Loving yourself isn't just important-it's essential! If you don't know your worth  people will walk all over you.  You will wonder why you feel used.  If you are the type of person who is always doing something to let others feel you love them, but manage to neglect yourself,  you become a people pleaser, and people pleasers never see themselves.  There are probably things about yourself  you don't like so you over compensate by doing for others to feel accepted or loved.  Maybe you don't  feel like you fit in anywhere, and that causes you to give more of yourself away to perhaps people who really don't care about you the way they should.  I hope you know you deserve the same love you are giving to others. Have you ever taken time to see what you would feel like if you loved yourself the way you are loving others? It would amaze you to feel what others feel when you put them first instead of yourself. I did that one time, I challenged myself to love myself the way I was loving others. I said kind words to myself, I looked in the mirror and smiled back at me as I said to myself what I saw looking back at me. From that point on I started loving myself correctly, then it became easier and more genuine to love others correctly. You should try it! Self-love comes from inner healing seeing yourself correctly.  I always tell my clients to start at the beginning, the foundation, because deep down within you will discover why you are self-sabotaging. Think about who was a part of your life in the beginning, and how you felt around these people. Humanity is deep, and life is deeper.  Little nuggets have shaped your life on your journey through words or actions.  Reflect over your life to bring  awareness of what's  gotten you to the place you are at not loving yourself.  I suggest purchasing a journal if you don't have one, and write on the first page of your journal " My Beginning"  think back as far as you can remember and write down the names of  all the people you can remember in the first one to eight years of your life, write adjectives to describe each one. Try to remember their voices, something distinct about them, and for each person write down how you felt in their presence. This will help to get your thoughts flowing. Healing is a process, but the more you heal, the more you can see you! Loving yourself is vital because self-love is a superpower that  will energize you to live your best life! You only get one life to live, and if you don't love yourself right now, it's time to make a change!

I thought I would talk a little bit about love today. It appears we are lacking love in our lives, families, and communities, and that can be disheartening. Everyone needs love it provides hope, strength, and heals many illnesses. So what exactly is love? We hear the word often, and say the word but what is the true definition of love? Love is complex, it is a multifaceted human emotion that is characterized by strong feelings of affection, care, tenderness, and a deep attachment towards another person. It can be romantic, family bonds, and benevolence. If we look at our personal relationships and our communities,  country and world we can see the lack of love for one another, but what has taken us so far away from each other?  I think if we go back to the time when it appeared love was more prevalent in society, there was an order we lived by. Let's go back to the 60s and 70s, the order for families and communities were church, family, school, friends, and pop culture. In the 80s that order changed, it became family, school, church, and pop culture. Then, in the 2000s  we had friends, schools, pop culture and church and unfortunately church has become the  last on the list. That's how the change started, we started with church in the beginning, we had something that brought family and community together, we were taught love was important. But once the church started moving further down the list change was taking place rapidly. We started not standing for anything that would keep the love a part of our fabric, and if we  stand for nothing, we fall for anything.  If we fall for anything we are lead away from what is meaningful.  I think if we stay off social media, be more present with the people who are important to us, we can bring back some of the love we are missing. All we have to do is to make a decision that we want to be more connected in real time, to hear a voice, or feel a touch.  Prioritize a community with family and friends again,  I believe more people are missing love than we realize. We hear a lot about mental health these days, but is it really mental health or just a lack of love? We have to start somewhere we have to put our guard down, and while lowering our guard, lower the cell phones and other devices. Invest as much time with each other that we invest on social media, and I think what we've been looking for we'll find again. Let's bring love back into our lives, and let the healing begin!

It is easy to look at life situations and ask yourself, what do I have to be thankful for? But there is always something you can give thanks for. if you turn your focus away from what you might be going through you can look at life in a more positive manner. You have to be intentional about controlling the thoughts you have, because as they say, "Where's the scene of the crime? In your mind!"  When you wake up each morning, give thanks that you have  awakened to another opportunity do get it right. If you woke up with a roof over your head even if you are in deep debt, or have loss your job at least you didn't wake up on a sidewalk. You might not be able to get everything taken care of as you once did, but as you move forward you will get through the storm, and you will be able to look back once you get through and say, "Thank you!" If you have your health, food to eat even if it's not the food you might want to eat, you can be thankful because there are so many people in our world and country who don't have the necessities they need, or food to eat. Start a practice of thinking about one or two things to give thanks for when you wake up in the morning, and also before you close your eyes to rest at night,  think of one or two things from the day you can give thanks for. The wonderful thing about a grateful heart is that it change your perspective on life, and give you the strength to carry on!

Oh girl, these times are stressing me! I listen to the news, I hear conversations, I read everything on social media, and I swear I'm going to scream! I'm good, right? I mean, I'm really good! That's what we say when asked, we've learned how to perfectly wear our mask! So, how are you really navigating this climate. Are you really good? It is so easy to want to stay silent, and not let anyone know how you really feel. If you are one of the over two hundred thousand women who has lost their jobs since January, I don't know how you can be good unless you are one of those women who looks at the glass half full instead of half empty. Your perspective should be I can give myself the same thing I gave that job. What were your skills that helped that job make a decision that they wanted to hire you? Those same skills can be the gift that takes you in a different direction. The one thing you can look at  you learned something new while you were there that added to what you already possessed.  We can't let a little set back steal our joy, this isn't our first rodeo! Do you remember the pandemic, you got through it, do you remember that time you left job or were  let go after giving your all!  What did you do? You got over yourself, started thinking and that brought you all the way to the job you just loss. So get it together, know what you have to offer, think about how you might be able to use your skills to start your own source income. You can't live without income, and eventually people will get tired of trying to help you make it.  The reality is you are good, I mean good! You just have to change your thinking, let go of the woe is me attitude, and know that you got this!!  The next time someone ask you how are doing, say, "I'm good, I mean I'm really good!" and mean it! 

The scene of the crime is your mind, thoughts are always showing up trying to steal your joy! Our minds can cause us to overthink everything. It's that inner reasoning and deliberation with oneself, and the world in which you live. Change your thinking, and you can change the outcome of your fight. If you don't have a handle on your thoughts, you become enslaved to the mind. We wage war from within, and if we don't change our thinking it defeats us. So, how can we change our thinking? First, get out of yourself, the flesh takes you down a dark downward spiral that makes it hard to get out of. Think about what is positive in your life, where do you go to find strength, peace and harmony? I'm not here to promote any type of religion, but I am a spiritual being who believes there is someone greater than me, or my thoughts, and I tap into that resource by reading the bible, being able to pray, and talk to God, believing He is someone who listens to me. I usually feel better after getting quiet, I find more clarity in what I am going through, and best part about it is that I didn't have to find someone to talk to about my thoughts. So be victorious in the battle, and win the war!

