Even Though I Have 1 Million Followers, The Internet Has Made Me Insecure
They say comparison is the thief of joy.
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Patricia Bright Youtube // Instagram // Twitter //
Insecure (Season 1, Episode 1)
In the wake of her 29th birthday, Issa Dee and her best friend Molly reconsider their life choices.
Watch the half-hour comedy series Insecure, starring Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay …
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How I Made $65,000 From My Small Blog
I’ve been blogging since 2005. In the beginning – of course – it was all for kicks. I never promoted it and only told about 5 people. All relatives. …
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100 Millennial Lifestyle Bloggers of Color
When we started From a Wildflower back in 2014, we handpicked 40 Bloggers that we knew embodied what a Wildflower was – a soulful woman in her 20s or 30s …
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Oh, How We Danced -Empath, Meets Narcissist
Because you had the tendency to listen with your mouth, I believe you underestimated my silence–my eye rolls and exasperated smirks as signs that you were winning or have won.
I Just Want To Be Alone
The truth is that it never occurred to me how me wanting to be alone all the time affected those around me. I just believed that it did me good …
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A Reflection On Daily Travel as a Woman
I tend to over analyze imaginary situations when it came to riding the MTA. Like whether or not I looked too provocative in case I got off late. That day …
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Solange’s “Don’t Touch My Hair” (Official Music Video)
Watch: Don’t Touch My Hair (above) Cranes in The Sky (below)
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“A Seat at the Table” Digital Album Available Now Here
Pre-order the physical album today: CD / Vinyl
Directed …
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Solange’s “Cranes In The Sky” (Official Music Video)
Watch: Cranes in The Sky (above) Don’t Touch My Hair (below)
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“A Seat at the Table” Digital Album Available Now Here
Pre-order the physical album today: CD / Vinyl
Directed …
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Should I Quit Blogging?
Most Captivating Comment from a Reader/Viewer: “I think as your product becomes more polished it may not hold the same resonance, and it’s ability to connect to most people. The …
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Paradoxical Prologue: Believing In My Own Declaration
I am a writer.
It has taken me years to believe in my own declaration. I have had a hard time accepting that I am qualified to partake in the …
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How He Proposed
“Hey loves, it’s Alisha! In today’s video, my husband and I share our proposal story with you guys! :) Hope you all enjoy!”
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AlyraTV Youtube // Instagram // Twitter …
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My Family is Not Black Excellence
“To say this out loud feels offensive to my Mother’s rule of never putting the family’s business “out on front street.” To address it, I worry that my mother will …
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How To Manage and Make Money
“Hey guys to today we are talking money! How to manage it & how to make more – make sure you are in check.”
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Patricia Bright Youtube // Instagram …
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Struggling Silently and Coping Alone, in Your Twenties
“I’m covering something extremely personal that I haven’t mentioned on my channel. I’ve been dealing with depression for quite a few months now, and for a period of time it …
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I am Not Yours
I had a brief encounter with a white woman on a bus stop. I was wearing my box braids and she raised her hand -who knows if it was clean …
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10 Life Lessons We Learned in College
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LaurensThoughts + Charisse Christine
The Nearly Life-Saving Reasons Why I Write
It is time to come clean and admit that one main motive for writing on here is self-serving. I have no shame in admitting this; writing is a lot like …
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Happily Single
“This video was so difficult for me to film because I’m not used to ‘baring my all’ but hopefully what I went through will help someone else! Thank u so …
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The Power of Defining Yourself
“This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Amma Asante is the director of the Hollywood hit movie Belle and found that working …
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On Learning Confidence
My body has given birth to two children. It has stretched to hold their heads full of knowledge, their bellies full of nutrients, their feet to carry them upright and …
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How My Break Up Set Me Up For My Come Up
“You can’t make homes out of human beings. Someone should have already told you that. And if he wants to leave, then let him leave. You are terrifying, and strange, …
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My Psycho Neighbor Made Me Move
Love, Remi Ashten
Model: Linea Sindt
Would You Date a Guy With “Potential”?
Heels Off is an online talk show hosted by five ladies Rita Balogun, Amina Habeeb, Mercedes Benson, Ashley Watt and Oloni. Through their unique perspectives on life these five …
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Nowhere Near Where I Thought I Would Be
As I sit here and analyze my life, I realize that I am nowhere near where I always thought I’d be at this point in my life. I’ve been out …
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No Shade BUT Do Black Women Support Each Other? #BrownBeautyGurus (Rant)
“I just had to get this off my chest. This is not meant to offend anyone but I just had to speak on the elephant in the room.” – Thanks …
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5 Shows From The 90s That Shaped Who I Am Today
Five shows from the 90s that shaped who I am today: Cosby Show, A Different World, Living Single, Girlfriends, Moesha
I remember coming home from school each day just to …
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The Pain Of The Intelligent Black Girl
I am intelligent. I have no problem recognizing that.
In fact, living in a society that constantly devalues my worth, my beauty and my intelligence, it’s actually kind of revolutionary …
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Are We Really Exempt From Exploitation
This month marks a year of me giving up meat consumption.
I decided going on this compassionate-living path, not because of my health, but because I didn’t want to support …
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Everything I Do Doesn’t Have To Be Shared Online
Delete. Delete. Delete. I spent two hours one night deleting and untagging myself from pictures on Facebook. I didn’t delete everything from my page, just the pictures I felt no …
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The Single Girl’s Guide To Turning Her V-Day Into A Me-Day
HOW TO MAKE YOUR V-DAY A ME-DAY: TIPS FOR THE SINGLE VALENTINE | February 14th is bigger than just one day out the year.
