Hurricane 2020

One of the longest & powerful hurricanes ever recorded was Hurricane Irma. Hurricane was able to sustain winds of 185-mph and lasted approximately 37 hours. As powerful as that sounds, Irma had nothing on Hurricane 2020.

2020 came rolling in so fresh and free of any worries from 2019. It was a clean slate & another year to live life a little harder. Unlike other hurricanes, this storm hit in waves. The first wave being Co-vid 19. It took the world by surprise & forced everyone to take a moment to sit down.

This brought me back to my younger days being at my Gma house and it would storm. She would make us sit down, turn everything off, and charge our phones while we could. We couldn’t even use the lights, we would light candles. We would sit around and just talk. Sometimes we would make up games to get us through. We had to go back to the basics. Then it hit me, that’s exactly what I need to do.

Hurricane 2020 was giving me a chance to sit down and get back to the basics. Life have a way of slipping away sometimes. You get so accustomed to having everything you want & need and eventually get to the point where you take things for granted. Some times you don’t realize until you’ve been humbled by a powerful storm.

I had to learn to appreciate the storm. Of course it wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t tell God to stop the weather. Just like those days as a kid when we found ways to weather the storm, I had to do the same in this storm. I had to sit down, unplug from everything. and recharge myself.

SIT DOWN. Take some time to be by yourself. I don’t care if its just sitting in your room by yourself for one hour. Sometimes, the world can be so loud and you need silence to process your thoughts.

UNPLUG FROM EVERYTHING. Take a break from everything. Log out of social media or limit your time on them. You don’t have to answer every phone call. Decline calls from people who negatively shifts your mood. Take as much time as you need.

RECHARGE YOURSELF. Pamper yourself. Buy yourself something that you’ve been debating on buying. Find a hobby that you’ve been putting off on starting. Exercise. Sign up for activities.

I wish I could say it gets better overnight but it doesn’t. Sometimes the storm last weeks, month, or the year. What I can tell you is that everything you need to be equipped with to weather this storm is within you. It won’t be easy but that’s why raincoats & rainboots were created.

KEEP PUSHING. KEEP FIGHTING. THE SUN WILL SHINE AGAIN.

The Time I Turned Our House Into Europe :)

Hey Teacups,

Well it looks as if Covid-19 is not going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re as adventurous as me, I know how depressing this can be. I’ve found a way to be optimistic about all of this. The shutdowns around the world are challenging my creative abilities to keep my love life interesting. So I’ve decided to add a few inserts over the next few days to give you all some date ideas. So I’m going to share with you all a date I planned for our anniversary last year.

I’m heavy on the intimate. I like private dates with no one else around. So the best date idea for me was a stay at home date. I couldn’t quite figure out what I could do that wouldn’t just be the basic cook dinner at home date. We’re really big on traveling, so I decided to take my husband on a trip AT HOME.

WE TOOK A TOUR OF EUROPE AT HOME!!!

Yes, I said Europe. I took him 4,000+ miles without ever leaving the house. I transformed my living room, dining room, and bonus room into three different European countries. In each room, I hung a clock(displaying European time), that country’s flag, and a picture of that county. I printed out a “Passport of Love”. I even printed out flight tickets to each country we would be visiting. I even printed out facts about each country and put them on the walls.

To make this easier to explain, I’ll break it down by rooms.

Paris, France (Living Room)

First stop, Paris, France. The city of love. This was a great room to start the evening. Our first Valentine’s day, we made our own sip and strokes. We painted a picture of an anchor. This was the perfect room our artwork. I prepare us a tray of cheese, crackers, and grapes. I also chose 5 different types of wines so that we could have our own wine tasting. You can simply just play love music in the background, but I chose to put on a love movie. Behind the picture of the Effiel tower that I printed and framed, was a flight ticket to ROME, ITALY. Let’s jump to the next room, but don’t forget to granb your fav bottle of wine from Paris 🙂

Rome, Italy (Dinning Room)

So this is the not so boring dinner date at home part. Because of the limited time I had to prepare for this, I decided to order carryout. Since I chose to do make this room Italy, it’s only right that we include food from Italy. I chose to get Olive Garden’s entree Tout of Italy. It was so fitting for the occasion. The tour of Italy includes Chicken Parmigiana, Lasangna Classico, and Fetticcune Alfredo. We winded and dined while reading over facts about Italy. Under his dinner plate was another flight ticket. Next stop Amsterdamn, Germany.

