It's a crazy day today....2 days before my tax deadline. I will expound on my thought of the day later...."In this book of life, Dont be afraid to turn the page...your story will get better"
Be Inspired,
ACT.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
"You have to do something big to get something bigger"
Greetings With Enthusiasm,
Making Moves Monday! Let’s start this week off on a high and keep the momentum going. Today marks the 12th day of my Project Destiny journey. I have 9 more days until my Daniel fast is over. What a journey it has been thus far! Over the past few days many people have been asking me” why are you fasting?” And I have simply been saying, “ I am trying to get my life together”. People laugh when I say that as if my life is perfect. Just because you have a good job and a house that does not mean God doesn’t have greater blessings in store and there isn’t more opportunities to grow. I want to embark on a new level of excellence, where I use all of my talents and as a college friend said to me last week, I want to “die empty” having giving my all in this life.
As a part of my project destiny journey, I have committed to putting to rest anything that is currently holding me back so that I can prepare for this new level of excellence. For me those two things are passing my CPA exam and eliminating my revolving credit debit. The CPA exam has been a long and painful journey for me. I have scheduled the exam time and time again but have allowed everything else in my life to take priority over the exam. I have spent a lot of time serving others in a leadership capacity at work and in organizations. I realized this year that it was truly time for me to learn how to be selfish and focus on “being the best me”. I have eliminated all my extracurricular activities to focus on things that will propel my career and enrich my life. I scheduled the last 3 parts of the exam to take them before the end of the year and I am trusting in God that this will be the last time I schedule this exam. I know many of you reading this may have something you know you need to do. Let’s stop making excuses and make things happen.
The other item I will be focusing on is eliminating debt. I have devised a plan to eliminate my debt in a year. I have been making strides to ensure that I reduce my spending. One of my major spending habits was buying eyes glasses and sunglasses. I took advantage of being in India and got Lasik eye surgery a month ago to eliminate this habit of buying glasses. It was cheaper to get Lasik in India than it cost me to by a pair of glasses and my contacts annually. Now why is eliminate debt so important to me? In preparing for this new level of excellence, I know I may want to start a business, get married, buy another house, etc. The last thing you want to be doing in any of those situations is coming to the table with debt. Credit card debt it not good debt to have so I want to eliminate it as a part of my Project Destiny Journey. I have seen too many professionals that make a good living but are living paycheck to paycheck because of debt. Let’s vow not be like that and get our debt in order.
Overall, Project Destiny has been an answer to so many prayers already in my life. I have wanted to drawer closer to God and making these changes in my life have given me so much clarity on who I am and what God has in store for me. I already know how next year will start and end. I have lost half of the weight needed to accomplish my weight goal. I am talking to you, which means I finally started blogging which was way over due. I even received confirmation on when I will get married and to who it will be. This experience has been such an eye-opener to the future and helping me understand myself even more. I have managed to remain calm in spite of how hectic my schedule is right now, without my normal diet , red bull or coffee. My co-workers have said “ I give it to you, you are good, I don’t know how you remain so calm working all these hours with no sugar”. It’s not me its God. I want big changes in my life and that will only come with sacrifice. You have to do something big to get something bigger.
Dare to do something BIG this week!
Be Inspired,
ACT.
Friday, September 9, 2011
It's not “I can’t” but instead “IT’S DONE”!
Greetings with Enthusiasm,
Happy Friday! Today let’s pretend we never learned how to say “I can’t” but instead “IT’S DONE”. Is there a goal or aspiration you have been shying away from because you feel like you can’t? ......YOU CAN. CONSIDER IT DONE!
As a part of Project Destiny, one of the things we are committing to do is accomplish a “lingering goal”. This goal is something you have wanted to do or needed to do but have allowed things to get in your way. We have about 3 and a half months left in the year. Do you want to lose 10 to 15 lbs? Complete a certification? Prepare to go back to school? Start a business? Whatever it may be for you, take this weekend to think about it and devise a plan to complete this goal by year end. If this is a long-term goal, think about what steps you can take over the next few weeks to make this goal a reality in your life in the future. Once you determine what that goal is, write it down! Put it somewhere where you can see it. This will serve as your contract to yourself to accomplish this goal.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
“Negativity is contagious; keep some positivity juice handy to re-energize your spirit”
Greeting With Enthusiasm!!
