It’s a day early, but I wanted to wish you all a fabulous, prosperous and successful New Year! And thanks for reading/commenting/lurking/suggesting to others. I really appreciate you guys ♥
P.S.- I promise I will have some giveaways and prizes in 2010, too! = )
So…2009 is almost over, and what a crazy/fun/fabulous/lovely, etc. year it’s been!
Highlights of my year included:
Oh, yeah, we’re also about to start a new decade…wow, 10 years ago, I was just a 13-year-old girl. Man, soooo much has happened in the last 10 years. I got my first kiss (at 13 lol), I graduated from high school (with honors, woot, woot!), I went on three band trips, went natural, discovered my love of journalism, loced my hair, really learned who I am, flew on a plane for the first time ever…and too many more to name.
With all the good and not-so-good that’s happened, I am truly thankful for all of my experiences this year and for the past 10 years. And I am so ready for what 2010 has to offer! Let’s make it fabulous, ya’ll ♥
Here are my goals for 2010 and my game plan for getting there:
Take my career to the next level and make $___
Game Plan
Obtain work (that I enjoy) to make x amount.
Get published in a national, consumer magazine (more than once).
Have at least two well-paying pieces published per month.
Have 50 subscribers by 12.31.10.
Redesign fcg site.
Attend networking events and really promote my service.
Continue honing my skills.
Revamp MW site and assist people through MW blog.
Get (and stay) fit and healthy!
Game Plan
Work out (including yoga) five times of week.
Eat healthier and cut back on soda and sugar.
Drink more water.
Meditate and clear my head daily.
Practice patience and see the good in everyone.
Exude positivity.
Have ‘me’ time at least once a week.
‘Mission: Fabulosity’
Game Plan
Play with my hair and try different styles.
Grow my hair to armpit length.
Play with more makeup and nail polish colors.
Always look fabulous and on point; rock my own style.
Get my finances right!
Game Plan
Handle student loans.
Budget and spend my money wisely.
Pay myself first.
Treat myself on occassion.
Become self-efficient.
Have fun!
Game Plan
Try new and different activities and food.
Take a few one day road trips.
Stay in contact with friends and family.
Do some things by myself (i.e., shopping, movies, etc.)
And of course, My Ultimate Goal: Live My BEST Life!
As I was procrastinating perusing on Facebook last night, I seen a lot of statuses about being yourself instead of trying to be like someone else. They were mainly referring to females trying to be like Nikki Minaj, and one guy made a good point about girls calling themselves Barbie- *news flash* Barbie is a plastic doll with unrealistic body proportions…not to mention that original Barbie is white…but I digress.
Anywho, ya’ll know I’m all about being confident in yourself and loving you, so please, don’t try to be anyone else. You are perfect just the way you are. Yes, it’s great to have role models and emulate yourself after positive individuals, but you have to do you.
What do you think about females (especially GROWN women) emulating celebrites?
So, Chocolate Orchid nominated me for the Honest Scrap Award- yay, thanks chica! 
My bf and I last Christmas. I just wanted to include a funny pic lol
My 10 things are:
I’m tagging:
The View from The Balcony in My Head
And I will be checking to see if you did this; I’m interested in your answers!
As many of you know, my uncle passed last week. His funeral was Sunday; two things amazed me: 1) How many people attended and the number of people that knew him; and 2) How many lives he had touched during his lifetime.
As everyone got up and told their stories, I was thinking that’s the kind of life I want to live; I want to touch people’s lives like that. Uncle Harold was a teacher for thirty years, a ranger at the Corps of Engineers, and he drove a school bus. And it seemed like wherever he was, he was an inspiration, and when I die at 102, I want people to feel that way about me.
His passing and funeral also made me start to think that I should spend more time with my loved ones, and I should try my best every day to live a full and happy life. I pretty much have tried to live that way, but I’m really going to make a more conscious effort to do so.
