tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52358581736922172952024-03-13T06:56:49.258-04:00The Think and Grow ChickThe number coaching blog for reaching all of your goals as a young, modern, go-getting woman of color. I'll help you achieve goals related to beauty (african american hair, natural hair, curly hair, hair growth, natural hair products, makeup, cosmetics), business (women entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurship, black entrepreneurs, business startup, young entrepreneurs, own your own business) and style (vintage clothing, fashion, indie fashion, urban fashion, french style).Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-33940135657622017622010-07-28T10:00:00.000-04:002010-07-28T10:00:15.001-04:00The Blog Has Moved!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSse0QDvjiQYmalGmmLrUhDaACjnGLe9T3FDR4-pgmoYfoEyP-4s8LxT2sGKVVHfH4579D_Gu7x5URyPfdAdyf_qIktXgwRHyRw8-iDId8STJcC8KOZ9sIU2lavfOznx5fZTzARoGvNU/s1600/moving+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSse0QDvjiQYmalGmmLrUhDaACjnGLe9T3FDR4-pgmoYfoEyP-4s8LxT2sGKVVHfH4579D_Gu7x5URyPfdAdyf_qIktXgwRHyRw8-iDId8STJcC8KOZ9sIU2lavfOznx5fZTzARoGvNU/s640/moving+box.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br />
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That's right ladies (and a few gents!) I had no idea that this blog wasn't being updated at the regularity of the new location until one sweet reader emailed me asking me where I had been for 3 months! I am such a jerk for assuming (1) that you all knew and (2) that blogger would automatically pick up my new updates. Anyway, you can check out all your favorite advice for "thinking and growing" at<a href="http://thinkandgrowchick.com/"> http://thinkandgrowchick.com</a>. Come check it out!Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-45306030965001490202010-04-26T15:20:00.000-04:002010-04-26T15:20:09.944-04:00Mini Post: A Clothing Store That Helps You Set Goals?!?!Hello everyone! I've made a commitment to post more regularly, so I'm shooting for everyday this week, but unfortunately, it's FINALS time here at school and I'm getting slammed with assignments. Nevertheless, I did have a chance to have a quick session of 'net surfing and I stumbled upon the coolest thing:<br />
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Yoga-inspired athletic store, <a href="http://lululemon.com/">Lululemon</a> (pronounced, "Lu-Lu-Lemon") has <a href="http://goals.lululemon.com/default.aspx">an awesome feature on their website to help you set goals</a>, called Goal Tender!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanfkJq-kcai107vPNRByXbRDvYKBHveH0oapypY3-VlOZfQqCWYHh8cocnjB1JObMyYA3FnBNbrA-SBPDWCV5hGn7J0VyrFTFCB8ErKGfnHhvU1n1Qi4TltTh5ZOTcvgRfqJwtTew8tw/s1600/4207563765_73cce3e8f8_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanfkJq-kcai107vPNRByXbRDvYKBHveH0oapypY3-VlOZfQqCWYHh8cocnjB1JObMyYA3FnBNbrA-SBPDWCV5hGn7J0VyrFTFCB8ErKGfnHhvU1n1Qi4TltTh5ZOTcvgRfqJwtTew8tw/s320/4207563765_73cce3e8f8_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I won't have time today, but if you do, pop over to the site and start filling out the questionnaire. They even have a guide to help you get your goals out and a progress tracker! Plus, you can always print out what you wrote and stick it on your bathroom mirror for constant reminding :-)<br />
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Are any of you going to go for it today and fill our your goals on the site? What are your goals? Let us know what you'll be writing about by commenting below.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-62464193198207696572010-04-20T17:28:00.000-04:002010-04-20T17:28:15.775-04:00Mid-Goal Check-in + Upcoming TopicsAh! There is nothing like the coming of spring! From the first break in the weather, many of us get that uncontrollable itch to not only shed clothes, but to shed all of our unnecessary clutter. Old Magazines? Tossed. Roughed up winter boots? Out. Left over hearty beef stew? Garbage disposal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5ao0XQ7ehNi75km1mQhfveB3SXwPrbcD9zBeNolrhwTwWAP1TuWB-cVV0hC-eGlg-MoOlBXDFx4UClAENG0HPf1GuLyclxKLQJctHscGNfr6bUwOiTcYdk-6pYN7g7jBz3cHAMW93HQ/s1600/4528550856_4036ed7fa3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5ao0XQ7ehNi75km1mQhfveB3SXwPrbcD9zBeNolrhwTwWAP1TuWB-cVV0hC-eGlg-MoOlBXDFx4UClAENG0HPf1GuLyclxKLQJctHscGNfr6bUwOiTcYdk-6pYN7g7jBz3cHAMW93HQ/s640/4528550856_4036ed7fa3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/33283297@N04/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Samantha (This Home Sweet Home) on Flickr</span></a></i></div><br />
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While I'm certainly not one to stop anyone from getting down and dirty with their spring cleaning, I think it's important that we not forget to "spring clean" the most important item of all...<br />
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...our New Year/January goals! <br />
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Little more than a mere three months ago, I think we all made grandiose promises to ourselves about eating healthier, losing weight, transforming our looks, and making enough money to quit our jobs. (Well, perhaps that last one was just me...) Since resolutions only become realities if you actively pursue them, springtime is the perfect time to take a good look at where you're headed, and make adjustments as needed. I particularly need to check <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/12/easiest-way-to-predict-future_10.html">my goals</a> with relative frequency, as you'll remember that my resolutions were not just for the year, but were set to be completed in <i>6 months</i>. Since I'm the resident guinea pig for all things goal related, lets (1) take an honest look at the progress of my January resolutions and (2) see how they relate to the topics that I'll be delving into in the near future:<br />
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<b>Goal 1: <i>I will attempt to bring in a solid income of $2,350 per month. </i></b><br />
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<b>Progress:</b> I look at my current budget and can't help but giggle when I'm reminded of this goal. I giggle not just because I'm still quite a ways off from it, but because I conjured up that figure in slight ignorance to just how much I need to get along as a college student and how much it's going to take to get rid of my debt.<b> </b><u><b>I am not only budgeting now, but I am taking free money management courses and I now know I can be effective with my money even if I make less than $2000</b>.</u> On top of that, I am currently averaging about <b>$1200 per month</b>, which I think is pretty darn good for a full-time student who previously was making zero. With the knowledge I've picked up from some great finance books and resources, I feel very confident about my progress towards this financial goal. I feel so confident in fact, I'm planning a few post dedicated to sharing the financial books I've been reading and the things I've been learning with you all.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Goal 2: <i>I will completely pay off my lowest credit card amount, $873.53</i></b><br />
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<b>Progress:</b> My current balance on the card in question is $723.53, meaning I've paid $150 to date. This may seem like a meager amount, but this is huge for me as I've never significantly paid down a credit card with running it back up in a few months. I've paid that $150 <i>slowly</i> over the last 3-4 months, and it's help me get into the mindset of <u><b>regularly paying down debt before I spend my money on things that don't matter, like eating out and shopping</b></u>. Also, I'm expecting a large refund check to come soon, and I plan on using that money to pay off this credit card in its entirety. I feel totally confident that I will hit my goal if not by July (my 6 month mark) then by a time shortly thereafter. As a little tip, two books that have helped changed my approach to successfully picking off debt are The Richest Man in Babylon and The Millionaire Next Door. I plan to go in greater detail about those two books in a separate post in the near future.<br />
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<b>Goal 3</b>: <i><b>I will have at least $1000 in personal savings in 6 month's time</b></i> <br />
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<b>Progress:</b> This one is a doozy because in addition to meeting this goal, I'm working to pay down debt at the same time. I'll be totally honest here—I've only saved $148.38 as I right this. When I look at my savings in relation to the where I want to be, I am not even close. That said, part of why I have so little is because I literally didn't start saving until last month. Up until last month, I felt like there was no way I could save because I didn't make that much and I felt like I was spending everything I had on rent, bills, and food. It wasn't until I read one of my new favorite finance books, <i>The Richest Man in Babylon</i>, that <u><b>I learned that I should at least attempt to save 10% of everything I make. Once I started saving 10% of my income before I had a chance to spend it on anything else, I was able to amass almost $150 in little over one month.</b></u> When I look at my savings in those terms, I fill pretty pleased with myself, as having any sort of savings is a major accomplishment for me. While I can't honestly foresee hitting my $1000 savings mark by July without receiving some unexpected financial windfall. Because I'm not one to bank on anonymous checks in the mail, I do feel confident that my newfound slow and steady savings approach can get me to at least $500 by my goal due date. <b> </b><br />
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<b>Goal 4: <i><strike>I will be enrolling back in school part-time for the 2010 summer session, and full-time for the 2010 fall session</strike></i></b> <br />
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<b>Progress:</b> Why is this goal crossed off, you ask? Because I've completed it!!!! I've enrolled full-time at The University of The District of Columbia and I am so freakin' excited. If you missed all the <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/12/never-say-what-you-cant-do.html">details on my complete meltdown at Howard</a>, I invite you to check that out just to put in perspective how amazing it is that I'm back in school. Come May, I will have officially completed the sophomore year of my new program, Marketing, and I am on track to graduate in 2012 (earlier if I take summer school). Since I'm officially a resident of this city, I qualified for the reduced, in-state tuition and was able to take out federal loans to cover the cost of this semester. I'll also be eligible for a scholarship next semester if I remain above a 3.0. I could go on and on about how grateful I am for getting a second chance to pursue my education, but I digress...<b> </b><br />
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<b>Goal 5: </b><strike><i><b>My hair will reach armpit length (APL) or longer in six months or less</b></i> </strike><br />
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<b>Progress:</b> Bam! I completed this goal too, just this April! Check out my <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2010/04/april-length-check-word-on-protective.html">April Length Check post</a> for details, but given the support and response from everyone on my progress, I shall post my detailed hair routine soon.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Goal 6: </b><i><b>In 6 month's time I really want to tone up my physique</b></i><br />
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<b>Progress: </b>This goal really grinds my gears because I've had it in my grasp several times, only to let it slip away. Not to long ago, I jumped on the Jillian Michaels bandwagon (love her!) and lost 10 pounds with her <i>30 Day Shred</i> DVD. Since then, I have not been exercising regularly and all of that beautiful definition that was just starting to sprout in my arms and abs has all but melted away. In short, this goal could have been crossed off, but I got lazy. I have since committed to a gym routine I found on <a href="http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm">bodybuilding.com</a> for women. To better chart my proposal, I will write some future posts on exercising and overall wellness soon.<br />
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<b>Goal 7:<i><strike> I want to improve my wardrobe</strike></i></b> <br />
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<b>Progress:</b> I have crossed off this goal not necessarily because I've completed it (though I did get my hands on a few really cute items a few months ago), but because it's really not all that important in the grand scheme of everything else I'm trying to complete. One may argue that hair might not have anything to do with my other goals either, but I disagree in the fact that (1) at least accomplishing hair goals are free, and (2) dedication to growing out hair, especially as a black woman, can really teach perseverance in other areas of life and achieving what was once though impossible (like being a black woman with long, natural hair). I feel like "improving my wardrobe" places too much emphasis on spending money at a time where I find my mindset conforming to financial diligence and a focus on financial freedom. Not that they're mutually exclusive, but I'll take financial independence, fitness, healthy hair, and a college degree over an immaculate wardrobe any day, and I feel like my focus is better spent on the above for that reason.<br />
