“Focus on What You Can CONTROL”
Just when you have everything planned, tasks delegated, and feel more than ready, human nature stops by, and something goes wrong. I had everything done in advance, under control, and felt my best ever. Then pow, it happened, as it always does, because you cannot control everything, especially people. In one of my first major career roles, I held the position of the Continuous Improvement Manager of a worldwide manufacturing company. I created an idea program, where employees would submit a problem, along with a detailed solution, and we would then meet with engineers to implement. The ideas could be about anything from product, to process improvements, as long as…
Carecuts and Homelessness in Our Community
It all started for me last year; falling in love at first sight, with a place, organization, and those forgotten. A friend of mine, invited me to come volunteer at CareCuts of Knoxville. At the time, I didn’t quite know all of the details, but I knew I wanted to be a part of something truly hands on, changing lives of those in need. I pulled up to the parking lot, at the address I was given, and was astounded at what I saw. There were so many people, in the hundreds, needing help. They were all either sitting down, waiting, or up and about, mingling with others. I did…
How to Get Sponsorship?
It’s the number one question that I asked two years ago; and now the number one question I get asked. “How do I get a sponsor?” Sometimes, I feel like I need to pinch myself, whenever I get asked this advice, because it actually started as a fear of mine. I think, sometimes, when we are on the end of “needing a sponsor,” we forget what a sponsor really is. Sponsorship is an investment, be it monetary, an item, use of branding, or opportunity from an entity, who in return will receive business potential via you or the event in mind. Investment; let’s just think on that word alone. When…
Childhelp, USA
Take the tour of the facility with Shonjrell Ladner, Mrs. Tennessee International 2018, prior to reading the Blog! Child abuse and neglect tends to lead from drug and alcohol abuse, here in Tennessee and throughout the US. I hear the word "abuse," so often, intermingled with the circumstances of our Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome babies (born dependent on drugs). Honestly, during and even prior to my start of speaking out to save our babies, I did strongly feel that these newborns, detoxing from drugs, had to come from the most harsh and abusive environments. Later, I learned that this is a generalization; depending on the terms. Sadly, while volunteering in the…
What is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome?
When I hold a baby, suffering from NAS, though they can’t speak to me, when I look into their eyes, I hear the same words. “Help me, please. I am hurting. I shouldn’t have to go through recovery at birth. Many outside, can’t hear my cries, or see my pain, but you do. Where are my parents and why are you holding me? Is someone helping them so we can be back together? Where will I go, if she doesn’t get well in time? Please make this stop, I am born to kuddle, just like all babies. Do not forget about me, because I could be your baby, even you.”…
A Platform is A Road to Dreams
Platforms. This may not be the first word that comes to one’s mind, when they think of pageantry, but it is what began my journey. We needed a platform to help those battling Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, and to warn as many people as we could, to prevent more cases. Keyword is “WE,” not just myself. A platform is the opportunity to voice your views and to initiate actions. Though having a platform seems to be visually represented by us wearing a crown and a sash attracting attention, to be fully effective, you must get physical. You learn that by combining drive, passion, and really being involved, you become an unstoppable…
Fit For School to Battle Childhood Obesity
Body image is a subject almost every human being faces, at some point of life. Maybe you were tall and skinny, like myself in school, or had a few extra pounds as a child. No matter what, when you are a kid, you live in your moment of bliss, and feel completely okay with your appearance until someone points that out to you! Yeah, that is me, little Shonjrell. As a child, we are in the hands of our parents, or caretakers, when it comes to nutrition, and exercise. We don’t even think about what we are eating, because we know, we are getting fed, and if it taste good,…
How to Become A Published Author
Check out our "Kuddle Vlog!" Please view this weeks Vlog for details on how you too can become a published author! Born to Kuddle is proud to host the "Published Author Contest!" Please visit our "Published Author Contest" menu tab for a detailed list of rules and to submit your entry! Contest ends on June 30th, 2018 at 9PM EST! Winner will be chosen on July 4th 2018!
“Susannah’s House,” a Special Home in my Heart
The story I have shared many times along my journey, involves a special place called, “Susannah’s House.” It means so much to me, not only because I am on the Board of Directors, but because they let me in to help them from the start, before I had any role in the community. Eager to help those fighting addiction, and the babies, I was thrilled to be invited to a documentary screening at our Health Department. The documentary focused on women, who were pregnant, addicted to drugs, and went through so many extremities, you would think you were watching an HBO special. I remember this was my first appearance as…
Breaking the Stereotype of Addiction
While our nation is a melting pot of so many demographics, and we pride ourselves in that, we still tend to stereotype socially. Things become embedded in our psyche, that are not factual, and we formulate our opinions. This isn’t just based on race, religion, social class, age, and sexuality, it has segwayed into health epidemics like AIDS in the eighties and nineties; now addiction. Addiction, is one of the most stereotyped diseases in present time. It is an epidemic, but still, many feel they are immune, because only a certain type of people ARE addicts, many also do not feel it is a disease, but a choice. I too,…
