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Authenticity Matters

In a world full of AI, Gridlines and Algorithms, showing up as your authentic self still matters.

“When You Show Up Authentically, You Create the Space for Others to Do the Same. Walk in Your Truth” -unknown

During a recent presentation, the meeting organizer stopped me in mid-sentence and said, this is amazing. The colors are so vivid, and your presentation tells a great story. I acknowledged the comment and thanked the organizer for noticing. Her words meant a lot to me because I strive to show up differently in every aspect of my life, business included.

Professionally, the brand of Origins of Peace, LLC is bright colors, vivid photos and transparent stories. I love creating a unique experience of peace through my content, with the hope that it will free you to show up and engage with us in the same manner.

If no one has told you lately, your authenticity matters.

I personally believe that if we hold space for one another, by allowing each other to show up as our unique self, without judgement; corporately we could all breathe a little better.

I challenge you this week to help your neighbor breathe a little easier by being authentic and holding space for them to be authentic too. Here a few things that you can do to accomplish this challenge:

  1. Be intentional with your words
  2. Demonstrate accountability for your actions
  3. Show interest in learning from others
  4. Express your emotions clearly
  5. Look for ways to have fun in the process

It is totally ok to be you. As a matter of fact, God created you because there was a void without you. Never allow the opinions or actions of others to stop you from being authentically you. There are so many obstacles that are put in front of each of us on a daily basis. Don’t get tired or weary in your daily doing. It’s all about the bob and weave method to make it through.

If you’ve been feeling anxious or uneasy about your interactions with others, remember that social anxiety is something that everyone experiences on some level.

Origins of Peace provides coaching services to help you create an action plan to navigate your feelings. Click here to get started.

Make Peace A Priority,

Melissa

 

 

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Peaceful Co-Working Lifestyle!

Peaceful Co-Working Lifestyle happening Sunday, July 30th at 4:00pm

I am dedicating 90 minutes to focus solely on my business.
I am creating social media content, emailing perspective clients and completing some administrative tasks that are long overdue.
You are invited to join me in this dedicated space where we can share ideas or just hold space for one another as we work!
An inspiring playlist has been made, timed work intervals are set and ready to go.
The only missing element is you.
We will use The Pomodoro Technique to manage our time in 25-minute intervals.
If you have a project that you are working on, I am creating the perfect, peaceful setting to help you get things done and checked off of your list.
Gain access to this peaceful space by clicking the link below!
Let’s prepare to be successful, together!

 

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Disrupt Your Resistance to Change!

Affirmation: I am open to change……I easily adapt to change……I create change……I am a Change Leader

Many people are resistant to changing their traditional ways of doing things. Traditions that have become the go to method of operation, no matter how inefficient or unproductive are sometimes hard to let go of.

This is an emotional response, not a logical one. In some cases, people, more specifically women, fear change due to shaking things up and disrupting the normal operation of how things are done at home and in the workplace.

Many fear they will lose things that are important to them, such as a relationship or work status if they ask for change.

Truth be told, the longer you fulfill a need or role either personally or professionally, the harder it is to change or require something new for yourself.

If you are considered the errand runner, dinner maker or grocery store extraordinaire in your family, letting go of these time-consuming responsibilities, or asking for help could be a huge ask.

If you are the coffee runner, note taker and calendar manager at work, these too might be tasks that you cannot easily allow someone else to fulfill or assist with.

Although it might feel hard to ask or even want change from your everyday norm, it is possible.

Today’s post is meant to inspire you to take action this week to shake things up, disrupt the norm and take risks to try something new. I am sharing 3 steps that you can take to help you disrupt your resistance to change.

In the corporate world, the practice of Lean Six Sigma involves finding more efficient ways to conduct business. It involves identifying and eliminating areas of waste in order to perform work more efficiently. In our daily lives, work life balance and mindfulness techniques can be used to create intentionality and to manage everyday life responsibilities.

In both areas, those who are the front-line workers and task performers often resist change because of comfortability. 

I challenge you both personally and professionally to utilize Movement to disrupt your resistance to change.

Movement is a common but less thought about method for creating momentum to activate change. As professional women with work and family responsibilities it is easy to create a routine of taking care of everyone else’s needs before tending to your own. Additionally, women of color are more prone to fulfill nurturing and supportive roles in our communities, churches and even at work. Use movement to shift the norm!

