Category: Inspirations

Impatient should be my middle name. It is one of my weaknesses that I work on every day.  I am better than I used to be but not as good as I want to be.  Add that to the fact that I am also resistant to change, and you have a combustible situation.

A few days ago I was working on a new project on Canva.com. Because I had done so well with creating my first flyer I was hyped and ready to start a new one.  Once I found my old project, I attempted to make changes to it while also trying to create something new.  After much struggle I realized it would be easier to create a second page for the existing flyer.  That didn’t go very well because in my impatience, I kept hitting my ‘mouse’ when the changes were not showing up fast enough for me.  Rather than continue in my frustration, I decided to shut everything down and move on to something more familiar.  End of office work for that day!

Upon returning to my project the next day I was pleasantly surprised to learn that everything I was trying to do was accomplished. Not only that, but it was all saved and I was now able to complete my new flyer.  I still don’t know how to start a new one so I deleted page one, which was the original flyer.  Some other day I will return and get it all figured out. Life can be tricky sometimes. We get impatient and keep ‘clicking’ until God shuts the whole thing down and waits for us to get ready for the new training.  I find myself overly concerned about things that probably won’t matter when the day comes.  So much can happen between your thought now and what really will takes place on the day of your concerns.  Let’s learn to stop ‘mousing around.’  A lot of what we try to create has already been saved for us.  Remember there are certain assignments in life that only you can complete.  No one can keep you from going where you are supposed to go, or from doing what you are supposed to do.  Relax!  Take a deep breath!  Stop ‘clicking!’

There are so many ‘how to’ books, that deciding which ones to read can be a job in itself. There’s “how to make a million”, “how to be successful at work”, “how to get a man”, “how to find peace”, and the list goes on.  Why do so many people seek others for advice, when ultimately the final decision is always made by you?  Sometimes we want validation and affirmation that what we believe about ourselves is true.  Other times we need a little push to tip us over the scale.  Maybe we have been contemplating a change but still have some doubts.  It’s times like these when a good book may give us the necessary step to stay in the game.

There is a system in place for everything that the universe holds dear to us. We talk about the law of attraction and how we attract to ourselves who we are.  At a conference the other day, one of the speakers said, “You are the sum of the five people you hang out with.”  Although I had already done some downsizing on my immediate circle, this made me take an evener closer look at who I hang with.  I’m not saying that you should call all your friends and tell them where they are on the totem pole, but I AM saying that you need to decide who gets your valuable time.  If the only time you see some of your friends is when they want to party, then they cannot be in your immediate circle of influence.  We all have reasons to celebrate, but every weekend does not have to be a party.  Would you want to do business with the person that you see at the club every Saturday night?  Think about it.  Perception is extremely important.  No matter how much you try to explain to someone that you are not that girl, their visual will remain the same.  With social media steadily on the rise, the rules of the game keep changing daily.  There is no way that you can keep up with the Jones’.  Before anyone takes offense, please know that this message is for no one other than me.  I always write first for myself, with hopes that someone may find themselves in the message.  I encourage you to always consider the rules of the game in whatever you attempt to accomplish.  It’s not easy, but when you know the rules you can play the game.

Some of you may have noticed that the most outrageous ideas seem to be the ones that take off. The minute you say, “Ain’t no way in the world…” that’s when stuff starts to happen. How many times have you looked at a product or service and thought, how ingenious even though it started from a crazy idea? Do you realize that everything we see was a thought at one time? Do you know how many thoughts we have during the day and night that could seriously change the way the world operates? The problem is our mind. We spend so much time thinking and over-thinking the ideas that come to us. Can you imagine what would happen if we went with our first thought and then lost our mind while we continue working on that thought? I have had the most success with the things that I gave the least amount of thought. I’ve also succeeded at something and started to over-think it, and the rug got snatched from under my feet.

I remember the days when my life was planned down to the hour. I am so happy that those days are gone. I still write stuff down, but nothing on the list is mandatory. It’s a list of things I would like to get done. Of course I have a regular routine of eating and sleeping, which all of us probably do. But I don’t get bent out of shape if my day is thrown off by a phone call or an emergency situation. I just make the necessary adjustments, ex: pack a quick snack, cancel an appointment, wake up a little earlier, or go to sleep a little later. Whatever it takes to get the job done is what I do. My mind switches daily to the task at hand. I don’t overplay situations. I don’t ask a lot of questions. I go with the flow. Life is so much easier when you lose your mind.

If you have been following my blog, then you know my writing style is so outside the box. Keep checking me out, you never know where it might take you.  Also check out my book, “Reframing Your Picture – True Life Stories of Turning Negatives Into Positives.”

 

 

When I moved to Charleston, South Carolina five years ago I visited a friend who lived in a duplex. I was impressed with the subdivision, so I told God I wanted to move there once I got settled in my new city.  He had other plans and I moved into a mobile home park instead. Although I had never lived in a mobile home, I was new to Charleston, so I did not hesitate to take it. God blessed me in that home for three and a half years.

Now fast forward to February, 2015. I was beginning to get a little antsy with my neighborhood and posted on Facebook that I was looking to rent a house. A wonderful realtor, who was promoting her business, responded to my post by suggesting that I consider home ownership instead. Within two days after meeting with her I was approved for a mortgage loan. I had the best realtor in Charleston, SC, and was getting close to finding something, when I decided to change jobs. My job was in the same field, but my status changed to independent contractor.  This change meant I was now self-employed and need a years’ income to re-qualify for the mortgage. But all was not lost! There was something inside of me that let me know that I could have, and deserved better. Before I met my realtor I had convinced myself that I would be stuck in that trailer court, because I would never be able  to afford anything better. But once God showed me that I could afford more, I thought, why not trust Him to give me more. As time went on I even attended home buying classes and looked into my new options as an independent contractor. However, shortly after my classes ended, I had a wake-up call.  All of Charleston, SC was shocked by The Emanuel Nine murder case (the nine church members who were killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church). That’s when I realized that I did not want to own a home, because my immediate family does not live in South Carolina. But what I really wanted all along was a better neighborhood, with a better landlord, and better parking.

Because I kept in touch with that friend who lived in the duplex, I called her one day and asked if she knew of any vacancies in her neighborhood. She responded, “Yes, matter of fact, there are three coming available very soon.” Now fast forward to September 10, 2015, the day I received the keys to my new rental property. A gorgeous duplex with upgraded appliances, a wonderful landlord, and plenty of parking.

 

We all go out to eat. We sit down and order an appetizer and a main course. The problem is we get full on the appetizer, and then can’t handle the meal. Life can be like that. We stop short of God’s complete blessing, and get complacent with the here and now. We get comfortable with the way things are. When asked “How are things going?” we respond with statements like, “Same old same old”, or “another day another dollar.” We need to learn how to indulge in the full course of life. Don’t stop at the appetizer. You can eat some of it and save the rest for later. The main course is the essence of the meal. The appetizer is a small dish of food or drink taken before a meal or the main course of a meal to stimulate one’s appetite.

We are a visual people, however certain things will only be revealed after you have given up something else. Unfortunately we want to keep everything we have and add more to it. God does not work like that. Sometimes He has to strip you of everything in order to get you to the right thing. But we keep holding on and eating what was first presented to us. We look over at the entrée and think, “I can save that for later.”  But once you take the food off that pretty plate in the restaurant, you can never recreate the ambience of the first presentation. So don’t allow God’s blessings to get cold and be reheated because you were greedy during the initial phase of the meal. Don’t get full on the appetizer! God’s main course is so much better.

 

There will always be doors opening and closing in your life. It is your job to decide how much emphasis you will place on the closed door versus the new one that is opening. If you continue to look back and wish that things were different or second guess yourself on why things happened the way they did, please know that the new door cannot swing open as wide. When you look for someone or something to place the blame, the universe cannot give you what you really need. It is not good to take the negative energy of what didn’t work out into the new door that is about to open. This is the hardest principle to follow in life, but it is a necessary one. As I watch a door come to a close I am so tempted to ask questions, because as women we want closure. We want someone to tell us what went wrong so we don’t make the same mistake again. You didn’t make a mistake. Life is opening you to a new possibility by way of someone else not accepting who you are. Even if you had done things differently, you would still be preparing to step through another door. So don’t beat yourself up! Of course it’s hard to remain calm when it always seems that you are the problem. Sometimes you ask God, why can’t another door open because of something someone else did? Why does it always seem to be about what I did or did not do? You get comfortable in places and show your real self and the relationship changes. Don’t get mad with the other person. Be thankful that God sees the future and your move may be His way of avoiding a disaster, because there is something more in line with your character. It will be hard to see this while you are trying to leave a crack in the door. You are hoping that something can be done to change the circumstances so you can go back. God is moving you forward, so stop looking back. Focus all your attention and positive energy on the new door that is looking you in the face.

