Your Path

This is just one person’s humble opinion about their own life and what they are here for.

You SHOULD NOT agree with everything.

Hopefully, you don’t disagree with everything too.

Read and absorb.  Whatever truly resonates with you, take and bring with you on the rest of your own path.  Anything that doesn’t, discard and move on. 

If you don’t like it, and feel the need to add a negative comment to the mix, then – cool – you do you.  Maybe you want to ask yourself why you feel that way, and where that need is coming from first, though.  A little bit of self-introspection never hurt anybody, and probably won’t hurt you now either. 

…Unless, of course, this is introspection.

I have my own path to walk here on this little rotating world named Earth. Everyone else has their own path to walk too.  Your path is your path.  My path is my path.  Everyone’s path is different.  

I chose my path prior to getting here.  I have no idea if you chose your path or not.  My guess is yes, but again, that’s your path, not mine.

Not all of my life has been planned out prior to being born, but there have definitely been times in my life that were set up beforehand that have been put in front of me to allow me to make a choice. My choices help me to grow. 

Certain decisions that need to be made a certain times.  Depending on what I chose my path could branch off in an infinite number of ways. 

Wait, This Is A Choose Your Own Adventure?!

Some road blocks have been agreed to prior to my coming here.  Things that were set up to test me along the way.  Things that force me to learn from and grow from. 

I realize now that when I come up to the same roadblocks, and keep choosing the same thing, I am doing it wrong. 

I am not learning, and until I choose a different outcome, I am stagnated in my growth.  And Growth being one of the main reasons for me being here….

Hmmm…I Think I’ll Go This Way…

I also realize that I am the only one that has walked my entire path that has brought me to where I am today.  I am responsible for being here. I have made the choices and moves along the way.  Some choices have been great and worked out.  Some have not.  Either way, I am responsible.  I control my path.  No one else.    

I will not look to blame others when I make the wrong choice.  These are my lessons to learn – not yours.  It’s not your fault if I don’t learn.

This is my path, & I own it.  I assume all responsibility.  If there is something I don’t like about myself, it’s my fault and no one else’s.  I have walked this path to get here and not you. 

If you have disrupted my path and set up a roadblock of sorts, then that is my fault as well.  I have allowed you to disrupt my path.  I wanted you here in the first place, as you are teaching me something about myself, and allowing me to grow.  So, I want to say thank you for the help…and I have nothing but love for you!

I do believe my path has and will cross other’s paths along the way & go in the same direction too, but they are never truly the same path.  Each member of your family has their own path.  Your very best friend has their own path that is different from yours. 

Some people have tried and will continue to try to help and support my growth along the way.  I appreciate the help and support, and a lot of times, your advice and guidance can open up my eyes to what I need to do to grow. 

However, this is where your duty is done.  You have tried to help, offered your support, and if I don’t take it, it’s nothing personal.  It’s my choice to make, my lesson to learn.  Sometimes I do it right, sometimes I don’t.  Don’t judge me either way.  I’m on my own path, and you are on yours.

Subsequently, I did agree to my path ahead of time.  I knew what I came here for.  What issues I wanted to address, what lessons I wanted to learn, and what I wanted to work on while I am here.  Of course, once I was born, I forgot all of this.  Sometimes your advice triggers something in me that resonates and allows me to make the right choice.    Much thanks for giving me a shortcut, but if you are leading me to the correct choice, am I really learning?  Technically, I already have the answers inside of me, and know which way I need to choose. 

I’m Sorry To Tell You This….Your Choice Sucked

A lot of times your advice doesn’t lead me to the right choice.  This is not a reflection on you or your advice.  This is a reflection of me and my path.  So, please don’t take it personally or take offense.  I am really trying my best here, and sometimes I just don’t get it.

