HELLO SEPTEMBER!

Hello Gorgeous,

Summer is coming to an end. I must admit that it feels good to be ushering in a new season. Fall is my favorite season. I love fall fashion. Blazers, scarfs, gloves, boots oh my. I feel like it's a time when I can indulge in both my feminine side yet add a bit of mystery with masculine touches such as leather, hats, and very structured pieces... I can't wait to pick the perfect fall scent. I have something in mind and am looking forward to trying the scent on for size. It has to be a sexy mix of power and grace. 
What excites me most about fall is its comfortable warmth. I'm looking forward to many pumpkin spice lattes, and the chance to dig in and write with no distractions. With that being said here are the top 7 things I want to accomplish for the month of September.

1. 

DEVOTE SCHEDULED TIME TO MY DREAMS

I want to go pro with my blog meaning, I want to write trans formative pieces that inspire change, thought, and conversation.....

2. 

TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH

I often pray for and wait...I will now pray and work to that God can guide my steps with his own eye

3. 

BE FIRST

I have always been the one to make the sacrifice often times leaving myself empty. This month I commit to being selfish with myself, falling in love with me, and enjoy all the little things that make me  Shameka...

4. 

Go on a date

Take myself on a date...get all dolled up, go to my favorite spot and spend a little QT with me!

5. 

START A HEALTHY, SEXY HAIR JOURNEY

I am craving a wavy bob!

6. 

CREATE A FUN FITNESS ROUTINE

I must admit I have neglected my body, gained more than a few pounds and starting to feel the stress of the extra weight on my body, it's time to get my body back into shape.

7. 

SET THE STANDARD...QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Instead of having many things I want to surround myself with the things that I really love, and I'm starting with my wardrobe!

What are you looking forward to accomplishing before the leaves start hitting the ground? Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter @shemogullifestyle, let me know what your working toward this month.

With Love,

Shameka

Why Not Have A Miami Night....?

“I've apparently been the victim of growing up, which apparently happens to all of us at one point or another. It's been going on for quite some time now, without me knowing it. I've found that growing up can mean a lot of things. For me, it doesn't mean I should become somebody completely new and stop loving the things I used to love. It means I've just added more things to my list. Like for example, I'm still beyond obsessed with the winter season and I still start putting up strings of lights in September. I still love sparkles and grocery shopping and really old cats that are only nice to you half the time. I still love writing in my journal and wearing dresses all the time and staring at chandeliers. But some new things I've fallen in love with -- mismatched everything. Mismatched chairs, mismatched colors, mismatched personalities. I love spraying perfumes I used to wear when I was in high school. It brings me back to the days of trying to get a close parking spot at school, trying to get noticed by soccer players, and trying to figure out how to avoid doing or saying anything uncool, and wishing every minute of every day that one day maybe I'd get a chance to win a Grammy. Or something crazy and out of reach like that. ;) I love old buildings with the paint chipping off the walls and my dad's stories about college. I love the freedom of living alone, but I also love things that make me feel seven again. Back then naivety was the norm and skepticism was a foreign language, and I just think every once in a while you need fries and a chocolate milkshake and your mom. I love picking up a cookbook and closing my eyes and opening it to a random page, then attempting to make that recipe. I've loved my fans from the very first day, but they've said things and done things recently that make me feel like they're my friends -- more now than ever before. I'll never go a day without thinking about our memories together.” 

-Taylor Swift





Hey Gorgeous...,

I remember it like it was last night.  I can smell the salt water, feel the breeze on my skin. I can see the crowded room and hear T-Pain and Little Joc's  song Let Me Buy You A Drink transition  into Kiesha Cole and Diddy's Last Night. I tasted the Wet Willies Hurricane on my lips. I had plans to dance until the sun came up... I will remember that scene from my Miami night forever. That wasn't the only Miami night I have had, but it is the most special to me. Why? I shared it with people I had spent the last four years of my life with  wading through the waters of college life. That last Miami night marked the beginning of your grown up life. After that night we would all be going our separate ways. We would no longer have each other to lean on as we had before. Our Miami night resembled our college life. It was filled with laugher, astonishment, struggle, chaos, and true friendship. If it had been any other group of people I do not think I would have remembered that night as much....

