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.

Morning Motivation (1.0)

believe

[bih-leev]

verb (used without object), believed, believing.

1.

to have confidence in the truth,the existence, or the reliability ofsomething, although withoutabsolute proof that one is right indoing so:

Only if one believes in somethingcan one act purposefully.

-- 

Ever thought it might be a good idea to believe in yourself? We so often believe in famous people to win the next trophy, to cross the next finish line, to jump over the next hurdle. We also believe that friends will get that engagement ring, that promotion, that new car, that new home. We often believe that God will heal her, bless her, love her. But, what about us? What about me? What about you? What if, we took a little more energy and actually believed that we were enough. What if we actually said "I can do that, I can do anything!" ...and, believed it? Where would we be today? Where would you be today? 

-- 

Today, I charge you to actually believe that YOU can. Today, I charge you to stop doubting yourself and actually see yourself in that dream life working that dram job living in that dream house driving that dream car in that dream marriage. What happens if you just believe in you? Dreams actually start to come true! 

#youareenough act like it! 

Body Shamming... N E V E R ok

Hello loves! Happy Friday! 

Me: I actually see progress. You have to admit, I look smaller. 

Her: I can admit that. But, how much weight have you lost. 

Me: 10 pounds last month 

Her: Oh. 

So guys, if someone is battling something and they are working hard to achieve greater - do NOT say anything that may deter them from continuing on that path. 

Ten pounds. Ten pounds. Ten pounds. 

You didn't ask about the inches. You didn't ask about the clothing sizes. You asked about the weight. And, apparently it wasn't good enough for you. 

The larger problem with shamming is, the stammer rarely sees any issues with their shams. But the shamee hears something extremely hurtful and unnecessary. 

Her: you're buying all gym clothes, did you get a gym membership or something? 

Me: I work out daily. 

Really? Really? Because I am not thin, if I buy gym clothes I have to be just starting my workout plan? Maybe I have been battling weight issues for life (I have). Maybe I lost weight and need new clothes (I did). Maybe I was hoping no one noticed what I was buying because I'm discouraged to begin my workout. Maybe I am just trying to be great. Maybe it's none of your business what I'm buying and why I'm buying it. Commentary - not needed and not welcomed. 

Dear everyone that is trying to be better - you can do it! You are amazing! God loves you! You WILL reach your goals. 

Love. 😘