Stop Playing Small

In light of new resolutions, goals and plans for the new year, when making that outlined list of what we will throw our efforts into, we often play small. Playing small means to play it safe; to settle for what is secured and safe for our egos to withstand. Playing it big means going out for the big fish, the grand opportunity; the one that oftentimes scares us the most.

So instead of going for those big opportunities, we go for the easily attainable ones, the ones that don’t offer much disappointment, the ones that make you feel like you’re settling; because most times you are.

Do you think this is acceptable; going for the option to settle instead of going for what you truly want in life? Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not. It doesn’t feel good to see others getting what they want and wondering what you’re doing wrong. Most times, the thing you’re doing wrong is that you’re not going after what you truly want out of life. One thing I’ve learned is that the only thing stopping you from what someone else has is effort and faith that you can achieve all you set out for yourself, no matter how big the goal.

So, for 2019, don’t play yourself, and don’t settle for the small things, when you can go for your big dreams. The only thing standing in your way is you.

🖤

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Whitney C.1 Comment

Turning Your Passion into Your Priority

How many times do we go through life noting how many things we look at as something we are passionate about, but never take the steps to make them something we will put forth 100% effort?

There is always something we have dedicated to naming a “passion”, or a desire to become an expert at, but never devote it to becoming a priority in our lives. We place it in a file in the back of our minds and belittle it to nothing more than a past-time or a hobby, when it really should be something we are putting the work into to become a full-time career move or something to transform us into someone better than we ever thought we could be. We allow the reality of our lives to make us put aside our big lofty goals, because they seem so out of reach without the right focus and the right dedication, some of which you may not be able to provide at the time.

Oftentimes, we sell ourselves short of what our full potential is by this one bad habit; we boast about the things we love, talk about them, brag on them, even go as far as mention that we could be experts at them, but when it is time to make them a priority and allow them to bring us to a level of greatness that can put us in a position of success, we recoil into what is “safe”. We do not want to take that leap into the uknown and the unpredictable.

Sometimes our passion is not the most stable circumstances. Sometimes what we are most passionate about will not make the most sense, but the key is to have the faith in what you believe in, prioritize it and put in the work to make it great, and it will mean something. It will bring you benefit and advantages beyond your wildest dreams.

If we can put forth the effort towards prioritizing what we’re passionate about, you will find that we can begin making our own careers, forging our own lanes and we will not have to pick “safe” options any longer. All it takes is one step out in the right direction, networking and putting the tools in place, and before you know it, what you thought was just a dream is now a reality.

Whitney C.2 Comments

#50Days50Questions: Cross that Off the Bucket List! 

What is something that I want to do but have not done?

Good question; I would say travel more.

I want to see more of the world, and I want to take the kid along for the ride.  I want to be able to say that I’ve allowed my daughter to see different parts of this world and experiences different cultures, but I also want her to be able to remember it, so I want to do a lot of the traveling possibly when she’s a little older.  There are a few places on my personal travel bucket list that I would like to go to, but definitely some that I wouldn’t mind taking family trips to so that she can see these places as well.

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A Year Later: Have I lived, or still existed?

About a year ago, I wrote this post titled, Living vs. Existing, (click the link here to check it out), that discussed the difference that it meant to me, and my personal analysis on how I felt my life was going.

This question still remains to be one that I ask myself often, and I take it very seriously.  I went back and read that post today, and realized that I feel like I have changed in the time that I made that post and this one.

2016 is more than halfway through, and I feel that I have made more progress in my life than ever before in regards to my dreams and goals that I have personally and professionally.  I am very proud of myself for actually sticking to the goals I put forth for myself this year (this is a first lol).  I have taken a more serious role in trying to get and stay healthy, which has caused me to embrace myself and love myself more and more each day (as difficult as it is).  I keep my mental health in check (because my job can cause a ton of stress and depression at times, but I’ve found ways to cope).  I have published my first novel, and am constantly researching and learning new ways to grow and become a better writer and blogger.

So far, I must say this is a vast improvement in past year.  This time last year, I was still dreaming and wishing I could find a way to just get up and make my dreams come true.  This year, I feel like I have made a little progress towards actually living the dreams!  Granted, I am not a well known and award winning author, or one of the most popular bloggers on the web; but I feel like I am making waves in the right direction.  One day, I’ll be there.  I still have time to be great!

A year ago, I was existing.  Today, I am finally living. 🙂

 

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#Year28

Tuesday marked the 28th year the Lord has blessed me with life.  I didn’t do much, aside from the adult obligations (license renewal and registration lol), but I enjoyed the day doing some things that I wanted to do.

I took a lot of time to reflect on the things I want to accomplish in #Year28.  I got a few things in my head:

  • Publish #PWF
  • Continue to work on my writing/poetry/spoken word
  • Read more books
  • Start saving money

So far, I think that’s a healthy list of things to try and accomplish until next November lol. I am also blessed for the things I have accomplished from 27 to 28.  My daughter still has her 10 fingers, toes and her bubbly personality, so I am doing something right.  I got a promotion at my job and have finally felt like I have found my career path.  I have been married for 3 years and I am learning more and more on how to improve myself, so that I can be the best self in my marriage.  I also started writing poetry pretty heavy again this year and wrote a book (still can’t believe this one)!  I think life is dealing me a pretty decent hand and I’m not complaining.  I will admit I have my days, but overall, I continue to pray and let God show me the way I need to go!

I’m raising a glass to #Year28 and claiming that this will be an amazingly blessed and prosperous year for me!

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Living vs. Existing

I heard this question in a movie once:

“Are you living, or are you existing?”

To this day, I find it to be one of the most thought provoking questions I’ve heard.

It’s good to take moments to evaluate how your life is going. You need to ask yourself constantly if you are truly living or just merely existing. Many people have found themselves more in the category of existing, rather than living, and sometimes, once they realize it, it’s too late to turn back.

I have existed in this world for a long time. I would talk about my dreams and goals and everything I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted it to play out. I had a great life on paper, but when I asked myself what I was doing to actually live that life? Nothing. In order to truly enjoy life, you have to take action. You have to seize opportunities and carve out your path to greatness; no matter what .

I made a promise to myself that i would do more living and a lot less existing from now on. I have set out to accomplish things that I always talked about and I am very proud of myself. I personally don’t want to look back on my life and say “I wish I should have done…..when I had the chance.”  I think it is good practice to ask yourself this question every now and then to make sure we are living our best lives. You don’t want your years to pass you by, and you sit back and wonder what you could have been or could have done with your life.

We must take time to evaluate what we want out of life, and how to achieve that; otherwise, why are we living this life?

Whitney C.2 Comments