Deena - I Am Confidently Me

The last time y’all saw me was when I recapped my time in L.A. at the beginning of the summer. Since then, I’ve gone to Niagara Falls, visited family in Canada, celebrated 100 years with my sorority sisters in Indianapolis, danced the night away at two K-Pop concerts, and soaked in many mother and son moments. 🥰 It was a summer of family, friends, fun, and protecting my peace. Thus, I wasn’t posting much here. I wasn’t in content creation or business mode. Instead, I was in a different season of life. Now that summer is winding down, I’ve begun a new season. I’ll share more about that later, so stay tuned! And since it’s been a while, I want to hear from you! 🗣 If you could describe your summer in three words, what would they be? #summerreflection #summerfun #seasonsoflife

In L.A. the sun was shining, I was dancing, and boy did I eat some delicious meals! 😋 I also got to connect with some great people! This was technically a work trip, but spending a week away from my family gave me a chance to tap back into the Deena of my 20’s. I was reminded of what I used to love, which turned out to be things that still light me up today. ✨ Sometimes we need a break to step away from the daily routine and bring out our forgotten moments of joy. Have you done something just for yourself lately? #momentsofjoy #brightenyourday #takeabreak

Another trip, another Insta friend meet up in real life! 🤗 I had the pleasure of meeting @it_is_myfaith last week, and she was just as wonderful in person as she is online! We’ve been following each other for a while and I’ve always been encouraged by her spirit and style! Getting to know her more and hearing her story really inspired me, and I feel even more compelled to start up my #SelfLoveStories series again. She has a testimony to share!! I was also touched to see her wear our “I Am Confidently Me” t-shirt. Check out her reel to see how cutely she styled it! You can also see the delicious meal we ate on her page too. 🤩 Y’all know I love to meet my Insta friends, and this was another occasion that affirmed how great it is to connect with other like-minded women. Thanks to @jenellbstewart for bringing us together through #ContentConfident! 💛 #makingfriends #womensupportingwomen #iamconfidentlyme

Hi, I’m Deena and I’m in therapy. 👋🏽 You don’t often hear people just come out and say that, but I wish more people would. I’m not ashamed about receiving counseling services. In fact, I embrace it and attribute it to how I’m able to manage the many stressors that life throws at us. Today, I recorded a podcast episode with the amazing @taiseales, and we spoke on the benefits of therapy. I can’t wait for it to release and you to hear it! (Swipe to see our session, where I don’t look as glamorous here. 😆) We busted some common myths people have about therapy, how it has personally impacted my life, and why we think more people should participate in it. Stay tuned for when the episode drops! In the meantime, do yourself a favor and listen to Tai’s other episodes of her @lifestyleinoverload podcast. She covers many topics of wellness, and shares some great tips!! Also, drop a 🙋🏽‍♀️ if you’re an advocate for therapy too! #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthwarrior #mentalhealthhelp #therapyworks #therapyiscool

This is a fun trend to join. We’re not really lovey dovey over text, but we do make sure to communicate about the important things in life…like naps, toilet paper, and tacos. 😆 #parentlife #adultingsohard

I have shed so many tears this week, grieving for the families in Uvalde, TX who lost their loved ones. Every time I think about the possibility of something like that happening here, I break down. My son is my absolute world, and all I want is for him to be safe and protected. Our children, teachers, and staff members deserve to be safe and protected in schools. We MUST find a way to make sure nightmares like this cease to exist!! I’m continuing to pray for the Uvalde community. I’m also beginning to learn about gun control laws and exploring how I can add my voice to the fight to stop this from ever happening again. Holding my baby tightly each night… 🙏🏽

We all agree that mothers should be celebrated more than one day per year, right?! Well, I am so excited that @mrsmonicadanielle has created an entire month of meaningful conversations to celebrate and share various motherhood journeys! I will join her on Saturday, May 28 at 12pm EST to discuss the topic of moms pursuing their passions. I can’t wait for you to tune in! Set a reminder right from this post by clicking the 🔔. While you wait, visit Monica’s page to hear the other talks she has had. So far, there has been one on adoption and another on infertility. These are such important conversations and are all designed to show that all kinds of mothers matter! 💛 #MothersMatter #IGLiveSeries #Motherhood #MomLife

