HAPPY HOLIDAYS from HUSL Today

I know I have been slow in posting the last few weeks and for that I apologize. After finals, big projects and a few other things mentally drained me I took a few days off. Turns out those few days turned into weeks and I finally got the chance to REALLY rest my mind & relax. I hope you all enjoy your holidays and welcome the new year with an open mind!!!

Cheers to peace, love & happiness in 2011!!! 

Merry Christmahanakwanzaka and a Happy New Year to all of you!!!

Regular posting will begin again on January 10!!! 


LOVE!!!

...a quick announcement

GREAT Morning beautiful people! This week I've been EXTRA busy prepping 4 my trip home for the holidays. I apologize about the lack of posts. I'll be running around a lot more for the next few days but I'll do my best to post some inspiration for you all before Christmas.

P.S. You can now rehearse calling me "Assistant State Attorney"!!!! Now all I have left is to pass my background screenings and the bar and I'll be one of the best prosecutors you've ever met!

Love!!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people! Happy Hump Day!!!

"If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody" -Chinese Proverb

Allow me to tell you a quick story: This past week my team and I all adopted a child via our chapel's annual Angel Tree program. As part of the program, we were given "Angels" with a child's name and their Christmas requests. One of the girls from our team went to Target to purchase her angel's gifts and during checkout she began conversing with the clerk about the purpose of the toys she was purchasing. Imagine her surprise when the man exclaimed "Oh my God, you're shopping for my son!!" At first she was in disbelief and thought the gentleman was mistaken until the child's mother, also employed by Target, came over to confirm. They quickly rallied around my girl to help her find the perfect gifts for their son. They thanked her profusely and the mother was almost in tears. While telling her amazing story, my girl admitted that before the encounter she was not in the giving mood. She confessed, "Before I saw the impact of my actions, I was not passionate about getting the gift for my angel. NOW that I've seen what can happen when you give a little bit of yourself, I'll continue to give selflessly of myself and encourage my friends to do the same."

One of my favorite parts about the holiday season is that it becomes so easy to give of yourself to others. Granted, there are opportunities year round but the spirit of giving is stronger as are the initiatives to get others to give. Opportunities to volunteer, to donate, and to generally bless others with your talents are plentiful and I encourage all of you to take advantage of them. Sometimes we become so involved in our own little bubble, that we forget about the struggles of others. Sometimes we become preoccupied with getting a new promotion or buying our first home or upgrading our material things, that we forget how little others have.  Allow yourself to connect with others who are less fortunate than you are.

Do not think that you do not have anything to give. You can give one of the most valuable resources-your time. Sometimes charities have all of the funds they need, and all they need are people willing to give their time. For example, one of my friends volunteered his time to shop for underprivileged children who were given $200 courtesy of their neighborhood's Elk's Lodge. He did not have to give any money, only a few hours of his Saturday morning to an underprivileged child. He confessed "I did not know some people had it so bad. I live in a big house with a nice car and these children live in places that do not even have numbers on their buildings. It was a wake up call for me to count my blessings."   Don't wait for a wake up call to see how helping others can move your spirit, seek out the experience! No matter how little you give, you can make a difference!

If you are successful, recognize that you did not become successful alone. The true test of success is your ability to "reach back" and help others become successful in their own right.

SN: *singing* Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la!!!!!!

Today's song choice: Kanye West-All of the Lights

Love!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people! Congratulations on making it past Monday and having another opportunity to do something magnificent!

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race” -Calvin Coolidge

Do not ever think that anything can replace the value of rolling up your sleeves and persevering through tough times. It wont help you to acknowledge defeat early on. It wont help you to refuse to fight. It wont help to give up. When faced with obstacles you have two choices: (1) You can choose to run from your troubles or (2) You can choose to turn around and fight for your success. Its a decision that you alone will have to make and you alone will have to deal with. There is but one line of advice that I can give someone going through a tough time and that is this: sometimes suffering is your path to a blessing and ur blessing is living through it to emerge as a stronger and more confident person. It is my sincere hope that all of you will choose to pick your battles and "press on" through them. I cannot promise that they will all be easy, but I can say from experience that each obstacle carries with it a potential lesson to make you a greater person. I wish all of you peace and blessings on this beautiful and brisk Tuesday morning!


