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Books:

- The Ups and Downs of Being Round
- Taste My Soul
- Floss
- Swag

Book Bundle Special!

4 for $40 $40.00    3 for $35 $35.00    2 for $25 $25.00

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Oh Man! Good...no GREAT Morning my dear friends and supporters!

I could just cut and paste my write up for the Swag Book Release Experience in this box, but I'm not (Maybe Next week though. Heehee) because I just want to talk to you for a minute.

I want to tell you to use me. Use me as your guinea pig, your crash dummy, your example for what happens to you when you step out on faith and pursue your dreams wholeheartedly. When all you see is what WILL be and not what might be in the way.

The blessings have been flowing down and all around and I am so grateful and so humbled. Now enough of the mush...let me get down to the real deal...

Last year I was watching P. Diddy's Making the Band. During a commercial I dozed off and had a dream that I was on a reality TV show. When I woke up, I immediately began writing and "Swag" was born. Shortly thereafter I took a trip to Traverse City, Michigan for a personal writer's retreat. It was there that I dug in deep and really got to know the characters as they unfolded in the book. All of my other books took years to write, so I thought that this one would be no different. So it amazed me when less than a year later, the book was complete!

All I have to say is once I truly gave in, and put my all into developing what I know to be my purpose....I have been bombarded with blessings. I mean from hour to hour I get an email, a phone call, something in the mail...

The opportunities that I am beginning to receive such as major radio and TV appearances, international travel, investments in my business come as no surprise to me. To be honest, I've never seen it any other way. When you dream big, and you think big...life hands you BIG things. So once you start doing that, boy oh boy, you'd better get ready to receive!

I know I'm kind of babbling on but I'm just so excited! It will all make much more sense as you see things unfold over the next few days, weeks and months. I just hope that this message has something that someone needed to hear. I will begin blogging my blessing testimonies, under some cool and catchy title that I have yet to think of, after the Book Release Party (Friday September 25th)

Stay tuned and stay inspired...

Monica
http://www.monicamariejone..s.com

Author Personifies Swag as New Novel is Unveiled 

Swagger or Swag is the confidence exuded as a reflection of one's dress, attitude or how a situation is handled

  The Swag Experience
Everyone has the power to unleash the Swag Within.

Our Price: $ 15.95

 

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The God Box....

Are you a fixer or a faither?  When problems arise, do you try to take matters into your own hands and fix them, or do you give them over to God and trust that he will handle them in His time?  I say that I have faith, but I have definitely been guilty of being a fixer.  Even excessive worry is a sign of little faith. Creflo Dollar made an excellent point when he said that when we worry and try to fix things on our own it’s like saying, “Hey God, I got this, because I don’t trust you to handle it.”

Recently I read an amazing book by Francine Rivers called Redeeming Love.  The book is set in the 1800’s but it is based on the book of Hosea in the Bible.  The main character had suffered so many traumatic events that she had a hard time believing in and accepting God’s love.

As the novel progressed she ended up meeting people who not only taught her about God’s grace but they were faith personified in that their day to day actions made it evident that they believed in God and lived by His Word.

One of her friends introduced her to something called a God Box.  To the untrained eye, the God Box merely looked like a plain card board box with a slot in the top, but its meaning and power went far beyond its appearance.

The friend who created the box was a fixer and a worrier.  She had the complex that many of us suffer from today of trying to save the world.  She always tried to take problems into her own hands instead of seeking God first.  So she created the box to remedy this problem.  She said…

“When problems prey on my mind, I write them down, fold them up, and put them through the slot.   Once they are inside the box, they are God’s problem and not mine.”

 As simple as it all sounds, the box helped her to seek God first instead of trying to handle things on her own.  It helped her to convert from being a fixer to a faither. J

I created an actual God Box and an activity to accompany it that I presented at Bible study.  Here are the benefits of creating your own God box…

• It helps “fixers,” worriers, and people who tend to “play God.”
• It helps with letting go.
• It’s a reminder to put your faith in God and not yourself or anyone else.

I encourage you say a little prayer when you place each slip into the God Box, then simply let go and let God have his way.  We tend to try to plan everything out for ourselves, but God has another plan.  When a prayer is answered you can take that slip out of the box.  You can also decorate your God Box by placing scriptures on it that remind you of its purpose.  You will find the scriptures that I recommend below. 

