Spirits Up....I Forgot the Eggplant

                                                 

Good Monday morning Shiners and Shinettes.  The weekend seems to go by so fast, but never the less; we are here to start another great week.

Well, I know you must be wondering what the heck is this post about!?  Well, this post is about forgetting the eggplant.  I totally, understand that you may not like eggplant but it’s a silly story behind it and a walk through trials that lead up to this title.

I had plans this weekend and many of them fell through, well shoot, all of them did.  I know many of you can relate, when you plan to do something and then all of a sudden BAM, you’re not going anywhere.  Well that was me this weekend.  I had two things that I wanted to do, I wanted to support a friend, and I was supposed to go to the movies but I was not able to because while doing laundry, my dryer decided to just stop working.  Sooooo, as I sat there with one load of clothes in the washer wet, I had another load in the dryer wet.  Great!  One event out the window and the movie ordeal went just as fast, because the money that I put aside for that also went to the Laundromat to dry the clothes. 

While, I lugged 4 loads to the Laundromat, I said guess I will go to the market while the clothes dry and get the odds and ends that I need to cook dinner for the upcoming weeks.  Now this is where it gets interesting. 

My kiddos and I head to the market; I had my cart all ready to go.  Had my good-good list and they had many sales going on so I was happy!  I said” oh let me not forget my eggplant so I can make eggplant Parmesan” I got the sauce, I grabbed, the cheese.  We enter the produce area and there it was the eggplant.  I’m hype now because, at least I can eat something that I want since I can’t venture out like I planned to.  I was focused, I grabbed 2 and asked my son to give me one of those plastic bags so that I can bag them and put them on the cart.  He gave me the bag, and I was on my way.  Yes!!! I’m now chanting “I’m gonna make me some eggplant gonna have me some eggplant!”  (Yes…I do these things and my kiddos just look at me crazy) bit HEY I was trying to perk myself up because I was feeling a bit low from the turn of events. 

We needed to adjust the cart so somewhere in here this is where I lost the eggplant!  Yes lost! 

We adjusted the cart, grabbed the rest of the items on the list, and headed to the register.  Ahhhhh, the young-lady rang up our items, and off we go back home to unload them before going back to the Laundromat to get the clothes.  OK, unloaded the food, and in seconds I’m on my way back to get the clothes and get back home, because , my mind is all on the eggplant that I can’t wait to have!  Bagged the clothes up and walked back home.

After that, I just plopped down on the couch to catch my breath.  Looked at the clock, ok now its 7pm, gotta cook and hereeeeee we go!

Me: Bell (what I call my daughter) where did you put the eggplant

Bell: Mom you didn’t get it.

Me: Ummmm yeah I did, I bagged it up.

Me: We stood there having an entire convo about why I was making it etc.

Bell: Oh I know that mom, but-wait I’m telling you that you didn’t get it!

Bell: The girl never rang it up

Me: How is that?? It was in the cart

Bell: No mom…look at the receipt.

Me: Scanning receipt

Bell: See told you it’s not on there!

Me: Ugghhhh “This is stupid” (One of my fav sayings these days)

Me: Well I have no idea where….!  When I adjusted the cart, I left the eggplant in the hoagie area! GRRRRRRRRRR!

Me: Well dang, no event, no movie and no freaking eggplant!

Me: Well…There is a bright side to all of this!

Bell: What’s that mom?

Me: We have clean and dry clothes….

Me: But I sooo really wanted to have that yummy eggplant which is in the dang it hoagie aisle. However, I take the good with the bad and still I smile!

Me: Breakout the hoagies, I’m hungry! J

Have you ever had a day like this where everything that could go wrong did but you found the bright side and pressed on!?? I would love to hear about it! 

Have a great week guys! #ShineOn

 Ms. Positivity

I AM.....

Good Monday morning Shiners and Shinettes!  I hope that everyone has had a great weekend….It’s time to get our week started on a positive note.

You are probably wondering what the title of the post is about…well let me tell you!

Many times, we may feel one way about ourselves and that way is not the real us. We tend to absorb the negative thoughts and words from others and for some reason we let them stick.  However, what about how we think of ourselves?  Are we not strong enough?  Well, I am here to tell you….Oh yes we are strong enough to push back.  Yes-Life does throw us many curve balls and sometimes, one negative word can break us down making it simply impossible to overcome.  Well today, that ends….just because that seed was planted does NOT mean it has to stay in that pot!

I want you to repeat after me…

I AM…..

Amazing <---

Smart <---

Kind <---

Helpful <---

Awesome <---

Caring <---

Loving <---

Strong <---

Creative <---

Beautiful <---

Handsome <---

Encouraging <---

Inspiring <---

Motivating <---

Unique <---

Artistic <---

I am Me….

I am the best ME that the world could and should ever get to know.

It is only up to us to uplift our spirits….I understand that some days may be harder that others, but we are all stronger that we could ever imagine.  So, no more words to break ourselves down.

 Are there any other words that you would like to add to the list?  If so then post them in the comments.

#SpiritsUp and #ShineOn   Here is to a grand week you awesome Shiners & Shinettes!

 Ms. Positivity

Spirits Up-Give Back to Yourself!

Hey-Hey, good morning Shiners & Shinettes!

