Mindset Motivation
Positive thoughts and practices are the
weights that keep us sharp and toned.
A friend once shared this quote with me which I later learned was from Richard Bach: “We teach what we most need to learn.” The things I share on this blog are sprouted from experiences I’ve had and/or lessons I’ve learned or still may be learning. This one, is a daily lesson. DON’T COMPARE. In a world where social media is in our faces 24/7 with everyone’s highlight reel of their life and mostly keeping the real deal life stuff private (which they have every right to do); it can be challenging at times. You don’t see the bad, and the ugly...just the good. Then, you have most of society telling you how the timeline of your life is supposed to look: Graduate college, go for master and/or doctorate, find the one and get married, buy a house, have kids, work till sixty…and the societal list goes on and on and on. Ummmm, NOT QUITE. I knew from a young age that my life would be taking the road less traveled. It took me some time to understand and adjust to that realization (thanks for a great mom) but, I eventually embraced it...hence “The ABnormal Life.” I totally celebrate the outside-of-the-box way of thinking and living. HOWEVER! I’d be lying through my teeth if I said this path less taken was a stroll in the park. Nah, it’s more like a triathlon with a plethora of twists, jumps, turns, and leaps…leaps of faith that is :) And with that, people who decided to take the more common route (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that) may seem like they have it a bit easier. Then the doubt of your life not going how theirs is begins to seep in. Now, pay attention… Once that first “comparison” thought comes, it’s SO easy to go down that rabbit hole of comparison, self-doubt, and regret. DON’T DO IT! We’ve all been there and it’s a dark and unhappy place. Don’t do that to yourself.
Solution: Instead, once you feel your mindset going to that “comparison” phase, have a coping method in place to counteract those thoughts. Here’s my example: As soon as I feel myself starting to compare, I instantly start repeating my personal affirmations: I am intelligent I am beautiful I am on the right path! I am walking in my purpose! And the thing is…I may not even believe what I’m saying at the time! BUT, I’m putting those positive thoughts out into the atmosphere. I’m changing my mindset by saying those things. Let’s not forget the power of the tongue. I find my affirmations most helpful when I don’t believe what I’m reading. It’s those times when I don’t feel beautiful or intelligent that I have to reiterate that to myself and get my mind back to a positive state. Remember, it’s not about how you start, but how you finish. We are imperfect humans and negative thoughts will come, but the biggest test is how we handle it. Know that you have the power to keep your mind stayed on positivity. Also remember, this is a daily practice. This isn’t something that happens once and it’s done. You have to keep positive practices like journaling and affirmations in your daily regimen. Continue to enjoy the amazing and unique path that was created JUST FOR YOU. Be great. *Now let me go back and read this whole blog to myself! Xoxo, Abnormally AB
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We all have those moments when we wish we had the wisdom and insight we possess now a few weeks, months, or years ago. However, the great thing about this world is we live amongst people that have all experienced life in various ways. The benefit of that is being able to learn lessons from their experiences, which may assist you with being more prepared for what’s to come in your life path.
