Do what you can do. Then do a bit more.

I was angry.

I am angry, still.

Early yesterday morning, I was awakened to the blare of tornado sirens. Again. Dammit!

I had spent a stress-filled week wading through fake/scam job listings. Again. Dammit!

So, there I lay, exhausted, irritated. Only to be awakened by stupid tornado sirens. I hid in the bathroom. Again. Dammit!

The tornado struck. Again. On 13th street. I live on 12th. There was damage. Again. Dammit!

Thankfully, my power was not among the 5,000 who are without power again. Shamefully, I am thankful I missed the second go around of no power.

I told my wombie that I was NOT going to use this latest awfulness to write and encourage folk. I told sis I was NOT going to write at all. I told sis I was turning off my phone and getting off the world. I told sis I was done caring about a world who could care less about me.

The other day, I reached out to an organization that helped folks and asked for help. I received a form letter lamenting my hardship but they were taking a break from helping folk. I would be considered if they got back to considering folk. Dammit!

None of my friends called to wish me a Happy birthday. Dammit!

The newest tornado had me feeling helpless. The lack of job options had me feeling hopeless. The lack of birthday greetings left me feeling embarrassed.

I took all of those feelings to bed with me. I turned off my phone…

A funny thing happened on the way to my pity party. Good habits told me to get up. My try told me to keep my promise to myself. The Universe asked me not to give up yet.

I turned on my phone. I wrote. I encouraged. I stood on my FAITH. I made a meal and had my me time of coffee and watching an old show.

I’m doing all I can do. I’m also trying to do a little bit more. I have NO idea what my future holds. I DO know my future does NOT hold quit. Not by me.

Stay encouraged, beloveds. Even when hard gets extra hard. Keep doing what you can and wait for your change to come. The time will pass no matter what you do. You may as well continue to learn/grow during the tough times.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Be encouraged….

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Your mistakes are NOT a mistake. Neither are you!

I don’t know why folk find it so difficult these days to admit to making a mistake.

We ALL make mistakes. We all take wrong turns. Nothing wrong with that. How the world will we learn unless we get lost every now and again?

Folk are no longer willing to look foolish, I guess. Nothing wrong with looking foolish as you learn and grow. How the heck else are you going to grow, beloveds, unless you make a million thousand seventeen mistakes and learn from them?

Just know as you walk through your days, making a million mistakes, that you are NOT a mistake. Your mistakes are not a mistake. They are necessary in helping to build a more knowledgeable you.

Cut yourself some slack, as you learn. Cut others some slack, as they learn and grow. I have no earthly idea when it became socially acceptable to toss folk aside when they make mistakes. Geeeeeeeeeeeeeez, people! Enough with that already!

I have only messed up about ten times so far, today. Of course, it’s not even noon…hahahahahahahahaha!!

Laugh at your mistakes and keep it moving, beloveds. You have much too many a thang to do then to beat yourself up over the learning process. Life is a journey that hopefully never ends at one particular place. That would be boring.

I am proud of my pasta concoction I made yesterday. It was/is scrumptious! So much so, I am wondering what other food catastrophe, er, dish I can conjure up.

I am hoping you are out there living, cutting up and tearing up the status quo! I am doing my best to do so.

excited about the journey ahead,

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: If you are trying, you have already won the day…

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Don’t be ashamed of your why.

I write.

I am a writer.

Sometimes, I write rather well.

Other times, my writing is woefully insufficient. To me. I tell myself I can’t ‘splain thangs the way I see them, in my heart. Crapola. Then, I write. Anyway.

I used to be ashamed of my why. Who in the world would want to spend their ENTIRE life encouraging the WORLD? Seems like such a really stupid thing to want to do with a life.

I have tried to do other things. I tried to ignore this why. Why? Because, it’s time consuming. Because it can be lonely. Because it can be exhausting to want to write after a full day of dealing with a world’s worth of…uh, oh…lol.

My why would never shut up. I have learned to go on ahead and do/be my why. I enjoy it. Every day. Even on the days when I am fed up with wanting to do anything.

Do what you do. Don’t be afraid of who you are. Don’t be ashamed of your why. Keep on being you. You are much needed. More than you know.

asking for A Friend,

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: You are never too old to day dream.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Get in the habit.

I’m getting in the habit.

I’m getting in the habit of saying no to fear.

I’m getting in the habit of letting the unknown in.

I’m getting in the habit of living outside my comfort zones.

I’m getting in the habit of letting go. Of things that no longer serve me. Of things holding me back.

I’m getting in the habit of loving me EVERY day.

I’m getting in the habit of sharing my heart with the world.

I’m getting in the habit of remaining optimistic.

I’m getting in the habit of remaining focused on my dreams, not nightmares of things which may never come.

I’m getting in the habit of looking for the good in ALL circumstances. Even the tough ones.

I’m getting in the habit of feeding good habits.

I’m getting in the habit of loving folk whether I understand them or not.

I’m getting in the habit of releasing folk from unrealistic expectations.

I’m getting in the habit of releasing ME from unrealistic expectations.

Habits can be hard to break. I’m doing my utmost to create as many good habits as I can.

