2016 Goals: Make A Vision Board

A vision board is a visual representation of your goals in a collage form. It's something you can look at every day to remind you of the things that you are working towards. It is also something that you can look back on at the end of the year and measure your progress. Or you can look back at unachieved goals and identify barriers, road blocks, or changes that left those goals unfulfilled. What I love best about vision boards is that they are unique and creative and no two look the same even if two people have similar goals. I am a creative person, I love doing artsy-type projects. The more glitter, ribbon, and flair the better! But even if you are not creative or "flashy" you can still make a vision board that reflects your goals. 

Making A Vision Board

1. Gather Your Supplies

The first things you're going to want to do is get together the things you need for your vision board. It can be as much or as little as you want. But here are some basics:

• Poster Board
• Scissors
• Magazines
• Glue/Tape
• Markers

If you want to take it up a step here are some other things you can use

• Ribbon
• Tool
• Stickers
• Glitter
• Stick on letters
• Decorative Tape
• Hot Glue Gun

And I'm sure there are even more you can think of.  

2. Identify Your Goals

You can go through your magazines and haphazardly become inspired by the pictures but I think it's better to have an idea of what direction you want to go in before you start looking. The idea can be as general or specific as you want. For example you can say "I want to be healthier" or "I want to lose 15 pounds." Once you have an idea of the goal(s) you want to display on your vision board you can move on to the next step.
3. Look for Pictures
Now that you know the direction you're going in you can start to look for pictures that represent those goals. Notice I said represent. The pictures you select don't have to literally and word for word match your goals; what is most important is the meaning that they have to you. For example, on my vision board above there is a picture of a beautiful natural haired woman that I pulled from an ad for hair products (that picture actually got cut off of the picture above-sorry). To me that picture doesn't represent me wearing my hair natural, it represents me being comfortable in who God made me to be, naturally. Every picture is subject to interpretation but it's your vision board and all that matters is that you know what each image means to you.
4. Putting It All Together
This is the fun part! Taking all of your pictures and all of your supplies and creating your masterpiece. It can be a simple or as intricate as you want it to be. You can randomly stick the pictures on or you can plan out your layout. In my vision board I broke my goals into four specific categories and grouped my pictures in those categories. FUN FACT: One of my goals was to create a blog! 
5. Display It
This may be the most important step of them all. Once your vision board is completed you want to hang it up somewhere where you can see it every day. I think the best place to hang it is in your bedroom so that when you wake up you can look at it. If you do morning devotion you may want to put it in the space where you do that or you may want to put it by your mirror so that you can look at it while you get ready to start your day. Over time the images will be burned into your brain so that even when you aren't looking at your vision board you will be reflecting on your goals.

Make it fun!!!
Have a vision board party. Invite your girlfriends over and have the supplies laying out, play some music, and get to work. Or incorporate making a vision board into your end of the year holiday family festivities. Newlyweds can make a vision board to identify goals for their new life together. Families can also create a collaborative vision board for the household. Creating vision boards is a great activity for groups of teens and can be very helpful for new businesses. There are also websites that can help you create digital vision boards. 

I am a strong believer in the power of visualization. Having something you can look at every day is a big motivator to help you achieve your goals. AND once you've looked at your board for a while you don't even have to see it to remember your goals. Case and Point: When I moved it was hard to get my vision board to stick to my walls but I had looked at it so much I didn't even need to see the actual product to know what was on it. 

Are you planning on doing a vision board for 2016? How do maintain the goals set on January 1st  throughout the year? Leave a comment and let me know and Happy New Year to everyone.

"Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it delays, wait for it; it surely will come , it will not delay" Habakkuk 2:2-3  (MEV)   

Family Matters: Remember The Time

Family Matters posts address all things family, the good, the bad, and the ugly. All topics related to families and how families interact will be labeled "Family Matters."




Jingling bells, caroling, lights, and cheer. Just a few things that characterize this holiday season. Or how about these? Waiting for hours in the check out line, fighting to get the "last one," or being ungrateful because the gift under the tree doesn't match the one that was asked for. Just a few more things that have come to define this holiday season.

