Do More Than Just Exist

Happiness is waking up in time to watch the sunrise on your balcony, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. No worries at all, might even check out your social platforms, and reflect on your day. Nothing beats a well-deserved break when you bust your butt aspiring to become that well rounded individual that we all create in our own minds. Oh, the wonderful thoughts of leisure and travel when the month of March rolls around. Here are a couple things to try when visiting the sunny city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Soak in The Sun

Soaking in that summer sun, and dipping those toes in the cool waves of the Atlantic Ocean are an absolute must. Nothing beats the 70-degree weather and warm sand squeezing between your toes. If you’re not into the sand and sea shells, that’s cool too! All the resorts along the beach have their own private outside pool deck. If you’re lucky you may have an indoor pool, lazy river, and poolside bar. Although it may not be sunny every single day in the month of March, you’ll still find yourself enjoying the breezy day.

Bye, Bye Comfort Zone!

There are so many things to do while in Myrtle, from high ropes courses, Escape Rooms, Theme parks, and Watersports. I’d personally say start with the most thrilling and go from there. The helicopter ride is a must too! $20 bucks for 2 miles, or $40 for 7 miles, what a steal! Parasailing was my favorite. The banana boat ride to the boat in which we para-sailed off was the most thrilling part. Once you’re in the air its makes you speechless, and whether you’re with your friends or your significant other its bound to make you reflect on life and your relationships thus far.

Day Trip!

If you’re looking to get away from the tourist area, Charleston is the way to go! It’s about a two-hour ride southwest of Myrtle Beach. There you will find the art district, theater’s, Market Street, a very local atmosphere and timeless photo opportunities of the city. Maybe you’ll even find the secret to this photo…

Gotta’ Eat Good

Oh, how much I love to e IMG_1386 (2) at when I’m someplace new. If you don’t do anything else, be sure to always eat good! Seafood is a must in South Carolina. You’ll find many seafood restaurants on every corner. Joe’s Crab Shack at Broadway at the beach is a great start. Beach House Bar & Grill is Sooo good, you can decide on almost any typical meal that is decently priced. Taco’s and Tequilas opened just this last week. They have an endless list if different types of Tequila served in double shot glasses, and you can’t pass up delicious steak tacos on a Tuesday!

Broadway by the Beach

If you’re tired of roaming the main boardwalk by the beach, Broadway at the Beach (ironically, it’s not near the beach but there is a beautiful lake in the center of it) is the place to go! If you’re looking for a great area to walk around, maybe shop, possibly get a pamphlet full of coupons, this is the place to go. Its full of bars, and this is also where most of the nightlife happens.

The clocks have moved forward, there more sunlight in the day, the weather is becoming lovelier by the day! Take a trip, even a weekend stay will give you everything you need in a well-deserved vacation, even if it’s only 3 days.

Catch Ya’ Later, Na’ndi

Blog 1 - Picture - Busy Girl

Do you ever just get that feeling like you’re just doing too much? Not enough time in the day, too much to do so little time? OMG me too! Its literally draining. Class here, work there, fit some homework in now, movie with the girls later. Don’t forget to pay that bill! Start working on that paper, call back that recruiter and put yourself out there girl! Call it and claim it, it’s yours! Make an effort to get in your squats and sit ups for the day, make healthy eating choices throughout the day. And lastly please don’t forget to make sure you get that 8 hours of sleep!!!

Now all of you know I could have went on and on, but dang’, does it ever stop? I could complain all day but the truth is I don’t know where I’d be without my planner that keeps me going every day. Everyday whether it feels like it or not deep down inside I know that I am working towards a better tomorrow.

I am Boundless because there is not one boundary or challenge I will allow to hold me back or defeat me. Every single obstacle is either a challenge or an opportunity for me to learn from or grow from. This busy lifestyle is what I have to endure in the meantime until it’s time to enjoy the fruits of thy labor.

I am Brown and proud. Black girl magic, black and educated, and black is beautiful are phrases and trends that only reflect a small image of me. I am so much more you all just don’t know!

