Spring Forward!

Big Easy Emporium, Coushatta, LA

30 Years

Big Easy Emporium book signing, Valentine Day, Anniversary--whew, February came in like a roaring lion and before I knew it, I was in March and someone said, "don't forget to set your clock."  Oh no, it's time to spring forward again!  

Have you ever thought about why we have daylight saving time (DST)?  Webexhibits.org states: "Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring."  Check out this video from my spring walk here: 

Some sources say, "DST saves energy".  A poll conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because "there is more light in the evenings / can do more in the evenings."   Well, I don't know about all that but I submit to another reason for liking DST.  We all go through challenges--seen and unseen:  depression, debt, diabetes, to name a few.  It doesn't matter the challenge, we will all end up at a cross road at some point.  And when we do, we can do what Franklin Roosevelt did during WWII.  He instituted year-round DST.  So, why not spring forward and empower others, constantly educate ourselves, and employ our skills and talents to improve our journey.  Expect to hear more about Empower.Educate.Employ. in a later post.

So, as I sit and ponder DST, I see it as another opportunity to just get started.  So you are here and you want to get "there".  I don't know everything but I do know that you won't get to "there" if you don't get started.  The shortest route to where you are trying to go may very well be the route you get started on.  But you won't know unless you start.  Be inspired by this video siting an ole time Robert Frost favorite, The Road Not Taken.  Please pay close attention.  It's not the road less traveled.  Robert Frost doesn't say one road is better than the other and it's not.  The lesson for me is, getting started is what made all the difference.  You will never know if you don't get started. 

Success to You!

Thanksgiving Reflect. Remember. Rejoice

     Happy Thanksgiving!  I woke up this morning full of gratitude for grace, growth, and greatness.  I'd like to thank all of you for your prayers and support.  This has been an amazing year and I wouldn't be at this point on my journey if it wasn't for your support.
     Also, as I pause this morning, I reflect on where I am today, remember from where I came, and I rejoice in the possibilities of where I'm going.  After you start where you are, you will realize it's easy to do the next step.  What's the next step Myra?  I'm glad you asked.  It's quite simple!  Just USE what you have and GROW.
     I know you want to know why you should use what you have.  The answer is so simple.  Use what you have because genius or not, you can’t use what you don’t have.

Think about it, have you ever tried to use what you didn’t have?  Go ahead and try and you will find, it’s way too hard.  My nail represents keeping it all together with whatever your gift or talent is despite the lot that’s dealt you.  A young woman by the name of Wilma Rudolph was born 20th of 22 children, born prematurely weighing only 4.5 lbs, born to very poor parents, and born during racial segregation.  While very young, she had every childhood disease imaginable but because of the lot she was born into, she was not permitted to be cared for at a local hospital.  When her left leg and foot were becoming weak and deformed, she had to go to the doctor.  Her mother was told that she had polio, a crippling disease that had no cure and that she’d never walk.  With hard work and determination, when she became twelve years she could walk normally without crutches, brace, or corrective shoes and she decided to become an athlete.  Some of you may know the story.  She became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the Olympics.  How did she do it?  She started where she was and used what she had—one good leg to train the deformed leg and the rest is history.  What do you have?  I encourage you to start using it!  Because if you start using what you have it will grow and so will you.
     So go ahead and start where you are, start engaging with your community, start collarborating with others, even those who don't look like you.  Grow your network, polish your gifts and talents and then you can... Oops, I'll have to save that one for next time.
     Wishing all of you a blessed Thanksgiving Day and always.  Remember to Start Where You Are!

Start Where You Are: The Beginning

Myra, The Storyteller

My partner, Loeka has been pushing me for weeks to write an op’ed, write a newsletter, write a blog, write, write, write…And what do you think I’ve been saying.  “I will one day. I will as soon as I figure out how to start.”  And then I hear my words coming back at me, “start where you are”.  Now some of you may be laughing because you know I recently published my book Start Where You Are:  My Journey from Childhood poverty to Passionate Entrepreneur.   So I’ve decided to address the question, everyone may ask themselves at some point in their life, “Why should I start where I am?”  It is actually quite simple.  Start where you are because you cannot start anywhere else.  In fact, I will go out on a limb and say, you cannot start anywhere else.  Do you know anyone who started where they were not?  Can’t think of anyone can you?  Now unlike my partner, Loeka, I’m no genius but I do know this.  You cannot start where you have never been.  You can read about places you’ve never been.  You can even write about places far, far away.  But just try if you must to start somewhere you are not and you will experience what I experienced, disappointments, disagreements, and depression.  You see we all want something to change.   We want the economy to change.   We want our spouse to change.  We want our children to change.  The list goes on and on.  Heck, we want the candidates to change.  But what about wanting ourselves to change?   Do we ever hunger for change in ourselves?   Do you want a better you?   I learned that if I wanted a better ME, then there were three things I had to do and the first is start where you are?

I will cover more about my start as well as the second and third things I learned in future updates so  stay tuned.  You might just be surprised at what you learn. 

The Storyteller