Sometimes, when I don’t see the culmination of a project, I presume that it was never finished…It’s hard to explain, but when I start a task I beat myself up because in my mind I feel that I didn’t accomplish or achieve anything – does that make any sense?

I was sitting down the other day, and I had to write out a list of all the things I already accomplished.  It blew me away! I have done more than I give myself credit for – I’m so focused on the end result that I don’t celebrate the checkpoints I have completed to get me there.  Bummer.

So, recently, I have decided to celebrate EVERY little thing (I’m ready to pop open a bottle of cider right now because I’m awesome – and that’s something to celebrate!)

I don’t know if it’s a female thing (I would venture out on a limb and say that it is…) but I noticed that we don’t compliment ourselves or accept compliments without adding something that retracts from the compliment.

Let’s test this theory:

1) Stand in front of the mirror and compliment yourself on something out loud.  

AWESOME!!!

Give yourself 5 points – now subtract 1 point for that negative comment that you thought, 2 points if you said that negative comment out loud, 3 points if you compared yourself to someone,  4 points if you felt better about the negative comment than the positive one, or 5 points if you stared and couldn’t think of anything positive to say to yourself.

2) Someone just complimented you on your outfit / an accessory.  Do you:

                a) Smile politely and say “Thank you.”

                b) Say “Thank you” and add where you purchased said item.

                c) Say “Thank you” quickly followed by: “This old thing!”, or “I’ve had this forever.” etc.

Right about now you are probably smiling to yourself, because honestly, we degrade ourselves in little ways every day because we don’t allow ourselves to savor the compliments that are gifted to us.  We actually don’t think we deserve them. This blog entry would turn into a research paper if I even begin to disseminate the thought process and teachings that have made us feel inadequate.

So today, I want you to reflect on something positive about yourself (if you are like me and find it hard to accept compliments) and then I want you to bask in your awesomeness.  It gets better when you treat yourself better!

Hands up in acceptance, heart full of self-love

xoxo Jenna

In the Pursuit of Balance

It’s amazing how we can become so busy being busy, not realizing how busy we have become.

I’ve been doing so much…life over the past few months has been a blur.  Now that everything is slowing down I realize that much of what I have done in those months really was unnecessary.  What a blow!

I understand NOW that the balance that I have been crying for was unachievable because I thought it was supposed to drop in my lap JUST because I decided that I wanted balance. All the while, I was living an unbalanced life expecting balanced results…

Things I have learnt on the pursuit of balance:

1.        “No.” is a sentence and it’s okay to use it.  Yes, it’s okay to say no. This is number one on my list because I was always a “Yes person” (you know those people that you can depend on to do ANYTHING for you at ANY TIME because they are ALWAYS ready to assist with WHATEVER you want done, need fixed, or have to have…) I always wanted to be liked and needed and saying yes to everybody made me the ‘IN girl’…in actually it leaves you tired OUT!!! You are so busy doing everything for everyone else that you neglect what you want and need to do.  You find yourself either rushing your list to help someone else complete theirs or you scratch your list altogether – no bueno. 

2.       Set aside “Me time”.  In order to balance you have to ensure that you have time for yourself…this can be tricky because you may find yourself thinking that in this time slotted for yourself you should be getting work done. NO. (Yes, it’s a sentence remember?)  “Me time” is time set aside to relax.  In actuality, the average busy person will tell you that they have no time for “Me time”. My response: Make time. We make time for everyone else. You can set time aside in your calendar all for yourself, just as you would for someone else if they called you . So if it’s a 30 minute breathing session or an hour at the spa – schedule it.  Do what must be done to ensure that you get that required time in.  Book it and lock it down – if someone calls and asks you to do something, pretend as if you are actually going to have to cancel on someone else if you are tempted to do so - think about how disappointed you would be if you had to call yourself and cancel on yourself…

 