One of my mentor’s John H. Bryant, always asks me “how is your spirit? So, I will ask you how is your spirit today? This morning, my body is fatigued, energy is a bit drained and my eyes are strained. I was at work until 4 am and back at my desk by 10am. For most corporate tax accountants, this is the busiest time of year and we are all overwhelmed with work and sleep deprived. However, my spirit is rejoicing and content with who I am and excited about where I want to go. We have to be careful about what we allow to impact our overall spirit. Our spirit ultimately impacts how we interact with others and the decisions we make. When you have vision, it allows you to put any challenges or opposition in perspective and focus on the grand prize…You becoming the best YOU!
Since I have started Project Destiny, I have been having all kinds of weird dreams. Last night, I dreamed I quit my job abruptly. I remember saying, “YOU KNOW WHAT, DO IT YOURSELF….I QUIT” and immediately chucking those deuces up as I ran for the door. Then I remember thinking, “What did I just do? How am I gonna pay my mortgage? My dad is going to have a good time drilling me about this one?”. All day yesterday, I heard “I hate this JOB, I can’t wait to quit” at least 20 times from different people. In public accounting, you will feel like you hate your job and want to quit at least twice a year. I felt that way many times before myself. I know in the long run it is a great career and can provide the lifestyle I want to live. But as Jayz says, “It ain’t for everybody”. I can apply that to my career, public accounting is not for everybody. We are drawing closer to the deadline and the work hours are getting longer and tempers are flaring. It seemed as if the level of negativity and complaining yesterday was at an all time high. All the negativity was draining the life out of me and it was slowing up my productivity. I was asking myself “ ACT, what is wrong with you today?” My spirit was low, bruised and confused.
I went for a drive to grab lunch and thought this “Negativity is contagious; keep some positivity juice handy to re-energize your spirit.” Whenever my spirit gets low, I try to keep a remedy handy to help boost my energy and revitalize my spirit. I absolutely love Chipotle and it fits in my diet for the Daniel Fast. Good food always puts a smile on my face so I started by getting a veggie salad from Chipotle. What really works well for me is seeing images of where I want to be and things I want to have. I knew a day like this would be coming soon so, over the weekend I went to the Porsche dealership and looked at cars. I love cars and I think the new 4-door Porsches are so sexy! I found a white one and took a picture next to it to keep as motivation when I need it. I did the same thing when I was in college. I wanted a BMW 330 CI and I had made a pact with my dad that if I maintained a 4.0, he would help me get the car. I went to the dealership every week. I took pictures of the car and test drove it frequently. Some late nights, when I needed motivation I would go to the dealership and look at the car. Eventually, I got the BMW my senior year. Now, I am ready for a Porsche! I know if I continue to work hard, one day I will be able to drive whatever car I want.
For you, other things may motivate you like a house, vacation, picture of someone with the body you want, etc. Find something that motivates you and keep it handy so that it can quickly cure you from any negativity. If you see it, believe it, and seek it…you will be it. YOU CAN do this!
Be Inspired.
ACT.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
“Everyone will not be happy about your happiness, but smile anyway….when people throw you shade give them sunshine"
Greetings with Enthusiasm!
It is a gloomy and rainy day today in New York. However, I have so much energy in my feet and joy in my heart for being able to see another day. I am truly blessed and today will mark the 7th day of my Project Destiny Journey. I glanced in the mirror this morning and my face looked vibrant. My skin looked clear and my eyes were glossy. I stepped on the scale and I am 4 lbs lighter than I was a week ago. God has been speaking to me over these past few days. I have seen visions some good and some bad. I have been very faithful to my fast and continuously talking to God. Although this journey is young, I am excited and praising God in advance for where this will take me and where it will take others.
I am so happy at this current moment, I feel like skipping and I sang all the way to work. I wanted to open my car window and shout “I AM FEELING GREAT!” (LOL) And then, I thought about times when I have shared my praise reports with others and they gave me a response like “nice”. It is sad that sometimes life is going good and you feel like you have to keep it to yourself because of how others around you may react. But I am thankful to God for how he continues to show me how real he is in my life. I thought this as I was driving to work this morning “Everyone will not be happy about your happiness, but smile anyway”. You cannot let grumpy people around you cloud your sunshine with their unhappiness. Pray for them and be supportive.
This new energy and joy started when I got home from work last night. I was talking to one of my high school friends on facebook who is a recording artist. She asked me if I was still singing and as usual I was embarrassed. I couldn’t think of when the last time was since I opened my mouth to let someone else hear me sing. Then I got a light bulb, “ding…ding..Ding!” I started thinking about the last time I sang, which was at Village underground almost a year and a half ago. My voice has been caged for so long. Vocally, there is a beast waiting to come out and bless people with sweet melodies. It is time to “punch my fears in the face as if they were trying to steal my dreams away from me”. I made a video last night and discovered some videos I had on my computer that I never posted to YouTube. I have added ACT. Sings to the blog to chronicle my vocal journey. Check it out and let me know what you think. I am striving to be a beast in every area of my life.
