No Time Like the Present

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. Today is a wonderful day to work on "me"! The snow is falling outside and since I am home, I have an opportunity to stop and think about what is important to me. I made the choice to stay home today because the weather may be beautiful to look at it is not beautiful to drive in. There is no time like the present for me to focus on my goals and dreams. Life is too short to spend every working moment working for someone else!! Finding your dream, your passion is something that requires lots of effort on your part. The effort comes from spending time to really work on what it is you want to do. There is no time like the present to start today working on the things that matter the most to you. I believe it begins with personal growth. I am a firm believer in reading books and surrounding yourself with words, thoughts, ideas, and people that inspire you to move forward. Lord, give to me a clear vision that I might know where to stand and what to stand for. Along with growth comes action-effort. It is easy to assume that if we think about it, it will happen. They didn't say "think it and they will come", they said "build it and they will come"! The effort was before the reward. Life is full of rewards for each of us. There is no time like the present for personal fulfillment. Personal fulfillment in every area of your life, health-financial-spiritual-love-any and every area that matters to you. There is no time like the present, make the most of this gift. Love you all!!

Unwanted Advice???

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. Question for today....Has anyone given you "unwanted advice"? Their 2 cents about your relationship, children, job, what you do or don't do? At times the advice may seem offensive...How dare she tell me ......!!! The biggest offense usually pertains to parenting when someone (usually without children) tells another how to parent their child. As the Mother of a 6 year old, I can understand how that feels. We never want to think we are not good parents or we don't know what we are doing. However, as the Aunt of more than 20 nieces and nephews, I have given my advice a time or two, wanted or not!! So what's my point....again, I know Moms and Dads, until someone has children they don't really understand, BUT, it isn't that they don't understand, they just haven't experienced it yet. The advice they give can be beneficial because they see things through a different set of eyes and they are removed from the situation, so it is all matter of fact verses emotionally based. The same is true in relationships. If we are the second half of a less than perfect duo, we don't see things the way they are. IF we do, then we are at times afraid to pull the trigger and do exactly what we would tell someone else if the shoe were on the other foot!! Unwanted advice-YES sometimes people overstep. Remember though, the advice usually comes from a place of love, someone wanting us to see things for the way they are. Whether we heed to it or not, we at least should listen. Don't forget, we ALL give unwanted advice and then wonder why they didn't listen to us the same way we don't listen to others. The advice may be unwanted, but it also may be just what you needed to hear!! Think about that!! Love you all!!

Time after Time

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. So today, at exactly 5:50 pm, my beautiful, wonderful son will be 6 years old!!! Where did the time go? It is amazing when I look at him sometimes and I see this person that only 6 years ago I met for the first time!! I like to tell him the story of his birth, and at least for now, he likes to hear it. I can remember the day like yesterday. Going to the hospital, talking to friends on the phone, everyone who was there, the look on my father's face. A moment in my life when for a split second, I understood the bigger picture. It frightens me sometimes when I realize how much time has passed. Not just the time that has passed as my son grows older, but time in general. We don't realize how quickly it moves, how we don't have forever. I see myself in the mirror and I see a woman, not a girl. I look at my parents, my siblings, my child and I realize that time is going by so fast that I MUST make every opportunity to cherish it. There are many things in life we can get back, but time is not one. I have said it before and I will say it again, take time to spend time with those you love. Take time for yourself, take time to appreciate your life because you never know when "time" will not be on your side. Love you all!!

What if you don't know?

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. There are commercials on TV and people talking (including me) all the time about living your dream, loving what you do. Do you know people that seem to be living their dream life? They are doing exactly what they want to do, they have freedom, they make the decisions, they are living the dream? Well, do you also ask yourself why that isn't you? What if you don't know what your dream is? What if you don't know what your ideal career is? It isn't that you wouldn't make it happen, it simply comes down to one thing....you don't know!!!!! My question then to you is, how do you find out? How do find out what it is that you love and in return "it" will give you financial security, a career, an opportunity to wake up everyday and do what you know you are meant to do? That is a task many people spend their entire lives working to accomplish. Some of us go along, day by day, praying to GOD to open the door for us and show us the way. Well, I am here to tell you that life is not a sprint, it is a marathon. A marathon that must be ran at pace, sometimes you go fast, sometimes you go slow. The most important thing though is that you finish. You finish the race with no regrets. If you don't know yet what "it" is, that means the time has not come for you to find it. You will, and when you do, life will be that much sweeter. So what if you don't know, be thankful that you do know that and keeping looking, because you will find it. Love you all!!!!

Where is the inspiration??

