Booster or Burster?

Do you know that what you believe (or even don't believe) can boost or burst your dreams? Indeed it can -  which is why you need to know and be sure about what you believe and especially Who you believe in.

My 10...

7 months ago, I read a devotional that highlighted 6-word bios. In other words, the question (& challenge) was: "If you were to describe yourself in less than 10 words (even shorter than an elevator pitch) what will those words be?"

I couldn't come up with 6 words so here's mine in 10 words:

Here to thrive and support others not just to survive!

I like this picture because it encapsulates it so well for me.

I'd love to hear what your 6-10 words would be - feel free to post it via a comment on this blog, on Twitter or on Facebook...and beyond that, do your part to live up to it...

Don't give...

...hand-outs.

A lot of us are willing, and mostly able, to give to others. Ok, before I go too far let me restate that maybe it's just a few of us that are willing to give whether or not we're able to.

For those of us who are willing and able to, I'd like you to take a step back the next time you want to give and ask yourself: "Is this going to be a 'hand-out' or a 'hand-up'?"

Be Energized

Living a fruitful and fulfilling life takes work - more precisely, hard work. So you should enjoy what you do or look for something you enjoy and do it well - otherwise you'll be unhappy for a long time. Look within (and around) for something you are passionate about - pursuing it will propel you to success...

"You never achieve success unless you like what you are doing."

~ Dale Carnegie

"Without passion you don't have energy, without energy you have nothing."

~ Donald Trump

With exactly 60 days to go in this Leap year, I encourage you to be energized and aspire to leap with joy and accomplishment by the end of this year.

You can also start planning on how to continue leaping for joy and covering ground in the years to come.

Reach out...

...and help somebody up...

1 John 3:17-18 says: If we have all we need and see one of our own people in need, we must have pity on that person, or else we cannot say we love God. Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it. (CEV)

I like Kelly Hastings' term "PowHER". She said: "We must be comfortable with our PowHER to join with other women and exponentially grow each other's PowHER." It all starts with identifying a need and doing something about it. Indeed like Henry Ford said: "Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." When you have all you need...you have PowHER to, and should, help others.

This African proverb puts it so well: "The sky is wide enough for all the birds to fly together without touching each other's wings". Of a truth, we can all succeed without diminshing the next person's success - there is more than enough success to go round. Definitely a fringe benefit of serving a limitless God.

In Michelle Mckinney Hammond's words: The power of being a woman begins with you recognizing your power then using it wisely to empower everyone around you. At the 2012 Woman, thou art loosed Conference (www.wtal.org), Bishop TD Jakes said: "If you push anyone who is going up, you need to go up too..." Let's be wise - reach out and help others succeed...and you'll see yourself succeed too.

Diana Ross' 1970 song "Reach out and touch" came to mind as I was reviewing this piece before posting. Here are the lyrics I got from the internet - think about each line as you join me to sing and also...

Chorus:

Reach out and touch
Somebody's hand
Make this world a better place
If you can
Reach out and touch
Somebody's hand
Make this world a better place
If you can

(Just try)
Take a little time out of your busy day
To give encouragement
To someone who's lost the way
(Just try)
Or would I be talking to a stone
If I asked you
To share a problem that's not your own
We can change things if we start giving
Why don't you

Chorus

(Just try)

If you see an old friend on the street

And he's down

Remember his shoes could fit your feet

(Just try)

Try a little kindness you'll see

It's something that comes very naturally

We can change things if we start giving 

Wow!

I couldn't think of a better day to share this than on a Monday - the first day of the working week...and the first day of the last quarter of this leap year. I know that some of us may have already started assessing the passing year and thinking about what they should do (possibly differently) next year. Well, if you haven't, now is a good time to.

Life has so much in store for all of us and God has even more in store for us than we can imagine. He expects us to, as I'd say: Wow the world. Yes, God wants us to greatly impress and excite the world.

About 2 weeks ago, it hit me (in an easy-to-remember way) that the only and even the easiest way to "wow the world" is to be a Willing & Obedient Woman.

God has promised that:

"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land."*

If there is anything I've learned from experience is the sheer strength of a woman's will power. It is up to us. Be a WOW! God created u to be a wonder.**

References:

*Isaiah 1:19 - God's Word Translation

** Isaiah 8:18 - Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the Lord of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.

Keeping it simple

The best way to do and even remember things is by keeping it simple.

