What is it that you are Seeking?

illustration by brainspark

My daughter recently quit what many would consider an amazing job at the age of 21. An old friend of mine refused to get a "regular" job because he believed so much in his own brand that "regular" work would have taken away from that creativity. I am so adamant about my peace of mind that I refuse to return to any type of corporate job.

Sometimes we think we really want something until we get it and it turns out to be not what we wanted at all. 

My daughter wanted to work in a well known, high end store, great commission with great benefits and an amazing salary. What she got in return was stress filled days, sleepless nights, racism and anxiety attacks. My friend with the no "regular" job has had to deal with no health insurance and weeks of sleeping on friends couches. I deal with no insurance and no benefits plan. 

We all sought different things at different times but came up with one unexpected truth...you can't find joy if you don't know what you are seeking.

My daughter has been working since she was 16 years old and these past few weeks without a "regular" job, just working on her paintings and fashion designs she is the happiest I have seen her in a really long time. My old friend is now reaping the rewards of years of part time jobs and couch hoping and I smile all the way to my Yoga mat daily. 

illustration by quoteaddicts.com

Your riches and your peace of mind just may not come from that six figure job or that five bedroom house. It may come from selling books at a local bookstore or a ranch house in Virginia. It may even show up as a happy stay at home mom raising her three kids and gardening on the weekends. 

We are all seeking greatness in some way in some form but we all won't get it in the way we planned it and it isn't until we are willing to accept what we do receive as a blessing just the same that our lives will seem for filled. 

Make your vision a reality not the vision society or your friends or even family have presented to you but what you see for yourself. Unexpected can be a great blessing indeed, go out and find yourself.

Always stress free xo,

Mari

Stop pointing your finger

This is not an easy subject to tackle or even one that many like to touch upon or discuss.

As always I never shy away from real life or from any opportunity to have a teaching moment with my daughter.
She is close to turning nineteen (19) years old now and entering a new stage in her life. We have been blessed to have always been able to discuss any and all topics, nothing is off limits...nothing. As I have shared in the past I never set a specific age or time to discuss any particular matter. We just talked as things came up. That was something her father and I believed in strongly from day one.

This particular subject is nothing we haven't discussed in the past either because it came up in our lives through family or friends or because we or she saw or heard something in regards to it via television or other form of media.

The subject matter is Cheating.

I am going to start this by saying ...No one can wreck something that isn't already Broken.
No one comes in and wrecks anything that already didn't have cracks.
With that you can chose to continue to read or delete this post all together.

Ok so if you are still here and I have your attention, let us talk for a moment.
Some time ago while having breakfast, my daughter and I sat and watched a segment on Good Morning America that had women on discussing a website dedicated to so called exposing women who engage in cheating.

It's a site where wives blast the so called other women, who destroyed their home. Really?
So let me see, your house was running just fine. You and your significant other had this amazing connection. The kids are doing well, work and the house are in order, your sex life is for filling.You help one another be the best version of yourselves and instill that in your family. Your communication skills were on point, your goals were clear and being met and you were peaceful in your spirit.
You invested a significant amount of time with one another outside of the children, you led fulfilling lives outside of one another, you were supportive and respectful and so called best friends. Then one day your wonderful husband ran into this "other woman" and she just "took" him away? You don't know how, heck he doesn't even know but just like that she snatched your "prize" up.

Seriously, there is something very wrong with your story.

First things first, women need to stop blaming the other woman and hold their partners accountable.
Women need to stop being so catty.
Second, women need to have a little bit more self worth, respect and value.
Fighting for a man? Blaming someone else, taking him back and then blasting your business on a website?

This is not about making excuses or condoning poor behavior. This is about accountability. It is about more than just one thing or one person. Doing that would just be taking the easy way out. It would be hypocritical to assign ourselves judge and jury of someone else's personal life and home.

Relationships are very complicated and breakdowns begin to happen for many reasons. It would be a shame for me to teach my daughter to blame others when things go wrong. It would be poor of me to teach my daughter also to stick around when things are just not working.
Everyone deserves respect, support and love.

If in your relationship you are no longer connected, your goals are no longer the same and your emotions are more lows than highs...it is time for a conversation. Don't allow what began as a fairy tale (what some women dream of) to end in a horror show.

I have personal experience in knowing when it is time to let go. I can say I am grateful it was not connected to cheating but it was connected to being disconnected.
I ended my relationship with my daughter's father after eighteen (18) years. It was sad, it was surreal, it was an adjustment but it was what I knew was the right thing to do. I loved him enough not to ever disrespect our union, our family, our daughter. We ended peacefully and lovingly.
My daughter has amazing memories of a life lived with two (2) parents that truly loved and respected one another till the end.

That is what we discuss, that is what I have taught and continue to teach.

Build a strong relation, respectful, supportive, kind and full of communication. Be true to yourself at all times. Never engage in disrespectful behavior to get your so called point across. Be accountable at all cost.
When something no longer works its time to close that door and open a new one.

Let's start a conversation always three sides to every story his, hers and the truth.

“Stop pointing fingers and placing blame on others. Your life can only change to the degree that you accept responsibility for it.” Steve Maraboli