Turn Your Light UP....

Hey there Shiners! I hope all is well with each of you and that you are ready for the New Year to ring in!!  This year has been great, and as with everything in life it has had its ups and downs.  Yeah we may not speak about them but trust me we have had buckets full of trials and disbeliefs.

                                                         


I was wondering Shiners, has dealing with such trials turned your light within down?? If so I say its time to "TURN YOUR LIGHT BACK UP!"  Many times what we think is good for us is not good for us and little by little that positivity that we had starts wearing away.  This can not happen-if we allow this to take hold of us, our inner and outer positive light will be gone forever and we will become negative towards everything that surrounds us.

I being Ms. Positivity can not sit and watch this behavior.  We must strive to keep our light as bright as it can be for this New Year.  How can we do this?? I am going to tell you how!

First and foremost You yourself must have the strongest AMBITION to be positive! (Reference last post on AMBITION)
*Take the negative outlook from your mind. (Start looking for the positive in life)
*Remove yourself from negativity. (Make sure who is on your team is deserving to be on your team)
*Surround yourself with positive people or actions (Removing the negative means add positive)
*Learn to laugh (She knows all about it)
*Learn to Chase Joy (Trust me she knows all about it!)
*Celebrate You (She knows all about it)
*Be Inspired to Thrive in life (She know all about it)
*Embrace your Struggles instead of letting them get the better of you (She knows all about it)
*Make life fun for you again
*Get to know you again (See even I know all about it)

See Shiners their is NO time to let your positive light go dim.  Surround yourself with enough positive fuel to keep you light #ShiningBright all through the New Year!  Treat negativity like a child its a "NO NO" It can't come in, hang out, get any attention, etc.  Negativity is to be pushed to the side like a red headed step child-as the saying goes!!

The only way our light will stay up is if we KEEP it that way,and it is our job to do so!! So for 2012-Lets keep our Positive light #ShiningBright into the midnight hour! Let others be blinded because we refuse to turn it down or let it be put out! If its time for change then this is it!!

Lets Go Shiners! Lets show them how to #ShineOn & #ShineBright

Prelude to "Getting back to "ME"

Walk with Me....

Just follow me for a minute, step into my shoes if you may.  I am Ms. Positivity and this is the start of the breaking down and the rising of ME!

                                                         
Gosh it started a while ago May of 2011 at some point.  I'm a mother of 2, I work full time, Psychology student full time with now 5 months left for school.  Like many out there i'm in a relationship but am not married yet (but truly happy to the fullest) house, bills, friends, problems, and so much more.

I'm feeling alone, feeling like I'm going out of my mind. Not doing well in school that term-what is going on.  I'm gonna get deep in a minute...I am an A+ B+ student am I getting a D in this class I actually wanted to quite...NO WAY!! What the BLEEPITY BLEEP BLEEPPPPPP is going on? (Hey we're family friendly here)  I'm tired, burning the candle at 3 ends...yes three!!! I'm burned out in the middle too! All I want to do is sleep-anemia is getting worse & worse. I'm at work being pulled in so many different directions but still I'm Ms. Positivity.  I help people reach deep down to be the best positive being they can be, but I'm broken inside-just a little but I can't figure out just what it was!

Trust me I prayed (I never stop praying) but the fact is I was not feeling like me 100%! I was gaining weight, losing weight, crying silently every other night, still smiling, still being positive, how can this be....I needed to hurry up and Get back to being "ME"


I will Show you how in a while!!!! I turned my Positivity Light Wayyyyyy UP!

To Be Continued.....

No Resolution-its called AMBITION!!

Ahhhh Hey there Shiners! I've so missed you wonderful people.  Let me tell you that it feels so good to write about something that I love instead of writing all of these politically correct papers for school. I mean really, what is the deal with 10 page papers?!? With psychology everything has to be just so and to be honest it makes you so drained that you may not even want to blog!!! GASPS!  No don't you even think that Ms. Positivity would ever leave her Shiners-this is all just to say that I appreciate that all of you hang in here with me through my journey of staying positive and trust me 2012 we are gonna take this to a whole new level.

