Am I allowed to do a significantly old "throwback"post? How do photos or life events get classified as throwbacks, anyway? Who made the rules? Can #'memberitmonday be a thing now...or nah?
...I digress.
July is almost over! This months marks a year from when I found out I was accepted into a few different universities here in England. When I received my first acceptance letter I was speechless. Let me set the scene for you...
I was at work (working diligently, of course). I felt compelled to take a break to check my email. Pause - rewind to the beginning of July when I first applied. I applied late not really expecting to hear back. I applied simply for the sake of applying, letting go, and letting God. Okay back to that day at work when I was working harder than ever. I skimmed through my several emails, my eyes stopping when I read a line that said "We are pleased to inform you..." I was literally speechless. My hands started shaking. I turned to my intern, Maria, and said in the faintest whisper, "Maria. Oh my God. I got accepted to a school in London..." I needed a moment, so I stepped outside for a praise break and called my family to share the news.
If you know me well, you'll know that since I was in high school it has been my dream to live in London. During my senior year at Westmont College I was blessed with the opportunity to complete a semester in the United Kingdom (spending about half of the semester in London). I left London that winter knowing I just had to return.
Fast forward. After graduating from Westmont in 2013 graduate school was always at the forefront of my mind -- I hadn't really considered London...it was always just a dream, not really a goal. I spent the next several months blogging, working, and volunteering at various events. It was during this time that my passion for event organizing, management, and communication were ignited. I created Beneath Your Beautiful Campaign and produced my first fashion show. I had the opportunity to work with Africa Fashion Week as well as Image is Everything PR, serving at Los Angeles Fashion Week, Curly Cartel (where I served the beautiful Tracee Ellis Ross and Teyonah Parris), and with many other events supporting a variety of causes.
I soon started my own freelance PR venture, working closely with clients in the fashion industries and non profit organizations.
My life was poppin (as the youngins say). As the time grew closer for me to secure my spot at my university I grew overwhelmed. I tried to convince myself that this life was exactly what I needed it to be, and change would simply be an enemy of progress. I tried to make myself believe that I was comfortable, and it would be foolish of me to mess with the opportunities God had given me by stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was young and successful. I was 23 with a money tree. I was 23 sitting on 23 mill'. (Okay not really..). But in short, I was hip and happening...and doing so while living in sunny Los Angeles, no less. London? It was so surreal. So scary. So far. So not sunny Los Angeles. And a whole year? I was afraid that my dream was becoming a nightmare.
Fast forward again. Today, July 27, 2015, your girl is live and in London. I'm not done yet but so far this journey has been a life changing experience that I would not change for the world. I'm so grateful for faith. That I was able to leap out of my comfort zone and dive into the unknown. The only thing I did know however was that God's got me. No matter how unsure I was of this journey, I knew without a doubt that God will guide, lead, and protect me (and He sure has and is!). It's been difficult - adjusting to this no sunshine life & trying to balance being a full time masters student and two jobs (one of which is in PR (yay!)) is not easy ooo. Nevertheless, I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to continue PR here in London. I've been blessed to meet many people who I can call family. Although everything did not play out as it did in mydreams, this journey has been beautiful and a vision come true.
...I digress.
July is almost over! This months marks a year from when I found out I was accepted into a few different universities here in England. When I received my first acceptance letter I was speechless. Let me set the scene for you...
I was at work (working diligently, of course). I felt compelled to take a break to check my email. Pause - rewind to the beginning of July when I first applied. I applied late not really expecting to hear back. I applied simply for the sake of applying, letting go, and letting God. Okay back to that day at work when I was working harder than ever. I skimmed through my several emails, my eyes stopping when I read a line that said "We are pleased to inform you..." I was literally speechless. My hands started shaking. I turned to my intern, Maria, and said in the faintest whisper, "Maria. Oh my God. I got accepted to a school in London..." I needed a moment, so I stepped outside for a praise break and called my family to share the news.
If you know me well, you'll know that since I was in high school it has been my dream to live in London. During my senior year at Westmont College I was blessed with the opportunity to complete a semester in the United Kingdom (spending about half of the semester in London). I left London that winter knowing I just had to return.
Fast forward. After graduating from Westmont in 2013 graduate school was always at the forefront of my mind -- I hadn't really considered London...it was always just a dream, not really a goal. I spent the next several months blogging, working, and volunteering at various events. It was during this time that my passion for event organizing, management, and communication were ignited. I created Beneath Your Beautiful Campaign and produced my first fashion show. I had the opportunity to work with Africa Fashion Week as well as Image is Everything PR, serving at Los Angeles Fashion Week, Curly Cartel (where I served the beautiful Tracee Ellis Ross and Teyonah Parris), and with many other events supporting a variety of causes.