We all know that almost …
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We Are Not Born Knowing How To Love Anyone
We have all heard the maxim “If you do not love yourself, you will be unable to love anyone else.” It sounds good. Yet more often than not we feel …
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Manga & Millennials: How I Found Comfort in Solanin’s Advice About Being Twenty
Solanin, by Inio Asano, is about Meiko Inoue, a recent college grad working a 9-5 that she hates. Sound like anyone you know? She fears she’ll end up a faceless …
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Want To Meet June Ambrose? We’ve Got Deets!
Thank us later.
The Tangled Web An Older Man Weaves
His eyes are piercing, so focused. He doesn’t blink. He looks into the depths of your soul as if he knows every little secret. It’s almost as though he sees …
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“I’m Sorry For Your Loss”
I’d be happy to never hear those words again. It’s been almost two weeks since my father died and I’ve already heard it said about 500 times. Gross exaggeration, but …
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How To Be An Inspiration When You’re The One In Need Of One
I remember when I submitted my first pitch on From a Wild Flower, A Toast To a Lost Vision. It was a post I had written a month or two …
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I’m A Mixed Girl, Born In Spain: But I Feel American
I’m a mixed girl, child of immigrants that was born in Spain. I was raised in Spain, I studied in Spain and I’m currently living in Spain. But do I …
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For Women Who Are Difficult To Love
you are a horse running alone and he tries to tame you compares you to an impossible highway to a burning house says you are blinding him that he could …
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I Don’t Want To Be Loved. I Just Want To Be Untangled.
Screw falling in love.
My heart itself is already in tangles. A web of nonsense and a drawerful of necklace chains that I will never have the patience to separate. …
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Excuses For Why We Failed At Love
I’m lonely so I do lonely things Loving you was like going to war; I never came back the same. You hate women, just like your father and his father, …
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When The Words Come, They Come Hard
some nights sleep does not come and i am left suspended between slumber and wake; heart full of more than mind is able to put into words.
some days i …
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Mouthful Of Forevers
I am not the first person you loved. You are not the first person I looked at with a mouthful of forevers. We have both known loss like the sharp …
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Swaying In the Safety Net of Mediocrity
It’s easy to sit and watch.
It’s easy to sit and watch the world pass. The sun glisten against an icy blue sky.
It’s easy to sit and watch the …
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A Letter To My Bill Cosby
I used to think you didn’t effect me. I used to be proud of the fact that (I thought) I dealt with all those years and scattered memories by myself. …
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My Sister’s Keeper
We once stopped speaking for three years – my sister and I. I had left home when I was 18 and she had not too long turned 14 years old. …
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Please Stop Having Children By My Future Husband
This is a public service announcement on the behalf of my future married self and my sister friends in the struggle.
Have you ever dated a guy with a child …
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The 7 Types of People You Find on Instagram
Instagrammers, let’s keep it real. Instagram’s massive popularity stems from one basic fact:
We like to see what other people are doing.
We don’t want to read about it on …
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“Feminism”, A White Woman Thing?
It was a series of unfortunate events when I declared my major during the sophomore year of college. English with a concentration in Literature and Culture also meant that I …
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When No One Else Has Faith
“The path you’ve chosen isn’t going to lead there easily. Helping people is not easy or always profitable. I think you need to keep fighting for your historical moment. It’s …
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Betting On The Universe
“To be honest with you,” he said, “when I go through my day I do not think of you. I have so much going on…” His voice trailed off. “I …
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Fearing The Country My Parents Came From
I won’t even lie to you when I say that I was always afraid of going there. The place my parents called home before they moved to The Bahamas and then …
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ShopLately.com Better Than Shopping At Instagram Boutiques
Whether you’re looking for a last-minute gift for your bestie for something haute to wear on New Years, ShopLately is an online destination containing over 100 boutiques all in …
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What I Learned: From Girlfriend To Wife [Part II]
Love txcutie75
Image Source: Tiziano Magni for The New York Times Magazine/Fashions of the Times, August 20, 1989. Sweaters by Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis.
Shirley B. Eniang: My Hair, Beauty & Style Secrets
Thanks Shirley B. Eniang!
#SmartBrownGirls & Living the Life You Want
We love Jouelzy!
RoomieLoverFriends (Episode 7, Season 3)
Thanks Black&SexyTV
Do This Don’t: Travel With A Stranger
I couldn’t think of any other way to cap off my college years other than with an epic abroad adventure after graduation. Embarking on a post-grad trip was one of …
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The Freelancer’s Guide To Health Over Wealth: The Not So Pretty Side Of Being Your Own Boss
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I’ll never forget the day that my cousin (and best friend) Soraya sold everything she owned, packed one suitcase, and booked a flight to NYC …
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Beautiful Distractions
So I tried it. Every one said that I should do something different. I hadn’t dated in 11 months so what was there to lose? I got on my laptop, …
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I Am Learning To Tell The Truth With My Life
Mantra I am learning to tell the truth with my life. This means doing more than just spilling moon sick starlight into my speech. As a writer, my responsibility it …
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Saying Goodbye To The Expectations Others Have Set For Me
Ever since I was a kid, people have always had very high expectations of me. When I say people, I mean my family… particularly, my mom. Reminiscing on my childhood, …
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On Celibacy: Saying No To Bedtime Vows, For Now
I’ve never had an involuntary dry spell when it comes to sex. I’ve been sexually active since I was 17, late senior year and have been sexually active since with …
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Q&A: My Long Distance Love, Get An Internship, Embarrassing Moments
via Zuri Hall
20 Things I’ve Learned In My 20s
“I thought this video would be a really good one to make for you guys as there are so many things we have learnt along the way and I am …
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I Became A Webcam Model To Pay My Rent
“That’s all you needed to make $500 a week,” my mentor said.
