Revamping

I've been such a scatterbrain as of late but totally revamping my blog. Keep an eye out for me in the very near future. Wishing you and yours a fantabulous Christmas and an awesome 2012.

In the meantime check me out on www.marykay.com/teenawatkins  

Its My Birthday!!!

I've been reflecting a lot lately and I can't say anything but GREAT things about this year. I lost my grandma this year but overall it was awesome. God blessed me beyond my thoughts. I am committed to living an extraordinary life in this new year of life I've been blessed with. I will love hard as I always have, encourage, support, empower, bless, give, and a whole lot more. My life is not about me but those I can help in some way. Stay tuned...watch me work!. Love

~smooches

the gorgeous dork

Interview with The Chef-someone you want to know!

I promised that I would spotlight some of the awesome people that I know who are doing things and making moves. Why? Because the spotlight is not just for celebrities but those that are in our communities as well. Lift up our own...Support our own!

I had the lovely opportunity of interviewing a dear friend of mine Mr. Jerrold Brooks.  He's definitely a chef you want to get to know.

First can you give a brief biography on yourself?

My name is Jerrold Brooks; I’ve been in the professional culinary industry since 1994. I have one son and I love sporting events, dining out and researching new culinary trends. I’m a member of Cummins Street MB church in Memphis TN and I’m presently the Executive Chef for Sam’s Town Casino and resort in Robinsonville Ms. An 850 Room resort with 4 restaurants, 20,000 square foot of meeting space, room service and a 90,000 square foot casino.

What inspired you to become a chef?

I was inspired to become a chef at an early age when I would help my mom in the kitchen. She instilled a passion for cooking in me.

How long have you been a chef?

I have been an actual chef for 14 years now. My first chef position was Sous Chef in the Range Steakhouse in Vicksburg Ms.

What services do you offer?

I presently don’t offer many services outside of work, but I have done a few small catering events. However I do speak at high school vocational programs and at career days at local schools.

What are your specialties?

My specialties are modern regional cuisines using fresh seafood and high quality beef indigenous of the region.

Care to give away a fabulous recipe for your fans to try out? If so, what is it?

 No I don’t mind if you can convince me too. LOL

What are you most passionate about?

My son, and making people smile through food.

How do you feel about giving back? I feel that giving back is everything. Someone had to give back to me to get me started.

Who are your inspirations in your field?

Masahari Morimoto and the late Patrick Clark.

How do you feel about the new craze of chef competitions on tv?

I love it because it continues to bring positive marketing to an industry that up until about 20 years ago was not given much respect and was meant for low educated and low skilled people. People use to view a chef as the man in the white t-shirt with a stinky cigar ringing a bell saying pick up.

Have you ever tried out for one? If so which one?

Yes I have. I tried out for Hell’s Kitchen but only made it to the second round of questioning.

Will you ever try out again?

Probably not

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Someone taking short cuts for the benefit of laziness. I hate that.

What do you bring to the table that most chef's don't?

Wow, difficult question. Just a desire to be number one and the best of everything I do. No one wants to be associated with a looser. “2 is not a winner and 3 no one remembers” Nelly

What are your future plans in the food industry?

To become an Executive Chef of a mega resort casino environment and eventually open a wine an hors d’ oeuvre bar that caters to the business class.

Your favorite quote?

“Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off” Colin Powell

So...I did get Jerrold to provide us with a great recipe for a dessert. How perfect since we are in the Holiday season and are surrounded by sweets no matter where we go lol. Listed below is the recipe for 

White chocolate chip bread pudding

12 ounce French bread

2 cups Heavy whipping cream

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 large whole egg

3 Large egg yolks

2 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup pralines

Sauce:

1 cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Frangelico liqueur

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Cut the bread into manageable size pieces. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the milk, sugar, egg, egg yolks and vanilla in a medium sauce pan over low heat; whisk to combine. Simmer, stirring constantly with spatula until custard thickens slightly about 3 to 5 minutes

Pour hot custard over the bread and toss gently to mix. Set aside to cool completely. When cool, add the chocolate chips and pralines and toss gently to mix. Pour the pudding into the oiled baking dish and bake until golden brown and set, about 45- 50 minutes.

Doesn't this sound delicious? I plan on making for my Christmas dinner. You can find Chef Jerrold Brooks on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1346599181

Chef Jerrold also wanted us to know that he's willing to travel for special events. Check him out!

Thanks Jerrold for your time and I wish you nothing but success in your career. Since the time of this interview Chef Jerrold has taken on a new position which will further advance him in his career. God bless!