Get in the habit, beloveds. You’ll never know how many blessings you will squeeze from your life as you do.

asking for A Friend,

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I wanted to be lazy and go to bed early. Good habits kept me up late dreaming. Good habits woke me early to work on my dreams!

Have an awesome day. Don’t forget to get in your me time.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

If this piece encouraged you, share it with someone please/thanks.

Just play.

The World Series have been interesting. Game 1 ended in spectacular fashion.

The winner won. The loser, well lost. And, in losing, they appeared to have lost their nerve.

Game 2? A tough watch. The winner, of Game 1, played loose. They laughed They enjoyed the game.

The loser, of Game 1, played Game 2 as if they had already lost. There was no joy. There was no laughter. There was only the stress of not being the one to make the mistake.

It was tough to watch. I was hoping the losing team would just play. The outcome would be the outcome. Of course, they lost.

This reminds me just to play. I tell myself just to try. I have no idea what my trying will do. In the meantime, I’m just going to have fun. I’m going to make my way in the world the best that I can. I’m going to love as many people as I can. I can live with the outcome.

Life much too short to be worried about the outcome of things. to allow fear to dictate my every move. I told myself I was just being careful. I told myself I was just being prudent. I was lying to myself. I was afraid of the outcome.

I no longer waste my time going about what may happen. I am going to enjoy EVERY moment of the game. Win, lose, or draw. I just want to get in there and just play. I want to meet new folk. I want to cheer on others. I want us all to get in there and play.

Don’t worry about making the last out.

Don’t worry about striking out.

Don’t worry about making the costly error.

Just play. Don’t worry. Enjoy the game. Enjoy your teammates. Enjoy the effort. Then, accept the outcome and move on.

Did your team win? Terrific. Did you lose? It happens. One side WILL lose.

I am learning that losing is not always losing. I have gained so much in the losses, these last few months. I have gained the knowledge that I really CAN. And, that I truly WILL. It will just take time.

And, when I grow fearful of the unknown, I get up and do something. Right now, I am currently doing meal prep and grilling some chicken breasts to go along with the veggies I have waiting. I am using anxt to get chores done!

REFUSE, beloveds, to allow fear to keep you out of the game. Get on in there and play.

asking for A Friend,

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Life is what we make it. I am doing my best to live my best life. Right NOW. Right HERE. Here, in my currently jobless, broke situation….hahahahahahahahahahaha.

Anyone can trust/believe with a full belly. This has been a truly gratifying experience to get to see, first hand, that I can walk with joy, peace, hope and love through EVERY situation.

Be encouraged. Remember that your life matters. Keep on being the amazing person you are. I love you. Tell someone you love them. They need to hear it. You need to say it.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

If this piece encouraged you, share it with someone please/thanks.

Happy birthday to me.

Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday wombie!


Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Nuff said. 56. Yikes!



One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

The more I have lost.

The more I have lost.

The more I have gained.

The more possessions I have lost.

The more priceless memories I have gained.

The more friends/ friendships I have lost.

The more humanity I have gained.

The more I am mocked, for the way that I love.

The more compassion I have gained.

The more I have given.

The more I have lost:

Fear.

Bondage.

Apathy.

In their place, I have gained:

Freedom.

Love.

Truth.

Beloveds, keep on being the light that you are. Yes, you may lose some things. That said, you will gain so much more than you could ever use.

Tomorrow, IΒ  turn the page on another year. 55 years down. 55 to go! I pray that my light shall continue that I can love my brother, my sister.

Be encouraged. Don’t give up on the promise of you, beloveds. Call me foolish. I truly believe in the greatness within us all. Let’s all strive to listen to the better angels speaking to us all to do better and to be better.

I spend my birthday alone tomorrow. Yet, not. I wish…

Take care of that precious heart of yours.

asking for A Friend,

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I love you, beloveds. Ah, that I be loved, eh? I hope…

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

I found aha! on the other side of fear.

Aha!

I understand!

Finally!

AHA!πŸ’ƒπŸ™Œ

Fear kept visiting me. EVERY day. Every frustrating day!

At first, beloveds, I was confused. I tried to dismiss it. I tried to deny it. I tried to outrun it.

I prayed. I cried. I cried and prayed. I prayed and cried.

Still, stupid fear visited every, frightening, unknown, unsettling unsettled day.

I thought the fear stemmed from not having a new job. Nope. In tracing it back, the dumb fear was with me at my old job.

The fear was there long before the tornado uprooted my life.

This fear has chased me all my life. I tried all I knew to drown out this fear. This fear made me desperate to find/experience/earn:

Approval.

Recognition.

Validation.

Love.

Safety/security.

Fear of not having these things caused me to pursue them, relentlessly. I tried to find them in:

Jobs.

Hard work.

Sports.

Writing.

Church.

Friends.

Society.

My parents divorced when I was very young. My dad used to pick us kids up on Sundays for his visitation. He had us from 1 to 5 pm.

After a while, he would come later and later. Eventually, he stopped coming. I never knew why. I just knew I sat and sat and sat. I sat on the stoop waiting.

The longer I waited, the more worthless I felt. Until, I felt no worth at all. My heart was empty of a father’s love.