I’m a true believer that we are helpers one to another. I have so many AMAZING people in my life who I’m so grateful for that want the best for me and take time to give me advice and share lessons from their experiences. In return, I’d love to be that person for you today. Let’s dive into these lessons Pen and paper ready? Okay! Lesson #1: JUST START. This had to be #1. Since I was a young girl, my mother taught me to do all things with a spirit of excellence. I thank her for that lesson, however, the extreme person I can be sometimes may have turned that excellence thing into being a perfectionist. Perfection is the enemy of progress. JUST START. Listen, I started my YouTube video with a white sheet as my background until I could budget for a nicer one. I started my blog not knowing if I was going to have enough to write about but I just started. Did my blog look exactly how I wanted it when I first launched it…umm NO. However, I put myself out there and to see the growth from my first day to now, it’s been a beautiful evolution. Seeing your personal growth is a beautiful thing. JUST START. (I gotta make these lessons shorter if we’re gonna get through 10! LOL) Lesson #2: Plan Ahead. I had no idea how time consuming blogging was going to be. From creating the email blast to creating Instagram and Facebook stories to market your blog, oh and actually taking the time to stop and write the darn thing…it is A LOT. No sugar coating it. However, if you get yourself on a schedule and have good time management, you will find your rhythm and it will get much easier. Lesson #3: Automation. This came after planning ahead for a reason but needed to be its own lesson. Automation is a blessing from heaven. Automating your blog posts, email blasts, and posts is such a time saver. Go ahead and save yourself a lot of time by investing in automated apps. Lesson #4: Hire an Editor. There’s nothing worse than saying you’re a blogger and having tons of grammatical errors within your posts. (Checking back to make sure I don’t have any. lol) It’s so worth it. If you can’t hire an editor yet, at least get a second pair of eyes to read over your blog. Sometimes you may be writing at night, get a little tired and skip a word or have a run-on sentence. A second pair of eyes is always helpful. Lesson #5: Engage. Engagement is SO important. A brand will work with someone who has more engagement over someone who has a bigger number of followers with less engagement. Take time to read and respond to your supporters. We have all had that feeling of someone we look up to acknowledging us or replying back to our comment and it put a big smile on your face. Same thing. Always engage…only positive engagement by the way. Just block the trolls if they happen to show up. Lesson #6: Don’t Write for the Size of your Audience. Whew, this is a big one. Let’s just cut right to the chase, in the beginning of blogging, your audience may be all of 1 person, and that person may be your grandma. However, you need to stroke those keys like you’re writing for the New York Times! Listen, it only takes one person to change your life. One brand to love your content and want to work with you. One supporter to say, you changed my life and perspective by writing this, thank you. So never down play your work because you have a small audience and you are discouraged because no one is reading or commenting. You never know who will come across it one day. Lesson #7: Be Consistent. Once people have discovered your blog, they’re now going to look forward to your new content. If you say you’re going to post weekly, do that. Bi-weekly, stay true to that. Now, let’s be honest, sometimes life happens and we fall off of our schedule. That’s ok. Keep your audience updated, they’ll understand and then hop back on schedule as soon as possible. Lesson #8: Be a Solution. What your audience truly wants to know is what’s in it for them. Are they getting good financial advice from this post, a discount code on the cute skirt you're wearing, details about how you lost all that weight so they can do it too? When writing your blogs, always remember W.I.I.F.T. – What’s In It For Them? If you keep that in mind while you write, they’ll always come back for more. Lesson #9: Stay Authentic. There are a lot of other bloggers writing on the same topic as you are, but remember, there’s no one else like you and you’ll bring a different perspective to it. Don’t compare yourself to another blogger. That blogger may have been in the game much longer than you and is just now reaping the benefits of all his/her hard work. Stay true to who you are and if you ever have doubts, just remember why you started. Lesson #10: HAVE FUN! Yes, a lot comes with being a blogger. We are on a tight schedule to make sure we produce the best content for our audiences and that comes with a lot of responsibility. The one thing we have to remember in all of this is to have fun while doing it. Write about things that bring you joy. This is YOUR platform. You are the CEO. Remember to be nice to yourself and celebrate your hard work and milestones. *BONUS LESSON!* Write your blog posts in a word document, save it, and THEN put it in your blogging platform. A lot of bloggers have been burned by NOT doing it this way. Always write in a document, SAVE, then transfer your information. J Which was your favorite lesson? Leave a comment below! Xoxo, Abnormally Ab As I come closer and closer to my one-year celebration of “The ABnormal Life”, moments of reflection, evaluation, and various forms of emotion have passed through. The business aspect of my mind starts racing with thoughts of, did I write enough blog posts this year? How did my audience like my writing? Is it good enough to continue into a second year or should I steer my time and energy towards something else? Whew. It’s amazing how powerful the mind is and how many thoughts can flow in and out of it. With all the thoughts and questions I’ve asked myself, there’s one above all that stands out: Why did you start “The ABnormal Life?” When I begin to ponder on that question, the other thoughts leave my mind and a slight grin graces my face because as I begin to think about the answer to that question, it brings me back to what matters. I started “The ABnormal Life” because it reminds me of my “why.” I started “The ABnormal Life” because I felt a yearning to remind the world to get back to being ABNORMAL. The definition of Abnormal on this platform is: Not normal, average, typical, or usual; deviating from what’s considered normal. Differing in any way from the usual state, structure, condition or rule. Synonyms: Uncommon, rare, divergent, unexpected, surprising, unconventional, eccentric. In a world where society strives to give us daily dosages of what “their” normal is...what it looks like...what color it is…what shape it should be or fix itself to be…how it should talk…and what it should wear; The ABnormal Life stands strong to wash off those thoughts and be that reminder that you are fearfully and wonderfully made just the way you are. As simple as that sounds, it takes daily work and affirmation to not get clouded by the thoughts of this world, but we can do it together. ABnormal is a good word. This is a space where being your authentic self is celebrated and welcomed. I lead by example and walk in my abnormalcy proudly. That’s my “why.” While figuring out this blog life, there’s something huge I didn’t know or expect to come with this journey; the gift of therapy.