~smooches

thegorgeousdork

Blessed

This week has been such a good week. I went from feeling kinda drab about my full time job last week to now just going with it (which is my usual approach). I had a talk with my boss and you know, whatever happens happens. I am so excited for what the future will bring that I'm not even sure if I am here mentally LOL. I feel God moving and my positive outlook is definitely attracting the same.

This weekend I am going to see my Godsis Ashley compete for Miss Illinois USA. She competed last year but did not win so she's going for it again. I'm so proud of her and confident that she will win this year. I took her yesterday to get pedicures and boy did my feet need it. It was good to just talk with her. She's young but so mature. She's doing so much with her life and I just get excited about the young people making moves. I will definitely keep you all posted on what the outcome is.

Tonight, when the hubby goes to work I am going to do some reading and relax. I ordered about 6 new books last week instead of a pair of shoes. How cool is that?? (giggles). I'm addicted to a few shows outside of reality tv so I plan to catch up on Homeland, Private Practice, Greys Anatomy and Boss. Any fans of those shows out here? Other than those shows I think most of what I watch is reality, which I've began cutting out slowly but its SOOO hard!

I plan to work on my vision board/video this weekend, that besides my reading will be my productive work for the weekend. I am hoping that each of you takes some time to do something productive towards your passion this weekend. A commitment of an hour a day will lead you closer to success. Give it a try.

Have a great weekend!

~smooches
thegorgeousdork

Day 27-31

Today is such an awesome day...Throughout this journey and in my day to day personal journey I am confident in my future. I will share with you the last days of the 31 day challenge.

Day 27...Take yourself out on a date

Well I didn't go alone I went with one of the BFF's (prettydarkgirlstyle)  but I had an awesome time. We went to Red Lobster lol, I don't think either of us had been in a while so hey.. We met at church and then went out to eat afterwards. We chose the new items on the menu and of course a cocktail, we were both in heaven. Full and still looking fabulous we ended our date lol but it was great to go out and treat myself. I came home and watched lifetime since the hubby was at work and then reorganized my closet. What a day!

Day 28...Develop a self care plan..

This was pretty much a guide to getting back in tune with your inner and outer self. To become more mindful of your thoughts. I will share a few things I added to my self care plan

-Salads for lunch

-No soda during the week

-No fast food for a week.

-Make my own lunches

-Eat breakfast at home

-More water

-Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes everyday. 

Those are just a few..

Day 29- Start a side hustle...

I have too many to start a new one but I wrote out plans for each business that I will have to take action on. Some of my readers already know my side hustles but I will share them with you. 

I am almost a senior consultant for Mary Kay 

I am a event/wedding planner

I am the president/founder of a youth development mentoring program

I am an accountability/lifestyle coach!

BOO-YAH lol, there are my side hustles. I don't think I need anymore.

Day 30- Write your own Eulogy.

I hadn't done this since the second year in Sweetface(my mentoring program). I found it and so much has changed since I wrote it. It was 5 years ago and I think we all know how much can change in that time span. I will not be sharing mine but this exercise was deep, however I was happy with the way my life has changed or progressed. I think if I died today my eulogy would've made me proud.

Day 31- Do a vision board. 

I do vision board almost every year. I am actually in the process of  doing a project that makes your vision board come to life (though video/slideshow) I have my music, clips, pics, etc that I have to make into a video to present to my teen girls in Sweetface. Myself along with the other mentors are doing the same thing. The girls this year have a personal project they are doing and I think us showing them our own will inspire them to put more thought into theirs. The vision board is something we started with them when Sweetface first started and I'm happy to say that those that have been in the program a while improve upon theirs every year, so we must be doing something right.  I think ALL should have a vision board. I am actually working on one with my husband as well so we have one for our family. It definitely helps!

Thanks Daphne so much for this opportunity in doing the challenge with you. I hope that I have inspired some of my readers to really look within and re-evaluate. I'm such a better person since self -reflecting and participating in challenges such as this one. I am here for you, a friend, family member etc... that ever needs someone to help them along their way. Be on the lookout for the great things that are in my future.Watch me Work... 

~smooches

thegorgeousdork

Days 22-26

Hey there...this challenge is very close to its end and I am a BETTER woman!

Day 22- Plan your reset project.
After weeks of the work we've been doing it was now time to get down to business...how will we make all the dreams/visions come to life? We had to take a specific area from our life maps to make progress on. Listed below is what we had to do with it.. Its very similar to the goal planning/setting I do with the girls involved in my mentoring program. I've got mine down and making things happen daily. Everything I put out into the universe is coming back. As the Bible says, speak those things as though they were which is simply the law of attraction we hear about.

