Be.

Be kind. Be patient. Be alert. And, after you've assessed the situation, ask for exactly what you want. 

You'd be surprised the things you can receive by being kind and simply asking. 

G. 💕

Labor and Delivery

It takes 10 months to birth a human baby.

Look at your life and examine your storm. Having a bad day? Having a bad week? Having a bad month? If it takes 10 months of discomfort to birth a human baby, how long do you think you'll need to be uncomfortable to birth your empire? 

You see, we are living in an instantaneous society. We want to wake up a millionaire. We want to wake up with a degree. We want to wake up with a tv show. But, if we don't go through the discomfort, what will we have? 

Let's look at this differently ... how is a diamond made? Under pressure? 

Understand your victory is already defined. There's healing in your brokenness. There's a diamond coming from this pressure. There's a human life being birthed from this discomfort. 

At the end of this darkness, a new day is rising. It will be the beginning of something new and amazing. 

Love, you, all ways, always.
It may be rough now, but joy comes in the morning.
Don't you dare give up now.
Don't you dare abort this baby. 

G. 💕

Take Care of Yourself

Take Care of Yourself. 

Take yourself on dates. Journal about how much you love yourself and your life. Go to the gym. Eat right. Get manicures. Get pedicures. Go to the chiropractor. Brush and floss, only the teeth you want to keep, of course. Go to the dentist. Go outside for 30 minutes a day. Do yoga. Get a passport. Use said passport. Get an older friend and a younger friend. Mentor someone. Get a mentor. Say no, a lot. Do not feel obligated to give a reason for said no. Love unconditionally. Love with boundaries. Be kind to everyone. Even when giving constructive criticism, do so with love. Help someone. Hug someone daily. Pray often. Never be the smartest person in the room. If you are, find another room. Stop allowing others poor planning to become your emergencies. Charity begins at home, remember that and practice that. Make a budget. Stick to the budget. Review the budget every three months. Save money. Save your change. Take care of yourself! 

Stay healthy. Stay flexible. Stay joyful. Stay you. 

Love, you, all ways, always.
G. 💕

Oh yes, almost forgot ... DRINK WATER. I don't care if you don't like it. You need it. Do it! Enhance it if you must. But, do it. 

Go Get Your Happy!

"Go get your happy! 

So what if it's not the perfect package. If it's _____ don't let misinterpretations and misunderstandings get in your way. Stop chasing some 'leave it to Beaver' dream that doesn't really work. Stop chasing goals that you really don't want. Focus on the [goals] that you do and move towards them with gusto. Don't worry about ____. Don't tether yourself to _____. Worry about you and what you want."

Take care or yourself!
Worry about yourself! 

You're welcome.
G. 💕

Prayers and Love

"Lord, dear Lord, above, God almighty, God of love; please look down and see my people through."

Thank you for waking us up on this spring like Monday morning. We appreciate your will and passion for us. We appreciate the blessings that you continue to fill our lives with. We thank you for our faculties that allow us to enjoy this life that you have blessed us with. Thank you for continuing to surround us by people who love and care for us: safe people, functional people, supportive people, listening people, fun people, intelligent people, mindful people, loving people, helpful people, good people. We thank you for removing the wool from our eyes so that we can see exactly what we need to see. Thank you for removing the cotton from our ears, so that we can hear you clearly. Thank you for speaking to us, when we are broken and we are whole. thank you for speaking to us, when we are weak and we are strong. Thank you for speaking to us, when we are giving and when we are selfish. Thank you for loving us and standing for, by and next to us all the days of our lives. 

We pray today, father God, for health. We pray for strength. We pray for wholeness. We pray for support. We pray for guidance. We pray to be able to hear you and see you. We pray to be able to know that you are speaking to us and notice when the angels are here for us to guide us and to keep us. Though we don't necessarily understand our path, we thank you for it. We thank you for creating us to be strong enough to fight the battles that enter our lives. Though, we don't think we have the strength, we know you have not given us the spirit of fear but of a sound mind. We know that whatever we put our mind and heart to we can accomplish. Thank you for allowing me personally to be the walking testimony of this exact statement. 

I pray today for the motherless, that they may find love in the people you have placed in their paths. We pray for the fatherless that they may find guidance in the angels you have hand selected for them. We pray for those that have had to bury a loved one that they may find peace. We pray for the parents, that they may be graced with patience and understanding, help and guidance, while rearing their kings and queens. We pray for those that may be looking for a new job or direction on their career but ask that they are blessed with gratefulness for their current position. We pray for the business owners that their businesses continue to thrive and that you have your hand in every decision that the owners are led to make and you cover them from those that are corrupt and trying to overturn their empire. We pray for traveling mercies for those that may be heading somewhere soon. We pray for the ability to take a vacation for those that need it. We pray for love, to manifest, to mature and to become everything you have designed for our lives. 

