Stereotypes Alive and Kicking?

As I spoke with The Passion Professor and Ms Word in preparation for our show this Thursday, I started to think of all the still too-normal stereotypes that we have in our world:

• Your doctor(s) should always be White. 


• Need your nails done? Better be Asians.


• Want to know what's the most in-style music? Well, it'll be sure to be sung by a Black rap artist.

You think I'm playing? Watch any blockbuster big budget movie and you'll still see these roles well played... Heck, it still exists in commercials and anywhere in big media.

Part of the reason why its important that we call this out is so that we can realize that in this day and age we can do so much better than this!!! 

How?

Do not let race, culture, income, neighborhood or any other marker define who YOU are. Don't become anyone's clown or pawn. YOU choose what you want to be. YOU choose what your likes are. YOU choose what you identify with. YOU choose what makes you YOU.

YOU choose.

I am Awesome... Here's Why :

Thank you Chivon for writing an article that gives me a chance to slow down in the middle of the day and think of why I love myself so much. Here we go:

I am Awesome Because:

1.  I love people unconditionally, without judgement, and all the awesomeness that is them... ALL people!

2. I am a walking encyclopedia for most genre's of music (with the exception of house) - country, r&b, metal, classical, jazz, folk, pop... I gotcha covered baby!

3. I am the Queen of Meeting New People - on the subway, bus, walking anywhere along the street, I have no fears about walking up to a random stranger and saying "Hello", "You're absolutely beautiful", or "You have amazing style!". Love the unexpected reactions too, they get me high :).

4. I'm not afraid to try new things - going to a country where english isn't the first language, going to networking events solo, or learning sign language. All pretty hard, but how can I learn to master things without trying them first?

5. I treat my friends like family - why shouldn't the people who support me unconditionally, listen to me when I whine, help me get through rough and traumatic times, be treated like my brothers and sisters?! Shout-out here to Nawar, Chivon, Karlyn, Bobby, Ryan, Bas, Sophie and Renee here :).

6. I have learned how to say "I'm Sorry"... and mean it! - no one is perfect, especially not me. If I hurt someone in a relationship I value, I do my best to clean it up, admit I was an idiot, and allow the person respond, without attachment to whether they accept it or not. I am super-blessed; in nearly all cases, my friends accept, and our relationship deepens even further... Have I said it enough already that my friends ROCK?!!!

7. I am natural - from not having conventional chemical cleaners in my house for over 8 years now, to rockin' my 'fro every day, to only wearing lip gloss and lip liner (all natural stuff courtesy of Pure Anada btw) daily... Whatcha see is whatcha get :).

8. I am SCOTIAN!!! - gotta give a shout-out to my Home Province. I'm sure that part of the reason I'm so awesome is because I was raised in Halifax - a city that feels like a small town. We love, we laugh, we love drama (come on, if you're Scotian, you KNOW how much everyone is up in your bizness!!! lol). The last one is the only thing I had to let go of when I moved to Toronto... I've kept the rest :).

9. I master things, so that I can teach them to others -  I believe that experiential learning is the key to moving our planet into its new age and the solution to most of the problems we have now... So how can I teach others how to love themselves and love others if I haven't mastered the art myself? I teach so that I can consistently practice the art of living joyfully myself.

10. I am beautiful, inside AND out - this was the hardest point for me to get to, because for years I thought I was as ugly and non-descript as the pavement itself... However, after the years of work I did on myself, and letting go of the crap around me and in my life, I now see that I'm unbelievably, amazingly gorgeous. Gonna give myself a big hug and then a High Five!!! :).

If you create your own list, please post the link to it below, so I can share it throughout my network, and so others reading this post can see it too... We need more love and light in this world, so it would be my pleasure to spread yours around too!!! Don't be afraid to share your own awesomeness with the world!