Starting with this lovely month of June, I am featuring the life and career of some of our fierce and fearless women. In sharing the trials and triumphs of many stories to tell, I hope you feel encouraged, motivated and inspired.

Many times over you will no doubt see something that seems to hit a personal note. May you enjoy the monthly series.

This month: Etta James who died January 20, 2012, is one such story of overcoming odds, her memory telling a bittersweet life's lesson-Ms. Etta James.

Like most icons, Etta James, born of humble beginnings in the Watts section of Los Angeles, California could not have predicted how her life would transition to fame and fortune. Born to Dorothy Hawkins on January 25, 1938, it would not be long before the sprouts of her vocal talents were seen and heard.

Young Jamesetta Hawkins, as she was known by her given name back then, at the tender young age of five, would be guided under the gospel tutelage of church director James Earle Hines, who started her on the road of being professionally trained.

With that throaty, deep bluesy tone, and a new dream, she was on the move as her mother Dorothy, in 1950, uprooted her family to San Francisco with aspirations of turning this natural born songbird into a star. By her mid teens she met with two other girls, Abye and Jean Michelle. From there, would form the singing group the "Creolettes".

Later she would venture out on a solo career in which she had some hits and misses but in 1960 after signing with Chess Records, who at the time was the number one R&B label in the country, went on to produce her album entitled "At Last". She met and married a man named Harvey Fuqua who was the founder of the Moonglows, a group from Cleveland Ohio. Harvey would mentor her and catapulted Etta to unimaginable fame with the self-titled album single, "At Last".

She never really lived the good life as some would have thought. Her early upbringing was fraught with sadness and misgivings. Partly due to the many absences of her mother. Other guardians, two most notably being "Sarge" and "Mama Lu" who saw their young charge as a potential money maker, instead of serving as proper guardians to instill strong morals and protection in life, failed miserably.

One such incident involved "Sarge" who tried to force the church in which the young Etta sang at, to pay out a fee in order to allow the gospel appearances of the child to continue. Of course the church refused but that did not stop the demeaning behavior as Etta would be ceremoniously awakened quite often in the middlle of the night during Sarge's poker games. In his drunken rage would often beat her and make her sing for his guests. Having issues with bed wetting meant Etta would still have to belt out her tunes, urine soaked and all.

While this led to her fear of singing on command, she went on to later deliver hits such as "At Last" that will play in our hearts for generations to come, which was an astonishing achievement back in the day since she did not produce or write the song. It had actually been written long before in 1941 by two gentlemen, Mark Gordon and Harry Warren which saw limited success by the Glenn Miller Band. Ray Eberle and Pat Friday were the first credited crooners of the song. Somehow though, Etta made it all her own. She would later marry another man, Artis Mills with whom she had two sons.

In much later years there was the outburst of words she had regarding Beyonce, for offering a rendition of her song at the Obama Inauguaral Ball. Despite these infamous stints, the truth is, she was a woman who spent the better part of her life fighting untold abuse, mystery shrouding who her real father was, drug addiction, Alzheimers and lastly the disease that claimed her life, Leukemia.

Miss Peaches, as she was also known will never be forgotten. If a picture does tell a thousand words, we can barely tap the surface or know the life she truly led behind that deep look in her eyes. No matter the age, when we hear those famous notes before the echoeing of the two famous words, we will remember one and all that Etta could really sing and touched millions of hearts with just one song. May her husband Artis Mills, sons, Donto and Sametto who performed with their mother in 2003 on drums and bass guitar, respectively, remembering the good times.

May we remember the woman behind the voice and know that every story does not have to be a rainbow in order to add rich color and texture to our lives.

Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't-your right." Are you a positive person? If it takes you a few minutes to think about it, please keep reading, this article is for you.

How you feel about yourself and your self worth depends largely on what you concentrate on. Feelings of inadequacy hits in difference stages of life. Even with the best role models we tend to grow up focusing on our own failings. There is a lot of pressure out there for sure, especially so because we have a need to be accepted by family, peers, work mates and friends and the list goes on.