We currently live in the day and age of the "right now." We want what we want when we want it and we want it now. The young generation feels entitled, deserving of everything they want; and even worse many parents feel obligated to meet this incredulous demand. We live in a day and age where we value things over each other. We spend 10 seconds gathering with our family to take a picture and the next 10 hours posting that picture, looking at everyone else's pictures, and leaving comments. We want the biggest, the best, and the newest and when we get it we isolate ourselves from others so that we can "enjoy it." 

It breaks my heart to see what the "holiday season" has come to. I became a family therapist because I am passionate about families. I get energized from seeing families happy, healthy, and whole; but in this season we are more isolated, separated, and divided than ever. Instead of sharing in the joy of the season and enjoying each other's company; we take for granted the blessing that is right there in the house with us. Some of my best childhood memories are from the holiday season. I have two very hardworking parents and when we were younger my dad worked a lot. During Christmas Time my dad always took his vacation from work, while us kids were off from school and my mom was a teacher so she was always on break with us. Christmas time always bought out the best in our family. Time off has us more relaxed, less hectic schedules gave us the opportunity to spend more time together. There were more laughs and jokes and less stress and hostility. The older I got the more I realized that in order to truly enjoy Christmas it's important to stop focusing on the gifts and Remember the time.

Remember that time will come and time will go so it's important to make the best of it. We never know what tomorrow will bring so it's important to value what we have while it's here. Remember the people, the people who are important in our lives, the people who we can't live without. Remember to set aside quality time with these people to build and strengthen the relationships and create long lasting memories. Remember that each season the newest electronic "thing" comes out claiming to be better than the one before and soon the "hottest thing" is long forgotten. But those long lasting memories that I just talked about will live on and on. They can even outlive us if we treat them right! This holiday season let's put the phones to the side, set the tablets down, put up the gaming systems and let's make an effort to connect with our family. Whether it's blood family, friends, or our community we all need to Remember the gift of this Time that we have and use it to value and uplift the relationships we have.

"What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family"~Mother Theresa

Happy Holidays! From my family to yours; peace and blessings!

Know Your Worth~ Getting Started

Source: Sprite.com

This popular lyric from the rapper Drake has been stuck in my head for a while. Always popping in at the most random times. Not because the beat is catchy but because I often need to remind myself to "Know My Worth," or I see people stuck in situations where the don't "Know Their Worth," OR I see some of out most praised celebrities acting in ways that clearly signal a lack of self worth. What I was going to do was have an entire series focused on "Know Your Worth," but as I type this intro I think I am having a change of heart. Instead of doing back to back posts, there will be some posts that I do that fall under the heading "Know Your Worth." I believe we live in a day and age where it is easy to lose sight of our worth. We constantly hold up a measuring stick comparing ourselves to others and when we fall short our sense of self worth drops too. The media and pop culture provides us with an image of what life is supposed to look like when in reality the average person cannot attain that lifestyle. Some of us have people in our lives who's comments and "suggestions" are more hurtful than helpful and make us feel worse about ourselves that we should. And finally, some of us are our own worst enemies. We beat ourselves down and critique ourselves to the point where we can't see the good that others see in us. Regardless of why; when we don't "Know Our Worth," we act in ways the rob the world of the chance to see the unique greatness that lies in each and every one of us. We accept WAY less than we deserve and act in ways that cause people to see us as something we are not.  I hope that every "Know Your Worth" post is encouraging, motivating, and empowering and challenges any messages that tell us we are not worth it. 


Let Me Know: What do you think are the top contributors to a lack of self worth? Got any examples? 

Coming Up Next: "Know the Signs" What behaviors indicate a low sense of self worth?

As always feel free to comment you experience, ask your questions, and share with friends. I really want to know what YOU think. Thanks for stopping by!

"Self worth comes from one thing- Thinking that you are worthy"~Wayne Dyer

Weight loss...It's More Than Just The Lbs. Pt 4: Know Your History

Source: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/

As a family therapist one of our most used tools is a genogram. A genogram is basically a family tree and it's one of my favorite tools. Why? Because a genogram doesn't just show who's in the family but patterns throughout generations such as abuse, drug use, financial struggles, parenting choices and anything else you can think of. Oftentimes families don't realize these patterns, how far they go back, and how much of an impact the past has on the present. Understanding the past is also an important step in the weight loss process. 
Consider a family that uses food to console each other. Each time someone is sad, disappointed, angry, or stressed a plate of comfort food is shoved in their face? Or how about a family where an extra ten dollars at the end of the week means a an extra tasty treat from the grocery store? What about families that have a reoccurring pattern of laziness, those that make every excuse in the book about why they can't walk around the block, lift a weight, or hop on the treadmill to better themselves. These are unhealthy and debilitating patterns that seem simple on the surface but take a closer look and you'll see how deeply ingrained they are and what a tremendous barrier they are in preventing us from achieving the growth and change we want to see. We have to recognize, understand, and change these patterns before we see any physical change. Now, I'm about to take it  step further but stay with me.