Now go get that shoe box off of the shelf, create your God Box and cast your cares on Him.

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Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)....

Do Not Worry ....

 ²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ....

 ²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.....

Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)....

Psalm 46 (New International Version)

 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
       an ever-present help in trouble.

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Walk Away The Weight....

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“How is it that Monica does all of that kick boxing, and she’s still FAT?”  Ouch.  Yes, someone actually said that about me just last week.  Instead of crawling into a dark corner and crying my eyes out, I took that statement as motivation to recommit to living a healthy lifestyle.

I’ve never stopped working out, but other circumstances in my life have caused increased stress and anxiety which lead to behaviors such as emotional eating.  Stress also causes some to hold onto and ultimately gain weight.  Another factor that contributes to my lack of weight loss is that when we continue to do the same type of exercise our body reaches a plateau and needs to be shocked by doing something different.

I took all of these things into consideration and used them as a catalyst to launch my Walk Away the Weight program.  So often we get fixated on physical weight loss.  Maintaining a healthy weight is important to ward off illnesses such as high blood pressure, hypertension and diabetes, but very rarely are the prevention of those diseases our motivation.  The bottom line is that we usually want to lose weight to look good.

What we fail to realize is that a huge part of gaining and losing weight is psychological.  Hence, my Walk Away the Weight program is twofold.  The obvious side of it is that I am walking for physical health and to meet my weight loss goals.  The not so apparent side is that I use walking as a way to clear my mind and heart thus lifting the mental and emotional weight that I often carry around with me daily.

When I walk, I take deep restorative breaths.  Think about your day.  How often to you stop to take a deep breath, honestly?  Sadly you probably cannot think of one time and you find yourself taking that first deep breath of the day as you read this. 

Based on my research I’ve also learned that exercise and sunlight are two ways to holistically treat depression so it serves that purpose for me as well….because believe it or not, Little Miss Sunshine, as some of you may view me, was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder just one year ago. 

I am revealing this because too often we fall prey to the fear of the stigma that surrounds mental health in the African American community.  By speaking out, perhaps I can help someone else by letting them know that they are not alone, and that recovery is possible.  I also want to encourage those who feel that something just isn’t quite right, to seek help...even if that means taking a free diagnostic test online to see if you are suffering from the symptoms of depression.

I walk for an hour each day at a local track or park.  While I am walking I think, pray and meditate which often leads to fresh ideas and a new outlook on my life.

Walking Away the Weight has given me a release and a peace beyond all understanding.  I encourage you to develop a program that works for you.  Just be sure to consider how you can incorporate all aspects of a healthy lifestyle which include physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and nutrition.

Yours Truly,

Monica Marie Jones

The Inspirationista!

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SWAG is done and ready for pre-order!  Be the first to get your copy before the official release at a deeply discounted rate of ONLY $12.00 (plush Shipping and Handling).  Click the link below to place your order today :)

SWAG

by Monica Marie Jones




Synopsis

Noelle Dresden stepped out on faith and left her full-time job to pursue her passion:  singing. Six months later, her singing career hasn't gone much of anywhere and neither has her relationship with her charismatic, yet sneaky boyfriend, Jonah.  Although Jonah loves Noelle, he’s not willing to give her the commitment and ring she so desperately wants.  After Jonah uses Noelle’s hopes of an engagement for his benefit, Noelle gets fed up and decides to move forward with her career…with or without Jonah.

 

Her pursuit leads her to accept an invitation to be a house guest on the popular, hit reality show, House of Swag.  On the show, aspiring entertainers with the potential to take it to the next level are trained to become multifaceted mega stars.  While in the house, Noelle catches the eye of the show’s creator, Monroe "Paper" Chase.  He uses his good looks and smooth talk to charm her, then he uses his money and power to attempt to subtract Jonah from the equation.  Drama only escalates when Noelle has to deal with an envious, hating house guest who is not beyond trying to bring Noelle down to get ahead.
 
As Noelle rises toward super stardom, she has some difficult choices to make.   What lies ahead of her looks so much better than what she has left behind.  Will she work to keep the love that she and Jonah shares alive, or will she choose fame, fortune and a man who can make all of her dreams come true?

