GREAT morning beautiful ladies and handsome gents! Happy Monday! If your Monday started anything like mine, you need a DOUBLE dose of inspiration and I am happy to give it to you.
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. -Albert Einstein
I am only one, But still I am one. I cannot do everything, But still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
- Edward Everett Hale
Allow me to take your mind off of your work for a few moments. A few years ago, ABC did a special called "What would you do-racism in America" which used actors, props and hidden cameras to test how people would act in certain situations. The premise of the show focused on racism in America and served as evidence that America is still far from colorblind. You can watch a clip here, here and here. Viewers are encouraged to answer the question "What would you do?" Would you turn a blind eye or a deaf ear if someone else is in trouble? Would you be selfless and stop something bad from happening?
Although I understood the premise, I interpreted many of the clips as examples of how so many people will stand idly by to watch others do wrong. While I am not condoning putting yourself in harm's way, I am challenging you to consider what you would do if placed in one of the situations similar to what ABC created for its series. This question does not only pertain to those types of situations, it also translates to natural disasters and community volunteer efforts. When there are calls for volunteers in your community do you answer? When there are food drives in your area do you participate? Do you participate in community service activities? How are you making a difference in your community?
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It is the duty of youth to bring its fresh powers to bear on Social progress. Each generation of young people should be to the world like a vast reserve force to a tired army. They should lift the world forward. That is what they are for. -Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Do you realize as Young Professionals we are the future of business, technology and everything else involving our world? We will be running the country within the next 5-10 years. Isn't that the most amazing thing?! It is if you ask me. Not amazing enough? Well do you also realize that we will be CEOs, CFOs, company execs, millionaires and housewives (if you aren't already one) and subsequently can call ourselves someone's boss (if you aren't already one)?! We will be the people finishing the space stations and protecting the lives of our neighbors. We have an obligation to the next generation to raise the bar by giving them better opportunities than we had. Do you ever sit and think about these things? I do it all the time. I encourage you all to set aside silent time weekly (yes that means every week) and let your mind wander. If nothing else, it will give you time to see how AMAZING you are! Where does your mind take you? Allow yourself to dream BIG. Find some time to just be alone with your thoughts and get to know yourself. If we are going to be the future, we have to know who we are. Its ok to surprise yourself with your greatness but it is not ok to be uncomfortable with exploring your greatness. You cannot be a leader of tomorrow if you don't know how your own mind ticks, yes? This means you will have to figure out how you learn and how your brain works. Are you a visual learner or hands-on? Do you learn from experience or is hearing the information sufficient?! Knowing these things is crucial to honing your leadership abilities. Knowing this about yourself is crucial to your ability to learn new things. As a leader, you must always be open to learning and building your knowledge.
It is our duty to bring progress and change to the world. Our parents and CEOs have created a world of opportunity and it is our responsibility to take advantage of it.
"Today is just a good day in disguise" -Paul Venghaus
Its freezing.
Its cloudy.
Its raining.
Traffic is extra terrible.
Work is tough.
My co-worker is getting on my nerves.
Friends are unavailable.
There isn't enough time in the day.
All of these are things we could complain about, but I challenge you not to. I encourage all of you to start looking at your days as opportunities to make great memories. Instead of complaining about the rain, marvel at the beauty of the rain drops splattering on your newly waxed car. Instead of complaining about traffic, plug in your iPod and listen to your favorite songs. Instead of complaining about well you get the point. Despite how your day may have started out, you still have a chance to make it a good one. I want you all to be able to climb into bed this evening and think "WOW! Today turned out to be a good day."
Life is beautiful.
Try repeating that phrase out loud when things get tough. I promise you it will help you keep things in perspective. It will allow you to recognize the ups and downs without losing sight of the beauty of it all. When your boss gives you a new project at 4pm on Friday, accept it and say "life is beautiful." You may not want the extra work, but you could be unemployed. Everyday you are alive is an opportunity to enjoy all of life's beauties.
GREAT morning everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your 3 day weekend (I know I did!) but now we must refocus, get re-energize and start our work weeks off on a positive note!
