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    Life Wisdom 20

    2 days ago Culture, Health & Wellness, Life Wisdom, Money, Sustainability Matters

    Sustainability matters more than ever now. 

    Originally published on Medium.

    First I would like to address that not everyone can embrace sustainability and no waste living. Because not all of us have access, or can benefit from equal opportunities like our white race counterparts. We are all working to dismantle white supremacy that unfortunately is a disease that spreads just like cancer. And it has also created this “white washing” stigma in the green living and sustainability communities, just like in movies, music industry and commercial marketing strategies which they portray only the white race as being sustainable and eco-friendly leaders. 

    Because they are embracing it on social media and are being invited to participate with high paying brands, they are getting more sales and recognition because their white privilege makes it easy for them to do so. But hey! You do not need to be an environmentalist or any particular race to care and do what’s right for your planet any way you can. Yes! It doesn’t help that economically, BIPOC and any POC have to be labeled as “being brave” and other races get to “live free, enjoy” while others are left to fend for themselves. An unequal and unjust system is not sustainable any more. Our planet and our spirits cannot take this anymore. That’s why we are dismantling it and seeking liberation, healing and re-building a more renewable, cleaner, sustainable and equitable systems. 

    Let’s start with —  Here are some of our favorite Environmentalist, BIPOC and POC accounts you can start supporting, learning from and recommending to brands (especially, those who can be the gatekeepers for others to receive the same equal opportunities as you). Collaboration is the root of healing a system designed to divide. Let’s dismantle and decolonize our minds together. 

    @greengirlleah + @IntersectionalEnvironmentalist

    Leah Thomas is an activist for intersectional environmentalism. Along with her Instagram page, she also has a very informative IG account. Go check it out! 

    @mikaelaloach

    Mikaela Loach is a climate justice and anti-racism activist. Her website has a lot of great information!

    @Ajabarber

    Aja Barber is a writer and fashion consultant whose focus is race, intersectional feminism, and sustainable and ethical fashion. 

    @Toritsui_

    Tori Tsui is an intersectional climate activist. She runs a podcast called Bad Activist Podcast which focuses on intersectionality, feminism, climate justice, racial justice, and queer rights. Yes!

    Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

    Dr. Ayana Eliza is a marine biologist who founded @OceanCollectiv and @UrbanOceanLab. She focuses on climate change as a whole along with marine-focused initiatives. She’s also the lovely co-host of the new podcast I’m in love with @how2saveaplanet! 

    @Browngirl_green

    Kristy’s instagram page is very informational on news relating to climate change and intersectionality. She has a podcast and a blog along with other resources on her website!

    @Jeromefosterii

    Jerome Foster II is an environmental activist, an EIC at The Climate Reporter and the Executive Director at One Million of Us which is a “youth-led voting & advocacy organization that is rallying 1M+ young people to register & turnout to vote in the 2020 election and beyond.”

    @Hood_naturalist

    Corina Newsome is a biologist who focuses on nature education along with bringing people of color into the outdoors (especially birding!)

    @Unlikelyhikers

    Unlikely hikers is an Instagram community that brings the “underrepresented outdoor person” into the outdoors. They are “people of size, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, queer, trans and non-binary…people with disabilities and people who utilize the outdoors to aid our mental health”. Love this community ❤

    @Melaninbasecamp

    Melanin Base Camp is a group that brings people of color into the outdoors. Yei!

    @Gogreensavegreen

    By Ariel -Teaching people about the environment and how to help. Love her energy and her hilarious stories make my day. Highly recommended! 

    @Climatediva

    By Summer Dean- Climate communicator, model, & imperfect environmentalist ❤

    @jhanneu

    Making Low Waste + Sustainable Living Inclusive ❤

    There are 14 Costless Ways to Live More Sustainably during a pandemic. 

     I know that it may seem at first that if you want to live more sustainably, you have to buy fancy eco-friendly products and spend loads of money before you can truly call yourself an eco-conscious citizen. The truth is, these 14 costless ways to live more sustainably are super effective and they don’t require any unnecessary consumerism! 

    Now, why should you care about living sustainably during semi-lockdown?

    • Because of the environment 
    • Because of your own health (living sustainably usually means cutting out many nasty toxins that pollute your body and make you sick)
    • You’ll save lots of money! Once you’re done reading the article, you’ll understand how.

    Intrigued yet? I sure hope so! Now let’s jump into the 14 costless ways to live more sustainably TODAY.

    1. Freeze your food before it goes bad

    In the US and North america, about 35% of food goes to waste. Sure, it often isn’t on purpose. Maybe you just miscalculate how much you need and end up throwing out a bunch of rotten food. But if you just freeze all your fruits, veggies, and even prepared meals before they go bad, you’ll save TONS of food in the long run, plus a bunch of money. And use your veggie scraps for veggie broth. Yep, you can literally turn your trash into food! Try keeping a bin of your veggie scraps and once it’s filled, toss the veggies along with some spices in a pot and voilà! You’ve given your scraps a second life!

    2. Eat less meat

    I know, I know, you’ve probably heard this one before. I’m definitely not pressuring you to go vegetarian or vegan or anything. But something important to know is that the meat industry emits more CO2 than all cars on the road. So if you cut down to eating meat just 2 or at least 3 times a week, that will already make a huge difference!

    Example: I love the company Yves. This is my meal prep picture before making chilli that my girls and I love to eat. I still wish there weren’t any plastic-wrapped carrots and tomatoes, but again, not everyone has equal access to certain stores or can afford the stores where these sustainability practices can be embraced. But do tell the store or manager any chance you can. There should not be plastic packaging anymore!

    3. Reuse glass jars/bottles

    Think about the number of glass jars and bottles you buy and throw out in a year. Now think about how many times they might have come in handy for storing food, drinks, or any other random items. Think hard before throwing out your used jars because the possibilities are literally endless!

    4. Bring your reusable shopping bags! Use Reusable Masks!

    This is the most sustainable way to bring your groceries home and keep yourself and others safe! Also, it prevents the new polluter now, masks, from being thrown all over the streets, parks and other public places instead of being put in the recycling or garbage. So reusable bags and masks, will not only stop you from using plastic bags and save you tons of money, but you also won’t contribute to the energy and pollution coming from manufacturing a plastic grocery bag and those disposable masks!

    5. Reduce your paper towel usage

    It’s no secret that most people use paper towels like crazy. I get that it may be difficult to stop using them altogether at first, so try to use just one sheet instead of two next time. And always keep a dish towel in your kitchen for wiping down your hands, counter or dishes. I use old t-shirts, socks, or you can get dish towels from the dollar store. Use your imagination!

    6. Don’t use plastic straws

    I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of pictures of straws stuck in the bodies of poor marine animals by now. Plastic straws can literally be fatal to them. I haven’t been using them because I carry my own reusable ones. Here is the brand for the ones I use. ❤

    7. Opt for paperless billing

    Physical letters from banks are such an unnecessary waste of paper, fuel, time, and energy! Especially since you can get all the info you need online. So if you can do without them, definitely let your bank, phone company and any other company that needs to send you something by mail, send things by email if they have this option available. Or let them know that you don’t want to receive useless paper because it is not good for the environment.

    8. Sell/Donate/Recycle your old clothing

    Textile waste is HUGE, especially with the rise of fast fashion. So next time you’re done with your clothing, try to dispose of them in the most responsible way possible. After all, some people might be thrilled to have some awesome pieces of clothing that are just lying around in your closet collecting dust.

    9. Take advantage of the natural light

    Try doing most of your reading, writing, or anything that requires light, while the sun is still up high. You’ll save on your electricity bills and save the planet at the same time!

    10. Turn off the water more often when you shampoo/shave/brush your teeth

    This one I’m sure we’re all guilty of. I’ll admit, I used to love standing in the shower enjoying the warmth for even up to 30 minutes sometimes! But simply reducing the amount of time you keep the water running and turning it off when you don’t necessarily need it, will go a long way. Also, taking baths reduces stress, and you use the same amount of water, therefore you save water to wash yourself with and you are embracing self-care with a nice relaxing bath. Win-win for you and your planet!

    11. Wash your hair less often

    I personally went from washing my hair nearly every single day (curly hair life) to just once a week and I’ve been loving it! Here is my reel embracing this change. It will take some time to get used to, but in the long term, you’ll save tons of water, products, and packaging. Plus, it’s much healthier for your hair to wash it less often.

