Author: Impower You

Healing through art & therapy! I used to be depressed and codependent with very low self worth and many unhealthy habits. But several years ago I started the healing process and am sharing what I learned with gratitude and hope for each of us. Peace & hugs, Leah
Empowering Discussions

DIY Therapy: Silence the Self-Hate

Impower You

Do you feel debilitated, exhausted, tormented, suicidal? 

Do you feel pathetic and ugly in this cruel, terrible world?

Does it seem like the thoughts in your mind are worse than any bully?

Do moments of happiness quickly fade into overwhelming sadness?

Want to give up and die already?

You’re not alone…

I lost 17 years of my life to DEPRESSION. Life was hell! It was, but now it’s not. Now I am in control.  This is the first in my DIY Therapy series that I only hope can help someone who is going through what I went through.

Step 1: Silence the haters.

Like an actress, artist, or musician who has learned not to read reviews of their work you are capable of realizing that opinions of others don’t matter. The cruel taunts of bullies are especially powerful;  whether they are assaulting you now or continue to attack your memory. If you allow them to have power over you than you’ve lost the battle.  Pay attention because this next sentence is very important. You are capable of loving and accepting yourself. Repeat that a few times and see how it feels. Self-respect is more important than many of us realize until we get mature enough to recognize it’s gone.

JudgeMeAllYouWant

Change your thinking and life changes; once you can look at yourself positively in relation to this world than you can break free as the haters fall dead at your feet. Figuring out how to quell the power of negative words is difficult. You must become conscious of how words sway you. Did you always think you were worthless or did you start believing it as you grew?

Most likely as a child you dreamed of being president, walking on Mars, or climbing to the peak of Kilimanjaro. Maybe even all 3, and why not? As the years passed you were told such things were impossible or improbable for someone like you. “Girls can’t be president”, “poor kids don’t become astronauts”, “Africa is too far away”. Guess what, that’s all hype. There are female presidents(and prime ministers), poor kids grow up to become astronauts, and by learning, training and being open to opportunities you can climb any mountain in the world.

People often speak without thinking and some are simply cruel. When we hear something repeatedly it becomes subconsciously true. I was called a loser and beat up by my peers in several different schools, spanning several states. How could so many people so far apart be wrong. Despite not wanting to believe them, I did. Even after school ended and my bullies faded into memory, I began to repeat their taunts to myself. I became my own bully.

It took over a decade to change my thought patterns and it wasn’t easy. Since self help books were expensive I assembled my own guide from various sources and tried everything to see what worked. I love to draw and write. The most helpful action was to chant an affirmation.  It sounded hokey, this idea that I could repeat a phrase until it rang true, but at that point I was committed to trying. So I write and illustrated positive affirmations. That was just one of many steps I took to silence the self-hate. I also became conscious of my thoughts and actions,  found support, ditched the people who brought me down, and stopped consuming so much media.  Keep reading for more details on how you can heal.

Get Creative and make up your own affirmations. Carry a list of affirmations wherever you go. Tape affirmations to your walls and mirrors. Write your own affirmations, use only positive action words based in the present and future. Leave out negative words and past tense. I will be peaceful one day becomes I Am Peaceful, I am not worthless becomes I Am Worthy.

Amazingly my affirmations became a huge part of my life. I had affirmations for everything from how I looked and felt to what I was capable of and to calm my anger. I created a free book (view it online) full of my affirmations.

Become Conscious of your words. When you say something negative about yourself immediately counter that thought with a positive. I am so stupid gets changed to I Am Intelligent or  Why is everything so difficult? gets changed to I Can Solve This Problem This is a challenging step to take in recovery, but if you stay conscious long enough it becomes as easy as breathing. You might want to write yourself a note to change your thoughts.

It’s been a few years since I started changing my life, but I still amaze myself at how much my thoughts have changed. Words that previously sent my crying in the fetal position, drinking till I passed out, set off panic attacks, and caused me to shrink away from everyone in my life have been dismissed and at the most are reminders of the power words have on my daily life.

