Tag: photography

A Look Back On The Decade …

Wow what a decade! Amazing Achievements! Births, marriages, deaths, regrets. But that’s called life…right?

I’m a firm believer in looking back to forge ahead. In business we look back to assess our performance. Often it’s even mandated. Eons ago, I adopted the custom to apply the same principles to my own personal life. For that reason, as we approach the end of 2019, here are a few of my major points gleaned from the past decade.

Writings. Publishings.

Beyond beating the books I experienced a new phenomenon. A dream I never knew I had, but a dream that poof! became real! I published six books including an article in the JAABC Business Journal. My research on leadership and success paved the way to my journey. Success is a Phenomenon that has defied many. As I delved into the opportunity I had to explore a topic for my dissertation, I reflected on what I could research that would satisfy my desire to help others. And oops there it was!

I decided on leadership and success. Whether we like it or not, we all lead…if not others, we lead ourselves. I thought it fitting to use my research to publish books on Personal Development including Motivational Quotes for New Entrepreneurs; Success Strategies which tell how to gain success in your Career, from preparing your own public profiles through acing those nerve-racking interviews, as well as what to do when you land that new job. All are points of focus.

Suffice it to say, it’s not enough to focus only on the tangibles. Our inner prowess is essential to our spiritual well-being. I concretized my thoughts in book GreenLight comprised of inspirational short stories and exhortations to drive your inner self-talk.

Over the years, I also chose to satisfy followers’ passion and post daily motivational Quotes on Instagram. Documentary video created on the campus of Nova Southeastern University is available on Facebook for engagement. It depicts the discussion on immigrant leaders sharing their views on Success and how they achieved it.

Accomplishments

I was almost floored when I learnt from an alumni (who I had never met), about the recognition I had received on Nova Southeastern’s website. The journey became real. A selfless person as I have been told, imagine my surprise when I clicked the link and saw my face. Wow! Satisfaction indeed.

Since then, I have coached many and helped doctoral candidates on their journey. Sharing how to publish their own research has been my joy. It’s also been a delight to have contributed to other authors realizing their own writing dream. Among them two famed figures including Reggae Music’s iconic founder, Pat Chin. Her book The Reggae Music Journey is set to be launched in 2020 memorializing her 40-year sojourn to the industry. Among labels she built are famed artists the likes of Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beres Hammond, and many others.

Recognition was also received from the South Florida Writers of Color for contribution to the community and organization.

img_7230

Community Service

It’s always a pleasure to lead the panel of judges at the annual 30 Under 30 Millennial leaders who are making distinct impact on leadership ventures across the United States and the Caribbean. Millennials are engaged in initiatives in film, engineering, educational development, farming, and more. The event is held annually by the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Washington DC, hosts the event.

img_8961

Serving on the board of the Hospitality and Human Resource Association of Broward County, over the past few years has been meaningful. As I sought to identify talented keynote speakers for developmental offerings to HR industry leaders, it has fostered my own 20+ year growth in the profession.

img_8878-1

Giving thanks for partnership with Writers of Color, that paved the way to various  community centers and library presentations throughout South Florida. Stay tuned for continued signings and community presentations in 2020, especially through new book “Ditch it. Switch it“, to be launched early 2020. Other signings were held in New York and Washington DC. Listen out for book tour in the coming year.

On A Personal Note

As we all know, life happens. I lost my mom (one of society’s first female automobile mechanics) and my brother, a-day-apart. Then later I lost my sister due to the ravages of cancer. Nonetheless, I use their life’s journey as my motivation to climb to higher heights.

On a brighter note, I’ve experienced the delights of my daughter’s two lil ones during this decade. They’re now pushing me beyond my comfort zone with their quest for me to drive my YouTube presence (eyes rolled). One to never back down, I have accepted the challenge (though not for the reasons they assume ha ha).

