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May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

on May 6, 2025 Editorials Health & Wellness Mental Health add comment

Battle for the Physical & Spiritual Mind

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes ONLY and is backed up by verifiable references. This is NOT a diagnostic tool; however, this IS a tool to create awareness of mental illness. Should you or a loved one have any concerns or exhibit any symptoms described here it is important to talk to your Physician as soon as possible, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357.

Real Wordz with DJ Quassy (Someone Who Understands)

The past two weeks have been quite interesting for me. I recently celebrated my birthday on the 17^thof April. That day everything was great (so it appeared to be). When my mother returned home from work that Monday something was quite off about her. I greeted her by saying “Mom! Do you want to hear my new song?” Which is something I have done since I was a child. Well, she shrugged her shoulders and walked solemnly into her room and closed the door behind her. Suddenly, I heard her crying, then she started chanting, and spewing things out of her mouth that sounded completely and utterly demonic. It didn’t take long for me to realize someone, or something triggered a paranoid schizophrenic episode in her mind. Mental illness has reared it’s ugly face again.

THE PHYSICAL BATTLE

Mental Illness & The Battle for Your Brain

The mind is the control center of our human existence. Medically, signals are sent from the brain to command the body to function. When the brain doesn’t function properly, it creates a domino effect of physical and mental issues and ailments. Pain becomes the language of life. According to Curable “Once stressors are identified, the brain begins to put the body into a state of fight or flight, causing real, physical effects in the body.”

Chronic pain conditions that some doctors see as “invisible” like, fibromyalgia, and lupus. Many respected scientists believe that controlling the way the pain is perceived can be of great relief. As a chronic pain patient that suffers from both fibromyalgia and lupus, I will say that I still need to explore that strategy.

THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE

Mental Health & The Battle for Your Mind

In a worldwide recovery group called Narcotics Anonymous they use a popular 12 step program to facilitate the recovery of the addicted. Step 3 encourages turning one’s life as known to a higher power in my opinion have always implied that it doesn’t matter which level of spirituality you are on. The battle for the way you think and believe has spiritual components. I am a Christian, so I believe in Jesus Christ. Some believe in others. Whatever the case it is important to understand that we live in a divine world with supernatural energy surrounding us daily both positive and negative.

In the Bible of the Christian faith Romans 7:25 reads “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” (ESV) This passage expressing clearly that we serve the higher power (God) with the way we think. Faith is about how we think, optimism is about how we think, affirmations aims to shape the way we think! Likewise, negative energy around us also aims to shape the way we think, anxiety is about how we think, depression is about how we think, personality disorders, paranoid schizoid affective disorders. All about how to distort the way we think.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

If this battle of my mind has supernatural components to it how do I win? Well, for me I chose a side. I either wanted to feel good or feel bad. So, I decided enough was enough. I decided (in my mind), that I wanted to feel good. First a thought, then actions followed, finally full recovery! That was me. But I had to change how I thought about things. Moreover, I had to stop getting so angry so fast, I had to stop believing something always had to be wrong with me because I was used to things being that way.

I had to stop believing the lies of the negative energy around me and believing in the divine spirits that I claimed to believe in and follow. I had to minimize my exposure to shenanigans because shenanigans can get you caught up! Bottom line is for me, it started in my mind, and it ended in my mind. The bible tells me 2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. (NLT)

I started to demand change in my mind, and it happened. It was a process. However, I am happy to announce I can and do go through storms without encountering oppression from spirits of suicide, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, confrontation and many more!

YOU CAN DO IT!

Likewise, the bible instructs its readers in Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

This scripture also reiterates the importance of understanding that none of our conflict is with people at all! We would love to believe so, but really the way the opposition is thinking is distorted as well which is why many mental health patients appear to be highly agitated. We all have a common enemy. This is not meant to be a bible lesson. This is merely an appeal to the minds of the sufferers and plead for you to fight the negative energy around you and take back control of how you think!