Find Support through a network of people who are going through a similar change or already have.  If you can’t find a network in your community look online for blogs and forums that are moving forward. Stay clear of networks that put themselves or others down. Being hard on yourself is not the same as reviewing how you can improve. Likewise focusing your anger towards a common “enemy” such as a bully or celebrity you dislike will not make you feel better. Negative attitudes beget negative lifestyles. You don’t have to be all sunshine and rainbows, but you also don’t have to be a victim or turn into a bully.

There are several blogs I follow that post the most amazing resources and give me a fresh perspective when I doubt myself. I also have made friends online and off that share advice, help each other solve inner struggles, and are willing to support me and vice versa.

Ditch the Jerks who don’t have your best interest at heart. Whether it’s a sexual relationship, friendship, or partnership if they put you down it’s time to leave. If you can’t leave than you need to put as much distance between them and you as possible. Stop spending alone time with them and instead focus on the people who treat you well.

I used to be friends with anyone who would reciprocate and often would trail after people I thought were “cool” just so I wouldn’t be alone.  They knew that I would put up with their words, attitude, or lack of consideration. Eventually I ended those friendships. It was not easy to be alone so much at first, but being with them made me feel worse. Now I can look back and say “Duh!”, but it took a lot of mental strength to get here.

Cut Out the Media that is negative, judgmental, and feeds on drama. You don’t need drama to have an interesting life. If you’re depressed and consume hours of depressing media each day than your mind is full of negativity. Those soap operas, violent movies, gossipy entertainment shows, websites, and magazines are feeding on your insecurities and fears to hook you. So you need to step away from that. You don’t have to give it all up, but the negative media you consume shouldn’t be on a regular basis.  This goes for images that make you feel bad too. If you constantly see celebrities with unrealistically photo or surgically altered bodies and you start wishing you could change your body than you’re in an unhealthy state. Without an entourage of hair, makeup, and photographers that know how to frame you at just the right angle, you won’t ever look like that. More importantly you have more value than your outside appearance.

Media was a big part of my life from puberty, as I mentioned more in depth in this article about the Love Warrior Awards. Until our culture stops entertaining us with negative media images we must take control. Addicted to a reality show that focuses on how women look, cat-fighting, and drama? Stop watching it. Can’t go without your latest issue of Cosmo magazine? Consider cancelling your subscription.  Do you feel fat in those skinny jeans and midriff baring tops? Donate those to Goodwill and keep the clothing that makes you feel sexy without sucking in your gut. The choice to stop wasting your energy on unattainable or debilitating beauty ideals is yours and yours alone.

There is no quick fix to end depression. YOU have to not only want to change, but be willing to actively revamp your mental state. You are in control and inner peace won’t happen in a few days or weeks. Most likely it will be a month or 2 before you see the changes in your thoughts and feelings.  Change is up to you.

Know someone who is depressed? Share this blog with them.

Need help? Call the National Suicide/ Talk Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx

…

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon: http://www.bookemon.com/member-book-list/151519 or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007LMUEJ2

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

…

Empowering Discussions

New Program Battles the Ugly Media Stereotype Forced on Black Males

Impower You

There’s a lot of conversation these days about the negative effect mass media has on cultures around the world. Plenty of attention is given to how it affects females. Documentaries like Dark Girls and MissRepresentation show how we learn to discriminate against, deform body image and skin color, and stereotype women as the weaker sex who are simply sex objects. What’s not being heard as loudly is the harmful ways we portray boys and men.

Black or African-American men (along with Hispanic males) are generally portrayed as thugs, gangsters, and ignorant along with such aspiring careers as drug dealer, gang banger, rapper, or that token man of color who doesn’t say much, if given anything to say at all. While it’s obvious to most women that the barrage of unattainable body images encourages low self worth, it should be just as obvious that portraying men as bad will encourage bad self worth.

While there may not be famous documentary on this specific problem, small groups are stepping up to make change. I recently learned about the 1 Hood Media program from the Black Youth Project. 1 Hood Media  mentors young men on how to analyze and change their portrayal in the media.  Participants learn about defining themselves without media along with how they, and others, have already formed opinions of themselves based on media stereotypes. Through workshops they learn about public speaking, photo journalism, panel participation,  consulting, conflict resolution, and arts administration. They are given mentoring along with the encouragement to use their voice for change.

photo credit: 1Hood Media

The program succeeds because of mentors such as emcee and community activists Jasiri X, and Hip-Hop icon, writer, and photographer Paradise Gray, along with other amazing women and men.