I have always believed that one of the gifts of the old is there stories, there memories. I remember being a little girl and listening to all the stories my grandparents told me about my aunt, uncle, and my father. The memories they made were something I hold dear to my heart because they allowed me to have a little piece of the man I never got to know.  As I get older I realize the importance of making memories, and having experiences that you take with you forever. I look forward to the day when I can sit with my daughter and tell her everything that I learned along the way, first to prepare her, and second to pipe her curiosity of the world so that she forges a path that is greater than me.  From my Miami Nights memory,  I will encourage my daughter to cherish her relationships and the time she gets to have with those people because it doesn't last forever. One day your having the time of your life with the people that make life joyous and the next you could be pulling yourself up by your bootstraps! What memories are you going to share with your children? Better yet what memories are you going to make with your children?

Make a memory this week by doing something different, out of the ordinary. Share some of your memories this week with SheMogul Lifestyle on Instagram or twitter @shemogullifestyle.

Memories are lessons in disguise if you take the  time to see them for what they are!

Shameka

Why Not Take Charge Of Your Day? 10 Ways To Put Order In Your Days.

I have aways been a planner, and a list taker. I think I have over 5 different lists going at a time. They all  help me to get all the things that are swimming around in my head a place to live so I will not forget about them. Lately I have been more and more interested not only in managing time but managing my day, which means not just doing the things that I have to do but also doing the things I love to do. By, studying how successful people manage their day I realize that their are three to four parts to a day.  We know three of them very well. The first is work time, time spent actually working on a project or assignment, the second is connection. This is the time when you take meetings, or enter act with peers. The third time is family time. Time spent with loved ones. The fourth component is time spent self improvement. The most successful people spend time working to become more of who they were meant to be before they plug into the world each day. They spend their morning setting themselves up for success by working on their mind, their body, heart, or soul. Some even choose a few specific that help them achieve order and create a morning routine or ritual.... Ideally I'd love to pray, mediate, and plan, thats my morning focus for August.

Here are 10 things to implement into your morning or day to help you walk into success.

 PLAN.

 I have a planner that I use daily to keep track of everything I want to do each day. It allows me to track my schedule and my todo list at the same time. I love the old school way of pen on paper, but if you are more technologically inclined find the perfect app to help you keep track of the stuff that needs to get done. If a planner is not what you want try a simple todo list.

READ. Blank .period.

Take time each day to read something. I find that reading does 2 things for me. The first is works my thought process and seconds expands my mind. In my opinion if your are not reading then you are not growing.

WRITE OUT YOUR GOALS

Write your goals each day! Writing your goals each day keeps them fresh in your mind. It also helps you to plan how your going to work toward your goals .

START THE NIGHT BEFORE...

 Start the night before. Before bed review your day, identify what worked and what didn't. Find ways to avoid your obstacles, and maximize what did work so that your day can be better tomorrow.

MOVE YOUR BODY

Exercise. Exercise always clears my mind. Wake up 30 minutes earlier to move your body for a little.  Keep it simple by finding a quick workout to do as soon as your feet hit the floor

PRAY! MEDITATE! COMMAND!

 Command your morning. I have heard several times that your life follows in the direction of your words,  so take the time to speak good things into your day. For example, before I go to work I always say " This is going to be a good night," and I believe that no matter what happens. When I start to let doubt creep into my mind my work night goes sour.

EAT WELL.

 Fuel your body. Giving your body the right food to work properly will allow you to work longer, and improve concentration and focus so that you can get more done. When I do not eat properly I find that I am sluggish, tired, and irritable, and frankly I could care less about working.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR MONEY.

 Check your account, knowing where you stand financially keeps your from spending mindlessly, and keeps you on track to reaching your financial goals.

ENJOY EACH DAY!

 Give yourself something to look forward to, instead of planning all of the fun/ or the not so fun things on the weekend spread them throughout the week so you will  have something to look forward to during the week, and to keep yourself from being overwhelmed with errands on the the weekend.

IDENTIFY YOUR WINS.

Prioritize by identify your wins for the day.  After I think about everything I want to get done per day I identify 3 to 4 things that are top priority. These three things will allow me to feel successful, and keep me from overwhelming myself with things that I want to get done.


