Nourish Your Core

Happy Sunday Everyone. This year, Halloween fell on a weekend.  Truth be told,  I do not nor have I ever celebrated this holiday. Most Christians host gatherings for their kids which are heavily supervised. Mom was a teacher so we never lacked sweet treats at home. I don't fault those who indulge, but I find most adults dont recover well the next day. Now, for some people, they are relatively healthy and bounce back. Most people are struggling with their "pandemic pounds", mental and physical health. As the seasons change, the mood shifts. It's harder to push through each day, which increases the drain on your body. Folks have issues they aren't facing. They're searching to find themselves so there's always that vast void that they're trying to fill. Now I'm not suggesting that you fill it with the bad things like alcohol or drugs or things of that nature, but I'm suggesting that you find the good in life, find something that is truly satisfying. TV has a tendency to be very numbing, but it's not very satisfying almost like a potato chip or rice cakes.  Typically, you want something that is hearty and fulfilling- taking you from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. It is very popular to talk about self care, but what about soul care? Do you ever feel that emptiness inside? That nudging? Those sleepless nights? The message is still getting across social media, but is it getting inside you? You have a choice. You can run your choice of prayers, day or night. You can catch your Bible studies, day or night. You can join groups where they discuss the issuee, day or night. These groups bring about that sense of community, like you're in the church. To me, this is what works because I know that I'm headed in the right direction. You can't live on one natural meal a week. You can't live on one spiritual meal a week. Having these options at my disposal is truly something that fills me up on a day to day basis. I love morning prayer every weekday on FaceBook (Faithful Mornings with Pastor Ericka). I love new weekly Bible study (Gathering With The Saints). I interact a lot with not only my home church, but several churches across Chicagoland and the Midwest. I'm grateful for the fact that they're upping their technologies to make sure that the Word is being shared across the world. So I invite you to really research that this week. What is it that truly satisfies you? What is it that truly highlights your purpose on this earth? What is it that truly motivates you to get up and keep going towards the next day? If you have any difficulties answering that question, I would certainly suggest getting some professional help. They can help you navigate the feelings that you have. Please share your comments below. Thank you for supporting this blog space and reading this article. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Rest and Responsibility

Happy Saturday. How are you doing on this Hollow Eve? The darl ominous clouds hanging over Chicago added the need for self care. This week has been filled with reflection and inspection. After looking at the history of this blog, I needed to step away and rest. Often, we don't want to slow down and admit that we are human. Life has advanced technologically, but we are forever chasing the next "big thing". Our fast paced lives can run you right into a rut. It can be overwhelming. These pandemic times have created pandemic efforts and survivor strategizing. Some have reacted by going into auto pilot. Others numb themselves with legal and illegal substances. Still others shut down mentally and physically. It can be a vicious cycle as we dance around issues instead of tackling them. It's easy to be distracted by news, politics, climate change or other social ailments. However, we cant take on the entire world of responsibility. Give yourself permission to rest. Refuel your body. Renew your mind. Reach out to family and friends to rebalance yourself. You'll find these reality checks will recalibrate you to focus on the important things. I managed to reconnect with my purpose and realign my efforts with my vision. I've been tweaking some plans and I am excited to implement this new strategy. How has your time been spent? What are you up to? Are you wandering aimlessly? Fully engaged? Or in the middle somewhere? Share your comments below.  Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay  safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Living Your Life Perfectly

Happy Friday Everyone. It's the freaking weekend since Halloween is Sunday. People are frantically trying to create a holiday during this ongoing pandemic. With many items increasing in price, folks are frustrated at not finding what they need. Why is everyone so tense? They're trying to live a perfect life in an imperfect world. It can feel like a complete failure when things don't go as planned. We want to project our best self, especially on social media. But things don't always go according to plan. So do you throw the experience away? Or do you save what you can and learn the lesson? You'd be surprised how many people give up due to peer pressure or a failed support system. It's when the rubber hits the road that you find out what works and what doesn't. You wouldn't gain knowledge if you didn't try. Physics tells us every action has an opposite reaction. Life happens. Even the best intentions lead to unfortunate consequences. So what do you do? Keep tryng!!! Keep pushing toward your goal in life. You'll never know what could be if you never try. Its important that you release what was and move towards what could be. Often, people revel in their "glory days" and reminisce about their memories. It's almost 2022 so act like it. Act like you have a game plan even when you're creating it. Gather your money and invest in yourself. You'll never regret seeing what could be versus dreaming about what never was. Don't lose your faith because you're afraid to move. Don't get trapped in your head replaying worse case scenarios. Make strides and don't get paralyzed by the tasks ahead. You'll be better equipped for the road and the path you've chosen. Life is about the journey so let's support each other along the way. Share your comments below.  Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay  safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Six Ways To Manage Your Expectations

