Change

What I like most about change is that it’s a synonym for “hope”. If you are taking a risk, what you are really saying is, “I believe in tomorrow and I will be part of it.” – Linda Ellerbee

Change is a constant. Some changes we go through are small, some are more in the "crisis" variety. Some change happens so fast that it can give you a mental block.

Change is a good thing if you can quickly embrace the future. The more you stay in the place of discomfort, the less you will see the brighter days ahead.

Don't let the stress of the present change overtake you, don't allow yourself to be caught-up in the feelings of irritation; instead, begin to get an idea of what the change is going to bring and then start thinking this way. Wrap your thoughts, efforts, emotions around it and let those feelings overtake you. It'll help you get through the temporary uneasiness.

Change is good ....

Supervise

When I give a minister an order, I leave it to him to find the means to carry it out. —Napoleon Bonaparte

One of the things that can kill the end result of a project or task is when a manager micromanages a job that he/she has given to their staff.

Some of the folks that work for us actually have a strategy and plan on carrying out any job they are given. We will never know this of course, if we are constantly over their shoulder trying to make sure it's done just the way we want it.

I believe we can say what we want the end result to be; then send them off....sit back and see how they combine our desires and their skill-set to match what we need.

Leadership must be portrayed with trust, respect and recognizing peoples' potentials. It's one way that will keep them working for us and the organization.

Happy Tuesday!

Lead

I must follow the people. Am I not their leader? —Benjamin Disraeli

Leading isn't always about dishing out instructions and delegating the work. It's also about listening to the people that work with you, being a servant to the folks that work for you, being there for the people, being a team player and a part of the work and demonstrating that you too can get your hands dirty.

Your staff and colleagues will appreciate you for being human and understanding.
We have heard the saying that people will remember you for what you've done and not for who you are.

When you show people that you care for them as a fellow human being, and not just an asset to your success at work; they will go above and beyond and always give you 150%.

Happy Monday!

Compassion

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen - Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

We've all gone through something that made us stronger; and it's in those moments that life's challenges shape our perspectives on everything!
How you respond to people is based on your journey. How you engage in their lives is another challenge in itself.

Being somewhat involved in others' lives is a sense of maturity in yours. There are so many things that you can offer to someone who may be in a situation similar to what you went through. If you would only try....

The great person that you are today is a result of the combination of your life journey, the person(s) who helped you build a defense against its negativity, your tenacity to become whole, and your fight to win strong!
Since we know that no one was born this way...you are perfectly positioned to help another fellow reach their own height of victory!

You can do it ;).
Happy Sunday!

Friends

Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live - Oscar Wilde

Although most of us will not consider this to be loneliness but I believe that one of the reasons why a lot of us are lonely (not alone...just lonely) is because we do not give ourselves the opportunity to meet new friends and invite them into our world; and we also don't accept them for exactly who they are.

You may not always agree with others but you can still respect them. Just because you view life a certain way, doesn't mean you should expect your friends to feel the same way about things. Having a variety of friends will help you connect with people who are different from you, which helps you grow as a person.

Great friendships are an important part of living. They help widen your perspectives on life and remind you that you are not walking out this life on your own.

Trouble...

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight - Benjamin Franklin

If not controlled and overcome, anxiety has a strong way of keeping us in a box of fear and paranoia.

For those of us who are constantly worried about what's going to happen and if something doesn't happen and how we just know that something is about to happen.....we need to rest in the peace of the Lord. God doesn't give us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind..

With that said, this is where we are to place our fear...and exchange it for your peace of mind. Because, nothing is coming around the corner to get you. The fear is there to hold you down and keep you from growing and moving forward. The minute you start gaining control of your life....fear will be gone from you!

Let's turn the page ....

What's right...

Don't rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can't love and respect yourself - no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are - completely; the good and the bad - and make changes as YOU see fit - not because you think someone else wants you to be different - Stacey Charter

Being different isn't bad; as long as you are doing it for you. As women, we are constantly conforming to fit something; which can be a reasonable compromise, depending on the situation. But if you are consistently giving away what makes you you, just to please someone else.....not only does that disrespect you as a woman but it also dishonors you as a human being.

Be smart about your adjustments :)

Living

When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better - Anonymous

Maybe the reason you feel so empty is because you've sort of put your life on hold. You don't do much anymore, and you kind of just go day in day out with no drive or motivation.

This is a scary place to be because without a reason to live, or some motivation; you will find yourself on the edge of loneliness and depression.
Don't let it get to this!

Re-evaluate where you are, check-in with your spirit man, bring back to the surface those things that you once desired and after you've re-met your old self that once had dreams and aspirations..... Go for it!

It's a new day!

Lies

A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future. ~Author Unknown

We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us.
But know that every time we tell a lie, we feed into whatever it is that we fear .... We make it grow stronger.

And the crazier side of lying is that once you tell that lie; you end up spending the rest of your life paying for it; so you keep defending it. It's very addicting and only leads to an empty future.

Don't be that person that can never be trusted. Don't sell your sense of trust to the world of lies.
Get over your fears and start living...

Loss?

Stop looking at what you have lost, so you can see what you have.

Loss isn't easy. Because when you lose something, your mind automatically shifts into a place where you blame yourself (or come real close) for letting that thing or someone slip away.
There are some things, yes, that you could have done better but then there are others that you absolutely have NO control over.

So if you are about to lose something and you can feel it slipping away, and you know it's better for you if it's gone....then, by all means and for the sake of your sanity - gladly say goodbye. But if you have lost something or someone and you didn't have full control while you had it, then you certainly cannot do anything about it now that it's no longer in your possession.

However, the trick with loss is that if you aren't careful, you'll spend a whole lot of time in mourning and hardly anytime in living.

It is absolutely okay to have a grieving period, but as my husband will say "determine in your heart how long you will be in that timeframe. Because when that time comes, crying is over and real life begins"!

Don't get lost in loss; live fully with what you do have. Everything and everyone around you is counting on you ;). YOU are counting on you!

New ideas

I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones - John CageB

New ideas come with new responsibilities, accountabilities and expectations.
It's only human to want to keep trying to achieve the same results. The problem with that is...the method we are using may not be working. And it takes a couple of failures to figure that out. Or at least, that's all it should take.

At some point, you have to be willing to throw out the old formula, develop a new strategy and change the approach.

Don't allow the possibility of change to scare you. It might be just what you need to get moving.

Have a great day!

Life

You got to take the good with the bad; smile when you are sad; love what you got and remember what you had. Always forgive but never forget, learn from your mistakes but never regret. People change and things go wrong but things happens and life goes on...
- a wise person

It's not worth it taking all the baggage with you through life. At some point, you have to let it go and move on!

