I am an AFOL; Adult Fan of LEGO. I did not know this acronym, but I am loving that there is a term for it because it means that I am not alone in my fandom. I played with LEGO as a child but admit to finding more solace and joy in my current collection.
In 2020 the first episode of LEGO Masters aired. A competitive series following teams of two, building a LEGO creation based on a theme given in that specific episode with the hope of not being eliminated. An enjoyable family show, especially as the teams were adults with a love for LEGO, some more experienced than others but that was part of the draw. These pairs developed over the course of the show, learning from the other competitors. Siblings, parents, parent and adult child, friends, moms, coworkers the pair options are endless and identifiable. I was intrigued and ready to play too.
In 2020 LEGO also “Welcomed Adults” with their new 18+ Sets replacing the Expert LEGO Line that was intended for more advanced players. Themed LEGOS were released such as a Botanical Collection with flowers and trees that could be decorations in a room or office once built. An Architecture Line with renowned buildings around the world such as the Trevi Fountain, Statue of Liberty, and smaller scale sets of cities with a strip of their most recognizable buildings. The Las Vegas Strip, Paris with the Eifel Tower and Louver, London featuring Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and the London Eye. LEGO has collections to cater to adult fandom in Car Models, Movie Scenes or LEGO models of characters to again be used as decoration. There is a theme or collection to appeal to everyone on any level of building at many different price points. Architecture is my personal favorite, I started with the small-scale London city scene for my first build.
March 2020 was also the beginning of the lockdown so my newfound interest in LEGO took on an entirely new meaning for me. It became my therapy, my lifeline, a connection to the outside world. It brought me a sense of peace and well-being after a day of trying to keep five teenagers engaged in OnLine School. LEGOS have been used for mental health even in helping to prevent dementia.
My LEGO builds started to expand as my skill grew and lockdown seemed to have no end in sight. However, the LEGOS were not just for me anymore. LEGOS were bought or ordered to complete my collection, I was encouraged to continue building and the joy of completing a project and displaying was shared by my family. They would surprise me with a piece that was hard to find and take on the chore of dinner so I could build. Displayed on a hall table for all to enjoy, but many builds are extremely fragile and my family took it upon themselves to be extra careful when walking or cleaning. Even the cats were trained to not touch.
I still have several sets to build, I have missed not having that free time to do so but I also ran out of space to display them and I can’t bring myself to break them down and rebox them. That has actually become a more serious concern for me as I am looking at moving and don’t know how to move them, without taking them apart. I love puzzles too and have no problem taking them apart after completed and putting them back in the box. Is my tie to these LEGO builds because of the time spent, a memory that is connecting me to it? Honestly, I don’t know, but for now, they remain displayed with my little family of protectors to keep them safe. We have even discussed the type of shelving that we need in the future when I do build some of the bigger sets.
I have nearly completed my collection, that is until LEGO makes another that I just can’t live without. If they ever design The RMS Queen Mary, I will be first in line to buy it. (I’ve actually submitted it in their suggestion box.) If LEGO pairs with NFL and makes the 49ers LEVI Stadium, ‘Forget About It’ that baby would be on my Niner Fan Shelf by the end of the day.
A LEGO Fan Girl and proud of it. What hobbies bring you joy? Especially those encouraged and supported by your family?
