Have you ever felt like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Like any & everything that could go on is happening all at once? Like your stress-o-meter is so high it’s about to blow? That’s me right now, & I’m stuck between 2 frames of mind: “Let Go & Let God” & “Worry on Repeat.” I’m a natural solver, & usually I’m solving things solo (I don’t do well on group projects, as you can see). That pride is in my ear whispering “you can’t figure it out, girl.” That pride, though, can turn deadly. Girl, let’s talk about stress management, because carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders is exhausting! When life starts throwing everything at you at once, finding healthy ways to manage stress becomes a must. Sometimes, the answer isn’t to work harder or solve every problem. It’s to pause, reset your mindset, & give yourself permission to put some of that weight down. Stress kills, sis, so you have to murder it before it takes you out. That 2-word well-known phrase is the reason I’m pushing myself into a mindset reset, & I’m about 60% closer to achieving it…but it takes WORK, ya hear me??? As long as I’m sitting idle, it’s easy for Sista Stress to sashay her lil self on into my head. But this week, I’m doing things to actively push her back into her box. A few of the things I’ve done are: Upping my time with God My normal morning routine of reading my devotionals has turned to completely shutting the world out while I spend time with the Lord. My norm is to get up, put my AirPod in, & let my phone read them to me as I move through getting ready, taking the dog out, waking up the kids, & switching work mode on. This week, I’ve read more, paused to let it sink in, & starting having a longer heart to heart with the Big Man. The prayer for relief is there, but the thank yous are way more. Waking up with that peace takes those hopeless thoughts & kicks them to the curb. Heading back to the Torture Chamber (aka the gym) Ya girl hasn’t worked out in almost 2 months, & that’s probably one of the reasons my stress levels have been sky high. I switched it up though: no more rising to get it in before work. Now, accountability aka Husbae is up in the mix. We have to get it together for our anniversary trip in 2 months. I mean, who wants to go on vacation looking out of shape & huffing & puffing while you explore the world? Not me, girl! So I’m super thankful for my man making me throw my sneakers on & head to the gym with him every evening. Mind you, the gym is about 25-30 steps from my back porch right in my backyard. 😬🤷🏽‍♀️ Granted I complain half the time about which exercises he has us doing that day, but I’ve gotten through each time. Now I might be walking like the Tin Man today, but at least I took the time to go to the gym & free my mind for awhile. Freeing my mind Doing things I love that take my mind away have been more intentional this week. I started (& finished) a book, so I’ve started 2 more. (Yes, I’m a book lover that can read more than 1 at a time 📚…but it has to be 1 novel & 1 self-improvement one. Can’t be mixing up characters & storylines!) This year’s goal of reading 100 books will be smashed since I hit 90 so far! I also have been enjoying mindless games…well not completely mindless because I only play the ones that challenge your mind. It feels like a waste of time, but it’s definitely helped me to focus on the task at hand instead of the issue that won’t stop lingering. I just have to limit myself so I’m not trying to beat the machine for hours. Making more of a conscious effort to reset my mindset A mindset reset is a challenge! It takes real work to reprogram the way you think & how you react. So self-talk has entered the chat this week. When I say self-talk, I mean an actual pep talk to myself that reminds me that I can’t solve the world’s problems (especially not alone), & THAT’S OK! Things will happen, & sometimes you just have to let them be. Wasting time dwelling on the stressful issue is just that: a waste of time. So ladies, take some time this week to step back from whatever you’re battling & pour that energy into resetting your mind to think positively. There’s a force out there that’s far greater than you (regardless of whomever or whatever you believe in), & we can’t top that force, no matter how hard we try. It’s ok to not be ok, & stress is going to always peek her ugly lil mug in. You just have to know & take effort to send her on her merry lil way. Choose to live because there’s always a lesson coming. Without those lessons, there’s no growth. Embrace life’s obstacles & view them for what they are: speedbumps, not road blocks!

