Reality Check - Natural Hair

I have been growing my hair naturally for almost 11 months. Natural hair for me is the process of weening my hair from perms and other chemicals that may be damaging for the natural hair. I have tried to go natural so many times. I finally reached the REALITY of naturalness by putting forth the effort and learn how to develop this process with ease. It is definitely a lifestyle change.
You have to take care of your body so it can produce healthy natural oils. The oil helps to keep moisture in to your skin and scalp. The natural oils help your hair and prevents your pores from being clogged or bogged down with processed oils. I now take a strong vitamin to promote health and supplements that I don't get through my daily diet. Nuts and any type of peanut oil is good for the hair. I also have to use a deep conditioning treatment twice monthly which softens the hair and provides strength. In a couple of weeks I will provide you all with a picture of me and my natural hair.

Reality Check- Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words!

As black women where do we fit into the picture? In REALITY we must ask ourselves where do we fit into society? Have we learned strong social skills to remain in societies race? Or are we just too fast and everyone has to catch up? (cute picture!)

Reality Check- Do I Feel Like a Pencil?

I recently read a bloggers post who was undoubtedly influenced by novelist Paulo Coelho. (search his bio in Wikipedia) Although I do not agree with his philosophy he had given an illustration of a pencil and how we are like pencils. If you've been reading my previous post you factually know that I am deeply influenced by my urban culture. I am going to put an urban twist to the illustration of a pencil.
Five ways we are like a pencil:
1. There is always a hand guiding a pencil. A pencil has the power to write anything, but without a hand guiding it along it is impossible and very difficult. We are capable of many things but we must never forget that there is a hand guiding our everyday steps.
2. Pencils grow dull and have to be sharpened. Imagine being shaved down, it must hurt. In the end the pencil is sharpened and produces a better and stronger print. We sometimes have to go through many painful things but in the end it makes us a better, stronger person.
3. Pencils come equipped with erasers to rub out any mistakes. Often times we have to correct many things we may have done wrong in our lives but the end result produces humbleness in us.
4. The most important part of the pencil is the graphite inside the pencil. It is not the wood or the color of the pencil. We have something valuable as well, our heart. The inner person we are strengthens and mold us. Beauty is skin deep, truthfully.
5. A pencil will always leave a mark. Whatever it is that we do in life we leave a mark. Whether it is a positive or a negative mark, we must remember impressions are very powerful. We have the ability to help or hurt someone. Be conscience of our mark.
Truthfully, we as a race never examine other things to comparatively better ourselves. We need to think outside the box and expand our thinking ability. We have such a strong spiritual connection but why not take take that same conviction and apply it to other elements in our lives. In REALITY can we compare ourselves to a pencil or is this just another good story we read with no thought behind it?

Reality Check - Entrepreneurship 1.1

As women of color we should always try to learn from other women. As black women we have difficulty with allowing ourselves to be guided. The REALITY is that we should strive to open our mind, especially to professionalism. There are not enough black women entrepreneurs in our communities. The first step is to learn what entrepreneurship means, and find out are we equipped to be entrepreneurs. First we have to create our own opportunities. Here is good advice from Bobbi Brown- Founder and CEO, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

"I started working as a freelance makeup artist in 1980, and I worried that I didn't have enough money. My father told me I'd just have to figure out a way to make more money. So I started looking through the Yellow Pages and calling agencies, magazines, photographers - anyone I could offer my services to. I'd work for free until I proved myself.

Soon enough, I was getting regular calls to do their makeup. My father's advice made me feel that I was in control of my future. I realized that it was my job to find more opportunities."

Reality of a Black Womans Transition

Being a woman in this society has its limits. Being a black woman in society today should be limitless. In contrast, we are, black women, the limited. When we are placed in environments out of our expected element, we have many challenges. I am just an average young black woman, with a little education under my belt. I have been blessed with a pretty good, reasonable, sound mind. For me i get comfortable in my own element, which has cultural restrictions. I love being around my people, good southern country folk. The thing that most confuses people about me is my ability to transcend. I can put myself or avail myself to other elements and still remain that black woman. I feel the hardest thing for a black woman is making a transition from comfortableness to professionalism. I'm referring here to career seeking, job placement, go getters. We need more black women in our school systems, medical field (professionally), financing and lawmaking powerful positions. The REALITY is how do we cope with transition? Do we put forth the effort to transcend or do we live in our own element?

Reality Check - Empowerment 1.1

As a black woman I know it sounds crazy but I find it hard for women of color to have just a great day. I myself have a very different personality than other black women. I mean I breath easy so to speak. I love being a black woman. We are the best species on this planet. It is because we are so complete because of our circumstances. We are not only mothers to one child (without given birth) but to a whole community. Our life is hectic due to obligations placed on us by society.
We as women of color have to get with REALITY. Given our ability to be stronger than our counterparts we have to take advantage of that. We have to capitalize on our own strength. Okay food for thought, If we can make a dollar out of fifteen cents just what can we do with knowledge?

Afeni Shakur - Speaks Reality in Memphis

Afeni Shakur is a urban reality. She offers empowerment to college students in Memphis. She delivered the reality of urban living. She urges them to use their mind and think for themselves. I really felt what she was speaking about. She urged the audience to think of others than themselves. She brought the reality out about individuals that are so hopeless that they take their own lives.
I am especially fond of her, her words, her movement and empowerment. I am a huge fan of her son Tupac Shakur. Through his music you can hear what she instilled in his mind as a youth. She is very liberated from her past life as a Black Panther activist, former drug addict. From listening to her speech she has a new found hope, spirituality and joy.
Listen to her speech, did she not speak on REALITY!