Slay Baby Slay//Queen of The South
My TV obsession is really becoming a world on its own. I can totally relish getting lost for hours on end in certain shows and I do not feel one ounce of guilt about my extended screen time, or see it as sign of laziness. Despite the tube's negative reputation, television has arguably never been better and I think we can all agree on that! We have a fantastic variety of shows that provide novel premises, long-running, elaborate plots and morally complicated characters. Oh em gee...those are my favorite too---the more complicated the better! These shows create all the suspense, interest and opportunities for critical engagement. I mean it's often the most fantastic " table-talk" at the dinner table with friends or in spin class. I mean you just have to give yourself permission to indulge every now and then.
On one of my recent binges, I got so into The Queen of the South. (Thank you USA Network) Lin and I literally demolished the entire series in one weekend. The series itself is based on a novel, La Reina del Sur, which takes its inspiration from real-life players in the drug game. We both really enjoy drama-thriller series so it was something we could enjoy together. The only bad part though is we had to wait so long for Season 2....
Just to give you a small recap of the show.....
While living in the barrio of Jalisco, Mexico, poor Teresa Mendoza (Alice Braga) falls in love with a member of a successful drug cartel, hoping the love will help her rise above the hopelessness she feels in her life. When it doesn't happen, she is forced to flee the country after her boyfriend is murdered. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams up with an unlikely person from her past to take down the leader of the drug ring that is after her. Teresa ends up starting her own drug empire, becoming one of the world's wealthiest women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of others and stay alive.
Queen of the South returns on June 8, and rumor has it that we're going to see events pick up where they left off last year -- including what's in store for our favorite warring married couple Camila (Veronica Falcón) and Epifanio Vargas (Joaquim de Almeida). Season 2 of Queen of the South will shift its focus from highlighting Teresa’s survival instincts to showcasing her growth in the cartel underworld. Viewers will get to see Teresa come into her own as she starts to recognize her power and potential. As Teresa learns what it takes to become the Queenpin however, she slowly realizes that ambition comes with a heavy price. Loyalties are tested, love becomes a vulnerability and moral compromises have to be made. By the end of the season, viewers will come to recognize that “there can only be one queen.”" Annnnd I cannot even stand to wait another second longer. Like, on the edge of my seat freakin' excited.
Watch behind the scenes clips, sneak peeks, and more right here. OMG!!!!
Teresa is such a sexy, strong, beautiful, smart woman and she has me channeling my inner bad ass. Rewatching the final episode of Season one today to get it fresh in my mind for the Season 2 premiere coming up, I just cannot help but think of my own "rise" to the top. I actually just posted on instagram about this yesterday morning. So of course I am not creating my own powerful drug empire and becoming one of the wealthiest women in the world. But similar to Teresa Mendoza I am finding a way to rise above a difficult past and make some things happen for myself through the world of blogging. I just celebrated my best month ever since launching Go French Yourself in February of 2016. I have spent time reviewing my ambitions for the day each day, for the week each week and for the month each month. Also spent some time thinking about my overall long term ambitions. And my takeaway to you is don’t be afraid to change your goals and modify them to suit what you want to do and where you are at the moment. Change equals growth dears.
There a few friends of mine who actually see how hard I work behind the scenes where most of you just think I sit in coffee shops all day enjoying lattes and taking photos. But there is so much involved in running a successful lifestyle blog from planning, photo shoots, pitching, writing, organizing content, editing, research, social media and so on. I work all hours of the day and night daily and my brain is always thinking of what's next. The hard work has finally allowed my blog to reach some major milestones.
In Queen of The South, Teresa learns the hard way that she can only depend on herself and stay one step ahead of everyone else if she wants to stay alive. As her desperation morphs into determination, Teresa’s journey to becoming the Queen of the South begins.
So very similar to my story ...I get so many calls and emails for coffee from people wanting to start their own blogs and really create a strategic growth plan for their social media accounts. I have had to really put the red light on this kind of stuff as I have spent the money and time learning how to brand myself and take my blog the direction I need it to go. That's why the E course my friend, Brooke and I are launching this Summer is one of the best ideas we ever had.
But I did want to share a few critical tips for you to be inspired to SLAY your everyday....with whatever it is you are doing. I have used these practices in my own career and have found them to pave the way for success. I would like to think Teresa uses them too in her line of work in Queen of The South...HA!
9 WAYS TO SLAY THE DAY:
Determine your goals. To make your dream future your reality, set some reasonable, short-term and long-term goals for yourself based on your top values. You're more likely to get where you want to go if you set a goal and commit yourself to it. To increase your chances of success even further: Choose some logical steps toward your goal. And break these down the way I did....yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily...that has been soooo helpful to me.
Maintain a positive attitude. Not only is a negative attitude preventing you from fully enjoying your life, it can have a significant impact on your environment. The energy a person brings with them is contagious. Of course there will be stressful situations but you have to try to maintain a positive attitude no matter what.
Leave personal problems aside. An old boss once told me to leave your sh*t at the front door because it would be there when I went to pick it up and it has stuck with me through all these years.
Upgrade your knowledge and skills. Always be learning. In an ever-changing landscape you need to intentionally take time to update your skills. Learn how you can do so, and stay ahead of your game.
Decrease Energy Drains. Some people exposure themselves to constant energy drains. To reduce stress, you must seek to minimize things that sap your energy ...Little things you do (and don't do) can exhaust you both mentally and physically, which can make getting through your day a chore.
Practice positive self talk. To get the most out of your next practice, learn to think yourself better. Self-talk is the thoughts you say to yourself. It's the silent conversation you have with yourself that brings big results.
Confront challenges and fears. (this one is a tough one for me) Confronting our fears is the primary resource that we have to limit their control. ... You also continue to experience the challenges that you did not fully resolve in your life. Leaders who can't confront: Live with nagging frustration. ... learn to solve problems and that usually means confronting something that needs fixed. This always feels soooo great.
Acknowledge small victories. They will eventually add up to something great.......
Be okay with "besting" about yourself. (another hard one for me) Besting is a softer, more genuine form of bragging. It is a simple combination: Besting is how you showcase your best self and your best work in a gracious and genuine manner. As much as you don't want to talk about yourself, you have to learn this skill for career growth.
Channel your own inner Teresa Mendoza, while documenting your own “Rise to Queenpin" of your personal passion - cooking, fashion, decor, etc. It can be anything you own loves. We all have strengths and things we rock. Share their stories of ambition using #QueenOf #slay to join the conversation on your social media feeds and tag me in your posts! I want to see what you slay!!!
And tune in with me live on my insta stories on Thursday, June 8th at 10/9c for the Season 2 premiere on the USA Network. I will be showing you some behind the scenes good stuff of the E-course launching! There will be great tips for you to screenshot and use. Queen of The South will air each week on Thursdays at 10/9c so set those reminders now.
XOOXOXOXOO
SAM