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When I’m in the mood for some mindless entertainment and my brain is too fried to read or write I always sit back, relax and watch a movie.  But my mind never quite gets the rest that I think it might because a good movie always makes me think.  This time my cinematic selection was the movie, 27 Dresses.

I completely indentified with the main character because she had a hard time saying no and she often put the needs of others before her own.  She had been caught up in these self neglecting behaviors for so long that she never even realized that there was a problem.  It had become a way of life.

All of the giving with very little taking built up over the years, and just as with any pot that’s been on the fire too long with the lid closed, the pressure became too much and she boiled over.   All of the years of pent up aggression at keeping her true feelings inside turned into resentment that ended up leaving those that she loved with hurt feelings.  If she had been honest with others, and most importantly with herself, things would have never gotten to that point.

I was so moved by the message behind the movie that I got up, got dressed and treated myself to a mini night out on the town all by my lonesome.  I remember the days when I wouldn’t be caught dead going out alone.  I would look at people who did go out to dinner or a movie by themselves and feel sorry for them.  Little did I know, they were in a far better position than I was.  I was the one with the problem.   I didn’t have the confidence to go out alone.  Once I finally took that leap of faith, I was surprised at so much fun one could have rolling solo.

You don’t have to worry about waiting for people to get dressed or put on their make-up. You can arrive at and leave your desired venue whenever you please because you don’t have anyone else’s schedule to consider.  It’s actually a quite liberating and empowering experience that everyone should try at least once. 

So every time that I sit back and believe that I can actually enjoy a movie without having to think, I am sadly mistaken.  My mind and my emotions are almost always stimulated because after all, a movie is often just a good story in motion translated from the page to the screen.  So it’s almost impossible for anyone who has a passion for reading to not have a love for film as well.  You always walk away with something even if it’s just a good laugh, cry, or thought that sparks an action.

27 Dresses touched on several interesting issues surrounding self-love and commitment.   In my opinion it’s definitely must see.

Have you ever been in a long term relationship where you got so comfortable that found yourself in a place where you began to take the love for granted? Then one day something occurs, whether simple or special, that reminds you why you fell in love in the first place? Or perhaps that something causes you to fall in love all over again? Well, on Saturday evening that happened to me. I renewed my love for poetry. I simultaneously found myself thrown into the midst of a love triangle because what I experienced renewed my love for my city too. It was ignited when I went to a screening of a documentary about poetry in my city called, “Televising a Revolution of Spoken Word from Detroit.”

It touched on the city’s history of poetry, how poetry relates to hip hop, poets as revolutionaries and activists, the spoken word versus the written word and slam poetry. It highlighted poetic pioneers such as John Sinclair and Naomi Long Madgett (Lotus Press), and trail blazers such as Jessica Care Moore, Khary Kimani Turner, Omari Barksdale and Stephen “Sparrow” O’Neal.

The documentary was brought to life with performances where poets not only wrote poems for the sake of poetry, and they not only spit for the sake of entertainment, but they all delivered soul stirring pieces that dug deep.

This is the very reason that for me and poetry…it was love at first write.

When I could think of none other than self-destructive ways to cope I turned to poetry to process my emotions. So in a sense, poetry saved me from internal spontaneous combustion.

That same poetry evoked such emotion in others that I began to wonder whether I was supposed to keep it to myself of share it with the world.

It then became a way to capture precious moments that might meld into my massive memory bank and fade away. It also served to take traumatic times off of my mind and out of my heart so that I could move on and heal. I could put those hurtful moments on a page, move on to the next chapter, then ultimately close the book…A book that I would then pass on to another, who could relate, and see that they are not alone.

I fell in love with Detroit all over again, because although people tend to focus on the negative, I was reminded of the raw and pure talent that oozes from each and every pore of this thick skinned city. The cultural and literary arts scene is so rich and vast that I would shamelessly dare to compare it to any other major metropolis. All we need is a Motor City Makeover of our mindsets because all we have to do is open our eyes to see all of the natural beauty that the city holds.

It was an awesome experience to see the finished product of something from someone that is not just out to make money, but to make something meaningful…a masterpiece.

