It's the most wonderful time of the year!

It's been a while since my last post, and a lot has gone on in the world!  This year, 2012, has seen its share of great things happen and bad things too.  This time of the year should be a time of reflection, but also a time to share great joy, as those of us that are still here have the chance to see what the next year will hold.  We can be sad when we reflect on those lives that were lost, but we can also be optimistic about what the future will bring.

I am thankful that I am one of the few who did make it through the year.  I am glad that the Mayans were wrong about the world ending on December 21, 2012.  I am looking forward to starting anew!  Being a better person...a better mother, a better servant for God, a better friend and lover than I was in the past.  I am happy that I get to celebrate, the Lord Jesus Christ's birthday, with good people, good food, and create new memories of love that will carry me for years to come through the rest of my life.

I feel blessed with what I have learned and am excited to face the new things that will come about to further strengthen my character and that will make me better as a whole.  My faith in the idea that what is good will always prevail is stronger today than it ever has been.  I believe that next year can definitely be better than 2012 was for all of us, if we but all work together and keep that faith in mind as we deal with other people in the world and ourselves.  I thank God for the life I've lived this year, and I thank him for you!  I wish you many blessings on the Lord's birthday, for the rest of this year, and throughout next year.  

Why being thankful all year long is so important

Yesterday, we celebrated Thanksgiving.  It was an extremely special time for me.  I had the chance to see two uncles, whom I had not seen in many years.  I had the rare chance to go back in time and remember great memories shared with them and other members of my family.  We got the chance to see how we had changed over the years, it was amazing to see how time had changed us.  I was so thankful to have the opportunity to see them in person again...to hug them, hear their laughter, learn about the lives they are leading and to share about my life.

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday, because it puts the idea of being thankful at the forefront of people's minds.  As a result, they are little bit nicer, are more focused on trying to enjoy other people, and is the beginning of the season of sharing.  At the end of the day, we find ourselves exhausted from all of the good food, fun, and laughter we enjoyed all day long.  This kind of exhaustion is the kind we should be experiencing every day.  But we get so caught up in other seemingly more important things and miss out on it. We should be on purpose about being thankful everyday, because gratitude is the start of the process for you to have anything you want!  Having a giving heart all year long is the second step!

Being thankful and giving, in fact, are explicit instructions for us from God.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  And Proverbs 19:17 says, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay unto him."  Now there you have it!  Being thanksgiving only helps you! It's benefits are unfailing and eternal.  Want proof?  Now is the perfect time to start following the steps and get it!  You don't have anything to lose by doing so.

It's never to late to get what you want

Over the years, I have received so much praise from people who love what I would call my "fighting spirit".  That doesn't mean that I am running around causing unnecessary and messy disturbances; it means that when I want something, I go after it very hard...and am usually successful in obtaining it.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't step on toes, or do unethical things to get my way.  I just make a plan and follow it.  I also use my skills to access and examine my plans, and if something goes wrong, I don't abort the mission, I just change the course so that I improve my chances of completing the mission.

It saddens me that there are so many people running around with dreams and ambitions in their hearts, but they feel that it is too late to accomplish them.  I am here to tell you that it's never too late to get what you want.  We all have that "fighting spirit" somewhere inside of us.  We may have buried it underneath all of the obligations and other responsibilities we have, but it's in there.  We just need to search ourselves and dig it out from under all of the other stuff that stagnates us.  We can do this through meditation, prayer, and practically any other method that we find which will help us to put ourselves back into the action!  In order to realize those dreams that you truly have in your heart, you must be PRESENT and CONSCIOUS of where you are and where you need to go!  And for those who say, "I've got this to do now, I will focus on my dream later", I've got news for you, there will always be something!  That is the way life is.  We all have choices, we can choose to live our dreams NOW and follow our hearts and the holy spirit, or we can choose do to it LATER and hope that later will come!  I know I don't want to take that chance, do you?

The Beauty of Change

It seems that the older we get, the more resistant to change we become.  When we are children, we adapt more easily to it because we are almost always focused on the positive things that can come about as a result of change.  As we grow older, our experiences make us more cautious, and less likely to embrace change.  While change is a scary thing for many, it can be a beautiful thing.  In fact, change is inevitable in nature, and we are in awe of its beauty (most of the time)!

In fact, change must occur in the world's ecological system to renew it.  Fall comes in late September each year, and turns the leaves red, yellow, orange, and brown.  Those leaves eventually fall to the earth, leaving many tree branches barren of their typical beauty, and will even make the most manicured yards look amazingly different during this time.  This change carries on through winter and then into spring, where we see the budding of green leaves on those same trees, which make their way to the surface to restore them to their previous glory.  Life is much more evident in nature during the summer, as we see more wildlife come out from hibernation and scamper about as if they are reveling in the change of the landscape. 

Change is important to life in order to live it to its fullest.  We will make mistakes, some of them can bring about major setbacks.  But by pushing forward to help bring about change that is good, will always be successful, if people band together for that good.  Life without change would be dull and not worth living....so don't be afraid of it.  Embrace it!

The impossible is always possible!

In recent weeks, I have been hit more times than I care to remember with challenges that seemed impossible.        And just when I thought I had made it over one hurdle, a bigger one would seem to appear almost instantly.  These hurdles being so close together was making it difficult for me to get a grip on what I needed to do, and   in some instances being afraid that I wouldn't finish the race, I found myself just jumping, without proper form and with inadequate speed.

Getting tired and frustrated with my performance, I realized that the race had kind of knocked me off my A-game for a moment.  I wasn't thinking clearly and thoroughly.  I decided to step onto the sidelines and regroup.  I also practiced my jumps, took care to improve my stride, and today I am jumping hurdles as if I was Jackie Joyner-Kersee who earned a plethora of gold medals for hurdling in they Olympics!  It feels good to be a winner....to be successful...to be loved and revered by many.  But none of that can happen until we start to believe that the impossible is always possible.

We have so many examples in our world of this today.  For example, we have airplanes, big and small flying all around us, when people thought in the past that it could never happen.  Technology has improved so much that we no longer have to go to the mailbox to get a letter, we can receive it instantly via email. It took for one person to believe that these things could be accomplished, and to work with the right people to bring it to fruition.  So remove the word impossible from your vocabulary.  Remember no thought of action comes to our minds without the possibility of completing the action.  If you take that with you, everywhere you go, the impossible does in fact become it's opposite!

Don't let trouble , trouble you!

One of the things that I notice about many people is that they will let trouble, trouble them.  They set out to accomplish something and because the weather isn't right, or money is tight, they just give up on it.  They rarely consider the trouble as an opportunity from God to reconsider their actions or to tweak their plans a little bit in order to make them better.  They just automatically assume that this thing they want to do is somehow not meant for them. 