Likewise I will help and support others along the way.  I realize sometimes it seems easier to look at others paths from afar and know exactly what choices that person has to make to ensure they have a smooth path for the foreseeable future.  However, it’s your path still and even though I think I know what is ahead for you, I realize I don’t.  So take my advice for what it is.  Read and absorb, and if something triggers in you – adopt it.  If not, I have tried with best intentions to help you.  Sorry if it did not work out.  I meant no harm.

Sometimes I have to go through lessons that are not my own.   

They are lessons that you need to learn, and I have agreed to play a part while I am here.  Most of the time, these lessons hurt me and are not fun when I go through them.  It sucks, and I suffer but I hold no ill will to you for making me play this part.  I agreed to this ahead of time, and I am responsible for that choice.  I sincerely hope you learn your lesson and grow from the experience because I would like to think that my sacrifice has not been in vain. 

The best help you can give me on my path is just to love and support me along my way, and know that I am trying to grow. 

Namaste!

What Is This Holiday Rising Thing?!!

Do you all know the feeling of a vacation smile? It’s a different kind of joy right?

Everything about vacations is just a little better. The sun shines a little brighter. Your conversations are a little deeper, carefree & heartfelt. You get a little closer with the loved ones around you. It’s a moment in time that you are fully present and aware. For a small moment in time, life is good.

Why not have that feeling every day? We believe that you should and that you can. Europeans often phrase taking vacations as “Going on Holiday”. So we adopted that notion with a twist believing that by either taking on a job, project, or passion that makes you feel as if you are permanently on vacation or freeing up your time so that you can pursue what truly matters to you, is constantly living in a state where your Holiday is always on the Horizon. Hence, ‘Holiday Rising’!

We are an adventurous entrepreneurial family who enjoys traveling, learning, and exploring the great outdoors together. Most of all, we love laughing and playing in this backyard called the world.  Since marrying about 13 years ago, Colin and I (Malaika), along with our boys Ace and Kingston have traveled the world in search of a better way to live.

As of 2021 we’ve been to over 30 countries and visited 49 states (we’re coming for you Alaska).

Along the way, we became coffee farmers and roasters, tour guides, property managers, consultants, worked aboard cruise ships, and owned several companies. We are certainly not creatures of habit and like to push our envelopes in terms of change and growth so we invite you on our journey. We are now forging a new path ahead for ourselves and for others.

We look to inspire an overall lifestyle change for anyone that is looking for something else out of their life. For the people that no longer want to be part of the cog and really want to take advantage of their time here on earth. The Holiday Lifestyle is not for everyone for sure, but if you decide it’s for you, we will show you how you can live like you are on Vacation every day!

We want to share the tips and lessons we have learned along the way, as well as our mistakes, in an effort to create a happier society one smile at a time. We are still learning and growing and welcome insight and different cultural experiences from people everywhere. Nothing in life is guaranteed and time is certainly not promised, so we try our best here to enjoy every second of it like we were on a Permanent Vacation! 

For those of you who also love to travel and spend time with family – invite the vacation feeling into your soul and live it every day as well. Just like the sun always rises we feel the vacation mindset is always rising – Holiday Rising!

Berry Berry Good Smoothie!

It’s time to put those cutting boards to good use and get to chopping!

Spring and summer practically demand a switch up of your eating routines. Let those weighty huge breakfast platters from the winter season go and lighten things up with a breakfast or lunch delicious smoothie! It’s filling, tasty, and great for you.

All you need to do is add the following in a blender and enjoy!

  • 4 cups frozen mixed berries 
  • 1 frozen banana, sliced 
  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt 
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp local honey
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds

Leaning into your passion to find Your PURPOSE

SwemSchool. Dekalb, Georgia

Sometimes when we are at a crossroads with work, social life, or anything else, it’s a great time to take a step back, inhale deeply in meditation, and then……have some good old-fashioned fun! Yup, you heard that right. What good does endless stressing do? How do mindless thoughts, anxious movements, or rash actions help the cause? They Dont!!!. It’s not productive to stay stuck in a rut just going through the motions without getting positive results. If this is happening to you in any facet of your life, it can be a great sign, that you are not on the right track or path and need to listen to your inner child to see what makes you happy.