Check out this video for more info, “Game Changers: The One Hood Media Academy” on YouTube.

If you know a young African American man between ages 13-19 who is currently enrolled in school near Pittsburgh share this program with them. They can learn more and apply for an upcoming course at onehood.org.  The next step for the academy is a media education course designed for girls.

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon or Amazon.

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

Empowering Discussions

The 2014 Voice4Society Blog Award

Impower You

Voice 4 Society is a youth mentoring organization who champion literacy, among many other things.  I’ve had the joy of donating books as prizes in their last 2 writing contests as well as promoting the contests.  It’s not just about winning though. Expressing ourselves through language is empowering and can heal. As a writer I want to encourage more people to read and write.

Recently they unveiled the Voice4Society Blog Award to celebrate and recognize those who support youth. Impower You was awarded along with two other talented bloggers. It’s such an amazing feeling to be celebrated for using my writing to empower others with useful skills and resources. I am honored to share with you their award which you see here: voice4society.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/the-voice4society-blog-award-winter-winners

textgram_1371817911Thank you so much Voice4Society!

Part of the award is sharing 5 ways I will make a “difference in this generation, my community, and the world.” Where to start?

One: I have created a book series about people creating positive change called “Up To You” and am currently working on the 3rd book. Each interviewee is selected based on how they are standing up in their communities and being the change they want to see.

Two: I teach free self defense classes and have already taught 200 women and girls since 2012. As someone who faced violence in my youth it’s important for me to know how to defend myself and being able to teach that to others is very fulfilling.

Three: I vote, contact my political representatives, and stay informed about local and national issues because living in a community means being involved and creating the change I want to see.

Four: I make it a point to talk to the youth in my life about important issues and encourage them to get involved in creating a healthy life for them and their peers.

Five:  Since college I have been volunteering regularly. I will continue to give my time to protecting our environment and supporting social initiatives that give people a hand up in my community.

The last part of the award is to nominate 10 blogs. These bloggers aren’t just writing, they are working towards a world of equality and peace for all. Please visit at least 2 and learn something new! You might even find something worth investing in, like the Philadelphia Youth Project or the Mean Girl Extinction Project.

1. Philadelphia Youth Project is engaging, encouraging, and educating our youth. philadelphiayouthproject.org

2. Self Love Warrior offers a community of daily self love actions. selflovewarrior.com

3. Marinagraphy is empowering girls and women with information. marinagraphy.com

4. Walking With the Alligators speaks for animal rights and conservation. walkingwiththealligators.wordpress.com

5. The Human Experience Blog is redefining the queer experience. thehumanexperienceblog.com

6. Jane Claypool is wisdom notes from a New Thought Author and Teacher. janeclaypool.com

7. Spark: Igniting Global Change. sparksf.wordpress.com

8. The Mean Girl Extinction Project is combating “mean girls” one bully at a time. the-mean-girl-extinction-project.com

9. Life out of the Box. lifeoutofthebox.com

10.  Helping Women Helps the World. hwhtw.wordpress.com

Is There a Blog or Website That Inspires You? Share it Below in a Comment!

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon or Amazon.

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

Empowering Discussions

New Campaign Breaks Stereotypes and Redefines The Human Experience

Impower You

What is the human experience?  Many of us were taught that it involves living by a specific set of rules. Grow up, finish school, get a job, raise a family, work until we are 65, retire, be grandparents and deal with any bumps that try to throw us off “track” along the way. But what happens if that’s not what you desire, or if society at large tells you the experience you are having is abnormal or even wrong? The truth is there is no singular human experience. We are not mass produced in specific molds so we don’t have the same goals and desires. We are unique which means our experiences should be too.

T.H.E (The Human Experience) wants you to join their February campaign to share stories of all the different experiences that we as individuals are living through.

Now more than ever we have a chance to connect globally with people of all colors, classes, nationalities, sexual identities, genders, and beliefs. We can show the world that 1. There are many options for our own experience that are not what we thought “normal” should be, and 2. Discourage our unhealthy system of labeling people as if they are cans of food.

Wouldn’t you like to share your experience?

