Curving Procrastination

Have you ever heard the saying you are what you claim? Have you ever stopped to think that a lot of the areas in your life and things that you struggle with have been created in our minds and manifested through our thoughts? There is  power in the tongue we can choose to speak life or death, unfortunately not many of us are conscious to the choices we make and the tone that we set for our life through our thoughts  and words, which dictates the actions we take or not take, and who we are being. We fill our minds with stories and valid reasons as to why it impossible to plan and execute effectively on our goals and even personal promises made to ourselves.  Neglecting our needs and not having integrity with our words robs us of the opportunity to build trust and confidence within ourselves. Nothing absolutely nothing is impossible and there is nothing or no one that can stop us or take away what God has placed on the inside.  The only thing or person that stands in your way is you , who you  pretend to be ,the choices that you make , the thoughts you have ,I want you to know that our true self is our best self. To begin the process of  mastering  self and how to thrive in  life, the  first step is to seek clarity and understanding of who you are at your core not the persona we have created to fit or satisfy everyone else’s expectations or comfort us through our own insecurities. The number one and most common struggle that many of us have and for some may still be currently struggling with is to be present to fear and still acting, many times that fear shows up as procrastination. It is usually when we are confronted to dissect the reason why we are procrastinating that we recognize that hidden connection to fear.

In a room of 20 people I am almost positive that it will be divided into an equal half of those that believe they are procrastinators and those that do not believe they are. The power of what we believe can become crippling to our actually ability to get started and make great progress. I remember on many occasions when I first started Unapologetic Happiness LLC that each time  I was presented with a new task or had a new idea to launch was when it appeared to me that my level of procrastination was at an all time high. The difference of  procrastinating and believing that you are a procrastinator is that when you are aware and in tune with self to recognize when something is off or has shifted you are invested in getting to the bottom of it quick and changing it. when you whole heartedly believe that you are that thing there is no conviction or feeling of guilt it is accepted as the norm because you have labeled and accepted yourself as the procrastinator and what does a procrastinator do? They procrastinate, they expect nothing more of themselves, so how do we curve the habit of procrastination? The first step is to identify your why , your why to do anything is why you will and must commit , secondly write a list of what will it mean to accomplish these things and what is the cost of not getting these things done. It is good to see the effect or impact, or choices will have on our lives because it becomes a guide to holding ourselves accountable and remaining focused on our goals.  If a person had an idea to rob a bank and is presented with the visual of what the cost will be of getting caught and the price of getting away with it looks like they now have to make a conscious decision based on their need and what would be their ideal reality.

“The World Gives Us Evidence Of Things Being Impossible. The Word Provides Us With Proof That All Things Are Possible Through Christ.

-Shanett McNeill ”

The life we desire to live is right on the other side of fear , the more we allow ourselves to feel fear but be bold enough to just do it the closer we get to having it all and being the kind of person we need to become to obtain and maintain true success in our life. Use your words to promote action in your life daily despite what you may feel like, or what your current circumstances maybe it Is our perspective on what is happening that will make a greater difference in our life. Life is not a race and it is not about knowing it all and having every detail of your life already mapped out. It is about being open and receptive to much trial and errors before we actually get it right.  After mastering one phase we must always remember that change and challenges are a reoccurring theme of life so we must always be open to hoping for the best expecting the unexpected and praying for the strength to go through them and grow. Today  this moment can be that moment you decide to stop self-sabotaging and settling for less than you deserve because you are afraid of that what if , well ask yourself this one question “what would my life look like if I committed to taking massive action in my life despite my fears what would my life look like ?” secondly  am I ready and open to receiving all that is out there for me? The level of progress or success in one’s life really comes down to choices what are you feeding your mind, how are you staying encouraged, what is the quality of your thoughts and self-talk. The choice is yours to make daily “ today I am choosing to have integrity with my words and I am committed to taking action in spite of fear,  I will remain a student at life for each day blesses me with new opportunities to learn , all lessons are gift that I will apply, I will only speak words that empowers me.

Progressing Through The Storm

“Life Has A Funny Way OF Working Out , Just When You Start To Believe It .”

