#6 Be Knowledgeable. Be Powerful. Be Aware.

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STOP FINANCING YOUR CELLPHONE!

You are losing so much money every time you finance your phone rather than just buying it out right. Financing anything under $2,000 is more than likely going to be a waste. The new iPhone 13 Pro is coming in at $999.00. Payment options are different based on if you trade-in an older iPhone, but overall the payment options range from$27/mo to $49/mo over 24-36 months.

Say you decide to not trade anything in, and you use the Apple Card Monthly Installment option. From the photo we see that 0% APR which looks very appealing.

So you're probably thinking: $41.62 per month with zero interest for 24 months sounds like a win!

Slow down boss - APR aka Annual Percentage Rate and Interest Rate are not the same.

APR represents interest plus "other fees" associated with the loan. Checkout the fine print. Variable APR's ranging from 10% to 21% or subject to interest and fees. Yep! Variable APR means that the rate can change. Yikes, hate that uncertainty!

So let's imagine you decide on the $41.62/mo option and end up with an APR of 10% with a 24-month term. Instead of paying $999.00 you'd end up paying about $134 in interest on top of the $999. So at the end of 2 years, you'll be paying more than the phone is actually worth - yikes!

I used Credit Karma's Debt Repayment Calculator

Try It

So bottom line - if you can't afford the phone outright, don't buy it!

With newfound awareness what do we have to do with it?

Let's rephrase that - with newfound awareness what do we get to do with it?

Answer: whatever the fuck we want to do with it.

I am a lover of definitions so let's start by defining our three talking points. According to Merriam-Webster:

Mindfulness

mind·​ful·​ness | \ ˈmīn(d)-fəl-nəs

1: the quality or state of being mindful

2: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis

also: such a state of awareness

Feng Shui

\ ˈfəŋ-ˈshwē , -ˈshwā \

1: a Chinese geomantic practice in which a structure or site is chosen or configured so as to harmonize with the spiritual forces that inhabit it

also: orientation, placement, or arrangement according to the precepts of feng shui

Gratitude

grat·​i·​tude | \ ˈgra-tə-ˌtüd , -ˌtyüd \

1: a feeling of appreciation or thanks

2: the state of being grateful : THANKFULNESS

Alright so now that we know what these words mean, we can jump into the topic of discussion. Basically me sharing with you what I've learned as I start this new journey and what I get to do moving forward. Hopefully this inspires any reader who is looking for something. Maybe looking for inspiration to do or to be whatever you want. Maybe looking for information to feed your thoughts or empty spaces in your mind. Whatever you came here for, I hope you find it.

MINDFULNESS:

So I started practicing Mindfulness in the Fall of 2020. I'd just left the Army officially, and was a passenger in a pretty bad car accident, figuring out how to cope with my physical pain along with my emotional numbness. My therapist introduced me to Mindfulness and she guided my practice - first the goal was to stop judging my pain. The accident left me with severe back, neck, and shoulder pain, on top of the hip knee ankle and wrist pain I already had from the Army. I didn't even realize I was judging myself, judging my pain. We were having one of our weekly sessions and I just started crying because I was so angry at my body, and I told my therapist that I just wanted to feel strong and able again. I had adjusted things in my day to day life to accommodate my pain and I was becoming frustrated. In that moment she told me my pain was inevitable but my suffering was a choice. My suffering was a fucking choice (she did not say "fucking").

That was mind-blowing to say the least! So we started there - judgement and suffering. She asked me when in my life was I able to experience an absolute lack of judgement, and I answered: when I'm in nature. I don't judge nature, I just look, and take it at face value. It is what it is to me and there's nothing I can do about nature so I don't give it much thought I just let it be. In nature is when I am most mindful or present without judgment - so with that newfound awareness about myself, I got to incorporate daily sunset hikes or walks with my dog. I was strict on myself for the first month or two, then it became routine, like brushing my teeth. The practice is continuous, and I try my best to bring that same state of being into every minute of my day not just when I'm in nature.

So, yes I still experience pain from my injuries - but I am no longer suffering. And suffering hurt way worse than the physical pain. So don't make yourself suffer. Stop judging your pain. Find something that helps you stay mindful. And practice this shit every single day.

FENG SHUI:

Mannnnnn I did not believe in this stuff. I'd heard of it, but never thought it was real. I don't know why. It's weird when we don't believe in things that we don't even know about - doesn't make sense when you break it down. It's like a blind person saying they don't believe the sky is blue - well how would you know if you've never seen it.

So yeah, I took a Feng Shui class at Civana Spa & Resort in Carefree, Arizona. Class literally changed my life. The whole time I was that student in the front like "what?!" "noooo way!" "oh my God stop playing!" - yeah I was being loud and annoying but I was lowkey in shock!

Without getting into the nitty gritty detail, the gist of Feng Shui from my understanding is that in the time before humans could manufacturer the artificial sense of balance, humans actually had to ensure intentions and energies aligned to create balance. So that includes building homes intentionally, organizing

communities intentionally, decorating intentionally. That's my take on Feng Shui - others may have something else to say.

So with all that intentional spacing and organizing to ensure energy flow and balance we were given a Bagua Chart which is a 3x3 chart that you can place over the layout/blueprint of your home or a room or a vision board or whatever and each box represents a different aspect of your life so you can plan accordingly. It's much deeper than how I am explaining it, but there is the box for reference and a link you can checkout to apply Feng Shui in your space.

I honestly feel different in my home since I've started applying it. And with the practice of Mindfulness, Feng Shui adds intention and energy. It's like the perfect Gin & Tonic mix. Highly recommend!

https://feng-shui.lovetoknow.com/Bagua_Chart

GRATITUDE:

Oh man, I get warm fuzzy tingles thinking about this!

Also while at the Civana Spa & Resort, I took a wellness class led by this wonderful human. One of the many things she mentioned was a gratitude practice. She suggested a 32-day practice where you write down three things you're grateful for. As of today I am 30-days in. When I tell yall that my heart and mind feel different. They process differently. My days are now full of grateful thoughts. I'll write my three gratitudes in the morning before I get out of bed and for the rest of the day I think of those three things. I find myself smiling at my grateful thoughts. I believe that even once the 32-days is up I'll still think about my gratitudes each morning.

For me it's not about being deep or poetic, my gratitudes are just random. Whatever I'm feeling when I open my eyes is what I write. I don't think too hard or try to sift through good or bad ones. I don't judge my gratitudes (Mindfulness) and I feel the energy from them throughout my day (Feng Shui).

Everything is full circle, and circles are never-ending, such is this practice. So I hope my readers have left inspired to be or to do whatever; or informed to fill the empty spaces in your mind. Take care you beautiful fucking soul - go be a good human.

All love.

Omna Tigray

Omna Tigray is focused on educated advocacy + economic development. Join our global movement to stop the genocidal war on Tigray.

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