Thank you father God for allowing me to use my platform for good, no matter how small it may be. Thank you for allowing anyone that reads these words to be blessed exceedingly, abundantly and above all things. Father God, thank you for answering the prayers that I have not asked publicly but are in the hearts of those that requested prayer. Thank you for continuing to order our steps and guide our paths. 

We appreciate you. We love you. We thank you. We trust you.
In your matchless and heavenly name we pray... 

Amen.

Quotes from TV

"Just remember; even in the bad news, there's good news for someone."

- Greys Anatomy

Love yourself, first

How do you define failure? 

Do you think you failed because you weigh the same as you did a year ago though you told yourself you would lose the weight? Do you think you failed because your mate ended your relationship? Do you think you failed because you didn't get a promotion you've been working for? Do you think you failed because you haven't successfully taken a vacation with the passport you worked so hard to get? 

It took you 5 years to gain the weight. That means you've been working in a (bad) habit cycle for five years. Your default is set to things that keep you the same. It'll take time to break your cycle. You haven't failed, unless you have given up. Don't be so hard on yourself. Every day, set a goal to do something differently than you did yesterday ... unless, yesterday worked. Then, repeat yesterday. 

Your emotional abusive, physically demeaning, less than amazing mate ended your relationship and you feel as if you failed? Listen love, unfortunately, everyone doesn't know how to accept love. Not that you were perfect either, BUT, you did everything you could. It was time. You didn't fail, you succeeded. You successfully loved someone so much so that it was difficult for you to accept that you deserved better because you just wanted to spread love. Selfless. Unconditional. Love yourself now. Strengthen yourself now. Then, choose love again. 

Remember that time you said you didn't love your company? Maybe God didn't promote you because He has something better for you. You didn't fail. You're smarter. You became more tenacious. You developed your skill set. You are better than you were before. Your title doesn't define you. You are successful. You are not a failure. Keep growing. Keep learning. Keep working to become a better you. And, when it's time, you will shift. 

As for that vacation, save that change and take a vacation for your next birthday. You deserve that. 

You are enough.
You are not a failure.
You are a success.
Act like it.
Think like it.
Believe it. 

Love, you, all ways, always.
G. 💕

Where's your faith sending you?

I quit my job in February of 2015. My life literally got flipped upside down in September of 2015. I kept applying for jobs because my faith was weak. When I didn't get any jobs or even callbacks i asked myself and God "what am I doing?" 

In January of 2016 my faith changed. I literally started reading and believing the word of God. My favorite scripture has always been Matthew 7:7 - ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open unto you. I asked why I wasn't getting these jobs and what I was supposed to do. He literally said "use your gifts". Doors began opening like crazy when I literally stood on his word and my faith. 

I said all that to say, when you ask God what you should be doing, wait for His answer and then do that. I'm literally faithing it and life is improving. 

Today's job: meal prep. 

Trust God. Use your gifts. Live life. 

Where's your faith sending you?
G. 💕

#garnetism

Never stop loving, yourself included. 

A Little Wisdom

So often we become something for someone. We act like we like Chinese food to go on a date. We act like we enjoy lifting weights because our friends do. We act like we want to dress a certain way because our parents like it. We grow out our hair because someone else said it's cute that way. But, what do we want? 

If we spend our whole lives becoming something for someone else, we'll never become who we were intended to be. Even though someone likes you this way or that way or when you do this or when you do that, there's someone else who needs to love you exactly how you want to be. That someone is you. 

Start loving yourself first. Then like yourself. Then be yourself. The original is always worth more than the copy. 

Besides, you don't want the one that doesn't love you just the way you are. 

Love, you, all ways, always.
G. 💕

Faith it 'til you make it!

"Manipulation comes when you're shifting because the devil makes you think you're losing." 

Trust the process. Trust your sight. Know that you're still heading to that light at the end of this tunnel. 

Faith it 'til you make it. 

G. 💕

Unconditional Love

There is no such thing as passive love. Love is a decision. You really don't fall in love, you make a conscious decision to walk into it with every ounce of your being, and, at that moment, it is everything you have ever wanted. 

Contrary to popular belief, love is not solely romantic or familial. Love is spiritual. Love is emotional. Love is platonic. Love is unconditional. 

In a time where social media serves as our life updates, I believe that love gets lost somewhere between down wifi, a new number, a lost connection and just forgetting that you actually haven't seen that person or heard that persons voice in years - though, you think you know every monumental life event. Thanks, tweetainstasnapapolobook. 