                               

                                  Strong AMBITION-no RESOLUTIONS

As the year comes to a close I know many of us are going to do what we normally do, have a ball, and set the ever pesky new years resolution!!  Shiners can I stop you from doing this task??  I beg of you NOT to do it.  Let me explain......How many times have we done this?? Each year we set out to do something ONLY when the new year comes around and we do it for a little while but then we are right back to square one.

How many times have we done this and kept at it?? For me NONE! This is why I can speak so frankly about it. Well Shiners if you know me you all know I am about to change the game!! I say No to RESOLUTION  and yes to AMBITION!!

I look at resolution as being negative and we know im NOT about any of that, but to have AMBITION is great! This year I want us to have a strong ambition instead of going after something-anything in this up coming year with closed eyes! Lets set reasonable goals so that when we reach them we will feel that much needed positivity to keep us going.  No that is not a resolution its AMBITION!

If one wants to lose weight start off small something small like 5lbs in a month.  Don't start out saying I want to lose 50lbs. Every time you step on the scale it will look as if its not moving. If your thing is to stop smoking, don't stop cold turkey, stopping cold turkey will have a negative impact, instead smoke one less cigarette a day until your smoking less. See with AMBITION anything is obtainable.

I want all Shiners to think different and have AMBITION to reach that goal that you have been grabbing for.  I want for 2012 to be full of joy, laughter, smiles, positivity, and reasonable goal reaching ambition! So I say DOWN with the New Years RESOLUTION  its time to fly a little higher.  Its time to do things differently, if you want to be better have the ambition to be better, if you want to obtain something have the strong ambition to reach it....lets not get comfortable and let our ambition fall to the waist side! Ambition will take you higher and farther than any RESOLUTION could!!!!


So What do you say Shiners?? Lets not lose our zeal lets add tons of AMBITION lets not be afraid of heights and lets take the new year for a grand ride on AMBITION!

Here is to AMBITION-NOT RESOLUTION!


Here is to letting our AMBITION #ShineBright! 

The Side Eye!!!

Hey there Shiners! Goodness how time zips away from us.

Can you believe its going to be 2012 in a matter of a few days?? I cant believe this.  Just the other day we were getting ready for the holidays and BAM now they are almost over! Where is the time going?? Well I'm giving the side eye to the clock  because it seems to have some tricks up its sleeve for us.                                              

And they say money goes fast well time is right on its heels.  Many of us were just getting the kids ready for school, now they are on Winter break. Many of us are still thinking about that summer vacation that we took. I remember mine like it was yesterday.  The days and night are blending together, its night when we are leaving for work, its night when we are coming home from work!!! What is going on here!?  With the time going so fast I feel like I have been robbed and I'm ready to call law enforcement because it has been stolen from us.

How have we almost gone through 365 days so fast?? Oh well Shiners.....seems like its nothing we can do BUT..... Have a fab new 2012 and keep the positive moments, talk, actions, smiles, dreams, love and laughter going for another 365 days!

That's right why feel bad because a new year is coming in! No need-this just gives us more time to be the best Shiners we can be.  Letting nothing stand in our way of being positive, supportive, grateful, thankful and humble. Oh yeah lets use this time wisely because before we know it we will be starting all over again!!

So what do ya say?!? lets make 2012 the best it can be and lets start by NOT worrying about the time that has gone by! Make new moments in the new time upon us!

We are SHINERS for a reason...we let NOTHING and NO ONE stand in our way of #SHININGON! 

Let your Light Shine....

Well Shiners we have come to our final Shining the Spotlight post of the year! Yeah I know time fly's but hunni each of you are amazing! I have never read so may great pieces from such awesome people in my life! I have had the pleasure of shining the spotlight on so many and I don't think I will stop there! Just keep in mind the new year has some new, fun, different and awesome things in store! I cant wait for you to be apart of that too! Well lets get to it shall we!!!


