You know how a song just pops into your head out of nowhere?
Yeah, well, I have been rockin’ an oldie but goodie for the past couple of weeks: Craig Mack’s, “Flava In Ya Ear!”
Hip hop artist, Craig Mack, wrote and performed the song in response to the lack of creativity in the hip hop community of the time. The idea was to challenge other MC’s to experiment with new rhythm, sound, and subject matter.
With only three notes, a kickin’ beat, and Mack’s amazing rhyme skills, the cut became an outrageous hit that remains a hip hop classic and mainstay to many fans!!!
The song challenges me personally as a wordsmith and gets my body rockin’ when I don’t feel like moving. It also reminds me to be mindful of who and what I am listening to, ingesting, and digesting.
Yes, I meant digest as in food. What we eat affects how we look, feel, move, sleep, think… We must be mindful, however, that it is not just our mouths that eat and feed us.
What about what we hear, see, touch, smell, think?
The music we listen to, the conversations we entertain, the images throughout the media, the accommodations and decorations we surround ourselves with feed us. They then become a part of our consciousness and affect our behavior and responses.
When I was a little girl, I loved ice cream. I still do from a simple vanilla twisty cake cone to exotic Oregon black berry and my favorite Chunky Monkey! I LOVE THEM, BUT my body has changed, and ice cream leaves not-so-nice after-effects!
Feel where I’m headed with this?
To remain healthy, we have to check our diets. We must make adjustments to be certain that our bodies, minds, hearts are all getting the proper nourishment.
Have you ever really paid attention to what you allow to play on your radio/iPod, television? Do the lyrics and dialogue match the sound/film track of the life you really desire?
Have you been consciously monitoring your conversations with family, friends, and co-workers? Are your interactions with others draining and exhausting or uplifting and energizing?
What about the books, news, articles you read or the artwork and decorations in your home? Do they inspire and motivate you or are they simply old habit and out of style for your present life?
What’s the flava in ya ear, ya mind, ya heart these days? (Corny I know but couldn’t help it.)
Take a moment now to assess what you are taking in. Make the necessary adjustments. Monitor your response and how you feel!
Keep it simple and have fun with it! If whatever/whoever it is makes you feel healthier, happier, and more energetic, HAVE MORE OF IT! If it does not, cut down your intake or remove it from your diet!
You have the power and the right to change the diet, adjust the station, tune the frequency to the way you want your life to flow and grow!
I’ve put up different art work in my home that makes me smile each time I see it. I’ve also started to spend more time reading material of my own choosing and creating song lists for myself.
What/who will you weed out or adjust? What will you keep as is? Trial and error is the process here. Don’t be afraid to switch up a bit and change your mind!
Share with us on the blog! Leave your ideas and suggestions for others!
As a special treat, I have also left a voluptuous poem, “Curved,” on the site for you to enjoy! Yes, I meant voluptuous! Read it to find out why. You can find the poem here!
I’ll be waiting to hear from you!!!
As always,
Be Joyful,
Be Creative,
Be Inspired,
Tamara
P.S. Many thank to those of you who responded to the memorial TamTalk!!! for my mother last week! It did my heart sooooo much good! XOXOX!
P.S.S. If you just happen to be an old school hip hop fan, peep Craig Mack and “Flava” here: