What’s That One Thing That You Are Afraid Of?

Fear isn’t real. It’s something we tell ourselves.

Will Smith

A writer asked a group the Question what is the one thing that you are afraid of. Fear often grips us whether real or imagined. My interest sparked, I peered into the responses of those who were quick to chime in. Here I share:

Just simply taking a quick glance at the responses, most are not real. They are in our imagination and stays there for a while. Personally, I was afraid to jump out of a plane. I did a tandem jump and faced my fear. Many fear things like job loss, health, and loss of loved ones. But today, if there is something you fear as we start a new year, face it and move beyond your fear. Remember, fear isn’t real. It is something we tell ourselves.

  • Thinking that there is something waiting for me on the other side of the shower
  • Walking up the basement stairs at night
  • Ending up alone
  • The fear of my husband dying from an epileptic seizure due to low blood sugar
  • Unexpected knock at the door and the person stands in an area where I can’t see them
  • If I fall sick and no one knows
  • The concept of eternity scares me. Living forever
  • I am terrified of plugs being left on when there’s no plug in there. I am convinced it will cause a fire.
  • I’m afraid I’m going to wake up one day and it turns out I never let my ex
  • That I will be popular and people will be bugging me all the time
  • Being held down, weight on me and not being able to breathe as in swimming under water
  • I have an irrational fear that I rub my eye I will accidentally slop and gouge out my own eye
  • Dying alone in my home of a heart attack or something and having no one realize it for weeks
  • Someone staring back at you
  • Public speaking
  • A deer will run out in front of my car during a late night drive in the country
  • Chicken bone being lodged in my throat
  • Waking up in a house fire
  • Ceiling fans that one is going to get lose and fall on me
  • A plane falling out of the sky and crushing me
  • Falling off a cliff
  • A plane crash
  • Fear of Success

Cheers!

That Wretched Year…

My uncle sent me a New Years greeting that all my dreams will come through. Got me thinking about him. Retired, does he have a dream? Sure. We all have dreams. Then it took me back to a sports newscaster who retired the day before after decades in the business. It was his life. He loved it. And we love him.

But what’s next?

I thought about this wretched year as most people would describe it. Ravished by loss of life, hope, shame as most middle-class experienced wants and needs in a world rocked by a mysterious pandemic. Never before has cleanliness been so top of mind.

But what’s next?

Year Of Innovation & Creativity

Personally, 2020 was one of innovation. Creativity soared as mankind tried to survive. Children became computer wizards as they had to learn to use the tools that adults used in business to get things done. Seniors did the same. Those previously fearful of computer are now experts at zoom able to turn on or off their videos depending on whether or not they want to be seen during church services. Entertainment became virtual from tik Toc to Instagram and Facebook lives. Innovation Soared.

But what’s next?

There Is Hope

As we step into a new year, 2021, most are hopeful. They’re hoping that the wretched 2020 year will not repeat itself. For me hope is the most important thing. That being said:

I wish you health.
I wish your needs satisfied beyond what’s required
I wish you leftovers to share with others
I wish you smiles that goes deep within
I wish you a year filled with extravagant laughter
But most of all I wish you peace that only the spirit can provide.
I wish you solace that you will be able to stand firm holding onto the only one with strong support.

So as we wave this wretched year goodbye, we join together to welcome the new filled with renewed goals, dreams, aspirations. A future bright and beautiful beyond compare.

Cheers to you and yours as you cross over into a bright future.

Muah!

That Goal…Clutch It Up

My mom clutched it up! That’s what Jakob shouted when the news came of the neighbor’s new born baby on Christmas Day. To 10-year old Jakob, his goal is not to get just one gift at Christmas for birthday and Christmas. He wanted separated gifts. So he cheered his mom for clutching him up and giving birth early January.

Microwave Society

Caused me to reflect on our goals. Sometimes we give birth to our goals prematurely and it doesn’t last. Our microwave society want degrees in weeks. Marriage before couples meet. We have become so hastened that we find it hard to wait on the 30 second microwave heat. Yep. We have become an impatient society.

The Race Is Not For The Swift

But remember, the race is not for the swift. The race is for the steady. For those who are consistent in what they do. We are not talking about procrastinators. We are talking about consistent effort. Consider marathon runners and athletes, They work hard consistently and in the long run become winners. So let’s be patient and clutch up those goals. We too will achieve and experience success that lasts.

Cheers!

Ring In The Cheer With These Holiday Games…

To laugh and play is to Love during the Holidays

Want to spice up your holiday with friends, family or foe (yikes)? Here are two Holiday Games to help squeeze the giggles. Simple prizes make the laughs sweet. Can’t be together? Try it virtually. Be creative, change ideas to match your mood and enjoy!

What’s your favorite holiday game? Do share. We would love to hear.

What Gets Measured…

What gets measured gets done

William Thompson, Scottish Physicist

2021 Holiday Book Gift Guide…

A Book is a Gift you can open again and again

Garrison Keillor

Gifts For Your Personal Growth

Ditch It. Switch It.

