Personal Empowerment

Oftentimes we forget how awesome we are. We are artists, we make the world beautiful!  We are writers, we weave stories that pull at the heart, and boggle the mind. We are musicians, we transport the world to places inside, outside and across space and time!

We are also, very often, 9-5ers with ..."Day Jobs" and it was in this moment, a moment of  preparing for my "day job" that I had a very empowering revelation. Those people...are damn lucky to have me! So...why was I feeling insecure? Why was I questioning my skills? I don't do anything that I haven't done literally hundreds, if not a thousand (by now) times before. I was doing work that I could do with my eyes closed, and a one word prompt! So again...unsure why?

What I realized, was that although I am great at what I do, my place of employment, my position, because it is heavily dependent on external factors, was what was insecure. I obtained my position, like the previous 4 positions before it via a letter and c.v., or simply on someone's word. And, although I was  am good at what I do, I've been hired, and gone on working. However, the organizations I've worked for, nonprofits and educational institutions, are simply spaces that are often financially insecure.

Realization 1
I'm not insecure, institutions are. I am excellent at what I do. I do it well, I'm knowledgeable in my field, and continue to build my skill set.

Another thing I know, because of Realization 1 is that security...comfort is important. I'm the only one looking out for my comfort..its not like anyone is going to come up to me and say, here dear, you do much too much...take a rest! Therefore, I must do it myself. And for me, a day off isn't enough. For me, there is more...the day must start with a delicious snack of strawberries and tea. Then yoga and a steaming hot shower. After that, an hour or so of writing, journaling, planning and reading. Maybe a few phone calls, a pedicure, and a decadent lunch. Chocolate is involved. Some time in nature...a park, a lake, a river, walking, reading, animal or people watching. Capturing some of the beauty in photographs. Creating, writing, teaching. Finding children to chat with- they have wonderful stories and totally understand the concept of lounging, discovery and imagination, and finally journeying home.

Realization 2
I'm going to start living from a place of luxury. Period. 

That is to say, a day off, or my ideal day, shouldn't be special, my ideal day, is how I should live my life. I've already incorporated this ideal into my life in many ways, but this week's realizations only spoke to the urgency with which I need to incorporate more.

I'm so thankful to have had these revelations, as they are the cornerstone of the LoveJonesLifestyle. I look forward to hearing how YOU empower yourselves to live a life in alignment with LJL...

Love Meditations

"They say I'm crazy the way you got me open, baby!
They say I'm bugging the way I'm top sweating your loving.
They all sit and wonder why this feeling I cannot hide.
It ain't a question of pride.
IT'S LOVE." -- Jill Scott

So, in living this Love Jones Lifestyle, one has to be willing to accept the fact that love will remain elusive and in dire need of rumination at every given moment. Love is like a prism, it changes color depending on the amount of light that penetrates it. Each color has its own interpretations and causes a separate course of action for resolution of an issue. So, the more illuminated you are in your meditations, the easier it will be to untangle the complexities of love when they are presented. It's troubling when someone accepts a generic standard of love that does not bear fruit for their affair, simply because they did not take the time to soul search it for themselves.

That's why it's critically important to determine what love means to you; embrace it, demonstrate it, and send it out so that the angels can tend to it when you're too dazed to recall your constitution because you're busy with playing the role of the martyr or the fool. This is a tried method of ensuring your sanity throughout the experience of loving your Loved One. So, while you are doing everything you can do to keep the affair going, you won't have to worry about losing or undermining what you know.

I know about this first hand.

Over the past weekend, I've been reviewing the decrees of love that I have issued to the universe and replaying a conversation over and over again to check for inconsistencies. I understood what was said--but my mind and heart are not in agreement, thus, both are still deliberating. Because I base love on the Scriptural Chapter 13 (I Corinthians 13:4-8), I'm standing here hoping all things, and believing all things -- ensuring also not to seek my own. At best, this is my course of action and certainly a challenge for me. A woman of my caliber wants to have it my way and I have a strategy to accomplish just that. But no, patience has to have its perfect work -- and that's good and understandable, but what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Don't answer that. I got it. In a word, I live. I have more than enough to keep me fulfilled while I await love's jury to present more evidence that I'm either guilty of holding on too long or not guilty of wanting to move on. While I wait, I draw one step closer to clarity because love is still teaching me.

So, let me encourage those of you out there who are still bold and brave enough to love, spend more time understanding its inner workings for you and the sake of your Loved One. Decide how love should frame your life and pursue that goal. As you love and tend to your affairs (whether simple or complicated), tap your fortitude to confront those potential cracks in the defense of love and seal them with righteousness. Never forget this constant truth: love does not acknowledge cowardice so be willing to fight. Be sure to stand on its side because it will always wear the crown of Champion. Love never fails.

Before I wrap this up, let me also do some beckoning. As the vibrations of this song and its lyrics fill the air, I command the angels to carry them to the heart of my Loved One so he will understand that when love calls, he'd better answer....because love may not ever come again, at least, not from me. So, as love prepares the verdict, I stand ready to act.

Peace to the Righteous.