Greetings to all!! I pray the day is treating you well. Perhaps I am removed from the brighter sides of things, but I just don't see inspiration for our youth the way I was inspired as a kid!! Don't get me wrong, President Obama is inspiration and proof that persistence pays. But I just don't think it is enough!! I am far from being "old", I am only 36!!! I can remember growing up that striving to be something in life meant something!! College wasn't optional, respecting my parents definitely was not optional!! We were supposed to graduate high school, go to college, find our careers, get married THEN have children. It was taboo to have a child unmarried, let alone while we were still young!!! I am not passing judgement on anyone but what I am saying is that we were "inspired" to reach for more and not settle for the status quo. As I look at my friends, their lives and accomplishments, the majority of them have done just what we were expected to do. We did graduate high school, go to college, find our careers, get married and have families (not always in that order-marriage/kids or kids/marriage or no kids no marriage...you know what I mean). We take care of our families because that is what we do, it isn't anything that deserves praise. A Father is a Father, not a baby daddy!!! The inspiration came from seeing those before us go on to accomplish many things. Our music, TV shows all gave the same message-family, faith, education. Where is the inspiration today? The notion of sex between teens on TV started my senior year of high school!!! Now, 5th graders can turn on the tube and see it all day long. We wore baggy pants, and hoop earrings. They wear mid-drifts and hip hugger jeans with their tongs showing. Again, I may have a different view here, but it seems to me that our youth today are ready to grow up but not ready to be adults. Our version of growing up was going out of state to school, their version is having kids!!! Where is the inspiration?? Children having children, repeating the cycle and not realizing until they are 30 plus that something should have been done differently but by then it is all most too late!! They settle for dead end jobs that have no promise of a future career. The inspiration should come from home and friends. I grew up with people whose parents thought the same way as mine. They could spank me and tell my mother they did so then I would get it again!! We had respect for our teachers, pride in our history and a desire to be above average. I don't see it anymore so if I am wrong PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. What flock are you flying with? What flock are your children flying with? Inspiration....where will you begin? It starts at home, so be an example of something greater than yourself no matter how "great" you think you are. Love you all!!!

Perspective

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. It is amazing in our life and times how much things have changed and advanced throughout the years. We don't know what we would do without our Blackberries, cell phones, Internet, instant communication. We are a society of now!! A society that is focused on the material things and what we want when we want it. If you look at other cultures, other lives around the world, you will discover that the things we stress over are so small in the bigger picture of life. We get mad if we have no reception on the cell phone, but so many people do not have a phone!! We complain about the food we eat, or what we won't eat when thousands have no food to eat!! "What am I going to wear today??" When others have no clothes to wear!! I look around at my designer bags, flat screen TVs, computer, cell phone, etc... I look in my child's room and see toys, clothes with tags, TV, movies, things...am I teaching him to appreciate what he has and the life he has been given or am I creating a person that will think life owes him something? What is your perspective? How do you spend your time, spend the days of your life? Do you have a solid, grounded perspective? Do you understand that life is not about what you have or don't have? Do you understand that life does not begin when you have that dream job, dream home, dream car...but life begins when you appreciate what you have and where your life is going because of who you are NOT what you have? Plenty of people love their life with much less than we have. If we stop clouding our lives with the material things that don't matter, we may find that life is greater and sweeter when we appreciate the smaller things. Love you all!!!

I can do bad all by myself!!

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. Several months ago I went to the movies to see Tyler Perry's new film and now it is on DVD. The title of that movie is absolutely perfect....I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF!!!!! It is such a true statement that you don't need someone else to bring you down. We can handle that completely on our own. When you are with someone else, they should be a benefit, a blessing, a person that uplifts you. Far to often however, we fall into a trap where the person we are with does not uplift us, but drags us further into the gutter. Women will tell each other this all the time..."Girl forget him, if he can't help you then what do you need him for??!!" That is so true, but ladies, let us not throw stones. Fellas, remember..the same is true for you. If you take the time to invest in someone, if you allow them to occupy your space, to become a part of your world, be it man or woman, then make sure it is to the benefit, blessing and uplifting to you!!! They should help you become a better person, not bring you down. I can do bad all by myself!!! Heck, I can do GREAT all by myself. No one, be it a friend, family member, job, coworker or lover will ever cause me to allow myself to be less than great! Don't you allow it either. Do bad, no DO GOOD!!! Love you all!!!

You can't do it alone

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. So I have begun my quest to lose weight, write my goals, follow through on resolutions and whatever other pressures I can place on myself. Don't get me wrong, it is all for a good reason-self improvement. On this journey though I have found one important thing....I can't do it alone!!! There is a reason we have accountability partners. Until we have developed a habit of a certain lifestyle, way of living, we need someone to make sure we stay true. So, that has lead me to understand that I can't do it alone. I am determined to stick to my goals, achieve financial freedom, physical health, spiritual unity, professional growth, and family strength. As I make my way, I know that I will need someone to hold my hand and slap it on occasion. Don't take your journey alone. It is okay to need someone to help you along the way. There are many things we can do all by ourselves. At the same time though recognize that a good friend is hard to find, be accountable because you can't do it all alone. Love you all!!

