Motivation

Being alone doesn’t make you lonely

Happy Valentines Day Aspirers,

Today some of you might be celebrating with your special loved ones either today or maybe later on in the week because it’s hard to stay up past 10:00 pm on a weekday. For myself, I will be spinning time with the one person that means the most to me which is MYSELF. I have no problem with that but for others like myself, some of your friends and family might wonder why are you spending the 6th, 7th, 8th year (who’s really counting anyway) alone on Valentine’s Day. A lot of questions might be asked and the big question on people’s minds  is “Are you lonely?”

Guess what that’s a great question. Anyone can be lonely. You could be in a committed relationship, married, or have kids and still feel lonely. The presence of someone else might not define the well-being of your mental state. You can be around someone every day but something feels like something is missing. There are people out in the world that never experienced being alone and still have unanswered questions about themselves because they’ve constantly been around people for so long they haven’t found confidence in their own skin.

For the longest, I was terrified to eat alone because I thought I would be judged of not having anyone to eat or laugh with at the table. I was so uncomfortable being seen by myself. It sounds weird saying that out loud but it was true. I just went to the movies alone for the first time last year and guess what it was AWESOME! I love being alone at home but enjoy my own company in public is on a whole other level. I even walk away from my girls when we are out to use the restroom by myself. Ladies don’t act like you all don’t go to the bathroom in groups especially the college ladies that are reading this right now.

It’s okay to have anxiety but the only way to get over something is to try it. If there’s a new movie out, a new restaurant to try, a new store in the mall that just opened up I can’t wait for other people to make room in their schedule sometimes. I have to enjoy it first and tell them about it later. Being able to find joy in your own company makes it easier to find joy while with others. We have to be honest with ourselves sometimes it’s not the other person that is causing the problem because we might be the problem. Don’t expect others to bring joy into your life if you can’t enjoy yourself.

Ask yourself this question, are you lonely?

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

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Smiles Are Contagious

Good morning Aspirers and good morning JUNE!

Can you believe it’s already June 1st? I know I can’t. While you ponder on how fast this year is flying by go and grab a doughnut because today is doughnut day. I’m eating mind as you’re reading this post. Not only is it doughnut day it’s also National Say Something Nice Day. This should be something we already do maybe not as much as we should but go and make someone feel special. Remind them that they are important because we aren’t told that enough. A simple how are you, holding the door, buying them a doughnut, or a genuine smile as you walk by someone can make their day. People are going through so much in life something as a nice gesture can make their day feel special. We sometimes forget about the small things and focus on materials things that can go away in an instant but what you do and say to someone can be held on for a lifetime. Can we all take a few seconds out of our day and be nice?

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

Road Block

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This is figuratively speaking Aspirers. I’m not stuck on the side of the road some where I’ll call 911 first not write this first. What I mean by being road block is being stuck and trying to get out of a rut. First I have to figure out how to get out of my rut. Do I keep complaining, do I keep it locked inside, or call for someone to pull me out of the ditch. Sometimes it feels like everything is going as planned then the wall comes and I crash right into it. Do you ever feel that way? Why when we move 3 steps forward we fall down 2 flights of stairs. Then the voice in our head says “stop just give up, it’s not worth it” but then you realize you came so close. You continue to doubt yourself. How can you stop that little voice in head from TALKING! Those doubts are memories from your past failures, unsupportive friends and family member, or maybe you keep comparing yourself to other people that succeed. You failed to realized through all those that succeeded they failed too. When we have success we forget about failure because the success is always glorified and failure is lost some where.

What’s your road block(s). Take a minute and think about it.

Aside from your road blocks what are your successes? Before you were great at something you were either bad or had no idea what to do. Think of your road blocks as having no idea what to do. If you knew what to do you wouldn’t be stuck but you are. So how to get out?

Here are some ideas:

  • Go a different route.
    • If you continue to do the same thing then you’ll continue to get the same result.
  • Ask someone with experience.
    • They’ve been where you are. It’s okay to ask questions because their answers could give you ideas you weren’t thinking about.

My road block is my brand. I have goals of what I want Aspire Oneself to become but something is stopping me. What I’ve realize is time. I don’t give my brand enough time. The minutes I’m watching tv which isn’t a lot, I could be creating posts, revamping my image, network, and expand my styling services. To get over my road block is to one admit my faults which I have and know what is wrong which I do. The next step is to commit to changing so I can see growth and success. I see my fault is my time management my goal is schedule more and set reminders to keep me on tasks.

