Dating Chronicles: Episode 3

They forget to tell you that in entrepreneurship you are going to spend a lot of time alone. Some days you will love it. Some days you won't notice it. And some days it will be the bane of your existence. You know that old adage "its lonely at the top" - *spoiler alert* the climb is pretty lonely too. 

Being alone is cool, most of the time. I'm an introvert. I literally enjoy my own company. Sometimes, though... only sometimes, I wish I had someone to share some excitement with. Sometimes, I wish I had someone to laugh at and with. Sometimes, I just want to cuddle up on the couch with my person not saying anything. 

But, only sometimes. 

I met a guy on Instagram, judge ya muva. I'm pretty sure I slid in his DM's (Because, hey guys, confession - I'm a professional shot shooter. I literally need to do a blog series on women shooting shots. It's great. You make about 93% of the shots you take.) and told him he was attractive, or something. We talked a few times, briefly, but he wanted to meet, so, we did. One night, I was out with some friends downtown and suggested he come to the bar we were at. He did. I saw him as he was approaching and said - cool, he looks like his picture. So, I shared my location with the friends I was with, and he and I walked around the corner to a restaurant and just hung out for a bit. 

Moment of honesty: I wasn't all that interested about 5 minutes in. 

We kept chatting, but we didn't really talk about anything. There was no substance. Yet, as days progressed, here he was calling and here I was answering. Then, one day, I called and he answered and said "you must be bored, what's up". I laughed and said "I am."

In that moment, I realized, he was there in the moments I felt as if I was alone and wanted someone close by. I would call, he would be busy. But, I would keep calling - when I wanted to be close to someone. Because, lbvs, hugs are important and his were good. 

We spent some time together one day and I realized - Lord, I don't trust this man. Then I said to myself, Baby girl, what IS you doin'? Are you begging for attention? 

Dating Tip #3:

Stop begging,

you're not a dog.

    - @thegarnetexperience

I was begging. I was. I ...

...I appreciated the fact that he was responsive. Though rarely available, he would make time - in time, at the craziest moments, to be available for me. I would literally throw out "we should probably actually date, you know, go on dates" all the time. But, we never went anywhere. We never did anything. We never talked. We would literally meet for hugs, strange - yet, necessary. I would literally beg for his time, throwing out days and times to gather, until he was available. 

WHO. DOES. THAT. 

This dating road is hard. It has lots of lumps and bumps and detours and backups and traffic jams and "unable to find location" announcements. It's ok. In time, your route will be clear and unobstructed. And, in that moment, your path will cross the path of someone that is intended for you. Just because you are alone, you don't have to be lonely. Just because you yearn for attention, you don't have to involve yourself with people you are truly uninterested in. Just because you want someone to fill some space, doesn't mean you need to beg for people to enter in. 

Address the elephant in the room - yourself.

You feel alone? Cool.

Here are some suggestions of what you can do other than call that person because you're bored and beg them to make themselves available for you: (*spoiler alert* It doesn't end well. Trust me.)

1. Read a book.

2. Watch a movie.

3. Go to the mall.

4. Call your mom.

5. Respond to that text you ignored yesterday.

6. Go for a walk around the block.

7. Do some laundry.

8. Go to an open house in a neighborhood you love but can't afford yet.

9. Try that new restaurant that just opened down the street.

10. Volunteer at a homeless shelter.

Even if you choose something that isn't on that list, don't start calling random people spending precious moments you can't get back just because you are afraid to spend time by yourself. 

Until the next date.....

- garnet terri 

Dating Chronicles: Episode 2

I should have learned this when I was dating my ex-husband ... or when we were engaged ... or when we were married, but, I didn't.

Dating Tip #2:

Fall in love with yourself,

first. 

                 - @thegarnetexperience

A Personal, and necessary, note: Nothing I ever blog about my ex-husband is malicious, ill willed or drafted to paint of picture of who he is. The things I choose to state are a very very very small piece of my experience on the journey. Though our relationship ended, he is a person I will always love. From the bottom of my soul, I will never say that was a mistake. Instead, it was quite possibly the best thing to ever happen to me.  