It is Monday, a new day, and an open door to be awesome all week long!

This Monday’s post is short and sweet…well at least I think so!

Today’s post is about giving back to yourself, being the best you that YOU can be.  Do not dull your shine by trying to be like another, each of you are a Rock Star all of your own. 

So many times, I see that many will say, “Oh I can’t stand them” or “how is it that they have this or that” When we have these thoughts, we take so much away from ourselves.  Being in competition dulls us, and we may never be able to get that shine back; because it is hard once, that habit has started.  

Give yourself back your shine; give yourself back your blessings!  Do not allow yourself to be robbed of what is rightfully yours.  We have to dig deep and be happy with whom we are and what we look like.  Be happy with what WE have. 

It is time to give back to ourselves.  It is time to give ourselves a chance to really live and not through others.  Give Back! Make a deposit today, deposit positivity back into your life.

Its Monday…Be awesome!  Make that positive deposit today!

Don't Be There Sponge....

        

  Hey, Hey Shiners & Shinettes….I pray that everyone is well!

When it comes to sponges, I love them when I first get them because they are all fresh and clean, I even get some with fancy designs as well.  However, after a few uses they are so gross and have to be discarded.  Sponges carry so many germs and if one keeps using them, they will just continue to spread the nasty germs.  Now how does this pertain to being positive? 

Alright, here goes….I know that we all know someone who chooses to inflict his or her negativity on us; it may even be a family member (germs).  Here is the deal Shiners & Shinettes, YOU do not have to be there sponge and absorb their germs of negativity that they want to impose on you.  If you happen to be that sponge, they slowly begin to poison your positive surface and their negativity will start to seep deeper under the surface.  When this begins to happen, it starts to change us and not for the better.  You can refuse to be a part of their negativity.  YOU are strong enough not to let it happen; YOU are strong enough to not let it affect you.  YOU do not have to be there dirty little sponge.  Keep your positivity shield on and keep those negativity germs at bay. 

Your past is the past; however, those negativity germs will keep trying to get you to absorbing them.  A mistake that happened years ago, is finished, those negativity germs will keep trying to get you to reabsorb that as well.  ****WE have been forgiven****, and WE shall NOT allow ourselves to reabsorb the negativity germs that are trying desperately spread through our minds, bodies, and spirits!  WE WILL NOT BE THERE NEGATIVE GERMY SPONGE! We will continue to Positively Shine Bright!

Ms. Positivity

Be CERTAIN of who YOU are....

                                                     

Hey Hey Shiners and Shinettes….I pray all is well with everyone.  I am just going to jump right in because this post is very important.

As the days of this year go by, I have come to realize who I am.  I know the basics, my name, age, height, weight, and where I came from.  However, what I mean by I know who I am is, I am certain who I am.  I am certain that I am Melissa, smart, caring, motivating, inspiring, motherly, compassionate and much more.  Many times, I feel that we know the basics, but deep down we are having an identity crisis.  What I mean by identity crisis is that, we forget to see ourselves as unique.  We start seeing ourselves through the eyes of others but not through our own beautiful eyes.  On top of that, we begin to place limiting boxing all around us as if we have forgotten who we are.

Well I am here to make things very clear….BE CERTAIN of who YOU ARE!!! Do not sit and allow another to provide you with negative thoughts of who you are when you already know WHO YOU ARE.  Many times, one will make you forget who YOU are because they do not want you to rise above and be great.  This is when the identity crisis begins to take root.  It is time to get the gardening tools and cut off all of the negative roots.  See Shiners and Shinettes, it all comes down YOUR mindset and not the mind of another. 

In the Lords eyes, we are wonderfully made, so why do we start looking at ourselves as junk and with uncertainty?  WE have to be certain who we are.  We have to seal up all of the cracks that may allow negativity to slip in and wreak havoc over how we look at ourselves or what we can do or not do.  We are WORLD changers, so “WE” should Speak it-Claim it- and EXPECT it!!! 

So I am asking from this day forth, no longer have an identity crisis, do not compare yourself through worldly standards.  Renew your mind, and stop allowing the enemy to keep making you uncertain, because you know JUST WHO YOU ARE!

Ms. Positivity

You Can’t….OH YES YOU CAN!

                                           

Hey there Shiners and Shinettes, I am so glad to be here with you once again!

Many times, we speak these hindering words of “I CAN’T”.  These words are so hindering to our lives that I wish that it would just disappear.  I have murmured this statement so many times in my life that I could have a small fortune if I were saving up.  How many of you can admit that?  Well one day I sat back and said; why am I so afraid to do something?  Is it because I want validation from others or when I run an idea past another, I would not get the response that I desired.  As I said, I ONCE lived that afraid-life full of “I Can’t”.  Hey, as the saying goes…I’ve been there done that…but NOT ANYMORE!!

Well darlings I am here to let you know that it is time…it is time for YOU to let go of “I can’t”.  I understand that there are some things that we are not able to do at that moment, and maybe we have to plan better so that we CAN accomplish some things, however, to say we CAN’T leads to I Haven’t and then giving up.  Can we afford to give up on ourselves? Uhhhh NO!