Let's go deep
I want to consider an even deeper generational pattern that can have a hold on us as it relates to this issue. As a black woman I'm going to speak on the black experience but any race can benefit from this perspective. 
Slavery has had a tremendous impact on the black experience, especially how we eat. During slavery, black slaves were given whatever was left after their masters ate the best of the best. Some of the food was spoiled or it was the parts that no one else wanted...like pig intestines (But I digress). This was all we had so we learned to survive on it. Learned how to season it up really well, oftentimes with seasonings that are detrimental to our health but necessary to preserve the food. These eating habits were passed from generation to generation and have come to be a defining cultural norm. Now I'm not suggesting that we all give up our soul food for good, but we have to take into consideration a loyalty to food at the expense of our health and well being. We are worth more than high blood pressure, cardiac arrest, heart attacks, and clogged arteries; which are issues that black people out rank other races in. We as a people have to do better.
So here is another perspective. As a result of slavery and Jim Crow Blacks were taught that we are inferior and that there were certain privileges that are set aside for Whites. As a result we now have white privilege where we as black people accept that whites are more deserving of certain things than we are. But in this day and age, instead of acknowledging this privilege we accept it and use it as a way to look down on others.  When I'm in a group of other black people and we see healthy food or a unique way of working out the comment is always "That's for white people," or "That's a white thing." Because the pattern of thinking that has been passed from generation to generation is that good health and taking care of ourselves are reserved for the privileged in our community, the Whites. This is a deeply rooted issue and we need to understand it's impact on us before were can truly take care of our bodies.

I had to go there for a moment, I had to go deep, because this is a deep issue, it's more than just about the Lbs. When we get a basic understanding of our root issue we can begin to make changes that will be visible on the surface. So here is some homework for you, yes I said homework. Look at your own family tree, try to identify food, eating, and health patterns in the generations. Look at diseases and illnesses, talk to your family and understand the patterns so you can be aware of what you're up against.

So, we have made it to the final installment of this series on weight loss. I hope that this series has been beneficial to you and than you keep coming back for the other topics I'll post on. Please share a comment or question on this specific post and if there are any topics you would like to hear me address or questions that you want my perspective on please visit the Q&A page. 

... no human being is master of his fate, and ... we are all motivated far more than we care to admit by characteristics inherited from our ancestors which individual experiences of childhood can modify, repress, or enhance, but cannot erase-Agnes E. Meyer

Weight Loss...It's More Than Just The Lbs Pt 3. Look In The Mirror

Last time we talked about our emotions, how we feel, and deal with how we feel. Now it's time to focus on our mind and how we think about ourselves. Our thoughts have a tremendous impact on our behaviors, what we believe dictates our actions. If, in our minds, we think we can't; if we think this is how we'll be forever, then that sets the ceiling for what we can do. So, before we can attack the weight on our bodies we have to attack the thoughts in our minds.

Source: Overstock.com

Do You Love Yourself?

For some people this is one of those "dumb questions" that they act like they didn't hear; but for many this is a real and true issue and the core of their struggle with their weight. I personally don't understand how someone can say they love themselves and turn around and do things that are self-destructive. To me it's almost like saying "My life is worth living" and then committing suicide. When you start to love yourself you start to cut out things in your life that are harmful to you. This includes people, places, things, and bad habits. You start to recognize that you are more that worth it and more than deserving of the best that life has to offer you. You stop settling for anything that is less than that. When you decide that you are worth it you can strive toward your goal no matter what obstacles come your way. As you start on your weight loss journey there are going to be people who want to see you fail, who are just waiting for you to slip up. They send negativity your way to try and knock you off of your path but if you love yourself and are determined to better yourself, you will be so grounded that their negativity won't be able to rock you. There are going to be times when you mess up or you don't see the results when you expect to see them. If you have accepted yourself just the way you are set-backs and slow change won't deter you because you will realize that it's not just about the lbs, it's about being the best you that you can be and that isn't simply about how you look on the outside. At the end of the day your self-improvement has to radiate from the inside out and as you change the way you think about yourself on the inside you will see changes on the outside. It may not be the exact change you expected but when you are grounded in who you are you will be satisfied with what you see. 