“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves” -Unknown
Allow me to share a quick anecdote: This past weekend my girls and I spent a great amount of time together. When it came time for us to switch locations it worked out in such a way that everyone was in a different car. We are all leaders in our own way but only one of us could lead the way to our next destination. While following my girlfriends (and singing loudly to Songs in A Minor), it donned on me that in order to be a great leader you must be humble enough to admit an area of weakness. Following travel directions is not my strength; the TomTom ONE is my Ace in the hole. Also not my strength are things involving arts & crafts and math problems involving trigonometry or differential equations. The point is I am not too headstrong to admit this to all of you. I challenge you all to become comfortable in figuring out your weaknesses. Doing so will allow you to have a better understanding of how to approach situations in which you are not the expert. YES I said arts & crafts are a weak spot for me but you can bet your bottom dollar that if the situation requires arts & crafts I'll get my hands covered in gobbly gook and do my best. It sounds like a contradiction but I know you have all heard of "fake it til you make it."
Acknowledging that you are weak in some areas does not mean you cannot turn them into a strength, but you must first acknowledge it. Further, you must also be comfortable enough to follow another when you realize you have stepped way out of your comfort zone. This does not make you any less of a leader. In fact, following another person who has strengths opposite yours makes you stronger. How? Following another requires opening up your mind and relinquishing total control of the situation.
As leaders, especially young strong-willed leaders with Google at our fingertips, it can be difficult for us to do this because we prefer to do things on our own. If you want something done right you should always do it yourself right? Well thats not quite true. No man or woman is an island and you should never try to be. We cannot do it all on our own. Everyone needs help. Recognize that you will always maintain control over yourself but there will be situations where you will have to delegate and take direction. Granted, doing so requires a great deal of trust but I know you all can do it! I'm not saying relinquish control over your life but if your boss assigns you and a group of your colleagues a project that is outside of your forte, take a step back and asses the knowledge of your peers before jumping in the pool head first knowing you can't swim. You will have to learn to trust others and their instincts when you are outside of your area of expertise. You will also have to trust that they have your best interests in mind.
As leaders we must not only learn how to give direction, we must also learn how to take it. Strike a balance between the two and you will grow with each new experience.
GREAT morning everyone! Happy "Almost Friday!" I hope your week has been productive and fun so far!
Thoughts can be used one of two ways, like a Band-Aid or like a rubber band. Choose to stretch. - Rhonda LaShae
You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. - James Allen
Today's focus is on conscientiousness. You may recall me saying this before and its worth repeating: YOU control your thoughts. I encounter so many people who have lost control. They are allowing their life to spiral out of control. They have forgotten that they control their mind state. Their relationships are in the dumps and so are their attitudes and finances. Stop allowing your situation to control how you think. When you find yourself getting discouraged, stop and find something to be thankful for. You may be unemployed but you have a strong support system. You may be broke but at least you have friends and family who have stepped in to lend a hand and a few bucks. You may be lonely but at least you have Twitter followers who check in on you *giggles*. Your internet may be intermittent but at least it worked long enough to submit the assignment you waited until the last minute to finish. You get my point.
Learning to control how you think about your life is not only a good thing it is imperative for your sanity. Wake up and realize YOU are the master of your life. Don't be afraid to boldly go where you know you should be going anyway! Stop fighting your spirit and allow it to take you to the pinnacle of your potential! You are stronger than you think you are. You are smarter than you think you are. You are more capable than you think you are. You are everything you need to be. You are the captain of your own ship. Where will you sail?