I challenge you to pick three things to focus on today or to choose a couple of the ten ways  and incorporate them into your morning for entire month of August! Check in @SheMogul on Instagram and let me know how it's going.

Take charge of your day,

Shameka

Why Not Seek Clarity +1...

Do Not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with Good.

Romans 12:21

Hello Gorgeous,

Recently I have been hearing that what you consistently focus on is drawn to you. I have read the Secret and all that jazz and understand the law of attraction, but for me the secret was to complex of an idea to apply to my life everyday. I would have to visualize, feel, and act. It  just seemed a little far fetched, or maybe I just had so much that I wanted to attract into my life that it became over whelming.  Well, one Sunday while catching segments of  Super Soul Sunday I caught a segment of Oprah talking to Russell Simmons about meditation. Russell discussed how meditation has increased his the clarity and focus. He told Oprah that he made it a habit to meditate and do yoga each day. No matter what happened in his busy entrepreneurial life he shut every thing down each day to seek clarity and focus through meditation. During these times he say's that he can clearly see possibilities, opportunities, solutions, and new ventures.

Have You Ever Stopped and Searched for Peace, Clarity, or Calm?

Days get busy, hectic, chaotic. Decisions need to be made, plans implemented, deadlines meet. Babies need to be feed, school work done, significant others cared for, and friends encouraged  Each day our brains are going miles a minute. Thousands of choices are made instantly and yet you wonder where you are going to that last ounce of oomph to burn the midnight oil to see your dreams come true. It lies in the quiet moments you give your brain to sift through the chatter and help you identify those pressing things that will lead to your to your purpose. 

Make it a Habit

In stead of choosing to be consumed by stress, confusion, frustration, busyness, pain, anger or any other negative emotion choose to focus on what you want. Be consumed instead by Good.

1. Find your own personal way to seek good...pray, write, unplug, read inspirational text, meditate   or listen to your favorite song. I find it helpful to do a a little of each.

2. Schedule your clarity time, set your alarm and dig in. Start with 5-10 minutes, increase the time as you become more comfortable with your new habit.

3. Let nothing come in between you and your need to be consumed by good.

Here is a great how-to video by Gabrielle Bernstein on mediation. 

Try being consumed by good today, comment and let me know how it works for you! Share with a friend, follow, or just comeback back for another good read. Let me know if this was helpful to you!

Love,

Shameka

Dear July, I want to Thrive

Hello Gorgoeus,

We have made it past the first six months of the year. I must say that I started off the year excited about the possibilities, I wrote my goals and dedicated myself to achieving them. Yet, here I am almost seven months later asking myself what happened to the time, better yet what happened to my goals.

Thinking back to the beginning of the year I must say that disciplined has escaped me. Instead of focusing on the things I want I focused on the things I did not want such as lack and scarcity. I spent the first half of the year afraid I would not have enough, that I wasn't good enough, that I did not have enough experience, I wasn't pretty enough, or thin enough....enough, enough, enough.  I have been a little obsessed to say the least.

I'm tired of not being enough! Yes I said it! So what now?


Instead of focusing on all the things that are wrong, I plan to focus on all the things that are right, and work on the things that I want to change.
 My goal is to thrive:
My Objective for July are:

1. I want to put more time into my business
2. Connect with people in my industry
3. Create a Thrive Session
4. Relax
5. Give More
6. Be more of me
7. Start my journey to financial freedom/ and wealth building

Shameka

Cheers to the Weekend: Weekend Inspiration

 
Long weekends are my favorites they are the times when I get to indulge in the things that I truly love, and if I am super lucky I get to spend it with people I truly love. Summer weekends seem to be the most exciting, they hold an tingle of adventurous excitement. You never know what stories you will be able to tell come Monday morning.I plan to take full advantage of my early mornings and late night this weekend by pampering my body and relaxing my mind. Here are a few things I plan to do this weekend....

1.

 

Indulge in an endless blue manicure

For the perfect blue try Sinful colors in Endless Blue $2.00 at Walmart

 

2.

 

Find the perfect bouquet of pink ponies

Any suggestions??

 

3.

 

Devour the stack of magazine piled on my desk, in my bed and who knows where else.

I'm inspired by the July Essence Cover, mark your calenders for the movie Think Like A Man 2 in movies June 20th

 

4.

