Wednesday, May 26, 2010

ASHLEY AMISS: "No Fishing"

Without question, our past greatly affects who we currently are and where we are trying to go on our natural and spiritual paths. I don’t know about you, but I know for a fact that if I had not made it through the struggles I have encountered in my 23 years of living that I would not be the woman I am today. The countless mistakes I’ve made in my life have all been learning experiences to me: the difference between love and hate, between friends and family, and between mediocre and extraordinary.Whether we used to be known as the Life of the Party (another tequila shot, anyone?), the Aimless Wanderer (just how many majors have you had since you’ve been in college?), or the Wild Child (alright! street racing time!) it’s never too late to change.

But change is not always so easily accepted by those who knew us when we were still trying to find our place in life.

Recently, a spiritual leader and new friend of mine said some of us need to get shirts with a big “NO FISHING” sign on the front to warn people that fishing for the old version of our new selves is pointless. After my burst of approving, yet very unlady-like laughter (hey, it was funny). I began to ponder even more on his statement. For those of you who may have moved away from home, how often do you find your family members bringing up the things you did when you were headed ‘on the road to nowhere’ without even attempting to mention how you finally got your “Productive Path GPS” working properly?

Some of us are still in the city in which we were raised, and have to deal with the occasional run-in with old acquaintances who refuse to accept that you are steadily growing into the man or woman God has intended for you to be. They find your longer skirts unappealing, can’t believe your blouse it buttoned almost all the way to the top and as soon as you walk away, they start sending mass text messages about how fake you have become.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE, VISIT: Southern Beauty Magazine

Miracles & Blessings,
Ashley Danielle

"Lupus & Healthy, Summer Skin"

In honor of Lupus Awareness Month, I’ve decided to provide our beautiful readers who are living with Lupus with a few tips on how to enjoy the summer sun while being mindful of their delicate skin. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body. Autoimmune basically means an individual’s immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders of their body and its healthy tissues; therefore, it creates auto-antibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. A symptom of Lupus is extreme, skin sensitivity to light. This can result in the appearance of rashes or skin lesions. These markings can be subtle or quite noticeable but should always be taken care of properly. With summer right around the corner, the lure of teeny bikinis and relaxing afternoons at the park may affect your better judgment.

- Try your best to reduce your skin’s exposure to direct sunlight. I know this may
sound like a hard task for summer, but the long term effects could be dangerous to
your skin and overall health. Also, be aware of some forms of artificial light.
Fluorescent and halogen bulbs produce UV light that can be very harsh on the skin
of people with any form of Lupus.


- WEAR SUNSCREEN! As someone living with Lupus, you should already know that too
much exposure to the sun is a big no-no. Wearing sunscreen year-round should
already be part of your daily skin care routine, but consider increasing the SPF
level you usually use in the upcoming summer months. One easy way to do this is by
using a moisturizer with a higher than usual SPF. Some say anything over SPF 15 is
good, but I’ve heard great things about Health Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 50 –
Sensitive, which protects against UVA and UVB rays (as all of your moisturizers
should). Plus, it only cost about $14 at your local drug store.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE, VISIT: BeautyGirlMag.com

ASHLEY AMISS: "To Forgive Is Divine"

Coming in a close second to “I’m sorry”, the words “I forgive you” may be the most difficult three-word combination for any human to utter. No, let me rephrase that. They may be the most difficult to utter honestly.

I don’t normally go around quoting Alexander Pope, but he hit the nail right on the head when wrote “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t always had such a forgiving heart. I could have been labeled as a “Master Grudge-Holder” not so long ago. Betrayal was not something I took lightly, and I figured one act of dishonesty or maltreatment was enough for me to completely dismiss a person from my life. No looking back. No second chances. I even remember times when someone would challenge one of my unwavering grudges with a comment like: God forgives us all of time, why can’t you?” Then, I would slyly reply, “In what world do you think I am on the same level as God?!”

As you can tell, I was clearly delusional.

Why is it that we give so much power to those who have wronged us? When we hold on to grudges, not only does it drain us spiritually, it often doesn’t even make the person we are holding the grudge against break a sweat. Without their knowledge, we unnecessarily hand over our day-to-day emotional state to someone who is probably still going about their carefree lives.

About a month ago, a female friend of mine (who is actually more like a sister than a friend) and I exchanged rather unflattering words after we let rumors interfere with our relationship. As most of us do when engaging in arguments, she threw a few verbal punches that were extremely below the belt. A couple of weeks went by before we looked each other in the eyes, let alone spoke to one another.

TO READ THE REST OF THOS ARTICLE, VISIT: Southern Beauty Magazine

"Show You KARE"


“Nothing in life comes easily.”

This is one life lesson that beauty industry bombshell Keisha Bogan Trammell knows all too well. Coming from a troubled background, Trammell has fought poverty, discrimination and social status stereotypes to build her own beauty empire. Owner and master stylist at Beautiful Klue Salon in Smyrna, Ga., she has stayed true to her personal motto, “Image is Everything…Be the Example.”

In Nov. of 2005, Trammell found herself displaced from her home in New Orleans, LA and going into pre-term labor in Starkville, MS. Since the hospital in Starkville was unable to properly care for her delicate situation, she was forced to travel to Jackson with no connections for shelter, money or food. While watching her daughter fight for her place in this world on Christmas Eve, a room at a local Ronald McDonald House became available and Trammell was able to remain close to the hospital.

In Oct. of 2009, Trammell officially launched the KARE Foundation and the first Project KARE event was held at the same Ronald McDonald House that helped her so many years ago. KARE Foundation volunteers assisted Trammell and her family as they delivered “KARE packages” to residents containing basic toiletries, as well as a special token of beauty.

Today, Keisha Bogan Trammell is still making great strides with her foundation. In March of 2010, she delivered a motivational speech at the University of South Alabama as part of the foundation’s current speaking tour. Afterward, I was lucky enough to steal a few moments of her time and pick the brain of this ultimate beauty girl!

TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE, VISIT: BeautyGirlMag.com

Miracles & Blessings,
Ashley Danielle

ASHLEY AMISS: "To Be Real...Laugh"

NOTE: This is the first of a three-part series on ways to grow in beautiful in God’s eyes by learning to be real about your relationship with Him.)

I laughed out loud the other day.

Yep, I was standing near my kitchen table and let out a sharp, humorous roar in response to something funny on the TV (I think it was Suite Life on Deck or something like that). Now, this may not sound like such a big deal, but allow me to explain. A little over a month ago, I sat at that very table and let out a similar screech of emotion.

The difference: the sound was filled with despair.

After returning from an extremely exciting Bible study session, I found myself on a spiritual high and figured I’d call an old friend. He and I hadn’t been on the best of terms, but I wanted to share some of my new revelations about my relationship with God with him since he’d seemed so down lately. Unfortunately, I underestimated how much power someone else’s sorrow can have over my own emotional state.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE, VISIT: Southern Beauty Magazine.

Miracles & Blessings,
Ashley Danielle