Check-In

- Janna

Happy Self-Love Sunday!
Today’s post is all about checking in.

Have you ever participated in an ice breaker that has involved checking in? I am SO not a fan of that. It makes me feel super uncomfortable and then I’m also like, “do y’all really care about me and what’s been going on?” But, I do understand that it IS important to check in. You NEED to check in with your family, your friends, loved ones, and you also have to check in with yourself. So let me check in with you all on this lovely Sunday!

We are in some very unfamiliar times. You never know how someone is truly feeling or what they are battling, until you ask. At that point, it’s up to the other person to respond BUT you’re making an effort to show you care and that in itself can mean the world. I know I may be slow to speak and open up,  but I am always always touched when someone reaches out to check up on me. Even people who you deem strong deal with trials and tribulations too. Are you checking on your strong friends? Are you checking in on your friends period? What about your family? And are you checking in on yourself too?

Here’s my little check in:
I know I haven’t wrote a blog in a little minute, but I have been actively involved with A Word Wednesday. I went live on Instagram on August, 19 at 7:00 PM and I’ve been highlighting black businesses on my Instagram as well. I don’t want you all to think I’m leaving you hanging, because I COULD NEVER. But, Instagram is where it’s at haha. I’ll post my Black Business highlights here tomorrow and link my Instagram page as well.

Outside of my brand, I have been working from home since March. On Friday, I started my new journey as a graduate student. I’m going back to school to pursue a Masters of Science in Healthcare Management and Informatics – I have A Word Wednesday video coming up about this as well! I am the new workshop coordinator for an amazing nonprofit that is focused on mentoring young girls – I can not wait to begin interacting with the girls! I have been working on bettering my relationship with God and reading the word MORE. I’ve also been utilizing my free time more productively. I’m also looking for a puppy sooo if you have any information to share with me, please do!

I have had my moments where I have felt lonely and down. I’ve also felt empowered and motivated. I feel like I’m in an uncomfortable place at times, but I also know that you can’t grow in comfort. And I have noticed my growth. I have faith and know that God is working all things out for my good. I know that storms won’t last always & even if we are moving into this new normal with COVID, God is taking care of us ALWAYS. 

Here’s my Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/unveilingjannaalane/ 

So, how are you all doing? How do you feel? Feel free to reach out to me and let me know! If you have my number, feel free to text or call me. If you have my email, write me an email. Comment below if you want too! I truly want to check in on you and how you’re feeling & doing.

And no matter where you are currently, know that rain is necessary to form rainbows & you are never alone. All things will work out for your good.

 

Self-Love: Vulnerability

- Janna

Self-love is the best love.

Self-love can take many forms and shapes. It will always look different for different people. However, the point of it all is always the same; regard for one’s own well-being and happiness. Love yourself always, because YOU deserve to be loved.

I know that the journey of self-love isn’t always picture perfect, but it is necessary and important. And for me, vulnerability has been an important aspect and component of my journey.

Merriam-Webster defines the word vulnerable as being able to be easily physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked. This definition inspired some thoughtful analysis from me, because when I use the word this is not the definition that I keep in mind. So I will share with you all what I think of when I utilize this word.

For me, being vulnerable highlights the ability to be open and honest, revealing information that is near and dear to you and your story. Being vulnerable is allowing someone else to be there for you, even though it may be scary for you. Being vulnerable is disregarding popular and public opinion and sharing your story, because it may positively impact someone. Being vulnerable takes courage and is so necessary in order for us to be OUR true, authentic selves.

I want to reach others. I want to positively impact at least one person’s life. But how can I do that if I’m a closed book? I have to be vulnerable. I have to share what is in my heart. And if you know me, then you know I am shy. I am very personable, but I am also VERY shy – so it can be a battle for me, but it is necessary.

So as I sit and reflect on my self-love journey, that is still a work in progress, I can recognize my growth. I would always be very nervous to share, so I’d share the bits and pieces I would want the world to see. Not always willing to share it ALL, the good, bad, and ugly. But I have to have courage to share it all because the ugly and bad are the most relatable parts of my story. I am so thankful for growth and for being vulnerable, no matter how uncomfortable it can become.

On this lovely self-love Sunday, I challenge you all to be vulnerable in some form or fashion at some point in time. Why? I believe this quote says it best, “Vulnerability is terrifying. The courage it takes to reveal your heart is one of the most daunting..and yet rewarding experiences in life. It will set you free.”  – The Better Man Project
Let’s all have courage and be set free in the power of our truth. And you never know how your courage, your truth, and your vulnerability may impact someone else.