Amsterdam, Germany (Bonus Room)

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Amsterdam? Marijuana? Red light district? Yes, everything that you think about, I brought it to this room. This room was simple. I draped red Christmas lights all over the room to give it the Red Light District effect. I left a cubbie box on a stool with all of the wildest things you can think of in it. I can guarantee you that Amsterdam was his favorite room.

Back to Boringham 😦

Our in house tour lasted about 4 hours. It was so fun though and he enjoyed every little detail I incorporated. Cost wise with decorations and all, I don’t think I spent over $250. This could be something cool to do for an anniversary or just a date night for the weekend. Try it out with different countries. If you need any help, feel free to reach out to me. I got you!!!

Until next time Teacups.

Your energy is not for sale!

Hey Teacups,

The recent events on Facebook have pushed me back to my blogs. I always feel out of place with society. I’ve accepted the fact that I am different. I feel EVERYTHING. I can’t help it. But what I have to constantly remind myself is that my energy is not for sale. So that is today’s topic.

SAY WHAT?

I know some of you are wondering what I mean about how your energy isn’t for sale. Have you ever heard the quote “anything that cost me my energy is too expensive.” ? We have to think of our energy in a sense of currency. Anything that is out of our budget, we’re not dealing with it. Learn to value your peace of mind. This will make more sense later.

Get in Tune with Yourself

We have to learn when to step back and walk away from ANYTHING that triggers your peace. This is why it is so important that you get to know you. You have to pay attention to how things make you feel and what emotions they bring in you. When something isn’t right for you, your soul will literally reject it & try to warn you. Trust your gut.

How are you spending your energy?

Once you understand how valuable your energy is, you’ll spend it wisely. Have you ever been around someone and their presence automatically changes your mood? Or have you ever seen how people speak about a situation and it disgust you? These are the situations you should steer from. You have to realize that you are in control of your energy, not them. You literally have the power to direct your energy in another direction. I have unfriended and unfollowed so many people on social media. It is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you have to completely remove yourself out of situations that don’t sit well with you.

Don’t forget to self check. We also have to be aware of the energy we’re putting out. It does not just stop at you cutting off bad energy. You have to make sure that you aren’t attracting and encouraging this kind of energy either.

Let’s tighten the budget!

No one is off-limits when it comes to cutting people off. You don’t have to be surrounded by anything or anybody that is draining your energy. One thing that one of my close friends always does before she starts venting to me is ” How is my energy” or ” can you handle my energy right now.”. That’s what we have to make a habit of asking ourselves. Can I afford this? Is this in my energy allowance for today?

5 truths that’s helped me heal❤️

Hey teacups,

It’s been a minute since my last update. I took

some time out in the name of Self Care.

While on my break, I’ve still been actively

promoting my page and when people ask me

about my blog, my favorite page to talk about is

my Green Tea column.

I’m always excited to tell people that I promote

healing. Then one day someone stopped me &

asked “how do you get people to start their

healing process”.

I had to stop & realize that, I can’t make people

do anything. I know this because when I was in

a dark space, no one could pull me out.

Healing is something YOU have to want for

yourself. When you’re tired (and you’ll know

when you’re tired) you’ll want to vibrate

higher and stop being in that lower self.

There are five truths that helped me and they continue to be the truths that keep me in my higher self.

1. It’s not other people’s job to love you. It’s yours.

The moment you realize that no one owes you anything, the sooner you will stop letting the behaviors and actions of others affect you. It is so important that you learn to love yourself. I use to have a lot of insecurities. One day I wrote down everything I didn’t like about myself and I focused in on those things. Learn to embrace those very things you once hated about yourself.

2. What you OWN is not who you are.

Growing up, I used to think I didn’t have everything. I used to want all the expensive shoes & nice clothing. Looking back on what I lacked , that made me. So many of us have this materialistic value on things. Having expensive things don’t mean that you have everything & just because you don’t have expensive stuff doesn’t mean that you have nothing.

3. You don’t have to wait for an apology to forgive.

Some people will never understand the damage and hurt they cause other people. You’ll be waiting years and years for some people to finally come to their senses to have the decency to apologize. That’s years and years of hurt that you’ll be holding on to. You owe it to yourself to free yourself of other people’s burdens. Forgive them, for yourself. You can’t start healing wounds until you close them.

4. Everything changes

Don’t get comfortable. Change is inevitable. This is a truth that I know well and I still have to work on. The moment you realize that some things in this world we can’t control the easier it will be to accept change.

5. Some people are not for you.

This is one that many people have a hard time accepting. There are no exceptions on this truth. People can include lover, family, and friends. Surround yourself around people who match your energy. The ultimate goal is to disable the keys these toxic people have to your spiritual house. It’s a process, it won’t happen overnight. Take a break from people and pay attention to how your energy changes.

