Briana, I Am

Thanksgiving is upon us and while I am excited to eat some good food and have some much needed, well deserved time off from work, this is truly a time to gather with family and loved ones and remind myself of all the many things I have to be thankful for. Throughout the year, day in and day out, it is easy to get caught up in the world and forget about what is most important. It is even easier to look at those around us and play the comparison game and focus on what we may not have and lose sight of all the many things we do have. When I think about why I am thankful, I immediately think about the people in my life. I mean, yes I am thankful for my job, and money to provide for myself and all of the nice things that I have, but the people in my life are what matter the most to me. Recently, my mom and I had a conversation about being rich in spirit, and that has been sitting with me since. Money and material things are all nice and great to have, but nothing in this world will t...

Holiday time in the office is always so great. The company Christmas tree. The Christmas music. Everyone is excited for their travel plans and family time. And of course, we cannot forget the numerous holiday parties and luncheons taking place between November and December. It's the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you're new to a company's holiday culture or a veteran in the game, company holiday gatherings can be a bit overwhelming if you have multiple to attend and keep up with. From planning, attending, and adding your name the potluck sign up sheet, it is very easy to get events confused while trying to keep up with party planners and ensure that you're taking a dish that everyone will enjoy. Check out the following tips to get you thru the holiday parties this year! Join a Committee   Believe it or not, joining a committee is a great way to get involved and excited for the holiday office party. Whether it be decorating, catering or cleaning, lendin...

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Self Care? It may be enjoying nature and the outdoors, treating yourself to a massage or even taking a little weekend getaway or joining a workout class. While all these practices are great, the most necessary kinds of Self Care can be done in the comfort of your own home. While all these practices are great, the most necessary kinds of Self Care can be done n the comfort of your own home. Self Care doesn't always have to be elaborate, expensive, or done outside of the most important place in your life - your home. At home is actually where Self Care starts and should be practiced the most. There are so many necessities at home that help prepare us for the outside world. Believe it or not, every day chores and tasks such as laundry, a soothing hot shower, organizing, cooking meals that you love and even getting quality sleep are all self care practices. Creating a routine to set aside time and focus on these little ...

via GIPHY 2017 has been a year of victory for many women in the spotlight. We've watched Issa Rae go from being an Awkward Black Girl to an Emmy nominated CoverGirl, Cardi B make history on the charts and Auntie Maxine Waters reclaim her time and ensure her voice - and the voice of the community - is heard. More importantly, we've watched these women and countless others make these strides while being themselves and staying true to who they are. In the age of RTs and double clicks for likes, it is very hard to be yourself without the worry of facing judgement. One wrong post and one could face harsh ridicule, criticism and even online bullying. It's even harder when you're trying to chase your dreams in the public eye. Everyone is watching what you do, say and post extremely closely and, unfortunately, people will highlight the bad more than they praise the good you have going on. Despite all of this, it is very important to stay true to who you are. Take Ca...

via GIPHY It's that time of year again! Every year I am excited for Summer weather for about a moth and before I know it,  I am counting down to the days when I will be able to wear over-sized sweaters, eat bowls of warm goodness and watch the leaves go thru a dramatic change. It's safe to say I have had Fall Fever since about July 4th and boy am I ready for the season to take it's full affect. There are so many favorites that I have already started enjoying. Check them out below! Bowls of soup and chili via GIPHY Oh yes, soup! From chilli, to chicken noodle, broccoli cheddar and a spicy gumbo, I love a big bowl of comfort food. While one can eat soup in the summer months (I'm sure Panera Bread didn't miss a beat), nothing compares to soup in the fall. Kick off the season by dusting off the Crock Pot - or finally buying one - and trying out some amazingly easy recipes! This year I plan on mastering white bean chicken chilli. Yum! Boots via...

via GIPHY Positivity. The practice of being or the tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude. In other words, the power of not allowing life's BS to get you down and keep you there. Let's face it, every day is not filled with rainbows and butterflies. Often times, it can feel like a dump truck came and dropped all of its...crap all over you and left you to deal with the mess. That mess can weigh you down, attract more mess, and before you know it you're buried in...crap, with no idea of how to get out of it or how it got there in the first place. via GIPHY So, how do you navigate through life without letting the bad bring you down and keep you in a funk? via GIPHY I have found many ways to not allow the bad in life over rule the good. These small practices help me stay positive, happy and optimistic even though the hardest situations. Check them out! Shift Your Focus via GIPHY Believe it or not, we have control over our thoughts, feelings ...

Glow Up. What does that mean? On this week’s episode of The Friend Zone ( @FriendZonePod , twitter), my favorite podcast hosts talked openly about what it means to glow up. It was a conversation that I wish I was present for because it is a topic that I am passionate about. Hell, one of the purposes of my blog is to encourage myself and others to grow and glow! But, what exactly does that mean? Fran (The Friend Zone & heyfranhey.com ) challenged listeners to think about and write down what it means to glow up and I was so excited to  take on this assignment, that I thought I’d share! To me, glowing up is about growth and how you feel inside. Yes, glowing up could be physical or financial – all of which Fran, Dustin and Assante mentioned (I was at my desk giving them high fives in my head lol) – but what good is having all of that if you don’t feel good on the inside? About two years ago I decided that I wanted to feel better. Not because I looked good, or had a man, o...