That may mean, seeing a professional that specializes in psychiatry. Maybe you may need a little bit of medicine to reset the chemical imbalance causing the distorted thinking. Maybe you would benefit from talk therapy to help you develop cognitive coping skills when faced with much trauma of distorted thinking. I cannot and will not ignore that there could be trauma linked to the developing of mental illness and I am so sorry that it ever happened at the expense of you living a fulfilling life with fulfilling thinking.

May I suggest that may be one reason why in my experience professionals have attempted to help me view and confront my trauma by a shift in my thought processes. I believe that if you are willing to see past what you can see, then you will begin to see a clearer future because you will believe in a better one for yourself or the one you love.

IN CONCLUSION

This mental illness journey has been an ongoing cycle for my mother. As a result, my siblings and I were victims of varying degrees of different abuse. We all view things differently today because we all experienced it in our minds differently. Today, my mother is a high function schizophrenic. She works hard, and she is the sweetest person. I had to realize and show a level of compassion for her that I could do simply because I am the one capable of viewing being neglected and abused as a child differently in this situation. She is so traumatized by her own abuse as a child that she cannot see past her hurt because she mentions the same things all the time.

However, I have grown past that. It has been a domino effect and battle for the minds of those in my bloodline which is why there is always generational and hereditary components to many of the spiritual mishaps and negative energy we face. Generational tics is what I call them. That is a conversation for another day.

Let me end by asking you something.

What’s really on your mind and why is it sanctioned to be there?

Should you notice signs or symptoms of mental illness in yourself, your child, or someone you love. Speak to a professional promptly! Early intervention saves lives!

Some common symptoms to be aware of

Increased sleeping and or fatigue
Lack of interest in things once pleasurable
Agitation
Racing thoughts
Fast or slow speech
Crying spells
Isolation
Substance abuse
Suicidal ideations
Aggression towards people and animals
Arson
Self-harm
Binge eating
Dissociations
Cutting school
And more!

REAL WORDZ OF ENCOURAGEMENT BY DJ QUASSY

I am no professional who specializes in mental illness. My only qualification is a lifetime of experience. I know that you feel lost. I have been there. 10 plus years of depression, psychiatric hospitals, sedating psychiatric medications, misunderstandings, misjudgments. You name it! Lost things can be found. I was. Sometimes it just takes a little sound, a cry out for the right one to hear you. Let’s start with the words I started with. “Help me please!”

Today, it has been 10 years since I have had psychiatric issues putting me in psych hospitals on medications. I can think clear, and I can feel, and I love it! The system can be so messed up, but if you say the right thing to the right one, you will be heard and you will be helped! Good luck and God Bless!

#GetSOM via @dj-quassy & click here for more of my content!

The Quest Chronicles: Entrepreneur

on April 29, 2025 Editorials Entrepreneurs The Quest Chronicles add comment

The Quest Chronicles: Entrepreneur As entrepreneurs many of us spend countless days and nights coming up with ideas and promoting like crazy. Everyday trying to get new customers and clientele but it doesn’t always work. Being an entrepreneur is a grind, and the struggle is real when it comes to people expecting discounts or free services just because you’re independent. But that doesn’t mean your work is any less valuable. Those who truly respect your craft will pay what it’s worth—no haggling, no hesitation.

It’s easy to get discouraged when the results aren’t immediate, but consistency is key. Keep showing up, keep pushing, and trust that the right opportunities and clients will come when the time is right. Success isn’t overnight, but every post, every late night, and every small step forward is building something bigger. So no matter what—PLEASE DON’T STOP!

The Quest Chronicles: Entrepreneur

CLOSING REMARKS

This is Ms. Gotta Love Me herself T-Quest & you’ve just been Questified! It would be an absolute pleasure if you all can show love by commenting, sharing & following me on social media @TQuestGLM Email me topics to discuss & QUESTions you may have.

Learn more about the one & only T-Quest . Download my “T-Quest” app in your google play store & your app store. On the app, you’ll be able to hear Gotta Love Me Radio 24/7. Visit my website www.GottaLoveMeWorld.com to buy any merchandise as well as my music. Check out more of T-Quest articles and more amazement here: https://www.straightofficial.com/?s=The+Quest+Chronicles

The Quest Chronicles: Can’t Stop My Growth

on April 15, 2025 Editorials The Quest Chronicles add comment

The Quest Chronicles: Can’t Stop My Growth Life changes every second. Seasons change every few months. As humans we grow older and so on. If everything changes; why are people so uncomfortable when WE change? We’re supposed to learn and grow everyday so what’s the problem? Growth is a part of life, and the ones who truly support you will celebrate your evolution, not resist it.

