Be Unapologetically You

- Janna

Hello my loves. I normally try to write my posts gender neutral, however, I’m going to be a little selfish this post. It’s Women’s History Month, right? So of course I have to write something for all the wonderful ladies out there.
There may be a little too many song references in this post, but I hope you enjoy it.

Biggie said, “To all the ladies in the place with style and grace,” well I want you to know that he was talking to EVERY single lady. And if you weren’t thinking this line applied to you, I’m telling you it does. As women, we are a force to be reckoned with. We endure so much and in spite of this, we keep going. If you reflect on our history, you will see that this has always been the trend. Harriet Tubman put her own wellbeing at risk in order to free others. Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. Maya Angelou went from being mute, after being sexually abused and raped, to becoming one of the most phenomenal poets of our time. These women are just a few of many who never let the current trials of their time limit their capability and impact. They are ladies of style and grace, who have truly shaped our history and will forever be embedded in our hearts. And if they can accomplish so many great things without all of the technological advances we have today, who is to say that you can’t?

 I was sitting in my boyfriend’s room the other day, listening to my favorite rapper of all time, J.Cole, when a verse hit me and made me go “oh I’m putting this in my blog.” In Sparks Will Fly by J.Cole featuring Jhene Aiko he says, “But, baby you only lose when you don’t swing back.” So why was I so eager to incorporate this in my post? It’s so easy for us, as women, to compare ourselves to other women, to accept what people say about us and tear ourselves down about it, AND be our own biggest critic. But you only give power to these negativities when you let them consume you. You cannot change how people view you, I mean you can try but that’s not proven to really influence people. But you can change how you view yourself. And I believe that is the true art of “swinging back.” You are a force to be reckoned with, like Harriet Tubman. You can make a change, like Clara Barton. Your voice can be heard, like Maya Angelou.

So I am saying all this to say, be unapologetically you.
In honor of Women’s History Month, reflect on all the great contributions women have made. And then remember, that you can contribute too. Be the woman that you know you are, in spite of what others may think. Don’t doubt yourself, because things that seem impossible are always within your reach. EMPOWER OTHER WOMEN. How can we succeed if literally the entire world is against us, even if our fellow ladies? And most importantly, love who you are, who you truly are. Because no one will ever love you, like you love yourself. You are a forced to be reckoned with and you can make an impact.

Be bold, be brave, be unapologetically you.

Love,
J.Alane

You are Enough.

- Janna

Words can’t express how much you mean. Regardless of how it may seem, to you.
You are more than enough, just the way you are.
You are beautiful, you are strong,
You are all these things, even if you don’t think that you are.
Smile more, be discouraged less.
And most importantly, don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
Everyone’s struggles and battles are different, some may not be visible,
no one is picture perfect.
We may not always succeed, but it is important to continue.
To continue being and loving you for you;
for who you are only YOU can be.
Even when the goings get tough, 
just remember, you are enough.

Something in my soul and spirit told me to write this quick little poem. And most importantly, to share it today. Because I guarantee those thoughts you feel, that you think only you feel, others feel too. I’m writing this to let you know that I can relate. Because often, I have felt inadequate too. But most importantly, I wrote this to reassure you that you are more than enough, the way that you are.

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Share this with a friend. Encourage someone, because you never know who may need to see or read this.

Love,
Janna Alane

It’s Okay

- Janna

Hello all.
I’ve been struggling with how I wanted to write this blog, or if I even wanted to write on this topic at all. I didn’t want to write a typical Valentine’s Day blog. So here goes nothing.

It’s okay to not always be okay all the time. It’s okay to have bad days. It’s okay to not know how to “fix” everything. Nobody is perfect, no matter how perfect anyone appears to be. But what is important, is that you keep moving through these bad moments. It is so easy to dwell on what’s going wrong, what you’re not doing right. But those moments do not define you. You are not your mistakes, your shortcomings, nor your failures. Always remember that.

It can be difficult for me to accept that things won’t always go the way I planned or how I thought things should go. And often it seems that things always go well for others and not you. Trust me, I understand. When I go through these situations, I feel discouraged and disappointed. However, I must remember that God’s purpose and plan is way bigger than me. He knows everything that will occur, when, how, and most importantly he knows that I WILL make it through. And like he knows these things about me, he knows them about you as well.

