Posts from — November 2011

A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done. 
Vince Lombardi 

How great do you want to be?

I have encountered so many individuals who have dreams of becoming someone greater than who they are currently being. They have great ideas, a plan of action but what is lacking is the execution of the plan.

They are motivated in the moment,but not driven.

To be great, you have to be willing to do the things ordinary people are not willing to do. To achieve greatness, you also have to be willing to sacrifice immediate gratification for long term success. I have several friends whom I admire greatly. These individuals had a dream of being successful in their field of work. They were young men, but they were willing to give up girls, clubbing, hanging out with friend and the simple pleasures of life. They could use every waking moment to focus on their business. While others were sleeping, they were strategizing. They were so focused on the intended outcome, it became an obsession and in the long run, they did achieve their heart’s desire.

Using the words of Eminem:

If you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment,would you capture it or just let it slip? 

What are you willing to give up today?

If you are satisfied with where you are right now, do nothing. However, if you desire more for yourself make a decision and change direction. Tell yourself that you are willing to pay the price, what ever that price might be in order to realize something greater for your life. There is power in visualizing. Visualize yourself having the thing you desire and work hard everyday to achieve it. Nothing good in life comes without a price. If everything you wanted was handed to you on a silver platter, guess what, you wouldn’t appreciate it as much as if you had worked your butt off for it.

All that you need and desire is within reach. Stand up, push out your chess out and claim it! Let today be the last day you choose to live below your full potential. No one can take your greatness away from you, only you have the power to stifle it.

I believe in you. I believe in the person you are meant to be. Go forth and conquer!

Positive Affirmation: Today I choose to be courageous. I will stand up and fight for what I believe in. I am willing to sacrifice my time in order to make my desires become a reality. I will have what I say I will have and be who I am suppose to be. The greatness is within me, and I claim it today.

Share this:

I found myself in a lonely place. I wanted to be held and comforted, but there was no one around. I wanted to love and be loved, and told how special I was. Still there was no one. I had to endure all the changes alone. Most of my days were spent in isolation, and the loneliness covered me like a flood. I cried, day and night, but there was no one there to dry my tears. So I cried alone.

Humans are social creatures. We can have all the money in the world but without someone we love to share it with, we are more than likely to feel empty and alone.

We all need social connections to keep us vitalized. Connecting with others in a healthy way expand our minds and stimulate us to do more than we thought we were capable of. Relationships require a lot of give and take, and sometimes we might even feel as though we are giving more than we are receiving and would rather be alone.

Don’t be too quick to give up on your relationships, whether intimate or social. Often after a major disagreement, and making the time to work through the ruff patches, the ties that bind will become stronger. No man is an island and God never desired for us to be alone. Fight for your family, fight for your friendship. Let nothing or no one deceive you into believing that the people you love are not worth fighting for.

Positive Affirmation: Today I will reach out and connect with the ones I love . I will do my best to let them know how much I truly love and appreciate them.

For more inspiration. Check out www.micambe.com

Share this:

” Speak When you are angry and you will make the best speech you will you will ever regret.”
Ambrose Bierce 

You could cut the tension between Mark and Jasmine with a knife. The air was charged and if you were to light a match, there would have been a great explosion. Having struggled with anger all his life, and

not wanting to make the same mistakes of the past that landed him in jail, Mark decided to walk away. “You fool, stand up and flight like a man. Your weakness makes me sick, I can’t stand you!” Jasmine yelled at the top of her lungs. Mark turned around with rage in his eyes. Just as he was about to lunge at her for questioning his manhood, he caught himself and continued to walk out the door. Mark had to blow off some steam.

Words spoken in anger can never be taken back. The damaged produced can leave a person scared and bitter for the rest of their life. A angry outburst is a sign indicating that one has not fully mastered the art of self-control.

Jasmine thought that Mark was a fool for walking away during their argument, but Mark’s action proved that he was the wiser of the two. Choosing to stay  might have caused physical and phycological damage. Think carefully about the words you speak to others when you are angry. If you don’t intend to destroy your relationships, keep your mouth shut and walk away. You might have a mouthful  of venomous  words to say in order to satisfy your ego, but in the long run it would not have been worth it.

Walking away from an argument doesn’t make you weak. In fact, by walking away you inflict a blow more powerful than the destructive words you could speak.

Don’t leave unresolved issues incomplete, but talk about the problem when you are calm and able to come to an amicable solution suitable for both party involved.

Positive Affirmation: Today I will use wisdom over logic to resolve any disagreement. I will not use words that will harm others. I choose to exercise self-control. I choose peace over war.

Share this:

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how”
Friedrich Nietzsche

Life can be difficult, and even if our basic needs are met, we encounter challenges and situations that test our mettle every single day. Many of us are alive only because we still have the breathe of life in our body, but on the inside we are dead.

When life consumes us, we sometimes forget that life is not measured by how many breathes we take, but by the moments that take our breathe away. Pain, setbacks, disappointment and discouragement has stolen our joy.

