Making Waves

This summer has been chill. I went to the beach as much as I could, attended some cool shows, ate at some great restaurants, spent quality time with my family and close friends, made some new friends, and also had some much-needed downtime for myself. At the start of the summer, I made a post via social media encouraging everyone to not spend their summer waiting on others to join them before deciding to have fun and to experience any and everything they wanted to experience, even if it meant riding solo sometimes.  And the feedback from that post was incredible. I noticed different people who made the most of this summer, and that was an encouraging thing to see.  Since I love taking photos, I thought it’d be fun to do a summer photo diary to reminisce over the different things I was blessed to experience and enjoy over the past few months. I hope this summer has been good to you too and that you’re looking forward to the upcoming seasons ahead. Do something fun th...

One of the most uncomfortable and suffocating feelings in the world is to remain in a place or space or relationship that brings unnecessary stress, drama, or threatens your peace.  I’ve had seasons where I’ve remained in situations I’ve outgrown or held on to people or things I knew it was time for me to let go of, and when I didn’t listen to my inner voice, usually all kinds of hell broke loose. And because I’m no longer willing to allow anyone or anything in my life or space that would seek to threaten my peace or be a parasite on my time, energy, resources, and overall well-being, I know when to walk away. And it’s a process.  The decision to know who and what to walk away from will require being honest with yourself and may bring confrontation and discomfort, and in some cases, require strategic planning so that you’re able to move on as best as you can.  Deep down you already know who and what you need to let go of, and there’s no time like the pr...

Bonefish Grill is a chill and mellow seafood spot my family enjoys dining at often and it’s a great place to do brunch, drinks, and other meals too. This summer I’ve been intentional about trying new things, so I ordered their Seafood Johnny Cakes & Eggs, and everything was on point. The creole sauce was a nice touch too. If you’re in the Hampton Roads area and looking for a great place to eat and chill, check out Bonefish Grill.  Do something fun this weekend and enjoy yourself. TGIF!

Sapped strength. Hateful attitudes. Weary souls. People who get paid to aggravate you every week. Bad news. Wicked spirits. Health setbacks. Petty insults. Unexpected losses. Political clowns. Wrongful employment terminations. Hate crimes. Justice not being properly served. Financial strains and setbacks. The death of loved ones and so much more, are all different things that may be contributing to storms and stress and pressures in your own life and/or in the lives of different people you know.  We’re all going through something.   I’ve personally experienced seasons where things were falling apart to the point where I’d cry out,  God, why am I going through this? I don’t deserve this. Things should be better than this… Stormy seasons can be stressful, isolating, and massively painful.  And trying to function as you normally would as if things were moving along just fine can be challenging when storms slide through. During stormy seasons, I s...

Whenever I’ve tried to help someone or caution them to either stay away from someone I knew or deeply sensed didn’t mean them well, or warned them about someone wasn’t really a good person, or to not rush into a decision that would either complicate or temporarily ruin their life, or to think twice before taking on and accepting an opportunity that may not be the best for them, and the person I tried to help or warn didn’t listen? Some rough consequences usually followed.  I've often received sorrowful, disheartening, and painful phone calls, texts, emails, or messages about the aftermath of a bad breakup. A cheating significant other. An unhappy marriage. An unexpected divorce. An unplanned pregnancy. An unwanted pregnancy. The demise of a once-trusted friendship. The unraveling of seasonal friendships. Discontentment and stress brought on by taking on a job or remaining in a job that’s served its purpose for a season. Or opportunities, financial commitments, newly adde...

Prepare for where you’re going, not for where you’re at. One of my dad’s one-sentence reminders ran through my mind this past week, and I started reflecting and thinking deeply about different things I want and plan to do with my own life. I started thinking about what preparation would look like.  And then I started writing. How would a successful ___________________  Think? Act? Build? Strategize? Write? Brand? Behave on social media? Dress and carry themselves? Speak? Spend their time/money/resources? Help others? Treat others? Talk to themselves? Use their power? Maximize their opportunities?  Leverage their influence? Respond to conflict? Respond to criticism? Network?  Get ready.  Prepare for where you’re going, not for where you’re at. Start moving, behaving, and thinking like the person you want to be for where you’re trying to go and just see what happens. I’ve already been putting...

A photo can reveal a lot about a person. On a surface level, different photos can show someone who seems happy, attractive, put together, and portray an  image  of happiness but not always tell the truth about what someone in a photo may be experiencing in real life. Photos are not always what they seem.  I can testify to the fact that behind some of the most beautiful photos I’ve taken or had taken, have been some stories and silent storms no one would ever know about. The interesting thing is that in my real life, I often have different people tell me how confident they think I am and how much I inspire them. And when people say things like that to me and seek me out for encouragement, counsel, advice, or a quick pep talk, I aim to be humble and transparent with them about the fact that as confident as they think I am, my life is not without challenges, trials, and disappointments. My self-esteem and life also take on some occasional one-two punches too....

Hearing the statement, “Good girls finish last” has never sat well with me.  It feels shameful. And weird. And judgy.  I would later continue hearing that statement from others, in so many different ways, until the point of silent frustration and annoyance kicked in, which lead to some reflecting:  Good girls finish last. Good girls finish last?  I don’t think so.  After all, life is not a race. And if you ever think it is, you should chill out and calm down.  Comments like  good girls finish last  can come off disheartening and discouraging and isn’t something that’s based in truth. So what if someone is a good girl? There’s nothing wrong with being one. And there’s nothing to be ashamed of.  Everyone may have different interpretations and views of what it means to be a “good girl” but regardless, I believe in allowing people to be who they are without putting them in a box, or assuming they will “finish la...

This is the kind of place you can take your family, go on a date, have a night out with friends, and even hit up for a happy hour after a long day at work. I’m talking about Yard House. It’s one of my favorite places to go in the city, plus they have one of my favorite meals -- Baja fish tacos! I order them almost every time I go there. If you’ve never had fish tacos, you’re missing out. They’re amazing. Plus, if you’re into beer, Yard House has an incredible list of options to choose from as they’re well known for their beer selections. If you’re in the Hampton Roads area and looking for a great place to eat and chill, check out Yard House.  Do something fun this weekend and enjoy yourself. TGIF!