• Brief description of the project: What area of your life map will you work on? Be specific.
• Why the project was selected: How will this project help you get closer to your ideal life?
• Goals: What do you hope to achieve?
• Results: How will you measure success?
• Assistance needed: What will you need to get your project completed or underway? How do you plan to get it?
• Obstacles: What obstacles might you encounter and how do you plan to deal with them?
• Next steps: What do you need to do now in order to see results within the 30 days?

So now on to Day 23 

We were told to find a community to support our goals. I joined a couple sites that are all about uplifting and supporting one another but for me I have a few people I share my dreams and goals with in detail and they support me as I support them in what they want. While I don't mind being transparent to others I also like to keep some things private and share them with those that truly love me and have my best interest at heart. So I joined but my "details" will be left to those that I know will TRULY support me on them.

Day 24- make a new friend.

This wasn't just about randomly going up to someone to make a friend...but those people that you have encountered as of late and "clicked" with. We were to make effort in to building a relationship with them. There are two people that I've clicked with in the past year or so and we have slowly been making progress in our "friendship" to becoming friends. I tend to take the word friend seriously so I am not quick to calling people friends. I also feel like as of late the woman who chose me to do this with her is becoming a friend.  Only inviting people in my life that will add value. You should do the same.

Day 25- Stop complaining for 24 hours

I successfully did 21 days of no complaining a couple months ago and while it was challenging I had no problem on Day 24. I find myself checking myself every time a complaint comes to mind. I quickly try to change the thought and end up laughing about it. I think if we all made ourselves aware of how much we complain we'd all get a kick out of it and make some changes. 

Day 26- List 100 things that make you happy...

I know most of you who read this may thing how in the world will I come up with 100 things...EASY! Once you get started so many start to come to you. I hate to keep repeating myself but I've done this before too but its always good to do it again and quickly remind yourself of all the happy things. I will just name 10 so you get an idea, if you're stuck when you do this yourself. 

1. Sunshine

2. Water ( I love putting my feet into the ocean or lake and looking out, it feels like I'm close to God knowing I see no end ahead of me.)

3. The smell of my husbands cologne

4. Cookies 

5. shopping

6. spending time with my mom, friends, family.

7. Romantic comedy

8. Getting Pedicures

9. Listening to good music

10. Reading

Those are just a few as my list is over 100 LOL.   Hope you're having a lovely day and that you've done at least one of the daily exercises I've done. Life changing I tell ya!

~smooches

thegorgeousdork

Days 18-21

As promised, just a couple days late...

Day 18 was about creating your bucket list if you didn't have one. I actually had one already but added to it.
I will share just a few things that are on my bucket list.  1) Travel to Italy, Greece, South Africa, Australia & Japan. 2) Dinner with Oprah 3) To take my mom wherever she wants to go for a month, even if different destinations. 4) Become a mother, a good one (of my own, since I inherited a daughter) 5) Work with David Tutera or Preston Bailey on an event. 6) To change the lives of many for the better.

Of course I have a few more but I wont share EVERYTHING lol.

Day 19 was reviving your love life whether you have one or not.

Hubby and I went out on a date, had some great conversation and just enjoyed each other. The exact details don't need to be told but we try to make sure the love life stays on fire! (giggling)

Day 20- Get rid of stuff you don't need
Some of you that follow me on FB or in general know that I was previously doing 21 days of decluttering so I had pretty much taken care of this assignment already. However, I did get rid of a few more papers that day and even some more clothes.  I am committing to not keeping anything that I don't need any longer. A lifecoach of mine previously stated that you don't have room to receive all of the new you've been requesting if you're still holding onto old "stuff" so I've promised myself to constantly purge the old.  You should try it. Feel lighter getting rid of all of it.

Day 21- Remove the negative people from your life...
Ha, this is something that I've been doing for about 3 years now if not longer but consistently trying to rid myself of the toxic in the past 3. I've had to rid myself of people that have been in my life for years and while I thought it was going to be extremely difficult to do it wasn't at all. I had prayed that God remove them for me and sure enough they slowly start fizzling out. Thank GOD! My life has been so much better since I have done this.  In the assignment she brought up that you might be your own debbie downer and in that case she suggested that

The Elephant in the Room: It is not lost on me that the negative person you need to purge from your life might be YOU. If you are your own personal Debbie Downer, here is a special modification for this exercise.

• Take your notebook around with you today and make a list of all the instances where you express negativity or cynicism throughout the day - either with your thoughts, words or actions.

• For each instance, explain why you said, thought or did what you did. Be honest. Were you jealous? Feeling depressed? Angry or annoyed?