Do you ever find yourself looking at someone, and start to judge yourself, or compare yourself? It's okay sometimes, that means you are trying to be your best, and it is keeping you aware of how you are presenting yourself to the world, but why do we do that? We have been given our own unique looks, gifts, and intelligence to be used for whatever purpose we were placed on the earth to do. When you can be authentic, you give the world so much more beauty, and it allows you to be part of a beautiful tapestry. You should never want to be someone else because you don't know what they are going through behind what you can see. All that glitters isn't gold, and all that you see is not real. Makeup and clothes can make just about anyone look good, so please just show up as your authentic self to the world, because contrary to what you might believe, you are authentically, and uniquely beautiful, So, go show the world who you are, not who you're trying to mimic!!

You should never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today. You might get a phone call, and be tempted to ignore it, but what if the person on the other end has been struggling, or battling an addiction. What if they just need someone- You- to listen? Try to pause and consider what they might be going through. Step into their shoes, even for a moment. That call might be their cry for help, their last ounce of courage to reach out.  Your voice familiar- and steady- might be exactly what they need to hold on a little longer. People often carry heavy things in silence. Fear of rejection, judgement or shame keeps them from speaking up until they feel they are at the end of their struggle. They might not tell you they're drowning, but that doesn't mean they aren't. We all face challenges;  toxic relationship, workplace struggles, financial strain. Some  people hide it better than others. But if you can offer a little compassion, if you can walk someone through their darkness, you might just find healing for yourself too.

Have you ever been in a situation where you are looking everywhere to try and find what you want to do?  Are you happy where you are in life, or do you daydream about doing something else? Life was never designed to stand still, everything about life is movement. Even the life cycle is movement, and at each stage you are there long enough to learn so you can move to the next stage. When we become adults the cycle doesn't stop, we just become intellectual and try to control the cycles. If you are feeling discontentment where you are right now, maybe it is a time for change. If you look back over your life, you can see that every time you moved forward was because you learned the lesson you needed to move forward. Don't be hard on yourself, allow yourself to walk by faith, not by sight if you need to. I can't tell you what you should do, but I can suggest taking time to get quiet, and put yourself first, life may feel like it's long, but it really is short. You have a purpose in every season of your life, just like the life cycle is a movement so is your purpose in this life. Continue seeking, and you will find.

I remember the day I made the decision it was time to retire. I had poured everything  into my work, but it was becoming clear that my dedication was  no longer enough for the powers that be. Honestly, I had been contemplating for a while that I would retire when I turned 62, and as that milestone approached, the signs around me seemed to confirm that change was inevitable- one challenge after another was pushing me toward a new chapter. There were lots of thoughts that flooded my mind:  Had I prepared for this day, would I be okay, what would I do once I took the leap?  Looking back, I believe when certain thoughts repeatedly cross our minds they signal the beginning of a new season. 

We are always moving, either looking back or moving ahead. In this life we often find ourselves at crossroads, trying to make the right decisions as to where to go, or what to do. Many women in this season are living with the loss jobs for one reason or another, or for the more mature woman have been made uncomfortable in their positions, and possibly having to make the decision to retire. When having to make a decision at a crossroad, simply take time to be still, and quiet. Hear the voice within you, and don't second guess what you hear. If you follow what you sense within and don't share with everyone, I believe you will take the right road, and find your way into the next step in your future.

Loving yourself isn't just important-it's essential! If you don't know your worth  people will walk all over you.  You will wonder why you feel used.  If you are the type of person who is always doing something to let others feel you love them, but manage to neglect yourself,  you become a people pleaser, and people pleasers never see themselves.  There are probably things about yourself  you don't like so you over compensate by doing for others to feel accepted or loved.  Maybe you don't  feel like you fit in anywhere, and that causes you to give more of yourself away to perhaps people who really don't care about you the way they should.  I hope you know you deserve the same love you are giving to others. Have you ever taken time to see what you would feel like if you loved yourself the way you are loving others? It would amaze you to feel what others feel when you put them first instead of yourself. I did that one time, I challenged myself to love myself the way I was loving others. I said kind words to myself, I looked in the mirror and smiled back at me as I said to myself what I saw looking back at me. From that point on I started loving myself correctly, then it became easier and more genuine to love others correctly. You should try it! Self-love comes from inner healing seeing yourself correctly.  I always tell my clients to start at the beginning, the foundation, because deep down within you will discover why you are self-sabotaging. Think about who was a part of your life in the beginning, and how you felt around these people. Humanity is deep, and life is deeper.  Little nuggets have shaped your life on your journey through words or actions.  Reflect over your life to bring  awareness of what's  gotten you to the place you are at not loving yourself.  I suggest purchasing a journal if you don't have one, and write on the first page of your journal " My Beginning"  think back as far as you can remember and write down the names of  all the people you can remember in the first one to eight years of your life, write adjectives to describe each one. Try to remember their voices, something distinct about them, and for each person write down how you felt in their presence. This will help to get your thoughts flowing. Healing is a process, but the more you heal, the more you can see you! Loving yourself is vital because self-love is a superpower that  will energize you to live your best life! You only get one life to live, and if you don't love yourself right now, it's time to make a change!

I thought I would talk a little bit about love today. It appears we are lacking love in our lives, families, and communities, and that can be disheartening. Everyone needs love it provides hope, strength, and heals many illnesses. So what exactly is love? We hear the word often, and say the word but what is the true definition of love? Love is complex, it is a multifaceted human emotion that is characterized by strong feelings of affection, care, tenderness, and a deep attachment towards another person. It can be romantic, family bonds, and benevolence. If we look at our personal relationships and our communities,  country and world we can see the lack of love for one another, but what has taken us so far away from each other?  I think if we go back to the time when it appeared love was more prevalent in society, there was an order we lived by. Let's go back to the 60s and 70s, the order for families and communities were church, family, school, friends, and pop culture. In the 80s that order changed, it became family, school, church, and pop culture. Then, in the 2000s  we had friends, schools, pop culture and church and unfortunately church has become the  last on the list. That's how the change started, we started with church in the beginning, we had something that brought family and community together, we were taught love was important. But once the church started moving further down the list change was taking place rapidly. We started not standing for anything that would keep the love a part of our fabric, and if we  stand for nothing, we fall for anything.  If we fall for anything we are lead away from what is meaningful.  I think if we stay off social media, be more present with the people who are important to us, we can bring back some of the love we are missing. All we have to do is to make a decision that we want to be more connected in real time, to hear a voice, or feel a touch.  Prioritize a community with family and friends again,  I believe more people are missing love than we realize. We hear a lot about mental health these days, but is it really mental health or just a lack of love? We have to start somewhere we have to put our guard down, and while lowering our guard, lower the cell phones and other devices. Invest as much time with each other that we invest on social media, and I think what we've been looking for we'll find again. Let's bring love back into our lives, and let the healing begin!

