What Do Your Dreams Look Like?

When you close your eyes and look at your dreams, what do you see?

When you think about the future and what you where you want to be, what do you feel?

When you listen to loving voice in your head, that’s guiding you to the person you were born to be, what do you hear?

Do you take the time to listen, to feel, to see what’s before you?

So often, before we dare to dream and to desire something new in our lives, we allow our negative self-talk to talk ourselves out of what we want. You might say things to yourself like:

• I can’t possibly go back to school, because that costs money.
• How am I going to afford that trip that I’ve always wanted to take? Might as well not even think about it.
• I might as well start adopting cats because there’s no good men left.
• I don’t have enough time to start my own business. I’ll be in this rat race forever.

Whatever YOU tell yourself about yourself, is definitely true.

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10 Reasons To Be Happy RIGHT NOW

1. Be happy right now because you have the option to be happy. No matter what’s going on in your life, those are just events and circumstances. Happiness starts in your mind and works its way outward.
   
   



2. Also, no matter what’s going on, it won’t last forever. So cherish the good things that you can be happy about, and look forward to when those unhappy times will be over.



3. You woke up this morning – which means you have more time to enjoy life. So instead of wasting time griping and complaining, stop sweating the small stuff and be happy!



4. Think back to those times when you laughed uncontrollably, loved unconditionally and believed thoroughly in the future.
   Remember how good those feelings felt, and relish them in your mind.



5. Have your own little party. Turn on your favorite music, get up and dance, and smile just because. Be happy that you have the ability to do so and that it feels good for no reason.



6. Be happy because you’re alive, you’re beautiful, no one else is like you and you are always loved, whether you realize it or not. You have at least one person on this earth who always loves you…YOU!




7. 7. Take time today to do something that makes you smile. Whether that’s watching your favorite movie, reading your favorite book, going for a walk in your favorite park, taking a long bubble bath or playing with your kids or your pet. Start with a smile and let that smile go all the way to your toes.



8. 8. Ignore the people that are tap dancing on your nerves. Let today be all about you and feeling good. Because honestly, they don’t matter! Only you matter so cherish yourself today.



9. Look at your hands, your feet, your skin, and your hair; feel the strength in your legs and your arms. Smile and admire how beautiful you are. If you don’t do it, no one else will! Be happy with exactly who you are and what you’ve got. You only get one you!



10. Lastly, think about every last person who makes your life great. Take a few minutes and think of each person, and love them in your mind. If it weren’t for them, would you be who you are today? Be happy that you have the chance to think of them lovingly and honor what they mean to you.

10 Reasons Lisa Price Is My She-Ro

If you’re not familiar with Lisa Price, let me introduce you to her. She is the founder of Carol’s Daughter, a line of ‘highly natural’ (I’m quite sure what that means…) hair and skin care products. Carol’s Daughter is so popular that Halle Berry and Jada Pinkett Smith are fans. This line paved the way for targeted, quality products for African American women, at a time when we were still being ignored by the mainstream beauty industry.

1. Lisa price began making hair and skin care products in her kitchen as a hobby. While she worked as a writing assistant for The Cosby Show, she made her own scents and lotions, and began giving them as gifts to her friends and the cast of the show. Through her experimentation, she created a line of hair and skin care products. When the show ended in 1992, Lisa grew her business, starting out selling her products in flea markets. Carol’s Daughter became an official business in 1994.


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Come Drop In My Bucket

Do you have a bucket list? I admit that I hadn’t heard of this phenomenon until the movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. One thing that’s funny about me, as much as I like to feel good, I avoid ‘feel good’ movies. To me they’re pointless because you already know the outcome of the movie. Well with most movies you do, but I’m just sayin’… you know if Denzel is doing something, at the end of the movie he’s gonna win. Where’s the suspense and anticipation in that? (Y’all know I’m special..lol..)

The gist of the movie was that these two old guys threw caution to the wind and had all these experiences that they’d been desiring their whole lives. They called their list their bucket list – their list of things to do before they kicked the bucket. What’s interesting is that their families didn’t like it… I mean Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson ain’t no spring chickens here, but that just shows you that no matter what you do folks are gonna have something to say. So you know what I say,

I’ve been carrying around my list in my head for years, but was inspired to share it with you guys after reading Cody’s Post over at Thrilling Heroics. And I can’t share everything… I’m an introvert at heart, so sharing my bucket list is like pulling back the dressing room curtain while I’m getting dressed! LOL

It is my hope that you’ll drop a few ideas in my bucket (hence the title of this post), and if you don’t have one, to gather your thoughts and write your dreams down. Because if you don’t at least recognize that you need a map, how can you ensure that you’ll reach all the points along your destination? I’d love it if you shared yours with me, but if not that’s ok too. I just want to inspire you to continue to dream. As Les Brown says, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

So here’s my list,

50+ Adventures to Embark On Before I Kick the Bucket:

(not in a particular order)

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Whats Your Motivation?

