Monday Motivation: Friends Promote Friends

Whenever a friend of mine has accomplished something small or great, I feel like that one super loud person in the crowd with a handmade sign, wildly jumping up and down, screaming, "That's my girl! Way to goooo!" I get so excited and happy to see them on their way to success and surpassing milestones. 

One of them is my friend of eight years, Jessica Linehan, founder and artist of Bobbi J jewelry. If you've been reading through my many blog posts, you've probably seen her name, face, and jewels about a dozen times. Less than 24 hrs ago, she just dropped an uh-maaazzzinnnggg video directed and created by our friend, Alisia Perez, who also directed my 'About Me' video as well. I can't stress enough, how proud I am to be their friend and to be able to surround myself with such awesome, original creativity that is nothing less than DOPE.

To view the vid, click here. Enjoy!

Monday Motivation: Smile

The key item you should wear every day is a smile. You have a lot more to smile about than you may think. Happy Monday! Don't forget to flash your pearly whites! :)

Motivation Monday: Thoughts and Emotions

Ever notice the type of mood you're in when you're thinking negatively about a person, situation or even about yourself? How about when you're thinking positively about an upcoming trip, your job or business or about your favorite team winning the game? It's a totally different vibe, right? Our thoughts control our current emotional state. Go ahead and play the 'Blame Game' and pin the reason why you're in a bad mood because of someone or something that happened to you, but in the end, it's all in your head. Marinate on it and see how things unfold throughout your day. Stay on the plus side! :) 

Monday Motivation: Gratitude

Thanksgiving just passed. We all ate a week's worth of food in one day and are currently at the point of hating ourselves for doing so. We also reflected on what we are thankful for in our lives. It's tradition in my family to go around the table and express our gratitude before eating our Thanksgiving meal(s). My question is, why just reflect one day out of the year? Why not every day? Instead of complaining about the lack in our lives or complain about how things went wrong, why not cherish what's present and within our reach and celebrate things going right! Challenge yourself to sit and think of ten things that you're grateful for...right now! In fact, write it down. And do it again tomorrow, the next day and the day after that. Thank yourself into a happier you.

Happy Monday!

Motivation Monday featuring Charles Lightfoot

Optimist / Pessimist

I believe that one 'attracts' the people you bring into your life. Whatever the outcome, good or bad, we always learn from the people we meet. I'm happy to have met individuals who are full of life, live with passion, optimistic, have a hunger for more and are true to themselves. I met Oakland Firefighter and Entrepreneur, Mr. Charles Lightfoot, last year in a previous business venture, and have learned so much from him as business partner and as a personal motivational mentor. It's an honor to call him a friend and to feature him on this week's Motivation Monday post.

So click the 'Play' button and get your mind right:

Motivation Monday: Believe

All things are possible when you believe. Happy Monday!

Monday Motivation: Grudges

Every now and then, someone does something and it pisses us off. We get angry, emotional, sad-- basically anything but happy. Maybe we say something to them about it, maybe we don't. Try to work it out and it doesn't work out the way you want it to. Some time passes and we still get ticked off when reminded about that situation that we hold in our heart. Let that shit go. Let it go. Now! Whether it was yesterday or ten years ago-- let's move on and move forward. There's no point in holding in anger within yourself about something we cannot change. It's in the past and it's done. The grudge hurts the person holding it the most.

Motivation Monday: Your Thoughts Are Everything

Be mindful of your thoughts and what you tell yourself. You can lift your spirits up and down with the simplest action: thinking. Tell yourself that you're amazing, you'll feel great and expect great things. Tell yourself that you suck and are pathetic, you'll feel terrible and what's worse is that you've attracted the worst with your thoughts and you'll believe them-- whether they're right or wrong. Think about it (positively of course).

Motivation Monday: Fear

Fear. What I have learned is that it exists in our own minds and in many levels and forms. We truly can become our own worst enemy! Without even taking the first step, I cannot tell you how many times I've scared myself out of possibilities and opportunities which could have lead to many positive endings. Instead of thinking about how good and incredibly amazing the situation may have gone, I kept thinking about all of the bad things that could have gone wrong! How crazy is that? I was 'predicting' the future in my mind, creating these negative feelings within, but in fact, none of it had even occurred yet! I even have a friend that wanted a new job, in the same field she was currently in, a lateral move at that, but just in a new, positive environment. She was so scared that she wouldn't get the job-- not even receive a reply from the employer! And she has yet to even send in one resume. Why do we do this to ourselves?

So, what I continue to do more of is go for what I want, even if it makes me a teeny bit scared and only think of the good that could possibly happen. Whether it's deciding on buying a dress that's a completely new look for you, calling a person of influence to get their opinion on a business venture, starting a blog regardless of what others may think, traveling to a foreign country by yourself, creating a new invention, calling a friend to mend a relationship, running a marathon, or even asking for a raise. When I think of the awesome possibilities, I feel great, I get excited, and visualize myself achieving the end result to the point where I'm smiling and skipping down the block! And most of the time, I get what I want. Not all the time, but most. Using this little trick makes me question, "Fear? What's that?!"

The world is yours. Stop sitting around and go out and get it. YOLO!