 We have invested so much into ourselves and many times, we just don’t follow through.  Is that what we stand for?  I am sure that is NOT what we stand for.  I know that we have dreams, and plans.  I know that WE are not weak and WE CAN do anything that WE put our minds to do.

I went from I Can’t, to I CAN, and I did.  WE can do anything as long as we do not hinder ourselves with self-doubt.  If we focus on US and not trying to obtain approval to see what another will say we will be able to achieve so much more.

I know that YOU can get that job.

I know that YOU can get your degree.

I know that YOU can be your OWN boss.

I know that YOU can be a homeowner.

How do I know?? I know because I could and I did just that!  I stopped thinking negative and planned better.  I wrote things down, made small goals, which turned into big goals, the big goals turned into accomplishments.  All you have to do is STOP saying or thinking that YOU can’t and then YOU will see what YOU CAN do!  Whatever it is in your life that YOU are speaking “I CAN’T over…STOP!! Step back-take a deep breath- nod, and state OH YES I CAN!

I have no doubt that YOU CAN…I am proud of you already!

Until next time…keep Positively Shining!!!

Ms. Positivity

Because of YOU!!!

Well Hello There Shiners and Shinettes….

It has been a while since my last blog post and there is a reason for that, so here goes.

My last post was in December of 2012, and from that day, I have been a busy-busy woman, but at the same time, I honestly had felt that I lost my spark to blog. Yes, I know Ms. Positivity felt that she had lost her spark!!! GASPS how dare I…Well, I am here to say that I have not lost my spark…in fact I think it was just turned down a bit so that I could pursue other things to make Positively Shining that much better and it is!

See, for many that do know me, Positively Shining was just a blog, but over the past year, with YOUR support, YOU gave me the notion to make this bigger that I could ever imagine. When I would blog, it would be about positive things and how NOT to let them get to us and drag us down…. Well how about I still do that but NOW the passion is back. Let me explain.

When I set my heart to do something, I attack it with all of my heart. I had a out of the blue conversation with a good friend (Sammy) that I have only met over the internet and his spirit is much like my own. He stated “Hi Melissa! This page is not growing. I'd like to see it grow so I need you to post some stuff (with pictures though. I find people tend to ignore posts without pics on my page anyhow), which I can share on my page. ;) xoxox ♥”

See just with this message we chatted a bit and I followed his direction as to how to grow my page. I am very passionate with what I do so I prayed and went at it! As I followed his direction, I started seeing more and more people LIKING Positively Shining on Facebook!

Now do not get me wrong I do not blog to get more likes on my page, but to let YOU all know that it’s because of your LIKES on my Facebook page that has given me back my SPARK TO BLOG! Just this week alone I think about 30+ Shiners and Shinettes have LIKED the page because of its message. It’s because of YOU that I am excited about blogging again. It’s because of YOU that I prepare myself each day to motivate, inspire, encourage and empower. It is because of YOU that I am sitting here so excited to write and post this blog piece. See guys…YOU are awesome and YOU keep me going with Positively Shining!! YOU never let me down and I have to return the favor and NOT let you down….

So with my SPARK burning on high…I say THANK YOU FOR BEING APART OF OUR POSITIVELY SHINING FAMILY!! WE are Positively Shining….TOGETHER! #SHINEON

I Love You are and again...Thank You for Turning my SPARK back up! 

Ms. Positivity

Willingness to Change

Hey there Shiners & Shinettes….I hope all is well with everyone!

As I should be working, I felt the need to blog.  Yes darlings, when the mood hits me I try to run with it.

 As you look at the title, you may say what is this all about, well let me tell you.  Many times, we may want to change but many things that keep us from change.  To be honest-I myself have fallen victim to this many times.  Granted I am as positive as can be but I am human as they come. 

As I read my word this morning (I understand that not every one is of the same religion, but this will help you as well) I cam across a devotional that had the title just like the one above.  Instantly it stopped me in my tracks, why, because I feel that we all have to have a strong willingness to change.  Many times, we may sit and get to a critical point on our lives before we actually stop and profess that we need to change. 

Let me fill you guys in on some things, and how this applied to me because, I know we all have different situations. 

A while a go I said that I wanted to change for the better, I took small steps towards this change and thought that this was all good well and fine.  HOWEVER, I still kept seeing myself frustrated, annoyed, sad, angry, and not focused.  I said that I was not going to keep falling back into the same situation and habits that kept me that way.  I would be good for a few days and I was right back at square one.  HA silly little girl, I said I had the willingness to change but who was I fooling.  Mind you----this continued to happen repeatedly, until this past Friday.  I had so called friends driving me to continue my behavior through their behavior. Deep down, it was never them; it was my level of willingness to change.  It was weak and that is why I continued to be aggravated by their actions.  See Shiners & Shinettes…people are going to be who they are and we can no longer sit and blame them for how WE act.  WE have to have the divine will power to change. 

Well I did it…I removed the issues….yes ISSUES from my life because I know that I have the will to change for the better.  I am not one to make excuses, I have always owned up to my part of the foolery that I added to my life.  I am owning up to my part and going to make a change.  I have removed some people from my life because I want to be healthy.  Some people and their behaviors are toxic and I choose “LIFE”.  To get my LIFE back to the way it needs to be, happy and fulfilling.  Not finding away back to square one. 