It is easy to look at life situations and ask yourself, what do I have to be thankful for? But there is always something you can give thanks for. if you turn your focus away from what you might be going through you can look at life in a more positive manner. You have to be intentional about controlling the thoughts you have, because as they say, "Where's the scene of the crime? In your mind!"  When you wake up each morning, give thanks that you have  awakened to another opportunity do get it right. If you woke up with a roof over your head even if you are in deep debt, or have loss your job at least you didn't wake up on a sidewalk. You might not be able to get everything taken care of as you once did, but as you move forward you will get through the storm, and you will be able to look back once you get through and say, "Thank you!" If you have your health, food to eat even if it's not the food you might want to eat, you can be thankful because there are so many people in our world and country who don't have the necessities they need, or food to eat. Start a practice of thinking about one or two things to give thanks for when you wake up in the morning, and also before you close your eyes to rest at night,  think of one or two things from the day you can give thanks for. The wonderful thing about a grateful heart is that it change your perspective on life, and give you the strength to carry on!

Oh girl, these times are stressing me! I listen to the news, I hear conversations, I read everything on social media, and I swear I'm going to scream! I'm good, right? I mean, I'm really good! That's what we say when asked, we've learned how to perfectly wear our mask! So, how are you really navigating this climate. Are you really good? It is so easy to want to stay silent, and not let anyone know how you really feel. If you are one of the over two hundred thousand women who has lost their jobs since January, I don't know how you can be good unless you are one of those women who looks at the glass half full instead of half empty. Your perspective should be I can give myself the same thing I gave that job. What were your skills that helped that job make a decision that they wanted to hire you? Those same skills can be the gift that takes you in a different direction. The one thing you can look at  you learned something new while you were there that added to what you already possessed.  We can't let a little set back steal our joy, this isn't our first rodeo! Do you remember the pandemic, you got through it, do you remember that time you left job or were  let go after giving your all!  What did you do? You got over yourself, started thinking and that brought you all the way to the job you just loss. So get it together, know what you have to offer, think about how you might be able to use your skills to start your own source income. You can't live without income, and eventually people will get tired of trying to help you make it.  The reality is you are good, I mean good! You just have to change your thinking, let go of the woe is me attitude, and know that you got this!!  The next time someone ask you how are doing, say, "I'm good, I mean I'm really good!" and mean it! 

Ladies, let's face it we are experiencing a shift in the atmosphere! How are you handling this roller coaster we are on? I am talking with many people, and hearing the same story over and over again. If you still have a job, I would start living like you might get a pink slip. Only spend what you need to spend. Unfortunately, many of us have been living in the land of milk and honey, and enjoying life without thinking about it. Now, it's time to do something different. Start paying attention to the way you are living. I have found in these times if I don't go out to eat as often, stay out of my favorite retail store, at the end of one paycheck I have some money left. I then take that money, and move it to my savings, and start over with the next paycheck. By doing that, I am building my savings in the event of an emergency, like losing a job abruptly. You don't want to get caught off guard, and then have to try and figure out what to do. I have noticed an increase in my electric bill this past month, the food has gone up and if you aren't prepared for the shift, it's going to be hard to make it. I don't want to scare anyone, I just want you to be wise, if you make changes now, you will be ahead of the game. If you don't lose your job, at least you will feel good about seeing your savings grow. 

Has there been a time in your life, when you can't stop thinking about something you've always wanted to do. If there is a constant pressing, something is being stirred up within you that you have to offer the world. Don't be afraid to walk by faith not by sight, when you have these pressing thoughts, it could very well be your season.  Write down your thoughts,  the difference between a doer and a dreamer is that the doer will write down the vision so they can have clarity. A dreamer keeps it inside, and thinks about it because they don't know where to start. It is written in Habakkuk 2:2 in the bible to write the vision, and make it plain, that he may run who reads it. That means you can move forward with clarity, and your vision can unfold. This is your season to fulfill your passion, start that business, write the book you want the world to read. All you have to do is start, and write it down.

We are all in this same game of life, trying to win. It's hard, because while trying to win we lose connection with people. We have so many platforms to keep us disconnected from one another, and that is causing all kinds of issues. We all need someone to call on, that person that you just want to share something great that happened in a day with, or someone you can laugh with about the little things in life.  Let's be honest, with everything going on in our world, we need a little lightheartedness. We are a busy people these days with no time to slow down. But we have to find the time to connect, to slow down, and as they say, "smell the roses!" What can you do to find that friend, that person? First, you can't be afraid of rejection, as I said, "we are all looking for that friend." We have many opportunities to connect, but out of fear of rejection, we won't make it happen. Today, I thought about how many people I've met in the past month, and it was a lot. I'm kind of a people person, so it's not that hard for me to strike up a conversation. 

The scene of the crime is your mind, thoughts are always showing up trying to steal your joy! Our minds can cause us to overthink everything. It's that inner reasoning and deliberation with oneself, and the world in which you live. Change your thinking, and you can change the outcome of your fight. If you don't have a handle on your thoughts, you become enslaved to the mind. We wage war from within, and if we don't change our thinking it defeats us. So, how can we change our thinking? First, get out of yourself, the flesh takes you down a dark downward spiral that makes it hard to get out of. Think about what is positive in your life, where do you go to find strength, peace and harmony? I'm not here to promote any type of religion, but I am a spiritual being who believes there is someone greater than me, or my thoughts, and I tap into that resource by reading the bible, being able to pray, and talk to God, believing He is someone who listens to me. I usually feel better after getting quiet, I find more clarity in what I am going through, and best part about it is that I didn't have to find someone to talk to about my thoughts. So be victorious in the battle, and win the war!

Do you ever find yourself looking at someone, and start to judge yourself, or compare yourself? It's okay sometimes, that means you are trying to be your best, and it is keeping you aware of how you are presenting yourself to the world, but why do we do that? We have been given our own unique looks, gifts, and intelligence to be used for whatever purpose we were placed on the earth to do. When you can be authentic, you give the world so much more beauty, and it allows you to be part of a beautiful tapestry. You should never want to be someone else because you don't know what they are going through behind what you can see. All that glitters isn't gold, and all that you see is not real. Makeup and clothes can make just about anyone look good, so please just show up as your authentic self to the world, because contrary to what you might believe, you are authentically, and uniquely beautiful, So, go show the world who you are, not who you're trying to mimic!!

You should never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today. You might get a phone call, and be tempted to ignore it, but what if the person on the other end has been struggling, or battling an addiction. What if they just need someone- You- to listen? Try to pause and consider what they might be going through. Step into their shoes, even for a moment. That call might be their cry for help, their last ounce of courage to reach out.  Your voice familiar- and steady- might be exactly what they need to hold on a little longer. People often carry heavy things in silence. Fear of rejection, judgement or shame keeps them from speaking up until they feel they are at the end of their struggle. They might not tell you they're drowning, but that doesn't mean they aren't. We all face challenges;  toxic relationship, workplace struggles, financial strain. Some  people hide it better than others. But if you can offer a little compassion, if you can walk someone through their darkness, you might just find healing for yourself too.

