So the quote goes, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” I would credit the quote to Albert Einstein, but I found out the original quote came from someone else. Who knew?! Anyway, it still defines insanity, especially when you are seeking a better outcome. Now if you’re satisfied with where you are, by all means, continue doing what you have been doing. However, if you desire something different, something better, you have to change what you are doing.
My question to you, which is the same thing I have asked myself, are you tired of doing the same thing over and over again and getting nowhere? Or are you satisfied with where you are? If you are tired or unfulfilled, it’s time to do something different. Even if it means restructuring or rebuilding your life.
Personally, I do not want this year to end like it began. I don’t want to go into 2021 carrying the same old baggage. It’s time to switch things up and to continue switching things up until I get my desired outcome. Then I’ll have to switch it up again. I do not believe things were meant to stay the same. Now that’s insanity!
So, not long before I decided to write this blog, I watched a short clip of an interview motivational speaker Lisa Nichols had with Steve Harvey. In the video, Lisa said:
My biggest accomplishment is being willing to give myself a thousand second chances. And every time I got to 999, I press reset. . . At some point I have to stop asking– Can I be great? Can I be brilliant? Can I be okay and still be accepted? I just stopped asking permission and just gave notice unapologetically. Not in a braggadocious way. Not in a way that shrunk anyone else. In a way that said I only got one life and I’m going to ride this one until the wheels fall off.
Lisa Nichols
Lisa’s right, we only have one life. We owe it to ourselves to stop doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. I don’t know about you, but like Ms. Nichols said, I’m ready to ride this thing called life until the wheels fall off.
Learn to see yourself as God sees you, His beautiful creation. What you consider flaws, He considers flawless. What you see as imperfections, He sees as perfect. Be mindful of how you treat yourself. What you say about yourself. When you disrespect yourself, you disrespect God.
I have so much on my mind. Trying not to overthink everything and just go with the flow.
About two months ago, my supervisor decided to step down from a project and make me the project lead. It wasn’t something I expected or wanted, but I’m here still trying to adjust. Since I was already doing most of the work, she said I would be able to handle it. Well, I am, because that’s what I do, handle it. But now I have more responsibilities on top of my other projects. I love multitasking. I tend to thrive on it. However, things have become a little overwhelming.
And then there’s the book anthology. Don’t get me wrong, I am excited about this new venture and telling my story; however, I’m not as excited as the other authors. I keep trying to pump myself up, but it’s not working. I guess you could say I’m not excited about my part in it all. Listen, don’t misunderstand, I’m excited for the other authors, and I love their excitement, but I don’t share their same feelings. Although the book is about being an overcomer, most of the authors are entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs. So they’re super excited about the opportunity to promote their businesses. Which I completely understand because I was there a few years ago. I was just like them, all enthused and ready to make money! Today I’m in a different space. My goals are more service driven than financial. I enjoy hanging out with them because I love hearing about the services they provide. It’s information I am able to share with others.
Just had to throw this in– Y’all, there are some fascinating people in this world who offer amazing services.I’m always in awe of their stories as well as their services.To me it represents God’s manifestations.
With all of that said, I do have my baby, Mississippi Thriving. I’m so happy I created this social media platform. It allows me to share resources and information with other Mississippians. In my mind, I’m bridging gaps by connecting Mississippians to one another as well as resources and services. It’s my way of giving back.
So what am I going to do?
How do I plan to move forward?
I guess, I’ll do what I always do, go with the flow. My projects will be handled, and I will continue to participate in promotional events for the book. Y’all, I’m trying to get used to the interviews. Ugh! At the end of the day I know that I can always find solace in Mississippi Thriving. Grateful.
Today’s a new day! Time to get up and get going. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not promised. Stay present and always stay focused.
Sending positive thoughts and vibes your way. Remember, you have control over what you allow into your space. Take time for a little self-care. Turn off the television. Log off social media. And relax. Meditate. Stream a good movie or show. Read a good book. Dance. Take a walk. Play a game. Love on your family and friends.
Listen, life is short, and stress literally kills. So please do something that makes your soul happy and your heart smile. Remember– You matter!
As always, this message is for me, too. Believe me, every time I write something inspirational in the morning, I always have to reference it a few hours later. Lol! Guess that’s how God works.
Today is the first Sunday of the month and the first day of November. Which means today is extra special– new beginnings all around!
Today’s blog is very short…
Stay focused on God– not others, or your surroundings, or your situation– God. Anytime negativity comes into your space, set your focus on Him. If you don’t remember anything else, remember– God’s got you!
Praying these last two months of 2020 bring you love, joy, peace and indescribable happiness. You deserve it!
