Cute and Kind

Today is a very special day because I have the honor and the privilege to write after a long hiatus (let's say week) with so many extraordinary activities. It seems that the messages I am receiving is clear and my mind has clarity and it's just a testament to the interconnectedness of all beings. Even my ability to write this blog today is possible only because I am waiting in between projects at the moment.

I chose cute and kind because I was thinking about my daughter Cameron. When I think of her, I am reminded about home, family, the past and nostalgia. About where I have been and where I want to go. This coming weekend I am taking Cameron to the Women's Museum for the International Women's Day celebration.

Our hula halau (school) is performing and being 6 months pregnant, I cannot perform but I am taking photos and passing out flyers. Cammy will be on hand because I plan to have her help pass out cards and flyers. Yes Cute and Kindness is the theme for getting the word out about the halau.

Getting back to the messages I have been hearing today, they all affirm strength, leadership, hope and victory. What a wonderful theme as we just finished International Women's Day yesterday. I have browsed many blogs, ready many articles and even did some reading last night on spiritual connections and I re-affirmed something I already know - - I am a beautiful, powerful woman of God. I see my potential in others - - past, present and future - - I see where I have been and I see where I am going. Apparently there is a following of Christian women bloggers - - how amazing is that. They meet for a conference every year and they are called, "The Relevant Team". I could see my future in that just as I could see my future in writing - inspirational, christian women, minorities - -the possibilities are endless.

Getting back to the nitty gritty - - the scripture speaking to me this week is: Jeremiah Chapter 29: 11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the lord. This applies not only to your spiritual life, your relationships, your family, your home, career, and ultimately (like I've said countless times before) it's about YOU. When I say YOU, I really mean ME. The individual - - the only person that can change you is you.

Some of the things I've learned in business blogs and journals are topics about winning your customer's trust. To do that it's about how you view yourself and in my opinion, your relationship with you is defined by the kind of relationship you have with God.

Toyota is facing an image problem - - they are in business built upon a reputation that they are infallible, they have the highest standards in Quality. In fact in my MBA program, Toyota is the subject matter people study with regards to quality. So now with all of these recalls what can they do to keep that image and what have they done wrong? Their problem - - slow to act, they thought they were indispensable (I will get to indispensability in a moment). For starters they could have been much more proactive by admitting fault early and offering up solutions sooner. Just like relationships, sometimes admitting mistakes early can be rewarding or admitting them to yourself can lessen the impact they can have on your entire life.

Here are some bullet points I received from Jeffrey Gitomer's weekly sales caffeine.


1. It always costs less to fix the problem than to not fix the problem.
2. Trust takes years to earn, yet only moments to lose.
3. Being known as trustworthy is far more important than being known as clever, smart, innovative, or trendy.
4. Trust is all about consistency, reliability, and truthfulness. If you are consistently truthful, your customers will feel that they can rely on you.

Why can't we apply this to our friendships and family life? Of course we can and that's why I draw upon God's messages that he has been sending me all week.

The next piece of information I'm writing about is from Jason Seiden about Safety vs. Opportunity. In many Christian writings it talks about overcoming adversity, facing fear, walking the path to God. Now Jason is not writing about the bible or Christian virtues, he writes about your path to career and financial success. So how do I relate to the two- - I just do. In his article, he is discussing how people crave for new opportunities but unwilling to break out of their comfort zone to accept the responsibility.

I do not believe you can choose both. That's why when you say, "God do with me as you will" - - you can't continue doing the same things that you were doing before. You can't have both. So what does Jason say about fear? Most of the time we don't pursue things because we have fear. Fear grows from our insecurities (remember Beth Moore - So Long Insecurity). The fact remains, if you are focused on the long term benefits you can't be afraid to fail and we should always know that God is watching over us. As Seiden says, "Go for it anyway. Get your hand slapped. Dare to fail spectacularly! You can't have freedom and opportunity without risking getting hurt now and then."

This week, I will be entertaining a new position -- I hadn't thought about it before but I believe I'm being pushed in that direction. While I love what I'm doing now, I can see how another opportunity (though scary) could open up so many new avenues for me. And events of the past week have proven that looking at a new position is not so far fetched. Lately, there is no innovation to my job, I feel like I'm a robot -- I have to wait in order to do things and am not allowed the freedom to analyze, contribute or send and email without someone looking over my shoulder. I know my worth and I realize now that worth is being stifled at where I presently am. So Seiden's article was timed perfectly for me along with the other messages I received spiritually and careerwise. I pray that God has a unique plan for me and that I strive for success. I pray for my current co-workers and my present job in that we all succeed together. I pray for my friends and family so that they can be joyous. I pray for all the women in the world that have to make sacrifices and that are insecure. I pray for my Cammy that she becomes a leader in her own right. I pray for Gus' health and his life long happiness. Lastly, I have faith in God's will for me.

You may be able to drift through life if you never do more than you are required to do, but you will never know what you might have achieved if you had only been willing to give a little more. The greatest opportunities always go to those who have an affinity for hard work, not an allergy to it.