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Self Quarantined - We All Stuck In The House

It’s been almost two months since we here at Donna Di Colore have been self quarantining and trying to navigate this, dare I say it, new normal. This is a historical-global event, from the unfortunate mass casualties to the earth being able to take a break from the havoc we wreak and heal. There is so much that we know and a ton of things we don’t know about covid-19 (coronavirus), especially what the future will look like. This ain’t easy, this event has been extremely difficult for so many - even introverts are ready for things to normalize.

There are so many feelings and emotions we have been forced to deal with; some for the better and sadly a lot more for the worse. People say “this too shall pass,” - well duh, we know this will all be over at some point. When? Hopefully sooner rather than later but the scars, the scars will remain. What will be the new norm? We’ve learned to work from home. We’ve learned we don’t know how we are going to keep our business open. We’ve learned how to reach out to those a bit less fortunate. We’ve learned how to start an online dating profile. We’ve learned how to start taking care of our loved ones. We’ve learned there will be a lot more people going hungry. We’ve learned a shit ton of information - overload.

We have to continue to look out for one another - it’s so easy to wear your blinders and choose not to see what’s going on in the world around you. There is no room for doubt and this is no time for selfishness, we all need one another more than ever. We’ve been disconnected for so long - of course it’d take a pandemic for a lot of people to realize what’s important in life and to realize how much we take the outside world for granted.

Yeah, some will choose to continue to walk around with those blinders on and choose to not participate in the greater social good of us all, but there’s always a few bad apples, right?! We are definitely doing this isolation thing together; it sucks, it’s relaxing, it’s challenging, it’s a break from the world, it’s time with the family, it’s overwhelming, it’s project time, it’s get to know self better time, it’s call that old friend time, it’s try a new recipe, it’s catch up on reading time, it’s literally time to do those little (or big) things you’ve been itching to do. Most importantly it’s time to show support for your loved ones and of course our amazing heroes local & abroad - thank you to those that have risked it all to help keep the world running, there is no way we can truly thank you (we can absolutely try though). Just know your time, sacrifices, energy, mind and spirit are all in our prayers - we thank you, thank you, thank you.

We’ll see each other again soon, until then wishing you nothing but safety & wellness.

Young, Perfect and Brown

Shower your small queens with love and strength

Feed their minds, souls and bellies with fruits of courage & knowing

For all the perfect brown girls in the world

You have been created to succeed & bloom

Not to be feared and filled with doom & gloom

Head high, stand straight, shoulders back

You can not break

It’s only been a few years and we keep getting better

Long battles are still ahead, blood still bleeds for the cause

There is a better way and there will be a better day

Fill your every desire

It took so many to get you here, stand on their shoulders

Head high, stand straight, shoulders back

You will not break

Laugh More - It's Infectious

When was the last time you had a good laugh, like a really good one? Most adults don’t even crack a smile, rarely belt out a laugh out, not even a giggle or two . Yeah, life is stress, sometimes caused by self sometimes not, bad things happen. Blah, blah, blah, yeah we know. So when times aren’t bad or stressful what are we doing?

Bruting. Stressing. Steaming. Hurting. That shit is going to happen no matter what. It’s life, in all her glory however long or short; this is our only known shot. Are we appreciating the peaceful moments? The moments when kids are laughing, the moments when a funny story is being told? Are you even being social, in real life? Whoa!

A true smile means and says so much - we should be striving to make one another smile & laugh more. We humans truly know how to be miserable - hell, we’ve mastered it. We all need to and can do better; stop giving and being misery’s company. Give happiness & gratitude your energy, find reasons to laugh more, discover what makes you smile more. Make something for someone. Spend time with one another, we seriously have got to be better to one another.

I wish you 1000 years or joy and happiness & strength to see the good through the pain.

And The Future Goes To…

You.

You are the future, your are strength, you are worthy, and yes you do deserve all abundance.

That shit ain’t coming easy though and you better be willing to work for it. Yes, it’s true what they say - do that shit while you’re young. Whatever it is you want to do to better your life and those around you, do it before the real world and adulting take hold.. For those that are hard headed and walk to to the beat of their own drums; get ready to work your asses of 3x as hard. Your work schedule, kids,finances and so many other factors will come into play once you start to get settled into a life you never imagined (for good or bad).

Your future self is just around the corner and there is going to be a future version of you that looks back and wonders, why? Why didn’t you take that chance? Why didn’t you go to that school? Why didn’t you take that job? Why didn’t you move? Why him? Why her? I think you get the point!

Have faith in yourself and your future - everyday plant a seed in your garden of dreams. Work hard, help where you can and step away when you can’t. Surround yourself with those that are positive for you and get rid of all that isn’t. Ask for help when you need - build a strong community of support, even if that community is just you and your local shop clerk or us, your Donna Di Colore online community.

Unapologetically You - Live Fearless & Without Regret

Hey girl, this is just a reminder to keep shining and being you - continue to live fearlessly and proud. Your crown grows toward the heavens and you skin has been kissed by the sun, you are walking perfection. It’s time for the American “Black” woman to stop the bullshit and get right with self. A lot of brown-skin women have been walking this earth with blinders on, seemingly okay with the narrative we let society create for us. We’ve been conditioned into believing in and creating limited & small worlds for ourselves. Constantly being taught and shown your lack of worth on a regular is beyond mind numbing.

Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned for decades to just “take it;” take the bullshit, take the abuse, take the hate, take the glares, take the disrespect, take the beatings, take the kids, take the weight, take the burden, take the fault. Take

Fuck. That. Shit. We’re actually Brilliant. Beautiful. Multi-Toned. Healing. Imitated. Mimicked. Breathtaking. Motherly. Strong. Rich. Savvy. Sporty. Clever. Marvelous. Godly.

Be bold, be you, live fiercely, love true you are unlike any other being on this earth. Don't apologize for being authentically you, own every perfection and own every flaw. Ahead lies a healthier vision of self-worth without fear of the static & noise in your rearview.

Me Time - You Time - Find Time

Take a bite out of life and give yourself a much needed break!! Feeling burnt out? Kids driving you mad? Work stressing you out?

Yes?

GOOD!! - Glad to know we aren’t the only ones trying to figure out this wild thing called life. When was the last time you actually relaxed - like truly spoiled yourself? Read a book? Ventured out on a solo trip? Visited your favorite spot? If you can’t recall Doesn’t matter, this is the biggest-little seed you needed planted in your ‘garden of self’ - You are more valuable than you know. Take a leap into self awareness. There is nothing like growing and bettering self. How else do you expect to keep continuing to be great? You do a huge disservice to world by not being better to yourself. When YOU are happy and at peace with self [or learning to be] it spreads to all parts of your life. You will shed the dead weight and continue to water the buds of love with your peace within self. All because you make a little time for self [reflection].

Being a woman of color comes with enough weight, for some; be it from our own people or the rest of the waking world. This is the part we don’t share or show. We move with pure strength, grit, knowledge and the knowing that we have to be the village. What does that mean? It means we take care of everyone else and forget about self. We tend to let others take and drain our honey-milk. That golden essence. We say no more to that.

Going forward you will no longer be drained. You will find the time for you. Weekly, daily, hourly - just make the time for yourself. Close that door for an hour or two & get lost in a book. Go for a drive. Finish that project n the attic. Ask a friend or family member to watch the kids (or give them money to see a movie for a few couple of hours). Take a bite out of YOUR life. Grab a bite to eat SOLO. See what I did there? - Always find time for the fun!

Build that SHE-SHED, just because it’s a desk, a vision board and a curtain on a tension rod does not make it any less your ME space.

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