What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.
I overheard a discussion between two ladies in the salon as they were listening to the song ‘bless the lord oh my soul… oh my soul, I worship his holy name…‘
It was being sung by a little child … hence the reflection on ‘gifts’. Anyway, it caused me to think about the gifts God provides to us. One lady said all I do is talk, gab a lot. I thought quietly… that in itself is in fact a gift. She can use that to become a speaker even in small group. She can use her gift of ‘gab’ to write a book, sharing her thoughts with others provided she will be positive. Personally I believe there is enough negativity in the world.
Goodreads asked the question in a public forum “what books should everyone read this year?” As authors and readers chimed in, here’s a list of 41 extracted. They include classics to recently released books in different genres.
Don’t worry if you can’t get through them all. Just keep the list as a yearly reference
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
Billy Graham
I was a sprinter. I ran the 100 meter dash; 200 meter and 4 x 100 meter races. This was my thing. When I was called upon, I was ready. It was a desire to achieve not for me but for the wider team’s goal. That’s one of the memories held dear throughout my childhood into adulthood where I participated in events well into my late 20’s.
As I reflect, I am taken aback by the same habits that I used which has stuck with me even today. Here I share.
7 Habits Of A Highly Effective Athlete
1.Discipline
Here it is not about being forced to do something. It is about maintaining daily habits to achieve good or satisfactory outcomes. My dad was a boxing champion who fought for the land of my birth. He was a winner. I would rise early mornings and go running with him before daybreak. Then in the evenings after school I would go practice with fellow athletes. This daily mantra improved my abilities. It was not for personal gratification but for helping the team to win; whether it was school, church camps, or organizational competitive games to come out on top.
Determination means the ability to do something even when the odds are against you. My natural prowess slowed in recent years because I became latent. I sit at the computer all day working without hardly ever getting up to stretch. So after discussion with a personal coach, I decided to start working out. On my second class, I had to drive a 4-hour return trip. I was 5 minutes late for the class due to traffic and was turned away. I had missed the warm-up and didn’t know much. I was disappointed. But through my determination, I decided to make sure it never happened again. I have been attending and haven’t been late again. In this case, my health goals are too important to miss.
3.Drive To Succeed
This trait has driven me to go after my goals, dreams and aspirations. My studies and organizational leadership prowess has helped me to manage business operations with a desire to see others succeed. My published books on Success, leadership, career development and motivation are solid proof.
4.Never Give Up
In the first course I did after I left high school, a teacher lost the end of term paperwork I submitted. She searched and couldn’t find it. This was not submitted online but in person. Talk about being disappointed. I was devastated but I was determined to graduate. So I took a deep breath, asked to redo the major assignment and turned it in again. Yes, I graduated and found that my early training to never give up has stayed with me throughout life’s ups and downs. That experience helped build my strength of character.
5.Commitment
This quality is one that many organizations desire in people. It is a pledge or an agreement to do something. The problem is, we have to strike that balance. Overcommitment, especially for workaholics, can lead to restricted work/life balance or self-care.
The more committed you are, the more work you get….yikes! Certainly the goal you planned (smile)
6.Planning
One thing an athlete must do is plan. No plan easily translates into failure with missed deadlines, priorities and more. A friend shared the woes of a politician who was busy working in the community trying to attract votes. He was successful at that but later discovered that he had missed the application deadline. After all he had done, he was left off the ballot.
7.Teamwork & Care For Others
Teamwork means working together with a group of people to achieve a common goal. Running a relay is never easy. Sometimes teammates become injured, tired, fall behind, or become overworked and the rest of the team must collaborate to build and eliminate the gap. This is not an easy feat but the effort is always well worth it and provides the reward. That’s what I did all those years. Collaborate.
Today, caring for others is my mantra. It goes deep within my inner being and provides that lasting satisfaction when as a professional leadership coach, I help individuals achieve their goals.
I look back and reflect on these traits and with renewed fervor and realize that they made me who I am today. What about you? Did any of the characteristics resonate? Any you would add? Do share, we would love to hear.
