Author: Au’Pearce

2024, we have arrived, well, at least most of us. It is irrefutable that there will be individuals who will remain stuck in a retrospective mindset, never being able to progress in life or develop the ability to change prospectively, whereas looking forward to becoming a newer and better self, but also taking the initiative to set goals and standards where this could be accomplished.

This is only day one, and it is not my civil duty to challenge you but your universal duty to challenge yourself. You must challenge yourself to become a better person intrinsically and extrinsically. Irrespective of your previous accomplishments, position, title, educational level, geographical position, or socioeconomic and financial status, you must proactively take control over your OWN life and not try to manifest and live out loud (LOL) someone else’s life or worry about what others are saying and doing. While your wishes and desires may be laughable to God, you must still cognitively and realistically set desirable and measurable goals. You must not play devil’s advocate on God’s time. You must shift your thought patterns and processes, having something to look forward to in life that will fearlessly give you a sense of direction and hope and add value to your life and life satisfaction. You must trust your instincts and continually engage in activities that ignite your curiosity and creativity. You must remove yourself from people, places, and things that do not bring you happiness and joy. Never settle or limit yourself or conform to society’s rules. Always engage in activities that bring you and your family peace, love, happiness, and tranquility. Never be afraid to remove yourself from things and people that threaten your peace, love, joy, calmness, and emotional sustainability. Always know that you are in charge of you. Never give another person the responsibility to determine your life levels of happiness, peace, and satisfaction. 

We have embarked on a new year. Some individuals lived to see it, while others did not. This is not because they were denied access, but it was more a result of “God’s promises and control” over all human lives. To all those who did not live to see 2024, I salute you and say, “Job well done.” God calling you home is a sign that your job here on earth is done and you all have passed the test, a life examination that every single human being who has or will ever exist will have to undergo. Some will pass, and others will fail. I benevolently hope and pray that you live a flourishing and fulfilling life from this day forward, days that bring limitless happiness, joy, peace, prosperity, abundant good health, and wealth. 

2024 is your year. So, unapologetically claim it. Even name it if that is what makes you happy. 

This year, 2024, is a year that will provide endless possibilities and opportunities for you to become a better you. I beg of you to please stop engaging in self-doubt, self-destruction, self-sabotaging, and self-crucifixion behaviors. Shift your mindsets as it will be beneficial not only for you but also for others that surround you. Psychologically shift for the better, proving to yourself that you know better and will do better.

Forget what others say about you or do against you to diminish your character. While embarrassment is a mental state of mind, your unwillingness to stand in your truth, presenting to the world your true and authentic self is more embarrassing than ever. Please take chances, as this is the only path leading to good health, wealth, success, and ultimately, an authentic and truthful you. 

Today and all days ahead in 2024 and the following years, look, better yet, stare with piercing eyes at yourself in the mirror that stands before you, knowing that you are truthfully looking at the person who is staring back at you. If you become dissatisfactorily unrecognizable, whereas you are the only person you see, you need a major life change. If you see yourself as being changed for the better, then let me be the first person to congratulate and thank you. Thank you for contributing to building a better life for yourself and your society and community.

Congratulations on making it over the new threshold of life and reaching 2024. You made it this far for a reason, even for a season. You should always trust the process and never engage in self-directed pity. At some point in our lives, we will have to live with life regrets of having to take on a job or career that only pays the bills and gives us status, careers that we vehemently lack compassion, or ones that bring personal acceptance.

Love life and the opportunities you have been given to live. Never be too afraid to play the cards you’ve been dealt. On this day, 01/01/24, let me be the last to wish you a Happy New Year.

Happy New Year. 
I wish you nothing but happiness and a life filled with joy and happiness abundances.

All the best,

Au’Pearce

The entire world is on the verge of transitioning from 2023 to 2024. 

I must ask, what will your 2024 self look like? 

Will your 2023 self be the same person transitioning into 2024? I certainly hope not.

I hope that you, as an individual being in charge of your own life, have put in every effort to become a new and better you in the upcoming year, mainly because we should never depend on others to make us into something that falls outside the scope of who we really are.

As each year passes, we should never take our same selves into the following year. 

We should always look for ways to become a new and better person. 

We should always look for ways to be better and do better. 