This month, the wonderful ladies who join me in my Motivated Sista Circle discuss what motivated us to start on our current paths. We’d also like to know what motivated you to start on yours, and welcome any comments and questions about the journey you’ve had. Also, let’s welcome Patrenia from Personal Finance Notebook to the Circle. She is our resident financial expert and I’m glad she could join us.

I receive immense inspiration and motivation from reading the stories of other women, that’s one of the reasons I have my She-Ro series. I hope you receive the same enjoyment from reading how we all started, and that our stories inspire you to take a few more steps along your path to success.

Anilia, Motivated Sista Anilia is an entrepreneur and blogger, who writes about motivation, personal development and self-esteem. My journey on this path grew from my t-shirt business, Black Girl Tees. I kept reading that online businesses should implement blogs as a way to draw attention to the business and let customers get a feel for who the owners are. So I started the blog Black Femininity. While writing on issues affecting black women and girls, I constantly had to reign myself in from writing about more personal topics, such as goal-setting and personal development. I found it increasingly difficult to talk about the issues we face without going on these tangents. One of my strongest traits is being a good listener and I honestly enjoy when friends and family ask me for advice (but I hate when people don’t listen, and then come back and tell you that you were right… but I digress…). I started to notice that I was answering the same questions over and over again, such as “how do I start this new goal, when my mother doesn’t approve?”, “where do you get your motivation from to do all the things you do?”, and “how can I get closer to completing my goals, when I feel so stuck?”. So I felt that writing about personal development, self-esteem, goal setting and the law of attraction – topics I am more knowledgable about – would be a better tool for other women to use, instead of just limiting myself to news topics that affect black women and girls. I’ve been blogging at Motivated Sista for 10 months now, and feel that I definitely made the right decision. Now I’m ready to take my blog to the next level!

Patrenia, Personal Finance Notebook Patrenia is an Accredited Financial Counselor and entrepreneur who writes about ideas, education and motivation for financial success at Personal Finance Notebook. My current path is teaching and discussing the object that’s needed almost as much as oxygen – money. The motivation came from my own personal and work related experiences with money. See, I had no problem making money; keeping more of it was the issue. For my husband and I, maintaining a home and the needs of two growing kids became a roller coaster ride of a growing – declining – depleted savings fund. After many moments of frustration and realizing that we had it all wrong, we became students to learn how money should really be managed and successfully paid off about $93,000 in debt along the way. Being in the mortgage industry, I also noticed that many of my clients had the same money issues. So after recognizing that my clients, most of my friends and family and I had it all wrong…I became compelled to share this information. My hope is that many people will be intrigued with the information I share, seek knowledge and take action to transform their financial lives. I now know that it CAN be done!

CW, Black Women Deserve Better CW’s blog “Black Women Deserve Better” was an exercise in truth, self-discovery and healing. It is her mission to help Black women get the love, respect and commitment they deserve. Circa 2001 (Particularly after September 11th), I began deeply contemplating the direction in which my life was moving. Events such as these remind us that life is too short to waste on non-productive endeavors. It was as if myself, and nearly every Black woman who I encountered was on the same hamsterwheel. Stats such as age, height, weight, education level were not a mitigating factor in this phenomenon: On the job, the neighborhood, family, friends and friends of friends. Our stories were eerily similar. Being trapped (self-imposed or otherwise) in our routine…Or shall I say stagnation? Visiting the same hang-out spots, dating the same types of men and having the same conversations ABOUT those alleged men. This scenario played out time and time again over the years. At some point along the way, it was unfathomable that I was the only one sick and tired of being sick and tired. Without veering too far off topic, a number of Black women are familiar with being told: How to feel What their standards should be What is “expected” of them Topics which have been discussed ad-nauseum on the BWE (black women empowerment) blogs. I found it quite amusing that for all the things we ought to do, our situation overall wasn’t much improving. I observed an increase in OOW (out of wedlock) children, decrease in marriage, abdication of male responsibility, bashing of Black women and the haphazard “dating”. We are well aware of the negative behaviors which manifest as a result, but nonetheless, our children have suffered most. I want to give our daughters a fighting chance at living quality adult lives, with healthy relationships. This is one of the reasons I began “Black Women Deserve Better” three years ago. My book (by the same name) reveals the mind control and deceptions used (often by “our own”), to keep Sisters in their place. But my work doesn’t stop there. I periodically facilitate workshops and design courses to assist Black women in navigating the treacherous waters. In addition, one of the new hats I’m wearing is “Dating & Life Coach”. The goal is to uncover the real reasons why we often run into walls -and I have already ran into most of them a while back! My desire is for Black women not only to want change, but also to BE THAT CHANGE. Know that our daughters are counting on us! Anilia’s note: please check out CW’s book, Black Women Deserve Better and her online workshop, Building Upon The Change.