• For each instance, brainstorm what you could have said, thought or done instead. Could you have looked at the glass half-full? Saw the situation from the other person's point of view? Showed compassion instead of cattiness?

So... check yourself as well and constantly check those in your life, on your fb page, twitter, etc that are toxic to your well being/your spirit. Get rid of them as quickly as you can. 

~smooches

thegorgeousdork

I guess...

I guess I shouldn't have made that promise eh, lol.  So, today while working I will be catching up on the blogging while working lol. This journey has been oh so amazing and I hope that out of my few readers that someone took something away from this experience. I will post in 3's so you know. Thanks for following/reading.  This week I will be posting an interview with a friend who's a wonderful chef. You definitely don't want to miss this guy, he's also going to provide us with a recipe for a Thanksgiving dish...how fab is that? lol

thegorgeousdork

Promise

I'm promising that tomorrow evening I will be catching up with my posts. This journey has been so awesome that I've been so into it sometimes I forget to post. Life seems to be picking up even through the random obstacles I am still standing and able to smile through it all. Post tomorrow. Goodnight!

Day 14-17

Hello there...This has been saved in draft for a couple days, thought it was posted LOL.

I promise to actually catch up on my blogging. I had to do a baby shower this weekend and it took up most of my time all week trying to make sure everything was done properly.

Anywho.. day 14 was a day of rest and I definitely took advantage. I was also fasting with my church during that time so I ditched it all and read and went to bed early. IT was definitely good for my mind, body and soul.

Day 15- was all about redesigning your day. I definitely needed this exercise. I committed to making sure I eat a healthy breakfast in the mornings or just eat because I sometimes will skip breakfast. I also committed to a definite 30 minute workout, of course most days are more than that but that's my minimum. Packing more lunches, stop spending so much time surfing the net, getting to bed earlier and cutting down on my tv.  Yes, I have been actually following through.

Day 16-Conduct a time audit. - This showed too much. I saw that I was wasting a couple hours throughout the day where I was just on FB, Twitter or watching television. Spending too much time in other peoples stuff I guess. I've promised as I mentioned on day 16 that I am cutting out quite a bit of that and spending more time reading or doing something productive. Taking a time audit in your own lives may help you discover what's holding you back from fulfilling those dreams you have. We spend way too much time doing "nothing" and that time could be used towards fulfillment. Make those changes...

Day 17- Ditch TV for 24 hours.... I was excited that I actually did it! I thought for sure I was gonna have to watch some but I set up my show to be recorded and have now set aside some time during my week to watch my shows rather than everyday. I'm sure this will work to my advantage of working for myself full time in the very near future. Try it!

~Smooches
thegorgeousdork

Day 13

Sigh... don't be mad, I've been a little busy lol.

So Day 13 we had to craft our ideal life narrative. I had so much fun with this. I love the idea of writing or speaking my life into existence. As personal as it is I will post what my ideal life narrative. Life is so good people!

I am living in the burbs of course in fabulous home that is full of love, laughter and fun. My home is constantly being used to entertain the people I love the most. We have a huge area that I am able to host themed nights at least twice a month and my friends and family love it. I am doing all the things I love and making money doing it. I am a well known sought after event/wedding planner and empowerment coach for young women. I host a week long retreat for teen girls twice a year where they learn personal development skills, self confidence and how to live the fulfilled life. I along with my husband are self mad millionaires. I work my businesses hard and so does my husband. I am earning 5 figures a month in Mary Kay still and often teach new consultants how to do the same. My husband and I travel at least ones a month to the islands and once a year we travel to new, fun and exciting places(other continents, lol). We take our family and loved ones on a trip once a year as a group to an island which we all love. We have a home in Vegas, Florida and Amsterdam. We are very close to our families and friends. I have a personal assistant whom I love and we also have a personal chef, driver and trainer that we have access to whenever needed. We try to stay hands on as much as possible. We are very healthy as we both want to be good teachers in all ways. I have an handsome, adoring, wonderful husband that supports me in all that I do, loves God and is a wonderful business man in his own right. My husband is the head of our household but we hold a partnership on the running of our family and businesses. My husband is a wonderful father as  I am a fantastic mother to our beautiful daughter Asia and our twin son and daughter. Our children are in accelerated programs and on their way to living their own fulfilled lives. I have a large clientele that I empower daily through personal and group coaching. I teach young women how to live the fulfilled life. My husband and I live extraordinary as most ordinary and we teach others to do the same. I am an avid reader as I have to feed my mind and spirit daily. My husband and I meditate to maintain our powerful connection. We are extremely devoted to our family, friends and church. We spend a lot of time volunteering and contribute financially as well to our church and community. My husband and I are blessed beyond measure and it is important to share our blessings with others.

