Lust List: Giuseppe Giuseppe

please.

What Kind of Love x Gambino

I fell in love just now..

with a song

special thanks to Tiff for hipping me

Merry Go Round

same sights

same sounds

same fights

different rounds

merry go

merry

no

merry go round

shari renee

Self Awareness Practice: Drafting Your Personal Mission Statement

  The "Habits of Highly Effective People" course had many life changing lessons and tips on how to change your thinking to produce a better and more effective life for yourself. I find myself revisiting my handbook often to keep myself motivated and on the right course. A take away that I hadn't yet shared with you all is "Drafting Your Personal Mission Statement." An exercise from Habit 2, the concept of 'Beginning With the End in Mind', or envisioning outcomes before action. 

A Personal Mission Statement is meant to:

Clarify what's important to you

Provide focus

Help design your life instead of having it designed for you

Guide your day to day decisions

Give you a greater sense of meaning and purpose

Below is the result of writing for five minutes without stopping; the Personal Mission Statement that I came up with back in October while enrolled in the course:

"I want to be remembered. A hero even if it's a personal one. I want people to be happy when they think of me. To be motivated. To smile. To feel like they can reach their goals/ dreams because of the life I lead. I want to paint write fall in love travel have a beautiful family. I want to feel free completely and know that I did it right. I did it my way. Life is beautiful and I want to go to bed every night feeling that way rich vibrant colors living in a different country eat foods full of culture that tell a story. Boats planes mountains animals trees trains oceans sunsets discover create beauty inspire write a book share my thoughts with the world and even if they only reach one person I want them to reach that person. Find the most passionate of all loves and renew it everyday."

It's a very eye-opening thing to be asked how you want to be remembered. Once you decide what you want your legacy to be it will have a strong impact on how you begin to live your day to day life. You will begin to live with that "end result" in mind.


Pick up the book here:






( SIDE NOTE: Personal Mission Statements can and will change as you grow through life. I plan to continue to add to mine until it perfectly reflects who I am/ want to be. )

"Each of us makes his own weather, determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits."

-Fulton J. Sheen

timing

life's greatest gift

and curse 

we're always chasing

time

never in control of when it's right..

Balmain Jeans x Cudi

)
took a few listens

"give me your hand
put it here
this is where you start.."

( SIDE NOTE: I feel so good about life right now. When you let go and allow life to unfold without trying to control every little aspect… you begin to realize that things will happen as they should. Trust, Faith and Hard Work will get you far. )

Spring Cleaning

Made a big drop-off to the Salvation Army today. 

Always feels good to give back.

sometimes God wants YOU to make the decision

and if He see's you're not doing it He will

place situations and things in your life to almost make you walk away

sometimes He'll make people leave you because He knows you don't have the strength to walk away

and He doesn't want you to waste anymore of your time.


You x Me Interactive Art Display Beijing, China

You x Me Interactive art display

Zhang Zhaohui

Beijing, China

...And repeat

My vision board is the first and last thing I see in the morning/ at night.

It's important to have a constant reminder of what you want and where you want to be in life. 

Visualize. Affirm. Fruition.

Goodnight!

Musings x 3/10/2014

I applaud a conscious effort and the willpower it takes

we're not broken, we're building
anticipating, sunset picnics

all your fears are lies

so many hats to be worn before I leave this earth

when was the last time you felt totally vulnerable?

soul ties are a thing ya'll.. a real thing

my energy is undeniable

all of a sudden I have this weird feeling that my room needs a small potted cactus plant

lariat obsessed

I found my muse within myself

..sans inhibitions

( SIDE NOTE: This is my 777th post! Crazy. )

Recap: The Freedom Party 90's Jam

Recap

The Freedom Party 90's Jam @ The Howard Theatre

Prince said it best, "tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999..." and party we did!
The party lasted well into the night, with attendees not thinking twice about the hour of sleep lost. There were guest appearances by Britney Spears, Kris Kross and Missy Elliot.... 's dopplegangers; and a cash prize for best nineties outfit. The turn out was greater than expected. A mix up of party goers from all walks of life came together under one roof to celebrate the epicness that was the nineties era. It felt good to take it back and get a dose of what it would actually be like to be of club age in that era. The music was good, the clothes were baggy and the vibe was ill. I overheard talks that The Freedom Party may become a monthly "thing" here in DC, as it is in New York and Chicago. I'd definitely be all over that.

This was my only pic from the night; a selfie en route to the party. Unfortunately, it barely shows my nineties outfit attempt: baby tee, plaid pants, cowrie shell choker and this jean jacket tied around my waist. The spice girl platforms and brown lipstick brought the fun.

This Love Isn't Convenient

This love isn't convenient.

I'm not going to love you because it's my birthday

when there's a holiday around the corner

or because you're pulling away.

This love is not selfish

manipulative

or immature.

I'm not going to fill you with false hope when I know that this door is too heavy to hold open any longer.

And I'm not going to love you to prove anything to anyone.

This love is not for show.

This love is consistent
patient
and unwavering.

And will be here through good times and bad.