Don't get me wrong, social media is amazing. It has reunited me with friends from camp, elementary school, high school, college. It has served as a life bulletin: baby announcements, wedding announcements, graduation announcements, job announcements, death announcements, dating announcements, party announcements, club announcements, business announcements, new project announcements, move announcements, home announcements, organization announcements, life announcements. 

But, where has the love gone? Nowadays, you can't love people, unconditionally. Well, thats not true. You can. But, its so hard for people to accept it. Why is that? Is it because they know that you don't know whats really going on in their lives? People are so hidden in real life because they are so used to showing their highlight reel online that they can't understand that you love someone as broken as they are. 

Get this, everyone is broken. Everyone has baggage. Everyone has a story hidden behind their smile. But, contrary to popular belief, everyone needs love. And, unconditional love is actually a thing. 

So, today, I charge you to make a choice to love someone with every fiber of your being. They may not be able to accept your love, but keep loving them. Be it a friend, a spouse, a child, a parent, a lover or a stranger, choose love today. We don't know what battle people are fighting but I bet love will help. We don't know what mountain they're climbing but I bet love will help. We don't know what praise they have to share but I bet love will help. We don't know the last time they needed a hug but I bet love will help. 

Sometimes the behind the scenes footage includes court dates, loneliness, death, suicidal thoughts, hunger, past due bills, job loss, weight gain.... or, joy. Sometimes, people love on you because they need love themselves. 

Won't you spread love today?

Love, you, all ways, always.
G.

What is your dream?

"...to be happy."

---

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of high school girls. We began the discussion talking about dreams and goals. The conversation wasn't amazing. In fact, I didn't feel like I was saying anything profound. I felt like I was wasting their time. Yet, I was extremely comfortable with my random and unprepared speech. 

Near the end of the session, I asked the girls to write down one dream - a dream they had not yet shared with us. Three girls came in a tad bit tardy to the party and one had the best most mature and profound response, "I just want to be happy. I dream to be happy. It is my goal to be happy." 

It was almost like a round robin, all of the girls chimed in realizing that was the best dream to have. Until ... 

"No you don't. You just said in class you wanted to take your life."

Wait, WHAT?! The conversation then became "don't give up", "be happy", "choose happiness", "you are enough", "live for you" and many other quick statements of fullness, joy, grace and relevance. It was a hard conversation for me to have as I identify with that far too well. But, it took me back to a conversation I had earlier this week with my best friend. 

We were discussing quitting, giving up, stopping, changing directions and the like. As an entrepreneur, I. AM. B U S Y. I'm living to work, though my work doesn't feel like work. But, every waking moment, I am spending bettering myself, my team, my business, my product, my growth model, my savings model, etc. etc. etc. etc. And, some days, I am tired. I mean, T I R E D. I am that kind of tired that reminds me that I have been standing for thousands of hours over the past few weeks without a break in site. The kind of tired that reminds me why I don't have 37 children. The kind of tired that reminds me why I was never an athlete. But then, I think about what happens when you quit. Even though I would be a lot less tired working in corporate america, I wouldn't have my freedom. Even though I would be a lot less tired if I won the mega millions, I would not have the "prize" of growing a business from the ground up and it actually becoming successful. When you think about quitting and you think about the end, I think about giving up on myself, my faith and my God. And, there is absolutely nothing rewarding about that. 

After the session, I received an email  confirmation for something that I have been praying and fasting for. And, I thought about the conversation I had last week. And, I thought about the girls today. And, I thought about my friends that have committed suicide. And, I thought about my dad selling his business. And, I thought about all of those that "have quit" and where they are today. Yes, we know the road we travel on is hard, but we can't be pessimistic. Negativity breeds negativity. We must, instead, be optimistic and recall the dreams we have and how they make us feel. The ability to spend my time as I choose makes the hard days worth living. The ability to give to who I want when I want how I want makes the hard days worth living. The ability to see the growth of my business, the success of my business, the beauty of my business makes every single hard day worth it. 

I will leave you with a story my pastor shared today at the Seven Last Words. Its a story of a set of twins, one depressed and pessimistic + one happy and optimistic. In therapy, the pessimist was left in a room with toys and happy things. He still could not find his happiness. He still could not find his joy. The optimist was left in a room with manure. When the therapist came into the room, he asked "what are you doing", as he was shoveling the manure into a pile. The optimist responded, I am moving all of the manure so that I can find the pony - because, with all of this manure, there has to be a pony somewhere. 

