Listen: If you can’t find common ground, at least make it safe space.

My heart has been heavy watching folk tearing each other up for no reason other than they can.

No one seems to want to LISTEN.

Everyone is yelling ‘OW’ but nobody seems to want to stop long enough to ask what is hurting.

Folk seems gleeful of witnessing the suffering of others. My heart does NOT understand this.

We are all better than this.

I just stopped by to encourage folk.

If you can’t find common ground, at least make it safe space.

Listen.

Hear.

Empathize.

Care.

Rinse.

Repeat.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: We are all we got, beloveds. But, we are all we need. Life is more than money. Life is NOT climbing over others to achieve. Life is NOT meant to be hoarded just for a monied few.

Let’s give two hoots about one another, eh? Asking for A Friend.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

God asked me: What do you see?

God: What do you see?

Me: I see a hurting world?

God: Give to them.

Me: I have nothing to give.

God: Give to them.

Me: All I have to give is me.

God: Give them you.

Me: What if I am not enough?

God: What if you are?

Me: Ah.

God: Aha!

All my life, beloveds, something inside me has been yanking at me. SOMETHING, from deep inside, just won’t let me go.

Why?

Because of YOU. Each and every one of you.

Why?

Because too many of you have never FELT love. Not really. You don’t think highly of you.

Why?

Because you have been chasing:

Approval.

Recognition.

Validation.

Love.

Safety/security.

Worse, you don’t feel as if you measure up enough to have “earned” these things.

Ah, beloveds, know ye not that you are infinitely priceless?

I think it funny that God put these words, this desire, in ME. In a me that had been made to feel worthless, by so many, for so long.

Because, I was loud. Because, I didn’t have enough this, that or the other. Because, I didn’t have money. Because, I didn’t live in the right neighborhood. Because, I wasn’t the right color.

Because. Because. Because. The world will ALWAYS have a because, beloveds. Why? So, you can fall for the okie doke. So, you can fall for the lie that you have to earn your keep.

Hear me:

You ARE worthy. You ARE worth it. You ARE worthwhile! So am I.

The world was desperate to keep me from KNOWING this. It’s the ONLY way it can keep us all locked in prisons of worthlessness.

Without worth, we feel hopeless. Without hope, any can roll up on us and take everything. Ha!

To this day, hopeless tries to slide in my DMs. I tell it to kick rocks!

I am worthy.

I am worth it.

I am worthwhile.

I have been working on this piece for almost two years. It took six months to write the question. It took months for me to ask myself the question. It took forever to find the courage to hear my heart’s answer.

It took 50 years to learn I was much more than the words, the gifts, the skills God gave me. I am awesome just cuz.

As are you! God asked me two other questions. I shall tackle the second tomorrow. The third, okay you get my point.

In the meantime, beloveds, be encouraged. Lift up your head. You are precious to me. And, to Him.

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note:

In case no one has told you today: I love you. So does He.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Filling the other half: There IS a hero in you!

Be your own hero. You have all you need to succeed.

Keep striving. Keep trying. Keep going.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Make the decision that you can. Then, go do it. Simple as that.


One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

BE your mission statement.

This is my mission statement:

I will find a way, make a way, or be the way.

I had been tired of using the excuse that I didn’t know how. I didn’t know where. I didn’t know who.

I was tired of crying about not having the “opportunity”.

I knocked. I knocked. I knocked.

Nothing.

I decided to knock down the walls of my doubt. I determined to destroy ever section of “I can’t”. I decided…

I decided?!

Ah.

Aha!

Then, I told myself I was going to find a way, make a way, or be the way. Periodt!

To that resolve, beloveds, I have determined to BE my mission statement.

I have no idea where my journey is taking me. That said, I plan on enjoying every frustrating and hard step. These are the steps ordered for me. I shall skip a while…

being about that life,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Be your mission statement. Hopefully, your mission statement is a helpful one. ๐Ÿค—๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜Ž๐Ÿฅฐโค๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽฏ

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Exam the failure. Examine your RESPONSE to the failure.

You failed.

It hurts.

I sowwy.

Now, beloveds, it’s time to exam the failure, sans emotions.

Were your motives pure?

Did you do your best?

Did you give all YOU had?

Did you ask for help if help was needed?

If you did those things, move on to WHY things failed. The nuts and ๐Ÿ”ฉ bolts of the thing.

Do you need more study?

Do you need more time?

Is this something important enough to move forward with?

Is this something needed for your success?

Once you have dissected the failure, exam your RESPONSE to the failure.

Did you become angry with you? Did you berate yourself for the loss?

Were you understanding? Did you recognize that failure comes with the process?

Did you pick up your toys and stomp home? Or, did you exam the failure and proceed to devise another try or approach?

What you DO, beloveds, AFTER the setback,ย  AFTER the disappointment, AFTER the heartache is the whole ballgame.

You failed. It happens. It’s part of achieving great things. Knowing this helpful.

I am not my failures. Neither are you, yours. We failed. Too bad. Boo hook. There. We have had a cry.

We get up. We move on. Simple as that. Let’s go.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Keep making it happen. These failures are nothing but stepping stones for us! They shall help us to stretch further, to go higher. Let’s go!!

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Filling the other half: Youโ€™ve Got A Way

I love this song!…ย ย  *hugs self*

Love on you today, beloveds. You deserve so much more than you have given you lately.

Let’s cut ourselves a wee bit more slack, eh?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Be encouraged.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Building blocks: Failure.

I’m using my failure(s) as building blocks and stepping stones as I am building my dreams and my legacy.

I am also building up my character. Quitting is no longer a go to option.

I try again.

Periodt.

Failure happens. So what? I am building my legacy. My legacy will take the rest of my life to finish.

Bring it on, failure. I ain’t skared of you! Ha!

failing forward and up,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I got this. God has me. And you. Be encouraged.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Things WILL get better. How do I know?

Things WILL get better. How do I know?

They couldn’t possibly get worse.๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿคจ

Like a big goof, I made the mistake of laying directly underneath the fan. I KNOW better. Smh.

Sure enough, beloveds, I woke with a nasty cold. Day shook it’s head at me and handed me a cough drop. My dreams said “I really hate that for you” and pointed me to my work chair.

Whatever state you find yourself in today, beloveds, make sure to get a laugh or two in there.

Do what you can. If a bit tired, go a bit more slowly.

Have a wonderful day.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: What a beautiful day. Enjoy the moments in it.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

I forgot to be sick.

I was so focused on chasing down my dreams, beloveds, I forgot all about my fever.

I was too busy chasing down knowledge. I was too busy dreaming of touching a billion lives with MY words. I was too busy snatching my dreams into reality.

Focus on your dream, beloveds. All the noise around us is nothing but noise!

Nuff said.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Stay focused on your dreams.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Disappointment: Try another door.

I went to a door.

I knocked on the door.

Said door did not open.

I went to another door.

I knocked on the door.

Said door did not open.

I went to another door.

I knocked on the door.

Said door did not open.

I went to another door.

Before I could knock, said door flung itself open.

Said door just HAD to see what all that knocking was about!

Keep trying. Try as many doors as it takes. โ›บ๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ•Œโ›ช๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿข๐Ÿก๐Ÿ ๐Ÿš๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿงฑ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŒ

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Keep knocking. The door opens. Eventually. Or, does it? You’ll never know until you get to knocking.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!