VIDEO: How To Deal With Jealous Women

They're everywhere. They follow you from job to job and change faces and places just as often as you change locations.

But what do you do when you constantly encounter jealous women? How do you handle it?

I have the answer. Check out the video below.

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Better Block Fort Lauderdale, A Dream Come True

By Christina Fermin
Politics & Society Columnist

Saturday June 16, downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Flager Arts & Technology (F.A.T.) Village community saw the vision of what downtown Fort Lauderdale could be: a walkable place where the pedestrian, the cyclist and the automobile are all equal. This event was put on by a handful of dedicated citizens in the F.A.T. Village arts district of which included Cadence Living, FAU, F.A.T. Village & UrbanMatters just to name a few.

The event was such a success everyone was asking if it would be a monthly event so that people could keep coming to downtown and enjoy all there was to offer at Florida’s first Better Block event.

Build a better block (Better Block for short) is a one day urban revitalization event held to inspire the community of the possibilities of what a rundown block that has been ignored by the city could look like. It is an event meant to inspire the individual and motivate them to go to their representatives, commissioners and city officials and demand for better places. This event filled a void in the community for the day and we hope that people take this energy and run with it, creating a livable urban space used by the community and by everyone surrounding the place.

Better Block Fort Lauderdale was closed with Fort Lauderdale’s first ever Pecha Kucha, a 20 slide presentation where presenters have 20 seconds per slide to discuss the meaning and vision behind each slide. The theme: Reimang[in]ing our city blocks, a closing that showed how we the community can create thriving urban spaces that are aesthetically pleasing while also serving purpose, form and function to all members, not just the vehicle. The presentations were a success, tickling the mind with imagination of how South Florida could be.

While I arrived early and left later than most, for the day I felt a sense of pride and saw what communities could look like. We took this block, which is located in an old warehousing district with few businesses nestled on NW 1st Avenue between NW 5th & 6th Street and created an urban city block with life featuring pop-up businesses, cafes, an urban garden, a pop-up dog park, DJ’s, a community welcome center, food trucks, art installations, wall murals and hand built street furniture which completely transformed this street and created an actual place, a destination, a location where people wanted to be for the day.

There was much to do from purchasing locally grown produce, building a terrarium, making your own Tom’s shoes, vintage clothing and vinyl records, jewelry, food, beverages, craft beers, previews to upcoming shows at the local Living Arts Studio plus an array of other things. The day was filled with shopping, socializing, eating, drinking, talking and entertainment. Friends, family and community all came by to see the hype.

All who attended left yearning for more. Better Block FTL created more than just hype, it created what so many of us yearn for, community. If you missed out on this wonderful event, please keep your eyes open for Better Block Miami.

What more info on Better Block?

betterblock.org

BetterBlockFtL


About the Columnist


With a bachelors degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University, Christina Fermin has always cultivated her love for history, politics, sociology, ancient knowledge and teachings, the outdoors, the ocean and the environment. Christina strives to make our world better by helping us all create a new reality and understanding of all taking place here and now. You can reach her at Christina@MySavvySisters.Com

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First 10 Episodes: The Rebuild Your Life Project- Los Angeles

The Rebuild Your Life Project- Los Angeles is presented by MySavvySisters.Com as the 2012 Women's Empowerment Outreach.

This year's project will teach women how to rebuild their lives by moving to a new city. Te-Erika Patterson, the publisher of MySavvySisters will film a living documentary, posted in real time on youtube, as she navigates through a relocation to a new city that she has never even visited.

Watch as she gears up for her trip, exploring the research and mental strategies women need to overcome any hurdle as they attempt to rebuild their lives.



Here are the first 10 Episodes



Episode 1


Episode 2


Episode 3


Episode 4


Episode 5


Episode 6


Episode 7


Episode 8


Episode 9


Episode 10


View the documentary in REAL TIME on www.youtube.com/embraceyourfantasy

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Why Verbal Abuse Is Your Fault

There's someone in your life who is tearing you down. They're saying all the things you wouldn't even THINK about saying to someone else. You're hurt and afraid and you feel trapped by their opinions. You would do anything for them to change their mind about you. In fact, you've tried everything. You've pleaded with them. You've tried to improve. You've gone out of your way to be the best person you could be but there's nothing you can do to get them to stop berating you. You're extremely depressed and lonely and you feel like life is just not worth living anymore.