Little did I know, this new form of expressing my thoughts, experiences, and feelings (that’s a big one for me) with you would fulfill me in a way that I didn’t realize. It was truly an “ah-ha” moment when I had that epiphany. SO! With all that being said, I am continuing “The ABnormal Life.” This IS a movement. I am a believer of positive affirmations. As I embark into this second year, I affirm: The ABnormal Life will continue to stand strong to celebrate your individuality and the uniqueness that each of you possess. The ABnormal Life will be known internationally! Traffic and email opt-ins will increase 100%! The ABnormal Life is working with phenomenal like-minded brands spreading positivity all over the world…and looking fabulous while doing it! IT IS SO! Thank YOU for being a part of the ABnormal Life family. I’m so grateful for you! Cheers to year one!! Xoxo, ABnormally Ab Hi, my name is Abigail and I don’t have it all together.
(Support group says, Hiiii Abigail) Keeping up with your social media can be daunting, especially if you’re keeping a consistent presence on most of the platforms out there. I use quite a few apps to assist me in creating content for my pages and the pages I manage for my clients. I have to tell you though, I still feel the struggle of striving to come up with content and staying consistent. I truly enjoy social media, but lately it’s become a bit stressful. I took some time to evaluate my situation and found a solution. I realized I needed to use more apps that automate and schedule content for me. I’ve used one in the past, but I’m doing my research to find which ones are best for me. In the meantime, I wanted to share some apps I use to assist me with my content. As a business owner, your social media is a visual resume and it’s imperative you represent yourself with excellence. Check these apps out if you haven’t already and if you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to leave them in the comments! “Real strength has to do with helping others.” – Mister Rogers Editing Apps: 1 – VSCO 2 – LightRoom 3 – FaceTune (iphone) 4 – Snapseed Scheduling apps: 1 – Preview 2 – UNUM 3 – Planoly 4 – Latergram Graphics apps: 1 – Canva 2 – Unfold 3 - Photogrid 4 - PicMonkey I ask this question not with a judgmental tone, but simply with curiosity. If you’re reading this blog, I’m sure you understand that the purpose each person has for their life is SO much bigger than them. For example, that amazing teacher you might’ve had in grade school or college wasn’t great just to having bragging rights to say they were the best teacher. They knew the reward came from the hundreds of children that will thrive in life from having had them as their teacher. Let me tell you, when I was being afraid and fearful to use my gifts, God CHECKED ME me! LOL Nah for real though. He said, “Girl, it’s not about you. It’s about the people that’ll benefit & be blessed from the gifts I’ve given you. That’s how God and I talk lol. He keeps me in check. After grasping that understanding, fear left and I became grateful He decided to use me as a vessel for these appointed gifts. SO, I’ve grown to learn that one of my gifts is being able to connect with youth. I enjoy it and I do my best to stay actively involved with youth all around town through various organizations. My most recent youth interaction was volunteering for Vacation Bible School at my church. This was my 3rd year doing it and it’s really a week I look forward to each summer. I think I look forward to the amazing decorations, new worship songs and exciting bible stories more than the kids do! Any who, it’s a whole week packed with information teaching elementary students about the goodness of God. These days are long and can be quite tiring….but it’s so worth it. It’s worth it because of the memories that are made, and the lessons taught throughout the week stick with these kids and guide them when faced with various decisions or situations in their lives. I see the light bulb moments that happen when watching them listen to the bible stories and the excitement they get when remembering the bible verse of the day. To be able to play the little part of being a crew leader throughout the week so they can get that experience is priceless. There’s this quote I found that says… “Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time, they just have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew. It’s so true. Going to work for the rest of the day right after VBS and changing in the car to get there on time was a little hectic (Thank God for tinted windows LOL!) but again, it was worth it. I remember going to VBS too…well our VBS wasn’t as extravagant as it is these days lol. Kids these days better be grateful! Lol But I remember my VBS days and now as an adult, I realize the people that taught us probably came straight from work (I remember it being in the afternoon) to spend time with us for free willingly. That gratitude hits differently when you now see it from an adult perspective. Volunteering is so rewarding. The feeling you experience knowing you’ve been a blessing by giving your valuable time and yourself to those you’re helping is priceless. I invite you to find some new volunteer work within your city.
Identify your gifts and find an organization that will benefit from them. Are you a great cook? Summer camps need help in the kitchen. Not a kid person, maybe the next person running for a position in your town can use your help campaigning. Until you find something that fits you, checks are always very helpful too! Comment below about your most recent volunteer experience! I’m excited to see how you’re using your gifts! “Volunteers are not paid—not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.” - unknown Xoxo, ABnormally Ab What is the Forward Conference? Each year, 13,000 students gather at the Infinite Energy Arena to be part of an incredible weekend of worship and fun featuring some of the best worship artists and guest speakers in the world. It’s more than just a conference, it’s a call to this generation to leave the past behind and push forward into the plans God has for their lives. “And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to GO FORWARD.” Exodus 14:15 Where to even begin? Let’s start here: I found out about FowardCon through my church (Thank you, RPT for this opportunity!). I help teach the middle school girls on Sundays and found out that they were taking a couple of our youth to the conference. With me being the newest leader with the girls, I thought that going on this trip would be a great way to get to know the girls more and strengthen our bond which will then have them open up more with us on Sundays. (We gotta be strategic with these kids to get them to open up just like our Sunday school teachers were with us LOL!) So I inquired about the trip and there was an open spot as a chaperone. FowardCon, here we come! The first night was mind-blowing in such a great way! After finding a seat (that’s a whole other blog), I got settled and took a moment to look around. Y’all, I had never seen a FULLY packed out arena, not even at the Beyonce concert I went to. I mean no seat empty. An arena full of youth READY to worship. ![]() The first night finally started. THE GRAPHICS and full on production I saw was SICKKK! From the entertaining opening acts, lights, oh and the LED stage they stood on (amazing) was supreme. I loved seeing this conference go all out for God. After getting over the packed out stadium and amazing visuals, then came the worship. (Dramatic pause) We worshipped our hearts out each and every night like it was our last day on earth. There were tears, arms lifted, people singing, souls being saved, and the spirit of God truly encompassing the place. I appreciated all the worship artists that led us into that atmosphere. (All artists and speakers will be listed below) After praising our hearts out, the speakers that they chose blessed us with a WORDDDD you hear me! My notes are filled with golden nuggets that they kept dropping. I couldn’t type fast enough and hope the messages will be posted up soon so you can hear them. What I appreciated most about the speakers was that they were very much aware of the audience they were speaking to. As a speaker myself, I admired that. They made sure their teaching was able to be understood by a middle school/high school mindset and that it also spoke to us older folk… (the chaperones lol!) Here are some nuggets I took away:
Now that I’ve talked about the conference, allow me to share my personal takeaway: Before getting to the conference, y’all know by now that I do my research so I can know what I’m walking into. After researching, I didn’t see any familiar worship artists I knew (so I thought) or guest speakers. So here’s the thing, I grew up on a certain type of music; Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Kim Burell, etc. So I’ve personally had a hard time opening myself up to this newer contemporary type worship. I’ve tried! My church sings these types of songs sometimes and I’d learn the words, but it wasn’t quite moving me like other music was. With that, I told myself, “Hey, I know the music at the conference isn’t what you’re used to, but go in with an open mind and let God handle the rest.” So I did. I was excited to hear each artist and welcomed in their worship just like I would with what I’m used to hearing. Man, did I have a spiritual breakthrough. Listen, I think in the past, I subconsciously didn’t open myself up to feel when I heard this type of music. But what I realized is that it has the same power and the same anointing that flows through the music I grew up on. Y’all, I was having like a whole mind-blowing epiphany within my own little bubble. It’s amazing what going in with an open mind can do. After that realization, I let myself go and felt His presence throughout each song I sang. It was an amazing experience for me. To top that all off, let me tell you about this beautiful angel that blessed me. As I was worshipping…and crying (Thug tears lol)…this random woman touches my back. As I’m wiping my tears, I’m thinking she needs to get by, because I was on the end of a row. That wasn’t the case. As the booming music from Hillsong Worship was playing, I heard her as clear as day say, Hi my name is Lindy. I know this might sound crazy and be kind of weird but the Lord told me to come and pray for you. Is that ok? Not knowing who she was from Adam, I said yes. We hugged each other from the side, put one arm around each other, rested our heads together, and she began to pray for me. (I’m getting teary-eyed as I type). She was such a blessing to me. I listened to her prayer, and wiped my eyes, and can’t even remember everything she said, but I can remember the way she made me feel. I’m SO grateful she followed her heart and was obedient to what God asked her to do because she hugged me in a moment that I really needed one. I got her number and texted her afterwards telling her thank you again. Thank you, Lindy. With ALL that being said,
