I know Beyonce told you that girls ruled the world but I’m telling you that you have the ability to rule your own world. You see many of us forget that we have the power to create the life we want. We have total control of our decisions, choices, actions and behaviors. Anything we want we can have – you just have to believe it and go after it.
Ladies, I can’t stress this enough – stop giving your power away to others by allowing them to dictate the circumstances of your life. We have a bad habit of releasing our power and letting our emotions rule, especially when it comes to men and relationships. Our hearts take over our heads and we lose our minds (literally). Somehow we lose our position as “King of Me” and become “King of We”. We lose sight of our individuality and allow someone else to be the cause and effect of our pain and unhappiness. We forget that we have a choice to say yes or no to anything. The truth is you can’t blame anyone else for the state of your being. And you know what else? If you don’t want to deal with drama, you can always leave the relationship. If you don’t want to be somebody’s second choice, you can be somebody’s first. If you don’t want to struggle and live in poverty, go educate yourself for better job opportunities.
You don’t have to remain in any situation that is not providing you with your needs.
I’m still not sure why we are afraid of change but comfortable with complacency….smh
Guess what? You are in charge of your own happiness. Someone can add to your joy but no one can give it solely or take it away from you. If you ever feel lost in any situation or begin to feel like you don’t have any control, remember that I told you woman to woman – you’ve got the power.
Want to talk to me Woman to Woman or have a topic you would like addressed? Email me at rhooks@madamenoire.com or you can follow me on twitter @rashanahooks
Reaching for my dreams And you're so quick to say what I can't do You criticize my actions But I don't see you standing in my shoes I'm going the wrong way I'm doing the wrong things Every word just gives me fuel So come on come on come on come on come on come on
[Chorus:] And tell me no And I'll show you I can And tell me no I sink my feet right in Tell me no Just tell me that I can't win Come on I'm sure I'll prove you wrong Come on and go Tell me no
Every step I take you're right there trying to block my next move If you're making me feel bad, then tell me then do you feel good I'm just human and all I'm doing is what my heart tells me I should So come on come on come on come on come on come on
[Chorus]
No no no no no no no You motivates me more and more And I think it's time that you know Giving me something to afford And I can't wait for the day I can rock things in your place I ain't gonna stop til I'm done I reach the top I'm the No.1 For everytime you try and tell me no Oh you makes me keep on keep it all
I've been emotionally distraught for the past couple of weeks. nothing seems to make me happy/smile lately genuinely. and i just feel down...things haven't been going in the right direction for me...majorly- well SOLEY my doing, but i'm trying to right my wrongs and get with the program. i ran across this video on FB earlier, and thought other's might appreciate a new perspective if your going through somethings. it's kinda short but it definitely affected me in a way i didn't think it would. please watch....
We all experience lows in life — sickness, divorce or the death of a loved one. You might endure difficult times and then worry sets in. It’s human to worry, but don’t let worry erode you so much that you lose faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It’s the ingredient, or “stuff,” that keeps you from falling apart.
Painful, Tear-filled nights....I realize I can't make the right decisions, I'm not stable enough to control my emotions, so I lash out in a rage that hurts me more than benefits. As each passing day grows I gain understanding but it's extremely hard to change how you speak, how you carry yourself, and how to become a better person. So, I've given my life to God, once again- I know with him I'll be safe and at least have peace, which has been very hard to come by these days.
You just keep your faith in me
Don't act impatiently
You'll get where you need to be
In due time
Even when things go slow
Hold on and don't let go
I'll give you what I owe
In due time
I played this song the entire way to work this morning, Listen to the words and feel the ministry Cee-Lo is preaching.....
Struggling is just a part of my day Many obstacles been placed in my way I know the only reason that I make it through Is because I never stop believing in you Some people wonder why we're here in the 1st place They can't believe because they ain't never seen your face But even when you pray, the next day you gotta try Can it wait for nobody to come down out the sky You've got to realize that the world's a test You can only do your best and let him do the rest You've got your life, you've got your health So quit procrastinating and push it yourself You've got to realize that the world's a test You can only do your best and let him do the rest You've got your life, you've got your health So quit procrastinating
Recently I saw on MTO, pictures of Lisa Raye’s beautiful daughter Ms. Kai Morae, a gorgeous young lady who has the potential to be a very successful model. What upset me is how commenter’s bashed her because of her weight. We all know in the fashion industry “thin is in”, but look at the average consumer, the average size of a woman in the United States is 14 (my size J) yet when you look at the runways, the advertisements, and other media outlets these women are stick thin- size negative 0. I understand that a lot of females are not “thick”, we all come in all shapes and sizes andwe deserve just as much advertisements geared to those shapes and sizes, but come on, it’s one sided. So I’ve dedicated this post to those “Plus Size” models, I’m happy to be the lovely THICK size that I am, and while yes I do want to lose a few pounds and tone up, I feel as though we need more shine, we need more clothes that FIT. As a gender if we embrace our sizes, whatever they may be and start complaining to these “designers” to make QUALITY, FITTED clothes maybe they’ll hear us and get on their job.
