Eleven Months — The Last First
Easter Sunday was the last of the firsts.
The last holiday without my father for the first time.
And somehow, I made it here.
Through the days that felt too heavy to move,
through the moments that caught me off guard,
through the quiet spaces where your absence echoed loudest.
Today, I felt something new,
not joy without you,
but strength with your memory.
A little more energy.
A little more breath.
A little more ability to sit in the moment
without being overtaken by it.
I still miss you.
That hasn’t changed.
But Sunday reminded me
that even in grief,
life is still gently unfolding.
And maybe…
that’s part of how I carry you forward.
Hello April
Hello April 🌿
There's something gentle about arriving here.
Not rushed.
Not forced.
Not trying to prove anything.
Just present.
March felt like a quiet return…
back to writing,
back to reflecting,
back to me.
And this month?
I'm not chasing momentum.
I'm allowing alignment.
I'm choosing:
💕consistency over pressure
💕peace over performance
💕presence over perfection
Some things don't need to be announced.
They just need to be lived.
April, I'm ready…
not because everything is figured out,
but because I trust who I'm becoming.
✨ Your story was never wasted.
✨ Your voice. Your vision. Your victory.
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Thank You, March
March, you asked more of me than I expected.
Not in loud ways. Not in ways that could be easily explained. But in the quiet, steady ways that require presence, patience, and honesty. You were not a month that rushed. You were a month that lingered. A month that invited me to sit with where I am, instead of constantly reaching for what's next.
There were moments this month where I felt clear and grounded, and moments where I didn't. Moments where I moved forward, and moments where I stayed still longer than I thought I would. But I'm learning that both can exist in the same space. Progress doesn't always look like movement. Sometimes it looks like awareness.
March, you reminded me that healing is still happening, even when I can't measure it. That grief can be present without taking over. That my voice doesn't have to be loud to be consistent. And that showing up, day after day, even in small ways, is still something to honor.
You also gave me something I didn't overlook, you gave me rhythm. The discipline of writing. The quiet return to myself. The ability to sit down and put words to what I'm learning in real time. That matters more than I probably realized at the beginning of the month.
So as I prepare to move into April, I don't feel the need to rush past you. I want to acknowledge you. To thank you for what you revealed, what you held, and what you allowed me to see more clearly.
Thank you, March, for meeting me where I was—and for not asking me to be anywhere else.
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Creative Block - The Series
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On January 17th of this year I set out to confront my creative block. I had not been writing in a long time. I decided to not only confront my creative block but to really get back to writing.
One of the things the process did was take me back to where it all started, which is my blog. I have been blogging since 2008 and I would write at night when my sons went to sleep. During that time I had a teenager and a toddler. Trust me, at night was the only time I could get my thoughts out.
Earlier this year, I started getting on here every night between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. I'd get on my blog and write or I'd write in Microsoft Word. Now, I don't always write or type and I've been telling my clients recently to use voice notes or dictation to assist with my blogging. That's really been helpful for me.
My Creative Block Series talks about crying when you need to, being patient with yourself, being honest with your support system and that there is value in at least trying. I hope that you enjoy this series and I look forward to your feedback.
Connect with LindarInsights.
And It's Ok | Evolving Takes Werk Podcast
Has anyone been stagnant? I'm amazed at how I've not completed the podcast. For the season, how I have not been writing or blogging. I have still been creative a little bit Canva and still creating content for clients. However, writing has been hard. Is it a writer’s block? I’ve also had to deal with onset of depression and some disappointing things happening in my life. I can only go so long with saying, “I’m ok.” When clearly I have not been, and you know what? That’s ok.
That's ok to be where you are and to feel how you feel. It's ok to reflect on that it's been rough lately but today is good. When you think about practicing gratitude and being present it’s important to be true to how you feel in that moment. Being thankful for what you have, being thankful for what is and is not. And practicing mindfulness, being present in that moment and saying you know what today was good a good day. For instance, right now, I am typing out my blog for this podcast. I’m grateful for creative energy right now. Learn to be fully present daily and in return be thankful that today isn't like it was yesterday or heck, like it was last night.
Sidenote, the last two nights have been rough. I’ve not felt like the best version of myself physically and it showed up looking like another stroke. I’m super thankful that it was not and I the opportunity to spend the night in the hospital where so many wonderful people cared for me. For the last 48 hours I had to sit in the space that said, ‘You know what Arlinda? It's OK that you don't feel well and it's OK that you've come to the emergency room. It doesn't make you less than anything to say you I'm not feeling well.
The experience that I had was amazing. I met so many nice people. I'm in the hospital taking tests, I'm giving out oils, I'm exchanging phone numbers and we are affirming young black women. Oh my God! They had such beautiful hair and nails. I'm both ill and encouraging, I don't know how that happened, but it did. Because I've suffered a stroke, I think it's important that whenever I feel signs that things are off with me, my thought is, “Oh no! I need to get some help.” That's what I did, and it all worked together for good for me and for the people that I encountered.
Listen to the rest on "And It's Ok" on Spotify
Originally posted on 12.12.2022
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