Happy Friday!

Friendship

Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your peers. The closer you come into relationship with another person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Except in cases of necessity, which are rare. Do not leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from their enemies; as they are sure ready to tell them - Oliver Wendall Holmes Jr

As friends, we are permitted to "tell the truth", yes; but some of us do take it to another level. We do it as a sense of entitlement....where we feel it is our right to intrude, disrespect a friends' emotions and violate their boundaries.
Sometimes, we don't need to say anything at all but step back, pray for them (Uhm, that still works by the way), and love them still!
There is no manual anywhere that says we are the voice of reason over them. That's God's job....

We always need to be careful how we relate messages to others because obviously their emotions are 100% involved and what, how and when we say whatever we say can either strengthen them or completely damage them. Your "truthful" statement can quickly go from a caring place to a fixing place, if not done right.

Be delicate with your friends; they will not only respect you but love you for it.

Priorities

If you know that you have a certain amount of commitments coming up within a time frame, it's really a matter of sitting down for a few minutes and prioritizing your time -Anne Lang

If we all had that magic wand (that none of us seem to find ;) ), we wouldn't need to put any energy into getting anything done. All it'll take would be a quick wave of the wand and voila....the job is done!

With each item on your list, and every task that you have going; you must prioritize its deliverable and attack its deadline with time management. It's the only way anything gets done! There isn't any special method out there, or any exceptional skill to be had....it all takes time, every single moment of it.

Now, because you know that this task must get done, and there is an expectation that lies upon you; how you manage your time, gather your resources, become/remain flexible and ready for any last minute changes, will determine the tenacity in which you will deliver!

Today

Everything you do prepares you for the next thing – John Abel

Each step takes you closer and closer to your goals. This is why it is important to choose wisely what each moment will represent and eventually manifest into.

It's doing the little things right that keeps this promise! Each challenge is a test for the next blessing. Your attitude on what happens today will determine your character on what tomorrow brings,
Also, as you align your present moment, your future will begin to look much more organized.

Remember, little by little, line upon line, moment by moment, day by day; and it all adds up!

Happy Monday!

Listen

Hear much and say little - Old Irish saying

There are a few people that do not fit into this category:

1) the ones who cannot wait for you to finish talking so they can tell you what you need to do

2) the ones who love the sound of their own voices and enjoy hearing themselves talk

3) the ones too busy in their own worlds that whenever they do come out and interact with someone else, it's all about them

It's amazing how much you can learn from just talking to someone and not talking at all. If you just learn to keep your mouth closed and your ears open, you can even pick up on the verbal and non-verbal communication.

Listening is an important attribute to learn and practice. Not only does it show that you are giving your undivided attention; it also shows that you care enough about them.

Happy Saturday!

Be encouraging

The spirited horse, which will try to win the race of its own accord, will run even faster if encouraged - Ovid

it's amazing what can happen if we just believed in ourselves, saw the best in others and helped people excel in their areas of expertise.

As much as some of us try not to get someone else's opinion on what we need to do; we have to admit that there comes a time when we need a little push, a little go-get-them word of encouragement.

And then for those of us who don't have it all together and have about a million things we do want to do; I encourage you to start narrowing it down by expectations and timelines and surround yourself with people that will help you excel.
Sometimes the idea is hanging in your creative world, waiting for a motivating word to jump start the whole process.

You can do it! Run fast, get it done!

Happy Friday!

Feelings

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth - Benjamin Disraeli

The only reason you are saying anything about how you feel is because that IS how you feel. You cannot feel bad for feeling. You shouldn't!
But what you can feel bad for is how you express them.

Feelings are 100% real....that's why they exist. Anyone who wants to make you un-feel isn't doing you justice. And that includes you too!
No matter what, never deprive yourself of fully expressing your emotions. Don't suppress it. Don't ignore it. Because guess what, the more you pretend that it isn't there or the more you allow others to push play, pause and stop on YOUR emotions; the scarier it will eventually manifest. Yes, one day it will... 😳

Happy Thursday!

The big person

He who forgives ends the quarrel - Anonymous

Have you ever gotten in an argument with someone and not only can that person never be wrong but they also don't believe in listening! They do all the yelling, cussing, screaming, accusing, etc and you can't even get a single word in!

We hear it all the time; be the bigger person.....be the bigger person! And then you do it and your fighting partner uses that chance to conclude that you are weak and not strong enough to handle a fight.

You, who is smarter and the bigger
person gets the advantage. Yes you do! When you walk away from a quarrel or hold your tongue during one; it shows your level of responsibility and maturity.... And you get to walk away with your peace of mind. Think about it. You don't have to do damage control because you didn't say much. You don't have to have another conversation about the last one because there was nothing said that you regret saying.

But what you will be held accountable for is forgiving what comes out of the other persons mouth. Yes, that's part of being the bigger person. Tough one....I know!

Enjoy your Wednesday :)

Execution

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. (Proverbs 16:2 KJV)

Everything we desire, every plan we come up with, every decision we land on, every idea that comes to mind - is all perfectly orchestrated and completely perfect by US.
As great as the plan may be and/or manifest, no one else will really know the intentions behind it.

There are different reasons why we do what we do. What motivates you? Where do you get your drive from? And who and where do you get counsel from before you execute a plan?

Whatever propels you, God will weigh it. You may be able to get away with the wrong intention/right plan in the natural but God knows all your thoughts before they even become actions.

The better way of going about getting things done is to put it before God first, allow Him to weigh it, walk you through it, give wisdom..... and it'll execute perfectly.
No more me-only-lens!

Happy Tuesday!

Relationships

What would happen if we woke up every morning with the intention of blessing others? How do you make, build on and maintain healthy relationships around you? What is your strategy in reaching out to others that you may not know or understand?

Three principles ----- responsibility, sensitivity and desire.

If we can practice these three things, we will be able to appreciate people for exactly who they are, and people will appreciate the things that God has placed specially in you.

Every day we attempt to explore into a new friendship or adventure but we often go into them with the absolute wrong intentions, completely skewed perspectives and really tainted ideas. We do this because it's easier to control how long, how deep and how far we invest in others.

But if we can follow these principles: responsibility (learning to follow-through), sensitivity (being able to discern and respond properly), and desire (be passionate about what you are doing); then I believe we will be able to make more relationships stand strong!

Happy Monday!

Hello world!