Toccara Jones from Dayton, Ohio, is an American fashion model, occasional actress and television personality. Jones was a contestant on the third season of the UPN series America's Next Top Model, where she finished in seventh place.
Agency: Wilhelmina Models
Mia Abagale Tallarico (born in December 22, 1978), better known as Mia Tyler, is an American actress, plus-size model, public speaker and advocate. She is the daugther of Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler
Valerie Lefkowitz
Natalie Laughlin was the first plus-size model to have an advertisement feature on a billboard in New York's Times Square, an honor repeated four times by client Liz Claiborne. Laughlin was also the first plus-size model to appear in the U.S. edition of Glamour magazine.
Ashley Graham (born c. 1988) is a plus-size model from Lincoln, Nebraska. Graham attended Scott Middle School from 1999 to 2002 and attended Lincoln Southwest High School from 2002 to 2005. She is best known as a lingerie model for the plus-size clothing store Lane Bryant. She has also appeared in fashion magazines such as Vogue and Latina.[1][2] On May 31, 2010 she appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to address the controversy over an edited commercial.
Crystal Renn (born June 18, 1986 in Miami, Florida) is an American fashion model and author
Measurements (cm) 96.5-76-106.5 (in) 38C-30-42
Dress size (US) 12 ; (EU) 42 ; (UK) 16
Agency: Ford Models
Melissa Aronson, better known as Emme (born 1963), is a plus-size model, and is largely recognized as the leading model in the profession, as well as its highest earner.
I don't know what God has in store for me, but I feel a blessing, break-through coming somewhere. I don't know for what and what area or if its even for me or in reference to me, which is ok. Just blessed for the good feeling alone for whomever it may be. I'm blessed and happy for just have the feeling in my soul to be a blessing to somewhere else. Enjoy!
Evans was born in Lakeland, Florida, to an African-American mother, Helene Evans, a professional singer.Her father, Richard Swain, was a Caucasian musician who left before Evans was born.A half year later, 19-year-old Helene returned to Newark, New Jersey and left Faith with her cousin Johnnie Mae and husband Orvelt Kennedy, the foster parents of more than hundred children they raised in the time that Faith lived with them. It was not until a couple of years later, Helene's career floundered and she tried to take Evans back home. Faith, however, was scared to leave what she'd "been used to", and instead, Helene moved in next door. Raised in a Christian home, Evans began singing at church at age two. At age four, she caught the attention of the congregation of the Emmanuel Baptist Church (in Newark) when she sang The 5th Dimension's song "Let the Sunshine In".While attending University High School in Newark, she sang with several jazz bands and, encouraged by Helene, entered outside pageants, festivals and contests, where her voice would be noticed and praised. After graduating from high school in 1991, Evans attended Fordham University in New York City to study marketing but dropped out a year later to have daughter Chyna with music producer Kiyamma Griffin. A couple of months later, she moved to Los Angeles, where she worked as a backup vocalist for singer Al B. Sure!, when she caught the ear of musician Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs. Impressed with her persona, Combs signed her as the label's first female artist to his Bad Boy Entertainment in 1994.
Newly signed to Bad Boy Records, Evans was consulted by executive producer Combs to contribute backing vocals and writing skills to Mary J. Blige's My Life (1994) and Usher'sself-titled debut album (1994) prior to starting work on her debut record Faith. Released on August 29, 1995 in North America, the album saw her primarily collaborating with Bad Boy's main producers The Hitmen, including Chucky Thompson and Combs, but also spawned recordings with Poke & Tone and Herb Middleton. Faith became a hit based on the singles "You Used to Love Me" and "Soon as I Get Home". The album was certified Platinum with 1,500,000 copies sold, according to RIAA.
The next year, she received another two Grammy nominations for "Heartbreak Hotel", a collaboration with singers Whitney Houston and Kelly Price, that reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Two years in the making, Evans' second solo effort, Keep the Faith, was released in October 1998. Almost entirely written and produced by her, Evans considered the album tough to complete as she had initially felt discouraged about the progress at first Upon its release, however, the album garnered generally positive reviews by music critics, with Allmusic noting it "without a doubt a highlight of 1990s soul-pop music".[Also enjoying commercial success, it eventually went platinum and produced the top ten singles "Love Like This" and "All Night Long", prompting Evans to start an 18-city theater tour with Dru Hill and Total the following year.