I just finished another semester of college and was done with work-study for the year, so I needed …
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I Was Raised To “Get Over It”
Hey guys! Long time no see, right?! I’ve really been wanting to make this video and get back into the swing of things for months, but I simply couldn’t. …
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You Would Have Never Known That I Grew Up The “Church Girl”
Twenty-Eight.
If you would have asked me at 18 years old where I saw myself 10 years from now, it would be absolutely no where near here and for that, …
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How Finances Ruined My Relationship
I know they say that around 50% of conflict in marriages and relationships is due to finances, but I never thought that I would be a part of that statistic.
Sometimes You’re Better Off Without The Nice Guy
Hey ladies! Ok so shortly after I gave up on dating, an old friend popped back up in my life. We had a homegirl breakup earlier in the year, and …
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Lucky You, Until It’s You
There was a time when I preferred the darkness, the bright yellow on my walls caved in on me and brought about discomfort. The sun bothered me – it was …
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Starting Over At 30
When I started college I couldn’t figure out what to declare as my major. I just knew I wanted it to lead to a fun career. I didn’t want to …
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My Story: Going From Size 14 to 8
I’m going to be completely honest with you all, I dread telling people that I used to be overweight. The excess weight I carried around was a representation of some …
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We’re Coming To California! Let’s Finally Meet In Person!
So We’re Coming To California! And we’d love to finally meet you guys in person! No, there aren’t any crazy cover charges or hidden fees to see us, we’re …
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10 Treasures I Found in my Twenties
Life has taught me how unpredictable it is. At age twenty-four I never thought I’d be standing on the foundation that has brought me so much internal growth. After surrounding …
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Dear 18 Year Old Me: Depression, Anxiety & Finding Happiness
via RachhLoves
Celibacy And Online Dating
Cormie / IG
Image Source: Christy Turlington at Christian Lacroix Haute Couture F/W 1991, Backstage
Do You Sacrifice Your Identity In Order To Feed The Insecurities Of Your Man?
So, I was talking to a friend who was so heart broken to lose the man she considered to be the love of her life. She loved this man so …
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The Truth About Insecurities
We as a species are naturally insecure. I’m sure that the cave-men gossiped about who’s cave was bigger and better, and who caught the biggest game for dinner. Cain …
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No Crystals On My Fine China
I’ve heard of getting the vajayjay waxed. I’ve heard of getting the vajayjay rejuvenated. I’ve heard of getting the vajayjay steamed. What I don’t understand is how I missed vattooing, …
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The B.S. A Psychic Told Me
Psychic, Yetti? I know. But my friend and I were bored. And she was curious. And I was willing. So we ventured to the home of a psychic to have …
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“Do This Don’t”
So you’ve officially made it to Day 5 of the writing challenge and you’re probably wondering “‘Do This Don’t’, what is that supposed to mean?” So I’m here to …
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I Wanted To Make Sure
I wanted to make sure I’d never find myself stained with uncertainties again. One of my closest friends had just passed away, I had my work hours cut in half, …
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Strangers At Work
I came back from my lunch break with an uneasy feeling that something was up. I noticed a couple of cops walking in the direction of the store stairs, but …
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Traditional Women Vs. Modern Women
What is it to be nice? And to what extent are you willing to go to in order to appear innocent? Or approachable? Or rather, “like a lady”?
September 30-Day Writing Challenge
Also check out GG’s 30-Day Self Discovery Challenge
How To Deal With Your Friend’s Boyfriend’s Flirting
That awkward moment when someone actually decides to speak up on an awkward matter… (guilty face)
For many adult women, the longevity of a good friendship means the world …
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15 Songs To Avoid After A Break Up
1 | Heather Headley – I Wish I Wasn’t 2 | Allure – All Cried Out 3 | Selena – Dreaming Of You 4 | Mariah Carey – Without You 5 | Dru Hill …
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The Killing Of My Stalker
I was about 17 when it happened. I was the hardworking girl who went to high school, attended track practice, showered, and then went straight to work until about eleven …
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Leave Me A’Loan: Clearing Debt In Your Twenties
Accelerated heart rate. Butterflies in your stomach. Sweaty palms. Congratulations, you’ve officially fallen in…DEBT. What is it about facing our monetary woes that gets us so anxious? At the end …
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“Haterism” Is Not A Religion
Happy new-day to all. If you had a rough weekend, remember- there is an “end” in “weekend” for a reason. Shake it off because it’s a new week & you …
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On Being a Plain Jane, a Late Bloomer and an Underachiever
My eight year old daughter asks me all the time, “Mommy, what’s your favorite color?”
My answer is always grey but I guess since her favorite color changes every …
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Why Does She Get To Be Happy And I Don’t?
