You often see me refer to The Knowledge Bank’s Four Core Values of sound money management which are Work, Budget, Save and Give. In most of my writings and workshops, the middle two values, “Budget” and “Save”, get most of the attention, but today I finally have an opportunity to focus on the core value “Work.” Did you know that many females struggle balancing their careers and personal life while battling issues like salary inequality and corporate discrimination? According to Bloomberg Businessweek, women make 82% of what men make. In addition, women often have many internal battles about whether or not they are capable of fulfilling their womanly duties while working a fulltime job. The relationship between women and their careers is more comparable to algebra than to arithmetic. There are many factors that females must consider as they prioritize the value of working in their lives. The struggle hit mainstream media outlets a couple weeks ago with the announcement by Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer that the company would ban telecommuting, which allows people to work from home as opposed to driving into the office.  Telecommuting is convenient for women because it allows them to balance their commitments at home with their commitments at work. Pair the controversial decision at Yahoo with the release of “Lean In”, the book by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, the first half of March has been an awakening of the feminist movement. So what’s the problem?

“Lean In” is Sandberg’s personal testimony about how she climbed the corporate ladder and how she overcame the personal insecurities of being a woman in the male-dominated tech industry. Mayer and Sandberg, being executives at two of the most recognizable companies in America, have the platform to address the issues of inequality and discrimination against women in corporate America, but many critics feel that the two have not used their positions to the benefit of the plight of women. Critics believe that Mayer set, not only women, but corporate culture back 10 years by banning telecommuting. Sandberg is criticized for almost suggesting that women’s perceived inferiority in the workplace is because of their lack of effort and focus. I bet you never thought working could be so complicated past the normal strains of the job itself. But don’t fret. I’m going to give you some advice that should alleviate some of the pressure that females face as they make tough personal and career decisions.

Much of the drama related to the issues above relate to the predetermined notions of what women should be and what women should do once they get in positions of power. It’s nothing but adult peer pressure. You deal with adult peer pressure the same ways you deal with peer pressure as a child. Know who you are, be true to yourself and make your own choices. Set goals and identify your likes and dislikes. Figure out how your career aspirations affect the goals you have set for your personal life. Some women are ok with working 40 hours a week and not having a husband or kids. Some women are ok with working 40 hours a week with a husband and kids, relying on outside help from family members or nannies to assist with the duties at home. Some women don’t want to work at all and allow their husbands to support the family financially. All three of these scenarios are acceptable on the condition that they align with your personal values. Don’t ever let anyone affect your ability to make your paper. If it’s legit and admirable, keep putting in “Work” because budgeting, saving and giving can’t happen on their own.

-C.Hale
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I’m not one of those people who is always in and out of relationships, but when I am in one I try to make it work. Oftentimes, making a relationship work requires some hard work by the individuals in it. Being selfless by compromising and remembering to have the other person’s best interests at heart can sometimes be hard to do. Choosing to tell the hard truth instead of the easy lie can also be a tough task, but maintaining open and honest communication is paramount in making a relationship work. All of those things can be difficult, but what I have the most trouble with is deciding when the relationship is no longer worth the trouble of trying to make it work.

I know that I write these articles to give you advice based on my experiences, but the best advice that I can give you in this situation is that no one else can really tell you when to tap out of your relationship. They can’t  tell you because they don’t know your situation like you do. Figuring out when to walk away from someone you care about means deciding when the  rewards are no longer worth the effort required, and an outside party isn’t really qualified to make that decision for you. What friends and family will be able tell you are the changes they see in you that may be due to your relationship. When you’re all in love and everything is great, people can see it. The same goes for when things are stressful and tense, so if someone that knows you well mentions that you seem a little off your game, you should take note. You should also pay attention to how you feel about your relationship. If you feel optimistic about things in spite of any problems that the two of you are having, chances are there is still a possibility that things can work. On the other hand, if every time you even think about your partner you just feel exhausted, or you don’t want to tell them things because you know it will cause a huge fight, things may be heading south. Another important piece of the puzzle is understanding how your mate feels about you and what you have together. It doesn’t matter how committed you may be to working things out, if he doesn’t feel the same, you’re just wasting your time.

The most important thing that you need to remember when pondering the fate of your relationship is that there will be good times and bad time. Through it all you should feel like you aren’t in it alone, you aren’t fighting for it by yourself, and no matter what, you know that things will get better between you.  If those things aren’t true, you may be reaching the point where trying to salvage things isn’t worth the effort. If and when you get to that point, you’ve got to be willing to walk away and know that you did the right thing.

-Tiffany Vicks

“Keep working hard and you can get anything that you want.” -Aaliyah

“I stay true to myself and my style, and I am always pushing myself to be aware of that and be original.”
-Aaliyah

“You have to love what you do to want to do it everyday.” -Aaliyah

Good morning, Fly Girls!

Check out what’s going on with C.O.R.E’s On-Site program in Nashville, TN at Lead Academy!

Anti-bullying Session with C.O.R.E Girls…Shout out to our AMAZING volunteer/speaker Melody Hubbard! Have you join the movement???