 

A Word Wednesday: Let Someone In

- Janna

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 states, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

There will be times when we need someone to be there for us to pick us up and lend a hand. However, in order for us to do so, we have to let someone in.

This is something I work on every day because I have such a guard up. But, I know that I need to be vulnerable so that I can let those who truly love me in to be there for me.

Janna’s A Word Wednesday Testimony

- Janna

This A Word Wednesday wasn’t what I had planned for today. But, God’s plan superseded my own. I know it’s a little long but I’m being truly open and honest about my personal battles and how COVID-19 has and is continuing to impact me. If you make it to the end, I hope this can touch or inspire you. Much love 💋 💕

Where I Am / Where You Are

- Janna

Where am I currently? I’m still practicing self-love and self care. I’m still bettering myself. I’m a work in progress. But I’m working to progress. I want to encourage you all that’s it okay to not have it all together! It’s okay to be where you are so that you can grow and develop to where you ultimately want to be. I challenge you all to reflect on where you currently are & know that it’s okay to be a work in progress. 💕

Love while you can

- Janna

“My life is not my own
To you I belong
I give myself, I give myself to you.”
– My Life is Not My Own by William McDowell

As humans, we think that life is something that is owed to us. But it’s not. Life is not owed to us; because what did WE do to deserve life? Life is a gift, a blessing. Every breath we breathe is a blessing. Every night we go to sleep and wake up in the morning is a blessing. God breathed into us so that we may have life, and have life more abundantly. However, we think that this life is ours to live and do as we please. Yet, this is not the case at all. Sometimes we learn this over time, through revelation. Sometimes, some of us learn this the hard way. Regardless of how we learn these lessons, the simple truth of the matter is that our lives belong to the Lord. Therefore, there will be a day when we are called back home to Jesus. In preparation for this time, we have to live more abundantly while we are on this earth and we have to love while we can.

There is a popular saying that life is short. I know I say this a lot as a voice of reason or justification. But life truly is short. We can’t control every aspect of life and we certainly are not aware of when our time will come. So we must love while we still have time, we must love while we can. Personally, I feel I was called to love and share my love abundantly. And I don’t want to reach my final days of life and question whether I shared my love without question. I don’t want anyone to have these doubts or thoughts of not doing enough while they had the time to do so. So I challenge you all to love while you can.

I am a lover. I love to express love, whether I’m expressing love to family, friends, or my community. However, I have often questioned the way that I love. There have been times where I felt like I was doing too much and needed to tone my behavior done, to tone down my expression. I’ve also felt like there have been times when I didn’t express my love enough. Honestly, I have felt these ways because of society and the various social norms that have been set regarding love and vulnerability. I can try to please society or I can please God. I choose God. The God that I serve operates in facts, not fiction, and certainly not in popularity. He had to remind me of these things. He had to remind me that just because society sets this image or standard doesn’t mean that that is the standard he has set. He wants me to love and to share HIS love with others. And why shouldn’t I share his love? He’s been so good to me and I have no reason NOT to love on those around me when I can, as much as I can.

How do I know that God wants me to share his love? Because the Bible tells me so.
1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
And the list goes on and on. I encourage you all to check out more passages as you get time. But I want you all to realize that God loves us and he has given us love and expects us to love one another.

We all have different ways of expressing our love and that is perfectly fine! Some ways that we can express love include: through acts of kindness, through our behavior, and with the use of our words. The list for ways to express love goes on and on. Think about how you express your love, how you express God’s love. No matter how you express love, make sure that you are loving while you can because life is too short. Also, know that. I am not saying to run yourself dry but I do encourage you to live without regrets.

Today’s blog was inspired by and dedicated to my dear cousin, Daniel Pruiett. He passed away on Friday, July 17. He had no problem sharing his love and should be an inspiration to us all. His death inspired me to reflect on my expressions of love and to do better.

Share love more abundantly and share love while you can.

In memory of Daniel Pruiett

A Word Wednesday: Self-Reflection

- Janna

In order for us to grow, we have to do some self-reflection. Self-reflection can and will look different for different people. And it might not always be the most comfortable thing, but it’s very important as we take care of ourselves on our self-growth journey! If you can’t have the hard conversations with yourself, how can you with others? So, I challenge you all to take some time to self reflect and then act on bettering you for YOU! 💕

A Word Wednesday: Take Care

- Janna

 It is important, now more than ever, to take care of ourselves! We can become focused on taking care of everything and everyone but sometimes we forget about the person in the mirror. There is absolutely nothing wrong with helping others, but what about you, too? What have you done to take care of yourself? You deserve the tender loving care that you give to everyone else. So this week and in the weeks to come, take some time for YOU and take care. 💕 

{Gracefully} Broken.

