Connect with Regina Diann at LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginadiann/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKmxt6mzjpOa7PxH1FFQ0Dg

Financial wellness is the state of being in control of your finances and having a sense of security and peace of mind when it comes to your financial future. Achieving financial wellness means managing your finances in a way that aligns with your values and goals, while also allowing you to feel confident in your ability to handle unexpected expenses and plan for the future.

Financial wellness is important for everyone, regardless of income level or age. It allows you to have greater flexibility and freedom in your life, to pursue your passions and goals, and to feel more confident in your ability to handle life’s challenges.

There are several key steps to achieving financial wellness. The first step is to create a budget and stick to it. This means tracking your income and expenses and identifying areas where you can cut back on spending or increase your income. A budget helps you stay on track with your financial goals and ensures that you have enough money to cover your essential expenses.

The second step to achieving financial wellness is to save for emergencies. This means having an emergency fund that you can use to cover unexpected expenses, such as car repairs or medical bills. Ideally, your emergency fund should be able to cover at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses.

The third step to achieving financial wellness is to pay off debt. This means making a plan to pay off any outstanding debts, such as credit card debt or student loans. Paying off debt helps you save money on interest charges and frees up your income for other financial goals.

The fourth step to achieving financial wellness is to save for retirement. This means contributing to a retirement account, such as a 401(k) or IRA, and making sure that you are on track to meet your retirement goals. Saving for retirement early and consistently can help ensure that you have enough money to retire comfortably.

The fifth and final step to achieving financial wellness is to invest for the future. This means investing your money in stocks, bonds, or other assets that have the potential to grow over time. Investing can help you build wealth and achieve your long-term financial goals, such as buying a house or starting a business.

In addition to these five steps, there are several other habits and practices that can help you achieve financial wellness. These include:

1. Living within your means: This means spending less than you earn and avoiding unnecessary expenses. Living within your means allows you to save more money and avoid debt.
2. Being mindful of your spending: This means being aware of where your money is going and making intentional choices about how you spend it. Being mindful of your spending helps you make smarter financial decisions and avoid impulse purchases.
3. Being prepared for the unexpected: This means having insurance, such as health insurance or homeowner’s insurance, to protect you from unexpected expenses. Being prepared for the unexpected helps you avoid financial disasters and stay on track with your financial goals.
4. Seeking help when you need it: This means seeking out the advice and guidance of financial professionals, such as financial planners or accountants when you need help managing your finances. Seeking help when you need it can help you make better financial decisions and achieve your financial goals more quickly.

Achieving financial wellness is not always easy, but it is possible with dedication and hard work. By following these steps and adopting good financial habits, you can take control of your finances and achieve greater peace of mind and financial security.

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I attended Monica’s Always Wear Your Tiara event in November 2017 and it was amazing! Always Wear Your Tiara was a pivotal moment for me in my faith walk. When Monica invited me to attend her annual dinner, I was so encouraged and excited and really didn’t know what quite to expect. I was told to wear purple and to bring a picture of myself!  Monica created an environment that evening where the ladies could feel safe and be completely open with one another. The conversation I had with “me” in the picture I’d brought to the event was the beginning of a reconciliation between my past and my present.   Always Wear Your Tiara symbolizes more than feeling like royalty; it really is a reminder to always carry the treasure inside with dignity, regardless of our past. Monica’s own personal journey in overcoming and being her best on the other side is so inspiring. I look up to Monica, and love and respect her talent and the genuineness of her heart! She loves others the way she loves herself and has been a wonderful blessing to my family and me. ~Latayo Armsterd

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Which door would you choose? Beautiful or Average? Dove has a commercial in which two doors are labeled with the words beautiful and average and anyone entering the doors had to decide which door they would enter. Many of the young ladies and women chose average while others chose to go through the door marked beautiful. After showing this video to the young girls at the Bosses Don’t Bully event, hosted by Sydney Johnson and Kristen Johnson, we discussed the importance of seeing themselves as beautiful regardless of what others may say to or about them.

