Inspirational Quotes Of The Week

I hope these quotes inspire and motivate you the way they did me.  Enjoy!

Cherio!

Keep Calm And Carry On....Within Reason

Lately, I have really been struggling to keep it all together.   I am sure you can identify.   There is work, home, family life, friendships, studying and maintaining my faith, my sweet little blog and projects for my fashion line...it never stops.  

And I keep going.  

And going.

Part of me wants to just stop and BREATHE for a while. So I do sometimes.  

The old me would have never EVER taken a break but I have learned the hard way that there is no healthy substitute for a good night's rest if you are tired.

What is more important than your health?  A dear friend once said to me “It is kinda hard to achieve your dream when you are six feet under or lying on a hospital bed”.  It was a very sobering thought, one I never forgot.

Today just like any other day, my to do list is very long. I have made up my mind though that I will get it all done within reason.  If one or two things are left for tomorrow, so be it. Today, I will stay calm, carry on and just enjoy being ALIVE. 

Cherio!

Everything Has A Place

If there is a poster child for stubborn, yours truly would definitely be it.  Am a big girl now so I can finally admit that.  When I dig my heels in, it is over......like no use talking to me anymore, forget about it over.

Well, now that I am in business for myself, I can truly say that being stubborn is a good trait.  Sometimes.   Case in point.  About 10 years ago received an idea that I know for sure was God given for a business.  I have worked on it since then but never felt in my heart/gut that I was ready to launch it until two weeks ago.  In this case my stubbornness paid of.  Now, I can see the level of maturity in my work compared to where I was years ago.  All of the struggle and pain I endured to get to this point has made me a better designer, a better person.  I am more determined and focused than I have ever been.  Ever.

It is so ironic that the catalyst for all of this great introspection and change came from something bad. Well it did.  I have been going through a health battle for almost a year now and it got to the point where I wondered if I would even be here to accomplish any of my dreams.  That was a really low point for me. Fast forward to 2013, to my healthy diet plan, fitness, prayer and other positive changes I made in my life.....changes that made all the difference.   I am feeling better, much better.  I had dug my heels in again and vowed that with Gods help I would get well and do Everything that he called me to do.  This is a promise I plan to keep.  I will keep you posted as I start my journey in the Christian fashion world.  I am sure there will be many challenges along the way but I know that I am not alone. I have the support of so many beautiful people, friends, family, and of course my faith in God and his plan for my life.  The word of God inspires me every day.

              This scripture especially has encouraged me through it all... 

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Hmmmmm, maybe I am not stubborn at all.  Maybe, I am just steadfast.  Ha ha, o-k-a-y, but steadfast does sound a whole lot better.

Cherio!

I Hope You Dance

I've had this song playing non stop in my head since yesterday so I just had to share.  The words are so powerful, heartfelt and true.  This song really ministered to me, I hope it does the same for you.

As you may have read in two of my previous post, the last two weeks has been really stressful and hard for me.  After weeks of insomnia I started having heart palpitations which scared the daylights out of me.  I literally feared for my life.  Today as I write this though, I feel a lot better and I am almost back to my normal sleep pattern.  Yay me!!!!  whew.  Trust me when I say I have a whole new respect for sleep.  It is so vitally important to remain healthy.

This whole experience has made me look at my life and all the areas where I held back or put things off for later.  I AM SO DONE WITH THAT.

Life is precious.  It is the most awesome privilege anyone can have. We get a gift every single day of our lives. It comes to us each day wrapped up in 24 brand new hrs.  And those hours are ours to do whatever we choose.
To dream.  
                To Plan.  
To see that plan come to life. 
             To bring comfort to the hurting
To travel
                 To write
To learn
            To teach
         To love and be loved
To serve selflessly
                                                  To find your path
   To live victoriously...
                       and of course 
        to dance.

Cherio!
          

Are You Ready For This!

About a month ago I on a whim entered a major gallery showing.  It was competition based so my sketches/ideas had to beat out numerous competitors to qualify. I sent the sketches and forgot about....that is until I got an email saying I had made the cut!  O. M. G!!!!  

