Ring the Alarm....Time to MOVE...

When I prepped my mind for this blog entry, I was thinking of something completely different. In my quest to inspire and speak from my soul, I often will go off of what I feel. At times though, the learned lessons need to be shared and that is more valuable than opinion.  I’m sure that everyone can attest to that perfect feeling of complete rest in your sleep. It’s like even though you’ve been sleeping for a while, this part of your sleep feels like the best rest you’ve ever had. Something about it puts you at inexplicable ease. It’s as if you’re in a quicksand of sleep. Usually at this time is when that screeching and annoying sound thrusts you out of your euphoric slumber….the ALARM! The alarm not only wakes you up….it pulls you out of that comfortable place whether you want to get up or not. It waits for the certain time…the appointed time…and snatches you up.

 This was a trying week for me. The week that I had set out for myself escaped my memory as my reality set in. Issues surfaced everywhere I turned, and some of the support that I thought I had, completely crumbled. Lately, I’ve been unshakeable and thrive on consistently moving forward, but sometimes, you have to take a step back and reflect on what’s going on in your life. I took the time to do that and all of a sudden, despite this week’s occurrences, the alarm clock that sprung me out of my slumber and comfort, didn’t feel so uncomfortable anymore.

God works in the very same way as the alarm clock. So many people have dreams and desires that they want to accomplish, but are waiting for the right time. They’re waiting until they have the right amount in their bank account. They’re waiting until their major problems are over and their lives are a little calmer. They’re waiting for the right time of year because they’ve made it up in their minds that that would be a good time to leave. The truth is, being comfortable is just as much of a detriment as anything else. No matter how much you may want to move, that comfort, and sometimes fear, will allow you to stay where you are. When God has a plan for you, He will pluck you from where you are and take you to where He has already ordained you to be to reach newer heights than ever before. You have desires and dreams that He’s placed in your heart. That passion that drives you is what He instilled in you. Therefore, if you aren’t moving, He will move you. Your job is to put your seatbelt on, trust Him, and take everything you can from the journey. Like a rollercoaster that’s descending at lightning speed, you may be frightened and filled with anxiety, but just like you’re sure that no matter how fast it goes, it will catch you at the bottom and pull you right up, God will do the same.


This week, I urge you to be strong in the trials you may face. It may just be the best thing that happens to you and the alarm that you need to wake you up, get you out, and move you forward.

Until next time...keep the forward movement....

Innocent until proven guilty?

This morning I had the pleasure *insert eye roll and deep sigh* to fulfill my request (really I had no choice, lol) to attend my summons for jury duty. As I got on the highway, my mind was filled with thoughts of how I could get back into bed and indulge in 30 more minutes of euphoric rest. Seeing as how this wouldn't happen, I shifted my thoughts into getting through the day and focusing on more positive things. I turned on the radio, listened to one of my favorite morning shows, laughed out loud several times, and begin to round out my professional court room look. As I took the time and pride to ensure that my presentation would be an appeasing one, I thought of how important it is to have the "right look".


Whether we want to admit it or not, people are being judged and judge everyday. You are, sometimes, solely judged on the way you present yourself, even if you haven't opened your mouth yet. In a world where we're so focused on the outside, I wondered how much that affected our inside.
At the beginning of jury duty, they gave us an orientation. Amongst the basic information, a worker explained that the judge, as well as lawyers, would be asking questions to ensure that the jurors’ selected would be in no way biased. My thoughts fell into wondering how one ever knows if they're bias. Do we ever really give someone a fair shot and only look at the facts stated? We think we do it everyday. We walk around carelessly, exuding openness, but the moment someone "looks dangerous", all of that free thinking goes out of the window and we clutch our purses and keep our fingers on the lock button in our car doors. If a woman walks in scantily clad, people automatically treat her as if she's less than, because she doesn't "look respectable" or worthy of such a thing. If a man steps out of a vehicle that is completely run down, he doesn't garner the same respect as the man who steps out of the Mercedes. To most people, he's just the "average Joe" so why give him any more than a passing glance.