3.       Get back to basics. Remember when you used to write lists back in high school to sort out your priorities and pending assignments for the upcoming days and weeks for school? Well those balancing skills should be reapplied – but instead of homework and projects, you are going to create a list that shows everything you do or need to do on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Beside that list, you are going to write a list of your hobbies, activities you enjoy, and people you like to spend time with etc.  This list is going to show you that there are a few things that REALLY aren’t necessary but you do them anyway – you can remove them.  If they don’t benefit you, why keep them there? You are then going to pick items  from your ‘leisure list’  and substitute those things with who really matters to you and what you would REALLY like to be doing…

4.       Learn how to shut down.  Here is how a typical day started in my life (Yes, I’m embarrassed…but I will use myself as an example) Wake up. Check my phone.  Kiss my husband awake (If I haven’t already awakened him with the loud sigh I make in defiance that it’s morning already.) Check my phone. Brush my teeth (Check my phone while doing so.) Get ready for work (which is an amazing feat because I’m checking my phone with one hand), probably didn’t eat breakfast because I was checking my phone…and it goes on and on and on UNTIL one night I was on my phone, soothed by the glow of the light, catching up with the world, not realizing that my ‘5 minute check’ turned into, well, close to five hours. 

There have been countless studies and articles on the hazards of hand held devices and their detriment to our health, and it’s understandable why.  We as humans, have to constantly know what’s going on in the world.  It may not be your phone that is keeping you booted up, but whatever it is, learn how to shut down for meals, family time, personal time, etc.  Designate ‘offline times’ for yourself, ESPECIALLY at bedtime.

 If I’m not at work, my phone is shut off by 9pm, and my husband gives me an hour grace period which varies depending on our schedules for the week.  I use that time to wind down, complete/ respond to emails, and prepare/edit my schedule for the following day.   My phone turns on bright and early at 5:15am…and I’m working on it…

As I continue to enforce these rules in my life with hopes of making them positive habits, I constantly remind myself that this is for the best. Of course I would like to accept that last minute call from a friend who just realized that the initial plan to tie one thousand miniature bows in an evening is actually an accomplishment that cannot be encountered alone, or become the impromptu MC, or photographer, or face painter, or artist (pick an area…any area) for an event, or be dubbed ‘last resort baby sitter’ (all true stories, by the way) but sometimes you have to let people down so that you don’t let yourself down.

I learned that in totality, it is about respecting your time and your boundaries – if you don’t, no one else will. Seriously.

Oh..Almost forgot. You have to do this these days:

 DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and does not reflect those of your doctor, or whoever you take advice from that is certified to give you that advice.  I’m just personally speaking from life experience and what is working for me…

Hands up in surrender, heart full of expectation,

xoxo Jenna

SPEAK Tonight!!!!

Today, I’m preparing myself to visit and minister at SPEAK.  I’m trying not to do anything at all today as I get ready for ministry, which is no easy feat for a person like me who has to constantly be doing something to feel sane! 

I’m soliciting you guys for prayer and positive energy (you CAN solicit online right? LOL!) as we step onto the ‘battlefield’.  I take what I do very seriously, and because I see it as ministry (sharing the agenda of a government that is not of this world) and I know that there is protocol that I must follow.

I am going into an environment where I have no control over the content of the material that the other artists will share, the music being played, or the atmosphere being cultivated.   I am determined to go in with everything I need wrapped up in my spirit.

This event, is truly gearing us up for our (Pen & Tongue’s) own event “Words Unplugged”.  We look forward to having members from SPEAK there with us at Life Worship Centre because it’s exciting to be able to collaborate with different groups…the energy is crazy!  But I must keep the MAIN purpose of interaction at the forefront…and THAT is why I have to prepare myself.

It’s not about sounding great, or getting positive feedback on your flow…it’s about planting positive seeds, encouraging and motivating others, and giving them hope and peace that they have possibly been searching everywhere else for…it’s about letting someone out there know that there is truly ‘nothing new under the sun’ and you don’t have to struggle on your own in shame or sorrow…but someone else has ‘been there and done that’ and is bold enough to not only SAY so, but show you that you really don’t have to stay there. It is evangelism.