I challenge you all to apply one of these truths into you life this week & notice the change. Until next time Teacup❤️✨

“Build a vision workshop”

Heyyy teacups,

I’m back with another update. I was debating on which column this would fall under. But I believe sweet tea would be perfect to showcase this event.

Everyone always say that Birmingham doesn’t have anything to offer, but you guys really missed out if you missed this event.

This weekend I got to attend a “Build a vision workshop” presented by Birmingham’s very own Maddhatter!

This was so cool because she is the first person I’ve ever interview for my blog.

This event was nothing short of spectacular.

Basically a group of ppl got together under one roof & designed vision boards. If you’re not familiar with what a vision board is, I’ve included a definition below.

“A vision board is a collage of images, pictures and affirmations of one’s dreams and desires, designed to serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, and to use the law of attraction to attain goals.“

The room was filled with inspiration. Great vibes everywhere.

As if it couldn’t get any cooler, it did. Maddhatter used this event to showcase more than one talent in a single setting.

For example, at the event there was an amazing backdrop, made by Birmingham very own Jazmyne Williams. Be sure to check out her business page on Facebook at Jazy creations.

Jazy Creations on backdrop

Also, the flyer for the event was made by Kirk Jordan. (the featured photo for this insert)

You wanna know what the most exciting part was for me? I was the guest speaker at this event.

Maddhatter reached out to me a month or so prior to the event and I was on board with the idea. Initially I didn’t even understand what kind of event it was because I’ve never attended a vision board party.

I simply prepared a motivational speech and it all tied in to what we were doing.

“Decide what you want. Make a plan & work on it every single day.”

Maddhatter put a lot of effort into this very successful event. From the picture backdrop to the cake she served for refreshments, everything matched the same theme.

“Plant seeds that will bloom into beautiful flowers”.

Our vision boards were the seeds and once we accomplish these dreams on our vision board, then they will be flowers.

IMG_5742 (1).JPG — (she also had wings, finger sandwiches, chips, and pasta salad. Yum!)

This event is definitely going in the books for one of the most positive events I’ve ever attended. I want to thank Maddhatter again for extending the invitation for the collab and also for putting together for this event.

I look forward to doing more work with her in the near future. Stay tuned, we might have another event like this sooner than you think. =)

Some of us showcasing our vision-boards.

Life updates❤️

Hey teacupsssss. It’s been a while since my last post. But I’m always preaching about loving yourself & taking some self care time, so I figured it was time I took my own advice.

Exactly a month ago today, I started two of the biggest journeys of my life.

I decided to lock my hair(& I’m loving it) & I also made the decision to be a lacto-ovo vegetarian 🌱

I always get asked, what made me lock my hair & what made me change my diet.

The answer for my hair is simple.

I’m over it!

I’ve been natural about 8 years & one day I woke up & wanted to cut it all off. I encouraged all of my close relatives to go natural. I knew one thing, I wasn’t going back to relaxers. So I went ahead & locked it up.

I’ve embraced my hair & I’m so excited to go through this journey. Here’s some pic of them so far.

This was the first day I got it done

As for the lacto-ovo vegetarian 🌱 , that was my daughter’s decision.

Vanessa came home one day talking about how she no longer wanted to eat meats & about how she had seen all the documentaries about slaughterhouses.

Being the supportive parent I am, I joined my daughter on this journey.( even though she jumped ship the next week😑. I blame it on Green Acres)

Although my daughter didn’t stick to it, I continued & I’ve been enjoying the benefits of having a meatless diet.

I’ve been sleeping better, I have more energy, I feel more alert, & because it’s a high fiber diet, I haven’t been having lactose intolerant issues.

I’m have made the decision to convert completely. So I want to make it more of a lifestyle.

It haven’t been hard finding things to keep me full. I even eat fast food. You just have to know what to eat!

Black Bean Burger & Fries from Babalu in Lakeview

Sooo that’s what I’ve been up to. I hope you all have been great.

May is Mental Health awareness month. I have lots of updates for you guys this month. Stayed tuned.🤗

“You stop attracting certain people when you heal the part of you that once needed them.”

We’ve all heard, “what goes around comes around” and “what you put out you get back”. These phrases are very true. Especially when it comes to ENERGY!

Another good one is “misery loves company”. So cliche, I know. But do you know why misery loves company?

You attract people that are vibrating on the same frequency with you. So if you’re vibrating low, it more likely to attract people that are vibrating low as well.