You know that person you admire? The one you envy? The one who makes it all look easy and seems to have it all together? The image you have of …
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Let’s Talk Retirement
Retirement. It’s something we’d all choose to do sooner rather than later, if given the financial stability. If we work hard while we’re young to build fruitful, thriving empires grown …
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Why We Must Create
The one scene that I keep going back to again and again from 12 Years a Slave is the one where we see Patsey crafting her corn husk dolls. This …
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Surrounded But Alone
Being around a lot of people often who don’t know the depths of me has become exhausting. To me, it is truly the loneliest feeling.
The habit of showing others …
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What Do You Need To Let Go Of To Get Back To The Real You?
I was writing a depressing blog post about wanting to give up, about wanting to just roll over and let whatever happen happen. A blog post about how I’m letting …
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Things I Would Tell My Teenage Self
PATRICIA’S BLOG: http://patriciabright.co.uk FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/patriciasworld TWITTER:https://twitter.com/PattyOLovesU VLOG CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/britpoplife
SHIRLEY’S Blog: http://www.shirleyswardrobe.com Second Channel: http://www.youtube.com/lifeofaneniang Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ShirleyBEniang Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ShirleyBEniang Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shirley.b.eniang Tumblr: http://thatsluxe.tumblr.com/
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
There is no joy to be found in the apex of another’s expectations. Those burdens do not belong to me. My unyielding year-long lesson. Trying to stuff myself into these …
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Did You Expect Me To Wait For You?
My mouth was so laden with dryness that the flood of water that came with your kiss felt like petty sprinkles over my cracked lips. A weak baptism that left …
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Online Dating Sucks: The 3 Types Of Men You’ll Find
I am pretty reserved, I guess. I like to lay in between my sheets with my laptop across from me and just relax in completely quiet. I think everyone …
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And You Tried To Change Didn’t You?
you are a horse running alone and he tries to tame you compares you to an impossible highway to a burning house says you are blinding him that he could …
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Make Yourself Small To Win, Being Too Big Can Sometimes Be Too Much
Image Source: Kerry Washington for EBONY Mag, March 2013
There IS Something Wrong With Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda Cover: The Flip-Side
This is not an open letter to Onika, a penned piece diminishing her role as an undeniable pop-icon because of ass shots & record covers focusing on shots of …
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I Didn’t Know I was Black, Until I Came to America
I recently said to a friend, not realizing the gravity and the truth in my words. My current existence seems completely entangled in blackness, yet there was once a time …
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If Not Now, Then When?
On my sixteenth birthday, I pulled out a pen and the cleanest piece of paper I could find and I penned a bulleted list titled, “Things to Accomplish by 18″. …
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Disagreeing, Messiness & the #SmartBrownGirl
Thank You Jouelzy!
23 Of The Greatest Lessons Learned At 23
I am 23 today. And as I think about life, its many twists and turns, its surprises, its highs and its lows, I am thankful to say that I am …
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I’m Not A Club Girl And It’s Okay
Having lived in NYC for almost two years now, I’m proud to say I haven’t been to any clubs. Lounges, bars, and house parties, absolutely. But clubs just don’t …
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Please Stop Calling Women “Females”
A few days ago I was at the hair salon, scrolling through Twitter and quietly seething after what seemed like a lifetime of a wait. As I silently cursed my …
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To Hell With Fate! Design Your Own Destiny.
Do you constantly find yourself looking at the clock around 4:10 every afternoon, itching in your toes for the hands to strike five so you can be the first one …
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I Need You To Survive
“You are important to me…I need you to survive.”
I was boarding the subway when I heard the tune blast through my headphones. What would the world be if we …
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Space Jam: 10 Signs He May Be Too Clingy
1. He wants to study with you…. but he is not currently enrolled in school- Anyone who values time spent with you also respects the value of time spent away …
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This Isn’t Looking Back, This Is Letting Go
I tore off the rear view mirror yesterday. Busted it with a hammer, let the glass shatter, and chucked it out the window on I-95. Moving forward involves the process …
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But I Was On Vacation
This truly is a man’s world, and you know what, it sucks.
I emailed my mentor last week to see if he had some free time to chat. I hadn’t …
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23 Lessons That I’ve Learned Over the Past 23 Years of My Life
1) When you are born everyone loves you because you are a cute, adorable baby. Spread this love to others as you grow older. See everyone for the innocent human that …
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What You Missed: How To Live It Up This Summer Without Going Broke + Dream Job Alert: Netflix Will Hire You To Watch Shows All Day
+ 10 Women Changing The Digitalscape For Good
+ How To Live It Up This Summer Without Going Broke
+ 17 Ways We’re Still Living In The ’90s
+ …
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How To Be Happy In Your Twenties, For Real
Because let’s be honest, it’s hard to fake the funk.
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Patricia Bright Youtube // Instagram // Twitter //
Dear 30, I Know I Just Turned 29, But Do You Think I’m Ready?
Hi 30. Hey, how are you? It’s me, Shenequa. (extends hand nervously for a handshake) Do you remember me? I’m the girl who’s been dying to get into your …
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Music Review: SZA, “Z”
SZA’s music to me is a breath of fresh air, and with her third album release ‘Z’…fresh air just got fresher.
This third album of hers is the first …
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Waiting For My Life To Start
I’m sure I’m not the only one to notice the sweep of marriage that has perpetually taken place. A lot of my friends are getting married, and having children …
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Were We Acting For Each Other?
In 1932, Cuban diarist Anaïs Nin and novelist Henry Miller, both who were married to other people, began a love affair that has been recorded through love letters later found …
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Break Up With Your Makeup. Stop Concealing, Start Healing.