Different seasons, places, and time reveals new sometimes exciting, sometimes challenging, but whether pleasing or challenging each experience blesses us with a new lesson and often times a self-promotion. The truth is no matter how much we improve in life there will and must always be room for improvement and growth to take place. Each day is a God given gift and it is our duty to be mindful to be present to the many blessings we are receiving, the lessons that are meant to be learned, the people we are meant to experience. Too often many of us will find ourselves being limited by our emotions that are altered due to many external factors in our lives that may be out of or control that we miss out on blessings that may have been right in our presence. It is extremely important and beneficial to our wellbeing to learn how to go through our storms without carrying our worry and displeasure on our faces in our daily interactions. Our life has already been written which means that every second of our day already has its purpose , lessons, and blessings  and in order to live each day full we must prepare ourselves and our minds to be in a space to receive  each days purpose to be fulfilled. If I told you that each person you come across on your daily commute is blessing would you believe me? most would probably say no, unfortunately we have been conditioned and taught to only  see the differences that makes us separate  and to focus only on finding  evidence of why  we cannot relate to each other. Every living and deceased person has a story and for every brave soul that is free and selfless enough to share their story that is an opportunity to be a blessing to someone and for one to receive their breakthrough.

This week was the beginning of the 30 days of mindfulness challenge for the next thirty day we will be focusing on clarity and action planning. Now more than ever before is the perfect opportunity to get proactive, in not only protecting our minds but shifting our perspectives. There are two very important factors that I believe are very important that we get clear on, and the first is to remember that life is short, and we cannot afford to waste another second in mediocrity. By the grace if God and his will have all be blessed to be alive to witness just how our life as we know it can change from what we know as our norm to being propelled into  the unknown in the blink of an eye.  For many of us It may feel like Suddenly we have been forced to face the reality that nothing in life is a guarantee, and the only thing certain in life is death. Time and time again we have spent an excess amount of time robbing ourselves of great opportunities by constantly living in fear of what we do not know. The second factor is the struggle to accept what is and let go of was with an open mind to trust that our life is happening in order and right on time. Once we are able to reprogram our thinking and belief system to see all things as an opportunity and not a disadvantage to us the more flexible, we are to confidently take on life challenges. One of the most ignored but beautiful irony about life is that daily God is giving us signs and confirmations in our minds, previews of the things we desire, and revelations to our   concerns to guide and protect us. Sadly, instead of paying attention and being present to that we are often distracted by our negative, limited thinking and negative perceptions which generates negative and explosive reactions.  

In closing I want to leave you guys with these very important tips and steps to be present to receive the gifts that each day brings. The first is to start each day with a clear mind and a clean slate by forgiving yourself of the mistakes and struggles of yesterday, and vow to focus only on the cares of the present day. Meditate on the word of God and set your intentions on thriving through your daily experience by choosing gratitude and release the spirit of resentment and anger. The last step is to celebrate yourself every small accomplishment and progress made in a day is worth celebrating as it keeps us self-motivated and encouraged even when no one else is around to do so or willing to celebrate you. The truth is there is no grater love or support in this world than the love and support we give to ourselves, aside from God’s divine love and support. Time wasted is time being taken for granted and every second taken for granted is us only doing withdrawals and no deposits in our life. You are your greatest project and most valuable investment, and it requires commitment, consistency, love, faith, and action daily in the things that will add more to your life than it takes away. As you continue to consistently pour into you then and only then can you in return poor into others, by spreading good news, hope, and love that everyone needs and is deserving of. The best is yet to come but this present moment is your current blessing make the best of it.

In Your Imagination

“Great Living Starts With A Picture Held In Your Imagination Of What You Would Like To Do Or Be .”