Explore what floats your boat and tickles your fancy. For some, it may be reading, exercising, playing board games, solving puzzles, drawing, crafting, building etc…. There are infinite ways that people have found since childhood to entertain themselves. So reach back into your bag of childhood desires and enjoy it while you are stuck in the mud of adult needs and motions. you never know, it could very well lead to a lifetime of happiness turning your passion into a successful career and financial windfall!

The best way to organically find out is to do something that makes you happy. It can be large or small but you never know where that can lead. Case in point, My niece Cortney decided to pursue her lifelong passion of getting back into swimming. Over the past couple of years, she has been teaching swim lessons at the Inspirational SWEMSCHOOL in DeKalb, Georgia during the off time of her 9-5 job. That passion for gliding through the water again coupled with the feeling of helping others young and old, overcome their fears to pick up a valued and extremely important safety skill eventually led to her amazing new career path and promotion at The Swem School to Executive Project Manager!! Now she works full time helping to partner with major corporations to help assist the SwemSchool grow and thrive all the while being influential in sharing her lifelong passion for swimming!! Wow, way to go Cort!!!

It is truly amazing to see in real-time reality how following your happiness can lead you to financial and spiritual gains that are immeasurable.

The concept of the SwemSchool in itself is a testament to letting your experiences and interests drive your career path. In Founder and CEO Trish Miller’s own words…

“CEO, Trish P. Miller, learned to swim as an adult after her own near-drowning experience as a teenager. That experience inspired her to be an advocate for community-based drowning prevention programs.

The SwemSchool offers lessons for students of all ages, from infancy to adulthood, and believes that anyone, at any age can benefit from swimming.”

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Tampa Florida

Looking for the perfect one or two-day retreat in the Bay Area in Florida?!

Look no further than the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa Florida. Just park your car in the provided parking structure and bring your swimsuit, coins, and great attitude! With so much more than just casino play, this ginormous structure offers world-class entertainment, fine dining, and a pool that is to be desired!

It’s the perfect spot for a girl or guys trip or a date night extravaganza, you choose.

My sisters and I had a blast treating our Mother and oldest sister to a Girls-only getaway and mad memories to last a lifetime.

Here are 5 points of note to check out when you are there!

Dining:

Jubao Palace Noodle Bar

Cipreso, Italian Dining

Sugar Factory

Entertainment:

Hard Rock Event Center – Host to world-renowned celebrity acts!

Tempo Daylight — For The Party goer in all of us! Tempo Daylife Tampa Bay at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier location for the Tampa party scene. Located inside Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is a 60,000 square-foot pool deck setting the stage for Tampa Bay to experience world-class entertainers. The venue features three ultra-lavish pools, 19 cabanas, 25 daybeds several bars & the Pool Bar & Grill. Perfect for a corporate event, networking function, bachelorette party, or regular weekend getaways. The stylish and sophisticated venue offers a full range of food services, from passed hors d’oeuvres to buffet-style dining, beverage options, and bottle service.

Have FUN!!!!!!

Hello Beautiful. Nature’s Bounty!!!

Earth. Appreciating our amazing planet.

Some days if you ever feel stuck in a rut or at a loss for creativity and excitement, just put on your walking shoes and head outside! So much splendor and visual inspiration surround us every day. From the swaying moss on the trees to the statuesque crane full of dignity and grace.

Stop to inhale the scent of a magnolia tree, rosebush oven freshly cut grass. Take in the serenity of your local pond. Notice how everything has its calm presence and flowers gently with the slight breeze, creating a symphony of nature’s sounds. The ducks, birds, squirrels, and other inhabitants of the watering whole operate in a type of unison code leaving a show for the ages every day.