Despite the heat, my summer has been off to a pretty cool start. I’ve been spending the majority of my time at the …
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Keeping It Real: Dependance On Others
As the old saying goes- if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. As I get older, I’m realizing that more and more people are addicted …
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Hole In One: Myth Busters For The Fierce & Pierced
“Belly-flop”: You must remove your belly button ring while pregnant. FALSE. Many women seem to be under the impression that their belly button is the portal to the womb …
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The Multi-Hued Beauty’s Beach Guide
Brown, Chocolate, Caramel, Golden, Bronze; the hues undertoned by a range of reds, oranges, and yellows and the hues that have a natural glow when underneath the sun’s immense rays. …
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Why Does He Have To Be White Though?
It’s been a running joke in my family, despite the fact that I dated no one in high school while my older brother brought only white significant others into …
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Vanity 101
Van·i·ty [van-i-tee] Excessive pride in one’s appearance or accomplishments; conceit.
Are you vain?
How do you feel about the definition? Does it make you uncomfortable to openly describe yourself …
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Trust Is Hard To Renew, Especially When You Don’t Like Walking Blind
Trust is like a valued treasure for me.
I admit, my ability to trust in the unknown has been compromised by past experiences. There have been instances where I’ve felt …
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My Hair Isn’t Natural And You Will Deal
When I recently saw a tweet for a “Natural Hair Brunch” I couldn’t help but reply by tweeting, “I’ll be hosting a perm brunch soon.” What can I say? I’ve …
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The Modern Girl’s Guide To The First Year Of College
I went into college knowing a lot nothing about it! In fact, I just thought that I was transitioning into “big kid school” and that I was simply just going …
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How To Love Without Clinging
I used to be very clingy. In my relationships, friendships, jobs — I resisted change and I suffered.
Life happens. Every day, every moment, things are shifting. People are …
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20 Sites By and For Twenty-Somethings
+ Forever Twenty Somethings I graduated from college… now what?
+ Early Mama I’m a 27-year-old mother, wife, and optimist. Once upon a time, I was a college-grad magazine intern …
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You Have No Obligation To Be Who You Once Were
“You have no obligation to be who you once were”.
This morning would be perfect. Of course it would be. I got out of the shower and smooshed some …
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The Fault In My Scars
Last weekend, my husband decided that we should be baby-less for a day. Between an 18-month-old who’s just discovered running and standing on things, a demanding full-time job, and …
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Bring It Back
God has a funny way of bringing things to our attention when we burn bridges first and ask questions last. He does this thing with me where I run …
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Ladies Get Your Vag Snatched Before You’re Set to Deliver + Other Non-Negotiable “Womanly” Courtesies
There are certain “womanly things” we do as a women that some may consider to be non-negotiable’s. They’re the things that allow you to go through life with a …
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He Want That Old Thing Back
They say that married men attract women. I say, the moment you take a leave of absence from your relationship, exes like to pop back into the picture. I’ll …
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The Funny Thing About Wedding Planning Is…
The funny thing about wedding planning is, even when you’ve sliced and diced your way out of expectations and decisions, you’ll still find yourself dealing with expectations and decisions.
Oldies Inspired Me
Today I woke up in bed alone, surrounded by the sound of peace, the sound of quietness. This sound almost always makes me want to throw on John Legend …
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Temporary Freak Out: It’s Almost Time For My High School Reunion
I feel silly about allowing an event invite more than six months knaw away at me. It’s the type of event you know you’re going to RSVP for, but …
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Trust Me, I’ve Thoroughly Enjoyed The Lavish Hotel Stays
I agree with Dorothy…”There’s no place like home.” No where in the world can you be more inexplicably you than where you reside. Sure, it’s glamorous to sleep in fancy …
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Three’s Company: Dating A Man With Child, My Story
I had to touch upon this topic after years of casting one too many “side eyes” to one too many women. If I give one more 20-something year old the …
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Coming Out As An Introvert Will Always Be An Uphill Battle
Being an introvert – at least for me–means constantly having to disprove people’s definition of what they think an introvert is. When I tell people, I’m often hit with the …
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Run Through It
In high school and college, making good grades, landing the right internships, and doing well on standardized exams came fairly easy to me. It wasn’t that I didn’t need to …
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What You Accept Is What You Get
A moment of truth.
With anything in life, what you accept it what you get. How can you ask for more if you’ve continuously settled for less?
This also …
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Feminists Still Have Insecurities
“Yeah, I love cheeky bottoms even though my butt is big!”
I knew the Victoria’s Secret saleswoman meant well when she said that, but she wasn’t helping my case. …
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What Are You Going To Do When You Bump Into Your Ex Again
It is inevitable. It will happen. We will run into each other. It will be New York summer after all —my favorite place, space and season. And you know me …
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I Am A Woman Who Loves Dreaming
“I sometimes hate to define myself because I am forever evolving, but I am a woman who loves dreaming. I’ve always lived in my head and imagined all the …
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What You Missed: The How To #GetSnached Guide + My Man’s Co-Worker Calls Herself His ‘Office Wife’
Best Of Bauce A compilation of top reads from Bauce Mag a digital self-help guide for multicultural women.
+ Ask a Man: “My man has a female friend that calls …
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An Ode To B*A*P*S (Black American Princesses)
Brown sugar. Caramel. Red bone. Toffee. Light bright. Chocolate. Brown Skin.
Black and Beautiful.
