Making My Way Through

I am the oldest of 6 siblings. However, I was raised in my home as an only child for most of my life. Let's just say I am no stranger to me time and I value that time very much.

Now that I am a wife and mother of two, I can only grab me time if I wake up at 5am.

For the past month or so, I have been working through some difficult times. Anyone that ever attempts to become a master of their life understands that difficulty is unavoidable. It is impossible to master a skill without putting it through a test. I don’t know about you, but I have rarely met an easy test.

I am proud to say that no matter how difficult the times or the test, I always win. I spent my me time this morning going over my wins as a means of encouraging myself through this time and here is what I discovered:

What makes me a better mentor to those struggling to make sense of their lives, a better mother to my two children, a better wife, a better sister, a better friend, and a better blogger, is my ability to work my way through to the other side.

You see, if you are facing difficulty or struggle, it is because you are heading in the direction of something that is it’s opposite. The opposite of difficulty is ease. You just have to make your way through. Once you master a skill to the point of ease, the next time you make an attempt at mastery, of any kind, will feel easier and easier.

If you have been met with difficulty of any kind and need some encouragement as you make your way through, From Strength to Struggle is a great post for you to read today.


To Blog…Nakeia

Get What You've Always Wanted

Most people don’t get what they want in life simply because they don’t know what they want.

The most important discoveries you will ever experience in life is:

…Coming into the full realization of who you are.
…Uncovering the revelation of what you are here to do
…Identifying exactly what you want to experience in life.
…Understanding exactly what you need to fulfill your desires.

I believe that you only really start living life, when you approach it seeking out those discoveries. If you frequent my blog, twitter, or facebook homes, you know that I teach that approach to motivated men and women who have struggle with achieving specific goals, making better decisions, and cultivating positive relationships.

Last week I received an email from a woman who said that she knows that she is supposed to be a business owner, move to a new state, marry and become a mother---all within the next 2 years. Now personally, I believe that can happen---but I wasn’t so sure she did. I asked her what kind of business she wanted to start, and she said she doesn’t know. I asked her what state she wanted to move to, and she said she didn’t know. Finally I asked her if she was in a relationship or had a love interest, and she said not really.

That type of email is not uncommon. The truth is many---many people simple have no idea what they want. They just know they want something.

So let me ask you. What do you want…really?

Are you in the relationship that you want? Are you living in the house that you want? Are you thriving in the career that you want?

If you don’t have what you want and want to change that today, here is your approach:

Decide what you want. Go back to the days when you and your young friends would talk about what you were going to be in life. Reconnect to your dreams and visions.

Look for opportunities to receive. When you make a decision and focus your efforts toward it, you will begin to see things differently. Don’t ignore what you see. Be open to new opportunities

Don’t let anyone talk you out of what you want. When you make a decision to undergo a major change in your life, your true supporters will be revealed. Don’t allow those that mean you no good talk you out of seeking what you and getting it.

Don’t settle for less than what you want. Settling is a bad habit that only leads to more settling. The moment you let go of what you want accept what you don’t want, you cut off opportunities effort your success. Simply don’t do it! You deserve to have exactly what you want.

Before you can begin to experience the life you deserve, you have to know what you want. Take the time to get to know your self more. By taking this approach, you will begin to see significant changes in your life.

To Blog…Nakeia

How Do You See Your Glass?

Do you see the glass as half empty or half full?

Before you answer, let me explain the expression.

The typical purpose of the question is to demonstrate that the situation may be seen in different ways depending on one's point of view and that there may be opportunity in the situation as well as difficulty. Seeing the glass as half full denotes optimism and half empty denotes pessimism.

In my practice I like to view the expression from a completely different angle. Why? …Because I’m completely different of course.

When approaching success of any kind, what matters, most, is what you do. You can plan all you want---prepare all you want---affirm all you want--- and be as optimistic as you want--- but if you don’t do something, everyday, towards achieving your desired success, you will continue to stay right where you are.