“The world is a canvas for your imagination, you are the painter. There are no rules get to work.” Isn’t it ironic that the one place that many of us are afraid to venture into is the very space that we are meant to access our creativity? The unknown or in other words allowing ourselves to live in our imagination.  From the tender years of a child but limited to a specific age living in our imagination is allowed and accepted, but as an adult to be openly excited about living in your imagination is frowned on and almost classified as one being immature or crazy. The truth is our imagination is that one thing that never leaves us it is a gift that as a kid without any lessons needed it comes naturally.  In our imagination there is freedom, room to explore all of our thoughts and feelings without judgement. The mind can be used as a safe space of creativity or an uncomfortable space of negativity depending on the quality of our thoughts. from the time we rise up in the morning until we take it down for the night, we are experiencing constant changes in our mind, our emotions, based on our experiences throughout that day.  Hoping for the best and expecting the unexpected is one of the secrets to having an open mind to the fact of life’s constant changes. The real question is after being born with gifts and heightened instincts, feeling free and connected to our true self, to then having your factory settings changed how do you get back to that place of freedom?

The truth is we never know how bad our conditions are until we get preview to something new which sends off signals that were already there but have been suppressed by the ultimate rules of life. I won’t say that we way we have been taught was wrong, but I will say it has robbed us of our true nature to be independent in our thinking and being. The problem is most people lose the opportunity to change that because when presented with the option to settle or soar settling feels safe and it is familiar. Choosing to soar can be scary and very uncomfortable but the truth is it we have to learn to look beyond what it looks and feels like temporarily in order to receive the benefits in the long run. Unfortunately we live in a world that if we are not confident and secured In who we are our existence becomes centered around making sure that we fit in with what is accepted , we look like every one else ,and we are singing the same notes. The reality is that is truly a recipe for disaster, God cannot and will not ever bless who we pretend to be, and people will either love and accept you for you and not the character you have created.  It is not an accident that as people we are all connected by a source that is greater than ourselves despite our differences in believes we are all created with our own unique differences. It is important that we strive to accept and love our whole selves just as God has created us and in return begin to be open to loving and accepting each other in our differences and what connects us.  As you continue to grow and connect with your true self the more unapologetic you become about making choices that are serving you and adding value to your life and the less the opinions of others truly matter.

Life is a gift and journey, but I want to remind you that is okay to make life our adult playground, climb the monkey bars of life and if you fall get back up brush the dirt off and climb again. Hurt and disappointment is something that we will experience on more than one occasion in our lives and for every experience there is a lesson and a blessing but through it all be always open to forgive and love again.  The manual of life is ours to read and strive to understand, God gives us signs and confirmations daily to know that He is always with us and that all things are working according to His will. Our life is not on delay and we certainly do not have the power to speed up the process, but what we do have is the ability to master self and be in control of our thoughts and perspectives on life. There will be days that life feels like a breeze , there will be days where life feels like an hurricane or an earth quake just hit you , but the great news is that after every storm there is a sense of  peace and calmness that comes after to remind us of the beauty of trusting God and being present to his love.  Life is what we make me it  , commit to investing time each day to giving and being your best in all that you do but most importantly stay true to yourself and be free to live, love ,laugh , and dream unapologetically. God has great intentions and plans for our life let us not self-sabotage by being distracted by fear and needing to be in control of the facts of life that is out of our control Allow God To Work!

Time Check

“Yesterday Is Cancelled Check , Today IS Cash On The Line , Tomorrow Is A Promissory Note. -Hunk Stram ”

The current climate of the world has forced us all to get present to the beauty of time and how precious it is, and just how much it has been taken granted for so long.  The irony is that the very thing that we take for granted is the thing that we have been gifted with which is more time. We only have 24hrs in a day, so it was very common daily for everyone to have their own complains and reasons as to why they just did not have enough time to execute on some of their most important goals. The sad part is that we can expect that although it feels like the days has been extended there will be people that still cannot maximize and expand during this time. Which leads me to this point that maybe it is not that we do not have enough time but that many of us simply lack the ability to use their time wisely. Too much of anything is never good and likewise is time having too much time on our hands can be a good thing but also a bad thing. Time management is an area that we all have needed to or could presently improve on. Managing time can be a struggle if you are a person that lacks organization and the ability to prioritize your important tasks with flexibility around life. There has never been a moment in time that we can recall that life appeared to be at a standstill, and the scary part is we have all been pushed into a space that we often avoid “the great unknown.”  Without a time, frame or reliable information to bring us clarity and comfort has been very difficult to access. How do you manage your time when time seems to have no restriction?  You must create a structured routine and do not allow the freedom of time to allow you to move without any sense of urgency. Yes, we are unclear as to when all of this will end that’s correct but the reality is there is a possibility of things changing sooner than later as there is a chance it may last longer. It is important that we do not allow ourselves to get too comfortable in disorders of man that we miss the order in which God desires for us to be. t