Personal Moment: I always knew I was supposed to love myself, but I didn't. I hated everything about myself physically and in other areas as well. I blamed God for who I was. Then, I got some really good advice. Someone told me to wake up every day, look at myself in the mirror, and tell myself I'm beautiful. I took this advice a step further and stripped away everything I used to make myself beautiful: clothes, hair, make-up, everything and I looked at myself, naked, no make-up, hair undone...flaws and all. I challenged myself to love myself and be okay with myself just the way I was. If I never lost a pound, if my hair never was all done up, if for some reason I could never wear make up again, I had to come to terms that I would still be okay. It wasn't until I mastered this that I could begin to change.

You have to love yourself , you have to know that your are worth it. In order to get to this place you have to identify what it is that you don't like about yourself and understand why you reject those parts of you. Once you overcome this the sky is the limit for you. In my weight loss journey one of my biggest obstacles was working out. Not because I couldn't do it, I just didn't want people to see me sweaty and out of breath. Can you believe this ridiculousness???  I wanted to lose weight, I knew I needed to exercise, sweating and heavy breathing are a byproduct of exercise but I didn't want to sweat or breathe heavy. It was because I was so insecure and worried about how others would perceive me. Once I started to love myself, I came to the conclusion that I was worth too much to myself to be unhealthy just because I didn't want people to see me sweat. I decided that I was going to work out as hard as possible, even if people had to see me drenched in sweat. And even if people talked about me or judged me, I was ok because it was all for me and not for them. Their opinions held no weight in comparison to my decisions. And, as you can imagine those super sweaty workouts resulted in some serious weight loss. Do not allow your insecurities to hold you back, challenge yourself, push yourself, and you will achieve greatness.

I hope that you are enjoying the series this far, please come back for the next and final installment!

Have you struggled with loving yourself, are you currently struggling with this issue? Have any questions, comments, or concerns? Leave it all below, I would love to hear from you.

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You have to love yourself to get anything done in this world" Lucille Ball

Weight Loss...It's More Than Just The Lbs Pt 2-Emotional Weight

Sometimes our emotional, psychological, and mental issues can show up as physical symptoms. For example, stress can show up as headaches or body pain, nervousness can show up as nausea or stomach pain. In the same way our struggles with weight loss can be connected to an emotional issue that hasn't been addressed yet. In this case we need to release our emotional demons before we can expect to see any physical change.

                              Picture Source: http://robedirobrob.deviantart.com/                                         
So what do I mean by emotional demons? Some people have experienced traumatic situations in their life that they have never processed or work through. Abuse, loss, grief, hurts, these are just some examples of trauma. When we experience trauma our brain literally changes forever. Our view of the world is warped and our interactions with others are shifted. Oftentimes we can't see the shift or connect it to our traumatic experiences. For some, additional weight or overeating can be a protective measure that unconsciously prevents us from experiencing the trauma again. Before we can seriously tackle the weight we have to identify and work through experiences of trauma.
 Others deal with past and present relationship wounds that have never been healed. Some examples of relationship wounds are betrayal by a loved one, being abandoned by a parent, and consistently being let down or disappointed. When we experience hurt in a relationship but do not give ourselves the freedom to validate that hurt we can hold a grudge. Holding on to grudges can be like holding on to weight. Until we are able to forgive and release a person's hold on our lives we will never be able to release the lbs. 
Still, others of us walk around weighed down by emotional baggage. Every single day each and every one of up have a variety of experiences that can take us through a variety of emotions both good and bad. We NEED an outlet for these feelings and emotions. We need to be emotionally supported and to know that someone cares for our emotional well being. When we don't have access to such outlets we can become overwhelmed.There are too many of us who do not have a healthy and safe way to let out our feelings and emotions. As a result these feelings become a sack of burdens that become heavier and heavier as time goes on, just like we become heavier and heavier as we pack on the lbs. The defining moment could be trusting someone to help us carry the burden. This is not an easy task, I know first hand. It's almost like a work out in and of itself. But the more we practice, the more we work on it, the easier it becomes. Just like physical exercise and weight loss. But before we can work out our bodies we need to work out our emotions. 

