Changing

Things are always changing. 

Things are changing when you notice that something is "different".  Things are changing when things aren't "how they used to be".  Things are changing when you no longer feel the same.  Things are changing when you no longer adopt or ascribe to your usual perspective of the world around you.  Things are changing when you begin to question everything.

Things are changing when you realize you've changed, you've grown, and you no longer belong where you have become comfortable.

Things are always changing.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

It's Funny How Things Work

It's funny how the simplest things can carry the deepest meanings.  Things you overlook can deliver the most profound revelations.  People you don't know can, at times, give you the most meaningful insight about your life. Otherwise meaningless quotes can convey the most intimate perspective of your personal situations.  The smallest of kind and thoughtful gestures create the biggest smiles.

Don't, for one second, take anything that happens in your life for granted - not the people you meet, how you meet them, the places you go, or the things you experience...nothing.  Everything means something and everything has a purpose.  Therefore, when people walk away and out of your life...that has meaning too. Learn from it.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

So Much

There is so much that can be done.
There is so much that you should do.

There is so much that has happened.
There is so much you can make happen.

There is so much to think about.
There is so much to plan.

There is so much going on.
There is so much that has happened.

There is so much that you can't change.
There is so much you can change.

There is so much love that is needed.
There is so much love you have to give.

There is only so much one person can do.
There is SO much one person can do.

You can do so much if you only try.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

The Chase

When you see something you want, you inquire about it.  You find out ways to be around it.  You figure out how to get it.  You devise plans to constantly enjoy it.  You go after it.

When you see a pair of expensive shoes that complement your suit perfectly, you want them.  You check the price...or not.  You try to fit the cost into your budget or you choose to make the purchase...throwing caution to the wind.  You think of exactly when you will wear the shoes...even before you've purchased them.  You wonder for what occasions you might wear the shoes.  You get excited and you get those shoes!

Treat your dreams the same way you treat "things" you want...only better.  When you have a dream, chase it and don't stop until you get it.  Inquire about it.  Find out how you can achieve it.  Construct a strategy to attain it.

Chase your dream...don't stop.  It's all about the chase.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

It's Been Awhile

Since you've been ignited by conversation;
Since you've been embraced with thought;
Since you've been captured by a glance;
Since you've been excited by a smile;
It's been awhile since you've been vulnerable.

Since you were interested;
Since you were giddy;
Since you were inexplicably jovial;
Since you were skip-happy...
It's been awhile since you've fallen in love.

It's been awhile, but it's never too late.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Easy

Somehow, it seems life would be easier if you could choose when to have emotions.  You'd have no fear, no stress, no worries, no sadness, no pain, and no concerns.  What if that also caused the loss of experiencing the happiest moments in life like love and success?  Seemingly, being able to present yourself as stoic also denotes that you're strong.  On the contrary, it takes much more strength to show emotion than to hide it.

It would be great if everyday could be easy, simple, and carefree...but that's what you have childhood for.  As a child you experience all the fun and creative parts of life without having to worry much about perception until you reach adulthood.  As adults, you tend to focus on image, perception, and reaching some point of success...which, at some point, piles on the stress.  Life would be so easy if everyone could embrace and openly express their emotions.  Be stress free and easy...let go sometimes.  It's that simple...and easy.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Still

Sometimes you just can't seem to get things done right.  Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do something goes wrong.  Sometimes you just don't feel right.  It's as if nothing sits right with you.  These are times to be still.

When you are still you can listen to your heart.  You can listen to the voice inside that guides you.  When you are still you can separate all the noise and chaos from the underlying peace...and tap into it.  When you are still you can experience peace. In still moments you witness  the fulness of life and commune with God.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

When You Aren't Looking

People see you.  People watch you.  People adore and appreciate you.  People admire you.  People smile because of you...when you aren't looking.

Often, people may wish to know others' thoughts of them...although many would never admit to it.  You'd love to know that something you did helped someone else.  You love the feeling of knowing you did something right and good.  You could be someone's hidden treasure, but you'd never know.  You could be emulated daily...when you aren't looking.

Be confident.  Be humble.  Be kind.  Be loving.  Someone is cherishing and commending your character...and you aren't even looking.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Leaving

When people leave or walk out of your life, it's for a reason.  At times, it's hard to accept someone walking away, but ultimately it's for the best.  Maybe you can't see the future reasons right now.  Maybe you don't fully understand right now.  Just know that whenever one door closes, another opens.