So, there you have it.. that's my narrative on my ideal life!

~smooches
thegorgeousdork

Day 12

Writing a letter to your lizard brain...

At first I was like huh and then before I could even begin to read the message I realized what this was all about.

In a nuthsell, the lizard brain is what stops you in your tracks and keeps you from moving forward.

I know I am not alone at suffering from that damn lizard brain. SO many times I have found myself beginning something and the lizard brain will tell me that "oh you can't do that, or you won't be able to accomplish that". How many of you have heard that pop up before? And not from people but you, yourself speaking down to you.

Well, I wrote my lizard brain a letter and told him to kick rocks. I am no longer allowing the lizard brain to keep me from anything else because its already kept me from so much.  I often have self sabotaged opportunities because of this.

Writing the letter was so liberating. I hope that you can find it in yourself to tell your lizard brain to go play in traffic.

No more procrastinating, self-sabotaging, self doubt....NO MORE!

~Smooches
thegorgeousdork

oops Day 10 & 11

For those of you that follow/read my blog I do apologize for not being consistent with my posts. I have been consistent with all of my daily lessons/assignments though  ;o) .

Day 10 which I was supposed to put in the last post I don't believe I really did. It was all about doing one thing that would move you closer to your ideal life. Now, I'm a Mary Kay consultant (I signed up because I wanted a part time job and it worked best). Mary Kay constantly has classes and seminars you can go to to learn more about how to succeed in the business. Well last week they had an event that had two of Mary Kay's top millionaires coming to speak. My director spoke about it and I quickly agreed. I met two amazing women with amazing stories. I purchased a couple cd's and learned a lot that night. I've already made it to the next level which was not something that I had even planned on. Its a great business and I love the history of it. God first, family second, business third. These women are able to live the life of their dreams all while making others feel beautiful...right up my alley.

Day 11 was about getting an accountability partner. Now, having one of these is great for any one but not every one is able to follow through. An accountability partner is all up in yours LOL. My best friend Jennifer has been mine for about a year now but I have gained a new one... Daphne. If you decide to get one, be prepared for questions on things you've shared, etc. These people are there to make you better, hold you accountable for what you say ad make sure you follow through with your goals. Now, as of late. I have been an accountability partner to a few. Its something that I've been given to do so I do it part time and for no money currently. I have worksheets, etc that I have these people follow, check in often and of course...all up in theirs!!!

If you don't have one, get one...even if you get attitudes about what they say or ask! We all can benefit from one. Our friends are not always the best but someone you can trust with your goals/visions. Make it happen.

Accountability, get some!

~smooches
thegorgeousdork

Day 6-8 & 10

I'm so sorry to put a few days into one post, however Day Seven was a day of resting & reflecting and my reflection post dealt with that.

I have been following this journey on schedule and I'm just so excited at the changes I am already seeing happen.

So, Day Six was all about creating a mission statement.. I've come up with a few but undecided on which one I will use. I will share one just so you can see.
* My purpose is to express my gift of service and creativity. I value my gift and growing spiritually, emotionally and mentally. I love laughter, music, reading, learning, planning, making others feel beautiful, empowering others, quality time with quality people and love. I am committed to expressing my love in my actions and words. I will make time for those close to me along with specific quality time with my husband and family. I am committed to being a phenomenal wife, leader, daughter, mother and friend. I will lead a healthy lifestyle full of love and in all things I will put God first and give my all in whatever I do. Knowledge and Wisdom are critical. My life is not about me but the lives I touch whether it be through my businesses or casual conversation . I am committed to living this life, fully!

Day 8 was all about keeping a gratitude journal which is something I am already doing. I learned this from another great life coach Shanel Cooper Sykes. I am grateful for all things, good and bad for they all come with a purpose. As my pastor always says "there is purpose in the process". Its something I have to remind myself of but once I do it brings me back to a calm place. I am so ready for where God is taking me and I know that when the fire seems too hot that I am eventually becoming like pure gold.

I hope those of you who read actually consider taking this challenge or at least gain something from me sharing my personal experiences.

My blog is not just about me or my journey but also about plenty other things along with the fabulous people I come across that are smart, gifted, entrepreneurs doing their own thing in this world and making a change.

Its time out for the hating and being mad because you didn't think of something first. There is plenty of room at the top but more importantly on your way to the top encourage and lend your hand to someone who may not know that yet.

~smooches
the gorgeous dork.

