Month: September 2016

When You Think You’ve Got It Bad…

Think again

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We all have them, those days when everything sucks…

You just don’t look good,
your clothes don’t fit right,
you hate your job, your family and yourself;
and to top it off, you have no money!

Getting out of that funk can be really difficult, especially when it seems never ending. You’re tired, fed up, discouraged and generally, just DONE!

You tell yourself the same things over and over or others tell you…

“This will get better”
“You’re just having a bad day (week, month or year)”
“It could always be worse”

My go to has always been, “It could always be worse”, think about it – couldn’t it?

Michelle Knight

  • Bullied/assaulted in school.
  • Drops out of school after she gets pregnant.
  • Her child gets taken away and put into foster care.
  • At 21 she is kidnapped.
  • After a year she is taken off the missing persons list, so nobody is looking for her.
  • Tortured and sexually abused for eleven years.
  • As a result of starvation and extreme beatings, she suffered 5 miscarriages, loss of vision and nerve damage.

This is one strong and amazing woman! She endured and stayed positive and did what she had to do to survive. She helped to keep the other victims (Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus) alive and gave them hope and strength to keep going until they were rescued!

This is who I think of when I think things are bad or I’m feeling sorry for myself. She wasn’t a famous superstar, she was just a regular girl trying to get along in this world like the rest of us.

I constantly see women fight through impossible situations and never give up. As a woman, this makes me so proud to know how strong, stubborn and smart we can be. We can fight through anything and survive, often times coming out better than we were.

Who are the women that inspire you?

Look around and I bet you can think of at least 5 in your own inner circle.

THE OWL
My proposal as a national symbol for Women

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Some other awe inspiring women below – If you aren’t familiar with them, look them up and read their stories. Imagine yourself in their place, would you fight and hang on and persevere and do what it took to survive?

Of course you would…

You’re a woman, nothing can stop us!

Liz Murray – Parents were drug addicts and eventually died from AIDS.  At 15 became homeless, but despite all of her hardships she attended Harvard University and today is a very successful inspirational speaker.

Helen Keller – At 19 months old contracted an illness that left her deaf and blind. Come on, I can’t even…

Elizabeth Smart – Abducted at age 14.  Raped, tortured and threatened with death for 9 months. She is now an American Activist and a missing persons commentator for ABC News.

And so many others…

Friday Favorite

Singing Out Loud!

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Just Like Fire
Pink

 

I know that I’m running out of time
(I want it all, mmm, mmm)
And I’m wishing they’d stop tryna turn me off
I want it all, mmm, mmm
And I’m walking on a wire, trying to go higher
Feels like I’m surrounded by clowns and liars
Even when I get it all the way
(I want it all, mmm, mmm)

We can get ’em running, running, running

Just like fire, burning out the way
If I can light the world up for just one day
Watch this madness, colorful charade
No one can be just like me any way
Just like magic, I’ll be flying free
I’mma disappear when they come for me
I kick that ceiling, what you gonna say?
No one can be just like me any way
Just like fire, uh

And people like to laugh at you cause they are all the same, mmm
See I would rather we just go our different way than play the game, mmm
And no matter the weather, we can do it better
You and me together forever and ever
We don’t have to worry about a thing about a thing, no

We can get ’em running, running, running

Just like fire, burning out the way
If I can light the world up for just one day
Watch this madness, colorful charade
No one can be just like me any way
Just like magic, I’ll be flying free
I’mma disappear when they come for me
I kick that ceiling, what you gonna take?
No one can be just like me any way
Just like fire, fire, fire
Running, running, running
We can get ’em running, running, running

So I can get it running
Just cause nobody’s done it
Y’all don’t think I can run it
But look, I’ve been here, I’ve done it
Impossible? Please
Watch, I do it with ease
You just gotta believe
Come on, come on with me
Oh, what you gonna do?

 

Friday Favorite

Singing Out Loud!

Kristen Frank - shinebright4u1 Comment

What a Feeling
Irene Cara

 

First when there’s nothing
But a slow glowing dream
That your fear seems to hide
Deep inside your mind

All alone, I have cried
Silent tears full of pride
In a world made of steel
Made of stone

Well, I hear the music
Close my eyes, feel the rhythm
Wrap around, take a hold of my heart

What a feeling
Being’s believing
I can have it all
Now I’m dancing for my life

Take your passion
And make it happen
Pictures come alive
Now I’m dancing through my life

What a feeling!

Happy Birthday

Kristen Frank - shinebright4u2 Comments

A pain searing right to your core.

A loss so great it’s unimaginable.

Reaching and grabbing and praying with your whole body, mind and soul.

Heart bleeding in my chest, stomach aching from emptiness, lungs straining to breathe.

Hanging on to one itsy bit of hope, is all I have.

And then it’s over…

You’re gone.

How…

Why…

Really?…

I’ve never felt so lost, so confused, so blindsided.

I want to scream and punch something till I bleed.

I want to lay down, drift away and not come back…

 

 

Slowly I can remember and smile.

The laughter, the stories, the love – it’s still all there.

Close my eyes and let it play in my head, a movie of happiness I can watch anytime.

This silent club that none of you want to belong to,

Won’t  be understood until you trudge thru the darkness.

Know you can survive, each day you step forward.

The sun starts to shine as you take a deep breath.

My Mom
9/22/1946 – 10/16/2011
For all that you did.
For the person you were.
For the struggles you endured.
And for the life that you gave.

SONY DSC

Friday Favorite

Singing Out Loud!