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<b>Goal 7: <i>6 month's time I really want to develop this blog</i></b><br />
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While this blog has definitely made some progress in terms of readership, interaction, and facebook fans and twitter followers, there is always something more to achieve and if I'm lucky, this will be a goal that I'll never be satisfied enough to cross off. As it stands (and as many of you have pointed out), I really need to get my posting schedule together. At the end of my 6 months, if nothing else, I want to have a consistent posting schedule. Currently I am aiming for daily posting during the week, so we shall see how it goes.<br />
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**<br />
Whew! Sorry so long, but many of you have asked and this is how my goals are coming along. I'm pleased with my progress for the most part, though I definitely plan to ramp it up so I can accomplish all that is important to my by July. So how are your January resolutions going? Are you due for a "mid-goal" check-in?Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-15011541421710683822010-04-06T12:48:00.000-04:002010-04-06T12:48:26.747-04:00April Length Check + a Word on Protective StylingAt first, I thought the day would never come when I would wear protective styles. An ardent lover of the afro since the beginning of my natural days, I had since resigned that "hidden hair" was simply not for me. When I finally did bite the bullet and agree to start wearing protective styles, I did so begrudgingly as I thought the day would never come where I actually <i>liked</i> it.<br />
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Thank God I'm a terrible psychic, because that day has come: I am totally in love with my protective styling! Why the sudden change of heart? Allow me to present the evidence...<br />
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<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sbp_QnaHpGWtySSCr3ELoA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/SwLSsz6aZhI/AAAAAAAAABw/JzK3f7Xzics/s400/100_3166.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/November2009Hair?feat=embedwebsite">November 2009 Hair</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Here I was back in November 2009 with my very unhappy hair. As I mentioned when <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/12/new-years-hair-update.html">I first posted</a> this picture, my love for wearing my hair "out" had caused me to slip into a state of unapologetic negligence. I forgot to moisturize my hair for days. I slept on cotton pillowcases without covering my hair up for bed. I used the blow dryer constantly to stretch out my roots. My hair was dry with frail ends and virtually no length retention. As you can see by my face I was a very unhappy camper.<br />
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Fast forward to February, I had finally gotten the hang of my hair regimen and started to wear protective styles as a way keep my hair from drying out in the harsh winter air.<br />
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<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dmAt7S9gN9AZ2lW0SFRScg?authkey=Gv1sRgCPmCjcqqqtvGXA&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7tbs6yeIuI/AAAAAAAAAJU/XmQOsADQtZg/s400/100_3417.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/February2010ProtectiveStyles?authkey=Gv1sRgCPmCjcqqqtvGXA&feat=embedwebsite">February 2010 Protective Styles</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G78MiT6tupJhUbPAscG3xA?authkey=Gv1sRgCPmCjcqqqtvGXA&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7tbqHW0xGI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/AEOJHoC8ZWI/s400/100_3416.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/February2010ProtectiveStyles?authkey=Gv1sRgCPmCjcqqqtvGXA&feat=embedwebsite">February 2010 Protective Styles</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/K_jCcdh4DB1sHZULFEYknQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCPmCjcqqqtvGXA&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7tbnAb9HpI/AAAAAAAAAJM/bwbGHv-va9M/s400/100_3415.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/February2010ProtectiveStyles?authkey=Gv1sRgCPmCjcqqqtvGXA&feat=embedwebsite">February 2010 Protective Styles</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
By this time, I had my routine down pat. Usually on Sunday or Monday, I would wash my hair, put it in twist and pin it, then wear it like that all the way until Friday, where I would take the twist out and rock it curly for the weekend. Come Sunday, I'd do it all over again.<br />
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Just this past Easter, however, I noticed something peculiar. Upon taking my hair down so that I could wear it "out" for church, I was really shocked at how my hair looked. <br />
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<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8WpcWYhta94FsQ-YaUBupg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLdu_LHiuiXqgE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7teOsHzsVI/AAAAAAAAAKM/5AVvWRywsR0/s400/100_3509.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/AprilHairInPhiladelphia?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLdu_LHiuiXqgE&feat=embedwebsite">April Hair (in Philadelphia!)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sdo_8A0dFGgreRpDEaO6cg?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLdu_LHiuiXqgE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7teGV8EfkI/AAAAAAAAAKA/vWwE75njLJ4/s400/100_3504.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/AprilHairInPhiladelphia?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLdu_LHiuiXqgE&feat=embedwebsite">April Hair (in Philadelphia!)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rFmzWFbs0nCPLF8isasInA?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLdu_LHiuiXqgE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7teDBvlNDI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/qT-DTFFxeSQ/s400/100_3505.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/AprilHairInPhiladelphia?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLdu_LHiuiXqgE&feat=embedwebsite">April Hair (in Philadelphia!</a><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Never before had my hair sat at that length in its curly state! I decided to do some investigating...</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/STr_zzv7AhCsrrW7YVSEXA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/SwLSfzvCi9I/AAAAAAAAABU/MO0WfF7OHtc/s400/100_3165.JPG" /></a><br />
Before<br />
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<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/C9vZQ7WTdOPtVwv5-iE8hQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6Upt6CpIPi3wE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7tg9OOiguI/AAAAAAAAAKk/vLxdj2pOFkw/s400/100_3519.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/April2010LengthCheck?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6Upt6CpIPi3wE&feat=embedwebsite">April 2010 Length Check</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>After<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TuRwe5_wulw1a0q_8e-KFQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/SwLSq5MxrxI/AAAAAAAAABs/TUnWn8spDIQ/s400/100_3174.JPG" /></a><br />
Before<br />
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<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/b_L9GRVfouDqLiss_3XXPw?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6Upt6CpIPi3wE&feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rWKuqAhgov0/S7thE-GL_NI/AAAAAAAAAK0/BuZ6X-dQBmo/s400/100_3524.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/April2010LengthCheck?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6Upt6CpIPi3wE&feat=embedwebsite">April 2010 Length Check</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>After<br />
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<b>In six months I went from just below shoulder length to armpit length with protective styling. </b>And I never thought I'd see the day...Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-46738584715395654662010-03-11T11:02:00.000-05:002010-03-11T11:02:48.002-05:00Evolution of a Protective Style Series, Part 2Hey everyone! Here's the next video in <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2010/03/evolution-of-protective-style-series.html">my series</a> showing the styles that helped me get over my irrational obsession with wearing my hair "out". Enjoy!<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5Yj40amLSds&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5Yj40amLSds&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-22515910881122303512010-03-10T10:05:00.002-05:002010-03-10T10:05:00.707-05:00Things to Do When Waiting for Water to Boil*Though my mom has since expressed guilt for allowing my dad to subject me and my sister to such an unhealthy habit, one of my favorite things to whip up in the kitchen with my dad as a child was none other than Top Ramen Noodles. With a full 800 mg of sodium in every pack, I was delighted by the various flavors these little noodles possessed, of which was only enhanced by my father's inventive additions of smoked sausage slices. Though this simple meal generally took less than 10 minutes to make, my childhood appetite always felt prisoner to the 5 or so minutes it would take just to get the water boiling. Instructing me to go play until our lunch was ready, my father informed me on my way into the play room that water <i>always</i> takes longer to boil if you watch it, and that before I even had time to get into a second round of make-believe with my stuffed animals, my little bowl of noodles would be ready.<br />
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Though I've since (mostly) kicked the habit of Top Ramen lunches as a young adult, the principle of trying not to watch "water boil" has remained. More often than not, many of the goals we want to achieve require both time and patience before they can come to fruition. It is interesting then, that as children we learn not to watch water boil, but we keep an eye on our progress towards our personal goals like a hawk. I'm most guilty of this with my goals related to my hair (and I suspect that many of you are too) but this can be a problem with almost any kind of goal. As an easy remedy for all of us, here's an easy list of things to do when waiting for your particular "pot of water" to "boil":<br />
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<ol><li>Since you can't watch your hair grow on a daily basis, <b>add other positive activities to your line-up that <i>can</i> be performed on a daily basis</b>. For example, you can start exercising so that you have something to direct your attention to daily. Plus, by the time you hair (or whatever your goal is) gets to where you want it, you'll have a nice, toned body to go with it.</li>
<li><b>Become an avid reader.</b> You all know that my philosophy is that you can never read enough books on a subject that interest you, because you should never stop learning. Use this opportunity to even read books directly related to your goal, as the information you read might help you get to your goal that much faster. Or, if you think reading books about the goal you're working on will just make you crazier, find an easy novel or fiction book to dive into instead. </li>
<li><b>Help someone else with their goals.</b> Yep, take the focus and pressure off of yourself and reach out and help someone else with <i>their</i> dreams. There's a reason why helping others is more than a nice virtue; helping others is also a way to help yourself.</li>
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And would you look at that? The water's ready...Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-18032127324536077502010-03-09T08:28:00.001-05:002010-03-09T08:30:49.252-05:00Evolution of a Protective Style Series, Part 1They say you can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results, so I finally bit the bullet and did what I'd never thought I'd do.<br />
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I started wearing my hair in protective styles more often.<br />
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Formally a ride-or-die 'fro enthusiast, my hair hadn't seen so much as a ponytail since I escaped the grip of my mother's box braids and barrettes during my childhood. Below is the first video of my series, chronicling how I achieve my style and maintain my sanity without having my hair out all the time.<br />
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I know many of you readers vary in your affinity for (or against) protective styles. How do you rock your hair when trying to achieve your length goals? What works for you the best?Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-15182353550741151492010-03-02T15:17:00.000-05:002010-03-02T15:17:53.027-05:00Tyra Banks and the Personal Mission StatementJam-packed and hung very closely together, I forcefully waded through the racks trying to keep my composure as a mixed scent of moth balls and black coconut incense wafted through the air. Grungy jeans I'd never wear, grandma's old night gowns, and pilling maternity knits all got pushed to the side as I continued on my mission. With the sun shining and the weather slightly warm, I had carved out a chunk of my day just to come there and do what I was doing at the moment. I was in a thrift store...and I was in heaven. The great thing about thrift stores is that one way or another, they are all alike. Though I happen to be a strict secondhand clothing connoisseur, there always seems to be a never ending supply of knick-knacks barraging the first 20 feet of the store. <br />
