That’s The Word

Day 11 of New Year, New Me

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So today we’re supposed to focus on abundance. The thing is, what does abundance really mean? I hear it all the time in mindfulness talks. Ask for abundance they say, speak only about abundance. However, what exactly am I asking for when I agree to this abundance? The first definition according to Dictionary.com is as follows: An extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply. So basically there isn’t an actual thing we are asking for if we ask for abundance alone. So I decided to ask for an abundance of love. Self love, family love, friend love, planet love and whatever else I could think of. You know what, that sufficed for now. I chose love because, well I think we all could use a bit more love, and there’s never too much right? With that being said, I offer this affirmation for abundance, which I repeat to myself as much as possible whenever it comes to my:

God lives, moves and being is within me.

Repeat this affirmation at least 3 times in the morning, afternoon and at night and see what starts to happen.

Day 7 of New Year, New Me

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Purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka…no for real. For serious I’m just kidding, but today is one meant for purification. How does one purify their surroundings? You can do it a few ways…by cleaning your closet, taking a shower with the intention to cleanse your spirit, throw out broken items, delete old mean texts, delete mean old friends, just move on. Breathe in the goodness, exhale the bulls*t.

Day 5 of New Year, New Me Ritual

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Omg it’s day 5 and it’s a play date!!! Well kind of, today we’re expected to play. As I’ve gotten older, I have noticed that some things seem to get really serious. Myself included. Some situations and issues seemed extremely heavy and I just forgot how to be and even forgot myself, who I am deep down. Well, lucky for me I have good friends and one in particular reminded me to have fun. When she said it, the words hit me like a ton of bricks, but she’s right. I need to have fun. We all do. Once we forget to freaking smile and just laugh, well everything loses it’s luster and point. In honor of having fun, day 5 is all about that. Go to a playground and swing on a swing. Even better if you have kids to do it with, you’ll look less suspect haha. If that’s not your thing, ride a bike, make a snowman if you can, dance to some nostalgic music, go sing karaoke whatever you can think of that you find fun really. The world is your oyster, take advantage.

Day 4 of New Year, New Me

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ylang ylang essential oil

Smell is the theme for day 4 and I gotta say, it’s kind of a big deal to me. I cannot stand bad smells, like ever and I’ve always been very conscious of my own smells. But in this case, it’s more in reference to smelling the beautiful scents that surround us, with intention. Perhaps you have some essential oils that you can diffuse. Or maybe you can buy some flowers and have a sniff. Some things to keep in mind are how you feel after smelling certain scents. For instance, lavender promotes a restful sleep, while vanilla lifts your mood, and orange boosts your mood. My personal favorite is ylang ylang can help soothe an overactive mind. What’s not to love? So folks, get to sniffing…mindfully.

Spa Hotel Massage Health Oil Room Luxury Smell

Black Mamba Mamas: Setting a Necessary Tone

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Image via SouthAfricaBrand.com

South Africa is a country I have always been mystified by. It’s history intrigues me and also sounds quite similar to that of the US. The only difference is the apparent injustices that occurred in South Africa were only addressed not too long ago. With that being said, there is a lot the US could learn from SA and we could learn from them. With that being said, the issue of poaching in Africa is horrendous. It’s truly a double edged sword, simply because you have these animals that are being killed for their skins, horns, internal organs and what have you is done illegally. Unfortunately, poaching is typically performed by impoverished people for subsistence purposes and a supplement for meager diets. In the beginning anyhow. Now those same people who are struggling, resort to poaching to help their families and village by bringing home some cash. Hence the problem. On the same side, most tend to think of the poaching that is set against the hunting privileges of nobility and territorial rulers. Or in more modern times, those who kill the animals for sport and pose in front of their kill for instagram, Facebook what have you…

Image by Julia Gunther via huffingtonpost.com

Enter these beautiful women known as the Black Mambas, South Africa’s all female anti-poaching paramilitary team. These fearless ladies are recruited from local communities on the western boundaries of South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Their task, to inhibit and stop people from poaching rhino’s for their horns, and other animals from being butchered for their “bush meat”. Now a team 36, they have helped to diminish the number of animal casualties of the Balule Nature Reserve. The ex-soldiers are so important because when these animals are sought and killed, the effects on the disruption of ecological and evolutionary processes, changes in species composition within ecosystems and a general reduction in biological diversity. They matter and I just happen to think it’s extra bada** that they are all women.

Image by Julia Gunther via huffingtonpost.com

 

I salute these brave, intelligent women for using their skills as ex-soldiers for good. Asserting themselves to solve a problem that needs to be seen. Due to all they’ve done, they have also received the “Champions of the World” award from the United Nations Environment Programme in 2015, amongst a string of other awards. These ladies are proving that anyone can contribute to the good of their community and that every little bit matters. Final word: The black mama’s are lit and they’re letting packers know that they do bite!