Happy Thursday? This week came as quickly as the rainfall. Chicago started the day with sunshine. Unfortunately, it turned into Gloom and Doom Dark Day. A definite drain on the desire to achieve 4th quarter goals. There are on 65 days until 2022, and I refuse to be in the same place or space. When your get up and go just got up and went....you improvise. You adjust. You recalibrate. Formulating new strategies for limited energy and resources focuses efforts to complete tasks. The choice to elevate your life requires grit, vision, and sacrifice. The feeling of attainment far exceeds the weariness of being tired and uninspired. Once you decide on your course of action, you follow the benchmarks to finish the courses of action. Once accomplished, you immediately think of the next goal. Stripped down and starting over. People need the stimulation that achievement provides. We must conquer things. It's so fulfilling yet daunting at the same time. The key is to manage your expectations.  Some ways to do that are as follows:

1. Make a list of overall expectations that apply to each task

2. Use the same metrics to evaluate all tasks

3. Bring your team in on the rest of the process

4. Receive feedback about challenges you weren't aware of

5. Discuss solutions and be open to input

6. Do not rush the process

Applying these principles brings clarity to all involved. We want to be part of a successful teams, and wish to contribute to successful results. We all have to do lists. As we knock things off, we celebrate but we don't stop.  We realize it's one way to build the foundation of our lives. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  That's how you build muscle, strength and endurance. Life isn't a race, it's a journey.  Explore the scenic route. Take the time to be present in the moment. Savor the flavor of the good life. The purple life. What are your to do lists? What are looking forward to finishing? Will you be fulfilled when its done? What decisions need to be made to manifest your goals? Share your comments below. Thanks for reading this article and supporting this blog space. Stay safe, masked and healthy.Take Care and God Bless!!!

Change Your Attitude And Altitude

Happy Hump Day. What a week its been...  and it's only Wednesday. Rain is definitely a mood changer, but it's necessary. In this hectic, pandemic environment, it can be difficult to gain your footing and head in the right direction. The key to the journey is your attitude. Do you view life from a half full or half empty perspective? Do you have control over the things that you do? Or do you have a fatalistic approach? People generally want to gain money and influence. They want to garner respect and accolades for the work they do. My Dad always says " if you're going to be a potato peeler, be the best potato peeler you can be". In this social media society, we see the risk takers rewarded. Likes and shares are heaved upon the extraordinary stories, and the funding generally follows. Bad attitudes stem from frustration and stagnation. Are you caught up in a "routine"? Do you wake up to punch in and punch out? Do you commute the same route every day? Or are you sheltering in place with no interaction with the public? Do you order the same thing from the same restaurants all the time? Have you ever ventured into something different? Or are you caught in the grips of the pandemic laden news cycle? I try my best to shake things up just to experience something new. I was fascinated by a Zoom meeting discussing government contracts. The impressive part was how bold the presenter was in offering assistance with new entrepreneurs navigate the application process... that he had not mastered yet. He was showing the entire world how he incorporated recent changes in grants, subsidies and bids. The Association switched things up a bit in having this seminar with relative newcomers to the field. His can do attitude was infectious and encouraged many attendees to add to their business model. What have you done to enhance yourself? Your family? Your business? It doesn't have to be earth shaking. Just momentum shifting. Augment your routine to help maintain who you are and highlight your brand. Raising your attitude goes a long way in refreshing and rejuvenating your mind, body, and spirit. I have set higher expectations since I'm also changing my lifestyle.  Let the creativity spawn your sense of purpose.  Stoke the fire that burns within. Go. Do. Be. Live your best life. The purple life.  Share your comments below.  Thank you for reading this article  and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Mind Blowing Decisions

Happy Tuesday. Happy Choose Day. The rain finally broke here in Chicago, and we got a bit of sunshine. Climate change is no joke. Police brutality is no joke. Cancel culture is no joke. Societal norms really let you know the importance of decision making. It seems as though people are shifting the focus from the misery that's going on in their lives. They project their internal weaknesses and try to blame someone else for any opinion expressed or any thought offered. The "climate" is most vicious on social media where people don't even know each other. Literally, they try to rip each other's throats out based on a comment, like or share. Just by any means necessary. Makes you wonder what happened in their life that they are so bitter. What are they trying to cover up by being so hateful to someone else? It comes down to the basics of decision making. Life happens. Things are going on in this world, during this pandemic, that no one could have ever seen. However, we have to deal with it. We have to shelter in place. We have to quarantine. We have to do what's best not only for our health but for our well being. Some people have decided that they're not going to deal with reality. They would rather protest, point fingers and draw lines. Folks want to be argumentative about policies, procedures, anything in life. Rather than addressing the elephant in the room, people are dying in their ignorance. This is a life or death decision that you're actually making. And if you fail to make a decision, that's a decision. So I ask you, What is your decision making process? Are you looking at things as being half full? Are you looking at things as being half empty? Do you have a worst case scenario? Or are you trying to optimize your outcome? It really is quite the notion because sometimes we have to do the deed in order to get the results. If they could hit the lottery, most people would never work again. .. especially if those monies would last them for the rest of their lives. However, even the rich will tell you that every day is a process. Every day you want to make more money. Not everyone can be Elon Musk, where you can get 36 billion in a day and your company worth a trillion. But who knows what he went through to get to that level of financial independence. If blessed with the same story, would we have the same outcome? It really goes to the decisions you make. Do you take advantage and take the bull by the horns? Or do you just allow life to run you over? Most entrepreneurs will tell you that after working or seeing others working in the corporate environment, they just had to do their own entity. They had to branch out. They had to break forth. They had to hustle to get to the point where they are. There may have been some lean years where they had to sell everything or declare bankruptcy. But then there are some powerful years where they are on top of the world, getting everything in life that they could ever want and dream of. Most people earn more money later in life.  Usually, the money grows in time. And as that money grows and the maturity comes through, they make better decisions. Life will teach you tough lessons if you live long enough. The decisions you make add to the stature of your life which adds to the circumstance of your existence. So what are you doing to make your decisions? Are you making decisions based on the good? Are you making decisions based on the bad? Are you making the decisions based on your future? Are you making decisions on what happened in your past? Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blog space. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Food For The Soul

