When someone talks about investing in yourself, a lot of times the first thing we think of is money. But money isn't everything. There are other things that are extremely important when you are trying to pursue a dream, a passion, or achieve something. Do you know what that resource is? If you weren't sure, the answer is time. And just like money, most of us don't have infinite amounts of it, so it's a precious resource that should not be taken for granted. The time you have throughout your day is obviously dedicated to a job, family, and other obligations, but you have to ask yourself if you're truly using all of it wisely. Are there times when you are sleeping in, hitting the snooze button or scrolling through social media. If that's the case, there is valuable time you can be using and devoting towards yourself and what you're passionate about.  The same goes for money. I know that most of don't have endless supplies of it and we have expenses that are required, such as rent and utilities. But, what about ordering in a few times a week? What about the coffee you buy every morning? It may not seem like a lot then, but it adds up. And that money could be used in other places, like yourself. Investing money into yourself, no matter what it is you are trying to accomplish.  It boils down to priorities. You have to figure out what is most important to you and devote as much time, money, and effort that you can towards it. Because, if you don't and you continue to do what you're doing, you're going to stay exactly where you are.  Is that something you want?

On this episode of the Grateful, No Matter What Podcast, I had the pleasure to sit down with Yovanni Field, who is someone who doesn't hold back and speaks from the heart. Growing up, Yovanni had his struggles with addiction, depression, and run in's with the law, but doesn't let that define him. Instead, he took those seemingly negative past experiences and used them as motivation to become an avid mental health enthusiast as well as a personal trainer. This passion turned into his purpose, which inspired Yovanni to start an all around fitness business focusing not just on physical health, but mental health as well with a big goal in mind: building a brand to that can eventually become a world wide power house. To connect with Yovanni, feel free to reach out to him on any of his social media platforms: IG, TikTok, & Twitter: @yaeFTF_ABY SnapChat: Yae_ftf Email: [email protected]

It is inevitable that there will be times when you may not know the answer to something. To avoid losing credibility and causing others to question your knowledge, you may try to act like you know or just go along because you're afraid of how others might judge or what they may say about you. I have realized that people will go out of their way to act like they are knowledgeable about a particular subject just to "look good" and avoid being perceived as dumb, stupid, or ignorant.  That begs the question:  Why is that habit so rampant today? To be completely honest, I feel that there can be so much embarrassment, and possible shame associated with not knowing something, being misinformed, or even forgetting something deemed as common sense. Therefore, many people would rather save act like they know something than admit that they don't.  This mindset can create this vicious cycle that can end up leaving you  trapped, stuck, and unable to evolve and move further on your path. At this point, a decision needs to be made: You have to surrender and allow yourself the opportunity to grow as a human being. You have to make the conscious decision to admit to yourself and others, when necessary, that you don’t have all the answers.  This should not be seen as a failure or disappointment, but rather a courageous moment where you give yourself a chance to be taught, to learn, and live a new way of life.

On this episode of the Grateful, No Matter What Podcast, I sat down with Karina F. Daves, who is an amazingly talented human being.  Karina prides herself on being a "for the people and with the people" type of gal and truly believes in the power of helping others, one season at a time. Over the years, she has developed practices and skills in achieving BITE-SIZED GOALSbetween her career, her relationships and her sanity. She is not perfect, nor does she claim to the best at this gift called life. But, she does feel blessed. Blessed with the ability to think quickly on her feet, develop life-changing techniques, and still have a chuckle at the end of the day! Her passion is to be there for women, specifically moms, that need tools and confidence to keep going, no matter where they are in life! To connect with Karina, feel free to reach out to her on any of her social media platforms: Website: www.karinafdaves.com IG: @karinafdaves Email: [email protected]

I used to think it was bad to change your mind. I would always worry about what other people would think when I decided to do something different.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Even uttering the words, “I changed my mind”, can seem so unacceptable. That sentence is short but, it holds a lot of meaning. And, if you’re like most people, it also carries a lot of shame and regret. It’s true, there’s a healthy dose of guilt that accompanies a sudden shift in your path. This indisputable feeling that if you were just a little smarter, better-informed, or more prepared, you could’ve avoid this “mess” to begin with. You know what? We all do this at some point in our lives. Whether it’s something as simple as backing out on plans or something as major as completely switching careers, we tend to beat ourselves up over the fact that we’ve had a total change of heart. Because, if you really think about it, you put in time and effort only to decide to go in a different direction, and that can bring about an immense amount of self-loathing.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But, I want to challenge this idea. I want to challenge that chaining your mind, pivoting in a new direction, should be deemed some sort of mistake or sin. That it’s this distasteful behavior or characteristic that immediately makes you careless, unreliable, or a flake. I have a much different way of describing someone who has the guts to change course. Instead of those negative adjectives, I’d use words like brave, self-aware, and constantly evolving to become aligned to their truest self and their purest passions.  Be brutally honest with yourself. If you feel like trying something new, then try something new. Remember, it’s your life to live.

