Category: beauty

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Maker of Pretty Things!

Good Morning Origins of Peace Family,

I pray all is well for you. It has been soooo long since my last post. Things turned extremely busy for me at the end of 2020. I will spare you all the details but please know that I was thinking of you daily and quietly praying for your success.

With that being said, “I’m Back!”

For my first post of 2021, I want to talk to you about Confidence, and the importance of nuturing it daily.

What is your personal definition of Confidence. The textbook definition of Confidence is “possessing the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust. My definition varies a little. I believe Confidence is utilizing your ability to be present and engaging. We all know it’s one thing to show up, but there’s a whole different level to engaging once you are in the room. With COVID-19 throwing many of us into remote situations, we haven’t had to show up like we were accustomed to in the past. Some of our Zoom Calls consist of a pretty blouse and some sweats or that morning routine that would usually take an hour has now been reduced to 15 mins of a quick shower, slicked back hairstyles and a quick run down the steps to your home office. We know this pandemic won’t last forever so now is the perfect time to plan our comeback.

Oh and Sis, how’s your dating life? Those of us single ladies who had plans to “get our groove back” in 2020 were completly side lined, plans were totally derailed!  How many of us are approaching that age where we want to get out of the house more but COVID-19 has us messed up ASF.

It’s alot! It’s way too much to write about, but I’m here with a Confidence Reminder.

You Are A Maker of Pretty Things! 

Your confidence, your character, your demeanor, your beauty, your attire, and your boldness all make up the person you are, and that is a Maker of Pretty Things!

It’s the small things like taking accountability and showing up for yourself (even when no one is watching) that accentuate your uniqueness, nuture your confidence and make you PRETTY!

So let’s put in some work!

I love a good challenge, but not those Facebook Challenges, I don’t trust those.

For the week of February 8th – 12th  let’s do the “Maker of Pretty Things” Challenge on Instagram.

  • Monday, February 8th – Favorite Scripture or quote Challenge
  • Tuesday, February 9th – Favorite Earrings Challenge
  • Wednesday, February 10th – Favorite Red Lip Challenge
  • Thursday, February 11th – Favorite Hobby Challenge
  • Friday, February 12th – Favorite Hat Challenge

The premise of this Challenge is to show off your Confidence. We know these things don’t make us who we are, but they certainly help us feel good and confident when we are flossing for the the ‘gram.

Don’t be shy, come on and join me in this challenge!

You can either tag me in your post on your Instagram page with the hashtag (#makerofprettythings) or you can email your post to me directly to be included in a collage of other beautiful sisters who choose to nurture their Confidence.

Let me know you’re in by liking this post and heading over to Instagram to follow my page @originsofpeace

Maker Of Pretty Things,

Melissa

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The Peace in Giving Back

When the Call to Action went out to support a sister in the midst of her journey with breast cancer, I felt compelled to respond. It’s not everyday that the opportunity arises to offer support on a personal basis.

Being a breast cancer survivor who’s currently in her 5th year of survival, I understand that everyday choices are a huge part of the recovery process. I decided to gift this beautiful sister with the Planter pictured above in hopes that it would help to boost her mood during these trying times and also add a little peace to her space.

I remember the fear and uncertainty that I felt during my journey, but I also remember the love and acts of kindness that were shown to me during that time. I remember the visits, phone calls and texts. I remember the Banana Pudding Cake from my Sister in Law Lanita and I remember the beautiful Orchid from my Nephew Nicholas.

My hope is that my simple act of kindness will also be remembered as a simple act of love.💖

To this Sister I pray for Peace and Total Healing. ✨

 

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My Next Major Project

This year has certainly come with a lot of surprises. I’ve seen memes circulating around the internet joking about how we all stayed up to welcome in the New Year, celebrated its arrival and in turn were met with numerous challenges, surprises and obstacles.

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In the midst of these challenges, I’ve celebrated a few milestones. First I celebrated the purchase of a new home. This makes my second one so I consider myself a semi-expert in this area.