Happy Sunday everyone. Hopefully it was a wonderful day for you. We were rained out here in Chicago, so that made things very interesting. The weather certainly made things well for self care Sunday. I'm hoping that you spend some time this weekend to really take care of yourself. For me, Sundays are about church. Sundays are about sermons. Sunday is about fellowship, and I was able to do that online today. Watched several sermons and they all seem to have a very similar messages (1) what is necessary for you to go through (2) Where do you think you're going (3) and how prepared are you to do what God wants you to do. Oftentimes we as individuals will burn the candle at both ends only to find ourselves burnt out. People trying to burn the proverbial midnight oil to get things done stress the very limits of their capabilities. 

When that last drop of energy has gone, what do you do to replenish? What do you do to fill your empty cup? Are all of your tanks empty? Are you running on fumes? Or are you recharging? Are you taking a moment for yourself? These are some very important questions to answer. More importantly, you really need to figure out what it is that fuels you back up. Determine what it is that gives you the energy to keep going forward. One of the things I always like to talk about is food for the soul. Food for the soul is defined as the things in life that feed our heart and soul. Activities like healthy relationships, enjoyable physical activity, a fulfilling career, and meaningful spiritual practice are often used to engage individuals into action. I really like to go to church. I really love getting a word from the pastors, as they are inspired by God. I really love fellowshipping with the parishioners, whether it be just for a moment or sitting down and having meaningful conversations. One of the things with the pandemic that I hate, is the fact that most of the churches are still shut down. Even with the vaccine rates, mandates and such, many churches still have restricted access. Due to the rate of COVID and the variants, it is not safe for some people to literally be in church. Now the wonderful thing that has come about is there are so many services that are online. Whether you're using YouTube channels or other platforms, the message is still getting across. I was able to participate with my family which provided more depth to the experiences (that picture of my brother is priceless!!!) We're spread across the world, but united by our spiritual beliefs. So what feeds your soul? What refreshes and replenishes you? Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Don't Hesitate To Go Further

Happy Hump Day! Fall weather has finally arrived in the Midwest. Numerous festivals are going on due to the change of seasons. We are still coping with coronavirus, and we still need to help each other. There's an old African proverb that says "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together". In life and in business, this has proven to be true. Many entrepreneurs will tell you that having the right team behind them helped them exponentially.

As far as giving in to get that sort of pay off, most leaders will share it's the best decision they made. For some reason, society promotes a do-it-yourself ideal of peak performance, relentlessness, and exertion to exhaustion. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially when it comes to your mental health. There are too many counselors out here who are available. There are too many resources that are out here and available. Even if you don't reach out for help, people may notice and reach out to you. Accept that phone call. Accept that text message. Respond. You don't have to go into lengthy explanation, but just respond. Let people know whether you're okay, or not. It's okay not to be okay. It's okay to accept help from an outside resource. Recently I heard a sermon from prominent Bishop TD Jakes. He mentioned the fact that some people just think they're so special that they can do everything on their own. They just don't need any help from anyone. They don't even really ask Jesus our Lord and Savior for the help that they need. No one can do it alone but God. The whole notion of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is just as much a fairy tale as the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. Everyone had a leg up. Everyone had a system in place to get to where they are. Whether that system worked in their favor, or worked against them, there was still a machine in place. There's a methodology in place to come up with specified outcomes. I hope to be successful. And I always wish that you're successful too. But this is a stigma harder than anything else that we need to overcome. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. There's nothing wrong for receiving help. There's nothing wrong with volunteering your services in the time that you need help. If you want to make sure that there is reciprocity. take a deep look at your actions. Do a SWOT analysis on your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to determine your status. See what it is that you can do to help further your cause. This will let others see how serious you are about achieving your goals. Achieving higher levels of existence and living your best life. The purple life. Please share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