This is an ode to B*A*P*S, you Black American Princessess, who like me, brave this …
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Your Smile At The Slope Of My Cheek by Maya Angelou
Your hands easy weight, teasing the bees hived in my hair, your smile at the slope of my cheek. On the occasion, you press above me, glowing, spouting readiness, mystery …
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Stop Lying To Your Girlfriends On Social Media
Listen. We joke about NeNe Leakes’ lacefront every Sunday night but if we told the truth and shamed the devil, we would have a handful of girlfriends on Instagram whose …
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Sometimes I Feel Like I Have To Move To A Different City To Be Happy
“Mind over Matter, Matters.” Happy readings, everyone. I’m finally getting a chance to kick back and kick it with you all through a few lines. It feels so good …
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Why I Left University
My Experience At University I thought it would be a good idea to write down exactly what happened to me at university and why I left – not only …
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My Tears Will Testify Against You
..have you forgotten me, she asks? Do you not remember our long walks under unforgiving October suns Barefoot – the baking earth melting our soles I miss your grandmas cucumber …
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I’m Not Shy. I Just Don’t Want To Talk.
I’m shy sometimes and self-conscious often, but I wouldn’t say that I’m a shy person overall. Not anymore. There’s a huge difference between being shy and being quiet.
Girl, Pretty Is Just The Beginning
Honey, Honey
I dress to kill when I feel like it. You know… the dress, the heels — to die for. The whole nine yards, but most of the time …
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How To Be A Calm, Collected Goddess When Life Gets Messy
There’s always going to be something going on with you or with someone you love. If you’re not distracted by your own problems, maybe you feel heavy with all …
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Sometimes I Am Not A Strong Black Woman
A few weeks ago, I went to judge a Youth Poetry slam at the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the Lower East Side of New York City. I’m always amazed …
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Yes, I Blog. No, You Cannot Ask Me Questions About My Life.
My children are fourteen months apart. It has not been easy raising them, even with their father present and active in their life. It hasn’t been until recently that …
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Don’t Want A King, Don’t Want To Be Your Queen
I’m not exactly sure when the “I’m waiting for my king” or the “I’m a queen” rhetoric started to run rampant on social media. I just never bought into …
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He Noticed Her Rear Was Just Slightly More Plump Than Before She Left Him
At my desk, I receive mail from various authors enclosing their manuscripts for both my leisure reading as well as for possible future review. Here is an excerpt from the …
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21 And Up Club: The Invitation Rulebook
I T S I N V I T A T I O N S E A S O N ! Now that the self-promises of the New Year have finally …
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Rich + Racist: On Donald Sterling Or How The Owner Of My Hotel Told Me To Turn People Towards The Deadly Floods That Killed 36 People Last Night
I’m penning this from my hotel room in Pensacola, FL – where the floods have hit. 36 people have been reported dead and two of them have drowned in their …
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Let’s Talk About ‘Ex Baby
As far as our ex’s go, when it’s over, it’s over.. Or is it? Unless a large amount of effort is put into make things work the second time around …
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Writing This Letter In Case No One Finds Me
I’m sitting here in my wooden boat, In the middle of this ocean – alone. Writing this letter in case no one finds me. I just never thought I could …
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How To Stand Out In A Room Full Of Women Who All Think They Look Like A Bag Full Of Money
After hours of being slave to MAC products, hair brushes, flat irons, and our personal wardrobes, the time eventually comes for us to rush off to that event that …
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Black Skin, High Bridge. Is Nose Contouring The New Relaxer?
Originally Posted on K Is For Kinky by Angel
We love getting our makeup done. Though most of the time you’ll catch us bare faced most days of the week, …
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I Pity The Woman Who Will Love You When I Am Done
I pity the woman who will love you when I am done. She will show up to your first date with a dustpan and broom, ready to pick up all …
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Loving Me Was Revolutionary
I decided at 16 to forget about the people in high school that I called friends. Being amicable with people I really resented was tiring, and quite frankly, I had …
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Is Your Relationship Faux-Real? Low Key Love May Just Be Better Love
May 11th, 2012
I’ve always been a private person. Mostly so, when it comes to my relationships. I’ll give bits and pieces, on occasion, but you’ll never catch me flooding …
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I Made The Move To NY And Learned, Failure Is Not Fatal
When I arrived to New York City this summer I felt like Ali in his prime. I headed into the City with full force,believing I was ready and ambitious …
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Before You ‘Surfboard’: The Truth About Juicy + Smelly Vaginas
This morning we had a fun + informational Twitter chat about vaginas. Although it was a funny one, it was one that I’m sure benefited a lot of people. The …
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He Played My Jazz
all of the artwork in this post are done by the artist, who also happens to be, the author, Haley Rankins
_______
There are a few things that you …
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I Checked Myself Into One Of The Most Dangerous Psychiatric Facilities In The Country
“I’m getting out of here. They’re trying to poison me. You shouldn’t take medication either. They want to kill us all. Jesus is the only one who can save us. …
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Keeping It Real: What About Your Friends?
I chose to discuss this topic after years of my personal friendship tribulations throughout my life as an adult. Ironically enough, I have only been a young adult but for …
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Thank you so much for your support and feedback! To the team + the contributors + the pitchers + commenters + readers – this wouldn’t have been possible without you!
Just Like My Obama Tees Before The Election, My “I Met God, She’s Black” Shirt Got Reactions
For lunch I decided I wanted grilled cheese.