The day has finally arrived! My first official podcast guest, Melissa Romero, sat down with me to discuss her journey with spirituality, as well as her experiences with plant medicine and living a life filled with gratitude.   Melissa Romero is an Evolutionary Speaker, Energy Healer, and Success Coach. Utilizing her Vlog, The Spiritual Misfit, and other offerings she seeks to inspire others through their personal evolution to discover and unlock their true potential. Her approach to healing and growth is raw, real, and yet nurturing. Melissa prides herself in teaching practical application of life principles, emphasizing self-love, forgiveness, and a holistic approach to spirituality and success. IG: @The_Spiritual_Misfit FB: Melissa Romero-The Spiritual Misfit

Meditation is a journey from the outer world into the inner one. With each passing moment allow yourself to become closer and more intimate with your breath. You have the choice and ultimate authority to come back to your breath, especially when your mind starts to race towards the past or the future. Always remember that. Always remember that life is going to happen and your thoughts are going to want to do their own thing. It is up to you, the individual to take back these moments as your own and cherish them as if it was your last one. Be here now. It’s where your most authentic life is happening.

Why is that? Why is one too many and a thousand is never enough?  Coming from my own personal experience, the one is always the thing that sets it off. It’s the catalyst that sets in motion a course of events that you may not want to play out but will most likely happen inevitably. And then, the thousand is never enough just means that you keep trying to chase something that is most likely unattainable. In my opinion, the best way to combat this type of behavior is to create balance in all aspects of your life. To create this middle ground between that one and that thousand.  Now, I am not literally talking about 500, but this area where you can balance everything out. So many people, myself included, either live or used to live in this world of extremes. It’s either all or nothing. And if you’re living your life on the “nothing” side and you totally restrict yourself from doing certain things or eating certain things, then you’re setting yourself up to over-indulge, to binge. To do things in excess that are going to end up hurting you just because you were trying to restrict yourself. These same excessive behaviors occur when and if you are living your life in that “all” area where you go too hard at all time or you do things too much.  Both ends of the spectrum can be quite detrimental. So, incorporating this concept of balance into your life is extremely vital to your overall well-being. It’s important to understand what situations in your life can trigger you, what people in your life can trigger you, what emotional states can trigger you, or what mental states can trigger you and cause you to overindulge or live in excess; live on that “all” end of the spectrum. At the same time, you have to be true to yourself.  Constantly check your motives. You know yourself better than anyone else and you know when you are doing something that is beneficial and when you are doing something that is self-destructive. It truly is an inside job that cannot be addressed from anything on the outside, so try to be diligent and truthful with your motives.

Boundaries are guidelines, rules or limits that a person creates to identify for themselves what are reasonable, safe and permissible ways for other people to behave around them and how they will respond when someone steps outside those limits. Personal boundaries define where you end and others begin and are determined by the amount of physical and emotional space you allow between yourself and others. Personal boundaries help you decide what types of communication, behavior, and interaction are acceptable. Setting boundaries is essential if you want to be both physically and emotionally healthy. Creating healthy boundaries is empowering. By recognizing the need to set and enforce limits, you protect your self- esteem, maintain self-respect, and enjoy healthy relationships.

Everyone seems to be more than ready to forget 2020, but you shouldn't be so quick to move on. Because, when we rush to move forward and forget about the past we skip a valuable step and deny ourselves the chance to grow. We’ve been given the time to reflect. We’ve had opportunities to learn more about ourselves, the societies within which we operate, as well as the world as a whole. We’re still working towards seeing that light at the end of the tunnel. But when we get there, we must not forget the journey we had going through the tunnel, for that is how we truly grow as human beings. Therefore, lets carry with us the lessons we have learned in 2020 and not leave them behind. For those of us, who in the struggle of life, could not contemplate and learn those lessons, maybe now is the time to look back, when things are a bit easier, to see if there are any more lessons to be picked up.