What I’ve learned about myself so far in 2012

I’m not one to make resolutions at the beginning of a New Year. But in doing self-reflection I knew that I wanted 2012 to be an even better year than 2011. I want this year to be a year of growth where I challenge myself more than ever before. Challenge myself to jump higher and run faster. To leap. To live with reckless abandon. To trust love. To trust myself. To not be afraid to push the limits.

And 25 days into the New Year I can say that I’ve done just that and have learned so much about myself in the process. It’s interesting how situations arise that test you, that test your strength and you have to make a decision. You can go run in a corner and choose to be consumed, or you can strap on your armor and stand with your feet firm. I have been tested, it’s even fair to say I’ve been an emotional roller-coaster (cue Vivian Green’s song) this year.

While I’ve never been one to back away from difficult situations, I usually become an introvert, secluded myself from the world and hidden in a shell. On the exterior seemingly calm and collective, but on the interior a ball of fire. I’ve gotten by like this, but as you can imagine it’s not the ideal situation. But recently I’ve realized that I don’t have all the answers, that when I’m being tested I don’t have to stand alone. I’ve never been comfortable asking for help or sharing a lot of personal information with others, but I realized I can’t carry this load on my own. And I’m glad to say that I was able to look around me and find amazing support from my friends and family these past few weeks. There were no questions, no judgment, just pure concern, encouragement, and love for me and lil mama. It’s been overwhelming and slightly uncomfortable to know that I’ve got so many remarkable people in my corner who truly believe in me and genuinely want what’s best for me and my family.

What I’ve learned 25 days into 2012 is I’m stronger than I think. That when I think I’m backed into a wall, I’m really not, I just have to change my perspective and find another way. That I’ve got an amazing support system that’s there for me no matter what.

That Still I Rise. 

Babysitter = Stranger = Panic Attack

If you follow the blog, you may know that I don’t have a tight support system. Sorta just me, myself, and my divalicious daughter. It’s been hard to accept, and at times I get down, but at the end of the day it is what it is and we are family and I’m so lucky to have her.

Everyone who knows me knows that I live, breathe, eat, and sleep being a Mother. She is my life. For real. It definitely gets overwhelming not having any support, and I sometimes think I’m over my head, but I somehow manage to pull it all together. I've considered hiring an occasional babysitter to come to our home once a week for a few hours in the evenings to watch lil mama so I can go for a run or go to the library. Yes, you heard that right, I don’t want to hit the town or socialize, I want to be boring. Don’t judge.

But, honestly, the thought of a stranger caring for lil mama makes me have an asthma and panic attack all in one with a side of hives. Yes, call me paranoid, call me dramatic, but I get n-e-r-v-o-u-s. I’ve gotten some responses, and if I think there is potential I google/facebook/myspace their name or email. Not kidding. Any inappropriate pictures or language or funny smile and I hit the SPAM button with the quickness, cause homie don’t play that. The protective Mom inside me wants a complete background check, fingerprints, need to see if they’ve been arrested. Not kidding. Sigh. And then what they charge an hour! I mine as well just stay my butt home!! Oh well, it was a good thought, but this process has reaffirmed my thoughts that I’m not ready to hire a stranger to come in my home to watch my daughter.

Have you hired a babysitter before? Would you hire a babysitter? If you have, how have you calmed uneasy nerves about a stranger watching your child(ren)? Am I overreacting?

Support Make It Happen: The Young Mommy Guide To Creating A Career by The Young Mommy Life

Being a young parent has created its challenges and struggles. There are many days when I just want to throw the rag in and call it quits. I wonder if all my hard work will ever really pay off.

Enter blogger Tara from The Young Mommy Life.

I “met” Tara last year when I first began Mommy Glow. I didn’t really know where my voice fit in the virtual world. When I came across her and her site, I was like wow. Here is a young woman, a young mom, who is out there hustling, making moves, and creating a forum for other young parents to talk about the experiences us young parents encounter.

