What is Your Plan? TIME TO WORK IT DIVA!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, as with a lot of people.  Thanksgiving to many means great food, family and fun.  Some of us however, are humble and smart enough to take a moment to be grateful and give thanks for our blessings.  Others are even more proactive by giving back to the community.  Feeding those less fortunate than themselves.   For retailers this is the start of their busiest season.  Visions of dollars dancing in their heads.  Every year retailers plan creative ways to lure consumers in to their stores to spend your hard earned money.  My question to you my Diva Sister is do you have a plan?  Or do you stroll around the store in a zombie like state spending money you don't have plunging yourself deeper into debt? Do you have a plan for the holiday season? Have you ever taken the time to write out a plan for your life, daily, weekly, or monthly.  In a few short weeks we'll be entering the new year.  Do you have a plan for the new year?  If so I'm here to encourage you. WORK YOUR PLAN!  What are you waiting for?  What are you afraid of?  Take a minute and think about it.  What's keeping you from working your plan?  You've been saying for years you'd like to go back to school for nursing.  Well there's no time like the present.  What's holding you back?

I was talking to a friend recently, she shared how she would be doing somethings alone for the first time in a  long time.  So I say to her ok, now it's time to do you.  Form a plan, move forward and work your plan.  Now I'll be honest having a plan doesn't mean you won't encounter some set backs. It's a good possibility that you will, but so what if you do, you just regroup and keep moving forward.  You say you want to loose weight not only to look good but to feel good.  Do you have a solid, reasonable plan?  When I say reasonable I mean obtainable. You know like loosing 5 lbs in a month that my friend is reasonable not loosing 40 lbs in a month.

I love writing out goals for the year.  It helps me stay focused. there are times when I've met all my goals there were times when I did not.  I continue, however, to write them out, check them throughout the year and it feels fabulous when you get to check one off as accomplished.  So I'm taking this opportunity to encourage you all to WORK YOUR PLAN! Stop making excuses; Stop procrastinating! Stop shuckin and jivin! lol that's right I said it.  It's time to stop blaming, Mama, Daddy, Brother, Sister Uncle Raybud, and Aunt SusieQ.  If you don't have a plan make one, then like Nike Just do it.  Just like you worked those fabulous pumps with that black dress. WORK YOUR PLAN.  Rather than run around the mall and stores like a chicken without a head. Make a plan before you even step into the store. Stay focus I don't care how cute the commercials and sales people are have a plan and stick to it.

Let's prepare NOW for the New Year.   Just like you planned to camp outside the store so that you could buy your baby that game he/she so desperately wanted only to play with it once for 20 minutes on christmas day.  Use that same tenacity to WORK YOUR PLAN.

Together we can live a life of purpose.  We are strong, intelligent, creative, resilient and we can WORK OUR PLANS.

Be Blessed, Diva Val

Fabulous Fashion Friday

Well Divas, we've made it through our first full work week YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! lol thanks for hanging in there with me.  As time goes on I'm getting the hang of this more each day.  I'm excited and happy about the opportunity to share my thoughts. Today I wanted to dedicate to fashion and or the importance of looking good, because let's face it when you look good you  feel good! How many times have you felt kind of blah! but needed to go out. Once you got all dressed up your attitude changed and you felt like D@$M I look good! lol.  I'm sure we've all felt that way a time or two I know I have and chile let me tell you.  You could not tell me a thing! What do you do to not only make yourself feel good, but look good.  Do you exercise, and eat well. Do you take good care of your skin.  If so what products do you use.  I love makeup and I'm fortunate enough to have learn over the years how to apply it so that it enhances my skin. If makeup is not your thing I understand.  If you do wear makeup what do you use?  How do you decide what skin care products to use. Do you rely on magazine recommendations like Essence. Vogue, Cosmo, Ebony?  Are you like me, I could open my own makeup and skin care counter lol but I LOVE it!  Tell us how lovely and how great you feel when you get dressed.  What's some of your favorite things to wear.

Finally What is the one makeup or skincare thing you absolutely won't leave home without.  For me I have a gazillion lip glosses. I NEVER LEAVE HOME without a lipgloss I don't know about American Express but I never leave home without my gloss lol

Be Blessed, Diva Val

The Strength of a Woman

Greetings Diva,

I thought long and hard about the words of encouragement I could possibly share with my lovely Diva Sisters.  The thought that came to mind is Strenght.  Surely by now we all realize it was not by accident God chose women to be the vessel by which life begins. Not only are we the incubators who nurish and nurture the growth of a baby, but we deliver a baby through tremendous pain.  How is this significant?  We women have incredible strenght, no matter the circumstances.  Can you recall a time where you pushed past the pain to move forward.  How many times have you been ill, but continued to care for your family feeling like something the cat dragged out and left on the road. Have you ever had the flu or a raging cold and still had to clock in to your number one job your mommy role?  Or gone to work when you rather have been ran over by a speeding train? These my lovely divas are perfect example of our strenght.  Only a woman could find four common items in the fridge and turn it into a meal.  We are not only strong we are creative, innovative and resilient.  No matter what anyone has EVER told you.  YOU ARE STRONG!  How do I know this?  You are here. Despite all of the possible things you've experienced you survived it and you are still here. 