I will leave you today with this…. Eleanor Roosevelt said “Do something every day that scares you”. I say “
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Commitment to Spiritual Growth - “Seek God First”, “We have to discover religion for ourselves”
As a child, I grew up in the church. My mother kept my brother and I deeply engaged in church activities. We attended Sunday school, vacation bible school, sang in the youth choir and we were in every service that was going on each week. As an adult, I have observed that many of us that grew up “over-churched”, rebel against the church as adults because of things we observed as children. One thing people don’t realize is that just because people go to church, it does not make them perfect. We are all sinners saved by grace, trying to do the best we can to be more like God. You cannot think that just because your sunday school teacher used to smokes cigarettes and cursed that all Christians or religious people are hypocrites. You have to discover religion for yourself and establish a personal relationship with God. When you know God and love him for yourself , you will not allow what you may have witnessed by people in the church to deter you from continuing to seek him.
When I went to college , I was exposed to other religions and denominations. I remember being amazed that some churches are only in service for an hour! I grew up in a Pentecostal church. If you know anything about Pentecostal churches, you will know that Sunday service can be like a marathon “you never know when it will end”. Another observation was the difference in preaching styles. I grew up listening to many preachers that “whoop” throughout the whole sermon and everyone was shouting “Amen” after every other word but I never received the message. While I was in college, I attended services at a church where the pastor had a teaching style of preaching which reminded me of my Pastor at home. He used a softer tone of voice (no whooping), humor, practical application of the scripture and always used thought provoking statements. I always left feeling full as if I had just eaten the greatest meal of my life and felt spiritually empowered. In addition, the way the service was orchestrated we were always in and out of church within 2 hours, there was a strong presence of young people and the praise singers were amazing. . I realized that in my adult life I would need to be around that kind of church to grow spiritually and stay engaged.
After college, life began to consume me and I was not going to church consistently as I was working on Sundays often during busy seasons. I also became very picky about when I would go to church. I would avoid going on Sundays when I knew it was going to be a 4 hour experience as on first Sunday due to communion. I would also want to know who was speaking to decide whether I was going or not. Over time I realized that my spiritual life was stagnant. I was engaging in activities that was not pleasing to God but in spite of it all he continued to bless me. Like any other relationship, our relationship with God will not grow without commitment and consistency. We have to be passionate about our spiritual growth. One of my greatest successes in college, was getting involved in leadership in student organizations. It engaged me , allowing me to use my passions and helped me excel in all aspects of my college career. Engaging yourself in committees and activities at a church is helpful in finding additional ways of growing spiritually through service. You can use talents that you use daily in the secular world to glorify God. I became a part of the Finance Committee for my church’s national organization. It gave me an opportunity to use my passion for problem solving and accounting to benefit the church. As a part of this experience, I worked closely with our National Financial Secretary , who is one of the greatest preachers in the world. I learned so much from him and those who serve under his leadership. I was inspired by their passion for serving God and his people.
I am the point in my spiritual life where I want to dive deeper into the bible and prayer. God has blessed me to be in a great place today. As good as he has been to me , I need to do more for him. As a part of Project Destiny, I am making a more conscientious effort to “Seek God First” in everything that I do. Here are some of the things, I will be implementing into my life and I encourage you to do the same.
· Daily Prayer/Meditation - At least 2 times a day
· Bible Reading – Adopt a scripture reading plan or choose a lesson plan from www.youversion.com to foster continuous reading and learning of The Bible.
· Church - Attend Church or Bible study once a week.
· Tithe/Offering – Commit to tithe or give an offering monthly
· Fasting – First 21 Days complete the Daniel Fast. Incorporate additional fasts as your spirit is led for further spiritual growth.
· Refrain from immoral behaviors, including sexual activity, cursing, alcohol, smoking and any habits you wish to eliminate.
· Music – Incorporate inspirational music into your life.
· Keep an “ I Can” Attitude – Maintain a positive outlook on your life and all circumstances. Eliminate negativity from your vocabulary.
· Relationships – Foster and maintain healthy relationships with your friends, family and significant other.