As always the decade was filled with travels. My greatest personal memory was that shared with my girls when we visited New Orleans. Just leave it to my oldest who is a travel enthusiast with a thirst for new experiences. Tons of smiles as we went live at Essencefest with Queen Latifah and the cast of  ‘Girl’s Trip‘, which made the visit all the more fun. Oh and let me not forget my quick getaway weekend in Paris! Short but amazing time. Thanks girls!

img_6606
Paris

This proud mom also watched her younger daughter accept double degrees in Forensic Science and Criminal Justice, while the older one continues to climb the corporate ladder. Yes my girls are growing …though I wish they’d stay my lil girls forever (smile).

Finally, looking back on the past decade, the memories made, the difficulties and the goals tackled, I am truly thankful. I now look forward to the future and the Great expectations ahead. Can’t wait to see how it unfolds. Here’s to you and your family as we wish you health, peace, and the hope that all will be well in 2020, and beyond.

Happy New Year to you!

Cheers!

 

Keep Pushing…

Keep pushing

Steve Harvey was teaching his little grandson to ride a bike for the first time. He kept repeating the words “keep pushing“. As I watched the short clip that his wife Marjorie posted, I reflected on the lesson in that clip.

Life’s Challenging Quests

In life we need to keep pushing. Sometimes we don’t push hard enough and want to give up when the going gets tough or rough (whatever word you want to add to those grueling times). But then it’s at those very times that we need to keep pushing.

We achieve success one push at a time.

Cheers!

Top 10 Quotes To Inspire Your Success…

Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself

Success Strategies

Elegant

I love Quotes. They inspire us to achieve; to go after our dreams, goals and aspirations. They motivate…instilling the desire to move beyond our comfort zone to attain new heights. Quotes encourage… giving us hope especially when we must ride those difficult waves of tough economic times, health scares, job changes, or more. It’s rather comforting to reach for those Quotes that boost our confidence to keep moving forward to maintain the drive for success.

Inspirational Quotes connect us with individuals who have been there done that. Many are the words of famous, influential historical figures whose words last well beyond their years. It is not uncommon for teachers, coaches, and mentors to use the power of Quotes to stimulate our desire to reach our goals. We are driven by their faith in us …that we can accomplish that great feat. Our innate desires sparked, we move forward with renewed zeal.

Success…

View original post 332 more words

What Inspires You? 38 Things Writers Share…

img_1475

The Only Limit To Our Realization Of Tomorrow Will Be Our Doubts Of Today. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Music, passion, travel, the rain some shared. Once a staff member fell seriously ill. Apparently she hid it from most but as it progressed, it became more evident. Word finally reached me in my role as HR. That was when I called to tell her of the concerns raised by her co-workers. It was then that she shared her situation. It was grave… with a crescendo of physical issues, she wouldn’t survive. I immediately jumped into action-mode to assist in the best way that I could.

In reflecting on the question “What Inspires you?” I realized that what inspires me is the ability to make a difference in the lives of others. Helping others inspires gratification. Here I share a brief synopsis from the perspective response of what inspires others.

  1. The random people I meet and the random conversations that take place. It’s incredible what inspiration you can find from genuinely listening to people’s stories.
  2. Lemon drops or just candy in general. Also pieces of jewelry but mostly necklaces. I have this sea glass necklace that’s inspired 2 stories already. If anyone needs inspiration I would suggest going downtown and just walk around and look at stuff.
  3. Music lyrics inspire me. Sometimes a  certain sentence just sticks. Travel and nature and of course experiences .
  4. Daily things around me.
  5. Life
  6. Mythical creatures, music, horror stories/movies, different people I meet and talk with.
  7. Sparking a love of reading in kids and young adults.
  8. Lines of Shakespeare and Emerson. Walking in nature. Autumn and Winter inspire with the scenery and feelings they give me…old things, antique shops, bookstores, leather-bound journals, maps, Fall evenings.
  9. My friends, music, books, scented candles, and history
  10. The inner and outer universe.
  11. I find what if questions to be really useful.
  12. Love and how it compels people like Rose looking for Jack at the bottom of the ship while its sinking. That’s love.
  13. My weird perceptions of human nature and civilization
  14. Pictures, people, and most of all moments in time.
  15. Rain, grey skies, other art and gardens. Sometimes cats, animations or music
  16. Everything. There is beauty and inspiration in all different things in life
  17. Sound. the way you pour water into a glass, sons, the sound of the wind, the rain
  18. Music, love, sadness
  19. Struggle. Finding light in darkness
  20. Stephen King
  21. Current events
  22. Humans and their flaws
  23. Reading. Going to the bookstore.
  24. Button poetry
  25. Audience
  26. Sweet misery
  27. Ice cream and rainy days
  28. I think nature. Happiness inspire me and says do something different for others.
  29. Philosophy and knowledge
  30. Fear of failure
  31. Drawings
  32. Dreams
  33. Logic
  34. Passion
  35. Travelling
  36. Anything creative
  37. Strange occurrences
  38. Challenge

