LITERARYDIVA.COM BY HEATHER COVINGTON

1. ON LOVE: The first step to finding love is knowing your mate's status. Most men won't furnish this information and there's your answer. Oh well, move on! Don't chase waterfalls. Protect yourself, and better yet, don't have sex. He can look, but don't let him touch you without solid plan for marriage and future in mind. Yes, you can tell when a man is really ready to settle down. Never settle for less. You have plenty of time to mate and have children. It only takes one trip to the courthouse because spending 30,000 on a wedding can go toward something to advance your lives financially, and 5 minutes to have a baby in 9 months. Live your life, know that you are truly in love and don't fall prey to peer pressure and listen to people in love with playing roles. Marriage and kids is a serious committment. Most marriages with couples 40 yrs of age or younger wind up in divorce. Don't believe the old adage, it's better to have loved than to not have loved at all. If you are not with that person you made love to, you were not loved. Lovers stay together forever like Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis (RIP). Love is special. There is nothing like it. FIND TRUE LOVE WHEN IT FINDS YOU!

2. ON HEALTH: So you purchased some make-up, perfume, computer accessories and books, but when was the last time you went to the doctor and acquired your bi-annual papsmear, HPV test, blood test, Glaucoma, Diabetes and dental check-up. You can't conquer the world if you don't have a clear sense that you are healthy and will live a long time to see the benefits of your success. Get a doctor your are comfortable with and make bi-annual visits routine. Don't even think about it. Just do it.

3. ON PEER PRESSURE: Drugs are a cop out for women who believe they will be able to accomplish more under the influence. All you will acquire is a downward hill to failure and a bunch of low-life friends who will bring you down with them. Don't be afraid to say, I'll take a virgin Daquiri or "I DON'T DO DRUGS FOR RECREATION." If the company you are keeping are all about living under the influence, you must distance yourself now. DIVAS DON'T DO DRUGS!

3. ON PROFANITY: Foul language makes you look foul and ugly. Some people are attracted to ugliness because they are ugly inside and so you attract what you are. Surround yourself with clean mouthed folks to break that bad habit right now. You will fill renewed and restored. Feeling pretty on the outside reflects how you feel on the inside. BE PRETTY INSIDE OUT!

4. ON ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS: You didn't ask for it, but everyone will experience an abusive friend or mate at some point in their lives. Sometimes it seems impossible to break out of an abusive relationship, but you can end these kind of relationships by seeing a counselor and following their advice and tips which will give you guidance. Once in an abusive relationship, you may feel that you deserve future relationships that are abusive. What you must do is distance yourself from everyone to find yourself, acknowledge your insecurities, fears and why you keep running to those people who mean you harm, disrespect and want to destroy you because they don't love themselves. One thing to do is have a life, find a hobby or something you are passionate about and this will ward off abusive type folks from trying to infiltrate your already occupied life. Misery loves company and so, if you are busy, the abusive lover or mate usually disappears.

MESSAGE FROM THE LITERARY DIVA: Through the years I have managed to step into the shoes of my many Poetry Diva PerSOULnalities to develop empathy, respect and share the pain and struggles of every kind of woman. I must say, that Lee Strasberg Method Acting Class during my senior year of college has helped me to become the PerSOULnalities Guress I am today. Thanks for supporting my poetry books. Visit my online p.o.d. store at www.perSOULnalities.com .