The journey to living life authentically

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Saturday, June 30, 2018

Life Update: New Projects and Shifting Priorities

Hello Loves,

I'm not going to lie to you. I have been really busy lately with lots of projects and other life stuff in general. It's been a minute since I've done a business life update, and I never want to intentionally keep you too much in the dark for long. So, here we go.

As you all know, I am the queen of taking on new projects. I follow my inspiration and my muse and if it calls me to do something, I'll just do it. Thankfully, I am mostly beyond the stage where I leave a trail of half-finished projects in my wake. Now, this doesn't mean that I don't readjust my priorities, but it does mean that I never abandon something entirely.

If you don't know, I have my degree in writing, so it makes sense that a lot of these projects are very writing intensive. I know that I can talk quite a lot, so I am working on an email list with lots of fun goodies and brief posts about the things I have learned in the week. I really work hard to find the positive in every single day and always absorb the lessons that are given to me, and I want to include all of you on this journey. No worries, Queen. When this email list goes live, I will do an entire post giving you the full details.

You may or may not know that I also have a YouTube channel that I have gone back and forth with for several years. I love the process of filming videos, but I find editing and the pressure to come up with new video ideas to be kind of draining. While I don't think I am ready to give YouTube up, I am ready to make it a hobby. So, I will post on my channel, but only when I feel inspired to do so. That way I don't get disenchanted with it, and you get content that I actually care about. Never feel shame for reevaluating your priorities. That being said, if you want to watch my videos and know when I do upload, please subscribe and be sure to hit the notification bell so you'll know when there is new video.

I have also launched the Quarter-Life Queen instagram which is super exciting! This is where you can go if you want a daily dose of inspiration, affirmation or reassurance. I will post on here every other day with something new that I hope resonates with you. Plus there are pretty pictures, and I know for me that makes it a bit easier to process.

There are a few other side projects that I am taking on outside of my regular work hours, and I am really excited to share them with all of you as soon as they launch. Until next time Queen!

Best,

Sharlene

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Story Time: Tales of Bad Financial Planning

Hello Loves,

Sorry, I have been MIA for a bit. There's a lot happening in my life, and that took up a lot of my time. Not to worry, as a lot of it was very good, some of it was hella fucking annoying and some was incredibly painful. So, when I started this blog, I wanted to tell you all of the lessons as I learn them and step in to fulfill my destiny. I like to think that I have stayed true to this, but of course, I also follow my interests, so there was some veering. Today, I want to return to an OG Quarter-Life Queen post. And that is life post graduation.

So, it has officially been a year this week since I have been out of school. In the beginning, you know that it was hard for me to find a job, but I was contractually obligated to continue to stay in my apartment and pay rent I couldn't afford. I wasn't allowed to sublet, so began the painful process of neglecting other things in favor of not being evicted and taken to court. First thing to go was hanging out with anyone, then it was food, then it was public transportation, than any other bill. The worst part was that I still couldn't afford to pay my rent.

Eventually, everything got much better. I could afford my rent, food, transportation and the occasional bill here and there. But, I had ran up all of my credit cards in my period of unemployment so I could pay my rent, but I couldn't afford to pay any of the bills. My hands were tied and numerous efforts to work out payment plans with credit card companies were unsuccessful. At the time, I felt like I had no option but to say fuck it. Several years of good credit absolutely destroyed in the span of a few months.

Realistically, I knew this would have consequences. Unlike student loans, I did not have the option to defer my credit card bills. Month after month my score took a hit, and though I tried to fix it, I just didn't have the financial resources to do so (all of the payment plan options were way out of my budget).

Now, that brings us to harsh adult lesson. I wish for all you queens to learn from my stupid mistakes. No matter how desolate the situation is and how little choice you feel you have, fucking up your credit score will cost you a lot of money and fuck you over for a long time. I know I'm not being cheery, but this is really true. I know that a lot of people will say if you really want something you would do anything to make it happen.

Take it from me. Going flat broke to fix a situation that is not working is not worth it. I have a full time well paying job now, but I am still paying for my mistakes. I feel like I am bleeding money. The new job requires me to get new housing and let me tell you that a shitty credit score will make it really hard to find an apartment no matter how much money you have.

But queen, I don't believe in divine punishment. I know that everything that happens in my life is working in my best interest. As harsh as this lesson is, I have to acknowledge that it's one that I need to learn. After all, how can I expect to run an empire if I can't deal with pissed off people and difficult financial situations?

One, I hope you find this helpful in anyway. Two, remember your worth is not tied to anything and everything will always be okay.

Until next time

Monday, June 18, 2018

My Personal Goals

Hello Loves!

