Come in to God's rest

Its Sunday night, but it feels more like Monday eve. This weekend went like two blinks, and I'm starting to work overtime. Does this cycle ever end? Is there any rest for the weary? Have you completely burned the wax off your candle? Does the mere thought of a task suck out all your energy? Well oftentimes our bodies are telling us to slow down. We run the rat race to complete exhaustion and then wonder how we got this way. Celebrities famously announce when they are taking a break, on vacation, etc. WHY? Because they recognize the value of rest towards their creativity and performance. God even mandated the seventh day to be a day to put down what labors us and worship Him. I actually worked this weekend and it really got to me. So I turned to social media to play my favorite songs. To my surprise, my favorite DJ spun a complete music set.  Watching churches online during the pandemic, many pastors must reach through the airwaves to parishioners. Well today, Pastor announced continued mask wearing and social distancing. COVID-19 has given us the 1-2 punch with the Delta and Lambda variants.  The underlying message was to stay safe and err on the side of caution. People are so desperate to be outside that they are risking their lives for temporary moments. It's getting to the point that people are rejecting the science until it's too late. Until this pandemic is under control, I am entering into God's rest and allowing Him to renew my faith. Keep your faith strong so you can face each day. When you start to "feel the fire", quench it with your faith. If your faith gets low, God will restore, replenish, and revive your soul. Let Him refocus your goals to align with His plans for your life. My hope has been awakened and set on fire for God. My purpose in life is to spread His love throughout nations. I am squarely back on the right path, reaching towards the mark of the high calling. I am a child of God and I can only thrive in His presence. I will do His will and I will continue to walk in His ways. He has blessed us tremendously and has never left or forsaken us. We are on this journey together as we continue to aim towards living our best life. The purple life.  How far along are you on your journey? Have you taken a break? Paused and assessed your situation? Are you the hare running through life? Or are you the tortoise who'slow and steady work ethic won the race? Share your comments below.  Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Don't Quit!!! Learn To Rest

Well its Saturday night, so I guess that makes it alright. What do you have to lose? What are you doing right now? Preparing for bed? Getting ready to rest? Kept up by your neighbor's party (and they jammin too🎶🎶🎶)? I'm tired from trying to plot my next moves. My side hustle stalled due to health concerns. My job is kicking into overtime already preparing for our busy season. I remember where I was last year, and I'm not going back. But I'm learning to work smarter and not harder. I'm not giving up on my passion, purpose, and dreams. I'm just taking the scenic route on my journey. Literally, what motivates you? Do you believe in anything? Has the pandemic ignited a fire in you? Or dropped you in a deep sleep? COVID-19  has shaken the world to the core. Status quo no longer exists. The playing field isnt level, but the doors are wide open. New businesses are filling gaps we didn't know we had. Experts are giving advice on how to PIVOT in this environment. Million dollar deals are happening on Zoom, Clubhouse, and other social media sites. Entertainers have truly used their voices and their platforms to shine a spotlight on their concerns. The politics of our country has elicited the strongest responses. Let me suggest something to you. You can start TODAY!!! We need your uniqueness.  Your individuality. Your vision. Your invention. Your viewpoint. Your expertise. Nobody can be you but you. The world needs you now. Not next week. NOW!!! What I see is people doing it scared...but getting it done. We can look at our journey and say the same. So what have you wanted to do? Sleep your life away? Or be present to live your best life? The purple life. What have you procrastinated on? Researched to death? Given up on and buried deep in your soul? I talk a good game but it's time for some action. So what are you prepared to do? Please share your comments below. Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!  

Rest and Relaxation: Pandemic 2021

FRI-YAY? Or fried-day? How tired are you? It's that time of the year for me.....Recertification. I've worked 20hrs of overtime to get up to date for 2022. I'm taking some time off to get some 

sleep and slip back into darkness. I'll use this time to replenish my soul and reflect on my progress. What have you done so far this year? How has the pandemic affected your future? Are you energized? Or are you exhausted?  I mean have you ever overdone it? Burned the candle at both ends? Needed a vacation from your vacation? We push ourselves to the brink of mental and physical breakdown . And for what? A pat on the back?  A piece of paper? A plaque? Wouldn't the world be a better place if we just said no? Imagine being free to be with no hang ups or setbacks. No cares. No responsibilities.  Just living our lives the way we want. Life is too short, and I'm taking the time to work on me. There's only so much one person can do. And we need to focus that energy on our goals and dreams. My entrepreneur friends always say a job is fulfilling someone else's dream and desires. Why not work on your passion. Your purpose. Your hustle. Your future.  I've got other things to accomplish. And you do too. How many times have you put your dreams on the backburner to help someone else achieve theirs? Do you like propping others up? Do you want your time in the spotlight? Do you want to shake the chains that are binding you? Or are you afraid? Scared of your power and potential. Unsure of the path to take. Adverse to risk. Staying safe and comfortable in the rut youre in. What if you put a little effort into your goals?  What if you calculate low risk vs high rewards? What if you managed your time rest, relax, and reap your rewards. COVID-19  taught us tomorrow is not promised. There's been a tremendous shift, and companies have pivoted to ensure their survival. So what are you going to do? Why not join me on this journey as we make better choices to lead our best lives. The purple life. Let me know what you think.  Share your comments below.  Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Do you need a moment?