Lately, my doubts have been SO loud and SO frequent! If yours have too, know that you’re not the only one trying to keep them quiet. 🤫 Who here has a strategy they use to keep those snarky thoughts at bay? Let us know in the comments. ⬇️ My go to move is to stop them in their tracks, call out the lies, and reframe them with something that’s true. It’s not always easy, but my doubt buster muscles are getting stronger. 💪🏽 Yours can too if you practice turning those doubts into affirming thoughts. Keep at it! #dontdoubtyourself #confidenceisbeautiful #bekindtoyourmind #dotheinnerwork #selfloveisthebestlove

“How do I inspire people to be confident in themselves when I am feeling the exact opposite?” That is the question I’ve been contemplating for a while now. It’s been weighing on me because I am not currently in a space where I’m shining brightly… ▪️I’m dealing with doubt. ▪️I’m constantly complaining. ▪️I’m more irritable than usual. ▪️I feel defeated. ▪️My health is in the pits. ▪️I’m not happy with how I’m living my life. So how in the world can I show up here and encourage you to feel good about yourself when I feel like crap? I thought about it and decided that the most authentic thing I can do is show you that even someone who is usually positive and bright goes through tough times too. I can be the person who says, “If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone. If you’re having a hard time, I’m right there with you.” Even happy people get down in the dumps. But I don’t want to stay here, and I don’t want you to either. We have inner work to do, so let’s support each other in getting out of our rut. Together, we can get back to feeling beautiful on the inside and out. 💛 #confidenceboost #confidencebuilding #confidenceisbeautiful #bekindtoyourmind #giveyourselfgrace #innerworkouterbeauty #iamconfidentlyme

This is me back in 2016. It’s a candid photo from a shoot where I’m caught mid sentence or mid pose, but what sticks out to me the most is how I used to look and feel back then. I was slimmer and sillier. I radiated more joy and better care for myself. I miss her. This year my journey is to get back to that state - one with more smiles and better health (and where I’m bringing pops of color to your timeline with a brightly colored wall, lol). 😊 I know everyone is doing the #10yearchallenge but my phone’s gallery doesn’t go back that far, so you’re getting #5yearsago instead. A lot has happened in my life since then, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is my dream of what I want to contribute to this world. This year, I’m tapping back in and unlocking her. Stay tuned! 🌟 #NewYearSameMe #GoingAfterMyDreams

Let’s be real - of course we need to think, research and plan in order to make the best decisions and take action in our lives, but some of us spend waaaayyy too much time thinking and not enough time acting. It’s me! 🙋🏽‍♀️ I’m committing to taking more action in 2022 that is not held back by fear and overthinking. My words for next year are CLARITY and FOCUS so that I can be clear and intentional on the actions I’m taking. I want you to commit along with me - let’s get out of our head and into the game so that we can make our dreams a reality! What are your words or commitments for 2022? #NewYearNewMe #TakeAction #NewYearGoals #WordOfTheYear #2022Goals

We successfully managed the matching PJ’s...now if only we could get little man to smile on cue. We’ll try again next year. ☺️ I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend time with people you love, near or far. This season has not been easy for so many (including me) but I’m proud of us because we’re still showing up and doing the best we can. ❣️ Happy Holidays Everyone! 🎄

What does it mean to be confidently yourself? @firstbornlisa shares her answer and speaks to the importance of comparing against yourself, not anyone else. 🥰 P.S. Our Cyber Monday sale ends tonight! Get 20% off our t-shirts, mugs, and journals by clicking the link in our bio. The discount will automatically apply at checkout. #selflove #selflovejourney #beconfident #beconfidentinyourself

In the spirit of all the holiday sales (Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday - so many! 🙃), I wanted to express my gratitude to all of you by having one of my own! From now through Monday, Nov. 29th you get 20% off with code THANKFUL! 🤩 *The discount is for ALL of our products and will automatically apply at checkout.* I’m seriously so thankful for all of your support this year, and I can’t wait to bring you new products in the future!💖 #SmallBusinessSaturday #BlackOwnedBusiness #CyberMondaySale