People ask all the time why Christian artists go to secular concerts/functions/events and I can say now that it’s because we know that we must reach out to people who are trying to fill the void by attending these performances and meeting them where they are.  So if I only plant ONE seed of positivity tonight, or if I only water ONE plant of faith, or even so, if I only gather one sheave of wheat in this whitened field, then I know that what I stand for is not in vain.

I am willing to be that light in the darkness for the person who is afraid of the dark.

I am J. Reign.

Hands up in faithfulness, heart full of reconciliation,

xoxo  Jenna

Bush Medicine: Cerasee

Believed to have medicinal properties, our traditions are steeped (pun intended) in the knowledge of bush medicines, and you have persons who would try their hand at cultural tinctures before seeking prescribed relief. 

 Years ago, the modern conveniences of doctors were non-existent –there were instances of practicing doctors who travelled through islands, spending anywhere from days to years in any given location.  The scarcity of doctors caused many Bahamians to learn and practice what we know as ‘bush medicine’.

In this day and time it is an honor to have relatives who are old enough to remember and recognize medicinal plants and their value to society. Some of the legacy has faded with time, while there are certain remedies that will never pass away – one of them is the usage of Cerasee.

Momordica Charantia (Bitter Melon) - Simply called "Cerasee" or “Bitters” (and pronounced by some

as ‘bittis’) it is a green vine that blooms with delicate yellow flowers. It can be found ‘running’ on fences and is defined by its bristly orange orbs (that hold fleshy red seeds) and its wide, flat five-fingered leaves.  

It can be used as greens, prepared for meals, and in some places, it is a well loved, chilled beverage! Here in The Bahamas, we experience Cerasee during cold and flu season even though it is known to  purify the blood, sooth skin, and stabilize blood sugar (among so many other things). We have been known to run in the opposite direction as children when we simply smelt the bitter warmth that emanated from kitchens - and some people would confess that they still do so!

The catch to Cerasee is the fact that you must drink it while it is still hot and  unsweetened – as a matter of fact, there is nothing that you can put into the mixture to ‘better’ the flavor. (We have been there and done that…all you can do is suck on a quartered orange piece and pretend that the bad taste in your mouth never happened).

This is what Cerasee Looks like when you are REALLY sick!

I know of friends who were made to drink this concoction every week…I considered that child abuse then, but now I am contemplating doing the same with the sidekick – collectively, he’s been out of school during this weird season for about two weeks now! I’m thinking of preparing it two ways from now on – ‘the emergency steep’ and the ‘day-to-day steep’.  The emergency steep is what I discussed here – boiling and drinking straight away (with maybe a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt), but the day-to-day is simply placing the fresh vine in a cup of water and allowing it to ‘work itself out’ and, at the end of the day, you have a glass of Cerasee-infused water (something like that we should only need once per week).

I would suggest that before you seek to implement ‘bush medicines’ in your diet that you consult with  your physician -especially during pregnancy or if you are taking medication etc.

Hands up in reminiscence, heart full of accomplishment,

xoxo Jenna

Update: RESEARCH!!!

I want to take this time to say thank you for visiting my blog!

There is so much that I want to share with you, and so I'm doing lots of research! ( I LOVE it!) Until I get all of that cultural research done, I'm going to be sharing my day to day 'doings' with you :-)

The more I study, the more I realize how our Bahamian culture is infused with components from Africa and our neighboring Caribbean brothers and sisters. It is amazing! 

I can't wait to break down our dialect, cooking, and overall culture with you guys (I'm learning as I go along, so this will be a journey for all of us).  There is so much that I want to personally try, and as a matter of fact, I've been given the opportunity to learn some Bahamian dishes...now, I CAN cook, but there is NOTHING like spending time in the kitchen with a master!

