Bougie Girl University

Powerpoint is really cool!  Okay, I may have just fallen off the cliff and deeper into the abyss of nerdom.  During the past few weeks, I have been re-acquainting myself with Powerpoint and all of the cool things that one can create with it. Most notably, I have been using it to create my online courses. I sort of wish that I had been using it sooner but, no time like the present. I am adding video to my class slideshow which will enhance the experience for the student and make the material easier to teach. My new found love for Powerpoint has not come  without drawbacks. My learning curve is a lot slower than it used to be, I am sure due to the many projects on my plate. 

For the past year or so, I have been brainstorming ideas for online courses. Back in 2012, I set up an online course on Udemy entitled: "Overcoming The Loser Spirit". That course was comprised of both blogposts and podcasts in which I had discussed the concept of "The Loser Spirit". A few students enrolled in the course and I kind of forgot about...until I was sent a notice by Udemy that there curriculum policies were changing. Now, Udemy requires that video be incorporated into the classes on their platform. At the time, I had no interest in doing video of any kind. For one, I was unsure on whether I could successfully create a course-worthy video lecture. I walked away from the whole teaching on Udemy thing and focused on other projects. Fast forward to early this year, when I made the decision to launch this blog and  revive "The Loser Spirit" series as an online course.  In addition, this year I started experimenting with filming myself a

Earlier today, I gave BGU podcast listeners a taste of the premium content which will be available for sale soon. Below are the highlights from the podcast. Congratulations! After many false starts and missteps, you have finally tapped into your spiritual side. Now, comes the task of bringing the feel-good "Woo-Woo" vibes into your physical world. This e-course will outline the steps to get you on the path of blending your spiritual awakening into the physical world. Step#1-The first step is to distinguish the "Woo-Woo" from the physical world. Step#2-The second step is to begin blending the "Woo-Woo" with the physical world via a series of exercises which involve beginning a journal of observations outlining the 5 senses. Step#3-The third step is actively weaving the blend into your life. In short, you are going to start integrating a more diverse group of people into your life. One of the best ways to do this is to join a meetup.com

Photo courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net School is definitely back in! Are you still sitting on the sidelines trying to figure out what you want to do with that degree program which you are halfway through? Is there a certification and/or licensing test that is standing between you and your future career? Today's class is going to help you  get organized and stay motivated to finish your degree/certification. Questions to ask yourself: 1. Why are you pursuing this degree/certification? 2. How do you plan to use your degree/certification? 3. Will you need additional education? 4. How do you plan to fund your degree/certification? 5. Are there local, regional, and/or national organizations in your degree field which you can join? 6. Do you have a support system in place? If not, where can you find one? 7. Will you go to school part-time or full-time? 8. How many classes will you realistically be able to take? 9. Do you have a schedule in place? 10. What

Sunset in Newport, RI The summer is winding down. No doubt, you have probably been a little busy trying to pack in a lot activities before the balmy breezes turn cooler. The Fall semester is starting in a few weeks which means that your extra-curricular reading and time may be drastically cut in half. Below are several blogs which keep me inspired: 1. Get Busy Living Blog 2. Impossible HQ 3. Lisa Nichols Blog 4. Eventual Millionaire 5. Rise To The Top 6. Amy Porterfield

Courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net Is 7 days enough time to create a lasting change? Well, I believe that 7 days of effort and dedication can create just enough space to change our perspective. A different perspective can enable us to create lasting change. The tasks listed in the 7 day challenge may appear on the outset to be too simplistic. However, simple changes are often the catalyst for bigger ones. Students will need a notebook and writing utensil for this course. The notepad feature in a mobile device will also work. Day 1-Spend a day touring ethnic and retail food stores. Day 2-Take a day trip 2 hours outside of your town or better yet spend the whole weekend there. Day 3-Enroll in an foreign language course and start practicing right way. Day 4-Apply/renew your passport (if applicable) and investigate flights/travel service. Day 5-Host a travel themed party. Day 6--Participate in  a walking tour of your town or grab a couple of friends and host

Courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net Is 7 days enough time to create a lasting change? Well, I believe that 7 days of effort and dedication can create just enough space to change our perspective. A different perspective can enable us to create lasting change. The tasks listed in the 7 day challenge may appear on the outset to be too simplistic. However, simple changes are often the catalyst for bigger ones. Students will need a notebook and writing utensil for this course. The notepad feature in a mobile device will also work. Day 1- Make a list of the following things: -Food, beverages, and/or restaurants which you have always wanted to try -Skills that you wish to learn. -Cultures and ethnic groups which you have always been curious about. -Musical and dance genres which you are not familiar with. -Groups/Organizations which you always wanted to join. Day 2- Food/Beverage/Restaurant Day Try a new food, beverage, and/or restaurant. Jot down what you tried

The Fourth of July is now over. You still have not done anything remotely exciting this summer. Next month the kids and/or you will be returning to the classroom. You don't have much time to salvage the remaining weeks of summer. These next 3 weeks, we are gonna change all that. Starting today, you are packing your metaphorical knapsack and heading out on a couple of adventures. Below is the Class Syllabus: Week One-Introduction A brief introduction on ending your summer on a high note. Week Two-7 day try something new challenge This week Professor Bougie Girl encourages pupils to try something new. Week Three- This week Professor Bougie Girl offers up suggestions to pupils for exploring new places and spaces. Listen to this episode of the Bougie Girl University .

  Whenever we are learning a new skill, it is tempting to jump out in front and just start doing it. Sometimes, this is the right action to take. However, when it comes to growing your hustle empire, going slowly is a better option. If we have money coming into our coffers and our bills paid with some left over save then we can afford to take a little time to review new opportunities before we acting upon them. Understandably, there are times when our  hustle will take off  like a shot. During these times we may be tempted to just ride the wave and not think about structuring anything. In the long run, this can work against us. Below are some tips which will help you to grow your hustle slowly: 1. Organize business related documentation and correspondence. 2. Purge clutter on a regularly basis. 3. Create and stick to a budget. 4. Examine your finances and other business metrics on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. 5. Network with other entrepreneurs on a

So, far you have learned about the hustle and what the heart of it looks like. I have broken the final lesson into two parts.  In these final lessons,  I am going to discuss how to apply hustle to your everyday life.  I believe that this is the most challenging part of the course because can know something intellectually and yet be unable to apply it in our daily lives.  Below are 3 simple ways to apply the hustle in your everyday life: 1. A Hustler welcomes obstacles A hustler approaches an unexpected setback as welcome challenge. A hustler's confidence grows with each obstacle that they are able to hurdle over.  Embrace challenges in your life as an opportunity to sharpen your skillset as a hustler. 2. A Hustler has multiple streams of income A hustler always has  multiple streams of income flowing into their coffers. Multiple streams of income can be created by selling items online, house-sitting/pet-sitting, dog-walking, and/or working a part-time gig. 3. A H

During the midst of your hustle, life seems to expand into a vast store of opportunities. However, be aware that life within the heart of the hustle also contracts to exclude negative elements such as: psychodrama, excuses, and other  various anchorweights. Now, for many people letting go of the above-mentioned negative elements can be too much to bear. They conveniently find ways to sabotage their hustle because they are too attached to the negative elements in their lives.  As a result, their lives stagnate and eventually they become resentful of folks whom are still working within the heart of the hustle. In addition, whom you  choose to surround yourself with on a regular basis is a strong indicator of how far you will go in life. It is crucial during your come-up to surround and align yourself with the following types of people: 1. Mentor 2. Supporter 3. An equal 4. Protege Throughout the different stages of your life, individual members of your Hustle Tribe

  What exactly is a hustle? Depending on whom you speak with a hustle can be defined as one of the following: a) a dance popular during the 1970's; b) a way in which to scam others; and/or c)  working with what you got. This course will center around answer c). The basic components of Hustle are a strong work ethic, an effective game plan, and  the ability to create a bigger vision for yourself. How can your find your hustle? Below are two main types of hustles: 1. For Now hustle 2. Dream hustle For Now hustle A For Now hustle is what you are currently doing to make ends meet. It can be an entry-level gig such as washing dishes in a restaurant or even a position as a law firm Associate. Questions to Ponder -How much money will you need to live on? -What can you do in your For Now hustle to bring in more money and/or benefits? -Can you work paid overtime or take a side gig to bring in more income? -What is your timeline for transitioning out of your For Now