    12. READ MORE less TV or IPAD.

    If you’re a bookworm like me, then you know there’s nothing more amazing than reading any chance you can! Grabbing a new novel and then enjoying it with a cup of tea. But why not visit the library next time? Honestly, I can’t wait until I can go back and enjoy a good day in the library. Here in my city we can go but only stay for 60 mins… And only to grab not many books. However, remember we have a bookshop affiliate that helps us and other local bookstore. Enjoy reading! 

    13. Turn off the lights when you don’t need them

    Seriously, turning off the light when you leave the room is definitely not a huge inconvenience. And you’ll be surprised how much cheaper your electricity bill will be!

    14. Don’t use pesticides on your lawn

    A perfect lawn is certainly not worth risking your health and polluting the environment. Pesticides used on lawns have been linked to so many serious and deadly diseases that it’s just not worth it. Check out this article by Global Healing on natural pesticide ideas instead.

    Yep! so there you have it! 14 absolutely costless ways to live more sustainably. There are more, and I can’t wait to keep on finding it and sharing this journey with you too. It’s really the simple things that make a difference. And as you can tell, not only will you help the environment, you’ll also save loads of money. And honestly, who don’t want to save money and improve their health plus their planet during a world pandemic? Also keep connecting with others? Sharing your experiences can inspire others and we can all grow together. So there’s literally not a single reason NOT to follow these 14 steps I listed here.

    I hope you enjoyed this article and that you found the advice valuable. Please let me know what you think in the comments and also what you’d like to read about sustainability, climate change, creativity through adversity, Parenting, and/or creative writing in the future!

    Be kind to your planet, to you and others. Leave me in the comments which one is your favorite to do so far and if you have more to recommend. We highly appreciate it ❤

    Thank you for your support!

    Love and Light,

    _AO.

    If you liked this blog make sure to subscribe, follow us, leave us what you think in the comments (let’s start real conversations) and share it with someone that needs to read this today. Edited by Vanessa H ❤

    ★ Support us on BookShop by reading 🙂 and help other bookstores too!

    You can view and read the journey : IG, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Thrive Global, HITRECORD and of course, here 🙂

    Where are we going next? Podcast @your_story_matters and bringing solutions with other change makers, leaders plus amplifying those who are voiceless. Creativity for intergenerational justice unleashed. Stay tuned!

    10 days ago #GiveBack, Anti-Racism Matters, Culture, Health & Wellness, Life Wisdom, Social Justice, Sustainability Matters

    Enough with #thanksgiving tradition that celebrates genocide and white supremacy. #indigenouslivesmatter

    Originally published: Medium

    Today October 12, in 1492 in human history. It marked the day Indigenous people discovered a man who was lost at sea, and landed in the Americas believing he was arriving in India. They took him in, and in their rich economy and culture they gave gifts and offered this man and his crew food and shelter. Their economy was a culture of reciprocity. Something the white settlers here in America and all around the world, when met with indigenous wisdom refused to reciprocate. 

    In the white cultures — focused on praising thought and individualism over collectivism and spirituality, there has always being limited beliefs at the core of their understanding of the world, where only few linear action were possible: to take, to appropriate and to conquer. 

    And so they did.

    “On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, with three small ships, the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina. On October 12, the expedition reached land, probably Watling Island in the Bahamas. Later that month, Columbus sighted Cuba, which he thought was mainland China, and in December the expedition landed on Hispaniola, which Columbus thought might be Japan. He established a small colony there with 39 of his men. The explorer returned to Spain with gold, spices, and “Indian” captives in March 1493 and was received with the highest honors by the Spanish court. He was the first European to explore the Americas since the Vikings set up colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland in the 10th century.” source: History

    Taking without reciprocating to the Earth and to Indigenous and Black communities around the world is terrorism. From people, tribes, cultures, ancient wisdoms as a glorified act of theft and genocide has being celebrate for the past 500 years and call it “Thanksgiving”, “4th july”, “Canada day” “columbus day”. These “holidays”, traditions and practices are rooted into white supremacy, anti blackness and non indigenous as result of colonization. It’s time for change and it starts with institutions, policies and our government. 

    “Academicians, politicians, all the people that are supposed to be guiding this country say you’ve got to be neutral. As soon as I started looking at that word neutral and what it meant, it became very obvious to me there can be no such thing as neutrality. It’s a code word for the existing system…. Neutrality is just following the crowd. Neutrality is just being what the system asks us to be. Neutrality, in other words, was an immoral act.”

    – Myles Horton, co-founder of the Highlander Folk School, an incubator for the formation of the U.S. civil rights movement

    This became a glorified culture of supremacy, of greatness, and has infected the souls of many. Especially those who lack access to proper education. Racism, capitalism and white supremacy are human conditioned and programed diseases. These are the results of an unjust and unequal systems that benefits a specific race, gender, social, demographic or higher economic status while the rest are left to fend for themselves. These systems are deadly and unsustainable for all of us and this planet. We all know it by now thanks to a world pandemic and climate change impacts; we are experiencing in our countries. We have 3 months until 2021. Let’s not go through next year without a plan and better understanding of how to change internally and our external environments. WE are in this together. 

    Remember : Not teaching students about the historic injustices of indigenous people face as a result of colonialism is a conscientious erasure of history that benefits the government. Therefore, intergenerational trauma healing and decolonizing our minds is how we can take our power back and show others how to do the same. _AO

    For all the educators out there, who care and want to teach the right history to children, even if your school organization and their policies do not let you. It doesn’t matter. Tell the truth above all, you know better by now. Their system is racists and is meant to keep those who are oppressing the most vulnerable in power. It is your duty as a teacher and parents to guide the future generation and empower them with the truth. As citizen of this planet and environmentalist women of color. I will be teaching this to my children and will be covering more of this on my YouTube channel and podcast along other BIPOC leaders and activist for the youth generation. Thank you for your support, your comments, sharing our work and subscribe to our monthly newsletter so my team and I can continue to provide more educational content and help others stay inspire, creative, sustainable and spiritually conscious as much as we can. 

    For now, here is a cool way to start, by using geography as your beacon. 😉 https://native-land.ca/ Use this link to find native, indigenous territories that were there before, during colonization (invasion) and what they are called today in this colonized era that now we are (I hope) trying to dismantle and break free from. This link was giving to us during my climate reality project training by Indigenous queens and kings who also taught us valuable lessons. I hope this can give you a sense of where we have come from and what topics to study from real history (fact check and keep the books that lie and add plus share the real story). Let’s be the type of humans of the world we want our nature spirit to continue to live on. 

    The linear understanding is sterile in its root and isn’t natural to our existence on this planet. Ancient wisdom was stolen, erased and rewritten to serve a prefered group or race. But nature, our own included are not forgotten. I mean, we are in the middle of a world pandemic trying not only to survive, but also going through an awakening, to the reality that we all have been conditioned to believe is just and is the right way. But by now, you know is not true. So, what you do when you know the truth? 

    As Martin Luther King, Jr.said:

    “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

    Our souls cannot forget. I know I cannot. The day my father told me where his family came from and my mother read me the Tainos story when I was 7 years old. How they were genocide, women were raped and children were murder or trade for slavery. That’s when I understood, that I had a choice and my parents were giving me that with education. I’m thankful for my parents insistence into learn real history and to always question the status quo. Because real stories do exist and are not all written in books. It’s crazy that it took a world pandemic and a movement to realize that we were all lie to in school. Now is our job, to make sure that the younger generations do not learn this 500 years bs and are giving the right tools to learn the real history. 

    It must be re-written, especially now. 

    As you read this you know deep down, within you something is awaking. Let it rise. This is an universal intelligence awakening. In our blood, our ancestors memories cannot be erased. Don’t ever forget who we are and where we came from. And who’s real rights for these lands are. (the one you are on right now while you read this). 

    By collectively and in unity as human citizens, of this planet that’s our strength. Those who are opposing, are the supporters of a system that benefits them and they are using their 500 years of oppression and colonized language to gaslight those who are awake and ready to lead the way for truth, justice, sustainability and spiritually. 

    Don’t let them, they need you uneducated and not learning the real truth. Those who are in lockdown, instead of using your energy and time to hate and leave nasty comments on people who are speaking the truth and using their voice instead of remaining silent. Or worse gaslighting and use of violence to prove “right”. (a.k.a: colonized and white supremacy core traits) Please educate yourself, is embarrassing your behavior and your ignorance is killing people too. 

    We just added books I’ve read when I was younger about the Tainos, books you should read for you and for children and other Indigenous authors stories. Educate yourself, learn to listen to understand and don’t waste your time on trying to defend a system that literally does not care about you or your rights. Remember, those who you are opposing and gaslighting right now, are fighting for your human rights too. 