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal - Albert Camus

I am convinced that those of us who prefer to be alone do this for a few reasons. 1: we rather not be bothered or distracted by people and their problems, 2: we are afraid of being discovered for who really are, so we hide behind an unfriendly face that we put on often 3: others' opinions don't mean much to us, so really, they can keep it moving 4: no one else shares the same interests we do, so why even bother and 5: investing in someone else takes too much time and we rather use that time for our own interests.
Sound familiar, anyone ?

Hanging solo isn't wrong but depriving others of sharing your world with you is somewhat selfish. There are life lessons, ideas and plans that you have that others can and will gain from .... And vice versa!

You want to be remembered by the great things you have going, and the impact you have made in peoples' lives.
As much as you don't care about this; it's important to be selfless once in a while.

Allow the world to meet you :) and allow yourself to meet and build on new meaningful friendships as well.

Happy Sunday!

Free

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow - Helen Keller

Keep your eyes on the Lord and you won't see the demons that keep chasing you down.

We have all gone through things and had to face the consequences of them. For some of us, it seems as if we are still paying the debt.
I've got news for you.... A lot of that debt that we keep paying hasn't been a part of the bill for years. Guilt, shame, fear, and abuse has somehow made us feel that we are still under oppression and freedom isn't any day near.

At some point friends, we have to snap out of it and realize that there are some things that we can take care of; and there are others that are not even our problem to fix or change.

You have done all you can! Don't let the past and it's oppressive ways keep dragging you down into its hell-ish hole.

YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR in Christ Jesus!

Have a free ☺ day today!

Learning

Never let your persistence and passion turn into stubbornness and ignorance - Anthony J. D'Angelo

For example, in anything you pursue in life, you will come upon some kind or kinds of opposition. It's how you deal with them that matters. What you may want to do may truly be good and productive but the way you may be going about it might not be. Anyone around you could pick this up and give you some counsel in a different approach. How would you take the criticism?

It also may be a new area of adventure for you and people around you that have walked the same path and taken the same routes may advise you otherwise due to experience. What would you do with that information?

Some criticisms come harshly, some come constructively, and a lot do come with a bit of anger and jealousy. However, it is up to you to "take the meat and leave the bones".
Every now and then, we all need a little bit of a reality check that brings us to a humbling moment; and this is one way it's accomplished.

Don't let "me, myself and I" get in the way of your learning life lessons.

Enjoy your Friday good people!

Hope and Have

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for - Epictetus

It's like what we have is never enough. We spend a whole lot of time wishing, hoping, wanting and desiring something else when what we have is way beyond great and is desiring, wanting and hoping for some of that attention.

This is a very dangerous place to be, friends. Many of us have made the wrong decisions, taken the wrong moves, said the wrong things, taken the wrong job, left the right relationship, gone into the wrong one.... and on and on; simply because we can't seem to see and love well what is within, around us, before us and for us.

We need to be careful; one wrong move can take you 10 years behind in EVERYTHING!

Start appreciating what you have. Put all your attention into what's before you. Stop coveting.... It never ends smoothly!

Happy Thursday!

Courtesy

Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of the pleasures that costs nothing and conveys much. It pleases the one who gives and the one who receives, and thus, like mercy, it is twice blessed - Eratus Wiman

Being nice and polite to someone is evidence that you are a nice citizen of the world. It's all about the more you give - a selfless attitude.

To be gracious and courteous to a stranger, shows that you are connected to others around you and you are not emotionally on vacation on some island cut off from the rest of the world.

Remember that anything you do that causes you to step out of your self and do for someone else, think of another person, put other people before you is just another human act that creates more room for your blessings to come in.
It's just the way it works.

Happy Wednesday!

Relationships

Don’t settle for a relationship that won’t let you be yourself - Oprah Winfrey

This isn't just about a romantic relationship. This is about all kinds of relationships; friends, sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, work-related relationships etc..... If you always have to pretend to be someone else for the sake of being accepted or for status quo, not only will it be a really bad not-so-honest commitment of a relationship, it also leaves a huge opportunity for abuse, misuse and distrust.

Don’t sacrifice yourself all in the name of wanting to be loved and accepted, because if you sacrifice too much there will come a day when you will have nothing else that you will be able to give.

Relationships do not need promises, terms, and conditions. It just needs two wonderful people, who can trust, love, care for, think about and can understand each other.

Anything less or more than this is not the right relationship for you.

Happy Tuesday!

Living

Life is the continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations - Herbert Spencer

It's Monday!
Another day to marry your emotions with your outward realities. This is part of life and living. Things will always happen and people will always be there to make sure of it. It's how you respond AND react that counts!

Your outward reaction is a clear manifestation of your inner feelings. It's important that you process your emotions always before it starts acting out without your consent.

So wherever you are, whatever you face and with whomever you face it with; remember to stick to the plan.

Faith

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible - St. Thomas Aquinas

Faith is putting hope and power into that which we can not see now...but know we will see in the future.
To one who doesn't understand or has experienced this, it's very difficult to make this real for them.

To you who is familiar with how God makes miracles happen, and how great God's promises are, and how faithful God has been over your life, do not hesitate to keep practicing faith.

The more you keep it real for you, the sooner it'll become more and more real to the ones who are skeptical.

Happy Sunday!

Dreams

Anyone can dabble, but once you've made that commitment, your blood has that particular thing in it, and it's very hard for people to stop you — Bill Cosby

Think about something that you really want to do. This can be a really good idea or an extremely bad move.
However, know that the moment you stop dancing around the idea and actually set a decision to it, it'll take off into fruition. You will also find that there isn't much that anyone can say that will stop you. You may slow down but that's about it; especially if its a longtime aspiration.

Be careful though, where your thoughts and ideas lie. If you are dabbling with a bad idea, it may not help you well in the future if you decide to decide on it.
But if it's a positive decision, you'll start to see your dreams come to life the minute you put fuel behind it.

Think wisely, choose wisely, live well.

Happy Saturday!

Paranoia

Paranoia is the delusion that your enemies are organized
- Arthur D. Hlavaty

If you know someone who suffers from paranoia, you know that they are always on the edge; and always thinking something is going to go wrong any minute now.
It's a real reality for them.

It takes a lot to get them to come out of that mindset. It takes a lot of trying and trying from you and a lot of uncertainty and anxiety from them.

Be patient with them, pray for them, keep making them feel safe, stay close. You do this and you'll begin to see the change happen for them. Slowly and surely, that cloud of fear, anxiety, discomfort, unrest, and death will begin to wear off. You'll see!

A good friday to you.

Relationships

If a person wants to be a part of your life, they will make an obvious effort to do so. Think twice before reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.

While this might be true, friendships do not always start this way but some do end up this way, unfortunately.

