Returning to ZERO is not a failure.

It simply means that you have learned from your mistakes and are courageous enough to dust yourself off to try again with your new knowledge.

Starting from ZERO is a chance at a fresh path and reinventing yourself into who you were meant to blossom into before you were with him.

Say YES to going where you are loved, wanted and admired, not where you are discarded right after being strategically used whenever convenient.

Say YES to opening up your options. It is not true that only men who look like you want you. Don’t continue believing that lie. Other men are checking for you – all you need to do is look around and notice them.

Character over color – at all times. Remember, go where you are celebrated.

He may ask you to send him naked pics because he wants to “look at you” when you aren’t with him.

His request may make you feel sexy like a Victoria Secret model but fast-forward to when your love is in the toilet and he threatens to send the photos to your family/workplace and show all of his friends…

You won’t be feeling very sexy when a photo of your hoohaa is circulating around town, will you?

Instead, turn the tables. Tell him to send you pictures of his junk FIRST and see how he reacts…

Then sit back, watch and listen closely to his excuses about why he can’t do the same for you…

Protect your WOMB.

Having a baby with the wrong man can lead to a lifetime of struggle and stress.

I’ve seen one too many friends deal with co-parenting nightmares with men they should have never looked twice at.

Guard your WOMB by increasing the protection that YOU have control over, for example, a female condom, bc pills and/or other forms your physician can talk to you about. If he tries to pressure to NOT using condoms, dump him quick.

If you don’t know what “stealthing” is, read up on it. Just because the term is not trending anymore doesn’t mean that it is happening less.

Some men will purposely try to get you pregnant because you are doing too well and they want to ruin your life plans or they want to keep you chained to them forever and be a thorn in your side for all your future relationships.

VIOLENCE of any kind is unacceptable.

Whether it be verbal, emotional, or physical, it is all a hard NO.

If he punches holes in the walls to scare you, leave.

If he forces you to do things you don’t want to do, leave.

If he hits you once, he will do it again.

At the first opportunity that you can do so safely, leave.

Do not listen to his apologies.

Do not give him a chance to escalate with threats against you, your kids and your family if you leave or tell the cops.

As you’ve heard time and time again, your abuser is only as strong as your silence.

Don’t be ashamed to get out at the first signs of VIOLENCE.

If you have to give him an ULTIMATUM about taking your relationship to the next level…

Sis, do I really need to finish that sentence?

Ok, I guess I do…

Don’t give any man an ULTIMATUM. Please, please and please don’t do it.

If you feel the need to do that to a man, it likely means that you haven’t been putting yourself and your needs first.

Scroll back to my A is for Action post and reread all of my posts.