Ladies, let's face it we are experiencing a shift in the atmosphere! How are you handling this roller coaster we are on? I am talking with many people, and hearing the same story over and over again. If you still have a job, I would start living like you might get a pink slip. Only spend what you need to spend. Unfortunately, many of us have been living in the land of milk and honey, and enjoying life without thinking about it. Now, it's time to do something different. Start paying attention to the way you are living. I have found in these times if I don't go out to eat as often, stay out of my favorite retail store, at the end of one paycheck I have some money left. I then take that money, and move it to my savings, and start over with the next paycheck. By doing that, I am building my savings in the event of an emergency, like losing a job abruptly. You don't want to get caught off guard, and then have to try and figure out what to do. I have noticed an increase in my electric bill this past month, the food has gone up and if you aren't prepared for the shift, it's going to be hard to make it. I don't want to scare anyone, I just want you to be wise, if you make changes now, you will be ahead of the game. If you don't lose your job, at least you will feel good about seeing your savings grow. 

Has there been a time in your life, when you can't stop thinking about something you've always wanted to do. If there is a constant pressing, something is being stirred up within you that you have to offer the world. Don't be afraid to walk by faith not by sight, when you have these pressing thoughts, it could very well be your season.  Write down your thoughts,  the difference between a doer and a dreamer is that the doer will write down the vision so they can have clarity. A dreamer keeps it inside, and thinks about it because they don't know where to start. It is written in Habakkuk 2:2 in the bible to write the vision, and make it plain, that he may run who reads it. That means you can move forward with clarity, and your vision can unfold. This is your season to fulfill your passion, start that business, write the book you want the world to read. All you have to do is start, and write it down.

Loving yourself isn't just important-it's essential! If you don't know your worth  people will walk all over you.  You will wonder why you feel used.  If you are the type of person who is always doing something to let others feel you love them, but manage to neglect yourself,  you become a people pleaser, and people pleasers never see themselves.  There are probably things about yourself  you don't like so you over compensate by doing for others to feel accepted or loved.  Maybe you don't  feel like you fit in anywhere, and that causes you to give more of yourself away to perhaps people who really don't care about you the way they should.  I hope you know you deserve the same love you are giving to others. Have you ever taken time to see what you would feel like if you loved yourself the way you are loving others? It would amaze you to feel what others feel when you put them first instead of yourself. I did that one time, I challenged myself to love myself the way I was loving others. I said kind words to myself, I looked in the mirror and smiled back at me as I said to myself what I saw looking back at me. From that point on I started loving myself correctly, then it became easier and more genuine to love others correctly. You should try it! Self-love comes from inner healing seeing yourself correctly.  I always tell my clients to start at the beginning, the foundation, because deep down within you will discover why you are self-sabotaging. Think about who was a part of your life in the beginning, and how you felt around these people. Humanity is deep, and life is deeper.  Little nuggets have shaped your life on your journey through words or actions.  Reflect over your life to bring  awareness of what's  gotten you to the place you are at not loving yourself.  I suggest purchasing a journal if you don't have one, and write on the first page of your journal " My Beginning"  think back as far as you can remember and write down the names of  all the people you can remember in the first one to eight years of your life, write adjectives to describe each one. Try to remember their voices, something distinct about them, and for each person write down how you felt in their presence. This will help to get your thoughts flowing. Healing is a process, but the more you heal, the more you can see you! Loving yourself is vital because self-love is a superpower that  will energize you to live your best life! You only get one life to live, and if you don't love yourself right now, it's time to make a change!

I thought I would talk a little bit about love today. It appears we are lacking love in our lives, families, and communities, and that can be disheartening. Everyone needs love it provides hope, strength, and heals many illnesses. So what exactly is love? We hear the word often, and say the word but what is the true definition of love? Love is complex, it is a multifaceted human emotion that is characterized by strong feelings of affection, care, tenderness, and a deep attachment towards another person. It can be romantic, family bonds, and benevolence. If we look at our personal relationships and our communities,  country and world we can see the lack of love for one another, but what has taken us so far away from each other?  I think if we go back to the time when it appeared love was more prevalent in society, there was an order we lived by. Let's go back to the 60s and 70s, the order for families and communities were church, family, school, friends, and pop culture. In the 80s that order changed, it became family, school, church, and pop culture. Then, in the 2000s  we had friends, schools, pop culture and church and unfortunately church has become the  last on the list. That's how the change started, we started with church in the beginning, we had something that brought family and community together, we were taught love was important. But once the church started moving further down the list change was taking place rapidly. We started not standing for anything that would keep the love a part of our fabric, and if we  stand for nothing, we fall for anything.  If we fall for anything we are lead away from what is meaningful.  I think if we stay off social media, be more present with the people who are important to us, we can bring back some of the love we are missing. All we have to do is to make a decision that we want to be more connected in real time, to hear a voice, or feel a touch.  Prioritize a community with family and friends again,  I believe more people are missing love than we realize. We hear a lot about mental health these days, but is it really mental health or just a lack of love? We have to start somewhere we have to put our guard down, and while lowering our guard, lower the cell phones and other devices. Invest as much time with each other that we invest on social media, and I think what we've been looking for we'll find again. Let's bring love back into our lives, and let the healing begin!

It is easy to look at life situations and ask yourself, what do I have to be thankful for? But there is always something you can give thanks for. if you turn your focus away from what you might be going through you can look at life in a more positive manner. You have to be intentional about controlling the thoughts you have, because as they say, "Where's the scene of the crime? In your mind!"  When you wake up each morning, give thanks that you have  awakened to another opportunity do get it right. If you woke up with a roof over your head even if you are in deep debt, or have loss your job at least you didn't wake up on a sidewalk. You might not be able to get everything taken care of as you once did, but as you move forward you will get through the storm, and you will be able to look back once you get through and say, "Thank you!" If you have your health, food to eat even if it's not the food you might want to eat, you can be thankful because there are so many people in our world and country who don't have the necessities they need, or food to eat. Start a practice of thinking about one or two things to give thanks for when you wake up in the morning, and also before you close your eyes to rest at night,  think of one or two things from the day you can give thanks for. The wonderful thing about a grateful heart is that it change your perspective on life, and give you the strength to carry on!