Your body is the first gift you are given in this life. The gift of your lungs allowed you to take your first breath. The gift of your mouth allowed your first cries to be heard. The gift of your muscles allowed you to make your first movements. Though you may have gained and lost many things along your journey, your body has stayed with you. It is time to allow your body the full range of expression that it desires and the gratitude that it deserves (Find Your Peace, A Workbook for A More Mindful Life by Kiki Ely)

Professionally, get out and socialize. Attend networking events or invite a colleague to lunch. Personally, ask a neighbor to accompany you on a walk through the neighborhood. These are just two examples of how to implement small acts of movement in your life. Small activities of movement can activate your willingness to change.

1.Start by reflecting on areas in your life that need to be disrupted. Where should you begin?

2. Build on the awareness that you’ve created by embracing your desire for change. What will change look like for you? 

3. Take one step toward your desire. What activity can you complete in the next 14 days to get started?

Do you need to disrupt your resistance to change? Are you willing to make a move toward your desires?

If you would like support as you navigate change in your life, contact me directly at melissa_rivers@orginsofpeace.com.

I offer personal and professional coaching, and I would love to help set you up for success.

Share with me your thoughts about the information that has been shared in this post. Comment below and let me know if this information is helpful to you. 

Make Peace A Priority,
Melissa
Origins of Peace, LLC
704-388-5276
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Is It Time To Uplevel Your Life

“Simply be the qualities you seek in others.”
Is there someone that you admire personally or professionally? Is there a colleague or friend that has certain qualities that you desire to exhibit more of in your life?
If this holds true for you, what actions can you take to move from your current reality to the desired reality that you want. Is it as simple as taking the appropriate steps to mimic what you see in others, or do you need to create a more structured plan to make to make it happen.
Personally, I am working on intentionally strengthening the qualities of curiosity, spontaneity, and adventure in my life. Years of overbooking my schedule and failing to prioritize, caused these attributes to become basically nonexistent.
For me curiosity involves traveling to places that I’ve never been, seeking out alternative ways to work and experience financial freedom. Spontaneity and adventure resemble taking the trip prior to feeling burned out and overwhelmed.
On Friday, August 4th at 11:30am, I am hosting a Lunch and Learn Planning Session with step-by-step guidance on how you can move from your current reality to the life you desire. Join me to get the 5-step blueprint, which can be applied to all areas of your life where change is desired.
Let me help you find your #originsofpeace. Email melissa_rivers@originsofpeace.com to receive the meeting details.
Make Peace Your Priority,
Melissa
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The Magic of Connecting with Others

Affirmation:
“I welcome opportunities to shine. I will tap into my magic and show up in irresistible ways personally and professionally.”

The magic that was available to you as a child is still available to you as an adult.

You likely were raised to believe that all things were possible to you as a child and that you could be, have, or do anything that your heart desired.

Somewhere between adolesence and adulthood, perspectives begin to change.

Everything that once felt like a miracle, begins to feel like a challenge to overcome, or an unreachable goal. As an adult you’ve some how forgotten the magic that you have, and the miracle that is you.

No matter how old you are, the magic still exists. Personally and Professionally, you have the ability to make magic happen in your life.

Ask yourself the following questions to help you tap into your magic:
What can you do to make deeper connections at work and in your social settings?

Are you scheduling networking opportunities with colleagues and engagement appointments with associates to build commaradere?

Does your schedule allow time for you to feel relaxed and at ease, instead of feeling hurried and anxious?

If you are disappointed with the answers to these questions, it is time to make a change.

Start by making a list of opportunities to connect. Brunch, after work activities or weekend Food Truck events are a few ideas to help you get started.

Next, decide who you want to connect with. Are there at least three work colleagues that you would like to get to know better?

Do you want to build your relationships with a few of your associates? After you have worked out those details, now comes the most challenging part.

You have to make time in your schedule to build those connections.

Get inspired to unlock your magic by viewing this short video:
https://youtu.be/X7s0sI2JLeI

Peace, Love & Reciprocity,
Melissa

Today is the final day to grab our CREATE! Empowerment Workshop for 50% off.

Visit https://originsofpeace.com/product/create-empowerment-session/ to get started!