On last Friday, I had some big plans!  I was excited about them and even got started working on the plans and had a massive derailment!  The derailment completely immobilized me for the entire weekend!  Where everyone else said to me, "I am sorry you weren't able to make your engagements", my thought was, "I won't be able to make them TODAY!"  I regrouped, rescheduled the ones that I could, and was able to find a way to one! 

So now, looking back, I see that my derailment was actually a gift from God.  I was moving very quickly to get my tasks done, and had been moving fast all week to keep up with my own schedule!  I was feeling VERY tired, but needed to press on, feeling that I needed to keep the engagements, and be a person of my word.  God, our glorious and gracious father, had other plans for me however.  When I look back on the weekend, it gave me a chance to get some much needed rest, and today, I feel rejuvenated!  My calendar is less full this week, compared to last week, therefore I am able to keep my remaining commitments without feeling worn down.

So you see, having a few bumps in the road, don't have to keep you from fulfilling your plans!  If you have the right attitude and an open mind, you may see that God has actually set you up to accomplish your goals a lot easier than you had planned yourself!  If you keep this in mind, then chances are, trouble WON'T trouble you!

Is it time to re-invent yourself?

There are certain times in our lives (and I believe that everyone experiences this), where we get a little bored with ourselves.  This is true, even when we've achieved financial security, amassed our desired material possessions, have what we consider to be the perfect relationships, etc.  Once we've accomplished these things, we tend to tell ourselves, "If it isn't broken,then don't fix it!"  We have all of the worldly possessions we need, so we must be doing something right, even if it doesn't feel as if we are for some reason.

Well, maybe it's okay not to "fix what's not broken" in your current systems for creating the material world that you desire.  And if you've done a great job at setting those systems up, then chances are, they will continue to run and be the successful things they are, even if you focus a little attention somewhere else.  While, it is of uber importance to us all to create material wealth and worldly satisfaction for ourselves, sometimes the desire to achieve more still lingers.  If the call is not answered, for some of us, we will still wind up with a wanting desire to do something more.

If you have felt this way before, or are feeling it right now, then surely it's a great time to assess what's going on in your world and take the the to reinvent yourself in some area of your life to bring back the vigor you once had which helped you accomplish all of your prior successes.  Over the course of our lives, our needs, desires, and what we feel is important in this life changes...most of us just don't get the guts to go with the flow!  I admit, it does take some boldness, but it can be done!  Here are a few tips on how to make it happen:

• Think about your existing accomplishments and ask yourself, "What else can I bring to the table here, that no one else can?  Did I make these strong enough that they can still stand, if I am not involved in every aspect of their development?"
• Where have I served others, and where is there a need for others to be serviced that I can surely help out in?
• Stop thinking about your past!  Focus on what you want the future to hold for you...Paint a picture in your mind and work on it everyday! 

Do you want to re-invent yourself?  What areas would you like to start with?  Don't know what to do next after you've painted your picture?  I'd love to help!  Comment on the blog post or email me and together, we can get started on bringing out a NEW you!

Imagination always overpowers the will

This past weekend I read a very interesting little book that explained the term autosuggestion and how we use it in our daily lives, either consciously or unconsciously.  The book also explained how when we use it unconsciously, it normally has a negative effect on our lives.  I thought about this concept for a moment.  I do believe in the the idea of autosuggestion, and have employed the skills necessary to make it work for me in several areas.  I found it to be a very positive experience.  But this particular book made the suggestion that the imagination always overpowers the will.  It gave very explicit examples that could prove it to be true.  So I tested this theory with my daughter, using one of the examples from the document.

I went outside and grabbed a 2x4 from my storage room.  The board was just big enough for her feet to navigate across, one in front of the other.  I layed the plank on the ground and asked her to walk across it.  She did so with ease, never hesitating.  She was successful, each and every single time that she took the walk (a total of 10 times).  Next, I rested each end of the board on the seats of two chairs.  This raised the board about three feet off the ground.  I asked my daughter to step up and complete the walk. She immediately told me that she couldn't walk across the board and did not attempt it at first.

When I asked her about her reservation, she explained to me that she was not coordinated enough to walk the board in a tight rope fashion, and that she knew she would fall.  I told her to try for me anyway and she did.  She fell almost immediately.  Afterward she says to me, "See mom, I told you that I couldn't do it."  And asked her why she felt that way- to which she responded, "Well mom I am afraid of falling from a big building- I don't like heights!"  She continued to tell me that she couldn't look down out of windows when she had to be in tall buildings. 

I explained to her that she wasn't in a tall building, but a mere three feet off the gorund.  I explained to her that if she felt herself feeling as if she were going to fall, she could turn it into an opportunity to jump off the board and land on her feet, since the ground was so close...and that she could even look down to reassure herself.  I asked her to reattempt her walk, and of course, for her mom she obliged.  She mounted herself on the board very slowly.  She raised her arms to shoulder length on either side of her body, and slowly moved across the plank.  She had accomplished the feat!  She was very happy herself as well that she had done it and proceeded to move a little faster across the board to reach the end on which I was standing.  She tried several more times going steadily a little faster each time until she had marched back and forth across the board 12 times!

In my daughter's mind, she could always walk the plank when it was on the floor- as there was really no danger in her mind of getting hurt.  Afterall, she is used to walking on the floor and the plank had nowhere to fall to, as it was positioned on the floor.  But in order to get across the same plank while it was positioned on the seats of two chairs took some effort.  She had to imagine and suggest to herself that she could jump 3 feet to the ground if for some reason the plank gave way to the possibility of her crashing. 

This is the same for everyone else too.  We like to take big rides at amusement parts so that we can feel the rush (and the fear) that goes along with soaring up high in the sky and extremely rapid speeds.  Some of us can do this because we imagine that the operators of these rides know what to do to keep us safe.  The same is the case with airplanes.  Because we imagine them to be safe, our will is allowed to push us towards getting on the ride or inside the plane.  When we imagine that something could potentially be dangerous (even when it seems like fun), the image of danger overpowers the will, and many of us forego the fun in order to be safe.  When we don't take good chances on ourselves for fear of the unknown, while it could keep us safe, we could also miss out a huge blessing.  Imagination, when used properly, can will us to take a leap of faith that changes our lives for the better, forever.  On the flip side, if we always ignore that urge that tells us to "go for it", the will is useless- and we will find ourselves years from now...stuck in the very place that we desired not to be.

The book I read was called Self Mastery through Conscious Autosuggestion by Emile Coue. Click the link to read for yourself.