Read more about T.H.E at: thehumanexperienceblog.com

Follow the easy instructions for participation at:  thehumanexperienceblog.com/you-are-the-human-experience-tell-your-story/

WHAT WORDS DESCRIBE YOUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE? Leave a comment.

If you like this blog check out my books At Bookemon: http://www.bookemon.com/member-book-list/151519 or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007LMUEJ2

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

Empowering Discussions

Confronting Abuse Publicly: A Sexual Abuser is Publicly Shamed

Impower You

Immeasurable.Strength.SunseHow many sexual assailants and pedophiles never get caught because of our cultural habit of shaming victims? How many children grow up miserable and scarred because an adult they trusted used them in a sickening way?  Finally there are survivors who refuse to live ashamed and will do whatever it takes for justice. Here’s the story of one such hero, Jamie X.

Jamie did what many victims of abuse want so badly to do, she confronted the person who abused her.  She shamed the perpetrator instead of holding on to shame that she never deserved to feel. After finally maturing to a point where she was ready to take action she was disappointed to learn the statute of limitations had long passed for her to find justice.  So she posted a video of herself calling and confronting the former teacher(now a vice principal) who had sexually assaulted her when she was in middle school.  During the phone call the abuser didn’t rebuke Jamie’s statements, and agreed that what she did was wrong. Jamie sent the video to the principal, while viewers on YouTube helped it go viral, and the terrible abuser has now resigned from the school.

What she did took a lot of courage, fueled by disappointment and a need to heal, she is very courageous indeed.

See the original video from Jamie here:

The CNN report of the video is here:

I am very impressed with Jamie X.  She is a hero to me and to the hundreds of thousands who have seen her video. We need more women, men and children to not feel victim blame, but to feel as if justice is on their side. It takes a lot to be strong when you have been beat down for so long. It takes immeasurable strength to fight back and even to heal, like all survivors of violence.

While I cannot understand the particular pain she suffered for so long both during and after the abuse ended, I do know how empowering it is to stand up to abuse. In school my peers tormented me physically and emotionally for years. Not until I was 17 did I finally have the strength to face one of my bullies. It was scary, my heart was thumping, but I did it and I felt good.  Other instances of assault have happened to me and I am proud of myself for standing up to the abuse of others.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HER BRAVERY? 

WHEN HAVE YOU STOOD UP TO ABUSE?

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon: http://www.bookemon.com/member-book-list/151519 or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007LMUEJ2

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

edrs.net, eating disorder recovery
Empowering Discussions

Ending Eating Disorders Requires Dedication: Meet the Nominees for the 2014 Love Warrior Award

Impower You

It’s tough out there for a woman! Well really it’s tough for men and children too. On top of the struggle to live, we are inundated with ridiculous ideas and unattainable images in the media of how we should look.  Are you as sick and tired of such blatant self-hate inducing marketing? I sure am and am doing something about this prevailing attitude of perfect bodies needing to be skinny and asymmetrical.

So what am I doing it about it? I am fighting back with love.

A few years ago I gave up TV, greatly reduced my consumption of movies, and stopped looking at any magazine with diet tips or photos of too-skinny “models”. This wasn’t easy. Media played a large role in my development since puberty. Magazines were especially hard to give up on account of my love for fashion. Still I felt icky consuming so many hours of fake, judgmental entertainment. Letting go of it has been a huge help in loving myself. In fact it was probably the only way I could love myself. If I had continued to fill my mind with images of unattainable “perfection” I would still hate my body. Unfortunately turning off the TV won’t get rid of images on billboards, magazines in the checkout line, and being around my fellow citizens.

That wasn’t enough, so a year ago I wondered if I could every feel pretty without makeup so I whittled it down to foundation and eyeliner. Eventually I tossed those as well. To my own astonishment I can finally look in the mirror and feel good. I see frizzy hair mingled with grey, uneven eyes, and blotchy skin, but those just seem like a part of me now. Let’s not forget how breast obsessed we’ve become! I have barely A cups so that used to be an enormous self-esteem issue for me. Ditching the padded push up bra was like ripping off my eyelashes! The bottom line is I’ve decided to love ALL of  myself. Why not? There is everything right with my body and there is everything right with yours! We are all made of imperfect perfections.

