Today I am highlighting several of the Black Owned Businesses that I’ve worked with this year, to bring more attention to the innovation and creativity of black people. Black people inspire, design and exude greatness each and everyday, but our genius is often overlooked. I invite you to learn more about the following companies and support them if you can.
In February of this year, I had the pleasure of setting up Mike Sells Everything, LLC (MSE), which is a Variety Store located in Kannapolis, NC. The owner, Michael Rivers is passionate about helping his community find quality merchandise at affordable prices. At this very moment you can find a Violin ready for purchase as well as Small Appliances and Toys for the kids. Mike believes in doing right by people and does his absolute best to accommodate everyone. Today’s special at MSE is the Crockpot pictured below. The original price is $79.99 but today’s price is $25.00. If you’re located near Kannapolis, NC, stop by MSE at 1905 N. Cannon Blvd. Kannapolis, NC 28083 and grab you one.
Kyla Rivers, owner of K.Beauty, LLC has scaled and expanded her business into a beauty empire. Kyla started creating makeup at the age of 16 and has added Skincare and Bath and Beauty products to her offerings. Kyla is passionate about being successful and helping other young adults find their passion and launch businesses they love! Shop K.Beauty. LLC!
Lanita is the owner of Styles by Lanita which is a Hair & Clothing Boutique. Lanita can style you from head to toe and she offers custom T-shirts and Apparel. For Blackout Tuesday 2020, Lanita is offering $15.00 Roller Sets and Blowouts and $10.00 Boss Racerback Tanks
Steve Bailey started his business in April of this year and he is your go to guy for all of your hauling and landscaping needs. Head over to Steve’s website, he’s open for business!
Other business that I am currently working with include BBZ Lawncare and Maintenance, The Nina Symone Collection and The Glamm Cartel. Be on the lookout for these names coming soon!
I am Melissa Rivers, and I am the Owner & Creative Peace Designer at Origins of Peace, LLC. I use my passion for conflict resolution to help individuals over life challenges and design their next life chapter by starting businesses, adding income streams, expanding career paths, bouncing back after divorce and much more. My passion derives from my own challenges of cancer, job loss and divorce all within a six month time period. I love to encourage others and support them in their journey forward.
In a time where chasing the next greatest trend, fad, influencer or improve thyself technique is the thing to do, people are fiercely striving for perfection in their professional and personal lives. This non-stop sprint for greatness has left a majority of folks stressed out, tired and overwhelmed. As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared “Burnout” as a diagnosable condition. Their definition of burnout focuses solely on the professional perspective but I believe if we fail to equally consider personal burnout in the definition, we are only examining half of the issue.
My personal definition of burnout is: having feelings of exhaustion and extreme tiredness with increased mental isolation from one’s personal and professional responsibilities which result in reduced productivity.
Many people experience burnout in their personal and professional lives without realizing it. There’s the pressure to attain a certain lifestyle or to achieve a certain social status, but there’s also the pressure to be the one who people can depend on and the one who has it all together.
In the workplace, employees are working longer hours, performing jobs they despise and working through their lunch break to chase the so-called American Dream. Those actions contribute to exhaustion and regret.
If you think you may be suffering from Professional burnout, try incorporating the following actions and seek professional help if necessary.
Establish healthy connections/relationships at work
Unplug during your lunch break; no phone, no meetings, just eat
Schedule quarterly vacation days throughout the year to do something meaningless and fun. Don’t wait until Summer or Christmas break to take time off
Personal burnout can be a little more difficult to recognize, mainly because no one wants to freely admit when your own life becomes too much to handle. To give you a better understanding of personal burnout, I’m going to extend to you a looking glass into my life.
In 2015, I went through divorce, cancer and job loss all within a 6 month period. I was exhausted, my self-esteem was low, my concentration was non-existent and I was persistently overwhelmed. I did not have a steady income again until November 2016. I was on the verge of losing my home and my sanity. While dealing with all these things, I was raising a teenager, being a supportive daughter, sister, auntie and friend while being completely depleted inside. Personal burnout.
Personal burnout comes from continuously mismanaging your life by neglecting your personal needs and putting the needs of others before your own, neglecting opportunities for self-care and personal well-being and failing to see the beauty in the present moment.
The greatest gift that I’ve learned on my road to self restoration is:
I AM MY PRIORITY.
I’m giving you a few of my top reminders to help you focus on self-care, self-restoration and self-preservation.
Schedule self-care appointments frequently
Unplug from social media often
Use the letters N.O. freely
Don’t lose yourself, trying to save someone else
Live and let live
Always remember: “We each have a life to live and personal burdens to bear. You are here as a support, not a savior.”
Welcome February…the month of love! This month we will shift our focus from spiritual wellness to emotional wellness. We will dive into our thoughts about love and acceptance of self. We will explore the possibilities within self-forgiveness while creating a stronger mental image of who we are and what we are capable of.
I brainstormed the following points during a creative writing session at the Pink House in Charlotte NC.
