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 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!! 

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!

Don't Let Clutter Steal your Shine.....

Itsssss Backkkk! Hello Shiners "Shining the Spotlight" is back! I pray that everyone has had a great holiday and are ready to get back to reading some awesome blogs by some awesome Shiners.

I have the pleasure to present to you a wonderful shiner by the name of Alison.  She is the owner of Learn to Embrace the Struggle. She has become one of my good friends of blogging and each and everyday!! So here is her guest post on getting thing together and clearing out the clutter...ohhhhh this is a good one Shiners!! Hey I needed to see this piece myself and I am really getting ready to apply so much of this to my life! Many times when you think you have life under control its just way to cluttered!

                                          Delete. Ctrl X.  Backspace.  

You know which key, or combination of keys, to use when you need to remove items on the computer.

And so it is in real life.  You sometimes need to hit delete--to edit your life--in order to shine like you want to.  

Clutter isn't only about a house bursting at the seams with "stuff."  Every area of our lives is subject to clutter, but, we have the last word regarding what stays--or goes--in our lives.

Mental clutter

Are you worn out mentally?  Guilty of foggy thinking or (gasp!) no thinking?  You probably have too much going on in your "beautiful mind."  Sometimes we need to take a "mental health day" to purge our minds. 

• Choose to focus on positive thoughts and eliminate, or at least decrease, negative thinking.  
• Let go of the multitasking!  It really is less efficient than doing one thing at a time.  A fragmented mind is often a demented mind, but an uncluttered mind is an effective mind.
• Relinquish the title of superman/superwoman!  You don't have to be Ruler of the Universe.  Someone else already snagged that title!

Emotional clutter

We're often unaware of the extent of the toll taken on our lives by emotional issues.  When we vacillate between one end of the emotional spectrum and the other, we become imbalanced.   

• Pay attention to your emotions and behavioral triggers so that your relationships won't be hampered. 
• When deep-seated issues, many of which are formed in childhood, are not addressed, our emotional clutter will disable us from living in the present.
• Focus on the people that truly count and deserve your time, and root out those that don't.  That might mean cutting back on some activities or losing some toxic "friends," but if it lessens your clutter and replenishes your life, go for it!

Physical clutter

We are a generation that wears its body down to a frazzle.  The amount of stress and tension we put ourselves through is alarming.  Why do we do this when the result--poor health, shortened lifespan--is so devastating?

• Combat the physical clutter within our bodies by paying attention to your eating habits and adding exercise into your daily lives.  
• Incorporate practices such as slow eating, yoga, walking, and tai chi, which are proven change-makers.  Sometimes just paying attention to our body language (furrowed brows, hunched backs) and responding by breathing deeply can deflate the tension we carry within us.
• Remember that physical clutter isn't limited to our bodies; it's also found in our surroundings.  There is a proven link between uncluttered surroundings and productivity. 

I've always loved--and try to live by--this quote by William Morris:  "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."  What better way to invite peace and positivity into your life than by making the areas you inhabit clutter-free, yet attractive!

Spiritual clutter

Here's the thing:  if the three areas we just discussed are cluttered, there's no room for the spiritual, the most important aspect of our lives.  

• We are spirit, gifted with a soul and inhabiting a body; unfortunately, we've reversed the order and thus forfeited much of our peace and joy.  
• Prayer and meditation are God-given pathways to spiritual wellness.  
• As we clear away the hindrances to our relationship with God, we begin to see ways to work on other areas that may be cluttered.

In his book "The Life You've Always Wanted," John Ortberg states that "the enemies of simplicity are multiplicity and duplicity."  Whenever we are pushed and pulled in too many directions, it becomes impossible to keep life simple.  In addition, we aren't true to ourselves when we are ambivalent. 

Are you shining to the fullest?  Are you giving yourself the chance to enjoy a simpler, balanced life, brimming with possibilities, positivity, and peace?  As you press that "delete" button in each area of your life, you'll begin to see measurable and enjoyable differences.  And so will others!

 

To Embrace the Struggle with Alison and myself check her out Facebook or follow her on Twitter!! Its worth it! 

My Chasing Joy Guest Post.....

Hey Shiners....one of my good friends invited me to do a guest piece for her blog....I was so giddy because she is one of the main reasons why I blog today, along with my 2 sisters if MAZ ( Aliya & Z) with this offer I could not refuse. I sat and just started writing. For my Shiners who are getting to know me I have a passion for positivity, and I plan on seeing it through to the fullest! It may not stop at the blog....this may spread in a major way and you will be apart of it all. You Shiners are the puzzle pieces to the masterpiece! I am honored to know you, and for my silent readers I would like to hear from you as well....don't be silent, I encourage you to reach out....tell me who you are so we can connect and shine even brighter. But for today, Skip on over to Chasing Joy's blog and see my guest piece. In addition....check out her blog and show her some amazing love! Trust me she is awesome.
If you want to contact me you can always and I mean always drop me a line and we can connect! lamirah5@yahoo.com
 See you Shiners soon! And remember to always Shine On

Shine the Spotlight....

Hello Shiners….

This is one of my most exciting posts that I am having the pleasure of sharing with you all.  Many of you I am getting to know and many of you that are behind the scenes readers, never the less each of you have humbled my heart in some way!

This post is about “Shining the Spotlight”.  I want to shine the spotlight on all of you if you would allow me the pleasure. 

Let me explain to you what “Shine the Spotlight” is all about. 

Shining the Spotlight is about “YOU”. I am not involved in any way….well besides me loving my Shiners and posting their wonderful pieces through my blog to their blog.  Doing this will shine the spotlight on you.  See I want to make this very clear-IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU!

I am a 3 ½ year college student and I will be going back to school starting on October, 19^th, 2011.  No worries I will still be around to pass on my daily dose of positivity, however, I will not have as much time to write as often as I would like and this saddens me to my core.  I am a Psychology major, and with psychology it entails so much writing that I honestly will not have that much time to write when I want to on what I want to, but I will post here and there.  This is why I want to shine the spotlight on you Shiners.

I have gotten to know so many of you and you guys make me smile so much each day.  I want to show all of my other readers how magnificent you are.

***Here is what I am looking for from my wonderful Shiners.***

If you would like to be apart of Shine the Spotlight all you have to do is write about something that is positive, funny, inspirational, kindness, NOTHING NEGATIVE, and be family friendly.  I expect for you to be yourself, no word count, I love pictures but not mandatory, so pretty much how you would write on your own blog just in those areas. I am sure that I will love it so RELAXXXX! The next thing you do is sign up with the linky below, write a piece and email it to lamirah5@yahoo.com.  I will read it over and let you know when I will post you piece.  Each Wednesday I will post a new piece so Wednesdays I will be shining the Spotlight on you! I have a few awesome shiners already but I want to shine on more of you!! Of course it goes without saying that I will link our pages so that other readers can skip on over to your blogs as well. 

So if you would like to be apart of Shine the spotlight all  that is left for you to do is sign up. The link has been placed below!!

So what do ya say?? Would you allow me to shine the spotlight on you!