Today I woke up and realized that I have hustle in my heart. I mean that to say that I want more and so I do more. I'm not concerned with what other folks have going on; I know what I have in store for moi (that's "me" for the non-French speakers). Seriously. I work from sun up to sun down in order to make my dreams come true. Do you? Do you have the "go hard or go home" motto etched into the part of your brain that organizes your goals? Do you plan, plan, plan with every breath you take? Do you? Do you live and breathe for your next move? Do you? Because if you don't, well then it won't get done.
I don't know about y'all, but I know that I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I don't have a trust fund or tons of discretionary income to play around with, so I have to work hard for my money. If I don't work, I don't eat. I mean that. Yes, I have a husband and he's a great provider, but I have to contribute in my way. That's what's important to me. Even when I was a stay at home mom/wife, I worked hard. I went to school, I planned my next steps...I went hard! I founded a writing company, I wrote articles, I researched grad schools, and actually completed one graduate degree (the next is coming). I didn't just sit around and let my brain turn to mush; I worked.it.out.
Too often, we become complacent and just accept what we're given as our lot in life. We take scraps and leftovers (I'm not talking about food, here) and make do with what we've been allotted. But what I'm telling you is that you can propel yourself to greatness with whatever you have been given. You have the final say in what is for you and what isn't...period. I have a friend who is the hardest working person I know. And she doesn't just work...she excels. In fact, I have several friends like that. And you know what? We push each other further; we encourage each other to do more, to be more. And you know why: well because birds of a feather flock together (but for the record, we're eagles, not chickens). And we move in sync toward our individual paths of greatness, but we're connected to each other by our perseverance.
Listen, I'm not saying that you should live your life chasing and searching. What I am saying is that you should work hard to achieve your goals. You have to work hard to achieve your goals. Very few people have become successful by sitting on their sofas, scratching their bellies. You have to get out there and do the w.o.r.k. There aren't many freebies in life and you have to shed a little blood, a lot of sweat and even more tears. For real. Plan your work and then work the heck out of your plan. No excuses. However, you have to remember to play hard as well. Don't ignore your loved ones and laughter in pursuit of greatness. I can tell you that nothing in the world is worth losing connections to the ones you love.
Remember that you only have one life to live and this is not a dress rehearsal: it's the real deal. You have to go out and apply yourself to everything that you do. Your name should mean something to you. "You" are a brand. When people hear your name, they should know that it means quality. They should know that you handle your business in every way, every day. Period. If you say you want it, you should be willing to work for it. No excuses. Remember: go hard or go home. You can't expect for someone else to do your work for you (well, you can expect it, but it probably won't happen). You better make sure that every "i" is dotted and that every "t" is crossed. I don't care how big you get, you better handle your business. Never, ever let the business handle you. For real. You are in control. You have to believe it.
In the end, this isn't about money. It's about passion and satisfaction. Find something you are passionate about and make a plan that revolves around that. If you are passionate about what you are doing, then you will have greater satisfaction in the scope of your life. You will understand that you are made for greatness and expecting anything less than that is ludicrous. I don't care what people say about you. Let them talk. Let them eat cake. Let them sit and watch you become all you are destined to be. Take some time in the near future to outline your goals, divide them into monthly, semi-annual, annual and five-year. Then write down the work that you think it will take in order to make your dreams come true. Remember that your goals will need to be re-evaluated at times and you may not always complete them in the ways that you imagine. But remember this: a try beats a fail every time. So get out there and give this the best that you've got. Peace.
"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
Showing posts with label Satisfaction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Satisfaction. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
I Yam What I Yam...And I Love Me Still
I got a revelation, y'all. Come close because I don't want you to miss nary a minute of what I have to say. Lean in, closer, closer...yeah right there...What I want to tell you is: I LOVE ME SOME ME!!!!!!!!!! Yessir, yes ma'am, yessiree Bob and all of that. Today, at this moment, at this place in time: I am comfortable in my own skin.
That's a mouthful and it's no small endeavor. See, I am a self-reflective person. I constantly do a checks and balance on myself to see how I measure up to the person I want to be. Most times, I'm on point. But sometimes, well, sometimes--I fall short. Yeah, because even when I want to be better, I get stuck in the frailty of human emotion (and dare I say, ego) and I mess up. I don't always get it right. However, even in my moments of making mistakes or of doing a little less than I intended, I still love me. Yeah, I do. You know why? Because I should--plain and simple. There is no fancy equation or formula, it just is what it 'tis.
Often, we start looking sideways and comparing ourselves to the Jones' or whomever and we don't quite measure up in our estimation. But that's the problem--you don't know them people or what they are dealing with, so stop trying to be like them. Stop trying to do what they do and be how they be. Now, don't get me wrong--there isn't anything wrong with trying to find suitable role models and wanting to better yourself. As the kids say, "that's what's up" (translation: it is a good thing). But the danger is in living your life based on what other people do and say. The danger is in feeling as if you never are enough or that you can never get enough. That is dangerous, indeed. There is some satisfaction to be found in the scope of who you are. There is some satisfaction to be found in the YOU of who you are.
Come closer, I want to tell you something. Lean in closely and soak up all I have to say: YOU ARE YOUR BEST THING (Beloved reference). Fareal, fareal. If no one has ever told you before, I want you to know that there is beauty in every breath you take, in all of your moments. There is joy, hope, love, kindness, patience and peace inside of you. No one can take what you don't offer. See, I love me some me and it is no small statement I make when I tell you that I embrace myself--all my beauty, my pain, my joys, my sorrows, my missteps and my me. I love me and as I am changing, I continue to see the best of who I will become, one day, someday. But today, right now, at this moment in time, I love me just as I am. Do you love you?
