Thank God for Good Energy – Jamaica Trip 2018

BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH 

I will be honest Toronto, I was very late getting this article into my editor, but in a way, it actually worked out in my favour. It gave me time to go through some valuable lived experience, which I, in turn, am now able to share with you.

For those who do not know, I was gifted with the opportunity to join Trish Browning, the Account Executive at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper on a media trip to the beautiful island of Jamaica. Now, unlike Trish, this was not my first time going to Jamaica; I have been going there for years, but this trip was different for many reasons. The theme of the Diaspora Press Trip put on by the Jamaican Tourism Board was, Home is Calling: Come, Relax & Rejuvenate! Well, I can see how if you were not on business, you could definitely relax, but I was there on business, so there was minimal relaxation for me. Anyhow, this article is not going to focus on the adventures of the trip, but be sure to stay tuned for the next couple editions because I will take you on a trip through Jamaica that many of you have never been on.

For those who have not had an opportunity to spend time with me, there is a reason for that; I am extremely INTROVERTED! I would much rather be by myself then be around a group of people. Some people misjudge this and see me as snobby, or stuck-up, and I am fine with that, as long as they stay out of my way. I know; a little harsh, but it is my truth. I only bring this up because oddly enough, for the first time in a long time, I was able to be around a group of people and not feel like pulling my extensions out.

Understanding how energy works has allowed me to innerstand why I am the way that I am. I began to notice that being around certain people either drained me or uplifted me. I became aware of my behavior around people, how it changed and if I was being positively or negatively affected being around them. I have learned to be quiet in situations and be more observant, which allowed me to notice subtle things happening around me; of course, my self-awareness continues to develop and grow the more I shut up and observe. I have learned that a person’s energy is a combination of a person’s past, their present mindset, their dominant thoughts and their standing beliefs and perceptions of the world. For me, a person’s energy is easily felt; within moments of meeting a person, I am able to pick up quite a bit. If it is negative, I am repelled and find myself as far from them as possible; if it is positive, I am drawn to them like a moth to a flame.

I was pleasantly surprised that on this five-day journey through Jamaica, I was not as repelled as I usually am when I am around a group of people. It is important to note that just because I was around some great people with great energy, it did not mean that we were similar. Quite the contrary; we were all very diverse with different perspectives, upbringing, culture, and beliefs. In our many discussions, the group members were all able to present their point of view, and the rest of us respected their differing perspectives. I truly felt relieved after the second day because I had no idea how I was going to survive if I was around a group of bad energy people.

I respect our press escorts: Carey Dennis from the Jamaica Tourist Board, Barney Bishop and Lyndon Taylor from Finn Partners for setting the tone for our group. I am truly grateful for all of the journalists who joined us on this trip, and I feel it necessary to honor them for having such an impact on me. I learned something from each and every one of them, and in the next few weeks, I will highlight them and highlight the journey that connected us all on one island; Jamaica, Land we Love!