Email:success@originsofpeace.com
Text: 704-388-5276

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What is Really Happening?

Affirmation:
“I am progressively moving forward in life to experience great wellbeing and receive the promises that I hold true. I am worth the effort.”

Not so long ago I experienced an extremely challenging time. As things began to escalate, I could not pinpoint exactly what was happening to me. Things felt extremely hard, and weird at the same damn time! Work was hard, relationships were weird and finding time to decompress was non-existent.
I felt like I had to move heaven and earth to make the smallest bit of progress in my work, and in my relationships. I felt more like an observer than a participant. To be clear, I felt helpless in both areas.

The constant drive to be disciplined and to be consistently “on”, left me feeling like I could not keep up. I felt like my performance occupationally and personally did not measure up to my self-imposed expectations.
I was raised to believe in the promises of purpose, meaningful relationships, safety and acceptance. At that point in my life, I felt stuck in the belief of those promises, with no concrete method of how to move them forward.
I’ve had enough life experience to know that those promises are often challenged by people, situations and circumstances, self included.

It is easy to get in your head and allow your insecurities and imposter syndrome to cripple you into thinking that you are not progressing in life.

After seeing a post online that said, “Black women don’t often recognize that they are struggling with depression or anxiety, instead they think they are failing,” I began to take a more in-depth look into the emotions that I was experiencing.

I was anxious, mentally exhausted, and totally burned out! Purpose, safety, and acceptance are basic life necessities. When those necessities are compromised, it will cause you to act outside of your norm and to go into survival mode.

Now that I am moving past those hard and weird feelings, I am able to identify anxiety as the root cause. Anxiety absolutely got the best of me in the form of overcommitment and blurred boundaries.

The 2023 State of Workforce Mental Health Report, states that 86% of workers experienced at least one mental health challenge over the past year, with only 36% of those surveyed workers received mental health care.

In order to start dealing with my feelings, I had to realign my thoughts and perspectives around those basic necessities and understand that I wasn’t failing. I was experiencing a personal crisis that needed to be addressed.

My first course of action was to take some much-needed time off from everything. No work, no deadlines, no commitments, nothing outside of what I had in the present moment.

By sharing this information with you, I hope that it helps you to become more compassionate with yourself, and your needs. If you are experiencing challenges in areas that usually align easily for you, take some time to investigate those feelings. You could likely be experienciencg some anxiety.

A Peace Map is the perfect way to get back on track. To create your custom Peace Map, we will evaluate your wellness areas, set goals to experience more peace in those areas, and then create a blueprint to make it happen.

I’ve helped many of my clients create maps in specific areas of life.

From now until July 2nd our CREATE! Empowerment Workshops are 50% off. During this session we will cover the topics above, and you will have a custom Peace Map in the end. Sessions are available online only.

Use the link provided above to secure your session. One of our team members will contact you to schedule your session.

Any questions about this offer should be directed to: success@originsofpeace.com.

Peace, Love & Reciprocity!
Melissa

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Good Vibes for Managing Worklife & Summer-fine Goals

Affirmation: I am intentionally making time for self-care this summer. I will soak up the sun, release compressed emotions and spend quality time with people who make me feel good.

It is possible to enjoy summer to the fullest while maintaining a full work schedule.

You can have a productive summer and find time to recharge by managing your time between summer-fine goals and your professional aspirations.

Manage your time and prioritize self-care so that you can actively and intentionally take care of yourself. Preparing for work the night before, beginning your day earlier and being productive at work allows you to not feel guilty for clocking out as soon as your shift ends, in order to still enjoy the day.

One very important thing that you can do to ensure you have time for self-care this summer is to put yourself first. Prioritize things that are important to you and be sure to make room for those things. If beach trips are important, plan them. If fitness is important, make time for it. If romance is a priority, make room for it.

Be consistent with things that are important to you and keep them close!

Enjoy this short video where I list some of the resources that I am utilizing this summer to manage self-care and create more balance.

If you find it challenging to manage work-life and summer-fine goals, email success@orignsofpeace.com and allow us to help you create a time management plan.

Remember: Commitment is what turns a promise into reality. Commit to your own personal self-care.

Peace,

Melissa

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And Just Like That! Mission Accomplished.

“Appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy, however stale these experiences may have become to others.”  – Abraham Maslow

*****Mental Clarity, Self-Preservation, Rejuvenation, Service to Others*****

One of the fundamental values of Origins of Peace is rejuvenation, simply taking the time to halt all routine commitments and take an extended moment to inhale, exhale, show gratitude and repeat. Repeat the process until you are empty. Empty of worry, stress, expectations, commitments, insecurity and doubt. An extended moment to simply exist as your authentic self.

When I popped open my beach lounger in the middle of town, right on the front lawn of the Visitor’s Center, I knew my mission to rejuvenate myself had been realized. There I lay, relaxed, under a huge oak tree, directly across from the waterfront, with not a care in the world.

The previous 72 hours had been spent boat hopping, beach bumming, cloud gazing, and daydreaming. I kept doing these things until the stress began to melt away.

The early morning coffee conversations with God while sitting on the dock of the bay were essential in restoring bliss and awe in my life.

When I first arrived at my destination, I was full of anxiety. I had reached my tipping point with just about everything that I was attached to. The day that I popped open my beach lounger I was at ease and feeling stress free.

As I continue to build, and refine the mission of Origins of Peace, LLC., destination retreats with a specific focus on our fundamental values are in the works. If you are interested in learning more about our peaceful retreats specifically focused on mental clarity, self-preservation, rejuvenation and service to others, click the link below to express your interest.

Contact Us – Origins of Peace

Thank you for being a loyal member of the Origins of Peace community.

Peace, Love & Reciprocity!

Melissa

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Change the Narrative!

If the definition of worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want, what is the definition of manifesting?

It is extremely easy to waste time worry about things that you do not want in your life.  Troubled relationships, career challenges and financial setbacks are just a few issues that can have your thoughts wondering aimlessly out of control.

Several years ago, as I experienced several major crises simultaneously, I often worried if I would survive it all.

First there was the divorce. It was hard and I was stressed. How would I survive, how would it affect my daughter, how would dating and relationships look for me afterwards and how would others perceive my choice? That 12 months of required separation in the state of NC was difficult.

I worried myself to the point of being unhealthy. I was stressed, consistently anxious, not sleeping well, over-weight and extremely unhappy with myself. Just when I thought things were about to get better, the cancer diagnosis appeared.

The week of my divorce hearing, I took time off of work to spring clean my home. I was ready for new beginnings and a fresh start. I wanted so badly to cleanse myself of the constant turmoil and self-imposed worrying. I had my first mammogram, which lead to a callback and subsequently to the diagnosis.

Up until the point of getting married, I was fairly consistent with my physical and nutritional health. Marriage added a level of stress in my life that I wasn’t fully prepared for.

How could this be?

On my last day of radiation treatment, I lost my job and the constant worry continued.

What now & What next?

I share part of my story today because this week marks my 8-year survival story!

I am surviving and thriving. 8 years post-divorce & post-cancer

My journey hasn’t been the easiest, and there have definitely been a few setbacks. What I’ve learned along the way is to focus my time, energy and attention toward the things that I actually want for my life.

I am spending less time focused on things that do not bring me peace, joy or purpose. This involves understanding and owning my values and taking intentional action to reset my personal expectations. It takes discipline to train your mind to focus on manifesting and not worrying.

Many of the traditional methods that are talked about for stress reduction and developing discipline actually work if you work them to your advantage.

  • Journaling is great for getting your thoughts and concerns out of your head and down on paper so that you can create a strategy to effectively manage your challenges. I recently saw a post on Instagram that says, “If you avoid conflict to keep the peace, you start a war inside yourself. I couldn’t agree more”. Get those thoughts out of your mind and create peace within!

  • Exercising is a great way to re-direct your energy and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Imagine the heightened sense of awareness you can generate from a little physical movement.

  • Understanding earth’s elements are a non-traditional method of dealing with stress and redirecting your thoughts from worry to manifest. The elements are air, water, fire, earth and space. Find the element that speaks to you intently. I personally feel most relaxed by varying bodies of water. The crashing sound of ocean waves, or the stillness of a calming lake are both great at helping me to relax and find peace.

For my present and future, I am manifesting an everyday life that is filled with reciprocal love, amazing opportunities, genuine friendships, harmonious family interactions and all the blessings that God has planned and purposed for me.