The Other Four Letter Word

Happy Tuesday Everyone. Hoping your day is going well. There's a song lyric that says Monday is one thing but Tuesday is just as bad. Chicago is very cloudy and something is going on the atmosphere. As such, it really made me ponder something. People are very proud. People are very secretive. Sheltering in place has made us a nation of survivors. We're in survival mode, and we need to take care of me and mine. I need to get what I need, no matter what the cost. But there's another phenomenon that's going on. People are not reaching out to all the services available to them. For some reason, help has turned into the new four letter word. For some reason, people don't like asking for help. People don't like to acknowledge that they need help. Even when help is offered, it is often refused for a number of reasons.  And you just wonder where is the charity? Where is the humanity? Where is the love for one another? In this political environment, we're so ready to just snap and tear each other's throats out without giving credence to points that the other side might be making. I'm just hoping and praying that we get over that. When we as humans had to survive, we had to depend upon one another. There was this thing called teamwork, and it seems that that has gone out the window. Yes we have zoom meetings. Yes we can text. Yes we have social media. Yes we can stay connected. However, I'm finding that (much like the news) the world is getting faker and faker. Bonds are getting weaker and weaker. The assistance just isn't being offered and passed along to those who truly need it. Now, in my research for this article. I did find a list of about eight reasons why people, especially introverts, are very nervous about asking others for help:

1. You Tell Yourself that You Have it Easy Compared to Others

2. Fear of Rejection

3. You’ve Experienced Dependency in Other People

4. You Don’t Want to Feel Like You Have Burdened Someone Else

5. Reciprocity

6. Fear of Losing Control

7. A Belief in Self-Reliance

8. Overwhelmed by the Potential Energy Drain

Now, there is a notion of reciprocity that if you're asking for help you will need to be able to offer something in return. Bartering, if you will. And sometimes people don't value who they are. They don't value what they have. They don't value what it is that they can offer to other people. They don't want to seem like beggars who are always asking and always on the take. They want to be able to participate. They want to be able to add value, as well as receive value from another individual. No matter how gregarious the offer is, there's an unconscious obligation to repay for the investment and energy spent on you.  If you help your brother, your brother is going to help you.  So many times in this pandemic, people have been siloed and cornered off. Categorized into different sections and labeled into warring factions. Its to the point where you can't even accept help from the other side because it's a sign of weakness. We need to come together and stop fighting each other. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. There's nothing wrong for receiving help, and there's nothing wrong with volunteering your services during the time that you need of help. Let's take the stigma out of receiving assistance and help each other. Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day

Monday, Monday, Holiday Monday. Today- the second Monday in the month of October- is traditionally set aside as Columbus Day, a federal holiday. However, there is a push to change to National Indigenous Peoples Day. No where is the rift more apparent than here in the city of Chicago. There were two separate events celebrating each day, and the arguments are compelling. Due to everything that has been hidden in US history, the story makes it seem like the Indians were just here, fed the pilgrims, waged wars, and and then they just moved to a reservation. "History" doesn't take into account the Native American culture that was here, thousands of years before anyone set foot on this land. I always questioned the discoveries of these explorers. Conquerors. Conquistadores. How do you just discover a land where somebody else is living already? You "discover" a land where people are living, thriving, where you nearly died, and you had to acclimate yourself to try to live. And then you inflict pain and torture on those who taught you how to live on the lay of the land. This has always been an issue with missionaries, businesses and corporations. They come in under the guise of trying to help people, only to see the lush riches and resources that the land has to offer. Then they push people off the land. The Forever joke has been how Manhattan was sold for beads. You can look back (hindsight and 2020 vision will tell you that) and see the value appreciated. But can we get this back? Can we give the land back to the tribes that are still alive? Can we get indigenous people off the reservations? Can they live full lives as the Native Americans that they are? Or is there still fear of the restless natives? There are still protections that need to be held for these people. One of the things that has come to light in the Gabby Petito case is all of the indigenous women who are missing. No one is looking for them and no one knows their names. There are too many links between the Indian nations that were here with the Africans that were brought over during the times of slavery. Centuries before (you can look at the scientific evidence), you could see where the earth used to fit together until the land masses broke apart. Yet no one talks about those types of histories. What they talk about is in 1492 America was "discovered"- the whitewashing of history. It's heartbreaking to look into this country's history. But look at the survivors. Look at the people who are still standing today. People who are using their voice to reclaim their heritage, culture and contributions to this nation.  Facts that need to be seen, to be heard and to be included. Maybe in 20, 30, 40, 50 years down the line, we'll get it right. Or we'll right the wrongs that have been done before today. I'll just say, Happy Indigenous Peoples Day. I tip my hat to the ancestors, and I commend all of those who went before us to make this country great. We can't pin the US on one person. There were many people whose blood, sweat, and tears went into this ground and develop this nation into what it is. And we must recognize them all. We cannot say that these white immigrants, these white refugees who stole land from the indigenous people, and enslaved African people are the only ones who could to say what has happened in this country. The sooner we realize that the sooner things will patch up. And the sooner that we can move forward into a graceful, United States. Share your opinions below. Leave your comments, and let's chop it up a bit. I want to thank you for reading this article and supporting this blog space. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