Today's Song choice: Shiny Suit Theory-Jay Electronica ft. Jay-Z & The Dream (sings backup)

Love!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!! Happy Monday! Did ya miss me? I missed you all and I'm so very glad to have my exams in my rearview mirror. Do me a favor and say a prayer for my success.  Enough about me, here is today's quote:

“You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” -Ralph Marston

Today I challenge all of you to turn all of your frustration (from every angle of your life) and turn it into determination! Dont waste your energy allowing yourself to feel frustrated. Recognize your frustration and the source of it. No matter what is causing you to frustrated, remember you can gain control of your life by learning to control your emotions. Once you are able to recognize the source of your frustration it will become easier to eliminate it. Channel your frustration into something productive and make great things happen today!! You have to decide you want to remain positive in the face of adversity. I believe you can do it now all you have to do is believe in yourself!


Sidenote: Its my absolute favorite time of the year!!  I adore (almost) everything about the holiday season and I hope you take the opportunity to enjoy all the Christmas-like cheer. If you should happen to run into a Scrooge remember this: The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing very loud for all to hear!!

Today's Song Choice: Mariah Carey-All I want for Christmas

Love!!!!

Give Thanks...

Since the holidays is the time when most people wake up and realize their true blessings, I figured its a great time to share a few things that I am thankful for.

I'm thankful for:

Life
Family
Friends
Love
Happiness
Music
Knowledge (and my continuous quest to get more of it)
My Job
Wisdom
Open Minds
Sunshine


Now its your time to share. What are you thankful for??
While you're making your list, give a listen to "The Turkey Song"



Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Love!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!! Today's quote:

Like the elephant, we are unconscious of our own strength. When it comes to understanding the power we have to make a difference in our own lives, we might as well be asleep. If you want to make your dreams come true, wake up. Wake up to your own strength. Wake up to the role you play in your own destiny. Wake up to the power you have to choose what you think, do, and say. -Keith Ellis 

Wake up people!!  Awaken the beast inside of you and become unstoppable. When someone puts an obstacle in your way, figure out a way to conquer it. Dont let the obstacle force you to quit. Quitting is not an option! There is always a way to make something work, you just have to be willing to find it! Accept the cards you were dealt and play them as best you can. Stop using the past as an excuse. You cant change where you were born. You cant change who your family is. You can't change what your childhood was like. What you can do is focus on the things you can change. Focus on deciding the type of person you want to become. Focus on sculpting your career path. Focus on your future and use your past as motivation for a better life. Focus on surrounding yourself with people who can help you become better. When things (job, relationship, school) don't work out  in your favor, it is because you do NOT need those things in your life anymore. Dont spend your time dwelling on failure. Bad relationships, negative people and jobs that dont challenge you are all DEAD weight; BURY them! Do not mourn when you lose those things, use them as a challenge to wake up and recognize what you still have. Dont fall victim to complacency. Dont be afraid of change. Dont be afraid to eliminate the things that are holding you back. Wake up and give yourself the opportunity to do something great today!

When life hands you lemons, ask for sugar and water and make a delicious lemonade!!

Today's Song choice: KeKe Palmer-The One You Call

Love!!

P.S. Remember to go through your social networking accounts and remove everything that doesnt pass the "Grandmother test." Whats the grandmother test? Its a standard for social networking that requires you to remove anything from your profile that you would be too embarrassed to show your grandmother.

GREAT morning beautiful people!! Happy "Almost Friday" to those of you who work a standard workweek and a Happy Thursday to everyone else!

"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” -Albert Einstein 

Have you ever noticed there are moments when you are so happy all you can do is smile? I sure hope so. Do you remember what you were doing? Was it shopping? Was it spending time with your family? Was it snuggled up with your significant other? 

Its no secret that we have a tendency to tie our happiness to people and things, but today I challenge you to break those ties. While I am not recommending that we rid ourselves of the things that make us happy, I am challenging you to transfer your happy energy from people and things to goals and accomplishments. 

Is your happiness tied to the weather? Are you as happy in the rain as you are when the sun is shining? 

Is your happiness tied to material things? Are you as happy when you're at home watching television as you are when you're out shopping? 

Is your happiness tied to a person? Are you as happy doing things alone as you are when you are with your S/O? 

Is your happiness tied to food? Are you as happy when you're eating (even though you're not hungry) as you are when you decide you're satisfied with the food you've already eaten?

YOU are the one who must decide to tie your happiness to your goals & accomplishments. Focus on yourself and what makes YOU who you are. Things perish and people let you down. Master the ability to deal with your own problems and discover what life is like when you have decided you want to be happy!! 

  

Remember you have to believe in yourself before you expect others to do the same! 

Today's Song Choice: Fred Hammond-No Weapon

Love!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!! Happy Hump Day!

