Category: Friends

Friends

A Special Feeling – Dedication to KG

marcetheblogger

A friend of mine recently shared she was pregnant. I was overjoyed with the news to put it plainly. For one, 2020 was a hell of a year so any good news just seems to ignite an overdose of happiness these days. Second, it is so different when someone close to me is expecting their first. All babies are of course blessings and bring joy but it’s just something about a first time that hits a little different.

There is this indescribable feeling you feel once you become a parent. It truly is hard to put into words. This overwhelming feeling of happiness and love followed by the need and want to protect this little human that is a part of you. It will also suddenly enlighten you and you will understand why so many people cringe when others give them parenting advice. Suddenly, the joking about dropping the baby off every weekend at a friend’s house seems so unlikely because really who else could care for your kid like you can.

Knowing my friend will soon experience this with her fiance is what fills me with an abundance of happiness. They are two amazing people and I have seen them both grow so much throughout the years. I know they will be amazing parents.

Family, Friends

Surviving 2020

marcetheblogger

It would have been nice if at the strike of midnight on 1/1/21, we could have woken up from the 2020 nightmare. I won’t go on and on about how difficult 2020 was for each and everyone of us because I know I still struggle personally with the effects.

Despite all of the downs of 2020, there were some ups. I was able to get a promotion at work even during these trying times. We were able to celebrate several birthdays of family members and close friends which we appreciated so much more. Although celebrations were different this year, I think we can all say we upped our technology knowledge a bit by enjoying some ZOOM moments. Many of us took advantage of what the outdoors had to offer by picking up hiking, bike riding, or just plain walks around our neighborhoods.

All in all I just write this to say we survived. We pushed through and are still here. Can we say everything is going perfectly? Probably not! But I am happy enough just saying that I am getting through each day with some prayer, proper scheduling of breaks, and knowing when to just shut everything off and enjoy who is around me. Stay blessed! Here is to hoping 2021 treats us a little better than 2020.

Family, Friends, Travel

Fall Weekends

marcetheblogger

I was going through a “funk” for a little bit. Change of season, peak busy time at work, and still grieving all hit me and it was nonstop tears. This past week and a half I finally started to get past it but this weekend was def the final touch to regroup.

We unplugged from the world and it was exactly what I needed. We also didn’t bring the kids with us which means I literally got a break and alone time with my honey.

The nights were spent by the fire filled with conversation and laughter. It was an overall great time with my fiancé, cousins and new people. I loved that we had no phone service because it allowed us all to interact, explore, and eat (a lot) lol.

Many people I know hesitate to experience camping but let me tell ya it’s a must try. At least once!

How are you spending your Fall weekends?

Family, Friends, Travel

The Silver Lining

marcetheblogger

This pandemic has caused so much anxiety, hurt, sadness, stress, & worry. Sometimes it’s hard to see the silver lining but this weekend I had the pleasure of seeing it.

Despite all the negative feelings COVID has caused, it also helped put several things into perspective. People and activities we once took for granted were suddenly taken from us and made us realize how important they are.

This weekend we had a family day with some friends of ours. They came up from Hamilton with their daughter and we visited several spots that were great for kids.

This picture captured large groups of family and friends gathered together celebrating a special occasion or just a day spent playing games like potato sack races and two-legged race competitions. It was an amazing site to be able to see people truly enjoying each other’s company.

So let’s take some time to see some of the good that came from this pandemic. Can you think of any?

Friends, Support Small Business

Support Ailani’s Creations!

marcetheblogger

Hey everyone!

I want to introduce you to my friend Emely’s Small Business: Ailani’s Creations. Emely has put a lot of hard work and time to grow her business and it is continuing to flourish. She does custom creations for various occasions and is super dependable. Sometimes she can even squeeze in last minute orders depending on how much time is needed. Can’t rush quality work!

She has pages on both Instagram (@ailanis_creations) and Facebook (AilanisCreations) so it’s easy to place your order! Check out some of her work by clicking on the links!

Friends

Lupus Warrior

marcetheblogger

Today I want to share a story from one of my best friends, Aeisha. She is a Lupus Warrior and was kind enough to let me interview her. She also gave me permission to share her story with my readers.

Q: How old are you?

A: 28.

Q: When were you diagnosed with Lupus?

A: October 2012.

Q: What was your initial reaction to your diagnosis?

A: I thought I was going to die.

Q: What has been the most challenging part of living with Lupus? Has it held you back or prevented you from doing things you have wanted to do?

A: The most challenging part of living with Lupus is not being able to travel as much as I am used to. My lupus caused me to have kidney failure. Now I am on dialysis and it’s hard to just get up and go like regular people. Everything has to be planned.

