#ABetterYouIsABetterMe

  It’s  October already! I am certain for most of us—we hadn’t yet wrapped our minds around September—-it feels to have escaped us— to have come and gone quickly—to have slipped through time as if sand through fingers. I am confident—the first of the month feels like it has come too fast for a couple of reasons. But here’s the truth—a stone cold reality—you are correct! Since 2020 the Earth has been spinning faster and faster on its axis— in 2020—it (The Earth) had moved faster than it had in 50 years! And now, according to Business Insider—it appears in 2021, it’s spinning even faster! (Neilson, S., January.2021). So for me, as most things do, this leads me to search out what God says about it—“ time .” And true-to-form... it’s a lot! The Bible is saturated with advise, prophecy, and instruction on  time . So, I had to extract that which would be more concise, maybe relevant, and applicable in the moment. Because just yesterday an associate of mine shared their aspiratio...

  B eautiful Sunday morning! ☀️ I hope you make time to pray today— I mean really pray —-seek quiet time and sit with God this morning-don’t rush past Him like He’s a transient passerby, but stop and welcome Him in for tea, coffee—and sit & talk with Him. See Him— because He’s everywhere— Listen to Him because He speaks to your innermost parts. Take time this morning to —pray—praise, and position yourself in preparation for the new week ahead. Have a wonderful day!☀️💜🙏🏾🕊 Copyright © by 2021 Christie Shaw

  I remember when I was starting out with my psych courses— I had a “Positive Psychology” class. Good class— some worthwhile information. But as I started noticing the trending of Positive Psychology in all other industry, e.g., work, social media, sports, and then but not lastly— in the church... I started taking notice. And it caught my ear because what was starting to happen wasn’t necessarily “positive.” But what was happening was coddling— and because people were being coddled— they were being misled. So yes— you are beautiful—but it doesn’t mean you don’t need to acknowledge that you are neglecting some other facet of your well-being —that needs to be remedied — yes you are capable of accomplishing great things, but it doesn’t mean no one should speak to you or counsel you about your lack of integrity or lack of competence —and yes — you are totally active in your social media presence — but it doesn’t mean that you or others in your circle should IGNORE that just because yo...

I  remember being a little girl— standing in a rainy cemetery in a white two-piece dress and jacket—trimmed in lime green, (as my aunt Ruth always took such care to the details of my appearance) with a white carnation flower in my tightly curled hair—watching as my mother was being placed in the ground — a voice— “I will take care of you—you will be okay.” So, I am reminded this morning that—the riches of God’s Grace are what has sustained me—He has provided for Me— protected me ALL of my life—despite everything I got wrong. The world’s ideas and mandates—have never been my source of a soul that was well. I used to sing that song to the top of my lungs, “It is well—it is well with my soul!” Not even realizing that it wasn’t—my soul was wrecked by trauma—loss—abandonment—physical-verbal abuse, and rejection—BUT—when I came to understand fully— that it is well with my Spirit — the place where that mustard seed resided-abided—that place where faith would take hold of salvation — that ...

This morning while working with my trainer at the gym—I really became agitated-irritated by him as he sped up my routine, increased my weights, and the amount of time I was to remain in the one position. His voice-rapid and loud piercing my ears — almost felt intrusive at 7:30am on a Saturday morning when I wanted nothing more than to be in my pajamas hanging around bedside after working all week —for which I arise at 4:00am daily—to be out the door at 5:15am—daily. So, in my mind a little sleep on Saturday morning seemed a fair and reasonable thing to aspire for. But instead; here I am at the gym with a ego-bulging trainer who’s determined to prove that he’s the best—at my expense—and after one loud demand too many...I turned to him—snapping, “What is wrong with you?!” And without blinking his eyes, he snapped back, “What are you here for? When you came to me —telling me what you wanted to achieve —remember what that was —so the question is—have you forgotten what you said you wanted...

   The minute you say, “mental health” stigma is invoked. Stop that! Your mental health is the entirety of your being—and determines the quality of your “be.” So, take care of your mental health today and everyday.  I nsist on Self-preservation;  P ray, meditate, pray, and meditate AGAIN; R emoval of and from toxic. negative and yes EVIL people, places & things;  L isten to Music (classical music is good for your brain); D ance—I mean it—turn on some music and dance like no one is looking! E xercise (Get out with nature—plant some flowers—seeds or potted) R ead —sometimes a good book can take you places you may otherwise never get to go— teach you things you might otherwise never know. H ealthy food intake (even a nice fast—lots of water, veggies and fruits); S elect Healthy people in your orbit (it’s like gravity—you can’t defy it—stay around negative people—you and your outcomes will be negatively impacted) D o a spa day— full body massage, facial, sip te...