Now when we want that good change, we have to understand that it is not going to be easy, and we will feel uncomfortable for a while, test and much more will present themselves (I know this first hand) but hold strong and fight.   

All of this to say Shiners & Shinettes….if you want change, do what you have to do and hold on tight.  No matter that the vice is, smoking, drinking, losing weight, eating, living, or letting some other bad habit go.  Having that WILLINGNESS to change is at you fingertips.  A better life, a better mind and a better YOU is waiting to flourish!

Ms. Positivity

 

Never too Late to Celebrate

Shiners and Shinettesssss! Hello, Hello, Hello to you all!

Goodness, I know I have been away for a while, but it was good reason. Never the less I AM BACK and I do not plan to go away again.

As you notice the title, I have a few things to celebrate. I was supposed to have blogged when this all went down, but life has been moving so fast….so let me catch you all up as fast as I can. August is almost over and I tell you wonderful peeps that it has been so full of things to celebrate!

Let’s see, the first week of August, my daughter turned 13 years old! Now that is major. She had a great sleep over, equipped with food, friends, laughs, screams, hey ice cream bowls, scary stories, music and tons more.

To be honest, I have missed you all so much in the blogsphere. Keeping my head in the books took so much time away from being able to indulge as I used to before. But enough of that…I’m back and ready to get back to inspiring, motivating, uplifting, laughing and participating with all of you and I know may of you missed that but stuck with me during my journey.

 Next, I finally did it. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Applied Behavior Analysis). I finished everything on August 14th. I am so relieved that-that part of the journey is over as well. Therefore, I’m doing the happy dance because I did not quit. It was tough, but baby let me tell ya it is so worth it!

Lastly, but so not least Positively Shining has turned 1 year old!!! I started out a year ago, with one idea and it turned into something awesome and it will-IS only going to get better. I have the time to dedicate to this full time now and I am elated to express it. If any one knows me, I love to motivate you darlings to the fullest. WELLLLLLL, that’s what you’re going to get to the MAX.

With that said, I am inviting all of you to help me celebrate all of these wonderful things by welcoming Positively Shining back home….because without all of you there is NO ME!

Ms. Positivity

I got "A NEW ATTITUDE"

                                                   

      Hello Once again Shiners and Shinettes!

      Oh this post is on a mission….I “GOT A NEW ATTITUDE!!!”

Let me explain what I mean….My wires got crossed!  I am positive as can be but you know what?  I realized that I am sometimes negative towards myself.  Hey, I never said I was perfect and sure enough I so practice what I preach!  I think that we all go through this at times.  Well I had to catch myself, and lately some things have been hitting me like a brick.  I have been going through some trials, work issues, weight issues, confidence issues, compliment acceptance…darlings I feel like I am going out of my mind.  I have actually stared at myself in the mirror and said “Melissa WTH is wrong with you get it together.” 

 It is funny that my mom called me one day, we started talking, and to be honest we learned from each other.  I began speaking to her about my job issue, and then she said something…”it will happen when God wants it to happen” Ah Ha!  That was it!  I wanted this job issue to happen on my time.  Granted they gave a deadline and I am expecting them to hold good to it.  I became frustrated and even angry to be honest.  I like many do not like to be toyed with and I am trying to live my life and take care of my family.  However, I forgot about what I am supposed to do.  I am supposed to let God do his work and be patient.  Now it gets deeper, as we continue to talk she is telling me her story.  As she finished, I said well mom did you talk to God about it.  She admitted, no for some reason I wanted it done when I wanted it done.  Ha, how about we just learned the same lesson but different situations. 

See darlings we can only do but so much before, we realize that, we are not in control here at all.  We may get down on ourselves about so many things but as long as we seek the lord, the answers will be provided.  Therefore, you know this is why I “GOT A NEW ATTITUDE!”  I will no longer forget to seek him when I need him, (he already knows), I will no longer try to make things happen on MY time, I will no longer lack confidence because that is not me I am confident, I will no longer talk negative about my weight.  I got a new attitude yall!  It is so easy to forget the major things in life when the things that really do not matter bog us down!  What matters is to seek the most positive being I know.  At the end of the day we all should get a new attitude and remain positive about any and everything.  Forgetting nothing and remembering that it is ok to obtain “A NEW ATTITUDE!” So from here on out I will continue to do everything that I have been doing beside trying to do things on my time….

So What are you going to get a new attitude about?? Let do this together!

P.S. Thanks mom for the talk!

Take the First Step!!

 One foot in front of the other!

Hey Hey Shiners & Shinettes….I was thinking and said you know that where would we be if we did not take chances?  I think that many of us would be still standing still and confused. 

Where am I going with this you ask, well walk with me and I will show you.

Many times when we are unsure of the next step we may not step.  Fear keeps us from putting one foot in front of the other.  Last week I wrote about needing a stepladder to pull you up and now I am blogging about taking steps.  The name of the game is to stop standing still and take the grand steps to get to the top.  It is time for us to stop being our own roadblock.  It is time for us to say "you know what I am going to take that first step and whatever happens-happens."