God wants to hold your hand

Happy Sunday everyon. Hoping and praying that your weekend went well. I spent my day, an online church today. Watched three sermons and getting ready to watch a fourth. It seemed like the message for today was about Elijah and Elisha. The question being- when you have the separation or death of your mentor, what do you do? How you move on? Where is the roadmap? Will you get to your final destination? Interestingly, the messages really took me back to several thoughts. When my mother passed, it really shocked me. A major portion of my life was gone. The recovery process has been slow but steady. But so many people were willing to step in and help to fill that gap that it really made my transition better. Who do you lean on? Who you glean from? People die. People lose contact. Arguments have torn families apart. Businesses that you thought were stalwarts have dried up. COVID has us sheltering in place to the point where all of our connections are almost digital. People are missing that human touch. Also, we don't take things to God like we used to. We don't pray like we used to. We don't congregate like we used to. Something about being in the fellowship, being in congregation, being around like minded individuals, you just feel that. If two or more gathered together (like the scriptures say) that God is in your midst. In this pandemic, it has felt like we've been left alone. Left to our own devices. Left to really forge and figure out what we're supposed to do on our own. That thiught couldn't be further from the truth. God is still God. He is still on the throne and He is still in control. When you look at the scriptures, there are several that back it up. In Isaiah 41:13, the bible says “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” So when I read this scripture, what it's telling me is that God will never let me go. Whether I'm walking on high ground, or drowning in a deep sea, He's there. He is there in the Heavens. He is there in the earth. He is there under the earth. He will never let go. We are his. He claimed us from the dawn of time. When He formed the earth, He knew us. We were in the belly of our mothers womb, He knew us. He has known us from the beginning, and He will know us through eternity. And let's face it, people quit. People give up. People try to run the distance. They try to go the extra mile. However, they just don't do it or they have to recourse or regroup.  Many things happen along this journey. One thing that is certain is that God will never let us go. We may want to throw in the towel but God sends us messages that no you can't quit. There are too many people depending on you. You can't quit because there's so much more in store. He has so many blessings with our name on it. Just stay faithful. Stay true. Stay the course. God will never let you go, or let you down. Share your comments below.  Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace.  Stay safe, masked and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Open The Communication Lines With Your Kids

Happy Friday! Do you know where your kids are? Do you care? I certainly do. As I stated before, I have no children. God did not bless me with that opportunity, but He gave me enough compassion to love them all. Since I'm living in Chicago, there are so many stories on the news of teens lives being cut short due to gun violence. Our country is grappling with drug wars, school shootings, teen suicides and other issues on the news. Many times, families are very tight lipped about those who have passed on. Usually, you'll only find out about these issues after they create a foundation of some sort in the person's memory. I'm sure these survivors would want more preventative services so they could have avoided the tragedies. My suggestion is that you talk to your children. It's never too late to start. Start small. Everyday Mom asked us how our day was. And she listened. Since we came home at different times, it was always a private conversation. The three of us grew into responsible adults who never got into "trouble". So, check in on your kids. See what's going on in their world. Get to know their habits. Get to know the changes in those habits. Get to know their friends. Get to know their schools. Get to know their world  their environment and what they are going through. As adults, we sometimes concern ourselves with providing a roof over their heads, clothes on their back, shoes on their feet. Very classic parental things to do. However, I can say with certainty, children want more of your time and attention. They will appreciate the memories with those that they love. I must admit, my mom was a teacher. She had instant credibility at every school that we went to. She knew all of the teachers that were in our classrooms. She knew most of the school administrators because she was not afraid to go in with her teacher credentials and question everything that was going on. And she questioned us as well. She wanted to know what was going on in our day. She watched our grades very closely. Mom and Dad were not helicopter parents (far from it), but she wanted to make sure that her children were okay. She provided that open environment for us because as a teacher she dealt with other kids all the time. In seeing what her students were doing, she would look at us to see what it was we were doing. Even when we were in college, she would always check in with the three of us. When we called about something, she answered day or night. I can say unequivocally, she provided the best for us and was always there for us. Even though Mom passed 10 years ago, her prayers still cover us. Dad has stepped up since she's passed because he knew what she meant to us all.  Mom spread her love through her teaching and those lessons will always stick with me. I want the same for these kids that are coming up now. These are different times we are in, but love is still love. Do you kids know you love them? Do they know that you care? If you aren't sure, ask. If you have difficulty asking, get professional help. You are worth it. Your kids are worth it. Now again, I don't have any children.  But I'm concerned about our future. I'm concerned about our future generations. I will do my part but parents please do yours. Our society will be a better place if you do. We all deserve to live our best life. The purple life, Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Reach Out To Your Kids

Happy Thursday Everyone. I am writing this article really shocked and scared for the future. A lot of stories have been released recently about teen suicide rates. Teen issues, whether it be cutting or burning or fighting or shootings at schools, our teenagers are going through a lot. Now, I don't have any children. I've talked to my god kids and my friends kids. However, I have never had the full time duty of dealing with a teenager. Our children are dying and taking their own lives. This is frightening to me. They've barely have had a chance to live, let alone to have accumulated enough in life to want to end it all. The story comes out in the aftermath. There was an issue, problem or something that was bothering the child to the point where they felt they couldn't overcome. Teen suicide rates are on the rise, and are the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds. What a staggering statistic. Now, it makes me wonder, what are the signs? How can you tell that a teenager is actually going through a crisis? How can you take the non verbal clues, and come up with a plan to help the teenager, go through what they're going through? Well in doing my research, I discovered quite a few things to look out for when you are looking at your teenager:

• Psychiatric disorders such as major depressive, bipolar, substance use and conduct disorders.
• Psychiatric comorbidity, especially the combination of mood, disruptive and substance abuse disorders.
• Family history of depression or suicide.
• Loss of a parent to death or divorce.
• Physical and/or sexual abuse.
• Lack of a support network.
• Feelings of social isolation.
• Bullying.

