Honestly, I had run out of options.
It was either go back to a relaxer or loc my hair.
I went natural in 2009. Not intentionally.
Category: Life Happens
Why I: Take a Solo Retreat, Yearly
Dear future husband,
For the sake of our relationship, my mental health and sanity, I need to be able to go to a location outside of the city we live in, once a year without you or anyone else, for a few days to relax, be restored and spend my days doing only the things I want to do. This is non-negotiable.
KSL
Why I: Take Breaks from Social Media
I remember my first social media experience.
It was August 1999 and I was a freshman at North Carolina State University. I had a pretty, white desktop computer that was hooked up to the fastest ethernet the largest public university in the state could provide. The screen was wide, the fonts were big and I was thrilled to now be connected to the internet full-time. Well, while I was in my dorm room.
When I finally received the notification that my connection was active, my first order of business was not to check my schedule, locate some building on campus or check out the bus schedule. Before I could do any of that I had to get the most important tool set up that I would need for the next four years: AOL Instant Messenger.
New Year, Same You…
It is that time of the year again.
You know what time of the year I am referring to cause you have seen them all up and down your timeline for the last two weeks.
Time for all the ‘New Year, New Me’ posts. Or the things I’m doing different in the new year posts.
But check it.
A lot of these posts are from the same people that posted the same thing before 2015, 16 and 17 rolled up in here.
Now first, let me just say I am not knocking anyone who has a desire to make certain changes in their life. The first step is admitting you need to make those changes. However, I think a lot of people miss a very important step which almost ensures they will be in the same position at the end of the year that they were in the beginning.
They did not change their MINDSET.
Listen. THIS. IS. THE. KEY.
Finding balance within the grind…
I wear many hats. I am a freelance writer. I am a certified personal trainer. I am a group exercise instructor. I am a community servant. I am an advocate. I am a DJ. I am a public relations consultant. I am a marketing specialist. I am a youth development coordinator. I am an event planner. Add to that my dedication to my family, healthy living and my love of eating and what you will find is a person who is grinding in her purpose but is still struggling with finding that happy balance in her life.
One of the best decisions I ever made, well God made it for me, was to move back to my hometown. I get questioned all the time about why I moved back. I used to find myself giving this long explanation but now I simply say because this is where I am supposed to be. Moving home has opened so many new doors of opportunity that it would take all day to list them. I am grateful for all of them. However, now I find myself having a dilemma. How do you balance it all when your plate is full and you still want to put more on it and you know more will be put on it but you are currently struggling to find a place for it all?
In eight days I will be 36 – I know you are counting down with me – and I have made it my personal mission to find a balance that works for me in my new year. For the past few years, I have put a lot of time and energy into my branpire(brand + empire) and not enough time and energy into myself and those that I love. I understand my grind and most of those close to me understand it. However, that does not mean operating at this current level is acceptable.
A few months ago one of my close friends, who grinds just as much as I do issued me the reality check I needed. It was early one morning and I was still up working on a project. We were texting and I made the mention of being #TeamNoSleep. I promptly received a reply telling me to go to sleep as I was chastised for such ridiculous goal. My friend then proceeded to remind me how important sleep is no matter what our goals are.
I was shocked because the texter would routinely be up until 3 and 4 o’clock. I had the texts to prove it. But something had changed. That last text that was sent was simple but on my end it was powerful. I was running on fumes and my mood sometimes reflected it. I found myself being irritable, annoyed and had little patience for certain situations. I knew something had to give.
I live a great life. It is very fulfilling. However, I want more of what makes me happy. I want more time spent with my family and friends. I want more time spent reading under the dogwood tree with my feet firmly planted in the grass. I want more time spent running. I want more time spent traveling. I want more time spent writing leisurely. I want more time spent on adventure. I want more time spent resting. I want more time spent eating pizza. I want more time spent laughing. And we all know how much I like to laugh and eat pizza.
As the years have rolled on, I am appreciative and thankful of the fact that I am constantly in a state of growth. I am learning so much about me as I embrace exactly who God created me to be. I know that everything that worked for me at 30 will not work for me in the coming years. I know that I am living out my purpose even if certain circumstances do not reflect that currently. I know that the best is yet to come.
And I know that in Year 36, I am going to get what I want. Watch me.
#CheersToTheBalancedLife
Life happens.
I have not blogged since March.
I have had a lot of things I could have said. I have had a lot of things I have wanted to say. I have even had time to write out those thoughts, at times. I just have not taken the time to do it. At least not on here. And I am ok with that.
In the past, I have been very hard on myself if I did not write consistently for the blog. I tried have tried to make sure I am always addressing the hot topics. I have tried to make sure I am always posting at least once a week. I have tried to keep my blog fresh to satisfy my followers and to attract new visitors.
But life happens. And life has happened over the past few months.
I have had my hands in so many projects that it came as no surprise, to me, that The Korner is lacking content. And I am ok with that.
Life happens. I got bit by a dog. I recovered getting bit by a dog. In some ways, I am still recovering. I took one of the best trips of my life. I have done some more traveling. I turned 35. I went to Carowinds. I planned, executed and directed an overnight summer camp for three weeks. I managed a pool. I trained clients. I engaged in thought provoking conversations via social media. I wrote columns for my hometown newspaper. I had a sleepover with my nephew. I addressed controversial topics on Facebook. I attended my family reunion. I took on new projects. I went to a couple of concerts. I hiked up a mountain. I played in some waterfalls. Oh and I went tubing with my family!
So I have been busy, living life. Fun is what happened.
Instead of fussing at myself for not keeping everyone informed and entertained, I let life happen.
In the process of letting life happen, I finally let myself embrace something I had begun to notice a little over a year ago. I no longer want The Korner to be mainly a sports blog. My thoughts land on so many topics outside of sports. I have never been hesitant to address those topics but I have been hesitant to direct my blog into another direction. Why? Who knows?
What I do know is that life happens. And in the midst of it happening, I have realized it is time to breath fresh life into The Korner. This included changing the look, the byline and the feel of the site.
I love writing. I love sharing my thoughts. I love engaging in healthy discussions.
And I love letting life happen. We were not designed to be stagnant, complacent or hamster wheel runners. We were designed to evolve, grow and blossom. Let life happen. I guarantee you are missing out if you do not allow it. How will you ever know what you are capable of if every time you encounter a situation that wants to force you out of your comfort zone, you plant your feet deep into the sand? Life does not happen there and it will keep on passing you by.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Break out of that box! That is where all the magic is. Quit conforming to what the world wants from you. Stop wondering why you are miserable. Step out on faith. Allow yourself to be challenged.
And let life happen! Cheers!
Til next time….whenever that may be :-).
Kassie Nette's Korner 