Take some time to clear your mind

Sometimes, we can get so hung up on all of the things that we have to do.  This is especially so for women.  We take on all of the issues involving the household, the kids, the family, and our friends.  We put the weight of other people's problems on our shoulders.  We crowd our minds with so much information, that before we know it everything becomes urgent (when in reality a lot of what we feel is urgent, really isn't)!  We start spinning our wheels to move forward with this weight faster, and as we unload one thing, we pick up another.

People in a typical workforce, live for the weekend.  They look forward to not having to make the commute into the workplace, hear the boss screaming all day, and not having to focus on the mounds of work on the desk- that we just can't seem to get through...And we live to forget other things as well, the shuffling of kids during the week day carpool, the morning and afternoon traffic-jams, power lunches, and all of the unexpected things that come up from all around. 

Once we make it to the weekend- those two days where we expect to savor our down time, what do we do?  We unconsciously fill it still, with such things as household chores and extra-curricular activities for the kids.  And before we know it, it's Sunday evening- and still that time is filled with getting ourselves prepared for our normal survival grinds of the next week. We find ourselves feeling sluggish...grumpy even...not knowing where the time has gone and why we're still tired.

This is a strong indication that you need to take some time to clear your mind!  You need to find a place where you can escape your busy and task filled world, so that you can think of...you guessed it....absolutely nothing!  You don't need extra money to do this, you don't have to take a trip or even leave your house.  Hide out in your bathroom, a closet, or take some time in your car while your kids are focused on their extra-curricular actitivies, to close your eyes- and let your mind rest.  Tell yourself, "I don't want to think of anything", and you won't!  Ask God to come into that empty space in your mind and let him relax you with his reassurance that he is there for you.  Let him know that you are thankful for your life with all of its busyness, but that you also appreciate the time to unwind mentally.  Eventually (and it's a QUICK eventually), you will start to feel better....rested...able...and happy.  You will be able to think more clearly when you get back to thinking...but it will be better, more focused, and the most urgent benefit, is you will be filled again!

Are you spending your time meaningfully?

I hear people all the time speak about how they wished they could live our their dreams.  They want to be wealthy, they want to have nice homes, cars, and a great nesteg.  They want to be debt-free and put their children through college.  They want to retire young and die happy.  I also see people pass up opportunities all the time that could put them on the path to those things they truly seek.  I heard a wonderful acronym for poor once...I will share it now:

P-Passing

O-Over

O-Opportunities

R-Repeatedly

The really ironic thing is that people pass the opportunities over, in large part, because they feel they don't have the time to pursue them.  They say, "Oh, I will work on my dream, once my husband or wife achieve theirs." or "I will do it when the kids can take better care of themselves."  Or "I am working too much right now, I can't take the time to go after my dreams, I have bills to pay."  Now, while it is a good thing to support the spouse's dream, or wishing the children were older, and it's okay to work those extra hours on the job (for some people at least).  That does not mean that you can't work on your dream too.  Even if it's for a few minutes to an hour each day. Really, for all the things that we can accomplish in this life, a lot of what we afford to do depends on how well we manage our time.

Take my life for example.  I worked a full-time job, ran a small business part-time, went to school full-time to earn a master's degree (which I accomplished), wrote and published a book, all while being a single mother.  What did that look like for me?  Well, I didn't get a chance to watch as much reality television.  I didn't have as much time to spend with negative people (which does affect you- whether you believe it or not), and I didn't have time to take on tasks for other people, so that THEY could have the laissez-faire lifestyle they were dreaming of.  I had two steady streams of income (which have now become 5), I learned a lot- and I taught my child a very valuable lesson, which is no matter what your circumstances are, you can do better!  Of all of my accomplishments, the last one is the one which I most savor.

The good news in all of this is, that YOU can accomplish the same things and more!  You simply need to start by assessing how you use your time.  Once you determine where the time is going, you can decide what things you need to delegate- what things are just wasting time, and where you can add more time to your day.  For instance, if you turn off your television for 15 minutes a day extra- five days a week, you add 1 hour and 5 minutes to your week- an hour that you can spend working a business, taking a class, or just reading for information. Just imagine if you illiminated 1 hour a day, five days a week from watching television, or doing some other leisurely activity that you participate in all the time.  That's 5 hours that you can use doing something else.

There are plenty of books which have been written on the subject.  Stephen Covey, has produced a lot of great information that can make you more effective in managing your time and resources- but this kind of information has been made available across the span of our age.  A quick way to assess where your time is going is to take a week- to jot down all of the things you do in a day, and evaluate how long those things take you.  Make an update on a schedule or appointment page at least once every hour.  At the end of the week, go back and look it over- then ask yourself, "How much of this, did I really need to be doing?  What benefit did I get from it, and could I have spent the time doing something more meaninful?"  Finally, ask yourself, "What things could have been delegated and what things could have waited?  I am sure that you will be surprised at where your time goes, and seeing it written out will more than likely spark a fire in you to change some things.  Remember, if you want something different, you will have to do something different often times to get it...why not start by making a difference by managing your time better?  It's a sure fire way to help you gain the success you seek!

Make your own opportunity

"I had to make my own living and my own opportunity.  Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come- Get up and make them!" This an such an inspirational truth and a blunt call to action delivered by one of the most influential women in American History, Madame CJ Walker.  Madame CJ Walker is most notably credited with the invention of a chemical hair relaxer or the pressing comb (incorrectly, I might add), and so much so that all of the other things that she did to lift up and inspire, not only her race and women, but people as a whole is often overshadowed.

Mrs. Walker, a descendent of slaves- got instructions in a dream to correct a condition from which she was suffering, which caused hair loss.  Once she followed the instructions and reversed her condition, she set about the business of sharing her "tonic" with people everywhere.  While she was not herself a slave, she did work in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, eventually working her way up to the kitchen.  After developing her scalp tonic, she began traveling from city to city promoting her hair products which eventually led to her having the ability to open several hair salons,beauty schools, and even a manufacturing plant.  She even developed and trained sales people to promote her products!  In addition to building a wonderful business, she was very charitable!  Giving thousands of dollars (yes, THOUSANDS) organizations such as the NAACP, and even joined a group of Harlem leaders to the Whitehouse to demand that the federal government develop and enact anti-lynching laws.  The attitude that Madame CJ Walker had was one of strength, dedication to something that she loved, and a commitment to hard work.  She had a dream and worked tirelessly to make it a reality.  She was able to become an entrepreneur and a respected member of her community, in the most unfavorable and unequal conditions. 