Labels

Young girls feel the pressure of “labels” because of their appearance, the way they dress, talk, walk, personal character, etc. They are faced with bullying in person and on social media. Helping them to understand their personal beauty, not just on the outside, but inner beauty, my hope is that they gained a greater sense of not allowing negative words from others to affect how they see themselves. I understand the importance of helping them embrace who they are now and not be influenced by the words of others. Let’s face it; as adult women, when someone says something sarcastic or belittling to us, if we aren’t careful, we can easily become offended. Therefore, it’s imperative that we make a positive impression on girls at an early age.

The Tiaras

Tiaras! There’s excitement in the room. Smiles, giggling, laughter, and questions such as “Are they real tiaras?” I surprised the girls with “real” tiaras after I shared with them the basis of Love Yourself to Life. After revealing the tiaras, instinctively, the young girls formed a line down the center of the room. I placed a tiara on the youngest attendee and handed her a tiara to place on the head of the person behind her and so forth. Not only was the recipient excited to receive a tiara, but the one who placed the tiara on her head was excited to “pay it forward”.

“I am” 

After everyone received a tiara, we creatively talked about the effects of the words that we say after “I Am.” At the beginning of the event, they were given wooden hearts. They were asked to write their name on the hearts and the words “I Am.” As we progressed through the event, they were asked to write words that describe their personalities.  Some of the words written on the hearts were:

• Graceful

• Kind

• Confident

• Smart

• Beautiful

• Bold

• Powerful

• Loving

• Friendly

• Thankful

• Energetic

• Wise

• Brave

• Cute

• Noble

• Awesome

• Girly

• Cool

• Fun
• Achiever

• A Friend

• Energetic

With tiaras on their heads and the words written on their hearts, I encouraged them to always remember the importance of not allowing others to bully them into believing something that is untrue about their character. Why? Because Bosses Don’t Bully!

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The Elephant in the Room–the topic that’s often avoided, but absolutely necessary to discuss–Domestic Violence. “Nearly 1.5 million high school students in the United States are physically abused by dating partners every year” (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence). A relevant topic of discussion at The Elephant in the Room Teen Workshop was domestic violence to help young ladies understand the impact domestic violence has on teenage and college student relationships.

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THEY—They are Here to Elevate You

WHO—Watch How I Overcome

When we hear the words “They Said…,” our typical first response is “Who said…?” Yet, nobody actually knows who the “they” are that’s being referred to in the conversation. Breaking down the “THEY” and “WHO” at the Who Said workshop, allowed us to see these words in a different way when someone comes to us with words that do not align with who we are.

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I was able to share my personal story of domestic violence at the Black Nurses Association Greater Phoenix Area Community Violence Awareness event. My goal is to break the silence of not discussing this very relevant topic and to help women who have previously or are currently experiencing domestic violence/intimate partner violence.

#Love2Life

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Stepping Out of My Travel Comfort Zone

My journey to London began with a thought literally 2 weeks before I took flight. When I realized that I had 13 days off from work for the holidays, I decided that I wanted to spend some of that time traveling. Initially, I thought about Australia, but London appealed to me to most and I don’t regret the decision. Traveling alone was never a concern for me as I have taken the past few months doing new things and meeting new people in various areas. As I planned, the excitement continued to grow.

The Research

I spent numerous hours researching before going to London. This included the obvious; flights, places to stay, touring options, Euros, how to get around the city, and more importantly, the weather. Living in Phoenix, Arizona, we are many times still wearing short sleeves and sandals in the winter. However, in London, the temperature can get to the single digits Celsius at night and it can rain at any moment. Because of the intermittent rain, the recommendation was to wear a rain-resistant coat with a hood which I had to purchase before leaving.

Instead of staying at a hotel, I took the suggestion of a friend to stay at an Air BnB.  I was hesitant at first, but after reading the review on several places and looking at the location of attractions, I decided on one and made a booking. I then started looking at “Things to Do in London” and booked tickets to see the Dreamgirls Broadway show. At the recommendation of a friend, I also scheduled a day trip via train to Paris, France! After booking my room, identifying landmarks I wanted to see, and booking the show and train ride, I finally took the time to book my flight. Yes, I scheduled my fight after I made the other arrangements. Since there is no public transportation in London on Christmas Day, I scheduled a personal car for round-trip transportation on the day of arrival and departure.

