My Dear Readers…

My mother, Ardilia Wesley, died unexpectedly this morning. I am with my family in Atlanta. I will be back soon.

hugs,

Althea

Mocha Angels 365. Day 79.

The process of internal change happens in the dark. Change is an inside/out job. The past 48 hours have shown me what I need to be working on within myself. Aside from taking a morning walk, I’m going to clean out papers and shred them. I’m going to either throw away old stuff, give it away, or sell stuff on eBay. I am also going to get extra sleep. I’m adding EFT into the mix too. It’s also time to rid myself of old beliefs.

This pandemic is effecting every person on the planet. Even when we get back to business as usual, and we will, it won’t quite be business as usual. It’ll be different with lots of PTSD thrown in. So I’ll be talking about anxiety relief for the next few posts. Let me know what you all are doing during this global shutdown.

Mocha Angels 365. Day 78.

(An oldie but a goodie!)

Angels come in all shapes and sizes. They are not all celestial beings. Pay close attention to see if there are any earthbound Angels in your life. When you notice those special people, say “thank you!”

Mantra:

I am thankful for the Angelic people in my life.

Mocha Angels 365. Day 77.

So my workplace has closed indefinitely. The governor has ordered all restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and gyms to closed until further notice. This is the right call. I’m taking the day to process my new reality.

Bottom line, I am grateful for what I do have. My kids and myself are safe. We have food and shelter. We are healthy. So I’ll let my Mocha Angels do the talking:

When you get caught up in worry, stress, anxiety, or other negative emotions, you are not focusing on God (or on the good in your life). Think of God (your good) instead of your problems. Choose to be loving, kind, grateful, and compassionate. Focusing on God-like qualities is what clears the path to a bright future.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Please let me know how the coronavirus is affecting you.

Mocha Angels 365. Day 76.

You might have heard about Italy and other countries like France and Spain being on a total lock down. When I saw footage of Italians playing music and singing to each other while virtually trapped in their houses, I wanted to share it with you all. Our complicated and beautiful species always finds a way to create beauty in a bad situation.

Mocha Angels 365. Day 75.

I am paraphrasing President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s quote from his first inaugural address on March 4, 1933. In reference to the economic depression that he inherited, President Roosevelt stated, “…let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself…” That statement is applicable now.

For now, my workplace is staying open. It’s a place that hundreds of people visit daily. I’m not happy about that. However, I am not afraid for my own health. Fear is not going to help me nor my children. If we have to self-quarantine, we will deal with it.

Stay informed, but don’t overwhelm yourself.

Find fun things to do.

Check on your neighbors.

Hug the people you love.

Most important: breathe.

Holistic Saturdays: Orange Chickpea Buddha Bowl (V, GF)

This recipe is from Eat With Clarity. I subscribe to emails from Vegan Bowls, which is where I found the recipe. I was shocked at how good it was. Eat it with avocado and green onions (also known as scallions) on top. I didn’t include them in the picture, but they add even more flavor to an already great recipe.

I only slightly adapted this. I used clementines instead of oranges because that’s what I had available. I use Braggs Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce or tamari. The green onions are a must.

This is awesome. Seriously. I never would have paired a citrus flavor with chickpeas. This is a winning dish.

Recipe is here: https://eatwithclarity.com/orange-chickpea-buddha-bowl/

Mocha Angels 365. Day 74.

It’s a lot easier than learning lessons the hard way, isn’t it? Try bringing love to any difficult, scary situation. You can plan ahead, think it through, make accommodations, be an adult about it. You can, at the same time, be loving, kind, patient, and still. The final outcome will be better for you and everyone you love.

Mocha Angels 365. Day 73.

My late grandmother Annie Lee Lighting used to say to me, “Baby, we is living in the end times. You say your prayers every night. You hear me?”

“Yes, Grandma. I hear you,” I would say.

It’s not the end times, but it damn sure feels like it.

Breathe. Turn off the news. Read a book. Play board games. Write what you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. Don’t read social media conspiracy theories. Go out in nature. Spend time with people you love.

It’s time to connect with loved ones. If there’s anything good about all this craziness is that we see how much we all need each other.

Let me know how the coronavirus has changed life in your city or at your job. (((hugs)))

Mocha Angels 365. Day 72.

My friend Janet once told me, “Turn your pain into art.” Without pain, there is no depth to creative work. It’s empty.

Contemporary examples in music are:

Rihanna: Love on the Brain
Adele: Rolling in the Deep
Beyonce: Lemonade (the entire album)
Alanis Morrissette: You Oughta Know
Lizzo: Truth Hurts
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black

Quoting Mocha Angels Day 69, these artists have transmuted even bitter and heart-breaking experiences and conditions of life into spiritual loveliness.

So take what hurts and put it into song, poetry, photography, visual art, books, videos, or whatever you love.