Who's your SHE - RO???

Hey all! I hope your weeks are off to a great start! As Black History Month ends and Women's History Month begins I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the those who have come before us... those trailblazers whose shoulders we now stand on!!!

So who stands out to you? Is there a hero in your life.. African American??? Woman??? Is there someone whose story mirrors the person you aspire to be?  I definitely have a few of those! I think about women on a global scale, women on a national scale, but definitely cant forget the women who have poured into my life right here at home.Of course there are the familiar heroines..

Sojourner Truth, Mother Teresa, Mary McLeod Bethune, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Mead... Ladies making headlines today like Michelle Obama, Condeliza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Joyce Roche, Malaak Compton Rock, Oprah, Rossiyskaya Gazeta.... just to name a few (I'm sure I missed some amazing women).

My personal SHE-ROES are of course the women of my family...  I know I am the fruit of their labor and don't take it lightly... But then there are heroines like Daisy Bates, Shirley Chisholm, Angela Davis, Susan B Anthony, Toni Morrison, and Maya Angelou whose journeys inspire me to my inner most core. They show me what success and persistence can do. They show me that I can change the world ... by deciding to be conscious and not comfortable living without feeling!!! Each of these women's stood out from the crowd in their perspective avenues and made a lasting impression! The world is now a better place because they were here.

  SO WHO IS YOUR SHE-RO??? Share... maybe she can inspire us too!

unCONSCIOUS living is not sexy!

Are you an asset or a lump on a log?

So anyone that knows me knows that I love to be involved in my community. Partly because I love my community and want to be a change agent, but if I am honest with myself and you guys, it's because I am so nosey that I am scared I would miss something. SAD BUT TRUE!

Seriously, I think it is imperative while you guys take the journey with me to living a CONSCIOUS life that I ask.... 

Are you an asset or a lump on a log? 

What’s going on around you? Are schools facing layoffs? Are senior citizens isolated? Are little girls struggling to find themselves? Are little boys looking for a male figure?

There is always something that we can do. You have gifts and talents that your community is looking for. You have a problem with the things that are going on in your community? Do something about it!! I think if we have not learned anything this year, we have witnessed Egypt’s ability to advocate for themselves and their future generations. Their uprising has reignited the ability for the common man to prevail.

One of my favorite quotes by Margaret Mead, the world renown cultural anthropologist, says “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”

So how dare you sit there like a lump on a log with your cute self!! Your community is waiting for you. Make a difference, get involved! Do Something! I believe you are an ASSET! Don’t you?  

For opportunities to get involved check out the websites  below or local agencies near you. You can locate service providers in your area by checking United Ways 211 or dialing 211 from any land line phone. Start service groups with your friends. Do something at your church! Be Creative! 

Do Something.org   Serve   Big Brother Big Sister

unCONSCIOUS living is not SEXY!

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE..

Each Thursday I will take a moment to share a truth with you all. The topics will always vary. The truths will be my own personal truths; truths in society or any other topic I want to put on blast! So here it is…
HAVING NATURAL HAIR IS HARD WORK!
I think we (myself included) as naturals are so excited about our own hair journey, that we leave out some very important details when encouraging others. We forget to share the trials because the benefits are so great. So here I am shooting from the hip! POW POW

As my mom always tells me, “anything worth having requires hard work,” and natural hair is no different. To really achieve healthy natural hair that you enjoy it requires TIME! The time you spend in the beginning, figuring out what works for your hair is not time lost, but time invested. Your healthy crown will thank you with great length and banging style in the long run.

So I can already hear some of you... ugh, she’s so negative! Nope!  It’s my truth!!!
So this is my opportunity to share with you the real deal about being natural, which I adore!
GO TEAM NATURAL!! FIST PUMP

That brings me to the most important lesson I’ve learned since my BC (August 2009).
PATIENCE GRASSHOPPER!!!!! Beautiful healthy natural hair will come!  But honestly it will take WORK. The more time you spend managing your natural hair, the more you will become aware of what it likes. Believe me when your hair doesn’t like something you will know it. Listen to it, be in tune with it, and get to know it… See being CONSCIOUS affects everything!! (Sorry I couldn’t help it.)

Honestly, I do owe a great deal of my hair success (cause I have definitely had my days crying in the bathroom floor because I couldn’t de-tangle my hair) to the fabulous ladies of youtube, CurlyNikki, and other blogs (I will be providing links to my favs soon). Their willingness to share their success and failures really eliminated some undo stress for me and my hair. They helped me weed out bad products and also pointed me in the direction of products that work. The reality is EVERYTHING DOESN’T WORK FOR EVERYONE!  So where the ladies advice and expertise stops you have to take over.

So get connected… If you are considering going natural, newly natural or an Old Head... there are tons of great resources available. Do your research! Going into anything this important blindly is crazy. People perish because of a lack of knowledge.

But all that said, Deciding to “Go Natural” has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did it kick my swag up to a ten, but the mental shift is worth it alone. The ability to truly embrace myself as my creator made me is overwhelming and is a feeling that never gets old. It helped me walk into a new level of consciousness; actually it is what brought on my awakening! So, Yes Being Natural  is Hard  Work, but so Worth It!  AREN'T YOU  DO FOR AN AWAKENING???  

unCONSCIOUS living is not sexy!   
Enjoy Living CONSCIOUSLY,
StephNikkiBB

YES INDEED….I DID IT!!

So, after much encouragement by my husband, friends, and coworkers… I have started a blog!!! I am not sure if they think other people would be eager to hear what I have to say? or they are just tired of listening? Either way I am ecstatic to get started!!! Right now I am a full time graduate student, working a full time job, and working as an intern (20+hrs a week). Needless to say I am a little stretched for time. But have no fear, post here will pick up when I get my life back :)

I am sure some of you are like Steph… or Nikki … what’s with the name?! Well my name is Stephanie and my nick name is Nikki!!! There are so many people in my life who refer to me as one or the other that I refuse to choose!!! So for the purpose of blogging and tweeting I am STEPHNIKKI BB!

Sooo now that that’s out of the way, still one question seems to be lingering…. Why CONSCIOUS KINKS AND CURLS????? Thank you.. I am so glad you asked. (lol) I am a very CONSCIOUS person, sometimes almost to a fault.  Just so you can see where I am headed, but definitely not to insult your intelligence, conscious is mainly being aware of your thought, feelings, and surroundings. I firmly believe that people go throughout life unCONSCIOUS. Like robots. So caught up in the day to day that they literally might as well have been sleep because nothing affected them. They are numb! Nothing makes them angry, nothing makes them happy. Nothing moves them because they are unCONSCIOUS! So I pride myself in being aware, in tune with  myself, my environment, my community, my family….
It is my life's goal to ensure that the world will be different because I was here.

The KINKS and CURLS refers to my hair. Going natural has definitely changed my life! It is a journey, a bumpy road… but one that I walk with pride! (PUMPED MY FIST IN THE AIR.) I will definitely be sharing details soon and often!!!

Just a couple of things to help make reading easier: I love punctuation! I am naturally a very animated person, so I will use punctation to aid and covey how I am feeling. So english teachers beware. :(  I also am using this blog as an outlet and love to hear other peoples opinions so feel free to share! Believe me I am not doing this just to “hear myself talk, “ although I do love the sound of my voice! LOL Last but definitely not least… I am not an authority on the topics in which I speak! I am merrily ejecting my thoughts and opinions into everyday life and I appreciate you joining me!!!
Thanks for visiting!

TTYS, enjoy living CONSCIOUSly cause unCONSCIOUS living is not sexy!!!