggle. Love has been complicated. It has been a lot of red. It took me so many years, and hurts to realize love is not red hot but a cool shade of blue. Thank you Jada Pinkett Smith for this #gentlereminder 

For those who don’t know cause I never want to assume. I have been on this self love, wellness spiritual journey for some time now. I didn’t realize it’s been all my life. I thought this started about 12yrs ago before I had my son Axis. But recently I’ve been reminded that when you’ve felt unloved and have had to fight for nearly everything you have you begin to have this woe is me mentality and think fighting is part of love. Being confrontational and comparing pain is love. 

You begin thinking love through trauma is love and normalize it. But when get a taste of LOVE and it’s warmth or cooling off when that’s what you need you’re like oh shit I’ve had it all wrong. 

Like too many conditions. Too many restrictions. Can’t make mistakes. 

Referring back to my previous post about seeing oneself with the way God sees me/us. When you start looking at everything like that it’s totally blue and not red hot. 

Source has blessed me immensely. 

Self awareness can only be found from source energy. No matter how much you try to find it in relationships, friendships, in our children, our careers or things. 

Love is a journey. 

Love is letting someone just be who they are. Letting them find their way like you’re finding yours. Self love is saying what is me choosing this type of love say about me.

We’re all still learning and healing through a hurt, maybe a childhood trauma, learning and for those who choose to go deeper (daily) have choosing to recognize the depth and layers of our ego. 

You/WE are not the exception. We’re not special. Laying the sword down is crucial. Especially for my fighters. Or the wait let me explain type of person. Not defending. Not commanding or forcing. 

When you are seeking certain levels in understanding, in life conflict with present itself. It’s here to teach. Life is about learning. I’m learning it’s about accepting, it’s about being intentional and mindfully making choices. 

So much to learn. So much to let go off and unpack. And only one source to surrender to. And the right answer is always LOVE. 

Some questions that keep coming up for me and I’d love your feedback on is how has your definition of love impacted how you love and who you show up to be? 

What is it now teaching you? 

Every morning for years, I’ve I looked out this same window. I am a dreamer if you haven’t already noticed. I’d dream, I’d wonder, hope for more, sometimes I’d smile finish my thoughts and then go and start my day.

I can’t remember when I started looking out my old bedroom window but I do remember that I more often than not I really disliked what I saw for years. I judged everything. All I saw was the bad, the negative, the things that I didn’t like it reminded me of decisions that Ive made in the past that may have led me to where I found myself unhappy, left in discontent and wavering faith. It was really a reflection of where I was mentally and emotionally. 

It wasn’t until I really started to the work on me physically with my daily workouts, heightening my spiritual awareness. Getting to know ME and most importantly the Most High in a more intimate way. Going above and beyond with doing personal development which every business professional, wellness coach, human being should be incorporating into their daily practice. I started waking up earlier in the morning before the sun would rise and would watch the sky move. This was every morning after my prayer/meditation/ devotions. I’d watch the sun peek through the skies. And noticed how the sun brightened up my view. What changed? A different mindset. A different outlook. It was the same view. I chose to adjust my focus. It was mind blowing. Same view, same window, same place I called home. All along all I had to do was change what I chose to see. One of my prayers I asked was Lord I just want a home with a beautiful view. I’ve always had a view just needed a new set of eyes to view it with. To view things more through my soul.

With tears of joy I walked through our condo for the last time (alone) that we called home for years the sun once again came to shine on me. I felt a wave of emotions because in this very room I prayed, fasted, cried, created, nursed, made love and everything in between. My goodness I’m so blessed I thought. Blessed beyond belief.

Next chapter is about to be SO DOPE. On to new levels. Don’t be afraid to be great y’all! You deserve it!!! 

2018 has been A BEAST. 

Which created a BEAST of BELIEVERS!

2019 you ready? cause the BENJAMINS are!

Good Day Lovers ☀️

Happy Tuesday!!!

Wanted to share a Health Tip with you, it's a practice that I've created for myself then implemented it with my tribe and clients who have signed up with me for my 6 month wellness coaching program that I wanted to share here because its too good not to and so easy to implement.

If you are in the office or lunch break when you read this.

Stop and take a sun break.

Sun breaks are essential as the sun naturally makes you smile when you look up and let it kiss you face or skin (try it and tell me it doesn’t) of course don’t ever look directly in the sunlight lol

I started this when I was in corporate and even in the winter months if the sun was shining even just a little I’d go out and take a breather. I’d breathe, cry, send up a prayer or such a quick gratitude mantra.

You can try this one.

Sun-break mantra: I thank you for this light. I pray that aligns me with my purpose, provides clarity and gives me the comfort and vision I need to make it through my assignment today.

Breathe in for 3 and hold your breathe for 5 seconds. Breathing in through your nose and blowing out of your mouth. You can be in either seated position or standing looking up to the sun.

I personally didn’t care if I looked crazy doing it because doing it prevented me from feeling anxious. That should take all of 5-10mins if you can spare that. Of course don’t want to over do it if your boss or company doesn’t allow it.

Although no offense to smokers.... but I noticed that all my co-workers ALWAYS went out before and after a meeting or lunch or all the above and several times throughout the day to take a smoke breaks. For them this was their form of calming and relief or release.

So I decided since I didn’t smoke...cigarettes... “sun breaks” or breathe breaks whenever I could especially when my workload piled up sun breaks would do. That’s where the name came about. This helped tremendously whenever I would sense that I was getting overwhelmed or on the brink of a anxiety attack or I got an email that had a tone I’d get up and talk a walk and would feel like a whole new person when I got back to my cubicle.

Some Benefits of the ☀️
☀️prevents Vitamin D deficiency
☀️ puts you in a better mood by releasing serotonin and endorphins hormones associated to putting you in a happier more relaxing state
☀️ dips in serotonin or low levels are associated to depression or seasonal patterns formerly know as seasonal affective disorder or SAD
☀️lowers blood pressure
☀️regulates your melatonin #comethroughmelanin which affects your sleep cycles, giving a good nights sleep which promotes healthy brain function

*you always want to protect your skin with your favorite sunblock. And avoid the sunlight during certain peaks when rays can be more damaging than healing

Try it and take a selfie with you in the sun taking your sun break. Use the hashtag #empowereredbycathy #sunbreakchallenge so I can find you and celebrate you.