New Year’s resolution?.........End of year recap??.... Hmmm what will I write about for my first official blog post. I guess first I should introduce myself to my readers. 

So, hey y’all! My name is Deborah (Dee-Bore-Rah) mainly known as DeeDee. I am founder and CEO of Cozy Corner Talks LLC. I am a self-published author of “The Truth in Part of My Healing” poetry book. I am a Community Engagement Specialist for PACTS/EPIC at Community Behavioral Health for the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities. A young professional that has paved her own way. A public speaker and motivator. That feels amazing to say and be! Oh, and did I mention I am a gorgeous woman! 

Okay! Now that you know who I am, let's get into the blog. But Shit, let me explain the whole point of me blogging. 

Alright, so I will be putting out a blog twice a month or once a month. Who knows life be happening between working a 9-5, being a part-time student at Jefferson University, being 25, having a social life, and running an LLC. I am quite busy, but this blog will be about all of that and more! This will be a way to “Tickle my Fancy” and have a new hobby. I have always wanted to blog and be a journalist. I even journal daily, when I can anyway. I think now is the perfect time to do this, especially since I am always eating at different restaurants, going to different social events, and just going through shit we can all relate too. So, buckle up and enjoy the life of a twenty something year old. 

Finally! You all can now read what the fuck “Owning My Voice” is about (The title of this blog, duh!).  I love suspense and tangents, if you haven't noticed. Todays blog topic is about retrospection of my past year and anticipation of the new. Yes, I am doing a generic ass end of year recap. Shit we've been seeing and reading about on social media all damn weeks! But don't worry mine will be short and sweet. And trust me it won't be no New Year, New Me BS. This post is more of a letter to 2022, what I've experienced and a promise to 2023.

Dear 2022, 

     You were amazing to me. It was filled with laughter, smiles, success, thrive and fully authentically being myself. And honestly finding myself as well. I fully immersed and betted on myself personally and professionally. I made challenging decisions that supported me mentally. Like speaking up when things started to feel uneasy in my own home and making the choice to now live alone (well in 4 months from now, when this lease is up). Who knows what that will look like I'll let y’all know once it fully happens. I finally put out my book, created my website, and have been consulting for CHOP and a small business. I gave presentations on the importance of being a trauma informed youth advocate to two universities. I have been featured on FOX 29 news. I honestly do not have much to say about 2022. I accomplished all my goals except for one. Which is being on a podcast but honestly being on the News surely outweighs a podcast. Oh shit and I didn't make Forbes "30 under 30" but shit I'm 25 I have 5years to obtain that goal. Other than those things my list is complete. I've had more success than I expected all do to divine timing and believing in myself. So, thank you for allowing me to not only shine my light but to see the light everyone else has told me I possess.

     Oh shit! Y'all! This is somewhat of a tearjerker. I'm joking not a tearjerker, more like a learnt lesson of finding myself in 2022. I have distanced myself from my “immediate” friends. I started to feel like things were not mutual between us. Like they were not processing or growing in the ways I was and honestly the way I know they could. Majority of my friends were formed from trauma bonding experiences and when we were going through dark moments in life. I started to realize that's all we had in common. I realized that the advice I would get from them was not necessarily a mature answer. (If that makes any sense) I love them deeply, but I needed to set boundaries and space. I still spend time together with them and support them. Compared to the friends and people I have been meeting throughout 2022 has shown me that the people you spend time with are truly the reflection of you. I am by no means blaming them for anything. You just grow away from some people, you know.

This is my truth and that was my year of Finding My Authenticity! Now for this year guess what I will be “Owning my Voice”! I do not have many goals, well of course I have many goals that will be achieved. But more importantly this year I am focused on me and all that I come with. I will be fully telling people what I do and not just simplifying all that I am. So let me reintroduce myself:

“My name is Deborah (Dee-Bore-Rah) known as DeeDee. I am founder and CEO of Cozy Corner Talks LLC. I am a self-published author of “The Truth in Part of My Healing” poetry book. I am a Community Engagement Specialist for PACTS/EPIC at Community Behavioral Health for the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities. A young professional that has paved my own way. A public speaker and motivator. That feels amazing to say and be! Oh, and did I mention I am a gorgeous woman!”

I am excited to continue adding to my list of accomplishments.

I am looking forward to speaking more about my work.

I am glad to be fully myself!

I am ready to this chapter of Deborah/DeeDee

Love, DeeDee! 

Also known as Deborah Irby