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Remember to love yourself. You are only human, flawed and all. We all fall down sometimes, but we must get back up and continue moving forward. It’s okay to reflect on how we could have handled situations differently, but not to dwell on these things. The past is the past. We don’t live in the past, we live in the present, and are working towards the future.

So I’m writing this blog to tell you to forgive yourself. Everything will work out. You aren’t perfect and you can not do everything or be everything to everyone. It’s okay to care for others, but remember to care for you, too. Embrace how you feel, reflect, and move forward. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, it and you will be okay.

Love,
Janna Alane

 

Hello, Black Excellence.

- Janna

Hello my beautiful people.
This weekend, I had the distinct honor and privilege to attend the Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC) in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University. This was my first time traveling to Texas and my first time attending this conference. And I only have one word to describe this experience: outstanding.

This conference has expanded my horizons as a leader, through various workshops and keynote speakers. I attended workshops entitled, “Getting in Our Own Way: The Degradation of Student Organizations,” ‘Leaving Your Mark: Empowering & Mentoring Others,” a writing workshop, and so much more. During this conference, I examined myself as a leader and my organization as a whole. And I brought back a mental list of improvements I want to make.

This year, I charge to be better than I was last year. And I want you all to do the same. I have never been surrounded by so many black leaders dressed in business professional attire. And I must say, it was a sight to see. But you don’t have to be considered a leader to be classified as black excellence. Black excellence is you starting your own business, following your dreams, participating in an organization, continuing on even when the odds are against you. Black excellence comes in many shapes and sizes. But I want you to know that it is out there. There are black people who are doing some amazing things. They give younger generations something to aspire towards, something to hope for. Even if you don’t always receive recognition, just know that I see you, someone sees you, and most importantly YOU see what you’re trying to accomplish.

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So today challenge yourself. First, challenge yourself to get out of your way. Stop being your biggest critic, it’s okay to not always succeed. However, when you fail, the key is to continue on. Secondly, keep pursuing your goals and desires, even if everyone and everything seems to be against you. Oprah didn’t always have it easy (and is she not an example we look to for black excellence), so why should you? And most importantly, find a way to leave your mark in this world, doing what you love and are passionate about, and ultimately showcase your black excellence.

Love,
Janna Alane

 

The Month of Elevation

- Janna

Hello all and Happy Saturday!

In honor of the new year and this newfound motivation, I have totally revamped my blog & its look. I am soo excited about this and hopefully you all enjoy this new look.

The word of the month is elevation.

In my last blog I reflected on my year in 2017 and listed some goals that I wish to achieve in 2018. On my list, I mentioned how I wanted to better my relationship with God, grow, and also step out of my comfort zone. And the other day I began to ponder on this new year, new month, and what I wanted to do this month. One word summed up everything I wanted to accomplish and the end result of these goals: elevation.

James 4-10.pngThe other day, my sister-in-law was talking about how her church was doing the Daniel Fast and so I talked to my boyfriend about it. He mentioned that he had done it before and how it was such a phenomenal experience for him because he really grew closer to God through this fast. So this encouraged me to research the fast a little more. And as a result, tomorrow I will begin the Daniel Fast. I will keep you all updated at the end of the month once it is over. I know that by participating in this fast, I am definitely stepping out my comfort zone (Doing something I have never done before, but always wanted to), making an effort to better my relationship with God, and allowing myself to elevate mentally and spiritually.

So my challenge to you all this month is: to think about what you can do to elevate yourself. To elevate means to be raised to a higher level. What is something you have always wanted to do, but never had the courage to? What step(s) can you take to begin the pursuit of a goal you have? How can you better yourself?

There is no time better than the present. So begin to elevate yourselves spiritually, mentally, physically, however you see fit. And remember, this year we aren’t just talking about our goals, but seeing how we can bring them into fruition. This is only the beginning of my fruition and elevation. How will you elevate this month & this year?

Love,
Janna Alane

 

Farewell 2017

- Janna

Hello all my lovely readers. I am so sorry for my hiatus, but I AM BACK for good & I promise to be more consistent with these posts going into the new year.

2017 has definitely been a year of growth. I have had various ups and downs, but through it all I MADE IT through. And you all did too, so congratulations!

Today, in church the sermon focused on my absolute favorite scripture in the Bible.

