Akosua Dardaine Edwards's Blog, page 4

Lessons from Bobbi: Preparation, Faith, and Letting Go at Sunrise

This morning, the ocean gifted me a miracle.

There’s a reason I run this 3km stretch of beach at dawn—it’s where I recalibrate, where I ground myself, where I talk (and listen) to the Most High. The rhythm of the waves, the salt in the air, the sun painting the sky —it’s the place that I believed healed me and kept me during some of the toughest moments. But today, the ocean offered me a sacred lesson, courtesy of an old friend: Bobbi the leatherback turtle.

Yes, I named her. Because this isn’t the first time we’ve met. But today? Today, I witnessed her entire ritual—the slow, deliberate crawl up the sand, the digging of the nest, the laying of her eggs, the careful covering of her treasure, and finally, her exhausted but determined return to the sea. All while the sun rose behind her, as if the universe itself was bearing witness.

The Art of Preparation

Bobbi didn’t rush. Every movement was intentional—the way she used her flippers to carve out the perfect chamber, the precision with which she dropped each egg, the methodical patting down of the sand to disguise the nest from predators. She prepared. No shortcuts, no hesitation. Just focus.

It made me wonder: Where am I cutting corners in my own life? Where am I skimping on the preparation—the deep, intentional work—because I’m impatient for the outcome?

The Leap of Faith

Here’s the thing: Bobbi will never see her babies hatch. She’ll never know if they survive the crabs, the birds, the tides. She does her part—meticulously—and then she lets go. She trusts the process, the sand, the ocean, the cycle. She surrenders.

How often do I cling to outcomes, demanding guarantees before I even begin? How often do I resist releasing what I’ve nurtured because I’m afraid it won’t thrive without my hands controlling every detail?

The Sacred Surrender

As Bobbi disappeared into the waves, I stood there, breathless, humbled. The ocean roared, the sun climbed higher, and the beach was empty again—just me and the invisible promise of life beneath the sand.

What eggs am I being called to lay right now?

What dreams, projects, or leaps require my full preparation and my full surrender?

Bobbi reminded me: Faith isn’t passive. It’s action—showing up, doing the work, then releasing it to something greater.

Today, the ocean didn’t just give me a sunrise. It gave me a sermon.

And for that, I’m grateful.

Peace and Blessings

Ready to trust yourself and move beyond doubt? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. Through coaching, you’ll build the confidence to act, balance intuition with logic, and create a life aligned with your truth.

Let’s do this together. Book a session today  and step into your power!

One-on-One Coaching with Akosua – Unrushed. Unfiltered. Unveiling

Dear Woman,

In a world that applauds the hustle and celebrates exhaustion, what if your strength was in the pause?

My one-on-one coaching isn’t about performance.  

It’s a sanctuary—an unfiltered space for you to show up exactly as you are.

Not because something’s broken. But because something deeper is ready to rise.

Together, we unpack the noise, the pressure, the stories.  

We breathe. We reflect. We begin again—with clarity and calm.

You’re already whole.  

And there’s always more of you to discover.

I’ve got space for you if you’re ready.

→ Book your one-on-one session here - Link with Akosua

Peace and Blessings

Akosua  

www.akosuadardaineedwards.com

The Whisper That Holds Me Steady

 Your attention can be redirected in any moment, over and over. It is never too late to notice where your attention is going, to turn it in another direction if you need to. Lisa Olivera 

There is a quiet voice within me that has always been there. It doesn’t shout or scold—it waits. It waits for me to pause, to notice, to listen. Every time I ignore it, the proverbial shit hits the fan

Over the years, I’ve come to recognize this voice as my conscience—my inner compass and soul’s gentle guardian. What I’ve discovered is that when I block it out, when I override it or pretend I don’t hear, I begin to lose balance. I lose me.

