On Forsaken Standards, Forgotten Serenity and Finding Success

With the first quarter of the year in the rearview mirror, I took last week completely off grid to fill my cup back up and embraced the full, unadulterated glory of recharging. 🔋
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We’ll talk more about why this matters in a bit, but even if you can give yourself a few hours at a time, get rest scheduled on your calendar. 🗓️💤 With the relentless hustle of everything around us, scheduling downtime is the most boss move we can make. ⏳🛌

Let’s jump into what’s on my mind this week.

RANT

The continued level of disrespect toward female athletes has got to stop.

These last 2 weeks have been interesting since women’s college basketball pulled in 24 million viewers to ESPN. 🏀👀 The NCAAW championship, won by Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks really blew folks away (and was the most watched basketball game EVER on the channel). The people who had been saying folks don’t care about women’s sports can simply STFU. 🤬
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And then the unveiling of the absolutely ridiculous women’s USA track and field kits for the Summer Olympics had Me outdone.

So let me get this straight. Men get to rock full ‘fits as they run but women get to wear half suits that barely cover 2 labias at once. 🤦🏾‍♀️
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Like… what in the vag floss hell is this outfit? You want someone jumping over hurdles while their whole vulva is exposed?!? What Was the reason if not disrespect?!?
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And you cannot tell me a woman spearheaded this design and said “YES. THIS IS IT.” 🙅🏾‍♀️
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How is it even productive to their excellence? 😑 The logistics are raggedy. If I were Team USA, I’d be asking to speak to the manager cuz ain’t no way you gon catch me tryna break records while rocking a clit sling. 😑😑😑😑

Stop playing in our faces!!! And please tell us this was the first draft y’all had and it was satire. Re-do these asaptually. Ugh. 😮‍💨

REFLECTION

Nourishing self and soul is sometimes the assignment.

Sometimes, we get so busy with life and career and other things and we forget that part of our assignment is taking care of ourselves. It’s a journey that many of us sideline in the hustle of our daily routines, but it’s truly the bedrock of not just surviving, but thriving. ❤️‍🩹
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I’ve not been good at making time for myself. But the past few years have taught me that making time for yourself isn’t a luxury; it’s a fundamental part of a well-lived life. It’s about giving yourself permission to pause. ⏳
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I had the opportunity to take a grand pause and get out of town last week. I didn’t realize how much I needed this reset until I was there. And as the week went on, it felt like everything started to feel like ease again. There was a specific moment I experienced where I was completely overwhelmed with gratitude for everything, that all I could do was reflect and give thanks and pray. I don’t know if that moment would have been possible without committing the time away to my calendar.

I’ve found that the more I commit to the practice of self-care, the more everything else seems to align. Decisions become clearer, creativity flows more freely, and challenges become easier to navigate. It’s as if by nourishing my inner world, the outer world becomes less daunting. 🧠💡

And let’s be real: sometimes nourishing your soul means saying no. No to the extra project, no to the social outing that feels more like a chore, no to the people who drain your energy. It’s not selfish; it’s self-preservation. It’s making sure you’re not pouring from an empty pitcher. 🙏🏾
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I encourage you to think about what nourishing your soul looks like for you. It doesn’t have to be grand or time-consuming. It just needs to be intentional. Start small, maybe with just five minutes a day, and watch how it transforms not just your days, but your life. ❤️

Remember, sometimes the most important assignment is the one we give ourselves: to take care and nourish our own beings. Let’s not wait for a “perfect time” or until we’re running on empty. Let’s make it a priority today, because this is the foundation upon which everything else is built. Let’s thrive, not just survive. 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

RECOMMENDATION

Don’t miss Season 5’s Drop! Subscribe to the Professional Troublemaker Podcast!

Last year, I almost bankrupted my business. As I processed what happened, I reflected on the fact that being in business with yourself is not for the faint of heart. When I posted about this the outpouring of support made me realize that I was not alone. 🫂

It really had me feeling like we need to talk openly about this more, and I have the right space to do it: on my Professional Troublemaker podcast. 🎧
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Sooooo I’m bringing it back for season 5, and focusing on the GLORY AND GRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP. I’ll be giving y’all the real deal truth about how legit I was 3 months away from shut down. 😬 And I’ll be chatting with some amazing guests who are also running their own companies with purpose. And we gon be real transparent. 💯

Soooo coming soon. Real soon. 👀
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👉🏾 Subscribe to Professional Troublemaker podcast on:

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Taking time to listen to a podcast you love is a great way to get some rejuvenation time, but I’d love to hear from you – what do you love to do to unplug and recharge? 🤔 💭

Bonus points if you reply and let me know not only what you love, but what date you have it scheduled for on your calendar.

​Disclaimer: I receive commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this newsletter. All thoughts and vouching are mine. I keep it 💯!