Packing was an adventure within itself as I was only taking a carry-on for the vacation. After finally finishing packing the night before, it was time to take flight. I flew from Phoenix to Charlotte, NC, and had a 40-minute connection time before the flight to London was to leave. This meant not wasting time getting from one terminal to the next. I had been pre-warned that international flights start boarding earlier than domestic flights and I wasn’t taking any chances. After I received my boarding pass, I got settled in my seat and was preparing for the 9-hour flight. Shortly after, a flight attendant came to me and asked “Are you Ms. Debro? We have a seat for you in first class if you would like to move.” I was out of my seatbelt and ready to move before he could finish his statement. Of course, I didn’t mind being moved to first class. I had not flown first class on an international flight and this was an experience within itself.

The Arrival

Day 1: I arrived in London on Christmas day and was met by the Airbnb host, given a brief introduction to the home and we left for Christmas service at their church. While this was my first experience with an Airbnb, I was made to feel very comfortable in their home. After church, I took a well-needed nap before joining the family for their Christmas celebration of dinner, a year in review of things they accomplished, a song, and prayer. Being a part of their family tradition allowed me to experience Christmas in a different way. There was no gift exchange, but a celebration of their family and an exchange of love and compassion for God and one another.

Day 2: I didn’t wake up until noon which was not intended as it caused a delay in my plan to be out in the city early to see as many sites as I could. Before leaving for London I had done a lot of research which included apps to use to get around the city. I downloaded the City Mapper App which was great to help me navigate to the different locations I wanted to see. Using this app provided me with options for getting around via walking, bus, tube (subway), Uber, or taxi. Once I got to the town center via bus, I walked through the city to visit The London Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The London Eye, and Buckingham Palace. All of these were awe-inspiring sites to visit and enjoy. After eating dinner, I took a deep breath to ride the tube for the second time in my life. The first time I was with a friend in New York who knows the ins and outs of riding the tube. However, using the City Mapper App, provided me with walking directions to the Underground and which train to ride. #CityMapper

A Day in Paris

Day 3: Not wanting to be late for the train, I took an Uber to the Euro train station. After checking in and receiving my boarding ticket, I proceeded through security and listened attentively to boarding directions for Paris. There were several trains leaving at different times and I wanted to make sure that I got on the correct train.

Uh-oh!

Once I arrived in Paris, I realized that City Mapper would not work for their public transportation. So, I did what any other tourist would do at that moment; purchased a Hop On/Hop Off tour ticket. Although it was misting with rain, I chose to sit at the top of the tour bus with other passengers at different times to get a view of the city. A beautiful city it is! My main goal was to get to the Eiffel Tower. As we were driving to the Eiffel Tower, I prayed that it would stop raining and God answered my prayer. Notre Dame was the last stop before we reached the absolutely amazing Eiffel Tower and it wasn’t raining anymore! It is definitely a landmark to have on your list of things to visit. The view from near and far is one you will never forget. After taking a few pictures, I went got on the tour boat that would take us along the water to see sights from a different point of view. I sat with amazement as I watched the beauty of the city and continued to thank God for allowing me to be in that place at that moment. As the boat ride came to an end and we were walking off, the wind began to pick up. I was able to take one more picture and the rain began again. With the wind blowing as hard as it was, my poor umbrella didn’t stand a chance and was quickly thrown away.

Day 4: By now, I’ve become more comfortable with using the City Mapper App and riding the tube, and on this day I rode to the Camden Market and found my way to the goods made and sold by locals. After purchasing a few items and conversing with locals and getting additional tips for places to visit, I made my way back to Buckingham Palace to see it in the daylight. From there, it was time to go see Dream Girls Broadway show.