Today, the possibilities are endless for those who have a passion to make their own way- to acquire wealth, to be educated, to reach for a place higher in society than they currently stand.  When times were as difficult as they were in Walker's time, people still perservered and pushed through to become successful, influential people- who made history!  The lesson that we need to get from them and keep at the forefront of our minds, is shaped in the very quote that began this blog post.  Make your opportunity- create your living.  Work hard at making your dreams come true, as they surely can even in the most dire of consequences.

The TRUTH about the life of Madame CJ Walker can be found on a website dedicated to her and maintained by her great-great grandaughter, A'Lelia Bundles: http://www.madamcjwalker.com/

Don't just spread the message of hope, be a modal for it

I am always elated to receive email messages of hope!  But these messages founded on varying religious sacraments are meant to do more than just spread a message of hope.  They are also meant by the original creators (in many, but maybe not all cases) to inspire other believers to become beacons of hope for others.  These messages should serve as a call to action for the utilitarian good of others, but sadly, more often than not, people miss the mark- and their opportunity to decide to become the astonishing exemplars that God intended us to be.

I get these messages and I am so glad to receive them, as I stated before, and so many of them have moved me to action!  So much so that my calendar is practically filled on a daily basis with things that I can do to help and inspire others. Volunteer work, helping a neighbor, supporting another person's efforts to improve a condition, are all things that I have found to be a personal mission for me.  I receive such a great feeling whenever I can help someone else to become inspired....to see and believe in that hope, which these messages are meant to deliver.  I feel such a connection with the Godsource- our Lord and Savior. 

In addition, (while it's really none of my business), I can't help but wonder- if the people who forward these beautiful messages, try to be excellent paradigms themselves?  And if they are not trying, what is holding them back?  Have you asked yourself recently which one you are?  Are you the uninvolved, lackadaisical messenger or are you the person that has become an exquisite model for sharing hope?

While our Father God in Heaven, likes a great messenger, he also adores a great doer.  An example can be found in the book of James of the Bible, where it says:

"And one of you say to the them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but not give them not those things which are needful to the body, what does it profit?  Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works..." (James 2:16-18, KJV).

These verses from the good book go right to the heart of what is expected of humans on this earth as it relates to our works and charity.  Our actions are what really show our commitment, they are what help us to show the light of God in us.  While email , chain-texts, and all other forms of messages for goodwill, may warm our skin and lighten our hearts, if they don't move us to action, they are pointless.  And while being a messenger is a good thing, they are typically forgotten once the intended person has received the message.  But the unique person who gets such a message and moves mountains by his faith and works is the one who will go down in history!

On the outside looking in

Have you ever stopped to take a break or relax in a park and noticed a group talking? Or maybe you've watched people interact with one another while sitting on the patio at a restaurant or from some other place, not a short distance away?  Today, I did the first thing.  I was in a park, and began to notice the other people  there.  They were engaged in varying activities, but my focus seemed to fall on the basketball court.  I was far enough away from the court that I couldn't hear a word that transpired there.  But I was close enough to see every person on the court. Let me describe the scene for you:

There were trees all around, deciduous trees, and one pine tree.  They followed along side the one paved road that led to a clearing which housed a typical concrete basketball court.  There were 4 hoops with no nets, 3 balls, about 16 people, and one guy wearing a read shirt.  He was very comfortable with the ball, making almost every shot from behind his free throw line.  Immediately behind him were 5 smaller guys, middle school age perhaps, who were struggling a little bit.  One of them, the one wearing the yellow jersey with the number 5 and black striped shorts ran from the basketball court after their wildly bouncing ball, down a hill to the southeast.  At the southwest end of the court, a woman, dressed in a magnolia flower printed, strapless dress, kisses her beau in the most loving way, as the 3rd basketball bounces across the middle of the court with 7 or 8 small children chasing it.  As the boy wearing the number 5 jersey returns to the court with his ball, he is immediately cornered by the other guys in his group, who are full of laughter and excitement....ready to take the ball.

This is an example of someone on the outside looking in.  Even though, I was not a part of either group at the park, I remember vividly most of what I saw happen there.  I was on the outside, but I could have chosen to walk down to the court from where I was sitting and be a part of the action.  It would have been very easy to do.

You should treat your vision the same way.  Look at it as a real opportunity, a scenario that is really going on...one that you can walk toward.  Then do just that.  Invite yourself into it.  Keep the vision that you've painted always at the front of your mind, and while you're thinking of it, take the keys the universe gives you to make your way to it.  Eventually, you will arrive at the scene.  You don't have to be on the outside, just walk towards whatever is going on, and join the action!

Don't be afraid of the unknown...Embrace it!



Today, I encountered a familiar situation with my daughter.  She is an eclectic person, very unique and mature for her age.  She loves music and art, and it shows in her personality and her appearance.  While sometimes I am a little taken back by her style, I always feel compelled to let her be herself.  She makes great decisions and has a lot of common sense and book sense. 

Today, she called me from school in tears because some senior students decided to make her the butt of some very derogatory jokes on Instagram.  For those of you who are not familiar, Instagram is a social networking site of sorts, and is fast becoming popular with young people, just as My Space did a few years ago.  She was so badly affected by the things that the students posted about her, that she made the decision to let go of who she really is, in order to be left alone by these students.

Well, being a concerned parent, who is very proud of her daughter's individuality, I immediately stopped what I was doing and made my way to her school.  There I found her in the school's office, sitting, crying, and contemplating changing who she was to suit the needs of someone else.  When she told me what she was going to do, I put these thoughts on her mind.  "If you change who you are for them now, you will find yourself doing that when you get older.  It may make them happy (though I am pretty sure it wouldn't), but what will it make you?"  These kids, like many adults are afraid of the unknown.  They don't know how to embrace the idea of BEING individuals, so they pick on those who have the courage to do so!  Think of how you could let yourself down by giving into the whims of bullys--don't let them box you into what they want you to be.  They are not worth your shrinking, but you owe it to yourself and the world to shine!"

Of course after a lengthy discussion with those in charge of the offending students, I expressed my intention to seek criminal charges and monetary recompense for the harassment, if they continued this depraved behavior.  I let them know that I would not tolerate it, and would go to any length to protect my daughter..as in the famous words of Malcolm X...by any means necessary.  Normally, I am not this type of person.  But today, I was taken to a place where what needed to be said, had to be said...right then, at that moment.