Granted even when we do that we may not achieve the results that we desire….but guess what who cares!  You had the guts to step out of faith and looked it dead in the eyes and said” Fear NOT I can do this~one foot in front of the other!!”  This is how it started even when we were kids…we were so scared to take that first step to do what we have never done before.  Mommy or daddy said come on take that first step and we may have stood there looking so scared.  Then we wanted to get to that special one who raised us, and goodness what did we just do???  We took a step, as scary as that may have been…we took that first step.  Yes, we may have fallen down but the next steps get faster and faster.

See darlings, we cannot be afraid to put one foot in front of the other, we have to keep stepping!!  We have to keep moving for the greater goal in life….the dream is right there waiting for us to snatch it up and have our way.  All the dreams, goals, love, test, designs, meetings, jobs, hugs, phone calls, words, phrases, even apologies are waiting for you to put one foot in front of the other and take that first step. 

Do not let the unknown keep you from doing what you love, all you need to do is put that one blessed foot in front of the other and keep on stepping!  You have the ability to do anything just make sure that you take the deep breathe, and pick up your foot and take that great step towards your dreams! Its waiting for you! 

Need A Step Ladder???

Hey there Shiners & Shinettes!

I’m back and on the move again towards my long life goal….you guessed it Positivity! (Not that it went any where)

I know I have stepped back from writing but…that has all ended.  So here goes!!!

                                                              Step Ladder

                                                 

Have any of you wonderful Shiners/Shinettes used a step ladder before?? I’m sure that you have…if not you just may have stepped on a good ole chair to boost you up just a bit.  The thing is darlings; we sometimes need a little boost to reach what we want. 

Many times when we want to do something we may not have the proper means to do it, but if we had that step ladder to reach just a bit higher we would be able to accomplish that much more.

Many times we want to give up….Never give up! Get on that step ladder and boost yourself up.  Many times things don’t go our way…Never give up! Get on that step ladder and give yourself that needed boost to look for a different avenue to see new change.

See guys, I needed that step ladder a little while ago.  For awhile, I thought that I could do some things on my own.  I never asked for help and by NOT doing so I began to get the notion to give up!  Well if anyone knows me “IM NO QUITTER”.

I know I can be honest with you darlings….haven’t we all been there when we just want to give up because things are not going our way…no matter how hard we try to make things right?? So if you can say “YES” to this then you know where I am coming from.  Well…I had to tell my stubborn self, that I needed to get up and get a little boost.  Many of us live with negativity day in and day out...well I refused to let that get me down once again!!!!

Negativity comes at us all kinds of ways, for example, words, actions, social networking, family, and mainly US! Yeah I said it OURSELVES!  We-Us-You-Me, will be our worst negative energy when things don’t go our way, when we read or feed into the mess we see before us.  Well I am here to say, STOP these actions and get on the step ladder.

It is time for us to get out of our personal-defiant ruts and step up on that good ole sturdy step ladder of positivity.  Pour positive things into our minds and lives.  No longer will we be the cause of us not being as positive as we can be!!  We will only surround ourselves with positive like minded people, we will turn away from negative news, no gossip, we will not be used and abuse but another's negativity!

We as Shiners and Shinettes are way better than that!

So I ask you Shiner and Shinettes….NEED A STEP LADDER!??  If so you can borrow mine!  Sharing is caring and best believe I care about each and every one of you!!  Soooooo let's get on the good foot and Step up for Positivity!

~Positive We Stand~

Ms. Positivity!!

I miss you.....Positivity Shines AGAIN!

Hey there Shiners and Shinettes!

I know it has been a while for us to chat and for that I am deeply apologetic.

Granted I have been away with the major new changes at work, new changes in my life (engaged), school (finals) and new changes to come I have missed you guys dearly!  When I say that I am entirely sincere.

Each of you that I know and even if I don't know are like my second family.  You know when you are away for too long you get home sick....and you know what my darlings I am just that home sick!

I have used the word CAN'T so much it hurts.  I can't do this I can't do that! All of these other things drain me to my core but its never a day that goes by that I do not think about you guys!

Sooooooo since I have some time on my hands (finals are over) I wanted to let you wonderful Shiners and Shinettes know that I am back and here to stay!  Each of you are important to me and I can't have you guys feeling as though I don't care or that I went away!

So let's start over, talk through our ups and downs, smile, laugh, and hang in there for we are the meaning of POSITIVITY! I can't help you guys scrub away the negativity and positively shine if I'm not here! Well I am here and we will tackle Negativity to the ground! We will not be bullied into giving up our positivity for negativity away! So Excuse me...I'm Ms. Positivity and We meaning my Shiners & Shinettes will not be broken!  So here is to Positively Shining together!

Positive We Stand!

Getting Back to "ME" Guest Post by Chasing Joy!!

Absolutely Deciding To Get Back To Being Me

Hey Shinners and Joy Chasers.  A couple weeks ago Ms. Positivity asked me to do a guest post on her themed series of getting back to me.  Of course I was honored to be asked but I also like the idea of her series.  I mean after all the entire reason I started writing the blog Chasing Joy is because I needed to get back t o being me.  I had been through the worst experience of my life (find my story on my about me page on www.chasing-joy.com) and needed to get back to being my normal happy self.