I'll love you through the random texts and calls from my ex

because I know that if I wanted to be there

I wouldn't be here.

With you.

This love does not wane in the presence of my past.

This love is not opportunistic or shallow.

This love is honest.

Passionate.

Tried and

True.

This love is Me.

This love

.. Is Love.

And it's all for you.

shari renee

Sunday x The Brunch Date

I didn't get much sleep this weekend. But it was well worth it. 

Brunch earlier @ Southern Hospitality w/ Rae

( SIDE NOTE: Relevant - Revisit Circle of Influence vs. Circle of Concern )

Happy International Women's Day!

The Freedom Party NYC x DC



The Freedom Party NYC is in it's 11th year running, and to celebrate they're bringing the party to DC!

enter promo code free90 and get $10 off

this could be fun

"The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now."



INSPIRE x Home Decor

My home will be a quirky, eclectic mash up of sophisticated fun(k).

I woke up this morning to a barrage of posts about today being the first day of Lent (March 5th- April 17th). Already?! After so much thought and preparation went into last years trying (albeit, successful) sacrifice, it's a wonder that I let today slip my mind. I spent my drive in to work scrambling to find something to give up this year.

Red meat? So three years ago.

Soda? Barely partake in that. 

Twitter and Instagram? Already checked those.

And then it came to me. Instead of taking away something that I stand a greater chance of going back to once this all has ended, why not add on something that I can take with me beyond my Lent challenge? I've decided that this year I want to challenge myself to pay more attention to where my mind wanders, to speak more on my blessings than my downfalls, and to praise even in my misfallings because I know that therein lies growth. I also plan to develop and stick to a daily exercise regimen.

Adding positive habits to my life will not only be a refreshing challenge, which is a big part of this, but it will also help me to take steps toward becoming the person that I ultimately want to be. I pray that like last year, the results will be lasting and I know that with the right mindstate and sticking to my plan, they will.

 

Brave face,

Still human.

Mood Ring

mood ring

 

(watercolor)

Snow Day #10,293

More snow! Joy.

Phone off.

Canvas.

Me time.

And revisiting this awesome web series, 

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. 

free will

v.

determinism

v.

predestination

Ectotherm

the light at the other end of the tunnel is blinding

so much easier to go back the way I came

walking toward the unknown

vision impaired

but it feels so natural,

so right

how can I look away

from such a beautiful light

how can I stray

luring me in with her warmth

a chill on my back

I glance over my shoulder

so many layers to be shed

should I forge ahead

and still,

ectotherm.

3/2/14

shari renee

When it's late at night

and I need to wind down,

this song puts me at ease.

Sunday Funday.

MAC Flat out Fabulous

Musings: March 1, 2014

It's important to feel everything.
Every emotion, be it happy or sad.. and to remember what brought you  to that place. It's vital to feel everything because it reminds us that we're alive...

A new month can have all of the significance of a new year if you want it to.

 I have many goals for March, the main one being to dedicate myself to trying a new activity, restaurant, recipe -  something - new every week. It may not seem like much, but making a conscious effort to go out and try something new - whether it be a tango lesson or jumping out of a plane - will open you up to a whole new world of experiences that you may otherwise be too comfortable in your day to day routine to go out and experience.

There's no doubt in my mind that my "something new" will turn into multiple things as the weeks go on. I challenge you to join me, and as expected, I'll be updating the blog as I go.

Happy Weekend!

Goodbye February (You sucked)!

So long Mercury Retrograde!

March is upon us, and I'm welcoming her with open arms.

The new month brings about a number of wonderful changes, but there are two that are significant for me - warmer weather and my (Aries) season. Spring is my second favorite time of year and I don't think I've ever anticipated it more than right now.

( SIDE NOTE: This is the best breakdown of Mercury Retrograde I've read so far - it also sums up my experience with Retrograde this past month (Feb 6th -28th). If you're not familiar, click here. )

Floral Kimono x The One Year Anniversary of My Golden "Crown"

I've been natural my whole life, but it wasn't until recently that I began to fully embrace my hair in it's natural state. I'm coming around on the one year anniversary of giving up being a slave to my flat iron and straightening my hair every other week ( flashback to when I began my journey here. ) While I've lost some length due to my color change, I've learned what works/ doesn't work for my hair, gained more defined curls and fallen in love with the effortless beauty that is my golden "crown." 

It feels good to be completely comfortable in my skin.

I'm now in the process of attempting new ways to wear my hair in this state. Anyone who knows me knows I bore easily ( I'm surprised I haven't taken a bottle of blue black dye to the head by now, but stay tuned ) and I'm excited to try twist outs, Bantu knots and various other ways to style my 'fro. 

If anyone has any natural hair sites that they'd like to recommend, leave them in a comment below.   

( SIDE NOTE: I couldn't wait for Spring to pull out this beautiful floral kimono - one of my favorite trends for the coming season. )

Links We Love: ThoughtBrick.com

ThoughtBrick.com

I love sites that I can get lost on for hours. 

The ThoughtBrick blog is a series of posts about self- discovery/ realization and challenges to help push you to be the best version of yourself.  