 

Light my Tokyo Petals Candle and catch up on YouTube Videos

Tokyo Petals from Bath & Body works on sale, a nice soft floral scent

5.

 

Write a friend a note

I am loving my Hello note cards found at Target for $1.00

Leave a comment  or snap a pic and share your tips and tricks for a great weekend, how you plan to recharge, or if you spot the perfect bouquet of pink ponies...use hash tag #SheMogul for your pics!!!

With Love,
Shameka

Cheers to the Summer: 10 WAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER!

If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.

Bern Williams

Summer is on our heels, and to be honest I am not fond of the heat. I am more of a fall kinda girl. Yet, there is still much to be said about sweltering summer days, and feel good summer nights. I have spent the last couple of summers wishing it away. Not this summer. I plan to savor the cool nights, out door events, weekend getaways, and seasonal treats. Here are some simple ways I plan to make the days count. Summer just seems so simple.

1. Relax with late afternoon walks at the park.

2.Use the long days for early morning thrive sessions ( work+ prayer/ mediation+ reading) and  late dinners with friends.

3. Avoid the heat by enjoying lazy afternoons with a great read.

4. Summer is the best time to eat clean, take advantage by whipping up your favorite salad.

5. Give your feet a break; and show them off with a cute pair of sandals and an amazing pedicure.

6. For summer big hair; don't care is always the rule of thumb.

7. Pressed Coffee??? Why? I'm not sure, try it anyway.

8. Weekend Getaways alone; getting way with friends is always nice, but there is something about taking a solo vacation that recharges you in a way like no other.

9. Summer is the perfect time to let your skin breathe, opt out of wearing heavy foundation. Choose a fresh face instead.

10. Beach Days with friends, the family, babies, or alone; spending time at the beach is what summer is about. Don't let the summer pass you by without enjoying an afternoon or two watching the waves.
What are some things that you enjoy about summer? What makes summer so great? Leave a comment, I'm always looking for some great things to try.

Hello Summer; its nice to see you again,

Shameka

WHY NOT BRING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A PLAN....?

Hello Gorgeous,

I am so excited for the New Year. 2014, I'm ready. Are you?
I wanted to take full advantage of the new year so I spent the last two weeks of 2013, and the first week of the new year creating a vision for my life and fleshing out my goals. One thing I learned from my MBA classes is that every successful business has a vision and a daily mission that guides them toward that vision.

For the past three years I made the standard vision board. I glued pictures of things that I wanted to accomplish with in the year, and I placed the board somewhere I would see it each day. I saw some results, yet I realized that I just expected everything to just to happen. I wanted things to fall into my lap. I wanted to conquer my new city, yet I stayed in my comfort zone , I wanted to become a runner yet I never ran. I wanted to fall in love yet I never gave anyone a chance to get close to me. Those things never happened. As I reflected on the past year I realized that those things that I put the effort into actually happened. I spent months looking for an apartment, and moved into my perfect place last summer. I wanted to change my style so I cut my tightly coiled hair into a Mohawk and I loved it. I wanted to visit my family three times within the year. I made it twice. I know there is something to this vision board thing so this year I did a  little bit more. I created a 3 to 5 year vision, broke my visions down into goals, and used my calendar to insert the goals into 3 month periods. I want 2014 to be a year of change.

Here's how I did it...

1.) Reflection: I thought about what worked and what did not work last year. I realized that I did not want to make random goals each year, and a new vision board. I decided that I wanted to work toward something.

2.) Clarified My Vision: I thought about the life I wanted in 3 to 5 years. The woman I wanted to be, the career I wanted to have, my relationships, finances, relationship with  GOD, and the things I wanted to experience. This time I really composed a vision board filled with broad reaching goals.

3.) Broke My Vision Into Goals: I took my big vision and broke them down into categories ( spiritual, beauty, fitness, finance, career, etc.). I placed goals in each category that would help me get to my vision.

4.). I gave myself a deadline: The first 90 days of 2014 to accomplish those goals, after the first 90 days I'll reflect and write new ones to get me through the 2nd quarter of the year.

5.) Scheduled: Each day/week I scheduled in time to work on my goals

6.) Tracked: Brought a calendar to visually track my progress....


Create a Vision, design goals and go for it...

Love,
Sham