    Here are my favorites :

    The Tainos: Rise and Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus (Revised)
    “A model of clarity and lightly worn erudition, and it contains the best and most straightforward description of the…bookshop.org

    Taino
    “Written” by Guaik n, the elderly Taino man who, in his youth, was adopted by Christopher Columbus and saw history…bookshop.org

    Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491
    A companion book for young readers based on 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, the groundbreaking…bookshop.org

    People of the Longhouse
    Six hundred years ago in what would become the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, five Iroquois tribes…bookshop.org

    The Dawn Country: Book Two of the People of the Longhouse Series
    The epic tale that began in People of the Longhouse continues in this second book of the thrilling new Iroquois quartet…bookshop.org

    Anacaona: The Golden Flower Queen
    Anacaona lived during the time of Christopher Columbus. She was a Taina, a native from Quisqueya, the island that today…bookshop.org

    Imperial Subjects: Race and Identity in Colonial Latin America
    In colonial Latin America, social identity did not correlate neatly with fixed categories of race and ethnicity. As…bookshop.org

    The Women of Colonial Latin America
    In this second edition of her acclaimed volume, The Women of Colonial Latin America, Susan Migden Socolow has revised…bookshop.org

    For Kids and adults: 

    https://bookshop.org/a/11781/9780942961201

    Much controversy remains in the school system over Columbus’s legacy and which holiday should be celebrated. Children in schools have been taught about Christopher Columbus as a hero, but the book Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, presents an argument that children should also be taught about the truth of what Christopher Columbus started and what affect his actions had upon the native people of the Americas.[30] Rethinking Columbus offers counter narratives to the Eurocentric view of American history that is typically taught in American schools.[30] Furthermore, books like Rethinking Columbus allow students to interpret the history of the Americas in their own way after having multiple perspectives to reflect upon.

    Morning Girl
    Winner of the Scott O’Dell Award, this moving and poetic fictional story follows two Ta no siblings and their life in…bookshop.org

    Children of the Longhouse
    When Ohkwa’ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk…bookshop.org

    Youth and adult read:

    “all the Real Indians Died Off”: And 20 Other Myths about Native Americans
    Unpacks the twenty-one most common myths and misconceptions about Native Americans In this enlightening book, scholars…bookshop.org

    An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States
    2015 Recipient of the American Book Award The first history of the United States told from the perspective of…bookshop.org

    Why Race and Culture Matter in Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap in America’s Classrooms
    Issues tied to race and culture continue to be a part of the landscape of America’s schools and classrooms. Given the…bookshop.org

    There are more out there. Do your own research. Please, share in the comments if you have more books, articles, Indigenous authors we can add here. 

    These are just some I’ll be reading and some I’ve read already thought you could read in your journey of decolonizing your mind daily while surfing … I mean surviving ( my soul misses the ocean, what do you miss the most during these times?) through a world pandemic. 

    This is some brain food to keep things in perspective plus keep ourselves awake. Honestly, the truth is painful to digest and can’t imagine living through it. Honoring my ancestors today, because they sacrifice so much, so we can now enjoy the rights that they fought so hard for us to have now. Especially, women. 

    Just keep in mind that knowing the truth, is liberation. Reading and education are their own form of revolution. Sharing what you learned through books, listing to someone’s life experience and understanding their struggles. Helping in any way, shape or form; reciprocity are act of kindness that can help your planet and liberate those who are being silence and oppressed. Especially those who do not believe they are slaves to the old system therefore they betray their own people for the sake of “neutrality”. Not knowing they just condemn their own people, by not using their power and their voice. By remaining silent and supporting the oppressors is how we all lose. By not changing and adapting, resisting to “normal” when that wasn’t normal. 

    Liberation comes with sacrifices, resilience and massive dedication to find the truth while living through adversity. 

    Movements create changes. Earth’s history and nature teaches us this everyday. Without friction there is no growth. So always remember that Books are there to learn about the past, stories are written to enhance imagination in order to keep moving forward. Taking care of our bodies, minds and spirits is vital for humanity survival (mental health is everyday, not just one day of recognition) and keeping constant learning mindset. It can and will set you free. Stay determined, be kind and keep your focus. Love is the new money. 

    Happy reading and learning! if this is the first time you’ve heard about this and you thought that “thanksgiving’ is really this fairy tale story about celebrating with lots of food and giving thanks for all the things you already have. 

    First, I hope you are doing that everyday and not just for some white washing and colonial holiday. I hope that you also know, this day also represents genocide, murder, slavery, rape, murder of innocent people that didn’t know what was coming by saving this asswipe and letting him in, helping him and his 39 crew of men… And look where that act of kindness got the Tainos and all Indigenous People for the next 500 years and still going unless we all do something about it. #Indigenouslivesmatter

    We need to listen to a wider range of voices. We need to hear from those whose lands and rights were taken away by those who “discovered” them. Their stories, too often suppressed, tells very clearly their 500 years of courageous struggle and the life wisdom the native ancestors have left behind for all of us to learn, remember and honor their sacrifice. Understanding what really happened to them in 1492 is key to understanding why people suffer the same injustices today.

    Be kind to your planet, to you and others. Leave me in the comments which one is your favorite book so far and if you have more to recommend. We highly appreciate it ❤ 

    Thank you for your support!

    Love and Light,

    _AO.

    If you liked this blog make sure to subscribe, follow us, leave us what you think in the comments (let’s start real conversations) and share it with someone that needs to read this today.

    ★ Support us on BookShop by reading 🙂 and help other bookstores too!

    You can view and read the journey : IG, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Thrive Global, HITRECORD and of course, here 🙂

    Where are we going next? Podcast @your_story_matters and bringing solutions with other change makers, leaders plus amplifying those who are voiceless. Creativity for intergenerational justice unleashed. Stay tuned!

    1 month ago Anti-Racism Matters, Culture, Life Wisdom, Social Justice, WritersYepper's Journeys

    Also, child sex trafficking, harvesting money and androchrome in order to stay healthy, rich and young. It’s enough, we know the truth. 

    Originally publish on Medium.

    Photo by Gokil This is from Batam City, Indonesia. 

    Yep, while the world is getting worse, the wealthiest males are benefitting from inequality and abusing their power over women, children, and minorities. Those who are voiceless are suffering and dying more during a world pandemic. 2020 is the most exhausting, draining and deadly year for most of us.

    I’m not saying that all men are bad, I love men and those who go above and beyond for their women, sisters, mothers, I see you. Not all fall into the “system”. However, if you are a male reading this, you also should know and be very aware of how you, in your workplace, applying to get a new apartment or planning to buy a house, applying for a new job, getting whatever you want, is readily available to you just because you are a man. Moreso, if you are a white man.

    Others get more by silently using violence and abuse towards women or their children. The fear that runs deeper than systemic racism is older than 400 years. It’s so toxic that now we are finally awake to recognize this during a world pandemic and we are experiencing a racism awakening. That sexism and patriarchy are one. That capitalism exists and is able to survive, and continue to create chaos, destruction, war and death. It’s because the main function of this entire “system” is designed by white supremacists, patriarchs and narcissistic abusers who were/are still now racist AF.

    It all started with a bunch of documentaries on Netflix that we all watched during quarantine. We educated ourselves, watched less news, practised more self-care, tried to rest (most of us can’t even afford to, but we try), we dug deeper into what’s really going on and read more books. Before quarantine, we learned about the Harvey Weinstein Trial. Epstein was finally caught and then “killed himself” before he was going to be convicted. The R.Kelly trial, documentary and finding those videos…we all have access to enough evidence for this guy to rot in jail. Or honestly, my personal opinion, Harvey, Epstein and Kelly should have their balls cut off. Some may say it’s inhumane, well, so is a grown man putting his wiener on a little child’s private parts. 13–15 years old, that’s still a child, let alone forcing them into marriage. That’s patriarchy BS, I don’t care what anybody has to say. Then, we find out that R.Kelly’s trial is still being delayed and that to this day, he still holds power over women and is still making money while he’s in jail. Oh, and he was found not guilty even though we all know he really is.

    Then, finding out all the victims from the #metoo movement, more evidence is starting to surface about Epstein Island and Maxwell’s involvement, to all the others who were also guests of these so-called “Cult party rituals”, getting children (underage girls and boys), sexually abusing them and doing all kinds of atrocities to them that we probably can’t even imagine. To the survivors who are finally coming forward, you are so brave, and just know that this was not your fault. Forcing someone to have sex, is rape. Period.

