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.

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!

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/

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!

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.

The American Dream

Good afternoon readers,

I started this Saturday out as I usually have for the past few months, and that is by spending quality time with my daughter.  She's at that age now where she's learning how to drive, look for a part time job, and she's starting to think about what she wants her future to be like.  For some time now, I have been telling her that she can do anything that she wants to do in life, as long as she is not hurting herself or anyone else.  I also ask that she not break the law and to be a good person.  

My sweet daughter does not know exactly what she wants to do as of yet, but she does have many great talents and character traits.  She's musically and artistically inclined, athletic, intelligent, sensible, and honest (sometimes brutally)!  She also wants to enjoy being a kid as long as she can.  She sometimes feel caught in a tight spot when she discusses her future with her dad's side of the family.  They are all accomplished in what I like to call "typical" high-yield occupations.  There's a risk manager, a doctor, and a few federal workers.  They try to convince her that the only way to be happy in this life is to play it safe.  Get a "good paying job" with "benefits" and conform to the standard of living that was once thought to be the way to get the American dream.

I teach her differently, because I see differently.  If my daughter's dream is to become a pop sensation, why is that wrong?  If she dreams of being the best high school janitor she can be, why is that wrong?  Who did the original idea for what many believe is the American dream come from?  Who's ever really described what it is supposed to be?

I went to college and earned a masters degree.  I thought that getting a great job with "benefits" was going to help me fulfill the whole in my heart where happiness was supposed to be.  I worked so hard to get those pieces of paper, and I even found a few good  jobs.  I still was not happy and feeling like I had found my true purpose in life.  I have sense come to believe that I can be successful and filled fulfilled, by sharing a positive attitude and outlook in the world by sharing good information, my skills, and my life in hopes that it will inspire someone else to be the best that they can be.  In my quest to do that, I will in turn receive the best things that are needed for me in my life abundantly.  I will do that by blogging, writing, and using video to practice and perfect my craft, hoping that the world will enjoy my gift to them.  That is my American dream.  And I hope ultimately my daughter and all of you decide that by giving the best of yourself to the world is the only way that you will get the best from it.

Love,

Kaye

Giving in Order to Receive

Most of the time when we think about our life, we think of it in terms of what we do not have.  We consider things such as not having enough money to buy certain things.  Next, we may consider that we don't have the time to make a commitment to giving of ourselves in one way or another.  Well, I have been using myself as a guinea pig for quite a while now with regards to giving.  I was in a very bad place mentally a few years back.  It seemed that I had the problems that I previously mentioned, I didn't have enough time to do anything, let alone any extra cash to buy anything or support a cause, regardless of how important it was.  I was introduced to a video, that talked about how the universe works and how we can make it work for us. 

At first, I thought the information found on the video was just a bunch of hogwash.  So jokingly (but seriously at the same time), I asked the Universe to make it possible for me to give more....give more of my time and money to support worthy causes. And BOY did the universe respond!  It gave me all kinds of crazy time to lend myself to supporting charities (I did so much charitable work that I decided to start my own non profit organization)!  It also started sending a steady flow of extra cash my way, and of course I supported various charities and other notable causes.  It was very much an exhilarating and surprising experience.

But what was more surprising and inspiring was how the universe responded to my "giving"- I began to feel uplifted and joyous all the time.  I also began to receive "gifts" of great magnitude from the most unexpected people and at just the right time!  It excited me so much that I wanted to utilize all my skills, talents, and resources to keep on giving!  And the more I gave of myself to the world around me, the more the universe responded.  It responded with not just material resources but spiritual ones too.  I have a keener sense of discernment and loyalty.  I am more conscious about how I relate to others and how I make them feel.  I am more conscious about how I treat myself.  I thought it would be hard to change, but I realized that it wasn't hard to change my way of thinking, the hard part was keeping my changed mindset.  Even though I backslide here and there, it still makes me happy to know that in the morning, I have the chance to do it right again!  I take that chance seriously, and in return the Universe (or GOD as I so love to refer to it as) takes me seriously.

Why don't you try it today!?  You don't have to be rich or in a position of stature to give, and everyone doesn't need money.  Some people just need a smile, so that they have a reason to smile back.  Some people need a shoulder to cry on- some people may need some advice on something you know a lot about.  Some people just need a peson to sit quietly with.  Be on purpose about your giving to others, so that the universe can be on purpose about giving back to you!

Making Your Greatest Mark on the World Comes by Being Yourself

For the past few years, I have been on a quest to find out what makes some people successful in this country we call the United States of America and why some people never find their reason for standing up and becoming the unique and individual beings that God intended us to be.  I have read many self help books on varying subjects relating to living a whole life and even did what most kids are raised to believe they should do:  Go to college and then look for a stable and secure position within a large, reputable company. 

My studies have helped me to discover many truths and falsehoods about how one should go about develping themselves into the great people they wish to become.  Of all of the things that I discovered, it turns out that the constant thing that most people who develop sustained financial wealth, balance of life and work, a well-rounded family, and great spiritual connection with the higher source is that most of them are not afraid to dig inside themselves through prayer and meditation to find who they are truly supposed to be and what their purpose is.  These great people then act immediately upon those ideals that feel right to them at their core, and I've learned that with practice you can always get the result that you focus on!

In the beginning, I didn't believe this theory, so I started testing it.  I started out with small things, like knowing that "at this moment" I will drive 20 miles without being stopped by a red light.  In the beginning my belief worked for me for maybe 3 or 4 lights, then 5-8 lights, and before long, I was driving miles "knowing that at that moment" the lights would all be green for me--and you know what, they were! 

There are a lot of very influential people whom have written books on the subject and I have read them.  I have also read some great biographies about influential people proceeding on with becoming who they are supposed to be, regardless of what anyone else thought of their decisions.  I intend to join their ranks.  I have been inspired by people from all walks of life who have made indeliable marks on the world to make my mark as well.  Lately, no one has inspired me more than the hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.  In his book, "Do You!" with Chris Morrow, Simmons shares the "12 laws that he uses to access the power within you to acheive happiness and success". 

While the book is a very easy read and quite entertaining, the true message of the book is so crystal clear that it takes the stage in the lead role- and speaks to anyone and everyone about what they can do to lead their best life ever.  While everything worth having takes effort to get, reading this book helped me to rekindle the faith I once had in myself (which actually was wavering just a little while ago), and gave me the energy and the courage to press forward with being myself!  And I realized that if I love who I am and put the "best me" on display at every opportunity, while giving God the glory for my very existence, and finally giving to others in a way that enables them to be better and lifted up, then I am creating a great brand...one for God that will last till the end of time but will also be loved by many mere mortals residing here on earth!

So, if you are looking for a powerful read, then check the book out...and if I inspired you with this post, then get started right now on becoming who you are meant to be- you will find yourself being so happy that you took the leap!

Love,

Kaye Thompson