what 2013 taught me! the 5 HUGE LESSONS

5. Being busy ALL the time means you are not saying NO enough. It takes away from self time. Time to reflect, time to think about nothing, time to love oneself a little harder. Being busy all the time means you are occupied trying to please too many. I have learned it's okay to say NO sans an explanation sans guilt AND most importantly, when i am busy all the time without fail, i am not giving self enough self time

4.  Having BOUNDARIES equates to self respect. This year being young + woman took on a whole other meaning. In my money making avenues i learned that no one really took me seriously because 'me na pikin way sabi talk' only, i got told i was going to fail in life, i got cheated repeatedly with nearly every business transaction i made + i got boardline sexually harassed by the men i have to work with. As a self proclaimed 'independent woman' many times in those situations my voice ceased to exist and i quickly realised it was because i was not asserting my boundaries earlier on or at all. It is good to have boundaries, to be get-na-han as they say in krio, meaning picky or particular, it means you don't settle or buy into the bullshit. In the long run, I have learned that you will be more respected for that.

3. Love your Love first. If your partner makes you happy in the places that matter to you, exercise patience, if they don't, teach them how you want to be loved but never place someone else's desires before yours.  Love your love enough to know what it is worth. When you stop having fun or being loved right, let that shit go and keep it moving.  Me, today, i truly believe with every fibre of my being that God/Jah/the universe will allow my own partner and I to meet when the time is right. It is with that belief that i have learned to love my love first

2. Family means the people who care+protect+nourish YOU. I am blessed to have the mother, father and 2 sisters that i have. I have learned that just because we share a last name or some blood relation is just that, a last name and some blood relation. Your family should care+protect+nourish you and those human beings come in all shapes, shades, sizes, age and accents.

1. Be Gentle With SELF meaning forgive your past, kiss your palms trusting that every experience, hand held, shaken and or beaten by fever and fervour is part of the plan, hold yourself close once in awhile, breathe into your arms, release and love self knowing that your mistakes, tribulations, horrid choices made and not made = is all okay baby! Be good to yourself FIRST and all else will fall into place in its own time.