The start of my 10 day fast with my church/Day 9

Today is the beginning of my 10 day fast with the church. I'm on day 9 of my 31 days challenge and coming to an end of my decluttering process. I spend so much time helping other people or encouraging them that I tend to forget about myself or no one is there to do the same for me when I need it. So, today its about me. I'm at work working of course but reading a book, praying and doing my exercise for my 31 day challenge which is creating a life map... this process is extensive and really has put into focus what should've been there all along. I am excited about the woman that I will be after this. Seems like the boat is rocking for some of the people/things in my life... I just pray they can weather the waves and hold on. I genuinely want the best for those close to me along with those who are not so close...for everyone to be honest.

This life mapping is really bringing out some things that I've been putting on the back burner. Things that are making me think, making me plan. I feel like there are going to be some major changes in my life in the very near future.  I can't wait, well let me rephrase that I'm just looking forward to the changes because I feel like they will be great changes.

I've decided to give up Facebook for this 10 day fast, its already giving me more clarity and more time to focus on the things mentioned above. I guess I never looked at how much time and energy I put into facebook before. I usually am playing a game on there or posting inspirational things for my friends and myself along with the morning eye candy which my lady friends look forward to.

I received a message last night on Facebook when I said that I was taking a short break saying "I need you, you don't know how much your posts really help me with my day...please don't go. But, I understand!" Sometimes we aren't aware of the lives we touch but that felt great to receive however it was important for me to give up something that would actually be a sacrifice.

So far, so good...

~smooches
the gorgeous dork

Reflecting

I was sitting here reflecting over the past couple of years and more so the past couple of weeks. God brings opportunity daily for me, I believe its always been there but I some how blocked it or possibly ignored it. The last couple of weeks have been life changing. All the things that I have participated in that involved mastering being the best me, all seem to make more sense now.

I am an independent consultant for Mary Kay, only for a few months now but my business seems to be working itself. I learn a lot from being a part of this great company and I'm thankful for that. I also was able to meet Oprah at her new Lifeclass which changed my life in such a special way that I will remember it forever. Meeting Oprah was always on my vision board and always something I wanted to happen but after the show ended this past spring I thought that chance was over. However, God heard me and I had put this out into the universe that the opportunity presented itself and I jumped on it. I was supposed to be an actual guest but things turned out differently. Was I mad, no..disappointed, yes. I began to think though...I wasn't specific and the Lord had given me the opportunity to be in her presence so who was I to be disappointed.  What was said that night was the greatest gift and confirmed so much in my life. #grateful

The following week I was given the opportunity to be a chaperone for the trip to D.C with the youth from my church as you saw in another post. I was there, in the presence of all these great people who had impacted the lives of many. I was there...whew! I saw so many people that day, not just the celebrities and well known but people of many backgrounds all there, celebrating the life of a man that made it possible for us to all stand there together. WOW!

Once we made our way over to the actual monument I took my time and read every quote leading up to it. I could see it from afar and my heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. As I got closer to that monument my eyes began to fill with tears, not of sadness but of pride. I was proud as if it were him standing there himself. The detail of the monument, the quotes, the fact that I was there for the dedication among so many other emotions...powerful!

My organization started its seventh year. I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be going this long but I have. I have a great team involved and great young ladies. I have to help them, it is my duty. This year seems promising, life changing and one that will stick with the girls forever.

In a week I will have been married to my best friend, my first love for just six months but I am HAPPY. I love that we are growing individually but also growing together. This is something I did not think would actually happen either but God knew my heart and he sent (revealed) that my first love/best friend would be my husband.

I am thankful for all the opportunities that God continues to give me. I'm so not worthy of His love and blessings but He continues to love little ol me. I made a promise that I would continue to touch and change lives...not ever for praise but because I'd love for us ALL to be the best possible in this life. Make yours memorable. Its not about the things, the "stuff" we get but about who's lives we touch.

~smooches
the gorgeous dork

Day Five

Greetings...

As I take this journey it gets more and more personal so some things just wont be shared, lol. Day five was all about listing the things that are most important to you, listing your values. After we listed these things we then had to pick the top 10 things and put them in another list, our Reset 10 list.

After placing the 10 most important things to you on this list you had to then begin to be honest about (rate yourself from one to ten) on how you fell you are acting out that particular value in your life. Needless to say I'm not acting out highly enough on a few of the things in my Reset 10 list. I was pleased to see that I was acting out highly on majority of them. I just love to see when my hard work at becoming the best me over the last couple years is paying off. A lot of prioritizing but well worth it.