Cleaning. Doing chores. Tidying up. The one thing no one really likes to do but needs to do if they don't want critters, dirt and other scary things they can't see invading their space. It's usually last on our to do list and "put off" until the next day or the weekend, almost like a Saturday morning ritual: wake up, turn on some music, and let the scent of lemon, pine sol and happiness fill your home and lift you up! Cleaning the house does not have to be dreadful or put off until the last minute or right before company comes over. It doesn't have to be labeled "women's work" or frowned upon. Believe it or not, cleaning your space/home can be very therapeutic. Think about it - you're focused, working towards an end goal of clean and spotlessness, and, when done with intentions, you can clean your stress away as you move from one living area to the next! Here's how... Clean with a purpose. Of course the reason why we clean is to ma...

How do you prepare for your day? In my mind, I'd wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed, my outfit for the day would be waiting for me in the closet, breakfast hot and ready on the table and me walking out of the door in time to get a great parking spot at work rather than parking in the back of the lot and rushing to make it to my desk by 8:05am. In reality, I'm lucky if I make to my chair by 8:03am and have a full breakfast all without forgetting something on my dresser like my phone or my mind. Unfortunately, this happens more days than one and it throws my day completely off. My dream of being prepared for my day is actually obtainable, if I am willing to put in a little effort to prepare, plan and organize in advance! Check out these great tips to help you seize the day! Preparation is Key! via GIPHY Preparing for the day truly starts the night before. I know, that is easier said than done. Who wants to pick out clothes and pack the next day's lunch while wa...

Social. Media. The outlets that we use to connect, ( over )share, display and communicate with people - strangers and friends alike - on a daily basis. We share our highs and lows, our loved ones and our enemies ( discreetly, so we think ), our happiest moments and even the sad moments that make our followers wonder, how sad are they really if they are posting about it on IG live? via GIPHY Sharing on social media has become a huge part of life. And with sharing comes the one thing that we hardly ever ask for but always seem to get an abundance of.... Opinions! Ah, yes! Opinions. Those things that your friends give you when you tell them whats going on in your life and instead of truly listening to the agony on your voice they give you their opinion because they love you and gotta keep it real. And in that setting, it's acceptable because that's your friend and you know how they are - they just care. But, do you ever wish you could turn it off? Like, turn off...

I'm glad I didn't give up on myself. On July 28, 2017 I took a leap of faith and wrote my first blog post, Vital For Survival. I was really inspired by the movie Girls Trip, the message I took from the movie and seeing numerous women bond and laugh together while watching such a groundbreaking film. While I was inspired, I was also terrified. I was so scared to share my thoughts with other people that I almost did not push the Publish link. I actually clicked “Publish” by mistake and had a 5 minute panic attack (typical me). I was so nervous as to what people would say about something that I created – my words, my thoughts, my opinions. The thought still gives me the worst anxiety when I think about it. It is a fear that I push through week after week because I needed a place where I could be myself, share my thoughts and in turn inspire others to share with me and others as we grow and try our absolute best to navigate through this thing called life and try to be better...

Work; the last place we want to be and yet the place where we spend majority of our time. Everyday we get up and go to our place of employment to earn a living that allows us to provide for ourselves - even if we don't enjoy it or, maybe we love our jobs but not to much the people/pay. Whatever your situation, bills don't pay themselves, so day in and day out we must push our feelings aside and put our best foot forward. The best way to do that is to have peace of mind going into work and keeping it steady throughout the day. Peace of mind is everything while at work. Sometimes, it's all you have. When your job gets stressful or you simply just get in a funk for whatever reason, it is so easy for negative feelings to take over and make you feel even more low - you start thinking about how much you don't want to be there, wish you were doing something else that you loved, and next thing you know you're snapping at your coworker who stopped and asked to use your sta...

Conflicts. Disagreements. Disputes. Call them what you want, difficult situations between individuals happen. Whether it be from miscommunication or lack of, passing judgement, unintentional actions that hurt someone or one feeling as if they are simply just not being heard, disagreements occur but they don't always have to be the end of connections and relationships between the people involved.  Conflicts arise for many reasons, but when resolved they can lead to breakthroughs, growth and even stronger bonds when two people are willing to hear one another out and come to a common ground. Getting to that point, however, is the challenge. It's easy to argue, go head to head and even hold a grudge against people we are in dispute with. It is not easy to open up, hear our opponent out and come to a compromise to satisfy both parties involved. I personally have found it easiest to do this when I approach the situation calmly and early on before it has time to fester. Let me explain...

Happy Self Care Sunday! I have so been looking forward to this day and the launch of this wonderful segment. After the response from Self Care: The Best Care   I felt it was important to make Self Care an ongoing topic here at Briana, I Am. It's so very important to practice self care not every once in a blue moon or once a month but every day! A lot of people don't think they can with their schedule or their funds but let me tell you - it is possible! With Self Care Sundays I want to remind everyone that self care does not have to be elaborate or costly - you can practice Self Care right from the comfort of you own home without spending a dime. Remember, Self Care is about doing what you need to do for yourself to help you feel better, be better and do better. What you need to achieve those three things can vary. Whatever it takes, it's important to make Self Care not just a habit but a priority. Check out how I practiced Self Care this week! Relax... This weekend...

  It’s that time of year again! The summer is coming to an end, September is almost half way done (whew) and fall is right around the corner. You know what that means…the end is near! No, not THAT end (I hope). I’m talking about the end of the year! 2017 is nearing to a close and for many this can be either a good or bad thing. A good thing because a new year means new opportunities and a chance to reset and start fresh, and a bad thing if you look at the previous months, look at your goals and realize that the year probably did not go as well as you originally hoped. No matter where you stand, we all have a chance to finish stronger than we started and end this year with a bang!  In basketball, the 4 th quarter can be the most intense. The tension is high, the players are tired, but their adrenaline and determination pushes them to give their all until the last second of the game. A lot can change in those final minutes! A team can go from a twenty point lead to...