Some people look at life just being grateful that things are not that bad. These people say things like “oh well, things could be worse.” You may have also heard these people say something like “at least I have a job” or “at least my situation isn’t that bad.” These people think they are being optimistic and they view the glass as half full. That view may be very well for someone who likes to live their life in an “oh well, at least” position. These people are content and okay with staying right where they are---because at least their life is halfway successful.

Then there are people that are not content with half of anything. These people say things like “this is good, but I can make it even better.” You may have also heard these people say something like “I need a career and not just a job” or "I need to get this situation under control before it gets any worse.” These people are also optimistic even though they see the glass as half empty. People who adopt this world view spend their lives doing more and being better---because half just isn’t good enough.

Seeing the glass half empty can work to your advantage when you have a definite goal in mind, because you productively seek opportunities to fill your glass. You use the half way point as your cue to dig deeper and push harder.

If you are stuck at the half-way point in your life, here is your approach to peaking through your plateau:

You have been half-full for way too long. Seek new opportunities to fill your life and you will fulfill your goal. Remain optimistic, but remember that what you consistently do to make things happen in your life will ultimately be the difference between a life that is half empty and half full.

Dig deeper and push harder. When you find your self at the half way mark, that means the hard work of getting started and establishing your system is over and your success id just ahead.

Don’t just be content with where you are; push through to where you want to be.


To Blog…Nakeia

You Just Don't Want To...

You don’t do what you don’t want to do.

Let me explain. Every thing that you have ever said, done, and thought has been because you wanted to say it, do it, or think it.

You may be thinking:

Well that is obvious.

Unfortunately, that is not so obvious to many.

For some reason, people choose to believe someone or something else is responsible for their lives. The fact of the matter is that we are all 100% responsible for our own lives. That means every action we have ever taken has been because, ultimately, it was what we wanted to do.

You don’t do what you don’t want to do.

If you don’t want to read a book because you want to get some rest, you can’t say you want to read but you are tired. You want to sleep. You don’t want to read.

If you don’t want to get up an hour earlier in the morning to work on your business because you need your rest, you can’t say you want to start your own business but you don’t have time. You want to sleep. You don’t want to start a business.

If you want to create a change in your life, you must be honest with yourself about what you are willing to do. If you are not doing something because you are tired, stressed, scared, busy, or whatever your excuse, replace those excuses with the phrase:

I don’t want to do it.

That is the truth.

It’s totally okay to just admit to not wanting to do something. Taking 100% responsibility for your life is all about getting clear or what you want to do as well as what you don’t want to do.
Just know that if you do something, something happens and if you do nothing, nothing happens.

Here is your approach to replacing your excuses with the truth:

Replace your excuses with the truth.

Profound!


To Blog…Nakeia

3 Ways to Prepare to Do Your Thing

Knock. Knock.
Who’s there?
Opportunity…
Oh, no! I’m not ready…I didn’t knock you were coming!
Opportunity isn’t always convenient. That is why we must always be prepared.

Being prepared means, figuratively, sitting by the window in the front of your house--- with your coat on and your bags packed---just waiting for opportunity to knock--- so you can open the door.

On your Mark
Get set
Go!

Being prepared means, figuratively, being at the starting line, in the runner’s stance---waiting to hear the gun shot, and being in good enough shape to not just start running ---but to be able to finish the race

Being prepared means you are willing, ready, and well able to do your thing at a moments notice. Most people think that they are prepared because they want to do something or are willing to do something.

I learned this principle from an old mentor years ago:

It’s not whosoever will, but whosoever CAN.

Here is your approach to applying that principle and being prepared to do your thing:

Get clear on what you are preparing for.
In other words, get a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, do, or complete, how to go about it, and exactly how you’re going to get it done. Many people skip the “exactly how”, which is why many people are unprepared.