I am Blooming into the most beautiful butterfly that only my eye can see. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Every persons version of growth is different, and is at their pace and speed. What matters most is that we all get there. So make sure you get that 8 hours tonight and get back at it tomorrow! Time waits for no one.

travel photo

So today my intentions were to write such a great blog post for you all to read, because my very first blog was just flowing from my soul, through my mind right into my fingertips! But today I don’t know what’s going on lol, maybe writers block? But I have a great urge to tell you more about myself, so I think I’ll do just that.

Fun Facts About Na’ndi

For starters, my father named me after an African Queen of the Zulu Tribe, her name was Na’ndi and it means “Mother of Warriors.” I absolutely LOVE to cook! Well I love to eat too, but cooking soothes me especially because Pinterest is my best friend. I found this passion in art and painting and I try to find time at least once a month to do so. That would usually include a glass of wine to get my juices flowing! I love love love fish, I hope to someday have a huge salt water tank in my house, custom built.

Why I Love To Travel

The very first trip I had ever taken outside of the U.S. was supposed to be in route to Ghana, West Africa, but this was in January of 2015 and some might remember the Ebola outbreak. That quickly and non-hesitantly rerouted my trip to Jamaica. I did not know that this would be such an eye opening experience. I went on this trip as a Travel-Study with my university and because of this a lot of our daily activities and plans were already planned out. I did so much it’s hard to even think of a few. From climbing up a water fall, to visiting both a fruit and slave plantation, to hanging out and teaching a small class lesson to some local school kids. It was absolutely amazing and breathtaking. I told myself I would come back, nobody ever wants to leave when they first visit someplace outside of the country. And that was me, I reflected so much on my flight home, I just knew that it would happen.

So Far..

So far I’ve been to Jamaica, and a ton of places within the Unites States. Including NOLA, Texas, Georgia, Minnesota, Nevada, South Dakota, Kentucky, Indiana, and of course Illinois (Birth place), and Wisconsin (raised). Hm.. I wonder if Florida counts. I was there when I went to Disney World when I was younger. But, I won’t count that!

Every Country I Wish To Visit In My Life

Definitely every single one if it were up to me, let’s be real!

My Bucket List

To be completely truthful, my bucket list changes all the time. But I practiced French from like 6^th grade up until my freshman year of college. So I’ve always wanted to visit a French speaking country. Paris for sure, Ghana would have been another. Have I mentioned how much I love fish? I want to visit Australia and go scuba diving in the Coral Reef. Hawaii, I really want to learn how to surf, or at least try LOL. Those are definitely my top three.

My Travel Plans for This Year

This year has me SO excited! Some of my best girlfriends and I headed to Myrtle Beach for spring break. That means I can add South Carolina to the list! Whoot Whoot! I am also going to Paris, France in April. That should be quite eventful all by itself. It might call for its own blog post… Stay tuned! Some of my closest girlfriends are graduating this May and they were thinking of going to Miami Florida, then a cruise through the Bahamas. My family is planning a trip this summer back to Jamaica, but this time it’s with my family and siblings which could make all the difference! Hoping I can show them a few things this time around. Lastly, it’s still in the planning and deciding stages but I’m hoping to study abroad for my last semester in Barcelona, Spain!!!

I completely loose myself when traveling someplace new, I find myself more. I’m more okay with being alone, I’m more of a risk taker, more adventurous, more lively and fun. I’m a whole new me that I’ve been out of touch with since the last time I’ve traveled its so weird. If you have the opportunity, GO. Don’t second guess a thing. Just make it happen and your life, your perspective, your soul will forever be changed.

Until Next time folks! Muah!

So, these last two weeks I have most definitely been on this journey of finding myself. My thoughts have been consumed with the usual keeping up with course work, producing quality work for my employers, and making sure that above everything else that I’m getting enough sleep and eating healthy. But on top of this, my thoughts have been taken over by my future self. By this I mean, my thoughts have taken on this form of a personal trainer. That personal trainer being me, but a future me, a successful, happy and free me.