Our AWESOME C.O.R.E Girls posing for the camera with our wonderful volunteer/speaker, Patrice Hickson!

Hey Fly Girls!

Yep, it’s that time of the week again! You guessed it…Tuesday Tunes!

Just A Friend- Austin Mahone

Enjoy!

Who says brains & beauty can’t mix? Well, Dr. Misee Harris is the definition of this dynamic combination! The dentist turned model/actress is now working towards  becoming the first African American Bachelorette on ABC! Dr. Harris puts 100% into every endeavor that she has set out to do and welcomes the new opportunities that have come into her life. Hailing from Columbia, Tennessee, this  intelligent and beautiful woman not only is driven but also  has a strong passion for mentoring today’s youth.  Whether it be dentistry, styling, modeling , acting, or mentoring, she knows that the keys to success is determination and God. She goes by the motto… Pray hard and fear nothing!

Let’s get to know Dr. Misee Harris a little better…

You’re such an inspiration to achieve a variety of dreams! You’re an established dentist turned model/actress, what inspired you to step into these fields?

I became a dentist because my own pediatric dentists, Dr. James Hutton and Dr. Heather Owens, inspired me. After beginning my career I saw how I could change lives. By taking away pain or creating smiles that improved self-esteem, I found it very satisfying. Dental school was definitely NOT FUN! It was very stressful: in the lab, didactically and managing patients.  I love children so pediatric dentistry, though difficult was definitely the right career choice for me!

As a child, I always had a passion for fashion which has carried over into my adulthood. Thankfully, my mother supported and nurtured this passion by taking me on model calls monthly, bringing my sister along for support. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved it! As I got older, I realized I really had an eye for mixing and matching clothes to create a unique fashion statement. Following through on this love I began modeling any chance I got. My mother even let me go to NYC one summer to really try and take my modeling career to the next level. However, I quickly found out that being 5’5” wasn’t going to get me anywhere close to the runway. Nevertheless, I continued modeling. I currently model for photographers who are building their portfolios, a few clothing boutiques such as Calypso Boutique in Lexington, KY, Pollen Pixie located in Nashville, TN and Sugar & Spikes Boutique in Dallas, Texas as well as J. LaRae Beautiful Cosmetics.

I call myself the “You send it, I wear it, I tweet about it girl”.  All fashion designers, store owners, product developers…..send it my way! MAC cosmetics, Cover Girl, did you hear me?

Being a young business woman can sometimes get to be a bit overwhelming, how do you regroup and motivate yourself when you’re feeling a little defeated?

I turn on the TV and watch either one of the Disney Channel’s many comedy shows or some of my favorite reality shows. I love to laugh and these shows give me a bit of a pick me up! I also try to detach myself by going to the mall, going out with friends or simply planning home interior projects. But my all time favorite thing to do when I am feeling down is to go to Goodwill and put together an awesome outfit for less than $10! (I go home and put it on my mannequin….yes, I have a mannequin!) And of course I pray and continually ask God for guidance.

Transitioning from a teen to an adult you learn tons of life lessons, what was your biggest challenge as a teen and how did you grow to overcome it?

My transition to adulthood was much like anyone else’s: confusing, stressful, and a little bumpy. The biggest challenge was transitioning from high school to college! I moved several times and to different states to go to college. I was both excited and terrified to be away from my mom (she is my best friend)! At first, as with many young adults I still acted like a teenager. I’m sure I annoyed the heck out of my roommates, Adrienne Neely and Shanna Layrock. But I quickly made friends, made numerous mistakes and most importantly: learned and grew from it all.

There’s so much pressure to have a boyfriend & be in a relationship in high school, how did you handle the pressure and stay focused on your dreams?

I, like many others, had a high school sweetheart! We dated off and on from the time we were in the 8th grade up until our first year of college. We had that “Love and Basketball” type of relationship. He was a top basketball player at my high school and of course, I was a cheerleader.  However, although I was in a relationship, I never lost focus of my true dreams and aspirations. You must remain focused on your dreams and never let anyone tell you, you can’t accomplish something. I have lived out my dream of becoming a model, dentist, motivator, and role-model. My next dream is to become ABC’s next Bachelorette, and who knows…that may just happen!

I am living out my dreams right at this very moment. I dreamed of having a loud VOICE that everyone would listen to and this opportunity has made this possible.

We all need inspiration throughout our lives, who do you look up to?

My mother, more than anyone has inspired me. She, a lady of Liberian and Lebanese descent, raised two very successful women as a single mother. She is the epitome of a “SUPER MOM”. This lady can knit, crochet, sew, make her own jelly, and is a classically trained singer. (I sure wish I had her cooking skills!) I remember being in the first grade and my mother making audio cassettes (back in the day when Walkman was the modern day iPod) of her reading books that we were assigned to read. She then sent the cassette tapes to my teacher and my teacher would give them to the children in my class who didn’t have parents that were able to spend time reading to them. It doesn’t get much better than that! Love you Mom, you are a true inspiration!

You’re an amazing woman on the rise, tell us about your future projects!