Initially I’d gone to see my cameo appearance in the documentary, but I got so much more out of it. And the executive producer, Dina Bey, had the audacity to apologize for there not being more footage of me. I had to explain to her that I was beyond honored to be amongst such poetic royalty, ink slanging icons, and living literary legends. I would even go as far as to say I felt unworthy…but I won’t, because I am hot in my own right. A contemporary to be exact, because that was what I was listed as in the opening and closing credits amongst profound talents such as Marsha J. Carter, Jamaal “Versiz” May, Men-Tal, Ber-Henda Williams, Cassie Poe and BLK to name a few.

I’m in love with poetry. I’m in love with Detroit City. They are the flint and the spark that starts the fire of the creative energy that burns within me.Visit My Website

Commitment to Self

The second installment of the Commitment Series

 

Recent events in my life and an interesting quote prompted me to contemplate commitment.  Today I find myself at yet another Monday promising myself that I will recommit to taking better care of myself.  I’d fooled myself into believing that I was doing so because I work out at least five days a week….but then why is it that I continue to gain weight, experience hair breakage, and lack the spark and motivation that I once had?

I came to the conclusion that my fitness is for others and not myself.  Let me explain…

I teach kickboxing four days a week and I meet with personal training clients on the days that I do not teach.  Working out has become and obligation and a service that I do for the benefit of others, so the focus is on all of the people that I am helping and not on me.  I sit back and watch as all of my students and clients lose weight and get healthier while my weight stays the same or increases.  The bottom line is that I am no longer intentional about fitness for myself.  My body has become immune to the workouts that I do for others because I can control it to the point where it is not as challenging for me as it is for them.    I don’t take out specific intentional and planned time to focus on my own fitness goals.

To what extent does our commitment to others affect or take away from our commitment to ourselves.  You may find that you go out of your way to make sure that your significant other, children and friends are happy, but at what expense? Something has to give and quite often the price is our own health and happiness.  We place our wants, needs and goals on the backburner so that someone else can realize their dreams. This may also be the case with your job, career or business. 

Ask yourself these questions…

When was the last time you did something just for you?

When was the last time you bought yourself a new outfit?

How often do you treat yourself to a new haircut, pedicure, manicure or massage?

When was the last time you took a long, hot, relaxing bath or read a good book?

Do you feel guilty doing things for yourself?

 

If it’s been more than a month, you can’t remember, or you answered yes to the last question, then you too suffer from fear of commitment…to yourself.

 

How do we find that healthy balance between loving and helping others without sacrificing ourselves?

This brings to mind a quote that was told to me by a high school friend that had wisdom beyond her years.  She said,

“Don’t be selfish with yourself.”

 

Now let me point out a few things that happen as a result of us being selfish with ourselves and putting others first. 

We continue to do that thing that we know deep down we really don’t want to do.  As a result, resentment begins to slowly grow.  When resentment sets in, we are no longer doing that thing with a joyful heart.  From there we begin to have contempt for that person or thing and we get to a boiling point that they did not even see coming.  Now we want to quit or leave.  Consequently, we end up causing this person or situation more harm than good. We have now become a hindrance instead of a help.  When we make ourselves the martyr in such situations we are exhibiting false humility because we know we really don’t want to suffer like this.

I challenge you to make a commitment to yourself that parallels a romantic relationship.  Start slowly with the courtship phase.  Get to know yourself better, do nice things for yourself, and become your own best friend.  The next step is engagement.  Take the first step toward lifelong changes by committing to taking good care of yourself forever.  Buy yourself a ring if you have to.  Engage in activities that add value to your life.  Join a church, surround yourself with positive people, join a gym or come up with a fitness plan that works for you, take a class on a subject or for a skill that you truly love.  Start putting things in place that will lead to a lifetime of fulfillment. 

Next is marriage.  Align yourself with things, people, environments and circumstances that nurture your soul.  Make sure that you are equally yoked with what and whom you allow into your life.  You don’t want the “Until death do us part” to be an untimely death because the undue stress has caused you to suffer from a heart attack.  More and more people are suffering from stress induced heart attacks at younger ages because of the people and circumstances that they place themselves in.  Think about it.

Today, take a moment to reflect on the dynamics of your life.  What percentage of your daily activities are devoted to caring for and bettering yourself? Are you receiving your fair share of the love you are giving out?  If not, adjust accordingly.