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True to form, on this particular shopping trip, I encountered a large, old television set, propped up on a crate playing none other than The Tyra Show. Mildly intrigued, I listened on as I continued my quest for vintage treasure. This particular episode was dealing with teenage girls who are trying to escape abusive relationships. To encourage the young women, Tyra had brought on Jaslene Gonzalez, America's Next Top Model Cycle 8 winner and admitted survivor of an abusive relationship. As the conversation drew on (and I became more frustrated as I couldn't find one gem in the mass of "gently used" madness), Jaslene suddenly turned to Tyra, eyes full of grateful tears, and sobbed as she thanked Tyra over and over again for giving her the opportunity of a lifetime and "taking her all over the world". Maybe I was just moved by the moment and of course I'm biased because I've always been a Tyra fan, but right then and there, I really respected Tyra's business dealings more than I ever had before. <br />
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In her own words, Tyra's mission is to use her modeling career as a tool to get other women (and the fashion industry) to change the way they think about beauty and the way they see themselves. Say what you want about Tyra, and long before Top Model and the Tyra Show, she has worked towards that end. I think this is really critical, because in essence, Tyra is saying that she has a positive personal mission statement that permeates the mission of whatever endeavor she may be working on. In a world where everyone from Bernie Madoff to Karrine Stefans has a personal mission statement of "get rich by any means necessary", it's both refreshing and a good reminder to make sure our personal mission statements are both positive and bigger than just ourselves.<br />
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As rule, women don't generally have to be reminded to weave some "do good" into their businesses or projects because women tend to be more nurturing than men. What I do see a lot of women do, however, is swing to the opposite end of the spectrum and feel that they have to be totally consumed by helping others, so they never do anything for themselves. I praise Tyra for walking that line well; her modeling and talk show career were obviously for her and to fulfill her own interest and talents, however she allowed her personal mission to drive her to "do some good" at the same time. Another role model in this area is none other than Hill Harper. No, he's not a woman and no, his work isn't directed to help women (unless you count his charm and amazing good looks), but Hill has used his rising star to spearhead a self-esteem building movement for young, black men. Not only was this an altruistic moves on his part, but a strategic one I think. No matter how you slice it, doing the right thing is always the best choice—even to your bottom line.<br />
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So how do you identify your personal mission statement? Think about who you are, what's most important to you, then write it down! Also think about which of the world's ill's speak to you the most, then think about how your God-given talents can have a positive effect. Get inspiration from other leaders and role models who are making an impact in the field that you want to be in. Most importantly, live out your personal mission and use it to guide you in your everyday dealings. When you feel overwhelmed by your activities and can't even remember why you got started in the first place, let your personal mission statement be a reminder that your goal is bigger than the obstacles that temporarily lay before you. After all, if Tyra can do it all the way to the top of supermodel stardom, then so can you.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-24707573651967295022010-02-25T12:08:00.000-05:002010-02-25T12:08:57.011-05:00Video: What is Your Chief Aim?<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MDFtcPp7YMs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MDFtcPp7YMs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-8920061800676517382010-02-24T12:22:00.000-05:002010-02-24T12:22:55.021-05:00Video: What is a Think and Grow Chick?<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1o5yc3pUrQE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1o5yc3pUrQE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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Here's a little video I made the morning, properly introducing just what a Think and Grow Chick is. Are you a Think and Grow Chick?Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-34782462011994545292010-02-24T09:45:00.016-05:002010-02-24T09:45:00.567-05:00"Master-Mind" Your Sister Circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3z-bXIPNIQf1EienhHOTfZwiB4H5W5OY32EsHS3HaT-9iLf4-syqVoB1l0Yq8UToB_K3AqcYJQQX-Y57yfWOB1VbcXJBNTa9HqK0-wza5XRuXbdLV7DNdv4fGze4qeTDMowndud_PDI/s1600-h/2219056062_3cb3ea0655_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3z-bXIPNIQf1EienhHOTfZwiB4H5W5OY32EsHS3HaT-9iLf4-syqVoB1l0Yq8UToB_K3AqcYJQQX-Y57yfWOB1VbcXJBNTa9HqK0-wza5XRuXbdLV7DNdv4fGze4qeTDMowndud_PDI/s640/2219056062_3cb3ea0655_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23167301@N03/">Photo by JCSU</a></span></div><br />
Women know all too well how important "kickin' it" with the girls can be. While our male counterparts are scratching their heads wondering why on earth two or more women are necessary for one trip to the restroom, social ladies know that keeping your very best girlfriends at the ready, all the time, is actually pretty useful for a multitude of situations. When shopping, for instance, it always pays to bring your girl who isn't afraid to tell you that (1) your butt looks saggy in those jeans and (2) you're only buying them because they're on sale. Of course, this is insight you should be able to bring to yourself, but sometimes the extra eye and your girl's particularly keen sense of style makes all the difference in accomplishing your ultimate aim—finding the perfect pair of jeans. I find it particularly interesting then, that many woman don't translate this approach to collaboration when trying to achieve more substantial goals like starting a business. The same thing that makes our personal "sister circles" great—diverse yet like-minded friends who have strengths that compliment our weaknesses—is the same thing that can help us achieve the goals that are really important in our lives. In other words, put your more ambitious friends to work by orchestrating your own "mastermind" group.<br />
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Though the term "Mastermind" was coined by Napoleon Hill in many of his books (<i>Think and Grow Rich, The Laws of Success,</i> etc) the "mastermind" concept has been around since people have been around. Call it a mastermind, a sister circle, your inner clique, or your "fav 5", simply put, <b>having an informal group of people with different, complimenting talents working together for you is really the key to achieving any singular goal. </b><br />
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"But I don't have any money to hire anybody," some might protest. A mastermind group isn't about hiring people, but about electing people to help you because you can help them too. Do you hire a friend to listen to you when deciding about what to do with a wayward boyfriend? Of course not; your friend is there for you because she likes you and she knows she can expect that same dedication from you in her time of need. So it is with the people in your mastermind group—helping you helps them help themselves. A prime example of this is an informal arrangement I currently have with a good friend of mine. She's a phenomenal connector in terms of networking and gaining contacts, while I'm a great orchestrator in terms of putting talents to profitable use. When I came to her for help in learning how to meet the right people for my projects, she happily obliged as she needed help with selling her networking skills as services for her own consulting business. Though no money exchanged hands, we traded something even better: our time and devotion for each other. By keeping track of the other's progress and meeting every few weeks just to check in, she and I have collectively gotten a lot farther working together than we could have hoped when previously on our own. For our specific goals, she and I employed our own little mastermind group of two...each other.<br />
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One of my favorite examples of a successful, large scale mastermind group online (though they don't refer to themselves as such) is the hair forum at <a href="http://longhaircareforum.com/">longhaircareforum.com</a>. Literally as often as every few minutes, thousands of Black women from all over the world get together to discuss and help each other achieve, long, healthy hair. If you spend a few minutes browsing the members' picture albums of their hair, the difference between the growth of their hair prior to joining the forum and after is almost astronomical. No one's hair grew any faster after joining the forum, of course; however, being privy to the groups collective knowledge and being held accountable for their individual goals allows virtually every member to retain longer hair quicker than they had been able to on their own.<br />
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If you look closely at pretty much any success story, big or small, a mastermind group was operating somewhere in the background, at some point in time. Is collaboration with like minded individuals a part of your strategy for success? Share your thoughts in the comments box or email me at thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-30166167406494231942010-02-08T10:33:00.001-05:002010-02-08T10:38:41.287-05:00Celebrating the Hair and NowWith the record breaking "snowpocalypse" ravaging the east coast and trapping me inside for a full 48 hours and counting, I was free to unapologatically wear my pajamas all day, eat cheese snacks, and watch VH1 Soul for hours on end. It was during this marathon that I happened upon Laura Izibor, an up-and-coming neo-soul singer of Nigerian and Irish decent. <br />
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With funky tracks and a delightfully different and interesting voice, a video featuring Izibor was a pleasant interruption to the monotony of my day. So I laid there, on the couch, in lazy bliss as my TV set blared Izibor's latest, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viu4iw-46y8">From My Heart to Yours</a>". As I toe-tapped to the beat, however, I was troubled to find my attention quietly seduced away from the song by...<br />
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you guessed it...<br />
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...her hair. As beautiful and stylish as her ringlets are, I was somewhat suprised at my own reaction to her 'do. Normally when I see a chick with a rockin' 'fro, she is instantly filed away into my mental reservoir of "Holy Grail Hair" and I spend the next few weeks researching her routine and trying everything I can to get my hair on an equally fabulous level. Sitting on the couch and studying Izibor's tresses, however, led me to a different conclusion. <br />
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<strong>For the first time, looking at someone else's remarkable hair gave me an uncontrollable desire to get out there and celebrate my own, just as it is.</strong><br />
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Blame it on delusion induced by snow day captivity, but by watching Izibor bop around in her music video with her artsy clothes, big hoop earrings, and larger than life hair, I felt remiss that for the last few weeks, I hadn't been celebrating myself in the same way. For the first time in American culture, there is a wealth of information about natural, African-American hair and it can be easy to get lost in the "tips and tricks" that'll help you make your hair longer, looser, shinier, or simply "something else". Learning about and trying things with natural hair (as any natural diva can attest to) can be great, but it is such an involved process that I think sometimes we can lose sight of the fun in rocking our hair as it is.<br />
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If we're not careful, such an "on to the next" attitude can permiate other aspects of our lives. While I'm not saying that ambition, drive, and trying to better yourself is a bad thing (after all, this blog is rooted in such characteristics), it is something to manage correctly, as you do not want to wake up one day and realize that nothing you have or did was good enough because you were always looking for that next best thing. I've been guilty of this when studying other people's path to success, and I 've certainly been guilty of this when admiring other women's natural hair. <br />