If we really took the time to look around we would see how blessed we really are. Some of what we trash or get tired of would be a treasure to someone who has never had it. Society teaches us that the next big thing is always just around the corner. So we keep looking for it at the expense of enjoying life right now. Even the small things can make a different in your perspective on life. I live alone but I have enough dishes to feed a family of six. Why? Because they look good in my cabinet, and it would be nice to have a complete set of something in case company comes. Well, guess what? I’m changing that. Good, sturdy, paper plates will have to do from now on. Plus, they make beautiful plates that look much better than my dishes. I’m simply trying to make a point!

We are always begging God for something. When’s the last time you sat down and said, “Lord I don’t want anything. I just want to thank you for everything that I have right now. My needs are met and my wants are few. If you don’t do another thing, then I’m okay with that.” How often do we have that conversation with God? Not often enough. I am guilty as charged, however, today I am thanking God for all the things that I asked for and did not receive. I always know that His timing and will is better, but I still beg. What I know for sure is, when you are grateful for what you have, you can hear God’s voice when it’s time to make that call, or check something out on the website, or step outside your comfort zone. In those moments, you and only you will know that the time is right. So, as you continue to beg, which we all do, be careful what you ask for. Because you just might get it if you beg long enough. Everything you want is not necessarily good for you. And sometimes once you get it, you have to make that call back to God and have Him step in and change the circumstances. His reply will always be, “I gave you what you asked for, but because I love you I will handle the situation.” I know I have had that conversation with Him many times. Sometimes the best step you can take is a step back. Stop looking for the next big thing.

When you think about the next level what comes to mind? Is it career, home, job, or relationship? For so many of us, the next level is scary no matter what area of our lives we consider. Why is that? The number one reason that we hesitate to move to the next level in anything, is because we fear the unknown. Going to the next level will require more of us. We will have to change the way we do things. It may even require that we leave some people and situations behind. The next level will also require us to give more of our time, talents, and gifts. Because to whom much is given, much is required. Then there’s the problem with maintaining the next level once you get there. We have our current level down to a science. Matter of fact, we can do what we do in our sleep, and some of us do.

The second reason the next level can be scary, is the fact that we are comfortable with the known. We know the enemy in our house. We just don’t know what might be outside. Therefore, we remain in situations that have died long ago. Either we are tired of those around us, or we are tired of seeing ourselves in the same spot day in and day out. Doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong with where we are, but there is this voice inside our head that keeps telling us, that more is possible and deserved. On the one hand we tell ourselves that we should be content with where we are, because there are people who have less than us. So why are we complaining? It’s not that we are complaining, but we don’t want to get complacent either. It is so easy to say this is good enough. If everybody said that, then there would be no millionaires.

There have been times when someone offered to bless me, and I would say you don’t have to do that.  Their immediate reply would be, “I know I don’t have to, but I want to.  So don’t block MY blessing.”  It wasn’t until recently that I have come to realize the blessing in being a blessing.  I have always loved to give and do for others but often times found I was unable to do so.  The reason was, because I was looking at what was in my hands.

During my morning readings I was directed to Ecclesiastes, chapter 12, where the following stood out for me:  “You will limp along like a grasshopper when you walk.  Your appetite will be gone. Then you will go to your everlasting home, and people will go to your funeral.”  My first thought was, no appetite?  I’m just being honest because I love to eat.  Once I got pass that thought, my mind went to the importance of being prepared for emergencies, versus holding your hand so tight that nothing comes in and nothing goes out.  There is no better feeling than being able to help someone, especially when you think about the people who have helped you along the way.  No matter how hard you try you will never be prepared for every emergency that comes your way.  Although the rich may be able to pay for whatever pops up, no one will be able to take anything with them when it’s all said and done.  So keep in mind what Suze Orman says, “People first, then money, then things.”  If I never get another “thing” I will be fine, but there are a few people who make it all worthwhile.

 

 

 

We all know that the heart is the main organ in the body, so naturally when something compromises the heart the whole body is affected.  Most of us probably don’t even realize how many of our actions are based on where our heart stands.  We say things like, “If your heart’s not in it then don’t do it”, “The heart wants what it wants”, and, “I’ve had a change of heart.”  All of those statements determine how you respond to any given situation.

This week I had someone ask me for a hug.  As much as I love giving hugs,  I was a llittle hesitant because my heart was not on it.  Rather than give them a pretentious hug, I decided to address the issue of where my heart is.  After hearing what I had to say, the both of us decided to give each other another chance, and a heartfelt hug was shared. Sometimes all it takes is a moment of honesty and a change of heart to change your circumstances.  As humbling as that may be, the reward can be priceless.  The conversation and hug I shared today changed my future.