A to Z. Jump. Empowerment, My Personal Journey.

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I had researched enough. I had practiced enough. I had thought about it long enough. I had stood on the sidelines watching and observing others. It was time to JUMP. TRY MY HAND AT IT. LEARN AND LIVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. RIDE THE WAVES. It was writing a book. It was putting it out there. It was learning to crochet, selling it, and doing festivals. It was working on a mini-series. It was taking sewing lessons. It was creating abstract art and putting it out there for the world to see.

JUMP. It’s scary. It’s nerve wracking. It’s exhilarating. It’s freeing. It’s fun. It’s faith building for sure!

~Nikki

A to Z Challenge: Create; Empowerment, My Personal Journey

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Creating is empowering to me. Finding that “thing” or doing what you love can empower you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hobby or going back to school to be what you always wanted to be. It could be starting a business. All of this can be empowering and leading you into that feeling of satisfaction, joy, or accomplishment.

Painting, crocheting, writing, decorating, fashion, and teaching spiritual things are empowering to me. Blogging is creative to me. Find your “thing” and let it empower you to do more of it and to learn more of about it.

~Nikki

See The Sign. Take Action.

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If you are waiting on God, God just may be waiting on you. God, the Universe, the Creator, the god within, just may be waiting on you to take action. The sign you are looking for may not be broadcasted as breaking news but, it just may be hearing what you were thinking about on a radio talk show. It may be reading it on someone’s post. It may come to you in a dream where you see yourself doing what it is you want to do.

Now that you see or hear the sign what are YOU going to do? Take a step or jump of the cliff, big or small, take action. I am in the fight of my life and money is scarce. It takes money to make money but, it takes an idea to generate money and create wealth. Once you have the idea then you have to DO SOMETHING. Read about it, research, take a class, save up, write the plan, write the idea out, or create a vision board. Start small and grow. Look into new ideas. Pray and meditate that the right people show up to help you. Be open to change and new directions. Treat failures as a lesson. Be okay with not being able to do some things well and capitalize off what you do with excellence. Remove those that hinder your progress or go around them. Create a positive space in your mind, body, soul, and heart and just go.

I am soon to be 43. I have no concern about age and creating the life and space I want to live in for the rest of my years. I never cared about age even at a young age. What is old? What is young? What is too late? It’s never too late to be happy. It’s never too late to be loved. It’s never too late to live your dreams. It’s never too late to make money. I got rid of two pages I was managing on Facebook. I linked my blog to my new page Nikki’s Confetti Life on Facebook. I changed my Instagram page to a Business Profile and linked it to the Facebook page. I promote my pages and posts with every extra dollar I save or make. I learned to crochet and I am learning to sew. I have written three books and I am just waiting for the right time and opportunity to launch them full throttle. I am thinking of more ways to get them to the masses. The are e-books and one in print. I sit at the feet of a published author helping others to reach their goals. You see, I am afraid. I am unsure. I don’t know what I am doing. I am making mistakes. I am messing up. I am getting my feelings hurt. BUT, I am doing. I am going. I am learning some things are business, some things are part of the process, and in conscious when you have not did anything to warrant bad reviews or opinions, or the lies told on you, you can shake the dust off your wings and keep flying. I fight Rheumatoid Disease, Fibromyalgia, Depression sometimes, Anxiety sometimes and I am worn and tattered but, God sews me back up when I lay my weary head and body down at night. A warrior will never come out of the battle without a scratch but, we can come out of the fire without smelling like smoke or being burned.

Go. Take Action.

~Nikki

 

Just Keep Writing/Creating/Dreaming

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As a writer and an author, if I were to be honest with you (which I choose to do because why not?), being a babe in this industry can be frustrating, confusing, challenging, discouraging, and frightening. Literally, for those of us who are starving artists and care more about the art than being fed at times, until you hear the growl in your belly or notice the negative sign in your bank account. We work, we hustle, we do whatever we can to produce the best work possible. Many of us don’t have big bank accounts to match our big dreams. At least, not yet. However, we will save, we will sell, we will do whatever it takes to see the pieces of works manifest.

I have two novels I need edited. I have learned the hard way, the hard headed way, I cannot edit my own books. So as I vet our editors, I also vet out pricing. In average I need about $350 per book for the editorial services I desire. I do some soft editing, writers organization and consulting, book formations (manuscripting) and etc. for a heavily discounted price. I’m like the blue collar consultant (lol). Right now my two novels are on soft release on amazon. Before I go full fledge promotion, I want them to be the best they can be grammatically. I have received amazing feedback and I know I have the gift.

I wanted to encourage some writers, artists, creators today because I had that tiny feeling that “things are not going my way as easily as I had planned! Not as quickly as I want them to!” When deep down inside you know this is like the artist “right of passage.” Your initiation into the creative world.

JUST KEEP CREATING! JUST KEEP SAVING YOUR COINS! JUST KEEP WRITING! KEEP COOKING! KEEP PAINTING! AND NOW I SHALL BREAK OUT INTO THE CHORUS: “DON’T STOP!…BELIEVIN! DON’T STOP! BELIEVIN!” #JOURNEY Sing along everybody!!!

 

~Nikki

Confetti Weekend 11/5/16

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What an amazing event I attended Saturday! It was a FREE event for authors or aspiring authors where three self published/published authors shared their journey, successes, failures, and wisdom for about 2 hours. They graciously poured into us and we were overflowing when we left. The authors Angela K. Austin, Laura T. Johnson, and Jae Henderson all have very different methods and I think this is what was so interesting and made for a buffet of information. They also from different backgrounds. All three of these phenomenal authors can be found on Facebook and other links to social media outlets can be found on their page.

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The event was held at the Memphis Black Arts Alliance. It was my first time in the building (which is an old firehouse and still has the features of one. it was built in 1910), and I was floored with all of the beautiful art created by local artists. We were welcomed in with smiles. I have my eye on several pieces! And one I must have! I also learned they have classes there. Please, if you are from Memphis or in the Memphis, TN area this is would be a place off the grid to visit. It should be listed in things to do and would make a great trip for students.

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One wonderful thing about authors and writers when they get together it’s a sharing of information and it is a meeting place. I met two published authors, Phoenix Rayne and Indiana Tuggle. I also met the head of one of Memphis’ well known book club, RARE- Reading and Rapping Experience. You can find all of them on Facebook and also connect via other social media outlets.

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Nikki Jade, Phoenix Rayne and Indiana Tuggle bottom photo. Three rising authors. 
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Me in all my turquoise and jade. That is the natural color of my hair. It will be become a darker red by the end of December. The sun lightens it for me in the Spring and summer! Of course I will post this under Fashion Confetti later with details. 

I could not have asked for a better way to end my weekend.

~Nikki