by STRONG | Apr 2, 2023 | Faith + Expressions
Self-care is essential for us as women to prioritize our well-being and maintain our physical, emotional, and mental health. Taking care of oneself can be challenging, especially when there are multiple responsibilities to juggle. However, here are some ways you can improve your self-care routine:
~Let Me Count The Ways~
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Make time for yourself: It’s essential to carve out time in your schedule to prioritize yourself. Set aside time for activities you enjoy, such as reading, taking a bubble bath, or going for a walk.
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Get enough rest: Getting enough rest is crucial for overall health and well-being. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night and taking breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge.
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Eat well: A balanced and healthy diet is critical for maintaining energy levels and overall health. Make sure you’re eating a variety of nutritious foods and avoiding processed and unhealthy options.
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Exercise regularly: Exercise is an excellent way to reduce stress, improve mental health, and boost energy levels. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy and make it a regular part of your routine.
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Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve overall well-being.
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Connect with others: Spending time with friends and family can help reduce stress and provide a sense of belonging and support. Make time for social activities and meaningful conversations with those you care about.
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Seek professional help: Sometimes, self-care may involve seeking professional help. Whether it’s therapy, counseling, or medical treatment, seeking help when needed is a critical part of taking care of oneself.
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Set boundaries: Setting boundaries is essential for self-care. Learn to say no to commitments that don’t align with your priorities and make time for the things that matter most.
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Engage in self-reflection: Engaging in self-reflection can help you identify areas for improvement and develop a deeper understanding of yourself. Take time to reflect on your values, goals, and priorities.
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Celebrate your accomplishments: Celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how small, can help build self-confidence and a sense of pride in your achievements.
In conclusion, self-care is essential for us to prioritize our well-being and maintain physical, emotional, and mental health. By intentionally making time for ourself, getting enough rest, eating well, exercising regularly, practicing mindfulness, connecting with others, seeking professional help, setting boundaries, engaging in self-reflection, and celebrating accomplishments, we can improve our self-care routine and achieve a greater sense of well-being and fulfillment. Remember that self-care is not selfish; it’s an essential part of living a healthy and happy life.
Seek to be inspired daily,
by STRONG | Apr 12, 2020 | Learn + Grow
Leadership is a word that is often tossed around and loosely used this day and time. So, what makes a good leader? Is it their ability to lead or their ability to follow? People spend millions of dollars each year in an effort to empower and equip themselves with the tools they believe are necessary to achieve their goals. However, there are usually 8 characteristics you should seek in their quest for leadership. These characteristics are not rocket science, but they are simple enough that many people forget just how impactful they can be. Grab a pen and paper during this quarantine lesson and see how many of these you can implement in your journey to enhance your leadership skills.
1. Connection : Either you have it or you don’t. Leaders speak in a language that interests their audience. They are clear about what they are offering and why it adds value to a particular area.
2. Direction : Great leaders will not dote over you following them. they want to see how what they offer gives presence to your growth. No to be confused with, taking credit for your accomplishment, but acknowledging your process in your evolution.
3. Perception : When things are implied, but not clear, true leaders speak to the elephant to find a resolution versus applying a bandage in hope that the wound will not seep through.
4. Redirection : Understanding when it is time to redirect is a leader’s trait. Leaders do not rest in the failure they use it to push them further into the pivotal direction of their next opportunity.
5. Critical Thinking : Having data and information from research is important. however, the ability to encounter situations that have not been charted before and come out on the other side is vastly more important. Leaders will not be bound to information they are given, they have to execute based on long vision.
6. Empowerment : Leaders are not opposed to building others. Creating opportunities for others to do what they do best can generate new ideas, build morale and possibly the bottom line. A leader who understands a person’s strengths can help curve weakness and inspires self-development.
7. Clarity : A leader is clear on their vision. There is no question as to the vision and what task needs to be accomplished once a direction has been given.