Kim, Fit Sisters Boot Camp Kim is a teacher by day and has her own fitness business where she helps women to get into the best shape of their lives. I combined my love of teaching with my love of staying healthy to start my boot camp business. I believe that you must put your health first, because if you’re not healthy then your quality of life is at jeopardy. Staying healthy is a lifestyle — not a one-time act. Once you get into the groove of that lifestyle and start reaping the benefits, you will never go back. I love helping and showing people “the way” to a better quality and more fulfilling way of life by putting one’s self first.

Danielle, The Style and Beauty Doctor Danielle is a stylist and makeup artist with a financial industry background. She is also president of Urban Glamour LLC, an image consulting company that offers personal styling, wedding, and makeup services. She also edits a fashion and beauty blog, The Style and Beauty Doctor. My motivation came just when I was on line waiting for my college graduation to start. I was getting my BBA in Marketing and was kind of just standing there thinking about my future… when I overheard two girls saying they would take classes at The Fashion Institute of Technology. Who knew eavesdropping could take you on your path! I knew I always wanted to do something in fashion — in high school people would often ask me what to wear with what — I just never thought I could make a career out of it. Several months after graduation, I enrolled in the Image Consulting program and then completed the two year program. I’m so glad I made my decision. Never before have I felt so “myself” than when I can tell someone what looks great on their body type and/or skin tone. I love what I do!

Tamyka, The CEOMamma Tamyka is a wife, mother and entrepreneur. She’s the Founder/Owner of TheCEOMamma and teach women entrepreneurs how to build a business on a budget. There were a couple of things that motivated me to journey down my current career path. The first being that I was gifted with an entrepreneurial Spirit. I knew from a very young age I wasn’t cut out to work for someone else. I always had the drive and passion to “create my own”…whatever it may be! The second motivational force is that I truly enjoy helping people. Not just in business, but however I can. I’ve always seemed to attract people who felt comfortable enough to share with me their deepest worries and concerns and I’d freely offer up support, encouragement and guidance. Growing up, I was often misunderstood and my ideas often went unsupported, especially when I started my first business in Direct Sales (even by my own family). As an adult, things didn’t change much. I began to realize many entrepreneurs experience the same things and I wanted to be of help to those who needed it. In my business, I share many resources and tips on building and marketing a business on a budget and have inspired many women in the process. I know this is the right path for me because I’m truly fulfilled in what I do! Give and it will come back to you, go measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over…is what I believe and live.

So tell us, Motivated CEOs and Boss Ladies, what motivated you to start on your current path? How is your journey unfolding?

What’s The Story In Your Head?

I was so inspired this morning to read Marelisa’s most recent post over at her Abundance blog. Marelisa tells the story of Roz Savage, a woman who seemingly had it all but left a charmed life to create a life of adventure. Roz completed an extreme rowing challenge, coming in last in the 2005 Atlantic Rowing Challenge [the same year as Hurricane Katrina, a record year for tropical storms in the Atlantic]. Now if that sounds like a failure to you, don’t take it that way at all – Roz rowed for 103 days and faced many challenges alone at sea. How many of us can say we faced our fears, jumped in head first, and completed the enormous task that we set out to meet?

Roz’s story really inspired me for a few reasons: she is attempting to become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean [starting in San Francisco and ending in Australia, she will have rowed over 8,000 miles cumulatively, made over 3 million oar strokes, and spent over 312 days alone at sea on a 23 ft. rowboat]; she left an idyllic, seeming perfect life and followed her heart to live an extraordinary life; but mostly because she changed the story in her head from one of limitation to one of empowerment.