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So dear readers, I challenge you to celebrate your current state of being in whatever facet of your life you may be struggling with the most, today. For example, If you're newly natural and find yourself drooling over pictures of <a href="http://www.corinnebaileyrae.net/#gallery.php">Corinne Bailey Rae's</a> long curls, try using accessories, stunning makeup, or just a more confident attitude to make you feel like the 'fro you've got is "all that and then some" until you reach your ultimate hair goal. Life's too short--make the most of what you have, when you have it, and the rest will fall in to place.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-17864830132905520992010-02-03T09:51:00.002-05:002010-02-03T12:21:24.941-05:00"Think and Grow Chick" of the Day: Meet the Fabulous Kimmay<i>For those of you who don't know, Kim of KimmayTube on Youtube.com is a phenomenal lady to both watch and glean life advice from. I was lucky enough to score an interview with her, and I have to say that it is a </i><i>real treat. Before we dive into the interview, check out one of my favorite videos from her entitled,</i> "Advice to a 23 year old me—My financial Fall, Pt. 2"<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>(embeded with permission from KimmayTube)</b></i></div><br />
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<b>Hello Kimmay! Welcome to Think & Grow Chick, a blog were I document achievement of goals important to young, black women. Can you start off by telling our readers what it is you do?</b><br />
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I'm a graphics consultant. I help companies to see where they are going through info-graphics or other creative forms (like boardgames). It has less to do with art and more with understanding processes and problem solving. Having an art background has helped, but most people in my profession majored in business, journalism or marketing. <br />
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<b>What is a typical day in your life like?</b><br />
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Honestly, there is no such thing as a typical day for me. Sometimes I have to travel, other times I work from home (in my pajamas). But a typical week includes exercise, preparing meals on my nights to cook and checking email/Youtube 50 million times. Now that I'm starting my new company LUV Naturals, I spend a lot of time researching, contacting manufacturers and making purchases for the website. I'm excited and everything is coming together nicely. But there is still a lot of work left to be done! <br />
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<b>How did you get into your current space in life? Can you tell us about your background?</b><br />
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That is such an open ended question! All I can say is that I know what I want in life and I go for it.<br />
I don't make excuses. Absolutely no excuses! I'm motivated by the success and talents of others and I'm willing to plan & work for what I want out of life. That is key. If you are discouraged by the success of others, that is a personal problem that needs to be worked out pronto! lol. It will only hold you back and keep you from realizing your full potential. Even that slight tinge of jealousy or green envy is a sign that it is time to step up your game, not hate on theirs. I’ve been living by this “rule” for the past 10 years now. It works. Lol.<br />
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<b>What were your goals back in college or during your youth? Did they change over time, or did they always lead to what it is you are doing now?</b><br />
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There was no straight path to where I am in life today. I've always known how to adapt and self-critique in order to improve myself. The only thing that has changed is that now I have a plan. Having a plan is necessary to make your vision a reality. You have to see it, schedule the steps required to get there and just do it. Even if you don't have a full fleshed out plan, make a sketch of it, write something down. That will be the start of your journey.<br />
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Every lesson/skill that you've learned in life *should* automatically be applied to everything you do in the future. Your unique experiences set you apart from the pack.<br />
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<b>How did KimmayTube come about? What was your motivation?</b><br />
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I started kimmaytube because I believed I had something unique to offer to the natural hair community. I love the entire creative process of taking a video from concept to final.<br />
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Also, I felt that if I didn't like the way natural hair was being presented, I needed to promote my ideals. For example, I'm personally not a fan of weaves for naturals *ducks tomatoes*. Lol. I'm not! I think it sends the message that our hair can't be managed and worn on its own, without "help" in order to be beautiful and presentable to the world. So while I think it is perfectly fine for a natural to sport her weaves/wigs etc.<br />
<br />
I want to help put forth an alternative message to the world (we are global on Youtube!) that we can. At all stages, we can wear our own hair and be beautiful.<br />
<br />
Plus the myth about afro-textured hair not being able to grow long needs to be dispelled! And then I won’t feel like weaves send a bad message about our self-image. They can simply be known as a styling option not a “crutch” or something to hide our hair beneath.<br />
<br />
My channel is for everyone. No matter the race or hair type. People need to see more positive images of black women. To let the media tell it, we’re mostly, sad, angry, unhappy, unfulfilled etc. but this is the internet. We can share our lives and show the world (and ourselves) who we really are or where we want to be. <br />
<br />
<b>Please describe some of the realities of promoting yourself using social media? How has it been for you?</b><br />
<br />
I have found it to be incredibly easy because I AM A FAN OF YOUTUBE, period.<br />
I don't just take cues from other naturals, I also watch what other non-hair related Youtubers are doing. You can learn a lot from them (editing, graphics etc.). <br />
<br />
Plus, I create videos on a regular basis. You have to be visible on Youtube in order to grow an audience. It happens gradually too (it has taken me 8 months to get this far). <br />
<br />
And if the fans love what you're doing (and if you're helpful) they will spread the word about you (Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc.). I LOVE my subscribers! They show me so much love and support and I am deeply grateful.<br />
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<b>What would you describe to be your greatest moment since becoming a success on Youtube?</b><br />
<br />
I enjoy making the top 15 highest rated in the How to Style category on a regular basis. I love the emails and comments I get from my subscribers telling me how helpful or inspiring I've been. It can be overwhelming at times! But helping & teaching others is rewarding.<br />
<br />
<b> I see from your last video that you have are promoting LuvNaturals.com, your up-and-coming business. Can you tell us more about this project?</b><br />
<br />
I've started an online retail company for hair accessories, hair products and hair education tools. It will launch on February 14th. I'll have more to say about it in a future video. :0) <br />
<br />
<b>You seem to be both an entrepreneurial and creative person in general. What is your stance on entrepreneurship? What are some of your personal entrepreneurial goals?</b><br />
<br />
My goal is to launch and run a successful company! :-)<br />
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<b>If you had to work with a young woman like you and help her get a dream or idea off of the ground, what are some key principles you would be certain to stress to her?</b><br />
<br />
Give yourself permission to do whatever you want to do. You don't need the approval of others to start your own business. You need to be prepared and be willing to put in the work to make it successful. It won't be handed to you. <br />
<br />
<b>Clearly the internet has been instrumental in developing KimmayTube. What are some of your recommendations for promoting on the internet?</b><br />
<br />
Give people something of value and they will come back. Connect with them. Be yourself. (so cliché but true). <br />
<br />
<b>I love, love, love your summer and winter fashion videos, and the pieces you that you model for your fans! Can you describe your personal style?</b><br />
<br />
Comfortable, Flexible, Interchangeable. It is important to build a wardrobe with the basics/ the "classic" pieces that never go out of style. You can always mix & match and add new accessories to freshen up your basics. ;0) <br />
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<b>How has your personal style developed over time?</b><br />
<br />
As my age, profession, marital status changed, so did my style. I shop at stores that offer clothing made of high quality materials. I can look at the way a garment is constructed and determine if it's going to fall apart and fade easily. I want my clothing to say that I'm a grown woman but also that I have a whimsical spirit. I'm well read/cultured, interested in the arts and that I take pride in my appearance. But I know that the way I carry myself and my body language also tells<br />
these things and more.<br />
<br />
<b>How does your personal style affect your approach to your line of work and clients?</b><br />
<br />
My personal style doesn't affect my approach with my clients. My feeling of confidence and competence does. They only care about whether or not I can deliver. I'm probably ten times more stylish when going on a date with my husband or to the grocery store! :0)<br />
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<b> What are your recommendations to someone looking to develop their own personal style?</b><br />
<br />
My advice is to know your body type. Understand what is flattering on your figure and work it! Allow your clothing choices to say something about you because your outside appearance is all that most people (everyday strangers) are going to see. Be comfortable & confident. Confidence comes from knowing who you are and embracing what is unique about you. <br />
<br />
<b>Has the economy affected your approach to personal styling at all? What is your advice for looking fly on a budget?</b><br />
<br />
The economy has not affected my personal hair styling because I never really spent a lot of money on my hair. Before launching LUV Naturals, I tried different products, but my collection happened gradually. Literally, over the years. Ex: Some of my Miss Jessies products were bought in 2006!<br />
<br />
Wearing your hair in protective styles (like two strand twists, braids, buns, tuck and go's-like my first video) are not expensive at all. In fact, if you take care of your hair and not focus on having it "out and fly" all the time, you won't need silicone based products to mask your damage.<br />
<br />
My staples, aloe vera juice, castor oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil & shea butter are all fairly inexpensive.<br />
<br />
<b>Many of your subscribers also love you because you have fabulous natural hair. Can briefly tell us about your natural experience?</b><br />
<br />
My natural hair experience is not at all typical. I've been working on this "natural thing" for 13 years now. I was natural before hair forums, before there was any mainstream language about it all. Words like "transitioning" & "big chop" weren't common terms.<br />
<br />
I ceased relaxing my hair back in 1997, wore braid extensions for a few years, then big chopped my hair several times between 1999 - 2005, got a texturizer in 2006 and hated it. I had to cut drastically cut my hair until the texturized pieces were gone. After that, I began to research about hair through books and when I discovered Youtube I really saw the amazing style options that I had never thought of doing. I practiced them on my hair and then discovered techniques on my own. I've now grown my hair to the longest length it has ever been in my life. I continue to learn so much.<br />
<br />
<b>What are some of the products that you use? </b><br />
<br />
1) Giovanni Smooth As Silk Conditioner (I use for deep conditioning treatments)<br />
2) 50/50 Hydrating Balance (as a detangling creme)<br />
3) Kinky Curly Curling Custard (as a styling "treat" because I don't wear my hair in curly styles often)<br />
<br />
<b>Would you describe yourself as more of a minimalist or an addict when it comes to caring for your hair?</b><br />
<br />
Somewhere in between, because now I buy products to test them on my hair (and friends/family) to determine whether or not they are worthy of a review (or for selling on LUV Naturals).<br />
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<b>What is your advice for those just getting into the natural blogging game?</b><br />
<br />
Know your purpose and what you have to offer. Take the time to understand what is missing in order to create opportunity. There is SO MUCH opportunity. Find your niche and make sure it's something you'd do for free, then it's less like work. But believe me, it'll STILL be work, just more enjoyable. :0) <br />
