Did you know giving helps us to flourish? Let’s talk about it!
Giving is simply providing love or other emotional support to someone else. Giving to others doesn’t just benefit them; we benefit from giving as well.
Giving provides a social connection. Volunteering with an organization allows you to connect with like-minded individuals passionate about the same cause. As Christians, we understand community is everything and is extremely necessary to our growth in Christ.
Giving is good for your health! Fo’real! Giving lowers stress levels, decreases blood pressure, and is also associated with living longer! Yes! GIVING! Scientists have found the act of giving releases endorphins in the brain called “Helpers High,” which causes people who give to feel happy!
If that hasn’t sold you on the importance of giving, let’s go to the Word.
Today’s Scripture comes from 2 Corinthians 9:7 –
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion (NLT says “ or in response to pressure”) , for God loves a cheerful giver.
How will you be a blessing to others? Be intentional about your giving. Create a plan for making sure you are giving daily. Remember, giving isn’t always monetary. It can be helping someone if you can do it, sharing your lunch, or giving a compliment or encouragement.
All of this may be true, but as feedback it’s useless.
Executive presence is 100% learnable
If you know me, you know I can’t stand feedback like, ‘You need better executive presence”.
It’s vague.
It’s lazy.
And it doesn’t provide you with actionable steps to getting better.
So many women I’ve spoken with have received this feedback when being told why they aren’t in senior leadership yet.
And honestly, it’s total BS.
That’s the bad news. But here’s the good news.
I have cracked the code on executive presence. And it’s totally learnable stuff.
It’s NOT some special superpower that you either have or don’t have.
And it’s absolutely something you can develop.
In order to be effective, feedback needs to be specific and actionable.
I would have no idea what action to take from the feedback above. I’ve been there, and it’s beyond frustrating when on the receiving end.
The truth is that many leaders don’t know how to give you actionable steps to project better leadership or to showcase that you’re strategic or innovative
So what can you do?
If you’re a leader, put the effort into creating specific and actionable outcomes that you want to see.
And if you’re receiving feedback like this, ask for some specific examples of how you can demonstrate these qualities.
Find out exactly what your boss would want to see from you in order to say, “She’s innovative” or “She’s a leader”.
Then, in your future meetings, bring examples of how you’re demonstrating these behaviors, and confirm that it’s what they want to see.
And if your boss can’t give you these specific examples, consider looking outside your organization for help.
Remember, it’s your career. You have the most to gain by investing in your own development. ✌️💜
What are your biggest dreams? Think of the impossible things you’d like to see come into your life—and dream big. Want to give your vision a jumpstart? Start by writing down your goals and then use these questions to make your dreams come true faster.
1. What’s your highest priority in this lifetime?
What’s most important for you to experience, explore or embrace this time around? Maybe you want to travel the world or go to an Ivy League college. Until you can answer this question, your life goals will be off purpose. When your intentions are unaligned with your inner passion, they will lack the power to attract the people and situations necessary to become reality.
Get clued into your true joy. What activities did you enjoy as a child? What are your hobbies now? When your goals are aligned with your soul, synchronicity kicks in to guide you to your target.
2. Is this your dream, or someone else’s?
Are your goals your own choice, or what others think you should strive for? Are you all wrapped up in making other people happy by doing what they want or by fitting into other people’s visions for your life? Do you want to look back in your old age and wish you had followed your passion? Will you regret having “played it safe?”
It’s not selfish to follow your own dreams. Only you can determine what path is right for you. What joy can you share with others if you haven’t given it to yourself first?
3. Are you settling for less than?
Are you resigned to accepting less than your full share of love, health, and success this lifetime? Have you compromised and sacrificed your dream? It’s not too late to change paths and follow your dreams.
Anything short of living your true passions will never make you happy.
4. What will you feel like when you reach your dream?
Imagine that all your dreams have come true. Really focus on that feeling of accomplishment, and let it sit with you. Personal passion fuels a vision. Dive into the thrill and exhilaration of the feeling of living your dream.
The Hawaiian Kahuna say, “Where your creative attention flows, so flows your life.”
5. What steps can you take today toward your dream?
Don’t defer your dream. Set up supports and systems around you to instantly translate your intentions into action. Surround yourself with people who are supportive of your aspirations. Seek out mentors who will encourage you to pursue your goals. Jump on every opportunity that is in line with your purpose and vision.
Are there smaller projects that lead to your larger dream? If the dream is to run a marathon, train for a local fun-run first. And find a way to measure your progress. Track those little wins by writing in a journal or telling a friend.
6. Are you telling yourself: “I can’t have my dream?”
Most people don’t believe they can live their dream. Either their belief system has them believing they can’t make a living doing what they love, or they feel they don’t deserve their dream. To avoid the pain of feeling they can’t have their dream, people often keep their dream so buried they can’t remember they ever had a dream. Keep your dreams at the forefront of your thoughts by reminding yourself every day what you’re striving for.
