On the “A” w/Souleo
While this time of year calls for giving thanks, spiritual life coach Iyanla Vanzant is focused on forgiveness with her new interactive self-help book FORGIVENESS: 21 Days to Forgive Everyone for Everything. But in her personal life, Vanzant does not feel compelled to forgive anyone outside of herself and that includes rapper DMX. Earlier this year he accused her of exploiting his substance abuse issues on her TV show, Iyanla: Fix My Life after the airing of an explosive confrontation which found him verbally attacking Vanzant.
“I was not hurt by anything he said and I respect his right to his experience,” said Vanzant. “There is nothing for me to forgive. The forgiveness is on his part and not my part. I went in with a clear intention and what I met was unwillingness and resistance. I don’t think he was clear or prepared about what the work would look like.”
Adhering to the advice found in her book, Vanzant is focused on only seeking forgiveness from herself which she believes is the secret to moving forward from any conflict or adversity. “I only have to forgive myself for thoughts about my parents and about myself that supported me in either creating or staying in negative situations or experiences. I have to forgive myself for believing I still have to prove myself. So this book is about getting back our power by forgiving our thoughts, beliefs and judgments we made about people, things and circumstances. Until we forgive ourselves and how we participate in our own difficulty it will be difficult to forgive,” she advised.
Forgiveness is only but one of the many topics touched on in the new novel by veteran reporter, Flo Anthony. With the release of her book Deadly Stuff Players she weaves together a murder mystery replete with gangsters, drug rings, billionaires, reality TV stars and hungry starlets. While the book promises to offer an insider’s view of Hollywood it also provides some insight into the life of the woman behind the pen. At a book signing held at Melba’s 125 in Harlem, Anthony admitted that the protagonist, Valerie Rollins, a popular but grossly underpaid gossip columnist, is based on her own struggle to maintain a career as a reporter.
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