Oh girl, these times are stressing me! I listen to the news, I hear conversations, I read everything on social media, and I swear I'm going to scream! I'm good, right? I mean, I'm really good! That's what we say when asked, we've learned how to perfectly wear our mask! So, how are you really navigating this climate. Are you really good? It is so easy to want to stay silent, and not let anyone know how you really feel. If you are one of the over two hundred thousand women who has lost their jobs since January, I don't know how you can be good unless you are one of those women who looks at the glass half full instead of half empty. Your perspective should be I can give myself the same thing I gave that job. What were your skills that helped that job make a decision that they wanted to hire you? Those same skills can be the gift that takes you in a different direction. The one thing you can look at  you learned something new while you were there that added to what you already possessed.  We can't let a little set back steal our joy, this isn't our first rodeo! Do you remember the pandemic, you got through it, do you remember that time you left job or were  let go after giving your all!  What did you do? You got over yourself, started thinking and that brought you all the way to the job you just loss. So get it together, know what you have to offer, think about how you might be able to use your skills to start your own source income. You can't live without income, and eventually people will get tired of trying to help you make it.  The reality is you are good, I mean good! You just have to change your thinking, let go of the woe is me attitude, and know that you got this!!  The next time someone ask you how are doing, say, "I'm good, I mean I'm really good!" and mean it! 

Ladies, let's face it we are experiencing a shift in the atmosphere! How are you handling this roller coaster we are on? I am talking with many people, and hearing the same story over and over again. If you still have a job, I would start living like you might get a pink slip. Only spend what you need to spend. Unfortunately, many of us have been living in the land of milk and honey, and enjoying life without thinking about it. Now, it's time to do something different. Start paying attention to the way you are living. I have found in these times if I don't go out to eat as often, stay out of my favorite retail store, at the end of one paycheck I have some money left. I then take that money, and move it to my savings, and start over with the next paycheck. By doing that, I am building my savings in the event of an emergency, like losing a job abruptly. You don't want to get caught off guard, and then have to try and figure out what to do. I have noticed an increase in my electric bill this past month, the food has gone up and if you aren't prepared for the shift, it's going to be hard to make it. I don't want to scare anyone, I just want you to be wise, if you make changes now, you will be ahead of the game. If you don't lose your job, at least you will feel good about seeing your savings grow. 

Has there been a time in your life, when you can't stop thinking about something you've always wanted to do. If there is a constant pressing, something is being stirred up within you that you have to offer the world. Don't be afraid to walk by faith not by sight, when you have these pressing thoughts, it could very well be your season.  Write down your thoughts,  the difference between a doer and a dreamer is that the doer will write down the vision so they can have clarity. A dreamer keeps it inside, and thinks about it because they don't know where to start. It is written in Habakkuk 2:2 in the bible to write the vision, and make it plain, that he may run who reads it. That means you can move forward with clarity, and your vision can unfold. This is your season to fulfill your passion, start that business, write the book you want the world to read. All you have to do is start, and write it down.

We are all in this same game of life, trying to win. It's hard, because while trying to win we lose connection with people. We have so many platforms to keep us disconnected from one another, and that is causing all kinds of issues. We all need someone to call on, that person that you just want to share something great that happened in a day with, or someone you can laugh with about the little things in life.  Let's be honest, with everything going on in our world, we need a little lightheartedness. We are a busy people these days with no time to slow down. But we have to find the time to connect, to slow down, and as they say, "smell the roses!" What can you do to find that friend, that person? First, you can't be afraid of rejection, as I said, "we are all looking for that friend." We have many opportunities to connect, but out of fear of rejection, we won't make it happen. Today, I thought about how many people I've met in the past month, and it was a lot. I'm kind of a people person, so it's not that hard for me to strike up a conversation. 

The scene of the crime is your mind, thoughts are always showing up trying to steal your joy! Our minds can cause us to overthink everything. It's that inner reasoning and deliberation with oneself, and the world in which you live. Change your thinking, and you can change the outcome of your fight. If you don't have a handle on your thoughts, you become enslaved to the mind. We wage war from within, and if we don't change our thinking it defeats us. So, how can we change our thinking? First, get out of yourself, the flesh takes you down a dark downward spiral that makes it hard to get out of. Think about what is positive in your life, where do you go to find strength, peace and harmony? I'm not here to promote any type of religion, but I am a spiritual being who believes there is someone greater than me, or my thoughts, and I tap into that resource by reading the bible, being able to pray, and talk to God, believing He is someone who listens to me. I usually feel better after getting quiet, I find more clarity in what I am going through, and best part about it is that I didn't have to find someone to talk to about my thoughts. So be victorious in the battle, and win the war!

Do you ever find yourself looking at someone, and start to judge yourself, or compare yourself? It's okay sometimes, that means you are trying to be your best, and it is keeping you aware of how you are presenting yourself to the world, but why do we do that? We have been given our own unique looks, gifts, and intelligence to be used for whatever purpose we were placed on the earth to do. When you can be authentic, you give the world so much more beauty, and it allows you to be part of a beautiful tapestry. You should never want to be someone else because you don't know what they are going through behind what you can see. All that glitters isn't gold, and all that you see is not real. Makeup and clothes can make just about anyone look good, so please just show up as your authentic self to the world, because contrary to what you might believe, you are authentically, and uniquely beautiful, So, go show the world who you are, not who you're trying to mimic!!

You should never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today. You might get a phone call, and be tempted to ignore it, but what if the person on the other end has been struggling, or battling an addiction. What if they just need someone- You- to listen? Try to pause and consider what they might be going through. Step into their shoes, even for a moment. That call might be their cry for help, their last ounce of courage to reach out.  Your voice familiar- and steady- might be exactly what they need to hold on a little longer. People often carry heavy things in silence. Fear of rejection, judgement or shame keeps them from speaking up until they feel they are at the end of their struggle. They might not tell you they're drowning, but that doesn't mean they aren't. We all face challenges;  toxic relationship, workplace struggles, financial strain. Some  people hide it better than others. But if you can offer a little compassion, if you can walk someone through their darkness, you might just find healing for yourself too.

We are all in this same game of life, trying to win. It's hard, because while trying to win we lose connection with people. We have so many platforms to keep us disconnected from one another, and that is causing all kinds of issues. We all need someone to call on, that person that you just want to share something great that happened in a day with, or someone you can laugh with about the little things in life.  Let's be honest, with everything going on in our world, we need a little lightheartedness. We are a busy people these days with no time to slow down. But we have to find the time to connect, to slow down, and as they say, "smell the roses!" What can you do to find that friend, that person? First, you can't be afraid of rejection, as I said, "we are all looking for that friend." We have many opportunities to connect, but out of fear of rejection, we won't make it happen. Today, I thought about how many people I've met in the past month, and it was a lot. I'm kind of a people person, so it's not that hard for me to strike up a conversation. 