I am a firm believer of maintaining relationships the best you can. Whether via phone, text, call, email or pictures; it is important to always put an effort in keeping your relationships alive and healthy. This also depends on the type of relationship too; because not all demand or need a constant checking-in. And there are some that will fall apart if a daily or every other day check-in is ignored.

But, if circumstances challenge the strength of your relationship with another friend, it's important to try to see if it's salvageable. If it is, I'm sure that it'll be with some boundaries; and if it's not, then it'll be with some emotional heartache and break-up.

No matter where you find yourself in the nature of your relationships, remember to take the best part of it and try to forget the worst part of it. Don't let the pain of the bad days ruin the memories of the great days you had.

Happy Thursday!

Revenge

If I were going to set out to oppress other people, I would surely prefer to select for my victims persons whose first response is forgiveness rather than persons whose first response is revenge - Jeffrey G. Murphy

Though it's much more fun to return the favor and more to someone who has treated you badly; it really doesn't ever feel like its enough. You always want to do more to get them back for what they did; especially when the other person doesn't show any sign of pain or even remorse.

That's because there is nothing you can do to make an evil person realize how evil they are. You can never inflict enough pain on them. You just can't....

BUT what they aren't expecting from you is pure forgiveness. You start forgiving, you start letting go and letting God, you start thinking of them less and the chains start breaking!

Quit giving the wicked your time and emotions. Disconnect yourself from the hold they once had on you, live your life in freedom and let them suffer in their evil ways! You don't have time for that! :)

Happy Wednesday!

Example

It is not our business to make the message acceptable, but to make it available. We are not to see that they like it, but that they get it - Dr. Vance Havner

While this sounds harsh, it's absolutely true!
Take the gospel for example. We spend a lot of time watering down the good news because we want it to be easy, quick, comfortable. Though it is the best decision to make, it also comes with a great conviction.
It is our job and responsibility to present it as it really is.

We try so hard to get people to get it, get saved, come to the Lord... But we forget to live out what we want them to come into. We may not realize it, but they are watching closely at our lives and the example we are.

If we are going to talk about how good God is, then let's really live like that. Let's start exercising the attributes of who our Father really is. Loving, kind, merciful, gracious, just, wise, caring etc.

Make the gospel available, challenge others, keep the door open, be a great example, and watch people follow you in :)

Happy Tuesday!

Living

No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it - George Washington Carver

I don't care how much you feel or say things like - that's not for me or someone else is better at that or it's not something I can do or it's not my calling or I'm not as brave as he or she is or if I just stay in the back, no one will notice.

Everyone has in them the desire to do something, no matter how big or small. And everyone has the ability to make some kind of impact on people they come in contact with. Whatever it is, it's something. If its a negative impact, of course you need to work on that :)

But life and living is day to day; Sunday through Saturday; sunrise to sunset; 365 days a year; 24 hours a day; no matter who you are, this stays the same for everyone. What happens in between is what counts! Make it worth it!

Happy Monday!

Disappointment

Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where they are had to begin where they were ~ Richard L. Evans

Don't beat yourself up if things don't work out.....everything usually doesn't work out the first time around. The key is getting back up and trying again.

Everyone has to experience some kind of rejection or withdrawal before things start working out again. It's a part of life.....

If you are down due to a disappointment, get up, pick up your emotions, re-charge, get excited again and give it one more shot.... Learn to adjust...

Happy Sunday!

Listen

I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure that you realize that what you heard is not what I meant - Robert McCloskey

Isn't it always safer to clarify what you think someone is saying? And for you to ask the listener what you think they heard you say...

Saves the drama, misunderstanding and confusion .....

Happy Saturday!

Success

The secret to my success is that I bit off more than I could chew and chewed as fast as I could — Paul Hogan

When you make a decision to step out and do something you want to achieve, check your mph (miles per hour) because depending on your speed, it could be a really fast, hard and lonely hit to the floor!

Now, if you do land hard, you have got to know how to get up and slow down as you adjust. Surround yourself with people that not only can but will give you good and Godly counsel. You are going to need it!

Happy Friday folks! Be good out there :)

Gain

It’s not that I’m so smart,
it’s just that I stay with problems longer - Albert Einstein

Don't be so quick to quit; don't walk away; don't give up yet; don't throw in the towel....

When dealing with challenges and obstacles, patience isn't the only factor you are faced with; you are also tested on how much experience you will gain from that moment. If you walk away before it even starts, you will leave that moment with more negative emotions than you came in with.
But if you relax, hang in, stay the course, fight through the moment; you will gain knowledge, wisdom, intellect, and all the other positive emotions that it brings!

Happy Thursday!

Plan

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday - Proverbs quotes

Worrying doesn't got us anywhere but stressed out! Each day certainly arrives with its own package. What we do with and about it is what is important.

Definitely think about tomorrow and plan today's doings to support tomorrow's journey. But don't spend all today's precious time in depression; not knowing what you'll do when tomorrow comes. Today misses your attention too!

Happy Tuesday!

Destiny

It was my Mum who got me into singing properly - she knew I had to do something with my voice because she knew I was talented. She was the one who pushed me into joining a choir all those years ago, when I was about 12. I remember she told me to start with the choir and just see where it took me - Susan Boyle

It's pretty much the little steps that get you to the big ones. Nothing well earned or deserved is given to you free of charge. You've got to put in the work...

What's even better is when someone that knows the potential in you helps propel you into your passion and hence your destiny.

Don't take these two for granted.... Hard work and a helping hand.

Happy MLK Jr Day!

Opinions

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it - Voltaire

You will always have people who may respect you but could really care less about how you feel about anything. Or you might be that person who doesn't really care for others' opinions.

Well, you don't have to like what people have to say BUT it is their right to and their opinion counts just the same.

It's our human right to allow people the space to express themselves. You just never know what you can gain from them, if you never let them talk. And you don't want to create a culture about you that cultivates fear, anxiety or discomfort.

People need to be comfortable at all times, being free.

Happy Sunday!

You, again

No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true - Nathaniel Hawthorne

I can imagine how eventually, it can get confusing for some that are professional at being someone else every single time. Not only is it exhausting for the people around you that try to keep up; but it's also emotionally draining as well, because on any given day, they are not sure who they are going to meet.

I personally think (I have friends like this) that people pretend to be someone else based on who they are around and the reputation they want to maintain within those relationships. It's a sad combination of masking the real person inside for fear of being discovered; and having a very low self- confidence.

One day, you will find yourself defenseless and you'll have a hard time acting.
If you are this type of person, I suggest you give it up, quit playing games with yourself, stop creating these multiple lives and just be you.

Happy Saturday!