Kristen Frank - shinebright4uLeave a comment

Mr. Know It All
Kelly Clarkson

 

Well ya think you know it all
But ya don’t know a thing at all
Ain’t it something y’all
When somebody tells you something bout you
Think that they know you more than you do
So you take it down, another pill to swallow

Mr. bring me down
Well ya like to bring me down, don’t ya
But I ain’t laying down, baby
I ain’t going down
Can’t nobody tell me how it’s gonna be
Nobody gonna make a fool out of me
Baby you should know that I lead, not follow

Oh you think that you know me, know me
That’s why I’m leaving you lonely, lonely
‘Cause baby you don’t know a thing about me
You don’t know a thing about me
You ain’t got the right to tell me
When and where to go, no right to tell me
Acting like you own me lately
Yeah baby you don’t know a thing about me
You don’t know a thing about me

Mr. Play Your Games
Only got yourself to blame
When you want me back again
But I ain’t falling back again
‘Cause I’m living my truth without your lies
Let’s be clear baby this is goodbye
I ain’t coming back tomorrow

So what, you’ve got the world at your feet
And you know everything about everything
But you don’t
You still think I’m coming back, but baby you’ll see

Don’t Underestimate Me

Kristen Frank - shinebright4u3 Comments

Do you ever feel invisible?

Do you think if you weren’t there nobody would notice?

When I was little, people would ask my mom, “Why is she so quiet, doesn’t she ever talk?” Besides being shy and uncertain of myself, I just didn’t see the problem. I liked to watch and take it all in, process it and come out all knowing. I understood more than most at that age and had life experiences unlike any of my friends, kinda an old soul.

Never wanting to cause anyone a problem or inconvenience, I learned to stay out of the way. Being very independent, introverted and stubborn, made me learn a lot on my own.

I can’t say much of that has changed these days, I just have a different understanding of myself. I know that I don’t verbalize very well. If put on the spot, I’ll either spew out stupidness, agree and be a people pleaser or totally attack the very fiber of your being. All of which I will replay over and over in my head, until I fix it somehow.

People, I need to process!

Let me think for a minute so I can give you an intelligent answer or so I can even figure out how I’m feeling. There is nothing wrong with saying, “Let me get back to you on that.” or “Give me a minute.” I’m definitely a much better writer, grammar and punctuation aside. I can just explain myself and really get my point across, better than a direct conversation.

The ones that know me the best, know that I have plenty to say. They know that there’s not much I miss and they know that I can and will accomplish anything I set my mind to. If I haven’t done it by now, then it’s not a priority on my list.

Accepting and realizing how you are built makes you realize there is nothing wrong with you, we all work differently. Adapt yourself to what you are good at and you will excel and have a happier successful life.

In my head, if  you aren’t acknowledged or you feel invisible take it to mean…

You’re not a troublemaker.
You get the job done.
You don’t need to be hand-held.
You’re a peacekeeper.
People like you.

All good qualities!

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Look at me now

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Past Life
Clothed in black and hiding in the shadows, heart beating fast with anticipation of having to walk across the room.  Look down, don’t make eye contact or else you might have to strike up a conversation.

What if I trip?
What if I say something stupid?
Will they see that spot on my face?
My hair is sticking up in the back.
I don’t wear the latest styles.
I’m too short – and on and on and on.

Oh how I envied those people that just didn’t care.  Is she really wearing that shirt with those pants?  Did he comb his hair? Those shoes are so LOUD! You’re going out with no makeup?
Sigh…
Why can’t I be that cool?


Present day
I have these ridiculously sparkly sandals that just make me smile.  Sometimes I paint each of my toenails a different color.  If I wake up late and don’t want to wash my hair, I don’t.  When the music plays, I often can’t stop myself from dancing.  When I fall up the stairs I can’t wait to tell someone about it so we can laugh and laugh.  My wardrobe is filled with all kinds of purples, pinks, blues and amazing colors, not to mention sparkles and all kinds of other fun things.file_000-7

I can’t say that black is my favorite color any longer, although I still own a lot of it.  If I’m wearing it it’s because I feel like it and not because I need it to hide behind it.  Most of my clothes are from Savers resale shop, my attempt at recycling and then I don’t feel guilty when I get tired of them.  Oddly enough, most of my compliments are from something I’ve gotten from there.  I now have a different kind of spot on my left cheek, give me a thumbs up if you see it!  And lastly, if I turn a certain way you will most likely see a sparkle or two in my hair and not the kind you add yourself.
What happened, confidence or maturity?
I’m not sure, but I now know what people mean when they say, “Don’t take yourself so seriously!”  It’s so much more fun to hop outta bed, throw on a hat and laugh as you trip over your feet racing out the door to live your life!   file_000-9

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No Apologies

Kristen Frank - shinebright4u5 Comments

Don’t apologize for your success, for your brains, for your beauty or for anything somebody is making you feel bad about.  You were blessed with many different attributes or you worked hard to become who/what you are.  Many times your life experiences have determined some of these factors, good or bad.  This is who you are and you are only in this life once so don’t waste time doubting yourself, feeling guilty or not taking pride in yourself.  Make sure you are giving it your all, maximize your potential and be proud of you, no matter what!

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First Blog

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My first attempt at a Blog.  So unlike me to allow anyone to see something that is not completely finished, perfect, or in my eyes worthy.  I started and changed and added and deleted several times over the last 4 days.  Then I realized, I needed to take into consideration a conversation I had recently.

Why do we feel the need to be perfect all the time?

It’s not black or white, right or wrong, all or nothing…

Live in the gray
Live in the maybe
Live in a little bit…

So with that, I turn over this site to you while I continue to change, add, and delete, for if  I  waited until it was perfect nobody would hear what I had say.  I’m not perfect, but I’m trying to accept that I’m great the way I am!

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