You are always standing at the doorway of opportunity when someone walks away.  There's an opportunity to learn, to explore, to reflect, to embrace the opportunity at hand and grow from it.  If you are sad, angry, or disappointed...let it last only for a moment.  Your next opportunity awaits and requires your full attention.  Someone or something leaving your life could actually be your doorway to bigger & better things.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Love On Time

Does love ever show up when you want it to or when you think it should?  I don't think so.  It always rears its head when you least expect it.  You can't plan to fall in love and you can't make yourself fall out of love.  The heart isn't designed to take orders.

Love happens on its own schedule.  It never comes around with who YOU choose or when you'd prefer it, but it's always on time.  Your heart has its own time to open and its own time to heal.  You could learn a thing or two if you listen to it sometimes.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Real Life

The way you feel is real...so is the way you make others feel.  You can never know beforehand exactly how you will impact someone else's life or exactly how someone else may impact yours.  However, one thing you should always know is that we are all connected in one way or another.  What each of us does matters more than you know.

Time spent with others, conversations had, jokes told, laughs belted out, cries sobbed onto lended shoulders, pats on the back, feelings hurt, anger born out of disagreements or arguments...it all matters.  Never take for granted one moment spent with or without the people in your life.  Every moment counts and so do the people with whom each moment is spent.  Whether you know/believe it or not, someone is watching you and using your life as an example of how to live.  Be careful what you impart into someone else's life...even if by happenstance.  This is no fairy tale...it's real life.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Your Smile

Your smile is beautiful.  Your eyes dance when you smile.  Your heart leaps when you smile.  People feel warmth when you smile.  People smile when you smile.

People feel better when you smile.  They no longer feel alone or uncared for when you smile.  Your smile triggers childish laughter in the oldest of people.  Nothing can replace your smile, not even the sunshine.  Your smile is more powerful than you think and it needs to be seen...people are depending on it.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Can You Take A Compliment?

When someone says hello, reply with a hello and a smile.  When someone gives you a compliment, reply with thank you.  When someone offers assistance of some sort, accept or reject it with a thank you and a smile.  When someone smiles at you, smile back.  These are simple cordial responses.  Being cordial or nice doesn't mean someone is trying to pursue you.

It's okay to be told how beautiful, handsome, gorgeous, or debonair you look...without it being flirtatious or forward.  Accept love in every form without question.  If you aren't accustomed to receiving various forms of love, just let go and try.  Practice makes perfect...that includes love and all of its manifestations.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Choice

Despite the differences of upbringing and backgrounds, every person was placed on a level playing field when it comes to choice.  We were all given the same power to choose.  What one's options are may vary, but the power and freedom to choose belongs to us all.  Only you can decide what you will tolerate, allow, accept, or settle for.

Some choices are harder to make than others.  It's very important that you take the time to pray and think things through.  Never rush into anything.  Always keep an open mind...always.  Mistakes are allowed, so don't beat yourself up if you make a wrong choice.  Everything happens for a reason...and most often, mistakes are accompanied by lessons.  Soooo...choose, learn and grow.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

A Slice

The saying goes..."why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free" or "there's enough [pie] to go around."  What if this means you've resolved to simply accept what comes your way?  What if these sayings are actually hints to the lackluster idea of not being dedicated or shunning hard work?  What if this is the first step to settling?  When a person settles for a small portion of anything, most likely they won't put forth the effort to obtain the rest.  In your relationships, personal or business, it is imperative that you constantly reflect on your actions.  You must determine whether they are indicative of a desire for more or proof of the presence of complacency.

There is enough knowledge for every learner in the world.  There are enough people for every lover or friend.  There is enough love for every heart.  There is enough desire/thirst for every dream to be achieved.  There are enough flowers for every meadow.  Just as there is enough space in the sky to house every drop of rain until it falls; there are enough ingredients for everyone to have their own pie...not just a slice.

Do more.  Be more.  Give more.  Love more.  You are worth having your own pie, not simply settling for a slice of someone else's.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Peace

Peace is the absence of war.  Peace is the absence of chaos.  Peace is the absence of turmoil.  Peace is the absence of confusion.  Peace is the absence of disorder.  Peace is the absence of discord.  Peace is the absence of discontent.

Peace is the presence of harmony.  Peace is the presence of tranquility.  Peace is the presence of contentment.  Peace is the presence of serenity.  Peace is the presence of concord.  Peace is the presence of calm.  Peace is the presence of happiness.

You can't have peace of mind if you don't make peace with others.  Peace must occur within before it can occur on the outside.  You must be at peace with your past in order to move forward.  It's more important than your realize.  Peace is co-dependent with forgiveness...you can't truly have one without the other.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Deserving

There are some things in life that are earned, things that once you work hard enough for, you deserve.  Love, however, isn't one of those things. 