What about you? What inspires you? Do share…we would love to hear!

Cheers!

To Gig Or Not To Gig….

Fabrik Brands

You spend most of your day doing exactly what you wanna do when you wanna do it.

Alana has a craving that she wants to fill real time but she can’t leave the house. She gets on her Uber Eats App, orders ice-cream. 20 Minutes later a delivery person shows up with a bag that she’s able to indulge and satisfy her craving.

Going to the airport and can’t be bothered with the parking headache? Enter Uber. You call a cab on your App and within minutes a driver shows up. You get to the airport and what’s more you do the reverse on your return.

A full-time employee messes up, they’re fired at will and an immediate skilled replacement is contracted until the employer chooses to fill the position long term. Alas often it seems workers in the Gig economy are ‘hired‘ to work on demand for a revolving period, then exchanged for a replacement for yet another short term. The perceived benefit —no payment of fixed benefits costs.

Gig Economy Defined

In a Gig economy, temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend toward hiring independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time employees. ~Investopedia.

We could go on and on. Convenience is the order of the day. We want it done and right away. In our microwave society everything is almost immediate.   If that need is not met, we scream in complaint, throw a fit, become enraged, cancel orders and more.

Autonomy

A young millennial smiled in response to a news-reporter’s question. She spends most of her day doing what she wants… when she wants. She commutes around town charging scooters. This is a common comment from this generation. Autonomy is the order of the day. Gone are the days when they leave school and get a life-time job. They want autonomy. They want to work when they want to work because they enjoy tremendous flexibility, independence and rid themselves of monotony.

Susan Milligan in a Society for Human Resource(SHRM) article asserts that there are two types of gig workers. Those who have no desire to work full-time and those who are in the midst of a job search for full-time opportunities but will work to get an influx of cash while they search. I dare say there are still those who work full-time but need to increase their income to save for a specific goal, as an Uber cab driver shared with me in New Orleans. Her daughter needed to travel for a school event so she was driving at nights to give her the opportunity to attend.

As this phenomenon becomes more widespread, the downsides of a lack of sustained income, benefits, responsibility for their own taxes sometimes attracts stress. But it seems the supplemental income drives the benefits for temporary or long term gain. The ideal getaway can be had by doing some gigs on the side or on a sustained basis. No need to be turned down due to scheduling issues. They go when they want and where they want.

The Change. The Times.

Signs of the times. Caution to employers or older generations who want to hold on to tradition. A career that lasts a lifetime – work for years with the same company then move on when retired or sadly these days, are replaced by the rapid changes in technology and innovation.

As I have always cautioned, to stand still is to be left behind. Embrace the changes, do what you must and survive the long haul. Thoughts? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

19 Things To Inspire Your Writing…

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.
— Louis L’Amour

Success Strategies

I sat staring into the distance. Pondering. What to write? What to post? Haven’t we all been there at one time or other? Times when we don’t know what to write-be it social, blog, or book. Jen dePaula shared 40 Things to inspire your writing. I liked 19 and share these below.

  1. Share a motivational or inspiring quote
  2. Share a link to your new blog post.
  3. Highlight a fan with an @mention and thank them for their support.
  4. Share what you’re currently reading and tag the author.
  5. Do a #TBT (Throw Back Thursday) by sharing an old picture.
  6. Share one of your favorite writing tools (whether it be digital or a physical tool).
  7. Share an interesting article or blog post that someone else has written – be sure to tag them in the post.
  8. Share a picture that your child (niece, nephew, friend) drew.
  9. Share some of your favorite songs/albums you like…

View original post 123 more words

For The First Time…

Success Strategies

Mid-life she decided to move to Paris. A dream she always had. With kids grown and little or no responsibilities she decided to take the plunge! She bought a house exclaiming “it’s my first time”.

