Filling the other half: I Look to You

This song ministers to me when I am missing mom so much it almost literally hurts to breathe.

I listened to it after the tornado snatched away so much of me I thought I would never be whole again.

I listen to it when fear attempts to snatch my dreams from the depths of my soul.

I listen to this when lonely days just won’t leave me alone.

I listen to it when I think I have failed and become terribly disappointed in ME.

I have listened through tears. I listen with joy. I listen with a deeper understanding.

Listen and gain a bit of comfort. In the meantime, I lift your tired heart in prayer.

Be encouraged.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽธ๐ŸŽน๐ŸŽค

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Tell your obstacles to kick rocks and then go do the blasted thing already!

Ack.

ACK!!

I honestly could cry, beloveds. That is, if this stupid fever would let me alone! ALL I have been wanting to do, ALL week, is to work on, record and post some short video clips.

I have finally, FINALLY I’M TELLIN’ YA, gotten past the intimidation factor of beginning.

I am ready. I have the PERFECT videos selected. I have wondrous words of inspire to aspirate every which a way.

I have background music ready to toss in. I have quiet. I have time. I have EVERYTHING BUT A HEALTHY BODY TO ASPIRATE MY INSPIRE WITH!!!!!!

I have tried everything. I have taken the drug store. I am getting better. Slowly. Apparently, 56 is in NO hurry when it comes to healing, eating Golden Grahams or watching Mission Impossible movies. Smh. Don’t judge me, peeps.

So, here I sit, minding my own business, ready to get into the inspiration bidnezz, when the ONLY business I can get into is the Kleenex business. Ah, God. Ya got jokes, I see.

That said, I really am learning to just use what I have, currently. I no longer have time to fret about what could or should be or have been.

My brain has mostly scrambled from the high fever. So, I’m watching boring, but interesting, editing videos. I’m jotting down ideas. I’m hydrating. I’m listening to uplifting music.

In short, I’m doing SOMETHING. These steps are taking me closer to my dreams. If nothing else, they are keeping me occupied and out of the bathroom.

I just stopped ’round to remind you to use what you have. You have more than enough to start.

The scariest part is the starting. Once you start, the clock starts on folks judging your start/middle/finish.

Critics are gonna critique. Let them. Process your feels. Peel the truth from the harsh, from the silence, from the whatever.

Then, celebrate your try and get up and do it again!

Fail spectacularly. Succeed quietly. Enjoy them both. The win is not the end goal. What’s the end goal? You tell me. Note, you may not know until you try!

I hear chicken noodle soup calling. I have plenty.

Be encouraged. Don’t allow obstacles to keep you from keeping on. Try something else. Go by a new route. Ask for help. Phone a friend.

I don’t care what you do, beloveds, as you do anything other than feel sorry for yourself. If you must feel sorry for yourself. Make it quick! We got thangs to do!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Get up! Go! I mean it! This world desperately needs what only YOU can provide. You CAN. You WILL!

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Keep first things FIRST.

What are you DOING, beloveds, when your eyes first opens?

What are your FIRST thoughts?

What are your FIRST actions?

Do they, are they, aligned with your dreams?

Do they, are they, causing you to want to leap out of bed and tear into your day?

Or, are they, do they, cause you to want to pull the covers back over your head?

Too often, we stumble out of bed. Unprepared. Uninspired. Exhausted from all the gloom and doom we have predetermined the day would bring.

Then, we get up, grumbling about how long the day is already and will proceed to have the long day prophesied.

I choose not to do that. I chose not to do that, today.

I put on my ‘Good morning, Cassandra’ playlist and set about having the good morning I have decreed today SHALL be.

This day is what YOU make it, beloveds. No, we don’t get to decide how everything will unfold. Yet, we can enjoy whatever happens within the day.

I have my coffee waiting. I have uplifting music playing. I am looking forward to what the day may bring. Ah.

Today is what we have. Use it wisely. You don’t get to exchange it for another today. Hopefully, tomorrow shall come.

In the meantime, keep first things first, eh?

First things, meaning the most important things. The rest shall come out in the wash.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Have a beautiful day, beautiful!

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Keep failing FORWARD.

I keep failing.

Drat it all!!!!

EVERYTHING either keeps getting rejected or ghosted.

OMG!!!!

I have stamped my feet. I have cried. I have told the entirety of the world to go ahead and take two seats, to kick rocks and to dive into a cold pond with rain boots on!!!!

*pout*

I was soooooooooooooo distraught, beloveds, I told good habits to take the day off and hid in napping and munching on mini chocolate donuts.

My bad. Too bad, I told my bad. I was done. Finished. Finito!

I was done chasing these tormentingly maddening dreams.

Then, I rose.

I backed away from the donuts.

I turned on my playlist.

I fired up the laptop.

Early. I may as well get to getting rejected…*shrug*.

I absolutely REFUSE to give up on me. Not anymore. Not an option.

I just stopped by to encourage someone. If you, hang in there. The hard times do end. I think. I hope…lol.