In no way do I think any of this is fair, but I do believe that this is the way that people are programmed to be. Until we start changing our thinking (and this is a day by day process for life, I might add), we will never be at the point where we can accept people without setting them up for failure with our version of what they are supposed to look like and be. I will say this however, and for me, it's what's most important: because we do live in a society that is based on looks and the way you present yourself, you must understand that and act accordingly. The way that you present yourself is the way that you will inevitably be perceived. It's one thing to have less than, because that has nothing to do with who you are and can't change overnight, but it's another thing to NOT take pride in the way that you look. If you want to be taken seriously at a business meeting, don't walk in with sneakers and baseball cap. If you want to be the face of ladies motivation everywhere, respect yourself enough to look, act, and be a lady. You always have a choice, but always accept personal responsibility in the fact that you made the choice and everything that comes with it belongs to you....whether you want it or not.


Allow yourself to be the juror of your life and treat people the way you want to be treated: with respect, honor, and complete innocence…until proven guilty.

Until next time...keep the forward movement...

True Love....

"We come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly"- Sam Keen.  

If I was asked what my favorite love quote is, the above would surely be among the first to come to me.  When I think of love, TRUE love, what comes to mind is sacrifice.  I define true love as loving someone when things aren't going so well; loving someone when they're at their lowest point; loving someone when you can't afford to purchase anything other than being in each other's presence and enjoying each other on the comfort of your couch.  To truly love, is to find pleasure in the simplicity that lies with truly being comfortable with each other enough to be open and transparent.  It has to be enough to love each other through the flaws that only emotions and a deep connection will allow you to accept.  

It's so easy to love someone when they're riding high.  The true test and admission of your love comes from all the events that aren't so easy.  Think about it: it's easy to be so in love when everything is going right.  You'll never have a problem getting used to the things that are enjoyable and easy.  What's not going to be easy is loving that person through times when they're struggling, when they haven't found themselves, through family issues, or unforseen negative situations.  If you can stick around for that, it ends up being a testament of your love and caring for that person.  

So often, people get together because things seem to "fit".  They work well together and it "makes sense."  Unfortunately, true love, inconvenient, all-consuming, never-ending love asks for so much more than the logistics to work together.  It asks for two people to be committed to the love that they have for each other and the work that it'll take to keep and develop it. 

Define for yourself what you believe true love to be ...whether you have it or are waiting for it; you'll never have to question it.

Live. Laugh. LOVE...TRULY.

Until next time...keep the forward movement...

The REAL Deal...

In a world where good looks and sex appeal thrive over brains and morals, I wondered how important it is to have the perfect figure. The media bombards us with visions of what the female body should like: big breasts, a small waist, and an ample behind or a walking supermodel in a size 0. Unfortunately, everyone is not built like that. Most people actually aren't. Because of what we're shown, many women are choosing to alter their body in order to be accepted or fit the status quo.

A recent survey shows that of the people surveyed, 65% of them would seriously ponder getting plastic surgery, if money wasn't a factor. The percentage has greatly increased in the past few years and is continuing to increase with the accessibility of plastic surgery. Initially, plastic surgery was for the rich and famous. No payment plans were taken and no deals were made. Nowadays, you can finance your breasts along with getting a new plan for your next procedure. More and more, a lot of people who can't afford a better doctor are shopping around for "doctors" that will give them a discount...but at what price?
The number of horror stories of the surgeries that have gone wrong is on the rise as the need for acceptance continues to grow. With each successful story comes its negative counterpart illustrating just how ugly the fascination of beauty can be. Some women are willing to risk their lives instead of doing their research and taking the proper precautions.


My opinion is this: I will always advocate learning to love what God has given you. I personally feel that it's always the best option. However: whether you agree with plastic surgery or not, do it because YOU want to make yourself happy...and no one else. Some may not want to admit it but men and their obsession with the female physique drive certain women to alter their appearance. I took the time to survey men and found that the majority of them preferred their women "as-is" and "au natural." Regardless of the reasons, always make sure that the person on the procedure table will wake up with no regrets. No matter what....live, laugh, and LOVE YOU.