So the message today is, to not be afraid of the unknown...it's so much better to embrace it.  If those kids had taken half the time to introduce themselves to my daughter and asked her to share something about herself, then they could have made an informed decision about whether or not, they were going to be friends with her.  The same is true with many adults.  We spend so much time judging a book by it's cover, we never take the time to unlock the power inside it!  Just because something is different, it doesn't mean that it is bad.  Don't knock the unknown, because while it can be dark, more often than not, you will find a one of kind treasure in something or someone.  It's also important that we take care of our children.  They are our future, and I definitely want mine to be bright!   Cyberbullying is a growing trend that could be potentially dangerous and heartbreaking for the victim.  For more information about cyberbullying, go to stopcyberbullying.org

The world needs more billets-doux

A good friend of mine (she's actually more like a sister to me), sent me an exciting message the other day.  She was elated to find out the meaning of billet-doux (pronounced "bil-lay doo).  She asked me, "Why do you think that people don't participate in passing along billets-doux anymore?"  While she stomped me with that question, she did raise a very valid point afterward.  She stated, couldn't the Bible be considered a billet-doux?  After careful thought, I concluded that sure it could!

For those of you who don't know what the term billet-doux means, it is the way to say love letter in the French language.  The French started using the term sometime betweeen 1666 and 1675.  These "notes" were passed between lovers and good friends, as a letter of love could and should be shared with everyone that you feel the emotion for, whether it is romantic or plutonic.  While, the practice has lost its luster over the centuries, and especially in contemporary times (probably due to the invention of the telephone and the advancement of technology as it relates to computers- email in other words), putting it into practice again could begin the process of shifting those who lack the ability for whatever reason back to openly sharing love for one another, more often.  A billet-doux can be kept by the receiver as a reminder of another's affection, opening their minds and hearts to better understanding when their love one makes a mistake and could be used for reconciliation and repair of a previously damaged relationship. 

In addition, they could also be used to deepen the ripples of love that could be permeating in the hearts of a person that you admire, and since it is not practiced as often, could make you appear unique in a good way to the object of your affection.  Even a simple billet-doux with just a few well thought lines could carry you a long way in capturing the object of your heart's desire--and keeping them going could help you to build an unbreakable bond with each other. 

Back to the idea that the living word from the Holy Bible could be considered a billet-doux.  It could in fact be called this, as the good book is God's immaculate attempt to show us how much he loves us and wants a relationship with us.  He expresses his deep desire for us to be with him, by sharing the story of how he gave his only begotten son's human life, so that we could have the life that is required to be in his presence--to experience his love first hand.  Of course with any relationship, work is involved.  But in a standard love-based relationship between two humans, you are not given any specific instructions on how to strengthen that love.  God loves us so much however, that he has provided explicit instructions on how to develop the best kind of love affair imaginable--and that is one with him.  Further, we received a directive from the book of life to love each other as God loves us.  Why not fashion our methods after those of our mighty father.  Write a billet-doux or a letter of love to a special person in your life.  It doesn't have to be a boyfriend or a girlfriend.  It can be your mother, your children, or your next door neighbor.  Take the time to tell them why you love them and appreciate them.  Remind them of the great qualities you see in them, and your belief that they can reach any dream and overcome any obstacle.  Doing that will definitely make their day, and it will strengthen their love for you!

Tips for developing a successful mindset

People ask me all the time what I do to keep myself motivated.  They often say to me, " You do so much! How do you keep it all together? Aren't you afraid you won't stay motivated?  What happens if you fail?"  I say to them, "There's no way I can fail, if I keep going!"  After I say that, people tend to look at me as if I'm crazy!  They then proceed to tell me things like, "People are different, you are the type of person that has always gone after certain things, I am not like that." Or I hear, "Yeah, but you're more educated, or more outgoing, etc."

These people, as I once used to, have a defeating mindset.  I don't have that mindset anymore.  I trained myself to get past the negative things that we inherently tell ourselves.  For most people, when we have a big idea, we often talk ourselves out of going through with making them a reality because we allow the negative thoughts that will crowd our minds to take over.  I was one of those people, until someone unexpected told me that I could train myself to get past the negativity.  They pointed me in the direction of literature that explained how to do this.  This person gave me a list of old and contemporary literature pieces that I could read, and reminded me that the Bible says that, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he", Prov. 23:7.  And while we shouldn't need any other confirmation, than the words written in the Bible, there have been countless other literary works that have proven the point to be so.

Here are some tips that you can utilize to change your mindset, and in essence change your life!

• Tell yourself in the mirror, that you are deserving of great things.  Remind yourself often throughout the day that you are going to achieve great things....It takes on average 21-30 days for a person to form a habit.  If you get into the habit of telling yourself that you deserve greatness, then you will be sure to accomplish it!
• Focus your attention on the thing that you want to accomplish and take action!  Keep going until you get there!  There is a natural law that never fails, which says what you think about, you bring about...whether its positive or negative!
• Tune out those people who say you can't do it!
• Keep your head by following a specific plan that is going to get you what you want!  Action, is KEY to making your dreams come true!
• Expose yourself to things (literature, things on t.v., the radio, or the Internet) that are positive.  What you expose yourself to the most, is what your mind will determine is important for you to remember.  If it's all good, then so are you!

By doing these things, you will change your thinking.  You will turn the negative switch off in your mind, and activate the positive switch.  If you believe in what God says in the Bible, then you must know in your heart that you can't fail!  Finally, track your progress.  You need to see yourself reaching the goal- it motivates you to keep going!  Go right now to a mirror, and practice it!  If you are in need of money, say "I have more money than I know what to do with" to yourself, instead of saying, "I wish I had more money!"  Because if you keep telling yourself you wish you had more money, you will be doing just that...wishing!

If you are ready to make a financial change or any other change for that matter, it all has to be set in motion in your mind first!  

Cutting out the middle man



Money is all around you!  Just reach UP and grab it!

 When people think about entrepreneurs are only successful if they live in a huge mansion and drive a big car. They get their idea of a successful business person from television typically, where they see the finished product. Their favorite personality already has a huge home, can take fabulous vacations, and live as if they are a regular on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous!  They don't consider what the person was or how they lived before they became immensely successful.  Being an entrepreneur myself, I've heard this advice a million times, "You should go and get a job!"

What people don't realize, but should think about,  is what the true meaning of success is!  I am positive that you've heard someone say somewhere that they were successful because they had a job that paid good money, or they live in a nice home and drive a nice car.  Their home could be in a modest suburban neighborhood, and they may drive a Lexus (which is really just a luxury Toyota), and be able to shop regularly at the local mall.  Yet, they are seen as successful simply because they earn their living by going to a job where someone else pays them.

