Author: Ashley Rae

Name: Ashley Rae From: Detroit, MI Occupation:Author, Writer, Blogger, and Communicator, Education level: MBA I am the writer and creator of LetsTalkRaeStyle.com. On this site I offer entertainment, information, positivity, and mental healthy living through my writings.I also provide Business writing services. Business writing services are offered on the BUSINESS SERVICE SOLUTIONS PAGE. I published my first book last year titled "How to play the game of life: A guide on maneuvering through life's challenges." The genre is self-help and can be purchased from this site by selecting the BOOK PURCHASE page. I hope you enjoy the many dimensions of The Ashley Rae Brand.

Rake it up the re-up

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

How much money did you spend on Christmas gifts? Did you add additional people to the list at the last-minute? Did you dip into your saved money to do some extra things over this holiday season? I know many people are still buying outfits for a big New Year Eve party or get together. Some of us got new outfits to sit in our families living room for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christmas is now over, and if you don’t have a New Year Eve outfit yet I wish you the best of luck out here.  It’s important to start replenishing your cash!

You probably used your credit card too. Watch out for those interest rates. I know you still want to go to brunch on a Sunday or two after the holiday. I’m also sure you want something to eat other than holiday food. I didn’t even take any leftovers home. I can’t eat them after day 2 anyway. If you’re one of those people that don’t need to replenish any funds be it regular spending money, savings, or savings for Christmas funds next year then bravo to you! The tips I provided are not for you, but maybe you know someone that may be interested.

Below I’ve have 10 tips on revamping your stash. It’s all about discipline.

  1. Go over the amount of money spent over the holidays.
  2. Decide how much you want to save or replace per pay cycle.
  3. Create a budget for groceries, toiletries, and gas to last you until your next pay. STICK TO THE BUDGET!
  4. Don’t dine out unless someone is treating you. You’ll save so much money by eating at home.
  5. You don’t have to go to every single event you’re invited to. Instead invite people over for a game or movie night.
  6. Stop yourself from ordering merchandise online. You don’t need it because you’re not doing that much hanging out, remember? Refer to number 5.
  7. When shopping for your toiletries get them from a store that you don’t like to be in for long periods of time like Walmart. It’ll be beneficial to get what you need, and get out of there!
  8.  See if there are extra hours available for you at work. If you have your own business big or small run a sale on some items or services that you provide.
  9. With the money you have remaining from your pay cycle you can pay more toward your credit card balance if you used your credit card, and the rest you can stash in your savings.
  10. Repeat the cycle until you are back on track with your dollars.

Happy Savings!

Meditation stimulation

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

It seems like more and more people are interested in learning the art of meditation, or just trying to relax their minds. To some folks meditation is just a fad, I mean it has become very popular and mentioned in every day discussions. For me meditation is my solitude. Meditation is my way of relaxing, connecting with the Universe, changing my reality, recharging my positive thoughts and energy, as well as a form of prayer. I began to meditate in or around 2013.

It started off pretty rough for me because I have a hard time quieting my brain, and I wasn’t consistent with it. I secretly had a meditation mentor (Mashonda), so I would ask her questions and listen to the feed back that she provided others. As of today I am much better at meditating, but still not a master. I’ve even meditating with someone before.

Although I am a regular sometimes there are people and noises around my house, which takes me a little longer to get to the level in which I seek in meditation. The level that I like to achieve is the feeling of floating (astral journey/projection). I actually read that it’s recommended to readjust and realign oneself when meditating if you begin to have this experience. It’s described as an out-of-body experience, which is not encouraged. Those that teach meditation approach is to connect a person with their inner feelings, and to discover the Universe within. Sort of igniting your spirit within yourself.

So,  meditation experts feel that the out-of-body experience is mentally beyond meditation. Since I don’t feel disconnected in that moment I don’t see it as an issue for me. Although I must admit I was a little blown away by myself the first time I felt the feeling of floating. It’s as if you have no body weight, and you’re being lifted in the air. I don’t always reach that level, but it’s certainly my goal.

Since there are only 4 more days left in this year, meditating is a perfect way to closeout the year. You can get rid of all of the negative feelings, sadness, pain,  anxiety, and fear that may be lingering in your mind and heart through meditation. I have put together a list of 10 suggestions to help beginners or maybe even regulars meditate.