Spring Dreamin'

My spring wardrobe can be summed up in one word, Pastels.

( SIDE NOTE: I've also developed a new found love for florals, sunburst jewelry accents, cut out sandals and Indiana Jones inspired hats; Thanks Pharell. )

What are your go to spring staples? 

White Sage, Smudging and Little Ethiopia

I picked up some white sage in Little Ethiopia over the weekend with the intention of trying smudging for the first time. I'd stumbled across a video of someone doing it before and it piqued my interest enough to dig into the background of the practice.

Smudging is the act, (sometimes referred to as a ceremony or ritual), of burning herbs for cleansing, protection of physical and spiritual bodies and banishment of negative energies. The above picture is of a smudge stick, or a bundle of herbs tied together for easier handling. 

I cleaned my space, turned on a little meditation music (my favorite below, to get myself in the right mindset) and lit the stick at one end. After lighting, you're supposed to extinguish the flame just enough to let it smolder, (there will be a thick smoke emanating from it) while allowing the smoke to cover every corner of the area that you want to cleanse/ protect. You can also use it on yourself if you feel that your spirit needs healing. Once you're satisfied that you've touched on every corner of your home and/or space it is said that you are to open all doors and windows to release the negative/ stagnant energy. Put the stick out by running it under cool water and storing it until the next use.

For more on smudging, click here

Woke Up to 8+ Inches of Snow...

Woke up to 8+ inches of snow, and it's still coming down. Ugh. Needless to say, I'm craving Spring/ Summer more than ever. I was going through pics from warmer days last year and decided to share a few. I was a little camera shy well into the fall due to four long months of unfortunate brace face; but it was all for the greater good - a perfect smile.  I'm tempted to start unpacking spring clothes and putting together outfits.. my little way of telling the universe I'm ready!

( SIDE NOTE: I'm hoping to get back to this length by my birthday. Deep conditioning twice a week + fewer trims. )

Musings: 2/13/14

Something so beautiful about the way hurt forces you to feel.

all of the emotions that you try to suppress spill out 

you lose control

and you have no choice but to face them

My New Favorite Ring

I got this ring a week ago at a trunk show that I attended at Nuebian Hueman hosted by Alex Elle. It is a clear quartz crystal wrapped in copper wire. Clear quartz point is known for it's healing properties. It is also said to accelerate the fulfillment of prayers, amplifying whatever energy or intent is programmed into it.  

I've worn this ring every day since purchasing it, and I feel it has helped me achieve a strange calm that I haven't felt in a long time. For that I'm thankful.

Learn more about crystals and their meanings here.

How Cool is This Lionel Richie Inspired Tea Cup?

Leave it to etsy to have the best campy finds.

link

Links We Love: CocoCozy

links we love

cococozy.com 

so much inspiration gained from this interior design blog.

I will be redesigning my space in the oncoming months and posting the progress here.

My life is one sick, twisted ball of irony..

One Down, Forever to Go

This month marks the one year anniversary of We the TRIBE! I'd love to say I have some super cool new releases to drop in celebration of this, but unfortunately, I don't. My focus is on a spring relaunch so all of my attention has been going there. I'm looking forward to hopefuly expanding the brand beyond a sweatshirt/ t-shirt line. I've learned not to rush myself. In due time. 

"The enemy of the best is good."

-Voltaire



Frozen bubbles  

as captured by Redditor Codedheart.

List of Boyfriend Rules

Just in time for Valentine's Day.

"List of Boyfriend Rules" through the eyes of a six and nine year old Brooke and Blair. I think they may be on to something, lol.

Via Huffington Post.

Part One, Unfinished

Experimenting.

Oil paintings take forever to dry..

Musings: 2/4/2014

Peoples lives cross for a reason.

Every interaction you have in life, no matter how small, affects not only yours, but the lives of the people you come into contact with as well.
Remember.

( SIDE NOTE: Paradigm shift... ) 

Jon Rafman, Keith Haring Theatre, 2013.

If Famous Artist Chose Interior Design Instead of Fine Art 

What an interesting concept! How cool would it to be to walk into this theatre. I love the look of ceiling-to-floor art. I think someone should run with the idea... I know I'd be there.

source

Flashback: Founders Day 2014

People are always sending me pictures super late!
Flashback// Founders Day 

Bowling night

Jan 15

What's in Your Purse?

Deer park.

We the TRIBE business cards.

My two favorite everyday lipsticks: Jubilee and Modesty.

My journal (for capturing all of my many random thoughts/ poems/ musings/ inspirations throughout the day).

The best mascara in all the land Benefit "They're Real."

EOS chap stick ball.

NARS orgasm blush stick.

Victoria's Secret mints.

Mineral mattifying powder (for those oily days).

Sephora 8 hour mattifying moisturizer.

Godiva Rewards card (for my milk chocolate decadence shake addiction).

Headphones.

My crystals.

Floss.

Spare change.

And I do carry a wallet (of course) but it's a little raggedy lol. Time for a new one. 

What's in your purse?