That Perfect Getaway Read

Gifts To Motivate, Encourage And Inspire


GreenLight: When God Says Go

Do you think of retirement as a dead-end road to the Departure Lounge of life? Think again! Retirement, A New Adventure is full of ideas how to live an active, fun and enriching life in retirement. There are things to do, skills to learn, new technologies to embrace, people to meet, places to explore. What sets this book apart is the stories it provides from real life experiences of the author and others; stories that range from silly to serious, revealing how satisfying life in retirement can be.

Books For The New Entrepreneur

MOMENTS: MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS

Books For The Food Lover

The Sways Of Poetry

Books For The Child Reader

Stori Stori

A Mistake Repeated More Than Once Is A Decision…

Don’t touch that! It’s hot! That’s what I told my 4-year-old, years ago. Sure enough it intrigued her and off she went sneaking behind me. Touched the iron and a squeal ensued. No doubt I am not alone with that experience. That’s how children are. They go after risks even when warned. Then they learn.

A Mistake repeated more than once is a Decision

The point is, that’s just how adults should be. Go after new things. Try it, then learn from it. There is wisdom in recognizing a mistake and knowing when to move on. Here’s one Entrepreneur David Mullings who did just that.

Made a decision that didn’t work out? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

Miami Book Fair Literary Conversation With Author Of Ditch It. Switch It…

It’s A beautiful satisfaction when dreams come through. I reflect on a young lady who shared her experience of leaving her job. She was hesitant, hid from the quiet signals that came her way. The signals that said, it’s time to change. A year later when she decided to take the plunge, it’s been an unforgettable journey. One that brought achievements and fulfillment.

Then there are those who need to be hauled out. Tear after year they Miserable yet they stick to the misery. 
The Book “Dutch it. Switch it” was written as a guide to help you get out of your comfort zone. It may be a job you like but you feel the tug to do something different. It may be a step up the Corporate ladder but you’re afraid. It might be an Entrepreneurship venture that excites you but the reality of your bills and living paycheck to paycheck scares you. 


This Book began with the reflection on the success of the everyday person like you and me. I stepped forward and delved into a 2-year Research on Success and Leadership. Leading yourself is one if the list important things you can do.

After months of the Pandemic experience, it’s the prime opportunity to reflect and step out. Go do what you’ve always wanted to do.  Get a copy or connect with me to discuss How you too can Step out of your comfort zone. Or like I always say… do it afraid.  Tune into my discussion with Maxine Barnett, Executive Coach and Diaspora Liaison to learn about the journey

Goals: Don’t Wait. Don’t Look Back…

Dr. Shelly's avatarSuccess Strategies

“Run love! Run!” Those were the words I shouted to my preschooler when she was running track on her first school’s sports day. We found out that she had talent very early. She started running and when she discovered that she was way out ahead of the other runners, she stopped to look back for the other kids in the race. And if that was not enough, she decided to wait on them to catch up with her. It was a hilarious sight! Indeed it was no surprise when she became Famous for this little feat.

But aren’t we a lot like that at times? We are making huge progress towards our goals, dreams, and aspirations, then we stop. It seems too good to be true. We wait and before realize it, we have missed our path and go off track.

As we approach yearend, how have you been progressing…

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Useless. Doing Something Efficiently That Should Not Be Done At All…

Dr. Shelly's avatarSuccess Strategies

Across from her I stood. Watching as she carefully arranged the papers for delivery. Unknown to her was the intrepid fact that her department would be cut the next day. No amount of hard work could Criticizeor change that fact. Decades ago who would ever have thought that society would change. Newspapers were no longer being read by the mass and the company had to cut back. Sad as it was the staff had to be reduced to save what little of the company that could be salvaged to its new online medium.

Peter Drucker was wise when he said there is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all. Tempted? Let’s examine our lives today. What are we doing so well that should not be…

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21 Authors Share How Their Writing Journey Began…

Writers Write. Readers Read. Together they are one

I am always intrigued by stories, especially those told by others about new beginnings. Here I share as writers told how they writing journey was inspired.

  1. I wrote to escape the loneliness of my husband who had to work away from home as we transitioned to the cold north.
  2. When I moved away from my childhood friends
  3. My short essays and fiction have all been written from my life.
  4. It must have been engrained in my blood
  5. A nosey irritating neighbor who believed I needed company
  6. Daydreaming during a long commute that had dialogue and scenes that demanded to be written down
  7. 26 months solitary confinement with short stories from my childhood as a start
  8. A terribly boring book I read to my son at age 6. I knew I could do better
  9. God gave me the desire to write
  10. The pandemic and Quarantine made me take the plunge
  11. A dare from a neighbor
  12. Getting into trouble for talking in the study hall and being assigned to write a 500 word theme to write on anything I wanted as punishment. Next day I turned in a 13 page short story.
  13. My first novel resulted from an ugly divorce
  14. The loss of my beautiful baby boys.
  15. The ideas and content come to me in dreams. I have to just put them in order.
  16. Car accident that left me disabled for a while
  17. A dream and three nouns
  18. My right (creative) side of the brain dying a slow death in a left side dominant (rational) job
  19. My imagination
  20. Sitting in the airport for a 2-hour-layover, waiting on a flight to hunt with my kids. The rest is history
  21. Nature walk with just me and headphones

Interesting new beginnings! How about you? Do share how your own writing journey began. Here’s mine.

Cheers!

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