Can you believe that we're half way through June already? Seriously, where did 2018 go? Before the year began, I declared that this was the year that I was going to make bloody moves and money moves. For the past few years my resolutions have been to be happy or to make this year the best year yet. 2017 was rough, so I decided that 2018 would be the year that I would go after everything I wanted and just make moves no matter how small. I decided that I would start any project that called me and stick with it. I released expectations and committed to making this year a year of growth.

And sis, I fucking stuck to it. I allowed myself to change, to release control, to be disappointed, to trust others, to develop new passions, to release old one. I allowed myself to love myself exactly as I am while still giving myself the space to change. I want to say that as you become more successful people might start saying things like you've changed, you're different, I don't even recognize you. Blah, Blah. Let them say that and remember the goal was always to change. With that being said, I have been guarding my dreams. There is no one in this world but me that knows exactly what I want out of life and what every single one of my goals are. No one.

I think this honestly comes from the fear that sharing my dreams will invite negative energy into my dreams and somehow they wouldn't come true. That's ridiculous, one because it's hella paranoid and two, I don't give anyone the power to change or affect any part of my dream. I have always stuck with a policy of vulnerability and honesty here, so I want to be honest with you. These are all things that are part of my empire. I have not mentioned many of them prior to this post, but I want you to know that when I start dabbling in it and really making this come true this has been something that I always wanted.

  1. An international real estate empire for vacation properties and rental properties
  2. A clothing boutique 
  3. Potentially a makeup line
  4. A private island resort
  5. A boat
  6. A stationery and home ware line
  7. A merch line of really fun clothes, stickers, cases and pins
These are the base of my empire and these are the things that I am working to bring into existence. My queen, I don't want to blindside you. I don't want you to learn about me doing one of these things and be like: "what the hell? She never mentioned any kind of interest in blank at all this is a money scheme." Because that is not what Quarter-Life Queens or my empire has ever been about. I want you to know what I am interested in in hopes that it will give you a better insight into who I am, into what I like and into what motivates me to keep my empire going. 


Friday, June 15, 2018

Oh Shit: Everything is Happening. Now What?

Hello Loves,

It might have been the coffee, but let me tell you last night I had a full moment of panic because it actually hit me that I was fucking making moves. You know I believe that we are all queens. While I am all for the empire building, the hustle and following your passion, I didn't seriously think about the leadership that comes with being a queen.

First, let me give myself a pat on the back because I have gotten to the point where I believe all of the amazing things I tell myself. I am so confident in myself and my destiny that I know without the shadow of a doubt that I am the president and CEO of a massive company. I will have hundreds of employees and I'm just like oh shit. Do I know how to lead? How will I cope with the pressure of making sure that my company runs smoothly and that my employees are happy? I don't know what I'm doing.

And then calm took over because I was like fuck it. I wouldn't have what it isn't meant for and what I couldn't handle. I know I am an adaptable person and I always take the needs of others into consideration. The best part of being a queen is that you get to decide the rules. Plus I'm not afraid to try something new and admit where I need to grow.

So, my queen. If everything is falling into place for you and you were suddenly smacked in the face with the weight and responsibility of your destiny, know that you are already a boss.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Dear Late Bloomer

Dear Queen,

This is your reminder that it's okay for you to be a late bloomer. It's okay if you're not ready for a relationship, if you don't know what you want to do with your future, if you feel like you're just starting to understand yourself, or if you have no idea what you're doing.

I will be 24 this year, and I just learned who I am, what my triggers are, what I care about, what I want. I am turning 24 this year and I've only just started my career, and I have no desire to settle into any one path. I am turning 24 this year and I have only just begun to explore the dating world and am only beginning to understand finances. This is my 24th year of life and I have full clarity of what I want and zero fucking clue how to get there.

Yet, I am surrounded by people who are getting married, engaged, pregnant, buying a house, are established in their career and seem to have it all together. I look around and wonder, when the hell did I fall behind? The answer is I DIDN'T and neither did you.

If you feel like you're being crushed by the invisible pressure of someone else's timeline, I want you to know that you're not alone. Even the people who seem like they have their whole lives together and are following all the "right" steps at the "right" time probably aren't as together as they seem. If it feels like every single person in the world is in the perfect job, with the perfect man and the perfect credit score, I want to remind you to give yourself permission to live according to YOUR timeline. I also want to let you in on a secret: Nobody has any idea what the fuck they are doing.


All the adults in the world are the kids in Jimmy Neutron when all the adult disappear. That's what adult life is like. Realizing that there are no adults. 

