Friday, December 24, 2010

Wow, that's your hair!


True Story....
So I'm at the beauty supply store looking for a hair product.  The asian guy asks if i'm going to use the product i'm looking for on my weave and i reply, no it's for my hair.  He then says wow, that's your hair it looks like weave!  I politely smile and say, "Yes, most people don't know it but black women do have hair.  He's speechless.  I can't help but keep smiling.  The lady standing beside us looks at me and gives me a wink.  This moment, classic!
~I'm not sure why so many people think that black women don't have hair or where they get the belief that you have to be mixed to have pretty or "good" hair.  I mean it's so elementary!  Hair is hair, all hair is good, maybe you like someone else's hair texture a little better but that doesn't lessen their hair quality.  I look forward to the day when people accept hair in all textures, and accept the fact that yes, black women wear weaves (but so do women of other ethnic groups) and yes, just like other women have hair that can grow, so do black women! 

~~Be sure to check out my Youtube channel CooCoo4Natural~~


Pics are posted!  Thanks for taking time to check it out!

Hair, Hair, Hair-IT'S SUCH A BIG ISSUE!  lol

~Dee





    

Monday, December 20, 2010

Share the Vision - the Gift - the Love


I grew up with the most talented people in the world. I believe that and that belief is reconfirmed when I see everyone’s gift in action. Whether it is styling, comedy, dance, acting, singing, managing, or whatever, in my eyes the Alumni of this organization prosper.  As I was watching the current ensemble perform, for the first time I saw the “children at the window” which is a vision one of the founders saw before creating the company.  I always thought that the “children at the window” were specific people, but now realize that it is a vast number of faces alive and being born that are predestined to be a part of an anointed establishment.
The biggest revelation was where I would be if Freddie Hendricks didn’t answer the call to a vision and share that vision with us. What vision has God been asking you to manifest? But more importantly, who are the unknown faces waiting on you to believe and have faith in a dream placed in your heart by God.
I think sometimes people feel that when they sing, dance, or perform a talent the glory and the praise is going or should go to them. In actuality the talent you generate saves lives, uplifts people, and gives hope and so it fulfills a mission even greater than your mind can perceive. All things give glory to God. Even the negative in time will work in brining glory to God.  
The first chapter of the book a Purpose Drive Life is entitled It’s not about you. I read that book almost six years ago and I’m just now getting it. Beliefs such as - My talent, my business, my company, my my my my….I run this…if it wasn’t for me….respect me..I can do it by myself, all stem from the EGO. The behavior of the EGO is that of a child that hasn’t learned how to share. 
Remember show and tell and how great it was when everyone shared their special gift of the day with classmates. Or maybe the kid on the playground who had a big bag of candy and unselfishly shared it with everyone and by doing that made others happy. 
You are the kid on the play ground. Your mom the higher power gave you a gift aka a big bag of candy and placed it in your lunch box.  You know that your mom loves you and you have access to unlimited amounts of candy if you asked. There are others on the playground we call life that need your gift for nourishment or just to feel a part of something great.
Will you share your gift, the dream placed in your heart by a higher power in the name of love - with us?
~ Chi Ife

The Vision - The Gift

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Unexpected

Life is filled with moments you'd never expect.  Today I was watching a video and one of the girls singing in this group was originally a part of another group. I couldn't help but wonder how unexpected it may have been for her to leave her original group and be presented with an opportunity to partner up with a different group.  I guess seeing this made me think about my own journey of things I never expected.  Lately I've been approached with some great opportunities from unexpected places.  What's odd is that most of the people I thought would extend an opportunity, friendship or partnership haven't.  But people I barely know are coming forth with joint venture ideas, business opportunities, or just unexpected blessings.

Sometimes the places we're most familiar with are those we expect to receive the greatest opportunities from.  A lot of times we condition ourselves to believe we should stay there because of an expectation; we tend to cling to those places (or people) hoping that what we expected from them will produce itself.  Have you ever considered that maybe those places are a part of your life temporarily so that you can improve in some way and move on once you have?  There is something to be learned from every relationship, whether that relationship is business or personal or both.  There's also something to be learned from an experience whether it was expected or unexpected.  Embracing the unexpected with open arms versus immediately closing yourself off can make a world of difference. 

Every day I realize life is one big world that's full of the unexpected- unexpected people, business, relationships, events. Even writing about unexpected things in this blog tonight was unexpected.  In the past I've had a tendency to shy away from things that were unexpected because they were exactly that- unexpected and unforeseen. Finally, I'm learning to not always ride the waves of my expectations but to be ok if suddenly the wind changes directions and what I expected to happen is totally out the window.  Why?  Because in some cases once you let go of the expectations you had, you end up with results that are completely unexpected, and much better than any expectation you would have ever imagined.