When I met my ex-husband, he was so into me that it excited me beyond measure. I loved me, or so I thought. And, he loved me, too, or so I thought. He was the first person that completely accepted me for who I was. We worked well together. We dated well. We laughed well. We traveled well. We talked about the hard things well. We lived together - well. When our marriage came to an end, it was because he didn't like me or love me. Which, until I saw my therapist, I couldn't understand. But, as we pulled back the layers of that stanky (yes, stanky) onion - I heard what he said... "I do not like you. I do not love you."

Channeling back to the last few months of my marriage, I understood him to be depressed. In his depression, he did not like himself. How on earth could I expect a man to like me that doesn't like himself? I couldn't. But, I did.  

When I moved on from that and went through therapy, unpacking all of the traumas I had experienced in life, I began to fall in love with myself in a way I didn't know was even possible. I began to look at myself in the mirror and see beauty. I began to read my words and see the power in them. I began to look at my accomplishments and see success. 

I started dating, going out with lots of guys and experiencing lots of new things. Then, this one guy, that I didn't even know I was connected to on social media, caught my attention. I shot my shot, ladies: don't judge. Half of y'all need to be shooting shots too, and we began to date.

One day, something changed. We had been dating a couple of months, 3, perhaps, by this time. I kept pressing the issue and then realized "I've been here before." When I realized this was my experience at the end of my marriage, I pulled far far away and only began to respond to him instead of reach out to him. Soon thereafter, it came out in conversation, "I'm not sure I'm ok with me so it's hard for me to accept that you actually love me."

*ding ding ding* DASSIT!

Ladies and gentleman, no one can accept love from people when they don't love themselves - this includes you. Why? Because, they can't understand  how someone can love something so much that they do not love at all. 

See: beyhive for non-Beyoncé fans. 

See: Cardi B's following, for non-Cardi B fans. 

It's not that people are hating. It's literally that they can't understand the love that people exude because they do not exude love themselves. 

Go out there and love on you so much that when someone comes behind you and loves you hard(er), you'll acknowledge it and accept it for what it is. Trust me, you deserve that. 

- garnet terri

Dating Chronicles : Episode 1

It was a Saturday morning. I had just fallen at the gym the night prior and was sure my knee was fractured. The pain was excruciating. I didn't want to go back home because getting in and out of the car AND walking up steps, was NOT happening. But, I was hungry. I thought urgent care opened at 7:00am and it didn't open until 9:00am. After driving around for about an hour I figured I would just treat myself to breakfast. The thought of French Toast from the Original Pancake House made me really happy and forget that I was in pain for about 30 seconds. Then, it was time to get out of the car. I definitely almost fell in the parking lot. Thankfully, I didn't and was able to hobble into the restaurant. When I was getting to my seat, I glanced over and saw this really cute guy. To this day, I can't really remember what he looked like. But, at 8:00am, he was really cute. He had on a colorful plaid short sleeve button up, wore glasses, had on some khaki slacks and I am unsure of his shoes. He was a brown skinned gentleman with pretty skin. As I sat down to order my French Toast, there was a note that said "fresh strawberries are back". I was like a kid in a candy store because now, I was getting crepes with extra strawberries and their amazing homemade whipped cream. DELISH!

As soon as I ordered, I glanced over to the gentleman again and thought, "today would be a good day for him to ask me out."

-- Note: we have not because we ask not. --

I glanced back down to my phone, I think, and was probably about to scroll Instagram when I hear a hello. I look up and the conversation goes like this (he's blue, I'm red):

I wish you would've told me you were coming to breakfast so I could've waited for you to eat. 

*look up and smile* 

What's your name?

Garnet. Nice to meet you .... *waits for his name*

I'm ---. May I call you next time to invite you to breakfast?

Sure. 

I am going to head to the restroom. Write your number down for me and I will get it when I come back. 

I was genuinely excited because a gentleman actually approached me with respect, kindness, and "game". Granted, even after I left the restaurant, I couldn't remember what he looked like and I didn't remember his name. But, I thought about him again, a few times.

He text about a week later to ask me out. I declined. He called a few days after that to talk and talked to himself more than me.

Dating Tip #1:

Don't compromise who you are 

for the life you think you want. 