We may contribute to the strain by placing unnecessary burdens on ourselves. We have to have the perfect career, family, status, finances and education all by a certain timeline and if not-FAIL! This should never be the case. Winning over yourself is the first step, this means setting attainable priorities and goals

It takes more than telling yourself that you are good enough like that Saturday Night Live skit from times past, which was hysterical, but I mean the real thing. Gaining that feeling is comparable to that favorite comfort food, a soothing color or a scent that conjures up feelings of joy from your childhood.

Here are a few ways to bring back that feeling and translate it into a workable can-do for you.

Getting To Know Yourself First

Take some time to get to know who you are. In younger years we may be influenced by what we see on our favorite television shows or those famous, even infamous for that matter. Our social networks can form our thought patterns and opinions. Does any of this factor into our realities? There is nothing wrong with some suggestions however, dig deeper, seeking out what you really know to be true for you.

Write those things down, as time moves on the list will change but at least it will be your list of preferences. Review it every few months for improvements and adjustments.

Set Short Term Goals

No one likes a quitter, least of all when you give up on yourself. If you are nervous about a new job, research how to conquer fears of being the newbie.  Become diligent, willing to learn, accepting the journey and remaining positive. Learning all you can about your role, responsibilities, and expectations will help smooth the course to contentment.

In relating to others, keep it simple and be yourself. Look for new ways to stretch, for example, if it is hard for you to speak in front of others, find a local community workshop that offers Toastmaster type sessions to improve on public speaking. You may have found a new niche.

Do Not Become The Push Over

Building backbone may take some work but is wonderful once achieved. Hone in on qualities that will help you become stronger and better, knowing you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. How did you feel when you stood up for yourself against a bully, got the job, passed a test-triumphant, right? Foundational experiment blocks can mold personality advancement.

Courage

Courage is the quality of mind that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without yielding to fear. This involves bravery. Dare to think that you are worth it. You are enough. You matter and are important. You deserve fulfillment and no one can take that from you no matter how hard some may try. Courage is not handed to over like a baton but can be enhanced by what we put into our personal space.

Learn To Be Happy With What You Have

Comparative shopping for the best deals-good. Constantly making comparisons between yourself and others can prove disheartening and destructive. Don't do it. Find things you like about yourself right now. You completed a project, fixed dinner on time. You left work on time instead of burning the midnight oil. It could be as simple as knowing you look fine in that outfit, front, back and side orders. Ladies you know what I'm talking about-guys, I'm not leaving you out!

Move It Along

Progress, have fun and find that new hobbie. Crocheting, playing a sport, learning a language, volunteering, cooking lessons, inspiring others. Whatever the motivation, remember that you can change and there is no age limit or time line. Try this site for more hobby ideas without breaking the bank, www.hobbiesonabudget.com.

Extend Yourself

There are alway those who are worse off than what we may be experiencing. If you have the resources, time and energy, try to help others that really need it. Not only will you feel a sense of personal growth but satisfaction on seeing someone else being moved by your kindness. Think about joining a meet-up group in your area, look at groups matching interests, career and social components, remembering to think outside of the box, check out the site: www.meetup.com.

Sweet Rewards

Treat yourself to something nice, the dollar amount is not important as long as it is special to you. The new tie you saw on sale, the new bracelet that was 60% off. A CD of your favorite artist. Select something tangible that can't be eaten up in seconds and forgotten. On occasion let the treat be a type of reward system, reminding you of a good deed performed or a goal met.

Find your happy place and enjoy life. For me, it is a warm pot of tea after a great day of writing and activities close to my heart. Assess where you are, find your peace- you never know where it might lead you.

Writing For A Living-Novel Idea

When deciding what type of work to do, many shy away from their first love-a real career based on what they really want to do. Instead we decide it is best to do what is accepted amongst our mainstream peer groups.

