Tag: SUCCESS

5 Brain Power Boost. I Did 4…

The Entrepreneur business series shared Thai Nguyen’s 5 Daily activities that will boost your brain power. I tried a few of them and it got me…well thinking! Then I thought I’d share!

  1. Do Something with your less dominant hand. You could brush your teeth with your left hand, or do like me and try writing the alphabet with your left hand. And yes, it got me thinking!
  2. Look up in the sky and describe the cloud. It’s a childhood game but it was liberating like not a care in the world… except praise!
  3. To boost focus and concentration, close your eyes and take 10 breaths out, without a thought intercepting your breathing.
  4. Work on memorizing something. It could be your favorite quote, or poem. Memorize one line each day and you will be surprised at the result.
  5. Add a new word to your vocabulary each day.

Immediately, I did 4! How many can you do? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

Signup Now to attend Writers Retreat

Why Writers Write…10 Reasons

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I write because there’s something in me that needs to come out.  I am at peace when I write. Writers write for many different reasons. Some personal, experiential, or environmental. Christine Caldalzo created a pictogram of 10 reasons writers write. Here I share 10:

10 Reasons Writers Write

  1. They love to write
  2. To express their thoughts
  3. To communicate
  4. To share experiences
  5. To tell about events
  6. To share their feelings
  7. To persuade
  8. To teach
  9. To Ask Questions
  10. They want something

Does any of the above resonate with your reason(s) to write? Any missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

 

Register Now to attend Writers Retreat

Write Not Under Stress Or Duress But From Inspiration…

Who are you fooling? Can you write a book in 2 days? Absolutely! But only if you are inspired with  the words just flowing like milk and honey from what’s deep down inside. It might be an experience that tugs at your heart through inspiration, trauma, dreams or more. No edits, just letting the words flow.

The Stress To Write

I was chatting with a fellow author at a recent book festival and he shared that he does not write under stress or duress but by inspiration. Me too! I write best from inspiration and not under the stress-to-write. I share that because at the upcoming 2 Days to Write Retreat, you will find the space to getaway! A mini retreat. This will be more about sharing your writing project with a group of like-minded writers where you can receive feedback on your writing project. After all, your work will be shared by the mass and not just for you only (though some choose to go the me-only route).

The Challenge

Participants are encouraged to challenge themselves to a writing project that can be shared at the event. It might be a cadre of poems, short-stories or excerpts of a longer writing book project. Share. Get critiqued. Append. Share again. It will be well worth your writing project as you push through your goal.

So Register now for early bird rates and book your place to join us on this 2 days to write small group retreat.

Cheers!

Must. Go. Faster…

 

You’ve got to work hard for your success and you’ve got to have a steady presence. That’s the secret. ~Kid Rock

Must. Go. Faster. So said the Ad. But in this case they were talking about getting away from a tyrannosaurus chasing themin the movie Jurassic Park.

But I’m thinking if it from life as we strive towards our goals. Must. Go. Faster.

The Difference

But there’s a difference. Seeking goals is not about speed but steadiness…as in studying to getting an education. Just stick to it. Speed create mistakes as in microwave marriages these days. Jump in before knowing the person. What of education? Would you like a surgeon to operate on you knowing he got his degree in a month? One would question that.

And even a stellar athlete /Olympian. It takes years of practice to achieve the success that lasts.

So today be mindful of your goals. Speed is not the real deal …unless you’re running to save your life from creatures like a tyrannosaurus.

Thoughts? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

The Thing About Depression And Suicide: The 10 Signs…

When all seems hopeless

In their careers my friend and her hubby deal with fatalities everyday. She shared an incident of a woman whose car was severely damaged when it crashed into a Guard rail. The woman reported that she was trying to commit Suicide. She survived.

On the other hand my friend’s hubby who is in law enforcement shared reports about a man who after investigation, authorities discovered it was attempted Suicide. He succumbed to his injuries and died.

A Pastor in his message recently shared statistics of the number of police officers who have committed suicide since 2019, in New York. An unbelievable rate of 24% as at mid-year.

Those Who Smile

I share this to ask prayers for those who SMILE or laugh out loud with us outwardly but deep down inside are hurting or depressed due to finances, job loss, relationships, or for one reason or another. Comedian Robin Williams is an example. Anthony Bourdain, celebrity author and travel documentarian is another. Not to mention the silent ones who go crazy with mass shootings of the innocent. All suicides. Sad indeed.

The Signs

WebMD shared these Behavioral warning signs. Read their complete article for further details.

  1. Excessive sadness or moodiness
  2. Hopelessness
  3. Sleep problems
  4. Sudden calmness
  5. Withdrawal
  6. Change in personality or appearance
  7. Dangerous or self harmful behavior
  8. Recent trauma
  9. Making preparations
  10. Threatening suicide

If you are among the depressed, please seek help. Using wisdom, if you recognize the signs in a Friend, relative, or co-worker, don’t wait. Do something. Get the person the professional help they need. Usually they can’t think clearly.

When All Seems Helpless, Pray

And while you’re doing all of the above Pray. Pray, and pray even more. Prayer changes things. There’s no doubt about that.

Let’s together do what we can in our small corner. But above all, Keep the Faith.

