Music Mondays: Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi - Beautiful People

This video has given me life! Chris Brown has footage of him working with different artist in the music industry, private footage of himself and also his fans. My favorite verse is: "Your beauty is inside you...don't let them bring you down"! Allow that to inspire you this Monday morning:) Blessed day Beautiful People!

Forward Movement

The triskele is a Celtic symbol (in photo) that has a three- armed spiral which means dynamic forward movement- an endless cycle of growth and progression (One Spirit Book). The triskele symbol is to empower to the point of moving forward regardless if difficult to do so. As life becomes tough, by habit we may turn to our old way of being out of comfort. If our old habits keep us from living the life we desire, why is it so tough to move forward? I pledge to move forward as I welcome in the new season of spring. No looking back, only looking forward pushing past contentment and compliancy.

 

The ability to move forward takes action. It is no longer someone else's fault. We now must take responsibility for our owns well being. That is not easy. There is comfort in blame, shame, and guilt. When we look at our environment and say "If I lived in Texas I would be married right now". At some point in our lives we may have felt "If I was in a different family my life would have been so much better". The reality is this thought process is what keeps us stuck. We give ourselves little control by worrying about our families because we cannot change that. What we can do is own how we feel, deal with it, heal, and move forward.

 

My journey to move forward continues today. I understand minor setbacks totally different now. My setbacks no longer define who I am, but they give me clues about what GOD is trying to teach me. I allow myself to feel whatever it is I am feeling. Good or bad I now have the courage to speak my personal truth. If what I am feeling is bad I confront it and move forward. Staying in that place does nothing for your spirit. Holding on to past hurts and pains keeps you from being the best you can be today. We owe it to ourselves to get the support we need. So that we can move forward knowing we have the skills we need to be great.

 

The cycle of growth and progression is ongoing. A cycle is defined by a one complete occurrence of the event which repeats. Think of a tire constantly in motion, going forward. Growth is something that happens over time, it continues until your physical life ends. Lastly progression means forward or onward movement. In order to progress means to move on, but to be better than you were when you begin. Stay there for a minute. We cannot say we have made progressive movement if we are still holding on to old habits and thinking. Join me today as I embrace the spring. Looking forward to sunny skies in my life that I take responsibility to create and bring.

Music Mondays: Kirk Franklin - I Smile.wmv

I received a text from my cousin Sunday afternoon who said she heard "I Smile" by Kirk Franklin and it reminded her of me. I heard this song when it first came out, but at that time it did not hit me. See I talked to my cousin months ago about feeling sad(I also blogged about it) and going through a mild depression. But despite my sadness I still believed GOD was going to bring me through. Through the Winter I was nursing pain from family, work, and personal guilt. I knew that when the Spring came whatever I worked on in the Winter would come to full bloom in the Spring! So I worked over time on my healing by telling my truth! As soon as Spring Sunday morning I felt a release in my spirit! The dark clouds have moved and although their is darkness in the world I will be light!

"I Smile" speaks to me the way few other songs do! Kirk Franklin does that because our childhoods are similar so he understands pain, confusion, not feeling LOVED, and just simply being down. To go through all of that and to still smile is only GOD! Is that your testimony too? Listen to the lyrics of this song and let it heal as it did for me:)

Music Monday: KING-The Story

Yesterday on twitter producer 9th Wonder, Singers Erykah Badu and Lala Hathaway went crazy on twitter giving these girls LOVE. I had to listen to find out what the fuss was about. At first listen I was hooked and have had this song on repeat sense yesterday. Take a listen to three girls based out of LA, they have written and produced their own music. I am a firm believer in supporting the art of music. Please join me! Here is KING "The Story".

Courageous

Do you know the person who has all the best advice in the world but does not have the courage to live it themselves? You know the ones who will call you out for your shortcoming without having the courage to correct those same mistakes in themselves? I am sure like me you know someone who fits those two descriptions. Better yet, at some point in our lives that person was me and you. Through growth and being dead wrong I learned to be less judgmental and more compassionate. Remembering how flawed I am, I have less time and space to be concerned with anyone else.

 

In the bible it warns us of this type of pattern. The problem with this pattern is several things. One problem is that when we focus on everyone else's issues we loose focus on ourselves. Those of us who feel we have to give advice to everyone who comes in our path wither the person ask for advice or not is filling a void. That void is fear of dealing with our self! Stop and think about that for a minute. Is that you? Of course there is nothing wrong with giving advice under two circumstances. If the person asked for the advice or if you have the courage to live what you are saying!

 

The other problem with this pattern is ego. Ego is the part of who we are that needs to be validated by the world. The ego is that part of ourselves that has to show off what we know and come off as a "know it all". When the ego is involved no one learns anything! That is when we have to release ego and allow spirit to come in. You know when you have connected to Spirit because you no longer seek validation from the world. Spirit takes away the desire to prove others wrong and the need of approval. Spirit is an inner knowing that is within us that says I am okay as I am. That inner knowing also says to us what I do not like about myself I have the courage to correct before I find fault in or give advice to others.

 

Courage means the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. The act of courage is a spiritual one. It is not just a physical quest, but one that takes mind and spirit. When we are feeling pain, confusion, doubt and fear it takes courage to pull ourselves out of that place. To lead the life that we desire takes courage. It is not easy, especially for folks like me who come from families with patterns of abuse and neglect. In negative environments you learn early to live a lie and shrink within yourself. Or one I heard everyday "there are no books on how to be a parent". At times we accept failure in ourselves, but are very critical when we see it in others. Recognize these patterns in your life and have the courage to change it like I have in my own life. Have the courage to be the change you want to see in the world.