So how did I get back to being me?  How do you get back to being you when you’ve lost yourself to work, school, kids, relationships, disappointment, stress, grief, or whatever?  For starters who are you?  I think we all have to have a few absolutes we know about ourselves.  Once you have decided on these absolutes you they become your guides, your beacons in the darkness, that guide you back to yourself.

Here are some of my absolutes:

I am smart

I am a good person

I am attractive

I have faith

I am a happy person

Things will happen in life that will cause you to question even doubt your absolutes.  But they are absolutes for a reason.  No matter what happens you do not abandon your absolutes.  No matter what anyone says, anyone does, or what happens I refuse to believe anything contrary to the statements above. 

Two years ago my dad died.  I had prayed so hard for healing for him but that was not God’s plan.  I was and still am heartbroken.  Now at that time I could have given up on my faith.  I could have said how can there be a God that would let this happen?  But I didn’t.  Now I was feeling lower than ever in my life and I guess you could say I was angry with God. Regardless of how I was feeling in that moment I decided that I was not going to give up on my faith. 

So that very night I said my prayers.  Now I will admit that my heart was not in it and I kind of just went through the motions.  I think my prayer went something like “God, I don’t know what to say”.  But the point is I was still talking to him and despite all the pain that I was in I still believed.  I had made a decision that part of what it is to be me is to have faith. So no matter what I will have Faith.

The fact of the matter is no matter what happens in life, if you stick to your absolutes, what it means to be you, you will never completely lose yourself.  You will always come back to being you.  You may get of your game sometimes.  Life may get the best of you.  But, even if it takes a while, when you know the absolutes that make you who you are, you will find your way back to being you.

Who are you? What are your absolutes? What are the qualities about yourself that you can fall back to bring you back to being you???

Hope you all liked her piece! Check her out on Twitter and on Facebook!

Getting back to Me....Guest Post by Krystle Talley

                                   Getting Back to Me....His Spoken Words

After I graduated magna cum laude from college, I went from being a full time worker to being a full time mother and army wife. Although this new situation may have felt like an awesome break to some women, I didn’t feel “like me” being stuck at home all day every day while everyone else was out presumably working hard. I’ve always considered myself a hard worker. I have held down a good job ever since I was sixteen years old as president of the cooperative office education program in high school up until I became an employee with the Davidson County Sheriff’s office in Nashville, Tennessee.

So, it’s safe to say that this transition from working hard to not working at all (so I thought) was extremely hard for me and so unlike whom I thought I would be. According to my past desires and plans, I was supposed to be a lawyer by now. As a Christian, I started praying about where my life should be headed. I realized that God was waiting on me tell him what was on my heart. So one day I went to my secret place, and I told him.

Finally, I heard God speak to me.

I felt God whisper his assurance to me that everything I had done up to this point was for a reason. He softly said that I should not keep holding on to the burden of being helpless or making ill decisions. God said, “Working hard isn’t just about being on a 9 to 5, but it is about occupying my time to help those who otherwise wouldn’t receive it from others.” Working hard is not just vindicated by getting a paycheck every two weeks but about getting a blessing from Him to spread to others, especially those closest to me.

I started to understand that I should be taking my position at home more serious. Although I wasn’t getting up and going outside my home to work every day did not mean that I didn’t have a job to do. My husband still needed to be prayed for daily and my son still needed his mother to be there to back him up educationally and emotionally. That takes work. I needed to be occupied with encouraging my husband to be the best working man outside of home and encouraging my son to be the best growing boy he can be. That takes work, primarily if we want our home to be blessed regardless of what kind of income is coming in. I mean, who else is going to really pray for covering over MY family.

Once I started focusing more on doing these things I felt a burden being lifted off of my shoulders. So I prayed to God more and thanked Him for enlightening me. He then spoke to me again, reassuring me that I was headed in the right direction. I could feel him hug me and say, “Keep going. Let them see me.”

So one morning I found myself creating The Christian Chameleon. Honestly, I don’t know how I came up with that name. In essence, creating this website and enhancing this brand was not just because I was bored, sitting at home and needing an outlet. It was more spiritually geared towards being obedient to God and finding a way to reach others who wouldn’t otherwise be reached using other avenues.

This new blog is my work. It’s my way of occupying God’s time to incorporate His word into mainstream media and other social issues we deal with in today’s world. Working on The Christian Chameleon was my way of getting closer to God, thus getting back to ME. I encourage anybody out there to really take time, get in their secret place, and speak to God. Tell him what’s on your heart. I promise that your words to Him will not return to you void. He listens and he hears everything we speak to him. Just wait on it. Your confirmation is coming. It may not be in the form of a blog or working a 9 to 5, but I assure you it’s coming. Don’t give up and think that you’re failing or your time is wasting, because God always has our footsteps ordered before we even know where they’re going.


Be inspired, but STAY inspired.

Greatness!!! I said GREATNESS!

Hey there Shiners....

This is one of those times where the mood is hitting me so I am going to let it flow. 

What do you think of when you hear the word greatness?? 

I am wondering if any of you added yourself into any of the list of things that came to mind. 

To many times we think less of ourselves because we may not be exactly where we want to be in life but to be honest we are exactly where we belong.  We want to move forward and that is GREAT! We want to reach higher and that is GREAT! We want to be the best and that is GREAT! Why because we are great!

