Tag Archives: inspirational

Sep6

prayer.thoughts.actions.results

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by Weusi

I believe in God. And because of my faith and belief in the unknown, I believe in a universe that is beyond my imagination and logic.

I’m a man that believes in prayer (I am also humble enough to believe in life forms other than those on earth … it would be arrogant to believe that it couldn’t happen … remember ANYTHING can happen when you believe … but that’s another conversation!).

The other day, I was a little behind schedule. I thought to myself … “Self, I could take my time, catch a later bus. I’ll just call and tell people to reschedule.” Then I thought to my more responsible self, “YOU … you know you could keep your word to peoples by putting in a little work to get ready. Just pay $5, catch a cab and be where you said you were gonna be at the time you said you were gonna be there.” I decided to put in the work, pay the $5 for the cab and do what’s right to respect other peoples’ time, energy and effort. I was gonna get there on time!

So, with that decision made, I called a cab. I knew that knowing a cab was on its way would light a fire under me. It did. I immediately got myself in gear! While I was running around the house getting things together, I was struck with the realization that I was so blessed to have a place to rest my head and call home … and I had things. Things that helped me with work … and things that I played with … and … just things!

So … I started to pray out loud. Then, in the midst of the rush … I got the urge to change clothes (Yes … dudes do this too! I’ll talk about that at a later date!)! I was amazed that I actually had fashion options that weren’t just about what t-shirt I wanted to share with the world. This epiphany further fueled my prayers (that were now being sung as I rushed around the house!). In the end, all I changed was my jeans! I quickly made the change. Ahhh … that just felt better. I focused on what I needed to put in my bag for the day. I took a deep breath, acknowledged the gift of options in my prayers, and that I was even blessed with a fly bag that allowed me to carry my blessing. The same way we are given this vessel called a body to carry our spirit! I was feeling the glow:

Then, I reached to straighten out what felt like a folded pocket. And, to my surprise, what did I find?! CASH MONEY! Not much, but just enough to get me through the day!

All I’m sayin’ is … the POWER of prayer isn’t JUST in the silent thoughts … it’s also in saying it out loud. The silent prayers are to plant the seeds within yourself. Those that you say out loud and/or write out are the ones that plant the seeds in the universe! BUT, both are useless unless there is some work/action/effort exerted to make things happen!

This is just reminder that prayer works … but … positive thoughts are not enough …

CHANGE, GROWTH & PROGRESS require ACTION as well.

The End/Beginning

SHiNE

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Mar22

Hair Crush: Candice’s HairStory

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Describe yourself in 100 words or less.
I’m Candice. Wife. Mother (to a dog-child). Daughter. Sister. Friend. God-fearing. Natural! Aspiring personal stylist.

How long have you been natural and why did you choose to go natural?
My last perm was in January 2010. There was no epiphany or life-changing event that influenced my decision to go natural. I have always been of the mindset of, “it’s just hair” and have never hesitated to experiment with my hair. I do remember that prior to going natural, my mom had begun going organic with all of her food and beauty products. I guess you can say that somewhat influenced my decision.

Did you transition or big chop?
I transitioned for about 6 months and then big chopped when I had about two inches of natural hair. I was planning to transition longer, but got anxious about what my hair would look like. *LOL*

What is/was your biggest hair challenge/obstacle?  How did you overcome it or what are you doing now to try to address the problem?
One thing that I learned the hard way is that one person’s regimen may not work for somebody else. It’s nice to watch/read what other people do for ideas, but I have wasted LOTS of money thinking that the shine on someone else’s strands could be mine with the purchase of some miracle product.

What do you love most about your natural hair and/or about being natural?
The thing that I love most about my hair is its versatility. I love to hear people say, “I wish my hair could do that. Mine just lays here.” That line cracks me up every time. *LOL* I also love how distinctive my hair is. Although the number is increasing, I can still easily be the only natural in a room.


What is your current regimen?  Has it changed in any major way since you first went natural?
I typically co-wash every 2-3 days with a light conditioner. This week, I’ve been using Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp. I like it because I don’t have to worry about rinsing it out completely as it can also be used as a leave-in. I use apple cider vinegar to clarify about once a month in the winter and more frequently in the summer because I do a lot of playing in the pool. I use Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner when I deep condition. No matter how many other DC’s I try, I haven’t found one that makes my hair any softer. After conditioning, I usually blast my roots just a little with a hand dryer and flat twist my hair using a shea butter mixture (shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil melted and then whipped together using a hand mixer). It dries completely overnight if I do my twists small enough. In the morning, I untwist and fluff and I’m out the door! I usually don’t like my twist out on the first day, but after a night of pineapple-ing its more to my liking on day 2.