Evolve – develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form
Oxford Languages
Evolution is necessary for growth and sustainable success. Times are changing. Mindsets are changing. Technology is forever changing. What once was the best way of doing things 10-20 years ago, no longer works well today.
This is also true with relationships. What once was, no longer is. Meaning, we change, we evolve. Unless you live in a bubble, or are dead set in your beliefs and ways, admit it, you have change. Think about it, there are things you enjoyed years ago that you no longer enjoy today. This is the same with relationships. Most of us love the person we first met. Something drew us to them and things just clicked. However, over time, the relationship became a little more complex. We began to notice our differences in personalities and preferences. Then one of us, if not both, began to change and grow– evolve.
Believe me, evolution can be difficult to accept in relationships especially when you are not growing together. In the end, it is up to us to decide whether or not we accept the other person’s change or resist it. Caution– resistance will cause problems, even result in failed relationships. Honestly, when you think about relationships they are no different than businesses and companies. When businesses and companies do not evolve, they fail. So, if you are in a relationship (any kind of relationship) where someone is evolving, ask yourself if you are willing to accept their evolution or resist it. Just know that resisting it might be the end of your relationship, or the end of what once was.
If you are not evolving, believe me, someone around you is. Face it, evolution is inevitable. You can either accept it or resist it.
Note for those evolving– Evolve! Even if it risks relationships, evolve! You owe it to yourself and God, not to remain the same.
Wednesday is the apex of a typical work week. Y’all, I live for Wednesdays. Especially Wednesdays after 1:00 p.m. Wednesdays make me feel like no matter what Thursdays or Fridays hold, I will make it.
With that said, I know Wednesday does not have the same meaning for everyone. And for many, it is not the apex of their work week. It’s just another day. You see, I was a shift worker throughout my active duty career. When I worked eight-hour shifts, they were a mixture of day shifts, swing shifts, and mid shifts. Twelve-hour shifts were either 12 hour days or nights. I never had a consistent schedule or many weekends off, so I longed for regular work weeks. I longed to feel normal. So today, I am grateful for this privilege. So grateful for Wednesdays.
It’s the little things that makes me smile and Wednesdays make me smile.
Trust the timing of your life. Trust your intuition. Trust your journey. – Author Unkown
I saw this quote on Facebook this morning. It reminded me of my life and my journey.
Trust the timing of your life…
Around the end of August I was invited to write a chapter in a book anthology. I said yes before I could talk myself out of it. I knew if I thought about it, even for a second, I would have said no. This year I promised myself that when opportunities presented themselves, opportunities that I knew I was capable of but afraid of doing, I would do them. I guess you can say I am finally seizing opportunities. Carpe diem!
Trust your intuition…
If it does not feel right, I am not going to do it. Period! My chapter is about my marriage and divorce. So far I have written several versions of the story. Some are more detailed than others. Right now, I am not sure which one to submit. Although it is my story, it also involves my ex-husband. I do not care how our relationship ended, and this is with any relationship, I refuse to publicly humiliate a person. We all have flaws and issues. Umm… Just thinking… this is probably the reason it took me over four years to get a divorce. I refused to be ugly. Ugh! Okay… enough about this.
Trust your journey…
Going with the flow and allowing God to lead. As we all have seen with 2020, life is so unpredictable. No matter what comes or goes, I must always remember that I am in God’s hands, and He is always in control. Whatever He has planned for my future is meant for my good. I will always be victorious!
Well, that’s all I have. Wishing you a fabulous Sunday! Remember to trust the timing of your life, trust your intuition, and trust your journey. God’s got you!
Have you ever felt as if part of your life was missing? Not a person, but your actual life. Yesterday this feeling of loss and sadness overcame me. I couldn’t pinpoint it at first. Then it came to me. I missed being in the military.
I retired almost a decade ago, and yesterday was the first time the feeling hit me so hard. You see, I grew up around soldiers. My first exposure to military life was through my Uncle June. He was in the Army and he made it seem like fun. Probably because he goofed off most of the time. Lol. At the time, he was stationed in Fort Riley, KS and we were living in Topeka. When he visited, he never came alone. He would always bring a few of his Army buddies and the women in our Deer Creek apartment complex would go crazy! Uncle June, Tillery, and another friend would come up on the weekends, drink, play cards, and tell all kinds of wild Army stories. Little did I know, a few years later our family would move to Ft. Riley with my stepdad.
From sixth grade until I joined the Air Force in 1992, I saw soldiers daily. Hence the reason I chose the Air Force (smile). Honestly, I never considered joining the military or being associated with the military. I did not want to go to war. This was around the end of the Gulf War. I did not want to go to the field (military training for war). I did not want a cheating husband (cause they all seemed to cheat). And I definitely didn’t want to take orders from anyone (Ha! Nothing’s changed).
