My stress reliever

I seriously like to do 2 things when I'm in a major funk.  They are a bit weird and a little unconventional but I'll share it with you anyway.  LAUNDRY and BAKING!!!  Okay, I said it. 
Just imagine your frustrated, your upset, your sad or just in a funk!  These two things somehow sore me into a place of refreshing, sweet clean thoughts.

Let me elaborate.  Many times in life we all just want to begin over again. Get a second chance, a revise.  When I sit and I'm bogged down by life's issues I begin by first deciding which of the two LOVES I need to do and which I can actually afford time to do.

Baking that's self explanatory.  It has all life's ingredients mashed together and melts together wonderfully.  It blends and dances into a beautiful aroma that just causes life to exude happiness from all worries.  Your a kid again indulgent into the sweet affair of savory bites.  But between the two this is usually the relief of stress that I use when the family is in a funk.  I mean after all a spoon full of sugar will let the "misery" of life go down.

Laundry is usually my go to stress relief.  Sorting out the colors or problems of the week.  Colorizing them so they won't bleed over into the other garments or issues of life.  Choosing the level of heat that needs to tackle the stain.  Does it need a gentle tone of cold water or a hard scornful you won't defeat me level of wash.  Putting them into there perspective wash cycles with my choice of detergent to wash away all that has tried to cause me to either throw a garment away or second guess if it is still my favorite piece is AAAWWWWEEESOMMME!  That final wash gives you a chance to once over decide if a more permanent decision is needed....BLEACH!  This is some heavy enforcement it's permanent, it's aggressive but tough situations call for it. 

The awe of just sitting and watching the colors emerge through the class, watching the suds fill the basin, just watching the concern of "will these things get washed clean" erases with each rinse.  RINSE. Finally it's ready to be dried out and finalizing any area that need be complete.

What are some unconventional ways you relieve stress in your lives.

What's Your "Niche Market"

I have got to be honest.  In the beginning I did not understand the whole idea behind blogging.  What I did know are two things, one that you have to at least enjoy writing and two know something about blogging. What I didn't know was there is actually a formula to how successful you can be at the two.  This formula presented itself kind of like a secret.  The thing that everyone kept talking about but never fully explained it thoroughly enough to make the little men in my head put it together.  What was the secret? "a niche market".

Did I even need one? couldn't I just write a series of journal entries on my day to day life, post them and call it a day?  The answer, yes, you could.  You could write random blogs of your thought and daily routine.  You can post to the masses how hideous your hair was, how your dog Bubbles, ruined and embarrassed you on your date and how the color you picked for your room makes you feel all bubbly inside.  You can do this and it would be the cheapest venting therapy you ever had because quite frankly unless you're an A-list actress I doubt anyone would care.  Trust me I did this and from experience it did not yield the results in terms of traffic that I was looking for.  In fact many of us did this and it was fulfilling.  The excitement of just putting it ALL out there is
exhilarating and empowering and as exciting as it was it goes away.

Time went on.  Before long I began to desire responses to my day.  Insight to my writings and quite honestly some Mullah for my efforts.  Between the two bloggers I found myself becoming the latter so a "Niche market" quickly became a focus of interest.  As fulfilling as my first blog is which today I use to inspire, encourage and motivate new desires began to arise.  So what exactly should my focus be? is what I had to ask myself.  Well after scrolling and listening to all the guru's and fancy pants explain in the most technological way I have reduced it to my understanding to mean:  a focus, an interest or topic that is studied and then shared based on your knowledge, skill, interest or experience in the area.  A good old fashion hobby of interest.  For example a niche focuses on the components back to the very inception.  The "niche" is what guru bloggers use to keep there audiences attention.

My niche is quite simple...I Love trying new things!  Now as you might have thought there are millions of new things out there!  But I decided that, that is MY NICHE Market.  I may focus heavily on one area versus another but new stuff is my love.  Life everyday gives a brand new 24 hrs so my niche market deserves to be refreshed just as much.  So when you want to know how a new product REALLY works ask me, heard about a new restaurant tucked away I'm your girl.  Have a new product that YOU yourself have created and want an honest review I'm your guinea pig.  So sign up check in and let me know what new ideas you have welcomed into your life.
So come explore life with me on Welcoming Ideas To Life!

My Blog On Life

I was very surprised to find that so many people displaying such awesome talents.  I'm sure you have ran into one of them, after all there are a million blogs out there?  There are even several that hold a very similar name to mine "Joyfullexpressions"!  Crocheting colored scarves and hat's,  providing up to date top of the minute fashion trends and my favorite the baker's blog, with all their intricate details that they single handily carve into these elaborate masterpieces.  These blogger's have settled into their niche and they OWN them.

That brings me to my blog.  I absolutely LOVE LIFE! I LOVE LIFE! I know that I said that already but I really love it and I love to write about it.  This is to apologize for my lack of a niche My blog won't be consistent.  It won't settle into "A" niche.  It will be the best blog about life.  I will blog about my ups, my achievements, my promotions and my fantasies.  I'll blog about my loves, my passions and how I have been crushed and abandoned and hurt and miserable all in the same breath.

My BLOG will be about LIFE and how I plan to embrace it, how I feel, what I hate and how stupid of a boss I have. Life will be my niche.  I mean everyone else has already settled into a piece of it and since I still haven't seen all that life has to offer I'll have to invite you along on this journey.

One End Is a New Beginning

Amazingly the year is coming to a fast yet subtle end.  The drama of yesterday has subsided, the worries of today have calmed and although I didn't exactly conquer the world I'm pleased with the events that have unfolded throughout the year.

I tried almost everything that I wanted to.  I failed more than I succeeded.  I embraced my talents and found new ones yet through it all I am genuinely pleased with what has unfolded.  Now I want to take these last few day's, weeks, hours to reflect.  Give inventory on how I WILL improve.  How my next move will be my best move. 