First of all, ya girl is late; 2 hours late. But so what?! My blog not being posted at 8pm EST every Thursday isn’t killing anybody, & it’s not that deep! I must admit: I felt guilty that I didn’t have a chance to write this week. I pride myself on delivering, being on time, & putting my all into whatever I do. That spirit of perfectionism lays heavy on me way too often, & it’s left a dark cloud hanging that needs to float away. I’ve only been late posting twice in 4 years. And when I say late; it’s been less than 24 hours late. But something clicked in me tonight, & I saw the positive perspective: I’ve written something about self-care every week for 4 years! Missing 2 deadlines didn’t mess up a streak or do me any harm. I just came to terms with knowing that 💩 happens, & the mindset change came because of a spark that was ignited yesterday. I’m speaking at an event called the Healing While Building Summit the first weekend of next month. This will be my third year attending but first one speaking. The shy side of me is super nervous about getting up in front of who knows how many people in a hotel ballroom & being vulnerable. I hate to be stared at (it makes me hella self-conscious), so this will be completely out of my comfort zone. Anyway, I had a solo session with the founder & my accountability coach LaShana to make sure I had everything I needed for the event. She asked how things were going, & I kept it real with her about my lack of motivation in business for the last 2 months. I told her how I was tired & feeling defeated. She spun that real quick & told me I was setting boundaries. And honey, that set something off inside me. The way I’ve been viewing being stagnant has been all wrong. I forgot that this was supposed to be fun. I forgot that rest is a necessity, not a reward. I forgot that standing still is a way to refill my cup so I can get back to my life’s purpose, not a failure. I forgot that without the rain & manure (since it’s supposedly a great fertilizer), there is no growth. Constant sunshine feeds the plants…until it burns them up. 🥀Most importantly, I forgot about my needs: rest, making memories with the people I love, not making my schedule jam-packed & filling every waking minute of the day, not pouring more into Meia. That pep talk gave me life (along with some great ideas)! That’s the type of fertilizer I needed, & it was right on time. It was the prelude to what’s to come in 2 weeks at the event. I already know I’m coming back home completely restored because it has planted some things in me every year that I can’t put into words. It’s a room full of vibes: self-care vibes, business vibes, financial vibes, emotional vibes, fresh mindset vibes, community vibes, calming vibes, just VIBES! Let’s just say I learned so much in that 25 minute convo. God always sends you who & what you need when you need it, & that may not be when you want it. Like they say “He’s an on-time God,” & that pep talk was right on time! Love, it’s time to look at the glass being half full instead of half empty. We’re not depleting; we’re just making room for growth. Give yourself some grace, remember to live in the moment, & that you’re only human. We’re all flawed, but the flaws make us who we are. 💕

Have you ever found yourself waiting for your motivation to come back? You have goals you want to reach, ideas you want to pursue, & things you need to get done. But lately, finding the energy to do any of it feels like another task on your already-too-long to-do list. Girl, I get it. Hell, I’ve been stuck in it for the last 6 weeks! Between work, family, responsibilities, & trying to find a little time for yourself, sometimes you just feel DONE. The things that used to excite you start feeling like work, & even the things you enjoy feel like obligations. Then comes the guilt. You wonder why you can’t get it together or why you don’t feel as motivated as you used to. But what if you’re not lazy? What if you’re simply tired? 🤔 What If You Don’t Need More Motivation? As busy women, we spend so much time showing up for everybody else that we sometimes forget to check in with ourselves. I’ve had seasons when the things I wanted to do for myself felt like just another responsibility. Sometimes, learning how to get motivated starts with giving yourself permission to stop pushing so hard…something I’m learning at this very moment. Instead of forcing yourself to do more, consider what you actually need. Maybe it’s rest. Maybe it’s a change of pace. Or maybe you need to let go of the pressure to have everything figured out. Start Small & Give Yourself Grace You don’t have to wait until you feel 100% motivated to take a step forward. But you don’t have to force yourself into a complete life makeover, either. Try this: Start small. Focus on one manageable task instead of your entire to-do list. Give yourself permission to rest. You don’t have to earn rest by exhausting yourself first. Reconnect with yourself. Take 5 minutes to journal about what’s weighing on you & what you need right now. Release the guilt. Your current season doesn’t have to look like your most productive season. Sometimes, the best way forward is to stop asking yourself to do more & start asking yourself what would make life feel a little lighter. I’ve definitely found out how much my body needed rest. I don’t think I’ve slept this much in decades, but that early bedtime has been a blessing. Have a Keep-It-Real Conversation With Yourself Before you start searching for another productivity hack, pause & ask yourself: What am I really feeling right now? Are you overwhelmed? Mentally exhausted? Trying to meet expectations that no longer fit your life? Grab your journal & be honest. You don’t have to solve everything today. Just give yourself space to acknowledge how you feel. At Intentionally Evolve, we believe self-care isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about learning to care for yourself within the life you’re already living. So, if you’re waiting for your motivation to return, remember this: you don’t have to shame yourself into moving forward. You can start with rest, one small step, or simply giving yourself some grace. Your gentle reminder: You are allowed to slow down without giving up on yourself. Your motivation can return without you forcing it. Take a breath, sis. You don’t have to do it all today. Keep evolving, one small step at a time.

Okay, Sis. Let's Make A Little Space For YOU. Enter your name & email below, & we'll send your free reflection tool straight to your inbox. First Name * Email Send Me My “Me” Moment 💗 You're one step closer to checking in with YOU! Check your inbox for your free reflection tool.

Life Feeling Like a Lil Too Much? Sis, let's check in with YOU for a minute. You're showing up for work, family, responsibilities, & everybody who needs you. But somewhere between doing all the things, have you checked in with yourself lately? You don't have to wait until you're completely overwhelmed to give yourself a moment to breathe. Introducing your FREE self-reflection tool: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Life Feels Like Too Much These 5 questions are designed to help you slow down, get honest with yourself, & make a little room for what YOU need. No pressure to have all the answers. No judgment about how you're feeling. Just a little space to pause & listen to yourself. Get My Free Tool Because you matter too Free Self-Reflection Tool What You'll Get A Beautifully Designed 2-Page Tool With 5 Powerful Questions You don't have to figure it all out right now. Sometimes, the first step is simply being honest about where you are. Sis, You Deserve A Moment Too You don't have to wait until you're running on empty to check in with yourself. Take a breath. Get honest about what you're feeling. Give yourself permission to figure out what you need — one question at a time. Let's Get Real, Me

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