Category: Healthy Relationships

Recently, I posted a piece regarding a senior woman who basically did not like her hands because they had evidence of aging in her eyes. Therefore, she almost turned down a manicure and initially considered getting a clear polish because she did not want to attract any extra attention to her hands. Eventually, she was convinced to go with pink and loved her hands. That incident reminded me so much of my own Mother and when she got her very first manicure. In my opinion, the devil is always busy because through my eyes her hands were extraordinary.

Her hands tell a beautiful story of a life lived well and graciously enjoying the ride! ❤️❤️❤️

In my mind, all I could see is Blessed! To begin with, I saw a woman who was blessed to see many seasons and through it all learned how to embrace and enjoy the ride. I saw a woman who probably touch thousands of lives, prepared many meals, an perhaps prayed and made a significant impact on many through those wonderful hands.

Likewise, it definitely made me reflect and wish I had the opportunity to see my own mother’s hands again and hold them and tell her how Amazing she was! Dorothy Mae Roberson let me get her very 1st manicure and she Absolutely loved it and came home and told my dad proudly, I can’t do any dishes today because look at my hands. I laughed and explained to my Mother she had a no chip manicure and she could wash all the dishes she wanted to and her hands won’t mess up! It was amazing because I saw she loved her hands and through her own eyes, saw the beauty in them just like I did.

My Mother hands, prayed for me, made my clothes, showed me how to cook, how to sew, funny how to speak and use your hands and most importantly how to touch and agree and pray with her! My Mother was Amazing and I dearly Miss Her and would give anything to touch those hands and enjoy the presence of her company.

She after receiving over 110,000 views and hundreds of comments of other people saying they felt the same way I decided to take action.

I know the holidays are approaching fast and wouldn’t it be a Wonderful idea if we created a challenge and agreed to pay it forward and do something nice for a Senior in our own community locally. We can create Thousands of Beautiful Hands and Smiles!!! I contacted my friend Larry Roberts who owns a salon in the Walmart in Chicago and prepay for a 5 seniors ladies to have a manicure and I prepaid for 5 senior men to have a haircut in honor of my Mother Dorothy Mae Roberson!

My Mother’s Legacy is alive and well and her hands are still touching other through me now! Plus, My Beautiful Bestie from grammar school, Kimberly Jones Mother’s name was also Dorothy Mae and her mother has passed on too and we both agreed we are going to do something wonderful to ensure as long as we are alive, we use our hands to touch the lives of a senior and let them know they are loved and appreciated this thanksgiving!!! We have to do like her daddy said who recently just passed, put our hands on it and let our loved be felt through our actions and words! Love is a verb!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Yesterday, I met with my mentor and she gave me two wonderful pieces of advice that gave me a light bulb moment. Let God be God and you are not responsible for saving everyone. After she said that, I immediately thought about a train.

When you get on a train, you resolve yourself that all responsibility for your safe arrival is in God’s and the conductor’s hands. I don’t even question it. Likewise, I realized just like in life, many people will get on and off the train and come in and out of my life and I will moving forward embrace that reality.

When someone decides to get off the train, the conductor doesn’t stop them. He just make sure they arrive safely and exit appropriately. Light bulb moment is I need to do the same. God is gracious and he doesn’t force us to serve him or stay on the train. When we decide to get on or off, he is there willing and waiting to direct us and our path. So if it don’t fit, I won’t force it.

So moving forward I’m resolved to sit back and enjoy this train ride called life and embrace all the arrivals and departures with a smiles! As the saying goes people come for a season, reason or a lifetime but everything happens for your good. It is either a Blessing or Lesson and either will be instrumental in your growth. Tests always comes before testimonies, so hold tight and enjoy the ride!!! ❤️🙏🏾❤️

Thanks Toleda Hart for the Wonderful Advice and May God Continue to Bless and Keep You! ❤️❤️❤️

I worked in healthcare for over 10 years with a major MCO/ Manage Care Organization and I’m very passionate about Disease Management, Care Management and Self-Management and Person-Centered Care. Please Watch the movie on Netflix!