People who get uncomfortable with your change are often projecting their own fears and stagnation. It’s not your job to stay the same just to make others comfortable.

Not everyone is meant to grow with you, and that’s okay. The right people will appreciate your journey, while the wrong ones will try to hold you back. Protect your energy, keep pushing forward, and let the doubters stay stuck where they are. Your growth isn’t up for debate!

The Quest Chronicles: Can’t Stop My Growth

CLOSING REMARKS

Creative Coping In Hip-Hop Culture

on April 9, 2025 Editorials Health & Wellness add comment

A New Strategy

It’s all entertainment when we think of notable celebrities who openly embrace the stigma of carrying a mental illness diagnosis. Some celebrities come to mind quickly than others at the mention of a mental illness pandemic amongst entertainment industry leaders.

Contrary to catching off guard paparazzi photographs of these entertainers during their most vulnerable moments. It’s not comedy in the least. In a recent article published by NBC News, a once stigmatized culture has taken the responsibility of incorporating Hip-Hop as a new strategy to cope with mental illness, grieving, loss, and stress.

Wait! Did you say hip-hop? Unintelligent, degrading, lyrical worship of sex, drugs, money, and violence, hip-hop?

Yes Chile!

I was all eyes in from there! Now I was reading, but let’s face it. Most negative connotations about today’s evolving Hip-Hop culture stems from a scared, uneducated community of opinionated assumptions. Which is why the idea that Hip-Hop culture has now taken the challenge to act outside of “status.”

To develop a healthy, outlet for those affected by mental illness and distress made me want to get up and C-walk like Serena Williams did at the Super Bowl Half Time Show!

Truth is, many people who are impacted by the complications of mental illness are often deterred from utilizing some of the most common resources out there to help. them cope because of vain repetition that does not carry the promise of healing, recovery, and hope.

These are the typical coping strategies taught to us growing up. A skill arsenal of stress relieving strategies taught from birth. “Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth,” “journal your thoughts,” “identify your surroundings to ground yourself,” “pop yourself with a rubber band,” “see a Clinician and get medication.” These “coping skills,” have been around for decades and only prove to be a bougie and ineffective idiocrasy (in my opinion).

Hip-Hop Culture: Going Beyond The Music

Culture defined, is a way of life. It encompasses an elemental expression and living through various subcultures within the arts and entertainment industries. Through music, dance, fashion, language, and art. The movement was born out of South Bronx in the 70’s to cope and heal from social injustice amongst a community of people. Ones who harbored a deep love for that art of self-expression.

DJing, MCing, Graffiti art, B-Boy/Girl dancing. All of these are elemental of hip-hop culture. Music is one of the largest elements of the hip-hop culture, allowing it to be set apart from other cultural movements. The language and lyrical composition make it a great candidate for coping strategies. There is not a cap on the magnitude of emotion used in self-expression.

If there were a Hip-Hop Police Department, we may all be guilty of crime. It could be that reason alone causing the culture to become stigmatized by a community of people who has a misunderstanding of the various expressions of hip-hop. But there is more so much more. It’s not all negative.

“I didn’t think anyone wanted to hear what I had to say until it came out poetically to the people who hears poetically.”
Anonymous

When Hip-Hop Speaks

A young lady I had met some time ago had intrigued me with her expressive style in fashion. It did not come as a surprise when she told me that she was and entertainer. She had a very eccentric and artistic way of fashionable expression. She shared with me some of her music and poetry and I was very psychologically moved by the emotional delivery of it all.

Yet she seemed so quiet and timid through her loud fashion. I couldn’t imagine that she struggled with expressing herself after that presentation. She went onto reveal that she suffered from depression and was also amongst the community of neurodiverse minorities.