You may not see it but you were born for a reason.  We all have our own little part to play in this huge movie we call life.  Each charater has his/her own role and it is important.  Can you imagine being the leading man/lady and not having eachother??  It would be a total mess.  Who would make sure that you remembered your lines, the movie would not flow properly. 

We are all born from greatness....I will say it again....WE WERE BORN FROM GREATNESS!  We are special in everyway.  I see so many young adults like myself at one point that thought less of themselves but that will stop here because we are Great! We are doing big things, turning small thoughts into big dreams, changing for the better, loving more, opening up more and even shedding a single tear because at one point we were so guarded.  This is GREATNESS!  To be able to let go and let the lord above do his works within us.  To reach and do things that we never thought that we would ever be doing. We can not stop here because it is not meant to be.  We are to reach beyond the stars and snag one for ourselves and keep our greatness shining as bright as we can.

So My Shiners...I ask you again what do you think of when you hear the word greatness??

I Pray with everything I have you are now on that list of things because you are just that...Great!

Never let no one or nothing try to tell you or show you that you are anything less than GREATNESS!
Its been in all of us since day one!

I love you all

Ms. Positivity!!!!

Getting back to Me....Guest Post by Dina

                              

                                                   

                                                             Finding Dina

Ten years ago I was in my 20s, I was a full time student and I had a part time job.  I met and started dating my husband; we fell in love and decided to get married that year. Everything was working out perfectly, almost like a modern fairytale.  The most stressful thing about my life at that time was the wedding planning because I wanted it to be perfect.  And it was that desire for perfection that led me to making the worst decision of my life: taking a break from school.

I planned on taking one semester off to have a stress free wedding, a glorious honeymoon and blissful first few months of marriage.  I saw no harm in taking a little break because I only had one more year left to get my bachelors.  I was young and I thought I knew it all, had it all under control.  But one thing you never know is what may be waiting for you around the corner.

That semester off?  You guessed it.  It stretched into years.

The company my husband worked for laid him off and then went bankrupt a few months later.  Many companies followed suit and jobs were hard to come by.  This was 2001, the year of 9/11 when tragedy struck our country and the first whispers of recession were becoming audible.

I found work as a secretary in a hospital, a great job with great benefits.  And we needed those benefits as a young married couple that hoped to start a family someday.  I worked full time and was happy there.  I quietly gave up on my dream of becoming a teacher because I thought it would be too hard to work full time and go to school.

Then one day one of the new doctors was chatting with us while he was waiting for his patient to return from a test in another department.  This doctor looked so young that we liked to call him Doogie Houser.  On this particular day he was telling us about his wife who was pregnant with their second child and by the end of our chat I knew that his wife was to become my inspiration.  This day and this conversation literally changed my life.  Why?  Because this pregnant woman who was already mom to a toddler was also keeping herself occupied by being the Chief Resident at one of the leading hospitals in the state.

And I thought my life was busy?  I thought it would be too hard for me to go back to school?  I was willing to give up on myself so easily?  No.  I needed to get back to ME.

The next day I filled out the application to go back to school and I enrolled in classes for the new semester.  It took me a little bit longer to finish as a part time student, but a couple of years later I graduated, with honors.

Finally.  I was ME again.

You can find more of Dina @30ish_Mama and also  http://30ishmama.blogspot.com where she writes about motherhood, toddlerhood and her random thoughts.  She is married to her own personal Clark Kent/Superman and is mom to one sparkly little princess.

Getting back to "Me" Guest Post by Chivon Anderson...Finding Me!

            

                                                               Finding Me

So after a very long break my writers itch has begun to get the best of me. The box of treasure in the form of words and expressions have been unlocked and unleashed. The greatness in me only shared with a few is about to bless the world. These first few blogs are what I will use for practice, to get the kinks out, to stretch lol. After all it has been lying dormant for such a long time. Forgive me if it is not as eloquent as you might expect or if it seems a bit shallow. I am simply giving myself the freedom to be ME with no restraints. (smile).

After talking for a while with a friend and witnessing so many blogs birthed I thought it was time for me to break my silence. I am not one to jump on any bandwagon. As a matter of fact when I see one coming my way, I run in the opposite direction. I like being unique, I love being a trendsetter. It has taken me years to break out of the mold that I have allowed so many others to create for me but today I am finally free. I am the mold, the model, the standard. Lets not get it twisted this is not about self glorification but rather liberation. I'm free to be who God created me to be. And I have been raised for such a time as this to help others become truly free. I have been hurt before which is why I can declare that the Lord's strength is made perfect in my weakness. I have loved, been rejected and found true love, not only in my husband but in God. So I can shout with confidence "WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? IF GOD BE FOR ME WHO CAN DARE BE AGAINST ME". "FOR I AM FULLY PERSUADED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER PRESENT NOR FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATHION WILL BE ABLE TO SEPERATE ME FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS MY LORD.

Romans 8:38-39. It is this perfect love that has cast out all of my fears. I am a Kingdom Kid and their is no denying that. Hate it or love it, I'm here to stay.

To get to know Chivon better check her out on Twitter at @QueenChivs Thank for stopping by Shiners!!! Til next Monday! 