These are different times our children are growing up in. We are in a new millennium and a new frontier. These children need coping skills. They need parental guidance. They need a support system to build them up to the point where they can make it to adulthood. There's so much life to live and love to give. Young people need to learn we're never bound by our circumstances- even while being teenagers. Growing into adulthood gives us the opportunity to make the changes that we want in life. Kids think the end of the world is what they're going through. And it's not. There's always the other side. There's always someone who has been through what they've been through. And they came out okay. We need to share the stories. We need to share these lives. We need to save these lives. And the best way to save lives is to prevent suicide. Prevention efforts should be aimed at individual, relationship, community and societal levels. Suicide rates for young people can be affected by:

• Knowing the signs. Four out of five suicide deaths are preceded by warning signs such as suicidal threats, previous suicide attempts, preoccupation or obsession with death, depression, and final arrangements. 
• Making it harder to die in an act of deliberate self-harm. Interventions include building barriers on bridges, removing guns from homes with at-risk youth, lethal means counseling and reducing medication load available. 
• Easing access to mental health services. Examples include medical interventions and support groups, effective clinical care for mental disorders and family and community support. 

We want to make sure that we're taking care of our babies. Now, I repeat, I don't have any children. So I say this completely as an outsider. But I'm concerned. I'm concerned about these young lives. I'm concerned about the generations that are coming up behind me. I will do my part to make sure that every life that I touch- young or old- is known to be appreciated and loved. I'm also making sure that if there's ever anything I can do to make someone's day better or brighter, I can do it.  I will always make sure that someone is living up to their full potential. I will certainly encourage anyone to get the help they need to resolve their issues.  Let's do at least that much because we all deserve to live our best life. The purple life. share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article, and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Facebook Is Giving Me Antitrust Issues

Happy Wednesday Everybody! Did you make it over the hump? Or are you down in the dump? I'm still shook from the outages that we had on Monday through social media. The complete technology breakdown really got my attention. Think about it. That six hour delay in social media across several platforms (specifically Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp), really put the country at risk. As a matter of fact, they put the whole world on edge. After the Congressional testimony that has been given, really made me question what Facebook is doing. FB has accumulated so much market share, so much wealth, and so much of the world's population under its thumb. Looking a little deeper, FB went under the radar in this pandemic. They have potentially reached a monopoly status. I'm a child of the 80s, and I remember the split of Ma Bell. I remember how it broke down, because all of the smaller companies wanted to get a foothold in the communications industry. Ma Bell had the whole telephone industry of the US under lock and key. After the breakup, the market really opened up for all the phone companies that are out there. This opened the door for all the Internet and cell phones that are out there. Just taking a cursory look,  FB is a candidate for an antitrust issue. As recently as two days ago, FB asked the courts to drop the case that the FTC is charging. It's interesting how the law is being interpreted in this case. Here’s how antitrust responsibilities are divided between three laws:

• The Sherman Antitrust Act. Passed in 1890, his law prohibits groups of businesses from working together or merging to create a monopoly to control pricing in a single market.
• The Federal Trade Commission Act. Passed in 1914, this law created the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as an independent government agency tasked with enforcing consumer protection and antitrust laws.
• The Clayton Antitrust Act. Also passed in 1914, the Clayton Act regulates business activities and defines unethical business practices, including monopolies.

So these laws breed progress and make sure that there is fair competition. But let's take a look at what Facebook is doing. Facebook is gobbling up these smaller companies that they've used. First they'll partner and figure out how they work. Then, they'll just buy the company out, Then, they turn around and start offering these services to other companies to use. Now similar suits have been filed against Google, Apple and other large companies. Facebook has steadily gained popularity in this past decade. They turned the tide and forged a whole new business model. Further study needs to be done to see their impact on the global economy. We really need to take a look at the structure to see what changes we can make from here. What are the advances in technology? Are there safeguards from future disruptions? What about ransomware? I'm sure people are already working at the next big thing. Companies are trying to make sure that we are staying relevant and staying current in the communications world. We are seeing how social media has dominated the marketplace of many adults, and affecting our young children. I do use Facebook for my own platform as well as other things that I'm doing. However, it really gives pause to the fact that there needs to be more than one way to do things, There needs to be variety and competition. It just fosters better offerings of services. At the rate that shared info goes between platforms, there's something to be said aboutdata mining. We read about these things and it was so far fetched so many years ago. Now, here we are in reality. Are flying cars next? Are we looking forward to a Jetsons kind of world? More zoom calls? More remote work? More moving sidewalks? That's something to be determined. So share your comments below. Thank you for stopping by and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Six Hours of Social Media Disconectivity