Hustlin' ain't easy.  Just so we are clear, this course is all about the legitimate ways of hustlin'. In other words, I am equating the term "hustle" with working harder, being smarter, and weaving a bigger vision into your life. Hustlin' isn't something that we are born with. It is mindset that we learn to develop over the years. Lesson #1-Introduction -What is hustlin? Basic components-Working Harder, Working Smarter, Weaving in the Bigger Vision -How can you find your hustle? -What is a "For Now" hustle? -What is a  "Dream" Hustle? Lesson #2-Heart of the Hustle -In the heart of the hustle-What life looks like in the midst of the hustle -How hustle will change your life for better and for worse -People you need in your Hustle Tribe Lesson  #3-Applying Hustle to your Everyday Life -Applying Hustle on a small scale -Grow slowly, but don't stop growin' Listen to this episode of the Bougie Girl Univers

Bougie Girl University:Outlining Your Life-Long Key Chain by Bougie Girl Apparel Congratulations! We made it to the final lesson in "Overcoming The Loser Spirit Series".   What does the rest of our journey away from the Loser Spirit look like?  Are we taking the necessary steps to cut ties or at the very least, loosen the bonds which are currently tying us  to toxic people/situations? The answers to the above-mentioned questions may not be immediately clear to us. Shifts in our perspective take time to take hold in our lives. This is why it is important to have an outline of the type of life we want to lead.   Creating a life outline does not have to be a huge and complicated undertaking. We can start by jotting down  5-10 hobbies that we enjoy doing. Next, we write a brief history on how those hobbies came into our lives. Finally, we write a brief summary on how we plan to integrate these hobbies into the rest of our lives.  Granted, some o

Bougie Girl University: Embracing Yourself Key Chains by Bougie Girl Apparel Sometimes, we just need to take a step back from our stressful lives and give ourselves a huge metaphorical hug.   So how can we better embrace ourselves? It starts with building a sliver of solitude into our lives. It may be more challenging for parents and other family caregivers to consistently carve out long blocks of time out for solitude. However, just an hour a day of quiet time can recharge us. Next, we take the time to embrace who we are and how far we have come in our journey. Exercise #1- Are you embracing where you are right now in your journey?  If so, what was the turning point in which you decided to embrace your life's journey? If not, what is holding you back from embracing your life? Song of the Day: "The Toreador" by Georges Bizet Meditation: I am self-aware. I am actively practicing self-acceptance. I am embracing myself and where I am in my j

Bougie Girl University: Staying Present Keychain by Bougie Girl Apparel Staying present in the moment one of the biggest challenges in our 24/7-constantly connected world.  At any given moment, we are barraged with irrelevant updates, musings, and other distractions which hold no real bearing over our lives.  Yet, we cannot seem to jump off the carousel of constant distractions. We are terrified to fall behind in the cycle of technology distractions.  What if we miss an oh-so-important twitter update from the reality television star of the moment?   In order to stay in the present moment, we have to take a step back and focus on what really matters to us in our lives. Exercise #1: Turn off all of your devices for 3 hours. Spend the quiet time reading a book, doing a crossword puzzle, drawing, writing, cooking, and/or cleaning.  After the 3 hours are up, spend 30 minutes writing about the experience. How did being deviceless for 3 hours make you feel?

Bougie Girl University: Allowing Love To Flow Key Chains by Bougie Girl Apparel Lack of  authentic love in our lives can make us feel as though we are staggering along a dried up riverbed. We seek this authentic love in our daily interactions and yet we still come up short. We  kill time in relationships and marriages because we don't know what else to do with ourselves.Far off in the distance, we can hear the rumbling of authentic love roaring down the riverbed. We long for the healing properties of authentic love and wonder if the correct dosage will be enough to fill the eternal vacant sections of our soul. And, yet as it flows closer to us we become worried that we are not worthy of such a gift. Immediately, we look for ways to block its arrival. Most of the time, we are able to successfully block it from our lives. We tell ourselves that authentic love will always come back for us. But, as the years flow on and we notice that authentic love comes around us less