Stop Waiting... Do It Now

"Stop Waiting... Do It Now", was an empowering and inspiring conference held in Kenner, Louisiana. The creator and host Laquita Brooks, produced an amazing event with powerful speakers, local vendors, and amazing food and surprises. The guest speakers included Sula Kim, Havilah Malone, Cee Cee Michaela, and Bershan Shaw. Each speaker shared personal stories in which they turned hardship into triumph. There wasn't a guest in the building that didn't connect in some way with the ladies that took the stage.

Sula Kim, news anchor for New Orleans own WDSU television station shared her story of turning down life changing opportunities because of her feelings of unworthiness. Havilah Malone, best selling author, talked about stepping out on her journey to become an author, and leaving her "day job" to pursue her life's passions. Cee Cee Michaela, actress and international natural health coach, discussed her trademarked company and movement Zuleana. On Friday, Cee Cee provided a free pop-up Zuleana African Cardio session in The Esplanade Mall. Today, Cee Cee shared her wealth of knowledge on nutrition and health, as well as, engaged our audience in a short version of her  Zuleana African Cardio dance moves. Bershan Shaw, life coach and motivational speaker, shared her triumph over stage 4 breast cancer, leaving the past behind, and her famous LIFT model.

All of the women displayed a passion and energy to the audience that proved that not only did they talk the talk, but they walked the walked. Women and men stayed behind after the conference to have personal conversations with the presenters. The guests were definitely eager to learn more about how they could Stop Waiting.. and Do It Now.

I am so glad that Nola Girls Night Out, was invited to this exciting event. I had the privilege of raffling off two Nola Girls Night Out Classic tees , as well as, meet some amazing women. I am sure that this will be a yearly event that will get bigger and better. Nola Girls Night Out, is always excited to support local businesses, events, and charities that are need of reviews, assistance, and ladies in the seats. Please contact us if you are interested in having Nola Girls Night Out at your next event or production.

~DM

Mommy Chronicles: "Is that what you're wearing??"

As a mother of three I have learned that every child is different. It doesn't matter if they grow up in the exact same home and environment, each child will have a different perspective and personality. I watch the differences between my children everyday and I am often left with my mouth hanging open due to shock, a hole in my jaws from trying not to laugh in their faces, or a frown on my face due to frustration. No day as a mom is the same and I know for sure that is the beauty of it all.

This leads me to my baby boy, he is a 3 year old replica of his dad physically but I am told by my parents that he has the imagination and free-spirit of his mother (muah). My son loves superheros, trucks, ninja turtles, etc.. He has his favorite cartoons that he likes to watch and he has the foods that he will NOT eat (e.g..anything healthy). I consider him a normal toddler full of life and energy. I've Always been pleased with his personality and creativity. At home I support make-believe and pretend. I don't mind being instructed to call him "Lightning McQueen" rather than his given name. I can take it,  he's a kid.... right???

Well, I can take it, handle it, whatever you want to call it.. He's my boy I love him but... What happens when your children take their imagination and creativity outside of the house? What happens when they want to go beyond the boundaries of their home and enter the real world?? Is there a limit to what you can take? What you will accept as appropriate??

My answer to all of those questions are.. I am "That Mom". I am that mom that you may see jumping in bounce houses and squeezing down slides that can barely hold me. I am that mom that allows her children to dress themselves even though the clothes don't match and they may be too small. I am "That Mom", that lets their child wear a full body costume on a random Saturday when we have soccer games and doctors appointments. It can be awkward but its so worth it!

So when you find yourself asking your child "Is that what you're wearing??" and they respond with a prideful "YES", just say to yourself "I am THAT MOM":-)

~DM

NolaGirlsNightOut

Battling the Guilt of Growth....

We made it! We are at the end of April 2017, we have tackled a quarter of the year and we are pressing on. Like most of you, I started strong with goals and optimism and then things dulled a bit in February. The newness of the New Year wore off and I found myself repeating some of the same old habits. Then March arrived and I snapped out of it. I don't know if it was the change in weather or the time change but I became re-energized and focused. 

I revisited my goals, read more books, and began to talk about my intentions with like minded friends and I became inspired. I attended a Women's empowerment group and I had more fuel to get me through obstacles and keep me on track. This is a great time in my life, right?? The answer is Yes.... but.....

I was sitting enjoying a discussion lead by author and business strategist Havilah Malone , author of "How to become a Publicity Magnet In Any Market via TV, Radio & Print", discuss writing down plans of action, being accountable, and identifying the specifics of what you want out of life  personally,financially, and professionally. One question that was asked to the group once we were instructed to write down how much money we wanted to make was, what are you willing to give to earn that income? That seems like an easy question to answer on the surface but when you go deeper, the task of achieving the goal may not be as simple. 