Adventure

I thought about that. I have had many first times. An explorer and lover of adventure, I have sky-dived for the first time. I have moved to different states and countries for the first time.  Not to mention my first time at writing and publishing my research on Success Strategies. A book that has helped many others for their first time.

I remember the first time I experienced childbirth…exhilarating yet humbling experience. 14 years later I did it again for the first time and the experience was no different. Wonders of the world! A little me was born again for the first time.

Travel

I now look forward to my own…

View original post 86 more words

Silence…

Be silent, or say something better than silence. Pythagoras

My three-year-old nephew was playing hide and seek with the other boys when one of the boys came over to hide near where I was sitting. He started giggling. I told him not to because it’s a secret. Maybe that was his first time being exposed to the word because he started shouting secret! Secret! It was hilarious!

Think Before You Speak

But what about us? Do we do the same in our daily lives, jobs, business or entrepreneurship endeavors? Do we publicize or quietly share what others tell us in secret? Do we know when to speak and when to be silent? Do we know what to to share and when to share it? Communication is key to relationships and knowing the right time to speak is even more important.

Many are the secrets that have been espoused that have destroyed organizations, relationships and families. Remember speech is silver, silence is golden.

Let’s make it a habit to think before we speak.

Cheers!

Life’s Simple Things…

img_6503.jpg

The simple things can be really powerful. ~John Taffer

Deprived. Deprived of sleep. Deprived of food, love, or the ability to satisfy life’s basic needs of shelter and more can create longings so deep, words can hardly describe. Suffering a lack of benefit that is considered important… that’s the meaning of deprived. I spent a week traveling by plane, train, bus, taxicabs, and on foot across our nation’s capital – Washington DC. Severe weather conditions created havoc causing flight cancellations, delays, hunger, and deprivation of simple necessities.

Positive Mental Attitude

Enter positive mental attitude. Delays provided the opportunity to read, people watch, and smile at life’s little things. Things that commonly get lost when things are going right.

I walked away being thankful for life’s setbacks…for though I don’t like it and at times get quite annoyed, deprivation can provide opportunities for resilience, creativity, and much more. Oh to bask in life’s simple things.

Cheers!

Feeling Drained? 21 Ways To Recharge…


Feeling drained? Time for a Vacay? Getaway? Sounds good! It’s about time to step back, relax, reboot. Writers, Goal-seekers, new entrepreneurs, career upward mobilizers find it a drag to to take the time to Stop. But it’s in stopping that we are able to generate new ideas, boost our creativity to forge ahead on the horizon with boosted speed after.

Imagine taking a long road trip. It’s imperative to stop. I’m guilty as charged. Enter the plethora of Rest Stops for food, breaks, vehicle refuel, and rest. Laws propel this through enforcement of Drowsy Driving which refers to driving while ability impaired by fatigue. Want proof?  Just ask truck drivers or someone who has suffered the severe consequences of accidents from tiredness. To keep going is a sure recipe for disaster.

Self-Care: 21 Ways to Recharge

Here are a 21 ideas shared by entrepreneurs on ways they recharge when feeling drained.

  1. Meditate
  2. Beach Day
  3. Sleep
  4. 1-2 hour workout
  5. Listen to Christian Music
  6. Disconnect and go to a happy place
  7. Go to the gym
  8. Go for a long walk
  9. Sleep
  10. Enjoy Nature
  11. Church & family
  12. Guilty pleasure – TV watching
  13. Find pictures that motivate to keep going
  14. Think about positive things in life
  15. Get a Massage
  16. Watch good interviews
  17. Worship and inspire
  18. Go to the park with kids and tell them how important they are
  19. Read motivating Book
  20. Cook
  21. Go shopping & Watch Movies that inspire

These comments came from survey of individuals on what they do to recharge. Do any of them resonate? Can you add any that’s missing?

Adopt the attitude to Stop. Reflect. Share. Then progress.

Cheers!