It seems only fair that I warn you that this may be a blog longer than most of my others, because I have a story to tell you about the crazy adventure that occurred to my family yesterday. I have had my share of dramatic events; some could even be considered near life or death, but I can honestly say that yesterday was one of the scariest days I have ever experienced. We woke up at 5:30 am so that we could leave the house by 6:30 am to take Cristian and Alex to acting class in Studio City. This was not our first rodeo, so we prepared ahead of time with not only packed lunches, but a cooler full of water, juice, and snacks. For those that don’t know, we live 3-4 hours from Los Angeles, acting class is also only 3-4 hours, so we typically head back the same day, making it home just in time for dinner. This trip, we took the other brothers with us, but Lily was able to miss the long car trip as she stayed with her grandparents. An uneventful trip down, although at the beginning of the Grapevine on the Northside we saw traffic backing up because a Semi-Truck must have forgotten to lock their doors and their entire inventory was strewn across the slow lane. Knowing we had 5 hours before we would be headed back, we assumed that the disaster would be cleaned up. The boys made it to acting class on time, while we spent a relaxing few hours in the local library. Released an hour early we took the boys over to the local public pool with intentions of a few hours of fun but upon arriving, it was apparent that we would be leaving with a major sunburn since none of the pools were covered in any shade. Taking a minute in the park, we decided to get back on the road a little early for maybe some water fun at home. Traffic was clear, we were in good spirits a few miles before we reached the Grapevine on I-5, there was a digital traffic sign that there was a lane closure causing a 75-minute delay. Before I continue, for those that are not familiar with our California Highways, this story demands an explanation of the CA Grapevine. This is a description from Wiki “The Grapevine that starts at the mouth of Grapevine Canyon, immediately south of the community, and ascends the canyon to the Tejon Pass, which separates the Tehachapi Mountains from the San Emigdio Mountains via Interstate 5 (formerly U.S. Route 99)…… The road is subject to severe weather and closure to traffic in winter. The stretch of I-5 through the Grapevine and the Tejon Pass is sometimes closed by the California Highway Patrol, generally because of the icy conditions combined with the steep grade of the pass, and the high traffic during the winter holidays. Occasionally, heavy rains will cause mud and rockslides, closing the freeway. The Highway Patrol is also concerned, especially with a large number of big-rigs that pass through, that just one accident in the icy or snowy conditions might force traffic to slow down or come to a complete stop, leaving hundreds of vehicles stalled at once. Whenever there is such a closure, traffic must either wait for it to reopen, or endure a slow multi-hour detour running between Bakersfield and Los Angeles via CA 58.” Basically, what you need to know is that once on the Grapevine you are essentially trapped as there are only 3 or 4 places that you can turn around if necessary. I have been traveling this road for my entire life, so I rarely think much about it. That was pretty much the attitude this day too after reading the sign, I checked the CalTrans website and read that a brush fire had started a few hours earlier that closed 2 lanes, but no new reports were given. As quoted above, you should have read that the alternate route would not only mean backtracking from where we were but traveling through Mojave. Continuing on the grapevine was almost comparable, maybe adding an additional 15 minutes to the longer alternate route, but the possibility the brush fire was contained, and the other lane was open. We were enjoying our time together and decided to just keep moving forward, but just in case, we took the last exit before entering to hydrate and urinate. As we returned to the car and begin the Grapevine incline, I brought out our last snack, 3 fruit and protein snacks shared between the 6 of us. I hear arguing, as trades happen between the backseats of cheddar cheese and apples. Then the car jumps, jumps again, as I question, “What was that?” obvious answer, “I don’t know” and it happens again before the lights in the car dashboard flash and we lose all power. Fortunately, we were in the middle and crossed quickly to the emergency lane, barely coasting to the closest Emergency Call Box, because I did not know what was happening. We made it, the car stopped, we were safe, unless you are the mom that sees a line of cars on the left and a cliff down a mountainside on the right. The boys were strangely quiet, except for the ‘What Happened’ that I honestly answered with an ‘I don’t know, stay buckled.’ I knew we had roadside assistance, although, I also knew we were in more than just a little bit of trouble, that I was in a line of stopped traffic behind and in front, far from an exit ahead, but one step at a time, first needing to know how to tell anyone how to reach us. The Call Box was a new experience and not the friendliest, but they were dealing with a lot of Calls, as we found out we were only 4.5 miles into the Grapevine and we had seen several calls already on the side of the road. I called my insurance, which also had trouble determining my location, but dispatched a tow-truck. So.. everything was A-Okay, we had help on the way, people knew where we were, although phone service was sketchy, and we were in a semi-safe location. Did I fail to mention, temps were reaching 100 degrees, and we all had less than a bottle of water each, that was getting warm, traffic started to speed up and we could have been a little closer to the edge for me to feel comfortable. I know that all would say No, but I did unbuckle and only let them exit the car in our last hour because we were dripping in sweat. I felt so guilty, for so many things… colder water, a snack, entertainment, a non-broken car so I wasn’t watching to make sure we weren’t hit on the road. HAVING CHILDREN IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION CHANGED MY WHOLE PERSPECTIVE! I could not even think straight, although, I was trying to be very calm and figure things out not even knowing what was going to happen. We were literally just existing on the side of I-5, about 3:30 and I received a call at 4:30 from a tow-service. This is where it got really interesting. First, he asked where we were, I told him to the best of my ability, he told me that if we were outside of Castiac (the last stop before the Grapevine) that he could not help us. Then he asked what the problem was, I said, I didn’t know but the battery flashed and was asking for a jump. He listened to my description, and said, “A battery jump won’t help, so I can’t waste service for that, but I can tow you to your desired location.” I explained that I had no idea what else was wrong with the car, that I did not know the nearest auto service location, and the insurance agent told me that only I could go with the tow-truck driver and I was not leaving my kids on the highway. He continued to explain his reasoning for his unofficial diagnosis of the van, and that he understood my frustration and was sorry for my circumstance. Now, I need to admit that this man’s tone sounded condescending and he had initially said, he could not even come to where we were stranded so I already wanted to hang up, but good manners prevailed. Once he mentioned my frustration, I barely interrupted, but did so to say, “ I am not frustrated, actually, I take that back, I am as I am sitting in the hot sun on a freeway with 4 children and a broken car with a brush fire ahead and no way to go forward, back, or even sideways. We are trapped and I have no clue as to what to do.” He responded with, “Now, I am irritated now too because I hear your situation, and I am going to make some calls and send someone out to you. I will make sure they have room to take all of you to a location of your choosing and suggest you come here because I am sure it is your alternator. I don’t do that kinda work anymore, but think we have one here and can fix it for you tonight.” I wasn’t sure about him, or anything, but I knew we needed to be off the road.” Did I mention that during this time 8 fire vehicles passed us, and while on the phone, a CHP finally showed to check on us, as well as 5 other cars around us. Things were a mess. They thought it would take 30 minutes for the tow-truck, it took 90 minutes before he got there. The nicest guy, Hunter, and he did try to jump the battery, but it would not hold a charge, however, he looked like the driver you never want to show up late-night, again, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” He fit all of us in his truck, loaded the van and we were on our way. We backtracked, but once we saw the ahead traffic, we were not moving anywhere. The fire was yet to be contained and we had been on the mountain for 4 hours. Finally, reaching the shop, they determined it was indeed the alternator, and although it was after 7 pm agreed to work for 2 hours to fix and loaned us a car to take the boys to dinner. We were on the road by 9:30, with a discounted labor and equipment fee, plus a free quart of oil as we are due an oil change. I did a little research and it does look like received a nice discount, but we don’t have an emergency fund set up. I thank Jesus that this happened at the beginning of the month, but we have a lot of things to work out for the rest of our monthly bills.
My point in sharing, is my gratefulness for our safety, for realizing our reliance on others in times of need, and the genuine good of strangers. I also learned not to be so judgmental, although I never thought I was, and to be better prepared. Maybe a better or added Emergency Kit, definitely Emergency Food and Fund, because now I have a whole different set of stressors as I look at how to cover such a fee. But I am most grateful for how well behaved the boys were, with not one word of complaint, only jokes, and sentiment trying to keep the mood light and being understanding of the situation. From now on, I will look with more compassion to those on the side of the road and if there is something, I can ever do for them.
Remember these….. this app was popular for a month as it would take your picture and convert your face into that of a Cover Model. Several of my friends and family used it to share what they “Could” look like, some even made it their social media profile pic for a while. I was curious and played around with it too, but didn’t post any of these. Yesterday was #NationalSelfieDay and I did take a selfie to post on my facebook page in order to make a point for today’s blog.
When I took the above images, I kept them because I had a thought about how focused many of us have become with our image. A desire to appear more than what we are in our physical appearance. I know that I am guilty of it, as proven in my selfie post yesterday. I took atleast half a dozen photos with different angles and lighting so that I would look more attractive. I did not use any filters such as IG, snapchat, or an editing tool, but I didn’t need to because there is a selfie softening filter automatically. I was actually unaware of this until it occurred to me that I always looked better when taking a selfie then if someone took a picture of me for an event.
The pictures in the app used above don’t make me feel more beautiful, they actually cause my self image to feel lower because I fear that I should be doing something different in order to achieve model status. I should learn better make up techniques, drink more water, have more facials…. maybe even think of using injections or sculpting. This is not who I want to be or what I would want to promote to anyone who may look up to me. I do not ever want to be so vain that I would be willing to undergo a knife just to be “Socially Acceptable” in today’s day and age. To fit what the world as decided a middle aged women should look like.
I don’t let the world choose how I should live. I tend to lean towards the conservative, I am stricter than most in how I raise my children, I hold high morals and values that are certainly not popular in society, so why do I worry so much in how my physical appearance may be rated?