Live

Everyone has a story, make your own worth telling - Patrick Ricketts

Years from now when you are remembered, hopefully you are not thought of as someone else.
We've heard the saying "if you are running around being someone else, who is being you?".

Each one of us are created unique and especially different. You cannot afford to allow fear of failure hold you back from expressing who you are made to be.

Embrace you, be that, please God, live, be bold and let every critic watch you excel! Make every story count! Make your life worth it!

Happy Friday :)

Respect

If you put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world would not raise your price." - author unknown.

Having a self esteem is very important, as it determines how you express yourself. Now, the volume of how much of a self esteem you have is much more important because it portrays your emotions either positively or negatively.

But, it's not enough to just say how you see yourself; it's all about how you express it, and how you allow others to handle you.
People will only do what you allow them to do. And they should also not do what you don't appreciate. But it's your job to hold the world to the standard of your worth! Remember, you lead and we follow; therefore, lead with self-respect!

Happy Thursday!

Live

Courage is about doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared - Eddie Rickenbacker

Ever felt passionate, nervous, certain and scared about something all at the same time?

That's what dreaming and pursuing your dreams can feel like to some. Know that none of those feelings are bad; they are completely normal.

The hardest part is stepping out in faith and just doing it. But you'll find that once you do, it'll pay off. Those feelings may still be there to some degree but at least you are now in front of the line: no more dreaming....and off to living out the dream.

Have a great Wednesday!

More than enough

Believe, when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you to do in the world. So long as you can sweeten another's pain, life is not in vain - Helen Keller

It's at the moments that you don't "feel" like it that God plants you where you are needed. Where you can be a blessing to someone else even if you don't think you have what it takes.

I will like to encourage you to trust God and trust those moments; because it's amazing how much of an impact it makes and what the ripple effect brings too!

You are much more than you think you are.... Be bold about it!

Happy Tuesday!

Dreaming???

You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do - Henry Ford

It's time to start doing what we are going to do. Time to be who we are supposed to be.

No more excuses on how hard it is in making it work. Or how expensive it's going to get. Or how unworthy you are of such a task. No more!

Figure out what you are going to do, narrow down your thoughts, plan out your strategy, get out of "dream/vision" state of mind and get it done!

Happy Monday!

Listen

I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening - Larry King

Learning to stay quiet takes practice. It's not something that comes naturally for some of us; it's truly not a common trait. But it is something that is needed a lot; that is, if we want to be successful in coordinating people's emotions with their actions.

Talking to or at people doesn't really solve anything. It could actually escalate their emotional state for the worse and nothing would be accomplished, as a result.

Learn to listen and things could and would get resolved faster.

Selfless

Believe that there's light at the end of the tunnel. Believe that you might be that light for someone else - Yamada

There are some people in this life that need you as a friend, need your counsel, need your help or need your expertise.

It's your job to be selfless, available and open to others and their needs.
You'll find that as you open yourself to others, you'll make things available for you too.

Happy Saturday!

Respect

A man who cannot respect a woman is not a real man. Any man who thinks a woman is either a sex object or a baby factory is low self-esteemed, disrespectful to women including his mother, and shouldn't be with you!

A real good man helps his woman to bring out the best in her life and not diminish or oppress her. He helps her fulfill her dreams and doesn't persuade her to give it up for his own.

Ladies, recognize who you are in God! You should never live up to a man's standard.... Man didn't create you, God did!
Quit mistreating yourself by allowing the "fool" to treat you how he wants to.

Get a grip, pick up your things, and if you can ...today... Walk away from all the foolishness and put the value back on you.
You, yes you, are absolutely worth it!

Happy Friday!

Loss or open door

Every time there are losses, there are choices to be made. You choose to live your losses as passages to anger, blame, hatred, depression and resentment, or you choose to let these losses be passages to something new, something wider, and deeper ~ Henri Nouwen

We certainly can't win everything, though we may want to. The test of character comes when the loss happens.

It all depends on how you handle each situation. We should be growing from every experience, but sometimes that's not the case.

How do you handle loss? Do you go off acting absolutely outside yourself? Or do you find an open door in the midst of that loss....in hopes for newness and restoration?
It's all up to you!

Happy Thursday!

Dreams

Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about ~ Unknown

They say "whenever you wake up and this one (positive) thing is always on your mind, then that's what you ought to be doing".
This is true...

Don't let life disappoint your dreams and don't get carried away with other distractions. Instead, re-group...reset your planning clock and start working on achieving those goals, dreams, ideas as if you just desired them.

It's important that you don't let them go to waste or you'll find yourself wishing you were somewhere else, being bitter about where you are and unappreciative of others blessings.

Dream again :)

Priorities

Check your priorities: If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got. It’s not enough to be busy....the real question is, what are we busy about?

You can't spend all of your time hoping it'll get better, wishing something different will happen, or thinking that change is coming.

At some point in time, you've got to stop looking so busy when you really aren't doing anything progressive. You need to rise above the foggy state and get things done.....this is how you start seeing positive results that can and will make life easier and livable.

Happy Tuesday!

Begin

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do - Eleanor Roosevelt

Sometimes in life we go through something that forces us to face the reality of certain situations. It could be a poor financial situation, bad eating habits, health crisis, or a relationship gone badly. But it’s not about the ups and downs of life but it’s how you deal with them that matters.

Just stay strong, have faith, and know that whatever your situation is shall pass one day. Amen!

Happy Monday and go get it!

Experience

Experience is not what happens to a man, it is what a man does with what happens to him ~ Aldous Huxley

Every single one of us has stories to tell about things we have been through, the challenges we have faced and how we have overcome some and still working through others.
It's worth going through when you come out victorious and you gain something from it. For all life's challenges, you have to be able to take something good from it. Otherwise, you'll find that you will have to take the test again (somehow and someway).

Learn well :)

Happy Sunday!

Patience

If you pay attention at every moment, you form a new relationship to time. In some magical way, by slowing down, you become more efficient, productive, and energetic, focusing without distraction directly on the task in front of you. Not only do you become immersed in the moment, you become that moment - Michael Ray

This is a very important life lesson to learn. It doesn't pay to be in haste about anything. Most of the time, slowing down helps you stay involved, in the moment and part of the experience.

Be patient :)

Happy Saturday!

Fight

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! - unknown

Lol

Sometimes, you just need to be ready for trouble! Don't always get so beat up by life and all of its drama! Gear up and fight back sometime :)

Happy Friday good people!

Fear?

Sometimes you need to run away .... Just to see who will come for you - unknown

Ever being in a relationship where you feel as if you are the only one who is holding on? Do you feel smothered, trapped? Are you terrified of being alone? Or do you feel or know for sure that the other person doesn't love you anymore?