Breathe

Life, like the game of football has a play book. In order to defeat the opponent the players have to study the play book and master the plays. Navigating your way through this life requires a strategy, and one such strategy is knowing is know your reasonwhy. What gets you motivated? what will encourage you to push yourself beyond your limitations? What will keep you going when others have quit?

Finding your why, and keeping it constantly before you, will provide the fuel you need to win this game called life. Don’t let the how get in the way of your why. God has a way to work things out in ways you can not even begin to imagine.  All we have to do, is keep the end in mind. Where you are right now, may not the place where you ultimately want to be, but use this season of your life to grow and study the plays from your play book. Be committed to making small changes every single day, and over the course of the year, you will be surprised  to see how far you have come.

Positive Affirmation: Today is the day I will ponder my WHY. I will make every effort to do the things I have been putting off and use my WHY to keep me motivated.

Share this:

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. 
Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
Mark Twain

I really believe that there are only two types of people in this world. The builders and the destroyers.

Which of the two are you?

I like to listen to people talk, because they reveal so much about them self, and what they believe based on what they say. I don’t pass judgement on others, but by listening, I am better able to communicate without frustrating myself.

Very few people understand the importance of surrounding themselves with individuals who will build them up. Your very dreams and aspirations will be fueled by the influences of those around you. We need to be around more builders. People who can see the potential in you, even when you can’t see it for yourself. Builders are not perfect, but they are committed to supporting you the best way they know how. They celebrate your accomplishments and provide constructive criticism when necessary. Builders will never make you feel small.

I am an optimist, and I choose to believe that it is never too late for a person to change. If you are a destroyer, it’s not too late for you to become a builder. However, before you can build up others, you first have to lay a new foundation for your very own life. Maybe you are the way you are because others, planted the seed of destruction in you when you were a child. The ones who were task with building you up, made you feel inferior and insure. You give to the world what others have given to you. But I am here to tell you it is not too late to change. I BELIEVE IN YOU! I believe you have so much to contribute to this life and to the lives of others. With hard work and determination you too can achieve anything. We have never met, or maybe we have, but if truth be known, you have greatness in you. Your teachers might not have told you so, your parents might not have believed so, but I believe that greatness is your birthright, and all you have to do is claim it.

As you go throughout the day be mindful of the person you are choosing to be. If you are a builder, keep building and always chose to see the best in others, even when they are not manifesting their greatness at the speed you expect them to.
In the Far East, there is a tree called the Chinese bamboo.This remarkable tree is different from most trees in that it doesn’t grow in the usual fashion. While most trees grow steadily over a period of years, the Chinese bamboo tree doesn’t break through the ground for the first four years. Then, in the fifth year, an amazing thing happens – the tree begins to grow at an astonishing rate. In fact, in a period of just five weeks, a Chinese bamboo tree can grow to a height of 90 feet. It’s almost as if you can actually see the tree growing before your very eyes.

Don’t give up on others, they very well could be a Chinese Bamboo Tree.

Positive Affirmation: Today I choose to build other up. I will say at least one kind word to someone. I will give to others what I would want for myself, HOPE.

Share this:

“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.”
Paulo Coelho

Today I can truly say I appreciate the experiences that life has afforded me. I didn’t always enjoy the experiences, but I appreciate them.

It is easy for us to judge others and impose upon them our views on how we think they should or should not be living their life. Don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with offering suggestions, we just have to be mindful of the time and place in which we chose to give advice.

I remember a few years ago, a friend  of mine a decision that I thought was crazy. I wondered to myself what sensible person would make such a choice until I found myself dealing with a similar situation. The only difference with her story and mine, was that I felt stuck, and could not pull myself out of the pit I was in. I felt like I was crossing a high way with blinders on and speeding cars were coming at me, but I felt powerless to make a change. At that time, all I wanted was for someone to take the blinders off my eyes and help me to navigate the changes I was going through.

But instead of guidance, I got criticism.  Everyone had an opinion, but only few people took the time out to find out what was really going on with me.

Our views on life, is based on our experiences. Two individuals could have the same life experience, but their interpretation of the situation will be different.

Why?

Because of environmental, sociological, emotional and physical conditioning, everyone views the world differently. What some people called morally wrong, others think is normal. Your standards are yours only. Give others the opportunity to figure things out on their own, but love them through the process without passing judgement.

So what am I really saying? reserve your judgement of others. You never know what life has in store for you around the corner, that will cause someone else to judge you, when all you need is helping hand.

Positive Affirmation: Today, I will make a conscious decision to withhold judgement on another. I will seek to understand why others make the decision they make and loving offer suggestions when the time is right.

Share this:

I can’t believe it is already Thursday. A lot has happened since the week began, and who is to tell what will happen before it ends. All I want to do however is make the most of the day, and learn as much as possible from it.

Today I want to share with you an article I read earlier. So many times we confuse ourselves and make things worse by trying to force ourselves to find answers to questions we seek, instead of just being still and waiting for the answer to manifest itself. It is my prayer that this post will find itself in the hands of someone who is looking for precisely this answer.

Pills For A Pessimists
J.W. Wiglesworth, D.N.