Peace.
Jennifer Hudson "I Am Changing"
That's a mouthful and it's no small endeavor. See, I am a self-reflective person. I constantly do a checks and balance on myself to see how I measure up to the person I want to be. Most times, I'm on point. But sometimes, well, sometimes--I fall short. Yeah, because even when I want to be better, I get stuck in the frailty of human emotion (and dare I say, ego) and I mess up. I don't always get it right. However, even in my moments of making mistakes or of doing a little less than I intended, I still love me. Yeah, I do. You know why? Because I should--plain and simple. There is no fancy equation or formula, it just is what it 'tis.
Often, we start looking sideways and comparing ourselves to the Jones' or whomever and we don't quite measure up in our estimation. But that's the problem--you don't know them people or what they are dealing with, so stop trying to be like them. Stop trying to do what they do and be how they be. Now, don't get me wrong--there isn't anything wrong with trying to find suitable role models and wanting to better yourself. As the kids say, "that's what's up" (translation: it is a good thing). But the danger is in living your life based on what other people do and say. The danger is in feeling as if you never are enough or that you can never get enough. That is dangerous, indeed. There is some satisfaction to be found in the scope of who you are. There is some satisfaction to be found in the YOU of who you are.
Come closer, I want to tell you something. Lean in closely and soak up all I have to say: YOU ARE YOUR BEST THING (Beloved reference). Fareal, fareal. If no one has ever told you before, I want you to know that there is beauty in every breath you take, in all of your moments. There is joy, hope, love, kindness, patience and peace inside of you. No one can take what you don't offer. See, I love me some me and it is no small statement I make when I tell you that I embrace myself--all my beauty, my pain, my joys, my sorrows, my missteps and my me. I love me and as I am changing, I continue to see the best of who I will become, one day, someday. But today, right now, at this moment in time, I love me just as I am. Do you love you?
Peace.
Jennifer Hudson "I Am Changing"
Friday, September 10, 2010
In Search of Satisfaction--Choosing You
Because you never know where life is gonna take you
and you can't change where you've been
But today, I have the opportunity to choose... India Arie in "I Choose"
For many of us, there may be a voice in our heads that keeps us from doing what we NEED to do for our own happiness. I don't mean your conscience that serves to keep you from making poor decisions, I mean that lingering, nagging self-doubt that manifests itself into dissatisfaction. Somewhere at the core of you is someone who wants to dream bigger, soar higher, shine brighter but...you can't. Because of something you did a long time ago or yesterday and someone or some folks said that you can't or you shouldn't so you don't. And then you are paralyzed in the graveyard of dreams with a poor outlook for yourself.
But I implore you to claim your right to satisfaction. Satisfaction doesn't equal wealth or more friends or... Satisfaction does not equal easy living, but at the end of the day you can be satisfied because you know that you did what you NEEDED to survive and even, thrive.
Listen, I made some poor decisions when I was younger and I made some mistakes that I felt that I could never come back from. I wanted to give up and just fade away. But something inside of me challenged me to do what I NEEDED to do and to follow the path that I wanted. I was in search of satisfaction and although I didn't know it then, I would go down an irreversible path of reclaiming my life. I would forge my own path shaped by my own understanding of who I wanted to become. I know now that the saying to thine ownself be true is a necessary component to who becoming yourself, to choosing yourself.
Never let anyone make you feel bad because you are in search of personal satisfaction through self-definition. Don't give your power away. The following song by India Arie was my manifesta last year; I even used it as my ring tone. I wanted everyone to know that when they came in contact with me, they were dealing with a fully developed and aware being. I know who and how I am and I make no apologies for that. I want the best for myself and am purposeful in my actions when I am working on myself. I choose me. Do you choose you?
India Arie "I Choose"
and you can't change where you've been
But today, I have the opportunity to choose... India Arie in "I Choose"
For many of us, there may be a voice in our heads that keeps us from doing what we NEED to do for our own happiness. I don't mean your conscience that serves to keep you from making poor decisions, I mean that lingering, nagging self-doubt that manifests itself into dissatisfaction. Somewhere at the core of you is someone who wants to dream bigger, soar higher, shine brighter but...you can't. Because of something you did a long time ago or yesterday and someone or some folks said that you can't or you shouldn't so you don't. And then you are paralyzed in the graveyard of dreams with a poor outlook for yourself.
But I implore you to claim your right to satisfaction. Satisfaction doesn't equal wealth or more friends or... Satisfaction does not equal easy living, but at the end of the day you can be satisfied because you know that you did what you NEEDED to survive and even, thrive.
Listen, I made some poor decisions when I was younger and I made some mistakes that I felt that I could never come back from. I wanted to give up and just fade away. But something inside of me challenged me to do what I NEEDED to do and to follow the path that I wanted. I was in search of satisfaction and although I didn't know it then, I would go down an irreversible path of reclaiming my life. I would forge my own path shaped by my own understanding of who I wanted to become. I know now that the saying to thine ownself be true is a necessary component to who becoming yourself, to choosing yourself.
Never let anyone make you feel bad because you are in search of personal satisfaction through self-definition. Don't give your power away. The following song by India Arie was my manifesta last year; I even used it as my ring tone. I wanted everyone to know that when they came in contact with me, they were dealing with a fully developed and aware being. I know who and how I am and I make no apologies for that. I want the best for myself and am purposeful in my actions when I am working on myself. I choose me. Do you choose you?
India Arie "I Choose"
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