I soon started my own freelance PR venture, working closely with clients in the fashion industries and non profit organizations.
My life was poppin (as the youngins say). As the time grew closer for me to secure my spot at my university I grew overwhelmed. I tried to convince myself that this life was exactly what I needed it to be, and change would simply be an enemy of progress. I tried to make myself believe that I was comfortable, and it would be foolish of me to mess with the opportunities God had given me by stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was young and successful. I was 23 with a money tree. I was 23 sitting on 23 mill'. (Okay not really..). But in short, I was hip and happening...and doing so while living in sunny Los Angeles, no less. London? It was so surreal. So scary. So far. So not sunny Los Angeles. And a whole year? I was afraid that my dream was becoming a nightmare.
Check me out in these throwback photos hehe. These photos were taken during African Fashion Week LA. See how hip I look! Large & in charge! (just kidding..tehe). I just came across these photos and remembered what a magical night I had. I met amazing designers, worked with talented models, and made new friends. This was 2 weeks before my flight to London. Why leave LA, right?? Why London??
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Fast forward again. Today, July 27, 2015, your girl is live and in London. I'm not done yet but so far this journey has been a life changing experience that I would not change for the world. I'm so grateful for faith. That I was able to leap out of my comfort zone and dive into the unknown. The only thing I did know however was that God's got me. No matter how unsure I was of this journey, I knew without a doubt that God will guide, lead, and protect me (and He sure has and is!). It's been difficult - adjusting to this no sunshine life & trying to balance being a full time masters student and two jobs (one of which is in PR (yay!)) is not easy ooo. Nevertheless, I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to continue PR here in London. I've been blessed to meet many people who I can call family. Although everything did not play out as it did in my
But in all seriousness, I'm writing this post simply as a testimony. (I've had another version prepared, but felt moved to share this one haha). If you have a dream or a vision put your mind, your heart, and your faith into it. Forget about the naysayers. Ignore the that voice telling you that comfort is best. Take a step out and do what makes you happy, do what challenges you, and do what inspires you.
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| Me during a Beneath Your Beautiful event here in London. Still large and in charge. (JK, y'all..tehe). |
Outfit details:
Look 1 -
Black Cropped Top: Charlotte Russe, $5!
Black Skater Skirt: The Closet (Los Angeles boutique)
Coral Mary Jane Pumps: Santa Barbara boutique
Look 2:
White Pencil Dress: Miss Selfridge (Can be found here)
Baby Blue Pumps: Primark!
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My Marley Twists are baaacckkk!! I haven't had these in since Summer 2014 and I've missed them dearly. Lol. This was my go-to style. So easy to do myself and so fun!
With my new do, I felt like dressing up today so I threw on some pumps, a body con midi, and a cute crop top. Today's London weather was just above 60 so it was perfect for this light "coat" I purchased from Choies! I love this look because of the pieces I got from everywhere (all frugal finds of course)!
Coat: Choies.com
Printed Crop: H&M (this top worn with another outfit here)
Pattern Midi: Zara (about £2 on clearance!)
Dark Brown Pumps: Thrifted (about $4..and never worn!)
You probably noticed that I didn't post very many winter looks. To be absolutely real, I struggled with my winter wardrobe!! Now that it's warming up, I'm finally getting the hang of coats, scarves, and layers haha! Maybe this means I can brave another winter here in London...? (*side eye).
Coat: Choies.com
Printed Crop: H&M (this top worn with another outfit here)
Pattern Midi: Zara (about £2 on clearance!)
Dark Brown Pumps: Thrifted (about $4..and never worn!)
You probably noticed that I didn't post very many winter looks. To be absolutely real, I struggled with my winter wardrobe!! Now that it's warming up, I'm finally getting the hang of coats, scarves, and layers haha! Maybe this means I can brave another winter here in London...? (*side eye).
xoxo
Ah. But first and foremost, my apologies! I have been completely MIA from social media. Some of you sweet people have contacted me to figure out what in the world has happened to my social media presence. Bless you!
A lot of you actually have no idea what I'm doing in here London. School would be the answer. Yes, y'all. School has succeeded in kidnapping me and hiding me away from life. My head has literally been in the books, and I've actually spent several nights in the library burning the midnight oil over the past several months. Sigh. But now that finals are over, I'm baaackkk!!! Expect to see (and read) much, much more of me :D
Over these next few months, I'll be exploring Londontown, parts of Europe, and sharing my experiences with you all. I hope you enjoy!
xoxo
Not much detail here..all remixed bits and pieces :)
Denim button down: thrifted, Crossroad, Old Town Pasadena
Black Lace Bandeau: some neighborhood boutique in Los Angeles
Blue Drawstring Trousers: Forever 21, Los Angeles, Similar Here
And anything else that falls into
the category of fear, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction.
