Quarantine Diaries #2: Staying Connected With Family, Friends and Outside World

Good Afternoon! I meant to post this entry on Wednesday but I was sidetracked with my clients’ assignments (btw, if you are in need of writing assistance for essays, research papers, term papers, etc. email angelacherai@gmail.com so I can help you out!) but I definitely wanted to touch on this topic because so many of us are used to communicating with friends, family and even coworkers on a regular basis but social distancing makes communication tougher but not impossible. When talking on the phone isn’t enough, here are a few apps that have made this social distancing this a bit easier!

FaceTime (only for Apple product users)

Since I am a self-proclaimed Apple junkie, (I have an iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air and Apple Watch lol) I love video chatting via FaceTime. I haven’t been able to see my boyfriend in a few weeks but we FaceTime everyday which has made it a bit easier to deal with not seeing him on a regular basis. I also have group FaceTime chats with my friends who I met at my first real job (shoutout to BL crew) which is always entertaining to say the least. FaceTime is the easiest way to keep in contact with those you care about since its free and is included on all Apple products.

Google Hangouts/Zoom/Duo/In The House (can be used regardless of what type of device you have)

For those of you who don’t own any Apple products, (I don’t get it but whatever!) there are apps such as Google Hangouts, Zoom, Duo and one my girl Steffie just put me on to called In the House app. These apps are free and although Zoom has time restrictions for users who choose to use a free account, they allow easy communication with multiple people at once. I haven’t tried In The House yet but I prefer using Zoom with someone who has a premium account! I have been to 2 virtual birthday parties and a girls catchup chat and had sooooo much fun! Make sure your phone/internet connection is strong because these apps can use a lot of bandwidth and you want to be able to see and hear everyone clearly!

Instagram and Facebook live (features are available on all Instagram and Facebook apps)

I don’t usually go live on Instagram of Facebook myself but I love joining live sessions that my friends and influencers/celebs/notable individuals have. Ciara and Russell Wilson went on IG live a couple of weeks ago discussing their first date and what makes their relationship work and I was so enamored with them that I sat through the whole chat which is something that I rarely do lol. My hairstylist Regina Pearl went on IG live last week to discuss how to use the product kits she was selling to maintain your hair during this quarantine (smart idea right!) Various celebrities such as Neyo, Lil Jon and T-Pain have been doing battles that have been nostalgic and enjoyable. I also like to keep up to date with what’s going on in surrounding communities by watching the mayors of nearby cities discuss Coronavirus rules and regulations for their respective cities. Whether I watch Instagram/Facebook live to be entertained, educated or informed, Instagram and Facebook live have been helpful in ensuring that I am kept in the loop and keeps me occupied.

Regardless of whatever method you choose to stay connected, remember that the situation we all have been placed in is only temporary and life will go back to business as usual. This is the best way to eliminate unnecessary direct contact while still maintaining a sense of normalcy. Continue to follow CDC sanitary guidelines as well as the rules set forth by your city and state officials. We will get through this together and if you have any blog topic ideas, suggestions or just want to chat, comment below and I will be sure to get back at you:) Thanks for reading and always remember to love and live luxuriously!

Wisdom Wednesday: Making Moves In Silence

Good Morning! I have been seeing multiple posts on social media about keeping certain things private in regards to the moves you are making personally and professionally. While this type of thinking would be counterproductive because I am a social media manager and blogger and have to post about what is going on with me to a certain extent, I understand the desire of not sharing all of my business on social media. I consider myself to be an open book when dealing with those who are close to me. I share everything that is going on in my life with the intention of receiving clarity or good advice. I have tried to do the same when sharing my life on social media but at times, it can be difficult because I want my social media posts and this blog to be positive and uplift others. Discussing low points in my life feels like it takes away from that but at the same time, I know that life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. I am trying to find that balance where my readers and viewers feel like they know me and can relate to what is going on with my life without feeling like I am overexposing myself or sharing things that should remain private. It has been difficult to find that balance but I feel that it is necessary in order to not let the opinions of others influence my decisions.

I realize that by making moves in silence, social media doesn’t have an impact on my decisions. I am not making posts to stunt on Instagram/Facebook for the most likes. I post whenever I feel like it and its usually when I am happy about something in my personal life, inspired by something I’ve seen online or frustrated at something that I’ve seen online and feel the need to speak on it in order to release whatever emotions are plaguing me at the time. I don’t create posts for controversy or drama although there have been a few hot button issues that have gotten people talking 😂 My goal is to just do what feels right for me without the influence of any outside sources and I encourage you all to do the same!

How do you feel about making moves in silence? Let me know in the comments section. Be sure to follow me on IG (@amoreluxe_) and on Facebook (Angela Cherai) to stay in the loop whenever I decide to post 😝 Until the next blog entry, be sure to love and live luxuriously!

Motivation Monday: The Importance of Self-Awareness

Happy Monday everyone! I actually stopped working on an assignment for one of my client’s to write this post because I wanted to make sure that it was up first thing this morning! I have been doing a lot of self-reflection (as I hope has been seen in my previous posts) and what I realized is that I am slowly but surely getting my life to a point where I am happy, secure and fulfilled as it relates to my relationships both personal and professional, my mental and physical well-being and working on being financially secure. It is definitely a process but I wanted to share how self-awareness was the catalyst that reignited my passion and helped me move forward.

