Who Are The Ones, You Are Surrounding Yourself With?
I truly believe that the ones in your life should be a reflection of the attributes you possess and/or want more of. They should be positively impacting your life and pushing you to become better than you were yesterday.
Affirmation cards from Starlightandlove
The last few days of my Philippines trip weighed heavy on me (see previous blogpost) then COVID-19 hit the world and depression set in. I cried uncontrollably whenever I thought about those living in extreme poverty and how their lives are being affected by the corona virus. For example, for poverty stricken and overpopulated places like Tondo, Philippines, how were they going to practice social distancing? How were youths that didn’t have access to computers and the internet going to do their studies plus do it at home?
With the cases and deaths of COVID-19 continuously on the rise I had to take a mental break from social media and the news. Everything was so overwhelming and to add to the pandemic, I was dealing with the loss of my grandma (unrelated to COVID).
With all that was going on I wanted to do something to help those in need and donated to nonprofits in developing countries doing the groundwork. They showed the impact of their efforts and it lifted my spirits. Still I kept battling with thoughts of what else could I do.
The world paused and so did my Pennies4Girls work. Majority of my work is done through fundraising and I had a whole plan after my Philippine’s trip to raise funds for upcoming projects but now I had to rethink it all. Furthermore, in American alone 40 million filed for unemployment and hundreds of people lost their business.
Every time my husband and I spoke about the effects of this pandemic we uttered a small prayer of gratitude for still having an income. Realizing how so many were having difficulty buying things like groceries, I decided to give away a fraction of our paycheck to single parents. I did conduct this through an Instagram post and whoever submitted their cashapp name for assistance, I would send them $20-$30 to help with buying their kids’ snacks. It might’ve not been much, but I felt it could help a little.
I recall checking emails one day and saw one from a great friend of mine (more like my forever sister) and it was a notification for pennies she had just sent over in support of Pennies4Girls. It was through her company Starlightandlove (be sure to check them). I cried tears of appreciation because it was during a moment, I was unclear about the current state of the world with COVID-19 and what it would mean for Pennies4Girls.
Fundraising during this time wasn’t an option because I felt it would come off as insensitive. Many are worrying about their next meal, rent and bills, I wasn’t about to add more to their overflowing plate. However, at that moment, Melissa’s email from Starlightandlove reassured me that you still have those out there that are able and willing to support the helpers in this world so don’t lose faith. She always reminded me that a little help is better than none at all.
I truly believe life’s magical and her act of kindness regurgitated the importance of having the right ones be a part of your life. It wasn’t just her act of kindness; it was also her perseverance and love for what she does as a business owner as well. Her vibration is contagious and very inspiring and at a time I needed a reminder that’s exactly what she was and more.
I’ve always said I want my life to reflect friends that inspire me in their own way, and I hope they too expect the same from me. Life has given me and is still blessing me with those who match my frequency in vibration and I’m very grateful.
It’s about all of us climbing that ladder together, intentionally looking back and offering a help hand both directly and indirectly.
Now, tell me: who are the ones you are surrounding yourself with?