When it comes to developing a career and livelihood, especially writing, which can be a very slow process to revenue streams, if ever at all, there are a few realistic things that should be considered. Base your decision on true facts as to whether you should become a writer, albeit full-time, part-time or keeping it as a hobby.



Make An Honest Assessment

What do I really want to write about? Am I writing for the love of writing? Would I like others to appreciate what I have to say? Is the goal to make money? Will I have enough to say to keep an audience interested? Keep in mind that it takes more than skill to be a writer or author.

Right Time For Writing

You need actual time for writing. It would make no sense at all to say you want to write but no conceiveable time to do the work to make it happen. Look realistically at what you can offer for starting your manuscript. It may be that you need to start off writing a blog or creating web content for your own website or someone else's as a trial run of sorts.

Know Your Skill Set

Sometimes we can have the greatest ideas. In our head it all works out. We fantasize that we will get the book deal of a lifetime. Our manuscript will turn into the next blockbuster movie. Before you start heading up to the stage to collect your academy award, use caution and proceed with care.The reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of writers out there just waiting to be discovered. That does not mean it is time for you to give up. On the contrary.

Figure out what you are good at. Make a list. If you are anything like me you have more than one interest. Turn that into viable, enjoyable and interesting topics. You do not have to cover every point on paper all at once. More thoughts will come to mind as you proceed to pen your thoughts down. There is nothing like writing about something you are passionate about, so relax.

I chose to start out writing fiction. If you do go with a fictional novel, start with writing a synopsis. Figure out what kind of story you want to tell. Then get the characters in your head and write those down. As you think about your story see how the characters' personality's figure into the storyline. Organize then develop them so they grow as you get into the meatier portion of the story.

Do Your Research

Do not think that just because you are not tackling a tough subject or writing fiction that you do not need to do research. Writing is not copy and paste. You are not a puppet or a spokesman for someone else's dialogue. You are a writer. Accept it and embrace it. You chose it. Now take responsibility for it by doing your own work.

A good read captures the essence of the cultures, flavors and tones of the areas or characters you have chosen to describe. Transporting the reader into another place and time. A reader wants to become familiar with what they are taking in. Drinking in the story, believing it to be true for them. To lose themselves in the moment. Like a fine wine, a good novel should linger on its reader long after it has been put down.

Ask For Feedback

Be humble enough to accept criticism, good and bad. Don't be fooled. A good critique can be an awesome motivator, inspiring you to take it to the next level. It can also inflate the ego and give you a false sense of security. Do not buy into it. The best writers will tell you that you need time to develop your skill. Negative criticism can help you make a permanent change. Correct errors and toughen you up. Not everyone will like what you write about but can respect it if its done right.

Be Willing To Accept Change

After writing your manuscript read over it again and again. I cannot state that enough. The best authors still find errors after going to print. Editors and publishing houses are not invincible. We're human and it is going to happen. Avoidable mistakes can be reduced by simply reading over your work slowly, thoroughly and over a course of time.

Review these links for improving your writing and all the best to you on a successful career!

www.oncewritten.com

www.creativewritingnow.com

Salt Of The Earth?

Many a chef has taken the liberty of flavoring their famous dishes with the white granulated substance called salt. We all love it. How it drives our cravings especially when mingled with the smells and sounds of popcorn popping at the movie theatre as we await our turn at the snack bar.

Seeing those yellow kernels swirling through their warm air chamber, touring our nostrils with a giddy feeling of anticipation, making us opt for the super sized combo.

We rationalize that we will share it but knowing all the while this salt induced luminary poses a threat of selfishness over our sensory of clear thinking. The box built for multiple voyeurs will be cradled in your lap under dim movie light.

Buttery, mouth-watering and wonderfully briny. We've made our decision and pay, dearly. We get closer to the napkin stand which nudges us ever so suggestively toward the salt shaker.