Its a double duty day of quotes today:

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

This morning's message is all about giving thanks. Today I woke up and it was one of those mornings where I realized how blessed I really am. I dont think you get it. I lit'rally woke up this morning and said "Man I am blessed." Although I publish inspiration for you all, sometimes I lose sight of my own strength and inspiration. I have my own struggles and insecurities but I chose not to allow them to get the best of me. This is because I believe for every ONE thing I could choose to complain about, there are 100 other things I could give thanks for. For example, I could complain about having a headache OR I could give thanks for awareness, for sanity, for having the funds to purchase meds and for having a warm place to sleep it off.  I have come a long way on my journey to adulthood and I am still learning and deciding the type of person I want to become. I am not the wealthiest woman in the world but I am not poor either. I am thankful for where I am and I appreciate everyone and everything in my life right now. I encourage you to do the same. Maybe you dont understand what it means to be thankful for the little things but I hope you do. With that said, I hereby declare today a day to give thanks. Don't wait until Thanksgiving (or any other holiday) to recognize what you are thankful for, you can do it right now! Fight for what you believe in, give yourself to the people you love and remain humbled and thankful for all that you have. At the same time, recognize that you can work to create or obtain the things you lack.

Since this song was in my heart this morning, its my song choice. Check it>> Total Praise.

Love!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful ladies and gents! Happy Tuesday!

"It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction." Warren Buffett 

Always surround yourself with positive people who will keep you in line but its time to add another characteristic to that list: someone who is better than you. Are you the smartest person you know? Are you the wealthiest person you know?  If your answer to either of those questions is yes, its time for you to get out and meet some new people.  Today's challenge is to find people who are better than you. Do not get this challenge confused by allowing people who make you feel insecure and "less than." Do not ever allow anyone to make you feel that way and if its clear they do so on purpose, grab the scissor and cut all ties. No one is better simply because of who they are; they are better because of what they have accomplished and because of their potential to accomplish more. Find people whose behavior is what you aspire to be and allow their attitudes to rub off on you. This person could be a mentor who just passed the NY bar (Congrats XW) or they could be a friend who is a better writer or a better dancer than you are. Connect with people who are better at the things you seek to improve about yourself.

Today's Song Choice: Greatest Love of All-Whitney Houston 

SN: If you missed the Eagles v. Redskins game last night you missed an EPIC win!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!! TGIF!

A truly strong person does not need the approval of others any more than a lion needs the approval of sheep. -Vernon Howard 

I challenge you all to cease searching for the approval of others. Seek first to accept everything about yourself and to love yourself unconditionally. Do not worry about whether your friends will approve of your decisions or whether your family will be disappointed. While I admit there is a special kind of satisfaction that comes with hearing "job well done" I encourage all of you to motivate yourself. You know when you did a good job and you know when you fell below the standard of excellence. Make all of your decisions going forward based on what really makes you happy. Work where you want to work. Date who you want to date. Live where you want to live. Drive what you want to drive. Eat what you want to eat. Teach people how to treat you. Set your own standards and do not allow the opinions of others change them. As long as you allow your decisions to be influenced by what you believe others will think, you will be married to the opinions of others. Its time to divorce yourself of those opinions and live your life for yourself! Although your decisions may impact someone else's life, you are the only one who has to live with all of the consequences of your decisions. Make your own mistakes. Make your own goals. Create your own stamp of approval and stamp your own life.


Its time to do your happy dance. Today's song choice: Kid Rock-Born Free

Love!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

In honor of Veterans Day, today's inspiration is dedicated to all Veteran's, near and far. Below are a few quotes to live by:

Courage is fear holding on a minute longer. -George S. Patton

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. -Unknown

Freedom is never free. -Author Unknown

In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. -Mark Twain


Where there are too many policemen, there is no liberty. Where there are too many soldiers, there is no peace. Where there are too many lawyers, there is no justice.” -Lyn Yutang


This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. -Elmer Davis

To every veteran near and far, I'd like to take the time to say THANK YOU! I encourage all of you to thank a Veteran today for the freedom you enjoy. They sacrifice their time and risk their lives through the bold decision they make to become a serviceman or servicewoman. I'd also like to thank the families and others who support our veterans because you all deserve recognition as well.

Do something today that embodies the theme of Veteran's Day:  "Honoring all who served." 

Before you carry on with your day, take a moment of silence for all of those veterans who lost their lives serving our great nation! Before you say anything, YES I understand that is what Memorial Day is for.

Check out Obama honoring Veterans during his visit to South Korea.


Sidenote: I recently sent a care package to a very special soldier overseas. It was easy and more simple than I imagined. If you have a few moments a month, I encourage you to adopt a soldier and send him/her their favorite knick-knacks and you can do so for under $20!!! For many of them, it is not about what is inside the package as much as it is about the care and thought that went in to sending it.