An entrepreneur who lives in the same modest neighborhood and drives an Infinity (the luxury Nissan), should also be counted as successful.  In fact, he should be counted more successful, because he has done something that the corporate person has not done...he's cut out the middle man!  There is no difference in how the entrepreneur and the corporate person get their money.  The corporate person reports to work, does his job, and gets paid by an employer....who was paid by someone else for the employee's work!  An entrepreneur also goes to work, does his job, but gets paid by his client directly.  

An entrepreneur doesn't have to share the fruits of his labor with a boss.  He is free to take it all for himself!  And as he continues to grow his business, he can create a corporate job for someone who's not confident enough not to hire a middleman to tell him what to do!  I mean most of us look for a company to hire us, and when they finally do, we've hired them too!  We've hired them to tell us when to come into work, and when to leave.  We've hired them to tell us how much they are going to pay us, and when we can take vacation.  We've hired them dictate a significant portion of our lives. When you look at it from this perspective, doesn't it make you want to cut out your middle man?

Make plans to be successful

Today, I was thinking about all the things that I have accomplished in my time on this planet.  I always hear people say, "I want to do this or that, but I don't know where to begin".  So my purpose today is to hopefully help you begin doing the "this or that" that you've always imagined yourself doing.  One of the things that set the "haves" apart from the "have nots", is their ability to plan their destiny effectively.  They follow specific steps in an effort to guarantee their success.  Even God made plans in the Bible, and began doing so in Genesis, right after he separated the heavens and the earth.  Here's the plan for man:
"Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth,” (Gen.1:26).

This verse and some others from the Bible have all of the elements of making an effective plan.  Here are the steps for you to remember and to follow:

• Step One: Identify your long term and short term goals.  In the verse above, God stated the short term goal, which was to complete the making of man in his likeness.  The long term goal, to let them rule over all the other "animal" beings on earth.
• Step Two: Figure out what you need and what it would take to set the plan in action: God figured that man needed to be created in his image in order to be able to effectively rule the animals. God visualized what he wanted man to be like and he got to work on making that vision a reality.
• Step Three: Determine what is standing in your way.  Of course, the Lord God, didn't have any barriers standing in his way.  But there is instruction given to us by Jesus which states, "For which one of you when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it", (Luke 14:28-32)? 
• Step Four: Take Action! There is a very familiar saying amongst those who are super successful.  They believe that you should plan your work, THEN work your plan!  Don't just talk about it, BE about it!  Act as if you are living your dream now as you are working for it.  Eventually, what you are dreaming of and working toward will come to pass.  The promise is there for you to read yourself in the living word.  It says, "In all labor there is profit, but mere talk only leads to poverty" (Prov. 14:23). 
• Step Five: Determine the success of the plan.  Everyone needs a way to determine if their plan is working.  You can analyze your plan from a financial standpoint for example.  Or you can use different tools, depending on what your plan and its purpose is to determine if it is successful.  You can create milestones- to look at the work that you have completed thus far and list the pros and cons of the things that you have implemented, or even a software program that plots the different tasks you have by level of importance, due date, etc.  If something in the plan isn't working, you don't have to throw it away altogether...sometimes all that is needed is a little tweaking!
• Step Six: If it keeps you from working on your plan, avoid it!  There are times when things will come up which will grab your attention, even if they have nothing to do with your goal!  It can be as simple as a friend calling with a juicy story, or your favorite t.v. show is on in a minute.  These are times when you will be faced with a decision.  Do you put off work that you need to be doing now to be a chatty Kathy with your friend or to tune into that t.v. show now, even though you will see it on youtube later?  The decision is always yours, but so are the consequences!
• Step Seven: Keep going until you make it!  The Bible also warns us about giving up too soon!   Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."  So in essence you are obeying the living word when you keep going!  And if you are faithful, the promise is that you will reap from the seeds you sewed!

So now that the TRUE secret to being successful is out, what are you going to do to reach yours?  Are you just going to keep sitting there, or are you going to make plans to have something great happen?



Open your mouth!

People often forget the promise that if we ask, we shall receive.  They could care about something very deeply, but fear will keep them from sharing their conviction.  People in general, are often considerate of what people think and how they will react to them.  For this reason many of them don't open their mouths when they need to.

Due to their fear of not feeling that they measure up, people will miss many opportunities which may come their way that have a huge potential to enhance their lives significantly.  There are a plethora of avenues available in the contemporary world, where people could make huge spiritual, financial, or health conscious shifts to something better, but they feel they can't do it.  People are afraid of the idea of selling!  They want to run a successful business or do something else that they dream of, but they never take a leap of faith because they feel they are not the sales type.

What exactly is the sales type anyway?  Is a good sales person not someone who simply demonstrates their expertise about a product or service in order to help a buyer to make a more informed decision?  Are they not people who enthusiastic about what they do?  Do they not greet you with a smile, and work often to get you exactly what you need?

I am here to tell you that sales people are all around you!  The nice waiter at your favorite restaurant tells you all he knows about the new entrees on the menu.  He tells you which one he likes best sometimes, and more often than not, people go with the waiters choice.  Doctors and Lawyers are sales people too.  They sell you their knowledge of the body or the law, to keep you well and out of jail!  In fact, YOU are also a sales person!  You sold your experience, education, and other qualifications to get your job (even if now you realize that you hate it)!  You sell your friends on why they should shop in a certain place, or why they should  not use a certain product or service. In fact, most successful businesses get their start via word of mouth advertising!

So really, the only difference between you and a successful sales person is that they open their mouths and tell others what they have to offer, more often!  Good sales people practice having charisma, they study the ins and outs of what they sell, so that they can help you make a more informed decision.  They practice using their charisma and charm.  They make mistakes along the way just like everyone else, but they have the faith to keep on going until they have perfected the skill.  Consequently, they change their lives as a result.  You can do the same thing!  Set a goal for yourself and keep working to achieve it, being happy in the work, until you reach the goal.  Have the faith to step out of your comfort zone.  Learn what works best for you and what doesn't.  Before you know it you will be on your way!  After all, if you don't use it, you lose it- and you'll be stuck wondering what could have been.  Start by simply saying hello to someone.  It may seem hard at first, but just like riding a bike, it gets easier and easier.  You can do it!  Find that thing you want to do more than anything...and regardless of how crazy it may seem, get to work on finding the best way to sell it and then do it!  You will be so glad in the end that you did...and the faith you develop as a result will take you a long, long way!

The children are our future

When I was child, my parents pushed me always to be the best and most productive person that I could be. They encouraged me to get a good education. They taught me the value of a dollar. I learned that success came from hard work and the proper application of education and skills that I acquired through formal education and life lessons. While I did have a social life, my parents played a major role in the choices I made when it came to hanging out with certain groups and/or engaging in certain activities. My parents believed in supporting me and they also believed in solid and quality family time being spent with the children.