Love isn't for sale.  You can't buy it.  There is no thing or amount of work you can do to earn it.  There isn't a limit of what you could do for someone to deserve it.  Love is a gift...it's free.

Love was placed (by God) into the hearts of men (and women) to share and give freely to one another.  There is no prerequisite or criteria to be met in order to receive love.  The only criteria is for the giver - to love others as you love yourself.  Think again before you think/say a person isn't deserving of your love...if you are, then so are they.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Feelings

Sometimes, as humans, we get emotional.  We cry.  We smile.  We yell.  We hurt.  We get sad.  We laugh.  We get happy.  We share those feelings with those around us or closest to us.  At times, those feelings are expressed in a way that others don't understand.

It isn't anyone else's responsibility to decipher or decode any puzzles or hidden meanings.  It's our responsibility, as rational beings, to be clear in what we say and do.  It isn't our responsibility to manage anyone's feelings about, or response to, what we say.  We must constantly strive to improve in all we do...including communication.  Say what you mean and mean what you say. 

Feelings and emotions have a great impact on how we communicate.  Think first and choose your words wisely...they can be used as weapons of destruction or as tools for building.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Backwash

You wouldn't let someone sip from your drink and give you their backwash...you'd protect your drink.  So why wouldn't you protect your life and heart the same way?

People have all kinds of troubling experiences.  Likewise, it takes time and effort to heal holistically.  When you try to move forward to have new experiences without healing wholly, you make a conscious choice to allow emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual backwash to enter your life. 

You are your own gatekeeper.  You are the bottle cap.  Not everyone deserves a sip.  Be weary of who you allow access to your life and dreams.  Work on your holistic healing...don't be the cause of anyone else's backwash.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

A Risk

Sometimes love brings pain.  To love doesn't mean you have to hurt or that you will.  To love means you're willing to risk being hurt.  Just because there's a risk involved doesn't mean you shouldn't love.  Love is worth the risk of pain.

Love in spite of the possibility of pain.  Love because of the possibility of bliss...pure happiness.  Be strong.  Love always.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

When To Go

Every once in awhile, you run across speed bumps a bit too fast.  They do their job by slowing you down.  You may scrape the bottom of your car...or crack your bumper, if you're going fast enough.  You may even hit the bump in a crazy way and have an accident.  All of this could happen...if you're going too fast.

We all have our proverbial speed bumps that call our attention to just how fast we're moving through life.  They make us take notice of the things we neglect, the things we consider priorities, and things that need to change.  When driving, we slow down as we approach a speed bump, slowly go over it, and pick up speed to continue our journey once crossing it.  That's life...approach situations with caution, slowly assess your surroundings and the particulars, and know when it's time to go.  Never hang around in any situation longer than your heart tells you to. 

If you don't move, you'll hold up traffic.  Others' lives also depend on your movement.  Be wise and be aware.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Larger

You have to be larger than your circumstances or problems.  You have to see yourself as having already achieved your desired outcome.  You have to know, from within, that you won't always deal with the same problem(s).  You must understand that, ultimately, everything will work out to your benefit.  You have to be optimistic...you must have faith.

The more you think negatively, the more you will speak negatively.  The more you speak negatively, the more you will act negatively.  Don't quit on yourself before you give yourself a fighting chance.  Don't give up on what could be if you just hang in there.  Stay focused.

Be strong and have faith.  The end is near and you'll be rewarded for your dedication.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Love Note 10

Dear Love,

I'm thankful for how you're always there.  I appreciate the warmth and tenderness I feel when you're around.  I love the butterflies that come when you're fresh and new.  I adore the way you make me feel like I'm the most beautiful and most special person in the world.  I truly don't know what I'd do without you.

Smiling,
My Heart

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

It's Not What You Think

Sometimes your past gets the best of you.  You judge people by it.  You gauge situations by it.  You develop a code or change your behavior according to it.  However, it's not what you think.

You begin to think that all the trials that come your way are meant to knock you down and kill your dreams.  You start to see negativity wherever you look.  You slowly become brainwashed into believing that everyone and everything is against you.  You are conditioned by your circumstances to adopt a pessimistic perspective of the world.  Nevertheless, it's not what you think.

There are those who seek to harm you.  There are those who aim to destroy the good in you.  There are some who'd like to see each of your dreams crushed.  What some mean for your demise, God uses to strengthen you. What seems like the worst, the hardest, the most frustrating and the most painful is never what you think...it's much more.