A random sidenote: A guy approached me in the grocery store yesterday and he immediately opened up to me about his troubles. Picture it: I'm standing in line with my Crunchberries (DJM) and Quaker oatmeal thinking of what I would make for breakfast today and a random man makes eye contact with me. I was thinking he would come try to get my number but he managed to strike up a convo with me about my cereal. We laughed and then it got REAL. Granted, I just wanted to buy my cereal but after I recognized he really needed to get the things he was telling me off of his chest I listened more intently. I noticed he assumed a lot about my past in the way he told his story and I didn't know how to immediately respond. My instinct (and my weakness) is to always try to control the conversation, especially with random strangers. When I looked around and realized I was in a public place with ample security, a little voice told me not to try to control the conversation but to simply listen. We stepped away from the checkout counter and I allowed him to tell me his story. He spoke about his struggles at home and how he felt he couldn't go to his wife or daughter with his issues because he feared how they would judge him. I responded with words of encouragement and challenged him to go to his wife and daughters with his feelings because they could help them all to grow closer. Not only did I learn something about his life, I learned something about myself. I used to be quick to dismiss people like the man in the grocery store and I have learned to stop and listen. A quick run to a grocery store 6 minutes away from my residence turned into a 40 minute trip and I wouldn't change it. The point of me sharing this is to encourage you all to listen when random people come and talk to you. There is a message behind every interaction we have. There is a reason people are drawn to you. You may not think you want to hear what they have to say but they could very well offer you direction in your own struggles. You may learn how to handle things through their mistakes. They may be on the verge of a break and they see you as someone who may be able to offer advice. Just my thoughts...
"Worry never accomplishes anything. When you have a problem, it is best to concentrate on the solution to that problem, not the problem itself." -Thomas D. Willhite
Despite knowing what I know about assumptions, I am going to assume every one of you has experienced what it is like to worry. I understand some of you may deny this and that means this message is not for you. As Young Professionals I am going to assume you have worried. We have so much to worry about: getting good grades, getting into a good school, keeping scholarships, paying tuition, getting the books you ordered online on time for school, adjusting to living in the "real" world, finding a job after graduation, making a good impression at a new job and the list goes on and on.
Today's challenge is for all of you to learn to focus on the solution to the things causing you to worry. Make a list of the things you worry about and figure out how to alleviate the worry. Putting them down on paper will help you form an accurate picture of what your priorities should be. Prioritize each worry and attack each one with specificity and seriousness of purpose. If it is something that keeps you up at night or causes you to lose focus, you should put it at the top of your list. Focus on what you can control and what you have the power to change. You can't change the fact that you will have responsibilities, but you can change how you approach them. If you are worried about your student loan debt, contact your lender and ask for a payment plan that works for you. If you are worried about not getting challenging tasks at work, set up a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your expectations. If you are worried about getting a job, set aside time every day during which you send off job applications. There is a solution to everything, you have to be willing to acknowledge your problems and work through your true emotions in order to find it but its there. If your worry persists and you start to feel like you cannot get a handle on it on your own, seek professional help or the assistance of family and friends.
Bottom line: Don't walk around filled with and troubled by worry every day. You will get wrinkles and start to age beyond your years. Ok that was vain, judge me. You should be living in the moment and enjoying the opportunity to live another day, NOT consumed by worry.
GREAT morning everyone!! I hope everyone enjoyed their day of love and celebrations! As you sit and reminisce on the happenings of yesterday, get inspired with today's quote:
The Nat Turner rebellion in Virginia, 1831
"Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours.” -Cesar Chavez
In recent weeks, we have seen the effects of social change through the revolutions of the people in the Middle East. Many of us are too young to remember what it felt like to live through the Nat Turner Revolts, the Cuban Missile Crisis or the 1986 revolt against Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines or even the Chilean transition to democracy in 1990, and lets not forget the 1998 uprising in Indonesia that drove out President Suharto. The fact that we don't remember those revolutions does not mean we can't use them as examples of what happens when people become fed up and demand change. Your age does not determine your level of involvement or even the amount of power you have. There is and will always be strength in numbers with dollar signs in front of them. Beware of your surroundings and become involved in your community. Find out what the common and not-so-common issues are and attack them in large numbers. In elections, we are consistently ranked as the group with the lowest turnout and it is time to stop this now. We cannot continue to complain when education or when our issues are completely ignored when we have a 4% turnout in elections. The time is now to grow the momentum and get your peers excited about change.
As Young Professionals we are set to become the (and some of you already are) CEO's, CFO's, Presidents, Mayors, Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers and the overall leaders of tomorrow. Its our time to step up and revolutionize the way we conduct ourselves. Its our turn to take the reigns and take control of our world. What are we waiting for? Why are we still JUST complaining? What are you really doing right now? Do you have healthcare? If you don't have you called your local representatives to demand that they vote for it? Do you have student loans? Have you contacted your representatives to ensure they will vote to give more scholarships and grants to students? Pause. Lets start from the beginning. Do you have the contact information of your local and national representatives? Are you doing anything to elect people who truly represent our viewpoints and will speak up for us or are you following the crowd?
Do you see what I did there? I hope you did. Its not always about being inspired to do work, sometimes the people need to be inspired to get off of their hind parts and get involved. Oh yea I forgot, some of you came to read something inspirational: Everyday is like a snapshot taken. Make your slideshow worth watching.
GREAT morning everyone! Happy Valentines Day and Happy Monday! I hope your day is off to a LOVEly start, lit'rally. In honor of the special day of LOVE, I'm giving you all a double duty surprise complete with love quotes (feel free to write it in your S/O's vday card) and love songs for when the lights go dim.
“I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you.” -Unknown
“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.”
"Love is like an earthquake-unpredictable, a little scary, but when the hard part is over you realize how lucky you truly are."
“There are four questions of value in life... What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love.” -Don Juan DeMarco
Today's message is simple: Self-love comes FIRST.
Don't look for others to love you. LOVE yourself first.
Do not wait for another person to complete you. COMPLETE yourself first.
Don't wait around for others to accept you. ACCEPT yourself first.
Then and only then will you truly be ready to seek the love of another. I know everyone is probably caught up in the hoopla of Valentine's day but I urge you to stop and consider the real message behind this day. Valentine's day should be everyday for our loved ones. We should not have to wait until the calendar reads "February 14" before we decide our loved ones are worth special treatment. Do your best to show everyone you love and appreciate them not just today but everyday.
GREAT morning everyone! Thanks heavens its Friday!!!
All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself. ~Ralph Ellison, "Battle Royal"
I have toiled over hundreds of quotes. I have glanced over dozens of pictures looking for my inspiration and I think my lack of words is a sign that I need to take a break. It happens to the best of us so I'm not afraid to admit it. I'd be lying if I didn't admit this was a TAXING week both mentally and physically for me. From whirlwind days of research to juggling homework assignments, I am drained. I said that to say: I got nothing. I know its not good to admit considering I promised to bring you "daily" inspiration but today its. just. not. hap'nin. I still love you and I hope you will continue to love me back :-)
GREAT morning beautiful ladies and handsome gents! Its "Almost Friday!!"
If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you to go on in spite of all. And so today I still have a dream. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
One thing I have observed about Young Professionals is that we are a people of hope. We get through our worst days holding on to hope that it will get better. We are the generation of people who are entering the workforce at a time when the job market is the worse its been since The Great Depression. Job prospects are low, student loan debts are high and we remain steadfast. Somehow we find the muster and motivation to continue to work. Social scientists and journalists struggle to put us into categories that we don't belong to. We aren't baby boomers, we aren't generation X or "Millennials" as some have called us. We resist the powers that try to force us into ridiculous categories. While Young Professionals might not be as cute as the other names, I believe it defines our generation.
We are a resilient generation. We are a determined generation. We are a generation of geniuses with undeniable talent. We are a generation of innovators. We are a generation of dedicated workers with new perspectives on age old problems. We are the leaders of tomorrow. We take our destination and purpose seriously and we deserve respect. We are the generation that will demand success in spite of the odds stacked against us.
We may not be the generation that will work the same job for 40+ years but we are not a generation of quitters. I commend all of you for having a dream. I commend all of your for believing bad days dont last and dark clouds will pass. I commend all of your for continuing to push forward even when others dont believe in your dreams. When you feel like you don't have an ounce of hope to hold on to, take advantage of your trusted network. Don't be afraid to look to your friends and family for hope. Continue to take calculated steps and your hard work will pay off!!
In honor of the 4th anniversary of his announcement of his bid for the Presidency, today's song choice is Barack Obama-Yes we can. I love this song!
