Apologies for the late post but been bogged down with other projects img_8616which will be posted real soon but in the meantime, life goes on. Anyway back to this journey of the Rebirth – the Renaissance, I made up my mind this year to think out of the box in all I do – thus this blog-header was added to my 2018 manifesto: Think & Ask BIG!

What is thinking, some may ask? When I searched via Google – it stated that ‘Thinking is the process of considering or reasoning about something or using thought or rational judgement.’

‘Thinking big’ means being able to dream and visualise what you can achieve on a large scale: with no limits on your thinking. It is about being open-minded, positive, creative and seeing opportunity in the big picture.

Some believe that “thinking big” means you should set wildly ambitious stretch goals to inspire yourself to greater heights. But it is not: ‘thinking big’ means that we have to step out of our comfort zone and walk into the uncomfortable. Set attainable goals every day of your life.

Thinking big is not easy. It’s something that we must learn to cultivate over time on a daily basis in everything we do. However, even when this habit of thinking big is deeply ingrained into our psyche, there will still be times when barriers will need to be overcome, obstacles will need to be surpassed, and old habits will need to be broken. It is during these times that we need to think big and do bigger things than ever before. It is easier written than done eh. 

To have that positive mental attitude of thinking big – having a strong network of friends is essential. Have that positive network is crucial to one’s growth. They are one to help empower and uplift you to your best potential by ‘keeping it real’ (as the millennial will say). “Often, when we’re asking people to support us, we’re just asking for approval. But if we’re looking for results, we have to be comfortable with the feedback of people asking us to think bigger.” We need to have those who can boldly say NO whenczlgbyawkaanpvo it is needed and also pat us on the back for a job well done. I have an inner circle of people who know when to say Yes or No to this strong-minded lady called Yvonne.

Whether we want to hear it or not, sometimes other people determine whether or not, we are to be successful. So thinking Big requires understanding that the biggest and most meaningful projects simply can’t be accomplished on your own. “Other people are going to open the doors and spread your messages.” So how can you get others involved and inspired to help? It’s all about attitude and reliability, “You make commitments and fulfill them, you learn in action, and you deal with [your own] voices of judgement without being critical of others.”

Finally, big thinkers associate with other big thinkers who are ambitious, motivated and inspire others to think BIGGER, act BIGGER and become BIGGER than they ever imagined was possible.

The Renaissance Journey continues …

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©

The face of a Smiley Winner and how I’ve planned to enter my September, come Sun, Moon, and Stars ☀️🌗✨

Full of Positivity, Fun and Fulfilled Aspirations.

Backward NEVER 🚫

Onwards FOREVER 💯

Happy New Month of September Beloveds ❤️

The Renaissance Journey continues …

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©

Dear August,

I’m so glad You are bringing in the Sunshine with loads of surprises.

The number 8 (month of August) signifies New Beginnings, which has already started and so far kept me overwhelmed, hence here’s to me (🍹) as I continually keep walking into what’s been marked out for Me! I’m finally walking in My Truth & Loving It!

What’s Holding You Back from Your New Beginnings? 

Set Your Eyes on the Goal! Happy New Month Beloveds ❤️ as the Renaissance Journey continues … 

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©

Dear July (my Birth Month), I’m so glad You Are Finally Here 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽.

It is said that those born in the month of July are Unique Individuals so enjoy the FACTS on what makes us Stand Out from the Rest 😉

The number 7 (month of July) signifies Completeness and Perfection (both physical and spiritual) so watch as I walk into my Suddenly Surprises of the final half of 2018 🚶🏾‍♀️🚶🏾‍♀️🚶🏾‍♀️.

In the meantime, back to the drawing board to refine my bucket list with more ‘delights’ for my Summer (which includes my July) 📝

Happy New Month Beloveds ❤️

The Renaissance Journey continues …

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©

Welcome to the month of May which is the 5th month of 2018.

The spiritual meaning of the number 5 symbolizes God’s grace, goodness and favor toward humans and I wish that upon us all in this month of May 🙏🏾

Happy New Month Beloveds ❤️

Do like, comment and follow my BLOG for more jaw-dropping posts coming your way.

Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©

Welcome to the month of April.

It is considered that April is the month of the growing season and when trees and flowers begin to “open”. I take it as it being a New Season that I am stepping into with Open Doors of favour and possibilities aligned for me to take.