“Why haven’t you shared this with the world?” I asked her. I wanted to know why her talent was not mainstreamed or heard of.

She replied, “I didn’t think anyone wanted to hear what I had to say until it came out poetically to the people who hears poetically.”

She went on to express to me that she has had the most success in recovering from depression using art as emotional expression and that hip-hop gives her the opportunity to be part of a culture and community that understands.

CONCLUSION

Today we find a generation that avoids reaching out for clinical help for few reasons. They don’t believe the Clinicians understand, and because they just don’t have the access to the services. Hip-Hop was born out of a deep urge to express the hardships of life as urban youth in a time where minorities were encouraged to stay silent.

The social injustice fueled the development of a culture that defends and protects the creative expression of those who experience the lifestyle. Today, it defeats the stats on hip-hop as a gateway to sex, drugs, and violence by way of giving hope to a community of the underprivileged.

Hip-Hop therapy does not disregard proven traditional coping strategies. The goal is to capture raw emotion. It allows for a diverse community of people to exercise versatile creative expressions while maintaining and developing healthy boundaries. Engross in the culture and you will find a diverse community all on one accord. With respect to hip-hop culture for allowing them what would not otherwise accept in the world. The safest way to cry out for change is in a poetic delivery (my opinion again).

Whatever strategy appeal to you whether it is traditional coping strategies or developing coping strategies, I am extremely proud of you if you have read this far.

Take every day one second at a time.

Encourage yourself.

#GetSOM via @dj-quassy & click here for more of my content!

The Unique Experience: “From Setbacks to Comebacks: Why Starting Over is the Real Flex”

on April 4, 2025 Editorials The Unique Experience add comment

THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: STARTING OVER

They judged you for starting over. Counted your losses, whispered behind your back, assumed you failed. Meanwhile, I’m over here clapping 👏🏾 because you never gave up 💪🏽💯.

See, most people think when you stop something—whether it’s a dream, a project, or a goal—you’ve lost. They think hitting pause is the same as quitting. But let me tell you, that’s not the case.

The real ones? We pivot. We regroup. We adjust. And when necessary, we start over—again and again—because that’s what champions do. It’s called resilience.

Too often, people mistake setbacks for endings. But the truth is, setbacks are just setups for the comeback.

The world loves a success story. People applaud the finished product, the victory lap, the polished results. But what they don’t always celebrate is the struggle that came before the breakthrough. They don’t see the long nights, the self-doubt, the moments where quitting seemed easier than pushing forward.

But let me remind you—greatness isn’t found in the easy route. It’s forged in the moments where you refuse to back down.

💭 My Journey: The Rise, The Pause & The Return

I know this because I’ve lived it.

I launched The Unique Experience Podcast with a vision: real conversations, unfiltered truths, a space for voices that needed to be heard. Then, I dropped my first book, “Real Talk Life Lessons with Reflections”—a piece of my soul poured into pages. Everything was flowing, and for a while, it felt like I had finally arrived.

But here’s the truth nobody talks about: even when you’re winning, life can still throw unexpected obstacles in your path.

Life started lifing—hard.

The podcast? It went silent. The book? It sat there, untouched. And then came my Reverse the Curse Empower Fest, a dream to bring real change to my city. But doubt crept in, discouragement took hold, and I let hesitation freeze the vision in place.

The worst part? I started believing the negative voices. The ones saying “maybe it’s not meant to be,” the ones making me feel like my time had passed, like my voice wasn’t strong enough.

I told myself, maybe that was it. Maybe my time had passed. Maybe the dream wasn’t meant to be.

But then I realized something powerful—starting over isn’t failure. It’s proof that you’re relentless.

The Unique Experience: Starting Over

Think about it—how many people quit just because things didn’t go their way? How many people stay stuck because they’re too afraid to try again?

The ones who bounce back? They’re the ones who make history.

Because here’s the real truth:
🔹 The passion never left—even when I paused.
🔹 The purpose was still waiting—even when I stepped back.
🔹 The comeback was always possible—I just had to decide to step back into it.