  I awakened this morning with my mommy on my mind. You probably did too because Mother’s Day is upon us. And if you are fortunate to have her still here in the Earth with you—it’s likely you were thinking of how you will celebrate her this weekend. I , on the other hand, woke up with my mother on my mind because yesterday— in one day, I had three different men— very successful men share with me that their mom’s were 90+ and they were planning to celebrate, and honor her on Mother’s Day. And with each of these individual’s expressions about their moms; I expressed my awe and sentiments of “ How blessed they are to still have their moms .” And simultaneously, my inner thoughts vacillated between awe for them, and yet, thoughts of how my mom could have and would have likely been the same age today had my father not abused her. I then found myself feeling like there was a thought bubble above my head; thinking about Tina Turner and Cicely Tyson because recently revisiting and reading...

  I was engaged in a conference call that turned its focus towards MaKhia Bryant... I understand on various levels the “adultification” of Black girls—from its historic underpinnings—academically AND personally. I know the saga, stress and hell of having to defend, protect, and take care of yourself as a teenager. There are plenty of people waiting and willing to prey on vulnerable—unprotected, young Black girls, and she is left to defend herself the best she can—IF she can. So, yes, I know the ugliness of this ”adultification” stigma is the root of why this child was murdered.  B lack girls are deemed adult, grown, fast, etc., when in reality it’s the “real adults” in and around this child’s life that left her unprotected—I know that story all too well also. And the bottom line is the ENTIRE system failed this little girl—and despite the ignorant rhetoric that “she got what she deserved” —such a horrible sentiment, she did not—what she deserved was to grow into full adultho...

R ecently, I was told that my “ confidence was intimidating .” This is why that’s a problem—it’s coded language and it’s loaded with racial bias. Truth is, I have faced this issue for as long as I can remember merely because I am who I am. Yes, a confident Black woman—and that should not scare you. But if it does, I will not apologize, lower my countenance, look away from you, mute my tone, or slouch down to lower the straightness of my spine to make you feel comfortable or superior. But I do however, wish you well in your endeavors to find someone less confident and intimidating. M any years ago a VP I supported, shared with my manager that she felt she had to walk on “ eggshells ” working with me. My manager, completely taken aback, replied, “ That contradicts everything I know, and have been told about her .” So, my manager suggested a one-on-one between us. I was pregnant at the time, so I sat atop a desk because there were no chairs in the vacant office. The office was directly ac...

  W hat do you mean you don’t have a dog in this fight?  Because when a Black NFL player fighting his dogs for sport suffers punitive consequences two-steps short — of what “others” have paid for attempted murder. And certainly more than a White boy that walks into an all Black church and assassinates the entire congregation, that gets treated to a burger... Because we’ve been fighting for the “ideals” of democracy and equality since the onset of the pillage that landed us here.    Because when poverty was deemed our rightful portion and deliberate oppression, was our payment—-it wasn’t a problem— BUT when it effected them, it became    “The Great Depression.” When it was a crack problem... it was “our problem”, “Ghetto problem”, but when it was an opiate suburbia problem, it became an epidemic. When it was Black women being forced out of the workplace it was, “oh well.”   But now that ALL the ‘other women’ are forced off the employment roles— it’...

I have fluctuated in my “feelings” about the term, “Black girl magic” — the “magic” part, but I get it! Outside of the trendy, trending idea of celebrating Black women and their ginormous contributions, and astounding capabilities—despite all opposition; yes it seems it would certainly take ‘magic.’ But, it’s the mystical for me. It’s more transcendental than magic for me. The inspiringly spiritual “thing” for me. So, “magic”, yeah— I get it. And if I didn’t grasp it before I certainly do now. And I have had, know, known, many examples—- some friends, family, even foes. And have only admired and respected many others from afar... And if I didn’t quite understand it before... I do now; that the entire mind, (soul), body, spirit  constructed system of the Black woman is an astounding phenomenon. And it scares some people, and it intimidates others— just ask Stacey Abrams... just an extraction of an example.                   ...

By definition, the colors of the American flag 🇺🇸  are symbolic of: red  symbolizing hardiness and valor,  white  symbolizing purity and innocence, and  blue  representing vigilance, perseverance and justice. I see this today as  red  symbolizing the hardiness and endurance of the blood of my ancestors. Having bled through & endured the pillagers and their savage abuse thrusted upon them, ensuring they picked the  whitest  of cotton... purely stripped of their innocence and human dignity. But true to the blue hue of their veins, that its blood not be wasted—they remained vigilant , and preserved towards justice ... By definition—We are America’s red, white and blue. We are America—we are Georgia. You are welcome! Copyright © 2021 by Christie Y. Shaw #WeAreAmerica ✊🏾🖤❤️🤍💙 #WeAreGeorgia 🍑   #FromPickingCottontoPickingPresidents #Warnock #Ossoff #Harris #Biden #StaceyAbrams 👸🏽