Loving yourself isn't just important-it's essential! If you don't know your worth  people will walk all over you.  You will wonder why you feel used.  If you are the type of person who is always doing something to let others feel you love them, but manage to neglect yourself,  you become a people pleaser, and people pleasers never see themselves.  There are probably things about yourself  you don't like so you over compensate by doing for others to feel accepted or loved.  Maybe you don't  feel like you fit in anywhere, and that causes you to give more of yourself away to perhaps people who really don't care about you the way they should.  I hope you know you deserve the same love you are giving to others. Have you ever taken time to see what you would feel like if you loved yourself the way you are loving others? It would amaze you to feel what others feel when you put them first instead of yourself. I did that one time, I challenged myself to love myself the way I was loving others. I said kind words to myself, I looked in the mirror and smiled back at me as I said to myself what I saw looking back at me. From that point on I started loving myself correctly, then it became easier and more genuine to love others correctly. You should try it! Self-love comes from inner healing seeing yourself correctly.  I always tell my clients to start at the beginning, the foundation, because deep down within you will discover why you are self-sabotaging. Think about who was a part of your life in the beginning, and how you felt around these people. Humanity is deep, and life is deeper.  Little nuggets have shaped your life on your journey through words or actions.  Reflect over your life to bring  awareness of what's  gotten you to the place you are at not loving yourself.  I suggest purchasing a journal if you don't have one, and write on the first page of your journal " My Beginning"  think back as far as you can remember and write down the names of  all the people you can remember in the first one to eight years of your life, write adjectives to describe each one. Try to remember their voices, something distinct about them, and for each person write down how you felt in their presence. This will help to get your thoughts flowing. Healing is a process, but the more you heal, the more you can see you! Loving yourself is vital because self-love is a superpower that  will energize you to live your best life! You only get one life to live, and if you don't love yourself right now, it's time to make a change!

I thought I would talk a little bit about love today. It appears we are lacking love in our lives, families, and communities, and that can be disheartening. Everyone needs love it provides hope, strength, and heals many illnesses. So what exactly is love? We hear the word often, and say the word but what is the true definition of love? Love is complex, it is a multifaceted human emotion that is characterized by strong feelings of affection, care, tenderness, and a deep attachment towards another person. It can be romantic, family bonds, and benevolence. If we look at our personal relationships and our communities,  country and world we can see the lack of love for one another, but what has taken us so far away from each other?  I think if we go back to the time when it appeared love was more prevalent in society, there was an order we lived by. Let's go back to the 60s and 70s, the order for families and communities were church, family, school, friends, and pop culture. In the 80s that order changed, it became family, school, church, and pop culture. Then, in the 2000s  we had friends, schools, pop culture and church and unfortunately church has become the  last on the list. That's how the change started, we started with church in the beginning, we had something that brought family and community together, we were taught love was important. But once the church started moving further down the list change was taking place rapidly. We started not standing for anything that would keep the love a part of our fabric, and if we  stand for nothing, we fall for anything.  If we fall for anything we are lead away from what is meaningful.  I think if we stay off social media, be more present with the people who are important to us, we can bring back some of the love we are missing. All we have to do is to make a decision that we want to be more connected in real time, to hear a voice, or feel a touch.  Prioritize a community with family and friends again,  I believe more people are missing love than we realize. We hear a lot about mental health these days, but is it really mental health or just a lack of love? We have to start somewhere we have to put our guard down, and while lowering our guard, lower the cell phones and other devices. Invest as much time with each other that we invest on social media, and I think what we've been looking for we'll find again. Let's bring love back into our lives, and let the healing begin!

It is easy to look at life situations and ask yourself, what do I have to be thankful for? But there is always something you can give thanks for. if you turn your focus away from what you might be going through you can look at life in a more positive manner. You have to be intentional about controlling the thoughts you have, because as they say, "Where's the scene of the crime? In your mind!"  When you wake up each morning, give thanks that you have  awakened to another opportunity do get it right. If you woke up with a roof over your head even if you are in deep debt, or have loss your job at least you didn't wake up on a sidewalk. You might not be able to get everything taken care of as you once did, but as you move forward you will get through the storm, and you will be able to look back once you get through and say, "Thank you!" If you have your health, food to eat even if it's not the food you might want to eat, you can be thankful because there are so many people in our world and country who don't have the necessities they need, or food to eat. Start a practice of thinking about one or two things to give thanks for when you wake up in the morning, and also before you close your eyes to rest at night,  think of one or two things from the day you can give thanks for. The wonderful thing about a grateful heart is that it change your perspective on life, and give you the strength to carry on!

Oh girl, these times are stressing me! I listen to the news, I hear conversations, I read everything on social media, and I swear I'm going to scream! I'm good, right? I mean, I'm really good! That's what we say when asked, we've learned how to perfectly wear our mask! So, how are you really navigating this climate. Are you really good? It is so easy to want to stay silent, and not let anyone know how you really feel. If you are one of the over two hundred thousand women who has lost their jobs since January, I don't know how you can be good unless you are one of those women who looks at the glass half full instead of half empty. Your perspective should be I can give myself the same thing I gave that job. What were your skills that helped that job make a decision that they wanted to hire you? Those same skills can be the gift that takes you in a different direction. The one thing you can look at  you learned something new while you were there that added to what you already possessed.  We can't let a little set back steal our joy, this isn't our first rodeo! Do you remember the pandemic, you got through it, do you remember that time you left job or were  let go after giving your all!  What did you do? You got over yourself, started thinking and that brought you all the way to the job you just loss. So get it together, know what you have to offer, think about how you might be able to use your skills to start your own source income. You can't live without income, and eventually people will get tired of trying to help you make it.  The reality is you are good, I mean good! You just have to change your thinking, let go of the woe is me attitude, and know that you got this!!  The next time someone ask you how are doing, say, "I'm good, I mean I'm really good!" and mean it! 

Ladies, let's face it we are experiencing a shift in the atmosphere! How are you handling this roller coaster we are on? I am talking with many people, and hearing the same story over and over again. If you still have a job, I would start living like you might get a pink slip. Only spend what you need to spend. Unfortunately, many of us have been living in the land of milk and honey, and enjoying life without thinking about it. Now, it's time to do something different. Start paying attention to the way you are living. I have found in these times if I don't go out to eat as often, stay out of my favorite retail store, at the end of one paycheck I have some money left. I then take that money, and move it to my savings, and start over with the next paycheck. By doing that, I am building my savings in the event of an emergency, like losing a job abruptly. You don't want to get caught off guard, and then have to try and figure out what to do. I have noticed an increase in my electric bill this past month, the food has gone up and if you aren't prepared for the shift, it's going to be hard to make it. I don't want to scare anyone, I just want you to be wise, if you make changes now, you will be ahead of the game. If you don't lose your job, at least you will feel good about seeing your savings grow. 