Prepare to become an expert.
Knowledge alone is not power. Being able to practically implement what you know is power. Most people don’t care how you do your thing; they just want to know that you can get it done. That is why being prepared by positioning yourself as an expert is extremely important.

Be prepared to finish.
Everyone begins somewhere. But, you can’t stop where you begin. If you are a start up company or approaching a new goal, of any kind, you need to begin with the end in mind. You need to have all of your resources, products, services, execution details, and everything and anything that you may need waiting in the wings. When it’s time for you to grow or move on to the next phase in your process, you need to be prepared to proceed---not trying to figure out what’s next.

Knock. Knock.
Who’s there?
Opportunity…
...Are you Prepared?

To Blog...Nakeia

Nothing to Loose...Everything to Gain

When you have nothing to loose, you have everything to gain. That is why many people experience their biggest breakthroughs and turn a rounds during the most difficult times in their lives. When you have nothing, your desire to acquire is fueled by your needs. If you are anything like me, when you need something, you do what is necessary to get it.

People who have nothing to loose:

Take more risks
Exhaust their resource
Roll with the punches

If you want to experience a complete turn a round in your life, you are going to have to take more risks. You are your greatest investment. And just like all other investments, you need to do the research, consider your options, and go for it. Besides, if you have nothing and you loose, all you can actually loose is NOTHING.

Your resources are your source of help, your backup, your solution, and your non-conventional commerce. Your talent and gifts will take you places your education may not. Who you know is sometimes more important that what you know. And if you really need a breakthrough in your life, you must ask, seek, and knock. People who have nothing to loose will endure the many no’s just to get to the one yes!

People who ask the question…What do I have to loose?… have probably experienced a few punches that have knocked them down. If you have been hit by life more than once, then you know what it’s like to get back up. People who have nothing to loose, take the hits and roll with the punches. In an actual fight, people who have nothing to lose are the scariest to go up against. They have a I’m going to do whatever ever I need to do to win attitude, and it may be the last round, but those kind of people usually when.

Here is Your Approach:

If you have nothing to loose, you really only have everything to gain. Consider your need---whatever it is---you are going to have to do what you need to do to get it.

Start by taking more risks. You have been held back by fear, doubt, and uncertainty. One thing that’s certain is that if you have nothing, you risk nothing, therefore you loose nothing.

Exhaust your resources. Find other people, other options, and do something different, to get what you want. If what you have been doing was going to work, it would have done so by now. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking.

Finally, toughen up and roll with the punches. If you know what it’s like to get knocked down, then you know what it’s like to get back up. Develop an I’m going to do whatever ever I need to do to win attitude and keep fighting until the last round!


To Blog…Nakeia

Over Night Success

Are you willing to loose sleep over it?

Your job, your career, your hobby, your purpose---are you willing to work so earnestly at mastering it, that you literally sacrifice your sleep to get things done?

Some people lie awake all night worrying about their bills, their relationships, and their level of success. Others spend their nights in motion as they plan, develop, and craft their way to their desired level of success.

Some people allow their circumstances to completely exhaust them.
Others exhaust every resource, opportunity, and connection to change their circumstances.

Achieving significant success is not always an easy task. It requires commitment, revelation, and most importantly---action.

You may need to work a 9-5 during the day; and work 6-10 on your business and an exit plan at night. If you are like me, you may need to take care of your home and children during the day and then put them to bed and work on your business through the night. You may need to work all week making connections and creating content; and then spend your weekend taking courses that will make you an expert in your field.

If you are not willing to loose sleep over it, then I am here to tell you, you don’t really want it.

If you have sacrificed your sleep to study, research, create, and build for the sake of your significant success, these words are for you:

People don’t become successful overnight, but over night many successful people become.

Here’s your approach:

If you have questions about what you really want to do with your life, create a list of the things you are doing currently and the things you are considering. Once you have created your list, put a star next to the things you would be willing to sacrifice your weekends, after-work time, and even sleep to master and then put them to the test.


To Blog…Nakeia