Now all that said, you can still want to lose weight, get in shape, or crave smoother skin. However for your mental and physical health you need to do those things out of self-love, out of wanting to be healthier. You should never want to change your body because you feel like you are not good enough. You should wear makeup because it’s fun; not to hide, but enhance a feature. Once you love yourself completely the mean words of others won’t hurt you. You’ll be able to roll your eyes and laugh at their insecurity. I never thought that could be true until I did it. Change the way you look at your body, your weight, your face. Look at yourself with love and respect and only look at yourself that way. We can change. We must change for all future generation, for every impressionable youth, and for ourselves.

edrs.net, eating disorder recovery

On to the finale!

This post is a lead up to the wonderful news that I have been nominated(along with some well celebrated names) as a Love Warrior nominee which is an award given by Eating Disorder Recovery Support, Inc. This amazing organization promotes self-love and is working towards the end of eating disorders. So who are the 2014 love warrior nominees? Joe Kelly, Demi Lavato,  Rae Smith, Connie Sobczak,  and Matt Wetsel. Learn more, and meet ALL the nominees at www.EDRS.net. Maybe in 2015 you will be the next Love Warrior!

Celebrate yourself, ALL of yourself because you only get one body and one chance in this lifetime.

What do you love about your body? Is your favorite feature your height, eyes, hair, nose, knees, butt, stomach, or everything? Please leave a comment below.

 

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon: http://www.bookemon.com/member-book-list/151519 or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007LMUEJ2

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

Empowering Discussions

She Marched

Impower You

She marched in the front line. Tall and strong, with speckled dark skin and a fro that carried more weight than the glare of any thug. A ruby red stain on her proud lips was all the makeup she wore. A gold hoop earring in one ear, 3 diamond studs in the other. The crisp autumn breeze grew into a strong gust flinging her scarf behind her giving her the look of a warrior headed straight on into battle. The faded green trenchcoat was pulled tightly over her sweater, she wore thermals under her jeans and 2 pairs of socks in her blue boots. Her hands firmly clenched the corner of the protest banner. Eyes focused straight ahead her voice carried farther than the mass behind her,”Clean Coal is a Dirty Lie! End Mountaintop Removal Today!” The occasional heckler, honking traffic, and dropping temperatures didn’t phase her.

njagbackcoverpeace.jpgIt was just last week she received the call. The pollution that had destroyed her community and cancer that took so many whom she loved had now killed her young brother. She could no longer be silent or pretend that it wasn’t affecting her here in the big city. She was tired of crying, tired of waiting for someone else to stop the coal mines. This was personal.

……………………………………………………….

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon: http://www.bookemon.com/member-book-list/151519 or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007LMUEJ2

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

Self love diet by Michelle Minero
Empowering Discussions

A Challenge for Women to Drop the Weight of Self-Hate: Why Unconditional Love is the Healthiest Part of Your Diet

Impower You

All over the world we are seeing women and girls suffering from eating disorders, dangerous dieting trends, and low self-worth brought on by the saturation of unrealistic and unattainable body images throughout the global media landscape. Even young girls in elementary school are not immune to having a negative view of their prepubescent bodies. This January the Love Warrior Community & SelfLoveWarrior.com are changing that by providing a safe space for women to love their bodies during their annual 31-Day Self-Love Writing Challenge.

The challenge was started by mother and daughter team, Michelle and Emelina Minero who created the Love Warrior Community in 2010. Michelle is a therapist with a goal of ending eating disorders as founder of the non-profit Eating Disorder Recovery Support, Inc., and author of “Self-Love Diet: The Only Diet That Works.” Emelina is a writer, editor and community builder. Aside from her work with the Love Warrior Community, she founded The Human Experience in her quest to promote diversity in “everyone’s human experience,” and also writes for popular media outlets such as Curve Magazine.

The Love Warrior Community uses creative expression for healing and to increase self-love, self-acceptance and body acceptance. Women can consume, and produce their own, body positive writing, videos, art, music, and images. “What we’re creating is an aggregate of inspiring and body positive media to help people develop their own self-love practice,” says Emelina. “It’s an alternative to the negative and body critical media that exists in mainstream culture – in magazines, in movies, in TV shows, in commercials, in everyday conversation – it exists everywhere, and we’ve created a hub of body positive and uplifting media.”