The main difference between my regimen now and when I first went natural is the detangling sessions. I miss not having to detangle! *LOL*

What are your Holy Grail and staple products?
Well, I am a product junkie in the truest sense of the word, but there are a few products that I always find myself coming back to: Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner (for deep conditioning), shea butter + coconut oil whip (homemade) and my castor oil (the perfect oil for my hair—not too heavy but leaves a nice sheen).

What is your “go to” style (share a picture of it, if you have one!)? Do you wear protective and/or low manipulation styles? If so, how often and why?
My go to style is a dry twist out, which is how I wear my hair most of the time. I don’t intentionally wear low manipulation styles, but I do find myself doing a high bun quite often for the sheer convenience of it. I used to do two strand twists, but don’t find that I have that kind of time to devote to my hair these days.

How often do you cut/trim your hair? How do you cut it (salon, DIY, straight, curly, in twists)? If you go to a salon, would you recommend it?
I don’t think I have let anyone else’s hands in my hair since I cut myself a bob the day of my high school graduation. *LOL*  I trim about every quarter or when my ends start to look unhealthy. I’m thinking about giving myself an actual haircut for the summer!

Has going natural impacted other areas of your life (i.e. health & fitness, style, environmental consciousness, etc.?) If so, how and in what ways has it affected your lifestyle?
Definitely don’t care about walking out in the rain or swimming anymore. *LOL*

Do you have a “hair crush?” If so, who?
Tracee Ellis Ross! And my male hair crush is Andre 3000. Love him.

Who do you follow online (i.e. blog/website, Youtube, Fotki, etc.)?
I frequent Curly Nikki, BGLH and … Hairscapades! On YouTube I like to watch Naptural85, SimplYounique, & MyNaturalSistas.

Where can we find you online?
Yes! I have a fairly new style blog: chicsavant.com. I’m also on Facebook: Chic Savant and Twitter @chicsavant.

What advice would you give someone who is contemplating going natural and/or becoming discouraged with their natural journey?
I always tell people that being natural, especially when you first go natural, is about trial and error. As much as you shouldn’t be afraid to try something new, you also should not be so naïve that you don’t realize when something isn’t working for your hair.

Mar7

Mini-Hairscapader: Kinsley’s HairStory

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As told by Ashlei

What’s your child’s name and age? Tell us a little about her.
My daughter’s name is Kinsley and she is 3. She’s funny, very smart and has the most outgoing, carefree personality.

How do you care for her hair? What products do you use, how often do you wash/condition, what techniques do you use (i.e., how do you detangle), etc.?
I usually try to keep her hair in protective styles, braids or twists. We use Bee Mine products for styling (Deja’s Hair Milk and Luscious Cream Balanced Moisturizer). We use HE HH for cowashing and Fairy Tales Super Charge Detangling Shampoo for a good wash. I will usually leave some HE HH in her hair or use Giovanni Direct Leave-in. We seal with coconut oil. I wash or co-wash her hair once a week, usually on Fridays. Every other week, she gets a deep condition with Aubrey White Camellia Conditioner. I finger detangle while full of conditioner, rinse and apply her creams in sections and then smooth with our Denman brush.

Do the same products that work for you work for your child’s hair?
I am currently 8 moths into transitioning. We share the Aubreys, Giovanni, coconut oil and HE HH.

What is a typical style? Do you employ protective styles? If so, how often?
Typical style would be braids or pony tails. I love her hair out but not often. I braid her hair on  Sundays and usually that lasts until we wash on friday nights to start the routine over again.

What challenges do you face with your child’s hair?
In the beginning, I struggled to learn her hair. It was always too dry or too frizzy. I had no clue how to care for unrelaxed hair. I was using the same products that my mom used on me when i was younger, i.e, pink lotion *lol*, which just didn’t work. So, out of desperation, I took to the web. That’s where I found CurlyNikki and then, from there, Beads, Braids and Beyond and a host of other sites that have helped me along the way.


Have you ever relaxed/texlaxed your daughter’s hair? Why or why not and, if you relaxed her hair, what prompted the decision to return to natural?
I have never relaxed Kinsley’s hair and I do not plan to. I’ll let her make that decision when she’s older and pray that she will embrace what God blessed her with and stay natural!

How does your child feel about her/his natural hair?
She loves her hair and loves to wear it big!

Is there anything else that you’d like to add?
I’d just like to add appreciation for your encouraging blog/persona and your overall fierceness! Also congratulations on the engagement!

Dec2

Prepare to be Inspired!

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Four post in one day?!?! Unheard of!! LOL!! I had to do it, because I came across this video this morning while web surfing and had to share it with you guys. It’s so inspiring! I hope that anyone who is struggling with their hair now will be inspired and know that it’s possible to overcome damage that seems insurmountable with the proper care, patience, consistency and diligence. I hope that my hair looks this great when I eventually do a press and curl!

Well, without further ado, enjoy and be inspired!