Month: November 2024

Honor Yourself to Better Serve Others

You are the captain of your ship, and therefore of your wellbeing, your purpose and your journey.

Love without condition while still exercising wisdom.

Give generously while setting appropriate boundaries.

Dream big and don’t settle. It may take time, but the time will be just right.

Say no when doing so gives you the space to practice self-care.

Lean into “not now” when this will keep you safer rather than sorry.

However, always say yes to honoring your intuition, character and integrity – even when this means standing alone.

Be willing to sacrifice short-term gains in order to experience lasting blessings.

Know that you are worthy and embrace this truth with confidence and contentment.

It’s Purpose Time

Today is a great day to decide how, in this season, you’ll use your gifts, talents, expertise, and life’s purpose for good.

Write to inform and enlighten.

Speak to guide, uplift and connect.

Teach to nurture and give hope, at every age and stage.

Sing or play instruments to heal hearts and minds, and nervous systems.

Build businesses that meet tangible needs and grow your resources and ability to help the least of these.

Deliver health care with the compassion and steadfastness you’d give your mother, sister, father, brother or spouse.

Serve your customers in ways that leave them feeling seen, heard and valued.

Be the encourager, prayer warrior, water giver, servant leader, faithful friend or change-maker you know you were destined to be.

Now is the time,

for you are a pearl of great price.

In being who you are,

you add value and hope to this world,

as only you can.

Persist in Love

Leaning into love is the hardest thing ever, especially when it’s not reciprocated.

Yet, I stand by my Monday declaration of intending to lead with love – including self-love, and even when it seems impossible.

In choosing love, I am choosing to see clearly, yet not give bitterness a foothold.

For hate causes rot,

and from a rotten vessel,

meaningful words, actions and impact cannot flow.

My aim is to keep my purpose and the people counting on me – especially the youngest ones looking up to me – top of mind.

Our children and young adults need help seeing and valuing a personal and communal north star. Our grandchildren or unborn children’s children need “north star opportunities” to still exist when it’s their turn to dream, do and be.

So even in a divided land,

the way forward includes

a surrender to love.

If you’ve ever tried it, you know that sometimes surrendering to what may seem to be “the soft way” actually requires the utmost strength.

I have stood before at a crossroads of hurt, heartbreak and unsure footing that led to a fork in the road.

My choices were a bitter path of ugly discord that some would have deemed understandable

or

a path that would require patient persistence in honoring my values, holding a vision for my desired future and telling the truth (with love) even when uncomfortable, in order to keep growing.

I chose the latter route,

and even then,

amid tears, prayers, sometimes anger and a shifted worldview,

I stood firm in the worth of my own humanity,

and I sought to honor the love guiding me and

still being poured into me,

so that I could rise another day,

nurture those around me a little more,

and remember that my life,

my right to live with hope and joy,

and my very being

are not a fluke.

We were made for love and to love.

Today, I encourage you to look in the mirror and tell the face staring back at you, “It’s okay. I love you.”

Close your eyes so you can feel it, and tell yourself, “I am better than hate.”

Inhale and exhale, and declare, “I am worthy of all good things, and even when I must speak up, set new boundaries or say no to harmful things, I will remain rooted in love.”

From this determined stance, set a course of self-care and thoughtful giving, and nurture the relationships that honor the best of you, so that years from now, you’ll gratefully experience the fruits of your investment.

“Lost Love?” by Carol (vanhookc) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Make The Most of This Week

This week, enjoy your life’s simplest treasures, greatest memories, unexpected blessings and life-affirming lessons.

Look within. Breathe. Smile. Hug yourself. Take good care with others, yet speak the truth in love.

Believe that there are rainbows after every storm, and eventually – sometimes sooner, sometimes later – you’ll see yours on the horizon. 

Your resulting joy will make your waiting season, and your tenacious hope, worthwhile. 

She Survived Breast Cancer 3 Times

In early 2024, I recorded a series of interviews with some amazing friends for an occasional YouTube series called Let Me Tell You.

Then, life happened. Mother-of-the-bride duties for my daughter’s April wedding, and the sudden passing of my eldest sister soon after, led me to pause work on the series and practice self-care.

However, as the cliché asserts, a delay is not a denial. Today, I’m honored and excited to share the interview – an inspiring conversation with my college classmate and friend, the extraordinary Sheila Taylor-Clark.

Sheila shares in our conversation how she has battled breast cancer three times (with style, grace and humor!) and continues to thrive as a wife, mother, entrepreneur, public servant and sister-friend to many.

Grab your favorite beverage and tune in at YouTube.com/StacyInspires to be enlightened, empowered and inspired.