I absolutely love days like today. I feel so inspired and accomplished. I woke up early and prayed, got in a morning exercise, which is something that I’ve been aspiring to do (be a morning workout person), came home and showered and now I feel like I can officially start my day. But for now,  I’m taking a quiet moment to look out of the window at the 70 degree sunshine, ready to get back into the world. Days like today, I feel like I can do anything. Every now and then, I find that I really need a day like today, away from every thing and every one to focus on me. To evaluate myself. To redirect my energy. To prioritize. To pray. And be still.

One thing I appreciate about getting older is that I’m so in tune with myself. I’m wise enough to understand my own happiness and the source from where it comes. For the last several months, I’ve been deeply praying for guidance. I’ve realized that I haven’t been living the life that I want. And for the longest time, I’ve sought out external sources of happiness in the form of people and things to love. I’m realizing that what makes me the most happy is working toward being the woman that God created me to be. The writer. The sister. The daughter. The friend.

I haven’t said my affirmation in a while. My affirmation is a mantra that I wrote years ago when I was going through a really bad breakup. Actually, I’m not even sure you could call it a breakup since I was never officially in a relationship with the guy, but I digress. I’d written this affirmation and strategically placed it in my home, my car and my office. I literally spoke this mantra out loud to myself several times a day. While I’d initially written this confirmation to remind myself of my worth after the mourning of my relationship, it has since transcended to all areas of my life to remind me to pursue the life and the love that I desire.

I am beautiful.

I deserve only the best.

I will not settle for what I have.

I will wait for what I want.

-DeJa K. Johnson