J is for Jas

Celebrate life | Give love | Be intentional | Stay classy | Do good | Find a solution

[jasminegurley]

@time: Since Hurricane Dorian tore through the #Bahamas—leveling homes, drowning animals and leaving at least dozens of people dead—it seems like survivors are in the midst of an “apocalypse.” That's how Brian Symonette described the aftermath of the Category 5 storm to TIME as he traveled around Great Abaco Island to get supplies and care for his family. As the scale of the destruction shifts into focus, Symonette says the island is running out of food, water and fuel: “All the banks are gone, all the grocery stores are gone. I haven’t spent money in six days. It’s just been trade—‘O.K., you have gas, I have a truck. You have food, I have somewhere to stay.’” The 34-year-old adds, “the tune of everyone is, ‘I want to wake up from this nightmare.’” Read more at the link in bio. In these photographs, vehicles drive on a flooded road on Great Abaco Island on Sept. 5, and Dejani Louistan stands with the only belongings she managed to salvage in the Mudd neighborhood of Marsh Harbour on Sept. 7. Photographs by Carolyn Van Houten (@vanhoutenphoto)—@washingtonpost/@gettyimages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Jlsn-Bhxj/?igshid=1v4jreyye33p1

[jasminegurley]

@lonnymag: No words, just pure admiration. 👀☁️✨👏🏽 // Design by @bofillarquitectura. // Photographed by Danillo Scarpati. // 📸 via @julietteabry. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2JjQf5H8wf/?igshid=5s1sx37yxocs

[jasminegurley]

@surfacemag: “I’m trying to create spaces whose shapes and colors provoke memories of childhood as if you were taking candies from your grandmother’s wooden drawer.” Though most of his projects are conceptual, Utkan Gunerkan (@utkang) shows a promising command of how radiant color uplifts the human psyche. Read our #DesignerOfTheDay interview with him at the link in our bio. #utkangunerkan #furnituredesigner https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Ji9QzH-6f/?igshid=13y94jb3ydpqo

[jasminegurley]

@elledecor: Blue high-gloss panels follow the curves of the ceiling in this @nicolefullerinteriors-design Soho home. For Fuller, these bold decisions—which often take the most convincing—are the best ones you can make. In the master bedroom, sconces from Pucci hang above custom nightstands from @promemoria_italy. Link in bio for the full tour. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2JiXvBH-fI/?igshid=p09iqnp8azxp

[jasminegurley]

@fleurdelesalle: Quai aux Fleurs Paris IV (at Paris, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2JiF8WHZAd/?igshid=9sbr98n5wsiz

[jasminegurley]

@designmilk: Inspired by colors and forms naturally occurring in nature, the Lagoon design, part of @tsarcarpets’ X-MATERIALITY installation, mimics sun-kissed land meeting tropical waters. The artful rug uses a variety of techniques to achieve the glistening water effect and layering of the coastline. \\\ design by @tsarcarpets in-house designer Teresa Ceberek, created in collaboration with @byzantine_design and LUKE Furniture https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Jhp2snFNg/?igshid=pwp4zuhb2bse

[jasminegurley]

Transitioning & expanding “for God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline - abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control.” - 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP • • • @elainewelteroth said this quote in her debut/ New York Times best-selling book #MoreThanEnough (get to know her ✊🏽). I feel this saying so strongly on personal and professional levels. There are definitely societal barriers to overcome, but I think I hold myself back more than anyone or anything else ever could oftentimes. It is time to take up AND create space 😎 (at East Pole Coffee Co.) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jWZFlHndW/?igshid=mtpsmyybk5em

[jasminegurley]

My Top 5 Values Now That I Am 27

My birthday is here and I'm reflecting over what is most important to me as I enter into another year of life and get a jump start on the upcoming calendar year.

Today is my 27th birthday and I have been reflecting on what I have learned and how I have grown over the last year as well as what is important to me moving forward. This led to the following five concepts:

1. Intentionality 2. Awareness of Self, God & Others 3. Health 4. Time 5. Progression

[jasminegurley]

It’s Not All About the Babies, Baby

Our reproductive systems impose on us enough on their own…we don’t need anyone else to participate.

It all started with a headache. It was 2006. I was a high school sophomore in my Spanish class when they began to creep up on me…slowly, inching its way out from my womb and spreading throughout my body. I started breathing heavily and felt like I needed to throw up. After requesting to go to the restroom, my body became heavier with every step. My arm against the hallway walls was the only thing keeping me from sliding to the ground, as my legs began to weaken. As I got to the bathroom, I paused in the doorway and looked at the handicap stall toward the back of the bathroom. This was the first time I questioned why handicap stalls seem to always be the furthest from the bathroom entry. Extremely poor design and very counterintuitive...

[jasminegurley]

Sharing the Mental Wealth: 16 of My Favorite Podcasts

I've been listening to podcasts for about 3 years and it's now a daily ritual for me. I do not have cable and rarely turn my TV on, so podcasts have become my main form of entertainment, outside of social media. I love sharing what I find to be good for the brain &/or good for the soul, so here

I've been listening to podcasts for about 3 years and it's now a daily ritual for me. I do not have cable and rarely turn my TV on, so podcasts have become my main form of entertainment, outside of social media. I love sharing what I find to be good for the brain &/or good for the soul, so here you go. Let me know if any of your faves are listed or what podcasts I should add to my roster!

[jasminegurley]

Beauty is not an Accomplishment: Our Children's Impression from Adults' Use of Social Media

Children are impressionable and naturally want to make their parents happy. What you get excited about is what will motivate them most.