When people see you keep going—keep rebuilding, keep reimagining your dreams—it’s uncomfortable for them. Because too many people settle. Too many people convince themselves it’s easier to let go than to fight for what they really want.

But here’s the thing—I’ve never been the type to settle.

Back in the Frey

So here I am—back at it, stepping into the next chapter. Wiser. Stronger. Hungrier than ever.

Starting over means you’re brave enough to believe in your vision again. It means you refuse to let past mistakes dictate your future. It means you know that your best chapters haven’t even been written yet.

And if you’ve ever felt stuck, like your setbacks are defining you—hear me loud and clear: You can get back up, too.

🎯 Your Call to Action: Step Into Your Comeback

🔥 This is YOUR moment to reclaim, restart, and rise up.

If this story resonates with you, don’t just read it—ACT on it. Tap in, follow Unique Speaks, and lock in with this movement. Because we don’t just talk about the hustle—we celebrate it. 💯

And listen, if no one told you today—you got this.

#GetSOM via @missunique & click here for more of The Unique Experience!

Mental Illness: The Causes & Solutions For The Youth

on April 2, 2025 Editorials Health & Wellness add comment

WHAT MENTAL ILLNESS LOOKS LIKE

Mental Illness can affect anyone. Any of these people can represent your loved one. Any of these people can represent you! All these people could struggle with mental illness. Likewise, none of these people might be suffering from mental illness at all. Mental illness has many manifestations.

Contrary to a middle-class schoolteacher deciding to diagnose her urban dressed student rocking classic dreadlocks with mental illness because he is quiet and sad that his parents are getting divorced. What about the ER doctor, who steps out of his area of emergency medicine to become a psychiatrist or addiction counselor when a person with chronic pain or autoimmune disease shows up at the ER?

They go to the place that promises safety and help but gets shunned away at first glance because they are judged by health professionals to be an “addicted or insane,” doing anything for attention or a shot of morphine!”

You cannot “tell,” that a person is mentally ill! Doh (Homer Simpson voice)!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Mental pertains to mind so without the ability to read minds you cannot tell someone they are sick in the mind unless they open their mouth and tell you what is on their minds. Period! A very judgmental society needs to stick with their day, night, next month, and next year’s job or soon they may not have one because pointing the mental illness finger at the wrong person may have crazy consequences! Get it? Ha! A person’s age, race, status, or demographic is not, and have never been considered a symptom.

In a perfect world you may find “Keith and Michelle sitting in a tree! K.I.S.S.I.N.G! First comes love! Then comes marriage! Then comes Michelle and a baby carriage!” Let’s be realistic, we all can’t be like Bey and Jay. Some babies are born into some extremely unstable situations or the other way around.

Take for example, a baby born into a stable and loving family who begins to self-harm at the age of 4, begin hitting their mother at age 7, looking up ways to die at 11, refusing class at 14. Or maybe the baby born in North Philly projects Johnson Homes who’s only friend at 10 is the same imaginary friend that they had at age 5, setting fires and vandalizing neighborhood cars because the “friend told them bad things would happen if they don’t at 16.

Both are very clear signs of the child’s inner cry for mental help; however, these signs often go unnoticed until there is a mental health crisis such as panic attacks or suicidal ideations and attempts.

LOOK AT THE FACTS

According to the CDC, anxiety problems, behavior disorders, and depression are the most diagnosed mental disorders in children. “

The following is based on US data from 2021–2022:

10% of children ages 3-17 had current, diagnosed anxiety (9% of males and 11% of females).
7% of children ages 3-17 had current, diagnosed behavior disorders (10% of males and 5% of females)
4% of children ages 3-17 had current, diagnosed depression (3% of males and 6% of females).”

Some of these mental health conditions commonly occur together. For example, mood disorder and depression, or autism and ADHD, Anxiety and Tourette syndrome. Why is my focus thus far on identifying mental conditions in children? Come on bro, we all know troubled children who’s silent cries for help goes unheard become troubled adults who decline help when it is presented. On the contrary There are some of us in the world who desperately seek the mental health help and resources that are there for us begin the process of healing and therapy.

