Don't Waste A Single Quarter

The calendar year is broken up into four quarters:

-- Q1 – Jan, Feb, Mar

-- Q2 – Apr, May, Jun

-- Q3 – Jul, Aug, Sep

-- Q4 – Oct, Nov, Dec

When you look at it this way, it seems much more manageable in terms of setting goals and formulating a plan to reach them.  “Twelve months” sounds so daunting, but four quarters sounds doable; and three months sounds even better than that!

Take a look at that breakdown above…Quarter 1 is done.  It’s over and gone and we are well into Quarter 2.  And when Quarter 2 comes to an end that’s half of our year that we can kiss good-bye.  It really moves much quicker than you think, doesn’t it?  But no matter how you slice and dice it, it’s still 365 days.  It’s still 52 weeks.  It’s still 12 months.

Don’t be afraid to set goals, and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.  It’s only then that you really get to see what you’re made of – seriously.  You don’t know that you can leap a tall building until you try it.  If the only challenges you set for yourself are the ones you know you can manage – well that’s not really a challenge is it?

Test your limits and push your boundaries.  Find out who you are and what you’re made of.  You won’t know until you try.  And stop being afraid to fail.  Anyone worth their salt knows that failure is a necessary part of success.  The two go hand in hand.  It’s impossible to have one without the other.  Really.

So dig in there.  Set a goal for yourself.  Dream a little bigger than you did last year, and get ready to inspire others – because everyone’s watching. 

My year so far…

JANUARY

I received the final version and accompanying products for my STILL STANDING logo.  STILL STANDING is my personal message of survival that will be the final bit of punctuation necessary to round out my brand.  Items aren’t yet available for purchase, but they soon will be.  I want to thank Spencer Owens and his wonderful team at 1Six5 Designs for making my dream a reality.

FEBRUARY

I received the final word that STEPPING ON A FEW TOES would have its east coast debut in New York City on the campus of College of Mount Saint Vincent.

MARCH

STEPPING ON A FEW TOES had a successful east coast premiere in New York City on the campus of College of Mount Saint Vincent.  This presentation of the show was a part of the school’s tribute to Women’s History Month. 

I joined forces with, Bell Curves, one of the leading test prep agencies in New York.  The group offers test prep to populations that wouldn’t ordinarily be able to obtain such services. 

That it all for now.

My name is Jasmynne Shaye, and this is me STEPPING ON A FEW TOES. 

photo:  www.stockfreeimages.com  

Watch Me Take Flight

It’s not my quote, but I either read it somewhere this week, or someone shared it with me:  “Challenges in life are just opportunities.”  It may even be one of those fortune cookie proverbs that everyone but me has heard before.  But when I heard it (or read it), I was compelled to write it down and meditate on it for a while because it instantly reminded me of the film EVAN ALMIGHTY.  If you’ve seen it you know that it’s a little – ok, more than a little – cheesy; like they are really doing too much.  I’ll be honest, first time I popped the DVD in, the best things I had to say about it were the DVD extras and behind the scenes stuff.  I digress, but as a film they wanted to practice what they were preaching so they calculated the carbon footprint made during the entire filming process, and planted a tree for each footprint.  Kinda cool…the whole cast rode bikes to set everyday…stuff like that… But the film itself just didn’t move me.  Then for some silly reason earlier this year I had a hankerin’ to rewatch this snoozer of a film.  Made absolutely no sense.  I stood there with the DVD in my hand for what seemed like thirty minutes or more saying, “You’ve already seen this, and it tanked.”  But again, for some silly reason, I popped it in, and snuggled up with my Stewie Griffin doll to watch.  And as if it was a previously deleted scene the next thing that I’m about to share with you might as well had jumped off the screen into my living room, it was so profound.  Here we go… 

If you haven’t seen the movie I won’t be spoiling much of anything, but I’m not gonna’ spend any time giving you a lot of back story.  That’s not the important part.  It’s this conversational exchange that I want you to get.  OK, I lied…this is the only back story you get:  at the start of the movie the wife mentioned below prayed to God that her family grow closer and stronger.  Take a look… (paraphrasing) 

GOD:  You seem a little down.  Are you ok?

WIFE:  You heard of New York’s Noah?  Well, that’s my husband.

GOD:  Oh, wow.

WIFE:  I just don’t know what to do.  He’s hell-bent on building this ark, and I just think it’s crazy.  Gosh…what would you do?

GOD:  Sounds like an opportunity to me.

WIFE:  What?  What do you mean?

GOD:  Well someone prays for courage – God doesn’t instantly bless them with courage.  He gives them an opportunity to be courageous.  Someone prays to God for strength – He doesn’t just shower them with strength; He gives them an opportunity to be strong.  Someone says a prayer asking that their family grow closer – it doesn’t happen with a snap of a finger.  God gives them an opportunity to build closeness. 

B  A  M  !!!!!! 

I lie to you not.  I stopped the DVD, looked around my apartment, and asked stuffed Stewie if he had just heard what I had just heard.  Stewie nodded (with some help from my hand) so I hit rewind and watched that clip seven more times before I let the rest of the film play out.  What.  The.  Deuce?  I’m telling you just as sure as I sit right here and type, I have no doubt that that message was meant for me.  I was at the beginnings of hell breaking itself loose in my life and that bit of on-screen dialogue lifted me up in a major way.  I kept it with me for a long time this year, but when “challenges in life are just opportunities” was presented to me two days ago; I realized I hadn’t thought of my EVAN ALMIGHTY exchange in a while.  I feel like the resurgence of the quote was the universe tapping me on my shoulder saying, “remember this?”  And all of it has so impacted me that I felt compelled to share it with you.  It’s definitely a different mindset than most of us are taught.  Embracing challenges and hardships?  Seeing the hell of it all as an opportunity?  For real, God?  Yep, He’s for real.  But it’s not about a system of belief – get that through your head.  Let me show you why… 

Let’s take it back to learning to ride a bike – or learning any sport for that matter.  You fall off the bike, off the ice skates, tumble over the hurdles on the track time and time again = challenge.  The opportunities you’re being presented with are many. 

Here your chance to:

-- build your discipline

-- increase your focus

-- develop patience

-- build your physical fitness

-- hone your craft 

Disguised as a challenge, these are the opportunities that you’re being given, and you know I’m right.  Apply that same logic and thought process to every other challenge you’re presented with and watch yourself soar.  Move over, ‘cause I’m about to spread my wings right now – don’t want to hit you. 

My name is Jasmynne Shaye, and this is me STEPPING ON A FEW TOES.

 

photo:  http://www.stockfreeimages.com/