Before you decide that your life is worthless, I have to tell you the one thing that will set you free- the verbal abuse you are experiencing is all your fault.

It is. You have decided that there is someone else whose opinion of you matters more than your own. You have the authority to decide which opinion matters most and you gave it away to someone else who is using that power to destroy you.

Why are they trying to destroy you? It's simple, you are allowing them to. You like being miserable and feeling dominated in a negative way or else you would not be in that situation. Of course it is easier to label the abuser as the monster and paint yourself as a victim because this society perpetuates victimhood. It is not okay to be a victim. It is not okay to point at anyone else and blame them for your situation. You are not a victim. You are playing a willing part in this scenario. You have to accept that.

There can be no dominance without willful mental submission. Before you become upset with me, allow me to explain how you can stop this madness.

• You have to decide that YOUR opinion matters most.
• You have to remove yourself from that situation at all costs.
• You have to understand that their WORDS only have the power that you give them.
• YOU are the authority of your life.
• YOU define who you are.
• You do NOT need anyone's acceptance or approval.
• You have to make a DECISION to believe other people who actually love you and show it by being kind to you.
• You have to believe you deserve better.

If you choose not to do the things I am suggesting then you WANT the verbal abuse, you LIKE the verbal abuse and you can no longer complain about the verbal abuse.

It's a decision to re condition yourself. You are NONE of the labels the person has slapped on you. You can label yourself. You don't need anyone's permission to do so.

You can do this. You don't have to believe their harsh words and descriptions. That person is not God but you are making them the God of your life by allowing them to define you.

You can move away from this. You can choose NOT to believe them. They are just saying WORDS and you don't have to be swayed by them.

You define who you are. You don't have to accept their definition.

You are not a loser.
You are not a worthless bitch.
You are not a cunt.
You are not a stupid slut.

You are who YOU say you are and if anyone calls you anything other than the definitions you define YOURSELF by, you can easily dismiss them. If someone says that you are PURPLE, would you cry? No. You would laugh at them and keep it moving. You can do this same thing now.

You don't deserve this. This is not all your life will be. You can make a decision to move away from this. You do not need this person's approval. This is not love. You will never be able to make it better. Give up.

Make it better with yourself. Define yourself. Live up to the new labels you will now give yourself.

Approve yourself and never allow verbal abuse into your life again.

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It’s Juneteenth! What Have You Done with Your Freedom?

By Kitty K. Free

Juneteenth is a celebration of June 19, 1865, the day the announcement was made in Texas that slavery had been abolished in that state. It’s an official holiday in 41 states, still many people aren’t aware of it. I didn’t become aware of it until I was away at college in Louisiana. I have yet to go to a celebration because the date is honestly not on my radar until it actually comes; which is unfortunate. It’s a date I should celebrate just as I do July 4th. (For more info on Juneteenth go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth#Observation.)

Some will say this is an unnecessary holiday. It’s in the past after all—why bring it up? Every year we celebrate America’s independence from Britain, which is even further into the past. I feel we should have the same fervor of celebration, for this major turning point in our country’s history. There should be no shame, no guilt; just a day of wonderful celebration to acknowledge all of those before us, black and white, the good, and the bad of them, and accept our country’s collective history.

In the scope of history, our journey as Americans has been short. By our, I mean all Americans. Wounds are still open, covered with bandages and band-aids, but without true healing. I think Juneteenth should be used as a step toward that healing for all Americans, but especially for those of us who are the scions of slaves and slave masters. A step towards acceptance and closure. It should also be a time for us that are descendants of Africans who were enslaved in America, to evaluate, on an individual level, just what it is we are doing with our freedom. How are we using the sacrifices of those before us? What are our plans to make the future better for those after us? We are standing on the shoulders of people who fought and died for our freedom; what are we doing with it?