LOOK FOR THE SIGNS

Let’s talk about some symptoms that may be presented in a child struggling to cope with mental crisis and distress. These are some warning signs that your child could be struggling with mental illness.

Prolonged sadness and isolation
Noticeable changes in your child’s behavior, mood, personality or sleeping habits.
Overwhelming fears that manifest physically such as racing heart, sweating, shortness of breath.
Constant worrying or being fearful that something bad will happen to a loved one.
No desire to go outside and play with other children who normally enjoy outdoor play.
Odd behaviors such as repeated hand washing, repeatedly opening and closing doors, checking light switches.
Being extremely fidgety and or have difficulty concentrating.
Severe mood swings that affect those closest to the child such as family members, community, and educational personnel.
Lack of eating or binge eating and vomiting.
Suddenly declining in academics, fighting, suspensions, and cutting school.
High risk behaviors such as, sexual promiscuity, gambling, drugs, hanging with a crowd that engages in dangerous and high-risk behaviors.
Increasing police encounters and engaging in illegal activities.
Suicidal ideations and attempts.

If you notice any of these warning signs in your child, seek help from a medical professional right away.

IN CONCLUSION

The bottom line. We as a growing community cannot continue ignore the silent cries of youth which often manifest in their behavior. We must take a special interest in cultivating character, leadership skills, stress prevention and relieving skills amongst our youth.

There are politicians, musicians, entertainers, health professional, scientists, engineers, and educators amongst us within these youth and yet we see so many of them perish everyday. They unfortunately succumb to the decline in their mental health. There is a saying that many say regarding criminal activity that’s goes as follows “If you see something, say something.” I petition the same to all of you you, so that we can help our future survive.

References

CDC. (2025, January 21). Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health. CDC.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/data-research/index.html#:~:text=10%25%20of%20children%20ages%203,co%2Doccurring%20conditions%20are%20below:

Health Partners. (2025). Signs of mental illness in children: When is it more than just growing up?. Heathpartners.com. https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/mental-health-warning-signs-in-children/#:~:text=There%20are%20situations%20and%20behavioral,of%20suicide%20or%20self%2Dharm

#GetSOM via @dj-quassy

The Quest Chronicles: Springtime Fun!

on April 1, 2025 Editorials The Quest Chronicles add comment

The Quest Chronicles: Springtime Fun! It’s Spring time so the birds are outside chirping, the flowers are blooming and the wind is blowing. This means summer is around the corner. We’ve had a lot of chilly days but people have been waiting for this for so long that they’re already outside half naked.

The weather’s warming up, and so are people’s social lives, but that doesn’t mean common sense should go out the window. Enjoy yourself, live your life, but keep your wits about you—because while love (and lust) might be in the air, so are consequences!

Outside is open, people are already having fun and ready to mingle. Love is in the air but so is lust! Stay safe, stay smart, and don’t let the excitement of “outside” make you forget about personal responsibility. Have fun, but don’t be reckless—whether it’s with your health, your heart, or your body. Balance is key!

The Quest Chronicles: Springtime Fun!!!

CLOSING REMARKS

The Quest Chronicles: The Strong Friend

on March 25, 2025 Editorials The Quest Chronicles add comment

The Quest Chronicles: The Strong Friend You are so brave. You are so strong. “Thank you” should be the response, correct? Is this a compliment? Can it be received well all the time because last I checked, some of my friends are on the verge of breaking. Many of us have been taught to be strong, how to survive, how to maneuver through tough times.

During deaths, we have to be strong for others. As parents, we have to be strong for the kids. Through breakups & divorces, we have to be strong for the family or whomever. What about us? Yes, we know how to move on but don’t you think we hurt too?

People who are always strong for others often struggle in silence, feeling unseen in their own pain. Checking on them, even when they say they’re fine, is essential. Sometimes, just knowing someone genuinely cares without expecting anything in return can make a world of difference.

Remember that phrase “Check on your strong friends”? It’s real. Many may say they’re okay but deep down inside they’re not. They’re human, going through this experience we call life and hurt just like everyone else. If they don’t allow you IN, just respectfully remind them that you are here for them, give them a random hug, find a way to put a smile on their face & just show up. It’ll be appreciated.

