Motivation Sundae: Confidence + Acknowledging Your Success

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

– A.A. Milne

When I saw this quote, it spoke to my spirit. There are many times when we don’t give ourselves enough credit. At times we compare ourselves to other people or compare our successes to the successes of others. I am going to let you in on a little secret:

Not one person got to where they are in life the exact same way as another person. I do not care if they are parent and child, brother and sister or twins. Everyone’s journey is completely different!

With that being said, I am going to present you with a few ways to build confidence while acknowledging your successes.

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1 | CARE A LITTLE LESS

Disclaimer: I am not asking you to go out into the word and become a complete savage. That’s not the message in this case. Read this with an open mind.

Have you ever had someone mention something about your looks, beliefs, or work ethic, etc. and you know that they are completely wrong in their assumptions because they do not know you? Yet…what they said still bothers you. Take what they have to say with a grain of salt! If you are trying your hardest and you make the effort to continuously better yourself, then that’s is what you continue to do. Do not switch up what you are doing just because someone makes a side comment. Do not think that you are less attractive because of something that a rude person said. You have to build your own foundation to stand on. Own your journey. Own your process. Stay Beautiful!

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2 | HAVE POWER BEHIND YOUR MESSAGE!

I am a firm believer in speaking positive affirmations into your life. I spoke about this back in October of last year via Instagram. I will leave the link to that post here. What reintroduced this process to mind was a video that I watched via Hollywood Unlocked. This particular interview featured Meagan Good. At the time, Jason Lee was speaking about DeVon Franklin. The advice that DeVon gave Jason when he was developing a project was, “Figure out what your message is because these words are going to have power.” I was sold, and he was so right. This can also apply to everyday life.

Have you ever been set on doing something in your life or working on something that is close to your heart and an outsider asks you, “Why are you doing this?” Have you always had a legitimate reason to give them? Everyone has had that moment when they just don’t know or their message isn’t exactly clear. Know your message. Know your purpose. Know your platform. There is an abundance of beauty in showing passion for something and knowing exactly what your message/purpose is. Allow yourself to take a step back and think on your message, and once you have that set in your mind, stick with it. You will be confident in sharing your purpose with the world when your foundation is strong.

If you want to watch that Hollywood Unlocked interview click here! The mentioned portion starts at 14:37.

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3 | USE THE POWER OF THE LETTER “I”!

You believe what you speak into yourself. Think about it. Whenever you say, “I feel…”, “I am…”, “I can’t…”, you speak that existence into yourself. Use that in a positive way. This will build your confidence like no other! Build that confidence within yourself using powerful statements.

Example: Did you just finish a major project that pushed your limits? Acknowledge your success and say, “I am hard working, and I am creative.” Believe the words that you are speaking into yourself.

It has been a proven fact that saying these positive words into a mirror helps boost your confidence. Find the biggest and brightest mirror that you have. Speak those positive words into your life. Make this a daily practice. Remember it takes a minimum of 21 days to form a habit. Add this great one into the mix!

I BELIEVE IN YOU!

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Comment below and share with me! What are you working on? What is your statement of purpose? What accomplishment would you like to acknowledge more? Let me know!

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Rocksbox Review: December 2017

It’s the beginning of January, and you know what that means! It is time to spill the tea on my Rocksbox from December. This box was important for all of my style needs for the month and for the 24^th because it was my BIRTHDAY! What self-respecting fashionista wouldn’t want new jewelry for her special day?

PS: Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! It really made my day!

With this set, all three items were pulled from my wish list. My stylist for this set was Jamie, and she is the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time)! While opening my package, I realized that all of the pieces were from Perry Street. If you are up to date on all my reviews, you know that Perry Street is my absolute FAVORITE!

If you are not up to date and wondering what a Rocksbox is…Let me bring you up to speed.

Rocksbox is a jewelry service that presents its members with a subscription box every month for a flat rate. The pieces are all designer brands, and come in an array of styles. If  this is your first time hearing about this company or want even more details…

Check out my first Rocksbox review!

Let us continue…

 

Let me clue you in on some of my expectations for this box:

“The best things in life are unexpected, because there were no expectations.” – Eli Khamarov

Well Eli, that’s all nice and dandy, but I was expecting a Rocksbox, I was expecting it to be amazing, I set my expectations HIGH, and I was not disappointed!

I was in need of some statement pieces with gold accents. One of the main things I wanted was a pop of color, but I didn’t want the pieces to look like they were spring/summer only. All-season jewelry are you out there?

I really wanted something coral or close to it. I have strayed away from wearing a lot of pink in my accessories, but I was feeling a little frilly so why not?