I am also visiting our archives, and trying to put together my maternal family tree...I'm trying to go as far back as I can because I basically have my paternal side down (they were Loyalists who came to The Bahamas from America seeking to stay loyal to the British crown).  My mother's side of the tree is a bit trickier because it includes freed men, France, and a Cherokee wife, as well as migration to The Bahamas somewhere along the line...lol.

So far, I can say that I have found a link to the 1920's and I'm drafting my letter to the Diocese of that district so that I can possibly get further information via church records.

I can't wait to share all that I can with you guys...this is going to be an interesting journey, and it would be awesome to have you along for the ride!

Hands up in anticipation, heart full of expectation

xoxo Jenna

A Bit of Encouragement...

We are basically at the end of January, and these past few days I have been reflecting on and assessing my goals from the previous years.  I realize that I came into the New Year with momentum that was charged with the anticipation of what these next few months have to offer. Because of this, I found myself unstable in thoughts, actions, and even speech (I was carrying myself too hard and expecting instantaneous results from my decisions, which sometimes even pulled me into a depression.)

If one thing didn’t work out, I would step away and try something else…I wasn’t  nurturing any gift to give them the chance to bloom…I was not even paying attention to the seasons – seasons which would have helped me realize what to work on and when.  I came to the conclusion that if this is how I feel at times, there must be someone else out there who probably succumbs to this frustration too and I wanted to encourage you.

1)      Success doesn’t happen overnight – it just looks that way because you never see what it takes to get there…in my opinion, success is the process and not the end result. If you are diligent enough to see your process through THAT is success.

2)      Sometimes you just have to keep your mouth shut.  Have you ever been so excited about a dream, vision, goal or idea that you just HAVE to tell someone? Sometimes it’s best if you don’t.  There are dream killers out there who will either try to persuade you put it off or let it go.  Which leads me to the next point:

3)      Surround yourself with diverse people. There is NO WAY that you should be with people who agree with EVERYTHING you say.  You need different points of view – and people who don’t mind playing devil’s advocate to help you see things you probably would have never seen  - these people brighten your horizon and help you to not be bias.  They aren’t the ones who blatantly say “NO.”, they are the ones who say: “Okay…so if you do this, then what happens when THIS happens?

4)      Believe in yourself. So many times people only believe what a person says about them.  We must believe that our thoughts and values are important to the most important person in our lives – us. This isn’t advocating vanity, but we must learn to appreciate, accept, and celebrate who we are…and trust that God made no mistakes when He created us.

5)      Dare to dream. I remember when I used to be afraid of dreaming big. I feared the fact that I didn’t have the finances, the charisma, the degrees etc. and then I realized that God didn’t call me because I was perfect – He called me because I was available.  So, I have written down EVERYTHING that I want to do in life, inclusive of business plans, mission trips, and family adventures because dreaming keeps you excited about life!

6)      Never give up.  You can take as many breaks as you want to.  You can catch your breath. You can even take time to gather your thoughts and calibrate your next step, but don’t you EVER give up. You cannot afford to fail, and if it doesn’t work out, try again. Don’t ever give up on yourself, your dreams, or your goals. 

Hands up in concord, heart full of well-being,

xoxo Jenna

Out of Sync

I have been having problems with my ISP these days, and it has been really difficult getting online for more than 5 minutes (on a good day)…which, of course, is very frustrating. I’m trying to be as optimistic as possible about this, and I’m trying not to think of all the deadlines that I have been missing – and I should point out that my cell phone is also malfunctioning, so I can’t keep in contact with friends and family like I would wish to.

Right now I am at home, trying to get some work done, and taking care of the sidekick (the weather

changed so quickly here and he now has a stubborn cold). He has been out of school for a few days (doing a bit of work at home to keep him sharp) and keeping me company.

I feel like I’m under quarantine…LOL! I basically have no connection with the outside world right now...so if you are reading this, know that supplies are running low and we are trapped at this location. The beacon has malfunctioned, but we have been managing these past few days.  (LOL!!! I guess I don’t have to tell you that we have resorted to watching every DVD we can find to keep our imaginations going!)