What is your daily prayer?

Greetings to all!! I pray the day is treating you well. Every morning we start our day. Some of us have routines we follow...we may exercise in the morning, meditate, make our coffee, read the paper, say a prayer, etc... Starting the morning on the right foot, beginning the day with a positive outlook helps us throughout the day to be productive, upbeat and ready to tackle the world. I truly believe that understanding your purpose everyday, what YOU want to accomplish will help you stay focused during hectic times. I told myself that everyday, I will begin with a prayer. Thoughts and feelings I would share with GOD to ask HIM to keep me focused and in line with HIS plan for me. It can be hard to develop the discipline to do this. If you are like me, you may think that the prayer has to be for a certain amount of time, on your knees, completely focused. I have learned however that MY conversations with GOD happen whenever and wherever I need them to. I spend my time talking to HIM as I lay in the bed first thing in the morning. While I am driving I speak aloud to HIM about my thoughts, fears, dreams, and hopes. I talk to HIM at work when I need HIS guidance and presence. I am speaking to HIM now as I compose this message to you. Our prayers are OUR prayers. Wherever and in what you chose to speak with GOD is not as important as whether or not you speak to GOD at all. Open your heart to HIM everyday so HE can shine HIS light upon you. Love you all!!!

What I LOVE about me!

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. So there is a show on TV called "What I hate about me". I was thrown by the title so I never watched the show. Today I was flipping the channel and stumbled across it. The lady they were interviewing hated things about her body and herself in general. Of course the premise of the show was to get her to see things differently and help her improve who she is and what she sees when looking in the mirror. We all have things we would want to change and may be guilty of saying "I hate my _______". I have done the same thing myself. Then I realized-I realized one, I can change anything about me I want to. I am the only person who can do that. Two- I realized that regardless of what is going on with me, how I look, act, etc.., I am very grateful that I am here. I can see, talk, walk, eat, take care of myself!! LOVE yourself, don't hate anything about you! I know if I were told I would never walk again, I would absolutely ADORE my thunder thighs and could care less about wearing a spanx!! If you don't like something, make it better, but ALWAYS-ALWAYS-ALWAYS love EVERYTHING about you! Love you all!!!

Crossroads

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. Have you ever been at a crossroads? A position where you know there is something you need to do, but there are challenges and potential obstacles that try to prevent you? Perhaps you want to change careers, leave a relationship, confront a person, start a business, take a trip, any possible thing but the two sides of the coin are leaving you in limbo. Which way do I go, what choice do I make? We can spend a significant amount of time thinking about what to do without acting on it. We rationalize, weigh the pros and cons, wonder what other people will think. All along however there is a voice inside of us that is speaking loud and clear but it is as if we choose to ignore it. Legendary rapper Jay-Z once said so eloquently in his rhyme...."I drove pass the fork in the road and went straight!" And so I say to you...there will forever be crossroads in our lives. Choices we have to make, hills we have to climb, battles we have to fight. If we spend our time thinking this way or that way, we will eventually go no way and continue facing the same crossroad over and over again. So.....GO STRAIGHT!! Create your own path, pave your own road. Choose the direction that is best for you. Seek wisdom from those you trust but the decision in the end is yours. Time is not to be wasted. Decisions are to be made. The road will become clear. Seek wisdom, listen to your heart and GO STRAIGHT!! Love you all!!

What is the obsession?

Greetings to all!! I pray the day is treating you well. Question for the day....Do you find yourself consumed with the lives of others? Especially the lives of celebrities, the rich, the not so famous? What is the obsession we have now with the lives of other people? Don't get me wrong, I will watch Real Housewives with the rest of them, but it seems to me the media is obsessed with the lives of others and we fall right into place? Who cares what the Kardashians are doing, or NeNe, or Monica or whether or not Ray J finds love??!! Again, I have kept up with the Kardashians just like the rest of them, but then I have to ask why? Are our own lives so boring, incomplete, non-existent that we have to escape by watching the world of others? Do we imagine ourselves in their shoes, as their friends, in their worlds? I mean, my life is interesting and trust me, my 5 soon to be 6 year old could carry a show of his own!! Perhaps if we spent more time living our lives instead of watching the lives of others and wishing for something more, we would discover great and wonderful things about ourselves. If you are a reality show junkie, stand up, raise your right hand and repeat after me...."My name is ____________ and I am a reality show junkie. As of today, I am no longer obsessed with watching people live life on TV. I am busy living MY LIFE. Where's the camera crew, because I am the one worth watching!!" Grab your own life by the horns and put down the remote!! Live life, don't let life live you!! Love you all!!

What do you see?