I will be joining a private practice in Tennessee with my childhood pediatric dentists, Drs. Hutton and Owens. I also plan to continue modeling, mentoring children, and become more involved in philanthropic projects. I hope to participate and support organizations that focus on empowering young women, autism awareness, and adoption. I have been so blessed to have all of my dreams come true so I hope to be able to help make other’s dreams come true as well! Being able to give is quite possibly the best gift to ever have.

We’re all about EMPOWERMENT at C.O.R.E Mag, what does empowerment mean to you?

To me, empowerment means having your voice heard, having your desires become reality, building the self-esteem of others, and DREAMING BIG!

Fun Faves!!- Food? Song? Artist? Celeb Crush?

Favorite food: Eggs! I can eat eggs all day long. No joke. Ask my mom!

Favorite Song: “By Your Side” –Sade

Favorite Artist: India Arie

Celeb Crush: NBA player, Kevin Durant

Check out more about Dr. Misee Harris!

Dr. Misee Harris

Twitter

People spend a lot of time talking about celebrities, and one of the things that they mention a lot is whether or not celebrities have to take on the responsibility of being a role model. The thought is that they have so many people watching them live their lives that they should behave in a way that inspires people to do great things, not bad ones. Our society spends so much time trying to place this duty on the famous that we completely ignore the fact that we are all shouldered with this responsibility. They say that celebrities have people watching them every day. Well who doesn’t? We all interact with people on a regular basis and some of those people are looking at us and letting our actions influence decisions that they make about their own lives.

With that being said, take a moment to think about who might be looking at you and basing some of their decisions on the actions that they’ve seen you take. Your list may include people like a younger sibling, a few of your friends, or maybe some kid from your neighborhood that likes to follow you around. Now that you have those people in mind, what type of influence do you want to have on them? I hope that you want to influence them to do things like be the best version of themselves, follow their dreams, and enjoy life. You could also inspire someone to love and value themselves more or stop spending so much time worrying about what others think of them and just work on being the type of person that they are proud to be. No matter what you decide you want to motivate others to do, the easiest way to inspire someone to do something is to start doing that thing yourself. When people see you pursuing your passions, making positive changes in your life or helping others, it may inspire them to do the same.

There is a popular quote that says, “BE the change you want to see in the world.” It doesn’t say talk about the change or wish things would change. It says BE the change, and being anything requires some action on your part. So work on being the type of person you wish the world was filled with, and do the things that you wish more people would do. Soon you will find that those around you may start commenting on your actions and even implementing some of them in their own life. I also think that you will be surprised by some of the people who are watching you and are inspired by you. Sure, words and speeches are used all the time to try to incite people to do all sorts of things. There are plenty of celebrity reporters and pop culture analysts discussing the merits of having celebrities like Rihanna and Beyonce as role models. While they’re having that discussion and throwing around a bunch of words that aren’t moving people to do anything, you can be using your actions to inspire those around you to follow their dreams because you know that your greatest influence is WHAT YOU DO, NOT WHAT YOU SAY.

Summer is around the corner! There’s noting worse than getting lazy and sluggish before your summer fun even begins. Check out a couple easy exercises you can do to stay tone before the summer hits!

“We give a lot of others significance in our lives even when they don’t deserve it. It doesn’t matter if they’re family or if you’ve known them forever. If they’re not good for you, they’ve got to go.” -Gabrielle Union

“If someone lacked decency or respect, I didn’t allow that person to stay in my world.” -Gabrielle Union

“I can’t just say one time of the year I’m going to do something different. I have to commit to a lifestyle behavioral change and just try to be a little bit better today than I was yesterday.” -Gabrielle Union

Hey Fly Girls!

So tell me if you or a friend have ever used #TeamLightSkin or #TeamDarkSkin on Twitter or Instagram? Be honest.  Well,  you know at the end of the day EVERY shade is just as  gorgeous as  the next, right? Absolutely! Even though the music industry might show one shade of female as being more beautiful, new artists are breaking down those stereotypes and embracing all girls.  Compton rapper, Kendrick Lamar is trying to do his part to diversify the type of beauty seen in the music industry. The hot lyricist has been getting praise lately for not only his dope album but also having a darker tone model, Brittany Sky, in his new vid Poetic Justice. Check it out…

“We had another girl for the lead but I had an idea where I just wanted a little bit of a darker tone [girl] in the video,“ Kendrick tells Miss Info. “It’s almost like a color blind industry where there’s only one type of appeal to the camera.“

“I give [Brittany] the credit, too, for just being there, and being a natural, genuine young lady. She wasn’t  all in the open, trying to jump in [front] of the camera. She was cool, just chilling. I always kept in the back of my mind  like ‘you don’t ever see this tone of a woman in videos. ‘” Kendrick says, “No disrespect, I love all women, period. But at the same time, I still feels like it needs that balance.“

Check out the interview he had with Miss Info discussing his choice in his new vid…

Do you think it’s a division between darker tone females and lighter tone females at your school? If so, how do YOU think we can close the gap and accept everybody’s beauty?

SPEAK OUT!