Tag: calm

Life

Wednesday Writings

Shaun Bradford

Have you ever woke up feeling renewed? Like it’s literally a brand new day, an actual new beginning? Well, this morning, I did! Perhaps it was the six hours of uninterrupted sleep (smile) or a delayed reaction from this day a year ago, the morning after I submitted my letter of resignation. To this day, I still don’t know how I submitted it without a bit of fear or a set plan in place. Y’all, I’m in tears because I KNOW it was God!

So here I am a year later without an ounce of regret. Still on cloud nine. However, the feeling I woke up with this morning is a little different. Today, I’m no longer anxious to take on a million projects. I have no plans of being entrepreneur or volunteer of the year. What I’m feeling is true peace and contentment. Not in a way that I’m not striving to reach new heights, but in a way that I no longer feel rushed. I’m actually going with the flow. I don’t want to mislead you into believing everything has been perfect because it hasn’t. I still have bills, unexpected things continue to pop up, and misfortunes and disappointments happen. However, I no longer allow myself to become stressed or anxious. Now, whenever I feel either creeping in, I remember that I’m not in this alone, God’s got me. That’s when I take a backseat and allow Him to lead. You know, since He knows where He’s taking me. Smile

Thanks for reading! Wishing you a wonderful day.

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford
Smile

March 13, 2020
“When it’s time, it will happen. Be patient. Nothing that’s meant for me will pass me by. I won’t have to go searching for it, it will find me.”

That’s an excerpt from my journal entry two years ago. Please allow me to pass on the same words of encouragement to you. No matter how grim things look at times, or how many days, months, years or even decades pass, whatever blessings God has for you will not pass you. They won’t be given to someone else. Also, you won’t have to go searching for them. They’ll find you.

Now, ease your mind and carry on. What will be, will be.

Have a lovely Sunday!

Shaun

Life

Wednesday Writings

Shaun Bradford

I’m just going to jump right in. A few days ago, after reviewing several pictures I had taken with a guest speaker at an event, I began criticizing my appearance. Y’all, it was like I couldn’t stop.

Transparent Moment:

I rarely take full body pictures because 1) I do not know how to pose (y’all my poses are terrible 😂) and 2) I’m not comfortable with my weight. So after taking the pictures the guest speaker, I began to openly critique every photo – I looked too fat, too short, the camera wasn’t positioned right, needed a better camera (HA.. there’s absolutely nothing wrong with mine). Y’all, I was on a roll. Couldn’t stop myself. The criticism was flowing like running water. Sadly, it wasn’t until I got in the car that I realized what I had done. Ouch! Up until that moment, I never realized how much I criticized myself. And to do it in public was completely embarrassing! It’s one thing to do it at home (which is still wrong) and another to do it in public. As I sat in my car tearing up, I promised myself that I would never criticize myself in public again. I can only imagine the impression I left. Sigh

Here’s a full body picture from another day. I’m learning that the only way I can fully embrace myself, as well as become more confident, is to stop hiding what I consider flaws and imperfections. And the negative self talk has to go, TODAY! How can I promote self-love if I’m not truly embracing all of me?

For me, there’s something so cathartic about releasing issues into the atmosphere. Once out, I imagine the words braking into fragments until they become tiny particles floating away into the universe. Release & Breathe

Thank you for reading! Praying you have a wonderful week.

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford
Since it’s still heart month.

Happy Sunday!

I’m currently reading – The Life You Long For: Learning to Live From A Heart of Rest by Christy Nockels. So far, so much of her story has resonated with me. Especially the part about being so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life trying to achieve goals and the lifestyle you have always dreamed of that you neglect to live. The funny thing is you believe you’re living until you actually begin living. As Christy calls it, it’s living from a heart (place) of rest. In other words, living from a place of peace and contentment.

As Christy has noted in her book, it takes a moment to get to a place of rest and once you get there, it’s still challenging to remain in that space. Because as we know, we cannot control the things that happen around us, but as pastor and author, Joel Osteen would say, we can control how we respond.

For a few weeks now, more so the last two weeks, I have been thinking about the freedom of choice. As we know, socially and economically, everyone does not have the same level of freedom when it comes to choices; however, all of us do have the freedom to make choices, even small ones. Although it is impossible to control others’ actions or events happening around us, we can control our reactions and actions, which is a choice. So when I refer to the freedom of choice, this is exactly what I’m referring to. Nothing intense. Nothing political. But personal choices that we make daily.

Since I have been living from a place of peace, I have noticed that my choices are different, they’re better. I respond to situations much differently than I used to. The things that used to make me anxious, no longer bother or upset me. I’m also learning to be kinder to myself. Which is BIG! Y’all, I really was my own worst critic. I’m also less judgmental. I have always loved people’s uniqueness, even my own, but that didn’t stop me from judging. Yes, I’m human. Overall, life is so much better than before and it’s all because I have chosen to make it better – I have chosen to live from a place of peace. Now, I would be lying if I said my life is always peaceful, that nothing happens that throws me for a loop. Y’all, every day.. yes, EVERY SINGLE DAY I’m faced with things that challenge my peace; and every day I make the choice of how I respond. To me that’s freedom! And I’m loving it.

Word of advice – which is what has gotten me to this place of peace – if it disturbs your peace it’s too costly. Let it go.

As always, thank you so much for reading. Praying you have a peaceful week.

Shaun