Evans' third album on the Bad Boy imprint, entitled Faithfully (2001), saw her working with a wider range of producers, including The Neptunes, Mario Winans, Buckwild, Vada Nobles, Cory Rooney, and others.[11] Her first project with husband Todd Russaw as executive producer and creative partner, the album reached number 14 on the Billboard 200 album chart and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, eventually being certified platinum, but spawned moderately successful singles, with the Jennifer Lopez-penned "I Love You" becoming the only top twenty entry
Released amid Bad Boy Records' transition from distributor Arista Records to Universal, Evans felt Faithfully received minimum support by the label, and in 2004, she finally decided to leave Bad Boy as she was convinced Combs couldn't take her career any further due to his other commitments After leaving Bad Boy Entertainment Evans signed with Capitol Records, becoming the first contemporary R&B artist to do so, and started work on her fourth studio album The First Lady, named after her nickname on her former label.As opposed to having an in-house team of producers who supplied most of the previous material, she and Russaw were able to gain more creative control over the album and consulted producers such as Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Mike Caren, Pharrell Williams, and Chucky Thompson to contribute to it.Upon its release in April 2005, The First Lady opened at number two on the Billboard 200 and on the top spot of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Evans' highest-charting album to date. It was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.
At the end of the year, Evans released A Faithful Christmas, a holiday album of traditional Christmas songs and original tracks. The effort would become her last release on Capitol Records
Following a longer hiatus, Evans signed a deal with E1 Entertainment in 2010. The company along with Evans and Ten2One Entertainment are to produce a reality series named It's All About Faith chronicling her life and the recording of her fifth studio album Something About Faith, which is scheduled for release on October 5, 2010. The album's first single, entitled "Gone Already," was released in July 2010.
I encourage you to participate in WORLD AIDS DAY 2010 this year as the numbers of infected HIV paitients are increasingly high. Protect yourself, & the one you love, RAISE AWARENESS & REMOVE THE STIGMA!
Over 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK and new infections continue every year. World AIDS Day 2010 is all about raising awareness to tackle HIV prejudice and help stop the spread of HIV.
Explore this site to ensure you understand the facts about HIV and find out what you can do to ACT AWARE. Make a pledge and join people all over the world making a difference on 1 December 2010.
The Red Ribbon is the international symbol of support for people living with HIV. Wearing a red ribbon is a great way to raise awareness about HIV as well as to break down stigma and prejudice, so make sure you get yours in time for World AIDS Day!
Red Ribbons will also be available on the high street in the lead up to World AIDS Day, 1 December. Look out for them at your local MAC store:
So after heavy procrastination (simply because I wasn’t mentally ready to hear what I wanted to know) I FINALLY copped Steve Harvey’s 1st book, Act like a lady, Think like a Man.
Here’s what I think of it at the halfway mark.
(Disclaimer: I’m not posting what’s in the book, I WILL NOT spoil it for you)
Growing up (yea I’m 22, but I feel sooo old) I ALWAYS wanted to be cool w/ an older man who was able to “school” me on the mind and ways of a man. I basically wanted someone who lives this shit every day to teach me how to address men, how to get any man I wanted RESPECTFULLY, and to know those whom weren’t about shit right off break and those who were- to teach me how a man should treat his woman, how men should prioritize family, God, Money etc. Typically this person is normally your father or father figure, but due to circumstances out of my control, I never got that series of talk or up-bringing. ANYWAY, I’m mid-way through the book and YES I learned a lot, some of which I already knew (but didn’t put into practice) and a lot of it makes me go “hmmmm, now I get it” I’ll prob. Read and re-read this a few times, highlighting key parts and making notes and meditating on it (yes it’s that good in my eyes). NOW, you may find a few woman who think this is just a book of excuses; let me tell you now they are those who cannot and will not move past hurt, anger, resentment etc. woman like myself will take this as a lesson learn, an opportunity to DO BETTER in relations with men and gather the information needed to accurately address men. You may also find some men who think Steve is giving away the game, giving away the secrets etc. and while some may think this is the case, it’s not. I see this as again, that man whose an OG in this game of life, simply giving pointers and guidance to woman. I confess this with all my being, I cannot and for a while never thought I would understand the ways of a man, however after reading this book (keep in mind I’m at midpoint) I realize things that seem so common sense now, and I feel this is definitely a must-have if your attempting to become a better woman, which is the journey I’m on.
The book is about 16 bucks now @ borders about the same price as a nicki minaj cd and if you can spend money on ZANE, Teri Woods or Noire then you can def, pick up a book that if you read whole-heartedly, without pointing fingers and an open mind, can save you a heartbreak in the future.
But don’t just take my word for it ladies and gentlemen…READ THE BOOK.
