Goal Setting Archives - Page 6 of 11

#231| Concentrate

August 19, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 6 Comments

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

~Buddha

I challenge you to take a few minutes to clear your mind.

I say “take a few minutes,” because for many of us, clearing our mind can take a little time.

Once your mind is cleared, focus.

After focusing, kick things up a notch, and concentrate.

If you mind tries to race ahead – or if it tries to reflect back – rein it in and think about now.

Concentrate.

Concentrate on the here and now, placing your mind, thoughts and energy squarely in the moment.

Join in the Fray: What happened when you moved from focusing to concentrating? How did you feel? What were your next steps?

The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing 365 days of inspiration in 2015. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#225| A Traveling State Of Mind

August 13, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

When we began the practice of daily uploading blog posts during 2015, the concept of “Travel Thursdays” was instituted fairly quickly.

Travel Thursdays was inspired by an impromptu conversation I had with Interracial Dating Coach Lorraine Spencer, who at one point in her life packed up and moved to Alaska.

We were conversing prior to her guest appearance on the podcast, and she gave me my entire “Travel Thursday” life when making the declaration, “Black women need to travel!”

(If you want to listen to that episode, click here)

Most of us want to travel, yet for many, budgetary constraints pose a significant obstacle.

If you won’t be able travel abroad – or stateside – this year, don’t despair.

We can all still travel – even if we only travel across town, to a local park or lake.

Remember, “There is sanctuary in being alone with nature.”

If traveling isn’t possible as a state of being, make it a state of mind.

Join in the Fray: What are the best local places in your city you can visit on a day trip?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#224| Do It Anyway!

August 12, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 20 Comments

The internet is aglow with images of tennis superstar Serena Williams, who currently graces the cover of New York Magazine.

To say her body is exquisite is an understatement; Serena has six-pack abs to die for.

Watch her play tennis, and you’ll shake your head in amazement at her athleticism.

What About The Rest Of Us?

Well, as for me, I cringe when I see what I call “my mushy middle.” I could certainly stand for a little less body fat and a lot more muscle.

I struggle with effective time management, and sometimes my gym time is sacrificed on the altar of blogging and podcasting time.

Le sigh.

I have my weeks of getting into the flow of carving out time for trips to Anytime Fitness; relentlessly pushing myself to get up and go; no excuses.

Something happens to throw me off my exercising game – let me correct that statement and take responsibility for my actions – I allow things to happen and thus throw me off my game.

Monday night was almost one such night, until I remembered the catch phrase and mantra of blogger Kawanda Lamb, a new friend I met at Podcast Movement 2015.

Her mantra?

Do It Anyway.

Kaywanda created these baby blue wristbands featuring the words #DoItAnyWay, and she gave me one when we met.

Monday night when I looked up from my laptop the clock read 9:15. Surely it was too late to go to the gym and be fresh the next day.

Of course I happened to be wearing the wristband ~~darn it~~ and my eyes fell on that hashtag.

#DoItAnyway

I got up, and I went.

And you know what? Once I pushed past the resistance and got in my car, I was fine. When I walked through the doors and got on the elliptical, I felt even better.

So, what’s the thing in your life you need to tell yourself, “Do it anyway?”

Go ahead and push past procrastination, push past negative self-talk, push past laziness – and do it anyway.

Join in the Fray: What’s the thing in your life you need to tell yourself, “Do it anyway?”

Kaywanda Lamb teaches single moms to do it anyway! To visit her blog, click here.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#223| What Are You Doing?

August 11, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

So, who are you?

What do you want to be?

More important, what are you doing?

Are you engaging in pursuits yielding lasting value – or are you frittering away your time?

Are you a dreamer – or a doer?

Remember:

The difference between who you are and who you want to be, is what you do.

~Unknown

Join in the Fray: What are you doing to show up in the world?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#218| Take A Vacation

August 6, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

2015 Travel Goal:

Take a vacation, for goodness’ sake!

Taking a mid-year vacation was on my list of goals for 2015. I plan to take another one during the holidays.

I didn’t specify anything grand. (I’m planning something special for 2016 – possibly an Alaskan cruise).

This year, simply stopping long enough to take a vacation was a major accomplishment.

How about you?

Grand or small, have you at least managed to squeeze in a summer vacation??

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#217| Achieving Your Goals

August 5, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”

Zig Ziglar

Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing what I’ve become as a result of achieving the goal of attending Podcast Movement 2015.

What I hope to do is not only sharing my wins, but opening a dialog with you concerning your goals and the wins you’re experiencing on your journey.