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<b>What is the response to your hair given your business and the types of clients that you work with?</b><br />
<br />
My hair has never been an issue. I wear my hair in styles that compliment my more conservative dress code when working in a professional environment. <br />
<br />
<b>Do you consider your look to be professional?</b><br />
<br />
Absolutely! <br />
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<b>What is your advice for women who want to break out on their own, but are concerned about how their hair or sense of style might affect people’s perceptions of them?</b><br />
<br />
I have no advice for them. If they are overly-concerned with what others think of them, then they aren't ready. Wow. I know that sounds mean. lol. But I seriously can't relate to people who allow others to dictate their precious time on earth, sorry. Our lives are too short not to be lived and enjoyed and be ourselves. Life must be honored and respected every day. <br />
<br />
<b>I personally appreciated the four-part series on financial advice that you recently did. What's the best financial advice you feel every fly, confident female should know?</b><br />
<br />
Live below your means. And just because you can buy it or barely afford it doesn't mean you should have it. The Repo Man will get you. Believe that! lol. <br />
<br />
<b>What are your personal measures of success? By your own standards, do you consider yourself successful?</b><br />
<br />
Success is freedom to do whatever I want to do with my day. Everyday. Yes, I feel successful because I've accomplished many things I've set out to do, like traveling, establishing a reputation as person with an excellent work ethic, finding a life partner to love... I'm content with my life.<br />
<br />
But I worked and continue to WORK for it. Sometimes that means literally working and putting in the time to perfect my craft or working on myself, personally.<br />
<br />
<b>What is a “Think and Grow Chick” to you?</b><br />
<br />
I have no idea! I'd never heard of the term until you presented it to me . I look forward to learning more though. I think you’re on to something. :-) <br />
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<b>Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to share some insight with my readers. You are truly a “Think and Grow Chick”! Is there anything else you’d like to share or that you want everyone to know about you? What are the best ways for one to get in contact with you?</b><br />
<br />
No problem! Thanks for asking me to share. :0)<br />
<br />
kim@kimmaytube.com<br />
<br />
****<br />
<br />
Kimmay is freaking amazing. Make sure to check out her Youtube channel at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/kimmaytube">http://www.youtube.com/user/kimmaytube</a>Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-21546329106737669002010-01-21T10:28:00.002-05:002010-01-21T10:28:00.719-05:00Video: Natural Hair Routine Part I: The Pre-Poo<i>*** <br />
</i><br />
<i>Yes, I'm a jerk for not being able to adhere to the posting schedule that I devised. Lets just agree that the Monday/Friday posting schedule is suspended as of now, and i'll simply try to post as often as I can :-)</i><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
This is the first in a series of videos I'm working on which will show you all my new hair routine and the progress my hair makes as I stick with it over the next few months. Enjoy! <br />
<br />
<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U59ZQthMA7g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U59ZQthMA7g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-2504297747936456192010-01-11T14:02:00.000-05:002010-01-11T14:02:50.720-05:00Blogs are the New Black?<span class="fullpost">Via my twitter feed, I recently ran across Black Enterprise's <a href="http://www.blackenterprise.com/blogs/2009/12/18/be-next-2010-blazing-a-path-to-success/3">"Be Next 2010"</a> which is their yearly feature on young, up-and-coming black entrepreneurs. Hoping to get on that list myself one day, imagine my surprise and delight to see Natasha Eubanks, fellow blogger and creator of TheYBF.com among the ranks. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykfKL2B6cEu5cBvpO-0BBTP9pjOacFJBJqYjG01_99MH7CTaK76W_-uwsoqgJxG4c-A9LbgP5ZluDpcbqmozurR68xY0OEmEfYw5Qlvq0kzyAIeR4acavMVFW3Xf2SwwYEJ-xvoGzoA4/s1600-h/natasha-eubans-303-blackenterprise-outtake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykfKL2B6cEu5cBvpO-0BBTP9pjOacFJBJqYjG01_99MH7CTaK76W_-uwsoqgJxG4c-A9LbgP5ZluDpcbqmozurR68xY0OEmEfYw5Qlvq0kzyAIeR4acavMVFW3Xf2SwwYEJ-xvoGzoA4/s320/natasha-eubans-303-blackenterprise-outtake.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<span class="fullpost">With Black Enterprise featuring Natasha's success with turning her blog into a successful, full-blown company, I thought it'd be helpful today to post some tips about using a blog to launch your next project, since I know many of my readers are also bloggers with big dreams of starting really amazing ventures.<br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span class="fullpost">The number one reason to start <span style="font-weight: bold;">a blog is that a blog helps you hone in on what you're trying to accomplish</span>. You will never gain the readership you desire if you don't center your blog around a specific niche and purpose. The same can be said for your business or project—you will never gain the success you desire if you don't have a specific purpose. What problem are you solving with your idea? If you have an idea that will legitimately be useful to a group of people, then writing about it should attract a significant following. If you find that you're struggling to think of things to write about on your blog or people are not attracted to the things you are writing about, then perhaps that is evidence that your blog <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> your project need some tweaking.<br />
<br />
Another blatant reason to start a blog is that <span style="font-weight: bold;">blogs are a free/cheap way to get online</span>. I don't know about you, but I never have a ton of cash to blow on web designers and hosting just to put up a website. Blogs are a perfect solution because in nearly all cases, they are free to start and come with free hosting. If you want your blog to reflect your own domain (i.e. www.yourbusiness.com), many blogs can do that for just the cost of the domain name (generally $10 for a whole year). When bootstrapping a new venture, there's really no reason to have a "standard website" when your first starting out, as many blogging platforms have free, professional templates you can use instead. Furthermore, a blog can provide all the information a standard website would have if you simply set it up right. Make sure all the info a potential customer would need about your company is easily found on your blog, and voila! You are good to go!<br />
<br />
Speaking of customers, <span style="font-weight: bold;">a blog is a great way to build your potential customer base</span>. Once you gain a significant readership to your blog, you can begin marketing your project directly to your visitors, as they are likely to already have an interest in your idea since they keep coming back to read your blog.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">A blog is also a great testing place for potential products or services</span>. Thinking of launching a new t-shirt line? Write a few post about if first and get your readers involved. Read their comments and listen to what they have to say before you spend money on that new project. What you think is a great idea might not be so if you're truly targeting your readers as customers. Take you reader feedback seriously; it can save you from spending thousands on a new but poorly planned idea.<br />
<br />
The point is if you have enough moxie to start up a blog a get it to a mildly successful point, then you can probably do the same with a business. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="fullpost">Have you had success with blogging? Are you just starting out but are dying to be the next "YBF" blogger? Share your thoughts in the comments box or email me at thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com.<br />
</span>Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-56990336530446566632010-01-04T12:52:00.002-05:002010-01-04T13:45:31.910-05:00How Going Natural Taught Me Everything I Know About SuccessThough every new year brings about a renewed sense of self improvement and making changes, I find that my 2010 resolutions are particularly magnified because we're now moving into a new <i>decade</i>. With the pressure on, I find myself looking to things I've accomplished in the past for inspiration to being successful now. What prior success sticks out the most for me?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3Z8vnOSgcdV1l6jgOjAe94bXgGlnLkjm2wi6GJenYcOdkc7ndkYNioy-uh6Xh9X-ZieI7AlNH73E_uWyl1CCemilmAirgEtQiBsCS7qj8nW-CraASNQoFucL3Zv1KbmY2l9ae3SItwQ/s1600-h/3290519379_514498d1df.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3Z8vnOSgcdV1l6jgOjAe94bXgGlnLkjm2wi6GJenYcOdkc7ndkYNioy-uh6Xh9X-ZieI7AlNH73E_uWyl1CCemilmAirgEtQiBsCS7qj8nW-CraASNQoFucL3Zv1KbmY2l9ae3SItwQ/s400/3290519379_514498d1df.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/booleansplit/">Robert S. Donovan</a></span> <br />
</div><br />
<br />
...going natural :-)<br />
<br />
Now obviously, I've done things that carry more weight in the grand scheme of life than having natural hair, but I'm consistently inspired by my own natural hair journey particularly because there were clear, concrete steps I took to reach "hair success" that I often refer to when trying to accomplish something else. Going natural taught me to:<br />
<br />
<br />
1. <b>Beginning with the end in mind.</b> Even though this bit of wisdom came from Yogi Bear, it's so true: "If you don't know where you're going, you might end up somewhere else!" I still vividly remember being 15 and seeing a full page picture in my <i>Teen Magazine</i> of this black model with the most beautiful, coily, kinky 'fro ever! I immediately tore the page out, ran downstairs to the kitchen, and frantically asked my mom one simple question—"Before I had a perm, do you think my hair texture looked like this?" Startled by both the randomness and the immediacy behind my inquiry, my mom answered with a puzzled, "Uh, yeah, I guess..." and the rest is history. That was all I needed and 6 years later, my hair is actually quite similar in texture and style to the picture that inspired me years ago. I had saw what my "success" would look before I even embarked on the journey, and I received confirmation that my "end" was in fact feasible. To accomplish anything in life, we have to know what the end looks like before we even start while never keeping our eyes off of the finish line <br />
<br />
2. <b>Research.</b> Prior to going natural, I was a regular black girl with a standing, biweekly appointment at the local JCPenney hair salon. I would walk in with itchy, week old hair and walk out with the silkiest "wrap" a hoodied dryer and Motion's Foaming Set Lotion could provide. Needless to say, I didn't know much about my hair seeing as I rarely did it myself. Not one to be easily discouraged, however, it took all of maybe one month and an absurd number of hours spent in front of Google for me to become my own hair expert. Whether you're going natural or losing 50 pounds, research is crucial to meeting your goal successfully—you must become your own expert, as no one can reach your goal for you.<br />
<br />
3. <b>Identify and maximize your capabilities.</b> Looking back on my natural hair care journey, I'm most proud of the fact that I did it with the meager resources I had as a 15 year old. I had school and a part-time job at the dry cleaners up the street, so under no circumstances could I afford (nor did I have the time) to see a stylist regularly, pay for elaborate sew-ins, or purchase expensive hair treatments just to transition out of my relaxer. What I could do as a 15 year old, however, was study natural hair in the same manner that I studied for school and perfect the art of "do-it-yourself" since I was young and able, which is exactly what I did. Sometimes we look at the things we cannot do and get discouraged about our goals when really, we should identify that things we <b>can</b> do and <i>work the crap out of them</i>. <br />
<br />
4. <b>Surround yourself with inspiration.</b> Part of the reason I spent so much time in front of the computer was because the internet was really the only place I could see pictures and read inspiring stories about natural hair. Whether it's pictures torn from magazines, articles bookmarked online, or actual people in your life, you absolutely have to surround yourself with inspiration to remind you of why you're working towards your goal to begin with.<br />
<br />
5. <b>Follow through.</b> To be honest, my natural hair journey wasn't too bad for about six months. For the most part, I treated my hair as if I were stretching a relaxer and kept it pressed. Then the summer came leaving my hair perpetually sweated out and stuff really hit the fan. I wanted to go back to a relaxer SO bad, but kept in mind how big of a waste all my work up to this point would be if I didn't stick it out. If you commit to achieving something, then really commit and follow through to the very end. If you quit working towards your goal at the first sign of trouble, then you'll never get anywhere.<br />
