Making the Dream : I’m Still Here!

WOW!

I’ve had an interesting past two weeks, and by the grace of God I’m still standing on my own two feet. I do have some news to bring : some great new developments in the making of the dream are to come soon, and an announcement.

What’s the announcement…glad you asked! Some of my readers know me personally, and will understand this announcement completely. I’m what you call a “Type A” person (according to my big sister, who advises my life :) ), which basically means that I’m very driven, a perfectionist, and by nature a “busy-body”. I do not like stand-stills, or to just stand still. So naturally, being a college student, you can correctly assume that I’m involved. This semester has been a sort-of “coming into myself” stage for me with my spiritual life, my education, my social life, and of course my style. With that being said, the time I assumed I was going to have has somewhat disappeared. NO! I’m not cancelling my blog. This is a valuable asset to my future. However, the frequency of my posts will be restructured in order to match with my lifestyle. My blog is going to be constantly changing until it finds its own style.

So pray for me everyone! I’m really learning a lot this year about life in general. I’m trying out some new things and hopefully I will be able to talk more about them at a later date. But until then, my next post will detail the newest update for the blog. Also, sorry about this background but it will have to suffice for the time being.

 

 

:) MG*

Twitter Thursdays : The Power of Words

Today, I would like to spotlight on Ralph Marston.

Ralph Marston, a … well I’m not sure what to title him as. This individual has accomplished many things in his career from website development to marketing. But that is not why he’s being featured on Epitome of GLAM today.

I’m sure you’ve noticed, many of my quotes on this blog and on twitter come from @ralphmarston. Every day on more than 500 websites, Marston’s daily motivation gives someone a boost to keep going, keep striving. This segment, known as The Daily Motivator , is also broadcast on radio programs.

Below I’ve posted some of his daily quotes. If you aren’t following this man on twitter, or subscribing to his feed, I can definitely tell you that you’re missing out.

• Ur imagination reaches beyond ur thoughts & ur mind. Its transforming power comes because it is connected 2 all u are.
• Be clear about your purpose and you'll harness the ample energy that's already yours.
• Your circumstances do not hold you back.Rather, they reveal how much you've been holding yourself back.
• Be appreciative of what's right with your life. In your gratitude is the power to make it even better.
• If you were just 1 step away from reaching ur goal,would you take that step?How do u know, right now, that you're not?

-taken from the Ralph Marston Daily Motivator twitter, @ralphmarston. His website is www.greatday.com

 

MG*

Daily Quote : Pressure Control

“ Some things I’ll never know, and I have to let them go.”

-lyrics from “Pressure” by Paramore

I have this habit of when things happen that either don’t go my way, or just aren’t right period…I bottle it up and “pretend” to let it go. However, bottling it up only adds more pressure, on top of pressure. This is wrong. There are things in life that are simply out of our control. We can’t change time, we can’t step into someone else’s life for a second, and we can’t make the world turn the way we would like for it to.

And that’s ok.

One thing I believe is essential for learning to control emotions, etc. in school & the workplace, is that when something goes wrong, 9 times out of 10 it is out of our control (unless you caused it to go wrong, different story). If the bus was late because one of the two drivers called in sick, that’s out of our control. We will just be late to work. The description on life NEVER said that things were ALWAYS going to work out.

My challenge to everyone today is to not let your anger build up. Don’t believe that there is something more than what you’re already giving that is necessary for you to hold life’s actions in your hands. There isn’t. When something goes wrong, accept it. If there are any other outlets/options, then use them. If not, there is nothing you can do. It is out of your control! And you should feel good about that fact.

MG*

Making the Dream : Discipline is Key

This is supposed to be an Epitome of… post. I’m aware. That will resume next week, so get excited!

Today is about making the dream! I’m finally getting into the swing of things this semester. Everything doesn’t just seem like a huge jumble anymore. Granted, I do have a lot going on. But I never complain about that, it’s the lack of sleep I complain about. According to my family, I am Type A. So, obviously, I love being involved and on-the-go…and I love working under pressure. And that is something I’ve realized in the past two weeks. Throw a challenge my way, and I will pounce right on it with no reservations. One thing I noticed I lacked though, was discipline. I am not superwoman, and I can not put my name on everything. Many times I want to just be so successful and just so… out there, that I lose sight of why I even want to do something.

So, something that I’ve started working on is elimination. I've been taking everything that I’m interested in getting involved in and all my tasks, and simply eliminating the unnecessary. There is absolutely no reason for me to join three clubs, that all have the same purpose statement, and they all have the same people in them. NO! I won’t allow myself to do it. Each week I will go through and make eliminations, and then consider the time available for the task/activity. And this is where discipline comes in. 1) Discipline to say NO, 2) Discipline to be honest with myself ALL THE TIME.

GLAM readers, pray for my discipline. Because I need to learn, and quick!

Nobody said making the dream happen was going to be easy? But I bet I will make it look that way! :)

 

MG*

Daily Quote : Back to School

“Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is.” – President Barack Obama, 2009

Today, our President will deliver a speech to youth across the country in school. His message is to be motivational, to give this youth a hope.

I believe that this quote posted is great for youth, but I believe that it can apply to anyone. It’s during times like this recession, when people are losing their jobs left & right, where they either go two ways : find a job that will trap you again, or go after your dream. I’ve read many articles recently about individuals who have lost their jobs, careers, etc., and are now pursuing their talents and dreams. But why now? Why not ten years ago? Why did it take a recession for them to realize?

President Obama makes a good point. Everyone, despite what your mind is telling you right now, has something that they are good at. I believe that God has put in each of us a unique gift. And I don’t think he intended for those gifts to lie dormant in us throughout our lives. That would defeat the purpose of gifts, now wouldn’t it?

This statement is a challenge. You know that you have something you’re good at. Maybe you’re not sure what it is yet. Or maybe you’re just too nervous to step out on a limb and go after it. Whatever the case may be, your doubts and reservation could, ultimately, prohibit our nation from moving forward. Ever thought of it that way? Just like the saying ‘It takes a village…’; you may think that your gift is of no value or purpose, but that’s where you are so wrong.

So I, and our President, challenge everyone to discover what your gift may be. By all means, I do not mean for you to go and quit your job ( if that’s what it takes, then do you!), but do launch that journey on finding it out. We ALL have something to offer, remember that.

MG*

How-To… Find Your Craft

[And by craft, I don’t mean arts & crafts. ;) ]

President Obama will definitely inspire some young minds today as he delivers his Back to School speech. But it is not only for the children. Many of us are still struggling with discovering what it is that were good at. So, I’m going to list a few tips to help guide you in your ‘craft discovery”. Enjoy!

• Write down a top ten list of things that you enjoy doing. Then narrow the list down to five. For each one, write why you enjoy that activity and honestly rate how well you are at each task/activity. Pay attention when you are doing these activities.
• Gather a group of close friends and/or family and ask them to compile a list of five things that they believe you are good at. Compare your list with theirs, and find the consistencies. Highlight those and pay extra attention to those.
• Do not limit yourself. Be very open to trying new things. Nobody has done everything, so do not box yourself in!
• If you feel that you already know your craft, or you think you’ve got a good handle on what it is : PERFECT IT! You need to build your craft. Some things come naturally to people, but many times you will need to start and try again. Whatever it is that you decide to go after, you want to be the best at it. So work on it! I would suggest daily, or however often your schedule allows.

I hope these were beneficial and will help you to begin honing your craft. If any of you have any other tips or ideas, feel free to leave a comment and share them.

MG*

Fashion : Flash of Class…

MG*

In the Spotlight : the Pope against Racism

Technorati Tags: In the Spotlight

"The contribution that religion can and must make is particularly important in promoting forgiveness and reconciliation against violence, racism, totalitarianism and extremism, which defile the image of the Creator in man," Pope Benedict XVI said.

The Pope, in a speech on the anniversary of the beginning of WWII, states that this war should be an example to us to not repeat such a “barbarity”.

Every day we read news about Afghanistan, Israel, and healthcare in America. We read about violence in our neighborhoods, our cities.

It is very refreshing to read an article, especially from someone who is culturally different from you, who agrees with you on a very important subject. World War II was obviously a time of great grief. It’s important fo us to not just know history, but to actually LEARN from it. Religion has been played down constantly over the years, and it’s time for it to make a comeback.

What are your thoughts on the Pope & his speech?

MG*

Fashion : beginning of GLAM

Technorati Tags: Fashion

Daily Quote

"The goal is to make the perfect song, even though that's not going to happen..." - Chris Martin

Makes you think, right?

Why would you put your all into something if you already know that it won’t be EXACTLY how you want it?

Because that’s a part of life. Just because we think our seemingly perfect plans and ideas are invincible, they are truly not. There will be mishaps, miscommunication, misunderstandings, etc. But we should go into everything with a positive and open mind, understanding that becoming/being successful does not come with perfection, but with perseverance. A  common myth is that success means perfection. Wrong. Success means that our plans will be changed once, twice, twenty times. If everything happened perfectly, there would be no room for growth…

Think about it.

 

MG*

Technorati Tags: Daily Quote

GLAM is back.

I’m back!

After a short, but much needed hiatus from the blog, MG will officially return tomorrow.

I know you’re excited. Tomorrow’s posts will be some In The Spotlight, Fashion, and Daily Quote.

To my followers : Thank you for your support, and tell your friends!

School tried to take over, but I knocked that sucker back down to it’s place with the MUCH needed hand of God to help. ;)

 

MG*