The final and most important was that I needed something that was white. I know that might sound strange, but hear me out. I was hoping for a necklace that had white in it to go with a particular outfit. The outfit is very streetwear appropriate, but it needs a feminine flare.

Here goes! *blows out birthday candles*

I received everything my little heart desired and then some! Let’s dig into this box shall we?

When looking at the pictures on the Rocksbox site versus the actual pieces…The only thing that is a bit off was…ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I was surprised at the actual quality of the preview photos this time. The photos were true to color, so I received exactly what I expected!

 I opened the box and yelled out

Zayum Zaddy!

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BONUS: I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU SO KEEP READING! IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK & TWITTER… YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.

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After a well-deserved twerking session, I finally pulled the first piece from the box. These were my Perry Street Mallory Statement Drops. Yes, you read it correctly. I said drops!

 If someone were to ask me to describe these earrings without actually seeing them…I would definitely say these are Legally Blonde meets Betsey Johnson, and I feel like that’s fair. These earrings are post backed and have shiny gold plating over the brass pieces. I love that the pink stones are the only bright shade within the piece. The other stones are a medium tone champagne, a blush/wine shade and your oh so classic clear stones. I give this piece two extra points just for the spikes! Sooo…little babies you are a 10!

Cop or Drop?

*Grabs loud speaker* Jamie, could you wrap those for me please? Thank you!

The Rocksbox Shine Insiders’ price for this pair of earrings is $59 USD

The retail price is $70 USD

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Ladies, Gentlemen-Ladies, Pre-Ladies, Post-Ladies, Sistas and Homegirls…Have you ever looked at a necklace and debated how you would wear your hair in that very moment? You did this not realizing that was your make or break on buying that singular piece of jewelry? That was me the very second I opened the luscious black bag that this baby came in.

My bun will be so huge! My lashes will be done! My nails will be so nice!

*Plays No Limit Remix by G-Eazy ft. A$AP Rocky, Cardi B, French Montana, Juicy J, Belly at 1:49 mark*

This necklace is much more beautiful in person. The picture on the site does not do it justice! When natural light hits the necklace only then you can see all the colors in the iridescent stones. The other beautiful additions to this piece are the white stones and clear crystals.

The chain on the necklace measures out to 16”, and that’s LONG for a statement necklace. However, a little wiggle room never hurt anyone. Just like the previous piece, the necklace has pieces that have gold plating over brass. Now that I think about it…I love it more on the necklace than the previous piece.

R E A S O N: The gold that is over the necklace is not overly shiny. It has a natural and almost vintage flare.

I can definitely see this being an all-season piece. Now that I have shared this piece and all of its glory, I am sure you are thinking…”Woman how much does it cost?” I’m so glad you asked!

The Rocksbox Shine Insiders’ price for this necklace is $63 USD

The retail price is $75 USD

Cop or Drop?

*Grabs loud speaker* Jamie, we might need a bigger bag!

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This is getting serious. I have never been this excited about an entire box before.

This next one brings me back to a childhood favorite because I have always loved turquoise! These are the Jayne Drops by Perry Street. While this precious pair is not gold plated, the silver plating makes the colors stand out beautifully. The Rocksbox description mentions clear and blue crystal accents. There are green and yellow crystal accents as well. These definitely give me fancy Coachella vibes!

Let’s take a closer look shall we?

The Rocksbox Shine Insiders’ price for this pair of earrings is $46 USD

The retail price is $55 USD

Cop or Drop?

*Pulls out megaphone* Jamie! That’s a wrap! Let’s tell them what they’ve won!

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Like what you see? Want to have your own set of designer jewelry?

Use this link | https://www.rocksbox.com/invited_by/alexandrabff251

 You can get your first month of Rocksbox for FREE!

If you decide to use the invite, let me know. Like this post or leave a comment below!

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| DISCLAIMER |

I AM NOT ENDORSED BY ROCKSBOX OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES TO GIVE POSITIVE REVIEWS OF THEIR PRODUCTS, CUSTOMER SERVICE, ETC. THE REVIEWS THAT ARE POSTED ARE MY HONEST OPINION OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WERE SENT TO ME. I ONLY RECOMMEND THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES I USE PERSONALLY AND THAT I BELIEVE WILL BE OF USE TO MY READERS.

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January | Goals, Travel & Charlie Puth

HAPPY JANUARY & HAPPY NEW YEAR! This year went by fast. I know I am not the only one who thought that leading up to the 1^st. Like myself, you were probably one of three people this year: the one who was dragging ass through the year, the one who made a list last January and ran through that thing like a 2017 bucket list, or the one who looked up at the last minute realizing it was all over. Please pick a category, and join me on this journey. If you are that one person, (yes…YOU) who wants an “other” category…Here you go…

OTHER – OTHER – OTHER

Yes, I am that extra.