Has there been a time in your life, when you can't stop thinking about something you've always wanted to do. If there is a constant pressing, something is being stirred up within you that you have to offer the world. Don't be afraid to walk by faith not by sight, when you have these pressing thoughts, it could very well be your season.  Write down your thoughts,  the difference between a doer and a dreamer is that the doer will write down the vision so they can have clarity. A dreamer keeps it inside, and thinks about it because they don't know where to start. It is written in Habakkuk 2:2 in the bible to write the vision, and make it plain, that he may run who reads it. That means you can move forward with clarity, and your vision can unfold. This is your season to fulfill your passion, start that business, write the book you want the world to read. All you have to do is start, and write it down.

We are all in this same game of life, trying to win. It's hard, because while trying to win we lose connection with people. We have so many platforms to keep us disconnected from one another, and that is causing all kinds of issues. We all need someone to call on, that person that you just want to share something great that happened in a day with, or someone you can laugh with about the little things in life.  Let's be honest, with everything going on in our world, we need a little lightheartedness. We are a busy people these days with no time to slow down. But we have to find the time to connect, to slow down, and as they say, "smell the roses!" What can you do to find that friend, that person? First, you can't be afraid of rejection, as I said, "we are all looking for that friend." We have many opportunities to connect, but out of fear of rejection, we won't make it happen. Today, I thought about how many people I've met in the past month, and it was a lot. I'm kind of a people person, so it's not that hard for me to strike up a conversation. 

The scene of the crime is your mind, thoughts are always showing up trying to steal your joy! Our minds can cause us to overthink everything. It's that inner reasoning and deliberation with oneself, and the world in which you live. Change your thinking, and you can change the outcome of your fight. If you don't have a handle on your thoughts, you become enslaved to the mind. We wage war from within, and if we don't change our thinking it defeats us. So, how can we change our thinking? First, get out of yourself, the flesh takes you down a dark downward spiral that makes it hard to get out of. Think about what is positive in your life, where do you go to find strength, peace and harmony? I'm not here to promote any type of religion, but I am a spiritual being who believes there is someone greater than me, or my thoughts, and I tap into that resource by reading the bible, being able to pray, and talk to God, believing He is someone who listens to me. I usually feel better after getting quiet, I find more clarity in what I am going through, and best part about it is that I didn't have to find someone to talk to about my thoughts. So be victorious in the battle, and win the war!

Do you ever find yourself looking at someone, and start to judge yourself, or compare yourself? It's okay sometimes, that means you are trying to be your best, and it is keeping you aware of how you are presenting yourself to the world, but why do we do that? We have been given our own unique looks, gifts, and intelligence to be used for whatever purpose we were placed on the earth to do. When you can be authentic, you give the world so much more beauty, and it allows you to be part of a beautiful tapestry. You should never want to be someone else because you don't know what they are going through behind what you can see. All that glitters isn't gold, and all that you see is not real. Makeup and clothes can make just about anyone look good, so please just show up as your authentic self to the world, because contrary to what you might believe, you are authentically, and uniquely beautiful, So, go show the world who you are, not who you're trying to mimic!!

You should never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today. You might get a phone call, and be tempted to ignore it, but what if the person on the other end has been struggling, or battling an addiction. What if they just need someone- You- to listen? Try to pause and consider what they might be going through. Step into their shoes, even for a moment. That call might be their cry for help, their last ounce of courage to reach out.  Your voice familiar- and steady- might be exactly what they need to hold on a little longer. People often carry heavy things in silence. Fear of rejection, judgement or shame keeps them from speaking up until they feel they are at the end of their struggle. They might not tell you they're drowning, but that doesn't mean they aren't. We all face challenges;  toxic relationship, workplace struggles, financial strain. Some  people hide it better than others. But if you can offer a little compassion, if you can walk someone through their darkness, you might just find healing for yourself too.

Loving yourself isn't just important-it's essential! If you don't know your worth  people will walk all over you.  You will wonder why you feel used.  If you are the type of person who is always doing something to let others feel you love them, but manage to neglect yourself,  you become a people pleaser, and people pleasers never see themselves.  There are probably things about yourself  you don't like so you over compensate by doing for others to feel accepted or loved.  Maybe you don't  feel like you fit in anywhere, and that causes you to give more of yourself away to perhaps people who really don't care about you the way they should.  I hope you know you deserve the same love you are giving to others. Have you ever taken time to see what you would feel like if you loved yourself the way you are loving others? It would amaze you to feel what others feel when you put them first instead of yourself. I did that one time, I challenged myself to love myself the way I was loving others. I said kind words to myself, I looked in the mirror and smiled back at me as I said to myself what I saw looking back at me. From that point on I started loving myself correctly, then it became easier and more genuine to love others correctly. You should try it! Self-love comes from inner healing seeing yourself correctly.  I always tell my clients to start at the beginning, the foundation, because deep down within you will discover why you are self-sabotaging. Think about who was a part of your life in the beginning, and how you felt around these people. Humanity is deep, and life is deeper.  Little nuggets have shaped your life on your journey through words or actions.  Reflect over your life to bring  awareness of what's  gotten you to the place you are at not loving yourself.  I suggest purchasing a journal if you don't have one, and write on the first page of your journal " My Beginning"  think back as far as you can remember and write down the names of  all the people you can remember in the first one to eight years of your life, write adjectives to describe each one. Try to remember their voices, something distinct about them, and for each person write down how you felt in their presence. This will help to get your thoughts flowing. Healing is a process, but the more you heal, the more you can see you! Loving yourself is vital because self-love is a superpower that  will energize you to live your best life! You only get one life to live, and if you don't love yourself right now, it's time to make a change!

I thought I would talk a little bit about love today. It appears we are lacking love in our lives, families, and communities, and that can be disheartening. Everyone needs love it provides hope, strength, and heals many illnesses. So what exactly is love? We hear the word often, and say the word but what is the true definition of love? Love is complex, it is a multifaceted human emotion that is characterized by strong feelings of affection, care, tenderness, and a deep attachment towards another person. It can be romantic, family bonds, and benevolence. If we look at our personal relationships and our communities,  country and world we can see the lack of love for one another, but what has taken us so far away from each other?  I think if we go back to the time when it appeared love was more prevalent in society, there was an order we lived by. Let's go back to the 60s and 70s, the order for families and communities were church, family, school, friends, and pop culture. In the 80s that order changed, it became family, school, church, and pop culture. Then, in the 2000s  we had friends, schools, pop culture and church and unfortunately church has become the  last on the list. That's how the change started, we started with church in the beginning, we had something that brought family and community together, we were taught love was important. But once the church started moving further down the list change was taking place rapidly. We started not standing for anything that would keep the love a part of our fabric, and if we  stand for nothing, we fall for anything.  If we fall for anything we are lead away from what is meaningful.  I think if we stay off social media, be more present with the people who are important to us, we can bring back some of the love we are missing. All we have to do is to make a decision that we want to be more connected in real time, to hear a voice, or feel a touch.  Prioritize a community with family and friends again,  I believe more people are missing love than we realize. We hear a lot about mental health these days, but is it really mental health or just a lack of love? We have to start somewhere we have to put our guard down, and while lowering our guard, lower the cell phones and other devices. Invest as much time with each other that we invest on social media, and I think what we've been looking for we'll find again. Let's bring love back into our lives, and let the healing begin!