First of all I am so thankful for Melissa allowing me this wonderful opportunity to guest post. Most mornings Melissa greets me with a wonderful twitter hello, and it really does help make my morning start better. You see although Melissa and I have never met personally she sends me a morning smile… just because. That is just one of the many ways that she is always letting her light shine. AND for that I am very appreciative.



Let your light shine

Some people aren’t naturally positive people. They just are not. No explanations needed.

Does that make them mean or negative?

No.

What about those who just “keep it real”?

Nope. Some of them are my closest friends and blog buddies too! They do keep it real. No sugar coating, just the facts and you know what? Some of their perceptions help me maintain a realistic view of life and my expectations.

For me it is important to be surrounded by people who allow my light to shine. But in order for my light to shine I have to know that disappointments will happen. Every day won’t be all happy, holding hands and singing hymns.

You see adversity has made me stronger. Taking the time to get to know people, from ALL walks of life has helped me define my outlook in life.

I have learned who to surround myself with and who to steer clear from.

What about those people who you can’t stay away from?

Continue to let your light sine. AND just maybe your light will set a fire within someone else. If that light begins to fade, evaluate exactly why you are staying near those people.

As we start a New Year, I challenge you to assess yourself and those you keep close.

Is it possible for you to let your light shine a little brighter in 2012?

Does that mean you have to do a complete makeover of yourself if you are in the mean or category?

Absolutely not!

HOWEVER, my challenge for you is to find a way EVERYDAY to smile for no reason at all. This is one option for letting your inner light shine. Sounds crazy? Well give it a try and see what happens. I think you might be surprised.

You can start right now

Go ahead.

Do it.

I’m waiting.

Smile.

Awesome! Just be sure to pop a mint and everything should be fine.

Wishing you an absolutely wonderful day!

Before you go tell me in the comments what are some other ways that you can let your inner light shine. Yes, I know you might have to dig WAY down to figure something out. No worries, take your time.

Source: picasaweb.google.com via Latorsha on Pinterest

Latorsha, is the blogger of Life is Hard, Laugh Anyway, a place where she tries to remain optimistic by any means necessary, mostly laughter. On twitter you can follow her at @AnOptimisticMom. You can check out her blog Here or contact her at AnOptimisticMom@ gmail.com

--
Latorsha

YES ALL YOUR LIFE.....

Great Morning Shiners! It is once again "Shining the Spotlight"  I can't believe that the series went so fast and in just a few day Christmas will be upon us.  I just wanted to say that I am so grateful and thankful for each Shiner for all of their support through this series.

Today I am glad to introduce to you a young lady that goes by the name Simply Z!  I have the great pleasure to work with this wonderful lady and she is also apart of MAZ (Melissa, Aliya & Z) Together we are so strong and we have been through so much.  Z has been blogging for a while and she came to me and asked could she be apart of my Shiner team! To me she was already a Shiner! So lets shine on her guys! 

Simply Z the spotlight is all yours!

                                                       

As the year end slowly approaches or rapidly (time flies) I think of the slogan I carried throughout 2011, “Yes All Year.”  Funny that those 3 little words sound so easy to live by, and they are, yet months ago I wondered if I really had what it took to continue the journey.  Today, I say yes!  However, if you would have asked me then, my answer would have been, not so much.

I felt like my dream was slowly dying or that I wasn’t good enough to see it truly manifest.  Doors closing from left to right, things not happening how I hoped they would, opportunities I spoke about not happening, being at a job I do not like and wondering if I’ll ever see the light of day (literally).  And, that alone caused my thoughts to run wild: What am I doing wrong that isn’t allowing me to move forward?  What do I need to do to move on?

Okay, I digress.  I said all that to say, at the end of it all, when you think you have nothing left to give yourself, your dream, something deep inside of you wakes up (it probably was never sleep) and those 3 words become louder than they did the first time they were heard.  Yet, those words change from “Yes All Year,” to “Yes All My Life.” 

Life happened in 2011, life happens, but I am blessed to have experienced every moment.  Through it all I have become more aware of who I am (always learning), what I dream (always dreaming) and who I will become. 