Also, the birthstone for April is Diamond. And who doesn’t like ‘diamonds’ whether it’s your birth month or not, so here’s to your month shining as bright as a DIAMOND 💎💎💎

Happy New Month Beloveds ❤️

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©

As you might know by now, I am into empowering people and bringing out the Business Man/Woman within oneself.

Whilst on my regular research, I came across a Forbes Online Contributor by the name of Heidi Grant Halvorson. She has a book titled Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals for more tips and strategies for building willpower – to help you get what you want at work and in life is now available on www.heidigranthalvorson.com. Below is an extract of her article of the ‘key trait successful people have and how to go about and get it’.

Which character traits do you need to have if you want to work effectively and get ahead?  The answer depends, to some extent, on the kind of work you do – but there’s one trait that everyone needs to have if they want to succeed, and that’s trustworthiness. Technically, it’s not so much being trustworthy, but being perceived as trustworthy, that matters.  You can be as honest, fair, and reliable as the day is long, but if nobody else sees you that way, it won’t help you.

When your boss doesn’t trust you, you don’t get key assignments, promotions, or the latitude to do things your own way and take risks.   When your employees don’t trust you, you don’t get their best effort, or all the information you need from them to make good decisions.

If you want other people to believe that you are trustworthy, you should be aware that you may be seriously undermining that belief if you appear to lack self-control.   New research shows that people just won’t trust you when you seem like you might have a willpower problem.  If you think about it, this makes a lot of intuitive sense.  We trust people because we know that when things get hard, or when it might be tempting for them to put their own interests first, they’ll resist temptation and do what’s right.

Studies have shown that when you engage in behaviours that are indicative of low self-control, your trustworthiness is diminished.  In other words, all those things you know you shouldn’t do – smoking, overeating, impulsive spending, being lazy, late, disorganized, excessively emotional, or having a quick temper – may be even worse for you than you ever realized, because of the collateral damage they are doing to your reputation.

So if you want to be trusted, you’re going to have to conquer these trust saboteurs.  To do that, you’ll need to understand how willpower really works, and how you can get your hands on some more of it.

The Secret to Earning Trust:  Willpower

Your capacity for self-control is like the muscles in your body.   Like biceps or triceps, willpower varies in its strength, not only from person to person but from moment to moment. Just as well-developed biceps sometimes get tired and jelly-like after a strenuous workout, so does your willpower “muscle.”

Even everyday actions like decision-making or trying to make a good impression can sap this valuable resource.  So can coping with the stresses of your career and family.  When you tax it too much at once, or for too long, the well of self-control strength runs dry, no matter who you are.   It is in these moments that the doughnut (or the cigarette, or your hot temper) wins.

So if you are serious about resisting your unwanted impulses, start by making peace with the fact that your willpower is limited.  If you’ve spent all your self-control handling stresses at work, you will not have much left at the end of the day for sticking to your resolutions.  Think about when you are most likely to feel drained and vulnerable, and make a plan to keep yourself out of harm’s way.  Decide, in advance, what you will do instead when the impulse strikes.

The good news is willpower depletion is only temporary.  Give your muscle time to bounce back, and you’ll be back in fighting form.  When rest is not an option, recent research shows that you can actually speed up your self-control recovery, or give it a boost when reserves are low, simply by thinking about people you know who have lot of self-control.   (Thinking about my impossibly self-possessed mother does wonders for me when I’m about to fall off the no-cheesecake wagon.)

Or, you can try giving yourself a pick-me-up.  I don’t mean a cocktail – I mean something that puts you in a good mood.  (Again, not a cocktail – it may be mood-enhancing, but alcohol is definitely not willpower-enhancing, nor trust-enhancing).    Anything that lifts your spirits should also help restore your self-control strength when you’re looking for a quick fix.

The other way in which willpower is like a muscle (and the really great news for those of us trying to rid ourselves of a trust saboteur) is that it can be made stronger over time if you give it regular workouts.  Recent studies show that daily activities such as exercising, keeping track of your finances or what you are eating – or even just remembering to sit up straight every time you think of it – can strengthen your capacity for self-control.  For example, in one study, people who were given free gym memberships and stuck to a daily exercise program for two months not only got physically healthier, but also smoked fewer cigarettes, drank less alcohol, and ate less junk food.  They were better able to control their tempers, and less likely to spend money impulsively.  They didn’t leave their dishes in the sink, didn’t put things off until later, and missed fewer appointments. In fact, every aspect of their lives that required the use of willpower improved dramatically.

