Be Phenomenal
There are two Maya Angelou poems that stick out from my chidhood, "And Still I Rise" and "Phenomenal Woman." I know that when I read those words, I believed her. I knew the "Pulse of the Morning," and why the caged bird sings. Maya's words made me think that I could be more than my circumstances. She made me love my big lips. She made me celebrate my queendom, I had yet to discover. She taught me that I was a phenom. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that we are phenomenal. We are wives. We are mothers. We are teachers. We are friends. We are encouragers. We are nurturers. We are phenomenal women. Fix your crown, sis! Be phenomenal!
Gifted
I was introduced to Nina Simone at a young age. I loved her raspy voice. I loved how she sang her politics and called it all jazz. I loved how this unapologetically big nosed black woman was able to leave us feeling good, spellbound, all while telling stories about four women and strange fruit. She was one of the first to tell me that I was young, gifted, and black. I learned that my youth was a gift. I learned that my blackness was a gift. I learned that my ability to write and express myself poetically was a gift.
Your intellect, your sense of humor, your business acumen are all a gift. Be unapologetically who you are because you are a gift. You are gifted. You are blessed. You are a blessing. To truly be young, black, and gifted is to recognize that you are the gift. Your complexion, your hair, your smile, your hips, your thighs, your nose and your eyes are a gift. Your sincerity, your peace, your joy, your faith, your heart, your spirit are a gift. You are gifted! Your talents, your treasure, your pain and your pleasure are a gift. Your desire, your dreams, your plans and your purpose are a gift. You are gifted.
Power
A friend of mine asked me, what's your superpower? I'm a Marvel fan. So, my mind immediately started thinking of all my favorite superheroes. I'm not an Inhuman. I am not genetically engineered. I didn't have any freak accident that bestowed me with any superhuman abilities. I'm not a billionaire with an iron suit. I'm just me, and you are just you, but we do have power. Power by definition is the ability to do something in a particular way. It is the capacity to direct or influence the behavior of others. Power is a ripple in a pond. Power is a kind word. Power is a hug. Power is a word of encouragement. Power is a prayer. Power is a gesture. Power is an action. You have superpowers. Are you using them for good?
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Love Works
I facilitated a Lunch and Learn series at my old job based on the book, "Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leadership" by Joel Manby. The principles in this book are based on the biblical principles of love discussed in 1 Corinthians: patience, kindness, trust, unselfishness, truth, forgiveness, and dedication. For eight weeks, we discussed and brainstormed strategies on how to improve the workplace and implement the principles of Love Works. Each week, it became clearer that I worked in a toxic environment with ineffective leadership that had no desire to let love work. How many of us work and live in toxic environments? How many of us refuse to let love work because of fear? I learned that Love Works when you let it. Love Works when you are willing to do the work. Love Works when you let go of fear and doubt and insecurity. Love works when you trust. Love works when you believe that love truly does cover a multitude of sins. Love works when you let love conquer all.