Daily Inspiration from HUSL Today

GREAT morning everyone! I apologize about the delay, I "overslept" and was swamped this morning when I arrived to work. Moving on...I know I need more than a little motivation after the restful 3 day weekend I enjoyed. I give you today's inspiration...

"All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today." -Pope Paul VI

I used to wake up some mornings and ask God why I wasnt born with a silver spoon in my mouth. By silver spoon I mean born into wealth. Why did I wish this? My family wasn't poor but we weren't rich either. Essentially, I wished I was born into a family that could afford for me to never have to work a day in my life. I was resisting growing up and I believed if I was born to a wealthy family I could remain a "kid" for longer than normal. Age aint nothin but a number, right?
I didnt want to go to work.
I didnt want to go to school.
I didnt want to face the responsibilities of becoming an adult.
So far the only answer that has ever consumed my spirit is that I wouldnt be the person I am today if I was born with a "silver spoon." I probably would not be as determined and driven as I am. I probably would not be as satisfied as I am. I probably would have missed out on wonderful opportunities and missed meeting wonderful people.  I believe my "ah ha" moment came after the third millionaire confessed that she envied my spirit and my ability to relate to almost everyone. She complained that her socioeconomic status made it difficult for her to relate to regular people and was blunt about her negative experiences with people in her "circle." Stick with me, theres a point. I have learned not to envy people who I believe have a better life than I have had based on exterior appearances. Expensive cars, houses and clothes can easily be used to cover up deeply rooted problems. Lesson learned: you never know what a person has done to get what they have. 

I am proud to proclaim that my struggles have molded me. As a woman I have learned to love my frame and as an African American I have learned to love my skin color. I say I "learned" because my love for myself has been a journey as is every quest to embrace self love. I internalized my kind of beauty and so should you.

I encourage all of you to accept the hand you were dealt and to play the best d*mned hand possible. Dont be lazy and complain, be proactive and proclaim victory! I could finish this off by telling you everything happens for a reason, and God doesnt make mistakes and its up to you to shape your future but I'm sure you all know that.

BTW its restaurant week in DC. Does that excite anyone else?!! *fat girl moment*

Today's song choice: Kanye West-Heard 'Em Say

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 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 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! 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! Thanks a mil for stopping by! Here is today's quote:

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." -Pope John XXIII

Today I challenge you to go out on a strong limb and dream bigger than you have ever dreamed before. Dream like you have never fallen off of your bike. Dream like you have never had a nightmare. Dream like reality has never slapped you in the face. What do you really see? Where do you see yourself when you allow your mind to wander endlessly? What do you think is holding you back? Recognize that the inevitable thing about taking risks is that you will experience failure in one form or another.

Do not allow the sinking feeling of failure to consume you! Take EVERY setback in stride and remain confident in knowing that all of your hard work will pay off. Continue to open up your mind to new opportunities and great things will present themselves to you.

No Excuses!!

Love!

GREAT morning beautiful people. Its time for your daily dose of inspiration! I'm pulling double duty today with 2 quotes:

"Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do." -Johann von Goethe


"Men who are resolved to find a way for themselves will always find opportunities enough; and if they do not find them, they will make them."
-Samuel Smiles



When I was younger and I got stumped on a problem my grandmother would encourage me to figure out what I already know. She would say "start with what you know and then you will see what you're missing." She justified this approach by saying "knowing what to do is half the battle." I did not begin to understand the other half of problem solving until I realized how important *doing* is. I then realized half of *doing* is the will to do something meaningful.

Acquiring knowledge but failing to apply it to something meaningful is like buying new gym gear but never working out. What is the point of owning a top of the line pair of running shoes if you never lace them up and actually run?
What is the point of knowing how to escape a fire if you dont respond how you know you should when a fire breaks out?
What is the point of knowing investment strategies and never investing?
What is the point of knowing how to take your career to the next level but failing to apply the strategies?
What is the point of knowing how to write a business plan if you never write one?

Make the conscious decision that your knowledge can work for you! Dont take it to the grave with you, put your genius to work and leave your mark on the world. Use your knowledge and experiences to pave your path to success!!

Love!!

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

GREAT morning everyone! Today's quote:

“The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.” -Norman Vincent Peale

Whenever you find yourself lacking motivation seek to discover a mission that is bigger than you. Invest you energy in your mission and you will notice your energy will increase significantly. You will be driven by your passion to impact a greater good.

