Investments Are Our Future

I love a new tube of lipstick. I love to buy well-made clothing and admittedly some cheaply made clothing too. My last time buying shoes, I bought 8 pair in a weekend. In my defense I purchased 3 for me, one for my mother and four for my son. Of those the obscene amount of shoes I purchased for the Bubba, one of those pairs were new soccer cleats for this season. (But if you have to qualify why you do something your guilty conscious is speaking to you. And I'm sounding a little like my mother now.) Bottom line is I like to make myself feel good with my disposable income. Aside from the comfort I get from knowing that my bills are paid on time, and the sense of responsibility I get from exercising the restraint I should in avoiding eating out frequently, or attending every event, or even frequently making unnecessary purchases, I get great satisfaction in making good investments.

It’s no secret that I have big plans for myself. I have actually shared those big plans with a few people who have been nothing but supportive along the way.  But today, I truly feel like I have done two very important things to invest in my future. And I feel that if you are going to invest in someone why not invest in yourself.  To invoke some imagery here, I single-handedly add some additional sunshine and water to the seeds I have planted. What I did today might even qualify as fertilizer. (It’s amazing that I immediately thought of vegetation for my example considering I have a black thumb and not a green one. Don’t leave your plants with me if you want them to live.) Either way you describe it, I feel good about the investment I made into myself and even though I was nervous about what I was doing at first, I took the leap of faith because as Benjamin Franklin so poignantly spoke it, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”.  I guess today we can translate that into “YOLO, Son!”… or not.

So here’s a little nugget for those of us who are at a crossroads, who don’t really know what to do or where to put that little bit of change you saved. Spend that money on you and I don't mean shoes. (Oh the hypocrisy, but I digress....) Spend that money on something that is either going to further a cause, your career, or your health. Invest in yourself. Only you and your positive attitude can guarantee a positive return on your investment.  Take care of the seeds you are planting by making investments along the way and most importantly keep at it; your goals that is.  Don’t stop your pursuits for no one or nothing. 

I really could use a new handbag, though. ;-)

The Art of "Gitter Done"

My blog…. My blog. It was a good idea when I had it. I write it in spurts.  Perhaps it’s because as a true Aquarius I have so many ideas in my head at one time; and also because I have proclivities of taking on more than any one person should ever handle, that I fail to focus enough on one single thing. It’s the biggest on my short list of failings.  I have a fear of wasting my time so I move on pretty fast too. If one thing isn’t working to my lofty expectations, I move on. That’s a good and a bad thing. Good, because my “fall back game” is strong. And I don't look back either.  My aunt used to tell me I was hardcore. My uncle told me I will “quit” people quickly if they mess up. My mother still tells me she doesn’t worry at all about me because of this. I seem to have a handle on knowing when to “fold ‘em”, and even if my heart was really in it. 

Bad- because I have a laundry list of things I feel like I need to do and haven't completed. I have yet to complete my annual beginning-of-the-year vision board. We are now in March and I try to do this by the end of January....mea culpa.  I have yet to mail out, already written, thank you cards from last November. I have yet to complete a lot of things that are on my mental and tangible check-lists, but I know one day I will get them all done.  “One day” of course being a relative term. (See what I did there?)

I don't finish what I start. I have many goals that haven't reached fulfillment, but many more goals that have. If I applied more of myself to what I have started...never mind. Well I had the opportunity to meet with a very prominent man last week in Georgia. In my mind I call him Mr. Dapper. He was very polite, very dapper, smelled amazing and had a quiet and stoic presence about him. I dig stoic men. I get why he is popular. I get why everyone he walks by won’t let him get from point A to point B without stopping him to say just about any little feeble or vapid thing. “Hi Mr. Dapper, I like that shade of blue on your suit.” or “Hi Mr. Dapper, do you iron your socks or are they naturally wrinkle-free?”, people sincerely and palpably want his attention. They look for his feedback. And he always gives it in his polite and consistent manner. He is as credible as he is cool and I lucked up got to pick his brain for an afternoon. (Thanks Mayme.)

To know me is to know that while I'm very inquisitive, I am very selective in the messages I chose to receive; the old platitude of “considering the source” and “taking [things] with a grain of salt” wasn’t lost on me.  I guess that attitude comes with the territory of being hardcore.  Well Mr. Dapper spoke about a lot of things last week. He referenced a few books, he spoke about his life experiences, and everything he stated was salient to our conversation. However, one main thing stuck out, he told me to find a way to work toward my goals every day. Now this is just what this self-proclaimed  idealist-but-non-finisher needed to hear. He basically told me to execute.  He said I needed to do something every single day to accomplish my goals. This sincerely spoke to me.