Lastly after you have rated your Reset 10 you need to go through each one and name 3 possible steps that you can take to increase that rating. I'll give one of mine, Financial Freedom- I rated it at about a 5 which is NOT good. If I want Financial Freedom, why am I not taking/making all the steps to achieve this? So, I had to name 3 steps that I can take to make this become a 10.  I have 3 businesses, I need to make more time for whichever is generating the most income, market myself more and simply put in the work.

These exercises are truly helping and I am so thankful that I was asked to do this. I hope that my posts somehow impact or influence you to make some changes. Take the challenge yourself or take a piece of it. Any action towards something you want will make a difference. You want a big change or to see a big impact, then put in lots of work. Faith without works is dead.

~smooches
the gorgeous dork

Day Four

So... I'm behind with actually posting but I'll catch you up now.

My Reset 10 (in no specific order)

• Financial Freedom
• Love
• Family
• Service
• Friendship
• Healthy Living
• Spiritual Growth
• Achievement
• Wisdom
• Integrity

10 things that are very important to me...

Day Three

Today is actually my day three but I wanted to make sure I got everything posted properly.

After taking an honest assessment of my life, into what I like and dislike in my life currently my assignment was to write my future self a love letter. This love letter is supposed to be viewed 30 days from now, at the end of this journey. I've been writing this letter for about 20 minutes now and it feels damn good to be able to do such a thing. I recommend that you all do it.

I won't share my love letter until after this 31 days is up...I guarantee that my dislikes will be to a minimum for sure.

Here's a template that could be used in writing your future self a love letter.

Dear future [your name here],

Congratulations on all the progress you've made so far! You now have even more to be grateful for in each area of your life, including the following:

• Lifestyle: You love . . .

• Work: You love . . .

• Education: You love . . .

• Finances: You love . . .

• Health: You love . . .

• Family: You love . . .

• Relationships: You love . . .

Your life is so much better now and it's all because of your hard work.  Keep it up!

[your name here]

~The Gorgeous Dork

Day Two

So.. today was all about really evaluating what you like and dislike in your life.

*What I like about my lifestyle? I love that I'm married but still active in the social scene. I'm not as active as some but I think that I have a pretty good balance of spending time with my husband alone and with others as well as with just the girls or alone. I try to make sure I read often to keep my mind stimulated but I also enjoy television which can be toxic for me. The good thing is I can separate reality from the fantasy world.
*What I dislike about my lifestyle? I'm not so sure I really dislike anything. Perhaps I should cut down on my TV time, that's one thing. Also, I'd love to be able to spend more time with couples. We have found it difficult to find couples that we can actually do things with from time to time .Other than that I'm pretty content with my current lifestyle.

*What do I like about my work? I love that I am employed, point blank. I am able to earn an income in corporate america as well as earn money doing Mary Kay and event planning.
*What I dislike about my work? I dislike that I still work for someone else and I dislike that I work with people who tend to not take their job seriously and half do their jobs.

*What do I like about my education? I like that was able to get a higher education studying international business and that I am constantly studying and reading to gain knowledge on multiple things. Learning is something I am very passionate about.
*What do I dislike about my education? The only thing I might dislike is that I haven't gone back to school to pursue a Masters degree...but, its not something that is really on my list of things to do.

*What do I like about my finances? I like that I have some and I am better at money management than I've ever been.
*What I dislike about my finances? I dislike that I don't have more and that I have spent the last years out of college paying off unecessary debt that I accumulated in school. I dislike that it has taken me long to get it together financially.

*What I like about my health?I like that I am mentally, spiritually and physically stable. My spiritual health improves daily along with my mental health. I am working on being physically healthier. I am thankful to God that I am alive and well everyday and able to do the things I love. I don't take either of them for granted.
*What I dislike about my health? I dislike being heavier but it is something I am working on and thanks to God I see results. I am learning to love my body and the more I learn to love it the more He helps me get it in better shape. My mind, body and soul are alright!!!

*What I like about my family? I love the fact that I have a family that is close.I have plenty of family members that I can call on when I need them. I love that my family gets together on holidays and reunions but also random meet ups as well. I love that we can pray together and grow together. I love having my own family now with my husband and my new daughter. I can only imagine what it will be like when I actually become a mother.
*What I dislike about my family? I actually don't dislike anything about my family. If I had to say one thing it would be that I'm not a mother yet however I know that everything happens in God's time.

*What I like about my relationships? My current friendships and marriage are pretty solid. I love that. I've spent the last few years trying to make sure that I rid myself of toxic people and thankfully I've been able to do that. Most of my friendships have survived some major storms and that I am grateful for. What's the point of keeping the ones who disappear when the weather gets bad. My marriage is solid, we love each other to life and can come to each other about anything. We are an evenly yoked couple and that's blessed!
*What I dislike about my relationships? currently nothing.