    I’m literally not in as bad a place as I thought I might be. I mean I don’t live with cockroaches anymore. That’s a win! But I’m living and learning through not having a permanent address yet. And literally, I’m on my 154th refused apartment application in the last 2 months (today I got another refusal because the landlord does not want kids in the building anymore), and I’m still being denied the opportunity to fill out other applications to at least get a chance, just like everyone else who applies. An equal right, to at least be able to fill an application for a potential place to live with my daughters.

    Some tenants let me fill up the application but they don’t even take the time to let me know that I wasn’t accepted. Others stay with the deposit money, even though you have to guess that the application was refused. They don’t believe that a single mom, woman, latina has her own business and is self-employed. They ask me to show them my personal bank account and my business account before I’m even halfway done with the application. Even on the phone, they haven’t met me yet, but just because I say “I’m a single mom, with two toddlers and I’m self-employed”, they denied me the simple act to even go see the apartment. Therefore, as a result, looking for a place to live is like trying to find a needle in a crowded gentrificated, privileged and prejudiced haystack.

    This is a systemic racism, sexism, and patriarchy cocktail male party that they forgot to teach women. But hey, ladies, sending you positive vibes and hoping you send me some too. Feminine spirit guidance and luck in finding a place to live so I can continue writing, creating more content for you all, editing podcast episodes, writing more books and poems and getting them ready to publish already! (been writing and editing any chance I get) Been working on my paintings and designs (working on my online store any chance I get, soon collaborating with other artists) and just creating and helping others on their journeys. Whether it’s with writing, content creation, design, painting, photography and brand/marketing consulting. For now, I’ll be working from my sister’s, looking for more apartments, and working on raising loving and educated daughters. Thank you all for your support, subscribing, liking, commenting, sharing our work and helping a single mom sustain my daughters’ future.

    I’ve been asked if I could mentor or coach, and the answer is: I would love to teach and make people laugh one day. So if that’s related to mentoring then count me in. However, since I’m not yet an expert at these traits (work in progress) I’ll make it a challenge of mine to work on, in the future months after my parenting book is published (announcing date soon). For now, I’ll be updating you all through here and on WritersYep.

    Either way, enough about how my life sucks because I know others have it way worse. Especially children living in vulnerable conditions and being traded, abused, sex trafficked and forced into slave labor.

    Now in Quebec, children are forced to go back to school, or youth services will be knocking on our doors if our healthy children are not going to school in the middle of a pandemic (already the city is getting ready for a second wave). Meanwhile not even private schools (which FYI half of our taxes go to), can make sure the children are safe. Can you imagine public schools? But yes, they simply don’t care about our kids. I recently did a live giving some tips and asking for other parents and teachers to reach out.

    I’ll be releasing another video blog about how I’ve been training and helping my girls get ready for what’s to come and to expect. Teaching them survival tips to stay alive going to school in the middle of a world pandemic is traumatic and they don’t have the ability, as we had a lifetime to cope with dumb stuff. Children, teens and those going to school and working at the same time, right now, are having a much harder time making it out alive, mentally, emotionally and physically than we all did 20–50 years ago. Let’s be realistic here and keep in consideration our children’s wellbeing, for once. We are the by-product of our ancestors, but we can change the pattern. It’s always been our choice. The question is, which side of history would you be on in the next decade?

    They need us all to get back to slave working regardless of the consequences and the psychological trauma that most kids, teachers and staff will endure in the next months. Nobody is talking about what kind of mental health support will be given to those faced with the fact that their teachers, friends and staff, could get the virus and then 14 days later, realize that they didn’t survive. Also, who is in charge of hiring these so-called “monitors” that we parents have to pay extra for in order for them to watch over our kids during lunch time only? The rules and plans (so vague and disregarding of children rights it’s scary) have been put out there, along with a recent open letter that reveals that 151 doctors and physicians strongly oppose sending kids to school and that online courses should be a priority.

    Back-to-school plan inadequate, Montreal doctors and scientists say in letter to Quebec

    But it is mandatory that kids stay away from each other, stay and eat their lunch at their desks the whole day like prisoners. The US right now and how they are handling school openings can give us all a very clear indication of where we will be in the number of deaths in the next few months before this year ends. This whole year has already been traumatic for most of us. Now, we are enforcing more trauma in order to get people to pay bills and value money more than their health and their families. Great fucking system and city…not really.

    On Sunday, Quebec reported 74 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the province to 61,673.

    The provincial Health Department added one more death for which the date was unknown to bring that total to 5,740. The province says 54,682 people have recovered from the virus.

    Hospitalizations were down seven to 117, of which 14 remain in intensive care — a decrease of two from the previous day. Here are the stats, which you should also pay attention to (surprisingly the city that has the highest taxes in Canada, can’t be held accountable to proper data records) these stats are late and there is a lot of inconsistency…

    This is why diverse race data is also important. There is a big gap between those who can afford to work from home and those who can’t due to working in essential services. Or they are parents who have children with disabilities, people with chronic illnesses, people who live with mental illness but can’t afford not to go to work. The racial disproportion and inequality can be crystal clear if data were actually properly done and distributed to its citizens. It is us humans paying taxes right? Let’s not forget that the government works for us. We are the people and we need to use our voices. Especially now, let’s speak for those who are voiceless while we still can.

    My team and I are very grateful for and proud to support an initiative and platform designed for the people and it can be contributed to by the people. Montreal businessman, founder of Influence Orbis and really good friend, Thierry Lindor, has collaborated with the Federation of Black Canadians (FBC) and the Cote-des-Neiges Black Community association (CDNBCA) to launch Colors of Covid — diverse data matters.

    This was a response to the absence of race-based data that I’ve mentioned above that is not clear in the Quebec Covid-19 status online. This digital solution was created by Lindor’s team and it takes a few minutes to answer the questionnaire, which combined with a geo positioning algorithm, can collect valuable data information regarding the lives of individuals in Canada’s most vulnerable and marginalized communities right now. This is why I’m inviting you all (if you live in Canada) to take 2 mins of your time and do this survey: https://thecolorsofcovid.com/

    Image credit: The Color Of Covid.

    “Join us in holding our elected officials accountable by painting a clear picture of the most vulnerable and voiceless members of our society.”

     – Manifesto of Colors of Covid

    It’s just reality that the most wealthy people who are involved don’t want you to believe or see what’s really going on. It’s sad that most conspiracy theories are true but they are called “fake lies”, so people don’t feel uncomfortable or so their “fake reality bubble” doesn’t burst by the realization that we are not as free as we are all led to believe. Unless you are a millionaire and have been building wealth for yourself before this year, you are not free and unfortunately, these systems were designed that way in order for a part of the population to benefit more than another part. That’s inequality, mixed with white supremacy, racism and sexism = capitalism. Perhaps this chart can explain it better than words:

     Do you see why we need to decolonize our minds, parenting, education, fucking fight for human rights in order to move on and create economic, social and equal opportunities for all and build more unified communities (defund the police) as humans living on this planet? 

    Equality, Black Lives Matter, Diversity Data, Climate change and Basic Human Rights movement; it’s what we are fighting for this year since COVID-19 started. 

    “Anti-racism work takes more than six months of performance. It’s a daily practice. It’s a constant reflection upon the way we walk through the world and how we see ourselves and others in it.” by Elyse Cizek from No, The BLM Movement is Not a Cover-Up for Elite Child Sex Trafficking, MaybeYou’re Just Racist. (Amazing, healing and educational read highly recommend). 

    Photo by Tess 

    Which Populations Are Most Vulnerable to the Coronavirus Pandemic?

    Women are most affected by pandemics — lessons from past outbreaks

    Most conspiracy theories are actually mostly true… Especially the ones that we will NOT believe humans are capable of. Those are the ones that we say “Well, it’s not happening here, so it’s not my problem”. Just like when we were asked to wear a mask in order to keep others and yourself safe. It’s a lot for some people to be kind, have empathy and be less of an ass. It’s just easier to blame and not look within ourselves too. Let’s remember, that white supremacy and systemic oppression are not conspiracy theories. That change can only happen by taking small actions, looking within, and finding ways to understand our own personal (internal) obligations, duties, privileges and mistakes. But more importantly, once you start checking in with your own bias and healing from past traumas (working process), you will recognize that we are all capable of evil as we are of doing good. I believe that some people have lived in their own comfortable ignorance for so long, that their privilege and power keeps them in the comfort of self-righteous individuals. And those who inherited more money, it’s just a bonus. Because let’s keep things clear. Money can be good but it also can corrupt and change a person.