If you asked me if I was a worrier, with confidence, I would answer no. I've always considered myself as in control. I've considered myself as a planner, a doer, and as proactive. Most importantly, I've considered myself as someone with strong faith. But truth be told, panic is usually my first reaction to stressful situations rather than feeling the peace in uncertainty that is associated with faith.
Worry by definition is to feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.
Worry causes delay to your potential (and it won't let you be great!). In a sense, worrying is a coping mechanism we develop in an attempt to manage our situations.
I noticed that I suddenly became prone to worrying about everything...recently it has been how long my hair will grow (ha!). But more seriously, I would find myself panicking over most every situation. I would find myself staying up late to ponder over how I would fix my problems -- problems that were beyond my control. I found myself creating scenarios that I imagined I would have to deal with in the far future.
I remember discussing worry in one of my bible classes at Westmont College. We discussed what it means to worry as a Christian and how being fixated on our problems in this manner simply tells God that He cannot move your mountains. Worrying is telling God that your problems are bigger than Him.
When you worry, you spend more time doubting that believing.
During this season I made a conscientious choice to be intentional about not worrying.
First I had to understand what causes worry: anticipating something you cannot yet see... you're anxious to obtain something that is not yet within your grasp.
I made sure to acknowledge these "problems" which caused me to worry. Acknowledge that I have bills to pay (in spite of being a full time student); acknowledge that some of my relationships were struggling; acknowledge that some of my goals and dreams will be difficult (but attainable!!).
I talked about intentionally giving up worry—
To me, being intentional about this is like anything: making a firm & mindful decision-- deciding to be happy, deciding to let go of anger, deciding to have a good day, deciding to smile. It's a decision that you can make in order to cease thinking about what you have no control over.
As a Christian what helped was praying about my situation and knowing in my spirit that it would be taken care of. By dwelling on God's promises. By remembering how He loves. By knowing that He has done it before (Hebrews 11:4-39).
Worry is a sign of distrust. By letting go of worry and making that commitment within your spirit, you are telling your problems that something is bigger than them...that something is in control of them..
so your problems no longer have a hold of your being & can no longer consume your thoughts.
Focus on who God is.
Surrender all--that includes surrendering a habit (or coping mechanism) I've formed over the years.
God never fails. So why worry?
If you asked me if I was a worrier, with confidence, I would answer no. I've always considered myself as in control. I've considered myself as a planner, a doer, and as proactive. Most importantly, I've considered myself as someone with strong faith. But truth be told, panic is usually my first reaction to stressful situations rather than feeling the peace in uncertainty that is associated with faith.
Worry by definition is to feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.
Worry causes delay to your potential (and it won't let you be great!). In a sense, worrying is a coping mechanism we develop in an attempt to manage our situations.
I noticed that I suddenly became prone to worrying about everything...recently it has been how long my hair will grow (ha!). But more seriously, I would find myself panicking over most every situation. I would find myself staying up late to ponder over how I would fix my problems -- problems that were beyond my control. I found myself creating scenarios that I imagined I would have to deal with in the far future.
I remember discussing worry in one of my bible classes at Westmont College. We discussed what it means to worry as a Christian and how being fixated on our problems in this manner simply tells God that He cannot move your mountains. Worrying is telling God that your problems are bigger than Him.
Lent
During lent we are meant to give
up certain luxuries and exercise patience. People who worry do so because
we desire the luxury of certainty. We fail to be convicted of things not
seen (Hebrews 11:1).When you worry, you spend more time doubting that believing.
During this season I made a conscientious choice to be intentional about not worrying.
First I had to understand what causes worry: anticipating something you cannot yet see... you're anxious to obtain something that is not yet within your grasp.
I made sure to acknowledge these "problems" which caused me to worry. Acknowledge that I have bills to pay (in spite of being a full time student); acknowledge that some of my relationships were struggling; acknowledge that some of my goals and dreams will be difficult (but attainable!!).
I talked about intentionally giving up worry—
To me, being intentional about this is like anything: making a firm & mindful decision-- deciding to be happy, deciding to let go of anger, deciding to have a good day, deciding to smile. It's a decision that you can make in order to cease thinking about what you have no control over.
As a Christian what helped was praying about my situation and knowing in my spirit that it would be taken care of. By dwelling on God's promises. By remembering how He loves. By knowing that He has done it before (Hebrews 11:4-39).
Worry is a sign of distrust. By letting go of worry and making that commitment within your spirit, you are telling your problems that something is bigger than them...that something is in control of them..
so your problems no longer have a hold of your being & can no longer consume your thoughts.
Focus on who God is.