1868 - Republican conservatives drafted a new constitution which concentrated political power in the hands of the governor a limits the impact of the Black vote. This was made possible by Conservatives, aided by military forces, who seize the convention hall and establish control over the reconstruction process in Florida. 1907- Grace Towns Hamilton, an African-American civil rights advocate, feminist, and politician was born. She became the first African-American woman to serve in the Georgia legislature (1966-1984). Described as “the quiet warrior,” she fought hard for better health facilities, improved education, help for the indigent, and rights for the disenfranchised. She brought the power to minority voters in the state of Georgia. 1909- “Chick” Webb , an African-American drummer and bandleader, was born. His dynamic drumming and easily recognized compositions arranged by Edgar Sampson earned him and his band an enthusiastic following. Stompin’ at the Savoy and Don’t Be That Way 1934 were signature selection of the times. Ella Fitzgerald, who would become the bands leading attraction, sang Webb’s hit recordings A-Tisket A-Tasket, 1938 and Undecided, 1939. Chick Webb died on June 16, 1939, at the age of 30 from complications following an operation. 1927 - Mary Leontyne Violet Price, one of the world's greatest operatic talents, was born in Laurel, Mississippi. She amassed many operatic firsts, being the first African American to sing opera on network television and the first African American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Among other honors, she received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, three Emmys, and Kennedy Center Honors. 1937 - Roberta Flack, legendary American singer, was born in Black Mountain (Asheville), North Carolina. She began her professional singing career in Washington, DC. She won Grammys for "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "Where Is the Love," and "Killing Me Softly with His Song." 1942 - Mary Lovelace O'Neal is born in Jackson, Mississippi. Educated at Howard and Columbia universities, she became a professor of fine arts and head of the Art Department at University of California at Berkeley. Academia allowed her the freedom to become a painter and she exhibited her work in museums in the United States, Morocco, and Chile. 1943 - Eta Phi Beta, the national business and professional sorority, is incorporated in Detroit, Michigan. It has chapters throughout the United States and number among its members civil rights activist Daisy Bates and artist Margaret T. Burroughs. 1945 - The United States, Russia, Great Britain, and France approve a peace treaty with Italy, under which Italy renounces all rights and claims to Ethiopia and Eritrea. 1945 - The Chicago Defender reports that over a quarter of a million African Americans migrated to California during the years 1942 and 1943. As the percentage of African Americans in California increases from 1 1/2% to more than 10% of the total population, so does the practice of racial segregation. 1971 - Bill White becomes the first African American major league baseball announcer when he begins announcing for the New York Yankees. 1989 - Ronald H. Brown, who had served as Jesse Jackson's campaign manager, became chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the first African American to hold the position in either party. 1990 - South African President, Frederik Willem de Klerk announces that Nelson Mandela will be set free on February 11th after 27 years in prison. 1992 - Alex Haley, author of "Roots," and "Autobiography of Malcolm X," passed away while on a lecture tour in Seattle, Washington at the age of 70. 1992 - Mike Tyson is convicted in Indianapolis, Indiana of raping a contestant in the Miss Black America competition and sentenced to six years in an Indiana prison. 1998 - Dr. David Satcher is confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become Surgeon General. 2007-Obama announces bid for presidency in Springfield Illinois.
Sidenote: Happy 21st birthday to my younger brother MLD. Love you!
Sometimes you need to be jolted back to reality with two words: DO better! Sometimes all you need to hear are four words: "You can do it" or "I believe in you" or "Get the job done!" Sometimes we don't need a pat on the back to know we did a great job. Silence accompanied by a nod and a smile is all you need. I recognize that we don't always need a 3 page essay to tell us what we need to hear which is simply this:
Have a vision. Be demanding. -- Colin Powell
Grab a mental pen or pencil (because sometimes we make mistakes) and draw your vision of success. One of my friends is a journalist who is launching his own magazine very soon. Like many of you he heard about the recent sell of the Huffington Post for $315 millie and commented that they "set the standard." In short I told him what I think you should all hear: Set your own standard, build your own brand and demand success. Be confident in what you have and dont sell yourself short because of naysayers. Hold on to your dream and DEMAND that it becomes your reality. Get out of your own way and eliminate self doubt. Live your life according to what you believe success looks like for you. If you measure success with dollar signs and Huffington Post sold for $315 millie then build up your empire and sell it for $316 millie! Got it? Good!
1865 - The first African American major in the United States Army is a physician, Dr. Martin Robinson Delany.