Tara has become not only my friend, but my personal cheerleader as well. She’s not someone asking me how I’m doing to be nice. She asks because she truly cares and wants to help in whatever way she can. She’s always been there for me, to help support me in my times of need. To help listen to me when I need to vent. All the way from Ohio she is a vital member of my support system.

And now I want to be there for Tara, and her recently published e-book called: Make It Happen: The Young Mommy Guide To Creating A Career You Crave available on Amazon for $5.99. I am so inspired by Tara’s go-getter attitude and her continuous positivity. She is a real inspiration to young mommies everywhere.

I was able to ask Tara more about Make It Happen and why this is a must read for all young parents, and below is what she had to say:

I decided to write a book about career and money first (as opposed to the "sexier" topics of relationships, body image and all that) because a good chunk of our day-to-day life revolves around money. For a lot of us, being a stay-at-home mom isn't really an option - even if that's what we long to do. So we go to work to support our families the best way we know how. Our jobs may not pay that much or we might just really feel like our job is sucking the soul right out of us. But we don't want to complain because that job is putting food in our babies' mouth. Right? 

I wanted to tell other young parents what I've learned over the past couple years - that we own our future. Too often we feel like we're scrambling, playing catch-up, but the truth is, we've got just the right combination of factors - youth, motivation, drive, the new digital age that allows us to contact anyone anywhere - that makes success more than just a strong possibility for us. 

We CAN have a career that is of our making that allows us to pay the bills and then some, that gives us a daily dose of happiness. If it sounds like poppycock to you, let me just say: I'm living it now. Other moms I know are either there or well on their way. 

In the book, I help you find your passion, learn to budget so you make the most of the money you earn, and give you 20 ideas for side hustles you can start TODAY for little or no money. Once we get financially empowered, it makes all the big decisions - where we live, what we eat, where our kids go to school - so much easier to make. I hope once people finish reading, they're ready to make that next step in their career - whether it's reaching out to someone they admire or setting up their own website/portfolio (I cover both items in the book).

I’m proud to know Tara, and uber proud of her publishing her 1^st e-book Make It Happen. I plan to read it this weekend, and hope you all take the time to download the e-book and write a review.

Let's show her some support!

Help Me Become a Mamavation Mom!

Its game time: I want to become the next Mamavation Mom.

On December 15^th I applied to become the next Mamavation Mom. Why? I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of my weight and living an unhealthy lifestyle. I’m tired of struggling with sleep apnea and not sleeping. I’m tired of not being comfortable in my own skin. You can read more about why I want to be the next Mamavation Mom HERE.

There are quite a few steps in the whole Mamavation Mom process:

1) Record video, share on Youtube and on blog DONE

2) Complete online application DONE

3) Gain support! Encourage supporters to publicly [via twitter/facebook] support me to become the next Mamavation Mom DONE

4) Help @bookieboo [the woman behind Mamavation] narrow down finalists, by commenting HERE on why I should be chosen as the next Mamavation Mom.

We are currently in the 4^th stage of the Mamavation Mom process. Finalists will be chosen by bookieboo on January 5^th and the finalists that she handpicks will then go to round two–the voting week starting January 10th. Two of the five finalists win the title of Mamavation Mom and start the bootcamp as everyone watches on January 17th.

Including myself there are 9 applicants applying to become the next Mamavation Mom for Campaign 7.

I am the only single mom. And I am seemingly the only one of color.

And I have to admit, I feel like the underdog for many reasons. But, I’m not going to let that stop me. I am determined and motivated to lose weight and begin living a healthy lifestyle, and would love the opportunity to be supported by the Mamavation crew by becoming a Mamavation Mom.

I want to be chosen as the next Mamavation Mom and show other moms and single moms that WE can achieve our goals if we reevaluate our goals and have a support system.

I WILL achieve because I BELIEVE.

