Thank You!

Last week I was so mad and frustrated and I allowed that anger to speak venom.  I felt horrible afterwards because the situation was my own fault.  And then again, last Friday, another situation occurred that was out of my control.  I was upset but this time I remained silent and prayed.  I slept it off. It could’ve been worse.  It just felt like every possible thing that could wrong did, in a matter of days, and cost me money!  But God! But God has been too good to me for me to pout and throw temper tantrums.  I can’t always be in control and you’re a fool if you think you can control every aspect of your life (trust me, I’m still learning this). 

Instead of focusing on what I want to change for the New Year, I’ve been thinking about my accomplishments.  I’ve grown so much in 12 months.  I’ve gained new networks, enhanced my personal and professional development, started this BLOG, become a better person, joined a new church, etc! I AM SO PROUD AND AMAZED AT ME!  This girl here, that was written off as a loud-mouth-too-smart-for-your-own-good child.  I’m far from where I think I should be and right now I don’t even have a clue on where I’ll end up.  I CAN tell you that I’m much farther away from my fears and insecurities that I harbored for so long.  Every week I’ve been writing down short tasks and goals and making sure I accomplish them all (for the most part).  I’ll continue that habit in the New Year.

I want every one who reads this to praise your self.  Pat your back, clap your hands, SMILE.  You made it! You may not have lost the weight, saved the money, or got that new job but you’re alive.  Seize the moment and acknowledge your growth.  Keep pressing, keep fighting, keep reading, interceding, pushing, striving, moving, kicking, or whatever you need to do to get where you want to be.  I appreciate you all for encouraging me to pen my thoughts and I hope you’ll continue to inspire me! I have some great projects in the works for 2014.

Be Blessed,

-grannyBee

Here are some of my best moments of 2013:

the Power of 1

On December 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela departed from this earth.  His unselfish commitment to humanity led to the abolition of apartheid and he became the first Black president of South Africa.  Behind this great man, stood thousands of people, like you and I, who contributed to Mandela’s activism and movement.

Caroline Hunter was an anti-apartheid activist and is now a retired teacher. In 1970, she was hired as a chemist for Polaroid at the age of 21.  She noticed a large picture in her office of the photo ID cards that Black South Africans were required to wear due to Apartheid (An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites, TheFreeDictionary).  Polaroid’s technology produced these ID cards for the South African government.  Hunter and another colleague organized protests and started the Polaroid Workers Revolutionary Movement.  Hunter and others were soon fired but, in 1977, Polaroid stopped providing services to the South African government.

Everyone has a VOICE and CHOICE.  Your one voice can make a huge impact. We are often faced with situations that make us uncomfortable or uneasy.  It’s time that we start speaking UP and OUT.    Whether it’s at work, school, or home, we can make a difference.  We say stuff like “if one person would’ve spoken up” this and that could’ve happened.  I always hear “You always have something to say”, “you talk too much”, “you’re too opinionated” but you know what, I have a VOICE and I choose to use it.  I’m still learning how to use my voice effectively and I realize it’s about choosing my battles carefully.  Again, we all have a voice and we can choose to use it to affect the world around us.  You might not gain the accolades of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, or Mahatma Gandhi, but I guarantee if you use your voice wisely, you can have a domino effect in the world surrounding you.  Let’s multiply the Power of One.

-grannyBee

 Nelson Mandela, Caroline Hunter, and Winnie Mandela

Sources:

http://shihlun.tumblr.com/post/69166860064/polaroid-colorpack-iii-imprisons-a-black-south
http://www.louisianaweekly.com/how-a-native-new-orleanian-fought-apartheid/
"apartheid". thefreedictionary.com/apartheid

RE-charged

I feel like I’ve been driving 85 mph on the highway on an empty tank of gas.  For the past few weeks, I have been sacrificing my personal down time for the sake of others.  I’m in no way complaining; I’m very grateful to be a service to others.  BUT, every once in a while, I have to tend to my own needs.

“Never make a decision when you’re tired, hungry, or angry” said some genius somewhere.  Now, I understand why.  I can be a B…. (you know) when I’m tired, cranky when I’m hungry, and when I’m angry, I’m very unresponsive, unreasonable, unmoved, etc….. You see how this is going.  I’m not a horrible person but I’m human.  I know these things about myself and realized that I needed a break.  I went home, to the country, for a few days last week.  I spent Thanksgiving with little to no cell phone service and I enjoyed each moment.  This entire year, I haven’t really taken more than a few days off from work.  I spent time with old friends, ate and slept good, my mom cooked breakfast for me, spent time with my family, and cooked with my mom and step dad.  I wasn’t worried about logging into my laptop for work, no one asked me anything, I wasn’t thinking about anything dealing with life outside of the bubble I had created for those few days. 

We move so fast through our lives that we often neglect ourselves.  We push ourselves to the limit and stress over circumstances that we can’t control.  It’s OK to say NO sometimes, we are not SUPER HUMANS.  Take time for yourself, go to a spa, get your nails done, read a book, go to a concert, hit the gym, whatever it takes to RECHARGE YOUR SOUL.  Don’t let fatigue, hunger, or irritation make your decisions for you.  Make sure you take the time to clear your head and nourish your core. This past weekend we lost some very influential people, Paul Walker, Paul Crouch, and Roger Rodas.  Let’s be thankful we’re still here and do our best to make our mark in someone’s heart.

-grannyBee