Bear with me! LOL I know this may sound nuts, but it’s true! I have always been an entrepreneurial minded individual. Lately, I have not only been making personal goals for myself but I’ve written them down, and have been making the right moves to achieve them. I’m not sure if this is a Millennial trait or if it just sparks in individual people as their fate; but I know for a FACT that I cannot, and will not work at a desk, from nine to five, until I plan to retire. It’s just not going to happen, and isn’t written in the books for me (and if it was I’ll happily tear out that page LOL), plain and simple.

I have been struggling with this phrase “There’s just not enough time in a day,” and I’ve realized that this is only an obstacle that we have created in our minds. There are 24 hours in a day, the average person would get eight hours of sleep. Spend eight to ten hours at work or school, or whatever you may be involved in. However, there’s still 8 hours left after you’ve finished everything else. Finding ways to prioritize your time is crucial if you want to make this dream you’ve created in your mind a reality.

My dreams and aspirations may be totally different from yours, but that does not make my goals harder to accomplish than yours. I truly hope that you know and believe that this person that you want to be, you already are! These goals you plan to accomplish, its right there in front of you! You’ve just got to be diligent, consistent, and committed to doing the work to enjoy all the fruits of thy labor. blog3pifinal

I’ve come up with some activities to do toassure you’re making the right moves

Read, doesn’t matter what it is. I would suggest reading content relevant to the things that you’re trying to accomplish. Being well-informed and intelligent is priceless, doesn’t cost anything to pick up a book.
Network, you’ve heard it and so have I. Your network is your net-worth. Most times it’s not what you know but WHO you know, that may be the factor that changes everything! Get out of your comfort zone and make yourself known!
Cleanse; get rid of everything thatdistracts you, that is negative to you, and irrelevant to your vision. Go through your Facebook and go on a deleting spree of people who don’t add value to your life, post or share content that’s useful to your development. Go on a 30-Day Social Media Fast. Distant yourself from those friends who aren’t on your level of ambition, don’t abandon them just limit interaction.
Be YOU, I’ve struggled for years trying to figure out who I am. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I was too concerned about others and their opinions of me. Become bold andunbothered with others opinions of you. It’s all about one’s authenticity.

Remember, you’re already this person you aspire to be! Just keep grinding. – Catch Ya Later Gators, Na’ndi

Photo by: Black Girls Who Blog, https://www.instagram.com/blackgirlswhoblog/?hl=en

CUNA Mutual Group, THANK YOU for giving my team and I the greatest opportunity. To be apart of the FOCUS competition to present our idea on how to begin the process of helping young adults such as ourselves start to save and invest! Congrats to our team for wining 2nd place at the Nationals Competition here in Madison, WI at the headquarters of CUNA Mutual Group. Again, Thank you! I am so honored to have attained an internship with you all this summer as a sales & marketing intern this summer. Super Excited!

March 31st, 2016 Allayah Manns, Mariah Vela and I had the opportunity to present our Marketing proposal to CUNA Mutual Representatives. Their challenge was to compose a marketing plan that could be targeted at young adults that promotes and educates on saving and investing. In this plan provide specific strategies, tactics, messages, messengers, and the use of digital technology.

My team are honored to have been rewarded with 1st Place and are automatically entered into the finals competition at the end of April at the Headquarters of CUNA Mutual Group in Madison, WI.

This past weekend (March 17-19, 2016) I had the opportunity to participate in the Perfect Pitch Competition that was sponsored by Aerotek Co. unexpectedly I made the semi finals to compete again and Kelly Tetzlaff, Kelsey Berchem and myself took 3 out of the five placements. I took fourth place out of 200 students. I cannot be more proud of myself and my fellow UW-Whitewater AMA Chapter members!

#2016AMAICC

I am super duper excited to have started my first blogging website! There will be lots of exciting thing to come, so stay tuned!!

Take Risks

Remember To Dream

Always Have A Vision

Never Stop Working

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