It's important to finish what you start. It's important to be accountable to yourself and to the stakeholders of your goals. Being accountable is important and it’s also one of those things we innately know we should do but we don’t always do. In all honesty, it’s redundant, but anyone in need of a little remediation needs it more than once. I have been exposed to many articles that stated something similar, but the message didn’t have any effect until Mr. Dapper said it. Perhaps it was his presentation skills, perhaps it was his Hermes belt, or even those Gucci glasses; I digress. If you want to be good at something, create a good habit, or get a new job, you need to do work at it daily. Every. Single. Day.  Be accountable and gitter done.  Here starts day #3 for me and it doesn’t stop until I have met my goals. 

A Case of The Mondays

Monday.

Monday kind of sucks...like a lot. Monday gets a bad rap, but let's face it, that rap has been well deserved. Monday is the beginning of the work week while contemporaneously ending the weekend. (Yeah, I said contemporaneously.) Translation; it's the end of the fun and the freedom while transitioning you to the routine and mundane. And Tuesday is Monday's ugly sister. 

But it doesn't have to be this way. For instance, if you are like me and you celebrated your hometown football team returning to the Super Bowl for the second time (#keeppounding), your Monday is pretty awesome. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge Carolina Panthers fan. And it was so awesome watching them this season. Every Sunday they played (and won), made my Mondays more awesome. I have had coworkers congratulate me every Monday morning like I actually suited up and hit the field myself. Monday is pretty cool when your team is winning; and this brings me to my point. Find it, whatever it is that makes you keep going and makes you love your life. I think I have found it in several avenues of my life and I can admittedly say that I am the happiest I have been...like ever. 

I feel like I hit my stride and it's smooth sailing from here on out. Call it a winning streak because I feel like I am on it. And what does winning beget; usually more winning. So here's a few nuggets I have picked up from all of my reading and my very wise friends and family that keeps me focused on winning.

1. Eliminate the negative, and toxicity in your life and keep moving past it.  If s/he is a frenemy, hater, shade tree, or whatever term we have created, eliminate him/her from your life unapologetically. You only have to answer to your peace of mind for this. It can be anything or anyone, but just know it when you see it and do what you have to do to reclaim the space it takes in your head. 

2. Say no. But keep your word. Find time for yourself by making sure you aren't over-committing. But if you said you are going to do something, do it. Sometimes breaking your word can cause drama. And taking on more than you can handle only causes stress. My goodness, this was a huge learning curve for me. I like to do it all, but will no longer do so at my detriment. 

3. Unplug. Step away from the laptop, tablet and your smart phone and take part in some "Netflix and Chill", but in the traditional sense. (You should read this to say: relax and watch some TV, pervs.) Travel, or shop, read or catch up with someone. Whatever you do, remove the distractions going on around us.

4. Hang out with your favorites. So I got to see some of my line sisters for brunch at Buttermilk Kitchen on Sunday and I also saw my TFF for some BFF(Beer, Football and Friends) and I ate so much I couldn't eat dinner, but I felt so awesome being around some people I love...and watching my Panthers win. I had a whole day of good company and took a whole lot of pictures. On Saturday I had fabulous brunch at The Lawrence. I didn't leave a single crumb on my plate. The food was great and the company was better.

*Side note, please go to Buttermilk Kitchen and get the chicken biscuit. It will change your life. You're welcome in advance. 

5. Change your scenery. That could be as simple as taking a walk outside or as challenging as getting a new boo. Whatever it is, change is good so stay open to it. I like that I have changed as a person and I am excited about change in general, just look at my hair chronicles.

6. It's not personal. You are great. You are amazing to some people and not so amazing to others. But who cares? Be focused on being amazing to you and doing the best you can do everyday. You can't really help what people think of you and it's none of your business anyway. And trust me, for every one person who rejects you, there are at least ten wanting you on their team. 

So there you have it, the cure for the common case of the Mondays. Be well and be better. 

So this is a short one, I know. But I know a way to make this blog longer and a little more fun, or challenging to read. Turn this blog into a drinking game and take a sip every time you read the word "Monday(s)". Let's see if you can finish the post then.