I want to encourage everyone to think of this moment that we are all experiencing as a purpose filled time out, meaning that we are fully focused on receiving what this experience has In store for us. While we are utilizing this time to seek clarity and understanding it is extremely important that we are not spending too much time waiting for a miracle to happen, things change if we change and change begins when we commit to producing results. One great way we can take effective action is by changing our language from one that enables us to settle to language that promotes action daily. I learned that the best way to take advantage of time is to know when it is time to be still ,time to rest , and when it is time to get moving, we never want to be still too long ,or resting too long. All work and no play can hurt us more than it helps us, and all play and no work will also have a negative effect. In life there needs to be a healthy balance between pursuing our purpose, being connected to God and our true purpose, and to enjoy life and the people we love.  That is where having structure and a solid foundation in our faith, who you are as a person, and the vision that you have for your life personally and professionally. All that we dream of having  can  be ours to have if we choose , history proves that  that there are so many great leaders and  with great stories  that has been shared in order for us to have hope and  seeing opportunities to all we have to do is trust God and study what successful people do. You would be surprised to know that it is practicing mastering simple daily routines that become a part of your success habits. Let’s look at health , we may find that some of the most influential  and success people  practice living a healthy life style daily whether it consists of having a healthy diet , engaging in daily exercise , and even committing to activities that adds value to their core values and needs . Such as reading, praying, meditating, and yoga and the list goes on. I firmly believe that in order to obtain true success in life  it is important that we are showing up for ourselves the same in all areas of our life, there are so many people that have mastered great qualities in their careers but is lacking in their personal life  and relationships which will later begin to affect our spill over into  other areas  of our life.

In closing I want to leave you guys with is to rise daily with an attitude of gratitude and the mindset of a winner. in the darkest moments in our life we must learn to be available mentally to not become a victim to your experience, because each time we are faced with oppositions it is a great opportunity to self-reflect and adjust to keep moving and growing. Time means nothing if we do not plan to use it wisely and not take a second for granted, every second , every minute , and every hour of our life is an opportunity to do something that will add value to not only your life but in the lives of many. How much time are you willing to invest Into yourself? can you commit to your growth, can you commit to your faith, can you commit to living with purpose? I ask these questions because in life what separates the successful from the unsuccessful is the choice to do or not to do. It is important that we are clear on what it is that we want, what it is going to take, and what are we willing to let go off in order to allow God to remove and renew our mind ,body , and spirit.  The one thing that consider to be just as scary as living life without a purpose.  Achieving success without growing as a person mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally because unfortunately you will not have what it takes to keep it and expand it. I encourage you all to respect your time and invest it in beginning the journey of transformation to becoming the best version of yourself. Life Is very fragile and in the blink of an eye our life can change for the best or for the challenge and those are the moments that your faith is tested so that we can be increased, in physical and spiritual strength. Prayer works and it is important that when we ask God for things we are open to receive his answer and remember that His will must be done, so in prayer do not forget to pray for peace and discernment as you go through life meeting and experience new people ,places , and things. Fear has no home or place in our lives let us learn to feel fear face it and act despite the feeling being present. Our purpose is a gift from God and our responsibility to discover and live in it. Time can either make or break you based on how you are managing and respecting, the length of life is not as important as the quality of our life which is based how we choose to show up daily.