I started this blog at a time when most people would be extremely depressed.  I had just lost my job. In spite of this.  I am encouraged and motivated so much so I wanted to share with others words of encouragement and motivation.  Years ago there was a wonderful gospel song we use to sing "Trouble don't last always".  Well I believe that with my hole heart.  And when trouble arrives my dear Sisters.  We are strong enough to handle it.   No matter what, please remember you are STRONG.

be blessed

Self Confidence

Thank you ladies for your comments to today's topic.  Self esteem is essential to our success. It is not always the easiest thing to maintain especially when you are in the midst of turmoil in your life.  But I am here to tell you, that you can ACCOMPLISH Anything you set your mind to do.  Furthermore, you're worth it.

Lynn thank you for sharing your story with us Diva. I cannot wait until you are having the opening to your bake shop, restaurant or catering business. 

From My Diva Heart to Yours

Self Confidence where are you when I need you?

Greetings Divas,

Today I want to address the subject of self confidence.  There have been times in my life when my self confidence took a bus ride out of town. I wanted to do something or try something new and lost the nerve to do it.  I'm sure we've all experienced that a time or two. While reading I came across a definition of self-esteem. Self-esteem = the ability to be unaffected by other people's opinions.  Have you ever had jewelry that's been cleaned.  You didn't replace it altogether it just needed a gentle cleaning and that same piece looked totally new.  It's time to blow the dust off of  that dream you had of going back to school or starting that business.  Don't you dare worry about other people's opinion. You got this!  Today take a minute or two for yourself, block out the kids, dog, hubby, work, er'body and think about something you've been longing to do. Maybe you've wanted to take up yoga and improve your health and body or take up marital arts.  Maybe for years you've longed to travel in the secondhalf of your life.  Find a bank or credit union that offers a christmas club and start saving for a travel fund.  Have you wanted to learn a second language?  Let the library be your friend if you can't afford those expensive language programs. The sky is truly the limit. I'm excited for what's about to take place for you in the secondhalf of your life Diva.  Are you ready for the journey?  I'm waiting to hear from you.

From my heart to yours,

Mean Girls

Good Morning Divas, another great and blessed day is upon us.  The idea for this venue is to encourage Divas to never give up their dreams and to encourage each other to move forward in improving our lives to be greater than our past life. Making your present and future greater than your past. I believe in order to do this, not only do we have to be diligent in moving forward, but we will need to address some issues that prevent us for accomplishing our goals.  A few years ago there was a book, movie and show addressing a very ugly situation that was going on with the female population.  All three, the book, movie and show were called mean girls.  Some women find it extremely difficult to be supportive of other women.  This is important because in our endeavors we need the support of our family, friends, and community to truly be successful. I never understood the cattiness that went on between women.  Why if you paid a woman a compliment on her hair, or some clothing and inquired where she got her hair done or where she purchased her clothes or shoes it suddenly became a question of national security.  Tell me how you feel about it?  How can we change things around.  Is this a form of insecurity?  Take a minute to do a quick evaluation.  Are you a mean Girl/Woman?  Have you encouraged anyone lately to reach a goal or a dream?  Do you receive the support you need.? Share your thoughts with us.  Tell us how we can help you make the most of your second half of life. Don't be afraid Divas to support another woman in her endeavors. There is more than enough room for us all to be successful in whatever field, idea, goal or dream you are working for.

Have you recently returned to school, started a new career? Have you finally met that fabulous Man after so many years of being single,  Please share your story with us.


luv ya, Val

New Week, New Day - Second Half

After a wonderful weekend with family a new week begins.  So begins a new opportunity to work on our second half whatever our second half may be.  Have you been contemplating finding a new career or job.  In the current economy we are all apprehensive about making change.  Change however, is not only good it's necessary.  As we enter the holiday season, this may be a great time to turn that hobby into a side business or what we term as a side gig, or hustle.  So what is your side hustle? Are you great at making crochet sweaters, clothing, blankets ets.  Is baking your thing?  Cooking? What about scrapbooking? Are you gifted in those things?  How about making fabulous scrap books for family and friends. That would be a great holiday gift and well worth the cost. How about begining writing out the plan for your business or new career. What better time to start writing out the plan to be ready for the New Year which is fastly approaching. Start researching funding to return to school. Come on Ladies let's Change the Second Half of our lives. The kids are growing and or grown. You've given all you could and had to see that they had what they needed. Now is Your Time!.  What are you waiting for to enjoy, the second half of your life. You can do this! Take a leap of faith and work on the next part of your life STARING YOU.

And So We Begin.

I am sooooooooooooo excited.  I have been longing to do this for some time.  I know there are many woman like myself who are contemplating and or working toward changing the second half of their lives.  Now there is no set time for the second half.  It could occur at any point in one's life.  I've recently celebrated a birthday and had been praying and planning to make a major change in my life.  I have wanted to own my own business since I was a teenager. As many of you know this very small word called life sometimes derails our plans.  After reading a fantastic book called Second Acts that change lives by Mary Beth Sammons, I felt compelled not only to move forward in those plans but to share this life journey with others contemplating the same.  So Diva's please join me on this Second Half Journey.  Whether it's a new career, turning a hobby into a business or going back to school.