The empty heart of a child, grew into the empty heart of a woman. A woman, now grow, filled with sadness and the emptiness that stemmed from a father who didn’t love her(?)

That woman, grew into one who tried everything, to make herself all things, for all people. In order to win/earn/receive:

Approval.

Recognition.

Validation.

Love.

Safety/security.

One day, God knocked on the door to her heart.

Go away, she said.

Why, The Father asked.

I don’t trust You. How can YOU love me when my father would/could not?

God: Will you trust Me enough to find out?

Me: I’m afraid.

God: I know. Will you trust Me anyway?

Me: I’m afraid You will hurt me. I’m afraid You won’t show up for me.

God: I know. Will you trust Me anyway?

Me: No.

God: I’ll come see you tomorrow. Maybe then…

Gently, He saught me. Eventually, He caught me. Eventually, He taught me.

Taught me how to love. Taught me how to love ME. Taught me that I was worth it, that I was worth it, that I was worthwhile.

Now, I spend as many days, as I can, sharing this awesome message with as many folk as I can wrap my heart around.

Tomorrow is my birthday. The day I was born. There is only ONE me. A priceless soul.

As are you, beloveds. You are precious in His sight. You are a wonder. You are wonderful. You are wonderous.

Live, KNOWING that you don’t have to spend another moment ‘paying rent’. You don’t have to apologize for being you.

Lift up your head. Open your heart. Be ready to be filled with all the love your heart can hold.

asking for A Friend,

Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: You are worth it. You are worthwhile. You are worthy.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

If this piece encouraged you, share it with someone please/thanks.

Beat it to the sunrise.

Fear has been trying to rear its ugly head.

Reality has been encouraging me to give in to the fear.

Doubt has been lying to me about the unknown.

The Universe has been silent/observant.

All the while, I question God. All the while I question myself. All the while, I wonder if I am going to make it. Meanwhile, all is silent. Ack. Ow!

Still, I absolutely REFUSE to allow fear to manifest itself into my day, into my choices, into my heart. I beat it to the sunrise. I arise. I work on me. I am proactive. I am probative. I question my EVERY action to ensure I am walking by FAITH, in LOVE, carrying hope and laughter around with me.

Beloveds, I hate these last months have happened as they have. I hate the tornado ripped through and tore up everything in sight. I hate I am living a new normal. No, hate is NOT the word. Rather, challenging is the word I now choose.

Words are powerful. I am doing my utmost to get the word hate out of my vernacular. Words are so easy to say. We say sooooooooooooooooooo many negative things when it comes to our lives:

“I hate when I do this”.

“I could never do that”.

We have NO idea what we are capable of. Why, then, do we so easily set limitations on our try? I’m trying not to.

November has come calling. I have NO idea where January’s rent is coming from. Ah, God. I hate, er, find this situation challenging…lol.

It has been super interesting living in the MOMENT. Before, I would be flipping out by now. I would be carrying on about how I am going to make it.

I have NO idea how. I just know Who. I just know I will make it. Some kind of way. I shall continue to encourage and love folk, along the way. Some may love me back. Most probably won’t. I’m no longer lamenting those who don’t or won’t.

Life is short. I REFUSE to live anymore if it blanketed and ruled by fear.

My birthday is tomorrow. I am looking forward to what the day might bring. I am looking forward to what the future might mean.

I’m looking…

FORWARD.

UP.

WITHIN.

I got this. God has me. How much more secure could I ever be?

fearing not,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Keep standing on business. Keep believing in YOU.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

If this piece encouraged you, share it with someone please/thanks.

When you feel helpless.

When you feel helpless.

Help yourself.

When you feel helpless.

Help someone else.

When you feel helpless.

Ask for help.

When we are in a weakened state, we often feel:

Helpless.

Hopeless.

Useless.

Of course, these are lies. It’s easy to believe the lie when our mountain looks soooooooooo big and unmovable.

When my mountain seems the most daunting, I reach out to someone to let them know they are loved and not alone.

Then, I DO something. Even if just a small something. Through this constant hard I am learning I can’t afford to lay down on fear or anxiety. The MOMENT I get to feeling anxious is the moment I leap out of bed.

I have been leaping out of bed well before dawn, these days…*shrug*.

If nothing else, beloveds, this hard may be encouraging others to keep on trying. I didn’t want to, today. So what? I got thangs to do. As do you.

My 56th birthday is Sunday. Wow. The majority of my ‘friends’ have long since taken off as I am sure they think I may ask them for money. I haven’t. I wouldn’t. It sure would have been nice to have that emotional support. I am supporting me as much as possible.

I am also leaning on and leaning into the love of my fam. I used to hide my hurt and be there for them. No more.

Anywho, I stopped ’round to give someone some of the support I could use.

If anyone would like to send some birthday cheer, feel free to email me: ttnette37@yahoo.com. I won’t put you on blast and would only reply back once with a thank you unless you would like to be an email pal.😁πŸ₯°

Take care of your heart and enjoy your weekend.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I have never felt so helpless in my life. Yet, am content. Odd, eh? I am looking forward to seeing how The Universe is going to help me out of my financial mess…lol

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!