"Change is inevitable..."

Photo Taken by: Lauren Beard (Facebook: Lannette Photography)

 Since a new year is approaching, I have taken the time to really self-reflect. As any other year, 2016 was definitely full of ups and downs. This year wasn't always so positive, after all, this year I have encountered some really negative situations. But after having some time to myself to think, I have turned those negative situations into positive life lessons ( or inspiration if you may). In doing so, I have come up with some goals, and these goals are not just for 2017. These are goals that I want in incorporate into my everyday life to help me achieve my goal of becoming a better person.

#1: Be more positive!
- You can never go wrong by being MORE positive which is why this is number one for me. I am the type of person to plan things in advance so that they go smoothly- but in life, things don't always go as planned and that is when I stress myself out.  I have noticed that whenever I am in a stressful situation, I tend to freak out and think and speak negatively. In the future, I would really like to work on thinking more positively and speaking positivity into existence. When it comes to things not going my way, I would really love to be more receptive to it. I have to keep in mind that life is all about balance and stress KILLS!

#2: Never sell myself short!
- It's pretty much self-explanatory, I sell myself short. I lower my services all in efforts to not come off as rude. In the future, I would love to just stop doing that all around. I've come to learn that there is nothing wrong with charging for any service that you provide and you charging for your services doesn't make you a bad, mean, or rude person!

#3: Articulate myself better
- I am the first to admit that I am socially awkward so socializing with others was something I was never 'good' at. In result, whenever I am talking with someone who doesn't know me well, I could come off a certain way. I could come off as sassy, aggressive, anti-social, sarcastic, etc. and in reality, that was never my intention. Now, being socially awkward will never change for me and I don't want to change simply because that is who I am. But in the future, I would like to be better at letting that be known to others. 

#4: "No."
- For some reason, I have come to believe that saying no is wrong. I am the type of person who is always putting someone else's needs and wants above my own. I need to learn that I am not obligated to always go out my way and do something EVEN when I don't. It is definitely okay for me to say no and doing so doesn't make me a bad person!

#5- Be more independent!!
- I would like to be able to show more of my creative side and do my own thing! I no longer want to work towards someone else's dream; I want to focus on my own. I want to be able to create my own opportunities and be my own brand- and I don't care how long it takes! 

I am looking forward to the new year simply because I look forward to life as a whole. I am prepared for the good and the bad. I know that each day will teach me a new lesson and as long as I am learning, I am growing! I want to hear from you all, what are your goals for 2017?

Let's Talk Natural Hair: My Top 5 Tips On Retaining Length!

 Many have wondered what I do to my hair to make it grow and there are some things I want to clear up.  As long as you have healthy hair follicles, your hair is always growing, but the question is are you retaining the length? Many people think that their hair isn't growing but in reality, their hair is growing it's just breaking off at the same time. The major key is very simple, love your hair and your hair will love you back! 

Tip 1: Clean Scalp!
Who said that dirt grows your hair again? Growing up, I have heard many myths and dirt growing your hair is definitely one of them! In order to retain length, I make sure my scalp is squeaky clean because a clean scalp encourages healthy hair growth. Plus, who doesn't like their hair to smell good?

Tip 2: NO HEAT!!
When first going natural, I loved the idea of straightening my hair to see how long it was- I was curious. Like the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat but in this case, curiosity killed my hair. I straightened my hair for my one year anniversary and I quickly learned what heat damage was. My curls were loosened and damaged; cutting away the damage is the only way to get rid of it. So, I cut my heat damaged hair and since then I have not used heat ever again!

Tip 3: Deep condition, deep condition, DEEP CONDITION!!
 Curly hair is naturally dry and needs moisture in order to thrive! So I make sure to deep condition my hair every time I wash it. Deep conditioning not only aids in adding moisture to my hair but it also helps in adding the nutrients my hair needs so that it is shiny and stronger than ever!

Tip 4: Avoid tension hairstyles!
In the beginning of my hair journey, I wore all types of extension hairstyles; box braids, Senegalese twists, sew-ins- you name it! In result of me wearing those styles, my hairline began to recede. I became familiar with traction alopecia very quickly. The hair around my hairline began to grow back once I stopped putting tension on my hair. 

Tip 5: Low manipulative styles are KEY!
Say what you want, but I like to keep things simple by letting my hair do what it wants! It's a reason why my go-to style is the twist-out. The twist-out is a very simple style and it lasts for awhile so that I don't have to constantly have my hands in my hair! When my twist-out style gets old, I just throw my hair up in a puff and I'm good to go! I will say it again, low manipulation is key!!

I hope these tips were helpful to those who are considering going natural, new to being natural, or those who are already natural. We can all learn things from each other, so what are your natural hair tips? Feel free to comment below, share, and also follow my blog  if these tips were helpful to you or may be helpful to someone you know! Until next time! -Keke

Let's Talk Fashion: Favorite fashion items!

 There are so many fashion items and trends that I am in love with, but I must say graphic tees are my favorite for this season! Wearing a graphic tee is the perfect way to say exactly how you feel or exactly how you are without necessarily saying anything at all! I love the fact that one can just simply look at your shirt and instantly know what you are about. Graphic tees can also be worn with anything; high-waisted jeans, boyfriend jeans, skirts, etc. It's all about how you choose to rock it so here is how I rocked mine: 

I purchased this 'Awkward' graphic tee from a site called www.AdornedbyChi.com. I love this tee because I am awkward and I have no shame in it- that's just my personality! I paired my tee with these high-waisted jeans, knee-high boots, and this long cardigan sweater. The jeans are from Jimmy Jazz and were on sale at the time for $15. My knee-high boots are from Charlotte Russe and were $38. These boots are super-fashionable and if you are short like me, it adds the right amount of height. I love LONG sweaters (I've been this way since middle school)! This sweater was purchased from Target and it was $34. The color and texture of the sweater is what caught my eye. This sweater is perfect for fall and winter! 

Open Discussion: What's your favorite fashion item of the season and why?

If you enjoyed this blog post feel free to follow, comment and share! Until Next time, -Keke