Tag: #FierceLivingat50

#FierceLiving Friday: #FierceLivingat50 Lesson 6 OWNERSHIP

Posted by on in #FierceLiving Friday, #FierceLiving@50, Self-DiscoveryLeave a comment

image

Happy #FierceLiving Friday!

OWNERSHIP is #FierceLivingat50 Lesson 6. Last year, I was blessed to read Discovering Your Soul Signature by Panache Desai. Desai’s book and online offerings (videos and wisdom Facebook quotes) have guided me in my healing work and helped me fully grasp the importance of knowing and loving myself.

image

Through this process, I am learning to accept and embrace my strengths and weaknesses. The end result is me claiming and expressing ownership of my magnificence each and every day while realizing life is a journey and I’m a divine magnificent being in process. Check out artist Tim Okamura’s painting, Sunrise on U Street (2013). Okamura captured my soul signature in his work.
image

My photographer Leigh Mosley captured my soul signature during a 2008 photo shoot of my eight archetypes for my book, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetical Memoir of Self-Discovery (available on Amazon). Meet my Sapphire archetype below.
image

How are you claiming and expressing ownership of your life?

What does your soul signature look like?

Photo Credit: PanacheDesai.com, Leigh Mosley – http://www.leighmosley.com, and Tim Okamura

#FierceLiving Friday: #FierceLivingat50 Lesson 5 ENCOURAGEMENT

Posted by on in #FierceLiving Friday, #FierceLiving@50Leave a comment

Happy #FierceLiving Friday!

ENCOURAGEMENT is #FierceLivingat50  Lesson 5. Yesterday, my accountability partner Nia and I decided to go walking and talking in Wheaton Mall in Wheaton, Maryland (since it was cold outside and ABC Scandal was on hiatus!). During our hour-long walk, we laughed, shared, window shopped, danced in the aisles at DSW and the Guess Jeans store, smelled candles and tried lotions at Bed Bath & Beyond, drank the passion mint sample tea at the Teavana store (yummy), and talked about how we support each other. Our conversation  reminded me of the power we each have to encourage ourselves and each other.

image

image

image

That’s why I took some time today to text several family members and friends encouraging messages by author Panache Desai that I like to read on Facebook. How do you encourage yourself and others?

Photo Credit: Panache Desai

#FierceLiving Friday: #FierceLivingat50 Lesson 4 BELIEVE

Posted by on in Press Publish, Press Publish ConferenceLeave a comment

Happy #FierceLiving Friday!

#FierceLivingat50 Lesson 4 is BELIEVE. I was reminded of the power of belief in oneself during photojournalist and travel blogger Erick Prince-Heaggans’ talk on “Around the World in 80 Posts” at the Press Publish Conference in Portland, Oregon last weekend.
image

Erick shared how he transformed his passion for photography, service to others, storytelling, writing, and travel into a fulfilling career and life. As he spoke, I thought, “wow he’s got a strong belief in himself and his dreams.” To learn more about him, visit MinorityNomad.com.
image

One of the most important gifts I have given myself is a series of affirmations: I BELIEVE in myself. I BELIEVE all things are possible in my life. I BELIEVE I deserve the best. Affirming these three statements helps me strengthen my belief in myself, dream big, push past and overcome my limitations, and manifest my dreams.

What do you believe about yourself?

How do you strengthen your beliefs?

Happy National Poetry Month: I’m joining the April Poem-A-Day Challenge

Posted by on in April 2015 Poem-A-Day Challenge, National Poetry Month, Poetry1 Comment

image

Happy National Poetry Month!

While I was at the WordPress Press Publish Conference in Portland, Oregon, I had a great conversation about writing poetry with the “Naughty Poetess,” author of the Naughty Poetess blog. I shared how much I missed writing poetry. On the flight home to DC on Sunday morning, I decided to participate in the April Poem-A-Day Challenge. I participated in 2008 and 2009. Both experiences helped me blog and publish my second book, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetical Memoir of Self-Discovery.

This year, I have chosen Fierce Living at 50 as my theme for the April Poem-A-Day Challenge. I will be using some of my poems in my new e-book series and artwork that will be available on my Etsy shop this summer, Here is the first poem, “Unmasked.”

Unmasked

Buried wounds began to rise to the surface.
I tried to run and hide, but there was no safe haven.
So I stood in the tsunami of my pain.
My legs tired.
I sat still and allowed it all to come undone.
45
46
47
48
49
Five years of looking inside, looking outside, looking above, and looking below.
Peeling back the layers of my mask … the person who I thought I was and making peace with who I have become.
Arriving at 50 unmasked with acceptance, compassion, forgiveness and love…knowing and giving thanks that the journey continues.

Copyright 2015 by Madelyn C. Leeke. All rights reserved.