When someone says that they want to make millions of dollars, one would expect that you would give your time, talents, knowledge, and full effort. However, there is a price for that financial or professional growth. Time spent focusing on work and developing relationships may mean time away from family, the disconnection of familiar friendships, and you may find yourself alone a majority of the time. For some, that may be  a reasonable sacrifice but for others it may create a level of guilt that slows the process of growing. Here's a few suggestions on how to battle the guilt of growth.

1. Believe that your success does not just serve you, but it will also benefit those that you love and your community.

2. Growth requires stretching beyond the familiar to reach new heights. Those that you love may not grow at the same rate or time and that's OKAY.

3. Time is of the essence and there is no better time to start than today. Time will continue whether you work towards your goals or not. You might as well put time into what you want to achieve. Lastly, there will Never be the perfect time to start so just get going.

I've listened to interviews, read books & articles of some of the most successful people in the world and one thing that I've never heard was that the journey was easy and without sacrifice. Let's Do It!

~DM

Vote !! Vote!! Vote!!

If you can, you should!!

Personal Days. Crucial or Nah??

Recently I enjoyed a personal day which centered around ME! Now, of course this day wasn't a full 24 hours but it did allow me 4-5 hours of absolute free time. My question is do you allow yourself to take some personal time? If so, what do you do during that time?

Now let me be honest I am one who thoroughly enjoys time alone. I don't mind eating alone, shopping alone, or going to the movies alone. It has always been something that I enjoy for several reasons. One of the reasons is that it's not the easiest thing to call a friend out of the blue when I have a spare moment and say lets go grab lunch in 20 minutes. That's not realistic. People have jobs and children and responsibilities. The second reason is sometimes I like to be around people but not with people. I like to people watch and meet new and interesting people on a whim. It makes life interesting and I often learn something new. The last reason is that I like to try new things when no one is watching. For example, when I first moved to New Orleans I took a journey down to the city and in front of St. Louis Cathedral there is an amphitheater and  there were street performers doing acrobatics. I sat down to watch the show and they asked for volunteers. Of course, I thought "why not?" no one knows me. So I joined about 7 other volunteers to get on all fours while this semi professional acrobat attempted to leap over all 7 of us while we rested on the concrete. Now, that could have gone terribly wrong. I could have been crushed by the amateur performer or skinned a knee and bruised an elbow but that didn't happen. I have a memory that still makes me laugh some 13 years later. I laughed at myself as I walked away from that adventure hand over mouth tickled.

This recent time alone started with a "scheduled" lunch with a good friend at a new restaurant, Compere Lapin. I had the Jerk Shrimp Roll/Pineapple Tarter Sauce with Chips, WINNING! I also added a glass of Champagne to spice it up. After my friend and I said our goodbyes I took time to walk in the beautiful weather and explore the River Walk. I made sure to take deep breaths to take it all in. My last stop was Ruth Chris, Yum! Of course, I just wanted a nice glass of wine while I waited to make sure I got all of my money's worth of parking. (Paid Parking) I'll save that for another day. Fortunately, I met someone who was also enjoying some free time and they knew of my family and we had mutual friends.. What a Treat! I also saw another familiar face that was enjoying lunch with a friend.

What a wonderful Day!! 

Check out this interesting article from the Huffington Post and share your thoughts.

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/27/spending-time-alone_n_7154166.html

Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras is officially over and I must say that I  enjoyed every moment of it. Although, I've been in New Orleans for 13 years I still don't believe that I know half as much as I should. I'm constantly learning new things about this amazing city and Mardi Gras is a fantastic time to do so.

This year I wasn't able to attend any fabulous balls but I  was able to attend a few parades. I was able to catch the Little Rascals parade in Metairie, La ... which is always a great time for kids. Then my boys and I had a great adventure when we decided to attend the Druids parade on St. Charles Ave. It was a bit chilly and ran later than what I expected so we didn't catch the NyX parade that followed. I'm so glad that I had chairs, snacks, and a blanket in my trunk.

The hubby and I got a chance to enjoy Fat Tuesday on our own which is always an extra perk. I adore the Zulu parade and the famous "coconuts". I had never received so many kisses from men in costumes before as I had when the Krewe of Rex came through. I really liked the carnations and the Crown Royal capes that the men wore. Lastly, I enjoyed the Krewe of Elks Orleans. They always have fantastic throws and they throw a lot.

I enjoyed carnival season and its always a need for recovery after celebrating. I hope that everyone had  as much fun during  Mardi Gras as I did!

~DM

Welcome

Welcome to "Girl Talk" the place where I will share some of my inner most thoughts regarding motherhood, career, entertainment, fashion, celebrities, and overall womanhood. The purpose is to make you laugh, inspire, reaffirm the fact that you are not "crazy", and offer a different perspective on everyday living. I hope that you will share your thoughts and words of wisdom as well.

Lastly, let me confess that this is my first time "officially" blogging, so please go on this journey with me. Hey, what's the worse thing that can happen?? Nothing, except me crying, apologizing or deleting the blog all together. Otherwise, I consider it a win-win. Enjoy!

~DM