    I know there is a saying that people don’t change. Well, let me tell you that’s the biggest lie that person is telling you, because people absolutely change if they didn’t work for their money or they made themselves millionaires. However, I know that most people can’t control themselves. “I can’t help myself… Here’s $20 bucks and let me touch you down there..” Or “Here is $50 for that 16 year old for one night, and here another $20 for you to keep this quiet”. Or “I have never had sexual relations with that woman”… But it turns out he did and also raped teenage girls on Epstein Island. But it’s all conspiracy theories right?

    Racism is so deeply rooted in our society, that it’s going to take us a while to dismantle and recognize our own white washing, supremacy and racism education that we were taught. I hope schools and history books are already being re-made and re-written. If not, well, let’s start a petition for that, yes? I have written about it here. It’s never too late to re-learn and adjust to the new information being provided. I know I still have a lot to work on too. Always question and do your own research. But I will suggest learning how to listen. Grateful for my daughters for this. I’m learning through homeschooling my girls, the skill of listening to understand. And that life lessons and real life education starts from home. That’s why parenting is hard. Because it is work that forces us to work from within and out. Our children show us what we often do, and don’t want to be reminded of, but we must. Kids are authentically and unapologetically themselves. They are not conditioned unless we and external outcomes affect them.

    Inequality + Privilege

    There are things I’ve been finding in my semi-homeless journey (living with my little sister until further notice, glad your reading up to this point 🙂). That a lot! Of us get and benefits plus privilege from inequality. That you get a lot of amounts of opportunities than other people don’t have just because of the color of your skin. Simple… how insane is that? Right?!

    Well, is harder when you have to explain it to your own light skin siblings, cousins, family and friends and they still don’t get what you are talking about when you explained your experiences as a brown-skin-dominican women and now single mom. 

    We are one, we have red blood and we are all born alone and die alone. So might as well try to figure shit out soon because pretty soon, we are all going to be forced to work, our children are going to be forced into prison schools and police brutality is increasing while we are all trying to survive a worldwide pandemic. Also, we are being deprived of online school. Instead we are opening schools because some parents can’t handle working and homeschooling their kids. Others cannot afford it, others are out of jobs and need to find time to work in order to pay bills and bring food to the table. In other words, have self-discipline and teach it to your kids. Or the government should use part of our tax money and create an assistance program in the meantime, an aid system for parents who can’t work from home (essential workers and doctors) and need someone to watch over the kids and make sure they do their online classes. But no, in reality most parents here in this city, are narcissistic abusers taught by their predecessors.

    Montreal mother charged with second-degree murder after six-year-old daughter stabbed “This is the 11th homicide of the year in Montreal”… 

    Therefore, slaves for the elites to keep getting richer while the poor are suffering, dying, and essential workers are getting poorer thinking about whether their life will get any better or will they advance. It’s hard. Reality and the pain is hard to deal with so we should look away and find something else to entertain our minds… Keep the distractions, narcissistic ignorance, and privilege at all costs because it’s not personal. It’s just business and money, right?

    When is it enough?

    That’s what we should ask the greediest people in the world right now. They know they are and they need you distracted and not focused on taking their money to stop hunger and poverty. To help those in need when you know and the whole world knows how much you have in your bank account… While we also know how much it costs to eradicate inequality, hunger, poverty, child sex trafficking, reduce the number of suicides by providing mental health support services during these times… nah, it’s not their problem. Meanwhile, we are the ones that make all these corporations, brands we love… we just can’t help ourselves. That’s prejudice +privilege = White supremacy + mental slavery.

    These moments right now are our history, which is being recorded and written, because it’s time to correct and unlearn BS taught by a bunch of dudes who where disgusting rapists and murders but they have money, so they also paid or wrote themselves history books and corrected what really happened in the past and with our ancestors. It’s a discovery and a journey to still dig and do what’s right. Write it how it was supposed to be and re-write the truth even if it makes others uncomfortable. We need to know the consequences of letting patriarchy, white supremacy, and secret “cults” run the world and decide the fate of people’s lives. That some humans deserved better than others and created a competition mindset so deep that we divided and degraded our own human rights for more profit and a planet running out of its resources ahead of time. Climate change is making its mark while we are also surviving a pandemic and the sad but true story of the aftermath of colonialism, white supremacy, racism and capitalism. These are dug deep, and we must take our own scissors and start digging and cutting out these beliefs embedded within us. We have to. Humans and those who are voiceless depend on it. Remember, individualism is a lie and some people benefit and profit from those lies we tell ourselves and let others believe. Equality, health, safety (community — enough of the police brutality. It’s time to defund police and invest in the people) and better education are basic human rights. Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, Trans, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, Black-Brown women and childrens lives matter. They always have and always will. Stay awake and real. 

    Hope this helps, stay safe, wear your masks, be kind to your planet, to YOU and to OTHERS.

    *Remember we are still raising money for Lebanon, Beirut. The first $10,000 will go to Save the Children Lebanese Relief Fund. Here is why.

    Here is the link: https://gf.me/u/ynwzwz (Donate here)

    Thank you for your support!

    Love and Light,

    _AO.

    If you liked this blog make sure to subscribe, follow us, leave us what you think in the comments (let’s start real conversations) and share it with someone that needs to read this today.

    Edited by Vanessa H❤

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    All Rights Reserved to WritersYep ©

    2 months ago Anti-Racism Matters, Culture, Health & Wellness, Life Wisdom, Mental Health, Social Justice, Yeppin

    That’s a clear indication to walk away and find new people who appreciate you. 

    Originally published Medium

    Life is a journey and a constant process for growth. I came across the following quote the other day: 

    “Real growth is when you start checking & correcting yourself. Instead of blaming others, you take responsibility for your decisions!”

    Truer words have never been spoken. None of us are perfect, but we all have the potential to choose when to change toxic patterns that we know, or have been told by our loved ones (those who really matter and have been telling you multiple times of a certain behaviour you should work on.) When we are aligned with our true selves, we can recognize the bad, and take the first few steps to dismantle and grow into a better you. 

    We are all a working process so don’t rush your inner creative work, and be kind. Be grateful that you at least have people tell you when you’re being an a** or that you are wrong. It’s okay to make mistakes, because that’s how you grow. Nobody gets to personally develop without going through difficult situations. Trust me – I’ve learned this the hard way. Which is why I’m begging you to look from within and work on your inner darkness, and not blame the world or hurt the people you love because you cannot deal with your own toxic and unhealed behaviours. If you don’t have anything that you think you need to work on, then there is the possibility that you need to do some self-reflection.

    This culture and era we are living in has brought that to light too. We are all struggling, and connected. But also, we have developed more narcissistic personality disorder traits that are rooted in our genes since colonialism. However, it is being disguised by the media, news, movies, and all social media universes. You may have your own opinion of if you think that’s true or not. But again, a narcissistic is always right, and they always have ways to distort reality. Here is a little bit of information for you to take your time and educate yourself. Also, here is how it’s associated with systemic racism, environmental racism, slavery, inequality, individualism, and sexism during a world pandemic. 

    Here are 5 ways to begin to dismantle the idea of normal that you have to fit in a “society or for narcissistic individuals”, rather than just work on getting better yourself; emotionally, physically, spiritually, and most importantly right now, financially. Let’s help each other out and grow out of what “society” and this toxic culture is trying to keep us in so others that are privileged and wealthy can still benefit from our struggles and insecurities. Let’s focus on our minds, and becoming a better human for our better future selves and those who come after us. Let me know if you have more to add into the following list in the comments.

    1. Stop comparing yourself to others.
    2. Take accountability for your actions and decisions. Blaming others is a toxic waste of time and space. Also, it’s a colonized mindset.
    3. Ignore negative people, vibes, and environment. Personal growth and a healthy mindset requires separation.
    4. “It’s not personal, it’s just business “. Do you ever wonder why when you hear these words that your subconscious always gives you a brief image in your mind, or feeling in your soul of being colonized. I don’t know if my white people see that when you use or hear the phrase. But I know people of color, or those who have been marginalized, oppressed, all see it and feel that way. That’s why we are honouring our ancestors for all the bs that we’ve been through for 500 years. If this bothers you, check your privilege.
    5. Use creativity through adversity and believe in yourself no matter what.

    Remember, you are loved, you are your spouse and your best friend to yourself first.

    That’s your first commitment. Because you have to deal with yourself from the moment you wake up until you sleep. And this life is not long, and we don’t know what happens to us when we die. So make sure you are doing good on this side while you are still alive; that people love you and remember you are as a good, happy, and loving person. Not by being an a**hole who made money all his life, but his/her family hated them, had no friends and nobody showed up to their funeral. That’s rough. Nobody remembers the a**wipe who spent their life making others miserable. Nobody cares if you had a billion dollars in your bank account, or a mansion, or own an island. Nobody cares for materialistic crap you possess because those don’t matter. Lives Matter. HUMANITY RIGHTS MATTER. 

