Who You Callin' a...
I'd like to take a moment and introduce you to Mackenzie, the Leading Lady I'm channeling for February's Leading Lady Challenge. Here's the bit from the book where the protagonist, Alexis "Lex" Burns gives Mackenzie a full shout out...
That’s what I love about her, Mackenzie takes no prisoners. In case you didn’t notice, she’s outspoken, can make any sailor blush when it comes to giving a good curse, and will not back down from a fistfight if necessary. In fact, it was a fight that first brought her into the circle.
So there we are sophomore year in college. Jeremy and I had been friends since freshman year and we were hanging out in the student union, either between classes, or not going to class at all, I don’t remember which. Across the room, we hear this guy yell, “Look, I told you it wasn’t me, bitch!”
We look over and there’s Mackenzie sitting down while this guy, presumably her boyfriend, soon to be ex-boyfriend no doubt, is looming over her.
Before the “ch” sound was completely out of his mouth, Mackenzie had jumped up. The chair she was sitting on magically appeared in her hands and thus began the infamous “Who-you-calling-a-bitch Beat Down of ’87.”
Now, the guy had to out-weigh her by a solid hundred pounds. But that didn’t matter. She beat him solidly about the head and shoulders with that chair until finally she just couldn’t lift it anymore. That’s when Jeremy and a couple of other guys stepped in. Jeremy took the chair out of her hands and brought her over to our table.
The other fellas administered as much first aid as they could to the guy while making sure he didn’t decide to retaliate. Not that they were worried Mackenzie couldn’t handle it, I’m sure they just all thought it would be better for him to leave it alone. If she reacted that violently from being called out of her name, no telling what she would have done to him after he actually put his hands on her.
I thought I would need to comfort her but with just a few flexes of her hands, and the most colorful round of cursing I had ever heard, she introduced herself and we’ve been buddies ever since.
And thus, Mackenzie comes fully onto the scene.
Now, I won't be channeling these aspects of Mackenzie, at least not unless I'm provoked. No, I'm choosing instead to walk around with her sense of self-worth; that impenetrable sense of one being deserving of respect, care, and consideration. I'm not talking arrogance or entitlement - there's no believing she's better than or above anyone else. In fact, she's quite compassionate, dependable, and caring especially when it comes to her friends.
No, instead, I'm talking about a woman who is comfortable in her skin. Is just as comfortable alone as she is in a romantic relationship. She has healthy boundaries, is expressive, and obviously, will stand up for herself whenever necessary. That's the look I want to wear for this month's challenge.
Self-Love Looks Good on Everyone.
If this is a look you'd like to try for yourself this month, here are a few resources I'd recommend to help you put it together.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Dr. Brene Brown. I was slowly getting off the self-help Ferris wheel when I came across this book. It offers an actual road map from self-deprecating behaviors to acceptance of your whole self that is simple, not always easy but actionable. It provides a ton of relatable examples and of course, is backed by Dr. Brown's extensive research. I highly recommend using it in conjunction with counseling or therapy so you have someplace safe to unpack whatever comes up.
If you're in the market for a coach or course in the self-acceptance/love arena, then I highly recommend Kate Bailey on Facebook and Instagram. She has been instrumental in helping me embrace all of me and to live life authentically. It was my work with her that gave me the inspiration for the Leading Lady Challenge. After having taken one of her courses, I wanted some way to play and celebrate all the traits and such I was discovering I loved about being me.
And of course, I'm going to suggest you grab a copy of Let There Be Life. Think of the story as a bit of comic relief you can turn to when the process gets heavy. Books are in stock and ship within (1) business day of the order being received. There's also a Spotify playlist just for fun. Give a listen, let me know what you think; what songs would you add, let me know in the comments below.
February has a lot going on commercially - there's Valentine's Day, Black History Month, and the
release of my latest book, The Other Woman. For more on that, scan the code, join the Guild. Members of the Nowata Press Guild get behind the scenes and advanced access to all of my new releases. They also automatically get a discount on their purchase so if you're not a member already, now's the time to join!
In the meantime, to learn more about the challenge, click HERE for your free info sheet. Comes complete with a sample of how I'm meeting the challenge and a blank form for you to use should you have a fictional character in mind you'd like to channel for 30 days.
Thank you so much for stopping by. Until next time, sending you much love and inspiration.
Dana