3 Reminders to Get You Through a Valley Season

3 Reminders to Get You Through a Valley Season

Dareise Jones
Inspiration, Motivation

Last year, I found myself in a valley season. Honestly, I had already been there for a while before the pandemic, so quarantine, uncertainty and having to adjust to a new normal exacerbated this low season in my life. A valley season is a time of struggle. It’s a low point in one’s life where many things may not go your way, you experience lack, depression, instability and fear. This isn’t an all-inclusive list because it looks different for everyone, but you will know when you are there because it’s a dark and difficult time.

Top 9 Lessons 2020 Gave Me

Top 9 Lessons 2020 Gave Me

Dareise Jones
Inspiration

This has been a very challenging year for all of us, but it’s also provided countless lessons and gems in the midst of loss, chaos and uncertainty. I chose 9 lessons to share, though there are many more, because as I reflected on this year and the wisdom it gave me, I felt the energy of 9 in my spirit. We have the wisdom and strength that 2020 gave us to aid us in this next chapter and now, at the cusp of the completion of this year, I can honestly say I am grateful for these lessons.

A Conversation With: Brandi Mebane, Owner & Creative Director of Mebane Design Studio

A Conversation With: Brandi Mebane, Owner & Creative Director of Mebane Design Studio

Dareise Jones
Entrepreneur, Career, Motivation, Inspiration

In 2011, she found herself very interested in design and started her journey to make a career switch to focus on branding, website development and graphic design. Brandi continued to work full-time in communications roles, while freelancing and offering her design services “as an added bonus” to the companies she worked for. In 2017, Brandi took the leap into full-time entrepreneurship with her business, Branding by Brandi (now Mebane Design Studio). Her mantra, “Everyone one deserves to be seen,” goes deep, and we had a great conversation about that, entrepreneurship, how the pandemic has impacted her business and Brandi’s experience as a BCAN Founder Fellow (Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network) this year.

How to Make Creamy Unforgettable Mac & Cheese (Auntie Approved)

How to Make Creamy Unforgettable Mac & Cheese (Auntie Approved)

Dareise Jones
Food

It’s in the top three dishes for Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas for my family (and many others), so when I first decided to venture into learning how to make this delectable dish, mine was a backup. One has to earn her respect as the go-to purveyor of the holiday mac and cheese. I’m about ten years in and have rightfully earned the aforementioned moniker due to my sister’s amazing recipe and lots of trial and error throughout the years.

3 Ways to Make the Best of a COVID Christmas

3 Ways to Make the Best of a COVID Christmas

Dareise Jones
Inspiration, Wellness

I also had trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year. The spirit of joy, giving and gratitude just wasn’t automatically rising up in my spirit like year’s past. The normal family tradition of the us gathering for dinner and helping the kids of the family (there are a lot of them, ages 1-10) make and bake cookies and gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve isn’t an option. Things are just different and I found myself angry and discouraged about the changes. I knew I had to do something about that because there is so much to be grateful for and so many opportunities to create joy and connectedness in new ways.

3 Gems I Got from Blogging Like Crazy

3 Gems I Got from Blogging Like Crazy

Dareise Jones
Writing

I can’t believe this is one of the two final blog like crazy entries I’ll make for the challenge this year. Blog Like Crazy (#bloglikecrazy) was created by Javacia Harris Bowser, founder of the writing community See Jane Write (I am a proud member). Javacia created this challenge for writers who weren’t participating in November’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge during which writers attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript. Instead, bloggers are challenged to write one blog of at least 300-words a day for the 30 days in November.

My Thoughts on Finding and…Following Your Own Voice, Inspired by the Movie The Forty-Year Old Version

My Thoughts on Finding and…Following Your Own Voice, Inspired by the Movie The Forty-Year Old Version

Dareise Jones
What I'm Watching

When you get to the cusp of the forty-year-old version of yourself, it’s important to be very intentional about living your dreams. In many ways, I am just beginning new chapters full of amazing things my gifts, intentions, tribe and hard work will make reality. If the late-30’s version is any indication of how the 40-year-old version will be, it’s going to be remarkable. Because I say it will. Because I believe it will. And, most importantly, because I will make it so.

Cheers to finding your own voice and following it.

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