What the Health! ❤️

This is the My Best Gift and IT IS FREE!
My way of preventing other from losing a loved one early due to a very preventable health disease. Miss You Always Mom, Dorothy Mae Roberson! ❤️❤️❤️

My best suggestions is to do the following:

1. Meet with your PCP/ Primary Care Doctor
2. Address your health issues or possible health issues?
3. Most health plan offer a free Health Risk Assessment, it will immediately let you know your health risk triggers including behavior health and mental illness.
4. Exercise at least 3x per week for 30 minutes
5. Develope a accountability and support system to follow-up with you.
6. Monitor the negativity!!! (Person, place or thing)
7. Laughter is actual like medicine! It good for you and practice laughing daily.
8. Practice being grateful and counting blessings daily.
9. Create a health a journal and track your health and wellness goals!
10. Make all Goals SMART, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time Based
11. Finally, do you own assessment and ask yourself what are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to achieving your health and wellness goals.

Example, I will exercise 7x per week and set my alarm on my cellphone to walk for 30 minutes daily, to reduce my blood pressure.

2. I will ask my significant other or neighbor to go walking with me 3x per week.
3. I will download a free app to count my steps and aim to walk 7,000 steps per day.
4. I will track my blood pressure and monitor my weight weekly.
5. I will take action to improving my health and monitor my progress monthly in my health journal because I love me and my family and want to live a long and healthy life. #mentalhealth #health #wellness #depression #wellbeing #stress #love

Continue reading We Still Remember!

In life, people come in categories; thrust, lifters, drags and weights. The people who fall in the thrust and lifters position, empower, call you to action, hold you accountable, activate your greatness gene, motivate, inspire, affirm, support and feed your mind, body and soul. They encourage life and living. On the other hand drags and weights do just the opposite. They attack, kill your spirits, joy and remind you of the old version of yourself and not the God ordained Person You are Created to Be! ❤️❤️❤️

Therefore, in order to fly higher, achieve more altitude, we must release the drags and weights! Point Blank Period! Elevation only occurs when the weight is RELEASED. Then God can allow You to Ascend to New Levels! Drags are obstacles and all you have to do is untie them and wave 👋 see you later! Traveling to a higher level and wish you well!!! ❤️🥰❤️

A few years ago, I completed my yearly mammogram early one foggy Saturday morning. A week passed and I got a letter basically telling me they saw something. The letter suggested I have a diagnostic ultrasound on my left breast due to lumps being found.

The second I saw the letter, my mind shifted. I instantly had great clarity and knew what was important and what wasn’t. God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost had to have a conference call immediately.

I got up and placed my Bible on the floor and stood on it. I started to pray and remind my Heavenly Father, you said ask and it shall be done ✅. I said Lord Jesus, I have to be here for my children. I belong to you and my assignments are no where near finish. I said, God just like you healed me and kept me from death at 7, 25, 41, I need that same grace and power at 48. I claimed it in Jesus mighty name and said Amen as I was standing on my word of God literally and physically.

I went to have the test completed as soon as possible at Oak Lawn Breast Advocate Center. The intake receptionist calls my name and she was wonderful. She looks me in the eyes and said don’t worry, you are going to be fine! Watch and see! I’m called back, put the gown on and go into the room for the ultrasound and she looks and takes pictures and said she will be back!

She comes back and said Sharon absolutely nothing to be concerned about. It was a benign cysts that bursted on their own. She said see you next year! I instantly said thank you God! God is Good and she said he is good all the time!

Then she told me that she had a really good friend that she encouraged to have a breast exam. She went & they found a lump & it was cancerous. She said her friend always calls and thanks her for encouragement to get the breast exam. She said when her doctor did the biopsy they found a very aggressive cancer. However, they found it so early she didn’t need the traditional treatments.

