She Stories Feature Friday - Nesha Dickson

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About She Stories

She Stories is a community of women that promotes self wellness, empowerment and the value of supporting each other You have overcome tremendous obstacles Telling your story brings healing for you and others There is empowerment in every story We are Real Women with Real Stories What started out as a storytelling night has transformed into a sisterhood From gatherings to giving back, we inspire and affirm the every day woman that she is brave and beautiful

Our Founder

In 2017, I decided to carry on the tradition of testimony service and share this amazing gift of storytelling from my elders to my tribe I provided a sacred space for women to share their challenges and victories so they can not only be empowered but through each story women would find a circle of support and empowerment Her story matters and the world needs to hear it -

Ehmandah Ramsey

She Stories has always been about women sharing their stories through storytelling. (Yeah, that’s me with a box of tissue) We believe there’s healing that happens when we share our stories. We all have one!

By sharing our stories, we prove that it’s possible to shift change through another woman’s journey, struggles, and triumphs.

Elevating women of all ages is powerful. Compassion and love speaks volumes. And when they’re combined among a community of bosses, we ALL thrive! XO,

Inthisissue FEATUREFRIDAY

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we’re celebrating love! This week’s feature could easily be everyone’s favorite lil sister. She’s beautiful and so full of life, you can see it in every reel on IG

Meet Nesha Dickson! She shares with us how losing her mother sent her life on such a spiral, she was almost willing to add herself to the “sick and shut-in” list

She also shares how turning 30 sparked a light where she knew she had to make a choice, life or death. Nesha learned that unconditional self -love would be her saving grace.

NESHA DICKSON

This week’s feature is a complete ray of light. And she has a look that means business, but if you happen to see her on IG, you’ll see her work as a Digital Creator, and you’ll definitely have a good laugh and maybe learn something She’s one of the ”cool kids” Yes, it’s Nesha!

Nesha’s journey started in Louisiana, but she was raised and flourished in Southern Cali. As a young girl, Nesha would listen to Whitney Houston and loved Shirley Temple, but of course, as a grown woman, she‘s a definite Beyoncé fan

Even though Nesha’s childhood may have gone through its normal ups and downs, it was in 2011 that she experienced the most challenging time in her life. Losing her mother to colon cancer turned out to be the start of a lot of unfortunate circumstances. In life, it’s crazy how that can happen. One moment, we’re on one course and the next moment, we’re on a completely different path Nesha admitted that she became numb to everyone and everything to the point that she had accepted that this was the fate

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of her life. That she would succumb to her grief. ”Feeling stuck in a life I never saw for myself but accepting that this was all there was for me now because, at the time, I saw no way out of that.” That’s a hard place to be in life, where you come to not only accept the bitterness in life but to deny yourself the sweetness Nesha had allowed her depression to take the upper hand.

When she turned 30, she realized it was also 10 years since her mother’s passing, and this became spiritually significant for Nesha. She knew that she had to take back control of her life, and her future. Turning 30 brought on growth She compared her growth process to a plant. She’s coming up out of the soil. Nesha now affirms that she’s resilient and resourceful and that she can process and communicate her emotions effectively. YEEEEEES! Nesha also admitted that when she was at her lowest, those affirmations weren’t in her vocabulary. But now she knows that ”the hardships make you stronger and scars can be made beautiful.”

Many of us have scars that have healed and the scar is minimal. You can hardly see it. But then some scars are healed but have left an impression of the wound. There’s usually a story behind our scars, an amazing story! Nesha was able to combine the failures and losses and turn them into boldness and laughter

Her favorite affirmation is “slow and steady wins the race”. This is her reminder that she’s not late for anything in life, she’s right on time and set to win Whenever she feels she can’t keep up with life, she remembers that she’s only racing herself, not life. And that she can take her time! I love this! As women, we often don’t take the time to slow down and pace ourselves

Nesha is planting new seeds through her platforms on TikTok, IG, and YouTube But she’s also actively taking part in her own self love and wellness journey and we couldn’t be more proud of her growth!

KEEP IT UP NESHA! WE LOVE YOU!

”Slow and steady wins the race!”

@NESHAMISHLE

“BECAUSE NO ONE WAS GOING TO SAVE ME. I HAD TO TAKE MY LIFE BACK.”

It was at that point that I had a decision to either save myself or perish.

At She Stories, we believe in empowering and supporting our community to grow and increase.

Check out more from Nesha at the links below:

@neshamishle @mishlemediaco

Check out @ourcompanytime, where she co-hosts episodes with her creative partner, Karisma New episodes coming in the Spring!

If you or someone you know would like to be Feature, let us know!

Her Shine

MY FAVORITE SONG:

Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve

HOW I CULTIVATE SISTERHOOD:

out there when I interact with a sist that I already feel connected to.”