“You can’t hire someone else to do your push-ups for you”

-Jil Rohn [philosopher]

I know that this journey is going to be tough, and as a Mamavation Mom for 7 weeks I will have to be extremely dedicated and will be held accountable. This isn’t a game. This is serious. My health and life are in jeopardy and this is why I need to become the next Mamavation Mom. There are a lot of negative devastating side affects that come along with not treating sleep apnea. They include daytime sleepiness, fatigue, congestive heart failure, low blood oxygen, and memory loss. Scary stuff.

No one else can change my life besides me. I have to be 100% responsible for the quality of life that I lead. I cannot blame lack of time or sleepiness or a needy child for getting in the way of exercising or eating healthy. I’ve taken responsibility and now ready for action. I’m ready to kick some ass and show this fat whose boss!!

The fire within me has been reignited. I am ready to change my life, and hope you will support me on my journey.

“It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined”

-Henry James [author]

Please head over to Mamavation and tell bookieboo that you believe I would be a great Mamavation mom. Please use my twitter handle @YoungFabMama

Below is my YouTube video application:

And please keep the support going on Twitter by tweeting:

“Hey @bookieboo! I want (@YoungFabMama) to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support! http://bit.ly/zqUxa”

Thank you for all who have supported me, it means a great deal to know that I have people in my corner rooting for me.

I want to be the next Mamavation Mom!

This is my part of my application to become the next Mamavation Mom. [YAY!]

What is a Mamavation Mom you may be thinking. What is mamavation? 

Straight from the website:

“Two women, referred to as Mamavation Moms™, go through a 7-week online boot camp and their lives are put on a public stage. They share their struggles learning healthy living as a mom as the world watches via computer. The goal is to inspire and demonstrate how challenges can be overcome. But ultimately the goal is to save their family from obesity by passing on the values they learn.”

“Mamavation™ is an online docudrama and weight loss support group for moms in social media. It’s both a campaign and Virtual Sorority™ in one.”

Mamavation is changing families one MOM at a time.

If When I get chosen to become a Mamavation Mom the campaign becomes a virtual docudrama with real challenges and victories as I become the star of the campaign.

I have struggled with weight for years now. I have beaten myself up over my bad eating habits and lack of motivation to work out. But I’ve reached my breaking point. I’m tired of complaining, I’m tired of making excuses, and I am ready, I am ready to change my life. For those of you who follow my blog regularly you know that I’ve already begun a fitness and wellness journey and have begun walking..alot. My Monday Mamavation post this week outlines my goal of walking 25 miles this week!

I was built to succeed; I was not built to fail. I can do this. I will do this. I can become the next Mamavation Mom.

Below is my video to become a Mamavation Mom which is another part of the application process. I talk about why I want to become the next Mamavation Mom and what I will do to inspire other moms online:

 

This isn’t a joke. I’m joining Mamavation to change my life. There are stiff requirements that come along with becoming a Mamavation Mom and some of them are:

(15) Must be willing to post Mamavation Monday posts with scale picture every Monday after the campaign for at least 6 months
(16) Must be willing to sign up and run a 5K after the campaign
(17) Must be willing to act as a “Mentor” to the next crop of Mamavation Moms and continue to support the Mamavation Sistahood

I am so ready for this change, and I’m so ready to live a healthy life. Not only for myself, but for my daughter as well. I want to be comfortable and confident with who I am. I want to be able to say that I no longer have sleep apnea. I want to be able to sleep through the night. I want to help and inspire others.

But, I cannot be the next Mamavation Mom without your support! I ask all of you to please tweet the following:

“Hey @bookieboo! I want (@YoungFabMama) to be the next #Mamavation Mom. She has my support! http://bit.ly/zqUxa”

And on Facebook visit the Mamavation Facebook Fan page and tell them why they think I would make a good Mamavation Mom. Be sure to include my twitter handle @YoungFabMama!

BookieBoo the lovely woman behind Mamavation has to know that I’m serious about this and she also needs to know that I have the support of my friends and bloggers. Because ifyour help to succeeding. when I get chosen, it’s not going to be easy, and I’m going to need

I can’t do this alone. So please tweet the above message daily, visit the facebook page, and visit my Youtube video and comment and support me along my journey!!

Thank You!!