OKAY Okay, ok, k. October 4, 2021 is a date we wont soon forget. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other apps were offline for 6 hours yesterday. So have you recovered yet? I have never seen anything like this before on social media. Now, being a working individual, there have been times where our computer systems just have not worked. When the servers and the systems are down, we just can't get our work done. We would have to be on the phone still. We would  have to apologize to all the people calling because we can't access their information. Since our systems were down, I totally understood peoples' frrustration. Going through technical difficulties on a regular computer is tough. But the internet??? Having servers go down on the internet is something that has been a little more than shocking. Dare I say, earth shattering, worldwide phenomena. People couldn't get to their games. People couldn't get to their profiles. People couldn't get to work because so many people have turned to social media as their livelihood during this pandemic. This was a global effect that lasted longer than six hours. As things slowly came back online, the tensions were up. People were trying to figure out what happened. Could this happen again? Is everything safe now? The questions were flying online the whole time. Facebook actually had to use their account on their competitor, Twitter, to tweet the fact that they were having issues. As a business, you never want to go to your competitor to reach your clients. However, the whole world was shut out. The whole world was trying to stay connected. The whole world is dependent on these few sources which you would think were separate entities. Suddenly, these conglomerates merged together. Personally, this was one of the ways I communicate with my family that is overseas. Losing that communication was devastating... even for the six hours. It was just something that was unbelievable and mind boggling. When you're dependent on reaching your family and your friends through social media, it really just makes for an indelible mark on your day. For those who actually work with the social media, who log into their apps, who take orders online from their social media, who run their businesses based on the needs of their consumers, yesterday was a horrible day. Yesterday was a day that will go down for the record books. And yesterday wa a day that won't soon be forgotten. Facebook is going through congressional hearings right now with the whistleblower (who is spilling the hottest of hot tea) it really is not good for this social media giant. This outage certainly has raised an eye as far as how we communicate. How do we stay in touch with each other? Jow do we back each other up in a situation like this? How do we make contact with the ones we love? The ones we cherish? The customers in our target market? How do we keep the commerce going? How do we keep the information flowing? How do we provide news and stories to individuals when their main source is down?  People are reevaluating some options as far as connecting throughout the world.  Take a look at your life. Were you affected by that change yesterday? Or were you hard at your essential work? Or hardly working? Were you out and about? Or will you stuck in the house? Did this outage cause you anxiety? Or did you have apathy? Were you doing something that you've loved so that you didn't even notice? Or were you so lost because you lost your connection to the world? Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Please stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

I Remember Mama... In A Pandemic Way

Well happy Sunday everyone,. Today is a special day to me...  in a good way I should say. Today is Sunday, October 3, 2021. Literally, it has been 10 years since my mother passed. Although I won't say it's a holiday, this is certainly a very special day for me and my family. Something about this pandemic really sheds a different light. Normally as a family, we could kind of get together. Kind of talk about things. This year, we're literally spread across the world. We've done the phone calls and expressed things in our own separate ways. We've all gotten in touch with each other, one way or another. Obviously, me being more expressive, I'm throwing myself into my writing. I'm having conversations with others about sports, TV shows, and texts. Its very very interesting and it's okay. After seeing so many stories in the news anout mental breakdowns, suicides, and murders,  you get a chance to look at things more positively. And one of the things when it comes to manifestation is that you take action towards your outcome. You think positively. You lift yourself positively. You envision things positively. Then, you make the appropriate steps to get towards that level of positivity. This is something that I'm really trying on this day. Mom was always a bright light. She was always a spark. Our parents don't tell us everything they've been through, but she was an open book with us. She learned how to thrive, not just survive. She made sure that her family was her top priority. Literally between my brother, sister and I, she made sure that nothing was too good for her babies. Nothing was too far from her babies. She gave us a proper amount of discipline. We got the sunshine. We got the rain. And we always, always, always got the love. Mom was a giver. She was a teacher and her heart was as big as the Red Sea. She loved on everyone, she had no malice in her heart. Even growing up in Cleveland (as racist and prejudiced as it could be) she met people with a smile. She met people with a hug. She met people with love. People that encountered her felt love, felt her touch, felt her positivity. Even when she had to raise her voice to get her point across, people understood. People did what they needed to do to make sure that everything was made right. I honor her and all that she imparted to me. Remembering her reflects the love that she put into me. The life that she gave birth to by birthing me. And the fact that God picked her for me. He knew exactly whose arms I needed to be cradled. Whose love and support I needed then. Whose strength and perseverance I desperately in need of now. Again, I remember my mom in a happy way, even during this pandemic. Her love still shines through. And I couldn't think of a better way to make sure that her message is spread throughout the world. How do you remember your loved ones? What are some of the gems that you learned from them? What are some of the nuggets that you still carry with you until this day? Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article, and supporting this blog space. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

8 Ways To Manifest Your Best Life

Good Day Everyone!!! It truly is Saturday night. We're almost outside. We've almost convinced people to get fully vaccinated. As of today, 750,000 Americans have died due to COVID-19. However, the way they talk about this pandemic keeps giving us a glimmer of hope. Whether it's a booster shot or a little pill, that'll help worsen or lessen the symptoms that we get from Coronavirus. Just a lot that's going on right now. People are looking for ways to escape. The Powerball is up to $640M so folks are willing to risk their dollars for a dream. Folks are tired of sheltering in place and need that social connection. We really want to manifest great things and live a glamorous life. We want to blossom with the positivity in life, rather than rot in the negativity that life can also offer. People want to walk towards a light and reach for the mark of the high calling. But how do we live our purpose? How do we make sure that we're following God's plan for our life? While researching for this article, I came across many suggestd actions to take. Here I've listed 8 ways to manifest your best life:

1. LEARN TO ONLY SAY YES TO THINGS THAT LIFT YOU UP.

2. BE PROACTIVE WITH YOUR DECISIONS IN LIFE. PLAN, EVALUATE AND TAKE ACTION.

3. BE PATIENT. GREATNESS DOESN'T COME OVERNIGHT.

4. USE DAILY POSITIVE RITUALS TO KEEP YOU FOCUSED ON YOUR BIGGER GOALS.

5. KNOW YOURSELF. PRACTICE SELF LOVE.

6. ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT FOR SOLUTIONS.

7. EVEN IF YOU FEEL FEAR, HAVE THE COURAGE TO STEP FORWARD AND EMBRACE IT.

8. PRACTICE GRATITUDE. IT WILL ATTRACT MORE POSITIVES INTO YOUR LIFE.

For me, my goal is the purple life. I want God to be the head of my life, and to guide my path. He's got it worked out for us. What we need to do is to let go and let God. He's had the blueprint since the beginning of time. He's teaching us how to live, to survive. When He gives us what He wants us to have, we will know how to handle it. I can't tell you the number of times where I've seen people who've gotten inheritances who have just blown through the money because there was no work.  There was no effort. There was no sweat. There was no equity. So, to them it was just one big fast party that did not last long. When you speak about the prodigal son learning those biblical lessons, you know history keeps repeating itself. Some people don't even wait for the relatives to die before they just take what they think they deserve. Then, squander it with riotous living. Eventually there's an awakening. Eventually we all come to ourselves. Eventually, we come back to our Father God since He has the best for us. The best of intentions. The best of possibilities. Sometimes we're blinded by the light. Sometimes we're distracted by the sights and sounds around us. Sometimes we just shut our world down because we're just overwhelmed and can't handle it. But we're equipped to handle it. Everything that we've ever needed He's put inside of us. What we need to do is to tap in to His grace and His mercy. Allow Him to bring out the best in you and enhancing the life that we're living. Elevate to the purple llife. Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Positive Manifestations

Its the first of the month. Grab you check and come on. Happy Friday. Happy October 1st. Happy new month. Happy last quarter of 2021. Just looking forward to enjoying this wonderful fall weekend. The news here in Chicago was absolutely horrible this week. Shootings, madness and mayhem rule the headlines. Lives loss, and I'm sure these people went to bed last night looking forward to the day.  The survivors are left to deal with the aftermath. And let's face it, that can be a heavy, heavy load. The past few days taught me a lesson in positive vs negative energy. Watching so much news was bringing negativity to my soul. Just a downward spiral. And what they say is true. You attract the energy that you emit. Positive usually attracts positive and negative usually attract negative. Have you ever noticed that some people are just negative all the time? These Debbie/Dougie Downers always have the glass half empty attitude. They have a woe is me mantra. And they just rain on your parade. Now this has been a coping mechanism for years for people of color. They were trying to "protect" themselves. Not causing too much attention. Not being too hopeful or having too many dreams. Due of the extreme racism that they suffered, people wanted to make sure that they could live. They weren't out there being reckless and weren't succumbing to the perils of being uppity. After living in that headspace for the past week or so has been an absolute horrific nightmare. Most people who know me know that I reflect sunlight. I'm a spark. I shine bright. I vibrate highly and I'm  very religious and very spiritual.  Not being able to automatically do that this week, I really had to work on myself. It was just scary yet phenomenal at the same time. Most of the advice that I give to people, I found myself using. You have to do the work. You must lift yourself above the emotions, circumstances and fears. You manifest the visions you see for yourself. Doing my research, I saw these tips to help you when manifesting your new elevated self:

1. Always stay positive.

2. Say it like it's already done.

3. Do not spend time thinking about anything opposite to what you want.

4. Meditate on what you want.

5. See it, smell it, feel it, hear it.

6. If it's real in your brain, it will be real in the physical.

I've been throwing myself into music. I've been surrounding myself with positive TV shows, images and positivity on social media to really refuel the love tank that was surely lacking. Jesus is on my side, Jesus loves me and he loves you too. I'm usually the one who people come to when they're having a bad time. When they need that pick me up. When they want somebody who's going to deposit a positive word. Someone who can at least give them some empathy, not so much sympathy.  I finally reached a point today where enough is enough. It's Friday! Time to let loose, let go, and release the things that are not serving me. So I want to offer that to you as well. We want to blossom with the positivity in life, rather than the negativity that life can also offer. Want to walk towards the light and reach for the mark of the high calling. Live out our purpose following God's plan for our life. Truly living the purple life. So, let's focus on that positivity. Let's look at the bright side, let's look at the glass half full. And as a matter of fact, let's look at the glass as refillable. So what are your thoughts? Share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blogspace. Stay safe, masked and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!