This bite goes hand in hand with the Article: “Editing Your Life: Becoming The Editor-in Chief Of Your Daily Life.
Editing & Creating Your “Staff”: So, when you are an Editor of a large company such as your LIFE, you most likely have a "staff", those that offer support and are in line with the life that you are trying to write.
I would like to dedicate these two songs to you all...remember..inspiration can come from all things, good and bad, black and white, love and pain, old and new...but just keep it inspired, keep your spirit shining, listen to your heart..and just do the best you can, and know that we are all in this cycle of life together!
Do any of you feel that you have given out more love in a relationship than you receive? These poetic lyrics by songstress Maria Jensen goes out to all the ladies who are feeling this way. I hope you all find balance within the love that you desire! Enjoy The Lyrics!
"I Give, You Take"
If you cut, I will bleed, bring me down to my knees
You make me feel what I am is never good enough
Can you help me understand, thought I made you a better man
I guess somehow along the way, things just change
It seems just like a distant memory
That you used to be good for me
But, baby, now it's clear
I wanted to post this commencement speech given by Oprah to Stanfords Class of 2008 this past June. I love her choice of words and the wisdom that she shares and found it to be quite inspiring! Enjoy!
How quickly Friday came around...YAY! I hope everybody has a wonderful weekend! So, how do you all usually spend your weekends? Do you have set goals that you want to get done or do you just go with whatever? Most of the time I seem to have a running list of tasks and projects that I would like to get done, and many times they do not, so my list just keeps getting longer and longer.
Anyhow, This song by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth got me thinking about how we would want our children and friends to remember our characters.
Our Favorite Nominees: YMIB, Nappturality, My Soy Onlines Mahogany Mama, and Sister Speak Online
Our Favorite Nominees: Fly Girls & Afrobella
Better Get To Livin Ladies! Oh, I love this song by Dolly Parton. The lyrics are fantastic and a great anthem for any woman who is going through those tough times or just having a bad day or suffering from low self esteem. Inspiration can be found in so many different mediums and I love when I run across those songs that are from the least expected places that offer up so many good feelings. So, please do listen to the lyrics and you can also read them below!
Better Get To Livin' Lyrics
People always comin' up to me and askin'
"Dolly, what's your secret?
With all you do, your attitude
Just seems to be so good
How do you keep it?"
Well I'm not the Dalai Lama, but I'll try
To offer up a few words of advice
What makes a woman?
Womanhood is not defined from the outside, but from within.
It is how we choose to express ourselves from our creative cores.
It is our innate capacity to nurture seeds of potential into the miraculous.
It is…
the blending of strength with warmth,
the balance of hope and knowing,
the union of dignity and grace,
the merger of radiance with humility,
the fusion of femininity and brilliance.
the mélange of wisdom and wonder.
Womanhood is an amalgamation of all that is and will ever be.
Womanhood is a gift that desires cultivation…a perpetual work of art.
Respect who you are. Nurture who you are. Be who you are.
Trust that it is more than enough.
Sometimes his love hurts...it cuts you deep, leaves you with wounds and scars, and sometimes his love is reconciled beyond the hurt, and sometimes it's not. One thing is true...his love is an emotion that can change in a heartbeat and unfortunately for your emotions, your heart has to reform with it. His love sometimes grows to fast and sometimes it leaves in a haste...leaving stretchmarks upon your hearts that carried his love for months and years. Sometimes his love makes you smile and many times it makes you cry, but one thing is true...his love is a cycle, sometimes long, and many times short; and while you might not feel the warmth and comfort of his love caressing your spirit now, know that you still have a love reserved...and SHE LIVES WITHIN.
I never knew that Smokey Robinson performed on Def Poetry Jam! Nevertheless, I think his poem was fantastic, and I really enjoyed listening to him. Snaps in the air for Smokey! Excuse the video quality...it was the best that I could find. It is not bad, but it is not exactly the clearest either. Enjoy! Do any of you have a favorite def poetry jam performer?
There are so many heartbreaking images of all of the destruction in the Sudan with Darfur, yet I thought I would do a little tribute to celebrate the beauty of the culture of Sudan with a focus on our Sisters there as well as the beauty of Sudanese music and a simple Sudanese dip recipe! One of my favorite Sudanese/Arabic singers is Rasha. Her first release of Sudaniyat is quite lovely. You can also hear full samples of her music by visiting her rhapsody page.
Leave A Comment: What has all of the happenings in Darfur and Sudan taught you or made you realize about life and the media that portrays it?
Excerpt from 101 Ways Black Women Can Learn To Love Themselves by Author Jamie Walker:
“At last I have a moment of clarity I can cling to. I meditate. I find the path of stillness even though I do not know which tradition calls me. I know only that I am called to love. That to love is to serve.” —bell hooks, Wounds of Passion
"My personal motto is live life to the fullest and to spend your time doing what you love. You have to enjoy each day as if it were your last." - Hil St. Souls
There is just something refreshing about hearing old songs again, whether it's from your era or well before, listening to old songs can keep you feeling young, vibrant, and can possibly keep your memories in check by taking us back to our younger years. So check in every Friday for your "Remember That" fix!
