Reclaiming My Temple

11 Days Into My Fasting Journey

There's something powerful about intentional hunger. Not the kind that comes from lack, but the kind you choose – the hunger that reminds you that you're in control of what enters your body and your life.

Today marks my 11th day of fasting, and I'm feeling a clarity I haven't known in years. Since March 1st, I've been observing a sunrise-to-sunset fast. When that sun comes up, my eating stops. When darkness falls, I break my fast – not with whatever's convenient, but with clean, intentional nutrition. High protein meals. Chicken salads. Steak. Eggs. Nothing processed. No refined sugars trying to masquerade as joy.

The alcohol had to go too. I got tired of that heavy fog the morning after, that dragging feeling even after just one drink. My body was speaking, and for once, I decided to actually listen.

This journey isn't just about what's not going into my body – it's about what is filling my mind during those hungry hours. Deep thought. Emotional control. Intentions. I sit with myself and plan how I want to emerge from this period changed. Not just thinner or healthier, but fundamentally shifted in how I approach life.

My workouts have intensified. My energy – despite eating less – has somehow multiplied. But the most profound change has been in my boundaries. I'm becoming ruthlessly selective about the conversations I entertain and the energy I allow near me. If you're not aligned with where I'm trying to go, I simply don't have space for you right now. That might sound harsh, but this season is teaching me that some harvests only come after pruning.

The hunger pangs remind me throughout the day that discipline isn't punishment – it's protection. Each time my stomach growls, I'm reminded that I'm building something new, brick by brick, day by day. My body is becoming a temple again, not a convenience store where any craving gets satisfied without question.

This fast is teaching me patience. It's showing me how much noise food and drink were making in my life. In the quiet spaces between meals, I'm hearing my own voice again – not the voice of comfort-seeking or quick fixes, but the deeper voice of purpose.

I don't know exactly who I'll be when this fasting season ends, but I know they'll be someone who understands their power. Someone who realizes that hunger – physical, spiritual, and emotional – isn't always something to be immediately satisfied, but sometimes a teacher whose lessons you need to sit with awhile.

The sun will set again today, and I'll eat. But something tells me that this temporary hunger is feeding parts of me that food never could.

The Power of a Mighty Circle: Women Who Rise & Build Together

Spend Time With Women Who Bring Out Your Magic, Not The Madness

There was a time when my heart was like an open house – doors unlocked, lights always on, welcoming anyone who needed shelter from their own storms. I'd empty my pockets, clear space in my closet, reorganize my whole life just to make room for friendships that, if I'm being honest with myself, were draining the very essence of who I was becoming.

That version of me? She was beautiful in her openness. But she was also drowning.

See, I've learned something about energy that nobody tells you when you're young: it transfers. It mingles. It transforms. When you sit with dreamers, your imagination expands. When you build with builders, your hands learn new skills. And when you cry with the chronically wounded who refuse their own healing? Baby, you start bleeding from cuts you never even had.

I used to pride myself on loving without judgment. No career? I see you. No stability? I understand you. Patterns of chaos that follow you like a shadow? I'll love you through it.

But there came a moment – standing in my power as a woman who's been creating her own opportunities since 26, navigating motherhood, and learning the delicate art of partnership – when I realized that some friendships were keeping me tethered to versions of myself I had outgrown.

The hard truth? People can only meet you as deeply as they've met themselves.

When your conversation shifts from gossip to growth, from problems to possibilities, from who hurt you to how you're healing – you need women who speak that language fluently, not those still learning the alphabet.

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This isn't about superiority. It's about frequency. About recognizing that the women who truly love your evolution won't ask you to shrink your voice to make their echoes sound louder.

My circle now? Smaller but mighty. Women who've weathered their own storms and emerged not just surviving but sculpting something beautiful from the aftermath. Women who understand that entrepreneurship isn't just a career choice but a mindset that bleeds into everything you touch. Women who've done the shadow work required to mother whole children and build whole relationships.

The magic happens in these spaces – where ambition meets accountability, where dreams meet discipline, where we can be gloriously imperfect together without becoming each other's excuses.

Choose wisely, love. Your spirit is too precious to be spent on connections that require you to be less so others can feel like more.

The Art of Friendship Curation: Why Your Circle Determines Your Ceiling

There comes a point in life when you realize that friendship isn't just about who makes you laugh or who's been around the longest. It's about energy alignment, shared vision, and mutual elevation. Let me take you through my journey of friendship evolution – from giving everything without boundaries to creating a circle that reflects my growth.

I used to be that friend – the one with an endless supply of compassion, resources, and understanding. My heart beat with unfiltered empathy, and I would literally give you the clothes off my back, slide you money when you were struggling, all while asking for nothing in return. My friendship came without judgment – no kids? No career? No husband? Caught cheating? It didn't matter to me. I saw your humanity first and circumstances second.

But life has seasons, and I've entered a new one.

Now I understand something profound: people can only relate to you through the lens of their own experience. When I speak of business challenges as someone who's been an entrepreneur since 26 (honestly, even earlier than that), I need someone who understands that particular hunger, that specific struggle. When I discuss balancing motherhood with ambition, I need someone who's walked that tightrope. When I reflect on relationship dynamics, I need someone who's done the work to build something sustainable.

The conversations are different. The mindset is different. The energy exchange is different.