Everyone has a dream! And everyone is destined to fulfill that purpose. Why wait?
I have been told in so many ways that if I’m not an executive by 50 it’s not going to happen. Well maybe that’s true in this realm, current employment situation or even market but in my best Nipsey Hussle voice, “last time that I checc’d” there were no “best if used by” dates in GOD’s plan.
GOD’s promises are HIS promises. PERIODT.
For those feeling that you’re too old and have missed it, I want to remind you that age is never a hindrance to fulfilling the purposes of God. While you still have breath in your lungs and a pulse, God has a plan and purpose for your life.
There is no such thing as being too old to fulfill the purpose for which you were created – just ask Sarah, Caleb or Elizabeth.
No, you and I might not have the access nor privileges like some but the GOD I know specializes in using highly unlikely people to fulfill his purposes – the kind of people others overlook, discard, dismiss or ignore – because it brings Him great glory. (Go run and tell that!)
Today is a reminder for anyone who’s on a “climb or “grind” you’re not done, it’s not over. Your latter days can be more fruitful than your former.
Keep pressing, keep reaching, keep going. Jesus is worthy of every last ounce of energy expended for HIS Glory on this earth.
As for me, “last time that I checc’d” I’ve only tapped into about 23% of my potential.
There are moments in which I take a serious pause with a jolting stop with the hydraulic actions-Iike a car with switches. Y’all don’t know nothing about that bounce! Ha! Did I tell you that in the 10th and 11th grade my crew wore the blue… and that wasn’t Dallas blue. Well I was more of a friend of the crew or more like a girlfriend of one of the crew. Even then I had much love for being in a community. Quite frankly a lot of my identity came from being “in community”. Whether that being in a social club, sorority, crew, life group aka cliques it’s all the same. But one thing at this seasoned salt age, I’ve really that I’m really tired of people,places and things that require me to lose myself in the process.
I’ve always felt the pressure to fit in. There’s always been a gap between what I want to be and what I think the world thinks I should be which turned me into a social chameleon.
I tried to be the person I felt I should be so I’d blend in with those around me, whether that meant spending a Friday night at the club or attending a corporate meeting at the head office it all required dedication.
So without even realizing it I would change myself, my desires, and sometimes even my opinions to fit into whatever mold was required at the time. But if you’re constantly trying to prove your worth to people, it may be true that you’ve already forgotten your value and that’s where I am today!
There was always a difference between what I wanted and what I thought I should want—my opinion and the norm of society somehow differed—and I’d always assumed I must be the one off beam.
This leads to a life of sacrificing ourselves to please others, living their dreams at the expense of our own.
Reflection Questions
Are you losing yourself—in work and busyness, addiction to success, pleasing others, trying to be or appear perfect, accepting your cultural programming, following default options, or a relationship?
What will you do, starting today, to bring more of yourself back into your life—to be unapologetically YOU?
The world offers you many solutions to your fear. Anxiety medication, relaxation techniques, psychotherapy exercises or even escapism through alcohol or drugs.
But here’s what God offers you:
Him.
God offers you the peace of His love, the steadiness of His protection, the rock solid foundation of His promise.
And His promise is that if you step into the legend He created you to be, you WILL succeed.
It doesn’t matter what other people say. There IS greatness in you. God designed you to reach your full potential, to be powerful beyond measure, to have success and joy and abundance in your life.
Don’t let fear make you quit. Don’t let the terror of what “could” happen affect how you take the next step forward.
As a daughter of Christ you’ve been given the incredible gift of God’s peace. This means you don’t have to let the fear trouble your heart, you don’t have to let the unknown shake your fight.
You can leave it in God’s hands because He knows exactly what He’s doing. Believe me, sister of Christ, you can do everything God designed you to do.
He knows exactly what He’s doing.
So stop quitting. Stop giving up. Fight your way through the fear. Fight your way through the hardship. Fight yourself through the struggle.
Trust in God’s peace, trust in God’s strength, trust that you are BIGGER than any fear trying to get in your way.
You are BIGGER than any fear standing in your way.
As I stare down the barrel of 50, everything has a new sense of urgency…..
In other words: time never felt so precious.So short. I have to outrun this aging body and try to check off the items on my bucket list in a decade or two.
There’s no time to spare!
It’s alarming to me to look back on my youth and realize how much time I wasted. I know you might be tempted to reassure me, to assert that I didn’t waste anything, that everything ended up meaning something.
Well, I’m sorry to inform you — believe me, I am — that I really, truly did waste time.
You see, I was always waiting for something or someone to get things started. Sure, I was pretty proactive when it came to my writing. I regularly worked on my craft and reached out to magazines and publishers, hoping to catch an opportunity.
But every other part of my life felt confusing and overwhelming. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t even know I could do or start something. For a good block of my years I’ve wasted it on pursuing dreams or aspirations that quite frankly I don’t even know why they were aspirational goals in the first time.