Did you almost forget that the subject was about salt and its effects on our bodies? It is easy to do. Many in the processed and fast food industry want you to forget about it too. Salt should not catch the brunt of a bad rap though. It is a wonderful, natural product with good intention, coming from humble beginnings.

Salt Origins

Sodium Chloride, our table salt, is a chemical compound of NaCI=Sodium and Chloride. This compound occurs naturally in many parts of the world.

There are two distinct manufacturing sources of table salt, rock salt and brine. The mineral we know as rock salt or its technical term, halite, is so vast in earth's natural structure and in man- made production that it can be seen from space telescopes.

There are large amounts of salt accounted for in our oceans. An estimated 3.5% of the weight of ocean water is attributed to salt and other minerals.

How Salt Is Made

Rock salt goes through a mining process that calls for escavation of underground areas that are explored for salt concentration. If worthwhile, the work begins to blast out the area, recovering and sorting the product for the next phase of refinement. The rock salt has to undergo a process of being crushed and is then filtered through a screening type cycle to remove any particles, minerals or other substances that would make the final product consumable.

The brining process is where the salt undergoes a water bath and is allowed to dry, largely due to a solar evaporation, before being given a "salt wash" and processed by machine into an edible product. Both methods require time, effort and skill. Making the results, that much more appealing as we rely heavily on this crystal substance to substantially satisfy our taste buds and maintain our bodies, safely.

Salts Popularity

There is no shortage of salt. Infact, the top producers of the in-demand product we have grown to love comes from a potpourri of worldwide growers. Touting the list are the United States, Canada, Germany, eastern Europe and China being the leaders in spicing the masses. Two thirds of our daily sodium intake comes from processed foods. If we go the natural route, good for you, most do not.

Safety In Numbers

The Dietary Guidelines set by the FDA suggests that the average person should only consume a daily ration of 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day. Not tantalizing when translated, means a teaspoon of salt a day. That delicious popcorn we discussed earlier, if digested in the buttery super sized mode, packs a whopping 1,640 calories. Keeping this in mind, The American Heart Association would like to see our sodium intake lowered to 1,500 milligrams a day.

The sodium in a small popcorn is about 150 milligrams. I will let you do the math on the larger more revered size but suffice it to say, it is significantly higher than what we should be taking into our bodies. Let alone our requests for the extra "butter" squirts, that have their own salted ingredients and the mindless salt sprinkling we add to the mix. Notwithstanding the sodium in the beverages and candy that accompanies this field trip into the salt mines, we have ingested enough sodium to make our internal organs beg for mercy.

Sitting in a dimly lit room, stuffing ourselves without a notion of what this all will mean later for the HDL's probably isn't our first thought, as we talk with friends and wait for the movie trailers to begin. But, there are good benefits as well.

Preservative With Purpose

Salt does have many positives. It helps to maintain the body's balance of fluids and is a preservative to many foods to prevent spoilage and frankly, it just tastes good. Salt is used in many references from how we should use figurative salt in our speech when dealing with others to featuring it in the best of our recipes.

The Role Salt Plays In Our Lives

Our U.S. food packaging for the most part lists the nutrients and sodium per serving amounts on the labels. Read the labels. Jot down what you should eat and what you and your family in reality eats and see if you can slowly cut down the salt in your cooking and eating habits.

Seek out recipes that use other seasonings rather than salting it up. One hint is that if salt is listed as on of the top three ingredients for the recipe look for alternatives. Also sodium is listed on processed foods under different names:

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Caseinate

Sodium Erythorbate

Sodium Phosphate

Just to name a few. How the sodium was derived has a lot to do with how it is listed on the ingredients label, so be careful. Other ingredients may hide additional salt as they may be sub components or part of an ingredient that uses salt or sodium in its production.

The American Heart Association says it has a goal to improve cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20%, hopefully by the year 2020. Good goal indeed. There is an optimal need and benefit for global focus through the kaleidoscope of cultures to work on being healthy-starting right now. What do you think?