Anyway, about a year before I joined the Air Force, my boyfriend asked me to help him study for the ASVAB (military placement test). He had decided to join the Navy and needed a certain score. I helped him study. He passed the ASVAB, but due to a previous knee injury he couldn’t join. About a year later, I took the ASVAB and joined the Air Force. I had no idea that while I was helping him study, I was actually studying for myself. Crazy, huh?!
I’m smiling as I write because God will give you exactly what you ask for but it is not always what you imagined. When I was in high school, I wrote how I wanted to work for a major corporation, travel the world and speak different languages. Well… I joined the Air Force (major corporation), my first duty station was in Germany (traveled the world), but I never got to speak different languages, something I have always regretted. You see, over the course of middle and high school I had taken four years of Spanish and three years of French. While in basic training I was given the opportunity to take a language test. Taking the test meant another skill set would be added to my profile. Y’all, I was so afraid of failing that I did not take the test. I backed out at the last minute. Funny thing is, I knew both languages almost as well as I knew English, probably better. You know, it amazes me how fear.. little old fear.. can change the entire trajectory of your life. Throughout my career I had other opportunities to take the test, but decided not to. Mostly because I felt as if I was not worthy of the additional opportunities. Like, if I didn’t do it the first time, why would I be given other chances. It was like I was punishing myself for my failure to act. I am so grateful for growth. I have now realized God will give us opportunity after opportunity to fulfill our dreams and purpose. However, it is up to us to recognize them as such and grasp them. They are gifts. Yes, I’m learning.
Anyhoo.. back to missing my military life. Y’all know I get sidetracked. From the moment I arrived at Lackland Air Force Base for basic training, until the time I retired, I wanted to get out. Every day I asked myself why I joined. The ONLY answer I could think of was it was better than joining the Army. Really?!
I cannot lie, I LOVED every moment. I enjoyed the camaraderie. Having a steady paycheck and all of the extra perks. Opportunities to visit different countries (some I took, some I didn’t). Interacting with so many people. Pilots in flight suits (yesss). Fighter jets. Cargo planes. Beefing with ATC (they thought they were God’s gift to the Air Force). My Weather buddies. House parties. Squadron parties. Riding on the airfield when I needed to get away. Yes, that was the life!
Of course there were things I did not enjoy, but looking back, they were minute. Y’all, I am just grateful for the experience. If I had to do it all over, I would. BUT.. I would do it bigger and better. Thinking back, God always placed people around me who encouraged me to aim high (the AF motto). To tap into my full potential. Little did they know, I was too afraid to aim high because I hated the recognition. I hated receiving awards, and I received quite a few. I only wanted to do my job and go home. But they wanted to recognize me. Why? To me, I was doing what everyone should have been doing. It was nothing special. But.. it was!
Short story-
I received my first commendation medal for my actions after a Boeing-747 cargo plane slid off the runway at Ramstein. It had been snowing heavily all night. The plane was scheduled to land as soon as quiet hours was over at 6:00 a.m. Before they even entered our airspace I had the pilots contacted so they could divert to another base because the snow wouldn’t be removed before they arrived. I even spoke with the crew. They said that they had enough fuel to divert to Frankfurt. Plus, I had already contacted Frankfurt and they had the ramp space. I asked the crew about their crew rest hours. They were good. So nothing was stopping them from diverting. They informed that they had landed in those conditions before. So I informed them that they were landing at their own risk. Tower cleared the snow removal crew from the runway. The plane landed and slid off the end of the runway. This led to the runway being closed for several hours. Which caused other aircraft to have to divert to other bases. At that time, I had only been on the job (in the Air Force) for a year, and the only one on duty. Looking back, that was pretty awesome. I stayed calm the entire time and did my job. To me it was no big deal, just another day at work. I will tell you I am thankful it was recorded because they tried to blame it on me. Bae-bé, I knew what I was doing! I had already made 100% on my 3-level course exam. Lol!
Listen, from now on I am going to seize opportunities. When God opens doors, I will walk through them. Also, I am going to humbly accept all accolades. I’m not going to shy away from them anymore because I am a display for God’s work.
Thank you for reading. I guess you could say this blog was about me coming to terms with a part of my life that I took for granted. A part of my life that I cannot get back, but I can learn from and do better.
The birds are awake and chirping. Today is going to be a wonderful day. Speak it. Claim it. Keep smiling. Know that God is still in control.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26 NIV
It’s Shaun’s World 
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