Second, I celebrated five years being cancer free which is a huge accomplishment. If I had 10,000 tongues, there’s no way possible that I could thank God enough for bringing me through.

I also celebrated five years post-divorce, which in my book is amazing. If anyone out there has ever experienced divorce, you know that it can be awful. Mine was, but as most wise folks will tell you, “this too shall pass” and in my case it did!

So at the top of 2020, I told myself this was my year to jump back in to dating and all things associated with it. I chose to take a hiatus on dating and relationships because, I needed to completely heal from past hurts and insecurities, I wanted to OVERSTAND exactly what I want in a companion and it was essential that I show up as my best self.

So here I am ready to jump back in and face masks and social distancing are a thing!

My next major project is rebuilding my dating life in this new era. I need answers to all the questions, WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW??

How do I meet him, where do we go, when is it safe, what do we do and who will it be!

I’m setting my intentions toward love, or at least toward a good time, so stayed tuned as I navigate this journey.

I think I’ll start with one of those prayers Ciara prayed before meeting Russell.

Wish me luck!

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Day 11: Let Loose!

Happy Good Friday Y’all!

There’s a video circulating on Instagram that adds absolute joy to my life. I’ve watched this thing at least 10 times and each time I have a different revelation.

My simple challenge for you today is to Let Loose in your own unique way.

You can belt out a #WhitneyHouston melody like the mom in the video or you can simply howl along with the dog like #babygirl.

It doesn’t matter. It’s been 11 days since the official #NCStayAtHome order began and I think you are doing an amazing job taking care of your #mentalhealth. I hope you enjoy this video just as much as I do!

Peace!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xQZlNFHU4/?igshid=17zo5o32j9saa

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Remember When

Can you remember the last time that you were excited by the ordinary? I’m talking about those simple pleasures that we often taken for granted like nature, peace, love and even silence. Oftentimes we find ourselves caught up in acquiring more, achieving more and constantly looking for the next promotion, elevation or fancy purchase that we believe will help us to find happiness.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching my grandbaby experience excitement from being able to play with a lid. As I watched her face glow with amusement, I could only think about how easy it is to forget about the simple things that once provided us with joy.

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“I have three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” `Lao Tzu

Today I am sharing 3 tips about simplicity, patience and compassion that may help you live a happier life.

  1. Living a life of simplicity will help you focus on what is important. Let me first start by saying that simplicity looks different for everyone and only you can decide what simplicity looks like for you. Personally I enjoy things with low or no maintenance, little fuss and very little worry. I normally spend more time, money and energy researching a product or service before making a purchase to alleviate or reduce the amount of stress that comes with a lot of wear and tear. Because I am a person who experiences anxiety when things are out of order, I attempt to maintain as much order as possible by keeping it simple.
  2. Be patient with yourself and others. Patience is important because it helps you build empathy for others and accept people for who they are. That last statement is so true but please understand that having patience with yourself is priority number one because it helps you become more tolerant of the different stages of life that you will experience. There will come a time when you feel inadequate. Instead of getting discouraged and beating yourself up remember to exercise patience!
  3. Extend compassion as often as possible. Have you ever found yourself saying, “it’s always something,” or “why can’t I ever catch a break?” The people around you are saying the same statements to themselves. Be kind and extend compassion to the next person because everyone is experiencing life and sometimes life can be tough.

Fill your life with simplicity, patience and compassion to not only live happier but also to live healthier. Incorporating these tips can reduce your stress level and boost your immune system.

In my last post I challenged you to make a list of the people, places, things and experiences that add peace to your life. If you’re not familiar, catch up by reading

Grace & Mercy Have My Back

Now that you have your list, use the following scale to rank the level of peace each item adds:

  • 1-not much peace
  • 2- moderate amount of peace
  • 3-extreme peace

To elevate your Peace Factor spend more time focusing on the items ranked with a 3, determine if items ranked with a 2 can be elevated to a three and consider what changes should be made to remove or redefine items ranked with a 1.