So there... this is me and where I am today on these topics 10-20-11.

Grateful, Blessed beyond Measure and Happy... you can be too!
~the gorgeous dork.

Definitely Fitting for me!

Day One of a 31 Days to a BETTER ME!

If anyone knows me, they know that I am always striving to be a better "me".  I think I am addicted to becoming great, does that mean I'm stressing myself out everyday to be something "extra"..No! I am just a firm believer that I can't look for anyone else to make me great except me so I participate in a lot of lifestyle classes, challenges, etc. 


So much in my life has changed over the last five years that I strive for this. A lot has even changed in the year 2011, they say its the year of revelation and boy has a lot been revealed. I've lost some friends, some loved ones have passed on but I gained a husband and made some of my friendships solid.  I not only want to be a good woman but a good wife, mother, friend, entrepreneur, mentor, etc. So challenging myself daily is a must. 


A friend whom I've only met in the cyber world asked if I would be interested in joining the 31 Days to Reset your life challenge via www.happyblackwoman.com  . So, I did it! 


For day one we were asked to provide our personal mantra, theme song and to pick a notebook to use throughout the journey and why you picked that particular notebook.


My personal mantra happens to be that Everyday and every way I am becoming better and better & I create value in my life and others lives everyday.


My theme song personally would be either Pieces of Me-Ledisi

Or 


Golden-Jill Scott

Bonus: One for the place I'm in in love right now, I'd pick...

As far as my notebook, its a pretty black binder with a pink breast cancer logo. Why? Because its discreet, looks official and its perfect for me.


Looking forward to the outcome of yet another journey that will continue in making me the best me I can be. 


Live, Love, Laugh...and dance like no one is watching. God Bless!
~the gorgeous dork

Washington D.C-MLK Dedication is in full effect!

So...today is the day I head out to Washington D.C. with the youth from my church. We are going to the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument on the National Mall. How cool, right? I'm a chaperone for three girls ages 10-13 so it shouldn't be so bad. I think its so critical that they be there and witness such a special occasion. I know they know who Dr. King is but to see that and witness the full dedication will be a memory that they will keep with them for life. We plan to tour the national mall and more than likely to visit the Smithsonian. I'm excited for this as I haven't toured D.C. in such a long time it will be like a new experience for me as well. I'm also excited that our wonderful President will be doing the dedication himself along with other phenomenal names being present. This will be one for the books for sure. Keep us in prayer as we travel there and back. Smooches

I come first!

So, last night I went to partake in the Oprah's Lifeclass Webcast. While I was interviewed to actually speak on the show, many people that were picked did not get a chance to speak. The class flows much like a conversation you'd have with friends, which of course made the experience all the better. Oprah looks great in person, she was very down to earth, laid back and reminded you of an old girlfriend or aunt that you can talk to about anything. I had a picture of Oprah on my vision board and had meeting her in my bucket list. I removed her picture after she ended the Oprah Winfrey Show and decided okay maybe its not going to happen. I secretly still hoped it did and the opportunity presented itself. Partaking in that lifeclass has changed my life. While great things have been happening in my life anyway I know that there are more to come. I know the things that I teach or tell others have not been in vain and the threading that connects me to so many people is good thread and I leave a life touch regardless if I leave this earth today or years from now. I am thankful for that thread and the many lives it has tied me to. I also from now on will no longer sell myself short or play myself down so someone else can feel better about themselves. I fell victim to that daily! NO MORE! I was born to be greatness and tied to greatness and no one can interfere with that any longer. I also will start saying "no" more often.  Affirm+Action=Miracles and I'm ready for more miracles in my life.  Accountability is my theme and I'm holding myself and others accountable for their goals, actions, etc. If you need someone to help give you that extra push I am here for you as long as you are there for you first. Put God first but you come next.. once you have filled your cup, you are then able to pour into the lives of others. Are you committed to keeping your cup full? I am and I will help you! Smooches.

Love...what is love? Everyone has their own interpretation of what love is to them. How do you explain it, what does it feel like? I'm in love. There have been moments in my life where I thought I knew what it was, what it meant. Where I am now in life, married ..I see love totally different. My husband shows me what love is daily and allows me to feel what it is to be loved. While we get on each others nerves occasionally I wouldn't trade him or what he shows me for anything. To love...first of all I feel it has to be unconditional if its true genuine love. Are you able to love someone unconditionally?