Search Results

Let's talk about your needs! Schedule a free 30-minute call with us

The year 2024 holds so much promise for personal growth and self-discovery. As we continue to normalize the power of mental and emotional wellness, many individuals are learning how to perceive challenges and difficulties to overcome trauma and move forward with a renewed sense of purpose, clarity, and strength. That's what #DoingTheWork is all about; learning more about yourself, what you need to be well, and intentionally making decisions to support that. Although we have faced many global challenges in recent times, it's important to remain resilient and prepared to embrace the opportunities that await us. In other words....keep marching although "life be life-in." Whether you'll be starting a new chapter in your education or career, or embarking on a new adventure, the new year welcomes a great opportunity for you to continue discovering more about yourself, what you want, and how you will make it happen. Let's take every moment that life provides us with an opportunity to heal and grow beyond what we ever thought was possible. If you have committed to doing the #InnerWork of growing and developing into a better you, 2024 is just another opportune year to take advantage of who you've become and identify ways to continue the journey. This is usually why so many people, across the world, decide to create New Year Resolutions; a few key goals they intentionally set to accomplish over the next 365 days. Now we all know, and have been there....we may set a goal, resolve to quit bad habits, or implement a new way of living, but 28 days go by....60....and slowly but surely, we stop going after it. Why is that? Are the goals well thought out? Decided with enough conviction? I'm sure they are....so why do so many people fail to achieve their New Year resolutions? Make it happen by staying committed, focused, and intentional. One proven method is to create S.M.A.R.T goals, which are specific and personal commitments you make, to yourself, to achieve within a specific timeframe. They help you stay on track to make progress daily and efficiently. When setting your resolutions for the year, aim to make each goal specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. I'm going to show you how but first let's understand each S.M.A.R.T. component of effective goal setting: Specific: It's important to be crystal clear about what you want to achieve. The more specific, the better! Measurable: How will you know when you've achieved your goal? Think about what success looks like and how you can track your progress. Some goals take more than a year to accomplish but that doesn't mean you still can't evaluate your progress. Think about setting a goal that allows you to quantify your growth. Achievable: You got this! But it's important to make sure your goal is doable with your current resources and abilities. As you make progress, your resources will grow...but what can you do to move towards your goal with what you have right now? Relevant: Does your goal align with your overall purpose in life? If you're not sure what that is yet, no worries! You can set a SMART goal to figure it out. Time-bound: Give yourself a deadline to stay on track. Life has a funny way of getting in the way, so make sure you're working towards your goal promptly and staying committed when unforeseen needs present themselves. Here are a few #InnerG SMART Goal Examples: To fix my bed every morning, at least 60% of the time, every week for an entire year. To reflect on my growth in 2023 and set new SMART goals that I can intentionally commit to and progress towards in 2024. To take control of my future, I will identify five colleges or employers that align with my post-graduation plans and submit all required information by their respective deadlines. To make intentional decisions every day that will help me achieve the goals I set for myself; staying committed when detours, setbacks, and delays unfold throughout the year. When you are serious about what you want and why, SMART Goals provide intentional plans that you can commit to. Setting SMART goals can be incredibly helpful in keeping you focused on what you truly want to achieve. These goals provide a clear structure that enables you to identify the steps you need to take to accomplish them. SMART goals require a serious commitment to your plan and leave no room for excuses. So when you reach day 24 and feel like quitting, look to them to remember why you started so you may live a life of purpose, using the gifts and talents that God has placed on the inside of you. Get ready to embrace the new year with open arms! 2024 is your year to fill your life with joy, but only if you're willing to commit to #TheWorkThatMattersMost. Take some time to think through what you want, why you want it, and what you can do, right now, to make it happen. Keep up the good work and get ready for all the new beginnings that await you! #ForYourInnerG Need A New Journal to Start Your 2024 Journey? Shop the FYIG collection of journals today to begin anew with a resource that inspires you to look within to discover, decide, and document your journey to more in 2024!

Being Grateful Has Completely Turned My Life Around Greetings Family! As 2023 draws to a close, I want to extend warm wishes to everyone reading this. I hope you're all doing well and looking forward to a fantastic year ahead. Let's talk about the power of gratitude. This positive emotion stems from being thankful for someone or something in your life that has resulted from a kind, warm, or generous act. But did you know that expressing gratitude is equally important, especially when things don't go as planned? Despite its simplicity, gratitude can have an incredible impact and meaning, and it can often be the deciding factor in many situations. At the beginning of 2023, I made a personal vow to express gratitude for every experience and opportunity that came my way. Positive or negative, I aimed to find something to be thankful for in each moment. While I have always been grateful, I knew I could do a better job expressing appreciation when things didn't go my way. After all, as a Youth Mindfulness Coach, I wanted to be able to share firsthand how powerful gratitude in challenging moments can be. On January 1st, I woke up with determination to begin my journey. As I said my morning prayers and stretched, I noticed the dreary, rainy weather outside. Despite this, I embraced my commitment and focused on things I loved about the rain: the sound, the fresh scent, and the cozy feeling of snuggling under a warm blanket. While it was challenging to start the year off this way, I persevered. I knew I would have many opportunities to build up my gratitude during good days, but I remained committed to finding something to appreciate during gloomy times. As I went about my morning routine, I kept my spirits high. Suddenly, my family erupted in joyous screams, “Hurry...hurry...come and see!” Terrified of what was happening, I ran to their voices. To my amazement, when I stepped outside in the rain, I saw not one but two rainbows hovering over our home. Keeping it real with y’all, I couldn't help but cry tears of joy at the sight. Witnessing the rainbow filled me with so much hope and reinforced my year-long mission to be grateful every day, no matter what comes my way. Reflecting this November, I have to admit that my gratitude journey has been inspiring. Despite facing numerous setbacks and hardships, I have managed to find something to be grateful for. This not only lifted my spirits on difficult days, but it also positively affected the ones that followed. Gratitude has been a transformative practice in my life. I could spend ages recounting all the fantastic experiences, opportunities, and great days that have come my way. However, the true value of gratitude lies in embracing all that it brings, rather than boasting about it. With another month and a half to go before the year is over, I'm already convinced of its power. This is not just a year-long experiment, but a lifetime habit that I plan on continuing. Will you join me? With Love, Dr. A Whether you are new to expressing gratitude, you only practice when good things happen, or you just want to know why you should, here are a few realizations I’ve accumulated as a result of my experience. Remember - You Got This! For Your Inner G is helping YOUth Manage Stress and Develop Healthy Habits for Adulthood Be sure to Subscribe & Check back regularly for All Things of Value, For Your Inner G

