Do It Well ~ #MondayBlogs

Madonna and Stevie Wonder performed Purple Rain and paid tribute to Prince at the Billboard Music Award Ceremony; it was honest admiration for all that he stood for. Whether you enjoyed or approved of his music, there is no denying that Prince was an exceptional and well-acclaimed artist during his too-short life. With multiple Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, he was an accomplished and significant artist who rightfully earned the respect of many. He is and will be remembered for a long, long time.

We should all strive to do things at our best, to take pride in our endeavors, and to do well whether we receive accolades or not in our lifetime. If we live our lives fully and enrich the lives of those around us then in a way we are paying tribute to ourselves out of self-respect. We are each capable of greatness if we believe in ourselves. In reality we shouldn’t be competing with others, we should always be looking for a personal best. Each time we believe we have reached the pinnacle of our performance we need to push ourselves just a bit further. Success is not one accomplishment and stagnating, it is growing on that success to make it even richer and better.

What do you want to accomplish in your life? Your goals do not need to be a singer and musician like Prince, you don’t need to be Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, you don’t even need to be the world’s greatest athlete, or a renowned politician… you only need to pursue and do the best you can at whatever your dream is. Believe in yourself. Believe in every inspirational adage and cliché you’ve ever heard — keep your eye on the ball; if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again; dance like nobody is watching; excellence is not an act, but a habit; and more. Keep reaching, keep striving, and never settle.

You are allowed to “always want a little more” when wanting more will keep you always trying to improve. Satisfaction and contentment isn’t earned by knowing you’ve reached the top, but by knowing you keep getting better and better. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can do whatever you set your mind to do. Know that you have succeeded each time you get half a step further on your journey than you did the time before.

Be positive, not just for yourself, for the people around you as well. Positivity just seems to grow and everyone can benefit. Contribute yourself daily to making the world a happier and better place. Do your life well and know that your “tributes” will come, people will respect you — it doesn’t matter if it is name performers on a stage or the everyday people who have surrounded you in your lifetime, you will be remembered and that is the greatest tribute anyone could ever receive. 

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The great Invention ~ #MondayBlogs

It doesn’t matter if you’re 23 or 65, there comes a time (usually multiple) that you need to re-invent yourself. Most people think re-invention is only about careers, but it could be about your health, your looks, your home life or relationships.

You’ve made it this far doing things the way you do so why change it now? Maybe you just work up realizing that you aren’t where you want to be, or maybe some drastic change around you has happened to throw your world into a tailspin. (If that’s happened my dear friend Author Charmaine Gordon says to “just put one foot in front of the other”, it’s good advice).

What do you want in life? What are your true passions, your dreams and your likes? Make a list of where and who you want to be. Even if you want something seemingly fanciful, aim for it. If it proves to be unrealistic at least you’ve tried and you’ve probably made significant moves in the right direction.

Work and careers: My mom always told me that if you enjoy your work, you’ll never (feel) work a day in your life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to look forward to what you do all day long and still pay your bills? It isn’t uncommon to pursue a career based on favorite hobbies. Hone your skills, take night classes (often offered at a local high school for little or no cost) to learn new talents.

Health and body: Improve your diet by eating the right foods, losing/gaining weight (slowly and regularly), getting adequate sleep and taking time for yourself (personal grooming). If you are changing your diet make sure to see a dietician to make sure that your nutritional needs are being met. Add regular exercise into your daily schedule, it doesn’t have to be extensive calisthenics, even walking 15-to-30 minutes a day counts.

Home life/relationships: If the person or people you spend time with leave you feeling low, or you don’t look forward to your own four walls, maybe it’s time to move on. Surround yourself with folks who have similar interest and values, who intrigue you, and who make you feel important and special. Maybe it’s time for you to change location – look at your potential opportunities. You might feel comfortable staying in the community or you might want to move to an entirely different region. Consider your ties to an area (family and friends), your job opportunities  the weather and climate, safety and your budget.

It takes time so don’t get discouraged, but if you don’t see movement within a few years, re-evaluate the steps you’re taking to move towards your target. Re-invent yourself and be happy.