In regards to honoring Juneteenth, this is my first step; acknowledging the holiday, and spreading the word. Next year, I will make it my business to be part of the celebration and I hope you’ll join me.

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Saudi Arabia Women Protest Ban on Driving June 17th

By Te-Erika Patterson

On June 17th courageous women in Saudi Arabia will take to the streets in protest of Saudi Arabia's longstanding ban against women driving. Manal al-Sharif, the organizer behind the Women2Drive protest which began last year after she posted a youtube video of her driving, is now the subject of violent threats against her life.

After posting this video that shows her driving, Manal has been honored by numerous organizations for her bravery in a country that punishes women with public lashing for disobeying cultural rules like driving and not covering their bodies.



According to a report that ran in Women's E News, Manal has stated that she has been taught since she was a child that as a girl she was sinful to expose. She defied that definition last year by organizing a protest that received international attention as 100 men and women in support of Manal's stance on women's liberation in Saudi Arabia got behind the wheel of cars. Two women were reportedly stopped by police and one of them was sentenced to a public lashing which was never carried out because she went into hiding.

My Savvy Sisters stands behind Manal al-Sharif and her efforts to quell the attack on women's freedom and personal development in Saudi Arabia. To show your support please visit the Women2Drive facebook page and follow this developing movement.

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Reader Mail: Your Videos Are My Remedy

Hey, Te-Erika :)

I just have to let you know that you have become a huge inspiration to me. Your videos have brought me such immense peace and hope. I'm coming to the end of a huge struggle in my life and your videos have been a remedy to my state of mind and the way that I choose to tackle my circumstances.

This transitioning phase in my life has not been smooth sailing and it has been incredibly helpful and empowering to have your blunt, yet soothing honesty and motivation right along with me through that. I really just want to say thank you so much for that. It means so much and if I ever get the opportunity to repay you for that, I won't hesitate. I hope that you never feel your videos and your huge humanitarian-psychological effort isn't unappreciated because it really is and I can't be the only one who feels this way. Finding your youtube channel has been a huge stepping stone for me and my progress and I am just so deeply grateful that there is someone selfless and considerate enough to spend so much time pouring insight, encouragement, empowerment, healing, and advice into strangers.

Stay wonderful :)

A. Smith

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3 Tips For Disputing a Credit Card Charge

By Ashyiah Hill

Disputing a credit card charge can save you money when a purchase goes awry or when someone uses your card without your permission. However, the process of disputing a credit card charge can be a little complicated. Plus, when you dispute a charge, it's often an all or nothing situation. You'll almost always either get all your money back if the credit card company decides in your favor, or none of it if the company decides in favor of the vendor.

Whether you're dealing with goods that haven't been delivered, cancelled travel plans, or an unauthorized charge, these three tips will help you in your credit card dispute:

Know the Rules in the Fair Credit Billing Act

Obviously, you've got to understand what protection you have under the law before you know how far to take the credit card dispute process. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, many different types of disputes are covered. Here's a list of what you can dispute according to this law:

• Unauthorized charges: You're only responsible for up to $50 for unauthorized charges, and some credit card companies limit your liability to $0 in their own contracts.
• Non-delivery: If you're charged for goods or services that were unacceptable, weren't delivered at all, or weren't delivered as agreed, you can dispute the charge.
• Errors: Charges that involve mathematical errors or that list the wrong date or the wrong amount can also be disputed.
• Failure to pay: If you've returned an item successfully but the vendor doesn't post payment to your credit card, you can dispute the original transaction.
• Failure to bill: If your creditor gets your change of address in writing before a billing period ends but fails to send your bills to the right address, you can dispute their charges.

These rules offer more protection in some areas than in others, and for the most part, credit card
companies get to decide whether you or the vendor who is charging you is in the wrong. For instance, if you buy furniture that is delivered months late, the credit card company could negate the charge because the goods were not delivered as agreed, but they could also rule in favor of the vendor because the furniture was eventually delivered.

Check with the Vendor First

Because a credit card dispute is an all or nothing proposition, you may need to go to the vendor first to try to work out your problems with them directly. Often times, instead of getting a full refund, you'll get a certificate for future services or products, or you may even get a partial refund.