On June 2, 2015, I had surgery to remove the cancer tumors from my body and on June 4, 2018, I re-entered the workforce with new skills and a highly viable career path. Origins of Peace exist today because of the multiple challenges that I experienced in 2015.

Dating and relationships in this survivor era offer the biggest area of opportunity for me. I’ve come close to manifesting the relationship that I desire, but nothing has panned out completely as of yet. Stay tuned for future posts to see how that plays out. I am hopeful.

What am I manifesting for this area of my life?

A love that is never selfish, always of service, and precisely on purpose.

    From My Mouth to God’s ears

My definition for manifesting is to demonstrate the things that I desire in life prior to actually obtaining them. This is easier said than done, but it is possible, and I am actively doing it.

As I celebrate 8 years of surviving and thriving, I choose to demonstrate good health, love and understanding, progressiveness and forward thinking, spiritual fortitude, and all the desires of my heart while God continues to add blessing upon blessing to my life.

My prayer is that you will change the narrative that you repeat to yourself. May your thoughts of worry turn to offerings of praise and gratitude.

Peace & Blessings to you!

If you are ready to create a strategy of manifestation for your life, let’s work together. Schedule a complimentary consultation today by clicking here. 

Much Love,

Melissa

 

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Protect Me Like Academy Sports Protects its Online Purchases

Audio Companion

 

See the picture above, this was me last week relaxing in my new RIO Beach Backpack Lounger from Academy Sports.

Please forgive my nearly closed eyes, but I’ve been dealing with some major sinus congestion for more than a week now. Sheer agony!

Anyway, for weeks I had been searching for a beach lounger, when I came across the perfect one on the Academy Sports Website. The color scheme perfectly matched my beach dining accessories from Tabitha Brown’s latest release at Target, it was light weight, and the straps were perfect for easy portability.

I ordered the lounger using a gift card that I received on my birthday last year. When I arrived at the store to pick up my order, I decided to use curbside pickup, since I was not feeling well. I selected the appropriate options to alert an associate that I was outside waiting. When the associate arrived, he immediately asked me for my ID. This posed a problem for me because I had lost my driver’s license at the beach, the previous weekend. Before uttering a word, I looked in my purse and retrieved the gift card that I used to make the purchase, my confirmation email, and my temporary driver’s license.

As I am doing all of this, I told the associate that I had lost my driver’s license, but I had all the items that I listed above as verification that I was in fact the person that placed and paid for the order.

The associate’s initial response was to refuse delivery. My response was, how will my picture ID assure you that I am the person who made the online purchase? Your website didn’t ask for a picture, so how would that help you validate the purchase and me as the purchaser?

We discussed the dilemma for a few minutes and then a second associate came out to my car whom I assume was a manager.

After about a 10-minute delay, I was able to get my order.

As I began driving away, I immediately thought to myself, I need this kind of protection in my life.

Protect Me Like Academy Sports Protects its Online Purchases!

The intention, the verification, and the validation of transacting with the appropriate party was top tier for me. Although I was the one who could not provide the needed information, I appreciate the steps taken by the store to ensure that I was in fact who I claimed to be.

Imagine if each of us took that same level of care in our everyday relationships. Instead of rushing into agreements with others, what if we took time to actually validate who they really are? I was able to gain the trust of the associates because I described the color of my dining accessories and how the colors complimented the lounger that I purchased. I also talked about my past trip to the beach and my intention of going back. All of this discussion helped the associates get to know a little about me and become comfortable with the decision to give me my lounger.

I’ve had a number of representatives show up in my life claiming to be someone whom they really were not. When I thought that I was dealing with someone who had integrity and was trustworthy, but in reality, they turned out to be just the opposite.

The lessons that I am taking from this encounter are:

  1. I will always show up as my authentic self, and I will expect others to do the same
  2.  I will value the connections that can be made by simply engaging in a little small talk
  3. I will respect the boundaries and values of others, and I will expect others to show the same respect to me

These are simple truths that are now part of my #originsofpeace.

How about you? Are you showing up authentically, and do you have set expectations and values that others must adhere to?

There is a quote that says,

“Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. What you mean when you do a thing will always determine the outcome. The law creates the world.”

 

My intention is to be protected as well as Academy Sports protects its online purchases! What’s your intention?

Peace & Blessing!

Melissa