We live in an ever evolving world and we are an ever evolving people.  We EACH have a job to do and through our own experiences (good, bad, not understood, etc.), we are to take them and show people or someONE that “shift” happens, yet you, I, and we can all get through the “shift.”

I heard a message on Sunday, “I’m Glad You Made Me Do It.” (Pastor Martina Mitchell)  I like to take that a step further and say, “I’m Glad You Made Me Go Through It.” 

I am humbled and honored to have been able to “Shine the Spotlight” with a fellow blogger, Ms__Positivity and all her shiners.  As I’ve been reading the posts featured every Wednesday at 10 am I remember post like, Grateful Journey, Taking “Life” Back and Don’t Let Clutter Steal Your Shine and I like to add that through it all we must NEVER GIVE UP, HOLD ON TO OUR DREAMS and remember YES ALL YOUR LIFE! 

It’s been a pleasure "Shining the Spotlight" and may you all continue to Shine On!

Signed,

Simply Z

To get to know Simply Z better follow her on Twitter, catch her celebrating on Facebook and last but not least Skip on Over to her blog and show her some love!

Getting Back To "ME"

Hey there Shiners!  I know I have been missing in action but as I mentioned before I started school again and let me tell you, I am exhausted!  Never the less I have ONLY 2 terms left (6 months) so hang in here with me!

I have not blogged myself in such a long time but guess what I am back and I am ready to involve each one of you.  I have been dying to give some major details about this and I have been really giddy each moment that it comes across my mind.  Well here it is………..

                                                      “Getting Back to ME”

                                         

Have you ever felt that you were going in so many different directions that you really do not have a sense of direction??  Or that you are being pulled in a million directions at work, home, family, relationship, children or any other aspect of your life that you feel like you may be losing it just a tad bit?? Well Shiners its time to get back to “US” This is a wonderful series that I am sure everyone can and will be able to reap the benefits.   Here is the twist……We all know in this blogging world we have bloggers, readers, followers commenter’s and even the silent ones.  Overall, I still love each and every one of you…Alrighttttt!  Let me get back to it.  The series “Getting back to “ME” is all about getting back to the person that we used to be. 

 I have been going through so much and have been dealing with it myself and I said, “You know what I am so tired of feeling all over the place and I am going to get back to being ME.”  How many times have you felt that way Shiners?  This series will allow everyone to tell his or her situation-what ever it may be, and tell how he or she got “THEM” back or plan to get “THEM” back.  As you see this series is not just for bloggers but also for everyone to be involved!!  Yes I am breaking the blogging rules per say, but I said why should we let the positivity roam around the blogging world!  We have so much positivity to share and vast amount of information to provide another that it should not be kept bottled up in a specific section so I am opening my Positively Shining door and letting everyone in for the grand party of getting “US” back to being “US”!  Hehehehehe-Yeah, I know its something different but I am all about different and being positive….yall know that!  J

Here is how it’s going to go down!  I need everyone to think about something that they are “Willing” to share (take your time) that had or still has you not feeling like yourself.  Then I want you to describe the process that you are going to SNAP OUT of it and get back to being “YOU”!  The “YOU” that you used to love, miss, care for, and worry about.  Many times Shiners, we go through so many things all alone and no one ever knows the battles and the strains that we endure.  Well I am tired of going through it all alone and not sharing the battles that I am enduring I want to share and show how I am breaking free of these blah feelings!   

This series will start in mid January and go as long as any one wants to post. You may post as many times as you like, and there is no word limit. If would like to post for the series let me know at lamirah5@yahoo.com, catch me on Facebook or send me a DM onTwitter

                   
So Shiners I hope that you would join me in this journey of “Getting Back to ME!”

Grateful Journey....

Well hello there to all the awesome Shiners out there! It is once again time to "Shine the Spotlight" on another great blogger.  She is fairly new at this but she is a great person and she provided me with a really nice piece and her name is Tiffany.  In addition, Tiffany and I have become really good friends through a No Spending November Challenge through her blog that is called Scenes From a Single Mom.
As I read her blog, many times I say to myself "I know that's right" totally agreeing with what she is saying.