8. Co-Communication : Effective communication is the cornerstone of leadership. being able to convey what you mean and what needs to be done is paramount in leadership. While giving direction is often spoke about, receptive communication is not always addressed. The ability to listen and interpret what someone needs is just as important as telling someone what you need. Leaders co-communicate, meaning they do both efficiently.
After reading through these 8 characteristics what areas do you think you are strongest and weakest? What can you do this week to start improving in the areas that need work and enhance those where you currently deem yourself to be effective. Remember, leadership isn’t just about running a business, leadership is about running your life. The better you become at growing in who you are the more it spills over to other aspects of your life.
by STRONG | Sep 21, 2015 | Learn + Grow
The views of others often plaque our minds, our very spirit. They tie up our dreams and strip us of our purpose. Their ability to do that doesn’t reside in its truth, it relies on our acceptance of it.
On last night 3 amazing actresses received awards in honor of the ability to excel in their respective profession, Regina King, Uzo Aduba and Viola Davis. Viola Davis in fact literally making history as the first black actress to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama. Their greatness in an arena that has omitted their talents could no longer suppress the phenomenal presence they continuously pour out on television screens week after week after week. As we reflect on this day and stand proudly with them to celebrate the monumental achievements they so deservingly received, lets not forget to be present in the fact a moment like this exists. Lets not allow their accomplishment to be a hashtag in remembrance of the a night that will eventually fade. Instead, let it be a sobering reminder that we have to create, support, empower and inspire each other. We have to lift each other on the climb and show up places that don’t always accept us or have opportunities for us to shine. Nonetheless, we must continue to recognize the importance of our presence in those place to create the change we want to see.
There are times when you will not have the connections in place to get you where you would like to be, but you have to push through anyway. The beauty of progress isn’t who gets the reward it’s the understanding that on the shoulders of the winners stand more winners that have laid the pathway and the ground work for events/moments that are far too rare.
So, today tap into your own magic, celebrate someone else’s and get back to work… because there are too many hurdles to jump to stop now. When we welcome acceptance, but fail to acknowledge the problem, we become part of it. Thank you to the women that take hits everyday and keep moving forward into greater. There is so much more to come, but today Viola Davis, Regina King and Uzo Aduba we salute and celebrate with you as you stand in the greatness we have recognized long ago!
Be Inspired,
by STRONG | Jul 6, 2015 | Learn + Grow
Friendship by definition is the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends. But what does it truly mean to be a “friend”? There are ten essential aspects of being a true friend….
1. Trust
Without trust your friendship has no foundation, you are not capable of communicating and expressing your true honesty. A true friend can be truthful about feelings, values, goals and desires without hesitation. With trust in a friendship both parties know that the other person won’t hurt them intentionally or do anything to break that trust. Having trust in a friendship is the most valuable detail to having a healthy long lasting friendship.
2. Communication
Communication is a method of enabling people to deeply identify with each other, and, thus, gradually develop the ability to feel close to each other. Having good communication in a true and long-term friendship can be the difference between and argument and understanding.
3. Honesty
As a true friend it is your duty to tell the truth, even when you know the truth may hurt and possibly even cost you your friendship. Honesty is a direct line to trust, if you can not be honest with your friend you are not being your true self. In turn, you are not operating with the intent of giving and receiving the good and the bad of the friendship, you want to conform…not confront when it is time to be honest.
4. Reliability
A true friend understands the importance of time and respects it. Being their when it really counts separates the friends for the foes. Friends sacrifice for the things that matter and if they can’t be there they inform in advance(minus an emergency). Be accountable for your actions or lack of when you are needed.
5. Respect
By definition respect is a feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable or important. A true friend should add value to your life in some way. When things hold value you honor them as such, you go the extra mile and you understand when it may be difficult. Respect is earned, but it is first found within. Talk to your friend to understand if you have the same respect levels, if not adjust accordingly.
