Pretty in Pearls

Hey Ya’ll! This blog goes hand and hand with the live video that Emanuel and I just finished last night. Let’s be honest, I was supposed to post this prior to the video, but if you watched the live then you know I have been all over the place lately with trying to stay in a positive place mentally and emotionally. But first things first…EMANUEL AND I ARE HOMEOWNERS!!!! I couldn’t be more excited to be a homeowner and to be in my own space without the worries of having to move again. We truly thank God for such an accomplishment and such a blessing.  The road to buying a house, for me, has been no easy feat. I have had several ups and downs along the way with days of extreme happiness but also depression and anxiety. I know you are probably wondering how can so much good be happening to a person and they still experience anxiety and depression. I am going to tell you how. It’s no secret I have struggled with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression in the past. Mostly due to bein

Hey Ya'll!  If you know me, KNOW me then you probably know I am a curser...yes like a sailor (Sorry daddy, those bitter ole sisters were right all along). You also know, because you probably follow my blogs, that I try not to write using curse words let alone put one in my blog title. But sometimes there just needs to be PURE and UNFILTERED honesty and this title is how I am feeling right now. So listen, this particular title for this particular post is NECESSARY!  I started this post 3 days ago, very quickly in the notes section of my phone, with a lump of hurt in my throat and in my heart that was manifesting as anger. I had to step away from everyone for the remainder of the day because I knew if I spoke to anyone at any point it was going to be an "altercation" and not a "conversation." Ya'll! Self-awareness is so very important. Knowing yourself and your limits IS SO IMPORTANT! I know Lashonda and I know when she needs to step away. I also know ther

Hey Yall!! It’s been a while but I have literally been out in the world trying to make a difference in not just my life but in the lives of all of those around me as well. It’s days like today that remind me of why I started blogging in the first place. At that time I just wanted to put words to paper. I wanted to release. So, here I am. Honestly, being a public speaker now is simply an extension of my blogging. I’m sharing all of the same information just on a different platform. I just want to share everything I know and have experienced in a way that makes your journey a little less bumpy than the journey I have taken. I had a friend tell me yesterday she was focusing on taking “Ownership in October” and extending it to her clients and online followers as well. Listen, to be honest with you, I had to ask myself what exactly do I need to take ownership of. I literally asked like everything was perfect (insert side eye) but realistic Lashonda was like “girl stop.” So, today I am cho

Hey y’all! I’m back and reloaded! Today I want to talk about being pushed to extreme limits, what that looks like, and how to handle it.  There are times in our lives where we feel like the tests are NONE STOP! Let me tell you this, you’re not alone. Recently I’ve felt my faith being tested beyond the point of my understanding or comprehension. I often find myself, as I’m sure you do, asking "why?" I can’t answer that question but what I do know is every single test serves a purpose. A purpose that’s observed by faith and not by sight.  Let me give you an example. Last week I reached a level of anger (I’m getting more like my daddy the older I get. Lol) in which I had to step away, go for a walk, listen to inspirational videos, watch something to make me laugh, and then return to address the problem head on. It’s so hard to be the bigger person and do the right thing when there’s so much wrong going on around you or what you’re being faced with was 100% wrong on the

Hey y’all! I know...I know... I haven’t written in months. This is literally my first post of 2019 and I have absolutely no excuse. I just had no motivation to write. It’s funny how life works. One day I’m beyond motivated to write and share and other days so much has already been taken out of me that my energy level to do anything or be anything to another person or make one more commitment is absolutely depleted. What I will say is I’ve had to practice a lot of what I preach these days. You know self-care, not beating ourselves up, not sitting in disappointment, and so many of those other lessons we’ve discussed over the years.  To be honest with you this place I’ve been in isn’t due to one single thing nor is it a combination of things. It’s a mindset shift. It’s personal growth. I honestly think I’m at a point in my life where major decisions are being made that will affect the rest of not just my life but my husband’s life as well. My brain is so full of “this is what you nee