Whatever issues you are dealing with, accepting yourself as you are will help you succeed. As a young woman I was exposed to constant media images and that coupled with comments from my peers instilled in me disgust for my body around the age of 12. My breasts were never large enough, my stomach never flat enough, my nose and feet were too big, and my hair was too frizzy. I could go on, but you get the picture, I hated my body because it wasn’t perfect. Having such a negative view of me was a large source of my depression, wreaking havoc in my relationships, causing me to doubt my talents, and feel miserable any time I wanted to go out in public.

I was fortunate to never become so obsessed with my body that I hurt myself. However several of my friends, relatives and co-workers suffered through unhealthy dieting, anorexia, bulimia, and even plastic surgery in their quest for acceptance. Some of them eventually learned to love themselves, but there are still those who are so insecure they have passed self-hate along to their daughters.

It wasn’t until age 30 that I stopped obsessing over my own body. I started by using less cosmetics and focusing more on what I saw as my best features. Change didn’t happen overnight. It was an arduous journey. The real tipping point was when I changed my thinking. Reading articles about people who had “imperfect” bodies and chose to accept and love that body without question was a real help. About 18 years of self-hate and I can finally say that I love my body. Though I still desire to look good, it’s not out of a need to look like a model. I am contentedly happy naturally and this gives me a feeling of freedom and confidence that shows up in other parts of my life.

Every once in a while, a negative thought jumps into my mind, such as comparing my small breasts to women with a larger cup size, but those thoughts don’t last because I immediately recognize those as unnecessary. Personal appearance should be about self-expression and your own comfort, not about what an advertisement or celebrity endorses.

My story is not unique. In the first year of the challenge it was only Michelle and Emelina sharing posts of self-love. This year had 27 entries on the first day alone. As the challenge grows and our culture evolves it has become easier for women to make a conscious choice of embracing their bodies as perfectly imperfect.

Emelina admits to having her own self-doubts in the past concerning her sexual orientation, she came out publicly when she was 19, and a mental health diagnosis. “I still wasn’t completely comfortable with my identity as a lesbian after I came out. I no longer feel like my sexual orientation is something that I should hide. This past year my self-love journey has largely revolved around realizing that I have bipolar 2 disorder,” says Emelina. Despite social stigmas of sexual orientation and mental health, she is not only able to accept herself, but she is able to support and offer resources to others on the path of self-acceptance.

Self love diet by Michelle MineroEvery submission of self-love will enter the participant in a drawing to win an autographed copy of Michelle Minero MFT’s book “Self-Love Diet: The Only Diet That Works,” as well as her upcoming Self-Love Diet e-products. Women who are not comfortable sharing their proclamation publicly are encouraged to write a daily post in a private journal. Self-Love Warrior, where the 31-Day Self-Love Writing Challenge is hosted, is the Love Warrior Community’s group blog where anybody can submit or read self-love writing. The self-love writing is unique to each writer and explores whatever they are working on and where they are in their self-love journey.

Are you ready for a change in how you view yourself? The challenge starts with one question, “How would your life be different if you loved yourself and your body?”

You can join the challenge at selflovewarrior.com/2013/12/31/31-day-self-love-writing-challenge-2014/  and at facebook.com/events/655109521205992

…  …  …  …

If you like this blog check out my books at Bookemon: http://www.bookemon.com/member-book-list/151519 or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007LMUEJ2

*The ads on this site are here because I haven’t paid extra money. not because I support the product or service.*

January 2014 sunrise, new year sunrise
Empowering Discussions

Catching the First Sunrise of 2014 – The Flipside of Staying Up Till Midnight.

Impower You

Four years ago I wondered what it would be like to see the first sunrise of a new year in place of staying up till midnight on the New Years eve. Four years later it has become my favorite celebratory tradition. At 6:30 am it is quiet, calm, and dark. Slowly light seeps back into my world as joy for a new year full of possibilities and adventure fills my soul. Below are the photos I captured as the sun rose over San Elijo Laguna in California.

January 2014 sunrise, new year sunrise
At first the world is all silhouettes, and we are cold…
January 2014 sunrise, new year sunrise
slowly color seeps in…
January 2014 sunrise, new year sunrise
the world starts to glow…
January 2014 sunrise, new year sunrise
the sun peeks out over the horizon…
January 2014 sunrise, new year sunrise
and finally it is here. 
January 2014 sunrise, San Elijo Laguna Sunrise
A new day has dawned and we bask in the warmth of the sun.