A few weeks ago, I got a dressing tip that I just can't keep to myself.

In fact it is as simple as ABC...

Always Be Comfortable

Taking that beyond the way we dress, I recommend that you should:

Always Be Considerate

Afterall, that is the only way an Empowered woman like you can empower others.

Next size please...

I'm publishing this piece today because I believe a lot of us will be getting ready to return to work (as (our) children return to school) - and we may be shopping for them and ourselves too...after all it's a Saturday.

Dress-essence

In April, one of my FB friends, MB, wrote:
"Corporate dressing purpose is divided into three aspects -

Coverage, Communication and Comfort.

In simple words, your clothing should look decent, should communicate a positive message and you should feel comfortable with your dressing."

I'm sure you know that this is just up my alley...so "walk with me"

Coverage: it goes without saying that what you show determines who you are...

Communication: the level of coverage or lack thereof sends messages about you.

Comfort: it's one thing to be comfortable in what you wear and equally important that what you wear is "comfortable" with where you are. We should be appropriately "dressed for the occassion."

Although your comportment is also important, your clothes should portray you in a good light and you should also portray your clothes in a good light. It is not about wearing costly or "current" (i.e. fashionable) clothes; what is important is wearing the correct clothes - that align with who you are. Allow me to say:

"Show me your clothes and I'll tell you who you are."

Networking works...

In the past couple of years, I've heard so much about the importance of networking. I can tell you that it's not a skill that is easily developed - it has been a lot of work for me and now I see the fruits of all that work. When I noticed that it was highlighted as one of the proven strategies for ambitious women, I couldn't resist sharing snippets with you. The focus of the event was: “Navigating, Negotiating, and Building Your Strategic Network.” I encourage you to check out the full article.* Italics and green font mine.

Networking and Relationships
The panelists** agreed that networking is important for women in the industry – but approaching it as building genuine relationships is the key. “Networking – that word sounds like a lot of work to me. I try to think about it as relationships,” Paula L. Rogers said. “It doesn’t have to be calculating.”

What is "everyday living"?

If you ask me to define "everyday living" I'd say it is "everday giving"

- these quotes put it a bit differently...with the same end point.

Sally Koch said:

Great opportunities to help others seldom come,

but small ones surround us every day.

 

I expect to pass through life but once. 

If therefore, there be any kindness I can show,

or any good thing I can do to any fellow being,

let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again. 

~William Penn

Everyday, each of us has several opportunities to empower and encourage others...
As we start the 2nd half of this leap year, live each day to the fullest...give gladly.

Balanced success

I like numbers...especially big ones with the "$" or other currency sign on it. Well, before I go off track, that's not what this post is about - although it may creep in from time to time. Let's get back to the point...

You may not have been counting...Today is the 183rd day of this 366-day year.

So we've come halfway in this year...what a good time to assess our level of success in all areas of life?

A few months ago, Joyce Meyer shared an interesting definition: "Balanced means to do enough of everything and never too much of anything." It got me thinking about my life. We all know the buzz term "work-life balance" and how hard we all work to get some balance in our lives (pun intended). I've come to the conclusion that it's all a choice - of what to do or not do.
3 John 2 expounds on the need for balance in all areas of life: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers. (Amplified) God not only desires that we prosper in every area of life, He actually delights in our prosperity (Ps 35:27)

Zig Ziglar said: I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can't truly be considered successful in your business if your home life is in shambles.

On health, Michelle Obama advises: "Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we're scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don't have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own 'to-do' list."

Maxwell Maltz said: "Man maintains his balance, poise and sense of security only as he is moving forward."

I enourage you as you continue to move forward (& upward) remember to take care of yourself...that is the only way you'll be alive and well enough to earn and enjoy the big numbers with currency signs that I mentioned earlier in the post.

As you take charge, take care...

Well said...

"Women do not have to sacrifice personhood if they are mothers.

They do not have to sacrifice motherhood in order to be persons.

Liberation was meant to expand women's opportunities, not to limit them.

The self-esteem that has been found in new pursuits

can also be found in mothering."

~ Elaine Heffner

On the flip and more important side:

"If you bungle raising your children,

I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much."

~  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

I couldn't agree with both of them more...

I've said, and will continue to say, that becoming a mother is not "end" in itself - there is no reason why women cannot aspire beyond motherhood. I believe it is a bump (literally too) on the road to accomplishing what God has called you to.