However, like a relationship that must have it's proper closure I will remain loyal and focus to give careful thoughts and attention to the days that remain.  After all the end is only the beginning to our next chapter.
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Don't Beat yourself up....There's alway's Tomorrow

I was sitting and thinking.  Before I even realized it I was here!  Yup, you're here with me.  You're at the end of  the just a minute, the i need an hour, a day, a month heck, almost a year and here WE are again! Where, what, when, why, did I, didn't I or should I have.  How did I get here.... Sigh, exhale and yet we're puzzled and here. 

Now if your thinking What the **** was that first paragraph about then to you I say congratulations on defining where and what you wanted to do and pursuing it.  This article is most likely not for you.  However, if that paragraph engulf who and where you are right now, I want and NEED you to know that you are not alone.  I also want you to know that it's not to late!

"We only have 60 more day's to complete that vision that goal, that degree, find the right (blank) or get out of this situation!"  To you I say stop!  Stop putting yourself in a time box.  Goals are important but life sometimes happens.  Sometime inevitable circumstances and events demand our attention.  Sometime a moment just to go with the flow takes us into a longer phase than intended and that's okay.

So, stop right now and let's do an inventory check.  Let's evaluate where WE are.  *Breathe! Yes the year will soon be changing but guess what, from this day forward you still have 365 days to get it right and today, right now is day 1!  There's no step program, there's no purging of issues it's just as simple as making up your mind.  Allow today to be just that, today.  Build for tomorrow and enjoy your progress step by step.  Figure out what is mandatory and build from that point.  While your focused look in the mirror smile and release yourself,  because after all there is always tomorrow.

Not about hair, but hear me out!!!

Bible study has left me with a Selah for thought. Those of you who really know me, know that I don't mind being the common day martyr. If a question needs to be asked and your afraid I'll ask, if the majority of us have an issue I'll speak for the people. I've learned years ago that I was a trail blazer, never bothered me none. But tonight at Bible Study as I spoke for those who to often are shot down or misunderstood. I felt the criticism of those I spoke for!! Not to far from a place that I once was, topics of what's perverse can and can't be done etc, etc.

I started thinking about Kirk Franklin's lyrics, when he says that church taught us "how to shout and how to speak in tongues but teacher please teach us how to live NOW once the tongues are done." Some people really just don't know, it doesn't make them carnal or playing, they really just don't know! Life is going on marriage, children, bills, gains, loss, etc... We need specific instructions on how God's word is relevant to manage our lives 2011. (and trust it still has power and yes the bible is our instructions) But until they can hear from the Holy Spirit, our teacher, there are some areas that they may continue to miss until the conviction and relationship with God comes.

 There are areas that to the church may seem taboo, but a new generation of people are arriving they wanna know and understand why a thing is sin, and it won't always be because they operate in rebellion or error but we have to be a people that can be ready to give an in season word. So let's not be the christian that turns up a snooty nose, or the one that runs ahead so far that we forgot when God delivered, from that thing. Allow people to ask, reflect, GROW and the speed that they do will reflect
God's love and compassion that was shown toward them during those seasons of misdirection in their lives!

Sigh... Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 2 Peter 2:2 allow God to nurture those according to the level that they are on.   Although we feed on Him We still are learning DAILY. Thank you Lord for my Pastor, an awesome teacher of God's word and with that I return to...Selah...

Fear Abort's Dream's...

I won't edit this.  I want my faults to be exposed.  So for my literary critic's who dare to gaze through the text, be advised that this was from my heart, read with caution (smile).

 An unexpected emotion of encouragement seeped out into the text of this page.   I didn't plan for this to come out but nonetheless it came and now it stand as an encouragement.  Understand that while you wait and prolong your destiny to create GREATNESS that the infancy of your dream may immaturely be aborted.  Oh yeah, that taboo word that we use when we don't want something, can't handle something or just don't have the gut's to continue on with that part of something. Aborted because you rationed that it wasn't  good enough, cool enough, or profitable enough to be birthed.  Then from nowhere a twin to your dream was born.  A twin that looked like the shop, the website, the profession or maybe the adventure that you dreamed.  The one that you couldn't let go and yet was to scared to allow to come to fruition because, your knowledge was low and your money was less and you couldn't get the confident support from the inner voice within and so your dream that you dreamed went dormant and then...aborted.  Away it sifted into the cemetery of dreams where thoughts burst, goals are shattered and normalcy is applauded.  There is a vision that is needed and only you can birth that thing.  So birth it because it doesn't matter how many Restaurants appear or Corporations evolve they all will never amount to the dream the vision or the idea that only you can birth.  After all they all seem to be missing the same chemistry.  They lack your passion, your creativity, your professionalism all wrapped into YOUR compassion.  So again forgive me for the mediocrity of text.  I just wanted to encourage you that you CAN do it...BETTER.  So your computer is light years in the dark ages and you can barely type, go to the library or peck away, but make a step.  So you think that someone else will think it's stupid or useless, and they couldn't be more correct! "WHY" because their not your audience they're not your market, they're not the person that would die if you...ABORT.  I would hate for your life to go by without at least an attempted dream tried.  So go get that free EIN#, tell the world and don't back down.  Dare to dream bigger, higher, faster, stupider, but dream.  Let your childhood ideas begin to overflow out of your mind.  Allow them to seep out of your heart and into the lives of people who have been waiting for the passion and key's to life that you have so long been afraid to let go of because of failure.  If you fail, so what.  Join the many success story's that have conquered defeat and lived to share their success.  So I dare you, To go ahead and birth your dream.  And don't be surprised if you are harboring multiple birth's...But whatever you do don't abort!!!!