Your circumstances are not what you think...they are not who you are.  Your experiences are only preparing you for the greatness to come.  Every encounter is so much more than what you think.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

The Purpose of Pain

Without pain, you'd never comprehend being hurt.  Without pain, you couldn't fathom healing.  Without pain, you'd forget some of life's priceless lessons.  Without pain you wouldn't appreciate comfort.  Without pain you couldn't truly experience life. Without pain you couldn't truly appreciate joy.

As much as we don't like pain and wish it didn't exist; it has a purpose.  When we learn, pain serves as a reminder of what we shouldn't do.  Pain tells us that there are consequences to our actions.  Pain pushes us to want better and to hope that despite how bad things get...they can and will get better.  Because of pain, we can appreciate healing.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

What It Is

What is it when everything seems to be going okay, then all hell breaks loose?  What is it that causes you to believe nothing will turn out the way you plan it?  What is it when you have so much going on that you feel you can't handle it?  What is it that leads you to doubt rather than have faith?  What is it that causes you to stop pursuing your dreams?

What it is that keeps you from believing, keeps you doubting, and ceases the pursuit of your dreams....is fear.  Don't let it overtake you.  Things don't always go the way you plan.  People disappoint and hurt you.  That's life...and it happens everyday.

Deep down inside you have reserves of strength and faith that are only tapped into when you decide that your obstacle isn't bigger, better, or stronger than you.  What it is that can get you through when the going gets tough...is faith.  It's the opposite of fear and it's strengthened every time you use it.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

It's About Time

It's about time you paid attention to who's in the mirror instead of the circumstances surrounding him/her.  You're far more important that any circumstances you're faced with.  You're far greater than any obstacle you encounter.  You're far stronger than any force pitted against you.  It's about time you realized that you're more than what happens to you.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

More

The more you have, the more you want.  The less you have, the more you want.  At some point we all want more.  Some of us aspire to become more.  Some don't know how to achieve more.

More isn't always just a good or bad thing.  More is sometimes necessary.  At times, you must have excess in order to bless others with your overflow.  Other times, you can have very little and it be just enough to share with someone else.  Sometimes less is more.

Wanting more is good...just be very aware of what you desire more of.  More ways to help others, to teach others, and to share with others is good.  Being more is good.  Doing more is good.  Just be sure that in the process of your wanting and achieving your more, you also share, give, and teach more.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

While You Were Sleeping

Someone fought for you.
Someone protected you.
Someone watched over you.
Someone worked for you.
Someone prayed for you.

Even if you are never totally aware of all that another person does for you, understand and appreciate that a lot took place while you were sleeping. You're blessed and will continue to be due to,in part, the work that others have done to ensure your future.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Another Side of Appreciation

Appreciation comes in many forms and can be presented in many ways. People show their appreciation through words, works, and sometimes gifts. Other times appreciation is shown through emulation...which to some is the highest form of appreciation.

You may not be appreciated for all that you are. You may not be appreciated for all that you do. You may not receive appreciation from whom you believe you should. You may not even receive appreciation in a way that you'd like to or feel you should. Nevertheless, a person can only appreciate you for who you are in their life.

All you can do is be thankful for the blessings placed in your life...time, love, friendship, fellowship, health, and family. You can hope that others will appreciate all that you are and all that you do, but never expect to see it. Expectations, at times, lead to hurt and disappointment. Appreciate and love yourself...first. In spite of what you may never receive from others...love yourself first and always.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Amazing

Watching the light bulb come on in a child's head is a beautiful event to behold. Smelling your favorite food or scent and it causing you to remember the best time you had with a loved one is a wonderful feeling. Feeling an infant heart beating on your chest as you rock him/her to sleep is magical. Tasting snow for the first time is exhilarating. Hearing your name called in recognition of an accomplishment that took years of dedication to achieve is overwhelming.

Being created for a purpose is astounding. Knowing your purpose is comforting. Fulfilling your purpose is mind-blowing. Positively affecting others through the fulfilling of your purpose is a blessing. Having the opportunity to witness the little miracles in life is quite amazing.

Appreciate the amazing things in life that you've been blessed to witness and be a part of.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.

Anew

This is your opportunity for a new beginning. This is your chance to start fresh. Today is your day to wipe the slate clean and write a new story. Now is your time to plant new seeds. This is your season to start anew.

Choose wisely what you say, what you do, and how you say and do things. Starting anew means leaving the past behind you. Forget the mistakes and hold onto the lessons you've learned from them. Let go of things and people that mean you no good. Cling to and surround yourself by those from whom you can continuously learn and grow with.

This is your time to plant seeds and start anew, fresh, begin again. This is your time to be you again...better than before. This is your time to be you...beautifully.

It's beautiful to be you...simply beautiful.