I had a phenomenal time. From seeing our youth worship, get saved, laugh and sing on the buses, build bonds with fellow youth and witness some of them wanting to get baptized so we did it in the pool of the hotel, I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. Sleep deprived, yes. Worth it? Heck yes. Xoxo, Abnormally AB Artist and speaker info below: Speakers: Jentezen Franklin, Carl Lentz, Levi, Luscko, Dawnchere Wilkerson, Reggie Dabbs, Ben Prescott. Artists: Hillsong Worship, Andy Mineo, Bethel Music, Passion Music, Free Chapel Music. ![]() “A book is a gift you can open again and again.” I believe the sooner you understand that, the more you will get out of life. I was that middle-schooler that did everything else but read her summer books. I’d try to get into it, but something else more sports-like ended up grabbing my attention and I never fully read the books before the start of school (Not my mom’s fault). Oh but let’s take a moment and thank GOD for Spark Notes. Lawd, without them, I’d still be in middle school LOL! Anywho, as I’ve grown, I learned to appreciate the golden nuggets and fresh perspectives that comes from the thousands of words compressed between the covers. Although I don’t consider myself a fast reader at all, I still try my best to get through as many books as I can each year. I attended a weekend workshop with Les Brown and in his beginning stages, he gave himself the task of reading one book a week. And one of my spiritual mentors (in my head) TD Jakes says, “You cannot lead if you do not read.” With that being said, here are 5 summer reading suggestions. PLEASE return the favor and load me up with good book suggestions in the comments. “A true leader never stops being a student.” ![]() 1 - The One Philosophy by Nancy Matthews We all know the golden rule of treating others with kindness. But this book shows you how to live a life of being “The One” for those around you. That could be asking a friend if she’d like you to accompany her to an important doctor’s appointment or being present in the moment and listening to how your kids’ day went at school in the car instead of riding with music on, or something as simple as smiling and kindly saying thank you to the bank teller that assisted you. I practice daily to be The One for each and every person I encounter. Give this short and easy book a read. ![]() 2 - Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur by Cara Alwill Leyba This book is for that go-getting woman who needs some advice on how to continue to build her empire. This book served as my big sister. Someone who has built her empire and is reaching back and helping those of us who are coming up. Give this “best friend in a book” a read. ![]() 3 - The Sensational Salesman by Duane Cummings Man, if you think you can’t make it after what you’ve been through, read this book and you’ll gain a new perspective. It also demonstrates the importance of having mentors in your life. In this life, we are truly helpers one to another and this book is a beautiful example of that. Get ready to be enlightened and give this book a read. ![]() 4 - Becoming by Michelle Obama Boy oh boy. This has probably been the most talked about book since the end of last year and it’s for good reason! The book is her memoir that talks about personal experiences and her finding her voice. What I love about this book is seeing her humanness. How she played with dolls and talked about her 1st kiss. Most of all, I appreciate the vulnerability that she was willing to share. Now, you MUST have a highlighter because the vocabulary this women uses is colorful and I have dictionary.com OPEN and READY each time I read a page lol!! For that reason alone, you should give this book a read. ![]() 5 - The Bible I am a faith-based human. Reading and understanding the rules that I live by is imperative to me. Yes, I go to church and listen to my amazing pastor preach, but I like to know and understand things for myself. Although I haven’t gotten through the whole bible like I’ve wanted to (It’ll happen soon), I at least like a little taste of it each day by reading my Verse of the Day from the Bible app. I share it in my Instagram stories each day and it has really blessed my audience. Looking for a total life changing, daily feeding book, give this a read. These are my 5 summer reading book suggestions. If you’ve read any of these, let me know what your takeaway was.