Master The Art Of Self-Discipline

As we approach the beginning or the end of a new year, month, day, or week it is expected and almost the normal way of being to dwell on all of our short comings. In dwelling we feel justified in playing the blame game; placing blame on everyone and everything without taking any responsibility for the results we did or did not get. In life we will always be presented with valid reasons and areas in which we struggle. In the midst of those limiting facts of life there are empowering facts of life such as the power of choice. We must be open to the fact that just as we have valid reasons/excuses as to why things may not work in our favor, there are also very good reasons as to why things can work. The problem is too often we forget that we have options and yes, it is safe to safe we can place blame on our upbringing for most of our learned behaviors. Although that is a very factual and fair claim to be excused from what you do not know it is also a good enough reason to be open to learning new things that will serve you better moving forward. No one is responsible for our happiness, our peace, our health, or our success, it is up to us to know what we want and create an action plan of how to get it. Our current circumstances and upbringing do not limit or determine the quality of our life that we can choose to live. We are all capable of getting things done the issue for many of us is the lack self -discipline, often failing to prioritize our days and our time and committing to them. Our phones, friends, family, emotions, and our mindset plays a huge part in our ability to stay focused and consistent. Which leads me to the why it is very important to set boundaries and rules daily to execute on our goals. Goal setting is key, and it is very important to have clarity and be realistic with yourself, ask yourself what you are you willing to sacrifice in order to progress daily. Mastering self-discipline is simply just a choice of what you want now or what you want more.

The first and most important step to goal setting and becoming disciplined is to pray about it; I know it may sound cliché and outside of the normal to do lists and steps that we hear. On my journey of transformation and personal development having an active prayer life has been the key to having peace and clarity as I walk in faith the to explore the new. I was once very guilty of lacking self-discipline in some areas of my life, I am a lot better today than I was in the past. Full disclaimer it was a lot of work, it was not easy, and it most certainly did not happen overnight. The truth is the end result is so worth it very rewarding gifted me with much self -reflection and healing. The good news is that journey of self -discipline and growth is one that never ends there will always be new challenges, and new lessons to learn before elevating to a new and higher level in our life.  Honestly speaking I have mastered some areas and there are presently still areas that I am actively working on growing in.  A few of my major areas of struggle in the beginning was being distracted by phone calls, messages and social media scrolling. I had to make a choice to take control of my environment daily and making sure that I was respecting my time in order for others to do the same.

The results and progress I desire to make daily is my responsibility and placing blame would not get me any closer to achieving success. I used to justify these behaviors by telling myself I was good at multitasking. In reality I was really just pulling myself in too many directions all at once. The results I got from that was frustration and incompletion because I was not giving a hundred percent of my attention to the task, I set out to do, and my thoughts were now controlled by outside forces. I quickly had to get present to the fact that if I continued, I would never complete anything. I had to create a solution that would promote focus the solution is what I call my pre-work set up, to make sure my energy was right, my mind was clear. I started with prayer to fuel my spirit, followed by a moment to sit in silence and listen to my inner voice, I then take approximately twenty minutes to read something of substance to fuel my mind. Lastly but most importantly I refrain from any negative conversations or negative activities remember negative thoughts bring forth negative results.

“Motivation Gets You Going, But Discipline Keeps You Growing.”

Setting rules and boundaries in our life may seem challenging at first as we all have been comfortable with being available at all times, keep in mind that not everything and everyone deserves to have access to you to all the time. A major key to self-discipline is the art of protecting our minds and our peace. The choice to be selfless is not always received well by others especially those that have been granted excessive access to us. I want to highlight that there is also a great lesson if they cannot respect your time and your goals, they do not deserve your time. One of my favorite and most successful strategies to executing daily is by having a routine scheduled with time slots of priorities and holding myself accountable, with notes and alarm reminders. One quote that I always keep present in my mind is to “work harder on yourself than you do anything else.” Many people will live their entire lives trading time for money and be disciplined going through the motions they have boundaries which is good, but the reality is a job is someone else paying you to build their dreams. If you can master discipline in your workplace so should you be for your life and purpose because you deserve it and you have something unique to offer. The conversations we have the activities we partake in has a lot to do with the thoughts we have and how we work. My challenge for us is to be deliberate about our work when it is work time, we are giving a hundred percent to work so that when it is family time or time to relax. We can enjoy these things without the worry of what you didn't get finished or getting trapped in the web of multi-tasking, Always remember all success begins with self-discipline and it begins with you.