  1. Focus on your breathing. Regular deep breaths: Inhaling and exhaling.
  2. As you are trying to clear your mind random things will come to your mind don’t focus on pushing them out. It’s natural, and the more you focus on your breathing those thoughts will go away.
  3. I have aphorisms and/or affirmations that I repeat in my mind as I am meditating. I suppose you could call this a mantra. You should create your own and repeat them in your mind.
  4. If your background noises are distracting to you I suggest you plug your ear buds into your phone and put them in your ears. I listen to the album “Meditation music Collection New Age.” It’s super relaxing.
  5. I usually sit in the dark Native American style or I lay flat on my back (In the bed or on the floor. It’s up to you.)
  6. Know and understand that meditation takes time and patience.
  7. You might fall asleep. That’s just how relaxed you’ll be. Don’t let that discourage you, it happens. Either keep going or go to sleep.
  8. Many meditation sites suggest that you meditate during a certain time of the day to make it part of your routine. I am not suggesting that. When you’ve meditated about 3 times, everything in you will tell you when you need to meditate.
  9. You may want to create an ambiance. If so go ahead and light some candles.
  10. Don’t be afraid of the process. This is for your wellbeing.

I hope this helps. Enjoy your meditation session!

 

1st of the month

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

 

 

It’s the first of the month! Time to set new goals! How much holiday food did you eat? I had more macaroni and cheese than I’d like to admit to eating. It’s back to the workout grind! Especially if you slowed down or didnt workout at all while you enjoyed those days off for Thanksgiving.

The beginning of the month is a great time to start new fitness goals! I’m starting a new eating plan today. Afterall losing weight is 80% of what you eat and 20% of working out. So, if you’re one of those people that hate to workout switch up the amount that you are putting on your plate. Eating on a saucer helps. If it can’t fit on the saucer it’s too much.

The meal plan I’ve created for myself is very little to no carbs/starch, little to no dairy, and I can only have something sweet (sugary) one day out the week. I’m going to go as long as I can without sweets. I’m somewhat addicted to them! Statistically it’s better to adjust the amount of your intake rather than completely removing certain foods drastically. It’s all mind over matter.

However, so many people associate food with emotions, and special occasions it makes healthy eating challenging. Every little bit counts! If you’re looking for a workout plan contact A&D Fitness, and they’ll get you together. Here is their Facebook page link➡️https://www.facebook.com/AanDFitness/ I have a great workout regimen from them that I do in my living room! You’ll definitely sweat!

 

Email me TheAshleyRaeBrand@gmail.com or leave a comment to let me know if you have any health goals this month. We can check each others progress and motivate each other.

Happy beginning of the month!

Drew Barrymore

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

Random Rant: I wasn’t suppose to post this blog until December 1st, but I just heard that SZA was nominated for 5 Grammys! I’m so excited for her that I just could not wait! It makes my heart happy that someone could articulate so many different stages of growth that has affected so many people. Rant over. Continue reading “Drew Barrymore” →

Raphael Wright: For the Culture.

Posted on by Ashley Rae
28 year old Raphael Wright is making major play moves and noise in the city of Detroit. If you haven’t heard of him, let me give you some insight. Raphael Wright is a Detroit Native who was born, raised, and still resides in Detroit today. He’s the CEO and Co-Founder of Urban Plug L3C. He also has his own company called Plug’d media, which is a hip hop media outlet that distributes and publishes books, music, art, film, apparel, and interactive media.
Wright decided to launch a go fund me project to purchase and open a Black owned and operated Grocery store on the Eastside of Detroit a little under a year ago. His goal is to rebuild the Black economy, and as he stated, in order to do so we (Black people) must invest in our needs. “Every community needs a grocery store and to see most of our communities in Detroit without a viable grocery store is driving my passion.”

Continue reading “Raphael Wright: For the Culture.” →

Treat Yourself

Posted on by Ashley Rae
Every now and then I feel like the work that I’m doing isn’t enough. I find new ways to become more productive. I get a little lazy sometimes and put things off. I have a corporate job, run and write my own blog site, I’m a business writer (Business Service Solutions), and I’m in the middle of writing my second book.
The last 3 months have been hectic! I’ve been working nonstop. There has been constant brain storming, collaborating with other wtiters, working out, and my regular social gatherings. I can’t seem to actually go to sleep until 4am, and I have to get up around 7:30am. I’m a night owl anyway, but I typically try to get to sleep around 2am.
I really do try to sleep. I forgot to mention that I’m managing 3 Instagram pages and 4 Facebook pages. Needless to say I’m tired, and it’s hard to admit it! On my Business Service Solutions (@Business_Service_Solutions) Instagram page, I give a business tip every week. This week’s business tip is take a vacation!
It’s so important to take care of yourself, and put everything else on hold. Although I have technically had 3 vacations this year, I didn’t leave the state and I still worked all of my businesses. The only thing I didn’t do was work my 9-5. Today I’m taking a mini vacation. I have about 4 or 5 days off, and I’m flying out.
I’m going to try not to answer any emails or go to bed thinking about my next and/or current projects.
Treat yourself!

