To Follow and Be Followed!

I recently read a caption to a picture by a fellow instagramer that I follow named Dallas Clayton. The caption read as such, "We raise children to believe that life is not a popularity contest, and yet here on all sides of us we find ranking, calculating, listing from best to worst. [It] Doesn't show any signs of slowing down, near as I can tell. Popularity contests are in fact as popular as they've ever been. Ha! So how do we reckon with it? I suspect the answer has something to do with embracing that thing you love knowing that who you are and what you are doesn't have to be popular to matter. Celebrating, in the face of all this projected desire to sit in the number one spot, the idea that the small and simple things can have just as much impact as those designed [to] blanket the masses. Play your song, raise your banner, love your love, find your worth, and be yourself, no matter who's listening."

His words had me thinking of my own reasons for wanting to follow and be followed! I peered inside...took a hard and honest look, and found that at this point in my life my need for community is strong. I've talked about everyone needing their prospective communities here before, but it really ties into why I follow the folks that I do.

I follow because I feel that there is something that I can learn from those I follow. There is something that they have done or are doing that I am working towards. There is something about them that I can relate to. They sometimes offer me hope that the next phase of my purpose and journey is achievable. It's a modern way of keeping in touch with those we consider greats in our prospective fields. A way to connect without physically connecting.

In some ways I hope that others follow me for reasons that parallel. I hope I can be a source of encouragement. A place where people can find an open and candid look at a journey that they can relate/connect to, and perhaps the courage to embark on a journey of their own as a result. I hope that there is a sense that struggles are meant to overcome and are present so we can claim to be victors instead of victims. I hope that folks always see optimism at its best in what I post...always glasses full (notice I put an es at the end of glass and there is no half in front of full)! I pray that people can find a sense of passion, compassion, love, and joy in following my journey and as a result finding these perks in their own journey.

I will continue to follow those who I admire, respect and find inspiring. Whether those you follow are friends who you know personally or strangers you have come to know via cyberspace; hopefully they are ones that invoke your creative being like never before.

Corner of Gratitude:
For those I follow who inspire me to be great

Pearls of Wisdom:
"Moral authority comes from following universal and timeless principles like honesty, integrity, treating people with respect."
~Stephen Covey

Your Thoughts:
Why do you follow and want to be followed?

Until next time...

Marketing, Networking and Social Media

I've been praying, and praying really hard! That may be an odd way to start a post, but it's so true! I've been praying for what I believe is the best thing one could pray for...WISDOM!!! Yes, wisdom!!!

Solomon was a smart man! If you aren't sure of the story, take a gander at 1 Kings 3:1-15. He didn't ask to be rich or for his enemies to be punished, but for simple wisdom. "So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" (1 Kings 3:9) Gods simple answer to Solomon's request was this, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for-both wealth and honor-so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings." (1 Kings 3:10-13).

And like Solomon, I too want wisdom! Wisdom is what allows the other things that we desire to come along. Wealth is great, but if one is not wise, wealth will go quicker than it came and cause more destruction than good.

Since prayer is nothing without an action behind it, I decided to make a move to educate myself more on the business front. I, like so many other artists have the creative part down, but when it comes to the business side, we are as clueless as we want to be. We can buck this part of the process or we can pull our sleeves up and get busy. I choose the later, and I hope you do too (for the sake of your creativity and business).

My prayer for wisdom came in the form of a lovely friend and fellow phenomenal business owner Lynette Davis of A&D Media (Looking for a virtual assistant and social media expert? She's your woman!) inviting me to a business conference. When she asked, I said yes with my mouth, but I really had no intentions of going. My attention span is about the size of a flea, which means that I wouldn't normally sign up for a conference where I have to sit for hours. However, like I said...it's time to put my big girl knickers on and get to business. 

Today was the first day of the conference called "Get Out There Live". The facilitator is a woman by the name of Christine Gallagher. I won't get into her whole life story as you can learn all about her and her business at She's Got Clients, but the first day has been extremely informational and dare I say, "life changing". She has a real easy, down to Earth and relatable way about her that makes it easy to have an open mind about things that folks assume they already know about marketing their business. Her practical approach to business makes it easy to take small steps to making your business work. 

Tomorrow is a long day. A 12 hour day to be exact! However, I plan to go in with an attitude to get all that I need to fuel my business and as always ultimately help others along the way!

So thank you Lynette Davis for inviting me, and thank you Christine Gallagher for dispensing great information so that business owners can move forth with success!!!

Your Thoughts:

When was the last time you were wise to invest your time, talent or resources to grow your business?

Until next time...