I guess in writing this, I realize that I don’t have an answer or solution so much, as it is just my observation. However, with realization, I can and will make an effort to change my thought process so that I may live easier. Be carefree enough to not avoid the camera, although I tend to be the one in the pictures with the closed eyes, or laughing too big. I want my children to know that it is okay to be themselves and not strive to be what only “some” consider perfect. I will still take Selfies, but I hope that now I may be happy with that First shot and not need to Filter every photo.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I know that I am made in “His Image” and in knowing that…. I know that I am Beautiful just being Me, and so are you!
Designated by UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) first held in 1995 and now celebrated in more than 100 countries world wide, World Book Day is more than a Celebration of Reading. It is a day that recognizes Authors, Illustrators, lovers of Books, including but not limited to Publishers, Book Sellers, and my favorite, Libraries. Those that recognize the magical importance of books that bypass generations and cultures alike. A bridge between young and old, a common ground of a shared world created by identifiable characters that create an adventure that stands the test of time.
In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland World Book Day is recognized on the first Thursday of March to avoid clashing with the Easter holiday and St. George’s Day. Throughout the rest of the world it is celebrated on the 23 of April, an already established date among literary admirers as the birth date of William Shakespeare and the death of Miguel de Cervantes. On both of these days the importance of World Book Day remains the same and that is to encourage future readers, to provide a book to every child which may be the first book that they own. Free books or vouchers are offered at various locations, events that unite children with their favorite authors to possibly give them a dream bigger than their own.
Besides promoting reading and publishing there is one more important aspect of this day which is to recognize that the protection of intellectual property through the means of Copyright. The Copyright.gov website describes it as, “Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture” first coming into a treaty signed in 1886. Even as I may wait for certain writings to be published, I know that there is always a sense of well being when I receive a Copyright certificate in the mail, knowing that my work is recognized as my own and protected as such.
I will feel remiss if I don’t admit that I was not aware of this date of celebration, but now that I am, I am going to make sure that I became an advocate and help spread awareness. I hope that all of you will also find a way to play a part to #PromoteLiteracy and #ReadingforAllAges. #ShareaStory it’s #WorldBookDay
I have not written a blog in quite a while so it seems fitting that I would choose to write today, the first day of Spring. I have a few times that I wrote about the rain, or even my own name in relation to the season itself, but Spring is my favorite time of the year. There is something so refreshing about the way that the earth has its own rebirth, making all seem fresh and new. We feel it so much as individuals, that we too, have a Spring Cleaning ritual, the talk of Summer coming and needing to renew our gym association for those upcoming bathing suit days. Be it our homes, our bodies, or our lives, the world takes on the importance of washing away the old and preparing for the new. This is important for all of us, although I don’t know that we always realize it. We take part in it for New Year Resolutions but many find those cliche, I admit that I don’t make New Years resolutions but we all unknowingly participate in the beginning of Spring.
For many it may be unintentional but we all need a chance to change or reevaluate what didn’t work the past year and start anew. The changing of the season with all its new growth helps us to do that, although many unfortunately don’t take notice of their surroundings. The beauty in our every day life that truly makes us who we are, but with such undeserved recognition. I need to spend moments outside everyday, I thrive off the sights and smell of nature. I make sure that my children spend at least 30-60 minutes outside each day, longer when the weather is warmer. I hope that they will grow to love it as I do and share the inspiration with those around them.
Today I woke to the sound of rain and although I love the rain, I was initially saddened. It seems that winter is lasting a little longer this year and I miss my warm, sunny days. Taking a moment to enjoy the freshly washed black top and listen to the droplets fall from the leaves of the tree, I could see the buds on the branches that need the water to bloom; to look like the tree across the street with the many white blossoms glistening like snowflakes against the deep blue in the sky. Next to it was the tree that I swear looked bare yesterday but now was a radiant green with new leaves adorning its stems. My grass was deeper, the soil darker for the flowers I know are to come in the next few weeks.
We have the benefit of spending each day living in an ever changing painting of life and we too, as people need to remember that our own lives are not singular but part of a constant fluidity that makes the world go round. Don’t let any moment of the beauty of the world, others or yourself pass you by. Spring is just the beginning!