Unless the charge is very large and the process of disputing it is financially high stakes for you, checking with the vendor can be a better option. When you work directly with a vendor, you may get something back. If they won't work with you at all, then you can go to the credit card company in hopes that they'll help. But if you go directly to the credit card company and they rule in favor of the vendor, you won't get anything back, and you won't have anywhere else to turn except, possibly, and expensive lawsuit.

File it as a Fraudulent Charge if at all Possible

Any time there are unauthorized charges on your credit card, make sure you file them as such. The law offers more protection for unauthorized charges, whether they're from a thief or from your teenager who swiped your card to pay for an online purchase or even from a vendor who charged you for services or goods you didn't ask for. Of course, you should never be fraudulent yourself by saying that a charge was unauthorized if it was authorized by you, but if you can file the charge this way, you'll get more protection and, often times, a better response from your credit card company.

Know Your Credit Card Provider

One thing that you should always check out when looking at credit card reviews to try to find the best possible credit card for your needs is the company's records of settling disputes with customers. While a credit card company may not openly share these exact statistics, you may look at reviews from other consumers who have worked with the company on disputes. At the least, you want to make sure that the credit card company you choose works with customers courteously and is easy to file a dispute with.

Disputing a credit card charge takes some time, and it needs to be done in writing. But it can definitely be worth it if it saves you money on goods and services you didn't receive as promise or charges you didn't authorize.

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How My Village and I Fought Mesothelioma

By Heather Von St. James

At one point or another, I’m sure you’ve heard the old phrase “it take a village” during times of hardship. While it may be thrown around a lot, I’ve recently come to realize that this phrase is very true.

On August 4, 2005, my daughter, Lily, was born after a pregnancy, which, with the exception of a C-section, was relatively uneventful. Throughout this process, however,
our “village” surrounded my husband and me. It included my parents, his family, and our many friends. While the aura of the delivery room that day was one of celebration, joy, and excitement, there was a dreadful storm on the horizon.

A month or so after I returned to work, I began to feel tired, breathless, and completely devoid of energy. While these symptoms are often attributed to being a new mom, I still felt as if something was wrong. Playing it safe, I decided to schedule an appointment with my doctor to see if everything was alright. After a myriad of tests and procedures, I found that my symptoms weren’t that of motherhood, but of something much worse.

On November 5, 2005, I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Affecting the lining of the lung, pleural mesothelioma is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. After a little
research, I found out that I had been unknowingly exposed to it as a child. Since then, it had
remained dormant in my system, only to rear its ugly head 30 years later.

My prognosis was very grim. If I didn’t seek treatment, I would have only 15 months to live. The first thing that came to mind, however, was the thought of my husband and daughter being all alone. This thought made me realize that we had to do whatever it took to rid me of my cancer.

As a result, my husband and I decided to take the most drastic move, which was to seek
treatment from specialists in Boston. Leaving Lily behind in South Dakota with her grandparents, my husband and I flew to Boston so that I could undergo a form of treatment known as an extrapleural pneumenectomy. The procedure required the removal of my left lung, followed by 18 days of recovery in the hospital. This would be followed by an additional two months of recovery, along with chemotherapy and radiation treatments shortly thereafter.

Despite the hardships, I eventually walked away from my fight completely cancer-free. However, I couldn’t have done it without my village. Family and friends from all parts of our lives not only came to us in our time of need, but also helped my parents raise Lily. During our stay in Boston, my husband and I made many new friends who were just as supportive. Without all of the support and love, I probably wouldn’t be here to tell this story.

Knowing how fragile life can be, we as a family try to embrace everything life throws at us, be it
good or bad. While the bad things can truly be horrible, a lot of good can still come from them.



Heather Von St James is a 43-year-old wife and mother. Upon her diagnosis of mesothelioma,
she vowed to be a source of hope for other patients who found themselves with the same
diagnosis. Now, over 6 years later, her story has been helping people all over the globe. She
continues her advocacy and awareness work by blogging, speaking and sharing her message of hope and healing with others. Check out her story at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.

