It has been a few months since my last Blog. I have had a wonderful summer and I wanted to share my experiences and life lessons. Wow! Where do I begin. I will rewind my mental tape. For me, summertime doesn’t begin with the “official” beginning of summer. It begins with the “feeling” of summer time for me. I am a warm weather lover. I have always loved the rays of the sun and it’s effect on my body. Mentally, I feel better, more energetic and I absolutely love the heat. I love the golden brown tone that my body takes on from basking in the sun from driving with the sunroof open or sunbathing at the pool, which I did quite a bit of this year. I love lying out at the pool, looking at the beautiful blue water and floating on my back as I soak in the sun’s rays. Yes, I use sunscreen, however, I am in love with the sun’s ability to toast the skin.
I think back to when I was about 9 or 10 years old, lying in my backyard, looking up at the clouds as I allowed the sun to bake my young body. I was the fairest child of 3 siblings who were a bit darker than me. And, my best friend at the time was the same complexion as me. She and I would lie in my back yard, bath our bodies in Johnson’s baby oil and sunbake. We would look at the clouds and make out images of animals and people. Soaking in the sun and allowing our imaginations to take us to places that were beyond our current circumstances. We would discuss the colleges we would attend, the life we would have and all of things we would accomplish. Childhood dreams, right?
Well, it has been over 30 years since then and I still imagine the lifestyle that I want. The difference between then and now is that I have been using the knowledge and resources that I have acquired, as well as my tenacity to bring many of those dreams to fruition. I have since learned that the difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline. I have met many of my goals. And, I still have dreams that are yet to be realized.
I am more alive in the warmer months when the sun is shining. The winter months are more of a challenge for me. Cleveland isn’t the easiest city for which to reside during the fall and winter months because of the low cloud ceiling, the cold temperatures, and the snow. I have to plug into my dreams and goals in a deeper way during those months because of my dependence on the sun. I have to dig deeper, be prayerful and push myself beyond my comfort zone in order to drive harder toward my goals and dreams to have them blossom, regardless of the season.
One realization for me over this last year has been that as I help others to realize their own dreams and goals, it brings me closer to my own. Last November at a spa party that I co-hosted, I asked everyone to write 5 things down on a sheet of paper then place it in a self-addressed envelop and then to return them to me. I handed them over to Carlean, my party co-host. She mailed the letter to each person 8 months later. I received my in June. Honestly, I had forgotten exactly what I placed on that sheet of paper. When I reviewed my list, I had only accomplished 1 out of 5 items. Since then, I have accomplished 1 additional item and I am in the process of completing one more. Each accomplishment was met because I have helped someone else to accomplish their goals. It’s amazing how the process works.
The most pivotal point of the last 6 to 8 months had to be when I passed a series of financial tests by applying what I have learned from my Life Coach Lynn Richardson, the author of Living Beyond Check to Monday: A Spiritual Path to Wealth and Prosperity. Her guidance and coaching helped me to overcome a history of financial mismanagement and rewarded me with financial maturity and security.
As the summer began to wind down, I enjoyed more time with my family and friends. I also enjoyed my experience as a Christian Group Counselor during a teen spiritual camping trip. I also applied for an entrepreneurial accelerator, but was not chosen. It was disappointing, but going through the process has positioned me to move farther along in my business. I sum up the Summer of 2011 as one of my best! Now that I am in the 4th quarter of the year, I am set to finish out the year with a BANG! I am currently in coach training school, have recommitted myself to my health and wellness goals, and look forward to my trip to Nashville on October 20-23 where I will love on, and get love from my Compass sisters and brothers. Life is definitely worth LIVING and I can say that I truly PLAYED FULL OUT over the summer! Now, I am ready and set to go through the last few months of 2011.