The rain falling across the window pane matched the tears in her heart. She refused to actually cry and let teardrops fall from her eyes, but she felt them all the same. The harsh cruel words repeating over and over, it was impossible to erase them from her mind. It was painful but she needed to grieve for what was and what could have been and then let it go. It wasn’t easy, but nothing worth achieving ever is, or so they say. This wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last but she refused to go down this dark road again, it wasn’t healthy. She almost didn’t make it back the last time. Shaking her head to try to clear the negativity she forced herself to get up. A silent scream of “Just Move” took over her being. Go for a walk in the rain, meet the kids at the bus stop, knock on the neighbor’s door and see if she would like some coffee. Do something, anything, she begged herself but it was of no use. She watched herself sit there staring as the rain washed down the glass. It was as if she was trapped inside her own body, the feelings of hurt, guilt, worthlessness weighing her down in a bed of nothingness. She was trying so hard to free herself from the mental chains but they were too heavy. Her children came home from school, excitedly talking about the events of the day and she acknowledged them with vacant eyes. She eventually did move, but more as a robot, following the routine of making dinner for her family, greeting her husband, allowing herself to become lost within her own mind. As the days passed the silent scream for help grew dim as those closest to her were unaware that she was trapped in a mental prison. Retreating behind a wall of fake smiles, empty hugs, and meaningless words became normal, as did the tears flooding her heart.
Maybe some of you can relate to this story from personal experience or you recognize some of the signs in a friend or family member. Depression is a serious mental health issue that can lead to suicide in 1 out of 10 people. It is often not recognized by many as the person doesn’t appear sick and may even seem social to most, however, that isn’t always the case day by day or hour by hour. Depression doesn’t discriminate by race, gender, or age but you can make a difference. Be actively involved if you suspect that someone might be struggling and find them help before it’s too late. Be kind, gentle, and supportive because what they feel is very real and your words or your presence may be all they need at that moment.
“You can #BeThe1 To help someone in crisis. You don’t have to be a mental health professional to help someone in your life that may be struggling. Learn the Lifeline’s 5 steps that you can use to help a loved one that may be in crisis.” http://www.bethe1to.com
“The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’re committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.” https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or Call 1-800-273-8255
This past Sunday, January 7th was the 75th anniversary of the Golden Globes. Surprisingly there was not a lot of fuss made over the fact that it was a significant anniversary but I believe that was due to the attention given to the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaign. The acceptance speeches typically filled with gratitude and thanks were instead used to advocate women equality. Although inspirational, that is not what I found most interesting about the awards. What really impressed me were how many nominations there were for feature films and television shows that are paying tribute to people and events of the past. I have a passion for educating our future generations about the details of our rich history and to have these characters and stories be recognized as some of the best in entertainment is very exciting to me. Some of those that were nominated were Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, The Crown, Handmaids Tale, and Mudbound. All are based on true accounts of real people and events. To imagine the extraordinary circumstances that people lived through puts my life into perspective. I am forced to realize that my daily struggles fail to compare to those that have had such an impact that their stories are still being told years later. The likelihood of me ever doing anything remotely as influential as those shared in these few stories is pretty much non-existent but I do hope to contribute in my own way to our world. As a writer that strives to Keep History Alive, I also use real events and people to influence my work. Creating characters of those that have already lived through the remarkable and are just waiting to share their experience. Actor Gary Oldman won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama with his portrayal of British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill in the film, ‘Darkest Hour’. In Oldman’s acceptance speech he stated; “I’m very proud of ‘The Darkest Hour’. It illustrates that words and actions can change the world.” I will continue to write, to share my words with the world so that however big or small, I too, can make an impact to create change in our world.
With the New Year upon us many people find themselves making a resolution to better themselves. We’ve all read them, we’ve all made them and most have broken them. Eat Healthier, Exercise, Quit Smoking, Make More Money, Save More Money, Spend More Family Time…… the list goes on. Trying to be a better person for ourselves or our loved ones is essentially the goal, but I challenge that in order to fully maintain these lifestyle changes one needs to Impress, Accept, and Love Yourself. Give credit for your accomplishments, such as achieving certain life goals but realize that the happiness in that milestone achievement is not sustainable, because in order to feel fulfilled we need to progress. This means a lifetime of constantly learning, growing, and changing. Daily Self Improvement so that we may become the best version of ourselves. It is when we are really focused on our-self that we find are true potential and it is only then that we can give of ourselves to help better others. I use a hashtag in most of my posts; #BeInpiredtoInspire, if I am not positive, motivated, inspired then I am unable to bring those attributes into the lives of others. My desire is to be my best self as a model for my children and encourage them in all aspects of their life. It is the simple Law of Attraction, good brings good, so Refresh, Recharge, Refocus on You and make a Soul Resolution for ME Time, your Future Self will Thank You. Water Your Soul and make all 365 days count!