     Values, integrity, honesty, kindness, compassion, love and how you treat people is what people remember. Not what you own. So remember that next time you decide to judge, gaslight or bully people just because their realness bothers you. Next time, ask yourself why it bothers you before you tell someone “you are not normal”. Heck yeah! That’s a good thing. By being different, you are living and you are free. What’s wrong with that? When did we make it a crime for a person to be not following the crowd and not conforming with the status quo? Keep in mind that there are the who/why some benefits from us not being our authentic selves. 

    Hope this helps, stay safe, wear your masks, be kind to your planet, to YOU and to OTHERS. 

    Remember we are still raising money for Lebanon, Beirut. The first 10,000 will go to Save the Children Lebanese Relief Fund. Here is why.

    Here is the link: https://gf.me/u/ynwzwz (Donate here)

    Thank you for your support!

    Love and Light,

    _AO.

    If you liked this blog make sure to subscribe, follow us, leave us what you think in the comments (let’s start real conversations) and share it with someone that needs to read this today.

    Edited by EP❤

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    All Rights Reserved to WritersYep ©

    2 months ago Entrepreneurship, Health & Wellness, Life Wisdom, Money, Yeppin

    Let go of the old and embrace the good with the bad.

    Originally published Medium.

    It’s a brutal world but I’m grateful for life, resilience, and love. Embracing vulnerability is not a weakness. It’s only a problem to those who are not meant to be in your life, those who profit and benefit from your silent struggles, and those who have power over you.

    We’ve been so conditioned and programmed that even when you know the government and its education, and political system is corrupted with capitalism, white supremacy, the police force, and corrupt corporations, we still believe in our government… even when we know that it’s killing and degrading BIPOC (means Black, indigenous, and people of color), Asians, LGBTQ, women, children’s lives…

    In this blog post today and moving forward, I want to let my readers, subscribers, and followers know that I’ll be writing and creating content on the good and the bad. No BS. Why? Because it is better to be your authentic self than to fake it.

    Because nobody is happy all the freaking time. Nobody is living their “best life” during a worldwide pandemic… unless you’re a billionaire… (*cough*) WORLD’S BILLIONAIRES LIST.

    Jeff Bezos you are a real piece of work man, can you please take some of those billions and reduce the amount of plastic waste in Amazon packaging. To the rest of the humans on this list as well, be kind and start giving to those who need it the most during these times. Human suffering is not by choice, it’s designed, conditioned, and maintained by those with a lot of wealth, greed, lack of empathy and power. Karma is a bitch, those billions won’t save you in the afterlife.

    Keep in mind, even the richest people are f’ed up in the head and they know it. But “don’t rush, nobody is posting their failures”, right? That’s why social media channels have been creating mental health issues for most of us for over a decade now. Especially those struggling with self discipline, working from home, those who choose not to workout everyday, those who binge eat, take drugs or alcohol, watch Netflix, or spend hours scrolling through all channels of social media… just to cope with reality.

    There are a lot of people right now suffering from serious mental illness, health issues, financial depression, going through rough stuff… and we are supposed to ignore all the suffering and pain of others. And because it’s not “social media, news, entertainment, and unrealistic expectations” it’s not ‘aesthetic enough’…

    “We have become ignorant of the truth because it is better to believe in a lie than face the reality.” A.O

    I’m done. No mas. Humans need a reality check every now and then. Not only through showing in the ”news” what’s really going on with the world and us. It’s time to change this and it starts with our platforms and networks.

    There is a section in the book Dare to Lead by Brene Brown (love this book), #12 Armored Leadership. “When worthiness is a function of productivity, we lose the ability to pump the brakes: the idea of doing something that doesn’t add to the bottom line provokes stress and anxiety.” Then she explains the Daring leadership of Armored, as modeling and supporting rest, play, and recovery are essential core values that enhance creativity and innovation.

    This I can relate to by personal experience, and I started to apply this mindset into my daily routines and how I interact with people now. It has helped a lot into listening with understanding, and embracing more vulnerability which as a result, is helping me cope and heal during these times.

    So this “fake mentality” stigma that was trending before quarantine… it’s what I’m breaking here. If you’d like to join me and my team on this journey, awesome! Stay real, not superficial. Let’s create spaces where followers and subscribers feel good, value, understood, encouraged, and inspire others with the right mental and emotional support. That good comes with the bad. Physical support has become harder because of social distancing and wearing a mask! However, we should look at this as a way to relearn how to be more compassionate and empathetic since obviously we can now all agree… we have lost that.

    You are progressing when you are acknowledging your privilege and using it to help those who are voiceless: when you are wearing your mask, keeping your distance, washing your hands (often!) and encouraging others to embrace more solidarity rather than shaming and degrading each other. Remember, it IS a choice to continue not to educate yourself.

    Those who have been doing the inner and outer work, it’s alright, we can find our way back. Together. United and with our inner strength and spiritual guidance from our ancestors. And more importantly, stick with those communities and leaders that embrace the suck and still keep going, learning, making mistakes (we are human) and helping others along the way.

    Staying positive doesn’t mean you need to be happy all the time. It’s remaining strong despite the struggles of life, keeping a happy mindset, and continuing to believe that you can achieve anything when you put your mind, heart, and soul into it.

    Keep those close to you that are ready to make changes, no BS, and are putting out their reality of life with a little spice and flare 😜.

    Man, since I’ve been staying with my sister, writing ✍🏽has come back 🙏🏽❤️. My book is ready and will be published soon.That’s it with writing from notes on my phone while walking in the park near the Lachine canal to the subway. Still looking for apartments. 🤞🏽Wish me luck.

    Remember, stay home (It’s a privilege to have one), be safe, be kind to your planet 🌎, to you and others.

    Love, A.O. 🦋

    If you liked this blog make sure to subscribe, follow us, leave us what you think in the comments (let’s start real conversations) and share it with someone that needs to read this today.

    Edited by Vanessa❤

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    All Rights Reserved to WritersYep ©

    2 months ago Culture, Entrepreneurship, Life Wisdom, Money, Science & Environment, Yeppin

    Salud, Dinero y Mucho Amor ❤

    Originally published Medium.

    It seems like it is finally time to get back on track with our own finances and life. We need to start slowly getting into a routine that involves taking care of ourselves, and making sure others are safe too.

    We are all realizing the importance of our time and energy; that both need to be spent wisely.

    It’s important to try and find creative ways to keep a routine during the 24hrs of the day. Meaning, you can create a work-routine which will allow you to make money during either 16, 8 or 4 hours of the day. Yes, there are people I know that make money, consistently, per month, during that time-frame. However, they have also worked these hours for 10–20 years; building teams, and investing their time and money wisely. All with the goal that they will only have to work 4 hours per day. Don’t get discouraged, if they can do it so can you. Remember, it’s smart-work, and it comes from what you do daily. Do your best in anything you decide to do in your life: help your planet, recycle, reuse, reduce, eat healthy, exercise everyday, clean, declutter your space (so important), write, be grateful, take the time to be with family, friends, read, question everything and learn something new, make self-care a priority for your mental well-being, teach (if you can), and help others too.

    These are some of the few essential things for a happy life. Based on personal experience, I found that you can at least get some or most of these done daily, while also balancing your time with the constant external distractions. If you can commit to doing this, then you are on your way to building a healthy and sustainable life for yourself. These are the true diamonds and golds of life in order to find/create inner peace and happiness; take root and produce lovely and beautiful fruits. Meaning, time plus energy = giving back to yourself, families, friends, relationships, jobs, employers, your own business, your teams, and to organizations that you care about.

    The external distractions, if you are not careful, can prevent you from achieving your goals and dreams. To name a few: TV, gambling, social media, food, online shopping for things that you don’t need, video games, news, Netflix overload, sex, porn, abuse of alcohol, intense drugs, and so forth. I’m not saying these are all bad, however, some are just ridiculous to even think to do. Unbalanced consumption of these can be detrimental for your mind and body. I suggest to do everything mindfully and in moderation.

    Learning our limitations, taming our demons and controlling our bad habits, is inner work. Yep, the hardest type of work: self-discipline.This is why most of us don’t do it, or even avoid it at all costs. Then there is the 1% that work on themselves first before giving to the world. It’s clearly what this pandemic is forcing us all to acknowledge and that we need to work on.

    We are very aware these negative traits, as well as our need to think positive, are both essential parts of the human experience. The law of attraction and keeping our authentic vibration high are required in order to continue to live a prolonged, enjoyable, and healthy life. I know this is one of many life lessons that you won’t learn in school. Even though we should.

