In the April issue of Essence, they give 40 ways to get a fresh start for spring. And yes, I know the official date of spring has come and gone, but I wanted to share a few with you because I think they’re helpful [hope you think so, too!]

Refuse to wait another day! Start small but start now. If you haven’t already, record goals for the remainder of the year.

Go on vice patrol. Life coach and clinical psychologist Pamela Thompson offers an exercise that can help you break bad habits and radically alter your perspective. “I often recomend spring-cleaning the heart and mind with a fast,” she says. That means for 21 days, her clients give up one or more of the following: complaints, gossip, sex outside of marriage, screens [including TV, movies and even their computer or Blackberry if they can manage it] and unnecessary spending. By the time you end the fast, she explains, you’ll reset your life. [I plan to try one of these in April; I'll keep you posted.]

Forgive someone. Before we can push out new roots and shoots in our lives, we have to clear mental debris that can choke off our dreams. Often that means forgiving some people in your life, says motivational speaker Bessie A. Winn-Afeku, who runs an advocacy foundation promoting self-esteem in women and girls. “The last thing you want to do is enter a new phase of your life holding on to old grudges,” she says. Practicing forgiveness is one of the most powerful ways to achieve a clean slate.

Clear clutter. Surrounded by piles of magazines, junk mail, gifts you never use or clothes you never wear? “If you haven’t looked at an item in a year, get rid of it,” advises interior decorator Lisa Turner.

See your dreams in Technicolor. Hang a corkboard in your bedroom or study, and fill it with photos of what you desire. Aiming to get promoted? Add pics of successful sisters like Oprah and Michelle Obama. Fantasizing about a vacation? Post images of your ideal destination. [See how to make one in this post.]

Get your beauty sleep. It combats stress, boosts energy and optimism, wards off high blood pressure and diabetes and even primes your body to shed pounds more easily. So invest in some silky sheets and luxuriate in dreamland for eight hours every night.

Consider your circle. Sometimes we outgrow friendships, but how do you know when it’s time to walk? Psychologist Brenda Wade says let a friend go if she or he is unwilling or unable to treat you with respect or kindness, leaving you feeling hurt or wounded.

Expect miracles. “Even if what is taking place in your life at the moment seems negative, expect God to bring good out,” says Joyce Meyer, a leading practical Bible teacher.

Find your true passion. Stacey Tisdale, coauthor of “The True Cost of Happiness,” suggests adapting an approach from life planner George Kinder. Ask yourself these three questions: 1) If money were not an issue, what would you do with your life?; 2) If your doctor informed you that you’d live without physical distress but would die in 10 years, what changes would you make?; 3) If you just had 24 hours, left on earth, what would be your regrets?

Photo from: Getty Images

-Russell Simmons

Please follow: @forcoloredgurls. And tell a friend! : )

 Age: 22

Occupation: Student

Why she’s a real beauty:  “I’m a diva because I deviate from being boxed into the social norms that seek to place women, even sistas, into a certain look to be deemed beautiful and accepted by peers. I just do me, and that’s working for me- call it the beauty of God and self-love.”

Why do some people always talk about their “haters?” Do they really think they have something someone else wants?

One of the comments stood out. The person basically said that people hating on you is motivation, the person goes on to ask would we or how much would we strive if it weren’t for haters helping us stay focused.

I can somewhat understand the first part. I can see people using ‘haters’ to stay motivated; it’s like you want to prove them wrong and show them you can be successful.

However, I don’t agree with last part. I don’t do what I do- work on my goals- because I feel like someone is hating; I do it because it’s my purpose, and it’s what I love. And actually, I find that my motivation comes from myself and from positive and encouraging people, not negative ones.  So, this week’s question:

Do you need/want haters to motivate you?

As always, I love hearing from you, so answer away!

-Viola Davis

Last week, I saw an article by Shine staff member, Sarah McColl, with six ways you can stay motivated so you can achieve your goals:

Be specific. On a sheet of paper, write your goal at the top in big letters. If your goal is to exercise more, don’t just write “Exercise more”; be as specific as possible. For instance, write things like making it to the gym three times a week or being able to run a half marathon in a few months. By making your goal as quantifiable as possible, you’ll know exactly when you’ve accomplished it.

Remember why you’re doing this in the first place. McColl says when the going gets tough, the tough remember the initial reasons they wanted to achieve something. So, underneath the goal you’ve written on that sheet of paper, write all the reasons you want to accomplish that particular goal. Using the “exercise more” example, maybe you want to look and feel good in your clothing or you want to tone your body. Make your list as thorough as possible so on those days when you don’t feel like working out, one of your reasons will get you going.

Assemble a personal cheer squad. When we were kids, we always looked up to somebody, whether it was a sports star, an actress or an older cousin. But as some of us get older, we stop looking up to others. However, it’s important to remember that adults need someone to aspire to as well; so, build a team of role models. They can be real individuals in your life, celebrities or other successful individuals in the limelight or fictional characters. When you don’t have much motivation, McColl suggests picturing your supporters gathered around you, cheering you on and pushing you to greater heights than you could ever achieve on your own.