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The Rebuild Your Life Project - Los Angeles

The Rebuild Your Life Project- Los Angeles is now underway. This year's empowerment outreach for women will teach them how to move to a new city and rebuild their lives. The subscribers of MySavvySisters.Com voted and the publisher of MySavvySisters.Com will move to the city of Los Angeles this June and rebuild her life while raising money to offer a $4,000 grant to a woman in need.

To view the complete list of videos that are being filmed, edited and uploaded in REAL TIME on youtube please visit the Rebuild Your Life Project- Los Angeles page. Here you will find the first videos in the series as Te-Erika explains how she plans to move to a city she has never visited and rebuild her life.

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The Elvie Show: Rescue Your Brand With Social Media

The Elvie Show is an uplifting and eye opening web series that teaches rising stars how to succeed in Hollywood. Now more than ever people are living online and the internet could either make or break your career. Elvie believes that by redesigning their social media sites to more accurately reflect their true brand combined with a strategic plan of action success is not only possible it’s inevitable.

In order to create a new Strategic Plan of Action Elvie has an honest conversation with each guest to find out their goals/obstacles/gifts/passions and then she views all of their social media sites to see if their goals reflect their site's perception. From the information she gathers she is able to make an accurate assessment and offer unique advice to each guest.

With two guests appearing every week from different genres of businesses, the millions watching can have the opportunity to learn from Elvie and succeed.

"I've been asked to do many TV shows and I've declined because I always want to make sure that what I do uplifts others," Elvie said. "I am very excited to do this show because everyone wants to know how to make it in Hollywood and through this platform I will be able to help so many for FREE and they will get amazing exposure!"

The 10 episode (5 week) web series will premiere on Wednesday June 20th at 2:00PM EST and 2:00PM PST. Two 7 minute episodes will premiere each week and will be posted on The Elvie Show Facebook Fan Page.

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REVIEW: SlideRocket Presentation Software

From Résumés to Business Promotions: Ten Reasons to Get SlideRocket in Your Life!

By Kitty K. Free

I was introduced to SlideRocket by a friend on Facebook, who shared it for its use as a “présumé”, which is a presentation resume. He showed three samples of some awesome présumés. They were Powerpoint presentations, but were created online, through the SlideRocket.com website, and that’s where they are stored. I immediately saw the potential of its use and created my own attention grabbing slide, the same day. I put the slide together in a snap. Using their “build” tool I made words and images leap off the screen. The hardest part was gathering the content I wanted to use, but once I had that figured out, I was a go! I know lots of authors, artists, musicians, and others that are constantly looking for exciting and new promotional tools. This is a great, simple to use, yet sophisticated, tool that will make your story pop!

1. Supremely easy to use. I mastered it after about 15 minutes of playing. The latest version of Powerpoint is pretty easy – this is even easier! Even creating an account is easy. Just enter your email address and a password and you’re in. You don’t have to go check your email to confirm, then click the link to go back to the site.

2. Premade templates, or you can create your own, which is about as simple as using the premade.

3. You can immediately share your presentation with the world, using their “Go Public Link” and “Get Embed Code” options, which you can just copy and paste to Facebook, Twitter, etc.

4. Easy to add social sharing tabs for Facebook, Twitter, and Google.

5. There’s an option to keep presentations private, so that you can share it with specific people only.

6. Cloud style storage so you can access your presentations anywhere. I say cloud-style, because I haven’t seen the word “cloud” used to describe the storage on their site.

7. You can track how many people have viewed your presentation, and from what city, on the site, and have the option to receive an email whenever it’s viewed.

8. Viewers can leave comments, so it’s great for interacting with your audience. There’s also an option to add a survey.

9. You can record you own voice, audio, and add videos to your presentation with ease.

10. It’s FREE! At least SlideRocket Lite is free. It says it’s for non-commercial use, and has pretty much all of the same tools as SlideRocket Pro, which is $24 a month or $240 for a year.

I highly recommend this product for anyone looking for a new and exciting way to show the world who they are. Here’s my SlideRocket, tell me what you think!

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