Someday soon, my own book will be on this list. Stay tuned! Don’t forget to leave me some suggestions below! Xoxo, ABnormally AB As we approach the last week of Women’s History Month, I wanted to complete the celebration of this month with a huge topic that needs to stay top of mind. That topic is our health. Physical, Mental, and Spiritual. There’s so much to be said and not enough writing time, but what it really comes down to ladies is taking care of self. Naturally most women are nurturers. We feed, protect, support, encourage, train, and educate those around us. We take on a lot. And unfortunately, we sometimes forget the most important person to take care of…us. In order for us to be all those things to those around us, we HAVE to care for ourselves so we can actually remain here. This thing we call home…our body, takes work to keep up. I know we may not all be workout fanatics or like healthy foods, but we have to respect the temple that’s giving us an opportunity to be a mom, sister, friend, and wife. I knowwww we all wish there was more time in a day, but we all have the same 24 hours per day and we have to make the best of it. Just think about a home. Homes don’t do well sitting not lived in. They begin to collect dust, spider webs, dirt, and smells. I think of our bodies in the same way. They don’t do well not taken care of. Our bodies too can collect dust…better known as aches and pains. Spider webs…better known as anxiety and depression. Dirt and smells...better known as many diseases that can threaten our existence. You’re doing yourself as well as those around you a disservice when you don’t take care of self. They want you around! Before we get into great solutions, do me a favor, the next time you’re trying to fit something else into your already busy day, DO NOT let the first thing you cancel be pertaining to you. Meaning your workout, yoga, meditation etc. Remember your worth and know that it’s just as important to work out for 30 minutes as it is to make little Johnny’s baseball game. You are important too. Now that we have that covered, I’d love to give you some ideas of how you can stay physically, spiritually and mentally healthy. 1) Make working out FUN! (Physical Health): Personally, I have to switch my workouts up so I won’t get bored. What I’ve recently added to my workout regimen is jump-roping! And I’m so loving it (minus hitting myself until I got back into the groove lol!) Bike riding is something else I plan on adding to my workouts, especially because summer is coming. So find a way to make working out for you fun. ![]() 2) Natural feminine pads (Physical Health): SO! I’m so excited to talk about these! I do my best to be as natural as I can, and I came across this article that talked about all the chemicals in pads and tampons. Ugh. Needless to say, after that, I was on a hunt for some good natural feminine care. I did all my research and came across these in Target! Very reasonably priced and most of all made by women for women. If you haven’t already tried this company, I’d suggest you do! 3) Journaling (Mental Health): Now, this is the type of health that I have to give myself more permission to spend time on. Journaling is such a great stress reliever. It’s like a best friend that never tells your business lol! Whether it’s 5 or 15 minutes, I challenge you to give yourself time to journal and release. It’s a great exercise. 4) Church and meditation (Spiritual): The everyday tasks that we do in this world pull us down, tug, and drain us. It’s IMPERATIVE to have a sacred place where you can get recharged. I do both. I try to meditate daily, in the morning (I’m usually half sleep) during my morning routine. Church is my weekly recharge and I look forward to it. Especially if it’s been “a week” I know it’s time for some good ole praise and worship. It fuels me for the week ahead of me! Above are different ways that I take care of self. Be inspired by what I do and make it your own.