You may choose to volunteer at a homeless shelter once a month, facilitate a clothing drive for battered women seeking to re-enter the workplace, or organize resume workshops for college students. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to follow through and remain dedicated to and consistent with the mission.

Back to school...

Today is the first day of my last year of school (if I decide against an LLM or an MBA)!!! I'm so excited, but that means I wont have time to blog today. I want to take a little breather to "take it all in" and enjoy the days moments away from a computer screen.

Since you're here, take a moment to read through some of our older posts while I enjoy the beginning stages of the fruits of my labor. 

I appreciate you all stopping by.

Love!

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

Good morning peeps! You know the drill...below is today's out the door quote:

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony."
-Thomas Merton 

Make your health and your sanity a priority in your life. I know it sounds cliche but its worth addressing the power of having a healthy mind. Find an outlet for your stress and your anger. Whether its a 3 mile run 3 times a week or a weekly mani/pedi combo or writing in a daily journal find out what works for you. Personally, I write poetry and listen to music to change my mood or to help prevent a burnout. Find your own solutions and stick with them. If you are not sure what they are, open yourself up to explore new things. I cant play guitar well but I've found even attempting to play has eased my mind when my usual methods didnt seem to do the trick. Here's another little secret: sometimes when I'm alone in elevators I dance! Schedule time to vent your passions if you feel you cant find the time. The key is not to think of it as finding "extra" time but to view it as using your time more wisely so that you can nurture your mental health. Your passions and your outlets should be something you can go to when you are frustrated or at your wit's end. Find them! Nurture them! Use them!

What do you all do to support your mental health and to prevent burnouts? Share your tips.

Love!

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

Good morning all!! Congrats you've conquered Monday and its my job to keep the streak going. Here is today's quote:

"Folks who never do any more than they get paid for, never get paid for any more than they do."

-Elbert Hubbard

Image source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2561/3864537021_de3fcb1a8d.jpg 

Have you ever met someone who does just enough to get by. Not sure? Here are a few signs:
If the professor says write 3 to 5 pages, they write 2 and 7/8ths, then make an argument that its closer to 3 than 2.  Ok I'm guilty *hangs head in shame*
They make $10/hour and their ends have never met.
They constantly have to be told what to do.
If given down time, they spend it doing absolutely nothing until an authority figure comes along and tells them otherwise.
They do their job just good enough to remain employed and nothing more.
They do all of these things and then have the gall to wonder why they are constantly passed over for promotion?!?

I hope its more clear now. There is no need to be ashamed. Well all know someone like this and some of us are that person. A lack of ambition is not just a condition it is a debilitating mindset that festers into a disease! The only way to fight it off is with hard work and setting goals regularly. Put in the extra work and go the extra mile more often than not. Set milestones for yourself that require you to continue to work hard to acheive. Do not settle on being "good enough" because good enough is no longer enough.

Do something great today!

Out the door...Inspirational Quote to Start Your Day

Good morning beautiful people! Here is today's quote:

“Everything in life is connected somehow. You may have to dig deep to find it but its there. Everything is the same even though its different. Somehow everything connects back with your life. The faces in certain places may be different, but the situation is the same. Irony is a hidden factor that creeps around us in life, letting its presence felt only after it has left. Picture back to a year ago and the situation you were in. Look at how things are different yet somehow everything it still in someway cognate. Everything connects together to form the balance of life, to maintain structure. Change is and always will be inevitable, but everything is relative, and all the moments and times in your life will come back around again, you just might find yourself on the other side of the coin. Things are always changing, as fast as everything stays the same.”

You all should know by now that I am always the first to encourage all of you to embrace change.  However, I also challenge you to find a constant to keep in your life. A constant is anything stable or consistent which complements your goals. It can be your family, a work schedule, a sleep schedule, a study schedule or an iPod playlist.  Your constant is what you can refer to when your life seems so chaotic you dont know where to turn. Your constant will be what you go to when you need "me" time. It will be what gets you through the tough times. It will serve as motivation. It will drive the wheels of your determination.


Sidenote: To all of my HUSL fam, friends and future colleagues preparing to take the bar today I send you blessings and success! Dont just pass it, OBLITERATE it!

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

Good morning! Did anyone else have a ridiculously long and busy Monday or was it just me? Thank baby Jesus its Tuesday! Here is today's quote: 

You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do.
— Eleanor Roosevelt

With each day comes new challenges. With each new challenge comes new possibilities. Don't turn your back on things because you fear the outcome. Instead, stand up tall and face your fears! If you never face your fears, you will spend a lifetime running from them. Running away will only allow your fears to overpower you. Stop running. Turn around. Say hello to your fears and tell them go to hell defeat them!  Stop trying to justify why you haven't given your work the effort it deserves and just do what you know you need to do. Its that simple. 