This isn't about elitism – it's about alignment. About recognizing that while everyone deserves compassion, not everyone deserves proximity. I've learned that your innermost circle should reflect where you're going, not just where you've been.

As a businesswoman who takes her growth seriously, I've had to make peace with outgrowing certain connections. Some friendships were seasonal, some were lessons, and some were blessings that simply reached their natural conclusion. And that's okay.

Your circle determines your ceiling. The five people closest to you shape your thinking, influence your decisions, and either fuel or drain your momentum. Choose wisely, with intention rather than convenience.

I still love deeply – that hasn't changed. But now, that love comes with boundaries, with standards, with the wisdom to know that sometimes the kindest thing you can do for someone (and yourself) is to love them from a distance.

LIFE IN YOUR 40'S: THE SWEET SPOT OF SOVEREIGNTY

There's something magical about entering your 40's that nobody really prepares you for. Let me take you there for a minute.

Remember how we used to rush through life like it was some kind of race? Running from meeting to meeting, trying to prove ourselves in boardrooms, chasing other people's definitions of success? Baby, let me tell you about this different kind of rhythm I'm living in now.

See, your 40's hit different. It's like finally exhaling after holding your breath for two decades. Those designer bags I used to chase? They don't hit the same when you've finally designed your own peace of mind. These days, luxury lives in the small moments – in saying "no" without explaining myself, in choosing solitude over draining social obligations, in wearing what makes ME feel good regardless of what the trends say.

Let's talk about this confidence though. It's not the kind you put on like makeup or practice in front of mirrors. This is soul-deep assurance that comes from surviving your own storms and learning to dance in the rain. Every gray hair? That's wisdom earned. These laugh lines? They tell stories of joy that no Botox could ever improve.

In my 20's, I was trying to fit in. In my 30's, I was trying to stand out. But now? Now I'm just standing in my truth, and baby, the view from here is magnificent. I've learned that power isn't about controlling everything – it's about knowing what deserves your energy and what needs to be released back to the universe.

You want to know the real glow-up of your 40's? It's the moment you realize that all those things you thought were flaws were actually your superpowers in disguise. That sensitivity that people called "too much"? That's your gift for deep connection. That stubbornness they criticized? That's the backbone that kept you standing when life tried to knock you down.

Here's what they don't tell you: your 40's are when you finally understand that life isn't happening to you – it's responding to you. Every morning when I look in the mirror, I don't see what needs to be fixed anymore. I see a woman who's weathered her storms with grace, who's turned her scars into stars, who's learned that her worth isn't up for debate.

And the relationships? They hit different too. You stop trying to keep everybody and start treasuring those who stayed. Your tribe becomes smaller but stronger, like fine wine – aged to perfection and best enjoyed in meaningful moments.

So to all my sisters stepping into or thriving in their 40's – welcome to the sweet spot of sovereignty. This is where we stop apologizing for taking up space, where we wear our experiences like the crown jewels they are, and where we finally understand that the most beautiful thing we can be is unapologetically ourselves.

Your 40's aren't about getting older – they're about getting bolder. And trust me, the revolution starts the moment you realize that you're not just aging, you're ascending.

Welcome to the elevation, beloved. The view from here? Absolutely breathtaking.

A Love Letter to Your Soul: A Valentine's Day Truth

Baby, let me tell you something real about this February love season. While the world's wrapped up in chocolate hearts and dinner reservations, I'm here to talk about a different kind of romance the one between you and your own beautiful spirit.

I've watched too many souls dim their light waiting for someone else to flip the switch. Seen too many hearts treating themselves like temporary housing instead of the sacred temple they are. That emptiness you're trying to fill with another person's love? That's holy ground waiting for you to claim it.

Truth is, self-love ain't just about those aesthetic self-care moments though if fancy bath bombs and scented candles speak to your spirit, do you. It's deeper than that. It's about sitting with yourself in those 3 AM moments when the world gets quiet and whispering "I got you" and meaning it with everything you've got.

I remember when my reflection felt like a stranger, those days when mirrors felt like judgment. The journey from there to here? Baby, it wasn't pretty. It wasn't social media worthy. It was messy, raw, and real. It was learning to celebrate my wins without an audience, and holding myself gentle through the losses without reaching for numbing distractions.

Here's what they don't put on the greeting cards: loving yourself is revolutionary. In a world that profits off your self-doubt, choosing to love yourself fully is an act of rebellion. It's understanding that your worth ain't up for negotiation, whether you're single, partnered, or somewhere in between.

This Valentine's Day, I dare you to flip the script. Take yourself on that date you've been waiting for someone else to plan. Write yourself that love letter you've been hoping to receive. Look in that mirror and see what I see a soul that's weathered storms and still chooses to dance in the rain.

Because loving yourself isn't selfish - it's necessary. It's the foundation everything else builds on. It's knowing that you're not just worthy of love, you're worthy of your own love first.

So today, while everyone's focused on proving their love to others, prove it to yourself. Sit with your shadows and your light. Celebrate your growth and forgive your stumbles. Remember that you're not just surviving - you're authoring your own love story, one self-accepting moment at a time.

And trust me, once you start loving yourself with that same intensity you've been saving for someone else? That's when the real magic happens. That's when you realize that February 14th ain't got nothing on the love affair you can have with your own soul, 365 days a year.

Keep shining, keep growing, keep loving - starting with yourself.

P.S. Share below one thing you love about yourself. Let's start this revolution together.