It is easy to look at life situations and ask yourself, what do I have to be thankful for? But there is always something you can give thanks for. if you turn your focus away from what you might be going through you can look at life in a more positive manner. You have to be intentional about controlling the thoughts you have, because as they say, "Where's the scene of the crime? In your mind!"  When you wake up each morning, give thanks that you have  awakened to another opportunity do get it right. If you woke up with a roof over your head even if you are in deep debt, or have loss your job at least you didn't wake up on a sidewalk. You might not be able to get everything taken care of as you once did, but as you move forward you will get through the storm, and you will be able to look back once you get through and say, "Thank you!" If you have your health, food to eat even if it's not the food you might want to eat, you can be thankful because there are so many people in our world and country who don't have the necessities they need, or food to eat. Start a practice of thinking about one or two things to give thanks for when you wake up in the morning, and also before you close your eyes to rest at night,  think of one or two things from the day you can give thanks for. The wonderful thing about a grateful heart is that it change your perspective on life, and give you the strength to carry on!

Oh girl, these times are stressing me! I listen to the news, I hear conversations, I read everything on social media, and I swear I'm going to scream! I'm good, right? I mean, I'm really good! That's what we say when asked, we've learned how to perfectly wear our mask! So, how are you really navigating this climate. Are you really good? It is so easy to want to stay silent, and not let anyone know how you really feel. If you are one of the over two hundred thousand women who has lost their jobs since January, I don't know how you can be good unless you are one of those women who looks at the glass half full instead of half empty. Your perspective should be I can give myself the same thing I gave that job. What were your skills that helped that job make a decision that they wanted to hire you? Those same skills can be the gift that takes you in a different direction. The one thing you can look at  you learned something new while you were there that added to what you already possessed.  We can't let a little set back steal our joy, this isn't our first rodeo! Do you remember the pandemic, you got through it, do you remember that time you left job or were  let go after giving your all!  What did you do? You got over yourself, started thinking and that brought you all the way to the job you just loss. So get it together, know what you have to offer, think about how you might be able to use your skills to start your own source income. You can't live without income, and eventually people will get tired of trying to help you make it.  The reality is you are good, I mean good! You just have to change your thinking, let go of the woe is me attitude, and know that you got this!!  The next time someone ask you how are doing, say, "I'm good, I mean I'm really good!" and mean it! 

The scene of the crime is your mind, thoughts are always showing up trying to steal your joy! Our minds can cause us to overthink everything. It's that inner reasoning and deliberation with oneself, and the world in which you live. Change your thinking, and you can change the outcome of your fight. If you don't have a handle on your thoughts, you become enslaved to the mind. We wage war from within, and if we don't change our thinking it defeats us. So, how can we change our thinking? First, get out of yourself, the flesh takes you down a dark downward spiral that makes it hard to get out of. Think about what is positive in your life, where do you go to find strength, peace and harmony? I'm not here to promote any type of religion, but I am a spiritual being who believes there is someone greater than me, or my thoughts, and I tap into that resource by reading the bible, being able to pray, and talk to God, believing He is someone who listens to me. I usually feel better after getting quiet, I find more clarity in what I am going through, and best part about it is that I didn't have to find someone to talk to about my thoughts. So be victorious in the battle, and win the war!

Do you ever find yourself looking at someone, and start to judge yourself, or compare yourself? It's okay sometimes, that means you are trying to be your best, and it is keeping you aware of how you are presenting yourself to the world, but why do we do that? We have been given our own unique looks, gifts, and intelligence to be used for whatever purpose we were placed on the earth to do. When you can be authentic, you give the world so much more beauty, and it allows you to be part of a beautiful tapestry. You should never want to be someone else because you don't know what they are going through behind what you can see. All that glitters isn't gold, and all that you see is not real. Makeup and clothes can make just about anyone look good, so please just show up as your authentic self to the world, because contrary to what you might believe, you are authentically, and uniquely beautiful, So, go show the world who you are, not who you're trying to mimic!!

You should never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today. You might get a phone call, and be tempted to ignore it, but what if the person on the other end has been struggling, or battling an addiction. What if they just need someone- You- to listen? Try to pause and consider what they might be going through. Step into their shoes, even for a moment. That call might be their cry for help, their last ounce of courage to reach out.  Your voice familiar- and steady- might be exactly what they need to hold on a little longer. People often carry heavy things in silence. Fear of rejection, judgement or shame keeps them from speaking up until they feel they are at the end of their struggle. They might not tell you they're drowning, but that doesn't mean they aren't. We all face challenges;  toxic relationship, workplace struggles, financial strain. Some  people hide it better than others. But if you can offer a little compassion, if you can walk someone through their darkness, you might just find healing for yourself too.

Have you ever been in a situation where you are looking everywhere to try and find what you want to do?  Are you happy where you are in life, or do you daydream about doing something else? Life was never designed to stand still, everything about life is movement. Even the life cycle is movement, and at each stage you are there long enough to learn so you can move to the next stage. When we become adults the cycle doesn't stop, we just become intellectual and try to control the cycles. If you are feeling discontentment where you are right now, maybe it is a time for change. If you look back over your life, you can see that every time you moved forward was because you learned the lesson you needed to move forward. Don't be hard on yourself, allow yourself to walk by faith, not by sight if you need to. I can't tell you what you should do, but I can suggest taking time to get quiet, and put yourself first, life may feel like it's long, but it really is short. You have a purpose in every season of your life, just like the life cycle is a movement so is your purpose in this life. Continue seeking, and you will find.

I remember the day I made the decision it was time to retire. I had poured everything  into my work, but it was becoming clear that my dedication was  no longer enough for the powers that be. Honestly, I had been contemplating for a while that I would retire when I turned 62, and as that milestone approached, the signs around me seemed to confirm that change was inevitable- one challenge after another was pushing me toward a new chapter. There were lots of thoughts that flooded my mind:  Had I prepared for this day, would I be okay, what would I do once I took the leap?  Looking back, I believe when certain thoughts repeatedly cross our minds they signal the beginning of a new season. 

We are always moving, either looking back or moving ahead. In this life we often find ourselves at crossroads, trying to make the right decisions as to where to go, or what to do. Many women in this season are living with the loss jobs for one reason or another, or for the more mature woman have been made uncomfortable in their positions, and possibly having to make the decision to retire. When having to make a decision at a crossroad, simply take time to be still, and quiet. Hear the voice within you, and don't second guess what you hear. If you follow what you sense within and don't share with everyone, I believe you will take the right road, and find your way into the next step in your future.