No one is asking you to be perfect, but at some point in your life, you and others should be able to recognize the changes you have undergone. You should also recognize and be conscientious and physically and mentally aware of the changes that others you surround yourself with have gone through or are going through. 

If your change is unnoticeable, or you have changed for the worse, or you have gone unchanged, I highly recommend you take several steps back, reflect on what you did wrong, and determine what steps you need to take or implement in your life to get it right. 

If your changes as an individual have resulted in you becoming a better you, then KUDOS! Amazing job. I applaud you. HAPPY NEW YOU!

I know we are only a few days off from going into another year, but I challenge you. I challenge you to not go into another year as the same you. I challenge you in all of the years that’s to come not only to do better and be better, but I challenge you to change the definition and dynamism of what it truly means to be you. An authentic you.

The year 2024 is coming, whether we like it or not. Year progressions are life changes where our input is not required. However, we do have the freedom to determine how our lives will transition from one year into the next. I can only wish for your best. With that, I sincerely hope and pray that your life choices will result in you rolling over into the following year being healthier, brighter, and better than ever.  

I am sending love, hugs, and good graces to everyone celebrating Christmas, even those who are not. I especially wish to send abundant love and peace to the individuals alone for Christmas, specifically senior adults and overlooked populations worldwide. I wholeheartedly respect and have great sympathy and commiseration for those who lost their loved ones and are mourning during this time of year. During grief, the holidays are unquestionably the most emotionally challenging time of the year. Some will choose to spend Christmas alone, while others may surround themselves with others, such as family and friends. Whatever the case, know that your loved one will forever be with you and has never left your side. Take your time with your grieving process. It is okay to be alone during the holidays. You have that absolute right. Never allow anyone to make you feel guilty about wanting to be alone. Never let anyone tell you how to live or navigate your new life. Celebrate how you wish, with others or alone, or don’t celebrate at all. Merry Christmas! May you again one day find love, peace, and happiness.

It is the most wonderful time of the year again – Christmas. 

Many people have already started counting down the 12 days of Christmas. 

Most have eaten the first chocolate from their Advent Calendars or retrieved their first token.

Christmas trees are fully erected, and some home’s internal and external extremities overflow with bright lights and other decorations. 

Some individuals have become fully immersed in holiday music and watching their favorite Christmas movies. In various states and countries, areas are covered with white blankets of snow, contributing to the beautiful aesthetic of Christmas.

During this time, most families prepare for an extraordinary day, Christmas – celebrating the birth of Christ. People are shopping, trying to find the perfect gifts, and to prepare the best feast.

Many families are preparing to travel, while others will remain in the comfort of their own homes.

Most children are filled with joy and excitement, anticipating what gifts the day will bring. 

This Christmas, rooms will be filled with love, laughter, smiles, and gift-giving.

Individuals will embrace meaningful connections, spending quality time with friends and family members they love the most.  

Personally, Christmas used to be one of my happiest times of the year. But, with so many significant life changes and complexities, it is not anymore. Over the past year and a half, I have given up celebrating any holiday or birthday.

I used to look forward to erecting a Christmas tree the night of Thanksgiving and decorating it with ribbons and ornaments over the course of days until I got it right. I’d decorate tables and staircases. Plan for the shopping and getting the perfect gift. I always ensured we had the best meal and specific requests were met. For my husband, I always ensured he had everything he wanted and needed. All the way from ensuring his English premier league games were recorded so he could lie in and watch them while I prepared and cooked dinner. I also ensured we were fully stocked with his British food essentials, ranging from minced pies, Branston pickle, Christmas pudding, hot custard, fruit parfait, whiskey cakes, Advent calendar, shortbread biscuits, and more. I got most of these items from the International Market or ordered them online from the EnglishTeaStore. Outside of British foods, it was mandatory that the meal included a whole turkey, roasted potatoes, and brussel sprouts, whereas when all was said and done, we sat down at the dinner table and ate a nice meal together, even if it was only he and I – same as we did each day before and after Christmas day.

While I acknowledge each day of the year, I choose not to celebrate holidays and birthdays, but I do not disregard others who do. This is my personal preference, and I wish not to place my new way or style of living on others. I don’t decorate anymore. Nor do I enjoy cooking a large feast. I never have a desire to celebrate birthdays, mine specifically, because this new life is different. I don’t want to count years, as each day matters more than anything. 