War on drugs!

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

FACTS:

Law enforcement has been targeting people of color like Black men, Mexican Immigrants, and Mexican Americans as far back as the early 1900s. President Nixon initiated the war on drugs in 1971. During this time, drug usage was seen as rebellion by youth and for enjoyment during social gatherings. Of course President Nixon exaggerated the drug usage and its effects on people, and went on a crucifying crusade! Continue reading “War on drugs!” →

Someone knows what happened to Kenneka

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

The day I heard about the mysterious death of Kenneka Jenkins is the same day that I stopped sleeping at night. I’ve been discussing her via social media and praying for the release of her spirit and soul privately. No, I don’t know Kenneka or her family personally. But, do I have to in order to be filled with melancholy over her death? I was 19 before. I have a 19 year old niece and a 19 year old cousin. They like to hangout with friends just as I did and still do. . I’ve been intoxicated before even though I was under age. I’ve done it all. Luckily none of my incidents turned fatal.

None of the information provided to the public regarding Kenneka’s death made sense. I still can’t believe authorities had the audacity to inform her Mother (Ms.Martin) that she walked in a freezer and froze to death. Keep in mind they told her this after she had been calling authorities and begging the Crown Plaza Hotel of Rosemeont, IL to review their cameras because her daughter was missing. First the hotel refused, and then they told Ms. Martin (Kenneka’s Mom) she wasnt on any footage.

After the police came to do a search of the hotel her body was found in a freezer of a kitchen that the hotel no longer uses. None of the other kitchen appliances were operating or plugged up but the freezer for some reason was. Alleged video footage of a much wider girl hit the internet staggering as if she had been drugged surfaced. It was allegedly Kenneka. It shows her going to different places in the hotel and walking into a kitchen, but nothing else! It’s not even a full video of footage:It’s pieces of clips. www.abc7chicagonews.com said police put together some instruments within the video to reconstruct what they believed was Kenneka’s path. That statement alone explains the lack of authenticity.

Kenneka’s death was ruled as an accident, and the case was officially closed this evening. I never believed that Kenneka’s death was an accident! Today photos of her body were released to the public. Indecent photos. Pictures of Kenneka’s lifeless body in a freezer on the floor with her breast exposed, her pants halfway up, a busted lip, and a shoe off and away from her foot! There is blood visible on her body as well as on the floor. There is also a large amount of dirt on the side of her Jordan gym shoe, and all up one side of her clothes. To be honest it looks as if Kenneka had been dragged on her side across the floor.

The photos that were released are disrespectful to Kenneka and her family. It’s apparent that there is no respect for the dead. Let me rephrase. There is no respect for a Black womans body parts or lifeless body as a whole, which is another reason why I feel her case is being dismissed! The pictures just raise more questions and speculation. If she froze to death why does she look beaten up? Why are her private parts exposed? Why is there blood on the floor? How could this be ruled as an accident? Who are the hotel and possibly the police trying to protect?

I hope someone has a conscience and decides to tell the truth about what happened to Kenneka. Kenneka is much more than just a teenage girl that lost her life. Kenneka is our daughter, little sister, favorite little cousin, niece, the little girl you watched grow up that lives down the street, and friend. Kenneka is you and I when we were young. Wouldn’t you want your community to care enough to discover the truth, and just maybe be able to provide your family with some closure?

Tell us what happened to Kenneka.

Budgeting and saving.

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

I started my blog because I wanted to inform the people about what’s going on in the world, and to help people comprehend situations and circumstances beyond the surface. In fact I want people to question everything that they were ever told, because many of us have been told untruths. My website (blog) is my small contribution to the people. Recently I decided upon some new categories. One of the categories is “MONEY TALKS!” I’m a person that has struggled with saving money because I lack discipline in this area. Simply put I am a spend thrift and I know I am not the only one. I buy what I want and I’m unapologetic about it. However, I know that saving money is important. It doesn’t matter how much money you make either. If you’re bad with money you can be a millionaire and still be broke.

