A'KALA

I haven’t written a blog in a while. I have a great excuse, I promise! You’ll see the fruits of that labor in time. Today though? Today we talk about celebration.

This specific spotlight is on one of my favorite people A’Kala Chaires. She just published her first book and while we screamed about its completion in my inbox, we ran into to celebration.

It’s so easy to move to the next goal once we’ve completed something. Is this cultural? We’ve been conditioned to achieve and keep on achieving. No matter what, accomplishment is never enough. We don’t break and we don’t breathe because “the hustle never rests.” I hate to be the one to tell you, but it does. It has to, otherwise all we are is burned out and unsatisfied.

I’ll be honest and say that I have grave fear of leaving this Earth with unfinished projects. I don’t want to be like many famous artist whose family have an arsenal of undone versus and notes to share. I want the world to see me full out and finished. I also know that’s not realistic and I have to rest.

I’ve written 12 books and I have only celebrated the completion of one. I never stopped to think about the milestone that came with doing that simple thing. I’d never finished anything in my life. I’ve had so many things in life that I’ve wanted to try that I would start and stop in hopes that I could do it all.
Finishing was a big deal.

It’s still a big deal. Now I owe myself 12 celebrations. More than that for the many other small victories in my life.

So to my friend, A’kala! CHEERS to you! Stop today and think about what you’ve done.

You’ve shared your art with the world which takes more courage than you know, because you’ve opened yourself up to criticism.

It took you time to write this all out, to think of the perfect cover, the perfect arraignment and format. You made decisions. Celebrate.

Writing is harder than most people know until they sit and do it themselves. It can be years and of procrastination, writer’s block and changing your mind. It can be rejections and doubt. But here you are IN PRINT taking a chance on your work.

This is no longer a world where women have to play and be small. So BRAG.

• Buy yourself a gift
• Make a celebration playlist
• Reflect
• Journal
• Take a break
• Give yourself grace
• Dance alone in the middle of the street or your room lol
• Dress up for no reason
• Buy yourself dinner
• Get yourself a card
• Write down everything you love about yourself then repeat it out loud

 
YOU DID WHAT...?

THAT!!!