With my brand I hope to see you with me as I continue on my path. For you to see where I was, where I am. and where I’m going. Aspirers please continue this journey with me. On the way I hope you will see me more than just a blogger but a friend that wants to share experiences and tips to you all. If you haven’t started yet take a moment and subscribe to my blog.

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

 

Getting Better With Time….

“Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.” -Saadi

Hey Aspires! I’m getting a little more personal with you all this week. You know I already get personal but it’s hard sometimes to share my feelings sometimes. What’s going on with me I feel like it’s better to write it down and get a little bit off my chest. Maybe someone reading this is going through something similar or know someone that is. If you know someone that is having a hard time be there for them, comfort them, and pray for them. If you’re going through something talk about it, pray about it, and don’t hide your feelings. If you’re not into prayer have hope that great things are coming their way.

This past week has been so emotional and it’s not over yet. When you see a family member especially your mom needing help and calling for help but you can’t help her! That is a feeling that can’t be explained or put into words. All you can do is hold her with all your might and tell her it’ll be okay but you don’t know if that’s true so you pray. You’ll do anything to make her better, you’ll do anything to fast forward time, you’ll do anything to just hear her say I love you. You’ll even want to switch places with her because she is your mom. She is MY MOM. You understand MY MOM! The one that would do anything for you to make sure you are safe. The one that worries even though you’re grown and can take care of yourself. The one that baby’s you when you’re sick or thinks you’re sick.  The one that still asks if you have cash in your wallet and if not she’ll give her last $20 to you. That’s her. No matter if you’re 5 or 25 years old she’ll treat you just like her little girl. For me I’ve always been protective over her. I wouldn’t let even let people hug her when I was a kid so to see her go through this I felt like I had to protect her because that is what I do. She protects me and I will always protect her.

With prayer and patience things do get better. With prayer and patience you’ll get better. With continuous prayer and patience she WILL get better. All I ask from you is continuous prayer for MY MOM because she wants to get better. 

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

Be the best YOU!

Living in a generation where everyone wants to be great. Nothing is wrong with that but what is great? Is it to be the next Kardashian/Jenner and Rihanna because you know we all love to work, work, work, work, work. When was is it okay just to be a great you and work with what you have or can afford. Most of the people we fantasize to be like either came up wealthy or worked their buts off to get where they are now. What are you going to do to get yourself to the top. Are you going to copy what they did or are you going to be original and be the best you can be.

For myself I want to become the best blogger/vlogger I can be so how can I achieve that coming from the bottom and working my way up. First I have to come up with great content that hasn’t been done too much but if it has how do I edit it to make it my own. One way to make something your own is to put your personality behind it. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not because you’ll come off fake and your viewers would think “oh she’s one way here but next she’s someone else”. Be genuine! Secondly your picture and video quality. I don’t have a $1000 camera, a MacBook, artificial lighting, or an extra room I can record so I have to work with what I have. One day I’ll work my way up because I don’t want to go broke all in one day for all that. Instead of a camera I use my iPhone. Yes I said it my iPhone and surprisingly the quality isn’t half bad. I’ve found apps to make photos pop.

Some of the apps I use:

  • Fotor
  • College

These apps works wonder for my Instagram posts and for YouTube. When it comes to lighting natural light can be your best friend but on those cloudy days recording isn’t an option anymore so your planning will change if the weather isn’t cooperating with you. Last tip is research because if you want to improve on something or you have no idea how to do something look it up online. Everything is online and if it isn’t guess what be the first to talk about. That’s new content right there!

I hope this helped you out on how to be a great you and not a great copycat. Figure out ways to make yourself stand out then people are going to be looking up to you and not calling you another one of those.

If you haven’t yet subscribe to my YouTube channel here and follow both my Instagrams here and here.

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

 

#wwydWednesday: How to stay motivated 

Have you ever been in a funk where you’re just feeling down? You want to do something but you let the time past you by. What do you do? How can you over come it? Well I thought of some tips that could help. 

Tip 1#

Find out what’s wrong. 

  • Are you depressed? 
  • Does it feel like you hit rock bottom? 
  • Are you comparing yourself to other people’s success? 

Depression

If you are depressed or think that you are SEEK HELP! Don’t be afraid to go to a family member, friend, or a counselor. 

No, I’ve never been depressed but I’ve seen people go through it. Someone could have everything going great for them but still be depressed. Depression is a disease and it must be treated. It’s not a 24 hour cure or a 7 step program. It’ll take time.

If you’re scared to talk to someone there are anynomous hotlines such as DBSA. To get out of depression you must seek help or if someone you know have depression help them. They need to know they aren’t alone. 

