Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The Greatest Resolution

About this time...on this day...millions of people are making resolutions.

Resolutions, or promises to themselves, to eat better, go to the gym more frequently, be nicer, the list goes on and on.

But did you know that over 70% of people break their resolutions by February?

So...here's the best resolution you can make to yourself regardless of what your goal(s) may be:

Be consistent!

Here's a secret, Consistency is the key to success!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Applying Knowledge of Self

With the power of the internet, individuals have access to information at their fingertips. Because of this individuals can at least somewhat knowledgable on hundreds of topics. The question now is,

"Are we "learning" or just "collecting information?""

For example, let's say a young child told you that they learned how to tie their shoe laces.

Would your first assumption be that they watched a YouTube video and now they're an expert? Or would it be that they watched someone else and then applied that knowledge in order to tie their shoelace? Probably the latter, right?

The difference between the two is the application step.

Without that we're just hoarding information.

To learn something we must apply it to our lives; from learning how to walk, learning a new language, learning how to flat twist, learning how to support black economics, you name it, application is key!

While I appreciate a YouTube video or a documentary just as much as the next person, my learning doesn't stop once the video does.

It's not enough to have knowledge, one must apply it.

So when we say, "I'm striving to have knowledge of self?" What does that truly mean?

Well, for me it meant learning about my genealogy, learning about melanin, learning about my hair, learning how to live my best life, learning how to unite blacks around the world, and learning that the learning never ends.

But I truly didn't learn anything until I applied the information into my life which I'm still doing.

So what does "knowledge of self" mean to you? And how are you applying that knowledge into your life?

Monday, December 23, 2013

The Power of Positive Self Talk


According to Dr. Caroline Leaf, 87% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. It's an epidemic of toxic emotions.

The average person has over 30,000 thoughts a day. Through an uncontrolled thought life, we create the conditions for illness; we make ourselves sick! Research shows that fear, all on its own, triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses and activates more than 30 different hormones. There are INTELLECTUAL and MEDICAL reasons to think positively! Toxic waste generated by toxic thoughts causes the following illnesses: diabetes, cancer, asthma, skin problems and allergies to name just a few. Consciously control your thought life and start to detox your brain!

Medical research increasingly points to the fact that thinking and consciously controlling your thought life is one of the best ways, if not the best way of detoxing your brain. It allows you to get rid of those toxic thoughts and emotions that can consume and control your mind.

Change in your thinking is essential to detoxing the brain. Consciously controlling your thought life means not letting thoughts rampage through your mind. It means learning to engage interactively with every single thought that you have, and to analyse it before you decide either to accept or reject it.

How do you go about doing that?

Through Positive Affirmations!

Every thought actually generates molecules! You can literally create new neurons, repair DNA damage and heal your body with positive affirmations.

This is because, our creative mind begins to look for the reality that matches our thoughts, and we begin to naturally notice the opportunities that can help lead us to our goals.

Not familiar with affirmations?

I've attached a general affirmation you can say in the morning or as many times throughout the day as you would like.




“Whatever you fear most has no power – it is your fear that has the power. The thing itself cannot touch you. But if you allow your fear to seep into your mind and overtake your thoughts, it will rob you of your life.” 
- Oprah Winfrey

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Jamaican Genealogy Website Now Open Access

Are you Jamaican or do you know someone who is?

Well, you'll be happy to know that the Jamaican Family Search Geneology Research Library has just granted free access to the entire site:

http://jamaicanfamilysearch.com/

Pass it on to any one you know who would appreciate the information

"Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Words From Girly Consciousness...Don't Dumb Yourself Down

Do you find yourself holding your greatness back?

I do. More often than I'd like to admit.

I finally asked myself, "Why?"

I don't help anyone by withholding knowledge.

I only frustrate myself.

And even pretending to be ignorant is nothing to boast about.

The reasons so many conscious people withold information are multifactorial (ill discuss this in an upcoming post), but I challenge you with the same challenge I challenged myself:

Don't dumb yourself down so people around you can feel comfortable. Either make them uncomfortable or start hanging around some new people.

It's just that simple.

"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence." -Charles Bukowski

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Nelson Mandela - The Movement Lives On

On December 15th 2013, after 10 days of national mourning, the anti-apartheid icon, peacemaker and global leader, Nelson Mandela will be buried a private service in his home village of Qunu.

You can search online or even purchase his book to read about his accolades and accomplishments. 

What I want to discuss today is the inspiration we can gain from his life story.

We are fortunate to have shared a moment in time with this man to see that all that he accomplished could even be possible.

South African apartheid is no different than racism in the United States. Both grow from the belief that one group of people, based on the color of their skin, are superior than another group of people and that belief is justification to systematically keep them in a state of inferiority. 

Racism is global. It is sickening. It is ugly. It needs to be eradicated.

One man, in one country, on one continent agreed and spent his life fighting for equality.

I can imagine that it was a lonely and long battle.

But he endured!

For me, and people like me, it seems like we're beating in the wind when I say, "a world without racism is the world I want to create."