Getting back to "Me" Guest Post by Susan Silver

                                             A Story NEVER told

Here is a story rarely told.  Back in May 2010 I was steadily working on a blog with a colleague. That was the proving ground for many of my SEO tactics. We were finally building an audience and then... it ended. Not with a bang but a whimper as they say. My friend informed me that she had been hired and that she had signed a non-competition clause. That was the end of that.

At first I was a little devastated. I think anyone would have responded that way after building something for 6 months. I wasn’t quite sure what the next step was going to be. I had my own personal blog, but it was nothing. I needed a fresh perspective. I saw Darren “Problogger” Rowse’s tweet about the SITS Girls 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge and that seemed like a way out.

At that time, Cirquedumot was just a crazy experiment to show off the power of Twitter. It has become the cornerstone of my blogging experience. Through SITS I finally understood the power of networks, word of mouth, and having support for your ideas.

This seems all off topic right? This is supposed to be about getting back to me, not the tale of where things started. Off topic... the doom and gloom of any blog. It’s called a niche, not my continuing interest in the world & everything. Staying on topic is something any blogger will struggle with.

The bad news, my blog had plateaued at about three months in *faceplant*. My network trailed off and I find myself lost again. I was wondering if our online networks are nothing more than fair weather friends.  I focused on search engine optimization and content. After all, these two aspects where within my control.

I had forgotten something that made those early blogs stand out, heart.

Heart?

I forgot about heart!

You see those early success were built on the relationships I had with people on the forum. When the challenge ended where was I, not on SITS. Don’t get me wrong content and SEO matter. They will never replace your friends and supporters. They are what keeps us going when the going gets tough. That is what I was missing.

How am I getting back to me?

My blog is all about word of mouth and that means bringing back a sense that there is a person behind the content. I am just going to follow my original mission. Explain marketing mumbo jumbo and give real tips that people can use. My number one goal for the New Year is to treat my blog as the personal journey it represents. After all people relate to people not concepts.

I hope you will continue on this journey with me as we navigate the online world together. I want to take the time to thank Ms. Positivity for her support that has kept me on the path! Thank you everyone who has taken the time to visit, read, and comment! 

To get to know Susan better check her blog out at http://cirquedumot.com and you can catch her on Twitter!! 

Mood Booster Moments...."I just wanted a Chocolate Ricecake"

Hey there Shiners!!

I have not done one of these in a while and with all that is going on in my life and getting back to Living I must tell you I have had some foolery go down in my life.  I have eaten and missed my mouth completely, I have mixed colors in the wash that should have never been together (blue and yellow...ugh) that was one of my fave shirts ya know!!  (giggles) to plopping down on the side of the bed Oh and TOTALLY MISSING IT...(yes my behind met the floor at somebodies 2 am) to this past weekends well lets call it "Supermarket Mayhem"

This mood booster I tell you is something that you would only see on TV but NOOO guess who decided that they wanted to guess star all of a sudden!! Me that's who...LOL  So let me get to it!

     So I have fallen in love with these

So I have fallen in love with these rice cakes.  I even went as far as getting the strawberry cream cheese to go on top just like the packaging. Oh it is sooooo good! I didn't think I would like it but on a whim I tried it and now I just have to have them. Well off to go grocery shopping.  I grabbed the strawberry cream cheese, shopped some more and right before I left I said GASPS I need to get the chocolate rice cakes.

So we search the aisle labels and finally I found it! Nothing wrong yet but you just wait and see.  I'm looking and looking down the aisle and I found them! Right no problem yet! Well here goes nothing....when I find them this is what is in from of them: do you see the blue and yellow little cardboard displays...ok stay focused! The foolery begins now!

So these things are right in from of what I want so what do you I do I move it and hunni this got ugly quick! These things are full of items that should not be here.  So I have to move the one that looks like the blue one.  Well let me tell you that was not a GREAT thing to do because it started to topple over....yessssss Shiners it started to fall over.  So I have my big pocketbook on one arm and this thing trying to fall over.  Ever see this mess in the market but not happening to you...well think again! The cheap thing is not stable and I have to be the one to fake it like "oh everything is alright!"  NO NO NO this bad boy wants to go down. I'm in a panic now because who in the world wants to make a scene!?? Not Ms. Positivity! Shiners I tell you the truth-I am looking like a total fool because this thing is really trying to meet the floor.  So I get some strength and pull it up and lean it...I'm good now...ummmm no I'm not...it's SLIDING! You got to be kidding me...I swear all I want is my rice cakes....ugh! So I have to catch this thing I'm telling it it wanted to slow dance with me but I was surely resisting LOL, strangely enough it is super quiet and no one is in the aisle. Ok Ok Ok I say to this thing...please don't fall pleaseeeee!!  It holds up Shiners! Thank goodness....so I go looking for my rice cakes and dang it after all of that they don't have not a single one!! I am annoyed to my core...I said oh no you are gonna have at least one of these...I'm on the floor....still eyeing this display, but NOPE none! Soooooo ummmm yeah I must of put the display in front of something that this other lady wanted and ummmmmm Lets just say that I got out of that aisle quick because as soon as she touched the display it fell over! and guess what! She WALKS OFF!