This exercise can be challenging. If at anytime you feel yourself needing support simply email me at: info@designedbymelissarivers.com

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Professional Habits To Maintain in Your 40’s That Will Keep You Feeling Peaceful

As a forty-something female professional, there are habits that you can implement or release that will boost your professional self-confidence and empower you to trust yourself more.

If you’ve been in your current position for an extended period of time, you may feel underwhelmed and uninspired. It may be difficult for you to focus on your work and deliver your absolute best. Unless you work for yourself or you operate the family business, this can be a real problem. Depending on who’s watching, you could find yourself in a situation where management doesn’t feel like you take your responsibilities seriously. If you work for yourself and fail to deliver a stellar product, you could appear as an amateur to those you conduct business with.

When I returned to work after recovering from cancer, I was my biggest critic. I felt insecure about my appearance and I didn’t feel on top of my game because personal development and professional training had taken a back seat to my recovery. I was also well over 40 and the corporate workplace was now flooded with Millennials!

Upon returning, there were several things that I did to boost my confidence. Today I am sharing 3 of my signature tips that will help you operate from a place of grace instead of  a place of constant hustle.

The objectives are to be more polished, to trust yourself more and to feel good about who you are!

  1. Develop and implement a morning routine.
    • Wake up early, spend time in prayer, affirm what you want and meditate on the good, positive situations that you are welcoming into your day.
  2. Release actions that are unnecessary.
    • If you’re a woman who constantly apologizes even when situations do not warrant an apology, Stop. Over apologizing makes it appear that you are unsure you belong in the room. When these feeling arise (Imposter Syndrome) remember; you did the work to be in the room and grace elevates you further than effort ever will, Receive It.
  3. Remain Inspired.
    • If you’re not excited by your work, find inspiration in the daily details. Examine your partnerships, goals, expected outcomes and even your clothing and accessories to find inspiration. I recently found inspiration in a pair of beautiful, hand-crafted earrings which where created by Angelique Car, owner of tha dak brand.

      Check out these beauties!

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Are you inspired yet!?!

I’m inspired by the collaboration and individuality of the materials that were used. Each element has a specific purpose and performs a distinct role in the overall design. These earrings simply make me happy and that’s exactly what our clothing and accessory choices should do.

Here’s what Angelique has to say about her designs:

“Each pair of earrings are unique and one of a kind. I allow my creative wave to do it’s thing in the moment. Sometimes I come up with designs that really show what my mood was at that time. I feel like that’s what makes them so special, they are genuinely made with a little soul and a lot of life! I am at a very happy place in my life right now, and I am grateful that I can birth something that allows me to share that with the world.”

I can’t help but think about the individual gifts and talents that women posses. We are strong, resilient, tender and creative all at the same damn time.

At any given point we have the flexibility and ingenuity to pull from those resources to accomplish our goals and to create something beautiful. When opportunities arise for us to combine our gifts with the gifts of the next woman, we can come together and make a beautiful masterpiece, just like those earrings!

As promised, I have one more bonus tip for you.

  1. BONUS – Find your passion and cultivate it.
    • Peace is my passion. With my passion I choose to teach conflict resolution strategies to women that provide guidance for mental clarity, self-preservation and service to others. I also create courses that empower women to trust themselves more! This is my passion and how I use it. To discover your passion, grab my e-book; Design Your Happy Track To Peace and schedule a Consultation so we can chat!

If you are interested in learning more about Angelique and her upcoming fall collection, check her out on Instagram at: @thadakbrand or shoot her an Email at thadakbrand@gmail.com. You can also find her on Facebook at: tha dak brand.

If you’re a female business owner or simply a female with a positive and uplifting message to share, let’s link up! I would love to feature you on my blog and learn more about what you’re up to.

Create Your Peace!

Melissa

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Affirm To Nurture Your Relationships

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Affirmation #2 – I am creating true relationships and lasting connections by being grateful for each encounter, providing support without compromising my boundaries and holding space for us to evolve.”

I wrote this affirmation while thinking about the complexities of relationships and how self-love is a direct reflection of how we love others.

I am a firm believer in self-preservation and protecting my peace by properly managing my circle of influence but I understand fully that my relationships and how I show up in them are a direct reflection of how I show love to myself.