“Our truest life is when we are in dreams… Awake.”
I heard this quote by Henry David Thoreau just the other day and couldn’t help but ponder on how brilliant a statement it was and wonder why we, society, fail to realize how truly “good” life really is. We are headed into the New Year of 2018, so like most I am reflective as well as focused on the future. I would like to say that this year has been unusual for me, but I tend to live my life on the road less traveled; however, I can admit that this was an unexpected Christmas. I was not focused on the holiday because my boys were going to be with their father this year, until 3 days before Christmas and plans changed. I was rushing around like a crazy lady, trying to create Christmas Magic in our home to give a memory to remember. What I failed to realize was that I was so focused on the commercial aspect that I didn’t stop to give real meaning to the day. Please don’t misunderstand, I only gave the boys two gifts each and the continual reminder of why we celebrate Christmas, but as a mother, in not planning on them being here with me, I felt stressed and uneasy on not being prepared. (It’s a Mommy thing) Christmas came and went, the boys seemed to be grateful and happy.
The feelings for me have carried over as we prepare to celebrate the upcoming New Year. Always a difficult time of the year because my cousin, Sarah, passed on that witching hour, what I have come to realize was 5 years ago. She holds a special place in my heart as my first girl cousin, and we had recently began to reconnect as I made plans to move back to Fresno that same year. She was too young, too beautiful, and her children are only raised by the great memories we share so that they may know and remember their mother. Then I think on my mother that passed a short year later and how I was blessed with having her for my entire childhood. This weighs heavy on my heart and then I read through social media to find friends suffering the same burdens. Many are grieving for past loved ones, some fresh and new. The hands of time do not stop for the holidays, life is an unexpected blessing and we need to cherish it as such.
This brings me back to the quote. Our Truest Life…. I love that word True. What is it that makes or gives you, your truest life? For me it would be Love. I fail in so many ways every day, but as long as I can put my sons to bed knowing that they feel secure in my love, then I feel accomplished. Certainly, I want to provide more for them; to Live our Dream, Awake, but until that day, I need to learn to Cherish Every Moment. To quit focusing on the details, to see that every minute I spend stressing the small stuff, they are growing older and days are passing me by.
With this New Year, I want to make a Resolution or an Affirmation, that I will See the Bigger Picture, Focus on the Dream, but take Time in the Moments! If I only live for a brighter future, I may miss the journey it took to get there and that is really where the greatness lies. For these boys, I am their world and for some reason, I never understood what a true blessing that is….. I always felt that this responsibility was often an overwhelming burden more then blessing. Some may read that and find me callous and shallow, but I also know that there are plenty of mothers for which that statement will ring true.
For 2018, I challenge each of us to take on our burdens and bare them as blessings. To achieve our dreams wide awake, so that each day may be joy unto itself. Take pleasure in all things, big or small, positive or negative….. because in this life the only thing certain is the uncertainty of each day. It can always be better or it can always be worse…. Essentially it is what you make it, so make it the best it can be!
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more – You are a Leader.” –John Quincy Adams
This quote by our 6th President of the United States is my entire blog in one sentence. It really is that simple when you realize that we lead by example so be the kind of leader that you would follow. One that inspires you to find your inner greatness and encourages you to think outside the box, to test the limits.
A true leader is not there to create more followers but to create more leaders. Empower those around you, essentially empowering yourself to be the leader of your own life. It is a give and take relationship, about communication and collaboration. Leadership is about serving others to the point where they want to follow you.
If you think that you are leading but turn around to see that no one is behind you, then you are just taking a walk. Most likely have taken a detour in your own life and need to stop and regroup. Leading is synonymous with Learning, they go hand in hand and we learn from those that surround us. It is essential to have a team that will inspire and motivate you as you Lead the way, not because you are stronger or greater, but because you have more ambition and drive.
The Strongest people are those who use life’s difficulties to become Better not Bitter. It only takes one person to make a change that leads to a chain reaction of others willing to make a difference. Be a Leader to Inspire, Educate, and Change the Generation, essentially changing the World for the Better.
