Mustering up the energy and interest to write over the last eight months has been difficult. I’ve attempted to write on numerous occasions, but I get distracted each time. Usually by clothes, and today was no different. I just bought three dresses and two pant sets. They’ll come in handy in my new endeavor that I plan to share soon, but I digress.

The way things pan out in life never ceases to amaze me—even in the instances that feel horrible. During these past eight months I have been a metaphoric onion on a cutting board. My once enclosed layers are being revealed and it has been somewhat painful. Much like slicing a real onion, the beginning stages of cutting it are pretty easy, the tears don’t start to form until you get closer to the center of the vegetable. I’ve come to realize I am getting closer to my core—it hurts, but it is working for my good.

In my last blog post I shared my thoughts surrounding whether or not I am as confident as I say I am. What I’ve learned since writing that post is I am not confident in every aspect of my being and I have mixed feelings about it. Although I know I am not perfect, I am not happy about not being highly confident in every area of my life. I’ve wondered if it is realistic for me to be fully confident in area of my being—but, why not?

I watched the movie “Akeelah and the Bee” for the first time recently. I found it very compelling in its entirety, but there was one line that I heard that resonated with me so I searched for its origin.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

-Marianne Williamson

I’ve learned that I have been hindering me. I have not allowed my potential to be tapped into. Instead, I’ve focused on what hasn’t been going the way I wanted, not realizing God took me out of a comfortable situation in order to stretch me and cause me to exercise my faith in Him and in my capabilities through His power.

I’ve been peeled and sliced and now I am ready for my next level—sauteed. By no means do I expect it to be easy, but I do expect it to make me stronger.

Until the next time, be you and most importantly—love you.

Being uniquely you is being uniquely beautiful.

-B.B. 💋