You don't have to rush into anything you're not ready for and it's okay for you to just want to have fun and to follow your curiosity. You don't need to be looking for the perfect man or the flashiest job. You are not defined by your credit score, you income, your relationship status or anything else. You are not your career.

Dear late blooming, Queen. You are not late at all. Live life according to your own standards and your own goals. If you've never had your heart broken, if you'e never been in love, if you've never had a well paying job, if you've never had sex, if you have no idea who the fuck you are and feel like you're just stumbling around, that's okay. You are on your own schedule and you are ten steps behind no one. Never let anyone else dictate what you should do and when you should do it.

Until next time loves!

Monday, June 11, 2018

Mind Your Business: How To Release Control

Hello Loves,

I am back! As you all know, I have come to realize that I am a bit of a control freak. I mean this in the sense that I try to plan for every single outcome when it comes to things that I allow to affect aspects of my identity (career, contracts, finances, expectations, people's perceptions). You also know that I have been getting really into manifestation and have realized that the more you try to control and the more you attach, the more you push away what you want.

I had to remind myself to mind my business. The situations that were out of my control are not my business and if they were, I would be able to control it. For me, I had to realize that the Universe is always conspiring in my favor and worrying about shit would only make me life hella complicated, miserable and stressful. I have been much happier and at peace since I have learned to mind my business and recognize what's not my business. But, I'm going to give you the actionable steps I took to release my control and desire to obsess.



I will now tell you how I released my control freak nature in the hopes that you will have a slightly easier time than I did.


  1. Identify why you care so much about the outcome? For me, the outcome served as a status symbol and proof of my responsibility. I then was so eager and dependent on the outcome because I was tying it to my sense of identity and worth. Whatever it is for you, name it. 
  2. Now that you know why you care so much, identify how being attached to the outcome makes you feel. I mean seriously ask yourself if trying to control the outcome actually makes you feel better or ever seriously changed the outcome. My attachment to the outcome made me feel angry, resentful, sad, anxious and numb. Yes, that was A LOT of emotion and notice none of them were really pleasant, so let that shit go.
  3. Shift whatever your attachment is. Once you identify why you care so much, and how it makes you feel, you can begin to shift your care (if that makes any sense at all). Like I was attached to the outcome because I was trying it to my sense of worth and a desire to prove myself. I shifted this attachment (or rather removed it) by reminding myself that my worth is not determined by external factors. I am worth it, simply because I exist (as is yours)
  4. Trust that what you are meant to have you will have. All is working out in your best interest. 
I hope you find this helpful, Queen! P.S. sorry because I did not spell check or grammar check today's post. 

Until next time!

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Unconventional Tips and Tricks for Manifesting Abundance

Hello, Queen!

Girl, navigating adulthood isn't easy. Especially when you decide to wake the hell up to your own power and live the life you dream of. There's so much knowledge and information out there that sometimes it's overwhelming. Not to mention the other adult things that call for your attention (hello bills, social obligations and laundry). I've already told you about the major things that I have done to change my mindset, but today I want to tell you about the little things I do to stay motivated and positive.

Why am I talking about mindset and manifestation? Because a massive part of manifestation is mindset. Like attracts like and to manifest abundance, you must feel abundant. Without further ado, here are the little things I do to feel abundant nearly every single day. Or at the very least feel at peace with the things I can't control.

Pinterest: For daily dose of inspiration. Like any other social media platform, Pinterest has an algorithm. Now, I don't know what the heck it is, but you can train your Pinterest homepage to be filled with inspirational quotes and positive affirmations. One of the first things I do when I wake up is open my Pinterest homepage to see what affirmations the Universe is bringing to me. And if that's a bit too woowoo for you, it's also just nice to see a screen full of reminders of how awesome you are and that your dreams are totally possible. I do have a Pinterest if you're looking for a place to start. You can see some of the affirmations and quotes that work for me.

Think up: This is an app that allows you to record affirmations in your own voice and then plays it on a loop to some soothing music. Listening to affirmations in your own voice does a world of good. And, I'd like to think that it makes it easier for your brain to switch to the positive because it's hearing you tell yourself this rather than someone else tell it to you.

Talk to yourself: Dismantle the stories your ego is telling. Queen, you have been socialized. 20 plus years of people telling you what is and is not possible will have to be unraveled. And a lot of that stuff might exist on a subconscious level where it refuses to let go.

In order to dismantle these stories, first you have to listen to them by talking to yourself. I spend hours just writing shit down and asking myself questions like where does this come from? Who told me this? Why couldn't I have this? What good can I do when I get it? Yes, I sometimes feel a little crazy, but I also feel like I love myself more than I ever have.