For God has not given us a spirit of Fear but of Power, Love and a sound mind.

When It’s Time For Something New… You Will Feel It.

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When it’s time for something new, you will feel it. You will feel a desire to let go, to shed layers, to move, to re-create. You will know because there will be subtle shifts all around you. You will release the old because you are really clearing the path for what’s ahead. Trust the process. Know that life does not take from us anything unless there is something else imminently awaiting its replacement. ~Brianna Wiest

 

Toni Morrison. Novelist, Essayist, Editor, Professor Emeritus. The Tale…

Inspired. Informed. Educated. An iconic life exceptionally captured in one piece by author and educator Tiffani Knowles.

Excerpt cited. Read Tiffani’s full piece here

It was 1965, after splitting from Harold, when she began her career as an editor at Random House where she was instrumental in publishing American writers and luminaries such as Angela Davis, Henry Dumas and Muhammad Ali.

Yet, she knew there was a story that still needed to be told, one she hadn’t read or seen before.

At first, she was private about her own writing and would do so as a pastime very early in the morning before her boys would wake.

“I remember reading the ‘Bluest Eye’ and thought it was wonderful,” said Robert Gottlieb, a Random House colleague and the chief editor of the Alfred Knopf sub-division.

When Random House got wind of the fact that she was publishing, they wanted to keep her work in house and so, with the exception of one book, Gottlieb got to edit all of her books while they were published through Knopf.

Her first book, as Morrison claimed, intentionally eliminated the white gaze without “codes or notes explaining things to white people,” as she decided to put the entire plot on the first page.

“Quiet as it’s kept, there were no marigolds in the fall of 1941. We thought, at the time, that it was because Pecola was having her father’s baby that the marigolds did not grow.”

It was 1970 and “The Bluest Eye” boasted a story inspired by a conversation Morrison had had with an elementary schoolmate in Lorain many years before.

Her friend told her she had been asking God to give her blue eyes and he never did.

“How painful … can you imagine that kind of pain?” Morrison recounted for filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders in the “The Pieces I Am” documentary. “So, I wanted to say, this kind of racism hurts. This is not lynchings and murders and drownings. This is interior pain. It’s so deep to know that an 11 year old would think that if only she had some characteristic of the white world, she would be OK.”

Give Up The Thing That Weighs You Down…

You wanna fly, you got to give up the thing that weighs you down. ~Toni Morrison

The Rush For Time…

Nature never rushes, yet everything gets done.

“You’ve got to drive around ma’am. We have a time to customer service that we have to meet”, drawled the drive-through clerk.

Growing kids have appetites that sometimes seem never-ending. So auntie drove into Burger King. Ordered stuff for the boys amidst repeated requests “will that be all ma’am?” With each question, she felt rushed. She wanted something herself but not one for fast food, she decided to ask for help when she got to the drive-through window. While paying for the kids’ order she asked whether she could get a sandwich. That’s when she was told that she would have to join the line of traffic again to get another sandwich. What in the world? She thought she misunderstood so she sought clarification. That’s when she was told that the employees have a set-time-to-meet-each-order and she was affecting it. In disbelief she asked again. Seven minutes later same response then from supervisor, Patricia on duty. Out of consideration for the growing line of famished drivers waiting behind her, auntie drove away. Lose-lose situation for sure.

The Rush For Time Two

In another incident, the Fedex delivery guy tossed the package at the door. Without ringing the doorbell, he quickly made his getaway. This act repeatedly done over his 6 hour route as he tried to meet his targeted goals. Oh the haste to deliver packages door to door.

Where’s The Service?

There are many more situations that can be shared about the new focus on meeting deadlines to the detriment of Quality service. Dismantled packages. Incorrect orders. Broken pieces. All creates havoc for service departments. So goes the new trend on delivery, Uber-eats and all. Compliance divisions pay thousands of dollars to dissatisfied customers in their attempt to correct terrible behaviors.

Disconnect

There is a severe disconnect. Why not marry the two? Stress to employees and external contract service providers the importance of optimal Quality service while meeting delivery deadlines

Be assured that one cannot exist without the other.

Have you experienced the negatives of the Rush For Time? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

The 10 Key Tips To Beat Workplace Woes…

Some days are just a mess. It’s even worse during prolonged Quarter or month-end report preparations or during times of change. It’s at those times that anything we can do to lessen the stress is welcomed. I fell aghast when I bumped into Amy Jackson’s 10 tips to beat workplace woes repeated by writer Ariana Huffington. Read the full piece here. For those who gotta have a quick peek, here I share the abbreviated list.

  1. Brighten up your Desk (make it personal)
  2. Do Something you enjoy during your Lunch Break (not errands)
  3. Plan things to look forward to (weekend getaways, vacations)
  4. Eat & Drink to boost your mood (water is good)
  5. Meditate (breathe)
  6. Make use of Perks (if you’re lucky to get them…check HR to see what exists)
  7. Chat to your Colleagues
  8. Laugh (look at memes or YouTube video)
  9. Look at your work life balance
  10. Identify if there’s an underlying problem

 

I found this list interesting to beat the workplace woes and I hope you will too. Any burning tip missing? Do share! We would love to hear.

Cheers!