…. Ask For

In yesterday’s post I shared the fact that I am being led to begin living my spiritual life out loud.  Today, I want to share my second path.

Have you ever really, REALLY wanted something? … you prayed, wished, vision boarded and focused your intention on it… but for what ever reason, it just didn’t happen.  I have designed a workshop that will provide you with reasons why that may have happened and what you can do in the future to get the results you want.

•5 Specific reasons . One reason explained in the next post

•3 Action items to do before it manifests

•1 technique that leads to it all

Enjoy

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I confess

I have a confession to make.

I had always thought I could live a quiet spiritual life.  No one would have to  know that I pray more than once a day, or that I mediate three or four times a week, or that I bellieve in God but not necessarily in religion, or that I have studeied my beliefs since I was a teenager, or that I am a Reiki master and that I do distance healing often. ……… the bottom line is I am a very spiritual person.  Whew I finally said it.

Life is full of changes. Sometimes you ask for something and you get it.  But there are always strings attache (even in the spiritual realm).  Recently, I have started being lead to make my living practicing my spiritual beliefs.  I believe that this is what I am supposed to begin doing full-time with my life.  Luckily I don’t have to give up my day job (yet) but I do have to start living, sharing and working on my spiritual practices.

What a “road less traveled” option.  I am not even feeling like there is a road here ….. maybe I will have to create my own path. I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that I have to follow where I am being lead (even if I don’t see why at the time) and that the effort, outcomes and rewards are always worth it.

Yes, I am going somewhere with this confession …. In the past couple of years, I have done, accomplished, achieved, discovered and many professional opportunities.  Not to many things have impressed me, (not including my current part-time job) but my most recent accomplisthment has really honored, humbled and amazed me.  Here is my start ….

I am writing a bi-monthly, column “Art of Life” for a local newspaper CapitalCityHues (go here & click on my name).

The column is designed to provide practical advise on a number of “improve your life topics” with a spiritual twist.

Enjoy

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What would you teach?

At one of our recent meetings I used one of my thought provoking questions as an ice-breaker.  Each person wrote an answer to a question, the questions where collected, shuffled and re-passed out.  The goal was not to end up with your own question and then to reead your answer out loud.

I asked participants one of my thought provoking questions “If you could teach one thing, what would it be?” These are the responses that they shared:

• “Young people about the “real” history of our country. Not the fairytale version we have all been taught.
• “Treat people with respect and do the right thing. With confidence, you can learn anything, do anything.”
• “Mindset training/Personal development. Reverse or remove “Stinking thinking!”  Help people to believe that they can achieve!”
• “To be patient and accepting of the differences of others.”
• “I would want to teach research methods as it relates to the Social Sciences, like Psychology or Education, because it’s important that people know how to think critically about data.”
• “The way that money is used!”
• “Creative writing, to tell your story.”
• “Empathy, the ability to see things through another person’s eyes.”
• “Critical thinking to boost people’s confidence so they can shape or change their world.”
• “How to meditate and other awareness or calming excercises.”
• “The importance of nature. Have you seen deer in the neighborhood? I have! What have you seen that you think others have not?”
• “Real world life skills to young adults.”
• “Whatever you think about most is what you will bring into your life. I would teach how thoughts become things.”
• “Teach kids anti-racism skills and find out what interests kids with ADD instead of putting them on pills.”
• “I would teach adults to spend more time with their kids or to be a big brother or sister to someone else’s child. I would teach children to be a kid as long as they can. To not grow up too soon and to not take life too seriously.”
• “Faith & History; meaning the essence and hidden wonders of the truth.”
• “Professional Communication & employment preparation. Cultural brokerage, in corporate America.”
• “Compassion. With compassion much can be accomplished for education, community, employment and healthcare.”
• “To read! It opens up other worlds!”

People seemed to really get into it.

Enjoy

Just be

“Just be” is a photo I took at the Madison Children’s Museum and right now it captures what I’m doing …. just being.

In my absence I have not been idle. The following is a quick summary of my recent past and in the next few days I will share my plans for the future.

Here is my design used for the Urban League’s Homecoming.  The  Homecoming is a annual event similar to an open house, for their Board of Directors and partners.

I provided the concept (the overall look) for the Madison Urban League’s major annual two-day, fund raising event.  They wanted something urban & elegant…. I  have only being doing graphic design for about 2 1/2 years, so to see my work on magazines, newspaper, signs, banners, programs, a marque and even on television was one of the highlights of my new career.  Below is the ad that was on the back of a m.agazine and in the photo after yes that’s John Legend (I was lucky enough to take his photo.)

I started the new year with another UMOJA magazine cover. It was an honor and pleasure to be able to do a cover that commemorates the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every year I have a motto or theme I try to follow, achieve or live  for the year and this year it is …

Enjoy

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Starting Over

Life, life, life.

Life takes a number of twists and turns.  Or should I say sometimes on the road less traveled you can run in to a narrow, spot with thorns and burrs, but if you just keep going ….

In September I had a terrible accident with my computer.  I thought about explaining the whole story but I am going to just jump to the bottom line.

I was working at Starbucks, my customary place to work two to three times a week.  I was just starting my second cup of tea …. I can’t believe I did this but I knocked my tea over.  It went everywhere on my laptop keyboard, holes on the side and so on.  Needless to say, not being in a financial situation to just go out and by another laptop I no longer had or have a computer.

My sudden change in my situation really set me back for awhile, not just professionallly but also emotionally and spirutally. I have lost much of my artwork, photos, music, documents (I.e resume) and so on.

What did I learn from this:

1. Nothing seems to keep me down forever (thank God)
2. There is always a Plan B (I am borrowing a computer and I have recovered some art and photos from my blog).
3. How can I blog about being positive to you and not be able to be positive for myself.
4. There are going to be set-backs and that is ok. It’s really about the journey not just the destination.

  I am going to count my blessings and I will see you soon.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy

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Challenge for growth 10

The tenth challenge for growth relates to work on your goals.

Scientists have suggested that, with a little willpower, it takes roughly 30 days for a person to form a new habit.  As with mastering anything new, the act of starting and getting beyond the preliminary stage where everything feels awkward is 80% of the battle.  This is precisely why it’s important to make small, positive changes every day over the course of at least a 30 day period.

If carried out diligently there is the potential to create a new positive habit in your life.  Commit the next 30 days, wholeheartedly, to successfully completing the challenge.

Define one long-term goal and work on it for an hour every day.

Break your goal down into bite-sized pieces and focus on achieving each one piece at a time.  It really is all about taking baby steps, and taking the first step is often the hardest.  Spend an hour every day for the next 30 days working toward something you’ve always wanted to accomplish.  Take a small dream and make it a reality.  Read Getting Things Done.

Enjoy

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