She stated her friend was absolutely positive, the only reason she is alive TODAY is because she insisted she get tested. Although, she had no earthly 🌎interest in being tested otherwise. Now every year she does all the routine exams suggested by her doctor yearly.

 

The nurse said I’ve seen too many women that come through the door too late! It’s so sad when an early test could have changed everything. Amazingly, people prioritize their cars and houses better than their own health.

My greatest hope is that people will always make time for their health or unfortunately, they will have to make time for their illness. This year I will turn 54, my yearly mammogram is completed.  I faithfully schedule and complete all my wellness exams. My friends and family often crack jokes because I go to the doctor for any and everything I suppose to! Especially, since I worked previously in the health care field, I believe in practicing what I preach. ❤️❤️❤️

Finally, my take away and call to action is please be a priority in your own life. Prioritize your health and do all your well-being health screenings and tests. Plus, I hope my story helps someone! Prayerfully, it will stop one person or family from crying and feeling helpless in front of a casket! Small actions now can extend your life and create a brighter future. ❤️

On June 22, 1995, an extremely hot day in Chicago. The weather had been almost 100 degrees for several days and it was declared a heat emergency. Hundreds of people died that month as a result of the extreme heat in Chicago. In addition to the crazy heat, I gave birth to my 1st. Child via emergency C-Section. I was very excited and hopeful. However, 4 days later my son passed away after 19 staples. I was on the maternity ward and suffered from engorging breast and no baby to feed and a pain that pierced the soul.

Then I promised God in my hospital room, I would use my pain as focus and motivation. I decided to get my masters, buy a house and remember life is always a gift! Each day your allowed the opportunity of being 6ft up, value and appreciate that present.

Time is the ultimate gift and that is why it is called the present. It is the only thing we never can replace or get a refund. Therefore, always value your time and who gets it! Starting today, established healthy boundaries and let no person, place or thing cross that line moving forward!

Always choose your peace, forgive, move forward and don’t look back. Embrace you and make it a standard to be appreciated and not tolerated. It is absolutely a DIFFERENCE! If someone doesn’t appreciate your presence, let them absolutely enjoy your absence. The best intervention of all time to me is the Caller ID! It’s a game changer and in my opinion worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize! As a result, we never again in life have to talk to anyone who is toxic and attack our heart, mind or spirit! Just look and let that telephone ring!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Happy Memorial Day! Hope you and your family are reflecting on your family and all the men and women who have served and sacrificed their life for our freedom. Thanks Brent Thompson for the correction. I learned today Memorial Day is not for all soldiers but for those who served and lost their life. Veteran’s Day on the other hand is for all who are retired or are currently serving. We truly do appreciate all who have sacrificed for our freedom and honor them and their wonderful families. My God Rest their souls!🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

On 4/26/18, my high school friend committed suicide. Rhonda and I were extremely close in high school and she spent countless nights at my parents home. Rhonda was Brilliant. I mean that literally and naturally smart. I remember the day so clearly when she said I want to be a lawyer and leave her career of being an RN. I cracked a joke and said Rhonda, because it’s you and your so SMART go for it. I went with her to her orientation at Kent Law School and I was so excited for her. She graduated with high honors and was elected to be a judge.

Rhonda, help me get my first job and a huge factor of me making the honor roll in high school. Rhonda was that type of person that had high expectations and worked hard and had very little tolerance for not striving. She paid so much attention to the details.

We need to learn to take better care of our mental health as well as our physical health. We have to create an environment were we make our loved ones feel comfortable telling us they are not ok and no judgment, just love, understanding, support and encouragement to seek help. I regret not going out that last time. I have learned through death to make time for those you love and let them know how you feel all the time.

I decided to share because especially in times like this, we might not know we have a family member or friend struggling with their mental health because they always appear so strong. Call, listen and check on your family and friends. Sometimes people suffer in silence and it’s my hope that perhaps this might help one person. Comforted that my friend knew I admired, loved and was very proud of her. Shared our last text. ❤️🙏🏾❤️