The devil worry spoils more digestions than whiskey.
Fussing, fuming, fearing and apprehending what?
Usually nothing.
They are all pure and simple evidence of ignorance or bodily distortion.
Your body is influenced by your mind.
Your mind is influenced by your body.
An uncertain minds worries.
A sick body stimulates worry.
A worrier’s thoughts run riots.
They roll in, one crowding the other out of order and arrangement.
It’s uncontrolled thinking.

Worriers are like ships on the angry ocean, tosses here and there without any self-control.
The worrier is either physically disorganized, or he proves his lack of confidence in God by worrying.
Worry is cowardice if your body is all right.
And besides,“I am an old man and have worried much over things that never happened.”
Fear freezes us up and puts our frustration into cold storage.
You  stop when you fear.
You chill your vitals and stand like a frozen being.
What is fear? Just,“I’m afraid”:

You must face the music of life.
Your future is not today, but today makes your future.
Fretting and fearing make a fitting future for themselves.
If you want to be sick– want to devitalize and destroy your body–then fear and worry about things.
It is a sure method of making a diseased future.

Let this soak in. 

Hate is ungodly and ruins our bodies and minds.
Beauty is skin deep they say.
“Skin deep” beauty becomes “skin deep,” body full, disposition ruining ugliness under the magic wand of hate.
Hate is a low-down,degrading,uncivilized,detestable thing.
The woman or man in the gutter, in the lowest walk of life– is royalty beside the hater.

You can’t be good.
You can’t be reasonable.
You can’t think.
You can’t eat.

Hate and your body will show its mark– so will your future.

You can’t do good.
You can’t be sane–and be jealous.

You should consider your mind sacred.If you desecrate it with jealousy, you are ugly,unstable, and an undesirable member of society.
These four–worry,fear,hate and jealousy–are the ravages of good health.

Your body and mind must both be right and be healthy.
An unhealthy body makes an unhealthy mind.
An unhealthy mind, makes an unhealthy body.
Good thoughts lead to health,wealth and happiness.
Bad thoughts lead to sickness,poverty and hell.
Look into the mirror and smile at yourself.

Positive Affirmation: Today I will remember to walk in gratitude. I will not worry about the things I can not control. I will believe that God will provide for me all the things I need for this day. I will speak words of life and truth. I will treat others just the way I would want to be treated even if they don’t treat me in kind. I will exercise self-control.

Share this:

” Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Shout it out loud….. I AM ALIVE!

Today is count your blessings day! I will not complain.

Here we go……

Do you have food to eat? Check.

Do you have clothes on your back? Another set in the closet? Check. Check.

Do you have a roof over your head? Check.

Do you have someone that loves and cares about you? Check.

Do you have eyes to see, ears to hear, mouth to speak? Check. Check. Check.

Are you able to get from point A to B? Check.

Keep going. Find at least 20 things to be grateful for today. List even the most insignificant things and be sure to share with me some of the things you are grateful for.

I had a conversation with a very wise man recently. He said, ” Kymarie, live only for today. When you pray ask God to provide the things that you need only for today. You might not have a roof over your head tomorrow, but if you have one over your head today be grateful.”

We can make plans for the future, but don’t let tomorrow rob you of today. The past is gone. Don’t let the failures of yesterday, steal the possibilities of today.

Positive Affirmation: Today I will walk in gratitude. I will keep my eyes often and count each and everyone of my blessing and name them one by one.

Share this:

“Life is a series of experiences, each of which makes us bigger, even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.”

I am reading this book ” Peace from the broken pieces. How to get through what you are going through”  by Iyanla Vanzant.

I so admire her courage and willingness to share her story with others after having lost so much. Her courage gives me the strength to carry on as I too find peace from my broken pieces. 

Here is an excerpt from the book.

It is often difficult to identify the exact moment that your life falls apart. In most cases, it is not a one-shot deal. If you ask people who have had the experience of losing everything they love or believe in, they will probably say it was not a one telephone call or one letter, one revelation or realization, that caused the collapse of life as they knew it. I now understand that my life fell apart one piece at a time. Piece by piece; one experience, one situation and one circumstance at a time, until I found myself standing in the midst of broken promises, splintered relationships and shattered dreams.

The breaking down into pieces of a life is a painful thing to watch and even more painful to endure. Even more devastating is that as your life begins to unravel, day by day, piece by piece, there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it…….  Lives were not built to fall apart, but to grow and flurish. The reality is, however, lives do crumble.

Read the book if you can.

But if you can’t, I just want to leave you with some encouragement.

In life, sometimes we have to be pruned and cut down in order to grow healthy and strong. Sometimes we have to die in order to live, and sometimes we have to lose in order to gain.

The process that we all have to go through in order to reach our full potential was not designed to kill us, even though at times it seems like we will crumble under the weight.  Just like gold, we too have to be purified by fire. In order for God to bring out the best in us, he sometimes allow us to go through some painful things. Don’t despise the pruning process, if we endure to the end, our reward will be great. Be strong and stay in the fight. You can’t see it now, but your setbacks are a set up for greatness.

Positive Affirmation: Today I will endure to the end and count it all as joy the trying of my faith. All is well.

Share this: