Thursday, December 11, 2008

Back To Reality


Okay, I cannot believe that I have not been blogging in a couple of months. I have been very, very, very busy! Last year I wouldn't have imagined that I would be so busy. I have been making serious decisions about my company. Entrepreneurship can be fun, but challenging at the same time. I have also been so busy that someone called me and brought to my attention that I have been nominated for an award, which the show takes place in February 2009. So I had to drop almost everything and rally up my votes. School is a real killer for me right now. Even though I am taking my exams, I am so burnt out. I cannot wait to get out. I am so looking forward to my holiday vacation! I am going to be out of state for seven whole days. I'm going to find me several good books to read, eat like it is my last meal and relax the whole time. Then I will shortly be back to REALITY!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Simple Reality of Joy


Joy can be defined as the emotion of great happiness. The emotion that is evoked by well-being, success, good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. Joy really determines what sort of person we are. This simple emotion has the power to change our whole life course. We do well to ask ourself these questions:
*What motivates me?
*When do I feel my best?
*How does accomplishment and success make me feel?
*I am a better person when?
*When I smile, what is the reason behind it?
The answers are all one simple emotion, JOY. In REALITY, we are not always down and out. Something in us evokes the emotion of joy. After reading this post, take the time to think about this post. I challenge you to find joy in something through the course of your day. Post a comment and share it with the rest of the readers.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Reality Check- Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words!



As black women where do we fit into the picture? In REALITY we must ask ourselves where do we fit into society? Have we learned strong social skills to remain in societies race? Or are we just too fast and everyone has to catch up? (cute picture!)

Monday, September 22, 2008

Reality Check- Case of the Mondays?


Well I really can't go into detail about my day but I can tell you that I inspired my own self today. I could not help but laugh when I was caught up in the moment. My day started as usual, early rise supposedly at 3:00am to trick my body into getting more sleep. I actually get started at 5:00am but my body decided to rise at 4:54am so I had to get up! My morning job had a few curve balls for me to deal with before 8:00am. Got to my 9:00am class and I forgot to study for my test. (oops!) Not seriously stressing out I redeemed myself by doing some extra work, so I was feeling better by then. I received a visitor mid-day and they talked so much. They were talking very monotone so they pretty much drew all the life out of me. I felt like I went from flesh-n-blood to a corpse. I was lifeless! So I went to the bathroom to get my day back together again, it was barely noon. I went to the bathroom, combed my hair and smiled at myself in the mirror and could not help but laugh at myself. I was actually putting some self healing techniques into practice.
I went outside, couldn't help but notice how beautiful it was. So as I took my little 5 minute walk across campus REALITY hit me. Mondays are not so bad. It is a start of a new week. We should enjoy life everyday. Life is like a busy interstate, fast pace and ever moving. We have to keep up with the flow of traffic but sometime we tire out. We may have to pull over to the rest area (weekends!) to regain some strength. So the next Monday will be just a Monday!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Reality Check- Do I Feel Like a Pencil?


I recently read a bloggers post who was undoubtedly influenced by novelist Paulo Coelho. (search his bio in Wikipedia) Although I do not agree with his philosophy he had given an illustration of a pencil and how we are like pencils. If you've been reading my previous post you factually know that I am deeply influenced by my urban culture. I am going to put an urban twist to the illustration of a pencil.
Five ways we are like a pencil:
1. There is always a hand guiding a pencil. A pencil has the power to write anything, but without a hand guiding it along it is impossible and very difficult. We are capable of many things but we must never forget that there is a hand guiding our everyday steps.
2. Pencils grow dull and have to be sharpened. Imagine being shaved down, it must hurt. In the end the pencil is sharpened and produces a better and stronger print. We sometimes have to go through many painful things but in the end it makes us a better, stronger person.
3. Pencils come equipped with erasers to rub out any mistakes. Often times we have to correct many things we may have done wrong in our lives but the end result produces humbleness in us.
4. The most important part of the pencil is the graphite inside the pencil. It is not the wood or the color of the pencil. We have something valuable as well, our heart. The inner person we are strengthens and mold us. Beauty is skin deep, truthfully.
5. A pencil will always leave a mark. Whatever it is that we do in life we leave a mark. Whether it is a positive or a negative mark, we must remember impressions are very powerful. We have the ability to help or hurt someone. Be conscience of our mark.
Truthfully, we as a race never examine other things to comparatively better ourselves. We need to think outside the box and expand our thinking ability. We have such a strong spiritual connection but why not take take that same conviction and apply it to other elements in our lives. In REALITY can we compare ourselves to a pencil or is this just another good story we read with no thought behind it?

