Grow Up, Honestly!

This is for my girls that are 25 and older. If you’re not 25, still stick around girls. This is gonna get deep. 

 As a 28 year old woman, I can say that my early twenties was GHETTO. It was just straight up RATCHET. I regret only SOME things but the rest was history. I needed those experiences so that grown me isn’t making them at this ripe age. 

This post is more about me and less about you but if you feel targeted, listen sissy it’s your sign to grow up!

Social Media Is Toxic 

   Growing up for me meant a lot of things. The first thing I had to let go of with age is how I post on social media. Actually what I post on  there. I never cared how I was perceived in my younger years. Posting my body leaving zero imagination, going on rants with a curse word between every other word and the first thing that would come to mind, tweet! I didn't care, I said it. Looking back now at my still public twitter which I have no access to, I cringe at the stuff I would put on the internet. So raunchy, un-ladylike. Just so… low class. Let’s not forget the subs. I loved an indirect tweet or story post that’s going to start some mess. It was bread and butter knowing I’m being watched so why not piss them off even more. Childish! 

 These days, social media has become front row access to a person’s life as we tend to over share or create a whole new world for ourselves. It’s a scam actually. You only see what people want you to see. You never really know what’s real, what’s present or what’s a person’s true intent is behind a handle. Growing up and growing off social media was imperative to my wellbeing. What I post is what I want people to know. My personal life is personal. I don’t do subs or social media back and forth anymore, my intrusive thoughts? Oh they never leave the thought box. I am very filtered on the internet because in all reality, I do care what people think of me.

  I am now a woman of God, I refuse to make a mockery of my Heavenly Father. I am a wife, I refuse to embarrass my husband and I am mom of two little ladies, they’re counting on me to show them what a true lady is. How I am perceived is more important now than it ever was. Along with those pretty big and important roles I am blessed with, I am a ministry leader. There are women who are expecting me to carry myself in a certain caliber. I have to really be mindful of what is being posted on the everlasting internet.

I’m Not Fighting You, I’m Already Fighting Demons. 

No for real, fighting is something I don’t even know if I’m physically capable of doing anymore. I’m out of breath pushing my daughter’s stroller, imagine trying to be Floyd Mayweather, girl please. 

  High school and college were the years when popping off was my personality. I did not care who you were. (Clearly, I swung on police officers in high school. Super reckless.) Fighting to me NOW is so classless. After surrendering to Christ, I became soft in everything including my hands. Listen, as a daughter of God I’m already fighting in the spiritual realm DAILY! These demons want smoke every second of the day and I’m too busy rebuking, praying and pleading the blood of Jesus. Fighting someone physically is just tooooooooo much for me.  

  Honestly, I don’t even like arguing. I’m on a journey of controlling my tongue. My words cut too deep and I would hate to be cussing out someone and then the sky cracks open and there Jesus is, leaving me behind because I could not contain myself. ABSOLUTELY NOT! 

 LOL. In the middle of writing this, I had a crash out. The difference these days is that I crash out to my husband, not at him but he sits and listens to me lose it from time to time and to God. After I was finished venting and crying, I worshiped and cried some more. 

Show Up How You Want To Be Treated! 

 Recently, Jon and I had an experience that proved to us that the way we show up in places makes a HUGE difference. You do not need the most expensive clothing or the most extravagant pieces to show up in spaces and gain respect before even speaking. Your first impression is very important because it’s how you’re introduced to someone’s story. We walked into an art gallery and immediately was treated as one of the elite art investors. Our demeanor, the way we spoke, the way we were presented played a part in the relationship that we built at said place. So much so, my daughter was gifted a piece of art from the gallery. 

 Showing up as your best, being respectful and manners-able is so important. People will say all types of things about you when you carry yourself in a very up right way but who cares? YOUR REPUTATION SHOULD MATTER TO YOU! Once you’ve developed that mindset, you will see how far this takes you in places you never thought you would fit into! 

Clubbing? In These End Times? 

Growing up means outgrowing the club scene. It stinks there anyways. Nothing about the low lit, smoke filled, sticky floors, different body odors excite me. Absolutely nothing. I now associate the club with Satan which is why these Christian clubs just do not make any sense to me. There is always a dark energy filled in clubs and once you have surrendered to Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t even feel right looking for an outfit to be in that sweaty place. I’ve had my fun in the clubs in my younger twenties but now I love the elegance that comes with aging. Nothing about standing on sofas, drunk and yelling says, “Hey, I’m an elegant young lady. Take me seriously.” Which leads me to my conclusion…

The Grown Woman Effect

 The GWE is when you have developed your frontal lobe. (Stop I talk about this daily.) When you begin to see how certain activities of the world actually degrade your reputation. The Grown Woman Effect forces you to elevate in every aspect of your life. It changes your thought process, the way you show up, your hobbies and interests and how you speak. It is truly an experience when you find yourself transitioning from THAT GIRL to a lady. It’s something about it that makes life more luxurious even with expensive things. Life just becomes MORE! 

 So here’s to growing up and not staying stuck with a childlike mentality! 

With love, Danielle! 

Photo Source: Pinterest.