Did you know that the average person speaks up to 2,000 words a day? Depending on your personality, you may speak more or less. What's important is not the quantity of your words, but their quality. We speak so often that we sometimes forget the power behind our words. Your words shape the reality you'll experience. That's why affirmations are so popular today, especially among those who prioritize self-care, self-love, and living their best lives. At FYIG, we believe in the power of affirmations, and we're proud to be riding the affirmation wave. Affirmations are not just positive statements that you speak aloud at a designated time in your day. Affirmations are being declared every time you open up your mouth. Whether you are saying something positive or negative. You are constantly affirming who you are, what you believe, and how you feel about yourself. Paint a future that you'll enjoy experiencing by being mindful of your words It's crucial to be conscious of your words about yourself and others. While your brain is intelligent, it cannot differentiate between self-talk and other forms of communication. Choose Love over Anger to Attract Positivity When you're feeling angry, opt for words of love instead. This will not only help you stay centered and open to receiving good things but also teach you to focus on the positive when facing challenges. Perhaps some of you may feel skeptical, thinking that your words don't carry much weight, but they do. I can recall my sophomore year in high school when I felt confident about my campus life, social circles, and academics....until I ran into Tony; a handsome senior on the football team. I admired him from afar and wished that we could become a couple, but he never spoke to me. One day, as I walked through the gymnasium looking my best, I saw him and decided to take a chance. "Hey, Tony! Great game last night," I said to start the conversation. "Thanks Amirah! Where are you headed?" he replied. "To cheer rehearsal!" I exclaimed with a huge grin. He nodded and smiled. His interest in my whereabouts boosted my confidence even more, allowing me to flirt and show my interest without hesitation. I flash my million-dollar smile, tossing my hair over my shoulder with confidence as I suggest, "I'm sure you have practice too - perhaps you can call me afterward?" He laughed out loud. "Okay, fine...let me grab a pen and jot down my number on that big forehead of yours!" I had no idea that a group of people had entered the gym until I heard their laughter from behind. I felt incredibly embarrassed. This event changed my perspective of myself. From that day forward, I went from feeling super confident to extremely insecure.... When we don't comprehend the impact of spoken language, we start to believe that other people's opinions hold more weight than our own self-worth. We become reliant on others to define our identities, and what they say and see becomes the language we use to describe ourselves. For the remainder of the school year, I went out of my way to avoid him. The sight of him made me feel incredibly insecure and I couldn't bear to face him. The day of his graduation arrived and even though I was just a sophomore, I had to attend and perform with the cheerleading squad. As I was walking to the parking lot after the ceremony, I spotted him. Despite receiving Honors and being awarded four football scholarships, the words that came out of those surrounding him were with negative. That’s when I learned that words carried power. You see, that day in the gymnasium, Tony was showcasing to me the words he allowed to color his world. He was giving me much of what he probably received. Negative, embarrassing, and demeaning language. Although he was talking to me, the words out of his mouth were affirming who he was, what he believed, and how he felt about himself. Dedicating time each day to write and speak positive statements to yourself is incredibly important, and here's why: Many of us have come from environments and experiences that have exposed us to harmful language that does not support our full potential. It's easy to fall into believing what others say about you is the truth...but that's not true. Who you are and what you become is directly associated with how you see and feel about yourself. Your past experiences may have diminished your confidence, affected your self-esteem, and altered your self-perception. Affirmations can help counteract these negative influences and, over time, foster a more empowering mindset. Positive Affirmations Can: Be a powerful way to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. Rewire your brain to remember who you were before the world told you who you weren’t. Regain control of defining and assigning who you are and what you believe. Reframe how you speak about yourself and others Affirmations enabled me to successfully overcome insecurities, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs, which I had unwittingly harbored due to my lack of awareness of just how impactful words can be. From this healed space, I offer you the following: write your own story, and when others offer their opinions and try to tell you who you are...don’t you dare add a single point to the pages of your life, unless it supports how you see yourself. With Love, Dr. A For Your Inner G believes in the power of the spoken word. Affirmations can help counteract negative influences and, over time, foster a more empowering mindset. Here are a few resources to help you begin to think, speak, and rewire your inner dialogue to support and encourage your self-love journey! Please note that For Your Inner G is affiliated with Bookshop.org and will receive a commission if you use the link to make a purchase. Remember - You Got This! For Your Inner G is helping YOUth Manage Stress and Develop Healthy Habits for Adulthood Be sure to Subscribe & Check back regularly for All Things of Value, For Your Inner G