Through My Lens: God's Timing Is Better Than Mine

                                            The light was there, even when I couldn't see it.

Photography by Andrea Stallworth | Brown Girl From Boston

Last year, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate the light shining in the various areas of my life because I was coexisting with darkness. I was hurting, grieving, searching, and trying to understand what God was doing in my life.

I often refer to that season as my Job season. Yet even in my brokenness, God never abandoned me. He did not shy away from my tears, my questions, or my pain. Instead, He stayed close and continued to shine His light on the places within me that needed healing, restoration, and growth.

As Psalm 34:18 reminds us:

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Day by day, God began repairing the hidden places of my heart. He revealed wounds I needed to confront, lessons I needed to learn, and strengths I didn't know I possessed.

Today, I still don't have everything figured out, and that's okay. I've learned that God's timing will always be better than my own. What I do know is this: I have come to appreciate the many ways His light appears in my life. Sometimes it arrives as peace. Sometimes, as growth. Sometimes, as unexpected opportunities. And sometimes as a quiet reminder that He has been with me all along.

The darkness did not last forever. The light was there, even when I couldn't see it.

 

                                        Peace arrives when we stop rushing God's timing.

Photography by Andrea Stallworth | Brown Girl From Boston

The Guide to Embracing Change and Developing Positive Habits: Blog Featured Author: Kevin Ogle

 

Change is an unavoidable aspect of life, and it can be overwhelming, particularly when attempting to establish new behaviors. Feeling intimidated or disheartened is natural when faced with a fresh or distinct challenge. However, change is vital for personal and professional growth. This article will examine methods for welcoming change and positioning yourself for triumph with constructive routines. By using these recommendations shared below by Brown Girl From Boston, you'll be able to cultivate the appropriate mentality, foster beneficial connections, and sustain your motivation on the journey to achievement.

Embrace the Power of Small Actions

Change doesn’t happen overnight, so take small steps to start. Break your goals into smaller, achievable tasks, and don’t expect perfection. Consistency is key, so commit to your daily routine and keep pushing yourself forward.

Form and Market a Business

Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding change in your life. However, taking the necessary steps to protect yourself and your business is important. One popular way to do this is by forming a limited liability company (LLC). An LLC provides personal liability protection for the business owners while allowing for more flexible management than a corporation.

Next, it’s time to start marketing. Spreading the word via social media is a great place to start, but supplement this with some time-tested approaches like business cards. If you aren’t sure where to start, some tools provide plenty of templates for business card designs that you can customize. From there, share business cards with potential customers and leave some at coffee shops and restaurants.

Why Having a Mentor is Crucial for Success

A mentor can offer guidance and support when you’re facing new challenges. Look for someone who has expertise in your field or has been through a similar experience to yours. A mentor can provide valuable insights and help you avoid common pitfalls, putting you on a faster track to success.

Head Back to School

Returning to school can be pivotal, opening doors to personal growth, new opportunities, and a renewed sense of purpose. Whether formal or informal, education often contributes to a more positive outlook on life by broadening horizons and instilling confidence. With the advancements in digital education, going back to school online has become an accessible and flexible option for many. For instance, pursuing an online business bachelor's degree provides a well-rounded understanding of principles, economics, finance, marketing, and operations, equipping individuals with comprehensive knowledge to excel in the modern business landscape.

Practicing Self-Talk Can Boost Your Confidence

Your mindset plays a crucial role in change and personal growth. Speak kindly and positively to yourself, and visualize success. Take time to reflect and focus on the good things that come with progress and goals achieved.

The Importance of Establishing Supportive Relationships

A strong support system can make all the difference when dealing with change. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, encourage you, and inspire you to grow. Avoid people who bring negativity, discouragement, or cause distractions.

Seek Healthier Friendships

Seeking healthier friendships is important in cultivating a supportive and positive social circle. Reconnecting can be a great way to rekindle those relationships if you've drifted apart from old friends and acquaintances over the years. One effective way to do this is by using a search engine to find fellow high school graduates from your hometown.

You can quickly access a list of potential contacts by simply typing in the necessary name, graduation date, and school. These search results often provide options to reach out and reconnect with long-ago friends, allowing you to revive old friendships that may have once played a significant role in your life. Re-establishing these connections can bring back fond memories and offer opportunities to build healthier, more fulfilling friendships.