I had an AHA moment not too long ago. I don't remember people commenting on how I looked when I was a little girl. What I looked like was not a concern to me, but being good was. Good in school and good at understanding my schoolwork. A good swimmer. A good friend. A good sister. But not caring one bit about being a "good-looking girl."...

[jasminegurley]

Beauty is not an Accomplishment: Our Children's Impression from Adults' Use of Social Media

I had an AHA moment not too long ago. I don't remember people commenting on how I looked when I was a little girl. What I looked like was not a concern to me, but being good was. Good in school and good at understanding my schoolwork. A good swimmer. A good friend. A good sister. But not caring one bit about being a "good-looking girl."

I thank my mom Juliette Mask Gurley for that. Be careful what you train your children to focus on. Let's not raise a narcissistic generation because our kids see their parents excited to dress them up, get their hair done and put them on camera for all of social media to see. Tell them they are beautiful, inside and out, and never stop, but don't make them feel like beauty is an accomplishment. It is not. Celebrate things worth celebrating. Teach them what is really important and they will be the most beautiful human beings ever.

[jasminegurley]

Living Large in 2017 by Living Small

For many years, I've been attached to stuff. For example, my high school days trying to wear popular designer items that showed some sort of "ballin' status" for me [on my parents' budget] or my college years where I became much more frugal and "balled out" in thrift stores and consignment shops to make one-of-a-kind outfits. Either way, I still enjoyed the variety of things.  

After my college years and moving around multiple times, whether to a different state or within the same city, I became more aware of my stuff and the reasons I was attached to it. I realized that as much as I enjoy fashion, I really only wear about 25% of the clothes I own and maybe 10% of the shoes. As for accessories, I wear my gold Nefertiti necklace at all times and rarely add to it; I've worn the same two pairs of CZ studs all year (trick: paint with clear nail polish for lasting wear); and I wear the same gold Michael Kors watch for just about every occasion. Why do I have a three packed jewelry boxes??

I have my old faithfuls that I instinctually gravitate toward and there are one-off occasions when I can tap into the rest of my wardrobe. Even with all of that, I still experience the oh-so-common moment of standing in front of my FULL closet thinking, "Ugh, I have nothing to wear!"

Sound familiar? I'm sure. #FirstWorldProblem. This realization has made me ask:

If I'm only wearing a quarter of my wardrobe, why the heck am I holding on to the rest?  

The only excuse I have mustered up is being prepared for the one time that one piece could be worn, but that's weak.  

Another thought that has triggered an analysis of my things was the ability to move. I have dreams of traveling for vacations and potentially for relocation. The more I research and dream about it, the heavier my stuff weighs and the less free I feel. Something has to change. 

So I made the decision to slowly coach myself into a minimalist mindset... 

What did that look like? Follow me where I am going...

Step 1: In 2015, I moved into a one-bedroom townhouse-style apartment that was a total of 660-square feet. You hear "townhouse" and think, "Ooo," then hear "660-square feet" and think, "Wait what?" Yep, 660 sq. ft. split between two levels, so visually, it's approximately 330 sq. ft. on each floor...and I love my apartment! My time here has helped me get comfortable in smaller living quarters and limited how much I would buy to put in it.

Step 2: In 2016, I challenged myself not to buy any new clothes, shoes or accessories unless necessary and I'm proud to say that I only bought FIVE (5) new things this year...that's all, folks. Out of 365 days, I only made clothing or shoe purchases on four of them. It may not be zero, but it is nowhere near what I did in 2015 or previous years. 

Step 3: Now in 2017...

I'm. Selling. Everything.  

Well, not every single thing, but a good majority. Clothes, furniture, shoes, accessories, home decor... anything in excess and weighing me down, excluding my book collection (I'm just not there yet). Most of it isn't my style anymore anyway, so why keep it? 

My goal is to seriously challenge myself to live with less, and have the less that I live with be of high-quality, serve a necessary purpose and/or bring me joy.

Ideally and eventually, I'd love to be able to fit all of my clothes AND shoes in two standard-sized suitcases. Is this drastic? Maybe. Do I mentally feel more peace and joy on the horizon knowing that I'll be:

living well under my means comfortably?

saving tons of mental energy on unnecessary choices that don't directly impact my ability to live, serve others or make money?

serving my desires intentionally over others' or the popular trends? 

In short, YUP...and my peace is what matters at this stage of my life.

So if interested in perusing my wardrobe, you can find it on the SHOP page of my website. Whatever isn't sold directly online will be taken to Buffalo Exchange to see what they would be interested in selling, then going to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Dress for Success Atlanta and Goodwill. 

Feel free to ask questions about minimalism, downsizing and organization in the comments or hit me up on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Medium. Be sure to follow! 

If you enjoyed the article, please hit the “like” button and share with your friends! 

Until next time… 

Y'all be great!  

xoxo, 

Jas

[jasminegurley]

May not have made it to #GHOE this year...but #neverforget 👑 (at North Carolina A&T State University)

[jasminegurley]

It is that time. Risky business.

[jasminegurley]

😄(hysterically lol) at the thought of reuniting with family, friends, mentors, mentees, and meeting new faces this week at #GHOE • • #aggiepride #NCATSU #hbcuqueens #ANightontheNile (at North Carolina A&T State University)

[jasminegurley]

Knowing you are called. Working toward being qualified. • • • #mondaymotivation #mondayinspiration #quotes #williemoorejr #positivity #spirituality