Attitude of gratitude: This one is simple, but makes the biggest difference. Never underestimate the power that looking on the bright side has on your life. Simply write down 5-10 things that you are grateful for (even if you feel like life is falling to shit). For me, this practice is always a great reminder that my life is hella blessed. And this can be as simple as the sky is blue and blue is my favorite color. How lucky I am to be surrounded by my favorite color.

Signs from the Universe: Pick one thing that means something to you. For me, butterflies and crowns are my reassurance from the Universe that all is well and I am on the right path. I kid you not when I say I see these signs multiple times a day. When it feels like I have no idea what I'm doing or like I'm being ridiculous for wanting these things, or overwhelmed with life challenges, these signs are a fantastic source of comfort. If getting a sign from the Universe is something that you are interested in, Manifestation Babe has a podcast episode called How to Get Your Sign From the Universe that is an awesome place to start (on apple podcasts app).

Now, I do all of these things, but you can choose one or two things that resonate with you. And remember, you are on your own path, so don't feel the need to force what feels inauthentic.

Until Next Time, Queen

Monday, June 4, 2018

Will Negative Emotions Make Law of Attraction Work Against You?

Hello Loves,

Let me tell you. It's been about eight months since I've been working full-time and I am becoming addicted to coffee. Seriously, how does one stay awake with the constant demand for brain energy? As it is, I am falling asleep at my desk and I've already had my coffee. Anyway, today I want to talk about something I have been working through since the beginning of my journey to greatness and understanding manifestation. Where is the balance between being positive and ignoring your emotions? Does having negative emotions and thoughts manifest negative things? If I am sad or angry, will that attract more sadness and anger?

I have done so much work on myself on this topic. I'm talking masterclasses, podcasts, books, exercises and hours of journaling and meditation (what's this? Another sneaky hint??). I speak to my ego, to my intuition, to the best version of myself, to God and to the Universe so often that I sometimes feel like I'm holding a conference in my head (yes, I do know how that sounds). But, it is only recently that I have gotten clarity on where the line between emotion and manifestation is. So, I want to share this with you.

I firmly believe that the universe will always guide you to the resources you need, when you need them. One thing that came to me was a Q&A podcast episode about Law of Attraction with Chelsea Lively. I will paraphrase what she said. Whatever negative emotion, feeling or thought you are having already exists inside of you. Refusing to acknowledge it or trying to suppress it will only prevent you from being able to release it. That's a very lose paraphrase.

If there is anything that I have learned about Law of Attraction and manifestation, it's that the subconscious mind plays a huge role in what you manifest. You might be screaming hell yes, I want a limo and to never have to work again, but if your subconscious is screaming that's not possible, then you might run into an issue.

So, will negative emotions fuck you over? Only if you let it fester. We embrace balance here, queen. If you're sad, be sad and if you're pissed then rage on. But, work through those emotions. Allow them to be, not to conquer. Remember that whatever you repeat enough will be ingrained into your subconscious mind. So, don't become your "negative" emotions. 

But also remember that you don't have to strive for perfection, only progress. One bad day or week won't destroy your life. 

Until Next Time, Queen. 

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Energy Hangover: Struggles of an empathic ambivert

Hello My Queen,

Allow me to tell you something weird. I've been pushing myself to hangout with people more often and step into the person that I want to become. The weird thing is that I come home from these outing feeling like I have the hangover from hell, even if I haven't had anything to drink. Now this shit pisses me off because I purposely avoided alcohol because I didn't want to feel like shit only to feel like shit anyway.


This is the struggle of my ambivert self. I get energy from hanging out with people. Like give me a half hour to get comfortable and I'll be talking to everyone or at the very least feeling alive (most of the time), but once the party is over, I feel like I went binge drinking and passed out in a dumpster somewhere (again, no alcohol). This is the energy hangover.

Like it or not, going out with people means being on. I believe in shared connections and mutual exchanges of energy. For me, this means that I treat others with respect by giving them my full attention and taking interest in what they are saying. This also means honestly sharing things about myself (nothing negative) in a positive way. This requires a constant exchange of energy in hopes of a real connection. Like girl, my energy reserves have a 24 hour limit and that shit will deplete. Yet, I keep taking from it because I am buzzing off everyone else's high.

Which explains why when I get home, I feel like trash. I drained my energy and it needs time to recover. So, if you relate to the energy hangover struggles, I hope knowing that you're not the only one struggling helps. It ain't easy being an ambivert out here. I wish I had some kind of helpful tip, but really like any hangover, only time will help. Hopefully one day we will all get over this shit.

Until then, to drink or not to drink? I mean hangover anyway, right? No, I'm kidding. Energy hangover+real hangover = death.

All my love,

Shar
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