The ball dropped and suddenly we went from the old to the new. it’s new year’s day at universal and islands of adventure. Beehives of Chattering voices everywhere. I sit quietly People watching cultures far, near, and everywhere. Fun. Rides. Food. Smiles. Tired feet clad in running shoes, t-shirts, jeans, tights; it’s family time you can’t miss.
Lots of gleeful noise amidst the screams of the world famous hulk ride. Twists, turns, ups, downs. It’s like you’re just gonna explode. Why would people do that to themselves?! Omgeee!
There’s Spider-Man. Tired legs allowed the young ones to go do their thing. After men in black, fast n furious, I was missing nothing.
But who am I to complain after enjoying my own knee jerking skydive that only few dared to hit
It’s Started With a Bang
Yep it’s New Year’s Day and it started off with a bang with plans for a year filled with lots of fun, excitement, and thrill. All wrapped in fear of the twists and turns among the unknown. But hey, doing it anyway. You won’t know until you try, right?
Armed with goals to finish my long outstanding book series titled RedLight, I’ll getaway for a solo retreat to think, to plan, to write in a faraway land. A time of peace and quiet. It’s become personal January tradition.
Retirement: The Journey and The Destination is a guide to help readers in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties learn and appreciate the key considerations that should direct the process of planning for retirement so their preparation will not be fragmented, lopsided and insufficient.
October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book
Fall Festival! 🍁📚. Great day for Family Fun at Keiser University, PSL Great people, good reads and tons of excitement that kicked off Fall season galore. Photos share a few memories
Excited to participate in the 51st Annual Legislative Conference and Amazon Book Signing event at #ALC51 featuring my books Success Strategies of CAribbean American Leaders, Your Career: Ditch It, GreenLight and more
In the Washington DC area? Come see me in the Conference Exhibit Hall September 29-30, 2022 and grab a copy of your favorite book. Can’t wait to see you!
But wait, there’s more! Lots of empowerment and talks from leaders.
It was such a pleasure to moderate the Exciting Women’s History Month event exceptionally hosted by Finiana at the Island Space Museum in South Florida.
National Caribbean American Heritage Month CARAH Entrepreneurship Awardee Dr. Solanges Viven mesmerized the packed audience telling tales from her Best selling book, Girls Can Move Mountains
The event connotated Art in its various forms shown through dance, drums, youth authors, and The Spoken word. It was all included in a delightful and entertaining form.
Indeed a delightful evening. Thanks Calibe, David and the Museum’s team for being the perfect host. Support the Island Museum, a rich piece of Caribbean history located at the Broward Mall, Plantation, South Florida.
We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.
Anais Nin
Becoming a published Author involves nothing but interest and writing. Connect with an agent if you wish to go the traditional route. Interested in being self-published? Here are 7 basic steps to to get you going.
Write. Write. Write. If you don’t write you have nothing to publish
Invest in an Editor. Publish quality work. Nothing turns off readers more than errors in published work. Even if you are a great writer, you are too close to your work. Get it edited.
Book Cover Design. Invest in a Professional Cover design. You can do it yourself but hey, come on. Again this is an issue of quality which increases your selling power (or need I say, the lack thereof)?
Get an ISBN. Needed as a unique identifier for your book. Free ones available but… you get what you ‘pay’ for.
Price it. Decide on your price. Consider books in your genre etc.
Get Your Book Reviewed. People buy based on other’s impression right? So get your book reviewed by bloggers, friends, foe? yikes!
Launch it. Market it. Here’s where the fun begins! It’s not a secret. Market it. Get the word out!
Writing is usually done in a private space… as in a cave all by ourselves. We tell no one unless we choose to share with those close. Oft it can even be top secret or shouted from the mountain top as happens when some celebrities write. It’s entirely up to you.
It’s Your Prerogative
Writers commit a month, a year, 2, 3 or more to their Writing process. It’s your prerogative. It all depends on you. No need to attend a retreat, until or unless you’re ready and you can always remain silent in the background listening to others speak. At a writers Retreat, some talk. Some don’t.
Spend time doing what you want to do before, during and after the retreat.
Why Bother?
People approach me to share my knowledge and (writing) experience with them. That’s the whole point of doing a Retreat. Facilitators or Hosts often incur…
