Vocal Expressions

This month marked a month long celebration of Black History. While many good things were happening around us as we celebrated, there were many losses that occurred as well (Don Cornelius, Whitney Houston, etc). Despite it all, we must all move forward as time doesn't stand still for anyone.

In class #4, Marshawn talked about Dream Shifter #4: Connecting With A Coach. She said that training with a coach gives you a mindset of winning. Coaches expect the best and accept the best. Coaches should have 4 things: 1. They should have already experienced success. 2. They should have success with coaching others. 3. They should actually be successful. 4. They should be someone you respect because of their value and integrity. Also, she stated that coaches should have intensity because sometimes our calling needs a KICK! Put FAITH into action. PURPOSE in no place for the lazy. SUCCESS is great when it comes from the desire to finish! In closing, Marshawn talked about Dream Shifter #5: Make Winning Your Lifestyle. Winners know how to say yes to themselves. Winning is what you're designed for not struggle for. Say Yes to your purpose, say Yes to your Calling and say Yes to your Destinny. She stated that the gift that you have is tied to the abundance y...

Class #3 was awesome! Dream Shifter #3: Upgrading Your Strategy really resounded with me. The four realities or reasons why we need a strategy were pivotal: 1) passion without a plan is just a pastime, 2) intention without implementation becomes imagination, 3) calling without commitment is careless and is selfish, and 4) dreams without deadlines end up in decay. Also, realizing that our dreams are suffering from starvation because they are not being fed and we don’t treat them as a business affects us all. For many of us the real issue lies in the fact that we have outgrown our garden. I really loved the analogy that Marshawn shared about the difference between dirt and soil. Dirt can’t support our growth and so it’s important that we get away from those whose mindsets are not positive or even support our dreams. I’ve made it a point to clean house of those people who don’t want to see me prosper simply because they are miserable or envious. Instead, I’m aligning myself with those who...

In Marshawn Evan's second class, she discussied Dream Shifter #2: Defining Your WHY which was very on point. In this class, she stated that your mindset is always key and that "No, keeps us stuck and Yes, begins to create new opportunities." So once you define the three aspects of your WHY: 1) why you do what you do or what gives you the motivation to do it, 2) your ultimate calling or your mission, and 3) how to articulate the value you provide to people, then you'll begin to identify your audience. Along the way, we make mistakes and encounter many obstacles but once we know how to position ourselves and to launch our best self, then our brilliance will come shining through. Sometimes, it's hard to determine the real WHY and so my commitment to myself after this class is to dig deep and challenge myself to face my obstacles no matter how uncomfortable it will make me feel. I'll also start recognizing that branding comes from my spirit, my heart, my calling...

Today, I attended the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference at Chesapeake College in Queenstown, MD along with two members from my writing critique group. The ride was enjoyable and we were thankful that the winds didn't affect our ride over the Bay Bridge. After looking at the session grid, we decide to attend the session that was most applicable to what we were currently working on either finishing up a novel, getting ready to send out queries or marketing our finished projects. The turn out was tremendous and the presenters were knowledgeable and entertaining. We walked away with several nuggets of valuable information. Great conference and I'm looking forward to coming back next year!

In Marshawn Evan's first class (January 2012), she talked about not leaving things on the table, whether it's health, business, relationships, etc. She mentioned that dream drifters that can make a difference in our lives. So, let's start with Dream Shifter#1 which is discussed below. Dream Shifter #1: "Deciding that it's time" - resonated with me on a lot of levels. Specifically, I've decided to be an influencer to others by helping them realize their dreams, helping them to find new jobs, etc., getting rid of the Goliaths in my life by making them less significant as they are blocking my many blessings, getting out of my comfort zone by not sitting on the sidelines and waiting for someone to "draft" me in - so I'll be diving all the way in by seeking out opportunities to promote myself as an author and by finishing up other writing projects that are pending. Regarding the "Superwoman Syndrome," I've learned to prioritize mys...

The world will mourn this troubled award winning singer, actress, and mother. My condolences to the family. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/11/whitney-houston-dead-sing_n_1270889.html

Sometimes we can lose touch with our friends but it's such a joy when we can reconnect with them. A few years ago I lost contact with a friend and it was a pleasure to bump into her again and learned about her many life changes. We decided that we needed to grab lunch to catch up and I look forward to it. This year I'll be making the effort to stay in touch with friends and not let my hectic schedule get in the way of sending emails or picking up the phone to arrange lunch or dinner. It's great when you get to revisit the friendship only to reconnect in a stronger and more positive way.