You see, the conscience is not alone on this sacred journey. It partners with intuition—that deep, knowing nudge that whispers, “Pay attention.” Intuition nudges, conscience confirms. Together, they ask that I not only listen, but honor what I feel. Not just what is right, but what is aligned. Not just what is good for others, but what is also good for me.This has been particularly telling in my intimate relationships, paying attention to my conscience and intuition was put aside many times and replaced by what I felt I needed to keep the relationship, convince the person that I am worthy and to keep me in my comfort zone.In work situations, when I led with fear rather than conscience and intuition, those decisions were less than optimum for all involved.
My conscience doesn’t bark orders or demand obedience. It respects my free will—it knows this is my journey to walk. But when I ignore it for too long, I begin to notice the signs: a creeping disconnection, a selfishness born not of malice but of disorientation. I stop asking myself the hard questions, the necessary ones. I stop reflecting. I start blaming. And in that space, truth no longer flows freely through me.Following my conscience anchors me in integrity. It’s a mirror, yes—but also a bridge. It reconnects me with others and with myself. When I honor it, I show up with clarity, with kindness, and with purpose.My conscience is not a burden—it is a gift. A pillar in the foundation of my life. A sacred system designed to hold me steady, especially when the world feels uncertain.And so, I return to it. Again and again. To that still, unwavering whisper that always knows.
Peace and Blessings

Ready to trust yourself and move beyond doubt? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. Through coaching, you’ll build the confidence to act, balance intuition with logic, and create a life aligned with your truth.

Let’s do this together. Book a session today  and step into your power!

Confidence Is Not a Trait—It’s a Decision

“Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered–just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.” –Barrie Davenport

People often ask how I speak so freely on stage, how I seem at ease in front of a crowd. The truth is, it’s not always easy. I’ve stood on stages with a calm face and trembling hands. I’ve looked out into audiences with a voice that wavered—then steadied—not because I was born with unshakable confidence, but because I made the choice to build it.

Confidence, for me, isn’t something you have—it’s something you create. It’s forged through doing the scary things, showing up prepared, silencing the inner doubt, and choosing belief over fear again and again. I wanted to be a speaker. I wanted to share the wisdom, the mistakes, and the magic from my journey. And wanting it meant doing the work.

I started small: running a 5K even when my legs and my mind protested. Speaking up in rooms where silence felt safer. Preparing in advance so that I could show up fully. Repeating truths to myself louder than the noise of uncertainty. Every act, every choice, stacked on itself until what once felt impossible started to feel like a steady rhythm.

Confidence is made. It’s grown. It’s nurtured.

And it’s available to anyone who’s willing to begin.

So here’s your invitation:

Pick one action this week that nudges you closer to the confident version of yourself. Speak up when you’d usually stay quiet. Say yes to the opportunity that makes your stomach flutter. Prepare for something with intention and show up like you belong—because you do.

Then tell me—what did you choose? I’ll be right here cheering you on.

Peace and Blessings

Ready to trust yourself and move beyond doubt? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. Through coaching, you’ll build the confidence to act, balance intuition with logic, and create a life aligned with your truth.

Let’s do this together. Book a session today  and step into your power!

Loud Cheers, Quiet Lessons - Reflections on a Graduation Day

 "Life delights in surprises and specializes in uncertainty.Change is the price of admission for this wild ride called being alive" Akosua Dardaine 

The energy inside the Winnifred Atwell Hall was electric. The graduating class of St. Francois Girls’ College entered with poise and pride—uniforms crisp, hair styled, faces lit with anticipation. Their excitement was palpable, each step echoing years of hard work, commitment, and personal growth.

What struck me most was not just the formalities of the ceremony, but the way they celebrated one another. When awards were announced, performances delivered, or pans played, the room erupted—not a single cheer was held back. It was pure, unfiltered joy. That deep sense of community and shared success reminded me of a truth I often speak about: the journey is as sacred as the destination.

Milestones like these are layered with lessons—not just for the graduates, but also for their parents, guardians, and teachers who walked alongside them. Behind every smile was a story of late nights, small triumphs, and quiet resilience.