If you read the previous post you got a decent introduction to my weight loss struggle. (If you haven't read it, take a moment to check it out!) You saw that my emotional transformation began during grad school. I believe I dealt with all of the issues listed above. It was NOT an easy process. But I can be a witness that the emotional process that occurred behind the scenes was the foundation that created the physical transformation that everyone has been able to see. 

I hope that you will stay tuned for the next part of the series which will focus on how we view ourselves and the real reason we desire to lose weight.

What do you think about "emotional weight?" Is it something you deal with? Questions, comments, concerns....drop it below or use the Q&A link.

"I don't want to be at the mercy of my own emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them" Oscar Wilde

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Weight Loss...It's More Than Just the LBS Part 1

As we enter the fall season I know some people are thinking back to resolutions made on January 1st and wondering "What Happened?" Somehow the determination and motivation that was present at the beginning of the year has been watered down to a mere memory. The truth of the matter is that weight loss is more than just a resolution, more than about fitting into a pair of jeans or a swimsuit, more than about looking good at your next reunion. What most people miss is that weight loss is not just about the physical but it is a mental and psychological struggle. Today, I want to be vulnerable and share my own weight loss journey in hopes bring clarity to something that is more than just a trivial matter.

I started gaining weight when I hit puberty. Of course I noticed first, but I just waived it off. I became more self-conscious when others started to notice and make comments about it. I remember someone pulling me off to the side and saying "I see you're putting on some weight," as if that were a good thing. As my weight rose so did my desire to do something about it. I desperately wanted to change myself. But no matter how many sit-ups I did in secret or how hard I tried not to eat; the weight stayed.
Throughout middle school and high school, it was there, and I was extremely conscious of it. I didn't want people to watch me eat, I was always concerned about how I looked in my clothes, and I was always comparing my body to others. But even worse, my self confidence was draining and I had such a poor self-image that I consciously avoided looking at myself in the mirror. 
When it was finally time for me to go off to college the weight was still there. But it was at this point that I came to terms with the fact that I was a big girl. I accepted that this is how I would be for the rest of my life and I began to search for the positives of being a "heavier girl." I started to stop avoiding looking at myself in the mirror in an attempt to force myself to accept the beauty that lie within. I still wished I could be skinny but I stopped blaming myself for who I was. When I graduated from college I came home to more of the same; the inability to lost weight, the acceptance that my size would never change and desperately trying to convince myself that it was okay even though deep down I knew that this was not who I was supposed to be.
In 2011 I began my Master's program at Drexel University.To date, that program has been the most grueling experience of my life. I cannot remember putting so much time, energy, and effort into anything else. Not only was the program academically rigorous, it was also emotionally draining. We were required to be emotionally vulnerable with strangers! I uncovered some hurts that I tried to keep buried and came face to face with truths and realities that I spent years ignoring and burying. I finished the first year of my graduate program emotionally lighter but still physically weighed down; but, releasing that emotional weight was what ultimately allowed me to lose the physical weight which resulted in what some people have called a "dramatic weight loss." As you can see in my picture I lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time, 80lbs more or less in approximately one year.

Weight loss can be one of the most difficult things to accomplish. So many people struggle for years without seeing the results they want because they fail to realize that it's more than about the lbs. This series will address some of the other areas in our lives that we need to attack before we ever lose a pound or an inch. Granted, this may not apply to everyone, but those who have been working, trying, and failing to see results should consider that what lies beneath the surface can sometimes be our greatest adversary and the hardest parts of ourselves to look at and accept are those that have the greatest impact on who we are AND how we look.

I hope you continue reading in this series....questions, comments, concerns? Leave it all below and I'll be sure to get back to you!

"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves" Sir Edmund Hillary













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New Year New Me

"New Year, New Me"

Okay,Okay, I can sense the collective groan that everyone has after reading the title. Weeks before the new year hits everyone flocks to social media to inform everyone of their plans to make a complete 360 (really 180 but I digress) once the clock strikes 12:00AM.  But, by January 2nd everyone has lost the motivation and the phrase "New Year, New Me" has lost all of it's value. So how do we reclaim the phrase or the idea that we are completely capable of making the long lasting changes that we want in life? By doing what we set out to do in the first place. I know, I know, it's easier said than done. But as someone who has failed miserably AND succeeded wonderfully at making life changes allow me to share two tips for achieving the goals that we set for ourselves.

