Wow I have to say that this year gone by quite rapidly! We are literally staring the year 2017 down the throat and I am super HYPE!! But before I continue, let me just say that I hope you all are well and as always much love and peace to you. Now, about the coming year, I am not one for resolutions but I felt compelled to challenge myself to a few things in the new year.

1. I challenge myself to take more risks. I admittedly have played it safe in the past but this coming year will be a year of me stepping outside of the norm—going places I have never been, meeting new people, eating new foods, trying new things. Opening yourself to new experiences allows you to grow in different ways. And I realize I have again grown comfortable so I know it’s time to do something different.
2. I challenge myself to continue to seek new opportunities to give back to my community. This year, I have found it very challenging to be as active as I was in the city. I now reside in a very rural area and if you are not aligned with a church, often you are shunned or questioned but I am stepping up to the challenge and breaking the status quo. My people need me and I plan to do various community service projects throughout the year.
3. I challenge myself to love more. In the past when I have loved, I have been hurt but hasn’t everyone. I will not allow past hurts and disappointments to hold me captive to my authentic self. I am genuinely loving and I have so so much to give. I will love on myself more first and foremost and will continue to love others as well.
4. I challenge myself to be open to being alone. I know you may be thinking that why should one want to be alone but I say being alone and being lonely are two entirely different things. What can I say, life happens and I am fine with it but I know what I want and I will choose me before I settle for less than what I want and deserve. So, 2017 will be a year of finding more of me and being okay with that.
5. I challenge myself to go deeper into my spirituality. Yes, I have an altar and give offerings, meditate, say affirmations, etc but I am not always consistent. It’s time for me to kick everything up a notch and go deeper.

As you can see, none of my challenges included me getting more money, more things, a new man, or anything tangible. My challenged are all about growth. I have grown to realize that the more I go inward and expand, the more my outer reality changes for the good. I do hope you all are thinking of your own growth and are actually interested in progressing. Because, if you are not moving forward, you are most definitely standing still! I am so happy you have chosen to read my blog, connect with me, and support me this year! Next year will be even better—just you watch!

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

Peace and love fam and happy Monday! As always, I hope you had an awesome day today. I have been in reflection mode. It seems more and more of my days are being spent this way—quietly in my own thoughts. Today, I was thinking about the value of stimulating conversation and being exposed to good, positive energy.

I realize that I have wasted so much precious time on meaningless conversations and interactions. I also realize that I have participated in these conversations and interactions and could have chosen to change subjects or removed myself and I didn’t. But, now that I know better, I must do better. I have been very fortunate to connect with some great people and in turn, my experiences have begun to improve. They challenge me to think, to explore, to love more, to be open to new experiences.

As this year comes to a close, I am focusing on doing better in many areas and working on improving myself. There are people who are not around anymore that I never would have imagined would be absent. There are new people in my life who I could have never imagined would be in my life. And I am grateful for it all. Life is very cyclical and I feel I am coming full circle. I am choosing experiences that will help me on my journey of self-improvement. It is time to focus on raising my vibration and maturation on my spiritual walk. If it doesn’t resonate with me, I must remove myself.

I have found so much joy in being more selective in who I choose to be in the company of and in doing the things that are in my best interest. I have had to become more selfish with myself. I am looking to gain energy from interactions that I am involved in. At a certain point, I became depleted because I was constantly giving to people who were not giving anything to me in return. And when I say giving, I do not mean gifts or anything tangible, I mean giving positivity and great energy back to me. Remember the old saying “you cannot pour from an empty vessel”?  Well, let’s just say my vessel only had a few drops left.

I am looking to begin 2017 on a high note—full of abundance, creativity, and progress. It is time to step into my own! I am acutely aware of the state of my people but I choose to shed light not throw shade. I am here to nurture, to heal, to guide, to love. I have so much work to do. But, before I can give all that I can and am, I have to be fully in tune with myself. Let the self work and growth continue!

 

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

Peace fam! Hope all is well. I woke up this morning feeling like “blah” lol. Have you ever gotten up from sleep feeling like doing nothing at all? Well, I call that feeling “blah” and that is exactly how I felt. There is so many things I should and could be doing but I just wasn’t feeling it at all. Nowadays when I feel like that, I allow myself space to chill. I am naturally a “workaholic” and often neglect myself by not getting proper rest. So, I allowed myself to just BE this morning.

Afrikan women are often expected to work and nurture and give without exhaustion, regret, or complaint. But, we need to learn how to just be. We need to sleep in some days, rest our minds and bodies, recharge our batteries, and be with ourselves unapologetically. As this year winds down, there is still much to do but one of the most important thing we can and should do is to reflect on where we are and also where we want to be. We need to nurture ourselves through the transitions in life lovingly.

When I was in my 20’s, I never slept properly. I worked hard, played harder, and slept hardly any at all. But, now that I am in my mid 30’s, I realize the havoc I was wreaking on my heart. My heart needs healing, from hurt and from lack of proper nourishment. On the journey to wellness, I found that although my physical body may look awesome, so much lies beneath that I need to work on. There is much I have not dealt with, heartaches that I ignored, rest that I have been deprived of.  So, as 2016 concludes, I have made a pact with myself to do the work necessary. Ashaki deserves to be loved by Ashaki. I will never become the greatest version of myself if I do not learn to love myself fully.

I want to encourage you to do the work necessary to reach the optimal level of health for yourself as well—emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually. You are a precious being and deserve the best! Rest more, love more, do what you love more. Give to yourself abundantly. And give to yourself without any regret!! Have an awesome weekend loves!

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

Peace peace fam! Man oh man, what a crazy time this is. I have been attempting to write my celebratory post for my five year loc anniversary for almost three weeks now (crazy I know) but so much is going on so I am just going to do an update, speak on my growth, and some other topics that have been on my heart.

So, the week of Thanksgiving was my five year loc anniversary. My hair, my hair, my hair…what can I say? It is growing and I am thinking of combining , my locs —again. I love the thick look so we shall see. I have found that the manicured loc look is not for me at all. I love my knatty dreads, I love my thick roots, I love when they are unkempt, clean but unkempt lol. I am comfortable with myself finally. I am still growing and learning myself. I have learned that the process of self-discovery is a journey and that I will always be learning myself because I am constantly growing and changing. And the journey is beautiful!!

So, as of right now, I am working on a new book—hooray! I am also working on several different projects, one of which is an online health and wellness course that I am creating to help people take a few simple steps toward a healthier lifestyle. I am very excited about the upcoming prospects and opportunities that may arise because of the work I am doing. Everything that I am pursuing at this moment is helping me to live my life on my own terms. Life is to be lived!

In the five years since I began my locks, so much about my life and what I thought life should be has changed. I have connected with some beautiful souls as well and have grown in so many other ways. Now, although I am always seeking new information, it is high time that I apply the knowledge to my life, which is exactly what I am doing right now. I have important work to do in my community and abroad. There are many who can benefit from the light that I carry and I fully understand that now.

I want to encourage you to find the work you were created to do and go full force! I have found that finding your purpose is so important to your personal well-being. Once you know the work that you were meant to do and start, life becomes more beautiful. A paycheck should not be your goal. Money and material possessions will not bring the long-lasting joy that we seek but doing purposeful work that has meaning is priceless. Think about it.

 

Have an Awesome Weekend!!

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali