Writing the Wrongs

I believe many of you can relate to not being terribly concerned with people hurting you directly, but when your friends and family - your loved ones - are harmed, you take on a new kind of energy.

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That's where I am. That's where I've been.

You see, people have taken liberties they were not granted. People have stolen time, confidence, money, and hope under the guise of love, friendship, faith, business, and a host of other falsehoods. And where I have the capacity to forgive the wrongs brought against me, I am limited in my ability to do the same where others are concerned.

But what I am consistently reminded is that I do not know more than God. I do not understand more than God. I do not feel more than God. I do not have more power to right these wrongs than God.

And often, after being reminded, I wonder what I can do to help. And what I am shown time and time again, is that I possess the ability to write these wrongs in a way in which others can digest them, using a medium by which others can gain alternative perspectives, and in a tone where others can find their voice.

Let's explore this gift together.

Love & Peace

Niki B.

Happy New Year! (2015)

I spent the better part of the day taking inventory of my blessings. Acknowledging accomplishments made and challenges endured in 2014. For many, including myself, last year was a challenging year to go through. But as sure as you’re reading this blog entry - we made it through! We persevered. And that alone is an accomplishment worthy of celebrating.   

I believe that we must constantly reevaluate ourselves and our purpose. I also believe that it is important to set goals (S.M.A.R.T.). So it is during this time of year that I begin identifying new goals and rearranging previous goals that have not yet been reached. Goals that closely align with my vision and my purpose. Whatever goals we set for ourselves and whatever our individual purpose is, we must always remember to proceed with beauty, grace, kindness and openness. And when doing so, we must also remember to be encouraging, uplifting, courageous, empowering, grateful, genuine and well!

Happy New Year!

Love & Peace

Niki B.

Time: The Disease of Procrastination

I began taking public transportation to work last month, after having semi-relocated. Prior to this transition, I spent many hours processing the upcoming changes and what they meant for my life. Earlier mornings, longer days, extended commute, more interaction with strangers and less time at home. This ultimately boiled down to one thing - I would have less time to procrastinate. Less. Time. To. Procrastinate. A more productive life was one positive thing out of all the changes I had been preparing myself to accept. For several years, I've been saying that a more productive life is what desired. And the thought made me excited but as soon as I'd become excited, I'd remember - earlier mornings, longer days, extended commute, more interaction with strangers and less time at home. =)

I've always praised myself on having been so productive when I was a student. I maintained a decent GPA while working full-time and taking care of my other responsibilities. I even managed to have something resembling a social life. I made things happen and I got things done. Efficient and effective. But once I graduated, I began putting things off. And the time I spent procrastinating multiplied exponentially.

It's been years since I was a student. Years since my life was a finely tuned time efficiency machine. And just so we're clear, I procrastinated as a student as well, however, the time I spent doing so was far less. 

And while some things will take a lot longer to get used to than others, I'm excited with the challenge. I'm excited to see how much my productivity will rise. I look forward to tracking my progress in attaining certain goals that I've been putting off. 

So, if you're like me and need a reason to buckle down and get productive, I challenge you to find that reason. Together, we can take back control of our lives (as much as any one person can take control of their life). And whatever we do, let's remember to be bold, beautiful, encouraging, uplifting, empowering, present living, future focused, productive, efficient, effective and well. 

Love & Peace

Niki B.

Make Time

I haven't posted in quite a while; I've been busy taking care of some important personal matters. I found, however, over the past two months, that I've missed blog writing. It has definitely become a treasured outlet for me. Another way to express myself in a constructively.

Art is my therapy. I use poetry to express my frustrations and joys and blog writing to remind myself to be the best person I can be. And through the process of my art, I hope that I invite others to do the same. But sometimes other things take precedence. Life doesn't always allow for us to take the time to be creative. But as we continue living our lives, I believe that it is imperative that we [make] time. Make time to identify and utilize constructive outlets in our lives. Make time for the things we love - especially if they will help us become the person we wish to be.

And while we're on the topic of making time, I also believe that it is imperative to [make] time for the people in your life that mean the most to you. Even if your schedules are full and chaotic, move things around where you can so that you can spend more time with the people that bring out the best in you. I guarantee, if you invest your time in people that want you to succeed in life, your return will be more than you could have ever imagined. So while we're making time for creativity and our loved ones, remember to be bold, beautiful, genuine, considerate, encouraging, mindful, kind, inspiring, creative and well!

Love & Peace

Niki B.

Communication: Personal Relationships

I recently stumbled across a piece that I wrote about communicating in personal relationships. Alarmingly, the message is still relevant for me today. My personal relationships have become increasingly impersonal as more user-friendly social media outlets emerge. Even thinking about it now, I haven't had a face-to-face or phone conversation with several people that I care a great deal about, in quite some time. I wrote: 

"Who had I become - this person who thinks communication is considered efficient when only a text message had been sent or a "like" icon was clicked on a Facebook photo or status update? One or two comments left on a "wall" or a "tweet" with a hashtag for clarity had become the only way that I was allowing myself to be expressive -- personally. What happened to my ideologies that communication was most effective when non-verbal cues could be observed? Why was it that I was so willing to communicate, for lack of a better word, in a medium wherein everything was lost in translation? Had I accepted societal norms, thus, accepting that this emerging form of communication was in fact effective communication for young adults in America?"

I continue to subconsciously pretend that I'm content with the impersonal nature of the relationships I consider cultivated. My hope is that you are not as familiar as I with regard to these types of relationships. However, if impersonal relationships are a common theme in your life, I challenge you, as I've once again challenged myself, to take a proactive approach when communicating personally. If we expect our new or stagnant relationships to blossom into lifelong relationships, we must first make the effort, to interact on a more personal level. And as our relationships evolve into strong and healthy lifelong relationships, remember that they too must be maintained on a personal level.  

With that being said, please don't get me wrong. Social media and messaging tools are not bad things. They are a great way to stay connected when distance and time prevent you from physically being in the same space as the person/people in which you are interacting with. And while some messaging and social media outlets offer a more personal approach to virtual communication, it should not be the only form of communication you have with the people in which you wish to build strong relationships with. Relationships that require a higher level of personal interaction but lack nurturing and are deprived of growth opportunities, will not outlast the test of time. So while we make the effort to strengthen our personal relationships through face-to-face interactions, let's also remember to be bold, beautiful, mindful, courageous, kind, genuine, nurturing, uplifting, conscious, encouraging, inspiring and well!

Love & Peace

Niki B.

Authenticity Required

For many years I struggled with wanting to please people. Fearful that if I didn't make every effort possible to be the person that others wanted me to be, they wouldn't accept me. However, what I have come to realize is having that type of mentality is poisonous to my life. No matter how may people talk about us for not living and/or acting a certain way, we must remain committed to being our authentic selves.

Now, please don't get me wrong - being authentic doesn't mean that we shouldn't be adaptable. Additionally, I'm not saying that we should never concern ourselves with what other people think. After all, people's impressions of us play a huge part in our lives, specifically in how we network and progress in the world (both socially and professionally). Adaptability is one of the best qualities we can possess. Whether we are hanging out with friends or conversing with colleagues, having the ability to modify our behavior and the way in which we communicate effectively in any environment is a must. However, we mustn't compromise who we are (fundamentally) in an effort to please others.

Life truly becomes increasingly joyful when we stop pretending to be someone else. When we are no longer fearful of what other people think about the person we used to be, the person we are and the person we are becoming, we have the courage to be our authentic selves. So I challenge you, as I have challenged myself, to be authentically you. And while we are being our authentic selves, it is imperative that we remember to be bold, beautiful, kind, encouraged, courageous, genuine, conscious and well!

Love & Peace

Niki B.