                 - @thegarnetexperience

We so frequently try to become what others want us to be when all we need to be is ourselves and that alone will attract the energy we desire. Though this occurrence was not a love connection, overall, I give it an A for effort on approach. This occurrence reminded me that men do know how to approach women with respect and admiration. It's admirable and welcomed. 

Until next time, 

- garnet terri

Full.

My birthday is coming up. Not, soon but soon. In a conversation I was having with a friend of mine, friend asked, 

"What do you want for your birthday this year?".

What do I want? *silence* *crickets* What DO I want? I. have. no. i. dea.

As the days progressed I thought about what I wanted. Nothing. I went to facebook for ideas. There were some good ones. I went to instagram for ideas. There were some even better ones. I asked friends for ideas. They had great ones too.

Even with every answer I received, I still was unsure of what I wanted for my birthday. Why was this such a challenge for me?

...because, I have every thing I wanted. 

To be 30 years old and have everything I want is just amazing! I don't love things, so much, anyway. But, to have a home, a car, employment, multiple incomes, flexibility, good health (mental, physical, spiritual, emotional)... what else is it to want? Love? World Peace? More Money?

...and, what would that do for you?

I think we often look for happiness in things. But, happiness is found within ourselves. I think we look to things to bring us joy. But, joy, too, is internal.  I think we often give other things entirely too much credit to make sure we are ok. 

This year was ....hard? But, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. I learned exactly what I don't want. I learned exactly what I do want. I learned exactly what I want to work towards. I learned exactly what I want for myself. And, for that, I am eternally grateful. 

Today, take a moment to look at your life from within. Are you empty? Are you half empty? Are you half full? Are you full?

Whatever it is that you are, it is up to you to change your narrative. 

Love, you, all ways, always. 

g. 

Reminder: You Are Enough!

Yesterday, my company was a sponsor of a pretty significant event. This was the first time I was hands off (mostly) at a major event. 

During the event, I went over to the table to get some cake for some guests and a young lady asked what kind I was getting. I let her know, "cookies and cream." She then asked if I had had "cake from here" before. To that, I replied "yes, and I would recommend the apple cinnamon." As I walked away but was still in earshot, my staff said "that was the owner of the company." The young lady (early 30s, perhaps) responded in awe. It was the same response you hear after someone missed the opportunity to meet a celebrity. For the first time, in the 3, almost 4 years, that I've owned my company, I realized - I'm doing this. I'm actually "sitting at the table". 

Through everything, I wasn't very committed or consistent. I started things to get my mind off other things. I didn't really want to do said things in the first place. But this, this entrepreneurship, has always been what I wanted to do. The doors that have opened, the relationships that have been built, the tables to which I have a seat ... are ALL results of my consistency. And, I am so grateful. And, quite frankly, I'm extremely proud of myself. 

To those that have supported me, thank you. To those that have pushed me, thank you. To those that think this is just a hobby, thank you. To those that prefer other establishments to mine, thank you. To every client, investor, donor, financial backer, promoter.. thank you. And, for every no .. THANK YOU. 

Dreams do come true and every phase is worth celebrating. Keep going. It's coming. You better not give up. You are worth it. You are deserving. Your dream is there for a reason. It's YOUR dream for a reason. Make a plan and make it happen! 

You are enough.

Enjoy the Process ❤

Stop spending so much time trying to forget who you were that you miss who you are.

Life comes at you fast. Friends leave. Family leaves. Circumstances change. Everything that happens, though, is a part of the process.

Think about this series of events ...
If you wouldn't have fallen in love, you wouldn't have gotten married. If you wouldn't have gotten married, you wouldn't have gotten divorced. But, if you would've never gotten divorced, you never have found your strength.

You see, the beauty in that brokenness is that you literally are a rose that grew from the concrete. The concrete cracked but you still submerged from it. You still have thorns that can help protect you in your vulnerability. But the strength it took to sprout in such a closed space, my God.

Don't spend so much time thinking about the crack in the concrete. Spend more time relishing in the strength that created your new beauty.

Another day, another #garnetism.
Happy Monday folks. 😘

Quotes from TV

"You don't leave because you have somewhere to go. You leave because there's nothing keeping you where you are."

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.