The Quest Chronicles: The Strong Friend

CLOSING REMARKS

The Unique Experience: Eggs on the Block: Hustlin’ Yolks and Puffin’ Joints

on March 23, 2025 Editorials The Unique Experience add comment

THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: EGGS ON THE BLOCK

Yo, the curse is reversed, y’all. We out here in the streets, hustling eggs like they the new gold standard. Forget diamonds—eggs are a girl’s best friend now. Picture this: me, posted up on the corner with a carton, yelling, “Yo, I got that Grade A organic! $5 an egg, no yolk!”

Meanwhile, the world’s flipped upside down. Weed? Oh, that’s just chillin’ on the shelves at your local grocery store, right next to the kale and oat milk. Grandma’s out here comparing strains like she’s picking out her Sunday roast. “Hmm, do I want the Pineapple Express or the Blue Dream for my arthritis today?”

But back to the egg game—it’s cutthroat out here. You think selling weed was competitive? Nah, try slinging eggs in a world where brunch is a religion. Folks pulling up in Teslas, trading crypto for a dozen. I’m like, “Sorry, Bitcoin’s down. I only take Ethereum.”

Don’t even get me started on the black market. There’s whispers of a guy downtown selling double-yolk eggs for $10 a pop. Double yolks! That’s like finding a four-leaf clover in a field of dandelions.

THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: EGGS CONCLUSION

The curse has been reversed. Eggs are the new hustle. We’re out here making a killing. Who knew breakfast could be so lucrative?

For more wild reads, follow Miss Unique in Straight Official Magazine. Keep it fresh, stay yolked, and remember—hustle smarter, not harder. We’ll see you in the next twist of fate!

#GetSOM via @missunique & click here for more of The Unique Experience!

The Unique Experience: Even When I Needed Help, I Helped

on March 12, 2025 Editorials The Unique Experience add comment

Life has a funny way of testing our resilience, doesn’t it? Just when we think we’ve reached our limit, something else comes along to challenge us even more. But it’s in those moments of struggle that we discover our true strength and capacity for compassion. I want to share a story that’s close to my heart—how even when I needed help, I chose to help others, and how that decision transformed my life in ways I never imagined.

Sharing My Truth

Let’s rewind a bit. There I was, juggling a demanding job, facing personal setbacks, and feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. My days were long, my nights restless, and every part of me was screaming for a break. But amidst all that chaos, something incredible happened.

One evening, while I was deeply engrossed in my own worries, I received a call from a friend who was in desperate need of support. Her voice trembled as she recounted her troubles, and I could feel her pain through the phone. At that moment, I had a choice—I could turn inward, focusing on my own struggles, or I could extend a hand and offer the support she needed.

Without hesitation, I chose the latter. I listened, comforted, and shared words of encouragement. As I spoke, I felt a strange sense of calm washing over me. It was as if, by helping her, I was also helping myself. My own problems didn’t disappear, but they felt more manageable, less daunting.

That night, I realized a powerful truth: helping others, even when we’re struggling, has a way of healing our own wounds. It’s a reminder that we’re not alone in our battles and that our capacity for empathy and kindness is limitless. By lifting others up, we find the strength to lift ourselves as well.

Changing a Negative into a Positive

From that day forward, I made it a mission to be there for those around me, regardless of my own circumstances. And you know what? It was transformative. I became more resilient, more optimistic, and more connected to the world around me. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, created a ripple effect, spreading positivity and hope.

#GetSOM via @missunique & click here for more of The Unique Experience! Check out www.thelegacymagazine.com where I am featured in the March issue.

Unique’s Conclusion

Helping others doesn’t mean ignoring our own needs. It means recognizing that we’re all in this together, and sometimes, the best way to find light in our own darkness is to shine it for someone else. So, the next time life throws you a curveball, remember this: Even when you need help, you have the power to help others. And in doing so, you just might discover the strength you never knew you had.

So, let’s make a pact—to be the beacon of light in someone else’s storm, to offer a listening ear, a helping hand, and a heart full of compassion. Because when we lift others up, we rise together.