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Motivated Sista Circle

Introducing: Motivated Sista Circle

One of the reasons I became a motivation/personal development blogger was that I am constantly surrounded by dynamic, inspiring women. Some of those women don’t see how amazing they are (and I hope you realize your own value when I write); some of them have also taken their knowledge to the internet to teach others how to live their best lives, as I have.

I’ve assembled a circle of fabulous, motivated sistas to continue to inspire our readers to strive for success. I’ve dubbed this inspiration roundtable as the Motivated Sista Circle. Once a month, we’ll post our thoughts on an intriguing question, and hope that our collective voices will motivate you to continue to reach your goals.

May’s Motivated Sista Circle

Our question for May: how do you define success?

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Sleepwalking and Donuts

How conscious are you? Are you aware of the world around you, or are you sleepwalking through life, with your eyes wide shut?



We all come to different realizations at different times. What usually happens is: you have an intellectually stimulating conversation, you stumble upon an illuminating blog post, or a friend lends you a must-read book. Suddenly your concept of the world, of yourself, of how life works shifts into something new. Lately I’ve been frustrated to look around and see that alot of people are still unaware and unconscious of the way life works and how people and things around them work.

When I got on the train on Friday, I sat behind these two girls. By girls, they could be anywhere from 15 to 22. They were admiring each other’s nails and hair, and another girl asked one of them who her stylist was and for the stylist’s phone number. When they got up to leave though, one thing I noticed was all 3 girls were significantly overweight.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not pointing fingers. I can stand to lose a few pounds myself. And who knows if these girls aren’t gym buddies or encourage each other to make healthy food choices. I pondered, not for the first time, how black women spend so much time and effort being concerned with periphery matters – our hair, nails, clothes and accessories, tv shows, celebrity trivia – but we neglect the two things in our lives that have the most value and we have the most control over — our minds and bodies.

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10 Reasons Dorothy Height Is My She-Ro

Today many are mourning the passing of Dr. Dorothy Height, one of the trailblazers of the Civil Rights Movement. She had a long and active life, and we have all benefited from being in her era.

1. Dorothy Irene Height was born on March 24, 1912 in Richmond, Virginia and was raised in Rankin, Pennsylvania. Height was admitted to Barnard College in 1929, but was denied entrance because the school had an unwritten policy of admitting only two black students. Instead, she attended at New York University. Height earned a bachelor’s degree in 1932 and a master’s degree in educational psychology in 1933.



2. Height started working as a caseworker with the New York City Welfare Department and, and in 1944 she joined the national staff of the YWCA.



3. When she was 25 she began a career as a civil rights activist when she joined the National Council of Negro Women. She fought for equal rights for both African Americans and women. In 1957, when she was 45, Height was named president of the National Council of Negro Women, a position she held until 1997. During the height of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, Height organized “Wednesdays in Mississippi”, which brought together black and white women from the North and South to create a dialogue of understanding.



4. She also served as National President of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority Incorporated from 1946-1957. While there she developed leadership training programs and interracial and ecumenical education programs. Height remained active with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority thoughtout her life.


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10 Reasons Ray Kroc Is My Hero

I usually write about women that I admire, but there are several men I admire too. Today I want to discuss Ray Kroc.

1. Ray Kroc was a high school dropout who attempted several different careers before settling into the career of milkshake machine salesman: paper-cup salesman, pianist, jazz musician, band member, and employee at an Oak Park, Illionois radio station.



2. Kroc sold milkshake machines for 17 years. His sales began to decline; he noticed that Mom-and-Pop stores and drugstore soda counters were no longer placing orders, while a small restaurant in California was his biggest customer. So he traveled to meet with Dick and Mac McDonald and figured out how their restaurant was thriving amidst changing times.



3. From this observation Kroc drew up a deal with the McDonald brothers: he would franchise their restaurants and sell his mixers in their new locations. His confidence in what he had seen was unshakable. He later noted, “I was 52 years old. I had diabetes and incipient arthritis. I had lost my gall bladder and most of my thyroid gland in earlier campaigns, but I was convinced that the best was ahead of me.” He was even more convinced than the McDonalds and eventually cajoled them into selling out to him in 1961 for only $2.7 million. [source]


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