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”                                                                                                                                            –Phillipians 3:13-14

No Looking Back
This scripture is so relevant because in life we have to let go of the past, the past hurt, pain, ugliness, etc. in order to move forward and grow. Everyone has a past and has been through pain, however, the past and pain do not have to define who you are or who you become. Use your past and pain purposefully. Do not let it consume you, but let it challenge you to keep pushing and to be better. Today in church the pastor asked, “Where can you go walking back? All you can do is stumble.” So the next time you get so consumed in the past that you forget to move forward, remember that you can not look behind you and in front of you at the same time and that it’s okay to let go and grow.

2018

2017 taught me:
– To love myself unconditionally
– To leave the past in the past
– It’s okay to fumble, as long as you get back up
– I am not perfect AND will never be. And that’s okay
And a long list of other things.

In 2018 I am:
– BLOGGING MORE
– Becoming a mentor
– Traveling more
– Loving myself MORE
– Stepping out of my comfort zone
– Loving courageously
– Stop caring about what others think
– Growing
– Bettering my relationship with God AND myself
– Embracing my natural self

So my charge to you all is to reflect on your 2017, the highs and lows, and then reflect on how you will actively BE better and strive for more in 2018.
Thank you all for encouraging me to write and sticking by my side through this journey. I AM SOO excited for what this new year has in store.

Love,
Janna Alane

Back to Life, Back to Reality

- Janna

Happy Sunday my lovely people!

I really want to apologize for my inconsistency these last two weeks, but I promise it’s only because school has begun. Now that I am all settled in, I will definitely do better. And I have so many ideas for topics that deal with college coming up soon.

Today’s post is about coming back to reality.  For some of us, depending on our title or occupation, summer is a time of relaxation and recuperation. And I promise that is exactly what this summer was for me. I worked at Forever21, but I was also able to enjoy time off from school. But I can not lie to you, I missed being at school. I’m not saying I missed the schoolwork, but I missed being busy and always on the go, I know yall may be like “What is she talking about,”  but in my hometown there’s really not much to do, but I did enjoy being around my family.

These past two weeks have been filled with plans, events, and lots of schoolwork. I haven’t been stressed yet so I’m praying in advance for that moment when it comes.

I just wanted to write this post to welcome all of you back to the real world. For those of you who have freshly graduated and now are embarking on the real world, good luck to you. For those of you who are starting college, coming back to college, or even beginning any level of education, good luck to you. Remember that you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to. When situations seem tough and you feel that you can not make it, pray. I promise God will never put more on you than bare. Things you thought you couldn’t handle, God will make it possible for you to leap over these things with ease (I promise!). No matter what you go through, I promise you can and will make it out of the situation!  And if you ever need a little extra encouragement, I promise I will be here with my posts to try and make your day a little easier. I’m praying this new season is wonderful for you all!

 

Love,

Janna Alane

Love Yourself First

- Janna

(Disclaimer: This blog will be a little personal, but I hope you all LOVE it.)

“Love yourself first”

This quote is one of the most impactful quotes I have ever heard about self love. How can we expect others to love who we are, if we can’t love who we are? If we can’t see the beauty in our imperfections and flaws, that we often view as shortcomings?

 I think one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, was to learn how to love myself. When I say love myself, I mean love myself with all my ugly scars, imperfections, and flaws. This self love did not occur overnight. And I can truly say that I have been on a constant journey of self love. I have had good days and bad days in regards to how I felt about myself, I still have good days and bad days. But I must say that this journey has been very fulfilling. This summer I have really realized my worth and beauty, and I’m not just speaking on my physical beauty. I’m talking about my internal beauty as well. It’s so easy to pinpoint my flaws and errors, but difficult to highlight my positive attributes and characteristics. So this summer I charged myself with the task of not wearing makeup. I realized how dependent I was on wearing it to enhance my beauty. I am not against makeup, but my skin was not glowing how I wanted it to. However, this summer has made me fall in love with myself, all over again. I no longer wear foundation or spend an hour in front of the mirror making sure my foundation is blended properly or that my highlight is poppin’ (I do miss my highlight lol). Now, I only do my eyebrows and wear mascara, and still that’s not an everyday thing. I changed my skin care routine, too, and I have noticed a difference! I also drank LOTS of water, much more than normal, and I definitely plan on making this a habit. I can not wait to see how my skin will continue to flourish. I am typing this to say, this summer I was changing internally, realizing how trivial some things were and what really mattered to me. And I also reflected this change on the outside, by letting go of what people would think if they saw me bare faced, brows a mess, etc. I must say I am loving the person I am becoming.