You stop attracting certain people when you heal the part of you that once needed them.

That’s why healing is so essential.

When you heal your own insecurities and pain, you stop attracting people who still have those insecurities and pain.

That just how the universe works.

It doesn’t always give you the people you want. It gives you the people you need. Some of these people will be there to help you, hurt you, leave you, and love you.

But you have to understand that this is all in the plan to make you the person you are meant to be.

Healing is a journey and it requires dedication. It is very much necessary.

Until you heal, you’re going to keep cycling the same relationships with people. You have to take the lesson and make change.

Otherwise, you will continue to find similar people over and over.

Sooo Teacups, my assignment for you all this week is to check your relationships. Why do you keep the company that you keep? Some of these relationships aren’t real soul connections.

Some of them are just attachments you’ve created to fill in a void in your soul. That void could be low self esteem, fear, lust, loneliness, or anything along that spectrum.

Vibrate higher Teacups. We’re going to love ourselves first from here on out. We’re going to elevate. I claim it for you all and myself as well.

Peace and Love.

Date Nights With You❤️🤞🏾

Looking for a cool date idea? Try this.

I know you’ve heard of sip & strokes right.

Well we went over to our local craft store & pick up some painting supplies. I attempted to draw an anchor(yes that’s what it is🙄) lol. We painted the picture together. It was fun & we bought our own liquor. Fun, cool, chill night☺️

The “Erin Nicole Paige”

Hey Teacupssss,

So you know this column is dedicated to promoting businesses and brands of Birmingham right?

Well I decided to switch it up a little.

This feature will be dedicated to a model who is from Birmingham, AL.

She goes by the name Erin Nicole Paige.

I was very interested in interviewing her because I believe, she fits in this category as well. She is a brand.

I was very curious to know why she wanted to model.

She shared with me that modeling was never her dream.

“The dream has always been my mother’s or my aunt. I’ve quit this profession on several occasions because it’s more girly and everyone know I’m on the tomboy side.”

I cannot tell that this wasn’t her dream because she has been slaying these photo shoots.

Erin Nicole Paige has set many goals for her modeling career. Her goals are to be published by a big time magazine.

She had been published in local magazines in Atlanta and Carolina but she wants to make a billboard. She is not fond of the runway because of her height.

After the 3rd time trying, she fell in love with modeling.

Being a model comes with an image. So my question to Erin Nicole Paige was, “is it hard maintaining an image as a model?”

“It’s really not hard to maintain your image. I would say it’s harder and building your image and making people want to represent you versus just taking pictures and saying hey look at me I’m a model. Your name/face literally is your brand so you have to protect it at all cost. ” –Erin Nicole Paige

Models face many obstacles in this industry. She expressed to me how she have been turned around before because of her height or her tattoos. Also, once you’re in this industry, you find out who really supports you and who doesn’t.

“The obstacles start at day one. You have to know more about modeling than what the internet shows.”-Erin Nicole Paige

She has advice to give to aspiring models.

“Don’t go in blind like me. You need to know exactly what type of model you are or the category they fit you in so you can push and focus mainly on that work. Anything you do or book outside of that is extra. Never Quit because someone tell you that you can’t! Just find a way to make them FEEL YOU!! Ones person “No” is someone else “Yes” so do not get discouraged. It’s not always about the money because the passion you have for what you do will show through your work. Never tell a photographer or someone in our industry you will do something and don’t show. That’s how you can get black balled before your career even take off. Always show up 20 mins early to anything and always dress to impress people will be watching!!”

Of course, I’ve dropped some pics of her work below and also her booking info.

Check her out.

IG: @BOOKLPAIGE
EMAIL: LPAIGEBOOKINGS@YAHOO.COM
FB:LaShara Paige/ERIN Paige

Trust the Process

There is no sense in beating yourself up about things that didn’t happen.

I’m a true believer that everything works out just how the universe wants it to happen.

You have to trust the process.

A lot of times, I’ve wanted things to happen for me & I was frustrated when it didn’t.

Looking back & knowing what I know now, I wasn’t even in a place in my life where I even prepared for what I was asking for.

Believe in divine timing. Everything you need will come to you at the perfect moment.

I know some times that can be hard to believe.

Don’t question why it didn’t work.

You never know what the universe was protecting you from.

This week Teacups, lets choose to be patient. Let’s choose to trust the process.

Everything that you have visualized, intended, prayed about, and worked on is in the process of manifesting.

Remain centered at peace.

It all going to happen for you the way it should happen☺️

Author: Ausetsen