Embracing it all,

~Dee

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Finding your safe place

Finding your safe place
Do you know where your safe place is? You know the place where you feel extremely comfortable and at peace. It can be a real place or a place that existed in one point in time. It can be a place in your house or outdoors. For me it was a cavern that is filled with running water and precious stones. I imagine myself resting in the cool dampness and listening to the running water, inhaling the fresh air that has been purified from passing through the rocks. I can rest peacefully there without interruption and I feel myself becoming younger just by doing so. I can tap into this safe place wherever I am. It is what I think about when I’m meditating.  Finding ways to deal with stress is essential. In my profession I deal with several eccentric personalities and work long hours, but it can work for anyone. So do you know your safe place? Close your eyes and imagine that you are in the most peaceful place on earth. What does it look like, smell like, or feel like. Take 20 minutes to discover this place. Now before you forget, write it down because its yours. Whenever you need a stress reliever then take some time and go there. 
~ Chi    

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Love Notes!

Love Notes!

Ok sometimes..... ok a lot of times I have moments when I just completely doubt myself and I totally forget all of the  inspirational "pick me ups" that I’ve read or heard.  It is like when you go to church and you are excited after a really good sermon and then an hour later someone asks you what you learned in church and you’re like "um...um.. uh…it was great! You just had to be there.” That’s how quickly we forget an awesome word or the fact that there is never anything to worry about because if you believe that God wants the best for you then no problem deserves your heartache.

I find that I have to take notes during church so that I can refer back to a great message in order to reenergize my spirit. I also create love notes  to myself  that have positive sayings on them. I put them on my fridge or in a book that I'm reading so that I remain focused. It is very easy to get caught up in the worldly desires and begin to believe all the hype. That is why it is extremely important to stay in the word and surround yourself with believers who are positively influencing your life.

Thank God for health. That is so important. Whether you are fat or skinny, too tall, or too short, your health can be taken from you.  Just call yourself beautiful everyday no matter what. It is really ok if you gain 2 or 5 lbs. Go to the gym and work it off. No big whoop!  I guess what I am saying is that you should not stress over anything.

So leave yourself love notes not to stress out. Create little reminders that you can place in a visible area that will make you remember how God has blessed you and how he will continue to bless you. Be creative and make a bracelet or something that you can wear. However you do it, make sure that you remind yourself that life is great, you are blessed, and no situation is too great for God to change.

Love,

~ Chi

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

I Can't Do It

I've never been a runner, well, let me rephrase and say I've never liked running or jogging for sport.  Whenever I'd run there was something in my mind that always told me "Girl you are tired and you need to stop."  So that's what I'd do.  Stop.  Each time my mind told me I was tired, even if I could physically continue, my mind would always win and I would stop.  Well a little over a year ago I participated in a bootcamp.  This guy was crazy-we were running up hills, crawling down hills, doing abs and arm circuits all the while running nonstop.  Lol.  The first day you would've thought I'd never ran a day in my life.  I mean I would run for maybe 2 minutes, stop, start walking, start running again for maybe 2 minutes, stop, and start walking.  It was a mess!  However, the drive in me to push thru this battle I've always had with running kicked in and there I was the next Saturday, finding myself attending a 2nd bootcamp, and a 3rd and so on.

So one day while running at bootcamp once again my mind told me to stop.  I began to slow down, but then I told my mind no and I just ran faster.  It was unbelievable-like I'd said abracadabra and created a twin who jumped from behind a tree to finish for me!  And I ran until I got to the next post.  I completed the circuit and when it was time to start running, I just took off!  I realized that if I ran faster, I could just get it over with.  I also didn't allow my mind to tell me to stop because I was telling myself go, go, keep going!...and guess what....I made it to the next post without stopping!  And there I was, doing something I'd always told myself I couldn't do...run without stopping every other minute.  Now, over a year later, you most likely won't find me at bootcamp on Saturdays, and no, running still isn't one of the things I love to do most.  But if you asked me to go to a bootcamp or participate in leading one or even if you just asked me to go jogging, there's not a hater in the back of my mind telling me to say no because I won't be able to finish.  Why am I now able to say I can vs. I can't?  It's because I simply told myself that I could instead of telling myself that I couldn't.  Yes, as simple as that.

I share this experience for those who may have an area where they automatically think to themselves "I can't do it-nope, not me."  When those "can't" moments pop-up, tell yourself Yes, I Can.  And maybe it won't happen like it always does in the movies where all of a sudden BAM it's immediately conquered!  It may actually take a little time to fully complete what you've always believed you can't do.  Regardless of how much time it may take, once you believe you can do it, You'll Do It.

All things are possible, to him who believes! [ Mark 9:23 (Amplified) ]

~DeAndrea