You can’t pause life, whether tragic or triumphant, life is not waiting for you to succeed. It is here and now. It is and has been moving you forward all this time. It’s all UP TO YOU!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE NEW YEAR WILL BRING?

If you have a New Years post please share the link in a comment below.

Thanks for reading. You can read more about individual empowerment in my books which are available for 99 cents on Amazon.com

Empowering Discussions

Fashionable Consumption Provides Jobs, Increases Opportunity by Turning People Into Slaves, and Destroys the Environment

Impower You

It’s so fashionable to consume. Plus the experts say, it helps bring people out of poverty and helps developing countries grow. Of course we all know what that really means is give people(real humans with the capacity to feel, learn, and be loved) a chance to make some money in horrible working conditions while simultaneously turning resources from our planet(this place we depend on for life) into trash that fills up landfills.

Since when did fashion become a $5 tank top and $30 designer jeans that are thrown out for next years $4 tank top and $25 jeans? When did clothing stop becoming something functional and beautiful into something we so easily discard? When did the quantity become more important than quality?

Sustainable.Fashion.2013I get it! My career plans after High School were to graduate with a Fashion Design degree and become a famous fashionista who traveled the world, went to amazing parties, and of course gave part of my vast riches to those less lucky. It didn’t take long for me to decide I didn’t want to be a part of an industry that was so superficial, that turned women into skeletal beings, that was  not sustainable because it created several tons of pollution and waste, and that generally encouraged a culture of “buy this”, but only wear it for 6 months so that you can get something trendier.  If you don’t look as good on the outside you will never be happy.

There is so much that goes into the making of each piece of clothing. Material usually is gown(except for chemically produced materials), harvested, turned into fabric, sent to a factory for production, sent to  warehouse, sent to a store, and then bought by us.  That’s pretty intense when you think about how much work went into making the shirt, pants, underclothes, and shoes you are wearing at this moment. One useful thing I did learn from my fashionable education was how to make my own clothes.  So if needed I can cut that line out of the supply chain for clothing, but I don’t know how to turn cotton off a bush into fabric so I am not completely able to bypass the system for what I wear.

Over the years I have lost my appetite for so badly needing pretty shiny things and stopped shopping to be happy. I’m not crazy,  I still love fashion, but as a form of self-expression, not as a tool of conformity. My first action of change is to buy used and fair trade. When I do shop, which is rarely, you will find me at the local bazaar featuring local designers, second-hand shops or vintage boutiques, and even the down and out thrift stores searching for hidden treasures.  It’s still consumption, but I am either supporting smaller handmade or fair trade designers or skipping the mass production assembly line and environmental impact for a new item of clothing.  I still buy a few things new each year, but part of that is it’s hard to find really good second-hand shoes for size 11.5 feet!

My second action for change is to decrease my consumption. By shopping less, which was very hard to do as shopping for fun had become a hard earned habit,  I am even less involved in supporting a system of mass production at the expense of people and the planet. It started with not having enough money for lots of clothes. It has turned into a way of life. It’s not just fashion. I buy less packaged food, carry my reusable coffee cup,  and alert my favorite brands that I want less consumption.

If you are tired of unfashionable consumption you can change it by changing your habits.

1. Buy refurbished and used products so they are diverted from the landfill.

2. Look for food and products with minimal packaging to reduce your waste.

3. Buy sustainable. Is your food organic or pesticide-free? Are you buying post consumer recycled paper?

4. Find a local repair shop for appliances, watches, computers, etc. How about having your furniture refurbished or painted? Do you really need to buy new or can you upgrade or fix what you have?

By just taking those 4 steps you can drastically reduce your consumption and become a role model to those around you.

The Fair Wear Foundation is working to find solutions for a healthier system of how our clothes and other products are made. FairWear.Org

On the production side People Tree is using fair prices with factories that even offer daycare to their workers. PeopleTree.Co.Uk

It’s comforting knowing I am not the only person interested in changing how the world consumes.

WHAT ACTIONS ARE YOU TAKING TO CURB YOUR FASHIONABLE CONSUMPTION?