I realized that I have to be my own biggest fan (check out my post to read more about that journey here) and focusing on being positive and motivating myself to live up to my potential meant that I had to remove toxic energy out of my life whether it came from my own self-doubts and insecurities or from any negative energy around me. My friends and family have been supportive of my goals and have always encouraged me to be the best version of myself and that’s why they are so dope! I haven’t been in a toxic relationship/situationship in over a year and while I am open to dating, I realized that I will never settle again. Looking back on how I allowed men to treat me in the past was a direct reflection of how little I valued myself and after the last situation ended, I promised myself that I would NEVER allow anyone in my life that doesn’t know my worth. I am still working on the diet aspect so you won’t see any fitness/health posts until I get it together in that area but I’m reaching a point where I can’t just eat anything I want and not gain weight as seen in my post “Thick Girl Blues( Spanx Not Included)” so I am trying to be more conscious of what enters my body. As far as getting how self-awareness has benefitted me from a financial standpoint, I started thinking about what skills I possess that will help me earn more income. In addition to the social media management, I started focusing more on obtaining clients for the writing composition services part of “Amore Luxe Media” and I have a few consistent clients that have been helpful to earning extra income. I also started working at the daycare again but only on the administrative side of the business and I get to make my own hours which I’ve realized has given me freedom and not let me feel restricted or trapped in a position that doesn’t suit my needs or help me reach my goals. By having multiple streams of income, I am able to save more so I can create a nest egg that I can use towards getting my own place, a car or investing in my business which wasn’t possible when I was making excuses instead of moves. I’ve realized that being self-aware is very important because for so long, I was feeling sorry for myself and where I was in life and wanted to make excuses and blame everyone but once I became self-aware, I was able to take responsibility for the choices I’ve made (or didn’t make) that made an impact on where I was in my life at that point. I’m not where I want to be but I am a lot better than where I used to be and I am so proud of myself for getting this far!

What steps have you taken in order to be more self-aware? Sometimes it can be as simple as writing down your goals and what you need to change internally and externally in order to accomplish those goals. I’d love to read your thoughts so be sure to comment below or hit me up on social media at @amoreluxe_ on Instagram or @Angela Cherai on Facebook. New post coming Wednesday! I hope everyone has an amazing week and makes sure that they love and live luxuriously!

Spotlight on Black Businesses: Day 3

Good Morning! Today is the third and final day of my Spotlight Series on Black Businesses. I am so happy at the feedback that I have received for the previous 2 days and I know my friends/fellow entrepreneurs appreciate the support. I am going to highlight 2 businesses/endeavors that I am a part of as well as one that has been instrumental in helping me build my brand. Read on to find out more!

Sionne (@designedonthebayou)

Sionne aka Siki and I became connected through a mutual friend (she knows exactly who I’m referring to lol) and I love her passion, energy and spirit. Her graphic design skills are impeccable (as seen in the Weekend Friendz logo on my t-shirt below!) and her creativity knows no bounds. Her company, Designed On The Bayou provides customers with high quality logos, business cards, invitations, flyers, Snapchat Geo Filters and so much more. She has helped me immensely as it relates to building my brand and she can help you as well so make sure you hit her up on IG @designedonthebayou for more information. Siki, I am so in awe of your talent and I know that this is just the beginning for you. Thank you for always coming through for me and believing in my vision for my brand. Hope we get to finally meet soon :)Love ya!

DJ & Angela Cherai (@weekendfriendz)

Weekend Friendz is the brainchild of my homie DJ who I have known since we were 8! DJ was inspired by our random conversations about entertainment, politics, relationships and life in general and wanted to create a podcast that other people our age could relate to. Even though we are partners, I have to give credit where credit is due and this podcast would be nonexistent without him because I needed that extra push from him to take that leap into the podcast world. You can listen to us every Friday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play and just about anywhere you listen to podcasts. DJ, I am so happy that we decided to do this podcast after years of talking about it with no action lol…Weekend Friendz has given me the motivation and passion that I thought was lost forever so thanks for not giving up on your vision because it has created a new beginning for me. Can’t wait to see where Weekend Friendz takes us. Love ya!

Angela Cherai (@amoreluxe_)

Last but not least, its self-promotion at its finest time! Amore Luxe was a passion of mine that I left on the back burner because of personal issues that I was dealing with. I thought I had to have all the answers but after giving myself time to heal and grow, I realized that no one is perfect and that as long as I continue to grind and follow my dreams, the answers will come eventually. I plan on posting inspiring and thought provoking content while sharing my personal journey and progress. As far as Amore Luxe Media, I haven’t been advertising as much as I should but I provide social media management/marketing/writing composition assistance services. If you or someone you know is in need of marketing/writing composition services, email angelacherai@gmail.com for more a detailed list of services and pricing information. I want to thank everyone who has supported me from Day 1. Your kind words, positive affirmations and constructive critiques have not been in vain and I am dedicated to bringing quality content that will add to your life! Love you all!

My new mantra is to make moves not announcements so I won’t even tease about the things I have in store but just know that more inspiring, motivating content is on the way. In the meantime, be sure to like/comment/share my Spotlight Post Series. Until next week, always remember to love and live luxuriously!