There’s this little spot not too far from my gig that has mastered the melted cheese to bread ratio, and once I …
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Fake-Up Bag / True Life: I’m A Medium Maintenance Woman
I am a self-proclaimed medium maintenance woman. A Street-heart. Low key geek chic. A tomboy at heart who enjoys cleaning up nice. This is me. And I know there …
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A Wildflower Featured On JET Magazine
Great News Kimberly!
Today an article I wrote for BOSS Network, a professional network for women, is currently a BOSS Up feature on jetmag.com! You can check out my post …
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When Loving You Isn’t Enough: My Brother’s Struggle with Mental Illness
Most days, I’m afraid for you. Some days, I’m afraid of you. I’m afraid you’ll turn into that person who is so familiar, but a stranger all the same. That …
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100 Creative Millenials Of Color
check out the list of 100 female creative millenials of color!
I Gave Up My Relationship To Focus On My Career
He had been complaining that I wasn’t spending enough time with him.
We only saw each other maybe once or twice every month (and no it wasn’t in any …
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The Freedom Of Less
There’s too much distraction, too much clutter and too little meaning.
Our reverence for the simple things has fallen by the wayside.
I need to get away from it all, …
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If You Ever Thought You Were Hard To Love
I thought I had this self-love thing all figured out.
After years of being lost and confused, I finally realized that I was responsible for my own life and my …
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You Did What To Your What?
“You did what, with what…to what?”
It honestly did not sound that bizarre when I said it.
“I said I pulled out my pubic hair one too many times …
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The Truth About 30: Shift Happens.
The months leading up to my 30th birthday were filled with anxiety for reasons that were amplified by society and its standards of where I should be at that …
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Holding Hope
I found out I was pregnant on July 12. I knew before I even missed my first period. It’s just one of those things – when you know that you …
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Words Manifested: His Affection, My Religion
As we sat in a crowded mall, I addressed the many problems in our relationship. He assured me nothing was going on with, ‘that girl’ and that I was being …
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We Need A Break. You’re Dangerous: You Enter My Womb And Pull Apart My Flesh.
We need a break. You can interpret that as a full fledge separation or as a few days away from one another, but whichever route your brain takes you, just …
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Breaking Away From Social Media
It’s hard to remember what life was like before that little bird. My best friend introduced me to Twitter somewhere around my junior year of college and, like most …
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Oh, To Be Touched.
I logged onto Twitter a few weeks ago and there on my timeline was a conversation about Black mothers, a trending topic on the ways of the women that …
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Milk In My Coffee: My Interracial Dating Woes
They say art and media imitate life, and I’m realizing more and more each day how true this is. Recently, as I was watching a popular TV sitcom, a …
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Mothers Who Contribute To Their Daughter’s Oppression
Black women in America have been subjected to a lot of things from racism, sexism, classism, and even single parenthood due to the fact that many black women are being …
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I Was An Angry Black Woman After I Found Out My Husband Was Having An Affair / Understanding What You Feel Vs. What You Deserve
I’m on a quest to inspire women — in life, love and work. But today I’ll focus on love; there will be plenty of time to talk about life and …
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Is Miss Independent Misunderstood?
It’s ironic how reality tv is so out of touch with what’s real.
Not long ago I was browsing the internet and stumbled upon an article that highlighted the recent …
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The Dollhouse / The New Me Returning Home, After Years Away
August 9th, 2012
Chamomile Tea, with four scoops of sugar, please. Sweet like juice, hot like morning. Just the right stuff to get me to where I need to be, …
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He Got What He Wanted
Words are important. We use them to convey messages, thoughts, ideas, truths, etc. Sometimes we tune in and out depending on our interest level.
When my last “situation” told …
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Growing In The Wild
I thought about what it meant to me to be a flower in the wild. How she also embodied me. The wild flower and her rejection of perfection, she was …
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Who Would You Be, If You Weren’t Afraid To Fail
“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”
Clearly, Spencer Johnson (or Sheryl Sandberg, whoever to you) knows the contents of my heart and managed to mold it like dough …
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For Unforgotten Friends
I don’t usually go for those popular pieces about black friendships and relationships and parenthood because honestly, most of them don’t reflect my life as a 24-year-old, work-at-home mom to …
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Promise Fulfilled
It was my third one that week.
I wanted to make sure that the information I was getting was accurate — so I took three.
Third time’s a charm …
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Girl Crushing or Envying?
At some point admiration turned into jealousy. I mean, how perfect could she be? She made me feel average. It became a problem.
There was something magnetic about her. I …
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When He Shows Up At Your Doorstep Looking Like He Did Four Years Ago
It had been four years since I’d seen him.
Four. Long. Years.
Years that lasted so long that you’d think he never meant a thing to me, and me, nothing …
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I’ll Never Bake Another Man A Red Velvet Cake Again
You, the slippery Pisces fish who barely escaped my quick Cancerian pinchers – you are the sole reason I’ll never bake another man a red velvet cake again.
After two …
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Why I Still Need Girlfriends
In the last two months I’ve quit my job, had pneumonia, moved back in with my parents due to my my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, and cried in public four …
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All Up In Me
He was all up inside of me girl. But do you think I want to admit that?! God knows I’m only telling you because I know YOU WON’T tell anyone …
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Two Epidurals And A Pitocin Drip Later
Nine hours, two epidurals and a pitocin drip later, I couldn’t feel the contractions or my toes. With my mother on my left and my boyfriend on the right side, …
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Don’t Call Me Crazy
Don’t call me crazy.
That word holds deeper meaning than your loose analysis of my “erratic” behavior.