Know your worth and remember your “why” when thinking about skipping that workout or journaling session. “Why” do I have to work out” –because I want to see my children grow up. I want to be a good friend, sister, wife, etc. You…yes I’m talking to you reading this, you are amazing. Don’t forget it. Happy Women’s History Month and continue to celebrate and support the women around you! Xoxo, ABnormally AB This is a blog post simply to brag on some of the amazing women that have waltzed through my life. From corporate women to successful entrepreneurs, they all have one thing in common…they all stand firmly and confidently in their power and their purpose and inspire those around them like me :) So get your eyes ready to learn about some amazing Sheroes. Don’t you just love Women’s History Month?! Let the bragging begin! Female Leaders: 1) Eulinda “Lynn” Smith – Owner of Halo Salon & Experience. Where hair and Heaven Meet! Her salon offers a hair haven with an upscale, professional and tranquil setting! More than a salon, it’s an experience! - Lynn has been doing my hair since I was in elementary school. From doing my hair in her living room to having one of the classiest salons in Tallahassee, she is a successful entrepreneur and true inspiration to me and I’m so glad I get to call her my big sister. Lynn’s Shop is located in Tallahassee, Florida. Thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose! Address: 413 N. Magnolia Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32308 1) Women’s Prosperity Network Founders, Susan Wiener, Trish Carr, & Nancy Matthews – Women’s Prosperity Network was founded by three sisters with the intention of creating a new type of networking for women. A network within a framework of a continuing community of support, education and advancement in their personal and professional lives. I can tell you from experience that this community is ALL THAT and so much more! If you know me, and we’ve talked female empowerment, then you’ve heard me sing praises about WPN. The three founding sisters are Susan Wiener, Trish Carr, and Nancy Matthews. They each possess such unique and powerful gifts which explain why the foundation of this network is solid and has continued to flourish since 2008. Thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose sisters! Women’s Prosperity Network Website: womensprosperitynetwork.com/ 1) Karla D. Ellis – Karla D. Ellis is a successful Florida lawyer that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know through Women’s Prosperity Network. With a background in criminal appeals as a former assistant attorney general, she stands in her power each day taking the opportunity to help others. Her most recent success is coaching a moot court team to a WIN from her law school Alma mater, Florida State University. Thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose, Karla! Website: karladellis.com/ 1) Honey Hilliard – Honey Hilliard is a beautiful and successful American artist that I also met through Women’s Prosperity Network! (See how many amazing women I’ve met through that network?!) Honey is a self-taught artist that loves to create a visual language of colorful optimism that is relatable and inspiring. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums and publications worldwide. The first time I saw Honey at a WPN meeting, I was drawn to her angelic-like spirit. It was like a stream of butterflies floated behind her as she walked lol! I know, but that’s what her spirit looks and feels like. I love working and hanging out with Honey and her family. From modeling her Armscarves to hanging out at the pool with her and her youngest daughter, Honey is an inspiring entrepreneurial female leader. Thank you for continuing to talk in your purpose, Honey! Website: www.honeyhilliardart.com Young Female Leaders: 1) Symone Davis – Symone is a phenomenal news reporter at WAVY TV 10/FOX 43. Symone and I are Sorority sisters and met at a Sorority meeting where she was working at my local news station at the time. We automatically connected because we were the youngsters of the group. From there we’ve kept in close touch and have watched each other grow and continue to flourish. Symone continues to make a great name for herself as she climbs up the news anchor ladder, and I’ll continue to cheer her on every step of the way. Symone, thank you for being such a great example for beautiful little girls that are coming after you. Thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose! Instagram:www.instagram.com/symoneadavis/ 2) Kat Medrano – Kat Medrano is a young woman of many goals and talents. She is a holistic lifestyle coach, a makeup artist, and how she’s helped me most is by being an essential Oils Educator. I met Kat at a WPN meeting (See what I mean!) We started talking and have stayed connected from there! Essential oils has played a huge part in my life and the lives of my family’s over the last few years, and I have Kat to thank for that. She took the time to answer any and all questions my mom and I had with pleasure. We are truly an essential oil family now! Thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renewedlife_kat/ 3) Benin Saffo – Benin Saffo is a corporate success as a product manager at IBM Watson. I’ve known Benin since middle school and I always knew success would follow her wherever she went. Something that I may not have understood back in middle school but greatly admire now is her uniqueness and authenticity. Benin has an extraordinary passion for technology, people, and hair, and her recent AI (artificial intelligence) technology for natural hair is going to blow the socks off of the natural hair industry! Benin built a custom model to define different hair types through Watson Visual Recognition. (Pauseeee for dramatic effect!) My friends are bombbbbb! I’ll leave an article below for you to learn more about her new technology. Neener, thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose! Article: https://medium.com/@benin.saffo/hair-564c3ab28aee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jelliebns/ 4) Bianca Belabre – Bianca Belabre is a successful social media strategist/manager and fashion blogger. My mom happened to meet her at….you guessed it…a WPN meeting. As they were talking, she was already familiar with my social media and I believe we connected through DM (direct messaging) and we’ve stayed connected since then! We are definitely each other’s road buddies when going to events around town.