This is a sad but a very real reality for many. The great and awesome thing is that you DO NOT have to remain there. If you can truly answer yes to the above questions, then it's time to re-evaluate the conditions of your relationship.

No one should ever make you feel less than you are... And that includes you! The moment you start to feel inadequate, disrespected, unloved, belittled, unimportant etc.... Somehow, somewhere, you need to muscle up some strength and ask God to show you how He sees you. And that my friend, is your only mirror and standard to live by.
Nothing less!

Happy Thursday!

Pretend

The same one who laughs and talks a lot and seems very happy is also the one who may cry themselves to sleep - Unknown

The key word is "seems".

It's probably easier for some to pretend to be well-balanced, stable, confident and strong. Especially, if they are around other people who are.

I want to say to the not-so-strong. If you can, learn and try to be yourself. It'll soon get exhausting faking it. And although you don't believe this, your true friends and the real honest ones that you will soon meet will accept you just for who you are!

Remember, God desires for you to be all of who He created you to; ..... not your own version of it.

Happy Wednesday!

New year!

New Year's day is like every other day; there is no pause in the order of things, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no one has quite the same thoughts this day as they would on any other day (revised).

We don't have to wait for January 1st to make adjustments and changes in our lives. Goals are or should be set often and adjustments are made even more often. The first of the year comes with a lot of pressure, especially since 99% of the whole world is pretty much thinking about the same thing.

If you have already set your goals, don't change or feel the need to add some more to them; instead stay focused and continue achieving them. If you haven't set your goals, don't panic! If you can, try to enjoy these next few days and forget about making any drastic goals. It'll take the pressure off. Then in a few days/weeks in; revisit the idea and get some solid goals in place.

Remember, it isn't just about making resolutions; it's all about keeping them. So it really doesn't matter when you declare them, but it absolutely matters how you perform them!

Happy new year!

Extend love

Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again - Og Mandino

None of this "if you did that for me, then I'll do this for you." Or "if you weren't there for me when I was down and out; don't expect me to show up for you." Or "since I was the one that called you the last time; then you should be the one calling me this time."

Whatever happened to missing someone and you pick up the phone and call. Or blessing someone with some cash; but not expecting it back or back with interest. Or just exercising some good ol' fashioned kindness and friendliness.

If you have ever tried loving someone else and giving of yourself freely; then you know how rewarding it gets. On the other hand, if you do not practice this often, then you are unfortunately living a life that isn't very pleasing to God and is hence limiting you of heavens blessings.

This is a big one ..... Meditate on it ;)

Happy Monday and New Years Eve!

Laugh

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people - Victor Borge

Don't be so mean-looking all the time. Things are just not that serious. It's ok to laugh a little, and a lot :) - try it!

One of my mentors would say "smile a while and give your face a rest"!

It's good to have a sense of humor. You can be much more approachable and friendly if your attitude isn't so tight all the time!

Happy Sunday!

Vision

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us - Alexander Graham Bell

Don't get too caught up in life's challenges. Learn to pick out the good from every situation, wipe your tears and prepare to reboot! Clear your thoughts of negativity and press on forward to better things.

But, know when God says no, nobody can say yes AND when God says yes to another possibility, trust Him and live it out!

Happy Saturday!

You

I always knew I wanted to become somebody when I grew up. Now I realize I should have been more specific - Lily Tomlin

If you continue in life with an "undecided major"; you will always be labeled as a part of the masses. Nothing different, nothing extraordinary.

You have got to decide how special and different you want to be. You don't have to be a public figure; but you should be a person of great influence.

If you don't set this goal and follow it through, you will find that you will blend right in with everyone else, nothing will distinguish you from the other person and you'll be just an anybody!

Be specific and become the you you need to be!

Happy Friday!

Offense

You can't avoid offending people from time to time. When you don't mean it, apologize. When you do mean it, accept the consequences - Eric Zorn

Of course, there are some people that can't help but be offended by everything you do but as leaders, be conscious to them and sensitive to feelings.

It's not worth having to always apologize if you can control your responses to them and it's not worth always being over sensitive if you can avoid it all together.

Mercy triumphs over judgement.

Happy Thursday!

Plans

Just remember that if you're not working at your game to the utmost of your ability, there will be someone out there somewhere with equal ability who is. And one day you'll play each other, and he'll have the advantage — Ed Macauley

Last night, my brother shared with me how he stayed motivated and focused in his early years with going to school and getting it done! And how friends from the past who had the same opportunities like him made a decision (back then) to party, go out with girls, drink etc while he made the decision to stay-in studying.
Sadly, the same friends who did "other things" now call him for monetary assistance.

If you continuously neglect what needs to be done, you'll end up always looking for a hand-up.

Prioritize well and success will be yours!

Happy Wednesday!

Merry Christmas

It was about this time in 2009; I was preparing to have my first "Righteous Woman" brunch. Tho, I was extremely nervous, I am glad that I got over it and made it happen.
For that I have to thank my wonderful and really amazing hubby - Gene Quiocho for always encouraging me to keep doing what needs to be done. I also want to acknowledge a few specific people who with much prayer and great motivation, propelled me to "just do it" - Gene Quiocho Lynn Emma Shimuli Hoskins Liz Oseso Erika Price, Shelia Spencer, Amani Love, Mel Drake, Marcy Lawani, Verisedale Green Treva Reid, Lori Archie Priscilla QuiochoSandra Uwa (to name a few).

Because of this, we reach about 100 women and men daily with words of encouragement via blog, text, email and other forms of social media.

Thank you to all the readers (here in the states and abroad) and to my awesome mentor Margueritte Champion for keeping me focused and in the right direction. Lots of love !!

I appreciate everyone for all of your support over the years; you too have been a blessing to me!
Remember, "Righteous Living" is a deliberate action to live a life that pleases God not man. And that, my friends is worth living for.

Merry Christmas to you and your families.

Giving

Some of the biggest challenges in relationships come from the fact that most people enter a relationship in order to get something: they're trying to find someone who's going to make them feel good. In reality, the only way a relationship will last is if you see your relationship as a place that you go to give, and not a place that you go to take - Anthony Robbins

It can be frustrating if you are always the giver in any kind of relationship; and on top of the world if you are always the receiver.

Relationships (or any type of commitment/covenant that you go into with another person) have and always will be two-sided. One person isn't emotionally able to sustain the needs, care and attention that both people need and desire.

So, do your part and learn to be a giver; and a good one too! Don't worry about what you get in return; God will take of that ;)

Happy Monday!