Q: Are there any organizations/groups that have helped inform you more about Lupus?

A: There are a lot of people on Instagram that I follow and follow me because we share this same disease. It’s comforting to know that I am not alone.

Q: What are some misconceptions people have about Lupus that you have faced?

A: There are people that think those with Lupus are lazy. Just because you can’t physically see my disability, it doesn’t mean that it is not there.

Q: Where are you today with your Lupus?

A: Today, I am still taking my monthly infusions, which I think is helping. I haven’t felt any pain since getting on it. “Fingers crossed!” I still am on dialysis. I am also on the transplant list waiting for a donor.

Q: What keeps you motivated?

A: My education keeps me motivated. The fact that I’m working towards a goal keeps me going.

Q: Any final thoughts or words you want to share?

A: Don’t let anybody say you can’t be!

Lupus affects every person differently. Despite Aeisha’s struggles with this disease, she doesn’t let it keep her down and still works towards her goals. Aeisha is actually receiving her BA this month in Social Work from Rutgers University. So not only is Aeisha fighting her own battle everyday but she is working towards being able to help others in need. She is the definition of a Lupus Warrior!

Friends

Friendships Grow Apart…and It’s Okay!

marcetheblogger

Friendships…I have learned many things about this wonderful category of relationships throughout my life. Some lessons have been quite difficult especially getting older. So many times I have had falling outs with different individuals and then we have made up. This time around as a woman in my 30s (TOTALLY can’t believe I just wrote that lol) I have learned some relationships should be let go. No matter how much time, love, effort, and memories were created/shared, sometimes you just grow apart despite trying to find ways to stay attached or connected.

Thinking specifically about two people I grew up with and the fact that I will probably always call them my best friends, I know we took different paths in life, like COMPLETELY different. Once I returned home from college and found a full time job, I quickly jumped into my next degree program all while having a daughter and learning to accept that she would not grow up in a two parent home. Although we shared some similarities, our goals did not align. Yes we probably all wanted to be successful, be there for our families, while still maintaining a social life but our definitions of what that looked like were not the same.

I am happy to see that we have all grown and accomplished milestones in our lives. Our journeys took us different directions and that is okay. There is a certain point we reach in our lives where we have to begin surrounding ourselves with like minded people and at times it may be hard to accept that our once best friends are not those people.

This was definitely a struggle for me. I can tell you that I spent many nights thinking about this before bed and many long drives where it would cross my mind. For the most part, it was specific to one person because things did not really end well. We had some differences and it kept bothering me. With time though, it has become something I accept. The more I kept dwelling on it, the more I realized the relationship was not one full of motivation or growth and at this point in my life, that is what I need. I still think about it at times but I am happy with where I am in my life where my focus has shifted to my career, mom life, and health.

Be okay with change. Accept what is. Only worry about you can control!

Family, Friends, Mom Life

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

marcetheblogger

This year like others I have a lot to be grateful for. The big difference for me this year was I opted out of writing some long thank you on social media and sending out a ton of Happy Thanksgiving text messages. Reason why: it’s not necessary. This past year has taught me many things and one of those is to live in the moment and focus on the ones around me.

However, I did want to write a post on here to share with you what I am thankful thus far. This year I am thankful for my family. We are such a close knit unit and are there for each other in times of need. I cannot express how many times my mom, sister, dad, or other relative has helped me out. Not just them but my best friends and fiance have been great with helping out with childcare for my little guy. It is so difficult to find people to help you and they have definitely come through.

I am also thankful for the strides I have made in my career. I am finally at a place that I enjoy coming to daily and feel inspired. This has been such a significant part in my life recently and I cannot express the appreciation I have. The process was long but I made it with God’s assistance.

The one aspect I am most grateful for is the changes I have decided to make. Being more positive and optimistic has made me feel so different inside. I have also had to accept that some big things in life are beginning to change on their own due to personal growth and development. After a conversation I had with a close friend, I realize this is okay. This is simply life happening and if things are meant to be they will be!

Many blessings are here and many more are sure to come. There will be ups and downs along the road but remain thankful for each part of the journey. It all makes you who you are and will determine who you become.

Friends, Let's Get Personal

Change is Hard!

marcetheblogger

I have been going through many changes in my life primarily in my career. These changes have been positive and have really made me realize I can apply positivism in different aspects of my life. This along with conversations with loved ones have persuaded me and motivated me to make some changes.

I use to think I was a really optimistic person but because I am human I have found myself sometimes having negative thoughts. That could range from being judgmental to the way I speak to others when I get upset or frustrated. Therefore, at the beginning of this month, I began a gratitude challenge and it really affected my outlook on life.

