emotional health – Life Lessons

Surround Yourself With Love

In a world full of hate, you must surround yourself with love. People who genuinely love you will never make you question the relationship. They will stand with you in pain and defend you in private or public, but they will also tell you when you’re wrong because they love you. You may see them or talk to them every day, but they’re always just one call away. These types of people create healthy environments, but they may not always include your family members.

Identify your circle of love

You should know who really loves you. If not, now is a good time to find out. If you’re not sure of how, call them up and tell them you want to see them. If they don’t sound a bit excited, they care nothing about seeing you and clearly don’t love you, unless there is some reasonable explanation for their reaction.

I only interact with people who are delighted to see me. Their energy tells me everything I need to know. When I visit my family and friends, their smile is big enough to light the room. If I don’t feel positive energy when I enter a room, I won’t feel welcome and will keep my distance.

Prioritize the relationship

Good people should never be placed on the back burner. However, some people have a habit of hanging around people who don’t love them. That’s how important acceptance is to people. So many people have told me they don’t have many friends but keep an entourage everywhere they go. I understand the concept of keeping your enemies closer, but if you’re always surrounded by negative energy, how do you expect to have a positive outlook on life?

Instead of hanging out with your enemies, pray for them instead. You need to be as closest to people who value you, appreciate you, love you, and care about you. Those are the ones who will show up for you, listen to you, make you feel special, and remember you. Your name will always be at the top of their guest list.

Pray for them

Whenever someone asks you to intercede in prayer, you should. Prayer is more powerful than anything else you can give. Plus, it only takes seconds! However, it’s those prayers that people don’t ask for that are more meaningful.

If I tell you I lost my job, I shouldn’t have to ask you to pray for me. If I tell you I’m ill, I shouldn’t have to ask. If I tell you I just haven’t been myself lately, I shouldn’t have to ask. No matter what the situation is, if you are made aware, I shouldn’t have to ask you for prayer.

Speaking of prayer, when people you love announce their loss, pain, or hardship on social media, don’t just throw prayer hands up without words of encouragement. Better yet, take the time to type a short prayer or send a private message. The phone always works too.

Sometimes God meets your needs through the people he places in your life. Take a few minutes to think about all the times someone from your circle of love has helped you, even if it was just emotional support or prayers.

“Your safe space of grace should consist of people who love you. They are anointed by God to give you immediate access to his blessings.”

-Bianca A. McCormick-Johnson

He’s Not Yours

From woman to woman, he’s not yours and never will be. So, it’s best to leave him alone before the situation calls for a serious conversation neither you are ready to have about an issue that may require tissue.

So, you’re having fun right? At least, that’s what you say. I hear women use that as an excuse for their actions all the time. I don’t want to hear about men do it all the time or you’re just “doing you”. It’s all fun and games until you accidentally fall in love.

It’s true. Men do cheat all the time and have done so for a long time, but this particular blog is not about them. It’s about us because we instill morals and values in our children at an early age. We teach our little girls how to sit, dress, talk, and act in public.

We teach them the value of being a woman and to know our worth. But the lessons that make the biggest impacts are those we show them. If you think your daughter doesn’t have sense enough to know what’s going on, many times, you are wrong.

She knows why he can’t stay for dinner. She knows why he can’t make her track meet. She knows why she’s never met any of his relatives or friends. She knows that he ain’t for you.

I can’t say I agree with all these podcasters’ take on dating women today, but I can tell you you’ll never get the same respect as men for doing what they do. It’s not fair and never has been but neither is life. Besides, you need to think about how you would feel if the shoe was on the other foot. You certainly wouldn’t have positive thoughts of that woman. We must stop believing these men when they say they’re going to leave their wives or significant others.

So what he told you he loves you. He tells her that too. Love is just a four letter word without action. There’s no way he can fully execute his love for you as long as he’s still with her. The lie always feels better than the truth until he gives you the boot.

Sis, give it up…..He’s not yours.

Do you ever stop to think that the way he got with you could be the same way he leaves you as well? It happens all the time. Even if you do manage to stay together, your relationship won’t be a fairy tale. There will forever be trust issues because of how the two of you got together.

“Why settle for less when you deserve the best? You’re worth more than sloppy seconds. Wipe your tears and learn from this lesson.”

-Bianca A. McCormick-Johnson

Body Positivity or Insecurity?

So, we’re just classless nowadays, aren’t we? I guess more skin is the trend. Instead of calling it what it really is, we’d rather label it as “body confidence”. However, I never knew confidence came at the expense of disrespecting yourself.

You can call it whatever you want to, but I’m going to call it what it is. Unless your profession involves prostitution, stripping, or the like, then your confidence is creating confusion. Confident women sell class, not ass.

I can remember when spandex was enough. It grips your figure and accentuates your curves. If sexy was what you were going for, then spandex was all you needed. When worn right, it gives just enough without giving too much.

When you leave nothing to the imagination, you’re exhibiting an insecurity, not confidence, body positivity, or whatever you’d prefer to call it. Confident women don’t need to advertise their body parts to make a statement. Their walk alone speaks volume.

I’m not criticizing. I’m correcting because we all need that. As a woman, I’ve had my own insecurities, but I never addressed them by putting my body parts on display. I’m not saying I’ve never shown cleavage or stepped just a little outside my comfort zone, but I’ve never made it my daily uniform. Moreover, my behavior did not change.

Today, I see too much “body” but much less “beauty”. I’m not referring to looks, for that type of beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The beauty of a woman is made up of so much more than looks. Beauty is behavior and attitude. That’s what makes you attractive. Case in point: Let’s say two identical women are dressed the same. Yet one is loquacious, defensive, and aggressive, whereas the other one is peaceful, positive, and patient. Which one would you consider beautiful then?

Nowadays, most people don’t pay much attention to what you’re wearing until you start acting out. That’s when your lack of confidence starts to show. You want to be seen and heard but not judged. I regret to inform you that you’re judged on so much more than what you wear.

You’re judged on how well you can carry on an adult conversation. You’re judged on how well you perform on your job. You’re judged by insurance companies on how well you drive. You’re also judged on how well you can tell the lie your lawyer crafted for you. So why shouldn’t you be judged according to the way you dress?

The “little” you wear says a “lot” about you. You’re easy to spot but hard to please because you have so many demands. Women who have many demands usually bring nothing to the table, other than what they’re already showcasing. If wearing less makes you feel good about yourself, then you have some serious soul searching to do. Once you find yourself, people will then see below the surface.

“The body seeks what true beauty speaks.”

-Bianca A. McCormick-Johnson