    Honestly, watching the one you love most dying a horrible death can wake you up in a lot of ways. Also, becoming a mother or a new parent. Children can teach us all, a lot. We are just too busy, or letting our egos and narcissistic behaviours make it acceptable to disrespect, ignore, disregard and sometimes allow abusive behaviour towards another human being who is defenseless and completely dependent on an “adult”.

    There is more where that came from in my parenting book (publishing very soon). For now, you are reading some of my pieces and can see the journey behind the story.

    I’ve been learning a lot during a pandemic. I have been keeping my mom happy, fed, cleaned, and safe on weekends (the only time I can see her). I took on the role as an educator by homeschooling my girls. I am looking for jobs, keeping clients, just sticking to writing more, working on our podcast, content creation, collaboration, helping my brothers and sisters, trying to get people aware of ICE, and that they are children living in cages right now. There are children being traded, trafficking, abuse and all kinds of human atrocities are being done right now.

    Yep, just to see what happens. If my voice, my teams, our communities’ voices could be heard, and by us sticking together with a common goal and mission. What happens if communities were to unite and work as one to create a healthy, sustainable and financial wealth network? To create a space not damaged or tampered by politics, corporations, fake news, and propaganda?

    Imagine the possibilities if humans meditated more. If we unite and collaborate to build a better future, instead of competing with each other. This is what corporations, the big money makers who control us, our food resources, money and health, all do. Of course, we also have politicians. They don’t want you to think. That’s dangerous for their pockets. However, thinking, questioning, using creativity, reading, and educating oneself is what can set us free. To decide our own destiny. I’m realizing this while I write this on my little sister’s couch in her new lovely apartment. It’s the safest I felt in the past 7–8 months.

    While not having a place to call home yet, and my girls not being able to stay with me because this f*cking system is not made for single women entrepreneurs, let alone mothers of color. Opps! Had to discover that the hard way…right?

    There are no programs, loans, incentives to progress, that are inclusive and diverse for entrepreneurs, creatives of color or any race rather than white in my city. In Montreal, Quebec, only the racist, sexist, white supremacist, dicriminationatory, police brutality and narcissistic behaviours thrive here. Those who denied this, are very privileged that they don’t even have to think about these at all in their lifetime. 

    You think the USA is the only one dealing with systemic racism and all the isms? Nah, Canada does also, with all its glory, healthcare and its beautiful landscapes. It has a big, not so silent, highest taxes (still nobody knows why) negative inner evil. It’s called: Quebec.

    My life lesson that I want to pass down to you, and whoever is reading this is: you are responsible for building your own boundaries, your wealth, and keep building self-respect for your body, your mind and spirit from the moment you start talking and understanding. This is why EDUCATION and being a present and mindful parent matters a lot. If you don’t, you are letting these external distractions, vampire leeches, negativity, mental illnesses, childhood traumas rule your life; if these take over and replace what comes natural to humans (as mentioned in paragraph 3) as a coping mechanism that helps us deal with difficult realities of life and our constant inner demons.

    There is always good with the bad, they are never separated from one another. _Angela de Chevalier Olivo.

    These distractions get harder and harder to deal with and balance. As new tech surfaces, as new features on any social media channel to try, and algorithms changing per second; AI keeps learning more and more about human consciousness, as we lose our ability to be more compassionate and empathetic. As more TV shows, series, new movies keep popping up, as we are staying at home more and less time with our friends and family during this pandemic.

    Read these two books: The subtle art of not giving a F*ck and Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope by Mark Mason.

    (stay awake! Those whose missions is to keep voicing the truth, the injustice and all the “system” trying to benefit from those who are voiceless and oppress while the privilege keeps getting richer at the expense of others pains and suffering. We are getting a lot of heat right now. Trust me homeless is nothing compare to getting fined for this and that make no sense, getting put to prison for no reason, and all kind of, “it’s the law”, its how the system works right? It’s Bullshiet and Quebec, Canada, USA, in south america and all countries. Does not like it when people talk, when we take money from their pockets and help those in need instead. When you say, create, write and voice your concerns. aka: storytelling, when use for good. “That’s not trending enough”, It’s not media worthy”… Yeah, truth and getting comfortable by being uncomfortable. It’s not for the weak minded and comformalist. This is for warriors, revolutionaries, leaders of change. If you are awake, and tired of this BS. Keep going, rest and don’t give up. Stick to those who are dismantling the “system” and focusing on finding ways to a more sustainable, equal changes for all of us. Not just some of us. #Nojusticenopeace). 

    Remember this if you are self-employed too. 

    Just be careful because external distractions are created unfortunately with good intentions: to advance our economy, keep us informed, entertained, help us cope with our pains (sort of numb it. We learn to ignore and repress our pain, our voices and to conform with the norm or status quo. This is what it means to have a colonized mentality.), and communicate better with the world.

    Be mindful and remember that good things, as beautiful as they might seem and feel, also come with consequences. Pay attention to these distractions and take action in order to make sure you protect your time and energy. I know that numbing and avoiding painful situations with fear and doubt is better to deal with while using the external distractions. That’s why they are created, to help you cope, find solutions for you, great opportunity for you… yes, these old traditional marketing strategies plus products or services are designed for you. To make your life “easier” because the system benefits a lot from our pains, struggles and difficult situations that we are programmed to deal with. You will be amazed by how much your body and mind can do, heal and adapt.

    By now, you are discovering that a lot of what we’ve been taught from the past, and at least in the recent decades, has been BS compared to what we really should’ve been taught and focus on. I’m so sorry for your pain, and the sense of loss you feel. I feel it too. I just hope you know that time is never wasted. There are lessons to learn by re-learning the new information and keeping records of the bad lessons and why they were false. History does not need to repeat itself. This is a humanity-shame excuse, to keep doing horrible things even though we know better. We need to do better.

    I’ve been working on and researching the truth; which is still in progress with lessons being learned. I hope this blog and list below helps you. Share it with someone who can use these lessons to help them deal for now while we all try to survive a world pandemic and help the economy by helping yourself. 

    For example, the importance of money, taxes, investing, shares, owning property, owning land, bonds, stock market, self-discipline builds accountability with yourself and others. Integrity, human rights, sustainability living, grow your own fruits and vegetables, survive outdoors, diversity, anti-racism and Inclusion practices (kindness, compassion and empathy).

    The importance of starting a savings/investing, emergency saving plan money habits that can help you build your own wealth while you are studying and working part-time.

    These are key essential things that I wished I learned and that now, thanks to Little Owners, I can start teaching my girls and help this amazing mama spread her knowledge with other children around the world. If you are a parent and want your kiddos to learn financial literacy, and also embrace diversity and inclusion,this is the best series of books for kids that I’ve found so far. I am really happy with these books! 

    Now, back into finding a job that you can do from home or find a part-time job as an essential worker. Or if you have the means to sustain yourself, have no kids, and still live with your parents — learn a new skill! Practice, get in the field to gain more experience, and continue doing it until you become an expert on that specific skill.

    Competition (hate this word)…there is none, this is a limitation programmed in our minds. There is plenty for all if we do what needs to be done right and work together. Constructive criticism and collaboration for your dream job, let alone any job, has never felt more intense than now.

    For most of us, coronavirus hit just as we were ready to ascend to the next level of our careers, academics, new teaching position, promotion at work, ready to leave an abusive home, travel the world, getting an new organ transplant, try new treatment for cancer, and change of apartments because you got tricked to move in a place infested with cockroaches (I think I will forever be traumatized about that part of my life which I’m happy that I can leave behind). After finally convincing ourselves that we are ready — and qualified, if not overqualified — to risk it all, we are deep in a world pandemic. By now it feels like that confidence has been pulled out from under us and thrown to the wolves to chew, spit on, and leave us to fend for ourselves.

    I’m here to remind you my earthlings, fire always leaves ashes and from those, we have always returned. We just need a little help along the way, and we are doing the work. At least I hope so, the next decade is starting with 2020. There are habits and things we were all doing that will not serve us in the future. It’s hard to admit this, but it is the truth.

    Alright, let’s talk about Money! Yay!

    Money, you always wish you had a bit more. You know to buy that fancy dress, or new house, or car, to save more for your vacation or dinner date, to pay off your debt faster, or just feel more relaxed about your whole personal financial situation.

    The list below are some simple, yet effective and creative ways to make money on the side. I’m not saying, leave your full-time job and do these. Nope, these are options and suggestions you can apply to your daily routines, if you like to make extra money on the side or if you are a student saving your money to pay for school.