- Janna

“God will break you to position you.
He will break you to promote you
And break you to put you in your right place
But when He breaks you He doesn’t hurt you, He doesn’t
When He breaks you He doesn’t destroy you, He does it with; grace”
– Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Gracefully Broken

I am a true believer that God will break you to position you and to place you in your right place. He has a plan for all of us. However, we can become distracted from God’s plan by our own wants, desires, and personal “needs.” And sometimes, the only way for us to hear God is for us to be broken. Sunday, my pastor spoke on how some of us like to control the narrative. I felt very convicted. I love going after my personal wants and desires and I love being in control. But if you re-read those previous sentences, they are filled with a lot “I.” However, there is a calling on my life. Therefore, very rarely are things ever truly about what I want but more-so about what God has called me to and planned for my life.

God has broken me every time I lose sight of him and HIS plan. I allow other things to consume me and become my only source of happiness and joy. I lose perspective. Instead of recognizing God blessed me with this happiness, this joy, these material things, these people, etc. I don’t, until it’s too late. Therefore, I believe whenever God sees I have started controlling my narrative, he gives me a little tap on the shoulder to get back in alignment with him. However, me being the stubborn person I am, I ignore the tap. But he taps me again and again, but I still ignore. Until I can ignore no longer. So God HAS to break me for me to acknowledge him, his calling, and his plan. 

Before I go any further, to be clear, I am not saying that God does not want me to be happy. That would be a lie! But he does want me to acknowledge him in ALL things, at ALL times. And when I become distracted or consumed by other things, I don’t always do this because I become selfish.

On Wednesday, June 10th God broke me. June 10, 2020 marked a year since my grandma was called home. At 11:50 PM on June 9th, I reflected on her life through prayer. Then, I praised and worshipped in her name. I tried to sleep, but was pretty restless. I woke up & worked my 8 – 5. I thought I was okay. A few friends sent me some messages that made me tear up, but I still felt okay. When 5:00 hit, I tried to take a nap because I only wanted to talk to one person and was waiting for them to get off work. But I could NOT sleep. I was restless. Eventually, I sat up on my couch. Then all of the emotions I felt and buried within flooded me. Feelings of sadness, frustration, pain, doubt, and worry hit me. But the biggest feeling was despair. And I could not stop crying or feeling that despair.

Normally, I would keep this all in. I would write a vague blog post and not tell anyone about this really. However, that night I reached out to the few people I truly trust to open up to. And I opened up. Unfortunately, later this same night, I lost my best friend. The one person I’ve ever truly been completely vulnerable with and shared my 100% honest thoughts and feelings, always. And so that created a whole other wound.

Normally, I would go through the motions and pretend I am okay. I’d act like things are all copacetic. But things aren’t, not right now. I’m not in any danger or harm. And I acknowledge that I am blessed. But, I am also acknowledging the not so good as well. I’m not burying these moments or feelings any longer. God wants me to acknowledge my current state. I am broken. I am not destroyed. I am hurt. But I WILL heal.

I was feeling pretty down about myself. But I am SO thankful for God creating me the way that he did. I am an empath. Emotions and feelings are important to me. So much so, that I only show MY feelings and true emotions with those who I trust 100% completely. Therefore, if you know me on this level, you know how emotional I can be. The devil wanted me to think my sensitivity and connection to my emotions was a burden. But it’s a blessing. Not everyone is able, and everyone won’t understand me on this level. I’m still better understanding this aspect of myself. But God makes no mistakes. My emotions allow me to care and love as deeply as I do, and I can’t ever regret or feel bad about that.

I am being very raw and vulnerable with God and myself. I am examining and analyzing. I am listening. I am being slow to speak and striving to be more obedient to his calling for me. Sometimes I may feel an overwhelming feeling of sadness & despair, but that’s the enemy trying to prey on my vulnerability in this time. God isn’t done with me yet; he’s positioning me to my right place. But this time, I will do better and always acknowledge him first, always.

Life won’t always go the way we want it to go. Some things will hurt and shake us to the core. However, these things don’t have to be the end of our journey. We don’t have to rush through our process of healing either. It’s okay to be gracefully broken or just broken. We must acknowledge the feelings and situations we don’t wish to speak on, that hurt us more than words can describe. But, we must also acknowledge that the storm won’t last always & we will be better, maybe not today or tomorrow but one day.