Love!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!!

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today I challenge you to decide what type of person you want to be. Sometimes we get so caught up in becoming the person our parents, employers, friends, family and spouse want us to become that we forget who we really want to be. You get to choose who you want to become. You decide if you want to become a person who wakes up early or a person who sleeps in late. You get to decide if you want to be a trend setter or one who conforms to trends set by others. You decide what your dreams are and what success looks like for you. You decide your own definition of beautiful.

Do you want to be the type of person who is known for remembering birthdays or forgetting birthdays? Do you want to be known as dependable?
Do you want to be a fan of a certain NFL team?
Do you like playing a certain sport?
What are you waiting for? Get up and make it happen! Its your world and you deserve to conquer it!!

Remember in order to open your heart to receive the love of others you must  first let go of the pain in your past.

Today's song choice: Toni Braxton-Breathe Again 

Love!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue.  Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them.  And the point is, to live everything.  Live the questions now.  Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it, and live along some distant day into the answer."  -Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

Instead of taking up time sharing how this quote impacts me, I want to hear from my readers today. What does this quote mean to you? How do you plan on beating the Monday blues?

Today's song choice: "Four Women" performed by Kelly Price, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott & Ledisi during last evening's Black Girl's Rock show which aired last night on BET.


Love!!

A special announcement...

ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOO!!

Join my friends in singing Happy Birthday to ME!




Regular posting will resume on Monday, I'm taking the day OFF and then preparing for the MPRE on Saturday! Wish me luck :)

Love!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT afternoon beautiful people!!! Happy Tuesday!

Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.  ~Stephen Vincent Benét

The above quote speaks volumes. This day will NEVER come again and you do not get to rewind the days to correct your mistakes. Taking advantage of every day starts with taking advantage of every minute and then taking advantage of every hour. After you spend a few minutes reading this, get off you butts and make great things happen!


Sidenote: Tomorrow is my birthday!!! Do a pre-birthday happy dance with me to this song.

No Excuses!!

Love!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!! TGIF!

“Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover” -Unknown

With the approach of the holidays, there will be plenty of commercials, magazine ads and people telling you about all the wonderful things you should celebrate. I always found it amazing how that works considering that I believe LIFE is something to celebrate. My challenge to you is not to wait until you're given a reason to celebrate but to create your own reasons. If you're struggling with the concept, start with the basics and progress to the more advanced. Celebrate the fact that you have the eyesight and sane mind to read this post. If dark clouds appear overhead, continue to celebrate in the shadows because the dark clouds wont last. If you celebrate during times of adversity, you will shine even brighter when the sun shines again. Celebrate!

Today's Song Choice: Gloria Gaynor-I will Survive

Love!!!!

Sidenote: Can someone explain to me when we started skipping Thanksgiving and going straight to Christmas in terms of holiday preparation??

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!! Happy "almost Friday!!!!"

In the spirit of thinking outside of the box, I give you "The Dont Quit Poem." Check the video below




There is ALWAYS a reason to keep pushing. Whether you decide to keep working towards the same goal you set when you were in 6th grade or whether you find yourself changing directions midway through there is no reason to completely throw in the towel. Giving up on yourself and on your vision of success is unacceptable. Internalize that belief. Regardless of what obstacles present themselves do not allow them to break your spirit. By all means you should gauge the wind and adjust your sails but do not pull over and give up on the course completely. Do not become discouraged if everything does not work out in your favor right away. Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare? The slow and steady tortoise eventually beat the hare when it counted most. You may be like the speedy and agile hare or the slow and steady tortoise but you must finish the race strong. Continue to work towards what YOU have set as your standard of success and do not be afraid to chart your own course.  Continue to remain thankful and humble for all of your blessings.

No excuses!!

Today's song choice: Brian McKnight-One last cry (Its been stuck in my head all morning)

P.S. A special shout out to AMH for his assistance in writing this post. It is officially a two-way street :)

Love!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people! Happy Hump day!  “Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and feature” -Viktor Frankl Today I challenge you to make all of your decisions with love in your heart. Submit yourself to random acts of kindness for strangers. Interact with others from a standpoint of love and understanding. Do not allow anyone to negatively affect your mood. Love yourself and then treat others with the same kind of love. Regardless of how others treat you, continue to be kind, nonviolent and loving. When you show others love, you are more likely to get love and positivity in return.  Instead of a song choice for today I chose a movie scene. It may be interpreted as completely contrary to today's message but it is no less motivational.   "This is where we hold them, this is where we FIGHT!"  The story of Leonidas and his 300 Spartans inspires me to continue to believe in the power of change when one is determined to facilitate it. Do not underestimate what one person or 300 people can do when they truly believe in themselves and their cause. My absolute favorite line is: "Give them nothing, take from them EVERYTHING!"  This. Is. Sparta!!! Salute!