This is the first post for the Money Talks category. I am pleased that Sonia Perkins-Thompson,  an entrepreneur with a Bachelor of Science in Business with a focus in financial management supplied LetsTalkRaeStyle with a video about budgeting. This is her contribution to the people.

A MESSAGE FROM SONIA!

“This video is a short “down to earth” basic why to create a budget. It gives examples and reasons on why creating a budget is so important. This video talks about the things we over look and do not think about when it comes to budgeting. We think sometimes it’s hard to budget and save but in reality, no one can win a game without a game plan. Focusing on the importance of discipline and other things mentioned in this video can lead to  the goals you have in life.” 

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL INQUIRIES IF ANY ON THE CONTACT PAGE

HERE IS THE VIDEO!

 

 

Am I a bad Mother?

Posted on by Ashley Rae

 

By Katrina Hamilton

 

 

I cry when I’m alone. A lot. The thought of having to care for someone who depends on you and cannot survive without you is frightening. On top of that, my daughter screams my head off almost non stop on me, but is an angel with her dad. It’s frustrating. I’m always tired. I have a loved one who tends to criticize almost every decision I make regarding my child, and it makes me feel like I’m not doing anything right for my daughter. I miss my kid free life sometimes. I miss the freedom that I had when my husband and I could just wake up and hop in the car for a road trip, or go on a spontaneous date without the responsibility of having to bring a child along or find childcare for her. I have terrible anxiety. I’m always afraid to leave the house alone with my daughter, but I’m also always afraid to stay home alone with her. Of course I still end up doing both, but I’m in anxiety mode the entire time until we’re reunited with my husband.

I’ve battled some type of anxiety since the day my daughter was born. I’ve always dealt with it alone because I was afraid that if I shared my fears with my husband, I’d make him feel like it was somehow his fault, and because none of it is even remotely his fault (or anyone’s fault for that matter), that would make me feel even worse if he ever started feeling that way. I kept it from my friends who don’t have kids. I felt like like they couldn’t possibly understand. I also kept it from my fellow mommy friends because they all seemed like they had everything together. I’ve never seen them cry or complain. They always seemed so happy and eager to spend every waking moment with their little ones, so I figured this is what a normal mother should be like. I started feeling like maybe the feelings I had were selfish, and maybe I’m not a good mom because of those feelings, so I kept it to myself.

But then, a few days ago, I started scrolling through my Facebook timeline and a post that someone shared from a young mom popped up. She talked about the rough day in motherhood that she was experiencing. She talked about how she sat in her car at the store and cried. She talked about how sometimes she has to hide for a few, just to prevent herself from completely falling apart. That post had 18 THOUSAND shares. And then another post came across my timeline. It was a post from one of the mommy groups that I’m a part of. These mommies were on there pouring their hearts out about how rough it is to be a mom at times. Last time I checked, there were about 200 comments on that post. And then another post popped up. This mother said she cried and felt terrible about making her daughter eat school lunch because she was unable to get herself together to make her a homemade lunch. As I kept scrolling, I saw a few more posts from mothers who were having bad days and were beating themselves up about it. Up until recently, many of these mothers (myself included) kept these things to themselves, which I believe may also be a small part of why so many of us end up battling depression or anxiety. The more you keep things bottled up, the more it hurts you.

These posts made me realize that I’m not alone though, and that these feelings are perfectly fine to have. As much as we want to be, we are not Superwomen, and that’s ok. It doesn’t make us bad mothers at all. It doesn’t make us selfish, and it doesn’t make us crazy. It makes us normal human beings. There is no handbook to teach you how to navigate through motherhood, and you will have bad days. All of this is ok. You can cry, hide out for an hour, and even scream if you need to. You can then pick up the phone and call another mother to talk about it, because our feelings definitely need to be discussed more. They also need to be discussed with someone who has been in your shoes and will not judge you, and I guarantee that your other mom friends felt the same way at some point, and will be happy and relieved to have the conversation with you.

No matter what you are going through, and no matter how you’re working on addressing it, just remember that your breakdowns are ok, and you will be ok. Your babies love you, and no matter how you may be feeling about yourself at the moment, they think you are the greatest mommy in the world!