Surrender all--that includes surrendering a habit (or coping mechanism) I've formed over the years.
God never fails. So why worry?
I have a love/hate relationship with birthdays. In addition to them being a joyful time to celebrate life, to spoil yourself, to reflect on blessings, for me birthdays are also a time to measure how far I've progressed. I know I just turned 24 (yaay!) but for some reason I feel so OLD! I'm knocking on 25 and 30 is only around the corner! Yikes! I've experienced so much in the past year. 23 for me was a year of growth. A year of figuring out and realizing who God wants me to be...& how He desires to use me..So 24 needs to be a year of progression & preparation to step into my role. I've spent the past few weeks mulling over a mental to do list of realistic things I want to accomplish before I hit the big 2 5 - and in writing these things out (and sharing them with you all) I can only hope it will help in keeping me accountable!
- Earn my master's of science in Psychology
- Make a financial plan! (savings plan, budgeting plan..etc...the future is closer than I think!).
- Learn about investing my money (stocks, shares...all that jazz).
- Stay organized! Discipline my self to religiously write down life plans, business goals & career goals....As a student and passionpreneur I'm definitely organized now, but as more things come I think it's imperative that I form a system that will not only keep me organized but also keep me accountable.
- Perfect 5 go- to meals...I like to think I can throw down in the kitchen...but I need to perfect 5 Nigerian meals before I leave my father's house..ha! Jollof rice, pepper soup, egusi soup, stewed meat, my mother's fried rice!
- Create a 5 year plan...I'm all about writing down my goals- but now it's time to write out where I see myself in the next 5 years...one year at a time (Yikes! So scary to think that I'll be 29!!! Lord, be a fence!).
- Attend more conferences! (women's, business, culture...etc)
- Perfect 2 go-to hairstyle that I know I can rock!...I love experimenting with my hair..I'm a fan of changing my hairstyle every other month & can switch from faux locs, to crochet braids, then back to a wig in a matter of weeks! But as I get older I think it will be beneficial to just switch between one or two hairstyles...(no fun!).
- Own at least 3 go-to outfit essentials.
- denim jeans/blazer
- little black dress
- interview outfit (preferably a chic black dress)!
- oh..can't forget classic "nude" & classic black pumps!
- Learn how to make my make-up "on fleek"....I'm a fan of makeup but hardly a pro...it looks nice on people but I just can't be bothered with spending time to fill in my eyebrows and contour my cheek bones!...gotta do better so I can be "shine shine gal" (Naija accent)!
- Be beautiful..be confident...be fierce...not that fake confidence or that fake beauty...not the one where I look cute on social media but am actually a mess in real life. But the kind where I can step into a room and not be afraid to speak my mind, the kind where I'm bold enough to share my opinions, the kind where I'm not hesitant to let my personality spice up a conversation..and the kind of fierceness that will make me believe that my beauty is authentic.
- Learn a new language...like almost every Californian I took Spanish in school and can speak the basics. I currently live in Europe...so I told myself that I can't leave this continent without learning a new language! Oh & on that note I need to practice my native tongues! (Yes, tongues..lol..I'm Ijaw so my family's native languages are Ijaw, Obolo, and Igbo..ya girl has lots of learning to do..pray for me)!!
- Visit a foreign country...by myself....get immersed in another culture, interact with new people..lose myself in the midst of newness..be brave...take risks... As Paul Coehlo said: Nothing can substitute experience. And what greater an experience than taking a risk (but a cautious one) on my own?
- Take on more challenges..whether that's hiking up an incredible mountain, speaking in front of a crowd, serving God in a way I never expected or planned...
- Be on time and stick to a schedule.
The best thing about a to-do list is being able to cross items off once you've accomplished them.I'm excited to look at this list daily and track my progression over the next several months! (Inspired by my fab blogger friend Vic Styles)!
Outfit details:
Y'all know I had to step into 24 with class and a little sass! I wore this number to afternoon tea in Marylebone (London's West End) to celebrate my birthday :D
Soft Pink Midi BodyCon Dress: Miss Selfridge, London | Can be found here: Miss Selfridge
Floral Print Pumps: Primark, London
Clutch: Consignment shop in Santa Barbara, CA
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This oversized blazer was just under $2! I paired it with this cute lion-print top from SheInside.com, a high waisted skater skirt, and Steve Madden black booties - dressed for a warm winter day :)
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Yay for frugal, vintage finds! I snagged this over-sized number from a local thrift store for less than $4. I instantly fell in love with the mess of prints and patterns! Oh- and it has SHOULDER PADS!! Lol...yes I was a little excited when I found it tehe. I loved the vintage look of the sweater, so I paired it with a small brown shoulder bag, boldly colored lips, and BIG hair :D
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| Big hair, bold lips. :D |
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