Watching the crisp blue and white vibrant sky tower overhead caps off this beautiful vision, that Rob Ross would have loved to paint. After delighting in four of the senses now let the golden sun kiss your skin, creating a euphoric feeling throughout your body. Drink it all in. There’s such a rich abundance of life, beauty, and energy all around us/ Nature’s bounty is beautiful and endless. Let yourself be immersed in this beautiful earth and be transformed by your surroundings!

Happy Holiday Rising

Have A Wii Sports Tournament!!

Tired of the kids staring at their iPads and phones all the time? Ever had visions of hurling your kids little electronic devices right off of a speeding train?! Have you exhausted all of your board game arsenal?

Well, then I have the perfect solution for you!! If you can’t beat em’, join em’ and get your Wii Sports on!! Yup, grab the old Wii sports disc out and have a ball challenging your family members to a knockdown drag-out contest of baseball, tennis, boxing, bowling, or golf.

Wii sports is a great way to connect as a family and share true genuine moments of competitive fun for all. Even the most moody of teens can’t help but enjoy themselves and laugh uncontrollably while rolling a gutter ball at the most opportune time.

It’s Allergy Season

Spring is in the Air… and so is the pollen…..AAAACHOOOOO!!!

Hip Hip hooray, Spring is finally here, but so is the pollen, causing many people to suffer from allergies. It seems like each year, allergy season gets worse and worse. It seems each year, allergy season is getting worse. March ushers in such a compelling visual of vibrant colors and delightful smells, however, to be out and about, you must endure or conquer itchy eyes and throbbing nostrils.

Here are a few kid-friendly allergy medicines to try for your active household. These will provide proper allergy protection and are proven safe for children. These will allow your entire family to continue to enjoy all of the wonderful spring and summer events and adventures!!

  1. Children’s Claritin
  2. Children’s Zyrtec
  3. XYZAL

With the arrival of spring comes the beauty of nature, but it also brings a wave of allergies. Despite the challenges that come with it, let’s not forget to appreciate the vibrant colors and delightful smells that fill our surroundings. Let’s embrace the season with open arms and make the most of it, even if we have to endure a few sneezes and itchy eyes along the way.

Delectable Breakfast Burritos!

The Perfect Brunch Switch Up…

Spring is in the air, flowers are blooming and we are LOVING this brunch go-to breakfast burrito!

While visiting Mern (Marian Stepter) pulled out this amazing zesty recipe along with so many others that had us all screaming for more. Brunch is one of my favorite meals to plan for while hosting, and I am so glad to add another delicious meal to the list!

It’s a crowd-pleaser because while preparing the meats and items separately, everyone gets to create their own, adding to the total experience of togetherness and tastiness! Sometimes it’s hard to feed so many people at once and this is a great way to accomplish that in a deliciously creative way!

Happy Birthday, Beautiful Mern, and Thank you for this amazing recipe!!

Chorizo Breakfast Burrito

1 pound chorizo sausage pork or beef

3/4 pound of regular sausage

Frozen diced potatoes with Peppers 20 oz bag

6 eggs

2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese

12 flour Tortillas

Your favorite salsa

Avocado

Hot sauce

Step 1

 Coat a frying pan with cooking spray. Cook and stir sausage in a pan over medium heat until well browned and crumble. Set aside

Step2

Coat the same frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil cook potatoes until done and a little crispy. Set aside

Step 3

Beat eggs and scrabble in a little butter (or however, you scrabble your eggs. Set aside

Step 4

Warm tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds

Fill your Tortilla however you like and enjoy

Happy Birthday Auntie Mern! We Love you.

Glorious Travel Butterflies!!

Is it just me, or do you also get so excited at just the thought of planning your next getaway? Whether it’s a short stay-cation at a local hotspot or a 10-day cruise of the Panama Canal, the thought of planning the excursion is almost as intoxicatingly wonderful as the experience itself!

I get so excited, planning itineraries, mapping out favorite local hot spots, and thinking of immersing myself in a new culture. The overall experience is such a thrill, that it always provides just the right amount of glee, to hold me over until the next trip. When staying in that state of mind of excitement and gratitude looking forward to all the fun perpetuates a constant state of feeling as if I am always on vacation. Now that’s, Holiday Rising lifestyle living at the core!!