Yes! It was here before me. It may still remain once I am gone, but Nelson Mandela's life example is all the more reason to keep fighting for it. 

So, I mourn. I mourn not for him but for the world. A world that no longer has this man who taught us how to live, and fight, and love, and forgive, and endure until our purpose is fulfilled.

I second the sentiments of[Mandela] taught us to strive for what is good and right, even as we ourselves stumble; to strain for perfection, even as we are caught up in our own flawed lives; to put the poor and downtrodden at the centre of our endeavours, even as we reach for the good life."

Mandela is a great man. The movement he left behind is even greater.
 

Rest in power Madiba!


Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 
18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013

"Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings." -Nelson Mandela


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Lone Heart Nail Art

Greetings Girlies!

I'm here today with a nail art tutorial. If you're an avid nail artist or just an amateur I'm sure you'll enjoy this quick and easy tutorial. Let's get started!

Here are the items you'll need: (1) a base and top coat (2) three nail polishes of your choice (3) a nail striper or precision brush (4) a nail dotter. 

If you don't have a nail striper don't worry, you can make your own nail striper by cutting an old nail polish brush that you're no longer using in half (Let me know if you would like to see a tutorial of how to do this). Also, if you don't have a dotter than you can use the tip of a toothpick.

For this tutorial I chose to use Inm's Out of the Door as my base and top coat; Essie's Turquoise and Caicos; Essie's Blanc; Nina Ultra Pro's Big Spender, and for my striper I used Milani's Art of Gold.

Skill Level: Beginner

Step 1:Paint your nails with your base coat.
 Step 2:Paint your thumb, index and pinky nails with your first nail polish of choice. Here, I've painted my thumb, index and pinky nails with Essie's Turquoise and Caicos.
Step 3: Paint your ring finger with your second color of choice. I chose to use Essie's Blanc.
Step 4: Paint your middle nail with your third color of choice. Here I've used Nina Ultra Pro's Big Spender
 Step 5: Make a heart anywhere on your ring finger nail. I chose to make a small heart at the top left corner of my nail. To make a heart place two small dots next to each other with your nail dotter. Next place a small dot a little below and between those two first dots that you made. You should have an outline of a triangle. Last, connect those three dots with your dotter. There you have it, a little heart.
Step 6:Use your nail striper or precision brush to make horizontal lines around your lone heart. I used Milani's Art of Gold.
Step 7: Paint all of your nails with your top coat.

ALL DONE!
Let me know if you tried this nail art design and what variations of nail polish colors you used.

Until next time, Stay Girly Stay Conscious!







Monday, December 2, 2013

I've Got the Power.....the Buying Power!

I love supporting black businesses!!!!

I love the customer service, the thought and care that goes into the products and just the overall feeling I get afterwards knowing that I handed a dollar bill to someone that looked like me ::sigh:: Oh! How I wish I could spend 100% of my income exclusively with black businesses (honestly, its one of my personal goals)!

But sadly, present day, I haven't been able to do that. I still haven't found a black owned airline company, cell phone company, or car manufacturer. But if you know of any, holla at ya girlie!

Ok..I have to be honest with you though, sometimes convenience takes control and I stop by my local  ::cough:: non black owned store to pick up a few items every now and then.

I just had the scariest thought!! What if a few items at a non black owned store multiplied by a few other conscious girlies (also overcome by the "convenience monster") turned into 1.1 trillion dollars spent at a non black owned business?!"

What a scary thought right? But according to The Nielsen Company study entitled “African-American Consumers: Still Vital, Still Growing,” the African American population is an economic force to be reckoned with, with a projected buying power of $1.1 trillion by 2015!!

So what does this all mean? It means we've got the power....the buying power! 

Now all we have to do is shake that convenience monster off our backs and use our power wisely.

I had to bring this news to you conscious girlies because most black consumer purchases are made in the following categories:

· household items
· health and beauty
· travel
· smart phones
· child related items

These are all items that I'm sure the average girly out there has purchased in the last 30 days. We are the ones that contribute to this buying power the most. So here's my challenge to you and myself:

First, let's try our best to purchase that next throw pillow or dress for our niece at a black owned store and second, lets begin creating the businesses that produce these items. 

Are you an entrepreneur or do you know one? Suggest producing items from the list above to keep the black buying power in our favor. Also, if you know of any black owned business that already produce these items list them below.


I am ready to act, if I can find brave [conscious girlies] to help me.
- Carter G. Woodson (Conscious Girly version)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

What is Girly Consciousness?

Girly Consciousness is a blog where I share my love for black consciousness, pan-africanism, hair, beauty, and fashion along with so much more!

This blog is for all my Conscious Girly Girls in the diaspora!

So, why should you read this blog? Well, if...
 
1. You love reading blogs!
2. You take your journey to 'Know Thy Self' seriously.
3. You love natural hair, nail art and you may have a slight serious fashion addiction.

... then this blog is for you!

I hope you enjoy the blog as I take you on a journey that combines African culture, beauty and health to excite your Girly Consciousness!