Love!

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

Good morning all! I hope your Monday kicked your week off to a great start. Its time to get Tuesday off to a great start. Here's today's quote: 

Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people’s criticisms, carry out your plan.

-Paul Meyer

Last evening I was watching a show called "The lotto changed my life"which profiled lotto winners and how winning the lottery made a huge impact on their lives. For most of them they went from barely nothing to tens of millions. One of the women profiled wrote her goals, one of which was winning the lottery, on a sheet of paper and placed it under her pillow-she has since accomplished all of them. I'm not condoning gambling as a way to accumulate your fortune but there is power in speaking everything into existence. It is also true that every reward requires a certain level of risk taking. While I wouldn't advise you to bet it all, I challenge you to consider what you are willing to bet to make your dreams come true? Are you willing to sacrifice a few nights of fancy dinner a week to save a few extra dollars in anticipation of your retirement? Are you willing to stop going to the mall for 6 months? Are you willing to sacrifice happy hours for a whole month? If it is really your dream and you are really serious about making it come true, no sacrifice will be too great for you.

Stay thirsty my friends...

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

Good morning everyone! Did you miss me on my day off yesterday? Its ok to admit it because I missed you too! Here is today's quote:

“It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity.

-Francis Bacon, Sr.

Think about the things you are surrounded by in your daily activities: people, objects, food, ideas, etc. How do they influence your life? Do they allow for negative feelings? Do they encourage you? Do they make you question your abilities? When you feel the need to complain is it always about the same thing? If you do not feel comfortable answering the questions below, I will not pressure you to answer. I will leave all of you to your own answers, but remember no situation can continue to influence your mindset without your permission. Here's to having a great day folks!

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

Good morning friends! Check out today's quote:

"What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists...and it becomes available only when you are in that state of mind in which you know exactly what you want...and are fully determined not to quit until you get it."

~ Alexander Graham Bell

Tuesday Trivia

According to the latest research, IQ accounts for what portion of career success??

a. 50-60 percent

b. 35-45 percent

c. 23-29 percent

d. 15-20 percent

Image source: http://www.iol.ie/~gbs/images/simpsons-trivia.gif
The answer after the jump.

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

Good Morning everyone!!!

“The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling, is diligence. Leave nothing for to-morrow which can be done to-day.”

-Abraham Lincoln

How can you go wrong with quoting Honest Abe? Abe Lincoln is alright in my book. He proclaimed he "could not tell a lie" AND he is on the penny (which comes in handy when you're paying sales tax). The circumstances under which he issued the emancipation proclamation are still mistaught today but I digress. Listen to Abe. It sounds cliche but do not put off things you know you should be doing today for tomorrow. The consequence of doing so is that your tasks will pile up and you may experience an overwhelming feeling when you can no longer put things off.

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

Good morning friends! Its time for my favorite part of the day! You can't see my face right now, but I get really excited everytime I post these and today is no exception.

“Some people are afraid of what they might find if they try to analyze themselves too much, but you have to crawl into your wounds to discover where your fears are. Once the bleeding starts, the cleansing can begin.”

-Tori Amos

Do not be afraid to dig deep inside yourselves and discover your fears. The first step is to admit your fears such that you can begin the process of conquering them. By ignoring your fears you allow them to control you. You are holding yourself back, STOP IT! If you become apprehensive about a new writing assignment, challenge yourself to become a better writer by accepting more writing assignments. If you have struggled with your weight or are afraid of exercising, take baby steps and figure out a regimen that works for you. Life is too short not to spend every moment happy. Taking the time to soul search and discover new things about yourself is a wonderful experience. What is a better feeling than conquering something you were previously afraid of?  Instead of ignoring your instinct to discover your fears, answer the call and conquer your fears! 

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

Good morning ladies and gents! Happy Tuesday!

"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs.  Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger.  If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves."
-Dale Carnegie

Instead of trying to climb a mountain today, start with avoiding pesky pebbles. Smart mountain climbers dont start with Mt. Everest. I challenge you to take on small tasks first and build your momentum in preparation for the larger tasks. Doing so will make the larger obstacles seem less intimidating. Let it marinate. 


Hit the ground running!


Feel free to chime in...