6. Selflessness
A friendship requires more than one person. Thus, you have to have a clear and concise understanding about what you are willing to give of yourself and accept that your friend may not have the same capacity. Understanding just how selfless you are is key in setting your expectations in friendship.
7. Loyalty
When you say ” I will be there”, “Don’t worry”, I have your back” these are not just phrases, these are verbal commitments that you have ensured to your friend you will uphold. Make sure that it is a mutual understanding by all parties what their definition of loyalty looks like. Outline it so their is no misunderstanding, “my loyalty is to ______ and then you”. It seems harsh, but if everyone is honest there is less room for dysfunction and uncertainty. It is imperative to understand that loyalty is like trust; once it is in question it takes time to reestablish.
8. Patience
Patience is a learned behavior it is developed over time. When you nurture a friendship it is a learning process, you get to know the corks of the other person. However, you have preconceived pet peeves you’ve likely had for sometime, but you have to take in to consideration that you may have to from time to time visit those peeves. Truth is patience is a sign of maturity, so think of it as growth.
9. Constructive Criticism
The delivery and receipt of constructive criticism is paramount. If you can not take or receive constructive criticism, you will never have a true friend or be a true friend. You will forever be surrounded by “yes women” or simply never hold your friend accountable for their actions. A true friend can receive and give corrective criticism in love, while being honest about their insight.
10. Forgiveness
Knowing when the “thing” is so much smaller than your pride is big is forgiveness at its core. Apologizing first does not make you weak or invalidate your point. It simply says to the other person you are worth more than a misunderstanding and words said or unsaid. The ability to understand that forgiveness places no blame it replaces what was once in disarray back into perspective is priceless in a friendship.
So, the next time you think about how great of a friend your are, take a step back and revisit these few key attributes of being a wholehearted friend, a true friend. They aren’t any shows that show you how to be a better friend, when to give up on a friendship or when things are bad how to get back to “why” you were friends in the first place. In parting I leave you with this, evaluate your friendships as often you would your relationship. If it does it grow you, inspire you and bring you joy decide if it is worth holding on to. If it does, make sure you are doing your part to ensure you are actively living up to the title of a true friend. If not, be okay with being a colleague, associates, business partners or acquaintance and leave the beauty of friendship to those who have the guts to be all in!
Be Inspired,
![She Empowers: Do Good [Give Deep]](https://www.knowyourstrong.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/do-good-give-deep.png)
by STRONG | Jul 2, 2015 | Learn + Grow
do good. It is a philosophy founded the principle that we each have power. We are leaders who can positively create change and impact the world. We just have to believe in ourselves and do it!
It’s also a Biblically-based concept. 1 Timothy 6:18-19 says: Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
The principle is also deeply rooted in our history. Shirley Chisholm, activist and leader once said service is the rent do for living.
But what does doing good look like in practice?
1. Find your purpose
Doing good is more than just volunteering it is using your purpose to create change in the world.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. God has already prepared us for what we are to do. We just need to find our purpose. You must ask yourself:
– What has God called me to do?
– What is my passion?
– What is the one thing that continues to follow me, the thing I can’t shake?
2. Align your purpose with your good works.
Once you find your purpose and align your purpose with your good works.
3. Give deep.
Understand the needs of the those you are serving. Think about the your giving in this way: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Is your giving teaching? Is your giving helping to eliminate or significantly reduce a community issue?
4. Partner.
Partnerships can help you:
– Expand your reach.
– Increase your credibility and visibility.
– Maximize resources.
As Big Momma said in Soul Food: “One finger…don’t make no impact, but you ball up all them fingers into a mighty fist and you can strike a mighty blow.” Make a mighty fist and strike a blow by developing partnerships to reach your goals.
5. Share how you are giving.
Once you develop your personal giving plan, share it and encourage others to give. I’d love to hear from you on how you are giving and how deep your giving has gone. Email me at bea@beawilliams.com
![STRONG, Inc. [Simple Transitions Render Opportunity Necessary For Growth]](https://www.knowyourstrong.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NewLogo.png)
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