MY LEGACY:

MY INSPO:

“By putting myself

“Telling stories that make people feel seen. ”

“Beyoncé…lol. But seriously though.”

WHAT DOES LOVE HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

By: Gina Farrar

Every February Love is in the air with pink and red

Every February Love is in the air with pink and red hearts everywhere you look: Valentine’s cards, hearts everywhere you look: Valentine’s cards, bouquets and boxes of candy take over the stores. bouquets and boxes of candy take over the stores. There are endless songs written about love, There are endless songs written about love, poems and books abound on the subject. But poems and books abound on the subject. But what does love have to do with it? what does love have to do with it?

We gush about loving food, shoes, movies, music, We gush about loving food, shoes, movies, music, that perfect pair of jeans. We love our favorite cup that perfect pair of jeans. We love our favorite cup of coffee and that delectable scone to go with it. of coffee and that delectable scone to go with it. We love any manner of thing or place that strikes We love any manner of thing or place that strikes our fancy or tickles our core memories. But what our fancy or tickles our core memories. But what does love have to do with it? does love have to do with it?

While I enjoy many of these things, it seems that While I enjoy many of these things, it seems that love may be one of the most over-used and love may be one of the most over-used and misunderstood words in the English language. misunderstood words in the English language.

Love is so much more than an expression of favor toward places and things. Love in Love is so much more than an expression of favor toward places and things. Love in its purest form is patient, kind, doesn’t boast or envy, it isn’t rude or self- seeking. its purest form is patient, kind, doesn’t boast or envy, it isn’t rude or self- seeking.

Love seeks to do what is best for the recipient not necessarily what feels the best Love seeks to do what is best for the recipient not necessarily what feels the best

Self-love is a popular topic of conversation and if you take the time, you will find

Self-love is a popular topic of conversation and if you take the time, you will find differing ideas about what that means Which begs the question: what does love differing ideas about what that means. Which begs the question: what does love have to do with it? That is the question I hope to answer through the lens of the have to do with it? That is the question I hope to answer through the lens of the highest form of love. highest form of love.

When planting a garden we break the soil, till it, remove the rocks and debris The When planting a garden we break the soil, till it, remove the rocks and debris. The soil gets watered and fertilized to make it ready to be the best environment for the soil gets watered and fertilized to make it ready to be the best environment for the plants. Plants are placed in the optimal spot, at the right distance from each other so plants. Plants are placed in the optimal spot, at the right distance from each other so they can have the best chance of success. Sometimes the root balls have to pulled they can have the best chance of success. Sometimes the root balls have to pulled apart to give the plant the greatest chance to thrive As they grow, we weed the soil, apart to give the plant the greatest chance to thrive As they grow, we weed the soil, remove dead leaves and flowers, and keep them watered well. In essence, we care remove dead leaves and flowers, and keep them watered well In essence, we care for the plants by doing what is best for them. for the plants by doing what is best for them.

Likewise, the practice of self-love is like the process of gardening It is rooted in being

Likewise, the practice of self-love is like the process of gardening. It is rooted in being honest, gentle, and kind, breaking apart the tangled roots of criticism Avoiding excessive honest, gentle, and kind, breaking apart the tangled roots of criticism Avoiding excessive indulgence (over-watering)but instead applying grace, sometimes doing hard things indulgence (over-watering)but instead applying grace, sometimes doing hard things (removing dead leaves) to nurture the best in ourselves. We stop those habits (weeds) (removing dead leaves) to nurture the best in ourselves. We stop those habits (weeds) that are not healthy for us and replace them with good, healthy habits (fertilizer and that are not healthy for us and replace them with good, healthy habits (fertilizer and water). We seek to understand ourselves better and to accept where we are while water) We seek to understand ourselves better and to accept where we are while continuing to prune ourselves as necessary. continuing to prune ourselves as necessary.

This Valentine’s Day when you see all the red and pink hearts everywhere, remember love has to do with flourishing. Self-love then becomes an opportunity to create an has to do with flourishing Self-love then becomes an opportunity to create an environment where we can best blossom and grow. environment where we can best blossom and grow.

This Valentine’s Day when you see all the red and pink hearts everywhere, remember love

Follow Gina on IG: @gina_r_farrar

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We absolutely love sharing the stories of everyday women just like you! Every woman has a story to tell! In our community, we share our stories to uplift, inspire and empower women. Stories can be shared one on one, through social media and even through creativity.

Girl, we want you to know there’s healing power in sharing your story. Sometimes you may feel that there’s things only you could’ve experienced, until you hear someone else with a similar experience. You are not alone. Together we overcome.

Would you like to be a feature? Or do you know a woman who’d like to share her story at a live event? Let us know! Let's change the world together one story at a time. It’s pretty empowering!

Email: team@shestories.co www.shestories.co