Bianca is great at developing content that is consistent with your brand and delivers quality posts. I love that we are in the same area of business and do not view ourselves as competitors. Like WPN says, “It’s co-opetition.” We’re here to be helpers one to another and I’m excited to joint venture together in the future. Oh, and did I mention that she’s an amazing host?! She hosts several events around town and owns every stage she graces. Bianca, thank you for continuing to walk in your purpose! Website: agirlwithstyle.com/ Instagram:www.instagram.com/biancabelabre/ Well, now you understand why I stay inspired and encouraged. I have these amazing women in my life that continue to motivate me on a regular basis. The women above are awesome, and I want to remind you that you are too. So, if no one has told you already, Happy Women’s History Month! You are amazing. Xoxo, Abnormally AB What is the Pay It Forward Series you ask? It’s a series I created where I introduce you to a company or brand that I’d like to bring awareness and give exposure to. As Entrepreneurs, we have to be helpers one to another, and it’s my desire to pay it forward using my platform to support amazing people and brands. For this episode, I’d like to introduce you to Daniel Holder. Daniel and I went to college together at Alabama State University. With his positive spirit, he always made you smile and greeted you with a big hug as he passed by on the yard and was not in uniform. (United States Air Force. Thank you for your service). Daniel and I were always cool, especially because we were both in Greek life, (Sorority and Fraternity) where we often all supported each other’s events. Needless to say, Daniel is a great guy. Plus, he named one of his daughters Abigail, so he’s a great and smart guy :) So when he reached out to me, asking if I was interested in reading his book, “I Am Church,” and if so, would love to hear my thoughts, it was a quick “Yes.” I am all for supporting my good college peers and the greatness they have happening. Being able to play a part in supporting their success is always a wonderful opportunity. Now, after saying yes, I let him know, “I’m not a fast reader so ummmm…you’re going to have to give me some time.” lol. I’ve learned to love to read. However, making time for it, is something I’m still working on. I received his book along with a nice shirt (that good t-shirt material!) VERY quickly in the mail. So, let’s get into my thoughts: 1) At first, to be completely honest, by looking at the title, “I Am Church,” I thought this book was going to be SUPER churchy and religious. I went in quite skeptical, but I kept reading. I’m so glad I did. 2) It’s an easy read. You know how some books are like the “King James” version of the bible? You know you read that page but you didn’t understand or retain ANY of it?! Well, that’s not this book. It read like we were just in a nice casual conversation. I appreciated that. 3) I loved the “Questions to consider” at the end of every chapter. After reading each chapter, there are a few questions charging you to put what you’ve learned into action. That was very beneficial. 4) Last, I loved the apology at the beginning and your daughters’ story about their grand mom (Read the book and you’ll understand :) ). So, If you’re asking yourself, is this my kind of read?....
If you know that your purpose is so much bigger than you…absolutely! If you enjoy when someone shares their authentic and transparent life experiences to help you along your path in life…absolutely! If you enjoy continuing to strengthen your relationship as a child of God and learning how to lead by example in your community…absolutely! Daniel, thank you for sharing your experiences and converting them into text so others can be inspired and blessed by your journey. Xoxo, Abnormally Ab Daniel’s Information: Daniel’s website: https://holderministries.com/ Daniel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holderministry/ ** If you’d like to be featured on a future “Pay It Forward Series,” email me at: [email protected] |
AuthorAbigail Hunter Archives
February 2022
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