So if you want to build more willpower, start by picking an activity (or avoiding one) that fits with your life and your goals – anything that requires you to override an impulse or desire again and again, and add this activity to your daily routine.  It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier over time if you hang in there, because your capacity for self-control will grow. Other people will notice the change and trust you more. Armed with more willpower and the trust of those around you, you’ll be more successful than ever before.

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady © 

I cannot believe it is already February (we only just entered 2018).

This second month should bring about more clarity to the goals already set for the year. Here’s to more productive New Month.

Do share, like, comment and follow my BLOG for more jaw-dropping posts coming your way.

Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady © 

Hello Beloveds ❤️ and Welcome to the month of November. I pray that you use this month to continue being the better YOU that You can be to finish 2017 well. Here’s to Inspired Goals & Aspirations!!!

#lifechanger #purposedriven #womenoffaith #lifestyleblog #motivator #mylifemystories #deepthinking #Faith #dailyencouragement #instapost #instaphotos #PositiveThinking #Influencer #IntentionalLiving #lifestyleblogger #blogger #londonblogger #lifestylebloggers #bloggerlife #ukblogger #bloggerslife #africanblogger #melaninpoppin #blackbloggersunited #bb_blogger #browngirlbloggers #nigerianblogger #blackgirlswhoblog #savvyblogging #therenaissancelady

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Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady © 

Over the weekend I came across a 10-minute speech that has impacted me in ways I cannot describe and I advise you all that after watching the attached clip – it will change your life.

In this inspiring speech and interview; Rick Rigsby delivered the best commencement speech and explained how the wisdom of a 3rd grade dropout was what sustained him after the devastating lost of his wife. And who was the third grade dropout – his father, whose teachings have guided him through the most troubling times of his life.

Rick Rigsby: The Wisdom Of A Third Grade Dropout

Over 200 students gathered together during a graduation speech at California State University Maritime Academy where Rigsby talked about his father who he regarded as the smartest person that he knew. “My father taught me to combine knowledge and wisdom to make an impact,” Rigsby said in his speech. “Wisdom comes to you from the unlikeliest of sources, often from failure. The person that gets up off the canvas and keeps growing, that’s the person that will grow their influence.” During his speech, Rigsby also revealed that his first wife died in 1996 of breast cancer which left him devastated but his father gave him advice on how to move on and stay strong in his grief.

Hmmmm, deep food for thought for me right there!!! How to move on and stay strong in my grief (a reflection of my 2017 and the losses that I have experienced).

So who is Dr. Rick Rigsby? According to his website, Dr. Rick Rigsby is the president and CEO of his own company, Rick Rigsby Communications and and founder of Rick Rigsby Ministries in Dallas, Texas. As a motivational speaker, Rick speaks worldwide before top corporations on Wall Street, where he offers corporate coaching, motivational speaking, and encourages people in the audience to become the best versions of themselves.

Well, it certainly seems that Rick Rigsby has overcome many obstacles, and it looks like now his words are inspiring many others through his “Change Your Life” talks. He’s making quite the impact with his incredibly inspiring speeches, as his goal is for all people to live life to the fullest, and be the best possible versions of themselves. In a world filled with so much hate and tragedy lately, maybe we really do need more Rick Rigsby speeches in our lives.

His book Lessons From a Third Grade Dropout can be purchased from Amazon (click on title of book)

Video was sourced from Goalcast, which is an inspiring community for achievers dedicated to helping people improve all aspects of their lives.

Do like, comment and follow my BLOG for more jaw-dropping posts coming your way.

Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady © 

Welcome to Part 8 of our Healthier 2017 Lifestyle and I hope you have been enjoying this amazing discovery of using food as smoothies and the benefits to this healthier journey of oneself. Again as derived from curejoy.com:

71. Antioxidant-Rich-Goji-Gruel: Similar to the benefits you get from eating other berries, goji berries are loaded with beta-carotene (a pigment found in plants and fruits) which helps promote healthy skin. Goji berries have also been known to help boost the immune system and protect the eyes — talk about a super fruit.

72. Blood-Purifying-Stinging-Nettle-Herb-Joy: Stinging nettle is: diuretic, astringent, pectoral, anodyne, tonic, rubefacient, styptic, anthelmintic, nutritive, hermetic, anti-rheumatic, anti-allergenic, decongestant, expectorant, anti-spasmodic, and anti-histamine, anti-lithic/lithotrophic, herpetic, galactagogue, and an anti-histamine.