As I stood there reflecting, I was reminded how vital excitement is in any journey. It fuels us, anchors us in the present, and gives us reason to celebrate—not just when we've “made it,” but all along the way.

I'm grateful to the school and organizers for the  opportunity to share a few of my own lessons with these bright young women. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2025—you are the penning your unwritten tomorrow, walk with your curiosity, your excitement, your fears because those who are willing to tell the tale are those who show up with courage.

Peace and Blessings 

Ready to trust yourself and move beyond doubt? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. Through coaching, you’ll build the confidence to act, balance intuition with logic, and create a life aligned with your truth.

Let’s do this together. Book a session today  and step into your power!

The Divine Design of the Heart: Lessons in Love, Courage, and Growth

 "Those who disappointed you have been instrumental in forging you into the person you are today, my love. They forced you to find love elsewhere because they simply did not have it for you. They pushed you to either die of sadness or go on a journey to the center, to the true source of love. They made you find your own ground of being. They built the cathedral of your heart with you — and yes, even for you." Elizabeth Gilbert

I have learnt- it took me a while, that there is a quiet wisdom in heartbreak, in unmet expectations, in the pain of realizing that those we love—those who once claimed to love us—could not always meet us where we stood. 

It is tempting to dwell on the disappointment, the grief, the lingering ache of rejection. But what if every one of these moments, every wound, every act of abandonment was part of a divine design?

Elizabeth Gilbert’s words linger in my mind: “They built the cathedral of your heart with you — and yes, even for you.”

What if those experiences were never about tearing me down but instead about shaping something more resilient, more whole? What if they made me kinder, more courageous—or simply courageous at all? What if each heartbreak deepened my well of empathy, not just for others but for myself? What if every disillusionment taught me the sacred art of boundaries?
These thoughts and the actions that accompany them do not come easy. To embrace this perspective is to let go—of resentment, of bitterness, of the heavy weight of “why.” It is to surrender, to accept that maybe this was never punishment but preparation. It is to trust that those who could not love me fully led me back to the one place love never wavers: within myself.
It’s easy to ask, why did I have to go through this? That question can pull me into the unfairness of it all. But someone once said: Why is not a question the Universe answers.So instead, I ask: What can I now do with what I have learned?Without these moments, I would not be who I am. I would not write the words I do, I would not have built the community that surrounds me today. I would not have walked so deeply into the unknown, trusting in endless possibilities.
And so, in place of resentment, I choose gratitude. In place of mourning, I choose growth. In place of asking “why,” I ask, how can I use this?After all, if every hurt built the cathedral of my heart, then surely, I must take care of it.
Peace and Blessings

Ready to trust yourself and move beyond doubt? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. Through coaching, you’ll build the confidence to act, balance intuition with logic, and create a life aligned with your truth.

Let’s do this together. Book a session today  and step into your power!

Living Beyond the Expectations You Once Had for Yourself

 

" When the moment comes, learn to live beyond the expectations that you once had for yourself. Have faith and believe in yourself because it's the consistency with which you act on your vision that enables them to transform from vision to reality"  Brianna Wiest 

There comes a time when you sit with your own reflection and ask: What do I truly expect of myself? 

For years, I may have carried expectations rooted in survival, in proving, in striving. But today, I choose differently. Today, I expect to be of service to this world—to show up with open hands and an open heart. I expect to leave wherever I am better than I found it, whether that be a place, a conversation, or a person.
I expect to be great—not for the sake of grandeur, but because honoring myself demands nothing less. I expect to make choices that reflect who I truly am, not who I was told to be. I expect to give myself grace in the moments I fall short, and to remind myself that growth isn’t a straight line but a rhythm, a tide, an unfolding.And, most importantly, I expect to love well.To love myself well. To love others well. To love this life—not just when it feels easy, but when it challenges me to trust, to stretch, to surrender.
These expectations are not passive wishes; they are choices. And choices require action. It is in consistently living out these expectations—day by day, moment by moment—that vision transforms into reality.So, let the moment come. Let it find me ready, willing, and fearless in what I expect for myself. And let me rise to meet it.
Peace and Blessings

Ready to trust yourself and move beyond doubt? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. Through coaching, you’ll build the confidence to act, balance intuition with logic, and create a life aligned with your truth.

Let’s do this together. Book a session today  and step into your power!

Transition - Embracing the Journey with Radical Acceptance

You have power, power of the Most High not the change the weather maybe not to bend time but to choose what you believe and right there that’s the key because what  you believe becomes the house you live in - Maya Angelou 

Transition. It is bound to happen. It is woven into the fabric of life, an inescapable force that moves us forward, whether we feel ready or not. And yet, so often, we resist. We hesitate. We grip tightly to what is familiar, fearing what lies ahead.

Why is it so challenging? Why do we resist? Is it the uncertainty? The unknown? The loss of control?

I have learned that resisting life's transitions brings us undue suffering.  That is not to say there is no pain or discomfort in the process. Resisting what is, creates tension between what is and what we wish it to be. And yet, in every transition, there is an invitation—an opportunity to trust, to prepare, to step into a deeper version of ourselves.

The Art of Preparation
There is no handbook for navigating life's transitions, but there is a way to meet them with grace—with what I call Divine guidance. It is the quiet knowing that, despite the uncertainty, I am held. I am led. I am equipped.Preparation, in this sense, is not about controlling the outcome. It is about strengthening our foundation:- Doing things that scare us, stretching our courage little by little.- Being mindful of the self-talk we entertain, making sure our words build rather than break.- Practicing the ultimate challenge—acceptance.
Radical Acceptance of What Is
This is, perhaps, is the hardest part of transition: accepting what is, without resistance, without bitterness. Radical acceptance does not mean giving up. It does not mean passively surrendering. It means choosing to stop fighting reality and instead asking, How can I move forward with is, its practice. A decision made daily. To wake up knowing that surprises will come, that uncertainties will unfold. To trust that, even in the discomfort, there is a rhythm to life beyond what we can see.
What a Journey
Transition is not the enemy. It is the bridge between who we were and who we are becoming. It is the wildest magic there is—the space where growth, transformation, and possibility take root.So today, I ask:Are you resisting? Or are you allowing?Are you bracing against the unknown? Or are you preparing to walk into it with trust?Because when we embrace life's transitions, when we meet them with faith, courage, and radical acceptance, the journey becomes less about surviving—and more about thriving
Peace and Blessings

Are you ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start embracing your own wisdom? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. If you're navigating uncertainty and want support in strengthening your self-trust, I’d love to guide you through the process.

Through coaching, you’ll gain the confidence to act despite doubt, find balance between intuition and ego, and step into the life you truly want.

 Let’s work together! Book a session today and take the first step toward a more empowered, aligned version of yourself.

Building the Architecture of our Reality

“Words have wings, they are not vibrations in the air. They build, they break, they become the architecture of our reality.” Maya Angelou 

Words are not just sounds carried by the wind—they shape, they construct, they define. They are the blueprint of our lives, the foundation upon which our dreams stand or crumble. Every word we speak carries weight, intention, and energy. And when we are pursuing our goals, when we are walking in our purpose, the words we choose become even more critical. This is the lesson that resonated with me over the last few weeks. I have been noticing that my words - good and not so good- have played a huge part in manifesting the reality I now live in.

The Power of Alignment

I have come to believe, deeply and unwaveringly, that thoughts, words, and actions must align. When they do, movement happens—swiftly, effortlessly, powerfully. It is as if the universe conspires to clear the path ahead, removing obstacles, opening doors, and ushering us forward.

But when they are misaligned? When our thoughts say one thing, our words another, and our actions something else entirely? The process slows. Confusion sets in. Doubt creeps through the cracks.

We say we want success, but we speak of failure.

We say we believe in abundance, but we talk about lack.

We say we trust the journey, but we voice our fears more than our faith.