Now, January has arrived *insert cheesy fireworks and bomb theme music*. I can’t count how many times I saw the classic, “New Year, New Me” slogan. Now this is what I need you to do for me…lean closer…closer…a little more…announcing your, “new me” goals to the world does not mean you will accomplish them. I am about to share with you a few ways to achieve your new goals without falling on your face or some other random body part.

The first and most important thing is to not list a goal that seems unattainable. It might make your list look too lit to quit, but if you want to lose 50 pounds, do not list, “Lose 50 Pounds” by itself. The realistic effort that it takes to lose that number of pounds will overwhelm you, and you might get discouraged. List a smaller goal, and place your final goal out to the side.

Example: Lose 15 pounds by summer | Lose 35 pounds by October

That does not look as intimidating, and if you continue to follow it you will achieve your goal!

Check out my MOTIVATION SUNDAE: HOW TO SLAY IN 2018 & ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS post for more tips and tricks.

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At the beginning of every year I save for something I really want. It could be something for my cameras, a concert, a specific trip, etc. This year, I really want to go to Bali. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have made a post about this.

Things I want to do/see on my trip:

ATV Haunted Valley Waterfall Tour

Flyboarding at Nusa Dua

Visit the Pemuteran Underwater Temple

The Monkey Forest

The Aling Aling Waterfall or the Banyumala Waterfall

Basically I want to do everything I can while I can!

Destination chosen ✅

Decision made ✅

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Lastly, if you didn’t know…If you weren’t sure…I love music. At this point in life you probably will not come across many people who don’t, but my passion is a bit different. I can’t function peacefully during the day without it. As of lately my favorite artist has been Charlie Puth. I am talking about songs on repeat, YouTube video playlist so lit and morning dance sessions to How Long. Let me stop rambling. I screamed at my computer when I went to do some exploring on Ticketmaster. I live in Georgia, USA and Charlie Puth is having a concert in Alpharetta, Georgia. This will definitely be one of my things to do for the year.

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Focus Points for January

1 | Make a list of 5 to 7 attainable goals

2 | Start saving money for trip to Bali and Charlie Puth concert

3 | Post more frequent content so that you guys don’t strangle me

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What will you focus on this month? Leave a comment below!

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Motivation Sundae: How to Slay in 2018 & Achieve Your Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVES! It is officially 2018, and it has been requested for me to do a post about New Year’s Resolutions. I am about to give you the best advice anyone has ever given you.

Are you ready?

DO NOT SET YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE.

It is as plain and simple as that! Before you start making your list, you must know your personal limitations. Do not sit down with a friend to make your list and have a competition to see who can do the most amazing things. This is not a competition people. Think of this as a journey to a better self, because that is exactly what it should be. That is the first step.

The next step is REFLECTION. Think back on 2017, and ask yourself a few questions:

1 | What did I not accomplish this past year?

2 | Why did I not accomplish this goal/ these goals?

3 | How can I make this year better and my goals more attainable?

This gives you a good time to get organized and change some things around. Maybe some of your goals may not have been attainable because they fell under the, “too much too soon” spectrum.

A great example of this was mentioned in my January post JANUARY | GOALS, TRAVEL & CHARLIE PUTH.

The third step on your journey is to put yourself in a position to win! Want to lose weight? Make sure you have a place to workout or a gym membership. Want to save money? Make a realistic budget, write down your savings goals, and stick to them! Make a schedule or timeline for success. Get inspired! Find pictures, look on Pinterest, watch videos, grab a friend!

Do what you need to do to put your plan into action.

It takes a minimum of 21 days to form a new habit. If you start your new habits/routines now, you will be rolling by February. Give yourself that extra push and know that…YOU CAN DO THIS!

Your fourth and final step is to treat yourself! The road to achieving your goals can be very rewarding. It will only be a complete struggle if you make it one. On your journey, celebrate certain points where you feel like you are on the right track and doing well.

Example 1: Losing weight? Lose ______ pounds, and buy a new pair of Nike tights. If you’re losing weight you will definitely need new clothes.

Example 2: Saving for a trip? If you see a killer sale, buy a cute top or dress for those awesome photos that you will take.

Example 3: Working to spice up your relationship? Buy yourself a new perfume/scent. This will make you feel wonderful, and your loved one will definitely notice!

Leave a comment below, and share your New Year’s Resolutions with me! I would love to know what you will be up to this year!

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