Be Kind and Patient with Yourself

Change takes time and effort, so be gentle and patient with yourself. Understand that setbacks are normal, but don’t give up. Take time to rest, recharge, and celebrate small victories. Self-care habits like exercise, relaxation, or meditation can help you stay motivated and focused.

Celebrate Achievements

Tracking your progress can help you stay motivated and celebrate small achievements. Keep a journal or use an app to record your daily activities, goals achieved, progress, and setbacks. Celebrate your progress with a reward like a treat or a fun activity, and use the satisfaction to drive you onward.

It takes a lot of courage, discipline, and determination to embrace change and create positive habits. It’s not always easy, but being adaptable, persistent, and patient will help you navigate challenging times and stay on track. By following these tips, you’ll be better equipped to create the right environment for yourself and achieve your goals.

 

Please visit Kevin's amazing website at www.anxious.biz!

Brown Girl From Boston Lost Files: Ramblings of Cocktail Parties and Urbanology

“You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you write with someone looking over you shoulder, you'll never write.” ― Nikki Giovanni

Besides being a blogger, life coach, social worker, mentor and fill in the blank, I am also a closet spoken word artist. (LOL) Whenever I feel moved to create a spoken word piece, I usually create something that is from my life experience, current events or frustration. Ramblings of Cocktails Parties and Urbanology is a piece that was created from true events. Being a Brown Girl from Boston, leaving Boston at the age of 18 and traveling back and forth to Boston for 13 years, I have experienced my fair share of limited opportunities for people of color, gentrification of the city, and oppression. I decided to write a poem about being at a networking event and  I attended in which I was one of few people of color in attendance and when the liquid courage was served this conversations came about. 

Now, I am no Nikki Giovanni, Amiri Baraka or Langston Hughes but I am Andrea C. Imafidon! I am somebody special in which I have the courage to share with my readers. I also love wordplay and rhymes, hence why I am such a Hip Hop Head and blogger. I can be free with my words and thoughts in my writings. I guess you can say, I love being completely naked and transparent with my thoughts and writings. I remember writing my first poem in middle school entitled, "A Mother and Her Womb". The poem was dedicated to my mother and I's tight knit relationship from conception to the time I wrote that poem and dedicated to her. 

Being the coach that I am, the moral to the blog post is....be you. Be authentic and free, there is no right nor wrong way to be you. If you have a hidden talent, gift or strength don't suppress it. Share it with the world so you can continue to let your light shine! Keep shining!

Ramblings of Cocktail Parties and Urbanology

You see I am the product of the Northern migration, parents first generation out of the Jim Crown era, 

segregated ruins and Black Power brewing mentality.

Boston, historically tried to cover it’s racial ties by allowing people of color opportunities by enforcing 

integration in the F’ed up, all white, all Irish, South Boston, where White Boys had your head rocking 

and rolling if you stepped foot over that Dorchester/South Boston city line.

Now while I was coming up in the 80s, my parents instilled in me great work ethics, being hard 

working is a blessing. Getting the best education and shutdown the rambling of White Americans, 

cocktail party talks.

While drinking scotch on the rocks, mouths half way cocked open, patiently awaiting the next ghetto 

sob story from the collections of their urbanology.

Bob, “which underprivileged Negro did you help out today?” 

While the drinks are flowing and the stories of the ghetto are spoken, mouths and eyes wide opened 

trying to express apathy meanwhile poking fun of the ghetto catastrophe.

We can turn the ghetto catastrophe into a gentrified masterpiece. Tear down projects, drive up the 

cost of the property market.

Change the name of the communities, we don’t want to be stigmatized by the plight of the dark, 

gloomy community.

We must keep our schools and communities free from profanity and impurities.

We created the "Land of the Free", which only applies to those few and in between

People of color you already provided enough browning to our nation.

We can use our White Privilege to bully our way through gentrification.

You should thank us for plowing through and savaging your ghetto heaven.

These are the ramblings of cocktail parties and urbanology. 

by Andrea C. Imafidon

Coaching Question: Do you contemplate about writing but feel your words, thoughts or story isn't good enough? Remember there is no right or wrong way to write. Just write and be free!