He or she may be exceptional, but you are exceptional too. 

It’s so easy for us to compliment and praise others, but often when it’s time to do so for ourselves, we fall short. We compare ourselves to others and emphasize what we lack that others have. I am telling you DON’T keep this pattern up. You are more than enough just the way you are. She may be pretty, but you are pretty too! She may have these features that you admire, but promise me, someone is seeing features in you that they admire. YOU can see features in you that you admire. And remember, it is okay to embrace your flaws. Nobody is perfect and no one will ever be, no matter how hard we pretend. The things we often dislike about ourselves are the unique things that make us who we are. There will never be another you like you. So yeah, she may be pretty, but you’re pretty too.

“Wish I was comfortable just with myself.”

– Supermodel by SZA

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t constantly belittle yourself or feel like you are falling short. I promise you are not. Be comfortable with you and who you are. And if you’re looking for love from someone, I guarantee you’re looking for it from the wrong person. He/she can and will never love you like YOU love yourself. And how can you let someone love you, when you’re struggling to love yourself? So it’s okay to step back, away from people, and focus on you. Focus on what you want, what you need, and focus on the truly great things about you. The person you thought you were looking for may come along when you least expect it, and if not you’ve always got yourself.

Remember, self love isn’t just about loving yourself for your physical attributes and characteristics, but also loving the way you process situations, the way you don’t crack under pressure OR the way you crack under pressure.

I was VERY excited to write this post today. Hopefully this has been something that everyone can relate to and also encourage you on your own personal journey of self love.

So I leave you with this quote,

“You yourself as much as much as anybody in the entire universe deserves your love and affection.”

– Buddha

Love,

Janna Alane

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

- Janna

 (Disclaimer: All photos featured were taken by me, so check out my photography skills lol)

So I am back home from my vacation. My friends have been telling me to describe my trip in one word, and all I can say is AMAZING! So I’m going to give you guys a quick summary.

For those who don’t know,  I traveled to Orlando, FL. I went to Orlando to visit Disney (I am a big kid lol), but of course I hit up the Orlando Premium Outlets and a few other places as well.

Wednesday

We arrived in Orlando on Wednesday around 3pm. Once we checked into the hotel and recuperated little bit, we headed to Disney Springs, also known as Downtown Disney. Disney Springs is this outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. It is sooo beautiful at night and when we arrived it was still light outside, but when we left around 11pm a lot of the fountains and buildings were lit by lights. So we got a special treat because the complex had a theme for July and it was entitled, Christmas in July. So the complex was decorated for that purpose. For instance, the Starbucks was selling speciality holiday drinks, there were Christmas lights streamed outside of it and various other buildings. Anyways, we walked around enjoying the scenery and shops and ate at this restaurant named, Paddlefish. The Paddlefish is this really nice restaurant that’s aboard a faux riverboat that serves fresh seafood and steaks. And for those who know me, yall know I love seafood. We dined on lump crab cakes, fried green tomatoes, and for our main course we had their speciality dish which is entitled, The Tower. The food was amazing and below this post I will share a picture of The Tower.

Thursday

We visited the Sea Life aquarium, rode the Orlando Eye, and went go kart racing at I-Drive Nascar Indoor Kart Racing. The aquarium was so nice and we were able to watch the scuba divers feed the fish. However, I guess I am a little biased to the Georgia Aquarium, which will always be my favorite aquarium to visit. The Orlando Eye is a 400 ft tall giant ferris wheel, it’s also known as the Coca Cola Orlando Eye. The ride on the ferris wheel lasted about 23 minutes, it was slow and steady. I was able to capture some amazing shots while riding, because our view was simply breathtaking. Next, we went to I-Drive Nascar Indoor Kart Racing. This was all my dad’s idea lol. He lovessss go karts, we owned one at one time before he sold it. This was so much fun, my dad was acting a big kid, which was fun to watch. We raced around the track twice, each race was about 10 minutes long. The go karts could go up to 45 mph, which was great.

FRIDAYYY.

(This section may be a lil lengthy.)