Dreamgirls

Oh, this Broadway show was more than I could’ve expected. Sitting in the second row, my eyes were very attentive to everything that was happening on stage and I was emotionally moved with laughter and tears. The actors and actresses were captivating and their singing touched me in a way that I cannot explain. Once the tears started, there didn’t seem to be an end to them. From Moya Angela “Effie White” singing that famous “And I am telling you, I’m not going” to Tosh Wanogho-Maud finishing his song on his knees and with eye contact with me, to Delroy Brown wishing me a Merry Christmas as the curtains closed, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I left the theatre filled with exuberant joy and continue to have feelings of happiness leap inside of me as I think about everything that happened. I am very humbled once again that God would allow me to be in that place at that moment.

Going in Circles

After leaving the theater, I found myself walking in circles around London as I was trying to find Westminster Station to catch the tube back to Oval Station. I had plans to visit with the family I was staying with before going back out for the evening. As a result of not being able to find the tube, I went back over to the Eye of London and explored the different vendor locations, had a cup of cocoa, and had dinner. I was wandering around because somehow my battery drained while in the theatre. Although I knew which station to get to, I was unaware of the one less than 2 blocks from Savoy Theatre that would also take me to my destination. Riding this tube would be the final time I see Idris Elba in London on this vacation. While I would have loved to meet him in person (no judging) the only time I saw him was walking to catch the tube or as his picture was passing by on the bus. Of course, I wasn’t expecting him to be in a tourist area, but hey when in London, keep your eyes open for the unexpected!

London, I will be back!!

Make your plan, work your plan, and Just Do It! Whatever “it” may be for you, time is going to pass whether you do something or choose not to! Make 2018 your year to step beyond your comfort zone and Just Do It! #Love2Life

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Key Topic Points #Nuggets

• I have the crown of God’s glory. We are crowned in His glory.
• Crying is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of flushing out toxins.
• Everything we have gone through in life was for such a time as this. It did not break us. We are still here.
• Nothing we’ve gone through in life is a waste.
• Don’t rule ourselves out if God hasn’t ruled us out.
• Don’t give away what is precious to us for a bowl of soup. Genesis 25:29-34
• Part of love is taking the risk of being hurt.
• With wearing the crown comes, Accountability and Responsibility Esther 4:12-14
  • Queen Esther saved a nation
  • When we honor the crown of glory, we will have favor.
• When we honor God with all of who we are, He will make sure we have everything we need. Philippians 4:19
• Wearing the crown requires us to be humble. When we are wrong, it is important that we go back and make it right.
• Sometimes when we wear the crown of glory we begin to doubt ourselves. We are to have faith in our abilities to be successful with the responsibilities of wearing the crown. Jeremiah 29:11
• Sometimes when we dishonor God, we begin to beat ourselves up, but God came to save us. His blood washes us. We are forgiven.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

• Be careful who we allow speaking into our lives and who we let our guard down to because they may not be able to handle the weight of our crown.

Please BELIEVE, UNDERSTAND, and have FAITH that you have exactly what it takes to handle the weight of your crown.

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• Our emotions and our emotional experiences guide how we respond to situations. Knowing how to respond will significantly impact the outcome of any incident.  Other times, individuals may be holding on to past experiences which prevents them from healing and living fully in their purpose. Emmanuel Hightower shared his heartfelt personal story from wrestling with depression, and entertaining an unhealthy lifestyle, to turning his faith in God and allowing God to change his direction.

• Let’s face it, our financial health can have a significant impact on our emotions and physical health. Melinda DeLeon provided creative tools for attendees to establish practical methods to develop a realistic budget. Attendees were able to take resources home to immediately apply and improve their financial health.

• Focus on Food with Certified Health Coach Phillip Taylor. The foods we eat and the combination of those foods have a great impact on our weight and health status. Coach Taylor shared his personal journey of following God’s will for his life and the importance of not trying to do life by making his own decisions.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. Erica Glaze provided health promotion resources to increase awareness of breast cancer, risk factors, health screenings, and preventative measures.

A healthy emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, and spiritual balance is necessary to experience holistic living. 

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