As a child, crazy was taboo, an insult. An unforgiving word used …
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He Aimed The Gun At Me
He aimed the gun at me.
I looked back right in time to see the barrel of a gun. A heavy, black, stocky gun. Something my ex would have …
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Me, My “Future Husband”, And His Soon-To-Be Baby Mama
January 14, 2013 8:05pm Irony is putting your birth control pill in your mouth while scrolling on twitter to see the man that you’re in love with tweet “I’m so …
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If A Spider Falls Into My Fro
If a spider fell into my fro – I’m done.
That’s it.
That’s how my life will end.
And God forbid anyone else is around when it happens because their …
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I Used To Laugh At Women Who Let Themselves Go After Marriage, Then I Got Married
Six-pack Propped tits Red lips Tight butt High heels Restrained tongue LBD Two degrees Sharp Smooth legs Successful Happy Close Cute Comprising Sleep on a satin pillow with a smile …
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Please Keep Loving Me Until It’s Not So Hard
I’m sick. But it’s not the kind of sick that you can see. It’s not the kind that you can just take a pill for a couple of days or …
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She Loved Him
She loved him. But he didn’t know how to love.
He could talk about love. He could see love and feel love. But he couldn’t give love.
He could make …
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“No, It’s Tyece.” Sarcastic Musings About People Butchering My Name.
I’m zoned out on a conference call. I’m midway through my summer internship and they’ve tucked me away in the intern cubicle away from the other real adults. I can …
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I Won’t Let That B$#%h Breathe
There’s a monster under my bed and she’s raging to come out. Kicking and screaming, twisting the bed springs up through my mattress so that they leave tiny holes in …
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Selling Souls For Soles / An Ode To The Girls Giving It Up For Money
Superbowl Sunday, 2013, New Orleans, Louisiana. “What you doing after the game?”
I smirked – as the text from the multi-millionaire I had been casually talking to rolled in. It …
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Diary Of A Critical Fan: On Feeling A Little Guilty After Singing Along To A R. Kelly Song
I always feel a little guilty after singing along to an R. Kelly hit, especially if it’s one of the songs that was released after the sex tape allegations came …
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Empty Nest
It was December 31, 2011 and as we did every year since becoming husband and wife we were at church ringing in the New Year the right way.
Our Pastor …
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Wildflowers Unscripted / February Writing Challenge
Wildflowers Unscripted | Our writing challenge is finally here and for the month of February we along with Twenties Unscripted are challenging you – bloggers, instagrammers, artists, and tweeters …
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The Last Rung
I just came to the conclusion that I’m a compulsive LinkedIn checker. I skim through news blurbs and new connections daily. Something about knowing what my peers are doing gives …
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A Love Deferred? It Explodes.
Physiologically, we crave the foods that aren’t healthy for us because they make our brains feel happy. Since learning this, I wonder if we subconsciously indulge in the intimate experiences …
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Fall Back, New Love. Let Me Become.
Dear New Love,
Stop tempting me. Calling and asking for promises I can’t keep. I have work to do, and you will only be in the way. If you care …
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I Cursed Every God I Knew
I wrote poems about you. Stood on open mic stages and belted them out. Cried over glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon for you. Cranked up Toni Braxton and sang in an …
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If Only I Had Taken The Bus
His piercing, blood shot eyes were hidden behind dark shades, yet the sneaky smile plastered on his face revealed his lustful desires – exposed, uninhibited.
It’s 3 am.
I’m sitting …
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You Are Not Alone
I’ve written several posts about my past experiences, educational achievements, job mishaps, etc. However, I am in a place right now, where I’m on the cusp of opportunity, but I …
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The Place I Hate Most In The World – Home.
I just hate going home.
People find it strange that I often say that since I hail from one of the mega-cities of the South.
Chicken and waffles! Sweet tea! …
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Can I Date Your Ex?
An unordinary email, on an ordinary day, floated through my inbox and the subject automatically caught my attention, “Can I Date Him?”
My first thought was: Can you date who?
The Real Behind The Woes
Can I keep it real with you all? I’ve just finished a standard size bottle of wine in record-breaking time, beating my personal best of forty-five minutes in thirty-six minutes. …
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So I’m Writing
The first person I told that my stepfather molested me didn’t hear me. Her eyes were glazed over, head leaning forward, attention span engulfed in late night TV. I called …
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Who Am I Without My Hair?
He told me that he loved my hair.
How it felt against his cheek, lingering fragrance left on his shoulder, proof of my abandon. How it made a soft, …
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I Kept The Leopard Shirt
August 2012
I’m sitting on the edge of my bed ready to burst into a mountain of tears. I leave for Miami in only a few days and I’m …
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Dealings With The Devil
It was my fourth time running to the bathroom to regurgitate everything I ate earlier that day. As I laid in my bathroom and prayed to the porcelain god I …
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Who Do You Think You Are Baby Girl?
I’m marking my territory. Right here on this page. Because I want you to know that I am an artist and I’m sensitive about my ish. Yes, I’m a complex, …
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Living Single
Evening train ride home. Body swaying, music playing and then it hits me:
I’ve become comfortable with being single. Like, maybe too comfortable.
Not that it’s a bad thing seeing …
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The First Part Last
Caribbean, Summer 1999. Dear Journal,
There her hand lay, directly cupped under mine. Limp and brittle designed with intricate detail formed by veins and her skin’s lack of elasticity. …
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© COPYRIGHT 2016 FROM A WILDFLOWER