I will give to others who are deserving but have yet to learn to give to myself. Just because it’s Christmas does not mean you are deserving.I am at a critical point in my life where I only cherish the finer thing in life – life itself. With everything that has happened and being forced to undergo a complete life transformation and self-re-discovery, I know how to remove myself and say no. 

My holidays and birthdays are now called life and happen daily.I know my life will never be the same, and I will forever be sad. I may forever have an inability to find complete happiness in anything I do or harvest tremendous guilt if I did. 

From what I can gather, the only way things could be the same is to make the impossible possible – an EP life resurrection.

Given the curveball that life has thrown me, I do not focus on specific days of the year and choose to live life each day as if it were a gift because, in all truth, it is. Life and being able to live is the best gift any person could ask for – or should ask for. What is more rewarding is living and sharing your life with the people you love the most. 

People must only engage with others they have established meaningful connections – connections that would increase their joy, happiness, quality of life, and overall life satisfaction and personal well-being. 

This holiday, take time to think, self-reflect, and find ways to better understand what life means to you and the persons with whom you engage. 

Celebrate with those you love and those who contribute to your positive emotions, quality of life, and life satisfaction.

Have Peace. Love. Joy. Happiness. Be merry.

Give, but never be afraid to live. 

Merry Christmas All!

Dr. Pearce

I take this moment to wish the smartest man in this world a happy birthday, my husband. I love you so much and you will forever be a part of my entire existence.

I love you.

I will forever cherish our time together.

I will always be indebted to you – after Jesus Christ.

And, I will never dispose you from my memory.

Me and You forever, against the world.

Happy Birthday to all persons who celebrate a birthday on this day, November 23. May all your dreams and wishes come trust.

For most of our lives, we have individually and somewhat selfishly rejoiced and witnessed others take the time to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday traditionally and culturally. We have also seen such celebrations of all of the holidays to follow. Those holidays being Christmas Eve and Day, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Hannukah, and New Year’s Eve and Day, among others and respectfully. We have taken the time to celebrate with our friends and family members with great intentions and hopes that we will see them year after year. We unquestionably feel that we will be allowed to tell them that we love them, hug them, thank them, turn our wrongs into rights, and even turn our distant relationships into more secure and healthy ones. Never in a million years do we think that telling someone you love them year after year would be sequestered. 

While many are still provided with these advantages, many families and individuals face holiday suffrages, meaning they’ve suffocatingly lost someone who held and still holds a special place in their hearts. They lost a person(s) where they could say their goodbyes, while others were denied that opportunity. 

Many people tackle the holiday challenges of loss and grief differently. Some find ways to cope. These coping mechanisms could result from spending time with other family members and friends they love. This coping mechanism is an impermanent distraction so they don’t have to think about their loss. Others do not find joy in the holidays and wish to be alone because the holidays will never be the same. They lacked the cognitive and emotional abilities to find joyfulness because the one person they spent their holidays with and who made them that much more important and meaningful is no longer in their lives physically, only spiritually and reminiscently. 

For all of you who still have those notable persons in your lives, whether they be a spouse, intimate partner, friend, child, acquaintance, leaf, branch, or root of a tree, or however you describe them, seize the moment. Enjoy your time with these people. Be kind. Thank them and tell them that you love them in an unintoxicating and unembarrassing way. Be authentic in defining the true nature of your love, compassion, empathy, and connectedness. Share your thoughts and definitively reveal what your love means and entails? 

I beg of you to release the grudges, smudges, and fudges. Release the bitterness, callousness, and resentment. Know that love is love, and love will always outshine and overshadow hatred and cruelty.

This is not an attempt to ask people to become the persons they are not. It is knowingly, unquestionably,  and not by chance that your true self, authentically and wholeheartedly, will be revealed.

Take time this holiday to redefine yourself and for the better, as even the good can be improved. Take this time to gain self-understanding and self-compassion and increase your levels of self-respect and dignity. The only way to produce and emit positive energy is to learn self-gratitude and develop an intrinsic and extrinsic understanding of a sense of self. 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who decides to celebrate year after year and get the chance to spend it with the people they love the most. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of the sick and shut-in and the persons who choose to spend this holiday alone, ruminating, reminiscing, and simply being grateful and thankful. Know that no matter your choice, to celebrate or not, there will always be something to be grateful for, whereas the common denominator for us all is unequivocally LIFE.