In the same breath, accomplishing all God has called you to and "losing" your children on the way (or in the maze, as it sometimes is)  to your goal is =

mission unaccomplished

In being a Career woman (discussed recently*), ensure that you do not fail in your ultimate "profession" as a mother.

The rewards of excelling in this profession are eternal...and the best legacy.

Reference:

http://empowered-women-excel.blogspot.ca/2012/06/career-woman.html

Career Woman

Recently self-assessing, I had to ask myself: "Are you a career woman?"
The answer to that question was very important to me because one thing I had always purposed, even before I got married, was to never let my job/career get in the way of my marriage or family. For this singular reason, I remember saying: "I don't want to be a 'career woman.'" Well, guess what I've found out - some decades later? Yes - I am a career woman and surprisingly, I'm very happy with that "discovery." I actually accepted that simply because the word "Career" starts off with "Care." When the Lord opened my eyes to that, I better understood why He let me become a CARE-er woman.

 

C - He wants me to come up higher; climb the corporate and other ladders and not forget to help others up too. Climbing takes an effort and focus. For too long, the concept of being a "Career woman" has had a negative connotation - so it's up to us to demonstrate the value of being a career woman. Climb and shine to God's glory.

 

A - God blesses and "promotes" us so we can assist others. There are so many ways to lend a helping hand to others. It is sad that some people climb the ladder and take the ladder with them. If your predecessor took the ladder with them, what would you climb? I've found that there are so many opportunities for us to assist others. A wise person said: Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.  I like to tell people that they are free to ask me any questions they have and that if I don't have the answers, together we'll find someone or somewhere that has them. Think about it, we all know someone who knows someone who knows someone...I could go on but would rather move on to "R."

R - yes, it stands for Relatable. When you think about it, if a tree doesn't stay "related" to the soil, it will not survive let alone thrive. The popular saying: "no man is an island*" is just as true as the fact that "one tree doesn't make a forest."

Just as a forest starts with a tree and more, we all need each other.  Being relatable is about looking out for the other person's best interest and in doing that God takes care of you too. 

E - I know "E" stands for "end" but more importantly, in this post, it stands for "Effective." At the end of everything we do - at home, work, & elsewhere - we need to be effective. This essentially means that we produce results - not reasons or excuses of "why not." John Wooden advised that we must "never mistake activity with achievement."

A CAREer Woman should be a lighthouse -

standing tall and shining to God's glory

and that is my aspiration.

Sources:
*John Donne

Are you Accountable?

 “Accountable” and “Accountability” are two words that have become somewhat popular. Believe it or not, we can all be accountable; it's not difficult - once we set our minds to it. Last year, I found a nice article* on "Accountability." I like the AB&C - acronym-base and content - of the article so here's an excerpt to help us (italics and green font mine): 

A -   ACTION:  “No action creates no results. Facing the fear of inactivity is not easy.” Neither is facing the fear of failure. The way I see it, if you are inactive or take no action, you have failed already. 

C -   With action, comes COMMITTMENT and more questions. If you are not committed to the action, you will not follow through and soon enough fall back into the state of “no action.” What does commitment look like to you? Is your commitment like the occasional spring breezes or is it constant like the changing of the seasons? Are you truly committed to doing what it takes to reach beyond that next level of excellence?  

About attitudes

Here are 10 quotes about attitudes:

You cannot control what happens to you,

but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you,

and in that,
you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.
~ Brian Tracy

 The problem is not the problem;

the problem is your attitude about the problem.

~ Author Unknown

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

Attitudes are contagious. Are yours worth catching?

~Dennis and Wendy Mannering

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather,

always bring your own sunshine. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo

 

Could we change our attitude, we should not only see life differently,

but life itself would come to be different. ~Katherine Mansfield

Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us.

~ John N. Mitchell

Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control this great force. ~ Irving Berlin
 

Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can't be done. ~ Bo Bennett
 

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. ~ Scott Hamilton

You can also check out:

http://sapphire-and-beryl.blogspot.com/2012/04/about-attitude.html

The Eagle's Attitudes...

Eagles come in all shapes and sizes,

but you will recognize them chiefly by their attitudes.

E. F. Schumacher

Likewise, each of us is unique.

You cannot be like any other person...

You are you - period.

You are not anyone else. No matter how hard you try, you will only be second to the person you're trying to be like - a copy not an original. 

"Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is Youer than You."

~ Dr Seuss 

So you need to have the right attitude(s) to attain high altitudes,

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

~ Winston Churchill

Do you have an eagle's attitudes? One of the eagle's attitudes is flying in the eye of the storm. An Empowered Woman is an Enlightened Woman. Sir Francis Bacon said: "knowledge is power" and you can only apply what you know not what you don't - so I encourage you to look up other eagle attitudes and cultivate them.

When you do, you will find out and agree with Zig Ziglar that:

"Your attitude not your aptitude determines your altitude."

Be Expectant

Expectant means:

• "excitedly anticipating something: excitedly aware that something is about to happen; and
• expecting something favorable: expecting something, especially something that will bring success or wealth" *

We should all be able to say like David: "My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him."** Simply because Jeremiah 29:11 tells us: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."***

Dress-sense

I've found that people think that having dress-sense is "following fashion" and that cannot be further from the truth. I'll let Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel and Quentin Crisp help me here - respectively:

"Adornment is never anything except a reflection of the heart."

"Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are."
I totally agree that "to be a fashionable woman is to know yourself, know what you represent, and know what works for you.  To be "in fashion" could be a disaster on 90 percent of women.  You are not a page out of Vogue." (Author Unknown)

Like I said earlier, you can get ideas for others but must never stop being yourself. Who you are speaks in what you wear. I was intrigued to find out what some colours reflected. Since knowledge gained is knowledge shared, let me share a few:

• Black - authoritative, in control
• Grey/Gray - professional and dignified
• White - simple, innocent and maybe na·ïve
• Brown - friendly, approachable and down-to-earth 
• Blue - confident, conservative, calm and caring
• Green - growth, vitality and prosperity
• Purple - regal and sophisticated
• Red - power and passion

I'd really like to know what "Rainbow" would stand for - like I said I usually prefer "one-for-many" type jackets or accessories. The truth about dress-sense to me is like Cecil Beaton said: "The truly fashionable are beyond fashion."

Radiate who you are in what you wear and it will reflect positively in what you do. You can be a trend-setter, an original not a copy-cat...just dress well and sensibly.

P.S.
You can read some more about colours here:
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-meanings-in-business.html 
http://www.precisionintermedia.com/color.html

The essence of dress-sense

I attended a First Impressions session for some young ladies getting into the work force where a lot of good things were said. When the volunteer presenter, who is a Style/Image consultant, said: "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have" it stuck with me. I don't know who the author of this quote is (checked the internet) so I'd rather dwell on how this should guide our quest to dress for success. 

Fast track to leadership

For years there has been an ongoing debate on whether leaders are born or bred - one I'm sure will continue for time to come so I won't get into it. One thing I have learned by experience is that whether you are a born or bred leader is that there is a fast track to leadership. Everyone, including me, likes a fast track - so let's go on...

Be Educated

Sometime ago I heard, or was it read, a very interesting and profound statement - though I cannot remember who said it, I cannot forget what it said to me.

If I recall correctly, it was:

"An educated man is only an educated man,

an educated woman is an educated family."

It seems pretty harsh (& almost unkind) to say...wait a minute, before you "switch off", let's dissect (read between the words) &  hopefully digest it for our good...



It said at least 5 things to me:

Think and act on these...

When I had tea with one of my mentors a few months ago, we were talking about making impact in life i.e. letting our light shine where we are.

She then shared this quote attributed to Madeleine Albright which I'd never heard before:

“There’s a special place in Hell for women who don’t help each other.”

I found this quote interesting - not that I agree with it because I know the Bible tells us about those who will go to hell. The point is we must realize how important it is to help others...the quote gives us food for thought and hopefully action.

The alternate way of looking at this is holding onto one of my favourite quotes:

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

Purpose to "light" other candles around you - and what a brighter and better world we will all have to enjoy.

Care enough to share your flame...

Start today...

God makes three requests of His children:

Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have, now.

(African American proverb) 

For me, this is timeless proverb is a great way and place to start this is year. I recommend that you join me and make God's 3 requests your

resolutions for life.

Whatever (and all) you do this year, please use all that God has blessed you with to do what He has asked you to and start today. Just as money loses value over time, so does the impact you could make - it can lose value too if wrongly timed. Now is the best time...to do what you have been called to. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us (Prov 27:1); Today is the "present" - make it a gift...

Start today to do the best you can...