Who: Linda of Real-I-Rising
Why We Love It: London Life. Culture. Creativity. Holistic Health! It just doesn't get any better than that. Linda explores the many charming and unique facets of living in the UK . She has fantastic music taste and posts some great “inner-views” with many artists from the area as well as some great holistic health tips and articles. You may also recognize her from our Sister Circle as Purely Holistic UK! Her writing is warm and inviting and we know that you will enjoy her posts, so head on over and be inspired UK style!
Must read: Our favorite Posts:
Good Morning Sunshine: Take an Om Break! We just wanted to wish all the Circle Sisters(and our visitors) a sunlit day filled with fresh energy, poetic thoughts, creative inspiration, and self love. Hoping your day is off to a great beginning. We know that sometimes while at work things can get a little stress-filled, so when things get a little overwhelming today or throughout your weeks, refer back to this post and take yourself a little om break. Turn up the volume to fill the acoustics of your room or put on your earphones and just let it all go..meditate...relax, relate, & release! You Make It Beautiful Sis...so keep creating, stay stress free & have a wonderful day! -your ymib family.
Talib Kweli is is one of my favorite and true hip-hop artists! I am not a big hip hop head, but I know good music when I hear it and ever since my husband hooked me on the the Blackstar album, I have definitely given Talib lots of respect for his intelligent rhythm with words. This is one of my favorite performances on Def Poetry jam...be inspired!
We dedicate this song & lyrics to all the Circle Sisters! Know that you are admired, and we thank each and everyone of you for the beauty that you inspire the Sister Circle with!
Here is an inspiration flashback for you ladies! Maat is such an inspirational beauty for all women to know. In this past article we asked...How Heavy Is Your Heart?
How heavy is your heart?
Throughout our days in life we are constantly making decisions. We are in a constant mode of battle and war between that of good and evil, and at many times we tend to listen to that of evil more, which in turn causes much harm to ourselves and possibly to others. Throughout these confrontations in life however, we always have the option of disciplining ourselves to truly listen to our inner beings and to choose to do what we know is right. It is hard work to do good, and easy to do bad, but in the literal end your heart will thank you for it!
Everyday is a good day to give yourself something special, and while February is most popularly the month of love (ie. Valentines Day); it is most definitely not the only time you should treat yourself to a box or bar of scrumptious and delicious gourmet chocolates. We have selected a few of our favorites ranging from organic, to vegan, to milk & dark. So go ahead...have a chocolate...you deserve it!
"History is not everything, but it is a starting point. History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography. It tells them where they are, but more importantly, what they must be." - John Henrik Clarke
I have been meaning to post about this documentary for quite some time now. If you have never heard of John Henrik Clarke nor viewed his documentary entitled “A Great & Mighty Walk” then you definitely should pick it up to add it to your book/audio resource collection. This documentary is so well put together, easy to follow, and I always love hearing Clarke speak so profoundly and passionately about our history and culture. I remember when I first saw it on t.v. and I was stuck in front of the television the entire time.
Sister Post of The Week: SiStarhood; Gather the Women
Roll Call is where we hand pick some of our favorite women of color who blog that is setting the example of what “You Make It Beautiful” really means. From crafty ladies to holistic mamas, to poetic writers, life inspiration and more, we will share them all on the Roll Call!
Who We Love: The Cocoa Lounge
Why We Love It: This blog is filled with some beautiful images of black women who are doing stylish and positive things. Reading The Cocoa Lounge will definitely give you a boost of inspiration! Her posts are very vibrant and the commentary is intellectually entertaining We Love It!
Our Favorite Posts:
There is just something refreshing about hearing old songs again, whether it's from your era or well before, listening to old songs can keep you feeling young, vibrant, and can possibly keep your memories in check by taking us back to our younger years. So check in every Friday for your "Remember That" fix!
For all of those who need a quick inspiration fix, be sure to check in with us Every Sunday at 9:00pm EST to get an inspirational wrap-up/run-down of all things inspirational from select members of our new “Inspiration Network”. We will highlight and post some of our favorite blog posts, events, and contests that the Network sites are up to and supporting around the web. So stay tuned!
We are doing a surprise give away of one copy of “Six Principles for a Life of Health, Beauty, and Balance” by Author Judy Lubin! Her book is an uplifting and powerful tool designed to help you align your thoughts and actions with your wellness goals. Packed with expert advice, stirring anecdotes, and personal stories from other women, The Heart of Living Well will encourage and inspire you to live your healthiest and fullest life. Read a short excerpt from her book below!
Keep A Lookout...You Could Be The Lucky Winner! We will notify the winner by e-mail on January 31st.
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