Aaahhhh.....Me Time

I have grown to appreciate and thoroughly enjoy my me time.

Today I treated myself for the excessive hours I've been putting in at work with a massage, which is exactly what I needed, even more than I knew. As she kneaded the knots out of my back, the massage therapist suggested that I get a massage every other week, or at least once a month, especially because of physical toll waitressing takes on the body.

This new dedication to regular pampering got me thinking of my all time favorite massage experiences, and they were too good to not share:

• Jason Grae of Healing Hands Event Mobile Spa used to give chair massages at happy hours in the city, and I had the extreme pleasure of enjoying his magical touch. In only a matter of minutes, those healing hands sought out and tackled problem spots and maneuvered the muscles for ultimate relaxation. It felt so good, it almost felt wrong.
  

• The same can be said for Robert Ballat of Just 1 Touch Massage Therapy, which I experienced at a Pretty Hot Chick luncheon. This is certainly one touch that everyone should experience on a regular basis.
  

• The massage from Orange Skye left quite an impression on me. Not only was the massage amazing, but their staff was also very welcoming. I have to try their Choclolate Indulgence Body Treatment.
  

• Dashing Diva offers budget friendly chair massages that are always great for a quick fix. With great customer service and a fun atmosphere for time with the girls, I always enjoy my Dashing Diva experience.
  

• I just love the idea of SPArties. For groups and individuals, they'll bring the spa to you. Complete with a massage table, candles, and music, they set up everything necessary to create a full spa experience right in your home.
  

• Spa Castle will certainly make you feel like royalty. This facility offers pools, saunas, numerous treatments, a food court, and workout space. A personal day may be necessary because the Spa Castle is like a quick getaway that can take the entire day to enjoy.
  

Now that I can justify regular massages to my overall well-being, here is my To Spa List (which I'm sure will grow quickly):

• Yelo Spa offers powernaps! Maybe it seems silly to pay to take a nap, but when added onto a massage treatment, it is brilliant!
  

• Body by Brooklyn combines the massage and martini. The lounge meets spa. Enough said.
  
• Wink Eco Beauty Bar is dedicated to creating a pure experience for both their clients and the environment.
  

I am now so excited about this that I will certainly make sure to incorporate my massages into my schedule and budget. Is it too much to say that it's more of a necessity than a luxury?

I hope you treat yourself with some me time.

My Vision Board

Here it is. My vision board!


I had so much fun making this vision board that I want to do one every month. This one sums up all of my current major goals, short term and long term. I think it would be fun to dedicate a smaller one to my month's short term goals and create a little notebook or collection of them. That would be so fun to look back through and see progress.

Sometimes I get so excited about the future that I want to stay up for 24 hours just to get the next day started!

What about your future excites you?

I'm a Rockstar!

After watching the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards show last night, I am still so pumped up that my song of the day has been Rihanna's Rockstar 101.

What's funny is that after an interesting set of events throughout the course of the day, Jill Scott's Hate on Me became the new song of the day:

Both show undeniable confidence and BAM that's how I'm feeling right now.

I'm a Black Girl and I ROCK!

I am so full of inspiration from the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards show that I truly believe in this moment that "I am a Black girl and I ROCK!"

This is the perfect time to share this interview I had the opportunity to do with Red Rover Style.

Gotta keep on rockin'!

BLACK GIRLS ROCK!

I am so overwhelmed with inspiration from the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards show! Starting with Jill Scott rocking a performance of "Golden," there were several moments that gave me chills, including Anika Noni Rose explaining why she rocked and the "Four Women" performance. I imagine that the energy in the room was electrifying. My 13-year-old cousin said that I will be there one day, and it brought tears to my eyes. I too was imagining being a part of something as phenomenal as that. The thought alone excited every cell in my body.

I think of the black girls that rock in my life:

My mom- Anyone who knows me knows how fierce my mother is. Her strength continues to inspire me, and I know that I am who I am largely because of her.

B Smith- She is such a phenomenal woman that wears so many hats gracefully.

Alicia Keys- I love her spirit, her vibe and her dedication to the causes she believes in.

Thinking of all of the Black Girls that Rock in my life, there are so many women that I have met and had the pleasure of working with since starting Her Journey that the list goes on and on.

My heart is full of pride to be a Black Girl that Rocks!

Got Morning Practice? Feed Your Soul

At She Creates Change, we've learned to implement a morning practice into our daily routine. Although we've been given a specific structure, the general purpose is to do something that feeds your soul and makes you feel good.

India Arie's Beautiful Flower is one of my FAVORITE songs. It makes me feel good and has been incorporated into today's morning practice as I continue to work on my vision board, which is also making me feel great. (I'll share it when I'm done.)

I share this with you with the intention that it makes you feel good as well:

What do you do to feed your soul?

My Life To Do List

On a recent trip to the library I picked up a fun find based on the title: You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls. In preparing for this post, I discovered that this book was produced in honor of Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, who was, as her sisters say, a "heroine of United Flight 93" to San Francisco on September 11th. This touched me in an extra special way because those who know me know that I also lost a loved one on September 11th. My grandfather, who worked in the World Trade Center with AON Corporation, like Lauren, was one who inspired others, especially me, simply through the way he lived his life. The message of the book, much like the one my grandfather inspired in me, is to dare to dream.

What better time to share my (ever-growing) Life To Do List:

All Part of my Journey

• write a book
• start a scholarship program
• buy a house (BONUS buy multiple in various cities; EXTRA BONUS Circle House)
• be a mentor
• get a PsyD
• receive an award

For the Fun of It (to make the journey even sweeter)

• be a waitress DONE!
  
• be a bartender DONE!
• develop photography skills (BONUS work in a dark room)
• do a cartoon voiceover
  

Be a Better Me

• become fluent in another language
• learn sign language

Where in the World is Miss Journey?

• travel to every continent (I'll save my Travel To Do List for another post)
• cross country road trip
• Trinidad Carnival DONE!
  
• go on a cruise

Go to New Heights

• sky dive
• ride in a hot air balloon
• fly first class DONE!
• fly in a helicopter DONE!
• fly in a private plane (BONUS learn to fly a plane)
• bungie jumping

I'm a Bad Chick

• shooting range DONE!
• learn to play the drums
• learn to ride a motorcycle (BONUS buy a motorcycle)
• learn to drive a manual car
• drive on the Autobahn
  

Bare It All

• get a tattoo (still debating)
• go skinny dipping
• go streaking
• go to a nude beach

Living on the Wild Side

• ride a camel
• ride a horse
• ride an elephant
• swim with dolphins

Dare to Dream

• work with Alicia Keys, B. Smith and Russell Simmons
• meet Diddy, President Obama and Tyra
• open a restaurant
  

Why Not?

• hair highlights DONE!
• ride a mechanical bull DONE!
• Dinner in the Sky
• date other races
• vanity plate DONE!
• 25th Birthday multi-city celebration

I'm excited just thinking about it!

What's on your Life To Do List?

Golden

For some reason it feels like November is going to be an amazing month. I felt like I was playing catch up in September, I was able to get my head above water in October and now November is my time to really fly. I don't quite know how it will unfold, but I'm excited to see it.

As I woke up and saw tree outside my window and noticed how the leaves have turned golden in this new season, I have decided that my song of the day (and more than likely this entire month) is Golden by Jill Scott. I hope it gets your as excited about life as it does for me every time I listen to it.