And so, just like that I had a life changing opportunity in my hands.  I was so happy to finally have a major platform to express my heart through something that I love so much.  Art.   But then, I starting looking at the formidable competitors and envisioning what they might be bringing to the table and the more I did that, the more nervous and apprehensive I got.  My ideas were not coming together properly and the ones I did like soon became "not good enough".  I was second guessing myself and it was getting me nowhere.

The back and forth and vacillation between excited and overwhelmed continued until my son put an end to it.  He looked me dead in the eye and informed me "you gat this mom!".......gave me a big hug and and walked off.  Well, turns out that was all I needed.  After that I had fire in my eyes.   No matter what happened I was going to create something amazing. Something I can be proud of. 

 The first piece I made took a whole day to make but it was a little off so I scrapped it and started over from scratch.  I did not let it get me down, I just knew I could do better....... and I will.  At the moment I am working on two of the three pieces required for the show and everything is coming together quite nicely.  I am started to get excited now because I can envision/see the final product......the finish line.  I will probably have a Steve Urkel moment at the end, like "Did I do that???!" but in a really good way.  I am going to make sure of that.  

Well, back to work I go but I will be posting the pictures here when everything is finished.  Have a beautiful weekend everyone.

Cherio!

Carpe Diem: Darn it!

So lately I've been pulling my hair out  just a tad bit frustrated with myself.  I have so much I want to accomplish and though I know that I am making progress, it is not near as fast as I would like to proceed.  Like warp speed fast.....now that would be perfect!  I tell myself that I'm learning patience and that this is for my further maturity and development.  All true.  I gotta tell you though, the waiting part bites!  The experience of accomplishing a dream/ building a career is like the scariest roller coaster.  It is the most exciting thing I have ever done,  I never know what will happen next.  The highs and lows, the woo hooos, and arghhhhhhhhs however all makes for an unforgettable journey.

Weeks ago I wrote a post entitled  8 Tips To Spend Your Time Wisely and since then I have been really doing my best to get the optimum out of my day.   It's the only way I am going to see the progress that I so desire.  In time I know my earnest efforts will pay off, they are already doing so............graadually.

At the end of the day I would much rather die happily and thoroughly spent than recalling a lifetime of missed opportunities, fear and regret.  No my friends, that is definitely not for me.  I am going to embrace my life.......like give it a bear hug and a kiss.  After all it's the the only way I know how to live and be happy!

Follow Your Dream

Even in my earliest memories, I recall that I always wanted "more" from my life.  More fun, adventure, love, laughter, education, freedom and more creativity especially.  I am an optimist at heart so I believe its possible to achieve all that you desire as long as you are willing to work for it.  For some people success is "all about the Benjamins"  but that has never been my focus, perhaps to my own detriment.  Its been 10 years since I decided to follow my dream and live my life with NO REGRETS.  What a ride! First stop, come to America and study for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic design. Check.  It took me 4.5 grueling years to do mostly out of pocket but its done nonetheless. Next up,  Start my own company. Check.  Its still a baby but its my baby.  The next thing on my list was to move here to Georgia. Well, thankfully I was able to put a check mark to that on July 16th, 2010.  I have never cried or laughed more than in these last ten years. My life is exciting, fulfilling and challenging and despite the doubters, haters and many obstacles I face, I am still determined to reach my goals. Every single one of them.

One thing I have learned along the way is who my real friends and supporters are, it has truly been a blessing in my life. It is often said that hard times reveal character and I totally agree. It not only reveals your true character but also the characters of the people around you as well. I am grateful every day for my small inner circle of friends and family who have been there for me.  There is nothing I wouldn't do for them.

My next gaol is to launch my fashion line (Wanda Mcphee) in the fall of this year.  There is so much to do and so little time and money but I know God will make a way.  I truly believe in my vision and God's ability to bless and sustain it so I am excited to see how everything will work out.  There is nothing impossible with God. You do not have to settle for less than what you want out of life.  Figure out what you want, make a plan, and as of now start making steps toward it.  Even baby steps is progress. I know this from experience.

 If you are reading this and can identify with my life and struggles, be encouraged.  Each new day is a another opportunity for something wonderful to happen in your life.  NEVER GIVE UP.  I'll see you at the top.

(All art pictured in this post is my own and is a small taste of what is to come later in the year)