Life, however, is not a race against others. It’s a personal journey, unique and significant in its own way. Embrace the fact that you are on your own path, with its own set of challenges and triumphs, learning and growth. It doesn’t matter how fast you go or what others are doing. How much you grow, learn, and enjoy along the way matters. Celebrate your achievements, however small they may seem, and embrace your failures as opportunities for learning and growth. Let your journey be driven by your own goals, values, and passions, not by the desire to outdo others. Ultimately, it’s all about running your own race and finding joy in your journey.
I believe we all have greatness from within and the challenge is to spend time enough to discover it. So I’m making this personal declaration today that I’m going to cease the second half of my life and I’m choosing to do it my way!
When it comes to freedom, we often associate the term with work or things that bring us stress. We fail to realize that freedom is associated with our spiritual well-being and our ability to surrender to God and obey his plan for our lives. The Word of God stands true and leaves us with instructions on how exactly Jesus set us free through his life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection.
As we celebrate another 4th of July, I would like you to pause and consider this.
What’s getting in the way of you engaging more regularly with joy?
A negative mindset?
An unproductive habit?
A self-limiting belief?
Is there something that you need to free yourself from so you can experience more or deeper happiness?
As for me, I’ve been working on my belief that a jam-packed schedule is the only way to demonstrate productivity and value. Instead, I am leaning into the power of breaks, the value of rest and play, and the importance of letting go of the guilt that makes me think that I need to “make up” that time on the next day. How am I doing this? Glad you asked! I have made the commitment to fully reclaimed back my Fridays! That’s right no meeting Fridays unless they are critical! It has been so liberating to say the least….
You should try it. And if it’s not Friday’s how can you maximize the time you have? How can you use your time more wisely on things that bring an upside curve on your mouth?
What can you let go to lighten your shoulders and engage in more smiles? That’s how you make this “independence day” count! Let Freedom Ring!
Affirmations are a self-help strategy used to promote self-confidence and belief in your own abilities.
You’ve probably affirmed yourself without even realizing it by telling yourself things like:
“All I can do is my best.”
“I’ve got what it takes.”
“I believe in my ability to succeed.”
These simple statements help shift your focus away from perceived failures or inadequacies and direct your focus toward your strengths — those you already have and those you
want to develop.
But do they actually work? Kind of.
Affirmations generally work as a tool for shifting your mindset and achieving your goals, but they’re not a magic bullet for instant success or healing.
For example, you might replace a negative or anxious thought, like:
“I’m so terrible at interviews. I’m probably not even as qualified as the other candidates. There’s no way they’ll hire me, I should just leave.”
With a positive affirmation:
“I have all the necessary skills and experience, and I’m the perfect candidate for this job.”
Using affirmations may help you feel more relaxed before your interview, and knowing you’re fully prepared can also help you avoid self-sabotaging thoughts or behaviorspotentially interfering with your success.
Remember, action is key
Repeating an affirmation can help boost your motivation and confidence, but you still have to take some action yourself. Try thinking of affirmations as a step toward change, not the change itself.
Consider that nosy co-worker who always asks questions about your personal life. You don’t want to say anything to offend, but you also have no intention of answering their questions.
An affirmation like “I can remain calm even when I feel annoyed” might guide you to a habit of deep breathing or grounding exercises when you start to feel your blood boil.
These tactics, combined with your affirmations, help you get through the stressful moment until you can politely make an escape.
The affirmation didn’t make the change, you did. But it did offer a starting point.
I’ve always loved flowers. During the summer I am drawn to sunflowers. I love their big, bright petals but what really draws me to the flowers is their story. I learned as a child that sunflowers grow towards the sun. Even on cloudy days sunflowers will find the tiniest ray of sunlight peeking through the clouds and turn towards it. Instead of focusing on all the darkness, the sunflower seeks out that little light and faces it. It may not surprise you that sunflowers have somewhat of a thing for the sun. Even at night they’re hankering for the light, turning their faces back east in the dark so they’ll be ready to catch the first rays the moment dawn breaks. Sunflowers flourish when they are facing the sun. Isn’t that just like us? When we are facing Jesus’ light we are able to prosper and grow. Jesus said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Just like sunflowers, when we pray we are opening up from darkness into the light. Light reveals us to ourselves, which is not always so great if you find yourself in a big mess, possibly your own creation. But like sunflowers we turn toward light. Light warms and in most cases it draws us to itself. And in this light, we can see beyond shadow and illusion to something beyond our modest receptors, do what is truly deep down inside of us.
Today, let’s turn our backs on the darkness and face the brightness of Jesus’ light. If you’re going through a dark period in your life, know that God will be your ray of sunshine shining through the clouds that you need to turn your face towards healing, hope and grace.
I hope the next time you see a sunflower you’re reminded that when you turn your face toward the SON, you will receive the light you need to brighten your day and circumstances. excerpt from Breakthroughs and Bless You’s by Kara Barker.