You can apply that thinking to everyday life as well to enjoy all of life’s everyday beautiful moments. Looking forward to every smile, every beautiful sunrise, every vibrant beautiful color that this lovely world offers us allows us to be present and appreciative and presents a whole new world to us in return. All we have to do is accept it, smile, and say thank you!!!

This wild journey we call life will always present challenges, heartaches, and roadblocks, but how we choose to view these things determines our eventual outcome. If we can understand that life is a work of art of our own making, that we can create our canvas and paint the greatest piece of art ever imaginable, then even the once mundane or troubling things, don’t seem so daunting or oppressive anymore. We have all heard the phrase “Your attitude determines your altitude” and I think that is true.

If at the moment you don’t think you have the funds to go on an extraordinary travel journey, then pack a lunch, take a walk, and escape to a local park, pond, or museum and be transformed in that moment to somewhere magical. And in taking that leap and journey in your mind, you have brought about that same adrenaline rush of getting on a plane and traveling the world. That very vibe just might bring on the actual trip itself, you never know. The universe picks up on frequencies and since, like attracts like, just being on the good vibes frequency helps to create a world of happiness and joy.

Just give it a try, and let yourself not just enjoy the ultimate destination, but the days leading up to it as well. Appreciate all the days in between leading up to the main event because they are all a part of the grand journey. Enjoy it all, treasure it all, and be grateful for all, and then you will find yourself in a state of permanent bliss!

Happy Holiday Rising!!

Does the seven-year itch apply to vacation destinations?

Hmmmm. Let’s see, we have all heard of the marital tale of the seven-year marital itch where the shine wears off and the real work of partnership, communication, and acceptance kicks in. While some don’t experience this I wonder if this also applies in other areas or aspects of our lives. They say your taste buds for food change every seven years, how about your musical tastes, hobbies, interests, reading selections, or yes even vacation destinations?

Our beautiful world is full of countless places to explore and exotic destinations to cross off of our list, however, some locations, at least for me are constants. I’m proud to say that there a a couple of locations that are so ingrained in my vacation experience, that they truly feel like home. A true Disney kid at heart, I have been going to Disney World with my family for over 40 years religiously and you know what… I still get the same wonderful butterflies every time I cross that magical Welcome to Disney World sign. It’s as if every single visit provides a new magical experience. Whether the experience is new because of a new attraction, venturing with a different family circle, or just our immediate family of 4. Every time is an amazing experience that fills my heart with joy, even now!! I don’t think Disney will ever get old to me.

Now for the ultimate vacation destination for me, that also rings true as home is Idlewild Michigan. My wonderland oasis of the North. A destination that once served as one of the only 3 active vacation areas for Blacks in the 1940s-1960 it was a bustling town that offered endless parties, gatherings, events, celebrities, and families looking to let off steam and unwind in the comforts of the ultimate outdoor playground.

In the ’70s and ’80s, Idlewild transitioned into a small community of families who kept the legacy and family tradition of owning vacation property and gathering over holiday breaks and summertime fun. Here we could count on, barbeques, making smore’s, setting off fireworks, and playing endless games of cards while listening to music are just some of the many fun activities everyone would look forward to.

Here is where I learned to roller skate, ride a bike, swim, fish, and yes snipe hunt! so many memories of summer vacations in Idlewild fill my heart with joy and every time we return with the boys, we find new things to appreciate. Even writing this article, I can’t keep the grin off of my face when strolling down memory lane.

So I guess for me, no matter where I travel and fall in love with. Some vacation spots are just stuck with me and I am a loyal one or two favorite vacation type of gal. But this certainly doesn’t stop me from appreciating and having a thirst to explore everywhere I can. I just make sure to keep my favorite two spots in the rotation!!

Happy Holiday Rising

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