Happy Thursday. The country is caught up with raging fires, torrential rainstorms, unbearable heat and warring factions. Not very optimistic is it? During the pandemic, many articles have been written about self-care. While you want to ensure good health practices, how do rest your body? Your mind? Your sou? How do you show you love? Do you struggle with the concept of taking a break? Societal norms frown upon slowing down as lazy and detrimental.  For some reason, we value putting ourselves last to push through to the finish. Black women are often tapped to lend our diverse genius to right the world's wrongs. Often, people give and give and give without replenishing the energies released. It's important to genuinely take care of yourself. Singles need to learn this concept before bringing others into a committed relationship. Married couples have to build the partnership on the foundation of their individuality. The biblical ideal is that we cast our cares on God and let Him give you rest. Can everyone maintain this pace? Or is that too much pressure? We can only improve self after living life. We bump. We bruise. We learn. We grow. If I'm better today than I was yesterday, then I've accomplished something.  So are you listening? How full is your schedule? Can we accept and talk about the benefits of successful rest? Let's chat. This has taken several posts to unravel...and thers so much more to go.  Share your comments below.  Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

82 Rotations Around The Sun

What a day... what a day! Scorching heat. Inclimate weather. Hump day. Raging COVID-19 numbers. Booster shots. Mass shootings. Cop killings. The only thing the news missed is that it's my Dads birthday. 82 years on this earth is a long time. Something to be celebrated and cherished. But the day just didn't cooperate. As a January baby, many blizzards and polar vortexes have delayed my plans. But its Leo summertime season. Luckily, my Dad is not like everyone else.  He never made a big deal of his special day. Usually, he would work. He would tell us not to fuss. He flys under the radar while living his life. Dad was always about his business. He would tell us that if we were going to be a potato peeler, be the best you can be. Definitely a different view from the notion of "lucking up on something". I work hard because he did every single day.  Dad has a ton of advice that he loves to share much like myself. So I must give honor to whom honor is due. I can't imagine the things he's seen and the things he saved us from. He kept us grounded and instilled in us a strong Christian work ethic. Happy 82th Birthday Dad!!! How about you? Who is your Dad to you? What did he teach you? Share your comments below. Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace.  Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

To increase productivity . ..REST!

Rain rain go away. Put out the fires around the world today. It's a balmy 93 degrees in Chicago with thunderstorms, lightning, and tornadoes in the forecast. PERFECT SLEEPING WEATHER!!! Rain is an involuntary sleep inducer as it makes sheltering in place make sense. People tend to slow down and assess what's necessary to do when its inclimate. Let's face it...the older you get, the more you feel it. Have you ever had that sinking feeling? I mean that tingling muscles, stomach churn or that tightly wound feeling? I get them all the time in my back. Those little aches and pains show up when I've pressured myself. Stressed myself out over things I rarely control. Mainly I worry about outcomes and their effects on me and my "brand". I try to make sure that if I give my word, I complete the task. I mean Zoom meetings teleconferencing, remote working all boils down to self motivation. I am grateful to God because He always provides for His plan. There have been so many times that God had to step in and take over. Often the result is better than anything I had planned. So much so, I learned to go to bed. I'm going to start telling people to trust God and let Him handle it.  I'm not that special,  just unique and dedicated to Christ. Because of Him, I've been blessed to live my best life. The purple life.  The journey gets rough but we persist and survive.  What's your story? How has He pulled you through? What do you need Him to take over for you? Has he blessed your work and anointed with great and relaxation? Please share your comments below and let's support each other.  Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked, and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Take Care Of Yourself: Pandemic 2021

