Authentically Nita

Self-love is the act of loving oneself. It involves accepting yourself and having high expectations for your own happiness and well-being. Over the last few years, I have been on a journey of self-love and it has been full of ups and downs. But, it has been worth every minute because I am now in a healthier place mentally, physically, and emotionally. I think it is important that as women, we recognize what love is and what it isn't. Learning how to love yourself is a great place to start that journey, because loving yourself will attract healthier relationships with others. Photo by Loe Moshkovska My Self-Love Journey I started my self-love journey with small steps — setting boundaries for myself, being mindful when making decisions, practicing positive affirmations each day, taking care of my physical body through exercise and healthy eating habits. These are all things that I had to work on within myself before I could start expecting anyone else to treat me differently or bette...

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Do it with grace?” Many of us have experienced moments where we had to hold our chin up and face a situation that felt uncomfortable or difficult. We should not let those moments tear us down, or make us hard. We should choose to live with grace instead. Living with grace means having the ability to face life’s challenges with poise, elegance, humility, and forgiveness. It is about finding the beauty in life despite the negativity around us. Even when things seem bleak or uncertain, when we live with grace we are able to see the silver lining.  Here are some tips for living with grace and ease despite the challenges you may face in life. Photo by Ogo 1. Find Your Center When facing a challenging situation, take a deep breath and find your center. This will help you remain grounded in the present moment so that you can make decisions from an informed place rather than from a place of reactivity or fear. Take your time to assess the situation and dete...

In life, it can be easy to take the things we have for granted. We often get so busy that we forget to take a moment each day to recognize and appreciate all of the blessings in our lives. Practicing gratitude is a powerful way to bring more joy into your life. Here’s why you should make time every day to count your blessings and live with gratitude. Photo by Kristina Paukshtite The Benefits of Gratitude Gratitude has been proven to help people sleep better, reduce stress levels, boost happiness, and even increase self-esteem. Studies show that expressing gratitude increases positive emotions and strengthens relationships with others. It also creates a sense of purpose and helps us stay grounded and focused on what really matters in life. When we practice gratitude, it can help us see situations from a different perspective and look for silver linings even when times are tough. It helps us focus on the good instead of becoming overwhelmed by the bad. Taking time each day to appreciate ...

Photo by Yan Krukov   Cash Advance apps offer people the ability to borrow small amounts of money in the form of cash advances. Some may have additional features, such as credit-building, saving and budgeting tools, and bank accounts. Most require a monthly membership fee and/or service fees that will be deducted from your account at the same time as your advance repayment. You will need to have a bank account with direct deposit from your employer in order to use these apps. Here is a list of nine, no hassle, Cash Advance apps you can use to get from pay check to pay check. Before I list them, I want to advise against using these apps unless it is an emergency. These should only be used every once in a while. If you are having problems getting from paycheck to paycheck, there is likely a bigger issue at hand. I recommend going over your income and expenses and watching your spending, or getting a second job. Click here for the budgeting app that I use and ho...

I remember being cheated on. I remember catching him red handed and listening as he denied the whole thing. I remember wondering if the other woman knew he was married. Odds are, she probably did. I didn't understand it and the truth is, I didn't need to. I just needed to remove myself from the situation. My ex was careless in his cheating. After my experience I began watching how men & women cheat. Cousins, friends, co-workers - it seems that everyone has a "Sneaky Link" or a "Secret Bae." And although the memes would have you thinking otherwise, it's not cute. But still, it's interesting. So here are some of the best tips I've learned on how to cheat without getting caught:  1. Let the person you are cheating with know that you are already married, or in a relationship. Have this conversation with the person from the beginning so they know their role, and so that you can establish boundaries. Be clear that you will not be leaving your spou...

I knew it.  All the signs were there.  This man flipped the script so fast!  We were just in love and planning on starting our business so we could really build something.   Ex had enrolled in school and began classes.  Soon after, he started going out without me.  He was staying out really late.  At family events he sat in a corner with his face in his phone texting and smiling instead of talking with the guys.  I wasn't stupid.  I confronted him and he denied any wrong doing.  I waited up for him so many nights.  The bars closed at 2:00 am.  Sometimes he didn't make it home until 5 or 6.  He said he was at the "after hour."  I called him a liar.  I argued with him every day.  I bitched and yelled, and he wouldn't tell me the truth.  I tried talking and reasoning with him, but he wouldn't tell me the truth.  I had to find out on my own.  So I did.  After only three months...

Sometimes I think Ex loved me more than I loved myself.  He loved me so much that he put me on a pedestal and held me to a higher standard. There were so many things that I was supposed to be.  Pretty but humble, kind-hearted but unyielding, well kept but natural, conservative but open-minded, reserved but out-going, strong but soft, cordial but not too friendly.  It was almost impossible and quite draining to keep up with.  Still, I was determined to keep it up.  Ex thought more highly of me than I thought of myself and I wanted to be everything he thought I was.  So I did....or at least, I tried. Sometimes I was too friendly or didn't say the right thing.  Other times I held back too much and came off as awkward.  It was a little nerve-racking to not know when I should or shouldn't speak to someone.  Normally, I would just speak to store clerks to be polite.  Now, I needed to make sure I wasn't being, "joe."  It really wasn't...