Three Things to Never Give Up

Three Things to Never Give Up:

1. Respect for where you came from, no matter how great or how humble.

2. Your confidence. Your uniqueness. Own your story. Appreciate your experiences and abilities.

3. Your right to be in the moment, in the room, at the table.

Uniquely You

If we spend our lives trying to fit a mold of someone else, we are wasting our time and energy. You're not meant to be anyone else but you. We are born unique from anyone else. One of my favorite quotes is, "You're born an original, don't die a copy." - John Mason. I am also inspired by a quote by Ashley Graham: "I felt free once I realized I was never going to fit the narrow mold that society wanted me to fit in." Ashley has inspired so many women because she is a beautiful model who is not a size 2 or 6. She has shown the world that you do not have to be skinny and bony to be beautiful.

Life can be so harsh and unkind to us sometimes. Why do we try so hard to please others? I think that is why I love being around the folks that just love me for me and around those who allow me to be myself and accept me with my flaws and quirks. It's such a good feeling to have moments of self acceptance and knowing that we do not have to always strive at being better, but rather allowing ourselves to just be.

My Mom once told me , "You can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time."  I never forgot those words. As a manager, a leader, a Mom, a sister, a friend, and everything else I am to everyone I know, I have seen that statement proven true. It's not my job to be perfect. It's not my job to fit someone's unrealistic ideals. It's not my job to please every single person in my life. Though I may give it my best shot, there is no possible way to accomplish that unrealistic goal.

So.... today's challenge, if you're reading this is to give yourself a break and just be uniquely you! Celebrate your strengths. Appreciate your gifts. Be kind to yourself. Accept yourself.  Play your favorite song on your song list, and have a great day!

Perseverance

Charles Spurgeon said, "By perseverance the snail reached the ark." That is probably one of my favorite quotes on perseverance. I have posted some of my favorite quotes in this blog to encourage myself and any who read this blog. Enjoy!

Whoever knocks persistently, ends by entering. -Ali (660-661)

Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb

He conquers who endures. ~Persius

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.
~Walter Elliott, The Spiritual Life


Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb but how well you bounce.
~Vivian Komori

"when a rose stands alone,
thriving where no others thrive,
a rare bouquet of one
still strong, still alive....
and I smile..."
~Hazelmarie "Mattie" Elliott, "A Breath of Heaven"

One may go a long way after one is tired. ~French Proverb

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.
~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Now What?

Someone walked out on you?
Someone doesn't care?
There were people who didn't recognize your abilities?
There were people who didn't think you were talented enough?
You gained a few pounds?
You were let go from a job you where you were giving your best?
They don't believe in you?
You failed at something you worked hard at?
You were judged unfairly in a situation?

NOW WHAT? 

What are you going to do now? How will you let those events and circumstances affect you? Will you let it paralyze you? Will you let it make you afraid? Will you stop believing in yourself?  Are you going to let them define you? Are you going to give up? It is time to make a decision! Stop letting the negatives affect you negatively. I say let it be fuel to the fire of progress! Rise up from the ashes! Let the past go! Forgive and forget! It is not easy, but it is a step in the right direction. Take small steps if necessary. Decide to leave the hurts and disappointments behind. Dig a grave and bury them. Leave the grave unmarked. Do not return. Move on!

They gossipped about you. They made fun of you. They hurt you. They lied about you. They gave up on you. They left you. They didn't care. They didn't encourage you. They made you feel less than. They were mean. They were unkind. They didn't recognize your beauty or your gift. NOW WHAT? Admit it was disappointing. Cry a few tears if you must. But then....you must decide your future. Will it be defined by the pain or will it be defined by the joy in new blessings?

If they walked out, they were not true friends. Guess what? There are new friends to make out there. Believe. Have faith again. If someone didn't believe in you, so what? There are ten more that do! Be thankful for them. If you failed, know this....others have failed too. Failure is often the fuel that is burned to ignite the fire of progress. For every negative comment someone has spoken about you, there are twenty positive comments that have been said about you. Stop listening to the negative messages and start listening to the positive messages.

You are awesome! You are capable! You are talented! You are smart!You are beautiful!
You are YOU!!!
Embrace the love people around you give in the simple compliments, the hugs, the texts, the phone calls, and in the notes you receive from time to time.
Embrace that you are uniquely you. Embrace your imperfections knowing that no one is perfect. Embrace your beauty on the inside and in the mirror. No one else has your smile or those eyes. Embrace your abilities and talents. Even if you cannot sing a five octive range, embrace the three octives you can tackle like a beast! Your tone is unique and no one else has it. Your laugh is like no one elses.

Never give up! Keep on keeping on. Love again. Love yourself again. Be brilliant and do not be afraid to shine. Let your light shine. Do not let the pain and negative experiences dull your sparkle. Be the person you are meant to be. Do what you are meant to do.

In life, we all have our struggles, disappointments, and frustrations. No one is exempt from them. We all get a hand dealt to us we do not particularly like from time to time. We still get to choose how we play the cards and we still get to choose how we will respond. This is what defines who we become. So......now what?

Ain't nobody got time for that!

This has been a phrase used over and over this past year in 2013. It has been used to make people laugh, and yet make very good points regarding the petty, strange, and undesirable issues that come up among family, friends, and work colleagues.

I have decided that this year I am focusing on what really matters to me and the people I care about.  If it is petty, useless, ignorant, or trivial, then in the words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Why worry about people who gossip about you? Celebrate the ones who notice your achievements and accomplishments and speak well of you instead!

Why worry about people who act like you do not matter. Celebrate and appreciate the people who cannot manage without you and who miss you when you are away! Realize to whom you matter most!

Why worry about financial matters?  Be diligent. Work hard. Do your best. Worry less.

Why worry about your insecurities? Count your blessings and realize your greatest attributes and what separates you from the rest. Celebrate your differences! They make you "YOU"!!

Do not compare yourselves to others!  You are a one of a kind baby!!!! Love yourself. Love others.

And remember, regarding the negatives....."Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Moving forward

Accept today with all of its challenges. Yesterday is gone. There is no going back. What's done is done. Tomorrow is on the horizon with no guarantees. Let go of past hurts and disappointments and past successes too. Keep moving ahead and embrace the love of family and friends. Be thankful you have made it to this day and be confident in a hopeful future. Lets keep on moving forward!

The Sky is Still Blue

Today as I told my Mom a few of my troubles she encouraged me with these words:
"The sky is still blue and the sun is still shining behind the gray clouds and those clouds will pass."
She inspires me with her encouragement. I'm thankful for my Mom!