Monday!!! Monday!!! We meet again. I had to go to "work", and deal with my clients. I was so happy traveling and writing and living.....then "work" happened. I got a "job" a "gig" a "9 to 5". In a matter of months, I put my purple life on hold to be responsible and get a stable, steady, sales "job". Looking back over this month, I took some time away from blogging to "rest". I found myself at the point of exhaustion. No amount of sleep will fix you when your soul needs rest. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Stop and be present. Do a self check and diagnose what may be wrong. If you don't know, seek professional help. I got some news that shook my core but not my resolve. I wont wither or shrink away. I am more determined to bring my best self forward. Rather than working to a frazzled, I am being measured and responsible. I've jumped full throttle into "reclaiming my time" and making the sacrifices necessary to suceed. So what inspired this change? COVID-19. Life is short and tomorrow is not promised. I want that rock and roll lifestyle. Living the best self, and doing it your way. Can you say the same? Or are you like me? At a "job" that is not reflective of your best self or your purple life. Are you hiding your crown so someone else shines? Have you been so selfless that you're less of yourself? Do you look at your life and wonder "How did I get here?" Are you your worst critic? Are you so sick and tired of being sick and tired? The time is NOW to stop that negativity. Grab the wheel and get your life back on track. Set your pace to win the race. Athletes strategize their output and input to maximize potential and optimize results. This depletion didn't happen overnight, but it ends TODAY!!! I invite you to join me on this journey. Regain your momentum. Relanguage your experience. Affirm yourself and your progress. What do you think? Can you do it? Please share your comments below. Thank you for reading and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

REST YOUR SOUL

Have you been watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics? These few weeks have been engaging yet tiring. So much news crammed into such a small window of time is both engulfing and overwhelming. As this weekend winds down, we as a collective dread the upcoming work week. It doesn't feel like we've accomplished everything we needed to do in our "free time". We push our bodies to the brink and push through mental and physical pain to survive in this pandemic. We are truly stressed while we're blessed. The mood in the country has changed. Warmer weather is bringing tensions to a boil. People are defying federal mandates and attacking local law enforcement. The feeling of frantic nerves are causing desperate reactions. Shootings, suicides, beatings and abuse are at an all time high. It is evident that we dont need to "stay woke". We need to rest. Rest our minds. Rest our bodies. Rest our souls. Many online sources claim to promote rest. Several businesses focus on providing pods to allow rest during the day. The travel industry is touting quiet destinations. These services cost dearly and don't guarantee results. So who do you trust? Who do you turn to? For me, it's always been the church. Sheltering in place has provided online resources to revive my weary soul. Sunday sermons, bible classes, conferences and seminars offer comforting messages while winding down. Mindfulness allows for sharper focus and soul centering. Whatever you choose to do to rest your soul, don't worry about others feelings. They don't know what you're going through nor should they unless they are helping you. You don't owe anyone an explanation. Sometimes we feel guilty for taking the time to settle down. Well I have some good news to share. YOU DON'T NEED PERMISSION TO REST!!! Take a break! Calm yourself down! Make self care a priority! I found these helpful tips to encourage restfulness:

1. Meditation
2. Bible Study
3. Inspirational Books
4. Music
5. Podcasts and Sermons
6. Nap
7. Exercise
8. Get Creative
9. Spend time outside
10. Use your talents

I'm excited about this part of the journey. I expect to come out stronger. wiser, and sharper than before. I want to be in the moment rather than stressing and worrying about the future. I hope that the methods and techniques will transform our lives. What are your thoughts? Please share in the comments below. Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Milestone Moments: Happy 60th Birthday President Barack Obama

WOW!!! Happy Saturday!!! It's been a while since my last post. I've taken some time to focus on my life, health, and goals. I'm still on my journey but I've found some much needed clarity and levity. However I could not ignore the 60th birthday of the greatest president this country ever had. You never miss what you had until it's gone. Having dealt with the fraction of our country, I had hoped that defeating COVID÷19 would unify us. Instead, we are promoting money making events like Lollapalooza while denying POC simple celebrations. Case in point- when Madame Vice President Kamala Harris came to Chicago, she got little coverage on her mission and message. Her biggest feedback was for visiting Brown Sugar Bakery (best bakery ever...fight me). As she's promoting small business from a black woman entrepreneur in a city with a black woman mayor. The hypocracy was unbelievable. Now the news and social media wanted to shame our 44th President into not celebrating one of the most monumental moments in life. I'm glad that he "scaled back", but I'm even happier that his friends did not abandon or acquiesce. Loyalty comes in many ways, but the turnout is definitely life affirming. When I reflect on the Obama Administration, I saw hope of change. I saw compassion.  I saw optimism. I saw authenticity. I saw bravery. I saw tactical planning. I saw true power in action.  I saw this in the face of abject racism and political divisiveness. And I saw this handled with a grace, dignity and strength. I can't imagine what this could have been like especially while raising a young family. Even now, he has provided words of comfort and direction to our nation throughout the pandemic. To this end I wish the greatest man for the times and my Forever President. Happy Birthday Barack Obama!!! Post your comments below and engage in the conversation. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!