Mistakes

A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them - John C. Maxwell

You may be able to get away with covering your wrong doings for a little while. But there will come a time when you will not be trusted for anything you do or say if you don't start admitting to your mistakes.

Admitting to your mistakes keeps your integrity, makes you respectable and allows you to be trustworthy.

Happy Sunday!

You

The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others - Dr Sonya Friedman

People will only do to you what they see you do to yourself. If you honor yourself and respect yourself, folks will do the same.

And on the other hand, if you de-value your opinions and your self worth, then that's what you will get from others.

There are definitely some people that will try to dampen your joy for sure BUT if you are solid in your frame of mind; nothing will shake you.

Remember, your ultimate standard is God's love for you. If no one comes anywhere close to that; then they aren't worth your time :)

Happy Saturday and be safe out there!

Pray

Don’t settle for anybody just to have someone. Set your standards. What kind of love do you want to attract? List the qualities you really want in the relationship. Develop those qualities in yourself and you will attract a person who has them - Louise Hay

Being desperate will lead you to a deadly relationship. It's important that you reflect on your intentions to "date"; because if it's just to have a bf/gf because supposedly everyone else has one....then you are in trouble.

Listen, please pray hard, think carefully, get counsel and listen to what you have to say about you; before such a serious decision.

You will be glad you did! ;)

Kind

Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle - Philo of Alexandria

Think about how many folks you walk by, pass by, bump into, talk to on the phone etc.

Then think about you.... And how somedays are tougher than the last. Or how you could often use a good Samaritan. Or how a single phone call could make things better. Or how a "hi, I'm checking on you" from a friend/family makes all the difference!

In that respect, try your hardest to express a bit more compassion and sympathy when you meet others.... You too might need it someday.

Happy Thursday

Strength

Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles - Alex Karras

Sometimes we look at people and how they look and we immediately assume that they are weak or can't handle challenges in life.

You never know what someone can handle until you see them come out of it or hear them talk about it.

Often times, the "tough" sounding and "tough" looking are actually quite fearful and un-brave.

Strength is within, not on the outside.

Happy Wednesday good people!

Love

Love your neighbor as yourself - Bible

We have all heard the saying - "do unto others as you will have them do unto you". This is very true.

You can only do what you know. The way you treat others, is a reflection of how you think about yourself.

This is not something that happens once a year, it's something you practice for a lifetime.

Love yourself, and take that same love (100fold) and extend it to the person next to you - with no reservations.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Something different

Look for the good and praise it - Unknown

How often do we find yet another reason to avoid someone? How many times do we continuously judge someone by what they did to us yesterday, 3 months ago, 5 years ago?

Here's our challenge for the week: don't find someone new...but go to or call someone we already know that we have judged (maybe rightfully so); and try something different.

Find something good in them, because everybody has at least one; and praise them for it.

Yep.... Let's try something different to a familiar person :)
Can we do it?

Happy Monday all!

Help

The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say, What are you going through? - Simone Weil

Yes... And if you do say it, mean it!

Imagine how many people we pass by each day with no idea as to what they are facing and going through.

Every now and then, slow down. Think of someone else and really care about where they are in life. If you can help - make no excuses, don't hesitate - go right ahead and extend a hand.

Because one day....regardless of how rich, popular, important, or confident ... you too will need someone to do for you the same.

Happy Sunday!

Efforts

Enthusiasm is the mother of effort, and without it nothing great was ever achieved - Ralph Waldo Emmerson

If you are excited about something, you will easily achieve it. If its something you aren't passionate about, then it'll be equally as difficult to accomplish it.

If its important, you will find a way to make your efforts match your enthusiasm.... Right?

Happy Saturday!

Excellence

Excellence is never an accident; it is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities - Anonymous

Yea.... I wish we could just snap our fingers and excellence arrives!

But yup....sorry, you actually have to put in the work! :)

Good Friday!

Children

A child needs both to be hugged and unhugged. The hug lets her know she is valuable. The unhug lets her know that she is viable. If you’re always shoving your child away, they will cling to you for love. If you’re always holding them closer, they will cling to you for fear.” ~ Polly Berrien Berends

Children are our full responsibilities. The way they turn out as adults is a combination of how we raise them and the choices they will make.

With prayer, love and a balanced upbringing, let's make sure that the choices they do make are governed by the way we raise them.

Happy Thursday!

Ruler

Its always a good thing to thank God for being the Lord of your life.

We do this often especially when something is going good for us .....but can we say that He is the lord OVER our lives?

Who or what do we go to for direction, guidance, counsel, faith or our needs? Whatever your answer is is the ruler over your life.

Matthew 6:24 - No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.

Happy Wednesday!

Pain or praise?

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning - Louis L'Amour

We often feel, when we go through something, that the end has come; and if it hasn't, then surely it's near.

What's really happening is that we are growing up and while the pain is excruciating, it's not going to kill us!

Think of the situation as the end of a chapter; and tomorrow, the beginning of another - a brighter one!

Happy Tuesday!

Decisions

I had a frustrating moment yesterday cos it's been hard getting my workout schedule back to its normal routine since baby #1 BUT I decided today, with the help of my Beachbody coach, Gene Quiocho that I am going to continue to make it a daily priority, plan it in and work it out.
With a combination of the best meal replacement drink out there - Shakeology, my workout partner and my consistent choice of healthy eating; l am confident and well on my way. What about you?

Wanna know more about how I'm doing it, what I'm doing and where I work out? Send me a message and you'll see how easy it is!

Weaknesses?

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do - John R. Wooden

My husband always says "if you spend a lot of time working on your weaknesses, you are wasting time on your strengths". Meaning, if you are constantly trying to make your weaknesses strong; you'll find that you are doing absolutely nothing with your strengths.

His strategy - surround yourself with people that are strong at the things you cannot do; get them to do that work and you focus your energy on what you are good at. Coincidentally, you will find that your strengths are their weaknesses.

It's a win-win situation..

Happy Monday!

Fight

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them - Orison Swett Marden

If you want it to mean something to you, you've got to get up sometime and get it!

You will never fully understand the weight of the victory if you never personally experienced the blood and sweat that comes with the battle.

Therefore, no more sitting back and getting lazy..... Get up, grab a hold of life and start living - for you!

Happy Sunday folks!

Abuse

Abuse as you know comes in different forms.... And the more you abuse a person, the less and less their confidence, identity and self esteem drops.

But there comes a day that it'll reach its full capacity. A person can only handle so much pain, getting pushed away, and forgotten about until they have just about had enough. And as soon as they gather the strength to, they'll very easily walk right out of your life as fast and they came into it.

Don't be taken for granted, don't settle for crazy, don't submit to less than you are called to be. It's just not that serious!