73. Brain-Booster: Warding off heart disease. The blueberry’s fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and phytonutrient content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. The fiber in blueberries helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease.

74. Collagen-Building-Cream-of-Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe has lots of folic acid that is very important for regeneration of dead cells. This aspect is especially useful for pregnant women. This property of quicker regeneration also helps in giving a healthy skin. It keeps wrinkles at bay, maintains the skin elasticity and helps in collagen synthesis and thus has anti-aging properties.

75. Energizer-Sun-Shine-Smoothie: Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.

76. Fat-Loss-Raspberry-Shortbread-Smoothie: As the name suggests, raspberry ketone comes from the fruit and is, in fact, the primary compound responsible for a raspberry’s sweet smell.

77. Flavonoids-for-Kids: Apples are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals to keep your little ones healthy. Apples contain the same amount of fiber as a bowl of bran cereal and probably appeal to your child’s taste buds a little bit more.

78. Georgia-Peach-Skin-Rejuvenator: One of the major health benefits of peaches is for skin care. It’s a great source of Vitamin C which is widely used for skin care. You can get plenty of Vitamin C from a large peach. Apart from health benefits, you can directly use peaches for skin care such dark circles and wrinkles.

79. Healing-Hemp-Smoothie: Hemp Seeds are a perfect and natural blend of easily digested proteins, essential fats (Omega 3 & 6), Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), antioxidants, amino acids, fiber, iron, zinc, carotene, phospholipids, phytosterols, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and enzymes. All amino acids essential to optimum health are found in Hemp Seeds, including the rarely found Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA).

80. Healing-Tropical-Tango: According to new research study, mango fruit has been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast and colon cancers.

Here’s a reminder of past posts: Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 1); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 2); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 3); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 4); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 5); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 6); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 7); so keep on it Beloveds and look out for Part 9 of the Healthier Life coming soon.

Do like, comment and follow my BLOG for upcoming posts.

Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady © 

Welcome to Part 7 of our Healthier 2017 Lifestyle and I hope you have been enjoying this amazing discovery of using food as smoothies and the benefits to this healthier journey of oneself. Again as derived from curejoy.com:

61. Peppermint-Grapefruit-Detox-Water: Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like grapefruit may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms.

62. Probiotic-Guacamole-Spread: Sauerkraut isn’t just a topping for hot dogs, it is also a functional food with health benefits. Foods were originally fermented to help preserve them, but this isn’t the only benefit of fermented foods like sauerkraut, which is made by fermenting cabbage.

63. Blood-Pressure-Reducing-Ruby-Sunrise: Most of the benefits of carrots can be attributed to their beta carotene and fiber content. This root vegetable is also a good source of antioxidant agents.

64. Quinoa-Tacobowls: Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fiber. It is one of only a few plant foods that are considered a complete protein and comprised of all pernine essential amino acids.

65. Raspberry-Tummy-Tucker: By increasing enzyme activity, oxygen consumption, and heat production in certain types of fat cells, raspberry phytonutrients like rheosmin may be able to decrease risk of obesity as well as risk of fatty liver.

66. Beta-Carotene-Rich-Plantains-and-Water: Plantains, a member of the banana family, are starchy and low in sugar. They are usually baked or fried and used much like potatoes in Caribbean and West African dishes. Like bananas, plantains are a good source of potassium and fiber. Plantains contain significantly more vitamin A and vitamin C than bananas.

67. Rapid-Transit: Wheatgrass juice is an effective healer because it contains all minerals known to man, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, l and K. It is extremely rich in protein, and contains 17 amino acids, the building blocks of Warding off heart disease.

68. The-Power-Punch: Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6.B vitamins help break down homocysteine—an amino acid that at high levels is related to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

69. Almond-Silk-Wonder-Milk-for-Weight-Management: One cup of almond milk contains only 60 calories, as opposed to 146 calories in whole milk, 122 calories in 2 percent, 102 calories in 1 percent, and 86 calories in skim. It makes for a great substitute that will help you lose or maintain your current weight.

70. Anti-Inflammatory-Peanutty: Although almond milk only contains 1 gram of protein per serving, it contains plenty of B vitamins such as iron and riboflavin, both important for muscle growth and healing.

Here’s a reminder of past posts: Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 1); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 2); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 3); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 4); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 5); Kickstart Your Way to A Healthier 2017 (Part 6) so keep on it Beloveds and look out for Part 8 of the Healthier Life coming soon.

Do like, comment and follow my BLOG for upcoming posts.

Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady ©