Outside the Zone!

There comes a point in life when you have to stop blaming other's for our downfalls and start thanking God for his mysterious plan.  God's plan isn't our plan, and as much as we would like to control his plan he puts us in our place every time we try.

In difficult times we come together and unite, set a plan of action, then implement that plan.  Ultimately we're doing his work, work that might not of been done had we not been taken outside our zone.

Comfort Zones paralyze us, and stunt our growth.  God knows this, and at times I believe he takes us outside the zone to help us grow.  I remember being taken outside of my comfort zone and being angry at first.  It was the most uncomfortable feeling, I felt vulnerable, and helpless.  It was while in the valley of vulnerability that I heard God's voice and his plan for my life.  It was during that time I was given my company's name, book ideas, plan of action, and the population I would serve.  It was also during that time I found my real strength and learned I could only control the energy I put in the world; I had no control of anyone elses.  I stop blaming others for my or the worlds failed mistakes and I learned that even in failure there's a victory!

Really, when you blame others for life's uncontrollable circumstances, what you're really are saying is it's your fault I'm growing, it's your fault I'm making changing, and it's your fault God is using my talents for his good!

My take away for today it this- when you are forced to step outside your comfort zone, embrace it cause it's all apart of God's perfect plan for our imperfect life! Be Vulnerable Be free!

xoxo The Mentalist

Joshua's Happy Song

Sunday I took my son to the movies to see Troll's.  It was so cute, funny, and had a great message about choosing to be happy.  Yesterday my nephew entered into a new chapter in his life, one that his mom has fought for, for a while.  My nephew started a new school, one that would help him improve his educational experience.  As he prepared to enter this new journey he set his own alarm clock, got himself dressed, woke my sister up, and was ready for his 6am bus without anyone's assistance.  Why is this so important you say, because prior to this change my nephew fought my sister to go to school, hated school, and had mentally and physically shut down.

The struggle was real, but this day HE CHOSE TO BE HAPPY!

This made me think of the movie Trolls, in it Poppy, the main character, talks about choosing to be happy and if you want to find happiness you have to look within.  Happiness is a feeling that we already have inside of us.  

How many times have you been in a miserable situation for so long that you've just mentally shut down?  Physically stopped trying?  We have to fight for our dreams, fight to improve the quality of our experiences, and fight to change, but first we have to identify the source of our unhappiness and take the steps to change it.  

We are the keeper of our own energy, our own happiness, our own breakthroughs, our own destiny.  You don't like it change it, you can't figure out how-ask, you don't trust anyone- look at your own behavior, you're mad-forgive, you're hurt-heal, you're in pain- take the band-aid off  and breathe again!  It all starts once you make up your mind.  Once the mind shuts down everything else follows.  So to change your environment you have to change your perspective then fight for what is already inside of you...HAPPINESS!

My take away- WE ALL HAVE CHOICES IN LIFE-CHOOSE HAPPINESS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE!

xoxo The Mentalist

Vitamin C for your Soul!

So the other day I went to get a facial.  She asked me what had I been doing to have so many breakouts....hummmmm stressing, growing, rebuilding, and practicing bad habits again.  We talked for a while then she started her treatments.  She shared with me she was putting a Vitamin C serum on under my face mask to help the healing process with the scare tissue.  As I laid on the table being pampered it got me thinking.....

No matter how many masks we wear to hide or cover up the scars, we ultimately need something to help us heal while wearing our masks. Our scars eventually show, through our hurt, pain, mistrust, and bad behavior.  Our scars become overwhelming at times because we can no longer hide them.  Our scars also show through our interactions with others.  Even as we wear our masks proudly we still need to start to apply a "SERUM" to heal.

As hard as I've worked to hide my scars I have worked equally as hard to heal them.  I actually think I've gotten to a place of healing.  I am happier today then I've ever been and, although the healing process can be lonely, my masks are being pealed away.  The glow is starting to show and the "fresh skin" is gleaming from within.  Some say I'm different and they're right I am, when God healed me he created a better version of ME!

It's not until we apply Vitamin C under our masks in preparation to take the mask off that we can start to create the best possible version of ourselves.

My take away- Change is never easy.... but you can work with it!  Create a version of you that includes all of you, put more life into yourself by healing even while still wearing your mask!

xoxo The Mentalist

The Power of Awareness

Are you aware of who's in your circle?  Are you aware of who you share your dreams with, your vision?   We struggle daily because of the energy we allow in our space.  I had to look at my own life and wonder why a time or two.  The answer was simple, because I allowed it...welcomed it, and feed it.  I allowed negative energy in my space because I cared too deeply, loved beyond expiration dates, valued them and their opinions too high, and absorbed their energy too long!  I once made their issues my issues, I placed people in seats they did not earn, because of my own insecurities!  I've decided that NO ONE gets a pass anymore, just because we've been friends for 80 years, family by blood or love, co-workers, team mates or folks that were just passing by.  Bad energy is bad energy!  You will sit on the row you have earned and I will love you from there!  My love wont change just your placement in my life. 

My take away....We are in control of the energy we allow in our space!

xoxo The Mentalist

Re-Branding Aint Easy!

Have you ever been on the treadmill and thought you wouldn't make it through the last minute of your workout?  Have you ever wanted to give up right before you finish?  Have you ever had to talk yourself through the last min?  Here it is you've been on the treadmill for 59 mins, pushed your way through the pain, sweat dripping down your face, legs about to give up burning from  the fire you've created with the intensity of your will to keep going only for your last min to seems like the longest min of your life! That's how change is I've realized.  The first 59 mins is the easy part it's the last min that counts....I've always wondered why!

I started this blog 7 years ago, and as I reread it, I realize how much PAIN I was in.  Over the past 7 years I've done a lot of work to rebuild, restore and regain a sense of self.  One may say "I cleaned house".  The end results have been a happy, more focused person who still faces challenges but now has the strength to get through these challenges.  I've also discovered why the last min is the most important min of your workout.  It's in the last min that you challenge your will, will to push through, will to face the pain square up in the face and not be bothered, will to dig deeper and know with out a shadow of a doubt you can get through this and make it to the victory line.  It's in that last min that you gain your power, your strength, your will to not care, your will to SUCCEED!  It's in that last min that you can see what you've been working so hard for; just if you finish.

This is my last min.  My emotional workout has been a rewarding journey cause in it I've unmasked my pain and found my story.  I challenge you to walk in your story and find your glory!  What will you do in the last min of your workout.....go harder or give up and quick before reaching the end!

My take away.... The Mentalist.  

Take Care

xoxo Necole

Acceptance

When it storms, the rain comes down hard.....it thunders, lightens even, tree branches break, sometimes even trees fall, large ones too. Then the storm starts to calm down, it continue to rain, but then it slows down, then it stops. The sun comes out, trees get greener, birds sing a new song, and your path seem a little clearer.


After you go through the hurt, the pain, the anger, and even the rage, you start to look at life for what it is; A Bowl of Experiences. If I hadn't gone through what I went through, would I still be the person I am today? If I hadn't experienced what I experienced, would I have learned that lesson anyway.

Trails come and trails may go, they enter into our lives to make us stronger. Where they lead us no one knows, but the path it takes us down leads us to this glorious crown.

There will always be bumps in the road called life. These bumps are a part of the process. I was once told to change the things I can change accept the things I can't and have the wisdom to know the difference. We can't change our past, so why dwell on it. We can't change other people, how they feel about us, what they say about us. Really it's none of our business anyway what they say, think, or how they feel. It's their feelings, they own that not us!

All we really have control over is our behavior, what we add to our relationships, and what we think, feel and say about others.

I've learned to accept my past, not make excuses for it. I wasn't a bad person, but my behavior was bad, and even though I may have been justified then, I am not now if I continue to behave that way. I have learned to accept who I was and who I am now.

Learn to be in the moment, and let go.

Life

LIfe isn't about waiting for the storm to pass....
It's about learning how to dance in the rain!

Pain

When you get a paper cut....it hurts, but you can't see the cut. Sometimes God turns our life upside down so we can live it right side up. During the upside down times, we experience this thing called pain. Pain is weird, it is the strongest point of emotion that creeps up on you, that you never see coming.

When I was a kid I was hurt, but that's not what turned me cold and bitter. It was the pain I felt. The pain creeped up on me slowly, and as time went on, it got stronger and stronger. The stronger it got the more I acted out. The more I acted out, the stronger I felt the pain....and then one day it stopped! It had come to a halt. I didn't know if I was happy or sad, anger, or mad. All I knew was I had to stand still.....and so I did.

Pain, had defind who I was, where I was going, and who I would let in. Pain had been my friend, and now I had to say goodbye to pain.



My Name unknown

My name unknown
I sit alone watching the dark clouds go by
I watch and watch thinking about the reason why?

Why he left, why he stayed, why things ended this way....but
my name unknown

My name unknown
I sit and soone
looking for the one who owns,
owns my heart, and owns my soul
own the things that I know.....
The one who will be there, the one who will care,
the one who laughs and the one who shares.
The one who will sit and chat with no lies
But my name, Unknown

My name unknown
I guess you know
I want so many things that are near and dear
close to my heart as you can see, that's where I want you to be.....

until then

MY NAME-UNKNOWN!

Nikki T.