 I will now admit that I have the initial symptoms of cabin fever…in paradise…is that possible?!?!?!

What have we been doing to keep ourselves busy? Writing, playing card match, dominoes ( the national pastime of The Bahamas..lol…have you watched the ‘Hello Monday’ segment , Dominoes yet? Refer to my previous blog post  (HERE)  if you have NO IDEA of what I’m talking about…and if that’s the case, you lead a  sad existence…..LOL), ummm…reading, and stuff… I’ve spent a few hours editing photos, and I did manage to get in contact with a few of my potential models...so there is hope after all.

I’m looking forward to this new week…and the optimist in me(or is it my pessimistic side???) is actually enjoying this bit of freedom from contact (Let’s just chalk it up to me being an introvert, so any side could have said that, and I would have agreed! HA!) 

If it wasn’t so cold, I could have made today a ‘beach day’ in celebration (which would have been killing two birds with one stone, because down here, when you have a cold, a swim is actually on the list of things you should do, along with keeping hydrated and warm).  Mind you, it’s about 65 degrees Fahrenheit…for a Bahamian, it might as well be 20 below zero, let me tell you! The faux fur-lined jackets & boots, tams, scarves, gloves and sweaters that we purchased for a ‘cold moment’ are out, which means ANY island in The Bahamas right now that is experiencing this weather has become a fashion runway! We don’t know when we will get an opportunity to wear all this wooly goodness again!!!

I think that the only reason we aren’t complaining about this drastic change in weather is because we were looking forward to a cold Christmas (well I was) and we never got it…that was difficult for me…I won’t complain about the 79 degrees we got Christmas Day, but it was weird because my tradition of Christmas pajamas alllll day accented by the warmest blanket I could find was shot down, and I actually wore shorts for our newest family tradition: the neighborhood bike ride!

I hope you guys enjoy your week, and I look forward to sharing mine with you!

Hands up in sanguinity, heart full of expectancy,

xoxo Jenna

Assisting Lyndah Wells

Lyndah Wells of Lyndah Wells Photography

  I met Lyndah Wells (Lyndah Wells Photography) when she visited the island on assignment last year, and in all honesty, she doesn't need an introduction. Her work speaks for itself...and I promise you, within the thousand words are 'breathtaking', 'amazing', 'inspiring', and 'WOW!'

I can't quite remember how I found her blog  but, being an aspiring photographer, I found myself staring at images that were astounding! She has a style that captures the details of an event in its intimacy without sullying it.

I found myself 'liking' her Facebook page (I promise, I am not a stalker) and it amazed me how down-to-earth she was - so much so that when she mentioned she would be visiting New Providence, I sent her an email asking if I could assist her. I didn't know what it entailed, but I knew that I was willing to do whatever was (legally) necessary to spend time in the presence of a professional photographer and learn from the master.

She doesn't know this, but she gave me the extra boost of confidence I needed to stand behind my lens.  Always ready to share her gift of photography, she never grew weary in answering questions or giving advice. And I learned something new every time I worked beside her.  I have learned business ethics and etiquette behind the scenes - and I realize that her work isn't just amazing because she is good at what she does - it's amazing because she stands behind her service and believes in what she does.

 I have seen Lyndah tell brides that she wants to take their wedding dress outside and there is NO hesitation.  I have seen bridesmaids run to her with the bride's shoes and other items because they know she loves 'detail shots'.  I have witnessed complete bridal parties drop everything to ensure that the words 'picture perfect' are memories in the bride's photo albums, and I understand that they believe in what she does too.

I am honoured to have  the opportunity to work with someone who respects me for who I am and  who I will be.

Contact Information for Lyndah Wells Photography:

 Email: hello@lyndahwells.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyndahWellsPhotography

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LyndahWells (@LyndahWells)

Blog: http://lyndahwellsphotography.blogspot.com/

Website: http://lyndahwells.com/

The above collage is a representation of Lyndah's work.

Hands lifted in gratitude, heart filled with joy,

xoxo Jenna