Anyway…Rest in Peace Uncle Harold
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Jamie
The other day I decided I needed to look at and possibly rework the goals I made for myself earlier this year. I’m sure you’ve heard (or maybe you haven’t) that goals should be S.M.A.R.T.- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. My goals were specific, attainable, realistic and timely, for the most part, but they weren’t really measurable- I couldn’t really tell how far along I’d gotten, and I didn’t really have a deadline. So, I changed them and added objectives I could actually measure. Instead of saying outline my ebook, I now have a deadline of October 31 for the complete outline.
How can you tell if your goal is S.M.A.R.T.?
Specific: Answer the six ‘Ws’- Who’s involved?; What do you want to achieve; Where (identify location); When (establish a time frame); Which (determine requirements and constraints); and Why (particular reasons, purpose or benefits of achieving the goal)
Measurable: Make concrete criteria for gauging progress toward your goal. This helps you stay focused, reach end dates you’ve set and feel a sense of achievement. You can ask yourself the following to determine if your goal is measurable: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?
Attainable: You can reach almost any goal- if you plan wisely and create a time frame that lets you complete your objectives. Even if your goal doesn’t seem reachable at first, it will eventually become that way because you will grow into it.
Realistic: A goal is realistic when it signifies an objective that you are willing and able to work toward. It’s also important to remember that you are the only one who can choose how high your goal should be and if it’s realistic. How do you know if it’s practical? If you’ve previously achieved something similar or by asking yourself what conditions you would need to achieve your goal.
Timely: As I have found out, if your goals don’t have a time frame attached to it, there’s no sense of urgency, meaning there’s no telling when (or if) you’ll get it done. By placing it in a timeframe, you put your unconscious mind to work and starteded on the goal.
Source: www.topachievement.com
So, I’ve been super, crazy busy, and I feel like I’ve been neglectful. Soooo sorry- I promise I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.
Have a great holiday weekend everybody!
It’s the first of the month, so ya’ll know what time it is. First, let me say Happy 25th Anniversary to my wonderful parents. In this day and age, that’s a looooong time to be with one person.
Anyway, I don’t know why, I’m really excited about September’s potential. I guess it’s all the school-ness in the air. Since I started going to school way back in ‘91 (I think), I’d been excited about back to school. August/September is when school starts and a new season starts this month, so it’s kind of a good time for beginnings, overhauls and whatnot. Another clean slate.
Now, on to intentions and such. Last month was…ok. I’ve been talking to potential clients, but nothing is set in stone. (yet, but it’s coming!) I didn’t send all the queries I should have, but I did send one to a national publication. I also brainstormed and developed ideas, networked & participated in forums, mailed biz postcards to local businesses, applied for several writing jobs, and I wrote one Mahogany Butterfly column (among other things).
This month, my primary intentions are:
My game plan is to:
My personal intentions include:
That is all…send me good vibes and prayers! lol
Photo from: istockphoto.com
——
Jamie
This past week has been soooo crazy. My phone was stolen last Saturday, and my laptop is dead, and I can’t charge it. For the most part I’ve remained positive, but I have had my down days. Anywho, I was rewriting an article I have due tomorrow about finding one’s dream career, and one of my interviewees mentioned that I find to be true for me right now.
She said that after she graduated from college, a lot of her friends went on to get jobs and whatnot, and she was slaving away, working for free because she was an aspiring journalist. Now she’s an editor for Europe’s largest magazine for women of color. But I can kind of relate to her when she was just starting out. It seems like a lot of my classmates have jobs and stability; one of my best friends is even looking for her first home!
Anyway, I was thinking about it and trying to remind myself that I shouldn’t compare myself to anyone. I mean, it’s difficult at times because I see/hear people my age being what I call stable and successful. Then I think, this is the path I chose to take. My passion and purpose is not having a lucrative job where I’m pretty much guaranteed work. However, I chose to pursue my passion of writing because in the long run, I wouldn’t have been happy doing anything else (at least that’s what I tell myself). I mean, I could’ve chose that path and been financially stable, but at the end of the day, would I have been satisfied?
I’m just venting, and I’m trying to remind myself (and maybe you, too) not to compare myself to anyone. I have to follow my own path, do my own thinking and keep pursuing my passion and dreams. Because I promise you, I’m going to get there. See you at the top!
