Author: kosmeticskai@gmail.com

Animals Teach Us – By Phoenix Rising  Hey, my beautiful empresses!  Your girl Phoenix is back with another Gem of the Week, and honey, this one has been burning through my head like wildfire. You know how I am – when something hits me, it HITS me, and I can’t let it go until I’ve broken it all the way down for y’all. So, here’s what happened: I recently had to part ways with someone whom I genuinely considered a friend. Now, being back here where I am, you hear all kinds of stories – some real, some not so…

The day she snapped is a day she’ll never get back. It should be a memory embedded in the past, locked in a memory bank, and the key thrown somewhere in the back. Her journey isn’t anybody else’s; just as no one’s life is hers. The world is entirely oblivious to what she carries in her heart’s purse. Love, Anger, and Fear are like the three musketeers. The only thing that ties them together is their ability to leave you in tears. These emotions only heighten the deeper you push them into your mind’s rear, Leaving you alone to deal…

November 15, 2004 – Miami, FL  Dear Little Phoenix (my 6-year-old self),  Happy birthday, baby girl. I know you’re trying so hard to smile today as you blow out those candles, but I see that sadness in your eyes. I know how you’re fighting back tears because the one person who could make this day perfect isn’t here. Mama. Our Queen. I know, sweet girl, I know. I’m writing this from a place you can’t imagine yet – I’m 26 now, a mama myself to two beautiful babies, but I’m away from them just like mama was away from us.…

Real Talk About Toxic Relationships from Someone Who’s Been There By Phoenix Rising Let’s discuss something that’s been on my mind lately—something that’s often mentioned in conversations, memes, and advice columns, but I’m not sure people truly understand it. I’m talking about leaving when it feels like it’s “too late.” This topic is widely discussed, but is it truly understood? Now, when I say “leaving,” I’m not just talking about packing your bags and dramatic door slamming (though sometimes that’s precisely what needs to happen). I’m talking about extracting yourself from any situation that’s slowly poisoning your soul—whether that’s a…

Life Lessons from a 26-Year-Old Mom Who’s Still Figuring It Out  By Phoenix Rising You know that feeling when you’re trying to parallel park and your passenger keeps saying, “Turn left, no right, no LEFT!” and you’re sitting there thinking, “I got this, but also, please don’t let me hit that BMW”? That’s pretty much what guidance feels like as a kid—except the BMW is your entire future, and everyone’s got an opinion about how you should park it. The Great Guidance Debate As a child, you look up to someone to “guide” you and show you the way/path of…

Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pause Button By Phoenix Rising A 26-year-old mother of two Let’s be honest here – we’ve all been that person. You know the one I’m talking about. The person who hears something immediately goes from zero to nuclear meltdown faster than you can say “Wait, what did you actually mean by that?” Yeah, that’s the reactor. And if you’re reading this thinking, “I don’t know anyone like that,” congratulations – you ARE that person. Welcome to the club. We have stress-eating and regret as our main refreshments. The Instinct Trap:…

Y’all, I need to let you in on something that hit me harder than a prison wake-up call at 5 AM— life is like Sudoku. Now, before you roll your eyes and think Phoenix has finally lost it behind  these bars, hear me out. This revelation came to me courtesy of an old, wise “Hayo” (and when I  say old, I mean OLD—bless his ancient soul ), and it’s about to change how you look at  every single thing that happens in your life.  The Great Universal “Why Me?” Convention In life, do you ever wonder and ask yourself, “Why…

Hey empresses! Your girl, Phoenix, is back with another dose of reality, served with a side of hard-earned wisdom. Today we’re diving into one of the most crucial lessons I’ve learned behind these concrete walls—and trust me, this one came with more bruises to my ego than I care to count. The Sayings They Don’t Teach in Prison Orientation You’ve all probably heard the term “if you can’t beat them, then join them.” For those of you who haven’t listened to this little gem of conventional wisdom, let me break it down: the saying means that if you can’t beat…

Hey, beautiful empresses, especially my incarcerated mommy warriors out there. Your girl  Phoenix is back with one that’s going to hit different—straight to the heart and probably make us  all need some tissues. Today we’re talking about something that the justice system conveniently  forgets when they’re handing out sentences: we’re not just inmates, we’re MOTHERS.  This blog is for my incarcerated mommies—the ones who were detained while pregnant, the  ones with minor kids on the outside wondering where Mama went, and the ones who have to  explain to their babies why they can only hug through glass. You all are…

I am Phoenix Rising—26, a mother of two, writing from a place that demands bravery I didn’t know I had when I was a child. This post is a confession turned into a vow: to name the harm, to honor my healing, and to insist on a future where my body, my voice, and my love are protected. To the younger me who endured more than any child should: You carried a weight that wasn’t yours to bear, a burden beyond your years. I see you in the mirror of today—bright, curious, hopeful, and wary all at once. The truth…