#WeAllWin

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#215| My Current Situation

August 3, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Podcast Movement 2015 ended late Sunday afternoon around 5:30 or so.

What you see in the photo is my. current. situation.

Tired.

Tired – but happy!

I’ve been AWOL from the blog for the past few days; please know I appreciate your patience.

Right now I’m on my way back to Louisiana. I have tons of information to share with you concerning the conference – photos, videos and of course my impressions of the entire experience.

Stay tuned!

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#210| I’m At Podcast Movement 2015!

July 29, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

I’m in the final minutes of Travel Thursday, and I’ve arrived at Podcast Movement 2015!

This year’s event is held at the fabulous Hotel Omni in Ft. Worth, TX.

Stay tuned for updates, interviews and a behind the scenes peek at all the happenings.

Woot!

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#202| Never Too Much

July 21, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

“No black woman writer in this culture can write “too much.” Indeed, no woman writer can write ‘too much’…No woman has ever written enough.”

~bell hooks

I love bell hooks’ writing, and because I’m a writer, this statement of hers deeply resonates with me.

Her statement raises a question: Are you sharing your story? Are you even chronicling your story?

Do you verbally share with others the stories of your life? We all have them, you know.

Do you have a journal – or should I ask, do you write in a journal, ensuring you chronicle your story, your thoughts and feelings?

As a woman in this world, you have a story to tell; a story people need to hear.

Don’t allow your stories – the times of your life – die within you.

Write and write and write, and get those words out of your head and heart.

Get them into the world where others can read them and benefit from them, just as we are benefitting today from today’s quote – this mere sentence bell hooks wrote.

Take that all important step, and write.

Remember, what you have to say and to share can never be too much.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#201| Thou Shalt Not Kill

July 20, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

First things first: This is NOT a politically motivated post.

I know certain thoughts may have come to your mind when you first read today’s blog title.

However, jumping into politically charged waters is not what we do here in The Swirl World.

What This Post Is About – The Back Story

Saturday night I served as the emcee of a banquet honoring 12 community and church leaders.

I was proud of the accomplishments of the honorees, and even more so inspired by the personal legacies they’re building.

The keynote speaker managed to be interesting, funny and challenging all at the same time – my favorite combination.

Something she stated in her address made me sit still:

“The Bible says ‘thou shalt not kill.’ We may not kill people with weapons, but we kill ideas.”

The Purpose Of This Post

“We may not kill people with weapons, but we kill ideas.”

Now do you understand why this post is titled, “Thou Shalt Not Kill?”

How many times have we allowed other people to kill our ideas?

We have an idea, and unfortunately for us, we share it with the wrong person.

They tell us all the reasons why it can’t work, won’t work, shouldn’t work – and we believe them.

Consequently, our ideas wither on our lips, die on the vine and never see the light of day.

Somebody killed our idea – and we allowed it to happen.

What We Can Learn From Negative People and Idea Killers

I believe the greatest lesson we can learn from negative people and idea killers is this: They are the people we need to stay away from.

I’m serious.

Avoid negative people like the plague, because they excel at destroying your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Don’t allow them into your space, and if by virtue of kinship or relationship you find it difficult to remove them from your life then do the next best thing: Keep your ideas to yourself, and instead, implement them. Act quietly if you must, but above all, act.

To All You Killers Out There

While I’m at it, I may as well flip the coin – are you that person – the person who kills other people’s ideas?

Are you the Criticizing Connie, Doubtful Debbie or Negative Nelly?

Are you an idea killer – which in essence means you’re a dream killer?

Do you realize your negativity and idea-killing behavior is a reflection of your own insecurity and fear?

You’re insecure, and you feel the need to put others down because in reality, you lack confidence.

Stop acting out of your own fear, doubt and unbelief.

Work at building others up and encouraging other people’s dreams, and you’ll soon find your own life – and your own ideas – taking flight.

Side Note

Want to read some good, thought-provoking blogs covering political issues and current news events? Check out L.A. Moore of Bougie Black Girl and Darren W. and Jenn Jackson of Water Cooler Convos. I religiously read their blogs and stalk their Twitter timelines, and heartily recommend them.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

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#231| Concentrate

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#225| A Traveling State Of Mind

Like this:

#224| Do It Anyway!

What About The Rest Of Us?

#DoItAnyway

Like this:

#223| What Are You Doing?

Like this:

#218| Take A Vacation

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#217| Achieving Your Goals

Like this:

#215| My Current Situation

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#210| I’m At Podcast Movement 2015!

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