Happy birthday to me!!!

Yesterday was my birthday and my first birthday outside of Chicago. I had fun here in little rock, though I would've preferred the downtown Chicago lights, the big buildings, and the sound of cabs blowing their horns. I also missed the big crowd of people.. what can I say, I am a city girl! All of my family and friends were calling me, skyping me, and making me feel loved. 

My college friends were very loving and made me feel welcomed and right at home yesterday, they're from Chicago too, so they know what it's like to not be home and have to adapt to a smaller environment. I was tremendously blessed yesterday, and even though it was my birthday, I still had lessons learned and self-evaluations. My self-evaluation overall was to take more responsibility and control for my actions. I’m legally grown now and everything that I do from this point on is on me, not my mom! So, I’m prioritizing better, and making better judgments and decisions in my everyday life.

 I realized being an adult means sacrifices, so I am ready to sacrifice fun for business! My birthday taught me to enjoy yourself no matter where you are because wherever you are it's a place you are meant to be, so there is something there for you, you just have to find it and boy did I find it! Copeland's a New Orleans style restaurant in Arkansas, DELICIOUS! :) Thanks for reading see ya soon!

Tip: Make the best of your situations… “count your blessings, not your burdens”- LALA Anthony

Birthday girl!



my dinner was great!

Chicago! i miss this!!

Knowing vs. Doing...

I know have been gone for a minute, but I'm back. I've just started college, and let's just say it's definitely a transition, I like it though. I'm writing this post because lately I've been having this urge to breakdown and observe the meaning of success and how to get there. Every time I feel overwhelmed or just feel like giving up, I think about how it is so easy to give up and so challenging to succeed.

 Usually, with a big accomplishment such as getting a degree, there is a ton of work that comes behind it. I was told by a pastor a while ago, that if god wanted everything to come easy he would have done that. So, instead he made things difficult to see if his children would overcome the obstacles and learn from it. If he wanted everybody to be doctors that would've happened but the result would be there are no patients...Therefore, we are given what is meant for us. 

If you encounter a problem don't just avoid it, face it and find a way to solve it, because whether or not you face your troubles, they are still your troubles, no one can fix them for you; and no one can help you fix them if you do not want them fixed. My message here is, that if you give up you will live with regret and be a product of the slogan "i shoulda, coulda, woulda" everyone wants to be successful and feel accomplished, it feels great. So, even if you want to stop or just give up keep going an effort or attempt to do something is better than doing nothing at all and settle for less.  Every one of us are destined for greatness from the day we are conceived BUT it is up to us to excel.  We all know what is right, but sometimes we all do things that are not in our best interest at times.

Tip: strive for excellence and it shall be achieved. DONT STOP DONT QUIT, the harder things are the closer you are to a breakthrough.

The Finale

"Some people are put in your life for a season and some are placed there for a lifetime" Yesterday a close and positive friend said this to me. It was ironic because he always tells me things that can benefit my life at that moment or in the near future. (it's great to have those type of people around). Recently, I have been dealing with the type of person you have to prepare yourself to be around that person who always throws off a negative vibe, but gets real friendly when they want something... *we all know somebody like that* I'm a humble person and I extend my hand to anyone in need, I'm also the type of person who lives up to their expectations and agreements, therefore if I tell you I will do something I mean it, but at the same time I'm expecting you to live up to your end of the deal.

In life people will try to get over on you, making promises that they know will be broken, and giving people false hope; but that's only if you let them! I refuse to place myself in a situation where I am everything but happy, and where I feel taken advantage of. people need to have more respect for other people's time and life! when u are dealing with "sometimes maybe" people ( people who are happy sometimes, and u have to guess their mood) my best advice is to distance yourself, after that person shows their true colors once or you feel tension just disconnect yourself. life is to short to waste your time arguing, sitting on edge, or even worrying about whether people will do what they said or not. There comes a point in every insincere association when everything comes to an end, and its  called a FINALE!

Tip: if you have to adjust your mood to deal with someone you should not deal with them at all!

out of my element

Lately, I have been resisting temptation out of the fear of rejection, and shame.. I have started to feel like I'm stepping outside of my boundaries with a situation.. A situation that should not even be a factor in my life! Although the situation is not taking an effect on how I perform academically or while working, its beginning to affect me emotionally. I find myself constantly fighting this urge of, curiosity, and loneliness. I am trying to keep a positive mind and just remember the situation is not good for me. However, I tend to keep this tendency. I know what to do but I haven't done it completely, I keep leaving the "block" portion out... I will continue to pray for strength and clarity, wisdom, and restraint; so that I can be put back into my element.

