A rose is still a rose

Last week we lost a queen. And for once I was lost for words. All I could do was listen to her songs and feel my emotions with every one of them. The lyrics to this one kept going on in my head.

I consciously fell in love with Aretha in 2003 when I entered an HMV store in London. Her greatest hits was being played and I not only bought a cd for myself but ended up buying one for my mother and my late grand mother. And every month since then I have listened to her songs.

Why?

Her songs have taught me to be strong, to take care of myself, but most of all to have empathy for other women. We need to look out for each other.

But:

We need to also put on our oxygen mask first. When I get tired I go back to my breathing. That then brings be back to my intuition.

Intuition is a sense that we need to use more often. Intuition doesn’t lie.

I recently watched the documentary called INNSAEI on Netflix. It is the Icelandic word for intuition. The documentary focuses on the different theories surrounding the subject. But what I took away from it is that I have to listen better to my gut feeling.

Because of self care.

Because of empathy.

Because of self love.

All the stuff Aretha sings about in her songs.

If we look at her career, the main personal branding lesson is explained here in her own words:
“We didn’t have music videos. You weren’t an overnight sensation. You had to work at it and learn your craft: how to take care of your voice, how to pace your concerts, all that trial and error.”

Trial and error.

When you fall, get up. When you fail, keep on moving. What ever you do, keep on growing.

“Let your life be in the sunshine
Not the darkness of your sorrow”

Xoxo,

Nancy