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Showing posts from 2021

Reflections: Turning 60

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Whew, 60!  60 - Threescore (3 x 20 = 60). The number 6 represents "man, Satan, and rebellion.  The number 10 represents "perfection or completeness in divine order" (6 x 10 = 60). All this indicates that the number 60 represents human strength and pride as well as divine glory and intervention.  Hmmm. Jose bring me another ... Puerta Vallarta Mexico, my birthday gift from my daughter Erica N Smith was just the right place for me to rest, reset and reflect! I reflected on the griefs and joy, the test, trials, temptations, and triumphs that made up my 50s.    Reflection: I unexpectedly lost a much-loved career as an executive assistant. Yet I began a non-profit, wrote a book, started a blog, founded a publishing company, and became certified as a life coach.  So, I guess I lost a job and learned to walk on purpose.   Reflection:  In my 40’s I unexpectedly separated from my husband of 15 years. In my 50’s I took ownership of my part of the loss. (It is never any one person&

WHO IS IN YOUR CIRCLE?

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  “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”  H ave you heard this before? If you want to level up in life, business, and relationships, you have to look at your circle. Some of the most brutal sacrifices that I have had to make have been in assessing my circles. Now, I am ABSOLUTELY NOT part of this “cancel culture.”  Nope! But when speaking of circles, it is all the areas of access and all forms of access.   Circle :  "TV and media."  What we consume is what we become. Have you assessed the TV shows, streaming shows, or other forms of media you consume? Does it leave you feeling drained, defeated, or defensive?  Here is an unintentional defense for most social media apps. You can ‘unfollow’ a person without unfriending them.  Yet I have noticed another form of the “cancel culture.” “I’m coming off Facebook because there is nothing but junk on it.” Really, have you gotten rid of your TV, Netflix or Hulu because of the junk on it? No, you take perso

An Open Letter to My Mother - Revised 2021

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  Mom, it has been 15 years since you passed on to glory, and this year it feels like yesterday.  I still reach for the phone to call you about a new restaurant, a new outfit, and your new great-granddaughters. This world is so different now.   Of the many things I miss,  your counsel is at the top of my list.  There is so much rage in the hearts of people. As a nurse, you worked for over 30 years in the mental health profession.  I remember you often said that if the government did not address mental health in America, we would be looking at a total breakdown of society.  Mom, we have mass killings in movie theaters, nightclubs, and even elementary schools.  The first question asked, “Was it a hate crime?” Well, it sure wasn't love! This world is so different now.   There is this thing the young women are always talking about: Haters/Hating.  I don't understand it; I didn't grow up seeing this.  I remember Aunt Martha, Mrs.Snow, Mrs. Ivey, and your friend of over 30 years,

She needed a NAP!

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Meet Lindsey Segal.  She is beautiful, accomplished, charismatic, and my cousin.  "Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area (California, USA), diversity and disruptive innovation entertained my worldview. My family and community, critical-race and power theory, team sports, open-world gaming, and science fiction informed my core values of integrity, creativity, and community. With a lifetime of experience interacting with people and technology, I facilitate cultural transformation by auditing, redesigning, and empowering systems to move towards an anti-oppressive and more humane model." A true BOSS WOMAN in every sense of the word.  But she needed a NAP!  (Article shared with Lindsey's permission. I pray this helps you the way it helped me.) ***************   Starting in mid-February, I took 3 weeks off of work due to burnout. I was on a call with a trusted SVP who held up a mirror and granted me the permission I needed to nap. I’m forever grateful for this individual and for

How Can You Be 40!?!

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Daughter, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands. They’ll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well. Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people. Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD ’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to GOD! Run from evil!  Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!   Honor GOD with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.  But don’t, daughter, resent GOD ’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that GOD corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.   You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry, yo

The Emergence Returns

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2021 is the year we Emerge! This is the year of our Execution! New businesses are prospering, old companies are redefining and optimizing, and ministries have a refreshed focus.   Are you ready? Really ready. You know it is your time!!! Yet, there are still those situations in life that have you tethered to your past, hindering your future. This is where I can help—introducing "The Emergence. A series of practical life application classes designed for those who realized they have now entered their season of purpose execution! Yet, you know, there are areas of your character that still needs to be confronted.   "Breaking Free - The Mind" is the first in a series of classes designed to help you identified those mental models of your past life that have held you captive.   "The Emergence" life classes are not counseling or therapy classes. These classes are designed for ordinary people who have an extraordinary purpose to fulfill! Far too many of us have allowed t

Cutting off Toxic People!

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Cut off the Toxic people in your life!!!!  Live your best life now!!!  Grow with me or get out of my way!!! We all have seen these declarations, or ones like them, ringing loudly on all forms of media, from all manner of people.   So let's look at this process.  The first step of getting rid of something—or someone— that is toxic is actually recognizing if, in fact, they are harming you.   We often call toxic those people that vehemently disagree with us, those that make us uncomfortable in our own skin, or who we feel are hindrances to our purpose. I don't call these toxic people; I call them "poop heads"   (my grandbaby's favorite emoji) Maybe a better term for the mature would be "fertilizer folk." We all have them. The difference between toxic people and fertilizer folk does not lie within them, but you! "What exactly do you mean, ME!?!? " Lower your eyebrows and let me explain.   Let's look at the purpose of fertilizer.  Fertilizers a

One For The Books!

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We Survived 2020!  Now, a month into the year we can look forward to knowing, what did not destroy us only made us stronger.  2020 was one for the books!!! • We all survived things we never imagined even happening.   • We started new ventures we never imagined having.  • We ended things we thought we could not live without!  As we progress through this year, if we find 2021 is 2020's ugly twin sister, no problem because we already know how to handle her!   Let 2021 be the year our victories EMERGE !