In my scripture reading and prayer these past few days some of the things that have resonated with me that I will leave with you are:
· “Is there anything too hard for God?” Genesis 18:14
· “It is a Godly Attitude that will promote you! “ – Living Word Library
· “God Can do anything but Fail” - Church Hymn
· “Go Forward” Exodus 14:15
If you are looking for a change in your life, began by connecting with the God that lives in you.
Be Inspired,
ACT.
 |
| Finance Team at the 2010 COGIC Holy Convocation in November 2010 ( I know I look different!....this is before the weight loss, hair cut and lasik eye surgery) |
Monday, September 5, 2011
“Commit to Be Fit” “Commit to be Healthy”
Greetings With Inspiration!
It has been a crazy weekend but I want to catch up on Project Destiny and give you a few inspirational nuggets.
Day 3 - Saturday, September 3rd “Commit to Be Fit” “Commit to be Healthy”
Have you been saying you want to lose 10-20lbs but have not been able to overcome this hurdle? Has your doctor told you that your cholesterol is high or you have a condition that will only get better if you lose weight? Are you already slim and trim but want to take your physical appearance to the next level? If so ………..LET’s DO THIS!
I have lost a total of 18lbs gradually over the last 18 months. How did I do it? I adopted a healthy diet and began exercising regularly. If you commit to making a lifestyle change losing weight is easy. You have to picture the “new and improved YOU” and chase after it. I encourage you to find an activity that you love to do and have it help you lose weight. I have always loved to dance. I discovered Zumba and Zoanee Belly Dancing Aerobics when looking for different ways to workout. It was like love at first sight! Every time I go to a class I leave happy, energized, and mostly importantly sweating because they are both excellent ways to workout.
This time around I will be trying a few new things. Personally, I do not like using the treadmill or elliptical everyday so I like to incorporate classes in my workout routine. For the 4 months, of Project Destiny in order to accomplish my weight goal I will be doing the following:
· Kickboxing – Once a week
· Zumba – Once a week
· Zoanee (Belly Dancing) – Once a week
· Kettlebell Workout – Once a week
· Weight Training – 2 Times a week , 1 hour post- Zumba/Zoanee
· Bikram Yoga - Once a week
If you are looking to lose weight or tone, any of the above would be a great thing for you to incorporate into your workout. It is hard working out on your own. Personal trainers can be expensive. Group exercises make it easier to get over your fear of the gym because you have the support of others. If you shy away from group activities, try walking , running , rowing , or using the elliptical for your cardio workouts. You should try to incorporate cardio at least 3 times a week coupled with weight training. I am by far no expert but this is what worked for me J LET’s GO!!!!!
Exercise is one part of accomplishing your fitness goals but your diet is crucial!! You can’t eat fried chicken everyday and think because you go to the gym for 3 days you are going to lose weight. Commit to be Fit! Commit to be Healthy! Be conscious about what you are putting in your body. My Project Destiny plan provides some overall guidelines:
· Fitness Assessment & Goal Setting – Obtain a fitness assessment and set a physical achievement goal
· Commit to being healthy - Eat a healthy and balanced diet
· Workout Plan – Commit to an hour of physical activity at least 3 times a week, gradually increasing to 5 or more days a week.
· Incorporate a daily stretching regiment or Yoga
· Increase Water Intake – No Alcohol, Soda & Juice (exceptions: sports drinks, reduced sugar/100 % juices)
· Sweets/Junk Food - Eliminate food high in fat, sugar or salt (i.e. ice cream, cake, chips)
· Lower Carbohydrates – Minimize bread and rice consumption
· Lean Diet - Adopt a Fish and Chicken diet ( baked or broiled)
· Fruits and Vegetables – Eat 4-5 servings a day
· Multivitamin & Dietary Supplements – Consult your doctor on vitamins and supplements to include in your diet.
Complete the first step by doing a physical assessment:
My Fitness Assessment:
Weight : 149 lbs
Waist : 28.5
Abs: 35
Hips: 40.5
Body Fat %: 28.3
BMI: 26.4
MY GOAL: 140 lbs
Now you may be thinking, why is she trying to lose more weight? My doctor has always said I should be closer to 140. I have lost almost 20 lbs already and I am commited to losing another 10lbs. Project Destiny is about being the best YOU. No matter what size you may be losing weight is achievable. I mentioned this to someone that wanted to quit smoking cigarettes, “Kick that bad habit , before it kicks you!” I will revamp it here. “Kick the weight, before it Kicks you”. You don’t want to have a doctor tell you , “you have to lose weight”. Do it because you want be healthy!
We got a little under 4 months before the year is over!!! Let’s do this!!!!!
Be Inspired,
ACT.
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