    These are some that I’m still working on, some friends and followers have suggested that it works for them, and yeah, just a mama passing down knowledge because I know what it feels like when you are broke, alone, and trying to get back up. You are not alone, we are in this together. You can earn a few extra hundreds each month smartly!

    1. Reading lots of books? Writing reviews, joining an affiliate company that follows your values, your favourite books at a reasonable price and they support good causes. Your money talks 😉💸 Ex: A virtuous alternative to Amazon: Bookshop A new online bookstore, Bookshop, we just started this program and it will be managed by my aunt in New York and us (USA only for now), hopes to snatch a tiny percentage of sales away from Amazon. The goal: help support independent bookstores and the wider literary community by providing a “virtuous alternative” to Amazon. A portion of every sale goes to support us and to independent bookstores. The power of choice, not to make those who are already beyond rich, richer and disrupting the status quo. You in?
    2. Become a content creator. Do this mindfully and with moderation because it gets addicting and it can distract you from your real goals and focus. However, you can leverage your passion and talents while also telling the world what you are up to!
    3. Writing, copywriting, painting, digital marketing, digital photography, editing, social media manager, community manager. There are a lot of these jobs online! Essential workers and docs and nurses and caregivers are jobs! Part-time if you want while you work for your dream job or career.
    4. Recycle your old phone(s). You’d be surprised to know that you can actually get some cash if you decide to sell them. A lot of companies offer compensation for recycling old phones which are shipped somewhere to Asia and getting dismantled there. You can check the list of companies and possible earnings here. Ask your family and friends if they’d like to give away their old phones too for a bigger bucks.
    5. Become a part-time mover, cleaner of houses or commercial buildings. The moving option is suitable for guys for large items, but girls are often accepted too to move around fragile stuff and do some minor cleaning. Cleaning companies are in need of staff. Moving and cleaning jobs are typically per request and you can always choose a suitable time for you to do them. Check craigslist and kijiji. Also, keep in mind a lot of moving and cleaning companies allow you to create an account with them for a fee, list your services, rates, working hours etc. and get hired for temporary jobs. I cleaned lots of houses and commercial buildings while also going to school before I moved to New York 9 years ago and saved for 5 months.
    6. Review music for cash. All music lovers will love this job — all you need to do is listen to and review unsigned bands and artists online at Slicethepie. It may take a while to build up your reputation, but you can earn extra $50+ per month for spending 5–10 min a day listening to some aspiring music talents (or not so talents).
    7. Sell your wardrobe. This is a perfect option for women and men! How many dresses or suits do you have that you wore like 3 times and now they’re hidden somewhere deep in your closet? Clothes you no longer wear shouldn’t pile up around the house when they can be turned into cash assets. You can either organize a yard sale yourself (which is kind of a hassle), or better sell the items through ThredUp, which will pay somewhere around $2-$25 for staff from different brands. You can browse around to see how much different items are worth. The best thing about ThredUp is that all you need to do is pack your clothes in a box and then just ship it to them (shipping costs are covered by the company). Also, sell on Ebay or Kijiji.
    8. Test websites for money. A lot of big companies look for feedback on the usability of their websites and you can get paid doing that. Expect to earn somewhere from 10 cents for an assignment taking less than a minute, to $10-$15 when it comes to larger questionnaires requesting more of your time. Here’s a big list of sites where you can create an account and start earning cash. All the payments are typically made via PayPal either at the end of the month or when you have earned a certain sum.
    9. There a lot of side hustle companies need online assistance with their social media, campaigns, email marketing, PR, online courses sales, webinar promotions. Social media butterfly 🦋😉🙌🏽
    10. Get paid $35/hour to drive people around or deliver their food!. Yes, that’s exactly how much you can make with Uber and UberEats. Users can just login from their phone and request a drive in all major cities or food from any restaurants. It’s faster and at least twice cheaper than calling the typical cab. You, as a driver, will get a notification and can take a lift request. You set your own working hours and earn money. Obviously, you’ll need your own car to earn with them and some initial money to pay for the gas.
    11. Do odd jobs at Fiverr. At Fiverr, you can offer any kind of service starting from $5. Register an account, browse around the gigs and offer something similar. Seriously, at this online marketplace you can sell and buy all sorts of things from voiceovers to logo design to editing contracts, blogs or books!
    12. Do data entry jobs. This may include mere copy-pasting, minor text editing, data categorisation, translations and staff alike. You can work a few hours a day and earn some hundred bucks by the end of the month. Obviously, the total payout depends on how fast/good you are. Sign up to ClickWorker if you can tolerate handling some routine tasks in exchange for cash injections.
    13. Teach classes online. If you are particularly good at something, say map design, capable of creating a series of video lessons, you can become a tutor at SkillShare. You’ll be in good company with folks like Seth Godin and James Franco among others. SkillShare tutorials and 30 days teaching challenge will help you create a winning video tutorial. Your earnings will depend on the popularity of your course, but even low attendance will let you earn some decent money. (Working on this with cool and smart peeps. More soon!) You don’t need to have prior teaching experience, just skills and passion about what you do. And the undeniable drive to help, educate, and inspire others to succeed too.
    14. Become a language tutor online. Did you know that English language practice is in high demand in Asia? Sites like Italki.com allows teachers to list their rates and services, schedule classes and provide you with tools to conduct them in real time. You can expect to make $15–20 per hour. If English isn’t your first language, no worries, italiki also invites French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, Russian and more native speakers to join. You’ll have to fill in a detailed application form, get it approved and afterwards create a professional looking profile, suitable schedule for you and different courses you offer. The service will handle the rest — scheduling, marketing payments and so on.
    15. There is nothing wrong with taking online courses to improve your skills and learning so you can keep growing and thriving. It doesn’t pay right away, but as soon as you are done. Get to work in showing what you’ve learned and apply it to your work skills experience. Udemy is my favorite so far, and it’s where I got my digital marketing certificate :).
    16. Online sex work is a job. Yep, no shame. There are a lot of more lonely peeps now more than ever and phone sex or online sex is on demandd now. Also, data geeks peeps need to work on catching predators and pedaphiles of kids online. Yep, catching the real bad guys online is a job too to find these assholes and bring them to justice.This is a free job but is more rewarding than money because with your help, these companies are able to catch a predator that has molested about 2,000 children. So if that’s not good enough for you than I don’t know 🤷🏽‍♀️ what’s going on with humanity anymore 🤦🏽‍♀️.
    17. Arts, online store setting up from traditional companies that should pivot by now. Sell handmade and vintage items on Etsy. Found some retro clothes in your grandma’s chest or made a few cool brooches your friends admire? Become an Etsy seller to earn money for your crafts. Opening your shop, listing products and prices takes less than 30 minutes. It costs $0.20 to list one item in your shop for 4 month (or till it sells) and Etsy takes 3.5% commission from each sale you make. Mind that fact when setting up the prices. Shipping costs are either to be covered by you or by the buyer (you can set the rates depending on the buyer’s location e.g. free shipping around US; $10.99 shipping to Europe).
    18. Find something you love, build a habit doing that every day until you figure out how to make money out of it. Then save. Then use your rights and voice with your money 💵🙌🏽 Build a team that supports your values and mission. And make creative magic everyday 💫 by your own actions and helping others along the way( be warned, only those who want to be helped and you see that are willing to sacrifice a few hours for greatness rather than settle for mediocre experiences and unfulfilled jobs ✊🏾). Invest in energy that reciprocates. Don’t waste your life and money on people that only want to be there with you once all the work is done. Invest in team and collaboration brands, companies or organizations that are interested in reproducing with you the same energy you put out. Same values, truth and positive thoughts with a little of 🔥 and some hard core truth. Because humanity from time to time. Needs their wake up and life hard core reminders.

    We become entitled, selfish, ignorant and very dangerously abusive behaviour towards each other and ourselves. If we let egos take over.

    Higher power and higher consciousness requires internal and personal sacrifices and surrendering in order to focus in achieving our goals and objectives. Our dreams.

    Yep, it’s not hard to achieve our dreams, but smart work starts with ourselves. Be mindful of the content you create, the amount per day of external distraction you consume, and check that your sanity and dignity is still intact as you figure out this thing called life.

    If you liked this blog make sure to subscribe, leave me what you think in the comments (let’s start real conversations) and share it with someone that needs to read this today. 

    Stay home (It’s a privilege to have one), be safe, be kind to your planet 🌎, to you and others.

    Love, A.O. 🦋

    Written by Angie Abreu Olivo -Founder, Creative Entrepreneur and Environmentalist Single Mom. Edited by EP.❤ 

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