On Friday, we traveled to the wonderful world of Walt Disney! We went to the Magic Kingdom theme park, since I have never been. From the moment we got on the trolley to take us to the gates, I was super excited. Once we got off the trolley, we hopped on the monorail to take us into Disney. I was literally like a little kid in the candy store once we entered into the gates of Magic Kingdom. It was everything I pictured and imagined. When we walked inside there was a live performance with singers and dancers dressed in old fashion attire, riding a trolley. They hopped off the trolley to sing and dance and then got back on once they were done to exit. Next, we found an ice cream shop (my dad and I LOVEE ice cream). Once we ordered our ice cream, we sat outside on the patio. And just our luck, there was a parade occurring as soon as we took our seats. This parade featured Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Mr. Incredible, Stich, and many more. I captured so many pictures, and snapchat videos. I was blowing up my friends’ phones all day long. After we watched the parade, we rode the train around the park for a tour. Then we rode it again and got off at Frontierland to ride the rides there. Once we rode those rides, we headed back to the main street for the Festival of Fantasy parade which was AMAZINGGG. Then we rode rides and visited attractions until it was time for the fireworks show. When I tell you the fireworks were breathtaking, they were breathtaking. I loved how the castle lit up and played scenes from various movies as the voiceovers played in the background. It was super hot, but I didn’t even mind because we were all having such a good time. My mom has had two surgeries and two procedures (3 which took place this summer) and hasn’t been moving like she used to, but once we got to Disney, boy was she moving! I told her she was moving around like a spring chicken lol. This day was fantastic and much needed, can’t wait to go back.

Saturday

This day was dedicated to shopping. I visited the Orlando Premium Outlets and found some great finds at Victoria Secret (one of my favs), Michael Kors, and other places. Even picked up some stuff for my nieces.

Sunday

We visited a family friend in Tampa and then journeyed home.

I’ve been working all summer and my mom has been unwell most of the summer, so when I am telling you this trip was needed, it was.

But I just wrote this blog to share, since so many have been asking and requested me to blog about my trip. Don’t worry, Sunday I will be back with another blog that everyone can relate to.

Love,

Janna Alane

 

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Follow Your Heart

- Janna

Hello, to all of my lovely readers.

I think one of the most rewarding things anyone can do is: to recognize what is in his/her heart. Once you recognize what is important to you or what you care about, then you can choose your next step. Whether it be telling someone how you truly feel, accomplishing a dream that fear kept you from pursuing, or making a life changing decision; it’s important to one day face your fears and listen to your heart.

  I know how difficult it can be listening to your heart. Over the years, I have struggled with listening to my own heart and doing what I thought was socially acceptable. In order for me to listen to my heart and it’s desires, I had to stop worrying about popular opinion, or any opinion that wasn’t my own to be honest. You have to remember that people may not always get it. They may not get your vision, they may not see what you see, how you see it, or when you see it happening. But don’t let that stop you. If something is weighing heavily on your heart and has been, then you maybe you should start looking at that as a sign to pursue whatever the thing may be. Also, don’t be concerned with the what if’s. Because trust me, if you worried about all of the possible things that could go wrong, you’d lose the drive and nerve you have to actually go through with your heart’s desires.

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to have my own blog, whether it be a written blog or vlog. However, whenever I hyped myself up to actually start one, I always chickened myself out too. I always asked myself: what if nobody cares what I have to say? What if  nobody visits my blog? But there’s a famous Babe Ruth quote (that I heard on A Cinderella Story),

“Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game.”

And I find that to be so true. Don’t let your fears keep you from accomplishing something you love and have always hoped for. So I finally stopped letting my fears control my life, took a leap of courage and faith, and started my blog this summer. I must say, I am quite happy I did. And I just want to thank you ALL so much for supporting me as I embark this journey, though I love it, it can be quite frightening sharing my thoughts like this, but also so amazing to see you all post such positive comments on here and via text.

Remember, always listen to your heart (in reason!!! don’t do something outrageous, like do something that’ll get you arrested lol). Regardless of what others will have to say about your decisions. Sometimes, you have to make sure your happiness comes first. Pursue your dreams, reach for the stars, and embark on a journey of courage. I believe it takes a truly courageous person to first, acknowledge what is in his/her heart, and second, follow the desires of his/her heart. My charge to you all is to go do something you’ve always wanted to, but were too afraid to do. Tell someone how you truly feel about them. Start that business endeavor you’ve been dreaming of. And remember that, Rome was not built in a night. Sprinkle of Jesus actually just sent an amazing notification that I would like to quote and leave you all with as you reflect on the true desires of your heart.

“Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t see results right away. Things manifest at the right time. Your hard work is about to pay off.”

Love,

Janna Alane