So here today, I am ready to Shine the Spotlight on Tiffany aka the Gemini Super Mom! So everyone here is Tiffany's guest post!!! #ShineOn Tiffany and as always #ShineBright!

                                                     The Grateful Journey

A little more than a week ago, many of us spent time in fellowship with our friends and family, eating, catching up on all things new and sharing all that we are thankful for.  Then many of us left dinner tables, and headed straight to shopping malls to buy MORE THINGS.  Isn’t it ironic?  We immediately forget about the many things we already have to be thankful for and run out with, cash, credit/debit, or check in hand to stock up on MORE things.

During this time of year that is supposed to be full of cheer, joy, love, peace, and yes, thanksgiving so many of us find ourselves feeling down, depressed, and unfulfilled.  In many cases these feelings are directly related to our ability or inability to purchase the gifts that we feel that our loved ones deserve, want and need.  To this I say: ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

I challenge you to embrace, and enjoy this holiday season with a heart full of thanks and gratitude, and encourage your family and friends to do the same!  Start a grateful journey, and keep a grateful journal along the way.  What is the grateful journey?  On the grateful journey you end each day naming three things that you are grateful for, and you NEVER repeat them.  You will be amazed at how much you are thankful for, and how much less you feel that you and your family needs! If you have children, take some time every night and discuss the grateful journey as a family, over dinner, or just during your family time in the evenings.  The journal is an added bonus. If you create a grateful journal, then you can go back and reflect over time, all that you have to be thankful for.

The grateful journey is not meant to replace your daily devotional time, meditation or prayers of thanksgiving by any means.  However an extension of the way you count your abundance of blessings.

Please, share your grateful journeys here as well!

To get to know Tiffany better Skip on Over to her blog, Follow her on Twitter and catch her on FaceBook!!

Its been great Shiners! Forever Shining Bright!

Taking "LIFE" back MJ Style!!

Hello My wonderful Shiners!

It is time for "Shining the Spotlight" once again and I must say that I have been very grateful, and overjoyed with each and every piece submitted for the series.

Today I have the pleasure to introduce to you a very special friend and her name is Michael!! She was very excited to guest post for me and I have to admit I love the warm relationship we have developed! So Shiners when you have finished reading her piece Skip on Over to A Girl Named Michael and shine the spotlight on her blog, trust me you will NOT be disappointed!

                                                         

                                        Taking "LIFE" back MJ Style!

Hi I am very excited to be here today. I am a big fan of Ms. Positivity. Every morning the first thing I do is reach for my phone so I can see what positive uplifting thing she has posted on Twitter. Its better than coffee...almost.

Once upon a time I was a very angry person. To say I had a block on my shoulder may be an understatement I had a whole city and everyone in that city was angry. In fact until a few years ago I was angry the difference was as I got older I got better at hiding the anger and depression. There would be occasional outbursts and self imposed solitary confinements but people were shocked by anger.

I am not even sure what I was mad at all the time but everything from the environment to politics to my next door neighbor made me angry. I never got violent I just was never happy and satisfied with anything.

But one day, and I do mean one day out of the blue, I decided I was to tired to be angry. It was exhausting to have some much righteous indignation 24/7/365. I just wanted to be happy but I was unsure how to do this. I had been angry for so long it was hard to just be happy or content with the world.

So I started small, you cant change over night, I started enjoying the little things:

• The quiet in the morning as I enjoyed my cup of coffee.
• Warm fuzzy socks on cold winter days.
• A perfectly cooked steak.
• Cuddling with my puppy.  

And soon I noticed that I was happier in other areas of my life. Work was more satisfying, my family was less annoying and I started to give back to my community by doing volunteer work.

I would have slips but it was so much easier to find my happy place once I found it sometimes I just had to fight to find the glimmer of hope among all the clouds.

If you want to get to know Michael better check her Facebook page out!! and also you can follow her on Twitter....she is pretty awesome but see for yourself!