Love & Community

Love is a meal that most anyone will show up for. But, do we really want everyone eating from loves table? Love isn’t gullible, naive or aloof. Contrary to popular belief love sees very well. But it’s recipients, well… let’s just say they have less than 20/20 vision. Allowing impaired vision causes us to see love through clouded emotional lenses. When’s the last time you checked your love lens? When’s the last last time you checked your love “guest” list?

To affirm yourself has been a present buzz phrase that began floating around during the period of “enlightenment”. Neurophysicist have found that the nervous system changes beneath the weight of positive affirmation. It does this by challenging & defeating thoughts of self-sabotage by replacing them with positive thoughts that self-empower. I’ve found that affirming myself, was and is, the message that needed decoding. So, any space I occupy, is filled with positive affirmations & for it my life has been made the better. To affirm means 1. to state as a fact; assert strongly and publicly 2. offer (someone) emotional support or encouragement. If this is true there is power in affirming that you are love, loving, loved & worthy of love as a fact. Saying this aloud can really be game changing as you offer yourself the emotional support that you need. Allow love to affirm you! It is so!

Thank you all for your continued support. This week I needed to focus on self-care & reflection. The past few weeks have been tough & I seriously want to avoid burnout. This being said, I encourage each of you to take time for yourselves to reflect, rest & restore. Loving you looks like caring for you intentionally & mindfully.

In this episode, we explore how our self-worth is established by accomplishments, possessions, and beliefs. If you’re like me you’ve struggled with worth-lessness that has caused you to shop your body for temporary connections, esteemed degrees as identity accomplishments & bought things to make you feel worthy. But in the end, none of these allow you to feel whole and worthy of yourself as you are. As we talk let’s examine our bodies, our thoughts & our emotions to tell us if we’re valuing ourselves in light of external things. And, if we are, how can we create a new sense of worth that is independent of things or the approval of others. ————————BREAK————————-Side note: Africans & Caribbean’s aren’t being blockaded in Ukraine while white Ukrainians are being permitted to escape safely. Y’all this is racism! This ain’t a love of country or culture. This is simply a love of RACISM! If you know any Nigerians at the Ukrainian border please provide them these resources to escape to Poland: Dr. Tade - +48 739 547 122 / 530813284 - Warsaw | Remi - +48 739 400 001 - Warsaw | Isaac - 729467341 - Łódź/Gdnask | Frank - +48 729 560 416 / +48 508 182 948 Gdnask

Transcendent love is said to be spiritual. But, is it possible for humans to love themselves and/or others in a transcendent manner? Conditions, often reveal to us, the flaws of human beings aspiring to love without requirements or parameters like the proverbial “if you love me then”. One things for sure & two things for certain love is not, nor will it ever be transactional! For this, we’ll break the ice on self worth & look forward to part 2 of this convo entitled Love & Worth. To support developing self worth please click here http://shorturl.at/ghCE2 to access this amazing free resource by Dr. Adia Gooden: 4 Practices to Cultivate Self Worth

Love apologizes engages us in the apology languages. Many of us are familiar with the love language but unaware of our apology language. Apologizing can be humbling & refreshing but most important apologizing to the one you love demonstrates love & respect. * Expressing regret - "I apologize" * Accepting responsibility - “I was wrong” * Making restitution - “How can I make this right” * Genuinely repenting - “I won’t do that again” * Requesting forgiveness - “Will you please forgive me”

Love, mental wellness, & community are all thought to be separate terms. Intersectionality suggests that we are at all points experiencing each of these. If this is true, could we as a community miss the signs of depression being overwhelmed by life’s intersections? Hmm! Special guests - Miesha Rice, LCSW-C of Whole Family Healing Group Follow Miesha on IG @wholefamilyhealinggroupllc & Antwon Lindsey, Filmmaker & Writer. Follow Antwon on IG @antwonkindsey_

You matter!!! Just listen! Struggling with suicide? Contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24/7 800.273.8255

Love & Fear are often a mismatched pair. This type dynamic in relationship is often observed in a fixed stage because fear usually paralyzes. However, love is fluid, ever changing, & present. Can love flourish in the same space as fear? Let’s vibe it out.

Love usually embodies the identity of its believer. So, whatever we believe about love is what it delivers. However, what if what we believe isn’t true or no longer serves us? Are we willing to develop new beliefs? And are we willing to rewrite the story?