TIP: when the past calls, push the ignore button it has nothing new to say..

Molded by the past, not defined by it..

We all have skeletons in our closet, and have done things we are not proud of, that's what makes us human beings. One thing about people is, they will bring up an obstacle or decision you've made that you are not proud of when you reach a certain level of success. The sad part about this is, the people who do this are close to you. I have never been the type of person to let material things, or success, change my attitude. I am fully aware that through great things you must remain humble; because the faster God gave you blessings the quicker he can take them away. I am a strong believer that your past should not be regretted but taken as a learning experience. No one can truly appreciate their future if they haven't had a past. Life is all about teaching, learning and evolving. When people throw your past in your face, they are just jealous. Those are the type of people that secretly kick you when you are down. (Be aware of True colors).


Tip: your past is meant to mold you into the great, successful, strong, and confident person god wants you to be. You can't live if you have never learned how too.

success and opportunity or success and misery...?

Lately, I have been asking God for strength and clarity so that I can gain wisdom and make the right choices. I have begin to see that there is so much dog eat dog madness. People with authority abuse their power too often. Targeting people who are at a lower status than them, they tend to play coward and never aim for the people on the same position as them or above. I couldn’t help but wonder why. So, being me I observed the behavior of these people. They are usually uncomfortable, greedy, or miserable. They have never or rarely had the upper hand in their life. Or, they do not know how to keep their personal issues separate from their business. Too often successful people let their success take over their character and become monsters! I feel like if animosity is all you have to offer to people of a lower social status than you, you can offer the world nothing but negativity.

Tip: be nice to the “little people” because once you were the little people…

Take away love..

Alot of times we are forced to just take our love away from people. This doesn't neccessarily mean you don't love them any more, but you dont express your love for them. If you completely stop loving someone you will hate them, and no one wants to hate anyone, you'll waste too much energy. but simply when you take away love you're finding out what life is like without love, or a relationship. Throughout the process of taking away love you should realize who is worthy of your love,time, and energy. If all a person has to offer you is negativity, heartache, headaches, and arguments do you really want to give them your valuables? I wouldn't..Of course taking away your love is easier said than done, because old habits die hard; BUT it takes a strong mind to overcome and forge into the future. Being happy is a choice and so is being sad/hurt and if you know you're worth more never settle for less than you have too.

True Colors

A lot of people say that "when someone shows their true colors believe them." It took me a while but i've actually incoporated this prior knowledge into friendships and relationships. I've analyzed that the people we grow attached too ( particularly friends or lovers), tend to always have a characteristic that captures our attention, ultimately forming a bond between the two. But as time goes by you may began to notice things that can leave you with a question mark in their character; and it isnt until a disagreement,or a break up that u actually see that person's true colors. Need more clarity?  Well, For example, a relationship, you can be with a person for months maybe even years before you both decide it's not working and you break up. This should be a time to reflect on yourself, to get out and enjoy your life, by yourself for a while; but some people jump into another relationship. This is where they show their TRUE COLORS. When this happens, if you aren't with anyone, naturally your mind begins to wonder and you begin to question your previous relationship. " did he really like/love me? ,did I mean anything to him?", "is it time for me to enter a new relationship?" etc. it's not healthy to think like this but it happens and when it does you have to make a choice: get mad, get even, or get over it. If you get mad you are only hurting yourself, if you get even you still will be hurting yourself. why? because you are making a permanent decision based on temporary emotions. All decisions you make in your life should be for your best interest. So, with that example and those words, when someone shows their true colors  believe them and move on there is no sense in stepping out of your element for anyone EVER.

 

Morning Music

  -Shontelle impossible

The Coldest Winter Ever!

Chicago's last blizzard in the 1960's (lake shore drive)

It’s February 2, and Chicago has experienced its first snow day in over a decade. Although it looks absolutely beautiful outside, it’s extremely cold. I am very proud to be apart of this historical event, but I am sadden by some of the tragedies that have taken place. For example, Lakeshore Drive, this was shut down due to over turned buses and stalled cars. City officials’ estimated as many as 900 cars were caught in the jam; an AP photographer at the scene counted at least 1,500. People feared starvation, and freezing to death. I wish there was something I could have done to help; Well there was one thing I prayed for their safety and well being…



Chicago's blizzard 2011