Happy Saturday good ppl!

Family

After all, what is a pedestrian? He is a man who has two cars-one being driven by his wife, the other by one of his children. ~ Robert Bradbury

Hahaha

Happy Friday all!!

Happy or jealous?

We all want to be the kind of people who are happy for others when they experience success or a cause for celebration in their lives, but it isn’t always easy.

Sometimes other feelings come up that would try to make us feel the opposite. Instead of reaching out and celebrating with our loved one, we may feel the rising up of our own pain.

This pain may arise because we feel jealous of our friend for having something we don’t have (even though we may not want to believe that it is a little bit of jealousy). It may arise because our friend’s success will lead to us losing them in some way. And it may arise for reasons we don’t yet understand.

The important thing is not to brush it under the rug, but to take it seriously and look at it; suppressing it may make it worse.

Extending ourselves to celebrate the happiness of others requires a generosity of spirit that will pay off in your time of success.

Hang-ups

Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs —Charlotte Brontë

I know a few people like this who completely enjoy harboring issues and take mental records of the hurt they just so there is something to be mad at someone about! They absolutely refuse to forgive, they don't even want to address the problem (if any); but choose to stay angry.

What good does that do to you if all that resentment is eating you up inside, and not causing you to grow emotionally?

People will always aggravate you .... (thats life) BUT how often will you aggravate you? (that's a choice of self-control).

Happy Wednesday!

Friends

“I value the friend who for me finds time on their calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult the calendar.” - Robert Brault

Yes, we get busy BUT it's nice when you call up a friend and they go ahead and find the time to just "kick it". And not having to call the secretary to schedule "hang out" time or wait for them to check their calendars first.
Real friends are still into the kind of friendships that are "reliable".

There are other ways too to maintain relationships if time doesn't permit you sooner (calling, texting, sending pictures, emailing etc). So no excuses ....

Meditate on this :)

Wise choice ;)

The just is close to the people's heart, but the merciful is close to the heart of God - Khalil Gibran

To be just is to demonstrate sufficient legal reason for (an action taken); to demonstrate or prove to be just, right, or valid.

To be merciful is to be full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish; unwilling to give pain; compassionate.

As you enter this week, think on these two definitions; as you may be faced with a choice to exercise one of them. The question is, which will it be?
Choose wisely ;)

Happy Monday!

Friendship

Friendship must never be buried under the weight of misunderstanding - unknown

You know friendships face all kinds of ups and downs and everyone knows if and when a friendship can be saved .... No matter what challenges you face.

Sometimes we can work towards re-building broken friendships and sometimes we choose to walk away from them.

Whatever you do, make sure you heal from the hurt or you reconcile with your friend. The friendship part may not go the way you imagined but don't walk away not making peace :)
Or at least try....

Happy Sunday!

Same person?

Do not grow overconfident following a few victories. Should you not rely upon the Holy Spirit you will soon be thrown once more into a distressing experience. With holy diligence you must cultivate an attitude of dependency - Watchman Nee

It is truly by the grace and mercy of God that we get through these different life challenges that we face.

Remember how humble, prayerful, quiet, trusting, and full of faith you were during the hard times? Well, don't change now that you've come over some of those hurdles.

Be consistent in the condition of your heart because it's really what's inside that manifests itself on the outside ..... AND that my friends, speaks a lot about a person and that is really what counts!

Happy Saturday!

Woman

Hey woman, you are a precious gift from God to the world. You are creative, compassionate, intelligent, and, according to the Bible, equal to men.

But years of abuse and wrong views of women have caused many of us to lose the confidence God wants us to enjoy. You may feel that you're somehow "less" than men. Less valuable. Less worthy. The truth is, you are very valuable - to society, but more importantly to God. God wants you to be courageous, respected, admired, promoted, sought after, and most of all, loved. And you can be! You are entitled to will a confident life filled with love, laughter and His acceptance. Write on your life. Highlight it. Make the journey your own - Joyce Meyer

Resentment

As smoking is bad for the lungs; so is resentment. Even one puff is bad for you - Elizabeth

The dictionary says "to resent" is "to take strong exception to (what is thought to be unjust, unfair, etc.),". I feel that resentment goes much further than that.

Resentment is a poisonous emotion that eats away at a person's peace of mind, their mental well-being, and their ability to treat others well. It is a lack of acceptance and a lack of forgiveness.
It says a while lot about the person who resents, but very little about the people or actions that are resented.

I pray that we will have the strength of character that'll give us the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, to forgive quickly and move on.

Happy Thursday!

Education

If someone is going down the wrong road, they don't need motivation to speed them up. What they needs is education to turn them around - Jim Rohn

It's good to tell someone not to do something wrong or bad but telling them why definitely opens their eyes to your advice.

That way it doesn't seem like you are a constant opposition (I've been there) ...... but helps them see that you care .... That you are a friend.

Happy Wednesday!

Temptation

Resisting Temptation: Avoid places, people, and things that tempt you.

"Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Romans 13:14 NKJV); "Do no think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (NIV)

You already know your own weaknesses.
If you often give in to a certain sin when you are in a certain place, don't go near that place.
If certain friends pull you down, don't go with them. If you regularly buy something that is destroying you morally, spiritually, physically, or financially, shop at a different store. If something in your home tempts you beyond your ability to resist, get rid of it.
If your debt is out of control, cut up your credit cards.

Sounds easier said than done but it's as simple as that. You have to make a mental note to resist it so when the temptation arises, your memory will remind you of your promise/covenant with yourself and God.

You can do it..... I believe in you!

Happy Tuesday!

Attitude

Attitude is the way you look at things around you. A positive disposition towards experiences shapes you for the rest of your life. Success and happiness largely depends on your attitude. Needless to say what the results will be if you keep a winning attitude.

Attitude is the way you mentally look at the world around you. It is how you view your environment and your future. It is the focus you develop toward life itself.

Be conscious of your attitude. Work extra hard at keeping your attitude positive in all kinds of weather and through all the challenges that life brings.

Happy Monday!

Priority

We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to humanity - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yea...money is good and riches help but no one will remember you by how much money you make.

What lasts longer ALWAYS is how you treat people. If relationships are important to you, then how people feel when they are around you should be a priority.
And that doesn't cost a thing! :)

Happy Sunday!

Time

Be on time: better three hours too soon than one minute too late - William Shakespeare

Yes.... People will always remember you for being late, or a procrastinator, or someone who doesn't meet their deadlines. But you will always be appreciated if you prepare ahead, show up early to help, are on time and reliable.

It is true that time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

Whether its your time or others', use it wisely and respectfully.

Happy Saturday!