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. So let me ask, have you ever taken a good look in the mirror at YOURSELF? Isn't it amazing how we are quick to pass judgement on the actions of others but fail to see the inadequacies of ourselves? Why do we try to force others to realize their short comings and have a "Come to Jesus" revelation for them, but we do not see it for us? What do you see when you look in the mirror? Are you the best wife or husband you can be? Are you a devoted parent or do you put your needs before the needs of your children the majority of the time? Do you see yourself as a benefit to others or the noose around someones neck? Really, what do you see? Sometimes we are harder on ourselves than anyone else ever could be. What's funny about that is we are harder on ourselves about the things that don't really matter. The reality of it all is that we fail to face the things we should. There is another side to this coin. It is not only our shortcomings that we fail to see, but also the beauty that lies within us. When you look in the mirror do you see the beautiful person you are? Do you realize the potential you have and the unlimited opportunities that are waiting for you? What do you see? Open your eyes and recognize your talents, gifts and greatness. Open your eyes and be real with yourself before you attempt to be "real" with someone else. Recognize and accept it, accept it and change it, change it and love it. Love you all!!!!

Get Over Yourself!!

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself the question.....Isn't it amazing how much baggage we pick up throughout our lives? It seems to start in childhood and continues on as we become adults. We go through different things, events and pack more "stuff" in the luggage our existence. Some baggage is heavier than others. It is a weight that we think would break our backs if we stop for one minute....that load that we carry in our minds and in our hearts. The funny thing is however, as we get older, the extra "stuff" we begin to carry sometimes is of our own creation. Let's get real here. We all have issues, things that happened in our past that have had an impact on the person we are today. We feel that our lives have been shaped by these events whatever they may be. The reality of it all is that each of us do have some form of baggage or another. The way we deal with that baggage is the difference. What a waste of time it is to continue to blame someone for what you are not or what you don't have. It is a waste of time to feel as if someone owes you something because of events that took place when you were younger. The baggage most adults carry can be traced back to their childhood and their parents. We feel entitled to something because we weren't told we were loved, or didn't have a birthday party. Maybe our parents got divorced or GOD forbid some of the other things that are far worse that children deal with everyday. Regardless of the situation you are who you are because of who you allowed yourself to be. If you don't like something, change it!! If you don't like someone, move on!! Stop the blame game and stop trying to punish someone else for what YOU think they did or what YOU feel they owe you. Time heals all wounds if you let it. Time also stretches the truth to fit our reality of what is even if it is not so. If we blame our parents for the baggage we carry in our lives because of our childhood, then what type of baggage will our kids blame us for?? My response, GET OVER YOURSELF!! Unpack the luggage of discontent, jealousy, abandonment issues, low self esteem and unworthiness. Let it go and stop the blame game. At some point in your life, you have to accept the past for what it was and accept the fact that it is now the PAST. Move forward into your future with a lot less baggage and I guarantee you life will seem much lighter. Love you all!!

365.364.363....time passing by

Greetings to all!!! I pray the day is treating you well. So here we are the 2ND day of a new year. Do you find yourself asking the question, "Where did the time go?" Isn't it amazing how it seems like all of sudden your newborn is starting kindergarten, it is time for your 20 year high school reunion, your parent celebrated their 80Th birthday or you celebrated your 30Th, 40Th or even 50Th? Where does the time go? It seems the older we get the faster it goes by. We have reminders that we face daily. Maybe a gray hair, we don't bounce back into shape as quickly as we used to, our body aches in places it never did. A big reminder is our children growing up or the children of our friends that we haven't seen in a while. We see their kids and still think they are 2 when in reality they are now 12. Where does the time go? There are many things in our lives we can get back. Physical, financial, material things can be lost and found again. Time however is the one thing that no matter how much we try we can not get back. Yesterday is just that, yesterday and tomorrow will soon be the same. Today is the 2ND of January. Before you know it we will celebrate another new year. We will be in a short while in this same place celebrating 2011. If there is one thing you should do this year and resolve to do every year, every day, it is simply this.....cherish your time. It goes so fast, so don't waste a moment. Ask her for her number, tell him how you feel, be true to yourself, let the dishes wait until tomorrow, call your best friend, take a leap of faith, start your new business, be courageous, fearless and confident. Time will pass us by, but we can live today in the moment, and make the best use of the time we have been given. Love you all!!!

If it's to be......

Greetings to all and Happy New Year!! As we move forward this year with our resolutions-pledges-changes-the direction we want our lives to go, let us remember one thing....IF IT'S TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME. TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY IS THE KEY! Any change that you make in your life is dependent on one thing-YOU!!!! You are in control of YOUR destiny, YOUR future, YOUR life. Whatever you decide for yourself, whatever pledges, resolutions you chose this year...remember, IF IT'S TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME. TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY IS THE KEY TO BECOMING______________. You fill in the blank. GOD bless, live life in 2010! Love you all!!