On Fear and Failure to Launch

August 31, 2019

photo: Kat Wagers Studios

As of today's date, I am about 2 months into my Nursing career as an LPN. It's kind of crazy! As y'all should know about me by now, I am eternally restless. I am always ready to tackle and complete the next goal in my life. I have not taken the time to even post a well thought out post until now. I feel like a lot of things are becoming more apparent to me the longer I live and learn more about myself. The main thing is that I am supposed to be an entrepreneur.

I have slowly but surely been planting the seeds and preparing myself to head in that direction since I was 18 or 19. I am a lifetime learner who enjoys learning for the sake of learning. As I progress in my career and my life path, it's just obvious. I like control of my schedule and I hate to feel boxed in by work schedules, I enjoy doing many things and I don't like doing the same types of things daily. Most important is the fact that I like to have direct control of my earnings. I feel like my work or lack thereof should directly affect my earnings. That can only fully happen when you work for yourself.

It may explain why I have never been 100% satisfied with any job I've ever had. In that same vein, I make sure to maximize every learning opportunity from any job I have and have had. But now, I think it's finally time to step into my season of true entrepreneurship and being my own boss.

So, I took a personal inventory of some of the things that have blocked me in the past:

1) Fear (of failure, success, who knows?). Fear can be paralyzing and keep you in once place for much too long.

2) Lack of support/feeling of support. I feel like there is only a shortlist of people I can talk to about my business. My family is kind of supportive at a distance, but I have never had anyone in my life be really gung-ho about me starting a business/being an entrepreneur. I don't need anyone's approval, but it's always good to have moral and other support. In that same realm, I know my mom is more of a passive supporter. If I'm running a business and ask her to help me do some things, I know she would.

3) Lack of follow-through. Back in Spring 2016, I decided it was my time. I had a supplier, had invested money in hair to wear and try, a website, twitter account, IG account for my now-defunct Liam Luxe Virgin Hair and NOT a single sale. I kind of gave up and put it on the back burner to finish Nursing school.

What's different this time? I have to do this. I'm not happy with my current financial situation, I'm not happy with the current trajectory of my life and I'm finally ready and willing to put the muscle behind the movement. This is apart of a complete overhaul of my life. Yes, I am still going to get my RN degree and yes I still want to become a Nurse Practitioner. But in 2019 and for a few years now, multiple streams of income has been the name of the game. I need savings, healthy retirement fund and some better financial management. My finances, my health, my education and the way I'm currently progressing through life are not up to the standards I would like them to be. So it's that time again folks, a new season, a time for reinvention and most crucial, a time to become who I've always been meant to be.

photo: Kat Wagers Studios

*Cheers to a new business, a better me and living my best life as Cicely Nurse & Entrepreneur*

Until again,
Bougie Beauty Babe

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Vibrating Higher - The Art of Leveling Up

February 25, 2019

Working from within, glowing from within

Thanks to Ciara, the phrase "Level Up" is back full force in our daily vernacular and her message couldn't possibly be more timely in my own life. I took a cold, hard look at my 2018 and said "Biiiihhhhhh, you gots ta do better". I have always worked hard towards my goals and even when I have fallen short, I have always been one to find the silver lining in my mishaps.

2018 was a year filled with lots of Ls. The majority of them were personal. At the close of 2018 "I said self, we are going to do things differently. We are going to get our shit together this year and come for everything you've ever dreamt of and more. From now on, it's go-mode towards my wildest dreams"

Leveling up to me means being more positive and optimistic, being the best mom to Liam I can be and also elevating myself to the highest vibration I can. All of these things are something I have to work on daily. At 31, I am finally in a place where I am investing in and working on myself on a regular basis. I want to share with you some of the practices I believe are essential to propelling forward and vibrating on a higher level:

1) EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) - I was introduced to the Tapping Wizard, Brad Yates via a friend back in 2015 via YouTube. I had heard of tapping, but it was never really on my radar. I use it daily to get myself in a positive and receptive mindset. If you don't know what EFT is, it is a technique used to balance your energy system. You literally tap on pressure points in your body with or without repeating mantras that clear blocks and elevate your spiritual vibrations. YouTube Brad Yates. There are many gurus and professionals out there, but I have grown accustomed to Brad and his style and had the chance to see and tap with him live in Cincinnati, OH in October 2018 with my friend Kristin.

2) Workout/Physical activity - there is no better way to look, feel and be better than to work and work out your body. Since being back in organized workouts these past two weeks, I feel so much better. I am not as fatigued and emotionally I feel light and more positive. Those are all wins in my book. I said this semester that I would make the effort to workout to help with my mood, fatigue and memory/retention of material.

3) Personal development - this can take many forms. This can be as simple as reading a book that teaches you about your personality type, taking a course on Psychology, learning how to love better, how to and self-help books, you name it. There is no wrong way to engage in personal development, I strive to learn something new and non-Nursing related daily. My most recent endeavor was to take a 6-week course from relationship coach Crystal Irom called Magnetize Your Match. It was an amazing experience and I got to dive into a lot of deep self-work and truly make some progress towards one of my prominent goals this year: meet my life partner, husband and future father of my kids and Dad to Liam. For more information on that program, click here Crystal Irom Relationship Coach

4) Self-care - I love this topic so much I wrote a guest blog post on it here: SELF LOVE SERIES: TIPS ON SELF CARE. I truly think caring for your self is the crux of being able to be the best version of yourself and also in being able to level up. Being full is important so that you can pour into others.

5) Embrace, indulge and participate in your hobbies. For me, that meant this year choosing to be 1/3 of 2 other amazing women co-hosting a newly founded podcast: #MTG the podcast. It is such an amazing experience and I'm so glad I get to share this with Danielle & Brittany. I also started working out again and I have returned to my blog. I am taking time to do things I love and that makes my spirit happy.

I recognize that leveling up looks different for everyone, but the aforementioned items are what works for me. I don't have everything figured out, but I truly believe when you put your self in the space to grow and allow for mistakes. Thanks so much for sticking with me guys.

Until again,

Bougie Beauty Babe

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Turning 8 is Great!

October 7, 2017

My handsome boy. I just love his eyes and his sweet soul. <3

I can't believe that my little baby will be 8 years old on October 16. I definitely feel like he just got here. I remember my pregnancy with Liam and the moments leading up to his birth so clearly! Although at the time I'm writing this his birthday is a little over a week away, in true bougie fashion I had some pictures taken of him and me.

He was long overdue for some portraits and it had been almost four years since we had pictures done together. I'm so excited to have these memories captured on film. Life with my Liam is beautiful. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

So without further ado, here are some favorites from our shoot! Enjoy :).

Until again,

Bougie Beauty Babe