Check out the other three tips: 6 ways to stay motivated so you can achieve your goals.

Job Title: Founder of QuellyRue Designs [quellyruedesigns.etsy.com, quellyruedesigns.blogspot.com]

What is QuellyRue Designs?

QuellyRue Designs is a collection of “one-of” and very limited handmade crafts. This includes tote bags, blankets, decorative pillows, jewelry, hand-crocheted hats and scarves, stationary products and electronic accessories. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though; I plan to wander, dabble and expand my crafts to whatever I am in the mood to learn.

How did you become interested in design?

The heart of me is creating, whether it is a portrait, painting, photography, crochet, felt or jewelry. I’ve been passionate about art and design for just about as long as I can remember. Crafting is fun, and I love nothing better than to spend the day covered in paint, surrounded by scraps of fabric, all tangled up in yarn. The end result- cozies, cowls, totes, headbands and whatever else- strikes my fancy!

Why did you create this business?

Throughout my life, I have felt the urge to create and to express myself artistically. I find enjoyment in the process of design and in the end result, which is ultimately a product of my compassion for all things handmade. And so, I combined my love for hand crochet and art fancies to create my own collection of handmade crafts.

What do you love most about it?

I love the wonderful sense of accomplishment and freedom about being a business owner. It is so satisfying to see your business dreams become realities. I also love working toward self-imposed goals, and I love the challenge of trying to figure out, “What next?”

What is the most stressful aspect of running your business?

I wouldn’t say it is the most stressful, but the flipside is that it’s also extremely challenging working on your own and wearing every hat from receptionist to shipping manager to marketing and PR executive. Any tears shed are worth it because I’m doing something I really and truly love and am passionate about.

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for me starts at 8 A.M. and slows down around midnight. Sometimes my ambitious juices overflow, and I find myself working in the wee hours of the night. I enjoy what I do, so my days are never ending. My brain is constantly thinking of something new for my hands to create. The bulk of my day is spent crafting, photographing new items and updating my shop. QuellyRue Designs is a one woman show!

I have a rule that I’ll never allow anyone to help me produce my items and that everything will always be produced “in-house.” I never want to mass produce anything or let my ideas leave my hands. In addition, I am my own model, photographer (thank God for timers on cameras), makeup artist, writer- you name it.

What advice or tips would you give someone who wants to do what you do?

Well, it helps a lot if you are extremely wealthy and have endless amounts of time and patience. But of course, most of us don’t. I would say my best advice would be to first understand what you have a true passion and natural talent for. Believe in your idea, plan for everything, but be flexible enough to roll with the punches. Trust your strength and use it. Always persevere, don’t be afraid to take risks and never become complacent. Pursue your passions; otherwise, what’s the point?

Finish this sentence: This career is for you if___ You are hardworking and determined to fulfill your dreams.

-Maya Angelou

Amanda and Kyson Brown

According to the March of Dimes website, about 12.8 percent of babies in the U.S.  are born prematurely. And the rate of premature birth has increased by 36 percent since the early 1980s.

Premature birth is a serious health issue, and these babies are at a higher risk for newborn health complications like breathing problems and even death. They also face a greater risk of lasting disabilities like mental retardation, learning and behavioral problems, lung problems, cerebral palsy and vision and hearing loss.

Amanda C. Brown had always heard stories about prematurity, but she never really understood what a big problem it was. And her mother weighed just four pounds at birth.

 Then it happened to her.

Kyson's finally home

“When my son, Kyson, was born at only 32 weeks and weighed 4 lbs. and 9 oz., I knew I wanted to do something about it,” she says. “He was in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for nearly a month. I can honestly say that it was the most traumatic thing I’ve ever been through.”

Because of her experience, Amanda now sees how premature birth is an important issue.

“Currently, one in eight babies is born too soon, and often, they are very sick,” she says. “Premature infants are born with underdeveloped organs leaving them at an increased risk for disabilities and health complications. And what’s worse is that the cause of nearly half of all preterm births is unknown. It can happen to any woman, and it’s important to take care of yourself while pregnant to prevent preterm birth and give your baby a healthy life.”

Amanda recently became involved with the March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. On April 17, her team, Team Kyson, is holding a March for Babies event in Elberton, GA.

“Kyson’s friends and family will be joining me to celebrate his progress and his 1/2 birthday by walking in his honor. I just really want to give back to the March of Dimes for providing me with support and information as well as what they’ve done for research.”

Amanda’s ultimate goal is to be there for other individuals going through this.

“The rollercoaster ride of the NICU is a hard one. Even though it’s hard watching your child struggle to do things we sometimes take for granted, talking to someone that has been there makes it a lot better,” she says. “It’s also important to me because I feel it’s up to the parents and families of the babies affected to tell our stories. Unfortunately, the cries of these babies often times go unheard.”

You can visit Amanda’s March for Babies website to get more info about the event and to donate.

For more information, check out the following websites:

www.marchofdimes.com

www.marchofbabies.org

www.nacersano.org (in Spanish)

www.shareyourstory.org (to read stories from real parents of premature babies)