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Black Women Harboring Reality - Empower Them



"Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean."- Dr. Maya Angelou


Often times we find ourselves fortunate to go through life unaffected and unharmed. For the millions who suffer it is a REALITY to harbor. What am I talking about? Black women who suffer. Well, as mentioned in previous blogs I've posted I am affected, nurtured and empowered by black women. I am especially empowered by the ones I encounter daily. Black women have the strongest impact on my life. Black women whom I admire, look up do, and practically are at awe with, who have shared with me their struggles and pain. When they share with me personal experiences it makes me more appreciative of my own life. I appreciate other people. We literally harbor our pain, hurt, sorrow, our REALITY. I will never forget one of my co-workers who always said that she never harbors any ill feelings against anyone because she is so happy to be free. When I asked her why, she explained to me that for so many years she was a prisoner in her own home. She was in an abusive marriage and only felt like a person when she went to work because people treated her with dignity and respect. I was devastated when she told me about her life, I was in disbelief because she was such a happy person. Sadly she is not here today, but she is the reason why I have a change of attitude. When Im at work now or even out and about I make it a point to smile and acknowledge other people. Why? Because I never know what that person is experiencing in their life, what REALITY they are harboring. I hope that I can heal some hurt with a smile...

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Reality Check - Empowerment 1.2



"You don’t become what you want; you become what you believe."- Oprah Winfrey

Empowerment isn't a strength we were born with. It is the ability to allow yourself to be lifted to another level of choices. We then have the ability to transform those choices into desired actions and life altering outcomes. In REALITY, we have to believe in ourselves and the lives of others. We are constantly searching for better opportunities to appear in our lives. I have been blessed to recognize the power of influence and network. I've been surrounded by so many powerful people. I am especially blessed to have so many positive black women in my mist. You have to believe in yourself, listen with your eyes and not your ears. I look at all the black women I encounter and learn from them. I may have wanted to become many things but I hope to become like many of the black women I believe in....

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Reality Check - Entrepreneurship 1.1


As women of color we should always try to learn from other women. As black women we have difficulty with allowing ourselves to be guided. The REALITY is that we should strive to open our mind, especially to professionalism. There are not enough black women entrepreneurs in our communities. The first step is to learn what entrepreneurship means, and find out are we equipped to be entrepreneurs. First we have to create our own opportunities. Here is good advice from Bobbi Brown- Founder and CEO, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

"I started working as a freelance makeup artist in 1980, and I worried that I didn't have enough money. My father told me I'd just have to figure out a way to make more money. So I started looking through the Yellow Pages and calling agencies, magazines, photographers - anyone I could offer my services to. I'd work for free until I proved myself.

Soon enough, I was getting regular calls to do their makeup. My father's advice made me feel that I was in control of my future. I realized that it was my job to find more opportunities."

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Reality of a Black Womans Transition


Being a woman in this society has its limits. Being a black woman in society today should be limitless. In contrast, we are, black women, the limited. When we are placed in environments out of our expected element, we have many challenges. I am just an average young black woman, with a little education under my belt. I have been blessed with a pretty good, reasonable, sound mind. For me i get comfortable in my own element, which has cultural restrictions. I love being around my people, good southern country folk. The thing that most confuses people about me is my ability to transcend. I can put myself or avail myself to other elements and still remain that black woman. I feel the hardest thing for a black woman is making a transition from comfortableness to professionalism. I'm referring here to career seeking, job placement, go getters. We need more black women in our school systems, medical field (professionally), financing and lawmaking powerful positions. The REALITY is how do we cope with transition? Do we put forth the effort to transcend or do we live in our own element?

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Reality Check - Empowerment 1.1


As a black woman I know it sounds crazy but I find it hard for women of color to have just a great day. I myself have a very different personality than other black women. I mean I breath easy so to speak. I love being a black woman. We are the best species on this planet. It is because we are so complete because of our circumstances. We are not only mothers to one child (without given birth) but to a whole community. Our life is hectic due to obligations placed on us by society.
We as women of color have to get with REALITY. Given our ability to be stronger than our counterparts we have to take advantage of that. We have to capitalize on our own strength. Okay food for thought, If we can make a dollar out of fifteen cents just what can we do with knowledge?