<br />
6. <b>Enjoy your success... </b>I <i>loved</i> my hair when it was finally all natural and I still do to this day. I was so excited when first going natural that I wore it in all sorts of natural hair styles, showcasing all of my hard work. It's important to really bask in the end result of your hard work because, well, you earned it. Which brings me to...<br />
<br />
7. <b>...Maintain your success...</b> You have to consistently maintain and improve all that you've worked for. After 6 years of being natural, I sometimes find myself slipping into lazy practices, leaving my with hair that isn't as great as it was in my early natural days. What got you there will not keep you there... Success is a journey, not a destination.<br />
<br />
8. <b>...Share your success.</b> I went from knowing nothing about my hair to knowing enough to share that knowledge and help other people. Even now, when I get compliments on my hair, I feel most rewarded when I can use that as an opportunity to share what I've done and help someone else attain the success that I've reached. Ask anyone, they'll tell you that I ADORE when someone tells me that I was a big help in them going natural. In part, that's why I even have this blog—I love sharing my journey to help other people :-) Why even bother being successful if you're just going to keep it to yourself?<br />
<br />
So what do you think, dear readers? Is there a particular accomplishment from your past that inspires you to be successful in the future?Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-63964134292699204352010-01-04T10:27:00.001-05:002010-01-04T10:28:44.298-05:00Help a Chick Grow: How Do I Craft a Proposal for My Business Idea?<i>***Over the last few weeks, I've been totally honored by all of the comments and emails I've received from you all over the whole range of topics that I talk about here. With this post, I'm officially starting the "Help a Chick Grow" Series—if you have any questions or problems about hair, beauty, business, inspiration, style, spirituality, etc, etc, you can email me and I'll post them so that I, along with the other fellow Think & Grow Chick readers can help you out. Below you'll find the first of this series with a question from Kenyan reader, Clara:</i><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Dear Think & Grow Chick,<br />
<br />
I really like your writing. You are very goal oriented and focused.<br />
<br />
I am 21, live in Kenya and I am in 3rd year of college and I am starting a business. I had an idea similar to the <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/08/mojo-spa-my-business-goals-and-lemon.html">Lemon Bar</a>. I want to hold an event related to fashion and makeup. I want to approach a fashion retailer and a makeup company, get women together, teach them how to dress, find their individual style and how to apply makeup.<br />
<br />
I already have a makeup line willing to participate, I just need to get a fashion retailer. To do this, I need to write a proposal. Any ideas on what to write?<br />
<br />
Have a great year,<br />
Clara <br />
</blockquote><br />
Thank you so much for following my blog, Clara! It's great to know I have a subscriber all the way from Kenya!<br />
<br />
As far as your business idea, I love your concept; especially the part about teaching your participants about personal style. This is really what you need to drive home when crafting a proposal for a possible retail sponsor. <br />
<br />
First, brainstorm a few retailers (large and small) that already target the audience that you are targeting for your business. No sense in writing a proposal for Ann Taylor if none of the women attending your even like to shop there. <br />
<br />
Secondly, find a simple sponsorship proposal template (you can type those three words right in to Google) to use as a guide for your proposal. I found one that might be of assistance to you <a href="http://www.docstoc.com/docs/18865082/sponsor-proposal">here</a>. Regardless of what template you use or how snazzy it looks, you'll want to make sure that you include:<br />
<ol><li> An overview/introduction to your event including why you are doing this and who your audience will be...</li>
<li>Sponsorship packages you are offering (how much do they have to pay and what does it get them)...</li>
<li> Deadlines/schedule up until the event, and...</li>
<li> Contact information (including who they make the check out to!)</li>
</ol><br />
You'd be surprised how much support a well written proposal will get from various companies. My best advice is to research your audience, research the retailer, and research proposals. The point is to prove to the retailer that you have what they want (customers) and that sponsoring your event will bring them more business. If you can do that in a well-thought out proposal, then your golden!<br />
<br />
Good Luck, <br />
~The Think & Grow Chick<br />
<br />
***<br />
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What say you, dear readers? I know many of you are some business savvy phenoms; leave your suggestions in the comments if you have some advice for Clara. Have a question yourself? The hit me up at <a href="http://twitter.com/thinkngrowchick">twitter.com/thinkngrowchick</a> or thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-66418183261456642422010-01-04T10:01:00.003-05:002010-01-04T20:14:06.005-05:00Respecting the Space Between the Rock and the Hard Place<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2xMPmrMqKUc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2xMPmrMqKUc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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I ran across BeautifulBrwnBabyDol on Youtube when looking for fitness tips and I have to say, I really love this chick. Besides posting her very inspiring weight loss journey (she lost a ridiculous amount of weight by just eating right and working out, sometimes only using workout DVDs!) she comes off as confident and as "a real black girl", as she so aptly puts it. The video that I posted above was particularly inspiring to me for some not so obvious reasons. I invite you to watch the entire video (but you can fast-forward to 6:29 if your pressed for time and just want to get to the core of what I'm talking about) then read on below.<br />
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Now I'm not an ex-fat girl as I've been tall and slim my entire life, but I think many of the things BeautifulBrwn speaks on are universally true, regardless of what kind of transformation you are embarking on. What she describes as "the journey" I call "the space between the rock and the hard place" and it's so important that you respect it for all the reasons BeautifulBrwn talks about.<br />
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As you all know, I am on a pretty daunting "<a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/12/never-say-what-you-cant-do.html">get-out-of-debt-and-get-back-in-school</a>" journey for 2010. I have to admit, this is a "down" point in my life and it is CRAZY how different people will treat you because you are not "up"! Where BeautifulBrwn has people vying for her attention now that she is fit and "skinny" but couldn't catch a break when she was "fat", I had people fawning over me left and right when I had a scholarship and was attending Howard University, but now that I'm in debt, waiting tables full time, and saving up to go to the local public university you would think I had leprosy or something! Even my own family is giving me the side eye because they're not sure I can really pull this off. But you know what? I'm alright because I know this is my <b><i>journey</i></b>, not my <b>destination</b> and I'm learning to love me for who I am and not any of the titles I carry—impressive or otherwise—at any given point in time.<br />
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More importantly, BeautifulBrwn hit it on the head when she says not to advertise your progress in a way that seeks validation from other people. As she puts it, "Pop up and be the hotness" and this is so true. When my school and finance issues first hit me, I felt like I had to put a disclaimer on my chest when meeting new people or telling old ones about my situation. Instead of just saying "I'm saving up for school right now" or telling people about the new university I plan on attending, I found myself still telling people I was a Howard student or avoiding the whole topic of school all together. I now see that all of the stammering, half-truths, and drawn out anecdotes were totally unnecessary because <b>it doesn't matter what anyone thinks. </b>No, I don't go to Howard anymore. So? Yes, I'm working to pay off some debts. And? Both God and I know what I'm doing is the right thing, and in a few short weeks this ordeal has fine tuned my character and helped me appreciate my faith, my opportunities and my life in ways that I was totally blind to when I was a "successful" yet arrogant and unappreciative person. Furthermore, sharing my story has helped me connect with and reach out to other young women who are going through the same thing. I couldn't ask for a better silver lining, but I might have missed it if I refused to respect my journey in the first place.<br />
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So how can you respect the space between your rock and hard place?<br />
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1. <b>Don't be in such a rush to "get there".</b> Making a true, long-lasting change in your life is a transformative thing, which means a <i>process</i> is involved. You cannot make <b>progress</b> if you ignore the <i>process</i>. For instance, if your going natural, commit to the several months it will take you to grow out that 'fro, and love yourself on the good and bad days. I can't tell you how many women run back to a relaxer because they weren't committed to the entire process of going natural–ugly hair days and all.<br />
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2. <b>Recognize that it's lonely at the top.</b> BeautifulBrwn pretty much described this throughout her entire video, but it's worth repeating: not everyone is going to be happy about your transformation. You may have to drop some people and make new friends. This is okay, because a better you demands some better company. In the words of Will Smith, "You can often project your success in life by looking at the top 5 people you spend most of your time with. If you don't want to be those people, you know what to do..."<br />
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3. <b>Never forget where you came from.</b> This is so important! In reality, staying grounded in your <b>journey</b> and not basing your self-esteem on your success after the fact will save you if, God forbid, you face another hardship. We hear all the time that you shouldn't care what others think about you, but this goes both ways; you should be unaffected by <b>both</b> the hate and the <i>praise</i> you receive externally. This was the hardest thing for me to deal with; all my life I was great at ignoring negative feedback, but I swung to the opposite extreme and wrapped my confidence in my success and the adoration I received from my family, friends, teachers, acquaintances, strangers, etc. When all of that stopped, I didn't know what to do with myself! I had totally forgotten where I came from, but now I will <b><i>always</i></b> remember.<br />
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So that's all I got, beloved readers. How are you respecting the space between the rock and the hard place? How are you growing on your journey? Share your thoughts via the comments, or email me at thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-20625572792062489932009-12-15T11:06:00.002-05:002009-12-16T01:21:09.343-05:00New Years Hair Update<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</div>If you remember a <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/11/new-years-hairplanned-57-days-early.html">few posts back</a>, I talked about how I wanted a new hair look for the New Year. I put up a few pictures of looks I decided I was going to go for and said that I was saving up some money so I could get to the salon and make it all happen. Well, because I've been flagrant in my neglect to update you all with my subsequent hair decision after that post, today's post is dedicated to my new hair regimen and styles that I actually decided to go through with for the New Year.<br />
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For starters, I did in fact head to "The Dominican's" (<a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/12/never-say-what-you-cant-do.html">pre-financial apocalypse</a>, of course) to get my hair straightened.<br />
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Maybe it's because of my increasing skill in doing my hair myself, but to be honest, I was not really impressed with the final results. Yes my hair was soft, yes it was shiny (and no, this picture doesn't really do it justice) but I can't say I was super impressed. If I can ever save up enough money to get my hands on a <a href="http://www.maxiusbeauty.com/">Maxiglide</a>, I have a sneaking suspicion that I can do a much better job myself. But I digress...The whole point of me getting my hair straightened was to determined whether or not I wanted to go through with the Heidi Klum haircut I featured in my <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/11/new-years-hairplanned-57-days-early.html">last hair post</a>.<br />
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I must say, I'm glad I had my hair straightened on a separate salon visit <i>first,</i> because once I saw the state of my hair and how long my bangs were—I just couldn't go through with the cut. In fact, I couldn't go through with <i>anything</i>...no cut, no color, no nothing.<br />
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: center;"> From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkandgrowchick/November2009Hair?feat=embedwebsite">November 2009 Hair</a><br />
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Why couldn't I go through with my painstakingly planned New Year's hair makeover, you ask? For two reasons:<br />
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(1) My hair was so <b>raggedy</b>! I knew I was being abusive to my locks with all the rough combing and sleeping on cotton pillow cases but WOW! The above picture features my hair AFTER the stylist trimmed it. Look at all those scraggly, fly-away ends! I ended up trimming it again myself the next day because I was so horrified with the condition of my hair. Needless to say, I just felt that it would be reckless to go experimenting with new haircuts and hair colors as my hair needed some serious TLC.<br />
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(2) I was actually really surprised at how long my hair was once it was straightened. Like I said before, I've been an abusive parent to my tresses and I assumed that I was going to face a lot of breakage, leaving me with shorter hair. To my luck, I did not have a lot of breakage and even retained some length—the trade off was that I had to deal with an exorbitant amount of split ends instead. Nevertheless, seeing the length (however meager) renewed my desire for a head of healthy, <i>long</i> hair. Thus, scissors are officially out of the question and my new hair goal for New Years and beyond is armpit length, or "APL" status.<br />
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Since that week of straight hair, I have since been on a mad dash to find the perfect combination of products and techniques for a new "growing my hair" regimen. I've been on forums, read blogs, and watched youtube videos to get an idea of the things to try and so far...I think I've been pretty successful :-) Stay tuned for an upcoming post on my new regimen and different techniques I've been trying with my hair.<br />
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Have you ever had plans for your do, but changed you mind once you actually got to the salon? Are you currently on a "grow my hair" challenge yourself? What are you doing to ensure "hair success"? Share your comments below.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-26939602977452478292009-12-10T11:44:00.001-05:002009-12-10T11:45:16.194-05:00The Easiest Way to Predict the Future......Is to create it! And every year around this time, I find myself turning into a list makin', collage pastin', goal chasing fool, trying to do just that—create my future. So why do all of this particularly doing THIS time a year, you ask? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvICQAL0vrba8G2grLIh2mLBZjPpLBYTI-OwSvNEJH-TqsawUZcc-rlP2HfgRny7G96Ad0ejuo8GXPmTDM2IgJxxKasR10yYhPEQS9u4U2HN2j9jsjIE_gSKz_JFPKYOhfC_Z9zegqvw/s1600-h/391495700_68aa379ab4_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvICQAL0vrba8G2grLIh2mLBZjPpLBYTI-OwSvNEJH-TqsawUZcc-rlP2HfgRny7G96Ad0ejuo8GXPmTDM2IgJxxKasR10yYhPEQS9u4U2HN2j9jsjIE_gSKz_JFPKYOhfC_Z9zegqvw/s400/391495700_68aa379ab4_o.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jek-a-go-go/391495700/">Photo from Jek in the Box</a><br />
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Because the New Year is near, duh!<br />
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Like clean, white sheets, fresh from the dryer on laundry day, the beginning of the New Year is that new start most of us just can't wait to get into. With a tumultuous 2009 nearly behind me, I too am excited at the prospects of white my life will be like in 2010. True to Think & Grow Chick form, I am leaving nothing to chance and everything to a well documented list of goals. The difference this year, however, is that I am not waiting for a whole 'nother year to pass by before I realize I didn't accomplish anything. Goals are useless if (1) you don't set deadlines for yourself and (2) you don't review your goals to see if you're making any progress before your deadline hits. In other words, the following represent things that I am trying to do in <b><i>6 months</i> or</b> less. Meet my half-year hit list:<br />
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<ol><li><b>I will attempt to bring in a solid income of $2,350 per month.</b> Though this is equivalent to a million dollars for me given the (college student) poverty level I'm currently operating at, the above number was carefully calculated as just what I need to get out of my <a href="http://www.thinkandgrowchick.com/2009/12/never-say-what-you-cant-do.html">current financial mishap</a> and still have some left over. I just got hired at a popular downtown bar (and I still plan on keeping my current part-time job), so working full-time, I think this is feasible. (I'll do more about my new budgeting plan in a separate post.)</li>
<li><b>I will completely pay off my lowest credit card amount, $873.53.</b> (I have three cards in total...I know, I know, I'm cringing too.) Calculated in the income goal above, I should be able to eradicate that little grey piece of plastic which has caused me so much pain and cost me near a grand to date. Sheesh...</li>
<li>Because I'm super ambitious, I plan to attack my debt AND<b> I will have at least $1000 in personal savings in 6 month's time.</b> I know ya'll think I'm crazy because I owe A LOT of money, but if I've learned anything from those personal finance books, it's that you have to have some sort of egg nest when paying off debt, otherwise you'll just run back to your credit card when the (inevitable) first sign of trouble hits. I <i>cannot</i> go back there again, so my new plan incorporates <i>paying myself</i> first.<br />
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<li><b>I will be enrolling back in school part-time for the 2010 summer session, and full-time for the 2010 fall session.</b> I would be in school right now if it weren't for the back tuition I owe Howard, so a soon as that's paid off (which will be in less than 6 months is I can hit the income number listed in #1), I'm enrolling in the most affordable school I can get in to so that I can FINISH. THIS. DEGREE!!! <br />
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<li>Swinging into the land of vanity, <b>My hair will reach armpit length (APL) or longer in six months or less.</b> I'm armed with a new regimen and a new attitude, (again, more in a separate post) so I see no reason why my strands can't attain such lengths.</li>
<li>This may come as a surprise because I'm already a pretty healthy, slim girl, but<b> in 6 month's time I really want to tone up my physique.</b> That's right, I'm trying to be all chiseled up like I was in my high school ballerina/track running days. I'll be sure to document my new found fitness adventure in subsequent post.</li>
<li>I've been saying this forever and I'm sorry I still have to say it now, but<b> I want to improve my wardrobe</b>. Now this is not to say that I dress busted or anything, but my financial situation has really jacked up my fashion situation and I have had enough! I used to take pride in being a generally stylish young woman and I want to get back to that, stat! I've included shopping money in my target income level (goal #1) so that I can achieve this, guilt-free. <br />
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<li>Last but of course not least, in <b>6 month's time I really want to develop this blog</b>. To be honest, I've really grown to love blogging and I think it can become an amazing personal resource and entrepreneurial venture for me and my readers. I generally like to be more concrete than simply saying that I want to "develop" something, but for now I'll say that I definitely want to increase readership.</li>
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<ol></ol>So that's it for me dear readers. The are my personal action items for the next 6 months, starting today. My deadline for all of these goals is Thursday, June 10, 2010. I am not playing around this year and neither should you! Two (or a thousand) heads are better than one, so I encourage everyone to come up with their own 6 month game plan and either link to it in the comment box below, or email it to me at thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com so that we can get the ball rolling <i>together</i>.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-13627032292498392072009-12-03T13:19:00.000-05:002009-12-03T13:19:13.090-05:00Never Say What You Can't Do: Video Response<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Gtrebry-ihA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Gtrebry-ihA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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A simple video response to yesterday's post :-)<br />
(you may need to turn up your volume, the audio is kind of low, sorry!)Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-91597868795593748512009-12-02T11:53:00.003-05:002009-12-02T13:13:17.801-05:00Never Say What You Can't Do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuaCcr1Bvi2hIuIXfnAOm64bIekyyv3wHgz08qwteO2BmCBLXrNzSZjV_q2RYVOBziKbTxgxtq2pj0wf8mfzI8yyFwnxrGmlHWuiPICf7hqjRbRr8_1q9rEFUJQG-y8VXMiSQwdeVzaA/s1600-h/100_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuaCcr1Bvi2hIuIXfnAOm64bIekyyv3wHgz08qwteO2BmCBLXrNzSZjV_q2RYVOBziKbTxgxtq2pj0wf8mfzI8yyFwnxrGmlHWuiPICf7hqjRbRr8_1q9rEFUJQG-y8VXMiSQwdeVzaA/s400/100_0067.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div>I cried harder as she continued on her lecture. Even though her voice was rising, between my sobs and my hands uncontrollably shaking the earpiece, I was struggling to hear what she was saying.<br />
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"Courtney, we are not built to break. You are <i>stronger</i> than this! So what, you've got to take a little detour. So? God is teaching you a lesson right now! Take this time to get your act together, then get your a** back in school! I know it seems like a lot of money—hell, that's a lot of money for me and I have a full-time job. <b>But this is not insurmountable.</b> If you work hard for the next 6 months and save everything—and I mean it Courtney, you better save everything—you can pay that off. I don't mean to sound like I'm not sympathetic to your situation because I am, but right now, you need tough love to get you out of this. You think this is tough?? You have it <i>made</i>, Courtney. There are women leaving abusive husbands, struggling to get that degree while living in homeless shelters. Heck, you think it was easy for me trying to get through grad school with two small daughters? Why do you think I'd always invite those young girls over to study at our house, hmm? <i>It was because I couldn't afford childcare!!!</i> I would feed them and they would come over and study with me so I could watch you and your sister! It is not a game, sweetie, but there are worst things in life. <b>You can do this</b>. So have a good cry, splash some cold water on your face, call your boyfriend, make some tea, draft up a plan, and <i>get down to business.</i>"<br />
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"Do you understand?"<br />
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"Yes," I replied to my mother as I sniffed hard and hung up the phone. I was so angry but she was <i>so</i> right. I had gotten myself into this, but I could definitely get myself out of this if I was willing to put in the work.<br />
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Deep down, however, I knew the tears came less from the unfair charge I was being forced to pay and more from realizing for the first time where I really am in life. I cried hard a few days ago because for the first time, I really felt like I was at the bottom. To be perfectly honest, I am.<br />
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At 21 years old, I am unenrolled from college, I owe $3,350 in charges from Howard University, and I cannot transfer to another school until I pay the debt off because there is now a hold on my transcripts. In addition to all of that, I'm currently on a strict repayment plan with my credit card company because I owe $4,687.46 and almost 80% of that amount has to be paid in 12 months or else I get slammed with an outrageous interest rate. To say this is not the life I envisioned for myself is an understatement.<br />
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When I first came to Howard, I was a bright and shiny, scholarship having, 3.8 GPA achieving, chemical engineering student. "I'll <b><i>never</i></b> leave Howard," I adamantly told my parents on one of their first visits. "This is the dorm where all the scholarship girls stay," I continued. "I'll never stay in that <i>other</i> dorm." <br />
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Fast forward to my sophomore year when waking up to go to class literally sent me into panic attacks. I had long discovered that I was not really interested in engineering and that I was just doing it because it was "impressive", but I was too scared to do anything else because I didn't want to let anyone down. My grades were reflecting my lack of interest as I was struggling to hold on to a 2.5 GPA and my scholarship was a thing of the past. <br />
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Since I'm the type of person who likes to fix things before anyone notices that things are going wrong, I applied for my first credit card, hoping I could build up some credit before the school year ended so that I could take out a private loan to finance the rest of my education without getting my parents involved. As God would have it, the economy tanked right at the end of that year, simultaneously forcing Sallie Mae to raise the credit score required for school loans and leaving me up the creek without a paddle.<br />
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By my Junior year, I knew I had to get out of engineering before I graduated with a worthless GPA. I had since discovered my love and aptitude for Business, but the School of Business at Howard refused to accept me without a 3.0 GPA. Factor in the Parent Plus Loan my dad had taken out for me without knowing the extent of my academic and financial predicament, and you'll understand why I felt like my only option left was to crawl under a rock and die. Embarrassed and scared because my back was up against the wall, I broke down during a routine phone call with my dad and I told him everything.<br />
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I was so surprised at how supportive my dad was that I felt bad for not telling him sooner. Through my tears and much needed prayer, my dad agreed that it would be best if I withdrew from Howard and transfered to a less expensive university that would accept me into their business program before I wasted anymore time and money. Thinking the worst of my situation was over, I withdrew from all of my engineering classes and made the arrangements to enroll in the spring semester at the city university across town, given that I could take advantage of their lower, in-state tuition rates. <br />
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Everything seemed brighter at that point. I was laughing again, smiling again, and overall I was feeling more like myself. I was excited to be spending less money on a new major that I knew I would truly love and I couldn't wait to get started. The world seemed to be turning up roses until my new school told me Howard would not release my transcripts. I ventured to the financial aid department to find out why and BAM! Because I withdrew before the semester ended, Howard had returned all of my federal loans that were previously covering my tuition, unbeknownst to me, <b>leaving me with a balance of $3,350</b>. My heart sank—I would not be able to transfer to any school until the amount was paid in full.<br />
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I have been M.I.A. on this blog not just because all of this is happening (though it certainly has taken a lot of my mental energy) but because in order to stay true to the mission I had when I first started this blog, I knew I'd be a complete fraud if I continued blogging without addressing my situation on here. How on earth can I spread that message of "Think and Grow Chicks can achieve any goal!" and not put the spotlight on myself? If I truly believe my own mission, then I have to be this blog's resident example of making all of your dreams come true...even if everything seems to be going wrong. <br />
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So take heart, my beloved readers, I'm going to be fine and if you're going through anything right now, you're going to be fine too. With a little hard work and a whole lotta prayer, I know I can still achieve everything I've ever dreamed of doing. I will be back in school in 6 months, I will pay off all of my debt in a year, I will graduate as a high achieving business major, and I will be a raging success. Period. So if you forgive me for taking a leave of absence over the last few weeks and you believe in this blog, this mission, and the fact that you truly can accomplish any goals as a Think and Grow Chick, then I invite you to continue to follow my journey.<br />
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If you have a "comeback" story to share related to any topic or goal, feel free to leave your comments below or email me at thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com.Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-56602645743102009732009-11-20T16:08:00.000-05:002009-11-20T16:08:42.916-05:00Youtubing Your Way to A New YouYou'd be surprised at the wisdom you can run across on youtube. A lot of "average" people like you and me make some pretty cool videos. Below is one from one of my newly faved youtubers, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/LeobodyC5">LeobodyC5</a>. The video below is a great one on healthy eating habits and new things to try for those of you trying maintain a healthier lifestyle. <br />
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Besides Leobody's California-esque attitude towards healthy eating and holistic living (she lives in LA), I especially like this chick because (1) here hair is <b>fabulous</b> and (2) she's got a <i>killer</i> vintage wardrobe, all of which she documents on her youtube page. She's like that fabulous 80s glamazon I <i>would</i> have been had I not been an infant in 1989. I couldn't embed the hair or vintage videos because she has embedding disabled, however you can check them out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/LeobodyC5#p/c/69A3AAFAB00BD571/0/vQ2vSLr7Vvc">here</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/LeobodyC5#p/c/371BABC9A5851047/0/rr4ji9tDaUw">here</a>, respectively.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wmtzs6NpD1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wmtzs6NpD1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-7084868330099972172009-11-06T14:52:00.000-05:002009-11-06T14:52:59.650-05:00Why a Shopaholic is Better with Money Than You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo4aVorGV8OlxHUx2vw3F23emYARGkwqXDyCKamWgPROs7BvM54A-qr5B_VJczw8E6z7XEpB2EBAvocP871KKCRg-dImt5dfl1BvFePj-JYLF4dkIk8hGwuuWM-sc1RsQ_EiBP6jgHjU/s1600-h/526c5e41-e639-20d4-f395-0ef3e1cd0d6b-Black_women_money_impulse_buying_Lifestyle_B&S_FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo4aVorGV8OlxHUx2vw3F23emYARGkwqXDyCKamWgPROs7BvM54A-qr5B_VJczw8E6z7XEpB2EBAvocP871KKCRg-dImt5dfl1BvFePj-JYLF4dkIk8hGwuuWM-sc1RsQ_EiBP6jgHjU/s640/526c5e41-e639-20d4-f395-0ef3e1cd0d6b-Black_women_money_impulse_buying_Lifestyle_B&S_FB.jpg" /></a><br />
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A few days ago, in between episodes of my beloved <i>Bridezilla</i> on WeTV, (delusionally conceited brides are, in fact, hilarious) I ran across the network's new series, <i>The Secret Lives of Women</i>. Normally reserved for ex-prostitutes, drug addicts, and cult followers, the last episode I saw featured shopaholics. From a teenage girl who stole her mother's credit cards to finance her habit, to a neglected housewife who had succumbed to compulsive bargain shopping to justify her mounting debt, I sat on the couch with my popcorn, gleefully entertained by the sheer ridiculousness of the rationals these women told themselves on a daily basis.<br />
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My glee, however, quickly morphed into a subtle feeling of personal failure when the show rapped up to feature their last shopaholic. Deemed the "responsible shopaholic" by her business partner, this woman lived the good life, compulsively shopping with<b> </b><u><i>cash only</i></u>, because she knew that for every purchase—without fail—<b>she could create a business opportunity to match or surpass the amount spent on her very frequent shopping trips</b>. <br />
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I turned the TV off feeling salty...duped, even. "How in the world did this woman do it," I thought to myself. "Is it really possible to be <i>that</i> business savvy?" Before the thoughts even left my head, I knew my frustration rested not with the fact that this woman had impeccable business acumen, <i>but that I didn't</i>. Call me crazy, call me a lunatic for thinking I could master the art of business at only 21 years of age, but being fully in control of my own time, income, and passions has been a dream of mine since I was just 16.<br />
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Everyday, we turn on the news only to see good, hard working people plummet from comfortable salaries to poverty. Why? <b>Because being in control of your own destiny is not taught in school</b>. Only now, as corporations are forced to reveal that providing you with a paycheck is not, and has never been, their priority are people scrambling to make a living with the shirt on their back and the skills in their head.<br />
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As a college student moving closer to the "real world" with every semester that passes, let me be the first to say that I don't ever want to be dependent on someone else to give me the income to live my life. Though the lady featured on <i>Secret Lives</i> probably is a legitimate shopaholic and a slave to materialism (none of which I want to be), no one can say that she is not in control of her own income and destiny. She finances her exorbitant lifestyle with <b>extra cash</b> when most of us can't even make groceries without pulling out the credit card.<br />
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What's really going on here?<br />
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If you ask me, most people—particularly women—don't know what it means to be entrepreneurial. <b>Just because you work for someone else <u>does not</u> mean you can't be entrepreneurial. </b>In fact, working for someone else is often the best place to start. All there is to being "entrepreneurial" is taking the resources you have and using them to create an opportunity for yourself. Sure, your paycheck may come from your employer, <b>but no one said your source of income had to stop at that paycheck.</b> <br />
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What would happen if, every month you used your paycheck—even a portion of it—as start-up capital for the business called "You"? What if you spent $50 on some business cards and an ad in the newspaper offering services for something you do well? How quickly could that $50 turn into $100, even $200? Even though I work for someone else, just last week I spent $0 and 10 minutes to post an ad on <a href="http://craigslist.org/">Craigslist</a> offering my services for writing business plans, and already I'm making money. Now I don't have to choose between taking time off my job for Thanksgiving and paying my rent—my income does not end at my paycheck.<br />
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The point is, your livelihood does not have to stop at your paycheck. If you are smart about it, your paycheck can simply be the<i> foundation from which your true source of income flows</i>, making you less reliant on your paycheck to begin with. Use your paycheck to invest in things that will provide you with additional revenue streams. The company you work for does not keep all of their eggs in one basket and neither should you. All you need is time to plan and a little creativity.<br />
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If a shopaholic can do it, why can't you?Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5235858173692217295.post-25869233930642158622009-11-05T13:54:00.001-05:002009-11-05T14:02:15.567-05:00"Refuse to Choose" with Eisa Davis and Barbara Sher<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R31nferwZYI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R31nferwZYI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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I absolutely love this Gap commercial featuring Eisa Davis. In the clip, she explains her deep need to engage ALL of her passions and it really struck a chord with me, because I like to think that I operate the same way. <br />
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A few weeks ago, I came across the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Refuse-Choose-Revolutionary-Program-Everything/dp/1594863032">"Refuse to Choose"</a> after it was recommended in an interview I read on one of my daily blog readings. Curious about the title, I previewed the first few chapters on <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=xGVRPZA238sC&printsec=frontcover&dq=refuse+to+choose&ei=mrXxSojzM4bekwTw9-2KDA#v=onepage&q=&f=false">Google Books</a> and I instantly loved it so much that I ordered it online. I haven't finished it yet, but so far it details ways to get things done for people who have a lot of creative needs and talents (like me and Eisa Davis), whom author Barbara Sher describes as "scanners". I plan on doing a full book review pretty soon, but I figured many of you readers may identify with this notion of needing to do many things at once.<br />
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Have you been told to just "choose one thing?" Are you currently living a life full of different occupations and hobbies? I'm interested to hear some outside perspectives on this. Share your comments below...Think and Grow Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935724932550388536noreply@blogger.com2