I believe that the foundation that my parents gave me afforded me the opportunity to grow up strong and with sound morals and values. And even though life can sometimes throw me major curve balls, my goal is to still hit them all out of the park! Being the mother of a teenage daughter, I am exposed a lot to other teenagers and I see the stark differences in the way I was raised, versus how a lot of them (not all of them) are being raised now. They are exposed to way too much inappropriate material by way of the television and radios. Parents sometimes take a less active role in helping them make good choices about who to hang out with and what functions to attend. Where I had to be inside my house before the street lights came on, I see children now of all ages being allowed to stay out til the wee hours of the morning. Left to their own vices, and to make adult choices with immature minds. I often hear parents complain about the task they are faced with in raising children. They say they are uncontrollable, stubborn, lazy, and sassy. When I ask these parents how much time they take up with their children, they say, they have to work long hours, or really can't afford to do much with them.

As a result, more and more children are making bad decisions. They are losing their desire to have more, to be better, stronger than the generation that came before them. Instead, they are regressing. They are backtracking and falling in those societal traps that are meant to imprison them mentally and eventually physically. They are becoming more violent, and have less respect for their bodies and their minds than ever before. It's alarming to see that children have such a different mindset than I did growing up. What's even more scary is that these are the people who will run the world when we are too old to do so. Answer these questions for in your mind:

Can you imagine what kinds of decisions that some of them will make as leaders?
How many of them will actually break from the bad habits they developed when growing up being mostly unattended?
Are you confident that the young people around you have a good chance of growing up to be responsible, caring, open-minded and positively driven to want to and put action behind changing the world for the better?
Are you sure they won't make it worse for you? When is the last time you asked a teenager what they wanted to be when they grew up? Did you ask them how they were going to accomplish their goal?
If your answers to these questions alarm you, then why don't you take some action too?

Try mentoring a child? Help to expose a them to something great that they wouldn't otherwise be. It doesn't have to be expensive, and it's very possible that you will be exposed to something that will change your life too! We must remember that we are taking care of our futures too, when we make sure that the children can see one. By preserving their quality of life, we preserve our own.

Everyone needs a good support system

Sometimes, people get angry and say, "I don't need you!"  And out of that anger, they sometimes push away someone that could really help them get to where they want to be in this life.  We sometimes say those words to a dear friend or family member, and because of our own selfishness, we lose the opportunity to reconcile with them, and cherish with them the last great moments that either they or we have on this precious earth.

Who are we to think that we need no one?  Who are we to believe that we can make in this world without asking someone for a favor, even if it's a stranger, and even worse, believe that we can get all that we want out of life without being of assistance to someone else. So many of us profess being Christians and doing our best to live by the example that Jesus set for us, but even Jesus couldn't fulfill all the tasks that our father laid out before him alone.  He needed 12 disciples to help him to get the job done.  Sure, he did do the biggest task on his own, which was to give his life so that we could have an everlasting one, but in Jesus' 32 short years on this earth, he was surely not going to be able to spread the gospel all over the world to the people present during his time, and most definitely, the task would have been impossible after life was removed from his physical body!

The same is true today.  Most of us wanted to do something special when we were children (and many of us still do as adults).  But without a good support system, its really almost impossible to accomplish a great feat.  Take Henry Ford for example, he had less than a sixth grade education, but he was able to revolutionize the automobile industry, and the foundation that he laid, still exists today in Ford Motor Company.  He didn't do it alone either!  He went out and found people who were more educated than he, and motivated them to get to work on his dream!  The same is true for Thomas Edison, who used a think tank to perfect many of his inventions.  When the founding fathers of the United States decided to become an independent nation, they called on regular citizens from the 13 colonies to hold back the British Army, and even though they were not skilled in the art of warfare, they defeated them and became an independent nation.  And there are countless others, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, and Mother Teresa, just to name a few- who found people who believed in what they were trying to do enough to encourage them and even join them in their quest to accomplish great things.  

Your support system doesn't have to be just family, it can be friends, co-workers, and even strangers who believe enough in what you may be trying to do, that will want to encourage you, offer ideas, and in the best case join you!  The best thing is that you can seek out people in the same way, find out what they are passionate about and share your passion with them if you feel the same way about it.  Two heads are always better than one.  I encourage you to get started on that great feat that is rambling around inside of you, and keep searching until you find the people that will stand by you until you finish it!  You will be so happy that you did, and even happier to lend the same level of support to them!

Your Gift Will Open the Way for You and Others

"A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great." Prov. 18:16

Did you know that each one of us was blessed with a special gift to bring to the world.  We are supposed to use our gifts to do a profound work, one that should uplift and enlighten others.  A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a very dear friend of mine, who told confessed that they were wondering about what the true meaning for their life was and how they were supposed to make a difference.  This friend suffered a great tragedy, and said to me as we talked, "I wished I knew what my purpose for being on this earth is.  I want to fulfill that purpose, as now I realize that nothing material will truly make me happy."  I went on to tell her finding her true purpose is as easy as asking God to reveal it to her, and then to set about the task of looking for the answer to be revealed to her.  I did tell her to that once her gift was made clear, she had to immediately get to work on making a plan to share her gift with the world.  Some of us have some pretty obvious gifts...maybe you have a great singing voice, or the the ability to make people laugh.  Other gifts may not be so clear, or may not thrust you into a spolight right away. All true gifts from God that are possessed by people, will however, open the way for the giver, and puts him or her in the presence of other great people who will appreciate what they have to offer.  More than money, or anything material, a true gift when shared properly, will bring a peace and sense of satisfaction to the giver that no amount of money can compare to.  If you keep your eyes on what's really important, which is giving the best of yourself, and being infinitely thankful for every experience you have while sharing your gift, you will soon find that you will be changed for the better.  Those around you will notice the change too.  Oftentimes, they will be inspired to be better also.  This is how change in the world is really made.  It comes from people like you, realizing their higher calling, not being afraid to operate in that calling, and encouraging others to do the same.  Don't be afraid of finding out why you were planted in this earth, at this time.  If you keep the faith, your gift will not only put you in the presence of the great, it can will also help you to become one of the great!

Have we no compassion anymore?

What happened to the good old days, when people felt something for other people?  When families banned together with their neighbors in a time of need, and everyone helped everyone else out.  What has changed so much about the human race that we can no longer offer understanding to another who’s faced with a difficulty.  When we can’t help an elderly person by cutting their grass or even bringing them a hot meal?  What has happened to make ours a culture of such purposeful indifference, ignorance, and indecency- that we no longer care about the family that is losing their home, or helping out the person who has been looking for work for months with no luck, but instead pay attention to the most vile and clearly degrading, flagrant and subliminal messages that are thrown at us all day long?  How  can we return to the state of cultural cadence that we once knew?  What will our future be like without it?