In the meantime, we are growing. We are learning. We are exercising faith muscles. We are seeing how much we really do or do not want our THIS.

Keep going. You got this. As do I. Be encouraged.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Okay, se whatcha still doing here? You have thangs to do. Get to doing them. Stop focusing on the outcome, or lack thereof. Keep focusing on the fact you are giving and doing your all. I tell myself this all the time now. I have to. Age, reality, doubt and ALL their friends have been dogging me. Ah, God. Give us all strength. Asking for many friends.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Not an option.

Quitting.

Not an option.

Give up.

Not an option.

Giving up on my dreams.

Not an option.

Giving up on me.

Not an option.

Choosing to give in to apathy.

Not an option.

Choosing to see the glass as half full.

Not an option.

The old me would have given up on my dreams a long time ago.

The new me, following the tornado, says ‘hecks naw’ when it comes to giving up or giving in.

You don’t have to face down a tornado to make the DECISION to keep your promises to yourself, beloveds.

No matter what.

No matter why.

No matter who.

Determine that today will be the LAST day you will EVER turn your back on you and your dreams.

Disappointments hurt. Discouragement is real. Frustration is a daily companion when trying to achieve a goal.

Yet, the fun is in the journey. I have to go back and redo almost 60 mini videos to add text so I can post to TikTok. A pain. I’m doing it. Yea, I could say kick rocks and just post to Instagram. I want to do both. So, I am taking the time to tweak all these finished videos again!!!!! Ack!!! Whew!!!…lol.

I have been having a blast learning. I am seeing how much I care about my why.

I just stopped by to encourage someone. Starting with me.

Be encouraged. We got this. We truly do. Life is what WE make it. Make it an awesome one.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Get back to work…

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Use your setbacks to set you up for success.

Ack!

I have caught a nasty cold. One so nasty I can barely talk. I have a cough bad enough to make life absolutely miserable.

This is NO way to start recording more/better TikTok and Instagram videos whilst in preparation of starting my YouTube channel.

I could scream. Not really seeing as my throat is killing me.

Instead of doing the old me, I am doing the new me and doing other things whilst waiting for my voice to return.

I am studying editing. I am saving background music and videos to edit.

I am brainstorming ideas of things to talk about. I am watching things I enjoy and thinking on why I enjoy what I do.

I just stopped by to encourage you to use your setbacks as a set up for your success.

There really are things you can DO, right now, to propel your dreams forward.

There will be a million things that stands in the way of your success. Don’t let your lack of try be one of them!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: You got this. Get out there and get it. I am going to find a way, make a way or be the way. Are you?

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Filling the other half: From This Moment On

I sing this song to myself as a reminder to keep on loving ME regardless if others do or do not.๐ŸŽค

I sing this song to Jesus to let Him know how much I love Him.๐ŸŽค

I sing this song to you. Okay, I don’t but I care for you anywho so that should count for something, eh?๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿฅฐ

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Life is good. Even when it’s hard.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Stop trying to drive the car while you are building it.

I’m trying to be perfect, beloveds.

Worse, I’m trying to be perfect at things I have yet to learn. Silly, shortsighted me.

I feel as though I am trying to drive a car I am in the process of building.

Impossible. I know this. Still, I image my time is running out. I have to stop myself from hurrying.

Growth takes time. Learning takes time. Excellence takes time.

I may not make it. But, I refuse to rush the journey. I want to enjoy all the steps. Especially, the hardest ones!

I have really enjoyed getting up early, staying up late. My age grumbles a bit, though.๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿคจ

I have parked the car. I am going to build it first…lol.

Be encouraged. Enjoy the journey. Even when the car breaks down and you have to wait on AAA.๐Ÿค—๐Ÿคฃ๐ŸŽค

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: ๐Ÿคธโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿ˜Ž๐ŸŽฏ๐ŸŽค

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

Filling the other half:We’re Going All The Way

We’re going all the way, beloveds!

We are:

Headed towards fulfilled dreams.

Conquering that which has been defeating us.

Making our way through the hard with joy.

Reaching out for the love that has been waiting for us to BELIEVE for and in.

Ah, beloveds, strap in!

We are heading to amazing destinations!

Let’s go!!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: We got this.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!

If at first you don’t succeed, your name is probably Cassandra. ๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿคฃ๐ŸŽฏ

My name appears to be Noooooooo, Cassandra!

That’s ALL I have been hearing from hard as I have tried to rush through needed lessons.

I’m learning to slow down. I’m learning to cut myself some slack as I learn to slow down. I’m learning. I think…lol.

I wonder if success will ever come for me. It seems soooooooo far away.

I made myself take off part of the day to enjoy some biathlon. I need to be sure to fit some “what the hooey” time in there and do absolutely nothing but eat Golden Grahams and watch nothingness.

Life is short. Cut yourself some slack as you wait on success.

I hear cereal calling. Who is up for a bowl?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Have an amazing day. Work on your dreams. Be good to you.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on beingโ€ฆYOU!