I pray your heart will open to the possibility of maybe…
My thoughts are inspired from a verse within the poem Wild Geese by Mary Oliver.
“Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine….”
Most often pain is the point that brings people together.
Maybe we can share our story and get inspiration from each other.
Maybe I will tell you of my deepest fears and hope that you will still love me.
Is it okay that I confide in you and express what is truly on my mind or I could just sit in silence while you share your story.
If we lean on one another maybe we both can be healed, or maybe we should release all expectation and appreciate the things that we do not know…..
If this is your first time on my page. My name is Melissa Rivers of OriginofPeace.com. I am a Peace Coach helping individuals heal from past hurts and regain their confidence. I am excited to have you join me. Please consider signing up to receive emails from me. Let’s do a quick recap of the last few posts. Last week we discussed the importance of having an established morning routine. I gave you the 3 Fundamental Necessities that I use to make sure my day starts off great. I also gave you several of the affirmations that I repeat throughout my day. Prior to that, we spent time fasting, affirming and visualizing what success means to us and how to get motivated to finish what we start. Today, we are taking a closer look at the affirmations that I shared last week. As promised, I am going to breakdown each affirmation by letting you know what inspired it, a Personal Reflection of what the text means to me, and how God’s Love ties it all together. The affirmations that I shared last week are as follows: I am loved, I am accepted, I am successful, I am rewarded, and All things work together for my good. This group of affirmations is inspired by The Book of Esther. Are you familiar with Esther’s story? If not, I will give you the quick, snapchat version of it. A young girl loses both parents at a young age, her male cousin Mordecai takes her in and raises her as his own child. She develops into a beautiful woman and attracts the eye of King Xerxes. The King chooses her to be his Queen. Here’s our first clue about the title. A poor orphaned girl who was taken in by her cousin ascended to royalty and lived a luxurious life. Esther’s story is the perfect come up story. Can you imagine going from Orphan to Queen, from broke to balling, from poverty to luxury? I can, and that is why the inspiration for my affirmations is, The Book of Esther. Let me put on my visionary goggles and dive in to the text for you.
The First Affirmation is: I Am Loved
Inspired by Esther 2:7 – Mordecai had a cousin name Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither Father nor Mother. This young woman, who was also know as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
Personal Reflection: I am grateful that in times of tragedy, my family has had my back. I lost my Dad at age 2 but I’ve had male figures throughout my life that provided the stability and love that I was unable to receive from my Father.
God’s Love:In times when I feel alone and uncertain of my future, God strategically places people in my life to love me, to affirm me and to take care of me.
The Second Affirmation is: I Am Accepted Inspired by Esther 2:9 – She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the King’s Palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the Harem. 2:15-…and Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.
Personal Reflection: When I feel inadequate or under qualified, God makes room for me in high places and He positions me exactly where I need to be. God’s Love: God accepts me and approves of me, just as I am and with all of my flaws.
The Third Affirmation is: I Am Rewarded Inspired by Esther 2:17-18 – Now the King was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval…So he set a royal crown on her head and made her Queen…And the King gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet…
Personal Reflection: I am humbled by the ways that God has blessed me. He’s given me beauty for my ashes on so many occasions. I feel like royalty because God has crowned me with healing and redemption over and over again.
God’s Love: Just when I think God has blown my mind with a blessing, he goes way above and beyond that blessing to bless me again.
The Fouth Affirmation is: I Am Successful
Inspired by Esther Chapter 5:2-3-…when the King saw Queen Esther standing in the court she found favor in his sight, and the King held out to Esther the Golden Scepter that was in his hand. And the King said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you up to half the kingdom!”
Personal Reflection:I am blessed to hold positions that I never imagined myself qualified for. I am grateful that my worth and value are acknowledged, appreciated and accepted.
God’s Love: God continues to make room for me to share my gifts. He ensures that my knowledge and input are appreciated.
The Last Affirmation is: All Things Work Together For My Good
God’s Love: God has blessed me in every season of my life. He keeps reinventing me and creating a better version of me. In spite of my many challenges and short-comings, he has always placed me on top. God makes room for me to share my gifts and talents with others, he’s given me a bold and confident spirit and he places me among people that contribute to my growth and well-being.
Isn’t God Amazing?
So just like Esther, I started at the bottom but now I am here. Here to command the room, here to use my talents, here to walk boldly among authority figures and here to take my rightful place as royalty.
Those are my affirmations. When I repeat them, all of the thoughts and images that I’ve shared with you, circulate through my mind and I walk boldly through my day, affirming all that God has called me to be.
And my friends, That is What Happend.
Just like me, you can change the way you see yourself.
I would love to help you create Affirmations and that are personal and useful for your everyday life. It all starts with Mental Clarity through Prayer. My latest course entitled, “No More Struggle Prayers” will help you find the correct words to pray and affirm over your life.
Through creative writing, I will teach you how design bold and intentional prayers using your inspiration of choice. I am a Christian so I use the Bible often as inspiration but please feel comfortable to bring whatever material inspires you.
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