If I’m constantly telling myself that I am inadequate or lacking in certain areas, I will feel that I have the authorization to speak those same inequities into the lives of others.

This is completely false.

No one has the right to infuse their personal self-doubt on anyone else.

Affirm to Nurture Your Relationships.

  1. Decide today that you will speak better to yourself, think more highly about who you are and begin to value your own opinion.  By doing so, you create a nurturing foundation that will be the basis for all of your relationships
  2. Set boundaries that create positive encounters. Make a decision to stop interjection your unsolicited opinions in other people’s lives. Nine times out of ten, nobody asked you…so stop. Leave something to the imagination.
  3. Express gratitude when someone shares their time, energy, knowledge and love with you

Remember: Your thoughts, words and actions should be for your greatest good and to be of service to others. Hold thoughts and actions toward others in the same regard.

Create your peace,

~Melissa

 

 

 

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Your Heart Is Bigger Than You Think

I used to think that I only had a limited amount of space in my heart to love and appreciate certain situations, including people. I was convinced that my capacity meter for “stuff” was on the fairly low side. Over the years I’ve been met with unexpected events that challenged my perceived personal truths but also ignited my will to overcome and win. I’ve learned that people are designed to be durable and flexible if we choose to operate at full capacity. Today, I am sharing 3 points of action with you, that will help you create more space in your heart to accept, embrace and handle whatever you find yourself dealing with.

  1. Understand why life has presented you with this opportunity

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is; Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  From this scripture, I am reassured that unexpected events can actually be a blessing in disguise. When the event is truly embraced, our thoughts aren’t directly centered on our personal needs alone and we are challenged to think higher and to make peace with the situation

2.  Focus only on what you have control over

Focus and take action on what you can control and have faith that the things you can’t control will also get taken care of. I’ve learned that good things are often orchestrated on my behalf simply because I did my part and showed up when it was my time to perform. You can find opportunities to be a blessing to others when they least expect it. Believe that the people you are connected to can’t fully do their work/assignment until you complete yours, and you can’t complete your work until others complete theirs. Things that we don’t have control over aren’t ours to control, they are simply an associated assignment. It’s not yours to handle but it is connected to you

3. Remain present and at peace

Do what you can today in order to accept what you’re facing. Taking small, daily steps toward acceptance will open your heart to new capacities of love and will help you navigate through unexpected change.

Challenge: Think about the most intensive challenge that you are currently facing and decide that you are going to rise to the occasion. What can you do today to embrace the change and release negative thoughts surrounding it. How will you show up? Who will you become after it’s over?

Note: To the Origins of Peace community, “thank you all so much for following the blog and for connecting with me in so many different ways. Effective immediately, blog posts will release once a month on or around the 10th of each month, and the Heal, Recover, Grow Newsletter will release quarterly. The next issue is scheduled to release on July 1st.”

You can always connect with me on all social media as Origins of Peace or by emailing me at: info@designedbymelissarivers.com

Peace In Action,

Melissa

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The Makings of You

Hi there & Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope everyone is doing well and feeling great! I am excited to share today’s post with you. As promised, I am focusing on song lyrics this month and creating a quick, snippet of inspiration based off of a line or verse.

I heard a little of “The Makings of You,” by Curtis Mayfield the other night and I’ve been listening to it since that day. Beautiful song! For all you lovebirds out there, I recommend playing it for Valentine’s Day. It might score you some extra love points. You can thank me later.

I am inspired by the lyrics, “these are the makings of you, it is true, the makings of you.”

Your presence excites me

The thought of you makes my heart pound

And when I see you, I anticipate the moment that you acknowledge me and say hi

You are wise and kind and gentle with your words. Your affection cannot be duplicated

Your gaze of admiration makes me giddy and vulnerable all at the same time

You have that effect on me

I want to know all about you

How you think and why

You embody love, humility, strength and wisdom

You make me better, not just me but everyone you meet

“These are the true makings of you”

Go in peace and find somebody to make you feel giddy and vulnerable all at the same time. 

~Peace