This month I decided to put on the optimistic/positive lenses on my glasses and have begun to look at life more differently. With so many blessings around me, I have realized there is no time to dwell on negativity or pettiness. I have to let others be and worry about myself because if change is difficult to do, it is basically impossible to make others do it.

This all sounds great and very easy however it is not! Changing is a difficult thing that takes a lot of will and self-control. I am very conscious of stopping my negative or judgmental thoughts but when it comes to action, it reached another level of difficulty.

Very recently, I had a falling out with a close friend. We spoke about the situation via text and I thought it was put to rest (to an extent). However, shortly after I noticed she stopped watching my stories on social media. YES, it sounds super petty that I even noticed but this is a close friend I am referring to. I was bothered by this because that takes EFFORT. To purposely stop watching someone’s stories either takes the push of a mute button or just physically skipping over selecting that person on your timeline. I was not sure what to think of it and considered addressing it but I did not. That same friend’s birthday rolled around and I actually considered not even saying happy birthday. This is where I had to take control of myself and say do the right thing.

You love this person and although they have resorted to this type of pettiness, do you really want to do the same? How does this play into what you are trying to do with your life today? How will you feel if you skip this person’s special day? These are all of the questions I asked myself throughout the day. Finally, when 6pm came around, I made the decision to send a simple birthday text. It was not my usual long mushy text but it was happy birthday text nonetheless. When I say being the bigger person in this situation was hard, it was HARD! My pride inner voice kept trying to sucker me in but I did not allow it.

I want to put out good into this world. I want to bring positivism and optimism to those around me. This can only start with myself. I know at times I will make mistakes but ultimately I will be making conscious effort to avoid those but also to accept when I do fall short and address that. I feel this is a great way to end the year and also bring into the new year.

Good vibes only & positive thoughts mostly!

Courage to keep changing, faith to keep pushing, love to keep spreading!

Friends

Shina on the Road to Weight-loss

marcetheblogger

Hi all,

I decided that I wanted to do a section of the blog dedicated to my friends. I have quite a few doing amazing things in their lives and felt it was only right to share that with the universe (with their approval of course).

My first “Friend Feature” is a good friend of mine, Shina. Our kids have attended the same school since kindergarten and we have become good friends in the past few years.

Shina is a married, hardworking mother of 2 (Mikey and Brownie), a sister, a daughter, an aunt, and a friend to name of few. Another title under Shina’s belt is “Fitness Addict.” She has been working hard for the past few years on establishing a healthier lifestyle and sharing her weightloss journey with her social media following. Her progress is very motivational and could be the boost you need to get started on your journey today.

Below I will share some of our conversation together.

A little bit about Shina!
Q: What is your name?
A: Tasheenia Pough

Q: What is your ethnicity?
A: African American

Q: How old are you?
A: 33

Let’s jump into Shina’s Journey!
Q: How long have you struggled with your weight?
A: I have struggled with weight pretty much my entire life. I was always overweight.

Q: When and what was your turning point?
A: I was at an amusement park with my son and now husband and while walking, I began having heart palpitations. I passed out for a few seconds! This is when I knew I needed to change.

Q: Have you tried any crazy diets?
A: I have tried literally every diet. However, I am currently doing Keto diet and I love it. I look at it as a lifestyle change and not a diet, because I plan on continuing it for a while. It has been good to my body and it feels right. 

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: Honestly, me. I could easily say my son, husband, dog, etc., but, to me, in order for any weight loss journey to effectively work, you have to want it for yourself, not anyone else. 

Q: Any tips for people struggling with their weight?
A: “YOU GOT THIS!” is my favorite saying to all.

I appreciate Shina sharing her journey, her final comments for my readers are below:

Remember in this weight loss journey, it is so easy to make mistakes. I know because it happened to me! Those mistakes may begin to make you feel defeated. DON’T! Always remember, “YOU GOT THIS!” Pick yourself up and continue even when you mess up, because consistency is the key. 

Secondly, comparison is the thief of joy! Only compete with YOURSELF to become a better version of YOURSELF!  You’re working hard for your results. Be proud! A weight loss journey is not easy, to say the least. The more you struggle, the more you’ll appreciate your results!

Work at your own pace, it’s not a race. This is a lifestyle change. Stay consistent 90% of the time and results will follow. I say 90%, because we all have our little slip ups here and there.

Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off track for a meal, a day, or even a weekend. Just get back on it ASAP!

“YOU GOT THIS!” “I BELIEVE IN YOU!”