Monday Mixtape is a new feature I’m trying out here on Happy Black Woman to highlight some of the inspiring goodies I come across on the Internetz every week. This week’s mixtape is brought to you by Maxwell’s old afro.
This ain’t for the ones
That just love for fun
That just love and run
that just hold the gun
This is for
Those that bleed
That want but have no need
This ain’t for the war
this is only
Maxwell – For Lovers Only
The following posts are dedicated to all the lovers and the dreamers. And I expect that to be the whole world, because everybody needs something or someone to love . . . (c) Bobby Womack
This Is for the Dreamer in You | The Write Curl Diary
GG invokes Janelle Monae in an inspiring open letter to all the dreamers.
“. . . be you, unconditionally. Put heart into everything you do. Pay attention to yourself. Zoom in on positive messages and zoom out the negative ones. Believe that everything is a lesson and no experience is good or bad. Do what you do well and do it now. Share your ideas. Ask your questions. Show your talent. Give give give and receive in kind. Everywhere you go, act as if you are the source of joy.”
If It Isn’t Love: Don’t Make Excuses for A Love That’s Not Right For You | For Harriet
In an article on For Harriet, Angie Writes urges us single women not to settle.
“Stop slumming. Or at least stop trying to make romance with someone that you have to CHANGE in order to love. If you don’t even RESPECT them it isn’t love. If your description of them is full of “if onlys” it isn’t love. If you are waiting for them to DO something or to STOP doing something before you can love them “all the way”, it isn’t love.”
Be the Person You Want to Find | Clutch Magazine
In an article on Clutch Magazine, Risa Dixon reminds us that we need to look ourselves in the mirror before we set out to find that “perfect man.“ Would YOU date you?
“You can’t look for a perfect 10 when you are an 8.5. The saying that you should always look for someone to compliment you and not complete you holds true. When you have yourself together, a man who shares your same qualities will take notice of you because, in essence, he sees all the great things within himself in you. You can’t want a man who is intellectually sound when you can’t remember the last time you opened a book or viewed an educational program. You can’t want a man who is spiritually strong when you can’t remember the last time you prayed, went to church, or did a bible study. You especially can’t demand that a man be physically fit when the only time you exercise is when you take the stairs at work or in the subway.”
What were some of the best things you read and discovered last week? Share your favorites in the comments!
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I’m so glad that you felt this post, Rosetta. It came from a very exciting and emerging place in me.
@Yolanda – It feels AMAZING to take time to care for yourself properly. It’s as if you have to do it wrong frist to really appreciate how it feels to get back to the basics of loving yourself. Once you do, surprisingly you find that you have more time and energy for other things you want to do! Funny how it works that way.
The abstract from Risa Dixon tickled me to the core!
I had an epiphany moment last month that I would like share:
In the past, I would make very little time for myself. When it came down to eating healthy, exercising, furthering my career, proper hair and skin care, I would make very little time for these things. In the past, I would cook a healthy home-cooked meal once or twice a week. I would exercise as little as 4-5 times a month. I would exfoliate my skin once a month. I would complain about having to wash and are for my natural hair every 3-4 days. At times, I even felt that it was self-absorbed to primp and pamper. Well not anymore! Every evening after work, I am at the top of my priority list. I don’t have children, and I live alone. I (now) spend most of my evenings designing my wardrobe for the next day, exercising (at least an hour a day), cooking home cooked nutritious meals, schooling, cleaning (organizing and sanitizing my home). I have consistently practiced a four-step skin care regimen. I treat every weekend like a vacation. I have enriched my life by doing the things that I love. After I’ve finished taking care of myself, I watch TV. I may spend time with friends and family. I just can’t explain how much my quality of life has improved by making time for myself. My daily workout beats stress. Even if you only have 10-20 minutes a day, invest it in yourself. You are so worth it! The pros always outweigh the cons. The rewards are plentiful! For example, exercise alone improves your mood, combats chronic illnesses and promotes better sleep. Eating home cooked nutritious meals is cheaper than eating out and it promotes weight management. I am finally living my best life. I have realized that I was just throwing the statement “I am tired,” around loosely. If you sit at a desk at work, are you really tired when you get home? There is no excuse for all the slacking. I think sometimes we confuse tiredness with laziness. Make time and put a lot of stock in the things you enjoy the most.