P.S. Unconditional self-love is the best love. As Ru-Paul would say "If you can't love yourself how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"

Love!!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people! Happy happy Tuesday!

“There are nine requisites for contented living: HEALTH enough to make work a pleasure; WEALTH enough to support your needs; STRENGTH enough to battle with difficulties and forsake them; GRACE enough to confess your sins and overcome them; PATIENCE enough to toil until some good is accomplished; CHARITY enough to see some good in your neighbor; LOVE enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others; FAITH enough to make real the things of God; HOPE enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have said this before and I will say it again: Life is too short to spend it feeling anything but pure joy. I know its sounds cliche but we all need to be reminded of this every once in a while. In my case, I can get so wrapped up in work and school that I fall into a rut where I'm always tired and I start to complain. Fortunately, this is when my friends swoop in and force me out of my rut. I am so blessed to have friends who are there to constantly remind me of the importance of enjoying life. From spontaneous dinners to exotic restaurants to amazing parties and study sessions, I am blessed to have such wonderful friends and a great family too. My hope is that you all will take heed to this advice and truly live every day to the fullest. You do not have to take your dreams to the grave with you, you can live your dreams! Make a list of all the things you have always wanted to do and do them! Wanna go to China? Grab your passport and book a flight! Wanna learn to play hockey? Find a class and sign up! There is nothing you can't do when you put your mind to it. Worried about your financial situation? The holidays are coming up so  you can pick up a few hours on the weekend for a few weeks in order to make your dreams a reality! Affix your eyes on your prize and do not let anything deter you!

If you are not smiling dozens of times every day then it is time for you to stop and REFLECT. What is it that is draining you? Is it your friends? Is it your spouse? Is it your job? Do you feel trapped by something? Be honest with yourself and figure out why you are not fulfilled. Face your fears! Find your place of solace and go there whenever you need a mental break. When work starts to stress you out too much, request a mental day and spend it doing something you would never have done otherwise. Take your shoes off and go to the beach. Take a mental day from school and close all of your books while you do something relaxing like going to a spa.

Take full control of your own direction and steer clear of negative parasites!! Do not allow people who are constantly telling you what you can't do to remain a part of your life. Surround yourself with positive people you trust to tell you the truth but who will also encourage you to follow your dreams. Your life is a journey and you must be the captain of your vessel!

No Excuses!!

Love!!!

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!! Its time to beat the Monday Blues and get our week started on a positive and productive note.

"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." -Frank Herbert 

I challenge you all to tap into your inner selves and allow your talents and gifts to shine through. Do not allow them to remain dormant inside of you any longer. You were blessed with your gifts for a reason and you will never discover that reason if you allow them to remain hidden. Your spirit and the rest of the world deserves to benefit from the gifts you were blessed with. Make the world better than it was 


Start your week off (or continue your week) with a positive "go get em" attitude. You will achieve great things this week! All you have to do is believe in your own abilities and trust your instincts! 


Today's song choice: Kanye West-Stronger 
No excuses! 


Love!!!!!! 

Out the door...inspirational quote to start your day

GREAT morning beautiful people!! Happy Friday! 

“You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.” -Harvey S. Firestone

I challenge you all to give a little bit more of yourself today. I know its Friday but I'm determined to help everyone break the cycle of the "Friday Rush." Whats the "Friday Rush" you ask? The Friday Rush is a trifecta: The RUSH to get to Friday, the RUSH to get through Friday and the RUSH to get out of the door on Friday. I want all of you to offer your goals and tasks the same level of dedication regardless of the day of the week. Do not give in to the pressure to cherish Fridays more than you cherish any other day and do not allow yourself to dread Mondays. Go the extra mile today and every other day and you will reap the rewards.  The more others see you give of yourself the more likely you will be to motivate them. When people you associate with see you elevating yourself they will want to become better versions of themselves. Continue to carry yourself with pride, integrity and respect. 


P.S. Find a community service project and give back to your community this weekend! 

Today's song choice: Michael Jackson-Blood on the Dancefloor  No Excuses!  Love!!!! !

Sharing is Caring: 10 ways to INSTANTLY build self confidence

Use these 10 strategies you can get the mental edge you need to reach your potential:

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important. 


3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude

When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people
When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row
 In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physcial appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Source: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-ways-to-instantly-build-self-confidence/


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