On my journey to become the best person that I can be, I have become ultra sensitive to how often we take for granted the well known fact that having compassion for others is necessary in order to become the highest and best form of yourself.  It is the left arm of love, the one that is always eager to help another.  Compassion comes from passion, the kind that loves all mankind. Compassion is the passion of Jesus. It can be such a blessing too! Compassion is also a boomerang.  It will surely come back to you when you need it most, as all positive emotions can.  But the best part is that you can receive its full benefit with no strings attached…from a stranger- after only having done the one work of giving it to another.

Click here for an exciting work from home opportunity!

Just BE honest....

When you are building a relationship with someone, whether it is business or otherwise, honesty is the best attribute you can exhibit.  This characteristic builds all of those things that make a relationship work.  "Back in the day" as we so often say now adays, a person's word was usually all they had to stand on in order to get a job, credit, and even a date with someone.  While charisma and charm may take you a long way, if you are exposed for being dishonest, then the other attributes that you worked so hard showing off become dishonest too.  Unless you can own up to your dishonesty, after getting caught, then chances are, the relationship is damaged....and more often than not, it's damaged forever.


If you are going to brand yourself as being a person of integrity, then its important to be truthful from the very beginning.  Don't promise things that you cannot deliver.  Don't pump yourself up to be extraordinary, when you know you are not at a state where you can show that yet.  Don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses.  But most importantly, don't use the "things" that you have as a way of impressing someone.  At the end of the day, material possessions do not mean a thing, if your integrity is not in check.

Don't hurt someone's heart if you are not ready to commit to an honest relationship with them.  Don't string people along, making them believe something about you, that is really not true.  A person who becomes damaged by your lack of truthfulness can bring much more harm to you than you could to them in the end.  There is nothing wrong with saying, "I can not do this for you at this time" or "I am not ready for this kind of commitment", if you truly are not.  When you are honest with a sensible person from the beginning, you free them to make a better choice for themselves if they have to.  They will appreciate you in the end for giving them honesty, even if they are upset by it at the beginning.

By being the man or woman that God intends us to be at this moment, is the best way to win a client, friend, or an object of your affection's trust- and remaining true to who God wants you to be will help you to keep it.  Everyone in the world is not as interested in any shallow accomplishments you may have achieved, as they are interested in knowing what is truthful about your heart and soul.  So today, make the committment to God, yourself, and those living in this universe with us, that you will be honest.  Honesty is one of the strongest qualities you can possess to push you towards having the support of those you need in your life and the next step to enlightenment.

Grab onto opportunity now!

When you think of the word opportunity, what you see? Is there something that you've always wanted to do, but the time wasn't right? Somewhere you wanted to go, or something you wanted to say to someone? What if I told you that you do have the opportunity to tell a person how you really feel, or go where you really wanted to go right now!? Would you take the opportunity, or would you say that something ELSE has to happen in order before you make your move?

I am a person who once thought this way, and most of the people around me do too!  I had a shift in my thinking, and now the opportunity for me to do something right is always perfect!  Now is the best time to tell a person you love them, now is the perfect time to say good job to someone, now is the perfect time to be truthful, encouraging, charismatic, uplifting, financially responsible and everything else that you can think of!

Do the things that you would never do, get outside of your comfort zone!  If you do it for a good reason and with GOOD intention good things will happen!  What's even better is that if you do GREAT things for the good of others (and yourself), then GREAT things will happen too.  The thing is, you have to TAKE the opportunity, that you've always had to do them. Forget about your current situation, don't worry about the money...sever your emotional attachment to things, and pursue all good opportunity from a place of love and faithfulness, and you can't go wrong!  

The thing to remember to is that taking opportunity and doing bad with it, will also yield bad results.  And sometimes the effects of a good opportunity may yield results that seem bad at first.  You need these experiences, so that they can teach you to be faithful and steadfast to the journey, more than anything else.  And even if you get bad results, opportunity is there to turn them around and MAKE them good!  

Finally, the only thing that keeps opportunity from working at all, is a person not even lifting up to grab a hold of it.  So let's make today about that.  Looking opportunity square in the face, and saying, "I am going to take you, and do great!"  Opportunity is the only way to live the life you want to live!  This link is a great way to do it!  So what are you waiting for!? Grab Your Success Now!

You can find the Savior in your work!

As children we dream, and we often dream really big!  We aspire to do great things or to help a lot of people.  If we believe that we don't have enough as children, then we tend to hope for having enormous wealth in our adult lives.  Some of us will even begin to map out a way as children to live our dreams.

But as we get older and it is necessary for us to take on responsibility, we can start to become disconnected to what's really important and as a result, we lose the memory of the dreams we had as children.  Our minds become so cluttered with things of only surface importance and we can even forget how to dream.  While in this dreamless state, we often do one of two things: Either we become so complacent that we simply settle for the life we have (though subconsciously it's not the one we want), or two we get restless enough about our situation to make a change.

I have found myself representing both groups in the past. Being a part of the latter group is what changed my life for the better. The biggest dissatisfaction that I had with my life way back then was that I wanted to work for myself. I wanted to be able to live life on my terms all the time. My biggest fear was that without a job where I depended on someone else to write my paycheck, I would wind up with nothing, being forgotten by the world. Until one day, while working at the worst job I have ever had, it hit me! All of the anguish I had while working there was a lot of work! I was tired all the time. I didn't still didn't have all the things I wanted, and there was nothing that the company I worked for was going to do to change that. Those were my problems, not theirs.

I was able to rationalize with myself and say, "Hmm...if you are going to work hard for someone, let it be for yourself!  What do the people in charge here have that you don't have or can't get?"  I took a giant leap of faith, and here I sit.  A successful business owner, working way successfully through a multitude of projects.  I am now happy to get to bed late at night, and can rise early in the morning refreshed, because I decided to go out and do what I love.  We get so caught up focusing on the results of something, that we never realize what a wonderful journey we took to get there!  Sure, I have made mistakes and will undoubtedly make more...its okay...because I am doing what I love to do it doesn't feel like work...and even if it did, it sure still beats the heck out of "working hard" with anguish and disgust for someone who doesn't appreciate it.  As long as you remember that you can take God on your journey, wherever you choose to go- you will find that arriving at the destination is not nearly as enjoyable as is being touched in a powerful way by our Lord and Savior because you "worked" to get there.