Rock Bottom

Have you hit rock bottom? Well there’s an upside to that because you can’t go down any further. 

For me I’m a planner and like to write things down so if something unexpected comes up I sometimes can’t handle it especially if it has to do with money. For me money isn’t everything but it will get you out of situations when you need to like finding a new place to live or paying bills. For others it could be family, relationship, work, or school problems. Which can be an easy fix sometimes. 

We all have to go through difficult times. We all have different solutions on how to succeed. One thing that helps me is finding something that is positive. It could be a quote, poem, song, speech, a person, or whatever. Go to what is positive every time you hit rock bottom to remind yourself THIS ISN’T IT! Remind yourself until you believe it. 

Comparing Yourself

Say this out loud. 

My name is (insert first and last name). I’m not Beyoncé, a Kardashian, Kanye, or the Queen of England so why should I compare myself to them. We aren’t the same. We don’t have the same up bringing. I don’t even look like them. 

Repeat if you need to.

We put so much pressure on ourselves. We are here to do our own great act. We might not have found it yet but it’s coming. Keep looking and comparing yourself to others and you’ll miss your opportunity to shine. 

Once we stop comparing ourselves it’ll be easier for us to focus on what’s important which is ourselves. 

One big tip I want you to get out of this post is loving ourselves. We are our biggest victory but we can also be our biggest downfall. 

I hope these tips help. If so don’t forget to like this post and share it with someone you know. 

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

#wwydwednesday: Favorite Quotes from Mindshift

If you haven’t watched Mindshift from my last #wwydwednesday go watch it before reading this. Click here. 

There’s greatness in you and you have to learn how to tune out the critics outside and the critic inside. -Mindshift

We can become our worst critics. We tell ourselves we can’t do it or stop because we failed once or maybe a few times. Everyone failed at something at some point in time. Before we can achieve greatness we must see failure. 

People are rewarded in public for what they practiced for years in private. -Mindshift 

People on the outside only see what is happening now. They weren’t there when you gave up 50 times, told yourself it can’t be done, and fell down to only crawl to the next step. It takes time. With time success will happen but only when you’re pushing yourself. 

Most of us go through life with our brakes on, holding back. Decide to push yourself forward. You got to focus on you. -Mindshift

When you focus on yourself and what needs to be done, it will be done. 

You got to learn how to be resourceful, you got to learn how to be creative. -Mindshift

You have to rely on yourself sometimes. Stop waiting for a hand to lead you. You have to lead yourself. Once you do that, you’ll be AMAZING! 

I hope you enjoyed reading my favorite quotes from the video and my thoughts about it. I have to constantly stop criticizing myself when I’m struggling with something. When it’s the right time and I’m ready, I mean really ready; it will happen. 

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

And the Emmy goes to….

Did you see what happened last night at the Emmy’s? It went down in history as a first. We all know and love her from the hit series “How to get away with Murder” but she’s also known for “The Help”, “Get on Up”, and the new movie coming out in 2016 called “Suicide Sqaud.” She’s been nominated 47 times and won 47 times but this 47th win will go down in history. 

Have you figured out who I’m talking about yet? It’s Viola Davis of course! She’s the first black woman to win an Emmy in a lead drama. This is so exciting! Tears were running down people’s faces in the audience and the viewers. For all the women of color seeing that one day that could be them winning the next Emmy. When Viola won the award she made what was thought to be impossible possible for those that had doubts. One quote from her speech spoke volumes.  

 Once you see an opportunity go for it running! You can achieve anything if you don’t try. Congratulations Viola! 

Viola wasn’t the only winner of the night a special congratulations goes to my other favorites Uzo Aduba for winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a drama series and Regina King for winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a movies. Congratulations to everyone! 

Sincerely, Courtney Renee

Stay Focus

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A lot has been going on and staying focus is the key. This year I’m turning 25!!! A quarter of a century and for years I kept telling myself this is the time things will starting falling into place. Recently I was offered a position I couldn’t say no to. If you know where you want to go, you shouldn’t let nothing hold you back. I mean nothing!

I’ve been unhappy at my current job for a while that’s why I decided to venture off and start my consulting business. I’ve also been applying to different jobs too. I applied for one position at a particular location and was offered the Manager in Training position! Ahhhhhhh so exciting!!!! If you don’t know what the manager in training is it’s a position that will train you to work towards running your own store for a specific company. What is my dream job? Owning my own store and what job is better than this. I’ll get the tools I need to go towards my dream. If you continue to focus on where you want to go and think of ways to get there, you will get everything you want. Just don’t give up.

Sincerely, Courtney Renee