Remember, it doesn't matter when you start or how many times you fall off track, you're striving for completion not perfection. One of the things that bothers me the most about how people set goals is their decision to set a start date i.e. "The beginning of next month" or "In the New Year." Setting our start dates in this way limits us and allows us to push our goals back more and more. Once the next month hits we push it back another month. Reality: the minute you decide you want to make a change in your life you are capable of beginning that journey. If you're goal is to loose 20 pounds you can sit down that day and figure out  your plan of action. If you want to save money you can look at your spending and determine where you can start cutting back, immediately. We often set these far away start dates and then...well you know what they say "Out of sight out of mind." Whether you have the vision for change in on February 12th, December 28th, or January 17th, don't limit your self to the "New Year," get started ASAP. And be aware that you will not be perfect, things will not always go the way you planned. BUT, remember that no matter how many times you mess up you are always capable of getting started again. And if you happen to take a detour, you don't have to wait until the first of the month (or year) to get going again. Just like you don't have to push back your start date you don't have to push back your re-start date either.

  "Never put off for tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well"~ Mark Twain

Keep in mind that true strength doesn't come in one's ability to stand alone but instead in the acceptance of our flaws and our courage to reach out for support in the areas where we fall short. As I type these thoughts of mine I recognize that this is such a huge pill to swallow. I myself struggle with being vulnerable enough to admit that I am incapable of doing EVERYTHING myself. Instead of accepting a helping hand I would rather flail about and fail on my own. If this is my experience I'm sure that this is many other's experience as well. Reality: we all need help! As we set these goals for ourselves we have to seek out networks of support that can encourage us, hold us accountable, and achieve goals with us. Now identifying these supports is a daunting task. We all have those people in our lives who look like our cheerleaders but are only out opponents in disguise. Those who cheer us on while secretly concocting a plan to knock us down. Then there are those who are all for starting the journey with us and then at some point we look around and realize they have disappeared. Or what about when we finally decide that we want to achieve a goal and we get so excited about our new journey but no one else is on board. I get it, finding a good support system is tough. But there are ways to weed out those undesirables before they leave us standing alone. There is nothing wrong with "interviewing" your supports to make sure they're in it for the long haul and just as excited for your success as you are. And, with the help of the internet, social networks, and phone apps, we can seek out interest and support groups who are working towards the same things we are. Also, remember that just as we need support to reach our goals, there are others who are looking for support to reach theirs. Sometimes if we can be that support to others we will unintentionally find the support we need. At the end of the day, if achieving our goals is that important to us we will take the time to make sure we have  a team that can help us get to the finish line. 

"I am because we are"~ Africa Proverb

I hope that these two tips are beneficial as you enter the New Year with new goals and hopes for yourself. What has been helpful for you in reaching your goals in the past? What are some of your goals for 2015? Thank you for taking the time to stop by, questions, comments, all of the above...share it below. If this was helpful share it with a friend and I'll see you in the next post. 

Welcome!!!

Welcome to my blog!!!! Created to Relate is a blog that focuses on how relational issues play a role in our day-to-day lives. As someone who has been trained in Marriage and Family Therapy I view the world through a relational lens. That means I see EVERYTHING from the perspective of a relational expert. Instead of holding in these thoughts and only allowing them to benefit my work, I want to share them with you, in hopes that seeing the world through my eyes can help you gain a different perspective on the situations you are up against on a daily basis. This page will incorporate individual issues but the focus will be on our relationships...all the relationships that we are a part of. From our families and friends, to romantic relationships; from work interactions to social media all of us find ourselves connected to other people, interacting with them, growing with them, and changing with them. Here I will touch on current events, my educational experiences, as well as my personal experiences. I will try to be as unbiased as possible, but unfortunately, each and every one of us, as we begin to experience life, develop opinions and biases that impact our perspectives (it's what makes life great I think). I also want to hear from you. What are some questions that you have about your relationships? How do you feel about my posts? What type of posts would you like to see more of? You will find up top somewhere, a tab for questions and answers where you can submit your own questions based on your experiences. Thanks for stopping by, read something, comment, and if you like what you see feel free to share!