Words are not mere expressions—they are declarations. They are the architects of our reality, shaping the world we step into.

I am learning to choose my words carefully—not from a place of denial, but from a place of creation. From a place of love. From a place of faith.
Speaking Truth, Not Conformity
Choosing words is not about following the status quo. It is not about saying what is comfortable or palatable. It is about speaking truth—your truth. It is about standing firm in what you believe, even when it rocks the boat.It is about declaring, with conviction, that you trust your purpose. That you trust your path. That you trust the unfolding of your journey, even when the road is unclear.Words are not passive. They are active. They create. They affirm. They shape.So today, I ask:What words are you choosing?Are they building the life you desire?Are they aligning with the purpose you know is yours?Because when thoughts, words, and actions line up, there is no limit to how far we can go.
Peace and Blessings

Are you ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start embracing your own wisdom? Change is inevitable, but fear doesn’t have to hold you back. If you're navigating uncertainty and want support in strengthening your self-trust, I’d love to guide you through the process.

Through coaching, you’ll gain the confidence to act despite doubt, find balance between intuition and ego, and step into the life you truly want.

 Let’s work together! Book a session today and take the first step toward a more empowered, aligned version of yourself.

Answering the call of Fish Dunn

There are places in the world that don’t just invite you to visit—they demand that you surrender, listen, and become part of their rhythm. Portland, Jamaica, is one of those places. Away from the crowded beaches and tourist hubs, its hills hold whispers of Maroon history, its rivers wind through stories of resilience, and its waterfalls flow with a quiet kind of magic. On this trip—an escape off the beaten path—I found myself answering a call I hadn’t expected. With the expert guide of Teika of Being Jamaican, I was transported into a place and space that I did not know I needed.

Facing the Water

I have always admired waterfalls from a distance, content to soak in their beauty without surrendering to their depth. Fish Dunn was different. It wasn’t just another stunning cascade; it was a series of intimate pools, each one inviting yet unfamiliar.

I hesitated at the edge, feet skimming the water, heart racing with the familiar pulse of fear. Teika's  from Being Jamaican, said: “Hold a vibe.” That simple phrase carried weight—an invitation to let go, to trust, to be.

I stepped in.

The cold rushed around me, exhilarating, refreshing. With every breath, I willed myself to relax, to trade tension for surrender. The water was perfect—crisp, clear, and full of life. In that moment, fear had no place. Only presence remained.

The Art of Being Present

Fish Dunn demanded attention—not in a loud, commanding way, but in its quiet insistence that I feel. The rush of the water over smooth rocks, the embrace of each pool, the laughter that bubbled from somewhere deep within me—I was here, fully.

Nature has always spoken to me, grounding me in ways nothing else can. Among the huge rocks and the symphony of water, I felt at home. It was a reminder that sometimes, the only thing standing between us and peace is ourselves.

The Soul of a Community

This journey wasn’t just shaped by nature; it was woven together by the kindness of strangers who felt more like family. Being Jamaican curated an experience that included the women in the village who welcomed me, offering  conversation and a space to change. The fireside meal—gungo peas simmered in coconut milk, hard food nourishing both body and spirit. We even witnessed Sanya, who made the meal, picking the bananas off the tree right beside the waterfall.

Respecting a place means more than admiring it—it means listening to its people, honoring their traditions, and moving with humility. Traveling off the beaten path with Being Jmaican, is an invitation not just to explore, but to learn. In the heart of Portland, I found that the most precious gems aren’t always the places on a map, but the souls who share their stories along the way.

Conclusion: A Birthday Like No Other

As I left Fish Dunn, I carried more than just memories—I carried a deeper understanding of presence, of courage, of gratitude. It wasn’t just a birthday celebration; it was a transformation.

The water welcomed me, the hills embraced me, and the people reminded me that true adventure is found in connection. Jamaica, in all its beauty, had gifted me something I hadn’t even realized I needed—space to just be.

Peace and Blessings

Being Jamaican offers authentic Jamaican experiences travel off the beaten path. 

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