1871-Justina Ford ,an African-American physician and humanitarian was born. As a doctor breaking down barriers for Blacks and women, Ford also worked as a humanitarian: her expertise in gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics was often provided to low-income and indigent people of all races. She delivered over 7000 babies during her distinguished practice of more than 50 years.
1894 - Congress repeals the Enforcement Act, which makes it easier for some states to disenfranchise African American voters.
1898- The “Grandfather Clause” was enacted for voting purposes.It was a legal and constitutional mechanism passed by seven Southern states during reconstruction to deny suffrage to black Americans. It meant that those who had enjoyed the right to vote prior to 1867, or their lineal descendants, would be exempt from educational, property, or tax requirements for voting. As a result, even if they met all the requirements, they were not allowed to vote.
Because the former slaves were not granted that right until the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870, these clauses worked effectively to exclude Blacks from voting and assured the vote of many impoverished and illiterate whites. In 1915 the Supreme Court declared the grandfather clause unconstitutional because it violated equal voting rights guaranteed by the Fifteenth Amendment.
1924-Joe Black,an African-American baseball player in the Negro Leagues and author is born. He became the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game
1925 - Marcus Garvey is sent to federal prison in Atlanta, Georgia for mail fraud in connection with the sale of stock in his Black Star Line. His prosecution was vigorously advocated by several prominent African American leaders, including Robert Sengstacke Abbott and others. Garvey was railroaded because of the power he had amassed over the African American population of America.
1925 - Students stage a strike at Fisk University to protest the policies of the white administration at the school.
1944 - Harry S. McAlpin of the "Daily World" in Atlanta, Georgia, is the first African American journalist accredited to attend White House press conferences.
1965 - Dr. Joseph B. Danquah, Ghanaian political leader, joins the ancestors. He had been the leader of the United Gold Coast Convention, a political body which had pressed the British for a gradual relinquishing of colonial rule.
1968 - Gary Coleman is born in Zion, Ohio. He will become a child actor portraying "Arnold" in the television series, "Different Strokes," which aired from 1978 to 1986. Go ahead and say it "What you talking bout Willis?" May he R.I.P.
1968 - Highway Patrol Officers kill three South Carolina State University students during a demonstration in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Students are protesting against a whites-only Orangeburg bowling alley.
1970 - Alonzo Mourning is born in Chesapeake, Virginia. He became a basketball star at Georgetown University and went on to play for the NBA Charlotte Hornets, New Jersey Nets and later the Miami Heat. He was praised for his courage for making a comeback after undergoing a kidney transplant and years later winning his first NBA Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006.
1984 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers scores 27 points while leading his team to a 111-109 victory over the Boston Celtics. Abdul-Jabbar passed Wilt Chamberlain's NBA career record of 12,682 field goals.
1986 - Oprah Winfrey becomes the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show.
1986 - 5' 7" Spud Webb, of the Atlanta Hawks, wins the NBA Slam Dunk Competition.
1990 - CBS News suspends resident humorist Andy Rooney for racial comments he supposedly made to a gay magazine; Rooney denies making the comments.
1995 - The U.N. Security Council approves sending 7,000 peacekeepers to Angola to cement an accord ending 19 years of civil war.
1995- This date observes National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID).
2000 - Edna Griffin, an Iowa civil-rights pioneer best known for integrating lunch counters, passes away at the age of 90. In 1948, Griffin led the fight against Katz Drug Store in downtown Des Moines, which refused to serve blacks at its lunch counter. Griffin staged sit-ins, picketed in front of the store and filed charges against the store's owner, Maurice Katz, who was fined. The Iowa Supreme Court then enforced the law which made it illegal to deny service based on race. She organized Iowans to attend the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 march on Washington, D.C., and helped start the former radio station KUCB. On May 15, 1999, Des Moines' mayor proclaimed "Edna Griffin Day." On February 5, 2000, Griffin was inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame.
Black History Fact: During the 1940s, psychologists Kenneth Bancroft Clark and his wife, Mamie Phipps Clark designed a test to study the psychological effects of segregation on black children. It has since been referred to as "the doll test."
Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. -Thomas Jefferson
There are two types of people: Those who have learned to control their mental attitude and those who haven't. Don't ya hate dichotomies? Aren't there always outliers? Are you always the outlier? Dont worry, I still love you. Back to the point of this post. When it comes to controlling your mental attitude, the only difference between those who can't and those who can is the decision to control it. You have to become proactive about controlling how things affect you. Why do you think people mourn differently? Why do you think people handle pressure differently? They have (although unconsciously) decided how they will deal with LIFE. You decide how LIFE affects you. Got a flat tire? You can either get frustrated and upset OR you can get proactive and exit the vehicle to change your tire. Got a broken heater in the dead of winter? You can either sit in your home upset 24/7 or you can grab a few blankets with some snacks and snuggle up. My point is this: sh*t happens things happen. Everything will not always be perfect for you. Everything is not perfect for everyone else either. Don't be fooled, some people deserve Academy Awards for the airs they put on. If you haven't learned to see thru them yet, just know you should be skeptical of anyone who pretends bad things have never happened to them. Everyone has lost a relative or a dog. Everyone is dealing with something but we all decide how outside forces will affect us.
It amazes me when people act like they can't control their mental processes. Aside from irregular brain functions and other medical issues, you control your mental attitude. Just as you decide when to put your right foot on the floor and get out of bed, you decide the state of your mental attitude. If you want to have a positive attitude, decide to have a more positive attitude. Proclaiming it will help you make it happen. On a side note, learn to deal with your personal problems in your personal time and deal with your professional problems during your work hours. Why? One thing I have learned is if your personal life is not in order, it will leak over to your professional life. There is only so long you can use work to run from your personal problems. There is only so long you can use your personal problems to run from work; eventually you will run out of sick days. Today's challenge is for all of you to see just how much you can control your mental attitude. I'm going to test myself today too. As a Florida girl to my core, I will be tested today with wind gusts of 45 mph and temperatures of 22-39 degrees. I hear you wondering why its relevant. Usually when its *this* cold I am in a bad mood and I spend my entire day cursing the day I decided to move away from my sunshine. I declare that today will be different. I have decided the only thing I will allow the forecast to dictate is what I wear today. No I haven't gotten dressed yet, dont judge me. The point is I am making the proactive decision to have a productive and positive day today despite my inhibitions about 45 mph wind gusts. Today is about us and our mental attitude. Its your choice: Get your mind RIGHT or get LEFT!
GREAT morning everyone! I hope you all did not party too much on Superbowl Sunday because its time to get back to the grind! Hey I made a rhyme! Moving on...read below for today's quote:
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. -Harriet Tubman
I have said it once and I will say it once again, at this EXACT moment you have everything within you to transform the world around you. YOU have all the power, strength and passion you need to make your dreams a reality. There are things you will need to learn, but aside from those things your characteristics are a gift. Gifts are meant to be opened and used to their highest capacity. Do not sell yourself short by hiding your gifts from the world!! How many of you still have holiday gifts you haven't opened? How many years do you allow holiday gifts to sit and fester? If you do not allow material gifts to sit and rot, why are you doing the same thing to your innate gifts? Why do you think you were born with a natural ability to do certain things?
You were meant to use your life experiences to "marry" your gifts to your surroundings. If you have a natural athletic ability and you work in an office that requires you to be at a desk, use your gifts to start a fitness challenge between your co-workers. If you have a natural ability to speak well in front of crowds and you work at a customer service call center, use your ability to organize team meetings and company pow-wows. I could go on and on with examples but I think you get the point. Your surroundings are not an excuse to not use your gifts. You may not be where you want to be in life right now but neither are the Steelers. Do you see what I did there? *giggles* My point is for you all to learn to incorporate your gifts into your life right now and take full advantage of them. Tap into your gifts!!!
The Randoms:
1. Shout out to Green Bay Packers the Superbowl Champs!!! Yea uh huh you know what it is! Special hugs for all of my "cheeseheads!" Green and Yellow, Green and Yellow, Green and Yellow! As a tribute to the Packers, today's song choice is a song Lil Wayne recently recorded, "Green N Yellow." Warning: NSFW version. Word to Vince Lombardi.
2. In 2007, Mike Tomlin became the first African-American head-coach for the Pittsburg Steelers and the 10th African-American head coach in NFL history.