And, on this GOOD Friday, I challenge you to dream. I challenge you to dream on purpose. I challenge you to dream about your happiness. I challenge you to become the optimist. I challenge you to keep digging out of the tunnel, knowing that you are one brick away from your shining light. I challenge you to keep shoveling the manure, knowing that there is a pony there waiting for you. And, most importantly, I want to remind you that you are enough. You are enough man. You are enough woman. You are enough husband. You are enough wife. You are enough son. You are enough daughter. You are enough teacher. You are enough student. You are enough ______ to make YOUR dreams come true. 

Live on purpose. 

Dream in color. 

Happy Fri-YAY!

G.

D R E A M. believe. dO!

I'm sure I dream. I believe everyone dreams. But, I'm not the person that has extremely clear, earth shattering, mind blowing, wake up smiling, "dream manifesting" dreams. I literally just had THE BEST DREAM of my life and am claiming that it comes to pass. No idea how. But the fact that I had it and the fact I remember exactly what happened, I'm just going to "shout it from the rooftops" that dreams do come true and believe it shall. 

Today, I want each of you to shout a dream from the rooftop and proclaim that it will come to pass. Write it down. Pray over it. And, forget it. There is absolutely no reason that we all cannot live our best lives, better than ever and better than most. There is no reason we cannot be the best us that God intended for us. 

We weren't meant to struggle. We weren't meant to live lonely. We weren't meant to live in pain. We weren't meant to be forgotten. We weren't meant to be complacent. We weren't meant to be stagnant. We weren't meant to latch onto others dreams. We weren't meant to be an afterthought. We were meant to dream the biggest dreams, love the largest lives and love and be loved with immeasurable magnitude. 

Go be a dreamer! Go be a live-er! Go be a lover! Go be amazing! Why? Because, you are enough and you deserve it. 

Love you to life! Happy Fri-YAY folks. ❤

Dear Self...

...and all of you,

There's no such thing as a life that is greater than yours. Let's work on putting a stop to this context of competition and comparing our lives to others. Appreciate what you have, love your own, and if you have not yet attained what you want, it is never too late-- know that, believe that, and keep your eyes on the prize.

-AJ Bee

Groceries

A few weeks ago, I was headed to the grocery store and a little voice redirected my path to a new store. In line in front of me a woman was counting her pennies, literally, to pay for her groceries. Because I was able, today, I offered to pay for whatever she hadn't already scanned and paid for. She literally turned around and hugged me and said "you don't know how much you just blessed me." The woman behind me said "I came in here having a horrible day with too much on my plate. But you were Gods way of telling me, everything will be OK." I responded "keep claiming it and believing that God will bless you."

The cashier then said "my mother tells me all the time 'you barely have a pot to ---- in' but I shush her because I'm trying." I affirmed her faith and we had a mini faith party right in the store. To me, tithing isn't about giving to a building. To me, Christianity isn't always about going to church on Sunday in a suit. The purpose of our faith walks are to bless others and get them to believe that they are already blessed. Your purpose here is for people to see God in you. Let your blessed life be your testimony. 

Lastly, I saw the woman again in the parking lot and she was so full of gratitude that she pulled off forgetting to put her groceries in her car. She was just crying and kept telling me I didn't know how much she needed that. (A gentleman and I helped her put the groceries in the car when she bumped into the basket while backing out.)

Bless someone today folks, genuinely, looking for nothing in return. 

Happy Friday Folks!

Safe Space

True Story:

When I was a little girl, around third grade, I wanted to quit playing the piano. I had been taking lessons for about 6 years by that tie and we just got to the point where the right and left hands were playing different melodies at the same time. I kept telling my mom that I couldn't get it. But she wouldn't let me quit. I would get up every morning before school and practice every day because I just couldn't go to my lesson and not be able to play. So finally I got it! The piano (after years of competitions) became my calming method. Throughout college I would go practice the piano in the dorm when I get frustrated with school work, or life. When I moved to Japan, my first stint of loneliness, I went to the bookstore and bought a keyboard. And now, present day, when my world feels like it's crumbling, I pick a new classical piece to study. I sit at the piano with a metronome on largo and start, right hand first, left hand second and then together. Some days, I don't know how long I Just sit and play, but when I finish, all is right in the world. 

Moral of the story:

Find your center ... 

Find your safe space ... 

and, when life throws you lemons, put them in the fridge and let them sit until you centered yourself. 

Discipline

#laterblog - A post from 24 weeks ago (via @thegarnetexperience on instagram)

"Discipline is not being a slave to repetition, it's knowing what to do and when to do it." - TTC

What battle are you fighting? Look at what needs to be done and handle it. You can do it! It's all mental. Just get up and do it. Practice your discipline today.